20 Things You Might Not Know About Me

Since I'm getting back into the swing of things with blogging, I wanted to go a little easy on myself for the next few days/weeks.  Would you believe I have blogger's block already?!

Hope you enjoy this particular post!

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This blog post is a part of the ’20 Things You Might Not Know About Me’ Blog Tag started by April from Blacksburg Belle. She began this blog tag experiment to build community among creatives, help us bloggers to connect more and get to know each other better. This month’s topic is all about sharing just a little too much information about yourself. If you’d like to participate or want more info, check out the beginning post right here.

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Question 1: How tall are you?

5'3"

Question 2: Do you have a hidden talent? If so, what?

Hidden???  Um, probably not, but one of the things that I'd like to think I can do better than my husband is painting.  I have serious ninja painting skills.  :)  (And not that hubby and I have contests against each other all the time...it's just that we sometimes revel take pride when we're really good at something.)

Question 3: What’s your biggest blog-related pet peeve?

A bad blog design/layout.

Question 4: What’s your biggest non-blog related pet peeve?

People that don't follow directions.

Question 5: What’s your favorite song?

Oy...that's a REALLY tricky one!  Asking a singer her favorite song is like asking a prolific reader about their favorite book - you cannot just choose one.

But...just so there IS an answer here, let me name my favorite country song - Whiskey Lullaby by Brad Paisley and Allison Strauss.

Question 6: What’s your favorite Etsy shop that isn’t yours?

ByJodi - I drool every time I come across one of her listings.  She is mega-talented!!!

Question 7: What’s your favorite way to spend your free time when you’re alone?

Usually reading or crafting something that isn't tied to my Etsy store.

Question 8: What’s your favorite junk food?

Oreos or Nutter Butters.

Question 9: Do you have a pet or pets? If so, what kind and what are their names?

Bella playing Peekaboo

Dasher sitting at my craft desk

Yes!  My pets are my babies (since I don't have actual *real* babies!)  Dasher is a Chinese Crested Powderpuff, and Bella is a Pug/Chihuahua mix so we call her a chug.  :)  They both have very distinct personalities, too.  Dasher is very protective of my hubby, but loves to play and chase his toys all over the house.  He'll also bark at any living creature on the tv, so hubby and I deal with growls and snarls on a regular basis.  Bella is the complete opposite - totally laid back and loves everyone.  Literally...she loves everyone.  :)

Question 10: What are you number one favorite fiction and non-fiction titles?

Lord, help me...I didn't even know this question was down here when I answered the song one... I don't really have a non-fiction title that I would consider my favorite.  I've read a lot of biographies that I'd consider as good, but none that really stand out as I'm typing this.

Favorite fiction title will probably always be Redeeming Love.

Question 11: What’s your favorite beauty product?

At this moment, I would probably be the 24/7 Velvet Eye Pencil by Urban Decay in Black.

Question 12: When were you last embarrassed? What happened?

When the fire department showed up at my house because we didn't punch the alarm code into the wall thingie to turn off the smoke alarm.  In all fairness, it was not the results of my cooking that set it off.

Question 13: If you could only drink one beverage (besides water) for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Sweet tea

Question 14: What’s your favorite movie?

Gone With the Wind

Question 15: What were you in high school: prom queen, nerd, cheerleader, jock, valedictorian, band geek, loner, artist, prep?

I was the nerd, salutatorian, singer, and resident loud mouth all rolled into one.  Thank God, I've mellowed out A LOT!!

Question 16: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?

Somewhere tropical

Question 17: PC or Mac?

PC

Question 18: Last romantic gesture from a crush, date, boy/girlfriend, spouse?

My hubby, the autograph collector, got me an autograph from my high school crush - Joe Lando from Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman - and it arrived in the mail this past weekend!  (That blog post will be coming soon!)

Question 19: Favorite celebrity?

David Boreanaz or Richard Armitage - got to meet the former at a Wizard Con event in Philly this past summer (fodder for a future blog post and/or series), and the latter is just total eye candy (and thanks to hubby, I have his autograph, too).

Question 20: What blogger do you secretly want be best friends with?

For this one, I'd have to say either Renee from Black 'n Gold Girl's Book Spot or Rissi from Dreaming Under the Same Moon.  I love both of these blogs equally, and while I'm "online" friends with these gals, I just think that if they lived right down the street from me, we'd be best friends.  :)

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So, I think the next step is nominating.  Since I've been out of the blogging loop for so long, I myself don't even know who else is in it!  I know the two ladies in the paragraph above are still actively blogging, so they're definitely up for nomination.

Here are the rules:

1. Copy and paste the questions below and then answer and turn them into a blog post. Or, record a video answering these questions and upload it to your blog post.

2. At the bottom of your post, tag anywhere from 2-10 bloggers you want to see answer these questions. (I also suggest hitting up your tagged people via social media just to let them know you tagged them to do this tag challenge.)

3. Use the title: 20 Things You Might Not Know About Me Blog Tag. Once you’ve hit publish, leave a comment below with the link to your post.

4. Use the hashtag #20ThingsBlogTag when sharing on social media so we can all find your awesome posts!

Question 1: How tall are you?
Question 2: Do you have a hidden talent? If so, what?
Question 3: What’s your biggest blog-related pet peeve?
Question 4: What’s your biggest non-blog related pet peeve?
Question 5: What’s your favorite song?
Question 6: What’s your favorite Etsy shop that isn’t yours?
Question 7: What’s your favorite way to spend your free time when you’re alone?
Question 8: What’s your favorite junk food?
Question 9: Do you have a pet or pets? If so, what kind and what are their names?
Question 10: What are your number one favorite nonfiction and fiction books?
Question 11: What’s your favorite beauty product?
Question 12: When were you last embarrassed? What happened?
Question 13: If you could only drink one beverage (besides water) for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Question 14: What’s your favorite movie?
Question 15: What were you in high school: prom queen, nerd, cheerleader, jock, valedictorian, band geek, loner, artist, prep?
Question 16: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
Question 17: PC or Mac?
Question 18: Last romantic gesture from a crush, date, boy/girlfriend, spouse?
Question 19: Favorite celebrity?
Question 20: What blogger do you secretly want be best friends with?

