Friday's Letters - 5

Dear Olympics, you have kicked my butt this week. These late nights are KILLING me, coupled with the excitement of watching our best of the best experience this once-in-a-lifetime journey. The competitors' stories from around the world have put me into tears, all snotty nose and puffy-eyed.  I'm so thankful I've had the opportunity to watch you night after night and cheer for TEAM USA!

Dear AH and Macy, my sweet nieces, I'm so glad I had a chance to spend time with you this weekend. :) It makes me very very happy!


Dear Leslie & Locks of Love, Thank You! I love my new do - 10-inches shorter and a heck of a lot lighter!! I hope a child can use the 2.45 tons of hair I just sent their way! :)


Dear Martha Stewart Living blog, thank you for introducing me to new websites/apps that can do cool things with my Instagram photos! I've been scouting out your recommendations, like ImageSnap and Printstagram which are oh-so-cool. I will be using them for some of my instagram photos. (a few I found on my own:  Coastermatic, Stickygram, & Postagram)

Dear ten key, I never dreamed it would be possible, but after keying in 1.359 million numbers, I can finally use you without looking any longer.  Now, if the telephone keypad would be in the same order as you (789,456,123 from top to bottom), I'd quit dialing wrong numbers....

Dear Clock, You are the only place I have found that puts a "Lost Dog" on the menu. It is one of my favs. (Hot dog with no dog, just chili!) And your tater wedges are super tasty (as opposed to t-a-s-t-e-y like Fergie spells it).  You were a great weekend splurge.

Dear Rosebud, I'm SO GLAD you are finished! Mom rocked in making you. :)  And you are adorable cute instead of sassy now.

Dear Readers - I AM SO EXCITED you are here! I am! I'm over the moon that you found me. I hope you'll come back often. :)

Click Here to Join The Fun!

Thirty Things on Thursday - 2

Question number 2:

 Describe 3 legitimate fears you have and explain how they became fears.

2011 tornado, Alabama

1. A literally translated fear: tornadoes. And I'm not really sure why. I have tried to remember something that scared me - a newcast, tv show, personal friend who experienced a tornado, but it just doesn't seem to make logical sense. But I am terrified of tornadoes.  Funny enough, when I planned to visit my friend in Alabama, I was trying to schedule around the height of "tornado season" only to leave a few weeks after the worst tornadoes tore up the communities surrounding her house and workplace.  The devastation was dramatic. One I'll never forget. Then the Joplin tornado hit while I was there visiting with her!
   
   Want to hear something strange? I used to have nightmares about tornadoes semi-frequently and the oddest part was the tornado would always hop over the house I was living in. It would tear a clear path right up to my house, only to jump right over it and keep going on the other side. I think it was God's way of telling me to let this go, He's got me covered.
   
2. I'll die in a slow and pain-filled way.  Even as a pre-teen, I've always been afraid of "pain and illness."  Isn't that ridiculous?  I don't want to have something that will drag on and make me someone I'm really not. Again, I really don't know how this fear came about. I did have grandparents in the nursing home, but this fear was there well before that happened. So where the heck did this come from?? *sigh* I'm just weird.
   
3. That I'm not good enough. I'm not good enough to venture into selling my ideas, my crafts, etc. I don't have the chops to measure up to others, my skills aren't quite good enough, someone else is always better. I sell myself short frequently and I know I've been doing it forever. Since high school when I was too afraid to go out for drum corps. I could have totally made it but I had convinced myself there was no way possible I'd get in. So I didn't try. I see myself dragging my feet everyday, defeated before I even start. 

So there are my fears for a Thursday in August. What uplifting conversation - maybe this isn't the best idea I've ever had?? Hrm. Oh well, I'm knee deep into it now! :) 

(I'm participating in Thirty Things. Learn more here!)  

Touched.

see these rings

Happy Tuesday! Oh my gosh, why can't it be Thursday?! I'm zonked from staying up late to watch the Olympics.  I love the Olympics.  I love the patriotic camaraderie we all seem to have surrounding our team.  We cheer them on from our couches and become experts in every sport every four years. Outside of the Olympics, I would never watch most of this stuff. I'm just not sports oriented.

I will say I'm tired of the bashing NBC has received over delayed viewing. HOWEVER, I will also ask why they only put the gymnastics very last? Let the pool people stay up until midnight, I need my sleep!

Speaking of sleep, guess who visited my house last night. Katie was suffering from a migraine so mom brought Macy to my house while she helped Katie out until Roger got home.  Little Miss wanted to pitch a hissy fit until we went outside on the glider, where she immediately passed out.

