Going Coconut!!!

Have you heard about this? Have you tried this???

(Photo Credit: Starbucks.com)

Starbucks' newest creation... Mocha Coconut Frappuccino! (Also available as a latte which is what I ordered.)  Their own description:

Rich mocha sauce and coconut-flavored syrup blended with coffee, fresh milk, and ice. Topped with sweetened whipped cream, mocha drizzle and toasted coconut flakes.

Sounds great, right?!

I'd consider asking to be hooked up to an IV drip of this stuff except that would eliminate actually tasting the deliciousness.

(Disclaimer: I have not been compensated for this post and the opinions are completely mine. The people at Starbucks do not know who I am. However, should Starbucks wish to compensate me for my good taste... I'll be glad to accept free lifetime lattes and frappuccinos. Ha ha!)

Confessions: And we laughed!

Thank you to everyone who prayed for me and my family as we said goodbye to Grandma and went through the process of her funeral. Your prayers were answered and felt.

It was a great funeral!

I know, I know... that's kind of a strange thing to say, isn't it? But, the truth is... it was.

And we laughed!

As you'll recall from my earlier post, the pastor conducting the services had never met Grandma and asked all of us to provide him with information about her.  My parents took care of all the "statistics" about where and when she was born, about her parents and siblings, her marriage to my grandfather, and information about her career as a nurse. 

My sister along with our three cousins and I filled him in on the "Grandma tales." If you've been reading my blog for any amount of time I'm sure you've realized that our family has a rather unique sense of humor.  (If you don't know, then read here, here, here or here and you'll understand.)  In other words, we laugh with (and at!) each other. Often.  And Grandma's funeral was no exception. 

The pastor did a wonderful job taking the information from my parents and weaving a story with the memories of the grandchildren. Even the funny ones. Stories like the one provided by my cousin Shannon about the time Grandma got so tickled by the television show she was watching that she flipped over her rocking recliner chair and pinned herself between it and the wall while she continued to laugh and yell for help.  Of course, all of us stood around laughing at her.  (I think my grandfather was the one to finally help her.)

And we laughed!

The laughter continued after the funeral and graveside service.  The church hosted a wonderful meal for our family.  I had grown up in this church but had not been there since I was in high school so it was fun to explore the church building and even discover that some of the ladies preparing the meal remembered me, and I them. During this meal our family members got to talking about how much we enjoyed the funeral service and that we thought Grandma would have been pleased, too.

And we laughed!

That conversation led us to discussing how we would like our own funerals to be conducted.  For instance, my Dad insists that he does not want his casket to be open so that no one is able to talk about how bad he looks.  My uncle piped in at that point and informed us that he does want his casket open and hopes that everyone will discuss how bad he looks: "I'll be dead - I'm not supposed to look good!"

And we laughed!

My Aunt Hilma is an artist and crafter.  She wants all of her works put on display at her funeral.  We all decided that we could help my uncle out by turning the display into a sale. (Funerals are expensive, you know!)

And we laughed!

My sister, Victoria (known by all of us as "the dramatic one") insists that we hire professional mourners for her funeral.  All of us are to dress in black - veils required - and hold a New Orleans-style funeral with the procession and all.  Cue the sad, sad music.

And we laughed!

I told them that there was to be no SAD at my funeral. Tell the funny stories. Laugh at my expense.  And the family dinner afterward?  Make it a fiesta, complete with an authentic Mexican meal (someone, please call my friend Brenda - she makes the best rice, beans and tamales!) and hire a good mariachi band. Lots and lots of happy music.

And we laughed!

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.

I Peter 1:3-9 (NLT)

Just stopping by with a few obervations...

Oh, yes… we’re into the end-of-the-semester-preparing-for-Christmas-don’t-forget-the-next-event days. So, I’m just dropping into this blog o’mine to share a few observations I’ve made over the last few days.

