At Home with the Pooles

12 in 2012

2011-12-31T17:35:00.000-05:00

I have always gone back and forth on New Years' resolutions. And I don't mean whether or not I keep them (that is also a problem, but one to be discussed on a different day), but rather whether one should make them at all, simply because many of them are cliche and thoughtless and never followed through with. One of my favorite songs EVA ("New Years Eve" by Five Iron Frenzy) actually describes my feelings perfectly on the subject: "It's New Years Eve and I'm full of empty promises I half pretend to keep this time, just like last year... A year goes by and I'm staring at my watch again, and I dig deep this time for something greater than I've ever been..."

See? Just what I said. Only better. :-) So this year, I've decided, along with several others, it would seem, to simply make a "12 in 2012" list of goals to move toward and strive for. Not resolutions to be thrown aside once I realize I can't really do them, but goals and life changes to continue to push myself toward not only this year, but in future years as well. Ready? Here goes...

1) Cook more at home. I love eating out--I really do. It's so nice to not have to cook or do dishes. Mainly the doing dishes part, actually. But eating at home is so much cheaper, especially if it's planned in advance. I really want to be better about planning meals for the week around grocery sales and taking my meals to work so I don't have to purchase them there as well. I like to cook, so it's not a matter of not wanting to. I just need to make myself.

2) Reach an ideal goal weight for me. This is what I say every year, but last year I actually did it! And then came Europe and lots of travel for work, then the holidays, and I gained most of it back. So depressing. But the older I get the more I learn that I don't care that much about my weight, but more about my overall health. So I'll change that to "eat healthier foods, drink water instead of snacking all day, make better choices to reduce my chances of diabetes and high cholesterol, and work out 4-5 times per week". There. Much better.

3) Read my Bible more consistently, which for me means daily instead of every few days or when I "have time"

4) Stick to our monthly budget (which shouldn't be hard given the wonderfulness that is www.mint.com)

5) Shop less and instead create new outfits with what I have

6) Learn to live on less so we can give more

7) Read three books a month. Reading is one of my favorite things in life, so this shouldn't be difficult. I probably already do it anyway. But I need to expand my horizons beyond what I normally read to also include non-fiction, which isn't as "fun" but is much more informative.

8) Memorize a Bible verse per week. I mean, honestly. That is not that difficult. If I can memorize all the lyrics to "Gangsta's Paradise" (hellooooooo, 1995) in one day, then I can memorize a verse per week. I once heard a guest speaker say that we should at least know one verse for every year we had been alive. Anything less showed a lack of dedication to reading and understanding Scripture. That's probably true.

9) Try new things. I have a tendency to get stuck in a rut--with food I eat, restaurants I go to, and activities I participate in. I want to push myself to try new things and go places I wouldn't normally go. This especially goes for recipes at home.

10) Stick to our daily chore list. My life and my house are so much easier to manage when I spend 30 minutes each day cleaning and picking up instead of waiting until it's unmanageable to take care of it. I know that if I wait until "later" to do it, I won't, so I need to make a point of doing it as soon as I get home, before I even sit down.

11) Walk our dogs each day. This may seem like a silly goal, but both of our doggies are pretty active, and after we get home every day (being gone 12 hours including commute), I just don't feel like walking them for 30 minutes after cooking dinner. Lame excuse, I know. They deserve some physical exercise and it wouldn't hurt me, either.

12) Take more pictures and document more. This means blogging, as well. For a while, I just didn't do it. I'm not sure why, probably because it felt like my blog didn't really fit anywhere, because I just posted whatever I wanted. And I like a lot of things, so it was all over the place. But I've decided it's okay to post outfits, home decor, and pictures of my nieces and nephews all on the same place. Because it's my blog, and I can do what I want. :-) We recently got a new camera that I am really excited about, so hold me to this one especially! It will be a great way to document our lives and something I can look back on in later years.

So there you go! Those are my goals for 2012. I probably won't meet all of them, but it's a process. A process of making better decisions each day, preparing more for the future, and denying myself in order to help others more. What are your goals for 2012?

So Good to be Home

2010-07-24T11:57:00.001-04:00

I don't even know how many weekends we've been gone from home, but I know it's been a lot. Maybe four in a row? I've lost count. Of course, it was all for good reasons: visits to family, baby showers, visiting friends we haven't seen in a while. But it really starts to be tough to keep things done around the house, especially when you're working. I find myself asking, how these women find time to do this:

Just a Girl

Or this:

Home and Harmony

Or this:

320 Sycamore

I mean, am I the only person who feels so overwhelmed and exhausted that I never have time to do anything? Maybe I am. Or maybe I just shouldn't put so much pressure on myself? Or maybe I just enjoy reading and watching TV too much. It's probably that one, come to think of it. Plus, I guess blogging just isn't that important to me (gasp!). It's not something I think about often, even though I'm always perusing others' blogs, and I never think to take pictures of important things that I could actually post. I barely have found time to weed the flower garden (which was pathetic, and I'm really glad that I didn't remember to take pictures of that, because I might have actually posted them), and I can't even tell you how long it has needed it.

So I've just decided that maybe I should post about my "favorite things", as I have seen others do. I definitely have lots to say about that. Right now, one of my fave things is this...

and this...

(Don't you love how he sits like a frog?)

JC came home and told me there was a "cutest dog" contest in the Atlanta area. Of course, I suggested that our dogs are by far the cutest, and JC reminded me that everyone thinks that about their dogs. Which is probably true. And really, our dogs are just pretty average. But that's okay--I love them anyway.

Spaghetti with Sauteed Chicken and Grape Tomatoes

2010-06-13T17:35:00.000-04:00

This recipe is just straight up incredible. I have recently restarted Weight Watchers, as I actually feel that I have the willpower not just to lose weight, but also just to be healthier in general and more conscious of what I put in my body. So I was looking through this great website, Gina's Weight Watchers Recipes, and stumbled upon this. It had pretty great reviews, so we decided to try it. JC of course was not too keen on this, because "there is no sauce" and "nothing to give it any flavor". Somehow I convinced him to try it, and he was glad he did! Obviously he had no idea how much garlic can do for a recipe. Anywho, here it is.

Spaghetti with Sauteed Chicken and Grape Tomatoes
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups • Calories: 302 Points: 5.5 pts

2 skinless chicken breast halves, diced in 1 inch cubes
cooking spray
1/2 tsp each of dried oregano and dries basil
kosher salt and fresh pepper
8 oz spaghetti (high fiber or low carb) I used Ronzoni Smart Taste
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
6 cloves garlic, smashed and coarsely chopped
4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
4 tbsp chopped fresh basil

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

Season chicken generously with salt, pepper, oregano and basil. Heat a large skillet on high heat. When hot, spray with oil and add chicken. Cook about 3-4 minutes, until no longer pink. Remove chicken and set aside.

Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.

While pasta cooks, add olive oil to skillet on high heat. Add garlic and sauté until golden brown (do not burn). Add tomatoes, salt and pepper and reduce heat to medium-low. Sauté about 4-5 minutes. When pasta is drained, add pasta to tomatoes and toss well. If pasta seems too dry, add some of the reserved pasta water. Add fresh basil and chicken and toss well. Serve and top with good grated cheese.

Mexican Casserole

2010-05-17T11:06:00.000-04:00

If you are a Mexican food connoisseur (and yes, I did have to look up the spelling for that. Don't judge me...) as I claim to be, you should try this recipe. So, yes--it is still faux Mexican. But totally delicious and closer than most "Mexican" dishes (I'm pretty sure it's the cilantro that makes it). We made this over the weekend, and it is definitely being added to the rotation, especially since it's really easy and pretty healthy, if you use the extra lean beef as we did. Here is the recipe:

1 lb lean ground beef
2 cups salsa (we used Newman's Own)
1 16oz can chili beans, drained
3 cups tortilla chips, crushed
2 cups sour cream (we decided this would be reduced to between 1 and 1.5 cups in the future)
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350.
In a large skillet, brown the beef. Stir in salsa, reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is absorbed (about 10 minutes, depending on how thick your salsa is). Stir in beans, and heat through. Spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray. Spread crushed chips in a layer on the bottom; then add ground beef mixture. Spread sour cream on top. Top with onion, tomato, cilantro, and cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Recipe found here.

Easy Peasy Spring Wreath

2010-04-28T20:11:00.000-04:00

It's definitely true that a wreath makes your door look instantly better. And it's true that it makes it appear more inviting. It's also true that store-bought wreaths usually cost an arm and a leg. So after looking at my naked front door for a few months (after the poor Christmas wreath had to come down), I decided that I could make my own for a lot cheaper. And here it is.

Here it is a little closer...

Nothing super special, but instantly better. I just took an old grapevine wreath that I had (that I have used for endless other wreaths) and grabbed some faux foliage from Hobby Lobby (50% off, of course). That was honestly the hardest part--picking which branches I wanted. After that, it was just a matter of sticking the branches in and contorting them to fit my desires. (I also must add that, since I am a cheapo--*ahem* frugal-ista--I had to make sure I could reuse these branches. So I didn't cut the stems off, even though they were super long. I just bent them around and pinned them behind the wreath. That way I can use them again later if need be!) And because raffia makes everything look better, I added a little bow. Easy peasy spring wreath!

Note: Inspiration here. I'm nothing if not a shameless (kind-of) copycat.

