Something lost, something gained

This Christmas comes with a good deal of change in my life.  It's the first Christmas on my own after my divorce.  The first Christmas in 10 years that I haven't spent in Dothan with Shane's family.  The Hall family Christmas Eve Dinner is one of my favorite holiday traditions and I miss gathering with the family and the good food.  Early morning after Christmas shopping with GG has been sorely missed, it just isn't the same without her.  I miss the Christmas Eve ornament exchange and the Martha Washington's.  Mostly though, I miss being with my South Alabama family.  It really is sad that I can't physically be in two places at the same time.  I'm there in my heart though.  And I'm so blessed this year to spend Christmas with my parents and my sister and brother and their families.

I stayed with my mom and she had my bedroom all fixed up!  It's so beautiful and it smelled really good!  Mmmm...vanilla.  She and Pop and I hung out in front of the tv.  I was checking my email at one point and Mom was on her laptop and Pop was playing a game on the desktop.  I looked up and thought how incredibly connected we all are to our computers!  Mom made cracker candy  which is a chocolate and brown sugar confection spread onto a layer of saltines, cooled and broken like peanut brittle.  It tastes  a lot like a Heath bar.  She also made one of my favorite treats - apple slices.  I was surprised to learn that there aren't actually any apples in this treat.  I could have sworn there were, but maybe I was just deluding myself into thinking that they have SOME nutritional value!  In any case, there was a lot of really good food!

My sister hosted Christmas Dinner at her house.  She's an excellent cook and I really enjoyed myself.  I think "Christmas Full" is almost as uncomfortable as "Thanksgiving Full".  It was fun to be there when the kids opened their presents.  They each got some really neat things, but I think the hit of day was Guitar Hero.  There were many challenges and quite a lot of shouting.  In fact, this may have been the loudest an livilest Christmas in a long time!  My sister and niece and I even made some time to scrapbook Christmas night.  Jenn made me jealous with her new toy...she got the Cricut Expression.  She did some great pages too!

This morning we got out of bed at 5:45 a.m. to hit the after Christmas sales.  I actually went to a mall.  Nikki spent some of her Christmas cash at Aeropostale and Hollister.  Ugh, Hollister...do you know that you can smell that place from a 100 yards away!?!  I made the requiste trip to Kohl's and got a great new sweater among other things. And then we all had lunch at Salsa's.  Geez, I'm really all about the food!

This afternoon David took  Jenn, Justin and I over to Craighead Forest Park to make some pictures for a gift for our Mom.  He takes great pictures and the present for Mom turned out beautifully!  And, he was even nice enough to give them to me on a CD so I can scrap them!  And of course, share them with all of you!

Tomorrow I'll be Bammy Bound once again!  Hope you all had a very merry Christmas!   I miss and love you all and I'll see you soon!

       

O Christmas Tree!

I love Christmas trees and ornaments!  Every year I carefully unwrap each ornament and it's like getting a bunch of presents!  Somehow during the course of the year I forget how pretty they are.  Some I forget I even have, which is great because then I'm just as excited as the day I originally got them!  Each one has its own special story.  Some are silly, some handmade, some so beautiful I could cry, some given to me by friends and all are cherished.  I've been collecting them all my life - no, really I have...with the help of Mama LeAnn.  LeAnn is a dear friend of my grandmother and aunt.  They all worked together in Illinois.  She began giving me a dated Hallmark ornament every year in 1975 (that's the year I was born in case you didn't realize how old I am) and when we moved to Alabama they kept coming.  She sent a box every year and I was always excited to open it.  Aside from the ornaments you never knew what cool stuff would be inside.  Mamaw would wait for me to come home from school so that I could open it even though it was addressed to all of us.  Sometimes she would label the ornament boxes with mine and my sister's names and sometimes we got to work it out ourselves.  She sent us an ornament every year up through High School.  Which means my last one came Christmas of  1993.  I've put them on the tree every year that I've had a tree and some of them have gotten broken over time.  Each time one broke I cried, but I don't see the point in having them if they always stay in a box.  So they are hanging on my tree right now. 

Here are some of my favorites:

                     

In addition to the old favorites, there are always a few new additions to the tree.  This year there have been quite a few.  I somehow talked my friend B into starting an ornament collection and of course almost everytime she found one she liked, I had to have it too!  Not surprising really, great minds as they say!  I counted the new ornaments and was shocked to discover that I have TWELVE!  That's okay right?  I mean there are twelve days of Christmas.  Also, Shane and I split up our collection this year.  And as much as I love a Charlie Brown tree, I wanted my tree to be full and happy this year.  Plus, it's not like I bought them all, some were given to me.  See how I justified getting so many new ornaments?  They each have their own story and special place in my heart.  Each year when I unwrap them, I'll remember the day and place and moment that made them special.  I'll smile wistfully and hang them gingerly on my tree.

