Better...

Things are better now...my hubs is recovering quickly, but still is taking it easy.  I so appreciate your prayers!  We really needed them and felt them.  When I was in a state of emergency my mind went into survival mode but God was watching out for me and truly gave me all the comfort that I needed! Thanks again girls!

A Nightmare

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I've just been through a nightmare...my husband became suddenly very sick yesterday around 5 am.  In 24 hours we made 2 trips to the emergency room.  He's doing better today but we are exhausted...I will try to explain more later.  I now know I can say I've experienced the "In Sickness" part of out wedding vows. I can't say that I have had much time to focus on God through this, besides pleading prayers, but today, in the quiet and calm today I read these verses:

Psalm 31:1-16 (New International Version)

Psalm 31

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

 ¹ In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge;
       let me never be put to shame;
       deliver me in your righteousness.  ² Turn your ear to me,
       come quickly to my rescue;
       be my rock of refuge,
       a strong fortress to save me.
 ³ Since you are my rock and my fortress,
       for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
 ⁴ Free me from the trap that is set for me,
       for you are my refuge.
 ⁵ Into your hands I commit my spirit;
       redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth.
 ⁶ I hate those who cling to worthless idols;
       I trust in the LORD.
 ⁷ I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
       for you saw my affliction
       and knew the anguish of my soul.
 ⁸ You have not handed me over to the enemy
       but have set my feet in a spacious place.
 ⁹ Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;
       my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
       my soul and my body with grief.
 ¹⁰ My life is consumed by anguish
       and my years by groaning;
       my strength fails because of my affliction, ^[a]
       and my bones grow weak.
 ¹¹ Because of all my enemies,
       I am the utter contempt of my neighbors;
       I am a dread to my friends—
       those who see me on the street flee from me.
 ¹² I am forgotten by them as though I were dead;
       I have become like broken pottery.
 ¹³ For I hear the slander of many;
       there is terror on every side;
       they conspire against me
       and plot to take my life.
 ¹⁴ But I trust in you, O LORD;
       I say, "You are my God."
 ¹⁵ My times are in your hands;
       deliver me from my enemies
       and from those who pursue me.
 ¹⁶ Let your face shine on your servant;
       save me in your unfailing love.

I would really appreciate your prayers today! Thank you friends!

Just a thought...

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"I am slowly inching my way to 100 posts..." she thought in her head. Then she immediately thought of this worm. So she found a picture of it to share...Now she is pondering what she will do for her 100 posts celebration..."I think it'll be awesome!"

The End

I Can not Wait Any Longer

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This is probably one of my favorite, if not my favorite movie for the summer time.  Ladies may I present The Parent Trap. Not the Lindsey Lohan one...puh-leeese! The 1961 version starring Hayley Mills.  I'm sure a lot of you have seen this movie...but I love it from start to finish.  I love the opening credits which has this adorable stop-frame sequence.  I love the style, I love the story, I love that it's filmed in California but not like "today's Hollywood" version of California...where the grass is green and not yellow.  Because hardly anywhere during the summer is the grass on the California hills green, it's yellow.  I love the parent's chemistry...I love how Maureen O'Hara is in her 40's and is still a knock-out! I love the house that most of the movie takes place in, so chic!  I love it love it!

What about you ladies? Do you have a favorite summer movie?

Miscellany Monday

1) I love Carissa...and I want to support her and her awesome blog.  But I haven't been participating because "grabbing buttons" frustrates me and I can't ever do it right.  So I just copied the image.

2) I love chips and salsa.  I can't live with out them right now...even though our California weather is unusually cool (which annoys me) I want my summer food!

3) I love the sale section at Anthropologie.  The things at that store are amazing...it's like they've been inside my dream world and pulled out items and placed them on a shelf and slapped a 100 dollar price tag on each item.  So when I go in I just walk straight to the back where the sale items are.  Today I bought these 8 inch tall letters (C&M for Chris and Meg) with cool colored cloth covering them for 7 dollars each.  I'm very happy with them.

4) I want to go antiquing now...but I think I'll take a nap instead... 

One Year Ago...

 The ice cream we ate that night. The flavors we each picked out tasted amazing together we called it "ice cream affirmation"

One year ago my husband and I went on our second first date.  How can this be? Well we went out 2 years before, for one date, and it didn't go well and we didn't really keep in touch.  Then 2 years later we found each other again, and we've been together ever since. We knew a year ago that this date was proof of God's faithfulness.  We didn't know it on our first date that we would end up together, but God had a plan, and it was to work on us to make us perfect for one another. I'm thankful to all the people who encouraged me (Stephy's words--) "that God has perfect timing and a perfect plan for me!" Things have progressed so fast but we have been so happy and in love for a whole year now.  I hope we have many more years to come! I love you Buggs!

