Summer Blog Challenge ~ Days 19, 20, 21, 22, & 23

Ugh!! You would think I could keep up with this, but it seems I am perpetually behind on it. So bear with  my catching up today.

Day 19 ~ Something you are proud of from the last few days.

I had little trouble at all thinking about this one. I know exactly the answer, driving for 2 hours on our trip Thursday. That may not seem like a big deal to most of you , but since I have not driven since December of last year until now it's a big deal to me. I love to drive and not being able to for such a long time was hard. I loved being behind the wheel again. I am looking forward to even more driving now!

Day 20 ~ Photo of you as a child.

This picture was taken of me when I was between 18 & 24 months. It's my Mom's favorite picture of me as a kid.

 Day 21 ~ Most recent words of wisdom you have heard that stuck with you.

I know some of you are going to think this is strange but the thing that has stuck with me the most lately is Shop At Home First. It sounds strange doesn't it? But what it means is before you go out and buy something you think you need is there anything you already have at home, and may have forgotten about, that would work just as well as what you want to buy? I can't tell you how much money this has saved me!! 

Day 22 ~ When I was a kid, what did I want to be when I grew up?

Easy, a wife an mom!! Seriously, deep inside all I ever wanted to be was a wife and mom. I grew up in a time though when women were supposed to break free and become something more. You were supposed to focus on having a career to "define" who you were. So I trained and studied to be a Psychologist. NOT what I wanted at all!! I really wanted nothing more than to take care of a husband and kids and my home. So it was tough on me because society was pushing one thing and my insides were screaming  that wasn't for me. But I am thankful that most of my adult life I have been able to be exactly what I always wanted to be, a wife and mom. Of course I am still not sure if I am grown up yet, so who knows what the future may hold. LOL!!

Day 23 ~ Favorite blog post you've written before this challenge.

My favorite post is one from long ago, back when I was posting about my stamping hobby and my life. I hope you enjoy reading it. I may just have to try and post a few more of my stamping and art projects. it has been a while and I do love to be creative!

My Post

So tell me what did you think? Be honest, I can take it!!

Summer Blog Challenge ~ Days 16, 17, 18

We had a very nice weekend and were busy the whole time. Saturday we had a church Father's Day Picnic. It was so much fun. Lots of people, lots of food and lots of games! But man we tired afterwards!! Sunday we had church in the morning and evening as usual, but in the afternoon we had a simple meal at home, my husband's choice. It was nice just to have the four of us for the day. But because we were so busy I got behind again. Ugh!!

Day 16 ~ Fitness guru or couch potato? Talk about your fitness habits.

Up until the first part of this year I was a bit of a couch potato. Not a total one, but I wouldn't say I had a regular exercise program or fitness program at all. But since the first part of this year that has changed. I am by far NOT a fitness guru, but I am doing a lot more to get myself back into shape and healthy. I am not so concerned about the shape part as I am the healthy part. Being healthy and staying that way is really important to me!!

Day 17 ~ 3 things you are proud of about your personality.

Saying I am proud of myself is not something I do. So this is a little hard for me. I think one of the things would have to be my slightly obsessive compulsive tendencies. Yep they can be positive sometimes! I am an organizer and very good at it. I can see the whole picture of what has to be accomplished and all the steps on how to get there. It frustrates some of my friends and encourages them in the same breath. If they need to reorganize their furniture in their house and can't see how to do it they call me. If they are planning a big party and need to know what has to be done when, they call me. There are two downsides to this part of my personality though. I can become obsessive about little details that really don't mean anything and it can get in my way. The other is even though I see the whole picture and all the steps to get there sometimes I become overwhelmed and freeze up. All those details just become too much for me. So I have to try and stay pretty balanced in my life or it can get away from me.

A second personality trait I have that I would put to the top is being mostly positive. I tend to have a pretty good outlook on life and can find joy in little things. I laugh easy and I enjoy too may things to let too much pull me down. Being positive has really helped me in a lot of situations. I won't say I have not had my down times, because I have! We all get them, but I don't stay there too long.

