THE NORTHENS

Gone From My Sight

2012-01-19T20:37:00.000-06:00

Greg and I are heartbroken this week.

Greg's cousin, Cody, lost his long-time battle with cancer on Monday night. Our minds are filled with grief, but our souls are filled with hope and praise of the glorious, eternal life Cody is experiencing with our Heavenly Father.

Greg and Cody's Aunt Diane posted these words about her nephew. It is what her father, Cody's "Papaw," would be saying as to Cody's passing. They are adapted from Henry Van Dyke's Gone From My Sight.

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads his white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. He is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch him until at length he hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.
Then someone at my side says: “There, he is gone!”
“Gone Where?”
Gone from my sight. That is all. He is just as large in mast and hull and spar as he was when he left my side and he is just as able to bear his load of living freight to his destined port.
His diminished size is in me, not in him. And just at the moment when someone at my side says: “There, he is gone!” there are other eyes watching his coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout: “Here he comes!”

Give Me Jesus... On a Plane

2012-01-12T22:17:00.001-06:00

I linked to this song on my blog a couple times before: HERE and HERE. Today, however, a coach at school sent me this video via GodTube.com in which the passengers of this flight got more than just peanuts and club soda.

The word of God cannot be held down. . . literally!

Reminiscing and Resolving 2012

2011-12-31T08:59:00.000-06:00

In keeping with the traditions of Reminiscing and Resolving posts past, here is a recap of 2011 for the archives.

This is a list of last year's resolutions and the results:

Continuously seek to see the "big picture" in all things. God is still working on my heart to teach me how to let go of the little things that don't really matter. Sometimes I listen to Him, sometimes I don't, but I'm still working on it.
Be a better listener. I read the book below and really enjoyed it. Basically, it talks about the four most common mistakes we make when "listening" to others - defend ourselves, advise them, judge them, and slip into the "me too" mode. I would say (and I'm sure that Greg would agree!!) that I'm still not much of a skilled listener, but I am certainly more aware of my poor listening tendencies, ha.

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Blog only when I want to. It's ok if I don't document everything. Could you tell I blogged less this year? :)
For real this time, I want to run more. And I didn't. Shocker.
Continue to get rid of stuff in our house that we don't need. I did this! I did this! And I want to shout it from the rooftops!! When we moved from Fayetteville this summer, I deep cleaned every nook and cranny of our house and threw away or donated everything we didn't need. I am so excited not to have piles of junk! It's like a breath of fresh air!

2012 RESOLUTIONS

Work hard at work
Clean out our garage and finish the house (is it ever finished!?!)
Pay off half of our school loans
Cook more healthy meals for Greg and me like I used to do

And finally, a 2011 RECAP

We had snow, snow, snow in NW Arkansas back in January giving us pretty much a three month holiday vacation!
Greg told me he was taking me to a new, Mongolian restaurant for my birthday, but it was actually a surprise party at my favorite Italian eatery with all of my favorite friends!
We took a trip to Seattle.
I witnessed a miracle when beautiful Riley entered this world!!!!!
Greg graduated from law school.
I taught until the middle of June thanks to the snow, snow, snow in January. Meanwhile, Greg studied for The Bar all summer.
We went camping with friends.
We went to Ranger Baseball games, and they won the AL pennant again.
We moved for the bazillionth time in four years.
I started a new job as a high school choir director.
Greg passed The Arkansas Bar Exam (best day ever)!!!!!
Greg started his new job as an attorney.
We bought a new couch and Greg told everyone that it is denim (It's really navy blue canvas).
We bought our first house!!!
We drove up to Fayetteville for some Razorback football games.
My mom turned 49 again, and we had a surprise party for her that I ruined at the last possible minute.
Tyler and Bonnie got married, and so did Will and Jennifer.

And that was 2011, my friends. Let's call it a wrap.

Fire Up the Grill

2011-12-29T09:00:00.008-06:00

When Greg was in college at Harding, he met a guy named Jim. Jim married Chelsi in one of the most beautiful weddings ever (Think bride standing over candlelit water at sunset), and now they've become some of our best friends. If only they would move to Arkansas...

Jim is a grill master, lawyer, and Olympic material snow skier, and Chelsi bakes pies that would make Paula Deen's mouth water. Fortunately for us, they've started a blog!

Basically the blog is all about Jim's grilling secrets. It's the kind of blog your husband could get addicted to (mine already has). I even tried out one of his tips last week about soaking your asparagus in ice water before grilling to keep them from getting soggy. Nobody likes soggy asparagus. Thanks for the tip, Jim!

Coming soon, Chelsi is going to post about baking her famous, mouth-watering pies! I'm kicking myself for not taking a picture before gorging myself in them last week.

Seriously, they look and taste amazing!

Did I mention that last time I tried to make a pie, Greg thought it was re-fried beans?! Chelsi, you've got your work cut out for you here, my friend.

HERE is the link to Jim's witty & informative blog about all things grilled, and HERE is the link to Chelsi's (I can already smell the goodness). Jim is even doing a giveaway right now for his favorite seasoning.

Hurry now. Go and get your grill on.

A Country Christmas

2011-12-28T15:50:00.001-06:00

From the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, Tennessee, we hope your Christmas was merry and bright!

Basically, this is a bunch of pictures of Peyton & Riley on Christmas Day.

2011-12-26T16:11:00.000-06:00

It's the day after Christmas (which Greg has deemed "The Most Depressing Day of the Year"), and it's time to take down the tree and stockings, and clean up all the shredded ribbons and wrapping paper that remind us of yet another overly blessed Christmas day.

(We'll always have MAK to thank for his thoughtful contribution to this year's family portrait...)

Glad tidings we bring to you and your kin,

Glad tidings for Christmas and a happy new year!

It's 5 days before Christmas, and we'd like to say . . .

2011-12-20T11:47:00.000-06:00

P.S. This was supposed to be our Christmas card that never got sent. You may print it out and hang it on your refrigerator if you wish :)

Four Years Ago Today...

2011-12-15T17:26:00.000-06:00

This little girl. . .

married this little boy.

And they've lived (mostly) happily ever after!

Welcome To Our Home

2011-12-08T21:55:00.001-06:00

Here is an update of the work we've been doing on our house since we moved in September. It seems like we have worked around the clock for three months, and we are just now starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. There's still a significant amount of work to do though.

Our living room posed a problem up front because it seems so big. The ceiling is sloped and the floor plan is very open, which we both love, but they make the room feel bigger than it is. So, our furniture needs to be large and heavy to match the scale of the room (can we say "expensive?"). This is my first time buying "real" furniture at "real furniture stores," and I'm having a difficult time coping with the sticker shock. So we've slowly been investing in a few nice pieces and finding the rest mainly through Craigslist and yard sales.

Greg helped me hang our new curtains last week (half off Pottery Barn on Black Friday!!!!!!!!!), and we agreed that it is finally starting to feel "homey."

Since our ceilings are sloped so high, I knew we would only be painting the living room one time (and never again!), so I had to get the color right. The first thing we did when we moved in was paint the living room walls SW "Macadamia," and I'm in love with the color. I love it so much that we ended up painting "Macadamia" in the the living room, kitchen, hallway, and guest bath (including the ceiling - not a fun project).

Here is the only BEFORE pic of the fireplace that I could find. As you can see it was dark brown and bronze. (Excuse the junk piled on it.)

We painted it BM's "Raccoon Hollow" and "Stampede" as inspired/suggested by my friends Jennifer and Lori. My in-laws got a new, wood mantle last year, so they gave us their old one, and my Dad cut it to fit the size of our brick mantle. It just beefs it up some.

As for the master bath, I didn't paint it because I really liked the light blue color the sellers had painted already (if it wasn't raining, I would go out to the shop and tell you the color).

The guest bath, however, needed help.

Half of the fixtures were gold and half were silver. In addition, it was way out-dated and blah.

So I sanded, primed, and painted the cabinets black. It is the first time I have used latex paint on something that actually matters. But I trust SW employees, and the guy at the store here convinced me that latex paints today are just as durable as oil based. He said the paint industry is slowly phasing out oil based paint all together. It was nice using latex, but I'm a skeptic. . . only time will tell if it lasts.

