Bout of Books 13 ~ Progress Post

 

Bout of Books is here!!!!

 

I'm really excited about this read-a-thon.  I'm hoping to do the following this week:

 

Goals:

~Not stress
~Read for 60 minutes each day
~Finish 1-2 books
~Again, not stress!

I'll be updating this post all week with my progress.

MONDAY:

Make It Monday ~ 9 Inning Wrap Giveaway ~ 5/11/15

 

 

I'm calling this shawl the "9 Inning Wrap".  I was settling in to watch a Pirates baseball game on TV and decided I wanted to work on something other than granny squares for my Sunny Blue Hawaii.  I knew exactly what yarn I wanted to use.  I received this package of yarn in my Ravelry Swap from Renee.

 

I took a break during the 7th Inning stretch to take a picture of my progress.  It is a chunky yarn and I used one of my large hooks (my Mom calls them "crowbars') to crochet with.  I loved the feel of this yarn.  It was so silky smooth to work with.

 

 

And here is the finished project which took me exactly 9 Innings to finish.

 

Gotta love my little model :)

 

 This yarn was given to me, so in return I'd like to give this wrap to one of you!

 

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To enter the giveaway:

*Mandatory-  Leave a comment telling me how to contact you if you are the winner.

*Extra-  Follow my blog.  Leave a second comment telling me that you do and how you are following:)

 

The giveaway will run until 11:59pm EST, May 25, 2015.  The winner will be emailed on May 26th.

  

 

Please leave me a comment with a link so I can return the visit!!

Linking up to Making Memories Monday,  Making Your Home Sing , Inspire Me Monday, Merry Monday , Motivation Monday, Made By You, Creative Mondays, What'd You Do this Weekend and Pieces by Polly Block Party,  Monday's Musing and Making Monday, Stitch It Up and Hooking on Humpday, Yarn Along , Yarn Fanatic , Keep Calm Craft On.

Songs on Sunday ~ Drops in the Ocean ~ 5/10/15

 

 Sometimes I forget that I'm forgiven.  Some people might think that is silly.  When I'm going about my life and make a mess of things, I tend to beat myself up even after asking for forgiveness.  It sometimes seems as if I can't forgive myself.  That is why this line is my favorite line in this song:

 

"If you could count the times I'd say you are forgiven
It's more than the drops in the ocean"

 

Are you like me and find it hard to forgive yourself even though you know God has already forgiven you?  If so, let us try to remember that He will forgive us more times than there are drops in the ocean.

                 

I want you as you are not as you ought to be
Won't you lay down your guard and come to me
The shame that grips you now is crippling
It breaks my heart to see you suffering
'Cause I am for you
I'm not against you

If you wanna know how far my love can go
Just how deep
Just how wide
If you wanna see how much you mean to me
Look at my hands
Look at my side
If you could count the times I'd say you are forgiven
It's more than the drops in the ocean, ooh ooh

Don't think you need to settle for a substitute
When I'm the only love that changes you
And I am for you
I'm not against you
I am for you
I'm not against you

If you wanna know how far my love can go
Just how deep
Just how wide
If you wanna see how much you mean to me
Look at my hands
Look at my side
If you could count the times I'd say you are forgiven
It's more than the drops in the ocean

Open your heart it's time that we start again, oh oh oh
Open your heart it's time that we start again, oh oh oh

If you wanna know how far my love can go
Just how deep
Just how wide
If you wanna see how much you mean to me
Look at my hands
Look at my side
If you could count the times I'd say you are forgiven
It's more than the drops in the ocean, ooh ooh
The drops in the ocean, woah
I am for you
I'm not against you
I am for you
I'm not against you

Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

 

I'm also linking up to Spiritual Sunday and Counting My Blessings , Faith And Friendship , Grace And Truth , Dance with Jesus, Sunday Stillness, Give Me Grace and The Weekend Brew.

Saturday 9 ~ Harper Valley PTA ~ 5/9/15

Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!

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Listen to the song HERE.

1) This week's featured artist uses her middle initial (C. for Carolyn) all the time. Do you use your middle initial very often?

I use my middle initial every time I sign my name. 

2) In this song, a mother tells off the local PTA. What's the most recent school event you attended -- whether as a parent, a teacher or a student?

I work at our local community college so I'm at "school" every week day.  Other than that it would be "Green Eggs and Ham Day" with my second grader.

 3) The lyrics reference the mom's miniskirts, which were trendy in the 1960s. The website Popsugar reports that gingham checks are trendy for 2015. Tell us about the most recent addition to your wardrobe.

The most recent addition to my wardrobe were 5 pairs of work capri's for the summer.

4) Thinking of moms, Access Hollywood named Carol Brady of The Brady Bunch TV's #1 mom. Who is your favorite TV mom?

