What? You have Pictures? Who Knew!

Tomorrow is the beginning of the last month of the year.

Does anyone else think this year flew by us like a tornado?

Nope? Just me? Well, I, for one, DO!

I swear it was just yesterday that PB and I were sharing our first new year's kiss.

And now by golly it's quite nearly new year's again ....

I think there is a time muncher in my life.

I need to send Twelve hunting for it. (Hmmmm maybe after he finds that snipe ....)

On another note, it has been brought to my attention that I should spice up my posts with a few pictures.I'm a total lover of my camera. However, living alone leaves me with few things/people to photograph.Not to worry ... I have made it my new goal to take pictures of anything and everything I can think of.The idea is that soon the pictures on this blog won't ALL come from Pinterest (just most of them).

Here are a few random shots to wrap up Fall and usher in the Christmas season:

^^^ The view from my office window.

^^^ The Vols Band. Taken at the UGA/TN game.

^^^ Rockin' my red shoes.

^^^ Ah. My love.

And now this Wednesday is turning a bit crazy.

So, I'm off to face the music.

Have a wonderful day!

Sans Transportation ....

Last night, in the dark, dreary rain. I plowed into the back of a car.

And now my poor, sweet little green machine is broken.

As in, the law said I can't drive it, broken ...

Today was spent on the phone with my insurance agent, the towing company, a body shop, etc.

And needless to say I'm sans car for awhile.

I'm waiting [im]patiently for the adjustor to call me so that I can get the ball rolling on a rental car.

In the meantime, I'm borrowing my dad's ANCIENT mazda.

And did I mention that those silly weather peeps are calling for SNOW?!?!

Let's pray that the snow bypasses good ol' GA b/c you better believe us crazy Southerners do NOT do well with that cold, white fluffy stuff. And one broken car is all I can handle.

Tomorrow, I hope to be back to posting all kinds of craziness but today I'm just going to take a day off ...

Maybe I'll write to PB.

Dear PB,

I *beepity beeped* up my car.

She hates me now.

And I'm sans transportation.

But on a happier note, it's not snowing.

Love,

Babygirl

 

Oh my thankful thought of the day: Today, I'm thankful for CAR INSURANCE!!!

Twilight is NOT my jam ....

     1.  I really need to clean my kitchen .... I swear the dishes just magically appear :(

2.  What food makes you think of Christmas? Orange Pancakes. They're a tradition in my family. We have them for brunch on Christmas morning.

3.  If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what age would it be? Maybe the next age? I think I would like 25. I'd like to get there and then I can make this decision.

4.  What was your first paying job? I cut grass for a living in my younger days ...

5.  Have you read the Twilight series?  No. 

 

  

 

Back to the Grind ...

The Thanksgiving holidays rolled right on by.

I believe this goes down in the books as the best Thanksgiving to date.

It was about as drama free as our poor little family can make it.

However, my extended absence from blogland did result in a backlog of thankful thoughts.

So let's go ahead and get those out of the way ....

On Turkey Day, I was (and still am) thankful for Yummy Food!

Friday, I was (and still am) thankful for God's Neverending Love!

Saturday, I was (and still am) thankful for Freedom.

Sunday, I was (and still am) thankful for Modern Medicine.

Today, I am thankful for Christmas M&M's (It's an office tradition!)

The Day Before Thanksgiving ...

It is not even 10 AM, and I want to go home.

This is my last day of work before the 4 day weekend.

And I'm sick of being here.

There are 3 people on my hallway.

And less than 20 in this whole building.

My house is nearly cleaned.

And my sister is coming over this afternoon.

And then I get an early Turkey Day dinner tonight!

Yay, yay, yay! It's going to be a dingdang good day.

And to top it off, my trusty dusty mailbox spit out a beautiful letter yesterday.

And I smiled like a crazy person and danced around my kitchen in my socks.

My sweet boy is settled and doing alright. He sent me enough info to calm nerves and keep me from going into "I-must-control-all-things" mode. I did mention that he is amazing, didn't I? No? Well, he certainly is.

Today is 5 beautiful months for us. So, it was a super happy surprise to see his scrawly cursive writing on that envelope. And the other happy surprise is that I am going to surprise PB by visiting him in Chester! He doesn't know it yet, but I'm pretty stoked. I'm totally working out the details today.

