Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Wishcasting Wednesday!

This week the question is:  What do you wish to celebrate?

Easy for me - I just got engaged the week before Thanksgiving!!!!!!!

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Ten On Tuesday

I recently started following the blog Roots & Rings - and on Tuesdays she asks 10 questions that are jut for fun!  Can't we all use a little fun on a Tuesday.  So this week's questions are as follows:

1. What are 3 things that are on your Christmas wishlist?
I don’t have a Christmas list this year since I just got engaged and we bought a house this year as well

2. What’s your favorite Christmas song?
Baby It's Cold Outside

3. Do you have a favorite band or singer that sings it especially awesome?
Nope - I pretty much just love any Christmas music I can listen too.

4. Have you heard about the website goodreads?
No - but I'll be looking into it now.

5. What are 3 books you want to read?
I HAVE NO IDEA - I just got the Alchemist & am reading that now but don't have a list.

6. Do you hunt deer?
NO  THANK YOU!

7. Have you started Christmas shopping? Are you completely finished?
We have less to do this year because as a family we drew names - so only one gift for my immediate family & then jut have 4 nephews & nieces & I just got engaged so we won't be buying each other gifts since we are planning  a wedding!  I only have a few things left to get - got several things online this year - best kind of shopping ever@

8. Did you shop on Black Friday? What was the best deal you got?
No Black Friday shopping for me - I have a second Thanksgiving on Black Friday - I will watch for some online deals - but don't do the crowds!

9. What’s one holiday tradition your family has?
My Mom & Sisters & I bake before Christmas and our immediate family opens presents Christmas eve & then we go to my Grandmas on Christmas Day.

10. How many blogs do you read? Do you subscribe/unsubscribe often or do you purge every once in a while?
I read a few - I have several saved in a folder that I can check out but I find several don't update very often!

Monday, December 5, 2011

It's Christmas Time!!!

 I got in the Christmas spirit this weekend and got the tree decorated, table set , garland and lights up outside on both decks, fall decorations down & put away, presents bought & wrapped - it was quite an eventful weekend!!!!

The  picture to the right is a set of hollow core doors that I had extra that I used for Halloween first - I painted them black & wrote Trick/Treat on them and so for Christmas I flipped them over & bought white letters spray painted them red & taadaaa!!!!  Here are my doors!!!

My sister is going to do the same thing with doors but she is going to paint hers red & then use white letters.  I am excited to see what hers look like against her grey house!!

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Ten On Tuesday

1. Do you wear glasses, contacts, or are you one of those perfect eyed people?
I wear contacts during the day & then in the evenings I usually wear my glasses - had them since about third grade

2. What is the next item you are going to purchase?
Garland to finish Christmas decorating!!!!!  WoooHooo!!!!

3. Have you ever watched Judge Judy or any other real court show?
Nope - not really I see it stop & move one!

4. How do you feel about fake nails?
I think if they are short & kept up they look nice - I would love them but with contacts they make me nervous!

5. What is your favorite sport to watch?
Football or hockey - I like fast paced action.

6. If you could create your own Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor, what would it be and what would it be named?
Chocolate Gummies!!  Chocolate & gummy candy!!!!!!

7. Do you have any scars?
Yes - tons - don't we all?!!!!!!  One large one from a surgery & then one from an IV, one from stiches - this one I could go on & on about!

8. Does your pet’s name fit them? Is there a more appropriate name?
Zoey is her name & it usually fits her - but sometimes we have to call her the white devil!

9. What is your favorite television show theme song?
Oh come on it has to be Fresh Prince!!!!  Or lately Reba - maybe that's only because that's what I watch in the mornings while getting ready.

10. What was your favorite activity on the playground?
The swings!!!!

Monday, November 28, 2011

ENGAGED!

Now that our families know I'd like to share that I got engaged last Friday November 18th!



Thursday, November 17, 2011

Gossip!

Why is it gossip is so much easier to talk about than the real things that are happening?  Is it because it's easier to talk about someone else & someone else's problems & issues than talking about our own - is it to make us feel better about our own issues. 

There is so much negativity in the world why can't we just be positive for a while & share the positiity that is going on.  We turn on the news, open up the newspaper, open a website - sad/bad/negative things are written every where! 

There is a site on facebook that someone has become a "JOYALOGIST" I love this & think we could all use a "JOYALOGIST" in our lives - a little reminder to stay positive to keep things to ourselves & just remember if we are gossiping about others - aren't others talking about you! 

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Wishcasting Wednesday!

Today's question is:  What is your greatest wish?

