Eventually...

Cory and I went to look at that house again with our parents. It needed WAY too much work. It was definitely a great old house... but it would be better with people who have lots of money to take care of it! We've found a couple of others we'd like to look at... so we'll see! It will happen, eventually.

I am not feeling too well today... its break time at work... and I HAVE to put in 8 hours to get my holiday pay on Monday... but it is really hard to be here. I think I caught a little bit of a bug or something!

Oh, last night, I made my first batch of zucchini bread from a zucchini Cory and I planted. It turned out really really good!! YUM! I will post the recipe later!

Its back to work...

Children of the Corn...

..literally..

Yesterday we got together in the afternoon for my sister's birthday. Although her birthday is today... it just worked out better to have a cook out last night.

As we were preparing for dinner... shucking the corn, Katy's kids were thrilled when I announced that we'd found some "Baby Corn"! I think we found like 7 or 8 total. LOL! This is them holding the "babies"... They carried them around most of the afternoon!

And... this is a pic of the kids helping Cory get the corn ready to throw on the grill.

You can read more at my sis's blog.

**We were supposed to go look at that house again today with our parents, but I guess the lady is showing the house to someone else tomorrow and instead of her making two trips (she doesn't live in that town)... we just agreed to go tomorrow. We're going to see if there may be ANY possible way that we could get this house. I am sooo keeping my fingers crossed. We've been browsing the internet, looking at others... but when we find something... it turns out pictures are deceiving! Cory or his parents will take the time to drive past the places to check them out... and they are NOT what they look like in the pics. (One place... his dad thought he saw some type of animal scurry through--apparently he'd gotten out to take a closer look). Sooo.. that's a little discouraging. AND... I don't think I mentioned before... but the neighbor at the house we like... ummm.. yeah, works with Cory. How weird is that? He just found that out... which is good because she knows some about the house and property. A little insider information doesn't hurt! So, I guess I'll let you know the final consensus tomorrow night (if I'm up to it)! There is a house that is For Sale By Owner that might be worth checking out... assuming the price might not be too bad... guess we'll see!**

The best thing...

...about owning a volkswagen beetle:

Watching someone punch the crap out of another person's arm yelling, 'PUNCHBUG!!' (Adults included)! HAHAHA!



On a more serious note... Cory and I went to look at a big old Victorian Brick House the other day... not far from his work and at a decent price(with a decent yard!). I absolutely LOVED it! It has soooo much character and potential. I can't even describe how excited I am about this house! The only downside is the heating bill is HORRENDOUS! Oil Hot Water Heat (radiators, people!). It's almost $400 a month ALL YEAR(if not more)! YIKES! We could afford this if I worked. Which, I plan on working up until we decide to have a family. Then... my role is MOMMY. I wouldn't mind having a home based business with supplemental income... but I need some help here! Does anyone have A.) alternative heating plans besides oil heat that could save us some moola... or B.) home based business ideas that won't go down the drain?? I like to think I'm a rather creative person... but I just can't think of what I could do at home that would generate a few hundred dollars a month! PLEASE, any ideas or thoughts are WELCOME! I wasn't all that excited to move away from my hometown. I actually had major stress and anxiety about it.... but since we saw this house... I have felt amazing peace. I don't want to miss this opportunity! And of course, I don't want it all to fall onto Cory's shoulders. I am starting to stress again...
So, Please!!!

WOOT!

Cory and I went to look at a house last night! I LOVE it!!!

No time to post about it now... Break is over at work!

"Back Again"

First off, I must give Cory some props. The other day, I was getting ready for bed... walked out into the living room and realized that I'd left the bathroom light on. Come to find out, I actually DID turn it off... or at least try to. The switch went bad! (OI VEY) Cory, being the wonderful guy that he is... fixed it! It's a really nice sturdy new switch... and now I don't have to turn the switch on the fuse box - which turns off the kitchen lights too!! (THANKS CORY!!!)

