tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-122032812011-09-03T03:19:12.679-07:00Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.comBlogger6681100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-89748176163835206822008-04-13T11:15:00.000-07:002008-04-13T11:17:03.400-07:00

For my birthday, my friend, Aleece, completely redesigned my blog and moved it over to WordPress. You're not going to believe how beautiful the new design is! If you've got me bookmarked, you'll need to change the addy. You can find me over here now.

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-5548930934550994532008-04-08T14:29:00.000-07:002008-12-08T16:09:00.474-08:00

Happy birthday to me. It's been just lovely. Mike gave me the funniest gift this morning... I love the smell of fresh Play-doh, just opened, never touched. And he got me a Demeter fragrance (some of my favorites anyway) that smells like Play-doh. Really!They surprised me at work with a Food Day, and several sweet folks dropped off gifts. I was SO surprised!! I honestly hadn't expected anything at

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-41923856608225763492008-04-07T17:05:00.001-07:002008-12-08T16:09:00.829-08:00

I never post three times in a day. It's been an usual day, I suppose. I'm just all birthday excited. Mandy's gift for me came in the mail today, and it's fabulous. A big yummy jumble of random. I do love random stuff.And this is some of my favorite random stuff... pajama pants in a groovy yellow floral print, a Starbucks card, an iTunes card, and a Buffy music card. (For those of you new to me &

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-9170386696306840362008-04-07T14:31:00.000-07:002008-12-08T16:09:00.978-08:00

Happy Birthday, Mandy!Yay, Mandy. We love you. And all the way over here in Florida, we're celebrating your day. You are one of the strongest women I know. Your mom, of course, would also make my top five. You have a strong and earnest sense of right and wrong, and I've yet to find an underdog cause or person that you didn't defend. You embrace the peculiar and odd and encourage the wonderful

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-90136092309755072182008-04-07T06:38:00.000-07:002008-12-08T16:09:01.182-08:00

Okay, it's our first week of our April Dinner Experiment. I'm using Menu Plan Monday at Org Junkie for some planning help, and I'm listing our week of dinners here. Thirty days of not eating out is quite a challenge for us! Here's the plan...Sunday - Sami Meatpies (biscuit dough rolled out with each person's favorite cheese/sandwich meat tucked inside)Monday - Homemade waffles with strawberry

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-49620150449864249162008-04-06T16:55:00.000-07:002008-12-08T16:09:01.664-08:00

I love birthdays... all birthdays, but especially my birthday. I've already started getting groovy gifts & I had to share. Chuck, Stacy and the kids gave me this great bag of random stuff. I LOVE random stuff! It's got note cards with my name on them and bath goodies and fuzzy slippers and Moose Munch. No, you can't see the MM in the picture. Mike and I ate it right away.And my folks bought me

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-41720017981870287532008-04-05T18:10:00.000-07:002008-04-05T18:26:43.130-07:00

This month, with the exception of my birthday, we are doing an experiment here in our house. Inspired by an article in the latest issue of Cookie magazine (the only parenting magazine that doesn't make me feel like a mama failure), we're going to try to go an entire month without eating out.Now, for us, that's a HUGE challenge. We eat out a LOT. But I'm ready for us to eat healthier and to try

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-75535870788139580842008-04-05T18:05:00.000-07:002008-12-08T16:09:01.844-08:00

Remember the big scary birds at work? They had a baby. How can something so cute come from birds so scary?!

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-77884787322388807212008-04-04T16:33:00.000-07:002008-12-08T16:09:01.946-08:00

The kids are with Chuck and Stacy for the weekend, and Mike and I are boiling shrimp for dinner. I can hardly wait. It's my birthday weekend, so I get to call the shots. I love that. As we were driving to run some errands this evening, it was raining, and we saw a rainbow. We see lots and lots of rainbows here in Florida... more than I can ever remember seeing anywhere else. I'll post more soon,

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-13045584726057723122008-04-03T18:44:00.000-07:002008-04-03T18:45:49.630-07:00

It's been a good week with my folks... they'll leave for Arkansas tomorrow morning. We've been very blessed to have had a good visit with them.

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-64600108760660298432008-03-31T19:39:00.000-07:002008-12-08T16:09:02.223-08:00

My folks took the kids to the beach today... Griff and Eliza are both burned today, but they'll be all tanned and gorgeous by tomorrow. And they had so much fun that Eliza went to bed ON HER OWN by 7:45 this evening. Of course, I should really go to sleep soon instead of watching the Astros opening night with Mike since she'll probably be in here wide awake at 3 a.m. Eliza swimming in the

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-17040579612487973912008-03-30T18:41:00.001-07:002008-12-08T16:09:02.355-08:00

Two days down, doing pretty good with the parent visit. Mom and Dad are taking the kids to the beach tomorrow (I'm going to be so jealous while I'm at work!), so that'll be fun for them all.My mom brought a cd of photos from my late maternal grandparents, and it was such fun going through them. My Meemaw also sent some photos, and there were several of me as a child. The surprising thing was just

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-88634431090070251512008-03-29T07:43:00.000-07:002008-03-29T07:45:35.475-07:00

My parents are coming to visit today... for almost a week... sleeping here in my house. I'm trying some deep breathing techniques to cut down on the stress. Some visits with them have been really amazing (the last one), while some have not (pretty much the ones before the last one). I'm hoping this one goes well.