At first I thought this was going to be so difficult to come up with & then all of a sudden that little "whisper" came to me & I knew exactly what my wish would be!



My greatest wish is to live in the present - the here & now - enjoy the small moments in life - realizing great things are always happening around us each & every day!!!!

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

VERY TRUE!!

Defending the Introverts, Defining Mutuality

If I had to put money on the table next to what I thought was a primary barrier to women building new friendships, I’d put it next to a mistaken view of what mutuality means.
Sure, lack of time will be listed as a more common excuse, but when a woman decides to be more proactive about fostering healthy friendships around her, the fear of unequal give-and-take can stall many budding friendships before they have a chance to get started.
Our Fear of Unequal Give-and-Take
We use language like “the ball is in her court” and “I don’t want to impose” and “I invited her last time so this time I’ll wait to see if she reciprocates.” We justify our wait-and-see approach by reminding ourselves that we sent the last email or initiated the most recent plans, and we conclude that we’re always the ones doing the inviting. Not this time, we say. This time it’s her turn.
A beautiful sculpture from Tolla entitled "Give-and-Take" reminds us that balance doesn't mean we're both on the same side, doing the same thing.

While we may not call it a fear of rejection, we are in part acting out of that fear. We don’t want to come across as desperate. We don’t want to feel like we’re putting ourselves out there all the time, unsure if it’s wanted. We’ve been told we don’t need to put up with any behavior that isn’t perfectly mutual. We want to feel like they like us too. We want to feel wanted. We definitely don’t want to be the ones who give more than we receive again. So we protect our egos and wait her out.
In the meantime, our budding relationship never gets momentum so it never really happens. And we’re left complaining that no one out there seems to be interested in a mutual friendship.
Our Misunderstanding of Mutuality
On Friday evening I was sitting in a room with two friends. Both lean toward introversion when it comes to interacting with people. (Which means they have amazing people skills but being around people can cost them more energy than it gives them.) I was basking in the glow of how intimate those relationships felt, both of them so able to engage in deep, beautiful, meaningful conversations. Their questions were thoughtful, their intuition spot on, and their love so genuine.
But if it had been up to either of them to get the three of us together it wasn’t likely to have happened. I initiated.
As I had the week before.
And as I had the week prior to that.
The truth is that there are just many, many people out there who have so much to offer a friendship– but initiating and scheduling may not be their forte. That doesn’t mean they don’t love us or want to be with us. And it certainly doesn’t mean they don’t have other meaningful ways to give to us. It just means they aren’t going to assertively send out the invitation. Or if they do, it won’t be as frequently as it might be for some of the rest of us.
This is not limited to introverts. Take any self-awareness inventory and there are always types of people where scheduling and initiating will not come naturally for them. I’ve been studying the Enneagram which has nine types of people, and three of the types are withdrawing types, which means they tend to step back or retreat when there is stress (which any new situation can cause.) So that’s at least a third of our potential friends who won’t be out there trying to schedule time with us.
Even beyond personalities and types, we know that we all have different love languages. Someone with the love language of quality time might tend to be more aware of reaching out with invitations than someone with the love language of gift giving.
Just add stress and busy-ness to any of our lives (even those of us who are extroverts, schedulers, and assertive types) and we may not reciprocate in the way you want, when you want. But that also doesn’t mean we wouldn’t make great friends who will give to you in other ways!
What Does Mutual Really Mean?
As I sat there Friday evening thinking how lucky anyone would be to have these two individuals in their lives, it occurred to me how few people will get that opportunity if they only build a friendship with someone else who reaches out an equal amount.
Mutuality cannot be confined to 50/50 scheduling. Equality doesn’t mean sameness. Being in a give-and-take relationship doesn’t mean we give-and-take in the same ways.
For those of us who live with someone– we know that having someone else divvy up the household chores doesn’t mean we each vacuum half the room and cook half the meal. It means I tend to track our finances and he tends to make sure dishes don’t pile up in the sink. Balance doesn’t mean we split up every chore, but that we both contribute to the overall picture.
Somehow, in friendship, we have elevated the scheduling and initiating “chore” to becoming the litmus test for an equal friendship.
What we risk if we wait for equal initiations is missing the gift that introverts or non-initiators can bring to our lives. And we risk feeling rejected if we wrongly attach that meaning to their lack of initiation. And worst of all, we’re still left without the friendships that we crave because we just sat and waited, allowing the momentum to falter.
Give. Give. Give.
I am all for balanced friendships. I don’t want you to feel used. I want you to be in a relationship that feels mutual.
But if you are a GirlFriend who is good at initiating– then do it. Generously. Invite her five times in a row. Be the one who is okay calling to start the conversation. Give where you’re best, knowing you will be blessed by how she gives to you in different ways. And know how lucky you are that you have the ability to give in a way that starts friendships!
And if you recognize that you’re someone who struggles to initiate– then at least be sure to tell your friends/potential friends how much you appreciate it when they do. Express your gratitude, lest they ever feel that you’re not interested. Tell them what it means to you that they keep calling. Recognize that this gift they give is a necessary ingredient in the building of a friendship.
What we need is a little less judgment of each other and a little more hopeful curiosity to discover and appreciate who the other person is.

