Goin' Fishin'

     Good Saturday Morning! Yesterday was busy! I told Prince Charming that I wanted a date on Friday morning. I wanted to go fishing. I hadn't been in a while and I'd like to have some fresh fried fish. He said okay, and so we got our things together and away we went!

     The picture that you see to your right... that's me! It's not the best picture in the world, but it's the only one I managed to take the whole day.

I made the first catch of the day!!!
Look, it's almost as big as Prince Charming!

Prince Charming then decided that he would catch the TWO biggest fish of the day.
I continued only catching fish like the one above - as large as my husband...

     Then we had a visitor! Bug came down and gave me a break (I was losing... bad.) She told P.C. that she wanted to "do that too" (Which really meant reeling it in.) Boy was she surprised when a fish was on the other end! (Her fish was like mine hahaha) We took pictures and after we convinced her that the fish wouldn't eat her, she decided she wanted to touch it.
     She eventually got really brave and decided that she wanted to throw it back. P.C. held the body while she tried to get a hold on the tail. Her first attempt at holding it was pinching it by the VERY end of the tail. Poor fishie fell into the grass. Slimy and all though, the second try was a success!

     Prince Charming and I also had some deep conversation while we were out there fishing. We pondered over the question: "Wonder what the fish are thinking during their time above the water? Wonder what they say when they get back down to their little fish world?" We decided that maybe they think of it like an "alien abduction" (I just kept going toward the light... I tried, but I couldn't stop! Then there were these strange, large creatures that kept poking and prodding me while talking in their strange language...) and occasionally, like for the five fish now in my refrigerator, "Bob never made it back..."

When 'writer's block' hits...

     I've been working on my resume the last couple of days, really trying to spruce it up... make it not so darn boring. I hate sounding like a robot... I want prospective employers to see my "potential to grow" (yes, I said that in a shady salesman voice) not my potential to rust and break down. Unfortunately, sometimes it's hard to figure out just how to sum up yourself (and previous jobs) in just a few words.

     Honestly, I feel like I'm back in college. I've hit a block. Luckily, college taught me how to break through those blocks.
     Way #1: Keep writing. Even if it's nonsense. Eventually, something of worth will make it from your brain onto the paper.
     Way #2: Walk away. Thinking about other things and talking to other people for a while will help you find another way to the desired goal.
     Way #3: Have a snack. Let's face it... sometimes a girl's just hungry.
     Way #4: Dance! Sounds crazy, but this was my second most effective way throughout my time at school to break through those writing blues. Music helps - and so does moving!

     If you haven't guessed, I'm currently taking a few dance breaks.

     Here's a couple of songs I'm currently getting my 'groove on' to:

Sometimes even grown-ups need to sing, dance, and be crazy!



So next time you need some motivation and some inspiration, get your tushie off the couch and shake it around a bit. (Or wiggle, bounce, do the chicken dance... whatever appeals to you.)

Poor Penny... She's always being pinched...

Since my day has mostly revolved around money and trying to save it - I figured that's what I would blog about tonight.

Here are some ways I've heard (and discovered) save a bit of money:

1. Cook at home and brown bag lunch. This one is everywhere, and true - to an extent. It generally works best when you get a little closer to scratch than ready-made meals.

2. Pay with cash. Apparently, it stinks to watch yourself hand over the Washingtons. (That's right, not many of us carry around his buddy - Benjamin.)

3. Kick the soda habit. (Or tobacco... or alcohol... or shopping...) Not only will you save a ton, you'll probably also lose a couple L-B's.

4. Coupons and Sales Papers. That's right - clip and check before you shop. I'm still working on this one myself.

5. Those bonus cards... I have them for Bi-Lo, Ingles, and Food Lion. (I love me some Bi-Lo... plus, you can load your Bi-Lo card with e-coupons - all you have to do is swipe it at the register! No paper! You can also put e-coupons from SavingStar (I think... don't quote me) on your card too!)

6. Use a shopping list... and stick to it! Also, shop fast and focused!

7. Thrift Stores and yard sales! (Great place to get clothing. Other clothing great idea? Hand-me-downs.)

8. Use 'Regular' Gas.

9. Use filtered tap water instead of buying bottled water.

10. Avoid 'sales' for things you don't really need.

11. Make your own... anything! There are tons of tutorials on the Internet - plus it can be fun and interesting.

12. Buy a whole chicken instead of just one particular part. It's cheaper and you can use the whole thing.

13. Go fishing/hunting. (and clean it yourself, lazy butt. Or find someone who can for free.) Fish taste better fresh and you wont BELIEVE what all you can make with venison.

14. Wash your clothes in cold (and if you must, warm) water. They'll come out just as clean.

15. Cut your dryer sheets in half. I'm going to try this one currently. Apparently, they work just as well.

16. Use a clothesline. It will save on dryer energy usage and it wont heat up your house during the summer forcing your AC to work harder.

17. Use your AC only when needed. Currently, the weather has been nice so I've only been running it at night - if needed - and even then I turn it up to 75. I'll let you all know what my next power bill looks like.

18. Use fans. Only when you're occupying that room, of course.

19. Save your change! I promise, it really adds up.

20. Buy generic. In some cases, the off brand is better. I have learned that Bi-Lo's Southern Home brand is just as good as the brand name.

