Beautiful

I read this today on facebook and had to share:

Our Deepest Fear
By: Marianne Williamson

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness
That most frightens us.
 

We ask ourselves
Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

Your playing small
Does not serve the world.
There's nothing enlightened about shrinking
So that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine,
As children do.
We were born to make manifest
The glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us;
It's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine,
We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we're liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.

Weekend Update

So I think, yup I lost track, I think our pheasants were 10 weeks old this week!!!  Can you see them?!  So since D has been back I haven't had to do much, thank goodness but look at them!!!  However, they are eating like crazy, I mean D has to feed them 2 - 3 times a day!!!  I think we are going to have to release them soon!!!!!!








Here is what I found in the yard this weekend!
Can you see that - we had to pull it out with the mower!!!  I was mowing away when I saw a small piece black plastic & got off to pick it, I looked over and saw another part of it and knew there was no way I was going to get this out.  So I went & got D and he had to dig this thing out!!! 

So I admit I thought we were getting to the end of finding treasures in our yard but apparently not - this was completely buried in the yard!!!

3 Months!!!

Three months from today until

I dropped off the invites at the printers today - it gets a little more real ever day!!!

And I just got the call I've been waiting and hoping for:
MY DRESS IS IN!!!!!  That made it REAL!!!!!

5 Weeks Old!

Here are the pheasants at 5 weeks old (they are 7 weeks this week) !!!!

 Loving the outdoors!   

We don't shut the door at night anymore so they can go in and out all day & all night long! 

The Tales of Pheasant Farming Continue!

So - no picture - but there should have been because we'd all be laughing right about now - maybe a video would be better!  I'll let you decide after reading my story!

Last night I go to D's to mow lawn, he had to be at work late so he tells me I should let the pheasants out they won't bite! 

 I'm like yeah I know they won't....(note the sarcasm).... but they'll peck my eyes out & fly in my hair!  I need a "bat hat." 

But I know it's true, they need to get outside - it's probably close to 100 in the shed & they need to get some fresh air. 

 So I do it! 

I enter slowly into the pen trying to keep them from flying at me. 

 I'm sure they can smell my fear!

I pull the door closed behind me as far as I can get it - now there's no latch on the inside which I've come to realize is the biggest problem of all!

Oh & i've opened up our shed service door and the BIG door that you drive vehicles in and out of - so the shed is wide open!!!!!!

So I creep over to the door that let's them outside & slowly start to open it when the little suckers realize they can get out the door I came in!!! 

 AHHHHH  - 2 escaped on me!!!!!!  So I go running out of the pen - praying no more get out and I'm sure I was squaking or squeeling too while chasing these suckers!

The both go around the corner of the pen where we have a pile of wood and I see a cardboard box so I throw that on top of them!  No I don't have a plan here - just irrational thinking!

I have one under the little tiny box & the other is creeping out!  I grab him up against the pen &YES I caught him in my bare hands.  However in doing so I slit my thumb open so during all this I am now bleeding as well.  But what to do about the other one?!  I somehow managed to grab him with the other hand so now here I am with a pheasant in each hand & wondering how the heck am I going to open the pen door & get them back in there.  While holding them one is flapping it's wings like crazy - I'm sure pretty mad at me!!!!!!  Or petrifed - let's be honest I think I was more scared then the pheasants.

I managed to open the pen door with my elbow and toss them in.

Thank goodness they didn't escape and I was the only one injured!!!!

Pheasant Farming!

Our pheasants are 5 weeks old this week! 

I haven't taken this weeks picture yet but here is the 4 week picture.

4 WEEKS OLD



Outside Pen


Because the pheasants were getting old enought to go outside we had to build an outside pen for them - so here it is!

You wouldn't think this took very long to build but let me tell you it was quite the ordeal!  We started off with fence posts that we had and put the outside ones in - which was a bit interesting for me!  D had me hold the post while he pounded them in with a sledge hammer.  Well everytime he would pound on it I flinched!  I eventually had to squat down towards the bottom of the post and close my eyes and hold on tight! 
At one point the posts were so tall D got out a 3 step, step stool and stood not on the top step but the top handle and was pounding on the post.  I survived but wasn't overly thrilled with the situation.

