Childhood Memories

A few weeks ago I was scrounging around in Raymond's bag for some chap stick [gotta keep those lips pretty in this "winter" weather], and while I was smearing it on, I was immediately taken back to my childhood. Something about the classic cherry chap stick takes me back, and makes my heart so happy.

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While walking down nostalgia lane, I got to thinking about all of the other random things that send my heart and mind sailing back to my childhood. I'm not sure why these specific things stand out to me, but they must have played some sort of important roll in my life because they all bring back happy memories.

• Wind Breakers- These were something that we wore growing up and I suppose *fingers crossed* that they were really cool.
• Cassette Tapes- I find it so odd that our parents lived without computers. One day we will be telling our children that we lived for some time without IPods, or even CDs! The cassette tape is where it was at! [I specifically remember listening to Lyle Lovett over and over again with my dad on long drives]
• Caramel Apple Pops- These suckers were one of my favorite growing up!

• Tyson Chicken Nuggets- I feel like we ate these at least once a week for dinner with Kraft macaroni and cheese.
• Christmas Music- Christmas was, and still is my favorite holiday and time of year. My house was always filled with so much joy and happiness, especially around this time of year so any time I hear Christmas music I think back to my and my mama decorating the tree together with white lights and pearls. Something I'll never forget. [Still one of my all time favorite holiday albums.]

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What takes you back to your childhood?

Worry Wart

Is it odd that I worry about my dog as if he were a human?

I was looking through photos the other night and came across this one [one of my absolute favorites] and immediately my heart sunk.

This day Raymond and I had taken Guero to the nearby pond to run around and do a little fishing. When we were leaving, Raymond put him in the bed of the truck and I immediately freaked out. There was no way that my crazy 4 month old puppy was going to ride back there without jumping out! Raymond basically told me to chill the heck out and get over it, that's what dogs do. I knew that. I mean hello, I've seen hundreds of dogs riding down busy roads with 60 mph limits. But my Guero? In the bed of a truck where I can't get to him if he needs me, going 20 mph for about 3 minutes... that wasn't gonna fly with me!

Sure enough he loved the ride... and I obviously got the best photos of him to date. Is it just me that is like this or are there any other crazy fur mamas out there that freak out when their babies are in "dangerous" situations?? I just don't know what'd I'd do if anything happened to this adorable face...

Just A Little Time

Hi friends, it's me, Sam! You know... the author of this ol' blog here. I'm just making sure y'all still remember me seeing that I was gone for a long week without any word of where or why!

After receiving crappy news at my last doctor's appointment, I kind of put everything on hold. Don't worry, I'm not dying or anything-- and in time, everything will be just fine. The waiting is going to be the hard part.

I've said it before, but I'm going to say it again... life has been nuts. Stressful, overwhelming, fun, difficult, trying, happy, not so happy... you name it, life lately has been it! With the good comes the bad and I'm slowly accepting that.

Here's a little bit of the GOOD stuff that went on while I was away...

 Last minute Halloween costumes for a Halloween Hootenanny at the Hart's Home!

 Fun shenanigans with great friends! We stayed up until FIVE am.. I don't even know who I am!

Family foot portrait, stuck together pretzels, snuggles, a milkshake for a bad day, football watching in pajamas.

See? Not every day is a rainy one over here! Sometimes we all just need a little time to ourselves to let everything settle and calm down. I'm glad to be back, though!

Take A Look at Yourself

Have you ever been told you were snotty? No? Me either... Okay, that was a lie.

Last month, I wrote this post about choices and being happy. I truly feel like I have made a change in my life [especially within the last few months] to be a happier, more positive person.

While sharing my struggles with you all lately, I've received many comments and emails from you all with kind words of my positive attitude throughout such difficult times. Really, the comments mean everything to me. They are uplifting, comforting, and make my day that much better. From the bottom of my heart, thank you, friends!

While making such wonderful changes within myself, I have to admit-- I am still me. Choosing to be happy and positive doesn't mean you change yourself, just your outlook on life. Another thing I must admit? If you don't know me very well, you may mistake my boldness for rudeness. Insert me being told I'm snotty:

To make a long story short[ish], last week at work one of my managers had asked another manager to speak with me about the way I talk to her, and that it was very snotty and I basically yelled at her when I spoke to her, all the time.

