Oh No- Another One

This one is making the rounds- Eby, Riete, I don't know who gets the blame for this!

WHAT WAS YOUR:
1. Last beverage: Water
2. Last phone call: My best friend Dava
3. Last text message: My friend Paula
4. Last song you listened to: Kutless- That's What Faith Can Do
5. Last time you cried: Last week sometime...

HAVE YOU EVER:
6. Dated someone twice: Yes
7. Been cheated on: Yes
8. Kissed someone & regretted it: Yes
9. Lost someone special: yes, my dad
10. Been depressed: Yes
11. Been drunk and threw up: Yes :(

LIST THREE FAVORITE COLORS:
12. Green
13. Yellow
14. Blue

THIS YEAR HAVE YOU: (2010)
15. Made a new friend?: Yes
16. Fallen out of love?: Neither in nor out...
17. Laughed until you cried?: Several times ...
18. Met someone who changed you?: no
19. Found out who your true friends were? Yes
20. Found out someone was talking about you?: No, why? *looks around paranoid*
21. Kissed anyone on your fb friend's list ? No, not kissed anyone

GENERAL:
22. How many people on your fb friends list do you know in real life: 80%
24. Do you have any pets?: Yes
(I don't know what happened to 25) - me either, let's make something up...
25. What is the last thing you ate? Hershey's kiss
26. What did you do for your last birthday: Went out with my family, had a girls' night out...
27. What time did you wake up today: 6.20am
28. What were you doing at midnight last night: Hmm ...  sleeping
29. Name something you CANNOT wait for: Our trip to Italy!
30. Last time you saw your Mother: last Sunday
31. What is one thing you wish you could change about your life: Hmmm... that's hard... I'm pretty happy!
32. What are you listening to right now: Nothing
33. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom: Well probably, but I can't think of who... oh wait, I think one of the local plumbers is named Tommy....
34. What's getting on your nerves right now: A child that won't go to bed
35. Most visited webpage: Facebook and Multiply
37. Nicknames: My niece calls me Aunt NeeNee
38. Relationship Status: single
39. Zodiac Sign: Libra
40. Boys vs Girls?: Girls rule!
41. Elementary?: Rock Springs
42. Middle School? East Lincoln Jr High
43. High School? East Lincoln High School
44. Hair Color? Brown
45. Long or short? Long
46. Height? 5'8"
47. Do you have a crush on someone? No
48: What do you like about yourself? I'm sweet to people
49. Piercings? Ears
50. Tattoos? No
51. Righty or lefty? Righty
52. First surgery: Wisdom Teeth
53. First piercing: Ears
54. First best friend: Lynn
55. First sport you joined: Swimming
58. First pair of trainers: who knows what this is?

RIGHT NOW:
59. Eating - Nothing
60. Drinking – Nothing
61. I'm about to – Go to bed
62. Listening to – The wind outside
63. Waiting for- the weekend
64. Want kids? Have kids
65. Get Married? Not sure... never say never!
66. Career? Manager

WHICH IS BETTER :
67. Lips or eyes? Eyes (strange question...)
68. Hugs or kisses? Hugs
69. Shorter or taller? Taller
70. Older or Younger? Older
71. Romantic or spontaneous? Spontaneous
72. Nice stomach or nice arms? Stomach
73. Sensitive or loud ? Sensitive
74. Hook-up or relationship? Relationship
75. Trouble maker or hesitant? Hesitant

HAVE YOU EVER :
76. Kissed a stranger = No
77. Drank hard liquor = Yes
78. Lost glasses/contacts = Yes
79. Sex on first date = No
80. Broken someone's heart = Not that I know of
81. Had your own heart broken = Yes
83. Turned someone down = Yes
84. Cried when someone died = Oh yes!
85. Fallen for a friend = No

DO YOU BELIEVE IN:
86. Yourself = Yes!!
88. Love at first sight = No
89. Heaven = Yes
90. Santa Clause = Yes (he doesn't bring you anything if you don't believe!)
91. Kiss on the first date= No
92. Angels = Yes

ANSWER:
93. Had more than one bf/gf? Yes, but not at the same time!
94. Is there one person you want to be with right now? No
95. Did you sing today? Yes- for 3 hours!
96. Ever cheated on somebody? No
97. If you could go back in time, how far would you go, and why? 27 years, and talk to my grandmother and my father one more time.
98. If you could pick a day from last year and relive it, what would it be? One day at the beach.
99. Are you afraid of falling in love? No
100. Posting this as 100 truths? Yes, but technically it's only 99 truths because question #25 was missing- but I made one up so maybe that counts!!

Days of December- Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love

Several of us had such a wonderful time with our Days of Thanksgiving blogs that we decided to do the same thing for December, but focus on the themes of Advent- Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. So I'll be blogging each day about one of these topics.

I want to include today, though, since it is the first Sunday of Advent. Advent has its roots in Catholicism (yes, I know I'm Methodist!) and is a way to spiritually prepare for the coming of the Christ Child on Christmas morning. I have an Advent wreath, which has 4 purple candles around the edges and a white candle in the center. Today, I lit one of the purple candles.

Today I want to focus on Joy. I'm sure by now you've seen Savannah's room that I worked hard on, and I'm so pleased with how it turned out! It brings me joy to see her so happy- I don't think she has ever passed up an afternoon with a friend to go sit in her room! I'm happy to see her so happy. I think it works the same with God. When He sees His children filled with Joy, He is pleased. I'm sure of this because God sent His Son to bring Joy to the world. (He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth. Luke 1:14)

I hope this holiday weekend has brought you a measure of Joy as well. If you would like to join me in daily blogs beginning December 1, feel free to.

