Fairness

Nothing in life is fair. Well, mostly nothing. There is one thing I've been thinking about lately that seems to be the exception.

24 hours in a day.

There is nothing you or I can do to make it longer. And nothing you or I can do to make it shorter. It just is 24 hours for everyone.

Sometimes I think why can't I do that too? I can be crafty like her! And I can be as good a performer as him! And I can read as much as him! And I can cook like her! And I can be as good a consultant as him! And I can fit it all in!

Whenever you have a fixed amout of something- like time- and you want to expand how much time you spend on one thing you necessarily have to spend less time on something else. I call it squeezing the balloon: one end gets bigger but the other must get smaller.

This is helpful for me to remember when I begin to envy the lives of others. I am able to work in the yard because I don't watch TV. I don't cook lots of fancy food because we spend lots of our evenings in meetings or with friends. I am able to sleep 8 hours a night because I don't wake up early to work out. Oops. Hubs doesn't go to many KU games in the winter because he chooses to work.

And this isn't accidental. I choose to work in the yard over watching TV because I value flowers more than my couch. Hubs chooses to work because he working more today means resting more tomorrow.  A single mom chooses to work outside the home because she values her children getting fed and clothed more than spending time with them. Get the picture?

What we do with our time (and money and words) speaks volumes about what we value.

Which takes us back to the beginning of my blog...

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

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65 wonderful minutes

What do you do on your lunch hour?

The people I work with go out to eat. I even have one former co-worker that admitted to never having brought his lunch in the 4 years he was at the firm. Whaaa?!

Well my lunch hour is just a bit different maybe. But no less wonderful.

Today's lunch hour. The play-by-play.

Drive home. Windows open.

Arrive at home: Remove heels, untuck shirt, roll up sleeves, kiss the dog.
Then: GO!

Toss in a load of laundry.
Clean off night stands.
Make the bed.

Empty the dishwasher from last night. Reload.
Grab a turkey sandwich. Complete with roasted red peppers.
Because roasted red peppers are to turkey as biscotti is to coffee
Wipe off the last of the crumbs on the counter from breakfast this morning and dinner last night.

Sort the mail.
Pull some weeds.
Open the curtains to let the day shine in.
Admire new pillows. Long for some yellow and orange and pink ones too.

Put away the iron.
And the starch.
And the hangers that grace the chandelier.
Why were they there in the first place?
Because logically thats where hangers go.
Pick up the bathroom and the P.J.Mama's that were left on the floor.
Peace at my friends. Hi there friends!

Grab a spoonful of rocky road.
Say "SO we meet aaagggaiiin Rocky Road" as they do in Nederland, Colorado.
Contemplate baking cookies again, but decide I don't have time.

Hit the road, Jack.
Arrive back at work 65 minutes later.
Because really, 60 minutes is just not enough for my fun-filled lunches.

Sometimes my bestie asks why I take the time everyday to put away the same things that we know will just come out again the next day.

Because, my love, lunch tomorrow wouldn't be nearly as much fun :-)

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I'm so overdue it's kinda pathetic

I haven't had much to write about lately. Which is kinda odd for me.

I could tell you about how I went to see the King and I with my dear neighbor.
Or how hubs and I went with two fantastic friends to The Sound of Music.
Or how I then considered trying out for the Theatre in the Park.
And then came back to reality.

I could tell you about the storms we had last weekend.
And how our power was out all the live long day.
Or how our air conditioner was leaking.
Until this little old man that looked like Henry Bloch and he came to fix it.

I could tell you how Mack-a-poo has been napping on the beds.
Or how I was really grouchy recently at work because someone let me down.
Or about how I felt gut-wrenchingly awful about how much of a grouch I was.
Or how I really like Excel.

I could tell you about reading The Cross Centered Life.
Actually I think I'll just tell you to read it. Do it.
It's approximately 100 miniature pages that you'll never regret.

I could tell you about how I'm sore from a kickboxing class yesterday.
Or about how the Rangers won last week and I'm stoked for their next game.
Or how we toured the Sporting KC stadium tonight and it was great.
Or how we won tickets to a game on June 6th and are pumped.
Or about how hubs excitedly told me my tulips were starting to bloom today.
Or about how I haven't been taking pictures of anything.
Except for these cookies. Cause I love them dearly. Make them.

Chocolate Cherry Heart Smart Cookies.

