THE READER

This is the year for reading! I began 2010 keeping a list of books I read this year. I have a log on the right side of the blog of my list, with the most recent on top.

I have noticed several bloggers doing the same thing. I am so excited because I have read so many books that I am about out of ideas. I have kept my reading to what and who I know so that has become the problem. I don't want to purchase books and then not like them.

A few years ago I gave up soap operas (did it as a fast and never went back) and trashy novels (Danielle Steele, etc), I have not went back to watching soap operas but I do pick up a Steele when they come out in paperback. I used to run to Sam's Club everytime her newest book came out in hardback. I gave them up for Beverly Lewis, Karen Kingsbury, and other christian authors which I love. The problem is I have read everything they have written along with a few others.

Some of my other favorites are Nicholas Sparks, John Grisham, and Dee Henderson. As you can tell I am a lover of love stories and sappy novels.

The Bible! The one book I want and think I should be reading. I feel guilty for not reading the Bible all the way through when I read all these other books but I struggle with this every year and every year I tell myself I am going to make it.  Do you do that? I am not a morning person and would love to devote a few minutes each morning to a quiet time of meeting him in his word. I will start and last a couple of days.  HATE THIS! I usually only read at bedtime and that is when I need to relax and reading helps me to foget about the days troubles or worries and takes me to another place. It really doesn't relax me because if it is a good book I have trouble putting it down to sleep and end up reading til midnight or later. The Bible however is something I need to read slowing and meditate on!

Have you read the Bible? Did you do it with a reading plan or just straight through?

I love to read and every now and then I will do a book review on something I have read.

What are you reading?

I need recommendations!

Blessings,
Pam

THRIFTY TUESDAY

My sweet little Mama was in the area near my office today so she came and took me out to lunch. It was early and I really wasn't hungry so we stopped into a new Goodwill . I found this plate and cup that I thought would be perfect for Easter.

I don't think they are a set but I think they will work great for some sort of dip and chips. We did stop into Krispy Kreme for a donut and coffee before I went back to work so that we could visit. We don't see each other like this enough! I enjoyed it.

WHERE DID THE WEEKEND GO?

My weekend didn't start off worth a flip. I came home an hour early from work on Thursday with a migrane that lasted 24 hours. I did not get out of bed from about 4:30 on Thursday until 3pm on Friday, except to call into work Friday morning and to do Coco's hair before she went to school. Friday night we did a whole lot of nothin!

Saturday was a different story. It was Girl Scouts Thinking Day and we went around the world. Each troop sponsored a country to learn about and our theme this year was TOGETHER WE CAN END EXTREME POVERTY AND HUNGER. Each attendant brought food for a local food pantry and they got to visit each country. At each booth they had a food, craft, giveaways about their country.

Our troop chose France. Oui Oui we did. I was great fun.

Our board about France. The Scouts in France are split up more by religious groups than just regular scouts. They still do a lot of the same things as us and their promise and law are close to what ours is, maybe a little more strict than us Americans.

Only 6 of my girls got to go and they had a blast. We had supplies to make France flags, gave out crossiants and Eiffel Tower pins.

Their a great group of girls and some have been together since Kindergarten Daisys.

We have also been up to our ears delivering cookies. Selling cookies is how the troops fund their fun and adventures so if you can please support the girls in your area by buying some cookies. If we still need to get yours to you, we will continue delivering this week.

Today we had a good church service, ate lunch at On the Border (all you can eat enchiladas for $7.99) yummy. Just what we needed before we start the diet on Monday. After lunch we took Mamie a milkshake to the nursing home. She enjoyed seeing Coco, she is not as happy when it is just me or Scott coming to see her. She just lights up when Coco is with us, even though she can't really see her. The poor dear can't see or hear, both have gotten worse over the past year. She thinks she is getting alzheimers because she can't remember which kids belong to who, but she told us stories about the tornado of 1947 and how her friend was thrown up into a tree still sitting on her couch. I like to listen to her stories and it makes me miss my Grandma even more.