• We’re receiving very few Christmas cards this year. So, I’m wondering… Is no one sending cards this year? Or, have we been marked off everyone’s list???
• We scaled back on the Christmas décor this year. Bud thinks it’s great and says we should scale back even more next year. My opinion? Big mistake. Huge mistake. It won’t happen again.
• My kids are having a hard time coming up with ideas of things they’d like to receive as Christmas gifts. I think Burrito summed it up pretty well when he said, “I think that might be a sign that we’re spoiled.” Hmmm… maybe? (Probably.)
• Speaking of Burrito, he’s halfway through his senior year. He’s been accepted to three universities so far and we’re waiting to hear from one more. We’re very proud of him! Nothing more to say about that lest the tears flow.
• Kat is halfway through her freshman year of high school. Is it just my imagination or is the transition to high school harder for girls than boys?
• You know how the police will tell you that there’s no such thing as ticket quotas… particularly at the end of a month? Well, I’ve been making my own observations of the situation over the last few months. My conclusion? I’m not buying that story. (And, no… I haven’t received a ticket.)
• Blogs are being neglected. And, it’s not just the season – it’s another trend I’ve notice over the last several months. You know who you are! (Of course, those bloggers probably aren’t reading my blog anymore either.) And yes, I realize this point is like the pot calling the kettle black.
• It doesn’t feel like December yet. It’s hard to feel Christmassy when the daily temperatures have been in the mid-60s to mid-70s lately. I still made Bud turn on the gas to our fireplace and we’ve used it on a few cooler evenings. I love it! Bud on the other hand, suggested I just burn a few $20s instead.
• This post is making Bud seem very cynical. He’s really not.
• Speaking of Christmas cards… mine are finished but I haven’t mailed them yet. Just in case you were thinking you’d been marked off my list.
• We scaled way back on Christmas gift-giving this year. It feels good. It feels right.
• I’m still in my jammies and need to leave the house in 20 minutes. Guess I’d better get moving.

What observations have you made lately?

Confessions: I need your opinion!

Well, hello! Yes, I do know it's been awhile since I've blogged.

What have I been up to during my blogging absence? Well, two things... One, Kat's freshman year. Two, Burrito's senior year. Enough said? I thought so.

Here's the problem. I really need a hair cut. And color. However, my stylist up and moved to a new town that is just a little too inconvenient of a distance to travel. So, during a ladies' Bible study luncheon yesterday, the topic of stylists came up in conversation.  I tried to make a mental note of the name of the salons that were mentioned by ladies who had cuts and styles that I liked.

You caught the key phrase in that last sentence, right?  Mental note. (Stop laughing!)

Not one to let a little thing like poor short term memory stop me, I just Googled the phrase "hair salons" with the name of my town.  I was certain the recommended salons would be obvious once I saw them. 

What popped up on my computer? The usual chain salons, of course, as well as all the ones named after their owners. The others? Well, they are the ones that scare me. And I promise you I did not make these up!

Milk and Honey Salon (Not sure if this is a Biblical reference or an indication of organic products.)

Trashy Roots Salon and Spa (The hair or the pedigree?)

Mecca Hair Salon (Will I need to convert first?)

All Cranial Needs (Think they can help with my memory issues?)

Too Hotties Hair Cuts (And humble, too!)

Island Salon and Spa (What island? We're pretty well land-locked in central Texas.)

Ooohweez Hair Salon (Ooohweez! Not what I want to hear after a hair cut.)

Smart Style Family Hair Salon (Better than dumb style, right?)

Sexy Scissors (Based on the address indicated, I'm not quite sure that a hair cut is all you'll get for the price of admission at this salon.)

Blondies (What?! No brunettes allowed?)

Klassy Kuts (The k's say it all.)

So, which one should I try?

Monday Musings (Except it's really Tuesday.)

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine (God's) power to demolish strongholds (things that trap us). We demolish arguments and every pretension (lies, false claims of ownership) that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

I Corinthians 10:3-5

 

Powerful. And I'm clinging to it.

I still do...

I, Dawn, take you Bud, to be my wedded husband. To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, 'till death do us part. And hereto I pledge you my faithfulness.

Happy 20th Anniversary, Bud - I love you more today than I could have ever imagined twenty years ago. XO

Blessed, blessed and blessed!

