THE BLOG OF THE CHICKEN WING

Six Years!

2012-01-16T14:22:00.000-05:00

Type of Ticket: One Way
Destination: Crazy Town
Population: Me

I just wanted to say that today is the six year anniversary of my being employed at my awesome company! On one hand, I'm hollering "WOO HOO!" and on the other, I'm scratching my head in disbelief that it could even be possible! I'm a huge fan of longevity, so I guess this is right up my alley.

It's really cool to think about my 21-year-old self walking through the doors for my first interview here, wondering if I was giving away just how nervous I was. It was a weird, out-of-body experience, because nervousness actually fuels me - I guess I could chock it up to my Public Speaking classes in college. Scared to death - check. Ready to kick some arse - also check.

I've come a long way since January 16, 2006, and my life has seen so many changes, but one thing remains - I am so grateful for the experiences in my life. I'm so proud to work where I work, with the people I work with. I'm so thankful that the powers-that-be decided to extend a hand and give this young gal a chance. I hope they're as happy with their decision as I've been with the decision to accept their offer.

Here's to my sixth year of being excited to go to work every day! Let's make it a great one!

Until next time,

The NEW Post

2012-01-06T12:18:00.000-05:00

Okay, let's just be honest - I've been a blogging slacker to the max lately! And, in typical Chicken Wing fashion, I'm fashionably late in wishing each and every one of you a very

Well, 2011 left as quickly as it came, didn't it? I don't know about all of you but I have gotten quite busy - not that anyone should necessarily be surprised by that. For whatever reason, it's surprised me more than ever.

But, it's now 2012, and this is a NEW post in a NEW year with a NEW blog background (you may or may not have noticed). I felt the desire to change it up because hopefully, we're all changing up. New years bring new resolutions and new hope - you want to learn more, eat better, live better, and just be better. None of these are easy tasks, to be sure, but for whatever reason, when the last two numbers of the year change, you get this jolt of electricity through your veins that makes you excited about the possibilities that await you.

Don't get me wrong - I'll never completely change. I like myself - sometimes too much, and other times not enough, but as a general rule, I really like myself. I just aspire to be the very best version of myself, and I really don't think there's anything wrong with that.

From where we left off (Christmas, of course) to now, I've been living in a maze of boxes as Little Sister Chicken Wing and I prepare to depart our current rental townhouse! Talk about crazy! We've lived together for the past few years, and there have definitely been highs and there have also been lows. I don't know about each of you, but for us, we get along so much better as siblings when we don't occupy the same dwelling. I'm looking forward to us branching out on our own again and the closeness it will allow. I'll miss the absolutely crazy things she does that typically make me laugh (either with her or at her) at least once per day.

Our moving situation is a little more stressful than others I've been in before for a few reasons. 1) The little sister and I are moving to two different places. 2) The majority of the furniture in our townhouse is mine, so moving it too early will make it really difficult for LSCW. 3) LSCW literally has ONE DAY to move. How? She can't move into her new place until the same day we have to turn the keys over to our place. Suckfest 2012!

Where does all of this leave us? Feeling like we are going to soon be featured on an episode of this:

I'm shaking in a corner already.

I've always been a little bit of a clutterbug, and I also have a tendency to want to keep things. But, for some reason, ever since this show started and as the level of horror I experience when I watch the stories deepens, I get panicky! So, my answer to that has been to sell pretty much anything I don't think I'll need! I figure, the best way to keep the new place pared down is to get rid of things that are not necessary for living there before I even have the chance to move them in!

While a few sales made me sad, most of them make me want to high-five myself! (Subsequently, I may or may not have actually high-fived myself multiple times - don't judge me.) It feels pretty good to just let go of things that actually weigh you down in the long run, especially when you realize that someone else can love the item even more than you did! Plus, with a wedding to pay for, the extra income is another glorious benefit!

If you are moving, too, I feel your pain sisters and brothers! If you are not, high-five yourself. If you're busy, I hope you are busy doing things you love and that make you happy. If you're not busy and not enjoying it, get PUMPED and off the couch! If you're too busy (like I've admittedly been), take a breather and live in the moment. Happy Everything, Peeps!

Until next time,

Christmas 2011 Recap

2011-12-29T10:24:00.000-05:00

I sincerely hope that each and every one of you had a fabulous Christmas and made time to remember the reason for the season during your hustling and bustling! It's time for the annual Chicken Wing Christmas Recap!

Our weekend started with Comanche's family celebration, where we got together and exchanged gifts and Comanche's older brother prepared cherries jubilee for everyone! It was amazing to hang out with my soon-to-be in-laws and nephews and watch them interact with CiCi and MuChi, who came along in their Christmas best - a sweater for CiCi and MuChi's famous "I ate Santa's cookies" t-shirt!

Then, it was on to Momma Chicken Wing's house where the Chicken Wing siblings did our annual tradition - we drag Little Brother Chicken Wing's mattress into Little Sister CW's room and we all stay cramped in there and watch Elf as we fall asleep. Always funny!

pics on Sodahead

The next morning, we opened our family stockings, and this was the very first Christmas for Momma CW's new husband Dubya! I think he made out like a bandit and had some Christmas fun! After we all got dressed and ready, we made the trip to Grandma Chicken Wing's house with all of our presents and had one of the most delicious Southern lunches you've ever seen!

On the menu: turkey, country ham, creamed potatoes, green beans, butter beans, corn pudding, deviled eggs, rolls, fried apples, stuffing, macaroni and cheese, sweet potato casserole, macaroni salad, pumpkin pie, chocolate cake with white icing - it could not be beat, I'm telling you what!

After lunch came the food coma and then we opened gifts, which is always so much fun! I get way more excited to watch everyone else open their gifts than I do to open mine! I will say that Comanche did especially well this year! He knows me better than I know myself sometimes and he gave me two gifts that stood out this year! The first? These gorgeous Jessica Simpson flats that I'd been drooling over for weeks:

Bring on the bling! Your feet should get to sparkle too!

The other gift is one that I will truly cherish forever! For our wedding next year, there are lots of things that will be classic and traditional (we're not too wacky, y'all!). One thing that will be a little different is that I didn't want to wear pearls on my wedding day. I know, I know - call me crazy! I want to wear blue topaz jewelry since it is my Daddy's birthstone - that way, he can be with me all day even though he can't be there in person! I had one blue topaz necklace, but it wasn't going to work, so Comanche got me the most perfect and beautiful necklace ever! Here's the photo of it from the seller:

Isn't it GORGEOUS?!?!?

What I love about it is that I can enjoy this on our wedding day but also any other day! It is so pretty and in no way is it too gaudy for everyday! The really cool thing is that blue topaz is also Comanche's birthstone, so it's really special! I think the man did very well this year and I adore him! (For those of you who wonder how Comanche made out, he did pretty well - I finished off his weight set for him for Christmas and his birthday, which was two days after Christmas)!

I hope you all had a fabulous holiday full of laughs, smiles, and thankfulness! I am so excited for next Christmas as I expect it will be even better!

Until next time,

If I Were Famous...

2011-12-22T11:21:00.000-05:00

I've always found the idea of being famous a little crazy. It must be totally weird to be followed around and to see your face on the covers of tabloids with lies emblazoned across your chest claiming to know the next "big" thing about you. It must be hard to date and make true friends.

So, my recent thoughts about being famous are these: There are a few people that I would LOVE to hang out with/be best friends with should I happen to become famous anytime soon. List form works for me, so here we go, Peeps!

1. Anderson Cooper

Hello, Silver Fox! I love you!

Ahh, Anderson Cooper. I adore you. Why? You are so down-to-earth and hilarious, and I genuinely believe that you care about people. I feel that you are one of the most honest reporters/hosts that has ever existed, and I really appreciate your passion for good solid journalism. I love that you cover topics as serious as war and as light-hearted as The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. I love that you include your mother, the ever fabulous and classy Gloria Vanderbilt, in your new show and I am so glad to be hearing more from her! I love that you can laugh at yourself (can we say Gigglegate 2011?). And you are gorgeous, but this you already know. If I become famous, let's hang out, mmkay?

2. William and Kate

Love, sweet love!

These lovebirds need no introduction! Why do I want to be mates with these two? I love how charitable they are and how connected they are to the general public. I have to imagine that being royalty would make that a wee bit hard, but they do a fine job! I love Kate's sense of style - she is the epitome of class and grace, and I love William's sense of humor! It appears very clear to me that these two adore each other and are genuinely happy, which is something I believe the world wanted to see. We all know the difficult journey Princess Diana was on, and I am thrilled to see her son have a bit different path. I feel that their accents alone could entertain me for days, and therefore, these two make my list!

3. Tim Tebow

Purrrrr!

Okay, is this guy seriously not the total package? Good looking - super check! Smart - check! Talented - check! Driven - check! Good Christian man - you know it! Role model - check! I would love to be friends with this guy mostly just to thank him for continually persevering when people try to bring him down. He recently said in an interview that the reason why he was so open with his faith is because due to his success on the football field, he had both, "a platform and a responsibility," and that is nothing if not admirable. We need more solid men like Tim in the world who get what's important. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders and values that are important to him. I am down with that, so let's be friends, Tebow!

So that's my short list for now, folks! What famous people would you want to be friends with if you had the opportunity?

Until next time,

New Sounds of Christmas

2011-12-16T17:27:00.000-05:00

It seems that life has been a whirlwind lately, and I am halfway getting excited about Christmas. Don't get me wrong - Christmas is my very favorite holiday, followed directly by Thanksgiving. This year has just been a weird year for me as far as the holidays are concerned.

The main reason is that the lease on my townhouse is up right after the holidays are over, and while I would LOVE to pull out all of my Christmas decorations (and they are plentiful), I have to be realistic and be okay with the fact that it would make a whole lot more sense to pack up the rest my things than upack a million ornaments just to put them back again.

So, while I don't get to have my wonderful full-sized tree this year, Comanche and I did finally get a tree - even though it looks like it may be.....um, of the "Charlie Brown Pine" variety?

Oh well, it looks great on my table and we can plant it!

Either way, one thing that really does help my spirit during this stressful packing time is the music that you usually only get to hear this time of year! Check these out, y'all! Maybe you'll even discover a new Christmas hit to add to your playlists!

Be Born In Me - Francesca Battistelli

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A Baby Changes Everything - Faith Hill

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Mary's Boy Child - TobyMac ft. Jamie Grace

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Winter Song - Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson

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Until next time,

Hello? And Happy Birthday!

2011-12-05T12:17:00.000-05:00

Get it?

Wow - if I had a nickel for every time I took a second to realize how quickly time is flying by, I would be a very wealthy Chicken Wing! I've recently discovered that Christmas has decided not to wait for me to be ready, and I really need to put the other million things going on in my life aside and devote some attention to getting ready for the holidays!

I greatly apologize for the lack of posting here lately - I'm still working on this whole promotion at work/planning a wedding/couponing/being addicted to the facebook online yard sale balancing act, and to be very candid, I'm not doing very well at it! I mean, I'm being successful at most of these things, but it's definitely hard to keep my blogging up to date with all of that going on!

Oh, you thought that was it? NO SIR/NO MA'AM! There's more, but that will have to wait for a future post because truthfully, that deserves a post all its own!

Today's post needs to center around one of the greatest guys I've ever known. I haven't seen him in a long time - almost seventeen years, to be exact - but today is his birthday, and he deserves my undivided attention.

I have really big feet and ears for a little Wing, but my Daddy sure looks handsome!

This guy...is my Daddy. December 5th usually involves many emotions for me, but I'm finding that this year, I have had a little bit of an easier time because I literally have been so darn busy, I basically turn into a vegetable in my spare time. It doesn't leave a whole lot of room for grief.

When I prayed him a Happy Birthday today, I told him that I hoped he was getting in lots of golfing, hunting, fishing, and that he was getting to watch a lot of the Redskins and Tar Heels games.

I told him that I hoped he had the basket of rolled-up socks next to his recliner in heaven so he could chunk socks at the TV every time the Redskins made him mad (which unfortunately, has probably been happening a lot). I told him that I hoped he was still singing ever-so-off-key but as loudly and proudly as he ever did. (I used to love listening to him forget the words and instantly improve most songs by inserting his own noises or lyrics).

I told him how much I loved him and missed him and how I still think of him every.single.day. I told him not to be mad at me because I've been getting so emotional every time I tell someone how sad I'm going to be at my wedding since he won't be there to meet Comanche, ease my nerves, walk me down the aisle, or share our special father-daughter dance.

I told him to keep watching out for our family and to keep an eye on Little Sister Chicken Wing and Little Brother Chicken Wing. I told him to take care of some wonderful people I know that have lost their lives recently. I told him to show them the ropes and teach them how things go in heaven. I told him to hug my PaPa and cousins and friends for me and to remind them how much I love and miss them, too.

Finally, I told him, "Thank You." I thanked him for teaching me things to do, things not to do, and for showing up now and then to remind me he's still watching. I thanked him for instilling in me the importance of going to church and working on my relationship with God (even though I was quite lost in that department for a very long time). I thanked him for marrying my mom and giving me my siblings, and for letting me keep one of the puppies that would eventually become one of my very favorite dogs. I thanked him for just being him.

So here's to you, Daddy. I will always be your little girl. I will always remember you as one of the best guys I ever met. I will never forget the legacies you left behind and I will never stop aspiring to take your best qualities and make them my own. I miss you. I love you.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Until next time,

Vocalism At Its Best

2011-11-07T11:13:00.000-05:00

If you are a fairly regular reader, you know that there is a major fan of dance reality shows around these parts. You may also know that music is something that absolutely rocks my face off, and I just have such a surpreme appreciation for the arts. Music moves me, inspires me, motivates me, and overall just makes my life better!

So, I'm not sure if you are aware but there are just as many awesome singing reality shows on TV right now as there are dancing shows (like one of my faves, Dancing With The Stars - GO J.R. MARTINEZ!!!). One show that really highlights amazing vocal ability is The Sing Off. I've taken quite the liking to this show since the amazing vocal group "Committed" won last season! What I love the most about the show is that the vocalists are responsible not only for singing the lyrics but also the musical parts too! Seriously - there is such as thing as a vocal percussionist! (Making drums and bass-lines with your voice). Since I'm in a giving mood, I thought I'd blow your mind with some ridiculous vocals!

Enjoy and turn up those speakers - prepare to be amazed!!!

First up is all-girl group Delilah with their rendition of Lil' Wayne's "How To Love."

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Next up is last season's Committed with Maroon 5's "This Love."

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Finally, enjoy these two selections by The Pentatonix! They're on this season of The Sing Off and they are phenomenal!

First up is their rendition of some famous Britney Spears songs!

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Last but absolutely not least is my favorite performance of the season, Kanye West's "Love Lockdown," and I will let you see the judges' reactions because they're awesome!

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If that doesn't get your feet tapping and your hands clapping, I really don't know what will. I got so pumped up after watching that last performance especially - I feel like you just have to give it up for talent like that! They're my pick to win this season! Enjoy, Peeps!