Monday, November 14, 2011

One Call Away, By Brenda Warner

                   First of all - I actually had no idea of who Brenda or Curt Warner were before reading this book but Wow!  I thought this book was great!  Every time I picked it up I had a hard time stopping!!!  There is something inspiring and endearing about this book and about Brendas story. This book definitely reminds you not to judge a book by it's cover.  I had no idea of what to expect when I got this book - but it was better than anything I could have expected.  It makes your realize everyone has struggles and just because someone seems to have it all doesn't mean they've always had it all or haven't struggled to get there.  I was so touched by how great Curt was with Zach and then again how amazing Brenda was and that she listened to the calling to go to hospice and hold Daniel - not really knowing why - just knowing she needed to.  It was an amazing story of strength, trials, and joy and the great things that can happen if we keep trying!  I would recommend this book to anyone to read!!!
I received this book free of charge from Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

Words Of Wisdom

Over the weekend I had 3 open houses & while at them I was reading an Oprah magazine & came across this saying that I thought was beautiful and wanted to share.

May today there be peace within.

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.

May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be content knowing you are a child of God.

Let this presence settle into your bones and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.

It is there for each and every one of us. 

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Red & Black

I am obsessed with the colors red & black!!!  A few years back I found red & black Christmas ornaments that I just had to have!  When I would tell peple those were the colors I was going to decorate for Christmas I'm pretty sure they all thought I was nuts - I heard it wasn't going to show up on a green tree, I heard it was depressing,but I knew it would be gorgeous!! 

The hospital in Willmar hosts an event every year where you can decoarte a table for a viewing & I did it one year by myself & then last year invited a few of the girls from work to participate with me.  Last year we did a geen/brown & pink theme - it was beautiful. This year can you guess what colors we did?!!!!


That's right.........RED & BLACK!!!!   YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have always decorate on  a green tree - but this year we had a white tree to use & let me tell you - it is so SASSY!!!  I LOVE IT!!!  The pictures don't do it justice, you can see how beautiful the ornaments look, or the effect the feathers give it either - but trust me - it's AWESOME!

I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to  buy myself a white tree to put these ornaments on at my own home!  The designer of the event has amazing taste & had these awesome red feathers in vases & I want to find out where she got those because i think they'd be perfect to put in my green tree!!!!


HERE'S THE TABLE!
Again - pictures don't do it justice - but we are front & center when you come int eh door of the event center and the people were already gathering around it (sorry to toot our horn)!


Friday, November 11, 2011

How Do We......

How do we let go of control?

How do we let go of what others do that bothers us?

How do we let go and just be?

Some people in life are so easy going - others (myself) feel the need to have control so we know how things are going to turn out.

This week I have been experiencing some "stuff" that I keep telling myself - just let it go, it'll all be fine & it'll all work out. Part of me knows this is true & part of me is very frustrated.

You see I had everything lined up and ready to go in perfect order for this weekend. Now, because of one person everything is messed up and possibly will leave me with the brunt of the work that wasn't necessary & I am now angry at someone else who I shouldn't be angry at! Ugh!!!!

How do we just let go?!

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Wishcasting Wednesday!

Today Jamie asks:  Who do you wish to have tea with?

I started off so serious....spiritual leaders, famous people, people who have passed & I couldn't come up with anyone specific...so I thought I'd take a moment & read through the other blogs that were participating this week to see if I could get inspired & sure enough....I was!!!!



You
 - blog readers -
we all seem to feel the same way -
let's take a moment today & think of one another and how we've helped inspire each other in some way!!! 

Thanks everyone for visiting!!!!!

Saturday, November 5, 2011

How Great Is This Idea

I wish this was my idea - but it's not - check this out!

THE THANKFUL TREE -

Click on the picture to be taken to the website where the idea came from and to get more details!  I just had to share!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Wishcasting Wednesday!

Today Jamie asks: How do you wish to nourish yourself?