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Enjoy!

Where I've Been Lately...

You may have noticed that my posts have been rather...er...sporadic lately.  :o(  Several changes have happened in my life as of late, and I promise, I have missed chatting with all of you so much!!

So, here's the scoop...

You may remember that my job situation has been on a little bit of a roller coaster, all the way back to October of last year.  First a layoff, then a new job the next day, then the hours at the new job being reduced from full-time to part-time.  Needless to say, things suddenly became very tight in our household...not to mention the time had come yet again to search for another job.  (I'm convinced job searching is for the birds.)  :o)  But God has a plan, as always, and I found a wonderful job at a local dental office. The people are great, and it's great that it's only minutes from my house.  :o)

And guess what else has happened?  I've finally gotten off my bum, and put my jewelry online!  I've been procrastinating about this for MONTHS, but as soon as the job stuff started to get shaky, I knew there was no time like the present.  :o)  I'm slowly but surely learning different photo techniques, getting new inspiration for jewelry designs every single day, and I'm having more fun with it than I've had in a long time.  If you'd like to read about how it all got started, I'd love it if you'd join me over at my new blog--Belle on a Budget.  (Oh, and if you decide to follow me over there, you'll be my new best friend!)  In addition to the new blog, you can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, and last but not least, at my Etsy Store.  (I'd love to see you at all of them, but even if you just visit one place, I'll be as happy as a tick on a coon dog's ear!)  One other tidbit...  I'm currently trying to reach 50 likes on my Facebook page, and once I do, there is going to be a giveaway...yay!  So be sure to share that big piece of news and tell your friends!

But in all this excitement, guess what's suffered lately?  Reading.  I've managed to read a total of TWO BOOKS since I started this new job exactly one month ago.  While at times I'm really bummed that I haven't been on top of it, at other times, it's been very nice to have a break.  And while I could say I'm hoping to pick things back up in this department soon, I've liked being able to read at a relaxed pace.  Unfortunately, this leaves me with very little blog about on a book blog because I'm also taking a break from interviews, giveaways, and the like...there's quite a lot of time that goes into those that I just don't have right now.  I'll still be popping by with reviews occasionally, and slowly but surely, honoring the commitments I've made for the books I've received.

So, it's a new journey here, and I can't wait to see where it takes me!

Hangin' Out with Dani Pettrey (Plus Giveaway)

Y'all forgive me now...I've been a bit MIA for the past few weeks.  I have a good reason, though.  Really.  :o)

Some of you may remember that I got laid off about 7 months ago only to find myself with a new job the very next day.  While the job itself was the same, there were several things I had to adjust to in a new office.  A couple of weeks ago, I knew I would have to start the process of finding a new job.  If you're like me, job hunting is one of the most exhausting things to do, and quite frankly, probably one of my least favorite things to do...period.  Then last Monday, my hours were cut from 35 to 20.  The job hunt was really on at that point.  After applying for oodles of job openings and sending up numerous prayers for help, I scored a new job in about 10 days.  Woohoo!!!  What it means is that my career in insurance has come to end (hopefully to never be revisited) and I'll be back in a dental office environment where I was before I got into insurance.  Seriously...I cannot wait!  I'm all kinds of giddy to be working about 8 minutes from my house, and with a full 40-hour work week.

So, I said all that to say....please forgive me for being absent!  I've missed interacting with you guys, especially through these interviews.  :o)  And what better way to get back on the bandwagon than with another debut author--Dani Pettrey!  Dani is a new author in the suspense genre, and her book is the next one in my TBR stack.  No joke...just looking at the cover of her book makes me shiver with that dark blue lake and snowy mountains in the distance (see below)!!!  I hope y'all love our fun chat today, and please be sure to sign up for the giveaway at the end!

Welcome, Dani!

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Not including writing, what was your first job?

My very first job was babysitting. My first ‘official’ job was working at a country club/gym in their child care center.

What is one movie that you could watch over and over again?

Pride and Prejudice--both the Colin Firth version and the Keira Knightly one.

Ok, looks like we're gonna have to change this question to simply be "Which version of P&P is your favorite?" *grin*

If you could have any one superpower, what would it be?

To fly. I think that would be so amazing.

Be honest now, ‘cause we girls tend to exaggerate here...  How many shoes do you really have in your closet?

Sixteen pairs, though with my oldest daughter being a shoe thief, I usually only have about half of that amount in my closet at any given time.

Even though I have no kids, I consider myself fortunate that I never had a sister if only for not having to share my shoes.  :o)

Which magazine do you pick up when you’re stuck in a waiting room?

Budget Travel or Travel and Leisure

Have you ever met anyone famous? If so, who?

I’ve met a few: Larry King, Colin Raye, Amy Carter, and Henry Kissinger.

What did you do growing up that got you into trouble?

Made up stories. :)

You have the opportunity to choose between appearing on American Idol or Dancing with the Stars (and that’s without an audition). Which set of producers give you cold, hard cash to go home so they and all of America are spared?

Producers on American Idol would definitely give me cold, hard cash to go home. I can’t carry a tune in a bucket. Think Lucille Ball on I Love Lucy.

Oh, dear!  Should we break out the earplugs? :o)

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Dani, thank you so much for being my guest today, and for being such a great sport with those questions (especially the last one)!  Folks, if you'd like to connect with Dani online, feel free to visit her website, or connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

And now for the part that we all love...a giveaway!!!  I've got one extra copy of Dani's debut novel, Submerged.  Simply complete the form below with your full name, mailing addy, and email addy, and your name will be entered to win a copy!  Be sure to complete your entry before Tuesday, June 5th, 11:59 CST, if you want it to count.  :o)  Giveaway is limited to US residents only, and void where prohibited.  Odds of winning are based upon number of entrants.  I am not responsible for lost or damaged books.

And if you'd like to leave a comment for Dani, scroll down just a little further past the giveaway form to the comment section, and talk 'til your heart's content.  I know she'd love to hear from you!

Unemployed One Day...Employed the Next!