I couldn't pick a favorite, so here's a random sample of the new arrivals:

    

Rhonda-Rachel or Rachel-Rhonda

Does it really matter which one of us is which? When it comes down to it, we're just Martha's girls. She raised us both, we both have "R" names and we're both freakin' adorable. Yeah, yeah Auntie I know, you're "Oh Soooo Pretty!" Plus, you know, she'll be 81 in January, so who can blame her if she gets us confused from time to time? Well, okay, so it's all the time - but like I said, does it really matter? The funniest part is that she doesn't just call me Rhonda and her Rachel. No, she always catches herself AFTER she calls me Rhonda and then corrects it by saying Rachel. The correction comes fast enough that I've started to think of myself as Rhonda-Rachel and my Aunt as Rachel-Rhonda! And well I am Southern, so I think it's fine if I have a double name...heck, it might even be required!

Actually, I think there might be an advantage or two here. If I did something wrong Mamaw, would you blame Aunt Rhonda?

Holiday Greetings!

Don't you just love getting cards at the holidays?! Me too! I look forward to walking across the plaza to the post office at Ferguson to check my little box. Imagine my excitement this week when I pulled out the first holiday greetings of the season! I could hardly wait to get back to my desk so I could open them! On the walk back I kept thinking I've got mail! Holiday mail! Back at my desk I carefully opened the envelopes and pulled out the most beautiful cards! Inside were greeting of love and happy wishes for holiday fun. I put them on display at my desk for everyone to see as they stopped by. Several people picked them up and commented on how cute they are. I wanted to share them with you too! So here they are.

This first one was sent to me by my talented and very fun friend Katy. So beautiful. I love the pink, green and blue color combination. The card has several layers and it's on acrylic, which she stamped with white ink! I love the punched corners and the velvet ribbon too! This is a fab card Katy, though I couldn't help but notice that there's no stickles on it....hmmm, did the Grinch steal your collection? Maybe I can get him to give it to me!

My friend Shira made this card. Cards are kinda her thing! It's on acrylic too! Wow, I have all these ambitious friends! Acrylic intimidates me, but Shira's great at it! Check out the really cool felt snowflake! She used a giant scallop punch for the inside of the card and even included a picture of herself and the fam in front of her awesome MINI. Try not to be too jealous, you have to join a cult - I mean club if you buy one! Ha! Just kidding!



See, holiday greetings really do brighten days! So keep them coming! Mine are going out tomorrow!

Feelin' Jolly!

Suddenly today I feel like Christmas is coming!  I’m definitely in the spirit this lovely Friday morning (TGIF!)  I’m positive I know why I feel so jolly.  Holiday activities! On Tuesday night I went with Iras to Dickens Downtown on Main Street in Northport.  It was so beautiful.  There were luminaries everywhere and all the shops were decorated festively.  There was a snow machine and all the little ones were playing in the soap snow (not so good to catch on your tongue though)  There was a pottery demo and now we both want to take a class…like I don’t already have enough crafting outlets, but eh, what’s one more?  I’ll post some pictures later…they’re the last ones from my camera because I dropped it on the pavement and busted it.  Bummer, because we all know it’s always attached to me.  Kind of blows my Project 365 too.  Oh well, I’ll start over on New Year’s…I’m sure I’ll have a new camera by then – right Santa?  I’ve been so good this year that I’m sure I’m on the top of his list.  Well, maybe second after Eartha Kitt.

Also on the Christmas activity list, I’m headed back to Cartersville this weekend!  B, A, and I are going down to Pine Mountain on Saturday to see Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Gardens!  I CAN’T WAIT!  It’s so fun there and I’m really excited about seeing all the trees and ornaments in the Christmas Village.  http://www.callawaygardens.com/  (Warning – don’t click this link unless you’re okay with feeling slightly jealous!)  Aside from the Christmas extravaganza, my favorite thing at Callaway is the Muscadine preserves.  They sell them at the Country Store and I’m getting some!  Yummy!

Last night on my to do list was to make a Christmas playlist to listen to this weekend.  I love Christmas music of all kinds and I guess I like some of the traditional favorites but I would have to say my playlist is sort of all over the place.  I get a new album every year.  Last year it was Barenaked for the Holidays by BNL .  This year I’ve achieved a whole new level of silly.  I got, are you ready?  The Muppets-A Green and Red Christmas.  Not really that surprising I know, but this album has me cracking up!  I was at my computer working on my playlist and laughing my ass off when I looked down and realized it was almost 12:30 in the morning!  So funny!  Miss Piggy singing Santa Baby!  And then, oh my goodness, Pepe singing Merry Christmas Baby!  In case you don’t know, Pepe is the King Prawn – just be sure not to call him a shrimp.  It makes him really mad!

