Thankful Thursday

Yes.  I have survived VBS week... most of it.... so far.... One more day to go.  I have not yet found myself in a hoveround and I am still vertical... when necessary.... so we shall call that success. Because um I am TIRED people.  VBS used to wear me out.  Now?  Monogirl?  This is a whole new world of tired.

BUT... did you sense that but coming?  It is SO worth it.  I could not keep the grin off my face if I wanted to by VBS closing time today.  The kids singing and doing the motions to the music?  Still so in LOVE with that.  Hearing them shout and sing.... " we will stand together, stand forever, we sill stand strong...." singing about standing strong for Jesus?  How could you not grin about that?  And yes.... I've heard a rumor... if you peeked at Monogirl in the sound booth... back where no one can see her.... you might have seen her do a song movement and motion or too... She tried to stand still.... she could NOT help herself. 

And OK... Contrary to popular belief my present loving self is not five years old yet I am right there with the little ones completely enthralled with the story tellers...

I mean look at the story time.  Who would not be interested in that story about Queen Esther?  You are sorry you missed it now aren't you. 

Then there is crafts. I totally want to sit down and make myself a sword and a crown and a shield too.  I am still that little girl, 7 years old who could not wait until the day when we got to make the blue foam fish. I so wanted to make that fish... I have no idea why but I was in love with the fish and I still remember the theme that year.  It was about Jesus saying that he would make us "fishers of men."  See.... VBS... good stuff! 

 

So along with celebrating and being thankful that Monogirl is still vertical after 3 days of VBS.... she is also pretty thankful for...

• Miss Sophie and Darrel.  She is so in LOVE with him.  Can you blame her?  Although I am convinced that she adopted him as her new sister after her sister was killed.  She has to be with Darrel just like she had to be with Sydney.  She jumps up to his lap, he puts her down from his lap, she jumps back up... like a boomerang.... he puts her down and the game continues.  They both make me smile
• Getting to be a part of VBS. 
• some extra rest this morning.  It may be key to that staying vertical thing I mentioned. 
• Reading!  Yes... I finished The Hope of Refuge.  Really liked it and will soon be reading books 2 & 3 after I first finish Submerged.  Maybe I was born with a book in my hand...
• homemade ice cream
• fresh strawberries.  A friend gave us some more and like 9 people tried to get them away from me before I could make it home.  ha!
• compliments from my husband
• summer shoes
• going to Iron Bridge
• vacation time!
• my new crochet book and plans and the hope that completed projects could actually be a true story!
• new bath & body soaps and gels sitting nearby
• oreos
• air conditioning... is it humid where you are? 
• the beach is open.... why have I not been there yet?
• anniversary plans... it will be here SOON
• the big upcoming birthday
• that I've been married to this man for a long enough time to see him receive his invitation to join AARP today..... yes.... it happened.  Does that mean we are old?  OK.. after VBS week I know I am old... scratch that question.
• new scrapping plans
• another trip to the library
• my pretty pink laptop
• the smile on my husbands face when he noticed today that I was wearing a necklace, earrings, etc. that were all gifts from him.
• friends.  I have such good friends and I love you!
• Saturday pancakes
• overtime settling down so we can get back on track with the remodeling project
• long hair
• date night
• yummy pasta from Procopios last week

It's been a good week.  I am blessed.  I am thankful... and I bid you goodnight for now.  Blessings!

Ten on Tuesday Post Vacation Edition

1) I have determined that I now know why Vacation Bible School is for kids..... It's because us old people do not have the energy to survive VBS week.  So serious.  Monogirl might need one of those hoverround things by Friday.  Do they have free overnight shipping? 

2) Yes.  Vacation Bible School started today.  VBS week is alllll consuming and quite exhausting for non-Monogirls so this week could get interesting.  BUT it is SO worth it and I LOVE seeing all the little ones enjoying their time at the church and by the end of today's session they were singing at the top of their lungs and doing the motions to the songs and it was just so FABULOUS.  LOVE VBS week.... just need to survive VBS week. 

3) Did you spot the strawberries and ice cream freezer above?  Your eyes do not deceive you.  Ice cream was made at the Koontz home this weekend.  Sunday afternoon we decided to take ourselves a ride.  First stop?  The strawberry patch for the last 2... and I do mean last 2... quarts of fresh picked strawberries.  Stop #2, all the ingredients for homemade ice cream including the all important rock salt... which was a small bit of an adventure to find and crushed ice....which we almost left without.  How do we do stuff like that?  Go to the store for a specific thing and then almost come back without the specific brain um.....thing.  See!!  Can't even tell you the ice cream story without mistyping my words and telling you I came back without my brain!  Bwa ha ha ha ha.... Anyway.... as far as the earlier story.... I blame Monobrain.  Darrel probably blames Monogirl's monobrain distracting him.

4) OH!  The homemade vanilla ice cream was quite amazing with fresh strawberries on it.  YUM.  I've been married to this man for nearly 26 years now and did not realize how very much he loves homemade ice cream.  I fully expected to see him with the gallon container and his spoon.  We have decided we must make homemade chocolate chip very very soon.

5) After the strawberry patch and the grocery store we decided to take a ride out to Iron Bridge.  If you've been a blog reader for a while you might remember that this is the area my Mamaw grew up.  It's way out in the country and in Mamaw's day, there were homes and I think a little town?  Now?  Pretty much just the bridge and the train tracks.  Love this bridge.  Love the area.  Love the peace and quiet out there.  It was a beautiful day for a visit.  We even got to see a train.... which doesn't happen too often. 













The Engineer even waved at us.  It was quite exciting.  But then again Monogirl is easily entertained. 

