Aug 29, 2010

Glimspes of God

I am a No good, very horrible person.....I did not post the linky for Glimpses of God for today. Its been a crazy weekend and it totally slipped my mind. There WILL be a link up next Sunday....Again, so sorry. Please forgive me....Thanks

Aug 27, 2010

too many to mention here....

This post is a BLOG HOP, and a peek at some of the goodies I picked up at Goodwill, and a sneak peak into a Fall craft I am going to work on for my home.

UP FIRST!
showing some bloggy love to other bloggy peeps!!! Who's gonna fill my #30 spot? huh? huh? who?




 
 


Smart and Trendy Moms



My Wee View


Next up!

GOODWILL GOODIES!!!!

don'tchya just LURVE Goodwill!

This was $2....I'm gonna spray paint it and use it for holding hubby's misc. items on his end table.


Found the Flat Belly Diet book for $3 AFTER downloading it on my Kindle for iPad....err...oh well, I wanted a hard back version anyway b/c the recipes are awesome and I wanted to be able to bookmark my favorite pages too. The middle book is from The American Library Association and it's title is "The Best of the Best for Children", it suggests all of the greatest books for children to read as well as recommendations for magazines, videos,  audio, software, toys, and travel tips. Pretty interesting, huh?
I figure this will not only be handy for me as a Mom but also as a teacher. I love to read so for me this was an absolute MUST HAVE! The book on the right is titled "I read about Gods Love". Initially I was going to re-purpose this book for an idea I had but I opened it up and even though the book is old (which I love), it has really good content in it. I desperately want G-man to be a man of God and I'm doing what I can to teach him how. It was one whole dollah! yay!


TWO more books
A Caldecott Winner on the Left
Sidenote: I want to own every Caldecott Winner book, I'm a bookwork, can't help it!
The book on the right is a Journal
MOM TELL ME ONE MORE STORY
it gives prompts for journaling particular things about being a woman, a Mom, a Wife, and other things. Its really sweet and I couldn't help but think that one day Grant will want to know me as a person, and not just his Mommy. It has never been written in and it cost me $1!


A really cute Fall craft I am going to use in my house SOON!!! I will post a pic when I'm done!



Hope Ya'll have a Great & Blessed Weekend!
its B-E-A-utiful here in TN!!!

Aug 26, 2010

~one day....I will miss this~


The boy is OBSESSED with Star Wars & Legos. OBSESSED with playing them on my kitchen table....
its okay....one day, I will miss seeing this..............time goes way too fast!
Have a blessed Thursday!

Aug 24, 2010

Awww---I want one of these!!!

UndertheTableandDreaming 

Go HERE to check out this Fabulouso Giveaway!

it worked.....it must have really worked!!!

I was so nervous about stepping on the scale at Weight watchers tonight! I did the Four day Anti-Bloat Diet from the Flat Belly Diet----Sidonnie: I only drank the recipe for the Sassy water the first day, I couldn't bring myself to do it for 9 more servings----anyway, I followed it very closely and tah-dah!! I lost 7.4 lbs in a week!!! A good portion of that is water of course since what I ate is geared towards that but OMG!!! it made me feel so much better. Its like my "innards" were saying "Thank You!" for some soothing relief from all that crap I was eating. And let me tell you, it wasn't easy! We went to my BFFs house for game night and I had to pass up the burgers and dogs and of all things, my absolutely most favorite kinda cookie!!! Peanut Butter!! mmmmm, I love my BFF so its totally not her fault that I didn't get to enjoy her yummy cookies. I know what they taste like anyway! hehe...Saturday wasn't too bad and Sunday was manageable. Monday was hard, hard, hard. I hadn't drunk any coffee and I was feeling it bad! I made it through though. Well, I'm just gonna keep trucking away at this and hopefully I can my 75lb washer by the end of the year at WW. pray for me, it ain't easy to change your eating habits!

