Wordless Wednesday: Couch Potato =]

Oh, the blogs you'll read...or To blog or not to blog?...

I remember a time when I didn't even know what a blog was. I heard of people that referred to themselves as bloggers, or I'd read that someone found this or that idea on a blog, but what in the world was it?? The great thing about a blog is that it can be anything you want it to be! For me, it is an outlet. I need to write. I need to think. I am one of those people that have always kept a journal of some sort. Those of you that know me, know I like to scrapbook. To me, this is like an online scrapbook. I like to jot down great ideas, encouraging quotes, a good recipe, etc. A blog is also a way for me to share with and update my family and friends. I update several times a week and really would like to update daily.

I also like reading others' blogs. I have several saved on a sidebar on my page if you are interested in seeing where I go. I also visit blogs that are on the blogroll from a site that I frequent. Sometimes, I will save a blog to the sidebar if I stumbled upon it, but don't have time to read it.

Now, do I agree with everything that is on these blogs that I read? Of course not. But, I am not one of those people that is so close minded that I can't learn from someone else.

One of my favorite blogs to read is Christine's. She is a pastor's wife, but not your average, run of the mill pastor's wives. She is very vocal about world issues, going green, homeschooling, adoption, politics and more. I don't always see eye to eye with her, yet I can read her blog every day and learn something from it. I love her honesty and humor.

Another blog I read daily is called Work In Progress. I have it listed as Cool Ideas. You can order kits from this site for scrapbooking, card making, etc., but more importantly you can get tons of ideas from the ladies there. From home decor, to baking the perfect cupcake, to making homemade baby shower things; she's got it all!

Other blogs I frequent are Pioneer Woman and Adventures in Bento making. Both are filled with great recipes, food ideas, great photography, and life in general. Makes for very interesting reading. Oh, yeah. You probably need to enjoy reading unless you find a photo only blog. They have those too. =] If you do stop by, make sure to leave me a comment. It's not hard. Just click on the word comments at the bottom of each post. All you need is a google account or blogger account (free and easy to sign up for).

Check back frequently...you may be the topic of the day. =D

Blog Challenge #13 - "Act Your Age"

This was the one I forgot to do. It's a hard one for me, so I put it to the side to think about it. Then I got busy...you know the rest! Nevertheless, my OCD will not let me skip it. It even bothers me that it is out of order - but it's here!
From Jenner:
If you could go back to any age again, how old would you want to be and why? What age would you least like to be and why?

If I could go back to my Jr. High days in Germany, I would. Not because they were great, but because I got into way too much trouble. I would really like to go back and change things. I made a lot of choices that I am not proud of. I put my parents through hell, really. Most people would say that it was normal teenage stuff, but still - I would go back to change it all. I also would not mind going back to the time I lived with my grandparents. Of course you know why if you've read the previous post!
I can't think of an age I wouldn't go back to because I really feel like everything I went through was what has made me who I am now. Like I said earlier though...I would definitely change some things if I could. =]

Blog Challenge #14 "There's No Place Like Home"

This week's challenge is from bonnuit (Judy). I am barely making the deadline! LOL I think I skipped one somewhere...oh yes, lucky #13. I will have to go back and do it...until then - here is this one!

This week tell us about the places you've called home. Have you lived in one place all your life? Tell us about it and why you've chosen to stay there. Have you lived in many places? Where have you lived and what have you done to make each place feel like home? What has been your favorite place to live and why?

Wow. This one is going to be hard. I have lived in so many places. I'd list all of them, but my dh already thinks I put way too much information out in the internet world. LOL Let's just say that I was an Army Brat. We've moved so many times. Then I got married and we've moved just as much as someone in the military! I guess working in the ministry can sometimes feel like being in the military.

I feel like singing Johnny Cash's "I've Been Everywhere". I will pick one place that really is a special memory for me.

One place that I feel was a privilege to call home, was when I lived with my grandparents for a year. When I was 9 (3rd grade), my dad got an assignment to go to Korea. After much discussion, my parents decided that it would be better for me to live with my grandparents while they were in Korea. They did not want to interrupt my schooling. Anyway, this was such a special experience for me. They lived in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

I remember going for a walk every Saturday with my grandfather. We would walk downtown to meet my grandmother who had gone out early that morning to get her hair done for church. As we walked, he would talk to me about everything under the sun. I would listen intently. He told me stories of his childhood, his time in the Air Force during WWII, he'd explain things that we saw and how they worked, and I listened to it all! I loved listening to him and I loved how he would answer all of my questions as if every single one of them were so important. Our first stop was the newspaper stand. He'd buy the local paper and 3 other big ones like the New York Times. I would be allowed to pick one thing. I usually chose to get an Archie comic book. Our trip would continue on to a little place called Johnny's. This is where my grandmother would wait. We'd get a Coke. I always asked for a Shirley Temple so that I could get a Marashino cherry in it.

Then the three of us would go to the library. This is probably one of my favorite memories of my childhood. To this day, I believe that my grandparents helped to instill in me my love for books. I was allowed to check out as many as I wanted. I remember choosing 3 or 4 chapter books a week and I would read them all. I read all of the Boxcar Children, all of the Ramona books, Nancy Drew, The Little People, Secret Garden, Black Beauty...the list goes on.

Then we'd head out and run any errands that needed to be done that day and the trip would end at a restaraunt for a late lunch.

I had so many great memories that I could go on and on. I just loved the fact that they never made me feel like a burden to them. They always made me feel like it was my home. I learned how to cook and bake there, learned how to sled, play rummy =], ... Yes, this was home for me for one whole year and I will never forget it!

Love this girl!

I have the same routine every morning (as long as it's a "regular" day). I get up, brush my teeth, make my bed (if no kiddos are in it), make a cup of coffee, have my quiet time, and then head over to my laptop to read my emails, SS, blogs, check facebook, etc.

Naomi is usually up before the other girls. She ALWAYS comes out to where I am and in the sweetest voice (eyes barely open yet) says, "Good morning, mommy." Oh.my.word. Talk about melting me and starting my day out right! I started getting used to it and then just today thought I'd share it with all of my friends. Oh, and it's always followed with the best hug and snuggles.

Just love her to pieces. Seriously. God is so good to me. I really have the best family.

Wordless Wednesday: Splash!

Last of the updates...

Sunday was spent at church really. Erin, Melissa and I sang together at church, Erin and Melissa sang a duet, and of course Erin sang several more songs. Marco had advertised a concert - basically. LOL It was great. A great portion of our ramblings this weekend was about our faith. We each may have grown in our own way spiritually, but one thing had not changed and that was our love for Christ. It had grown, actually. The three of us were more free now as adults, mothers, wives, and Christians to worship as we felt was best for us.

We had a great lunch (with my family) at the Soup Plantation. Erin and Melissa loved it. Amazing salad bar, homemade bread and pasta bar...all fresh! Yum. Erin spoke to my ladies group in the evening. That was really cool. I was glad that they could hear someone else that loved Christ and was totally down to earth - and normal. The ladies really enjoyed it.

They both had to leave early the next day. It was bitter-sweet and seemed too short. How was it possible that we felt like there was still so much to talk about? We vowed that we would have to begin planning our next get together. We have another friend that we were missing the whole time. We want to definitely include her - this get together just happened so spontaneously. For those of you that read through the whole thing, I commend you. I wasn't very witty or funny. Just wanted to record it somehow. Just as I thought, I found that I could not find words to describe the great feeling that we three friends had. Sure I recorded it, but I wanted you to know, to feel what we had. Oh well, I guess you'll just have to call up some of your friends and try it for yourself!