Thought provoking

I saw this on a sign at a church in my neighborhood:

Is God your steering wheel or your spare tire?

Chew on that....

Such is life

For reasons I am not at liberty to discuss on my blog, our administrative assistant resigned today. I will say it was a "forced resignation." So, guess what that means. No more ice chomping for one, but it also means more work for everyone in the office.

We have a busy, busy fall coming up with events, and we will hire to replace him, but it's a process, so for a while we won't have anyone. It also means that when we get someone they will have to be totally trained. As many of you know, this can take up a large chunk of time and energy, as well. So, basically, we're floating alone either without an administrative assistant or with an unexperienced one for most of the Fall- our craziest time of year.

We will all have to pick up the slack- which means, I'm probably going to be a little more out of the loop on commenting, posting, etc. Boo hoo :-(

Let the fun begin! Did you sense my eye-roll?

Personality Traits unveiled

Mrs. Potts over at Experiments in a Galley Kitchen tagged me for the Premium Meme award. This award requires that I list 7 traits about myself and then pass along the award to 7 other bloggers who deserve recognition for the personality they share through their blog.


If you don't know Mrs. Potts, go on over to her blog and get acquainted. She's oh so sweet and down to earth, and you'll love reading what she has to say! Quit wasting time, get on over there! (After you finish reading this post, that is)


Here's the award:

Don't ask me what that picture is of- I can't tell either!

My 7 traits in no particular order are:

1. Organized- I think we have already discussed this. I have often been dubbed the Organizational Nazi (I apologize if that offends anyone). I live my life from a list, and if I don't have a list, well then I'll just forget. Ask my friend whose birthday was Saturday- I totally didn't call, and guess why? NO LIST! (Yes, I have profusely apologized to her for being a horrible friend who forgot to call- I did not forget it was her birthday, just remembered while I was in the middle of something!)

2. Dependable- If you count on me to do something, you can rest easy knowing it will get done. I absolutely hate when people don't follow through when they say they are going to do something. Therefore, I make it a point to do what I say. If I don't think I can do it, then I won't tell you I can.

3. Jealous- Yes, there, I said it. I'm the jealous type. I don't think this needs much of an explanation. It's not a good trait to have, but I might as well be honest!

4. Friendly- I always try to be friendly to those I meet. I try to make conversation and really connect with people. However, some people are a lost cause because they are either A) unfriendly in return or B) annoying as all get-out. Many of you remember my rant after a particular weekend when I had to deal with the mother of all annoying people....I just can't be friendly to her anymore!

5. Caring- I really care about people and I always make sure I let them know it. Even when I don't have time for myself, I am doing things for those I care about. Case in point- 3 weddings, 3 bachelorette parties, multiple showers all in one summer and all because I really care about the 3 girls who are getting (or have gotten) married.

6. Hot headed- Because nobody can have all good traits (ok, jealousy is not a good trait, I know). And let me clarify. I try to be calm, level-headed, but that goes straight out the window when I get behind the wheel of a car. I have road rage like you wouldn't believe!! My temper flares at bad drivers, I tend to throw out the occasional dirty word, I use my horn. In short, do not get in my way when I am driving.

7. Quirky- But, aren't we all? I think everyone has some peculiarities that can only be described as quirky. I can't divulge all my secret quirks, but just know- I have them!!

Now for the 7 loooovely ladies I will be passing this along to:

DAR at Just Another Day in Paradise (Yay to her for finishing the Bar!!)

Sparkle Sparkle! (another lovely blogger who just took the Bar)

Lindsey at Sweet Simplicity (such a cute blog she has- check it out!)

MG at Magnolias and Mimosas (She just moved to a new place and has lots of adventures)

Megan at Tales of the Trees (One of the most honest, refreshing bloggers!)

Sole Matters (another Southern girl with a great blog)

Jenny at Practically Perfect (she's moving to New Zealand before long- my jealousy kicks in)

Weekend wrap-up plus a plea for your help!!

Another weekend comes and goes, and it's back to Monday again. Anybody else want to help me petition the government to approve 4 day work weeks and 3 day weekends? I feel like I'd be just as productive in 4 days of working as I would be in 5!

But anyway...I digress. This weekend I helped throw one last shower for my friend Carolyn before the 2 weddings I have in August. I have next weekend free and then bring on the weddings! The shower was a success and Caro got a lot of good stuff. I didn't take pictures because my friend Holly had her "family cam" and had all that covered :-)

On Saturday night we went over to Carolyn's and her fiance, Chris's new house and hang out with everyone. Then yesterday WEG and I went out on the lake and rode around. I'm trying to get rid of bathing suit strap marks because my dress for Bess's wedding is strapless! AND, I am peeling. NO BUENO.