Aug 23, 2010

a tragedy averted

I didn't even get to log in to the blog world yesterday b/c I though my computer had some sort if virus. Good ole hubster took a look at it, finagle a few things and re-started it. I dared not touch it 'til he could give me the word. He's kinda AR like that. Anyway, I m bummed that I miss the GTKY Sunday. I will be back on board next week.
On another note, it was a pretty blissful weekend. I had to work at the Y on Sat. morning and then there was a staff mtg. I came home, ate some lunch and then went for a 4 mile walk. That was nearly excruciating considering the humidity. I came home and fell out on the bed. I slept for about 2 1/2 hours. I got up and we ate dinner and chilled on the couch. Sunday consisted of Childrens Church (I hope they are learning something about Missions), came home and chowed on some food, had goof intentions to go exercise but again, the coziness and Downy smell of my blankie lured me back into bed for another nap. Can you believe 2 naps over the weekend, what is WRONG with me??? I had to hit the housework hard and heavy this morning. I got a load of laundry started, gathered up some recycling, stripped the beds, cleaned the bathroom, and tidied up a bit. All by 9:45am. Hit the gym for a class, picked up my play "sister" from the airport, got some lunch together, came home and guess what? I fell asleep on the couch!!!! I'm beginning to wonder if something is wrong with me.
Well, anyhoo, we are going to the Titans game tonight with some friends. It should be nice.
so 'nuf 'bout me, how was your weekend?

Aug 21, 2010

~Glimpses of God~



This is week 2 for this blog hop & I am so excited to share with you what I have glimpsed this week.  A big THANK YOU to those who participated last week. Please help me spread the word....b/c you all are awesom! If you are new to this meme, go HERE for the rules and you can also find my button to the left if you so desire to put it in your post.  I can't wait to hear what everyone has to share!!!

I was actually crazy enough to go walking out in this hot, humid, and not so lovely weather. I started out with a 5 mile goal but ended up with just doing 4 mi. b/c I thought I was going to pass out. Anyway, while I was walking, there were dozens of butterflies flying around. I should mention that I walk on the "greenway" which is like a trail that starts from one place and you can walk up to 6 miles depending on where you want to end up. So, I see all these butterflies, its really pretty cool but the coolest part was that there were 2 huge black butterflies that seemed to follow me the whole time I was walking. I would see them and then they would dissppear and come back in 10 or 15 minutes. I just kept thinking how wonderful God is to make such beatiful creatures for us to enjoy. I almost wondered if He gives us insects like these as a sign that He loves us and wants us to enjoy ALL things, even the yucky, pesky, and annoying creatures. Then, later in the evening, it was thunderstorming here in TN and on our way back from running an errand, I noticed how big, fluffy and white some of the thunderhead clouds were. I actually like thunderstorms, not so much the lightning but I diverse. I began to imagine that God uses clouds like artists use paint. He can shape them in however way he wants and he is the ultimate artist when it comes to clouds and sunsets. I think thats why I love sunrises and sunsets so much, especially at the beach. Okay, now its you turn! What made you take a Glimpse of God?




  1. this Life was Meant to Shine
  2. Life In Him
  3. My Devotional Thoughts
  4. Paper-Crafts Chick

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    Get the code here...


Aug 20, 2010

Five Q Friday...

Hooking up with My Little Life for a Five Question Friday:







1. Do you have any nicknames and if so how did it come about?

My mom & aunt call me Mandy, my brother calls me sis, my hubs call me sugarbear or demanda, my son calls me Mommy. When I was growing up my nickname was ~mandareeny~. At school, I had lots of kids call me MandaPanda. Mandareeny came from my mom.

2. What is your birth order amongst your siblings?

I am the youngest. My brother and I are 19 mos. apart. When I was 15, I found out I had 1/2 brother but I haven't seen or heard from him since I was 18. He just wanted to know who his real father was, he wasn't interested in knowing us per say.....

3. In a movie of your life, who would play your significant other?

My fantasy husband would be Dewayne Johnson aka the Roc but if I had to pick someone closely characteristic to my real hubby, that would be Kevin James ; )

4. What is currently your favorite song?

"I will not be moved" by Natalie Grant. For me right now, it is a testament to my life and how I have to walk faithfully with the Lord, its just the way it has to be!

