Life Lessons 20 - 24.

20.  All stereotypes are grounded in some kind of truth.

21.  Dead skunks resemble the smell of ground coffee.  I know, you're thinking "What the hell?"  But  
       I'm serious...next time you smell a dead skunk, pretend you're sitting in Starbucks, and tell me if 
       it's not similar in scent.

22.  Pepper spray expires.

23.  Wearing spandex leggings in public without a shirt long enough to cover your ass cheeks,
        should be illegal.

24.  Really nice ink pens are hard to come by.

....to be continued.

My Kodachrome, My Friend.

Just some shots I snapped awhile back when we were visiting my parents - they own 20 acres in the country.  It's a photographer's play ground.

A Fest of Bats.

The title of this post isn't a clever play on words, I'm actually talking about a Bat Fest!! 

For any of you who frequent Dinosaur Mommy's Facebook page, you'll know that I like to ask my readers about their weekends plans, holiday plans, etc.  In light of Halloween coming upon us, I asked if anyone had big Halloween plans for the weekend.  Someone piped in and said they were going to the Bat Festival.  First off, I had no idea there was such a thing as a Bat Fest.  Second, I was a little disappointed to learn that it's only a few miles from where I grew up, yet I didn't know about it until now.  And finally, not only did I not know it was coming this year, but I've been missing it for the last six years too!  The Lubee Bat Conservatory here in Gainesville will be hosting their 7th Annual Bat Festival on Saturday, October 29 from 10:00am to 4:00pm.   It's free, and open to the public.  You can check the flier below, or visit their website for more information.  So, if you're in town, and feeling adventurous, fly on over and check it out!

Raindrops.

Earlier this week I actually took the time to scribble down some blog ideas that came to mind.  I organized them by date...up to the 15th of November - yes, I believe that does make me borderline OCD.  Possibly not borderline...maybe just a full blown case of OCD.  My schedule wasn't etched in stone, but it's a decent compilation of ideas in case my brain decides to be tired one afternoon.  I have my helpful list of topics in front of me:  October 26 - Cooking Club of America.  October 27 - Couponing.  If you read yesterday's post, you know that A Borrowed Blog had absolutely nothing to do with the Cooking Club of America, and if you continue to read, you'll find that today's content isn't remotely close to couponing.  I'm sure you're gravely disappointed.  I'll make it up to you.

Nutmeg and B in Kentucky.

My sister, Nutmeg (it's a nickname, not her real name), lives in Tennessee.  Well...before I go any further, let me first back up and school you in how that came about.  My sister and I went to college together - we were roommates, believe it or not.  We always shared a room growing up, so it just seemed normal to live in the same room once we moved out.  We did the dorm life thing for three years until we moved into our first apartment.  We were both working full time as preschool teachers, and could afford to live somewhere off campus.  So, we found a place within walking distance of school and work, and moved in.  It was a two-bedroom, second floor duplex on Winfree Street.  It was old, and drafty with no dishwasher, and only a window unit air conditioning -- anyone in Florida knows window units and the summer heat just weren't made for each other.  God bless the inventor of fans!  Our apartment had the original hard wood floors, arched door ways, and the windows were white, wooden paned.  Living there, was the first time in our entire lives that we had separate bedrooms.  Adjustment.  But it was a good adjustment. 

She [my sister] started dating this guy - B.  He was in a band.  I didn't like him.  There was something that just rubbed me the wrong way.  Come to find out, me and him have much of the same personality traits, which is probably why we bumped heads.  Things are copacetic now, but it was a long time coming.  He's a great guy, and he's good to my sister.  So, I can't ask for much more than that.  Back to what I was saying...they dated for awhile, but eventually broke up when he decided to move back home to Tennessee.  In the months following, a lot of changes happened.  I got married, our positions at the preschool both came to an end, and our cozy Winfree apartment was soon traded in for a much nicer place that could accommodate the two of us plus my new groom.  It wasn't but two months after M and I got married, that Nutmeg was offered a full time nanny position with a family we had taught in the preschool.  The only catch?  It was in Kentucky.  She soon moved, and life was way different - for me and her.  If you know anything about geography, you'll know that Kentucky and Tennessee are neighboring states...the ex-boyfriend had now morphed into best friend, and Nutmeg was quickly adopted into the family.  This proved to be an even bigger blessing, when the nanny position ended, and she was offered a corporate position in TN just a few months later. 

Muff Muff the cat.

B's family was her family - a home away from home.  He lived at home with his parents, two brothers, Muff-Muff the cat, and Patches - a smelly little dog that no one seemed to like.  Strangely, when I visited, I really bonded with the smelly dog...not sure what that's saying about me.  Poor Patches.  Back to the story...B and Nutmeg eventually went from best friends back to an item.  She got along really well with B's entire family, but she had a unique connection with B's mom...almost like kindred spirits if you will. 

Over the past two years, I've heard story after story about the mother-daughter relationship they have formed...they have coffee together, go to movies, go shopping, cook together, talk - everything a mother-daughter would do.  I don't think I've ever told Nutmeg, but I've always counted it as a blessing for her to have a bond like that with B's mom.  Before she moved, me and Nutmeg were always together, and not having that in-person, day-to-day, sisterly connection has been hard at times.  But, I've found comfort for her knowing that she's got someone there. 

In May 2010, things changed.  B's mom was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor.  They did her first surgery a month after being diagnosed - most of her symptoms slowly subsided, and life got back to normal.  Then there were seizures, and another surgery followed in December of last year.  She wasn't back to 100%, but through many prayers of loved ones and strangers alike, she was on the road to recovery.  Out of nowhere on August 30 of this year, I get a text from my sister saying that they had just rushed B's mom to the hospital following another seizure.  At first, they thought it was a side effect of the medicine she was on.  They ran tests - the tumor was back.  This time, inoperable.  According to doctors, there's about a month left. 

