Monday, March 29, 2010

My Heart is Full

"I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink." [Matthew 25:35 NIV]

This is my heart.  To provide.  To anyone. Of any race.  Of any income.  Of any faith.

I was introduced to Mana Cafe Ministries on Sunday.  Check them out here http://www.mannacafeministries.com/index.html  I have always felt the calling to provide for those who need it.  Whether it be through church, my home, at Walmart, anywhere.  Do you?  Today notice those around you.  Look into their faces and try to see where they are at in their life.  Do they need you?  To buy a meal?  To buy formula?  To buy diapers?  Gas? 

Just notice.  "Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength."  Act 9:18-19 

Thinking of you.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

When all else fails...

What do you do when your day is not going as well as you would like?  I bake.  I love to cook but baking makes me feel all warm and cozy which is my idea of what momma's should feel like.  I baked banana muffins the other day.  Everyone liked them and it gave me a feeling of accomplishment.  You know what I mean...when you watch someone grab a muffin out of a basket as they walk by?  There's just something about cooking from scratch that makes me feel more like a mom.  Oh don't get me wrong there are plenty of times I cook and the kids don't like it.  Larry will eat whatever I cook and will usually say "That's a keeper" if it's really good.  If I don't hear it, then I know.  It's our form of easy conversation.  Works better than "Bleck!  This is disgusting!" hahaha  I hear "That's a keeper" alot so I must be doing something right.  :)

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Latte to Say

I'm a huge fan of coffee.  In Clarksville we have several venues to appeal to the java minded.  There's Lasaters, Starbucks, Borders, Books a Million and a few other places that claim to have good coffee.  I love all of these places for different reasons.

Lasaters-When you walk in to their St. B location you're instantly greeted by the barista, the music is at a non-invasive level and it's a nice blend of contemporary christian music.  The seating is comfortable, the lighting is relaxing.  This is my number one favorite place to have coffee.  Their syrups are sweet enough and the coffee blend not too bitter that there's nothing to do to the coffee when you leave, just drink it.  In other places I have to add splenda because it's too bitter or not quite sweet enough.  The have a few drive thrus but sadly not the one near me.

Starbucks-Well, as some of you know, they employ my favorite coffee dude.  The atmosphere is more energized and for the simple convenience factor, they have a drive thru.  This is the 2nd reason why I frequent Starbucks.  At any given time I have 3-4 kids in my car and it's just not managable to unload, load, wrangle kids while ordering a venti double cupped stirred caramel macchiato with 3 splendas.

Borders-Bookstore and located inside the mall.  One out of two ain't bad.  I love bookstores, quiet ones even more.  I can't stand going to the mall.  Just not my thing.  Borders serves the Seattle's Best brand which I like.  The cool thing is as infrequently as I go in there (maybe 4x a year), the head barista remembers that my favorite at Borders is a large triple stirred caramel latte with 3 spelndas.  I mean as soon as I walk up to order she looks at me for a minute and then asks me if this is right and then spouts it out.  That's amazing.

Books A Million-Bookstore...a quiet bookstore with magazines in the back of the store far away from registers.  Coffee is a little strong, baristas not so engaging but I love the layout of the store.  The kids area is really cool and I can sit, sip coffee and watch Katie play with the train set.

Enjoy your coffee today regardless of where you had it brewed.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

I love...

I love these collector edition's of Jane Austen.  They're smaller but very pretty.  Oh, I just love Jane Austen.  :)  If you haven't read one of her books, try it out. 

Friday, March 12, 2010

Where I come from...

I love my southerness.  It's who I am.  Sadly, having moved from southern Georgia to Tennessee my wonderfully charming accent has somewhat degraded.  I miss the sweetness that eminated from me when I said things like Sprite, Gawga, warsh, warter.  Oh I still have those long drawn out "I's" but there was something unique about my accent. I grew up po' not quite as white as you trash.  But you know, it never crossed my mind.  I was happy in my own skin.  I didn't mind walking everywhere I went because I didn't have a car.  I was cute enough to hitch a ride with whatever boy I was friends with.  Friends mind you, not boyfriend.  In the South if you had a boyfriend with a car then your transportation was never an issue.  Even in high school, a true southern young man who loved his girl, treated her like a queen.

