...and our Christmas Wreath needed to go. The sun has been showing its bright shiny face an awful lot these past few weeks. I admit, I am absolutely spoiled when it comes to my face time with the sun, but who doesn't love the warm days summer brings? Passion tea lemonade in hand, I set out to give our front door a little summer lovin'.
I started off with a grape vine wreath, spray paint, and fabric flowers I made out of a few of my old shirts. I found the idea for my fabric flowers from Little Miss Momma (I want to make a necklace next!). I loved the fact that I didn't have to sew one thing. I also used Shanty Chic's beautiful wreath as inspiration as well.
So...welcome back summer, welcome back long days and warm nights, welcome back barbeques and bike rides, you have been sorely missed.
LOVE JJ
Platforms....love 'em, hate 'em, cannot walk in 'em.
I'm afraid I'm in love with these particular ones. If there was any chance I wouldn't end up stumbling around like a drunken drag queen, I would purchase these in a heart beat. Maybe I'll just settle for a pair of earrings in this color.
*Cherise
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
David' decided to go on this diet. While he was in Iraq the "in" thing to do was go to the gym. He ate pretty healthy and hit the gym pretty hard which gained him some muscle. He's been trying to keep at it but hasn't been as hardcore. But now he wants a six pack. Just so happens the day he starts this diet I'm making his favorite meal, pulled pork.
I tried to make it a little healthier by using whole wheat sandwich thins rather than buns and using mayo made with olive oil. I topped the pulled pork sandwiches with coleslaw I made myself. I would've just used a coleslaw mix but I had leftover cabbage from the potstickers I made earlier in the week.
I think my first attempt was pretty successful. David ate three :)
Today is February 14th...and Valentine's Day. This is a special day for two reasons.
1. Two months ago today David returned home safely from his deployment in Iraq.
2. This is the first Valentine's Day that we actually get to spend together! David is planning our evening and its a complete surprise. I made him a lovey dovey lunch. A heart sandwich, hard boiled eggs with love notes written on the shell, and chocolate covered strawberries. I bet he got embarrassed when he opened it up in front of his army buds. I baked them Valentine's Day cupcakes though so maybe they were nice.
Ever since I saw that episode of Gilmore Girls where Sookie is caught spending her evenings watching tv in one of the Inn's rooms and eating their Toblerone I've had this romantic view of the candy. Its triangular shape adds to the mystique, not to mention its made with honey. Finally, I decided it was time. I bought the first one I saw. Let me tell you, I was not disappointed. The chocolate was so smooth and creamy. I guess the Swiss don't mess around with their milk. The almonds added the perfect amount of crunch and I loved that bit of chewyness. All in all, I do not blame Sookie one bit. Toblerone is just that good.
These birds were my newest art project. A while back, Cherise wanted to put birds on her wall. So as a good sister, I found a clipart and mailed it to her. But then I decided I wanted birds on my wall. So I spent some tedious hours cutting out birds. Now, my living-room wall has this feathery treatment. Very whimsical, I think.
This week, one of the teachers I work with brought in freshly picked apples from her backyard. After deliberating over my baking options, I finally decided on a pie. 100 % homemade. I peeled, I chopped, I mixed, I rolled, and I baked. The recipe I used is from the Better Homes Cook Book - arguably the best cookbook out there. The apples were deliciously tart against the savory cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar crust. The only thing that could have completed this warm pie was a scoop of homemade vanilla icecream.
I found this clothing website the other day. I am in love. Too bad, most of these are beyond my price range. I guess I just need a reason. . .
"And God is able to make all grace abound to you so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;"
Just this morning I was struck with this verse. Read over that first phrase again. "And God is able." That alone, gave me so much encouragement. While we are filled with inability, God is able. Paul filled this verse with words containing such immensity in meaning. It has such power and confidence. 2 Corinthians 9:8 really continues on with the teaching on community, which God has really been laying on my heart. God gives us extra in all areas of life, not so we can hoard, but so we can give. So our response needs to be:
1.Consider what we have extra of right now.
(God may give us extra of different things at different times.)
2.Look for needs - be aware.
3.Pray God would bring people into our lives / ministries that have needs.
I really have a hard time not counting down the days until the weekend. This week wasn't any different. I need to be reminded to live my days, not count them down. But, it was a good week.
*I FINALLY (and I mean finally) skyped with Bo. It is always too long between our conversations
*The sun has been keeping my little town warm. We still have no idea the rest of the world is feeling autumn.
*I was able to put more pennies in the bank to save up for my birthday trip to Texas to see my sister. I. CAN. NOT. WAIT!!!
A few snippets from school:
6th grade boy . . .(who daily, is very concerned with the fact that I'm not married)
"Miss Johnson do you have any, wait no. You don't have any kids do you?"
I answered, "No, I don't have any kids. I'm not married remember?"
"Oh yeah," he thinks for a minute "You're probably never going to get married."
"Why would you say that?" I asked back, laughing.
Very matter of factly he says, "Because, you never try out any of those websites I tell you to." then he walked away, semi-upset because I was ignoring his help.
6th grade autistic boy . . .
A student gave me an airhead today. I've been getting quite a few of these offerings this week; airheads and fruit by the foot. Apparently the apple is out. As I was walking around the classroom checking planners I had the airhead in hand. I walked by this student's desk and he says, "I smell some extra pounds on you." I could not stop laughing as I asked if he was insinuating that the one airhead was going to make me fat. Oh, he was.