A Classy Flea in Marietta

2010-04-11T08:56:00.002-04:00

So remember how I told you there was a thrift store/antique shop/flea market in Marietta that I really wanted to go to? Well, yesterday, I went! It's called "A Classy Flea" and it is hands down one of the best I have ever been in. Not only are the items incredible (and they have tons of items), but the prices are so much more reasonable than most shops I have been in. I took a few pictures so you guys could enjoy the eye candy also.

Are you loving all the blue furniture like I am? This place is crawling with beautiful blues!

And if you like the chippy, weathered look (which I do), they have that, too.

If you have a thing for vintage napkins and doilies....

I was in love with this buffet and hutch, which the owner told me came from Scotland. Unfortunately, I have no place for it. Sad times.

A close up. The detail on the hinges is just gorgeous!

This doll really creeped me out. Am I the only one who has something against dolls?

And here are a few more pictures, for your enjoyment...

I walked away with a treasure trove of goodies for an excellent price, which is a rarity in a shop of this kind. So the moral of the story is, if you live in the Atlanta area, you need (as in, it is absolutely imperative) to stop by "A Classy Flea". And if you don't live in Atlanta, it would still be a good day trip!

March Recapped and April Goals

2010-04-06T20:18:00.000-04:00

March goals:

Fun: Take in a movie with the hubs at the local dollar theater. Semi-success? We did plan it, but JC got sick and we had to postpone. Sad times.
Read 5 books. Success! I actually ended up reading eight, due to traveling for work, delayed flights, and being sick. In case you're curious. these books consisted of authors Karen Kingsbury, Irene Hannon, and Lynn Austin.

DIY/Crafting: Sew something new. Fail. It just didn't happen. I was gone for work and gardening, and I just didn't do it.
Complete at least two projects listed here. Fail. But I did complete a few other projects, to come.

Cooking: Try one new recipe for dinner. Success! This wasn't a new recipe (I had eaten it before), but it was something I had never made on my own--a delicious pot roast in our wonderful crock pot. I also made a new recipe for some incredible pancakes, found here.)

Gardening: Decide what to plant in our mini-garden. Plant garden. Semi-success. I have bought the plants and a new tiller. We are going to work on finishing this this weekend. But we have planted lots of beautiful flowers!
Trim the hedges. Success! They look much less all-over-the-place and crazy now.
Re-do some landscaping in the front. Success. The flowers look nice and everything looks much better. Pictures will be coming as soon as I actually take some.

Home: Finish laundry room reno. Success. We are nearly finished with this. I just need to clean a few things up so I can take some pictures. Are we noticing a pattern, here? I can accomplish things, but I just never post them. Ugh.
Purchase washer and dryer. Success.
Living room (room of the month--read about it here). It's coming along. It takes a lot longer to put a whole room together than I thought.
Take care of electrical issues. Success! Finally, I have outlets in several places where they were needed. And our hallway light switch functions properly!
Get estimates about screening in our back porch. Success. We have gotten the estimates, but we haven't decided if we are going to go through with it or not.
Sew the button back on so I can wear one of my fave sweaters before all the cold weather is gone! Fail. That poor sweater just never got worn. Sad.

Wellness: Work out four times a week. Success. Besides the week that I was sickly.
Follow the Abs Diet (= eat healthy). Success. I have actually been eating much healthier, and I feel tons better!

April:

Fun:
Go to one Braves game.
Read 5 books. (I'll be traveling again, so I feel like this will be a cinch.)
Go to see one movie at the theater.
Visit the Marietta thrift store I have been dying to go to. Buy lots of things (or maybe just a few).

DIY/Crafting:
Make two new crafts.
Sew something. (Anything, Kelly... just pick something already.)

Cooking:
Try one new recipe.

Gardening:
Finish planting veggies in garden.

Home:
Organize two spaces (closets, drawers, etc.)
Follow our chore chart (I developed a nifty little chore chart with weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly chores. We'll see how long we stick to it.)
Finish living room.

Wellness:
Work out five times a week.
Continue to eat in a healthy manner.

I'm sure I'll add things as I think of them. As I've said previously, I'm a goal-oriented person, so I'm always thinking of new things to put on my to-do list.

Paint and Twine are Magical

2010-04-04T19:50:00.001-04:00

Paint and twine can transform a lot of things. Seriously. I've been using a lot of these lately. See?

Before:

After:

Ah. Already so much better. We have gold, reds, and yellows all over our house, and it is currently being changed (slowly... verrrrrrry slowly) to lighter colors and more cottage-y. So the gold had to go. I am just working on changing the shade now, and then it will be a whole new lamp!

Before: An old drying rack that we got from JC's mom's house. Not terrible, but the blue really did not fit with the new laundry room (which will be revealed soon). (Also notice my sweet puppies in the background. They are really loving this new spring weather!)

After: All white. Much better.

Before: A poor old ugly wine bottle.

Nothing a little twine and some hot glue (and a few burns on my fingers) can't fix...

(Note: If you want to do this, remember to remove the label before you start gluing the twine on it. I had to stop about right here and work for ten minutes to get this stupid thing off.)

After:

Before: Miniature rolling pins from some sort of kid's church craft project. I had seen several people wrapping these around old vintage clothespins or spools. Sadly, I had neither of these. But I did have kiddy rolling pins, so...

After:

I put them in a jar on the entryway table....

Sorry about that crazy bright, blinding stream of light coming through. I always forget to take pictures when I'm actually supposed to. And that big silver plate is probably going to be moved somewhere else. Part of the ever-evolving Poole household.

My First Blog Award!

2010-03-10T15:07:00.000-05:00

My sweet friend Bethany over at The Vaughns gave me this lovely Beautiful Blogger award!

Bethany and her husband Alex lived in the same apartment complex as we did, right after we got married. They were good friends to us, and have since had their own precious little boy! Anyway, Bethany also loves thrifty projects, and she is an excellent artist. You should check her out!

So the rules are that I must post 7 random things about myself. Let's see...

1. My husband and I (semi) met on facebook. (Don't judge me... and we actually went to the same church, too.)

2. I love free/cheap things. (You probably already knew this.) But I love getting a good deal more than just about anything in the world.

3. I never watch awards shows (Grammys, Oscars, etc.). I just look at the pictures of the dresses afterward.

4. I was on the UA women's rowing team in college.

5. I am not like most people... summer is my least favorite season. (Fall is my favorite.)

6. I seem to like to plan to do things more than I actually do things.

7. I hate scary movies.

Now I need to pass this on to seven more people:

1. Jen at Noting Grace. Jen has some great DIY projects!

2. Kim at NewlyWoodwards. She also has great projects and apparently we like the same designs, since one of our inspiration rooms is exactly the same.

3. Kristen at We Are THAT Family. Kristen is such a beautiful person, inside and out. Right now she is on a mission trip with Compassion, International. You can read about it on her blog.

4. Heather at Mrs. Southern Bride. She and her husband are absolutely precious. I love reading their date night stories and looking at her photography.

5. Brittany at Superwoman. She is currently doing a series called "31 Days to a Healthier, Happier You!"

6. Anne at Fiona and Twig. There is so much eye candy on this blog! Her vintage style is right up my alley.

7. Sasha at Lemonade Makin' Mama. This girl is hilarious. Hilarious, I tell you! And she has the cutest kids. And the cutest blog.

Compassion

2010-03-06T08:26:00.000-05:00

If you don't follow "We Are That Family", well--you should. It's a great combination of DIY projects, deep insights, and real experiences. Right now, Kristen is in Africa on a trip with Compassion International, and she is blogging about her trip. I just finished reading her second installment, "True Religion". It made me weep over my own selfishness and sinfulness. How many times a day to I think about what I need, what I want, what I can have? But how many times a day do I think about others, especially the ones who are living with nothing and desperately need my help? Not many, I can tell you. Because although, if you asked me I would tell you that I completely believe in charitable giving--not just your tithe, but above and beyond out of the abundance of God's blessings--how many times do I live that out? How many times am I actively searching for ways to bless other people, through financial means or with just my time? I can tell you that it is a small fraction (minuscule, probably) of how much time I spend thinking of "me". I know that I'm not alone on this--I believe it is a struggle for everyone.

At the end of her post, Kristen asked us to consider sponsoring a child through Compassion. At first, I balked, because I know how many organizations take advantage of those willing to give and use much more than necessary on administrative costs and other garbage that the sponsored children will never even see. After doing some research, I found that Compassion is one of the highest-rated charities by BBB and Charity Navigator; I feel much better knowing that our money will make it to a child in need. So I clicked on her link to see the children. It is heartbreaking to look at their little faces and read their stories, knowing how much suffering they endure. I cried more. I asked God why I had been so blessed while some people have nothing, and why my heart is so stinking sinful.

Then I read this on Compassion's site: "God can use you to help ease the pain of a child in desperate need." It made me so thankful to remember that even though I am selfish and self-seeking, He can still use me. He wants to use me. And really, what is a measly $38 a month? A couple of nights that we don't go out to eat? Or a new sweater that I don't buy? As much as we have been blessed, I know we can squeeze $38 out of our budget every month. I ask you to look at your budget and see what you can spare. It's not just money, either; you write and receive letters and information on the child you are sponsoring, which is honestly the most exciting part to me--personal contact. A relationship. Please ask God to show you if you are being faithful in your giving, and if you are giving with your heart and time as well as with your finances.

P.S. Our little boy's name is Joseph! I am so excited to receive our packet.

January Goals Revisited

2010-02-25T20:45:00.001-05:00

So I just realized that my sidebar still contained "January goals". Really? That's pathetic, Kelly. And there's no point in making many February goals, because it's a short month and it's nearly over. So now that it's nearly March, perhaps I should let you know how I did on these January goals, and maybe set a few for March.