 

Can I just say that pic is mine and not from the recipe?

Not that the photography is anything to write home about, but the cookies seriously are.

Tip: Use flax meal instead of eggs and cranberries instead of cherries to make my persional versheyon.

But I just don't have much to say on any of those topics. So I'll just say TTFN!
However, I've learned that few people know what that means. Well, you know, you just don't remember. I'll give you a hint.

T-I-double-guh-errrr!

Still no?

Okay well watch this. Enjoy.

And because I know you loved that, watch this one too

I can't stop smiling. I hope it had that effect on you too :-)
And while we're on the topic: affect is a verb, effect is a noun. Thats all.

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The table flop

Once upon a time

In a blank and bare basement

There sat a large coffee table

The table was primarily used for feet and food

But its large size and light color made it stand out too much

Especially in an otherwise perfectly put together space

BAH! Got you on that one.

In that land was a crazy blog reader

She read a little too much

Thrifty Decor Chick and Centsational Girl

and thought she could tackle the world with a spray paint can.

False.

End of the fairy tale, folks!

Here's the skinny on the stitch:

Before

 

And after

This after is upon completion of:

2 coats of primer

3 cans of spray paint

2 coats of latex based paint

and 2 sandings

In summary, I don't like it.

The black is great and matches our TV stand (as you can see)

But I can't get the paint even and it's killing me slowly. 

Plus it just feels like paint, ya knows what I'ma sayin?

Maybe a sheet of glass is in order for the top.

Or another round of sanding and painting and polyurethane.

Or maybe just contentment.

Yes, a nice thick dose of contentment should do the trick.

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Tuesday

I have stuff to write to you about, my dearest blog-world, but I also have a heap-load of work to do. So I'll just keep it short and sweet for now: this morning I'm wearing peach, craving a trip to City Market, an iced chai, and a walk in the park.

Oh Tuesday, you're a funny day. No one thinks much of Tuesday.

Monday is when the world hits you in the face

Wednesday is your halfway-there day

Thursday is a college student's Friday. "eh, it's practically the weekend" day

Friday is overrated. Its the big "I'M FREE" day.

The anticipation is generally better than the day itself.

Saturday is some people's chilaxin day.

It's my "get your patootie in gear and catch up on everything you're behind on" day.

Sunday is a day of refreshment.

But Tuesday is much less noticable. No hooray around Tuesdays.

Today, this Tuesday is my "be content" day. So I will resolve to enjoy my desk, my computer, my work, and my co-workers today. I will resolve to enjoy this Tuesday.

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Friday night ramblings

Today was much cooler than the week of 100 degree weather we've been enjoying. And because it was cool, and rainy, and Friday, and because I saw a musical last night, today was a rather quiet day for me. These don't happen very often, but they are the kinds of days when my extroverted self is content being less than obnoxious about it.

I have a playlist called "Casual" with Norah, Colbie, Matt Wertz.. you know, the causal sort of music. Aptly named, right? That was playing for me today.

And because I don't have a lot to say tonight, I'll just leave you with a few pictures of things that have consumed my time lately.

My dying hydrangeas. I got one pretty bouquet out of them.

 

Brown butter strawberry banana bread 

 

And the baking of cake pops -wine in hand- with Julie and Katherine. 

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laughing at carrots

this is our pantry.

these are our carrots. 

more specifically,

these are out carrots in our pantry. 

a very logical place for carrots.

this is what happens when you're in a hurry in the morning.

more specifically, 

this is what happens when one of my roommates is in a hurry in the morning.

God has taught me to laugh at life in moments like this.

I actually laughed out loud when I saw it

and I'm thankful for that.

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even more Nutella love

This is probably my third or fourth Nutella post in like 4 months. They should pay me.
But when I saw this
Homemade nutella
I just about lost it.

Guess what? I'm not gonna make it. Know why?

I have two good reasons:

1. Because real Nutella fans don't eat the fake stuff
2. Because I don't have 50% of the ingredients. And they aren't cheap.
3. And because I'm making cake pops and homemade twix tonight and this might just put me into a sugar coma.

See? Good reasons.



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Biscotti= Ooo la la!

I love to eat eat eat, epples and baneenees...

