Random

I can't believe it is January 15 already?
Where does the time go?
I feel like life has been crazy busy, but I am not sure what I've been doing.
Ever felt that way?

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I still haven't chosen a word to focus on for 2012...I think I have been too preoccupied to think about it.

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I am excited that my book club is starting up again this Friday.
The last couple months of 2011 got so busy that we were not able to meet.
It will be good to get together with the ladies again.

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I have been having my weekly Monday night girls night to watch The Bachelor.  I loved Ben in last season's Bachelorette and was thrilled he was going to be the next Bachelor.  I am still perplexed by the women that fall so hard so fast and are so emotional about it.   I hope he finds love!

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This is Chris.

 Chris is amazingly talented musician.  He plays so many instruments and he sings too.  He lives in Portland now, but comes home to Kansas every so often.  He was here a couple of weeks ago and played a gig at a local coffee shop.  I always enjoy listening to him perform.

 Chris and I have been friends since he was in college.  We worked together when he came back home for a couple of summers.  We had lots of good talks while we worked and he always encourages me to look at the world in a whole new perspective. 

You should go check out his facebook page at W.C. Beck.  You can preview his music on the MusicStore on his page.  He has 6 albums out right now.  It has been incredible to see him grow as a musician.

I am off to get some sleep now....I didn't get much this weekend.

Sorry for the randomness of this post.

How is 2012 treating you???

10 Things I am Thankful For

It's the 10th of the month and while a lot of people post 10 pictures from their day - I find that difficult because my days at my desk just don't seem that exciting - I am going to give you a list of 10 things I am thankful for today.

my church

my family

friends who I can be myself around

friends who drop off firewood at my house

my house

my health

my jobs

the relationship I have with my nieces and nephew

freedom

laughter

What are you thankful for today?

Weekend Ramblings

I finally feel like I may have recovered from being ill.
I don't wish that on anyone!

The one bright side of being that ill was that I lost 16 pounds.  I don't recommend weight loss that way, but hey - I have now lost 36 pounds in the last 9 months!  I still have a l-o-n-g way to go, but it is a start!


My friend's son came up to me in church and gave me a bag of trail mix and told me that he went through the same thing this week. 

This note was attached:

How sweet is that!?

I had a college friend in town this week - her 5 year old gave me this:

She drew all of the animals she saw while in the science hall that her parents and I attended. 


The rest my weekend consisted of:

unclogging drains and laundry

and

The pumpkin patch w/ family

Photos from the pumpkin patch to come later.

What did you do this weekend?

Just Been Busy

So I realize another week has come and gone since I have blogged.

There are 3 big reasons for the lack of blogging:

lack of things to say that I think you might find interesting
lack of time (I have been working lots of hours still)
lack of internet - it quit last Sunday and hasn't worked all week until now - one night before the technician is to come out to try to fix it - go figure!

I think I have hit the wall of exhaustion - my body is tired and so is my mind!  Good thing the weekend is almost here.

I did do some shopping one evening after work this week.  I did a little shopping for myself - bought some new clothes - I just couldn't resist!  I also picked up some clothes for my 2 nieces and my nephew.  You see they needed some cute clothes for their pictures being taken by Megan at Snapshots of a Good Life.  I won a session on her blog several months ago and we are just a couple of weeks away from getting the photos taken.  I am so excited.  I picked up several different dresses for the girls so we will have to see which ones work best and then I will have to decide if my nephews outfit still works or if I start over for him.

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I am falling behind on my 17 day diet.  I haven't been following it exactly, but I have been eating tons healthier!  I don't own a scale so I am not sure if or how much weight I may or may not have lost, but my clothes are fitting better and I feel better.  So, because of that I am not being to hard on myself for not following everything closely!

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This past weekend I also got to spend sometime with a friend from college!  I love the kind of friendships that just pick up where they left off even though miles and time have separated you.  I am thinking more time with my college besties is in order!

What have you been up to???

March 17

I haven't blogged for an entire week!