6) What else did Monogirl do on vacation?  She read... and read... and read some more.  It's that loving books and reading thing don't ya know.  She read Unwritten by Charles Martin and LOVED it.  It had so much great stuff she has 9 pages of highlights on her Kindle!  Stuff like "they find that maybe broken is not the end of things, but the beginning." Or "Maybe broken is what happens before you become unbroken." She loved how Peter talked about books and libraries.  Only a fellow book lover would understand or speak that language like when he says "Chapter books require you to dog-ear the page, Which is a marker.  It's not just holding your place in the book.  Not simply a crease in a piece of paper.  It is a promise.  An oath.  One they need kept .  It says, "I will be back, and we will continue this later."  So good.  Also read Falling to Pieces which was an Amish Fiction mystery which was also good!  It is by Vannetta Chapman, which is an author I've recently become acquainted with thru my IRCA judging/reading.  I discovered its a 3 book series and the library has books 2 & 3 available for E-book lending so I wanted to be ready when my turn comes up!  I also just heard from the library this one is available so I need to hurry and finish this book I started yesterday so I can read that.  Thank goodness for Goodreads to help Monogirl keep all this straight in her head....she gets confused quiet easily these days. 
















7) Yes... 4 projects have been picked from the Crochet One SkeinWonders library book.... yarn has been ordered... yarn has arrived... and OK... Monogirl bought her very own copy of the book too rather than make 412 photocopies.  The metallic threads are for these cool flower pins.  The pink variegated is for a scarf and the other hank is for a bag. The favorite bag?  The thing I wanted to make the most .... well that is the one yarn that they decided not to send and told me it was sold out.  Had to go looking for it on ebay... but.... viola!  Yarn has been discovered...purchased and is on its way.  Show of hands if you think the odds are slim that Monogirl will complete her four projects in this century? 

8) Is there a proper way to  make Cinnamon Toast?  I mean lately we've been enjoying a bit of cinnamon sugar on our brown sugar bagels from Aunt Millies.  We've just been sprinkling on a bit of sugar from the sugar shaker and a bit of cinnamon from the can of Watkins cinnamon.  When I was a little girl, you could buy this little shaker of cinnamon sugar that looked like a little girl or something.  Anyone remember those little yellow containers?  Or am I imaging things?  So I was thinking we should mix up some cinnamon sugar mixture... but the OCDness in Monogirl needs to know the proper quantities or ratio of cinnamon to sugar..... so I of course googled it. I know... it would be SO much easier not to be OCD Monogirl... but fighting a losing battle there.  Anyway, this lead me to information like this.... but also lead me to Pioneer Woman who claims she has the top secret best method for making Cinnamon Toast and seems to be telling me that I've been doing it the wrong way my whole life.... I am now thinking I must try Pioneer Woman's recipe immediately and see if she's right.  She might have a point... soft butter, cinnamon, sugar... .vanilla... under the broiler?  What wouldn't be good about that? 

9) OK... ebay to the rescue.  There were little containers... look.  How cute.  Darrel says his Mom used to have one... which of course now has me wondering if its still in her cabinet.  I bet it is.  He says they used to refill it with their own mixture.  I'd vote for that too because then I could use my Watkins Cinnamon which of course... is the best. 

10) And now we arrive at 10.  And VBS lag... has set in.  I think my arms weigh like 50 lbs each at this point.  So I am thinking it is time to drag my gorilla arm feeling self off to bed.  You'll tune in again on Thursday won't you so I will have the opportunity to be thankful for surviving that long in an upright position.  Because if that happens?  It will definitely be worth celebrating. 

Blessings!

Thankful Thursday - Vacation Edition

Yes.  Vacation Edition.  The official FIVE days off has begun. 

Woke this morning to gray rainy skies.  Yes.  Again.  Would I have preferred a perfect sunny, warm beach day?  Of course.  However... pick 2 on a day when you can snuggle in bed and sleep in would be rainy and gray.  ha! 

Just as I was about to grab a shower and some breakfast... um OK... lunch... it occurs to Monogirl that it is no longer raining and perhaps she could take a walk.  This quickly turned into not just any walk... but a walk to the Library.  Have I mentioned that I *heart* the library?  I do.  Totally born with that lovin' the library gene right there.  When I lived in IL I was surrounded by libraries and often would head to one on my lunch hour.  LOVED that. 

So today I find my trusty pink ruffly cinch sack.... Thank you thirty-one people..... I load up with my phone, my Kindle, my keys,and the all important reading glasses.  I grab my walking gear, my ipod and I am off. 

I get about 5 minutes away from home and realize I did not bring my wallet.  My library card is in my wallet.  Do I want to walk back... uphill.... for my wallet?  Um no.  I almost did but then I thought nah.... I'm an e-book kind of girl.  I probably won't check out anything, and if I do, they can probably look me up.  Not walking back.  Monogirl will do good to make the trip there and back without retracing her steps.  Trust me.

I arrive at the library.... and um WHO decided to put it at the top of a long giant hill?  Thank you so much for that.  Goodness.  You'll be happy to know I made it to the top without feeling the urge to throw up.  Good to know right?  As I hit the parking lot, I took this picture of the sky behind me.  I checked the weather before I left the house.  20% chance of rain, NO rain on the radar.... But this sky had me wondering if I was going to make it home without a good soaking. 

Much like the scrapbook store, the first place you will always see Monogirl check out is the "new" items section.  So of course I head straight for new books and of course it takes me all of 3.2 seconds to spot a book I of course want to check out.  You know... now that I don't have my card with me.  Good decision. 

The "One Skein Wonders" claim was intriguing because it would seem to imply the project would be somewhat quick if it only takes one skein.  Am I right?  Of course  I knew I must have the book immediately when I saw this bag. 

How cute is that?  It totally looks knitted but is crocheted and says it is because it uses a split half double crochet stitch.  That is a new one to me so I obviously need to add that to my crochet repertoire.  It is called a "work in project" bag because its supposed to be the perfect size to tote around your current one skein wonder project.  I am sure I can find something else equally suitable to fill it with. 

As far as making the bag are you thinking um Monogirl.... do you need another project?  Of course I need another project.... what else would I do... the unfinished cross stitch ornament?  The knitted scarf I started for my husband?  The crocheted baby hat?  Or perhaps 101 unfinished scrapbook projects and ideas?  Of course I need to make this crochet bag. 

