{Thirty One Things~Jewelry}

I am a huge fan of Ali Edwards. I have followed her blog for years, done Week in the Life, December Daily Albums, etc. I haven't ever taken one of her classes though. When I saw her 31 Things class start up, I thought it looked like something I might want to do. It's a project focusing on telling 31 stories. I signed up at Big Picture Classes. (There's still time to sign up if you are interested in telling 31 stories about your life.) Ali sends us a prompt everyday and then we write about it. Now, MAY is the WORST time for me to begin anything new---but, I just decided TO DO IT! It started today. I was totally shocked when I saw the topic---JEWELRY. My immediate thought was, "You've GOT to be kidding me!" But, I thought on it off and on during the day and sat down for a few minutes between school and an evening event I had and wrote the majority of this post. Eventually, I will take these posts and put them into a scrapbook album--but that is NOT going to happen this month---life is too crazy for me to have time for that, so I will post them here and cross my fingers to get them in a book before school starts up again in August.

SO, below is my post on jewelry! I'm heading to Busch Gardens with my students tomorrow for our annual music competition! It's always a fun weekend---but, I doubt I'll have a chance to post anything tomorrow---I'm not going to be uptight about that---this is MY project. I can take 40 days to do it and no one will slap my hand! I hope you enjoy it--thanks for peeking in!

Jewelry~

What? I’m writing about jewelry? I let myself ponder this topic at various times during the day and I found that I probably have more to say about this than anyone would ever care to know! I don’t wear much jewelry. Oh, my---I used to! In the 80’s and 90’s I was an accessory QUEEN!!! I think some of that was because of the times we were living in---but some of it was because life was slower for me during those years. I had time to shop for accessories; I had time to look for just the right pair of earrings; I had money to burn, I guess. Not so much now. Children came along. David went back to school. Private school came along; part-time work came along; soccer and drama and another baby came along and I was just happy to get the basics on. That’s where I live today jewelry-wise. I live in the watch? check!  rings? check!  earrings? check! Necklace? check! LET’S GOOOOO!

My mom has a lot of jewelry---a lot of FINE jewelry. For years my father ALWAYS got her jewelry as gifts. Then, my Junior year in High School we were robbed and he decided he wouldn’t get her jewelry anymore…and he hasn’t much since. She still has LOTS of nice jewelry, but not a lot of recent purchases. If I had a picture of her wedding ring, I’d put it here---there’s a long story to it---I’m not sure I want to write it out here---so, here’s the short story. Mama has a simple band and diamond solitaire that she wore for 35 years. Then, my dad found this REALLY big, dare I say, gawdy ring that looks like gold nuggets and he put a huge diamond in it and she wears it WITH her band and solitaire. So, THREE rings on one finger! It suits her---but, it would take up over half my finger!!

But, back to me! ;D This picture wasn’t staged---this is my jewelry pile---I’ll occasionally pull out a different set of earrings, but this is my 6 out of 7 days a week stash. It consists of two necklaces—one silver, one gold; three sets of earrings-silver, my diamond studs, and my blue topaz ones; three rings---I trade out between the topaz and the pearl ring, and I always wear my wedding ring. The pearl ring belonged to my mom, but she gave it to me not too long ago. The silver earrings and necklace are from my sister, Shannon. Everything else was given to me by David.

So, did you see how I just skimmed right over the wedding ring thing? Yep—I did. Hmmmmm---it had to come up, didn’t it? My wedding ring---yes, I still wear it. Some have asked why. Well, I’m still married. Is it because I’m pining after my long lost husband? No. But why do I still wear it when he’s been gone over 18 months? I don’t know----I’ve thought a lot about this today. Do I wear it because I’m ashamed? Yes, I suppose that’s part of it. I want to protect Joshua---he still hasn’t really discussed this whole separation with anyone and I don’t want curious girls at school to ask me about it and then I have to discuss it with them. Girls ask these questions, you know. But, I think it’s mostly because of this simple truth: I’m married. That’s it. I’m not divorced---I made a covenant and I take it seriously. Will I wear my ring when I’m divorced? No-but some may think, “but your covenant isn’t broken in God’s eyes”---yeah, I don’t know. I do know this---I won’t wear it when my divorce is final. I think I’ll be embarrassed, ashamed, sad, but I also think it will be time by then. I will have to wear something else on that hand when I quit wearing my ring. After nearly 30 years of having something there-ALWAYS-I think I’ll just need something---I wonder what it will be?  I think I’ll feel naked (pronounced “ne-ked”, just so you know) without it.

So---more to say about jewelry than I ever dreamed…and I could ramble on…..

