Holy Cow - It's December 1st! and 12 Days of Christmas Day 1!

It's December 1st!  which means we are 24 days away from Christmas (as if you needed a reminder)!  But before we talk about December, let's talk about what we've done the past couple of days. 

There was another big holiday last Thursday and let's just say it may be my favorite of the year.  Let's face it, Thanksgiving is a cooking and eating extravaganza. So you can imagine that it would be extra special to me.  Also, it allows time to sit back and reflect on all of the blessings of this life without all of the craziness that sometimes accompanies Christmas.  Now don't get me wrong, I love, love, love Christmas but I can sometimes get caught up in the little things and let the Big Reason of Celebration be of way lesser importance. 

Let's back way up to last weekend.  We've got lots of ground to cover.  Last Saturday, E and D went to the Georgia/Charleston Southern game and I was thrilled that these two could have a fun day together.  I took my sweet momma and we went to a wedding of a dear friend's son.  It was a beautiful day for an outdoor wedding by the river especially given since the 4th Saturday in November is an "iffy" day to depend on the weather.  But it was gorgeous and we were thrilled to be there to share their special day.

Before I tell you about the past two Sunday nights, I need to give you a little background.  About two months ago, D came home from spending some time at the farm, walked in the door and said that he would like to hold two large family gatherings there on the Sunday night before Thanksgiving and the Sunday night after - one for his mom's side of the family and one for his dad's side of the family.  Well, all-righty-then.  Honestly, I thought it was a fabulous idea and was completely on board.  Because if anything, I do love me a good family get together.   So the past two Sundays we have spent the day preparing, setting up, and hosting parties... and it has been beyond a blessing.  We loved every single minute of the time spent with these precious family members making some wonderful memories that will last a lifetime.   Great idea, D. 

Monday and Tuesday last week I caught up on work-related projects, did my grocery shopping and did as much cooking ahead of time as I could.  Because on Wednesday morning, my boy was going to land in Georgia and I didn't want to spend the whole time he was here in the kitchen.  His time was limited - arriving in Atlanta at 9:30 on Wednesday morning and flying back out at 9:30 Friday night.  So I cleared my calendar for Wednesday.  We had lunch as a family of four at one of our favorites, Johnny's BBQ and then D, G and I headed to Blue Ridge for G to see the new store. 
These two ... oh, my heart. 

Thanksgiving was pretty laid back.  We stayed at home until time to go have supper at D's mom's house.  Supper was amazing of course, because, well, it is Thanksgiving.  But the after-dinner table talk is always one of my favorite times.  This is what Sadie did on Thanksgiving. 

I didn't shop in the stores on Black Friday but did buy a few things on the web.  I just couldn't bring myself to brave the crowds without my shopping buddy (E) so I just stayed at home and sat by the fire myself.  I did go to lunch with G and then we met D at home to watch the Missouri-Arkansas game, hoping Arkansas would win.  That would have given Georgia the chance to go to the SEC championship.  Well, that didn't happen.  And neither did a win to Georgia Tech.  That game might have been the wildest one I have ever sat through.  I'm pretty sure it took a few months off of my life.  In the end, there has to be a winner and a loser but heavenly day, after that roller coaster of a game, did the loser have to be us?  Apparently, yes.  However, I chose to look on the bright side which includes this beautiful view for the day and the fabulous dinner I had with my husband in Athens after the game.  That's enough about that. 

So I think that catches up to today. 

I usually give you an overview of my month on the 1st but since it's December, I think that we'll just take it day by day. 

However, I have a little surprise for you, blog friends!  I'm going to do 12 Days of Christmas Gift Giving Fun highlighting some great ideas for your friends and family or a little something for yourself!  How fun is this?  I must say at this point that I am not receiving any kind of reimbursement for these promotions.  I'm just sharing because that's what I do, I'm an over-sharer. 

So let's get started.

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS GIFT GIVING FUN - DAY 1!  ERIN CONDREN LIFE PLANNERS (and all of the wonderful products)!

About mid-year, I was introduced to Erin Condren.  Well, not personally.  Although, given my love for her products, I would really like to be her friend.  So about July, I was in need of a new planner.  Now, I know, all of you technologically geniuses out there use your phones for your calendar/planner/etc. but me? well, I have to have the good old-fashioned paper kind.  I just like to see the whole picture, feel it, touch it, smell it ... you get the idea. 

Anyway, I stumbled upon the website and I was instantly taken in.  I looked at all the products and watched all the videos about how real women use these planners.  One video was particularly helpful - this woman was a medical professional, wife and busy mother.  She showed her tips and organizational ideas using the planner to it's full potential.  While I'm not quite at her level, I did need a planner for my busy life and I instantly fell for this one.  And yes, I know, it's a little more than I might normally pay but in additional to a whole host of other things you can read about on the website if you're interested, each one is personalized.  And if you know me at all, you know I do love some personalization because I would hate to get my planner confused with all of the other Crevolyns out there.   So this is what mine looks like. 

I adore every product on the website.  So while this planner might be one of those gifts you give yourself, there are lots of other ideas.  Check it out here if you're interested. 

Oh and over at Cooking with Crevolyn I'm doing12 Days of Christmas inspired recipes!  Tis the Season!!!

Happy December! 

It's the Big Day before the Big Day

Have a mercy.  It has been a whole week since I blogged.  Not that I haven't thought about it.  I even have a sticky note in my planner that has my blog topics written on it.  Like, you know, I had a plan.  Which I do.  This week has gotten away with me and the main reason for that is it is a Wedding Week, like the week before a big wedding tomorrow.  Which means along with the everyday responsibilities, it seems every spare minute in my mind I am obsessing, mentally checking and rechecking every.last.detail of the Day.  To say that I don't want anything to go awry would be an understatement.  Funny side note:  I just googled the word "awry" to be sure I spelled it correctly and looked at the definition.  Awry means:  to fall apart, unravel or to  fall into disorder. Ah yes, that is exactly what I don't want to happen.  And it won't, I know that.  I tend to be a bit of an over-thinker and so a Wedding Day that You Want to Go Perfect is an over-thinker's nightmare.  As E and I always say, Sunday's Comin.'  It gives double good meaning to that old phrase for a wedding planner.

But Sunday is stacking up to be a busy day.  So I hope I can get this old body up and out the door early for Worship and Sunday School.  I sure don't want to miss.  We won't be in town next Sunday so I really want to be with my "church people" this weekend.  It really makes me happy. 
Sunday afternoon we will celebrate with our dear friends their Daddy's 90th Birthday.  Since Mimi turned 89 last Sunday, I have been reflecting on a long life well lived all week.  It is truly a blessing to have a parent for such a long life.  I am so thankful.
Sunday night is an Inaugural Night of sorts.  D and I, along with three of our best couple friends are starting a new tradition, a Supper Club.  We have talked about what a great idea this would be for years and by golly, we are going to do it.  However, lest you think we are all going to do the traditional go-to-each-others-houses-and-cook-type Supper Club, that may not happen.   We are just going to Supper. Together.  We'll take turns planning the monthly outing and just go enjoy being together.  You just have to be intentional about these things or they just don't happen.  I can hardly wait to be with these precious friends.

And speaking of Inaugural Nights, did you hear the whoop-whoops of excitement coming from the houses last night?  If you had been close to mine you sure would have heard it.  Just in case you aren't immersed in sports, specifically football, you might not be aware that last night at 6:00 the ... drum roll please ... SEC Network premiered!!  There might or might not be a few words of the "Halleluiah Chorus" sang at my house.  Believe you me, it was a BIG night!  We (and by that I mean, my husband) had been counting down the days until this premier. 