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-81334254161749217202008-03-26T19:04:00.000-07:002008-12-08T16:09:02.507-08:00

Tonight,my friend, Jodie, was doing my nails, and there was this huge boom. Really huge. We said, "huh," and kept going. Turns out, it was the sonic boom from the space shuttle landing. Now, I hate space stuff, but it is kinda cool that we live close enough to have heard that. (AP photo/P. Kizzle)

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-60902455383883515772008-03-26T09:55:00.000-07:002008-12-08T16:09:02.896-08:00

I came home for lunch today because I had a fabulous idea for Aleece's birthday present (more later...), and when I put my keys up and walked to get the laptop, I noticed all of the half-eaten chocolate bunnies lying around. It's like a bunny battlefield in here! Half a bunny on the newspaper Mike brought home (the man brings home all manner of papers!)...Little bunny tushie next to my brush in

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-18981280305441031192008-03-22T17:33:00.001-07:002008-03-24T16:13:28.405-07:00

One of the blogs that I found during the Ultimate Blog Party is written by Jessie, who, as it turns out, lives in a town about 30 minutes away from us. Now that the crazy busy Easter season is past, she and I are going to get together in real life. How exciting is that?!Anyway, she tagged me for a fun game, so I'm going to play along. 1. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.2. Each

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-74170471371507112882008-03-22T06:12:00.000-07:002008-12-08T16:09:03.366-08:00

It's Spring Training weekend here in our house! We're going today to Kissimmiee to meet Chuck, Stacy, and the kids to see the Astros play Cinci. Everyone's got clean Astros shirts & we're all excited. I'll take lots of photos. Until then, here are a couple from last year...

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-46784331813674416912008-03-19T16:49:00.000-07:002008-12-08T16:09:03.792-08:00

I like to post birthday wishes to special people on their special days. Unfortunately, I have six special people in the first 10 days of March, and I worked non-stop during those days. I managed to get Stacy's post up, but after that, all of my good intentions didn't add up to much.So here's my much-belated birthday wishes to some really fabulous people... in a very particular order.Donna (or

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-54039076463252015662008-03-17T17:51:00.000-07:002008-03-17T18:21:55.206-07:00

Last week was exhausting. I worked 55 plus hours at work and then came home to try to hang out with Mike and the kids, plus trying to get through the 1500 or so blog posts at the Ultimate Blog Party (it's been great, and I'll let you know when I finally make it through them all). So here's a quick update on us...** I'm behind at work, but I'm catching up. And I'm proud of my efforts. And despite

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-85696002836556616942008-03-09T17:31:00.000-07:002008-12-08T16:09:04.332-08:00

Hi, ya'll! Welcome to the party! I loved last year's Ultimate Blog Party, so I had to play again this year.So, come on in... step over the clutter. I know that since it's the Ultimate Blog Party, I should have picked up a bit, but who has the time? We had the cousins this weekend, so the house looks a bit like... well, like there were four kids here all weekend. Mine are the dark-headed ones.

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-38071835726787056962008-03-08T19:00:00.001-08:002008-12-08T16:09:04.505-08:00

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-53686517466504522382008-03-06T15:32:00.000-08:002008-12-08T16:09:04.654-08:00

Today, Mike checked Griff out of school early (despite being in not so swell shape in two of his classes and having an upper respiratory infection) for their annual Spring Training Skip Day.The two of them drove to Kissimmee and watched an Astros game together. While they were standing in line to buy tickets, an older gentleman approached Mike and asked if they needed tickets. Mike said yes but

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-45312650375346174072008-03-04T18:30:00.000-08:002008-03-04T18:32:34.114-08:00

I'm thinking the ortho might have told me yesterday that my shoulder, arm and hand would hurt like heck today after that cortizone shot. I ended up staying home from work today, which will hurt my dependability, but I could hardly move my arm this morning. My range of motion in that arm is much better today, but still remarkably painful. Dangit.Best I can tell, getting old bites.

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-11448948666879661872008-03-03T17:45:00.000-08:002008-12-08T16:09:04.848-08:00

I worked overtime again yesterday, and in doing so, I forgot to post a Happy Birthday wish to my sister-in-law, Stacy.So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY a day late.I have always liked Stacy, but since we moved to Florida, I love Stacy. She was my first - and for way too long, only - girlfriend here, and I have been soooo grateful to have her. She's been so very many things to me, and I will forever be thankful

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-29191360223216202562008-03-03T15:53:00.000-08:002008-03-03T17:59:36.992-08:00

I went to the ortho today, and he says I have an inflamed rotator cuff and bursistis. Which, of course, makes me a 70-year-old baseball player. The ortho did assure me that I was oddly young to have bursitis. And my general practitioner says that young women typically get this in their right arms because they drive with their left hand while reaching around with an awkward motion to get to the

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-5499684272753594572008-03-02T19:11:00.000-08:002008-03-02T19:20:52.509-08:00

I saw this on a friend's blog & I had to play...Your results:You are Spider-ManSpider-Man 75%Wonder Woman 60%Green Lantern 55%Supergirl 50%Robin 50%The Flash 45%Superman 35%Hulk 30%Catwoman 30%Iron Man 10%Batman 5%You are intelligent, witty, a bit geeky and have great power and responsibility.Click here to take the "Which Superhero am I?" quiz...Mike scored 60% as the Green Lantern.

