Show Us Your Life - Favorite Charities

I have been wanting to take part in the "Show Us Your Life" for several weeks now and what a better week to start than when talking about Charities. There are a few charities that are near and dear to my heart.

The Pink Campaign for Breast Cancer Awareness
Throughout my life, I have had several people close in my life diagonosed with breast cancer. A church mentor Denise Driscoll and a close family friend Cathy Gilley. Both lost their battles and was heart breaking to my and everyone close to them. Due to them, I have bought anything in "pink" that I can from CD's to measuring cups and even just donating money to the cause. It came even more real to me last year when Chris's mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent surgery and radiation and is currently surviving cancer free. I also participate in other cancer charities as well, including through the American Cancer Society. Chris and I have each lost a grandfather to cancer and have seen first hand what this disease can do.

ASPCA
This is another charity near and dear to my heart. I cannot watch the commercials for the ASPCA without breaking down in tears. I admit that I am an animal lover. Chris and I consider our pets our children and have spolied them. I cannot imagine people who don't treat their animals well. It kills me to see a abused animal or mistreated. For me, those people need shot. If you aren't going to take care of your pet, then don't get one. I donate regularily to the ASPCA and even sport ASPCA checks.

St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital
For me, there is possibly nothing more heartbreaking than childhood cancer. A close friend of mine, Heather, had cancer as a child and with the help of the St. Jude's Research Hopsital has beat it and at 24 is now living a normal and cancer free life. My entire family donates to this charity annually. My father jokes (when he is mad at his children) that when he dies he will donate his money there instead of giving it to his children. I wouldn't mind at all. It is a great cause and needs lots of help.

Adopting a Family
My favorite charity work comes around the holidays. Ever since I was a child, my family adopts a family for Thanksgiving. For Thanksgiving time, we purchase everything that a family could need for a perfect Thanksgiving dinner. For Christmas, we not only handle all of the food for dinner but also purchase gifts so that children have gifts to open. This is my favorite Christmas shopping of the year, knowing I will never see the look on the face of that child but knowing that I made their year. The law school also does something similar. Students can adopt children whose parents are in prison. I have done this every year too. It's a great feeling and I hope that my children get the same joy out of it as well.

These are my main ones, but I am a softy and often donate to others as well. Any time shopping and the checker asks me to donate money to something, I always do.

5 Question Friday

Taking after Mallory, I decided to take part of 5 Question Friday that is created by Five Crooked Halos.

1. How much time do you spend on the computer a day? I am on the computer constantly. I take notes class on the computer. When I'm not in class, I will be working on my computer for my classes. At work, I am always on the computer. When I am at home, my computer is usually on my lap for shopping, emailing, researching, facebooking and blogging.

2. Will you pay for your children's college or raise them to pay for their own way? I hope to pay for it. I have been blessed for my parents to pay for my college and I hope that I can do the same for my children. Hopefully Chris and I will be financially stable to handle those expenses for our children as well.

3. Have you ever been in a car accident? Yes

4. What is your favorite book? A Time to Kill by John Grisham

5. Do you make your bed everyday? Yes. I got in that habit a few years ago. It drives me insane for he bed to not be made.

Kitchen Plans

I am so excited. I just received an email with the drawing of my new kitchen cabinets and I am in LOVE!!!

This is currently what the kitchen looks like.

See, it looks old and dated. It is so dark in there and I hate it. We originally thought we might just get anew countertop and refinish the cabinets. Then I realized how much work that was. Since Chris and I are going to be here for a few years, we thought that it might be well worth the investment for new kitchen cabinets. We have been talking to Melynni at Ozark Mountain Woodsmith. She has been working on our project for over a week. She sent me an email with the drawing of my new kitchen. Granting it is only in black and white, but I can see that it already looks better. Here is is:

Amazing huh? It will be done in oak. Chris and I both love oak and have decided on a medium shade of oak. I just hope that her price quote is something we can afford. I just told my mother that she maybe should have sent me a price before a picture so I didn't fall in love with something that I cannot have.

Keeping my fingers crossed while I anxiously await the bid.

Ready for the Weekend

I know that it is only Wednesday, but I am already anxious for the weekend.

This weekend will be a trip home. I have a spare bedroom filled with supplies for the house and some decorations that I found a couple weeks ago while antique shopping.

This weekend will be a busy weekend. My friend Maggie will be traveling home with me. Maggie isn't from Missouri and she rarely gets out of Columbia. So, I'm going to introduce her to the wonderful world of Howell County. It should be a good time and we will neve turn down an extra set of hands to work on the house.

Friday afternoon after we arrive in town, we will be meeting Melynni from Ozark Montain Woodsmith to look at cabinets and countertops. We have been emailing back and forth, and we have most decisions narrowed down, but just a few. I'm anxious to get a way better kitchen. Saturday morning, we will be meeting with our general contractor to go over a few things in the house. He should be starting in about a week and a half.

The electrician will be starting Monday. I'm just excited that things are happening now. We have been waiting on the electrician. Chris hopes to be moved in around the 1st of April. Hopefully that will prevent the theft that has been occuring. Kit Kat will for sure be a scary thing to meet in the middle of the night. But that might be better than the alternative of a bullet.

Now, I am off to finish cleaning and doing dishes. Tomorrow I will pack and load up the car and manage to squeeze in dinner with Sara and watching Greys. Life is crazy.