If you are sending a Walmart or Visa card for my friend, please try to get it here this week. I'd like to send them to her by Friday (Dec. 3) so she'll have time to go shopping. I'll send another shipment later, so if you can't, don't worry!

Savannah's Room Makeover

This is the bedding that started it all. When the girl decided to move across the hall to Chris' old room, where the sun doesn't come beaming in early in the morning, she began looking at bedding. We found this in a catalog and it was "the one." Luckily, we found it so long ago that when I went to order it, it was on clearance! We were also lucky that they weren't sold out!

Anyway, looking at these three hot colors together, it took a little figuring to decide on the best wall color. I suggested yellow, and Savannah chose the actual shade. It was the perfect color!

Once I had two coats of primer and two coats of paint on the walls, we were ready to assemble the furniture from IKEA. She got the bed you see above (with 4 drawers underneath) and this awesome desk:
 

What I love are the accessories! While IKEA has great furniture, they have awesome, inexpensive accessories! The wall lamp was $6.99. The orange boxes were $7.49. The little rails above her desk, with the cups hanging from them, were ingenious! They were also $10 total, rails and cups! This is my kind of store!


We also got a mirror for $9.99 (Chris is admiring himself in it) and I paid my handyman to assemble and hang things. It was well worth $60 to me to not have to deal with all the assembly! I've told her ten times today- as she has happily admired her room, not to be too surprised when she has nothing to open on Christmas! (It won't be nothing, but it won't be much, either!)

Martha Stewart is Not Coming to Thanksgiving

To All Our Family and Friends:

Just a note to let you know we are hoping to see you Thanksgiving Day. But….

Martha Stewart will not be dining with us this Thanksgiving. I’m telling you in advance, so don’t act surprised. Since Ms. Stewart won’t be coming, I’ve made a few small changes:

Our sidewalk will not be lined with homemade, paper bag luminaries. After a trial run, it was decided that no matter how cleverly done, rows of flaming lunch sacks do not have the desired welcoming effect.

Once inside, our guests will note that the entry hall is not decorated with the swags of Indian corn and fall foliage I had planned to make. Instead, I’ve gotten the kids involved in the decorating by having them track in colorful autumn leaves from the front yard. The mud was their idea.

The dining table will not be covered with expensive linens, fancy china, or crystal goblets. If possible, we will use dishes that match and everyone will get a fork. Since this IS Thanksgiving, we will refrain from using the plastic Peter Rabbit plate and the Santa napkins from last Christmas.

Our centerpiece will not be the tower of fresh fruit and flowers that I promised. Instead we will be displaying a hedgehog-like decoration hand-crafted from the finest construction paper.  The artist assures me it is a turkey.

We will be dining fashionably late. The children will entertain you while you wait. I’m sure they will be happy to share every choice comment I have made regarding Thanksgiving, pilgrims and the turkey hotline. Please remember that most of these comments were made at 5:00 a.m. upon discovering that the turkey was still hard enough to cut diamonds.

As accompaniment to the children’s recital, I will play a recording of tribal drumming. If the children should mention that I don’t own a recording of tribal drumming, or that tribal drumming sounds suspiciously like a frozen turkey in a clothes dryer, ignore them. They are lying.

We toyed with the idea of ringing a dainty silver bell to announce the start of our feast. In the end, we chose to keep our traditional method. We’ve also decided against a formal seating arrangement. When the smoke alarm sounds, please gather around the table and sit where you like. In the spirit of harmony, we will ask the children to sit at a separate table. In a separate room. Next door.

Now, I know you have all seen pictures of one person carving a turkey in front of a crowd of appreciative onlookers. This will not be happening at our dinner.  For safety reasons, the turkey will be carved in a private ceremony. I stress “private” meaning: Do not, under any circumstances, enter the kitchen to laugh at me. Do not send small, unsuspecting children to check on my progress. I have an electric knife. The turkey is unarmed. It stands to reason that I will eventually win. When I do, we will eat.

I would like to take this opportunity to remind my young diners that “passing the rolls” is not a football play. Nor is it a request to bean your sister in the head with warm tasty bread.

Oh, and one reminder for the adults: For the duration of the meal, and especially while in the presence of young diners, we will refer to the giblet gravy by its lesser-known name: Cheese Sauce.  If a young diner questions you regarding the origins or type of Cheese Sauce, plead ignorance. Cheese Sauce stains.

Before I forget, there is one last change. Instead of offering a choice between 12 different scrumptious desserts, we will be serving the traditional pumpkin pie, garnished with whipped cream and small fingerprints. You will still have a choice; take it or leave it. I hope you aren’t too disappointed that Martha
Stewart will not be dining with us this Thanksgiving. She probably won’t come next year either.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!

For anyone wanting an easy way to donate money to my friend- pm me and I'll give you my paypal email. You can simply put money there and I'll transfer it to her. We have figured out that the easiest thing is to get money to her for whatever she needs. I'm still going to do a little shopping, and you are welcome to also, but I thought I'd make it easy for you to help! I promise she will end up with every dime!

Day of Thanksgiving- Day 24- Paint

I moved into this house 12 years ago today. It doesn't seem like it has been that long but it has. When we first built the house, we let the kids choose which room they wanted. (Well, Savannah was 2, so she didn't really "choose." Brandon wanted the room over the garage because he liked the sloping walls. Chris chose the only room that faced the back yard because the window is 26 feet off the ground. He always had a fear of someone breaking in his window. Savannah got the room closest to mine.

