Update

Hey! Wuz up? Nuttin’ much here.

Hehe! Remember junior high?! Good times! I bet kids nowadays don’t even pass notes in class anymore…they just text. What a shame.

Anyway…the point of the post was just to let you, my loyal followers, all 3 of you, what has been going on around here.

I was planning on doing a “Best Aunt Ever!” post. I was going to visit my sister and nephews and watch their football games and make signs and wear game shirts!... but Maggie (the puppy) hasn’t had all of her shots so she couldn’t stay at the PetHotel. So alas, it has been reduced to sending them Halloween pencils. The oldest may be too old for them, but it’s the thought that counts, right?!

I wanted to throw a huge UFC (Ultimate Fighter Championship) party Saturday night. I was envisioning red and black plates and napkins, snacks, plenty of seating… but everyone had already eaten and I just simply didn’t have enough comfortable seating for everyone and I’m too poor to go buy something. So again, alas, we just simply had people over and sat around watching the fights.

I did, however, buy a super cute tablecloth from Target, along with napkins, and napkin rings. And I sat my table. 

Unfortunately, I only have 3 chairs so I only made 3 place settings. In my copious free time, I’ll iron everything, but until then they will just stay wrinkled :)

I really want to make a fall wreath I saw on BHG.com, maybe when my mom comes to town. I’m supposed to plant pansies in October, but you’re insane if you think I’m going to do it by myself!

 

This weekend is Halloween, and I can’t tell you how much I’m not looking to it! But I’m trying super hard to get into the spirit, so maybe I’ll post something later in the week!

The next weekend Tami is going to take our family picture for our Christmas card! What should I wear? Something festive? Or something more generic? You tell me!

Compliments

Have you ever given a compliment that you didn’t mean? I know I have! Lots of them!

“Oh! I love those shoes!” or “Your hair looks so good!”

I tend to only give them to strangers or people I try really hard to find something good about… so not my close friends! I’d [politely] tell them if I disliked something ;)

But really, I think we’ve all given those. So who is to say that when I receive I compliment it’s true? I don’t know if it’s true. Because I guarantee you, the woman with the ugly holiday sweater loves her ugly holiday sweater and doesn’t know it’s an ugly holiday sweater (hint hint: don’t wear ugly holiday sweaters!). And on the flip side of that, if I receive a compliment from a friend or family member of course they’re going to say that… they’re my friend/family!

For instance: here’s a real conversation between me & my friends (whom you’ve met)

From: Emily
Subject: RE: Operation Beautiful

Tami, are you going to continue with the word meaning thing?

Beautiful has always been my favorite word. If you could describe me in anyway, beautiful would be the biggest compliment. To me, it’s more than just outward beauty… and the outward part of it is more of an elegance. In fact, in high school (cause we know I love naming hypothetical babies) I always wanted to name my daughter something that meant “beautiful.” My fave was Kennice, kinda weird, but I liked K’s back then.

From: Tami
Subject: RE: Operation Beautiful

And Emily, our very dear friend, you are so very beautiful.

From: Emily
Subject: RE: Operation Beautiful

HAHA, that compliment doesn’t count.

From: Lindsay
Subject: RE: Operation Beautiful

Why wouldn’t Tami’s compliment count?

From: Emily
Subject: RE: Operation Beautiful

Because I just said beautiful would be the biggest compliment. you can’t give that compliment after just saying that!

From: Lindsay
Subject: RE: Operation Beautiful

But we tell you that all the time and you don’t really accept it anyway!

And it DOES count b/c she meant it…so there!!

I don’t know what it’s going to take for me not to believe that everyone’s throwing out empty compliments.

But I am reminded of this verse:
Titus 1:15 (New King James Version)
¹⁵ To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. – I’m the defiled in this case because I’ve thought bad things about people so I need to purify myself of those things and focus on everyone’s beauty.

P.S. Check out operationbeautiful.com it’s a site with people posting notes saying something to the effect of “you are a beautiful woman.” It’s really neat.

Tray thingamajigs

7gypsies tray is all the rage at Archiver’s (archiversonline.com: a chain store for scrapbooking/crafts..super cute). And I kind of want to make one… but of what?

No, not my dogs. I’m trying really hard not to be that person.

I don’t have kids.

Oh! Great idea! But I can’t share it because I don’t know if the person it involves reads this.

Check back with me later to see how it goes! And by later, I mean Christmas after I give it as a gift.

Oh Christmas Tags, Oh Christmas Tags…

I don’t have “vision.” I can’t see 5 pieces of pretty paper, 7 paper punches, glue, and ribbon and see a wonderful masterpiece. No. I see an overwhelming amount of craft stuff and immediately want to give up and take a nap. But I didn’t have a choice this past Friday.