I never thought in a million years I would ever see the day when I would be laid off from my job.  I loved the people there, the family-like atmosphere, the whole bit.  So when my 2 bosses were ready and waiting for me Thursday morning to drop the bombshell, I was shocked.  Absolutely.  Totally.  Shocked.  I just never saw it coming.  And like many other people that have experienced this, all I could think of was, "How in the world am I going to find another job in this economy?  Don't y'all know what the unemployment rate is?" 

So, I gathered my stuff in that lovely white box, and walked out the door.  Cried like a baby when I got in my car and called my husband.  Barely kept it together when I called my dad.  Prayed to God that His will would be done, and that we could make it.

In the back of my mind, I was already thinking that I would wait until next week to really hit the pavement to find a new job.  I knew I wasn't in a great state of mind having never been in this position before.  I needed time to compose myself, and not get emotional when I thought about what had been lost.

But I thought I ought to call just one person that I knew--someone that was one of our vendor reps--and see if she knew of anyone who might be hiring.  Turns out that she did, plus it was for the same company that I've been working for, just at a different location.  I called her to see what she was looking for...then promptly got called in for an interview.  Amazing, right?  :o)  I wasn't counting on that at all. 

So, I go to the office, meet with the agent, and after talking for an hour, I've practically had a job land in my lap.  But I was nervous, though.  The hours are a little less.  The pay is a little less.  The benefits are a little less.  But you know what?  We'd be able to make it.  I'll be doing the exact same thing that I've been doing for the past 5 years, just with a new boss.  I call that a God thing.  :o)  He knew exactly what we needed before we asked, and He provided.  I haven't been able to thank Him enough. 

Thanks to all of you for praying, for commenting...we have appreciated it so, so much!  All the praise goes to Him!

Unemployed

As of today, I am unemployed. I never thought this would be a road I would have to travel, but it's not a new experience for our family. My husband lost a job about 3 years ago, and I thought we were going to be in a world of hurt. We had just moved to a new place, and I had no clue how we would survive on my salary alone. But God had a better plan. :o)  Hubby was able to get a better job than the one he had, and we came through on the other side better than we could've expected.

So, for now, I'm trusting and believing that He has everything under control. For the next few days, forgive me if I don't respond right away to your comments or emails. I'm still trying to take it all in.

Thanks in advance for your prayers, thoughts, and comments.  We appreciate them more than you know.

9 Years Ago...They Got Married

Yep, we got married 9 years ago today.  Funny how times flies, huh?  Sometimes, I can't believe we've been married that long, and other times, it feels like it was just yesterday.  :o)  No lie, we were *young* (like, I was 20), and we've been through the good and the bad, but no way in the world would I ever change a thing.  I love my husband more than anything in this world.  :o)

So, if you were around last year, you got to see what a great time we had for our 8th anniversary.  And if you didn't, you can take a stroll down memory lane by clicking here.  I also put up a post last year that shared how we got engaged, and how our anniversaries all seem to have a theme to them (well, at least 3 of them thus far).  But this year, we did things a little differently....hehehe...  :o)

I don't share much about my love of basketball on my blog, but I do tweet about it on occasion.  And lately, I've been like a crazy, screaming fan at least 3 days a week.  Why?  Because the Grizzlies made it to the NBA Playoffs this year!!!  (What?  Have you been under a rock?)  :o)  Seriously, this year was the best season they've ever had.  Not only did they MAKE IT to the Playoffs, they were also the ones that beat the #1 Seed San-Antonio Spurs.  (Holy cow....people all over my neighborhood probably heard me screaming that day!)

So, with that series in the bag, they moved on to play the Oklahoma City Thunder.  Now, I was a little nervous about this team, and I knew the Grizz would be exhausted going into this series considering they had less than 48 hours to rest between the last game against the Spurs and the first game against the Thunder.  Um, they won.  :o)  The series went on to be 3-2 in favor of the Thunder, which meant that Game 6 would be played in Memphis.  Now, if you haven't been following any of the Playoffs (esp. in this area), the tickets for these games have been selling out in record times.  One of the Spurs games sold out in 30 minutes, I believe.

So, Game 5 is almost over, and hubby (who's been casually following all this sports drama) asks me, "Have you thought about what you want for our anniversary?"  He'd already asked me once, and I seriously didn't have a clue.  All of a sudden, the light bulb went off in my head.  I said, "If we can manage to get tickets, then, I want to go to Game 6 and see the Grizzlies play."  And so, a plan was born.  (Cue the beautiful music.)

No joke, I've never been to a Playoff game.  Hubby had been to one when the Bulls were in their prime in the 90's with Michael Jordan, but this would be my first opportunity.  So, a couple of days later, the tix go on sale at noon, and I'm just praying that we can get in.  Hubby and I are both refreshing our browser pages just waiting for the chance to start hunting for some seats.  Finally, he gets in, and there are two seats in the nosebleeds.  Having only sat in the nosebleeds once at the Forum (where the Grizz play), I knew that it wasn't all that bad up there.  So, I said yes...grab 'em!

And guess what?  We were on the very last row at the absolute top of the Forum.  We didn't know this until we actually got there.  And the other cool thing?  All the seats had t-shirts on them that said "Believe Memphis."  That's kinda been their motto through their whole Playoff journey because nobody thought they'd make it as far as they did.  We got comfy, slipped our new shirt on, and had an absolute blast at the game!  We also got a "Growl Towel" when we walked in the door.  :o)  And guess what else?  The Grizzlies Won!!!!!  It was a thrilling game because they were down by 10 at the half.  But they clawed their way back like they've done so many times, and won by 12 points.  I will never forget being there for such an exciting experience.  :o)  (Unfortunately, they lost the next game which would have sent them to the next round, but that's okay.  They accomplished more as a team this year than they have in any of the previous nine years, and I'm proud to be a fan!)

