Give Me Five Monday Meme #10

Monday, January 21, 2008

The 'Give Me Five' Monday meme is designed to share fun information with each other in a simple short list! Here's how it works. Each week, I will put out a random topic from my list of topics and you share 5 answers of your choice on the given topic and link back here! You can add photos, links or stories or just a simple list of your own of 5 things that relate to the topic as it pertains to you and your life experiences. It doesn't have to be in any order of importance unless otherwise specified.
Sign up for weekly reminder emails @ beccagirl@charter.net


Give Me Five 'favorite searches' on Ebay (for shopping or browsing or any other ideas not selling related)!

I enjoy shopping and browsing on ebay when I can and thought, what a great topic for Give Me Five! I don't usually buy clothes or especially shoes, I am waaaaaay too much of a 'try-er on-er' for that, but there are many other things ebay offers up for my shopping curiosities among other things...

1. I love to get ideas from ebay. I would never try to make money from these ideas, but sometimes they can be helpful when I'm trying to play a shower or favors for women's luncheons or various other creative projects that come up from time to time. Sometimes you can find parts of your centerpieces for the tables and so on! Other people have great ideas and it helps my creative juices to get going too. Sometimes I'll see one thing and it sparks my mind in a new direction and the end results are always fun and enjoyed by everyone!


2. One of my favorite searches is for "ruthin castle". I know, off the wall right? Ruthin Castle is in Wales and I visited there last year. My saved search checks everyday for new items listed with 'ruthin castle' in the title and you'd be surprised at all the different items that pop up. Obviously the search goes for days with no new results but that's what makes it so exciting when I get that daily email of my favorite searches and there's one listed for Ruthin castle. I was lucky enough one time to win an actual room key from the hotel inside the castle where we stayed!


3. I have become a fan of 'Nigella Lawson' who has a cooking show on Food network called Nigella Express. Her show is out of England and is very fun and interesting. It only airs once a week here in the states (that I know of) and is a half hour show. Admittedly, she makes many dishes that I would never care to try but it's her delivery and poise and eloquence that keeps me coming back for more every week! Ok, that and the eggs. When she cooks with eggs, I am reminded of the gorgeous golden yokes of the English eggs I enjoyed on my vacation last year. I've been going on and on about the eggs so much that every time my friend and I watch Nigella who also goes on and on about them, she says she wants to visit England just to try the eggs! Nigella has a very handy wisk that I picked up for myself and my friend when I visited England last year from Harrod's. Of course you can purchase them online, if you can't make the trek across the big pond yourself.


4. 'At Home America' is another favorite search of mine. I have a friend who sells it and so I keep my eyes out for great deals on items from the past as well as great buys to pick up from the current catalogs.


5. I also have 2 different searches going right now for Arbonne products that have been discontinued that I really liked. It's nice to have the system find items for you and bring them right to your email's inbox. Also, it's nice to have the system to even remember to search for me! Going browsing on ebay isn't something I do everyday by no means, so this helps me 'be good' in those terms as well.

If you don't currently utilize the 'favorite searches' section of ebay, you may be missing out on some really special items, so be sure to give it a try if you haven't already!!Give Me Five Participants

1. Comedy Plus 2. Mama Pajama 3. Julie

4. Mom Knows Everything 5. Misty Dawn 6. Anna

7. maryt/theteach

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2 New Grey Poupons- A review

Recently I was asked to try and give an honest review of the two new Grey Poupon varieties of mustard. First I would like to share a little mustard story or two with you. That's right, mustard stories!

Once, a long, long time ago, I prepared and brought Deviled eggs to a barbecue at a friend's house. You should probably know that I use a bit of regular mustard along with plenty of Grey Poupon in my recipe for deviled eggs. I happen to like the kick it adds to the yokes and mayo to create the perfect egg. Well, I apparently got a little excited with the Grey Poupon mustard and over spiced the eggs to everyone else's taste, except my own, of course. My friends all tried to accuse me of attempting to assassinate them with mustard. After this, mustard of any kind was dubbed 'Becca Sauce' in my circle and everyone would remind me of my attempt on their very lives at every possible convenience. The legend has died down a bit now but every now and then, I get a little reminder.

One day a few years later, I was visiting a friend who had a very young daughter. She was probably 2 1/2 or so...she came around the corner into the living room with a bottle of mustard mumbling something in the most angelic precious voice you can imagine this side of heaven which I had to ask her to repeat a couple of times before I could make out that she was saying, "Becca? You sauce?" Once I figured it out...they had sent her in there loaded with that mustard and the gentle reminder and had put her up to it! That's just wrong, using an innocent child to bring up the past! It happened before she was born! LOL

So needless to say, I was all too excited to be included in a product review to try out these two new varieties of Grey Poupon. The one on the left in this photo is made with whole seeds. Admittedly, I was reluctant to try this one because it seemed sorta chunky but once I did, I have to say it wasn't so bad. Sometimes I have textural issues...but this one wasn't too shabby.

The one to the right is made with tiny little bits of onion! It adds a sort of sweetness to the mustard and really gets your sandwich going! I've enjoyed my turkey sandwich with the spicy mustards! So if you already enjoy Grey Poupon, why not give these new flavors a try?

Share your prayer!

This is taken from my church blog:

Greetings one and all!

This is BeccA and you are reading my inaugural post here on the Valley View blog. I certainly hope to be contributing more in the future. Writing has always been a special treat to me. I mean really, it’s basically talking in written form and as you know, I always have *something* to say!