The framed mirror was my Mimi's. It was gold, so I painted it to match the cabinets. Yay for framed mirrors!

Other things we plan to do (or are wishing for in a perfect world):

paint the exterior (major Spring project!!)
new landscaping
clean the garage (yikes!)
find cheap end tables for the living room
hardwood floors in living room
get a headboard and nightstands for master bedroom
paint kitchen cabinets

Finally, being a choir nerd pays off.

2011-11-30T19:23:00.000-06:00

We have a magazine in Little Rock called "Soiree" that photographs high-profile events around central Arkansas. Low and behold, they contacted my school a few months ago about doing a write up of our choir program ('cause we're highfalutin like that). Well, one thing led to another, and the "little" article turned into a two page article, which then turned into the cover of the magazine! A few of my students even got to be in the magazine as well. Chalk this up as one of the most exciting events of my life.

(They told me to stand like that. And I kept smiling, and they kept telling me not to smile.)

I've been told three times already that it looks like I should have a cigarette in my hand instead of a microphone, like I'm Cruella Deville. Not quite the look I was going for, but I didn't have much say in the whole ordeal. It was like I was in a New York City photo shoot or something. They did props, hair, make-up, wardrobe... the whole shebang.

So let me go ahead and answer the number one question everyone keeps asking. Did I get to keep the clothes? No, I did not. I did not pick them out or keep them. I sent the artistic director my measurements and she came with a rack of clothes to choose from when she got there and actually saw me for the first time. The kids wore their regular school uniforms, but they beefed them up a bit with lettermans, cardigans, vests, and knee-high socks... and roller skates.

As for the group shot, we had "the rock star," "the jock," "the cheerleader," and "the punk girl." Ironically though, none of those characteristics really fit the kids in real life . . .which only means they are just really good actors :)

FYI, you can't see it in the picture below, but my shoes were not only ridiculously high and bright blue, but fuzzy as well! Between our shoes and roller skates, me and Natalie could hardly stand up.

This is by far my favorite! I want to blow it up to 1000x1000.

You can read the full article HERE or you can pick up a free copy of Soiree at many businesses and restaurants throughout Little Rock.

Finally . . . it pays to be a choir nerd!

The Simple Joy of Pine Needles

2011-11-26T11:21:00.001-06:00

Top Ten Reasons I'm Thankful

2011-11-24T22:25:00.000-06:00

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever!"

Psalms 118:1

No one ever told me they would get this big.

2011-11-15T17:20:00.000-06:00

September & October

2011-10-23T22:41:00.001-05:00

Since Greg and I just got internet in our new house a week ago, here is a catch-up post on all major events that have transpired since the beginning of September... starting with going to Fayetteville again (tear) for a HOGS game.

The best parts of the game were my parents going with us, tailgating, seeing my cousins, and seeing these girls. (Lots of tears. Gushing tears.)

We stopped by my sister's on the way home to see the kids.

Riley's "Alfalfa" cowlick cracks me up. Poor thing.

We closed on our new house in September, and immediately got to painting!

When we moved from Fayetteville, we sold all of our furniture so that we didn't have to haul it with us. The below picture shows all the living room furniture that we had for about a month. Greg was crossing his fingers hoping the bunny ears would work.

A bunch of people have been asking to see "after" pictures of the house. Well, as of right now, there's not really much to see. It's going to be slow going, but we love our house and are trying to be patient about putting it all together. So, there will be "after" pictures . . . I just don't know when.

When we got "home" from closing (as in walked into our new house together), Greg had flowers sitting on the kitchen bar for me with the sweetest note. I think I did the ugly cry.

About a week later, we celebrated my mom's 60th birthday with a surprise party at my Uncle Ross and Aunt Linda's house.

Of course, we had the AR vs. Alabama game on TV.

Greg also got sworn into the Arkansas Supreme Court a few weeks ago.

Finally, finally, finally official.

And if you are still with me in this montage of photographs, I would like to leave you with a picture of our NOT-A-DENIM couch. Regardless of what Greg tells you, it's navy blue canvas. It took twelve weeks to arrive (we ordered it in July), but it was totally worth it. I'm sitting on it right now all comfy cozy and watching game four of the World Series. Go Rangers!

Hellooooo out there!

2011-10-09T22:48:00.000-05:00

We're still here, believe it or not!!!! Greg and I moved into our house middle of September, and we just got internet this weekend (Direct TV turned us down becuase of too many trees, and the U-Verse guy was here for 6.5 hours!!!). So between moving, starting new jobs, and only having internet on our phones, there hasn't been much time or energy for blogging. Give me a few more weeks, and I'm sure I'll get back in the swing of things. I've got lots of pics to post, and stories to tell because it has been quite an eventful month full of many blessings!

Happy Fall!

Passed The Bar!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-09-03T10:37:00.003-05:00

The 2011 Arkansas Bar Results were posted yesterday afternoon at 4:00pm. It might have been the most agonizing day of our lives. Greg came over to my school, and we prayed, held hands, and downloaded the results . . .

The most beautiful words I've ever seen . . . Greg Northen passed The Bar! Whoooo Hooo!!

Checking to see if all of his friends passed as well . . .

When we got home, we had a package waiting on us. It was his article in the Food Law Journal that was recently published.

I'm not sure if it was irony or what that he received his final copy of the article on the day The Bar results were released. None the less, it was pretty exciting to come home to.

(If you'd like some light reading to add to your personal library, let me know because they sent us twenty-five copies.)

I about cried when I opened it up and saw my name in the acknowledgements. That was a very exciting moment for this wife who, honestly, still hasn't even read the article.

Anyways, Friday was a good day for us, and we truly appreciate the band of pray-ers who have lifted Greg up in prayer the past few weeks. We love you!

Congratulations to everyone who passed the Arkansas Bar . . . And as my boss told me, take Monday off :)

Working Hard or Hardly Working?

2011-08-27T09:00:00.000-05:00

from the archives

2011-08-26T17:29:00.001-05:00

Sooooo . . . We've been a little busy lately, and I haven't blogged since July. Woops! In the past few weeks, Greg and I moved, Greg took the Arkansas Bar (which totally lived up to its reputation), we put an offer on a house to close in September, and we both started new jobs. So, needless to say, our minds have been elsewhere the past few weeks. I hope that in another month or two, things will slow down a bit, and life will allow me more time to blog about all the exciting things we've been doing!

In the meantime, my mom has been scanning pictures of our old photo albums, and Greg and I have been cracking up! I should probably get permission before I post some pictures, but here is one that I don't mind sharing. That's me in the back left and Greg in the front right. Look closely . . . some of you might recognize the others!

We think it's either 9th or 10th grade, but can't remember. (Maybe some of you remember the year.)

This pic contains three of my best friends, my college roommate, a future cousin-in-law, the best man in my wedding, and my husband. Who would have thought?! God works in mysterious ways.

Hopefully, I'll get another post before another month passes, but just to catch up. . . We miss our friends in NWA, but are truly enjoying settling down in our new lives, making new friends, and getting to spend time with old ones. God is really blessing us.

What we will miss about Fayetteville...

2011-07-28T21:36:00.003-05:00

Even though I didn't get to see you near enough :(

(This one made the cut because those are the Duggars at the table behind me!)

(Thanks for letting me steal this pic without asking, Nellie!)

and many more.

school stuff

2011-07-24T11:03:00.002-05:00

I meant to post this picture of my classroom door a few months ago from "college week" at school. Each year, I am at a loss as to how to decorate my door because Henderson's mascot is a spirit. How do you decorate with that? Plus, I didn't want to spend money on the project, which didn't leave much room for creativity. But give 7th grade girls some red paper and a marker and look what they can create! I loved my door this year just as much as last, and I'm certainly not at a loss of amazement with what kids can create from nothing!

I took a trip down to my new school last week and got started working on my new choir room. There's a lot to do, but I am stoked about my new job. Plus, for the first time in three years, I HAVE A WINDOW IN MY CLASSROOM!!!!!!
I know you're all just as thrilled as I am!

