Day 381: Just Peachy

Aha:
For the first time in my life I got canned...peaches that is!  My friend Mel came over and helped me figure out what the heck I was supposed to do and in about two hours I had 12 pint jars and about 8 smaller freezer bags full of fresh peaches.  Helloooo food storage (that is if I can avoid eating them right away)!

Ha ha:
You know you've lived in the hot and humid Midwest long enough when you see this and think, "Ah, it's finally nice and cool outside!"

After all of the 100+ degree days and high humidity, mid 80s to mid 90s feels so amazing I've had to pull out my cardigans again! Ha!

Day 195: The Gospel of Puke

Aha:
Day 10 of 10 in listing 100 things for which I'm grateful:
Things about the Gospel:

1. Tithing, I can't afford to NOT pay it!
2. Visiting Teaching
3. The Scriptures
4. General Conference
5. President Uchtdorf (not only is he handsome to look at, but he writes the most wonderful talks!)
6. Temple Covenants
7. The Holy Ghost
8. The Atonement
9. Focus on the Family
10. Eternal Families

Ha ha:

Who has two thumbs and used them to shovel copious amounts of food into her face today?...THIS girl!  I felt like the hungry, hungry caterpillar, or the little engine that could but shouldn't.  Here is my intake for today--again, this is more sad than funny.

4 egg whites, 2 giant mugs of hot cocoa, 2 apples, 2 grilled cheese sandwiches, a giant salad, a large handful of cheerios, a couple mini Reese peanut butter cups, some Nacho Cheese Doritos, a handful of carmel puffs (like carmel corn but with corn puffs instead--supremely delicious), a bite of a lemon square and a berry kringle, about 1/2 slice of peanut butter pie (made with cool whip and an Oreo crust--don't get me started on how amazing it is), some blueberries; 1 1/2 bread sticks, 2 plates of salad and 2 bowls of chicken gnocchi soup from Olive Garden, an Andes mint, and an ice cream cone from McDonalds.

I believe the answer to all of your questions is "no".  

No, I'm not pregnant.  

No, I'm not on my period or PMS-ing.

No, I was not trying to induce a diabetic coma.  

No, I was not in an eating contest.

No, I'm not proud of myself.

and finally

No, I'm not hungry right now.  Although, ask me again in 5 minutes and that answer may very well change. :)

Day 155: Lessons

Aha:
1.  My lesson went better than I could have hoped for.  It was based off of a talk given in the April 2011 General Conference by Carl B. Pratt of the Seventy, titled "The Lord's Richest Blessings".  The talk is about the blessings that come from paying our tithing.  This was a great topic for me, because if I have a testimony of anything, it's of tithing.  I had the opportunity to reflect on the blessings that have come into my life because of paying my tithing.  Here are just a very few:
Employment, money to buy what we need, peace of mind, increased faith, trust in the Lord that if I do what He asks I'll be blessed, a good-working car, generosity of others towards us, an ability to help others, food storage, testimony and the necessities of life.
My list could go on and on.
2.  Christmas moment:  When I came home from choir practice this afternoon, Clinton had already turned on our Christmas lights (I love coming home to our decorations all being on).  We have a string of stars in our front window and as I saw them gleaming, I couldn't help but think about the star that led the wise men to the baby Jesus.  I loved realizing that I had a symbol of that star in my window and that my little stars are showing others that I'm a believer!

Ha ha:
I sent out a mass email to some members of my ward inquiring if anyone wanted to participate in the Christmas Sacrament program in a couple weeks.  Moments after sending the text, I got a call from my sister's mother-in-law wanting to know what I was talking about.  I told her I must have sent it by mistake and apologized.  We laughed a moment and then she asked, "Who is this?"  This time I laughed.  I told her who I was and told her that even though I'd sent the request to her by mistake, it was still good if she'd like to travel cross-country to sing in our ward.  She declined.

Day 149: Confections and Confessions

Aha:
I was trying to think of something from today and this little moment popped into my brain...
As Clinton and I were getting ready to purchase our groceries he asked, "Do we have enough sugar at home for the cranberry sauce?"  I chuckled and said, "Um, yah; I've got about 300lbs in the basement.  I think we can get away with not buying any today."
Yeehaw for food storage!!

Ha ha:
Total stranger did a double-take at me while walking down the hallway at work.  She turned around for the 3rd time and said, "You look a lot like someone I used to work with.  I had to look to make sure it wasn't her."  To which I promptly replied, "She must be pretty cute then!"  The great thing for me is she responded with "Yep!"
Either I just got a compliment or was hit on...I'm hoping for the first.