And just when you thought I was done for the year

I don't have a lot to say, but I did come across something that I COULD NOT PASS UP SHARING! My friend Jessica is a Patriots fan all the way, and she and I have arguments discussions about NFL players. She thinks Tom Brady is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but I beg to differ. Now I know that all my points were valid. May I present to you...



After you've finished laughing, you may go forth and resume living your life. Happy New Year's Eve everyone!

Get out of here, 2013!

If you know me, you know that normally I do not celebrate New Year's Eve. Nine years ago on December 31 as the clock struck midnight, my step-dad had an accident that ultimately resulted in his death after 5 days in the ICU. Ever since then, the idea of celebrating (or even staying awake) for the midnight countdown made me squeamish. Since then I've been working on viewing Tony's life as a blessing - and that includes his death. If given the chance, of course I'd love to have him back, but that would require changing a plan that God has for my life. Instead it has taken me nearly a decade, but I have come to understand that I don't always need to understand. I just need to trust.

In church yesterday we had a guest speaker that touched on the subject of the new year. He said that we shouldn't just say "ugh, another year". We should run screaming toward 2014 like "look out, here I come!" The seasons and years will change regardless of whether you drag your feet or jump in anticipation. I don't give a flip about being another year older, so why dread the coming year? I know I've got a ton of blessings in store, so I'm running toward them.

I had a wonderful Christmas, although I'm glad it is over now. I felt the hectic holiday schedule as I'm sure most other people did too. I didn't get to spend it doing what I wanted to do (pajamas, hot chocolate, board games, not leaving the house), but I spent it with family and ultimately had a good time. During some of my Christmas activities the idea of Christ-centered Christmas traditions was brought up. I try my best to remember the reason for the season, but I don't actually have any Christian Christmas traditions. I put up a tree and watch lots of movies, but I don't so much as own a nativity. This year I started a new tradition where I give a gift to Jesus (I'm a wise woman, after all). It could be something good (a promise to volunteer regularly) or something bad that we wanted Him to destroy for us. I chose to give him my bad language. It may be a controversial idea, but I don't think cussing is a sin. However, I don't want anyone else to look at me and think negatively of God or Christianity because of the words coming out of my mouth. Therefore, I'm saying adios to all my bad words. I don't need them anyway. I have an extensive vocabulary. Let's bring that out and dust it off!

Since I don't normally celebrate New Year's, I also usually don't make resolutions, but I think I'll change that this year too. I'd love to be more organized. My house is always a wreck, I procrastinate anything and everything I don't want to do, I have ticket stubs from 2005 that are waiting to be scrapbooked, and sometimes I realize it's been 20 days since I last checked the mail. I don't even have children as an excuse. I'm going to make this year the year that I become organized for good. I may even make a blog schedule, although we'll see about that. Let's not get too crazy.

A Check-Up

It has almost been 3 months since I made the birthday resolutions 31 Things To Do This Year. My, how time flies. Since I'm all about checking things off a list, I thought I would take a look back and see what (if anything) I've accomplished so far.

31 Things To Do This Year

1. Go somewhere I've never been before. I've been to Atlanta, Stone Mountain, Monticello, KY, and the Student Union on the UT campus just to name a few!
2. Go to at least 1 UT football game this year. I need to celebrate the Butch Jones era! I went to the UT vs Western KY game. It was one of the most exciting games I've ever been to even though the score ended up being a blowout. There were 5 WKY turnovers in their first 6 plays - not series. Plays! That means nearly every single time they got the ball they turned it over immediately. It was amazing to watch.
3. Have my dishwasher installed. It's just sitting there not plugged in. NOT HELPFUL! Boom! A family friend came over and hooked up the drain and electric, but the old copper pipes in my house weren't going to be sufficient. I went to Lowes, bought the right stuff, and finished the installation myself. I felt like Bob freaking Villa.