I've met B's mom once, and felt like I had known her forever.  Absolutely one of the most loving, giving, carefree people I've ever met.  Genuine.  After my sister gave me the news today, I was pretty much left speechless.  Completely in shock.  My heart sank to my stomach.  I don't understand it.  Suddenly, the Cooking Club of America and couponing didn't seem important at all.  Perspective.  I sat in my office - alone - thinking, praying, listening.  A song came on the radio - the words seemed so appropriate...

 'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops

What if your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights is what it takes to know You're near

What if trials of this life, are Your mercies in disguise?

God is bigger.  God is greater.  God is Healer. 

A Borrowed Blog.

It's Wednesday, and I'm feeling way uninspired.  I don't know if it's the lack of sleep I've been dealing with over the past few days, or just a mid-week slump perhaps.  Either way, I am running on very little brain power - my batteries are about done.  Creative blogging was out of the question today, but I knew I needed to say something...even if it's just a blurp.  Don't worry - I'll leave you with something more interesting than the four sentences prior to this one.

Me and M have quite a story about how we met, how things came together, and how we got to where we are now.  A couple of years ago, when I was feeling very inspired, I thought it would be a good idea to put us down on paper.  That's what you'll find below.  It's lengthy, and yes, I borrowed it from myself, but it's definitely worth the read.  We've had a lot of trials since this was first published, but we've made it.  I'll write more on those rough times at a later date.  Until then, happy reading!


GOD BLESS THE SALT SHAKER.

I grew up in a very rural town about fifty miles northwest of Gainesville. It's very heavily populated with rednecks and redneck ideas. Thankfully, I was raised in a loving, Christian home where my parents taught us (myself, sister and brother) to love and accept people of all colors, races, cultures, and ethnic backgrounds. Neither of my parents grew up in the area, (my Dad is from Springfield, Ill, and my Mom from Richmond, VA), so I'm proud to say they are cultured and well-rounded people. Those qualities carried over into their parenting skills - praise the Lord - and they now have three emotionally healthy and diverse adult children. Growing up in Dixie County, there wasn't much diversity when it came to the color of people's skin. There is a medium-sized black population, but the area is primarily white. Racial tension runs high, even to this day.

As a little girl, I remember being attracted to black boys more than white boys, and as I got older the attraction only grew stronger. As a teenager, I remember "interracial" dating being such a hot topic at my school, and with that being said the student body seemed to be divided by a very definite line - those who were down and those who found it undesirable (that's putting it mildly). Growing up, I remember hearing derogatory remarks like,

"It's just not the way God intended it...look at the birds - cardinals stay with cardinals, blue jays with blue jays ."

"Black people just....smell different, and they have different diseases."

"Don't have sex with black men or you'll get AIDS...they all have it ."

"Why can't you just stay with your own kind?"

"Why would anyone want to do that? Don't you know black people came from a white person and a monkey ?"

"Oh, you're boyfriend is black? Well, I don't really like black people ."

The list goes on. I think my personal favorite went something like this, "Well, those aren't real relationships...those are just black guys raping white women." I was stunned. When I heard that phrase leave my coworker's mouth, I felt the blood rush out of my face. I'm sure I was as white as a ghost. My legs felt like they were cemented to the floor. I couldn't move. Speechless. I mean, what do you really say back to such a spout of ignorance? People say racism is taught...I believe it. While most of the above quotes are memories from my teen and early adult years, even as a child I remember feeling a bit queasy when hearing strangers use the word "nigger". I wasn't raised that way. My parents weren't that way - they taught me better. I remember hearing my grandpa throw around the "N-word" as if it was nothing. It always baffled me how ignorance still festered in his old age. I thought wisdom came with age...boy, did I learn differently as I grew up. As a little white girl, I couldn't understand why people would use that word or anything like it. After all, being black or white or brown or yellow was only an outward thing...no one can help what color they are. "Isn't it what's on the inside that counts anyway?", I would think as a kid. It [that word] always made me feel gross...and as a grown woman, it still makes me cringe. Ignorance...simply put.

When I was 14, I remember praying that God would soon send me something or someone who would encourage and help me in my walk of faith - someone who had my back and could help me grow in my spiritual journey. From that point until high school graduation, I didn't date much, but I talked to lots of boys - black, white and brown. And one night in December of 1999, I ran into "RayH7" in a Christian chat room for college aged kids. It was called "The Salt Shaker". Now, for those of you who remember AOL chat rooms, you might remember how people would introduce themselves when entering a room. It usually went something like this: age/race&sex/location. There he was, Mr RayH7, 22/BM/VA....typing in black Arial font - bold. I remember it like it was yesterday. I said "hi", only to be ignored. Disappointing. About three weeks later in January '00, I revisited the Salt Shaker....and who was there?....none other than Ray, typing in his trusty black Arial font - bold. ;-) He didn't ignore me this time, and after talking for roughly an hour, I mustered up the courage to send him a private message. It was the beginning of a new chapter.

Ray was a strong Christian, came from a good family, and seemed to have all the qualities a girl could ask for. But things soon proved themselves to be more difficult then I had imagined....I was barely 18, and still living under my parents' roof. He was 22, and on the verge of moving out of his parents' home. He was in Virginia, I was in Florida. He was black, I was white. I tried to be as open as possible with my parents about this new found relationship, but there were issues. Although my parents had raised us to love all colors, there had always been that underlying "interracial" issue. I knew my parents would be accepting in the long run, but that initial shock of "Oh my God...he's black!!" had to wear off. An even bigger issue for them was the online thing. Today, with sites like eharmony, match.com, and plenty-of-fish, dating online is pretty much the norm; but, 10yrs ago - not so much. In the months following, Ray and I got to know each other - well...very well. We spent endless hours chatting on AIM, and sent countless emails back and forth. I have floppy disks full of pictures, conversations, and emails. By the summer of 2000, I remember thinking, "Man, the woman this man marries, is going to be so blessed!" I must add to, that although we had been talking for about 9 months, I had yet to see his picture. He had seen mine, but here I was...falling for a man, who's face I'd never seen! But it was too late, by the fall, I was hooked!! I was just praying that God would make this man attractive to me. When I finally received the email, I was scared to open it. I remember staring at it in my inbox...terrified of clicking on it. What if I wasn't attracted to him? I've invested 2 months shy of a year into getting to know this guy...what if?? I clicked. I opened. What a relief. He was cute!! Praise Jesus in Heaven!