A certain someone stopped by to see my new room while I was working and found a good way to keep herself busy while the grown-ups talked.

Uncle "GIREG" takes the Bar on Tuesday and Wednesday, so if you wouldn't mind saying a little prayer as you read this, it would be much appreciated. We won't get the results for six weeks, but I know he'll be a new man come Thursday, and I can't wait!

Signs of an Imminent Move

2011-07-17T10:47:00.003-05:00

Your bedroom looks really sad.

And this . . .

becomes this.

Moving boxes function as drying racks.

Bare walls stare at you.

Your bathroom drawer is a plastic tub.

And this is your treadmill. (OK, so maybe that's year-round. Who am I kidding.)

summer happenings

2011-07-16T22:09:00.000-05:00

Greg and I haven't really done anything super exciting this summer because of the bar (which I am soooooooo ready to be over with!!!!!), but we did get to take a couple of fun mini-trips. Greg's family had a family reunion in Branson a few weeks ago, and we also flew down to Dallas for a weekend trip over the fourth of July.

We rode those wooden go-cart tracks in Branson. I decided not to drive myself so that I could take pictures as a passenger.

But it didn't work. I had big visions though. The pictures certainly turned out well in my head. But this was the best the camera could do.

By the way, Greg was thoroughly embarrassed A) to be riding go-carts, and B) to have his wife tagging along in a double. Love you, honey!!

Then we did some shopping at Tanger where I purchased some ice cream and a quilt. Now that's a good day :)

Over fourth of July weekend, we went down to Dallas for a couple of Rangers games.

I'm kicking myself for not having my zoom lens because Dirk Nowitzki threw the first pitch. Promise that's him. See the 41?

After the first game, we stuck around for their annual firework show at Rangers Ballpark. Can I tell you how much I love summer nights especially when they include fireworks?!?

And now it's back to the daily grind of studying, packing, studying, packing, studying, packing, studying, packing, studying, pa....... sigh. It was fun while it lasted.

puppy love

2011-07-07T17:05:00.004-05:00

Twice this week, Greg and I have had a run-away dog wander into our yard. Tuesday night, Greg came home from the library with this pooch . . .

His name was "Mutley." We called the number on his collar, and his owner came right over to get him.

This morning, I woke up to a basset hound in our front yard. I didn't get a picture, but he pretty much looked like this:

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We've been thinking of getting a dog for a while now (and by "we," I mean "Greg"). But we just can't come to an agreement on what kind to get.

I like golden retrievers like my cousin's dog (who is named in memory of our Papa's dog, "Buster").

See how good he is with my adorable, little cousin, Kingston?

My grandparents had some awesome dogs like Buster, Tippy, and Suzi. I do believe that Suzi was the only chow that I will ever love to cuddle in my lifetime.

My Aunt Janet's dog, Hudini, might be the cutest dog ever because he has an under-bite. Do they make dog retainers? Here he is with me and Suzi.

Greg doesn't want a long-haired dog. He wants a short-haired dog like a weimaraner, bull dog, or boxer. This is his sister's dog, Polly.

I love Polly to pieces, too. And her brother, Rizzo.

My sister has two labs, and we love labs other than how they chew up everything.

That's Max. His feet turn green when he walks through wet grass :)

And here's Jake. He's a cutie patootie, too.

Some other dogs that I don't have pictures of that are/were pretty much family members: Missy, Prissy, Ruffy, Duke, Sam, and Faux Pas (yes, we did have a dog named "Faux Pas").

But, "The Best Dog of All Time" Award goes to:

The one and only, irreplaceable, Butch!!!

So there are some of our dog loves, but we can't decide which kind to get.

We want a short-haired, medium to large dog, who is good around kids and other animals, doesn't have separation anxiety, won't tear up our house too much, won't shed, mild tempered, will cuddle up on my lap, will go hunting, will fetch, and will go for long walks with us. Are we asking too much? :)

Any suggestions?

moving

2011-07-06T11:29:00.002-05:00

Greg and I will be moving in just a few short weeks. Back in November, Greg was offered a job as an associate for a really great law firm a few hours away, and we couldn't pass up the opportunity. I immediately started job hunting (very doubtful and grouchy that I would find anything as good as what I'd been doing for the past three years, mind you). But, the Lord blessed me with knowing the right people to point me in the path of a teaching job that literally seems as though it was created just for me! I've never been so excited for summer break to be over! :)

When we left our old Life Group three years ago, they surprised us with a "Going Away" party. Little did they know, we'd be coming back home :)

The purpose of this post is to simply document our journey through this phase in our life:

Since the last time I blogged about it, we have found a house that we want to put an offer on. So if that works out, rest assured, you will be hearing aaallllllllllllllll about it.

Greg is studying night and day for the bar. Dave would say he's got gazelle-like intensity!

I'm dreaming of and getting ready for this next school year.

I'm also deep cleaning out our house and packing as I go. This will be the fifth place we've lived in 3.5 years. Needless to say, we've become efficient packers.

We are both considering getting a dog, but we can't agree on what kind. (dog blog coming soon)

And that about describes our summer 2011. The bar, preparing for new jobs, moving, and trying to soak in every wonderful minute of it.

Beth and Dave

2011-06-30T21:42:00.006-05:00

After just leaving my weekly girls' night, I realized that I never posted pictures of one of the most uplifting weekends I've ever had. A few months ago, the girls from my Bible study ventured down to Little Rock to see the one and only, Beth Moore. I love this woman for what she's done to teach me about how much God loves me (a continuous struggle for me to wrap my head around).

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The weekend was focused on "fulfilling our ministries" and was taken from 2 Timothy 4. Bonnie wrote the best summary of what Beth presented here. I second everything she says. The theme song of the weekend was Travis Cottrell's "In Christ Alone."

But it wasn't just any "In Christ Alone." It was "In Christ Alone with Solid Rock." Go download the song (totally worth the $1), turn up your headphones (headphones make it way better, promise), close your eyes, and let it consume you. There wasn't a dry eye on our row.

Also (just because it's funny and so I don't ever forget), we never figured out who sent us breakfast on Saturday morning. Hmmmmm......

What a memorable weekend. I can't look at this picture for too long or I start crying because of how much I'm going to miss everybody.

I . love . these . girls.

And while I'm on the topic of people I love, let me mention this man. I love me some Dave Ramsey. The three men in my life are as follows: Greg, my dad, Dave. (You think I'm kidding... I have a lamp named after him.)

Greg and I took Dave's Financial Peace University course in 2007, and loved it so much that we are taking it again with our new church family. Like Beth, Dave has been a "God-send" in my life. Sometimes, I thank God for Dave in my prayers because he taught us how to use our money for God's glory. I'm forever grateful.

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Tonight, in Bible study, we talked about how we can only see one piece of the puzzle at a time in our lives, but God sees the finished work. I certainly don't thank God for the nightmares that Beth lived through in her childhood or that Dave hit rock bottom financially when he was my age. And I doubt they ever thought, "Hmmm, I bet God is going to use this mess to teach thousands for His glory." But, I do thank God that he led both Beth and Dave through their experiences with the resilience and wisdom to make good come of the big picture. A lot of good. They have both had a profound influence on my life and my personal relationship with my heavenly Father. And for that I'm infinitely thankful.

I find that blog worthy ;)

(P.S. I would do anything to have my picture taken with Dave!)

DAD

2011-06-19T17:01:00.001-05:00

I know every little girl likes to think she has the world's greatest dad. But I really do.

You're the best, Dad, and I love you.

Happy Father's Day!

Love,

J Bird

House Hunters: No Such Luck

2011-06-15T22:19:00.000-05:00

Greg and I have been house hunting for a while now. It seems to be an endless endeavor that I'm beginning to think will never come to fruition. We've got jobs, a down payment, and a terrible economy on our side. But apparently, between the two of us, we are the pickiest people alive. However, the good news is that to our surprise, we recently spotted ourselves in a TV commercial.

This is our story...

These pictures are blurry because they wouldn't hold still.