January Goals:

Fun: Pasadena for the National Championship! Success! Boy, did we have fun. We got to see so many things while we were out there, but most importantly, WE WON! I probably will never get to go to another national championship game, so I was really pumped that Alabama pulled it out.

DIY/Crafting: Sew something new. Fail! Ugh. Soooo didn't happen. I will say, in my defense, that it was probably because I still don't have electricity in my craft room. That could be a problem, right? I mean, the people who owned our house before us (and also planned it and had it built) apparently saw no need to install electrical outlets in the room. So I can't sew in there unless I run a bright orange extension cord halfway through my house. Not happening. Yes, I know it is weird that we don't have any power in there. Yes, I am working on that as we speak--hopefully an electrician will be remedying this soon.

Finish painting guest bath. Success! Yaye! We did this pretty early in the year (with my darling little sister's help), and I like the pale yellow SO much more than the purple that was in there before.

Cooking: Try one new dinner recipe. I know that we did. But it has been so long that I have forgotten what it is. So I will consider that a fail since it obviously made no impression on me.

Use more fresh veggies for each meal. Success! I should have been much more specific, because that's a very vague goal. But I know that we did make an effort to buy and use more fresh vegetables.

Gardening: Trim hedges. Fail! This totally didn't happen. Of course, the good news is that since it's winter, they aren't growing very much. :-)

Decide on window boxes for the bay window. Success! I don't know if I should count this, because I technically just decided on it a few days ago. I had originally said no to the window boxes, because I didn't want to be drilling stuff into the side of our house. But I discovered (whilst taking the dogs out) that there seems to already be hardware there for window boxes. Score!

Home: Finish taking down Christmas decor. Success! I'll just go ahead and leave the winter decor out of it, because by this point it is all gone, also. But just for the record, I did put it up. No I didn't take pictures (I am terrible about this), but it did look nice.

Wellness: Work out three times a week. Uh... er.... does my avoidance tell you anything?

Follow Abs Diet. See above. This didn't go so well. (In my defense, I was gone from home for several weeks at a time, first for Christmas, then for Pasadena, then to DC for two weeks for work... it's just hard to eat well on the road. Phooey.)

I'm just going to do March goals... trying for February is worthless at this point.

March goals:

Fun:

Take in a movie with the hubs at the local dollar theater (okay, so it's actually $1.75, but if you go on Tuesdays it's only 75 cents!).
Read 5 books.

DIY/Crafting:

Sew something new.
Complete at least two projects listed here.

Cooking:

Try one new recipe for dinner.

Gardening:

Decide what we want to plant in our mini-garden and go for it.
Trim the hedges.
Re-do some landscaping in the front--it's looking pretty sad.

Home:

Finish laundry room reno and purchase new washer/dryer.
Living room (room of the month--read about it here).
Call an electrician (regarding the aforementioned craft room problem, as well as some others.)
Do research/make calls for estimates about screening in our back porch.
Sew the button back on so I can wear one of my fave sweaters before all the cold weather is gone! (I know it's a small task, but I just haven't made myself do it. Small goals count, too, right??)

Wellness:

Work out four times a week. (I know, I know. You might say, "You can't even do THREE times a week--what makes you think you can do FOUR?" Well, things have changed, my friend, and my motivation is back. I'm tired of being tired all the time, and the 10 lbs I have gained since moving is NOT my friend, no matter how much the brownies tell me otherwise.)
Follow the Abs Diet (which really just means to eat healthy).

Decorating Style

2010-02-24T13:44:00.003-05:00

The hubs and I are in the process of redoing a few rooms in our house. A few nights ago, we were discussing what style(s) we wanted to have in our house.

I asked him, "Well, what do you like?"

"Hmmm. I'm not really sure. I don't know anything about this stuff. I just know when I see it if I like it or not. What do you like?" he asked.

"Errr... well.... I really don't know either. It's not modern. But not totally traditional or formal. I like it simple--not a lot of clutter or things--but not modern. I like lighter colors--not a lot of reds, oranges, garish greens... that doesn't seem relaxing. And... not modern."

But I realized that I still really didn't have any certain style in mind. I know I like older items--furniture and decor. I just feel like something that's been around a while has a story. It feels like a privilege to own a piece like that. I would pick an older bookcase/chair/armoire any day--even if it's one I have to refinish myself--over a new piece I just bought at some furniture store. I know that I hate (I am really trying to not use that word so much, as it isn't a feeling that one should have often, but it's pretty applicable here) modern design. And by modern, I mean a lot of geometry, cubes, and modern art. Ick. I can't say enough about how I despise modern art. I mean, my niece could make modern art. Splash some paint on a canvas, splatter it with your finger. It's basically finger painting. Just tell someone that the colors mean something ("red means anger... fierce anger..."). (Note: I am not saying that people who like modern art have bad taste. Just giving my preference. This also does not refer to the homemade easy wall art--which I like--but rather to this.) Anywho...

What's more important is what I do like (and my apparent love for italics in this post). And I think that would be a transitional (but not really)/cottage (but not too much cottage)/vintage (never enough vintage)/shabby chic/farmhouse style. I totally made that up. I have no idea what it means. But here are some pictures so maybe you can see what I'm talking about.

From BHG

These are from Velvet & Linen. You can pretty much bank on it--if it's a design from there, I will love it.

Country Living

(If the hubs is reading this, please notice the chandelier and how beautiful it is in the bathroom. Just like I told you.)

Eek! Don't these images just make you swoon? So beautiful. Now hubby and I just have to figure out how to incorporate these elements into what we have--on the cheaps. Double eek!

Google Reader Overload

2010-02-18T11:35:00.001-05:00

I really love Google Reader. It's a great way to consolidate all the blogs/sites you read into one place. It's easy to "star" items (essentially bookmarking) and label or tag them. But I have one issue: every single thing I like, I star. So I checked through my starred items a few days ago, and I had over 500 items! Crazy. There's no way I could do that many recipe/craft/decorating things. So I narrowed it down. But honestly, it's still probably too much.

Then, I read Kim's post today over at NewlyWoodwards. She discusses her similar problem and then makes a much shorter list of the projects she really intends to do. So I decided I should do the same. Here we go...

Wire Cloche

Songbird

Ballard Designs Knockoff Letters

Imperfectly Beautiful

Fabric Magnet Board

Creating ME Now!

DIY Tile Coasters (Great gift!!)

NewlyWoodwards

Paper Balls

The Stories of A to Z

Book Page Wreath

Living with Lindsay

Yaye! This seems like a good start. Hopefully I will be able to get through a few of these this weekend, as well as post one of my other projects I completed this week. What projects do you hope to complete soon?

Swagbucks

2010-02-12T15:57:00.000-05:00

I love Swagbucks! I actually just signed up a few weeks ago, but I love the concept. And I like how a little page pops up like you've won the lottery when you win Swagbucks. It's really a great way to earn gift cards; I know of people who have bought all of their Christmas presents with Swagbucks.

Is the search bar as good as Google? The only thing I've found about it that isn't as good as Google is that it doesn't give you suggestions when you're searching. But I can deal with that for some free gift cards (or other items of my choosing). I literally search everything there. Even if I know the address, I still go to the search page and type in "www.google.com" or something like that. That way, you maximize your Swagbucks.

Anyway, if you're interested in trying it (and you really should try it), you can read a little more about it here. And if you do decide to use it, please go through the link here and enter my email address as the one who referred you: kellynpoole(at)gmail(dot)com.

More Goals... and a Stomach Bug

2010-02-10T15:10:00.000-05:00

If you know anything about me, you know I love a good list. A good to-do list or list of goals. I've got a couple more to add to my ever-growing, occasionally-achieved list. First, there is this "Read 100 Books in a Year" challenge going on here.

I love reading, I really do. And I'm a pretty fast reader. So I could read 100 books in a year. I promise. But if I stop two seconds and think, I know there are several more things I want to do this year, too. We want to do several (minor and major) renovations around the house, so there is only so much time I have to devote to this reading goal. I decided 52 books would be a much better goal. Before you ask "why 52?", remember that there are 52 weeks in a year, silly. To do this, I'll have to cut out some unnecessary things, like this...

No, not the snuggling part. The watching mindless TV part. I am the queen of sitting down for just a bit and then watching two hours of TV. Or of DVRing TV shows I would never usually watch, and then doing so because I can. That needs to stop. Pronto.

Additionally, because I get really frustrated when there are too many things on my plate (although I nearly always am the one who puts them there), we have assigned a month to each room in our house. For instance, our master bath is March. We are going to try to do anything that needs done in that room in March. That includes painting, new fixtures, hanging stuff on the walls, tiling, etc. It's a big job, so that one may extend a little over. But you get the point. Each room has a month. And I'm excited, because it makes it feel a little less stressed to focus on one thing at a time.

Now to the "stomach bug" part. On our way home Saturday, I started to feel really sick. Like, "pull over HERE!" sick. Not just once, but four times. It was not pretty. Sunday I was so dehydrated and weak that I could barely get out of bed. I told JC that death would have been a welcome friend at that point (okay, so I didn't really want to die, but the thought crossed my mind). Monday I didn't come to work, and I'm glad I didn't. I still felt really weak; Powerade can only work so fast. Monday night I felt much better, and I was excited to get back to work. (No, really.) But Tuesday morning, we woke up and poor JC had it. Unfortunately, his immune system must not work as well as mine, because he couldn't even keep water down. So that meant his medicine wasn't working. He was so dehydrated last night that we had to take him to the ER to get several bags of fluids through an IV. Four hours later, we were home. Thank goodness, he feels a bit better today! I hear this is going around... have any of you had the nasty stomach bug lately?

