Mississippi Mama

Swagbucks!

2010-03-04T14:04:00.001-06:00

Y'all, I'm here to tell you that you need to join Swagbucks. :) In the next couple days I'm going to earn my 11th Amazon gift card. Once you get up to 450 Swagbucks, which isn't at all hard to do, you can cash them in for a $5 Amazon card. So I've got over $50 sitting in my Amazon account, just waiting for me to use it. All I did to get that money was use Swagbucks for searches, and use the codes they give out from time to time.

I'm saving up to "buy" a Nikon D40. I say "buy" because I probably won't spend a penny of money out of pocket. If things keep going well, I could buy that sucker by the end of this year.

Check out this video of something fun a family got with their Swagbucks...

Maybe I'll go for one of those next. :)

Click here to sign up under my name. If you do that, I'll benefit from your searches, too. And then if you refer friends who sign up under you, you'll earn money for their searches. Check it out? :)

I promise you it's 100% legit. The money sitting in my Amazon account is proof of that. I never get spam email from them, either. If you join, be sure to download the toolbar and become a fan on Facebook, because they often post codes or hints to codes there. If you're on Twitter, follow them there, too, for codes. And there's stuff on their blog!

Let me know if you join, or if you have any questions!

This Mama's Had It, Too.

2010-02-20T15:15:00.006-06:00

(WARNING: This post contains a photo not suitable for little eyes.)

I was greatly inspired by BooMama's post Mama's Had It the other day, where she gives a large national bookstore chain a good old what-for over their placement of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition right where children can see it. Click over there and read the post for sure.

I'll often make a call to a store's manager when customer service goes spectacularly wrong (or right), but now that I have a son, I know I'm going to have to make more calls of a more, um, sensitive nature. I just didn't expect to have to do it so soon after reading BooMama's post.

We went to a birthday party for Elmo today at a large chain bookstore. (I don't know why I'm being nice and not using their name, but if you knew about the Elmo party or if you follow me on Twitter, it's not hard to figure out.) As soon as you enter the store at its one and only entrance, there's a little foyer-type area with bookcases that always display budget books. They always have something for everybody from kids to adults to hobbyists to home cooks. Imagine my surprise to see, without really even looking at all the books, a book called Smut with a photo of a barely-concealed naked woman on it. Hey, whaddya know, I took a photo:

Seriously? Really? Are you kidding me?

I turned the book's cover around and we went on in to the party. I sent BooMama a direct message through Twitter and she was equally grossed out. When I got home, I sent the bookstore a message through Twitter, left them feedback on their web site, and called the store's manager. After explaining politely that while my son who's two wouldn't be bothered by it, there are teenaged boys in that store all the time for whom it could be a problem. There are grown men who struggle with pornography for whom it could be a problem. I asked if she'd consider moving the book and she sighed and sounded bored and put-out when she said, "Alright, I'll go up there and see about it." That wasn't the response I was looking for, but I didn't want to be rude so I didn't press it further. I might swing by Sunday afternoon to see if it's been moved yet. Speaking to someone in person might pack a greater punch.

Mamas and Daddies, we need to be vigilant about this sort of thing. The world is out to snatch your little ones (and your husbands, girls!) from you, and we're the front line of defense. If we don't make the phone calls or talk to the managers, who else will? Start a trend. Speak up.

Review: The Search for God and Guinness by Stephen Mansfield

2010-02-19T12:14:00.003-06:00

Stephen Mansfield gave himself a big job in The Search for God and Guinness: write a history of one of the world's most famous beer companies and focus as much attention as possible on the company's founder, Arthur Guinness, about whom very little information exists. His attempt works, for the most part.

The early part of the book, containing fascinating information about the history of beer leading up to the founding of the Guinness company, is sure to be thrilling for any history buff. Mansfield also write about the early days of the company with an obvious affection. There was a need for something safe to drink in Ireland, due to poor water conditions, and Guinness filled the need. The company was also at the forefront of caring for its employees and their families in ways most of us can hardly imagine today.

But the book falters a bit when the real meat and potatoes about Arthur's life has already been explained. What follows isn't exactly filler, but it doesn't make for riveting reading, either. Business owners and business students will find the latter half of the book helpful in their own careers.

(Disclaimer: This book was received for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers in return for an honest review on my blog for Booksneeze.)

Good Things: January

2010-02-01T21:08:00.002-06:00

I didn't tell anyone I was doing this, not even John! A blogger I read posts a Good Things wrap-up of each month, and I decided to try it this year. So, one good thing that happened on each day of January...

1. I started Couch to 5k.

2. The Ole Miss Rebels won the Cotton Bowl against Oklahoma State 21-7.

3. I finished a good book and made a yummy chicken pot pie.

4. It snowed! It came down in beautiful flakes for about five hours, and even though there was no accumulation, it made me happy.

5. The boy had a bad diaper rash from getting his two-year molars, and I was able to take him to the doctor right away and get medicine that helped him feel better.

6. Rush Limbaugh returned to the radio after his chest pains (which turned out to be nothing serious). Yay Rush!

7. I weighed myself and found that I had lost 2.6 pounds after a week of sort-of doing Weight Watchers on my own.

8. It was a dangerously cold day (the high was 20), but I got to stay in my warm house all day with the boy. That night, John and I had Bop’s hot chocolate.

9. I went to the newer Kroger by myself and mapped out the store for an organized shopping list. Little things make me happy!

10. I had a sore throat and was able to stay home from church by myself and indulge in my fascination with the English royal family by watching episode three of Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work.

11. The boy and I stayed in our jammies and spent much of the day playing in his room, building towers out of Mega Bloks.

12.I watched The Bachelor and was so incredibly grateful that I’m not husband-hunting. Well, mostly I’m grateful I was never as desperate as those women are! And my single girlfriends are not like those girls, thank the Lord!

13. Due to the continued water outages in Jackson, Wednesday night church stuff was canceled, and we had breakfast for dinner at home instead!

14. The weather was very nice and we stayed out on the playground for a long time.

15. It was hard to find something happy on this day, because I had a really bad sinus infection. I guess the best thing was that the boy and I stayed in our jammies all day and I had a great nap in the middle of the day while he napped.

16. We slept late and had a good breakfast, and I got to read a lot!

17. Stayed home from church again due to the sinus infection that wouldn’t die. But! Most of the day was spent on the couch reading! That’s what Sunday afternoons are for.

18. I did the weekly grocery shop and saved almost $30 by using coupons and store deals.

19. At work, we spent the WHOLE morning outside. It was beautiful out there! Also, I took John to work because his car was in the shop, and I got coffee at Seattle Drip on the way home.

20. More time on the playground at work, and I had a good chat with my friend Kathryn over supper at church.

21. John cooked supper! He grilled turkey burgers and tater tots and they were yummy.

22. We had supper at Jason’s Deli and had really sweet family time. We also discovered that the boy will happily drink milk again, as long as it’s chocolate!

23. During the boy’s nap in the afternoon (and while Daddy was home, of course), I took a little time for myself and went to the library, Borders, Target, and a couple stores looking for spring/summer clothes for the boy. It did me a world of good!

24. After church, I took myself to the movies to see Leap Year. I enjoyed it!

25. Instead of running errands like I usually do on Mondays, the boy and I stayed home and in our jammies all day. I think we both needed it. I got some needed housework done, too, and that night I was finally able to go walking in the neighborhood again. That sinus infection hung around forever!

26. It was GORGEOUS outside, and we spent all the time we could on the playground. Everybody’s spirits are better on those days! (The boy is also 26 months old today!)