I have been the wayward child

I have acted out
I have questioned Sovereignty
And had my share of doubt
And though sometimes my prayers feel like

They're bouncing off the sky
The hand I hold won't let me go
And is the reason why...

[Chorus:]


I will stumble
I will fall down
But I will not be moved
I will make mistakes
I will face heartache
But I will not be moved
On Christ the Solid Rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
I will not be moved


Bitterness has plagued my heart
Many times before
My life has been like broken glass
And I have kept the score
Of all my shattered dreams and though it seemed
That I was far too gone
My brokenness helped me to see
It's grace I'm standing on


[Chorus]


And the chaos in my life
Has been a badge I've worn
Though I have been torn
I will not be moved


5. Are you saving your money for anything right now? Big or small purchase

Not really saving but spending a little at a time to re-do our back bedroom which is a guest room at the present moment.

a fresh start & a Friday Hop!

New Friend Fridays


If your are here from NFF's..................................................................WELCOME!!!!! come back soon!



OK, so a friend of mine at church told me about this book & I'm usually not a gimmick diet do-er but this sounded pretty interesting and reliable,. Today is Day One. Essentially there is a four day Anti Bloat diet & then you follow a 28 day menu plan. The breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu is pretty decent, the only objection I have is I don't eat grape tomatoes and avocados. So I am substituting those foods for other approved veggies. we will see how it goes. I am still a follower of Weight Watchers and a lot of what this book says is in line with their system. I am hoping to incorporate the two so I can see some better results. I think my problem is, is that I think I get bored with WW, whereas this book pretty much does all the meal planning for you, and I just have to go to the store to buy the food.
 There is a recipe for what they call "Sass" water, and after my first cup of it, it doesn't taste anything like the Propel water I normally drink. Its not appealing but you gotta do what you gotta do. I will keep you posted on my progress. On another note: I registered for the Women's Half Marathon in September. There's no backing out now!!! I read on the website that they are going to allot a 4.5 hour time frame for walker/runners. Goodness, I hope I can complete it in that amount of time. My OBF is doing it with me, she's the one who talked me into doing it. A good portion of my brain was convincing me to NOT do it but since I committed to it with a post for the bloggy world to read, I figured there is no backing out now!
Well, that's all from my little corner of the world. Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!!!






Aug 19, 2010

My first Writer's Workshop wi/Mama Kat

Mama's Losin' It

The WW poompt:
Things you oddly obseesed about as a child?

 I  believed that ALL inanimate objects had personalities and feelings.

Ok, I will pause so you can pick yourself up off the floor from sheer laughter.

I played mostly with my barbies and stuffed animals and if I thought one was upset or feeling sad, or sick, I would talk to them and they would talk to me. I also believed that crayons had personalities too. I was always wondering what color to choose because I didn't want to hurt any of their feelings. So I would purposely give each crayon a chance to color. I know! it sounds so hilarious as I write this and it is pretty funny. I was obsessed with the idea that everything I owned was life like. Ok, I spilled my guts to you, so now you can laugh and make fun of me....I can take it!

Aug 18, 2010

just rambling

so, the boy ended up in my bed somtime between midnight & 3am...I just rolled over & there he was, a big lump of six yr.old boy...I think he muttered something to me but I was dead to the world.
almost missed getting him on the bus...threw on some flip flops which is not a good choice considering its been raining here and I have to walk thru 3 neighbors yards to chaperone him to the stop. Why can't the bus juat stop right in front of my house? I mean REALLY? 3 houses?  I don't yet trust li'l man to stand at the bus stop by himself....he thinks "air-bending" is a 24 hr sport so I'm afraid he'll "air-bend" himself right into the middle of traffic...
came back home and seriously considered going straight back to bed but then I thought to myself, "self, you will be mad at yourself if you don't get anything accomplished today!" so I took my self talking tail into the kitchen and proceeded to clean up the dishes, put away some odds & ends, make a pot of coffee, take the laundry to the basement, start a load, straighten up the living room, gather up some trash & recycling, eat a bite of breakfast, and continued to think about what to do the rest of this day.
My brain is telling me to get to the gym but ya'll don't even know how bad my quads and abs hurt at the moment. Ever tried to stand up and then end up sitting back down b/c your muscles went straight to fatigue he*#. Yep, thats how it is right now. I guess I might try to go back to Zumba or Step depending on how I feel by 4pm. I have to do something good for myself, right? Advil is my friend in time of need...
I have a lot to do on my "to-do" list & I should write it all down but then I think I would start feeling overwhelmed and then NOT do anything...sounds looney, huh? thats the procrastinator in me! a flaw I hate but don't know how to change...
late last night, I went and applied for two positions in a county that is not so near to my house but I figured, what the heck, its worth a try just to get a job, ya know? I think I will call the schools to make sure those positions are still open....
so I guess I'll get outta blogworld for a bit, gonna go to Prayer time at church @ 11am, then I might drop by bff's house to give her a few things, then I might hit Kohls to find a comforter set and use my coupons, then I need to go to HobLob for a couple of things, and be home by 3:20 to meet the last airbender boy at the bus stop. 
later =D