Last Friday I had my book club.  It is always at my house - which I don't mind at all - all of the other ladies are married - some with kids and some not.  My house is sort of like their oasis away - I think.  They always remark about how quiet it is and they are never really ready to go home.  I don't mind that either.  Our discussions are always good and it is a good time of reconnection.

I don't really remember the weekend - I know I worked because I always do that, but beyond that I don't know that I really did anything.  I do know I took my niece and nephew out to lunch with friends after church on Sunday.  Oh and I do remember trying to take a nap and it started thundering and hailing.  Then it snowed later that night!

I went to work for an entire hour on Monday.  I felt awful so, I came home and slept the entire day!  It is amazing what sleep can do!!  Monday night was the season finale of the Bachelor - I was happy with his choice, but I don't know if their relationship will survive.  I really shouldn't be survived - rarely do relationships made on reality TV make it!!

The weather has been warming up so, that means it is time for short hair again.  I chopped it off Tuesday - well, I didn't my hair dresser did!  I love it!!  I will have to post a picture soon!

I guess that brings us to Wednesday!  Our church youth group had a pork dinner fundraiser.  It was delicious!!  The kiddos had class and then I took them home.  Some friends were in town from Texas so, we had an impromptu card night.  It was fun - always a good time even though I did lose the game to Greg...ugh!  I really hate to lose - especially to him!

So tonight - it is time to relax!!  I plan to not do a whole lot besides sit in front of my TV or on my couch with a book or magazine.

Did you do anything exciting this week?

Margo

Random thoughts...

I need more time in my day!

There is always so much that I want to get done and there never seems to be enough time to do it in!

I really feel like I need to purge my house again, but that is a BIG project and I need lots of time to do that in.  I have the itch to be more organized - if you visited my house you probably wouldn't think I am unorganized, but if you opened my closets or my drawers you would be shocked!  I need an entire weekend just to clean, purge and organize, but I have stuff going on this weekend and I am not sure I have the will power to wait until the following weekend so, this may become an evening project and my house may be a mess for quite a few days and I may just have to be okay with that!  (I think that may be a run-on sentence, but I don't think I really care!)  

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Did I make the right decision?

I was asked to be on the Outreach Commission at my church.  I agreed to finish out someone else's term for the next year.  I prayed about it and I felt like God was leading me to do it, but it is something I do not feel like I am equipped to do.  I absolutely know that it is very important to reach out to people, but I don't feel as passionately about it as others on the team or as much as I think that I should.  That makes me wonder what I am doing and if I really prayed enough before I just jumped in.  I know that God calls us to get out of our comfort zones and to go where he leads.  He calls us to reach out to those who don't know Him and to those who need reminded.  It's just so hard sometimes and something that I am trying to work on - I just feel so in adequately prepared for this.  I just pray that He will use me where He needs me and that I can get past my own fears and just go with it!

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I heart awesome friends!  I got to go to dinner with my friend Carrie last night.  Carrie and I are kindred spirits.  She is the kind of friend that you can be yourself with - your true self - and she loves you and accepts you and all of your craziness!  Thanks for a great dinner, Carrie and yes, we really should do it more often!

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My to do list is really overtaking my brain right at the moment and my stomach is telling me that it is time for dinner.

Hope you had a great start to March!  Can you believe it is March already???  Where on earth did January and February go to??

Oh - I might be doing another giveaway soon so keep watching for it!!

Great Birthday!

Happy Belated Valentine's Day!!  I hope you spent the day with people that you LOVE!

I spent the day not thinking about love and all of that mushy gushy stuff, but rather - I spent my day celebrating!  For the last few months I have been thinking how old 36 sounds and I didn't really want my birthday to come, but you know what?  36 is not that old!  It may have helped with all of the love that I felt yesterday!

I started celebrating on Friday and to be honest - I think that I am still celebrating!

A friend took me out for dinner on Friday night and then we watched a movie or rather she watched a movie - I watched part of it and the other part I slept through.

My parents took me out to dinner on Sunday evening.  We started out trying to go to Olive Garden - I really wanted salad and bread sticks - so yummy!  But, the wait was an hour and I didn't want to wait so, we went to Johnny Carino's and it was good!  Then on Monday my co-workers brought TONS of food to snack on all day.  It was all so good!!

