The Final Bargain of 2008

Ok, I never thought I'd be one of those bloggers who takes pictures of her clothes. Like I need another reason for Jay to think I've lost it. BUT, I can't even believe the deal I just got and I had to share it with all of bloggyville.

I've been searching for dark jeans. Not too dark. Not too long (which is always a challenge). And most importantly, not too expensive. I am always up for a good challenge, and while I've seen some jeans I could have settled with, I have refused to give up until I found the perfect combination of good color, good fit, and good price. The boys and I stopped in Cato this afternoon and, I can finally check "the perfect dark jeans" off my list... behold the $7.99 jeans:

Seven dollars and ninety nine cents. And they came with a cute belt! Score! I also found a really cute top ($7.99) and some sassy black shoes ($9.99)... so I bought an entire outfit for $27.27!!! And if that wasn't awesome enough, I had a gift card that had a remaining balance, so I only paid $7.30 for my super sweet new outfit. Here is a picture of the whole outfit:

And, a close up shot of the price tag, in case you don't believe the sweet deal:

The marked down prices aren't showing up great in the picture, so I'll let you know that the jeans started out at $24.99 (most people consider that a pretty good price for jeans), then they were marked down to $17.99, then to $11.99, and finally the low, low price of $7.99. Crazy. I know my sister is rolling with laughter as she reads this. What can I say? I love a bargain and I am so proud of myself for this one! Woohoo! Here's to good bargains in 2009... Happy New Year!

Eight Things About Me

I just saw this over at Amanda's, and even though she didn't tag me, I've been wanting to do one of these, so here we go:

8 t.v. shows I watch:
1. Jon & Kate Plus 8
2. Rachael Ray
3. House
4. sometimes Oprah
5. The Office
6. most anything on Food Network
7. QVC
8. lots of Disney channel & Nickelodeon when the boys are in charge of the remote

8 restaurants that I love:
1. Don Papa Grande
2. Olive Garden
3. O'Charleys
4. Five Guys (Jay just recently introduced me to their awesome burgers)
5. Don Papa Grande
6. Sibley's BBQ
7. Chick-Fil-A
8. Don Papa Grande

8 Things I did today:
1. Got a wake up call from the lady at the pet groomers'... we were 30 minutes late dropping Laci off, b/c we all overslept
2. Took Miles for an xray of his finger (not broken)
3. Had lunch with Mom at Don Papa Grande
4. Shopped a little after lunch
5. Got a haircut at Mom's
6. Made a brownie trifle
7. Went to the staff Christmas party at church
8. Watched a little of "The Polar Express" with the boys before bed

8 Things I Look Forward to:
1. Christmas
2. Our next Disney vacation
3. Buying a new mattress
4. seeing some snow, hopefully
5. Christmas party this Friday night
6. leftover brownie trifle in the fridge (if Reed doesn't get to it first)
7. the end of 4th grade and Kindergarten
8. going to church on Sundays

8 Things I am Wishing for:
1. a white Christmas
2. a full jewelry show calendar for 2009
3. to one day go on a cruise
4. a new mattress
5. good health for our family and friends
6. a car fairy to come and clean out my car in the middle of the night
7. that my boys might stay little forever
8. that I'll be a good example for them and the Lord will erase from their minds when I am not

8 People I'm tagging to do this:
1. My mom
2. Jen K.
3. Jen B.
4. Joy
5. anyone
6. else
7. reading
8. this

What Christmas is really all about...

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I dare you not to laugh at this...

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Tim Hawkins on Corporate Worship Songs

Thankful

Our pastor reminded us Sunday that we, as Christians, are commanded to be thankful. We acknowledge that all that we have comes from God's hand, and we are to consciously be mindful of all that we have because of Him. I've been thinking on all of my blessings, and here is my list:

