R.I.P. Barnabas

There's been a death in the family.

We're still in some shock, so you're going to have to forgive us.  It wasn't entirely unexpected, though.  He didn't eat his breakfast, and he just wasn't looking his normal peppy self.  We spent some time with him this morning, and I think we both got everything off our chests that we needed to.  

With great sadness and grief, we bid adieu to Barnabas, our faithful and forever our first Beta.

He provided many hours of enjoyment and swam many inches around his tiny bowl.  He lived a long and profitable life.  We always lamented that he would not let us bring home a Lady Barnabas for him, clinging tightly to his bachelor-hood.  

He was a quiet soul, never saying much.  He preferred to spend hours alone instead of fraternizing with the lady-types.  We didn't push, knowing he would blossom in his own time, and we are grateful for the time we did get with him.

 

So, Barnabas, here's to you!  We'll always remember your sparkling water and colorful personality!

Shoe Sense

Welcome, Ladies, to your favorite part of your wardrobe...

They can make you or break you.  They can turn a so-so outfit into a killer statement.  They can mean hours of misery or years of comfort.

That's right!! I'm talking about those pesky soul supporters you're always collecting from around the house at the end of the day (or week, if you're me!).  

Let's Talk About Shoes!

I learned to love shoes early, and by "shoes" I mean anything and everything that goes on my feet.  Most of my spare money in my youth went toward new pairs of shoes.  In fact, I can remember, at the age of five, saving up for months for a really cute pair of purple and pink high heels from the toy store (hint: shoes that come wrapped in plastic and are hanging from a shelf are probably not the best).  I saved and saved and saved, and, finally, the day arrived for me to purchase my beloved shoes.  I shelled out the money and brought home my new treasure.  There was only one problem: By the time I'd saved up enough money, my feet were too big--

like WAY too big.  With a tear in my eye, back to the store they went.  And I've spent the years since that devastating experience making up for it! :-)

So, I thought I'd pass on some suggestions from my years of shoe connoisseurship.

Some thoughts on one of my favorite subjects: SHOES! :-)

1.  More expensive DOES NOT (necessarily) mean more comfortable.   Parenthesis added because there are times I've regretted deeply, with every step taken, buying a cheap pair as thy dig into the back of my foot.  There are also times I've rejoiced at the comfort felt by pairs such as the red flats below--comfy, stylish, and cheap--they cost me all of $13.99 at Ross.  I'm not huge into name brands, but if you are, I highly recommend such stores as Ross, TJMaxx, and Marshall's--name brands without the price.

2.  A Sharpie can be your best friend.  Like I said, I buy cheap, and sometimes, that does sacrifice quality.  I've found this most often with my boots.  The pair below are ankle boots from Payless and it didn't take long scuffs and wear to start to appear, as you can see. 

 

But never fear!  A Black Sharpie works like magic. :-)  Since most people are at least this far away from your shoes anyway, they'll never notice.

But just in case you want proof, here's a close-up.

3.  Figure out what you want out of your shoes. and don't stop until you find it.  With my recent job change, I'm walking up to a couple miles a day, AND I have to look professional from head to toe!  It's a challenge, let me tell you.  I'm looking for professional AND comfort!  

Flats have become my best friend, but there's been a problem--due to inserts that I wear, the shoe slips off my foot often.  I decided to remedy this with an ankle strapped flat...if I could find one.  Graciously, the Lord provided just the pair for me, and at only $13!  They're adorable AND comfortable AND flat AND they have an ankle strap!  

4.  Stack your shoes--don't pile them!  Floor space is precious, isn't it?  So is our time, right?  So, why do we toss our shoes in a pile and spend precious minutes searching for the matches when we need them?  Use such organizers as the one below to stack or sort your shoes.  It saves time, space, and money by keeping your shoes nice longer.

And that is all!  Happy wearing and Happy Walking!

p.s. I'm starting some new labels for topics on which I blog often.  This will hopefully make organization of posts a little more convenient. :-)

Dear Diary.....

Valentine's Day was super fun this year!  Kevin took me to P.F.Chang's for dinner on Saturday--a sacrifice because rice isn't exactly on his list of tantalizing treats.But then, he took me to a Lady Vols game on Monday!  We like to celebrate on February 16th anyway because that's the day he asked me to marry him--two whole years ago!  Sigh...  

Anyway, the Lady Vols played the Duke Blue Devils.  