 

 Scoreboard: 95-83

 

Me and Hubby after the game

Also, while we were downtown, we stopped to look at the Mississippi River.  In all the years I've lived in this area, I've never seen anything like the flooding that the river has caused this year.  It is seriously heartbreaking.  Two years in row now, and almost to the day, there has been widespread flooding all over our county.  Last year, it was from an abundance of rain that fell in just a matter of days.  This year, it's been from all the rain and snowmelt that's flowed into the river north of us, and caused the river to get to an extremely high level.  Last year, my parents almost lost their home because of it.  This year, they've been out of danger...thank God.  I cannot imagine what some of these people must be feeling...to know that you have to abandon your home and stay at a shelter.  That has got to be one of the hardest choices to make.  All I can say is that I'm thankful that the area I live in was spared.  We're fortunate that we don't live close to one of the smaller rivers that flows into the Mississippi.  All of those rivers backed up at some point, as well.  It's going to be a long road back to normalcy in some areas of town, but we'll make it.  We did last year.

Overlooking Riverside Drive - Part of this street had been underwater before this picture was taken.

These two pictures are at Tom Lee Park.  Where those posts are sticking up is where a walkway is usually at.  There's also a stairway that's out a little further in the river that's almost completely underwater.

Oh, the Joys of Painting....and Jury Duty?

Well, we're going full steam on the painting projects!  Hubby and I managed to finish the living room and hallway over the weekend (3-day weekends are perfect for these sort of projects).  Now, all that remains is painting the trim and doors....a necessary evil since we're switching over from an off-white trim to a white one.  Pictures are coming, I promise.  You just don't want to see them now, trust me (because my house looks like a fruit basket turnover).  :o)

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter weekend with their families.  We had a great church service and lunch with my in-laws yesterday.  The day was made complete when they said that we had a few pieces of mail at their house.  Guess what that means?  Yours truly has been called to jury duty.  Oh, what joy.  We actually had a running joke a few weeks ago that everyone had been summoned except me....looks like I should've kept my mouth shut.  :o)  Hubby got called a few months back, and has assured me that the first day is really no big deal. 

Have you gotten that lovely envelope requesting your presence?  And don't you wish that instead of a nice summons to jury duty, it was maybe....perhaps....an invite to the Royal Wedding or something else equally grand?  :o)  My hubby can't understand what all the fuss is about.  (Trust me, I gave him THE look.)  I said that we will probably never see anything so grand again in our lifetime.  Prince Charles and Diana got married while I was still in the womb, and hubby would've been about 1, so their wedding does not count at all.  It's just a matter now of figuring out how early I'll have to wake up in the morning to catch all the to-do.  I've even talked my co-workers into having some cake on Friday, too.  Hey, just because we're not there in person doesn't mean we can't have our own cake and eat it, too!

Spring Cleaning...or Is It Spring Painting?

Just wanted to let everyone know that I will be on a reduced posting schedule on my blog for the next few weeks.  I will still be posting some things here and there, but not as frequent as I have been.  Hubby and I are preparing for some large house projects, and I'll be up to my eyeballs in paint and plants.  I'm planning to do some before and after photos, too, which are always exciting.  :o) 

Right now, our agenda includes painting the entire kitchen (including the cabinets, which will have to be sanded first--so not looking forward to that), painting the living room, and re-painting our master bedroom + new paint in our master bath.  Oh.....my......gosh.  Can you imagine all that blue tape?

Not only are we doing ALL of that, we are also considering building a new shed (ahem....*hiring* someone to build a new shed).  :o)  Our poor shed now is literally on it's last leg, in addition to being a total eyesore.  I think it's been there since our house was built 20 years ago.  AND it's so old that one of the doors fell off last fall.  Embarrassment much?

It's also time to get some flowers planted.  I'm slowly, but surely, working toward having perennials planted in all my flowerbeds, but I'm still a long ways away.  Thankfully, I have one flowerbed full of perennials which have already started to bloom beautifully (yay!), and another bed that just needs to be weeded so the vincas there can start bursting with blooms.  For those of you that garden, did you know that vincas (also known as periwinkles) are sold as annuals but they come back year after year?  I discovered this last year when these itty-bitty tiny sprouts started to cover my flowerbed.  Lo and behold, I had a bed full of them by summertime!  Vincas thrive in full sun, which is great because my front yard gets full sun from sunup to sundown.  There aren't too many plants that can survive that much heat, but vincas are practically indestructible when it comes to hot weather in the South.

So, um...I'll be busy.  :o)  I've been able to do a LOT of reading lately, which has resulted in a LOT of reviews in the past few weeks (which I've really enjoyed).  But during all this home decor drama, I think I'll be lucky to accomplish one book/review per week!  So, stay with me...I promise I won't desert you.  :o)

You've probably been wondering where I've been....

You've probably been wondering where I've been....  Nope, didn't fall off a cliff, the face of the earth, or some other equally high distance somewhere.  Here...let me catch you up....I've been a tad bit busy.  :o)

This time of year is partially to blame, although I typically thrive on the busyness of the holiday season.  For the past two years, Thanksgiving has been held at our house, and I go all out with the spread.  Not only that, but hubby and I spend the ENTIRE week cleaning the house from top to bottom!!  Then, I'm usually up until at least midnight the day before finishing up deserts and breads and such, then wake up at about 6 or 7am to start on the turkey.  Guess what....don't have to do any of that this year, and I'm actually relieved!!!  We will still be spending some time with family, but it won't be at my house.  All I'm responsible for this year is the desserts, and I can handle that job all the day long.  :o)

While I'm relieved about the reduction in Thanksgiving duties this year, there have been other equally exhausting things to take it's place.  Mostly, it's been changes that will have to be made to accomodate new things, but hey....we'll live through it, and figure out a way to make it work.  :o)

Also, I've been doing a bit more singing lately with the parents (only one more left this year...another big relief).  About 2 weeks ago, we took a trip to east TN to sing.  Now, I've been to east TN loads of times, but never toward Chattanooga.  I didn't know what I was in for as far as the driving was concerned.  (Take notice all you people who may drive through Chattanooga at some point in your lifetime.)  I had no idea we would be driving through the dang mountains!  I've been through mountains before, but never for this long.  It was up, down, around, and back again....here comes this curve, and that curve, and this steep hill going up, then coming down.  Oh, and let me not forget to mention the TWO-LANE roads, and drivers who are maniacs!!!!  I wanted to scream at them to stay on their side of the road...not that it would've done any good.  (I also couldn't help but think about that show that's been on the History Channel lately--Ice Road Truckers:  Deadliest Roads...or something like that.  That show freaked me out so much during the first 2 episodes that I just couldn't watch it any more.)  Anyway...I do think it was a miracle that we arrived in one piece, much less that we made it all the way back home (thank you, Lord).  Oh, and one other thing....our final destination was in the middle of NO WHERE!!!  I don't think I ever fully appreciated until now what a blessing cell phone service is!  We stayed in this nice, rustic cabin pretty much in the middle of the woods with no phone and no internet.  Yep, I had some withdrawals.  We thankfully had a tv with a satellite dish so we didn't drive one another stir crazy.  Poor hubby had been trying to reach me all night long to make sure that we arrived safely...I felt so bad that he wasn't able to do anything but leave me a voicemail (which I couldn't check until we had driven almost 45 minutes on our trip back home).  Let me say this....I don't think I have ever been more thankful to be back home after an out-of-town trip!

