Deeply Rooted

The Music of Little House

2012-01-08T23:12:00.002-06:00

On Friday night, Em, Dad, J, and I headed to the Loveless Barn for a great evening of music.

A few weeks ago, I stumbled across a listing for free tickets to hear the music from the Little House books. Having enjoyed those books so much as a teen (and even now), I thought it would be interesting. Little did I know what was in store.

A crowd of just a little over 100 people gathered in the Loveless Barn. The evening was actually recorded and will be shown on PBS stations starting this summer. We spent the evening being serenaded by Ronnie Milsap, Randy Travis, Natalie Grant, Rodney Adkins, Ashton Shepard, and Committed. I thought Committed was absolutely amazing. (As did everyone else because they received two standing ovations!) I still think they should have won The Sing-Off.

The night was just a reminder of how nice it is living in Music City sometime. When else could you hear a group of such talented musicians in the same show for free?!?!

Under Construction

2012-01-03T23:21:00.001-06:00

A new year means a new blog design. Consider this a work in progress... :)

Bringing In The New Year

2012-01-01T12:41:00.000-06:00

Photo Credit: The Pharmacy

Well 2011 is a thing of the past. I am pretty thankful to see it go. I am really looking forward to 2012.

I have heard it said that how you spend your NYE is an indicator of how your year will go. This year I hope that is the case. J and I decided to check out a new neighborhood restaurant The Pharmacy Burger Parlor and Beer Garden for dinner. Atmosphere was wonderful and food was good. Upon a recommendation, I ordered a strawberry ginger ale- delish! We were pleased with our dinner choice and headed back to the house to meet up with friends. After catching up with friends at the house, we decided to take a game and head out for dessert. Our faithful Jeni's let us down by being closed. Ugly Muggs, our neighborhood coffee shop was also closed. Decision? Go back to The Pharmacy. We were a little disappointed that the soda shop part was closed starting at 9pm, but we ordered beers, root beers, and fries anyway. We played Bananagrams and enjoyed discussing music, futures, etc. We had the place pretty much to ourselves and throughly enjoyed our time. A few minutes before midnight, we headed back to the house to be with the dogs. When you live in 37206, you spend all major holidays with the sounds of shotguns in the background. We turned on Dick Clark's NYE special with a minute to go and I happily got my midnight kiss. Thankfully, this year was pretty quiet in the neighborhood and we actually got to sit on the couch instead of laying flat on the floor like last year. ;) A NYE of new adventure (The Pharmacy), good friends, and no stress. Hoping my year is full of the same.

I have two goals for 2012....

1. Do something to get me closer to my dream of owning a B&B
2. Live more fully (explanation to come at a later date)

Happy New Years!

Crafting

2011-12-30T09:48:00.003-06:00

Oh to spend my days crafting (and pinteresting)! Finished these ornaments the other night and working on another project....

I love Christmas break!

NYE Dreams

2011-12-28T11:01:00.000-06:00

New Years Eve for the past couple of years have been not-so-exciting. Basically, we have sat around, played games, and tried to make it to midnight. Might be fun any other night of the week, but not a memory maker.

This year, this is how I dream of spending my NYE...

source: pinterest

source: poems and novels

Forts, hot chocolate, reviewing 2011, dreaming about 2012, and watching the ball drop. Maybe even a New Year's kiss.

J is going to be so excited when he hears this. ;)

Christmas

2011-12-25T08:43:00.003-06:00

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Story

2011-12-22T13:26:00.001-06:00

A Little Love

2011-12-21T22:14:00.001-06:00

Here are some things, I am really loving right now...

http://handmaderyangosling.tumblr.com/ Hilarious!

Bela Fleck went caroling in my neighborhood Saturday night. Yeah, that just happened. Sadly, he did not stop by my house, but I know it was just a slight oversight on his part. ;)

Michael Buble had permission to come swing by my house anytime to serenade me. You need to check out his Christmas album.

The tv show New Girl... Where have I have been?!!?!

I love the fact that I ran into my friend Amanda at Fidos and McKays on the same day and totally unplanned. (Then another planned Fidos trip that night.) That pretty much sums up why we are friends.

My super sweet love J who is currently getting me soup because I feel like poop.

Until next time...

Literacy Trees :)

2011-12-13T21:33:00.001-06:00

Last week, my grandmother and I took some time to go the Governor's mansion to see the house decorated for Christmas. This year, Mrs. Haslam asked some of the schools to make ornaments for her Read 20 trees. Our school was not one of the ones chosen, but some of my teaching buddies at other schools were. It was so neat to see Mrs. Bozeman's and Ms. Ridings' classes work. :)

How cute are these?!?!

The Garden of Eve? ;)

Max from Where The Wild Things Are

"We'll eat you up- we love you so!"

Rainbow Fish

Skippyjon Jones! My favorite children's character

A take on Where's Waldo?... student's name instead

I am thinking I might need to have a literacy tree next year!

Christmas Made With Love

2011-11-30T21:44:00.001-06:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

There are not a lot of things in life I enjoy more than a home decorated for Christmas. The tree, white lights, stockings hanging, all just make a home feel more cozy. I have already enjoyed laying on the couch, snuggling puppies in the glow of the tree lights.

This year I took on a little art project...

I had a large frame with a giraffe picture that I have been trying to get rid of so I just decided to add to my Christmas decor. First, I covered a piece of cardboard with burlap. Then, I took a large piece of green flannel and folded it in half. I free-handed cut a half of a tree so that when it was unfolded it made a complete tree. (You could use a stencil instead.) I cut out a little heart tree topper and plaid circle ornaments out of fabric I had.

The names were way more tedious. First, I typed our names using Microsoft Word. (I used the French Script font.) After printing the names. I used an Exacto knife to cut each letter out. Next, I traced each letter onto fabric using a thin Sharpie. (I used the plaid fabric that I used for the ornaments.) Then, I got to cut out each letter again. I lined it up under the tree and then glued everything onto the burlap. Pop picture into frame and voila!

To complete the overall mantle look, I added

green, red, and gold ornaments and candles
garland wrapped with a berry garland
my cute folksy stockings (from World Market circa 2009)

Now how long can I leave this all up again?!?!?!

I linked up...

Fairness and BUTS

2011-11-01T22:03:00.001-05:00

"It's not fair."

I have heard these words so many times. They do not always come from the mouths of children. In fact, they have spilled from my lips several times lately.

But then I remember...

It wasn't fair that last week a young couple lost their 4 month old son. BUT at the funeral the mother asked everyone to dance and celebrate the short life that was.

It wasn't fair that an elementary student had to go home, make dinner, do his homework, and get his younger brother ready for bed without parents being present. BUT he made all A's and B's on his report card.

It wasn't fair that a walker's foot swelled so bad that the skin burst during a charity walk. BUT she still crossed
the finish line.

Yesterday, I was rejected from my dream job position. This morning, I got out of the shower to find blood coming from my breast. Needless to say there have been a lot of tears in the past 24 hours. I have screamed that it is not fair. BUT then I remember that there is almost always a BUT.

Waiting to see what this BUT will be...

Daily Thanks

2011-11-01T21:45:00.001-05:00

Each year in November, I along with the masses try to post things I am thankful for.

Today, I am grateful for a wonderful October! Some of the highlights included...

A fabulous wedding!

Healing.

Road trip/ ridiculously long walk with best friend!

A short walk with some quality co-workers.


Halloween and other fall evenings spent with J.

A Little Piece of Closure

2011-10-17T18:10:00.003-05:00

I can't believe that it is the middle of October!

Last night I watched a Lifetime film called "Five." I cried. I know, I know. Lifetime. Big surprise. I watched it though because it was a collection of five stories from people who have been affected by breast cancer. Jennifer Aniston, Demi Moore, Alicia Keys and other directed the short films. (If you are interested in seeing it, you can find it on Hulu.)

The ending to me especially hit home. All of the survivors got to kiss a wall plaque they designed when they hit the five year mark. It was a little piece of closure that most people need in a big life event. I guess I see this 3-Day walk as closure for me. While I am by no means at the five year mark, I am ready to shut a door. I am ready to say that I can move on with my life and achieve other things.

I feel as though I have been living in fear in some ways. November is coming up. November of last year is when I was told that there was once again cancer cells. More than once the thought of the cancer returning has popped into my head. Will I hear the same thing next month?!?

The fear of never feel pretty like I once saw myself has been something that has paralyzed me. I was set free of those chains a couple of weekends ago when I was in my friend Renee's wedding. I put contacts in for the first time in over a year. I got my hair styled and pulled up at a salon. (Bless the sweet hairdresser's heart! I cried so hard and at first she thought it was because I didn't like it.) I got my nails painted. A makeup artist fixed me up. I wore my pearls. I got to wear a beautiful black dress (most of you know my love of black dresses!). I got to walk down the aisle with pride. I got to celebrate my friends marriage without feeling self-conscious. Renee will never understand what she did for me. Each day I wake up a little earlier because once again I feel like looking presentable.

(With my friend Amanda on the Pankakes wedding day)

At 3-Day, I will be surrounded by people who have had a journey with breast cancer in some fashion. Whether they walk in honor of their mother, a wife, a friend, or whether they are a survivor themselves, they know how important it is to be united in a battle. (Shoot, you don't raise $2,300 or walk 60 miles for just anything!) It is not about the miles I actually walk. It is about crossing that finish line. Head held high. Tears streaming down myself. (You know it's gonna happen.) It is about regaining some control of my life. A friend of mine said it best on her blog - we are not survivors, but we are surviving. (Forgive my paraphrasing.) That is so true. I am not sure there will be any days that the cancer does not affect me in some way. However, I will be no longer bound by the chains of it.

Thank you to each of you who have shown support.

Amy and I leave on Thursday for Atlanta. I am sure there will be stories to tell...

3 Day Mail Love!

2011-10-04T20:58:00.002-05:00

In the words of my grandfather, "Well I'll be..."

3 weeks until the Susan G. Komen 3-Day walk in Atlanta! Amy and I have officially checked in online. We both have a little less than $500 to raise. (If you wish to donate, please just click on the banner on my sidebar.) It will be here before you know it.

We both have been so blessed by the support we have been shown since the day we agreed to do this walk. People have given money. People have sent kind emails and said nice words. People have prayed. So what can people do now?

Send us some mail love!!!!

