keeping my eyes open...

me again

2009-09-09T11:34:00.014-05:00

Okay, I know I haven't blogged in a long time. A really long time. Quite a few things have happened since I last logged in. Most of this you probably know, but if not, here is a quick recap.....

- I bought an SUV. The Escape makes me feel lots safer, to be in a larger vehicle (these crazy city people aren't as likely to try to run me over), even if I still do cringe when I'm coming up to a traffic light. Insurance is actually cheaper on this, than on my older car. Even the insurance company agrees that the Escape is safer!

- I'm almost finished with my chiro visits and treatment. I had my final re-exam yesterday. I had a minor head cold all last week though, so the headaches were back. The doctor gave me another week to make sure that the headaches aren't accident related.

- I sold my car from the wreck. I was paid in cash, less than 24 hours after it was listed on Craigslist! Thanks to Don. I think Don has ADD. And I really don't think the pre-car-buying starbucks stop was necessary.

- I listed my first item on ebay, my cell phone from last year. I have bids. They are fighting for it! I love it.

- I'm volunteering at the Fort Worth Pregnancy Center. I watch babies and toddlers while their mothers are taking parenting and life skills classes. The pregnancy center just moved into a newly renovated, really nice building. Childcare is actually a new service that the center offers, it's been fun to help get that started.

-that's all. for now.

hot enough to fry an egg?

2009-07-10T17:39:00.006-05:00

I decided to conduct a little experiment when I got home from work this afternoon. Texas has been well into the triple digits for a few days now. I sort of expected the egg to sizzle on contact. It didn't exactly do that... but it did morph into this interesting fried up, dried up blob on the pavement.

just relax and take a deep breath....

2009-07-08T23:34:00.007-05:00

I've heard that more than a few times this week. I finally went to the chiropractor, a month after my accident. Apparently my spine already has a weird curve to it. The doc said that my accident injury wasn't healing correctly because of my spine. Swell.
I'm already finishing up week #2 of treatment. 8 weeks of treatment and then 4 more weeks of therapy. This is exactly how I planned to spend my summer.
I enjoy new experiences though... and I'm thankful that I'm not in the pain that many of the patients are. There is the electro-therapy room, where we lay all stretched out, as if in a torture chamber. Makes me want to ask... so, what are you in for?

The first thing that I learned, about adjustments, is that when they say... okay, just relax and take a deep breath... they are really just waiting for the you to blow out all of the oxygen in your lungs, so you don't get the wind knocked out of you as they use all of their weight to force your spine back into place.
I also learned that, while lying down, if your feet don't line up (mine didn't), your spine is out of whack.
I think it is quite ironic that they tell me to sleep on my back, when I spend such an exorbitant amount of time on my face, while at the their office.

I am supposed to, daily...
-get 9 hours of sleep (thanks to early morning chiro visits, I don't).
-spend 30 minutes exercising
-spend 30 minutes in the sun, for my vitaminD
-eat lots of veggies, some fruit
-drink only water and green tea
I learned that attitude affects recovery. More than that, people are actually addicted to whatever mood they are usually in. It's scientific fact. We get used to our mood. It makes us comfortable and feel good. Even if our attitude is a grump-ety one.
I also learned that peanuts are not nuts. And everyone is allergic to them, to some extent. Same thing goes for soy and dairy.

Chiropracters actually get more hours of schooling than regular MDs. Personally, I think all that knowledge has gone to their heads.

rude drivers

2009-07-08T17:50:00.002-05:00

A recent survey focused on the US cities which have the rudest drivers.

things that define "rude driving" include...
-driving too fast
-tailgaiting
-cutting over without signaling
-slamming on the brakes
-running red lights
-eating or drinking
-texting or emailing
-talking on the phone

sound familiar? guilty of any of these?

