WIGS

Writer Martha Beck calls unrealistic goals WIGs: Wildly Improbable Goals. In the September 2002 issue of Oprah magazine she says: "... learning to invite and accept your own WIG can awaken you to a kind of ubiquitous, benevolent magic, a river of enchantment that perpetually flows to your destiny

Most of my life it seems I have had WIGS.
wanted to open a children's museum when I was a teenager. I had gone to the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh with my grandmother. I had never seen anything like it and wanted to open one in SC where I lived at the time. I spent hours dreaming of things that could be in the museum. I held on to that dream until I was in college. I don't really remember letting go of that dream per say and I still think of it from time to time.

I don't really think I had a WIG dream in my early twenties. I guess I was to busy serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, dating, getting married and trying to find a job. not necessarily in that order ;)

In my mid twenties to early thirties I wanted to open a school. I had a lot of friends who were teachers, but had chosen to stay home with their children. I wanted to open a school where these women could keep there teaching skills up to date, but not have to work full time. I dreamed of finding the perfect house to buy and turn into a school. I wanted a big white farm house,kind of like the school Mary went to on "Little House on the Prairie" when she went blind. Now that my kids are older and I only have 6 1/2 years of schooling (before college) left. I have left that dream behind too. In fact I have no regrets that this did not happen. I think it is a great idea but I would have been very unhappy if I had ever really done this.

I have three current WIGS. I would love to open a fiber arts store. It would be more than a yarn store. It would be a place where you could take classes on, kitting, crocheting, spinning, tatting, weaving, rug hooking and whatever else is in the fiber world. So many "old fashioned" arts are being lost. I started doing old fashioned rug hooking several years ago I really love it. I don't spend as much time on it as I would like or should. That is mostly because I really don't feel like I know what I am doing. Most of the time classes are for weekends or weeks in the form of retreats which I can't afford right now in my life. Which is also why I can't open store.

The second WIG I have right now is to own a bookstore. I love books, I love the smell of them, the feel and sight of them. It calms me down to walk into a bookstore. Instant feeling of " I belong" . Drew got me a Nook for my birthday which I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!! As much as I love holding a book I have to say I love being able to have several books with me at a time. I currently have 174 (yes that is correct) books on my Nook. I love that no matter where I am I have something to read. It fits nicely into my purse so I am almost never without it. I think this WIG maybe the one that is the most realist WIG I have had. This one may just happen but I don't think it will be anytime soon.

The third WIG is that I would love to write a book. I have had this WIG off and on for about 20ish years now. There is one HUGE problem. I am not very gifted at writing. Writing a blog is much different from writing a book. I have several ideas for books (one of them I think is really really good. I have shared it with 2 other people and they think it is a good idea too) I just don't know how to translate that idea into a book. I am thinking and taking notes and maybe in another 25 years I will have written a book.

I may never accomplish any of my WIG's but I think it is wonderful to dream about what could be.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

We got between 6 and 7 inches of snow Sunday night. We had lots of fun playing in the snow and it is really pretty. The only thing I hate is GA is so no prepared for a snow like this. The DOT has sand and salt trucks running 24 hours a day but we just don't have enough of them to ever get to the secondary roads. We have several big hills around here so even if the roads are just a little icy it makes them really dangerous.

Sunday dinner

For our Sunday dinner we had London Broil, roasted potatoes and salad. I love to cook in my dutch oven. I really need to get a good iron skillet but I don't have any where to store it so I just stick to my dutch oven.

Time

I spend a little to much time at this store. Between , craft projects and projects for church it seems I almost always end up here. One thing I love is that they are not open on Sunday. Got to love a company that will give time to their employees.

Two of my favorite things

Meet Veges my sisters dog not a great picture of him but he wasn't really in the mood for a photo shoot. He is so sweet! Love that dog he was my buddy while I was at my mom's. I slept in my sisters room which is where he sleeps (shhh don't tell I even got him up on the bed with me for a little while). He love to give hugs and snuggle

the photo of Vegas was supposed to be taken on the 6th...I even got up to take it and then promptly got sidetracked by who know what. I remembered at about 12:05 that I had not taken the photo. Oh well I did not let that stop me.

