Burnt Buscuits

Someone sent me this in an email the other day and I thought it was sweet. Just passing it along...

When I was a kid, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and eat every bite!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said: "Honey, I love burned biscuits."

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides - a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!"

You know, life is full of imperfect things.....and imperfect people. I'm not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else.

What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each others faults - and choosing to celebrate each others differences - is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

Skinny Jeans

I went shopping for skinny jeans yesterday. Mission aborted.

In the "Women Over A Certain Age"(like 16) department I found very few pairs of skinny jeans. In the Junior Department however skinny jeans were everywhere. With coaxing from my daughter I tried a pair on from the junior department. Humiliating. All the bad adjectives could be inserted here. Not a good look. I tried the skinny jeans from the "older" department. Still not a good look. My conclusion: Not everyone should wear skinny jeans. I will need to find another way to wear the fabulous boots.

I also tried a pair of Not Your Daughter's Jean that I had heard great things about. Didn't like those either. For one they ran about 2 sizes too small. If I am going to pay $100+ a pair (not that I ever would) I want them to lie to me and tell me I am 2 sizes smaller than I really am, not 2 sizes larger. Why would I pay that much to feel worse about myself? I can do that by standing at the right angle in the privacy of my own room, for free. I really thought I would LOVE these jeans and be willing to put them on my charge account. Didn't happen. They say they "lift and tuck", but let me tell you all they lift and tuck has to go somewhere...spilling out other places...not pretty.

I am praying that bootcut and straight leg never go out of fashion or I will be in trouble. I think I am going back to my Levi's, or maybe a good ol' pair of sweats. Did I tell you that not everyone should wear skinny jeans?

Random points

*Happy today is a day off
*Happy the sun is shining instead of rain
*Love the Fab 40 list - I may need to expand this thing because of its effect on keeping me focused!
*Thinking about purchasing a pair of skinny jeans...but not teenager skinny...39 year old skinny. I recieved some great boots for Christmas and they really need to be worn with pants inside.

I need some help. I want to buy some giftcards or small gifts ($10) for the teachers I work with to show appreciation and as unimaginable as it is not everyone likes coffee (shock). Do you have any great ideas?

Fabulous Forty

I am so excited to be posting my fabulous forty list. It is twice as much fun since it isn’t just me trying to tackle 40 things but doing it with friends. Some of the things I will be doing more than once. As I look over the list I see that I need to prepare and plan ahead. Having the supplies on hand will help. Maybe there is something to that old saying about how you are more likely to meet a goal if you write it down. Who knew? I also want to try to take pictures to document the fabulous forty

1. Take 1 picture everyday for one month – can’t do 365 but 30 seems do-able.
2. Learn how to take a GOOD picture/be in the pictures. I always shy away from the camera, not wanting to be photographed. I want it documented that I was here!
3. Print and complete photo collage for my living room.
4. Go on a Girls' Weekend Get-Away
5. Have a new friend over for lunch
6. Go with friends out for lunch/dinner. I foresee this in the near future…
7. Make friendships a priority by giving them time to cultivate.
8. Read through the New Testament in a new-for-me-version, I am going to use The Message.
9. Try a new vegetable in the garden. Kohlrabi? Cabbage? And then keep up on the garden
10. Plant an herb garden and actually use the herbs.
11. Plant a tree (or two) in my front yard
12. Make raspberry jam from my own raspberries. I am planning for a bounty of raspberries!
13. Can something: maybe tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, applesauce, or peaches.
14. Learn how to make a piece of jewelry I would be proud to wear, I have an idea and it involves resin.
15. Take a friend a meal for no reason.
16. Have a family over for dinner
17. Send a cards when I see someone needs encouragement. Note to self: have cards on hand.
18. Go on an overnight trip with Ron
19. Make Ron’s birthday special (40) May
20. Make Emma’s birthday special (17) December
21. Make Eli’s birthday special (14) September
22. Make Eden’s birthday special (13) February
23. Make Eva’s birthday special (9) May
24. Make Ella’s birthday special (4) February
25. Remember my friends birthdays with a little token, already working on this one.
26. Take a Community Ed. Class. Maybe cooking, self defense, or couponing ?
27. Exercise for 30 minutes a day/5 days a week for one month. Just got a stationary bike so excuses about the weather are no more.
28. Hike Badger Mt.
29. Take a picture of the same thing in each of the 4 seasons
30. Laugh out loud with some good friends. I think this one needs to be done more than once.
31. Read a good fiction book (I never read fiction) Ron bought me Scared for Christmas.
32. Throw a themed dinner party. Not too fancy or involved but lots of fun!
33. Treat myself to a pedicure…hopefully with friends.
34. Paint a piece of furniture with Jamie.
35. Paint Eva and Ella’s bedroom.
36. Paint the girls bathroom a fun color.
37. Learn to sew something, maybe a pillow or apron
38. Make the flower arrangement that I have been thinking about for 3 YEARS
39. Put a little more effort into my appearance…maybe highlights? Definitely work on keeping my nails manicured.
40. Only buy flattering clothes I love to wear.

So there you go. Thank you Jamie for being fabulous with me!

Fabulous Forty

Twenty Ten is here! Wow!

A dear friend told me recently that she thought that 2009 was the year of "struggle and strife" and after I thought about it I think she was right. There were lots of difficult things that happened and that we experienced. So much of this life is not necessarily the choices that we make but how we respond to the situations in our life that we have no choice in. It is just a path of our journey. 2010 has started bittersweet for our family. My sister in law lost her battle with cancer on New Year's Day and her first grandbaby was born on New Year's Eve. It was a long hard battle but thank God for her salvation and the promise of heaven. We know that it was not the end for her...just another beginning. She was 40 years old.



I want to respond well this year. I want to live with purpose and direction. So thanks to Jamie and with her encouragement I am committing to do 40 things this year that I turn 40. We will update once a month and let you know what we are working on and have accomplished towards our goals. The items on my list may not seem like much to you, but it will help me live life this year on purpose. Come back Monday and see our full lists!

I dedicate this Fabulous Forty to Liz Meyer Shelby
October 2, 1969-January 1, 2010