Out of the many cities in the US, Dallas/Fort Worth is second only to New York, when it comes to rude drivers. 2nd!!!! There is not a doubt in my mind. It gives new meaning to the term "defensive driving".
People deal with their frustration in many different ways, which were also listed. Road rage, anyone? The craziest reaction? 1% of people actually admit to slamming into the car in front of them, as a result of their frustration.

addiction

2009-06-30T11:35:00.008-05:00

Cake! *happy dance* [Honestly, I never really was that partial to sugar and desserts when I was younger. I think I developed my addiction several years ago, after I went on a sugar fast along with the youth group I was working with.] This is a pic of my beauuutiful cake from last week, as I graduated from the first month of cake decorating classes. Due to schedule issues, I am taking off the week of July, and will take class #2 during the month of August. It's probably best to wait, with the way the icing slips and slides in the heat. Not as if we're expecting an ice age in August. [Speaking of which, Ice Age 3 comes out tomorrow. This is the first movie that I've been excited about in quite some time (you can see where my maturity lies).]

I had my first chiropractor visit this morning. It was the first exam, x-rays and such (to see if I need to be fixed, after the accident and all). On the forms that I filled out, there was a section on addiction. Sugar and caffeine were listed right along with cigarettes and alcohol. Thankfully, I wasn't asked to quit either one. [Sugar and caffeine, that is.] I have another appointment tomorrow, to see where we go from here. Mom is pretty sure that I'll get addicted to the adjustments, and I think she's just a little jealous.

I also just got my first insurance check for my car. Which I don't plan on using on my car. I hope to sell mine and get something newer. And higher off the ground. SUV-ish! :)

What have I learned through all of this? Get rear-ended. Get good stuff. Romans 8:28.

105

2009-06-12T15:56:00.005-05:00

got home a little while ago. there was a house showing this afternoon, so we took Sol to the park. it is a lovely sunny day out there. it's really only 95 degrees outside. but, according to weather.com, it feels like 105. this is June. just wait until it is an actual 105 degrees out there.
we walked around the entire track. not a shade tree in sight. clues that we are nearing the fry-and-die level of heat:

-school is out and no one else is on the track around the park. no one.
-Sol looks longingly at every puddle he sees.
-when we finally sit down at the picnic area, Sol lays down and doesn't move. not a muscle.
-we have been home for quite some time and Sol is still comatose.

they say that animals are very aware of environmental dangers. in this case, I'd say that Sol is right on.

lucky charms

2009-06-11T03:05:00.003-05:00

it is 3 in the morning. and it is storming. watching fox4news. apparently, when no one is live in studio, they replay news from earlier in the evening. so here we sit, watching weather warnings from last night. i was asleep. but my bedroom window is on the side of the house that takes the most wind/rain/hail. this is Texas. at 3 in the morning. so mom and i get up and eat cereal. this is what we do.

piece of cake

2009-06-09T22:16:00.004-05:00

this is my cake from monday's cake decorating class. it was the second class, our first chance at piping icing. very fun and pretty easy. smoothing the buttercream frosting is the most frustrating part. i much prefer the seamless look of fondant (but of course we aren't allowed to work with fondant until a couple of months into these classes). i love it all the same. hey, anything involving cake is good with me.

so...

2009-06-04T11:47:00.004-05:00

I'm back. And my is laptop back! Complete with a new screen.

Last night I got the police report from my accident. The guy that rear-ended me was only 17. And he did indeed get a ticket. This makes me happy. Yes, now I nervously watch out for young guy drivers. And I can't help but look in my rear view mirror as I stop at a light, waiting to see if the car behind me stops. I'm working through these issues. :)

I'm taking cake decorating classes this summer. Mom is taking the class with me, we had our first class on Monday night. I never knew that there was so much to know about icing a cake (I knew there must be a reason that I like cupcakes better!). Should be fun though. And being with a new group of people is always interesting.

One last funny thing... the Navy air base (across the street from where I work) sends military planes out for maneuvers throughout the day. The pilots seem to have figured out that if they fly low enough over parking lots, they set off all the car alarms. As soon as the alarms are silenced and order is restored, they fly over again. So much for bringing the peace.

feel like i've been hit by a truck

2009-05-29T10:20:00.005-05:00

one of my favortite things to say, when I was tired or didn't feel good, was "i feel like i've been hit by a truck". as i drug myself out of bed this morning, i got the full effect of what that really means. so this is what it feels like.
and let me tell you... i am never using that line ever again!!!

when God tells you to run the red light...