So after we got all the outside posts pounded in - we realized if we put chicken wire across the top without any supports it would just sink in.  So back to the shed we went for 3 more posts!

Once we got all the posts in we started adding the chicken wire to the outside.  This went along smoothly until we realized our ground is so uneven we had to do something about that - that is why you see the straw bails!

We got the outside done & then proceeded to work on the top.  We had to climb in the pen & then I would hold one end of the chicken wire with my hands and on my head while D unrolled it to the other end and cut it.  Then we attached it with zip ties.  We did this 4 times!

Finally we had the outside done!  We had, had enough for the night so we went in for supper at 9:00 at night!

The next day we still had to cut a door out for them to get from the inside to the outside.   This all started out quite smoothly with Dave on the inside of the pen (in the shed with the pheasants) and me on the outdie handing him tools and closing the door behind him.   This was smooth until we realized the whole was cut taller then where the chicken wire was attached on the outside!  So D tried to shoo the pheasant to the outside pen and while doing so at least one flew away! 

Then I had to get in the pen to help attach the chicken wire to the shed & cover the hole we now had.  This meant there were pheasants around our feet and the door couldn't be shut tight.  This led to 3 pheasants escaping in the shed!

So we quickly got out of the pen

D got both shed doors shut & we had to catch 3 pheasants with our hands. 

Ok, ok so really D caught them with his hands, I just helped move them closer and open & close the pen door! 

Finally we caught all 3 and closed up the hole and got them all outside!

They now can go in and out and are very happy!!!!

How do people learn these things?!

I am a town girl at heart!!!  Lesson learned again today!!!

Did you know that when you live in the country & your power goes out you have to call someone?!  I had no idea!!!!!!!

I wake up this morning to find the power is out.  So I text D and ask if it was out when he went to work (much earlier than when I get up).  He says no and asks if I  called the electric company.  I'm like - "no" don't they just know?!  Apparently not!  He says you have to call them, how else would they know we are without power!!!!!!

Another country life lesson learned!!!!

Have you ever?!

Hope you had a wonderful Fathers Day weekend!

D & I went to my parents house on Saturday night to celebrate with my Dad.  We had a great evening eating some awesome food and the weather was perfect so we played a few rounds of croquet.  Somehow Dad won both - we must have let him win because it was Fathers Day!!!

Then on Sunday D & I hosted his side!  But let me tell you what happened! 

 So on Friday night D & I did outside work all day & around 8:30 at night we got ready to go get our groceries for both Fathers day events.  I was going to make a cheesecake flavored salad for Sunday and needed cheesecake flavored instant pudding mix along with some misc things.  So we got all our groceries and headed home. 

All was well! 

Then Saturday I had an open house in Atwater so afterwards Dave met me & we parked my car in town & headed to Raymond to my parents. 

We were there until about 9:30!

  We stopped and got my car in Atwater & then Dave followed me to Litchfield.  On the way I almost hit a deer, a fox & a raccoon in about a 7 mile span!!!!!!!! 

We got back to his house, unpacked our vehicles & I started making my salad ( it needed to be made the night ahead of time).  So I start my salad & mix my pudding mix & cool whip together when I realize it seems REALLY thick.  I get out the recipe and read it - all seems fine, then I start to think - Dave told me I needed 4 small boxes of pudding to equal 1 large box - and BING a light goes on!  NO YOU DON"T!!!!!!!!!!  I have now DOUBLED my recipe!  So Dave & I head into Wal-Mart at 11:00 to get the rest of the ingredients.  We pull in to the parking lot at literally 10:59 - get to the door & it closed at 11:00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Did you know Wal-Marts close?!!!   I thought they were all open 24 hours a day!!!!!!!!!!!!!  So I left my salad until morning and D was nice enough to get up at 7:00 and go get my ingredients!!!!  I had enough of that salad to feed about 50 people!

It all worked out but have you ever done that?!!!! 

This is not my salad but was as close to what I made as I could find online!

Adventures in Being A Farm Girl!

