Hobby Lobby Anyone?????

First... 

again...

apologies...

Can I just say life has been one whirl wind after another around here ~

 some days I'm not sure if I'm even standing upright! 

 I feel much like a revolving door lately ~ never really knowing when I'm suppose to step out for fear of getting stuck somewhere in between and getting "smooshed!"  But, I'm sure you ALL feel the same way... sometimes anyway... I hope... I'd hate to be all alone .... hmmmm... I'm going to tell myself that I'm not alone if that's OK.... 

All I can say is ~  I'm sure glad I started thinking Christmas on Dec. 27! And yet,  I'm still very concerned that I'm not going to meet my deadline date... that clock just seems to keep on tickin'... even when I take the batteries out!

And now back to my question.... 

Today, Saturday morning was to start out REALLY early ~ especially for a Saturday!  (but honestly, between you and I, I would rather start early then spend the day "sleepin' it away - no matter HOW tired I THINK I am!) I set my alarm for 6 am ~ because I didn't want to forget to pick up my Bountiful Basket at 7:00 am - (This is a PLUG IN.....have you ever tried the Bountiful Basket Food Co-op?~Take a look at it here, and see if it is in your area ~ AMAZING! That is all I can say... AMAZING! SO, SO WORTH IT!) Anyway... after that I had several places I needed to run and makes some returns/exchanges, go grocery shopping, clean the house, pull weeds, mow the lawn, WASH my car...and all by 4:00 (should I be worried that I'm exhausted just typing it?... it's no wonder I didn't get it all accomplished - sheesh!)  Well, my youngest wanted to go with me to pick up the food basket so she made me promise I would wake her up early to go... so I did. It honestly took all of 10 minutes to pick up and get back home - can't do that at the store! SO EASY!  Anyway on our way home this was our conversation.... (now remember she is 9 years old - not 30!) "Mom do you think that we could go to Hobby Lobby today?"  "For what?"  "Oh, just to look around and you know, get some ideas... I think my room is ready for a makeover.  Do you know how long it's been since I've been there?  I think I need a Hobby Lobby run today... So, what do you think? Can we go mom?".... (long pause because I'm trying not to loose it in laughter as she is talking to me in her 30 year old voice, legs crossed on the seat in the car and of course she has the hand motions to go with it....) ..... and then she adds in her little "teasy-snide bribery voice".... "They might have Christmas decorations out...."  and she is smiling ear to ear!  OH MY HEART BEAT!!! I think I've created a MINI-ME!!!!  

Well, needless to say,  after all the errands that HAD to be done were done - she was BORED and just wanted to come home! LOL.... I guess she isn't 100% converted! 

I just thought I would check in and see how everyone is doing on their Christmas planning... project making and such.  If you haven't started - it isn't too late yet!  If you need a jump start or a "RE-LIGHT" - maybe this will help!  Coming up, very soon!  .... I'll be doing "CHRISTMAS IN JULY!" posts, so.... get a move on it ~ get your projects going and be sure to take pictures ~ I'll take entries July 1-15 and then spotlight them the 16th - 31st - this way we can ALL get some AMAZING ideas to help get us on the right track.... who knows ~ maybe even beat HOBBY LOBBY to the Christmas Decorations!  Wouldn't that be fun!!!  :)  (There will be lots of different categories too - decorations, cards, neighbor gifts, inexpensive gifts, gifts for him, gifts for her, family gifts, etc.... lots of ideas I'm hoping to gather! )..... 

SO.... 

On your MARKS....

GET SET....

GO!!!! 

Get creative!!!!  

Together ~ we'll make Christmas COUNT!  

I'm getting SO SUPER excited!!!! Are YOU!?!?!

This couldn't have been said any better!

In an evening class at Stanford, the last lecture was on the mind-body connection - the relationship between stress and disease.  The speaker (head of psychiatry at Stanford) said, among a few other things, that one of the best things that a man could do for HIS health is to be married to a woman... whereas, for a woman, ONE of the best things she could do for her health was to nurture her relationships with her girlfriends,.  At first, everyone laughed, but he was VERY serious. 