2009-05-28T21:36:00.015-05:00

I was in my first car accident tonight. And if there is one thing that I am happy about... it was NOT my fault! I was driving home from work, minding my own business, when I felt that I should pray. As I did, I came up to a traffic light that was yellow. I knew I couldn't get through before it turned red, but I really felt like I should go through anyway. But, I stopped. Seconds later... screeching tires, whamo. I was rear-ended, being pushed on through the intersection. Should've just gone. I later apologized to the cop for not running the red and avoiding the accident (Zach tells me I'm a dork).
I guess a lot of thoughts run through your mind when something like this happens. These were my thoughts, in the order in which I remember them:

-Of all the nerve... someone just ran into me!!!
-During impact, the headrest is not a comfort feature.
-I think I now know what whiplash feels like.
-Should've just run the light
-Hope they speak English.

Both guys did (and the passenger proudly told me that this was his 7th car accident). Everything was taken care of quickly. A cop just happened to be driving by, right after it happened. As he's writing the report, he asks me if I've called the police. Um... actually, I thought you were? uhh....

Zach came to pick me up, said that I have a tough little car. Their truck did look much worse than my car. So there.

But, when God tells you to run the red light...

today's menu

2009-05-25T00:23:00.008-05:00

I am sorry for my absence of blogs. It is not entirely my fault. You see, my laptop is in the computer hospital. The screen was losing pixels (so Zach tells me), along with a plethora of other issues. It's been in the hospital for a while and, from what I gather, the techs have no plans of releasing it any time soon. I've resorted to using the desktop...
Thought I'd share with you all of the wonderful things that I've eaten today (which very well may be the reason I'm still awake). I started my day off with a nutritious doughnut for breakfast. After church we went to Panda Express. There I had the veggie rolls, fried rice, and orange chicken. This afternoon I went downtown with a friend. We visited Starbucks (for some caffeine, the legal addictive stimulant). Had a java chip frappuccino. Walked around. Went to Jamba Juice. Got a mega mango smoothie. Came home. Ate dinner. Had another doughnut. Revisited my now refrozen Jamba Juice smoothie. Ate a leftover veggie roll. I ended the day with a Sprite.
This is the point where I don't know if I ever want to see food again. Ever. At the very least, I need to fast junk food.
All of this to say... I don't suggest you try this combination of food during the span of one day. Or you may be up, in the middle of the night, pondering such thoughts as well.

new United track

2009-05-08T22:44:00.002-05:00

Hillsong United's newest project, Tear Down the Walls, has a street date of May 26. The new song, No Reason to Hide, is up on www.unitedacrosstheearth.com. Right now you can downlod it for free, along with the chord chart and ringtone.

my toothbrush looks lonely

2009-04-19T11:14:00.016-05:00

when we moved here, to Texas, I got a larger bedroom than Zach (seniority, thank you very much). He couldn't wait for me to "get married and move out" so that he could move into my room.

yesterday my little brother got married.

life is funny like that.

last week we watched him move his belongings out. yesterday morning he packed up the last of his stuff, mostly hair product (heaps of it).

i went into the bathroom after we finally got home from all of the wedding festivities last night. my toothbrush looked so lonely. now Zach's toothbrush lives with Brittany's.

on the bright side... my toothbrush i now have the bathroom all to ourselves

i heart cupcakes

2009-04-04T18:12:00.026-05:00

looks tasty

is tasty

Starlight Yellow Cake

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup of butter

1 1/4 cups milk

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 eggs

1. heat oven to 350. place cupcake liners into muffin pans (makes about 2 dozen).

2. beat all ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. scrape sides of bowl. beat on high speed 3 minutes. pour into cupcake liners, fill each just over halfway full. bake for approximately 12 to 15 minutes. cool completely.

