Good-byes and Hellos

This weekend was an interesting one for me.  I ended up at two funerals, neither one for any of my family members, but still, very somber and saddening, remembering the lives of people who meant so much to others.  Thankfully, in the midst of that, I was able to be part of a baby shower for my special friend, Jane, celebrating new life!

Given along with my friends Janet and Sara, the theme was "Jane's About to POP!" and I thought it was cute and fun.  With the "pop" theme, we had things including popcorn, Pop Tarts, lollipops, cake pops, marshmallow pops, soda pop, bubble gum to pop, Pop Rocks and Ring Pops, Rice Krispie Treats (that go "snap, crackle, pop!") and of course a few veggies so guests could "pop something healthy."  We even played a Pop Culture baby name game and guests received small favors for "popping by." Here are a few photos from the day.

The turnout was so great and many great things were brought for the baby.  We are all so excited to meet Jane's third baby!  Four more weeks (or less)!

I Can Laugh at Myself

Whether anyone else thinks this is funny or not, I am posting it because it made me laugh.  I love Bon Jovi and in 2010, I got to go to the concert in their homestate of New Jersey at the brand-new Meadowlands Stadium!  It was awesome!!!

However, what's not so awesome is this video.  The quality is awful (old cell phone). But, it's funny.

NEWS FLASH: I can not sing, but that doesn't stop me from trying!  And, I promise, although you can only hear me, everyone else in the stadium was belting it, too!

Yo - OH MY - Ga!

This is a long one, y'all!

Today I tried yoga for the first time.  It's been pretty trendy for a long time and I've heard so many people just love it.  So, I've been trying to find some things I can do while my knee is still recovering to keep me from practically going crazy and to get back in to some sort of consistent exercise.  I tried pilates and like that pretty well because you keep moving quite a bit and it is a killer ab workout.  Time to give yoga a try.

Well, let me tell you, yoga is not my thing.  I arrived a few minutes late to class (they changed the studio from where the schedule had guided me) to find everyone laying like corpses in a dark room filled with the faintest of calming music.  Of course, the only spot left was in the far front corner of the room.  So I had to carefully drag my mat, weaving around the corpses (that is actually what the pose is called!) to my corner spot, take off my shoes, drop my keys and get in to my deadly position.  OK, not so bad once I was in the corpse pose...pretty relaxing.

Yoga corpses

Then, it started.  The deep breathing.  The cleansing breaths.  I thought one man was literally going to become a corpse right there in that very room every time he breathed he sounded so badly.  As much as these breathing techniques were supposed to be relaxing and "cleansing" (I think it was the air and the floor that really needed to be cleansed), it was really starting to work me up to hear all those other people shooting germs out of their mouths and noses.  You know how sometimes, something starts to annoy you and then that's all you can concentrate on?  That was me right then and for the next hour (a very long hour, I might add).

Then the poses started.  Now, don't get me wrong.  I can see the benefits of yoga.  You have to be strong, flexible, balanced - I can completely understand how the techniques get you there.  It is not easy.  And I was "tight as a banjo string" (credit to Papa Cole for that phrase), so I was hurting!  Let me insert here that at this point, I noticed the music was nowhere to be found.  I am a music person, therefore when doing something I'm not completely excited about, music makes it all better for me (i.e., cleaning the house, running, waiting in a doctor's office, etc.).  Plus, it would cover up some of the other noises that were distracting me!  But, it was gone.  Just all breathing and popping joints.

Most of the poses required some pretty extensive weight to be put on your knees at some points, so many of them I could not do completely, at least when it was my right knee that was required to be the support.  I was mad that people quite a few years older than me could contort their bodies like Gumby when I could not, so that made me try harder and actually, I was working up a sweat.  The instructor said to just concentrate on our breathing, but when I did that, I just kept hearing the lady next to me blow and wanted to wipe my arms with a Lysol wipe.  So, instead I concentrated on the fans in the room and wondered if I quickly turned on the one next to me if I would get kicked out of class.  I couldn't get out of the darn twisted position I was in, though, so figured I didn't want to risk making a scene.

"Raise your arms to the sun, the one that gives you energy," the instructor said.  I love the sun as much as the next person, but, you know the sun gets energy from someONE and actually, He's the One giving me energy.  So, I wasn't too into that pose, although it was easy and I could do it with no problem!

After about the 50th down dog pose and monkey breath (or something like that), I started to get dizzy and wondered when the class would be over.  Luckily, I made it through all the moves and we started stretching.  YES!  The cool down and then I can jet, never to make another appearance in a yoga class.

Wait, now more music...the lights are all going off again. What?  Was I so dizzy that the class left, another one entered and we were starting again? "I've got to get out!" I thought.  I looked around, everyone's turning in to corpses again. Ahhh...I'm in the front of the room, I can't leave.  So, I played dead and pretended to relax, all the while concentrating on the kids outside actually having fun in the hallways.  I wanted them to rescue me.