And get this ...  for the past few days D had been in Kansas City at a food show.  So yesterday morning he hears that he can get an earlier flight home than expected so he jumped on it.  As he was standing in line to board the plane, his phone rings.  It is our Coke Rep/friend/huge Bulldog fan who says "I've got an extra ticket for the 3:00 Bulldog practice in Athens, can you come? and oh by the way, Matt Stinchcomb (from the SEC Network) will be interviewing Coach Richt while we are there so we'll get to see that too. And it's a party type thing with food and drinks, a couple of talks from the Coaches, it kinda sounds like something you might enjoy."    Are you kidding?  D could have flown home without the plane.  As soon as his feet hit the Georgia clay, he changed clothes and made a bee-line to Athens.  To say that he was over-the-moon excited when he got home last night would be an understatement.  So pretty much, he had the.best.day.ever   You know, I just had to smile.  My husband works hard, long, long days.  His job comes with much responsibility and stress.  He has a lot to juggle.  So when a little fun unexpected something comes along to break up an otherwise stressful week for him, this wife was extremely thankful.  I truly believe it was no coincidence that he was able to get an earlier flight.  I believe our good God knew what he needed.  As He always does.

So today and tomorrow will be hectic but oh so fun.  I have had the pleasure of watching this precious bride grow from a girl to a woman, and now a wife.  I'll be honest, these are my favorite weddings.  Having a history with the family makes a Wedding Day oh so much sweeter.  So much love to Erin and Will!  Your Big Day is going to be Wonderful! 

Back to School Reflections

Today is the first day back to school in our little community.  I woke up to a text from one of my good buddies declaring that it was her daughter's first day of high school.  Her daughter's beautiful face accompanied that text.  I just had to smile.  Many thoughts came rushing into my mind: thoughts of those first days of school, packing lunches, making breakfasts, driving in carpool, calming lots of nerves and saying lots of prayers. A wise mom once told me that when she dropped off her children at school, she immediately said a prayer that God would put a hedge of protection around the children spiritually, emotionally and physically.  I quickly adopted that prayer, placing it along with the many other concerns I had for my children over the years.  

For me, the days of school have passed. Some things I miss, like the great conversations we had in the car going to and from school and some things I don't, like the drama.  Have a'mercy at the drama school can cause.   That about wore me to the core.  In the rear view mirror, our school days were good.  We live in a community with great schools.  My children had amazing teachers and wonderful opportunities to pursue all kinds of interests.    I have so much respect for teachers I can't even tell you.  It's a gifting from above to be a teacher.  I do not know how they do it.  I am so very thankful that they do.   

Being a mom is the biggest blessing of my life.  I did a ton of things wrong but hopefully I did a few things right along the way.   I have the most precious of children.  So to all the moms out there still navigating the school journey, bless you.  May God give you wisdom, guidance and the patience of Job.   Every time I think about the joys and challenges of being a mom and need a little smile, I watch this.

 

It Could Not be more Random

I just want to jump on here to talk about a few random things of no importance whatsoever and in no particular order.
Actually this first one is of importance.  It is the only one of the list that is. 
1.  God was so good to me today.  He totally answered my prayer and the prayers of those who were praying for me as I spoke to the Challenged Child Women's Advocacy Group this morning.  I remembered what I wanted to say.  Even though I had notes, I hardly ever used them.  I got my display set up in time.  Everybody was so supportive and encouraging.  Bottom line, it could not have gone better.  I am so very thankful for those who prayed and so thankful that God honored those prayers. 
2.  I just ate an entire Dove Chocolate bar.  If you remember, it was in my Valentine's bouquet.  Please do not judge me.
3.  I am probably the last human on earth to download on my iphone/ipad/ihome/iwhatever Adele's album titled "21."  Oh my word it is amazing.  I liked having new music on my i-device that I downloaded Vince Gill's new CD, "Guitar Slinger."  As I think I might have mentioned once or a hundred times, I am a huge Vince Gill fan.  His new music is somewhat different than the honky-tonky stuff of his past but that voice is amazing and the music is just as good or better.  Love it.
4.  I have the new InStyle and new Southern Lady magazines sitting over there in the chair waiting for me to open them and I could not be happier about it. 
5.  Speaking of magazines and i-devices, I noticed in my new issue of Southern Living that if you are a subscriber you could download the magazine onto your iPad.  Well, okay.  I followed the directions just like they said and lo and behold, the new issue of SL came up on my iPad.  However, I'm just not sure how I feel about reading it on there.  You know how I struggle with the whole Kindle concept and even though I try to be a friend to technology, there is just something about having a book and/or magazine right in front of me.  I want to touch and smell those pages.  I'll let you know how this electronic magazine thing turns out.
6.  I am loving the new season of "The Voice." I sorta liked it last year but I am all about those four judges and the whole concept this season.  The judges actually are nice, respectful, encouraging and constructive with their advice. And I love that more than one judge can "turn their chair" for the artist.  Then that artist gets to chose which judge he or she wants to work with.  You see the judges trying to sell themselves to these talented individuals.  Sort of a role reversal of sorts and definitely a fresh approach.  Hands down better than American Idol and certainly Simon Cowell's new show, The X Factor.
7.  I have two new electronic personal care items.  (that may be the most ridiculous thing I've ever written).  It's true.  D got me a Sonicare toothbrush for Christmas.  And y'all thought he was such a romantic after those roses and chocolate.  Yes, the man bought me an electric toothbrush for Christmas.  Thankfully, he padded that gift with some other items that totally made me forget that he got me a toothbrush with a cord.   I really don't tell him how much I love this toothbrush for fear he'll buy me a new vacuum cleaner next year.  So that got me to thinking how much I really would love to have the Sonicare toothbrush's sister,The Clarisonic Mia.  Have you seen her?  I had been going back and forth on investing in one of these little beauties because I wasn't sure if it would really work like they say, or would it make my face break out, or could I send it back if I had already used it on my face or most importantly, can I really justify the cost both initially and the cost with the replacement brushes.  And do I want one more thing laying on my bathroom counter.   Clearly, I am an overthinker.  But one night, after wearing myself out with all of this overthinking, I gave up and ordered it.  I could not be happier with her.  I'm not sure my face looks any different but it feels amazing.  Smooth as a baby's behind.  I am not kidding.
Check it out.  I ordered mine in Turqoise. 
http://www.amazon.com/Clarisonic-Mia-Skin-Cleansing-System/dp/B002XURD32/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329865472&sr=8-1
8.  I met a friend for breakfast yesterday morning at Panera and thought I might try something new there.  The thing that's funny about this is that I have one of two things every single time I go to Panera and I go to Panera a lot.   But since it was breakfast and I was feeling, well, like walking on the wild side, I tried their new Mediterranean Egg White Breakfast Sandwich.  And let me just say, slamdunk, Panera, it was great.  And I don't really even like egg whites. 

Well, that's all the worthless information that I know for today.  Stay tuned.  It's got to get better than this.

I Know This is Random

Over on Beth Moore's website yesterday, she started this blog conversation about finishing the sentence, "I know this is random but . . . " I think I spent an hour reading all of the fascinating responses to this post about all of the random things that people love . . . smelling their dog's breath (really?), reading when raining outside (love that too), baby's feet (oh yes, without a doubt), office supplies (agreed) and hanging out at a book store for hours (done that). Well, I think I'll play along. Random things I love . . .

1. When my big ole boy calls me "momma" and calls my girl "sister." Melt my heart.
2. Any text message from my husband that begins with "hey babe" or from E that starts, "I've just got to tell you this . . ." Again, melt my heart.
3. When I'm reading God's Word and have one of those "ah hah" moments. When I finally put the pieces together about something and get insight into what God's trying to reveal to me.
4. When the fall issues of magazines come out. What is it about the fall? I want every magazine I see that has fall fashions, fall colors or a pumpkin on the front. I have a stack a foot tall right now that I can't wait to get into.
5. When one of our brides says with tears in her eyes at the end of her wedding day, "thank you. It was so much better than I ever imagined." Oh.my.word.
6. A scone from Panera. That's all I'm going to say about that. And maybe a caramel apple latte from the coffee shop at Books A Million. Trust me.
7. When every single time I see my mom (every time) the first thing she says to me, "honey, you look so pretty."
8. The caramel apple hand soap from Bath and Body Works.
9. When my house is clean.
10. When my jeans aren't tight.

What about you? What random things make you smile?