Until next time,

I Feel Like Being Inspired

2011-11-03T10:27:00.000-04:00

If you are like me, you know that sometimes you get so stressed out in life that you forget what it feels like to be inspired. It's easy to get down or to feel so worn out that you need a little extra push to get you moving!

Since I feel like being inspired, I want to inspire all of you! I saw the first video re-circulating on facebook, so I wanted to share it here. These stories remind us that everyone can make it in this world - we all have a chance to achieve greatness. We just have to keep trying...keep persevering!

So here's to you, Peeps! Here's to me! Here's to being inspired by greatness! Let's go change the world!

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If you are crying after these, I am sorry. Actually, I'm not. Stories like these move people - they are designed to bring you to a new level and to make you aspire to be more than you are. That is the purpose, and I hope we each take the opportunity to be more like J-Mac or Team Hoyt today and every day.

Until next time,

Just In Case You Want To Follow Along

2011-10-26T11:14:00.000-04:00

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I've never ever wanted to be one of "those people." You know the kind - their conversation consists of one thing, and it's always the same old thing. It's not that you don't care about their kids' neverending sagas or their parents being crazy. It's not that you wish any ill-will on their big special day or their impending baby - it's just that it's hard sometimes to get just as excited as they do when you're not in the same situation.

I want to be clear - I don't get aggravated with people who do this because I've done it myself from time to time. I just decided that I'd like to set a goal for myself and that goal is this: I don't want to force my wedding day to be the most important day of everybody's lives. Yes, it will be the most important day of my life. Yes, planning is stressful. Yes, it's a big.freaking.deal. But, people have other things going on, so my personal policy for all of my readers is this: if you want to know about my wedding, ask me what's going on with the planning. If you don't, that's cool too.

This brings me to my latest struggle - I've been wanting to journal my journey of sorts down the aisle, and I wasn't sure how to accomplish this. Originally, I thought I'd just write about the big day here, but then I realized that there are some folks who probably aren't that interested in weddings, so I didn't want to alienate anyone who chooses to read my blog. Yes, I could argue that it is my blog and I can do what I want - rest assured, this is true - but I try to be courteous and respectful in my everyday life and my blog is an extension of that.

So, what's the solution? For me, it was to create a wedding planning blog where I can write about the excitement and joy and frustration and pain that will go into my journey. That way, if you want to read about it, you can, but you're not bombarded with it here! Plus, I thought it would be a better way to keep it all seperate and organized so when I want to revisit it, I can do so. Without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to my wedding planning blog:

If you would like to check out With This Wing, you can visit my page by clicking HERE.

*Disclaimer: I chose not to continue anonymity on With This Wing because it is really hard to do, and my family wants to read about the wedding. So, if you choose to stalk me or my man, I will hunt you down. You've been warned. ;)

Until next time,

When Tragedy Strikes...Pray

2011-10-17T08:00:00.001-04:00

I know there are some of you who saw the title to this post and had to have assumed it was going to be about my Redskins losing to the daggum Eagles. Trust me, there was some major praying after the horrific event that was today's game. I really wish things had gone another way, but this post is of a much more serious nature.

I don't know if you guys saw this in the news today, but I felt compelled to share. I may be a girl who loves to watch a lot of different things on television, though racing is not one of them. But, I am a girl who has experienced the death of someone very close to me because of a car accident and in a very unfortunate series of events, another family is having to deal with that situation on this very day.

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Today, during his "normal" workday in an Indy car race in Las Vegas, 33-year-old British driver Dan Wheldon was involved in a 15-car pileup that ultimately resulted in his passing. In the video clip above, Dan's car was the one that went airborne. He is survived by an industry and all of his colleagues, as well as his wife, Susie, and his two sons - Sebastian (2) and Oliver (7 months). It will indefinitely be a very difficult road for all of them, especially since it was an accident that occurred on television and will most certainly be replayed hundreds of times in the coming weeks.

This tragedy had not yet happened when I left church this morning, but being as this is a Sunday and faith is needed when times are hard, I felt it might be good to ask for a massive prayer request for this family. I ask each of you to include them in your prayer list as their hearts and minds are full of sorrow and grief today. I hope the video clip inspires you to dig down deep and hug the ones close to you - you never know when a normal day could go horribly wrong.

In the spirit of faith, here is a Song of Sunday to get your minds right for the coming week - it definitely did that for me today, and it was the first time we sang this at our church. I was very impressed with the message and felt it was ultimately fitting after today's events.

Here is "Never Once" by Matt Redman.

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Until next time,

In Case You Need Uplifting

2011-10-10T08:00:00.000-04:00

Just to start your week off in the right fashion, I thought I'd share my favorite of the songs we sang at church yesterday. It truly does have a powerful message, and sometimes, I find that is exactly what you need to cleanse your mind and heart in order to start a brand new week.

I found this song especially moving, simply because I've been so incredibly busy lately. I've found it very difficult to just stop and slow down for a minute. Don't get me wrong - I love being busy. It beats the alternative any day of the week, but one thing I constantly struggle with is balance. I need to continually practice the balancing act that is life. You are supposed to work hard, but you also need to take time to relish in the moments life presents to you, and that's something I need to be better about.

So, to those of you who are like me, and forget the simple truth about who gives you the strength to handle all of life's challenges, and through whose teachings you can learn to find balance, this song's for you. Happy Monday, everyone!

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Until next time,

SURPRISE! It's Friday!

2011-09-30T07:30:00.000-04:00

And thus, you must enjoy this hilarious and adorable video. Go on. Do it. Turn your speakers up a wee bit. You.are.welcome.

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Happy Weekend, Peeps!

Until next time,

A Step In The Right Direction

2011-09-27T10:36:00.000-04:00

Hello, Peeps. I'm Miss Chicken Wing. You might remember me as someone who used to write regularly on this blog. No, I haven't been kidnapped. I've had so much going on in my life recently, and I am so excited to tell you guys all about it! I apologize that it's taken me this long to get back to the happy place that is my blog, but sometimes a little vacation is necessary, you know? Not to mention, I have just gotten started planning what is sure to be one of the very best days of my life so far - the day I get to marry Comanche! People who have been there know how busy that can be!

Getting engaged is not the only new and awesome thing that I count in my blessings list, though! Hold on to your hats, y'all - there's more! The first thing I want to catch you all up on gets its own post on the blog, and is something that I'm now allowed to go public with! I recently got a PROMOTION!!!!! WOO TO THE HOO!!!!!!

It's true. Believe it.

Pause for a moment - who doesn't love Ron Burgundy, right?!?! Okay, back to the actual subject matter. I am so excited because it's really a step in the right direction as far as my career goes, and I am thrilled to have been given the opportunity to grow within my amazing company.

For those who know me, they know how protective I am about my job(s) and my company - I will go to the mat any day for the people I work for and with. I am so blessed to be a part of such an amazing organization, and I genuinely work with some of the best people I know. Other people may make more money or have fancier offices, but I can guarantee that most people can't say that they like everyone they work with. I can, and that's a big deal to me.

So, while I've been away from the blog, I have been working on the transition between my current position and my new one. In my new position, I will have an even greater chance to help people, which is my passion, after all. It's a little scary jumping into the somewhat unknown, but I've found that most of the things in my life that have scared me have ended up being the ones most worth it.

Here's to the newest journey on my crazy ride!

Until next time,

Songs of Sunday - Special Edition

2011-09-11T22:32:00.000-04:00

9/11 - We will never forget...

I still remember where I was ten years ago today. I was a high school student standing in the student lounge of our local community college with my friends in Governor's School. We were huddled together watching the tragic events of the morning unfolding on the televisions there. We stood in silence - in disbelief - most of us with our hands on our heads or on our mouths. The horror pumped through all of our veins as our heart rates increased with each passing moment.

With those memories in mind, it was appropriate that the ten year anniversary of 9/11 fell on a Sunday. In church today, we had a wonderful tribute and we lifted the victims' families and friends up in prayer together and individually. We sang songs about reaching out to complete strangers because Christ's compassion doesn't play favorites - about expanding our scopes to include all the people of the world as our neighbors.

I've been pretty busy the past week, but I wanted to share a couple of the songs that we sang in church today to get your week started off right.

Matthew West - My Own Little World

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Matt Redman - We Could Change The World

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It's been an amazing albeit bittersweet day for me - Comanche and I have been hanging out with friends watching football (my Redskins and his Cowboys - I know, it's insanity), eating steaks we grilled, and having fellowship with our church family. We know how lucky we are and therefore, we must continue to be mindful of those folks who are hurting today. If you can spare five minutes, lift them up, everyone! It'll be worth it!

Until next time,

You Gotta Keep Em Separated

2011-09-03T07:30:00.000-04:00

"Hey, man you talkin back to me?
Take him out,
You gotta keep em separated...."

Okay, okay, flashing back to 1994 when The Offspring first released that song (with the ever-catchy surfer instrumental) isn't actually the point of this post. Not even close, to be honest. But, the main theme that was repeated throughout that song was, "You Gotta Keep Em Separated," and that theme ties perfectly in with the ever-important topic that I will cover with you today.

I once referenced HERE that Comanche had made a certain sandwich "just the way I like it." That sandwich was none other than the all-American classic - peanut butter and jelly!

Enter music montage. Go on, watch it.

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Okay, enough with the nonsense - back to the matter at hand. In my book, there is only one correct way to make a PB&J and I wanted to impart my wisdom on the masses. It is imperative that you all know what is the right way and what is the wrong way. Here goes nothing...

Step One. Always start with the jelly.

Grape is my jelly of choice.

Step One, complete.

Step Two. Rinse off your knife.

Seriously. Don't miss Step Two.

Step Three. Peanut butter application.

Don't worry, PB! You get your turn!

Clean rim = clean soul.

Step Four. Thank your audience for watching you do the correct PB&J-making method. (Please note that they are the primary reason why you start with the jelly and then move to the good stuff).

Yeah, it was a full house that day - my kids had friends over.

The peanut butter party has started.

Step Five. Press each side together in a "folded over" fashion. I call them "peanut butter and jelly folded overs."

See? Folded overs!

Step Six. Locate PB&J Party Fouls.

Uh uh. Not cool. My skin is literally crawling. Ew.

Step Seven. Show your obvious disdain for the situation.

Step Eight. The final step. Hunt the offenders and make them pay.

In the wise words of Liam Neeson, "I will find you and I will kill you."

There you have it, folks. This has been a valuable life lesson from me to you. You are welcome.

Until next time,

THE HAPPIEST POST OF MY LIFE

2011-09-01T00:02:00.000-04:00

Okay, there is going to be limited verbiage. I'm going to let the video and the pictures do the talking.

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So, I will apologize for the fact that I look absolutely HORRID in this video - I had bawled my face off with sheer bliss and makeup reapplication apparently never occurred to me. For that, I am truly sorry, but I guess it can be forgiven since I was clearly high on love while this video was filmed!

So, needless to say, last night was amazing and I am greatly looking forward to spending THE.REST.OF.MY.LIFE with this man, and I am absolutely the LUCKIEST girl I know!

He could have any woman in the world that he wanted. Even as the ring sits on my finger, I still can't believe he chose me.

Okay, okay, you didn't think I would actually leave you hanging without seeing the most incredibly amazing gorgeous drool-worthy insane beautiful ring in the whole wide world, did you? Come on, now, you know I'm not that mean.

What do I love about this ring?

Let's do this in list form, because we all know that's how I roll.

1. It was chosen by Comanche with absolutely no guidance from me or anyone else. (Dang, he did good!)

2. It really reflects my sassy, sentimental, and girly personality.

3. Comanche used what I call the "lucky stone." The lucky stone is the diamond that my darling PaPa (whom I lost last year to Alzheimer's) gave to my Grandma. He picked it out for her, and she wore it for my whole life. They were married for almost 59 years! Also, the diamond once fell out of her setting when she was at a craft fair, and she didn't realize it until she got home. After calling them frantically, she asked if she could take all of their trash home (hoping and praying that someone had swept it up). After going through industrial-sized bag after industrial-sized bag, she found her diamond. In the bottom. Of the very.last.bag. So, I call it the lucky stone, and I was honored and privileged to have her want to pass it along to me!

4. It was designed by a pro. Seriously. You may know this guy:

Neil Lane, meet my peeps. Peeps, meet Neil Lane.

5. Most important reason ever - because my Comanche gave it to me as a symbol of the fact that he wants me to be his wife. There is no greater honor that I've ever achieved and I am so incredibly blessed to call him my future husband. If he would have given me a bread tie or a popsicle stick, I would have been just as thrilled because the symbolism would have been the same. I will say that this symbol is amazing, though, and I find that I will need to invest in more sunglasses. ;)

I love this man, I love this man, I love this man.

Until next time,

Why Struggle Is Necessary

2011-08-31T08:00:00.000-04:00

A few friends and I were discussing the absurd entitlement that children and young adults today employ when a situation arises that is less than favorable to them. It's a disgusting epidemic that is circling the globe and it saddens me beyond belief, especially when I have my rare moments of entitlement.

Sure, we all have weak moments where we feel someone "owes" us something, or that we really, really "deserve" to get this/have this happen for us. The people who have it right usually recognize this behavior is occurring within themselves and snap out of it. Unfortunately, that leaves the rest of the entitlement generation who seem to consistently have it wrong.

During this discussion, we shared stories about where we have helped people younger than us, and we also had to divulge that in some cases, we probably weren't doing them any justice because they could always rely on someone else to "handle" things for them. Sadly, I think this is one of the most rampant issues in America today - we are babying our nation's children to the point that they literally cannot fend for themselves. This creates weaker adults, who then marry other weaker adults and produce children three times as weak. The cycle goes on and on.

I was reading another article today, though, and came across a story similar to those we were sharing with one another, and it was accompanied by "The Tale Of The Butterfly," which I had actually never heard before. So, I will share it with you, and I encourage you to share it with others! Let's pass this thing around!

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A man found a cocoon of a butterfly.
One day a small opening appeared.
He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours
as it struggled to squeeze its body through the tiny hole.
Then it stopped, as if it couldn't go further.

So the man decided to help the butterfly.
He took a pair of scissors and
snipped off the remaining bits of cocoon.
The butterfly emerged easily but
it had a swollen body and shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch it,
expecting that any minute the wings would enlarge
and expand enough to support the body.
Neither happened!
In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life
crawling around.
It was never able to fly.

What the man in his kindness
and haste did not understand:
The restricting cocoon and the struggle
required by the butterfly to get through the opening
was a way of forcing the fluid from the body
into the wings so that it would be ready
for flight once that was achieved.

Sometimes struggles are exactly
what we need in our lives.
Going through life with no obstacles would cripple us.
We will not be as strong as we could have been
and we would never fly.
(Author Unknown)

How fitting it was to read and to realize that sometimes, despite our own best intentions, we stunt the growth of others that so desperately needs to happen. Trying to over-care and over-nurture others does not make you a bad person - quite the opposite, it makes you someone who genuinely wants to help. But there has to be a point where you have to step back and realize that your help is crippling an individual that needs to learn lessons their own way - and most times, the hard way.