I've also been working on jewelry!  I don't know how much of that I've mentioned on my book blog, but for almost 5 years now, I have had the most fun with my jewelry making hobby!  :o)  It has to be one of THE MOST fun things I have ever learned to do.  I'll sit down with a movie, pull out a bead box, and get to work.  Then, two hours later, I've got some pretties all ready to go for a show somewhere.  My goal for this next year (I made this same goal last year, but I'm serious about it now!!!.....no, seriously!!) is to incorporate some parties or other fun events to make a little extra dough....maybe even do an Etsy store.  I still need to work out all the particulars, but I'm ready to get busy! 

So, when have I had time to read, you ask?  Well, almost none at all.  :o(  Would you believe that after I read a monthly record of 19 books in October, I've only read 2 so far in the month of November?  Pretty pitiful, huh?  I really need to pick up the pace, too, because the time to finalize the winners for the INSPY Awards is only a few weeks away, and I have to figure out my favorite in the Amish category.  Like...December 5th is the deadline.  Agh!!!  Three of the nominated Amish books were part of series, and because of my OCD nature that I can't read a series out of order, or jump to the very last book (even though it was the one nominated), I have been reading a few more books than what's required.  I just have to be able to know the whole story....I know....I'm crazy.  Because of this, I have 6 books to finish before the deadline.  Oh....dear....  So, all this means that I've had zero time for other reading, or for reviews for other books, or anything like that.  I've already written up one review for an INSPY book, but we have to save them until the winners are announced (let me just say that it was a GREAT book!).

So now after I have written what is probably one of the longest posts ever on this blog, I feel I should stop a moment and reflect on the crazyness that has been my life lately, and also, what the holiday season is about to bring.  We're coming up on two of the most wonderful holidays of the year, and out of the two, Thanksgiving seems to be overlooked anymore.  Stores go from Halloween decorations to Christmas decorations with nothing in between.  Don't they realize there's another holiday in there?  Now, I'm not gifted at all with saying something really eloquent about how we should all stop and be thankful for everything, but I can't help but wonder at a few things.  How often (outside of the Thanksgiving season) do we really stop to count our blessings?  How often do we thank God that we've lived to see another day?  How often do we thank Him for our family?  Or are we too busy trying to one-up our friend, or wanting the latest gadget?  I have taken notice of some of these things because of our society, and then, turned inward for some self reflection.  My desire right now is to take a moment each day to just be thankful--thankful that my husband made it to another day a few months ago; thankful that my parents are still with me, and that we're still able to sing and minister to people; and thankful that I have a full-time job in a great environment without wondering if I'll be laid off.  Wow, Lord....how You've blessed me....let me never forget.

Wednesday Plugs...

Mercy, I cannot believe how crazy things have been for me lately!  So, I'm spending the day playing catch up for you guys, as well as letting you know about some cool stuff...  :o)

Most of you know that my DH had emergency surgery last month to remove his appendix.  Thank the Lord that he came through that without a single problem, and in fact, only had to spend one night in the hospital.  He's limited to what's he able to do physically (which isn't really a bad thing b/c he could stand a break), at least for the next few months....which means that I've been the heavy lifter person in our household lately!  LOL!  :o)  I take out the trash, push and pull it out for the garbage collectors, and take care of the yard...all in place of hubby.  But it's okay...I suppose he's worth it.  *wink*  Also, because of the surgery, he's been so fortunate to have such an understanding teacher in his last college class.  Yep, hubby will be a 2-time college graduate by the end of this year!  YAY!  I am definitely the proud wife.  :o)

In other news, we now have a new relative that is living near us.  Hubby's grandma flew in just last night from California.  He's only seen her maybe 6 times in his entire life because of living so far away, so it will be so great for him to make up for lost time with her now.  :o) 

And now for some other tidbits...

There are only TWO DAYS LEFT to get your comment in for the Julie Lessman book giveaway!  She's offering reader's choice for any one of her four books.  If you haven't gotten a hold of her new one yet, be sure you click here to leave your comment to sign up before midnight Friday, October 29th.

Next, we are only a few weeks away from seeing the winners of the first Inspy Awards.  If you have not seen the list of this year's nominees, then you really need to take a look!  There are some great books up for nomination, and as a judge, I'm already having a hard time narrowing it down to which book will be my favorite for the Amish fiction category!  :o)  (BTW, there's a great interview up with Beth Wiseman today on the Inspy site...she's one of the Amish category nominees.)

I also wanted to give a little plug today for something that I'm loving more and more every day....NetGalley!  This is THE place to catch some great galleys from a ton of publishers.  Currently, there are only 5 (at least, I think that's right) Christian publishers--Barbour, B&H, Moody, Abingdon Press, and AMG--represented over there, but honestly, that's pretty good!  :o)  Thanks to NetGalley, I've had the opportunity to read and review a lot of great books that I might not have gotten around to otherwise.  Currently through NetGalley, I'm reading the newest book by Susan Page Davis...The Blacksmith's Bravery.  You do have to sign up and have your membership approved, and the site is geared toward book reviewers.  Go check it out!

I Survived Another Star Wars Anniversary!