4. Sell my house.
5. Spend the holidays doing something I want to do. Usually I get roped into visiting other people's families. BTW, your crazy family is only endearing to you. To outsiders they are barely tolerable. Please don't inflict this on others on Christmas Day!
6. Get back into church. I love my new church very much. Everyone is welcome to visit!
7. Read more books and see more movies that are not necessarily "my style".
8. Go someplace where I need to dress fancy. I have so many clothes and heels that are neglected because of my mundane lifestyle!
9. Forgive and forget. I'm trying so hard. I really am!
10. Get more pedicures, facials, massages, whatever. I used to treat myself all the time when I was young. Now I could actually use the maintenance.
11. Make my home a place that I enjoy being. Too often I use the kitchen table for a catch-all or pile things in the garage.
12. Enjoy time away from work without worrying about work.
13. Write. Write. Write. Revise. Then write some more.
14. Try Indian food.
15. Learn something. I love taking classes. I want to acquire new skills!
16. Explore my city like a tourist. I grew up here, but there are tons of things around Knoxville that I've never done or seen!
17. Downsize my stuff.
18. Rediscover my love for yoga. I took a class yesterday, and today I'm stiff. I used to take 2 or 3 classes a week and never felt anything but wonderfully rejuvenated. Gosh, I miss those days. Hahahaha. Well, I did more yoga, but I'm not sure I rediscovered my love for it. I got burned out pretty quickly, but I'm not giving it up forever.
19. Have quarterly game nights with my friends. We had one on October 20. Now we just have to keep it going!
20. Pay off some bills. I'm looking at you, Student Loan!
21. Get outside.
22. Do activities that make me uncomfortable. Not terrified (like skydiving) but out of my comfort zone (like indoor skydiving).
23. Figure out what I want out of life. I should know by now, but I don't yet. I'm pretending that's normal.
24. Cook more. I'll start on this just as soon as #3 is taken care of. Not washing the dishes by hand makes a world of difference.
25. Remember to call DirecTV and have ESPNU added to my channels. (I need something I can mark off today. It makes me feel accomplished.) I did it the same day I originally posted this list, but DirecTv has still not updated it yet.
26. Give my cat his hairball medicine on the regular so I'm not awakened by the sound of him hacking at 4:00 AM. I'm getting pretty good at this!
27. Learn to use a sewing machine once and for all! I'm really good at it for 5 minutes until I break the thread, need to change the bobbin, or otherwise destroy it.
28. Wear my jewelry. I have a ton of it. (It's all fake. Don't get excited, thieves.) I just never remember to put it on in the morning. I have on a necklace, a ring, and a bracelet today. That's about maximum accessorizing capacity for me.
29. Never fight via text. I am doing this, much to the chagrin of a particular person who loves to pick text fights. I always respond with "Is this something we should be talking about with texts?" It makes him more angry, I think.
30. Be nicer to my mom. She's really good to me, and sometimes I take my frustrations out on her. I see her more often, and we are fighting less, so I think this is working!
31. Blog more often! I have been!

Oh my goodness! And just when I think I have no follow-through... I've done pretty well so far!

Peachtree and Patios

Earlier this month I went to Atlanta with 2 of my friends. We had a grand old time (but we usually do wherever we are). I had been meaning to get the pictures off my phone, but I've been SO TIRED this month, and can't seem to get anything done. Here's my trip in a nutshell:


The McD's south of Chattanooga has weird ref-killing pictures. I don't understand it, but then again I'm not an art critic. There wasn't even an in memory of plaque.


Outside the lovely World of Coca-Cola downtown. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day


We stayed at a Hyatt hotel on Peachtree Street NE in Buckhead, and the restaurant next door was SO GOOD with some of the biggest asparagus I've ever seen in my life!!!


Our last stop was IKEA, and we had to rearrange the car to make room for our purchases. Next time, we are taking a Uhaul!

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I posted a picture before of the patio I was obsessed with. I was looking for the cheapest option (because building a 450 sq ft patio was going to be expensive no matter what. My local Lowes has these hideously plain concrete pavers for $1.27 each, and that was the cheapest place around (Walmart was 1.33!).

After taxes that would be $627.22!!!!! Holy crap, that's a lot of money for a plain patio.

I reasoned with myself that since I really wanted flagstone and was going to be shelling out big bucks anyway, I might as well get what I wanted and just shell out really big bucks! Luckily I was able to get an amazing deal on a pallet of flagstone from Out of Eden Garden Center, and it was exactly what I wanted. Bonus: it ended up costing less than the pavers!



I relayed my ideas to Mr. Fix It, and while I was at Bible study last Friday night, he came over with Fix It Jr. and laid down the entire thing!


I don't know what made them decide to do this for me, but...


I am so grateful! That was a lot of work I missed out on!

Now all I need to do is fill in the cracks with pea gravel (which was given to me for free by an acquaintance that was moving)


Once I put an edging around it, it'll be perfect!!! Now I just need more time to spend on it. Hmmm...

All the things I'm obsessed with right this minute

If you know me personally, you probably know that I get on these kicks where I become fascinated with an idea or object and can't get enough. If you don't know me personally then let me put it to you this way: I have OCD. I am both obsessive and compulsive. Luckily it's mostly charming (I hope) and very rarely disruptive.

