Lists of 10's

10 things that make me happy are:

1. Spending time with my Husband

2. Spending time with my Children

3. Vacations

4. Saturdays.

5. Traveling

6. Reading

7. Cooking/Baking

8. Making Crafts

9. Going out to Eat

10. Spending time with Friends

10 things that I would love to receive for my birthday:

1. Travel (to ANY where!)
2. Spending time with my family
3. Painting Classes
4. Cooking Classes
5. Writing workshop
6. Clothing that fits
7. Art supplies
8. Books
9. Homemade Birdhouse
10. Jewelry

10 Things That Make Me Laugh

1. My husband’s sense of humor
2. My kids’ sense of humor
3. My puppy’s silly antics
4. Well written comedy
5. Big Bang Theory
6. The weird things folks chart!
7. Steve Martin
8. Tina Fey
9. Robin Williams
10. Jim Gaffigan

10     Things That Make Me Cry

1. Thinking about how much I miss my Mamaw
2. Thinking about how much I miss my kids being home
3. The song “Amazing Grace, My Chains Are Gone”
4. The movie “Toy Story III”
5. How much I love my husband
6. How blessed I am
7. The stupid commercial with the abandoned dogs and the song “Arms of An Angel”
8. Mistreatment of a child or an elderly person
9. The commercial where the dad is giving the car keys to his “little girl”
10. Chopping onions

10 Places I want to Visit

1. Nappa Valley (scheduled for Nov. 2012!)
2. Brittish Isles
3. Italy
4. Europe (basically ALL of it!)
5. Holy Land
6. Costa Rican Rain Forrest
7. Las Vegas
8. Alaska
9. Hawaii
10. Prince Edward Island

10 Things I Love About My Family:

1. Sense of Humor
2. Wackiness
3. Intelligence
4. Love and Affection
5. Taking Trips with Them
6. Our History
7. Inside Jokes
8. Eating Meals Together
9. Accomplishments
10. Sense of Humor ( had to list it twice…it’s THAT good!)

10 Things I Enjoy Doing:

1. Cooking
2. Taking Pictures
3. Painting
4. Crafting
5. Reading
6. Writing
7. Talking with family/friends
8. Learning
9. Traveling
10. Gardening

10 Biggest Blessings in my Life:

1. My Husband/Marriage
2. My Children
3. My Faith
4. My Home
5. My Career
6. My Health
7. My Family
8. My Friends
9. My Sense of Humor
10. My Imagination

10 Things I find Beautiful:

1. The Faces of my Children
2. The Ocean
3. Sunsets/Sunrises
4. Mountains
5. Trees
6. The Hands of Old People
7. Flowers
8. Rain
9. Leaves/Moss/Shells/Mushrooms/etc – tiny details of nature
10. Music

10 Favorite Books:

1. The Bible
2. Anne of Green Gables
3. Pride and Prejudice
4. (Anything) by Beth Moore
5. Pippi Longstockings
6. Clara Barton Books
7. Black Beauty
8. The Three Little Kittens/The Three Little Bears
9. Redeeming Love (Francine Rivers)
10. Jan Karon’s Mitford series

10 Things Still on My Bucket List:

1. Hot Air Balloon Ride
2. Traveling across Europe
3. Zip Line
4. Grand Canyon
5. Wearing Go-Go boots
6. Learning to Paint
7. Visiting Castles
8. Having Coffee at a Side Walk Café in Paris
9. A Picnic in an Olive Grove
10. Visiting Hawaii

10 Favorite Memories

1. My Wedding
2. Birth of my Daughter
3. Birth of my Son
4. Family Vacations with our kids
5. Laughing with my Mamaw
6. Christmases with Momma when I was little
7. Senior Year of High School
8. Trip to Japan
9. Our husband-wife weekends now that we’re empty-nested
10. Laughing with friends

When I am sad I find comfort in:

1. Praying
2. Singing Praise and Worship Songs
3. Talking with my husband
4. Talking with my friends
5. Reading
6. Nature
7. Painting
8. Creating something
9. Walking/Exercise
10. A cup of warm coffee or tea

My top 10 favorite foods are:

1. Watermelon
2. Cotton Candy
3. Cheesecake
4. Cannoli
5. Mexican Food
6. Cheese
7. Ice Cream
8. Caramel
9. Cucumbers
10. Pickled Okra

10 Fun Places I’ve been:

1. Disney World
2. Universal Studios
3. Jamaica
4. Mexico
5. St. Martin/St. Thomas
6. San Antonio
7. Williamsburg, VA
8. Sanibel Island
9. Savannah
10. Hilton Head

10 Amenities my DREAM home would have:

1. Indoor Pool
2. Extensive Gardens
3. Media Room
4. Craft Room
5. Old-World Style/State of the Art Kitchen
6. Lots of Porches
7. HUGE windows overlooking  nature
8. Outdoor Fireplace
9. Mudroom
10. Library