• My family - Jay, Reed and Miles. Especially this time of year when we don't necessarily see a whole lot of Daddy, because he's at church working extra long hours on the pageant. I am thankful that God has given me those 3 precious guys to spend my life with. I'm also thankful for my extended family; my parents, my sister and her family, my in-laws... we are blessed to have each other and to love spending time together.
• Homeschooling - although I am the first to admit that it is a JOB, I acknowledge also what a tremendous blessing it is to be able to homeschool my boys. I'm thankful also for a church filled with homeschool families, and for the freedom to teach them at home because we feel that God has called us to do so.
• My church - spend one hour there and you will know why I am thankful for it. Not just the new building, although it has certainly been a huge blessing to us this year. I'm thankful for the people who make up our church; for our Pastor and our staff. For godly teachers and volunteers. For the unity we have. It is a blessing. I'm also thankful for the Christmas pageant, and what a tremendous ministry it is. I'm thankful to be a part of it, regardless of how it interrupts our lives! It is worth the effort we put into it, a million times over.
• My jewelry business - God has blessed my business this year, and especially this fall. I enjoy so much the opportunity to meet these ladies and give them a fun night out. I have met some really neat ladies and have seen my business grow. I'm thankful that Premier is run by two godly people, Andy and Joan Horner. I'm thankful that I'm a part of a company that gives money to support missions. I get to have fun, get paid, and share Jesus' love with people around the world... what a job!
• Blogging - I am thankful for the many people who I "know" now because of reading their blogs. So many of them inspire me to be a better wife, mom, and follower of Jesus. If you haven't already, you need to head over to these blogs and check them out: BigMama, BooMama, Stephanie (and her sweet sister, Courtney... get updated on Stephanie's story here), Angie, Amanda, etc., etc., etc. These are just a few to get you addicted!

There are so many other things to list... the obvious - good health, our home, our country (which is a blessing, no matter who lives in the White House). And of course, there are the everyday things that just make life a little better... Diet Coke, dark chocolate, Christmas lights, sleeping children, good friends, Mexican food, laughing until you cry, the DVR (best invention in a long time!), gas prices that have fallen so low that I can fill up my car for under $30 - woo hoo!... you get the idea. Look around you and realize all the good things that God has given you. And don't forget to thank Him.

"Let us come before Him with thanksgiving. Let us sing Him psalms of praise." Psalm 95:2

Pumpkin Dip

If you know me, you know that especially this time of year I love all things pumpkin. I got this recipe from my sweet friend Corliss, way back when I was a newlywed, and when we would sit at work and talk recipes. Corliss had been married almost 20 years when I met her, so she had lots of experience in the kitchen cooking for her hubby. I love, love, love Corliss and her friendship, and I love everytime I'm looking through my recipes and find some with her handwriting. This recipe reminds me of her.

This pumpkin dip is a great thing to make and have in the kitchen to snack on while everyone's preparing the big Thanksgiving day meal. Or, a great thing to bring to a get-together this time of year. Hope you try it... let me know if you do so I can pass on the rave reviews to Corliss!

Pumpkin Dip

1 small can packed pumpkin
1 8 oz. block cream cheese, softened
1/2 - 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar (Corliss's recipes aren't always exact!)
Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg
Gingersnaps for dipping

Mix together the cream cheese and sugar, add pumpkin and spices to taste. Serve with gingersnaps cookies.

There you have it... simple but yummy! If you'd like to see more holiday recipes, click here!

Will you be my partner?

Can you help me? I need an accountability partner, and I'm thinking the more, the better! I am going to start walking again. I AM going to start walking again. I am going to start WALKING again. (I just needed to convince myself) I used to get up before anyone else was awake, grab the MP3 player and take a nice, long walk with Rick and Bubba. When I did, my whole day seemed to go better. I had more energy, I got more accomplished, I felt better, we started school on time and got finished earlier... good stuff all around. I haven't walked regularly in a few months, and it's catching up with me. I couldn't resist the weather outside today, so I went for a walk just a while ago and noticed that I was getting short of breath about halfway through! It's ridiculous that I'm so out of shape, and I intend to do something about it!

So here is where you come in. If you are reading this, please leave me a comment and let me know. If you aren't sure how, you can do so anonymously (without all of the google/blogger sign in stuff) and sign your name at the end of your comment. If I know someone... anyone... has read this, I feel like I will stick to it better, so please help me out!

Thanks!

Trick or Treat!

