Grace in small things - edition five

This post is dedicated to love. That rapturous love that I never thought I'd ever have again. Cool things is, it's way better because I constantly feel my heart bowling over with emotional goodness (which never happened before).

A list of things I NEVER EVER thought I would think were sexy in a man . . . ever but are so frickin' attractive in Saint I can't stand it. I just wanna lick him, they are that sexy.

1. He's responsible. He never calls in to work, in fact, he actually goes above and beyond his job description. He has two jobs and though it doesn't leave as much time for us/me as I would like, it is okay with me.

2. He listens to me. He doesn't say much, unless he gets in that mood, but he lets me talk about whatever. He never tells me I should have done it this way; I did it badly or whatnot. He simply listens and gives validating feedback. (not to say the man doesn't utter the words "you're wrong" on a daily basis)

3. He enjoys hanging out with my family. And my family likes being with him.

4. He not only OFFERS to help with dishes and cooking, but he actually does it.

5. He wants to be with me. He chooses me over most things - work does occasionally come first, oh and sleep, but hey, I'm okay with this.

Wordless Wednesday - Tuesday

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Post It Note Tuesday - visiting a retail shop etiquette

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Martha Monday - creating nothing

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This week I worked nine days straight. Not a big deal, but tiring nonetheless and not so much energy for creating in my free time. Though I did however gain my first weekend off in quite some time. What normal people do every weekend, I do it seems a couple times a year. Though I tried to be inspired, it wasn't for lack of trying or ideas I was just too busy not doing anything to create.

I did, however, attempt to cultivate.

For dinner one night I made my favorite, Chicken in spaghetti sauce. This time I used the drumsticks that were currently in my freezer, though any cut of meat will do.

6 drumsticks
Can of spaghetti sauce
favorite pasta

vegetables (optional)
bread (optional)
wine (optional)

Put chicken in crock pot, pour sauce over it. Turn on high for one hour, leave on low for the next six hours.



For serving, make pasta according to directions. I usually go for fettuccine as it is my favorite consistency when it comes to pasta. Spoon crock pot mixture over pasta, side of vegetables (i like broccoli) and a side of bread. Of course, a little wine is good too. It is thick and the meat just falls off the bone.



The other thing I did was finally break down and visit Walmart to purchase the canvas baskets I have been craving for months now to organize my craft room.

I bought six of them. I got home and was playing around with organization, when in walked Saint, who immediately started shaking his head.

He has a much better idea to organize the room, so no canvas baskets. Says he will help me plan and fix it. I am very excited to get organized. He has such great ideas and is serious about helping. He is a finisher. Yeah!!

Also acquired at Walmart, a couple of wonderful Tupperware container specifically made for Sugar and Flour. They have these fabulous flip tops or pour spouts for easier cooking. Very excited because for the past three years my sugar and flour have sadly been housed in plastic zip lock baggies that spill constantly.

Here they are drying. I was waiting very impatiently for them to dry because I loathe the paste that is made when it's not fully dry.

How about you? What did you create this week?

my first weekend off in awhile

Today after our morning work meeting, I will officially be off for the rest of the weekend. I mean, I will not have to work Saturday OR Sunday.

My first in a very long time. I honestly cannot remember having a weekend off this year.

Coincidentally, I went out with a few of the girls from work last night, so unofficially it started last night, but I woke up way early (due to the alcohol I suspect) and am trying not to hyperventilate.

I am presenting two different things in our store meeting this morning. TWO PRESENTATIONS!

Did you know that people are LESS SCARED of dying than speaking in public?

I have a bit of experience with this type of thing, but I am also not as experienced in what I am speaking about so I am worried that it will come out sounded gumbled or wrong. I am trying to learn to not take myself so seriously so it is okay to mess up and laugh at myself, but at the same time I am also trying not to look like I have no idea what the hell I am talking about. Conundrum, no?

The first is a numbers presentation. I have to present where we are year to date, month to date and compared to last year followed by where our sales are in each department with their best sellers. I am prepared. I think, bu I struggled all week to make it fun or interesting, but I decided to just let it be heard because my other presentation is on the more elaborate, entertaining side.

I, along with one of the other asses (code: assistant managers), are presenting our new shorts for the season in a nice little skit. I am the fashion runway coordinator and speaker and he is the nutty model. I plan to be using a very droll voice and he is going to be wearing all of the shorts at once. I will very briefly explain the features and benefits of each style and he will the pull them down showing the next pair of shorts. Yes, he is wearing/modeling all of them at the same time. If our people get half a kick out of it as we did planning it, then it will be a hit.

After the entire meeting, I am free. Free for the weekend.

I plan to go to the movies to see, The A-Team with Saint as soon as he gets off work today. I was a HUGE fan of this tv show growing up and have really high hopes. Which means I will probably be disappointed, but that's life.



I also plan to play and skip out to the pool for some sun and relaxation. Thanks to my mother, I also have a fabulous book, The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry by Kathleen Flynn, to read as well though I am reading two others succinctly. This particular book, The Sharper Your Knife, is about a woman who is let go from her job and pursues her life long career to attend the Cordon Bleu in Paris.

I am reading Kitty Kelly's book Oprah, but the more I read it (I am halfway through) the less I am enamored with Oprah and I have been a fan of hers, but I feel it is easy to make the connections that Kelly has done. Too easy. I don't like not liking people, so it has slowed my progression. The other is James Patterson, Sail. I enjoy his books, but they are rarely ones I cannot put down. But this one, The Sharper Your Knife, has sucked me in and I find it hard to put down. Since, Jodi Piccoult's latest book, House Rules, I haven't read during my lunch hour, but with this one. I am.

the yogurt shop

Saint and I visited this very cool, very posh yogurt shop. I had yet to ever go in a yogurt shop because it costs less than $1 for yogurt at the store, so how could I ever pull a Starbucks with yogurt.

Saint was meeting someone and he was hungry, so we thought we'd give it a try.

It's odd. There is the yogurt bar -


where I grabbed a cup to fill up which every and how much yogurt I liked. Then there is a yogurt toppings bar. Lots and lots of different toppings. We went simple, i think because it was still early in the day. I chose Strawberry yogurt (yes, I tasted them all) with bananas and pineapples.


The cups look ginormous!

But after they had mixed up our drink, we ordered a yogurt shake, it wasn't so big. It was really for Saint, but I think I sucked most of it down myself. Then again, I picked out the flavor yogurt. I am not sure he was as keen to strawberry as I was, but he wouldn't change his mind once decided that I got to pick.

They have this fabulous posh sitting area. It has these almost old-fashioned leather bucket seats with tvs showing cartoons.

They have a few chairs that spin. I video taped the spin simply because I was having way too much fun! (can anyone tell me WHY my videos will NOT turn up vertical?)



Have you tried a yogurt shop yet?

Grace in small things - edition four

1. Saint making dinner, even if it turned out to be hamburger helper. Doesn't matter, he though about making dinner - good enough for me. Very sweet.

2. Kittie cuddles. Both Izabel and Tuesday, are the sweetest when it comes to cat cuddles. They can't wait for me to get the door open and bend down for hellos.

3. Clean sheets. Ugh, how I love that snug, cool feeling when crawling into sheets smelling of drying sheets and pulled taut.

4. Sandra Bullock. Seriously one of my fav actresses simply because she seems to be down to earth and I just love her movies. Big fan. Good for her winning an MTV award.

5. Natalee Holloway's family may find some closure after all. Very sad story.

Grace in small things & previous editions