It's Me Again Margaret

Well, I could try to explain where I've been and what I've done but that would take too long and frankly, I would be exhausted and so would you. There's a lot in the my life right now that requires energy, time and truth be told, more smarts than I've got some days. But you know, if God gives it to you, I figure it's in my best interest to just go with it. All of that to say, that there's a lot on my plate of late. But you blog friends have never been far from my mind. I've missed you.

So let's go forward and discuss a few important subjects:
1. D and I went to see "The Help" and it was phenomenal. I had read the book last summer so I've been anticipating the release of this movie ever since I heard it was going to happen. Oh so very good. Let's just assume that we all know that the story line is awesome and discuss the fashion. The movie is set in the early 60s and let's just say, I should have been born in that fashion era. I adore everything these girls wore. I even like the hairstyles. You know big hair never gets old. Big hair and tiny waists. These girls had the tiniest waists of anybody I've ever seen. And you know that the camera adds 10 pounds so I can't imagine what their waists look like in real life. On second thought, maybe I am glad I'm not wearing the 60s fashion. I don't have the waist for it.
2. Our precious boy is back in Statesboro at Georgia Southern and couldn't be happier. We got him all settled in last Friday and he was just beside himself to be back with his buddies and to get on with school. We sure do miss him around here! My mother's heart yearns for this boy but I know that he is doing what he needs to be doing right now. I'm left here to pray for and encourage him. You better believe, that's what I'll be doing.
3. I get to see my Birthday Group girls tonight! Well, Yay and WooHoo! It's been a while since the whole group has been around the table together so I couldn't be more excited to catch up with them. These women mean the world to me and I am beyond blessed to have them in my life.
4. On Saturday, a group of us will go up to New Beginnings to love on those precious ladies. This is a quarterly trip for us to celebrate the birthdays for many whose birthdays don't even get a mention. We'll have cake and ice cream and then set up a little mini-salon and spa for hair cuts and hands/feet pampering. This is a blessing for all of us. I just cannot tell you how much more of a blessing we get by being in their midst. If you have time, please say a prayer for us as we go. For many reasons, I firmly believe that God has something big and huge planned for this Saturday. He has gone to great lengths to get us all together for this day specifically. We would appreciate your prayers.
5. While Mother was in the hospital (she's fine now but we had a rough couple of weeks), I read "The Noticer" by Andy Andrews. I highly recommend this book. It will blow your socks off.
6. We are having a giveaway on the What's for Supper? segment this week. This is only the second time we've done this and I just thought that it was time to share some more fun with the listeners. And it's a great giveaway - Southern Living's 1001 Ways to Cook Southern Cookbook. It's just over 900 pages. It was on my Christmas list last year and I have enjoyed it so much the past few months. Fabulous recipes and tips in this cookbook!

Well, how was that for a list of the most random things you've ever heard? I'm a little overwhelmed at the amount of things I could talk about since I haven't blogged in weeks so that was just what came to mind first. But no worries, I'll not stay away so long. I've missed you.

A Little Catchin Up To Do

So, you know all that stuff about writing a little bit every night. yah, blah, blah.

I've been so busy with the following that I haven't been here on the blogesphere too much. I apologize for writing everything in a list. I think it's my personality. Or my need for order. Or my lack of sentence structure skills. Or all of the above.

1. My house looks like it has been ramsacked by some sort of masked man. Everything is in an upheaval. And it's just not one room, it's multiple rooms. There is stuff here, there and yonder. Stacked in chairs, piled in corners - oh, the disarray. I can hardly stand it. We are undergoing just a very small extreme home makeover at my house. You know how you look around one day and say - we really should paint those doors, and that really needs a touch up and then before you know it, you've painted four rooms, have decided you need a new rug to go with the new paint color, rearranged the furniture, and then one thing calls for another and now your house is in a great big mess and you aren't sure how to stop it. Now, granted, I will have to say I am beginning to like how eveything is looking but I can't stop that little twitch until everything is back on walls, in drawers and on floors like it should be.

2. We have a wedding this weekend. Wedding weeks are crazy. There is so much to do that you aren't sure what to do first and you're praying like nobody's business that you don't forget this or that detail and that everything goes off without a hitch. When they get hitched. Oh my bad, bad joke.

3. E and I are on a major exercise plan. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings she arrives at our house at 6:30 for a 45 minute walk around our neighborhood. E's got this app on her phone that talks to us and tells us the time walked, the distance and mile rate. Well, we are just competitive enough that we can't stand for her to tell us anything negative. We really just want to yell at her and say "LISTEN HERE, GIRLFRIEND, WE ARE DOING THE BEST WE CAN AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT WELL, YOU CAN JUST . . . " You get the picture.

4. And did you know that Sunday is Father's Day? And of course, we have to do something wonderful for the men in our life, do we not? So planning is underway for a get together Sunday night at our house. Thus one of the reasons everything has to be back in its appropriate place asap.

5. There is a dress sale at Belk. It's a good one. All dresses are 50% off, take an additional 30% off of that. And I had a 20% off coupon which could or could not apply to some. You know, that is always such a weird thing to me. Some items are not permissable for the coupon. I never do quite understand that so I just take my coupon and hope that they take pity on me and let me use it. (Lawd have a mercy, this is mindless stuff, isn't it?) But the bottom line is that I got 6 (yes I said 6) dresses for $125. Get this, two of them were $14. You know how the salesperson says how much you save when she hands you the receipt, she said, "Mrs. Wiley, you saved $536." I really wanted to record her saying that just in case I needed verification of my savings for my husband. He didn't even ask.

6. Well, Mary Kay Andrews could not have worse timing with the release of her new book, "Summer Rental." I am a huge Mary Kay fan and had pre-ordered her book several weeks ago and wouldn't you know, it came pretty as you please, delivered to my Kindle last Tuesday. Well, since I'm a little obsessive when there's a new book to read, I couldn't think about anything else hardly. Long story short, I've already finished it and it's great summer reading.

7. I've gotten in the habit of watching marathon sessions of "Say Yes to the Dress" every night before going to sleep. D is usually finishing up a Braves game and I have to have a break from that (have I mentioned that before). So I head to the bedroom, punch the buttons on the DVR and voila! - SYTTD appears! Last night, I had 59 episodes yet to watch. Now granted, some of them are repeats but there are new ones in the mix. Last night this little Dallas Cowboy cheerleader was a size 2 and fell in love with a size 10 sample dress and oh, at the drama that ensued when it was unsure if the dress could basically be cut in half. In case you can't stand the suspense, yes the Kleinfield's worked their magic and all was well with the world.

That's it for today. The End.

Mindless Entertainment

Okay, let’s talk mindless entertainment for awhile.

1. Have a told you how much I loved American Idol this season? Well, in case you missed it, I loved everything about it including the two semi-finalists. I honestly would have been fine if either Lauren or Scotty won. Although I will say that Scotty had the edge with me after that hometown visit. The boy worked in a grocery store after all.
We have to talk about the finale show. I have about 20 things I could say about it but I will whittle it down to three:
a. I am ashamed of AI for allowing Lady Gag (yes, the last “a” was intentionally left off) to sing. Her performance was totally inappropriate but what did you expect AI? This is a family show for heaven sake;
b. I’m sure that you will not be surprised to learn that I about flipped when Steven Tyler sat at the piano and sang “Dream On.” I told G that this song was played at every single high school dance I ever attended. The song was on their 1973 album, which was a real record. Wow – I don’t want to be reminded that that was almost 40 years ago.
c. Did you see Carrie Underwood’s legs? I don’t mean to sound weird here but I couldn’t stop looking at them. They were amazing.

2. I also loved Dancing with the Stars. Of course, Hines had me at hello because he is a former Georgia Bulldog. And when Kim got hurt it about tore him out of the frame. He was the winner, hands down.

3. The new Bachelorette. I don’t know what to think about this show. I watched the first one, which is my normal and then make a decision as to whether I will go further. To tell you how that has gone in the past, I have not watched a single full-season Bachelor or Bachelorette ever . This one is intriguing. The man in the mask is just weird (or quirky – E that’s for you) enough for me to continue to watch. I’ll let you know. Honestly, it’s not looking good.

