Please, tell me

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Dear World,

What the heck is going on? I like to think I am one of those 'the-glass-is-half-full' kind of gals, but it is certainly getting difficult to remain optimistic with all of the negative headlines filling the media.

If you could stop with the bad and start with the good, that would be great.

Thanks.

Me

"Reunited and it feels so good!"

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I just got back from picking up my engagement ring! I haven't worn it since the end of August. The stone was incredibly loose and the prongs needed to be fixed. It came in last Thursday, but the person who fixed it obviously did not check their work. There was a huge tool mark/scratch/dent on the side of one of the prongs that I saw immediately. The store sent it back in with a rush order to get it back as soon as possible.

So now here I am, happy as a clam because my wedding band and engagement ring have been reunited on my hand! Hooray!

Now, please excuse me, I need to go and stare at my left hand. :)

The Kindness of Strangers

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I believe that there is a special place in Heaven for people who are kind to strangers. To freely give up your time, your money, and yourself in order to make the lives of people you have never even met is an incredible thing.

Last Sunday, it rained like it has never rained before. I was waiting for Noah to float by in his ark and ask for Re-Pete and Penelope so that the chihuahua breed could continue. There was definitely some flooding throughout central Illinois going on, so, of course, work was insane. It seemed like the entire county was coming in to purchase a sump pump because the water in their basements was creeping up the stairs faster than they were comfortable with.

From 8-10:30AM, I was up at the customer service desk, which meant I had to answer the phone and field questions about sump pumps (and the occasional sandbag) while ringing up sump pumps for the people who'd braved the torrential downpour to get to the store.

At 10:30AM, I was lucky enough to escape down to the lumber cash register, which was experiencing 1/10 of the craziness that the front had. It was wonderful. There were maybe three people asking about sump pumps.

Around 2 or 3PM, (after the rain had stopped) a woman came into the lumber area. I can't remember what she was buying, but I know someone else was checking her out. I, of course, was checking out her footwear. For some reason, I notice people's shoes. Okay, so I know the reason... I love shoes! I am rather fanatical about my love of footwear and wish that I had a job where I could wear cute shoes everyday. Instead, I wear this really old pair of Nike tennis shoes because they're broken in/comfortable.

But I'm getting off-track...

I wasn't busy at the time, so I went over to tell the woman how much I liked her shoes (they were really cute) and asked her where she had purchased them. Alas, she had gotten them on clearance at Kohls some six months earlier. We talked for maybe ten minutes about shoes and other random things. I told her that a friend of mine had once said that life was 'too short to wear unattractive footwear.'

This must have struck a chord with this woman. Yesterday afternoon, I was, once again, down at the lumber cash register (I really prefer being here to anywhere else). The same woman came up to my register and asked if I was the girl who had talked to her the week before about ugly shoes. Realizing who she was (she was wearing a hat and sunglasses this time), I told her that I was. She told me she'd be right back.

When she came back inside, she was carrying a shoe box. I immediately realized that this woman, whose name I didn't know and had only talked to for ten minutes about her cute shoes, had gone out and purchased me a brand new pair of shoes. I tried to tell her I couldn't take them, but she wouldn't take no for an answer. I thanked her repeatedly. After she had left, I opened the box to see an adorable pair of brown leather Mary Janes. The woman had included the gift receipt in the box so that I could get the right size, which I went and did as soon as I got off of work. There was also a card in it. On the envelope were written the words 'because life is too short' and on the inside it said, 'I hope you enjoy a life with Jesus and cute shoes' followed by several scriptures.

Although Jesus has been a part of my life since 1997, I don't think that a stranger has ever witnessed to me like that. There has been the occasional person here and there who has mentioned Christ's love in passing, but never has someone gone out of their way like this to make sure I spend eternity in Heaven. Her selfless gift made me realize that there are many things I need to work on as a Christian.

But like I said, there is a special place in Heaven for this woman.

Happy 1/4 Year Anniversary!

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We have had three glorious months of wedded bliss as of today! Happy anniversary to my incredible husband!

I also have an awesome work-related story to tell, but it will have to wait until tomorrow.

I Miss...

