Daily To-Do List

I like to think in my own mind that I have it together. That I am the kind of woman who means business and just gets things done and...

Here's where my husband would chuckle to himself and say "Yeah, OK Honey." Why? Why would he say such a thing?

Well... because the reality is that I am rather scatterbrained and a bit distractable. It drives him crazy when I get to work at home because I'll start one chore, then start another, then sometimes for fun a third, then go back to the first, work on the third again, go back and finish the first, then work on the second... you get my point. 

I knew this about myself when I worked a desk job before I came home, so back then I used to have a to-do list notebook and a million sticky-notes that reminded me to do the important things. Anything that didn't get checked off on the to-do list moved to the next day's list with any new things to do. By keeping those running lists, I was able to actually get things done and keep things moving. I still got distracted, but at least I had some guidance.

So I went on Pinterest and found a couple of to-do lists that I liked, but none were exactly what I was looking for. I took a few, cherry-picked what I liked and made my own which I am now adding to the fray.

Here's my to-do list printable; I'm sharing it with you. I made it today in MS Publisher using one of their basic stationary templates (I know, I'm so original) and added in some text boxes of what works best for me. Maybe it works best for you, maybe like the other 83475 to-do lists out there did for me it will help you to shape your own.

Either way - here it is.

It's Been Too Long

There was a time when I blogged fairly often. 

I openly admit that I don't have a plethora of followers, and the few that I have had in the past are probably off reading other things at this point. But it's time. 

It's time for me to start writing again. Well... more often anyways.

I've come to realize that blogging was something that I did for myself and if I was able to help, entertain, or otherwise spark thoughts in others - then that was an added bonus. Writing helped me to gather my thoughts, to share some things that were on my heart, and to continue to work on being an articulate human being. You could say that it was a combined means of stress relief and continuing education.

I've been writing in a private blog that we keep for ourselves that documents our kids' milestones, but this blog has always been a way for me to process my faith in brief devotional-type writings, to share my thoughts on movies/books, to share recipes. A little glimpse into my brain, how it works... no matter how interesting or uninteresting it might be. 

And so, it's time. The kids are on a somewhat regular schedule, and so if I can take a few minutes a few times per week to write I think that it will be good for me. It will be my "me time", as it were. Something that is so important for moms to regroup - as any mom will attest to. 

Why today? Because Steve and I are both overtired. And today is the day that my toddler decided it was going to be his first "Naked Day". 

I needed some me time. There were very few ways to slice that. 

At any rate... I hope that you'll stick around, that you'll share my posts, that you'll offer your opinions/thoughts on my musings, that you'll allow yourself to be entertained (or helped... or put off... whatever), and that you'll be patient with me if I ramble a bit. 

I promise that there will be more posts - at least 4-5/month - because it's something I need to do to maintain my sanity. It's like yoga for my brain.

Especially on "Naked Toddler Days". 

Thanks, and I welcome myself back. 

I Don't Do Mice...

"I hear rustling... like... going through bags..."

Yesterday we discovered we had a mouse invade our kitchen. Previously we knew that they had infiltrated our attic and have caught several since we moved in last year, but not before yesterday had any made their way into the rest of the house. Steve had picked up 2 bags of toasted coconut marshmallows to make Rice Krispie treats with, opened a bag to try one, scrunched it closed, left to do a quick errand - and came back to find that 2 of them had made their way half-nibbled out onto the counter complete with a gift of a dropping from the mallow-thief.

Let me make one thing abundantly clear: I don't do mice. Steve knows this. When this happened, he reacted fast and perfectly. He upped the number of traps in the attic from 7 to 10 and we now have 4 or 5 "safe" traps in the kitchen. Mice are not allowed in my house unless I buy one from a pet store and keep it in an aquarium.



So last night at about 11:00 we were wrapping up a conversation and getting ready to head to bed when I heard it. The unmistakable sound of plastic bags being rustled around. I stiffened, pointed at the door, and announced what I heard. "I hear rustling... like... going through bags..."

Steve immediately stood and responded to my obvious concern. The memory of the bunches of spiders I have killed for him over the years came running to his mind (maybe not, I just imagine it that way) and he got into action. He's the man of the house, we had an invader, and it was unacceptable to him to have this unwanted visitor laying claim to his snacks (and spooking his wife). He headed down the stairs and I heard him stop moving so that he could stand and listen for movement. The door to the pantry opened and then I heard silence, like one of those pregnant pauses in an uncomfortable conversation.

"Uh.... this is awkward."

"What's awkward?"

"I'm staring at him. And he's staring at me."

(Knowing we had clean traps downstairs, I assumed he meant that this was happening through the plastic of the trap.) "So? Get rid of him."

"Yeah... he's not in the trap."

Our intruder had managed to climb up to the top shelf in our pantry and Steve was engaged in an old-school "Who blinks first" staring contest with the vermin. Busted.

To make the next part of the story incredibly short, he managed to trap him on the floor of our pantry, capture him, and eliminate the problem. While Steve was outside finishing the task, I went to work to sort through and get rid of any food product that had been compromised with mouse cooties. 3 bags of chips that I'd mouse-proofed, our Odwalla bars, cereal, hot chocolate... everything seemed clear. Then I saw what I thought were more awful droppings fall to the floor.

A second glance made my stomach drop. That pesky stupid vermin had chosen - of all the delicious things in my pantry - to make his snack of choice our bag of Minnesota Wild Rice. A bag of rice that Steve had brought back with him from his trip to Minneapolis last year that I was hoping to use to make a delicious creation with our CSA this summer. Farm-fresh veggies and wild rice... doesn't that sound like a comforting meal? I thought so too.