The third things I guess would be my bubblyness. That's how my friends describe it. Sometimes I am not sure what they mean by it, but I do know it comes from being outgoing and happy. The joy I find in life just tends to spill out and I have to share it. It also makes it easy for them to figure out when I am not feeling good or I am down.

See I told you it is hard for me. My friends would give you a whole different list, but those are the ones I see the most in myself. I'm not good at this kind of sharing.

Day 18 ~ A recipe you love.

Ugh!! I love to cook so which one do I choose??? Well I am known for my cheesecakes so I guess this one would be right up there near the top! I sell this in my area to people for $20 each!! It is yummy and so not good for you!! LOL!!


White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake

Crust 
1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
or 20 crumbled Oreo cookies (filling removed)
1/3 cup margarine, melted

Cheesecake
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1/4 cup water
4 8-ounce pkgs. cream cheese
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 eggs
4 ounces white chocolate, chopped into chunks

Optional Garnish 
2 ounces shaved white chocolate
whipped cream

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place a large pan or oven-safe skillet
filled with about 1/2-inch of water into the oven while it preheats. This
will be your water bath.

2. Combine the raspberry preserves with 1/4 cup water in a medium
microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 1 1/2 minutes on high in your microwave. Stir
until smooth. Strain to remove the raspberry seeds (toss 'em out), then let
the strained preserves sit to cool, put the bowl in the refrigerator
until later.

3. Measure 1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (or crush 20 Oreo cookie
wafers -- with the filling scraped out -- in a resealable plastic bag) into
a medium bowl. Mix in 1/3 cup melted margarine. Press the crumb into a
9-inch spring form pan that has been lined on the bottom and side with
parchment paper. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to press the crumb
mixture flat into the bottom of the pan and about 2/3 the way up the side.
Wrap a large piece of foil around the bottom of the pan to keep the
cheesecake in the water bath. Put the crust in your freezer until the
filling is done.

4. Use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese with the sugar, sour
cream, and vanilla. Mix for a couple minutes or until the ingredients are
smooth and creamy. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Whisk the
eggs in a medium bowl and then add them to the cream cheese mixture. Blend
the mixture just enough to integrate the eggs.

5. Remove the crust from the freezer and sprinkle 4 ounces of white
chocolate chunks onto the bottom of the crust. Pour half of the cream cheese
filling into the crust. Drizzle the raspberry preserves over the entire
surface of the filling. Use a butter knife to swirl the raspberry into the
cream cheese. Just a couple passes is fine, you don't want to blend the
raspberry and cream cheese together too much. Pour the other half of the
filling into the crust.

6. Carefully place the cheesecake into the water bath in the oven. Bake for
12 minutes at 475 degrees, then turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake
for 50 to 60 minutes or until the top of the cheesecake turns a light brown
or tan color. Remove the cheesecake from the oven to cool. When the
cheesecake is cool, use the foil from the bottom to cover the cheesecake and
chill it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

7. Before serving, sprinkle the entire top surface of cheesecake with 2
ounces of shaved white chocolate. I also use dark chocolate for this. It looks pretty.
To serve, slice the cheesecake into 12 equal portions. Use a very thin knife to do this. Wipe the blade between cuts. Apply a pile of canned whipped cream to the top of each slice and serve.

Makes 12 servings

So what are some of your favorite recipes???

Summer Blog Challenge ~ Day 15

Today we are supposed to post a photo we took and are proud of. I am not the best of photographers, but I do appreciate good photography. So one photo I took I particularity like is of a coleus plant in Warsaw, IN. It was covered with cobwebs and the webs had dew in them. It was beautiful!!

Summer Blog Challenge ~ Day 14

Ugh!! I completely forgot about this yesterday. I guess we are allowed once or twice having days get away from us.

Day 14 ~ Give your followers 15 tips to get trough life.