Tomorrow is back to work week, another day another dollar!

SHE CAN SEE

My baby got her glasses today. She was so excited to get them. They are only for reading and computer work for now. The doctor thinks that as her eyes continue to grow they will adjust with the glasses faster.

She looks so smart and studious! I think all kids wanted glasses and braces when I was growing up.

Did you?

Coco is really proud of them and can't wait to go to school tomorrow.

She picked out the cutest little plaid frames. They are adorable and I hope they help her get that reading grade up. No more excuses!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

FROM ME AND CHICK FIL A

SERIOUSLY, THIS WAS MY CHICKEN SANDWICH AT CHICK FIL A LAST WEEKEND.

 I AM SURE IT WAS NOT ON PURPOSE, JUST A LITTLE LOVE JUST FOR ME!

TODAY HAS NOT BEEN THE VALENTINES YOU DREAM OF!

LOTS OF CHERATUSSIN AND SLEEP FOR ME

SCOTT BROUGHT ME AND COCO FLOWERS THIS MORNING.

SUCH A SWEET HEART!

VERY THANKFUL FOR HIM

VALENTINES DAY PARTY

Today my sister and I hosted a Valentines luncheon for the ladies in our family. We wanted to do something special and it was a good reason to get together. We had it in Tammy Lou's church or the house the church uses for sunday school and such.

We first watched a Chondra Pierce DVD. Oh my she is so funny. I have had the dvd for awhile and never watched it.

We served 2 different kinds of soup, ham and turkey sandwiches, cream cheese brownies and cookies.

Then we played Valentine swap  (same as dirty Santa). We all got wonderful gifts and had a fantastic time!

Some photos of our day

Our Valentine tree!

Aunt Diane was named Queen of Valentines

Our beautiful Mama

The whole crowd!

Still all stuffy and I afraid my Valentines day companion is going to be Kleenex with lotion. I am carrying it from room to room. Thanks for the prayer Rhonda, I hope your boys feel better soon!

HAVE A HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

WISHING I COULD BREATHE NORMALLY

Caught a cold somewhere!

All stuffed up!

Feel like the woman on Nyquil commercial or the one where the head blows up like balloon!

Hate breathing through my mouth cuz my nose is all stuffy!

Wishing I had one of those baby bulb thingy!

I am desperate at this point!

Netting pot won't even work!

Just wanted to whine a little!

Feeling sorry for me??

Thanks

CRYSTAL BRIDGES

Saturday afternoon Coco and I ventured out to go to the crafty cottage. It didn't open until 3pm so we decided to kill some time. We went to Chick Fil A for lunch and then stopped in to the new museum in Bentonville. It is currently housed in the old library building while they construct the actual museum site.

The exhibit currently showing is Heroes in Horticulture. I was not so impressed with that but they did have a interactive childrens section that we enjoyed.

The sweetest lady was working at the Massey and told us how to get to the site where they are building. She warned us that it is a 1/4 mile to the overlook.

Even in the cold we bundled up and took off down the trail. It was such a gray day that Coco was a little leary of us being out on this trail all alone. It is in the middle of town with houses all around but still kinda creepy on a cloudy gray day.

We had to cross this beautiful bridge, made to look old.

We didn't make it to the overlook but here you can see through the trees, the construction site.

She wanted to turn around before we made it to the overlook so we did and then we met 4 different runners on the way back. I can't wait to go back in the spring to use the trail for a photoshoot of Coco. It is going to be amazing once it is finished. They are going to have some famous artifacts and art.

Coco also joined the Crystal Kids Club. She got a journal and for each exhibit there will be pages she can add. All for free!

Coco couldn't understand why it would be free admission. It probably won't be once the official site is open.

We didn't get near the snow that they expected or if we did it melted once it hit the ground. I am very glad but the temps have dropped and it is still snowing/sleeting here. The roads might be nasty tomorrow.

I am reading the The Friday Night Knitting Club right now so I am going to go read for awhile before going to sleep.

