Wednesday, November 7, 2007

I'm Moving!!!

I'm really not, but my blog is. I have been reading blogs on Xanga and I really like how their layouts are. I am playing around with that blog, so I'm thinking of moving permanently. My new blog address is:

http://www.xanga.com/Desert_Ratt44

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Psst- Avast There!


Arrrrrgh! Today is National Talk Like a Pirate Day!!! Properly warned ye be, says I!

Friday, August 31, 2007

Yes!!!!

It's the moment I have been waiting for ALL summer!!

THUNDERSTORMS!!!!!

It rained for like 5 seconds here, but it's been thundering here for about a half an hour. Now, some of you are probably thinking "Becky, you crazy girl you, thunderstorms are no big deal. They happen all the time!"

Well, I'm here to tell you where I live, they happen once in a blue moon. Once summer hits, I dream of amazing thunderstorms with flashes of lightning and the beautiful sound of thunder. Usually, I'm left in disappointment when a summer passes with no thunderstorms to be seen or heard. But this summer I finally got my wish. Today folks, I got my thunderstorms.

Now I'm gonna go back outside of my office for a little bit and listen to the thunder. Just pray I don't get struck my lightning.

It's Feastin' Time

Appetizer
Who is the easiest person for you to talk to?
Eric. I love the fact that I can go to him to talk about anything and everything.


Soup
If you could live in any ancient city during the height of the quality of its society and culture, which one would you choose?
I would love to have seen Babylon when it was in it's heyday, especially the hanging gardens.


Salad
What is the most exciting event you’ve ever witnessed?
I don't think I've ever witnessed anything exciting.


Main Course
If you were a celebrity, what would you do for a publicity stunt?
I could say I'd be scandalous and steal Johnny Depp away from Vanessa Paradis, but that would be un-Christlike and I could never see myself doing that. Even if I were a celebrity! however If I really were a celebrity, I'd go into hiding for fear that the paparazzi would sell pictures of me picking my nose or something like that.


Dessert

What do you consider the ideal age to have a first child?
It all depends on the person having the child. For me, I have no idea. I don't think age is the issue, but the maturity of the parents to be.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Being Thankful




Psalms 100:4
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.


I recently found out about Thankful Thursday's and I love the idea. Since there are a few life situations I'm unhappy about, I need to always remember to be thankful for what God has blessed me with. If the main thing I'm unhappy about is my location, I'm in a pretty good place and I should just suck it up. If I focus on the good things in my life, I won't have to dwell in my dis- contentedness (is that even a word?)

I am thankful for:
  • A God who loves me unconditionally and even sent his only son to die for me.
  • A husband who puts up with my scatterbrained antics.
  • A family who is so sicking-ly close we actually like hanging out together.
  • A stable job where we are paid enough to meet our needs
  • A beautiful lightning show at 2 in the morning. We never get stuff like that here, so it was nice to just look out my window and watch the show for a little while.







Oh How I Love the David Crowder Band

There is No One Like You:



You are more beautiful
Than anyone ever
Everyday You're the same
You never change, no never

You are more beautiful
Than anyone ever
Everyday You're the same
You never change, no never

And how could I ever deny
The love of my Savior
You are to me everything
All I need forever

How could You be so good?

There is no one like You
There has never ever been anyone like You

Everywhere You are there
Earth or air surrounding
I'm not alone, the heavens sing along
My God You're so astounding
How could You be so good to me
Eternally I believe that'

There is no one like You
There has never ever been anyone like You
There is no one like You
There has never ever been anyone like You

You, You, You, You, You, You

How could You be so good to me?
How could You be so good to me?
We're not alone, so sing along
We're not alone, so sing along, sing along, sing along

Here we go!

There is no one like You
There has never ever been anyone like You

There is no one like You
There has never ever been anyone like You
There is no one like You
There has never ever been anyone like You
There is no one like our God, yeah

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Another Giveaway!!!

This site:
http://musingsofahousewife.typepad.com/musings_of_a_housewife/2007/08/eliza-grace-giv.html?cid=80875371#comment-80875371

Is having giving away this fabulous handbag




























All you have to do is leave a comment on her blog and then link back to it. Isn't it beautiful? I REALLY want to win this thing, however knowing my luck I won't.

Monday, August 27, 2007

Domestic "Stuff"

I don't know if it's because I have been reading some really uplifting home keeping blogs or what, but I've really been in the domestic mood lately! I even cooked a meal from scratch, people! My house it still a bit messy (I'm working on that) but dang did we eat well over the weekend.

