Happiness is...

...going to the Mayland Fire Museum with you son's second grade class.

(Pictures coming tomorrow. It's been a very busy week and I'm too tired tonight!)

Happiness is...

Wearing stickers on your arm and a paper clip necklace around your neck!

Space... the final frontier

I am coming to certain realizations in my life. Matt and I together are also coming to realizations as a couple and a family. One of those realizations is that we want to spend time on things that are life-giving. Now, we understand stewardship and responsibility are huge factors in that -- that is to say, we can't just spend all of our time doing things we enjoy if we don't first have our family physically, financially, emotionally and spiritually cared for. With that being understood, the rest of the time we have needs to be spent doing things that bring life to us as a family.

I'll take it a step more toward the personal.

I am a creator (not THE creator. That's God. Duh). I find creating things to be very life giving; mainly music and crafts. Music is obvious. That's what I do and love. The craft thing is a bit of an addiction -- I've had to limit myself to three; crochet, sewing and my new one, scrapboooking. I've tried to figure out what's up with this particular obsession. I stockpile fabric, yarn, paper, buttons, baby food jars... you name it. I suppose it all comes back to the creating thing. It's life-giving to me.

So here's the problem...

As you probably know, we've been in this house for less than a year. Fortunately, my husband is very good to me (don't be jealous, ladies :-) and has allowed me ONE WHOLE ROOM to be my very own and devoted to crafts (and other stuff having to do with stuff I need to do, too, but mainly to crafts!). Again, that problem I mentioned? The room is not "done" yet. It actually became an overflow room for "crap" (pardon my language. I mean it figuratively, not literally) as we've gotten settled into the house.

The grand realization -- there is a bit of frustration in my day to day mind because I don't have the SPACE to be creative like I want to be (not for lack of house, but excess of unorganization). And I suppose the main reason I'm blogging all of this is so that I will be kind of accountable to get this room done. The ball lies in my court really. And I'm not that far from having it done. I just have to sort through a little more of the aforementioned crap (I've done a lot of it already), buy curtain fabric, match and buy a paint color, prime and paint the room and arrange everything in a conducive way to do what needs to be done. Simple, huh.

So should I set a date? Jeesh, that's scary. I guess I will and you can all hunt me down and tickle me if I don't get it done.

OK. (ahem) The date by which I want to have my craft room/office done is... Sunday, April 22.

I just wrote it on my calendar... in pen.

Oooo. That's scary. Roughly a month away with a Spring Break mixed in. It's right before I fly to Ohio for Women of Faith, though, so maybe I could consider that my reward :-) I like rewards.

Thanks for reading. Just trying to figure myself out here. I'll keep you updated on my progress!

Happiness is...

...scrapbooking with my friend, Lynn, while listening to '80s music.

Life seriously does not get much better.

American Idol

I like American Idol. I managed to get sucked in about every year.

This year, my money is on Melinda Doolittle. Period.

I liked LaKisha at first, but after Ms. Doolittle delivered her interpretation of "My Funny Valentine" a few weeks ago, I changed camps. I still like LaKisha and a couple of others, but I'll say it again, Melinda gets my vote.

I think there are a few in the top 12 that really shouldn't be there. There are a couple of contestants that try to cover up lack of vocal quality with runs and fancy schmancy singing. No thanks. I guess we'll just wait as there are picked off one by one.

Rumore has it that they're raising the age limit to 35 next year. I've always wanted to go for it, but have been too old. Not now.

Hmmmm....

Congratulations!

First of all, sending out a big happy birthday to my daddy today! Yea!

Second of all, my friend, Kate, had her baby today. His name is Jonas Caleb and he weighed TEN pounds and was 23 inches long! Whoo hoo. From all reports I hear, Kate and Jonas are both doing well.

Happy birthday, little man. Welcome to the world!

Ahhhh!

I am sitting here, listening to my five-year-old crying in his bed because I threw away his old toothbrush (which was a little gross, by the way). Mind you, he has a perfectly good, much cooler (in my opinion) toothbrush.

And yet he cries.

Sometimes, you just can't win.

Happiness is...

Old mailbox...

New mailbox...

100th Post!

Well, friends, this is officially my 100th post. How cool am I? I thought I would compose some somgs to commemorate the occasion (of course, I've stolen the melodies so you, the at-home viewer, can sing along):

100 Posts
(sung to the tune of "O Christmas Tree")

100 posts, 100 posts,
I've written just 100 posts,
(repeat)
100 times to laugh and cry,
I'll tell the truth and never lie.

100 posts, 100 posts,
I'll now shoot for 200 posts!



The Star Spangled Posts (work with me here!)
(if you don't know what this is sung to, then you have issues)

Oh say, can you read, by the computers light,
All my posts on my blog that come out of my head,
I like to write about life,
And my kids and my house,
And on every Friday, I can post something happy.
And the posts shall go on, through the days and the years,
And I hope, in the midst, you won't shed many tears,
Oh say does that blog of Katy's still say,
That she's happy to be here, posting blogs everyday!
(Ta da!)

Katy's Blog
(Sung to the tune of "The Yellow Rose of Texas")

Oh the blog of my friend Katy, is always fun to read,
She writes about some silly stuff, yes, silly stuff indeed.
There are links to other blogs there that are also fun to read,
Like Becca, Ami, Jen, Melissa - lots of stuff you need.

And one more...

Post Now!
(Sung to the chorus of "Oh Susanna")

Come on, Katy,
And post a blog for me,
'Cause if you don't I will be so sad,
And won't ask you out to tea.

OK. That's all I've got. Thanks for reading... 100 times!

I heart eggs

I made myself a scrambled egg yesterday. When I opened the egg carton, I saw...Now, I'm not sure why, but that made me smile.

I hope your eggs think you're beautiful, too.
(I know I do)

Happiness is...

The Office... it's SO very funny!