27. At choir practice, our director handed out photocopied first pages of Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” with the words changed to a made-up happy birthday song. We stood to sing and our sweet organist started playing and slowly turned beet red as she realized we were singing to her. It was awesome.

28. My sweet boy spent the morning on the playground gathering up rocks and bringing them to me. I think I should save them all and buy a tumbler that makes rocks all shiny, and keep them forever.

29. The boy and I drove to Hattiesburg today in a torrential downpour. We made it there safely, though, and spent the night with my parents!

30. The boy and I had fun in Hattiesburg and got him some cute spring clothes. The drive back was rain-free, thankfully!

31. The month ended with a quiet Sunday at home with my fellas after church. John and I watched most of the Grammys together, too.

2010-01-24T23:03:00.001-06:00

We had a horrible cold snap over the past couple weeks and I spent nearly all my free time on my couch under an electric blanket and a fleece blanket while wearing sweatpants, socks, (fake) Uggs, a long-sleeved shirt, a jacket, and sometimes a scarf. I love winter, but man. I'd had enough of that mess.

So now that we've got some positively spring-like temperatures here at the end of January, I'm in the mood to shop. I'm like most girls and I don't really love shopping for clothes for myself, but thankfully I've got a cute little boy living in my house, and shopping for him is a breeze!

I'm not the kind of mama who likes to put her little man in t-shirts covered with skulls and crossbones, angry dinosaurs, guitars with lightning bolts or semi-rude slogans, so I was happy to find a few offerings in the preppier section of The Children's Place.

There's a little bit of this...

And some of this...

And then at Target, there were cute swim trunks and rash guards. Last year I made the mistake of waiting too late to look for trunks, so the poor bear had to wear the previous year's trunks, which were way too small! He's prepared now!

When it's July and August and I'm complaining of the heat and waiting for winter, maybe I'll look back at this post and try to remember how excited I was for warmer weather!

Well, I'll be!

2010-01-24T22:59:00.001-06:00

Who Dat indeed!! The Saints are in the Superbowl!

Tax Day Tea Party - April 15, 2009

2009-04-16T14:14:00.008-05:00

I’ve only been an activist one other time in my life.

When I was a kid, my mom homeschooled me in 5th and 6th grades, and we once took a field trip to Jackson from our hometown of Clarksdale for a pro-life rally. I vaguely remember standing inside the state Capitol, surrounded by other pro-life folks, listening to elected officials talk about their support of the movement. This was in early 1987, when the pro-life movement was largely still in its nascent days.

On April 15, 2009, I returned to the Mississippi Capitol more than 20 years older but not a whole lot different otherwise. I was a child on that cold January day, but even then I knew in my heart that what I was doing was important. I knew that what I believed was right. I heard family and other pro-lifers around me talk about the battle being long and hard, but I knew, even then, that it was worth it.

That battle still rages, and will become even tougher in the coming months and years, but yesterday, I stood with my fellow Americans on the cusp of a different battle, and my changed season of life brought it so much more into focus.

This time, I’m an adult. This time, I pay taxes. This time, I have a mortgage. This time, I have a husband. But most important of all, this time, I have a son.

I went to the state house on Wednesday for my child. I went for his future. I went for his children and his grandchildren. I went for your children, too.

I stood side-by-side with other Mississippians ready to begin the process of taking this country back. No, we’re not the rightwing extremists the Department of Homeland Security would have you believe. There will be no riots. There will be no violence. There will be no burning effigies or flags. There will be no acts of treason against our government. Anything even appearing violent or treasonous will not be accepted by us, because we love our country, we respect our leaders, and we wish no physical harm ever to come to any of them.

What there will be is prayer. There will be groups of people joining together to stand before the Lord and beg His forgiveness and intercession. They will ask Him to go before us into the fight, because they know there will be no lasting success without Him.

What there will be is knowledge. There will be reading, and discussion, and study of our history and our form of government. There will be careful, serious thought and scholarship.

What there will be is action. There will be more people joining whichever party most closely lines up with their beliefs. There will be campaigning, and questioning, and letter-writing, and phone-calling. There will be running for office. There will be change.

I couldn’t wait to get to the Capitol yesterday. My aunt graciously came from out of town and kept my sweet son at our house so we could be totally focused on the event. I arrived at the Capitol before 1:30, ready to work. I helped sell t-shirts. I carried a walkie-talkie for the first time ever. My bright green STAFF shirt and credentials garnered lots of requests for assistance and information. I was in my element, apparently!

The crowd started to gather, and I noticed especially the groups gathered around our Pledge of Allegiance and Declaration of Independence tables. We asked fellow patriots to sign the Declaration as a symbolic gesture, a reaffirmation that our allegiance as Americans, after God, is to the republic. The scroll was 100 feet long, and by the end of the event, the paper’s end had been reached. Every inch was filled with signatures.

About five minutes before the start, I ascended the Capitol steps with my husband and looked at the crowd. I got tears in my eyes and said to him, “We did it.” My expectations were exceeded. On February 27, at our first tea party, there were 12 of us there. I didn’t yet know how many we had this time, but I knew the number was far greater.

The event began with the Pledge of Allegiance and our national anthem and my tears fell again. We heard from a variety of speakers, from elected officials, to businessmen, to a conservative radio show host, to a minister. We heard from a microcosm of the real Mississippi, both black and white.

Each speaker drove home the point that this is not Republican vs. Democrat or conservative vs. liberal. This is not about black or white. This is about freedom and fiscal responsibility. This is about elected officials doing what their constituents send them to Washington to do: Keep us safe, adhere to the Constitution, and vote fairly. No more, no less.

This will not be the end of the Mississippi Tea Party, or the greater movement nationwide. This week, the silent majority has been awakened from its slumber. This is only the beginning. We went from 12 people in Jackson on February 27 to upwards of 3,500 people on April 15. That’s less than seven weeks of time. Imagine how this will continue to grow in the coming months. Imagine the change we will bring in 2010 and 2012.

My growing involvement in the political process probably gets my name written in the DHS book of rightwing extremists. So be it. I’m doing this for my son, and there is nothing in the world that will stop me. This is my county. I’m taking it back.

The Most Amazing Soup Ever

2009-03-19T18:32:00.004-05:00

This soup has some sort of name like "Super Foods Soup", but that's kind of lame. Plus, I've changed the recipe so much that it barely resembles the original. Whatever you want to call it, it's awesome. It couldn't be any simpler to make, cooks as fast as it takes to come to a boil, and is even better a day or two later as leftovers. This is the kind of thing to take to a friend who's sick. You'll score major points with it. My son and I are currently mucho sick with bronchitis (both of us) and double ear infections (him) and I know it helped us both feel better when we had it tonight for supper.

INGREDIENTS

1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small red onion, diced
32 oz. frozen chopped spinach
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
32 oz. chicken broth (can substitute water)
1 pkg. (8 slices) pre-cooked sausage (can substitute turkey sausage), roughly chopped
1 pkg. (refrigerated or dried) tortellini, any flavor
salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Open and drain canned vegetables
In a large stock pot, saute garlic and onions in a small amount of olive oil
As soon as the garlic and onions are done, add spinach, corn, black beans, tomatoes, chicken broth, sausage, salt and pepper to the stock pot. Stir well
Cover and bring to a boil; add tortellini and stir well
Reduce heat, cover and simmer approximately 20 minutes

This makes A LOT of soup. You'll easily be eating the leftovers for days, but it gets better the longer the flavors boogie together. We love spinach around here, so I use 32 ounces. You could easily halve that and still have plenty of bulk. You could leave out the meat, or do a different pasta, or throw in a bag of shredded cole slaw mix instead of spinach. It's so easy and so quick that there's no trouble making it your own. Enjoy!