Top 2 Tuesday

I have decided to start taking part in Top 2 Tuesday. This week is Top 2 Names. Since Chris and I have been together for over 6 six years, we have had many discussions about children names. Chris and I are still a few years away form having kids, but we both know we want some little ones, besides our dog "children"

My mother has put a lot of pressure on us to give her a grand daughter. The grandchildren that she has from her own kids are all boys. My brother Chris has four and my sister has two. My mom does have step granddaughter, but none real close to her. Since I will be living right up the road, she has decided Chris and I need to have a little girl. I also think that Chris needs a little boy. He wants someone to share his love of outside work and cars. Chris wants a little boy first to protect a little girl. I argue that if our daughter turns out anything like me, she won't need the protection of her older brother. I guess we shall see, only time will tell.

Now, on to the names.

GIRL: McKenzie Elizabeth. I know that it is two really long names, but I have been in love with this name for years, I even think before Chris was in my life. Lucky for me, he seemed to like it when I presented it to him. Granted, he probably couldn't tell you this name if you asked him, but I can guarantee you that if we have a little girl, this will be her name.

BOY: We aren't nailed down to a boy name yet, but we definately want to pass on part of Chris's name. We don't want a junior, but using Christopher or Lee as a middle name is a must. My favorite has been Hayden Lee.

Weekend Recap

This weekend was spent half studying.

Friday night from the time I got off work til I went to bed was spent with my MPRE books, doing last minute review for Saturday's test. I took a break only to eat dinner and talk to my mother for a few minutes.

Saturday morning, I got up around 6 (a little later than my usual wake up time), ate a little breakfast, went to Wal-Mart to purchase wooden pencils and then it was off to my test. The test started at 9:00 a.m. I got out around 11:30 a.m.

After the test, I headed to Home Depot. It has been my usual weekend hangout. This weekend, I was in the market for an over the range microwave. They had three white ones in the store. One for $159 (which I was informed was an awful microwave), one for $199 and one for $299. Clearly the $299 one was out of the question for me. I was nervous about spending the $199 without first talking to Chris so I left without a microwave. I decided I would shop around some other prices. I went to Sears. They had one for $179 in a good brand. I didn't buy it though. I feel loyalty to the Sears in WP, so I'll wait til next weekend to buy one.

After Home Depot, I met up with Maggie and Claudia for lunch at Cracker Barrel and then we went to a few antique stores. We went to a new one for me and I fell in love. Too bad everything I loved was out of my prce range. I ended up not getting a thing. But after the week that I had, it was relaxing just to get out. I also got a couple pieces of jewelry inspected at Kays. I got home around 5:00 and crashed. I took a small nap, then got up and went through some paperwork, did some laundry and balanced my checkbook.

Sunday here has been pretty low key. I went into work for about 3 1/2 hours this morning, trying to make up some hours that I lost last week and will lose this week since I am coming home Friday. Since coming home, I have been doing laundry, cleaning and reading for this week's classes. It has been beautiful outside and I have had the windows open. I'm so glad for the weather.

Work has been progressing down at our house this weekend too becuase the weather has been so nice. We did get a little bad news today. Chris arrived at the house this morning and noticed that someone has been up there to steal wires again. There had been some theft prior to us buying the house, since the house was empty. However, we assumed that since we had been working up there, we wouldn't have to deal with it. But it happened again. They stole some additional wires from the shop along with some lights and then went into our well house and stole wires from the well that was just put back together. It is just frustrating that someone would take all that for just like $10 off the copper in the wire. Plus, we have been working on the house so much and for someone to take that away.

Tonight is a barbeque with Maggie and I'm excited.

Ready for the Weekend

I will be so happy for this week to be over. I feel so run down already and it is only Thursday.

This week has been extra busy by throwing in some extra studying for the MPRE. Luckily, that will be over on Saturday. Right now, I just feel like I have no free time. I haven't spent as much time this week talking to Chris or the rest of my family because when I get home, all I do is continue to study. My typical week has breaks built into my schedule where I try to get my reading done during class. Then when I get a spare few minutes, I shop for things for my new house with Chris.

This week's challenge has been cabinets. I have been communicating all week with Melynni at Ozark Mountain Woodsmith to get a price on cabinets. I am so excited. But it is also hard for me, when she asks me a quick measurement on something. I am totally unable to get it, since my house is currently 200 miles away from school where I am now. Then I have to get Chris or my mom to go get what she needs. I think that we have everything straightened out and we are waiting now for our final quote.

The Home Show is this week at home. I really wish that I was going to be in town this weekend so that I could attend. However, my career responsibilities have me tied up here. I doubt I can get Chris to go to the home show to look around. He doesn't really care about inside the house. He says that is all for me. He loves the land and the shop. And with the weather predicting to be nice this weekend, I can almost bet that he will be out cutting brush or working in the shop. I love his dedication to the place and what he is doing needs to be done, so I guess that I won't complain too much if he doesn't go to the home show for me. I will be home in about a week and should be able to look at samples then. I'll be picking the door fronts and countertop color. I am so excited. I'll be more excited when it is all done.

This weekend, I will be going on another antique shopping adventure. I have a couple friends from work who want to go and after the week that I have had, I need to go. I love picking things for my house and shopping has always been a stress reliever for me, even when I don't buy anything. I will be going to one new store on Saturday so hopefully it will have great rewards.

It is about time for bankruptcy class, so I better head that direction. Hopefully, I'm not on call today.