I love Krispy Kream doughnuts. I grew up eating them. If you have never had one it is worth every carb and calorie but you have to stop at a KK store when the big orange HOT sign is ON! Nothing like melt in your mouth hot KK's. YUMMY

When I was in high school at exam times. One or more of the clubs would sell KK's during our break in between exams. I would always split a box with a friend and we would devour it. As much as I love them I really don't know how I ate 6 KK's at a time. The thought of it make me a little queasy.

Suprise

I drove to SC for my mom's birthday on the spur of the moment. Her Birthday was Wednesday and late Tuesday afternoon. I was trying to make it work. I had to make sure the boys got to and from school and rearranged Justin's baseball lesson. It all worked and my mom was totally surprised.

I called her while I was still in Atlanta little did she know I was on 285 driving toward her :) A friend was taking her to lunch which was perfect. I wasn't sure if she would be home when I got to the house so I planned to call. If she wasn't home I was going to park in back so she would not see my car. As it turned out she was home. I called her when I got off the highway and she was telling me all about her lunch. When I turned into her driveway I really thought the dogs would start to bark but they didn't. I actually got all the way down the drive (which is quite long) parked so she would not see my car and walked up to the door and rang the bell all while talking to her and still the dogs did not bark until I rang the bell!! She told me to hold on the "mailman must be at the door" I wish someone could have recorded her reaction when she realized it was me. Best birthday present I ever came up with!

A couple of years ago I found this cute shop on Etsy and Drew and the boys got me this and one other picture. I love them!! This one is hanging in the family room and I have the other one in the living room.

I know the photo is upside down. I flipped in on my computer but I guess blogger didn't like it.

This year for our family service project we are sending packages to a friend of mine who is deployed. I will send the packages and he will put them in a common area for all to have access to. He is in a camp where they don't have a place where they can purchase things that they may need. If they don't get it from home.

I am going to contact the boys school and see if any of the small groups or clubs want to write letters that I can stick in some of the packages.

It isn't much bu it is what we can do as a thank you to the men and women who serve and protect our country. We already pray for them and their families nightly but felt like we needed to do something more.

Snowmen and such

Ok so I tried to upload a weeks worth of photos the other day and it did not work so I will do them one or two at a time.

Here is my sad little collection of Christmas decor that I put out this year. I have lots of snowmen and usually leave them out through January. This year I put it all away at the same time. I love my snowmen they make me happy. The fat one in front is on of my all time favorites.

Project 365

Happy New Year!!

I found this article on Project 365 . You take a photo a day for the whole year. It is something I am really going to have to work on to remember to do. I do carry my camera with me often so hopefully it won't be to hard. I will post my photos here at least once a week.

Here are my photos for January 1, 2011

This is one wall in my living room. I love these chairs I picked them out 11 years ago when we moved into this house and I still love them just as much today. The clock was my grandmothers grandmother and is made out of Burl Walnut. It brings back happy memories of my childhood.

When life makes you slow down

I have been forced to slow down this Christmas season. A little over two weeks ago I went to the doctor and he said I had Bronchitis and a sinus infection and started me on some meds. Two nights later I woke up because my neck hurt and I thought I had slept on wrong, after several days of pain I went to the urgent care and they diagnose me with Shingles (the chicken pox virus). It has attacked a nerve at the base of my skull on the left side this is also a trigger point nerve and is causing me lots of pain. It has also totally wiped me out! I can only do a few things and then I am done for the day.

It seems we are always saying "remember the reason for the season" but do we really do that?

As I have had more time this year to ponder and think about the birth of my Savior, I have prayed that the spirit of the Lord will be with us and in our home even if our home does not have all of the usual holiday decor, because it truly does not matter if our home is decorated or not. What matters are the things our family can do to share our love of the Savior with others. To know what we can do to serve those around us and then to act upon those things.

My wish to each of you is that you know that I love The Lord our Savior with all my heart. I hope that my actions each day show how much I love him and want to serve those around me. I am thankful for a loving Father in Heaven who sent his son, that I might live again with him. I am thankful for Mary and Joseph for their courage and faith. I am thankful for a loving family who loves me even when I make mistakes.

