Perfection

So I have a new favorite podcast that I listen to.  It's called Music with a Message on mormonchannel.org.

I LOVE it!!!!!

It starts the day perfectly.

I was listening this morning to an episode called Jesus Christ - Friend.  

During the podcast, the narrator quoted the Savior in Mathew 5:48 when he said to "strive to be perfect".  The narrator also said that in the Greek from which it was translated, the term perfect means: fully developed, to become finished as to our individual potential, and to have completed the course God has set forth for us to follow.

Thank you!

I love that definition of perfect.

It's so personal and individualized.  I mean, I'm someone who is happy with perfection.  I strive for it and like when people notice the perfection that I've created.  Not that I'm perfect or everything that I do is perfect, by any means, but perfection really comforts me.  Wherever it is or whoever created it, I appreciate the effort and skill it takes and can really relax in perfection.

But emotionally, I've been told so many times in anger that I'm so perfect, that it starts to make me feel like I'm doing something wrong.  Last year when I started to see a counselor, she referred me to Brene Brown's website: ordinarycourage.com.  She works a lot with perfection and since then, I've been trying hard not to think about my actions.  I've been trying to do what comes naturally instead of second guessing everything and thinking that my intuition is always wrong.

Hearing the definition of perfection from the podcast this morning really topped everything that I've been thinking about.  Emotional perfection is you living up to your potential.

Thank you!

It was a testimony building moment and I wanted to share :)

The Milk Man

Last Wednesday, I signed up for Winder Farms.

They deliver groceries to your door, just like the milk man!  When I woke up this morning, the first thing I did was jump up and open the front door.  It was like Christmas morning :)  They give you a cooler, fill it with your order, and drop it off once a week.

Indy was scared...of course

I ordered a bunch of stuff for the first time because I got a discount for signing up.  I wanted to try out a few things to know for sure what I wanted to keep as a weekly order.  You rinse out the milk carton and put it in the cooler to be picked up during the next delivery.  They use local farmers and the baked goods come from Panera Bread Company.

Milk, butter, cheddar cheese, provolone cheese, cream cheese (I like cheese), oranges, eggs, orange juice, pumpkin chocolate chip bread, and a box of produce.

Here's the produce out of the box- oranges, limes, mangos, red bell peppers, ginger, garlic, red onions, white onions, cucumber, and fresh basil

They sent a LOT of ginger.  Maryn got on the computer and found some amazing recipes to use it up.  I'm totally excited!!! Two comments that came out of the recipe search: 1) "We can make the chocolate bread and make french toast with it!" (Maryn); 2) "Can we just eat dessert for every meal?" (Me)

New recipes to use up the ginger:

- Ginger flank steak with wasabi smashed potatoes

- Thai style ginger lime dressing

- Pineapple ginger barbecue sauce

- Pad thai

- Oven roasted cauliflower with tumeric and ginger

- Chocolate bread

- Summer ginger cake

That's why we're roommates!

I Want This

So these pictures are what I aspire to.  Purple is my favorite, but I don't mind the Tiffany Blue :)

The hand and the chairs are so fun!

Giant clock, exposed brick, dark floors, chandelier- a few of my favorite things

I want giant barn doors!

I LOVE the wallpaper!

chandeliers, white marble, dark counter, white cabinets.  Yes please!

I love the round everything

I love black and white

Do I need to say anything?!

OH MY GOSH I LOVE THIS ! ! ! ! ! !

I can totally see Indy spending his days here :)

Click HERE to see the blog this came from.

They Named the Dog Indiana

I want to post some pictures of Indy because I just can't believe how cute he is and how much I love him.

(This is Indy and Angie)

I've always been afraid of dogs, but I wanted to fill a void a few years back when my brother and sister-in-law were having a baby and my sister was getting married.  I figured a dog would be time consuming enough and if I got him as a puppy and trained him myself, then I shouldn't be afraid of him.  How hard could it be?

I'm a BIG Indiana Jones fan.  Like, I wanted to be an archaeologist when I was little, I watched the Young Indiana Jones series, I have an Indiana Jones fedora antenna ball, I even liked Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.  (Even though I've been teaching for almost 10 years now, I still might be an archaeologist when I grow up.)  In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, we find out that "they named the dog Indiana".  I knew that my dog was going to be named Indy, no matter what.

I did a lot of research and decided that I needed a dog that had my personality and behaviors.  Turns out, that a big bulldog mix was just what I needed.

He sheds, drools, snores, farts, burps, hogs the bed and the couch.  It's amazing to me now how much I've changed because of Indy.  I still don't like dogs very much, but I love mine :)  Dog hair doesn't bother me anymore (maybe I'm a little too comfortable with it).  Dog slobber doesn't bother me anymore (not that I love it, but it doesn't gross me out).  

(Indy and Mom)

Indy thinks he's a lap dog.  He makes me (and everyone else) snuggle with him.  He'll force his way in until he gets an arm around him or his belly rubbed.  I've never been one to snuggle, but now I look forward to it.

Indy loves to fetch.  Like, obsessed with playing fetch.  If you start, you will never be able to stop.  He'll drop the Frisbee or ball or anything else that he can get you to throw at your feet.  If you don't throw right away, he'll whine until you do or he'll put it in your lap.  If you still don't throw, he'll start to whine again and then put his head on your lap.  If you still don't throw, he'll whine again.  Finally, you think that he's given up because he takes his object and leaves.  But wait, what was that you accidentally kicked when you got up?  Oh wait.  Indy had put his toy next to your foot and you have now started the never ending game of fetch.

He's an awesome dog that loves everyone.  He lets me do anything to him.  He's so good with kids.  He follows me everywhere and likes me best.  

Have you ever seen Raising Arizona?  There's this part just after they kidnap a baby when the wife is so happy that she's crying and kinda balls out "I love him so much!" That's kinda how I feel :)

I'm So Proud

I decided that I wanted to increase my talents by working on my crafting skills.  I figured that half of my family can do it, so I should have some ability deep down that I could work to the surface.  Also, I need to save money so I figured that I could save money by creating instead of heading to Target ;)

First on my list was a new wreath for the front door.
I found an awesome wreath on YouTube that I could make for almost nothing and didn't seem too difficult for my first time.  The Novel Wreath video was VERY helpful!

Two things that I learned through this process:
1- always remember where you initially find the idea so that it's easy to find it again
2- don't let hot glue drip from the gun to your fingers.

Here's the finished product:

Here's what I did:

1. I cut strips from an old t-shirt and wrapped it around a grapevine wreath that had seen better days.

2. Then I used an old catalog, ripped out three sheets, stacked them together, cut them into 4ths, and cut each 4th into a spiral.

3. I used hot glue to attach the spirals together and then to glue them to the wreath.

That's it!

It only took me about 36 hours, 6 catalogs, and $4.00

I have a few people to thank for the success of my first project:
My little sister Carrie- Thank you for letting me use your glue gun
My cousin and roommate Maryn- Thank you for letting me take over the ottoman for the week
My friends and family for their support and encouragement