Mississippi Tea Party

2009-02-27T14:30:00.005-06:00

Bear and I met up with my husband today at noon on at the Mississippi capitol building. We took part in the nationwide tea party to protest Obama's stimulus package. We had a merry little band turn out. Below are some of the pictures I took today.

Thanks to Rick Santelli for getting angry and speaking up, and to Smart Girl Politics, Top Conservatives on Twitter and Michelle Malkin for organizing the events and spreading the news.

Bear's first political rally!! He was the only baby there and really got into it, hollering out a few chants of his own.

Praise Baby

2009-02-20T08:38:00.003-06:00

I'm happy to be able to take part in a bit of blogging for Praise Baby, the CDs and DVDs that have saved a parent's sanity more than once! We love the sweet music in our house! Go check out the fun new blog! Here's my entry:

Because he likes to boogie...

I draw the line at discarded food, though.

2009-02-18T11:46:00.005-06:00

Every girl grows up swearing she'll never turn into her mother, and then there's that inevitable moment when she realizes that dadgum it, her mother has taken over her body. Don't deny it.

I realized this about myself a few months ago when I took a few extra streets to get home after choir practice, just so I could listen to a song I liked on the radio. As providence would have it, I drove past a house that had just been moved out of, with piles of junk at the curb, waiting for the trash men.

My mother's spirit entered my body (despite the fact that she's alive and quite well, thank you) and forced me to slow down. I saw something amazing there on the curb and raced home to get the stroller out of the car and breathlessly tell my confused husband that I'd found a treasure and would be right back. And then my mother's spirit made me do the unthinkable: I drove back to that house; pulled over; stopped; got out; raised the hatch on the back of my station wagon; and there, in the dark, hoisted no less than 50 pounds of abandoned mirrors into my car.

I drove the short distance home with a huge grin on my face and my heart pounding. For me, other people's trash (literally) is often my treasure. I couldn't believe somebody would throw these gems away, because I instantly knew what to do with the two smaller mirrors. The huge, heavy one is still in my garage, untouched. I think these must've gone on top of a dresser. Beats me why they were thrown out.

The two side mirrors, plain and with an oh-so-80s discount furniture store patina. But they're HEAVY, so they're real wood. They also have sweet beveled edges on the glass.

I started by using newspaper and painter's tape to protect the glass. This was by far the longest and most tedious part of the whole process.

Then I got out a cheap girl's best friend: black spray paint. I don't live at Morticia Addams' address, so these certainly weren't going to stay black. But I needed a base color, so I let these dry until the next day.

And then, be still my shabby heart, I spray painted them white. I could barely stand the nearly 24-hour wait to make sure the black coat was dry.

Here's where several steps are missing, because I get excited about these things and forget to take pictures. I let the white paint dry for about 45-ish minutes, until it was nearly dry but still a bit tacky to the touch. I went to town on it with some heavy-duty sandpaper. I attacked all the edges and the corners and it really did end up looking like an old piece of furniture that's been moved around and beat up and loved for years.

I waited two long, torturous days for them to dry completely, and then! THEN! Here's what I did with them!

Pretend there's no pumpkin there and that I didn't take these photos back in the fall. (Oh, here's a tip: the pumpkin got lost in the bottom of the compote dish, so I gave it some height by standing it up on top of a baby bottle cap. Fancy.)

Scruffy, shabby corners!

I like to pretend these beauties' former owner is reading, all sad she threw them away and didn't see their potential. Sorry, sucka! They're mine now!

Kidding, kidding.

My mom paid them a high compliment and said they look like they belong there. She should know, since it was her conniving spirit that forced me to dig them out of the trash in the first place.

Are we sure we know what's in the bottle?

2009-02-16T21:10:00.003-06:00

I had to get antibiotic and cough syrup prescriptions filled for Bear this afternoon. He's got a sinus infection and a cough bordering on bronchitis, though you'd never know it from his energy level. I swear the liquid is laced with speed.

Anyway, this instills loads of confidence, no?

Whatcha got cookin'

2009-02-16T12:43:00.006-06:00

What did I get up to on Valentine's Day? Cupcake baking!

If the way to a man's heart is indeed through his stomach, then my man's heart is made out of all things cherry. (That made better sense in my head). He LOVES anything cherry-flavored, and these preserves, from a nearby fruit and veggie stand, do not disappoint.

Doesn't that batter look great? I had to remind myself that it contained three raw eggs and wasn't really good for me to eat raw. Boo.

OH YES I DID. I stole this idea from the awesome Jen Lancaster, who stole it from Martha Stewart. Martha probably stole it from somebody else.

I'm pretending to put a spoonful of preserves in my mouth, but it looks like I'm kissing them. I promise I did neither.

It's blurry because it was time to EAT. Mmm, these were yummy. The preserves all ended up on the bottom of the cupcakes, stuck to the papers, so next time I think I'll let them bake a little while before adding the preserves. Still, they're delish! (I don't have a recipe to offer, because any old fool can figure out how to work a Duncan Hines cake mix and Betty Crocker frosting. Ahem.)

Stains approves!

So, what'd you do for your sweetie on the big day?

Wanna be startin' somethin'

2009-02-14T15:06:00.003-06:00

I'm listening to my son beat on the kitchen window while my husband corrupts him with some kind of techno version of a Michael Jackson song on the TV's music channels. If that doesn't say love and romance on Valentine's Day, I don't know what does.

Actually, that's okay. That's how we roll around here. It's an overcast and chilly day out there, so it's fun to be inside with my favorite fellas, one of whom is not Michael Jackson.

(In case you're wondering, and I'm sure you're not, the rest of the word LOVE is spelled out up there on my mantle. Unfinished letters from Hobby Lobby, scrapbook paper, Mod Podge and an X-Acto knife. Voila.)

This is what it's about...

2009-01-24T17:45:00.006-06:00

My fellas went out of town today to visit the in-laws and give me an entire day to myself. This is the first day I've had alone since the Bear was born 14 months ago, so this is also the longest I've ever been away from him. I miss them both fiercely. They'll be back tonight, and there will be much hugging and smooshing (kissing) and cuddling.

Yesterday Bear and I met two dear friends and their daughters for lunch and playtime at the park. It's been unseasonably warm, even for Mississippi. For two days we had glorious sunshine and temperatures in the 60s and 70s. Today it's back to rainy, grey and 45. Bear loved the park. He loved the sand at the swings, going down the slide, playing ball with his friends, gathering up pinecones, and touching the soft - if a bit dead - grass. Spring and summer are going to be so fun with a curious toddler who's definitely all boy!

I love this picture of him and had to share it. This is what life is all about: exploring God's beautiful creation with joy and abandon, with the sun shining down on you and the ones you love most close by. Life is good.

when the house is too quiet...

2008-12-29T12:20:00.003-06:00

I was in the home office answering a few emails, when things got very quiet. Too quiet. I went on a hunt through the house for Bear, who, at 13 months, is into everything. I found him sitting on the kitchen floor, a mouthful and fistful of catfood, with bits of food all around him on the floor. The cat was watching him disdainfully from her perch on the kitchen table. At least he left her a gift in return. I'm sure she needs a USB camera cord, right?

Welcome!

2008-12-14T20:45:00.011-06:00

Hi, everybody! You might be joining me here from Boomama's Tour of Homes. Happy to have you here! I'm Danielle, and I'm a happy wife and mama in Mississippi. I had every intention of participating in this little tour last year, but having a baby just a few weeks before the event kind of took over! I'm happy to play along this year, though, and can't wait to look around at all the pretties you have posted! Come on in!