21. Take a shower instead of a bath - and take shorter, cooler showers. P.S. usually, you don't have to shower daily.

22. If it's yellow... that's right. This one actually does sound really gross - but I had a talk with the lady down at our water place and you won't BELIEVE how much water a toilet can go through!

23. Speaking of my chat with the water lady... your toilet could be sneakily running up your water bill. A leaky toilet apparently can do a lot more than you think it can. A leaky toilet can waste over 200 gallons a day! That's 73,000 gallons a year!!! Wanna see if you are the victim of a leaky potty? Drop a couple drops of blue food coloring in the tank. Wait for 30 minutes (Don't flush it!) After the 30 minutes are up, check the bowl. If it's blue, your toilet has a leak. The most common fix is replacing your toilet flapper.

24.  Close off vents and close doors to rooms in your home you don't often use.

25. Turn off the heated drying function on your dishwasher.

26. Plant a garden.

27. Start and emergency fund. This sounds contradictory, but it's best to have at least $1,000 saved up and stored away for REAL emergencies.


Do you have any money saving tips, tricks, or advice?
Comment below - I'd love to hear them and maybe give them a try!

That awkward moment when...

Recap of the weekend:

Friday
Location: Home Depot
Objective: Buy Grass Seed
What Happened: Prince Charming (holding the bag of grass seed) says: "Look it's *I touch it* rat poop...."

Saturday:
Location: Home, Mall, Costco, Home Depot, and Wal-Mart
Objective: Work on the back yard
What Happened: It rained all night so yard was too soggy to work with. Got a phone call from The Cat Lady and went shopping. Very proud of myself - didn't buy ANYTHING. (Other than the groceries for supper that night.) What are two cheap twenty-somethings going to do when they get hungry? Discover the joys of Costco. The Cat Lady got us in, and I learned just how awesome the store is. It isn't scary like Sams Club (No "beep, beep, beep...) and for what I pay for 20 dishwasher tablets currently, I could be getting 120 at Costco. The hunger problem was solved by a sample table at both ends of every aisle. Got lost in different Home Depot and aggravated with people and injured my a cart in Wal-Mart. At least I had good company though.
Got home and started trying to clean up before supper. Splash water everywhere. Fill up the mop bucket with cold water (For some reason, I cannot mop with cold water... yeah, I'm weird.) but it made my garbage disposal smell pretty.

Sunday:
Location: Home and Church
Objective: Get through the day without having as many clumsy episodes as the day before. (I spared you guys the play-by-play, Saturday was rough.)
What happened: It all started out okay, burned the pooh-nanny out of my finger when trying to work my straightener as a curling iron. Prince Charming burned the pooh-nanny out of his hand when trying to use the iron as an iron. Made it to church in one piece though. We made it official and joined our church Sunday morning. After the service we had to stand at the front and shake hands. I had coffee and cake during Sunday School so I was worried that my breath might smell pretty rancid, plus little old people tend to get right up in your face when they shake hands and talk to you... so I kept backing up little by little. Eventually, my heels hit the step behind me. I kept telling myself that I should step forward some or I'd bust my tail, but I never did. Finally, one group came through and as they moved past me to talk to Charming, I lost my balance. At first I did the wave your arms and hands around to try and catch yourself (I was trying to be subtle) and when that didn't work, I figured I would just grab the edge of Charming's pants. Unfortunately, losing your balance messes up your sense of distance. I missed the edge/pocket area. I full fledged grabbed his privates in front of everyone. Worse? It was a full on grab and pull. Worse than that? It was a family with kids. I regained my balance though - tried to regain my dignity with a "Whew! I almost fell down!" Charming was a champ though - never missed a beat. Acted like nothing happened until they left. Then he made fun of me. The next two little old ladies in line didn't shake my hand - hope it was because I was holding my Bible and not because they had seen the little incident....

So... how was your weekend?

Here's to accidentally molesting your husband at totally inappropriate times...

How Much Hannah Hurts

     So all day yesterday I was working on this post. It's something that comes up every so often and I struggle with from time to time...  I felt like I was really supposed to post it since it's something that's pretty relevant in my life as a wife and a woman right now. I just never could seem to get it to be exactly what I wanted to be... and it makes me feel completely ridiculous when I read over it.

     Oh well, here goes...

     Most women, whether sooner or later, dream of being a "Mommy." If you're like me, you've been dreaming of this since you were old enough to drag around a rag doll. You've played "babies" and can remember a time or two when you stuck a beach ball under your shirt and played "pregnant." 
I have wanted a baby since I could barely walk myself. No matter if my dreams had me playing the role of a ballerina, weatherman, firefighter, CIA agent, car thief, or cowgirl - I was always the mommy.

     It's all pretty easy to be patient when it comes to wanting a baby when you're a kid and not married. But then you get married - to the most amazing man... who just happens to want children (With you!) and who would be the most amazing father...  you start to think about it. You think about what your kids would look like, all the funny things they'd say, all those times that 'little one' would fall asleep in your arms, all the tears you'd wipe away, all the boo-boo's you could magically fix with just a kiss. Suddenly your ovaries and uterus are in overdrive. To make it worse, all of the people you were supposed to be pregnant with - whose kids yours were going to be in class with and call bff's - jump the gun and leave you in the dust.  