So, that was my weekend. Now, I must ask you for some help, dear readers. WEG's birthday is coming up on August 22nd. I have weddings 2 weekends prior to that, so I have to find something to get him, preferably this weekend!! He has said that he doesn't want anything, but I can't just give him a card and not get him anything! I am going to take him to dinner at our favorite restaurant, Mr. Friendly's (win, win!). He has agreed to that, and then I'd like to get him something else small, but meaningful. He is the type of person that goes out and buys whatever he wants whenever he gets the whim that he wants it. So, it's hard to buy for him!! I just bought him some new clothes, and he honestly has plenty.

I'd love to get him a few small items to open, but I am seriously drawing a blank. Have any of you had really creative ideas for your husbands, fiances, brothers, boyfriends, etc.?
A little background- WEG is a huge outdoorsman. He loves to fish (all types- offshore, inshore, on the lake) and he hunts anything that moves. (Unfortunately, he has all the gear he needs for that sort of thing). He's also a big Clemson fan- ugh.

Any ideas that you have are welcome & appreciated!!

Prissy Southern Prep

Can you send me an invite to your blog?
usc_emily@hotmail.com- thanks!!!

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart)

Jenny over at Lucky in Love tagged me to "Show My Heart." This is really neat and I appreciate the tag! By the way, the title is from an e.e. cummings poem- hence, no capital letters!

The rules: "With as much creativity as you can muster, show your heart in: a picture, a poem, a song (or piece of music), a phrase (or quote), an item of clothing, a place, and (just for fun) a Disney princess. If you want to join in, tag six more blogs."

1) For the picture, I just can't narrow it down. My family is my heart, my friends are my heart, and WEG is my heart. So, 4 pictures for you that show my heart.

My mom and dad.

My cousins: Kimberly, me, Carrie, Lora, and Sarah

My friends: Me, Julie, Carolyn, and Holly- the Fab Four

My love: WEG

2) The poem one is hard! But I'd have to say it's Footprints in the Sand. I just love that poem.

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.

Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.

Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.

This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life,

when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat,

I could see only one set of footprints,

so I said to the Lord,

“You promised me Lord,that if I followed you, you would walk with me always.

But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life

there has only been one set of footprints in the sand.

Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”

The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints,

my child, is when I carried you.”

3) The song that has my heart is Small Town by John Cougar Mellencamp. It's my ringtone on my phone and I feel like it's a classic that really takes me back to my hometown in rural South Carolina. Y'all have all heard me talk about how much I love it and it's where a piece of my heart will always remain.

Just a snippet: Educated in a small town. Taught to fear Jesus in a small town. Used to daydream in that small town. Another boring romantic that's me. Well I've seen it all in a small town. Had myself a ball in a small town. ....... Well I cannot forget where it is that I come from. I cannot forget the people who love me. Yeah I can be myself here in this small town. And people let me be just what I want to be........ Well I was born in a small town, and I can breathe in a small town. Gonna die in a small town, that's probably where they'll bury me.

4) A quote is hard to narrow down- I have a few I like, but I am going to go with a Bible verse for this one.

Love is patient; love is kind. It does not envy; it does not boast; it is not proud. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking; it is not easily angered; it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. And now these three remain: Faith, Hope, and Love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 13

5) I am not one to hang onto clothing for sentimental value, so this one is quite difficult for me. I would have to say that not one single piece of clothing sticks out as something that has my heart! However, though not an item of clothing, I have a blanket that I have had since I was little. I call it my snuggie and I sometimes still sleep with it if I am home alone- it's comforting (Yes, I just admitted to sleeping with a blanket- gasp!)

6) Place- of course, y'all all know what is coming. The place that has my heart is none other than:

7) Disney Princess that has my heart. It has to be Snow White. She has always been my favorite, for no particular reason. I just love those little dwarfs (shouldn't this be dwarves?)!

So you can see, my heart belongs to my family, my friends, my WEG, my roots, and my Lord.

And now I would like to tag 6 lovely ladies to play this game- I apologize if you have already done this one.

LuLu- Life with LuLu and Pete

Sweet Carolina Bride

Mrs. Potts at Experiments in a Galley Kitchen

Gracie Beth at Preppy Southern Princess

Polka Dots and Protein Bars

Whitney- That Girl & Her Pug

I've got the itch...

And by that I mean every single night when I get in the bed. I think it's something about laying there very still that makes my arm itch, my back itch, my leg itch. It's a chain reaction once one thing starts itching. And it's not my sheets- it's not an irritated kind of itch. More like a tickle. I know I drive WEG crazy because I'm itching like a mad woman instead of laying there quietly while he's trying to fall asleep. I even annoy myself with it! Sometimes I will try to not scratch the itch, but that NEVER works out. I think it even may make it worse.
Anybody else have the itch?