Night Night blogging buddies

Pam

NW ARKANSAS WEATHER

We have had more snow this year than I ever remember before.

Snow on our patio table. I think we ended up with 8 inches last weekend.

This is on my way to work one morning this past week. I was stuck in traffic for 45 minutes due to the fog. While I waited I took some pictures. I love the fog in the distance.

See the fog in the woods. So cool. I didn't know if it would show up in the photos, glad it did.

Friday we had more snow. It didn't end up with any accumulation, the flakes were huge.

I think we are expecting more snow and winter weather tonight and tomorrow.

I am ready for spring. I have had enough

CRAFTY FUN AND A FREE CLASS

One of my favorite stores for gifts, inspiration and scrapbooking supplies Signed Sealed and Delivered had a couple of FREE workshops in January. The first one was a Valentine theme. I didn't take any photos.

The second one was birthday party theme. Below are some of the photos. I learned so much in just a short hour lunch break.

If you have been into the store you have seen these big humongous bows on the backs of chairs. She taught us how to make them from scratch. This was the first layer. Just tying the big netting on to the chair.

Then she used the tails from the first section to tie on bows bows and more bows. Isn't it beautiful for a party to tie one on the birthday girls chair or even on all your chairs. That could get expensive since 1 roll of this is $14.99 but you can get some colors at OOPS and Ato Z in Alma.

She then started on the tablescape. I love this colorful wrapping paper but it is like 13.99 a yard so it would have to be a very important party. It looks so good though.

She kept layering and layering. Starting with something tall and working down to the table so that your eye travels downward instead of all over the place. She was setting this up for the shop so you wouldn't normally put a ton of stuff on the table like this.

See the little dog, that is a invitation and she says she usually puts the invitation on the table as decoration since you probably spent time and money making them.

This is the place setting. She started with scrapbook paper that she had trimmed with the scalloped edges. Again layering.

I loved this iron piece of cake. They have lots of metal decor that is soooooo cute!

This is a treat bag she made up. The bottom is a bucket that she found after Christmas. She kept telling us to shop the after season sales with a open mind because so many things can be used in other seasons. Like these buckets or red items from Christmas can be used for Valentines. It was a lot of fun and they did the class for free.

If you are local check out SSD! I am not marketing for them, this is totally just customer feedback!

Blessings,

Pam

0 TO 21

What is 0 to 21????

The basketball score from Coco's tournament game tonight. The poor girls didn't make 1 basket. They tried so so hard too! I am a terrible sports Mom or maybe a great one. I really wanted to go and knock down #42 myself! These girls on the other team were RUDE! Yes RUDE! They would come from nowhere and steal that ball, like nobody's business. Well Scott says that is what you are supposed to do so then I started yelling for our girls to steal it and take it away from them, knock em down, trip em, lay em out flat. Ok so maybe I was just thinking some of those things but it is a good thing we don't have to play them again or I might just have to swing my purse over my shoulder as I am walking past #42!

Oh I am just kidding I would never do that! :)

We played at 8pm in Springdale after having a Girl Scout meeting from 6pm - 7pm. Yes we have had quite the evening. It did end on a sweet note. Nana and Papa came to the game and took us out for ice cream afterwards. I had the yummiest brownie sundae with chocolate ice cream, hot fudge, pecans and whipped cream. That was my supper so I don't feel quite so guilty.

The Girl Scouts worked on earning their Traveler badge. We discussed traveling safely, places we could go, different types of money used in other countries, and we made a list of where we would take a alien from another planet visiting Earth for the first time. In Girl Scouting we have a Thinking Day in February where we spend time thinking about our sister scouts all over the world. We have chosen France to focus on this year. So for the next couple of weeks we will be learning all about France. BONJOUR, OUI OUI, MERCI

I tried to post some photos but couldn't get them to load so I just gave up! Maybe it will work tomorrow. I still haven't posted my snow scenes.

Off to bed
Blessings,
Pam