Mail will be delievered to us while in Atlanta. Just make sure you mail letters by October 11!

3-Day for the Cure Post Office
ATTN: Elizabeth Quarles (or Amy Pratt)
12195 Highway 92
Suite 114-36
Woodstock, GA 30188

No boxes/packages. Letters only!

Encouraging words might make Day 2/mile 40 seem a little sweeter. ;)

Morning

2011-09-29T06:52:00.001-05:00

Thankful for a quiet early morning to reflect.

In about an hour, I will be busy sweeping through the halls of school with people to meet, forms to file, presentations to give, and organization to flow.

But for now, I sit with a glass of milk, a sweet dog at my feet, in the early hours where the sun is just starting to rise. It is just me and my thoughts.

Excited about possibilities, new adventures, and following dreams.
Soaking up the amount of love and support shown to me the last few weeks.
A stirring in my heart whose roots form deeper with each passing day.
Preparing my mind before the busyness gets to overshadow these thoughts.

Thankful for a new day.

Teachers Night Out

2011-09-26T20:31:00.002-05:00

I am constantly amazed by the people that surround me!

Tonight, a group of us from school headed to 3rd & Lindsley to support one of our own. Our music teacher, Mrs. Miller held her CD release party. The woman can sing! Old school country twang, but with lots of soul.

Great way for us to unwind for the day.:)

Meal Swap: The Perfect Fall Black Bean Soup

2011-09-25T18:21:00.001-05:00

Last week, my brilliant friend Melanie hosted a meal swap. Six of us gathered on Sunday night to switch meals. It was really nice not having to come up with what to have to cook for dinner each night this week.

Here is the recipe I used, thanks to Pinterest! It really was quick and easy to make. Perfect for a fall evening!

The Pretty Bee's Speedy Black Bean Soup

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans
1 teaspoon chopped garlic, fresh or jarred
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) vegetable or chicken broth
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chopped tomatoes with green chilies
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 cups frozen corn kernels
Optional garnish ideas: Grated cheddar cheese, sour cream, minced cilantro, crumbled tortilla chips

Directions

1. Heat oil in 4-quart or larger soup pot on medium. Peel and chop onions, add to pot. Cook until slightly brown, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Meanwhile, pour 1 can beans and juice in a 2-cup bowl. Use the back of a serving-size spoon to mash beans against sides and bottom of bowl broken up and pasty. Set aside.

3. Add garlic to soup and cook 1 minute. Raise heat to high, add chicken broth, mashed beans, and remaining can of beans with juice. Stir well. Add all remaining ingredients except garnish. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer to blend flavors, about 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking.

(photo credit: The Pretty Bee)

You Never Know...

2011-09-17T09:11:00.003-05:00

You never know what you are going to do when you come to our house, just ask Amy.

Amy came over this week. While J was grilling away, Amy and I sat on the couch, catching up. I have always been blessed by her friendship. She has always encouraged my dreams and this was no exception. After telling her about my newest find, we found ourselves looking up tickets, and planning a trip to Maine. J interrupted us to say that dinner was ready. Amy walked into the kitchen to find that we would be feasting on squirrel and dove. Barbecue squirrel, teriyaki squirrel, squirrel with olive oil and basil, squirrel with onions and red wine, and bacon wrapped dove breasts.

A trip to Maine and a feast of squirrel... do we know how to have a good time??!?! :)

Prayers for Bobby

2011-09-12T21:20:00.001-05:00

Praying tonight for Bobby, Cheryl, Patty, Bob, and Kelly. Bobby, my cousin, was deployed for a year. He is having to leave his wife whom he just married in August. May God grant him safety and all of them strength.

Summer Evening in the Backyard

2011-09-05T20:40:00.003-05:00

One of the wonderful things about our Stockell house is the backyard. A few weeks ago, we were able to put it to good use for a couples shower for our friends soon to be R.C. Pankake.

There was food made by the fabulous Mel, flowers, ~~bug deterrents~~ candles, gifts, prayer, and white lights.

Summer was made for evenings such as this!

And looked who popped in all the way from Washington state!!! ;)

Happy Heart

2011-09-01T21:46:00.001-05:00

It has been a magnificent evening!

After a long day at school, I got to meet up with my beautiful friend Amanda. She has been gone for 2 months, but has returned to where she belongs. Of course, we had to met up at our favorite spot, Fido's. She was exactly what I needed tonight and I am glad that I could soak up her goodness. We also celebrated 3 years of friendship since we met the first week in September after she first moved South. Fido's + Amanda = Pure Delight.

J had dinner ready when I got home. It's the little things that are so huge for the heart.

And finally some big news...

I can pull my hair back into a half ponytail with no pins or clips!!!!!!!!!!! While that might seem little, it is very big deal. I have not been able to pull my hair up in 2 years. Just another sign that I have overcome. Even now I am crying with happy tears! :)

My heart is very happy. :)

Classroom Makeover: Construction

2011-08-31T18:48:00.002-05:00

Classroom make-overing is still going strong. Our goal is to be finished by Sept. 6th . Can we do it? Guess we'll see...

To be continued...

A Choice

2011-08-30T20:36:00.004-05:00

I'm choosing to be happy.

This school year has been Crazy. That is crazy with a capital C. Between lunch forms, open houses, DIBELS testing, setting up a portable, not having an ESEA, training a new ESEA... Crazy. It seems like I am not the only one. However, with craziness has come negativity. A lot of it.

It has been really difficult this year to combat the negativity I hear at school, see on Facebook, etc. I admit that I too get caught up in it from time to time. (Who doesn't?) However, I am making the conscious decision to try to stay positive or stay silent.

Will you call me out? Will you too try to say only positive words?

I'm choosing to be happy.

(ps- Loving my new co-worker!)

Beautiful Things

2011-08-28T21:19:00.002-05:00

Sang this song at church tonight. In my mind, lots of scenes flashing before me. Beautiful things that God placed in my life and that have come from my life.

A Good Book (Or Two... )

2011-08-22T22:35:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite past times is reading. I have always loved to escape in a book.

I credit my parents and my 2nd teacher for my love for reading. In 2nd grade, our school participated in the Book It program. Book It was sponsored by Pizza Hut and after reading a certain of books, you received a coupon for a free personal pan pizza. Funny, I don't remember ever actually getting pizzas, but I do remember other rewards. My parents were diligent in providing me access to books and reading with me. By the end of 2nd grade, I had read or been read over 2,000 books! Ms. Little, my wonderful teacher rewarded me with a collection of Richard Scarry stories. My parents gave me an awesome Tide racing car for riding outside. My picture was published in our little town's newspaper.

I go through seasons of reading. In college, I did very little reading other than what was required. Before moving to China, I read everything about China or Chinese culture I could get my hands on. This summer was different. I read for pure pleasure. I visited McKays often, borrowed from friends, and happily perused the aisles of Borders when they were liquidating.

I thought I would share my favorite reads from my summer collection...

1. The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Our book club read this book and I could not put it down. I still have not gone to see the movie, but I'm a little afraid it won't do the book justice.

2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Young Adult fiction at its best! Our book club just picked it for the next read. I am trying to resist the urge to finish the other books in the trilogy before book club gets to them.

3. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards . This was a little hard to read just based on the content of the storyline, but very well written. Similar to novels by Jodi Piccult.

4. From Black Heels To Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond. Simple and sweet love story. Also, good for those who might be dating a country boy... ;)

5. Another Place At The Table by Kathy Harrison. I received this book in the mail from my friend Amanda just this past week and I devoured it. Memoir of a foster mom. So moving. Highly recommend!

6. Radical by David Platt. I am still finishing, but lots of food for thought. Kind of makes me want to pack up and move back to China...

With school picking back up, I am not sure I will be reading as much. :( I still warmly welcome any suggestions for future reads!

What have you been reading lately?

Classroom Makeover: Window Treatments

2011-08-14T11:29:00.002-05:00

Are you curious as to what our project was that required so many tools?

Portable 17 has quite shoddy blinds. They never work. It get any sunlight in, I have to take down the whole blind, roll up, and then place it back on the hooks. This year, I opted for curtains and a valence.

After telling J what I wanted, he came up to school and built me valences and curtain rods.

Of course, I needed the wood to be covered in something cute! We checked out Old Time Pottery because a friend had such luck find nicely priced designer fabric there. I did not have the same luck, but another shopper told me that Jo-Ann's was having a 60% off fabric sale. That fit well in my slowly diminishing $80 budget.To my luck, I found the perfect material.

Bright colors, but not over powering. The light grayish blue also works so well with my newly painted walls. I felt even better about my purchase, when I saw that Meg from DesignStar also used the same material! ( I would so be an interior designer in my next lifetime!)

Here is the almost final product...

I am still working on the curtain part, but had a little speed bump in my progress.

It is looking nicer and nicer!

First Day of School

2011-08-14T11:10:00.002-05:00

Thursday was the first day for the kiddos. It was packed full of craziness- registering new students, figuring out new bus routes, calming parents, and "aww"-ing over the new cute new kindergartners. Normal first day.

My day wasn't all normal though. While trying to prepare for a parent breakfast that the PTO and myself were hosting, a table fell on my knee. It was leaned up against a wall, but I did not realize it was on a ramp. When I tried to pull it down, it started rolling and falling. I knew it hurt, but did not realize how bad until about an hour later when I pulled my pants leg up. It was the biggest and most purple bruise I have ever had. I started icing it, but continued to go about my day as much as possible. By 2:30pm, I was near tears because it hurt so bad so we sat down to fill out workers' comp papers and I headed to the doctor.

The doctor wrote a prescription for pain meds, told me not to work the next day, put me on bed rest for the weekend, and sent me for x-rays. Thankfully, by this point J had arrived and carted me to 100 Oaks for the x-rays. When walking in, they asked if I wanted a wheelchair. I politely said no, but after a few steps decided I did. J knew at that point I was really hurting. I am not one to rely on others for help. After the x-rays, the tech said my doctor would call the next day with results.

Thank goodness, there were no breaks or fractures. J has been super patient making sure I have everything I need. I have watched more TV than ever. I have also consumed a lot of ice cream (that makes everything better... right?!?!). I am so over being still though. I cannot wait to be back to school tomorrow. There is so much to be done.

What a way to start a new school year!

Classroom Makeover: Teaser

2011-08-10T07:30:00.001-05:00

Sometimes classroom makeover-ing can be a little hard core.