Speaking of the kitchen. I had to make cookies for dessert last night. As some of you may recall from previous posts, I volunteer at The Scarlet Cord. It's a "Teen Center"... and we periodically get bands in to play back in the theatre. (Our website is being run by a highschool kid--and he isn't really keeping up with things-so excuse the Blah-ness... but what can ya do?). Anyway--Part of the deal is that we feed the bands. So, I made CAKE COOKIES for dessert. OH, so YUMM-O! If you've never made them... you should! You just take a box of cake mix. I used Devil's Food and Banana this time. Ignore the box directions. Instead, mix 1/3 C. oil, 2 eggs and the cake mix all together just with a spoon. (Preheat oven to 375 deg.). Then just drop on an ungreased cookie sheet and press them down a lil (or they'll be puffy)... and cook 6-8 mins (or until you think they're ready). Then let them cool and if you want... you can top them with icing. I used Butter Cream... MMMMM!!! :) They were a big hit at dinner last night. All of that to #1 say... I ate horribly bad! It's hard not to eat cookies and cookie dough!! UGH! and #2... lead into the next portion of the story...

The bands we had last night were Disciple, Neocracy and My Heart to Fear. The last two bands are not signed to any big labels or anything. One is local and one is a bunch of highschool kids (who still need to work on their stage presence). Anyway, Disciple. They are on a national label (Sony). About 10 years ago... they were nobodys. Somehow our booking guy, Erik, came across them... and I believe they were just coming for a love offering. We weren't even paying them any set amount. They had a GREAT turn out from our locals... and so year after year, we've gotten them back. Each year they would get bigger and bigger... I would say that they are one of the well-known names in Christian Alternative Rock these days. If you are any fan of Hard Christian Music... you would probably know exactly who they were. Anyway. We have people drive from other states to see them at The Cord! It's kind of cool. I must admit... I have never been a huge fan of their music. I like some of it.. mostly because its grown on me over the years from hearing them so many times... but I honestly don't buy their CD or anything. The main attraction to me was the singer. LOL. I would always be SO nervous when they would come (and probably act like a total idiot)... and he was totally flirty... so that just made it worse. HAHA. He is now married and his wife is due to have a baby sometime. AND... he's also like... the size of my thigh. And I've lost weight... so that's not all that huge these days. I guess I'm saying that he's not all that attractive to me anymore. LOL... or I just grew up and am out of my band-swooning phase. (You have to understand that I grew up around bands coming the The Cord all of the time... so I constantly had a crush on SOMEONE from a band... ahhh.. how pathetic. But that's the way it was back then). Anyway... I am drawing this out so much---I didn't mean to! Let me get to the stories! Disciple went through a line-up change. One member had to have back surgery... he was the original guitarist... and I think he just felt like it was time to put down the guitar (at least for the band). How awful would it be to not spend your wedding anniversary with your wife at home... EVER? Yeah. So they got some new guys in. Yadda Yadda. So I was a little leary about it. You never know when someone (anyone really) in a band who just kind of WALKED INTO the fame is going to be. I was honestly expecting the new guitarist - who was across the lobby from me as I was getting dinner set up - to be kind of... dare I say... snobby. I am horrible, I know. But I've seen many "band guys" who are too big for their britches. Well, I was getting dinner stuff ready... and my uncle (who runs the sound) yelled over to see if I had my car. This guitarist (Micah--formerly of Falling Up--if you know that band) needed to get to the hardware store. So, I said 'Yeah, sure' and grabbed my keys... honestly, feeling a little weird since I'd never even met this guy. We started walking toward my car... and he was like "Please tell me that is your yellow bug!" (First words other than, "Ready to Go?"). I was like "Yep!"... and then he proceeds to freak out. FREAK OUT. Like a kid in a candy store. All the way to the car... while we were in the car... it was like he could not get enough of the car. He was laughing and touching things and it was actually hard for me not to laugh! I have never seen quite a reaction to my car like that! LOL!! Except maybe from my 2 yr old nephew. He didn't want to go back to the show... he wanted to keep driving around. It was funny. On the way back... he got kind of serious and was like (out of the blue): "I have a confession to make"... Me: "Ok??"... Micah: "I've been in the habit of staying in my PJ's all day."... Me: "Oh? Um... I couldn't tell those were your PJ's" (?!WHAT!?)... Micah: "Yeah, well, I'll change before the show".... ME: TOTALLY PUZZLED. LOL! Anyway............. after getting back and doing more prep stuff, CORY CAME!!! We got dinner all set out and everyone came through and ate... and it was nice to get to move off to a side table to talk to Cory since I hadn't seen him since Tuesday! (He has a sore throat and doesn't feel good) Later, people started pouring in and we were at the Ticket Table taking money and stamping hands... and my uncle volunteered me to help at the Disciple merch table. I must admit... I thought it was only going to be for a few mins while the girl (drummers wife, Amber) went to do something. I ended up being there the whole night. It wasn't a biggie... except I left poor, sick Cory there at the Ticket Table! He ended up going home before the show was even close to being over... which was probably good for him to get some rest. But I felt bad that I unintentionally ditched him.