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-53254818703757278052008-02-29T15:26:00.000-08:002008-02-29T15:28:05.536-08:00

I worked overtime three nights this week, and I'm going in again tomorrow, so tonight is LAZY NIGHT here in our house. Mike and Eliza have gone for pizza, and we're going to watch tv and be lazy all night. I'm loving it already.

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-68243812315942045062008-02-27T16:47:00.000-08:002008-02-27T16:50:54.152-08:00

Griff's been having some trouble with his spelling homework of late. He hasn't had trouble doing it. Or passing the tests. He has trouble remembering to turn it in. And so, for several weeks, he's taken little to no credit for work he's done properly simply because he didn't turn it in on time.So I told him that every Sunday evening before bed (we do his spelling on Sunday afternoons), he would

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-78617400214407367892008-02-26T18:24:00.000-08:002008-02-26T18:32:10.429-08:00

I've been remiss about posting lately. We've been busy with Griff's school stuff (I'm not sure I've mentioned lately that I hate the fourth grade... but I do), and I've been working a fair bit of overtime. Last weekend, we did take the entire weekend off to play together, and it was really nice.We had game weekend and played "Mythbusters" and Dora Chutes and Ladders and Pooh Candy Land. We

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-32289924977422732062008-02-20T16:17:00.000-08:002008-12-08T16:09:05.437-08:00

As promised, pictures of Eliza's dance at school...Clearly, my little one can cut a rug (as my Bud and Gran would have said)...Mike hasn't seen this one of her dancing with three boys... shhh... don't tell him...My Gran would have loved this one...

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-36218856267059340332008-02-19T18:13:00.000-08:002008-02-19T18:23:27.473-08:00

It's been a while since I posted. My brother told me that I had promised an update on my job situation but then didn't provide it. He's right, of course. Lots of things are going on... let's see if I can do a quick update.First, I miss Diet Coke like there's no tomorrow. I'm already thinking about the Diet Coke with lime that I'm going to have on Easter morning. And then the huge DC I'm going to

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-31651022257681458962008-02-13T19:41:00.000-08:002008-12-08T16:09:05.596-08:00

For Eliza's Valentine's Day party tomorrow, I made Hershey's Kisses brownies. They're little brownies, shaped like kisses, wrapped in aluminum foil. How cute is that?!They're having a little dance tomorrow, and she's so excited about it (Mike not so much). They all get to dress up fancy, so I got her a new dress, and we are both pretty excited about it. I'll post pictures of her tomorrow.

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-1366787488881923082008-02-07T18:20:00.000-08:002008-02-07T18:21:55.047-08:00

I have a few work updates, but I'm too tired to go into them right now. It's been a long, stressful week. And I gave up Diet Coke for Lent. Now, for those of you who don't know, I drink a LOT of Diet Coke. I was jittery yesterday, tired today. I'll post this weekend. Gotta go sleep now.

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-26095411648679065642008-02-05T18:11:00.001-08:002008-02-05T18:27:25.002-08:00

A quick work update... my section had our skip level meeting with our manager today. I felt like it went well despite my manager telling me she wasn't going to move me. Her comment was that would be fixing the symptoms of the problem but not the problem itself. And she indicated that she wasnted to actually fix the problem. And I respect that! It just doesn't so much help me any. But I'm willing

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-58818925039521381522008-02-03T17:05:00.001-08:002008-02-03T17:06:38.187-08:00

I posted some jewelry to my Etsy shop (which I haven't done in forever), and we'll see if I sell anything. Like always, I had way more fun picking things to buy than I did uploading things to sell. I'm such a shopper.

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-34251129751308244862008-02-02T14:56:00.000-08:002008-02-02T15:09:37.476-08:00

It's been an exceptionally long week. Thankfully, it's been a blissfully slow Saturday. I'm especially grateful these days for slow, lazy days.Here's my quick recap of our last week or so... such as it is...Griff -- We took Griff to Tampa on Monday to meet the pediatric orthopaedist, and she recommended surgery to lengthen his heel cords. She explained that the dramatic worsening we've noticed

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-1634626271596484022008-01-27T14:41:00.000-08:002008-01-27T15:00:21.226-08:00

One of the grooviest things about living here is the library. I know that sounds dorky (and I adored the libraraians at our branch of the library in Louisiana), but it's an amazing library. They've got online access & I can request the books I want to read, and those books will be delivered directly to the little e-branch near our house. Because I've been able to easily get books I'd wanted to

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-63055081922951112142008-01-27T14:10:00.000-08:002008-01-27T14:14:55.314-08:00

I'm a notoriously paranoid mama. I watch SVU. I read the paper. I know things can happen to kids. So my kids have to play in the back yard and can't go for walks in the neighborhood alone. I stand outside the men's room and wait for Griff if Mike isn't with us, and I give him a time limit... after which, I'm opening the door and yelling in for him. My mama paranoia has no shame.A nice little boy