Turns out Thanksgiving isn't so bad after all :)

I have a whole heckuva lot to be thankful for.

Today, I'm definitely thankful for my sweet, amazing, wonderful boyfriend.

He rocks my world, and I'm so thankful that God blessed me with him.

In case, I don't make it back on here tomorrow. Have a Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!!

Oh What A Day!

Things I Learned from My Boss' Daughter Today:

1. Communication is KEY!

2. First Impressions are EVERYTING!

3. If you make Daddy mad, he is less likely to like the bum who is trying to steal his precious daughter ...

Apparently, J (my boss' daughter) has a new boyfriend. And she apparently led her father to believe that she wanted him to meet Dad so badly that she was bringing him by the office today. Well, Dad called/texted J throughout the day. And by 4:00 PM was sincerely worried about J's safety and equally pissed at new boyfriend. J called about 10 minutes ago to try to clear up the confusion, but I'm afraid the damage is done. I almost feel sorry for her. Introducing your Prince Charming to your parents is never easy ...

My parents nearly had heart attacks when I told them I was dating PB ...

So, from now on I'll push for Communication & Good Impressions :)

Good Ol' Family

Thanksgiving is sneaking up on me like a sneaky ol' snake! Is this happening to anyone else?

I'm sitting in a deserted office wishing that I was home tidying up for the arrival of my sibling.

Good ol' turkey day always puts me in a funk. I'm so very thankful for all the blessings in my life.

Unfortunately, Thanksgiving is less about being thankful and more about family.

I love my family. I do. But I could do without gathering them all in the same room to stuff our guts.

I'm only close to one side of my family. 

The other makes me want to run away from home more often than not.

Do you have any family members that make you want to pull your hair out?

PB's family is just as quirky as my own, but I don't have to go see them for Turkey Day since PB is not home.

I'm not sure if that is a blessing in disguise or a reason to be a bit sad.

Either way the countdown to "stuff-your-face"-athon is ON!

Two short days before the fun begins.

And the countdown to my super awesome sibling's arrival is even shorter ...

She'll be home TOMORROW!!!

I'm super excited. I haven't see my sibling in over a month.

And with PB gone and Twelve in another state, I've been missing her even more!

And on that note, I'm going to get my thankful on:

Today I'm thankful for my crazy extended family.

Oh my, it's Monday!

The weekends always slip by me before I know it.

This past weekend I caught the sick disease and have been attempting to kill it with Orange Juice and sleep.

Today, I'm feeling a tad bit better, so I'm back at work for what is bound to be the LONGEST three day week EVER! And on that note it's time for a few thankful thoughts ...

Saturday, I was (and still am) thankful for my cell phone.

Sunday, I was (and still am) thankful for Ingles Deli!

Today, I am thankful for Student Holidays!

Bell Bottoms & Birds

Friday, oh how I love you! Tonight I'm hitting the town one last time with the guy who has become my best friend. Tomorrow he will pack up his worldly belongings and move home to South Carolina. I will miss him dearly, but I know that this move will be super beneficial for him (and maybe even for me too). But before we paint the town red, I'm taking the time to link up with three lovely ladies who make my Fridays ROCK! So, visit their blogs and join in on the fun. It is Friday after all!

1. Do you have a go to song that always puts you in a good mood? I have lots of "good mood" songs. A whole playlist even ... but the one that comes to mind is definitely this one.

2. Are you a real Christmas tree kinda person or do you go with a real fake one? We're getting a real one this year! (for the first time in a few years ...) I'm stoked!

3. What are you thankful for? My Savior and His love for me, my family, my sweet boyfriend, my awesome friends, my wonderful job, my cute little house, God's provision, and the list could go on forever. I'm so very, very blessed!

4. Which fashion fad from the past do you wish you could wear today? I think the only fashion fad that I have truly loved FOREVER would have to be bell bottoms and platform shoes. They are downright awful, but I so love them!

5. Do you wait until the "low fuel" light comes on before you fill up the gas tank? I used to ALWAYS fill my tank up when the needle hit 1/4 a tank, but gas prices have forced me to resort to waiting on that silly fuel light. I do a lot of praying that my car will make it to the nearest gas station.

1.   A nervous habit I have is     biting my nails, biting my lower lip, or twirling a curl around my finger   .

2.   Something that makes me sad is   the lack of concern that is becoming apparent in our youth group     .

3.  Today I am thankful for   reassurance, love, and socks    .

4. My favorite room in my house is    my kitchen because it is the room that almost looks finished and I spend a good deal of time in there making my house smell good   .

