True Story

Yes, it's true. The last time I was in Paris was one year ago today. You have no idea how much I miss it. The food, the music, the clothes. All these French women, slinking around in black. I may as well be in Manhattan, but the French did it first. Flying over on the Concorde, I made the trip in just over three hours, with champagne in my glass all the way. Which, of course, made going through Customs a rather surreal experience, but I digress.

You may ask me, why Paris? The answer's easy - Cancun has gotten way too familiar. THe thought of sitting on the beach there makes me yawn. Ho hum. So, Paris. The food's better; the travel time's shorter; the scenery's different.

Next year, why don't you join me? I'll be there, at the little cafe across from the Eiffel tower, having my cafe au lait and croissant for breakfast. See ya!















P. S. Check the date :)

Beware the Ides of March

Sigh. If only Julius Caesar had heeded the warnings, he'd be here with us today. OK, maybe not - he'd be forever old, and who wants to see a forever-old guy in a toga!

This is a momentous day for another reason: it's the birthday of my mother-in-law. Once I finally gelled on the fact that her birthday was the Ides of March, I managed to remember it. She's no longer with us; she went to Heaven nine years ago to join her husband. But it's always good to honor and remember your in-laws for one simple reason: they brought your spouse into the world.

I've often joked that on the day I was born, my husband was created - we're nine-months-ish apart, so it sounds good. I just went back & looked at that year's calendar, and he was born 36 weeks and 2 days after I was born. So, it's entirely possible that God reached down and literally created, him for me, on the day I was born. Gotta love Jeremiah 1:5 - "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart."

If it hadn't been for Helen Louise, I wouldn't have my soul mate; my love-for-life. Thank you, Mom.

The Beatles got it Right

Happy Birthday to me..... etc.

No, I'm NOT that shameless to go asking for birthday wishes! It's just that today, at work, I wished I was dead. There. I said it. I'm doing the best I can & it's not enough, and it's gotten me down. Plus, it really is my birthday.

So what happened to ease my mood? My sweet husband delivered an orchid plant, PLUS a box of Godiva chocolates to me, THEN made me eat 2 chocolates. He said I needed serotonin right away - who am I to argue?

Later, when I got to a school for the second time today, there was a "cup" of coffee waiting on me - a large Latte w/ nonfat milk, sugar-free cinnamon syrup, and lots of taste. Hubby comes through again. Oldest son, aka Big Blue Eyes, and his girlfriend snuck over to the school & left a bouquet of flowers & a "nun-grater" card on my windshield (I'll have to find it online & post it).

I get home (none too soon, let me assure you), and have over 37 birthday wishes on my Facebook wall. One of them was a youtube link to Paul McCartney singing the Beatles' Birthday Song! All these things have "worked together for good" to make me feel ever so much better, and just a little bit hopeful that this too shall end.

Have a great day for me & don't let the turkeys get you down :)

Giveaway winner

Ok, well, random.org has done its work: with 12 comments/entries, the winning number chosen was #2. Congratulations to Meg! Hopefully, there will be more giveaways coming our way, so please check back often.

Thanks to all of you for reading, and have a GREAT weekend!

Valentine Review and a Giveaway

(Update) Comments are now closed. I've chosen a winner & am waiting for their response. IF I don't receive one w/in 48 hours, I'll draw another one. As soon as I verify the winner, I'll let you know.

This is a collection of firsts: my first ever review of a product, my first ever free thing I've received as a result of blogging, and my first ever giveaway!

There is a site created and run by Christian women, all of whom I greatly admire, and all of whom I'd love to be best friends with. The site is (in)courage, and they have a section of their site, called (in)spired deals, which is where this review comes in. They sent me this really cool set from the Mr. & Mrs. Love Collection Set from DaySpring, another excellent Christian site. SO, what did I get? ALL THIS!!!(All these photos are mine - none were -jacked from DaySpring)

If it's possible for something to be uber-cute and still not be foo-foo, these fit the bill. The mugs are 10-11 oz. if filled to just under the Bible verse:
The Mr. & Mrs. mugs are similar, but different enough that you won't confuse yourself, if you're grabbing one pre-caffeine!

And once you've finished your hot tea (for me) or coffee, there's a little reminder to show you what it's all about:

But, wait! That's not all! In this set (should you choose to purchase) you also get a coupon book, useful for many different occasions.

I've been through the entire coupon book, and, while it may make any kids roll their eyes & go, "Oh, mom," it is completely family-friendly.

There's also a very cool journal that's double ended, so you can each write love notes to each other and leave the journal for your significant other to read (and hopefully reply)

AND, should you desire to give this gift set to someone very special, the set comes with a gorgeous gift bag, suitable for many romantic occasions.
Everything's absolutely beautiful & I can't wait to start using the coupons. I can already say that the "coffee" cups work great at keeping your beverage of choice hot. Even my husband (no girly-man, he) thought the cups were great.