May God bless you in all you do, May you to know the love of our Father in heaven and his son Jesus Christ.

Subway Art

photo from The Idea Room

Amy over at The Idea Room came up with this great project! Go on over and get your free download today. I love it

Shanty girls giving a Silhouette away!!!

The girls over at Shanty2chic are have a Silhouette give away too!!! Holy cutouts batman. I really really really want one of these machines! The more I look into them the more fun things I can think of to do.

Again if you win this and I don't ....you have to share with me ;)

The Shanty2chic girls will be announcing the winner on Monday Nov 29th, 2010.

Look whats being given away

Lorie from Be Different Act Normal got to review a Silhouette electronic cutting tool and Silhouette gave her one to give away!! How cool is that.

I have to admit I have seen several things about these but never really paid much attention to them. Lorie has me sold!! I really really want one. I could do so many fun things.

Go over to her blog and enter...but if you win and I don't you have to share with me ;)
You have until 10 am MST Monday November 29th, 2010 to enter.

5 books

**all the books are at the top of the page because I have deleted the photos to many times as I tried to edit my post. I finally gave up

Barnes and Noble asked a question on facebook today " can you tell your life story in 5 books (from kids books to current reading)? It got me to thinking about the books I really remember reading or being read to me over the years.

Those of you who know me know I am an avid reader. I have read thousands of books. I really wish I had a list of all the books I have read over the years.

I have a vivid memory of going in the library when I was eight and checking out LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott. I was drawn to it not because anyone had told me about it but because the author's first name was Louisa which is my middle name.

When I was in high school I decided I was going to read all of Earnest Hemingway's books which I did. Who knows what made me want to read all of his books.

Books have always been a part of my life. It is in my blood. One of my favorite things to do is go to a book store. Chase asked me the other day "If there was a Zombie invasion where would you go?" with out hesitation I said Barnes and Noble....if I am going to die I am certainly going to die in a place I love plus I can get snacks at Starbucks until the Zombies come to eat my brains. I think it is a win win ;)

So with out anymore ramblings on my part here are my 5 books (but I had a really hard time keeping it to 5)

The first book I remember "reading" was I AM A LITTLE BUNNY by Ameri Fechner. I loved this book and would look at it over and over again. It is the one book I can remember asking
for my mom or dad to read to me at night.

I have lovely memories of my dad coming home from work taking a shower and then I would sit in his lap while he would read to me from THE WIND IN THE WILLOW by Kenneth Grahame. I think I was in Kindergarten or first grade when we read this "together".

I loved reading the ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN BOY DETECTIVE series by Donald Solob. This was the beginning of my love for reading mystery's


When I was in middle school I came across a book called THE VELVET ROOM by Zilpha Keatley Synder. This was a book that I read over and over even when I was in high school. On the Barnes and Noble site it says for age 9 and up which I think is fine I don't remember any thing that would not be OK for a 9 year old but I am not sure I would have read it in high school several times if it was a book for such a young audience. Then again I will read the back of a box if there isn't anything else around ...so maybe it is for a younger audience.

I am currently reading CHILD OF THE NORTHERN SPRING BY Persha Woolley. This is book one of The Guinevere Trilogy. I am on page 114 of 450 but I am loving this book so far.

Here is the link to the synopsis because I don't know how to copy and paste into my blog.

Back to normal...if you can call it that

Finally I have a new computer. I can download photos and everything Yee Haw. First I have to down load the billion photos I have taken and sort them all out.

I have been under the weather the past couple of weeks. Had to have a little surgery but not anything you want to know about I promise. I was so thankful for my new laptop. I wish I could say I was in a drug induced haze but I can't take pain killers so all I could take was Tylenol. I could not even take Advil it thins the blood and doc does not want that.

The boys started school. It is hard to believe that Chase is in High School! I think what makes it so hard is that means less than four more years with us and then he is gone. I don't care if you come back and live at home it is never the same once you have gone off to college.

Justin is doing well in middle school. Before I blink an eye it is going to be him in High School and then they both will be gone.

