A Cute Picture... Just Because

A couple of updates, a random thought and a cute picture...

First - the cute picture... just because...

The workout gloves - tried them out this morning - really like them - helped quite a bit! And the French Soap - FABULOUS! I love it - will be buying some more on Tuesday when I have dinner again with my BFF. And if I ever get my act in gear - I will download the kitchen garland photos from my camera and post them - I'm excited about February - I'm already working on what I'm going to do!

And finally - a random thought... when you go to the gym - please don't bathe in perfume before going -I was happily running on the treadmill this morning when this woman got on a treadmill three down from me - and I first I could smell it and then I could taste the perfume she had on - ick!

Complete Love

Just a quick post tonight - it's bed time! I ended up having to pay to go to work today aka taking the toll road... which I hate to do - but this morning I hit the snooze button a few too many times and took longer at the gym... and I had to be in Costa Mesa for a meeting - anyway... I took the toll road and it was worth every penny I spent! The view was amazing this morning - although I couldn't see much of the ocean and Catalina - I felt like I could reach out and touch Palos Verdes Peninsula - and downtown LA was there in the distance - and all I could think about was how Awesome our God is - all the beauty He has created - including us - I felt a bit unworthy and overwhelmed thinking about His amazing and complete love for us - and I'm girl enough to admit that I got a bit teary eyed! God is SO good - ALL the time!

Bargain Day!

So I was quite successful today... at least shopping wise... took care of everything on my to do list and then some. Started out with an exchange at Bath & Body - simple - easy... then on to Big 5 to get workout gloves - or whatever they are called - my delicate baby hands hurt after using the equipment at the gym ;) - and the gloves were on sale! Looking forward to trying them out tomorrow - and the Petco in the shopping center I was at is closing so I was able to get Sadie a new collar and treats at a discount! And that was all just at lunch.

Then came dinner at the usual place - Spectrum - with my BFF! On our way to Target we went by a French soap place - Ms. T brought back soap from Paris when she was there a couple of months ago and I just loved it - so I went into this French soap place and bought a bar - and the salesperson was amazingly friendly and helpful! At Target I found fingerless gloves for a friend at work in the $1 bin and on our way to get yogurt I found a calendar for half off! But the best find was at Old Navy... I had been eyeing a pair of really cute flannel snowflake pattern pajama bottoms but didn't want to pay full price - well B found a pair for me in the back of a bunch of bottoms and there was one left on clearance in my size! And to top off the day - I got a free yogurt at Pinkberry with my loyalty card! It certainly was bargain day today!

So I was certainly successful today - but significant... had to think a little more about that... I'd like to think that my friendly attitude when I greet people is significant - and I know the time I spend with my best friend is definitely significant! I'm thinking it isn't just the big grandiose things that count as significant but all the little things also - that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

January is Snow

I was doing a bit of undecking the halls this evening and had to post how the garland was decorated that I put up around my kitchen... because... I have so enjoyed the lights being up and the mood it creates that I am going to leave the garland up all year long and decorate it differently for each season. January is snow (although I guess it really should be rain) which I decorated this evening - stay tuned for the story of the decorations and a picture!

And about being significant - not sure exactly how significant I was today - but I tried to help a friend at lunch with some insight that I was recently helped with... So we'll see what happens tomorrow...

Being Significant

Today in church, Craig asked us about what we would be doing this week to make a difference in the Kingdom of God - he talked about not being successful but being significant and to be open to our calling. This is sometimes difficult for me - thinking that what I do is significant in the eyes of the Lord or trying to figure out exactly what my calling is (I still feel like I'm looking for my burning bush). It is also difficult for me to write about - to be so vulnerable in such an open environment. But I do have a lot to offer and although I become narrow minded at times and won't let things go (especially when there is no seating at an eating establish that will remain nameless) - for the most part I am worth it - and I'm working on it... trying to listen and know those places that the Lord is taking me... So with His help I will look even closer this week for those opportunities to be significant and to make a Kingdom difference... and after this week is over - I hope to continue the following week and the week after that and the week after that one! Happy New Year one and all and may we all make a Kingdom difference and be significant!

A New Year

My first thought... I sure hope 2011 doesn't suck as much as 2010... but in hindsight - as hard as this year was - and it was tough... there were still so many moments that came out of the year that were good and fun and such a blessing! Life goes on - no matter how bad you are feeling... kinda' like today...