I head to the librarian to ask if I can check out a book without my card.... which she was willing to do.... until we discover its been so long since my card has been used, they have new cards now and are on a new system and they of course need my drivers license to sign me up.  Of course they do. 

So the kind librarian agrees to hold on to my new crochet treasure and I head out for the walk back home... and to get my car and my library card... and license. 

OK I LOVE the library people.  HOW did such a tragedy occur that my card sat for that long without use?  I blame the Kindle people.  But I also love the Kindle people so I am sure we can work out a reconciliation.  I step into a library and my soul gets quiet.  The noise in my head stops because I am surrounded by books and nice reading chairs and the PEACE of the whole library atmosphere.  How did I forget this?  Well now that I am an official current library card carrying, signed up for the ebook lending, about to be signed up for the summer reading program kind of girl they will definitely be seeing more of me! 

And to prove it?  I spent the next hour or so curled into one of their soft chairs reading my book and OK I might have brought a few more besides the crochet one home.  I think I am physically incapable of leaving the library with only one book.  Is there a support group for that? 

So am I feeling thankful today?  Um yes I am because I am enjoying and feeling thankful for....

• the smell of onions coming from the kitchen because it tells me my husband is making us turkey burger pattie melts.  YUM
• watching Miss Sophie ride the back of the recliner like a surf board as she waits for the movement to stop so she can look out the window
• rediscovering my love of the library.  Yes. It's  been mentioned but didn't want you to forget.
• kids hope.  LOVE my little friend and actually got teary eyed telling her bye for the summer. I plan to at least keep in touch with cards and letters.
• my glasses.... cause um it would have been much harder 12 years later filling out that library info card.
• pink cinch sacks .... even though I do wonder if I look like I should have my lunchbox too.
• NOT getting rained on during my walk and that I managed to do almost 2 miles and I did not throw up when I reached my driveway even though after the climb up the hill...um my body was seriously considering it. 
• Vacation time. 
• Time off with my husband.  LOVE
• my husbands friendship and support
• kids hope bowling party
• a new laptop table that I am currently utilizing
• Miss Sophie doing everything including somersaults at my feet so that I will pet her
• getting my work done on time to be off for a few days
• learning how to make a friendship bracelet.  I thought it would be a good project for Kids Hope and my little one loved it as a last gift before summer....even though Miss Sophie thought dangling strings were a perfect reason to attack my leg. 
• a library that lends e-books
• lunch at La Caretta
• naps
• scrapbooking time...
• a husband who buys black raspberry vanilla hand soap when all I asked him to do was pick up some hand soap.  I love that he knows and pays attention to details like what scent would make my wife smile? He is so smart.
• that I thought yesterday was going to be a 3 diet Pepsi day and I only needed 2.  Bwa ha ha ha
• orthaheels
• ankle bracelets
• my current Sunday school study.  It speaks to me every week.  I think this lady like knows me or something.
• my silhouette
• pinterest for helping me find friendship bracelet ideas for my little one
• watching Sophie and Tanner drink out of the same water bowl... I keep wondering if Tanner thinks his water tastes like cat....
• trying to spend the vacation time left with having a little Facebook/email/text fast.  Is it just me or is that hard?  I mean there used to be a time when one went on vacation, they were out of touch until they got home except perhaps to receive the obligatory "having fun wish you were here" postcard.  These days?  I have this "need" to immediately read and reply to all texts... emails... and yes... I am a fequent facebook checker.  When did we all decide we need to be able to be in touch with one another 100% of the time?  Perhaps all those are good reasons to disconnect a bit and enjoy some vacation because you know that noise in my head I mentioned?  It gets pretty loud sometimes... Although I am already feeling a bit of um withdrawal..... do you think I can make it?

And now... I have many pressing matters to attend to... like reading or um finding a skein of yarn. 

Blessings!

The One With The Bowling Party

Well Monogirl has a couple of VERY busy days coming up so wonder of wonders.... she actually decided to bless you with an early blog entry.... You. Are. Welcome. 

So since we talked last... let me fill you in on all the latest news. 

Friday.  What a time we had.   It was the much anticipated not to be missed Kids Hope end of the school year bowling party.  When my little friend arrived at the bowling alley I was rewarded and blessed with a HUGE smile and an even MORE HUGE (more huge?  Huger?  gigantic?  OK... pick one... you get the idea) bear hug.  That was worth the price of admission right there.  We bowled.  We sent lots of balls down the gutter.  Lots... and lots of bowling balls down the gutter.  Not just her... me!  OK people the last time I bowled?  High School and um High School was a LONG long time ago.... and I think I got old and worn out since then.  Just sayin'  We ate pizza.  We ate brownies... well, she did.  I was saving my appetite and my calories for the date night to follow.  We bowled some more.... and then Monogirl collapsed.  Not exactly... but she felt like she could have collapsed.  Who knew bowling was so strenuous.  Which it was but I am thinking that another contributing factor was my little friend running and jumping into my arms and hugging me after each ball sent down the lane.  I loved every minute of it... the collapsing included.  I also loved the fact that my prayer partner husband got to join us and meet my sweet girl.  That was a definite bonus. 

So now that we were completely sweaty and exhausted we of course headed straight home and cancelled date night.  Wrong.  We headed to a little Italian place nearby where we enjoyed Italian sausage sandwiches and some very yummy pizza.  It was quiet.  It was calm.  It was perfect. 

Afterwards we took a ride to Illinois.  What?  Isn't that what everyone does for date night?  Actually we were just riding around Vincennes and took a turn in a different direction and discovered that our former home... Illinois... was like right there.  Didn't mind the visit but was happy to return home to our beloved Indiana mere minutes later. 

