Monday, November 29, 2010

It's a Work in Progress

So, I guess things don't just happen over night then? I was really hoping to slash through my closet and dump a bunch of junk. I found out that I am much more attached to a lot of my clothes than I realized... so I've made one pass and I took out about 35 items (of my own thank you). I'll make another pass in a week or so and see what shakes down. In the mean time I am evaluating another option. The option of putting all this extra in a tote for the next year, surely by then my current pieces will be thread bare. So I'll go shopping in my own closet for a few more items to replace my Raggedy-Ann blouses. The idea here is that it's rather dumb to ditch your clothes and then have to buy 3 or even 5 more shirts in a year. Does it sound like I'm making excuses? It feels like it sounds like I am.

Cap chose about 35 of his own shirts and pants (mostly shirts) to send off too. We have two huge shopping bags full of clothes. Our closet looks a little better. Only a little.

As for my wardrobe, I have only settled on 3 tops. I can't decide what the fourth should be and if I should have at least 2 long-sleeved or sweater type shirts. Ya know, cause we're heading into winter here and looking at degrees below zero at some points. Might get chilly under my coat right? Help me! Shoes too, I have no idea what to do about them. I've been wearing out a pair of "ballet" flats for the fall but I don't think they'll do for winter. So what will. I have a couple pair of boots but they have heels and I don't think they'd be great either. So, 1 sneakers, 1 church shoes, and what about the everyday stuff? Keep the ballet flats? Use my old worn out Mary-Jane's? I can't think of another option.

As soon as I settle on the other two shirts I'll post some pictures of my choices.

Monday, November 22, 2010

A Day of Thanksgiving

Tonight I'm preparing some Thanksgiving food in advance. I have plenty of time to be ready, I just want to see how it does in the freezer for a day or so. Cap and I have decided to buy a deep freezer for our Christmas gift and one thing I'd like to do with it is start making up some meals that can be frozen and then popped into the oven. That's what really got me to thinking about making my Thanksgiving dishes a little early.
I'm making sweet potatoes,



and cranberry sauce, I'll probably make some cranberry muffins too, but I want to use the left over cranberry sauce for that. I did last year and they turned out delicious, we'll see if I have the same luck this year, huh?



This is my mom's famous chocolate chip, peanut butter, oatmeal cookies recipe but I dipped them in chocolate. Here they are, All ready to go!



I have so much to be thankful for, not just this Thanksgiving but everyday. I'd like to tell you a little bit about that.
The first thing I am so grateful for is God. Always, always, God. I'm thankful for what He is, for what He does, for the wonderful blessings that He pours out on each of us and our families. I give my thanks and gratitude from the very bottom of my heart. God has kept us supplied with wonderful Christian friends, a great church with a fantastic pastor, bibles that teach us how to love one another, and by that a marriage that I am honored to be half of.
Second on my list is, my family. From my husband & step-son to my mom, and right down to each and every little niece and nephew! I am so glad to be a part of my family and my husband's family. I believe there is something to be treasured inside each person and it usually isn't hard to figure out what that special thing is! I love you, my family. I am also thankful for all the new babies born into our family this year. A combined total of 9 new babies in 2010 for my side and my captain's side! Perfect and precious. I could even list all of their names with out having to think about it!
The next category that I am giving thanks for is our home. Our nice warm beds, the running water, and a good roof over our heads. God has blessed us with a beautiful home that we are so honored to live in. Every day I look around and am so grateful for each little nook and cranny, not to mention all the extras. We are so thankful for this home and for the neighbor God has blessed us with who knows how to keep our cars in running condition!
Last and not least is our country, our freedom, our safety, and our bounty. Thank you God for this sweet land of liberty.

There are many other people and things that we are blessed to have in our lives. I hesitate to continue my list because I'm starting to feel braggadocios! I'm so honored to have been given so much in life and I thank God for all of it. Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Please comment and tell me what you're thankful for this year.

PS Check back to find out more about my clothing project - for lack of something better to call it!

Friday, November 19, 2010

My Sacrifice?

Is it really much of a sacrifice though? We'll have to see.

The night of the women's rally at church, that I blogged about here, I had a thought. I thought about all the clothes hanging in my closet that I never wear, I thought about all the clothes that I do wear, and about the clothes that so many don't have.