They also got to "choose" their color. Well, I pre-chose several things for them to choose from. Then they got to choose. Brandon took (big shock) Carolina blue. Complete with UNC wallpaper border. Savannah chose pink (again, big surprise for a 2 year old girl!) Chris wanted (strangely) a navy blue room. We opted for one wall to be navy and the other three taupe.

Since then, Chris has moved out (and back in) and Savannah has taken over his old room, not because she is afraid of people breaking in, but because the morning sun comes streaming in her room. Now that she is a teenager, she wants to sleep late. But the girl didn't like the color scheme. So, for her birthday, I'm painting her room, my mom bought her new furniture from IKEA (we gave her old furniture to my niece) and she has new bed linens.

It has taken me 2 coats of Kilz to cover the blue wall, but I think I succeeded. Today, I was able to put one coat of her new color on- she chose yellow. From the looks of it tonight, it is going to need one more coat tomorrow. It is amazing to me how new and fresh that room looks, though! Paint is amazing! Messy, but amazing! So I suppose my morning will be taken in one more coat of paint. Then I'm done! Well, until we have to put all this furniture together. I'm going to get my handyman to come help!

Now I'm thinking my bathroom looks bad.....

A New Host for SNL- Cookie Monster!

It seems as if Cookie Monster wants to make the transition from weekday mornings to Saturday night. He made an audition video to submit to Saturday Night Live in the hopes that he will be asked to guest host. Since I'm such a Sesame Street fan, I had to post it over here!

The One Word Blog

Who did you steal this from?
Bill

Where is your mobile phone ?
Desk

Significant other?
Non-existent

Your hair?
Brown

Your mother?
Awesome

Your father?
Passed Away

Your favorite thing?
Blackberry

 

Your dream last night?
Unknown

Your favorite drink?
Tea

 

What room are you in?
Family

Your hobby
Singing

Your fear?
Loss

Where do you want to be in 6 years?
Comfortable

Where were you last night?

Rehearsal

Something that you aren't?
Selfish

Muffins?
Blueberry!

Wish list item?
Keurig

Last thing you did?
Paint

What are you wearing?
Paint (lol!)

TV?
Sometimes

Your pets?
Dog

Friends?
Awesome

Your life?
Happy

Missing someone?
Yes

Drinking?
Cheerwine

Your car?
Toyota

Something you're not wearing?
Shoes

Your favorite store?
Kirklands

Your favorite color?
Green

When is the last time you cried?
Yesterday

Where do you go over and over?
Work

Five people who email me regularly?
Ok, excuse me, but how can you answer this in one word?

 

My favorite place to eat?
Showmars

Favorite place I'd like to be at right now?
Bathtub

Four people I think will respond?
Again... one word?

Day of Thanksgiving- Day 23- Caring Friends

I'm sure most of you have read the blog about my friend in need. At times like these, I really wish I had a million dollars to use to help people. But today, I have something just as good- a network of good friends who are caring people. Most of you don't know her- a couple have guessed who it is- but that doesn't seem to matter. Someone is hurting and you want to help.

Maybe that is why we're friends. I can't hear of someone in need and not want to help them. And I'm thankful to be surrounded by people who want to help, too. So far, you have promised 4 gift cards, two paypal donations, some shopping, and a shipment of "nearly new" items.

This is still early, but I have one person who wants to "adopt" one of the children. I need one or two more. If you want to go shopping for these girls, please let me know. This is truly what Christmas is all about - sharing with one another and helping someone in need. I am truly thankful to have you all as my friends! God bless each one of you!

Help Someone this Christmas Season

I am lucky to have many awesome friends here on Multiply. I feel like you guys are my family! When you celebrate, I celebrate; when you laugh, I laugh; when you hurt, then I hurt, too. The past two days, I have been hurting alongside one of my friends. I won't tell you who she is at this point, but I am asking if you can help me help her.

She is probably one of my longest online friends here- we were friends before Multiply and, I think if I get it right, on another site before I joined Yahoo 360. I've been through a lot with her, and has been a good and faithful friend along the way. She is not a complainer, whiner, or one to go on about herself, but now she is having to ask for help. She has no food in her house, and hasn't had the means to go grocery shopping in over a month. She is living with an abusive husband and, at this point, doesn't see a way out of the situation.

One of her biggest concerns is for Christmas presents for the children. I want to "adopt" one and I'm hoping some of my other online friends will want to as well. Here's the choices:

3 year old girl:
size 4 clothes and size 8 shoes
She loves Barbies, babies, Dora, Elmo, etc.

8 year old girl:
size 7 clothes and size 1 shoes
She loves Barbie, goth stuff, makeup, hair stuff- she's really girly

12 year old girl:
jr size 5 clothes (adult medium) and woman's 6 1/2 shoe.
She loves Criss Angel, music, makeup, hair stuff (would love a straightener) and is girly.

There's an older teen girl as well, but she didn't send me information for her. If you would like to help one of these children in any way, please let me know.

.I am working on getting her groceries through her local Angel Food site but she has an immediate need for them before the December delivery date. The other immediate need would be for some toiletries and things.  Actually, a Walmart card would be the best in any amount. If you feel led to do so, I can promise you that it will be put to good use by this family. Either reply here or pm me and I'll let you know where to send it.

If you are unable to help in either of these ways, would you pray for her? Or send her positive energy or light or good thoughts or whatever it is that means something to you? She is trying to get disability so she can get away from the controlling spouse, but she needs his insurance right now for her many medical problems. Pray that she can find a way out of this mess and on to a better life for her and her children.

Thanks for spreading some Christmas blessings to one of our own.