So I started off by looking up the meaning of the word nourish as so many thoughts were running through my head & here it is:

nour·ish/ˈnÉ™riSH/

Verb:
  1. Provide with substances necessary for growth, health, and good condition.
  2. Enhance the fertility of (soil).
Synonyms:
feed - nurture - nurse - foster - cherish - maintain

This seems so simple - positivity! 
However, after I sat a moment and thought about it - I realized we could nourish our body, mind & spirits in so many different aspects!
  I wish to nourish my whole self with positivity - this is such a huge factor in life & I am always working on this!  Being surrounded by positive people and positive things makes for a happy life!  I wish to nourish my body by eating better, and drinking more water (less lattes)!  I love yoga as well & wish I did this more often as this is a wonderful way to nourish the mind, body & soul! 

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Monday, October 24, 2011

What A Nice Weekend!!!

Did everyone enjoy this gorgeous weekend we had!!!!  We gotta make use of the nice weather while we can!!!!!

This weekend we got quite a bit accomplished, which we are both thrilled about as every weekend starting about a month ago until Christmas we have something pretty much planned!!

So we are hosting a Halloween Party & I have been slowly working on a project for Halloween & we finished it up Friday night! 

Check it out......

This is an extra set of hollow-core doors that I had painted black - with paint I already had!  Then I got white wooden letters at the craft store and attached them!  Now this is a project I can use over & over again!!!!!!!!!!  I was so thrilled with how they turned out & you can see them from a long ways away!!!!! 

 We also were able to do some yard work, got the hoses all put away, the back door of the shed back together & D built a door for the front of the shed as when we purchased the property there wasn't a door on the shed at all!  We got a huge remnant of carpet bought & laid for the basement family room so it's an actual usable space now, did some cleaning and had my family over on Sunday!

  Check out one of the many appetizers we had:
YUMMM!  Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos, stuffed with Cream Cheese - straight from Grandma's Garden!!!!

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Why?

I recently had an experience where someone told me something hoping to make me upset.  They did this over a weekend through a text message, so I had time to process the information before just blowing up or blowing it out of proportion. 

I knew this person wanted to make me angry & see me upset or hurt.  The next time I saw this person the only thing he wanted to discuss was this bit of information that he thought I should be mad about. 

I was able to take the weekend to prepare & go into the conversation with a positive attitude knowing full well that wasn't what he wanted. 

However, I didn't want to buy into the negativity & have a bad attitude!  By the end of the conversation I was so positive about it he got mad and walked away & I realized I really felt that positive about the situation that I normally would have allowed myself to be upset by! 

 I don't understand why people do this & why we allow ourselves to buy into the negativity - I think if we only had time to process information or took the time to process things there would be a lot less hurt around all of us. 

Thursday, October 13, 2011

LOVE THIS POEM!!!

PHENOMENAL WOMANby Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing of my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them,
They say they still can't see.
I say
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
The palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

It’ll cost Nothing to Dream and everything not to.

Wishcasting Wednesday!

Today Jamie Ridler asks us "HOW DO YOU WISH TO BE LOVED?"


I think there could be so many ways we could wish to be loved - but I'm going to keep it short & sweet UNCONDITIONALLY!!!!!!!!!

Friday, October 7, 2011

From The Universe

Sometimes things just speak to you:

It's as if before you there are countless doorways, all leading to new and different hallways. So you wonder and think, calculate and stress, over whether or not you'll knock on the "right" one.

But what you can't yet see, Lacey, is that all of the hallways beyond all of the doorways eventually lead to the same great room, in the same great house, with the same great party.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

FREEDOM!

"The moment you can vizualize being free from the things that hold you back, you have indeed begun to set yourself free..." unknown

Sculpture by Zenos Frudakis ... "Freedom"

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Wishcasting Wednesday!

Jamie asks us this week...

What do you wish to done day?! 

Don't we all think a lot of the same things, - be happy, joyful, successful, travel, meet new people - we all wish for these things!

 But I also want to make a difference in people's lives in a positive way!

Alright - I also want to get married & have babies!!!

Monday, October 3, 2011

Manual Labor!

So over the weekend Dave & I worked on taking down the horse stalls in the barn - which really is just a a shed - but to me with it being full of manure when we bought it & having horse stalls - it was a barn!   However, with my assistance we now have a shed!  I have to admit I was pretty impressed with myself (I think Dave was too) with how much work we got done & the things I can do! 

I climbed a ladder, grabbed a pry bar & got to work helping get those stalls down!  Then we had to sort through each board & determine what is good enough to keep & what we needed to burn.  Then we stacked & sorted those.  After that we got had to move a snowmobile by hand - the thing doesn't run - so I grabbed an end & pulled! 