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-86996616661915807652008-01-26T15:27:00.000-08:002008-01-26T15:45:02.380-08:00

Once again, I've proven why I'll never excel at my job... I really enjoy staying home way too much. I needed to go to work today, but instead I stayed home and played with Mike and the kids. I'll regret it later, but it was really lovely today.AND... tonight is Paige Davis's return to "Trading Spaces." I can hardly wait. TS used to be appointment tv for us. Mike and Josh used to joke about me and

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-35058842898186984862008-01-24T10:26:00.000-08:002008-01-24T10:29:25.316-08:00

This week at work has been hard... much like last week. I've now received two verbal warnings in as many weeks, and while another supervisor on the floor told me that nothing verbal counts against me, I've been a little wigged out. Late this morning, the nurse from Griff's school called to say he had eaten some peanut butter and was in her office. She did everything right, and I rushed from work

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-87240164399642159362008-01-23T17:56:00.000-08:002008-01-23T18:01:13.800-08:00

The visit with Aleece was wonderful... just what I needed. It was a lovely little bright spot in a couple of ugly weeks at work.

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-68129084282857886612008-01-18T18:39:00.000-08:002008-12-08T16:09:05.833-08:00

My friend, Aleece, flies into Orlando tomorrow morning to spend the weekend with us, and I can hardly wait. We're going to have a girly day tomorrow... shopping at the LUSH store... long, lazy meals... massages... all sorts of fun. We'll laugh and cry and share and just enjoy being together. It's been way too long.This is Eliza, me, and Aleece during her last visit here.

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-15715737205989423732008-01-16T17:16:00.000-08:002008-01-16T18:22:14.360-08:00

It's been a week. I've had such a hard time, feeling discouraged and unsure. I've been sad and cranky. When we left the conference at Griff's school last week, we were so encouraged. Yesterday, we got an email telling us that the assistance we were promised for Griff wouldn't be coming along. Apparently, he doesn't qualify because he's been labeled as 'gifted.' Lovely. His teachers told us that

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-88412815882739745512008-01-14T18:00:00.000-08:002008-01-14T18:39:22.039-08:00

I don't need to be the best. I'd like to be my best. But sometimes, it's hard to even accomplish that. I had a hard day at work Friday, and I've had a hard time bouncing back. In my former life, I was good at my job (at least that's the way I remember it). And in this life, I'm not. I'm getting better (or I thought so before Friday), and I swear I'm working hard at it. But Friday afternoon, my

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-26899332205081922462008-01-09T17:49:00.000-08:002008-01-09T18:23:40.755-08:00

We had a conference with Griff's regular teacher, his gifted teacher, the county occupational therapist, the school guidance counselor and someone else (who I never could figure out who she was or why she was there) to discuss Griff's progress and whether or not he needs OT and such.Mike and I have had some difficult email conversations with his regular teacher of late, so I was a little worried.

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-63136781851571056112008-01-06T18:15:00.000-08:002008-01-06T18:19:52.074-08:00

I've done some thinking, and I've come to the same conclusion I always do when I reconsider the subject of blogging... I want to continue to blog for myself, not necessarily for tons of people to read (which is good, since I think I have about four readers). Blogging is an easy way for me to think through some of the things going on in our lives, and it's way easier than a diary (think of how

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-1167439923882494152008-01-02T16:23:00.000-08:002008-01-02T15:45:57.463-08:00

As I'm starting new things in the new year, I think it's time to revisit my 1001 Things in 101 Days list. I was a little surprised when I realized that the 1001 days will end during 2008. It seemed like sooo long when I originally made the list. Now, of course, it seems like not nearly enough time.(Originally posted Jan. 3, 2006)Chel's 101 in 10011. Learn yoga.2. Read 100 books (I'm keeping a

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-73448063765473250022008-01-01T13:58:00.000-08:002008-01-01T14:46:15.797-08:00

Happy New Year!It's amazing to me that 2007 is already gone. While it was still difficult in a lot of ways, it was also sooo much better than 2006 that I am very excited to see what 2008 holds for us.I like to start new things on new days/weeks/months/years, and I always have a list of resolutions. Generally, I like to say I'm going to 'get my life in order,' which makes Mike cringe. So because I

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-47097032925682783692008-01-01T02:47:00.000-08:002008-01-01T14:58:35.028-08:00

Of course, if I was going to make a list of all the things I needed to do to get my lie together, it might go something like this... (in no particular order, of course) ... 1. Keep the house picked up.2. Dust.3. Figure out why I blog and whether or not to continue (this is a big one for me right now).4. Pay off the Christmas credit card bills.5. Make more jewelry.6. Plant a veggie garden.7. Save

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-2200575149383411302007-12-31T23:45:00.000-08:002008-12-08T16:09:06.883-08:00

We went to Disney for New Year's Eve. If anyone suggests to you that you go to Disney for NYE, just say no. Now, we had a good time. But there were more people there yesterday than I think I've ever seen. We were crammed in like sardines & the wait time for the rides was crazy. And it rained. And I am not a good ride it out and wait for better sort of girl. I know I should be, but I'm not. By 2:

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-75827851078605280372007-12-30T14:25:00.000-08:002008-12-08T16:09:07.568-08:00