Friday we, along with my parents, went down to my grandmother's old apartment to pick up my China and China hutch. It has been my grandmother's wish that I get her China when she passes away. She hasn't passed away yet (I think we still have a few good years left with her) but she has moved to a really nice assisted living facility and there is no room for her China hutch, so she told me to come pick it up! While we were down visiting her in Westminster, we took her to dinner at the Claim Jumper (Yum!) and went back to her new place to visit. We had such a wonderful time and I think Grandma is finally getting used to her new place. It really is a whole lot nicer than her old apartment.

I meant to take a before picture of the hutch, but I forgot and now, after spending 2 hours cleaning the lower portion of the hutch, I found out I'm going to have to re-finish the whole thing. Cleaning it took off the original finish and now it's almost down to bear wood. I have never, ever re-finished a piece of furniture before so I'm counting on my husband's fabulous internet research to figure this out for us.

Anyway, I was able to get a picture of all the China and the other numerous pieces that she has given me. This is all of it stacked nicely on me new( to me) kitchen table:




























Here is a close-up:















I don't know if you can see the detail, but it's just beautiful. It's white china with a white lacy pattern on the rim. It's from a company called Fashion Manor and the print is called "Lady Elegant". Isn't that a pretty name?

Since I had this beautiful China, I figured I had to get some use out of it, so Saturday night I made oven friend chicken from this recipe:http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1726,135176-250193,00.html
and I made biscuits from scratch from this recipe: http://thesparrowsnest.typepad.com/the_sparrows_nest/2007/01/biscuit_making_.html

The biscuits came out thinner than they should have been, but they tasted delicious. Next time I won't roll the dough out so thin. Just to make you hungry, and to show off my new China, I took some pictures of this fantastic dinner.

























































Another thing I received from Grandma was her box of recipes and recipe books. Eric and I went through it together and we found a carrot cake recipe in there. Eric's favorite cake is carrot cake and since yesterday was his birthday, I thought I would make it for him. It turned out really good and when I can remember, I will post the recipe.





























So that was my weekend of being domestic. I told Eric not to get too used to it.

Camping!

Last weekend we went camping with my brothers and their families as well as my cousins and their families. For the past 3 or 4 years we have been trying to make it a summer tradition to get away for a weekend and go camping. The past couple of years, we froze our rears off in the mountain community of Julian, so this year we decided to try beach camping again. We had gone before, but it's very difficult to get a couple of camping spots at the beach.

My awesome cousin Lisa, being the awesome person she is, made the calls to the campground so that we can get our reservations for us. To let you know how difficult this is, she called 6 months in advance to get us the reservation and was online as well as her phone hitting re-dial multiple times until she got someone. She was able to get us 2 camping spots. One was right on the beach, and the other was across the little road from it. Thanks Lisa for your hard work! It was so worth it!

Here are some pictures of our trip.

Eric setting up our tent:















Our "home" for two nights:















The main camping spot:















Our view from the main site:














My niece enjoying the beach sand:














My nephew's not to sure about this beach thing:














My little cousin playing in the water:














This dog was so cute playing in the waves:














My niece again:














My nephew's making a sand castle:














My husband said he was "enjoying the beautiful scenery"














Justin can't wait to play in the ocean!















The three "old guys" have fun in the ocean too















Makin' the s'mores














Note to self: Being in the shade all day does not equal being completely protected from the sun. This is also a public service announcement to remind you to use your sunscreen!


Ha! I love it!

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Friday, August 3, 2007

Well, We Did It...

We canceled our satellite service. Since we are working on being more frugal, we decided that we were paying too much for a service we rarely ever use. I've also decided to finally give up my acrylic nails. Honestly, I don't miss them. They got in the way more than anything. So far, our savings with no satellite and no nails is about $90.00/month. I feel pretty good about this decision.


Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Living Frugally

So I have decided to take the plunge and try to live *gulp* frugally. Some people think it's not that bad to live frugally, but this shop-o-holic is going to have a hard time.

Not only am I a shop-o-holic, I am an emotional shopper. That means if I have a crummy day, the thing that makes me feel better is buying something. I'm also an impulsive shopper. Even though I have my list, I always buy a few things that aren't on it. Take, for example, last Saturday.

I went to Target to pick up a few necessities. I had our budget money with me and I really only intended to buy a couple of things. Well, as I walked into Target, I noticed many shelves of the new Harry Potter book. I really hadn't intended to buy it for another few weeks, because I didn't think they would be on the shelves since this is the last book in the series. I figured all stores would be sold out. So imagine my surprise when I saw many, many shelves of the book in all it's yellow covered glory! And to top it all off, it was only $17.99!! I told myself it was such a deal because in a couple of weeks, the price would have gone up quite a bit. So, I picked it up and bought it, along with the other few things on my list. I went over our budget and I had to steal from another envelope, something that really isn't a good idea.