     As you can tell, my current level of "Baby Fever" is rather high - and you can't fight it with logic. Right now, Prince Charming and I are NOT trying to have a baby. As much as I want one, I know that right now would not be the best time for us to have a baby. I want to be able to give my children the best lives possible; we would like to pay off a few bills and save up at least a little money. But you cannot explain any of that to my ovaries. Don't get me wrong, I am beyond excited for my pregnant friends! I'm happy for them - and I cannot wait to have more babies in my life. I'm just saying that currently, I am a little jealous.

     People will try make you feel better or at least make it easier to wait by saying things like: "You don't really want one," "You two need to get to know each other more." or "You need to wait, you have plenty of time!" or the one I hate the most: "You don't know what you're in for." These things don't help or make me feel better.
     Problem #1: If you tell me that I don't really want a child, chances are, you already have one. Also, who are you to tell me what I do or do not want?
     Problem #2: "We've been together for five years. We weren't like most dating couples - we weren't fake up until the wedding day. Me and my husband have a fantastic marriage that we work on every day. Do not think that you know me, my husband, or my marriage enough to tell us that we need "to get to know each other better." I take this one as a personal insult.
     Problem #3: If this statement is true - then why to people complain about time flying and how they got old so fast? It's a dumb statement. Me and my husband aren't 16 anymore. We're are at the normal age that people start having children.
     Problem #4: I hate this one the most. I am fully aware of what I'm in for. No, I haven't had children of my own, but I have worked with everyone elses for as long as I can remember. I've done all the stuff that most women don't have to do until they have a child. I can change diapers with speed and ease. I have sat up half the night with a crying child only to have him poop all over me. Potty training? Been there, done that. Temper Tantrums? Ditto. Sick children? Had my share. Nothing comes more naturally to me than babies and children. In fact, one of the hardest things I've had to do? Sending them home to parents who don't love or give them the care they need when I could take them home and they'd be clean, well fed, and loved beyond measure.

     Let's meet someone who actually helps:

     Meet Hannah. (Keep in mind that I'm paraphrasing.)
     As far as all accounts go, there is nothing wrong with this woman's personality. She's a pretty blessed woman. She has a great life and has a husband who adores the mess out of her. But Hannah isn't completely happy; she's got a couple of problems.
     1st off, she cannot seem to produce a child for this man who so desperately loves her. As badly as she wants a baby, it's looking like Hannah's body isn't going to work in her favor.
     2nd of all, she has to share this man with another woman. Worse than that? This woman is a real "fertile myrtle." Even worse than that? Dear old Myrtle is constantly rubbing it in her face out of spite.
     Every year, the whole family would head up to the church to give offerings and worship. One particular year, Myrtle (by the way, her name wasn't really Myrtle, it was Peninnah.) really gave Hannah a hard time. The hubs tries to console her and asks her "am I not as good as 10 children?" (Really sweet, but lets face it: men just don't always get it.) So Hannah took off and did the only thing she could do - she went to the church and prayed. With a heart overflowing with sadness, and eyes overflowing with tears, Hannah prayed earnestly. So earnestly, in fact, that when she was praying, her mouth was moving but no words were coming out. I bet poor Hannah made quite a sight to look at. The priest must have thought so, because he came over and scolded her for being drunk.

     Hmmm... sounds like a woman who knows what it's like to hurt - a lot. I don't think she'd be giving me any crazy advice. Honestly, I would be embarrassed to tell her my problem because my little issue pales in comparison with hers! She's been going through this for YEARS. And in a society that expects you to produce many children! Poor Hannah makes ME cry. How many times did she get excited just hoping... only to be disappointed? How many babies did she lose? How many times did that awful woman laugh in her face and point out the obvious with snide little comments - all while flaunting her children around? How many nights did Hannah cry herself to sleep?

     Thankfully, that wasn't the end of Hannah's story. It's not the end of mine and it's not the end of yours either. God doesn't leave us hanging. Eli told her that God had heard her tearful prayers and that her request would be granted within the year - and it was! She gave birth to a little boy named Samuel. You heard of him? There's a good chance you have. He ended up with a pretty big role - in fact, he has two books of the Bible named after him. But after she had Samuel, her story didn't end! She went on to have 5 more children!
     What about Mean Myrtle and her kids? As far as I know, I don't remember ever reading about them again.

     We can all relate to Hannah - we all know what it's like to want something that seems like we will never get. We all know what it's like to have heartbreak. We can rest in the fact that God's hears our prayers and His timing is perfect. He has an amazing plan for me, you, and for whoever else may come along. (Check out 1 Peter 5: 6-7)


You can find Hannah's story in 1 Samuel 1 - 2:21

Que Sera Sera...

The first time I heard that song, Prince Charming sang it to me. It was back when we were dating and I was worried about something or other.
He told me that his mother actually used to sing him that song - so he sang it to me, since it seemed like the best answer for the time.

Sometimes, we have to just be patient. As hard as it is, sometimes we have to wait.