2008 is well under way and we have lots of fun and exciting things going on in our little church at the top of the hill. Next Monday night is our Family Bowling night and I am really looking forward to it. It’s a great opportunity to have some fun times with our church family! We are all relational beings by divine design and a lot can be gained by fellowshipping with those who share a common bond. So bring the kiddos and come on out to Imperial Bowl @ 6:30 on Monday Jan. 14, 2008. I hope to see you there!

I was thinking about what I could contribute to this blog in my signature creative and fun way. From time to time I have different ideas and think this would be a good platform to share them! God has really moved in my life over the past 2-3 years. This has coincided with joining Valley View and that in and of itself, I feel, was guided by His will as well. I’ve grown in ways I didn’t know I could. There has been much healing of hurts as well as an uncountable measure of knowledge gained through sermons, studies, classes and time spent with other members! I am not saying there isn’t still plenty to discover along the long road in my quest to draw closer to God but I do feel like I am on a good path and heading in the right direction. With God’s grace I will continue to grow!

In today’s busy world, it’s growing increasingly harder to keep up with all of the going ons of our friends and family. We have good intentions of remembering them in our prayers but from time to time we find ourselves remembering too late or after the fact. I feel frustrated that I didn’t remember something important happening to someone I care about! After all, if it were me having surgery or something, I’d want them to remember me in prayer! In an effort to rectify this frustration, for me, I’ve learned that I should just do something right when I think about it, even if it’s before said event.

Let’s take that up to another level, which brings me to the idea behind this post. ‘Share your prayer!’ In today’s high tech world, you can certainly find some form of written communication via email, texting or instant messaging. I decided to put my prayer into this form. “What do you mean, God doesn’t have a cell phone!?” What I’m saying is this: at the same time you are praying to God, go the extra step and type, text or journal it out. Then send it to your friend! It’s actually a very personal way to let them see that you are praying for them and what you are actually praying on their behalf. Our prayers are important not only for those we are lifting up but they mean alot to God as well. Even so that the bible tells us in Revelation 8:3-4, the prayers of the saints are burned with incense up to God!

So the next time you have these things on your mind, take a moment to share your prayer with the individuals themselves. I’m sure they will appreciate your words of faith and love and praises that you’ve expressed to God with their need or situation in mind, I know I would! Just stick to the subject at hand and try not to expound on outside issues or your prayers for other people. It’s not a show and tell people!

Until next time…thanks for reading! Feel free to leave comments, maybe you have ideas you’d like to share too!

=============
(For the Proverbs 31 investigators, as stated above, this post is written by me and also posted over at my church's website in the 'Blog it' section found here. I retain all the rights to the post and this is me giving you permission to use it. I realize it will need to be edited to exclude the bowling and such :) Also, I could expound the topic a bit if need be. The meat of it is only about 350 words or so.)

Here is an example of a recent prayer email to a friend:

I just wanted to come to you right now and lift up my friend 'T'. As you know she's going to have a very important surgery tomorrow morning on her back. Lord, I just pray that you are with the doctors and nurses who will be taking care of her and altering her body in an effort to correct some of the damage from this illness. I know you are gracious and loving and you have all the power to make sure the outcome is successful for her. Her recovery will be long but sometimes we have to go through the pain to get to the reward!

You are perfect and holy and worthy of all praises and we thank you for sharing your love with us even when we don't deserve it! "Who is like you, o Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" Thank you so much for sharing your Son with us and His offering on the cross to make atonement for our transgressions. He is the only way to you and how blessed we are to see the path!

You are the Great Physician and that's why I'm praying for your will to be done for 'T's back situation from here on out! Thank you for bringing special people in our lives who look past the filth of our mistakes to see that you are here in us and worth caring about. I ask all these things in Jesus' name, Amen!

Heads or Tails #21 - The letter "C"

Today's Heads or Tails brought to us by Barb, is anything we want to do or say about the letter "C". I can't pass this one up!

First, I must say this: Counting calories is crazy conversation!

Ok, not that that is out of the way, let's continue! I can't think of anything more worth sharing than a clever little collection of photos with a message. So clean off your computer screen and see if you can figure it out from these cunning shots. There is something in each one that starts with a "C". Can you find them all? Bear with me, I'm being very cheesy.

1.

2.
3.
4.5.

Answers: 1. Christ, 2. Cash, 3. Cross, 4. Cover, 5. Call (box, call box, I know...)

The moral of the story is? Christ came to pay the ultimate price on the cross to cover my sins and create the only true path to God so we can certainly be with them for eternity! All I have to do is call on His Holy name!

Eh? Pretty clever, huh? I can't complain about it! I know, I'm completely crazy!

Give Me Five Monday Meme #9

Monday, January 14, 2008

The 'Give Me Five' Monday meme is designed to share fun information with each other in a simple short list! Here's how it works. Each week, I will put out a random topic from my list of topics and you share 5 answers of your choice on the given topic and link back here! You can add photos, links or stories or just a simple list of your own of 5 things that relate to the topic as it pertains to you and your life experiences. It doesn't have to be in any order of importance unless otherwise specified.
Sign up for weekly reminder emails @ beccagirl@charter.net


Give Me Five things you like and/or dislike about your job.

