Help Me Decide...

I am on a hunt for seat cushions for our dining room table and I need your help deciding.

Tell me which one you like best.

I am going for the love at first sight feeling---so which one do you love first?


Is it the red, blue and cream?

Or is is the yellow, cream and black?



Seriously, your opinion matters.

J has already said, "I don't care, you decide!" So I really, really need the chicks in my life to cast a vote.

Guess What Time It Is?!?!

It's Tim Gunn time! Oh how I love Project Runway.

I won't promise that I will post every week but I am going to try. Plus the things flying out of the designers mouths this week...priceless! Who wouldn't dedicate a post to Project Runway after these hilarious one liners?

"I don't call it plus size, I call it plus sexy" Qristyl

"Hello fabric! What would you like me to make you in to today?" -Ari

"I surprise people a lot- I'm blonde, I'm from the south, people don't usually attach those things to, like, intelligence or just...I don't know...things...sorry, I lost my train of thought." Carrol

"I try to meditate on the mood, where the garment will be, what it will become, where it will be scene." -Ari

"I don't even know what smocking is?" Christopher (Mr No Design School or Training and Won!)

Johnny's meltdown...TV GREATNESS only because it was the first challenge...dude, are you serious?

Tim comforting Johnny=another TV GREAT

"This is emotional-it's emotional for me!" (Way to turn it back to you, Tim Gunn!)

and my favorite part of the show: Tim's advice to the designers

1) "Forgive me but I am afraid this is going to look like a halter diaper" (Said to Ari's dress)
2) "The big butt factor is a big but..."

And one final quote from Tim, I think it is funny because he wasn't even paying attention to what Ari said, he just said "Yeah!"

Ari, "Oh, she has big feet like me!!"

And Tim says, "Yeah!!"

Oh Project Runway you are just too much fun!

This Week's Booted Designer: Ari and her "disc-soccer ball dress"

Blooming List # 1: Learn to Knit

Forever Young

When Jeff and I first got married, I was introduced to the art of scrapbooking. At first, I documented the nieces and nephew because I thought that was what scrapbooking was all about-documenting the children. Then one day I went shopping and came across the pictures shown above. At our wedding, after the "I Do. Do You?" portion, we began our new life with Rod Stewart singing to us the words Forever Young. This song was the perfect start to our brand new life.

One day I was visiting my local scrapbooking store when I came across the stickers above. Jeff and I had just got back from our first road trip ever to Nawlins, the summer before the big flood. It was one of my all time favorite trips. I told Jeff on that trip that I was going to start scrapbooking our many adventures. He gave me his pat answer for most hobbies I try, "If it makes you happy-do it!" and a hobby was born.

This past summer I have decided to start documenting a new phase of my life. I like to call it the Blooming Where You Are Planted phase. I have been trying to think up things that would be fun to do at this stage of my life. At first I thought I would share the entire list at one time but in recent days have changed my mind. Instead I will post a blog as I check off a new item on my list.

So let the Journey Begin...

1. Learn to Knit

I found a local knitting store that gives lessons on Saturday mornings. You pay for 3 lessons and they teach you the basic skills to knit a scarf. You can then come back for more lessons. The thing I love about this store is the cozy environment. The store is filled with comfy chairs and classical music-two things I thoroughly enjoy. September 5Th is the first class and I can't wait to get started. Even though Jeff thinks I am a super big dork for doing this, I know I am going to have fun.


And really, isn't that the point to a Blooming Where You're Planted list to have fun?


Stay tuned more adventures coming soon.

Blooming Where I am Planted

This summer has been wonderful for me! I have grown in the waiting period or as one friend said a few weeks ago, "I believe you have bloomed where you are planted."

It's a sweet time for Jeff and I, one filled with peace, love and joy. We are blessed.

I think Elisabeth Elliot summed up our family motto quite nicely, "We accept and thank God for what is given, not allowing the not-given to spoil it." Good huh?

You see the reason we are filled with peace, love and joy is because we are resting in God's timing. We know that God has a reason for this moment. It would be easy to compare our lives to the others around us and start to begin to think we are not good enough because we aren't on the same page with others. Do you see how that is stupid thinking? I believe God has a plan for me just like He has a plan for you. My plans may not look like your plans and your plans may not look like mine. The question though I ask myself, "Does that make any of our journeys less significant than the other?" Um, no.

