I Smile and decorate with MonsterCakes :)

My niece and nephews - the biscuit eaters :)

My two brothers,  Jeff is middle and Brad is the baby

My brother Brad new girlfriend, Cindi, LOVED HER!!

The three of us

My table :)

I Smile because it's not a big tree but I love to watch the lights

Smile at the color on my coffee table

Smile at the Refreshment table for Santa :)

Smiling at my UpperCase Living Words - turned out perfectly

Winter Bathroom

Smile each morning when I get ready for work

Aren't they adorable - my very FIRST outside decorations - Mr Man is still working on juice for them

Heathen and Mr Man playing "soccer"  I have to smile Heathen almost looks mean LOL

Christmas bedroom

Cute  bedding

Have you decorated? Hoping you find many smiles this week!!

Lady of Leisure - Right

Isn't this shirt the coolest thing? I got this for my birthday one year from my brother Jeff. I paired this with my cool gray cords scored from Target. I am now in desperate need of a pair of chocolate cords :) Kristine and I are going to Ross's on Friday so perhaps the Cord Fairy will make them available to me :) I have been very much at peace this week. I don't know if was getting to walk the Greenway both Friday and Saturday or the change over of the house that has settled me down. Well....like my grandma always says, "Never look a gift horse in the mouth" or something like that LOL I only have to through 3 weeks of work and then I am on a week long stay-cation - I am looking forward to that. I really enjoyed the four days off during this holiday. I could also in a great mood as the scale is moving or perhaps a combo of all or maybe the stars are just aligned right. Do you have your Christmas decorations up?

Back in the Groove

Happy Monday!!! After four days off from work it is going to be hard to get back in the groove of things. I thoroughly enjoyed my time off. I started cooking immediately when I got home from work on Wednesday until 2 am. My brother, Bradley, and his new girlfriend, Cindy, got to my house around 3 am. Then I was back up around 7:45 am to finish up the cooking. Cindy was a total pleasure to meet, she and I hit it off wonderfully!! Shelley came for dinner (YAHHH) and all the food turned out perfectly!! The menu consisted of turkey (courtesy of Kroger), homemade cornbread dressing, deviled eggs, broccoli and cheese casserole, squash casserole (new recipe YUM), mac and tomato cheese (new recipe ME LIKEY),  sauteed green beans with mushroom and onions (MY FAV) pumpkin pie, chocolate pie, and buttermilk pie. The setting was perfect except my smoke detector went off (no smoke around not sure why) and woke the whole house up :(  and Mr Man slept through the festivities requiring me and my guests to be quiet GRRRR

My grandma popped in for a minute to say hello and then around 4:30 pm my brother Jeff came by with 3 of his children. It was so nice having both my brothers for Thanksgiving. The weather was FAB so I got to walk on the Greenway Friday and Saturday LOVED IT ( I also managed to lose 3 lbs during the holiday) 152!! YAHH 22 away from my goal!!
House is all changed over for Christmas and I love it :) Did you have a great holiday?

I Smile with MonsterCakes

I Smile on my way to work and admiring God's handiwork - I'm alive and I have a job :)

I Smile on my walks on the Greenway - the pics don't give the same effect of the sun dancing on the water

 I Smile at my the fact that my hometown was created in 1785 and I can only imagine how life could have been back then -- could not imagine living without technology

 I Smile at the little break in the walks - almost like a cave or wait could a Troll be living in there? :)

I smile because it would be rude to not return the smile Mr Rock gives me each Saturday. Can you see the face?

I hope your week provides you many things to smile about!!!

Manic Monday

Monday was BUSY, ended up working 2 hours late and then scrambling to get my paper completed - finished at 11:00 pm - lunch still needed to be made. I like to be in bed by 10. I think I will miss school tonight so I can get some house cleaning done and maybe start making my pies so that Wednesday I just need to do my sides. I order my turkey from Kroger (not brave enough yet to make my own) but I make my own dressing and other sides and desserts. What is on your menu for the feast? Rain has set in Tenn so really fighting off the blah. I console myself in my cute scarves I am tying in my hair. :)

Thanksgiving Week

Had a pretty good weekend, got my hair done and walked on the Greenway. The weather is unseasonably warm and it was great walking weather. My knee is giving me problems I think I have aggravated it on the stairs at work, I hope it doesn't get worse and prevent me from walking. I am CONVINCED that walking has contributed greatly to my weight loss and I want to continue to lose. I have my menu planned for Thanksgiving - now to do the shopping. Hope you guys have a great week!!