1. I really enjoy working with numbers! I work for an accounting and tax service and I have had a great time organizing mathematical messes and making things balance. You can really tell alot about what's going on by seeing where people spend their money. Numbers really intrigue me and keep you on your toes. It's fun to use my computer to create spreadsheets and such. I am also the unofficial IT person here in our office so it's my job to keep us up to date and up and running smooth. Like if we needed HDMI products, I'd be the one shopping and installing all of it. Thank goodness I have a friend to get advice from :)


2. My boss is a pretty good guy. I am always late, like everyday late and as long as I make my time up, he doesn't fuss too much. He's quite the character and has no backbone when it comes to certain things, he just wants to be known as a good person. I think people take advantage of him...like me :( But I do make up my time, it's not like I just show up when I want and leave when I want and put in 30 hours and expect to be paid for 40. Also, he's easy to laugh and carry on with when there's no clients in the office. I also enjoy that he is very very flexible when it comes to me taking time off. I know what I have to get done at work and when I have to do everything and I try to work around that schedule but with that in mind, I can usually call him the night before or even let him know the day of that I need to leave early or be off and he almost always answers with "Whatever you need to do." Thanks, boss!


3. I dislike my salary right now. I haven't had a raise in about 4 years and it's beginning to take it's toll. Things are really strapped around our office especially at this time of the year. It makes me so nervous when there's talk that our payroll checks might bounce! But my boss has been a very generous person in the past when he can be.


4. I like that I pretty much do my own thing at work. What I mean by that is, I decide what I'm working on and when I'm working on it. From time to time we do have special projects to do which require me to work within a specific time frame but for the most part, I work at my own pace. I wouldn't enjoy a job where I had a certain quota to meet or had someone looking over my shoulder prodding me along.


5. I love living so close to work. I work about 3 1/2 miles from my office and it takes me about 8 minutes to get there, depending on which lights I get caught at. It's great, especially if I forget something and have to go back home or the office, whichever the case may be.

Biggest Loser - Couples Week 2

Season 5 - Couples

"What have you done for me, to make me feel proud?"

Man, I love this show!!! And watching them every week makes me want to stock up on a variety of fitness equipment so I can get a decent workout at home!

Last week, week 1, introduced us to all the couples which included a couple who had never met before. After a couple of tasks & challenges, including an initial up hill climb for the right to have your choice of trainers between Bob and Jillian. They also raced along a flat course while contending with a giant balloon navigating around obstacles as fast as they could back over the finish line. The first team to go home was a father and daughter team, the green team. I felt bad for the daughter because she was really into it and felt like she needed to stay but her father didn't seem to be in the same place mentally.

Lynn and Jennifer were voted off and sent home. I hope you can stay with it and have success at home!!

This week, week 2, the couples had to ride a ginormous see saw 100 times up and down finishing the fastest to win the challenge! I'm sorry but that looked like wicked fun! I really like it how some of the couples went on and finished the challenge even after the 1st team had already taken the prize. The reward was the privilege of calling home which everyone wanted to do. This week my emotions during the show were as up and down as that see saw challenge! Some contestants ate during the temptation but over all they did ok for the most part. The biggest shocker of the night was when everyone went up to weigh, with the exception of only a very few people, everyone lost such small amounts of weight. 0, 1, 2, 4 pounds, for a whole week! And we saw them working out and sweating...it doesn't make much sense. Bob and Jillian teamed up to train as a duo this week, but honestly, I can't imagine how that would negatively affect the weigh in. Someone should school me if I'm wrong here. Falling below the yellow line and subsequently being voted off to go home this week was the married couple making up the brown team.

Curtis and Mallory, keep up the good work at home, you can do it!!!

Cross it off the list!

I'm getting things done on my big list so I'm here to cross them off! I'm beginning to think I need some kind of organizer to keep it all straight, not so much something like an assisted living software but maybe like a little version of me following me around quietly and keeping me on track. Someone who's job it is to keep up with appointments and run my errands. Ok, now I'm just dreaming!

I have now completed as much as I can on the curtains for my Sunday School class teacher. I will just take my things to her house and finish the rod pockets there as well as finishing the 4 accent pulls to be the desired length to give the curtains proper "droop."

I will take photos to show off my handy-work. They are really very simple curtains, but I think they will look nice in her space!

1 down, 30 to go! :)

Wordless Wednesday - Sunny Skies

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1. JaJireh 2. Carmi - Written Inc. 3. maryt/theteach

4. Michelle 5. Jim\'s other blog 6. Petradear

7. Deb - Mom of 3 Girls 8. Amy Shipp 9. The Momdum Chronicles

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Heads or Tails #20 - New

Today's Head or Tails theme is 'New'. Great topic, everyone has something new to share! 'They' say you learn something new everyday. (I still have no idea who 'they' are, btw)

I will expound the topic by sharing something new I learned at the driving class last Saturday. The traditionally recommended placement for your hands on the steering wheel is 10 & 2. The new recommendation is to place your hands between 7 & 9 on the left (or 8) and between 5 & 3 on the right (or 4). They said it's the best placement for seating position and controls access and also for vehicles with air bags.

Another new aspect of the hand placement recommendation is to consider the 'push / pull' method for executing turns rather than rotating the wheel with one hand. I think because it's safer (keeping the airbags in mind again) than crossing your arms in front of you. Also that you get back to your 8 & 4 position faster by keeping your hands basically within the 7/9 and 5/3 ranges. That will take some adjusting to get used to.


