my moms blog!

I am happy to announce that my mom has started her own blog! :) She is so good at refinishing furniture and has some really cute things to share. She is the one who always helps me out with my things and I don't know what I'd do without her! You should check out her blog- she just refinished a chair and it is SUPER CUTE!

Blissfully Blessed

sugar free strawberry shortcake

My dad is a diabetic so I am always on the look out for desserts that I can make that are sugar free. This is not your typical strawberry shortcake but it is sugar free and SO good :)

ingredients:

1.5 oz container of sugar free fat free instant vanilla pudding
1 container of sugar free cool whip
T.Marzettis sugar free glaze for strawberries (got it at WalMart)
1 container of strawberries
sugar free angel food cake (also from WalMart)

directions:

Mix pudding according to directions on package and let it set. Mix in most of the cool whip. Leave a little left over for topping :)

Cut up strawberries into chunks. Leave about 4 strawberries leftover for topping. Mix in the sugar free strawberry glaze.
Cut the angel food cake in half 3 ways and start layering.. Top with leftover cool whip and strawberries and this is what you will get :) Enjoy!(You can't tell in the pic but there are 3 layers of angel food cake!)

flea market love :)

Yesterday me and my mom went to the Nashville flea market. It was a gorgeous day! There were tons of cute things. I ended up leaving with some early Christmas presents for family :) and some strawberry jam that was made by the Amish. My goal this year is to start buying Christmas presents all throughout the year. For one, it is easier on the wallet and for two, it just helps me to enjoy the holidays more and not stress over gift buying. Anyway, it was SUCH a fun day :) I would LOVE to have this table and chairs. I am in love with the farmhouse tables and I'm thinking about painting mine like this. (white on bottom, dark on top)

Today is kinda yucky. Its colder and dreary- a perfect day to take a nap on the couch. I am really looking forward to this week though, its supposed to be so pretty! Maybe I will get around to painting my shutters & cleaning out my car :) Have a great day!

please pray

I have been watching the news and just read on the internet that there has been a wreck in Kentucky not far from here. A semi and a van collided and 11 people were killed. The people in the van were Mennonites on their way to a wedding. There was an assistant pastor that was killed, also a couple who were engaged to be married in July. I do now know these people but feel just terrible because I cannot imagine what the families and friends are going through. Please be praying for these people. You can read the full story here.

it's that time of year again.

Yes, that's right. TAX TIME. I really hate taxes!!! Being self employed has its good & great things- and its bad things.... We filed our taxes this morning and I am actually pretty pleased. Josh did not pay in any money last year (I pay quarterly so it helps me out in the end) so I figured we would have to pay in a bunch. But thankfully, since we are 1st time home buyers, we have an $8000 credit so yay! We are not getting the full amount back but its pretty darn close:)

It would be sooo nice if we could just take that check and buy a car or go on a trip or anything! BUT we are going to pay off his student loans (he owes about $5000) and another $1500 loan we have. So there will not be much left over but thats okay. I hate seeing that EdFinancial bill come in every month and the other loan too. It will free us up alot.

We do plan on saving for me a new car though. I have a 99 Honda Accord and it runs pretty good. But it squeals every now and then (which could be fixed easily) and sometimes when I am driving down the road my trunk pops open!! Very embarrassing! On top of all that, the paint is chipping off big time. It used to be a small area on the trunk but now its pretty much the whole trunk and is spreading to the top of the car now. I am not the kind of girl who has to have the best looking car and all, but I don't want to feel like I'm driving a clunker! Ha!

Here are some cars that I have been looking at and would LOOOOVE to have :)

I love the new Honda CRVs. My mom has the older model and I really like it. It gets great gas mileage too.

And I just love the Nissan Muranos! I don't think the gas mileage is as great as the CRV but they sure are cute:) I have some time to shop around and think about it though. We are going to start saving and maybe this fall or winter we can do it! yay

bamboo roman blinds

Everytime I am looking online or in a magazine & see these bamboo roman blinds, I just love them!

Well, I finally decided to break down and buy them!!! (Not the ones in this pic...this pic is from overstock.com) I was looking online and JCPenney has them on sale right now. They are all backordered so it will be end of April/May when they come in. I can't wait! I bought some at Target for our living room but I am not 100% happy with them. And I love this dark expresso color! Cute window treatments make a room look completely different and I am so excited to hang them in our house!

faith

I was reading my bible this week on having faith and I came upon these scriptures..