So let me tell you about the adventures of being a farm girl last night:

To start things off on Sunday night I look out the window and see a black cat walking around our front sidewalk and I pounded on  the window to scare it off – hopefully cats don’t like pheasant!

Last night I get back to Daves – I get Zoey out and I go turn on all the hoses for watering the trees, which is all I’ve done for the past 3 days and will be doing again tonight!  Trust me you get quite the work out moving hoses -  then I go to feed/water the pheasants when one of those little suckers can almost fly to the top of the cardboard! 

           

So then I think I’ll be nice & mow the ditch & the front piece right off the deck (that area grows really slow & I Dave normally does the ditch).  So I mow the front section & then head to the ditch when the  mower breaks down – it starts, it runs, it has diesel, the arm controls move but the wheels do not!

So I text Dave and go to do some tree trimming – while trimming trees a skunk goes right across the neighbor’s yard!

See that block spot to the left of the big metal shed - that's the skunk!

While trimming trees I wonder why this one bird is so annoying and crabby when I am in the middle of trimming and come across her nest full of baby birds – gross - that I now probably have killed because I trimmed so close to and worked at for about an hour!

Dave finally gets back to me and asks me stupid girl questions – is it out of fuel – is the parking brake off etc.  he decides to call a couple of his buddies to at least see if any of them can get it going or at least tow it to the house.  He calls me back and informs me 2 guys didn’t answer their phones and one is out of state working so he had to call M who is about if not less mechanically inclined (and he admits it himself) than me!  While we are on the phone some BIG man pulls up in a little blue car (think tom Farley – fat man in a little coat) and gets out and asks if I need fuel – does everyone think I’m stupid?!  Anyways he freaked me out first but then come to find out he’s the neighbor!  HE was being nice & going to get his tractor and pull it to the house if M couldn’t get it going.  So finally at about 8 – 8:30 M arrives and first tells me he was shocked Dave can get me out mowing!  Come on I am prissy but not that prissy – how else will I get a tan!  M gets on and does nothing different than I had already done – as a matter of fact he did less than what I had even tried!  But at least it was a guy there to give it a shot so Dave can't say it was me!

At one point Dave started to consider having me get Russ’s truck out and tow it to the house myself!  Now I know I am independent but come on I am a girl – I shouldn’t have to do these things!!!

M calls Dave & Dave tells him over the phone what to do…….I came prepared with the right tool otherwise I’m not sure M would have known what tool we even needed!  He had to lift up the seat – which I had to help with then he had to loosen a bolt and then tow it to the house – but he loosened the seat and then left the wrench under the seat – so I had to ask him if we could lift it back up to get the tool out!  Thank goodness mike had his own tow strap – and could figure out how to hook that up – because otherwise I would have had to do that myself too!

1 Week Old

Adventures in Pheasants Continue As They Are One Week Old

I can't tell a ton of difference in their size but I sure can tell they can MOVE quick!  The other thing I have noticed is that they are going crazy pecking at everything around them.  So last night after work I took some branches with leaves off some of the trees and put in with them & they were totally destroyed/gone this morning.  They apparently liked that so i will have to do that again tonight!

Adventures In Poultry!

So - on top of wedding planning and working on a foreclosure we are now raising 22 pheasants!!!  They arrived last Thursday at only a day old!!   Here they are!!!

I have one story to share so far, otherwise it has been going fairly well - I give them feed in the morning & change their water at night and then will change their bedding every few days.

However, on Monday I was standing in the middle of this pen - and if you don't know it - these little guys can run SUPER fast so you have to be very careful where you stand.  So here I am in the middle of the pen with D changing the oil on my car while my dog Zoey watches very intently. 

I don't see any reason for her to be near the pheasants as I was afraid she was going to knock over this cardboard pen with one pounce and the poor little guys would be loose in the garage!!!  However, D tries to be SO nice to Zoey (who by the way is a Papillion/Shitzu and weighs around 20 Lbs) thinks she'll learn to behave around them.

So here I am in the middle of the pen when Zoey starts pawing at the cardboard and both D & myself are hollering at her to get away when all of a sudden she gets one out from underneath the cardboard & gets it in her mouth!!  I am yelling for D to come help me so I don't kill the rest of them and finally get over to Zoey where I grab her by the collar lift her up while the poor little guy falls out back into the pen.  He has been killed by the dog! 