Here's a suggestion, and something I'm also personally working on this year with some friends, try learning a new verse of the Bible each week this year! We decided to take one verse from each book per week (yes, we know, will take slightly longer than one year). Week 1 was Genesis 1:1-3, let's see if I can recall it now: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. The earth was without form and void. Darkness was over the face of the deep and the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters. God said let there be light, and there was light." Ok, I only looked at it a couple of times to check my wording :) This week the verse is Exodus 15:11 and again, I'll try to recite it: "Who is like you oh Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" Ok, admittedly I had to look more than twice on that one but it's only Tuesday!

So go try something new, if you haven't already and create your own Heads or Tails!

Keeping you in the loop - another list!

Well, you know how I love to create lists around here! I think they are about as handy as a tv mount in a hospital room! Ok, that was a stretch...but you gotta love my creativity! LOL

Anyways, back to my list! I have alot going on right now. Well, not just me, but those people around me. Lot's to remember to do and lots to remember to pray for others who have alot to do as well. So here goes, just to keep you in my loop:

• Today, my friend 'T' is having her father's funeral. Need to keep them in my prayers.
• Friday, that same friend 'T' is having major back surgery, again. Need to keep her in my prayers.
• I need to hire a lawyer service to take care of speeding ticket #2 I got a couple of weeks ago.
• I need to finish the curtains for my Sunday School teacher, I told her I would come over after church next Sunday to put them up for her. Now I *have* to finish them! That's kinda why I told her I would come over, to force myself to stop procrastinating here and get it done already!
• I have 3 different sets of curtains to sew for a friend who just moved into a new apartment. I actually promised hers before I did my SS teacher.
• I am trying to set up a meeting with a potential new part time job doing some bookeeping work to increase my income because I haven't had a raise in about 4 years now.
• I have a cousin getting out of jail this weekend. I'd like prayers for him to stay on a healthy path with God's help.
• I got a phone call from an old friend's daughter who said she wants to meet me. Long story there, I won't be going into, but they live in another town about 1 1/2 hours or more from me. So trying to schedule that for a weekend.
• Tax season is upon us and my office is getting busier. I will soon be working 6 or 7 days a week. Great for my bank account, bad for getting things finished.
• I am still having craft classes 2 nights a month. Not terribly time consuming, but still something I have to fit in. I consider this my 2nd job. So the part time bookeeping would actually be my 3rd job. Go me!
• There is a local Christian book and gift store that I have come to like and get to know the owners a bit. In talking to one of them, we decided we would like to start a group of ladies to have a knitting and crocheting meeting once per month. That will be starting soon.
• Next Monday is Church family bowling night, yay! Only trouble there is that last month, their ball return machines chewed up my ball a bit. I turned it into them to send out to the pro shop, but a month later they can't find it.
• I've been invited to a PartyLite party for the same night next week.
• I need to start up our once per month scrapbooking night at church again.
• A friend of mine wants to start up her own scrapbooking night with some friends.
• My friend's mom is moving for the first time in her life-this Saturday. I will watch her kids so she can go help her mom.
• My friend 'P' is going to Orlando, Fla. this weekend for a few days for work stuff. I will try to spend some time with The Wife and kiddos while he's gone.
• My dad is in Texas visiting his brothers and helping them do some stuff. I pray he safely returns home soon.
• My brother and his girlfriend of like 7 years just broke up. They were just going in different directions. This sucks because we really love her alot, she's a sweet woman and we are happy to have known her. I'm sure they are both brokenhearted. There are worse things than death, believe it or not.
• I would like to go to a stamp camp this Friday at my mom's church, but not sure if I will or not or if my friend's will go too. I am waiting for a call back on that one.
• I'm due for a haircut, apointment is on Saturday morning.
• I have a meeting in less than 2 weeks to discuss the women's conference and what I feel lead to do to contribute to it. I am on chapter 3 of like 19! I must read more or all of this book before then, please pray for me!
• I have a Valley Girl Meeting on Sunday 20th. Valley View's women's ministry.
• I am in the process of reconciling with an old friend. Keep that in your prayers too!
• February brings my mom's birthday on the 12th as well as I have tickets to Avenue Q at the Fabulous Fox Theatre. Sorry mom, I'll take you out on another night.
• I also have a court date on Feb. 28th about speeding ticket #1. I took the driver's education class last Saturday in order to get out of points so now I have to present my certificate of completion and hopefully it will go away or take care of some of my fine...not sure, I'll keep you posted there. And yes, I have slowed down!
• February also is the month I have to renew my license plates and registration for my car.
• I have to remember to pay of my new tires before the 90 days has elapsed so I don't have to pay interest.
• I will probably owe big time on my taxes this year since I had to pay in less Federal withholding in order to pay bills last year. Again, no raise in 4 years and every expense I have has gone up considerably!
• I'm still trying to pay off the extra debt I accumulated when I took my big vacation last year. It's not alot but it all adds up.
• My cousin and her husband is having their first baby this June and I am planning the baby shower in early May. It will be alot of fun, I already have lots of ideas. The good news there, her mom offered to pay for everything - within a budget. That's right up my alley, no problem and Thanks!!!
• I also want to be involved with preparing for the baby. Like helping to decorate the nursery and such. I am soooooo looking forward to this baby coming! I can't wait to meet him/her!

So as you can see, there is lots going on! I still go to church 2-3 times a week. Our bowling night is once a month and our Valley Girls meetings are once a month. To that I will most likely add 1 or 2 nights of scrapbooking, a knitting group and Lord knows what else! Life is certainly not boring around here!