Then we got out the bobcat & got work getting the huge posts out!  Being it was just the two of us that meant one of us had to run the bobcat and one had to control the post.  I wasn't very comfortable doing either but I had a chance to do both!!!! As Dave pointed out to me while doing all this work - "You always say you can do anything a guy can do."  This came back at me this weekend for sure while I was running the Bobcat, hooking up chains to posts, moving trailers & filling holes! 

 Then on Sunday with the gorgeous weather we had I was out power washing the deck as well - thank goodness for some beautiful October weather!!!!!

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Wishcasting Wednesday!

Over at the Jamie Ridler Studios it's Wishcasting Wednesday & this Wednesday she asks us "What Guidance Do You Wish For?"

I love wishcasting Wednesday's but don't always participate because I don't always feel I have a good wish.  However after reading today's question I knew I had to participate for a couple of reasons!

1) The other day I had lunch with some friends & after we ate we all went back to our normal work day.  I was driving home that evening and had this overwhelming feeling I had said something(s) to one of them that hurt her feelings or had offended her & I just couldn't stop thinking about it.  I tend to say whatever comes to my mind and forget not everyone can handle that about my personality.  I did apologize to her and later found out I had said something - not even sure what!!  But was glad I had apologized. 

2) My Grandfather was unexpectedly hospitalized this week at the age of 92 and has had to undergo major surgery - let's be honest when you are 92 any surgery is major surgery!

I wish for guidance to stay positive, to associate with positive people and to work towards bettering myself and growing as a person.  Growing and striving everyday to be better, to be more compassionate towards others and to look for the positive in others.  To hold my tongue and learn to listen to others and talk less!!!! 


As you wish for yourself today, so I wish for you also!

Friday, September 9, 2011

Country Life....

I'm not so sure what I think about country life as my allergies seem to be in full force in the country - but as soon as i get to town - they stop!  So that's been new!  But the biggest changes has been all of the creatures - that's right not animals - creatures!  We started off with an infestation of wood ticks - I've never experienced anything like it!  Every night for the first few months we'd pull anywhere from 5-20 ticks off my poor dog! We seem to have gotten that under control!
          
 Then we moved onto an ant problem like you can't believe - not just regular ants but fire-ants and they are everywhere - I have tried every kind of ant spray/powder/pellet you can think of. Keep in mind - they aren't just outside - we've had an ant issue in the basement as well!  I think we've gotten rid of the ants in the basement and it appears for now we've gotten rid of the fire ants but I can't believe all the ant hills that just seem to pop up everywhere!
            We have snakes - lots of snakes & if I can, I mow them up!
       
We have frogs - not just one or two frogs tons & tons & tons of frogs.  Again - not just regular frogs - but frogs, and toads & tree frogs - you want a pet come to my house!  One afternoon we pulled 15 out of a window well!  I also try to move these guys up as well!

We have now moved onto muskrats!  Yup that's right - 2 of them in the window well!  I don't know why all of these creatures need to visit me - but I've had enough!  We were sitting on the deck one afternoon when my dog started to freak out about at the window so we went to see what was in there & there they were!  I wanted them dead - but Dave got a bucket & gloves & scooped them out and let them run away!!!

Then on the way to a wedding just 2 miles from out house - this is what we come across:
This thing must have weighed 45 - 50 lbs!

 You want a pet - come visit me - you can have anything I have for free!!

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

A Way To Learn!

I knew who Sarah Palin was from all the Presidential election situations!  I didn't really know that much about her so I thought by reading this book I'd be able to learn more about her as a person & her views and standpoints on life.   I was actually intrigued by her and the quotes! I loved that this wasn't an overly long book - this was a great read to pick up & easily finish.

I really enjoyed the collection of quotes throughout the book that were organized into subjects like Crime, Education, Foreign Policy, etc.  We can all choose to agree with her on her opinions or we can disagree but this is a great book that will serve as a good reference for her political reviews - straight from her own mouth.  It's nice to be able to read her actual opinions and not what everyone else is just saying about her.

I received a copy of this book free of charge from the publisher at BookSneeze.com for my honest reviwe which didn't have to be positive. 

You Were Born For This

You Were Born For This By: Bruce Wilkinson & David Kopp. 
 



I just finished reading this book & have mixed feelings about this book.  There were definitely parts of the book that I greatly enjoyed - loved some of the personal stories that were in the book.  I however did find some sections that I seemed to just skim over as they weren't as engaging as other areas.  I think this might be a good book to read with a small group and have a discussion time with as I think you might get more out if that way. 