Then my sister took me out to lunch at my fave Mexican restaurant - Carlos O' Kelly's!

Then on Monday night a friend brought over German Chocolate Cake and ice cream!

So as you can see - I have been well fed and I probably went backwards on the weight I have lost in the last 3 months!  So, I guess I need to be more disciplined this week!

I was also blessed with a gift certificate for a manicure - (can't wait for this!) and I also got chocolate - lots of chocolate and beautiful flowers and a balloon!

I also got lots of texts and messages on fb!

I am so LOVED!!  I am so BLESSED!!!

Thanks to all of those who helped me celebrate - it meant the world to me!

I heart ETC

Some people think that I am crazy because I work 6 days a week.

I work in corporate America 5 days a week and on Saturdays I work at my local thrift store.  The Et Cetera Shop to be exact...find them on Facebook here or on the web here.

A lot of people ask my why I choose to work 6 days a week.  I started working at Et Cetera on Saturdays about 3 1/2 years ago.  It all started as a way to earn some extra cash and to have somewhere to be on Saturdays.  I have grown to absolutely love working there.  It is a way to connect with and serve the community.  I have made so many new friends from the people I work with to the volunteers to the customers and the people who donate.  I love interacting with the volunteers - I love hearing about their families, eating all of their yummy treats and enjoying all of the vegetables they bring me from their gardens every summer.

I love that the Et Cetera Shop meets the needs of so many on so many levels.  It serves as a place where people can donate stuff they don't want or can't use any more.  It serves as a place where people can buy clothes and household items for a fraction of the price of buying it new...which helps all of us living on a budget.  It serves as a meeting place - relationships are formed between staff, volunteers, shoppers and those who donate.  The best part of all is that the Et Cetera Shop is not only serving the community, but the world beyond.  It is helping the environment by keeping things out of the landfill.  The profits of the Et Cetera shop are donated to Mennonite Central Committee (MCC).  "Your purchase or donation supports the disaster relief, sustainable community development and justice and peace-building work of Mennonite Central Committee locally and globally."  Learn more about MCC here .

I love finding vintage treasures!!

 Need shoes?

 or maybe a new coat?

 These great wooden toys are handmade by one of our volunteers - aren't they great!?!

 Clothing and other items that can't be sold are used to make rugs or place mats or coasters or bookmarks.

These are made on the looms right in the store!

 Need craft supplies - so much more affordable to buy them at Et Cetera rather than your craft store!

 Need buttons - there are always plenty!

  There are always lots of books and magazines too!

 Today was an extra fun day - the Saturday crew was challenged to put together an outfit.  These are on display in one of the front windows and we posted pictures of them on the Newton Et Cetera Shop Facebook page.  We are having a contest between the four of us to get the most "likes".  Below is the outfit that I put together.

I love, love, love vintage things and this is a great vintage dress.  I also love the red vintage purse.  They are sort of hard to see, but there are some awesome red sunglasses hanging on the pocket of the dress.  Go check out the rest of the outfits and vote for your favorite by clicking on 'like' under the picture.  Don't worry I won't hold it against you if you 'like' one of the other outfits more than mine!  

If you live locally and if you are now intrigued by the Et Cetera shop and you want to spend some time with me on Saturdays we are always looking for volunteers.  We have so much fun and you wouldn't be disappointed!  

10 thoughts

So, it is already November 10!  Can you believe it!?! 

I have seen blogs where on the 10th of every month they do 10 on 10 where they take one picture every hour for 10 hours.  I always think that I am going to do this and then I get home and realize that I forgot! :(  So, I have decided that on the 10th of every month I am going to give you a list of 10 things.  Every month will be something different.  Because it is November I am going to give you a list of 10 things I am thankful for in honor of Thanksgiving!