2011-06-11T11:09:00.001-05:00

Seriously, it was ninety-to-nothin' for two hours straight at Peyton's 4th birthday party a couple weeks ago.

But those kiddos had some major fun.

Even Uncle Greg found a way to entertain himself.

Meanwhile, the adults fought to cuddle Miss Riley.

Peyton and her BFF, Avery, were explaining to Greg that he couldn't sit there.

Uncle Greg didn't take it so well.

Happy 4th Birthday, Miss P!!!

Twenty-Six and Four

2011-06-07T21:18:00.000-05:00

Happy belated birthday to two of my favorite people! Greg and Peyton's birthdays are one week apart. We celebrated Greg's while camping with friends at the lake over Memorial Day weekend. And this past weekend, we drove to my sister's for the most high energy four-year old party ever! (I'll post more pics of Peyton's big day soon... just let me finish the school year first!)

Happy Birthday, you two!! I love you more than I can put into words!

Why little girls don't dream about being an astronaut.

2011-06-01T22:30:00.001-05:00

Greg Northen, J.D.

2011-05-23T17:24:00.003-05:00

I CANNOT believe I am writing this post already, but it's official. Greg graduated from law school on Saturday. Whoooo Hoooooo!!!!!

We pretty much celebrated all week with family, good food, and fun times.

Saturday morning, we got up early, went to Rick's for breakfast, and came home to start lunch. We had an early lunch at our house with Greg's family and mine.

Pre-Graduation Family Photos

The Ceremony - being Hooded

Receiving his diploma

Brother and sister lawyers :)

Here's a pic from when Greg graduated with his undergraduate degree from Harding University. We were engaged at the time (as I'm sure you can tell from the standard, engaged couple pose).

And four wonderful years later, law school.

Tyler Humphries, J.D., this one is for you!!!!

And this one...

And this one, too!

We thought that Saturday was going to be stormy and ugly, but it turned out to be absolutely beautiful! We were really blessed to have such a good week and weekend with our families while we celebrated Greg's hard work. But unfortunately, the hard work is not over yet...

It's now time to study for the Bar. Yikes.

I'm so happy for you, "Dr. Northen!" I am abundantly blessed to share my life with you. Now, stop reading the blog, and go study those books!!

. . . In a Barbie World

2011-05-13T16:45:00.003-05:00

I came across an article a few days ago, and I've been laughing ever since. How funny is this picture!?

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The girl on the right, Galia Slayen, took Barbie's "womanly" measurments, and proportioned them to a life-sized person. She then made a papier-mache model to visually display her calculations. The roughly 6 foot tall woman measures 39" at the bust, 18" around her waist, and 33" at her hips (and her arms are really funny looking, too).

My mom is a retired JR high math teacher, and she once did this same experiment with her classes. Way to go, Mom. It's such a great idea, and seeing a model of a life-size person with Barbie's proportions truly brings out the ridiculuousness of her measurements.

Now, don't get me wrong. I do believe that, for several years, I single-handedly drove up Barbie's stock value beginning in the late eighties. This girl has played with her fair share of Barbie dolls, and relished every minute of it. But, wow, really?!? This is what we give little girls to play with, and then wonder why we all grow up to have physical insecurities.

If you want to read the full article from The Today Show, here's the link:

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/42595605/ns/today-today_people/

I haven't blogged much lately mostly because I've been busy, and there's nothing new to report (other than the fact that my husband is officially DONE with law school... all that's left is graduation... whoo hoo!!). This, however, was too good to pass up. If the moral of the story doesn't interest you, at least you can chuckle at the picture one more time. :)

Have I told you lately?

2011-05-08T12:58:00.000-05:00

Dear Mom,

Since I can't see you on Mother's Day this year, this is for you!

I love you!!

Janice

For those of you who may be wondering, this is our song :)

Happy Easter!

2011-04-23T13:08:00.001-05:00

HAPPY EASTER!

(photos by Alison Brown - Thanks Alison!)

serenade

2011-04-13T21:53:00.003-05:00

My dad sent me a link the other day with every scriptural reference to music that there is in the Bible. There's a lot. So I decided to go through them all and write down the ones that specifically mention singing (because that's how much of a dork I am). I now have three fully typed pages of all the verses in the Bible that mention singing. Most of them are very similar, and I'm sure you've read many of them before. Here are a few that caught my eye:

"They ministered with their music . . " 1 Chronicles 6:32

"So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind." 1 Corinthians 14:15

"Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music." Psalm 98:4
I knew it! I knew "bursting into song" was scriptural! This is my new verse to quote when people (ahem Greg) make fun of me for singing my thoughts and conversations. And actually, I found that "bursting into song" is found multiple times in Isaiah. Just saying.

"I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live." Psalm 104:33

"How good it is to sing praises to our God!" Psalm 147:1

One verse, however, jumped straight off the pages in my Bible and into my heart. It's from the book of Zephaniah, and I had never read it before (probably because it's from Zephaniah).

"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:14

Did I read that right? The creator of the universe, the creator of life, the great "I AM" is going to sing to me!? Really? To me??

As I sat and stared at those words, my heart flooded with emotions and my eyes flooded with tears. What in the world will he sing about? What will be the words of the song? What will his voice sound like? How will I react? When will he sing to me? Will it be in Heaven, or could he be singing to me now? Wouldn't it be cool if we did a duet?! ;)

Then, I came across this verse:

"You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance." Psalm 32:7

I don't know if this strikes anyone else as powerfully as it does me, but I am literally blown away by the thought of the Lord "surrounding" me with his songs. I've read about God's love for me, and I've never doubted it. But the idea of my Father holding me in the palm of his hand and singing a song just for me makes his love for me as real as it has ever been. For the past forty-eight hours, I have literally been moved to tears thinking about it.

My heart has been rather convicted about a few new things lately that I won't go into, mainly concerning matters of the heart. I'm trying really hard to change my heart. I don't believe God commands us to sing for the sake of singing (although I'm up a creek if that's wrong). Rather, I see a theme in my three typed pages of Biblical verses on singing. Praise. I don't know what I did to deserve to be sung to by the creator of the universe (answer: nothing), but I know that I am going to praise him in song right back.

"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song." Psalm 28:7

Seattle

2011-04-10T15:52:00.002-05:00

I'm finally getting around to posting pictures from our trip to Seattle last month. Greg had a moot court competition there, and so I happily took the opportunity to tag along (they needed me, right??).

When we weren't in the courthouse, we were usually at the Market. I'm pretty sure we went there every day!

At the front of the market, beware. There are some guys who have this fish head connected to a rope. And as you lean in to get a good look at the fish, they'll yank the rope and scare the mess out of you. I fell for it . . . twice actually.

Down at the market is the original Starbucks!! Of course, we had to grab a cup of Joe just to say we did.

We also got to visit "Post Alley" at the Market where, as you can see, there's a lot of gum. I'm pretty sure that as a teacher, this is my worst nightmare. I felt a strong urge to start handing out Saturday school to everyone around.

If you're ever in Seattle and you like art, you should stop by the Seattle Art Museum. They have quite a variety from ancient to modern. We both enjoyed our morning there!

Greg's kind of art :)

Of course, we took the monorail across town to the Space Needle.

(Suddenly, I'm having flashbacks to the Windy City!)

Just before we left, we were able to make a quick visit to Pioneer Square and then to China Town.

(Look close. See the rainbow!?!?!)

Oh, Seattle. For such a huge city, you are surprisingly quaint, and I like you. I hope to see you again someday!!

weekend at my sister's

2011-04-03T16:36:00.001-05:00

That about sums it up.

Riley

2011-03-29T22:58:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, I witnessed a miracle.

I am forever thankful to my sister for letting me be present when my new niece, Riley, came into this world.

Other than what you see on the movies, I had no idea what to expect as I entered the hospital yesterday morning. Adrienne did awesome, but it was definitely a long, brutal day.

The only word I can use to describe yesterday is "indescribable."

Simply indescribable.

That's how I feel about my new niece, as well. She is indescribable.

Riley was 8lbs 15oz and 22 inches long. She has beautiful, red hair just like her daddy, long eyelashes like her momma, and is just as perfect as her sister.

