Do you like to rearrange your furniture often?

I do.

I just get bored easily, I guess.

One time I had rearranged my furniture and asked my daughter if she thought it looked alright that way.

Her reply was...

"It doesn't matter, Mom, you're gonna change it again in a week anyway."

She was exaggerating, of course...

but not by much. ha ha ha

Yesterday, my teenager asked me if we could rearrange the family room furniture. 

What?!  He's the one who wanted to rearrange it to the way it is now

AND

that was only a month ago.

Where DOES he get it from?

I will tell you all of my "kids" are great at arranging furniture in any room.

I like to think it's cuz I changed things around on them so much while they were growing up.

Be Happy!

Have I ever told you that I have 7 siblings?

5 sisters & 2 brothers

Let me compare our housing then with our housing now.

Then...

10 of us living in one small house

6 girls in 1 small bedroom

2 boys in an even smaller bedroom

my parents in the only other bedroom

an average size living room

no family room

a smallish eat in kitchen

no dining room

one car garage where my dad actually parked our car

ONE tiny bathroom. ONE. 1  O.N.E.

Can you imagine?! 6 girls plus my mom sharing 1 bathroom!

my brothers and dad, well...they survived.

Now...

There are 3 of us living here
although our grown kids and grandchildren visit often

We have 4 bedrooms

an average size living room

which is our home office

a dining room

we hardly ever use

a small galley kitchen

but with lots of storage

2 1/2 bathrooms

a HUGE family room

we use it soooo much

and absolutely love it

a 2 1/2 car garage

which we can barely walk through

just keeping it real

(and who has 1/2 a car anyway?)

We are so very blessed!!!

Be Happy!

Happy New Year!

For the first time in my life I feel like THIS year will make a difference - or yet, I will make a difference this year.  It's MY decision what I do.  God has given me the free will to do what I choose to do with my time.  I am responsible for what I make of this year.  I know there will be circumstances I do not choose, which I will have no control over...but it is my responsibility to decide how I will react to those things. 

I've never made New Year's Resolutions before. When I was a teenager and young adult folks would tell me their goals.  It just always seemed silly to me that people would say they are gonna do this and that and then before the month was up they gave up.  My reaction to that was to just never make any New Year's Resolutions.  Honestly, until now, I never even gave it any more thought. Shame on me for being so snobby about that.  I'm sorry.  I think it's great that folks set goals.  I realize they came a lot closer to accomplishing their goals than I did...because I DIDN'T SET A GOAL.  Shame on me!  I realized - just today - that by not "believing in that stuff"  I was really just afraid of failure.  If I didn't set a New Year's Resolution at all, I wouldn't fail. WAS I EVER WRONG! 

I failed BECAUSE I didn't set a goal at all.  Isn't setting a goal what a New Year's Resolution really is?  (me palming my forehead - DUH!)

I realized it is fear.  That's right - fear. Fear of failure and also fear of success.  Afraid of success?  Sure, with success comes added responsibility.  Think about it.  In the Scriptures we are taught the Lord expects more out of those whom He has given more.

Read Matthew 25:14-29

Now, don't get me wrong...I'm not an irresponsible person.  I have a lot of responsibilities.  I just didn't want any more because I already felt overwhelmed.  (I'm trying to figure out if feeling overwhelmed was just my attitude or if I'm overly committed.  Both of which I accept full responsibility for.)

I guess I am realizing, even as I write this, it's all about decisions.  So...I need to pray about what decisions & goals I will make this year.  I need to seek counsel from those I admire and believe to be striving to make a difference, who strive to be more like Christ. Not perfect people, but people who are always trying to improve themselves and the world around them.

So, my first ever New Year's Resolution is:

To be more aware of the decisions I make this year.

I realize I may not always remember to do that, but at least I have a goal to try.

While I'm at it I'm going to make another one... 

this is actually kinda fun...

I'm going to take more vacations. 

Be Happy! 

A new cupcake shop opened up near us less than two weeks ago.

Of course we went in - wouldn't you?!  he he

D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S!!!

We decided on the mint buttercream on chocolate cake. mmm...

The staff was very friendly - and patient - we had a hard time deciding on which flavor looked the yummiest.

We went in a few days later to order a variety of their yummy flavors for a birthday party.

They were a big hit!  Everyone loved them!

Now, I hear they have a drive through window!

Oh My!!!