He continued with: "Women connect with each other differently and provide support systems that help each other to deal with stress and difficult life experiences.  Physically, this quality of "girlfriend time" helps women to create more serotonin - a neurotransmitter that helps combat depression and can create a general feeling of well-being.  Women share feelings whereas men often form relationships around activities.  Women share from their souls with sisters, mothers, and girl friends and evidently that is very GOOD for their health."  He continued to say that spending time with a friend is just as important to our general health as jogging or working out at a gym.

There's a tendency to think that when we are "exercising" we are doing something good for our bodies, but when we are hanging out with friends, we are wasting our time and should be more productively engaged.  NOT TRUE!  In fact, he said that failure to create and maintain quality personal relationships with other humans is as dangerous to our physical health as smoking! 

So, every time you hang out to schmooze with a gal pal, just pat yourself on the back and congratulate yourself for doing something good for your health!  We are indeed very VERY lucky!  So..... there ya go!  Let's CHEER to our friendship with our girlfriends! Evidently it's VERY good for our HEALTH!

I'm so blessed to have WONDERFUL friends and sisters who have been there for me through out my life!  I KNOW that they have SAVED MY LIFE!!!!  I'm hoping to be VERY Healthy here pretty soon!!! I have so many great and wonderful friends, how could I not be!!! :)  (I surely hope I am as good a FRIEND in return!) 

OH... and just a little CHRISTMAS update....  a few more gifts are done!!! YEAH!!!!! 

How are you all doing???  I promise to get better at this....
 all in good time, my dears ... all in good time!

A couple of FAMILY fav's!

As I'm starting to prepare my Christmas Menu, I thought I would share a couple of our new favorites that are FOR SURE going to be on our December meals.... 

(Pictures will be coming... don't give up on me :)) 

On Sunday I usually make a large dinner ... I don't mind. I quite like it actually.  For several reasons.  It usually means that my kids are coming home for dinner - and we will ALL be home... sit down together and enjoy family chat time.  I LOVE it! I know it is usually stated that Sunday is a day of rest - and well, most see it as a day to "rest" and not a order for preparing big meals... but for me, preparing a big Sunday dinner is just that - RELAXING. I enjoy it!  I simply do not have time during the week to do it - so I look forward to Sundays... for this and other reasons as well. 

A few weeks ago, I came down with a WHOPPER migraine headache... It hit me while at church... I had to teach my class in the room with the lights off AND my sunglasses on.  It was a bad one! Hadn't had one like that in a long time! Somehow I managed to make it all through church and as soon as I walked in the house - straight to the bathroom to change my clothes... THEN I climbed right into bed... I was out. I needed it.... apparently. 

While I was sleeping I remember running around in my dream looking for a recipe for "baked chicken".... BAKED CHICKEN???  what was I thinking.... WHY was I thinking about baked chicken. WEIRD.  I had the dream several different times... and when I FINALLY became conscious again... I was CRAVING baked chicken!  OH MY!  So, I headed straight to the computer - looked at baked chicken recipes and finally decided to take a chance on this one.... and guess what! It has now become a family favorite! We have had it 3 times since.... MMMM-MMMM GOOD!!! I challenge you to give it a try! :)

Baked Chicken

8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

 (I use chicken tenders - worked better for my family and I used about 16 pieces)

1 cup sour cream

2 TBSP fresh lemon juice 

(I had bottled and it worked just fine... I think...)

2 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp celery sale

2 tsp garlic salt

dash of pepper

1 (6 oz) pkg of chicken seasoned stuffing mix - crushed into crumbs

1/2 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking dish 

In a medium bowl, mix the sour cream, lemon juice, soy sauce, celery salt, garlic salt, and pepper. Dip each chicken breast in the sour cream mixture, then roll in the stuffing mix to coat. Arrange chicken in the prepared baking dish. Drizzle with the melted butter. 
(***as a side note, I have done this a couple times, and the FROZEN chicken worked best for me - the sour cream mixture "stuck" to it better than on the thawed chicken... but you can try and see what works for you ;)***) 

Bake 40 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear. 

