Flashback Friday

My best friend from high school has been in town and we have been playing hard.  My sis joined us last night to eat and I thought that this was totally appropriate to post for today.

In case you thought that this family was all fun and games...

Our discussion tonight was why we were all ticked off this day.  My parents proudly display this every holiday season in a cheery Santa frame.

Flashback Friday

So...my sister and I were going through old albums and found waaaaay too many pics to not post some.  I have to admit...I am pretty darn excited to embarrass some family.  I will share a few of our many, many treasures found.

It's like an early Christmas!

Flashback Friday--Megan and I

Well...this Tuesday (yes, Christmas) is my middle sister's 26th birthday.  My parents always tell the story of how I was willing to have Christmas at 2:30 in the morning so that they could see what Santa had brought me before they had seen what Santa had brought them.  (Or the stork, or God...whomever your preferred carrier pigeon be.)  I didn't mind playing with my Little Tykes kitchen set...or the mischief that later ensued.  Happy birthday Megan!

P.S.  I always use her for my cush answer of my favorite present ever.  Before you get all sappy....it's just because I don't have to think.

Ok, I am a little delayed in posting things, but I feel the need to post this.  I could post a million Bible verses, but I think I will just do my favorite, the blog's namesake (or blogsake's name as my tired brain put it).

"So let's not get tired of doing what is good.  At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up."--Galatians 6:9

Good things are coming.  I can feel it.  More to come.

Flashback Friday--family photo

Our family, at my grandma's 60th birthday party.

This last weekend, we took a new family picture, 20 years later, at the same exact location. It is weird and comforting to see my family all together, laughing, and goofing and having a phenomenonal time.  It was so freeing to avoid the present exchange and to just revel in one another's company.  After all, we know that our time to do this could change at any time.  My uncle and aunt are preparing to leave for Swaiziland in Jan.  My heart continues to be expanded in the best ways possible as I have friends and family who continue to globetrot.  I am so excited for the work that they are doing and the things that they are doing, so I can't be too selfish in wanting to have them near me.



Cookies and a marriage proposal...it's all about local shopping

The baking extravangza continues this weekend.  I made chocolate gingersnap cookies last night that were so good, I was ready to eat them all.  But alas, after a deal negotiated with cookies at a local store, I needed to deliver some.  The marriage proposal and free coffee and a mug with Bailey's didn't hurt either. (Seriously, I can't make this stuff up.)

I continue to enjoy how the lights up for the holidays are strategically placed during the darkest time of the year; just for maximum viewing time.

Junk store shopping and a $2 local race with friends always make a weekend better.  I mean, really...who needs a light-up Santa ashtray?  But the bigger question is...who actually bought this originally?!?!?  It made me very happy to leave the race with a $20 car wash gift card and the junk store with nothing.

Flashback Friday--St. Lucia

Our family (ok, namely me) had a slight obsession with the American Girl dolls.  Whilst spending our entire wish lists on this overpriced collection, we picked up a few holiday traditions.

St. Lucia Day Dec. 1996

Sugar and Spice and everything nice

Sugar:  The Official Love Language

I have been blessed with so many awesome people in my life, I have had to make more cookies.  I don't mind, since I always look to improve my baking and cannot possibly eat all these myself.  (Not to say I haven't tried.)

I attempted shortbread, which my sister said looked like cocaine.

And then there were the Pecan Sandies, which were ridiculously easy to make.  I even convinced my roommate to get in on the action.

I made a day a little brighter by stopping by a local gift shop.  I was beckoned to the flowers and had to get some.  I skipped on my way out of the store.

It is so fun to see everyone be grateful for the cookies.  More recipe adventures to come.

Flashback Friday--marching band

Because I am an equal opportunity embarrasser...

My best friend from high school before I knew her.  Thank heaven for parents who took too many photos.  Because who really wants to remember middle school marching band?

August 1996

Spreading holiday cheer

This weekend, we laughed until we cried, ate more sugar than an eight-year old on Halloween,  and had an intrepidous and sleepless Black Friday night (I am thinking that this may be a bigger holiday celebration than the turkey).  Megan very much wanted to put the squirrel on her Christmas cards.  You know I have always wanted to know where I contracted infectious diseases.  What better way to know than a card intended to spread holiday cheer?

We decorated my parents’ house, which included the ceramic Christmas tree with plastic lights.  Every little thing we did, Megan said “blog it!”, including a trip to the   produce section.