We bought a piano Chase wants to learn how to play now that he is not taking band anymore. I only took lessons for a short while but I think I can pick it back up it will be nice to try.

Justin is still playing baseball. The other night he his a 2 run RBI single of course it was the first game I have missed. I was so sad that I missed it. Drew said it was a nice hit right between first and second base.

I know I have so much more to catch up on but I will wait for some photos so you have something to look at and no need to pay attention to my ramblings :)

Lemon Chicken

I love to cook but cooking in the summer is not my favorite thing.While I love summer in some ways in ( think lazy days) the thing I really dislike the most is heating the kitchen up when cooking. I avoid baking as much as I can during the summer. This summer our grill is not working so that has made things little harder. I am always looking for new recipes and today I found a good one for Lemon Chicken. Of course I don't ever follow the recipes I use them more as guide lines....so here it is with the way I cooked it :)

4 boneless chicken breast ( pounded thin or buy chicken cutlets )

1 large onion sliced ( I used a sweet onion)

2-3 cloves of garlic pressed

olive oil

butter

flour

salt

pepper

1 lemon

chicken broth

*squeeze juice out of lemon

*heat a skillet put in about 2-3 T of olive oil add onions and garlic cook until the onions are translucent about 3 minuets

*remove onions and garlic from pan

*Add butter about 1 T

*put flour on a plate or baking dish add salt and pepper to taste (I have no idea how much I use we don't do a lot of salt so I don't use as much). Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture.

*put chicken in pan and cook on medium heat for about 2-3 minuets on each side or until golden brown.

*remove chicken from pan

* add about 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth and lemon juice let come to a boil

* add the onions and chicken back to the pan and let cook for about 5 minuets.

I know there are a lot of steps but it was done in less than 25 minuets from start to finish.

I think the next time I make this I may wilt a bag of spinach in the pan the last couple of minuets.

20 Years ago today

Twenty years ago today I was introduced to my sweetheart. I had a good friend whos husband worked with Drew and kept trying to set us up but I wouldn't go on blind date.... I had another good friend who knew Drew ( but did not know the other friend) who introduced us...True love, it was ment to be.

PS don't you just love my 90's hair!!

The 4th of July

We had a great 4th we were up at 5:30 (yes AM!!) so that Drew and Justin could get to the starting line on time. They ran the Peachtree Road Race together Drew's 21st and Justin's 1st. I was excited and sad at the same time. I was going to run the Peachtree with Drew last year. It was a Christmas gift to Drew, then I got a stupid sinus infection which led to taking some meds which led to having tendinitis and tendionosis in both of my Achilles tendons. Four months of Physical Therpy later my feet were better but still have pain sometimes. Anyway back to my boys :)

Shannon and Max ran the race with them so Chase and I went over to their house to get the girls ready to go down and watch the race. Drew, Justin, Shannon and Max went down to the race together. Chase, the girls and I picked up Granmommy and Grandaddy and went down to watch. Thank goodness Grandaddy was willing to drive. I hate driving in Atlanta. We were really lucky and got a spot close to where we wanted to stand to watch for our runners. It was so nice outside it really was a great day for running. Our gang ran the race in an hour and eigh minuets. Not bad for having an 11 year old (who had not trained) with them.

After we got home showered and took naps we went over to Granmommy and Grandaddy's house for a cook out. We played games, ate and played more games. Then we went and watched fireworks. The past few years we have gone to Lenox Mall and watched they but this year we just went up the road to watch. It was nice to be close to home but not as much fun as being at the Mall and feeling the big boom in your chest when the fireworks go off.

Next year's goal the whole family running together....that's my goal anyway.

Hope you all had a great 4th and are having wonderful summer.

sorry there are no photos I am having to use the boys compter and it will not download them :(

I snagged the one of the t-shirt from the web

Fainting goats

We were out to dinner last week with Drew's family while we were at dinner we got to talking about fainting goats, which got us to talking about the Mythbusters trying to get the fainting goat to faint... I was laughing so hard tears were running down my face. Some how I missed that episode so I had to look it up. I found this clip on youtube.