So glad I know a handyman!

Classroom Makeover: Painting with a Friend

2011-08-09T06:27:00.003-05:00

What is better than sitting and being creative with a friend after a long Monday at work? In my opinion, nothing. It is even greater when that relaxing time produces something cute for your classroom.

A couple of summers ago, my friend Renee and I (along with some other girlfriends) got together to share a bottle of wine and splash some color on canvases. We sat on a porch and enjoyed the company almost as much as we enjoyed the creative expression. I decided I wanted to do that again so I called R. There was no wine and no porch, but there was The Civil Wars pandora station and Pinterest. :) From Pinterest inspiration, we created these for Portable 17.

I cannot wait to hang these puppies today! I wouldn't mind if this became a once a month tradition.

Thanks, Renee for being so super!

Classroom Makeover: The Mousepad

2011-08-06T20:00:00.003-05:00

Because I am still one of those teachers that has a desktop computer, I still have the pleasure of using a mousepad. (Do kids today even know what mousepads are?!?! ;) ) My good old companion is a blue worn out Dell branded pad. It looked as old as me. In 5 minutes, it became a piece of cuteness.

The materials: mousepad, fabric, Heat n Bond, iron, scissors.

The directions:
1. Using the mousepad as a stencil, trace and cut out fabric with all sides being 1 in. out from mousepad.
2. Trace and cut out Heat n Bond with all sides being 1/2 in. out from mousepad.
3. Place bumpy side of Heat n Bond down on backside of fabric.
4. Iron on a low heat. (Needs to be hot enough to adhere, but not so hot the paper crinkles.)
5. After cooling, remove paper backing of Heat n Bond.
6. Place sticky side of fused fabric on top of the mousepad. (Goodbye Dell!)
7. Iron fabric on same setting.
8. After cooling, trim excess fabric.

Viola!

Cost? Free! (Mousepad was already mine. Fabric and Heat n Bond were left over from past projects.)

A little 5 minute makeover for the classroom!

Classroom Makeover: The Before

2011-08-06T19:41:00.005-05:00

Maybe it is because of all the HGTV Design Star I have been watching...
Maybe it is because of the Martha Stewart Living magazines that arrived in my mailbox...
Maybe it is because school is about to be back in session...
Maybe it is because I was sick of the storeroom that my portable at school became...
Maybe it is because of my need to make all things pretty...
Whatever it was, I signed myself up for a challenge.

$80 to make over my portable.

Portable 17, also known as the Family Resource Center is my little home away from home during the months of August through June. It is an office for Mr. Seay and me. It is a classroom for parent trainings. It is a lab for interventions and homework clubs. It is a conference room. Last year it looked like a dump.

With only one row of windows, shades that do not work, institutional beige walls, and mismatched everything, I knew that I did not want to be there much less parents that came to the school. Nothing about it was comfortable. Over time, I added little things to "make it work" as Tim Gunn says. I made bulletin boards out of paper and blank walls. I found a free couch. A desk was given to me. Still at the end of the year, I hated the long days there (especially the ones that consisted of regular school hours, followed by homework club, followed by a parent training... that is a 12 hour work day!)

This summer I was given $80. (Don't worry teachers, it was not Title I fund or school money!) $80 that will transform my place of work. $80 that can create a space in which parents and visitors can be comfortable. $80 that will encourage learning. Stay tuned to see what this becomes...

.

Something From the Heart

2011-08-03T20:38:00.004-05:00

Tonight I am feeling a little bit sentimental.

I have been so blessed by the people who have come into my life, but there are a few people who just have a really special place in my heart. One of those people would be my didi...

Brad and I met in college. Before we actually met, I remember seeing him in the cafeteria. In fact, that moment lead to one of the more embarrassing moments in my life. I walked smack into a wall and dropped my tray because I was looking at him. I actually met him at a missions meeting where I prayed he wouldn't remember me for the cafeteria debacle. A meeting turned into more meetings, turned into a decision, turned into rides in the Black Pearl, turned into moving across the world, turned into an incredible friendship, turned into a special place in my heart.

Today is Brad's birthday. It is actually kind of hard not celebrating with him tonight. In China, birthdays were a huge deal. One year we made our favorite pirate a scavenger hunt while we transformed his porch into a Bengals fan paradise. While there is no extravagant or elaborate party, there is something to be said that is just as heartfelt...

Happy Birthday, Brad. You truly have made my life more joyful. I love you.

3- Day Update!

2011-07-25T12:21:00.002-05:00

The Susan G. Komen 3-Day in Boston took place this weekend. You can check out pictures and recap on their Facebook page. It was so encouraging to see the throngs of people decked out in pink. A sweet engagement took place too. :)

Each week, I get a little more excited about my upcoming walk. As of today, I have raised only 18% of my funds needed. I still have about $1,900 to go. Can you help?????

My click on the widgit on the right side of my page to contribute.

Only 13 weeks left! I better get to walking...

Guess Who's Back?

2011-07-21T13:27:00.002-05:00

Guess Who's Back? Back Again...

My two favorite "rappers". Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon. History of Rap, Part Two.

Sigh:: Love ::Sigh

If only I could catch a History of Rap in person...

Wedding Creations/Plans

2011-07-21T12:56:00.005-05:00

My little sister, C is getting married on Saturday. It has been busy, busy, ~~stressful~~ , busy. I made the ring bearers gifts for C. Because her fiance is such a big Superman fan, I made capes for the boys.

Last night, we bachelorette partied. For a quick and easy decoration, I took some old glass bottles (Kroger salsa, Taproom beer, and curry sauce) and spray painted them hot pink. (Love Joann's coupons for 40% off!) After letting them sit in the sun for a couple of hours, I tied a bow around each using black ribbon. Kroger had a double dozen roses for $9.99 so I divided them among all the pink "vases". The attendees then got a little swag to take home- fun, pretty, girly, and cheap!

Today, I am working on a little crafty and useful wedding present. Tomorrow is bridesmaid luncheon, rehearsal, and rehearsal dinner. Saturday is the wedding and reception, followed by another reception for a different wedding, and then dinner with family. I hope to snag in some visits with out-of-town family members. Guess that means I should get out of my pjs...

I linked up!

Pinning Away...

2011-07-17T10:13:00.004-05:00

How am I just now joining the Pinterest world?!?!?! I will say it is almost overwhelming for a crafter/dreamer/DIYer. I am so happy to have inspiration organized and digitally "filed." These are just a few of my pins so far...

ps- let me know if you want an invite for the site!

Baseball

2011-07-16T15:24:00.003-05:00

What is more American than a baseball game on a hot summer evening?!

J's sister scored us free tickets to the Memphis Redbirds game last night.

We Are...

2011-07-15T08:19:00.006-05:00

Enjoying Arkansas.

Let The Training Commence

2011-07-10T14:17:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, Amy and I kicked off our training for the 3-Day by attending the final "Walk with the Mayor."

Nashville's mayor, Karl Dean challenged the city to walk 100 miles during the spring and summer. Each week the mayor would walk with the community at different local parks and greenways. Just another reason why I think he is a great leader...

Amy and I have not been doing the mayor's walks, but we thought the final 8 mile walk would be a great way for us to kick off our training. (Insert side punch here.) In just a little over two hours, we crossed the finish line grumbling with lessons learned. I was quite pleased with our time though considering we haven't been walking much.

Lessons We Learned
(1) We must train for 60 miles. 8 miles alone was not fun. Can't imagine 60. Training must commence ASAP.
(2) Stock up on bananas. About mile 5 we ate the best banana ever.
(3) Get better socks.
(4) Do not wear cotton t-shirts. They were stuck to us by the time we finished the walk. Our team design might have to be on wicking shirt this year.
(5) Beth must slow down or Amy must walk faster. We do not have the same stride.

Overall, I am kind of glad we started with a long walk to start training. I think it was motivating.

I will be blogging quite a bit about our training. I think it can be a way to encourage others. We are not athletes, just people who want to try something and show support for a good cause. If you want to hear of another woman who is an encouragement, check out Katie Is Going To Tri. Maybe after this we should do a triathlon... ;)

Something To Look Forward To...

2011-07-08T00:40:00.005-05:00

3DayExperience from Komen 3-Day for the Cure on Vimeo.

Just thought I would show you all what I am looking forward to. We are just a little over 15 weeks away. (That is crazy!!!) Please consider donating to show your support. You can visit my website... Deeply Rooted in Hope for the Cure.

"Oh Glory!"

2011-07-03T20:26:00.002-05:00

On Friday night, Amy, Katie and I were able to meet our friend Mary Beth for dinner. Mary Beth was another Southern Sister in China. She was in Nashville for a church camp and was able to get away for awhile to visit.

Since MB had been eaten camp food all week, we opted for some good Southern cookin' at Monell's. Large house, large tables, family style, large bowls of fried foods and veggies = a good time. We tried a little bit of everything. Fried catfish, turnip green, pea salad, cole slaw, corn pudding, biscuits with peach preserves, butter beans, spinach lasagna, and banana pudding. A little bit of everything is actually a whole lot. We thought we behaved, but our "waddling" back to Amy's house proved otherwise. We hurt from eating so much! I now know why some men put a hand down the waistband of their pants... a sign they have eaten too well. "Oh glory!"

It was so good to see MB, but sadly I think the food stayed with me the rest of the weekend. I spent all of Saturday in the fetal position on the couch with a bad stomachache. It might have been worth it... ;)

Summer Cake

2011-06-30T13:23:00.004-05:00

I recently stumbled across a beautiful summer cake over at Hogwash. Having never been one to make such an elegant cake, I thought it would be time consuming and hard. Boy, was I wrong! This was easier than the normal Betty Crocker mix cake!

Summer Cake
Angel food cake
Frozen yogurt (I used Kroger vanilla)
Cool Whip
Fruit topping (optional; I used strawberries)

Cut the angel food cake into the layers. Spread frozen yogurt between each layer. Put in freezer for a few hours to firm. Next, ruffle ice the cake using Cool Whip. (Here is what looks tricky, but just watch this tutorial from My Sweet and Saucy and you will look like a Wilton expert!) Place frosted cake in covered container and freeze for at least 5 hours. Cut strawberries in half and add to cake right before serving.

For the banner, I used two chopsticks, yarn, tape, and scrapbook paper. Just cut out triangles from paper. Tape to yarn. Tie banner to chopsticks. Done.