Even though this book is pretty good so far, it wasn't right for me to steal from another envelope. It's a good thing we get paid tomorrow, or we would have had to go without a couple of real necessities because of my impulsive buy.

So how am I going to try to save us some cashola? Well, here are some of my ideas:

1- Pray, pray pray! - God knows I struggle with this, so I know He can put those little reminders in my stubborn little head when I reach out to pick up something that isn't necessary. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me, right?

2- Take Eric shopping with me- I've already discussed this with him and he agrees that for awhile, he should go shopping with me. That way he can talk some sense into me when I reach out for those cute pair of shoes that I need (never mind the 30 pairs of perfectly fine shoes I already have in my closet!)

3- Coupon Clip- I have never, ever clipped a coupon. I know some people who do and they save a bunch of money! I found this great website, couponmom.com that takes some of the guesswork out of coupon clipping . I haven't had the chance to play with the website yet, but the website helps with searching the grocery ads in your area and then helps you find coupons to double your savings! She also has a couple of free e-books that help you learn how to get more bang for your buck! I'm looking forward to the time that I can sit and read through the material and learn how to save money for groceries.

4- Cook More, Eat out Less- We could save gobs of money by just stop eating out. Sure there are special occasions that call for eating out, but we really need to stop driving by fast food joints on our way home from work. Sure, I could use the excuse of getting home from work late most nights, but really, that is exactly why casseroles and crock pots were invented! I am going to work on finding good recipes that cost less in making and gives a good amount of food for left overs. That way we won't have the excuse of stopping by In~N~Out on the way home from work because there is nothing to eat.

5- Learn to be Content With What God Has Blessed Me With- Eric and I truly have all we need. Even though I don't have everything I want (well who does?) I need to learn to be content with what God has blessed me with. I need to stop looking at what others have and feeling sorry for myself because I don't have that too! I do have a nice home (just don't come by without giving my a couple hours to spruce up) and I have plenty of clothes, so there is no need for me to buy things that aren't necessary. As Sally from agracioushome.com says: "
Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do, Do without" She has some amazing posts on celebrating a year of abundance. She too is learning to live frugally to save some money.

So those are the few things I am going to work on. Also, my verse for this period in my life is Philippians's 4:11-13":

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.






I got bored with the pink...

So I changed it. I thought this looked pretty elegant.

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

Monday, July 2, 2007

Gettin' Creative...

Oh. My. Goodness.

I just recently discovered a few blogs of women who enjoy stamping as much as I do. I had been in a creative drought, but after looking at their sites, I couldn't wait to dust off my stamps and ink and make cards again! Over the weekend a made a few cards, so I thought I would display them here. There is one that I LOVE, however it is for a gift for someone and since I'm not sure if they read my blog, I won't post it till after they get it.

Here is the website where I got the idea to make the following cards. It also has a step by step tutorial on how to do it!
http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/triangletrifold.php

And here are the cards I made:

Outside:















Inside:















Card #2
Outside:















Inside:













Card# 3
Outside:














Inside:













Card #4 (Work in Progress)
Outside:













So there ya have it. This is the beginning of my creative streak! I'm already looking forward to playing with some new techniques. I'll post my new creations as I make them. Also, if you are into card making, I will add the links to the websites I steal ideas from to the right under my "links" list.



Thursday, June 28, 2007

Four in Row?!?!?!

I'm really taking advantage of being caught up at the moment. I know when I come back to work on Monday, I will be overwhelmed. When I have a down time, my brain just goes and goes, so I thought I would post on what's in my head.

Is it okay to have a change of heart? Just a couple months ago all I could think about was staying at home and having a baby. I think I was just so unhappy at work, anything sounded good to me. Now that I'm happy, I really feel that I could wait a few more years till I have a kid (sorry mom!). I'm only 26, so I can wait a couple more years. Many women have kids in their 30's and it works out fine! Eric and I both enjoy our time together and we don't feel the need to have a kid right now. We like the idea of being able to go where we want, when we want and not have to worry about a babysitter, or lugging a bunch of baby stuff everywhere. We like sleeping in on Saturdays and having an occasional "lazy day" here and there. Okay, I admit it, we are spoiled and we like it that way.

Now, if God has other plans in mind for us and I got pregnant before we felt we were ready to have a a baby, we would be fine with that because we know God has better things in mind for us. I'm always open and ready for God's will and we would make it work if I just so happened to get pregnant.

I don't know. I'm just really happy with the way our lives are going right now and I want to keep it that way. I don't feel the *need* to have a kid, so I'm not worrying about it.

I've pretty much stopped reading some of the "mommy blogs" I used to. Some of them were so anti working women I just started to feel discouraged and I questioned weather or not I was a good wife. After Eric assured me I was a great wife, I re-evaluated a few things and prayed over what makes a wife good helper, and I realized (with the help of my man) that I AM helping him by working.