Until next time,

When You Have A Good Job...

2011-08-26T16:00:00.000-04:00

...your birthday sort of rocks! :) Yes, I said it! One thing that my company does that is super duper awesome is that they send you a package to your house for your birthday. Granted, it's not always on your birthday, but it's usually the week of your special day. Want a sneak peek of what's inside? Of course you do!

Basically, anything from here is AHHH-MAZING!

Pretty packaging!

What's a present without a card?

Oh my goodness - what do we have here?

Cookies, peanut butter squares, and brownies - OH MY!

Double decker brownies!!!

Attack of the Chicken Wing!

HOORAY for birthday treats!!!

As I always say, it's the small things in life that mean the most, and it's little touches like this that can set a company apart. It's easy to get busy with the hustle and bustle of your everyday duties, but it's really nice to know that your company cares enough about you to acknowledge you on your birthday!

As you're reading this, I will be hopefully figuring out how to settle into turning twenty-seven and enjoying my birthday treats with Comanche on the little birthday adventure he's planned for me! Let's hope Hurricane Irene doesn't invite herself to my party!!! I don't like party crashers, what can I say?

Until next time,

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY WISH!!!!

2011-08-26T07:30:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to do a quick post for two people that I love so very much in this world. In fact, you miiiiiiight just remember them (I've posted about them before around these parts).

One year ago today, back on my "golden" birthday, I had the distinct honor of standing beside these two as they tied themselves together for life in marriage!!!! What a golden day it was for me because I got to see two people who deserve all the love and happiness in the world get to be celebrated by friends and family, and it genuinely meant the world to me that they asked me to be a part of it. How blessed am I?

Without further ado.............

HAPPY

FIRST

ANNIVERSARY,

NAY & DK!!!!!!!!!

I can't remember the photographer's name in order to give photo credit, but I didn't take this last one!

While I definitely don't see you or talk to you guys enough for my liking, I love you guys more than you'll ever know! Can we just redo your wedding every year?!?! I'd be down with that. I'll wear my bridesmaid's outfit and everything! Okay, it's a plan!

Until next time,

Family Matters Pt. 3

2011-08-24T07:30:00.000-04:00

Remember this guy?!?! Yeah, you do!

Missed one of this awesome series? Catch up here:
Family Matters Pt. 1 - The Preparation
Family Matters Pt. 2 - The Food

Warning, picture-heavy post ahead! But, this post is dedicated to the point of the family reunion - THE FAMILY (and the fun and fellowship that comes with family)! It was awesome getting to spend time with some of the ones I love the most in the world. They are my connection to my dad, and because of them, the memories of him will stay with me forever. Plus, this was the first time Comanche met most of the family, including my paternal grandparents! It was an exciting day!

Is he Hollywood or what?!?!

Cousin MB is going for it!

Perfect cannonball form!

Big splash for a little girl!

And she emerges after her long trip to the bottom!

Cousin M helps a little friend around the pool!

My adorable paternal grandparents, Grandma M and PaPa G!

Momma Chicken Wing and her new husband Dubya - it was his first time meeting the family, as well!

Little Sister CW and her boyfriend, Seatbelt, with one of our Aunt J's in the background! All of the Chicken Wing girls brought new men to the family reunion this year!

Cousin F and Aunt J, looking adorable!

Me and Great-aunt M!

My Uncle H and me!

Sibling Love! I absolutely LOVE this picture!!!!

Our little branch of the family tree, missing Little Brother CW, Uncle R, Cousin C, Aunt N, Uncle B, and their kids/grandkids! (Our branch really isn't that little, as it turns out).

"Other things may change us, but we start and end with family." -Anthony Brandt

Until next time,

Kasey & Vienna...I Have To Go There

2011-08-23T10:32:00.000-04:00

Okay, the intention of my blog is NEVER to be mean, cruel, or judgmental, but sometimes....well, I'm not above it. There are certain things that just have to be laughed at, and if you watched last night's episode of Bachelor Pad, you already know because you've already laughed at this.

Okay, what do you get when you combine this fine fellow

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with this dazzling young lady?

Fraggle Rock rocked the most, yes?

Well, you definitely get this - especially when you know Muppets and Fraggles love a good mushy musical opportunity. What can I say? Haters gonna hate. And I am a def Kasienna hater.

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And apparently, so is Kirk...and the rest of the Bachelor Pad contestants. High-larious. And this is just one reason why Kirk is the hottest guy on the show.

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Until next time,

Oh, The Horror...And The Joy

2011-08-22T11:46:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite and least favorite things about myself is that I can very easily see (and argue) both sides of just about anything. While this is a good thing because I have little trouble relating to people in all kinds of situations and seeing someone else's point of view, it's also a very frustrating thing because I end up having a hard time deciding which side is the right side.

Case in point? On Friday, I will be turning twenty-seven. There, I said it. The Chicken Wing will be another year older, and I can see the top of the hill that we all eventually go over. Fact of life? Sure. Melodramatic? Definitely.

On the one hand, I find myself completely overanalyzing my life - sometimes, it's hard to be a girl, y'all! I find that as I get older, I do tend to revert back to my high-school mentality and I compare myself to other people. Heck, more than half of my friends from high school are married and not just have one child - they have multiple children. What?!?!? We are totally not old enough for this to be happening - why am I constantly living an episode of "Sixteen and Pregnant?"

But, it's time to face the facts, Chicken Wing. We absolutely are old enough for this to happen. People get married. People have babies. We really are grown-ups now. That's life. I guess I get a little hung up because I feel like maybe I'm a bit behind everyone else.

But, on the other hand, after I get done obsessively looking in the mirror and critiquing my progress in fighting the aging process, I have to have a laugh at my antics and smile real big (which undoubtedly will create more wrinkles on my face). Why? Because, let's face it - I have it pretty good.

Yes, on Friday, I will be twenty-seven years old. No, I am not married yet, nor am I engaged. No, I don't have a gaggle of little chicks following me around. Yes, I am still renting all these years later. But, and there is a but....

I have multiple fabulous jobs when some people can't find one.

Coworker/friend J-Man rocking the "WOW" face.

Full-time job family beach house dog pile!!!

Yes, that is my natural hair color (I'm in front!)

Part-time job = Full-time love!

I had the opportunity to go to and graduate from an amazing college and made some ridiculously awesome friends while there (to add to the ridiculously awesome friends I've had with me since childhood).

College & Sorority sisters for life! Alpha love!

My little sisters (both sorority and biologically)!

Love these girls like WHOA!

Two more college lady loves! <3 my B & B!

So blessed to still have a lot of these Governor's School high school friends in my life!

You can take the girl out of the small town, but you can't take the small town out of the girl!

Best friends since Pre-K!

My little sissy growing up got married this year! Love you to pieces, G-K!

I got set up on a blind date with literally the most amazing man I've ever met, and over the past year, he and I have created the kind of relationship that I've wanted my whole life.

So in love with this man!

Thank you, sweet friends, for setting me up with the best gift I've ever received!

My family seriously rocks the most. It's true, people, we're awesome. You know it. We know it. Glad everyone's okay with that.

Tar Heels for life!

The Siblings Chicken Wing.

Everyone says we're twins! What do you think?

Welcome to the family, Dubya!

I have the CUTEST furbabies on the planet. Seriously, tell me I'm lying. I dare you.

My heart swells with love and pride for these two! So.freaking.adorable.

So, here's to you, twenty-seven. You may be taking another year off my life, but I laugh in your face. Look back at all the pictures of what I've got (and if I posted pictures of EVERYONE I have in my life, I would certainly crash this blog). Twenty-seven or not, who wouldn't want to be me? That's why no matter my age, every year I can say that I will have a very happy and very blessed birthday.

Until next time,

Oh, Anderson Cooper...

2011-08-18T12:39:00.000-04:00

As someone who works in television media, I can tell you that news can be really tough - more often than not there are terrible stories to report on and it can become a gray and dreary world if you constantly focus on the negative.

Every now and again, though, there are stories that are so utterly ridiculous that you can't help but shake your head and laugh, and one of the most recent stories in the headlines absolutely fit the bill! Have you heard the one about Gerard Depardieu's public urination on a plane? I mean, really???

Now, imagine that your program chooses to cover this sort of news and you are the unlucky victim who has to report on it - I can only imagine how difficult that would be, and that is the purpose of today's post. Anderson Cooper, whom I adore, had to perform the light-hearted humor segment, The Ridiculist, on his show Anderson 360, and the topic of the day was none other than Gerard Depardieu.

Please sit back and enjoy Anderson absolutely losing it for the first time in his career over the absolutely ridiculous puns (and boy were there ever a lot of puns) and this absolutely ridiculous situation. I'm so glad that he's got a new daytime show coming on in September on ABC - down to earth, adorable, and straight up hilarious in this video - cue the giggles!

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Happy Weekend, everyone!

Until next time,

The Gang's All Here

2011-08-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the delay in checking in, Peeps, but this week has been a full one at the Casa de Chicken Wing. You see, my sweet friends (whom I'm indebted to for the rest of my life for introducing me to and setting me up on a blind date with Comanche) went to the beach and were going to board their sweet dog, Lily. I was having none of that, because - let's face it. When it comes to dogs, there is always a party going on over here.

CiCi, MuChi, Wilkie, and Lily have been conducting their own three-ring circus, and it's been quite entertaining, to say the least. It's been a large amount of time since I've witnessed wrestling to rival these four, and so I had to take a little video to show you the hilarity that has been going down on a daily basis this week.

Okay, let me set up the backstory here, so the video will make a little bit more sense. First, you have the wild child in my house, Wilkie. While I absolutely love the stuffing out of him, he is the red-headed stepchild of the family because he has the attention span of a gnat, and he has what I call Dory-syndrome (you know, Dory, from Finding Nemo). Like his fishy counterpart, he can be scolded or warned not to do something, and after a half-a-second rebound rate, he's right back to doing the same.exact.thing. It's a good thing he's cute, because the only way I could tolerate that behavior for a long stretch of time is if Ellen Degeneres was around - what? She's funny.

Next, you have CiCi, who has to decide whether she really, really, really wants to play or not. Why, you ask? Because Wilkie beats the crap out of her. I don't know if he just dials in to the fact that she's a pomeranian, too, but she is the target of his playtime energy bursts 99.9% of the time.

Then, there's Lily, the new girl in town. She began her interaction with the others as the one who would only join in the game once the others turned their backs. Now, she's gotten her confidence up and she's ready to come off the sidelines! (She's the light-colored dog in the video).

Finally, you have The Mooch. He is the cutest darn thing, but he takes MAJOR issue to what he considers to be violence. I mean, if someone hugs me too hard, or if Comanche and I are dancing in the living room and he dips me to prove that he could hold his own on one of my favorite dancing shows, MuChi flips his lid. He automatically assumes that I'm hurt and he must express his despair. Throughout this video, you will hear crying. That's my son. The rest of them are having a ball, and he's boo-hooing, "Can't we all just get alooong?!?!?"

So, enjoy, peeps - too much cute for one house, right? I know you wish you were my roommate!

Absolutely adorable, right? Please excuse the excess of bottles on my coffee table waiting to be refilled by the Brita. Also, if you could look past the extreme mess and disarray - it turns out that four puppies want to play with all of the toys all of the time. (Who am I kidding - they all do that!)

Until next time,

Pray For These Tragedy Victims

2011-08-14T16:15:00.000-04:00

I went back and forth over whether to show this video or not, but I wanted to give you a visual if you've not yet seen it in order to further the tenacity of your prayers for the victims and families of the victims of this horrific accident! {WARNING: THIS VIDEO IS VERY HARD TO WATCH.}

I'm not sure if you've heard of this yet, but tragedy struck the Sugarland concert at the Indiana State Fair this weekend when 60mph winds took down the stage, killing at least four people and injuring at least forty others. I ask you to put these people on your prayer lists and to lift them up.

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Heavenly Father, please hold each and every person affected by this horrific accident in Your hands and lift them up during this very difficult time. In Your Name, I pray. Amen.

Until next time,

We Have A Winner!

2011-08-12T10:44:00.000-04:00

Well, folks - it's official! Last night produced a winner of So You Think You Can Dance Season 8, and I couldn't have been happier about America's selection!

A huge CONGRATULATIONS to Season 8 Winner Melanie Moore - she was deemed the original "beast" of this season, and she showcased insane talent in pretty much every number she danced in. She not only is a brilliant technician, but she also brings a high level of performance and character awareness to her dancing, and that is a difficult skill to master - especially when you're only nineteen years old.

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This post is a tribute to her greatness, so I figured it would only be right to bring some of the numbers of hers that I loved best to all of you. Dance fans, enjoy!

Melanie & partner Marko - "I Got You" - hiphop routine by Tabitha & Napoleon

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Melanie & partner Sasha - "Girl Power" - lyrical jazz routine by Sonya Tayeh

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Melanie & partner Neil - "Total Eclipse of the Heart" - contemporary routine by Mandy Moore

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And what would my blog be if I didn't give a tip of my hat to choreographer (and SYTYCD Season Two Runner Up) Travis Wall for this absolutely breathtaking concept piece?

Melanie & partner Marko - "Turn To Stone" - contemporary (WEEK ONE!!!) routine by Travis Wall

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Congratulations again to Melanie Moore on the big win - but also to all of the other Season 8 contestants - this is not the end of the road for you. All of you possess something so magical and so special and it's now your time to share your light with the world!

And as a closing note, I must express my deepest thanks to Executive Producer, Nigel Lythgoe, and his team of dance soldiers for continuing this amazing program for eight seasons now. As someone who was enrolled in dance classes for fifteen years of her life, I know exactly what dance can do - the joy it can bring, the focus it cultivates, the athleticism and exercise that come as part of the process - dance NEEDS to be a constant in the world today. Kids and adults alike need to be able to get up and DANCE and make the world a better place, and I am so happy to see dance get the credit and attention it deserves.

From showcasing the world's most talented choreographers, to having judges on the panel who actually know how to properly critique a dancer (and consequently prepare them for the real world - professional dance is nothing if not cutthroat), and also creating a national holiday centered around dance (National Dance Day = July 31st, y'all!), So You Think You Can Dance is a trailblazer in the industry! The show has proven results - contestants on this program book jobs, and as a dancer - that is always the goal.

Hats off to all of you!

Until next time,

Aww, Look At The Baby! Pt. 3

2011-08-05T08:30:00.002-04:00

And we shall call this post in the series "the shopping trip that changed my life."

In case you missed them, you should absolutely and most definitely check out the prior posts in this money-saving series:

Part 1 - The Beginning
Part 2 - This One's For The Haters

Anyways, to follow up on Part 2, I told you that there were people who were questioning the trip that changed my life, so I wanted to clear up that little situation. The trip did in fact happen. How can I prove it? Check out the pictures, below, and let your mind be blown. (Please excuse the cell phone quality - I had no idea I'd be so awed at the conclusion of this trip or I would have taken my camera!)