At this time, I was still living at home, and there were already 2 strikes against me - online dating (strike 1), and he's black (strike 2). So, I knew I would have to do all in my power to keep things as open and peaceful as possible with my parents. I knew things with Ray were going to get serious eventually, so I had to smooth my path and keep my windows of communication wide open! Respecting their [my parents] rules since I was still living under their roof was my top priority. I must add, though, that my parents now ADORE my husband. They are nothing but supportive of us, and I know people have given them grief over the years as well. At the time, respecting my parents' rules meant I was not allowed to give out our home address to write real letters, and no phone calls. Thank God for P.O. boxes and e-cards that allowed real-live voice messages. In the summer of 2001, Ray and I decided to make things as official as two people who had never met (in person) could. :)

 

After finishing up a year of college in south Florida, Ray headed back to Virgina to enjoy some down time away from school. Almost two years in, and we still hadn't met. Would it ever happen? Then the unimaginable struck - September 11, 2001. As we all remember, 9/11 changed the world as we knew it...indefinitely. It also changed our relationship. Being the man he is, Ray enlisted in the USAF and left for basic training on March 23, 2002. I remember the day he left...it was rainy. I sat in my car in the parking lot of Santa Fe College and cried my eyes out. When would I talk to him again? What was he doing? Would our relationship survive this? I was so proud of him, but at the same time....crushed! I was selfish and scared. We were now even further apart - he was shipped to Texas - and our dreams of meeting in person were pushed back yet again. After spending the past 2+ years talking EVERY day, I knew it would be weeks before I'd hear from him again. I was going through serious withdrawals...just like that - cold turkey. He was my best friend, my therapist, my comic relief...and now I would count the minutes until I received word from him. By this point, I had secured my own personal post office box so that we could write. I received my first (of many) letter from him in April 2002...and I still have every one he's ever written. :) After finishing basic training, he went to tech school for a matter of weeks, which was also in TX. By Summer of 2002, basic and tech school were finished...and he got his first legitimate orders. I held my breath, "Please, Lord...don't send him to Afghanistan...please! I need him." As always, God heard my prayer, and while it was a relief that *Ray wasn't being shipped into harm's way....he was still shipped overseas - Kadena AFB in Okinawa, Japan. Japan?! And it was a two year assignment, at that. Would we ever meet? By this time, I had moved out of the house and into dorm life at my now alma mater - Florida Southern College. Being out of the house...we had our first real telephone conversation in fall 2003...three years after we'd first met. We spent endless hours on the phone. 4:00am phone conversations and 8:00am classes don't mix well. I learned that the hard way.

Ray had scheduled leave time for a couple weeks close to Christmas 2003. He was flying home to Richmond to stay with his parents for the holidays. A good friend of mine had family in Richmond and a grandmother who was very ill at the time. She wanted to have one last visit with her grandmother, and it was past time for me and Ray to meet face-to-face. Road trip!!! Finally, just days short of four years into this thing, we met for the first time!!! Hallelujah!! December 30, 2003 - there we were...me, my friend *Kay, and my sister...sitting in a Micheal's parking lot in Richmond, Virginia waiting for him to arrive. The anticipation was killing me...and then, we saw it - a burgundy BMW coming our way. "Dammit, I'm going to puke!" It was really him - alive and in the flesh. What a mix of emotions and nerves. I don't think I had ever smiled so much before that day. My face was frozen in a permanent grin. It was an incredible 3-4 days there. We had our first hug, our first date, our first kiss. This was real...he was real. I could touch him...hold his hand...see his smile...hear his laugh. Bliss! He rented a car, and drove back to Florida with me. He met my parents that weekend. I showed him Gainesville. And then the time was cut short. His leave was coming to an end. We planned our next rendezvous before he headed back to Richmond. It was almost seven months before I saw him again, but on June 28, 2004, I boarded a plane to Okinawa. I had never flown before. I was 22, alone, terrified of flying, and getting ready to fly half way across the world to see my man. After flight drama, an emotional breakdown, a $7-dollar bagel, terrible turbulence, spending an unplanned night in San Francisco, and sitting next to a guy who was very persistent with his flirty desires....I had made it. I was 10,000 miles away from home, immersed in a culture 110% foreign from mine, but I was with him ...again! Ahh, the things we do for love.

Ray's tour in Japan was finished the following summer - 2004. Where would they send him now? He got his orders. Is this really happening?! Was he really being stationed in Florida? By the fall of 2004, we were living in the same state. He was stationed in Panama City, where he finished his time in the AF. Although we were finally on the same side of the state line, we were still seven hours apart. I was still in school in Lakeland. We took turns driving back and forth on weekends. We saw each other about twice a month over the next year and a half. I got to know I-98 very well over those 18 months. Late night drives on deserted roads lined with pine trees and rocky beaches. It was draining at times, but worth every lonely mile. Finally, in March 2006...it was time for him to separate from the service. His duties were done, and it was time to get this ball moving. We'd talked about marriage numerous times since about 2002. I was ready. He was ready. So, what now? He moved to Lakeland to be with me. He had nothing more than the clothes on his back, his car, and the two cats that we had adopted earlier that year. When he reached Lakeland, he lived in my dorm room for about a week. We intensely searched for an apartment and a job for him. By the end of the week, we had landed both. God is good! We were finally in the same state, in the same town, only minutes from each other. On December 16, 2006, he proposed. We were married on August 11, 2007. After almost 8 years, I was officially Mrs *RayH7. We honeymooned for a week in the Keys. Breath-taking. We left Lakeland for Gainesville in May '08. We had a beautiful baby girl on January 6, 2010, and will celebrate three years of marriage in August.
 