Give Me Five Monday Meme #8

Monday, January 7, 2008

The 'Give Me Five' Monday meme is designed to share fun information with each other in a simple short list! Here's how it works. Each week, I will put out a random topic from my list of topics and you share 5 answers of your choice on the given topic and link back here! You can add photos, links or stories or just a simple list of your own of 5 things that relate to the topic as it pertains to you and your life experiences. It doesn't have to be in any order of importance unless otherwise specified.
Sign up for weekly reminder emails @ beccagirl@charter.net


Give Me Five hopes or goals you have for the new year!

This one is very simple, no resolutions allowed though! I don't like them!!


1. I hope I can get my finances in better order and get back on track towards paying off my debt and stop accumulating it!


2. I would like to get my house good and clean and not be embarrassed to have a guest over.



3. I would like to write the book that's blooming in my mind.


4. I would like to go forward with this group of women to put on a conference for 'Women in transition' here in St. Louis. More on that as it develops!


5. Last but certainly not least, I would like to incorporate more reading, writing and bible study into my life on an ongoing basis! This includes finding new ways to be an encourager to those around me and helping out more all around.

I think these are all attainable goals and hopes! They all start with an attitude adjustment and a refocusing of attentions. You can take a safety utility knife and carve a groove into your everyday life to make room to grow, at any age! I hope all of you can take steps in your lives to make goals for yourself and try to reach them!!!

Ok, let's wake up here

I need to stimulate my brain for a few minutes and possibly even stimulate my body. I have a small heater under my desk to keep me warm when it feels drafty. I'll bet that is helping me to feel like I could go right off to sleep!

I could get myself some Mizuno golf equipment and head out to the driving range. Oh, who am I kidding? I'm still on work time here! I need to get up...have lunch...and turn down the heater. I know, I need some caffeine too! Yes, I'll make some tea for myself or drink one of my green teas.

Did you ever have one of those days...

Where you just feel like you could nod off to sleep any second!?


That's me right now...I want to go to sleep so bad, I want to slap somebody! LOL

A 'Farkle' apology

In all fairness, the last time I remember hearing the word 'Farkle' was either at a holiday party a few weeks ago or at church a few weeks ago. Either way, I don't remember promising on Sunday to come play Farkle with a friend on Wednesday but when I didn't show up, they were terribly disappointed in me! Now that friend is threatening to throw me off his blog! So I guess an apology is in order here....I wouldn't want to put a Farkle in my link love chain!

So to my dearest friend, PatrickD. over at Patrick Says, I apologize! I didn't mean to let you down, I didn't even mean to not hear you at all when you thought this Farkle night up in your head but I am sorry you are disappointed in me and I will play Farkle with you at our earliest convenience, you have my word!

Welcome in, 2008!

Greetings to all you passers by. Just a little note to welcome in the new year and kick off my blogging. Things are in full swing around here, plenty going on, the Lord certainly keeps us busy doesn't He? For all those people who think Christianity is boring, think again!

One thing I would like to do this year, and I am seriously considering it...is to get my own domain. I know I have talked about it before but I would really like to get away from this free site. If for no other reason than they don't even seem to be able to maintain stability of the heading. It's small it's normal it's small again...too frustrating. I have no control over that. For now I will continue to use this blog. I may have to start posting about commercial real estate or the like to earn some extra income and afford my domain hosting costs.

For now I will forge on and just deal the header thing. I would also like to take this opportunity to shout out an "I'm sorry I did/said that!" to anyone I spoke to or acted in a way I shouldn't have. Individually I have sent out a couple already but there are going to be some changes I'm making this year that some people may not understand. They will seem contrary to things I've said very recently. All I know is, I didn't say what I wanted to say then and I am excited about some upcoming issues. Things don't always fit the way you think they will and sometimes you have to make adjustments and compromises. I feel the Lord is leading me in a direction and I am very happy about it. I hope you can understand and if you have any questions at all, please talk to me about it. I am now an open book and a neutral party, just call me Switzerland baby!

Give Me Five Monday Meme #7

Monday, December 31, 2007

The 'Give Me Five' Monday meme is designed to share fun information with each other in a simple short list! Here's how it works. Each week, I will put out a random topic from my list of topics and you share 5 answers of your choice on the given topic and link back here! You can add photos, links or stories or just a simple list of your own of 5 things that relate to the topic as it pertains to you and your life experiences. It doesn't have to be in any order of importance unless otherwise specified.
Sign up for weekly reminder emails @ beccagirl@charter.net


Give Me Five ideas for kicking off your new year whether that be party suggestions or weight loss ideas or simply goals you have or crafty ideas you have been thinking about starting, the sky is the limit on this one!

No, I won't be talking about changing your cufflinks, but I will make some suggestions for giving your house or office a face lift for the new year!

1. Rearrange your furniture. It's the simplest way to get out of the same-old same-old slump that can actually be quite depressing! Just think outside of the box and with a little planning, you will have a new furniture lay out in no time flat! Don't be afraid to experiment! Grab that chair from the corner it has lived in since you brought it into the room and pull that out away from the wall! Forget all those old cliches' about the furniture has to be up against the walls or in a specific arrangement focusing on the tv. It's your house, you might just like it! And buddy up! It's easiest to have a friend help you do the actual moving of the furniture. You will be so happy just moving a pieces of furniture around, even if you simply trade the sofa and love seat positions!

2. Another great idea for refreshing your spaces is to simply rearrange your chotchkies! Go into a room that needs a face lift, and take down all the sit-a-rounds, picture frames, books, vases...you get the picture here. Take them all down and spread them out on the kitchen table. Then 1 by 1, take a piece back into the room and put it somewhere else than where it was before. I think you will be amazed by the results!