Jeff and I have desires and longings just like many of you. Yet one of the most encouraging things about Jeff is that he does not let his desires and longings get in the way of God's plan for him in the present moment. He truly is amazing! :) We both try to live day to day. Some days we are called to serve, other days we are called to be served and some days we are called to do nothing at all. The trick though is going with the flow and taking life one step at a time.

I recently started re-reading Loving God with All Your Heart by Elizabeth George. This my friends is a MUST READ. In the chapter titled "Thinking the Truth About-The Future" she closes with this list of Bible verses.

A list that "brings peace instead of worry when we choose to believe the Bible's promises that God will superintend every future event."

• Nothing will ever happen in you that God does not already know about (Psalms 139: 1-4)
• Nothing will ever happen to you that is a mistake. (Psalms 139:4,16)
• Nothing will ever happen that you cannot handle by God's power and grace (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
• Nothing will ever happen to you that will not eventually be used by God for some good purpose in your life (Romans 8:28)
• Nothing will ever happen to you with God's presence (Matthew 28:20)

Take a moment and soak up these truths. Cool, huh?

I don't know about you but I want to live out my life free of worry and fear of the future. I want to thrive in every season of my life especially in the waiting. With that idea in mind, I have come up with a list of things that will allow me to truly bloom-where-I-am-planted.

Tune in next week to see that list. Some of the things on this list have made Jeff say the words "Susan, you are nuts!" I think he is just jealous that a few of the ideas he didn't think up first.

Apparently Green is My Favorite Color

A few weeks ago, I was shopping with a friend who made a very astute observation.

Susan, is green your favorite color?

Um, I dunno, why?

Apparently, our last three shopping trips I had bought something in the shade of green. The most recent purchase being this green purse.



That is when it hit me that green has played a major role in my color scheme.

1) The Bridesmaids Dresses in our wedding-Green (sorry bridesmaid friends)



2) My Scrapbook Albums-Green



3) I have redone our bedroom in a Tommy Bahama style decor and the accents are green.

Curtains from World Market-Green



Accent Pillows on Bed from World Market and Pier One-Green


{Side Note the two floral pillows were from Pier One, I got them both for $12, originally $24 each. That right there is the #1 reason I never buy anything full price}


My favorite colander that I use for every meal, you guessed it...Green!


It's funny to me that without my friend's observation I probably would have never realized how much green showed up in my day to day life.

What can I say, I heart green. :)

How 'Bout A Pitstop to 1982 on the Way to Shiner, TX?

During our mini road trip to Central Texas, Jeff and I made a side trip to Shiner, TX. Population- super small. We had two hours to kill before the next brewery tour and thought we would be good stewards of our time and grab a bite to eat. Unfortunately, Shiner is not a thriving metropolis for food so we had to drive a little longer than planned. I am sure we could have found something eatable at the local 1 pump gas station, but who really wants to eat 10 year old can of beanie weenies or rock hard chocolate mars bars while on vacation. Besides, I was planning on serving that for dinner the first night back home and didn't want to spoil Jeff's dinner.

Thankfully we found the mecca of small town food eateries, Pizza Inn. Not a Pizza Hut...Pizza INN. I could have sworn Pizza Inn was no longer in business, but I could be wrong.

When we walked into the diner I had a strange, out of body experience. I could have sworn that I had just stepped into the 80's. The decor, the games, the tables, the light fixtures, the carpeting on the floor, my fellow patrons all looked like something from the 80's. I wish I had my camera to show you this. Shoulder pads, teased hair and gobs of blue eye shadow were on almost every single lady in the restaurant. Brown wicker light fixtures hung on dusty old gold chains above the tables. The same red curtains with the gold diamond pattern were on all the windows. The red vinyl booths had seen better days but I guarantee it was the original fabric from back in the day. I don't tell you this to make fun, I just had to share how strange it was to be sitting in 2009 but all around me was 1982.

I kept waiting for Jeff to slap a few quarters on the table, and give me the same speech my dad said every time he gave us quarters, "This is all the quarters I have and all you will get so don't even think about asking for more. Now have fun and share with your brother."

Sadly, there were no quarters in Jeff's pockets. Probably because all he had on him was a debit card because you know it is 2009 after all.

This is me, before the tour have a little sample.



And this is us after the tour taking our standard Road Trip picture.