4. Did you see the season finale of “Castle?” Great day in the morning! I had to walk away from the tv twice while watching this. I thought what in the world? It was like a version of “The Fugitive” all nestled up in my comfort zone of Rick and Kate. I couldn’t decide if I hated it or loved it. If Kate is dead, I will never get attached to another tv show ever. I can safely say that because who in their right mind would kill off the main character especially one who has that kind of chemistry with Rick? I sat three feet away from the tv when Rick was professing his love for her with huge tears. Honestly, this show about does me in. I’m glad I don’t watch much tv. Although it sure sounds like I do after this list.

5. The last Oprah. Couldn’t tell you. Didn’t watch. Have you ever heard so much hype in all your life?

6. However, I do watch every.single.Braves.game.on.television. Did I mention I watch ALL of them? Because after all, they only play 952 games per season and if we missed one, we wouldn’t know who pitched and caught and hit and slid and stole and popped and did that can of corn thing. Oh, I kid, love the Braves. :)

7. I have four shows that I am looking forward to catching over the summer:
America’s Got Talent (Premieer: Tuesday, May 31st) – love the talent but the judges, not so much.
Cake Boss (Premier: Monday, May 30th) – I don’t know what is more entertaining the works of art they create or Buddy or the staff of Carlo’s Bakery. The mixture of all of it makes for great entertainment.
The Next Food Network Star (Premier: Sunday, June 5th) – this show rocks! Usually food reality shows make me nervous for some reason but I love this one.
Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition (Premier: Monday, May 30th). This is a brand new show and it looks great.

8. Have you ever watched “American Pickers” on the History Channel? It is a hoot and a half. These two guys travel over the US looking in peoples barns, basements, old houses, everywhere, going through mounds of junk, looking for old stuff to refurbish and resell. Trash to treasure for sure. Its fascinating.

9. Is it just me or is there nothing new and fresh on HGTV? I just keep seeing the same old rerun of “House Hunters” and “Holmes on Homes.” The only thing I really like right now is “Sarah’s House” but I can’t ever seem to catch it. I’m not giving up on you, HGTV but I sure would like to see something new and fresh.

10. And as you might expect, I must end with the wedding shows. Have you noticed how many wedding shows are on television these days? I do still love “Say Yes to the Dress” and David Tutera’s “My Fair Wedding.” Occasionally I will watch “Four Weddings” but those brides can get snippy and I’m not a fan of snippy.

And that’s all I have to say about that.

The End.

A little Recap

How was your Easter weekend? Ours was just fabulous but I'll get to that in the next post. First I'll need to catch you up on what has transpired in our lives over the past couple of days. Last Thursday was the annual Get Fit Stay Fit Corporate Challenge sponsored by our local Chamber of Commerce. JandJ Foods was a sponsor so many of our staff members were there helping and walking/running. We had a tent set up and were giving away bananas. It is just a fun time and you get to see everyone you know. Here are a couple of pics:

I actually didn't get to run/walk this year with my family which made me very sad. I sustained an unfortunate foot injury while climbing Dunn River Falls in Jamaica while we were on our vacation. This is another story for another day. So G took my place running. We all had a great time. Since I couldn't run and was a little down about the whole situation, D's mom decided the only way I would feel better was if we all went to Brewsters for ice cream after the race. I was in total agreement that that would cheer me up so we piled in the car and celebrated the post-race with butter pecan ice cream. Have you had Brewster's butter pecan ice cream? oh. my.word. It is unbelievably good. You must try it. By the way, I felt much better after the ice cream. :)

E and I had a two full day of meetings with brides on Friday and Saturday. On Friday afternoon we had an initial meeting with a bride who is getting married in May, yes, as in next month. She's suddenly a little stressed and we were called in for the rescue.

Then Friday night, we traveled to Athens to meet with a bride and her mom. The wedding is in June. This is such an interesting wedding. The ceremony will be at 10:00 in the morning (E and I have decided we'll need to get up at about 4:00 that morning) with a brunch and band to follow. At first, I didn't think I much liked the idea of a 10:00 a.m. wedding but the more we talk with this bride about the plans, I think it's going to be great. The venue is perfect; great band for the reception; and some fun things planned for the guests.

Then Saturday we met with one of our September couples for planning meetings with their florist and cake designer. Cake meetings are my favorites. We got to go along for their tasting and honestly, sampling Key Lime, Italian Cream, Carrot and Classic White cake to decide which one is the best (when they are all amazing) is not the worst thing in the world to do.
After that, E and I went over some notes together at the office and then hopped in the car for a meeting with a bride at Montaluce Winery in Dahlonega. Her special day is in two weeks (May 7th) and it is going to be a great wedding. I hope I get to take some photos to share. She just has the coolest plans for the decor, flowers, favors, and food. We have enjoyed her so much. Neither she or the groom are from Georgia so this is truly a destination wedding for them.

So when I got back into town Saturday night, I grabbed a pizza at Little Caesars (our favorite no-time-to-cook meal) and came home and put on my pajamas. NetFlix had been kind enough to send us a movie so we settled in. Have you seen "Life as We Know it?" It was filmed in Atlanta. Josh Duhamel's character "works" for the Atlanta Hawks so there are lots of city shots of the ATL. But the best part of this movie to me was the house where it was filmed. I love houses and especially movie houses. This house is awesome. It is beautiful but comfortable; decorated incredibly. I LOVED this house. What makes it even better, it is an actual house in Atlanta, in the suburb of Brookhaven. And it is for sale, or at least it was, if you are interested. I sure would be if I lived in Brookhaven . . . and had an extra $1.775 million. Here's a link if you're a house lover like me:

http://hookedonhouses.net/2010/10/17/for-sale-the-colonial-style-house-from-life-as-we-know-it/

Seriously, what's not to love?

I've Missed You

Well, I guess by now you might have noticed that I have taken a self-imposed blog break. I'm in quite the dilemma in that I have so much to say but for a short season other things have become a priority. My poor husband - he'll be so tired of hearing me talk that I'm sure he'll be begging me to start blogging again very soon. Like last night I just started going on and on about Steven Tyler and how much I am enjoying him, his shirts and his wit on American Idol this season. I rambled on about that for give or take ten minutes while he listened patiently. Secretly, I suspect that he was wishing I would just blog and be done with it. But seriously, sometimes life just comes at you fast and it's all you can do to keep your head above water. I haven't stopped blogging, in fact I'm keeping an entire list of things I plan to blog about when I get back to it. And I've got some good stuff for you, I promise. But for now, please bear with me. And just so you'll be prepared - things will be sparse around here until sometime in mid-April. Lots must be done and miles must be traveled before then. Thanks so much for your patience. And much love to those of you who have called and texted me just to make sure I hadn't passed on. Y'all are the best! I'll be back soon! I promise.

Five Variations on Random

1. In case you have been living in obscurity somewhere, I need to let you know that Chickfila has a new milkshake. Here is how our family handled the news:

E to Me Text: Mom! Chickfila has a new Banana Pudding Milkshake coming out on Monday! Yay! WooHoo! Can’t wait!
Me to E Text: Oh. My. Goodness!!! That’s awesome! Let’s go – what are y’all doing Monday night for dinner?
E to Me Text: We’ll meet you there!
Me to E Text: You call your inlaws and I’ll call G and let’s all go together to try it!
E to Me Text: Will do! It’s a date!

Me to D Text: D – next Monday night. Put it on your calendar now – going to Chickfila for a milkshake.
D to Me Text: Got it! Any particular reason?
Me to D Text: Banana Pudding Milkshake.
D to Me Text: Enough said.


And sure enough, that Monday night, the Wileys and Williams converged on the Chickfila to try a brand new cup of this deliciousness. If you even think you might like ice cream or a banana or a nilla wafer, you have got to try this. Our family has always had a soft spot in our stomachs for the Mayfield Banana Pudding Ice Cream so we were pretty confident that this would pass our standards. And oh yes, it did. It actually exceeded our very high milkshake standards. Well done, Chickfila, well done.