You would think that being a somewhat responsible adult - I would know better - yeah... and I do - but I just wanted to let my hair down in a safe environment and enjoy the evening - lesson learned though... never let someone else mix your drinks! I swear the last drink had to be pure alcohol - but my own fault - I drank it anyway... it was still a good evening with friends - until 2am came around and thus began the multiple trips to the bathroom - and then this morning when I was driving home from my friends house I broke the golden rule of my vehicle - no puking in my car. It was not pleasant - but as I stated earlier - even as bad as you are feeling - life still goes on - usually with a little help from your friends and the amazing Grace of God! And life did need to go on - I had promised the boys that I would drive them up to the LA Harbor for their 2 week cruise. Which as hard as it was to get my tush over to their house to pick them up - it was a Beautiful day! And I certainly enjoyed being out it for a couple of hours - before I came back home to sleep off the rest of the day :)

On our way up to the cruise port - my friend Chris commented that he hoped they would have good fish on the cruise because he wanted to eat healthy... then continued to comment on all the candy, brownies and chips they had packed in their bags! God Bless them both!

Looking back though - I have been blessed with amazing people in my life that love and support me - lend me a shoulder to cry on or enjoy a good laugh with me - God is so good - all the time and here's to a Blessed 2011 - no matter what happens.

PS - The background picture is from the Sea of Galilee - it was so peaceful there... and thanks Jan for the inspiration to change things up on the blog layout - and welcome back to the blogging world - I've missed reading about the adventures!

Day 14 - Almost Home

Today I said goodbye to my daddy and the dog and even Sheila and to Idaho - we picked Sheila up from the airport yesterday and they will probably drive back to California some time next week - but for now - I'm on my way home...

Since I blogged from the Portland airport - thought I would take a few moments and do the same from Seattle - on my way home. Although the day started out a bit rough - I am half way there... We, of course, had to get about 8-10 inches of new snow last night - and it was slow and messy driving off the mountain this morning - took about 2 1/2 hours... but we left early so we got to the airport in plenty of time - got a call from my dad while we were in the air from Boise to Seattle that they made it home ok - which is good - the weather was terrible!

On the way down though we did get to see a couple of bald eagles in the trees - we saw them yesterday also - along with a coyote hanging out in an empty field. The coolest thing though is this plot of land near my dads place that has cattle grazing - and among the cattle is one solitary sheep - that hangs out with them when grouped together and follows them when they are walking around - it is just the coolest thing!

A couple of airport stories... when I was going through security and the security woman took my license and boarding pass - she commented that the picture didn't look anything like me - so I had to give her my address to prove it was me... a friend has always told me to never get lost because they will show my DMV picture on the news and no one will ever recognize me! I guess it is true!

And they have the new fancy schmancy naked picture super turbo body scanners in Boise - but I didn't have to go through one - as I'm collecting my stuff from x-ray - I notice this woman behind me has a Quizno's uniform on - so I ask her if she has to do that every day and she says yes - but they don't make her take her shoes off - so apparently if you work in the airport - you don't have to take your shoes off going through security.

And one last story about a fellow passenger... I had my boarding pass scanned and was making my way to the airplane and there was a woman that had just stopped in front of me and then started walking really slowly - so I'm walking behind her and she mentions that she has lost a glove and slows up even more to let me pass her - well - I'm in no hurry to get to the plane - it isn't going to take off without me - but, apparently, I was walking too slow for her then and she hurried in front of me - then she stops again because we are in a turbo prop and she has to leave her carry-on bag at the door to go under the plane - really - so I have to maneuver around her again. It turns out that she is seated in front of me - and has layers and layers of clothing on... a turtleneck, two fleece jackets and a long down jacket... it wasn't THAT cold in Boise - maybe she is connecting to Alaska. She was a very nervous, fidgety flyer as well! I took care of any of that problem by enjoying a complimentary glass of wine! So when the flight lands and we get to the gate - she jumps up and rushes in front of all these people to get out - 'I have a connecting flight' - like no one else does! She rushes out of the airplane only to have to wait for her carry on which was under the plane! It was all terribly amusing! But now - I am almost home - and as much as I love my father and I really do like Idaho - I just can't wait to be home!