My business partner, L, being taught about the binder by the artist formerly known as the Coupon Queeny, Tanya - Divine Deal Diva!

Cart 1 in progress

Cart 2 in progress

Nervously waiting in line at my local Kroger - how will we do?!?!

Before coupons (but after Kroger Plus Card savings - we scanned it before we started! BOO!)

After coupons! WOW! $210.48 in coupon savings alone!!!

With our fabulous cashier and our hella long receipt! WHAT A RUSH!

So, as you can see, the shopping trip with the DIVINE DEAL DIVA, Tanya, actually went down - and it went down in MY city! I was there. I pushed Cart #2, thank you very much! And this was the shopping trip that changed my life - because it put into action what Grandma Chicken Wing had been telling me for years. Coupons are money and when times are hard financially, which they are for me right now, I have to do what I can to help my money go further. As I said in the post prior to this one in the series - my couponing isn't about you. It isn't my goal to make your life harder - it's to make mine better, and sometimes, I think it's okay to put yourself first if you are constantly courteous to others.

So, I hope that each of you who wants to try to start saving money enjoyed this trip through my local Kroger, and I hope that you found motivation - it CAN be done. I'm not saying it's easy, but I am saying that, for me, it's worth it.

Next post in the series? I shall call it - the method to my madness!

Until next time,

Three Reasons Today Was Awesome

2011-08-04T17:00:00.002-04:00

One thing that I feel is extremely important in life is taking and making the time to be grateful for something - for anything. In life, things go wrong or not as you planned. Some dreams don't work out. Sometimes you lose someone or something close to you. Sometimes, you feel as though your prayers are unanswered.

Let's be real here - it is so much easier to focus on what you don't have than to focus on what you do have, and I'm genuinely not a fan of that behavior. My cold, hard look in the mirror reveals that I, too, let the negative get the better of me. It's easier to whine than to be thankful, but that doesn't make it right. I want to change that pattern of thinking in my life to the best of my ability.

So, I decided that I would share three reasons why today was awesome. Here goes nothing!

Reason Number One: I got to "get the day started" (as my friend M would say) with a hot cup of coffee in my very favorite coffee mug - a hilarious birthday gift from Little Sister Chicken Wing.

Mug Saying: "When The Going Gets Tough, Tell Me I'm Pretty."
Yes, it's summer. Yes, I'm pasty. Don't judge me.

Reason Number Two: I got to watch the video featured in THIS POST that made me start my day with a hearty laugh!

Reason Number Three: I received a very special gift from one of my amazing colleagues! Check it out!

Bow chicky wow wow.

(Confession - it's not what you would think based on the packaging, but I think that's probably a good thing! Haha!)

My gift was really tomatoes grown in her garden!!!! Thanks, Nance!

Question to my readers: Could you list any reasons why today was awesome? If so, I'd love to hear them! LEAVE A COMMENT!

If you couldn't give one reason why today was a good day, you most likely need to do some business and check yourself before you wreck yourself.

Until next time,

Prepare To Laugh...And Be Uncomfortable

2011-08-04T09:22:00.000-04:00

So, I don't know about you, but when I was growing up, there were certain people who were awesome to me, musically speaking. One of those people who had the hits I loved to hear?

THIS GUY!

Yes, people, I love George Michael's songs, and I am not ashamed to say it! So, imagine my delight when a musical sensation all of a sudden becomes hysterically funny and uncomfortable at the same time. Yes, it can be done. I came across this video today and I was literally tearing up I was laughing so hard. I couldn't help but wonder what I would do if this guy randomly showed up with his mad sax skills and busted out some "Careless Whisper" circa 1984 (which may or may not be the year I was ~~hatched~~ born).

Check it out, y'all, and get your laugh on this Thursday morning!

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Absolutely hilarious! Happy Day!

Until next time,

Fun For Friday!

2011-07-29T14:08:00.000-04:00

Okay, so my cousin posted the link to this video today and I thought it was equal parts adorable and hilarious and I wanted to share it with all of you! As you probably have been able to deduce by the obsession I have with my furbabies, I believe dogs make the world a better place. There is no better feeling than coming home and having furry creatures bark, wag their tails, and spin in circles - just because you came home!

Meet Carrie the golden retriever from Chile! She is a sassy little thing - look at those hips go! I think that Dancing With The Stars or So You Think You Can Dance should totally have her and her person, Jose, on their shows as special guests! She is obviously a very smart, spirited, and talented girl!

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Happy Friday, everyone!!!

Until next time,

A Smile Or Two

2011-07-28T16:12:00.000-04:00

Okay, I don't know about y'all but I love music. I also love to laugh. When those two things are combined, I am one happy Chicken Wing. In case you're still feeling like you haven't made it over the mid-week hump, here are the two masters of musical hilarity, Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon, with not just The History of Rap, but also with The History of Rap - The Sequel. Pure awesome.

The History of Rap

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The History of Rap - The Sequel

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Until next time,

Awww, Look At The Baby! Pt. 2 - This One's For The Haters

2011-07-26T15:09:00.000-04:00

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I have been so surprised by the amount of questions I've gotten regarding the first post in my series about coolpon-ing (You thought I was going to give that up, didn't you?)! You can find the post HERE if you missed it - and if you missed it, how dare you??! Just kidding! The interest is definitely there, but I think that what's surprised me more than the interest were the haters that came out of the woodwork - the nonbelievers or downright angry folks, if you will.

They have asked all sorts of questions that I didn't anticipate (and a few that I did), so I've decided that this post will be my rebuttal post. Up first was the growing-in-popularity question: Chicken Wing, are you going to become one of "those people?"

Cue the horrified face.

No, I am not going to become a glorified hoarder, and it's true that sometimes super extreme couponers make me angry. I like to think of myself as a courteous coolpon-er. I don't cut coolpons from 10+ papers so that I can swoop into your favorite store and steal every last item that you are looking for, just because it's on sale, and just because I can (insert evil laugh here). I only buy the things that I need and I rarely EVER buy the last item. The only way that happens is if other people buy all the items but one or two. In my opinion, that's not my fault.

My primary goal is to only stockpile things I need/things I will use/things that will not go bad for forever. For example, things I would love to create a stockpile of: toilet paper, paper towels, toothpaste, deodorant, soap/bodywash, dental floss, etc. These are things that I need and that I use every.single.day, so it makes sense to buy these things when they are at the rock bottom prices so I don't have to make spontaneous trips to the store because I accidentally ran out. I'm not coolpon-ing in order to donate to charity, I'm coolpon-ing to make my life more comfortable, people!

I'm satisfied with my answer that NO, I will never be featured on Extreme Couponing, but if TLC wants to give me my own show simply for being awesome, I'm down with becoming famous for being famous - it's kind of a big trend right now. Am I right, Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, and Kristin Cavalleri?

On to the next question/statement from the haters. "Oh geez, remind me never to go grocery shopping with you. I bet that takes forever." You know something, yes. Yes, coolpon-ing takes time. It takes time to cut the coolpons out of the paper. It takes time to organize them. It takes time to read the weekly circulars and try to figure out what items I use are on sale and where to get the best deal. It takes time to actually DO the shopping. And for gosh sakes, it might take me a LITTLE bit longer to check out.

Again, I refer back to trying my best to be a courteous coolpon-er. If there is someone in line behind me, I inform them that I have coolpons and give them the option to move. If they have less than me, I offer them the option to go in front of me. If I have a coolpon for an item that isn't my favorite, and I see that someone in line behind me or in front of me has it in their cart, I will give them a coolpon, thus saving a complete stranger money. I know that not everyone out there has the same practices and that sucks, but there isn't anything I can do about them. But hating on the "regular" coolpon-ers, which I am a part of - the group who just needs to save their family's hard-earned money as best they can - is not cool, yo! We take the time and put forth all the effort to coolpon and thus we get the reward of saving some money.

As far as I'm concerned, YOU CAN

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Finally, I've gotten the question from the haters of whether or not my account of my shopping trip with the Coupon Queeny is accurate. For the answer to that, stay tuned to the next post in the series.

Until next time,

Music And Bling

2011-07-20T12:38:00.000-04:00

"Music and bling, music and bling, these are two of my favorite things..." Now, that's a tune that should catch on quickly, and while an unlikely combination for some folks, I happen to love all things music and most things bling!

Let's start with the shiny stuff - I just have to give a shout-out to Nick Lachey, who recently wed his longtime girlfriend, Vanessa Minnillo. And, by the looks of things, "he LOVED it so he put a ring on it." I mean, put on your Ray Bans, folks because the new Mrs. Lachey's left hand is currently blinding innocent bystanders all across California (and his ring isn't too shabby either)!

Kiss my Asscher cut, Batman!

Okay, now that I've picked my jaw up off the floor, I'm now going to admit that there has been a song that has been permanently lodged in my brain since the first time I heard it and I am hoping that by sharing it with all of you, it will set me free of my constantly singing, "Craaaazy girl, don't you know that I love you?" I mean, I'm starting to get strange looks from girls thinking I'm simultaneously calling them mentally unstable and professing my feelings for them. This = not a good look for the workplace.

So, without further ado, enjoy "Crazy Girl" from the Eli Young Band. (Sidenote: I love it because Comanche often jokes with me and calls me silly woman. He also says, "you're so crazy, babydoll" a lot. Should I be getting a message here?)

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Enjoy folks, and sorry if it gets stuck in your heads, too! (But not that sorry, because it's such a great song!)

Until next time,

Songs To Get You Going

2011-07-17T12:15:00.000-04:00

I had a lot of positive response to my "Songs of Sunday" post so I thought I'd do a follow-up post with even more musical goodness for my Peeps. You know, because I really love you and all and I want you to have the encouragement you need to make it a good week!

Some of these are songs we sing at my amazing church and others are ones I've heard on Spirit FM. (Sidenote: I really never imagined that I'd end up liking this station as much as I do, but when your normal stations are playing the ~~ever-loving-poo out of songs you used to like~~ same songs over and over again, it's a really refreshing break).

Kristian Stanfill - Always

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I'm proud to post this next group because they got their start at a local university and they are pretty incredible - the way they harmonize with one another and have matched their vocals up until they're pitch-perfect is ridiculous! Here are Anthem Lights with "Can't Get Over You."

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Building 429 - Listen To The Sound

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Sidewalk Prophets - You Love Me Anyway

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Matthew West - Strong Enough

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I hope you find some inspiration in these messages - I think they're beautiful and uplifting and that's what I love about Sundays....I get the good stuff that I need to cope with any week that's thrown at me! Naturally, I wouldn't want anything less for my Peeps!

Until next time,

Family Matters Pt. 2

2011-07-15T12:05:00.000-04:00

There are certain necessary components when planning a family reunion. The given is family - if you don't have family, you don't have anything! The rest can be easily depicted in the fancy pie chart I've made for the sole purpose of teaching y'all about family reunions in an easy-to-understand format.

I'd like to affectionately call this the food post in the Family Matters series, as it centers primarily around some finger-lickin' good eats! If you need a more scientific reference, we're going to be checking out the red section above. Warning: You may, in fact, drool all over yourselves. Second Warning: In the event that heavy drooling floods your computer keyboard and renders it useless, you have my most sincere apologies. Third Warning: Photo-heavy post ahead!

You know you're in for a good time when this is the appetizer table!

Desserts anyone? Yes, please! {Check out those scrumptious brownies that may or may not have been made by Comanche and yours truly.}

Oh, Southern deliciousness.....come to Mama!

There are few foods I love more than country ham!

Strawberry confections were in abundance, and I'd have to say I like it that way!

This parfait thing absolutely rocks my socks off. If I could jump off a diving board and into this dessert, I would absolutely do it.

And you may be wondering where all of these goodies were being kept? Why, at our normal family reunion meeting place - Aunt B and Uncle D's house! They have an awesome space to host our wonderful family and they so graciously offer their home to all of us - there aren't enough words to explain how wonderful they are and how much appreciation I have for them.

The party house!

So, we've covered all the warnings, and we've also covered the food portion of the family reunion pie chart. Up next? The fellowship and fun, of course! Stay tuned, folks!

Until next time,

Family Matters Pt. 1

2011-07-13T16:17:00.000-04:00

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No, this post is not about Steve Urkel! (Sorry to disappoint you!) I realize that it may seem that I am leaving y'all hanging with the multiple "Part 1" blog posts recently, but I'm starting multiple blog series at a time - what can I say - I like to go big or go home. One theme you may find throughout this blog is that I am the luckiest girl in the world. In most cases and scenarios, that is absolutely true, and one region of my life that I feel the word "lucky" especially applies to is the family I was born into.

Now, I often say that friends are the family we choose because, let's face it, you have absolutely no control over the family you were born into. Luckily for me, my family are also my friends, and that makes for one very happy Chicken Wing.

One thing that sets my family apart from most? For the majority of my life, I grew up having two family reunions for each side of the family EVERY.SINGLE.YEAR. Seriously, this is a big deal. So big, in fact, that I became the topic of discussion during a college sociology class when the question was raised, "Who even has family reunions anymore?" and I was the only one who raised my hand. (Subsequently, I was also the only one who raised my hand when asked if anyone enjoyed going to family reunions).

A few weeks ago, we had a ~~small~~ small-for-us family gathering on my dad's side of the family, and it was awesome. It went the way it always does, with everyone bringing a dish that they made to the get-together. Per usual, my mom stopped and got KFC fried chicken because it's hard to find a main course dish that travels well for 3.5 hours and let's be honest - she hates to cook, and by hates to cook, I mean she doesn't do it.

What did Comanche and I contribute to this shindig? My favorite course - dessert.

There's nothing like a flirty chef, right?

Am I the only one who likes to eat batter?

Whew, I am a lucky girl!

The finished product! Yummy brownies!

Stay tuned on the family fun time that went down in good ole' North Cackalacky (North Carolina for all of you Yankees out there) seen through the lens of my new and awesome camera!!!

Until next time,

Aww, Look At The Baby! Pt. 1

2011-07-11T16:45:00.000-04:00

Okay, I know you all are "awww-ing" in unison, and yes, that insanely adorable baby is none other than yours truly. I was my Grandma and PaPa's little princess and the apple of my parents' eyes, for I was the first born child and the first born grandchild on my Mom's side of the family. I also happened to be the first girl grandchild on my Dad's side of the family, but who's really keeping score of how awesome I am?

The subject of this post makes me revert back to those days in certain ways because when you're just a young-un as I was in the photo above, everything is a new experience and you have so much to learn about everything! You're vulnerable and you need guidance and protection from harm. So, what exactly are we talking about here that would send me back to baby-dom in all its terrifying glory?

COUPONING. Yes, folks, I said it. My name is Chicken Wing and I am a baby couponer.