My current favorite TV mom is Martha Rogers.  She is Rick Castle's mom on "Castle"

 5) Mother Winters always gave Sam peppermint tea to calm her stomach. Do you have any tried-and-true home remedies to share?
We make a baking soda mixture to put on bee stings.

 6) Sam's mother always tips 15% in restaurants. Sam has worked in food service and is more judgmental, tipping between 10% and 25%, depending on the quality of the service. What's your tipping policy? Are you more like Sam or her mother?

I'm not a huge tipper.  I probably give about 15% also.

7) When the tip of her shoelace becomes frayed, Sam's mother snips off the end and then paints the tip with clear nail polish. Good as new! Sam thinks that's crazy because you can just buy new laces for less than $2. Are you more frugal like mother or spendthrift like daughter?

On this one, I'd go spendthrift! hehe

8) Mother Winters loves how french vanilla smells and burns her Yankee Candles all year around. Do you use scented candles or air fresheners?

I love candles!  I use them as often as possible.  I also hand air fresheners in my office and car.

 9) Sam is celebrating Mother's Day with her mother's favorite, Hershey Bars. Would you prefer classic milk chocolate, dark chocolate or chocolate with almonds?

 

Hmmm...Definitely NOT dark chocolate.  Probably chocolate with almonds.

 

 

Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

Book Giveaway ~ Becoming Your Spouse's Better Half ~ Ends 5/15/15

Blurb:

It's no secret that men and women are different. And it's no secret that they don't always get along because of these differences, even when they love each other. But having a successful marriage is not about finding the perfect person to marry. It's about loving someone in an unselfish, Christlike manner. Whatever we want out of marriage--unconditional love, forgiveness, passion--that is what we have to give to our spouse. Rick Johnson shows couples how to go beyond merely tolerating each other's differences to using those God-given differences to add spice and passion to their relationship.  

 

 

My Thoughts:

I found this book very enlightening.

The first half of the book tells about men's "Modes".  The way they think, act and feel.  It was very interesting.  I definitely learned to look at my husband in a different light and to respect our differences.

The second half of the book tells about women's "Moods".  This I also found very interesting.  I was a bit surprised that a male author would have so much insight into a woman's thoughts and feelings.  I think he might have had a woman's help :)

I'm giving away my copy of the book.

 

To enter the giveaway:

*Mandatory-  Leave a comment telling me how to contact you if you are the winner.

*Extra-  Follow my blog and leave a second comment telling me that you do and how :)

 

The giveaway will run until 11:59pm EST, May 15, 2015.  The winner will be emailed on May 16th.

Tea Time ~ 5/8/15

Grab a cup of tea, coffee, hot chocolate or your favorite drink
while I share a few things that made me smile this week :)

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~I'm back to walking!  The first couple walks were just around the block but the hubby came with me and even held my hand :)

~I dusted of my sewing machine this week!  I'm having an apron giveaway.  Go HERE to enter :)

 

 

~We went to another Curve game!  The sun was shining in our eyes so the hubby bought us all hats at the shop :)

 

~I baked cookies for the first time in a LONG time!  Recipe to come soon :)

~I finished a book!  I had been in a serious reading slump.  The upcoming Bout of Books inspired me to start reading more.  I'm giving the book away to celebrate.  You can enter HERE :)

~I made it through my first week back at work since my gallbladder surgery!  TGIF :)


What made you smile this week?

Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

Linking up with Friendship Friday, Friday Fragments, Five on Friday, Show Off Friday, Awesome Life,  Friday Favorites , High Five for Friday and OhHeyFriday

In the Kitchen ~ Toll House Crumbcake ~ 5/7/15

This recipe came from a cookbook called "America's Favorites:  Bake Sale". 

Toll House Crumbcake

Topping:

1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 cups (12 oz package) Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels ) divided

Cake:

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 13X9 baking pan.

For topping:  Combine brown sugar, flour and butter in a small bowl with a pastry blender or a fork until crumbly.  Stir in nuts and 1/2 cup morsels.

For cake:  Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.  Beat granulated sugar, butter and vanilla extract in large bowl until creamy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Gradually add flour mixture alternately with sour cream.  Fold in remaining 1 1/2 cups morsels. 

Spread into prepared baking pan; sprinkle with topping.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean

This crumbcake was so delicious.  I ate way too much of it.  Hence, the 2 pound weight gain for my weigh-in yesterday!  Was it worth it?  You'll have to try it and find out.

Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

Linking up to:  Full Plate Thursday, Inspritation2 , Creative Ways, Grace at Home, Create It Thursday, Your Turn to Shine,   Project Stash  Homemaking Linkup and Home Sweet Home, Share Your Cup.