***

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons of milk

mix all ingredients together with an electric mixer on low speed.

if frosting is too thick, beat in more milk, a few drops at at time. if frosting becomes too thin, beat in a small amount of powdered sugar.

i baked these for a baby shower that i went to today (congrats Ashlee!). i made a double batch so that there would be extras for home.

these are so good!

things i've learned

2009-04-03T18:29:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I read an article that I found very enlightening. And disturbing. It was titled something like '10 steps to waking up looking beautiful'. Yeah, it was a dumb article. But I got stuck on one part about how you're supposed to sleep at night......

It said that you should always sleep on your back, never leaning any part of your face onto the pillow. Who does that? I'm not sure, but it startled me a bit... you know, sometimes I do wake up on my face, with part of it feeling kinda tingly. That can't be good. Apparently doctors know which side of your face you normally lean on, by inspecting the wrinkles on your face.

They do have a good point, with the average head weighing in at 8 to 9 pounds, that is a lot of weight to mash your face with. And I wasn't exactly born with a small head. In fact, the doctor thought that I had issues when I was born, because of the size of my head... though I can assure you that I do not suffer from any issues in the head. ;)

The other brilliant ideas included propping your head up on pillows (so that the gravity law can take effect). They even suggested propping up your entire bed so that your head is higher than your feet. Honestly?

Well, I admit it... last night I went to sleep with my head propped up on both of my pillows, my face nowhere near them.

Do ya know, that article did not mention the upper spine adjustment that you'll need if you sleep like that all night.

Maybe it works for them. Not for me. So I pushed the extra pillow aside. Back to mashing my face into my pillow.

Maybe ladies who follow these rules do not have wrinkly faces, but they sure must look tired after getting sleep like THAT.

hello. it's me.

2009-04-02T21:22:00.001-05:00

i'm back. no Spring break for me. i've been here.

trying to keep my space organized at home, as the house is still for sale. that's sure a kick in the head to my messy self. creative people are messy. what can i say?

on Tuesday i went to the college group at church. for the first time. by myself. how awkward.

Spring is here in Texas. it was an incredibly windy day. really destructive wind. but it was a pretty day.

that's all i have for now.
i'll try to do a better job of keeping up.

note to self...

2009-03-08T00:39:00.008-06:00

remember to lose an hour of sleep tonight

dress stress

2009-03-05T23:09:00.003-06:00

today mom and i went dress shopping. Zach and Brittany's wedding is less than two months away. and we have nothing to wear. at some point it was decided that "the sisters" should wear black dresses. i wasn't present at the time of this decision.
i wasn't so sure. so i went into the mall with an open mind. hoping for a really cute spring dress. i left convinced that this is not a good year for dresses.
there is a huge selection for anyone heading to the prom. or on their way to the beach.
but we spent over an hour wandering the mall. and didn't try on one thing.
DQ blizzards were the only thing that we left with. and headaches. which we contributed to stress.

dress stress.

coffee depression

2009-02-28T12:36:00.003-06:00

i know that it seems senseless to pay over 3 dollars for a coffee drink. i know that these drinks are loaded with sugar and calories (and probably other stuff that we don't want to know about). yes. i know. do i care? not really.
i don't have one every day. usually no more than one or two a week.
last week i ordered a decaf white mocha frappuccino.
yes, i do like caffeine. it's beneficial on early mornings, after late nights. but caffeine isn't good for my system. i'm too easily addicted. it's okay. i admit it. i can't handle the stuff. so i ordered decaf.
they tell me that they no longer make decaf frappuccinos. what is this world coming to?
they were willing to throw together some sort of concoction for me. no thanks.
you see, last week they didn't admit this new development in the coffee world. they simply tried to pass off a counterfeit drink as the real thing.
be informed. if it doesn't look right. if it doesn't taste right. it just ain't right.

it's easy to miss something you're not looking for...