{Eve is ONE}

I'm so excited to share this post! My precious grand baby, Eve had her first birthday on February 28th and I had the sweet privilege to host her first birthday party!! I truly just got my house ready, made some brownies and that was it. Caitlin and her friends did everything else! Caitlin threw a party that Pinterest followers would genuinely love! It was beautiful---go get a cup of something and have a seat...this is going to be a long post!!

Below are some of the decorations Caitlin put together for the party~

The "sweet" area in the dining room~

 Cupcakes from Gigi's

 LOVE these straws

 She put blood oranges, lemons and limes in the water and it turned this beautiful pink color---so pretty!

 Parker being domestic---I LOVE this picture!

 None of the pictures of Eve's banner turned out very good----possibly the insanely green background? I dunno~

(but I did make that banner myself with my $20 sewing machine---so happy!)

 The "other food" table in the kitchen

 Caitlin hung these pictures of Eve behind the table---I loved this!

 Taylor made these beautiful food "place cards" for everything--her handwriting looks like a font---just a little jealous!

 Daisy (aka Dawn Guy) did the flower arrangement---it's hard to see in this picture, but the flowers are surrounded by pink mini marshmallows---such a great idea!

Sarah displayed the fruit like this---WHAT? SO pretty!

OK, I know, go get a refill---here comes the birthday girl! There were several cameras going that day, and after all the pictures were in my computer, I had over 60 pictures of Eve eating her cupcake---yes, a little over the top, but I had some good ones to choose from!

This is her reaction to our singing the birthday song to her---so sweet!

  

Daddy holding the cupcake/candle---look at that face--

Let the eating commence!

Uncle Josh filmed the whole thing on my camera---I love technology....

can you sing along? Anyone?

OK---I have officially become the obnoxious grandmother---sorry...but thanks for looking!

{God's Refining Fire}

I had a beautiful moment of conviction tonight---now we don't often think of conviction as beautiful, but perhaps we should. I'll try to be brief---for two reasons: 1. I don't have time to write a blog post tonight and B. I know you don't have time to read a long, rambling post!

SOOOOO, after dinner tonight, Joshua and I were sitting at the table and he was explaining a real frustration he has at recess at school. I say "he has" because it's an ongoing thing---don't worry---no one is bullying him, or leaving him out---what it actually boils down to is he doesn't get his way and it's frustrating. As he sat and rambled on and on (btw, I have NO idea where THAT comes from), I began to realize---"cool, I see a lovely life lesson I can pass along to my boy here"---yeah, that should have been a sign to me that a "lovely life lesson" may be coming my way as well.

We began to play a game he had made up (don't you love it when kids make up a game?)....anyway, the game time allowed me to share my day with him. I had had a frustrating day as well. It wasn't an awful day---just one that really frustrated me and caused me a lot of stress and sadness. The "problem" was really no big deal and you would think that with some of the other issues I have in my life I may be able to just "let go" of the little things---yeah, not so much.

I was struck when listening to Josh that these frustrations in his life were just opportunities to be refined. I shared with him about how gold and other precious metals are refined and that it's the HEAT that takes away the impurities and makes the metal more precious---more valuable---the heat makes that metal into what it was created to be.

As I sat there feeling great about my life lesson so beautifully spoken to my son---I was nailed with my own conviction of sin. Had I dealt this way with my own day? Had I accepted this irritation as God's beautiful refining in my life? Years ago---I mean YEARS ago when I sang more than just children's songs in music class, I sang the beautiful Steve Green song, "The Refiner's Fire". I was playing this mindless game with Joshua and these words began flooding back to my soul--bringing with them conviction and peace. I was truly so upset by my day and one small event that happened that I was letting it consume me. One of the lines in the song is, "He is consuming my soul, refining me, making me whole". I sat there thinking---"hmmmm, if this small thing has consumed me, (and it had) then I can't be "being" consumed by Christ---and his refining fire." Right there I had to confess my own sinfulness----I had to ask this holy God, who sent his son to DIE FOR ME, to forgive my petty, selfishness. Oh, how he must do the eye roll about me sometimes! (OK---I know there's no where in scripture that says that---I just KNOW that's what I'd do.....SO glad the Lord is longsuffering!)

I had to look the words up to the verses---I could remember pieces of them, but not all of them. This text is so beautiful---I love that my gracious Father brought this song to my mind and allowed me to be able to confess my pitiful sin to Him. This is why conviction is beautiful---it opens up a way for us to commune with a Holy God. That is amazing. I found a video on YouTube of this song---I didn't love it---it's just words, but if you'd rather hear it than see the words, Steve Green sounds great---the link is at the bottom of this post. I have a great post of Eve's birthday in the works---and we celebrated my mom's birthday, too! Hopefully I got some good pictures. I love you three who come visit me! ;D Thanks so much~hugs my friends!