I shouldn't have to feel sorry about that. I shouldn't feel discouraged because I enjoy working. I shouldn't feel like an awful wife because I only do laundry and clean my house on the weekends instead of every day, or make a fancy dinner every night (or ever). I should feel like a good helper because I'm serving my husband in the way that he wants. Not the way that other women serve their husbands.

All in all, I know I am at the place where God wants me.
Shouldn't that be what matters most?

I love You Tube

Thursday Thirteen

Whoah, what's this? Two posts in one day? Don't get used to it, I'm caught up just for the moment. I got a whole stack of work waiting for me in the copy room, I just need the copies made before I can work on them. Anyway, today is Thursday, and you know what that means? Thursday Thirteen!!!!!!!!!
Today's Thursday Thirteen is "Thirteen Movies I Love"

1. The Princess Bride- " You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

2. Singin' in the Rain- "Cosmo, call me a cab." "OK, you're a cab."

3. Gone with the Wind -"I don't know nuthin' about birthin' babies!"

4. Airplane!- "What kind of plane is it? " "Oh, it's a big pretty white plane with red stripes, curtains in the windows and wheels and it looks like a big Tylenol."

5. You've Got Mail-"When you read a book as a child, it becomes a part of your identity in a way that no other reading in your whole life does."

6. While you were Sleeping- "If you fit into my pants I will kill myself."

7. Pirates of the Caribbean-The Curse of the Black Pearl-"Honestly. It's the honest ones you need to watch out for"

8. Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty- "Now, father, you're living in the past. This is the 14th century!"

9. So I Married an Axe Murderer- "I'm smitten. I'm in deep smit."

10. Miss Congeniality -" I am in a dress, I have gel in my hair, I haven't slept all night, I'm starved, AND I'm armed! Don't MESS with me!"

11. The Wedding Singer -"Sir, one more outburst from you and I will strangle you with my microphone wire."

12. 50 First Dates- "Are you staring at me or her? 'Cause you're starting to freak me out.

13. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory -"Everything in this room is eatable, even *I'm* eatable! But that is called "cannibalism," my dear children, and is in fact frowned upon in most societies."

Update

I've had a couple people mention to me that I needed to update my blog. It had been awhile hasn't it? So in the words of Marvin Gaye, "What's Goin' On?"

Well I have been working in my new position for the past 2 1/2 months and I must say I love it! It keeps me busy, which makes my day fly by. Having every other Friday off isn't half bad either. I just told Eric the other day that I can see myself doing this for another couple of years. It's been a long time since I've enjoyed my work.

My "side job" with Cookie Lee is going well too. I have had a few parties and I have done really well with them. I think the most fun is going to the showroom and buying everything. It's also fun for me to "display" my jewelry by wearing it every once and awhile. I had thought it would be nice to make extra money (which that is pretty nice) but I'm just having fun with it right now. It's not like this is my "real job" and our bills depend on it. I think that is what also makes it fun for me. There is no pressure to make a money deadline.

Hmmm, what else have I done since the last time I posted...

Oh! I saw Johnny Depp's head! Back in May, I got the crazy idea to go to Disneyland at the butt crack of dawn and stand in one area for many, many, many hours just to see the Pirates of the Caribbean celebrities come down Main Street U.S.A. on the largest red carpet I have ever seen (Okay, it's the only red carpet I have ever seen.) I figured I only live once, and an opportunity to be a part of something big like that won't ever happen again. So I packed up some clothes and headed down to my cousins' house and spent the night. I got up at 4ish the next morning and took my cousins Katie, Maggie and a couple of their friends to Disneyland for the day.

We found our spot and stayed there for most of the time. Katie is my hero because she literally stood in the exact same spot for 14+ hours. Her perseverance paid off and she was able to get Johnny's autograph. I'm still bitter! I did have a good time making fun of the 12 year old girls who said they have loved Johnny Depp "forever". I wanted to tell them I've loved him longer than they have been alive!

It was so crowded, I ended up just hanging in the back of the crowd and standing on my tip toes as the celebrities walked down the red carpet. I tried to take pictures, but I kept getting bumped and my pictures didn't come out. I was able to get a good view of some celebrities( most of them "B" list), but as soon as Johnny came walking down, hundreds of people just crowded around me and I was only able to get a glimpse of his head. Oh well, I still got closer to him than just seeing him on my TV. If they do make a Pirates 4, you bet I will be there again to experience it all over again. Only at that time, I'm pulling a Katie and I plan on staying in one area the whole time.

Other than that, nothing too much has been happening. Eric and I are busy with work, and there have been a few family events, but other than that, nothing too exciting.