Wow could this be a subjective thing. Getting through life is so different for each of us. But I can give it a try by giving just some basic things we all need.

#1 ~ Don't take things too seriously. I learned this a long time ago. When I try to remember people don't always mean what they say and that things are not near as bad as I may think they are, life goes a lot easier.

#2 ~ Watch for the simple blessings. Way too often we don't notice the beautiful and simple blessings that come into our lives. Look for them purposely. Expect them! They are there whether you notice them or not. When was the last time you sat and watched a bee buzzing around some flowers? What an amazing creature that bee is. Take time to notice, because that bee blesses you by pollinating the plants you love.

#3 ~ Tell the people you love that you love them often. I can't begin to emphasize how important this one is. Most of us know that our loved ones love us, but don't you appreciate hearing it, even from your good friends? Well as much as you appreciate it, say it in return or better yet before they do.

#4 ~ Take time out to read. This is something that many people just don't make the time for. Reading can really relax your mind and thoughts. It can also keep your brain working well. It stimulates things up there that can help you with the rest of the day. I make it a goal each year to read at least 30 books. Sometimes I fall short, other times I read more. But I always take time to read and my brain thanks me for it!! I'm up to 12 this year so far.

#5 ~ Give hugs often. I grew up in a very non-touchy family. We just didn't hug that often. When I grew up I determined to change that for my kids. Now I can't say that we hug all the time, but my boys who are grown do not cringe when I try to give them a hug. And sometimes they still come over to me and seek one out for themselves. Hugs are important and they just feel good!!

#6 ~ Find a creative outlet. God gave us a creative side and it needs to be used. I love finding time to just make something in my craft room. Sometimes it may just be a card or a page in a scrapbook. Other times it might be a full blown work of art. But when I get creative I feel good and alive. We all have it in us. I have a friend who is really creative with food and I love what she does. It's part of who she is. So find something you love and create!!

#7 ~ Keep a journal. For years I have kept a series of journals. I call them my faith journals. They chronicle my walk with God. I can see where I was and where I have come from to where I am today. Reading back over them when I am going through a rough period in my life really helps remind me of how I have been through tough times before and I can make it through the current one.

#8 ~ Love unconditionally. This can be hard at times, but loving without any strings attached gives you so much freedom and it gives freedom to the people you love. They can be who they really are and don't have to feel like they need to perform for you to get that love. I grew up with a Dad who expected me to be and do the way he wanted me to. I tried so hard to get his approval and love and never quite met his expectations. Too many strings attached. So love without condition!!

#9 ~ Don't grow up completely! Oooh this is important. We adults forget sometimes what it is to be a kid and how to have fun. We're too uptight! Sometimes it's fun to just cut loose and be silly. When was the last time you laughed till you cried or your sides hurt? Try and remember what it was like to be a kid and it makes those generational gaps get a lot smaller. Plus it is really therapeutic to just have some good old fashioned fun!

#10 ~ Live with what makes you comfortable and not with the current fad. I am by far not someone who keeps up with having to do and be a part of all the latest trends and fads. Even though my last name is Jones I certainly don't keep up with them!! There are certain styles of clothing, furniture, colors, all kinds of things I just feel more comfortable around and often they are not what is currently "in". I don't care!! I know what I like and I am going to live with that. It makes me a better and happier person to be with. So live with what you love!

#11 ~ Be transparent. Don't you hate to be around someone who you know is hiding something or just not being themselves. It's uncomfortable. I'm not saying to bear your soul to anybody or everybody, but don't be afraid to be who you are at the moment. If you are sad, be sad. If you are happy, be happy. It doesn't mean you have to go to extremes, but don't tuck it away in the recesses of you. If people ask me how I am doing I tell them. I don't give them the pat answer, "I'm fine". I give them  the truth like, I've had better days, but I'll be okay, or fair to midland. I'll even say fantastic if that is how I feel. Don't be afraid to be who you are.

