I'm Back!

I've heard a few times this past week-end that y'all have been checking my blog to see if I had written anything! Thanks for being so loyal. I did have an Internet connection after all but I decided to take a mini break from blogging. I've had so much on my mind but decided it wouldn't be a good idea to blog about any of it. Apparently people get really mad if you talk about them on your blog. ha ha. That was a joke. It just seems like the whole blog thing keeps coming up as such a controversy. I want to just laugh it off because it seems so petty but I can't quite get to that level.

Vacation was great. I have a lot of good stories - if I ever get to them. The weather was perfect...it only rained a little one day. The beach was beautiful. I have lots of pics to share (later). Paul & Linda came home on Friday and Jude went with them. I was a little sad that he didn't get to go to the beach one last time but he was so happy to get to go to West Virginia to see Lydia, Nolan and the gang. He is having a good time. He isn't coming home until Wednesday morning. We left Saturday morning. We weren't planning to leave until Saturday night but after we realized we were running out of money and since I am not sure about the status of my job (more on that after I work tomorrow) we decided to head back North. I read my book the whole way home (The Wild Girl). It was so good I couldn't put it down. We got home around 7 P.M. but I ended up staying up until 2 A.M. finishing it. As you know, I have severe insomnia when I am upset/stressed. Since I have been stressed about about work, church, money, etc... coming back to Ohio hit me pretty hard. And the cup of coffee I drank at 5 P.M. probably didn't help anything either. Regardless, I finished the book and can't wait to dive into the other book the guy wrote (One Thousand White Women). Who knows when I will have time to read it. It would be a good Christmas (or Thanksgiving or Election Day or Jude's Birthday or Halloween) gift, if anyone wants to buy it.

Well, I have to get back to getting some things done. Jake is going to be out of town all week, on a sales trip. Say a little prayer that he and Bill sell lots of stuff. My parents will be visiting on Wednesday so that is nice. I will try to make time to blog. Have a good one.

What I SHOULD be doing...

I am procrastinating. Here is a list of the things I need to do before 6 A.M. tomorrow...

• finish the laundry (Tuesday laundry day went out the door because I worked on Tuesday this week).
• call Alicia & talk to her about my work schedule & remind her to come over and get our key so she can come over and check on the cat while we are gone.
• Pack my clothes....check the weather for the outer banks first.
• Pack the kids clothes.
• Pack linens (sheets & towels)...they are not provided by the house.
• Locate & pack Jude's beach toys (I explained it is going to be too cold to swim but he still wants to build a sand castle.
• Find my shell collecting bag (i.e. net bag).
• Recharge camera & portable DVD player (a gift from my parents we haven't used yet!)
• Check batteries in the leap pad & pack extras.
• Clean the house. I want to come home to a neat & tidy house.
• Get any food ready. Oh and the snacks for the car. I may even pack a lunch for in the car tomorrow (PB&J???)

Actually now that I've written it all out it doesn't seem that bad. That is if I stay off the computer and just get it done! Have a good one.

National Sacher Torte Day (revisited)

Would someone PLEASE tell me why so many people are looking up National Sacher Torte Day? This happened before on my blog. I was getting like 8-10 hits a day because people were google-ing it! It is happening AGAIN. So, if you are here looking for info on Nation Sacher Torte Day please please please tell me why.

I suspect someone mentioned it on a TV show or something like that!

Here is my original post.....

What's Goin' On....

It has been such a stressful week. I don't even know where to begin. I guess we can start with the weather. It is snowing. ARGGGGGHHHHH. This morning when I left the house it was 36 out. I guess there is some pick snow storm brewing over the great lakes and they weather people are saying the Snowbelt could possibly get up to 24 INCHES! I am not ready for this. It was 82 on Saturday. We are going to North Carolina (the Outer Banks) next week on vacation. I am excited about it but also a little stressed about it as well. I know I am going to have fun.

So, this week I had a talk with my boss and it looks like I am not going to have a job next month. Well, not really but everything is changing. For starters I am not going to have a set schedule. I get to make my own hours. Sounds pretty good so far, right? Well, I will no longer be getting a base pay. Since starting here last June I've been selling but also doing marketing and secretary type stuff. The idea is for me just to sell. I will be getting a pretty hefty commission for all of my sales, which is nice....if I have people to sell to. My boss says he will be a little more dedicated to getting our name out there and bringing people to the table. If he gets them, I can sell the stuff. I am just so concerned/ worried that when it is all said and done I won't have any money. So far this month (if on the "new" plan) I would be coming out ahead. I will probably only work a few evenings a week, which means I will have to let Alicia go.... Man, I hate to do that because this is her job that she relies on. She did get another babysitting job on Mondays & Wednesdays but I don't know if it will be enough. And my kids love her. The whole thing just stinks. I am happy to be home with them all day but leaving when Jake gets home is going to be hard.