Aug 16, 2010

Mommy Confession Mondays


*I let Grant watch too much t.v. this summer. I gotta get back on the 30 mun/day thing again.
* I had another dream about a baby last night----yes I want one------no I don't have one....yet.
*I want to get rid of the guinea pigs we 'adopted'.....they are smelly and messy....ugh
*I secretly hope the boy doesn't gorw up to be gay.....don't know if I could take it
*I want desperately to go back to school to get my M.Ed in Reading...checked out some online universities....way expensive! its either a M.Ed degree or a boob job! which one should I choose?
*my mom is leaving for a couple of weeks, now I have to start doing my chores again....darn it!
*my mom is leaving for two weeks and now I have to start being a responsible parent! LOL
*I DID NOT eat too much suger & carbs yesterday......ok, so maybe I did.....ugh!
*for the first time tomorrow I am going to use a no weigh in pass at WW, due to the exorbatent amount of crap I ate all weekend long!!!
I guess thats all I have to confess for now! thanks Adrienne for the MCM!

Aug 15, 2010

Glimpses of God

Today, I got a Glimpse of God when I leaned over to kiss and hug my 83 year old Mamaw. She is such a Gem! I love her so much! Her health hasn't been the best and her short term memory seems to fade in and out. Today when I saw her at our Family Get together, her eyes lit up and shined with love and kindness. This woman is the epitomy of a faithful and submissive servant to God. She has been through a lot of valleys but has always praised God for His mercy, love and strength. I know that I will see her in Heaven, no doubt about it. She brings to life the scripture that says, "Love the Lord with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength" Deut 6:5

Getting to Know You....While

 
I love the Getting to Know You blog hop, its so awesome!!!
 
 
Getting to know YOU
 
 
 Here are the Questions!
 

What kind of athelete has the hottest body?
hmmm, I'd have to say football players, I loved the ROCK in the movie Game Plan OoohLaLa!

Are you a planner or a procRastinator?
This one's easy==========> P-R-O-C-R-A-S-T-I-N-A-T-O-R its a personality disorder that I'd love to change but would probably never get around to! lol

Diet or Regular (soda)
Diet all the Way!

What's your one "must have" for Fall?
my scarves or my hoodie, either one for those chilly days

Whats your favorite Fast Food restuarant?
I LOVE Panera Bread Co. I could eat lunch there everyday.

What do you think is the sexiest profession for a guy?
I do love to see a man in uniform....policeman, fireman, military man!

Did you wear braces?
Oh, how I wish I could say YES! but no, I was one of those kids whose parents could never really afford for me to get braces. So, now I have plans to get them once I get a full time teaching job and better dental benefits. Confession: I told my parents that if they would be get me braces, I would give up all of my other luxuries like my bed, my toys, my clothes, everything just to get straighter teeth. Needless to say, they didn't take me up on my offer!

Would you rather have a guy that's super sexy or kind?
I guess I'd prefer the kind one over the sexy one.....

 
While you're here....check out my NEW blog hop meme "Glimpses of God" HERE!