I was standing 3 feet from her when she said all of this. My initial reaction was disbelief, and then anger. As I have gotten older, I have learned and now pride myself on holding my tongue and being professional. I couldn't hold my tongue this time. I looked right at her and said very calmly, "I don't yell at you, and I'm sorry if you take it that way", and I walked away. I replayed the situation in my head for the next few hours. I was right- she was wrong. Plain and simple.

As the days went by, I realized that while maybe she is a sensitive person, maybe I too am a little much to handle to somebody that doesn't know me well.

Since that moment that I looked her in the eyes and said what I said, she has been extremely nice to me. I mean a little over the top nice. While it is a bit annoying, I think she realized that I wasn't trying to be rude to her and is just trying to show that she wasn't trying to be rude either.

The entire point of me telling y'all this, is because I think we all need to take a step back every now and then and look at ourselves. We all get comfortable with who we are and we stop trying to improve. Nobody will ever be perfect and there is always room for improvement. Realize that everyone takes things differently.

Be Kind.

Starving...

... for the Lord that is.

With life so crazy lately, I haven't found enough time to spend with God. Not time to do anything out of the ordinary, just time to talk to him. [Reading back over this-- what an awful excuse that is. What I should have said is that I haven't made the time.]

We all do it. Life gets busy, hectic, and stressful and we become way too busy worrying about what we're going to do about situation this or that. When all we really need to do is just let it go. A few weeks ago I met with a small group of ladies that I am going to be joining consistently for a book study. One of the girls mentioned [that girl is Ruthie... yes of The Chronicles of Ruthie Hart, and yes, I know her in real life] something that keeps surfacing to the front of my mind. She said something along the lines of "...take that list of difficulties, frustrations, etc., crumple it up, and give it to God." How true is that? When you can't handle anymore, He is there to take over!

Like I said before, my life lately has been all of the above. Today I sit here writing this post and can't help but notice that I am starving, craving, and begging for the Lord to come into my life. I wish I could sit peacefully in my room all day, just talking to him.

Unfortunately we have bills to pay, work to be done, and a home to clean. Fortunately beginning in November, our small group will be reading and discussing Esther- It's Tough Being a Woman by Beth Moore.

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Esther: It's Tough Being a Woman by Beth Moore provides a personal study experience five days a week plus viewer guides for the group video sessions of this in-depth women's Bible study of Esther - a profile in courage. Join Beth in a very personal examination of this great story of threat and deliverance as she peels back the layers of history and shows how very contemporary and applicable the story of Esther is to our lives today. If you've ever felt inadequate, threatened, or pushed into situations that seemed overpowering, this is the Bible study for you. Just as it was tough being a woman in Esther's day, it's tough today. This portion of God's Word contains treasures to aid us in our hurried, harried, and pressured lives.

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I'm not sure what this book has in store for me. I don't know that it is exactly what my life is craving right now. I do have faith that it will speak to me, and am praying that it moves me the way it has others. Whatever it may be that it does to me, I know my life will only be brightened by studying the words of God and I am so excited to start this journey with and learn from some amazing God-fearing women!

Life Updates

Hi friends! The past couple of weeks, I feel like I have been so out of touch with blog world. Sure, y'all still have three weekly posts to read from me, but what you don't see is the behind the scenes of it all-- and to be honest, there really isn't much to see. I have been quickly typing up a post, or publishing drafts I've had saved for a rainy day when my brain just isn't working [happens a little too often].

On top of my surgery a few months ago, Raymond ended up getting a horrible toothache followed by a miserable sinus infection the next week. His toothache kept him from eating for 2 days and from working for 5. Needless to say, we've felt like we're in the middle of a hurricane these days! Saturday was my first day off in 12 days, and about half of those days we're spent working 12+ hours. I have been busting my butt at work to try and help make up for all of the time we've been missing due to our ailments.

Life lately has been a whirlwind. Physically, mentally, and emotionally, life has been hectic, busy, and as I mentioned before, a little trying at times. No worries though, things are finally starting to fall back into place [slowly, but surely] and eventually I'll be able to spend more time chatting with you lovelies again.