Handbag Giveaway

2010-02-02T19:58:00.000-05:00

I have a little secret... okay--I have lots of secrets. And I guess this one isn't really a secret, anyway. But I. LOVE. Purses. And totes. And clutches. But I'm really not weird, because I don't know a woman who isn't obsessed with those things. Right?

Anyway, so there is this great giveaway over at "It's the Little Things that Make a House a Home". She is giving away an item of your choice from "A Girl's Must Haves," which has some incredible purses. Like this one...

Or this one...

Or like this great wallet...

So if you love these items as much as I do, you should head over to "It's the little things" and enter the giveaway! Good luck!

There's No Escape

2010-01-30T16:02:00.000-05:00

Honestly, I think the snow is following us. If you remember, I told you about the blizzard that occurred when I was in NYC in December, resulting in a cancelled flight and a 20-hour drive through the blizzard. Well, now we are in DC for work, and this is happening.

Since it's too cold (I've heard single digits with the wind-chill) to be out and about, we decided to do something indoors and walked over to the Smithsonian. We heard we were only getting a couple of inches of snow, but I have my doubts about that number. I mean, you can barely even see the Washington Monument!

And by the time we left the Smithsonian and retraced our steps, it was snowing so hard the monument was totally obscured--you wouldn't have even known it was there! So now we are hoping that another one of our flights won't be cancelled. I'll be staying until Thursday, but JC is supposed to go back tomorrow. His first day at his new job is Monday, so missing his first day or having to drive back a long way is not a good way to start the week.

Word of the Year

2010-01-15T23:21:00.000-05:00

I really am not the biggest fan of new year's resolutions; I think it sets you up for failure. People are always making these crazy "I'm going to lose 70 pounds in 3 days" type of resolutions, and then they are so disappointed and down on themselves for not doing it. Then it's almost like they are shot for the rest of the year. I know; I've done it.

Over the past couple of years, I've tried to make much more realistic "resolutions"; and they weren't really because of New Years, but because they were things I wanted to do anyway. This year, they were: stick to a budget and follow the Abs Diet more closely. I really like the Abs Diet because it promotes healthy eating (with a cheat meal once a week). No calorie counting, no eating super-processed stuff that is "low-fat"; just eating in a healthy manner. (Note: I am also a huge fan of Weight Watchers, which did help me lose 40 lbs in high school, but only if it's followed in conjunction with eating healthy; if all you are eating is 23 1-Point desserts all day, you may lose weight, but you're obviously not healthy.)

But I kept reading other people who wrote about their "word for the year". I thought that was a pretty good idea because it was fairly simple but could be pretty tough. Simple in that you only focused on that one thing for a whole year, but tough because if you're doing it right, it's something that you probably find difficult to do. I wanted to pick something that had to do with my spiritual life and things I struggle with. I threw around a lot of words--kindness, compassion, mercy (all things I have a hard time with) and deliberate. I want to be very deliberate about each thing I say and do. I want each thing to have purpose and have meaning. As I said, I struggle with having kindness and compassion toward certain people. Not most, but a few. Doesn't everyone? But I think those are qualities that God calls us to develop in order to be more like Christ.

However, JC and I were talking today, and I was telling him about it. He immediately said, "Service." And I thought, what a great word! It encompasses all of the ones I was thinking of. When you are trying to serve others as Christ would, you are obviously kind, compassionate, and merciful toward them. You are deliberate in everything you say, trying to edify others and help them in any way possible. In addition, it requires you to have humility, which is another one I struggle with. Not trying to drop all of my faults on you at once... just trying to keep it real here. (By the way, don't you just love it when you start to think, "Man, I'm getting pretty humble." Here's a hint: if you ever get to the point where you think you are humble, you probably aren't. :-) )

So that is going to be my word of the year. I am going to try to be a servant to others--to be kind and compassionate, to forgive even when I don't want to, to be deliberate in all my speech and actions, and not to expect anything in return. Will I fail? Absolutely. Probably a thousand times. But I know our life in Christ is a journey and I'll never be perfect.

What's your word of the year?

Update on NYC

2010-01-14T23:27:00.001-05:00

I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to deliver the promised posting on our NYC trip. I would love to say that it was because I haven't had time. I have been really busy--don't get me wrong--but that is definitely not the reason. It's just because uploading pictures onto my computer just really seems to be one of those tasks that I hate. Kind of like folding the laundry... it's not really that difficult, and it doesn't take a brain surgeon to do it, but I just really don't like it.

Anywho, we were in NYC for training for my job, and it was Christmas time. I need not tell you guys how wonderful NYC is at Christmas--or maybe I do. That place is absolutely fab in December! We were there for a week, so we had plenty of time to entertain ourselves.

The Rockefeller Christmas Tree.

The beautiful fountain in Bryant Park. It's right next to the NY Public Library; if you look closely, you can see that there are icicles on the fountain.

JC also planned a really sweet date for us while we were there. I came back to the room on Tuesday after training, and I found a precious little note with some roses on the bed; it said that he had planned a surprise date for me. Our first stop was...

Yaye! JC told me I could pick out whatever I wanted (okay, to clarify, we are talking "silver floor" here, not "out-of-control-expensive diamond floor"). I picked a beautiful open-heart silver necklace (I haven't taken a picture yet, but maybe at some point...). Then we went on a carriage ride tour through Central Park on our way to Tavern on the Green. How sad is it that this place is closing down after 75 years? (And don't get me started on why... the stupid city of New York thinks it can manage the place better and make more money. Isn't it always that way--the government thinking it can be more efficient than private citizens? Ugh.)

Tavern on the Green is absolutely gorgeous. I wish I would have taken a picture of the outside, because you can see it nearly from across the park. The outside is lit up with all kinds of white lights, and the inside looks like this...

Incredible.

Anyway, I must now proceed to tell you about the best part of our trip. Let's just say there was a canceled flight, an attempt by Delta to reschedule it for Christmas day (not happening), and a blizzard. Then there was a rental car driving through the blizzard for 20 hours, and finally arriving in KY where there was just minimal snow.

Aren't those some great views? I really wish we got snow in the ATL. *sigh* Anyway, now you know what went down in NYC (and during the ensuing 20-hour drive to return home). It was still a great trip. :-)

"Pray it Out"

2009-12-28T18:07:00.000-05:00

Let me start by saying my grandfather ("paw paw") is just incredible. His faith is incredible, his generosity is incredible, and his wisdom is incredible. It's incredible that he is 78 and still works out 3 times per week, doing 300+ sit-ups among other things. But what impresses me most is his ability to trust God in everything.

Of course if someone asked any of us if we trusted God with everything, our knee-jerk reaction would be to say "yes". But if we're honest, that's not really true. I know it's not with me. Lately, our family has been going through some really rough stuff. One of our close family members is very sick, and unless God provides a miracle, that person will not make it. We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas in the hospital, and yesterday I felt like I was in real danger of becoming extremely bitter over this. The silly question, "Why?" came to mind so many times it was unreal. I felt lonely and depressed and it felt like God had forgotten us.

Then my paw paw called and asked me about it. I told him how I felt, and he said he understood--I knew he did, since both his wife and mother died several years ago. He said he had felt that way at times, and the only thing to do was pray it out. I thought, "What the heck does that even mean?" He continued that he just had to go into his room and throw himself before God, asking and begging for mercy and peace until he received it. At the time, I didn't really want to "pray it out"; I just wanted to keep my mind busy by watching TV or cleaning. But this morning, I did just that, and he was right--God did give me mercy and peace. I never should have doubted that He would, but I'm not perfect and sometimes I just want to wallow in pity and sorrow instead of going to the Source of grace.

I write this to ask you to keep our family in your prayers, but also to encourage you. If you are going through a time where things seem so bad you can hardly stand it, where it seems like everything is going wrong and you can't see the good anymore, pray it out. God will hear you and answer your prayer for mercy, grace, and peace.

Update

2009-12-22T21:23:00.000-05:00

It's been so long since I have blogged--I know you're just dying to know what is going on in the ATL. Well, you may just have to wait a few more days! We have had a very interesting and active few weeks, and a few more to come. Tomorrow we are headed out to make the familial rounds for Christmas, but after we return, I promise to post. I'll give you a little preview: it may or may not have something to do with a trip (complete with pictures), a fantastic date my husband planned just for me, a blizzard, and a new purchase.

Until then, I hope everyone has a fantastic Christmas!

Roll Tide!

2009-12-05T23:59:00.000-05:00

For all those of who you don't know, JC and I went to the University of Alabama. While we were there, the football team was only so-so, but last year and this year (after Nick Saban become the head coach), things have really started to look up. We were fortunate enough to get tickets to the SEC championship game tonight, and it was a GREAT game! We stayed about an hour after it was over just to watch the trophy presentation and chat with other fans. It was even more important because the winner was going to the BCS National Championship in Pasadena. Obviously, that is us! Too exciting. So, even though I swore I never would spend that much on football tickets, we are now seriously considering taking a trip to Pasadena and purchasing tickets. Are they outrageously expensive? Of course. But with my Skymiles and Marriott points, the rest of the trip should be nearly free. So... be on the lookout for (hopefully an exciting) update about our championship travels. ROLL TIDE!

Fantabulously Frugal Giveaway

2009-12-05T09:46:00.000-05:00

I want to let you in on an incredible giveaway! A giveaway worth $675! You really need to check this one out. It involves Gucci sunglasses and a Kate Spade passport case. Need I say more?