Well, I survived my evening with Star Wars...oh, and with the hubby, too. :o) In all honesty, we both really had a great time. And with even more honesty, this is probably one anniversary that I'll always remember...even it did revolve around Star Wars. The concert far exceeded my expectations, but I have to admit that I really love the music from all the movies anyway.

Alex was convinced that it would be okay to take a camera to the show, even though they're normally not allowed at arena events. As soon as we got in the lobby, there were tons of people already there looking at the exhibits that were set up for everyone. And to our great surprise as well, we even got our tickets bumped up. Our seats were originally much higher up, and when we were on our way up to that level, they had the area blocked off. Then, they switched out our tickets which was awesome because we ended up on the first row of a different section! I don't know about you but I absolutely hate sitting behind someone, especially if they can't sit still!

Oh, and one other really cool thing.... Anthony Daniels, the guy who played C-3PO in the movies narrated the entire concert. He would provide a small introduction to each song, and once he even broke out in character as C-3PO. Too cool!

No lie, the whole night was awesome. If this ever comes around to your city, and you've got a die-hard Star Wars family member or friend, you'd be their best friend for life if you suggested this event. Even for someone like me that is not a fan....I had a great time! :o)

Pretty good view, huh? :o)

Alex and Yoda

Alex and Darth Vader

Alex and me with Darth Vader, Princess Leia, and an X-wing pilot (at least, I think that's who he is)

Me next to the costumes for Queen Amidala

Alex and a Storm Trooper (?) - he said later that he used the Force to steal his weapon...crazy hubby of mine!

The Love of My Life and Star Wars

Wow...I cannot believe that 8 years ago today, I married the love of my life! It is unbelievable how time really does fly. I will not lie to you...there have been some really rocky roads that we've had to travel during our time together, but there have also been so many special moments that I would not trade for anything in this world. Today, I want to share some of my memories with you guys.

This first picture was taken the day after Alex proposed. We had to take a trip to Portland, Oregon for his best friend's wedding, and oh, what a trip it was. Our flights all day long from Nashville to Portland were delayed, and when we arrived, we knew we'd only get to spend that evening with his friend and future bride. Well, what a night we had. The plan was to spend some time in downtown Portland just hanging out, and not really doing anything in particular. As soon as we get down there and park the car, Chris (the groom) locks his keys in his car. Jackie (his bride-to-be) did not have her keys on her at all, either....yep, they were locked in the car as well. So, we spent a lovely hour waiting for a locksmith. (Don't forget now, that this same night was the night that I got a proposal.)

Finally, after the long and cold wait on the curb in downtown Portland, we decide against spending time downtown, and they suggest we check out the Rose Gardens. We all agreed on the new plan, and head on over there. I kid you not, I have never seen so many beautiful flowers in all my life, and every last one of them some different kind of rose. Ahhh....it was gorgeous. We spend a good 20 minutes or so looking around, and I say I need to find a restroom. Fortunately, there was one available right there at the garden. As I'm walking over to the restroom, I turn back and see that Alex is grabbing something out of Chris's trunk. When he sees that I'm watching, he stuffs his hands so far down in his pockets that I knew something was up. So, I finish up quickly in the restroom, and Alex is waiting outside for me when I come out. There was this little bench overlooking the entire garden, and he asked me to sit down with him for a minute. We talk about some inconsequential things for a little bit (cannot for the life of me remember any of that part of the conversation). All of a sudden, he tells me I have something on my back, so I lean up while I "think" he's taking care of whatever it is...I think I thought it was a bug. But no, he used that little diversion (sneaky man I married, I'm tellin' ya) to pull out the ring from his pocket, and say, "I was just wondering if you would want to marry me?" Probably the only time in my life that I have ever been that speechless....seriously. I could not have imagined a more perfect proposal....beautiful night, surrounded by a garden of roses. Oh, and obviously, I said yes. :o)

Nine months later, we got married. I tell ya, I shoulda thought about what I was getting myself into. See, my dear hubby is a Star Wars fanatic, and we're not talking about just a huge fan of the movies. We're talking about a collector. That man has got more figurines of the characters (he's probably got at least 10 different Darth Vaders...shoot, there's probably more than that) than I've ever seen in my life. So, it's been a little interesting through the years when various Star Wars happenings occur around the same time as our anniversary.

First, there was the year we got married--2002. Two days before the wedding, Episode 2 was released in the theatres. Here I am, breaking my back trying to get the church ready when he comes and asks me, "Hon, do you mind if I go see Episode 2?" Wanting to be an agreeable bride and future wife, I say, "Sure, go ahead." That should've been my clue for the rest of my life. On our honeymoon, we had to go see it again (which was mostly to satisfy him that I had gotten the opportunity to watch it, too).

Then, 3 years later--2005. Episode 3 is out, and guess what.....right around our anniversary again. I'm a little sketchy on the details of this one, but I want to say that we went to a midnight showing of this....and yep, still went to work the next morning at the crack of dawn.

So, now, we're at 2010. No more movies to go see, right? Wrong...well, sorta. Guess where we'll be going tonight? To see "Star Wars, In Concert." Yep, I really must love my husband.

I have a Cricut on the Way! Yay!

I guess it's time for my sweet-talking skills to go on vacation because I've got the best anniversary present on it's way to me very soon! I've been working on hubby for the longest time to get one of these, and he finally relented last night. Hopefully, it'll arrive at my doorstep just in time for our 8-year anniversary on May 18. :o)

So, what's the big gift, you ask? Well, I happened upon this crafty infomercial several weeks ago, and I just could not pull myself away from the tv. The big item they were selling..... a Cricut Expression! After watching just 30 minutes of all the awesome things it can do, I literally had drool running down my chin, and my wishing genes were on overdrive.

The things this little machine can do are amazing!! Of course, it helps just a little, teeny, tiny bit if you've got some creative skills already. The big selling point that they have is that this a great tool for scrapbookers. Well, scrapbooking is my least favorite craft right now, but I imagine that by the time hubby and I have a bun in the oven, I'll be rethinking my love of it. This machine can cut paper, cardstock, vinyl, fabric, and almost anything else you can think of that's not too thick....oh, I can't wait to start using it!!!