So now, I will play it for me - and you... just in case you need it too.

It's Me Again, Margaret...

     I'm baaaaack!

     Just when you think you've pretty much mastered the game, God shows you there's another level...
     In this last week, God has reminded me of a few things.

     First off, I spent some time contemplating the Parable of the Talents that Jesus told. (Which can be found in Luke Chapter 19: 11- 27.) The story is about a master who gives some of his servants a select amount of money and tells them to use it for business until he returns. Two of the servants deal wisely and increase the money that was given them. Another servant hides his coin because he was afraid to do anything with it. Of course the master was happy with the first two men because they had done as told and had even increased what they had been given. The last man though, he didn't do anything at all! He hadn't followed his orders. He had never even tried...
     I love the fact that Jesus would use parables. Each time you read them, no matter how many times you read over them, they always give you something new to "chew on." This week when I started to think it over, I thought about how God gives each of us a part of this world. We are given things throughout this life - homes, land, jobs, even people - and we are supposed to take them and increase them - make them better! We should never leave something we were given the same! (Or worse for wear...) We should always work so that when we return or leave whatever it is, we have left it better than it was before.

     Saturday, me and the hubs decided that that we were going to do a massive amount of yard work - and general work around the house. We knew we'd been neglecting our little house for a while, and it needed some TLC. The last owners left a lot of holes in the back yard weren't so kind to the inside either. (But we've been working on the inside for a while - it's the backyard that was bad...)  We worked our little tushies off! At the end of the day Saturday, we looked at our sunburned, sweaty, stinky selves and all that we had accomplished... and Prince Charming said: "It looks like we worked our butts off for nothing."
     I have to say that I agree. It does look like we did a lot of nothing. It helps to keep in mind that looks can be deceiving. At least we can tell ourselves that we've gotten most of the ground work done. (I can also proudly say that I can still shovel with the best of them.)
      That night, we ordered take out. We were going to eat on the couch while we watched some Netflix. (Honestly, Netflix was a wonderful idea.) Unfortunately, Netflix didn't work. The Internet didn't work. The phone didn't work. Seeing that it was Saturday night, we knew that we wouldn't be able to do anything about it until Monday. So, we watched the News, Wheel of Fortune, and Jeopardy. (All of our technical issues weren't resolved until today - that's why I've been missing in action.)

     Second: Prince Charming and I both have realized how easy it is to get so caught up in life that you can forget to live. You can forget the plans God has for you. You forget about helping others. You forget about doing His work - the work you were really made for. You can "hide your coin" without ever meaning to do so. Especially when you have bills... It's as if the "American Dream" (Whatever THAT is... so far, I think it's just buying junk you think you need and then never getting to use it anyway because you have to work your hiney off just so you can pay for it all... that's all I've ever witnessed, anyway.) is almost forced on you and it slowly kills off the real dreams you started with.

    Third: If I measure my success as a wife by how clean and decorated my house is, how well I keep up the laundry, or how delicious my meals taste... then I have only succeeded in failing as a wife. While I am to leave this home that I was blessed with in better condition than when it was given to me, my primary  job as a wife is to support and help my husband. I am to be an encourager. I am to be a friend. I am to be the safe, soft place. The one person who stands beside when the rest of the world turns away or against. And all of that takes precedent over this house. While I want this house to be clean and beautiful, real friends don't care if your house is a mess or if it isn't stylish - and there will always be McDonald's.
     I read a sign the other day that said: Life is all about the 3 C's: Choices, Chances, and Changes. You have to make a Choice to take a Chance in order to ever see Change. This weekend me and Prince Charming decided that we weren't taking enough chances and that is going to change. We don't want a run-of-the-mill life. We want the life God planned for us. I believe that He has something special planned for us. So we're being pro-active about it all. We're getting down on our knees and taking back the dream.

Showing The Laundry Who's The Boss

     There are some days that cleaning is therapeutic.

     Today, I had this brilliant plan. I took pictures of the laundry room and my two foot pile of unwashed laundry. I was going to wash every bit of dirty clothes in this house and I was going to show you guys before and after pictures.
Great plan, right?

     Except I didn't take into account just how many loads that 2 feet of laundry would turn out to be. I'm currently STILL washing clothes. I refuse to go to sleep until they are all finished though. So, here I am... blogging just so I can take a break.

     Heck, I'll go ahead and show you the disaster.

     People, meet disaster. Disaster, meet people. I know that it doesn't seem to look that bad from the picture. But that is only because I had to rearrange it for the picture. I had to shove it all into one contained pile just to get the door to open all of the way. (This also doesn't show the disaster surrounding the washer and dryer that are hiding behind the door.)


     My laundry room looks fantastic now though. (I know, the pictures make if difficult to see all of the dust, dirt, and general grossness that was my laundry room.) I scrubbed the walls, the doors, the machines, the floors and the baseboards. Yes, I said the baseboards. If you don't know what baseboards are, then yours probably need scrubbing too. (Pine Sol, people. I love it. Original scent for me! Mr. Clean Magic Erasers too! If you don't have some, you should go out and buy some immediately. But be careful, they will take the paint off of the wall... don't worry I didn't learn that today.)