No pun intended... but that rat bastard.

Steve came upstairs and asked what the damage was. I pointed at the rice and we both vented in frustration because the wild rice that he especially was looking forward to eating was now tainted and could no longer be consumed."Why," I asked, "of all the things in our pantry did the stupid mouse choose our freaking wild rice? OF ALL THINGS?"

Steve looked at me like he was about to state the obvious. "He's a mouse. They like whole grain." 

That wasn't good enough, so I pressed harder. "Then why not the granola bars or the high fiber cereal or the oatmeal?"

Steve paused, then looked at me, shrugged, and said matter of factly:

"Mice eat organic."

Commuting - A Perspective

When Steve and I were house-hunting, we didn't take my commute to and from work into account for a few reasons. One of these reasons is that I don't mind commuting. It allows me some time to myself, some time to people watch, some time to unwind before I get home. This morning I realized that there are lots of things that cross my mind and think about and I observe or do while I'm gallivanting back and forth to the place I spend a third of my weekly existence. I thought it could be fun to share a few of them with you. Maybe you can relate.

(After scratching the inside of my nose) "Wow... that guy in the plumbing truck totally just saw me doing that. And he's on the phone telling his friend. Great. Good thing I'm married or I'd feel awkward right now because a decent looking guy saw me pick my nose."

Once when I had my old Buick I was driving to work with the windows down (the A/C didn't work that well). Stuck in dead-stop traffic, I made the most of it. I turned up my Alanis Morrisette CD and started singing along to the music. I looked over to my right, and an older couple whose windows were also down had caught me in the act. They smiled, waved, and I was glad to see that someone appreciated my ability to have fun in traffic. 

"This is a lot of traffic. I'm guessing there's a massacre of a car wreck up ahead." (A few minutes later...) "Nope... nope. Just a tiny bumper bump. Move along people."

I see more BMW's broken down on the side of the road than any other "luxury" car on a regular basis. Why do people buy these things again?

Of all the things that have changed on this interstate over the years, it's good to see they still haven't taken down the "Jesus Saves" signs.  There's something reassuring about that daily reminder. 

Someone added that bottom sign sometime in 2009 or 2010. It disappeared after a few months, but the "Jesus Saves" sign is still posted on either side of the highway in the same area on an electric pole - and has been for ages.

I wonder if anyone else just wants to get home so they can have a hug after the day they had. I wonder if anyone here that doesn't have someone wishes they had someone to hug. I wonder if they saw that sign back there.

Those clouds are pretty dark... looks like a thunderstorm. Wait... why the crap is it SNOWING???

Why is it when I've got plenty of time to get to work there's no traffic at all... but when I'm either running late or JUST have enough time: I don't move. 

It's a nice feeling to arrive safely to your destination.  

Sept! Siete! Seven!

As I was reading through the blogs on my Google Reader, I discovered that one of my oldest friends Kristin over at Town and Country Prep tagged me for the "7 Things Blog Award". First of all - THANKS to Kristin for the tag and second of all - if you haven't seen Kristin's blog, take a pop over and check her out. She's a really cool person and so far her posts (her blog is relatively new and she just came down with the flu - poor thing!) have been great!

Now... on to the who point of this post which is 7 things about MOI!

1. I love reading and will read just about anything from any genre. I have a propensity to read multiple books at a time and will often take way too long to get through them as a result. Right now as you can see in my sidebar - I'm reading 5 books. Ridiculous! But they're all good and I'll likely finish all of them.

2. I am acrophobic (acrophobia = fear of heights) but only in so far as thinking that if I am not properly protected from high-up that I will fall and get incredibly hurt. So for example: I can easily go to the tall tourist attractions or fly in a plane without issue. However, I cannot climb scaling walls without panicking and have been known to have a bit of anxiety getting on the Tower of Terror at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Tree climbing? Hot air balloon rides? Getting too close to a canyon/mountain edge? Forget about it. Ain't happenin'.

3. I discovered my faith and started to follow Jesus Christ in mid/late 2006. As a result I've discovered what a hot mess I am and have realized that through Him I can work on a lot of what's broken - it's amazing what the power of God's grace can do to a person's life. It's also changed my perspective on the world as a whole, which has been incredibly powerful as well.

4. I have a BA in Psychology that I paid for the bulk of myself through various loans and payment plans. I feel like I value my education more because I did work so hard to pay for school; I know myself and if it had been paid for by primarily other sources, I don't think I would have appreciated the education and experience as much. Also - it made the help I did get all the more meaningful because I couldn't depend on it, so it became a very meaningful gift rather than something I would depend on and potentially take it for granted.

5. Aside from my husband, my best friend is my Mom. I feel incredibly blessed to say that because not many people have the relationship with their mother like I have with mine. One of the best birthday gifts I got last year was an entire weekend with just my mom (she turned 50 and I turned 30 last year). Quality time with her is always a huge blessing!

6. I have always loved cooking shows; I have memories of sitting on my Papa Cochrane's bed next to him as a small child watching "Yan Can Cook", "The Frugal Gourmet" and Julia Child on PBS. He would watch it with his headphones on, but unplug them when I came in so I could watch too. BUT -  my guilty pleasure is almost any "Food Network" competitive type show. Think "Iron Chef", "Cupcake Wars", or "Worst Cooks in America". My favorite - "Chopped". I'm more than a little giddy about "Chopped: All Stars" coming up in March. There. I said it.