Property of Leen Machine

I opened my mail box and found the most wonderful present of all - a letter from my friend, Paulene, written on a card she designed especially for me! Ok, maybe not only for me, but inspired by our friendship, which I cherish greatly.  She is sharing these cards with everyone!

Visit her blog here and download these free printable for you to share with people you love and care about.  You can never tell someone enough time how much they mean to you.  And I believe having it written down is even better because it's something you can tangibly hold on to and read over and over.

I remember when my ex deployed, I carried his letters with me in my purse and would read them over and over. I'd print out emails, too, but seeing his handwriting was so much more special.  Especially when I was missing him so much and he was so far away.  ... *sigh*  So go, NOW, and print these cards out to send to someone you love!

Love... Macy Love. :)  You know you wanted to see more pictures of her. Just admit it.

OK, I think I've bent your ear long enough (or crossed your eyes long enough??) anyway - go enjoy the rest of your day/week. And thanks for visiting my blog today. You've made my day! :)

Muffin Monday

Muffin and I are exhausted after staying up so late to watch the Olympics. She was nice enough to let me sleep until the alarm went off this morning. I don't think she was awake, either.

Have a great week and go Team USA!

posted from Bloggeroid

Friday's Letters - 4

Dear Paulene, Thank you for understanding my passion for Lizard's Thicket. No where else can you get carrot raisin salad and it is just so delicious. It was also super awesome catching up with you and seeing how totally happy you are in life. You inspire me every day! I'm very thankful for your friendship! :)

Dear voters, I spent most of this week trying to call you to say your card bounced back in the mail to us. I really want you to vote in November, so can you please work with me and get your address corrected?

Dear Muffin, seriously, what is up with all the new habits you are forming? You are 11 - 12 years old? Why are you now destroying my sequinned flipflops and licking the floor? It's bizarre, weird and kinda creeps me out. Can you please go back to being semi-normal?

Dear Twitter, You are keeping me up in the middle of the night, reading what people are doing all over the world. It's really creating some sleep deprivation that is screwing my system up. 


Dear Macy, your poor little tummy has not been happy... well... pretty much since you were born. I hope this clears up soon and you sleep better at night. Hearing you cry breaks my heart.  But you are still incredibly cute and adorable. :) 

Dear Olympics, OH MY GOSH, you are starting TONIGHT and I'm so excited! Can't wait can't wait can't wait! :)  I have a Twitter list of a dozen Olympic-themed tweeters just to keep up with all the action! Gymnastics are my favorite but I'll sit around and watch about anything. Have I said I can't wait!? EEIIIKKKKKKKK! :)

Join the fun here! 

Thirty Things on Thursday -1

As I was stumbling around on blogs that I've discovered from Friday's Letters, I found someone posting about Thirty Things.  I think I'm a bit late on this, but I loved the concept. More info about the original Thirty Things is located here. 

I don't typically take time to evaluate things too heavily.  But, this could be fun.  A new game for Thursdays, if nothing else. :)  Here is this first question:

1.   List 20 random facts about yourself.

Wow. That's a lot. Here goes nothing: 

1. My family is awesome. I am so very blessed to have the family I do and I try not to take it for granted. 
2. I am very thankful to have God in my life and have made an effort to become closer to Him. I am no where laughably near being where I need to be, but I'm praying and working on it. :) 
3. Our military are heroes in my book. I pray for them and their families.
4. Being an aunt is one of the best things I've ever accomplished in my life and not really had to do anything to claim the title! Love it! My nieces are great. 
5. I'm a chunky monkey. I haven't always been a chunky monkey and I'm taking baby steps to change it. Please say a prayer that God gives me the strength I need because this is not where I should be in life. It's not easy to change bad habits! 
6. Speaking of unhealthy...I'm a beefaterian. The only meat I eat is Beef. 
7. Yes, this means I don't eat bacon. Or fish. Or chicken. (Keep asking, I'll keep saying nope.)
8. Writing is a passion of mine. Love it. Have three pen pals across America and two guys I'm sending letters to overseas right now. 
9. I write a monthly column for a local "magazine." It's not glossy - it's newsprint - filled with nothing but columns from writers covering topics from the law, car care, internet tips, cooking, politics, storytelling, history, etc. 
10. I honestly enjoy people, what makes them different, special, their stories, talents, skills and so on. 
11. I am VERY PROUD to be Southern. I was glad to get my Southern accent back once I lost it in college. It makes me mad when people portray us as uneducated just because we have a drawl. 
12. I really enjoy quotes - quotes about any and everything.  I look up quotes for inspiration frequently.
13. Every Monday, I post a new picture of my furbaby, Muffin, who has been my sidekick for about 11 or so years. She's my companion, my buddy... 
14. I do wonder sometimes what's wrong with me that I haven't found my mate yet. I laugh when people say, "We'll, if he's in his 30's and never married, something must be wrong with him!" but really, those types of comments kinda hurt. Because I'm 36 and never been married. 
15. Everything makes me think of a song, a cheer, a marketing jingle... the girls in the office just love it. I sing and cheer all day long - whenever someone says something that sets off a song in my head. 
16. If I don't know the words to a song, I'll substitute the word, "Meow." So I meow a lot, too. My niece, Macy, will end up saying, "Meow," as her first word since that's how I sing to her all the time. 
17. There is a special place in my heart for people with disabilities. 
18. I'm very blessed with friends in my life - I just wished some of them lived closer. My friends range in ages from their mid-20's to their 60's and I think that's awesome. 
19. Christmas is my most all-time favorite season. Love it love it love it. I used to love my birthday, but I'm loving it a little less. 
20. I didn't realize how hard it would be to come up with 20 things to say about myself. Not that anyone is still reading because seriously, who finds this interesting? OH! but I thought of one more - I enjoy photograhy! So there, a true 20! 