~ ~ ~

This happy Santa stands on our front porch, welcoming you into our home.

In the living room is our big tree. I highly recommend the pre-lit kind. ;)

(I'm always looking for excuses to get my two fellas under that mistletoe!)

~ ~ ~

We have lots of fun little goodies in the den and kitchen. Here are a few of my favorites.

This turquoise bowl was a wedding gift, and I love using it to hold ornaments.An angel stands watch over it.

I know the Little People Nativity set is for kids, but we're having fun with it this year. Bear can play with it next year. :) We don't eat many cookies, so our Santa cookie jar fills his bag with pretty ornaments instead.
One of my favorite corners of our kitchen holds this cheese plate with our last-name initial. I like it so much I might just leave it up all year! Our sweet Bear's room has his very own Nativity!

Full disclosure time: Our living room is not quite as neat and put-together as it might appear in the other photos. I love a good macro shot! If you were to come over most days, this is what you would see. Life with a boy is the messiest and most fun thing in the world!

But forget the mess and just let our Elf on a Shelf wish you a very Merry Christmas!

Noticing the little everyday things...

2008-12-07T15:39:00.004-06:00

The wise men arrived at the Nativity in Tonka trucks, right?

See more everyday moments here.

Journaling Christmas - the setup

2008-12-01T08:39:00.009-06:00

I read several scrapbooking and stamping blogs for inspiration, and saw an idea on one that caught my attention. The challenge was to journal and scrap everything you can about Christmas this year, from December 1 until January 6 (the 12th day of Christmas). The challenge cost $30 to join and included prompts, layout sketches and access to discussion among other scrappers. Well, I know how to keep a journal and how to scrapbook, so I don't need to pay somebody $30 to tell me what to do! It's a great idea and I'll make it personal by doing it all my own way.

The first order of business was finding a suitable journal for the project. I didn't want something too small or fancy, and I didn't want a traditional scrapbook. I wanted this to be something that could bear my handwriting mistakes proudly and would end up stuffed with photos, embellishments and trinkets from the season. This is Bear's second Christmas, but the first he'll really be aware of, and I don't want to miss a thing.

I happened upon this journal at Target, and it's absolutely perfect. It's 8x8, spiral-bound, and has lined pages. There are even some heavy cardstock pages with pockets for storing bits of things that won't fit on the page. And at $2.79, it was a complete steal. I bought two others but might see if they still have a few more. There's so much that can be done with these journals!

(Aren't my placemats cute? I practically stole them from Kohl's. I got four of them for $2.00!)

My personal challenge is to journal and scrap every little thing about Christmas this year. I started the day of my son's birthday (which was the day before Thanksgiving), because Christmasy things happened that day. I think I'll finish on whatever day we put away our decorations. I hope to carry my camera with me everywhere, and if I see pretty decorations or something festive, I'll snap a photo and write about it. We have concerts, parties, lots of good food and a sweet baby's excitement to capture. I want to remember it all!

It's not too late to do this if you want to. Just find a journal and start writing. Your decorations haven't been up too long, so snap a few pictures of them and write about the experience. Did one of your kids break a pretty glass ornament? Write about it! Have you tucked into the eggnog already? Journal it! is there an awfully gaudy house in your neighborhood? Sneak out at night and take its picture! If you're not a scrapbooker, who cares? Just have fun.

Be present this Christmas. Remember it all.

Totally rad!

2008-11-07T22:09:00.005-06:00

My mom is a total hoot.

My husband and I have been taking a photo of the Bear every day in 2008. I upload them all to my Flickr account, and my mom looks at them faithfully each night and comments on them. Here's tonight's photo, with oh-so-clever cropping:

Her reply?

Hey Dude, Those red socks are the bomb!

Mimi

She cracks me up!!!

2008-10-16T21:27:00.001-05:00

more autumn decor

2008-09-22T14:01:00.004-05:00

Despite the fact that it's hovering close to 85 today, I am welcoming the first day of autumn with a little house-sprucing. I'm not going to show you the coffee table that's never cleaned off, or the piles of laundry that haven't learned how to wash or put away themselves. Nooo. None of that. I'm going to show you my little bits of fun. Showing off your home decor is all about creative staging, girls. Nobody has to know about the clutter. We all have beautiful, Southern Accents worthy show homes if we know how to use the macro setting on our cameras.

Enough with the chatter that my husband will never read.

I'm kind of tickled about this. I took a heavy crystal cake plate (read: useless but pretty wedding gift) and turned it upside down. On the base I set this happy little pumpkin, which I think was originally purchased at Hobby Lobby for my classroom a few years ago. It needed a little something else, so I pulled out some pretty picks I got last year and arranged them around the upturned plate. Voila!

Is a pineapple a summer thing? Don't tell me. I don't care if it is. My mom gave her to me when we bought our house, and she usually sits on the mantle. The hurricane is filled with little pinecones I picked up on the playground of the church where I work. I'd be some kind of fool to pay $5.00 for a bag of pinecones when I can spend a few minutes picking them up, dumping them in a Walmart bag, and washing them off at home for free. I am cheap, y'all.

Yes. I like pineapples. This is usually on my mantle, too. The pitcher is Gail Pittman (any self-respecting Southern girl knows who Gail Pittman is) from my days as a Southern Living at HOME rep. My mom got the little bird for her yard but never used it, so she gave it to me. It has a friend around here somewhere.

I know they're awfully trendy, but I love me some white pumpkins. This one came from Hobby Lobby. Of course. I hear the Dollar Tree has some cute ones, so I might get a few and spray-paint them white. I need more pumpkins!

What, you've never seen a little bird in a compote bowl before? Well, here you go. I got him on clearance at the end of spring this year at Pier 1, and the bowl is also from Southern Living At HOME. It would appear I have a thing for birds, too. Hmm.

You don't have to spend a lot of money to have cute things, nor do you have to decorate the same way every year. My autumn decor was completely different last year, using mostly the same stuff. I haven't spent a penny out of pocket this year, but everything feels fresh and new to me. I love making our home comfortable and pretty on tiny or non-existent budgets. That's much more satisfying to me than spending big dollars on high-ticket items. Where's the fun in that?

Anyone reading who's decorated, leave your links here! I love looking at other people's homes and need to do a better job of showing mine off here!

Happy fall!!

WELCOME, AUTUMN!

2008-09-22T13:39:00.003-05:00

I loooove autumn. It is by far my favorite season. I know it seems weird to say this, as a bona fide Mississippi girl who loves her state fiercely, but I hate summer. I hate it! Every year I say I'm going to be positive and happy about it, but when it hits 102 in July and we know we've got two more months of misery to go, it is just not easy to be happy about that, girls.

I didn't have a nice wreath for my front door, so I decided to make one for myself. I had a grapevine wreath left over from an Easter project I never did. Last week, Hobby Lobby (every crafter's best friend) had their fall foliage 1/2 off, so I got a few things with a birthday gift card. I spent a total of $13 and change on that gift card and got to make what I wanted. I don't need to pay $50 for a wreath somebody else makes!

I'd never made a wreath before, but I didn't let that deter me. All it takes is a little poking here and shoving there, and you're good. I only used my trusty glue gun in a couple spots, too. I can add to or change anything I want next year! Easy! On to the pictures...

All the materials gathered together. Don't you love my sassy summer tablecloth and Wilton bowl full of baby toys? We do it fancy around here, y'all.

Dacey the cat. At this point, I still wasn't sure whether she'd really fit with the overall color scheme I was shooting for, but I was willing to give it a chance. She nestled herself in there so sweetly, after all.