2. Beauty and Sleeping Secrets.
Okay, so when us girls went down to the Beloved Retreat a few weekends ago, we not only had tons of fun but we learned a few beauty secrets along the way. One of which I have included into my nighttime beauty routine. They suggested a natural and inexpensive solution to dark circles and wrinkles around the eyes is a mixture of Vitamin E oil and olive oil. So I proceeded to go to the Target and get some Vitamin E oil to mix with the olive oil I already had. So now, every night before I go to bed, I dab a little of the oils around my eyes. I even rubbed it on D’s face the other night. After which, I told him “Now don’t let your oily face touch the pillow case.” Then I quickly realized how absurd that statement really was and told him to just sleep normal. Well, I think I ruined it for him because according to him, he didn’t sleep worth a flip that night. But, truth be told, he doesn’t sleep worth a flip any night, which leads me to why we are drinking pure cherry juice every day. According to recent studies, if you suffer from insomnia it has been “proven” that drinking two glasses of pure cherry juice a day will cause you to sleep better. Something about the melatonin content of the juice and how good it is for you. Bottom line, it’s got lots of good stuff in it and we’re drinking because we want to be healthy and sleep.
So I’m sure the next time you see us, you won’t recognize us what with being so well rested and wrinkle free and all.

3. I’m having a personal book struggle right now because I am in the midst of four, count em four, different books. And for a girl who likes to complete the tasks she starts, it’s about to drive me crazy.
Here are the four: equally good; equally different:
George Bush’s “Decision Points”
Lysa TerKeurst’s “Made to Crave”
Steve Furtick’s “Sun Stand Still” and
David Platt’s “Radical”
See what I mean? These are some heavy hitters! Nothing light, girlie or fluffy about these works. I start one and then I hear about how good the other one is and I start that one and . . . I’m on a hamster book wheel and can’t get off. But I do recommend every one of these books. At this point in the reading, “Sun Stand Still” is my favorite.

4. Update on my children’s trip to Italy: We are communicating via email. You can argue lots of negative about the internet, but believe me, I want to hug my laptop every time I see an email from them. We’ve even seen pictures. For E’s birthday, they took a personal Vespa tour of Rome and loved it! They will be going to Florence next and then onto Venice.

5. This morning I sat in a gorgeous church at a beautiful funeral. I realize that may sound strange but it was one of the most amazing tributes I’ve ever heard to a much loved, admired and respected woman. She was truly a woman of God and her family testified to that in a very touching way. My heart was tendered not only by this service but by the fact that my son, dressed so handsomely in a suit and tie sat beside me, was there to support his friend and her family. He had been in this woman’s presence many times and was also touched by her sweet and loving manner. It was a great reminder of the legacy we leave to the ones we love.

So I’ll leave you there but I’ll encourage you with this: Live your life for an audience of One and leave a legacy of His love.

My Thoughts about Audrey

You know after I posted yesterday about our Breakfast at Tiffany's party and my love for Audrey Hepburn, I felt like I needed to share a few more thoughts. Because that's what I do . . . I over-share.

My love for Audrey Hepburn began years ago as a young girl when I was caught by her sheer beauty. My love for fashion began to bloom in high school and I soon decided to double major in Marketing and Fashion Merchandising in college. Not sure I've ever shared this before here but honestly, my heart was much more rooted in the Textile/Fashion/Design department than in the Business department. But at that point in time it seemed the common sense thing to do was to get that Business Degree because after all, it was a lot more practical I suppose. I spent hours and hours as a college student in what was called at that time the Home Economics Department. I loved it there. I loved walking into the building and being confronted with the rich mixture of fabric and food smells (the Culinary Arts majors fell under the same degree umbrella). Weird maybe, but it was my comfort zone. I loved the professors there (most of them were women). I felt at home there. And now as I look back on my life, it makes perfect sense that I did.

(Why do I have tears in my eyes right now? I have no idea. Maybe I'm just nostalgic about my college days and all the opportunities that were open to me back then. Maybe it's because I'm remembering my precious daddy staying up with me every night while I studied. I would come home on weekends to study because we all know that it's pretty difficult to stay on campus and get anything done. My daddy never went to bed before I did if I were up studying or working on a project. Or maybe I'm crying because I'm hormonal. Or maybe I'm all three.)

Anyway, while working on my Fashion Merchandising degree, I began to research and follow Audrey and her classic style. To this classic/timeless/traditional-fashion type girl, Audrey was perfection. The first time I studied her fashion choices in the Tiffany's movie, I was awestruck. I loved it. I wanted to copy it. I wanted to look like her. But apparently I was born in the wrong era because this was the late 70s and we all know what the fashion looked like in the 70s. And it just didn't align with Audrey's classic 60's style at that time. But I didn't care and everything I created I would run through the filter of "is this something Audrey would wear?" And if the answer was yes, I would submit those designs. Apparently, it wasn't a bad idea. I had pretty good success with it.

After I graduated and even though I didn't work in the fashion industry, I still continued to follow Audrey. But now what appealed to me even beyond her beauty and style, was how she used her influence and resources to help others. She traveled all over the world helping children in the poorest of nations. A lot of her work was through UNICEF who appointed her their Goodwill Ambassador. Particularly close to her heart were the issues of immunizations for children and the purification of drinking water in countries such as Ethiopia, Honduras, Guatemala, Ecuador and Somalia. Something you may not know is that in 1992 President George H.W. Bush presented her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her work with UNICEF. She passed away the following year at the age of 63.

So this woman was an inspiration to me on several levels. I want to share one of my absolute favorite quotes and so appropriately for me, it came from Audrey.

I believe in pink.

I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner.

I believe in kissing; kissing a lot.

I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong.

I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls.

I believe that tomorrow is another day and

I believe in miracles.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Is it really Thursday morning already? I realized late yesterday that I hardly gave a mention to Valentines Day! Hope your Valentine treated you well. I know mine did. In fact, we are continuing our celebration Sunday night with a little "surprise." I love surprises (good ones) and I can hardly wait. We began our Valentine's Day celebration on Sunday evening with a table for two at a local restaurant which recently opened in town. What we didn't realize about this little "romantic" spot was that they bring in poker tables on Sunday nights for a little game of Texas Hold 'em. Just what you want to hear when you're gazing into each other's eyes, "I'm a-gonna havta fold em there, buddy. That was the lousiest hand I ever had." Although, it did bring back memories of a certain silver fox from my younger days who could sure croon a tune about holdin 'em and foldin em, knowin when to walk away and knowin when to run. (Did I really just use the word "croon" in a sentence? I'm not sure which is worse: knowing and using the word croon, quoting old Kenny Rogers lyrics, or calling him a silver fox. All of those statements are so wrong on about ten different levels.)

So. Okay.

Maybe I should catch you up on what's been going on around here. Let's see. The weekend was actually pretty quiet. The weather was in one word - lovely. It made you just want to stare at the blue in the sky and sit in the sun. And I did just that.

E and I had meetings with brides on Friday and Sunday. Friday's bride is getting married at Montaluce Winery in May. Outside next to the lake. Reception inside the winery. Purples and greens for colors; birds and birdcages for decor. Oh so pretty. Actually Montaluce needs very little in terms of decor. It is stand alone gorgeous.

Our Sunday bride is getting married outside as well in October. This bride has actually asked to use our family farm for the venue and we could not be more pleased. We can totally rock the farm. It was made for large events such as weddings. She wants to get married down by the pond and have the reception up on the deck. But I will admit though outdoor weddings make me oh-so nervous. They require Rain Plan 101 detailed to the nth degree. You have to have a tent on standby and then you have to make the call if you'll need it or not a couple of days before and oh my word at the uncertainty of it all. But if all things go as planned, outdoor weddings really are some of the prettiest. So we are super excited about planning this wedding and working with this precious bride and her family.

Then last night we met with a bride getting married in August. You know the thing about our business, we never do the same thing twice. Ever. No two weddings are even remotely similar. I really think that is why I enjoy it so much. It keeps life interesting. This bride is going totally glam. Black and white bridesmaids dresses; touches of pink; rhinestones; pearls and lace. Everything classic, traditional and streamlined. I love this look.