Friday, April 20, 2007

What's Goin' On?


It's been a little while since I last posted an update on our crazy life, so I thought I would let you know what's goin' on. I ended up taking the promotion at my company and I've already stared my training. Next week is the last week for the girl I am replacing so after that, my new job will be in full swing! I am already enjoying it. I'm the kind of person the enjoys learning new things and there is so much to learn with this new position. You should see how thick my manual is! I will be guarding that manual with my very life because if I should lose it, I'd be so lost.

Not many of you know, but as a side job, I've started selling Cookie Lee Jewelry. I'm not sure how many of you have heard of it, but picture a Tupperware party, but instead of selling storage containers, I'm selling really pretty jewelry. I bought enough of it, so I finally decided to see what I could do about selling it. I recently signed up and I've got two shows this weekend! I'm so excited and I am looking forward to see how I do with this little business.

I love the people I work with (my "up line") and I LOVE the jewelry. I don't even have to give a spiel about the jewelry I sell. I just set it on the table and let the ladies do the shopping. How tough could it be? I also just recently got to me THEE Cookie Lee herself. She is a lovely woman and she makes us all love the jewelry as much as she does! I felt kind of honored to meet her, even though she's not really a celebrity. Below is the picture that was taken when I got to meet her!



Other than that stuff, not much else is going on. I won't be updated too much once I start my new position because I won't have time. I'll try to keep things going when I have the chance, but I'm not sure how often that will be. Don't miss me too much!!



Friday's Feast


Appetizer
What is your favorite kind of bread?
I would have to say the Italian Herb bread I've made a couple of time. It's best served out of the oven! My second favorite are those yeast rolls at Roadhouse.


Soup
When was the last time you bought a new pillow?
It's been a couple of months.


Salad Approximately how many hours per week do you spend surfing the ‘net?
Right now, I would have to say somewhere between 10-12 hours at week. Once I start my position it will be drastically cut since I will no longer have free time at work.


Main Course
What’s the highest you remember your temperature being?
I have no clue. I rarely ever get sick and when I do, it's just a head cold, I'd probably have to ask my mom this!


Dessert
Fill in the blanks: When I ____________, I _____________.
When I am with my family, I am happy

Monday, April 16, 2007

If you think about it...

I just read the sad story of the shooting in Virginia. If you think about it, say a prayer for the family members of those 21 people that were senselessly murdered.

Police: At Least 21 Dead After Virginia Tech University Shooting

Monday , April 16, 2007

FC1


BLACKSBURG, Va. —

At least 21 are dead and another 21 are wounded after a shooting at Virginia Tech University Monday morning, police said.

Campus police said there was only one shooter and he is now dead. They are unsure if the shooter was a student and it was unclear if he was shot by police or took his own life.

"Today the university was struck by a tragedy we consider of monumental proportions," Virginia Tech President Charles Steger said during a press conference shortly after noon. "I cannot begin to convey my own personal sense of loss over this senseless, incomprehensible, heinous act."

Steger said school officials are notifying victims' next if kin, and state police and the FBI are still investigating the various crime scenes. They are still trying to identify all the victims. The university will set up counseling centers for students and faculty.

YOU REPORT: E-mail your pictures to yourcomments@foxnews.com

At 7:15 a.m. Monday, a 911 call came in to the campus police department concerning an incident at West Ambler Johnston, a residence hall, and that there were multiple shooting victims, Steger said. While that investigation was underway, a second shooting was reported in Norris Hall, located at the opposite end of the 2,600-acre campus.

Virginia Tech Police Chief Wendell Flinchum said at least one person was killed at West Ambler Johnston, a residence hall, but several others were injured in that shooting. At least 20 were killed in classrooms in Norris Hall, an engineering building, Flinchum said.

Flinchum said the Norris Hall gunman was dead, but wouldn't say whether the shooter killed himself.

A spokeswoman at Montgomery Regional Hospital said 17 students were being treated there for gunshot wounds and other injuries, and Carilion New River Valley Medical Center in Christiansburg reports that four people with gunshot wounds were being treated there. Carilion spokeswoman Sharon Honaker said one was in critical condition and three others were stable.

President Bush was "horrified" of news of shooting rampage at Virginia Tech, said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino. The White House is monitoring the incident.

The school's Web site earlier said one shooter was in custody and officials searched for a second shooter as "part of routine police procedure," but during the press conference Monday, police said they believe there was only one shooter.

Police also said there is no evidence the two shootings at opposite ends of campus were related.

Virginia Tech student Blake Harrison said he was on his way to class near Norris Hall when he saw chaos.

"This teacher comes flying out of Norris, he's bleeding from his arm or his shoulder ... all these students were coming out of Norris trying to take shelter in Randolph [Hall]. All these kids were freaked out," Harrison said.