I am blessed to have married a man who grew up mostly in North Carolina/Virginia.  Let me tell you ladies...there's nothing more pleasing to me then to hear my husband call me babydoll in that hint of old Virginia drawl....sigh...okay back on track.  :) Enjoy your southerness folks...make it a point to say bless your heart at least 3 times today, men hold the door for a lady, ladies expect a man to hold a door for you.  Thinking of all of you and hoping you have a delicious day!


Southern women know their summer weather report:


Humidity

Humidity

Humidity






Southern women know their vacation spots:


The beach


The rivuh


The crick



Southern women know everybody's first name:


Honey


Darlin'


Shugah



Southern women know the movies that speak to their hearts:


Fried Green Tomatoes


Driving Miss Daisy


Steel Magnolias


Gone With The Wind



Southern women know their religions:


Baptist


Methodist


Football

Southern women know their cities dripping with Southern charm:


Chawl'stn


S'vanah


Foat Wuth


N'awlins


Addlanna


Southern women know their elegant gentlemen:


Men in uniform


Men in tuxedos


Rhett Butler


Southern girls know their prime real estate:


The Mall


The Country Club


The Beauty Salon

Southern girls know the 3 deadly sins:


Having bad hair and nails


Having bad manners


Cooking bad food



More Suthen-ism's:


Only a Southerner knows the difference between a hissie fit and a conniption fit, and that you don't "HAVE" them, you "PITCH" them.


_____


Only a Southerner knows how many fish, collard greens, turnip greens, peas, beans, etc., make up "a mess."


_____

Only a Southerner can show or point out to you the general direction of "yonder."


_____

Only a Southerner knows exactly how long "directly" is, as in:


"Going to town, be back directly."


_____


Even Southern babies know that "Gimme some sugar" is not a request for the white, granular, sweet substance that sits in a pretty little bowl in the middle of the table.


_____

All Southerners know exactly when "by and by" is. They might not use the term, but they know the concept well.


_____


Only a Southerner knows instinctively that the best gesture of solace for a neighbor who's got trouble is a plate of hot fried chicken and a big bowl of cold potato salad.

If the neighbor's trouble is a real crisis, they also know to add a large banana puddin'!


_____


Only Southerners grow up knowing the difference between "right near" and

"a right far piece." They also know that "just down the road" can be 1 mile or 20.


_____


Only a Southerner both knows and understands the difference between a redneck, a good ol' boy, and po' white trash.


_____

No true Southerner would ever assume that the car with the flashing turn signal is actually going to make a turn.


_____

A Southerner knows that "fixin" can be used as a noun, a verb, or an adverb.


_____

Only Southerners make friends while standing in lines, ... and when we're "in line,"... we talk to everybody!


_____

Put 100 Southerners in a room and half of them will discover they're related, even if only by marriage.


_____

In the South, y'all is singular, all y'all is plural.


_____

Southerners know grits come from corn and how to eat them.


_____

Every Southerner knows tomatoes with eggs, bacon, grits, and coffee are perfectly wonderful; that red eye gravy is also a breakfast food; and that fried green tomatoes are not a breakfast food.


_____

When you hear someone say, "Well, I caught myself lookin'," you know you are in the presence of a genuine


Southerner!


_____


Only true Southerners say "sweet tea" and "sweet milk." Sweet tea indicates the need for sugar and lots of it -- we do not like our tea unsweetened. "Sweet milk" means you don't want buttermilk.


_____


And a true Southerner knows you don't scream obscenities at little old ladies who drive 30 MPH on the freeway.

You just say,"Bless her heart"... and go your own way.