I am rejoicing with my family in the blessing of a good report on my grandfather. Today, he was (finally!) able to undergo surgery for lung cancer. Although the pathology did confirm lung cancer, it was confined to one, very tiny spot. So, the doctors were able to handle the surgery with just a few small incisions and only removed a little portion of that one lobe rather than the entire lobe. Grandad tolerated the surgery so well that he will not need to be in ICU but will be taken directly to a regular room. The doctors are considering him "cured" and he will not require any additional treatments such as radiation or chemotherapy! Thank you to all of you who covered Grandad and his medical staff in your prayers. God is good, and He is faithful!!!

Kat and her cheer squad competed at a national cheer competition this past weekend and placed third overall in their division. This third place win also gave them a bid to the international competitions in April. Kat's team is smaller in number than a lot of the teams but they haven't allowed that to intimidate them. In fact, they use it to their advantage by showing off just how "clean" their performance and skills can be! They will be traveling to Dallas in April to compete at the international competition. Way to go, Kat - I am so very proud of you!

Guess what? I've been blessed, too. The "other" Dawn recently hosted a giveaway in honor of her 100th post and I won! The prize for this giveaway was an super-cute pendant created by artist Cathy Walters. You can see Cathy's gorgeous work in her etsy shop. Thank you, Dawn, for hosting this giveaway - I love your heart and your blog and I'm looking forward to reading hundreds more posts!

Finally, if you notice on my left sidebar, I have a Scripture verse that updates daily. Did you notice today's verse?

He will yet fill your mouth with laughing, and your lips with rejoicing. (Job 8:21)

How appropriate!

Sorry, ladies... he's all mine!

Even after all these years... Bud will surprise me with a random, romantic act.

I finally booted the PC this afternoon to find this "sticky note" on the desktop.

I love you, too, Larry!

Confessions: God is not finished with me yet!

It's nearly the end of January. The year is still young.

Yet...

In many aspects of my life, I feel I've experienced a full year's worth of living already. And, I have a feeling that God is not finished with me yet. (Not that I expect to reach the "finished" stage here on this earth.) I'm still pondering how to put this experience, this learning, this awareness into words.

I heard a quote last week that really struck a chord with me:

"God's love is not a pampering love - it is a perfecting love." (James MacDonald)

Hmmm...

Am I guilty of associating a comfortable life (pampering?) with being loved by God?

Do I recognize God's perfecting in my life? Even when it means discomfort?

(Ouch.) If I'm honest, I know the answers to those questions.

I'll be pondering this awhile longer.

So, what about you? What are you pondering these days???

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. (I John 4:16-18, NLT)

Confessions: Answering a Proust Questionnaire

Because I don’t have any creativity for original writing at the moment…

The Proust Questionnaire has its origins in a parlor game popularized (though not devised) by Marcel Proust, the French essayist and novelist, who believed that, in answering these questions, an individual reveals his or her true nature. Here is the basic Proust Questionnaire.

1. What is your idea of perfect happiness? Living a life in obedience to God's plan for me.

2. What is your greatest fear? Death or harm to my children.

3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Lack of self-discipline.

4. What is the trait you most deplore in others? It would be a tie between dishonesty and fakeness. (Although, fakeness is really just a form of dishonesty, isn’t it?)

5. Which living person do you most admire? My husband.

6. What is your greatest extravagance? With my husband’s blessing, the manicure that I get every other week. (Bud says it’s worth it every time I scratch his back!)

7. What is your current state of mind? Calm

8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Is there such a thing? Although, I do despise "honesty" used as a disguise for maliciousness!

9. On what occasion do you lie? Possibly to spare someone deep hurt. Although, I prefer avoidance over lying if at all possible.

10. What do you most dislike about your appearance? As much as I like lists, I’m not going to start this list right now. Ha!

11. Which living person do you most despise? Child abusers and molesters.

12. What is the quality you most like in a man? Integrity. (See my answers to questions number 5 and 30.)

13. What is the quality you most like in a woman? Integrity.

14. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? “Apparently” and “No, what did YOU say?” (The latter just to irritate my kids!)

15. What or who is the greatest love of your life? My husband.

16. When and where were you happiest? Now! At every stage of life I think, “This is the stage I’ll look back upon and think was the best.” Then, I reach the next stage and think the same again!