Crock Pot Chicken Chili

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Boomama is hosting a "Souptacular Crockpotalooza", and even though I'm a day late, this recipe is worth sharing. It is one of my favorite recipes to make in the crock pot because it is super easy, super yummy, and super healthy! And it's perfect to make in this fabulous fall weather! Hope you try it and love it like we do!

Crock Pot Chicken Chili

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 envelope chili seasoning mix
28 oz. canned tomatoes (I use diced)
15 oz. canned corn
15 oz. kidney beans
1/2 onion, chopped
salt, pepper, and sugar to taste

Basically, you just add all of the ingredients to your crock pot and cook on Low for 6-8 hours. You'll want to stir it every now and then; I find my crock pot gets really hot, even on Low. We usually serve this with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream, and with cornbread as a side. Yum... enjoy!

Haiku is cool

Reed is learning how to write Haiku poems in his 4th grade language arts class. Today we had some fun writing a few... thought I'd share, because I thought they were great!

Silly, smiling Miles
drawing pictures in notebook
Kindergardener

Swishing in the net
shot after shot after shot
He gets the high score

White, soft, fast puppy
fun to play with in backyard
she is a good dog

Cheesy, orangey
I could eat it ev'ry day
I love mac and cheese

and my favorite...

Spicy, brown cookies
crunchy, hard to bite into
I hate gingersnaps

Palin Power

My guys and I drove to Richmond this afternoon to attend a rally where Sarah Palin was speaking. Just wanted to share a couple of pictures. You go, girl!!!

Aren't I Cute?

How adorable is this new blog template? It was FREE (my love language), and it was relatively easy to do. There are several fall designs to choose from. If you want one for yourself, click on that little box on the top left hand side of my blog. Enjoy!

What happens with the staff wives...

I bet you are able to finish that sentence! We had our annual retreat at the beach last weekend, and we had a blast. Frankie and Shelley are soooo generous to allow us to stay at their beach house, and we do appreciate them so much for it. Lots of laughter, a counter and cabinets FULL of goodies, a fridge full of Diet Cokes, fun games, a good movie, a few tears, lots of shopping, hunting for sea glass, taking pictures, tattoos, wearing our shirts again, practical jokes... did I miss anything??? No, that pretty much sums up our time away together. Well, except for the things that are only between us... you know, because what happens with the staff wives STAYS with the staff wives! Or at least we hope so! Looking forward to next year already!

I am mad...

...that I literally just heard these words from Oprah's mouth:
"I believe our society will be held accountable for how we treat the least of these". Sounds good? Sounds noble? Y'all, she was talking about DOGS. I am all for kindness to animals, but please. She is so utterly clueless. She is right, we will be held accountable for how we treat the least of these... Jesus said that in the Bible. But, he was talking about human life. Babies. Not animals.

Pray for Oprah.

Disney '08

Well, as always, Disney World did not disappoint. We were blessed with good weather 4 out of our 6 days, and the days that it did rain, we were finishing up the parks when it started. I have so many (200+!) pictures that I'd love to share, but have to choose just a few favorites. I am also considering starting a separate blog all about WDW... more to come on that if it ever happens.




My favorite day, I think, was Tuesday (our 13th anniversary, by the way) when we spent the day at Epcot. We headed straight to the Soarin' ride first, since it is one of our favorites. Then, we stood in a long line to see Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, and Chip and Dale... it was worth the wait to see all of them at once!











We had read of a place called "Club Cool" where you can sample Coke products from several different countries, so we set out to find it. Needless to say from the pictures, a few of them were n-a-s-t-y!! It was fun, though!





We headed to Mexico for some yummy lunch (although not nearly as good as my fave Don Papa Grande)... and then into the Mexico pavillion for the new boat ride.








As we're looking around "Mexico", I spotted a familiar face. I wasn't positive that it was him, so I asked Jay, who confirmed that he thought it was. What to do? We were standing about two feet away, and he was taking some video of his kids playing. Bother him? Not bother him? I begged Jay to speak to him, since I wasn't about to approach him first and at about that time they caught each other's eyes. Jay asked if he was who we thought he was, and he said yes!