5.  I can't stand    people being downright rude  .

6.  If I had an extra $100 to spend on whatever I wanted today I would    set up a collect call account via my cell phone and buy the necklace I've been looking at for my sister's graduation gift .

7.  The last person I hung out with was    my teenagers on Wednesday ...  .

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.       I love the smell of baking bread!
2.       When I fly, I think I am a bird [lol I've never been on a plane so if I were flying I would be a bird ...]
3.       I don’t like Thanksgiving but I feel like I should.
4.       My favorite color is blue.

Thankful Thought # 18: YOU!

Yes ... You! The one reading this RIGHT NOW! I'm so thankful for your sweet comments, for the time you take to read my thoughts, for the life that God has given you. I may not know you, but I am still so very thankful for you!

Day 100: Life is Good

Day 100

Today is day 100. And at this moment I am no closer to a countdown than I was at Day 1. I know now that this adventure is a full out rollercoaster. I know that there are probably going to be both good and bad days for the duration of this, but that's life. Today is good. I'm feeling very much like myself today. I'm standing on my own two feet. I miss PB dearly, but I'm finally coping. My best friend who has been my crutch throughout the past 100 days is moving out of state tomorrow. And so begins another chapter in the life of Babygirl. 

As of today I have not had any contact with PB in a week and a half. It's been a bit rough, but overall it has been good for me. There are times when I need to stand on my own two feet. This is one of them. On Day 100, I'm certain that I chose the right life for me. I'm confident in my love for PB, and I am thankful for every moment we have had together. You want a quick summary? Day 100 = Life is inherently good, and I am making the most of it. My love for PB is growing by leaps and bounds daily. And I pray the countdown will soon commence. Stay tuned for that. I'll be celebrating in some crazy style when that day comes :)

Get Thankful ... And Then Get Crunk!

Dang! Yesterday, I totally forgot to post my thankful thought.

But today I'm jumping right on that [before I forget] ...

Yesterday I was (and still am) thankful for surprises!

And today I am thankful for guidance (in all forms).

Now I command thee to JAM!!!

The Night I Nearly Died: A Story of Melodrama

This post would be super enhanced by a few photos 

However my camera is currently dismantled.

So, please feel free to use your imagination.

Anyhoo, last night I came home around 11:00 PM.

I climbed the stairs [a whopping THREE] to my little front stoop [not quite big enough to be a "porch"] with a basket full of laundry, a new bundt pan, and other odds and ends in my arms. All while talking on the cell phone ... Well, I apparently walked up the side of the stairs because I found myself on the very corner of my stoop when for some crazy reason I lost my balance. And due to the fact that I had way too much in my hands I couldn't do much except FALL! My stoop is not really close to the ground and my driveway is paved. So, I stumbled off the stoop into and crashed onto the driveway a few inches from my car. I'm sure it was a sight to behold, and there is a very good possibility that my sweet neighbors think I was stone cold drunk. I promise you ... I was not. I'm just super clumsy. Anyways, the pavement ate up my foot, knee, and elbows. And everything went flying .... So I loaded everything back up and hobbled back up the stairs straight to my bathroom. I dropped everything [including that cell phone] in the living room floor and hit the tub to wash off any dirt in my new wounds. After cleaning my scrapes and scratches, I collapsed on the side of the tub and willed away the tears [because I'm a total wimp like that]. After a considerable amount of time I remembered that I had been talking on the phone so I hobbled back into the living room, picked up the phone, and the fool on the other side of the phone was still telling some long *beep* story like nothing had happened. I sat down on the floor and laughed till I cried. The poor fool didn't even realize that I nearly died. And since he doesn't know this blog exists he'll probably never even know :)

New Leaves & Sandals ...

Have I mentioned that my boss and I have turned over a new leaf?

Well, we have. 

I started working here about 6 months ago, and quickly realized that my boss is moody at best.

I found that the overall mood of my day hinged on whether or not she was in a good mood.

And life on the job quickly deteriorated. 

Thankfully, last Friday the two of us sat down for a heart to heart.

And this week it's been so far so good.

I sincerely hope that this trend of awesome attitudes continues.