Riley, you are precious. You are already the sweetest little girl and as beautiful as you can be! Maybe it is because you look just like your sister, but when I first saw you, I felt like I had known you forever.

What a miracle you are!

Book Review: So Long Insecurity

2011-03-25T14:10:00.001-05:00

I know that I get excited a lot when I read a good book or go through a great study of some sort, but this book was truly life-changing for me. I would love nothing more than for every woman reading this to pause, order the book, and then continue reading. Go.

Whenever I read Beth Moore's books or do her studies, I learn so much. She has a way of making the Bible (even the Old Testament) applicable to women of all circumstances today. She's lived through some unimaginable events in her life. She's honest. She's practical. And she's real. I love me some Beth Moore.

Now on to the book.

source

The Girls' Fellowship Group that I attend just finished a chapter-by-chapter study of this book. I'm not sure if any of us that actually read the book weren't changed by its message. The first half of the book talks about why insecurity is so detrimental. Everyone has them, and they completely shape our lives, often without us even knowing it.

Beth offers numerous factors that can be the root(s) of our insecurities. Some of them were obvious, but many of them were things I never would have thought about. Also, she talks about how to identify insecurities in others. How terrible does that sound, ha?! Of course, it is for the sole purpose of helping those people, especially when they are people that take their insecurities out on you. (I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about!)

If you read the first half of the book though, make sure to read the last half! Otherwise, you will just be left hanging and feeling really vulnerable and insecure :)

The second half of the book offers practical and Biblical advice for overcoming your insecurities so that you can become the woman God desires for you to be. I must say that I was a bit hesitant to know if Beth could really teach me how to work through my vulnerabilities in just a few chapters. She completely let God do the work, however, by pointing out scripture after scripture that challenged my beliefs in regards to how much I trust Him.

Maybe one of these many thoughts below will touch your heart and make you want to read the book. Here are some of my favorite quotes:

"Heaven knows how many people never fulfill their destinies simply because of their own insecurities." pg. 52
"I not only lack security, I lack faith. I don't just doubt myself, I doubt God about myself." pg. 18
"We use guys like mirrors to see if we're valuable. Beautiful. Desirable." pg. 7
"Insecurity's best cover is perfectionism." pg. 19
"Perfectionists' black-and-white thinking takes them on a roller coaster between feeling horribly inadequate and bad about themselves, and then, when things are going well, feeling proud to be so good. Low self-esteem and pride coexist in the same heart." pg. 106
"Most women find a tremendous amount of security in sameness." pg. 78
"Nothing has the propensity to reveal false gods to me like a sudden change in my circumstances." pg 171
"Insecurity... results from the way we've coped rather than healed." pg. 85
"We will never feel better about ourselves by becoming more consumed with ourselves. Likewise, we will ever feel better about ourselves by feeling worse about others. Superiority can't give birth to security." pg. 105
"People who are chronically insecure often have an overwhelming tendency to become control freaks." pg. 209
"We are called to cherish, support, and pray for others, but tying our security to [chronically unhappy people] is a lost cause." pg. 214
"Insecurity will rob us of some of the richest woman-to-woman relationships of our lives. It turns potential friends into competitors." pg. 277
"The high-definition images surrounding us at every turn and screen look so real that we forget we're being vacuumed into a matrix. A constant stream of media and celebrities pressures real women to either try to measure up to pretend lives or admit failure." pg. 278
"The insecurities of women have gone viral, and as if our culture is not host enough, how we're catching it from one another. Call me an optimist, but I have to believe that security could be just as contagious." pg. 278
"We can stop playing the game even if no one else in our environment signs the no-compete." pg. 280
"When we work from an activated mentality of God-given security, we are fully capable of thinking another woman is beautiful without concluding we are ugly. We can esteem another woman's achievements without feeling like an idiot. We can admire another woman's terrific shape without feeling like a slob. Where on earth did we come up with the idea that we have to subtract value from ourselves in order to give credit to someone else?" pg. 280
"I've also found it difficult to keep despising someone I consistently pray for." pg. 286
"Only insecure people enjoy tripping another person's insecurity switch." pg. 289
"The goal in our female relationships should be to encourage one another's security. Not enable one another's insecurity." pg. 289
"Try as we might, we re not likely to change our culture. But we can let God change us, and vital change will happen within our culture." pg. 309
"Human nature dictates that most often we will be as insecure as we are self-absorbed." pg. 309
"Most of the enemy's power is in his bluff, but he has been around long enough to know that the constant fear of disaster can be as disabling as the disaster itself." pg. 324
"Fear of the future makes people settle for things in the present that completely defy abundant life. It also insults the grace of God that will be piled in heaps for us when hardship comes. We agonize over how we'll possibly make it, yet all the while we can glance over our shoulders and see where God has carried us." pg. 332

Read enough? I hope there's no law on how much you can quote a book, ha. I only do it in hopes that you see how powerful and important the message of this book is. God worked wonders in my life through So Long Insecurity. I could see myself changing with ever chapter I read.

One of the most impressionable parts to me was when Beth suggested that security might be as contagious as insecurity. It's not about being secure with how good we are, but being secure in how great God is. So with that in mind, the more secure I become, the more I will radiate God's contagious light.

Bottom line: Everyone has insecurities. God does not create his children in His image to be insecure. He cares for us and wants to help us.

"The Lord is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap."

Proverbs 3:26, NLT

piano pieces

2011-03-24T16:04:00.002-05:00

I have shared several of my favorite choral songs on this blog before, but today I thought I might share some piano favorites!

This first piece is Brahms' "Rhapsody in G Minor" Opus 79, No. 2. The first time I heard it played in a recital by my friend, Shannon, I literally ran from the recital hall to my piano teacher asking what it was! From what I can tell in the comments, I believe the kid in this recording is only about thirteen. Don't you just love a child prodigy?

For the second piece, you need to listen to it at night just before bed. I promise you will sleep (and maybe cry) like a baby. I actually had a student once that told me she was named after this piece. Her name, appropriately, was "Claire" since this is Chopin's famous, "Clair de lune," played on violin and piano.

Sometimes people ask me about good wedding music. This last recording is a piece that I had played in our wedding. It's Chopin's "Chanson de l'adieu" Op. 10, No. 3. Technically, it means "song of farewell." So, maybe it's not the best wedding piece, ha. But I liked it and used it. My pianist was one of my piano teachers from college, and I'm pretty sure she hated me for making her play this piece. Yours will too, but it's worth it ;)

An Official Poll

2011-03-15T21:33:00.002-05:00

If you know my sister or read my blog, then you know she's due to have another baby girl any day now. I think technically she's due next Saturday, but who's counting . . .except my sister ;) So, I'm just wondering:

When do you think it's going to be?

Here are some thoughts.

If she has her over Spring Break, it is likely that Baby Riley's birthday will always be over Spring Break when she's in school. I think that would have been totally cool.

BUT if she waits too long and has her on April Fool's Day, no one will believe her. Hmmmm...

I know if there is any way at all to speed up this process, then Adrienne is more than ready and willing to get this show on the road. My mother, however, carried Adrienne for 43 weeks. No, that's not a typo, people. 43 weeks. And Peyton was a late baby as well. It runs in the family.

And of course, as ladies, we must consider her birthstone. March is Aquamarine, which is one of my most favorite stones ever. But April is the diamond, and what else can you say?

source

So, when is going to be?!

I'm going with March 24th just because we're supposed to have nice weather that day ;)

P.S. Seattle pics are still on the way. We had to order a new computer, and I'm waiting on it to arrive before I edit and post them.

Seattle Preview

2011-03-08T20:02:00.000-06:00

Greg and I just got home on Sunday from a vacation to Seattle. It may be another week or so before I do a post with all our pictures, so I just wanted to do a little preview . . . and to let you folks know that I'm still alive since it's been a month since my last post... oops. Life's been a tad on the busy side.

Actually, it was only a vacation for me since Greg was there for a school competition, but he got to do some sight-seeing too. It was so exciting for us both to see that part of the country. Loved it!

More Seattle pics to come (eventually). . . .