On a happier note...Pottery class is going well. I am making a lot of cool things. I am in the middle of several projects and the new session starts after I get back from vacation. I need to scrape together enough money so I can finish my Christmas gifts. If not you may be getting a "not fired yet" item from me. Ha ha ha.

Also, Last night I got a phone call from my sister, who was at an old friends house, to tell me the old friend is expecting a baby! I was in total shock because she just broke up with a guy (within the last 6 months) she had been with for 7 years. I guess the pregnancy wasn't planned but they are getting married next month. I can't believe she is going to be a mom. I'm not putting her name because she might not want her news on my blog but I told you because I thought it was exciting. Those of us who are mom's all remember what it is like to find out you are pregnant with your first child. It is like it consumes every thought you have. My friend always said she wanted kids but I never really believed she would (especially with that last guy...whew thank God that didn't happen). From what I hear she was on the pill when she got pregnant.

I don't know if I will have time to write anything tomorrow. If not you probably won't hear from me until we get back. I will be unplugged for the vacation. In the mean time....try to stay warm and be nice to each other.

The Gym, Apples & UFO's....

Where do I begin? It was a busy week-end. Saturday morning we decided to hit the gym again. I really hadn't planned on going until Monday but Jake wanted to go and who am I to come between a man and his workout. There was a nice mix of people there. We spent a lot of time just riding the bikes and walking the track. Do you ever compare your body to someone else's? Well, I try to find people who look like what I want to look like. Not all the time...I am not Hollywood obsessed and think I have to be anorexic or anything. I usually find healthy looking people. So, I see this girl while we were walking and I tell Jake I would like to be her size. I told him I wouldn't dress like her though, because she was wearing shorts that I swear look the same as my underwear. I guess people like to show off their body when they look good. I would rather just show off my clothes. Ha ha. Either way, I worked out and I am still so sore today that I don't think I can work out until tomorrow.
On Sunday we went to an Apple farm and picked apples. We went with Melanie, her girls, my sister and her family. It was a beautiful day outside (as is today). We picked bunch of apples and went on a hay ride. The kids had a great time. Afterwords we went to Melanie's new house and finally got to spent a little time with them. It was cool.
On the way back to Melanie's from the Apple farm we saw this thing flying around. We stopped and took a bunch of photo's of it. I have never seen anything quite like it. Let me know if you have. BTW...Melanie (and my sister) live like a block south of Lake Erie so it was flying over the lake.


Okay...

The GYM....

Jake's work bought us passes to the Natatorium. It is a great perk and so nice not have to pay the money to go BUT...I have a difficult time getting motivated. I used to work out a lot before I had children and a hubby. It is not that I don't care about my body because I do. It just seems like I have been so busy for the last 5 years. So, getting back into the swing of things has been a bit of a task. We took a guided tour (it is a new facility since I was here). It was a Thursday night and I swear every single person in there was buff and they all had tight arses. I felt extremely out of place. I think I started to break out in hives. The toothpick girl who was showing us around demonstrated all the equipment. I started to sweat just watching her and I think I was even a little sore the next day. I think I've been to the gym once since then...I can't even remember. I mostly just stared at other people. Oh, I did do the rowing machine for 20 minutes and I walked a few laps. It is pure torchure to me. This morning I planned to go to the gym. I wanted to get up early but I didn't wake up until 7:35, when Jude woke me up to tell me he wanted me to fix him "breakwast". I finally rolled out of bed around 7:55 and headed down stairs. After getting Jude a bowl of cereal and turning the TV to Dora I went down stairs to check my blogspot & myspace. Well, you all know how that turns out. I spent the next hour or so making a slide show on Myspace. Then Elise woke up. I run up and get her and decide I need to get these kids ready. I thought since I was going to the gym I shouldn't shower until afterwards, in case I break out in cold sweats again. While I am getting them dressed Jude tells me there is someone at the door. I didn't really believe him so I went down to check it out and sure enough there was someone at the door. Two someones. The Jehovah Witness ladies. It was too late. I had been spotted through the window. I politely opened the door. The nice young girl took one look at me in my robe with my hair not even combed and said, "Oh, I am sorry to disturb you". She looked startled. I explained that I am already a Christian but did accept there little booklets. I wondered how such beautiful, bright looking young girls could get caught up with that group. I should have done a little sharing with them. I think I will next time. Anyhoo....back to my gym story. After all was said in done, I finally signed the kids into the little play area (they watch your kids for you) at 11:10! Half the day was already gone. The gym was busy but it was mostly older men. I mean really old men. I walked for 10 minutes then I went back down to do the weight machines. I did all of them. I figured it might be a while before I get motivated to come back so I better do everything I can today. I am so out of shape. I could only do 10 lbs on the Military Press. And after a few of those leg machines my leg muscles were shaking. There is a whole row of machines that when you sit in them you face a mirrored wall. Goody. I was able to watch my arms flap in the wind while I worked on some arm extending machine thingy. Seriously the flab was waving. After doing all the machines I thought I should do a cool down lap or two. On my way around the track I spotted a step machine in a kinda secluded area (there is a big cardio room but everyone looks so serious with their Ipods and cool work out clothes) and I thought, Hmmmm I've always wanted to try one of those. So I did for 10 minutes. I thought I might die. So, I wrapped it up for the day. I went and got the kids. On the way out to the car I thought my arm was going to fall off from carrying Elise. What is tomorrow going to be like? I can't even stand to think about it. Jake will probably have to help me get out of bed.

