Top Ten Best Selling Books of All Time

This is just some useless information. I tend to fill my brain with trivia all of the time. It's as if I expect Regis to show up in my living room at any time asking me questions worth one million dollars.

Anyhoo - the list:

10. In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do?
9. Valley of the Dolls
8. The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care
7. The World Almanac
6. A Message to Garcia
5. The McGuffey Readers
4. The Guinness Book of Records
3. American Spelling Book
2. Quotations From the Works of Mao Tse-tung
1. The Bible

A Season of Thanks

I have so much to be thankful for. The Lord continues to bless my life with precious experiences, people, and opportunities.

This Thanksgiving, I'm most grateful for:

1. My husband, Brian, and our marriage. I fall more and more in love with him everyday. When I don't think it's possible to love him even more, God reveals to me something else about him that is endearing. Brian is my best friend.

2. My mom. She's always there for me when I need advice or just someone to listen. She gets me - really gets me. She understands that when I am having one of my emotional meltdowns that it is best to walk away and leave me alone for a bit. She understands that I cry easily and that I wear my heart on my sleeve and she's never made me feel bad about being that way. My mom has always been my biggest cheerleader. She's always believed in me and my goals.

3. My other family members. No family is perfect - mine is no exception. We have our fair share of dysfunction. However, I'm grateful to have a family. I know people who don't have any family at all and might be celebrating Thanksgiving all alone.

4. Last, but certainly not least, I'm thankful for my friends. I have some incredibly wonderful friends that I know I could call any time day or night and they would be there for me.

Take some time to thank God this Thanksgiving...... not only for the turkey, but for all of the non material joys in your life that can't be bought.

Quick and Easy Treat Bags

I used to get very particular with the papercrafts I was working on. I was very hung up on what everyone else might think about the way they looked. Then, I had a "light bulb moment" and decided to just do what makes me happy. These little treat bags weren't complicated and didn't take six hours or 40 different supplies. They took only a few basic supplies and about 15 minutes.

My SSC Ornament Collection

In my opinion, the ornaments are some of the most difficult items to display. If you leave them in the boxes, they take up a tremendous amount of space. However, if you take them out of the boxes, the majority will not stand on their own. So, I deboxed them (but saved the boxes of course) and asked Brian to hang this wrought iron holder for me. He suspended the entire thing from the celing and even put the ornments on it for me. He's such a loving husband. I don't know too many men that would spend a half hour of their life doing such a thing. He really didn't want me to take his picture because he said, "It's not gonna look manly at all." I couldn't resist.

It's Not Just Another Day

Veterans Day.

It's a special day. A day that remembers not only the signing of the Armistice, but it's also a day that Americans should take time to honor and remember the heroes that sacrificed their lives in order to protect our freedoms. It's also a time to remember those currently on active duty.

Whether I agree with President Bush or his Congress and the decisions they've made regarding the war in Iraq, I do support our troops. I pray for them and their families. I pray that the situation will be resolved quickly and that they will come home safe.

Would you like to send a care package to some troops? I have done so, with the help of a website that allows you to search for a unit based on branch, area, etc. Just go to www.anysoldier.com and look for details. Most of the items that the troops request are very easy to find here. Again, we take so much for granted.

So, as you get the day off from school or work tomorrow, tell a veteran thank you. Remember the true meaning of this national holiday. And pray.

The Perfect Way to Spend a Cold, Rainy Saturday in November

1. Don't shower. You aren't going anywhere. Who cares if you stink.
2. Play Christmas music. Loud.
3. Make hot chocolate. Add an insane amount of marshmallows.
4. Vow to not answer the phone today.
5. Wrap Christmas gifts.
6. Shop on Ebay.
7. Eat Candy.
8. Don't answer the doorbell when it rings. (Refer to #1)
9. Read something just for fun.
10. Pray that you'll be more productive tomorrow.

Oh....My.....Golly!

I cried today when I opened my mail - but in a good way. They are happy tears, no doubt. My Secret Berrykin has already managed to go far beyond any expectation I could have possibly held. I received the following artwork (original hand drawing) and a CD of the signature pic of Nachokins and her pet, Tortilla. Nachokins is my nickname in the Strawberry Shortcake collecting community and so it's very personal and special to me. This generous gift also included a turtle in the drawing. The turtle is my favorite animal because it reminds me to stick my neck out for other people. I'm so in awe of this amazing gift! I'm at a loss right now for the right words to say. Everything about this drawing is so perfect and so me. Brian took one look at it today and said, "Hey - that's you!" The artist, Sara, actually made the characters face and hair to look like me -- I'm not sure if that was on purpose or not, but it makes it even more special. I honestly can't think of a gift I've liked more since Brian bought me a Banana Twirl a few years back.

THANK YOU SANTA!