2009-02-18T22:39:00.022-06:00

i'm back... exactly one week and one box of chocolates later. i wasn't sure if i had anything enlightening to share. but i must say something (as lingering with the Day of Fire boys is a bit much for some people). so, as i was thinking about it (what i should post, not tattoos), i came across this video. i saw this for the first time at the Hillsong United conference last year. the conference revolved around the topic of loving people. helping people.

start wherever you're at. open your eyes. reach out to people that you pass every day. be aware.

this video got quite a reaction from the crowd at United. get ready people, this is an awareness test.....

creative juices

2009-02-12T16:43:00.023-06:00

despite the "economic downturn", creative juices are still flowing. artists are still finding ways to create and distribute their projects. here are a few that i'm happy about:

Day of Fire is working on their 3rd release. they have a new approach this time. they don't have a record label. they've kept their day jobs. they are recruiting the support of fans to bring their newest effort into existence. by pre-ordering the new album, you have funded the production of their music, before they could begin recording. they are now in the final phases of the recording process, and they are excited. me too.

another united album! this live recording is taking place on friday night! the title? {a_CROSS//the_EARTH} pretty awesome. i'm hoping for some new songs. United doesn't disappoint.

last, but not least.... Erynn Mangum has finished writing her first book in a whole new series! Erynn has become one of my favorite authors. she is only 24, and will be releasing her 4th book. her books are high energy and girly, with a quirky sense of humor. the book is finished, but because of economic mess it won't be released until Spring 2010.

fifteen

2009-02-12T16:05:00.011-06:00

i do not like getting haircuts. no matter what style i ask for, i always get the same answer... "your hair won't do that. it's too thick. and curly. you're going to end up looking like a bush."

oh. just what i had in mind.

my hair is naturally somewhat curly, so that's the way i tend to wear it for laziness sake.

i had my hair cut last week. i went in carrying a nice little picture of a medium-length curly hairstyle. i heard the usual "bush" story, though she assured me that she could give me a version that would be suitable for my hair. i walked out with an okay straight haircut. mom says that it makes me look 15. oh joy.

but when i tried to let it go curly... the top half of my haircut does sort of look like the aforesaid bush (or something left over from the 80s), and it looks like someone took the weed whacker to the bottom part. is this some sort of stylist revenge? does she not like curly styles? is she just trying to prove her bush theory?

whatever the case may be.... for now, i must use the flat iron to assist in straightening my hair.

avoiding the bush look.

looking fifteen years old.

sugar high

2009-02-06T23:53:00.003-06:00

Tonight I had a hot fudge sundae from Braum's. :) Dairy Queen is still my favorite, but Braum's will have to do, while I live here (Dairy Queens in Texas are few and far between). No one can beat Dairy Queen's soft serve ice cream. No one.

define: dfw

Many people refer to the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex as DFW. A few days ago I was reading through the info that I received when I started work here (I came across this interesting reading material while I was packing). I noticed the paragraph on the "drug free workplace" policy... aka DFW. So, for any confusion created by my DFW references......

Traffic report

Lately the traffic guy (on the radio) has mentioned permanent road construction in certain areas. Permanent. Really? Yeah, that's the way road work seems.... but are they actually admitting it now?

Snow Day

Live in a warm climate? Unexpected snow day? No sled? Improvise. Apparently body boards make great sleds. I don't know. Ask the kids down the street.

WX13

2009-01-27T22:43:00.007-06:00

It is freeeezing tonight. No snow, just ice pellets. Hoping that everything is still frozen over so I don't have to go in to work tomorrow. It's interesting, driving through weather in Texas (Texas doesn't normally experience weather). To be totally honest, last year was the first time that I had to drive through the snow. It was kind of fun actually. Texan drivers, however, make me nervous. The roads here are oiled (or something like that), so they get a bit slick whenever it rains. People seem to find it necessary to drive 10 miles under the speed limit. In the RAIN. Tomorrow's not lookin' pretty....

Enjoyed watching the X Games last week. Winter X is the best. I love the snowboarding. Seeing all that snow. Seems like the riders made a lot of contact with that snow this year. dangerous sports.

It's interesting to hear from Christians in the snowboarding community. Andy Finch and Kelly Clark are a few that seem deep in their faith. Sad to see that neither medaled this year.

Also, Fireflight and Thousand Foot Krutch were voted in, out of many bands, to play during the games this year.

