Thanks for the recommendation

I was at the store today and needed more cough drops, so while in that section I decided to see if the pharmacist had any recommendations for my lingering cough.  Here is how the conversation went:

Me: I've had this cough for three weeks now and can't seem to get rid of it.  Do you have any recommendations?
Pharmacist: What do you want the cough to do?
Short pause.
Me:  Go away...

He recommended what I've been taking for three weeks which obviously isn't working.  Oh well.  Guess I'll have this cough for the rest. of. my. life.  No drama here.

Saturday Selection of Random Pictures

I switched out my spring/summer cups for my winter ones yesterday:

I cannot resist things that are Peanut related at Christmas.  Well, actually I can.  Hallmark has this great set that I really want, but it is $50.  I don't want it that badly.  But a few ornaments?  Why not!

And I had my Christmas wrapping station all set up:

Candy Cane hot chocolate with peppermint marshmallows, scissors, tape, pen, and two new rolls of wrapping paper.  Wrapping paper is something else I have a hard time resisting.  I have quite the collection that I should just donate somewhere.  The light green wrapping combines my love for wrapping paper and my love for Peanuts all into one!

Happy Saturday!

'Tis the Season

I got sick the week of Thanksgiving and didn't sleep very well because of coughing on Saturday night, so I wasn't feeling well on Sunday. I skipped church to sleep in and lay on the couch. The problem: the Sunday after Thanksgiving is the day we always decorate the apartment for Christmas. When Emily got home we had a long discussion about whether we were going to decorate. I had a feeling if we didn't do it Sunday it might not happen. So I sucked it up.

The problem with always wanting to take pictures while we decorate is that I get really hot while putting lights on.  So I'm always dressed to sweat :).  I told Emily she could only take a picture of me if I was behind the tree.  But we wanted to document the fact that we had four chairs and the bench so that I wouldn't have to get up and down every few strands.  One year I'll take my hair down and put on some Christmasy clothes to take decorating pictures.

The book shelf.  The nativity got moved back to the big shelf since my brother took his ice box and I couldn't put it on top of that.  But I'm not bitter. :)

Decorating Day wouldn't be complete without pizza for dinner.

The counter into the kitchen.

And the final product.  We had two strands left over this year.  Emily said that we were just getting more efficient.  I think I just wanted to get done faster because I didn't know if I would last through the normal decorating procedure.  Just over two hours and all the lights were on.  So, this is the tree with 3000 lights on it.  Not too shabby.

Funny Faces Photo Shoot

 I wish this first picture had sound effects.  Every time John fake cries, Michael imitates him and it is Oh. So. Cute.  I joined in.  Probably not as cute.

 Hey...I think we are all smiling.

 And there goes John's funny face...

 Which started a trend...

 And another smiley one.

 Michael giving me a fishy kiss.  If you could zoom in on the picture you could see his fishy lips.

And for a self-portrait.  I told him to smile.  Not so much.

On a side note.  That Buzz Lightyear blanket we are snuggled under...best blanket in the whole house.  I adopt it as my own when I am there.  If they ever decide to get rid of it, I hope they remember how much I like it.  I don't care if it has Buzz Lightyear on it.

Making this puzzle-loving heart proud!

If Aunt Teresa is the puzzle master.  And John is the puzzle apprentice.  What does that make Michael?  Mom says he is the puzzle grasshopper! :)

Two Red Heads, a Bear, and a Dog

The pictures pretty much speak for themselves, but as usual, my brain doesn't work without captions.  Michael climbed into the chair with John to watch him play on his DS.  I had to run upstairs for the camera and change the battery and come back down so I didn't think I would capture the picture, but they were both captivated.  They didn't even know I took the pictures.  Michael eventually got down because he decided they needed a bear to join them in the chair.  And I couldn't resist the urge to take a picture of ZuZu's cute little ears.

Say it ain't so!

How can this kid...
a) not be an infant that I can hold in one arm?
b) not be a baby learning to crawl?
c) not be a toddler learning new words all the time?
d) be old enough to start kindergarten?
e) be turning 6 (yes, 6!) today?