Tuesday morning I was in Alpharetta at the coolest place ever - a linen rental company. Doesn't sound exciting? Oh, you just don't know. I walk into their showroom and it is just packed full of beautiful fabrics, colors and tablescapes. I went down there to get linens for a project I'm doing this evening. I am creating a mock-up of a reception table for a potential client. I met her at the Bridal Show and she loved one of the tables we did for the "Be Inspired" Room. I am re-creating that table but tweaking it a little for her specific needs so we'll see what she thinks about it tonight.

I just have to mention that Bible study was amazing Tuesday night. This "One in a Million" study has already changed me. But I have to admit, this study has raised some difficult questions for me. But the beauty of Bible study with this group is that we can speak openly about our questions and concerns with no fear of condemnation or ridicule. We share hearts for God and each other. What a blessing.

I better run. I've got a working lunch meeting in Buford with some folks I am very excited to meet. They own a super cool company down that way and I can't wait to hear more about it. So I'm off.

But I've just got to leave you with this. While I was running around already this morning trying to get stuff done and blabbering insistently to my husband about what I have to do today, tomorrow and into infinite, he grabbed my face with both hands and said this:
"Stop. Slow down. You are going to miss the beauty of this day. Don't get so busy that you don't see all of good stuff that God is doing all around you. So, shut up and kiss me."

Just gotta love that.

It's Sunday Night Live - sort of

What I really should be doing is preparing for Bible study tomorrow night. However I realized I hadn't been on this blog for almost a week and that really just won't do.
So, I'll catch you up on all of the wild and exciting things that have been going on in my life. That should take about 30 seconds but we'll do it anyway.

Last Wednesday night I got to catch up with one of my precious girlfriends. She and I are traveling through the chronological Bible together and what a blessing that has been already. I reminded her that we were exactly 1/12th of our way through the Bible!! We high 5'ed like a couple of middle school kids at the end of a ballgame.

Oh and then Thursday was the baby shower! I swear I could just woller in baby clothes, blankets, bibs and the such. It was heavenly. Can't wait for this baby girl to make her arrival towards the end of this month.

Yesterday, I went to the most incredible Bridal show I have ever seen in Greenville. They did an "Alice in Wonderland" themed show and it was way over the top. Chairs, vines, flowers all hanging from the ceiling. The aisles as you entered were lined with moss-covered pots with tulips, hydrangeas, daisies popping out every where. It was gorgeous. I loved going just as an observer. I checked out every one's booth; sampled all of the caterers and cake bakers fabulous food (a girl has to eat lunch) and then went to the fashion show. Okay, so here were the colors of the bridesmaid's dresses at the show: So we all now know that yellow is THE color of the season but there was also lots of royal blue, lilac, turquoise and green. And a few florals thrown in for good measure. I've actually been seeing that alot in the bridal magazines and blogs. Could you see a mass of floral bridesmaids? I'm not so sure.
Although I'm just gonna tell you this: their tablescape gallery didn't have anything on our "Be Inspired" room last Sunday at the Gainesville show. Ours were totally better . . . hands down better.

Then last night, we got all gussied up and went to a fundraiser for a very worthy organization. It was a fun night out with some great friends and good music! The organizers of this event had gathered some really cool silent and live auction items. To my surprise, I was the recipient of one of them. Thank you, sweet husband.

It's almost midnight and I really cannot tell you how bad I need to be asleep but my mind just won't stop whirling. It has been quite the week in our family. It has been really something to tell you the truth. While I've shared above what have been a few of the fun things for the week, trust me when I say that there have been some very emotional things going on. While I can't share them, I will say I have never seen God show up and show off more than He has this past week. He has been a Provider, a Protector and an amazing Comforter to all of us. Praise God for His Mighty Hand that is always working for our good! He truly is good - all the time!

A Sunday Ramble - Part 2

Okay, so for this post to make sense you must first read the previous post. I totally made a wise decision in choosing to go to Target because oh at the cuteness that was found there. And by the way for any of you that might want to know this . . . they have their swimsuits out. Of course, I flew by those like a bat out of somewhere but came to a screeching halt when I saw this. It came home with me. It wasn't on the list.

And this might have come home with me, too.

And of my word, this. You know I've never, ever met a polka dot I didn't like. So this dress and I cozy-ed right up to one another. There might have even been a polka dot skirt like this that came home with me too.

And this little top is adorable. However, since I have one almost like it, it stayed.

Measuring cup. Check. Silicone whisks. Check. Except that I had to go to Bed, Bath and Beyond for the whisks. Oh and as I stood in the coffee pot aisle at Target I remembered I have an extra coffee pot. I bought it as a back up when I'm entertaining and it didn't even dawn on me until I saw another one just like it.

Oh and the Dutch oven? No Dutch ovens at Target. So, I looked at BB&B and yes, they had one in the same line as my cookware . . . for the mere price of $149.99. Are you kidding me? I think I'll make do without one because after all, some things, like polka dot dresses are more important.

A Sunday Ramble

A sunny Sunday - super glorious and much appreciated. Both of my men folk are gone and I'm having a big dilemma as to whether to start on a new book I downloaded to my Kindle yesterday or go to the Target. As you can see, it's a quandary. I have not been to Target in well over a month so I'm really itching to see all the new wonderful merchandise that I'm sure is sitting on their shelves. I actually have a list of things that I need at the Target: a new coffee pot (mine died an untimely death just when I needed her most last weekend); a non-metal whisk (I can't stand to use my metal whisk on a metal pan - yuck); a new OXO measuring cup (I ruined mine melting butter in it, apparently that's a no-no); and a heavy-duty Dutch oven (because I want one). All fascinating items, you see. But honestly, I guess I lead a simple life - some of my most leisurely moments have been found on the aisles of Target. Rows and rows of things you didn't even know you needed. And I'm thinking I need the exercise. I'm sure I would work off more calories "walking" at the Target than sitting on my sofa reading.

Actually, I'm positive I need the exercise because all I've done this weekend is eat good stuff. Our Friday night dinner with friends was beyond delightful. The company was great and the food was amazing. We ate at Piazzas and every bite was a treat for the taste buds. I can hardly wait to go back. Then last night we celebrated family birthdays at the Red Lobster and came back to our house for dessert. I made Buckeye Brownies, a Sour Cream Pound Cake and a Banana Pudding Cheesecake. The cheesecake is low-fat and honestly, quite delicious. So now you can see why I need to go burn some calories. So in the interest of my health, I'm gone to Target. I'll let you know how it goes.

It's a Wonderful Life!

I've been hearing rumblings from one of my regular readers (aka my firstborn) that I haven't been posting often enough for her liking. Well, you know, it's not like I've been sitting around eating bon-bons (or Nutter Butter cookie truffles - hypothetically speaking, of course). So let's just see what I've been up to the past few days. I am requiring order in my life right now, therefore my writing will be numbered. Just the way I like it.