7. If being a housewife could pay the bills, I would do it in a heartbeat. I pray that when we have kids that I am able to be a stay-at-home mom. There's something incredibly satisfying to me about being able to provide that for my family. The days that I am able to get everything in order in the house and then cook a good meal for Steve & I are usually the days that I feel the most fulfilled.

So - those are my 7 things about me. I have almost fulfilled my requirements... but NOW I, in turn, have to tag 3 people... so without further adieu:


Mags over at Ms. Maggie Moo Talks 2 U: A friend of mine who writes a few times a week about her life in a fun and engaging style. Definitely check her out - she's got a huge blog following which I think attests to the quality of her blog.


Laura over at GreenThings: My good friend Laura who writes primarily about food and gardening. She's posted some really good looking comfort-food recipes recently, so definitely check her out!


Kimberly over at Kimberblog!: Another good friend of mine who recently moved to China. She's a really neat person who writes about her Chinese experience as well as crafting, vegan/vegetarian cooking, and other cool stuff.

There you have it! 7 things and 3 people tagged - mission accomplished. Thanks to Kristin for tagging me for the 7 Things Blog Award!

Turning Thirty

Tomorrow is the first day of my thirties. Last Friday I woke up and felt energized; I knew it was going to be a good week. After all - the last week of your twenties HAS to be awesome.

Friday-Saturday: I had the opportunity to attend Beth Moore's "Living Proof Live" with some amazing ladies. What a powerful evening and morning that was - there's something spectacularly moving about hearing 2800 people singing "Amazing Grace" a-capella followed by a message reminding us to keep an eye out for the treasures that God gives in life. My friend Elyse had a great blog post this week that basically encapsulated the feeling we had coming away from the event. It took a few days to sink in for me, but it was an amazing reminder for me to slow down. For me, the most powerful point that she gave the women in attendance was that "Our treasure got thrown out in the same trash as our time." What a great message it was and I hope that I do not do what is so prone to people who attend these conferences and lose the inspiration - it's so important that I don't.

Beth Moore - That shirt cracked us up, but her passion was awesome.

Sunday: In the middle of Sam's Club I got a phone call from my good friend Priscila; that evening they would be having an impromptu campfire and we should come over. What a cool thing - just a few phone calls and they had a campfire party! There were a ton of people there, lots of good food and great conversation was had by all. We stayed until a little after 10:00, but I was in awe of what a cool thing can happen with a few phone calls, some meat, and a pile of wood.

Burn, baby, burn!

Monday: I had texted a few of our students on Sunday night to see if they wanted to come over for homemade chicken soup and some girl time. What I got was an impromptu mini-birthday party! They came to the door with flowers, cake, and a card - they even lit candles that said "30" and sang "Happy Birthday". As if the awesome conversation wasn't enough - they even convinced me (read: made me hold true to my promise) to go out with them and "jam". Incase you're wondering, "jamming" is driving around with dance music playing, singing and car-dancing. Yes, I jammed. I do a mean backseat cabbage patch. You have NO IDEA. After that - I got to watch the Patriots KILL the Dolphins with a 41-14 victory. That's right. A palindrome win.

The card plays "Celebrate" - yes, I danced when I opened the card. Twice.

Tuesday: GIRLS NIGHT!!! Steve babysat our friends' two little girls for a couple of hours while my friend Laura & I kidnapped our friend Jennifer for some Mexican food, margaritas, and Coronas. It was so nice to get out and have an awesome meal with some of my closest girlfriends. That time is so valuable - and to think that I got it twice in the same week (we also had a wine & girls night after Friday's Beth Moore event) is just an awesome blessing. I value those friendships so much.

I had to leave my phone with Steve so he could call us incase anything happened (he forgot his). When I got it back, there were 2 cute kids on my wallpaper picture.

Wednesday: Nothing special happened on Wednesday. Just a bunch of cleaning. Why? Because some woman who decided to give birth to a little girl 30 years ago is coming to visit. The nerve. Make me clean my house. (Kidding - I'm actually PUMPED for my mom to come visit this weekend!!!!)

Thursday: I went to work very excited for today to be the last day of my 20's. Around 2:00, it was time for "The Coffee Train" - 3 or 4 of us women on the aisle who go and get an afternoon beverage of warmth (be it tea or coffee) at the office Keurig. When asked if I wanted to go, I said "Sure, let me just go to the ladies' room first." Upon return to my aisle of the cube farm - 6 or 7 of my co-workers jumped out of cubicles and sang "Happy Birthday"! I was presented with a cake and a card - the cake went very well with my Green Mountain French Roast decaf. This was followed up by an amazing evening at youth group - so much fun playing Charades and spending time with our staff afterwards.

"There's cake? I guess I'll stop by..."

In a few minutes I'm going to head to bed and snuggle up with my awesome husband, falling asleep in his arms and thusly ending my last week of my twenties. I'm SO incredibly excited for my thirties. A few weeks ago when I was reading through some scripture it occurred to me that Jesus started His ministry when He was thirty. Now, I'm not by any means saying that I'm going to go out and change the world - but it did give me pause and force me to think. I can do amazing things. I've gotten out of my awkward stages. I can really start life now.

Tomorrow I turn thirty. I plan on treasuring more and breezing through without attention less. Tomorrow is a new beginning, the start of a new decade and a new phase of life. I am incredibly refreshed and energized for it.

Bring it on, Thirty.

Seasonal Infatuation

Every year at the beginning of August, I start to get excited. Preseason NFL football begins and that is the signal of one thing - fall is right around the corner. Maybe it's the eternal New Englander in my heart, but I absolutely love the fall and feel lucky as heck that I get to experience this season every year in the area that I do.