So everybody get in the Christmas Spirit!  Right now!  I don’t want you to spoil my ridiculous amount of enthusiasm! 

So this is it...

These are my last few hours as a SSA. And what am I doing with them, besides this blog post? Packing up all my personal items, plus a few extra things (I’m keeping my stapler – it’s a Swingline you know!) I’m clearing up my “pending” folder and enjoying the last few phone calls from students. Weird, I really am enjoying them. I don’t know if it’s the holiday approaching or if it’s that I do genuinely like to help them solve whatever issue is destroying their lives. (I think we must just have a lot of theatre majors) Hmmm, I might be feeling a little sentimental today. Every few minutes Jenny reminds me to pack and move my stuff to my new cube on the other side of the house. She wants my desk…apparently she’s tired of working out of a milk crate! I’ll miss the all day interaction with my Registration peeps, especially Ash! But, I’m only moving about 15 yards away, so I think it’ll be okay!

I made some really awesome cornbread last night and I baked a very pretty German Chocolate cake. (Hope it tastes as good as it looks since it’s for LEG (they’re ALL for him actually, but he’s good at sharing – well, okay sometimes he shares, but you better be fast!)

Soon I’ll be in the car on my way to Atlanta for the long weekend! I’m all packed up and I’m looking forward to some fun and good food and even some scrapbooking! Or some crafting at least! Let’s see, I’ve finished a scarf and started another one. I did three quilted Christmas ball ornaments (which I’ve already given away – sheesh) and I’m almost finished with a fourth one. I have several more to make, everybody that sees them wants one! And, I’m still working on the giant Christmas card project! See, I still have a ways to go before Christmas, but for now I’m just going to enjoy the holidays instead of stressing about all I have to do!

I'm so grateful for each of you and I'll be thinking of you and wishing you all a wonderful and yummy Thanksgiving!

Weekend Wrap-up and Other Stuff

Whew! Whirlwind weekend! I accomplished some stuff this weekend. Yay me! This is good, because Thanksgiving is coming and I don't want to feel stressed!

On Friday, I cropped with some really great ladies and made good progress on some card projects.

Then on Saturday, Iras and I went shopping at the Galleria and had our picture made with Santa! What fun! Yep, we’re just a couple of big kids at heart. (or a couple of hot co-eds, according to Santa – shame on you Santa, what would Mrs. Claus think!?) The experience was interesting for sure. It’s good to have friends who are as silly as I am. Put us together and you get FUN! (all caps intended) We also had a good dinner at Sumo and then we hit World Market – we love this place! It was a good day!

Yesterday, I went to Fayette to visit Mamaw. She warmed me some lunch (ham and dressing) and we chatted about random stuff. After helping out with the usual household business things, I worked on an ornament project. I still don’t have it quite right, but I did make some really pretty ones. I’m determined to get the right pattern, so stay tuned! I had dinner with SG and then we went to Target for a little Thanksgiving grocery shopping. I’ll be baking soon!

Which brings me to Thanksgiving. I’m really excited to be spending the holiday with B and A! The thought of Alton Brown style turkey has my mouth watering already! I’ll be helping out in the kitchen some, which we all know is my favorite place to be! But, I’m getting ahead of myself. There’s a lot to do these next couple of days and I’m working on a power list so I don’t forget anything. Today is clean-up and organize day. Which I’m okay with, because that means Tuesday is baking day! I love to bake and I have a couple of other food projects too! I love creating in my kitchen, moving from task to task, taking in the smells and textures! Especially at the holidays! So excited to see what turns out!

A Moment of Reflection

Tonight after some play time at Hobby Lobby and Michaels (with Iras, of course!) I decided to go have dinner at 15^th street diner. I love to eat there – its good southern comfort food. They make the best sweet tea and the cornbread is to die for. You can see a picture of said cornbread on my photoblog. Yes, I did update it with the pics from the last several days. My dinner was excellent as always. There was a couple sitting behind me (my back was to them) and they had a small child with them. The little one was well behaved and chattered quietly to them pretty much the whole time. I don’t think it’s possible to sit so closely and not tune in to the conversation going on. So, by the time they were finishing their meal, I knew that the couple were the child’s grandparents and that he was staying the weekend with them. He called them Mamaw and Papaw and he obviously was partial to Papaw. The nice man chatted to the boy about the food they were eating and the things they’d do over the weekend. As they were getting up to leave, the little boy bounced a few times on the seat and hopped into his Papaw’s arms. And I heard the man say to him, you just have a wild time when you’re with Mamaw and Papaw.