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-- Having a washer and dryer in my apartment. Our apartment in Missouri had a stacked washer/dryer unit in the kitchen. It didn't hold a large load, but at least we had the machines in our apartment. Our current apartment offers them, but you have to pay to rent them if they aren't in your apartment already. You could also bring your own, but only if you have hookups, which this apartment does not. Uggh. On the first floor, there is a tiny laundry room. It has two washers and two dryers. This, coupled with the fact that I have been busy, has caused a huge backup in my laundry efficiency. I am so behind on laundry now that it isn't even funny. We haven't had all of our towels clean at the same time since the beginning of August before I started my job. I am giving serious consideration to going to the laundromat this morning in order to get all of our laundry done at once so I can come home, where I will clean the rest of the apartment.

-- Buckingham's BBQ. If you are ever in Columbia, Missouri, you must eat at this restaurant. They have great turkey sandwiches and their Sloppy Buck is amazing. What is nice, though, is that they cater. Michael will be driving through Columbia on his way back from Missouri tomorrow and I am planning on having him stop for a quart of Sloppy Buck. I will freeze it and we will eat it and we will be happy.

-- Having a backyard. Our last apartment was a small building with three units. Behind the units was a decent-sized yard (as far as small dogs went). We didn't have to worry about having Re-Pete and Penelope on a leash when we were out there. They could run around until they were blue in the face, at which point we'd go inside so they could take long naps. Now we live in a larger apartment complex. They have leash rules. Serious leash rules. The rules are good since there are so many dogs here, but it makes me sad at the same time because our babies cannot run around in the fresh air.

There are, of course, many, many other things (and people) that I miss not having here in Illinois with me. My family, friends, Wilson's DQ, Bobs Drive-In, cheap movie tickets, hills...

Competition

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We're having a dessert competition at work today. When I heard about it, I immediately decided to make my chocolate sheet cake. Now that the day is here, I'm nervous. My cake is baked and ready to go, but I'm worried I somehow messed it up. If I do manage to win, I'll come home with a $50 gas card.

Wish me luck!

Taking Steps

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Today I ate lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings with two ladies from work.

I socialized, in public, with someone who wasn't my husband!

Happy Anniversary!

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Happy 23rd Anniversary to my incredible parents! I hope you're having a wonderful weekend down at the lake!

Work in Progress

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Here's a photo update on the project I've been working on. All. Day. Long. Ignore the fact that I look horrible and the awful photo quality. It isn't quite done. I need to finish putting in the zipper, adjusting the bodice (the neckline is a bit too plunging right now), and hemming the skirt. I'm obviously significantly taller than the person they meant the pattern for, because the picture on the pattern doesn't show the model's knees. I'll post more photos later when the dress is finished and I've brushed my hair!

Weekend Project

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I have a Saturday off! Yeah! I don't know how it happened, but I do know that I will not be questioning it. It gives me time for a craft project I've been planning for a couple of weeks now. I have finally decided to make the jump from quilting to sewing clothing. I am not sure how well it will go, but I am always up for a challenge! The photo below shows the pattern I am using, as well as the fabric I purchased this morning. I'll post photos later as the project progresses.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

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Happy birthday to my wonderful mother!

...and they lived happily, ever after

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Recipe of the Week

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Work has thrown a wrench into the whole one-new-recipe-a-week thing. I've made time for a new one this week, though. It is not exactly a difficult recipe, but it is new to me.

Michael and I like to make pizza once in a while. We always purchase a pre-made crust rather than making it from scratch. We cover it with cheese, pepperoni, and sometimes crumbled bacon. Healthy, I know.

This week, however, I am trying my hand at french bread pizza. I'm hoping I don't burn the bread making the pizza. Michael is having a friend up this weekend, so I'm not sure if it is the best time to be trying something new, but I am anyway.

Reading List

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I made a stop at the public library today. Since I'm not taking classes this semester, I have time to read books that are not textbooks. Here are the two books I picked up today:

- Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World, by Bill Clinton

- Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott

I have no idea how I've gone my entire life without having read Alcott, but that is finally going to change. I saw that there are several books about the March family, so I am considering reading them as well.

I am always open to suggestions for new books to read. If anyone has any ideas, feel free to post them!

Quilting

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Here are photos of most of the quilts I've made over the last few years. I really enjoy sewing and it has been wonderful working on them. I would love to open an Etsy store and sell quilts. It's good to have goals.