Hopefully, it'll arrive a little quicker than what I'm expecting. As soon as it comes in, I think hubby will have to drag me out of my craft room...I have no doubt this thing will be very addictive! Stay tuned now, y'all....I'll be sure to post my first project on here very soon!

No, I'm Really Not Speedy Gonzales

I'm sure I'm not the only one that loves spring. Since I've become a bit of a garden addict, I just love seeing my flowerbeds fill up with new flowers. My hydrangea bush has started to bloom, as well as all my rose bushes. Ahhh....I just love it.

But this year, I need to get some bulbs in the ground to start filling up some new flowerbeds that I set up last fall. Hopefully, if all goes according to plan, I'll have those bulbs in the ground by this weekend. I've only ever planted bulbs once before, and had mixed results, so I'm a little nervous about doing it again. This year, I've already bought some dahlia bulbs to plant in the flowerbed in my front yard. If they bloom, I'll upload some pics.....cross your fingers for me. *grin*

My gardening plans would've started a little sooner had I not had a little accident at the house about a week and a half ago. I have now learned that I cannot race through my house like Speedy Gonzales. There are consequences when I do that. :o)

DH decided to order pizza the other night, and told me beforehand: "Hon, when the pizza guy gets here, will you come and get the dogs so they don't race out the front door?" (Bella, our chug, likes to escape out the front door if she gets a chance, and runs all over the neighborhood like she's going on vacation or something.) I said I'd help him with that when the time came. About thirty minutes later, the pizza is at the house. I'm in my newly-cleaned craft room, and race to get to the living room to keep the dogs under control. Just before I make it out of my room, I bang (yes, bang) my left pinky toe into the desk that's right next to the door. Oh. My. Gosh. I have never known such pain in my whole life. And I'm sure you can visualize this scene quite well in your mind....the dogs are going nuts, hubby's trying to pay for the pizza, and I'm screaming bloody murder. I literally could not even walk to the living room, and we're talking a very short distance between my craft room and the living room. I plopped down in the hallway, and just cry like a baby because my whole foot hurts SOOO bad, and all I did was hit that little bitty toe. (Also going through my mind was what the pizza guy must be thinking.) Bella must've heard my blood-curling screams, so she comes to see if I'm alright. She then proceeds to pee right there in the hallway on the carpet....right in front of me. By this time I'm thinking, "Could this night get any worse?" Yep...sure could...she decided she'd do the same thing in the living room. Needless to say, she was not my biggest fan that particular night....didn't like hubby much, either.

Hubby was so sweet for the rest of the night, though, I must say. Cleaned up the doggie pee, and was checking up on me the whole time. Got me an icepack for my foot, got it all propped up, and then he started, "Hon, do you wanna go to the doctor tomorrow?" I respond with a pleading "please don't make me go!!" He's like, "Are you sure? Your toe might be broken." I'm convinced that it's not broken because it looks normal, just a nice shade of red. (Yeah, there's a reason why I never went into the medical field.)

The next morning I decide to make an appointment to see the doc. Good thing I did, too, because my husband can diagnose stuff better than I can. Sure enough...my left pinky toe was indeed broken. Unfortunately, there's nothing they can do about that at the doctor's office except tell me to go to the drugstore and get some tape so I can wrap the pinky toe to the toe beside it. Seriously, I've lived on this earth for 28 years, and never broken a bone in my life. And when I decide that I'd like to break one, I think it should be, according to the doctor, "the smallest, most insignificant bone in your body....it's not there for much, except to probably help you balance better." Great. Well, if I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna do it right.

So, for the past week and a half, I have worn the most unattractive shoes in my closet simply because they are the most comfortable. (Lesson #1, never throw out all your ugly shoes...you never know when you might need them.) And if you've never broken your toe, you'd think it's not that big a deal...until it is. I cannot run, I can't lift anything really heavy (yep, experienced that one firsthand), and I walk around looking like I need a cane.

Oh, and the doctor also said no yardwork. While normally I would love to hear that, I've got to work on my flowerbeds. Hubby is great at a lot of things, but planting flowers is not something that he's tried, and I don't think he really wants to. So, as long as I can get outside early enough on Friday morning before it gets up to 80 degrees (yep, the hot temps are already here in west TN), I'll sit myself on the ground, plant those bulbs, and hope that there will be fruits to my labor come summertime.

The Rides of My Life

Wow, I just cannot believe that 2009 is almost over, and also, the end of a decade. "Decade" seems to be a word that I'm hearing all over the media around Memphis, from the newspaper to my tv screen. This morning, I heard one newscaster mention that you could log on to their website, and share your favorite memory from the last ten years. Well, it didn't take me long to think of my favorite memory/memories. 1/1/2001 was the day I met my husband, and 5/18/02 was when we were married.....absolutely, two of the happiest days of my life. We got our first doggie in 2007, and moved into our first house in 2008....two more great memories.



While I had great memories at the beginning of this last decade, the end of it has a memory that I would like to forget very soon. Christmas Eve was supposed to be a wonderful day in my family, and it almost came off without a single hitch. My aunt (who feels like more of a sister to me and one of my closest friends) was planning to get married! She and her fiance decided about three weeks before Christmas that they'd like to be married on Christmas Eve at noon. So, she calls me up asking me to help her plan the wedding......in three weeks. AGH!!!!! Most of you know that planning a wedding can be chaos at times, with other times being absolutely wonderful. Thankfully, we had more of the absolutely wonderful, and she thrilled me to pieces when she asked me to be her matron of honor. :o)


So, it's Christmas Eve morning, and I'm on my way to the church. It was about a 20 minute drive from my house to the church. I turn on Kirby Pkwy, and drive down it for about 30 seconds and get to a curve in the road. As I start to reach the curve, there's a car coming the other direction that in a split-second, crosses the middle line. He rams into the driver's side of my car, and sends me spinning across the road. All I could think when that happened was, "Please, God, don't let anyone else hit me while I have zero control of my car." Thankfully, that prayer was answered, and I ended up down the road and on the other side of the street with no one else running into my car. Also, it was wonderful that the police were already there towing a car out of someone's yard....my guess it that they hit a slick spot in the road because this other car was all the way up in the hedges next to someone's front porch. Everything from that point was just a blur because it all happened much quicker than I expected. One minute, I remember crying my eyes out, and the next, I was just shaking all over.