Twilight Friday

HA this picture was actually taken when the sun came up :) Usually my pics are taken at 5:45 - 6:00 am and the sun isn't up, so happens this day I had a dentist appt and this was taken at 7:30 am. This is one of the reasons I do love my little modestly furnished house - the sun comes up in the front and the living room is bathed in sunshine. I LOVE SUNSHINE :) So my friend Tavie invited me to go to the movies with her and her friend Robyn, I haven't met her yet, and I was said yes. I know can you believe that I have stopped living like a hermit? I attribute this to all the working out I do, I have the energy to go plus Mr Man is working nights and well I have been lonely. So I have decided to stop turning down every invitation I get and start going - I still stay in "safe" environments and people that I am comfortable with. I don't generally attend big parties or go clubbing. Anxiety kicks in, I always feel a tad bit inadequate. I have no idea where that comes from but I think I am slowly coming out of it, maybe........Saturday I am getting my hair cut and gray colored and hopefully the weather will be nice enough for me to visit my peaceful Greenway. What are you plans for the weekend? Have a great one!!

Brown Eyed Girl

I know, ANOTHER brown outfit, I do like brown <sheepish grin>, it matches my brown eyes ;) Just Kidding :) I got this t-shirt/cardigan thingy at Target on the clearance rack and this is the second appearance and both times I haven't been thrilled with what I put with it. The tee underneath I got at Goodies - long, long time ago and I wore this in honor of Veterans Day, the jeans Belks, and shoes Catos. I don't know, I'm just not in love with cardigan thingy but I will keep pairing up with different things to see if maybe we can at least form a friendship.

Tick Tock time is getting closer to next week festivities. I have been looking through all my magazines looking for something new to try this year for Thanksgiving. Do you always cook the same things or try something new each year? Have a great day!!

I Smile with MonsterCakes

Dawn from my Bible Study made these cheesecake bites with Whip Cream and sent the left overs home with me = SMILE

Lack of leaves are revealing more water to walk by - I smile remembering that even though it felt like a dreary fall day
I felt  much needed peace



Look up in the tree - there is a bird's nest still there
I was trying to capture the herd of does that were running in the back but was not quick enough
the  nest brings an unexpected smile to this one



I Smile because looking at this picture reminds me of the soft sound of the water flowing as I walk over the little bridge

I Smile because Mr Man is there to take care of me and my car - replacing the headlight
required him to practically take it all apart - even though he grumbled at the design
he really didn't mind :)

Cord Weather

Could not wait to wear these brown cords that I picked up at Target. I liked them some much the next week I went and got me a gray pair that I think i will be sporting soon :) Man, this outfit looks HOT since the weather as of late has been balmy and windy but I kinda like the way it turned out - first glance of pic and i thought sure is A LOT of brown but second look kinda grew on me :) I adore this scarf!!

Cooler weather is headed our way. I can't believe that next week is Thanksgiving. I may have a full house this year :) My brother Bradley said he was coming in from KY with his new girlfriend, my daughter Shelley, my son-in-law might have to work, my grandma said she would stop by after she and my aunt and cousin go to Cracker Barrel and my brother Jeff said he might make an appearance. So this weekend will be menu planning and grocery shopping and cleaning :) I love to entertain and so does Heathen, he believe everyone has come to visit  him and I don't have the heart to tell him any differently :)  I think am hoping the holidays will pull me out of the funk that has grabbed hold of me. Are you getting excited about the holidays?

Sorry for Myself

Very proud of this outfit. My grandmother gave me this suit 3 years ago - too small and told me it was something to work towards - well...... I can FINALLY wear it - size 12 :) I just hope for Christmas she doesn't buy me size 6 - I'm more of an instant gratification girl :) Was a quiet weekend of staying  home and got my house put together looks so different a little cleaner. HA! Do you ever think about how your life turned out and have a slight twinge of disappointment? Today is one of those days that I could so easily wallow and feel sorry for myself and my lists of disappointments could go on and on and on. A sample of that list would include: I have a small, modestly furnished home, drive a mediocre car, empty bank account, disappointments with my job level, education level, and don't get me started on my non-Playboy-bunny body :) however, when I review the list, it's all pretty immaterial in the scheme of things. For the most part, I'm pretty content, I love my little house and all of this was brought on by taking a peek at the profile of an acquaintance on FaceBook whose appearance is what I would have liked to have had, she has a big fine home, and so on..... and for a moment I felt inadequate but then I remembered that God has a plan and life for all of us. I am still trying to understand my plan; however, I'm not uncomfortable, my home is small and cozy and little by little fixing it up but most of all it's mine, deed only has my name and can only be taken away away from me if I don't make the payments :) I have led a pretty charmed life and have a great relationship with my children and there certainly are people in a lot worse shape than me. Do you ever have moments that you compare yourself and you feel you come up short? How do you handle it?