They so clearly adored each other and it reminded me of my Papaw. He’s been on my mind a lot lately, as he so frequently is this time of year. He passed away December 7, 1996 - almost 12 years ago. Sometimes it seems like it happened just yesterday and sometimes it feels like forever since my last conversation with him. He was a good and kind man and he had all the patience in the world for me. I followed him everywhere when I was young and looked to him for everything, always. He was definitely the “fixer” in my life. My Mamaw always said he’d pick his feet up and I’d set mine down in their place. He couldn’t go anywhere without me…and if it annoyed him (which I’m sure it did from time to time) I never knew it. I never actually saw him walk on water, but I’m pretty convinced that he could have.

I went with him to many of the doctor’s appointments and treatment sessions. It was on one of the last times we made the drive from Fayette to Tuscaloosa that he told me he was proud of me. Proud that I was going to college and of the person I had become. I carry his words with me always and though I’m nowhere close to perfect, I try to be someone he’d be proud of. He is still such a presence in my life and whenever I think of him, I feel truly loved.

Birthday Shout-Out

So, today is my little brother’s birthday…well, actually he hasn’t been little in a while. In fact, he’s been taller (a lot taller, and I’m not short) than me for years. Anyway, I’d tease him about how old he’s getting except that I’m five years older than him. So instead, let me take a minute to share with you a few of the things that I love most about him.

Anytime he sees me (which isn’t often enough) he always gives me a hug that results in my feet leaving the ground. I always make a fuss about his smooshing me, but in those few moments before I see him, I’m always looking forward to it.

I love that he’s a very metro country boy. He always looks and smells good, but he’s real and he’s down home and I love to hear his Southern twang. He’s a farm boy at heart and I swear his blood might be John Deere green.

He loves his family and he’d do anything to help out a friend. He’s got a big heart and he gives it freely.

I love that I can talk to him about whatever and he can give advice without any expecting that I’ll take it. I really admire that he lives his life according to his own rules and doesn’t give much thought to what other people think.

See, he’s really great right?! And the best part is - no matter how old we are, he’ll always be my little brother. Which is great because I love to annoy him and get away with it. It’s my genetic obligation!

It's Official!

Today was a very good day! I signed my offer letter and the Registrar made the announcement. After a year as SSA in the Office of the Registrar at UA, I’ve been promoted to Academic Scheduling Coordinator. Yea me! My official start date is December 1^st. I’m really excited and just a little bit nervous about my new responsibilities… I’ll be facilitating university-wide scheduling of courses (lectures, labs, seminars, etc.) and events (workshops, meetings, conferences, etc.) I’ll rise to the challenge of course, it’s what I do! But, let me just say to a certain someone, don’t call me when you all waited until the last minute and you need a space…wait, do call me so I can laugh at you and threaten to put you in the basement in a random building across campus. Just kidding, I’d never do that…he, he, he!

It’s taken a while to get to get to this point in the process and I’ve had my fingers crossed the whole time. You know what it’s like when you’re waiting to hear about a potential new position. Confident one moment, unsure the next…at least that’s me. So, since I’ve been holding my breath for a while, it’s now time to exhale. So excuse me while I give myself permission to rock out and dance around my apartment in my pjs and slippers! I’m letting my hair down, the head banging is about to start! Give you three guesses what’s playing on my iPod right now…

Projects

Wow, I have a lot of them right now. Christmas is coming and my list of people I want to give a handmade gift to is complete – at least I hope it is since time is short. I haven’t decided what to make for each person yet, but I’ve got a good start. Now I just have to get down to business!

Today as I packed my scrap stuff to go to play with Iras, I took inventory of all the unfinished projects in my craft room. Yeah, it’s more than a few. I think it really sums up my personality…I’m always taking on too much, overdoing when it isn’t necessary, and I’m quick to move on to the next new thing. I have a lot of crafting talents and they are always competing with each other. Right now, for example, I have multiple projects going. Let’s see, there are four needlepoint/cross stitch projects, two quilting projects, three crochet projects, four card/scrapbook projects and one very complicated (even for us talented quilters) Christmas ornament! Whew! The thing is, I couldn’t be happier about it. I LOVE to create, even if it takes a while to complete any one thing. And, really isn’t variety the spice of life?

I love the holidays and I love to give people the little piece of myself that goes into everything I make. I always have hope at the holidays and I always look forward to the start of a new year. Last year, I made “Intentions” instead of “Resolutions”, and it really made a difference in how I thought about them. I was looking back at the list tonight and I discovered that in the last year I accomplished six of them. I won’t tell you how many were on the list, because if you knew, you might not be as impressed by the six I managed. Still, it’s a whole lot better than the big fat zero from the year before!

I’m getting ahead of myself though, after all, it isn’t even Thanksgiving yet! Not that you’d know by the way retail stores are pushing Christmas. I was in a store recently and I swear there must have been a glitter explosion! No kidding, I looked down at the floor and could see it being tracked everywhere! Did somebody forget to tell me that Christmas was moved up this year? It is still in December, right? I hope so, or I’m really way behind with the gift-making!

