a Quiet Saturday morning....

It's a luxury, I know.....but I do love to sip my coffee, spend some time on the computer and sit quietly.  Not having a huge agenda for the day, I can sit here for a little while and enjoy the quiet.  I can catch up on a few blogs that I haven't made time to check on this week.  I can pray when I see/read about  a friend who needs it.
I can relish in good ideas and pretty things to make/cook/buy.  I can LOVE seeing how people have put such effort into their home and they are just right now for their family.
I have taken a little break recently from reading blogs....I find sometimes that I just have too much input and need some down time.  I need to clear my brain of good intentions/good ideas/good thoughts of OTHERS and make some time to be quiet and relish in my own intentions/ideas/thoughts.  I bet you know what I mean.

  But how nice to find them all there waiting for me when I can catch up.  Or to know that I might not read them all today, but one day in the future, I will discover them by surprise.  I LOVE the blog world, the friends I've made who I might not ever even meet in person.  But my life has been enriched by them.  I also have to remember, however, that a life online does not replace a life lived in the present.  Community is what God intended for us to live in......
Anyway, if you're my blog friend, you may have not seen comments from me lately......I've just been more busy, taken more time to do things with some friends here, and taking a little more time to be quiet.  Sometimes being quiet is a good investment to make, right?  It's a little like cleaning out that overflowing closet.......time to clear the mental clutter.  INTENTIONALLY cleaning out the closet of the mind.........something I need to do more often.  Not that all my real closets are in order!!  While I had only one working arm/hand, it was challenging to do some things, so it was easy to just throw some things in the closet......well, you can imagine I have a little catching up to do now that I can use both arms again!!  But I will indeed get to those closets this spring!
In all this randomness today, I will also mention that I miss my kids........I hope we can have a family reunion together soon, because while I love the quiet, I miss being in their lives and knowing what they are doing, what they are enjoying, what they are dealing with, just being with them!  I don't miss them in a sad, maudlin way....I just miss them.  I will call them today just to say hi, and at the end of the conversation tell them I love them and miss them.  Thank goodness for the telephone! 
I hope you enjoy your weekend.....rest a little if you can.....take a moment to be thankful, to be quiet, to clear out a little clutter.  You'll be oh so thankful.

Oh taste and see that the Lord is good......let us exalt His name together!

Funny Friday (inspired by a friend!)

My friend, Shannon, over at Crescent City Ramblings, is having Funny Friday today! She is a good friend, and def. has a sense of humor.
While on Facebook this morning, I saw this Youtube clip that had me in stitches........take a look, for a quick chuckle!  Also, go back to yesterday's post and read about some REALLY great personalized tote bags!!! Happy Friday, y'all!!!

Simply Bags – Tote Bags

We all know that Monogrammed and Personalized Tote Bags are all the rage right now........
I wanted to share a GREAT location to browse for your own Personalized Tote Bags!   Mr. Shirilla recently contacted me to see if I would be interested in receiving a tote bag, personalized for me, to share with you readers!  Of course, I said yes!!!  I would love to try out new things and companies to be able to pass on to you good, honest businesspeople!  Who doesn't want a good recommendation!!??


So the good folks at Simply Bags

  sent me this bag with my name on it embroidered in Kiwi Green!!!  I LOVE it!!!
It is such a good size, a great fabric for keeping clean, and has such potential!  Here are the specs.....

Embroider - Maximum 10 characters - Thread colors (Lt Pink, Lt Blue, Lt Green, Fuchsia, Red, Gold, Beige, Kiwi)

Black Embroidered Tote Bag is nylon micro fiber construction, measures 20"W x 15"H,  with a  5" gusset.
Overall height 28".  Two inside compartments, one with zipper.

Retails for $29.95

 You don't often see bags that are 20" wide!  OH boy, will I ever have fun using this one.....maybe it will go to Paris with me!!!! =)
Simply-Bags not only has this bag, but they have a huge selection of types of bags, and types of fabrics!  You MUST go check them out......
So run right over and do a little shopping!  I do think you will like what you see over at Simply-Bags!!!

Things I won!!!!

I love being in Blogland, where anyday might be a happy Mail Day......as it was for me recently.  Thanks to the generosity of some blog friends, I won a few things lately....and they  definitely added cheer to my days.  Many of you know that I've been going thru Physical Therapy post surgery, to get the use of my right arm back after the shoulder surgery I had in December.  Well, it's tough....and it's been fun to get a few fun, happy things in the mail to brighten some of the days when I wanted to throw in the towel that I use to do towel stretches......what is a towel stretch you ask???  Well, take a towel, hold it in your left hand, dangle it down behind your back, and reach around with your right arm behind your back to hold it and lift .......for someone with a wounded wing, it stretches and pulls and generally if you are doing the right thing, hurts like _____!!!!!
So I bet you're wondering what I won???!!!  So I'll share!
First of all, my friend, Tanya (and yes, she has become a sweet friend over the years of us reading each other's blog) at Frou Frou Britches  hosted a giveaway for some Arbonne bath salts (she is a rep, in case you need something!) !  They are just the right prescription and they smell heavenly!!! Ahhh.....