Before heading home, we decided to grab an ice cream.  We thought hey, what an opportunity to try somewhere new.... like Zip & Sip.  I am always hearing someone talk about how happy they were that they got to stop at Zip & Sip.  I announced to my FB friends that we were trying this place for the first time after living here for 12 years and was met with gasps of astonishment..... What?!?!?! You've never been to Zip & Sip? The horror.  So I was expecting ice cream bliss..... only to discover that um the ice cream?  Not so good.  FB friends?  What is the deal?  Well I was then informed that NO one went there for the ice cream.  You go for the soft drinks and smoothies which they have in MANY flavors like strawberry daiquiri, Mt Dew, and something called Blue Raspberry.  I am also told we must try the soft pretzels with cheese and the fried pickles.  Apparently I should have consulted my friends for Zip & Sip ordering advice before our visit on date night.  Lesson learned. 

On Saturday my husband spent the day shooting wedding photos for a work friend.  He did quite an amazing job too. Apparently his natural photography talent paired with his wife's photography class Christmas gift was quite a good thing. 

On Saturday Monogirl spent the day collapsed in her chair, the aforementioned KH Bowling combined with date night was WAY too much for her non existent energy level.  She didn't even manage to pick up a book..... she did however sign up for Hulu plus and watch several episodes of Survivor Season um... something.  It was the one where Brenda was on for the first time and that guy they nic named Fabio. 

On Sunday we had church, and it was sound booth and video duty for us, and then it was my week to teach Sunday School.  Afterwards we sprinted to town for a quick lunch and then headed back to church to help decorate for a shower and then attend the shower.... which I will share in a moment. 

Sunday afternoon at home, well here we have Miss Sophie who has managed to figure out a way to sit and look out the window in our under construction home.  Apparently sitting on Darrel's shoulder makes quite a nice perch.  He however says this feels a bit different than having say a parakeet on your shoulder........ Is she not the cutest... and OK... him too. 

The shower had beautiful decorations.  I offered to help and did whatever they asked of me, but as you can see.... these girls had it way under control.  How pretty is the back drop and that banner?

 

Here was the beautiful set up they had for the food.  Did they do awesome with the colors and arranging or what? 

 

Lori was even so kind to dip pretzels in wedding colors, add the little thank you tag, and had those for the bride to give out to her guests.   How nice right?  And such a CUTE touch.  Here is the lovely Bride.

Is she not the cutest?  Can't believe the wedding time is here soon.  And that I get to be so blessed and honored because she asked me to sing at the wedding.  How awesome is that? 

And now... we are at Monday.  Managed to work.  Managed to drive home.  Managed to visit with ya'll..... and um that's about all I've got.  The rest of the week? Well there is good news and bad news.  The good news?  5... count them FIVE upcoming days off.  Some actual vacation time.  Yay!  The bad news?  I have to survive Tuesday and Wednesday first.  There will be work, work and more work.  There will be groceries to get.  There is Kids Hope to do. There will be more work... did I mention that?  But it will be worth the 5 days... which makes for happy Monogirl.  Happy Monogirl... is that an oxymoron? 

I plan to tune in again later in the week, but it will likely be at least Thursday.  Hope you will honor me with your presence again then.  Perhaps I will have something new and crafty to share... there is always hope of that when vacation rolls around.  Perhaps I'll work on that unfinished reindeer ornament still sitting here beside me.... otherwise he may spend yet another Christmas inside a Ziploc bag.  And no one wants that.  Maybe even scrapping....reading.... and cross stitching all in the same day?  Is that allowed?  Do I need a permission slip or something?  Cause please sign me up for that idea. 

Blessings!

Thankful Thursday

Is it possible not to be thankful for extremely cute shoes?  I am thinking a big no on that one.  Recently I mentioned ordering this pair of Orthaheels from QVC.  They arrived.  I wanted to love them.  They were very cute... but um they were evil!  I tried them for a few hours at work yesterday and they stinkin' hurt! Not only were they like medieval torture shoes, they also were constantly trying to get away from me... as in pushing my feet out of the shoes a little more... a little more... a little more.... with every step.  Although now I am thinking as far as the pain was concerned I should have been thankful for that part!  Finally it occurs to me that I saw another VERY cute black pair that also had a little flower, and were patent leather no less that I had wished I'd ordered instead so why was I submitting myself to this shoe torture?  Well the evil pair is going back to QVC and this very cute and comfortable pair arrived today from Zappos.  I am in love with them.  They feel GOOD... what a concept... and they come in lots of colors.... which I am thinking is a dangerous thing.  My BFF Lisa said she was going to have to check them out and her husband would thank me.  I told her she should tell him he is welcome... and my work here is done.  Always happy to spread shoe joy wherever I go.

I took this picture last night to show that I am thankful... I think...... that my living room went from this.....

to this.  Now Demo wise.... very good thing.  Living in chaos wise?  Not so much.  As I said on facebook last night, this is what your house looks like when you are currently trying to remodel easily 1/2 of your total living space while still trying to live there.  Makes life interesting but I am excited about the good things that will result.  And yes... a truck full of 1970's paneling and carpet is currently ready for a ride to the dump.  That ride is easily 12 years past due... which would be the amount of time we've called this our home. 

When I am thinking today of other things I've been thankful for this week I'd have to include....