Here are my obsessions of the moment:

1. Halloween! Well, yeah it's October. That makes sense. But as some people have to get in the Christmas spirit (Mom, this means you), I have to get in the Halloween spirit by watching movies and doing fun activities. I have a few things left on my list to do in the next week including: watching Hocus Pocus and the Rocky Horror Picture Show, going to a corn maze, and completing my costume. This is a preview:


2. Vegetables. I'm trying to eat more veggies because a) I love them and b) they are good for me. I've been doing a personal challenge where I try not to eat potatoes and I limit my bread quite a bit. Since I started I've been enjoying many more salads for lunch (rather than sandwiches) and veggies on the side instead of fries or chips. I had the chicken Caesar salad from Walmart for lunch today, and it was delicious. I highly recommend it!


3. Patios. This time of year makes me want to get outside more than any other time. Recently I took out my swimming pool, and now I have a big backyard just begging for me to do something with it. My idea is a flagstone patio. It's going to be back-breaking work, but I am OBSESSED with the idea. This is pretty much what I want with the exception of the tree in the middle.


4. Studying the Bible. Obviously this list is in no particular order or God would be at the top. Very top. Above the title. In September Jen started a new small group through Faith Promise that I've become a member of. It is for women ages 25-35. I adore all the ladies, and we've been having some good studies so far. I've been going to my family's Bible study too, and currently we are in the book of Revelation, which is deep and heavy but so interesting. And I've also found a home church at Rio Revolution. If you are looking for a church to attend, I invite you to visit it.

All of the studying and fellowship has really made a difference in my relationship with God, and I'm so glad for that. I'm excited and hungry for it for the first time in a long time.

5. Travel. Like always, I crave travel. I need it! I recently got back from Atlanta with Jennifer and Brad, and we had a great time. I got on TripAdvisor to post my reviews of the places we went, and BOOM! The need to travel hit me again. TripAdvisor has this new thing where it shows you how much of the world you've seen. I'm at 4%. Are you joking? Four measly percent?! I've got to remedy that immediately!

This is me with the Coca-Cola bear in Atlanta. He was so cute, I wanted to take him home!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

As long as I can remember, I've always LOVED October. Not that you need it, but here are 31 reasons why you should love it too:

1. The air is crisp. Something about October air makes me want to open the windows, pile under blankets, and just breathe more. (Sinus infections be damned.)
2. Football. Okay, it is no secret that I love me some football. October is when things start getting exciting. UT Vols play 3 very highly ranked teams in the month of October. Will we win? We shouldn't, but that doesn't mean we won't! Also, it is much more comfortable to go to football games in October (see #1).
3. The Corn Maze. I don't love being lost, but I love being lost inside a giant maze of corn. Go figure. It smells earthy and a psycho may jump out at any minute. That could describe the whole state of TN actually...
4. Halloween. It is the best holiday. Period.
5. Costumes. Not to be confused with Halloween, costumes are an important part of October. Some people have costume parties. Some events are costume themed. Any excuse to dress up in a costume is good enough for me.


6. Fall colored foliage. The leaves are gorgeous in this part of the country for just about a week, until inevitably, we get a big rainstorm. They are still pretty after that, but they are on the ground rather than the branches.
7. Chili. I'm hard to please when it comes to chili, but I think I make some of the best around. No cheese, Frito chips, or anything weird in my bowl. Maybe saltines and a butt-ton of pepper.
8. Bonfire smells. If someone could accurately capture the smell that is a bonfire, brush pile, or something of the like, I would buy them out (whether it be candles or air freshener, or fabric softener) and never leave home. I love that smell beyond words.
9. Pumpkin everything except coffee. Carving pumpkins - good. Pumpkin muffins - good. Pumpkin pie - very good. You get the picture.
10. Horror movies. Being fake scared is so much fun! Being actually scared (like in a hostage situation) is probably not so much fun. But when it comes to horror movies, I pre-game. I get myself scared before the movie actually starts by thinking about how scared I will be. Voila! No horror movie is ever disappointing. And yes, my imagination is so much scarier than movies.
11. Outdoor festivals. Our town throws a big fall concert with fried foods (yay!) and live music. It seems like people just want to get outside in October. You can't contain it!
12. Sweaters and boots. This is easily one of my favorite style combinations. It even makes hard faced Victoria Beckham look sweet and cuddly.



13. Darker makeup is acceptable. I wear it regardless of season, but black eyeliner and October go together like peanut butter and ladies. (Bonus points if you know what movie that line is from.)
14. Thunderstorms. When it's cool outside and it storms, the windows steam up, and everything feels cozy inside. It's magical.
15. Candy. The treats are in mini, guilt-free portions. What's not to love? One of my favorite bits from a stand-up comic is Jerry Seinfeld talking about Halloween. He describes the first moment a child figures out the concept of Halloween and their reaction is "what is this about candy? Who is giving out candy? EVERYONE THAT WE KNOW IS JUST GIVING OUT CANDY?!"