People say true love doesn't exist...I beg to differ. Ray and I have been together for over ten years now. If I've learned anything, it's that love is not a feeling. Love is a commitment, a choice. It's not always frills and lace, or smiles and gushy words....sometimes it's ugly. It's hard. It's scary. It's trying. But it's beautiful. As cliche as it sounds, Ray and I complete each other. We've had hardships - distance, racism, broken family ties. We've endured. He is my first love. My first kiss. My first real heartache. He's it. My soul mate...my better half...my heart - together forever. I love you, honey.

"You my soul, you my heart, You my bliss, oh you my pain, You the world in which I live;
You my heaven, in which I float, O you my grave, into which I eternally cast my grief.

"You are the rest, you are the peace, You are the heaven upon me bestowed.
That you love me makes me worthy of you; your gaze transfigures me;
you raise me lovingly above myself, my good spirit, my better self." ~Robert Schumann

The end.

I Feel Pretty, Part II.

A week or so ago, in my I Feel Pretty post, I wrote about my love for all things makeup...especially eyeshadow!  My main topic of conversation that day, besides my love for eyeshadow, was about a new line of makeup that I had recently discovered called e.l.f. (eyes, lips, face).  If you revisit my original post, you'll see where I was encouraging all of my beautiful readers to sign up for e.l.f.'s newsletter.  I've been getting their daily emails for about a week or so now, and it's great!  

Currently, they are running a special on their Studio line.  Now through October 31, if you spend $25 or more, you will receive 40% off of their Studio products, including but not limited to - a face primer, an eleven-piece brush collection, e.l.f.'s high definition powder, a mineral foundation, and of course my favorite, Endless EYESHADOW!!  It's really worth checking out, ladies!  Christmas is right around the corner, and makeup is a great stocking stuffer.  I bet even Santa will be picking some up for Mrs. Claus. 

Until next time, stay beautiful! 

Boo At the Zoo.

That time of year is upon us again - the weather has cooled, we're well into the months that end in "-ber", and there's nutritionally-challenged food all around us.  It's the season of holidays!  Our first major fall holiday is quickly approaching - Halloween.  Mwhahahahahaha!  Yeah, that was my sorry attempt at a Dracula laugh.  Fail. 

Growing up, Halloween was not a big event in our house.  Conveniently, it wasn't a big deal in my husband's childhood home either.  M is an only child, but in our home, there are three kids, and none of us ever cared much about Halloween.  Growing up in the country, neighbors were few and far between, so the idea of trick-or-treating was really foreign to us.  I think in all the years of growing up, we may have had one...no two...yes, it was two trick-or-treaters.  I think we may have gotten into the Halloween festivities at least once...not because I remember the event at all, but because there is a picture of my sister and I dressed up when I was about 4yrs old and she was probably 2.  I was Super Woman, and my sister was a clown.  If I could find those pictures, I'd post them...but you're out of luck for now.  We didn't go on our first real trick-or-treating adventure until college.  Ahh!  Fun times. 

My little pumpkin.

Last year, was our first Halloween as parents, so me and the hubs decided to do something fun for our daughter although she was only 10-months old at the time.  After researching and talking to other moms in the area, I learned that one of our local colleges does Boo At The Zoo festivities for families and kids.  So, we went.  G dressed as a little pumpkin - the cutest pumpkin ever, if I might add - and me and M were the designated candy-gatherers.  It was a good time, and one that we hope to make a tradition for years to come.  Santa Fe College has been hosting Boo At The Zoo for 17 years.  Admission is one canned food item per person, which goes toward local food banks.  It's a really great time for the family....it's safe, it's free, and it's for a good cause!  If you're in the Gainesville, FL area, and have little ones, I would definitely recommend trying it out.  I'll post their flier below, but you can also visit their website, Boo At the Zoo, for this years times, dates, and other information.  We'll be there with our little pumpkin, although she has upgraded to a zebra this year.  Look out for those pictures! 

In closing, I'll say this...although, I much prefer Fall decorations over spider webs and goblins, I'll gladly put that aside once a year for my daughter.  At only 22-months old, she still doesn't quite grasp the concept of Halloween, or trick-or-treating for that matter, but she has fun regardless.  Our Halloween will be full of fresh air, giggles, and sugar, and I wish the same for you and your family!  So, grab your candy bucket and a canned food item, and we'll see you at the zoo!

Choosing to Love.

Yesterday was Sunday...and in our household, Sunday's are about faith and family.  It's church service in the morning, followed by lunch, and then if we're lucky, relaxation.  We had an unusually busy Saturday this weekend.  I was supposed to participate in our local Breast Cancer Walk, but woke up feeling utterly exhausted and gross.  After making the executive decision to stay home with my daughter and husband, the guilt set in.  I went so far as to asking God for forgiveness for bailing out on my team.  Forgiveness for what, I still don't know...failing to participate in a community walk isn't a sin, but somehow uttering that tiny prayer made me feel a little less guilty.

G is in the green.  Her new buddy is on the right.

Later on Saturday, we visited some good friends of ours who we've been trying to get together with for months...maybe longer than months.  Actually, the last time we saw each other was when my daughter was a newborn - she'll be two this January.  So yeah, it's been awhile.  They were having a get together at their church - it was on a farm out in the country.  It was beautiful.  Our daughters played until they were completely pooped.  Following the farm, M (my husband) and I, along with our munchkin had dinner plans with Grandmom and Poppie - those are my parents.  So, off we go, for another socializing affair.  It was a great time though.  Nothing goes together better than food and family.  By the time we had finished up dinner, it was close to 8:30 and we had an hour drive back home.  Little G hadn't had her daily nap, and had been fussy earlier that evening.  I was dreading the 50 mile drive home with a tired, whiny baby.  Surprisingly, with a tummy full of homemade macaroni and cheese, G fell asleep in less then 10 minutes.  My husband and I were most thankful for the quiet drive home.