10 Things that Stress Me Out:

1. Confrontation
2. Traffic
3. Unrealistic Expectations
4. Lateness
5. Loud noises (esp. music that I don’t like)
6. Angry People
7. Jealousy
8. Opinionated People with Closed Minds
9. Rudeness
10. Thoughtlessness

10 Things that Turn Me On:

1. Kindness
2. Thoughtfulness
3. Laughter
4. Kisses
5. Creativity
6. Massages
7. Intellect
8. Decency
9. Spontaneity
10. Adventure

10 Things About Me that Might Surprise You:

1. I struggle with jealousy almost daily
2. I found a dead body in our back yard  when I was 11
3. I’ve been skinny dipping
4. I still like to color in coloring books with crayons
5. I do nice things for people, then inwardly resent them for it (it’s a daily struggle)
6. I used to smoke cigars (but never inhaled!)
7. I usually shower in the dark, but I won’t get my face wet in the shower
8. I’ve always wanted to be a bad-girl (like Michele Pfeiffer in Grease II or Joan Jett)
9. It’s always been a dream of mine to be able to sing on-key.  (Still no.)
10. I wanted to be a Solid-Gold Dancer when I was younger.

Fear

Fear is a funny thing.  Well, not funny-ha-ha - but it can be funny-odd, funny-weird and funny-amusing.  Sometimes fear paralyzes; sometimes it motivates you to action and sometimes it hits you so hard that it just knocks you flat on your backside.  There are so many kinds of fear….as many kinds as there are things to be afraid of, I suppose.  You can fear spiders, storms, zombies, clowns or snakes.  You can fear the unknown, the darkness, or the mysterious.  You can fear the worst; you can future; you can fear the consequences of the past.  You can be afraid of people, of things and even of ideas.   Fear can cause you to feel dizzy, anxious, sweaty or nauseated.  Fear and cause you to tremble and shake, can cause your heart to race and allow your imagination to run away with you. There are irrational fears and there are fears founded in danger and fact.  There may be a deep seated reason for fearing certain things…..or the fear may be completely unreasonable.  Fear of heights, fear of water, fear of public speaking, fear of rejection, fear of closed in spaces, fear of humiliation, fear of pain, fear of failure, fear of illness,  fear of rollercoasters, fear of death…the list of things we fear could go on indefinitely.  

When thinking about what I fear the most in life…I guess it would be a fear that something horrible would happen to the people I love and cherish.  I’m also afraid of failure, of being alone and I have a few irrational fears…such as being afraid of steamrollers (The machinery used to pave roads? I used to call them ‘Scare-Buggies’ when I was a child), being afraid of getting my face wet (even in the shower), and I’m afraid of Jack-in-the-Box toys that pop up when you least expect it.  I’m afraid of Uncle Sam….(WHY does he want ME?? And that dreadful beard and knobby pointing finger???!!!) And I’m afraid of sock-monkeys.  (Tell me that they don’t look like they are evil incarnate wearing those ridiculous red grins!).  I’m afraid I’ll fail….no matter what the undertaking I am afraid that I won’t be smart enough, good enough, witty enough, resourceful enough or bright enough to meet whatever circumstance presents. I’m afraid I’ll say the wrong thing, do the wrong thing, or wear the wrong thing.  I’m afraid of scary movies because they give me night mares which make me wake up in the middle of the night afraid.  I’m afraid of being too afraid and not being brave enough.  I’m afraid of being too much and I’m afraid of being nothing at all.  I’m afraid of the finality of dying but in the same breath, I’m afraid of the infinite tedium of living.  I’m afraid of not experiencing enough, but also afraid of holding on too tight. I’m afraid of being in control and yet I’m also afraid of losing control. I’m afraid of becoming stuck, but I’m also afraid of running away.  It’s such a dichotomy!  A double-edged sword.  I believe it was FDR who said, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself!” Guess he was right.  Sometimes, I just fear that I’m too afraid.  The Bible says, ‘Fear Not’ 365 times.  I’ve heard folks say that it say says it at least once for every single day of the year.   I’ve heard people answer questions like this:  “ Are you Mr. Smith?”  “Well, I’m afraid so.”   Afraid so??  If you’re Mr. Smith, why are you afraid that you ARE Mr. Smith?? Makes little to no sense to me.   “Does this road go to Mr. Smith’s house?”   “I’m afraid not!.”  You’re afraid not?  Does that mean you’re not afraid?  That doesn’t even address the question of where the road actually goes??  Afraid not, indeed!  Fear. We’re told to “Fear God!” and it’s supposedly a good thing to be called “God-Fearing”….but what exactly does that mean?  Does it mean to be afraid of God?  I don’t think so.  I looked up fear in the dictionary and this is what I found:

FEAR   /fɪər/ Show Spelled[feer]  noun 1. a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid. Synonyms: foreboding, apprehension, consternation, dismay, dread, terror, fright, panic, horror, trepidation, qualm. Antonyms: courage, security, calm, intrepidity. 2. A specific instance of or propensity for such a feeling: an abnormal fear of heights. Synonyms: phobia, aversion; bête noire, bogy, bogey, bugbear. Antonyms: liking, fondness, penchant, predilection. 3. Concern or anxiety; solicitude: a fear for someone's safety. 4. Reverential awe, especially toward God: the fear of God. Synonyms: awe, respect, reverence, veneration. 5. Something that causes feelings of dread or apprehension; something a person is afraid of: Cancer is a common fear.6. To regard with fear; be afraid of. Synonyms: apprehend, dread. 8. To have reverential awe of. Synonyms: revere, venerate, honor. 9. to consider or anticipate (something unpleasant) with a feeling of dread or alarm: It's about to snow again, I fear. 10. Archaic . To experience fear in (oneself): I fear me he will ne'er forgive us.