• friends.  I have several good and dear friends that were very kind and understanding to me this week.  I love you guys.
• My current Sunday school study.  wow.  First 2 lessons?  Powerful... and totally speaking to me and where I am at and the things happening in my life.  I had a complete epiphany the other night about one particular thing I've been struggling with and it was due to week 2 of our study. 
• Kids Hope.  I am totally in love with my little Kids Hope friend and am sad the school year is coming to a close. 
• Reading.  Soooo been enjoying reading again.  I didn't realize that I had gotten away from it until the DR prescribed reading for me.  ha! 
• singing at church.  Had a fun time on praise team this past Sunday
• Blogging.  I enjoy talking to you and many of you have reached out to me in friendship and support and that has been such a blessing.
• A husband who knows how to do remodeling.  And he does it well.  He is allll about the details.  Trust me.
• to do lists.... they help Monogirl's muddled brain
• a fresh pink pedicure
• waking up to a dark room, thunder and rain today when it was a day I could snuggle in bed and sleep in.
• Date Night!  Last week we enjoyed pizza and bread sticks and bdubbs pretzels and enjoyed the movie Jack Reacher and several episodes of The Amazing Race season 14.  Love those calm relaxing evenings together.  This one especially because earlier in the day was stressful and Darrel was sick and it all turned around spending time with my husband (who was then feeling better.)
• scrapbooking. It was so needed and nice Saturday to do some scrapping and listen to my music for Sunday morning and just find my happy place for a bit.
• Miss Sophie, even though she found it necessary yesterday to try and rip the butterfly off of my latest layout. Apparently she finds it mandatory to eat all bugs, including the fake ones. 
• longer hair
• perfume.  I love my favorite perfumes and I love it when my husband hugs me and says "mmmm.... you smell good." 
• some time off next week.  Looking forward to some vacationy type days... and a trip to Holiday World may be in our sights.
• fine tuning our plans for celebrating my husbands upcoming 50th... yes.. FIFTIETH... birthday.  And if you are thinking what a birthday week that will be?  You. Are. Correct.
• gel manicures that last 2 weeks!  LOVE
• hugging my husband when he gets home from work
• beach time approaching
• one of the La Carreta waiters giving me a semi hug and telling me Happy Mothers Day.  They are always so kind to us there. 
• the satisfaction I'm going to feel when I finally kill this fly that's been buzzing around me for the last 2 hours....
• popcorn with our movie
• Miss Sophie loving Darrel's chair.  It's very cute.

And... Monogirl is now very happy that its dinner time.  I think we are having homemade pizza.  YUM.  Blessings!

Ten On Tuesday

1) It is currently 10 minutes to midnight and Monogirl has had a rough couple of days fatigue and focusing wise.  Proof of this would be in the fact that she stood at the back door after work, telling her husband she couldn't get in because it was locked, only to have him point out that the door wasn't closed.... It was open.  OK so she felt a locked knob and it never occurred to her to check to see if the door was pulled all the way closed.  What can I tell you.  Monobrain.

2) Evidence #2.... Trying to put the leave in conditioner cap on the mousse can which of course causes mousse to squirt all over the inside of the cap.  Monogirl sits there and tries to get her towel to fit in there to wipe the mousse out..... with no success .... and when she asks her husband about it he calmly points out that that is what faucets are for.  Um never once for even a second occurred to Monogirl that she could rinse it out.  Monobrain. 

3) Evidence #3.  Monogirl always takes a small bottle of diet Pepsi with her to church on mornings when she has to be there early for praise team practice or worship leading or sound booth duty.  She doesn't like coffee.  Her husband drops her off at the door.  She lets herself in her office.  Puts her stuff down, picks up her pop and her shoes... which she hasn't put on yet... to head to the sanctuary for rehearsal.  Then she stops and stands outside her office door trying to figure out what on earth she did with her diet Pepsi.  She looks on her desk, on the chair outside her office, she asks her husband if he sees it, she spends several minutes doing this..... only to discover she is holding it in her hand with her shoes.  

4) On Saturday during an interlude to the stress, fatigue and lack of focus, Monogirl found her happy place in her scrap room and actually managed to create the layout you see above.  Although Monobrain did rear its ugly head for a brief time span while she searched her table for the die cut letter she was sure she was missing only to discover that the word she thought she was trying to spell was NOT the word she had die cut.  It's much easier to spell words when you are trying to spell the correct one.  I had myself convinced that it was one of those scrapping moments that seems to happen during every layout when one letter sticker suddenly goes missing and you'd swear you didn't move a muscle so where did it go?  Of course its never to be seen again.... UNTIL like 6 mos. later when you pull out a punch or something just to find your missing sticker adhered to the punch lever or some other equally inconspicuous place.    Or do these things only happen to me? 

5) Sunday we were leaving La Carreta and Darrel pulled up the car to get me and got out and opened my door and helped me in the car. As he was doing this a family walked by and the wife said "look honey that's how it's done." Bwa ha ha ha. Darrel and I both cracked up.  Too funny.

6) Reading continues to be good therapy for Monobrain which is why Monogirl just finished this book and started Unwritten, by Charles Martin.  Very much enjoyed A Home for Lydia and am eagerly awaiting book 3 which I think comes out in July?  Cannot wait to get into Unwritten because Charles Martin is one of my all time fav. authors.  If you have not read The Dead Don't Dance or When Crickets Cry, you must drop everything and do so immediately.  I am sure your boss will understand.

7) Speaking of books.... which um I can always speak of books.... Did you read Insurgent and Divergent?  Darrel and I both read them and were so excited to discover that book 3 will be released this year!  It's called Allegiant and is due out in October.  Cannot wait.  Can we both read it at the same time on separate Kindles or will it get all confused about who's place is where when syncing?  Need to read up on that.

8) Although I am not a Mom my husband and my dear sweet honorary daughter Ashly made me feel very special for Mother's Day.  Darrel gave me this beautiful Willow Tree, which he said he liked because it reminded him of us... Love that.... and He also picked out the card on the right.   Ashly gave me the pretty pink necklace and earrings and the card on the left.  Are they the sweetest? 

9) I am also so thankful... and yes I know its not thankful Thursday but I can't help myself.... so thankful for my BFF Lisa and my friend Deb and also again for Ashly and her Mom Kim.  Lisa and Deb both sent me special messages on Sunday which were so kind and such a blessing.  Thank you.  Ashly and Kim?  They decided that I should be included in the Mothers Day slide show at church on Sunday and had 2 photos of Ashly and I together in the show.  How amazing and kind was that that they even though of doing that?  Love you both. Thank you. 

10) My living room was falling apart around me this evening.  Literally.  We had intended to keep it more intact at the moment while we worked on pulling down plaster and old ceiling tiles in the dinning room.  Then we realized that the spring, free, haul your stuff to the dump day was this Saturday... and doesn't come around for another year.... and we would very much like them to have the old paneling and carpet from the living room and not to have it sitting here still where we will have to figure out what to do with it.  So... demo has been kicked into high gear this week so we can meet the dump deadline.  Anything that helps us get this project done quicker, we are calling that a very good thing. 

