{Friday Favorites}

It is clear that I am s.l.o.w.l.y. adjusting to this new routine.  I am behind in a lot of different areas, including blogging, catching up on emails AND my walking.

But, I can't focus on being behind...I just need to look ahead, to things for which I am grateful...

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

Lamentation 3:22-23

~ I am grateful for this verse

~ Belly laughs while talking to my friend Kristina

~ Watching the Friends marathon on Nick @ Nite...love that show

~ Counting down to the new Fall TV season...I miss my shows

~ PTA meetings (this is my year to start being more involved)

~ Fall soap scents from Bath & Body Works (they have a scent called Pumpkin Caramel Latte that is just yummy)

~ I am excited to be able to participate in the 10 on 10 link party tomorrow since the 10th falls on a Saturday this month

~ Cool temps

~ Opening the windows in my house

~ Chipotle for lunch

~ Making plans to go to the big High School football game tonight

~ Seeing all of the people falling in love with the Erin Condren planner (I will be ordering mine for 2012 soon - in zen gems)

~ Looking forward to another productive, yet relaxing weekend

Happy Friday Friends :)

miscellany monday

1.  Genuine Support...I know I've said this before but I love the blog world.  I have met some amazing people who I have come to truly consider friends.  Recently, I read about Edie and how she and her family lost everything in a house fire.  A few days later I saw around blogland that people were posting encouraging posts on her blog...look at it here.  How awesome is that...that people around the country (and maybe world) all came together to give her love and encouragement during a very difficult time in her life.  I think about all of the people, me included, who are lifting her up in prayer.  Bloggers...what a blessing.

2.  Chore Chart...One of my goals this year is to be better about keeping order in my home.  Not that I think things have to be spotless all of the time because that's not realistic, but I do feel that my home should be welcoming to my family and ready for company most of the time.  My friend Katie (who really does have a great blog...I'm so excited for her) talked about a chore chart and I'm going to try it.  She talked about it here and she says that it's really working for her.  Check it out and if you try it let me know how you do.

3.  New Look...Over the next few weeks I'm going to work on redesigning my blog.  Katie walked me through making a new header using Picasa (you can find the tutorial here) and it was a lot easier than I thought.  So, I need your help and all of the tips that you have up your sleeves.  I have the information on the header and now I'm trying to figure out how to design the actual page.  I'd like the main page to be white with a yellow (of course) background...but that's that part I don't know how to do.  Tips?

4.  Special Delivery x2...Two great things came in the mail last week...both equally exciting.

First:

 My 2011 planner arrived!  I can't even tell you how giddy this makes me.  This is what keeps me in order, where I can keep all of things that I need to remember.  I talked about it before here and my blog friend Genn talked about hers here.

Much of the planner is the same as it was last year but one addition that I like is this little folder.  Now when I have receipts that I need to hang onto or my stamps I have a great place for them.  If you haven't checked out this planner you must...it's not too late.  Just go to Erin Condren's site.

Second:

My new Bible arrived.  I decided to use the ESV to read through the entire Bible this year because I truly love this translation.  I love that it's a word-for-word translation and challenges me to read deeper into His Word.  Since it is a challenge I decided that it might be wise to use a Study Bible and I came across this one in my search.

It has a ton of charts, maps and detailed descriptions.  That helps me since I'm very visual.

 

Almost every verse is accompanied by study notes.

I am that person who loves to write in my Bible and I can't wait to fill up these pages with thoughts and points that I come across.  I do however need to make sure that I'm spending my best time while reading His Word, giving Him my best time.  Not reading while the TV is on and the kids are running around but at a time when I can give Him my full attention because I don't want to miss anything He has to say to me.

miscellany monday

Hello Friends & Happy Monday!

1.  Did you all have a good weekend?  I did, but forgot my camera for each event...sigh.  Jamison ice skated for the first time this weekend at a birthday party.  Initially she was scared and actually got off the ice and took off the skates.  But minutes later she decided she was going to try again...I was SO proud of her.  She made it all the way around the rink (holding on for dear life) and she was really excited.  She was an inspiration to me to get back out there and try...even if it's hard.

2.  Are any of you Blogger bloggers using the new interface?  I have tried to use it a few times and can't quite figure it out.  I usually read blogs from my dashboard and for some reason I can't seem to figure out how to scroll down to see all of the blogs that I follow like I can on the current dashboard.  If you have any tips feel free to pass them along.

3.  I love a full moon...it is so captivating.  I was able to capture last week's full moon with my camera.

4.  This is on my Christmas list this year...I have always wanted it and can't believe I do not have it.

5.  Look what I got to play with over the weekend:

 My new Erin Condren planner arrived last week and I could not be happier.  I was actually able to get it for only $20 because Plum District was having a special where you bought a $50 voucher for only $25...and because it was my first purchase I got an additional $5 off...SCORE!

I got a chance to transfer a lot of my plans from the old planner into the new planner.  I was in my happy place. 

I like the new tabs so far (even though I have heard that they are not as sturdy as people would like).

I also like this new feature of a notes page at the beginning of each month.  I have started planning my Thanksgiving dinner on November's page.

This back page is something that I'm really excited about.  The one thing missing for me from this planner was an extended calendar view...and now it's included!

Well I am off to work on my To Do list :)

Join sweet Carissa & tell us your randoms.