     When you're grown up and married, there is a never ending stream of tough decisions. Budgets, future plans, house maintenance and repair, vehicular choices, furthering your education, insurance plans, etc. Especially when you first start out. (It apparently continues this way the rest of your life - or so I'm told.) It seems like every little choice turns into a really big choice - because even the little things can have big effects.
Being grown up and married, I have a lot of those decisions and choices. I have learned that for me personally, I do my best thinking when my hands are busy. What better thing to do with my hands than to clean up? My house would be sure to appreciate it.

     (I would like to clarify quickly... I do not regret being grown up or married. While being grown up and married can be difficult at times, I expected it to be so. I would not change either for the world.)

     After I finished all of the scrubbing in the laundry room, I decided that it wasn't enough. I would clean the kitchen too. I even organized my plastic and glass container cabinet. (That's a lot - it hasn't been organized since at least last July... and that's a modest estimate.) I also made more counter space. That's right! Bye-bye to more clutter. (Well, actually, I just hid it. That's why I had to organize my container cabinet.)

    Ah, only about 2 or 3 more loads to go!
    Anyways, while I was overhauling my house, I also added a new page to my blog - you can find it by clicking the tab at the top that says: "These are a few of my favorite links..." Yes, I channel my inner Julie Andrews and sing it.

    This weekend, Prince Charming and I are planning to continue working on the house and yard in a big way. We shall see how this goes. We usually end up bumming it and watching TV.

Here's to clean clothes (that are washed properly) and Pine Sol.

Love and Suds,

What I'm "Good At"

    Have you ever felt that you're not "good" at anything?

     I have - a lot. I've spent a large percentage of my life wondering "What am I good at? What talents do I bring to the table? What can I do of value?"

     Some people can sing; others dance. Some people are awesome speakers; others write. Some people are not bothered by blood and guts - thus they move into the medical field and help heal countless people. Some people are entertainers - they can make us laugh or cry, and always make us less "bored" than when we first encountered them. Other people have fantastic organizational skills. Some fix or build things.

     The list can get rather long.

     Sometimes it's daunting. Especially when the time comes in life to look for a job. (As I am currently doing.) I personally want something where I can be creative, learn, grow, and most of all - enjoy. But what would that be? What would I enjoy? What am I good at?

     It's a question I'm still struggling with. I understand that everyone is given talents to use... and I also understand that no matter how "good" you are at something, at some point or another, you will encounter someone who is better than you at whatever it is that you are good at doing. BUT that doesn't mean that you aren't talented in that area also.

     There are quizzes online, there are people you can talk to, classes you can take... all just so you can find out what you're good at doing and what you would enjoy working with. I have done some of these things. I'm still very confused.
     The only thing that I am sure of: I am not naturally good at dancing. It's something I've learned, that for me, takes a lot of practice.

     I try to compile lists from my own personal experience and from what other people tell me.
     So far:
          - I have a pretty good memory. This is demonstrated by my organization around the house. I can always remember which pile of junk the item in question should be in. (Me and P.C. decided this tonight haha)
          - I'm pretty good at connecting with children. I haven't met a child I couldn't make a friend out of... I think this comes from the fact that I still remember quite vividly what it was like to be a child.
          - The above also applies to very old people - except that I have never been old so I cannot remember what it is like to be old.
          - Apparently, Prince Charming says that I'm good at seeing the good in people.
          - I can (occasionally) be crafty. (Not like the evil kind of crafty - the I make pillows kind of crafty.)
          - I am AWESOME at making beds. (I don't like when people help me - they make their side more sloppy.)
          - I have a pretty good "jack-of-all-trades" kind of knowledge base. (Except for math - I have very little knowledge of math. I still use my fingers to count - and my phone. I love that my phone has a calculator.)

     Oh well, I give up on the list for tonight. Either way, I have learned over the years that we are all good at something - even if we don't know what it is. There ARE talents of value other than singing, dancing or playing musical instruments - this isn't Miss America... everyone needs a plumber sometime or another.

     This time change is killing me. To make it worse, I haven't changed the living room clock yet - so I'm always an hour off.

     P.S. I did some couponing today! I think I did pretty good for my first time ever... $130 worth of groceries for $85. Not to shabby...

     Whatever you do though, do it well. (Or try to anyway... no one can complain about trying your best.)

I've been duped!

Today was BEAUTIFUL!

This morning, as soon as I got up out of bed, I went into the living room and opened all of the blinds and the front door just as I usually do. When I looked out of my front door, I saw my kitties... hungry and trying to bust down the door just as they usually do. I went to the kitchen and got their food, just as I usually do. I opened the door and said "Good morning kitties! Mommy knows you're hungry - you've got to move so I can put your food out." just as I usually do.

But then...