We all went to the Gaylord Palms ICE! show this afternoon, and it was great fun. Of course, it's the closest our kids will ever get to cold weather. The whole thing was created from ice, and the colored parts were made using basic food coloring. They keep the display areas at 9 degrees, so they hand out these really attractive blue parka things for everyone to wear.We haven't all taken a photo

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-2264065214268619712007-12-29T18:46:00.000-08:002007-12-29T18:50:56.713-08:00

Mike's been singing these U2 lyrics the last day or so..."Hello, helloI'm at a place called Vertigo" because he thinks he's a funny fellow. I've got vertigo, just in time to be feverish and dizzy while his dad and his wife are here visiting. Lovely, huh? But we've already had a really good couple of days with them (and today with Mike's brother and his family, too), and we've got a few more

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-79787081323075174062007-12-23T11:31:00.000-08:002008-12-08T16:09:07.686-08:00

Even though I have to work tomorrow (I'm probably going to be a lousy worker tomorrow), I am so much happier this Christmas than last, which is so encouraging to all of us. That means we're settling into this new place, that we're adjusting and making this our home. It means that while we still miss those we love in our former home, we aren't so heart-breakingly homesick this year. And I am so

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-77614485494705818192007-12-22T06:37:00.000-08:002008-12-08T16:09:07.821-08:00

Our birthday girl...

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-84061207050304705842007-12-21T16:23:00.000-08:002008-12-08T16:09:08.199-08:00

Happy Birthday, Olivia!A year ago, you were born (on Mike's late mama's birthday). And you were fabulous. And your mama not so much. But the same amazing doctor who saved me saved your mama, and we are all unspeakably grateful. In our house, Dr. A ranks right below God himself. And you and your mama are two of the reasons why.For several days, your mama wasn't able to take care of you, but your

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-63628122967531678262007-12-20T13:52:00.000-08:002007-12-20T14:06:40.407-08:00

Mea culpa... Ok, I admit it. Mike was right, and I was wrong. There. He should be happy now. I donate blood every eight weeks when the blood mobile comes to work, and I always feel lousy the day after. But I bleed easy, and I figure this is an easy way for me to help others in our community. And the blood bank checks my cholesterol for free. I mean, come on.So the blood drive was this week & I

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-61391697906772601412007-12-16T08:32:00.000-08:002008-12-08T16:09:08.456-08:00

Hayden and Hannah have joined us for part of this weekend, and we've all had a really good time. We've watched Christmas movies and played games and just had a nice time. Chuck and Stacy are going to be here later, and Chuck will help Mike put together the swingset my mom and dad got the kids for Christmas (I'm pretending I don't need to go to work tonight after they leave... shhh!). A lovely

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-15077335000987077982007-12-14T18:16:00.000-08:002007-12-14T18:18:44.059-08:00

My friend, Mika, says she loves the short story! And how fabulous is that?! She said all manner of very sweet things, which was very nice considering how long it's been since I wrote anything at all. I was pleased with the story, but I'm ever more pleased that Mika was pleased. After all, I wrote it for her. Happy Belated Birthday, Mika.

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-87444398901699399042007-12-12T19:51:00.000-08:002007-12-12T20:01:50.649-08:00

Today was a sad day. I've been really tired which makes me sad a bit anyway, but then I've also sorta hit a holiday wall in my heart. I've been all excited about the holidays this year, which is a refreshing change from last year. But now I just keep thinking about all of the lovely things we could be doing if we still lived in Louisiana. And I keep thinking about the people we love and what they

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-89373931159789274802007-12-08T19:29:00.000-08:002007-12-12T19:34:37.615-08:00

The Christmas Shopper Putting the newspaper aside, Ozzy hoped the woman in the advertisement was, indeed, the woman of his dreams. His professional life was so busy that he just didn’t have the time necessary to devote to things of this nature. What he needed was a woman with a strong spirit and an independent mind. He needed someone to take care of his needs without him having to make a big

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-6715470149628448902007-12-07T18:22:00.000-08:002007-12-07T18:28:14.199-08:00

Been a stressful few days... things still aren't right with Griff's teacher. But it's the weekend & we're enjoying a holiday evening. Thank heavens for holiday episodes of "Monk" and "Psych" to help us welcome the weekend.

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-35316459414529042222007-12-05T17:31:00.001-08:002007-12-05T17:47:48.061-08:00

I'm just so angry I can hardly stand it. I tend to get that way when I think people aren't being kind or fair with my children. We have been spoiled through the years that Griff has had kind and patient and good-humored teachers. And this year we are blessed beyond belief to be involved with his gift teacher. We are so grateful for her compassion and her protectiveness and her ability to push him

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-18621616087902323432007-11-29T16:25:00.000-08:002007-11-29T16:31:19.642-08:00

Not only do I have my Chel's Holiday Plan (see middle column), but I also have this Holiday List of my own... things I need/want to do in the next few weeks. Mostly, I suppose, it's things I need to do.This week, I've tried to get all of the jewelry made... pieces that were ordered by other people and pieces that I want to give this season. I've had this fabulous big chunky bead for six months

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-79180236783661531292007-11-27T09:56:00.001-08:002007-11-27T10:06:15.004-08:00