Oh the songs that come into my head when I'm day dreaming of the wonderful baked goods and fruits that are at home calling my name :-)

Sometimes I love to bake.
Bah! Just joshin. I always love to bake, silly!
Last weekend
as in not this past weekend but the previous... I just can't bring myself to say two weekends ago cause its sound so long ago like I'm a slacker and I'm not. I'm not. I'll just keep telling myself that...
Well that weekend, Memorial day weekend, I baked biscotti. I was craving it. Which is dumb cause I don't really even drink coffee when it's warm out and it has been very warm, let me tell ya what!

Well I baked biscotti. And it was real good follks.
If you've never done it, do it. It's not too terribly hard but it gives your morning coffee a little Ooo-la-la!
Use this Almond Biscotti recipe from All Recipes.

If you wanna twist it up a bit, you can make a Chocolate Drizzle Snickerdoodle biscotti like I did by...

• Adding some cinnamon (no, I don't measure so I don't know how much)
• And drizzling with some melted chocolat (thats chocolate in French, peeps)
• Dark or semi-sweet chocolate is wonderful, but don't use milk. It'd be too milky I think. And if you're going to add butter to the chocolate to thin it, don't use Blue Bonnet. It's not real butter and it doesn't help. It just makes the chocolate mad and defiant.

This is what they looked like pre-drizzle. Once the drizzle was on, I couldn't not eat them so I don't have any pics. Ooopsies!

Last night's baked good o' the week was Strawberry Banana bread. Deadly. Don't make it. I swear you'll regret it cause you'll eat the whole thing. I'll tell you more about that later though.

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I can't work

I just emailed hubs and said "I can't work today. I just can't. It's impossible."

And then I heard myself say

...

"With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Mt 19:26

...

Okay fine. Back to work I go.

Friends, when I tell you that scripture memory is good for my soul, this kinda stuff is what I'm talking about.

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the appendix

In my world, an Appendix is the section of the report that is the "etc." You know, all the stuff that no one really cares about, and doesn't really serve any purpose other than lengthening the report and thus causing the reader to print extra pages. It contains stuff like definitions, statements just to "cover your bases." I mean , who in the world would finish a report or book or whatever and then continue to read the appendix. Please tell me you don't...

To my friend, an appendix is a blasted thing in her stomach that is causing a lot of pain and forcing her to stay in the hospital for too many days.

Doctors disagree about the function of the appendix. Speaking of doctors, I am not one, so all you medical folk out there pretend like I'm not spreading rumors about the appendix and just hear me out. Most will say the function is unknown (i.e. there is none.) However, in 2007 ABC, my go-to source for news, said that doctors found the magic function!

"It acts as a safe house for good bacteria, which can be used to effectively reboot the gut following a bout of dysentery or cholera."

Oh yes. Very good function, appendix. You must be very busy fighting dysentry and cholera so I shall leave you in my body.

False.

That's like me trying to prove my value to a baseball team. Oh don't you know? I'm not afriad to get dirty. Therefore, I should definitely be on your team.

False.

I don't play baseball. And my friend has every right in the world to be very angry at her appendix and to have it removed. Because a ruptured appendix and the infection it causes is very dangerous.

So we- me and hubs, family, friends, folks at church, and folks at work- are all praying for a speedy recovery for you, my friend.

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."- Rev. 21:4

Thankful for the promised return of Christ.

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Alphabet

Update on the Nutella Krispies: Not that great. The recipe didn't work out so I tried to tweak it but it didn't come out quite right. I'll keep you posted if I'm able to perfect it.

In the mean time, because my mind latches on to random things, and becase Nutella has a facinating effect on the brain, I'm curious...

What alphabets do you know?
I know:
English
Spanish
Greek
Italian
most of the military
and part of the French... (although I accidently toss in some spanish letters every once in a blue moon)

Blue moon... you saw me standing aloooone... without a dream in my heaaart... without a love of my own

Songs. They just happen to me.
Yesterday and today I got caught humming outloud.
I always think its just in my head but its not...
Oh well.

My 7th grade science teacher, Mr. Holm- There is no S. People would always call him "Holms" and I would cringe. I was weird like that even at the ripe young age of 13- anyway, Mr. Holm always used the military alphabet. He also called candy pogey-bait and refused to eat it. But I say with a fun name like that, what kid wouldn't love it?

TTFN. That's Tango, Tango, Foxtrot, November.
Although it was originally Tigger's way of saying Ta Ta For Now.

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