There are a few reasons that of all the seasons I enjoy the fall the most.

Football: I've always been a football. fan. I can remember being in middle school on the phone with another friend who loved football and yelling at the TV during games. My mom would worry about me when this happened. Part of the reason I joined the marching band in high school was the free admission to the football games... as well as the ability to catch the away games, also for free. I love the game, I love the competition. To me - fall means football.

9 minute highlight reel of my favorite Patriots player - #80, Troy Brown.

Apple Everything: The fall means that the apple crops in New England are coming to harvest, which means that there's apples everywhere. Apple pie, apple cider, apple crisp. Steve and I have now gone apple picking together two years in a row and it's just a fun tradition to have. Apples are one of my favorite foods - raw, cooked, in juice form, in hard cider form, with cinnamon... love apples.

Apple Picking at Mack's in Londonderry - YES.

Beautiful Colors: Anyone who lives in New England knows what I mean when I say that we have the "gray months" around here. It starts right around the middle of November and ends sometime in mid-to-late January when the snow starts to fall a bit heavier (making things a different kind of pretty). However - before these awful, boring months kick in there is this gorgeous explosion of color. Rooms in northern New Hampshire, Vermont, and western Massachusetts book up full of "leaf peepers" looking to take in this amazing site. Besides - when they fall off and are raked in a big pile, there's nothing more fun than jumping into a big pile of freshly raked leaves.

A Shot Pre-Foliage Peak: Lincoln, NH

The Air: Some people hate that fall chill - but I love it. It's crisp, it's not too cold yet, it's got a unique feeling to it. The fall air reminds me of walking to school and running my feet through the leaves that had accumulated, taking in deep breaths and just loving life with every step. I can't wait for the rain to break this weekend (and the darned heat!) so I can take a run in it on Sunday morning.

The Food: There's something about football and apples that brings about some awesome food. Chili, apple crisp, pumpkin pies, butternut squash soup, warm apple cider, cider donuts. The fall food is just so incredibly comforting. I already touched on this recently with my Top 5 Football Foods post - but there's a lot more to love about fall food.

I am so glad the fall is here; I just wish it wasn't such a short season. Maybe one of these years it will last just a little bit longer into November...

Changes

Today I got a warning that my code from The Cutest Blog on the Block was about to expire. I also got a warning that the site might be slow; in fact, it was so overloaded that I couldn't even get on the site at all.

So I found another site - Final Sense - that also has free Blogger templates. Quite a selection and easy to use/install on to the blog.

I have some tweaking to do to get it where I want it to be - but for now it's in progress.

Bear with me for a few days while I finish updating the look.

Update: I think I've got it where I want it for now. In a few weeks I may tweak Cutest Blog again. We'll see. What are your thoughts?

Looking for Help - Table Runner!

I am posting an absolute shameless cry for assistance.

I own a sewing machine. I recently only found out I own a sewing machine, and I have never used it. My specialty is crocheting with cooking at a tie - I don't sew (yet), which means I'm probably not terribly good at it. Certainly not good enough to be decorating my house, that's for sure.

Here's where I'm sending out the shameless cry for assistance.

I'm hoping that by the time my mom comes to visit in October, I can have our dining room finished. This means that I'll have our chairs reupholstered, curtain tie backs up, and table/china cabinet decorated by October 7th (she comes on the 8th). My problem? Since I don't yet know how to sew with a machine, I don't trust my undeveloped skills to create what will end up being the centerpiece for my dining room - a table runner.

I am asking - if there's anyone at all out there who knows how to sew that would be interested in performing this task for me - please let me know. Or refer someone. Either way. I would be extremely appreciative!!!

**Update - Kimberly from Kimberblog! has offered to do this. YAY for having crafty friends!!**

I'll buy the fabric, I'll pay for your labor. I'm even willing to barter with any non-crocheters out there for a scarf - winter IS right around the corner, you know.

Here's what I'm looking for. I want the runner to have this sort of basic pattern (two lines of trim with a center fabric, no tassles):

But using these two fabrics in place of what you see in the picture:

Tommy Bahama Cat Island Surf - this would be the two edges in the picture above

European Linen Cream - This would be the center fabric

If this is something you can do OR if you know someone who can do it - I would be incredibly appreciative.

Thanks in advance!!!

Coming Soon...

We are all moved.

We are in absolute AWE of how God provided for us as we prepared our new home and moved all of our belongings from our old apartment/storage unit to our house. We knew that we were taking a big risk in trying to do so much prep work (painting, flooring install) in a short period of time, and we also knew we were taking a risk in moving over a holiday weekend.

But we trusted that God would guide our hands and that He would provide. We had a TON of help and we are so grateful to our friends that were able to move our stuff, help paint, help clean, and provide support in lots of different ways as we moved into our home. I cannot stress enough how amazing the process has been as we've gotten settled and nested. We are incredibly grateful to God for His love & provision.

That said - we still don't have internet, so the blog will be better updated relatively soon after we do. I've got a few entries mulling around in my brain - and there might even be a guest appearance this summer from Steve and his grill in "Mission: Cookbook". That Bobby Flay book he's had collecting dust might actually get some use.

Hope that my handful of readers out there are enjoying their summers!!!

"It's a Major Award!"

You all know the movie "A Christmas Story" when the leg lamp arrives... the surprise "Major Award" that the dad receives. There's really nothing quite like getting a wonderful package when you're not expecting it... even if it is a hideous leg-lamp.