So we are now down to 21!

B.T.W - I have no idea if these are male or female so I am just guessing at this point!

Wish me luck!!!!

Great Thoughts

Look for the gifts in everything, especially when you are facing what appears to be a negative situation. Everything that we attract causes us to grow, which means that ultimately everything is for our own good.


Adjusting to a new path and a new direction will require new qualities and strengths, and these qualities are always exactly what we need to acquire in order to accomplish the great things ahead in our life.
Rhonda Byrne

Consignment

If you haven't heard about it there is a store called Bride To Be Consignment in Minneapolis.  I have been following them on facebook and it seems they have everything you might need!  Plus after the wedding what a great way to get rid of some stuff that you only bought for the wedding & have no other use for & make some money! 

I recommend following them on Facebook as they post pictures of new inventory regularly & they will answer questions very quickly!  The other great thing about the facebook page is if you see something you want they are willing to ship it to you or hold it if you pay!!!!

Here is their information:

Bride To Be Consignement

Address: 1133 East Cliff Road

                Burnsville, MN 55337

Phone:    1 612.267.4004     

Website: www.bridetobeconsignment.com

Another Way To Save A Few $$$$

My bridesmaids have been looking for their dresses all over and were shocked to see the cost of a dress!  They were looking at tea-length dresses - nothing over the top fancy. I told them to pick what they liked and would be comfortable in.

Then one day while shopping at a local bridal store we found a gorgeous one shoulder, to the floor, black gown - GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!  We then also found out long gowns cost even more!!!!!!!!!  They had the dresses narrowed down to 2 or 3. One day I called the bridal store where I purchased my dress from & asked if my bridesmaids came there to buy there dresses would they get a discount. She said typically they only do that if the groomsmen come there too. 

At this point in the wedding planning process we were only going to have the guys wear black pants, white shirts and black ties so we weren't going to need to rent anything.  I told this to the clerk on the phone & she said she'd call the owner & see what they could do.  They called me back & told me that as long as they pay in full they can get 20% off their dresses!!!! 

So we went to this bridal store & they had the same dresses we liked from the local one & then a new one that had just come in & that is the one we picked!  

To Sum It Up:

 My tip is call your bridal store and see if they will give you a discount for ANYTHING!  If you don't ask you won't find out!!!!!

ELIMINATE EXCUSES

Be determined to eliminate excuses!  Don't let any restrictions, restraints, or reasons cause you to believe that you can justify not doing something or going somewhere.  That one thing that you make an excuse not to do just might be the one thing that you need in order to propel you towards the next dimension in your life.  "Excuses are your fears in disguise."  ~ Jewel Diamond Taylor

A Great Resource

Alright - it's another website - but it's been another great one - www.etsy.com!

I love etsy!!!

 I admire those of you who are crafty and can see things & make them, or just have that natural talent that some of us just don't, doesn't matter how hard I try, I just am not crafty!!

Etsy has been a great resource for gifts, jewelery and ideas in general! 

Here is just one of the many things I have gotten from etsy - knowing it's handmade just for me is pretty cool as well!!!!!!!!



This is something I've had pinned on my wedding pinterest board for a LONG time & have been looking for something similar to this every time I go into a wedding store!  However, they are crazy high priced!!!  Anything I like is well over $100 - crazy to me, I am shocked at the cost of anything bridal.  I found that anytime they put the word "bride" or "wedding" with anything the price about doubles. 

So one afternoon I was admiring this again on Pinterest when I looked at the source it came from & it was Etsy!!!  Woohoo - I was SO excited!  However, I clicked on it - it took me to the website & when th link opened I was let down - SOLD!  Ugh!  Now what, I looked through the stores site & there wasn't anything I liked more, this is the one I wanted!

So I emailed the store owner, whats the worst that can happen I figured, she'd tell me no I can't make this for you! 

Guess what - she said she would!!!!!

 

I just got it in the mail last week, took it in to make sure it matched my dress & sure enough - identical!!!!  I couldn't have been happier!!! 