Check it out here!

Macy's 25% Off Coupon

2009-12-02T14:57:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to share another wonderful coupon I found! Macy's is having it's Friends and Family Event, where you get 25% off everything (only a few exclusions)! The hubs is getting something from Macy's for Christmas (he doesn't know it yet), and this will definitely take a chunk out of the price. It is valid today through the 7th, so if you have any gifts to buy (for others or for yourself) check out http://www.macys.com/; they already have a few good sales going on, and when you add the extra 25% off, it's nearly a steal (or as much of a steal as anything can be from Macy's). Plus, they are offering free shipping if you spend $99.

Bath and Body Works Aromatherapy (and Coupon)

2009-12-02T14:52:00.000-05:00

It seems like nearly every post of mine starts with some sort of confession. This one is no different. I have problems with relaxing. As in, I can't really do it. I am constantly thinking about what I should be doing next and what I haven't accomplished that day. So it comes as no surprise that it often takes me forever to fall asleep at night.

So when I came across the Warm Milk and Honey Sleep Aromatherapy at B&BW, I felt a strong urge to try it. I started out with the pillow mist (which I got on clearance at the B&BW outlet), and I loved it! The smell is absolutely incredible. It can't be beat. It's not too heavy, but it definitely lingers (I hate those scents that I only smell for about 4-5 minutes before they wear off).

That brings me to the coupon portion. Now through December 24, B&BW has a coupon for a free item (up to a $13 value) with any $10 purchase. What a great deal! And that gave me an excuse to try more of the Warm Milk and Honey! So I went yesterday and bought the body wash and the body lotion. Last night before bed, I took a nice hot shower and used the new products. It was so relaxing! And I went right to sleep when I got in bed. Of course I am under no such impression that it has any magical powers or anything like that, but I do think it helps relax me which definitely helps me sleep. And did I mention that it smells incredible? So if you have been itching to try it, print out the coupon and head to the nearest B&BW!

Pottery Barn Gift Card Winner

2009-11-30T20:27:00.000-05:00

I finally won something! You have to realize that I never win anything. I really am the most unlucky person in the world (well, maybe not the most unlucky... I think the guy who operates the Spaceship 2000 at the county fair may be worse off...). And by "lucky", I mean winning contests and drawings. I can't tell you how many I have entered in my life, and this is the 2nd one I have won. In 24 years. Two. And the other one was just a month ago in Asheville. So maybe my luck is changing?

Anyway, I posted recently about a Pottery Barn gift card giveaway at "Get Your Martha On". And I won! I am so excited! Now the only issue is what to spend it on...

You should really check out her blog. She has some incredible projects, like this Dollar Tree candle holder.

And this silver leaf lamp.

So, thanks "Martha"! And everyone be sure to check out her blog!

Do Less, Enjoy More

2009-11-30T15:23:00.001-05:00

I have a secret talent that very few people know about. I have the ability to take something that is supposed to be fun, turn it into a "should" activity, and ruin it altogether. Surely you know what I mean--something you normally enjoy becomes something you "should" do, and therefore all the joy and fun is stripped from it. This year, Christmas has become one of those times for me. I'm sure I'm not alone--right? Right??

For instance, I stayed up until nearly midnight on Thanksgiving trying to rush to put up the rest of my Christmas decor, even though I was heading out at 3:30 AM for Black Friday. Why? Because I thought I was supposed to. It was only logical that I put up every single Christmas item I own before November 27th. Otherwise, I could not be happy. It actually turned into me not being happy anyway, because I was forcing myself to do something I didn't want to do. I was tired, and I just wanted to go to bed. Even before Thanksgiving, I spent hours stressing over how I was going to decorate every area of the house, because I wanted my house to be perfect for Christmas. Why? Because, of course, it should look as good as all of the other houses in bloggy land. Or else my entire life would be a complete failure. Okay, so not that bad. But I would be disappointed in myself.

Then I realized that I work about 10 hours a day, for crying out loud. Eleven if you include my commute. I wake up at 4:30 AM. I am tired when I get home. Maybe I just don't have time to make my house look like all the others. Maybe I am not as crafty. And so what? Many of the houses I envy are owned by people who stay at home with their children and can do crafty things while their children take naps or are at school, or women who are retired. While part of me would like to do that, I don't have children and I kind of like my job. Actually, I really like my job. And I shouldn't make myself feel like I am a failure just because my house doesn't look like a Southern Living magazine. The important thing is that I enjoy the items I do put up, and that I enjoy actually putting them up.

The Nester agrees with me. No, really--just check out her blog and see! In fact, that's where the title of this post came from. She challenges us to "do less and enjoy more". And that's what I intend to do. No more "shoulds" for me(or at least I'm going to try). I am just going to do what I enjoy.

So, per her challenge, here is what I am not going to do:
--send out Christmas cards (which I have never done anyway, but I was thinking about it this year. No more.)
--sew the stockings I wanted to copy from Lemonade Makin' Mama (unless of course, I decide I want to make them and that I have time to do so)
--stress out over what to get each person on my list or overspend
--buy anymore Christmas decorations; I have plenty

And here's what I am going to do:
--think of something meaningful to put in our Advent calendar, whether it be Bible verses or a worthwhile task or activity for each day (I'd better hurry! Not much time left for that one...)
--bake until I can't bake anymore. I love baking, and I love giving baked goods to other people. Our neighbors and co-workers may be receiving some tasty treats this year!
--remember every single day why I really celebrate Christmas, and thank my Savior for sacrificing so much for me
--look at as many Christmas lights as I can (we are in Atlanta, so I think we'll be able to find plenty--Pettit Creek Farm, anyone?)
--watch a shameful amount of cheesy Hallmark and ABC Family Christmas movies... shamelessly
--eat Mayfield Peppermint Stick ice cream or a Chick-fil-A peppermint shake weekly (come on--don't pretend like you don't love them)
--start a new tradition of purchasing a new Christmas book each year (an idea I snagged from "The Idea Room")
--remember that everything doesn't have to be perfect! I'm going to enjoy each moment with JC and our families.

What about you guys? Do you feel the need to "do less and enjoy more" or "take back Christmas"? What do you want to leave out (and add) to your Christmas this year?

12 Days of Junkie Giveaway Alert

2009-11-18T09:42:00.000-05:00

"Tip Junkie" is one of my favorite giveaway sites. And she isn't disappointing now that it's coming close to Christmas! She is having 12 days of giveaways--and it's only on day 8 right now. So scoot on over to her blog and join in!

Sickly Chicken and Twilight

2009-11-11T18:09:00.000-05:00

Yes, I am the sickly chicken I am referring to. Am I really sick? I don't know. But I sure feel like it. I haven't had an appetite for a few days. And for me, that's extremely strange, since I usually want to eat everything in sight.

And today, whilst paying a visit to T.J. Maxx, I had some kind of spell. (Not a crazy spell--I'm always crazy. No spells needed.) I got really hot, felt like I couldn't breath, and suddenly felt very tired. I just had to leave. Which was pretty disappointing, because they had some good Christmas items.

Before anyone says it, no--I do NOT have mono. JC had it right before our wedding (I won't get into the fact that he was playing at a middle school World Changers event.... hmmmm....) and I never got it then. With that kind of exposure, if I were ever going to get it, that would have been the time.

But... something good has come from this. I recently (read: yesterday) decided I would finally get with the program and read the Twilight books. Since I felt like I couldn't do anything else, I read that book all day. And I do mean all day. I thought it was going to be ridiculous, high school-ish and a huge waste of time until I remembered that I also read Harry Potter and loved it. And isn't that kind of... ridiculous.... and geared toward high schoolers? Kthanks. So I decided to read Twilight. And oh. My. Gosh. It is ridiculous. And it is high-schoolish. But do I love it? As Sarah Palin would say, "You betcha." I read the entire 400+ page book yesterday, and am now about half-way through with New Moon today. Just to throw my two cents in there, this is a toughie for me. Does Bella love Edward more than life itself? Obviously. But geez--Jacob is just so sweet. Ugh. And unfortunately for me, I already know how it ends--at least who she picks. Thanks to my sister for telling me (at two different points in time) how much she loved a certain character and then later how she hated the last book. I may be no genius, but I can put two and two together (= 5). Obviously Bella doesn't end up with.... ha! I won't ruin it for you. :-) But I must admit that I do love the books, and I wish Stephenie Meyer would get over her crying phase ("Wah! They leaked my book and now I'm so hurt I'll never be able to write again!"--I guess we know where Bella's character gets her flare for the dramatic...) and write some more books. Sheesh.

Okay, sorry about that lapse back into high-school-hood. But for real--if you haven't read them and have a five-day weekend (as I do) and nothing else to do because you can't / won't / don't want to get out of the recliner, read Twilight!

P.S. If you wonder about the post title--"Sickly Chicken"--it comes from the show Shark Tank which I have become obsessed with recently. I think it's now in between seasons, but one of the investors on the show is pretty rude and calls everyone a "crazy chicken". As in, "Take the money, you crazy chickens!" Hilarious. So now the word "chicken" has found its way back into my vocab. Another trip back to high-school days.

Pottery Barn Giveaway!

2009-11-06T09:19:00.002-05:00

Yaye! I love Pottery Barn. I really do. But I don't love Pottery Barn prices. Sheesh. That stuff is out-of-control kind of expensive. And we all know I am cheap. Or, frugal--that's the term I prefer. A much better connotation, in my opinion. Kind of like how I have resorted to calling myself "fair-skinned" as opposed to pale. "Fair-skinned" makes me think of Snow White. "Pale" makes me think of Jim Gaffigan. And really, what kind of choice is that?...