3. How long has it been since you updated family photos or simply rearranged the order they hang on the 'family photo' wall that every family seems to have and should have, I might add. You can do wonders by just taking those photos down and adding new ones in or arranging them by family member's age.

4. Another great idea is painting an accent wall. If you don't have much money, don't fret! You can pick up a can of 'Oopsie' paint at your local hardware store for like $5 a gallon! Oopsie paint is when someone orders a color to be mixed and it doesn't come out to their liking...the hardware store sells these cans of perfectly good paint very inexpensively and they will even shake the can again for you before taking it home. But I do suggest revisiting this aisle often as the selection of random 'oopsies' can vary from day to day. Another option for this is to ask for left over paint from a friend's project! Chances are they will give you the paint and you can make use of the leftovers to create an accent for your home!

5. To update your kitchen, clean out that pantry! That's right...what better way to kick off your new year than to get out all those old what-nots that have been plaguing your healthy eating. I'm not saying throw away your food here....I'm merely suggesting a reorganization to bring to the front all the unhealthy snacks lurking in the darkness of temptation in the back reaches of your snack shelf! Get those snacks out to the front...finish them off first and then replace them with healthier snacks! Besides, isn't it time to check for expiration dates on some of those things?

All of these suggestions range from subtle to major but they are all basically free and not really all that time consuming, if you think about it. You will be so surprised what a different feeling a few changes can make to your home or office spaces. This is where we spend the most amount of time, don't let it get you in a slump! Try any combination of these to kick off your new year in a new mood! Happy New Year!!!

Give Me Five Participants

1. Comedy Plus

2. Serena

3. maryt/theteach

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2008 is going to be great!

I have so many things to look forward to in 2008! I have many goals and am going to be refocusing my attentions back towards myself and what I need to get done. I have neglected certain parts of my life for a very long time now and have decided that I am going to make some changes to kick off my future!

I am not going to make any 'New Year's resolutions' per se because I find those to be extremely disappointing and frustrating. I don't want to set myself up for failure, after all, some of these changes are going to be in effect for longer than just the year of 2008. So without further adue, here are some of the things I'll be cooking up for the next step of my life:

• A new part time business opportunity to earn extra income.
• A new baby on the way (no, not mine, my cousin's) who is due in June.
• A rekindled interest in keeping my house clean and organized.
• More reading and studying, less TV.
• More activity and exercise, less bad food choices.
• Pay off my new tires.
• Pay off atleast 1 credit card.
• Spend more time with family than I do now. I see friends more often than family!
• Accomplish more while I'm at work.
• More writing.
• Explore a new opportunity to contribute to a woman's conference for women in transition.

This is just a few of the things I'm considering for change in 2008. It's time for a change...I can feel it!

Well, well, well...

Lot's to ponder today. No, not like how to fit mover NYC into a post, but things like "Why does my header work one day and then not the next?" I'm also pondering the Blog365 challenge for 2008. I know it doesn't seem like a difficult thing to do, but I'm thinking ahead here to the busiest times of the year for me.

Like tax season. There are days I may not be able to post and if you mess up once, frrrrrt! You've ruined everything for the whole year! I know some bloggers can actually do posts ahead of time and then have them scheduled to appear, but with blogger, you can't do that.

I participated in the NaBloPoMo in November and had a couple of VERY close calls with the midnight deadline...I didn't like stressing about it...but I've been wanting to write more regularly too, so I'm not sure if I will join the Blog365 or not. I know we can post videos and such too, but even that takes time to find one and get it posted. We'll see I guess!

Stop making me fatter!

People of the world, at this time of year it is nice to be remembered with home made treats and confections. A few of our clients here at the office have graciously stopped by with trays and baskets of all sorts of holiday yummies! While they are all wonderful and sweet, they are causing me to gain undesired amounts of weight!

Stop. It. Now.

Seriously, just give me an ipod chock full of yummy tunes! At least I could be entertained while I'm walking all those extra miles on my treadmill trying to reverse the effects of holiday snacking. :)

Long lost post

Well, you may have thought I was somewhere in drug rehabilitation like Britney you-know-who should be because I haven't posted in almost a week! Well, I assure you, I have no need for that, it's just been one of those things. I have been frustrated about my header and not knowing how to fix it for the past week and a half. The most frustrating part for me was spending aaaaaaaaallllllllll this time constructing it and adding the wording and getting a great background to match it and all that, just to have it ruined and I am now unable to share with my readers, my Christmas banner that I made! Grrr.

To my knowlege, there still isn't any kind of fix for the issue, I keep visiting boards and people say they will help me, but it's been a week and a half and no one has actually came through with a solution. If you have experienced this issue and know of a fix, please let me know! All the boards I've been reading say to find "header-inner" and "header-wrapper" and fix the dimentions on there, but I do not have either one of those in my html! So now what?

I plan to make some changes in the near future, probably to coicide with the upcoming new year, to make this blog more about me, and my thoughts and my writings and such. I don't care too much for all the different meme's I've been doing and when I look back at my blog, that's about all I can see lately. I didn't even do my own 'Give Me Five' meme this past Monday. I think that it mostly bothered me because none of my readers even noticed or commented or anything. So really, it's not a big deal. I'll just start again next week.

For now, I want to share with you something I wrote to a friend about some issues they are having with a friend and potentially in the throws of breaking up a long friendship. Obviously I have changed the names, for my protection LOL I am putting this here just in case someone out there is going through something similar and my words can be encouragement to move on or find clarity.