Wow. I'm kinda glad that is done.  I'm really sorry I have bored you with this. Next Thursday, I guess I'll try to work on the next question.  Here is the complete list below.  

2.   Describe 3 legitimate fears you have and explain how they became fears.
3.   Describe your relationship with your parents.
4.   List 10 things you would tell your 16 year-old self, if you could.
5.   What are the 5 things that make you most happy right now?
6.   What is the hardest thing you have ever experienced?
7.   What is your dream job, and why?
8.   What are 5 passions you have?
9.   List 10 people who have influenced you and describe how.
10. Describe your most embarrasing moment.
11. Describe 10 pet peeves you have.
12. Describe a typical day in your current life.
13. Describe 5 weaknesses you have.
14. Describe 5 strengths you have.
15. If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
16. What are your 5 greatest accomplishments?
17. What is the thing you most wish you were great at?
18. What has been the most difficult thing you have had to forgive?
19. If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?
20. Describe 3 significant memories from your childhood.
21. If you could have one superpower, what would it be and what would you do with it first?
22. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 15 years?
23. List your top 5 hobbies and why you love them.
24. Describe your family dynamic of your childhood vs. your family dynamic now.
25. If you could have dinner with anyone in history, who would it be and what would you eat?
26. What popular notion do you think the world has most wrong?
27. What is your favorite part of your body and why?
28. What is your love language?
29. What do you think people misundertand most about you?
30. List 10 things you would hope to be remembered for.

Catch Up

I finally have a moment to breathe and caught up on my blog reading.  I hate it when I put it off, but enjoy seeing all the cool entries all at once, too. The photos, recipes, updates on life, inspirations - makes for a fun block of time. :)

Image from  http://paulenecruse.blogspot.com 

One thing I didn't want to miss - nor do I want YOU to miss - are these awesome printable bookmarks by my friend, Paulene. VISIT HER BLOG here to print your very own colorful bookmark and share one with a friend!  Yes, this would be Paulene that I saw this weekend. I'm sometimes amazed that I personally know such talented people.  She is super talented, nice and a really good friend. 

PS - don't try to print from that picture to the right. That is what she used to promote it on her website. Just click the picture or the link above and GO TO THE actual download page for crystal clear printable. 

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On a totally unrelated note, I've been following all these countries on Twitter who are part of the Rotation Curation project.  Each week the country is represented by a new tweeter! It's a great concept, began by @sweden and now I believe there are fifty or more countries involved. It's been so cool to see photos from all over the world in real time. One guy (@travisbutler representing @WeAreAustralia) even took my random directions for his next 5 turns (left, left, right, left, right) and took a picture of where he ended up. How cool is that? Pretty neat.  

Anyway, so I have been taking more pictures of my drive into work and sharing periodically with the world because so many aren't from a countryside type of environment.  You know, where public transportation is non-existent and the cows are grazing on the hillside? Anyway, here are a few recent shots.  Extremes within one season: 

Same road. One on the way to work and one on the way home from work.  Love the shadows on the road cast by the clouds in the second picture.  Of course, it ended up storming fiercely later that evening... 

Anyway, I can't sign off without leaving you with one more Macy photo to just make your day!