When she emailed me to tell me, I could hardly believe it....and what a perfect way to unwind, especially after Physical Therapy!!!
THEN, (yes I won TWICE!!) I won a beautiful necklace from my friend, Cricket @Cricket's Cafe !  It is handmade by Theresa Mason, and it is simply beautiful!!!  You can see Theresa's work here at Theresa'sCreations.  She has got some totally gorgeous collections and pieces that she's made!! Need a special gift? She has lots of choices!! So a HUGE thanks to Cricket and Theresa, as well!! Here's my necklace!

Isn't it BEAUTIFUL????????

 And lastly, I was given an opportunity to try out a new tote bag......from Simply-Bags.com!

They contacted me to see if I'd like to have one so that I could share on my blog about their products! I'll be telling you more about that tomorrow....You're going to love it!

finally coming out of hibernation.....

Much like the Groundhog earlier this month, or like Baby C here peeking out from her cocoon like stroller cover, I am peeking out from my bloggy break, getting ready to come back to Blog land.  I really didn't intend to take such a long break, but somehow PT has been wearing me out, and I've been on the lookout for my Bloggy Mojo.......every time I think I was ready to emerge, it waned.  It waxed and waned, leaving me with exhaustion and not a lot I felt like blogging about.  Alas, it is returning, so stay tuned for that giveaway I last talked about two weeks ago, stay tuned for my telling you about some awesome giveaways that I WON!, and stay tuned for a few other items that are bringing the mojo back...yes, dear friends, I am feeling the mojo start to gurgle...anyone else felt like that??? I have read a few posts from you, but even my blog reading has waned...just felt the need to take a break.  and catch a cold.  So I do hope I haven't lost all of you.......please tell me I have a few bloggy friends/neighbors left out there.......tomorrow I'll be telling you about some things I won as giveaways!!!  Lucky me!
And lucky me, that I get to be a Grammy to this little angel pictured above! This was taken by her mamma, who had her all bundled up for a neighborhood jaunt with the dogs!  Isn't she adorable?????

Gee, where does time go???

How can it be time for Friday Fives again??? Wasn't last Friday just two days ago?  I started my Physical Therapy, and not only does it take up a good chunk of time daily, but it HURTS!!! It is more painful by far, than the surgery and recovery from that!  Geez, Louise......but I am working thru it, and looking forward to my getaway later this spring.....Wanna know where we are going?????  Ok, here's a hint.....

YES!!! My husband and I are finally going to Paris for our 30th anniversary later this spring!!!  I am beyond excited, of course.....SO, on that note, let's do a Friday Fives about traveling!!! What do you say?  I don't know how many readers I have left since I've been just a tiny bit delinquent and absent in my blogging.....not daily for sure, so I hope a few of  you are still out there, and will leave a little shout out to let me know who's still reading....and yes, that giveaway is still coming up, but I"m still working on it, so I hope it's going to be amazing and that you'll come back for it....so for now, let's have some fun.....

FRIDAY FIVES:

1.  What was your most favorite vacation you've ever taken?

2.  What is your favorite WAY to travel?  Do you mind flying, would you rather take a train, drive a car????

3. If you had $3000 and a long weekend, today, where would you head?

4. What is your favorite traveling tip, especially any of you European travelers that have tips I may need to know!!

5.  Do you fold, roll or just throw in your clothes in the suitcase when you travel?? Best packing tip????

Have a great weekend, y'all........I'll be seeing you around!

Wahoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No more arm sling for me!! I can start Physical Therapy, or physical torture as a friend's child says, this week.  Hopefully a couple of months of that and I"ll be back to normal.  I can drive freely now, but no pulling, pushing or heavy lifting!!! Yes!!!

On to cleaning closets!!!

Friday fives!!!

Here in the Houston area, we are "ICED" in......roads are not good, so no driving for me!  Yesterday, the thought from the weathermen was that we would see rain/sleet/snow, but we got no snow....just lots of ice and treacherous road conditions!
  I had hoped to post  my Giveaway today, but I'll postpone it for next week, so I can get together all I need for my it.
Any thaw that could possibly happen today will be undone tonight when temps plunge again.
So let's move on with the Friday Fives today......
I'm sure you can imagine my theme....hah!

1. Have you ever been snowed in?  How much snow have you seen in your lifetime?

2. Have you ever made snow  ice cream?

3. What's your favorite cold weather comfort food?

4. Have you ever made a snow man?  How big was it?

5. Have you ever snow skied?

Stay warm, y'all......this is really weird winter weather when the temperatures in South Texas are colder than other places north of us!!!!

Coming up soon....don't miss it!

A giveaway for my 500th post...which I've already actually surpassed by a few....I'll be giving away some of my favorite things......stay tuned to see what those are!

It is a bone chilling day here in Texas...actually colder today here than in New York, Boston and Atlanta!!!!  Mother Nature is sweeping thru the nation.  I pray for those of you that are snowed in, and those without power.  I pray for your safety and your sanity!
The groundhog says we are in for an early spring....are you ready?? or is that a dumb question?? LOL.
Wishing you a happy, warm, cozy day with warmth, hot drinks and peaceful hearts.

Take care,
Suzanne