This is Alabama Football

I love night games. I love them in September because it’s too hot in the afternoon. I love them in October when Fall provides a perfect cool breeze. And I love them in November when it’s cold and you have to get all bundled up. I love getting layered and toasty. I secretly think I look super cute in a toboggan and scarf! Tonight was very fun and incredibly chilly; it even sprinkled just a bit! Alabama won over Miss. State 32-7. I just love seeing all those little W’s lined up in a row. The fans were definitely at fever pitch tonight, no doubt in response to the challenge set by Nick Saban in this week’s Hey Coach segment. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka_Hcn_D4mo I love it when he gets all fired up! He says A’ight…for those of you having trouble deciphering, this means all right, and is usually spoken as a question.

I love Bryant-Denny in the dark. The view from U3 is pretty cool, especially at night with the city lights twinkling. And tonight the moon seemed to be hanging just above the East stands. At halftime, the Million Dollar Band put on a fabulous show! The drill was fast and fun and they sounded so great when they played “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”. Even from so high up, I could tell they were having a great time! Back in the stands, they played “Basket Case” as they always do and I rocked out in my seat! Never get tired of that one – someday, when they decide to retire it, I’ll probably cry.

I’m a fan of tradition, and Alabama has some excellent ones. I love the Elephant Stomp and the Walk of Champions. I love that I can say “Roll Tide” to a random stranger and get a reply in kind. As I sat in the stadium tonight and looked around at a sea of Crimson and White I thought, yep, I’m a Bama Girl. I’m a member of the Tide Nation! This is definitely a season to be proud of no matter the outcome of these last games. But, it sure would be nice to beat Auburn!

Life musings

It’s really easy to get caught up in the grind of daily life. Going from place to place and task to task without really thinking about what we do or why. Today I’m reminding myself that I am more than my routine. I read an article on zen habits that got me thinking about how to make life a richer, more meaningful experience for myself and others.

http://zenhabits.net/2008/09/6-questions-to-ask-yourself-to-get-the-most-out-of-life/

I think I am at my happiest when I am doing things for others. Little things, big things - doesn’t matter. What matters is that it gives them a smile, a moment of peace, something to look forward to, or just the knowledge that I care and I love them. My relationships with my family and friends are so important to me and I want to always nurture them. To that end, today I wrote out some cards and put them in the mail. I made a care package to send to a friend. And, I made one long overdue phone call. And, you know what, just as predicted, I feel happy at the prospect of joy shared.

Someone Special

She's a good bit older now of course, but she's still just the most beautiful person. Gentle and soft spoken, every line on her face is one I know by heart. Some, I'm sure I caused. Since the day I was born, she's been in my corner and I have no doubt she always will be. She and my grandfather raised me from the time I was small child and I have many happy memories of special times with them. It's her that I give the credit for my love of crafting. She always fostered my creativity. She allowed the messy stuff...paint, paper mache, glitter. She made playdough from flour and water and food coloring. She sewed clothes for my dolls and of course for me - though I didn't appreciate it nearly enough at the time. We had our differences, especially over the length she felt my skirts and dresses should be. The kitchen was the heart of our home and I spent a lot of time at the table with her and still do. This may be the root of my love for a kitchen and the happiness I feel when I'm baking. She is an excellent cook, nobody makes better biscuits from scratch. I always crave her dressing at Thanksgiving. My Aunt and I are always arguing over which of us gets her chicken pot. It must be magic, because I swear the best fried chicken ever comes out of it. (that might have sounded a bit morbid, but I promise Mamaw thinks it's funny!)

As I look back on it now, the ups and downs of my adolescence couldn't have been easy for her, but they were handled with the skill and wisdom of her years. And always with love. In fact, her poise, good humor and determination in life is something I greatly admire and I dare to hope that I've inherited some of it from her. I can't count the number of times she has said to me "Everything works out for the best, you'll see". I never particularly liked hearing it, because of course "the best" might not necessarily be what I wanted and it meant waiting...and I wasn't any better at it then than I am now. But in the end, I'd always have to admit she was right. She has faced some difficult times and many challenges and overcome them all. I know I have her strength and I am very grateful for her willingness to raise, guide, and love me.

After all, we all know what a pain I can be...it's a testament to her character and probably a flat miracle that she didn't drown me in the bathtub when she had the chance!

Just a quick note

I know right? Twice in one day! That's a record for me. But since I know you all hang on the edge of your seats waiting for me to post my illuminating thoughts, here you go! Ha! Ha! Ha!

