I am a book nerd. That is probably a mild description, to be honest. I love to read! Especially books that capture your attention from the first line. You know the ones I am talking about, don't you! I also have a really weird obsession with the smell of books... (picture the SNL Skit with Molly Shannon where she smells her hands after putting in her armpits. That's me, but I smell books instead. I told you it was a really weird obsession, so don't judge me.) :)
I owe my love of books to my grandmother, or as I called her, Nannie Boo. She actually turned me on to my love of a good mystery book by giving me the Mary Higgins Clark thriller, A Stranger is Watching, when I was in high school. I have expanded my love of books to other topics, but I do LOVE a good mystery. I have been reading books lately that are what I deem period pieces. They are set during a specific time that is important in history and also usually revolves around a serious social issue like war, slavery, the Great Depression, etc...
Recently I finished a book that I could not put down once I began to read it. It moved me, stirred things in me, pushed the boundaries of what was considered right, acceptable, expected, and done to humans regarding slave selling/buying/trading. WAIT! Before you quit reading this post because you do not think this may be a topic you are interested in reading, think again. This is not your typical book about slavery. This book follows the intricate weaving of several families on a plantation. It is written from the perspective of two girls...One who is of Irish descent and was purchased by a "master" and taken to his plantation to work as part of the help. The other, a girl, was also made to work as help even though her roots could have allowed other conveniences...Curious? Well, I did not leak all the twist and turns, and believe me, there are many but check out this book and then come back and leave a comment on what you thought. I'd love to hear if you were engulfed by the same desire to see what happened next...Oh, right, you need the title! Here it is...The Kitchen House
Later this week I will be posting some great gift ideas for everyone on your shopping list this season! Make sure you check back to see if anything strikes your fancy or gives you an idea for someone on your list!
h
11.13.2012
11.05.2012
First, it has been a very long time since posting last!! I have been a total slacker, as my husband would call me... :) The good news is that I have decided that I am going to start blogging on a regular basis again. I have been pinning lots of DIY projects from Pinterest and want to share all of my successes and failures (and there have been some doozies) with you too.
Second, I am beginning today the Making Your Home a Haven Challenge with Courtney from Women Living Well Blog. This is the third year she is challenging us to make our homes better for not only us, but our family too. I heard about this challenge last year when it was almost over and decided that I would participate this year if she did it again. So here begins my challenge of getting rid of all of the rest of the worlds views and ideas on what my home should be and how it should look. Week 1 is simple. Light a candle and every time you pass by it or see the flicker of the flame, pray for peace in your home and within your soul. You can click on the above link and read Courtney's entire post for more inspiring words of encouragement too.
Third, I follow some great blogs and several of them are participating in Favorite Things Gift Giving Guide and Giveaway. One of my fav blogs is Tatertots and Jello.
Scroll through her post and check out the giveaways that grab your attention. You might even find another blog that you want to follow.
Ok, that is enough for today! Hope you have a great and grand day :)
h
Second, I am beginning today the Making Your Home a Haven Challenge with Courtney from Women Living Well Blog. This is the third year she is challenging us to make our homes better for not only us, but our family too. I heard about this challenge last year when it was almost over and decided that I would participate this year if she did it again. So here begins my challenge of getting rid of all of the rest of the worlds views and ideas on what my home should be and how it should look. Week 1 is simple. Light a candle and every time you pass by it or see the flicker of the flame, pray for peace in your home and within your soul. You can click on the above link and read Courtney's entire post for more inspiring words of encouragement too.
Third, I follow some great blogs and several of them are participating in Favorite Things Gift Giving Guide and Giveaway. One of my fav blogs is Tatertots and Jello.
Scroll through her post and check out the giveaways that grab your attention. You might even find another blog that you want to follow.
Ok, that is enough for today! Hope you have a great and grand day :)
h
6.20.2012
The beginning of the end...part 1
In my previous post I said that some things had changed and I would explain...this is me explaining.
After too many years of not feeling well, joint pain, not being able to remember things as well as I should, headaches, and far too many doctors appointments I finally know what is going on with me and this insane body of mine. I have food sensitivities and allergies...yep, you read correctly! It is bizarre to me that it took so long for these things to be diagnosed. I have been going to my primary care doc, endocrinologist, ear-nose & throat, and the orthopedic doc to try and figure out what on earth could be wrong with me.