The students and faculty were barricading themselves in their classrooms after what one person described as an Asian student wearing a vest opened fire.

The shooter was "wearing a vest covered in clips was just unloading on their door, going from classroom to classroom … they said it never seemed like it was going to stop and there was just blood all over," Harrison said.

Matt Merone, a campus senior, was on his way to campus Monday morning when he saw a police officer grab a male student who was bleeding from his stomach area and put him into a vehicle, which whisked him away. He told FOX News that his roommate saw the first shooting.

Student Amanda Johnson was walking between Norris and Randolph halls around 9:45 a.m. when she heard six shots fired.

"I've been target shooting since I was a little kid so I knew what the sounds were," said Johnson, who saw a male student jump out of a Norris Hall window to escape. She and others helped him get into a car.

The FBI joined police on the scene to investigate.

All classes have been canceled and students and most faculty have been told to stay inside. Tuesday classes have also been canceled but the campus will open at 8 a.m. EDT. Faculty and staff on the Burruss Hall side of the campus drillfield are being released and asked to go home effective immediately. Faculty and staff on the War Memorial Hall side of the drillfield are asked to leave at 12:30 p.m.

The campus newspaper also reported that because of serious wind, helicopters cannot be used to transfer the injured. Ambulances are apparently being used to transport the victims to Montgomery Regional Hospital.

"There are police driving throughout the neighborhoods with a loudspeaker saying, 'this is an emergency, everyone stay inside, we're looking for suspicious activity," Brittany Sammon, a senior Virginia Tech student staying at an apartment off campus, told FOX News on Monday. "There's no one outside at all, there's no traffic, there's nothing … everyone's doing what they said."

Sammon, who has a brother and roommate confined to their buildings on campus, said she first got the e-mail from the school regarding the shooting at 9:30 a.m. Monday.

"It was just very short and brief and kind of scary, because it didn't have any details at all in it," she said. "It's definitely nerve wracking."

Anyone who observes anything suspicious or has information about this case is encouraged to contact the Virginia Tech Police at (540) 231-6411.

The West Ambler Johnston dorm, commonly known on campus as West AJ, houses about 895 students and is located near West End Market and Dietrick Dining Center.

Virginia Tech has the largest full-time student population in Virginia, with more than 25,000 students. It consists of eight colleges and graduate school and offers 60 bachelor's degree programs and 140 master's and doctoral degree programs.

The main campus includes more than 100 buildings located on 2,600 acres, and includes an airport.

Last August, the campus was closed when an escaped jail inmate allegedly killed a hospital guard and a sheriff's deputy involved in a massive manhunt. The accused gunman, William Morva, faces capital murder charges.

On April 13, the campus closed three of its academic halls after they received a letter stating that explosive devices were in the building. Classes were canceled for the remainder of the day. A bomb threat was also made against Torgerson Hall on April 2.

"For some reason, this just seemed a little different … it was more than just a sick joke someone was playing," one student told FOX News about those bomb threats.

Friday, April 13, 2007

Friday's Feast


I can't believe it's Friday again!! Where does the time go? Well, Let me get on with this weeks Friday's Feast!

Appetizer
When you were a child, which crayon color was your favorite?
Purple. Any shade of it!


Soup
On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being highest), how likely would you be to change jobs if it required you to move?
Depends on where they would require me to move. If they wanted me to move to Siberia I'd say no way, but if it were in the in the United States, I'd be totally open to it, if that's what God wanted me to do.


Salad
Take all the numbers in your birthday and your phone number and add them up, one by one. What’s the total?
123

Main Course
Have you ever “re-gifted” anything? If so, what was it and who did you pass it on to?
I re-gifted a of wedding present for a white elephant gift exchange. I can't remember who got it, but it was a really ugly bowl that I was never going to use and the person who got it for us was someone I'd never see again. That's why they have gift registries people!


Dessert
Name something you need from the store.
Shampoo

Friday, April 6, 2007

Friday's Feast


Appetizer
When you travel, which mode of transportation do you prefer?
~It depends. If I need to be somewhere in a hurry, I would prefer to fly, but if I have time to travel, I would love to road trip it and take in all the sights and tour all the historical places along the way.

Soup
Have you ever met a blogging friend in person?
~Nope

Salad
When was the last time you were really, really tired?
~Does this morning count? Actually, Back when I was a Jr. High leader at my church, they roped me into going on an all nighter. It started at 7 pm and we didn't get back to church the next morning till 7am. I remember sitting at the ice skating rink at 5:30 in the morning wishing I would go home and go to bed. At least the church had Starbucks coffee for us grown ups when we got back.

