A great read indeed....

It is no secret that the dynamics of "the family" has changed drastically since the 1950's...even the 1990's.I found the

book at a thrift store this summer and had to get it! I have read Steven Covey's 7 habits and believe each habit to be

pretty accurate! According to Covey, the family has changed because of four factors. Pop Culture, Laws, Economy,

and Technology. I could not agree more! This book brings up so many moral dilemmas that families are facing in

today's world. I highly suggest this book as it has such simple, yet wise notations about how to build the kind of

strong loving family that lasts for generations! Families don't just happen, they take dedication from EVERY

member. I could go on and on, but I won't. Just trust me.... Check it out!

I will Rise

Beautiful words. Beautiful Music. Beautiful Lyrics.

Home: Bedroom Ideas

I must admit that Wednesday's are one of my favorite blog days, along with Sunday as well! I have been pondering over the design of our master bedroom. I want to feel cozy and relaxing, but clean and crisp. I think it can be done. After perusing several of my favorite online stores, I came across a comforter on potterybarn.com that I thought could meet these requirements. I was afraid to see the price, but low and behold, I began scrolling, and a big fat red line price looked back at me! I smiled back. I love the color red...hehehe! This is not a definite, just an idea! What do you think? It is a little Hotel-ish, but I think I like that!

I really like the idea of having a medium-tone gray accent wall behind the bed

And a Chaise Lounge in the Corner Nook

Beginning Stages. We will see what happens!

Need an energy boost???

I recently discovered ( thanks to my first grade teaching friend) that there is a way to give your body a boost, just when you need it! May I introduce you to: VITAMIN B12 SUBLINGUAL! Now maybe I am behind and everyone has known about this for years, but for those of you who have never tried it.....PLEASE DO!

B12 Sublingual has been highly researched and Daily sublingual ingestion of Vitamin B12 at 2,500 mcg is often considered a therapeutic level of the supplement. After the first day of taking them, I felt energized and definitely more alert! They have a cherry flavor and dissolve in about 30 seconds!

Give it a try! I promise you will feel it! I bought mine at Wal-Mart for $5.00!

Monday's Message

I love visiting extravagantgrace.net in the morning. She has such great insight and always has the right words that speak directly to my heart. This simple verse is simply perfect. Have a great Monday.

West Virginia is waiting on me....

Although I love me some NORTH CAROLINA.... I am still in love with my home state, WV!

Comin home this weekend.... Hoping to see a few changing leaves along I-77!

I'm Dreaming of a White Kitchen.....

So both Daniel and I agreed on white kitchen cabinets in our new home! Our builders told us that they were "out-of-date" and they did not offer them! We begged and pleaded and begged some more! I made them aware that EVERY single kitchen on Food Network was white! After a few phone calls and standing our ground.....WE GOT EM' and....they are now being sold through the company. HA.

I think a white kitchen is crisp and clean and contemporary. What do y'all think?

Bacon Cheeseburger Chicken

I have a new favorite blog: http://www.kevinandamanda.com

Amanda has some kickin-awesome recipes on her blog that look sooooo good!

It has been so long since I last blogged.

Daniel and I have moved into our in-laws! It has been a pretty smooth transition, yet my cooking skills have been a little lacking since we moved in. We volunteered to make dinner on Thursday night! I was blog browsing and came across this great blog and thought this would be perfect!

Bacon Cheeseburger Chicken

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, split
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 cup Ranch dressing
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 lb bacon (or bacon bits)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a large skillet, heat oil & butter over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts, and saute 4 to 5 minutes each side, until lightly browned. Place browned chicken breasts in a 9×13 inch baking dish. Cover with teriyaki sauce and dressing. Sprinkle with cheese and top with bacon bits. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

I can't wait for Thursday!!!

What's Cookin?

On the menu this upcoming week is CILANTRO LIME SHRIMP. This is my first time trying this recipe and I can't wait to eat it! I found this recipe on http://www.skinnytaste.com

This is a weight watchers meal and has 4 points per 6 oz serving.

Cilantro Lime Shrimp
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 6 oz • Points: 4 pts
Calories: 197.3 • Fat: 4.1g • Protein: 35.9 g • Carb: 2.4 g • Fiber: 0.1 g

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 lb shrimp, shelled and deviened
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 lime
• salt and pepper

Heat a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Add oil to the pan, when hot add shrimp. Season with salt and pepper. When the shrimp is cooked on one side, about 2 minutes, turn over and add garlic. Sauté another minute or two until shrimp is cooked, careful not to overcook. Remove from heat. Squeeze lime all over shrimp andtoss with cilantro. Serve hot.

Remember: Shrimp is packed with protein, low on calories, and a quick-fix!