When we went to the 2010 Made in NH expo a couple of weeks ago, we entered several contests at several different food and/or wine related booths. The food was so wonderful that we couldn't help ourselves but try and get a chance to get some free stuff. One of the booths - Zorvino Winery of Sandown - had a bowl for business cards. I threw mine in without a second thought.

Last Friday was a particularly crazy day at work. For a Friday it was pretty non-stop with several random curveballs thrown at me mid-afternoon so my frazzled level was at maximum capacity. At 4:57, my phone rang at my desk and the caller ID read "Zorvino Winery". My initial thought was... why the heck are they calling an airplane parts manufacturer?

Then the man on the other end - Tom - informed me that I won one of the gift baskets they were giving away. In fact, not only did I win a gift basket, but because we attended on Saturday I won "the big one". We made arrangements to meet this week at McKinnon's in Salem so that I could get my gift basket. Yesterday was the day - and boy-oh-boy was it a wonderful basket!

The contents:

• 2 bottles of Zorvino's wine (Pinot Grigio and Zinfandel)
• 7 boxes of tasting chocolate (that all indicated what type of wine goes best with it)
• A jar of marinated mushrooms
• A jar of marinated artichokes
• A soy candle (Zinfandel scent) from a NH candlemaker
• A cookbook made up of all different recipes made with wines from the different wineries in NH

The basket still had its price-tag on it (presumably because they sell them in their shop) - it typically sells for $95! We immediately flipped through the cookbook (man is there some tasty looking stuff in there) and tasted some of the 72% dark chocolate that was included. I can't wait to try out their wines and I'm sure that the cookbook will be featured in one of my Mission: Cookbook endeavors.

What a wonderful surprise that was to win the basket!

If You...

Steve and I enjoy to go out on dates together. We keep it simple - usually just a dinner at one of our favorite local restaurants like T-Bones or The Common Man (NH restaurant chains, quite yummy) - because while we enjoy good food the part of the date that's more important is just spending time together, enjoying each other's company. It's rare for us to be one of those couples over dinner who barely ever speaks to each other; in fact, we always have some of our best discussions over a good meal.

One of the things that can sometimes happen when we hit a natural lull in a conversation is that Steve will come out with a hypothetical question for us to ponder. You know the type - the "If you were on a deserted island and could only have one book and one CD" or "If you got a round-trip ticket to anywhere in the world, where would you go" kinds of questions. These questions are always fun for us for a few reasons; for one it challenges us to stretch our imaginations. There are no limits with these questions so we can always think big and have fun with our answers.

Another thing that's fun about these questions is that it helps us to always know each other as we grow in our relationship. Even though we are one person now, over time both of our tastes and answers have changed. For example - whereas 10 years ago I might have said I would bring "Anne of Green Gables" with me to a deserted island, now there's no doubt in my mind I'd bring The Bible with me.

The other night we walked to T-Bones for dinner because the night was too beautiful to pass up. We chatted over an appetizer and until our meals came out of the kitchen. After the waiter placed down our plates - Roast Turkey for me and Maple Glazed Salmon for Steve - we continued talking and sure enough - the natural lull hit.

"If you..." Steve began as he cut off a piece of salmon. I smiled because I knew what was coming.

"If you were given $10,000 that you HAVE to spend by the end of the day - and you can't give any of it away - and it's noon... what do you do with it?"

I thought about it for a while. I'd buy a new computer... I'd go to a travel agency and get us a week to an all-inclusive... I'd go to New Balance and stock up on the sneakers that Steve really likes...

Steve cut me off. "Nope. That's giving it away, if you get me sneakers. You can't do that. You can't put any of it in investments either. You have to actually SPEND the money and get stuff for it.The vacation counts because you have tickets and it's for you too - but... those are the parameters."

Crap.

So I thought some more. Everything I thought of after a new computer or vacation was either not worth much money in the grand scheme of $10,000 (new GOOD shoes still only ran me $500)... I could not come up with $10,000 worth of stuff that I would want to do for myself. Gift cards for family members who could use a lift... nope. I was reminded that was giving it away. I really, really struggled.

When I finally (15 minutes later) "spent" all the money - I tossed the question back at Steve. My initial thought was that he would have an easier time with it than I did. I was wrong!

"I'd get myself a new computer. I'd get you a new computer..."

"Nope! That's giving it away! You can't do that either!"

While he was able to answer the question quicker than I did (7 minutes or so), he still had a hard time not doing something for someone else with this "money".

This led me to think about something. We have always heard the old addage that "It is better to give than to receive." There are lots and lots of places in scripture where we are encouraged and urged to be generous with our resources. We feel a sense of goodness in our hearts when we give to others - it can be anything from a large donation of our funds to a small token like a candy bar to a sad child.

It becomes obvious that generosity is in our very nature as human beings. Generosity is part of love, and we are by nature creatures who crave giving and receiving love. God wants us to love each other, and love him - so it is obvious to me that we are wired to be giving of ourselves in many ways. Our time. Our finances. Our resources. Our hearts.

Would it be difficult for you to answer that same question?

If you were given $10,000 that you HAVE to spend by the end of the day - and you can't give any of it away - and it's already noon... what do you do with it?

Enjoying the Warmth

It was cold.

I could not believe that I had actually done it. I looked into the mug at what was left of my coffee from earlier that morning and saw the last 4 sips of coffee. Knowing full well that even just one sip - let alone four - would be absolutely disgusting I took a sip anyways. What entered my digestive track was one of the nastiest samplings of coffee that had ever made its way into my body.

I couldn't finish the last 3 sips. From that moment on, I made absolutely sure that I finished my coffee before the heat escaped the insulated sides of the thermal mug. I could not put myself through the torture of another sip of cold coffee. Even an afternoon cup of tea had to be enjoyed in that brief window of warmth - the 15 minute period between "burn your face off" hot and "this might as well be served on a porch in the summer" cold.