Main Course
If you could have dinner with any one fictional character from a book or movie, who would it be?
~Can I change this to a TV show? The only fictional character I would love to have dinner with, is Lorelai Gilmore from the Gilmore Girls. We are a lot a like and I think it would be a blast to just hang out with her. She might meet her match when it comes to pop culture.

Dessert
Fill in the blank: One day, I hope to see _______________.
~The Eiffel Tower. I have dreamt of going to Paris one day and taking in all the sights. The Eiffel Tower is on the top of my list for that.


Wednesday, April 4, 2007

More on my Organizational Challenge


I thought that since I had more time, I would go into more detail about what I am planning to do while cleaning up/re-organizing our office/cat room. Right now it's a disaster. It's only open because that's where the litter boxes are and the cats need to go in many times a day. When I have company, that door stays sealed shut. It's awful. Other than the litter boxes surrounded by loose litter the cats like to toss around, I also have a book shelf that has a few books thrown onto it and stacks upon stacks of paid bills, financial statements, insurance stuff and Lord knows what else. We also have 2 desks and a table holding our computers. Yes we have more than one computer. My husband is a computer nerd and people just give us computers. We should be so blessed, but really, enough is enough.

So following is a list of questions that Laura has on her site and I thought I would try to answer then the best that I can.

1. What do I want the purpose of my room or area to be?
~A functional computer room where I can play my game, surf the internet, do our family budget and pay our bills without getting stressed because of all the clutter.

2. What do I need in or near the room to serve that purpose?
~Calculator- For our budgeting/Basket for filing/Some sort of makeshift filing cabinet/Bins for cat food/litter/ Place for pens and pencils

3. What can I remove from the room?
So much I can't think of at the moment

4. What problems do I see with the room?
~Messy/unorganized

5. What organizational tools might solve those problems?
~ A nuclear bomb?

6. What habits need to change to solve the organizational problems?
~I need to stop procrastinating when it comes to filing. It sits and sits till I do it, which is usually never

7. What kind of a budget do I have to create the organized room of my dreams?
~ A VERY small one. I might need a couple of cheapy bins, but we can re-organize with what we already have.

8. What kind of a timeline is necessary to organize the room?
~I've got 30 days to get it under control

9. What is my plan of action?
~I am going to take out everything I can first and put things back one by one until it's completely organized. Then I will KEEP IT UP!!!

10. Who can I ask to help me with this?
~I've asked my husband to help when I need it and I'm also asking other challenge members to keep me motivated!!!

So that is my plan. I am hoping to have my "before" pictures up by the weekend so y'all can see how bad it looks now.

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

I can't believe I'm doing this...



Over at http://orgjunkie.blogspot.com/ there is a new 30 Day organizational challenge and I'm just crazy enough to try it out. Mom, don't shriek in horror when I post the "before" pictures, just realize that your daughter is trying the best she can to keep things clean. I know you raised me better than this!

I don't know how well I will do at this, but I'm gonna try. I've got a couple of rooms that can really use an organizational face lift, but I think I am going to work on the office/cat room. Once I have the chance, I will post more on what I am planning to do.

Wish me luck!!!

I Love How God Works


Jeremiah 29:11-12

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.



Sometimes I just marvel at how God works. It's never when we expect it, which makes it even more amazing.

The past few months there have been a few things my husband and I have prayed about. The big prayer request was about us making a move halfway across the country. My husband is from St. Louis and the last time we were there, I fell madly in love with the city. I was convinced when we left, we'd be moving SOON. We (more me than Eric) researched home prices in the St. Louis County area and I really was ready to put an offer on a couple of them. My thought was we could sell our home in California for a good amount of money (it's a SIN how much houses go for here) and practically pay cash for a home in St. Louis. If we did that, I could stay at home right away and finally have a baby! I had our future all planned out for us, down to the Christian Classic school I wanted our kids to attend.

We didn't tell anyone any of this, but we did spent TONS of time in prayer and searching the Bible for an answer. It seemed to take forever to hear anything from God, but this week, we feel pretty sure of what God wants us to do and we are completely at peace about it. Right now he is telling us to wait. We don't feel it's a no, but with everything else He has shown us, we know He wants us to wait. So, what has God shown us?

Well, one other thing we have been praying about, is getting out of debt quickly, so that in the case God says "no" to St. Louis, I can eventually quit and be the stay at home wife/mom I have always wanted to be. Last night I had my evaluation at work (which was glowing, may I so humbly add) and the subject of me taking on a higher position in the company was brought up. One of our girls is leaving in June and they need someone to take her place. Moving into her position would be a HUGE responsibility, but it would also mean a nice pay raise. The pay raise would be enough to take the extra money to put towards our car payment and get that paid off a whole heck of a lot sooner. Being offered this promotion just confirms the fact that God wants us to wait on St. Louis. I haven't made my decision yet (I told my boss I would let her know Friday) but I really am leaning towards taking the promotion. It will be A LOT of work, but I'm ready for a change.