Probably my first X Games was the year that Shaun White came onto the scene. Last year Target launched a Shaun White clothing line for boys. It really didn't sell that well in this part of Texas (apparently the boys aren't certain about this whole snow style idea). The display was complete with a big picture of Shaun White. and all that red hair. I was walking by it when I heard a boy, sitting patiently in a shopping cart (Texans call them "buggies" or "baskets". "buggies"? really? yeah. maybe because we're in the West? oh, and an English co-worker calls them "trolleys". there you have it. shopping carts around the world). Anyway, this kid is sitting there, staring up at the big pic of Shaun. Then he blurts "who is the guurrlll?" twas funny. :)

Better sign off now. The internet is coming and going.

Don't freeze out there :)

2052

2009-01-18T00:40:00.013-06:00

Just checking in on my 401k tonight. Only lost 3% this week! Since when does loss feel like a win????

According to projections, I began investing early enough to accumulate sufficient retirement funds. And then I saw the year. The year 2052. What???? 2052!!!!! Yup. 2052. Oh wow.....

i'm getting old

2009-01-13T17:51:00.010-06:00

It seems like i haven't blogged in forever. In between work and doing nothing, I've been cleaning and organizing. I've been packing up old CDs, pictures and journals. Last night i stayed up way too late, sorting through my graduation cards and scrapbook. I'm getting old. Not sure if i determined this because of the number of years that I've been out of school, or by the fact that I'm actually enjoying digging through the memories. Some things have definitely changed since I was in school. September 11th was not in the books, Pluto still was. Here are a few of the fun things that I've come across in my cleaning venture...

snake lights. I remember seeing a bunch of commercials about this incredible light that you could wrap around anything. Me and Zach got them for Christmas one year. At that time our family was going on a lot of road trips, many of them ending in the dark. Me and Zach would wrap these lights around our heads so that we had light to read by. genius.

pogs. Do you remember these things? I think i got the majority of them from a sporting goods store. I seem to remember some NASA themed ones, coming in a happy meal. I don't even remember how the game was played. I just know that me and my cousins enjoyed collecting them.

True Vibe. first CD I owned. I thought they were the greatest band ever. Not sure if they could actually be classified as a band, I don't remember them playing instruments during the majority of their concerts. I know. I went to several of them. I think Zach is scarred for life because of them. I remember making trips to a couple of stores, in order to find their newly released sophomore album. Soon after, the guys of True Vibe parted ways. It was a sad day.

I am okay now. Liking harder music, much more along the lines of alternative/rock these days. This traumatizes Zach as well...

the pop-up blocker

2009-01-07T23:04:00.005-06:00

quite possibly the most useless innovation on the planet. oh, it does a swell job of popping block-ups. er, blocking pop-ups. but whenever it has succeeded in its mission of pop-up blocking, it must let you know with.... a pop-up. is this.... necessary? conclusion. we're still shutting down pop-ups. ridiculous.

global warming

2009-01-05T16:50:00.015-06:00

saturday was sunny. with a high of 85.

today? ice

dear global warming, please make up your mind.

ending is beginning

2009-01-02T20:52:00.012-06:00

the Christmas tree and indoor decorations came down yesterday. as my cousin, Michaela, put it... it was a sad depressing time. i'm still hanging on to Christmas though. still turning on the outdoor icicle lights (much to mom's embarrassment). what? i can't help it if no one else in the neighborhood is still in the Christmas spirit. but, we must say goodbye to Christmas and '08.

ending is beginning. hello 2009.

i've been thinking about resolutions for the new year. the usual. i planned to eat healthier and exercise more. who didn't? did you know that most resolutions last an average of only eight days? hmm... i like facts such as this. i also like to eat french fries dipped in a milkshake. that was my dinner tonight. so much for resolutions. tomorrow is a new day.

last week there was a section in the local paper that featured the top 10 stories of '08. my favorite was the full page, ominous-looking picture of a Texas policeman with the glow of a UFO over his shoulder. this is the guy that claimed to have seen a UFO at the beginning of last year. ranking right up there with stories about Michael Phelps and his record breaking gold, the elections, and the economy. fourteen percent of Americans say that they have seen a UFO. maybe this explains how that story got into the top 10.

summing up the randomness......