I'm in a funk this week & I don't know why. Things certainly aren't bad or disturbing, but things just feel a little off with me. I have been feeling better about work and about my qualifications, but yesterday I got a review, and it wasn't as good as I would have liked. I was more than a little disappointed.And there is a bunch of stress surrounding my supervisor for various reasons, and I'm

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-57048894862307458822007-11-25T17:20:00.000-08:002007-11-25T17:26:29.574-08:00

We had a good week with my parents, and now we're knee-deep into the holidays. And I'm loving it! I do love everything about Christmas. Now, there's a ton and a half of things to do in the next few weeks, but in my head, they're all fun things... jewelry making, Santa letter writing, Christmas card making, gift wrapping. My friend, Aleece, never seemed to enjoy all of that as much as I did, and I

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-16634323066695328052007-11-25T15:30:00.000-08:002007-11-25T17:37:05.920-08:00

Chel's Holiday Plan...The Questions1. Make a list of Christmas and New Year's traditions (one list for each holiday) that you enjoy. Each person in the family names their favorite two holiday traditions or activities. Add those to the list. Don't let the list exceed 10 items (unless your family's that big). 2. Make a list of holiday traditions that you hate. Go on, be honest. Ask each family

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-70859945464626871852007-11-25T15:29:00.000-08:002007-11-26T15:11:23.954-08:00

Chel's Holiday Plan - The Cards First, take your list (made during the initial Question stage), however long it is, and cut 10 percent. Just delete them. If you've only got 10 names on the list, cut one. If you've got 40, cut four. It's not an unreasonable amount, and quite frankly, it helps me feel like I'm paring down, making things easier for myself. It may only be in my head, but it helps.

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-23335383516228136452007-11-25T15:22:00.000-08:002007-11-25T17:56:45.301-08:00

In the final phase of my Christmas Plan, I work on the gifts. Each year, I do this a bit differently, but, I believe that's the beauty of my plan... with a little tweaking each year, it's fully functional. Chel's Holiday Plan - The GiftsEvery year, the first thing I need is a list. I want a list where I can write down every single person - teachers included - for whom I'll need gifts. Here's how

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-48784408763116172342007-11-21T18:42:00.000-08:002007-11-21T18:50:30.405-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving a few hours early. Our visit with my folks is going very well, and we are all thankful. Mike's got his turkey brining over night, and we're gonna watch the Macy's Parade in the morning before putting up the Christmas decorations tomorrow afternoon. Thanksgiving is my mother's favorite holiday and my least favorite (we won't explore any hidden meanings there). For me,

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-87668509794678655772007-11-18T19:13:00.000-08:002007-11-18T19:15:54.716-08:00

My folks are visiting this week from Arkansas, and Eliza's having a great time having a couple of extra people to boss around. We're praying for a wonderful visit for everyone.

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-83674606405788746972007-11-15T18:12:00.000-08:002007-11-15T18:20:45.807-08:00

An early Merry Christmas to me! And to you, too, of course! Paige Davis is returning to "Trading Spaces" in January. TLC fired Paige in 2005, and I stopped watching then. Prior to that, I was a bit of an addict. And now, she's coming back! And she's bringing Doug, Hildi, Laurie, and Frank with her. Woohoo!

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-37745096125969787562007-11-14T14:57:00.000-08:002007-11-14T15:06:32.987-08:00

A quick update on us...Griff's MRI results came back normal, and we are so thankful. We will now do the bloodtest and get an appointment with the orthopaedist.My parents are coming to visit on Sunday, and they'll be with us through Thanksgiving. That's a long time to have extra people in the house, but I know they're looking forward to the time with the kids.The weather changed here last week (

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-33188828179757477752007-11-12T17:31:00.000-08:002007-11-12T18:07:17.917-08:00

I've gotten several emails in the last few weeks encouraging me not to let Griff see the new Nicole Kidman movie, "The Golden Compass." I hadn't heard anything about it before then, and so I did some research of my own. The movie is based upon a book by Philip Pullman. And I have a hard time saying we won't read something or see something based merely upon the word of others. I'm not going to be

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-31094298244191765532007-11-07T14:19:00.001-08:002008-12-08T16:09:08.871-08:00

I have donated a necklace for a giveaway at Sallie's blog, A Gracious Home. It's freshwater pearls and sterling silver, and I'm delighted with how it turned out. Go over to her post and register for the giveaway.I'm also offering a 10% discount on any custom orders from anyone who registers at Sallie's. I'm just all excited about getting to give this to someone unexpectedly, and I'm also hoping

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-77201513507255325282007-11-05T17:20:00.000-08:002008-12-08T16:09:09.148-08:00

In Louisiana, they have a word that means a little something extra... lagniappe. Whenever you get a surprise or a freebie with something or a little extra shrimp in your gumbo, that's lagniappe.I've got lots of things I've been thinking about and meaning to post, but I haven't had nearly enough time. And as I go make my sister-in-law's belated birthday present, I don't have much extra time

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-80197221964423370832007-11-04T17:06:00.000-08:002007-11-04T17:21:25.156-08:00

I really should be at work tonight, catching up and trying to get a tad bit ahead. But instead, I'm here playing Guitar Hero with Mike and Griff on the Wii(Eliza just went to bed). I'll never get promoted at work, but Griff will remember when he is older that his mama and daddy could beat him at old '80s Poison songs.