I did appreciate the breakdown into four sections with each part bringing you practical information about allowing God to use you.
Part 1: Welcome to Everyday Miracle Territory
Part 2: Four Keys to a Life of Miracles
Part 3: How to Deliver a Miracle
Part 4: Three Keys to Special Delivery Miracles


I think this book can help shift our mindset about everyday miracles and felt that hearing of the other miralces around us happening every day are good resources. 

I received a free e-copy of this book from WaterBrook Multnomah’s Blogging for Books program in exchange for my honest review

Friday, August 5, 2011

I'm also a Psychiatirst?!

Here's another good one!  I had a call from a lady that wanted to sell her home.  She starts out the conversation by telling me I went to school with her daughter - she is 100% sure of that....oopsies!  That was my sister who is 4 years older than me!  Oh well - she can think that for now. So I go to her home to do a CMA for her and have been warned that she is a unique woman. 

I get there and she invites me in - it's a home I'm familiar with because it is a very unique one of a kind home!  Those details aren't even important!  She invites me and and I'm there for a good hour to hour and a half and we never once toured the home - we sat at the kitchen table the entire time.  What she did the entire time was "drink" something and talk to me about her hard life...her divorce....her step kids....her kids.....her dog was jumping all over me - there are no lights on in the house and it sort of felt like an episode of hoarders - a toned down version - but hoarders!  She wants to list her home for about $100,000 more than what it's worth - so this was the first listing I've ever had to tell no that I can't take this listing.  She was thankfully very understanding and then informed me that one other Realtor had told her the same thing.

After a lull in the conversation i mentioned how gorgeous her Christmas Cactus was and she offered to give me one!!!  She literally can grow any plant and grow it amazingly well!  She had gorgeous orchids and other unique plants that no one else can grow!

After this she receives a phone call and tells me it's from a debt collector!!  I'm trying to figure out how to get out of here at this point!  She stays on the phone with the debt collector who is coming after her because of stuff her soon to be ex did!  Either way - this is very awkward and I need to leave!  She is giving the debt collector more information than anyone should ever hear!  Finally she needs to smoke - so we head outside and I make my exit!! 

This sweet lady now sends me strange emails & calls me randomly about her home!! 

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Here's another story!

A few weeks ago on a Friday night at about 7:00 p.m. I go to meet a new client.  I've emailed with this gentleman and spoken to him on the phone but this is our first in person appointment. 

I go to meet him at a foreclosure - no big deal!  I get to the house prior to him (which I prefer to do) - go inside to find there is no electricity!! 

The buyer arrives and is about 300 lbs, with missing teeth and one eye that doesn't work - no big deal. 

However, I open the door to let him in and he (I think trying to be polite) kinds of ushers me in, in front of him.  We get in the house to this tiny little entryway and there is a bathroom door to the left and a door to the kitchen on the right which the buyer is blocking along with the outside door - I am now trapped inside the bathroom!!!!!!!!  At this point every crazy thought is running through my head - get out, run - you're faster than him - "damn I wish I had on heels! 

I offer to go out to my car & get a flashlight so we can see better & he says no & won't let me - I'm still stuck in the bathroom!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

 Pretty much petrified I finally find a way around him & get into the kitchen & start looking around all awkwardly!  I get to the living room and open the front door - wide open........to let light in, that's what I tell him at least!  He looks around and then wants to go in the basement - there was no way on earth I was going down there!  He did go by himself and look around but I stood at the top of the stairs with my phone in one hand debating which door was closer to get out if I needed to run!!!!!!!!!!!

I get him outside eventually but then he wants to go see the empty garage!  I do allow him into the garage & stand at the doorway not going fully inside!

He decides this house is too much work & we can finally leave!

The Chocolate Diaries

Click on the book to be taken to amazon to order this book!

I just got done reading this book and was quite impressed!!!!  There are several things about this book that I enjoyed including the yummy chocolate recipes!!

This book is a great book for women of all ages - I think there is something for everyone to learn in this book and everyone will take something away!  My favorite part was the "What If...." game - this is a great thing that I started doing as soon as I was finished reading the book and is amazing what it can do for you!  I read this as an E book and loved the fact that the links were live to click on and you would be taken directly to the website!  This was also very helpful. 

I appreciated the honesty of Karen Linamen and the trials and tribulations of what she has been through. I  also appreciate the other stories from others that she wrote about they were quite inspiring and I also liked that she had a positive spin to things.  I thought the "Food For Thought" sections were a nice touch & I could see this being used by a group of women in a book club or a group of girlfriends for something to do together!

This book was sent to me by WaterBrook Press in exchange for an honest review, as a part of their Blogging for Books program.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

All In One Day!