So, there it is. Now I've told you I am working out at the gym and I have no more excuses. Please help keep me accountable and maybe I'll have some funny gym stories.

Can you FORGIVE????

Did you think I was going to make you look at pictures of ME all day long? Well, I was listening to the radio (as always) and they were talking about the most recent school shooting (yet another reason to home school...another topic for another day) and how the Amish were dealing with it. Here is a link to the story. I read the story, then watched the little video clip. It seriously makes me cry. I can't even imagine thought of something so horrible. Those poor little girls. And what about the man's own family. He has his own children and a wife. Their life will probably never be completely normal. If you have followed the story at all the media has really focused on the fact that the Amish have chosen to forgive the man (although he shot himself and is dead as well). The community has embraced the true meaning of forgiveness. They said the children are in a better place now and were thankful for the time they had with them. They also appreciated that the children were not assaulted like the man had originally planned (assumed because of the stuff he had with him). Isn't that incredible? The Bible does tell us to forgive others. In fact it talks about forgiveness A LOT. Do you think that is a coincidence? Well, of course not. Here are a few powerful verses which I am sure you have all heard before...

• 21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
  22Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. (Matt. 18:21-22)

• 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)

• 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (Colossians 3:13)

Why is it so difficult to forgive? I don't have an answer for you. I do know this, you can't just say you forgive someone. You have to forget about your anger and hurt. I am sure the Amish and those families that were effected will never forget this horrible thing happened, but maybe they can forget the bad feelings they have towards the event! During an interview with Ann Curry (from NBC) one Amish woman said this...

"We can tell people about Christ and actually show you in our walk that we forgive, not just say it, but in our walk of life. You know you have to live it, you can't just say it. "

Whew...that sure is a tough one. So here is my challenge. Right now think of three people who have done something to wrong you. It could be something big (abuse or abandonment) or small (cut you off when you were driving or told you your hair looked ugly). Well, my challenge is to pray for these people. Say a prayer for them everyday. If you say a little prayer for the people who have hurt you, it will be easier to forgive them. That doesn't mean you let people treat you poorly or continuously hurt you. It means you don't hold onto the anger. When you hold onto that anger it effects you NOT THEM. Right? Here is the truth. You don't have to even want to forgive them. If you pray for them daily, you are going to start to have a different attitude.

I am not perfect in this area. I know you all knew that...I just wanted you to know that I knew it. And the Amish aren't perfect but in this instance we should all be a little more like the Amish. Other than that...have a great day.

Which one...

I am trying to pick a picture for my profile. Since I am the family photographer there are very few pictures of me. So, I took a few shots myself and I am trying to pick which one to use. What do you think. Let me know. You can vote for the last post pics as well. (#'s 8 & 9)
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Pics of me....artsy (kinda)

Holiday Recipe Exchange

Overwhelmed with Joy is hosting a holiday recipe exchange today. What you do is post your favorite holiday recipe on your blog then go to the Overwhelmed with Joy blog and add your name to Mr. Linky. I've never done anything like this but I did check the Tour of Homes a while back and it was really cool. So...if you have a recipe, share away. In the mean time - try mine. These rolls are soooooo yummy and easy to make. Let me know if you try them.


Spoon Rolls
4 cups self-rising flour, sifted
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/4 cups luke warm water
2/3 cup melted butter
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1 egg beaten
1 Tablespoon dried yeast

Add yeast to lukewarm water and stir. Mix together beaten eggs, sugar and melted margarine. Add yeast mixture. Then add self-rising flour and cornmeal and mix by hand with wire shisk until well-blended. DO NOT BEAT WITH AN ELECTRIC MIXER. Spoon into greased muffin tins. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Dough can be dept covered with foil in the refrigerator - it gets better with age!