I've been low on energy for the past few days and I was thinking I need something to get me motivated to do the things I need to do...like wash the mountain of laundry piling up on the floor. Today in my spare time I've been catching up on various blog reading and something on my friend Donna's caught my eye...Hopper, her sweet puppy. Actually, Hopper is Day 1 in her new attempt at Project 365. If you don't know, this is a really cool photo-a-day project to document a year in your life. You can read more about it at http://photojojo.com/content/tutorials/project-365-take-a-photo-a-day/ So, now I'm inspired to start my own Project 365. You can check out Day 1 as soon as I upload it tonight by clicking the My Photoblog link on the right or by visiting http://www.photoblog.com/rachgivens It'll be interesting to see how the next year unfolds!

In other news, still nothing on the promotion...hopefully I'll hear something early next week. I'm headed to hobby lobby after work to meet Iras and pick up materials for some special christmas projects. Then we'll be heading to my place to scrap...those Christmas cards are getting finished tonight, I swear! I'm really enjoying the cardmaking, but everyone's asking when I'm going to bring new pages to hang in my cube, so I might have to put some effort into that as well. Hope you've all had a good day! I miss and love you bunches!

It's Magic...

In my last post I confessed about my lack of living room and dining room furniture. Just so you know, it’s not the same in my bedroom. There is actually a dresser, a night table, a lamp, a t.v., oh and a bed. A most fabulous bed. Everyone says so. Wait, that didn’t sound right. What I mean is, since I have no other furniture, when my friends come over to visit we sit on the bed to watch Good Eats or Unwrapped or random episodes of Animaniacs. {oh don’t even pretend you don’t love the Warner Brothers and their sister Dot} My friend Ash actually threatens to come over just to take a nap! The bed itself is a Simmons Beautyrest. Can you say “individually pocketed coils”? It’s pushed into the corner of the room against two walls, which is exactly how I’m comfortable. But here’s the best part. It’s a bed made more special by the addition of one very magical quilt. What makes it magic, you ask? Well, many things…it’s just the right weight even in summer. Not so heavy that you wake up hot, but substantial enough that you feel wrapped up in an ever-changing embrace. It’s a cheery yellow, with brightly colored, embroidered butterflies scattered about it. It’s quilted in a stipple pattern that makes the butterflies seem as though they could fly right off and into a New York subway. I got it for my birthday from B and A and I just love it!. So yes, I do refer to it as “the magic quilt” because it has given me many nights of good sleep. Under this quilt is my favorite place to be whenever I don’t feel good…right after a hot bath and comfy jammies. When I was a teenager, I’d fall into whatever bed (car, tent, boat, truckbed) in whatever clothes I was wearing. But now I much prefer my nighttime routine…hot bath or shower, jammies, fuzzy slippers, brush my teeth, wash my face, climb into bed, t.v. on, lights out, and train sounds in the background. It all makes for easy transport into dreamland. And in those first moments of early morning light before I have to start my day, I snuggle deeper into my magic quilt and it gives me peace.

Ok, so I bought a toaster...

It's been a while since I had a toaster, or a toaster oven. Since I moved into my new apartment back in July, things have been kind of sparce. Really, a toaster wasn't high on my list. After all, I can heat my strawberry frosted poptarts in the microwave. Well, sometimes they do get a little overheated, but I've recently learned that you can save them on a cooling rack or by making a teepee out of them! Ha! Anyway, I still don't have a couch or a dining table, so really the toaster didn't seem that important. I went to Target last night with Iras to get groceries. (for her, because we all know I prefer my fridge empty!) I've been having questionable stomach days for the last week or so and nothing sounded good to me except toast. Plain, nothing on it, crispy toast. But oh, I really didn't want to bust out a skillet. So, I bought a toaster. I bought the smallest one I could find. Very important that it be small and if you've ever been to my place, you understand why. So, now I'm all up to date in the kitchen, maybe I should work on the couch. ;p

In other news of the day, still waiting to hear about the job promotion I interviewed for last week. Hopefully, I'll have some good news later in the week, because, as you all know, I'm no good at waiting ;-). Keep your fingers crossed for me! Oh, and completely out of character for me, I saw a hokey doctor yesterday! She was very nice and I really liked her voice. Very calm and quiet, but not so quiet that you don't hear her. She listened to my concerns and made good suggestions for how I could better cope with stress, have more energy, and other assorted stuff. I have another appointment tomorrow, so we'll see how it goes!

Hope you are all doing well! I miss you all tons! Now, it's time to start my day off right with a little toast and then head off to work. It promises to be a busy day today...Alabama's playing in the SEC Championship game in December, didn't you know! And, of course, EVERYONE wants tickets.

You've Got Mail!