This is a poor photo of my first quilt. I started working on this after using my great-grandmother's quilt at a Missouri Cattlewomen's Hayride. It took four, long months to finish and it is, without a doubt, my favorite blanket. I love the flannel I used on the back. It is light blue with walruses that are wearing scarves and ski caps.

This blanket is *almost* finished. This is an old photo with the top squares laid out on the floor. Isn't it adorable? Yeah, it's flippin' awesome.

This quilt was literally stitched with love. I worked on cross-stitching on and off for the better part of a year. I am keeping it for my yet-to-be-conceived first-born child. He or she had better take it to college with them!

This is the "doggie" blanket I made for our nephew, Adrian, for being in our wedding. Every time we go back to Missouri and he's at grandpa and grandma's for the weekend, he's sleeping under his doggie blanket at night. I always try to take it back and say it's my doggie blanket. He's two, so this is a fun game. :)

Cleaning

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I've finally come up with a weekly list of chores that need to be done around the apartment in order to keep it nice and clean without me having to spend my days off scrubbing it from top to bottom. The list is definitely a work in progress and I am sure that at the end of the week I'll realize I've forgotten something major and will work it in. I thought that I would share this week's list with everyone and perhaps get some feedback.

Monday:

- dishes

- make bed (for some reason I feel like the bedroom is cleaner if the bed is made)

- pick up (general picking up/straightening, cleaning up the kitchen, etc.)

Tuesday:

- dishes

- make bed

- pick up

- dust (I'd like to do this three times a week, but I'm going for two)

- vacuum (also a twice a week chore)

Wednesday:

- dishes

- make bed

- pick up

- laundry (once a week at this point in my life, probably a load a day when we have our own home)

- bathroom (once a week because... well because it's a bathroom and no one likes to clean it. When we have a place with more than one bathroom, they'll probably have their own days)

Thursday:

- dishes

- make bed

- pick up

- dust

- vacuum

Friday:

- dishes

- make bed

- pick up

Saturday:

- dishes

- make bed

- pick up

Sunday:

- dishes

- make bed

- pick up

How does it look? They don't seem to be goals that are too lofty to accomplish on a daily basis. I have the list on the refrigerator with little boxes next to each chore. I love checking things off of lists, so hopefully my obsessive nature regarding lists will be motivation enough to do everything on the list.

Anyway, I have to get to work. I hope that everyone had a lovely weekend and has an even lovelier week!

Funny Things

Pin It Now! Me: "Wow, I cannot believe how many cashiers are pregnant."

Pregnant Cashier: "I know! I think it must be something in the water."


Me: "Oh, well thank goodness we filter our water!"

Happy Birth Day!

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Congratulations to Chris and Crissy on their brand new beautiful baby boy!

Welcome to the family, Garrett Christopher!

Stats: 8 lbs 7 oz, 21 inches long

Clean, Clean Carpets!

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This is my new favorite product. It is the Bissell QuickSteamer. Oh, it is lovely.

I purchased it last Friday while Michael was out of town and spent Saturday afternoon shampooing the carpets in our apartment. It was great. My carpet did not look filthy, and thus the cleaning was not obvious. The water coming out of the carpet, however, was disgusting. It was dirtier than it looked. Knowing that they're clean now makes me feel really good.

I read reviews of it on several websites before making my purchase. Most of them were really positive. They were from people who had pets, children, or a combination of pets and children. I thought it sounded like something I could use. I was not disappointed. It easily got rid of the few stains the carpet has gotten over the last few months with little effort and no pre-treatment.

The Bissell had its first real test today (other than general cleaning last Saturday). We came home from work to notice that Re-Pete had gotten sick. I got out the steam cleaner and easily got the mess out of the carpet.

So that was my adventure for the day. I am in love with a cleaning product and finally got to see how well it works under pressure. If you're in the market for a carpet cleaner to have at home (as opposed to renting one every time), I would definitely recommend this one!

It's all about me!

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1. Were you named after anyone?

Yes! My first name is a combination of my mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother's middle names. My middle name was the middle name of another great-grandmother. My maiden name is obviously my dad's last name. :)

2. When was the last time you cried?

Uggh... 2:30 this morning. Re-Pete hadn't gone #2 for almost two days and was in his crate, crying all night. I'd finally reached the end of my rope, didn't know what to do, and started crying.