And due to the fact that today is lovely in every way, I thought I would go ahead and post my thankful thought before I started in on a post filled with emotions that are probably not as happy ....

Today, I am thankful for a burst of warm weather that allowed me to come to work in my sandals.

My poor little scraped up, bruised up feet say THANK YOU!!!

The Dish Fairy Visited Me!

This weekend snuck up on me ....

So, I'm doing a little backtracking on this fabulous Monday.

Honestly, this Monday is anything but fabulous.

But hey aren't we supposed to be thankful even on sucky days?!?!

So, let's get thankful.

Saturday [Day 12]: I was/am thankful for the good memories that wrap themselves around me and make me feel less lonely on days spent at home by myself.

Sunday [Day 13]: I was/am thankful for the good friend who came over and washed all my dishes for me. I swear he is secretly the dish fairy.

Today [Day 14]: I'm thankful for the flexibility of my job.

And now I'm headed out to attend a funeral.

And then I'm taking the rest of the day to get my ducks in a row.

Here's hoping that today is a GOOD mail day!

I could use a letter. 

Pseudo Nieces/Nephews are the Best!

1. What's the last thing you spent too much money on? Groceries. Sad but true. I wish it had been something super awesome, but no it was just my crazy baking that killed my budget.

2. What celeb chef would you want to make you dinner? I'm going to Google celeb chefs and get back to you on this. Well, crap, my Google attempts did not produce any super hot celeb chefs .... So I'm going with Paula Deen because what girl doesn't love Southern cooking and butter. And Paula would crack me up the whole time!

3. Where do you hide things when visitors pop over or do you let them see the real deal? That depends on how much notice I have. If they call at all, then you better believe I hide things in every closet, cabinet,  cubby hole I can find. But if that doorbell rings without any notice then what you see is what you get.

4. Who is your oldest living family member? In my immediate family, my Grandpa. I have a few great aunts who are older than him, though.

5. What is your favorite DQ treat and/or Sonic drink combo (ie: cherry vanilla Dr. Pepper)? I've yet to be brave enough to try a Sonic drink combo, so I'll just give you my tried and true DQ treat. Midnight Truffle Blizzard. Rich. Chocolate. Yum!

 

 

 

 

 

 1.   My favorite new blog of the moment is   The Happy Housewife   .

2.   Something I am thankful for is   pseudo nieces and nephews. Especially the newborn ones. PB's sister just had a sweet baby boy! And I'm so thankful for him and my two sweet nieces via PB      . <---- This counts as my Thankful Thought #11!

3.  Something that made me laugh this week was   Failbook. It totally makes me giggle. See example below   .

 

 

4. An item that is currently on my wish list is    a loveseat. My poor living room is currently without seating ... .

5.  I am excited about    a chill weekend! And good food tonight ....

6.  If I were a color I would be    peach. [A] I already am pretty much peach! [B] Being from GA, I'm often called a peach. [C] It has no major gender ties. [D] It's pretty awesome! .

7.  My favorite way to spend a chilly fall day is by   sitting on freezing cold bleachers bundled up so that only my eyes are visible watching my Dawgs beat the tar out of someone .

 

 

 

1. My first car was a Nissan Maxima
2. I find a leisurely stroll very relaxing
3. Red roses make me think of Valentine's Day.
4. Next year, Sibling and I will host a Christmas party.

 

 

 

 

Chapter 3: Chester

Day 92

Just when you think you're done with transitions.

Just when you think life will return to normal.

Just when you think you have it all figured out.

Life throws you a curveball.

I do believe this is meant to keep me on my toes.

My personal curveball is also the beginning of chapter 3.

See, I thought chapter 3 would be the one where PB & I are finally in the same space together again.

But apparently our story has more chapters than I realized.

It's a relief to know that I'm not in charge of writing this book.

And it is certainly a joy to watch how God works, but some days I admit to being taken aback when I am caught off guard.

Chapter 3: Chester

A few short weeks ago I was in the middle of a transition certain that I wouldn't be waiting in limbo again until it was all over, but I'm not in charge. And it seems that God had plans for PB in Chester. So, to Chester he went. And now I'm waiting patiently (or not so patiently) for communication to begin again. PB is certain this is truly the last transition until he comes home. I admit to not being as certain. I'm leery after this abrupt and completely unexpected [for me] transition. (How many times can I put transition in a post? Someone count for me.) The reality of even more distance between us is a difficult one for me to take in. I am well aware that distance is just a number and it doesn't matter how big or small that number is. Distance is still distance, but for some reason when the number of miles is larger it seems a little harder to bear. But enough of this "Oh look at me I'm super depressed" talk. Let's move on to today's thankful thought.