Some things I observed at the show (when not day dreaming about getting married in the theatre...hehe?):

1. They played A LOT of songs. I was standing on cement the whole time behind the table. My legs and feet are killing me. It was never ending. Seriously. Not till like 11PM. And I was there even later helping to clean up. (*yawn*)
2. Head Banging. What is the point of this? Why do people feel it is necessary to fling their heads back and forth - only to later be subjected to a horrible headache!? Are there not other ways to "jam"? (It's really weird watching girls head bang... so... not-feminine).
3. There is a 6" rule at The Cord between guys/girls. It's just inappropriate for people to be draping themselves on each other. I was behind the table... and couldn't really do much about... the 13 year olds who were wrapped in each other's arms (probably following the lead of a couple of 17 yrs olds next to them). I'm sorry... slow songs at this concert..? Non-Existent... EXCEPT for the praise and worship that would occassionally follow a song. When the singer is singing about "YOUR LOVE" or any other mushy-sounding verse... he's talking about GOD people. Not your little girlfriend who you can't seem to pry your hands off of. Kind of weirded me out.
4. 80's dancing. There is this chick that comes to shows. She pretty much STALKS the band. Hangs around them... gets her picture with them... (then develops the film and GIVES them the pics the next time she sees them). She makes scrapbooks about them. Tells them stories about people they probably don't know. Leaves her husband at home (2 hrs away) on HIS BIRTHDAY to come stalk. The singer got cornered and was forced to sit in a chair where I'm surprised he could breathe because she was RIGHT in his face. AH! She is stuck in the 80's. I toyed with the idea before... because she always had 80's hair... but after last night... I'm convinced. She was dancing like she was at a highschool dance... IN THE 80's. I can't even think of a good movie to compare it to... because a lot of the cheesie 80's movies (pretty in pink, footloose, etc) that involve some sort of dancing... are classics. It just wouldn't be fair to compare. It was, however, quite entertaining.... and yes, I know... I am horribly mean.
5. Did you know that cigarette lighters are SO not the thing to hold up during a concert anymore? Nope. The new thing... CELL PHONES. I look out into the crowd... and see a plethora of cell phone lights creating a hazy glow. Fascinating that so many people... (KIDS)... have cell phones.
6. People still "lick and stick" to transfer someone's stamp onto their own hand so they don't have to pay to get in. They think we don't see it. But we do. What they don't realize is that its a DONATION to get in. By law, we cannot charge people to attend because we are non-profit. BUT, we have suggested donations and hope that people will pay to help off-set the costs of having the concerts. There are plenty of people who get in free or don't pay full price (Like our regular "cordies" who come EVERY week just to hang out). These sneaky sneakers who think they are sneaking... really aren't fooling us... and honestly, we just want them there to hear the positive music and message.
7. Disciple impressed me more this time than any other time I have heard them. Not because they sounded SO GREAT or anything... but they looked like they were having fun. They interacted with the crowd... they prayed from the stage... and at the end of every show... the singer tells everyone to give God a hand... and people clap like crazy... and he points toward the heavens. I appreciate that. This time, he brought his bible out and the rest of the band left the stage... and he stood there and talked to us. As he was talking about God and sin, etc... he was REAL about it. Not like some holy-roller trying to count the number of people he "got into heaven". He really wanted these kids to hear what he was saying. Before he even made an invitation... there were kids putting their hands in the air to accept Jesus. I saw hands shoot up left and right... I was amazed at the reaction. And at the end, everyone held hands and said outloud a prayer. I was touched and grateful for this singers faithfulness that it's OK to speak out. He is in a position of admiration by these kids... and he has been given that as an opportunity to share Christ. He did that... and it truly was amazing. You should check these guys out.
8. Last but not least---concerts make me tired.

Have a great weekend! (Sorry for my rambling and randomness of this post!) LOL!!

ps--if you know Disciple--you get my drift of my title! :)

The View

Just wanted to share with you.. THE VIEW from my office "oasis" window. I must say that it was a bit startling at first. The forklift looked as though it may back into the side of the building... but it's not so bad once you get used to it. (did I mention that my office is RIGHT next to the loading dock?).