17. Which talent would you most like to have? To be a great singer.

18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? More self-discipline.

19. What do you consider your greatest achievement? Being a mother.

20. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be? A cat because they have nine lives. Right?

21. Where would you most like to live? On the coast – preferably in a southern region.

22. What is your most treasured possession? Videos of my children over the years and linens/quilts that were made by my great-grandmothers.

23. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Godlessness.

24. What is your favorite occupation? Homemaker, baker, writer. In that order.

25. What is your most marked characteristic? I’m the boss. Don’t believe it? Just ask… I’ll tell you!

26. What do you most value in your friends? Faithfulness/loyalty.

27. Who are your favorite writers? In no particular order: Jane Austen, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Janette Oke, Robert Frost, and Betty Crocker.

28. Who is your hero of fiction? That would have to be Betty Crocker! (I'm not going to debate this answer. Betty is a fictitious character and she's a hero in my kitchen - which completely qualifies my answer!)

29. Which historical figure do you most identify with? I’d like to say Ma Ingalls (Little House on the Prairie) but I’m not sure I could live up to her standard. My husband has dragged me all over the country (VA, to TN, to IL, to TX) but he never made me do it in a horse-drawn wagon or required my help to build our home with my own two hands. But, I do like to think that I can “roll with the punches” like she did! (Updated to add: When I said Bud has "dragged me all over the country," I didn't mean to imply that he made me move against my will - I've happily anticipated every move we've made and fallen more in love with each home/community than the prior one. I simply meant that we've moved more often than many couples and each time to a very different region of our country.)

30. Who are your heroes in real life? My dad and Bud. Both are godly men of integrity who live their lives for the good of their family.

31. What are your favorite names? My kids’ names: Burrito and Kat.

32. What is it that you most dislike? Lack of integrity.

33. What is your greatest regret? I don’t have any great regrets – just things I might have done differently.

34. How would you like to die? In my sleep at a very, very old age.

35. What is your motto? There’s no guarantee of tomorrow!

So, who's up for answering next??

Going To Court.

For jury duty that is.

Be back soon! (I hope.)

The 44th on January 20, 2009

That's right... 44.

It's a number you're hearing a lot about today.

It's a very special day, of course.

Momentous.

Historic.

There's going to be official celebrations, parades, parties, and balls. And probably chocolate cake.

Much fanfare.

Oh, I'm certain there will be naysayers.

Those who say it can't be. Shouldn't be.

No matter your view...

Your stand...

Your beliefs...

Today is the day.

That's right!

Today is...

MY 44th BIRTHDAY!

Hi, I'm Dawn...

Hi, I'm Dawn... and I'm a bad blogger! (Everyone answers: "Hi, Dawn!")

We've had all kinds of parties and sumpthin' around here lately. The parties are fun. It's the sumpthin's that will kill you. And a stomach virus. And sore throats. And an upper respiratory infection. (Updated to add: These illnesses infected me - not the kids. Not Bud. Just me. All of them - just me!)

The worst of it? I completely lost my voice for two, whole days. Completely. Not even a squeak! That's pure torture for a lover of conversation like me.

But don't worry, I'm up to a husky whisper today. Tomorrow, I plan to be BACK. Back in the real world and back to blogging. You won't want to miss it - I have two weeks of catching up to do!

The week in random review...

Finally! The temperature has dropped below 100 here in Central Texas. Don't get me wrong - I love summer and rarely mind the Texas heat. But give me a break - we had more than 30 consecutive days over 100 degrees this summer. And, this summer goes down in the record books as the third hottest summer in this part of Texas. Ever.

Our temperatures have even dipped into the 50's at night. Do you know what that means? Open windows! Yippee!!! It has been so nice to let the fresh air into our home. You can't imagine how much I've enjoyed sleeping with the windows open at night.

I've been able to remove my fluffy robe from its decorative display hook and actually wear it this week, thanks to the very cool mornings. This is Texas, ya'll - wearing a fluffy robe for more than three minutes of modesty is a luxury... and a contributing factor to heat strokes on most days.