There would be no sipping and enjoying the warm beverage for Danielle at her desk.

But then... it happened. A life-changing moment for the cubicle farm resident who does not drink coffee or tea merely for the caffeine rush. A moment of wonderful for the coffee drinker who savors every sip and wants the pleasure to last for hours.

The mug warmer.

(Picture found at giftmugs.com)

It was a day I will never forget. A "Secret Santa" swap with the colleagues in Customer Service at work with a $10-15 cash limit on gifts was taking place. I watched as people opened various gifts... scarves, coffee, homemade candied popcorn. We laughed as we all made jokes and enjoyed each others' company over crockpots of meatballs and pasta. It was my turn to open the carefully wrapped holiday gift bag that was handed to me with a large smile from one of my co-workers. I pulled aside the paper and found a Toastmasters electric mug warmer, complete with mug and an additional box of teabags for me to sip and enjoy.

I was thrilled, excited to plug in the miniature hot-plate and see if it worked. I washed the mug, placed a tea bag inside, and filled it with hot water from our cooler. I moved the switch on the warmer to the "ON" position... and waited. Two hours later and halfway through my cup of raspberry tea, it was still warm and delicious.

Three years later, the mug warmer still holds a position of pride on the desk in my little piece of land in the cubicle farm. Sitting in front of my computer monitors, it gladly waits for me to return from the kitchen with my mug of Columbian coffee so that it can maintain it at a warm yet drinkable temperature for as long as I need. On those days when I don't get around to finishing my coffee until late into the afternoon hours, my mug warmer has been faithful.

As I sip my coffee and type this, I smile. It's the small things in life, really.

Top O' The Mornin' To Ya!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day everyone!!

In honor of the patron saint of Ireland, we Americans often do things that have absolutely nothing to do with celebrating the life of a man who was able to convert most of Ireland to Christianity back in 432 A.D. We drink green beer, we dye rivers green, and "don we now our green apparel" throughout the country. We put shamrocks on our windows and have parades in the streets to celebrate (those of us who have it) our Irish heritage while flaunting all things green. 

Which is funny... because St. Patrick's original color associated with him was blue. Go figure.

Since most of my heritage is based in the United Kingdom (I'm mostly of Scottish heritage, some Irish & English, with a dash of French and Native American on the side), I have also been known to celebrate this fine holiday. This year I am making my first corned beef & cabbage meal (though it's in the Crockpot instead of boiled) and having friends over for dinner and beer. There's not really a good way to make a corned beef & cabbage dinner for 2 people - so all the better to share it!

Also, I thought I would share with you a bit of Celtic rock from my favorite Walt Disney World band - Off Kilter. Rock music with bagpipes... really? No. You can't go wrong. Here they're performing "Irish Rover" - one of my favorite songs they perform and seemingly appropriate for today.



How are you celebrating St. Patrick's Day?

It Only Takes a Small Thing...

I was at the gym last night powering away on the elliptical when this commercial came on one of the TVs that was within my view. It's a longer advertisement for Liberty Mutual insurance - but the message is one that might as well make it a PSA (public service announcement).



I absolutely loved this commercial! The idea that just doing a small thing to help out a fellow human being can make a difference and cause a ripple effect is actually a huge idea when you think about it. Imagine if the domino effect of small helpful favors witnessed by others cause those people to be inspired to do something small to help someone else out. Imagine how that would grow the hearts of those doing the small acts of kindness, then how the hearts of those receiving the kindness would grow, and they would do small acts to others... and before you know it we're all just loving each other in all of these small ways.

Imagine the power of that much love spreading... imagine how much bigger it could get. Today you hold a door, tomorrow you hold a door AND help carry their bag, the day after you hold a door AND help carry their bag AND ask them how they're doing.

You see?

Attitude is contagious whether it's positive or negative. For example - if someone cuts you off in traffic because they're rushed and in a hurry, you get flustered. Then you get to work and are unable to focus because you clearly almost died the way that person cut you off, and your work doesn't get done so you get cranky. Then you snap at the person who you perceive is taking too long to get their coffee and you can't get yours. That person gets flustered and goes back to their desk, upset about how you acted. They in turn snap at their boss whose feelings are hurt... etc.

But positivity is contagious too. If you're in a room full of people who are laughing, joking, and having a good time - it's hard to stay negative for too long. When I come home in a rotten mood because of work, Steve has a great ability to act like a giant goofball and laugh until I join him... and my mood improves.

Kindness and generosity are the same way.

We should all be inspired by this two-minute advertisement. While I'm not inspired to purchase Liberty Mutual Insurance, I am inspired to become more aware of the people around me and how I can do small things to help them have a better day and an easier go at whatever they're doing. Will you join me in this quest to make the world a better place, one small act of kindness at a time?

Finding Love at 30,000 Feet

If anyone has ever been on an airline flight, you know that the airline flight attendants can be hit or miss in terms of attitude. Some can be extremely wonderful and helpful, others can be curt and unpleasant. Typically I find most airline attendants are relatively nice, and every once in a while there's one that will really stand out.

This last weekend on a flight from Orlando to Boston, I found an airline attendant named Kim with a big heart and love for others.

It seemed like Kim was like any other good airline attendant. She took our drink orders, made her announcements flawlessly, and made sure her passengers had everything they needed. She brought me my ice water and Steve his seltzer and cranberry juice with a big smile. When Kim came around to collect our trash was when we learned that there was something different about our flight attendant.