The photo I chose for this post is actually quite fitting as I actually first learned of couponing from my maternal Grandma who was married to the wonderful man holding me up in that picture (my beloved PaPa). For this post, we'll call her Grandma-the-Great. If there is one constant that has always been associated with my Grandma in my life, it's that she is a lean, mean, couponing machine! (And she can cook some amazing Southern staples, let me tell you - she is a Jedi in the kitchen).

Anywho, Grandma-the-Great has oft preached about the values of couponing. "Chicken Wing, it's like they are giving you money to shop with," she would exclaim. I oftentimes would scoff at her outbursts or would just brush them off with a nod and a, "You're right, Grandma."

Fast forward quite a bit more than a decade, and yours truly was a twenty-something trying to make it in this big ole world (fairly unsuccessfully if you're looking at the world through monetary-measuring glasses). I was actually contacted by my part-time job boss while we were in the midst of planning one of our biggest events - the Women's Show! She had been bogged down by a ton of tasks that were running over in time, and she would no longer be able to take our special celebrity guest of the show on her errands. Who was this guest, you ask?

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The COUPON QUEENY, I answer!!! Hello, people, she has received SO MUCH PRESS for her amazing couponing efforts! Not buying what I'm selling you? Check out her website here.

So, little-ole-me got to take famous-ole-her out shopping for hours and I quickly came to realize that I had found another couponing sensei to teach this little grasshoppa how to save money with coupons. This was so awesome, I have changed the name of these little magic pieces of paper to cool-pons. I'm sure this will catch on. (When the terminology sweeps the nation, make sure you let people know that Chicken Wing started the revolution.)

We shopped at Kroger, Food Lion, and Dollar General, and what a day it was. At Kroger, I believe we got $300 worth of groceries for $100. At Food Lion, we stocked up on free toilet paper. At Dollar General, we got a handful of items, and the store ended up owing us so much money, we had to each buy a bottled soda and a candy bar, just so we could break even (apparently, you can't leave the store with them owing you money, and DG can't pay you overage in cash. Overage, I learned, is when a store owes you money because you saved so much. Wal-Mart will actually pay you cash!) Are you finding this to be a tall tale?

I know, right! Source.

Check out the photographic evidence that this day of shopping did, in fact, happen.

Yes, this is my PT job boss, my biz partner, the Coupon Queeny, yours truly, & my three PT job colleagues holding the longest receipt ever - OURS!

Thus began my own personal cool-poning journey. I'm not making any more money (thank you, Econo Me McSuckerson), so every penny counts these days. Financially, it has been an exceptionally stressful couple of years, and I've decided to make the most of my hard-earned cash. Sure, I could join the "in-crowd" and not work, have ten kids out of wedlock, and be way richer than I am right now by living off the government (I may have pondered it once or twice after witnessing so many people who are living large and not working for a cent of their income). But, I was raised better than that and I will just make do with what I've been given (because I'm sure there are plenty of folks who would kill to walk in my shoes).

If you'd like to know more about my journey, what methods and resources I'm using, and how it's going so far, stay tuned!

Until next time,

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

2011-06-30T11:45:00.000-04:00

Okay, so every now and again, a ray of sunshine breaks through what seems like a world of gray skies, thunderstorms, and minor flooding (if you're standing in the parking lot of the complex where I live).

Looming.

Coming.

Here. (FYI I was not moving while taking these pics!)

Besides the fact that we literally had one of the worst storms ever on Tuesday, and my parking lot did flood pretty badly (photo evidence above), I got the most amazing rays of sunshine today! It was a morning like any other morning, apart from two things - a special note and a special email.

The special note was left by my gift-delivering ninja, Comanche! It contained words of encouragement and love and I was taken by a wave of appreciation for him and knowledge that somehow, I am blessed enough to have that man in my life. God is so good, and He has been especially good to me.

The special email was from a lady that I don't personally know, but we will call her my fairy godmother/deliverer of amazing news! What was this news? I ACTUALLY WON A GIVEAWAY! I have literally entered hundreds, I would have to say, in my lifetime. This email marked the SECOND time I've won! Haha! Moral of the story: If you want to win the lottery, your best bet does not live in me! :)

Now, the first giveaway I won earlier this year was special to me because of three reasons. The first is that it was hosted by a woman that I have grown so very fond of, despite the fact that we've never met. The second is that it was my first time winning a giveaway! The third was that it came at the perfect time and helped me get my newest business started with my partner!

This giveaway is special to me for multiple reasons, too. The number one reason was it was hosted by one of the most respectable wedding magazines on the planet, which provides inspiration and guidance to brides with Southern flair.

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I mean honestly...how flipping adorable is their website header? I die for the cuteness! The second reason I was so incredibly excited is because this giveaway contained a prize that is "song-of-the-South, sweet-potato-pie-and-I-shut-my-mouth" adorable!!!!! Don't believe me? Check this out!

Yes, that is the Southern Weddings Magazine website.
Yes, that is my hand making that thumbs up.
Yes, I somehow by the grace of God won
that adorable clutch & bowtie!

If you'd like to read the official post by Southern Weddings Magazine, you can do so by clicking --> HERE.

I have to say a huge thank you to the ones who made my day today! You will never understand how happy and grateful I am to have received these blessings, and I want each and every one of you to go check out Southern Weddings Magazine! The photo shoots are gorgeous, the brides, editors, and writers are Southern belles, and preppy country goodness drips off the pages and melts your heart!

Until next time,

The Bountiful Harvest Of Summer

2011-06-26T09:00:00.001-04:00

One of the perks of working where I do is that people like to give us things! They love to share their products and services with us, and for that we are all so very blessed! A local farmer's market, orchard and wholesale nursery just dropped by and delivered a ton of delicious summertime delicacies just for us!

Want to see my spread (which was actually pretty small as far as quantity is concerned)?

Why yes, that would be fresh corn, cucumbers, zucchini, and peaches! You're such good guessers! I am blessed that such smarties read my blog! Y'all make me smile real big!

Just looking at this picture makes me drool all over myself, so basically what I'm saying is that you should be glad you don't have to see more or be around me at this particular point in time! I can't wait to fix that corn, add those cucumbers to my summer salads, and I'm going to make my darling Comanche deep-fry that zucchini for me so we can dip it in Yum-Yum sauce (which his sister stumbled upon in one of our local Food Lion stores! For reals, y'all - you can buy the Yum-Yum! Meet me in the aisle, it's goin' down!). I also am looking forward to several afternoon and evening snacks of those juicy and delicious peaches! Good and good for you!

There was also a special gem in my loot! Check it out!

Aww, bless your heart, you little peach!

It's a peach shaped like a heart! I die a million deaths over this insane amount of cuteness. Seriously, I gushed about this for two minutes straight and showed it to everyone, who also thought it was adorable! And now, that is continuing as I show it to all of you - you are welcome and you can each personally thank me later when you have time.

What's a girl to do with the cuteness that is this particular peach? Well, send a fresh and fruity love note to a sexy man in uniform, duh! And that's just what I did via picture message! See?

I do heart him. Like whoa. The peach don't lie.

Hopefully, my precious peach served as much as an afternoon laugh to my Comanche as it will as a satisfying summer snack to me later (say that five times fast, won't you?). This blessed gift just warms my heart and enlightens my soul because it means that summer is officially upon us and it's one of my favorite seasons (not that I have more than four to choose from or anything).

After my last post on goals, (and let's be honest, you all read it twice because it was so good), this gift decidedly helped me with Goal Number Three. It's hard not to stop and enjoy the simple things when the simple things are dropped at your doorstep (or in our case, in our little break room). Thanks be to God for having someone deliver when I needed them to!

Happy Summer and Happy Weekend, everyone!

Until next time,
Miss Chicken Wing

Test 1,2,3

2011-06-24T18:03:00.003-04:00

Well, Peeps, as you might have noticed, there are a few changes as far as looks go around this here blog. The reason? Well, I had some posts scheduled for you and then all of a sudden the website that hosts my original blog background completely went down, leaving my posts completely unreadable.

BUMMER with a capital BUM!

But, in order to allow you all to still be able to read the blog while this problem is going on, I figured I'd just do the easiest thing and add a new background and signature (even though you won't be able to see my signature in any of the older posts).

Again, BUMMER.

But, honestly, you know it was me who wrote them because who else would be so crazy? No one, that's who!

Hopefully, everything is up and running soon and you may wonder why I chose the background that I did. Well, to be honest, I wanted to keep with the same color scheme as that's how I've branded the Wing. Second, I've had SO MANY PEOPLE tell me that my icon makes them super hungry, so when I saw that my very own blog could be positioned as the tastiest dish you'll ever read, I had to take the plunge!

I hope you enjoy this backup background, and that you all are having a Fantabulous Friday!

Until next time,

Goals Are Important

2011-06-24T12:19:00.000-04:00

Every now and again, it's good to take some time to focus on your goals. Having something to achieve is so important in life - the moment you stop trying for something is the moment boredom sets in and we all know what they say about idle hands being the devil's playground. I've actually seen such boredom in action recently and it's amazing to me how unhappy people can become when they stop reaching for something greater.

I want to increase my chances of reaching my goals, so I thought that it would be best to keep myself accountable, and what better way to do that than to share a few goals with all of you so you can hold me to them! :) Welcome to your homework, Peeps! Here goes nothing.

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1. I would like to become more of a domestic goddess.

By domestic goddess, I mean that I would like to be better at all things home related. I know that in order to accomplish this, I will have to practice better time management, as I have so little free time as it is. Yes, that means that sometimes, I will have to give up my precious television or catching-up-on-the-magazine-subscription-I'm-four-months-behind-on in order to become the goddess I was intended to be.

Help needed in the following areas:
a. Cooking - yeah, I have three dishes I can successfully make (and that's if I check the recipes a bazillion times).
b. Cleaning/Organization - Okay, I'm sure we can all be better at this, but I know if I could accomplish a better system for myself, it would keep the anxiety and breathing into brown paper bags at a minimum. Just kidding - there have been no actual documented panic attacks associated with having to clean or organize things.

Excuse the cell pic (that's me on the end back there) and the members of our Coupon Club at work!

2. I want to become an awesome coupon queen!

You see, I have discovered that couponing is power, and I want to be better at it! I have done pretty well so far, but there is vast room for improvement. (Have you seen Extreme Couponing? Crazy Town, right?!?!) While I don't have room for that kind of stockpiling, and mine is done on a much more pared-down level, I would love to know that I'm saving money on EVERYTHING I buy. It's possible - inconvenient sometimes, and a lifestyle change - but possible! I really want to be able to save money!

I, along with some girls at work, even started a Coupon Club at our company, and basically we meet once a week to clip or organize our coupons, and share the ones we know we won't use. For example, I don't have any children yet, so I have no use for Pull-Ups. My coworker, though, has a little girl and she's in the midst of potty training. I give her Pull-Ups coupons and she gives me M&M coupons. I think it's a fair trade!

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3. Simply doing simple things.

I want to make more time to do simple things. Day-tripping to the lake, taking a hike, having a picnic, laying by someone's pool, taking a drive somewhere, taking more pictures! I want to enjoy the simple things in life!

I'm hoping these are some attainable goals - in my experience, having goals is great but overloading yourself with goals is a good way to set yourself up for failure. While I have way more than three goals currently in my life, I have chosen these three to start with. Once I accomplish these, I can focus on different ones, and hopefully by pacing myself, I can achieve them!

What about you? What goals do you hope to soon achieve?

Until next time,

Another Song of Sunday

2011-06-19T10:00:00.001-04:00

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First can I say that you know I adore that picture! Chickens singing? Sign me up! Here is another beautiful song to bring a message of hope to your week. Beautiful voice all around and I absolutely love the note she hits at the end! Talk about getting chills and an amazing message at the same time!

Natalie Grant - Your Great Name

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Until next time,

Happy Weekend (& Uber Cute Video)!

2011-06-17T17:20:00.000-04:00

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Here's a short post to start your weekend off right! I hope you all experience at least one memory this weekend that makes you smile and I hope we all can make at least one friend as loyal and helpful as this next guy.

This video makes me smile real big because my Aunt J's Jack Russell is also named Jesse, and he's been a part of the family for as long as I can remember. Granted, Aunt J's Jesse might get a complex from watching this video, but we love our little people food tester just the same!

Enjoy everyone, and if the maker of this video, "Jesse's person," would like to come and train my little fur monsters, I would totally be down with that!

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Until next time,

Today Is A Great Day

2011-06-16T11:07:00.000-04:00

Well, Peeps! Today is a great day. Why, you ask? Well, today is great for two reasons. The first is that TODAY IS LITTLE SISTER CHICKEN WING'S TWENTY-FOURTH BIRTHDAY! WOO HOO!!!!

Who doesn't love a good birthday now and then? So, to celebrate via the blog, I thought I would create a picture montage of the most ridiculous variety in honor of my sister! Here goes nothing, and a big THANK YOU to FaceInHole.com for being more than a little awesome.

One of our favorite childhood activities? Playing BARBIES!

We have danced in multiple recitals together!

Even though Little Sister CW usually goes for lean men,

and I usually go for men of the stronger variety,

neither of us can deny our love of the Beebs. Just sayin.

We love watching crap TV - Bring on the Wingashians!

We will be each others' maid of honor someday if we don't kill each other first!

And if we do kill each other, hopefully someone won't turn us into Chicken Nuggets!

I hope you enjoyed this ridiculous picture journey, Little Sister Chicken Wing! I love you and hope you have the best twenty-fourth birthday ever! I hope this year will be epic and that it will bring only good things your way!

The other reason that today is a good day is because my favorite show, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, is well underway! Last night was the very first competitive performance show and holy bologna, if that episode was indicative of how this season is going to go - we have our work cut out for us! Season Eight's bench is STACKED with talent - probably the most talent in one season that has ever been in the history of the show! Don't believe me? Check out this AHH-MAZING statue routine, choreographed by Travis Wall (of Season 2), set to a song by Ingrid Michaelson, and danced by Melanie Moore and Marko Germar:

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Like I said - AHH-MAZING! Love doesn't even begin to describe it! I can't wait to see how the season progresses and how the dancers develop even further! And that is why today is a great day!

Until next time,

Busy Is As Dizzy Does

2011-06-09T09:00:00.000-04:00

As you may have been able to tell, my posting has been very erratic lately, and I am sorry for that! It's not that I don't adore you guys, but it's that for some reason, somebody decided to only put 24 hours in a day (the nerve). So, to make up for that, I give you THE MOST MASSIVE CATCHUP POST I CAN MUSTER. You have been warned.

I wanted to catch you all up on the goings-on of the Chicken Wing, so you can each revel in the fact that you're not me for awhile. There are two words that best describe me and my life at this moment in time: busy and dizzy. The good news is that I've been SO BUSY with a lot of good things in my life. The bad news is that the busy-ness has led to lack of sleep and lack of sleep has most likely contributed to the massive allergy attack that has been plaguing me of late. The massive allergy attack has led me to take Alavert - D and Wal-dryl (Walgreens' version of Benadryl), which is where the dizzy part comes in - whew, boy, these antihistamines aren't playing around!