If you are like me and do not have icing supplies at home, I used a 40% coupon from Jo-Ann's to score a petal tip and decorating bags for a combined total of $2.84. Score.

If only all things in life came out this well... ;)

Canning

2011-06-30T12:33:00.005-05:00

For the past couple of years, I have been interested in learning how to can. Well, thanks to House Party and Ball Canning, I was able to try it out.

My partner in crime and all things domestic, Amy came over. We went through recipes and settled on something pretty basic, but oh-so-yummy for our first canning experience. Blueberry Syrup. We ran to the store to pick up the supplies. (Most of our supplies were sent by House Party, but we had to buy the blueberries and such.)

Blueberry Syrup
8 cups blueberries
4 cups water
1 T lemon zest
3 cups sugar
2 T lemon juice

Step 1. Wash and drain blueberries. (Wash and rinse jars and lids as well.)

Step 2. Crush blueberries. (Also, prepare jars and lids for canning.)

Step 3. Grate lemon zest.

Step 4. Boil blueberries and lemon zest for 5 minutes. (We got ahead of ourselves and added the lemon juice as well. Oops. We also decided that wearing white t-shirts probably wasn't the best of ideas so we put on aprons.)

Step 5. Drain blueberry juice. (Here was Oops #2. It asked for you to use a jelly bag or cheesecloth. We substituted with coffee filter. Amy thought she had read it had to drain for 2 hours, but looking at the book I read nothing about 2 hours. The coffee filter did not seem to drain so we just used a colander. While later flipping through a different booklet, I found the 2 hour description Amy had been talking about. We decided that as long as it did not have lumps it was going to be fine...)

Step 6. In a different saucepan, add 4 cups water and 3 cups sugar. (In the large stockpot, we are simmering jars in stockpot for 10 minutes before filling so they will not crack. Isn't this the greatest apron you have ever seen?!!? J's sister made it for me.)

Step 7. Bring sugar and water to a boil so it dissolves the sugar. (Lids must also simmer for 10 minutes in a separate pot.)

Step 8. Add blueberry juice to the syrup mixture and boil for 5 minutes. (This is also when you are really supposed to add the lemon juice.)

Step 9. Fill the jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. (Ball makes a great little stick for that!) Wipe rim. Add lid. Screw band until fingertip tight. (At this point, we look up what it fingertip tight. Just until you start to have to use force when screwing. Insert appropriate Office quote here.)

Step 10. Process jars for 10 minutes. (Cover pot with lid and bring to a rolling boil. Boil for 10 minutes.) When finished, take off of heat and remove lid. Let stand for 5 minutes. Remove jars and let cool for 12 to 24 hours. After cooling, check seal. If not sealed, process again. Thankfully, ours sealed.

Our finished product... 3 pints of blueberry syrup.

Other notes...

-We had a little more than 3 pints after filling jars. I put leftover syrup in fridge to serve soon. I am thinking it will be great over vanilla ice cream.
-Amy took home the squashed blueberry "remnants". She thought she could use them in blueberry muffins or bars.
-Canning is meant to be at least a 2 person job.
-We decided this process is only really worth it if you have your own garden with lots of produce. I am glad we tried it though.
-Could it we make during Little House on the Prairie days? Our patience says doubtful.
-What is next for this domestic duo? I am thinking ice cream making... ;)

Summer in Pictures

2011-06-28T10:15:00.008-05:00

The summer so far...

- Trying out Jackelope Brewing
- Symphony at Bicentennial Park
- Beech Bend Park with J's family
- Amy's hip hop dance party
- Opening night at Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream
- Charlie, a stray we have taken in

Splendid Evening at Jeni's

2011-06-25T09:34:00.004-05:00

On Thursday, J and I (along with hundreds of others) went to try East Nashville's newest ice cream shop, Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams. From 7pm- 10pm, they were giving free ice cream away.

I am a true fan of homemade ice cream and ice cream artists. Since living in East Nashville, I have been a frequenter of the Pied Piper Creamery and have introduced many people to the place. I believe we showed our devotion to good ice creams on Thursday when we waited two hours to get some. Yes, t-w-o hours.

For two hours, J and I stood behind a sweet family from Clarksville. The little girl was quite entertaining. She loved flirting with J and beating up on her father while being stinkin' cute. (She was not even two.) We got a little lucky because they were related to one of the girls who run the shops. Jeni, the founder and owner, ended up chatting with all of us for some of the time we waited.

Jeni dropped out of art school to pursue ice cream making full time. They are based in Columbus, Ohio. She now has seven shops in Ohio and ours in Nashville. They opened a shop here because they have family close by. They believe so much in the art and purity of ice cream, they even have their own declaration. Before leaving, I asked Jeni to sign her cookbook for me.

For my first visit, I settled on a scoop of Cherry Lambic and a scoop of Rhubarb-Lime-Cardamom. So yummy. I can't wait to go back!

Two homemade ice cream shops... I believe that I live in the right neighborhood.

Catching Up

2011-06-19T20:21:00.003-05:00

Well, another unintentional blogging hiatus.

The end of the school year was a beast. Simply put.

J's family came to visit during the CMA Fest. We went to Beech Bend park for a day. Apparently, old age has settled in because I can no longer enjoy spinning rides which I used to love. I had a semi-traumatic water slide ride. Let's just say my derriere came off the slide before my front and there involved lots of water up the nose.

My life has been full of wedding planning. Not my own. I am learning a lot about things brides should do and things you definitely should not. The "not" might outweigh the "should".

I have finished a number of books. Nothing particularly stand out. Kitty Kelley's biography on Oprah was interesting. An East Nashville hater apparently. Boo.

J has been working outside a lot. He surprised me with hanging baskets of purple flowers on a not-so-fun day. They make me smile every time I pull up. He also hung some white lights in the backyard. Super fun. I cannot wait to have a backyard party with friends!

Awesome Amy turned 28 yesterday. We had a ghetto dance party. Classy.

Today, we lunched with my family in honor of my daddy. I think he is a keeper. Happy Father's Day!

Pictures to come soon...

Terrorist Bugs...

2011-05-11T22:49:00.000-05:00

What do you call terrorist bugs?
ci-Qaedas!
(-Amy Nelson)

Well apparently 13 years have gone by since the the last dreading invasion of cicadas. I did not know that there only a few places here in the US that are "blessed" with the presence of such. For those of you that may not know this is a cicada...

(image credit The Christian Science Monitor)

They also make a "wonderful" symphonic noise. yea.

Cicada shells started appearing on my front porch Monday morning. The symphony though became deafening just today. Facebook cicada recipes are going up like crazy! (Apparently fresh cicada is a luxury item here in the South much like possum roadkill.)

The first traumatic event of the season occurred when I went to mail a letter. I opened the mailbox only to have this blessed creature fly in my face. I screamed and J ran to the front door to make sure that I was okay (or laugh at me). I almost peed my pants. I started having flashbacks of the traumatic cicada event 13 years ago which resulted in me running into my church building while stripping off my shirt. Sigh.

The cicadas will only be around for a couple of weeks, but that is much to long for my liking.

What is the cicada situation in your neck of the woods?

28 is Great!

2011-05-08T21:03:00.006-05:00

My friends know me oh-so-well!

A couple of weeks ago, I turned 28.

Beautiful flowers, a good bottle of beer, and chocolate stout cupcakes.

It couldn't get much better.

And then I went to work the next day to find this...

(This was after the car ride home so it got a little messed up.)

How great are my friends?!?!

Secret Confession #3

2011-05-08T09:51:00.004-05:00

This one is a tad more serious than the other two...

I want to be a mom.

All of my friends and family probably chuckle at that because I have only talked about it all my life. Having 12 kiddos sitting around a big table, a son named Kermit, gallery walls of kid art, and birthday celebrations have all been dreams. I wanted a multicultural family before Angelina Jolie made it trendy. The movie Cheaper By the Dozen made me so happy I thought I could burst. But it is a little different now.

For a year or so, this "big talk" of becoming a mother has become more of an internal struggle. It makes me think that there is something to the whole biological clock ticking thing. It is really stressful because I am not near a place of healthily bringing a child into the world. Physically, it would not be good on my body being out of radiation just recently. Financially, it would be a nightmare. Complete nightmare. Spiritually, it would not be sound. My life is so unstable these days, it would be the worst idea. Ever. Being around nieces and nephew has not helped. I think I have scared poor J to pieces when I confided in him this struggle. Thankfully, he has been nice about the whole thing. He does not laugh or tell me I am crazy when that internal struggle rises up. On more than once occasion, he has squeezed my hand when he notices it in my eyes.

So for now I am just dealing with this struggle with prayer. Prayer that things will start falling into place.

This morning on Mother's Day, I woke up and put my walking shoes on. God and I had a long chat about the desires of my heart. I believe that one day I will be celebrating the amazing gift of bring life into this world on this holiday. Just time for me to be patient and wait for better timing and healthier situations. I only share this so if you have a minute you can squeeze me in your prayers and because I know of a couple of other girls who are have similar struggles.

Today I celebrate the mothers that have made a difference in my life and whom have taught me what it means to love and be a mother. Amy who brought me into the world and taught me the art of homemade love. Christy who taught me independence and importance of being a strong woman. Carole who taught me that family is not always of blood, but always of love and makes the best cookies ever. Renee who has been a blessing the past couple of years. Emily and Jessica who are great mothers and have great strength for their young years. And most of all for my Nana. She has taught me above all what it means to be a mother. For her love, devotion, and care, I am extremely grateful.

Happy Mother's Day.

Secret Confession #2

2011-05-06T12:56:00.003-05:00

I want to slow dance to Ray LaMontage's Shelter.

Bless Turned To Bliss

2011-05-05T23:35:00.004-05:00

Three things happened this week that I hate...

(1) DIBELS testing. 6 of us get to test 993 students on their reading fluency and comprehension. Same stories over and over. It takes about 5 minutes to test each child. I still have 6 classes to go. Bless.

(2) Faculty picture. Let's gather a bunch of teachers and staff who are ready to go home in tight quarters right after dismissal for 40 minutes. You find yourself complaining about all of those around who are complaining. Bless.

(3) School wide Fashion Show planning/rehearsals begin. Let's just say too many chiefs and 135 students participating. Worst organization. Ever. Bless.

But then something fabulous happened.