You know, X doesn't seem to be in a reasoning mood right now. If she didn't pay to have the coat cleaned, she's not going to even entertain the idea of the duckie stuff. She might actually turn it around and how dare you when you did blah blah whatever and figure out some way you owe her! She might not ever see things from the other side, that's her problem. She just has to learn that other people don't share her single sided view of the world. It's a small price to pay for a big lesson learned, I guess. At this point, you might as well cut your losses and just try to separate with the least amount of collateral damage as possible. Nothing will ever or could ever give you back the years of service and dedication and loyalty you put into your relationship. I'd sure hate to think that everything crumbled because of one comment from you. There has to be a whole lot more going on here, you just gave her the out she was searching for, it seems. I've seen her do that, be on the way out with someone and then the first little thing, she's ceasing the opportunity to take the victim role. Like with M, "She never called me back". Boo. Hoo. 6 years wasted. There was so much more going on than 'she never called me back'. We all suffered for that one.

I surely hope she can find a way in her life to stop thriving on the drama and all the attention ploys and feeling the need to contrive and belittle and control everything around her. If she keeps doing that, she's someday going to realize all she has around her are lies and fakeness. No one wants to be controlled like that or talked down to. X has soooo much potential of being this awesome friend and person to be around. It's all lost when she begins to twist and dig and self center everything. What will she do when she realizes the world doesn't revolve around her likes and whims? She has been catered to and spoiled for so long, her sense of entitlement has reached a soaring new height. No one on earth owes her anything. I can't spend my life being caught up in all that. I have a life of my own to answer for. A future to build with God as my focus and the eternal life to come has to be my priority! I can't be bothered with all this high school senseless and fruitless drama. We are supposed to be living purposeful lives to be more like Christ! Frankly I don't see how any of this bickering and not getting along and petty squabbles over who said and did and all that is furthering the glory of God!?!? As a matter of fact, it's going full steam ahead in the opposite direction taking down the witness to onlookers who would rather get along just fine without their Christian friends and all the dumb drama that goes along with it.

I think you have enough going on, that you should try to declutter your plate a little. You have a full and happy life and have so much to look forward to and things to keep you busy! It's great, God has blessed you in so many ways. I'm sorry you are having so many physical issues right now, but I just know in my heart that de-stressing will help you feel better physically too. I hope the doctor can get some relief to you too. Let me know what you decide to do about the X stuff. If I were you, definitely don't do any of this stuff in front of other people like at that thing on Sat. Even though you know they aren't that happy with her or her kids, don't put them in the position of taking a side and standing up with you against her. Remember, not many people have the balls to stand up to her and the whole thing might backfire. Just cut your losses. Sometimes life isn't fair, but you have to let God be the judge and jury on that and He *will* do that thing He does! :) We have to give Him room to opperate!!!!
Love,
Me

Enjoy!

I think we can all relate to this on some minor level. Enjoy!!

An apology...

To all of my regular visitors and faithful readers...I owe you an apology. I have not been quite up to posting for the past couple of weeks with the exception of a couple of memes and in turn my blog appears as a sad abandoned afterthought!

I finished the NaBloPoMo challenge of 'once per day, every day of the month' of November and just kinda took a break from posting. My friend mentioned a similar challenge on a much grander scale. A couple of bloggers are talking about starting a challenge to post once per day everyday of 2008!!!

I'm not too sure I would be able to keep up with that, especially considering tax season! Sometimes I have a bunch to talk about and sometimes I don't. I mean, I could make things up to talk about, like diamond pendants or something, but I don't think that would impress readers and make them want to stop back by. Really, I don't think I would be able to keep it up without altering some posts dates and such, and that would be cheating, so forget that!!! Oh well, I promise to be back to making regular posts real soon...lots going on right now!

Give Me Five Monday Meme #6

Monday, December 10, 2007

The 'Give Me Five' Monday meme is designed to share fun information with each other in a simple short list! Here's how it works. Each week, I will put out a random topic from my list of topics and you share 5 answers of your choice on the given topic and link back here! You can add photos, links or stories or just a simple list of your own of 5 things that relate to the topic as it pertains to you and your life experiences. It doesn't have to be in any order of importance unless otherwise specified.
Sign up for weekly reminder emails @ beccagirl@charter.net

Give Me Five things about Christmas/Holiday cards: buying them, getting them ready, sending them, receiving them, displaying them, tips for recycling them, getting/sending 'family newsletters', traditions, pictures, etc.

1. This year I have taken a new approach to sending my cards. I saved the cards I received last year and am 'reduce, reuse & recycling' them into new cards with my scrapbooking and paper crafting supplies and sending them back to the people who sent them to me! I figure if it was good enough to send out last year, it's good enough to get, right? Also, the cards are much nicer as handmade, people really like that you put effort into something for them. Also, my mom and I have a bet going to see how many people actually recognize their cards coming back to them! (for more tips on how to do this, I will be posting about that soon, along with illustrations!)

2. I love getting cards, some of them are really beautiful! Some of them make me wonder what the person was thinking exactly when they chose this card over other ones at the store! I also love all the color they bring to the house and watching to see if I get 2 alike!

3. I dislike waiting in line for stamps and/or to mail them off...this time of year is horrible for dealing with the post office, yucko!

4. When I buy cards, because let's face it, you always send more than you get to recycle! When I buy them, I try to buy them on the after Christmas clearance sale, the day after the holiday. Sure, there is a lot of craziness on that day, but it's all worth it to get a box of cards for 75% off! Hellooooooo!!