Day of Thanksgiving- Day 22- Computers

Today I am thankful for computers. Oh, I know they have their share of problems, and we like to complain about them, but they make our lives so much easier! I am the secretary at a church. I cannot imagine being a church secretary pre-computers. If the pastor wants to change a hymn or a scripture, I just change a line in the bulletin and we're good to go. Before computers, I would have had to re-typed the whole thing!

Today I was working on our community chorus program. Making fonts bigger, lines closer together, and various other subtle changes to make it sit on the page just right. I don't know how I'd do that with a typewriter.

But most of all, I come here and find a world! From anything you need to know about anything, to shopping for anything you need (and a lot you don't), and for a world of people I'd not have met otherwise, I'm thankful for my computer. Even though it drives me crazy when it doesn't work right, I don't know what I'd do without it.

Day of Thanksgiving- Day 21- Chores

I called a family meeting today. I'm tired of doing all the work while the kids do what they want. But I basically appealed to them, pointing out all I do for them and how I don't get anything back but excuses. They're 14, 20 and 21, and can do just about anything I can (and the strong boys can do more in some cases!) So they came up with an idea for a chore list that just might work.

They have always had chores, but on a haphazard basis. Usually it falls to whoever is around at the time I need something. What they came up with was a weekly chore list. This week, Brandon gets to do the dishes and take out the trash every day. Chris chose the yard/basement/garage. Savannah has laundry and living room. We'll shuffle it all again next Sunday and they can do different things.

I went to Bible study and came home to a clean house! They found with about 30 min. of work it was all done. Not too bad for day one. Now, we'll see if this works long term. I need to figure out rewards/consequences still- they couldn't come up with what they wanted, although Savannah wanted it to be an allowance. I can do that for her. It is harder with the boys because $20 doesn't mean that much to them anymore!

So if anyone  has ideas about what would motivate 20 year old boys, please tell me! Until then, I'm thankful for kids who choose and do their own chores.

Day of Thanksgiving- Day 20- IKEA

Yes, today I'm thankful for IKEA. They built a store in Charlotte a couple of years ago and I hadn't gone- until today. Savannah gave her kiddie bedroom furniture to my niece because it wasn't the right size for her anymore. I'm painting her room and got her new sheets and a comforter. But she had to have furniture.

You could get lost in IKEA. The place is huge! There is so much to look through that it is easy to get overwhelmed. But I made it through with a bed with storage drawers under it, a nightstand, a corner desk with a bookcase, and a chest for $600!! Of course, I have to put it all together (which I"ll probably pay the boys to do) but I couldn't believe how inexpensive it was. I want to go back and get some Christmas presents, too- they had everything from pots and pans to pillows!

Day of Thanksgiving- Day 19- Free Time

Today, I'm enjoying some free time. Put a coat of Kilz on the wall in Savannah's room. She is getting a new color, sheets, bedspread, etc for her birthday. I have another coat of Kilz and two coats of paint to go. The rest of the evening I had no plans. I took a hot bath and watched the last 3 episodes of Supernatural online with Savannah. We have now seen all episodes through the one shown on TV tonight, in season 6.

I am lucky to be able to just spend silly time with her. For the past hour, she has been playing some silly game on the computer (rag doll volleyball on addictinggames.com). It was one of those irritating games that she was just determined to win, so she played over and over again. She did finally win.

Free time is a blessing I'm truly thankful for. We spend a lot of time on the go, and don't always get this time just to lie on the bed and relax. So today, I'm thankful for the free time I got to spend with her.

Day of Thanksgiving- Day 18- Smell

I was having a hard time trying to decide what I'm thankful for today. There's so much to be thankful for, but I think I have hit most of the highlights. I'm finding that I'm thankful for the same things each day, with a few new things scattered here and there. Today, the only really new thing I could write more than one sentence about is my sense of smell.

Think about it- without smell, you can't taste anything. You wouldn't know when the garbage needed to go out. You wouldn't know when something spoiled in the fridge, and you wouldn't know when to stop spraying cologne (ok, some people don't know that now! Ha!)

I'm thinking about smells today because, first, I went to Michaels for some craft supplies for the church I work for. All the Christmas stuff is front and center (and outside) and before I even got in the door, I could smell that Christmas pine scent. The entire store smelled of it. I don't know if it is from what they're selling, or if it is some sort of psychological thing that makes you buy more Christmas stuff. But it was nice.

I came home to an almost clean house. I say almost because, while the kids picked up, they didn't clean. Which is ok- cleaning doesn't take near as long as picking up the clutter. So I did the dishes and vacuumed the floor. Then I lit some candles. It is nice in here now- that calming smell of scented candles is just settled over the room. Smells nice!

So I'm thankful right now that I can smell. But I'm wondering why we only call things smelly if they smell bad? 'Cause it is a good smelly in here right now!

Day of Thanksgiving- Day 17- Comfort Food

I am an emotional eater. Food means a lot to me, especially in relation to how I feel. The last two days on antibiotics I have felt queasy. (That's one reason I hate taking them.) I haven't eaten enough yesterday or today. But today, I only ate things that made me feel good.

Let's see, breakfast was a country ham and egg biscuit. That's a splurge (calorie-wise, anyway) for me, but just what my tummy wanted to calm down a bit. I didn't really want lunch, but ended up eating some leftover Japanese chicken and veggies with soba (buckwheat) noodles. This was in a sesame garlic ginger sauce and was just right. Dinner tonight was a grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of chicken noodle soup. Oh, and I ate a handful of M&M's this afternoon for a snack.