Then Jesus said to the disciples, "Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, 'May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you've received it, it will be yours." Mark 11:22-24 (New Living Translation)

I have been thinking of this scripture all week and trying to apply it to my life but sometimes it is really hard to have faith. When things do not go the way we think they should, its easy to get frustrated. Well, tonight we were in women's ministry at church and our new pastors wife was talking about having faith during hard times and what verse does she read? Mark 11:22-24! It is the best feeling when you know God is speaking to you :)

So from now on if I am praying about something I will not have any doubt. I'm going to thank the Lord in advance for answering my prayers because I have faith that he will!

Another favorite :) .....

Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6,7

5 question Friday...or Saturday:)

I know I am a day late but I thought I would do this little 5 question survey that My Little Life is hosting every Friday so here goes :)

1. Have you ever had a celeb sighting?

YES! This was the week of Christmas I think 4 years ago. My best friend and I were doing some last minute Christmas shopping in Green Hills Mall. We were in Victoria's Secret and who walks in??? TIM MCGRAW! You have to understand my obsession with him to really know how much of a deal this was for me :) and yes I was the crazy girl who went up and talked to him. No one else did and that store was packed but I figured why not?! I basically told him that I loved him and I thought he was the best. He smiled and said thank you and that is was NICE TO MEET ME! Then he got in line (I guess to buy stuff for Faith Hill) so I grabbed a few pairs of panties and got on line right behind him! haha. That is one day I will remember forever!

2. What temp do you keep your house?

Well, if it was up to the hubby, it would mid 60s. But I am always cold- I could keep it in the low to mid 70s. So we settle at 70 :)

3. Do you notice dust at other peoples homes?

Ummm I can honestly say NO! Dusting is one thing I need to do more of at my own house..so I can't really think anything bad of other people who need to dust:)

4. What's the worst job you ever had?

When I was in cosmetology school, I decided to get my shampoo license that way I could work in a salon while I was in school to get some experience. I got a job at the salon in Dillard's in Rivergate Mall and I absolutely HATED it. I was basically the cleaning/towels/shampoo girl. I only lasted there for about a month and then quit.

5. What is your most sentimental possession?

This is a hard one because I have so many. But if I had to choose one I would say my pictures. I love looking back at old pictures of me and Josh and my family & friends:)

Well, after about a 6 week break from the blogging world, I am back! Things have been so busy around here.... I am still learning how to balance my time between having my own salon & working all the time... to keeping a house up & cooking & cleaning & time for God and my hubby... and still having time left over for me. It is starting to get easier but it does make me wonder how everyone does it! And we don't even have kids yet! Joyce Meyer spoke yesterday on how to be fruitful with our time and not just "busy". I am going to try to do this but I will tell you, it is hard!!

Speaking of Joyce Meyer (which by the way, I love her!!!) she is having a conference next month in Chattanooga and my mom and I are going!! Just booked the hotel yesterday! It is only a couple of hours away and I figured it would be fun to have a little girls trip with my mom :) Not that my mom really needs to see her again.... seeing that she MET HER last week!! I am so jealous! My mom and dad went to a conference in Florida and Joyce spoke along with George Bush and Laura Bush!! My mom said Laura Bush was SUCH a classy lady and a great speaker. She also said that George Bush was really good and very laid back. I would have loved to hear them. They didn't get to meet the Bush's but she got to meet Joyce!!

Has anyone been watching American Idol??? I HAVE! It is our favorite show:) Last night was very good. It makes me wonder who will get voted off tonight because I thought they all did pretty good. It is hard to pick a favorite but I really really really love Lee! I love his voice! I could so see myself going to one of his concerts!

Another favorite is Lacey! I have loved her from the beginning. I love her style! She is just so cute and sweet and has the most unique voice. After watching the show last night and learning that she has been a pastors daughter pretty much her whole life makes me love her even more because I have too:) Buuutttt.... I wasn't 100% crazy about her performance last night. It wasn't that I didn't like it but it wasn't my favorite so hopefully she won't be voted off. We shall see.

And of course, Tuesday night is just not the same around here without the Duggar's! I just love them :) Their little baby, Josie, is precious!!!

There was a new show last night called Quintuplet Surprise... it was good. I will be watching it again but I feel SO sorry for these parents. I can't imagine having 5 babies and not having any income for 6-7 months. Wow!

So as you can tell Tuesday nights are my favorite! I love to have supper all done by 7:00 and eating (on the couch in front of the tv, of course!) with my sweet hubby watching our favorite shows! We will be doing the same thing tonight:) Have a great day!