 It's the little things in life that make us happy!

Sometimes You Get Exactly What You Need!!

And I Needed This!!!!!

You can Change the Circumstance that Can’t be Changed :)

May 8, 2012 in beth and lee mccain,

If there is an experience that you can’t change then do your best to change your attitude about it. Don’t sit and think about your discontentment in the experience. If you have negative feelings about something then find the reason why and do something about it through your attitude. We all have experiences that we would love to change but some experiences ‘just are.’ In those kinds of experiences the only way to make it more positive is to change your attitude instead of hanging on to what you feel resistant about. This will change your perspective and the experience. And then the experience will begin to change. So you see…you can change it.

Think about how freeing this can be. Here you have an experience that you are tired of or don’t want to keep replaying. Maybe it is as simple as you don’t like a certain time at work because of THAT meeting. When it is something that won’t be changed then it is your attitude that will change it. Accept it is there. This doesn’t mean that you have to say, “I love this experience,” because it is obvious that you don’t by how you feel… but if you just accept that it is there, put no judgment or discontentment toward it, and just get it done then you have released the resistant feeling vibration toward the experience. As you release the vibration then what happens is the experience begins to change. First because of how you are experiencing it now and once the resistance is released you will ‘move on’ and the experience will lessen in negativity creating a whole new vibration

Inspiration

Just a short tip today - but it's been great for me!

I didn't get into  at first but lately it's been amazing! 

I go on there a couple of times a week - and it's been a great place to get wedding ideas and inspiration! I have also gotten lots of recipe ideas and craft ideas as well!

Check out my boards at:

http://pinterest.com/lacey_aalderks/wedding-ideas/

15 Things You Should Give Up To Be Happy!

After a couple of rough weeks at work dealing with inner office politics I read this article today & it came at the perfect time - thought it was worth sharing - they are all worht reading!!!

Here is a list of 15 things which, if you give up on them, will make your life a lot easier and much, much happier. We hold on to so many things that cause us a great deal of pain, stress and suffering – and instead of letting them all go, instead of allowing ourselves to be stress free and happy – we cling on to them. Not anymore. Starting today we will give up on all those things that no longer serve us, and we will embrace change.

 Ready?

Here we go:

1. Give up your need to always be right. There are so many of us who can’t stand the idea of being wrong – wanting to always be right – even at the risk of ending great relationships or causing a great deal of stress and pain, for us and for others. It’s just not worth it. Whenever you feel the ‘urgent’ need to jump into a fight over who is right and who is wrong, ask yourself this question: “Would I rather be right, or would I rather be kind?” Wayne Dyer. What difference will that make? Is your ego really that big?

2. Give up your need for control. Be willing to give up your need to always control everything that happens to you and around you – situations, events, people, etc. Whether they are loved ones, coworkers, or just strangers you meet on the street – just allow them to be. Allow everything and everyone to be just as they are and you will see how much better will that make you feel.

“By letting it go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try. The world is beyond winning.” Lao Tzu

3. Give up on blame. Give up on your need to blame others for what you have or don’t have, for what you feel or don’t feel. Stop giving your powers away and start taking responsibility for your life.

4. Give up your self-defeating self-talk. Oh my. How many people are hurting themselves because of their negative, polluted and repetitive self-defeating mindset? Don’t believe everything that your mind is telling you – especially if it’s negative and self-defeating. You are better than that.

“The mind is a superb instrument if used rightly. Used wrongly, however, it becomes very destructive.” Eckhart Tolle

5. Give up your limiting beliefs about what you can or cannot do, about what is possible or impossible. From now on, you are no longer going to allow your limiting beliefs to keep you stuck in the wrong place. Spread your wings and fly!

“A belief is not an idea held by the mind, it is an idea that holds the mind” Elly Roselle

6. Give up complaining. Give up your constant need to complain about those many, many, maaany things – people, situations, events that make you unhappy, sad and depressed. Nobody can make you unhappy, no situation can make you sad or miserable unless you allow it to. It’s not the situation that triggers those feelings in you, but how you choose to look at it. Never underestimate the power of positive thinking.