Sadly, this is the story of far too many people these days. After seeing all of these doctors and being advised to take prescription after prescription and still not feeling well, I thought this was just the life that I was going to have. I had a life changing experience when I was talking to a friend and she said that she had been going through a similar experience until she visited a local FNP-or family nurse practitioner. She had recently found out that she had some issues that she had repeatedly asked her physician about, but was always told that was not the problem. She said it changed her life because she finally felt like she wasn't crazy.
So that I do not bore you with all of the details of it all, let me just say this...February 14th of this year was the beginning of the end to my journey of living with the issues I had previously. It was the day my FNP told me that I was not crazy and she thought that I may have some food sensitivities. She said there were several features of my physical appearance that led her to believe this, but she wanted to do labs and we would go from there. And boy, have we gone! I left her office that day feeling like all of this wasn't in my head and that I may actually have a life again outside of feeling yucky all of the time.
I will post more about this journey I am on in part deux tomorrow....
h
**I am not in any way, shape, or form providing medical advice! I am sharing the journey that I have been on regarding my health for the last several years. Please do not read this post and follow what I have/am doing. Talk to your physician and make a plan or find someone in your medical community that you can talk to before changing anything in your diet!! I hope that by sharing my story, others will not have to go as long without feeling like they are a hypochondriac or just plain crazy.**
After too many years of not feeling well, joint pain, not being able to remember things as well as I should, headaches, and far too many doctors appointments I finally know what is going on with me and this insane body of mine. I have food sensitivities and allergies...yep, you read correctly! It is bizarre to me that it took so long for these things to be diagnosed. I have been going to my primary care doc, endocrinologist, ear-nose & throat, and the orthopedic doc to try and figure out what on earth could be wrong with me.
Sadly, this is the story of far too many people these days. After seeing all of these doctors and being advised to take prescription after prescription and still not feeling well, I thought this was just the life that I was going to have. I had a life changing experience when I was talking to a friend and she said that she had been going through a similar experience until she visited a local FNP-or family nurse practitioner. She had recently found out that she had some issues that she had repeatedly asked her physician about, but was always told that was not the problem. She said it changed her life because she finally felt like she wasn't crazy.
So that I do not bore you with all of the details of it all, let me just say this...February 14th of this year was the beginning of the end to my journey of living with the issues I had previously. It was the day my FNP told me that I was not crazy and she thought that I may have some food sensitivities. She said there were several features of my physical appearance that led her to believe this, but she wanted to do labs and we would go from there. And boy, have we gone! I left her office that day feeling like all of this wasn't in my head and that I may actually have a life again outside of feeling yucky all of the time.
I will post more about this journey I am on in part deux tomorrow....
h
5.24.2012
Breaking News: MIA blogger returns!
Yes, it has been an incredibly long time (7 months, to be exact) since I last blogged and a lot about my life has changed...or is changing! I have discovered some medical issues that were both a relief (to know I wasn't crazy) and have presented challenges...I am not going to apologize for being MIA because I was taking care of me and my family.
There will be plenty of time to blog about it all in the coming weeks since I have fully committed myself to blog about this adventure that God is taking me and my family...there will be tears shed, smiles, laughter, and praising of Jesus on this crazy-frustrating, wild, and life changing ride, but it is real and presently what our life is all about!
Here is a great little tidbit to tide you over until the adventure smackdown begins...
I know, I know, it does not give you any really great hints about what is to come, but soon enough my "young padawans"...i know that you are not child apprentices of the Jedi, but i love using that phrase so deal with it :0)
h
There will be plenty of time to blog about it all in the coming weeks since I have fully committed myself to blog about this adventure that God is taking me and my family...there will be tears shed, smiles, laughter, and praising of Jesus on this crazy-frustrating, wild, and life changing ride, but it is real and presently what our life is all about!
Here is a great little tidbit to tide you over until the adventure smackdown begins...
I know, I know, it does not give you any really great hints about what is to come, but soon enough my "young padawans"...i know that you are not child apprentices of the Jedi, but i love using that phrase so deal with it :0)
h
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