Broccoli Salad

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So I was never much of a Broccoli fan growing up.  When I was little I liked to look at them and play with them because they were cute little trees...but I hated eating them.  I remember once putting them in my mouth chewing slightly and moving them into my cheek pockets like a hamster and them excusing my self to the bathroom where I spit them out into the toilet. Happily I have progressed from my sneeky ways...well at least with regards to broccoli I have, and now can eat it quite happily.

Here is a recipe that I am in love with right now:

Broccoli (fresh)
Dried cranberries
Bacon
1 Red Onion (chopped, you can use less if you don't prefer onions)
Mayo
Salt and Pepper

Ok so this recipe is super easy and doesn't require measurements...you can't mess it up.  So first you want to take at least a whole stock of broccoli, wash and cut it up into easy to fork bites.  Throw them in a big bowl. Chop your onion, you can use less onion if you prefer.  (I know some people don't care for onions but the red onion is mild and sweeter that the others) Add that to the broccoli.  Then hopefully at this time your husband is cooking off the bacon for you.  (we used half of a pack 6 slices, it needed more but we're making BLT's this week so..) Then once that is cooked chop it up and add that too.  Then you're going to add the dried cranberries (a handful or two).  Now it's time for the mayo.  You'll want to eyeball it.  I don't care for mayo so much that I want a lot...I just have enough to cover everything lightly.  then Salt and Pepper it tasting periodically to see if it's just right.  Then Enjoy!

You learn something new...

Hi! Thanks to our friend Kristen at Windy Poplars, I have learned new facts about soap! Kristen has partnered with Mary at http://www.oilandspicebath.com/ for a soap giveaway! This isn't just any soap, it's handcrafted by Mary...she uses natural products and essential oils...I'm pretty excited about these little beauties! Enjoy...er but don't enter cause I want to win :) oops did I say that?!

Muffins

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So I've been recently experimenting with a recipe that is not mine own.  It belongs to a lovely person who's children I used to watch.  The recipe is for Banana Muffins.  But I think it's a great base for any muffin you want to make.  So far I have stuck with using bananas...which for me is good because I really don't care for bananas once they're past slightly green.  Then I always have bananas laying around because we don't eat them.  So this is a great way to use them up.

1 cup of sour cream
1 tbs of baking powder
1 stick of butter
1 cup of sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cup of flour
1 cup of bananas (mashed, I use 2 bananas)
*1 cup of chocolate chips

First you want to mix the sour cream and the baking pwdr. and set aside.  (You'll see why in a few minuets as the mixture gets light and airy) Then in a separate bowl mix together the butter, sugar, and eggs.  At this point I mash my bananas in another container.  Then I mix the sour cream mixture into the butter mixture.  The add the rest of the ingredients in a "folding" fashion, meaning to lightly scoop up and edge and bring into the center.  It's important not to over mix.  Once the ingredients are combined stop.  Bake at 350 for 20-22 mins. Makes 12.

*I don't always have chocolate chips in my house and I have made it without them and they are just as good.  Also the last time I skipped the chocolate chips and added fresh strawberries, cut into little chunks.  Also very good.  Enjoy!

Farmer's Market

Yesterday my husband and I went to our local farmer's market!  They started a few weeks ago, but this was our first visit of the season.  We are very blessed to live in the largest agricultural community in the world, I think...anyways maybe Steph can back me up on that.  So this means that it's a waste to go to the grocery store for fresh produce, because we can get our produce direct from the farmer for cheaper.  It's also a great way to meet the farmers and show our appreciation for them!  By the way most of our bounty was organic!

A brief PSA for you all...please buy local and support your local farmer!  The more invested in what we eat and where it comes from the better it is for the farmer and us!  The farmer's job is to produce what the people want, if people only go to the grocery store farmers are forced to mass produce for the mass market which means we don't always know what we're eating.  Farmers don't want it this way!  If it's possible try and reserve your produce shopping for your local farmer's market! (I hope that you all have access to one...but I know not everyone does...but if you do...do your part!) Happy marketing!

In Honor of...

In Honor of Memorial Day coming up I have two military inspired films for you (and your hubs, will really enjoy them too!)  You might be thinking that you can't stand military films, so violent, so sad etc.  I know, I really don't enjoy them either but these two are different, and here's why...