7. Give up the luxury of criticism. Give up your need to criticize things, events or people that are different than you. We are all different, yet we are all the same. We all want to be happy, we all want to love and be loved and we all want to be understood. We all want something, and something is wished by us all.

8. Give up your need to impress others. Stop trying so hard to be something that you’re not just to make others like you. It doesn’t work this way. The moment you stop trying so hard to be something that you’re not, the moment you take off all your masks, the moment you accept and embrace the real you, you will find people will be drawn to you, effortlessly.

9. Give up your resistance to change. Change is good. Change will help you move from A to B. Change will help you make improvements in your life and also the lives of those around you. Follow your bliss, embrace change – don’t resist it.

“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls” Joseph Campbell

10. Give up labels. Stop labeling those things, people or events that you don’t understand as being weird or different and try opening your mind, little by little. Minds only work when open.

“The highest form of ignorance is when you reject something you don’t know anything about.” Wayne Dyer

11. Give up on your fears. Fear is just an illusion, it doesn’t exist – you created it. It’s all in your mind. Correct the inside and the outside will fall into place.

“The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.” Franklin D. Roosevelt

12. Give up your excuses. Send them packing and tell them they’re fired. You no longer need them. A lot of times we limit ourselves because of the many excuses we use. Instead of growing and working on improving ourselves and our lives, we get stuck, lying to ourselves, using all kind of excuses – excuses that 99.9% of the time are not even real.

13. Give up the past. I know, I know. It’s hard. Especially when the past looks so much better than the present and the future looks so frightening, but you have to take into consideration the fact that the present moment is all you have and all you will ever have. The past you are now longing for – the past that you are now dreaming about – was ignored by you when it was present. Stop deluding yourself. Be present in everything you do and enjoy life. After all life is a journey not a destination. Have a clear vision for the future, prepare yourself, but always be present in the now.

14. Give up attachment. This is a concept that, for most of us is so hard to grasp and I have to tell you that it was for me too, (it still is) but it’s not something impossible. You get better and better at with time and practice. The moment you detach yourself from all things, (and that doesn’t mean you give up your love for them – because love and attachment have nothing to do with one another, attachment comes from a place of fear, while love… well, real love is pure, kind, and self less, where there is love there can’t be fear, and because of that, attachment and love cannot coexist) you become so peaceful, so tolerant, so kind, and so serene. You will get to a place where you will be able to understand all things without even trying. A state beyond words.

15. Give up living your life to other people’s expectations. Way too many people are living a life that is not theirs to live. They live their lives according to what others think is best for them, they live their lives according to what their parents think is best for them, to what their friends, their enemies and their teachers, their government and the media think is best for them. They ignore their inner voice, that inner calling. They are so busy with pleasing everybody, with living up to other people’s expectations, that they lose control over their lives. They forget what makes them happy, what they want, what they need….and eventually they forget about themselves. You have one life – this one right now – you must live it, own it, and especially don’t let other people’s opinions distract you from your path

Another Money Saving Tip

Today's wedding saving tip!!!

I have been on www.craigslist.com off and on throughout the entire wedding planning process - however so far I have only found one item from there that I have purchased - but again it's saved me plenty of money and was well worth it.  Once you start checking craigslist you'll be able to only go on about once a week if that as there aren't (at least in this area) that many new wedding postings - so that's nice - there isn't a ton to have to sort through! 

Here's what I got on craigslist:

Wedding Deals!

That's right more wedding stuff!  I knew that I didn't want to go broke planning my wedding so I thought I'd share some tips/ideas on how I have been planning and some great deals that I've gotten!

For today - because this one is fresh in my mind I will let you know that I got 120 programs for $45, I will need to print them myself - but they were what I was looking for & let's be honest who is going to remember the program - most will get thrown away!  However, I did still want them to match and look nice and go with my black/white & red theme!  So the first tip I am going to share is to go to the website www.weddingbee.com   This website has great ideas/tips/ and  a classifieds site on it just for wedding stuff!!!!  I got my programs from someone in Canada that  wasn't able to use them because they weren't large enough for all of the items that she needed to put on the program.