5. My mom sends out a newsletter every year in her Christmas cards. Even though we are grown now, my brother and I always get a mention, it's usually a brief 1 or 2 line entry that sums up our year. This year I was able to mention my trip to England and Italy in September. For me, it's usually some kind of trip or that I moved :) I know some people who strongly dislike the 'family newsletter'. One friend in particular mentioned that if people aren't close enough to you to already know what your family did that year, chances are they don't care to know. Well, I see your point, but I must admit that I tend to agree more with my mom's idea behind sending out her letter, which is that not everyone she sends a card and letter too are Christians and she wants everyone to know that even if you are an old Christian lady, your life can be filled to the brim with all sorts of fun stuff! So many people think being a Christian means you have to not do this and not do that and not have any fun, well, my mom is here to show, that's not true at all!!! I like her thinking there...if I ever have a family, I will also create a family newsletter and that friend can just throw it away. Of course, I hope we will all still be friends then and they will know already what we did that year, because they did it too! :)

Give a gift that gives to others!

There are many ways to give at this time of year. Working for an accounting firm, I can tell you that there are a lot of people and businesses trying to finalize their contributions before the end of the year for tax reporting purposes. That's great but maybe it's time to look beyond your cash assets and give in other ways. Perhaps car donations!

These days, you can give an old or unused car, boat, trailer, RV...you get the picture. If you have ever considered this kind of donation, may I suggest Car Angel? They are a non profit company that uses the donated vehicles and such to make videos for kids and teens! Here's one of their videos to give you an idea of the message they are trying to further:



It's so cute!!! Car Angel Ministries uses these videos and other literatures to help single mothers, homeless people, teen and adult rehab situations, food distribution and help to orphans as well as prison reform programs. They offer fast and free nation wide pick up of your donated vehicle and will give you all the documentation needed for the IRS requirements on you tax return deduction, if your tax situation enables you to itemize your deductions. So help them, help others!

Wine about this!

It has been a couple of months now, since my big trip to England and Italy. I must say, I haven't enjoyed a glass of wine since my time in Tuscany! Oh the meals of splendor and succulence! My mouth may never be the same! But I digress.

Recently I had the pleasure of receiving this fine gift:

The package was well padded and inside I found a beautifully wrapped bottle of 2005 Belvedere Chardonnay complete with a bow! Alongside I also discovered a 2004 bottle of Bradford Mountain Zinfandel, also finished with a bow, perfectly presented as a wrapped gift in Gold Medal tissue papers. The package also included a number of other accoutrement. I found a gift card with my name printed on it! I also found a special holiday gift guide explaining all the different wine of the month options they offer as well as explanations about the gift memberships.

Included in my box was a copy of the latest addition of The Wine Press, the Gold Medal Wine Club Newsletter Vol. 17 No. 9. I read through it with much delight. It was full of commentary, photos of the vineyards and fun facts, there was even a funny little cartoon to entertain me! The newsletter contained an article about the 2 yummy wines I received giving information even down to the fruits invloved in it's making, awards they have been recognized for and what to pair them best with, just to name a few details! I was particularly fond of the 'Food for Thought' page which offered up recipes too! What a great idea for a gift for yourself or any other wine lover on your list this year!

Give Me Five Monday Meme #5

Monday December 3, 2007

The 'Give Me Five' Monday meme is designed to share fun information with each other in a simple short list! Here's how it works. Each week, I will put out a random topic from my list of topics and you share 5 answers of your choice on the given topic and link back here! You can add photos, links or stories or just a simple list of your own of 5 things that relate to the topic as it pertains to you and your life experiences. It doesn't have to be in any order of importance unless otherwise specified.
Sign up for weekly reminder emails @ beccagirl@charter.net

Give Me Five things you like and/or dislike about Christmas trees (putting them up or fond memories, favorite ornaments or tree toppers, etc.)

1. I always loved putting up the Christmas tree when I was growing up. My mom taught me how to separate all the different limbs by size and how they went on the tree. She always taught me how to do the garland and lights and the angel on top. But then there was a time when my mom stopped putting up the tree and I couldn't stand for that. So I began to put it up on my own. I really enjoyed it.

(Just and example!)

2. I can still remember the smell of the old ornaments. My mom rarely got any new ones and the old ones were well worn. But the smell...that musty, been-in-the-basement-for-years smell was like no other. My favorite ornaments were ones that we made like the paper santa hat with dangling eye balls. My mom had this beautiful angel that lit up, I can still remember how she held a light in each hand like candles and there were lights under her dress.

3. I love the look of a tree with lots of tiny lights all over it! I have a 6 1/2' pre-lit tree with clear lights on it. Sometimes I like to just turn the tree on and turn out all the other lights in the house and watch it spin around and around (yes, the whole tree turns around and around). All of my ornaments for my tree are silver, white, iridescent or clear so everything shines and sparkles!

4. I dislike taking down the tree. It's no fun and that means I can't see it again for another year! :-(

5. I love it when people put their decorated trees in front of a window so we can see them all lit up as we drive down the streets! I also love it when people decorate the trees outside in the yards, if they have them!

Give Me Five Participants

1. Deb - Mom of 3 Girls 2. Queen-size funny bone 3. Mom Knows Everything 4. Comedy Plus

5. Kwizgiver 6. Mama Pajama 7. Misty Dawn 8. Cat.

9. PhoenixTheBloggingMama 10. Tina Kubala 11. Skittles

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