Pearls of Wisdom

Today I had to take my vehicle into the shop to have the air conditioning checked.  It has been getting very warm here lately.  I don't know about you but I have to have my A/C. 

Anyways, while I was waiting I browsed through some magazines to help pass the time.  I noticed that the one magazine kept referring to advice that people had received.  They had gone through and asked different ones what was the best advice they had ever received and how it had helped them. 

It held my attention for a while.   Some of the things were ok, but there were some others that were really good.  So I took out a piece of paper and pen and wrote down a few that I will share with you.

*Always leave a margin.  The person explained how she took this advice and applied it to her finances, always leaving a little extra in her checking account; when parking or driving close to another vehicle, leaving enough space to avoid bumping into one another; giving yourself enough time to reach your destination allowing time for delays.

*When faced with confrontation say, "That's interesting." 
This comment causes the other person to stop and think about what they are saying.  Hopefully calming the situation from further debate.

*Less is more.  I think we have all heard this at one time or another and it kind of explains itself. 

*Valuable doesn't mean expensive.  This is a good one especially with the way the economy is right now.  There are many things and people that are valuable to us and we don't have to go out and spend a lot of money to treasure and enjoy them.

*If there isn't a solution, there isn't a problem.  I found this one interesting and the person went on to say how this helped her alleviate some stress...something I think we can all do with a little less.  When you are faced with a circumstance, recognize that no amount of effort on your part could solve the problem.  If a situation is beyond your influence or control, remove it from your concerns.

There were many others, however, these are a few of the ones that caught my attention. 

Then I started thinking of some advice that I had received down through the years.  There are so many things.  I can't even think of all of them at one time. 

*I remember right before Ray and I were getting married, my Mother told me...
Never go to bed upset with each other and always say I love you.  This is so true and I have put this in practice in my marriage from day one.  We are never guaranteed a tomorrow. 

*Waste not, want not.  This was one of my Grandfather's sayings.  He grew up in the depression and knew first hand want it was to have it hard.  Several years ago my husband was laid off from the company that he had been with for ten years.  It was a scary and uncertain time for us, not knowing how we were going to make it or what the future would hold.  His unemployment status lasted for two years off and on.  It was not due to a lack of trying on his part.  During this time, I could hear my Grandfather saying this over and over...waste not, want not.  God provided for us and saw us through that hard time.  Later supplying my husband with a good job.

These are just a couple things and I could go on and on...

Now, though, it is your turn. 

What good advice or pearls of wisdom have you received? 

Feel free to share.

 

Cheap Summer Treat

Good evening.
A family member passed this on to me and I just had to share.

Now through August 5th you can get an ice cream cone from Burger King for $0.50!

Wow, you can't beat that deal.  With these hot days that just might be one stop that we have to make.

Memorial Day

 

 

Memorial Day, anymore, has become a weekend for picnics, shopping, mini getaways, and marking the beginning of summer. 

However, it originated after the Civil War as a day set aside to remember both the Union and Confederate soldiers who had died in the Civil War.  By the 20th century it had been extended to honor all American soldiers who had died in all of the wars. 

Not to be confused with Veterans Day which honors all who have served.

Memorial Day honors those who died while serving.

 

 

 

The Folding of the Flag

The first fold of our flag is a symbol of life. 
The second fold is a symbol of our belief in eternal life.

The third fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans departing our ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world. 
The fourth fold represents our weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance.

The fifth fold is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, "Our Country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong."

The sixth fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States Of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.

The seventh fold is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that we protect our country and our flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic.

The eighth fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor mother, for whom it flies on Mother's Day.

The ninth fold is a tribute to womanhood; for it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded.

The tenth fold is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since they were first born.

The eleventh fold, in the eyes of a Hebrew citizen represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon, and glorifies in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The twelfth fold, in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit. 
The thirteenth fold, or when the flag is completely folded, the stars are in the uppermost position reminding us of our nations motto, "In God We Trust."

After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the sailors and marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for us the rights, privileges, and freedoms we enjoy today.

We honor those who have given their lives for our country and the freedoms that we still enjoy today. 

Thank you and your families for your sacrifice!

Helping Others

Good evening. 
The weather here has gone from frosty mornings to very hot days. 
 
Today, I was on the phone with someone,
who to put it mildly, is having a rough time.
Now when I called, I too was going through a rough patch. 
However talking to each other helped us both. 
It didn't solve our problems but it just helped.  Know what I mean?

Then my mind goes to all of those people in Oklahoma. 
They've lost loved ones, houses and possessions.  
Out of the rubble, you see pictures of those
doing all they can to help the survivors. 
 