happy new year to ya!

even if you've already tripped in your resolutions, go for it again. start here.
hold tight to your convictions, give it all you've got, being resolute, love without stopping. 1 corinthians 16.13+14

lastly, if you think that you've seen a UFO, quite apparently, you are not alone. :)

happy christmas

2008-12-25T15:36:00.007-06:00

with Zach and his fiance, Brittany

last night we had our traditional christmas eve festivities. :) we stuffed ourselves with finger foods, and somehow still had room for cookies and candy. this is what we do. celebrate with food.

right now, watching christmas movies. drinking snickerdoodle flavored coffee. :) and look at the coconut creme pie that mom made.

oh yeah.

i hope that you all are enjoying christmas.

Christmas was created to bring us closer to God.

It's about giving glory to God. And this is why Jesus came... to bring peace to our world.

Luke 2.14

best sugar cookies ever.

2008-12-23T20:44:00.007-06:00

i like color.

it's no candy cane lane...

2008-12-22T16:27:00.020-06:00

More baking and candy making! Mom and I baked chocolate chip/cranberry/toffee/nut cookies, one of mom's favorites. We also made chocolates with several different fillings. Peanut butter, cherry, and coconut.
It got colder. Again. The temperature dropped almost 50 degrees on Saturday. It's been cloudy, and consistently feels at least 10 degrees colder than it is. The cold front and cloudy skies moving in...
When I was younger we drove through Candy Cane Lane every year. Main street of my hometown, West Frankfort, is lined with candy canes that lead to five blocks of decorated homes and yards. http://www.westfrankfort.com/photo_galleries/05_photos/ccl/index.htm

Well, our neighborhood is no candy cane lane, and there definitely isn't any snow, but quite a few people have put some effort into decorating. I helped dad hang lights on the house several weeks ago.

I leave you with this...

-for your safety, and to avoid a potential holiday disaster, DO NOT use an extension cord that sizzles when plugged in. Generally, if the extension cord is over two decades old, it's time to let it go. It's had a good long life.

i know.

2008-12-13T01:01:00.019-06:00

i don't know. I used to say that about everything. I really didn't realize it until a friend pointed it out to me. And like any good friend, he corrected me every single time that I said it. He would always answer my "i don't know" with "yes, you do know".

Lately I've been in a transitional space. Life is change. Movement. I've had a lot of questions bouncing around. And "i don't know" has been popping up again.

I do know this. Focusing on God brings everything together.

Stop striving and know that I am God. Psalm 46.10

I like how that message puts that... "Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God, above politics, above everything."

This is the moon. :) Really bright tonight, with zig-zagging clouds. Texas does have a big, pretty sky. God made that. Beyond comprehension. I love hearing Louie Giglio talk about God and the universe. His book 'i am not but i know I Am' describes how awesome this universe is. What a small part we play in this. And still God cares about us. Looking up at the sky does bring peace, God has it all under control.

Check out what he has to say in Jeremiah 29.11-13

I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out - plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.

When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen.

When you come looking for me, you'll find me.

Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed.

I'll turn things around for you.

God is big. Way big. Knowing that is enough for me.

And another thing...

2008-12-11T18:12:00.010-06:00

Photo enforced traffic lights. $75 fine. There are hundreds around the metroplex. For serious. Not that I'm attempting to break the law or anything. They just don't seem right. I found this site http://www.photoenforced.com/ . You can find a listing of cameras in your area, along with maps. Pretty funny.

I wished that I had my camera on me today. I parked next to a huge tumbleweed at work. It literally took up half of a parking space. How do those end up in the city anyway?

wind burn

2008-12-10T19:56:00.017-06:00

Sunny today, the temp reaching near 40. But the wind chill brought that down a good 15 degrees. I stopped to fill up my tank on the way home. The gas pumps were rocking in the wind. Some people hid inside of their cars while they filled up. One guy was attempting jumping jacks. Insanely strong wind. Freeze your face off.

I think some of the neighbor's Christmas yard decorations were raptured.

I heard someone say that Texas weather is bipolar. Mhmm. By Sunday it'll be 75 degrees again. The wind brings the change, it so harsh here. Not fun to drive in.