#12 ~ Write a letter once in a while. That means you have to put down the phone and no texting, shut off the computer and get out a pen and a piece of paper. There is nothing like getting a hand written note from a friend. It really makes you take the time to think about what you are writing. Receiving something in the mail that someone took the time to write and send you is special. Besides I love seeing the handwriting of my friends.

#13 ~ Laugh often. I know I read somewhere how important laughter is, but I don't remember the exact figures. I do know that it does help your blood pressure. That's a good thing. Laugh at yourself and the silly things you do. We all do them!! Laugh with others, not at them, with them. Laugh at the crazy antics you pet does. Gracious my Newfoundland keeps me in stitches!! Laugh with your kids and the goofy jokes they tell or crazy cartoons that make them giggle. Just laugh!!

#14 ~ Learn to say NO! Oh do I wish I had learned this many years ago. It would have saved me a lot of extra time, energy and grief. We don't have to be all to everyone. In fact we don't have to be all to anyone! It's okay to say no sometimes, even to our family. We just can't fit it all in. None of us is a super woman. No matter how hard we try we just can't be. All you do is make yourself miserable which in turn makes everyone else around you miserable. So just say NO sometimes. They'll get over it. It's good for them and you!

#15 ~ Find God!! I can't even begin to tell you how much of a difference this made in my life. When I found God my life made a complete turn around. Years I spent trying to feel important and significant, when all along I already was. I just didn't know it!!  Knowing who I really am in this world is a very peaceful thing and a very energizing thing. I am so thankful that I have my faith and all that comes with it!

I don't know how profound any of these might be. One thinks that giving tips to get through life must be profound usually. I do know that these are things that have helped me. They are also helping my kids who are two pretty well-rounded and happy guys. So you can take what I said with a grain of salt or you can take it seriously, your choice. But it's not a bad thing to think about once in a while.

So what tip would you share?

Summer Blog Challenge ~ Day 13

Today's blog prompt is a good one!

Day 13 ~ How you see yourself by the end of the year.

It is simple for me. I see myself healthier! Since I had my stroke in December last year I have been trying to get into a better place with my health. The first three+ months were simply trying to get through each day with the double vision and dizziness. Then after that it was dealing with the general weakness and lack of physical endurance from being unable for so long to do much of anything. Now that I am more able to do things I am trying to get back into a regular walking program, I am eating better (have been since the stroke!), and dealing with what appears to be permanent changes in my body. It looks like I will be dealing with a small amount of vertigo and dizziness all the time now. Move my head too fast and I get dizzy. Get up or down too fast and I get dizzy. Do too much in one day and spend the next 2, weak and dizzy.

So I am learning to balance my life. I am learning how much is just the right amount to get in the exercise I need without hurting myself or loosing days. It's not been fun. In fact it has been pretty rough, but I am thankful the stroke was not worse. God has been helping me through this and I have been able to draw closer to Him and my family through it.  But before the end of the year I would love to be able to go on a nice walk along the beach and not feel like I need a nap after!!

So how do you see yourself by the end of the year?

Summer Blog Challenge ~ Day 12

Today's challenge post is one I had to really think about. Here it is.

Day 12 ~ Worst injury you have had & how it happened.

To be honest I have been blessed and have not had too many "big" injuries. So coming up with this one was a memory challenge for me. I really had to think back over the years (and there are a lot more of those than I like to admit sometimes! LOL!) and recall a lot of bumps and spills and what-nots to find the worst.

So after a lot of thought I did remember the time I sprained my ankle so bad I was on crutches for 12 weeks. Yep, 12 weeks!! It was absolutely crazy then. It happened in the Fall and we homeschooled, so I was very glad I was not having to get my kids out the door each morning with all that entails! I got very creative though in being able to function around the house. Being on crutches for that long forces you to be creative.