Today, I'm thankful for:

THE USPS!!!

^^^^ they are my main link to PB most days. And I am so super thankful for them :)

 

Did you say doughnuts?

Today is a downright wonderful Wednesday.

I have lost count of what day it is ....

I no longer know what the end of my countdown will be ....

Lol it's the end of the world as I know it ....

And I feel fine :)

It's not literally the end of the world ...
I just thought it was amusing.
Anyhoo, there is a box of doughnuts sitting on my desk taunting me today. [Thanks, Bossman!]
However, it is the beginning of a few days of somewhat freedom.
Most of our faculty are headed out to a conference so our office will be super quiet!
And I could probably think of a million other awesome things to write about but they will wait till another post.
For now, it's thankful thought time.

Today, I'm thankful for:
Quiet Days & Doughnuts

Rumors ain't always bad!

Tuesday. Might have been Bluesday ...

But then I got a letter!

And a letter filled with good news from a much happier PB.

There are rumors that this living apart think might be over soon than I had hoped.

But alas for now they are just rumors.

Anyways, today I am thankful for:

HOPE!

I had begun to lose mine, but thankfully my hope is in Christ.

And He never lets me down.

Day 7 is a Monday ...

Mondays. Are not my favorite days typically.

However, this Monday I am feeling much better than I have in a while. 

I'm learning to turn over the burdens of my current situation to God.

He is master of everything and has it all under control.

Which cuts down on my worrying and stressing.

Overall a wonderful choice!

Today's thankful thought:

I'm thankful for delicious leftovers and magically appearing forks :)

And again I say ... Thank You!

Today I'm thankful for my amazing church family. I'm so thankful that when I walk in on Sunday mornings it's like coming home. I'm thankful that they love me, and that I feel comfortable enough to open up there. Another, thing I'm thankful for today is without a doubt the peace God has put in my heart. I'm so thankful for His blessings every day! And today I'm especially thankful that He carries my burdens! 

Day 5: Le Thankful Heart

Did you think I had forgotten that today is Day 5 of Thankfulness?!?!?

Well, I didn't! Today has been a wonderful day filled with baking and all things kitchen.

My Dawgs won the homecoming game :) And I'm totally rocking Denim eyeliner just for the heck of it!

Now onto to the main show ...

That's Miss Batty to You!

1. What movie do you love to quote? The Sandlot [a classic!]

In my house the line "You got it .... AHHHHHHH!" is used a heckuva lot.

2. Have you ever ridden a motorcycle? No. Though PB is always swearing he will get me on the back of his. We'll see ....

3. What's your favorite thing to do on a rainy day? Stay in bed [preferably cuddled up next to PB]

4. Do you prefer a bunch of small gifts, or one really big, (expensive) gift? I'm a "more is more" girl. I'm not looking for a great big price tag, but I love getting more than one gift!

5. Do you ever lose track of days and show up somewhere wrong? This sounds like something I would do. I can't recall a time when I actually did, but it sure sounds like me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.   My favorite thing about this week was/is  stocking up on discounted Halloween candy!!!

2.   Colder weather makes me  a wee bit unhappy. I much prefer my scorching hot summers.

3.  Three things that make me terribly happy as of late are   fantastic deals, handwritten letters, and my teenagers  .

4. If I could only wear one kind of shoe for the rest of my life, I'd choose    flip flops. My boss would just have to get over it   .

5.  My personality type is   sporadic and a wee bit insane. I'm demanding, giving, bossy, extroverted and at times antisocial.

6.  I have a serious problem resisting     chocolate and sales .

7.  My favorite color to wear is   red on Fridays .

1.       I have never been to a tattoo parlor even though a few friends of mine owned one for a while.
2.       I hate to admit it, but sometimes I tend to be clingy or needy. It pisses me off!
3.       If I didn’t have Google Maps I’d be completely lost literally
4.       Feeling like I accomplished something is always the best feeling at the end of the day

 Free Food!!! (or my job whichever is socially acceptable to be thankful for ...) How about free food AT my job!!! Score!