Well.... started this out intending to do 1/2 and finish tomorrow so Monogirl could head to bed... but apparently talking to ya'll gets me on a roll and here we are at 10.  Thank you for the second wind... or at least 1/2 wind...

So for tonight, we will call it good until next time!  Blessings!  

Thankful Thursday

OK you might have to click on the picture to see it better... but um can you tell we have Maple Trees?  LOTS of Maple Trees and they all are holding 1.2 million little whirly bird seed pod thingys.  This time of year, my sidewalk, my porch, my driveway.... covered with these things.  Sweep them off and they reappear like magic.  I find them everywhere.  In the car, in the house, in our bedroom, in my closet because they caught a ride in on a shoe.... Everywhere.  When I was a kid, I thought it was great to grab a handful of these and throw them up in the air to watch them spin down.... Now?  When I have to clean them up?  Let's just say I am not a fan.  Well till today.  I was asking myself what could I find to be thankful about where the Maple Tree helicopters are concerned.   Right around that time, a storm was coming in and the wind picked up and you should have seen our sky and yard. Whirly birds flying everywhere.  Sky full of them and it looked like tons of little butterflies.  It was so pretty.  Ask God about being thankful for something and he gives you a reason and a new perspective. God is so cool like that. 

Another reason?  It shows me God's sense of humor, delight, fun and wanting to give us things that make us smile.  It's a seed pod right?  I could just fall off and get smooshed in the ground right?  But instead God gives these little seeds the ability to float and spin like a butterfly, gracefully down to the ground.  It's like the delight of Autumn.  When winter is approaching the leaves could just turn brown, shrivel up... fall to the ground like ash.  Do they do that?  No! He gives us weeks of amazing fall color, the crunch of leaves under our feet, the delight of watching them fall to the ground. So awesome. 

And with both the autumn and now the little helicopter thingys He makes me thankful and reminds me that He brought us here.  He moved us from a mobile home with one puny tree in a postage stamp yard to 3 acres loaded with trees.  Trees to enjoy in the fall. Trees to enjoy when they flower.  And yes even trees to enjoy when they are dropping seeds all over the place.  When you think about it that way... well suddenly you don't mind the seeds so much huh? 

On that note... lots of other things I am thankful for today like:

• this song I heard for the first time yesterday.  First verse is painful to me BUT I love how she says "I don't know what you're doing, but I know who You are." to God.  I love the trust and acceptance in that.
• putting that song on my ipod and listening to it in the car
• and OK... putting 2 other songs I need to know for Sunday on my ipod so I can learn them better and prepare.  Thankful that I can learn songs that way.
• A day off today.  I needed a sick day after the rough Monogirl days this week. 
• reading
• my husband.  Amazing.
• 2 very good, dear friends who thought of me for the Mother's Day slide show at church.  Made me cry.
• God's peace and calm when I am hurting.
• Paul Mitchell Root Lifter... apparently its good stuff judging from results today! ha.
• Our care package for Darrel's Mom and the gift we decided on for my Mom. Both were quite fun.
• Miss Sophie... even though she is being a handful today.
• sleeping in
• getting my work done this week when I've not been feeling well.
• going to the drive in for date night
• a special Kids Hope Sunday this past week
• summer shoes
• singing in church
• still wanting to walk even when I am struggling
• my Kids Hope little girl
• the history of our house
• talking with my husband
• combos jalapeno cheddar tortilla.... new favorite snack.
• that its time for date night again
• having my Sunday school lesson already studied... and that happened on like Monday.  A new best record. 
• my Sunday school class ladies!  Love them.
• finding the cool brick in our dinning room
• bottles of diet Pepsi...yes I believe I've mentioned I like the bottles
• pink stuff
• cuties
• our porch swing
• summer plans
• spring weather
• that I have a warm bed to go crawl into. 

Hope your week has been good.  Blessings!

The Monogirl I Can't Think of a Title Wednesday Post.

What do we have here?  College care package?  Snacks for movie night?  Nope.  We couldn't decide what we wanted to do for Darrel's Mom for Mother's Day this year. I mean a person needs only so many cardinals and willow trees and coffee mugs, etc., etc., am I right?  We happened to be enjoying a Nutty Bar the other day and I said to Darrel they always make me think of his Mom because she always tells us "this is my favorite cookie."  Well that got me to thinking... maybe it would be fun for her to get a whole box of her favorite treats.  You know... favorite treats from your favorite son for his favorite Mom.... Works right?  So today we sent her a box with Cafe Vienna, Nutty Bars, M&M's... and I guess you can see the rest.  Many of her favorite snacks and treats. That would be a fun box to receive right? Not only because its yummy stuff, but also because who doesn't love it when they see that someone else is paying attention and knows and understands them?  For me, that is a gift in itself right there.    

And yes.  It's OK to post a picture of her gift before she gets it because she doesn't read my blog... cause OK.. she doesn't even own a computer.... or a smart phone.. so I am thinking I'm safe.  Please don't run over to her house and give away the surprise.  Now if it was me... I don't like surprises so you'd be doing me a favor by "spoiling" the surprise.  But we aren't talking about me.  We are talking about My Mother-in-law... OK I am rambling... moving on. 

 

I have been TRYING to write this blog post for literally hours. Yes. I missed yesterday's blog appointment.  Because?  Well because CFS has been rearing its ugly head in a big way this week and yesterday and today?  Monogirl is NOT doing so good.  Very tired, very achy, bad headaches, nausea, no energy..... just to name a few.  She took herself off to bed early last night and still barely managed to drag herself back out of bed today. 

 

Monogirl is definitely realizing things could be worse.  I read this article via facebook this evening and was so surprised to learn that the place we lived before moving to Indiana had flooded so extensively.  We lived in that mobile home park for nearly 15 years and never saw the water get anywhere close to our street.  Now?  It sounds like it was pretty bad!  Thanking the Lord we didn't have to deal with that. 