I saw the first jugs of cider for sale this past weekend and bought some in anticipation of the cooler weather. Nothing says fall like hot cider. I've even planned my meals around the cooler weather: soups, casseroles, chowder. Mmm-mmm good!

On Wednesday, I assisted the photography company with the band students' individual pictures. Here's the gist of my conversation with many of the band students: 

Me: Do you have your order form?
Student: (Blank stare.)
Me: The order form that your parents used to select your photo package and the money to pay for it?
Student: Oh, that! It's in my ______. (Insert: locker, backpack, purse, notebook. Somewhere not on their person.)
Me: Can you go get it?
Student: Do I have to?
Me: Umm... yes, if you want to have your picture made.
Student: Okay, I'll cancel my appointment.
Me: I don't think your parents will be happy about that. Please go get it.
Student: (Mumbling as they turn and walk away.)
Me: (To student who has returned with their order form.) Okay, slip on this uniform jacket, grab your instrument and sit on the stool.
Student: I need my instrument for the picture??

It was a very, very fun long day.

I bought some fall mums yesterday. This Saturday, I'll climb into the attic and retrieve all my fall decorations from their storage tub.

I participated in week three of our women's Bible study at church yesterday morning. We're doing Beth Moore's "Breaking Free." I think this is the only one of her studies that I haven't done. I believe it might be the hardest, most probing, most convicting, most spirit-changing one yet ... and my favorite!

Kat had a girlfriend over last night and the three of us baked and decorated four dozen cupcakes for them to take to school today. Bake sale? Nope. Birthday? Not yet. What? Drama Club officer elections. "M," Kat's friend, is running for Pres and Kat is on her ticket as her Veep. (Hey, I know the lingo!) Yep, that's right... buying votes.

We're watching Burrito perform with the high school marching band tonight. For those of you non-band parents, that means we're going to the football game tonight.

Update: Kat was elected VP of the Drama Club!  Sadly, her friend "M" did not win the President position.  (Voting was for the individuals, not by ticket.) The band performed wonderfully.  The football team... not so much. And, it is with great sadness that I inform you of the demise of the fall cool down.  We're headed back to the 90's this coming week.  My defiant streak says we're still getting the fall decorations out today!

Seven things about ME...

The “other Dawn” at P.S. He Loves You has tagged me to tell seven things about myself. So here goes…

1. I love kitchen “stuff” – dishes, glasses, gadgets, small appliances, major appliances… you name it. It borders on obsessive. Got a kitchen task? Guaranteed, I have a gadget, appliance or dish that’s perfect for the job!


2. I admire all things “beachy.” I long to see it, touch it, smell it, taste it, float on it, swim in it, and live it. One day, Bud and I will live there!


3. There’s not much I’d rather do than read. As much as I enjoy and need sleep, I will forfeit sleep for a good book any night! I’ve even been known to forfeit housekeeping for a good book.


4. Speaking of housekeeping. I don’t mind it and some days actually take pleasure in it! Except laundry. I despise laundry.


5. I need lists! I have a notebook that stores my current lists – shopping, needs, to-do’s, writing ideas, etc. For reoccurring lists, I keep them on my computer. Simple pushes of a button and out they print! Even my contacts are neatly arranged in Outlook.


6. I like paint! Paint on walls or furniture. Bud says some of the scariest moments in his life have been coming home to find me paint-spattered and saying, “Guess what I did today?” I’ve painted, faux finished, created borders and murals on any number of surfaces in every home we’ve owned. Get over it people… it is just paint!


7. I make friends everywhere I go! Checkout lines. Sales clerks. Auto repairmen. Floor installers. (That one was hard – they only spoke Spanish… me, not so much.) Postal carriers. School hallways. Restaurants. Seriously! If I just talk with someone for more than two sentences, I’m always certain to find something in common with them, even if it’s just the fact that we both ended up at the same place at that moment in time. I consider it more of a gift than an illness.

For more info about me… read my sidebar. Still want to know more? Leave your questions in the comments section and I’ll answer them in another post!

Want to play along? Here’s the rules:
Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
Tag 7 people linked at the end of your post.
Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Oh, and I tag you!