Happy BIrthday Printable

My friend Mary's birthday is tomorrow and I was about to pull out a card from my stash and then decided....hmmm...I bet I could find a cute printable that would suit her perfectly! I clicked on How About Orange Blog and it led me to Hey Susy Blog. There, I found this cute, yet simple, birthday card. Happy Birthday Mary!!!

Click on the link below to download. Enjoy and have a Happy Friday!

http://susanconnordesign.typepad.com/heysusy/2010/08/many-happy-returns-free-printable-birthday-card-.html

Download PDF of Free printable birthday card for 8.5 x 11 by clicking here

Bethany Dillon

One of my favorite Christian artists is Bethany Dillon. She has the smoothest, sweetest voice and has such lyrical songs that will stop you dead in your tracks. I have this song, Stop and Listen downloaded on ITUNES and I played it tonite and thought the message was perfect for this CRAZY BACK TO SCHOOL time. This morning before school I decided to meditate and listen to God. Once you get quiet, stop, and listen, it is amazing what you can learn about yourself. This song says so much in just a few lines. I hope you can stop and listen for moments throughout your day. Great things can happen.

ENJOY ( Remember to turn off my player at the bottom of my page)!

Creating an In-Home Library

It is no secret that I love books. Walking in a bookstore or library is like therapy to me.

As my husband and I were dreaming about our new home a few weeks ago, we discussed the formal dining room. In our new home, it would be located to the left of our front door. We also have a breakfast nook and a bar to eat at. We think the nook and the bar will have plenty of seating, so we started talking about turning the dining room into a library.....ahhhhh...this sounded dreamy to me.

I long to have a home for all of my books (instead of stuffed in a box in the closet). A place to wind down and kick back. A place to relax.

Here is a picture of an awesome library....What do you think?



What I love about this:

1. I love the glass shelving.

2. I love the chair--such a cozy spot

3. I love the window treatments

4. I love the natural light that you would have while reading

One issue: There needs to be another chair for Mr. Noles!

Have a great day everyone.

Any ideas about an at-home library are greatly appreciated!

Be Still....

We read in the bible to "Be still and know that I am God." This verse is so beautiful and it calms me down every time I hear it. I wish at times I could live it out in my day to day life.

I read so much about meditating and have longed to work it into my daily routine. I just haven't figured this out yet.

I love reading Gwyneth Paltrow's newsletter on http://www.goop.com. This is a section about meditating and I found a piece that I think is doable:

To experience a taste of this luminosity, try sitting quietly in an upright posture. It could be in a chair or on the sofa or cross-legged on the floor. Keep your back straight. Or lie down if you would rather. Let your eyes gently close. And just listen. Listen to the sounds and the silence that surround you. Let the sounds come and go as they wish without choosing one over another. Try to listen to the entire sound, noticing when your mind identifies it as whatever it is: a car horn, the refrigerator, the heat coming on, children’s voices, the dog, or nothing. Don’t let your identification of the sound stop you from listening. Simply note the thought and return to the bare sounds, to the act of listening. If your mind wanders, as it will, bring your attention back to the sounds. It might be after a moment or two, or it might be after a whole cascade of thoughts, it doesn’t matter. At some point you will realize, “Oh, I’m not listening, I’m thinking,” and at that point you can return attention to the sounds. Treat your mind the way you would a young child who doesn’t know any better. Be gentle but firm. Meditation means bringing your mind back when you notice it has wandered, it’s not about keeping your mind from wandering in the first place. You will notice that you instinctively prefer some sounds over others - don’t let this influence your listening. Just observe the liking or the not liking but don’t let it control you. Listen to everything, the way you would listen to music.

Once your body is in a relaxed state, you can use this time to pray, recite scripture, or just listen to what God has to say.

Peace.

Keep my Heart Alive

I bought the new Sanctus Real CD, Pieces of A Real Heart, and have been blasting it in my car the past few days. All of the songs are powered up with great messages and bits of wisdom from life. One of my favorite songs on the cd is Keep My Heart Alive. The song begins with the lyrics:

I’m so tired of politics

And all this bad news

I’m so tired of chasing the moment

Instead of chasing You

The rest of the song is a cry-out to God to keep our hearts alive in this dark world. This song reminds me of this verse:

My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart

and my portion forever.

Psalm 73:25,26 (NIV)

How can I give God my heart today? How can I chase Him?

How can I show the creator, I love Him?

What's Cookin?

My husband and I both enjoy cooking. Because we have traveled so much this summer we have had little time to play in the kitchen. This past week we decided to cook each nite.

On the menu tonite is:

Baked Ziti

Greek Salad

And Fresh Focaccia Bread

Truett Cathy, owner of Chick-Fil-A once said, "Food is essential to life. Therefore, make it good."

I couldn't agree more! What's cookin' in your kitchen???