P.S. Baby Riley is scheduled to make her world debut in 2 1/2 weeks!!!!

"...he stops all people from their labor."

2011-02-13T22:23:00.001-06:00

Well, I'm pretty sure that our ~~two week~~ three month Winter Break has officially come to an end. The snow is melting, and teachers and students across the area are preparing their minds to wake up way too early in the morning.

It sure was some pretty snow though.

Greg decided to leave snow angels in other people's yards. Congratulations if you were a lucky recipient of a "Greg Angel." He's so thoughtful.

Such a beautiful city!

In Bible class this morning, the following verse was read.

How appropriate!!

"He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,' and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.' So that everyone he has made may know his work, he stops all people from their labor."

Psalm 37:6-7

inexpressible joy

2011-02-09T12:33:00.000-06:00

Nothing makes me happier today than thinking about this.

Congratulations Tyler and Bonnie!!

This is a short post because there are simply no words to express how happy we are for you BOTH.

We love you!

How to Make a Cute Header in Blogger

2011-02-07T20:59:00.001-06:00

I really like to blog. As long as I can remember, I have been pretty avid about documenting my life through diaries and pictures. So naturally, writing on a blog and posting pictures just made sense! However, when I first started blogging, I remember feeling very overwhelmed with how it all worked and being highly frustrated that my blog looked so blah.

I've said it before, but I truly am not a "techy person" at all (that would be my sister, the computer programmer). Largely, I am a self-taught blogger, thanks to the "all-knowing" internet (joke). But I also have to give credit to my lifelong friend, Lindsey, who answered all my questions as I tried to get this thing up and running. Honestly, I might had given up if she hadn't taken the time to explain a few things to me. Thanks a bunch, "Soul Sister!"

So now it's time to pass it on. I hope this post helps some of you who are wanting to make a new header for your blog. I am sure there are much more professional ways of doing it, and in fact, you can actually pay someone to design your blog for you. But for most people, myself included, that's not really an option. So here are some ways you can create a cute blog header yourself!

One way of creating a header for your blog, is to go to www.scrapblog.com (I'm sure there are other sites like this one) and create a header that you like. It's basically an online scrapbook page. You can use one of their templates or, if you are super creative, you can design it from scratch (but mine always look like poo, so I just stick to the templates). When you've got your image looking like you want it, go to "File" and hit "Export as JPG." After that, you will need to save it to your computer. Then, go back to your blog, click "Design," "Page Elements," and upload your picture in the "Header" box. Be sure to click the "instead of title and description" option. Also, you may have to hit "shrink to fit" if it asks (I can't remember for sure).

Here is an old header that I created using this method. Literally, all I did was insert a picture into a template on Scrapblog, typed in our name, and that was it!

The other way I know how to do a header is to use a photo editing program such as Photoshop (or Photoshop Elements) or Picasa (which is free!!). Basically, the process is the same as above, only you have different options in terms of "scrapbooking" your page to save as the header. So when your image looks like you want it to, save it to your computer, and again, upload it to your blog under the "Design" tab.

To make my current header, which looks like this (in case I decide to change it) . . .

I took the pics myself, edited them on Photoshop Elements, and then used Picasa to make the collage and add the turquoise text. Originally, it looked like this . . .

but Greg didn't like "family" because it inferred that we had kids. And we don't. So "Est. 2007" it was! It was a quick and easy fix to change the text using Picasa. I just re-saved the image with the new text and uploaded it to our blog.

If you are new to Picasa (which I am), you will definitely find this article helpful on how to make a collage in Picasa. You can use Photoshop (or Photoshop Elements) to do the same, but Picasa is wonderful and free. And - I - Like - Free.

For all of you non-computer people like me, just know that making a header is easier than it sounds!! I promise . . . you can do it!

I'm sure that there are many other ways to create cute headers, but these are just a couple of the ways that I have tried.

I really hope this has helped somebody out there. Let me know if it you learned something or if you have anymore questions. I may or may not be able to answer them :)

Happy Designing!

Birthday Surprise

2011-02-02T06:30:00.011-06:00

Happy Groundhog's Day to you, and happy birthday to me!

Monday morning, Greg told me he was taking me on a date that night for my birthday (before the winter storm hit). I had been looking forward to a romantic date all day, and then we got in the car and he told me we were going to a new Mongolian restaurant in town. What?! There's nothing about "Mong," "romantic," and "birthday" that go together in my mind.

Um, no thank you.

Well, as it turns out, he surprised me by taking me to my favorite Italian (not Mong) restaurant where many of our best friends were waiting to surprise me! That little toot.

Even Staci and Erin thought to make "happy birthday" cupcakes with eighth notes on them!!!!!

They were music to my mouth ;)

Thanks to all our dear friends who showed up to surprise me! It was such a wonderful night.

We truly have the greatest friends. Thank you for making my birthday extra special!!

(And a BIG thanks to Greg for planning and pulling off the surprise!)

Y'all are the greatest, and I'm blessed to have you in my life!

Snowed In

2011-02-01T16:57:00.001-06:00

We've got quite the winter weather here in the Natural State. It's nothing like what's going on up North, but it's a big deal for us cold-blooded Arkansans.

I find it a bit ironic because tomorrow is my birthday, and I was born in an ice storm.

So when I woke up this morning and stood looking out the window, it crossed my mind that 26 years ago, my mom must have woke up, waddled over to the window (haha sorry, Mom) and looked out only to see something similar to this. . . .

I tried to imagine what I would be thinking if I were standing there, 9+ months pregnant, and watching giant snow flakes fall on top of solid ice, not even able to see the road. Panic.

I now have a new appreciation for my mom.

Well, fortunately I'm not about to go into labor, and Greg and I have plenty of everything we need to get through the storm . . . toilet paper, firewood (thanks to the ice storm of 2009), and wayyyyy too much junk food for our own good. ;) What else do you need?

Wherever you are, I hope you are staying warm and spending this time off school and work with the people you love most!

worry rock

2011-01-27T18:26:00.003-06:00

As much as I fight it . . . I'm a worrier. I am. I hate it. But I'm a worrier, and I always have been.

When I was a kid, a friend of the family suggested that I try an old Indian remedy of using a "worry rock." He instructed me to go find a rock that I liked. Every time I started to worry, I was to hold the rock in the palm of my hand and rub it with my thumb. The idea was that as I rubbed, all my worries would exit my body and enter the rock.

Sounds fishy, I know. But don't knock it 'til you try it. It is a surprisingly effective tool for young people.

I have kept my worry rock ever since I was a kid. I don't use my worry rock anymore, but I'm never getting rid of it. It's been a good friend to me. Years of my worry are forever caged within that little stone.

I got to thinking about my worry rock last night, so I went and found it. I told Greg about it, and he was shocked at how much it had obviously been rubbed. ;)

And then it occurred to me . . . I haven't felt the need to use my worry rock in years. But why?

The reason is because I have a new rock in my life, and his name is Jesus Christ.

Just like the wise man that built his house upon the rock, my new "rock" is my growing relationship with my Savior. The more I get to know Him, the more I love Him and the more I trust Him. The rains may come tumbling down, but my rock stands firm.

Now when I begin to get anxious, I send my worries to a new home . . . the broken body of Christ who willingly took on all my angst and nailed it to the cross.

"But the Lord has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge."

Psalm 94:22

Tube Be Gone

2011-01-24T20:29:00.000-06:00

Little Miss Priss got her tube taken out of her right ear today. She had a great time going to the "pajama party" at the hospital (as my brother-in-law told her)! She never cried the whole time she was there, not even in recovery. In fact, the doctors said she was one of the best child patients they'd ever had!

That is . . . until she got home. Then she projectile vomited all over her daddy. But all is well now, and she is doing just fine!

When my sister sent me the above pics today, I couldn't help but immediately flash back to Peyton's last stay in the hospital. It's been almost two years already. I am so thankful that she is still completely healed from the infection. Even her surgical scars are hardly noticeable anymore. I thank God for healing her tiny, precious body every time I remember those times.

Thank you, God, for this little (healthy) stinker!!!

