Monday Morning Question of the Day

What one food do you dislike intensely-

so intensely that even being around that food or smelling that food makes you sick?

For me there is NO doubt what that food is.

Pickles.

I HATE HATE HATE pickles.

With a white hot passion.

The smell.

The taste.

The juice they hang out in.

BLECHT.

Nasty.

Nasty.

Nasty.

What about you?

It's the Little Things- First Day of School Treats

I am so blessed to have some sweet friends.

On the first day of school two such friends blessed me in sweet ways.

As he left for work on Monday morning Tony walked outside and then came right back inside carrying this adorable and sweet treat left anonymously on our doorstep.

Madison's jar held some yummy sugar cookies (her favorite!) and mine held my favorite lifesavers! They were in the cutest little mason jar holder and each jar had a super cute pen attached- mine matching my new office perfectly. Through my great detective work I was able to figure out these treats were left by my friend Erin. So thoughtful and such a nice treat on the first day of school!

I was at our brand new elementary school on the first day of school and walked around taking pictures to put up on our webpage. As I returned to my office, I walked in to find a second surprise from a sweet friend. On my desk was a notecard with a wonderful Bible verse and a note from my sweet friend Jamee. Such great encouragement and it makes me smile each time I see it!

I am blessed with thoughtful friends and for that I am so very thankful!

It's the Little Things- A Gift

I got a package in the mail from Dory the other day.

I love getting "good" mail and this package was definitely GOOD.

It was the best kind of package.....a-just-because kind of package. While she was on a recent trip to Las Vegas she picked up a few goodies just for me- just because.

How sweet is that?

Inside were some Las Vegas dice, some teeny tiny little mints in a cute little tin with Shannon on it, some absolutely beautiful earrings she made, and some mint type thingies that are good for your teeth (because she knows how much I love mints and she is trying to keep me from ruining my teeth with them:).

Also inside the package was this beautiful Brighton bracelet. Isn't it gorgeous?

I absolutely love it.

For lots of reasons.

Because it's beautiful.

Because it matches my ring perfectly.

Because it was a just because kind of gift.

But mostly because it was given to me by my beautiful friend who is truly a gift from God.

I honestly don't think I've ever done anything to deserve an amazing friend like her- but I thank God daily for her.

Nobody knows me like she does.

Nobody makes me laugh like she does.

Nobody is as much fun as she is.

Nobody makes me be real like she does.

Nobody is as funny as she is.

Nobody is a best friend like she is.

Nobody.

First Day of School Tradition

I'm a girl that loves, loves, loves traditions. I think it's because my mother was HUGE tradition girl and instilled that love in me.

The one that I love the most and that Maddie can NOT stand is the one that we started back when she was in Kindergarten. Each year I take her picture holding a sign that says "Madison's First Day of ______" along with the date.

Sometimes we take it at home, sometimes at school but we ALWAYS take it. And Maddie fusses every year. And every year I remind her that we will do it every year until she graduates and that if she fusses too much I'll come to college and take her picture in front of her dorm. I can't wait till the day when she has her own kids and is carrying on this tradition and I get to watch them gripe about it like she did! :)

Here are her pictures from the last three years. It's amazing to see how much she has changed and grown!

And are some pictures from today. (A huge thanks to my sweet friend Erin who edited these pics for me. Thank you so much Erin!)

How did my baby get into the 8th grade?

She loves to remind me.......

"Next year I'll be in high school. Only 2 more years until I can drive Mom."

Seriously?

That makes me want to cry.

Big tears.

Big, big, big tears.

True Confession Saturday

The two weeks before school starts are always such a crazy time of year.

No matter how prepared I try to get ahead of time,
(and trust me, I DO try)
life seems to just go
crazy crazy crazy!

Since I started a new job a few weeks ago, this year has been exceptionally crazy! I love love love my new job but definitely feel like I have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off most of the time.

Although I've been working very hard and very long days, I've definitely been a slacker on some things. They say confession is good for the soul, so........

Hello, my name is Shannon and I am a big old SLACKER.

1. Thursday my lunch was a brownie. Dinner that night was a pretzel at the movies. (yea for carbs!)
   
2. I have not been to the gym in two weeks. (this WILL change on Monday)
   
3. My pants are feeling the effects of #1 and #2.
   
4. I have 398 blogs to read on my bloglines page. I'm thinking of just clicking on all of them so that will go away because I don't see anytime in the near future that I will have time to do read that many blogs.
   
5. I have not vacuumed or mopped the floors in my house in almost two weeks. I'm thinking I could make a mid sized dog with the hair that is in the corners around the house.
   
6. With the exception of one day when I was simply too busy to make it happen, every day this week has been a 2 Sonic drink day. I'm thinking Diet Coke may be running in my veins at this point.
   
7. My closet looks like an atom bomb went off inside it. Clothes everywhere, shoes all over the place, and bags, bags, and more bags!
   
8. In the last two weeks alone I've sent 467 work emails.
   
9. My shower is so in need of a serious cleaning that although the glass is clear, you would think by looking at it that it was indeed frosted. (why does anyone ever put clear glass on a shower anyway? seriously....who wants to see all that?)
   