And now, we're up to Sunday morning.  Got up, made waffles and eggs, and I tried to compile a grocery list over breakfast.  It didn't happen.  I mentioned to M about possibly skipping church, but then I knew how much G loves her Sunday school class.  So, in a rush to get out the door on time, I did a quick inventory of the pantry, shoved my ingredients' list for lasagna into my purse, and we were soon on our way.  We pulled into church with 3 minutes to spare.  Found our usual seat, and I got comfortable waiting for the service to start.  Praise and worship began, but I was distracted.  Everything was on my mind, except what should have been.  I was aggravated that I hadn't completed my grocery list.  I wondered what my next blog topic would be - what do people really want to read?  I was annoyed that there is constantly an endless amount of laundry strewn across my bedroom floor.  I was stressed over the thought of trying to stay within our weekly grocery budget.  I kept thinking about wanting to be a homeowner soon, and how scary that reality is - can we afford that right now?  There I was, in that sanctuary, with all these crazy things going through my mind, and all the while going through the motions of praise.  Then the music pastor said something to this effect, "Imagine if we lived out our faith in a way that we truly impacted our immediate social circle.  Think of how different our community would be...how different Florida would be....how different our country would be."  That got my attention.

Christian faith is all about love.  We choose to love - although some might argue with that.  When we are angry with them, we choose to love our spouses, our children, our siblings, our parents, our best friends, even strangers.  Some people are undoubtedly easier to love than others, but showing love to most anyone is a choice.  After hearing the pastor's words, and flipping through pictures taken this weekend, I came across the pic I posted earlier.  I thought back to Saturday, and watching those two little girls, who had never met, interact with one another in such a loving manner.  There is so much we can learn from children...so much about life, about one another, about loving each other.  Looking at the photo reminds me of the more important things in life - not grocery lists, bills, blogs, or mortgage payments - but family, faith and love.

The RED Zone.

It's happened to everybody...you've just spent an hour in the store with your spouse and the offspring.  You're in the the check out line, your feet hurt, your child is tired and whiny, and you've spent more money then you wanted too.  Now, the only thing on your mind is to pay, go home, get out of those uncomfortable shoes, put the baby down for a nap, and relax.  But before you can even begin that process, the cashier asks, "Would you like to open a store credit card and save 20% on today's purchase?"  When you politely decline, they always seem to give you that "seriously-you-don't-want-to-save-twenty-percent-on-the-$400-you-just-blew" look.  Yes, you know exactly the look I'm talking about, because it's happened to you too - probably more than once. 

Keeping that in mind, my husband and I shop at Target - a lot.  I've always liked the store.  In college my sister and I spent way too much of our time and money wandering the aisles for things we mainly didn't need, and never seemed to get out of there without spending some amount of money.  When we were first married, my husband and I would shop there on occasion, but we had a strict budget and the prices there didn't always fit within our means.  So, Target got overlooked most of the time.  But then we had a baby.  And babies are expensive...as if you didn't already know that, right?  Once little G was in the picture, me and Target became like this.  (You can't see me, but when I said "this" I crossed my fingers - yes, I'm a geek.)  And since we've been like this, I've been a loyal, weekly shopper there for almost the last two years.  Every time...and I mean EVERY time, without fail, the cashier would ask, "Would you like to open a Target REDcard and save 5% every time you shop?"  Being the woman that I am, and hating the idea of owing people money, the last thing I wanted was a credit card.  So, I've always politely responded with, "Not today," and then swiped my trusty bank card.  

Well, all that changed a couple of weeks ago.  A few months back, the cashier we had, mentioned something that piqued my interest.  She said debit, not credit.  I got interested and researched their website.  Sure enough, there are two options with this REDcard - debit or credit.  Credit is self-explanatory, but I wasn't sure how the debit aspect worked considering most debit cards are linked to a bank account, and Target is obviously not a bank.  On my next shopping adventure, I asked our cashier about the debit card, and we signed up.  All you need is a void check, your basic information (name, address, social), they run it through their system and viola!...next thing you know you're saving 5% on all purchases every time you shop their stores, including their website.  It's great!  Five percent doesn't sound like a lot, but it definitely adds up.  In the few weeks that we've had it, we've already saved close to $40.  And an extra forty dollars in my pocket is alright with me. 

Life Lessons 12 - 19.

12.  There is not a cleaner, detergent, or deoderizer that will remove the smell of cat piss.

13.  Tootsie Rolls mask garlic breath.  Don't judge, just try it next time you eat something oober garlicy.

14.  When you have a good idea....write it down.

15.  The terrible twos really are terrible.

16.  Smile.

17.  Always take the time to hug your children.

18.  Everyone's an unintentional hypocrite in some aspect...including you....and me.

19.  Be passionate.

....to be continued.

I Feel Pretty.

When I was about 15, I got into modeling.  I loved it.  My sister joined me about a year or so later, and it was a blast.  The instructors with our agency loved us.  We were tall (we're both over 6 feet) and we weren't the skinny stereotype.  I stayed involved with it all throughout high school, and my last paid gig was in 2003 when I was in college.  Those were good times.  It did wonders for my self-image, and the experiences I obtained are ones that will always be with me.  I miss it on certain days - especially if I'm watching marathons of America's Next Top Model, or if I see an ad for a local fashion show, or a flier that says "MODELS NEEDED".  But I decided years ago that my education, and a family of my own were where my heart was.  So the modeling dream came to a slowly fading end.  In all the things that I took from my mini-modeling career, one of the biggest (besides the whole self-confidence thing) was makeup - how to apply makeup, what were the basic necessities of makeup, what shades of makeup to use, which brands of makeup are the best, etc.  I mean everything makeup!  I had makeup coming out of my ears!  Okay, not literally, but you get my point.  And with 15 years of practice, I've gotten pretty good at sticking it on my face every morning.  I've tried about every brand imaginable - Covergirl, Revlon, Clinique, MaxFactor, Maybelline, AVON - I've used it all.  I have a few staple brands that have consistently made their way to my makeup bag over the years, like Almay and NYC, but I'm always on the prowl for new brands, new colors, new beauty.  Well, this past weekend, on a hunt for some new eyeliner, I discovered something new - eyes lips face, or e.l.f. as they are more popularly called.  As far as I know, this company is fairly new to the makeup world.  But after using their products, I have to wonder where they have been all my life.  They're fantastic! 