 M-M-M.... so good!  (And the leftovers are even better! :)) 

Then... I also discovered this amazing roll recipe... I can't remember where I found it - so if it looks familiar to you, please let me know - I'd love to give credit where credit is due.... 

Parker House Rolls 

3/4 cup warm water 

1 TBSP yeast

3/4 cup scaled milk

7 TBSP sugar

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup oil

4-5 cups flour

Place 3/4 cup warm water and 1 TBSP of the sugar in mixer bowl. Stir to dissolve the sugar.  Sprinkle the yeast on top of water/sugar mixture and set aside for a few minutes.  Once the yeast has become bubbly (or active) add the milk, remaining sugar, salt and oil to the yeast mixture and mix well.  Slowly add the flour, making sure that the dough remains "slightly" sticky.  Once all flour is added continue to mix for 7 minutes.  Then remove dough and place in a lightly oiled bowl and then place in a warm place and let rise for about 3 hours.

Roll dough out to just under 1/2" thickness, cut with a cup the size you prefer.  Place a slab of butter towards one side and fold the other side over being sure to "pinch" the edges closed.  Place rolls on cookie sheet and set back in a warm place and let rise for 20-30 minutes.

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Bake rolls for 10-14 minutes.  And.... just try to not SNITCH one while they are hot.... I bet you can't stop yourself!  They are just divine! 

Yep- pretty sure this is the new family favorite roll.... 

And certain to be on my December meal plan! 

How is your December meal planning coming along?

I just couldn't resist.....

A co-worker has been gone.... 

for 2 yes TWO LONG weeks to .... HAWAII.... none the less!

RUDE! :)

I mean really.... 

She sent me this .... 

with the message...

I'm enjoying every minute and relaxing ...

I feel so bad for her... NOT!  :)

While I was driving home in this..... 

NOT relaxing and NOT enjoying every minute! 

SOOOOoooooOOOOOO.....

I made her this...... 

ALOHA!  I mean  

BBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Welcome home! 

I asked her to bottle up some SUN and HEAT!.... 

I wonder if she did.....

(Note: That is not the EXACT picture she sent me - I can't download if from my phone... but it's pretty darn close.... and that is NOT a picture of the storm I was driving home in... I was driving... I couldn't take a picture... but it too, is pretty DARN close!)

HEY!!! I just had a great idea! 

Perfect neighbor gift! 

For Christmas of course!!

GEEZE!!! I'm one smart donut..... COOKIE!

Shhhh - It's a secret..... Don't tell.....

There is this "giveaway" going on over at this AMAZING  blog... This lady... well,  she truly is an INSPIRATION - I've been following her for quite some time... and yes. I admit. I've shed MANY,  MANY tears reading her blog... but I've also gained much needed strength as well.  She is just INSPIRING! She is just AMAZING! And... to top it off - she found out the "this gals"  ( yes ME!) purse BROKE!  (rude huh?!?! - I've been a fan of this broken purse for a mighty long time and it just up and BROKE!) anyway - she is hosting a "giveaway" (or so she says ;)) for a purse (but she is planning to give it to me regardless...) so, go ahead and just "pretend" to be interested in the "fake giveaway".... it will be fun... It will make me feel even more important when she "draws" my name out of a hat... with all these "competitors!". ;) 

 (It is really cute isn't it??? It is SO ME!)

(Ok... she really isn't doing this for "ME"... it is a TRUE REAL GIVEAWAY... I'm just wishful thinking.... because my purse really did break!  It nearly took me flat to the ground with it!) You don't think it was because I treat it more like a "suitcase" or something....do you???  hmmmm  Oh well... go ahead... play along.... maybe you will be LUCKY and then you will feel sorry for me and send it to me???  WISHFUL THINKING!!!!  :)   Thanks Ashley for a "great" WISHFUL dream I'm dreaming!  