Now, I know you're sitting there drooling, saying to yourself, "Self? How can I get myself one of these?" It's EASY! Go to DaySpring, look for the Mr. & Mrs. Love Collection Set, and order one! The regular price is $35.95, plus shipping, but right now it's on sale for $26.99, plus shipping. And, if you look around the site, you will find Mr. & Mrs. memo pads, which always come in handy - at our house we go through memo pads like chocolate!

Now for the fun part - the giveaway! I am offering to one of my many, devoted readers a $20 online coupon code to DaySpring, which would bring this set down to $6.99 (before shipping). Now, you don't HAVE to buy this set - DaySpring has many gorgeous things, from Christian cards, to gifts, to home decor. And, (in)courage has coupon codes (LOVE25 gets you 25% off through the month of February), which makes it an even better deal!

Here's how to win it: Go to DaySpring, shop around, and tell me one thing you'd LOVE to have - or several - if you're like me, you bargain shop like a maniac! Leave me a comment, and you're entered! Contest closes Friday, Feb. 18 at 5:00 CST. I'll choose the winner next Saturday, Feb. 19, by random.org, and notify you by email. You'll have 48 hours to respond, or sad day! I'll have to choose another winner

You can have extra entries by following my blog through Google Friend Connect (leave me an additional comment telling me so). Follow me on Twitter & tweet about this giveaway (I'm scubagirl1). If you do either of these additional things, be sure to leave me a comment for every one, to be sure you have the right number of entries. (I will check to ensure the tweets, etc. are done.)

I hate to say this, but please play nice. If you don't intend to STAY a follower, then don't join just long enough for this giveaway. I'm just like the rest of you - I'd love more friends, but not fair-weather ones :) So, have fun, share the fun, and maybe you'll win the prize!

FTC lawyer's chorus and disclosure: I was provided all the pictured items for the chance to do a review. BUT, all opinions are mine, and no cash changed hands.

Christmas Joy!

There's something about Christmas that makes everyone a little better. A little happier. A little more alert. And yes, a "little" more stressed. But, as Bill Murray so eloquently put it, "It's the one night of the year when we all act a little nicer, .... we smile a little easier, .... we cheer a little more. For a couple of hours out of the whole year, we are the people that we always hoped we'd be!" (Scrooged, 1988)



How was your Christmas? This year, I have to say, was probably the absolute best Christmas we've ever had, and here's why: we cut back. Due to the economy, I wasn't comfortable at ALL spending the kind of money we have in the past. Thanks to nudging from God, I have money automatically drafted out of our bank account into a locked-up Christmas account, so the money for presents was there.



But, but, BUT, first we sustained a lightning strike to the house, which totally killed our main television. Cha ching. Then, older daughter (PWTH) was driving home for Thanksgiving, and her car's flywheel... how can I say it... it FLEW! Cha ching cha ching. Then there's her upcoming wedding (forget the cha chings, just throw money at it!).



SO, right about the time we decided to spend about one half as much on Christmas, the other half went to the car, to the new television, to the wedding dress. But the joy is, we could pay CASH for it all! No indebtedness.



Because we were cutting back, I decided to give each person one "large" present (in dollar amts.), two smaller presents, and one homemade present. These ranged from a tray with a map of London decoupaged in it, to a homemade apron (Who DAT!), to a photo book. Plus, everyone got their stockings from Santa with the assorted tiny gifts and the requisite candy.



Thus, Christmas morning, we were not snowed under opening gift after gift, ad infinitum, ad nauseum. We still took our time, and still were so blessed.



But the all-time, BEST present arrived that morning, at about 6:30 am. Our soon-to-be-married daughter had spent two days earlier that week "doing Christmas" with us, then left the 23rd to spend the big day with her fiance' and his family. He & his family gave her back to us for Christmas! They left their college town Christmas Eve, drove 200 miles, and got here in time to be our presents (presence). Who needs packages under the tree when others are so sacrificial!



Enjoy your season of Joy. Remember the Reason for this season. And have a Happy New Year, y'all!



P. S. I have to share this with you! A church friend, whose name truly is Joy, sent us this Christmas card, and it's so absolutely perfect! It comes from Dayspring, and all their Christmas cards are on serious sale right now. This card is here.
P. P. S. Thanks, Sarah, for prompting us all to find Christmas joy this year - it made a huge difference!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Once upon a time, God created the turkey. And it was good. Very, VERY good. And then He rested. And that was good, also.

So, thank you, God, for the turkey. And for the rest. And for the grace and love You've shown us. Amen