Tearing apart the picks was awfully satisfying. And of course, I had to give in to my compulsive need to organize things and arrange it all by type. Stop looking at me with such a judgmental glare. I can stop organizing whenever I want.

More bits. Notice the real feather. One of my sweet baby girls at the church where I work Mothers' Morning Out gave that to me. I told her I'd put it in my fall wreath, and I keep my promises! The yellow "feathers" were just 50 cents each when half off and added a fun pop of color.

I hate that phrase, "pop of color". But there's no better way to put it. It's color. That pops. Got something better? Let me know so I can start using it and eventually grow to hate it, too.

And here's the finished product! Please pretend my front door is black. It will be someday, because of the confused dog incident. Things will pop (argh) so much better on a black door. I think the wreath is pretty good, for my first attempt. Let's just pretend the wreath doesn't have a slight egg shape. Who knows, you might see it again in the spring covered in plastic Easter eggs! There's no telling what I might get up to.

Next up, little bits of autumn fun in my house!

Happiness Challenge - Day 9, 10, 11, 12

2008-08-12T12:48:00.004-05:00

Ack! I promise I haven't stopped being happy! I decided not to post Saturday and Sunday and then completely forgot about the happiness challenge! So here are the past few days in one post.

Saturday - Michael Phelps and his amazing skills as a swimmer make me happy. How could I not be thrilled watching him?

Sunday - An afternoon of rest and quiet with my favorite fellas made me so happy Sunday. After church, we rested and were lazy all day. It was great.

Monday - Rain, rain, rain! I'm a girl who loves a rainy day. It's been raining steadily since Sunday, and that makes me happy. The dark sky and cooler temperatures can almost convince me it's October!

Tuesday - I don't know anything about whitewater rafting other than just looking at it exhausts me, but watching Togo win its first Olympic medal ever? That's got to make anybody happy!

Happiness Challenge - Day 8

2008-08-08T14:13:00.003-05:00

I'm just tickled for this guy!

Joshua Allen's win last night on So You Think You Can Dance made me so happy! I'd been rooting for him from the start, so I was all claps and happy tears when he won. All season long he's been consistently excellent, able to do anything the choreographers throw at him. He's untrained in every style, yet he looks like he's been dancing all these complicated styles his entire life. All I know about dance is how it makes me feel when I watch it. Watching Joshua makes me feel great. He seems to be a total sweetheart, and he credits his third grade teacher with encouraging him to try dancing. She was in the audience with his family, watching him win, and was absolutely sobbing! Gotta love that. I hope he has a bright future!

Happiness Challenge - Day 7

2008-08-07T16:57:00.009-05:00

I get so happy when I discover new music! Lately I've been listening to three really talented young ladies. Two things are remarkable about this. The first is that they're all considerably younger than I am - by a lot! And the second is that I rarely listen to female artists. My favorite has to be Imogen Heap, and she was pretty much alone in the female artist category for me until recently. Below are links to the MySpace pages of the three girls making me happy lately. Oh, as with most artists on MySpace, their music starts playing when you go to the page, so be ready if your speakers are turned up!

1. Adele - I've been listening to her for a while now. I think I first heard her song "Hometown Glory" when it was the free single of the week from iTunes. I got her album, 19, and I love every bit of it. She's from London and has a wonderful bluesy, folksy sound.

2. Duffy - Another one-named youngster, this one from Wales. Her song "Rockferry" is all over top 40 radio lately. I first heard her as iTunes' free single of the week, too!

3. Missy Higgins - I didn't know anything about her until this week when Courtney danced her solo to one of her songs on So You Think You Can Dance. She has two albums, On A Clear Night and The Sound of White. Lovely stuff.

Happiness Challenge - Day 6

2008-08-06T22:02:00.003-05:00

Today's been a long day full of traveling a total of three hours, helping my mom set up her classroom, trying to placate a sleepy and fussy baby, so the thing that will make me happiest just a few minutes from now is... sleep! ;)

Happiness Challenge - Day 5

2008-08-05T09:05:00.002-05:00

Taking photographs makes me happy. My husband and I are taking a photo of our son every day this year, and it's been so fun to watch how he's grown and changed since January. I love taking pictures of things in my home, trips we take, projects in progress... If there's a photo op, I'm there with my camera! I recently joined a photo challenge and created a photoblog to go along with it. I've made a few posts since starting, and I'm having a blast. It's a nice little mental challenge to come up with that day's subject. So click the link below and see what I've done so far!

Mississippi Mama Shoots!

Happiness Challenge - Day 4

2008-08-04T15:54:00.002-05:00

My sweet baby boy who is always a joy in public made me so happy today! We went to Hobby Lobby, just to walk around and get out of the house for a little while, and he babbled and cooed in his stroller the whole time. He never gets cranky or fussy (unless he's hungry!) when we're out together, and he always flirts with every lady he meets. He's just such an easy baby and we're so blessed by him. You make your mama proud and happy, Bear!

Help a sister out!

2008-08-03T15:43:00.005-05:00

I'm not sure at all who's reading my blog. It might embarrass me to ask for input here and then get zero replies. That'll tell me nobody's reading!

Anyway, early this morning a sweet dog wearing a collar for an invisible fence wandered through our neighborhood. We're pretty sure he was lost. We had a storm last night and the power flickered a few times, so maybe his fence got zapped and he got away. I hope his "parents" find him, because he was a doll! But... he got a little confused and seemed to think our house was his house - which isn't surprising, because there are several houses in our neighborhood with our same design - and he sat at the front door and whimpered, and then started scratching.

Oh, mercy. I knew that door was just going to be scratched all to heck and need to be re-painted. My husband went out through the garage to shoo him away, because each time we opened the front door a crack to tell him to 'git, he stuck his face in the house and tried to come in! Really sweet dog, but I don't think our cat wants another pet. She's still not fully used to the baby. She hasn't yet let us know if we're allowed to keep him, so I don't want to mess up the balance with a big, snuffly dog.

So the door is indeed scratched and needs to be re-painted. I'm fine with that, because the only thing I didn't like about this house when we bought it was the color of the door. I've gotten used to it, but I'm sort of excited about the possibility of a change. Below are a few pictures of the area to give you an idea. I'd really love some input! Help!

The door. Voila. Our brick is red, roof shingles are black, vinyl siding is a dark taupe and garage door/trim are cream. I know I don't want the door and shutters to be black. I'm thinking a forest green. Thoughts? (Oh, and all the planters and plants are not standing up or hanging because of last night's storm. I didn't put them back up before taking photos! We are classy around here!)

And the shutters. I'd like the door and shutters to be the same color, because they're so close together. And yes, we'll fix the dented window screen. We had a tornado in April and a piece of our porch furniture hit it and knocked it out of place.

So tell me what you think about my forest green idea, please! Or let me know if you have a better idea. I'm looking forward to seeing if anybody's reading! I mean. Seeing what you have to say!

Happiness Challenge - Day 3

2008-08-03T15:16:00.006-05:00

What makes me happy today is rain! We had a lovely, booming thunderstorm Friday morning that lasted over two hours. It was hot and sunny Saturday, but today, Sunday, has been another day of rain. It's gray and overcast, and I can almost pretend it's November or December when I look out the windows. I love what the rain is doing for my yard, too. I put my hanging potted plants from the front porch out Friday and let them soak it all up! My periwinkles, seen in the photo below, are just goin' to town. Rain always makes me happy, but especially when we haven't had enough and it's been hot enough to fry an egg on the driveway!

Happiness Challenge - Day 2

2008-08-02T07:46:00.009-05:00

What makes me happy today?

Simple.

This does.

YAY! I just started reading Stephenie Meyer's Twilight books in June, but I can see why fans have been impatiently waiting for this fourth book. These books are so much fun and so well-written. I highly recommend them!