John--You are an amazing boy who I love being able to call my nephew!  I love your smiles.  And your hugs.  And that I get to hear you call me Aunt Teresa.  And that you like doing puzzles.  And that you like snuggling on the couch with me.  I love you so much!

A day for Ramblings...

I was driving to a wedding reception yesterday, listening to the radio. It cracks me up when songs play that speak "directly" to your life in that moment (sort of). For instance, when I was driving to my high school graduation many moons ago, I heard the song "It's the End of the World as You Know It." Isn't that so fitting? I thought it was and it's something I've remembered for si(cough, cough)n years now. Anyway, back to yesterday and driving to the wedding reception. I heard the new Hunter Hayes/Jason Mraz song "Everybody's Got Somebody But Me." This is not me being all "woe is me." Honestly, I thought it was hilarious. Emily was in the car with me and we just laughed and rolled our eyes. Music is such an interesting phenomenon. And now some randomness in pictures:

Last night I went to close my shades and it popped out of my hand and went spinning out of control.  And apparently ripped.  Sigh.  Luckily, the apartment supplies blinds now.  These were installed by Emily's former roommate before I moved in.  Back then, the apartment did not supply any window coverings.

And I changed out my comforter today.  I never got around to doing this last year.  So it has been two falls since I have seen this comforter.  It was kind of fun. :)  See, I do like change. 

And now I shall go clean my bathroom.  Because that is what I was really supposed to be doing when I decided to take a few pictures...

God's Beautiful Creation Take Two

This weekend, I had the privilege of going to Great Oaks Camp for a singles retreat with about 40 other people. It was a great weekend with great messages, great fellowship, and a great view.  Here are some of the pictures I took of the beautiful fall colors:

I shared a picnic table with this guy and about a gazillion Japanese beetles.  I think this poor guy was missing a leg.

It was the perfect weather to sit outside and study God's Word for about an hour.  The views were a little distracting, I'll admit.

I love the contrast of the green with the red.

Don't you just want to sit on this bench for awhile?

The above picture is currently my computer background.

A road less traveled...

Leaf-covered ground.

Looking up.  This was the perfect time of evening when the sun was setting and making everything look like it was on fire.

I was kicking piles and piles of leaves :)

Crossing the bridge.

Oh, and I had Kim take this picture with me, just to prove that there were other people on the retreat with me.  Well, and I took some other pictures of Kayla and Brittany, but they are super secret pictures.  What happens on our walk stays on our walk! :)

God's beautiful creation.

Wednesday was a day that God reminded me that He makes beautiful things. I know it seems kind of odd to say that, but sometimes I just get going in my everyday stuff and I don't stop and look.  Here is my blessings card for Wednesday:

1.  On a gloomy day, the vibrant fall leaves were amazing!
2.  Saw a fox on crossing the road.
3.  The sun came out just in time for a gorgeous sunset.
4.  Led a 4th grader to Christ! (Obviously not about creation, per se, but definitely the most exciting thing that happened in my day!)

And then tonight, I was "busy" doing stuff on my computer and almost missed this sunset.  My camera doesn't even do it justice!

A nice cozy corner

This chair sits in the corner of my bedroom.  There probably isn't really enough space in my room for the chair, but I love having it there.  It is where I cuddle up most every morning to read my Bible.  Sometimes I end up there in the middle of the day on Saturday or Sunday to read a book.

For those of you who are fairly new to the blog, this is one chair in a set of two that have lots of sentimental value to me.  I "inherited" them from my Grandma and she didn't even make me wait to get them after she died!  My grandpa had them made special for him and my grandma.  They are shorter than most chairs, so the feet of shorter people touch the ground when sitting in them. 

Another thing you might not know about me...I struggle to make big decisions in my life.  If you notice the arms of the chair are really worn, it's because the chairs have needed to be recovered since before I "inherited" them.  And I've had them for 5 years.  The fabric color for the new chairs is a big decision.  The other problem is that the chairs are in two different rooms right now, but may not always be in different rooms.  And the two rooms have very different color schemes.  So, for now, the chairs just sit needing to be recovered.

Nothing but sincerity as far as the eye can see.

Who needs trick or treating on a wet Halloween, when you can sit on your couch in your PJs and watch the VHS edition of It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown?!