That's all my comfort foods in one day. In a day I needed them in, too. I'm thankful to be able to afford the food I want to eat, and I'm lucky to be in a country where food is readily available and plentiful.

Day of Thanksgiving- Day 16- Modern Medicine

Today I'm thankful for medicine- doctors, nurses, tests, and drugs! Yes, I went to the doctor because my bladder infection wasn't getting better. It wasn't getting worse, but wasn't going away, either. I actually saw the nurse practitioner, who gave me an antibiotic and told me to drink more water! I don't know how that is possible, seeing that I usually drink about a gallon a day.

I am lucky to live close to a major trauma center (Carolinas Medical Center), two University schools with excellent diagnostic care (Bowman Gray and Duke), and also to have a good local hospital close by. Good care is just a phone call away.

But I wonder, what do people in underdeveloped countries do? Suffer? What did people do 200 years ago? I did try the homeopathic things for two days before I went to antibiotics. They at least helped it not be worse, but they didn't make it better.

I'm thankful to live in a place where good medical care is less than a 5 minute drive away and the pharmacy closer than that (and even has a drive thru)!

Day of Thanksgiving- Day 15- My Girl

Today I'm thankful for my daughter. Ok, every minute of every day I'm thankful for my daughter, but today is special. Today is her 14th birthday. I cannot believe 14 years went by that quickly! It still seems like she should be 8 years old or something, not turning into this beautiful young woman.

I'm proud of who she is- a caring, helpful person who is very concerned over others. She gets mad if her schedule keeps her from going to church. She still wants to sleep with her mommy every now and then after she has watched something scary. And she absolutely loves children- she makes the best babysitter because she actually doesn't want the kids to go to bed!

I'm so blessed that God sent her to me 14 years ago. 

Day of Thanksgiving- Day 14- Water

Ok, today I am thankful for water. This is something we usually take for granted- you turn on the faucet and out comes clean, drinkable water. You can cook with it, bathe in it, water flowers with it, or soak in a hot tub of it. But do you know how many people do not have these luxuries?

This morning in church we watched a video about a water project in the Sudan. The drinking water there is horrible. Many children die of dehydration. After the destruction in Haiti, part of the relief effort included bringing in safe drinking water. Even our own Dai from Kathmandu has posted pictures of the water from the public tap that must be boiled before it is safe.

So we're lucky to have all this wonderful water available to us at our whim. But I bet you're asking "Why is she concerned about water today?" Well, water today has made all the difference in my life! I woke up this morning with the beginnings of a bladder infection. Immediately, I broke out the water, vitamin C, lemon juice, and orange juice. I have consumed an unknown amount of water today (yes, and gone to the bathroom many, many times) but the infection is mostly gone! I can still feel a little pain every now and then, but not much, At the least, water has kept me from finding medical care on a Sunday. If it isn't cleared up tomorrow, I'll go see my doctor.

So today, I'm totally thankful for water!

Day of Thanksgiving- Day 13- Electronic Gadgets

Today, I'm thankful for electronic gadgets. I'm not one of those people who have to have the latest thing out. I'm the one who waits until they're out there long enough for the price to come down! But I do enjoy things like my digital camera, my Blackberry, my little mp3 player, and my gps system.

Today, I took Savannah, my niece, and her best friend to the movies for Savannah's birthday. They have been hammering to see Paranormal Activity 2. The parents all said it was ok- it is rated R and they're 14 years old, so an adult had to stay with them. Great. Not the movie I want to see at all! (I don't like scary movies.) Fortunately, we chose the afternoon show with the cheaper tickets. The girls wanted to sit on the back row, so I pulled out my Blackberry and read a book on the Kobo app. Also put in my headphones and listened to country music loud enough that I couldn't hear the movie.

That's the first movie I ever went to that I didn't watch! The electronic gadgets helped me pass the time, and I made my daughter happy for her birthday. The little things are handy- and I'm thankful for things that make life a little easier.

Day of Thanksgiving- Day 12- Free Stuff

Ok, so who doesn't love free stuff? My friend Jamie finds things free on the internet a lot. I don't know how she does it but I'm thankful that she shares it with us! It might be a free shampoo sample, breakfast cereal, or toothbrush, but it is free!

Tonight, I hosted a Thirty-One party. Or as the boys called it, a purse party. Ok, so they have more than just purses, but that describes it pretty well. Anyway, a lot of my friends came and we had a great time. I even made sangria- a first for me- and it was good! We got some Christmas shopping done and they bought so much that I get almost $90 worth of free stuff! Not much better than free Christmas presents!

But you know, there is more free than just stuff. Another amazing person at my church died yesterday. We all feel a little numb, but it is awesome to watch friends rally around the family. This is what friends should do. There's no amount of money that can buy that!

I stopped by a friend's house for 45 minutes this afternoon to do yoga. It was such a pretty day that we went out on her dock. The temps were just right, the lake was calm, and the sun was warm on my face. You can't buy weather like that, either.

Savannah had a couple of friends over for the party tonight. They went upstairs and just got silly. Now they have faces drawn on their bellies with the belly button for a mouth. There's not much better than a group of giggly girls acting silly!

So today, I am thankful for the free stuff. Not just the gifts, but all the blessings we're given each day that we don't earn, but get to enjoy! (and that's what's amazing about grace!)

Come to my Thirty-One Party

http://www.mythirtyone.com/shop/catalog.aspx?eventId=E341999&from=DIRECTLINK
Tomorrow night I am having several friends over for a Thirty-One party. I hadn't heard of these products until a friend of mine became a consultant. Now it looks like I'm going to do some of my Christmas shopping this way. So, if you want in on the party (or at least in on the deals) click the link and do your own Christmas shopping!