3. Do you like your handwriting?

Not really. I like my print, but not my cursive writing.

4. What is your favorite lunch meat?

I prefer very thin-sliced turkey.

5. Do you have kids?

Not yet. See? I said 'yet' not 'no'. We are planning on having children one day in the future. Instead of asking us when that day will be, why don't you just wait until we tell you that we're having a baby?

6. If you were another person, would you be friends with you?

Yes. I'm a fun gal. I almost wish I were both myself and another person so that I could have a friend here in central Illinois. Not having any friends here is starting to get to me.

7. Do you still have your tonsils?

Yes, I do. In April 2007, I begged an emergency room doctor to snip them off one evening. One of my tonsils had suddenly swelled to three times its size, which was quite odd. I tested negative for strep throat, which I've never actually had, so they wouldn't remove them for me.

**Where is number 8?**

9. Would you bungee jump?

No way, no how. I would have an anxiety attack on the way down, worried that my rope wouldn't spring me back up. Plus, once you're done bouncing around, what happens? Do you just dangle there, waiting for them to pull you back up? I couldn't handle that.

10. What is your favorite cereal?

I love cereal! I like both Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles.

11. Do you untie your shoes before you take them off?

No. It always takes me longer than I think it should to put them on later because I have to sit there and untie them just to cram my feet into them and tie them again.

12. Do you think you are strong?

I'm pretty good about moving all of our furniture around on my own.

13. What is your favorite ice cream?

Vanilla!

14. What is the first thing you notice about people?

Hair and teeth.

15. Red or pink?

Red!

16. What is your least favorite thing about yourself?

I could stand to lose a few pounds.

17. Who do you miss the most?

My family in Missouri.

18. Do you want everyone to send this back to you?

Uhh... I'm not sending it anywhere, I'm posting it on my blog. If anyone else wants to post it on theirs, so be it!

19. What color pants and shoes are you wearing?

I'm not wearing any shoes. I'm wearing light blue capri sweats -- so comfy!

20. What was the last thing you ate?

Subway last night for dinner.

21. What are you listening to right now?

I'm watching 'Today' on NBC.

22. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?

White.

23. Favorite smells?

Fresh-cut grass, rain...

24. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?

Laura

25. Do you like the person who sent this to you?

I found this on the Internet, which I am fond of, so yes???

26. Favorite sport to watch?

Mizzou football :)

27. Hair color?

Dark brown

28. Eye color?

Light blue/gray

29. Do you wear contact lenses?

Every. Single. Day.

30. Favorite food?

Mexican

31. Scary movies or happy endings?

Happy endings

32. Last movie you watched?

Say Anything. Boombox over the head, anyone?

33. What color shirt are you wearing?

Teal t-shirt with a white tank top under it.

34. Summer or winter?

This is the first season I've lived in Illinois, but it's been pretty nice. Temperatures ranged between 80-90, though mostly between 80-85. The humidity is also lower than it was in Missouri. I've heard it gets really cold here in the winter, so expect posts about me freezing!

35. Hugs or kisses?

Both. :)

36. Favorite dessert?

Texas Sheet Cake ((the chocolate sheet cake recipe I posted a few weeks ago))

37. Most likely to respond?

No one, because I'm not sending it to anyone!

38. Least likely to respond?

The population of the world.

39. What book are you reading right now?

I just finished 'Straight Up & Dirty' by Stephanie Klein. I actually need to go to the library today and pick up something new.

40. What is on your mouse pad?

I don't have a mouse pad.

**Is there also no number 41?**

42. Favorite sound?

Quiet

43. Rolling Stones or Beatles?

The Beatles.

44. What is the furthest you have traveled from home?

Orlando, Florida

45. Do you have any special talents?

I can knit and quilt, are those talents?

46. Where were you born?

Missouri

Meatball Subs

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I wanted to share a very simple, very tasty recipe today, mostly because I don't really have much to talk about. I first made this a month and a half ago. My husband and I both really enjoy this meal.

Enjoy!

Meatball subs:

- Frozen meatballs

- Spaghetti sauce

- BBQ sauce

In a slow cooker, mix one large jar of spaghetti sauce and one cup of BBQ sauce. Add meatballs. Cook on low for 5-8 hours.

We like to eat these on sub sandwich buns with provolone cheese.