Our nation is one of great affluence and excess, we all know. The problem is that we do nothing about our indulgence, even when we hear or read of the poverty that many nations face. So I decided to make a change in my life, To challenge myself for 1 year. I will chose a few items of clothing (the exact number hasn't yet been settled upon) and wear only those clothes for the next year.
I think I will start with 5 tops, 3 pants, 1 skirt, 1 dress shoe, one tennis shoe, 1 seasonal for daily wear, 7 undies, 1 pj set, 1 hoodie, 1 winter coat, 1 scarf, 1 set of gloves, my wedding ring, and no other jewelry. This still is so much more than minimum. I will keep 5 (or 10?) other tops that I already own and donate the rest of my clothing to Project Rescue or some other local organization. Things will come up I am sure, that will require some thought and decision. I am sure there will be Christmas gifts or birthday gifts that will be clothing. I will have to give some thought to what to do about that, before it happens. I want this to be a sacrifice, I want to feel it. After 6 months I may re-evaluate and give up more items (go down to 3 shirts from 5 or something). We'll wait and see. For the season change I might exchange one pair of jeans for a pair of shorts, I can't decide if that should be allowed or not.
It's time to start picking my clothes and bagging up the rest.
I want to start this Thanksgiving Day, it seems appropriate. The captain has said he'd like to do it with me. Obviously uniforms for work have to be excluded, I don't wear one but my Captain America does. I'll post pics of the items I decide to wear for the next 12 months, just for the fun of it.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

No Time To Kill/Project Rescue

First of all, I haven't had any extra time at all! I spent yesterday (Tuesday) taking my mom to the airport in Kansas City, then I spent the night with Captain America... but not at his barracks. No.
I got home this morning in time to take a quick shower, throw on my pretty granny dress, Skype with my momma who landed safely in Europe (but never called to say so), and head out to the mall. I sampled peanut brittle there today. See's Candy has the best peanut brittle. That isn't all I sampled though... I also had a Bordeaux, sugar free dark chocolate almond clusters, a regular almond cluster, and a couple of other things that I just can't put my finger on. It's my job, I have to know what I'm selling here people, okay?

Now, the real reason I'm still up is so that I can tell you about a fashion show and clothing re-sale shop that was held at my church James River Assembly of God in Ozark, MO. The women of the church were asked to donate their new or gently used clothing for an indoor sale that would happen the night of our women's rally. The proceeds of the sale, and any clothing that wasn't purchased, would then be donated to an organization called Project Rescue. The mission is to rescue women and children who have been sold into sexual slavery in India and Nepal. Project Rescue provides medical care and safe houses to rescued victims as well as a safe place for the children of sex workers during their mother's working hours, which keeps the children out of brothels. I have barely scratched the surface here but I hope to learn more about their mission and figure out how I can help raise awareness. Please visit their website and if you feel compelled to help. One of the greatest ways to do so is to send a donation. Start with a $20 and see if you even miss it. Go out to dinner once less this month, it'll be so worth it. Read the touching story of how it all began. Most of all, pray for these women and children as well as the people who are helping them. There are many resources on the Project Rescue website, I encourage you to look over them and find out how you can raise awareness in your own family, church, school, workplace, and community.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

My Christmas Season...

...has now begun!
Today (after I go to sleep and then wake up at a slightly later than respectable hour) I will begin work my 1st day at my holiday job. It's See's Candy! I know that this means my time will be taken up by things other than blogging (and you know how dedicated I am, right?) so hopefully I will make up for quantity with quality.
I do have some things I'm interested in posting about in the near future. My weekend is a busy one but hopefully the beginning of the week will provide some time to organize my thoughts before I toss them out here in a jumbled mess.
Teaser: This has to do with my church, India, and clothing... all at once.

Happy Christmas!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

My Camera Has Been Repaired!

By my snot-nosed-little-sinking-brother, God bless him! The repair took a matter of 2 seconds and was exactly the same method I had used in my own attempt to set it back to rights. Humph! He noted that I should be offering some hint of gratitude so, eventually, I thanked him. I am very happy that he was able to fix it, my frustration lies in the agony I felt over the loss of it as well as the time I spent trying to make it functional again. Nevertheless, I am very relieved that the camera story has a happy ending, or rather, a new beginning. I will continue to take my pictures and dream of a day when people read my blog.