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-82396991919871421642007-10-31T18:10:00.000-07:002007-10-31T18:17:57.753-07:00

I keep meaning to read Gary Chapman's book on the languages of love, and I took this quiz today. Of course, my preferred language was just as I suspected, and of course, Mike's were completely different, again, as expected.This is me...I feel loved when...The Five Love Languages My Primary Love Language is Physical TouchMy Detailed Results:Physical Touch: 9Receiving Gifts: 8Words of Affirmation:

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-85484789286507258322007-10-28T18:15:00.000-07:002007-10-28T18:42:50.293-07:00

How does one go about finding a new church? We've been here for 16 months and still haven't found a church home. And we really need to be in a church, for a vast variety of reasons.But we are, admittedly, at a complete loss as to how to find a church to attend. Mike and I both attended the Southern Baptist churches of our parents' selection when we were children. And then, in college, I'm not

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-62179467386958740732007-10-26T17:53:00.000-07:002008-12-08T16:09:09.917-08:00

We are all still tired from the week, but we're also still feeling some warm fuzzies from having Mandy, Josh, and Olivia with us, which is really nice.I'll post more later, but I have a couple of cute photos from the visit to share tonight. This is Olivia, Griff and Eliza wearing their Mickey ears.Olivia's vocabulary is pretty much limitied to 'mama,' 'dada,' and 'mmmm,' but you could certainly

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-32409685906477058032007-10-24T16:44:00.000-07:002007-10-24T16:46:41.086-07:00

We had a really wonderful time with Mandy, Josh, and Olivia, but we're all still tired from the visit. We also had a really good appointment with the pediatric neurologist. He doesn't feel like Griff's got a neurological problem, which is super, but we still have some additional testing to do. And now, I'm going to go rush everyone toward an early bedtime since I don't feel so swell today. And in

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-18901160036526079892007-10-18T06:15:00.000-07:002007-10-18T06:25:00.708-07:00

It's an exciting day here in our family. Mandy, Josh, and Olivia are flying out mid-morning to come spend several days with us, and we are all just beside ourselves with anticipation. (Griff's teacher emailed earlier this week to tell me that she was having trouble keeping him on task & I had to admit that it was pretty much a family-wide affliction this week.) Griff and Mike are both off

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-77613350224443902032007-10-16T17:56:00.000-07:002008-12-08T16:09:10.286-08:00

Tomorrow is one of my favorite shopping days of the year. It's the annual Shoes on Sale at QVC. FFANY (Fashion Footwear Association of New York) donates these fabulous shoes to QVC which then sells them for half-price. All of the proceeds go to breast cancer research. It's shopping for a cause.Be sure to tune in tomorrow night and buy a pair.

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-62439242862633125242007-10-14T06:39:00.000-07:002007-10-14T06:44:21.107-07:00

As a quick follow-up to yesterday's post about Griff...I really do believe that one of the reasons God put us here in Florida is to give us access to the kind of healthcare that Griff may need. The pediatric neurologist we'll be seeing is in Tampa, which is about 45 minutes away from us. If we had still been in Louisiana, we would have most likely had to take him to New Orleans, which is four

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-72161955653392865412007-10-13T09:07:00.000-07:002007-10-13T15:00:06.420-07:00

There are times when I don't post something here until we're comfortable with it in our daily life. Sometimes I have to live with something in my head and heart before I talk about it here. Lately, we've had one big something going on like that, and now I think I finally feel comfortable enough with the possibilities to share here.Mike and I have each told our brothers about what is going on and

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-61125075800000643572007-10-11T15:02:00.000-07:002007-10-11T15:11:58.676-07:00

I have all of these things that I'd like to write about, but I've been busy fixing jewelry this week, and I had planned on making a new mother's bracelet for a girl at work tonight. But it doesn't seem as if I'll do much of anything tonight other than homework.We've got to study for a spelling test... read social studies... do vocabulary words... and complete a map of Florida, with all of the

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-24533904878818653402007-10-07T16:56:00.000-07:002008-12-08T16:09:10.495-08:00

Happy Birthday, Eliza!!For those of you new to our Eliza...here's her first birthday and my letter to her on the first anniversary of the day I met her... her second birthday ... and her third birthday.My dearest Eliza,Some day, you'll be able to read these letters to you, and I hope that they don't tell you a single thing that you didn't already know. I hope that your daddy and Griffin and I are

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-81722369998536192052007-10-06T07:34:00.000-07:002007-10-06T07:39:24.479-07:00

Four years ago this morning, I woke up in a hospital bed. I had spent the prior day and evening with horrible stomach pain, and my doctor put me in for observation. Mike went home to be with Griff (relieving Mandy and Josh, who, as always, were there when we needed them), and the nurses gave me something lovely to help me sleep. That morning, they drew blood for some additional bloodwork and sent

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-39996476951439065192007-10-03T18:14:00.000-07:002007-10-03T18:21:03.770-07:00

It's frog season in Florida. I hate frog season. Monday night, we found one sitting on the floor of the bathroom. Last night, there were several on the outside of my bathroom window. This morning, four on the outside of the front window. Bleh.Poor Mike's having to do a periodic frog check in the bathroom. He's been very kind about it. Of course, he's pretty much very kind about everything.I