I reserved a copy at Borders last month, so I'll be there to pick it up as soon as the store opens this morning! I guess I could've gone to the midnight release party, but I'm a girl who values her sleep. Today, Edward Cullen and Breaking Dawn make me HAPPY!

Happiness Challenge - Day 1

2008-08-01T00:29:00.006-05:00

I'm not sure if the Happiness Challenge is an official bloggy carnival or what, but I'm going to try to do it. A friend of mine did it in her blog last year, so I'm totally going to copy her. Oh, yes.

The point of the Happiness Challenge is to post once a day in August, and post about something that makes you happy. Easy as that. So here goes. My first entry!

~~~~~

I'm going state the obvious today and say that on this first day of the month, as on every day of every month, my husband and son make me happy. For blogging purposes, I call them Hubband and Bear. Well, I call them that in real life, too. Convenient, yes? Both of them make me smile and laugh each day, and both of them make me want to be a better Christian, a better woman, a better wife and a better mama. Hubband and I have been married for almost two years. Bear is just over eight months old. I don't know what I did before they were around! I must have been so boring and pitiful! Dull as dishwater! But they're here now, and I pray they're always here. Today, and every day, my fellas make me happy.

Works for Me: Greek Chicken

2008-07-02T10:48:00.005-05:00

Today's Works for Me Wednesday is all about recipes using five ingredients or fewer. I'm all about fast, healthy and flavorful meals, so this is one I cook often. I found this originally a long time ago in Southern Living but have seen similar versions posted elsewhere online. Enjoy!

Greek Chicken

Ingredients:

1. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (as many as you need)

2. one 16 oz. can of Italian style tomatoes, undrained

3. one 4 oz. can sliced black or kalamata olives, drained

4. chopped fresh basil, as much as you like (or its dried equivalent)

5. one tsp. balsamic vinegar

Directions:
1. Brown the chicken on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side
2. Add the tomatoes, olives, basil and vinegar and stir
3. Reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through
4. Serve chicken with tomato and olive mixture on top

Really, it's that easy! I serve this with a salad. You can add crumbled feta or another cheese to the top of the chickeny goodness, but that would be six ingredients. ;) It's very easy to make extra of this and put it in the fridge for lunch the next day. The flavors meld together and it tastes even better then!

See more Works for Me Wednesday posts at Rocks In My Dryer!

Best. Freebie. Ever.

2008-06-23T20:16:00.005-05:00

Okay, I know I'm totally outing myself as a giant nerdy nerd, but I love getting freebies in the mail! I've gotten makeup, toothpaste, all sorts of skincare stuff, deoderant, food, coupons, CDs, seed packets and countless other nifty things, but this one is the best yet!

See those beautiful Ziploc Twist 'N Loc things? I am obsessed with those! About a month ago I tossed all of our random storage cartons in the trash and bought some of these babies. I got two sets of the small ones and one of the large. Well, now I have three sets of the small ones! Humor me, for I am easily amused! These are from the Clean Home Journal. I've requested it so many times and finally got it. I think this is one I requested back in April. There's also a free Glade Plug-In and a booklet full of coupons from Johnson (when did they drop '& Johnson'?).

You can always find lots more nifty freebies at fun places like Money Saving Mom, Freebies 4 Mom and Budget Helps.

deep breath...

2008-06-18T12:22:00.008-05:00

I must really be brave, posting these photos for all the world to see! I decided to join everybody's fun and post before pictures of my bedroom and bathroom. This is even more of an incentive to get the work done. I don't want to be embarrassed come July 25!

First up, here's my lovely master bedroom. The room has some very good things going for it: it's big; we have a comfy queen bed; we're using my antique dressing table, bedside tables and chest of drawers; we love our bedding set and curtains; and we have room-darkening shades on the windows, so it's always cool and dark. Perfect for sleeping. Now for the bad.

Ooh, check it out, interwebs! Our headboard isn't even attached to the bed, for one thing! My husband brought it into the marriage, and I do hope he doesn't miss it when it finds its way to Craigslist soon and he finds himself at Miskelly's buying us a new one. Also, please note the baby poo brown walls. This must have been the default color for the house, because when we moved in, all but the kitchen was swimming in this unappealing color. And the kitchen had black prison stripes. Don't ask. Also, please note the beautiful splodge of blue paint next to the window. We got a pint (thankfully only that) of what we were sure was THE color. As you can see, it is definitely not. And doesn't any room look better with absolutely no pictures on the walls? I thought so, too, which is why it's been this way for a year. Gah.

Here's another view, looking into the bathroom/closet.

Don't you just love the lack of personal touches, and another splodge of light blue paint? Me, too.

Next we move into the bathroom. Control your excitement!

In a word: yawn. I don't even have the energy to snark it.

Seriously, though, I adore our house. It's perfect for us and we've had lots of fun decorating and settling in. It'll be even better once these rooms are fixed!

BooMama's Before and After

2008-06-17T16:03:00.002-05:00

Thank you, BooMama! You have no idea what a kick in the pants your little before and after carnival is to me.

My husband and I bought our house in May 2007. We got a little bit done then, and have gotten bits and pieces done since (despite having a new baby who arrived in November!) but have a lot left to be finished. I've been saying for weeks that I'm going to buy paint and get to it, so now I'm actually going to get to it! Here are my goals:

1. Paint and decorate the master bedroom

2. Paint and decorate the master bathroom

3. Paint both short hallways in our house and hang pictures

4. Frame husband's watercolor and hang it over the couch

There's more that needs to be done, but those are the biggies. Numbers 1 and 2 are the top priorities. Now it's time to get to it! I can do this by July 25, even if I do it all myself!

Vote, Baby!

2008-04-29T09:55:00.002-05:00

The voting poll is up for the photo contest I entered! The post with my entry is here.

CLICK HERE to vote for Mississippi Mama! Thank you! :)

We have a winner!

2008-04-26T12:04:00.004-05:00

The winner of the Alphabet Soup wall hangings is commenter #94, Taylor (email @ Juno). I'll email Taylor and let her know!

Thank you all so much for entering! I really never expected such a response. Your kind comments meant a lot! If you'd be interested in purchasing similar canvases, or if you've got something else in mind you'd like me to try, please let me know!

Photo contest!

2008-04-23T22:31:00.003-05:00

Christine at Are We There Yet Mom? has asked her readers to participate in a photo contest! When I read that in her blog, I knew I wanted to enter (I can never resist a contest!), and I knew exactly which photo I wanted to use. Here's the story behind it.

My husband proposed to me on Memorial Day 2006 at a state park in the city where we live. I had no idea the proposal was coming on that day! First walked the trails through the park. Part of the trail passes by a river, and it was there that I stopped to take a photo very similar to this one. After our walk, we had a little picnic, and that was when he very nervously dropped to one knee and asked me to be his wife.

On Memorial Day 2007, we returned to the park. We'd been married a little over four months and had just weeks earlier learned we were expecting our first baby! We had our picnic (first, of course, because pregnant ladies are hungry all the time!) and then took our walk. That's when I snapped this photo, along the same trail we'd walked the year before, just minutes before we became engaged. We plan to return there this Memorial Day, with our picnic and our camera. But this time we'll have an even more precious piece of cargo with us: our sweet little boy.

Bloggy Giveaway Carnival!

2008-04-21T12:03:00.009-05:00

Howdy! It's time for a giveaway!

Before my son was born, I went on the hunt for cute wall hangings for his room, and couldn't find any I loved, or that I felt were worth the big bucks. So I made some myself! For this giveaway, I'm offering a set just like the ones you see here. These are from the "Alphabet Soup" crib set made by Cocalo (it's amazing what a color copier, paint and Mod Podge can do!), but they'd look great in any baby's or child's room. They're colorful and fun, and every kid loves that!