And thank you for the little rug-rat that's on the way!

The next eight weeks can't come fast enough!!!!

stocked pantry

2011-01-19T22:31:00.000-06:00

Winter weather is on its way here in Arkansas. I went to the grocery store today and stocked up on all the essentials: meat, eggs, milk, bread, fruit, and chocolate.

I'm not getting stuck in a house during a snow storm with no chocolate to keep me warm. No ma'am. Not this girl.

Then I remembered an old post. I'm not much for re-posts, but this one from June 2009 was just calling my taste buds.

Enjoy!

You might be a redneck chocoholic  if:

You keep chocolate in your vegetable crisper.
You have eaten chocolate during a workout.
You eat it with your breakfast.
You have used it to help swallow down your medicine.
Your mother taught you that chocolate is an essential food group... and you still believe her.
You justify eating dark chocolate because it is "heart healthy."
You shop the after Halloween and Valentines Day "sale isles" for the best deals to stock up on bulk amounts. Chocolate can be frozen, you know.
You bought chocolate as a gift for a friend... but never gave it.
You have stuck your tongue in a chocolate fountain. (What? Did I just say that?!)
On the last day of school, your student, in all seriousness, tells you, "Mrs. Northen, I will always remember you as the teacher who won't share her chocolate."

... uh, or so I've heard. 

Feel free to add to the list.   :)

Reminiscing and Resolving 2011

2011-01-10T16:01:00.002-06:00

This post is mainly for me to document this past year.

Last year, I posted "Reminiscing and Resolving 2010," so I thought I would do a follow-up and write my new resolutions for 2011 as well.

So here goes. The following were my resolutions for 2010 . . . and the results!

be more content Actually, this has been my main New Year's Resolution for the past two years. I want to be more content with what God has already blessed me with and not continuously want more "stuff." I've had ups and downs with this one, but I think as I am getting older, I am getting better about it. I still have a long way to go though. . .
implement the methods of Natural Evangelism (a DVD series our life group watched) I thought quite a lot about natural evangelism in 2010, and it made a huge difference in my everyday life as a Christian. I cannot say enough about the series and how powerful the idea of natural evangelism has been in my life. If you are a church leader, I would highly suggest a study of Terry Rush's "Natural Evangelism" DVD series.
become a more polished teacher I would like to think I've improved as a teacher (although that's something that can be hard to judge yourself). I am certainly as comfortable in the classroom as I have ever been, and I continue to love teaching more and more everyday. So I'll take that as a good sign!
refinish more furniture Did it. Loved it. Wish I had time to do more!
deprive my house of all things generic I got rid of a lot of "stuff" in 2010 . . . partly in conjunction with my first resolution to be more content. There's still a ways to go though.
finally figure out what to do with the giant white wall Did it!!!!! (Thanks to my green door and gossip bench!)
do more to connect and grow our life group Well, we lost a handful of members who moved away this year. Yet I would definitely say we are closer than ever. I always look forward to spending time with our life group. They are one of the biggest blessings in my life.
play more Bach Did it, but it wasn't pretty.
practice my scales... (I foresee this one won't make the "What I Accomplished in 2010" list.) Actually, I did this too, but again . . . not pretty at all.
sing more opera and get my voice back in shape I sang about the same amount as in 2009, yet I am beginning to accept the fact that my voice will probably never be as strong as it was in college.
run farther COMPLETE. AND. TOTAL. EPIC. FAILURE.
read The Complete Artist's Way by Julia Cameraon I did read this book and it was wonderful!

2011 RESOLUTIONS

I want to continuously seek to see the "big picture" in all things. This is something I have been practicing for the past six months or so, and it has had a profound impact on my life. Every time something goes wrong, no matter how big or small, I try to ask myself, "How does this fit into the big picture of life?" or "Am I going to look back and care about this when I am eighty?" Sometimes, however, I completely forget and stress out about something trivial, but I have found that surrounding myself with people who are good at seeing the "big picture" makes it a lot easier. So this is going to be my main goal in 2011. I resolve to see the "big picture!"
Be a better listener (inspired by my in-laws' involvement with the Listening Lab)
Blog only when I want to. It's ok if I don't document everything.
For real this time, I want to run more.
Continue to get rid of stuff in our house that we don't need. How is it that we have only been married for three years, have no kids, and yet still have all this stuff?!

Delicious Rest

2011-01-06T21:54:00.003-06:00

"Have you felt the delicious sense of rest upon going to bed at night? How delightful was the sensation of relaxing every muscle and letting your body go in a perfect abandonment of ease and comfort. The strain of the day had ceased, for a few hours at least. You no longer had to hold up an aching head or a weary back. You trusted yourself to the bed in an absolute confidence and it held you up without effort or strain. You rested!

But suppose you had doubted the strength or the stability of your bed, and had dreaded each moment to find it giving way beneath you. Could you have rested then? Would not every muscle have been strained in a fruitless effort to hold yourself up, and would not the wariness have been greater than if you had not gone to bed at all?

Let this analogy teach you what it means to rest in the Lord. Let your souls lie down upon the couch of his will. Relax every strain, and lay off every burden. Let yourself go in a perfect abandonment of ease and comfort, sure that, since he holds you up, you are perfectly safe. Your part is simply to rest. His part is to sustain you; and he cannot fail."

Hanna Whitall Smith
Couples' Devotional Bible

Mmmmmm... Blessed assurance. I'm going to bed now. Sweet dreams!

from a duck blind in Almyra

2010-12-31T13:02:00.000-06:00

The 24th and 25th of December

2010-12-26T22:08:00.005-06:00

Christmas 2010 Snapshots

(basically things I just never want to forget)

Peyton "played" us piano.

Dad demonstrated how a real man chops an onion.

We don't do many gifts in my family anymore (well, except the grandkid), but we have fun with the ones we do give.

Greg got some "Trap-A-Crap." Dad got a hunting book. And even un-born Baby Riley got some fashionable leopard shoes.

Of course, Greg and I had to get in plenty of "Peyton Time."

Actually, she was pretty much the center of everyone's attention.

But as cute as she is, how couldn't she be?

We also played Trivial Pursuit, which wasn't very trivial at all. The guy's team won only because they had my Dad, the rocket-scientist, on their team who knew all the science answers (oh, and they got tons of easy questions). But I'm not bitter.

Peyton made a plate to set out for Santa's cookies on Christmas Eve.

"Santa" really enjoyed them.

So from our family to yours...

We hope you were able to relax, reminisce, and reflect on the true reason for the holiday!

Merry Christmas 2010!

Christmas Card Photoshoot

2010-12-16T21:20:00.000-06:00

And the winner is . . .

If We Knew Then What We Know Now

2010-12-15T06:30:00.004-06:00

In honor of today being our three year wedding anniversary (I know, I can't believe it either), Greg and I decided to make a list of the top five things we wish we could have told ourselves three years ago.

Like when we got our marriage license...

Yikes, if we only knew then what we know now:

JANICE'S LIST

He'll never know it's not homemade.
He doesn't like it when you forget and say your maiden name.
Regardless of what he told you when you were dating, he doesn't like opera.
Don't believe anything he says before 8:00am.
NEVER EVER, whatever you do, say, "Well, my Dad could fix it..."

GREG'S LIST

Farts aren't always funny.
If she calls you at work one day crying because, "The kitchen is on fire!" don't panic. She's overreacting.
Buy a car with dual-climate control. ASAP.
Scrape off the burnt parts, and eat it anyways.
Just give up. You'll never get your entire half of the bed.

Feliz Navidad

2010-12-13T18:36:00.003-06:00

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! Greg and I hosted a "Feliz Navidad" Christmas party for our life group last night complete with Dirty Santa, sombreros, and of course... the main event, some yummy Mexican food.

It was muy bueno.

Just like last year's Ugly Sweater Party, we played Dirty Santa with things we had laying around our house.

It. Was. Dirty.

Among others we had a tail light, muffler, floor mats, bug zapper, lamp, cell phone charger, meat grinder, measuring spoons, a nalgene bottle, mail sorter, and more...

Scott's duct tape bow.