I felt the breeze... I could smell the fresh, new, just-washed smell of spring in the air... I could see the flowers and all of the new green grass. It was perfect. It was spring. It was calling my name. I couldn't even go back inside. So, instead of walking back inside to escape the cold as I usually do - I walked two feet and plopped my behind down on my front step. Pajamas, crazy hair, and all... (This is more of a big deal since we live on a pretty busy highway.) I sat there so long, just basking in the glory of the spring-ness, that my kitties finished their breakfast. Gray kitty came and sat beside me. Gray kitty is such a handsome boy - and lazy to boot. My little black kitty, who is not as lazy - but twice as shy - ran down the steps and played around my feet. She's been getting braver. Then she did something that I didn't expect. She walked up the steps right beside of me with her tail up. Since I was talking to her, my eyes followed and low and behold... She is a HE. (That's why I said I've been duped!) No mistaking it folks - I have two boy kitties. I've been fooled twice. Each time I thought I was getting a girl - only to have them reveal to me otherwise. I love my fella's though. It was just such a shock!

THEN... this afternoon, still enamoured with the beautiful day - I did something else out of the ordinary... I cut the grass! This doesn't seem like a big deal to most people, but you see, first of all - the only mower we have working currently is a push mower that is not self propelled (that's a bigger deal than you'd think it would be...) and being a spoiled brat who grew up on flat ground (my current front yard seems to have a 90 degree hill...) with a riding lawnmower, I generally will let my grass get a little high... Me and lawnmowers of any kind also have a rather destructive relationship. I'm pretty good at mowing the lawn, I just have a tendency to run into and break things that are not grass. A few for instance: driving directly into my parents house, having multiple head-on collisions with light poles, and forgetting to take my lawnmower out of gear when I jump it off. (Believe it or not, lawnmowers can and will run away from you - twice - and break the jumper cables. I'm sure it makes great entertainment for the neighbors though - watching me chase the lawnmower across the yard...) I think all of this must be because I use the time that I cut grass as time to think - so the last thing I'm really focusing on is cutting the grass... either way, I now usually wait for Prince Charming to cut the grass.
But today... today was beautiful. My yard looked so lovely - except for the grass... so I took my little push mower and worked my little butt off. I mowed until I ran out of gasoline. (Which I was glad to run out of - I was getting blisters and I was tired of people that I don't know waving at me.)

All in all, today was a pretty good day. I decided that I'm going to try to run off a budget sheet and try to get our finances more in order, and that I am going to try to get better at this whole "coupon" thing. I always want to try it, but I'm usually to lazy to find them and cut them out - and when I do, I usually forget them when I go to the store. We shall see how this experiment goes.

Love,
Me

My Best Friend's Wedding

     Friend:
     (noun)
     1. a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.
     2. a person who gives assistance; patron; supporter.

     Friend. Comrade. Chum. Crony. Confidant. Advocate. Ally. Compatriot.

     Best Friend. Hopefully, you have one. I have one (other than my husband); her name is Lindsey. A better friend I couldn't possibly ask for. God knew what he was doing when he put us together. We have one of those friendships where no matter how far away we are, or how long between our talks - things don't change. I know I can depend on her. She listens. She cares. I know that she'll be there for me - and visa-versa. We're besties. (It's what we do.) 

     I have known Lindsey for... gosh... almost 21 years? We've been best friends for about 15 years now. I'm going to guess that we met in nursery at church. She was a few years younger than me; that's why we haven't been best friends from day one.

     This weekend, she got married.

     We picked up the kids (Ben's youngest cousins) and headed down the road Friday afternoon. The drive was long, but went by relatively quickly. I got to see Lindsey for a little while at the Bridal luncheon on Saturday. I figured she had a lot on her plate, so I didn't expect to get much one on one time with her. Me and Prince Charming got to spend quality time with the bride and groom at the rehearsal party though - which made me super happy.
     The wedding day was my favorite though. I got up, cleaned up, washed up, and then ditched Prince Charming and the kids to go spend some time with the bride. She was hanging out by herself when I got to her house, so I got my wish and got to spend best friend time with my bestie. We did our nails, ate, talked, and talked, and talked some more. I got to do her wedding makeup and watched while she did her hair. (I learned how to curl your hair with a flat iron - amazing! I also almost fell off of the side of the bathtub multiple times while talking. I should probably work on my balance.) I even got to help put the bobbie pins in! Then she headed off to start the pictures and me and the girls were left to finish getting ourselves ready. This sounds silly, but those couple hours getting ready meant the world to me. I'm so very glad I got to spend those precious hours her.
     We took pictures and then the "Fabulous Five" (I'll explain that one more later.) got to hang around and take a few private pictures around her parents house while we waited on time to head to the church.
     Then it was time to leave... She hid out in the car while we lined up. The the last memory I'll have of my Lindsey G. was her peeking around the corner of the church in her wedding dress. It was so her. I almost cried. 
     I kept it together the entire wedding. It didn't really hit me until I saw her and her own Prince Charming walking out of the church; she was gone. She was starting a new chapter in her life. All of the memories of all of the chats, the Ben and Jerry's ice cream, the sleepovers, the secrets, all of those little moments leading up to this moment all hit me at once. (They're still crowding my mind now.) I started bawling my eyes out. (Crying while typing this...) I couldn't see walking down the stinking aisle! (And I'm pretty sure the photographer got a super-too-close picture of my face all scrunched up. Oh well, at least I can laugh.)

    I guess now our Prince Charming's will be the ones to hear our secrets first, eat Ben and Jerry's with us, get to talk to us the most, and be our very bestest friends... but, gladly, they know that we're still BFF's Forever and EVER though - and happily, they don't seem to mind. No one can or could ever hold a candle to my Bestie.