As I was stuffing 60-something bags for teacher appreciation gifts (not even gonna touch this one!), I felt the urge to stop and get chocolate (aka- I ran out of bags and had to go to store to get more). I peruse the aisles of Kroger's and somehow end up on the ice cream aisle. I decide I need some. I deserve some. Kroger's is phasing out Bryer's Mint Chocolate Chip (thank goodness I knew this ahead of time or I might have made news headlines!) so I go for Ben and Jerry's pints. But then it happened. A perfectly Zen moment. All of the yucky-ness of the week just disappeared. Kroger's, my Kroger's on Gallatin Rd. is selling Greater's Ice Cream!

::Happy Sigh::

While they did not have my favorite Black Raspberry Chip in stock, they did have the picture sticker for it. There is true hope.

I am so happy.

Thank you Kroger for bringing Cincinnati ice cream goodness into my Nashville life.

Secret Confession

2011-05-01T10:47:00.004-05:00

Secret Confession...

I carried a Prince William stamp around in my wallet from junior year of high school until the week after my college graduation when I lost my wallet.

My heart would race when I was in town (Edinburgh, Cardiff, London, Windsor) and the flag was raised at any of the royals residences. (Flag means that that they were in town.)

I didn't pay much attention to anything anyone said while walking around the university in St. Andrews. My eyes were busy looking for something else. (He happened to go there at the time.)

My name is Elizabeth. The name is royal already.

If it had been anybody else my heart might have been a little heavy in the wee hours of Friday morning, but he married Kate. I am about as fascinated by her as I am him. Talk about stunning. I adore the little hats she wears with ease. I love how she has a quiet confidence about her. She has splendid taste. Her wedding gown... Sigh.

Heart is happy for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

**All of this was before I was introduced to Anderson Cooper of course.

Portrait of Christ

2011-04-23T08:23:00.002-05:00

I saw this on Donald Miller's blog this morning and it brought tears to my eyes. Perfect for a quiet reflection on this Easter weekend.

A Portrait of Christ from Jeremy Cowart on Vimeo.

Kites

2011-04-15T09:49:00.006-05:00

Sometimes you have to have a little weekendish fun on a weekday! (Especially when you spent your morning giving Math TCAP tests.)

J's sister and brother-in-law are in town and yesterday was the perfect day to be outdoors. After tossing around some ideas, we settled upon flying kites when we learned that Janae had never flown a kite before. (What?!?!?!)

Of course, we stopped at Pied Piper for ice cream on the way home. Pineapple Basil is delish!

Perfect ending to a morning of Math TCAPing...

Sunshine

2011-04-11T06:56:00.004-05:00

The weekend was exactly what I needed to recharge. The sun came out and it stayed in the upper 80's. So good for the soul.

Did anybody else feel that this was an especially miserable winter?

I have gotten behind in blogging and in cleaning and hope to start catching up again this afternoon.

May this week be much kinder to all of us...

Asheville Goodness #2

2011-03-28T21:53:00.008-05:00

Over the past couple of years, J and I have taken fun trips during Spring Break. Our first trip was to Washington DC with our friend Amy. Last year we trekked down to Atlanta. This year we wanted to get away from Nashville for awhile and just relax. We settled on Asheville, NC, a city I truly love.

While I have always dreamed of owning a Bed and Breakfast, I had never actually stayed at one until Spring Break. Because relaxing was the main focus of this trip, staying at a B&B was imperative for me. (Plus, it gave me time to do a little research!) After searching online, I came across North Lodge on Oakland.

I cannot tell you how perfect North Lodge was for me! The location and price were the first things that popped out on me, but then everything else worked out so that it was as if God was smiling on me. Greg, the innkeeper was very willing to talk and share advice with me about how to run a B&B. He even gave us a little "backstage" tour of the kitchen! We stayed in the Library Room which had shelves full of books that fit perfectly. We even found 4 books on B&B operations! I spent a lot of time in the clawfoot tub which was a mini dream come true. And breakfast... Bless. Baked pears, granola and fruit with yogurt, biscuits, eggs, stuffed french toast, pistachio bread. Yum, yum, yum. My favorite was Greg's Egg and Cheese Puff. Coffee served all day. Happy, happy Beth.

After my stay, I can that this is something I really want to pursue. It might be several years before my little dream becomes a reality, but I am happy just even thinking about it.

North Lodge on Oakland just another bit of Asheville goodness...

Asheville Goodness #1

2011-03-23T16:40:00.005-05:00

Spring Break flew by! Our trip to Asheville was fabulous, but for now just a preview of one of the delightful things about the trip.

On Friday, J and I found ourselves heading into Biltmore Village for lunch. I had a place picked out, but after reviewing the menu we opted for Gianni Panini which we had walked by earlier. It was a good decision.

I ordered the Greek Chicken panini and when paired with a Peach Izze made my mouth happy. However, that did not compare to the potato salad. The potato salad I had was literally the best I have ever put in my mouth. I savored each bite which is something I rarely do. Secret ingredient? Feta Cheese. (Of course there might be more, but that is the one the server told me about.) Why I have never thought of that before?

When I got home I looked for a recipe that would be close to the yumminess I had on the trip. I plan on making this real soon!

Feta Potato Salad

(Recipe adapted from Southern Living)

Ingredients:
3 pounds small new potatoes, diced

2/3 cup olive oil

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

3/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced

4 ounces crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes, until tender. Drain and place in a large bowl.
Whisk together oil and next 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over potatoes and add green onions, parsley and feta. Toss gently to coat. Cover and chill.

Yield: 8-10 side dish servings

Sunday Evening with OneRepublic

2011-03-14T12:35:00.005-05:00

After the family left on Sunday afternoon, I spent some time napping and reading. I just happened to get on Facebook just a couple minutes after some friends in Colorado posted they were in need of a place to stay while I am in Asheville. Place for them, free house sitting for me. Check. I also saw that the lovely Ashley Jordan's status inquired if anyone liked the band OneRepublic. I responded and a few minutes later I held two free tickets to the show at the Ryman. Yea Facebook!

Because J ~~dragged his feet getting home from Arkansas~~ was spending time with his family, I called my friend Amanda who I was supposed to meet up with anyways. We snagged cheap parking at the main library and entered the Ryman excited. Our excitement grew when the usher ushered us to our front row seats. You heard me.

Opening band, Jared Evans was not so impressive. Next band, the Daylights was impressive. (Bought their album!) OneRepublic was super impressive and loads of fun. The whole time though I felt a little guilty that Ashley was not there. She will recieve a star in her crown, I'm sure.

What topped the evening off though was the girls sitting right beside us. Think 17 year old pregnant Miley Cyrus who thought she was witnessing the return of Christ. You think I jest, but oh no my friends. Hands lifted up, Amen-ing away. Calling upon the Lord. One word... Bless.

Great Sunday evening.

Sunday Afternoon.

2011-03-14T08:44:00.004-05:00

Yesterday would have been the perfect beginning to Spring Break except for the fact that Spring Break begins on Tuesday this year.

My family came to my house for lunch. 10 people. I was happy though. I had invited them all to come on Saturday, but then yesterday morning Grandpa fell and had to go to the hospital. Dad and Mama scurried around all morning taking care of things, so it worked out quite nicely that they did have to worry about cooking for all the kiddos. It was nice for us all to be together even if it was only for a short time. (Grandpa did get sent home in the evening and is recovering.)

Another sight that did my heart good was my niece wearing jeans and the tutu I made her, carrying a dinosaur, holding Aunt LiLi's hand. So adorable. She had everything she wanted and so did I.

7 Days!

2011-03-10T22:09:00.002-06:00

I booked my B&B for Asheville next week! Paper-chain countdown coming soon. :)

(I didn't kick A or take names today. Boo. Left work at 9:30pm and still have one more thing to do before bed.... BUT "I am going to Asheville, I am going to Asheville.")

Me, Kicking A and Taking Names

2011-03-10T06:44:00.003-06:00

So stinkin close to putting in my resignation yesterday. This has been a heck of a week at work. 7:30am-9:00pm days does not make for a rested or happy Beth especially when she gets to work another hour or two when she gets home. Today will be another one of those days. However, tomorrow...

3:15pm out the door.

Rest of the evening... nothing.

Promising not to make plans and going to enjoy being lazy.

This morning, I am putting on some "kick A" music because that is what I aim to do today. "I will kick A and take names. I will kick A and take names. I will kick A and take names."

Donald Miller

2011-03-06T22:36:00.001-06:00

Donald Miller's blog is one of my favorites. Not familiar? Check out the video below and then check out his blog.

Are you living a great story with your life? from Donald Miller on Vimeo.

Book Club and American Tiramisu

2011-03-06T21:05:00.006-06:00

On Friday night, it was my turn to host our book club meeting. Normally, we eat dinner, talk about the book, and the play Nertz. This night was no exception. We are currently reading The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingslover which is one of my favorites. The girls brought salad, bread, and wine (Blackberry Merlot...delish!). I fixed lasagna and American Tiramisu.

This is the second time I have made American Tiramisu and I love it. Quick dessert that looks like it took some time. It also can be made the night before saving you time to frantically clean your house before guests come. Why American? Because there is no cinnamon or ladyfingers involved.

American Tiramisu
1 thawed pound cake (I use Sara Lee.)
2/3 cup of brewed coffee (Save a little from what you make in the morning.)
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup chocolate syrup (I use a little more for the drizzle on top.)
1 package of cream cheese
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 of a hazelnut chocolate bar (I use Ritter's.)

Slice pound cake and place in the bottom of a 9x13 dish. (You could also use a trifle bowl.) Pour coffee over cake. In a mixing bowl, beat sugar, chocolate syrup, and cream cheese until smooth. Add whipping cream. Beat until fluffy. Spread the mixture over the cake. Drizzle chocolate over the top. Chop up chocolate bar and scatter on top. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

The evening was a success if I do say so myself. I guess that had something to do with me winning Nertz for the first time ever. (Honestly, it was the first time I even had a score that wasn't in the negative!)

Looking forward to April's book club already.

I linked up at

Valentine's Day (part 2)

2011-03-06T20:55:00.004-06:00

So I know you have been patiently waiting on the edge of your seat to see what J gave me for Valentine's Day (ha.)...

Meet Baxter.

Baxter is a Betta who spends his days hanging out in a hand-me-down fish cave in a big Mason jar.