These are on 8x10 canvases, to give you an idea of their size.

If you'd like a shot at winning your own custom-made set of canvases, just leave a comment here and let me know how I can get in touch with you (your email address or blog address). You do not have to have a blog to win! I'll ship these to the U.S. or Canada only. Since I'll be making these from scratch, please give me at least a week to make sure they're perfect and ready to ship! I'll choose a winner using the random number generator on Saturday, April 26.

Thanks for stopping by! :)

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THANK YOU FOR ENTERING!! :)

2008-03-15T22:52:00.003-05:00

Sweet boy,

Tomorrow you will be baptized. Your daddy and I will walk to the front of the sanctuary at First Presbyterian Church, and your daddy will place you in the arms of your pastor. He will ask your daddy for your given name, and your daddy will proclaim it, strong and clear and with all the love in his heart. Your pastor will administer the sacrament of baptism to you and will pray over you. He will pray that you will come to know your Savior at a tender, early age, sweet boy. He will pray that you will grow in your faith, that you will study and learn and pray and be eager to serve your King by serving others. He will pray that your mommy and daddy and family and all the members of your church will pray for you and guide you and protect you from this fallen world. And he will pray that the Lord will even now be preparing a godly wife for you, a woman who will love you and watch over you and be your helper and give you children of your own.

Your daddy and I pray all those things for you, too, my love. We love you so much and could not imagine our lives without you. From the moment we knew you were coming to us, we have loved you and prayed for you. With us you will always be safe. In our arms you will always find love. In our home you will always be accepted and cherished. You are the brightest light in our world.

Thank you for being our son. You will never know how much you are loved until you look into the eyes of your own son or daughter for the first time. Then you will understand.

Love,
Mama and Daddy

Praise Baby

2007-12-11T11:50:00.000-06:00

I've been on a bloggy break for a while because my sweet boy was born on November 26 via c-section! We're doing well, and the husband and I are totally in love. I'm not sure what name Baby will go by here on the blog yet, but I'll take suggestions! I'll also post some photos soon of cute baby hands and feet. No face shots! This is the big, bad Interwebs, after all.

Shannon @ Rocks In My Dryer posted a great link for a Praise Baby freebie. All my mommy friends keep telling me to start investing in these CDs and DVDs, and I think this offer might be the place to start. The first 300 bloggers to sign up will receive a free bib and a $5 off coupon for the new Christmas DVD. I can't wait to get it. It looks great! Click the Praise Baby link in my sidebar for more info! :)

Smitty's latest

2007-11-25T13:41:00.000-06:00

I heard about Michael W. Smith's new Christmas CD, It's A Wonderful Christmas, from a post in BooMama's blog. I jumped at the chance to get one, because who doesn't love free CDs, and who doesn't love Smitty? (Sometime I should tell the story about having supper at his house.)

Much of our Christmas decorating was already done when the CD arrived Saturday, because our baby boy is coming Monday (tomorrow! gulp!) via C-section and I wanted the house decorated and clean before the big day. But we were still getting some last-minute decorating done yesterday, so we put the CD in and listened.

I really like this! It's different from what you might expect from MWS. I didn't realize so much of it would be instrumental. It's all very well done, and felt totally Christmas-y. I was especially glad to hear a bit of "Once In Royal David's City," which is my ultimate favorite Chrsitmas hymn. I only wish it had been longer! I also really enjoyed the duet with Mandisa, "Christmas Day." That girl can flat out sang. Thank you for the CD, Provident! It's in my Christmas rotation on iTunes and my iPod already!

Here are a few pictures of our decorations! I'll hopefully be up to participating in BooMama's Christmas Tour of Homes (see the link in my sidebar) so I'll have more then. Here's a little tease! Enjoy!

My talented husband made this angel ornament several years ago from a photograph he took at a New Orleans Christmas light display. He did some fancy-schmancy stuff to it on the computer and this was the result. I know my explanation of the process is completely thorough. You're welcome.

This glittery gold star is my favorite thing on our tree. It catches the light so beautifully. I think my mom gave it to me. She's given me a big box of special ornaments the past several years.

My mom made this wreath for me several years ago. She's quite crafty. I come by it honestly. :)

Just a little glimpse of the dining room table. I have more to add, but I thought this Santa and snowman were just so chipper together. :)

Thanks for looking!

2007-11-20T18:14:00.000-06:00

I love my kitchen. It gets so bright and cheery, especially in the afternoons. That's when I spend most of my time in there, working on crafty projects or cooking. This afternoon's light was particularly inspiring.

A happy first year.

2007-11-18T20:51:00.000-06:00

"They" say the first year of marriage is the hardest, and in our case, "they" were wrong. It's been a great year. We've done it all since November 18, 2006: got married, bought a house, found out a baby's on the way (any day now!). We've done all the stressful things without a big fight. Without a little fight, even. It's been lovely.

Hubband's gift to me was exactly what I wanted: a heart-felt love letter. When I'm 80 years old, looking back, there's nothing material he could give me that could ever mean more than his words. (I'm no fool, though. If he wants to whisk me off to Europe one year, I won't turn it down!)

My gift to him was the beginnings of a scrapbook. I used to scrapbook obsessively but have gotten out of practice in the past couple years. I've got the itch again, big-time, thanks to the start of this project. I did a title page and then a two-page layout of photos from our first year of marriage. My only criteria was that the pictures had to have been taken between November 18, 2006 and November 18, 2007. I included the wedding, the honeymoon, our new house, our church's new sanctuary, and our kiss on new year's eve. I wanted to do more photos, but I reigned it in and kept it to two pages. No matter what else Hubband ever gets for an anniversary gift, he'll always know he can expect the next two pages in the scrapbook. When we're gone, our kids will inherit a book commemorating our entire marriage. It's the gift that keeps giving, and it's a legacy!

We also ate part of the topper of our wedding cake. It held up very well in my parents' freezer for a year! When we were choosing flavors, I asked for a sample of strawberry cake, my favorite. My great-grandmother and grandmother made it for me every year on my birthday, and there's nothing better. When I tasted the sample, I cried. I've had other strawberry cakes through the years, but nothing's ever come close to the ones Mamaw and Mo made. The cake shop came awfully close. I think I scared the shop owner with my tears! I thanked her for taking me straight back to childhood and giving me that taste I missed so much. I need to work up the nerve to try the cake in my own kitchen. I have the original recipe, but I fear it'll never be the same!

Here's the yummy topper. No fondant for us! Just ooey gooey icing. Mmm!

HALEY-LUJAH!

2007-11-07T11:32:00.000-06:00

I do love me some Mississippi politics. Especially when it's a Governor's race with results that my parakeet could've called months ago.

Not only did the brat John Arthur Eaves get his tail whooped and handed to him in a styrofoam box by the much-loved incumbent Haley Barbour (58% - 42%), Eaves also didn't ever call Haley and concede the election. Yes, it's just a formality to do so, but it's polite and proper and by not doing it, we call SORE LOSER.

Graphic by my equally-snarky and equally-joyous husband.

2007-11-01T15:21:00.001-05:00

2007-10-06T08:01:00.003-05:00

Fall Into Reading 2007

2007-09-23T17:46:00.006-05:00

I'm a pretty big reader. I've always got at least one book in my rotation. I've never participated in a reading challenge before, but I'm up for some good fun!