16. Coffee tastes better. Coffee is yummy! I take it with 2 creams and 2 sweet-n-lows if anyone out there wants to bring me some. In the fall when the morning temps dip below 50 degrees, coffee changes from a delicious drink to a must-have. It doesn't hurt that the steam rises up and gives you a mini facial while you drink it.
17. Less Sweating. Speaking of facials, summer wreaks havoc on my skin. I hate that my makeup melts off and my hair is continually frizzy. Sweating is just not a good look. Thankfully October brings less sweating and more temperature contentedness.
18. Apples. I've never actually been apple picking, but something tells me I'd love it. Like October, apples are crisp and delicious. Fujis are my favorite. I'll take them with or without caramel and peanuts (although never candied!).
19. ABC Family's 13 Nights of Halloween. Read this lineup and tell me you don't want to fill your DVR with it!
20. Suddenly it's acceptable to wear head to toe black. As if I needed a reason!
21. Straightening my hair. Humidity makes curly haired people insane. Autumn has less humidity and therefore more ways I can style my hair without it looking like a bird's nest. (See also #17)
22. Tanning season is done. I don't really "lay out in the sun" during the summer although I do get a tan from being in the sun. You don't have to worry about weird tan lines by October. It doesn't matter that you wore a halter bathing suit all summer and have strange stripes across your shoulders. By October your tan has mostly faded away.
23. People wear overalls in non-ironic ways. It must be something about farming and harvesting crops. I don't know why, but I see a huge surge in people wearing overalls and flannel in the fall. I love them both (although I don't wear either), so I say keep em coming!
24. Campy witchcraft movies. My favorite witchcraft movies are The Worst Witch, Hocus Pocus, and The Craft. If there is one you haven't seen, you are totally missing out!
25. Re-reading old favorites. I love the book Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman (I love everything by her actually, but this book is beautiful). Nothing beat R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike when I was a kid. And do you remember the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books? Holy crap, those illustrations were NO JOKE!


26. Scariest Places on Earth shows. I love the Travel Channel programming that has to do with the most haunted places on Earth or the scariest hotels. I do not like the shows that use night vision to catch ghostly footage (unless it is Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files and then only because Ben Hansen is ridiculously dreamy). I would rather hear about the history of a place than see a bunch of people scaring themselves.
27. Mosquitoes are almost gone. Self-explanatory.
28. Seeing my friends. November and December are jam packed with family-related events, but it seems like October is designed perfectly for friend hangouts.
29. The nights aren't too long yet. In the winter it is so depressing that I never get to see daylight. I work all the time. I actually do that in the summer too now that I think about it. In October, the days are shortening, but they aren't too short yet. It's the perfect time to build campfires and shoot fireworks because you don't have to wait until 9:30 for it to be dark enough!
30. No more lawn care. If you know anything about my childhood, you know how much I detest mowing. Here's hoping all my grass dies this winter and never comes back!
31. Tim Curry. Not many 6 year old children grew up wanting to marry Tim, but I did. Even now at 67 years old, I find him totally dapper. More than likely he's gay, but when I fell in love with Tim, I didn't even know what that meant. I just knew he had large, googley eyes (which is a reoccurring trait I find attractive to this day), a voice like velvet, and a certain something. The Worst Witch, Clue, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Stephen King's It, and the list goes on. This man was made for October. He should be called Mr. October instead of Reggie Jackson.

Too Much of a Good Thing

To be perfectly honest (and why be any other way?) I am SICK TO DEATH OF YOGA! I really didn't see that coming, but then again I've never attempted to do that much yoga. The purpose of the challenge was to get me to rediscover my love for yoga, but after a week it became a chore. I wanted to do something else...anything else! I would have gladly run wind sprints, and I hate running. I longed for the elliptical machine or anything that didn't involve quiet. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to do yoga and another exercise, so I kept plugging along miserable. I tried meditation (which I usually also love) and I just couldn't get into it. I don't want to finish this challenge and never want to do yoga again, so I'm throwing in the towel. I did 11 days.

PS: I did get my butt off the ground in lifted lotus. SO THERE!

And now onto other stuff. I'm doing a photo challenge with Jen. I'm a bit behind at the moment. I'm taking pictures, I just haven't had a second to post them yet. You can find a page dedicated to the photo challenge to the right ---->