The Refiner's Fire

There burns a fire with sacred heat
White hot with holy flame
And all who dare pass through its blaze
Will not emerge the same
Some as bronze, and some as silver
Some as gold, then with great skill
All are hammered by their sufferings
On the anvil of His will

Chorus:

The Refiner's fire
Has now become my souls desire
Purged and cleansed and purified
That the Lord be glorified
He is consuming my soul
Refining me, making me whole
No matter what I may lose
I choose the Refiner's fire

I'm learning now to trust His touch
To crave the fire's embrace
For though my past with sin was etched
His mercies did erase
Each time His purging cleanses deeper
I'm not sure that I'll survive
Yet the strength in growing weaker
Keeps my hungry soul alive

Chorus

Words and music by Jon Mohr and Randall Dennis

 

The Refiner's Fire Video

 

{Christmas 2011}

Christmas morning was quite fun. We spent the night at my parents on Christmas Eve. Jennifer and I slept out in the den. I was on the love seat and she was in one of the chairs---yeah...we didn't get a lot of sleep. Now, THAT would have been a great picture, but so sorry for you that I didn't get one of those!!

 Joshua had a bit of a theme this Christmas---it was a Wes Welker Christmas. He got this jersey from Aunt Jen and a fathead from my parents--so Wes---or flat Wes as I like to call him, lives in Joshua's room now. Very cool!!

 

 This is Shannon's husband, Bill. He has a tradition of putting on every article of clothing he receives on Christmas morning---without removing any of them---seriously---it's hysterical. This cracked me up---it's crazy Bill---he's the fun uncle---do you have an uncle like that?

 Hannah had a Tom's Christmas---she received THREE pair of Tom's shoes for Christmas---so we gave away three pair of Tom's as well---I love that about this company.

I was able to get Joshua an XBOX console with Kinect with my American Express points. This was such a blessing---I have had my Amex card for YEARS and have never used my points, so I had a ton of them and was able to get Joshua a Christmas gift I never could have bought him! He was TOTALLY surprised---

The immediate hug---SO sweet---yep, I was bawlin'---

so much fun to give something special!

I have no pictures of our lunch or anything else from that day---we all had a lovely day though---
I HAVE had other things happen since Christmas that I hope to share with you, but this is it for now. Thanks again for visiting!!

{Christmas Eve 2011}

Christmas--yes, it's February 13th and I'm just now posting about Christmas--


Caitlin and Carson spent Christmas and the following week in Rocky Mount with Carson's family, so we celebrated Christmas with them on Christmas Eve. We had a Nelson favorite---Tacoritos-- for dinner.  David's family used to eat these at a restaurant they frequented when they lived in Colorado and Barbara asked to have the recipe. It has become an "always" food when the family gets together. I've included the recipe below with my own little twist.

This will be a post full of pictures of THIS sweet girl---so sorry in advance. 

Shannon and Bill gave Eve this wonderful Pottery Barn chair---she looks

SO cute in it, don't ya think?

My parents gave Carson this pistol--this was one of our favorite memories from the holiday! My Dad had owned this for years, but had only fired it once or twice. He wanted to give it to Carson,  but was worried it may be loaded or something----so he took it up into his attic and fired it---just to see what would happen. IT WENT OFF---IN HIS ATTIC!!! When he told us this, we all just cracked up. 

Josh never wants to smile in pictures anymore---but I LOVE this photo---

a captured moment!

When Joshua and I went to the Panther's game in October, he bought this shirt for Eve--neither of her parents care a bit about the Panthers, but her Uncle Josh does, so she can wear it for him!

Shannon and her family were here for Christmas this year---and my sister Jennifer, too.

My nephew, Nathan with Eve.

 My mom with Eve

My daddy with Eve

Caitlin wanted a macro lens for her camera----which is just like my camera, so it would fit if I ever needed it......very nice!

Babies make things so much fun---what a joy to have Eve around this year---she brought joy into what could have been a hard season. It was truly beautiful. I'm so glad we were able to spend this time with them---

Here are the Tacoritos and the recipe(s). Mmmmmmmm, cheeeesy!

Nelson Family Tacoritos

meat mixture:

1 lb. ground beef (or you could use turkey)

1 T. chili powder

1/2 t. garlic powder

salt & pepper to taste

1 chopped onion

(I don't measure the spices---but these are the measurements from the original recipe)

sauce mixture:

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 can water

1/2 t. oregano, sage, cumin each

2 - 4 T. chopped chili or jalapenos

filling:

shredded lettuce

grated cheese

diced tomatoes

refried beans

Burrito sized flour tortillas

Brown onion and meat with spices until meat is tender. Simmer 30 minutes.