_____


To those of you who are still a little embarrassed by your Southerness: Take two tent revivals and a dose of sausage gravy and call me in the morning. Bless your heart!


_____

And to those of you who are still having a hard time understanding all this Southern stuff....bless your hearts, I hear they are fixin' to have classes on Southernness as a second language!


_____
Southern girls know men may come and go, but friends are fahevah !
Now Shugah, send this to someone who was raised in the South or wish they had been! If you're a Northern transplant, bless your little heart, fake it. We know you got here as fast as you could.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Accessorizing

I have been searching for the perfect toilet paper holder.  After redoing bathrooms a few years ago we never bothered to buy replacement holders so the roll has been placed in various spots in both bathrooms.  Oh don't gasp in shock.  I'm sure there's at least one of you that's doing the same thing.  I wanted one with a magazine holder because afterall, it's the perfect place to hide and regroup.  I'm a fan of getting your business done and no dilly dallying but when someone always needs something from you....where better to hide and justify an extended absence?  I plan on stocking the magazine holder with People, Organic Gardening, Cross Word puzzles, etc.  I thought about an attachable iPod to drown out the constant knocking and "mommy" that I always here but I figured for safety purposes I should be a responsible mother and be able to yell "knock it off" from the um, lavatory with hearing unhindered.

Laundry

Love this softener

Love Stories

Truly my favorite movie ever.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Rusty Muscle

Meet Rusty Muscle.  We bought him about 4 years ago for a restoration project.  He is so awesome.  Our inaugural drive was nostalgic to stay the least.  There's no automatic transmission, no CD player, power windows and brakes?  haha no, Rusty is classic.  He has 3 speed on the column and a 390 under the hood.  Basically, he rocks.  When I sat in Rusty for the first time I took in the aroma of old car.  Oil, gasoline and years on the road.  It took me back to times of riding around in an old beat up trucks.  I loved it.  I snuggled up to Larry and we just took in the sounds of his engine and the wind rushing through his window vents.  We weren't grown ups that for sure...we time traveled to a time when there were no responsiblities and Jack and Diane was playing on the radio. 

Sadly, the time has come for Rusty to bring joyous memories to someone else. You see, Rusty was bought to give my husband a restoration project.  In 2008 we started another project...Katie.  As Larry points out below, he was ready for another investment.

From Larry's Ad:

1969 Ford F100 Step Side Pick Up

390 CU Engine 3 Speed
Re-furbished fuel tank; new tires; 18” Akuza wheels

$1200 firm! Don’t mean to sound like a smart aleck but I don’t need to sell it so trying to talk me down won’t work.


Truck runs great! I bought it four years ago to fix up and we decided another baby was a better investment. Now I definitely don’t have the time to work on it.




Larry and I will continue to have many adventures and embark on crazy projects that may or may not see completion.  One thing is for sure.  Marriage is adventure in itself and continues to be refreshed and satisfied being with Larry.  He is my world and I adore him.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Birthdays

I turned 39 on Sunday.  Not much pomp or circumstance which is my preference.  It was a nice low key, and surprisingly quiet day.  I didn't have to do dishes or housework.  My family lovingly left that for me to do on Monday morning.  It was a thoughtful gesture.  I say that tongue in cheek because even though I love having help sometimes it's just easier to do it yourself.  How many times have your children washed dishes and then when you reach in the cabinet you find not so clean plates, silverware or glasses?  I don't worry about my husband doing that. He is a meticulous dish washer.  His only flaw is that he puts things where he thinks they should go rather than where I need them to go.  Just an FYI, he's much taller than me.

I was thinking about next year when I turn 40.  Some people stress about that particular milestone but I am really looking forward to it.  Aside from minimal crows feet and not so minimal dark circles I don't really look 39.  I feel healthy and young.  So, I'm of the mind set...bring it on.  I have a young family, I can keep up with who I choose to keep up with. 

This is going to be a good year.  Lots of adventures, changes, celebrations.