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-32691503346359911202007-09-30T15:18:00.000-07:002008-12-08T16:09:10.978-08:00

This is for Mandy, who says she misses our crazy stories.We decided to be lazy today...skipped church, had homemade waffles at 10, and watched the last game Craig Biggio will ever enjoy as a player. Mike's got the grill going, some chicken smoking, and we're all liking the lazy.Until I showered late in the day and discovered my ankles covered in water. It's a deep shower stall... short though I

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-85568501418856402962007-09-27T16:42:00.001-07:002007-09-27T17:49:48.442-07:00

Fourth grade is kicking our collective tushies. Monday, Griff had a rough draft due of a report on WWII weapons. Tomorrow, he has a science project on the water cycle due, and in between, we've had to learn his spelling words. Which are...atrocious, rotten, lousy, wicked, villianous, fiendish, diabolical, beastly, barbaric, awful, shameful, slanderous, outrageous, monstrous, desperate,

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-62431916916167116612007-09-25T19:14:00.000-07:002007-09-25T19:56:09.093-07:00

Jessica asked what I was watching on tv... silly girl. So I'll tell. But everyone should bear in mind that I am WELL known for watching bad tv. Now, some of my choices are FAB, but some are just guilty pleasures. So she asked & I love tv, so here goes...Sundays, we don't watch anything. We catch up on TiVo stuff we didn't watch through the week or Netflix movies ... or we could do something crazy

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-87780602594675321062007-09-25T18:46:00.000-07:002007-09-25T19:07:07.320-07:00

We had the first PTO meeting and open house at Griff's new school tonight. We've got to be the only parents of a straight-A, 'gifted' student who left more worried than when we arrived. Fourth grade is really hard in general, but we've added all of these concerns about Griff's physical development, and it can be a little overwhelming. I'm meeting with the gifted teacher, his regular teacher, and

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-69011013435409501812007-09-24T19:18:00.000-07:002007-09-24T19:28:31.787-07:00

It's season premiere week... for a tv junkie like me, it's just fall heaven. Mike and I had about a half a quart (whatever measurement that might be) of strawberry italian ice from my new favorite place, and we're watching tv. We'll be here all week... watching tv. I do love tv.

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-17716019757059575692007-09-20T19:00:00.000-07:002007-09-20T19:13:22.801-07:00

My little brother is seven years younger than I am, and not so little any longer. Like all of us, he's all grown up with a family of his own. He's an artist masquerading as a banker. He's funny and sweet and way responsible.One of the on-going topics of our teasing is that he's the 'golden boy' of our family, the child who could do no wrong. My parents rarely speak with me and not give me some

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-64588574431583761932007-09-18T17:53:00.000-07:002007-09-18T18:26:12.016-07:00

First, to get the big news of the day out of the way, as Eliza and I were on our way home this evening, we were in an accident. Thankfully, no one was hurt, and everything is going to be fine with the van. And for the record, that van is cursed.We've had three accidents in the van in the 14 months we've owned it. And in our married driving history prior to that, we had not had a single accident

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-74172104326144474912007-09-17T19:17:00.000-07:002007-09-17T19:19:35.732-07:00

I'm glad for the sermon last week that encouraged me. Last week (and today) was really difficult at work, and I've been tired and tense. I've had lots that I've thought about writing, but I just haven't managed to do so. And in all honesty, I still feel too tired for it... but I didn't want people to think I'd run away. Not yet. :)

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-57467979332933379132007-09-09T21:29:00.000-07:002008-12-08T16:09:11.342-08:00

Oh! I nearly forgot... I got an award. How groovy is that?! Lizzie at A Dusty Frame nominated me for a Nice Matters Award, which is so sweet (I rarely think I'm all that nice, so it's good to know other people do.).I believe the award began over at Bella Enchanted, at least that's what Google tells me, and I can Google anything, you know. (Now, Mike hates Wikipedia, so we only trust Google.)Thank

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-66849227795785194492007-09-09T18:07:00.000-07:002007-09-09T18:22:42.430-07:00

As a quick follow-up to Thursday's post, thank you to those who left (and emailed) such sweet comments. I appreciate the encouragement. I knew that because last week was really hard at work, I would need to go into the office this weekend, but I really didn't want to. I stayed home yesterday, and we weeded the front flower beds (no small task as we were beginning to look like we were promoting

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-15400948962176123232007-09-06T18:06:00.000-07:002008-01-18T18:33:41.647-08:00

It's been an overwhelming and difficult few weeks here, what with HR and workload issues at work and all of the information and updates on Griff at school. I've got all of these lovely blog posts in my head, but by the time I manage to get to the computer each evening, I'm way too tired to write.I feel quite certain I'm in this current job for a reason. I believe that if God didn't have a purpose

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12203281.post-67983408777201735832007-09-05T19:25:00.000-07:002007-09-05T19:32:47.659-07:00

"You can't depend upon your eyes when your imagination is out of focus." Mark Twain It's been a pretty unimaginative week or so here. I'm already longing for the weekend.

Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391305754770198069noreply@blogger.com1