Lissa

2 - cups of coffee before my headache began to subside
59 - degrees when I got out of bed this morning (hooray!)
3 - times I had to wash Brennan's hair after Mother's Day Out (because he decided to dump dirt on his head when they played outside)
6 - horses I saw grazing while out running errands this morning (obviously I'm still not used to Tennessee!)
1 - picture frame sold and mailed (thanks, Mom!)
5 - handfuls of candy corn eaten at various times while passing by my kitchen counter
39 - emails I have had in my inbox throughout the day
0 - naps that Brennan took this afternoon
3 - "garages" built out of Lincoln Logs
4 - things on my to-do list that didn't get done (and won't, because I am going to bed at a decent hour!)
1 - tired and satisfied mommy

I have donated one of my custom picture frames to a charitable cause. Stephanie and Christian Nielson were badly burned in an airplane crash, and some creative people on the internet are having an auction to help pay for their recovery. All of the proceeds go directly to the family affected by this tragedy. You can view the items and bid by going to Today's Creative Blog.

Please consider giving to this great cause and getting something cool in return!

I had an eye-opening experience today. Brennan and I met our friend Rachel and her five-week-old son, Mason, at Starbucks and then headed to the mall. While we were at the mall, I offered to watch Mason so Rachel could do some shopping without having to haul a stroller around. Brennan was playing in the play area, and Mason was content in his car seat, so it didn't seem like a big deal. And it wasn't, until it was time to go, and I tried to get Mason back into his car seat (I had taken him out to do some singing and cuddling... how could I resist?).

I have felt richly blessed this past week by great friends and lots of opportunities to ponder the things of God. Jim and I have recently reconnected with some old friends from Dallas, thanks to good ol' Facebook. Laura and Ryan have shared deeply of themselves through their personal blogs, and reading their stories and struggles has really blessed me. I have cried for them, prayed for them, and wondered what exactly the Lord has in store for their lives. Their transparency has challenged me to live better and look to God more.

I got an email today from a lady who found my site on Etsy.  She is a director for a craft fair here in the Nashville area, and she liked my stuff a lot and invited me to participate in their holiday craft fair on November 1st.  I was so excited!  I have always wanted to participate in a craft fair, and to be invited is pretty awesome!  I have no idea what it will be like, whether it's a good fair, or if it will be worth my time or money, but you never know until you try, right?  If nothing else, I will get some experience and a chance to hand out a lot of business cards!

If you haven't before, check out my site now!

www.lissalaneous.com

It drives me crazy when I can't find things at the grocery store. Since moving to Tennessee, I've realized what a grocery store snob I am.  I want a clean, bright, friendly store, and I want it to be well-stocked with reasonable prices. I recognize that reasonable prices are relative given the rising costs of food, but I do know that I need a standard store and not someplace like a Whole Foods (as wonderful as it is) for my everyday shopping. So, I am pleased that I have a pretty good Kroger down the street from my house. It's clean, the people are nice, and the prices are okay.

Erin and I went to see The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants on Monday.  It was an excellent chick flick.  I am really glad I did not drag Jim to see it with me as he would have hated it, but I very much enjoyed seeing it with a good girlfriend.  It is very well cast and the storyline is sweet and touching.  I loved seeing the footage of Greece and it inspired Erin and me to rent Under the Tuscan Sun that night.  That is another film I really enjoy (that Jim hates).  Under the Tuscan Sun is not at all the same on my television as it was in the theater.  Those sunflowers and the scenery on the big screen are breathtaking.  On my television they were only beautiful.

I should have known that the beauty that comes with Spring Break would be as fleeting as the break itself. It is currently about 42 degrees outside and it has been drizzling on and off with cloudy skies and wind. I suppose it's fitting that the crummy weather would occur simultaneously with newfound TAKS pressure. The TAKS Math test for fifth grade is coming up in a few weeks, and I have a lot more to think about for this test than the last one. I suppose in a few weeks it will all be over (the weather and the testing) and I can get on with my joyful mood!. Maybe a bubble bath and new novel can make things better for tonight... I do have ice cream in the freezer... Mmm... and Reeses' that I can chop up and put in the ice cream. Okay. All's well with the world.

Absolutely nothing can heighten my mood like a sunny, warm, perfectly beautiful spring day in Dallas. The peach tree has started blossoming in our back yard, the birds are singing non-stop, and I have one day left of my Spring Break. I headed out today to run errands with Jim in my short-sleeved tee-shirt and open-toe shoes, and was thrilled to find that my big toenail has made great gains being closed off from the world all winter (I tore it off in a freak playground accident the first week in October). To make things even better, my house is clean and neat after a week of good housekeeping.