Falling In Love With Fall

Do you know what I love?  I'm sure you're smart enough to read the title of this post, and if you were, then you know I'm talking about the sensational season of FALL.

There's something so romantic about fall.  The crisp air, the changing and falling leaves, pumpkins, mums, the promise of a bonfire and snuggling in a warm blanket with someone you love so dearly - I sincerely can't say enough about this season.

It makes me want to hike awesome trails, cheer on my favorite football team (GO REDSKINS AND RGIII), roast marshmallows and make s'mores.  It makes me want to decorate my home in the colors of autumn.  Fall has a magical way of making you want to dream again after a summer of wanting to do nothing but relax and have fun.

Want to know another thing I absolutely love?

For reals, y'all.

The best thing about Pinterest is that I can link multiple loves together.  For example, I love fall.  I love decorating.  I love decorating my home with fall things.  Pinterest gives me ideas and tutorials on how to do that.

Another example, you say???  Well get ready, because here it comes!  Let's say I wanted to decorate with pumpkins but in a new and exciting way.  Hit up Pinterest and......................GO!

Love this lady's creation, which I found on Pinterest,
and she created based on inspiration she found on Pinterest!

And who thought panty hose + pumpkin would = love?

How chic!

Maybe home decor isn't your jam, and that's okay. Pinterest has something for everyone.  Maybe you are the next Rachael Ray or Bobby Flay.  In your case, you might enjoy these scrumptious findings:

Buffalo chicken dip?  Makes me wanna cuddle up...with some Tostitos.

Sweet potato casserole = all kinds of good!

Okay, let's just say you're an uber-grouch and don't like decor or food.  Well, that leaves you with these guys.

Oh em gee.

If you don't like those adorable babies, I personally have a problem with you and your state of mind.  Get a therapist.  Get medicated.  Find the Lord.  Do what you gotta do to get right!  That.is.all.

Happy Fall, y'all!

Until next time,

You Gotta Keep Em Separated

"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.


Source

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,

Reverb 10 - Prompt #6

December 6 – Make. What was the last thing you made? What materials did you use? Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it? (Author: Gretchen Rubin)

I'm actually thankful for this Reverb 10 prompt because I have been wanting to share this something I "made" with you for quite some time.  It's amazing how some things get away from me.

Remember when I told you about some home improvement/reclaiming my space projects I was doing here and here?  Well, one of the projects was completely DIY'ing a desk makeover!

I bought a plain desk (which was originally a dresser) off Craigslist.com.

Then, I sanded it down....and by I, I do mean me.

Next, Little Sister Chicken Wing and I painted the body and drawers with enamel semi-gloss black paint from Lowe's, all while jamming out to a killer playlist on her MacBook.

Then, after letting it all dry, hitting it up with a second coat, and letting that dry, I had to wait on my new hardware, which I purchased from an amazing company that was perfect for my budget.

Then, I installed the hardware.

Finally, I had a beautiful, completely transformed work of art to aid me in my home office endeavors!  It truly was a labor of love, and my first "major" DIY project, but I absolutely loved it.  Not only did I get to stretch my creative muscle, but I also got to teach Little Sister Chicken Wing a valuable lesson - men are great to have around, but you don't need them for every little thing.  Sisters are doing it for themselves!

As far as what I would like to make but haven't had time to create, I would love to handcraft gifts for people and I would love to make this ruffle wreath at some point in my life.  Let's face it - it's gorgeous and ruffly, and I love it!

Until next time,

Happy Labor Day!

Holy Hiatus, Peeps!  I apologize for the delay in posting, but I have been a very busy girl!  Busy with what, you ask?  Busy with lots, I say! 

I have a home improvement project in the works, and I can't wait to share that with you (it's been a process, so I will hopefully have that post up in the next week or so).  I have been SLAMMED busy at work, trying to get things ready for three huge projects that are all going on at the same time!  I've been preparing for Beach Blast 2K10, which is a friends-only beach trip that will commence in T minus two days (we depart tomorrow)!  I've been transitioning my clothes to introduce my fall attire back into the mix.  And, I've been.....wait for it......wait for it.......dating.  I know, put your shocked faces on!

That brings me to the actual topic of this post.  Dating is an interesting concept, especially to someone who hasn't done it since she was 19.  Yeah, that would be me.  After the dissolution of the last major relationship of my life, I took some time to reflect - on both relationships and myself.  I observed other couples I admire, took time to let myself think, and jotted down what I'd discovered was important to me, and also the things that my last relationship brought to light about myself.  I discovered the qualities and habits I need to work on that will make me better able to deserve the next person I invest time and love in. 

So, here are some interesting findings that I came up with that kind of surprised me. 

1)  Respect is a big deal to me - much bigger than I originally thought.  Not only is it important to me that I be respected, but it's important for me to continually be respectful of the other person. I also want to meet someone that I genuinely do respect for whatever reason - I think it helps lay the foundation for an entire journey together.

2)  Effort is key.  Here's a fact, kids.  Love takes work.  Lots of work.  Anyone who doesn't agree is honestly very naive or crazy.  Not to be harsh, but that is one thing I know for sure.  I always put forth effort in my relationships, whether it be with friends, family, colleagues, or romantic situations, and I would love to meet someone who operates the same way and is willing to do the work.  The work isn't always pretty, but it makes everything worth it in the end.