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The first film is called The Great Escape.  This film was made in 1963, set in a WWII POW camp.  The goal of every Prisoner of War is to some how find a way to escape.  So men from all different countries united against the Germans, team up to escape their imprisonment.  It's really a lot of fun, there's men who specialize in different things like stealing and forging, digging, who all play apart in the biggest escape ever! This is a true story and for some the story doesn't end happily, but because it's true that some died in the escape they are all honored.  I've never passed up an opportunity to watch it.

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The next film is called The Best Years of Our Lives, from 1946.  This film follows 3 men as the return from fighting in the second World War.   It's amazing that they made this film directly after the war ended because it deals with the struggles that the men returning had, entering back in to "America."  One man is a young man who lost his arms and learns to live (and love) without them.  Brilliant acting from this man (who had not ever acted before) and who also won an Oscar for his performance.  The second story is about a man who was a celebrated Air-man in the war and comes home to find that his triumphs mean nothing and he can't find a job.  The last is an older family man who has to deal with reconciling the horrors of what he was witnessing in battle, and returning to "life as normal."

These are great films! They make you appreciate the freedoms we have and who fought and often died to protect them!

Silence

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While reading my devotion today (brief confession, I haven't posted about my devotions because i fell off the wagon so to speak, and I haven't been doing them, bad on me) the verses were from John 11.  It talks about Lazarus getting sick and his sisters sending word to Jesus to come.  When Jesus heard he sent back a promise that Laz would not die, and that this happened so that God would receive the Glory and that God's Son would also be glorified through it.  Then Jesus stayed where he was for 2 more days....

What?! So you've been here, you need God's help so desperately, and he is silent.  God has left reassurance in His Word, so we know that God has a plan to prosper and not harm us...but sometimes we have to wait it out.

My devotion then went on to say a quote from Oswald Chambers: “Has God trusted you with a silence—a silence that is big with meaning? "  Has God trusted me with silence?  This puts a different spin on things for me...to know that God has a plan but He is trusting me to trust Him.

Lord, thank you for your silence today.  Thank you for trusting me, what an honor it is to know you and love you! I pray that as I continue to face challenges that I remember that you've already reassured me and that now I am to be patient and wait for your plan to be revealed.  Amen.

Short and Sweet

 

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Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

It is impossible for God to lie.  Really!  Lord please help me remember these words and to trust in your plans!

Drama, Drama, Drama

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Ok so week 2 in my "Dramatic Classic Movie Suggestions" I'm enjoying this a lot!  Ok so there is one actress, from back in the day, that if one of her movies are playing on TCM I pretty much always will watch it because I bet it'll be good.  That actress is Bette Davis.  Ok, ok so if you know her she probably scares you, in real life she was not the most warm and fuzzy woman.  Brilliant actress? Yes! Movies absolutely worth the time? Yes! If you could have and dinner party with 5 dead or alive people would she be on the list? No.

So some of my favorite movies of hers are...

Now, Voyager - a story about a child born to be her mother's companion, and what happens when she finds her independence.

All About Eve - Davis plays a stage actress who befriends "her biggest fan" who just wants to learn every things about Davis so she can...I don't want to ruin it.

Old Maid - I've only seen it once, But Davis falls in love has a baby, the father is killed and she doesn't want anyone to know about the baby.  She so starts an orphanage so she can have her daughter there to pretend she's an orphan and continue to care for her.  Until her bff comes wanting to adopt and takes her daughter....yah...

The Letter - Great movie, Davis kills her lover, makes up a story about it, get's black-mailed, surprise ending...

Jezebel - Setting is pre-civil war south.  Davis plays a wealthy girl who is a flirt and who constantly gets herself into trouble by breaking the rules.  She starts off having her life together but ends up being the cause of people's demise.

There is literally many more great films by Bette Davis.  But I think if you watch these you'll want more.  Enjoy!

  




 

I Can't. Why? The Price is Right is on.

It's been awhile since I've been blogging! This weekend my husband and I went to visit his mom for mother's day.  Which means a trip to Long Beach.  Got in some pool time, bike time, and of course and most enjoyable, time with his Siblings and Parents and Aunts and Uncles.

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I've been watching a lot of Leave it to Beaver episodes...Don't ask me why...I think it reminds me of home.  People don't think that life can be or is like that, yes you can like your siblings and enjoy being around your parents.  My family has been compared to the Cleaver's more than once. But I don't care. Anyways I'm having with drawls....cause I haven't seen it in like 4 days.