So I thought I'd start sharing some stories of the strange/crazy things that happen & that I see while selling houses!!!  Trust me - you can't make these stories up!!!!!

Yesterday I went to show a vacant house & while showing a house to a lady who brought her mother & her daughter with we went to the upstairs.  The house is a 1 1/4 story house with 2 dormers & because Ii am 5'10" and had heels on I had to stay in one spot where the window was so I could stand up without hitting my head!  While allowing the women to look around the Grandmother opens the attic door and starts looking around & goes "oh is that a couple of bats."!!!!!!!  I am about ready to run - but the lady goes into the attic to inspect the bats!!!  I was sure they were going to come flying out at us - but thank goodness they didn't!  We still aren't sure if they were bats that were dead - alive or just lots & lots of cobwebs!  Either way - I am not a fan of bats!

Then after getting in my car to leave I look out my window & see this:



Then I am driving to an appointment & go to pass a truck & trailer going 40 mph and look over into the trailer to see that it's FULL of geese!!!!!!!!!!!  I've never seen such a thing - it was crazy!!!!

All this in one fun filled day!!!!!!!

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

YUMMMM!!!!!!

I was on vacation last week and it was great to get away & relax!!!!!  I enjoyed a week with family just eating, sleeping, laying in the sun watching my niece & nephew play in the water and did a little bit of fishing!  I do mean a little as the fishing was not good at all - I think it's the heat!!!

I have to share a recipe that my aunt & uncle made while we were on vacation at what they called the R&M Restaurant!  They are awesome and a must try!!!!!!!!!!!!

Corn Dogs - by Sandra Lee

INGREDIENTS

1 Egg
1 (10oz) package of corn muffin mix
3/4 C Milk
2 packets spaghetti sauce spice seasoning mix
1/2 C all purpose flour
12 reduced fat beef hot dogs
Vegetable oil for frying
12 wooden skewers

DIRECTIONS

In a large mixing bowl, combine egg, corn muffin mix, milk and 1 seasoning packet.  In a separate shallow dish, mix second seasoning packet and flour.  Insert wooden skewers halfway into hot dogs.

Heat oil to 360 degrees in a  deep fryer.  Dredge each beef frank in flour seasoning mix, dust off excess then dip into cornmeal batter.  Fry 2 to 3 corn dogs at a time for about 3 minutes or until golden brown.  Drain on paper towls.  Serve warm!!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Enemies of The Heart

Enemies of The Heart By Charles Stanley
Click on the Link to be taken to amazon.com to purchase this book.=
 



I thought this was a good book that really had some great points!  This book is a reissue of the book It Came From Withing - which I didn't know until after reading this book and hadn't read so that book didn't have an impact on my thoughts/feelings on this book.

I enjoyed that this book had four emotions that can attack the heart.  Those four emotions are Guilt - what I owe you, then there is Anger: what You Owe Me, next is Greed: what I owe me and last is Jealousy: What God owes me.  These are the four emotions that cause disruptions in our lives and withing the lives of those around us.  I enjoyed that the author used examples from his own life and those he knows to show how these emotions play out in real life - I feel like it makes the book more relatable then.  This is a book that makes you look at your own heart and what you could work on in your own life. 

I did also like the option of the study guide in the back if you were to use this as a book for studying with others!  I also enjoyed that he tried to use humor to make a point - I don't know that it always worked - but I do think that it helps with some of the points. 

The author does have a section in the book for parents which at this time in my life as I don't have children wasn't of interest to me - but I could see it being helpful when I do have children.


I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review from Waterbrook Multnomah books blogging for books program.  I was not required to write a positie review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own. 

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Last Dance

Slow
Dance 



This
is a poem
written by a teenager with cancer.

She wants to
see how many
people get her poem.

It is quite the poem
Please pass it
 
on



This poem was written by a terminally ill young girl in a
New York Hospital.



It was sent
by

a medical doctor.




SLOW DANCE


Have you ever
watched
kids

On a merry-go-round?


Or listened to
the
rain


Slapping on the ground?


Ever followed a
butterfly's erratic flight?


Or gazed at the sun into the
fading
night?


You better slow down.


Don't
dance so
fast.


Time is short.


The music
won't
last.


Do you run through each day



On
the
fly?


When you ask How are you?


Do you hear
the
reply?


When the day is done


Do you lie
in your
bed


With the next hundred chores


Running through
your head?


You'd better
slow down


Don't dance so
fast.


Time is
short.


The music won't
last.


Ever told your
child,


We'll do it
tomorrow?


And in your
haste,


Not see
his

sorrow?