12:30am

yep, thats what time it is right now. I got home from Girls Night Out about 10pm. It was lotso fun but I had some cooking/baking to do for tomorrows family dinner. When I got home, the kitchen was a mess from the hubs' dinner preparation and stuff was everywhere....can you say aNNoYeD!!! so I had to get things cleaned up so I could make a bigger mess. I had three recipes I had in mind. The first is like a Mexican chicken nacho type thing. I have it in the crockpot now, it smeells really awesome. Then I made a Hungry Girl creamy macaroni salad. It looks pretty good. My mom helped me a lot in making this b/c she chopped the celery, red pepper & egg whites. Thanks MOM! Then b/c I am a follower of the Cuppy Cake Life, I have been dying to try the Pina Colada cupcakes. They smell divine at the moment. I am going to make the frosting in the morning. Cant Wait to dig my teeth into one of those babies!!!
I have to get to bed b/c in just a few short hours I will be up, icing the cupcakes, unloading stuff  outta my van to make room for food, and running to church to drop off a Childrens Church lesson. WHEW! its going to be worth it just to be able to spend some time with my extended family.....
OH! my new MEME has premiered already so join up, K!!! Thanks!

p.s. hopefully I did the "Linky" thing right?!

~COMING SOON!!!!~ Glimpses of God


Join me on this new adventure I call
GLIMPSES OF GOD
I will be posting EVERY Sunday

The purpose of this MEME or 'blog hop' if you will, is to encourage, inspire and remind each other of the power that God has in our lives and those around us. I want you to post anything that reminds you of or about the Trinity. I want you to purposely look for God in your everyday life.  It can be as small as a smile from someone you love to something as grand as an AHA moment with lots of detail. I hope you will join me on this new adventure. I can't wait to hear from each of you!

Directions:
Copy and Paste my button in you post and tell us how you caught a GLIMPSE OF GOD!
Link up your post at the bottom of mine and visit other peoples blogs!
Please be a good blog citizen and comment with compassion and love!
See you every Sunday!! 

b.t.w.
luvyameanit!






      This linky list is not open yet. It will open for new entries 8/15/2010 12:01:00 AM (North America - Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time

    Aug 13, 2010

    Follow Me Chickadee Friday

    I sure do love me some Friday Follows! I have a pretty good weekend planned. In just a bit I'm going to my church for our bi-weekly Scrapbooking night!!! Don't know what I'm gonna be working on but we will see what pops out of my creative brains as the night goes on. Tomorrow, I will hopefully get to sleep until about 8, then we have a birthday party at 2pm. Sat. night is  GILRS NIGHT OUT!!! YAY! just a few of us are going to meet for dinner and a movie! Then Sunday, my family on my dads side are getting together for a good ole' dinner and a catch up with my Uncle Fred who lives in Singapore. He comes home at the end of summer to see all of us and especially to be with my ailing grandmother. His daughters, My Cuz'z, I have watched grow up and now they are both in college! Cant wait to see everyone, hope to share some pics from this!

    OK, ya'll Have a Blessed Weekend!

    Aug 12, 2010

    1st day of 1st grade & a BLoG HoP


    Obviously MARvelous


    How did we get here so quickly...I mean ReaLLy?



    This morning after dressing himself and eating breakfast, he announced "This is going to be the Best Day Ever!".....he cracks me up! Don't know if he'll have the same attitude after the novelty of first grade has worn off.

    Here is a full picture of the MOST HANDSOME BOY IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD!


    Aug 10, 2010

    ~shutter love~ just had to do it!

    ShutterLoveTuesdays
    I'm like on this big blog hop kick! I abtively posilutely love it! Vote for me!!!! >>>>smile<<<<


    We went to California for a wedding/vacation....it was DEE LIGHT FULL!!! Santa Monica Pier is one of my favorite places to go! The hubs loves the Dodgers, I love the Pier. We HAD to go..no if's ands or but's....The pier is actually called Pacific Park. Its like a throw back to an old fashioned carival thats open all the time & then when your done there you can just hop down onto the beach and catch some waves. Plus there are a lot of fun shops to browse through. Anyway, VOTE FOR ME! *wink, wink*