I get very "Phasey" like that....I'll watch like ALL  I Love Lucy's, or all Gilmore Girls, or whatever, I get sad when I miss The Price is Right.  Then I'm phasey with food...I'll eat the same cereal every morning, and now all I want is chips & salsa.  I suppose I am a creature of habit...and I'm very happy that way.  My poor husband is so spontaneous... and I'm like "Uh why didn't you tell me you wanted me to do this yesterday, I didn't plan on this being in my day!"

Do you gals have any things you do routinely? ...not compulsively (no, psh, that's a dirty word) :)

Turn left...I mean right...oops

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Q: What's the difference between people who think more with their left side of the brain vs. people who think with their right side of the brain?

A: A lot!

When I was in my first year of college I can across this book about the different functions of each side of the brain and how all people favor one side or the other.  We do not cognitively know that we're favoring a side it's just natural.  The left side of the brain controls verbal communication, exercises logic, analyzes, when solving problems looks at part (details).  The right side of the brain is creative, houses intuition, is more subjective, and when solving problems looks at the broad picture.  Now we all use both sides all day long, but we also all favor one more particularly.

I tend to favor my right side of the brain (some say this has to do with handedness, which hand you wright with, but I'm a righty and I totally favor my right side of my brain, some say I should be opposite) Anyways, I'm very creative and intuitive, I also can't give directions to save my life.  Something common among right brain thinkers is left and right confusion.  My right brain houses a lot of my thoughts I can visually see it but because it comes from my right brain I can't verbalize it fast, and often get it wrong first.  Researchers have done studies where they would cover your right eye and leave the left uncovered (left eye is controlled by the right- nonverbal- side of the brain) and would show people pictures and ask them to say what they were seeing.  The participants would get it wrong first or take a long time to answer the question.  It's pretty interesting stuff!

I took sign language in college and would sign with my left hand (left controlled by right side of the brain) because it's the non-verbal side, and even though I am right handed it was easier.  When I'm in the car and my husband is driving, but I know where we're going, I have to raise either hand up depending on which way we need to turn...because I can't verbalize it quick enough and I always say left when I mean right.  I know I sound crazy...or that I am not very bright, but I am my brain just favors my right side.

If you relate to me in someway, you might be a right brain thinker too...if not then you're a left brain thinker...someone else will have to blog on what that is like...

A New Direction

So I've been doing movies of the week for a few months now and for the most part they have been romantic comedies or cute musicals or fun family films.  But I want to venture out of those for a while.  I'm still only posting old movies but these will be on the more dramatic side.  Ready? Ok...

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The first film I want to suggest is The Spiral Staircase from 1946.  This is a suspenseful film, but not scary.  The premise is that there is a murderer going around town killing young women.  So the town is taking precautions but the movie focuses on one family.  Some one in the family is the killer, but you don't know who till the end...you literally think its many people during the film.  There's also a love story. I like this film because it is very well done, and that you are on the edge of your seat through the twists and turns. 

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The second one is called Mildred Pierce from 1945. This film starts with a murder but you don't know who did it.  So all the suspects are in custody and telling their story...and you are watching flashbacks to get the whole picture filled in.  It's again a "who dune it" where you don't know who did it till the end.  I love this movie and will watch it again even though I know who did it.  Another well done picture!


**I just want to mention again that I have seen these movies on the TCM channel.  Also you can rent them from Netflix or you can buy them at Amazon.com.

A Couple Announcements

I haven't posted in a while because one very exciting thing happened!

My Sister and her Husband blessed our family this past Sunday with a precious baby boy, Jaxon Dennis. He's a little sweetie at 8 pounds and 20 and 1/2 inches.  He is doing well, doesn't cry unless the nurses are poking at him.  And my sister is quickly recovering, she is such a trooper considering that she had to have an emergency c-section. (poor thing) But she's a strong girl with a will to get better quick. Today I went to see them today and I was holding Jaxon and he sneezed in my face, and it was adorable of course! I love him!

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On a much much less important note...but an interesting one.  Today my husband and I were driving and we came upon this road-side stand selling honey.  The had a huge sign reading "Allergy Killer." He had told me once before that his mom, when he was younger, bought him honey for his allergies, and it worked.  Here's why:
As bees carry the nectar to the hive they also carry with them pollen.  This pollen gets into the honey they produce.  If you eat the honey with the pollen you build up an immunity against it, like a vaccine. What you need to do however is buy LOCAL honey.  The honey in the store is not necessarily going to help you because it probably doesn't have the local pollen.  You need to build up an immunity to what is around you.  If you suffer with allergies give it a try! We'll update you about how we're doing with the honey...it's the yummiest medicine!