Then, at least 10 more minutes went by, the instructor rang a chime three times, said something I could not understand and then everyone started rising from the dead.  I took the chance to gather my mats and get out without even putting my shoes back on.

Yoga is not for me.  I was not relaxed after that hour, I was even more keyed up and couldn't wait to do something to actually move around, get some energy out, listen to loud music and have FUN!

At least I tried!

Thursdays of Thanks

I know today is not Thursday.  I may be absentminded most of the time, but I am aware of what day it is.  Where did the week go?  I have no idea.  But, again, I am late on posting something on the day it should be posted.  I mean, I set ONE particular day a week to post something on a regular basis and I'm still late.
 
Anyway, last week I was, and today I am still, thankful for friends.  The day after last Thursday (Friday, of course), we left to go see "old" friends Ryan and Ashley.  We met these two in Greenville, SC years ago, just a few days before they moved away from Greenville.   However, it didn't take long to know they would be lifelong friends - the kind you don't have to see all the time and can still pick right back up where you left off with them.  Know what I mean?

Almost 10 years and three kids later (all theirs!) it was exactly that way over the weekend.  We enjoyed just hanging out at their house, playing games, getting to know their kids, being silly, talking about life...mostly all the time in our pajamas! All the things you do with the best of friends.

So thankful for Ryan and Ashley, Maggie, Zachary and Julianne!!!

New Zodiac Signs

I don't believe in astrology.  It's not something I've ever put any stock in at all and definitely do not live my life according to it!  BUT, if I'm being honest, I've always read the "horoscopes" in the newspaper and have been intrigued when reading traits of my sign.  Whether I just think I'm those things or whether others see those traits in me, I've always thought they were pretty much right on the money describing my personality.

Of course, when I hear the headline news this morning that zodiac signs have changed, curiosity got the best of me.  I had to look and see if that meant my personality traits would be changing, too!  Here is what I found...I mean, I don't meet a lot of the positive things on here still, but for the most part, pretty accurate!
Virgo and Independence: Virgo is a very independent zodiac sign. They are fully able to put their intelligence to use and get things done for themselves. It is possible however that their narrow mindedness causes their creativity to suffer and they may lead regular routine lives. They may dwell too much on the past and over complicate things and this may limit their ability to move forward and confuse themselves. In conclusion, Virgos are able to be independent but the less evolved types will have difficult if someone is not there helping them to achieve more and not be so critical of themselves.

Virgo and Friendship: People look up to Virgo for friends because they are straight thinkers and solve problems logically. They are truthful, loyal and determined. Some people might find them cold or emotionally detached because they live in their minds, not in their emotions and feelings. It might be hard to pin down how a Virgo friend is feeling because they easily live in denial. A person who is able to read deep into another person will notice when Virgo is not well but if they confront them about it, they would rather retreat then talk about it. It is best to keep your emotional distance from a Virgo friend unless they open up to you first. Virgo might try to analyze and control a friend's life but only with the idea that they will improve their life, not purely for the sake of controlling. Be patient with your Virgo friend and understand that their recommendations are only to make your life better.

Virgo and Business: Virgos are very intelligent, they have an excellent memory and a highly analytical mind. This makes them good investigators and researchers. They also have the ability to probe into a person's emotions and they can often see into people and detect what their motives are. This makes them great policemen or interrogators. Virgos are very good at problem solving, this is what they do best. They are confronted with a problem, they will pick apart the pieces and put it together in the proper order. They are rational thinkers and are good at settling other people's disputes and putting them on the right track for reconciliation. Any position that requires the above features, which is a very long list, is perfect for the Virgo. They keep the world in order.

Virgo Temperament: Before a Virgo plunges into anything, from a problem to a vacation idea, they need to analyze all the facts and know all the details before they plunge in and make a decision. This makes them seem indecisive and slow. Virgo's perception is their reality, more so then other astrology signs. What they believe is what will be, if they have a negative outlook on life, things will present themselves to be negative and they will be very moody and isolated/detached. If they are positive, the same events that occur will be held in a positive light and they will be a pleasant, well adjusted person. A Virgo mind is a very powerful mind and they must have the proper attitude for their life to be happy and successful. Virgo needs to get in touch with their feelings, this is why they usually seem cold or detached. They are very prone of living in denial. They will say the feel okay or everything is alright even when it's not. This is an easy way out, the one thing that Virgo does not like to analyze is their feelings so pretending everything is okay is a good defense mechanism for not having to take a closer look at their feelings. Virgo has an unpredictable and sometimes unstable temperament.