    Yes, my Lindsey G. is no more... She's now Lindsey P. But I think I like it. It's got a nice ring to it. I like her Prince Charming too - he's an awesome and funny guy. I'm so glad she caught him. PLUS they're a good looking couple, so they'll have some good looking children one day.


    I'm glad me and Bestie have a whole new chapter of our lives we can go through together - plus, now we have some good looking counterparts to make this chapter even more fun and interesting.



   There are so many stories I could tell; so many memories I could share - and this post is no where near as awesome as it deserves to be - but all of that would make this post entirely too long. (Sorry to be such a sap tonight.) So, let's end tonight with a song:



I'm giving up on today.

     My brain is in the biggest fog today. I'm forgetting people's names, why I walked into rooms, and even what I'm saying in the middle of sentences. I left my keys in the front door, the freezer door open, and so on and so forth. I'm quite frustrated. Prince Charming recommended just taking a bath and going to bed.

    Due to lack of brain function, this will probably not make much sense and probably be incredibly short.

    I read an article the other day about the habits of incredibly organized people. I figured it would be something that I could learn from. One of the things that it recommended was writing everything down. I already do that. I even write on my hand when I don't have paper. I have so many stupid lists - it adds to the clutter problem. Do you know how many lists I've thrown away going through piles of my junk? Do you know how many trees I am personally responsible for killing? And yet, I my home is no closer to looking like that of an organized person. (Though, considering how unorganized I was 10 years ago... I've improved. I have to also say that though it looks unorganized - and is to a point - I usually know where everything is in my home. Or at the very least the general area that it should be in... except for all the tape that I bought at Christmas... I have no idea where all of THAT went.)

     Even though they may not help, I still write them anyway. They calm my nerves. I can be uptight, nervous and I'm a worrier. I'm also a procrastinator. It all adds up to a big mess. Writing helps keep me sane. I currently have two lists I'm working on: the list of all of the things I have to do tomorrow - and the list of everything I need to pack. (My Bestest Gal Friend Forever is getting married - speaking of which, I should probably write down a handkerchief since I'm probably going to bawl my stinking eyes out at said wedding...) These lists seem tremendously long - I would have done most of those things today, but considering the issues I'm having today... I probably would have hurt myself.

    Now, if you'll excuse me for the night, I'm going to take Prince Charming's advice.

    Goodnight world.

It wasn't what I planned...

     Last night, I thought that today's post would be about how I conquered my laundry. How I washed EVERY dirty article of clothing in my house. I haven't really done any in two weeks and it's really piling up. Plus we have a trip in the near future and I'm sure that we'll need clothing for the journey. It had been decided: Tuesday, March 6th would be the perfect day for laundry.

     Then, today actually showed up.

     The sun was bright. The temperature was fabulous. I could just smell Spring in the air! It was so beautiful outside!
     My laundry room is dark, kind of cold - and sure to smell funny by now...
     So instead of heading straight into that laundry room like a determined and dedicated housewife, I opened all the blinds in the house. I fed my kitty-cats. I "picked up" my living room. I worked on my crochet some... (I hate writing that word... it looks like Crotch and that bothers me...) I realized that my yarn was low AND I was low on biscuits. (I wanted to make Little Pizza's for Prince Charming.) So instead of heading to the back of my house and cracking my laundry room door I headed out the front and off to Wal-mart. It was a beautiful trip! Everything is turning green and the flowers are starting to bloom...

     When I got back, I cleaned up the kitchen, loaded the dishwasher, and made lunch. Then I sat down and crocheted some more! I checked the mail. I did some sewing, I planted some flowers... I ran my dishwasher (I wait for a certain time of day - it's loud as all get-out.) Then panicked when I realized that all of the water from my dishwasher had backed up into my sink...


    I did attempt to wash some clothes. I successfully finished one extremely small load. (Which is currently still sitting in the dryer - which also makes a lot of noise, by the way.)

    P.S. Happy Birthday to my not-so-little sister. She's strange, but I love her.

random marriage thoughts

     Prince Charming and I are very committed to our marriage. We take the vows that we vowed before God and everyone VERY seriously. Eventually, he plans to become a marriage and family counselor. This means that we talk about marriage a lot. We listen, read, and try a ton of things -  which we later discuss and evaluate. We keep the stuff we like and think works, and we toss the stuff that didn't work out so well or line up well with our beliefs.
     This being said, one of the things we do, is to carve out at least 30 minutes a day to just talk and listen to each other. We take this time to find out about and talk about our day, to ask each other questions, to fill each other in on gossip and to just talk about pointless things. If you aren't careful, you can blink and a mass amount of time will have passed and you won't really have "talked" to your partner! Even just a few minutes a day makes the biggest difference.