Day of Thanksgiving- Day 11- Mom

Today (and every day) I'm eternally grateful for my mother. She is awesome! My dad died when I was a senior in high school and she resolutely shipped me off to college 8 months later. When I came home with friends, she welcomed them. When I wanted to work for a company in Chicago for a summer, she bought my plane ticket.

She has guided me through raising three children and stood at my side during my divorce. She took care of my aging grandmothers, first her mother-in-law and then her mother. Right after my brother's accident, she nursed two invalids for 7 or 8 months without complaint. She is probably the finest person I know.

I was so happy for her when she married Frank (my stepfather) 12 years ago. He treats her like a princess- no less than she deserves. Of course, she takes great care of him, too.

She has paid my bills when the money was short. She makes sure the kids have new clothes every now and then. She loves the idea of Savannah and I traveling to Italy this spring, so much that she has paid for the trip.

Today, she did two amazing things. One, she sent me her housekeeper. (It is a long story, but she has two houses in two different towns. When she hasn't been at the house here, and it doesn't need cleaning, I get the housekeeper!) Considering that I'm having a Thirty-One party tomorrow night, I really needed help. She offered the housekeeper even though she could have used her this week. The second amazing thing she did was loan the boys' grandmother (their mother's  mother) money. Belle is a sweet, wonderful lady who has just been diagnosed with Lyme's disease. She is out of work and has a mound of bills and didn't know where to turn. And to top it off, she is going to let the boys do some work for her to "work it off" for their grandmother as a surprise Christmas present.

I love my mother, and I'm totally thankful for her!

Day of Thanksgiving- Day 10- Children

Today I am thankful for children. I have always enjoyed kids. Married a man who had custody of his two sons and raised them like my own. Even when the marriage ended, they stayed with me.

I have a daughter I adore. She is the light of my life and I don't know what I would do without her.

I took a job teaching children's choir at church several years ago. Went from teaching 3 and 4 year olds to middle school. Every age has their joys, every age has their challenges. But children are wonderful! Even the challenging ones can bring me much joy.

I keep my niece on Wednesday nights. If you've been my friend for long enough, you'll remember the horrific accident my brother and his family had 4 years ago that killed his wife. My little motherless niece needs her "Aunt Neen" fix every week. We have children's choir on Wednesday nights and she likes to go with me. Since my brother is a devout athiest, she comes with me. I also take her to church on Sunday mornings.

I lead music for our children's worship team on Sundays. We have a blast! You can check out a little of our silliness at gforceconnects.org if you're really bored!

Kids are a big part of my life. My kids, and other people's too! I'm thankful for the things they teach me- remember to listen, be nice to each other, and tell the truth. But mostly, I'm thankful for the love they show.

Day of Thanksgiving- Day 9- Music

Today I'm thankful for music. I cannot imagine life without it. I hum it, I sing it in my head, I listen to my daughter sing all over the house (which I take as a sign of a happy child!)...

Music moves me. I can put on a song and cry. I can crank up the tunes and clean the house. I can sing to the top of my lungs and just be happy and free. I love to sing!

I watched the Sound of Music cast reunion on Oprah the other day (I never watch O, but I couldn't pass this up!) So sad that Julie Andrews can no longer sing. Throat surgery left her vocal range very small. She talked about working through the depression from the loss. I can't even imagine!

I had community chorus rehearsal tonight. Three more rehearsals before our Christmas concert. Not only is the music fun, but this group of people is funny! They never miss an opportunity to joke or kid around. And they really like each other! A lot of them go out after rehearsal for a beer or martini or just to sit and talk. I don't, but I have a child to get home.

There isn't much music I don't like. I'm not real happy with some of the popular songs out right now, especially if they repeat themselves so much it is like you end up in a trance. I tell Savannah that I think it hypnotizes me! And I'm not that crazy about bluegrass. I can hear a song or two and that is enough. But bring on the rest! I am a classically trained musician, so I can enjoy a symphony or opera; I'm a southern country girl, so bring on Garth or Brad Paisley; I'm a Christian so give me Big Daddy Weave, Casting Crowns, or Chris Tomlin; I am a child of the 80's so give me Phil Collins or Billy Joel; I love children's music, especially Sesame Street classics.... I'll even listen to Barry Manilow!

I'm so thankful for music, and for the big part it plays in my life. I'm also thankful for the good friends I have made through band, chorus, and ensembles.

Day of Thanksgiving- Day 8- Good Food

This is the first night I have been at home since... well... I can't remember, but it was sometime the week before Halloween. With my crazy schedule, we have done a lot of eating out. There are some good restaurants around here, and I do so appreciate not having to cook all the time. But we've done too much eating on the run lately and it was time to make a good meal at home. I love to cook!

Tonight, I made one of my favorite meals-  bok choy, zucchini, onions, asparagus, celery, and carrots in a light sesame ginger sauce with dirty rice and a medium rare steak. Yummy!

I am thankful for food. I am thankful for the abundance of good food that is available, for the ability to cook, and for the means to provide it for my family. I realize much of the world is not this lucky.

A New List- Lifted from Blue, Kat, Greg...

1. Who was your FIRST prom date?
Todd Martin- took me to my sr. prom.

2. Do you still talk to your FIRST love?
No.

3. What was your first alcoholic drink?
My grandma hid gin in her dresser- I snuck in and had to try it- ick! (I was maybe 9 or 10?)