Taking it all in

I went on a run this morning at a local park. Little white flakes began to dance all around as I ran. An amazing thing happens when you experience pain. You begin to experience pleasure in such an intense way. And when you are busy being joyful and reveling in the amazing little things in life, there is little room for bitterness. I drank up every moment.

Life, as of lately

I just found this blog that was never posted.  Since I erradically post just about everything, eat it up.

I am not sure if I should laugh or feel scared...

The plant that is still in the planter from the store.

You see this?  Yep, they all had to be picked up.  And thrown away.  We were a little worried about breaking the garbage truck.

This was only the beginning of the fun.

And just for the record, they were half eaten and rotten.

Thankful Thursday

We had a blast on Thursday.  We laughed so much, people thought that we were drunk, sleepy, or crazy.  We did our own Gobbler Dash at a local state park.  I won...even though we weren't competing..and I was sick. We ate amazing amounts of good food.







Black Friday was not quite the same having to wait outside and minus the dental floss.  We purposely went to the ghetto Walmart, where we were hoping for a brawl or two.  We were sorely disappointed, but someone started yelling at my dad when he was just looking for the place to find the tickets.

When the squealing started at 10pm, I ran to take pictures.  There was a woman who sassily cut in to me at Customer Service, asking me if I had waited in line "like the rest of us".  Well...I purposely cut just you so that I could have this nice Walmart associate who is totally clueless to have you interrupt me.  I also bought more CDs than I had intended...and sweatbands and eye black I didn't even wear.  I guess that is what happens when I give my sister my debit card and let confusion and chaos envelope my attention.

Chuckles from the chitlins'

I have been exposed to lots of kid things lately.  I think the hilarity has been just what I needed.  Like, when the kid licked the window of the door and I made the cleaning guy at work give him a cloth to clean it up.  Or when I had a kid who noticed our Sunday School class was all boys and told me I was "1 in 7...and you are the one."  I guess someone had to say it.

As one of the kids  replayed the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, one of the kids said "he only knows that because his parents make him read the Bible."  Later, an epiphany moment was when the one of the boys said, "if people just listened to God, we wouldn't have any problems."  Bingo.  I guess maybe adults have a few things to learn from them.

We attempted to have Abraham lead his camels during another Sunday School class.  He continued to leave them behind.  My favorite was outrunning all the kids and how the whole class had to gang up on me to attempt to catch me during a game of tag.  I guess my sloughing off since the marathon hasn't set me back too much.

Flashback Friday--NYC

NYC 2004.  Megan was in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  I begged to go to the Russian art exhibit at the library instead of shopping.  This was the closest I got to it.

Ground Zero...which is weird to visit after we had actually gone up in the World Trade Centers.

1,000 things

I had recently heard of someone making a list of 1,000 things I am thankful.  It has been quite an exercise.  I am at 412.

A sampling of my list:

1.  Food--always available
8.  Friends and family being around the world.
14.  Vision
21.  Having a family who lives out what they believe
51.  Being a bridesmaid--seven times
92.  Clients who live me  (I think I meant like...I was sleepy)
102.  My parents' multiple jobs
124.  Laws keeping kids from bringing guns to school
150.  The color red
154.  Flowers
178.  My new, free perfume
193.  Rest when I need it most
232.  Clouds
245.  My curious spirit
255.  The smell of bread
256.  The smell of leaves in the fall
261.  Miracles
274.  Coupons
285.  Holiday spices
293.  Urban Light (my church)
300.  Polka dots
316.  Getting my life and the world's hurt into focus
380.  NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts
399.  Gravity
402.  How my heartbreak has brought me closer to god.
407.  Mechanics
412.  Having some successes with my clients

The range from silly to serious...deep to shallow...but I am keeping my journal with me day and night and jotting down anything that comes to mind.  I am forced to look at my life and to evaluate thankfulness all around me.  Any suggestions to add to my list would be greatly appreciated.

Flashback Friday--roommates

 This weekend, I am super, duper, duper excited to see all three of my roommates from college.  It is a rare occasion that needs to be celebrated with multiple pics.  I really had no idea where to start or what to choose.  What about the time I told Taylor to take a pic of me when I was lying a ditch because it looked like a grave?  Or the time we um…rode in the trunk of the car with the girl who was driving on sidewalks?  That was the night that we threw the muffin in the guys' tire spoke.  Frozen peas can be used for so much more than eating.