For cooking I would put the knee of my bad leg on a chair and scootch around my kitchen to cook and then to wash dishes. I have never owned a dish washer and this was one time I wished I had one. My boys were old enough to help some, so I was thankful for that. They carried laundry baskets and food and all kinds of things for me. But I had a big sling type shoulder bag I put over one shoulder and I would carry all kinds of things around to clean and pick up. It was like a treasure trove in that bag by the end of the day.

So how did this crazy sprained ankle that the doctors said would have been easier to get over if it had broken, happen? Of all things I was getting ready for a garage sale. It was in the early hours of the morning, both boys were still asleep and my husband was off at his secular job that started at 5 AM. I was carrying things out of the house to the front steps and yard. Setting things up and just having a nice quiet morning. My friend was going to be over in a short while, but I had wanted to get a head start for all those "early birds" that show up to sales.

Then I did a silly and well, stupid thing. I carried a medium sized tv out and down the steps. Remember I said it was Fall? As I was coming down the steps I slipped on some of the leaves that were on them. Down I went. Down went the tv, which did not break by the way. I sat sprawled out at the bottom of the 4 steps to our front porch, dazed!! I sat for a minute or two and then tried to get up. OUCH!! I let out a yelp that was apparently loud enough for our neighbor across the street to hear. She came running over to see what had happened. She looked at my ankle and let out a gasp. It was already twice the size as normal. So she called the ambulance.

This is where it gets kinda funny. I was sitting at the bottom of the steps with my legs stretched out in front of me, tears rolling down my face and my legs all the way across in front of the steps. Remember I said something about the "early birds"? As I sat there waiting for the ambulance several of them showed up. They asked if there was anything they could do for me. I told them no, I was getting help already. Then they asked if they could go ahead and look through things that I had set up on my porch already. So I said yes, and they all proceeded to step over my legs and up the stairs to hopefully buy my stuff.

To this day I still crack up about it. Die-hard garage salers!! Even an injured woman won't stop them from getting a bargain. I did get to the hospital okay. My neighbor and then my friend kept an eye on the sale for me. I got home later that day and found I had (well they had) sold a lot of stuff. I was really glad for that. I needed the money for the hospital visit!!

So what has been your worst injury?

Summer Blog Challenge ~ Days 8, 9, 10, & 11

This past weekend was very busy for me and I got behind on a few things. This was, unfortunately, one of the things I was behind on. So now I want to catch up! So here it goes...

Day 8 ~ Not including blogging, your favorite guilty pleasure.

Hmmm, this one I am having a little trouble with. For one, who really wants to admit their guilty pleasures. They often reveal a little more about a person than most of us want to admit. Yes, I know most of them are usually pretty tame, my own included, but we still like to keep those kinds of things to ourselves. So what is mine? I think mine would have to be getting out of doing anything at all around my house all day long! Granted this does not happen very often and when it usually does it is because I am sick or not at home. But on those rare few days I can finagle my way into doing nothing at all as far as cleaning or cooking or laundry or....you get the point, I am in the lap of luxury and just love it.

My husband is very sweet and can sense in me times when the stress of life and gunk going on  and the annoying things that just keep popping up are getting to me too much. He's very good about that. Those are the days he will step in and say he will handle it and tell me to do what I need to just relax. It took us a few years to get to where he recognized it in me, but we both have days we just need to unwind and have some peace and quiet all to ourselves I'm thankful those day don't come very often, but even more thankful I have an understanding and loving husband who helps me with them!!.

Day 9 ~ Your worst cooking disaster.

By far the absolute worst cooking disaster for me would be long before i got married and was trying to impress a then boyfriend with a home cooked meal. I figured out just the things he liked the most and planned the meal to include as much of those things as possible. One of the things was a marinated steak he loved. Well I got all the ingredients together and mixed like the directions said, and then this is where the disaster started, my brother added a little ingredient of his own to the marinade. I can only tell you that when I cooked up the meat it smelled wonderful. It looked wonderful. All the other food turned out wonderful. The meat, well to put it lightly it was the most horrendous tasting stuff we had ever eaten!! To this day I don't know exactly what my brother put in it, but whatever it was the nasty taste is something I nor my former boy friend will ever forget!! Yuck!!