3)  I want someone who is as focused on the experience as me.  During my self-reflection, I came to realize that what really speaks to me can't be labeled as a "thing."  What really makes me happy is the experiences - the journeys from here to there, or the memories that you make.  Gifts are nice and all, but I want someone to go on adventures with me.  I want someone to discover new things with.  I want someone who is willing to listen to what I want to do, be open to it, and then find a way to want to do that too.  And I can do the same for them.  I want to be out of my comfort zone, and I want to really live.

4)  Giving back is HUGE.  I have always made it a personal policy to donate my time and even money to causes that speak to me, and I never really realized how important that quality of service is to me.  I don't do it because I want recognition.  I've always had the fundamental desire to help people, and giving back has also been the perfect way to give thanks for all I have in this world.  I am so lucky, and so blessed, and if I can do anything to make someone's life better, I want to do it.  I'd love to meet someone with that same mentality.  It's an exceptionally humbling and worthy experience, and it shows a degree of selflessness that is very appealing to me.  It's enough to melt your heart when you see someone who really gets it.

5)  Appreciation and gratitude go a long way.  I feel like we all know someone who truly complains all the time about what's going wrong in their lives.  If someone buys them dinner, they complain about the way the steak was prepared.  If they get a promotion at work, they express their discontent for the longer hours and additional responsibilities. There are very few things that completely turn me off to a person more than lacking appreciation.  I was raised to say 'please' and I was also raised to say 'thank you,' and I feel that is extremely important.  Life is too short to wish for what others have or to waste your time away with complaints or resentment.  I often get overwhelmed when I think of all the things that have been done for me throughout my life.  As I stated before, I am so lucky and so blessed - and I am so happy!  My heart could burst for the amount of blessings that have been bestowed upon me, and I am so grateful - it would be nice to meet someone who feels the same way.

So, this is the interesting and exciting thing about dating - you get to meet new people, and ask them questions, and learn things about them.  You get to see the different ways they handle high-pressure situations, and you can see how they react to the things you say and do.  For the first time in a long time, I'm completely out of my comfort zone and I am nervous!  And, in all honesty, I think that's a good thing.  I feel cautious, and maybe even a bit cynical, but moreso than that, I am very excited about the experiences I'm having and the memories I'm making!  I'm finding it fun to walk down a path that I'm not used to, and the control freak in me is being forced to keep quiet and I'd have to say that I'm finding that refreshing.  On the one hand, I'm used to planning everything and taking care of everything (it's just my nature), and dating has really slapped that hand.  I'm not in control but, for the most part, I actually don't mind - how crazy is that?  (I know it's scary - pray for me.)

So, here's to new experiences!  Here's to making memories!  Here's to meeting people, and being brought back to square 1!  Here's to being uncomfortable, and stumbling, and most of all - learning to be okay with that!  What can I say?  It's a fabulous place to be!

Until next time,

PART ONE "From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life." - Arthur Ashe

The title of this post is a quote that has recently become near and dear to my heart. As I mentioned in my profile, I'm on a journey to figure out who and what I want to be. One of the facets of this journey is discovering things that you are passionate about and that light a fire in you.

Some call these things crafts. Some call them hobbies. Some call them "things that fill downtime." I call them "things you really love."

I have been on the hunt for things that I can do that I really love...what am I passionate about? I gave scrapbooking a whirl for a little while. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't something that I was dying to do when 5:30 rolled around. I've been known to attempt crafts...I would love to become a big DIY'er (a Do-It-Yourself'er) someday, so that will be a "passion-in-progress."

Someone who has helped me on this journey to discover my passions is a man named Tom Gerdy. As you know, I don't typically drop real life names in this blog for security/anonymity purposes, but I think the world should know about this man - because he gets it..he gets what life is all about.

Tom is a general contractor by trade, but an inspiration after hours. Now, he wouldn't tell you that, but it's true. He gives of his time, his skill, and even monetarily to people and organizations that need him. He was even honored with a 'Man of the Year' award from the Children's Miracle Network. Yeah, like I said, he's awesome! :)

Anyways, I met Tom through a work project, in which we had him lead in a home-improvement project. It was a major project on a major time-crunch deadline, and you know how this guy inspired me? He taught me how to help in a field completely and utterly out of my comfort zone and never made me feel like I was a waste of his time, or in the way of his progress.

Along with Tom were his band of brothers, including Chuck and Larry...two others who had the same philosophy - teach them what to do and put them to work. The three of them, as well as many others from so many states in the USA, are part of a group called the Habitat Roadtrip Crazies, and they go all over the country helping Habitat For Humanity chapters that really need the help finishing homes. Many times, they help in what are known as "blitz builds," which are home constructions that happen over a weekend. Sometimes, they have enough volunteers to complete multiple homes in ONE WEEKEND. It really is a beautiful thing, and if you ever get the chance to check one out, or better yet HELP, do it. It'll change your life.

When Tom invited me to take part in a blitz build that they were doing in a town near my hometown, I said, "why not, let's do it!"

Sure, I was signing up to work my "real" job all week long (40 hours), and then report for duty Saturday morning at 8:30am, work until after 6pm, go to dinner, go home, go to sleep, wake up and report for duty Sunday morning at 8:30am and work until it was done - okay, in a nutshell, this would be my first 7-day work week in a long while. Crazy, right?

If you think that's crazy, stay tuned for Part Two.
Chicken Wing