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

I'm BaAaAaAaAaAaAaAaAaAaAccccckkkkkkk!!!!!

Holy cow!  What a whirlwind I've been in the past month!  I have soooooo much running.... RACING through my brain right now!  It is on OVERLOAD!!!! But I have so much I need to UNLOAD share ... I just don't EVEN know where to begin!  This may end up being a "SERIES" of posts..... because there is just SO MUCH!!!!  ..... Where to start...... Let's see.....hmmmm... 

First - CHRISTMAS!!!! OH MY GOSH!!! Can you believe it will be here in nearly 10 months!?!?!?! Honestly! Where does the time go???? Just look at that JOLLY LIL FELLA over to the right... he's just BEAMING with excitement as he reminds me that for me - CHRISTMAS will count in just 8 months and 2 weeks.... (I just felt a TWINGE of anxiety....... briefly....)   BUT! I'm so super excited!  I'm finally feeling like I just might be getting close to on track.... well, at least closer than I was last year.... but I also know that I HAVE to! Life has changed so much in the past month!  It is just beyond crazy - and enforces the "BE PREPARED" so much more....

I apologize for neglecting my "CHRISTMAS COUNT DOWN".... I stress over it!  But then I wonder if there is really anyone out there that really cares right now... or if it is just for myself... either way - it still stresses me out ... I've started something and I feel like I'm failing.... My goal is to get a LOT better!  They may be short and sweet to the point posts - but I've got to get better at it.... 

First... where have I been.... ???? Well, shall we say.... WHERE haven't I been???? HERE!!! (That was much easier to answer... LOL!)  This past month I have had to make some HUGE steps leaps bounds jumps DIVES! CHANGES! Yes, that's it - CHANGES! After working from home for the past 11 years, and working for the same company for the past 8  1/2 years... I had to take a leap of faith and change jobs.  It has been EXHAUSTING to say the least.... I started out looking DILIGENTLY for a new job just prior to Christmas.... Stared interviewing the week after Christmas and after 4 weeks of GROULING interviews with several companies... and feeling as if NOTHING was going to come of any of these interviews....(just a FYI - just because you go on 4, 5, 6 interviews with the same company... it apparently doesn't mean much... except that SOMEONE can't make a decision...SERIOUSLY!  and I learned that that was NOT the job I wanted.... when they finally offered me a job - it was NOT for the position that I had even applied for and interviewed 6 different times for... but they had a different job that they would like me to "INTERVIEW" for.... ARE. YOU. KIDDING!!!!  Go through 6 or more interviews AGAIN.... no thank you. I declined..... I then had 4 other job offers in 3 days!  It was a matter of laying it all out on the line... all the PROS and CONS for each job... It felt good to have the "CHOICE" and not "FEEL" that I HAD to accept the first offer....It was easy to omit 2 jobs... the pay wasn't the best, the location, kinda "scary", and one of them had cats that roamed the office... not that that is good or bad - (my first thought was MICE! ...uhhhh - terrified of mice!) ... but the con was - allergies... and after my 2nd interview I looked like "POP-n-FRESH" Dough-boy's sister.... not a look I felt I could adjust to very easily...  The two I needed to decide between were very close in PROs and CONs ...

.Job 1- GREAT pay, GREAT benefits, CLEAN environment, awesome people (those that I met anyway). Mon-Friday 8-5.... PERFECT!   

Job 2 - Great pay, GREAT AMAZING benefits, awesome people, great "life" experiences, gaining LOTS of knowlegde and KNOW-HOW, Training, and fun people....  

con's for job 2 - hours... they were all over the place.  12 hour shifts, you were required to work so many early am shifts, pm shifts, graveyard shifts, swing shifts, weekends, holiday etc... every month. VERY mentally and emotionally taxing. Down town (about 45 min drive)... 

