Who I am

Today's post is a bit interesting. I wasn't exactly sure how to form I am who I am in a blog post. After some contemplating during the day I decided on not confining myself to just one thing. So who I am, first off I am a child of God. I am also a daughter, sister of ten siblings, aunt to nine awesome kids, friend, college graduate, rook player, hiker, volleyball player, frisbee lover, avid reader, and goofy individual.

Well that's who I am and probably some other things that I've not yet discovered. Peace to you all.

Days 21-24

Day 21...What I'm Reading. 
I am currently reading my second Blogging for Books book, Rooted. The cover and title attracted me; I love how the author uses plant analogies too. I actually just reviewed it on my other blog even though I'm not quite finished with it yet.

Day 22...Where you Stand

In the grass (during the summer), and most of the time..in my Chacos! I've had these sandals for about a year now and I wear them almost everywhere. I took the very literal version of "Where I Stand"

Day 23...12 o' Clock
I am currently working on painting a sewing cabinet. If you are like me you are probably wondering what a sewing cabinet is. I'm not even sure this is what they are commonly called, but this is what my mother calls them. It looks like a table, but you open it at the top of the table and can pull up a sewing machine to use at the table. But when you are not using it, it looks just like, and can be used like, any other small table. The backstory is...my mom recently told me that a sweet lady from church (who loves going to auctions and often gets extra things she doesn't need) was going to give me a sewing machine because she had recently acquired three. Mom was at one of her favorite local thrift stores and saw a sewing machine cabinet there. They were only asking $15 for it, so she got it for me for my future machine. Turns out there is already a sewing machine inside this cabinet..a bonus! The cabinet wasn't very attractive so I decided to paint it with some pretty yellow paint my parents had. At 12 o' clock, I was in the garage, about to start putting on the first coat of paint. So..now I just have to learn more about using my new sewing machine.

This is how it looks when you aren't using the sewing machine

Day 24...Weather

The weather this week has been absolutely great! And 10 times better than what they predicted. I'm still crossing my fingers that it doesn't actually rain tomorrow for the camping trip! 

Poppies on the farm

All about Me

Throwback Thursday (on Wednesday) to fulfill today's post about I Am Who I Am. Here are a compilation of photos ranging from baby Cathy to senior in high school Cathy. I think I've always had a great sense of style.

Cheers!

Wonderfully Warm Weather Wednesday

The weather this week has been glorious. I hope it stays like this through the weekend while we camp. Every day this week, I have taken my lunch outside to Fee Glade. I sit in the sunshine and warm up while I eat. My office is like an icebox, so the sunshine feels wonderful.

Cheers!

Good Day Sunshine

This sunshine the past couple of days has been a definite change from the rainy two weeks. My flowers are especially liking this weather.

Peace to you all.

Day 24: Weather

The weather is absolutely gorgeous today, but unfortunately I'm stuck inside at work.

Yesterday was also nice. I was very productive. I got the yard mowed, my car washed, and my little outdoor table painted. I have two glider chairs that I will be painting next. All of the furniture that I am redoing was given to me for free and was going to be thrown away. Jeff gave me the table, and the two chairs belonged to my grandparents and my uncle wanted to throw them away (the paint is flaking off of them and they don't look too pretty right now) And I bought the spray paint at a yard sale for 50 cents...so I figured if I mess it up, I won't be out much money! Haha

The table needs a little touching up, but I think it turned out nice.

My mom sent me some plants from her garden, so I plan to plant those tonight. There are daylilies and hostas, and I'm not sure what else.

What is everyone else doing to get ready for summer?

-Miss Ellanous

Days 18, 19, 20...

Well, this is an odd combination of challenges for one post: Happiness, Unhappiness, & My Favorite Word

Happiness: 
Happiness is really many different things for me. One thing that makes me happy is being home with my family, crafting and shopping with my Mom while I'm home, and going on walks in the lush, green country with the dogs.

Unhappiness:
I don't really like thinking about the negative so I don't have an unhappy photo. However, something that makes me unhappy is when children don't cooperate and choose not to do what you ask them to. I substituted last Wednesday and Thursday and, while I didn't have any classes that are too unruly, I did have a couple of students who didn't want to do what I asked them to.

Favorite Word: 
Like Miss Ellaneous, I've never really thought about my favorite word. When I considered this prompt I thought about words of things that I like, like chocolate, love, and nature. However, I decided on the word GRACE. I think it's a smooth sounding word with a powerful meaning.

Catching up on Days 21-23

Day 21-What I'm Reading: American Green by Ted Steinberg.