Oh, hello, friends!

Okay, obviously the meds are affecting my attention span, so back to the good stuff that's been keeping this Wing so busy. As you read in a prior post, I had a traumatic evening concerning one of my neighbors on Tuesday of last week. That ordeal kept me up until 2am, and after a few short hours of sleep, I went in to work a full day. On Thursday, I had taken a half-day vacation from my full-time job, and we actually booked a wedding to photograph with my part-time job, so I worked a 15-hour day that day. Then, I waited for Little Sister Chicken Wing to get off work at midnight, we packed our things into the car, and headed home to Momma Chicken Wing's house, getting in at 2:30am (I don't know what it was with me and the 2am hour that week).

The next morning, Friday, both Little Sister CW and I had taken off work for a special reason. We met up with some lovely ladies at 8am (yes, very little sleeping going on) and had the most wonderful pedicures. You may think that would be an odd choice of activities for that early in the morning, but it was, again, for a very special reason. We then went to a special venue, and Chicken Wing got crack-a-lackin' in Event Planner mode. There were crafts to finish, hot glue guns to heat up, cameras to prep, chairs to be set out, and decor and floral to be arranged. Why in the world would I put myself through all of this?

Because this client bride was none other than Momma Chicken Wing!

That's right! In a huge surprise to most folks, I've been planning and executing my own mother's wedding weekend! It was a huge success and Momma CW and her new husband, whom we'll call Dubya, are very happy newlyweds. It was a ton of work, but all-in-all, we couldn't have had a better day! The weather was great, and when your client is happy, you are happy. That sentiment is echoed tenfold when your client is a member of your family.

As you can see, I've been rolling lately, and I wouldn't have it any other way - except for these darned allergies! Sheesh, I wish they'd move on out of here and let a Chicken Wing breathe. Not to mention, I'd like to have my old voice back. This raspy mess of a voice can only be described as one used by a sex hotline operator, and I try to live my life quite a bit classier than that.

So, in the words of the ever-articulate Taylor Swift, I ask my allergies, "Why you gotta be so...mean?" I digress. The reason I'm so bothered by these allergies, and want them to go away, is because one of my good friends from high school is GETTING MARRIED this week to another one of my good friends from high school...and they're getting married at the beach! Oh, you thought my busy schedule was over? NOT A CHANCE!

Aren't they the cutest?!?!?!

I will have the privilege of participating in the big day as one of G-K's bridesmaids, along with these gorgeous girls:

All the pretty ladies (minus one)!

So, as you are reading this massive post, I will be at the beach doing bridesmaid things and preparing to help another happy couple tie the knot! I'm a sucker for a happy ending, what can I say? I will hopefully be back to blogging regularly soon. I still have a ton of photos to edit, and I'm sure that will only increase with G-K's wedding. Either way, I hope you have a great week!

Until next time,

SQUEEEEEEEE!!!!!

2011-06-06T09:17:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I'm dying a happy death over here because the new BREAKING DAWN trailer just came out!!!! I know, nerd alert, call the authorities! I'm so pumped though because I loved the Twilight books and I've found each of the movies to be more than entertaining. It will be nice to have the series completed, and as you all know by now, there will be two movies to cover the last book, Breaking Dawn.

I don't know how long Summit Entertainment will allow this preview to stay online, so watch it while you can!

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Is anyone else super excited by this or am I alone on my vampire-and-werewolf-loving island?

Until,

Chicken Wing "New Song Obsession"

2011-05-26T10:15:00.000-04:00

I LOVE THIS SONG!

...and it's a Christian song, to boot! I was flipping through the radio channels in my car the other day, and the background music of this song came on. I started bopping the head a little bit and thought to myself, "This is quite catchy."

Then, I listened to the lyrics and immediately the song resonated with me! We all get caught up in the hassles and messes of life, and we sometimes forget to remember just how blessed we are. This song came at the perfect time for me - if you read my last post, you already know why. If you haven't had a chance to read it, go check it out.

I hope you all enjoy "This Is The Stuff," by Francesca Battistelli.

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Until next time,

Always Say A Prayer

2011-05-25T13:07:00.000-04:00

Today's post is a very serious one, and it's written by an exhausted mind. I experienced something last night that I never thought I would, and it's left me with many tired thoughts in my head that I wanted to put out to the world.

In a nutshell, one of my neighbors apparently got to a point where he felt he could no longer go on, and he took his own life in my backyard last night. From the noise that I heard (I thought someone had broken my flower pot on my patio), to the phone call I received asking if anything was going on, to scanning the parking lot, and eventually discovering his lifeless body behind our townhouse building while trying to console his significant other, it's all a bit of a blur.

There were police officers rushing, and blue lights flashing. There were people standing in the doorways of the twenty-five units of our little community. There were questions, and note taking, and flashlights, and crime scene tape.

And there were the poor people who had to deal with the mess that this situation had left them in - someone they loved was gone. Someone they loved was lying in the grass being documented by the authorities. If it hadn't been for the fact that you could easily see the contents of his head, you would think he'd simply fainted.

All in all, it was a horrific sight, and it leaves me feeling so saddened that this young man had reached a point in his short life where he felt he could not continue living. I never knew his name, but he was always very friendly and kind to me. We had to alternate the times that we took our dogs outside - his pit bull, while still a puppy, would certainly be able to eat my tiny babies alive, and with all of the animals outside at the same time, none of them could concentrate on the task at hand.

The entire ordeal lasted four hours, and I just keep going back to the fact that from the outside looking in, he seemed fine. I'd seen him less than two hours before his death, and he seemed fine then too. I'll probably never know what led him to this, but I can say this - I pray for him. I pray for his family. I pray for our little community - for the parents who had to explain to their children why there were so many officers in our neighborhood. For the extended family and friends of this man, who will most likely have a very hard time coming to grips with the fact that they'll never see him again.

I also have used this time to reflect on the fact that this was another reminder of just how quickly life can be over, and it's important to do what you can to make this world a better place when you're living in it. Part of me wishes I had gotten to know him - maybe I could have reached out and things could have been different. The other part of me knows that it possibly wouldn't have been enough, and I'm satisfied with the fact that I could be there for the poor woman who is left alone in that house today.

If there's anything that has been renewed for me through this situation, it's that I have to rely on God when times get hard. I know that I am not strong enough to handle the weight of the world on my own, and that He is always there for me. He's protective of me, and He loves me, and He would never have given me life if He hadn't wanted me to be. Sometimes, being the control freak that I am, I have a hard time giving control over to anyone - even God - and that's silly because He ultimately has control of everything. But, this has reminded me that sometimes, it's best to get on your face with God and ask Him for help.

I even thought back to one of the emails I received - you know the kind. Sometimes, they are so annoying and usually, they bring the threat of bad things happening to you if you don't send them on. This one, however, had a poem that made a lot of sense to me, and I thought of it again in light of the events of last night.

There's work to do, deadlines to meet.
You have no time to spare.
But as you hurry and scurry...
ASAP - Always Say A Prayer.

In the midst of family chaos,
Quality time is rare.
Do your best; let God do the rest.
ASAP - Always Say A Prayer.

It may seem like your worries
Are more than you can bear.
Slow down and take a breather...
ASAP - Always Say A Prayer.

God knows how stressful life can be,
And He wants to ease your cares.
He'll respond to all your needs...
ASAP - Always Say A Prayer.

Today I'm saying a little prayer
That God will send a smile to you
And send you special blessings
Through everything you do.
- Lisa Englehardt

I wish this young man could have been able to see past his pain and remember to Always Say A Prayer. Since he was not able to do so, I ask each and every one of you to lift his family up today - lift them up tomorrow, and the rest of this week. Lift them up as long as you can remember to do so. Lord knows they probably need that comfort and peace right now.

And if you are in need yourself - if suicide has ever crossed your mind - please do not keep this to yourself. Talk to someone. Let them tell you how special and loved you are. Let someone help you. Life is so precious, and the world will not be the same without you in it. Always Say A Prayer.

Until next time,

I Am Addicted

2011-05-23T12:54:00.000-04:00

Top o' the morning to you, Peeps! I hope you are all having a blessed and wonderful Monday morning (I know...I did just use the words 'wonderful' and 'Monday' in the same sentence intentionally - I do hope you are each having a great day).

Let's jump right in. Today's topic is addiction. Now, this is not a laughing matter, so I don't want people to think that I'm making light of a serious situation. Having an addiction to anything is really not the best case scenario, but I guess some addictions are better than others.

Comanche and I were taking some time to unwind yesterday after another exceptionally busy week/weekend. To be honest, it was a perfect evening - the two of us (and three dogs, if we're being honest) on the couch, chillaxing with Chinese takeout and conversation. He made the joke that I am addicted to funny things (well, they are funny to him). Here was the list: television, the computer, my dogs, and couponing. LOL! It does sounds humorous when said in list form.

But, I think he has a strong case. Let's work through these one by one, because I'm completely fine with just "owning it."

1. Television.

Okay, I'm guilty. Throw the book at me. I love TV. Being as I work for a TV station, I feel as though it's my vital responsibility to partake in television shows regularly (and by regularly, I mean every.single.night.of.the.week). I mean, who isn't excited for these shows this week?

Yes, please! Who will win?!?!

As far as this show goes, and as far as this season goes,

I give it a 10!

The suspense is killing me! SO glad Haley went home!

I DIE!!!!! MAY 26TH!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!! FAVE SHOW!!!!!

Cannot wait for this season finale on Wednesday!

Okay, so clearly my man has a point when it comes to being addicted to TV. I'm not ashamed to admit it, and quiz me on any of these shows later. You'll be impressed, I promise!

2. The computer.

I'll go ahead and jump on this grenade, as well. I have to use the computer every day at work, and obviously, when I get home, the computer provides me with a wealth of information. I check my facebook, I blog (which is clearly the most important thing you have to read, so you're welcome), I pay bills online, I check movie times, I double and triple-check recipes and cooking instructions, and a multitude of other things. I think those are more than justified reasons to be addicted to your computer/the internet.

3. My dogs.

Duh. There is no argument here. Ask any mother, and she'll tell you that when she looks into the big eyes of her children, she feels compelled to make them happy. Okay, maybe all mothers except for those of teenagers (or extremely fussy babies). But, if you had fur-children that looked like this, you would totally understand:

Oh my gosh, why are you the cutest dogs that have ever lived?!?!?!?!?

4. Couponing.

Okay, again, he's got me. This is probably my newest addiction, and it's actually one I've been wanting to write about for some time now. I just haven't had the time to do the kind of post I really want to be able to do. So, I am going to make you wait for it. I will be completely transparent here - my newest addiction does take quite a bit of time. Quite a bit of time is something that I don't have (or maybe I would have if I could shift some of my other addictions around). But, I will say this - I wouldn't allow myself to become addicted to couponing if I didn't see the value in it. So you'll have to keep checking back for more - it might interest you more than you currently think it will. ;)

In closing, "Hi. My name is Chicken Wing, and I am an addict."

Until next time,

Why Wednesday Is My Favorite Weekday

2011-05-17T17:02:00.000-04:00

Okay, for some reason, it occurred to me that I haven't really expressed my true feelings about something. You know how (typically, many times) you get kicked in the butt and filled with regret when you realize that you never expressed love or appreciation for someone, somewhere, or something?

Well, I try to always love with my heart (and mouth) wide open - whoa...that sounded wayyyy dirtier than I ever anticipated. By that, I mean I always try to TELL PEOPLE/THINGS that I love them. We're talking about verbalizing here, peeps, not anything else.

Anywho, now that I've completely derailed this train, I am hoping to bring you all back by saying that there is one reason, and one reason only that Wednesday is my favorite weekday.

LOVE these characters so, so much!

Enter Modern Family, aka the funniest show on television.

Now, I've been an uber dedicated MF fan since the very beginning. You see, one of the perks of working as the research girl for a TV station is that I get to watch the pilots of new shows WAY before you do. Jealous? In most cases, you should be, so it's completely understandable. Modern Family is one of the gems that I was able to preview early on, and I created estimates that showed this show swinging for the fences as far as ratings go. In fact, multiple people in my office told me I was crazy based on the synopsis of the show....that is, until they watched the first episode. The very next day, we were all hysterically laughing-until-you're-crying about the shenanigans that took place. Well done, Chicken Wing, way to be a trailblazer.

I mean, you are CUCKOO with a capital Cocoa Puffs if you don't like this show. Everyone can relate to at least one character, and it is literally one of the funniest shows I've ever seen. It makes me belly laugh at least once an episode, and I currently have Season 1 on DVD. Yeah, it's that good.

So, I just wanted to share this love of Modern Family with you, because tomorrow is Wednesday, which is my favorite weekday. (Clearly, I can't place more excitement on Wednesday than on the weekend, because we just shouldn't kid ourselves).

In case you'd like a little taste of the good stuff, this is last week's episode, "Good Cop Bad Dog," which had me crying!

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Hope you all start setting your TiVo's right away and make your own weeks that much better! If you ever get the chance to meet anyone on Modern Family, tell em the Chicken Wing sent you!
Until next time,

A Milestone Reached

2011-05-11T09:00:00.001-04:00

Well, Peeps, a milestone occurred that I absolutely cannot believe is even humanly possible. Little Brother Chicken Wing had a big birthday recently (and shame on me for taking so long to blog about it) - that's right, folks, my baby brother turned TWENTY-ONE.

I had a bit of a hard time accepting that for a number of reasons. Primarily, the fact that he could physically be twenty-one years old means that I have to be a fair share older than that, and who really likes to think about that, anyways?

This also meant that he is continually growing up, and I don't actually know why I am surprised by that - he's kinda sorta been working on that one his entire life. Either way, whenever there is a milestone for him like a twenty-first birthday, it's just a harsh reminder that he's not a little boy anymore.

What was pretty darn cool, however, was that my little bro wanted to live out his dream of being able to order a beverage in a restaurant...and he wanted to hang out with his big sisters while doing it. I couldn't believe he actually wanted us to be a part of his big night, but he did. We had a great time, and had some major laughs, and Little Brother Chicken Wing had a night of nights.

Actual photo of the Chicken Wing sibs on the big night!

So, here's to you, Little Brother Chicken Wing, on your twenty-first birthday. Thanks for being the best little brother ever, and thanks for thinking of your big sisters at an age where hanging with your family isn't necessarily the "cool" thing to do. We love you, and you're a grown up now! :)

Until next time,

She Get It From Her Momma

2011-05-10T11:30:00.002-04:00

Okay, so you'll have to excuse the incredibly lame title of this post. For some reason, it was the only thing I kept coming back to. Not to mention that I've been told at least once a week since I was born that I look exactly like my mother. So, I felt it fit well enough.

I hope that all the mothers out there had an amazing Mother's Day this past weekend, and that you were able to be surrounded by the families you helped to create! There are many things that should be celebrated about mothers: the countless hours they spent giving birth to us, the endless amount of Band-Aids that they placed on our knees, the number of birthday candles they placed on our cakes each year, the amount of miles they put on their minivans in order to come to every.single.event we ever participated in, the amount of ibuprofen they popped during our overly mouthy teenaged years.