 Job 1 cons: high rise building, office on top floor,  parking garage, DOWN TOWN, elevators, walking 2 blocks to building alone.... (scary!) ....

So now what!?!?! What to do!?!?!?! I decided that I needed to "REALLY" narrow it down - and it came to... HOURS... shifts.... the rest of it I just had to pull up my britches and be a big girl and just "GET OVER IT!" .... So I took job #1!  AND... it was the best decision ever!  

OK friends... Just a FYI... I have NOT conquered my "FEAR" of heights... I do NOT walk near the windows (or EVER look down!)  and thank HEAVENS my office is on the INSIDE of the building - not along the outside WINDOW edge!  I take 2 different elevators every day - for a minimum of 4 times a day - (If I go to lunch then it is 6 times! :)) I park in a parking garage - and have only had "ONE" encounter with something that felt the need to "SCARE" me and bang the roof of my car....(stupid pole!)  I walk down a busy (homeless filled at times) street ALONE to get to the office... and have only been asked 3 times so far for $10-$40 .... (HONESTLY! They are so brave now, they ask for dollar amounts!) Been followed ONCE by a man that wanted to know if my hair was "REAL" and mine.... for the love!  It is exhausting this hair of mine.....  and one even asked if she could wear my necklace for a day - (kinda broke my heart - but it was my favorite necklace... I KNOW! I should have just given it to her! ... I'm sure I'll see her again....) I have tripped over some stupid bump in the sidewalk 2 or 3 times with NEVER falling completely - but once got a up close and personal look at the crack in the cement... (that was a bit embarrassing) . AND I was applauded!  So I felt much better about that!  (Yes I am graceful!).... BUT needless to say it has been a HUGE adjustment on all of us!  It is a 2 hour drive every day - IF the traffic is somewhat good and I am exhausted by the time I get home.... I think it is the LONG drive home - puts me to sleep!  I don't feel that I'm being a very good mom, wife, friend, sister, daughter, neighbor.... anything like that.  I feel that my time with my family is so short - the time just goes MUCH too fast.... BUT for now... it is what I have to do. It is what WE have to do. I know that my husband would trade me positions in a HEART BEAT - so I try not to complain.  He didn't CHOOSE this lifestyle, someone else chose it for him and it is really hard at times to know that our future laid in the hands of someone else and the "choices" that they made that day.  BUT, it is what it is - and I'm so SO very grateful that we have been so blessed!  This job truly is a blessing!  We will soon have health insurance, which we have not had for years, I actually have HOLIDAYS off - which will be SO amazing, and the extra that I make now - will help us to get back on our feet... and I feel so TRULY blessed!  I'm so thankful.... 

And... I'm thankful for BLOGGY friends!  Thank you for your notes!  You are AMAZING as well!!!  I hope to get time this weekend to post a few projects and get some direction for this month that is more than HALF over .... but thank you for being so patient... kind... and BLESS YOU ALL!!!! this is to be THE BEST year! RIGHT!!!!! 

Love you all, my friends!  I'll be back... I'm exhausted right now - can barely keep my eyes open... hope my fingers know what they are doing..... .

AMAZING Talent..... I admire!

There is this AMAZINGLY TALENTED lady.... well! There are LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS of talented ladies out there really .... and ONE of them is having a FABULOUS give way... but don't bother stopping by... her shop is CROWDED and oh my goodness... just take my word for it ... it's simply CRAZY over there ...SERIOUSLY!  just take my word for it..... SHE IS AMAZING.... you can trust me......

 besides, I am REALLY wanting to win!

OH ALRIGHT.... go ahead take a peak.... leave a comment.... 

BUT if you win.... you will have to share your prize with me! DEAL!?!?!  :)  

Oh... I surely hope I can sleep the next few nights...

I just love these little darlins'... they just melt my heart!

Good luck to you all.... 

You'll need it - because I'm feeling REALLY lucky! :)