1. Wednesday morning I volunteered at the Care Center. What a blessing it is to be there. I count it a privilege and an honor to share the love of Jesus with the women who come through those doors.
2. Wednesday evening was our annual Christmas Communion at church. This is one of my favorite things to do during the Christmas season. And to make it even more special, not only were my immediate family members all there, so was my momma, D's parents, and our niece. It was awesome. D's sister and her husband were expected to come but they got caught in the 285 parking lot during the ice storm that night. Thankfully, they made it safely to D's parent's house later that evening. I had chili cooking in the crock pot for everyone afterwards along with a Sour Cream Pound Cake, Buttermilk Coconut Pie and German Chocolate Fudge for dessert. You can't have too many desserts I always say.
3. On Thursday, I had lunch with one of my favorite people. You've heard me talk about D's aunts who I love so very much. Well, one of them lives right here in Gainesville so we get together periodically for lunch and this time, to exchange Christmas gifts. We laughed, we cried and everything in between. And we had chicken quesadillas. I don't know what it is with me and chicken quesadillas but every time I go anywhere I feel compelled to order them. They took me to my happy place.
4. Friday, oh, Friday was non-stop. I got to the office about 10:00. Now getting to the office at 10 may sound like I laid in the bed til 9 and then got ready and went. No, sirree. I was out the door by 7:30 and ran errands right up til 10. You know how it is this time of year, there's a million things to do. If the stores would open before 10 in the morning, that would be very helpful. At 11:00 E and I were meeting a bride and her mother. One coming from Ohio; the other from Alabama. There is a really long story about how this couple arrived to get married at Montaluce Winery in May and you wouldn't believe me if I sorted it all out for you. It was incredible. Anyway, we LOVED this mother and daughter. E said to me after the fact, "Mom, they were just like the northern version of us." It was true and that statement just made me smile.
5. Friday afternoon: As you know, I usually go into the radio station at about 4:40 p.m. every day, for about 20 minutes, to do the What's for Supper? segment. Well, the big news on Friday was that the George and BJ Show was coming to us - J and J Foods Limestone Parkway location!! They did the whole show right there in the frozen food section. I thought this was a great idea when we all first talked about it. Then I went to a meeting concerning the details and soon discovered that I was to not only be there the whole time, I would do 10 different segments!! Now granted they were very short segments but still you have to appear to know what you're talking about during those segments. Whoowee! It was interesting to say the least but I had a great time. The folks at Jacobs Media are truly the greatest folks to work with and we just could not have had more fun!
At about 6:15, when the show was over, I ran home, grabbed G, D and our Christmas gifts and headed to D's parent's house for our celebration with his family. Oh, my goodness. As soon as I walked in the door, I could smell the awesomeness. I kicked off those high heels I had been wearing all day and settled in for an amazing evening. We had ham, creamed corn, green beans, sweet potato casserole, homemade yeast rolls - need I go on? We took our traditional family photo, opened gifts, played the Wii and overall, enjoyed each other's company.
6. Yesterday morning, E and I had our annual Cookie Baking Day. We decided to mix it up a little as far as our cookies and little did we know, how much we really would mix it up. I have told y'all that I have created what I call, Crevolyn's Christmas Cookie. So I was telling her about it and feeling a little on the wild side, we decided to change it up even more with our ingredients. What we didn't realize til right before we got ready to drop them on the cookie sheet was that we had left out a very important ingredient - the brown sugar. Oh.No. We had put the white sugar in but completely forgot the brown sugar. I told E that we would have to just go with it and guess what? They turned out great, different but great. This was D's comment when he tasted them, "this may be the weirdest cookie I have ever tasted. It's like a pecan sandie with no pecan, just sandie and chocolate. I can't stop eating them." Now, I'm not quite ready to give away all my secrets because well, to be honest, I haven't quite perfected it yet. It's a process, you know.
Then we made Cookie Truffles with Nutter Butters and milk chocolate. This is another story. We get to the point in the recipe where you are supposed to chill them before you dip them in the chocolate. So, I think I'll be really smart, and go put them out in the cooler in the garage. I get one cookie sheet full in the cooler and then the second. Except the second one is sitting on some bottles and yep, you guessed it, it shifted and cookie truffles went rolling everywhere! All over that garage floor! It was a sad moment in our cookie baking day. But the show must go on and we made it through and had a great time. Finished in plenty of time to have lunch at Panera so all was well with the world.
7. This morning, D and I were pretty tired so we decided we would go to our 11:00 service at church. Now this is what they call the Real Life Service, but we affectionately call it the Rock and Roll Service. But this morning, the music could not have been better. It was awesome. Yes, it was loud and yes, the drums were prevalent. Oh, and get this, the drum line from Chestatee High School even made an experience during one of the songs. It was so cool. I am constantly amazed at the talent of these folks. And Tom's sermon was again, the best. I hope I can share more about it later in the week.
8. Okay, so then after church, we decided to go out to lunch. I have cooked alot this week and honestly, I needed a break. So, we went to one of those buffet places, where it's all you can eat and you pay as you go in. I really wasn't paying much attention as D was paying but something did catch my attention very soon. D handed this young lady a $10 bill for our lunch. Ten Dollars for both of us to eat lunch?? I kinda looked at him puzzled and he just smiled. I thought, oh no, it couldn't be, it just couldn't be. I proceeded to go through the line and couldn't wait until we got to the table to ask the question. Before I could even open my mouth, D handed me the receipt. OH.NO. She.Did.Not. She.Couldn't.Have. But she did. She gave us the . . . Senior Discount.
And on that note I'm done. I'm going to go put my teeth in a glass.

Tuesday Update

Well, I am just having the best week and it's only Tuesday. And it's bound to get better because we all know all the fun that's to be had before this week's end. Woo and Hoo!

Okay, so Sunday. D went to regular church and I had "church" with a whole slew of High Schoolers. Why you might ask? This is a really long story but I'll give you the short(est) version. Several months ago, God put the most wonderful young woman in my life. The way it happened is a super cool story and one that can only be described as a God-thing. She is a young wife and mother trying to all the right things in God's eyes and has two of the most precious young girls you've ever seen. Anyway, this young woman was speaking to this group of high schoolers on the subject of sex and as you might imagine, I thought she just might need to see a familiar, smiling face of encouragement in the audience. So I went for moral support. She did a great job and honestly, I was beyond impressed at her level of comfort speaking openly about an extremely sensitive subject. She handled it perfectly. And, by the way, kudos to our youth minister for his support of her presentation. I really wanted to give her a standing ovation when she was finished but I thought that might not be appropriate given the circumstances but I sure was giving her one on the inside.
And the rest of the day Sunday was beyond relaxing. We came home, put on our comfortable clothes and never got out of them the rest of the day. G and his girlfriend were with us all day and it was great. We watched football, laughed, ordered pizza and even went to the grocery store together. I loved every minute of it.
So Monday I was up and out early for a full day of appointments and errands. Late in the day, I got to see my girl. She had been out of town for a few days so it had been awhile, and I could hardly wait to lay eyes on her. We met with a sweet bride and her mom about her wedding in April. I know I say this all the time but I love my job. We had so much fun with them talking about all the details of her big day.
After that, it was time for our monthly birthday group girlfriend get together. Well, let's just say I could hardly wait to get there and see these precious women. We sat around our friend's kitchen table and talked for a solid two hours and never moved. Honestly, I think my rear might have been a little numb when I finally got up. At one point, we declared ourselves officially old when we realized we were comparing surgeries, symptoms, medications, aches and pains. I could not have been happier to be there.
And today, Tuesday. Actually I think I may have crossed the midnight time line with this post into Wednesday so honestly, I don't know if today is today or today is tomorrow. Anyway, I won't bore you with all the details but there are two highlights that must be noted.
1. I had a great lunch with one of my heart-friends and oh, at the joy. We hadn't had any face time in months and it was awesome to get to see her and catch up with each other''s lives.
2. It is official. I am now in the full-blown Christmas spirit. D and I have just returned from seeing Mannheim Steamroller in concert. We went to the Classic Center in Athens with our good friends and we had the very best time. MS have been around for 25 years and I think we have every CD they have ever released. Nothing says Christmas to me like Mannheim Steamroller. They are super-duper talented musicians and they can take the most traditional Christmas song and turn it into the absolute coolest thing you have ever heard. There are keyboards, guitars, violins, recorders, strings, horns and drums. I will tell you that you still have a chance to see them in our area as they will be performing at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta the last week in December. It is definitely worth the price of admission.
Seems like the common thread of this post is the good quality time that has been spent with family and friends the past few days. I honestly didn't intend that to be the theme but it sure has come shining through. So, I'll just end here and say that during this season of gratitude I am so very thankful for the family and friends that God has blessed me with.

"Enter His gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name." Psalm 100:4

Much Ado about Nothing

Well, this post is truly, much ado about nothing. But here goes . . .
Well, Saturday's crafting experiment turned out to be so much fun and E and I came away with the cutest ornaments. We also made napkin rings out of jingle bells. Who knew the possibilities? So maybe if I keep my crafting projects in the age ranges of "6 and up," I will be able to accomplish great things. Go over that age level and I'll only get discouraged and disillusioned. The boys watched the Georgia/Auburn game and I made that amazing sausage dip that we reserve only for Georgia-game-watching, hamburger sliders, slaw and sweet potato fries. Oh the goodness and fun.