This is the ingenious compact!

Eyeshadow is my weakness, but there are two things I hate when it comes to buying a new shade: 1. Buying a compact of four different colors, when two out of the four are hideous shades, and 2. Buying a compact of one color that costs as much as the compact of four colors.  Grr!  Well, no more - e.l.f. has helped changed that!  They offer a compact with four empty compartments (notice the picture on the left), so that you - the beauty consumer - can customize it to the shades you want!  It's straight up, brilliant.  I paid $3 for the compact, and then for each eye shadow pallet, I paid only $1.  I only bought two colors this trip, so for $5 I got a reusable compact and two colors that I wanted and love!  The entire e.l.f. line offers an array of beauty supplies, and it's pretty inexpensive.  Definitely something I would recommend to busy, beautiful mom's on a budget.  And one last tidbit of beautiful information - on their website, e.l.f. has an email list you can subscribe too.  They will send you information on special offers for their products.  Currently, they've got a fantastic deal on any purchases of $25 or more, you can get an 83-piece beauty kit for only $3.50.  The best part about it?  Sixty four of those eighty three pieces are eyeshadow.  Goodbye old makeup, hello e.l.f.!

Just for fun, I thought I'd throw this in.  Me (left) and my beautiful sister.  This was taken earlier this year, way post-modeling days, but we still had a lot fun doing the shoot.

Thought for Today...

What if you woke up today with only the things that you thanked God for yesterday?


Yeah, that'll make you stop and think. 

Not Your Momma's Cornbread.

A couple days ago, in my 'Tis the Season for Cooking post, I introduced you guys to the Woman's Day Magazine website, which I had recently discovered.  After flipping through numerous recipes, I found one that looked easy and delicious!  So, I tried it.  And, it was an absolute hit in my house!  The recipe is below! 

Jalapeno Corn Muffins

• 2  8.5oz boxes of corn muffin mix, Jiffy is great!
• 2 large eggs
• 1 c low-fat sour cream or nonfat Greek yogurt (I used sour cream)
• 2-3 scallions, chopped
• 1 large jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (If you want less heat, seeding is recommended)

1.  Preheat oven to 400*F.  Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners.
2.  Combine muffin mix, eggs, and sour cream.  Mix in scallions and jalapeno.
3.  Divide batter among muffin cups - an ice scream scoop works great for this.
4.  Bake 15-18 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Enjoy!!

Mine weren't quite this beautiful, but they were delicious, nonetheless!

Life Lessons 1 - 11.

Life is funny. If we let it, it can teach us so much about others, about the world around us, and most amazingly about ourselves. I'm starting this post today, but it will continue in the days, weeks and months to come. They're in no particular order of importance, just lessons I've learned in my days on planet Earth.

1. Being an adult is overrated.

2. Running over jaywalkers is not legal, but it should be.

3. You can tell a lot about a person by the bumper stickers on their car.

4. God gave us a sense of direction before He gave us GPS.

5. Breakfast for dinner is always exciting.

6. True love really does wait.

7. Racism is taught.

8. Learning to laugh at yourself is a quick fix to embarrassment.

9. There's a fine line between ghetto and redneck...a very fine line.

10. Prayer works.

11. Choose your battles wisely.

...to be continued

A-MAZE-ING

It's Fall - yes, I'm obsessed with this time of the year...don't judge me. But do you really blame me? I mean, the weather is amazing, there are pumpkins everywhere, there's good food to be cooked and devoured, the holidays are right around the corner...even the air smells better! And I don't know how it is in your neck of the woods, but here, people even seem to be in better moods when the weather cools down. Maybe it's because as Floridians, we spend about 10-months out of the year trying to keep ourselves from having a heat stroke, or maybe it's simply that everyone else realizes how awesome Fall is too. Who knows! Who cares! All I know is this time of the year is the best!

In our house, we spend a lot of time outside between the months of October and January. We love to get out, and do things that are fun. Whether it's a walk around our neighborhood or a visit to the park, we just love to be outside. One of the neatest outdoor activities that I've seen that is geared toward this time of the year, is corn mazes! Now, as into the outdoors and Fall weather as I am, I am ashamed to admit that I've never visited a corn maze. And the really pathetic thing is, we have a local corn maze that's been going on for years, yet I've never experienced it. I'm obviously sheltered. This year, however, I'm hoping to change that. I was looking on Facebook earlier, and a good friend of mine posted a link to this great site, The MAiZE. It really is a brilliant play on words. Moving right along, the thing I thought was so great about it, is it's not just local to people in Florida or in the Gainesville area. If you go to their Visit A Maize tab, you'll see the different locations they have including all across the United States, Canada, the UK, and even Poland! And if you get really inspired and are really into corn, you can visit their Own A Maize tab. Hmmm, I wonder what the hubby would think of that?

Until next time, get out, get active, and fall into fun!

Some of their creations:

'Tis the Season for Cooking.

