My Addiction

Some people are addicted to drugs.  Some to alcohol.  Some to coffee (Okay, you could argue that I have a slight addiction to coffee).  


But today I discovered that I am addicted to purging.  No, I'm not talking about hanging my head over a toilet & voiding my stomach of its contents.  Gross.  


I'm talking about opening that cabinet, drawer, closet, bin, whatever . . . & chucking everything that you don't want or don't need or don't love.


It's WONDERFUL!!  


I've been reading a book on my new Kindle (a very thoughtful & much appreciated Christmas gift) -- The Joy of Less, a Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life.  And that got the ball rolling.


This morning, I tackled my kitchen cabinets . . . all 11 of them.  And the bench seat of our breakfast nook.  And the cabinets in the island.  And I chucked.  And chucked.  And chucked.  Okay, so I didn't chuck.  I sorted, priced, & stored in a Sterlite container for our moving sale in the spring.  Still, those unwanted, unneeded, unloved items are no longer in my living space.  


What a rush!! 


Incidentally, I think I may have passed this gene on to my daughter.  Caleigh cleaned out her drawer of notebooks, coloring books, & writing utensils.  Her comment to me afterwards was, "Mom, I feel sooo good now that that's done!"


I've created a monster.

This is the Semester that Never Ends

It happens every year.  Right around this time.  I don't know why I am ever surprised.  


My birthday, Thanksgiving, the end of Jason's semester, our anniversary (10 years this year), & Christmas are all within a month of each other.  And somehow our life gets completely out of control!!


I want to go out & shop 'til I drop . . . but there's reading to be done.
I want to spend the day cooking delicious side dishes & all manner of Christmas cookies . . . but there are papers to be written.
I want the family to be together & soak in the holiday season . . . but there are projects to finish.


And so, every year, right around this time . . . I just hate seminary!


Our tree is up, some presents are wrapped, there's a chill in the air, hot cocoa fills our mugs, cookies are ready to go in the oven . . . but one very important thing is missing.  


Jason.


My best friend, lover, husband, father of my children.


And it's always around this time, in the midst of my seminary-loathing, that I find a deeper love & appreciation for this man.


He would love to shop, to bake, to spend time.  But he's being faithful to that which God has called him to accomplish.  And it's only temporary.  Just for a season.  


And so, I will keep the home fires burning, knowing that this time next week, Jason will be finished with another semester's work.  Perhaps we'll be out shopping.  Or maybe we'll be baking cookies.  Or maybe he'll being snuggling Brooks.  Or perhaps playing a game with Peyton.  Maybe we'll be wrapping some of Caleigh's presents while she's at school.  Whatever we'll be doing, we'll definitely be soaking in the holiday season!! 


And counting down the days until graduation!!!!  158 . . . but who's keeping track?!? 

Great Gift Idea

We all have them . . . those people in our lives that we just don't know what to get for Christmas. What to do? Gift card? Socks? Tie?

Well, I found the perfect gift for a few of the ladies in my life. Let me tell you what it is. But first, how I got there . . .

I was surfing Facebook one morning, when a picture caught my eye. It was a profile picture of a girl, wearing a hat with the coolest fabric flower attached to it. The picture belonged to an old friend of mine from high school. Apparently, she was sporting said flower that day & wanted to share the link for the Etsy store where she purchased it. A second thing then caught my eye -- the name of the flower designer . . . Meg Anthony.

"That's funny." I thought to myself. "I went to college with a girl named Megan who was dating a guy with the last name of Anthony." So off I went to check this out. Click.

Sure enough, there was the girl I knew from college -- 1 husband & 3 boys later. First, I checked out her store. Cool, cool, cool!! Fabric flower accessories & belts!! I could almost hear the Sound of Music -- "These are a few of my favorite things . . . " Then I checked out her blog. And I was sold! Not far into Meg's story, I discovered that we share the common pain of miscarriage. And now Meg is making & selling her goods on Etsy to raise money to adopt a daughter from Honduras.

I immediately made a few purchases. Some for Christmas gifts. And some, I admit, for myself. Very chic accessories . . . even better cause.

So check it out:

www.made4adoption.com

I bet you wish you are on my Christmas list, huh!?!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I LOVE to shop!! Just ask my husband. But one of the things I love best about this time of the year is the cooking! I LOVE to cook!!

So tomorrow, I will be cooking a Christmas Feast for 50 - 60 hungry seminarians. If you're in the area, stop on by. You won't want to miss this!

Here's the menu:

Regular Glazed Ham

Honey Glazed Ham

Ham with Pineapple

Sauteed Green Beans

Candied Sweet Potato Souffle

Mashed Potatoes

Crispy Mac & Cheese

Raspberry Jello Salad

Dinner Rolls

Cookies

Just about to pop the Candied Sweet Potato Souffles into the oven! Next, Crispy Mac & Cheese!!!!

I love the holidays!!!