Other things I don't appreciate... Frontage roads -one way streets running parallel to the interstate, and Texas turnarounds -lanes created for u-turns. Since when are u-turns acceptable? Encouraged, even provided a convenient lane!

I recently planned on heading into unknown territory (unknown to me anyway), so I did a mapquest search. Okay, so I don't like finding new places. But Texas doesn't exactly make things easy. Mapquest brought up the directions. Simple enough. Then I decided to reverse the directions. It doesn't usually take a huge amount of brain power to decide how to get back the way you came. Key word: usually. The directions (reversed) had me trekking back onto the interstate at a different point, several exits down... because of a one way street at the original exit. Oy.

Only in Texas.

I now know the way, remembering it with the help of nationally-recognized landmarks.

McDonalds. Walgreens. WaMu. I thank you.

let the baking begin...

2008-12-08T20:37:00.022-06:00

Today mom and I made butter cookies with a cookie press. It was the first time that I've used one. Pretty fun stuff. And they tasted quite fine. I really enjoy baking. I'm sure we'll be doing much more before Christmas.

Decorated the house tonight. We ate pizza and had a good time. I had the ever important job of checking strands of lights and switching out lightbulbs. I think the tree went up in record time. Maybe it's simply because the whole family was here at one time, instead of all of us randomly working on it throughout the day (like usual).

There has been some crazy lightning going on. I was out earlier this evening, wearing my hoodie, turning up the a/c in the car just to stay alive. The storm is bringing in cooler temps and the possibility of snow flurries tomorrow evening. Still, it's been much too warm for any of it to stick. Doesn't seem right to be getting ready for Christmas when it's 70 degrees outside. Oh well. Guess that's not what it's all about, huh?

i'll be hope for Christmas

2008-12-05T19:06:00.051-06:00

for the cost of two of these a week...

you can give hope.

I sponsor a little girl in Tanzania (that's on the east coast of Africa, if you were wondering). Her name is Jamila.

She is four years old and lives with her sister, two brothers, and her mother. From what I understand, her father left the family. She is still too young to write, but I do get letters from her, with the help of her mother (and then a translator). These are such grateful people.

A few days ago I got a picture that she had drawn of a... stone? Okay so maybe she's a bit challenged in the artistic department. :) But God did create her with a perfect plan for her life. It is an awesome thing to be even a small part of that plan. Even though she is half a world away. Even when it seems like a small thing that I am doing.

Don't fail to do something just because you can't do everything -Bob Pierce

You don't have to give up starbucks or whatever you love. It doesn't necessarily mean sponsoring a child. Enjoy what you have been blessed with. But don't be blinded by privilege.

The potential for so much good is within your reach.

--------------------------

Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me - you did it to me. Matthew 25.40

23 day and counting [down]

2008-12-02T21:23:00.017-06:00

This is my first attempt at blogging. Blogs are addicting. I read blogs from many different people, I have several dozen bookmarked. I opened a blogger account way back in June, but never had the inspiration to begin. Not sure if the inspiration has arrived yet or not, but here I go...

I was looking at my profile when I noticed that there had already been a bunch of views. Huh. I figured out that every time I go back and forth, working on my profile, the number goes up. Hmm. I began to wonder if anyone ever hits the 'refresh' button, intentionally making the number go up? Then realized that's exactly what I was doing. :)

Only 23 days until Christmas! I already have most of my Christmas shopping finished. I'm addicted to internet shopping. Everything I'm looking for. All in one place. Delivered to my front door. Can't get any simpler than that. Still like going to the mall too, especially at this time of the year.

Santa has been at the mall for several weeks now. And he does not look happy. Maybe the reason is simply that he has been there for several weeks... or because he sits next to the kids' play area all day long... or the fact that there isn't a starbucks in the mall.

I had a starbucks peppermint white mocha today. Very Christmas-y. Enough sweetness and caffeine there to make anyone happy.

I've been listening to Christmas tunes for a few months now. Finally it's acceptable. :) Check out a few of my favorites in the top sidebar ->