10. Although I have not found the time, energy, or inclination to go to the gym, read blogs, vacuum and mop, clean my closet, OR clean my shower, I have found the time and energy to play Rummikub almost every single night with my sweet family. Priorities people. Priorities.

Okay....misery loves company, so now it's your turn.

Please make me feel like I am not alone by telling me one of your confessions.

Surely I am not the only slacker around. Right?

It's the Little Things- Dinner Surprise

While at dinner the other night at Texas Roadhouse with

my dad, his girlfriend, and her entire family

(I went to high school with her sons and hadn't seen them in 20 years)

I ordered BBQ chicken (my usual).

When my dinner arrived, this is what was placed in front of me.

My chicken was in the shape of a perfect heart.

How cute is that?

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Things I Say All the Stinkin' Time

1. Seriously?

and

Seriously.
(Which are very different.

2. I miss my sweet friend.

3. STINK

4. I'll have a Route 44 Diet Coke please.

5. Ruh roh

6. Fun times!

(Madison hates this one)

7. Nutbob

8. My name is Shannon and I am tired.

9. Dude.

10. That is so stinkin' funny!

11. Good night nurse!

12. What the heck?

13. Get off me Kadafi

Wednesday Words

It's the Little Things- Funny Texts

UPDATE: Just got a text from the friend whose wish list this is a pic of.

It read:

Nice blog. Payback. Its coming.

Ruh roh.

(But seriously, what is a 20 something year old good looking man doing reading MY blog?)

I got a text yesterday morning from my fun co-workers at my old school

that absolutely cracked me up!

Each year teachers post a list of wish list items outside of their classroom doors.

On small post it notes they write items they would like to have for their classroom

and parents pick them up as they come for Meet the Teacher night.

The text I received included a picture of a single (bald) male teacher friend's wish list.

It looked like perhaps he had some help with his list. :)

Monday Morning Question of the Day

Do you think that people who are rude

(ex: short with you, tactless, say ugly things)

do so purposely and with knowledge of what they are doing

or

because they simply do not think about what they are saying?

So basically, is it purposeful or accidental?

Links that Make me Laugh

Some days are just mentally exhausting and you just need to laugh.

Those are the days when I look at some mindless, silly websites that absolutely crack me up.

Here are a few of my recent faves......

Handmade Gone Wrong- a website full of things that were made but make you ask the question....should they have been?

For example.....these lovely tampon cozies. Seriously? Like they get cold?

Creative Pregnant Belly Photos- a page of some of the most creative pregnant tummy pics EVER!

The "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotations- a blog full of signs where quotation marks are used incorrectly. Love it!

Cake Wrecks- Where professional cakes go wrong. Terribly wrong.

It's the Little Things- Hugs and Kisses

Love, love, love this sign outside of one of

my two elementary schools

in the car rider drop off/pick up line.

So sweet!

Monday Morning Question of the Day

If you could communicate your present need to God,

but only had five words in which to do it,

which five would you choose?

My words?

Calm my anxious nerves, please!

It Is Well

This is a video that tells the amazing and beautiful

story behind one of my favorite hymns of all time

It Is Well

I pray that today you are reminded that

regardless of your circumstances

regardless of the number of things on your to-do list

regardless of how big of a mess you feel you are or are in

It Is Well.

My Name is...

Shannon and I am a

big old blog slacker.

Life has been super busy these days and I've been getting up early and trying to go to bed early. Summer is over and I've been trying to get back into my school routine of going to the gym at 5am which means going to bed earlier- or trying to.

Somethings have had to give and one of those things has been blogging.

And I'm sorry and I promise to be back soon-

if anyone is still reading.

I'll be back soon with more little things, more recipes,

more silly stories, more pictures, more links, more projects,

and more things that make me laugh or cry.

Until then, I leave you with a link to one of the sweetest blogs ever.

It's Savoring the Details and it is absolutely beautiful.

It never fails to bring a smile to my face.

Her pictures are precious (especially the ones of her two precious boys)

and the quotes she writes on them are beautiful.

They are all beautiful but here are just a few of my favorites.......

It's the Little Things- A Prayer for the New Week

I read this beautiful prayer on one of my favorite blogs

Heart to Heart with Holley a few weeks ago.

It absolutely sums up my heart on so many days and I hope it blesses you as it blessed me!

Prayer for a New Week

by Holley Gerth

Lord,
A new week is beginning...
already I feel the rush.

Slow me down, Lord.


Slow me to the beat of Your heart.


I think of Your words that say
those who wait on You
will run and not grow weary--
and I remember that rest
is not about lack of motion
but rather moving forward with You
so that activity is a blessing not a burden.


I will run this week--there is much to do
but help me do so in a way
that keeps me by Your side.


Waiting and working,
only You could tie those together.


Please do so for me today.


Amen.



PS If you would like a copy of this prayer to print out, I made one in Word that I would be happy to share with you.

It's the Little Things- New Shoes

I bought these cute new shoes while visit my sweetest friend Dory at the beginning of July.

I think they are super cute,

they were a great bargain,

and best of all they always make me think of her when I look down at them.

Such a little thing that makes me happy!