Hodgepodge ~ Mother's Day ~ 5/6/15

 

Joyce's Hodgepodgey Questions:

1. What's a phrase your mother often said to you? If you're a parent, is this something you now say to your own children?
"You need to eat more vegetables!"  Because I don't like vegetables, to this day, I've made it a point of trying to get my girls to eat and like their veggies.  So, I don't usually have to say this because they eat them up.

 2. What is a scent you associate with your mother or your childhood home?
Jergen's Cherry Almond Hand Lotion.  Every time I smell it, it takes me back to when I was little.

 3. What's an activity you remember always doing with your mother (or someone who was a mother figure in your life)?

The thing we did together the most often was wash the dishes.  My mom would wash and I would dry.  We also baked a lot and cooked together also.

4. Flared jeans, maxi dresses, and jumpsuits are 70's fashion trends back this spring. Are you on board? Which trend would you be most inclined to try? For the men...flared corduroys, wide-collared shirts, and floral prints...what say you? 

Seriously!  I might wear a maxi dress but that is as far as it goes!

 5. May 6th is Teacher Appreciation Day and also Nurse Appreciation Day. Is there a nurse or teacher  you have especially appreciated along the way? Tell us why?

I work in the Nursing Department of our local college so I'm surround by nurses all day long.  The group I work with are a very special group of people.  Very kind and loving.  As for teachers, I'm going to say my mom as my Sunday School teacher.  She taught the kindergarten class for years and I still remember making cotton ball sheep!

                                         

 6. If I came by your house, what would I find on your frig door?

Pictures of all the little ones in my family.  Also colored creations of my daughter's.

 7. Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana made her royal entrance on Saturday, May 2nd. On a scale of 1-10, how much attention did you give to all the news coverage? 1=Who's Charlotte? 10=sat glued to the telly, cuppa in hand.

I'd say a 4.  I was really only interested in the name.  I have a thing for names and was very curious as to what the princess would be called.  Other than that, I found it amazing that Kate left the hospital--in high heels--only hours after giving birth.  She must be one tough lady!

 8.  Insert your own random thought here.

It looks like it is going to storm.  The sun is shining in some places of the yard and in others it is very cloudy and dreary.  I wouldn't mind a good thunderstorm!

                                                   

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I'd love to return the visit!  Please leave a comment and a link!

Weigh-In Wednesday ~ 5/6/15

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Whatever you do, work at it wholeheartedly as though you were doing it for the Lord and not merely for people.

Colossians 3:23

I got the "All Clear" from my surgeon and went back to work on Monday.  That meant I also got back to walking.

I started out by just walking around our block a few times a day.  The weather has been cooperating.  We had some rain on Thursday and Friday but it was sporadic and left plenty of time to get out and get my walk in.

Here are a few Springy pictures I took while walking in my neighborhood:

Lilacs, my favorite.

Flowering Quince

Tulips

As for my weigh-in....I knew losing 7 pounds in one week (last week's weigh-in) was too good to be true.  I got on the scale and was actually afraid that it would be a lot worse than the 2 pound gain that I had.  That still is a loss of 5 pounds in 2 weeks, so I'm not overly bummed.

I plan to get a lot more walking in this week and also start working on my food intake.  Less junk, more healthy.

This week's stats:

Miles:  3
Total Miles:  6

lbs lost: +2
Total lost:  22

Thanks for stopping by!  Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

Also linking up to  WholeHearted Wednesday, Party in Your PJs,  The Mommy Club, Works or Me, Wake-Up Wednesday and Wow Me Wednesday and Weigh-In Wednesday and Workout Wednesday.

 

Family Time ~ Take Me Out to the Ballgame! ~ 5/5/15

 

Here in the Miller House, we love to watch the Pittsburgh Pirates play ball!  We're only about 2 hours away from Pittsburgh so we try to go to a few games a year.

 

About an hour away in Altoona, The Curve play ball.  They are a double-A team for the Pirates and a lot of the players from The Curve move up to become Pirates.

 

Altoona is closer and the tickets are a LOT cheaper so we've gone to a couple games.  This was the first game of the season.

Kaylee isn't all that into baseball (yet) but she had a great time.  I love that she (at 13) loves to hang out as a family.

Laken is happy as long as we keep her supplied with ballpark food.  I can't really blame the kid!

As it got later, it started to really cool down.  It was 80 degrees earlier in the day so we only had one hoodie in the car.  Laken claimed it.  You can see again, keep the popcorn coming and we have happy girls :)  And a happy Daddy ;)  Even if The Curve lost....

 

Do you like to watch baseball?  Do you prefer TV broadcasts or the ballpark?  What team do you root for?

Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

Linking up Totally Terrific Tuesdauy,  Titus 2sdays, Unite, Share Your Stuff, Treasure Box, Do Tell Tuesday and Titus 2 Tuesday, Hearth and Soul, Tuesdays with a Twist.