While the meat is simmering, mix soup, water and spices in a sauce pan. Simmer until meat is finished. Place a layer of beans & 1/2 c. meat mixture in the center of a flour tortilla. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and a bit of sauce. Close tortilla and place seam down in a casserole dish. Pour sauce over tacoritos and bake on 350 for 15-20 minutes. Top with remaining grated cheese and bake until melted.

Serve with guacamole and sour cream. 

Lately, I've been changing the meat to this recipe below. I make this recipe and use it in several recipes. It's a great starter to all things Tex-Mex.

Crockpot Spicy Beef (or Chicken)

2 lb. Boneless Beef Chuck (or chicken)

1/4 c. Salsa verde

2 cloves minced garlic

1 bunch chopped cilantro

1 medium onion, chopped

1-2 fresh jalapenos, seeded & chopped

2 t. chili powder

1/2 t. cumin

1/2 t. salt

Place the meat in the crockpot. Mix all other ingredients together. Pour the mixture over the meat and toss until well coated. Cook on low 6-8 hours or high 4 hours.

I always have extra meat, so I'll make tacos one night---or put it in the freezer for another meal in the future.

 YES---the kids STILL get pajamas on Christmas Eve---this is the only gift they get to open.

And then, the obligatory picture with Santa's cookies---and yes, we give him a bottled Coke---we are THOSE people. I think he must be tired of milk by the time he gets down South....and he likely needs the caffeine.

 

AND, of course, the silly picture---I love that my 20 year old isn't too old for this!

 

Thanks for checking in--I have another post in the que---I'm just going crazy! ;D Have a great day!!

{the boring stuff}

"It might sound boring, but I think the boring stuff is the stuff I remember the most."
                                                                  Russell from Up, to Mr. Fredericksen

Have you seen Up? You remember, the first Pixar movie that had you bawling in the first five minutes when the love of Carl Fredricksen's life, Ellie, dies before he can take her on their dream trip to South America. WAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!! I'm crying just thinking of it. Wilderness Camper Russell is a surprise stowaway on Mr. Fredericksen's adventure to fulfill his dream. At one point in the movie, he's telling Mr. Fredericksen about his experiences with his father---who is somewhat absent in his life. He tells him about sitting on the curb and eating ice cream with his dad, "It might sound boring, but I think the boring stuff is the stuff I remember the most."

That's where I've been----I've been doing the" boring stuff". I am so grateful to have the opportunity to treasure the boring stuff---a clarified life---that's what I'm living these days---So, below is some of the boring stuff (and not so boring stuff) I've been doing since my last post---over TWO MONTHS ago. I'd LOVE to post more often---perhaps I can make time for it---I have been asked how I posted everyday in November if I have no time for it now. I posted VERY late at night---I made a commitment to do that for one month--but I can't do that everyday! I'd love to, but I think it might be uncomfortable for my students if they had to wake me up when they came into my classroom.....

Christmas Eve---pun intended---I have a post coming out on this tomorrow

Christmas Day--working on a post for this as well

And Josh's 11th birthday---more of this, too---

BUT, all of THIS is not the "boring stuff". These are pretty major events in our lives---Below is the everyday life---the stuff I've learned to treasure. I LOVE the holidays and birthdays, but let's face it--MOST of our lives are lived in the everyday--not the special days. So I'm focusing on THOSE days....as Russell says---"the boring stuff"

 Helping Josh with homework....

 Keeping Eve so Caitlin & Carson can have a date night.....

 Going to lunch with my mom and both girls before Hannah had to go back to school

 Keeping Eve----who isn't really crazy about the carseat--bummer!

 Staying home with a sick boy---he was feeling a bit better here 

when we went to see the doctor and he had a funny moment.

 Eve found a nerf dart and HAD to have it in her mouth

 I finished Project Life---my 2011 scrapbook of everyday life. OH, and I'm almost finished with my December Daily album, where I scrapbook a page for each day in December. I'll post some of that when I'm finished.

 Caitlin and Eve came over for dinner and she was graciously helping Josh with homework

 ummmmm, this was in the back of someone's truck when I came out of church one Sunday morning and I HAD to put this in here---

 Joshua helping with Eve---so sweet!

My messy desk---full of stuff to do, papers to sign, and a sweet picture 

of my five year old boy.

These are just a few of the moments of life I've experienced in the last few weeks---I'm hoping to type up a few more posts on this cold, peaceful Sunday---but we'll see! My lesson plans are done and I have a bit of time....but that can always change! Life seems to do that--for instance, Sophie just went out to the back and started barking like crazy--a BEAUTIFUL Blue Heron was in my backyard---not even in the creek---Sophie went right for it and it took off flying----such a beautiful sight. Our gracious Heavenly Father allows us to live in such a beautiful world---It all happened too fast for a photo---too bad.

I'm so glad you stopped by---Here's hoping for a few more posts in the coming weeks!

Blessed~