Nick & Rachel, the winners of Dirty Santa, got to take home the trophy from last year.

!Feliz Navidad Amigos!

Wrap-A-Thon

2010-12-05T16:38:00.004-06:00

Hopefully, everyone had a restful and enjoyable weekend. Greg has been studying for finals like a mad man for days now, and I have been playing catch-up from a busy week at school.

Saturday, however, I did something deserving of an Olympic medal. It was seriously monumental. I did ALL my Christmas shopping and wrapping in one day. I mean everything, people. I got up Saturday morning, made a list of everyone I wanted to buy for and what I wanted to get them. Next I organized my list by store (I'm not really sure what got into me). Then I did some warm-ups, said a prayer for sanity, and headed out the door.

Six hours later, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

All presents wrapped and under the tree. What a day.

I hope your holiday shopping is getting under-wrap (sorry, I couldn't resist).

Get Your Jingle On

2010-11-28T19:55:00.002-06:00

Well, the turkey has been carved, the left-overs have been gobbled, and every woman is dreading that step onto the all-telling scale in the morning. But that can only mean one thing!

It's officially Christmas season!

I know that I've had my tree up for a while, and now I no longer have to be ashamed!

So cue the Bing Crosby, hang those stockings, and set out the candy canes, folks.

It's the most wonderful time of year!

Go on now, yall... Get your Jingle on!

Turkey Week Recap

2010-11-27T21:19:00.004-06:00

Greg and I went to my parents' house for Thanksgiving break. I had the whole week off from school, and Greg had Wednesday through Friday. So we headed down on Wednesday morning.

Thanksgiving day was full of "liquid sunshine" where we were!

But that doesn't matter when you have a delicious turkey to enjoy with your family.

And the world's best coconut cake to go with it!

Greg and his dad have a duck lease with some friends in Almyra, so he got up at 4:00am and went hunting every morning.

Does anyone have any good duck recipes??

Friday night, I helped put up my mom's Christmas tree!

(and only shattered one ornament)

Saturday, Greg's parents came in from TX, and I went with my mother-in-law to a craft fair. Then we came home and watched Arkansas beat LSU 31-23!

WHOO PIG SOOIE!

Greg bought me a new Mack's Prairie Wings t-shirt, and the in-laws bought me a new Rangers AL Champions t-shirt!! Love them both... thanks, guys!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving week full of food, fun, and family!!

P.S. I'm serious about those recipes... I have no idea how to cook a duck.

Thanksgiving Cheers!

2010-11-25T09:16:00.000-06:00

SOURCE

Favorite Things 2010

2010-11-22T13:42:00.005-06:00

Oprah's was on Friday...

And now Melissa, from 320 Sycamore, is having her "Favorite Things" party this weekend.

So I'm linking up. Here are some of my most favorite things from 2010.

1. The yellow cart I bought this summer has been wooooonderful for catching all our junk that used to pile up on the dining room table. Now at least it piles up somewhere that doesn't get in our way.

2. When I graduated college, my parents bought me a digital piano for my graduation present. It was the best graduation present I could have received because without it, I would have nothing to play :(

Plus, because it is electric, I can plug headphones into it and play as loud as I want without bothering my oh, so studious husband.

3. Clorox Wipes. Greatest invention ever. My counter tops love them. I wouldn't clean without them. Enough said.

4. The chandelier my mom bought (and now I'm using). It came from a store in Forrest City called Sherry's Outlet. Great place if you ever find yourself passing through east Arkansas.

5. I have to suggest that if you are in the market for a new perfume, you should try one of these lovely ladies. I would swim in them if I could.

Flower Bomb by Viktor & Rolf and Miss Dior Cherie by Christian Dior

5. And finally, when Greg and I got married, I opted not to get china because we already have several sets in my family. Instead, we registered for Christmas dishes. I dream about them January through October. And I'm pretty sure they make my food taste better too.

Well, they didn't make Oprah's list, but I hope you enjoyed some of my favorite things for 2010!

Merry Thanksgiving

2010-11-10T21:45:00.006-06:00

Last week, a couple of my friends put up their Christmas trees. Needless to say, I was pretty jealous because I love Christmas and all the glitz that goes with it.

Sure, I haven't taken down my Thanksgiving decor. I even have a Halloween sign hanging on our coat closet still.

But I don't see why witches, scarecrows, and Christmas bows can't just get along.

So on Sunday, we put up our tree! (and by "we," I mean "I")

We are quickly approaching my favorite time of year (well, other than summertime), so I like to stretch it out for as long as humanly possible.

Mmmmmmm... wassail, hot chocolate, turkey, sweet potatoes, and Mom's famous quiches. I'm ready for some holiday goodness!

Let the festivities begin!

Merry Thanksgiving everyone!!

Give me Jesus.

2010-11-09T20:21:00.005-06:00

I've posted a choral version of it before. It's one of my most favorite songs. It brings me tears each time I hear it.

It's simple.
We can have every material blessing in this world and still have nothing.

All I want is Jesus. Give me Jesus.

In the morning, when I rise... give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus.

You can have all this world.

Give me Jesus.

When I am alone... give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus.

You can have all this world.

Give me Jesus.

When I come to die... give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus.

You can have all this world.

Give me Jesus.

The continued story of my big green wall.

2010-11-06T16:42:00.002-05:00

If you've been reading my blog for a while, then you might remember a post I did called The Story of My Big Green Wall. It's been about a year since I did that post, and oddly enough, about four or five people have spoken to me about it this week. So, I thought I ought to do a follow-up on THE wall. It's my husband's favorite, by the way (insert sarcastic voice).

(If you are a traditionalist when it comes to color, you might want to stop reading here.)

Initially, I wanted to paint our entire living room chartreuse. When I was a kid, my mom was always painting the walls in our house all different colors. And through the years, she has really taught me not to be afraid of paint. So I decided, "Hey! I'm young, and it's a rent house. Why not have a chartreuse living room?"

But after a few days of ~~fighting with Greg~~ thinking about it, I decided just to paint two of the walls chartreuse. So, I picked out my paint, put on comfy socks, and watched my mom do the work. ;)

The only problem was, I'm TERRIBLE at picking paint colors (hence I have a not gray, but blue fireplace, which is a whole other story), and the paint color turned out all wrong. It was definitely lime green. (Although I like to call it "apple green" because it makes it seem less obnoxious.)

The truth is though, I actually have come to quite enjoy my green walls. They are opposing walls from each other (not adjacent), and the other two walls are Valspar's (I think) "Antique White." The green that I chose was Valspar's "New Avocado."

And for the grand finale, I must now show you some cute pictures from this summer of Mumzy teaching my oldest niece (ah, how I love saying that) how to use a color wheel.

What a smart little cutie patootie.

What's it gonna be?

2010-11-05T17:45:00.002-05:00

It seems like only yesterday I announced that my big sister is pregnant! Ever since she told us the knews, I've been on pins and needles, I tell you... pins and needles wanting to know what it's gonna be... boy? or girl?

So Tuesday night, Greg and I (a.k.a "Uncle Janice & Greg." Yes, my poor, confused niece calls me "Uncle Janice.") skyped my sister, brother-in-law and niece from our living room couch. Greg and I got into skyping earlier this year when we would skype his parents in Cambodia. Remember when people had to send letters via snail mail in order to communicate? Technology is amazing.

Anyways, that was Tuesday night. My sister's much anticipated 20-week ultrasound was Wednesday afternoon. Let's just say we were all holding our breath.

My mom and I have known since day one that this baby was going to be a boy. I mean I felt it in my soul that it was a boy. Why? I don't know exactly. Maybe it's because we have no boys in my family (except my sweet Daddy), or maybe because everyone else that I know right now is having a boy. Whatever the reason, Mom and I just knew.

But we were wrong. Oops!

The Doc said to make no mistake... IT'S A GIRL!!

Baby Riley, I am so happy you are a girl! Nothing makes me smile bigger than thinking about my two perfect nieces! I can't wait to meet you and hold you for hours.

I love little Miss Peyton...

and I love me some Baby Riley!

Greg and I are the luckiest "uncles" in the world!