Moms are half of the parental good stuff, and they definitely should be celebrated. I know that we had a great Mother's Day! We started it off by heading to an amazing church service at our amazing church. We got to see Comanche's Mom and Dad there, and were able to give her the card we'd picked out.

From Left: Momma CW, Comanche, Miss CW, Comanche's Momma

From there, we met up with the rest of the Chicken Wing siblings and made our way to the big city to celebrate with my family. (Anyone reading this that actually knows me will laugh at my account of where I'm from).

Why did we go to the nest where I grew up? Why, to celebrate these two lovely ladies, of course!

What did our day consist of? Well, what didn't it consist of? First, we had a delicious lunch prepared by Grandma Chicken Wing! Then, we took the celebration outside. The first order of business - the age old tradition of playing baseball in the back yard (with the hot pink plastic bat and what used to be white plastic ball - now, they are both completely covered in duct tape). Ghetto? Yes. Super fun? Also yes.

Then, we moved on to tossing the football and running routes, and I have to say that was short-lived. The only two who were really interested in that were Comanche and Little Brother Chicken Wing, and so they lost the vote on what to do. After that had been settled, we moved on to volleyball. Our net may or may not have been my Grandma's clothesline. (We Chicken Wings are nothing if not resourceful).

After several hours in the hot sun and buckets of sweat, we went back inside and played Mexican dominoes! I know I talk about this game frequently, and I'm so serious - if you've not played it, you need to try! It is so much fun! The tournament was tight, and there was massive smack talking going down. After getting fired up, Comanche ended up winning (and it was only his SECOND TIME playing). Beginner's luck?

Then, we decided we hadn't killed our muscles enough, so we ventured back outside for more volleyball. After all of our forearms were decidedly red and in pain, we went back inside the house for dinner. Whew, what a day! After gifts were opened by the ladies-of-the-day, we called it a night! I could not have been happier or more worn out!

I hope you all had a day as fabulous as ours! Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there and THANK YOU SO MUCH for all you've ever done for us! We appreciate it more than we articulate it!

Until next time,

10 Relationship Don't's

2011-05-06T11:52:00.000-04:00

Okay, so where did we leave off last time? Ahh, yes, with some things that you should "do" in relationships. Now, on to the flipside of my non-professional opinion!

10 Relationship Don't's:

1. Don't talk negatively about your partner to others.

This is a tough one. Let's get serious - sometimes your partner is going to do something that drives you crazy, or makes you want to go postal on unsuspecting victims. There are going to be times when you need to vent about it to someone. Newsflash: That's okay! The trick here is to make sure that you're speaking about your partner in an objective way, and not a negative way. There is no need to drag your significant other through the mud when he/she has done something that doesn't suit you. You can discuss a situation without ranting about it. Also, a sidenote here that I've learned from experience: if you want to have a venting session, it's always better to do this with a friend and not your family. God love them, but they will judge your partner FOREVER on everything and it doesn't matter if the judgment is made on good things or bad things.

2. Don't stop planning together for the future.

We, as humans, were designed to move forward. Stationary is not in our DNA. When you stop creating dreams with your partner (especially dreams for your future together), you drift apart. Think about it - it's good to set goals and have dreams for yourself. I want to get this job. I want to one day afford a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes. Whatever floats your boat. The same is true of your relationship. Set goals for the future. One day, let's try to buy a house. In three years, let's start having children. Let's renew our vows at ten years. Let's save our money and plan that amazing vacation we've always talked about.

3. Don't be automatically defensive.

This is one that I constantly struggle with. What can I say...I'm nothing if not scrappy. Sometimes, I have a hard time distinguishing the difference between a calm, constructive conversation and a full-blown ambush-style attack. I work really hard to practice listening over defending myself because sometimes, it's genuinely not necessary. Sometimes, people tend to miss the point of the conversation because they're busy plotting their rebuttal to the first thing that was said. This is not a good, nor effective practice, and therefore, it made my don't list.

4. Don't be the end-all, be-all in your relationship.

Okay, say it with me, friends - "Smothering leads to death." I have a hard time keeping my lunch down when I see a couple who is so imbalanced in regards to time spent apart from one another. I have literally had to force myself to not react or say something I shouldn't when I see someone literally go off because their significant other is hanging out with his or her friends. Oh, the horror. It's good for you to have friends. It's good for your partner to have friends. It's good for each of you to see said friends on a semi-regular basis. Everyone gets busy, but time should be made for friends. If your man/woman wants to have time with their boys/girls, let them go - even if you don't have any plans for yourself. (Cue horrified face.) Use that time by yourself to read a book, take a bubble bath, watch a movie that your partner doesn't want to see, do laundry, exercise - take time for YOU.

5. Don't lose yourself.

This one goes hand-in-hand with number four. Oftentimes, I've witnessed people who completely change when they start dating someone new. They're more concerned with being whomever their partner desires rather than being themselves and finding someone who wants who they are. Here's a fun fact of the day - dating is usually hard. The "right one" is not dangled in front of your face for a reason - you have to do the work! That's why you date. You don't decide that you like someone, then figure out what they like, and then turn yourself into that, all chameleon-like. It's not healthy. Don't drop your friends and family and become obsessed with the person you're dating. The right person will fit into your life because they are a part of your life, not because they've become your entire life.

6. Don't go to bed angry/don't leave angry.

There are different schools of thought on this one, but I'm on team "don't do it." I can get behind the "take a few minutes to cool down" scenario, but I cannot accept someone rolling over and going on with life as though nothing happened. Something happened. Hash it out in the calmest and most constructive way you can. The goal is that both parties can go to sleep satisfied about something. Everything might not work out just the way you wanted it to, but it will be better in the morning, even if you are tired and cranky. I'm also big on not storming out on someone when you're angry. Number One, you SHOULD NOT be driving when you're that emotional. Number Two, how is the other person supposed to trust you to stick around if you are constantly showing them that you'll walk out? No bueno and no me gusta.

7. Don't allow fear to be the driving force in your relationship.

In life, crap happens. Someone most likely will treat you badly in some form and you will be forced to carry the baggage of that around (maybe even for the rest of your life). While it's unfortunate, you're not alone in this, and the trick is to not let the baggage weigh you down. You cannot punish your new partner for an old partner's mistakes. They are not the same people and should not be compared to one another. It's okay to use what you've learned and experienced in past relationships to make your current relationship better, but you have to really be attentive and know when you're allowing the fear of what happened before hinder what could happen in your future. Don't beat yourself before you even begin something beautiful.

*Sidenote: In all honesty, if you feel your baggage is too heavy to deal with, please seek out a therapist. There is absolutely no shame in that, and there is an entire profession that exists to help people with all kinds of situations! All you have to do is seek help.

8. Don't value being right over being a loving partner.

If your relationship's dialogue consists more of, "Boom! In your FACE!" than anything else, there's probably some big issues there. We all love to feel the high of being right. Even better? The high of knowing that other people know you're right. That's okay, but you have to keep it in check. Don't put more into proving to your partner that you're right than you do into finding a solution. Who cares if your partner swore up and down that Richard Gere starred in Dirty Dancing when the entire world knows it was Patrick Swayze? I've witnessed folks get downright nasty about something as trivial as that, and it was sickening to see them revel in embarassing their partner in front of people. Uh-uh. Not cool. Need more info? Check out number one of this very post.

9. Don't use what you have as a weapon.

Your love. Your intimacy. Your families. Your kids. Your secrets. Your dreams. All of the things I just listed are the puzzle pieces that your relationship is made of. These are things that are sacred and precious to you and to your partner. How many times have you heard someone say, "Oh yeah? Well, you just cost yourself ____." "You can consider the kitchen closed." "Well, if you're going to be that way, I guess you won't be needing ______." Do not threaten your partner with any of these things. That is a low blow to beat all low blows.

10. Don't define love as a noun.

Something I've come to understand is that love as a noun is ephemeral. (Ephemeral means 'lasting for a very short time.') It's conditional. "I'll love him as long as he never does this." "If you ever cheat on me, I'll leave." There are many conditions we've all heard before that "determine" whether or not someone will stay with their partner. I've also seen so many times where love was spoken but not done. I try to define love as a verb - it's something that we do. Saying the words doesn't make them so. It's the actions that make someone understand that you're in this for the long haul. I am starting to understand unconditional love in relationships. I've seen people go through things that I've seen ten other couples end a marriage over. Guess what? In about 90% of those cases, the couples who stayed together and worked through their issues are some of the happiest and most fulfilled people I know. The ones who left? They've bounced from relationship to relationship because they accept what is as status quo. They don't stand and fight for their relationships. I choose love as a verb.

*Sidenote: There are some things that SHOULD NOT be accepted. Abuse is one of those things. Putting your partner in danger is one of those things. There are always exceptions to any rule, and I would never encourage anyone to "stay and fight" if they're up against someone who takes that literally. If you find yourself in a situation like that, please ask for help and get out. The right person is out there waiting for you, and you don't have to take that anymore.

As I've said in the posts before, these are simply lists that I wanted to jot down primarily for myself. I want to take my own advice and I want to put to action what I've learned over the years. I'm not qualified, nor should I be used as the end-all, be-all for your relationships. I don't want any, "Well, Miss Chicken Wing said it so it must be so" situations on my wings. (Get it, I could have said 'hands' but that would be silly.)

I hope we all can help one another out in making our relationships better than ever! I want us all to be more than happy, and I started this series because I get asked for advice when people see that I've lived through certain situations. I figured that there may be someone too shy to ask, and maybe these could help you out!

Until next time,

10 Relationship Do's

2011-04-29T12:21:00.000-04:00

Let me start by saying that it was really hard for me to just choose ten things, but I'm winging it. Get it? Because I'm the Chicken Wing. Har-dee-har-har. Let's get to it!

10 Relationship Do's:

1. Respect your partner.

Respect takes a lifetime to gain and a second to lose. It's important that you think about what's great in your partner - what makes you proud of him/her? What makes you proud that he/she picked you?

2. Be someone your partner can respect.

If you want to be treated like a child, act like a child. If you want your partner to be proud to be with you, be a living example of that type of person. Act like a lady or a gentleman. Be kind to other people. Take the high road when others upset you. Be the type of person that others can look up to.

3. Be honest.

Even "truth hurts" brutal honesty is better than no honesty at all. There are few things that hurt worse than a lie or omission, and you should be able to trust your partner to be able to handle the truth. The truth always comes out one way or another, so you want to be on the right side of that truth.

4. Be faithful.

Cheating is a touchy subject. Clearly there are trust issues and respect issues where cheating is involved. I've been in situations times before where I could genuinely understand why people cheat. (Reference the 80/20 rule clip in the last post). The bottom line is this - cheating is taking the easy way out. If you don't communicate that something is missing and that you're having a hard time with temptation, your partner never has a chance to fix the problems. You're beating yourself before you even begin.

5. Make fun a priority.

Let's be honest - life is hard. It's hard to be light and cheery all the time when gas prices are about to hit $4.00 per gallon and everyone is suffering financially and the kids/pets are driving you crazy and you're always pulled in a million directions. It can be overwhelming, that's for sure. It is your responsibility, though, to stop the world for a minute and schedule some fun time for you and your partner. Reconnect, laugh, and be silly. If you don't, you're going under. Or you're destined to be miserable for the rest of your life, and that sounds about as fun as swimming in the ocean in a steak bikini.

6. Communicate often and thoroughly.

Communication has always been pretty easy for me - heck, I'm a talker to beat all talkers who was born to a talker who beats all talkers. Sometimes, though, communication is hard. Sometimes, there are things that need to be said that you don't want to say. Say them. Nothing can help your partner get a better insight into who you are and how you think than you telling them. Take the guesswork out. If you want something, say you want something. If you are unhappy with how a situation was handled, talk it out. If you are not having fun at the moment and you feel like you need to have fun, say so. I hate to be the bearer of devastating news, but men and women don't think the same. They also don't communicate the same. The sooner you realize that, the better it will be for everyone involved. Oh, and don't forget that listening is one-half of communicating.

7. Be open-minded.

There have been several times in my relationship where I've been introduced to new things. Comanche has multiple interests that are the same as mine. He also has multiple interests that I either a) knew absolutely nothing about or b) thought I wasn't cut out for (read: had no interest in at all). I've learned through my relationship with him that by being open-minded to new experiences and ideas, I've become so much more well-rounded! I now like new foods that I'd never tried before, and I've attempted to do things I never really wanted to do before. Take camping - I always said it wasn't for me. Comanche asked nicely (and purchased all of the things we'd need, therefore making it impossible for me to say no), and I loved it! I now want to camp at least once every year!

8. Compromise.

Wow, this is so important. I actually don't like the word compromise as much (because so many people use it with a negative undertone), so Comanche and I take a different approach. We call it "The Game Plan." We lay out our options on the table and then pick and choose what we think will be best and we listen to one another's sides. From there, we make our game plan, and the trick to this is to stick to the game plan. For example, if we have an event that one of us really wants to go to, and the other has to be up to work early the next morning, we devise a plan that will satisfy both of us, and then we stick to the plan - no exceptions. That makes it a win-win for everyone, we decided in advance, and we communicated the entire time. Talk about teamwork!

9. Make sure your partner knows how much you love him/her.

It really does not take more than a few seconds to look your partner in the eye and say, "I love you." It also doesn't take more than a few minutes to write a cute note, make a Valentine, construct a text message or email, or leave a voicemail. There are so many opportunities to make your partner feel loved and appreciated. Make him/her dinner one night. Or, if your partner makes you dinner, clean up without discussion. Kiss them a lot. Hug them a lot. Have a dance-off. Watch their favorite show with them. Plan a date night. Go for a walk and hold hands. Have a picnic (in the park or on the living room floor). Give him/her a massage. Heck, buy him/her a massage. I happen to be dating a flower ninja, myself, and that works for me!

Literally on my windshield when I walked outside yesterday morning. Love that man!

10. Participate presently.

This one is huge. What I mean by this is be present in your relationship. Don't put things off for tomorrow - none of us are promised that, anyways. Don't say, "I'll make time for this later." Also, just remember one of the fundamentals - participate. There is nothing worse than a one-sided relationship in which one person does all of the work and all of the trying. It is so un-fulfilling and unhealthy. Resentment and disappointment are two words that are detrimental to any relationship, so head them off by participating and pulling your own weight. If you notice that it's been awhile since you've done something nice for your partner, step it up.

Be dependable - be there when your partner needs you. If they call, answer the phone if you can. If you are supposed to be somewhere at a certain time, be there. If you've told your partner that you will do something, do it. Meet deadlines if there are any. This feeds the trust that is necessary in all relationships. Don't get into a rut where you're constantly being asked to do things. If that's happening, it could be one of two things. Either your partner is going through a needy spell, or you're severely dragging. Either way, it needs to be addressed, and you can look back up to #6 for tips on that. The bottom line is that ALL relationships take work, and it takes work from both parties involved. Participating means you're doing the work, and that is more than half the battle.