1.  that I have the love of an amazing, steadfast God
2.  my loving, supportive family
3.  my loving, supportive friends
4.  I have a roof over my head and food on my table (okay - I know this is two!)
5.  every winter I have someone to supply me with firewood and asks nothing in return
6.  I have a job
7.  I live in a country where I have freedoms
8.  I have 2 nieces and a nephew who love me
9.  my church family
10.  my health ** 

** If you read my blog a few days ago I was complaining about how impatient I am because I was waiting on some test results.  I say was because all of the tests are done and they all came back clear!! YEAH!!  What an answer to prayer!  This doesn't mean that the issue that caused those tests and all that stress is gone, it just means that nothing major is wrong - no cancer, no tumors, no cysts or anything else that I had automatically assumed it was.  I do have to start hormone replacement therapy to try to help resolve the issues...seriously hormone replacements at 35!?!  I just hope they help and that the side effects aren't bad!

Too much stuff

Last weekend I went out to my shed to get some firewood that I had leftover from last winter.  I was so excited to build my first fire of the season.  Well, some other nasty little creatures decided they wanted my firewood too because what I found was a bunch of saw dust!   Ugh!

Anyway, while I was in the shed I decided I should look in the other rubbermaid tubs I had out there as I really only knew what was in 2 of them were full of Christmas decorations.  When I got into the others I decided that if I hadn't missed any of the stuff in the almost 3 years that they were in the shed I should probably purge the shed of the un-necessary crap!  I found some stuff in there that I still coudn't part with - heck I had been holding onto some of it since I was 5!!  Check it out:

I got this award in kindergarten - can't believe I still have this -

although a couple of years ago I found a medicine bottle full of all of the baby teeth

I lost - do not ask me why I kept them or why the tooth fairy didn't take them!?!  HA!!

I found these valentines that I got in 4th grade - some of them look vintage!  HA!

Check out the one below - somehow I don't think kids would be able to pass one out like it these days!

Can you believe it!?!

When I was in high school I was a helper for my 3rd grade teacher - she was still teaching 3rd grade.

The kids made this poster for me - love it!

I apparently met Lorenzo Llamas sometime - I don't remember it.

I also found all of these GREAT notes from friends!  They were so much fun to read!!!

No, I didn't get rid of any of this stuff - I just still couldn't part with it. 

I did, however, purge most of what I found! 

A weekend on the go!

This weekend was GREAT!

I got to spend time with my best friend who I don't get to
see nearly often enough!  The thing that I love most about
our friendship is that even though we don't see each other
often we can pick up just where we left off.  I love those
kinds of friendships and have been completely blessed by
you, Marissa - thank you!!  I can't wait until we go shopping
after Thanksgiving!!

I also got to relax at lake with my family!
I love being outside - I love the peace and quiet - I love that
I can slow down and life isn't so go - go - go!

Today we went to the pumpkin patch - it was a beautiful day - even a little hot
for October, but I am not complaining - I am glad it was a nice day!

Pictures from the pumpkin patch will come another day!

God's Blessings

God has blessed me in so many ways.  It can be so easy to only focus on the things that I don't have that I forget to stop and be thankful for the things he has given me. 

 I may not have the husband, the kids, and the house that I have dreamed, but I have great friends, a nephew, and niece and one on its way and a roof over my head.

I have been down for a while now about the friendships that I felt like I lost and maybe I truly have lost those friends.  But that just means they weren't meant to last.

Tonight I was reminded to be thankful for the friendships that I do have.  The best friends are those that you can truly be yourself around, be completely honest with and talk about anything.  They are the friends that push you do be a better version of yourself and will encourage you and stand behind you.  I have these types of friends in my life and I am going to be better at focusing on those rather than those that have come and gone.  Thanks, Carrie for reminding me that I have a good friend in you!

The Best Week of My Life

This was back in 2005....pretty sad that the best week of my life happened 5 years ago! 

Two of my friends got married here in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico....it was so beautiful!   The water was so clear and the beaches were gorgeous...except for the men in speedos and the topless women - I had to edit one out of the picture above! 

This was an amazing vacation - we all flew in together and then spent the next several days trying to find the best place for them to get married and going to the market to find flowers for the bride's bouquet and for our hair!  It was so much fun exploring. 

Then came the wedding day - it was so beautiful  - they had planned to get married on the beach, but it was crowded so, we found a beautiful garden instead.