On Sunday morning, D and I got up at the crack of dark and headed to the church because the Handbell Choir was leading in worship during the early service. We played "Give Thanks" and if I do say so myself, it was beautiful. We practiced after church so that we wouldn't have to go back that evening so by the time we got home Sunday, I was pooped. However, I knew I had much to do in order to get the office decorated for Christmas, so my afternoon was filled with the making of bows and the decorating of wreaths.

Then Sunday night, D and I were so excited to have dinner with his two aunts and one husband (the other was sick) to celebrate my birthday. These two women have been incredible to me. From the day I entered their family, they have loved me like their own. When I married D, I knew I was marrying a wonderful man; what I didn't know was that I would gain two of the most amazing women as "sisters." We love them like crazy as they do us. We had so much fun.

Let's see what did I do on Monday? Oh, yes. By 8:00 that morning I was in a meeting with the J&J Leadership team and our grocery supplier to plan out the promotions for 2011. I was asked to come because of the What's for Supper? segment. Apparently, I am supposed to plan my recipes so that they coincide with the special promotions at the store. Well, overall I think I might have been doing that but now, since I have been in on the planning, I'll have no excuse. I think this may squelch my creativity. Just.kidding.
Monday night I was at the office putting the final touches on the Christmas decor - the tree and our tablescape table. I think we are quite ready for the Jingle Mingle on Thursday.

Yesterday was hospital-volunteering day. We worked in the shop and soon realized just how much we needed to do there to prepare for Christmas. Basically, the whole shop needs to be redone. However, we are going to start with putting up the Christmas tree; redoing all the displays; and moving around about 1/2 of the entire inventory. We are going back early Friday morning to accomplish that goal.

Today. Oh, today. Well, D and I got up at 6:30 this morning to exercise - he ran 9 miles and I walked 3. And then at 11:00 - and I'm so excited about this - I've been invited to judge the Annual Thanksgiving Chili Cook-Off for the staff at the radio station. This should be interesting. I'm taking Tums and GasX with me just in case.
After that, I'm headed to the Care Center to work with their clients for the afternoon. I'm always a mix of excited and nervous when I go there. I so want to do and say the right things to these precious women. It's always a blessing to be a part of the monumental work of God that goes on in this place.

Okay, well I'm absolutely sure that's all of the randomness about my life you can take for one day. Hope you have a good one!

I think I'm the Talkative Sort

I have approximately five minutes to tell you everything that we've done in the last three days. D and I have been gone since Thursday afternoon and we have covered some territory in a short amount of time I'm telling you.
Late Thursday afternoon we caught a flight out to Orlando. But not before I got detained in Security for the possession of an unidentified liquid. Unidentified? Excuse me? Anybody knows that would be my 3 Minute Miracle. And I really didn't want any ole grumpy Atlanta security personnel to have my Miracle. But apparently, these airport security folks have something to do with Homeland Security which I do know is part of our federal government which I do know can throw you in the slammer for disagreeing with their rules. So I decided not to argue the point that The Miracle is not technically a liquid . . . but a thick gel (not a liquid I repeat). Bottom line, I had to give them my Miracle. But come to think of it, maybe I was the grumpy one. My dear sweet husband had neglected to tell me that because of the brevity of our trip, we would not be checking our bags. We would be carrying everything on. Well, if I had known that I would have brought something smaller than my mega-super size hairspray and mousse. Because I only buy those in the huge cans because if I didn't I would be going every other day to replenish my supply. I can go through some hair products I tell you. So . . . I had already agreed to leave the above-mentioned items in the truck. So, if you are following me here, you realize this means that I am going to Florida (otherwise known as the "The Official State of Heat and Humidity") without my mousse, Miracle or my hair spray. Well, I might as well just wear a bag over my head. D, realizing the severity of this situation, bless his heart, kept saying, "honey, as soon as we get on the ground in Orlando I will find a way to get you some hair products." I had to grin. He knew his chances of a good mini-vacation were vanishing right before his very eyes. Because if there is something that will put a girl in a bad mood in a hurry, it is the fact that she is experiencing less than ideal hair conditions.
Well, once we were on our way, things happened beyond our control - like being 45 minutes late leaving Atlanta, waiting 30 minutes at the airport for our shuttle and then taking a one-hour long tour through the Disney World hotel system before arriving at our hotel, which by the way, was not part of the Disney hotel system and therefore, warranted the very last stop. So, by the time we got to our room, we were tired and hungry. We ordered room service and went to sleep.
But I woke up Friday morning to the fresh realization that I still had no hair products. The way I saw it, I had two options: I could go purchase some ridiculously priced products at the resort's spa (and would still have to leave them because I couldn't get back on the plane with them) or I would have to suck it up and go as is to the food show with D. Realizing you just have to let these kinds of things go sometimes, I did the best I could with the nothing I had, I held my head and hair high and accompanied my husband to the show. By mid-afternoon, he had to go to meetings so we parted ways and I just decided to throw caution to the wind (literally) and sit outside and enjoy the heat and humidity that makes Florida what it is. I made it a priority to forget about my over-egotistical hair problems and enjoy the loveliness of my location. Which, in fact, I most certainly did. I will say, however, no photographs were taken to document this day. So much for my self-sacrifice of ego. :)

That may have been the most ridiculous thing I have ever written. I am ever so sorry.

I've got to tell you something that was so funny to me. We are standing in the Atlanta airport at the gate waiting for our flight to board. The pilot was standing there as well and we just struck up a conversation with him. Sidenote: Pilots are like doctors to me. I swear, some of them don't look like they are even old enough to drive much less hold the monumental jobs of flying commercial airplanes or doing surgery. I must be getting old, that sounds just like something my mother would say. Anyway, we discover even though he's from Orlando, he does bike rides through the north Georgia mountains. D asks him if he's been to Dahlonega; he says he has several times; D says we have a grocery store there; he asks D about the grocery business; D gives him his little assessment of the grocery store business climate; and then he says . . . "I'm thinking about changing jobs and thought I might enjoy working in a grocery store. Do you have a business card?" Is it just me or does that strike you as funny? Here he is a pilot for a major airline but he's thinking he might enjoy the grocery store business (which he admitted, he knows nothing about). Well, go figure. Anyway, we say our goodbyes to him and we are walking down the hallway to the airplane and D turns to me, not a smile on his face and says, "well, he was a talkative sort, wasn't he?" After that entire conversation and all the things he could have said, "a talkative sort?" I just cracked up. This whole scenario just struck me as hilarious. Yes, dear, yes, he was . . . a talkative sort.

That may have been the second most riduculous thing I've ever written.

Okay.

The original plan was for us to fly back home on Saturday morning. Oh, but we had the most wonderful of unexpected surprises! Thanks to the kindness and generosity of some very special people, we were able to rent a car, drive to Jacksonville, get some tickets and catch a late flight out of Jacksonville on Saturday night. WooHoo - because you know what happened in Jacksonville yesterday. Oh.Yes.We.Did. We went to the Georgia/Florida game!! Yes, the overtime ending was awful - that goes without saying. BUT . . . the time with my husband, the time with our friends and that ballgame atmosphere on 3rd row seats was awesome! Oh my gosh, we had a good time. The new UGA, Bruce was even right in front of us the whole time. I'll share photos later.
And because I'm sure you are dying to know, as soon as we got that rental car we made a bee-line to the nearest Target, which did in fact have those 3 oz. sizes of mousse and hairspray. And all was well with my soul.

But for right now, I gotta go. Since I've been gone, I'm behind on most everything including some work-related projects, housework and laundry. Oh, and tomorrow night is our 2nd Annual Soup Swap Extravaganza for my Monday night Bible study girls here at the house. Yay! We are finishing up the Bible study, "Anointed, Redeemed and Transformed." And can I just say, WOW. What an amazing study. It is just a six week study and boy oh boy, it's a good one.

Happy Halloween!!