Day 10 ~ Cost aside, famous art piece you would love in your home.

This is tough for me. I love art. I minored in it in school. So picking one piece might be kind of hard. The reason that is hard is because the subject of the painting and the title of the painting are included in actually around 250 paintings  by the same artist, Claude Monet. He did the painting(s), Water Lilies. It is a series of work he did depicting his flower garden in Giverny, France. The one that is my favorite would depend on my mood for that day. They all are so beautiful!  Here is just one of so many!

The very odd thing is he is not even my favorite artist. Go figure!! Who that is will have to wait for another day!!

Day 11 ~ Best day of your life.

Most people pick days like their wedding day, birth of a child, or similar, but I am not like most people. You might figure that out from reading all this over the summer. The absolute best day of my life was the day I accepted Christ as my Savior! Bar none, hands down it beats out them all. I loved my wedding day. I loved the days my kids were born. I have loved a lot of other special days, but none of those days would mean as much to me if it had not been for the day I accepted Christ! He has made all the other days even better.

So what was you best day?

Summer Blog Challenge ~ Day 7

Today's challenge post is to share a photo of something that makes me happy. Wow! That is a hard thing to narrow down to just one pick. There are many things that make me happy. But I have to say one of the main things that makes me happy is my husband and his fun sense of humor. So here is a photo of him, and, well you can see for yourself.

It wasn't really a joke per say, because his sermon was on resting in the Lord. But he had fun putting up the sign letters in front of the church and we had to take a picture of him with it. We had a lot of people stop and take pictures of the sign. Made us laugh every time we heard someone toot their horn as they drove by or stop to look better at it! 

Anyway, my husband makes me very happy and I had to share his sense of humor with you!

So what makes you happy?

Summer Blog Challenge ~ Day 6

I'll tell you what, these challenge prompts we are getting are thought provoking. Here is today's

Nicknames you have & why you have them ~ Golly I have not thought about the nicknames I used to have for a long time, a very long time! When I was little I had a few. My Dad used to call me Henrietta or Henry for short. I have no idea why he called me that, but it stuck for a long time and other people used to call me that too. I have a few old letters from some dear friends and there is a question in the letter asking "how is Henry?" Cracks me up!!

The other nickname I had from my Dad was Hepzibah. I'm not even sure if that is how you spell it, but he only called me that when he was upset. I hate to admit he used it more often than I would like to remember!! LOL!!

My Mom called me Pumpkin. I liked that one, simple and easy. I think there were a few Sweeties and similar terms of endearment, but the Pumpkin was consistent.

Sp what were some of your nicknames???

Summer Blog Challenge - Days 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5

Actually this is a few days late. I just found out about this neat challenge being hosted by Going Green with the Girlz. The challenge started on June 1st and continues through August 31st, but I want to make sure I catch up with everyone else and complete the whole challenge. So bear with me as I do and I hope you enjoy it!

Day 1 ~ Why are you doing this challenge?

That's a good question to start with. It really didn't take me too long to figure out the answer either. I love making new friends! To make new friends you have to learn a little about each other, so this is a way for me to share with all of you. I want to get to know my readers and want my readers to really know about me, so here I am!

Day 2 ~ Post a picture of you smiling.

Ummmm this one is a little hard for me to do right now. No one else is around to take a pic for me, so I will do the best I can and post a pic of me. I am sort of smirking/smiling in it though!! Sorry. I'll try and get a better one later!!

 Day 3 ~ 15 interesting things about yourself.

1. I have 3 feet of hair. If you have been reading my blog all along, you know this already. But it is one thing lots of people find interesting.

2. I have not cut my hair, other than the occasional trim, since I was 11 years old. Yep that's a long time!!

3. I am married to my best friend and will be celebrating 28 years this summer. We have 2 grown boys who are just like their Dad, except lots taller!