Ode to the Coffee Bean

Is there anything on this earth that smells better than a cup of steaming fresh coffee?  As much as I enjoy a Cup o’ Joe, I think it definitely smells better than it tastes.  The richness and depth of the aroma wafts on the air quite unlike any other odor…enticing, entrancing and promising. 

There’s some amount of ritual that goes with the morning cup of coffee that is soothing in it’s rhythm and monotony.  The grinding of the beans, the splashing of the water into the pot, the sound of the percolating, the rhythmic drip into the carafe….then the intoxicating, mouth-watering aroma of the beans as they give forth their dark brown goodness!  I ready my mug…I have a few favorite mugs….and some fancy cups as well.  I tend to prefer my hefty mugs to my delicate teacups for serving up my morning brew.  My delicate tea cups are too dainty, don’t hold enough and are so thin that the coffee cools too quickly for my tastes.  I like to drink my coffee from one of 3 substantial mugs that I keep in my kitchen cabinets.  Mug #1 is my Food Network Mug.  I like the shape of the cup, the height of the cut and the larger size of the handle.  My Mug #2 is my earthenware mug that’s shades of blue and mocha…and it’s my largest and heaviest mug.  This mug is reserved for mornings when I require a “BIG GULP” of coffee to get me going.  I like to use this mug on lazy Saturdays when I am just lounging on the couch, sipping coffee while watching mindless morning TV with my husband and puppy.  My Mug #3 is a recent acquisition…it’s actually a Bistro mug that I got from my employer….has our logo right on the front!  It’s not employee pride that prompts me to favor this mug though…..it’s the perfect shape of the mug and the ratio of handle to mug that makes this mug feel snug and just right in my hand.  I know it’s crazy to obsess over which mug I drink from….but I actually do enjoy my coffee more when I drink it from these 3 mugs!!!  (It might be a sign of OCD or other general neurosis/psychosis….but I’m going to pretend that it’s just my personal preference and I know what I like!) J

Once I have the correct mug….and usually while the coffee is still brewing, I like to pour my creamer into the mug first.  I like to tell the story about how the English put milk in their tea cups before they pour the tea….because it keeps the tea from staining the delicate china cups…but that’s not my reasoning for milk-first. I like my milk-in-first so that I don’t have to stir the final cup!  (Lazy? I suppose so.)  I like to pour my creamer into the cup and then give it about 15-30 seconds in the microwave to heat through!  Then the creamer doesn’t cool down my coffee too much right away…and it tends to slightly caramelize the sugars in the milk and give it a delicate sweetness.  Don’t put it in for TOO long….else you’ll have scalded milk and a mess in your microwave and you’ll be hunting me down with pitchforks and torches for making such a messy suggestion.  No more than 30 seconds is all it really takes.  NEVER, NEVER, NEVER use powdered creamer.  EVER.  NEVER.  It’s gritty, nasty and disgusting.  I have NO idea what it’s made from….supposedly dehydrated milk…but who can be sure??? I’m pretty sure it’s made from ashes and sand….that’s how it tastes in my cup anyway.  I will use the liquid nondairy creamer (and typically do…in the “Fat-Free” formulation) but when I simply want to splurge and get “the good stuff” nothing tastes better than half and half or if I REALLY feel decadent, real heavy cream. I don’t use flavoring or sugar in my coffee….but I do like to lighten the brew with cream…from a dark clear brown to a nice mellow chocolate-color…and that does it for me!  Sometimes, if the coffee is stronger (like with a Chicory blend) I’ll use milk and make a Café au Lait type blend.  Of course, the best Café au Lait in the WORLD is from the French Market in New Orleans….and even when I buy their beans and brew them up at home, it takes away the magic and it doesn’t taste EXACTLY like theirs.  Must have something to do with some French Quarter Voo-doo or something.

Once I have the coffee in the cup and mixed with the creamer, then I like to sit and sip.  I don’t like to gulp coffee….I don’t think coffee was created for gulping.  I think it was made for leisurely sipping and enjoyment.  There are few things better than a hot cup of steaming coffee early on cold morning when the first birds begin to chirp and the world starts to come to life again after a sleepy dark night.  It’s these little quiet moments in life that we should slow down and savor, take pleasure and revel in.  These moments make the rest of the hectic day more bearable.  Ahhhhhh.  Coffee!!