Other than working like a dog, things around these parts haven't been all bad. A couple of updates are definitely in store if you're a nosy blog reader like me and like to know everything about the author...

+ With an entire weekend of free time, I decided that it was going to be spent doing nothing productive. My plan was to sleep in, nap, rest, spend a little time watching trashy television, snuggling with Guero, and hopefully convincing Raymond to give me a foot/back rub.

+ Saturday we watched the Red River Rivalry and let's just say it didn't go so well for us Longhorns. That's as far as I want to get into it! Dinner out with my honey at our favorite hole in the wall, and then drinks and pumpkin carving at my best friend's house made for a perfect Saturday night.

+ We have a Halloween party to attend next Friday and are seriously struggling to come up with costume ideas. Last year we were white trash bikers but are at a loss for something fun. Anyone have any good ideas or past costumes to share? Please do so!

+ I know I said that I wasn't going to do anything productive, but Sunday morning I woke up and cleaned the heck out of our apartment. Bathroom, kitchen, living room, vacuuming  scrubbing, dishes, laundry-- you name it, I did it. We had friend's coming over for the Cowboy's game [again- let's not talk about this game either], and not having time to really clean in weeks took it's toll and I couldn't bare to have people see our dump of a home.

+ While carving pumpkins Saturday night, my friend Amanda and I were discussing how we wanted to save the seeds so we could roast them and have them to snack on, when we got the weirdest looks from Raymond and our other friends. I know blog world is crazy about all things pumpkin, so I have to ask-- does roasting pumpkin seeds sound foreign to y'all or are my friends the crazy ones? I thought this was something everyone knew about!

+ Today marks week three of four that I was told to wait by the specialist for my wound to heal. He said it would take a lot of patience but if there is no progress within four weeks, another surgery will be in store for me. Well, unfortunately for me, it seems as though things aren't getting any better or closer to healing. To be honest, I'm ready to just have surgery again and hopefully get things moving. I'm tired of being cautious and uncomfortable and this past week, things are getting a little painful. I'm just over and done with being patient!

+ Guero is getting his chi-chis chopped off next Monday and I'm a bit nervous. I don't know if I should stay home with him for a few days or are we okay to go to work as normal? This may sound weird-- but Guero is unlike any animal we've ever come across and he is just, different [in a good way] and I just have weird feelings that he's going to have a difficult time with this. Anyone have any tips or advice on neutering?

+ Fall weather still hasn't graced us yet here in Austin. I'm constantly wearing my Christmas pajamas and socks and burning my fall candles, but it just isn't enough to make up for the heat.

+ I have had a few readers email me in regards to my I Am The Girl posts [edition one and two]. I am SO thrilled that y'all love them and the idea of them so much so that you want to do them as well! I have created a button that I would really appreciate you add to any IATG posts you decide to write. I believe we all deserve credit where credit is due! I am even considering making it a monthly link-up... would you guys be interested in participating?

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I wish I had more fun, awesome events to share with y'all, but when life is hectic, social life takes a back seat. Sometimes it's okay to be boring, though!

What's going on in your neck of the woods? Fill me in, friends!

Foodie Friday: Chocolate Coconut Brownie Bites

These little gems come courtesy from about a year ago when I was doing a vegan cleanse. About a week into the cleanse, I found myself consumed with a crazy craving for something, anything sweet and comforting. With a little search around Google, I stumbled across the recipe [can't remember where I found the original] for brownie bites and never turned back! After a couple of tweaks, I ended up with these delish chocolate coconut brownie bites. Try to control yourselves with 24 of these babies in your face!

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Chocolate Coconut Brownie Bites

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Yields: 24 mini bites

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup + 2 T buckwheat flower
• 1/2 cup + 2 T brown rice flower
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup agave nectar
• 1/2 cup apple sauce
• 1/4 cup coconut oil 
• 1/8 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks

Directions:

Mix all dry ingredients together and set aside. Mix all wet ingredients together, and then combine with dry. Using a spoon (or ice cream scoop), dollop batter into mini cup cake liners. Cook for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from pan and let cool slightly. Enjoy!

[Tip: I smeared a little almond butter on them while still warm and they were oh so amazing!]

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