About an hour later, I'm at the church, and I've never felt more scatterbrained in my life. Thankfully, there were several people that stepped up and wrapped up all the last minute things that needed to be done because I start to get phone calls from the other guy's insurance company. (Are you thinking along with me that the timing for all this really could've been a lot better?) By 11 o'clock, I'm just about ready and my aunt's also just about ready, so it's time to take some pictures!! I just can't wait to see them because she was soooo beautiful. She wore a deep red, strapless gown that had a corset back and a small train, and she wore her hair up with a silver tiara with no veil. The chapel where the ceremony took place was so intimate, and the service itself was just perfect. I know they are going to be so happy together, and I'm thrilled that my aunt has found someone to share the rest of her life with. :o)


Now, it's about a week later, and I'm just sorta stuck. Having an accident during the holidays presents tons of delays simply because everyone is on vacation or their offices are closed. Right now, I'm in a waiting game to see if my car will be totalled or if they're going to try to fix it. My thinking is that it'll be totalled simply because it's older and because of all the damage. In the mean time, I'm driving a rental, and looking for another car.


Through all of this, I have not been able to stop giving thanks to God. My mind just races sometimes when I think that I could've been seriously hurt, and possibly stuck in the hospital. Even though the accident wasn't my fault, I'm also thankful that the other man wasn't injured. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were both particularly special just because I was able to be with my family and celebrate the birth of my Savior.


So, all in all, there's been some great moments this decade, some not so great, but each one is what makes up my life. I'm also thankful that this year I have made tons of new friends through blogging and reading.....you gals are fabulous! I pray that everyone has a safe New Year's weekend, and that you'll be able to make some great memories for the next decade. :o)

New Furniture Part 2!

More new furniture....and the last of it for awhile (until my credit card recovers)! :o) While the old living room furniture needed to be replaced because of the overall "tiredness" factor, there is a legitimate reason for replacing the dining room furniture.

Here's why.... When we first moved to the house from our old apartment, we had a border collie during the move. Well, she got REALLY bored one day, and decided her next meal should be a table leg and a chair leg. After this little episode, she went to live with hubby's grandparents....couldn't deal with stuff like this on a regular basis and still keep my sanity. Fortunately, it was a perfect fit for them.

Here's the damage the dog did.... (Oh, and please ignore my dirty floor here. It got a good sweep and mop after it was hauled away.)

Here's a pic of the complete old dining room set:

And now, a picture of the new set:

You can't see it from this angle, but on the other side of the table, there is a bench that can seat 2 people. That was probably the single best feature about this table since we often have people over for games and such, and we're always scrounging up 2 extra chairs to put around the table. :o) Oh, and it's just in time for Thanksgiving which will be at my house again this year (yay!!).

But before Thanksgiving....we've got some painting to do, as well as tile the kitchen floor. I purposefully did not include the spot of vinyl on the floor that the dog (same one responsible for the other damage) decided to chew up one day....new tile has been a long time coming.

New Furniture!!

I am bouncing off the wall today!! I have been wanting some new living room furniture for quite some time, and my wish finally came true. Our old furniture was getting pretty tired, too. We bought it from some friends right after we got married, which was 7 years ago.

Here's the old (burgundy) and the new (tan)...big difference, huh?!?!

Settling in to surf the web!

Tryin' to make it through the days....

Let me just tell ya....things are busy for me!! Alex and I have moved into our new house (YEA!!!), and are still trying to get settled in. My craft/book room is still a mess, and hasn't even been completely unpacked yet, but it's getting there. Meanwhile, summer classes at school started a week ago, and I'm just trying to keep up! Not with school per se, but with school, the house, the dogs, my job, extra jobs (jewelry making and calligraphy and such), etc. Needless to say, I have been quite busy. :o)

In spite of everything, though, I've managed to read a few pretty good books. I've gotten caught up with Deeanne Gist's books (finished The Measure of a Lady and Courting Trouble a few weeks ago), and I enjoyed both of them immensely!! She's got a new book that just came out (Deep in the Heart of Trouble) that I can't wait to read. :o) In addition to those, I've also managed to read Let Them Eat Cake by Sandra Byrd and Split Ends by Kristin Billerbeck, both of which were also wonderful. Both of them are probably classified as chick lit, if I had to guess a genre. Thankfully, there will be a sequel released some time this summer for Let Them Eat Cake--that book was just TOO GOOD to not have a sequel so I can find out what happened to the main character!!!

Right now, I'm working on Ruby Among Us by Tina Ann Forkner. This book was just released a few weeks ago, and I have already come across some great reviews. I can't wait to finish it! :o)

Slacking bad....

I feel like such a slacker for not posting on here since the end of March!! I have a good excuse though. Alex and I have been househunting for about 2 months now, and we've finally found a house!!!! :o) I am so excited to own my first home!! YAY!! We're scheduled to close next Friday, so you can imagine everything that's going on where we're living now......lots of boxes, newspaper, and stuff to pack. Fortunately, we've already got lots of people that are willing to help us move, and we are so thankful.

In other news.....school is almost over for the semester for Alex and me. It's been tough keeping up with all of our schoolwork with all the house stuff butting in. Last final for me is scheduled for May 1, and Alex has his last one sometime early that same week, I believe. Be praying that we both have good grades at the end of the semester!!! :o)

In spite of all of this, I've managed to get some reading squeezed in, too. :o) Here's some of the stuff that I've recently finished:

As I Have Loved You by Nikki Arana

At the Golden Gate by Freda Chrisman

A Perilous Proposal by Michael Phillips

The Martyr's Song by Ted Dekker

The Measure of a Lady by Deeanne Gist (FABULOUS!!!)

I can't wait until next month because I'll have a break from school, and a big chance to get caught up on some of the series that I've been wanting to tackle!! Until then, I'm going to try to read Love Takes Flight by Jane Peart and Three Days by Melody Carlson--both were recently checked out from the library.

I guess that's all for now! See ya next time!!

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Currently listening to--Orphans of God by the Talley Trio (can't seem to get this song off my

mind lately)