CA (Club Awesome) scheduled a craft day. You could do whatever you wanted to, but basically it was to schedule girly time and have something to blog about :)

So, I get there 2 hours late (work) to a fresh-baked-cookie-scented house full of beautiful Christmas cards, super cute tags, and a half-made shoulder bag. And then I start hyperventilating. Ok, not really, but still!

So I just sit down and start punching.

And then I start gluing or using those cute little 3D sticky things.

My greatest accomplishment was my “To” and “From” I wrote on a tag. I have horrible handwriting and I actually did pretty well! Especially since I can’t write in cursive!

When all was said and done, I walked away feeling… well… okay. I didn’t create a masterpiece, but I also didn’t glue my fingers together. Those punches sure hurt though!

Isn't this little guy cute?!

Here’s the four of us:

I want to have a gift-wrapping blog, so once I buy Christmas presents and wrap them and put tags on them, I’ll take more pictures.

Baby Steps

Recently I was asked to help provide food for the elderly or ill at church, and I said no.

What I should have said was “not right now,” but I said no. Actually, I said “I don’t think anyone would want my food,” then gave a face saying “please don’t make me do this!”

My husband didn’t agree with my decision. He made the point that I didn’t have to bring something homemade. But I’m still not there emotionally. Yes, the whole point of this blog is to find my talent, but it’s also to build up my self-esteem and build confidence. It takes A LOT of confidence to go to a stranger’s house and bring them food. If it was someone I already knew, sure I don’t mind, but I don’t know most of the people (I haven’t been going to this congregation for very long).

Also, in our ladies bible class, we’re reading Improving Your Serve by Charles R. Swindoll, and it’s about putting aside selfishness and putting on humility in order to serve people around you. On page 17, he says:
A good self-esteem is not the same as selfishness. Without a strong belief in ourselves, we are easily crippled and wounded in life. A poor self-image is not to be equated with humility or the mark of a servant. As a matter of fact, without a healthy ego, without the confidence that God is in us, on our side, pulling for us, we become fragile, easily bruised, counterproductive people.

And I admit, a little of my insecurities is my lack of confidence in God working through me. I once read, “Faith is not the belief God can do something; faith is the belief God will do something for you.” And that’s so true in my case. I believe God can move a mountain, and I believe God does wondrous things through other people… but not me. Why? Because I’m too scared to let Him.

My solution: practice making a go-to casserole. Something I think everyone would like, a complete meal, something I can make in an aluminum pan, take it, and drop it off with Jay or a friend with me, so I don’t have to do it alone!

Now…what should I make…hmmm… I’ll keep you posted. Once I pick something I’ll attempt to make it. Attempt being the key word here.

Brown Thumb

I've never really had an interest in plants. What's the point? They don't have pretty flowers. But now that I'm an adult, I figure like everyone else, I should have a plant.


Two years ago, my dad's father passed away. My grandmother was literally overrun with plants and flowers so she handed me a Closet Plant to take home.


"Don't worry, they can survive almost anything. Just water it when you see the leaves start to droop," she instructed.


So I took the plant home and constantly watched it, waiting for the leaves to droop. Once they did, I'd fill up a cup of water and pour it into the basket.


Within two months, not only were the leaves drooping, but they were brown.


Oh well.... maybe I can keep an ivy alive. Yeah, that didn't work out too well either. Within five months, it was dead too. Sorry, Grandfather.


A couple of months ago, my husband and I bought a house. And as a housewarming gift my mom brought a Closet Plant... from my grandfather's funeral. How in the world?! It's been two years! I thought to myself, "maybe I just got a bad plant; I'll make sure this one survives."


Nope. I was wrong.


Leaves are brown.

But I found more detailed instructions online, so I haven't given up hope.

Club Awesome

You’ve heard the saying behind every good man is a good woman? Well behind every good blogger is a good team.

Meet Club Awesome.

Yes, I know it’s a silly name. It started kind of as a joke, but it stuck… well, because it’s true. We’re four women that work together, but are completely different. We’re at different stages in our lives, have different values, and varying interests, but get along wonderfully.

Meet Lindsay (LC):

Newlywed, ambitious career-woman, loves sewing and baking. She’s kind of the glue of the group. See her blog at tartlemondrop.blogspot.com

Meet Susan (SG):

Expectant mother, anxious to be a stay-at-home mom, our little actress, and personal gourmet cupcake chef. See her blog at noseriouslynoseriously.blogspot.com

Meet Tami (TK)

Mother of 3, grandmother of 1 (her looks fool ya, don’t they?!), still searching for her “career,” but she’s the one we go to for advice & wisdom. Please encourage her to create blog!

Although we don’t work on the same project anymore, e-mails fly rampantly through Outlook daily. They are going to help me on my journey by giving me ideas, taking pictures, and teaching me their skills. So, expect to see them often!

I am so grateful to God for giving me such wonderful friends.

*raises glass* Here’s to CA!

Don't worry, I have more friends. You'll see Molly, Jordan, Courtney, Tracy, and maybe more later :)