*Footnote: Again, I am not a therapist. I'm actually not qualified to give relationship advice to anyone, but I get asked relationship questions all the time and decided to provide my opinion. Just wanted to throw that disclaimer out there! I also don't claim to be good at all of these things. In fact, some of these tips I learned the hard way - I was the one who wasn't living up to my potential. Others were things I wish had been done for me in relationships. That's why they say relationships take work and you learn something new every day.

Up next: 10 Relationship Don't's.

Until next time,

Let's Talk About Relationships

2011-04-27T13:06:00.000-04:00

I've decided to create a small blog series about romantic relationships. Lord knows I've learned a ton about relationships through the years, and I haven't even been married yet! There are so many variables when it comes to relationships and I have a hard time stifling my uncontrollable laughter whenever I hear someone say, "You'll know you've met the one when everything is easy."

Yeah, okay. My advice to you, friend?

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Sure, things can flow very smoothly, and you may find someone that you're exceptionally compatible with. There's still what is called the 80/20 rule. Never heard of it? Allow my good friend Tyler Perry to explain it to you through his sensational film, "Why Did I Get Married?"

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Basically, keeping the 80/20 rule in mind, you're going to continually be faced with choices in your relationships. Times will get hard, and you will never get 100% of what you need. That's why no one has the perfect relationship.

I actually was in a public place the other night and heard a couple in a drag-down, knock-out fight. I mean, they were really going at it. The man in the relationship was being extremely sarcastic and short. The woman in the relationship was so demeaning, loud, and rude. Ultimately, they were airing their dirty laundry IN PUBLIC and all that was successfully happening was that they were feeding off of each other's meanness to see who could verbally hit the hardest.

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That horrific scene caused me to think about relationships and the lessons I've learned throughout the years, and I thought I'd share two posts with you - the first post is about relationship do's. The second is about relationship don't's. Keep in mind, these are not scientific. I am not a therapist nor an expert. These are just some lessons I've learned or things I've learned to be true along the way. I'd also love to hear any insights that you all have to offer! The more we share with one another, the better we all will be!

Until next time,

How Great Indeed

2011-04-26T09:28:00.000-04:00

Hello, Peeps! I hope each and every one of you had an amazing Easter weekend! I know I did, and it was jam packed full of love and togetherness. I got to see my incredible friends and my fantastic family, and all is right in my little world.

One thing I was quite upset about was missing a special on TV that honored several of country music's female phenomenons. I would have TiVO'd it had I known it was set to air! Boo sauce to that! One of my favorite country artists, whom I've loved since her audition tape on American Idol, was honored during that special. If you've ever heard Carrie Underwood sing, you know that the girl is beyond blessed.

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I was particularly impressed with the song she chose to sing, 'How Great Thou Art.' To say she hit it out of the park would be a severe understatement. Don't believe me? See for yourself.

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Happy Easter, everyone! Remember the reason - He is risen. He is risen indeed.

Until next time,

This Group Is Awesome!

2011-04-22T11:45:00.000-04:00

Have you ever heard of a little band (and by little I mean two people) named

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No? Well, join the club because I literally just learned about them on Wednesday! But, I have to say that they are pretty darn good! Combine an adorable, quirky girl with a big, soulful voice and a slightly muscular All-American looking guy who can also carry a tune, and you've got Karmin! Oh, and you'll need to throw in a bevy of instruments, from a guitar, to a keyboard, to a trumpet, to my favorite.......wait for it......a box. Yes, I did just say 'a box.'

But he rocks that box, let me tell you. And that box rocks my socks off. Okay, seriously, enough about the box. How about an original song, followed by a cover?

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I had never heard of them before I watched one of my favorite daytime talk shows, The Ellen Degeneres Show, and she found them on YouTube and begged them to please come on her show THE NEXT DAY. Like, literally, someone who knows them had to be watching Ellen, hear her shout-out invitation to them, call them up, and have their people get in touch with her people, book a flight, and get their butts out there in ONE DAY. Whew, just describing that makes me tired!

Needless to say, they killed it though! Need proof? This is the song they did on the show.

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Okay, so by now you're thinking to yourself, "These two are pretty cute." You're pondering how awesome it is that they found complementary voices in one another in order to make this group happen. What if I told you that not only are they the founding members of a pretty fabulous musical act, but they are ENGAGED - to each other - as well?!?!?

Believe it. That. just. happened. Happy Good Friday, everyone!

Until next time,

Songs For Daddy

2011-04-21T10:30:00.001-04:00

Dear Daddy,

If you're reading this, it's been sixteen years since I last saw you. You were on your way to go fishing with your best friend, Charlie (which was one of your absolute favorite things to do). It was a Friday. If I'd known then that it would be the last time I'd ever see your face, I would have hugged you even tighter, kissed you on the cheek, and said 'I love you' a million times. Actually, I probably would have refused to let you go.

We both know that life doesn't work like that, though, and I have to be satisfied with praying to God and asking Him to send you messages for me. That's not a bad option, when you think about it, if I can't speak to you in person. I want you to know that I've missed you every single day of these past sixteen years. If you do the quick math, that's 5,840 days of missing you and loving you from here.

I hope they have golf courses and fishing holes in heaven, because I know you're enjoying yourself. I'm sure it wouldn't hurt if they had big screen TV's, as well, so you can watch our beloved Tar Heels and Redskins and even the PGA tournaments that you loved so much. Most of all, I hope you're happy with who we've all turned out to be. I know that I've tried very hard to live my life in a way that would make you proud. I hope that when we reunite in heaven one day, you can look me in the eyes, pat me on the back, and say 'you've done well.'

Every time I hear one of your favorite songs, it makes me think of you. Every time I shoot, attend, or plan a wedding, I pay attention when the bride walks down the aisle with her father and when they share their father-daughter dance. I say a quick prayer that they realize in that moment just how lucky they are to be able to spend that time together. I try not to get down, though, because I can say that the one thing I have over everyone else is that my Daddy is with me all the time because he lives in my heart.

I miss you. I love you. Watch over me. Until we meet again, I thought I'd put some songs in here that make me think of you or help me when I'm down. I know there are people who read this blog and some of them even get inspired by what I have to say. I also know that several of them have lost someone close to them, and they've been through the pain that I have. So, I'd like to share these with them to help them through, too. Here goes nothing.

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Until next time,

When Life Gives You Lemons....

2011-04-20T10:49:00.000-04:00

....well, you know what they say about that. Let's just say that my week started off with an uber sour lemon! After an unfortunate series of events, "I fought the curb and the curb won." Big time. Need proof?

All of the "ghetto" and none of the "fabulous."

There were multiple things that could have happened once I realized my original tire had a legitimate hole in it (and yes, by original tire, we are referring to the tire that was one of a set of four that I just purchased and had put on my car two.months.ago. Yeah, one of those tires.).

I could have sat on the curb on the side of the road and cried. I could have yelled obscenities. I could have tracked down the source of said hole in tire and beat him down. I could have broken my foot by kicking the curb's behind. I could have done a lot of things. What did I do?

I called my hero.

Oh, herro, hero! How YOU doin?

Yes, this incredible and very easy-on-the-eyes man woke up early on his day off, after working three twelve-hour shifts in a row. He drove to find me, patiently and efficiently took bad tire off, put spare tire on, went and purchased me another tire, and then put that on when I got home from work. Praise the Lord for sending this angel to me!

So, naturally, that was a horrible way to start off my Monday morning - I typically like to have peanut butter crackers for breakfast during the work week, not lemons. But, that's life. Sometimes, lemons happen. And it's not like lemons are code-word for bad things - I happen to like lemons. I love lemonaid of either the original yellow or pink variety. I love lemon meringue pie. I love lemon bars. I love those old-school butter cookies with the lemon filling in them. So, I say that when you get a lemon in life, make the most of it and move on. Be grateful for what's going right, and know that the reason you can do so is because you've seen your fair share of lemons and know how to differentiate between the two.

In closing, I thought I'd leave you with an adorable and hilarious video of babies eating lemons. You're welcome for the smilefest that is about to take place on your face.

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Until next time,

What An Incredible Morning

2011-04-17T19:29:00.000-04:00

Today was a big day for my spiritual life! It was a Sunday morning pretty similar to any other Sunday morning. There were two major differences, though. Instead of the 10:45am service, I attended the 9:30am service. Oh, and my AMAZING church became a multi-location church for the first time ever!!!!

They've been working so hard to branch out and reach even more people in the community, and today was the culmination of their efforts! It was an absolutely amazing service as we launched our new campus and relaunched our original campus. The songs were incredible, the message was so on point it was ridiculous, and there were some people who had life-changing moments today. There was a video that featured one of the most beautiful versions of "Amazing Grace" that I've ever heard.

All in all, it was just a wonderful day for my soul. I got so teary-eyed and filled with the spirit that my typically on-the-money singing voice was shaky and broken. (I kid, I kid - I'm not in the band for a reason)! It was the perfect weekly dose of the good stuff that I needed to keep me in line.

I hope you all have an absolutely amazing week, and I hope that you all dig deep and think about all the good things you've got going in your life. Know that you're never "too bad" or "too off the path" to be loved. Life is a beautiful thing, and we're all blessed in some way. If we all took the time to look at what we do have instead of all we don't have, the world would absolutely be a better and happier place!

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Until next time,

Chicken Wing Went Shopping!

2011-04-13T16:45:00.000-04:00

Well, I have to admit something, Peeps. I haven't actually been shopping in a long time. Well, that is until recently. I love, love, love to window shop and I do that often. But, due to being economically cautious, it's actually been awhile since I went shopping for myself, and I think I'd forgotten how important it is to do that sometimes.

I had an amazing girls' day with one of my best girlfriends recently, and we shopped until we dropped! It was an awesome day! So, I decided to share my pretties with you all, and sum up my day with this timeless, classic expression:

Are you, Charlie? Are you?

You may have been wondering, "Were there ruffles involved?" "Heck to the yes, there were ruffles involved," I exclaim!

Take, for example, this unbelievable purse that my lover, TJ Maxx, had waiting for me! The best part? I got this $60 bag for $25!

Personal cell phone picture of my precious!!!

TJ also helped me with a major need I had. Imagine this: you have a wedding to shoot where you will be on your feet for nine hours straight. You go to put on your trusty, not-attractive-but-uber-comfortable, black shoes only to discover that the ankle strap is......wait for it........BROKEN! THE HORROR!

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So, lucky for me, I actually found a cute pair of BOC black ballet flats that are actually very comfortable! BIG WIN for the Chicken Wing! Check 'em out!

HOORAY!

Also from TJ Maxx, I hit the jackpot! Comanche and I went on a mini-trip for his birthday last year, and while in one of the shops there, we saw this section of glazed pottery-type items and we had no clue what they could be. All I could tell was that they were gorgeous! The saleslady explained to us that they were a new phenomenon called firepots!

Basically, they're your own little fireplace when you don't have one. Whether you use them on your patio for crisp evenings or in a cooler area of your home, they are a great option for instant warmth. I will say, they won't heat your entire house or even an entire room, but they're great for folks like me who tend to stay cold all the time. They also have a citronella version of the fuel gel so you can use that outdoors to keep the bugs at bay! Double win! The only reason Comanche and I didn't purchase one of those bad boys right on the spot was because one of the cheapest ones they had was $135. Yes, you read that correctly - we didn't buy one.

At TJ Maxx, however, there was a GORGEOUS firepot on sale for THIRTY DOLLARS!!!! After a quick call to Comanche to confirm that I wasn't just buying things to buy things, he reminded me that 1) I'm always cold, 2) I'd definitely use it, and 3) I'd been using an extremely ghetto "fireplace" which consisted of a medley of jar candles to help heat my living room. Okay, so fail on the last one. According to him, it only made sense for me to snatch one up since I was clearly desperate in the winter. Done and done, and she's a beaut. (You know, short for beautiful). See?

Personal cell phone pic of my firepot in action!

Then, there was the highlight of my shopping trip. My friend and I ended up at the mall in Belk, when out of nowhere, I saw her. Our eyes locked across the room. She was so gorgeous, I couldn't look away - I was mesmerized. She had exotic coloring and curves for days. She even shared my love for damask. And ruffles. Who is she?

LOVE HER!

I've been stalking this class-for-days, Kristen Stewart style dress for.ev.er. Seriously, for years! I've tried on so many dresses like this, and they have never fit me. My fiercly intelligent friend suggested for me to try it on in Petite sizes, even though I argued that I thought those dresses were only shorter in length for smaller people. Who was wrong? {Raises hand with guilty face on display}

What I love about this dress is that I can wear it to a variety of functions and it will be appropriate and class-a-frass at each and every one! And, I also got this on sale 30% off! Sorry, Charlie, but I think your phrase has a new owner in town. Move along, and go fix your life. Mmmkay, thanks for playing.

Until next time,

Musical Message For Your Week

2011-04-04T12:22:00.000-04:00

One thing I greatly look forward to every Sunday is the message I receive from my church. I'm telling you - there's nothing better to start your week off correctly than a little time with Jesus and a bunch of other people who love Him too.

Yesterday's message was a good one and I really took a lot away from it, but one of the most wonderful parts of yesterday's service was actually one of the songs they did. My good girlfriend had heard this song before yesterday, and she got very excited when it started to play. Once it picked up and I focused on the lyrics, I really was touched, as well.

You see, we've been talking a lot about the mysterious ways that God works in our lives for weeks now at church, and one of the recurring themes that our pastor has touched on is that God doesn't come to us in ways that we think He should - He does it on His own time and in His own way. Sometimes, He comes to us in such a way that you honestly have to sit back in disbelief and wonder why He thought that was the way to go.

The reason this message has resonated with me so well is because I've seen it firsthand. I think of certain situations I've been through, and I know that God must have been overwhelmed by the amount of prayers and pleading requests I'd sent up to him. During those times, I genuinely felt one of two ways: 1) that God was ignoring me because my prayers were petty in comparison to others' or 2) that He wanted me to stay on the path that I was on. After certain situations ended and I'd moved on to different things in my life, it was then that He appeared to me, and I have to admit - while I laughed at the irony, it all made perfect sense.

So, that is why the song you're about to hear fit so perfectly with that theme. It reminds you that if you stay the course and keep your faithfulness strong, you'll find the answers you need when the time is right. The "downtime" while we're waiting is just as important as the answers themselves. I hope this message starts your week off right, too! Happy Monday, Peeps!

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Until next time,

Look Ma, No Death!

2011-03-29T13:31:00.001-04:00

I just wanted to toot my own horn for a moment and squeal with joy over the fact I haven't killed the gorgeous mini rose bush that my dear Comanche gave me for Valentine's Day!

It was such a thoughtful gift and I am thrilled that my thumb has been unusually green lately! How pretty!

Enjoy this pretty reminder that spring has sprung!

Until next time,
Miss Chicken Wing