Anyway, all that to say that Peanut Petunia is having a Pottery Barn giveaway. (She also has some great decor ideas on her blog!) Check this out!

Okay, so maybe you don't have a need for a galvinized key cabinet from Pottery Barn. Maybe you already have something similar. But you can't tell me this wouldn't be a wonderful Christmas gift for someone. And then they will see that you got it from Pottery Barn and think you really love them a lot--otherwise, you wouldn't have spent an outrageous amount of money on something at Pottery Barn just for them! Only you have to know that it was free. So enter!

As you may notice, I usually make lots of posts about giveaways on days that I have no new projects to present to you. However, I have made some pretty incredible Goodwill finds recently that will be turned into fantastic gifts and goodies. I've just been too busy to work on them (until this afternoon!). So stay tuned!

Update:

Boy, are you Pottery Barn lovers in for a surprise. I found another PB giveaway! This time for a $25 PB gift card. And GCs are the best--then you can spend hours walking around PB, trying to decide what to spend your precious PB bucks on. The giveaway is at "Get Your Martha On," an incredible blog by an incredible lady who knows a little something about making some frugal crafts and DIY projects.

Snowman Giveaway

2009-11-05T08:48:00.000-05:00

Hello, all!

I have stumbled upon another cute giveaway, especially for those that are into the Christmas decorating (like me).

No, unfortunately the fridge is not included. Darn it--I know. I would love that fridge, too. But the precious snowman magnet set is included! It is over at "Between Naps on the Porch", which is a great blog for all stuff homey. And I do mean homey, not homely. Just to clarify.

November Goals

2009-11-04T10:14:00.000-05:00

If you know me at all, you know I love lists. I love making them, I love checking them over and over (because I always forget what's on there), and I love crossing things off.

Hi, my name is Kelly, and I am a Type A.

Anywho, I got this great idea from Kim over at NewlyWoodwards, who is always having great ideas. She has a monthly list of things she wants to accomplish (sounds like my kind of gal), and they are all posted on the side of her blog. Each time she accomplishes or finishes something on her list, it is crossed off. After all, what's a list if you don't have the giddy excitement of crossing off your accomplishments?

So I am making a November list. Mind you, I am a very ambitious individual--sometimes (read: always) I try to take on more than I actually can accomplish. But maybe my list will teach me that--that I need to cut down the amount of things I try to do at once. Without further adeiu (because I know you're so excited for it), here is my November list.

Fun:
Finish Christmas shopping.
Plan for NYC. (Yes, I was just there last year. No, I will never get tired of NYC at Christmas.)

DIY/Crafting:
Sew something new.
Paint the Goodwill sleigh.
Finish Christmas sign for entryway.

Cooking:
Try one new dinner recipe. (Suggestions?)
Bake Spanish Cream Cake and another dessert for family Thanksgiving. (If anyone has any suggestions on a must-have Thanksgiving favorite, let me know.)

Gardening:
Trim hedges. (We haven't gotten around to this in a while--luckily ours don't grow very fast!)
Decide on window boxes for the bay window.

Home:
Take down fall decor and decorate for my favorite season.
Organize craft room.

It would be really great if it would look like that, but I have my doubts.

Wellness:
Work out 3 times a week. (Yes, I did used to work out more like 5-6 times per week, but I am now a working woman, not a free-as-a-bird college kid. These adjustments are tough.)
Stick to the Abs Diet. (I started this two-and-a-half weeks ago, and it has been wonderful so far. I feel a lot better since I'm not eating as many processed carbs and sugar, but I still have a cheat meal to satisfy whatever cravings I want. It really seems more to me like a lifestyle change--kind of like Weight Watchers, which I also love--that simply promotes healthy eating habits. I've already lost 5 lbs.)

What do you want to accomplish this month?

A New First... Brace Yourselves

2009-11-03T13:29:00.003-05:00

Today marked a big day for me. No, it wasn't my birthday. Not my anniversary, either. Or any holiday. Okay, so it probably wasn't that big in the grand scheme of things. But something did happen which has never happened before: I ate alone in a public place.

Okay, so that was probably a let down... I probably shouldn't have built it up that much. But to see why this is a big deal, you must understand how I always saw eating alone. Several friends have asked me why I have never eaten/gone to the movies/gone shopping alone. Why? Because this is what I always see: exhibit 1.

Some poor kid sitting at the lunch table by himself while everyone else eats together, makes fun of him, and just generally has a jolly old time. Ah, poor kid. (And it doesn't look like a very yummy lunch either.) Sad, isn't it? Who would want to eat in McDonald's alone when you could pull through the drive through, find a parking spot, and get cozy with your food in your own car? (Actually, who would want to go to McDonald's period? Unless they have the Monopoly game... but that's a different story.) No need to be seen sitting by yourself. With no friends. And a crappy meal. No sir--that wasn't going to happen to me.

So this week at work, the group I usually eat with is out on the road. So I thought, what can I do about breakfast and lunch? The obvious answer, of course, was not to eat in the cafeteria. The best thing to do was to bring my lunch back up to my cubicle and dine there, while tapping away at my keyboard (which is apparently my only friend this week). Exhibit 2.

The one key thing missing here is the cake. I had no cake...

But then I thought about a line from Bride Wars (one of my favorite recent ridiculous rom-com's). Kate Hudson's character asks why they can't run with iPods. Anne Hathaway replies, "iPods are for people who can't be left alone with their thoughts."

Of course, my ish (read: issue; that's what all the kids are saying these days) was not with whether to listen to my iPod or be left with my own thoughts while running. My ish was that I couldn't bear to be left alone at the lunch table with my own thoughts. I somehow felt pathetic just because I was eating at a table by myself (see exhibit 1 to remind yourself why I thought this). So as I was in line to get my food, I made an executive decision: I was going to eat in the cafeteria. Alone. I could do it--I just knew I could. And guess what? It wasn't so bad. It was actually kind of fun to eavesdrop--*ahem*--people watch. I gleaned a few pieces of interesting information that might prove to be useful in the future. And most importantly, I realized that it's kind of nice to be alone occasionally. Perhaps I'll eat in the cafeteria every day this week. Eh, that's a stretch...

Christmas Time! (Nearly...) and Some Giveaways

2009-11-03T08:19:00.005-05:00

I just can't help it--I am already in the Christmas spirit. After pleading with JC (along with compromising a little on the decor for our family room Christmas tree--which will be crimson, white, and yes, some houndstooth, for UA) it has been decided that we will put up our Christmas decorations soon! I know it's a little early, but let's take a few things into account here: 1) I am a Christmas fanatic; 2) we will be gone for two weeks before Christmas, which severely limits the time we would enjoy our Christmas decor; 3) Thanksgiving is WAY too late this year to wait for that; and 4) did I mention I am a Christmas fanatic? Seriously, before we moved, nothing else could fit in the attic because it was stuffed full of miniature Christmas trees (I have one for each room), potted Christmas trees, lights, ornaments, Advent calendars, reindeer, ribbon... are you starting to get the idea? I. Love. Christmas. I have also found out that not only is there a "25 Days of Christmas" on ABC Family, but there is now a "Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas" that starts.... November 10! So soon! JC swears they had this last year, and maybe they did. But my excitement is still the same.

I have already started with my Christmas-y crafts, some of which I will be sharing in upcoming posts. But for now, I wanted to share a few giveaways with you. Here's one--a "Let it Snow" pillow from "Between Naps on the Porch". To enter, leave a comment. You can enter a few more times by following the directions in the post.One of the blogs I follow, "The Design Girl," is giving away this absolutely precious snowman.

It's easy to enter--just leave a comment about your favorite thing at the shop (or for an extra entry, you can tell where you would display the snowman if you won).

Asheville, NC

2009-11-01T10:14:00.007-05:00

Last week, we decided that we wanted to go somewhere autumn-y. It's absolutely our favorite season, and there are plenty of places within driving distance that would make for fairly economical vacations. So we decided on a long weekend to Asheville, NC. We have both been wanting to go to the Biltmore Estate for a while, and Western NC is supposed to be one of the most beautiful places to go during the fall.

Our first visit (and the main reason why we went) was to the Biltmore Estate. Words cannot describe how incredible this place was. The house (which is the largest private residence in the U.S.) has over 250 rooms. And, as luck would have it, they already had most of their Christmas decorations up! So we got to see the home essentially during two times of the year: during fall and during Christmas. To all those who have been before, I want to tell you that I am absolutely in love with two places: the banquet hall and Edith Vanderbilt's bedroom. That crazy "dining room" was over seven stories tall and had the flags of all the original 13 colonies. And Mrs. Vanderbilt's room was breathtaking--everything was decorated in bright rich gold fabrics and velvet. Can you imagine waking up to that every day? We also learned a lot about Mr. Vanderbilt--he really seems like he was a great guy. He was a devout Christian who gave much of his fortune away to build churches and homes for others. He would pick up poor people from bad parts of town (often times black people, who at the time had not received their rights) and bring them to his home to work. He took great care of his employees, always making sure they had great food and ample time off. He also brought their families in at Christmas time and gave their children gifts. What a great guy. I told JC that I would have married him if I had been around then. ;-) If you have never been to the Biltmore Estate, I would consider this a necessary trip at some point. You will love it! Just make sure you splurge and get the audio tour ($10 extra) as it gives you tons of information you wouldn't otherwise know. It was definitely worth it.