She came down our aisle with the white trash bag wide open collecting everyone's cups, bottles, snack bags, used tissues, or other debris that is typically found on the plane. When she got to our row, Steve reached over to throw away his cans; she politely asked him to hang on and let her grab the cans. She very deliberately took the tabs off of each can before throwing them away, and slipped the tabs into her pocket. Curious, Steve asked her why she was saving the tabs. She casually said "Oh, we get 3-cents per tab for the Ronald McDonald House. Last year we were able to build 13 cottages, and since I can get all the tabs here on the flights, I just take a couple of extra seconds when I collect the trash to pull the tabs off." With a shrug and a smile, she continued down the aisle collecting trash (and presumably) tabs.

One too many
Originally uploaded to Flickr by mar52laine

A little while later while Steve was in the bathroom, Kim came over to inquire about what I was crocheting. After I told her what I was working on, I mentioned to her that I had a pile of pop-tabs at home and asked if there was an address I could ship them too (there used to be a drop for the Shriner's at my office, and there isn't anymore). She perked up a bit, said she absolutely did, and came back with an address on a slip of paper for me.

Kim then proceeded to tell me about the involvement she and her family have with the Ronald McDonald House. She lives very close by and is active in serving there, as are her children. Her kids walk over there on the weekends and read to the children who are in there for treatments. Additionally, she helped to build the cottages that the kids stay in while they are there for chemo and is currently working with a team to put together bags with portable DVD players and movies for the kids. This would allow them to have their own stuff rather than relying on what the hospital has available for entertainment. She also told me that on Christmas Eve, they had gotten a lot of snow and were snowed in baking cookies and making fudge. They put together platters of cookies & fudge and brought them over not only to the Ronald McDonald house, but also to the Emergency Room staff at the medical center down the street from where she lives.

I was very excited to hear Kim's story and was in awe of seeing how God was using Kim and her children to serve others in their community. Her passion for serving the kids of the Ronald McDonald house was visible not only in how carefully she removed the pop-tabs from the cans, but also in how excited she was when she told me about the work she and her kids are doing.

When Steve got back from the bathroom, I told him about what I had learned about Kim and how God was using her to do His work. At the end of our flight, I slipped the paper with Kim's address in my bag and made sure not to lose it while we were unpacking. I have a boatload of pop-tabs to mail to a very loving, excited flight attendant.

Fish as a Community Model

I think that anyone who has ever owned a pet will attest to the unexpected intelligence and acts of emotion you get from them. These acts can make you laugh or touch your heart; whether it's the protective dog or the cat who will nuzzle with you just when you need it the most, there's no doubting that pets have that capacity build into them innately.

Steve and I have a 90 gallon aquarium (anything that large no longer qualifies as a standard "tank") that at some point in time we think we would like to not have anymore (it's a bit cumbersome to manage - cleaning it is an afternoon endeavor, never mind it's an extra piece of furniture). In the meantime - there are still fish that live in it so we feed them, clean the tank, and just watch them live in their little community. When Steve originally got the tank 6 years ago, it was home to Jag, Tex, Cat, Mouthful, Mom, and baby Domino (I might be missing one, but I'm not sure).

Domino grew up and he & Mom had several litters of babies themselves. Watching them parent was a really cool thing; they would make sure their babies stayed herded together and work to save them from certain death by being eaten by the other fish or burying themselves in the rocks. While Mom would gather food and chew/spit it out so the babies could eat, Domino would protect the babies by warding off the other fish when they would get too close. Out of at least 3 litters of babies, we did have one survivor for a time who we named Genie. Genie died after we moved to our current apartment; the move spooked the other fish and one of the larger fish (we presume Jag) ate him.

 Domino, Mom, & Babies

Over time, the tank whittled down to just Jag, Mom, and a new addition Spunky. Spunky started out as a bit of a misnomer; when we first got him, he would just hang out in one corner of the tank and not do a thing. He wouldn't even swim to the top for food because he was afraid of Mom & Jag. Then one day, Spunky lived up to his name and started trying to play... with Jag. Jag is our big old curmudgeon in the tank; he's very much the "Get off my lawn" old man fish. When Spunky would come over to Jag's little hole and try to play... needless to say, Jag did not like that at all.

Well... fish or human, when you live together for a while you become family.

Mom is the oldest of our fish, hands down. These fish have a standard lifespan of about 5-6 years; she's 7. She's had a lot of babies, which makes her very tired for a fish. Saturday night when I went to feed them, I noticed she was not floating about horizontal; she was floating on a diagonal. I pointed it out to Steve, who reminded me that she's old and probably on her last legs (or fins... whatever). Later that night as we were heading to bed, I noticed that she was swimming about the tank. Because of how she'd been recently - kind of "quiet" and in her little hole - I took pause to watch what she was up to and called Steve over to watch too. She swam past Jag, who came out of his hole and nuzzled against her side. She swam to the top and nibbled at a stray piece of food; Jag stayed at her side the entire time. As she went back to her hole with Jag right behind her, Spunky took notice of what was going on. Before long, Mom was back to her spot and Jag (who never leaves his old man house) and Spunky (who, while full of energy during the day, is usually super still at night) were on either side of her.

We stood amazed at the love these three fish have for each other.

 

Jag & Spunky at Mom's side - 2/13/10 

When we woke up in the morning, Jag & Spunky had returned to their normal spots... and we noticed that Mom was passed away; gently laid on a fallen filter piece in the back of the tank*. Steve reached in to remove her from the tank, and Jag & Spunky came out and just watched him. This was unique because the net usually spooks them back to their spots, but they literally just floated there watching as he removed Mom from the tank. Their behavior was not the same for a couple of days; the most touching moment of the morning was when Steve tried to offer them food... because he copes by stress eating, he thought the fish might want a snack.