Yes, I am reading a book about the history of the American lawn...don't judge! It's actually pretty fascinating. For some reason, I feel like I am wasting my time if I am reading a book that I cannot learn from (I think B.C. did that to me, but I'm not here to point fingers). Right now, I'm at the part where the author is discussing how people became obsessed with their lawns...to the point where they had no furniture in their homes because they had spent all of their money trying to impress their neighbors with a beautiful lawn.

Did you know? Clovers are actually good for your lawn, because they have the ability to filter nitrogen from the air and deposit it into the soil for the grass? Lawn clippings do the same, so save money by leaving them on your lawn and not having to buy harmful fertilizers.

Day 22: Where I Stand 

This quote has got me thinking about where I stand. I've always been told that if I work hard enough, I will be able to achieve anything....but what if what I am trying to achieve isn't worth it? How do you know when it's time to walk away from certain things in life? The biggest thing this quote brings to mind for me is relationships. I can think of certain "toxic" relationships I have had in my life where I did all I could for someone and it didn't seem like enough....this has made it difficult for me to trust people and be the generous person that I am by nature. But I do not want to miss out on helping a friend because I am afraid of getting hurt. How do you know when you have done "enough", "too much" or "too little" to help someone? 

12 O' Clock: Here is where I was at 12:00. At my house goofing off with my sweetie. I look forward to lunch time every day....almost at much as I look forward to 5:00 pm (it is now a quarter after 5 as I type this) when I can go home and kick my feet up. Today, I will probably mow the lawn instead of relaxing, though. Bummer!

Until next time, 

Miss Ellaneous

It's twelve o'clock somewhere

If I am incorrect someone please let me know, but I am pretty certain it is twelve o'clock somewhere almost all day. Which I think is very cool! Anyhow my picture for today is of the sun at noon o'clock here in my time zone. A word of advice though, don't look directly at the sun when trying to take a picture at this time of day because you might be momentarily blinded.

As you might have noticed, this picture is clearly edited but I like it this way. Peace to you all.

12 o'clock Photo Post

What is 12 o'clock best for?

Food!

Cheers!

Stepping out

This post today is supposed to be where I stand. Metaphorically, I stand with one foot in the door of my present position and one foot poised on the ledge ready to step out into the next adventure of my life. I captured this by having one foot inside my apartment door and one foot outside.

(Also, please take note of my gorgeous Chaco tan lines.)

Cheers!

Granny Eyre

Understanding and Friends

I apologize again for being a tad bit late in posting. Yesterday's picture was what you are reading, almost everyday I check out blog post from the web site of my favorite non profit organization, To Write Love On Her Arms. I came across an old post but it's meaning is still the same and I did read it so here you go. To those who may not understand.

Now onto today's picture, where I stand. I thought about this one a lot today and finally came to a conclusion of where I stand. The answer to that is I stand with friends. I know my friends will stand with me and I will stand with them.

Peace to you all.

An incomplete opinion

I think some of my other twenty somethings will appreciate what I'm currently reading because they have read it before. It's called Saving Grace by Lee Smith. It tells the story of Grace Shepherd, daughter of a Holiness preacher. Without having finished it yet, I think it could be called a coming of age story, which is odd because I usually really enjoy those stories. This book is going slowly for me because I'm not motivated to open it. I think it's because I find the narrator's voice unappealing. There are certain aspects to like such as the lyrical writing and the sense of place. I'll withhold any more judgement until I finish it. I'm a little over halfway, so watch for my full opinion on my personal blog in a few days.

Cheers!

Granny Eyre

Hope is an anchor for my soul

To be honest I don't really like to think about about unhappiness so I'm going to skip that photo and move right into the post about my favorite word. Drum roll please... Hope is most definitely my favorite word. Without hope life is meaningless and my life has hope because of Jesus Christ and he is an anchor for my soul. Peace to you all.

My Favorite Word

I don't really have a favorite word. But right now, I am hungry for lunch and this is the only word that comes to mind....

It's actually pretty interesting that food is one of the most fascinating things to me about life, because my stomach has gotten to be pretty picky when it comes to eating. Most nights, I have a hard time deciding what to eat, because many times I can't stomach fast food, but it's a pain to have to cook an entire meal for just myself. I enjoy cooking and eating fresh food, but it's a time consuming to have to decide what you want, go buy it, load & unload the car, then cook eat, eat it, and clean up after. Did I mention that I HATE washing dishes?!

  *This photo was taken from Google images. 