This was the view from a balcony. Apparently the land wasn't nearly as tree-spotted when George Vanderbilt had the estate built. The man in charge of landscaping recommended that they plant tons of trees, wanting it to look like it does now (he even though of this a hundred years in advance). I think they said it was close to one million trees that they planted. That sounds like a lot, but when the estate stretches over 8,000 acres, I guess it's possible.

Out on one of the balconies. They wouldn't let us take any pictures inside, which was a real shame.

JC and I in front of the Biltmore Estate.

Doesn't it make you want to watch Cinderella? Or some other princess movie...

These leaves had covered the sidewalks on Wall St.

A close up of the gorgeous ginkgo trees that lined the streets.

Some pretty trees hanging over the a side street.

Up on Blue Ridge Parkway.

Isn't it beautiful?! It was raining and misty, but it was still incredible.

The doggies sleeping in the back seat on the way back.

Ah! Don't you just love fall? I do! It really is the best time of year. I told JC that it's so amazing to think about how gracious God was to give us four distinct seasons, each with different weather and different ways to enjoy it. Hope you are enjoying your fall season!

Giveaway at Fiona and Twig

2009-10-28T16:47:00.002-04:00

Fiona and Twig have a GREAT giveaway: an Anthropologie gift card and a great book on thrifting. You should check it out here! (Or maybe you shouldn't... more entries means I am less likely to win. Hmmm...)

Spanish Cream Cake

2009-10-24T16:34:00.008-04:00

I got this incredible recipe from a friend of my Paw Paw's. It was my first time making a cake from scratch (I try not to bake too often anyway, since I don't need all the sugar). And it turned out great! Here are the directions in case you want to try it, too.

Spanish Cream Cake

Cake:

2 C. sugar

1 C. buttermilk

½ C. shortening

2 C. sifted plain flour

½ C. butter

1 tsp. baking soda

5 egg whites

5 Egg Yolks

½ tsp. salt

2 C. coconut

1 tsp. vanilla

1 C. pecans, chopped

Separate eggs...

... and beat egg whites until stiff. Set stiff egg whites aside in a separate bowl.

Sift flour, soda, and salt over chopped pecans and coconut.

Beat sugar, shortening and butter until fluffy. Add egg yolks, buttermilk, and vanilla. Beat well.

Add dry ingredients and beat well.

Gently fold stiff egg whites into mixture.

Pour into 3 (9-inch) greased and floured pans.

Bake @ 350° for 30 minutes or until done (more like 15 for my crazy oven).

Allow cakes to COOL thoroughly to room temperature.

Frosting:

1 C. butter

½ C. coconut

2 tsp. vanilla

2 lbs. powdered sugar

16 oz. original Philadelphia Cream Cheese

Beat well the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla. (I actually used the 1/3 less fat cream cheese and only 1.5 lbs of powdered sugar.)

Slowly add the powdered sugar by cupfulls. Beat well. Repeat until all the powdered sugar is fully blended.

Add coconut and mix well.

Frost between layers, top, and sides. Refrigerate.

I'm linking up to Kimba's DIY Day.

I'm also linking up to

Alabama - Tennessee Rivalry

2009-10-24T15:44:00.009-04:00

I have spoken before about my love for the South; one thing I love the most is just how important football is. I. Love. Football. Alabama football of course (since I did graduate from there), but nearly any football. Our Saturdays are devoted to trying new game day foods, walking the dogs in the cooler weather, and watching nearly every football game that finds its way onto TV. And today is the Alabama/Tennessee game.

If you, by some chance, don't care about football or know nothing about the SEC or Alabama, this is one of the biggest games of the year--every year. There is just this incredible sense of pride (on both sides) in the histories of the programs and the tradition of the game. Alabama has 12 national championships and Tennessee has 6. I wish I could make someone understand how enthused (and crazy) fans get in the South during football season. But unless you actually experience it, you can't understand. Here is a sampling of what you might see on a fall Saturday in the South (specifically in Tuscaloosa).

Big Al, our mascot, is always doing something crazy. Dancing...

... or crowd surfing.

We can claim the greatest coach that ever lived: Paul "Bear" Bryant. Under him, UA won 13 SEC championships and 6 national championships.

Now, we have another incredible coach, who has pushed our team from a pathetic 6-7 record in 2006 to a 12-1 record in 2008; we currently have 19 straight regular season wins.

Enthusiastic student section.

Bryant-Denny Stadium.

And then of course there are the crazy fans. But they also make the game day experience more fun.

We all love the Bear, but come on...

And one of my favorite Alabama football moments: "The Catch." At least that's what I will always call it. No other explanation needed.

Watch it here.

What a stinking incredible catch. It still amazes me just to watch it.

Football really is one of the greatest things on earth. It nearly brings me to tears that football season is over half-way finished. ("Hey! There's no crying in football!".... or something like that.) I hope that whatever team you cheer for, you are having a great time during this season! Unless you are a Tennessee or LSU fan... then I hope it's miserable. :-)

Goodwill Finds

2009-10-21T20:06:00.004-04:00

After making my weekly trip to Goodwill, I wanted to share my finds. Let me preface this by saying that I have recently discovered how badly I needed two things (among others): new coasters, and a holder for my fire wood.

Goodwill to the rescue!

Shut the front door (as one of my fave people on the planet, Stacey London, would say)! These coasters are incredible! Of course I have my doubts about them being real silver, but they sure do look elegant either way. And how much were they? Two measly dollars. You can't get coasters for two dollars if you buy cloth ones at Wal-Mart. So I was pretty pleased. And then...

I found this beaut. It's a little scratched, but for $5, I couldn't say no! A little polish will fix that, but even if not, who cares? It's just going to be holding wood.

As a little bonus (because I'm in a sharing mood today), I'll let you in on the real prize of the weekend. This picture of my doggies loving on my nephew. And him having no clue what to do.

He's so precious, I know. And so are my sweet puppies.

DIY Fall Wreath

2009-10-19T16:55:00.002-04:00

I love autumn, and I love wreaths. But I hate autumn wreath prices. Hobby Lobby's wreaths are $30 and up (and that's half off, usually). I can't justify spending that much money, but I wanted one--badly. So I decided to make one myself. I bought this wreath at Hobby Lobby for $2.50 (half off the original $5).

I also bought a leafy garland for $5 (half off $10) and some berry sprigs ($1 a piece). The garland was 20 feet long, plenty to wrap around the wreath several times. I then broke apart the berry stems and stuck them haphazardly in the wreath.

I decided to hang the wreath with a strip of burlap; I saw this idea here and loved it. Just cut a piece about 3-4 inches wide, drape it over the top of your door, and put tacks in it to hold it there (I had to put about 6 I think). I think it looks very "autumn-y".

In total, this project cost me about $9 and took approximately 10 minutes. Not too bad!

Taco Soup and Yogurt Cake

2009-10-18T13:00:00.005-04:00

I always have problems thinking of what to cook when we are going to have company. Trying to cook a four-course meal or anything similar is always time- and energy-consuming. However, there is one recipe that I always feel comfortable making; everyone always loves it, and it is super easy to make: taco soup.

As I said, it is ridiculously easy to make. And yet, so yummy.

Taco Soup

2 cans whole kernel corn
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel (tomatoes with chiles)
2 cans kidney beans
1 can pinto beans (or vice versa: 1 kidney and 2 pinto)
1 package dry Ranch dip
1 package taco mix (JC and I use 1.5 packages because we like a little extra, but either is fine)
1 to 2 lbs browned ground beef (we use extra-lean for a healthier option)

Here are the directions. Pay close attention, because it's really tough. Open all cans and packages. Pour in a large pot (do not drain the cans). Cook for 30-45 minutes. Done. Isn't that great? If you're like me and you think, "I'm tired. I don't want to cook when I get home," this is a great option. Plus, it is easy to make in bulk to either freeze or feed a large group of people. Not to mention what it offers on a cold night (which we have been having a few of lately). We usually eat it with tortilla chips and maybe top it with some cheese, but those are both optional. Yum, yum.

For my birthday, I wanted a cake (of course), but I wanted to find a healthier (not healthy, but healthier) option. I stumbled upon this recipe, and even though I was skeptical, I tried it. Even JC loved it! Always nice to bring your hubby over to the healthier side, also.

Yogurt Cake

Cake:
1 box yellow, white, or butter yellow cake mix
8 oz. strawberry yogurt
2 egg whites
1 cup water

Icing:
8 oz. Cool Whip
4 to 8 oz. strawberry yogurt

Mix cake ingredients together and cook according to box directions. My oven seems to cook much faster than others, so it was actually finished in half the time. However, I'm not sure if this was because of the different ingredients, or if it was just my oven. So check it about half way through (stick a toothpick in the center and see if it comes out clean).

After taking it out of the oven, let the cake cool. While it's cooling, mix the Cool Whip and yogurt together for the icing. I started out with 4 oz. of yogurt, and added more to taste. I think I ended up using about 5 or 6 oz. When cake is cool, spread on top and put in the fridge.

Once again, super easy and super yummy. Plus, I don't feel as bad about eating it, since it doesn't have an extra-sugary icing and lots of oil in it. I'm sure you could use different yogurt (such as lime, blueberry, etc.) for different flavors. I'll have to try that sometime. Enjoy!

Fall Has Really Begun

2009-10-15T19:58:00.004-04:00

Of course we all know that fall technically began about a month ago. But to me, it's not really fall until the weather gets cooler, you buy a few pumpkins, drink a little hot cider, and start your first fire. Well, tonight is the night for our first fire. Further, it's a real wood-burning fireplace--none of that fake gas stuff. I'm not saying the gas fireplaces don't have their merits, but there's nothing better than actually smelling the wood burning. Mmmm....