     While occasionally we disagree, we never do so in public. UNITED FORCE, PEOPLE! (I feel very much that it's WAR out here in this old world! Your husband/wife is your God given war buddy - your partner. You two are supposed to watch each other's back - keeping each other from being shot - not spending your time shooting at each other.) We also do not yell at each other (This part is very difficult for me, I tend to be a yeller. I'm working on it, though.) and we NEVER degrade each other or use cheap shots. (Degrading each other and cheap shots are a super NO-NO. ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A "TENDER" SUBJECT. You're the one that is supposed to know them best, so you'll know those spots.You never throw something at your partner to hurt them when you already know they have a tough time with it.)  We also both feel as if we have a very equal relationship, and we want to keep it that way. There is no one that "wears the pants." This also helps in disagreements. Winning an argument and being in charge isn't worth hurting your best friend. (Your spouse should be your very best friend.)

     Prince Charming works 72 hours a week. (This number doesn't count the time he spends driving to and from work.) Which means that during the week we don't get a lot of quality time together. We carve out a couple hours each day that we make sure to spend together and we call each other at least once while he's at work. (I'm trying not to give out TOO many details of our personal lives since this IS going on the Internet...) Because of these hours, we have carved out one day a week that is dedicated to "us." This day is normally Saturday. Everyone knows that you do not bother us on Saturday; it's our day together. (Prince Charming has a name for this day, but I'll spare you.) It's our day to be lazy, to spend time together, to talk, to sleep in, to watch TV, to not clean the house or wash the laundry...

     Prince Charming had this entire past weekend off from work! So we made it a weekend about us. We were quite lazy. It was amazing.

     Sorry this was all quite ramble-y. Just some things running through my head... Even if you're not married it's never too early (or too late) to start thinking about these things. It's a never-ending learning process.

     It's all about valuing your partner. Do you?

The Best Birthday...

     Guess what today is....
     That's how I started EVERY (well, almost every) conversation today. Followed by the "captain obvious" answer: It's my BIRTHDAY!!!
 
    (For some reason people kept going on about Justin Beibers birthday... totally skipping out on mine. I also share a birthday with: Ke$ha, "Zack Morris" and "Opie." and (The one from the book - not the actor) Ron Weasley.)

     It's been quite the amazing birthday! The sun was shining. The weather was BEAUTIFUL. The flowers are starting to bloom... and I worked on some little projects all day. I even WASHED CLOTHES!!! (I'll explain that in a minute.)

     So, I got an awesome gift card to Hobby Lobby from my In-laws, so I headed to the store first thing this morning. I decided to dress wacky-tacky while I was out because 1: it made me even more happy than I already was and 2: all of my clothes were dirty. (again, more of an explanation on that in a minute.) After I got back from Hobby Lobby, I started some of my "projects" and waited around on Prince Charming to wake up. When he woke up, he came in the kitchen and told me HAPPY BIRTHDAY and gave me my presents. I got: a magazine, a particular Study Bible that I've been wanting and a BEAUTIFUL red journal (both of which had my name on the front.) Then, because he knows I'm a fan, but I'm too cheap to actually go out and buy it... he got me the last two Eric Church CD's. OH YEAH! I cannot explain how excited I was about ALL of my presents. Prince Charming knows me too well.

     (Okay, about the laundry... I haven't washed clothes in a week and a half. Neither me or Prince Charming has had clean pants in a while. He's worn the same pants to work 3 days in a row. If you knew how dirty he is when he comes home, then you'd understand how that is a big deal. He's been a trooper though! He hasn't complained at all. In my defense, I have been super busy - WAY more than normal - with legit things to do... (the house has been spotless.. it's just the laundry...) so yeah. Either way, I broke down and at the very least washed our pants today. At least we haven't run out of underwear yet...)

     I also got a lot of Happy Birthday messages. One of the things I love the most about birthdays is the fact that people you don't always get to speak to often take time out of their busy lives to take a moment and send a little message that says "Though it's been a while, I haven't forgotten you and I wish you the best." I know, that's saying a whole bunch with just two little words, but to me, that's what those two little words mean. To me, they mean "I care."

     I have a very special fondness of my birthday (I'm sure most people have the same feelings about their birthday's.) You see, being born has been such a particularly big part of my life, that I just can't help but cherish and Thank the Lord for this special day. I also love my birthday because it means that I managed not to die during the previous year. Most people decide after certain years that they will "stop" celebrating their birthdays. They don't like to get old. This is ridiculous to me. In life, we have two choices: you get old, or you get dead. You can't "stop" having birthdays - if you "stop" having them, it means you died. So when you say that you "don't have a birthday anymore" just think about what you're REALLY saying. Deciding not to celebrate doesn't mean you don't get older. Birthday's are a fun part of life! They're the FUN part of getting older - A WHOLE DAY JUST TO CELEBRATE BEING BORN! TO CELEBRATE BEING YOU! (And then for making it as long as you have...) I don't think I will object to getting old - for it means I'm not dead. (Though, I do have something beautiful to look forward to when I stop celebrating birthdays.) I was blessed to have another year. Prince Charming says that getting old is something to look forward to, anyway! Once you're old, you can act and say any crazy things you want! No one will care, they'll just say (or think) "He's just old - he can't help it." We've already decided the crazy old people we're going to be like (if the Lord allows us to make it that long.)

    Prince Charming has always told me that one day when we're old, he wants me to be the stranger in his house. Most people wouldn't think that's very romantic, but I couldn't think of anything I'd rather have him say.

     I hope you all find the person you want to be the stranger in your house when you get old.