I love this little fish.

I love that J took me to Petsmart to pick out Bax.

It makes me happy thinking about it.

(sorry, the picture is way blurry. still have not mastered the whole glass reflection photography thing.)

Twas' the night before...

2011-03-03T22:15:00.003-06:00

Twas' the night before Christmas...

Okay, it's not the night before Christmas, but it feels a little like it because tomorrow is a big day.

In the morning, I will be dressing up as a book character. We are having a reading parade to celebrate Read Across America week. It is my favorite event at our school. Beyond precious!

I will be undergoing my final radiation treatment. While I am beyond nervous, I am so pleased to know that I am not going to have to go through this treatment again. We will have a party or I will have a new rack. Something will be celebrated when I after my scan in a few weeks.

I am having my book club over tomorrow night. I adore these girls. We eat, we "mention" the book we read, and we play cards. Did I mention we laugh because that is what we do most!

I am so stinkin' excited about my Friday, but Lord knows I will be in my bed all day on Saturday. ;)

Please, please, please say prayers, send good vibes, cross your fingers, or just wish me luck with the prognosis. I am still saying my sun-still prayer.

A Little Late...

2011-03-01T07:49:00.002-06:00

Happy (belated) Birthday to my Nana!

I wish everyone had the pleasure of knowing my grandmother.

She is strong in her faith -always supporting my grandfather the preacher, praying for others, and sharing Scripture.

She is a constant student - taking classes still at Lipscomb, and always sharing something she found or read.

She is an adventurer - traveling with someone or trying something new.

She is a woman that has helped me stay on the right path because I could have turned out much worse.

Thank you Nana for your influence and devotion. I hope you can celebrate many more birthdays!

(I would be amiss if I did not also say Happy Birthday to my dear Aunt Sue as well! )

He's Still Working On Me

2011-03-01T07:39:00.004-06:00

On Saturday, I had lunch with a friend who mentioned a childhood song that had become her mantra.

"He's still working on me
To make me what I need to be
It took him just a week to make the moon and stars
The sun and the Earth and Jupiter and Mars
How loving and patient he must be
Cause he's still working on me."

This song has popped into my head at least a dozen time since our lunch. Interesting at how this applies at age 5 and 27 and I imagine will still ring true at age 80.

Thanks ER for sharing!

On the Brink...

2011-02-28T18:09:00.002-06:00

As I head into my final week of radiation, I am sitting on my couch dreaming of a wrap-around porch, a comfortable swing, and warm weather. Some coziness and warmth would do my soul good.

The longer I deal with this thing called cancer the more I want to go after some of my dreams. My job, while important is not my dream. I feel like I am on the brink to start going after what I want.

Spring Break is two weeks away and I am looking forward to it. I am planning on going to Asheville, NC for just a couple of days and staying in a bed and breakfast. I am going to ask questions. I am going to take notes. I am going to journal a lot. I am going to rest. For me, this trip is exciting because running a bed and breakfast has been my dream for so long and now I am going to start figuring out how to begin while at the same time resting and recovering from months of emotional and physical stress.

Good things are ahead.

Please pray that in this final week I will be healed.

Heart Fluttering

2011-02-24T20:23:00.002-06:00

If ever there were a piece of jewelry that screamed my name, this would be it.

A pearl. In a nest.

The Vintage Pearl recently re-released this classic piece of theirs. Each one comes out a little differently because they wrap the wiring by hand.

Be still my beating heart...

(By the way, my birthday is April 27th.)

Sunday Evening

2011-02-21T07:49:00.003-06:00

Church at CrossPoint, homemade lasagna, snuggling up on the couch, a blanket just out of the dryer, the movie Secretariat ...

A perfect ending to the weekend.

yuck

2011-02-16T12:05:00.001-06:00

Sick day.

You know it is bad when you have to call your father to pick up toilet paper, soup, and Sprite.

Back to bed...

Valentine's Day (Part I)

2011-02-15T07:33:00.006-06:00

I had the best Valentines Day.

We spent the weekend in Arkansas so once we packed up yesterday morning, we still manage to have time to eat Mexican with J's mom and her fiance. Then, it was a long four hours back to Nashville. The weather was beautiful though. I finished a good little no-brainer book. We stopped for a blended root beer float at Sonic. (yum.) I took a nap. J went a little stir-crazy. Still no break downs, hitchhikers, or sickness which is a big deal for us.

J gave me a really sweet present, but it is unpresentable at the moment so I will share later.

Once home, we got cleaned up. We both clean up rather well if I do say so myself. Then, we headed for a free meal from Cheesecake Factory. J had pulled the manager out of the snow last week, so he was promised a free meal. (Score.) We were told the patio was heated so we opted for that. Heated.... ha. After 30 minutes of still not having placed our order and our shoulders bouncing from our chill, we decided that enough was enough. Cheesecake to go, please. Our cheesecake was free (thank goodness... $22 is a lot for dessert!) and J can still go back for a free meal.

We still wanted dinner so we grabbed a little something to take home.

What, might you ask is in the bag?

Burgers, onion rings, and spicy fries from FatMo's.

After chomping down, we still had dessert...

And all was right in the world.

I do like this man an awful lot. ;)

A Happy Wednesday

2011-02-09T20:39:00.002-06:00

How stinkin' cute is this? The best part is that it cost less than $5!

I recently stumbled across a blog called Tatertots and Jello. Jen posts all kinds of DIY shenanigans, giveaways, and happiness. Check out how she made this tray and others!

I see another craft day in my future!

Today celebrates one year of living in my cute little house. That makes me happy. I guess I will be staying another year since I never looked for another place or talked to my landlord. As unsure as I was there for awhile, I really do love this place. It is different enough, cozy enough, and it is on Stockell. Happy 1 year, House! (I thought I might give it a little anniversary gift by finally throwing the Halloween pumpkins away. They are still on my porch! Yuck.)

Today also marks my 600th post on Deeply Rooted on Blogger. I have been blogging for almost 12 years now and have written about my life on Expage, Xanga, Wordpress, and Blogger. I came to Blogger while I was living in China because Xanga slipped into the Chinese censored black hole and Blogger and I have been happy ever since. Maybe a little updating to the site? I do have a snow day tomorrow.

All of this happiness is almost more than I can take, but there is Thai Peanut Chicken goodness in my crockpot, a bottle of Pisgah Brewery Vortex (thanks Josh!) in my fridge, Law and Order SVU episode to finish, snow on the ground, and a boyfriend who should be home with a movie in hand soon so I guess I have a little more happiness to soak up tonight.

Happy Wednesday!

Etsy Shop

2011-02-06T12:49:00.004-06:00

Because I love all things homemade and pretty, I decided to set up an Etsy shop in order to help cover my doctors costs and raise money for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day. I will add at least one thing new each week.

Thanks to Lauren who made the wonderful logo! You can also check out her Etsy shop. She is briererows.

To visit my Etsy shop, just click on the logo.

Fill In Blank Friday: Magazines

2011-02-04T12:44:00.003-06:00

1. If I could only read one magazine publication for the rest of eternity, I would choose Real Simple. Everything is so crisp and simple. I love the recipes and organization ideas.

2. If I were to run my own magazine it would be about traveling and creating. All things beautiful.

3. I buy my magazines (at the grocery check stand or via subscription) through subscription. I get Real Simple, Rachel Ray's Everyday, Conde Nast Traveler and Instructor. I also steal Amy's Food Network magazine every so often.

4. I prefer my magazines (in print or online) in print hands down. I like the feel of a new magazine. Reading online for too long can give me a headache.

5. The number of magazines I buy each month is two. I bought Conde Nast Traveler and Instructor subscriptions. Real Simple was a gift subscription. Rachel Ray's Everyday was a freebie one day for a whole year. (Deal!) I also get freebies from the magazine bin that we have at work. We bring our old magazines and switch out. A great idea from our reading specialist. (That's where I read magazines like People and US Weekly which are not worth my money, but every now and then fascinating.)

6. My favorite magazine genre is (lifestyle, gossip, home, etc...) home magazines. I dream of owning a home where I can go crazy designing and these magazines are full of inspiration.

7. The magazines I read regularly are Real Simple, Instructor, The Reading Teacher, Conde Nast Traveler, Food Network, Taste of Home, Everyday, and Dwell.

Link up at The Little Things We Do

Preparing...

2011-02-01T06:07:00.005-06:00

Family Math Night...

I am so pumped!

Yesterday I spent the afternoon making tangrams, running copies, creating a math activities book, and stuffing bags for math kits until the wee hours of this morning. I used to do things like this when I had a class of 20. Now, I get to do it for 250 families (an estimated guess of how many families will come tonight).

My bed never felt so good, thanks to J and the new foam padding he set me up with. (He also got to stuff bags with me, made me dinner, and washed dishes. Bliss!)

I actually woke up a few minutes before the alarm, ready to go. I have quite a full day of tangram making ahead of me before the big event tonight.

For all of you educators, I will post the contents of our math kit after the main event. I think they are pretty stinkin' sweet.

I leave you with the words of Dr. Gary Hall, "Math is easy. Math is fun."

ps-Yes, we were required to write this on top of all our papers in his college math class. He also called his tests "parties."

pss- Oh yeah, $180 has already been donated to my Susan G. Komen 3-Day goal. Scroll on down if you wish to donate!

60 Miles. 3 Days.

2011-01-30T10:28:00.003-06:00

You all know that come October, I have my walking shoes on for breast cancer. I walk in the Susan G. Komen's Race for the Cure in both Nashville and Little Rock. This year I am taking it up a notch. On top of those two walks, I will be walking in the Atlanta Susan G. Komen's 3-Day for the Cure.

My friend Amy and I will be walking 60 miles in 3 days to help raise money and awareness for something very near and dear to my heart.

In order to walk, each person is asked to raise funds. We have our goals set and we are now working towards them. Amy and I are trying to be creative in our fundraising, but for now I am asking that if you simply wish to donate, please click on the widget below.

If you wish to visit my 3-Day webpage, click here.

Thanks for your support!

Inception and Saturday

2011-01-30T08:49:00.002-06:00

Had the most enjoyable Saturday!

Caitlin and Amy came over to craft.

Katie came over to visit.