Anywho, here is a picture of our living room on this "first" fall night.

Yaye! And I'm off work tomorrow, so staying up late to watch football and have an extra cup of cider is completely acceptable. Oh, happy day.

Foiled Plans and New Favorite Blog

2009-10-14T17:47:00.021-04:00

I had great plans for today. Great plans, I tell you. But they didn't come to fruition.

While at work, I got an itch to go bargain shopping at Dollar Tree. I am not sure why; perhaps because you can always find a bargain there. So after work, I moseyed on over (can you actually classify it as "moseying" somewhere if it takes you 30 minutes to get there? That term actually implies that it was fairly close...) to the Dollar Tree in hopes of finding something grand. And I did. They always have some great cheapo seasonal items. This was my first find, and my, was I happy. I love large mugs (for the sole purpose of drinking copious amounts of hot chocolate and cider during this time of year), and this one is a snowman!

Of course I purchased several other items. You might ask, after purchasing such a fantastic mug (for $1, of course), why am I so disappointed in how the trip turned out? Well, the purpose of the trip was to really get one thing: a can of chalkboard spray paint. After seeing several ideas from other bloggers I have been following (such as here, here, here, and here), I was nearly salivating over the idea of chalkboard spray paint. I was actually contemplating ways to turn half of what I own into chalkboards. But it was not meant to be. After desperately winding through Wal-Mart aisles for 15 minutes, I finally went back to my car, dejected and sans the chalkboard paint. How sad. I guess my chalkboard-mania will be put on hold for now.

Anywho, on to better things. I have recently discovered a new blog, through a blog I was already following. It's called "Our Best Bites". And the title does not lie. At least from what I can tell. Let me start off by saying I have an enormous sweet tooth. But I am trying to eat less sugar, since diabetes does run in my family, and I do value my longevity more than a few extra cookies/pies/cakes/muffins.... or at times I do. Anyway, check out some of these recipes.

The first is a pumpkin pie milkshake. Yes, you heard me right. If any of you love all things pumpkin like I do, you probably just jumped and your ears perked up a little. Cinnamon, ice cream, graham crackers, brown sugar, and of course pumpkin--what could be better?

Next up, we have homemade cinnamon and orange rolls, but get this--no yeast. Fantastic. And they look incredible. Just looking at them is nearly enough to make me not care if I develop diabetes, and therefore poor circulation and a shorter life span...

This next one (or ones, I should say) are the cutest things ever. And they would be fantastic for parties, for kids or even for adults. She has put together a list (with directions and pictures, of course) of some great options for finger foods.

Mummy dogs...

cheese fingers...

and witches brooms...

... are just a few of the things she's dreamed up. What cute ideas!

Another great idea: single serving pie in a jar.

As she states in her blog, these would be great Christmas presents or party favors. And they look so good! Not to mention the old adage that a single-serving package will keep you from eating more. I'm not sure how well that would work on me, but for normal people, perhaps.

For the aforementioned reason, I have not yet tried any of these. When and if any of you do, please let me know how they turn out. But I can't imagine them being anything but delightful!

Goodwill and Estate Sale Finds

2009-10-12T20:41:00.011-04:00

Since I had a long weekend (thank you, Christopher Columbus!), I decided to pay a visit to the Goodwill to see what kind of goodies I could find. One thing I know about going to Goodwill is that it is hit or miss. Sometimes I go in there and find tons of inexpensive treasures; at other times, I spend 45 minutes to an hour and come out empty-handed. I was hoping today would be one of the former times. Well, I didn't find "tons" of things, but I did find a few. Like this precious little teapot. Its color doesn't exactly fit in with the warm tones I have in my kitchen, but I figure a paint job can fix that, especially when it was only $2.

I also happened upon this little vase, which is nothing super-special, but it was only 88 cents, and I needed something to put my candy corn in.

I tied some raffia around it and filled it up to add a little more fall color to our kitchen. I thought it would be purely decoration, since I don't like candy corn and my DH said he didn't like it. But approximately an inch or two of candy corn has disappeared since this afternoon, and since our dogs can't reach the counter, I know it to be JC's doing. We'll see how long it is before I have to buy some more.

I also love Christmas, so I was quite pleased to find this little red sled. I am sure I would have paid at least $8-$10 for it at Kirkland's or Hobby Lobby, but this little gem was only $2.40! How exciting! I may end up giving it a paint job also, because I'm not sure about the holly leaves on it, but we'll see. Updates to follow if so.

One last find from this weekend came from an estate sale. I love estate sales because they usually contain lots of older items, which I always fall in love with (but usually can't afford). These regular old apothecary jars, however, were pretty cheap--under $10 for the set--so I snatched them up and filled them with a few autumn-looking things around the house. I know lemons are more summery than autumn-y, but that was all I had around the house. Perhaps I'll change it out later.

Fall is Here!

2009-10-11T19:46:00.011-04:00

After doing my daily blog-browsing, I decided it was time to not only be excited about Christmas decor, but all seasonal decor. Since it's October, it seemed like a good time to start. I drove myself to Hobby Lobby, where I indulged myself in the 50% off fall/autumn section. However, I know they will soon change that to 80-90% off, a little further into the season, so I kept my purchases to a minimum. When that time comes, I will definitely be one of the first in line to buy more.

Anyway, here's our mantle. You may notice that some of the tags are still on--I took pictures as soon as I put everything up. They won't stay for long!

This is probably my favorite piece:

Now I know that my outdoor decorations are not exactly up to par. But that's about all I have time for this year.

Next year I hope to have some more time, and maybe have something more like this, from Debra at Common Ground, or like this, from Aunt Ruthie. They are both so talented! Of course for Halloween the pumpkins above (as well as some others, possibly) will be carved with nothing other than fabulous script A's (for all you Alabama fans out there), but that will come later.

Yard Work

2009-10-11T19:23:00.012-04:00

So, something had to be done with our yard. I love our house, our neighborhood, etc., but something needed to be done with our yard. By looking at the before, I'm sure you can tell why.

There were little scrubby bushes everywhere, and it was a bunch of visual clutter. That is one thing I can't stand--visual clutter. So my husband JC and I took the shovel and the hedge clippers and tore up the front yard. Three hours and seven lawn bags later....

...this is what we have.

We aren't completely finished yet, but it already looks so much better! More updates to follow.

Country Living and Birthday Gifts

2009-10-10T11:01:00.001-04:00

I am a pretty old-fashioned person; I have often been called an "old soul". I think this is probably due to the fact that I usually enjoy things that only soccer moms and grandmothers like. Some examples are: seasonal decorating (my whole attic is devoted to Christmas decor storage), baking, yard saling/estate saling, and redoing old furniture. I appreciate places where mom-and-pop stores abound, neighbors sit on their porches and wave, and there are wide open spaces. Unfortunately, my career will probably never allow me to be in such a place. Atlanta doesn't fit into that description for sure. But I can dream, right?

However, I did get a chance to visit home, which would fit the term "country living" very well, and it was fantastic. The Harvest Festival never disappoints. The whole town shows up for the hundreds of arts-and-crafts booths, Greek food, funnel cakes, fried Twinkies and Snickers, and local entertainment. It also happens that I received my birthday gift from my husband while there. We were in an antique shop, and I saw this beautiful etched glass cake pedestal and dome. I knew I had to have it, but it was a little on the pricey side. Since my birthday was coming up, JC got it for my birthday present. Definitely the best present I have gotten in a while.

This isn't the exact one (mine doesn't have as much design on it)--since it isn't quite my birthday, I haven't actually been able to open my gift yet--but it is similar. I have also recently discovered my love for baking, so I can't wait to use my new present!

Back to the original post about loving the country, I ran across the following recently, which I think perfectly describes my feelings about the city vs. the country.

Why I Love Country Living
By Rick Rouse

As someone who has lived in both places, I can tell you that country living certainly beats the hustle and bustle of city life! Living in a rural area has advantages that simply can't be bought at any price.

In the city I was bombarded with the sounds of horns blowing and sirens blaring. In the country I'm soothed by a chorus of whippoorwills, bullfrogs and crickets, along with the pleasant sound of a cool breeze flowing through the trees.

On congested city streets I had to deal with frustrated drivers and careless pedestrians. On winding country roads I have to try my best to ignore the postcard-like beauty of the farmland and forests so I can keep my eyes on the road.

Yes, country living is the lifestyle that I, like most people who have had the opportunity to experience it, prefer. Instead of pushy salespeople knocking on my door hoping to leave with some of my money, I have warm, friendly neighbors dropping by with baskets of fresh vegetables from their gardens. Not to sell of course - they simply enjoy sharing the rewards of their country lifestyles with others.

Living in the country means that I can get up at 8:00 in the morning and enjoy a leisurely jog down a deserted lane or simply sit on a riverbank under a huge shade tree with a fishing pole in my hand.

City folks have the convenience of a store on every corner. I get to enjoy the tranquility and peace of mind that results from watching colorful birds flitter around my lawn or deer grazing in my neighbor's pasture field.

Yes, I do enjoy my country lifestyle very much! Having spent much of my life living in various cities around the world, I can now enjoy the peace and tranquility of my country home. For me, a country lifestyle makes it easy to look forward to the next day!

For more about country living, check out one of my favorite blogs, "The Pioneer Woman". She has tons of great recipes, incredible photography, and other things that are generally enjoyable.