 

The Schwan man today said to me "You got a new car."  I said that I had and he said it was a pretty color blue.  Then he said, "but it would be better in pink right?"  HA!  Apparently I take having a favorite color to a whole new level if even the Schwan man is aware.  Ya think? 

Thinking date night will be at home this week due to the state of Monogirl's health.  Wondering if we want to watch that Jack Reacher movie?  Although it doesn't appear to be rentable at this point, but we can "buy" the digital copy for $12.99.  Now how do I know if its a good enough movie to pay $12.99 for if I haven't seen it yet. Was it a good movie?  Anyone know?

Wore these shoes today.  I have them in white.  They must be quite cute because I've worn them twice, and both times my husband has happened to look down at my feet and then tell me they are cute.  I must say too the more I wear Orthaheels, the more I like them.  Quite comfy, very supportive, and husband noticing cute.  What a good combination.

And OK... so this wasn't quite 10 on Tuesday... but I did manage to post something... which trust me, is an accomplishment this week.  See you tomorrow for Thankful Thursday.  Blessings!

No Birds Were Harmed In The Making of this Blog Post...

So after um like 5.2 seconds of Miss Sophie playing with her new feather toy.... it looks as if perhaps we have had some kind of bird massacre in the living room.  Did they seriously think tying the feathers in with a little string was a good plan?  They should have talked to my husband.  See his plan was to grab the hot glue gun and put humpty dumpty it back together again and so far... she has thrown it and tossed it and grabbed it all over the room and not one feather on the floor.  Is string less expensive than a little hot glue or something? 

Date night last night included Iron Man 3 and Oz The Great And Powerful at the Drive In.  We enjoyed both although like every review of Iron Man 3 on imbd.com laments how awful it is.... Did we see the same movie?  Cause we liked it. Although, I really didn't care how well it went along with the other Iron Man movies and The Avengers or what Marvel thought about it.... which seems to be everyone elses problem.  Guess its a good thing we didn't see the first two huh? 

Oz was pretty good too!  Although I expected the Ruby Slippers to be involved.  Were they and  I missed it or were they not necessary to the story?  They were necessary to me... I wanted to know how the first witch sister got them and why....

What else did we do for date night?  We ate Chinese Food at Crazy Buffet... yum.  We visited PetSmart to buy the all important self destructing cat toy and some dog food.  We stopped at Hucks for Diet Pepsi in the bottle..... even though we had some with us in the can... Monogirl is convinced it tastes oh so much better in the bottle.  We also might have gotten a snack or two for the movie. 

It is currently National Scrapbook Day and to celebrate Miss Sophie has decided this would be the perfect time to carry my scrapbook supplies into the living room one... by... one.  I was not consulted about this plan. 

Monogirl is having definite trouble with the cognitive/brain fog symptoms of CFS.... This manifests itself repeatedly when Monogirl is trying to tell someone something and completely stalls mid sentence trying to grasp her words and story before they float away out into Monoland where she will then have NO idea what on earth she was trying to say. 

QVC is having fashion day today... I had successfully stayed away until I decided I needed to check out their Orthaheel TSV.  Cute... but I decided I could pass.  Of course... while making that decision I spotted this pair on clearance and they have a wider foot bed and a very cute flower...how was I supposed to pass that up?

Speaking of National Scrapbook Day.... I was intending to scrap.  I have plans to scrap.  I had a layout started.  I have time.  So of course... I am not in the mood to scrap.  I want to want to scrap.  But then there is that not in the mood thing.... so here I sit blogging to you.. and considering picking up my book. Perhaps the mood will strike later.  Of course... if there was no time to scrap?  If I had lots of work to do?  Then I would totally be in the mood to scrap for days.  WHY does my head work that way? 

Darrel is working on the dinning room today and is exposing this old brick chimney that sits between the living room and dinning room.  It used to be used for a wood stove that sat in the dinning room when my Dad was a boy.  It's had plaster covering the brick since the house was built.  Now that its exposed we're like oh man.... someone should have done that a LONG time ago.  We were thinking we'd take it out completely.... now it may be staying.  LOVE the look of the old exposed brick.  Love it. 

And there you have it.  All the news at Monogirl's house for this rainy NSD Saturday. 

Blessings! 

Thankful Thursday

So its a beautiful day and Monogirl's schedule says she is supposed to go for a walk.  Nice of the weather to cooperate with the schedule don't ya think?  So Monogirl strapped on her walking shoes, her tank top, her walking shorts, her phone, her ipod, her pepper spray, her key fob for the car.... who knew there was so much paraphernalia needed to take a walk... and headed out into the beautiful day.  It was perfect.  Warm, sunny, nice breeze, too bad the beach isn't open cause Monogirl and her book would have headed there promptly after the walking.  Wonderful day for a walk.  Today?  A different route was needed cause Monogirl gets bored walking the same path over and over... so she headed off the main road and more into the campground.  The downside... or upside... to this plan is more and bigger hills in the campground.  A fact that did not deter Monogirl today although her thigh and calf muscles were trying hard to get her attention and tell her to stop already.  Then it was time to pick a path back to the car.  Monogirl was tempted to go this way (above) ......or this way?

Are you seeing the dilemma?  Plan B here has one of the biggest hills in the park and it gets quite steep at the top. Guess which one Monogirl picked?  Plan B... hill conquered and Monogirl survived.  Well... mostly.  She is pretty stinkin' tired and achy at the moment.  Hoping it will prove to be worth it and can be built on and it will not cause a Monogirl/CFS set back of several days.... Got to keep plugging along and trying.  It feels too good to go to ever want to stop and moderate exercise is supposed to be helpful to CFS. 

As I was into about the first 30 seconds of my walk, a lady was driving by heading out of the park.  She is one of the permanent campers who usually waves at me when I walk by.  She said "we've all been talking about you and wondering about you and saying "where'd she go?"" Now how cool is that that some of the perm. campers have noticed I've not been around as much and actually missed me?   I smiled and told her I had gotten sick with Mono over a year ago and have never been the same since and have been struggling to get back to where I was.  She told me I looked good and she was glad to see me and was sorry I had been sick but was very encouraging about my continuing efforts.  It blessed Monogirl's heart and put a little extra oomph in her step for the rest of her walk. 