The last main thing that we have been praying about was margin. We are doing a Bible study with our care group by Andy Stanly and it's all about margin. We have been praying for a margin in our finances, but mainly we have been praying about a margin in our time. We are always so busy and by the time the weekend comes, we are exhausted. An exhausted Becky is not a very nice Becky. Eric and I had been talking about me taking one day off a pay period just to be able to handle stuff at home. It would have hurt us a little bit financially, but my mental health was more important than our wallet (or money envelope in our case). I was planning on talking to my boss about taking some days off, but then I got a memo on Monday.

Our company is going to try out a new work schedule. We would work one hour extra a day, but have every other Friday off. Right there is another answer to prayer! I can take a couple days off without it hurting our budget. So now with the idea of a promotion AND a new WONDERFUL work schedule, Eric and I can totally see God's hand in the whole thing.

I have seen how he has been telling us to wait on the BIG prayer request, just by answering the smaller requests in a way that we can still make it possible to afford living in California. This is why I love looking back on Jeremiah 29:11-12. God knows the plans He has for us and they will always be for our benefit. We don't have to worry about a thing because God has it under control. When we pray to Him, He listens.

Monday, April 2, 2007

Yippee a Contest!

The blog, 5minutesformom, is having a contest to win a free Dyson Slim Vacuum. What a fantastic prize!!!

If you want to enter, just click on the little linky below and follow the rules.

I'm number 968, so I think I have a pretty good chance of winning!! What? I have as good of a chance as the other 967 gals on there.

http://www.5minutesformom.com/1343/dyson/

Friday, March 30, 2007

Something Funny out of Somethine Serious...

I read this article today that was linked off of the Ladies Against Feminism website. I know it's meant as a totally serious article about how the man taking his wife's name upon marriage is showing how feminism is leaking into every aspect of life, but being the goof I am, found something kinda funny about it. I even highlighted what I thought was funny:

USA Today— As Donna and Mike entered their wedding reception, an unwitting announcer told the expectant crowd, “Ladies and gentleman, put your hands together for the new Mr. and Mrs. Salinger!”

The Salingers broke a patriarchal tradition so ingrained in American society that many women’s studies researchers have yet to study it.

That may be coming. The California Legislature is set to consider a bill this month that would allow men to change their surnames upon marriage as seamlessly as women now can. Only seven states now allow a man who wishes to alter his name after his wedding to do so without going through the laborious, frequently expensive legal process set out by the courts for any name change. Women don’t have to do so.

The bill is co-sponsored by the ACLU of California as a follow-up to a federal lawsuit the civil rights group filed in December on behalf of Michael Buday, a Los Angeles man who wants to take on his wife’s surname, Bijon, to show his affinity for his father-in-law. He accuses the state of gender discrimination for forcing him into the more complex process.

“We have the perfect marriage application for the 17th century,” says ACLU attorney Mark Rosenbaum, who is litigating the case. Buday did not respond to requests for an interview. “Every place Michael went, he had the door shut in his face or he was ridiculed.”

Mike Salinger, who said it cost him about $350 to change his name legally, concedes he changed his name “because I’m a big ole granola liberal and I wanted to tweak the tradition while showing my wife I love her.”


OK, if my name sounded pretty close to a French plumbing fixture, I would want to change my name too.

This is why I'm not allowed in serious discussions. I will always find something funny in any situation.

Friday's Feast


I just discovered a new (well, new to me) Web Meme that I really enjoy so now I will be doing this on a weekly basis! I need some way to keep your interest in this thing!



Appetizer
What are you proud of?
~Both my husband and myself. We are working towards being debt free and we've both prayerfully decided to cut back our spending drastically so that we can pay our debt off faster. It's not easy seeing that we have major Stuff-itis

Soup
What is the best thing you’ve ever won as a prize?
~The only thing I have ever one was a bouquet of birthday flowers from a local radio station because my mom called in to wish me a happy 18th birthday. So by default, it's the best!


Salad
Name something you do that is a waste of time.
~I really, really enjoy the Sims2 computer games. I have found myself wasting an entire Saturday away because I lost track of time. That's happened only a couple of times, but since I know now how much it sucks me in, I time myself. But it's a very fun game and I love my little families. It's like a doll house for grown ups.


Main Course
In what year of your life did you change the most?
~Probably in 2002. That's when I got married and realized that it was time to grow up and become responsible. I've got the responsible thing down, it's the growing up that's hard to do.


Dessert
Where is a place you consider to be very tranquil?
~The mountains. I could spend all day in Big Bear if I could.