-Miss Ellaneous 

Floccinaucinihilipilification

Unhappiness.

Yesterday was fairly happy. It was sunny and I got to eat lunch at the Pinnacles. I was productive at work. I really don't think I have an unhappiness from yesterday. One unhappiness is the lack of posts on this photo challenge. C'mon friends!


My Favorite Word

I've known what word I would put on this post as soon as I saw this on the challenge.

This word is very fun sounding. I don't particularly like this definition because I've always seen this word with more of a positive connotation. I think of lackadaisical as a laid-back, care-free daisy chilling in the sunshine.

Another fun word that I learned in AP Language in high school is floccinaucinihilipilification. It is pronounced "floxi-noxi-neh-hila-pila-fa-cation". It is a noun to describe the act of declaring something worthless. Hehe. This word itself could be argued to be worthless. I might floccinaucinihilipilificate it. According to Google, this word is mostly used in books about words. Fun fact: I used this word on my AP Language exam, and I think I even spelled it correctly. I got a 5 out of 5 score.

Cheers!

Inspirational People...Day 17

There are SO many people who inspire me. But for now, I'm going to stick with two.
First of all, my Mom. She inspires me because she is a kind person who truly cares about other people, and is always wanting to help others. Plus, she knows so much about so many different subjects: plants, crafts, cooking, and being thrifty to name a few. She inspires me to learn more about these subjects and others, to stand up for myself, and to always be ready to help someone else.

Secondly, my beau inspires me. He works so hard. Right now he is taking care of his parent's farm and cows (and not expecting anything in return), his own farm, taking care of himself and doing his own housework, being there for me, and working full time plus overtime. He works so hard, and even though he almost expects too much of himself, his work ethic is impressive. He inspires me to work harder. He will selflessly give to the people he loves, one of the many things I love about him.

It just so happens that my niece is in both of these photos. I guess I have my camera out more when she's around! Also..it was hard to just name two inspirational people! 

Happiness is...

Merriam Webster defines happiness as a state of well being and contentment. I rather like this definition especially the contentment part. I think you can find contentment in lots of things and those things don't have to be big or even tangible. On Christmas Eve this past year I watched the 50th anniversary show of A Charlie Brown Christmas. In the show there were a few people who talked about Charlie Brown and there were some artist who sang different songs. One such song stood out to me and it comes to mind for this particular post. Kristen Chenoweth sang the song from Charlie Brown called Happiness Is. In the episode a few of the characters from the show sang that song. The reason I very much like this song is because the children who sang it find happiness in things that as an adult I tend to forget about. I am going to share my favorite line from the song here,

Happiness is being alone every now and then.
And happiness is coming home again
Happiness is morning and evening
Daytime and nighttime too
For happiness is anyone and anything at all
That's loved by you

To hear the Kristen Chenoweth version I've added the link Happiness Is

To end this post I am going with how this post started, happiness is contentment.
Peace to you all.

Happiness is...

Happiness is...a good stash of tea. 

There's a different tea for different moments.

Need a wake-me-up tea? Try breakfast tea or assam.

Craving something warm but it's almost time for bed? Try chamomile or an herbal tea.

Hot and you're parched? Try a watermelon cooler or watermelon, lime, and basil iced blend. 

(These are new for me.)

Have an upset stomach? Try something with ginger (I like lemongrass ginger.)

I get most of my tea from the tea shop up the road a piece. Every month I send them $16 and they send me four bags of organic loose leaf tea. By the end of the year, I will have tried all of their 52 flavors of tea. 

Cheers!

Fun and Inspiration

Yesterday's post was something FUN! There are a great many things that I consider fun and yesterday I got to partake in one of those things. An older lady from church asked me to help her out with her flower beds. I very much like being outside working with plants. It is very relaxing.

So onto today's post, someone who inspires you. My friends/fellow twenty somethings inspire me every day. I see creativity, kindness, wisdom, courage, strength, loyalty and so many other traits from my awesomely amazing friends that inspire me everyday to keep on going. I am so thankful that God has put these people in my life that I call friends who are very inspiring.

Inspirational People

I am inspired by many people for different reasons, but today I want to highlight how these lovely ladies inspire me.

It's an old picture.

Miss Ellaneous: You are so good at finding sales and re-creating items. When I come over to your house or hear of your latest up-cycle, I am inspired to see the world the way you see it. You see value in every little piece. You pay such close attention to detail, and you have a knack for finding the beauty in something. The same way you do with things, you also see the value in every person you meet. I think you're everybody's friend and you're always willing to help other people. 