I looked them up and these would cost $40/box if I were to have ordered them myself - so I felt this was a great way to save some money!!!!

Gratitude

Begin your day by feeling grateful. Be grateful for the bed you just slept in, the roof over your head, the carpet or floor under your feet, the running water, the soap, your shower, your toothbrush, your clothes, your shoes, the refrigerator that keeps your food cold, the car that you drive, your job, your friends. Be grateful for the stores that make it so easy to buy the things you need, the restaurants, the utilities, services, and electrical appliances that make your life effortless. Be grateful for the magazines and the books that you read. Be grateful for the chair that you sit on, and the pavement that you walk on. Be grateful for the weather, the sun, the sky, the birds, the trees, the grass, the rain, and the flowers.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

May the joy be with you,

Rhonda Byrne

YUMMMMM, YUMMMM, oh yeah Yummmmm!!!

So I found this recipe on Pinterest this past week & brought it to a family get together & let me tell you it went over amazing!!! Escpecially by the kids!!!!!!

Funfetti Cake Dip

(serves 1-2)

3 tablespoons funfetti cake mix powder
2 tablespoons yogurt, plain or vanilla flavor
1 tablespoon whipped cream (cool whip works too)

1. In a small bowl mix together the cake mix and yogurt until smooth.
2. Gently fold in the whipped cream until combined.
3. Serve with fruit, graham crackers, or animal crackers to dip and enjoy your party in a bowl. :)

Now this recipe only makes 1-2 servings as you'll see above - I just kept adding until my bowl had about as much as I wanted & I served this with animal crackers - it was AMAZING!!!  Oh & amazingly easy to make!!!!!

50 questions that will free your mind!

From: HereBecause sometimes asking the right questions is the answer.

1.How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?
2.Which is worse, failing or never trying?

3.If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?

4.When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?

5.What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world?

6.If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?

7.Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?

8.If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?

9.To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?

10.Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?

11.You’re having lunch with three people you respect and admire. They all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend. The criticism is distasteful and unjustified. What do you do?

12.If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?

13.Would you break the law to save a loved one?

14.Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity?

15.What’s something you know you do differently than most people?

16.How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy?

17.What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What’s holding you back?

18.Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?

19.If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why?

20.Do you push the elevator button more than once? Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster?

21.Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton?

22.Why are you, you?

23.Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend?

24.Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you?

25.What are you most grateful for?

26.Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones?

27.Is is possible to know the truth without challenging it first?

28.Has your greatest fear ever come true?

29.Do you remember that time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset? Does it really matter now?

30.What is your happiest childhood memory? What makes it so special?

31.At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?

32.If not now, then when?

33.If you haven’t achieved it yet, what do you have to lose?

34.Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever?

35.Why do religions that support love cause so many wars?

36.Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil?

37.If you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job?

38.Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing?

39.Do you feel like you’ve lived this day a hundred times before?

40.When was the last time you marched into the dark with only the soft glow of an idea you strongly believed in?

41.If you knew that everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today?
42.Would you be willing to reduce your life expectancy by 10 years to become extremely attractive or famous?
43.What is the difference between being alive and truly living?

44.When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards, and just go ahead and do what you know is right?

45.If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make a mistake?

46.What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?

47.When was the last time you noticed the sound of your own breathing?

48.What do you love? Have any of your recent actions openly expressed this love?

49.In 5 years from now, will you remember what you did yesterday? What about the day before that? Or the day before that?

50.Decisions are being made right now. The question is: Are you making them for yourself, or are you letting others make them for you?

OMG - how amazing is this!!!!!!

I CAN'T WAIT TO TRY THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!

I needed this today!

Luv This!

Doesn't this picture just make you happy!!!!

LOVE MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND!

Valentine's Day is named after Saint Valentine and was originally observed as a day on which lovers expressed love for each other.

Presenting flowers or sending greeting cards became known as "valentines." Some like to refer to this day as "love day"- a time to show any all of your loved ones how much you care for them.

 

BE GRATEFUL!