4. What was your FIRST job?
I was the drive-through girl at Hardees (unless you count babysitting).

5. What was your FIRST car?
A green 1970 Chevy Chevelle.

6. Who was the FIRST person to text you today?
My daughter.

7. Who is the FIRST person you thought of this morning?
My mom and stepdad.

8. Who was your FIRST grade teacher?
Mrs. Gabriel. Strange lady.

9. Where did you go on your FIRST ride on an airplane?
Chicago. I was working with Bands of America at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

10. Who was your FIRST best friend & do you still talk?
Lynn. And yes, she is still my hairdresser, although that is about the only place I see her.

11. Where was your FIRST sleep over?
At my grandmother's house.

12. Who was the FIRST person you talked to today?
Hmm... I think it was Bill- the first person I saw when I got to church this morning. Maybe it was my mom on the phone before that- I can't remember.

13. Whose wedding were you in the FIRST time? 
My cousin Greg's.

14. What was the FIRST thing you did this morning?
What I always do- pee and then brush my teeth.

15. What was the FIRST concert you ever went to?
I think it was the Oak Ridge Boys.

16. What was the FIRST record/tape/CD you bought? 
Bought? Something of the Bee Gees. Either that or one of those K-Tel compliation albums.

17. FIRST hospitalization?
When I had Savannah. That's the only time I've been there overnight. Had my tonsils out as day surgery.

18. FIRST foreign country you've been to?
Canada in 2007 when we went on the mission trip to Montana. It was a day trip into Waterton Park. Beautiful place by the way!

19. FIRST movie you remember seeing?
On TV, the Wizard of Oz. In the theatre, Sound of Music.

20. When was your FIRST detention?
Only one- I helped a friend of mine skip school (lied for her.)

21. What did you do with your FIRST paycheck?
I have no idea.

22. Your FIRST social networking site?
Yahoo 360.

23. Who FIRST invited you to Multiply?
That would be Kat, who I came over here with in a group that included Anne (the Wench) and ZeBaron. 

Day of Thanksgiving- Day 7- One More Hour

Oh, yeah, how can I not be thankful for the extra hour of sleep last night! It came on the perfect night, too. After all the craziness with my niece's birthday party, my stepfather had a little medical emergency and had to go to the hospital. That left me with two little girls, my nieces, who had planned a sleepover with my mom. Guess who got them? Whew! One more hour is a good thing!

I'm thankful that I am able to help out with my family when I'm needed, too.

My friend had a great idea this morning- why don't we take an hour out of each Monday and add it to each Saturday?

Day of Thanksgiving- Day 6- Weekends

Sea mentioned today how she loves holidays- they break up the monotony of our lives. I feel the same way about weekends, too. Mine are usually packed with things to do, but at least it is different stuff than throughout the week, and usually optional.

Today, I slept until 9:15am! That's the first best thing about a weekend- no alarm clock! I really should have been up earlier, but didn't set the clock. I didn't want to and didn't have to!

My mother helped my single-father brother throw a birthday party for my niece today. Being a good daughter, I helped. We had it in the youth center of the church I work for. It is the perfect place to have a party. There's a foosball table, ping pong table, air hockey, big screen TV, kitchen, and plenty of room. Bad thing is, we spent 6 hours there. For a 2 hour party!

But now I'm home and have the night off! Oh, I have 2 places I could go, but I'm tired after entertaining ten 9 year olds! I think I'll cook something good for dinner and then read for awhile. Maybe even take a long bath!

So I'm thankful for weekends- especially for the lazy, relaxed time that they bring with them!

I'm going to finalize the ornament exchange on Monday- so far I have 4 people... Anyone else wanna join us?

Day of Thanksgiving- Day 5- Spirituality

I am thankful to be a spiritual being. I am thankful that God created me, and more thankful for His mercy and His grace. I'm speechless at the unending love he has for me.

Today has been a very spiritual day. First, I learned a new way to pray! I'm a horrible prayer- always end up making a grocery list or drifting off to sleep. I came across this book "Praying in Color" by Sybil MacBeth. In it, she describes how she draws her prayers. Sometimes they're just squiggles with names in them. She colors them in. She doodles around them. They're not art, they're more like a child's Crayola endeavor. I have tried this twice and wow- what a prayer! I actually sat with my prayer list for an hour, drawing names, doodling in them, making them colorful! I didn't say an audible prayer, or even bring to God my petition for them, I just brought them. After all, He knows what they need already!

At lunch today, I met a friend for a time of meditation. We try to do this every Friday if we can. It turned out to be more yoga but that was fine. I'm all stretched out now!

Tonight was the meeting of my voodoo group. (That's what the kids call it.) It is really 6 women who want to explore things like Qi Gong, reflexology, eating right, meditation, etc. Tonight we did a Qi Gong exercise and some EFT. Talked a lot about different experiences people had with Reike, acupuncture, etc. Since I'm a novice at a lot of this, it was neat to hear what worked for them and what didn't. It is also fun to decide what I will reject and what I want to know more about.

I have gone to church my whole life and rarely miss a Sunday. I lead music in children's worship and lead a Bible study (right now we're doing Beth Moore's "Beloved Disciple.") I am a big fan of the scriptures as a basis for the way to live. (Not that I'm very good at it, but I try!)

So, today I'm thankful that I have different pathways to the Creator. I have prayer, reading and study, meditation, yoga, and more! I am starting to see how all these work together. 

Day of Thanksgiving- Day 4- Help

I'm sitting here tonight trying to figure out what I'm thankful for. These next 20-something days are going to be tough if I'm already having a hard time! Actually, I think I'm just tired. This is one of those weeks that I've had something every night until after 9pm. I really enjoy being home in the evenings. *sigh* Maybe one day next week.