We were about as excited and nervous as the players themselves.  The Lady Vols, after all, have quite the reputation around here as crowd pleasers.  We sat and watched them warm up for quite a while.

After about thirty minutes of anticipation, the lights dimmed and the show began.  The Ladies were introduced one at a time--running out to the court, cheering from the audience, they even got their own fireworks show!

Then came tip-off!
It didn't take long for us to realize why Pat Summitt is both feared and revered at her games.  She's intense!It also didn't take long for us to start having the same reactions she was having to her Vols:  What are you doing, Ladies?  

They just weren't on their game that night.  The didn't rebound, pass, or play smart.  These weren't the infamous Lady Vols we'd heard so much about.

Don't get me wrong, diary--we had a great time, and we would love to go back!  It definitely gave us a new perspective on something we'd only heard rumors about.

...and, there is, after all, nothing better than sharing a Valentine's Day Celebration with one I cherish so much!

Awake, O Sleeper!

It’s common knowledge that I like sleep. I always have. Of course, as a little girl, I resisted the traditional Sunday afternoon nap, afraid I was going to miss something of the goings-on at home. They couldn’t very well leave me out of those all-exciting football games on TV or cookie baking ventures in the kitchen, could they? Well, they didn’t. My parents were just as fond of naps as I wasn’t at that time.

Over the years, however, that changed. I started enjoying my sleep time. I looked forward to retiring (even for a nap) to my bed. I guarded my sleep preciously, so much so that, by the time I got to college, I could sleep for 10-12 hours and still be in need of more, walking around fatigued all day.

Sound normal?

Well, good, because it’s not, and it’s only in the last month or so that I’ve learned exactly how un-normal that was.

I went in for some routine blood work in January and found out I have pernicious anemia, a disorder where my body doesn’t absorb vitamin B12 from my food. The most common symptom is constant fatigue, regardless of how much sleep is had. As it turns out, the disorder is genetic, and, well, I’ve known all my life that my mom gives herself B12 shots (yeah, she’s a nurse—she can do that sort of stuff).

Since being diagnosed, I’ve started taking B12 supplements, and I can’t express how dramatic the difference is. I feel awake during the day! It’s not that I don’t yawn anymore or feel tired, but when I’m awake, I don’t feel like there’s a fog above my head and a haze in front of my eye balls. I don’t have to carry around toothpicks to prop open my eyelids any more. :)

Praise the Lord for the ability he has given doctors to spur us on toward health, and Praise the Lord for the complexity of our bodies to use sleep and vitamins automatically for health!

“Therefore, if anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore, it says,

‘Awake, O sleeper,
arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.’

Look carefully, then, how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

(Ephesians 5:13-17)

Mm'mm Good!

As you know, if you've visited here before, I LOVE to experiment with food.  I'm not sure where it came from, but since getting married, it's just a hobby I've embraced with both hands.

The other day, I learned that you can cook fruit.  Since trying it once for myself and then serving it to Kevin to rave reviews, I'm inclined to share my new-found favorite sweet treat, super simple, super cheap, and super tasty!

1. Cut a nectarine in slices.

2. Coat each slice in honey (we prefer the organic, home-grown honey provided to us by our wonderful sister and brother from Nebraska--no joke, they own the bees it came from).

3.  Cook on low-med heat until tender.  

4.  Just before finished, or even after done cooking, sprinkle with cinnamon.  

5.  Enjoy!

The One Minute Rule

I can take no credit for the following advice.  It wasn't mine, and I didn't ask for it, but it has revolutionized the last few months of my life in a big way...okay, so that's a little melodramatic.  But I am grateful for it.  

Ready?  Here goes:

During the course of the day, if you encounter a task that will take less than a minute to do, do it right then and don't wait.  

Sound pretty basic?  Well, it is, but I don't know how many shoes I trip over, coats I move over, and dishes I stack because I'm too lazy to take care of them right when I take them off or right when I'm done using them.

There is little reason to put off the inevitable.  It only takes a minute--precious little time comparatively--and it saves precious much hassle down the road.

Want more of these great hints, tips, tricks, and ideas?

Check out Real Simple's website (http://www.realsimple.com)  for lots and lots of practical advice--FREE!!!!  Gotta love that!

Knarnia in Knoxville

If I go out there and approach slowly, do you think Mr. Tumnas will pop out from behind a tree?