Last night I was watching You've Got Mail.  It's a wonderful movie with a sweet and soothing message and it never fails to make me smile.  Mail is a wonderful thing don't you think?  It's how we stay in touch, keep up with the people we love and share events in our lives.  Whether it comes in the form of an email, or text, or just a card or letter through the good ole USPS, I LOVE getting it!  In fact, I have a special affection for "snail mail".  I recently got a lovely card from G that I think I've read a zillion times!  It's just a sweet note and it really warmed my heart.  I think the best part about getting a card is that you get to see the sender's handwriting.  I love that they took the time to write something special just for me.  Thanks G for brightening my day!  I've decided that since I'm a scrapbooker and I love to make cards, I'm going to send more of them!  After all, we could all use a happy greeting!  And if you haven't seen You've Got Mail, you should. (and once you do, I guarantee you'll want to watch it again and again)

Fall Is My Favorite Season!

Can't you just smell Fall in the air?  Candy corn, pumpkin pie, caramel apples, s'mores!  The air is cooler and it's time for hayrides and haunted houses (or just Rocky Horror Picture Show).  But the best part by far is the color.  I love Fall colors...reds, oranges, and yellows, and purples.

In the Fall, there are three places I love to be: the mountains (especially Nantahala), on a farm (think corn maze) and at Bryant-Denny (roll tide roll)  So, you can imagine my excitement over my recent trip up through Blue Ridge, GA and on to Bryson City, NC.  We, that's me and B, had a great time seeing the sights, and popping in and out of the quaint little downtown shops.  We got some very cool jewelry made by a local artist, and some awesome Christmas ornaments.  I've been telling B that Christmas ornaments don't all have to be the same theme.  Random is good, so she got a start on that with a really nifty Elvis ornament!  But I digress, back to Fall.  We stayed in a cabin on the side of the mountain with a great view and we ventured up to Clingman's Dome to find out if we could really see parts of seven states.  Not sure about that, but definitely North Carolina and Tennessee.  We walked around NOC and the color was just amazing!  So vivid! I wish the pictures could do it justice, but really you just have to see it for yourself...and if you do decide to go, take me with you, PLEASE!

Stinkin' Cute!

Oh. My. Goodness.  Okay, so I love to get flowers.  Especially daisies!  They're always thoughtful, beautiful, friendly flowers, but this time they were accompanied by a really cute critter.  Sock Monkey!!!  I had one of these silly creatures that my grandmother made for me when I was a kid.  So, a little nostalgia, please, for this totally awesome stamp set by Stampin Up!  A bag of rocks could be made a more appealing gift if the card with it featured this cute little guy.  I think sock monkeys are experiencing a revival and not just as cute stuffed toys.  Check out this extreme cake:

 http://confetticakes.blogspot.com/2008/04/revenge-of-sock-monkey.html

And seriously, who can resist a baby in a sock monkey costume?

http://www.buycostumes.com/Sock-Monkey-Infant-Costume/32724/ProductDetail.aspx?REF=SCE-froogle

I know, really cute right?  Anyway, thanks to my super sweet BFF for the lovely flowers and happy, silly sock monkey card!  I love this set!  Stinkin' cute!

Crocheted Cuties

So, I was thinking about how blessed I am to have so many crafty, talented friends.  Have you ever noticed how some people just have a knack for certain things?  Today, I'm thinking about Irasema, who has an incredible way with yarn.  She crochets all sorts of cute amiguramis (japanese stuffed toys)  For my birthday, just for me, she made an elephant in a tutu!  I named her Rosealia!  More recently, she made me a teddy bear (called Theodore of course)  And, just to prove how talented she is, while she worked on Theodore, she taught me the basics of crochet.  She's an excellent teacher and I think I'm a pretty quick study.  I can't make fancy animals yet, but I know some people who are definitely getting scarves for Christmas.  The best thing about being surrounded by people with such talent?  It rubs off on you.  Inspires you to create.  Encourages you to try new things.  Thanks Iras!  You rock!

Striving for Balance

Have you ever noticed that when things are even slightly off balance in life you can suddenly feel like a plate juggler with 2 dozen very fragile items perched precariously on your head, arms, hands, knees and feet?  You desperately don't want a single plate to slip and fall to the ground in a splintering crash.  You know it probably isn't possible to continue to hold them all aloft for very long.  So, you have to decide which ones to set gently down onto the table and figure out how to do it without chipping a piece off.  My problem is, I don't want to choose.  I want to hold them all up.  Obviously, I need yoga. 