Both of these things are what has inspired this evening post. 

Even when you are having a hard time,
there is always someone else who has it harder. 
Helping others takes your mind off of your own problems. 

Maybe you can not help monetarily but there are
other ways that help as well.
Simply picking up the phone and
telling someone you are thinking about them.
Cooking them a meal.  Sending an email or a card.

Just knowing there is someone out there
                                      thinking about you,
                                                  saying a prayer for you
                                                                    can be a real boost.

Have you been a help to anyone recently? 

Thought for the Day

Good morning!
It is a chilly morning here with frost covering the ground.
I came across this last night and thought that I would share.

    Always

          Believe

                            that

                   Something

                            Wonderful

                                                   is about to

                                              Happen

 

 

Ice Cream Party

In honor of Mother's Day, I put together an ice cream sundae party at church Sunday evening. 
Everyone really enjoyed it and I have to say it was fun. 
I do apologize, I didn't get around to taking pictures until after when we were getting ready to clean up.  So I only have a couple pictures of some of the decorations and they are not the best.  I forgot to take my camera so I had to use my cell phone.

On the buffet table, we had a framed poem (below) with some rose lights.

 

How God Made Mother

God took the fragrance of a flower

The majesty of a tree

The gentleness of the morning dew

The calm of a quiet sea

The beauty of a twilight hour

The soul of a starry night

The laughter of a rippling brook

The grace of a bird in flight

Then God fashioned from these things

A creation like no other

And when His masterpiece was through

He simply called it...Mother.

 

 

 

For the tables we used tulle wrapped around lights and green ivy.  It was simple but just enough to look nice.

 

We set it up buffet style so they were able to go through the line and choose their toppings. 
They had the choice of chocolate or vanilla ice cream or a little of both.
Toppings: chocolate syrup, caramel syrup, strawberry syrup, coconut, chopped peanuts, sprinkles, Heath toffee bits, and chopped up mini Reese's cups.
In addition to the sundaes, we had chocolate chip cookies, brownies, and chips and dip. 

It was a great success and was enjoyed by all.  The guys were excited to hear that we would be doing banana splits for Father's Day.

Happy Mother's Day

 

 

Mom, we miss you so much!  I know you are in a better place but you have left a large void in our hearts and lives.  Your memory lives on in us and we hope that we make you proud.

 

 

On a lighter note, this goes out to my two older sisters. 

They were my human seat belts growing up.  I can still see them doing it. 

 

 

Wishing you all a Happy Mother's Day!

Hope that it is a good one!

Just A Little Note

Good Morning!
Well, the sun is actually shining this morning.  We have been having so many cloudy, rainy days lately.  I know we need the rain but it is nice to see the sun. 

Well, just an update on the party end of things....

My mother-in-law stated that she wanted to go out for Mother's Day instead of coming over to our house.  Ray was going to grill dinner for us tomorrow.  However we are going to go out for Mexican now.  Yes, Mother's Day is on Sunday, however my in-laws do not like to do things on Sunday afternoons because they say it interferes with nap time.  haha

I gathered up decorations yesterday for the Ice Cream party on Sunday.  I was amazed by what I had on hand.  Looks like we will be able to do some decorations without having to buy any.  Always a good thing!  We are using gold, red and white.  Hopefully it will all turn out ok.  I will try to remember to get some pictures.

On anther note, have I mentioned that I'm patriotic to the core?  Well, I received this in an email this morning and just had to share...

Just thought you’d like to know!

When a soldier is killed in the line of duty, his family eventually gets a flag and a note conveying sympathy and respect  from the United States Government. When a Black pro basketball player announces he is a queer, he immediately gets a personal phone call from this President congratulating him for his courage.
Am I missing something?  Well then, excuse me!

That really disturbs me!  Now, I did not research this to see if it was completely accurate, but it is probably close.  Just so you know, I am not prejudice at all.  It's just that a person who puts their life on the line for our freedoms deserves the highest honor and respect. 
Ok, I feel better now that I've had my say. 

To end on another note...
Have you tried the ice tea with the secret ingredient?  I posted about it a while back and the recipe is listed under "recipes".  If you haven't tried it yet, you need to.  Wow, it really makes a difference!

Enjoy your Friday!

A Worthy Cause

A couple weeks ago, I received a postcard from a Purple Heart Foundation.  They stated that there would be a truck in the area to collect much need donations of clothing and housewares for the veterans and their families.

Now I am a true blue blooded American, through and through. 