Have a nice day!

The Latest...

Well, I am officially in my NEW office at work. It's pretty nice not to be bothered! I can have my music on loud or the A/C on at any temp. I can't complain!!! It is small... but I am just glad to have an oasis. Maybe that's what I'll call it... my new office "oasis"!!

I haven't started my Gratitude journal yet... but I've been thinking of things that I'm thankful for. Just this AM on my way to work... I realized that I have to drive through an underpass every day. That may seem weird... but I was just thinking how I hope they never tear it down (since the RR tracks aren't functional anymore on the bridge) because I would be sad if it were gone. Which made me realize that I was thankful to drive under it. Most days I don't even think about it... but it really is kind of neat.

I have mentioned before that I'm on the Pastor Search Committee at my church. It's been just about 2 years now that we've been looking for a pastor. I am happy to say that I do believe we have found our match!!! I'm not really allowed to talk much about it--in case, by chance, a church member would read this. I can't SWAY anyone's vote. But... it's pretty exciting! Our interview with the pastor and his wife was so refreshing! :)

AND--my nephew turned 5 yesterday! WOOOOOT!!

Well, BACK TO WORK!

An Attitude of Gratitude...

I've been finding myself slowly slipping back into the realm of anxiety and depression.

I don't know that "depression" is the right word... I would like to say that its more of a "funk".

I have tried to link everything together as to the cause(s) of this. I have been doing SO well (right, Cory?) for so long! I haven't freaked out in a number of months. (By "freaking out", I mean.... getting totally anxious and nervous and non-stop thoughts spinning and spinning in my brain until I can't take it!!! AHH! -and crying a lot.)

My reasoning behind the current state of Funk... lack of sleep. Lack of TIME (meetings all of the time! AH!). Money. Weight. Future (marriage plans, buying a house, moving away). Work (covering for Receiving while still trying to do Shipping also). My grandma (who is developing dementia). Lack of Prayer/Devotions.

I am trying to fight it... I have felt so good not being enslaved to the torture of my own mind. I ask for your prayers... and also for suggestions of good books. I am a fan of fiction... however, I would REALLY like to find some inspirational/devotionals. Something that isn't too boring in its facts... but is knowledgable and meaningful. Please, drop me a comment if you have any good finds. Reading is an escape for me... and I don't always want it to be an escape into a story. (If you know what I mean?) **Tonya--I promise I will send your book back to you!!!!!**

Anyway... I just read a book called TILT by Elizabeth Burns. It's not a Christian book... which I didn't figure when I bought it. But it looked interesting and I liked the little girls name in the story! It had some disturbing stuff in it - one of the characters suffered from Bipolar and was manic-depressive. I almost feel like that stupid book brought down my defenses on such things.... HOWEVER... the main character of the book mentioned about a "Gratitude Journal". She would write the things she was thankful for throughout the day. Simple things... maybe a song, the way the breeze made the wind chimes sound before a rain, her children, a smile. Sometimes even an event in her life. The thought of it stuck with me. A Gratitude Journal. I've always kept a journal-since I was probably 7 or so. Once I started having really bad anxiety feelings, etc... I stopped journaling... because I didn't want to read back and remember those days. SO... I think I may start one. Do any of you keep a journal? Or maybe a gratitude journal? I lean toward pessimism. I don't know why... I am SO blessed in my life. But I am hoping this will help to pick me up... to bring me closer to God (in keeping the journal as a thank you prayer to Him).

I'm curious as to your thoughts...?

So Busy...

I am sorry I haven't posted in awhile. I have had a crazy week and a half. I am on the pulpit committee at my church (going on two years looking for a new pastor) and that has taken up both my Monday and Tuesday evenings of this week and last. Not to mention having to be at the teen center and other obligations. Also, my coworker in Receiving is off from work this week... so I am covering Shipping and Receiving. It's kept me on my toes.

I don't have much to report... other than Cory and I have been looking at houses - and its disappointing that most are smack dab in the middle of town.. with no yard. But I pray we are able to find the right place(for once we get married)... and fight about it as little as possible! LOL!

I haven't had too much time to catch up on other blogs... so I apologize for my lack of comments!