Virgo Deep Inside: They need to be organized in their mind, sometimes all their energy is taken from organizing their mind that they have a difficult time organizing their surroundings. They easily look too deep into an issue and over analyze what they percept. Virgo is ambitious and strives to always know more and have more. This is in their eternal quest to bring order to chaos. Even if order is obtained from an outsiders' point of view, Virgo will not be settled for they have a very active mind that is always thinking and can never be silenced. Virgos want to be of use, they need to be important and essential to everyone in their lives and in everything they do. Virgo's major life lesson is to learn to trust in and have faith in the unknown. They have to understand that things in life happen for a reason that is not always known to them, they do not have to always know everything. They need to learn to calm down and not over-analyze a situation or event. Deep inside, Virgo is very sensitive and they need to be appreciated for all the things they do. When is Virgo is offended or hurt, they may never show it.

Virgo in a Nutshell: Virgo exists in the mind, everything is inside. To the world, Virgo presents a calm and collected exterior but on the inside, nervous uncontrolled intensity in the mind, trying to figure things out, how to improve everything, analyzing and thinking. Virgo can tire itself out without even moving! Virgo has a constant drive to improve and perfect, this can lead to extreme pickiness and finickiest. They are pure, their motives are honest never malicious and they want to accomplish something.
Any one else care to admit they read their horoscope?? :-)

Thursdays of Thanks

This Thursday, I am thankful for time.  Time is a fickle thing and how much time we are given is completely out of our control.  Actually, I normally hate references to time, so it is kind of funny I am now saying I'm thankful for it.  I am pretty much a perpetually late person...waking up, getting places, etc.  Most often, I like to take my time with things, whether it's spending time with someone, getting ready, working on a project, resting.  I really hate to rush because I feel like people are always so rushed and mostly, with doing things that aren't huge deals anyway (I know that's subjective, but...).  So, realizing that I am thankful for time was kind of a surprise.

Today though, I am thankful for the time with which I am blessed to spend with family and friends, to try to do things that make others happy, to try new things, to fail and succeed, to serve, to have time to heal hurts, to make the best decisions possible, to become the best person possible.  Without time, none of us could do any of those things and because I need to do all of them and so much more, I am anxious to use the time I am given to make the most of it.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace."

How do you like/want to make the most of your time?

Cake Pops Make Me Crazy

So, quite a few months ago, my friend Cindy clued me in to someone called "Bakerella."  I immediately fell in love and awe.  So, skip to the past two days when I have been trying to perfect the making of cake pops.  I like to try and perfect things within somewhere around two times of doing them.  Realistic? No. Does that stop me from wanting that?  No.  Well, cake pops are no different. 

I am probably one of the last people to get on the cake pops bandwagon, but nevertheless, I have jumped on and luckily many people are driving the wagon so there is plenty of advice to be found.  But, instead of reading all of that first (why would I take the time to do that if I didn't know if I would need it?!), I just dove in to making them.  Guess what I found?  I should've read the advice first.

Anyway, after one batch going in the trash because they all fell off the lollipop sticks and the chocolate was awful, I spent at least an hour after reading Bakerella's advice, watching videos and reading comment after comment from others about what worked for them and what didn't.  And, I learned a lot. 

So, today I tried again.  I went on a mission for better chocolate, used less icing in the cake, made the balls smaller, cooled them for a longer time, added Crisco shortening to the melted chocolate and, voila!  The cake stayed on the sticks, the chocolate was pretty close to perfect and they don't look all that bad. And, as usual, they are really delicious.  But, right now, this is all about the looks! 



Some of the cake balls after being refrigerated.



My make-shift double boiler to melt the chocolate.

A cake pop

I have a long way to go and will never, ever expect to come close to doing what Bakerella is able to do, but I guess if I could, I would have a wonderfully selling book, hugely followed web site, etc., so that is why she is Bakerella and I am crazy in the kitchen.

Christmas Break

I have done so much and so much of nothing at the same time I have just confused myself.  The Christmas break was actually very busy, but I have been sick the entire time, so have been kind of floating (medicated) through the last two weeks. Battling bronchitis for the past four weeks and pleurisy for going on two weeks, I have done my share of sleeping, moaning and coughing so much I pulled a muscle in my neck and couldn't turn my head for three days!  But, in the midst of being sick, I was blessed to be in some beautiful places and spend time with many family members and friends, all for which I am thankful!  (Just praying no one gets mad at me for getting them sick!)  And, I have the comfort of knowing that what I have will go away...I know so many people live with sickness and pain each day and have no end in sight.

So, instead of writing too much (because if I tried to describe anything about my Christmas break, I would go on for days with many stories), I will post a few pics.

Hope everyone had a fun, safe and merry Christmas and kick off to 2011!

Home for Christmas week...so relaxing.

Practically a blizzard in North Carolina!! A beautiful White Christmas!

Amos in the snow for the first time and loving it!