Today, be grateful. Be grateful for your favorite music, for movies that make you feel good, for your phone that connects you with people, for your computer, and for the electricity that lights up your life. Be grateful for air travel that flies you everywhere. Be grateful for the roads and traffic lights that keep the traffic in order. Be grateful to those who built our bridges. Be grateful for your pet, for your child, for your loved ones, for your eyes that enable you to read this. Be grateful for your imagination. Be grateful that you can think. Be grateful that you can speak. Be grateful that you can laugh and smile. Be grateful that you can breathe. Be grateful that you are alive! Be grateful that you are You!

Be grateful that there are two words that can change your life.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

 
Rhonda Byrne

I think we can all use this once in awhile!

The Optimist Creed reads....

I promise myself...

to be so strong that nothing can disturb my peace of mind.

to talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person i meet.

to make all your friends feel that there is something in them.

to look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

to think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.

to be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

to forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

to wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.

to give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry,

too noble for anger,

too strong for fear,

and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

~Chistian D. Larson

Heaven Is For Real

I just read Heaven Is For Real For Kids by Todd & Brenda Burpo as told by Colton Burpo!  I had read 3/4 of the adult version on my sisters nook while on vacation and couldn't put that book down!  I still can't wait to finish the adult book!  So I was thrilled to see that I could read this book for children.

I think this book is beautifully written for kids from a child!  I think it had beautiful picutres and kept it to the point not making it scary for kids either.  I think this is a great book to introduce kids to heaven and hopefully be able to answer their questions. 

I thought it was great that the book had a bible passage also with each story to pull the bible into it and keep things even more real as well!

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I am under no obligation to write a positive or negative review of this book. The opinions expressed are exclusively my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

Why Men Hate Going To Church!

I just read Why Men Hate Going To Church By David Murrow! 

This book has a lot of great points in it and I think hits the nail right on the head with the concerns issues that are going on in the church.  I think church can mean different things to different people and everyone is unique.  That being said - church can be unique to everyone - men or women.  I do think that church's will need to change as society changes to more spirituality vs religion.  I think we will see this. 

I do think the author does bring up some valid points regarding relevant issues that maybe all pastors might not be aware of - and just need brought to their attention. 

I think some of his metaphors for describing the Christina life were helpful and could be helpful to others as well.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I am under no obligation to write a positive or negative review of this book. The opinions expressed are exclusively my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

You Invited How Many?!

So I thought I had our guest list under control, thought I was doing well!  I had the wedding guest list typed up all nicely in an Xcel Spreadsheet and I had the Dance guest list in another spreadsheet!  I was feeling VERY good about it!  Dave & I both had agreed we'd like the wedding/meal guest list to be around 100-120. 

So Friday night we sat down to go over the list & now we have a problem! 

 I had right over 100 people that we would be inviting to the dance and after talking with Dave we are now up near 160!!!!!!!!!!!! Now what?!  I gave in and said we could go up to 125 - but do you know how much it will cost to feed 125 people?!  

Yeah, I know you have some idea!

So somehow now Dave needs to cut 40 people from our guest list and move them over to the dance list.  I printed the list off for him & he is going to try to work on it during the week - so we'll see where that gets us!

Wish us luck on this one!!!!!!!

What did I accomplish today?!

I ordered my table runners

I sent in the deposit for the venue!!!!

Things are moving right along!!!

We Did It!

What you ask?!

I have a dress!

The Pastor is lined up!!

I have chosen my colors!!!

We set a date!!!!!!!!! 

&

We have a venue!!!!!!!!

Finally!

Here it is:

10-12-12

At:

Crow River Golf Course in Hutchinson

Wedding & Ceremony both at the same place!

Luv This Song!!!

Wedding Update

So - who knew wedding planning would be SO stressful and who knew Dave would have SOOO many opinions! 

However, in the past few days I have:

Found my dress - check

Confirmed that the Pastor we want can/will marry us - check

Decided on a venue - check

Bought wedding shoes - check

Decided on a cake situation - check

Decided approximately when the wedding will be - check

(waiting to hear from a couple people to make sure there are no conflicts)

Decided Colors - check

Decided on tablecloths - check

Decided on punch bowl situation - check

(There won't be any!  We will have something else instead)

Writing these all out make me feel better about where we are at - just need to get some things actually lined up now!!!!