Home Place

I woke up this morning in the house I grew up in thinking about being home.  Home is an interesting concept and I think it means different things to different people.  If it’s true that “home is where your heart is” then I definitely live all over the place.  I've left bits of my heart scattered everywhere… Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, North Carolina, and even most recently, California.  But my Home Place is definitely in a little, all but forgotten, Alabama town called Fayette.  It’s a place I spent a lot of time trying to get out of, but a place I love to go back to.  It’s comfortable, like an old quilt that’s worn around the edges.  It’s where I learned to write in cursive and to multiply, played kick-ball in the schoolyard, kissed a boy for the first time, went to prom, and where I lived with my grandparents.  There was always life in our house, mostly due to the constant stream of teenagers coming in and out at all hours for a snack or to sit and play guitar.  My grandmother still lives in the yellow house on the corner.  The yard is a little wilder and everything is older, but no less beautiful than in years before.  The Confederate Roses are in full bloom now and they make the air sweet.  I took a Sunday morning drive with my grandmother and the town was so quiet.  Almost like a Rockwell.   I took pictures of this and that, tried to capture the past, to sweep it up into a still-frame.  Tried to file it away in my brain and to remember how I felt for just that moment:  I am HOME.

Saucy Stamp Club

Girls gone wild...well, three out of four anyway!  It was my month for stamp club and somebody had the bright idea to go to The Melting Pot instead.  (see how I'm letting you know that this isn't my fault?)  We had  a way fun night, maybe a little too fun.  The day before I was packing and prepping for California and because I never allow enough time for these types of things, I never made it to bed.  I had some coffee and it was fine, but I left work at lunch to drive to Atlanta to meet the girls and figured I'd just eat when I got there.  In retrospect, this might not have been the best idea, but I was excited and just wanted to get there.  Three glasses of wine later and I totally made an ass of myself by telling the waiter that he was "cut".  Now, in my defense, let me say that I had a little encouragement from my friends.  Of course to be completely fair, I also had B trying to keep me in check.  Which is probably why I didn't act on the suggestion that I ask the waiter if I could drizzle the chocolate sauce on his chest and lick it off. (ok no, I didn't actually consider it - geez it was only three glasses)  As a group, we were bad enough that the manager came over to tactfully handle us.  At least, I think that's what she was doing.  Really, I almost never go wild, so I'm giving myself a pass on this one.  Besides, I'm pretty sure the waiter didn't mind the attention, given the desert plate he brought us...

Strike a Silly Pose

Why not, it's Disney World, silliness is a requirement!  Without the silliness, you might wonder why you'd agree to drive 10 hours in a car with a loud 10 year old boy and his teenage sister.  You might question your decision to brave the massive crowds and insane July heat.  You might think, eh, it's just not worth it...and then you'd miss out.  You'd miss seeing the wonder and excitement they feel when they experience the "Most Magical Place on Earth" for the very first time.  It was definitely a trip to remember.  The heat might not have always brought out the best in us, but we had a blast.  Jake rode rides I never thought he would.  (took a hefty bribe to get him on Expedition Everest though) Nikki shared my passion for Space Mountain (we ran to get back in line to ride again)  I felt like a kid again in the theater at Muppet Vision 3D.  And this was Jenny's first time at Disney too.  We took a million pictures the best of which are coming to a scrapbook soon.  But, until then here we are busting some silly moves. 

The Best PB&J Ever!

Without a doubt, this is the best peanut butter and jelly sandwich ever. It's FRIED. I know, sounds strange...especially to Yanks. But here in the South, you can fry anything. My grandmother used to make these for me when I was a kid. I know she probably hated making them because it's such a messy proposition! I hadn't had one in years, but the other day I was feeling a little low and I decided I needed a little comfort food. Wow! I forgot how good they are! And the thing is, I felt so much better after. Nothing like nostalgia to snap me out of a funk. Mmm Oooey Gooey Goodness! Try it and see. All you have to do is make a PB&J and fry it in a skillet with butter. The secret is - don't skimp on the butter. This isn't the time to worry about your figure!

A Night On The Town

Smart, sophisticated gals like us occasionally need a night on the town! Me and the Ashleys went to get pampered at the nail salon and then to dinner. And to top the night off, we saw Sex and the City!!!!! I looked forward to it all week long and even prepared for the movie by watching the last four episodes of the series. I just couldn't wait to find out what happened with Carrie and Mr. Big -- don't worry, I won't spoil it for you! I wasn't the only one who couldn't wait for our night out. This is the email message I got from Ash E. on Friday afternoon:

ONLY 7 ½ HOURS TILL SEX!!!!

These girls are so much fun! I feel truly blessed to have them as friends. Oh yeah, and the best thing about being co-workers is that I get to see them almost every day!

Just Call Me Rach

Most people do it automatically. They shorten my name, which is Rachel, to Rach. Usually the first time a person does this, it's when I'm about to slip away...as in "Hey Rach, wait!" I love when it happens for the first time because I figure it means the person is really starting to feel comfortable with me. I've had several nicknames over the course of my life...most of which I did not enjoy and will not repeat here. If you are already a friend of mine and know one, kindly keep it to yourself! If not, Hi I'm Rachel. Go ahead, it's okay, just call me Rach.