Beware Goodwill Here I come

Wearing my new 'go-to" pants. I am feeling so skinny but these pictures are not reflecting how skinny I think I look but that is okay I just won't look at the pictures :P Today Kristine and I are hitting up Goodwill for lunch - she is on the hunt for a red jacket and I am looking for some cognac flat heeled boots. This will be the first weekend in awhile that I do not have plans and I am glad. Need some housecleaning & home time. I am still planning on hitting the Greenway for my walk. I am so inspired with my weight loss - ran into my trainer at the gym at lunch and she told I was looking good - love all this ego building :)  Wish me and Kristine luck on our Goodwill adventure. Hope you have a great weekend!!

Make the Best of It

This is what I wore to the Wicked show but I absolutely love this skirt. I really want some pants like this and Kristine told me the sought after pants are located at Kohls - I will need to go check them out.  I am also pleased that even though I indulged my old habit of emotional eating I still managed to lose point 2 lbs, the biggest thing I was pleased of is that I didn't gain any weight. YAHHH Still taking a deep breath and coming to terms with my "issue" but I am holding my head high and smile, smile, smile because I can not make any changes at the moment and I believe that is does not make any to be miserable; therefore, doing my best to make the best of it.  How do you get through uncomfortable or unpleasant situations?

I Smile with Monstercakes

I Smile remembering my fun out with these lovely ladies - eating a FAB dinner and seeing Wicked

 I smile at my walk on the Greenway - the colors are so pretty

 This is my favorite part of the Greenway with all that green - I imagine as I walk buy that there are little fairy houses inside the green and this is the village - I long to run inside and have some tea

 Do you see the fairy houses?

 See the openings for the doorways? This would have  been a perfect playing place for me a child

 This part of the Greenway is by the water - I imagine my ancestors the Native Indians with their Tee pees along the bank with a fire and children running around playing

 This is bittersweet for me - while I love the modern technologies - this is a reminder of the intrusiveness on nature for my comfort

 Tee pee and Native Indians -

The leaves floating in the water are soothing to me as well

May your week bring lots of imagination and childlike pleasures and smiles :)

Bell Curve vs Super Star

I remembered something today that actually is a soothing thought to me in light of my current situation. Statistics and the Bell Curve. The Bell Curve is defined by Investopedia (n. d.) as, "The highest point in the curve, or the top of the bell, represents the most probable event. All possible occurrences are equally distributed around the most probable event, which creates a downward-sloping line on each side of the peak" (para 1). The bell curve to me represents my life or performance which is currently somewhere in the middle of the curve which is actually not a bad thing. The way I see it (Stacey Logic), the numbers on the left represent negative performance - don't want to be there - the numbers on the right represent extremely high performance - most desired position; however, that position is hard to maintain consistently but if I am performing in the middle at the bell curve that means that I'm consistent and the backbone of the goal not the "super star" because after all consistent performance keeps everything afloat. How do you feel you are doing? Are you the Super Star, Bell Curve, or low performer?

Landing on my Feet

Still braving these pants :)

Flower necklace to match my flower blouse

Friday was an interesting day of extremely lows and extremely highs, half of the day was spent in tears and the other half was spent with huge smiles and in awe. The highs were spent going to dinner with some good friends and seeing the show Wicked. O-M-G Wicked was absolutley WONDERFUL!! I must quote Glenda the Good Witch to describe the first half of my day, "OH MY I didn't get my way - I must go lie down" :) of course I'm making light of the first half but  I have to do something to come to terms with what I believe to be a horrible and traumatic experience and I am thinking of ways to remedy my situation as there is one thing that I know for sure - I always land on my feet and should I fall, I never count it because I get back up. The weather was gorgeous for my walk on Saturday but I hav eaten like you would not believe - so much that I made myself sick. AHHH I seem to have be emotional eating and I thought I had that under control -- but I have pulled myself together and back on track again.Thanks to Wicked, the Greenway, and great friends that spent time with on Friday and Saturday. Got some really cool stuff from UpperCaseLiving :) I can't tell you everything because I know Shelley reads my blog and Santa made me promise not tell her :P What do you do to deal with situations that are horrid to you? May you have week of extremely highs but if not if you do not land on your feet, get back up quickly, do a quick SWOTT analysis and set your action plan in motion....