It has been amazing with this aquarium over the last few years to watch as God's creatures live, love, play, and mourn. Anyone who thinks that fish are mostly just for show should set up a community tank and observe as they form that community and support one another - til death do they part, with unconditional love.

*No matter how many times we put it back on, Spunky takes it off and puts it there. We've given up; clearly that's where he wants it.

Howahya?

This morning I decided to eat breakfast at work. I typically don't like to do this because I'm very particular about how I eat my cereal. I prefer it in a glass bowl, with a metal spoon, and very cold milk (see what I mean). When I decide to eat my breakfast at work, I pack it in a Pyrex bowl, keep the milk very close to my ice pack in my lunch sack, and bring my own spoon.

Today I forgot my spoon.

As it turns out this is the least important of the criteria I prefer for my cereal, so while my laptop booted up I walked down to the cafeteria to grab 2 spoons (one for my yogurt later). I opened the drawer, pulled out 2 spoons, and as I was closing the drawer I heard a cheerful "Good morning, Danielle!".

I looked up to see the coworker whose cubicle is diagonally connected to mine. We often say a Gopher Hello (meaning our heads pop up from the cube farm) and have talked about our respective churches on occasion. "Well good morning to you - how are you today?"

He paused. "OK. Yeah. I'm OK."

I said "Well, that's certainly better than lousy - so it's a great start, right?"

He laughed a bit. "Yeah, that's true..." Then as we were walking back to our cubicles he told me this story:

"There's an 86 year old guy who goes to our gym. Swims, works out, great shape. I saw him the other day and I said 'Hey, how are you?'"

I looked up at my coworker (he's very tall) and watched his face light up as he told the rest of this brief story. "When he answered he said: 'Better today than yesterday, but not as good as tomorrow!' Isn't that awesome?"

Better today than yesterday. Not as good as tomorrow.

I had to agree - that is an AMAZING answer to have. What a great outlook on life! To know that each day can bring new and exciting adventures, to always think that the only way to go is up - no matter what the circumstances. There is a lot of credit to be given and something to be said for someone who has that kind of positivity.

Talk about living fully!

That man whom I've never met is now my inspiration for today. I am sitting up a little straighter in my cubicle knowing that today I can be better than yesterday. That tomorrow will be better than today. That no matter what the circumstances, I can find something positive, some area of growth, some way to love someone. While I don't know if I can quite say I'm at the point yet to be like that every day - I can at least start to turn my attitude in that direction. I can practice starting now.

How are you today?

Bedside Manner

A while ago, I realized that we had this great plant that needed sunlight. The problem was that we didn't have a stand to put the plant on, so I moved what I was using as a night stand into the front room so that we could use it as a plant stand. I realized quickly that I was going to run into an "Ernie Breaks the Cookie Jar" problem if I wasn't careful.



Classic.

Anyways... so for a while rather than moving everything around and running into that dilemma, I just left the space empty. This meant that my current book(s) and my box of tissues were permanently on the floor, and if I had my phone or glasses with me at bedtime those ended up on the floor as well.

 

Today I went to the Christmas Tree Shop on the hunt for something to put on my side of the bed that would be a bit better and neater than just throwing things on the floor. I will say - the Christmas Tree Shop never lets me down. For $12.99, I got a 4-shelf bookcase, and for $6.99 I got a cute small lamp. Not only did I solve the problem of the floor clutter, I also found a way to not have to have Steve get out of bed and turn the light off every time I'm reading and he's not.

I haven't even taken advantage of this before-sleep convenience, and I'm slightly more content already. Not only did I get these things, I scored 6 skeins of Lion Brand Suede yarn for $1.29/each and 4 different sets of notecards for $1.00 or under. Don't you just love a bargain?

Caved and Splurged

After years of making dumb comments* about how I could never ever justify such a purchase... I broke down and did it.

My in-laws gave me some money for Christmas, and so with that money I went ahead and bought a Vera Bradley bag... and a matching wallet. And I hate to admit - I love them both, can see where they can be addictive (if you're into purses/purse accessories, which I am), and still stand behind my previous statements that they are way overpriced. I can honestly say I never would have bought them if I did not receive the money as a gift... but yes, I love them.

After months (okay... years) of watching the Vera Bradley patterns and not liking at least 50% of them, I realized there were a few that I really liked in their latest line-up: Raspberry Fizz, Java Blue, Cupcakes Pink, and Carnaby. While we were at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center yesterday waiting for Steve's dad to get out of surgery, I went into their gift-shop and noticed that the prices on the bag and wallet I liked were not any different than the local Hallmark store. In addition to that, part of the proceeds go back to the hospital funds which means you're supporting a great research & teaching hospital. This meant that I could feel somewhat better about purchasing a Vera Bradley product.

When the jury in my head deliberated and looked around, I decided on the Betsy purse and the zip-around wallet in Java Blue. The wallet is one of the best I've ever owned, and the bag is very roomy without being too bulky. I can easily fit my wallet, coupons, and a book along with all the other junk I carry around on a regular basis.

Here they are in all of their glory:

Like I said - I love them and would definitely get them again, though, I think next time I would look for a good deal on Craigslist, eBay, or a local consignment shop.

*To those who I have made dumb comments about Vera Bradley to in the past, I hear-by officially publicly apologize. You were right. These are great products. It's just the price tag I have a hard time getting past.