This week has been so hectic that I've had to call on several people for help. I am thankful that I have friends that I can call on when I can't do it all. First, it is hard for me to admit that I can't do it all. I should be able to, right? I suppose that's why Wonder Woman didn't have kids- then she wouldn't have been able to do everything, either!

We're changing themes in children's worship this week which means new sets, costumes, acting parts, music, etc. We had a lot to do on Monday to get ready for this coming Sunday, but I had a meeting. Fortunately, my friends covered for me while I was gone. They painted my portion of the set, probably better than I could have. Or at least just as good!

We were supposed to have drama practice on Wednesday night  but the girl had volleyball practice. I also had to take her friend whose mom went to get her dad back from the army! So they graciously moved the time of rehearsal so I could do both.

Then tonight, the friend's mom (and newly home from Afghanistan dad) took the girls to practice. Which was wonderful because I had a meeting for a committee I chair- not really something I could miss.

I don't know where I would be this week if I hadn't called for help several times. I am thankful to have people to call on, but I don't like to use them if I don't have to. I also like to make sure that when they call on me, I help however I'm able. I wish the whole world were like that- wouldn't this be a nicer place?

Day of Thanksgiving- Day 3- Relationships

Today, I'm thankful for relationships.

One of the pillars of our church died this week- a man who was very involved in many good things. He had been faithful to his wife and was known to many of the church children as "the man with candy in his pockets." Here's a brief clip from his obituary:

He was a member of Denver United Methodist Church, where he was a member of the United Methodist Men and a former Sunday School teacher. He was a member of the Denver Masonic Lodge #757 A.F. & A.M., the Oasis Shriners in Charlotte, Oasis Ragtop Unit, member and past president of the Lake Norman Shrine Club, member of the Royal Order of Jesters Court 109, where he served as Director. He was chairman of the Oasis NFL Alumni Golf Tournament and member of the Verdict Ridge Golf & Country Club. He was a member of the Board of Surrender House in Lincolnton, Salvation ARC Board, sponsor in AA, and mentor at Rock Springs Elementary School and North Middle School.

There were over 700 people at his funeral. He was all about building relationships.

A friend of mine drove nearly 4 hours (one way) today to meet her husband off of a plane. That isn't too extraordinary in itself, but he has spent the past year in Afghanistan as a Chief Petty Officer in the National Guard. I have her daughter overnight tonight as they have a small "honeymoon" on the way home. The kids don't know- and will be surprised tomorrow at school that their father is home two weeks earlier than planned.

I met my best friend and some other girls for lunch today. Their lighthearted banter makes me realize how grateful I am for good friends to just be silly with. Some of the topics may have been more serious but when shared with friends, become lighter.

And I am so grateful for my friends here. I would love to solve your problems- take away your pain, get you better jobs, heal your relationships, but hopefully just by being here some of your burdens are a little lighter. Kat, I feel like we've been more than just friends for forever- I have you to thank for bringing me over here from 360; Susan (Abby) I really wish you lived closer. Just the day we got to spend together tells me that we'd be great friends to hang out with. Dai and Kumar- I wish I had endless money and could jet off to the other side of the world. I'd love to meet you and see those pretty mountains! China isn't too far away, so I'd trek on up and meet Susan (Libby) too, my sister in Christ. Kippy, I'd jet off to the other side of the country and hang out with you and Jeremy, roll in the floor with the dogs, and eat some wonderful food. I'd spend a day with Jimmie, walking in the mall and listening to sage advice and knowledge. Sue, next time I head to the Creeper trail I'm going to make time to come on up and at least have a cup of tea. Maybe Eby could join us! And there are so many others, I'd never have the time or the money to meet in person but because of this wonderful place, I get to be a part of your life- all for free! Thank you for sharing yourselves with me!

And lastly, I'm thankful for my family relationships. I have a fabulous mom. (Not many people can say that- I know, I hear you!) I have a great daughter. I have two stepsons on the verge of manhood (they're 20 and 21- and hopefully one day can afford to NOT live with me! But I still love them!) My brother is so supportive and ready to help with things at any time, and I have enjoyed getting closer to my niece as she spends the night with me about once a week or so.

I could lament my divorce, or the lack of a "significant other" in my life, but I won't because my life is so filled with joy, the joy of my relationship with Christ and with the many people I named above. I love you all!

Day of Thanksgiving- Day 2- Election Day

Sea came up with this fabulous idea! Take the days between now and Thanksgiving and blog about something you're thankful for. I missed yesterday, but later's better than never, right?

Today, I'm thankful that the elections are over, or will be in a few hours. I'm so tired of political ads, phone calls, signs, pamphlets, etc. Does anyone notice how even the news doesn't have news on it? Just politicos trying to tell you why to vote (or not to vote) for someone.

I'm thankful that we live in a country where we have the right to vote. We have a voice, and should speak it! I have voted in every election that I was able to from the time I was able to vote. Several times, I didn't feel like my vote made a difference. But voting does! So if you were thinking about staying home today, get out there and get it done!

I don't believe in voting for one party on a straight ballot. It isn't hard to get to know something about the people running for office, at least enough to be able to choose one over the other. I also don't believe that you have to vote in every category. There were two people running for a soil and water conservation office- I had no idea about either of them. I left it blank. Let someone else who knows them decide. I don't want one of them in there because I thought their name sounded good!

Lastly, I'm thankful that we can agree to disagree about things like politics and religion. If you're my friend, you know that I come down on the conservative side of both. Most of you respect that, and I respect where you are. Let's keep it that way.

Now, go vote!