J and I stayed in for date night. We got Chinese takeout and rented Inception. Because we choose not to spend a ridiculous amount of money to see movies in the theater, we have been behind in the whole Inception talk. (And because I am the biggest scaredy cat on the planet and completely allergic to blood, guts, and all other inside body parts- we had to make phone calls to those who had seen the movie and those who know what I can handle to make sure that I would indeed find the movie enjoyable and not spend all my time clinging to the couch and crying.) All I can say is Holy Moley Oly! We will be watching the film again. Of course, we spent probably a whole hour on the couch after the movie just wondering and questioning.

A Saturday well spent.

Fill in the Blank Friday

2011-01-28T15:30:00.005-06:00

1. If my house was on fire and I could only grab 3 things I would grab my Vespa key, laptop, and my Zeebee picture. (Zeebee was my childhood zebra that is now framed. It is so sweet and I want to give it to my children one day. I guess I would have to grab the shed key to so I could ket to the Vespa.)

2. A smell I really like is clean laundry and yummy man (aka... a boy showered).

3. Something you might not know about me is that I hate wrapping presents. I like the thought of it, but they never come out as perfect as I would like.

4. Some of my favorite websites to putter about on are I Heart Organizing, The Little Things We Do, Young House Love, Prudent Baby, and Tatertots and Jello. I do love a cute, organized, and crafty blog!

5. This weekend I will be styling something fun because we are going out to celebrate J's birthday tonight. (Yea! He made it home!)

6. Nothing makes me happier than getting something fun in the mail or waking up in the middle of the night and realizing I have hours left to sleep.

7. A bad habit I have is leaving dirty dishes on the counter. I HATE washing dishes. I always regret it when I have an hour's worth to do.

Link it up here @ The Little Things We Do

Standing Still

2011-01-25T23:24:00.003-06:00

Some of you might have noticed that I took a little hiatus from blogging. In reality, I took a little hiatus from my life.

Last year when going through treatments and such, I was told often that I was handling everything so well. "Strong", "courageous", and "positive" were thrown around freely. In reality, I was a complete mess. Those of you who know me really well, know that I have changed. It is partially (and majorly) due to how I handled things. Sure, I continued to work, go to school, and have a social life, but that was me trying to stay in control. Looking back, I should have rested more. I should have gone for more counseling. I should have gone to those support group meetings more often. I should have asked for help more. I should have done things differently. I should have prayed more.

In April, I got the "all clear" and I felt good for awhile.

After awhile, I became discouraged because my energy levels weren't back to "normal". Some of the things I enjoyed before, I did not enjoy as much. My heart was hardened and I am not sure I truly realized how much. I also lived in fear. I had dreams about cancer taking over my body. I wasn't as confident. I stopped going to church. I slipped in and out of depression.

When I learned that my cancer had come back, I was devastated. That is when the hiatus began. If I wasn't at work or at a treatment then you can bet I was in bed or on my couch. I watched an insane amount of TV. I cried a lot and I would make excuses when people asked me to do things. I did not want to and did not feel like doing anything. Some days were a little better than others. Really this past weekend was the most productive I have been in awhile.

Yesterday I learned that my treatments have helped, but I am going to have to have more. It would be very easy for my to continue in my desire to escape from all that is going on around me, but I am hoping that will not be the case. In that hope, I am focusing on something "new" for me.

A couple of weeks ago, J asked me to go to church. While I was reluctant, I went with him. We go to Crosspoint and Pete had just started a new series called "More". That Sunday evening, Pete used Joshua 10 in his lesson. The passage was the story of Joshua and the Isrealites defeating the Amorites all because God had promised them victory and Joshua asked that the sun stand still. The sun standing still... that is crazy, but Joshua had the faith to ask God to do the "impossible." Pete posed the question, "What is your sun still prayer?" When walking out of church that evening, I slipped my hand into J's and thanked him for inviting me and that I was glad I went.

J asked me to church again the next week. At first, I told him that I wasn't feeling well. He asked again right before he left and I reluctantly agreed again. This time, Pete shared the story of Abraham focusing in on our relationship with God. "God can't put things in our hands because we are grasping too tightly to our picture of the future." Sheesh.

Pete reminded us that we should not base our whole theology on these little passages and I agree with that. However, these passages have been a good kick in the butt to help me get on with life. My sun-still prayer is that God heals me- that he heals me of cancer, he heals me of hurt, he heals me of my control freakish ways, he heals me.

I want to go from standing still in my life to having the sun-stand still.

Thank you to everyone who has reached out to me. Please keeping praying for me. A sun-still prayer...

Houndstooth for the Auburn Fan

2011-01-25T22:56:00.007-06:00

I knew that as soon as I shared about my magazine holders, someone would give me a hard time. For those not in the world of the SEC, Alabama coach Bear Bryant wore a trademark houndstooth hat. Being an Auburn fan, I would not promote anything Alabama related, but houndstooth is just so cute! Plus, the pattern for this project is very forgiving. My blood will always bleed navy blue and "pretty" orange. War Eagle!

Anyways, here is a little simple how-to for the magazine holders.

I used priority mailing boxes. I went ahead and put them together because it was easier to measure. After you cut, each box will make two holders.

For the cuts, I measured 4 inches from the side of the box. Using a box cutter, I made a 3 inch cut down. I flipped the box over and did the same on the other side. Then, I made another long cut connecting my two 3 inch cuts. (See picture above.)

When you are finished cutting, you will get holders that look like this...

For covering your holders, you can use scrapbook or wrapping paper. I opted for the wrapping paper. Make sure though that the paper is thick (high-quality). I picked my paper up from Hobby Lobby using a 60% off coupon. (Only $1.20!)

Now, I am a horrible wrapper so I cannot give you directions here. I just stumbled my way through it. This part was the most time consuming. I was glad I got the houndstooth because the pattern was forgiving and overlapped easier than some other prints. In the end, I came out with these...

I had several large scraps that I will save for future projects. (Maybe an anti-Alabama project?!) I did go ahead and make this little Valentine's piece...

I had the red frame from the good ole Delta Xi days. I typed up LOVE in red and printed it out. Next, I cut out the letters and glue them to my scrap. After putting it in the frame, I decided LOVE was more of a coral shade than the frame, so I used a red Sharpie and colored the letters to make the red pop. I do think it screams "Roll Tide" so as soon as Valentines is over, I will retire this little piece. We wouldn't want people getting the wrong impression. ;)

I linked up...

Cleanliness Is Next to Godliness...

2011-01-23T22:29:00.004-06:00

The dish is clean! Fridge Purge is over with. The weekend of cleaning and organizing is coming to an end.

When it comes to cleaning, I think I have ADHD. I will start something and then get carried away with another little project. This weekend was no exception. The main goals were to wash dishes, clean the counters, and get my files in order in the filing cabinet. Those are almost finished, but here is what else got done during my "sidetracks"...

The junk drawer got organized.

My spice/coffee cabinet got some attention.

The pantry is now presentable.

My magazines have a cute new home.

A little Valentines' goodness was made.

This weekend I also:
Had a fabulous time at Book Club
Watched 2 episodes of Mad Men
Planned all meals for the week
Couponed
Went grocery shopping
Went to farmers market
Had dinner with China friends
Signed up for Susan G Komen 3-Day in Atlanta
Installed light bulbs
Did laundry
Cooked lasagna
Wrote 3 letters
Paid bills
Went to church
Video chatted with J (so ready for him to come home!)
And read half a book

I need another weekend to recover.

Part of the reason, why I stayed busy this weekend is because tomorrow I go in for my scan. I am really anxious about this so staying busy helped me not to think about it. Anyways, if you could say some prayers for me tomorrow that would be wonderful.

Tomorrow is going to be uber busy with DIBELing at school, the scan, leadership meeting, and possibly attending McGavock's PAC meeting depending on how I feel after the scan. I need to go wash a few more dishes and put in one more load of laundry before calling it a night. My bed is calling my name.

The Great Fridge Purge of 2011

2011-01-22T22:42:00.003-06:00

**Note: This post is not for the faint of heart or "neat freaks".

The past few days have been extremely productive.

Currently finishing the Great Fridge Purge of 2011. Actually, I am finished, but I have one last Pyrex dish to clean out.

Have you ever had a container in your fridge that you just kept in there because it was so old/gross? I have a Spinach Casserole (circa Oct.2010) that just makes me cringe when I open the door, but cringe is much better than the bodily function that will occur if I open the container. Sigh. Tonight is the night though. It has to go.

Pictures of my delightful organizing binge to come soon. (I'll spare you from a picture of my "science project".)

Fill in the Blank Friday

2011-01-14T09:57:00.005-06:00

1. I feel happy when I'm sitting around a table with friends or when I get a letter in the mail.

2. I get silly when I decorate for Christmas. I just get downright jolly and then it explodes into silliness. Amy has a little bit of it caught on tape.

3. Something that makes me sad is I hear or experience people being inconsiderate and just plain crude. This week I was truly sad and somewhat outraged to hear of a "church" who was planning on protesting at the youngest shooting victim's funeral in Tucson.

4. Something that makes me annoyed is when the kitchen sink "hose" is left pulled out. Grrrr. It has happened numerous times this week.

5. A time that I've been truly surprised was when my friends surprised me with a big top birthday celebration.

6. I am so thankful for a week of snow days while finishing up radiation. I have felt so tired and just "blah" that having these days off were a complete blessing. I'm sorry for those who are angry that we will be in school til June, but I am very happy that we did not have to go this week.

7. I feel loved when people make time for me. Nothing does my heart better than when I get an invitation to hang out or when J takes the time to stop to have a meal with me or when my sisters stop by my house. ::Sigh:: Happiness.

Link up here... The Little Things We Do

Snow Day

2011-01-10T18:01:00.003-06:00

Took almost a month off from blogging. Not intentional. Just didn't feel like it.

Nothing to get a little spark back like a SNOW DAY!

I woke up to this.

I was inspired by this.

It made me do this.

So then, I created this.

I thoroughly enjoyed my morning playing in the snow. Tonight I will be trekking with J to my parents to watch my Auburn Tigers become National Champions. So excited!!!!

A truly wonderful Monday.

Christmas Wish List

2010-12-13T21:28:00.006-06:00

I'm pretty sure that my family is finished Christmas shopping, but just in case... ;)

My Christmas Wish List

a membership to The Belcourt (small independent movie theater)

a cute and colorful cake stand like this one from Fish Eddy

an oh-so-adorable owl pitcher from Amazon

a Kindle for the ultimate book lover

and gift cards from Anthropologie, World Market, Bare Escentuals, and Target.