Then we spent the rest of the week exploring Mexico, visiting the city, taking the ferry to Cozumel and exploring hte Myan ruins.   When we weren't doing that we were sitting on the beach, or at the swim up bar or in the water.  It was amazing and I want to go back there soon - real soon!

Make New Friends, But Keep The Old

This is just a good song to summarize the week.

I spent my Monday night watching The Bachelorette with one of my newest friends.

Then on Tuesday I had the privilege of spending the evening with friends from college.  We've know each other for over 15 years now and even though we rarely get to see each other due to distances between us, it was as if no time had passed.  These are truly the "golden" friendships in life. 

Wednesday and Thursday evenings were spent with friends from church and Friday I spent the evening celebrating a birthday with another good friend.

It was a week of friends which we all need sometimes.  I hope you have been as blessed by your friendships as I have!

ETC Friends

We were 4, then we were 3, and now we are 2!

Let's hope we don't go to 1!

I shouldn't whine too much - we will be back up to 3 in about six weeks!

First MN decided to move to TX - guess she wanted to be closer to family and to the beach and I honestly don't blame her.  I don't live further than an hour from any member of my family and I can't imagine being 16 hours away.  I am at least that far from the beach, but since I didn't grow up with it I don't miss it - well, that's not entirely true - I do miss it!!

That takes us to 3 - that is until # 3 (TW) decided that she needed to spend 6 weeks in Germany with the man she met there last year while studying abroad!  Guess I don't blame her either for leaving her girlfriends to spend time with her boyfriend!

So, now we are at 2 and well, I would tell SB not to leave me, but I just remember that she is going to!!  For 2 weeks the 4 that went to 3 that went to 2 will become 1!  I guess I don't blame her either - she is going to Mexico to visit family.   I would go to if I could!

So, guess it is my turn - I need to go on vacation as well.  Too bad that doesn't seem to be as easy as it sounds!  I wish I didn't have to plan my schedule around the schedule of others, but hey I guess that is life - you win some and you lose some! 

 

Evening at the Lake

 

Two of my good friends and I decided to head to the lake just to hang out.  The sunset was amazing and the conversation was just as good.  I think I did most of the talking so, I am thankful for good friends with good listening ears!  There is just one problem with the evening - we were missing one of our friends.  You see we are 4 peas in a pod or 4 ducks on the lake, but last night there were only 3 of us!  : (  We miss you our dear friend, Moraima!  We sure hope that you come back for a visit soon - actually we wouldn't mind if you decided to move back! 

 

Friends

Has had some great friend moments over the last 24 hours!  I met up with a friend at a ballgame last night and she surprised me with a Sonic pop!  Oh, what a wonderful friend to bring you Sonic pop - she was a little disappointed because when she asked what my favorite drink was I told her Diet Coke with cherry & vanilla - she got me Diet Dr. Pepper with cherry & vanilla  - which is actually my second favorite Sonic drink.  I didn't care - I loved the fact that she thought of me! 


Then today I got a text towards the end of the work day asking me what i was going to be doing this evening.  My plan - paying bills and painting my finger nails.  Sounds terribly exciting huh?  She asked me to meet her for drinks and food.  Hmmm...pay bills or hang out with a friend over drinks and food?  I went home and pay bills of course! - NOT!!  We had such a great time catching up!  The place we met at was more of a lounge atmosphere so most of the crowd was a lot older than we were.  But I must admit it was more my speed - we could actually talk and hear each other - no yelling over loud noise or music!  At one point I asked her if she thought the other ladies sitting around would be us in 40 years.  She and I both agreed that we hoped we would still be meeting for drinks and still have some spunk left in us! 


I know that I will be seeing Sex and the City 2 this weekend with some good friends and I hope to be meeting up with some friends with college.


All of these friends moments are exactly what I need!!  I miss my dear friend, M.N. who is on her way back to Texas as we speak!  I miss her already, but I am so happy for her to start a new chapter in her life! 


Take time to enjoy your friend moments....they are the moments that will sustain you!


God Bless my friendships!!