As I mentioned in my Black Eyed Peas post last week, I love to cook! And, as a mom and a wife who works outside the home, sometimes it's hard to find time to try something new. That being said, I'm always on the prowl for quick, easy recipes. And today, I stumbled upon a site that I think might aid in my search for new and simple dinner ideas - Woman's Day! Under their general Food & Recipe page, you'll find sub categories like Quick Recipes, Healthy Recipes, Dessert Recipes, and Holiday Recipes, as well as some helpful tips that might be useful in your kitchen. Another tool they offer is Month of Menus. In that section, they offer menus and shopping lists for months past (dating back to 2007), the current month, and the month to come. It not only offers main course suggestions, but side dishes as well. It's pretty much a no-thinking situation for busy moms like me and you! And I don't know about you, but the less thinking I have to do about dinner...the better.

I have bookmarked a handful of their Quick Recipes that I'm looking forward to trying. If you try any of them, be sure to let me know which ones were your favorite. I'll be posting my faves soon! Stay tuned.

**The picture is Ravioli with Sauteed Butternut Squash and Thyme!

Tumultuous Tuesday.

1:21 AM...that's when it started. But before we go there, let's back up.

Yesterday was Columbus Day - the day that marks the anniversary of Christopher Columbus arriving in the Americas. It wasn't his birthday, as I heard a local DJ say over the radio - just wanted to clear the air on that one. Get it?...clear the air, because it was a DJ that made the mistake? Okay, yeah...moving on. Although most of us did not get the day off of work, it is considered a federal holiday, which in turn means people like postal workers and bankers had a 3-day weekend. Mondays are my bank days. Visiting our local branch has become part of my Monday afternoon routine. I get x-amount of cash out to pay our nanny for the week. Yesterday, that didn't happen. A sign in the window said "Closed in honor of Columbus Day." Crap. Off to the nanny's I go, cashless. Columbus, rhombus.

After picking up my 25-lbs of giggles and wiggles, we headed to the grocery store. My daughter, we'll call her G, has had a runny nose for about 3 days. Yesterday, it went from semi-runny to stuffy. A coworker recently told me about a Vick's Vapor Bath for little ones, so I figured I'd try it out. Long story short, and forty three dollars later, we were checking out with no Vick's Bath. A regular bubble bath it will be.

We're finally home. Dinner is about 20 minutes from being done, and I mention to M (my husband), that G needs a bath. After some hesitation, he says he'll do it after dinner. G wasn't feeling good, and as her mother, I knew the earlier she had a bath, the earlier she could get in bed and hopefully sleep off this runny nose of hers. Dinner was finally done, and of course, she was a fussy, tired little snot factory. I ended up bathing her...annoyed to the point of tears at the husband for not utilizing the 20 minute slot I had suggested earlier, so that we could actually eat dinner together while it was still hot. But in his defense, he did apologize and told me the rest of the night would be better.

Fast forward. It's 10:30, I'm finally in bed...pounding headache and scratchy throat. Pollen is the devil, by the way. By 11:00, the lights are out, and the household had set out to slumber for the night. Then, what seemed like hours later, I'm startled awake by my husband leaning over me and saying, "Hey!"

I jumped and gasped. He continued, "Baby, it's me. I gotta go."

"Go where? On a call?", I asked.

"Yeah."

"Will you be back, you think?"

"Yeah."

My husband is an HVAC Technician and works for a large property management company here in town. He rotates an on-call schedule with three other techs every month. This is his week to be on-call. Someone's bathroom had exploded...or something like that...and off he went, into the darkness, to save the night. I asked him if he'd be back, because I swore it had been hours since we had climbed into bed. I was expecting my alarm to go off any minute. I peek at the alarm through sleepy eyes...it's 1:21. Really? I go check on the munchkin, and climb back into bed. I watch way too much Law & Order, so I couldn't sleep without the husband there. I heard every creak, every thud, every minuscule sound that may or may not have been simply in my head. He finally got home a little after 2:30, and I was able to fall back asleep.

6:04am. My alarm is blaring. 6:53am. Still fighting with the snooze. Crap, I'm late. I scramble to get myself put together. I was annoyed at the world - everything and everyone, including myself. Poor G had a mini-meltdown. She wanted to eat breakfast before we went to the nanny's. She never wants to do that. It's not even part of our morning routine. So, I scoot out the door, leaving her there with M, crying her big brown eyes out. I did get some consolation when M texted me to say she drank a sippy cup full of milk in the car, and was perfectly content when he dropped her off at the nanny's. Thank goodness.

I finally reach work. I park. As I'm walking into my office twenty minutes late, I manage to spill red V8 Fusion on my light gray pants. Miraculously, I'm stain free.

The morning continued pretty uneventful. I worked through numerous reports before lunch, and the afternoon has been pretty painless...with the exception of a growling stomach, a headache, and blogger image uploading drama. My original plan was not to blog about my Tuesday turmoil, but to talk about some great recipe finds. Maybe tomorrow.

29 minutes until the whistle blows. Then it's breakfast for dinner and endless hours of HGTV. Maybe Tuesday's not so bad after all.

Pink Pumpkins.

In hopes of staying in the spirit of my earlier post, Pretty In Pink, I wanted to share some information about a local community event. If you live in the Gainesville area, this Saturday, October 15 from 10:00am to 2:00pm, Shands Hospital is doing a Pink Pumpkin Painting Party to promote breast cancer awareness. It's for a great cause, and it's free. You pick your pumpkin from the patch, paint it pink, and then decorate it with ribbons, feathers, paint, glitter and more - and face it, who doesn't love glitter? It's fun for the whole family! So grab your significant other, the kids, and maybe even grandma and grandpa, and head on over to the pumpkin patch!

For more information and to RSVP, which is required by Friday, October 14, you can visit their website, Shands Hospital. Have a great time!

To Bag or Not to Bag?