4. I grew up most of my life in Western New York on a dairy farm in a house built in the 1700's. I ran barefoot through cut hay fields, climbed in the barn and was a rough and tough tom boy very unafraid of catching crayfish and worms! 

5. I love genealogy and share the passion with my Mom. We can trace our ancestry in one family back to time before Christ! Most family lines we can trace back to the early 1100's. It's been an interesting journey of discovery for us over the years!

6. I am a certified Advanced Master Gardener and Instructor. I love gardening and my specialty is in herbs, their growth and uses.

7. My absolute favorite animal in the world is a baby elephant. I just go gaga over them!! Have you ever watched them with their little trunks? They don't know how to use them well yet and they go all over the place. It is too cute!

8. When I graduated from high school I received the Principal's Award of Excellence in a Foreign Language. I took French for 4 years and tried to take it in college but they wouldn't let me. They said I had taken it enough! 

9. Growing up I lived in 4 different states all before the age of 6. Born in Ohio, lived in 2 places there. Moved to Indiana, then lived in 2 places in Illinois. Moved to New York and lived in 4 places before I got married and transplanted back to Indiana where I have lived ever since, in 3 different places though!

10. I am a craft dabbler. I love to learn new and creative things and often try my hand at some new craft. Have to admit though that stamping, altered art, and scrapbooking are at the top.

11. My dream home is a Colonial Salt Box with a walk-in in fireplace with a crane and beehive oven. I love things from early America.

12. One of my passions is antiquing. I love anything from very early, but if it tickles my fancy I get it!!

13. I collect something a little odd, flower frogs! I have a pretty good sized collection and just enjoy them a lot. What are flower frogs? They are those little glass or metal things with holes or wires in them you put in vases to hold your flower stems in place.

14. I never graduated from college. I came very close but left for personal reasons. My degree study was in psychology. My plans had been to work with children.

15. My husband and I were missionaries for a little over 10 years with an organization called Child Evangelism Fellowship. We loved it and some days really miss it. 

Day 4 ~ Meaning behind the name of your blog.

I think the obvious part of my blog name is "The Minister's Wife". I'm married to a Pastor, so that part of the name was easy. The "Stamps" part is from when I first started this blog. I was going to only focus on stamping and all the neat things I created doing that. I even worked at a stamping store at the time (ooh fact #16 for those keeping track!). But things changed in our loves and I needed to find a way to save and make some money. That's how the last part of my blog name came into being. Saving is very important to me and I do it a lot!!

Day 5 ~ Short term goals for this month and why those goals.

Giving an answer for this challenge question is easy. I have several short term goals. Actually one of them is short term with a long term amendment attached to it.

My first goal is to completely clean my house up and get it back in order. After I had my small stroke in December of last year I was unable to do a lot for a long time. Needless to say , the house got messy quick. Three men, 2 dogs and a cat can really reek havoc on a house! SO I am slowly, but surely getting things back in true working, functioning and organized order (did I mention I am a bit obsessive compulsive?). It has been making me almost crazy trying to live in chaos. It's really not that bad to most anyone who stops by, but to me it is, well unbearable!! So cleaning is tops right now!

The second goal I have that has the long term amendment is getting healthy again. For now it is walking and learning to eat a much healthier diet. So you can see why it is short term and long term. I really don't care how much weight I loose or how good I look physically, but I do care that I have a healthy life and I am able to do the things I would like to do. Nothing is much worse than wanting to do things and feeling so ill you can't!

My last goal is to get some good gardening done. Ugh!!! My poor flower beds have been ignored so far this year and I really want to get out there and play in the soil! 

So now you know a little more about me through this challenge. There are a lot more days to come and a lot more information. I'm excited and a little nervous about sharing so much. But I think it will be good for me and hopefully you will get to know me a lot more than you do now, just a name associated with a blog! Oh and from now on it won't be as long because I'm all caught up.

Feel free to share some of your info! I would love to hear from you. What are some of your short term goals?