I had already been gathering up things that I had planned on taking to the Goodwill.  So I held on to those items and went through things to add to them, totaling 4 boxes. 

This was the least I could do to help support those who give their lives for our freedoms. 

In the past, we have sent unused, extra Christmas cards to foundations that

send them to our soldiers oversees. 

Search your area to see how you can help support our soldiers and their families. 

Jungle Monkey Baby Shower

As I mentioned in the earlier post, I helped a friend put together a baby shower for her daughter-in-law.  The mother to be chose to do the nursery in a baby jungle theme with emphasis on monkeys.  So that is what we decided to use for the shower.
Now, while this is a theme that I wouldn't have come up with on my own,
it turned out really cute. 
I was surprised at how much we were able to find. 
Apparently it is very popular right now.
In order to help save on money, we made some of the decorations.
Such as these palm trees that we used as centerpieces on the tables...

 

We used the card board from paper towel rolls.  For the large one, we used 6 rolls and attached them with duct tape.  For the "bark" we used strips of brown construction paper.  For the small trees we used strips of green construction, cutting a ruffle affect for the leaves.  We bought palm leaves for the large tree.

We made lion paw prints out of poster board and construction paper.  We used them to make a pathway from the front door to the banquet room.  I also downloaded jungle sounds onto a CD and we had it playing as the guest walked through the door to add a special sounds affect.

For the doorway, we used plastic table clothes and balloons.  We were able to find these adorable monkey wall decals at the Dollar Tree.

 

Behind the food table, we used a room divider to make a display using plastic table cloth, vines and monkeys

 


 
Gift Table

 

Over view of room.  We replaced the curtains with plastic table cloth draped over the curtain rods and had little monkeys sitting in the window sills.

The head table.  We found zebra and giraffe flowers at the Family Dollar.

Behind the head table, we put together a arch.  Covered it, once again with plastic table cloth, and vines.  Then hung monkeys to make it look like they were swinging from the vines.

 The palm trees were the center pieces and we found these little adorable monkey candles on line.  In addition, we used banana candies, like Runts, in mesh bags for party favors.

We opted to go with cupcakes, which I made, rather than a cake.

We also made the food to help cut cost. 

 

The Menu:  Chicken Salad and Ham Salad (homemade) little sandwiches

                    Chips and nuts

                    Chocolate Candy mints (we made)

                    Cupcakes

                    Lime Sherbet Punch

 

Games:  Don't say "baby" using safety pins

               Nursery Rhyme questions - word game

               Alphabet Game (simply write a baby term for every letter)

               Blind folded changing baby relay

               Clothes line game

 

We had a fun time and she received a lot of nice gifts.

Parties, Events, and Such

Hello! 
Things have been pretty busy and crazy around here lately. 
It seems as if there is constantly something going on. 
That can be fun but also tiring. 

I helped a friend fix and serve a snack for about 100-150 people.
We had Italian wraps, Turkey Bacon wraps, chips, veggie cups, fruit cups, pound cakes and brownies. 
It was a lot of work but a big success.

That same week, I put together another snack for some friends. 
I fixed ham rolls, macaroni salad, horderve sticks, and a pie. 
Funny story, one of the friends didn't know what to call the horderve sticks. 
He was telling me that it was a great snack and all and he called them,
"olive thingys on a stick." 
I got a big laugh out of that one. 

I suppose they are more of a Southern thing,
so in case you are not familiar with them... 
You take a party stick (tooth pick) and add the following to it...a green olive, a chunk of ham, a chunk of cheddar cheese, and a chunk of pineapple. 
This is the original version but there are others out there. 
I apologize for not having pictures. 

After all of that, I went right back into planning a baby shower with a friend for her daughter-in-law. 
There will be a separate post for the baby shower. 
I have several pictures for that one. 

If you remember, I stated in a earlier post that 

I absolutely LOVE planning parties. 

Yes they can be a lot of work but there are also a lot of fun. 
Who doesn't enjoy making people happy. 

Now, if you were thinking things were going to slow down,
you are wrong. 

This Saturday, my mother-in-law is having a welcome home get together for one of her older friends who spends the winter months in Florida.

The following weekend is Mother's Day.  For this, I will be having a dinner for my mother-in-law, as well as putting together a Ice Cream party for church.

I do have one free Saturday. 
At least it is free for now, but I wouldn't hold my breath on that one.

After that, there is a surprise birthday party for one of Ray's aunts.

Then I have a cousin who's son is graduating for which,
you guessed it, there will be another party.

Whew!

Check back often for pictures and updates.