Feeling pretty grateful for that encouragement and also....

• cuties!  Love those things and they've been especially good lately. 
• beautiful spring weather
• Date Nights
• Getting a little caught up at work
• getting a little housework done this week.  Trying to learn this new plan of doing things in small chunks. So far, so good
• reading.  I've always loved it...as you know, but especially lately, its been a godsend.  Currently reading this book
• diet Pepsi.... while I was walking a car drove by painted for RC Cola.... I wanted to yell and ask if he happened to have a diet Pepsi in there too.... yes.  I was thirsty.  Yes.. I know it was RC and not Pepsi but it worked for my tired thirsty self at the time...
• summer shoes, especially the new pink birks
• cheeseless cheeseburgers
• dinners cooked on the grill by my husband
• finding the family history in our dismantled dinning room
• Miss Sophie
• my husband.  His unconditional love, support, encouragement, friendship, and acceptance has been huge in helping me through my struggles
• Air conditioning... yes, we've already needed it.
• Goodreads.  I like keeping track of what I want to read... and doing the reading challenge each year
• NSD
• my church
• my doctor.  He is excellent
• a fresh hair trim
• naps
• left over grilled chicken breasts that are SO yummy on top of a salad
• lunches at La Carreta
• Kids Hope
• new options with the living room/dinning room
• 2 new bottles of gel polish on their way to me.... only one is pink.  OK... its not on its way... apparently its in the mailbox!  I got this one... which will look good with a tan and this one. Yes... its blue green.  Your eyes did not deceive you. 
• passion perfume - has been my very favorite scent for years
• bath and body works shower gels
• some time off with my husband coming up soon
• 80's on 8 on XM.... I will forever be an 80's girl. 
• journaling

 

And yes... I could go on and on... but as I've said before, that in itself is a blessing isn't it? 

I wish you blessings for the rest of your week!

Ten On Tuesday the Sequel....

3)  Yes, we are starting on 3... cause we are to be continued from yesterday remember?  Of course you remember... it was just yesterday... Anyway... what you have here is the cutest Grill Master ever.  Am I right?  Not only is he cute... He makes excellent chicken and potatoes on said grill. And no.  He is not available to be loaned out. 

4) Are you all set for the big holiday on Saturday?  I mean everyone gets the day off of work and chores for important national holidays am I right?  Especially when that day is National (or is it International??  I saw that online today) Scrapbook Day!  Yay!!!  I love NSD!  I loved it even more when we had an LSS about 1/2 hour away that had a very fun all day crop.  However the LSS is no more so what is a girl to do but have her own little NSD crop day at home?  The upside?  No packing, hauling, loading, unloading, unpacking, repacking, and hauling it home involved.  I am all about that idea right there.

5) We saw a phone on Celebrity Apprentice the other night by LG that actually takes a photo whenever you say "cheese!"  This of course caused Monogirl to wonder if I had that phone, and went to Mc Donalds and said "no cheese" (hoping they actually manage to get it right) would my phone be taking pictures?  Enquiring minds want to know. 

6) Got in a wonderful walk yesterday and yet again improved my pace just a smidgen.  Yay Monogirl.  Although... I did have a little incentive which was my husband walking with me and um 5 ft 2 Monogirl legs trying to keep up a challenging pace with 6 ft 2 Monogirl husband.  Maybe I should have him go with me all the time cause seriously... I'd follow him anywhere. 

7) Yes, its the much anticipated Date Night Report!  This past Friday we had date night at home.  Monogirl was just NOT up to an evening out... it was all she could do to get herself to work... complete her tasks...and get herself home.  Upon arriving home she found her bed... hid herself under the covers and fell fast asleep till her date arrived with dinner about 2 hours later.  What a nice way to wake up!  Dinner and a handsome date.   We enjoyed some salad, Chicago Pizza and Pepperoni Sticks.  We watched several episodes of Amazing Race... season um 14?? Maybe?  I can't remember which season we are on.  We also watched several episodes of Person of Interest that we had DVR'd.  Popcorn was consumed.  Hugging was involved.  And a good time was had by all.

8) The Living Room/Dinning Room Remodeling Project has officially progressed and one room of OLD ugly 1970's paneling has left the building thank you very much.  SO glad to see it go.  My Mom tells me that she remembers helping my Mamaw pick out the paneling so it could be installed when they were moving back to the house (which had been rented out) from Illinois.  I am sure the paneling was great for 1970.  Now?  Not so much.  We've also found evidence of the orange/green/gold shag carpeting that lived here once upon a time.  Could it have been more 70's up in here? 

9) We were sad to find evidence under the paneling that there used to be old thick woodwork, molding and baseboards before the paneling came to live here.  You can see it across the bottom under the wallpaper.  Would give just about anything to have that back!  And as long as we are getting things back, can I have the old pantry door, and antique cup Mamaw got rid of too?  Thank you.

10) Now as we sit here and look at our partially dismantled room we begin to realize the list of decisions we have ahead of us.  Do we want to add more lighting?  Perhaps recessed/can lights or just stick with the ceiling fan/lighting that is there now.  Should we add a pocket door between the living room and front room or leave it like it is, open to each other?  Do we leave all of the original outlets in the floor like they are?  Or do they need to be moved and rewired to the wall?  Do we take down the wall between the living room and dinning room?  Leave it open?  Leave it like it is?  Or change it to something like this?

At the moment.... we are leaning towards that last choice.  What do we do with the ceiling?  Drywall?  That will require pulling down old ceiling tiles and possibly plaster... perhaps a miracle will occur and the plaster will be in good shape and we can just go with that!  See... lots of decisions.  Currently, not Monogirl's best thing. 

And there.... your remaining points for 10 on Tuesday as promised.  You didn't think it could happen did you?  ha. 

See you tomorrow for Thankful Thursday! 

Blessings!