Just in case you don't know his face, you will know his voice... or at least this song:


http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S70gwFcSK9k


Yes! It was Bart Millard, the lead singer of the group Mercy Me. Awesome. It's so cool to run into famous people when you least expect it. He was super nice and gracious with all the picture taking. Reed tried about 6 times to take our picture, and the camera wasn't cooperating. He took a look at it, snapped a picture of Reed which came out great, and then we finally got a good shot. We said our "goodbyes" and "thanks" and again, "we love your music"s, and totally felt like stalkers as we ended up behind his family on the boat ride. We realized that we hadn't asked for an autograph, but opted not to approach him again. I am sure he had had enough of us!


After Epcot we headed to the Wilderness Lodge for dinner at "Whispering Canyon"; a fun restaurant with delicious food. Our waitress had us stand in front of the entire restaurant and reenact our wedding kiss... embarrasing? I'm so glad Reed was there to get the picture. Happy #13 to us!








Reed and Miles also rode a few "firsts"... they both rode Space Mountain










and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad for the first time.





And, all three of us braved Expedition Everest! Yikes... I'm glad I did it, but not sure that I'll be doing it ever again. Jay was so proud of us!










We stayed on site at Pop Century Resort this time and we loved it. The boys loved the pools, and the Goofy Geysers. And, we had mugs that were refillable... slushies every day, anyone? Slushies for breakfast, lunch and dinner if you want? And as a bedtime snack? They LOVED it!






Well, those were just a few highlights... here's to next time!

The Jonas Brothers, the beach, and a new school year

What do these things have in common? They're all things that I haven't written about yet!

Jay and I surprised the boys with tickets to see the Jonas Brothers in August. The concert was in Va. Beach, and Jay was able to take the day off from work so we could drive down early and spend the whole day there. We had never been there, so we took our time and enjoyed the beach and the sights. The concert was FABULOUS, and we all had a great time! No cameras were allowed, so unfortunately I don't have any pictures of that to share. My sister took her kids, too, as well as some friends, so we all sang and danced the night away together. Good times, and very sweet memories.

We spent Labor Day weekend at the beach with Jay's family. We drove down to Corolla for the day with my sister and her family, where Reed got to try his hand at fishing. No luck that day, but they had a blast! At one point all 10 of us were in the water together, jumping the waves and having fun. Corolla is where the wild horses live, and they can usually be seen roaming the beach. We didn't see any horses, but plenty of evidence that they had been there! More fun memories that I hope they'll remember.

And, yesterday was the first day of the school year for us. Miles started Kindergarten! He did a great job, although 30 minutes into it was wanting and needing a break. Actually, his exact quote was "this is torture!"... drama much? He perked up when it was time for the crayons to come out. Reed is in 4th grade this year, and so far, so good! He's an old pro at this school thing, as he reminded Miles of yesterday. "Just wait until you get in the 4th grade, Miles!"

That's what we've been up to lately. We are heading out this Sunday for a week in Disney World, as long as hurricanes Hannah, Ike, and Josephine cooperate with our vacation plans! More pictures to come soon...

Birthday fun

A few pictures of Reed's birthday pool party/sleepover. The weather was perfect, everyone had a great time, and the party was a success! Happy 9th birthday to my sweet Reed!

Even if he seems all grown up

Reminder to self: he's still my baby.

We're gonna miss this

Lately I've been thinking about how very fast time is flying by, especially since Reed will be 9 in just two weeks. How? When did it happen?

That being said, I cannot for the life of me listen to this Trace Adkins song without losing it. Just read these words:

"You're gonna miss this/ you're gonna want this back
you're gonna wish these days/ hadn't gone by so fast,
these are some good times/ so take a good look around
you may not know it now/ but you're gonna miss this"

It's so easy to speed through each day, each week, each month without really enjoying these good times. My boys will never be 8 and 5 again. And I will miss it one day.

Pictures of the 4th on the 19th

I'm not sure why, but I just realized that I never posted about our trip to the beach for the 4th of July. We went to Nags Head, where Jay's parents recently bought a beach house! It is so beautiful; Linda has done a great job decorating it. We had a wonderful time, relaxing and hanging out as a family. Shelley and her family were down for the 4th, too, so it was neat to meet them on the beach for a few hours each day. We watched a few fireworks from their deck and then drove the 2 miles back to our place to watch the rest. Here is our trip in photos...