Martha S.: You are so conscientious about your health, physically and mentally. You eat foods that are good for you, but you also mix in a few taste-good foods as well. You're also really brave about trying new foods and places to eat. You inspire me to look for the good-for-me foods because those are probably better for me than the cheap processed stuff I tend to get. While I may never be a healthy eater, I admire your self-discipline and drive. 

Captain Something Fun: You've had your fair share (or possibly more than your fair share) of set-backs and troubles, but you're still here and you still have hope. You are also a loyal friend, and you appreciate the friendships you have. You inspire me to be a better friend and to show my appreciation to my friends. You have taught me to lean on friends when times are hard and to allow others to lean on me.

The Farmer's Daughter: You have such a positive outlook on life, and you take things in stride. I'm not sure I've ever seen you truly get angry at anyone. You inspire me to keep smiling and have patience with people. You also have a knack for decorating small spaces that always makes me re-evaluate how I'm using my small space. 

I'm glad each of you are my friends, and I'm happy we're all still going to be locationally close for at least the foreseeable future. I look forward to more adventures and getting to know each of you better.

Cheers!

Catching Up

TV Show Addictions: 
I have several shows I have become addicted to because of Netflix. One of those being Pretty Little Liars. I started watching it last summer when I moved into the apartment. It was a show about high schoolers, but it was intriguing because it was a mystery, drama, romantic comedy all in one. I couldn't stop watching it because I wanted to know what happened next.
I also became addicted to Once Upon a Time, which is a show I've already given you my review of on the blog. I love all the fairy-tale stories all mixed into one modern-day tale. If you like Disney fairy-tales, you will probably really enjoy this show.
Lastly, I enjoy Jane the Virgin. There is only one season of the show on Netflix, and the second season just finished up on regular TV. It's a romantic-comedy of a Hispanic twenty-something and her family. It's based around her becoming pregnant and having a baby, but it's much more than that. It's quite funny and includes many cliff-hangers as well.

What You're Wearing:
On Saturday I went to a yard sale and a peddler's mall with some fellow Twenty-Somethings, worked a 5.5 hour shift, and saw my beau. It was a really great day because I was finally free from school work for the semester! I could do whatever I wanted and not have homework hanging over my head. Yay! Needless to say, my first homework-free Saturday was really nice.

After work (this is what I wore)...
I went to Chuy's with my beau..we LOVE eating there

Fave Thing to Do on a Sunday:
I love going to church every Sunday. Singing and praising God, "fellowship" with others and learning to think more like Christ are all is something I really enjoy. I also really love spending time with my beau on Sundays. The first day of the week is a great day to kick back and relax, visit with family and eat good food. Oftentimes I spend Sundays in my beau's neck of the woods. This past Sunday we were able to buy some flowers at a local greenhouse (and put some hanging baskets up on his porch), visit his sister and her family and visit with his parents too. We got to play with his little niece and be entertained by her for a couple of hours. I think there will be some baby-sitting in my future this summer. I adore little kids.

See one of the baskets in the background? :)

FUN: 
Yesterday I was invited over to my bff from high school's house for dinner and a visit. She wanted us to make a recipe out of a cook book I had given her. It was a Whoopie Pie cook book. So, we went to make the traditional chocolate pies with a marshmallow buttercream filling. This was our "double-boiler" method of melting the marshmallows (photo below). It was interesting. haha It did finally melt the mallows though. I didn't get a photo of the pies themselves, but you can kind of see them in the background of the photo. She is a sweets addict, more so than me even, so she didn't think the chocolate "pies" were sweet enough..so she sent them home with me and I am going to crumble them up and make cake pops. It was fun reconnecting with an old friend.

I'll try to keep better caught up after this! 

Fun! A Different Definition

Normally when I think "fun", I think of roller coasters, friends, baking, crafting, games, hiking, reading, etc., but today I had a different kind of fun at work.

I am finishing up a year long project this summer. I and the tutoring team created these resource binders, which list all of the standards and the resources we have in the room. Now that tutoring is over I'm putting the finishing touches on them. I spread them across my desk in order to sort a huge binder of misplaced items into the six grade level binders. It was enjoyable to me because it was active and had a very concrete finish.

Cheers!

Granny Eyre

Sunday Doings

My favorite thing to do on Sunday is to go to church to worship the Lord. I love being able to worship in song and discussing Bible text with different groups of people who share the same love of Christ that I have. Being able to attend church very much strengthens me and encourages me to go about the rest of the week.