Gift-bagging is the easy, error-free alternative to wrapping. There's no tape involved, no paper, no boxes...just a bag and a gift - and possibly some tissue paper. You don't have to worry about the 2 year old trying to steal the scissors, or getting tape stuck in her hair. And there's no ribbon for the cat to inevitably eat. You just open the bag, toss in the gift, and then neatly arrange some tissue paper so that it doesn't look like it's been sitting in your gift-wrapping bin since last Christmas. Easy as pie, right? Mmmm, pie - no wait, wrong blog! Sorry. Back to the topic at hand....this weekend, I learned there's more to it than just a bag and a gift...and some tissue paper. There are three key rules to successful gift-bagging.

1. Don't buy a cheap bag. I'm the queen of thrifty, but there's a huge difference between inexpensive and cheap. Remember that!

2. Make sure the bag is big enough for the gift you're trying to cram in it. Once again, cheap isn't a good idea.

3. And finally, make sure that the gift you're bagging, isn't too heavy for the bag. This is the ultimate reason not to go cheap. Picture it - the gift is in the bag, the tissue paper is primped, everything looks great. You pick it up, and as you're walking out the door, the handles snap, the top of the bag rips, the entire package hits the ground, and now your tissue paper has crumpled, and the gift has toppled on to the floor. And now you're back at square one. Fail.

Keep these rules in mind as the Holidays are upon us, and we will soon find ourselves asking the age-old question - to bag or not to bag?

Pretty In Pink.

Cancer.  Just the word makes me cringe. 

In my almost 30 years, I've seen family, friends, co-workers, classmates, and neighbors fight this nasty beast - some fought until they could fight no more, and others live on to tell their amazing stories of triumph and courage.  I'll never forget losing a classmate to brain cancer when I was in elementary school.  Or losing our neighbor to lung cancer when I was fourteen.  He was the nicest man - a former fireman who had moved to the country to enjoy his retirement.   On my 19th birthday, I remember sitting in the doctor's office and hearing the word leukemia.  Thankfully, it wasn't leukemia, but still a numbing scare.  I also remember when my precious Aunt Dottie was diagnosed with colon cancer.  And in just a few months, the phone call that followed saying she had lost her battle.  Most recently, I remember returning to work after my daughter was born in early 2010 and learned that a coworker, not much older than me, had been diagnosed with an advanced stage of breast cancer.  I was shocked.  When I left for maternity leave, she was healthy and full of life.  I'm happy to say, that she is a fighter and a survivor.  And that brings me to the point of this entry -- October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Last year, after learning the news of our friend, a group of coworkers and I, pulled together and participated in our local Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in our friend's honor.  She, along with her mother, sister and two little girls, was able to join us.  It was a great experience.  This year, on October 22, a hand full of the same group will once again meet up and walk in honor and in memory of our loved ones.  I can't wait.

If you haven't signed up yet, please visit the American Cancer Society website for information on walks in your area.  Grab a friend, and get walking!

Our Making Strides team from 2010.

Black Eyed Peas.

One thing you'll learn, if you hang around long enough, is that I love to cook!  I also love Fall weather...and rainy weather too, but that's another entry.

Anyway, it's October, which means it's Fall, and something about this time of year makes me want to get deeply in touch with my inner Paula Dean.  Growing up in the South, I've learned two things about this time of the year:  1. If the weather drops below 65*F, you take advantage of it by breaking out your sweater collection, and 2. You cook!  And when I say cook, I mean you cook big and bad and often!  This week alone, my kitchen has been used to the max with the likes of sweet potato casserole, peanut butter cookies, spaghetti and homemade waffles just to name a few.  But one of my favorite cool weather foods is my homemade Black Eyed Pea Soup.  It's easy, it's hardy, and it warms you to the bone!  And the best part about it?  It's a crock pot recipe!  And if you aren't already aware, a crock pot is a working mom's best friend.  You'll find the recipe below.  Enjoy!

Black Eyed Pea Soup

1-lb dry black eyed peas
2 cans chicken broth
2 c water
1 package diced ham (8-12 oz)
4 stalks of celery, chopped
4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped (optional)
 Salt & Black Pepper, to taste
Garlic Powder
1 tsp Dill
1 tsp Thyme
Crushed Red Pepper (optional)

Soak peas in water over night, 6-8 hours.  Drain and rinse.  Pour peas, celery, carrots, onion and ham into crock pot.  Add water and chicken broth.  Add salt, pepper and garlic powder to your liking.  Add dill and thyme - I just sprinkle and don't measure, but it's probably about equivalent to a teaspoon of each.  If you like spicy food, add a couple shakes of red pepper flakes - it adds a nice kick.  Stir all ingredients until evenly mixed.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

I serve mine with cornbread...it's perfection!

Bon appetit. 

Blogging 101.

I work in an office, and just like many of you, I stare at a computer screen for 8 hours a day.  Not fun.  The last thing on my mind when I get home, is "oh, I can't wait to get on the computer!"  Once I shut my office door for the day, I'm done with computers until 8:00am the next morning.  Oddly, as of late, I've been gettin' the itch to make more of my computer time.  I have a Facebook page, as most of you probably do.  I have a Twitter ID, as well, although I haven't touched it in weeks.  And as sad as it is to admit, I actually still have an open Myspace account; but, in my defense, I haven't logged in since some time in early 2010.  With all that said, my social media life has left me wanting more.  And then a light bulb went off - blogging.  What a concept.

Now, if we're being honest, I've had blogs in the past.  I got my first taste of blogging when Myspace was popular, and I got addicted...for awhile anyway.  In the past 18 months, I've created and failed at two blogs - one about relationships and one about photography...both of which are things I'm passionate about.  So this time, I thought what could I possibly write about that would keep my readers reading, and that I'm passionate enough about to continue writing?  I thought.  And then I really thought.  And I kept thinking.  I got nothin'!  But then, there it was...the light bulb went off, the clouds parted for the sunbeams to shine through, and I heard glorious chimes from the Heavens.  Motherhood - that's it!  I will be a "mommy blogger".  So, here I am...giving mommy blogging my best shot.  Wish me luck, and please stay-tuned.