Ever lost
touch,


Let a good
friendship die



Cause you
never had time



To call
and say,'Hi'



You'd
better slow down.



Don't dance
so fast.



Time
is short.



The music won't
last.



When you run
so fast to get somewhere



You
miss half the fun of getting
there.



When you worry and hurry
through your
day,



It is like an unopened
gift....



Thrown
away.



Life is not a
race.


Do take it
slower



Hear the
music



Before the song is
over.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Suggestions?!

Hi Everyone,

 I am going to be going on vacation
 in about 2 weeks & am looking for some book suggestions!  I am open to a wide variety of books - any suggestions are greatly appreciated!!! 

Tuesday, June 21, 2011


Laugh as much as you breathe, and love as long as you live.


Saturday, June 4, 2011

Beautiful

If you are looking for someone to be your everything, don't look around, look up!  God is the only One who can be everything.  By expecting perfection from flesh, you ask more out of someone else than what you can provide yourself.  To be married is to have a partner: someone who is not always there or always on target or always anything! On the other hand, should you ever get in trouble and you don't know who to look to for help, you can count on your partner!  It is to have someone to curl up against when the world seems cold and life uncertain.  It is having someone who is as concerned as you are when your children are ill.  It is having  hand that keeps checking your forehead when you aren't well.  To be married is to have someones shoulder to cry on as they lower your parent's body into the ground.  It is wrapping wrinkled knees in warm blankets and giggling with teeth!  To the person you marry you are saying, "When my time comes to leave this world and the chill of eternity blows away my birthdays and my future stands still in the night: it's your face I want to kiss goodbye.  Is is your hand I want to squeeze as I slip from time into eternity.  As the curtain closes on all I have attempted to do and be; i want to look into your eyes and see that I mattered.  Not what I looked like.  Now what I did or how much money I made. Not even how talented I was.  I want to look into the teary eyes of someone who loved me and see; I mattered!

Taken from Kive At Last Sight!

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Taken From: The Final Summit

A Personal Declaration
 

Knowing that all who "arrive" have to begin where they are. I choose to begin now. At this moment. I will do something.

For too long, I have allowed fearful thoughts to dominate my life. Now I recognize fear as a misuses of the creative imagination that has been placed inside me. In the past, I have allowed fear to shove all hope aside. No more! Fear no longer has any power to stop me from doing what I know to be right and true, I am no longer afraid I am courageous. Right now, I will do something.

The person who faces no hardships gains no strength. Though I do not look for hardship;, I am grateful for its results, for I have sown mighty in soil mixed with troubles. My roots are now deep. My mind and hart have become powerful. A beautiful flower cannot be created without fertilizer. A dazzling gem cannot be polished without great friction. I have taken the fertilizer and the friction and am better because of it. Now it is time for me to do something.

I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I can do something right now. Never again will I allow what I cannot do to interfere with what I can do. Circumstances are rulers of the weak. I am not weak. Neither discouragement nor despair will stop me from doing something and doing it now. I am strong-minded. I can make myself do something I would rather not do, in order to get a result that I do want. I will do something. And I will do it now.

My life, which was once a question mark, is now a statement. Stormy seas do not scare e, for I am the calm in the storm. My past is behind me and my future bright because I now know the secret of the present. I will do something & I will do it now!

right now, I will do something for my family. Right now, I will do something for my friends. Right now, I will do something for those who do not even know my name. For my family, for my friends, and for the strangers of the world are valuable in my Creator's sight. I will let them know that I recognize that fact by my actions. I now know that my smile, my words, and my attitude are actions. They are all under my control. I am prepared to run my race. I am ready to hit the mark. I will now do my part in restoring humanity to the pathway toward successful civilization.

I will do something and I will do it now!

The Final Summit


The Final Summit By Andy Andrews
 
In this book David Ponder is brought to the final summit by the Archangel Gabriel.  The final summit being in Heaven.    David is chose because mankind needs help and he needs to figure out the solution.  He is chose along with other "travelers" that include Winston Churchill, Joan of Arc, & Anne Frank. 

I did struggle getting into this book and found out after reading it that Andy Andrews wrote The Travelers Gift - which if the first book in this set - so I think if I had read that I might have enjoyed the beginning of this book a bit more.  Once I got into the book I felt as excited as David & the Travelers were every time that they came up with an answer because it seemed they were right - you'd think "yes" that has to be the solution!!!!  I did get a bit bored with some of the history in the book as I just personally am not a big fan of history information like that.  I was getting a bit bored again towards the end but overall the end was worth the read!!!!  I am glad I read the book overall!