My baby's due December 1, and I know the reading will stop for a while after that. I won't be reading anything at the December 21 deadline, I'm sure! Because I'll lose a few weeks, my list will be a bit modest. My first thought was to put 10 books on this list, but I'll be realistic and leave it at seven (now it's grown to eight!). I can do that. If I go over the eight, I'll just pat myself on the back and take myself to Starbucks (like I need an excuse for that)! So here's my list!

TO READ
1. Time to Be in Earnest by P.D. James (started before the challenge)

2. The Hidden Art of Homemaking by Edith Schaeffer
3. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
4. Playing for Pizza by John Grisham (I gave up on this one; too much football!!)
5. On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan

6. Fourth Comings by Megan McCafferty

FINISHED

1. Charmed Thirds by Megan McCafferty (finished 9/27/07)

2. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards (finished 10/16/07)

If you want to participate, go to Callapidder Days for the info and the Mr. Linky!

EDIT 03/15/08 - Ahahahaha! What was I thinking? A new baby and reading? Riiiight!

2007-09-20T11:09:00.000-05:00

The ladies at the girltalk blog have been interviewing Mary Mohler (wife of Al Mohler) this week. To this quote I say, Amen!!

What do you think is one of the greatest needs among mothers today and how would you encourage them?

As I said in the "Motherhood Matters" article that you kindly referenced above, I think moms need to stop apologizing for doing a full time job full time! I am not going to state that all moms must be stay at home moms but for those who are, they must stop feeling inferior for their decision. I am tired of the mentality that is becoming more and more prevalent that says women who stay at home raising their children are wasting themselves even as they serve to drag down the economy. That’s a lie. Women who are home raising their children should do so with gusto and no regrets. No one can love your children like you can. God made you to be their mother and no one else. Learn everything you can about how to be the best mom you can be by God’s grace. Hold your head high when you state that you are a mom—not “just a mom” but a mom full time. Love your job because the days are fleeting. Those precious little ones will be grown up sooner than you think. Motherhood is a high calling now just as it has always been. Those who think otherwise are deceiving themselves.

pinching pennies

2007-09-18T18:44:00.000-05:00

Lately I've been looking for ways to save a few pennies here and there. After all, they do add up. I've been on the hunt recently for autumn placemats and linen napkins that won't clash with the tablecloth I got for the season. I still haven't found anything that I like, but cute things I saw in stores inspired me to try something new.

I really get tired of buying paper napkins at the grocery store. We've got a pretty good stash of paper towels built up, but I get frustrated when a roll runs out quickly and I have to go get a new one. It's a small frustration, I know, but I've been wishing I could make each roll last longer than it does.

Today in Kohl's, I hit paydirt with cloth napkins. They had a big section of clearance dining items, so I spent some time pawing through the racks. I paid anywhere from 28 cents to $1.49 for 11 napkins. I found myself gravitating toward soft, neutral colors in cremes, yellows and greens. Those will work just fine for everyday use, and I can always look for nicer matchy-match ones for specific holidays or seasons when we have family or friends visiting for supper.

I brought them home and sent them through the washer, then folded them all and put them in a spare basket I had collecting dust in the laundry room. I'll set the basket out on the kitchen counter (and keep collecting more napkins!). I think I might add a wicker wastebasket that's in the garage to the cabinet under the sink. When your napkin's dirty, just toss it in its own kitchen hamper. When I see the stash of clean napkins getting low, I'll just wash the dirty ones and we'll be all set. I really only need a few more to have enough to last the two of us nearly two weeks. In no time, these napkins will pay for themselves, in the money they'll save at the store and in the environmental impact of less wasted paper. And hey, it's one less thing I'll have to unload from my grocery shopping!

ARE! YOU! READY?!

2007-09-01T14:23:00.000-05:00

It's football time in Mississippi!!!

Ohhh, I love the SEC. It's the only conference that matters, of course. :)

HOTTY TODDY!!

bloggy meme

2007-09-01T14:06:00.000-05:00

The fabulous Southern Girl did this little meme and offered it up to any of her friends who wanted to have a go at it, too. I can never resist a good survey, so here we go!

ACCENT: I always thought I had sort of a neutral accent until I heard myself on my radio show in college. Hoo boy, I'm 100% Southern. And quite proud of it. :)

I DON’T DRINK: Egg-nog. Blech.

CHORE I HATE: Taking out the trash. I have a physical aversion to it.

PETS: Oliver, a blue parakeet who's afraid of anything that moves, including people, his own feathers and air; and Dacey, a mackerel tabby who merely lets us live here.

ESSENTIAL ELECTRONICS: The DVR. I really don't know if I could live without the thing. How else would I be sure never to miss a new episode of The Fashionista Diaries on SoapNet?

PERFUME: Ralph Lauren's Romance and any good-smelling vanilla body spray. Not together, though.

GOLD OR SILVER: Silver, all the way. I only own a couple pieces of gold jewelry, and I rarely wear them. I'm not a fan.

INSOMNIA: With pregnancy, it's a bit more common for me than usual. Most of the time I'm asleep less than 10 minutes after the light goes off.

JOB TITLE: Wife and almost-mama.

MOST ADMIRED TRAIT: Hmm. I really don't know. I asked John and he said he admires my strong convictions about things. His opinion is what matters most to me, so there you go.

KIDS: TBA in November/December! :)

PHOBIA: Somebody breaking into my house while I'm in the shower; spiders; house fires

RELIGION: Christian, specifically Presbyterian (PCA)

SIBLINGS: none

TIME I WAKE UP: Most days I can get up whenever I want. I usually get up around 6:30 when John's leaving for work, but if I know my body needs more sleep, I'm up no later than 8:30.

UNUSUAL TALENT/SKILL: I never know how to answer this. I don't stand out in any particular way, really. I'm dull, I guess. :)

VEGETABLE: I love most of them, really. I have zero love for rutabega, though. *shudder*

WORST HABIT: Complete and utter laziness sometimes, which leads to mega procrastination. I think having a kid might whip some of that out of me, though!

X-RAYS: I've had my left knee x-rayed when I fell a few years ago... regular dental stuff... nothing else, I think.

MY FAVORITE MEAL: Lately I've been making carbonara a lot. I do it with hot sausage, diced tomatoes, black olives and mushrooms. Mmm. Of course, it's got to have garlic bread with it, and either ice water or tea.

around the table

2007-08-13T14:27:00.000-05:00

Early in our dating relationship, John and I started holding hands during prayer. I’m not sure which one of us first initiated the act, but it’s stuck for so long now that the origins don’t matter. We hold hands whenever we’re sitting or standing next to each other and a prayer is said (Sunday school, church, etc.). We also hold hands when we pray before a meal.

One night, while we were at our favorite Chinese restaurant, I noticed a couple a few tables over. They’d gotten their food and had their heads bowed in prayer. I love seeing couples and families praying in restaurants. Fortunately, that’s not uncommon in Mississippi! I was moved, however, to see that this couple, at least 30 years our senior, held each other’s hands across the table the same way John and I just had. It warmed my heart to think that this couple has possibly been holding hands for meal-time prayers maybe even longer than I’ve been alive. I immediately launched into conversation about how I love seeing that and I love that John and I do that.

And then my brain fast-forwarded to the future. Right now John and I hold hands across a table, because there are just two of us. But what a blessing it will be to have children and can hold hands around the table with them. Praying before a meal to thank the Lord for His blessings of another day together, another meal together, another chance to offer praise together is a joyful thing indeed. But holding hands in a circle of family while praying makes it so much more intimate.

I eagerly await the day we can expand our hand-holding from across the table to a true family circle around the dinner table at each meal. That’s definitely one habit and legacy I want to inspire in our children.