A Little Cheer

2010-12-10T06:18:00.002-06:00

Even with the unfortunate news of Monday looming over my head, I have had quite the nice past 2 evenings.

On Wednesday night, J and I went out for some Thai curry. It is not often that the two of us go out for dinner just for fun. We have found a really good Thai place (PadThai Kitchen) just right down the street from us. I got Spicy Curry Noodles. yum. After Thai, we met up with our friends R and S for coffee at Fido's. We talked about hunting and Christmas crafting. Perfect for everyone involved. Getting to know R and S over the past couple of years has been a real joy. I have a lot of love and respect for both. J and I even held hands under the table. It was an evening I needed and enjoyed.

Last night, I stopped to visit my grandparents. Nana makes the absolute best salads. Always colorful and delicious. Then, Whitney picked me up to go to an ornament swap party. The party was held by the ladies of the church I used to attend. It was nice to catch up with old friends. We snagged these cute ornaments! Mine was actually the one I brought. I stole and people stole from me so in the end I wanted to play it safe and get the one I brought because I knew I liked it. ;)

Happy evenings...

War # 2

2010-12-07T06:40:00.002-06:00

I have the beginning of an Eminem song stuck in my head...

"Guess whose's back? Back again..."

It started yesterday afternoon.

When Dr. L said "Your cancer is back."

I hate Eminem. I hate cancer.

Christmas Book 12

2010-12-05T20:08:00.003-06:00

Absolutely loving this book!
(Notice it is book 12. The other 11 would be a great Christmas gift...hint,hint! wink,wink!)

A Cozy Christmas Welcome

2010-12-05T12:10:00.006-06:00

I have never been fond of wreathes. I am not sure why. I have never owned or wanted to have one. That was until this year.

Last week, I stumbled across a gorgeous yarn wreath at The Little Things We Do. I saw another oh-so-cute wreath that would have matched my bedroom at Kirklands. That got me to thinking... Maybe my dislike for wreathes is like my dislike for eggs. I don't like eggs unless they are made like Nana's/I make them. Maybe I dislike wreathes unless they are simple and unique/I make them. That led me to the decision to make my own.

Yesterday at Hobby Lobby I picked up my supplies. Luckily, they were having a sale!

Styrofoam wreath ~~$7.99~~ $3.99
Skein of yarn ~~$3.29~~ $2.08
3 pieces of felt ~~83 cents~~ 41 cents
Sprig of berries ~~99 cents~~ 49 cents
Yard of red ribbon ~~43 cents~~ 22 cents
Total Cost ~~$13.53~~ $7.19
(I also used pearl-head pushpins that I already owned.)

I googled "yarn wreath" and found several tutorials for free. It took me about 2 1/2 hours to make. Most of that time was spent wrapping the yarn around the wreath.

I love the way it turned out!

One step closer to a cozy Christmas...

SEC Champions

2010-12-04T23:20:00.006-06:00

Another great day to be an Auburn fan!

(image credit)

We beat Alabama in the Iron Bowl.

We beat South Carolina for the SEC Championship.

What's next?

Beating Oregon in the National Championship!

WAR EAGLE!!!

Welly Shopping

2010-12-02T23:21:00.002-06:00

For awhile now, I have been on the search for the perfect rain boots. Two years ago, I found the cutest whale boots, but alas they were never to be found again. These are a cute runner up.

Chooka

But if I can't have the perfect whale boots, should I go with something else? These duck boots are fitting and I am sure the kiddos in the car rider lane would love them.

Chooka

Should I go with something uber classic?

Maybe because I have a little SEC championship on my mind, but I am also leaning towards these...

Stadium Stompers

Even my boots could say "War Eagle!"

Should I keep holding out for my dream pair?

Oh, the possibilities!

Must...

2010-12-02T06:57:00.003-06:00

I went to see Doctor L yesterday.
It did not go as well as I hoped.
I will be going for a scan next Monday.
Just going to keep busy until then.
Will be glad to see some "China friends" this weekend.
Thankful J was home yesterday to reassure me that all will be well.

Must.

Keep.

Busy.

Prayers are always appreciated.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas...

2010-11-24T13:05:00.006-06:00

Last Monday night after finally washing most of my dishes, I started making Christmas in my home. I have a few changes from the norm this year.

1. I have a mantle! I cannot tell you what joy it brought to my heart to hang stockings where I feel they were made to be.

2. You will see that the traditional Auburn hat on the top of the tree has disappeared. The replacement is an actual star tree topper. I found it on sale last year after Christmas for the ridiculous low price of $4 and couldn't help myself. (Have no fear the Auburn hat might make another appearance next year...)

3. I did not hang all my ornaments up this year. Shocking, I know! This year I decided that my skinny tree was a tad small to hang them all up because this year I had even more. So I decided that I would keep all traditional (aka- Hallmark) ornaments in their box and put only the most whimsical on my tree this year. (It goes with the star tree topper!) The plan is to snag another tree after Christmas and on sale so next year....

I will have two trees!! :)

After putting all the lights on the tree and then the ornaments, I plugged lights in only to find that one strand was out. Fail. As a Christmas expert, I was disappointed in myself. Last night I went to pick up some more and only had to redo a portion of the tree. Now we can sit all cozy by the tree.

I have a new tablecloth for the dining room table and even a couple of things for the kitchen that I will put up after Thanksgiving break.

I think Christmas on Stockell will be extra snuggly and beautiful this year.

Graphic Designer: Lauren

2010-11-22T21:40:00.008-06:00

Tonight I finished writing the copy for my Christmas cards and settled on a photo. This year my friend Lauren is creating my Christmas cards. I am really excited!

Lauren and I have been friends since 4th grade. We used to make pendants and sell them on the school bus. A Barbie was never without blankets when we were together. We lived on the same street. Our names were practically the same... Elizabeth Lauren and Lauren Elizabeth. Destined to be life long friends.

Lauren is a talented graphic designer now. She has helped me design the Deeply Rooted Race for the Cure shirts for the past two years. (Below is the 2009 shirt) She has created graphics for the teacher line at Dollar General, campaign materials for a candidate for governor, wedding announcements, baby annoucements and countless shirts for youth groups, social clubs, etc.

Check out more of Lauren's work on her blog.

Thanks Lauren for being such a good friend and sharing your talents to bless my life!

Murphy's Law

2010-11-22T21:38:00.002-06:00

Another example of Murphy's Law...

Settling on a night to set up your Christmas decor, putting up the tree, adding the lights, and plugging in only to find a strand does not work.

Big bummer.

Tradition! Tradition!

2010-11-22T21:17:00.003-06:00

Over the weekend, Amy and I drove to Gatlinburg, Tn for the 2nd annual China Reunion.

We stopped in Cookeville to see my sister Caitlin and Amy's family. I'm so glad that is becoming an annual pit stop.

Friday night was spent catching up with our friends and watching You Tube videos. (Another tradition!)

Saturday morning, we ate brunch at Apple Barn (tradition) and went to play putt-putt. The score card said Brian won. The girls then did a little shopping while the boys headed back to the cabin. I fell in love with a kelly green pea coat at Old Navy, but sadly they did not have my size. After shopping, we headed home to cook a Chinese feast. Feast it was! It had been a long time since I had some authentic Chinese and I ate like it had been. (Note: When I say "please take the todu si away" that really means I am going to have another plateful.) I thought that we would all fall into a dinner induced coma, but I was wrong. Way wrong.

The next four hours were spent playing Toy Story Mania on Wii. Let me just say, don't knock it til you have tried it. Super addicting and super fun. It ranks up there with Christmas. The next morning my arm was sore. The only break was for a Tim Tam Slam. Tim Tams are these Australian chocolate cookies that you bite off opposing corners and then slurp up some coffee through before shoving the cookie in your mouth. It is an art.

Sunday morning, we spent time singing and lifting each other up before God. (A little cry fest tradition) This group of people is very honest with each other and I truly wish we all lived in the same city for more small group time. Each time we all walk away encouraged and with a renewed sense of hope and love. I am so thankful for Amy, Jeremy, Brian, Rachel, Danielle and Heidi.

Of course, the trip could not end before a visit to Christmas Village. (Tradition) Apparently, I have a new love for partridges in pear trees. I don't know where it came from, but everything I loved was a partridge in a pear tree. I settled for a cute tree ornament (tradition of getting an ornament wherever I travel to) and a glass bottle of Cheerwine (a North Carolina soft drink).

After saying goodbye to our sweet friends, Amy and I stopped in Knoxville for some Christmas shopping. I found the pea coat in my size! $35. Major score. We stopped again in Cookeville to have dinner with Caitlin. We managed to get home by 10 pm.

A weekend of tradition. A weekend I needed.

Recipe Cards

2010-11-15T22:36:00.002-06:00

I dream of having an organized ~~life~~ kitchen.

My cookbooks stand proudly between my hand-painted fruit/veggie bowl and a bottle of a Malbec wine. I have the staple Julia Child, a chocolate lovers, a Gooseberry Patch, a Habitat for Humanity, and my Hao Chi Fan cookbook. Hao Chi Fan was a cookbook that Amy and I created while in China. Over the years, I have stuck other recipes in and now it sits with papers sticking out every which way. Not so pretty.

Today, I heard about Skip To My Lou's recipe maker. How adorable are these! Free printables to help me get organized and look cute at the same time... yes, please!

One step closer to another dream come true ;)

PS

2010-11-15T06:54:00.001-06:00

ps- Thinking Christmas might go up on Thursday or next Monday!

Smile.

They Are Taking Over!

2010-11-15T06:42:00.003-06:00

They are taking over my house.

(Insert Jaws theme song here)

A smothering of children's book characters lie all over my house in anticipation for tomorrow's Family Reading Night. Not shown would be 300 books scattered in my living room waiting to be labeled, creates of literacy centers and games, a pile of dirty dishes that will be done on Wednesday, and one very tired Beth. This will be the biggest event I have coordinated so far in my new job as Family-School Coordinator. I am so excited! (Insert Jersey shore fist pump here.)

Special thanks to Katie "Skinny Scrubby Scrubber" McGunnigal and Amy "Don't Mess With Nona Puff" Pratt for there much welcome, much needed, and much loved help yesterday. It was so much fun!

Recap of the event on Wednesday (after I do my dishes...)