*!@$%&* - I've Been Tagged....

4 Jobs I’ve had:

1. Drive Thru at McDonalds (4 years during high school – LOVED IT!)
2. Administrative Assistant with the March of Dimes – Senior year of high school – went to school ½ day and worked ½ of day.
3. Set-up and opened Wal-Mart store in my hometown right after returning from College. The store opened just before Halloween and I made the decision I was leaving there BEFORE Christmas! ME NO DUMMY!
4. Recruiter – 18 years! Man, time flies when you are having fun!

4 movies I watch over and over:

1. Steel Magnolias
2. The Wedding Date
3. The Wedding Planner
4. Pretty Woman (do you think I am a true Romantic?)

4 Places I’ve lived:

1. Columbus, IN (hometown)
2. 2. Vincennes, IN (college)
3. Edinburgh, IN (right after I was married)
4. Columbus, IN (lived here 34 of my 37 years)

4 Shows I watch:

1. 1. House
2. Project Runway
3. American Idol
4. Anything wedding related on TLC – HGTV – WE, etc.

4 places I’ve been:

1. San Francisco, California – loved it!
2. New Orleans, Louisiana – for my honeymoon in 1996 – loved it!
3. Mexico – Yucatan Peninsula – during my Sophomore year of high school (1986) – with 30 other students for 10 days – loved it!
4. New York City, New York – with my loving husband a couple of years ago – loved it!

4 people who e-mail me regularly:

1. My best friend, Nicole
2. My partner at work, Steve
3. A dear friend, Beth (too many friends to list…)
4. FlyLady

4 favorite things to eat:

1. Mexican Food – NOT spicy!
2. Bow Tie Pasta Festival from Johnny Carino’s
3. Homemade macaroni and cheese – TRUE COMFORT FOOD!
4. Pork Egg Fu Yung
   

4 places I'd rather be:

1. Riding my motorcycle in the sunshine! (its gloomy and raining today!)
2. The Caribbean (on a cruise with my honey!)
3. Aruba
4. At home in front of the fireplace snuggled up with an excellent book.

4 things I look forward to this year:

1. Sorority Convention – April
2. RV Vacation – July
3. Motorcycle Vacation to South Carolina - August
4. Family Wedding (Leah) – hopefully in the Fall

A few of my favorite things...

I like for my home to smell good/warm/inviting - food is a great way to invite people in, but candles can set the mood too. Bill gave ma a beautiful WoodWick candle for our 11th Anniversary (along with beautiful red roses) - the flavor is Noel. Its a burgundy/red candle and smells like heaven.

The elegant new WoodWick™ candle features a natural wick made from organic wood & combines the soothing sound of a crackling fire with premium fragrances for the ultimate candle-burning experience! Each highly scented WoodWick™ candle includes a finely crafted wood lid. Available in 2 sizes: 22 oz. and 11.5 oz http://www.woodwick.com/

I like to smell good too. My "signature scent" is Victorias Secret's Love Spell. I use the entire Love Spell line - body wash, salt scrub, body butter, body spray, etc. I can't tell you how many times someone has asked me "What cologne are you wearing?"

I love to wear an apron while working on dinner/dishes, etc. after work. It prevents me from getting bleach on my clothes while doing dishes and working in the kitchen. (Insight: My parents owned a restaurant for nearly 30 years of my 37 years - we ALWAYS add bleach to our dish water.) Any who...why not look good while you are working?

Domestic Darlings is a home-based kitchen and fashion design and production company. We manufacture and sell our own designs of women's aprons, matching girls' aprons, and accessories, designed to help you get everything done around the house in style. www.domesticdarlings.com

Sorority Sista...

Yes, if you know me, you know that I am a Sorority Sista of Kappa Kappa Sigma. In Indiana we have a statewide convention each year in the Spring. This year, my Chapter, Theta, is the hostess chapter. We have been planning this convention for five years - YES, five years! We had a planning meeting last night and I left there very frustrated. Frustrated because for five years we have talked about the same details over, and over, and over again.

This is my blog, so I can vent - right?

Ok, this convention has been broken down into 20 or so sub-committees. We have spent way too much time "fiddeling" with committees who's Chairperson doesn't bother to show up and then sit around and analyze (read O-V-E-R-A-N-A-L-Y-Z-E!) and plan - ONLY to have the committee/chairperson finally kick in and do something totally different. Can you hear the frustration?

I want this convention to be GREAT! I want this convention to be FUN! My rear end is on the line for the decorations (HUGE!) and the arrangements with the Hotel - Holiday Inn Conference Center. Both committees that I chair directly affects all of the other committees.

Any suggestions on working these last few months with people whom I have learned to loathe? And the bigger question is: How do these people keep jobs if they are not able to multi-task and "get the job done?"

My secret indulgence...

I must admit that I love to make "homemade" greeting cards - its my secret indulgence...digital scrapbooking, MS Publisher, MS Word, PrintMaster, PC Hug Club (http://www.pccrafter.com/index.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1) = my favorite place to get clipart, digital scrapbooking stuff, etc. Check out their website - you'll love it too!

I love to make the cards reflect the recipients interests, hobbies, sports, etc. My family has come to expect homemade cards and if I "slip" - they always ask: "Where's my homemade card?" Your can purchase the "cropper hopper" here: http://store.scrapbook.com/ch-ch92453.html

I love the above photo of the card organizer - complete with a calendar to remind you of birthdays, anniversaries, etc. My only problem with the organizer is where in the world would I put it?

Care to share your secret indulgence with me? If so, leave a comment.

Have a blessed day!

Happy New Year!

Yeh, well....it only took me a week to post a "Happy New Year" post! Give me a break!!!!!!!

Here's to a new year filled with all your hopes and dreams!

• My Christmas was spent with a intestinal/viral infection. YUCK! I missed Christmas Eve dinner with my entire family AND Christmas Day was spent under the covers sleeping and running to the restroom. Did I say YUCK! I was so dissapointed as my entire family was home this year (from California, Florida, Alabama, Michigan, Illinois and Indiana) and I had to stay home so not to infect anyone else with the terrible infection. The only silver lining was my hubby - he at one point said: "I would do anything for me to be sick and you to be well - I know how much Christmas means to you. I am sorry, baby!" Awww - he received the "Husband of the Year" Award! I love you, baby!
• We are having CRAZY weather here in Indiana - yesterday we broke a 101 year old record by reaching 65 degrees! Wow - normal temps are cold, blustery, snowy, sleet, icey roads, 15-33 degrees. I didnt even wear a coat yesterday. Today when I left for work it was 61 degrees, but we are expecting lots of rain today.
• New Year Resolutions - I havent officially made a New Year Resolution, but unofficially, its to lose weight. If you know me - my weight is a struggle - has been since childhood. Here's to more exercise - healthier eating - and more time outdoors.

Thanks for reading along, post a comment when you are done - just so I know who's here.