Five Minute Friday: Our "Afters"

There are the good Afters and bad Afters. (The best of the best being at the end of a story that predicts the end of all stories ~ "And they lived Happily Ever After.")

After today, I will start eating right.

After I'm finished with my book, I will help you with math.

After I practice, I'll take you to the store.

After I meet so-and-so for coffee, I'll have my devotional time.

What if our Afters flipped? What if, instead of "After me, you," our priorities were ever "After you, and you, and you, then (maybe) me?"

After I've listened and talked with you, I'll read my book.

After I've played games with you (because I really want to!) I'll re-organize my shelves.

After I've taken you on a "just us" outing, I'll return to everything I was in the middle of and try to finish.

What are your "Afters" today? Are they in the right place?

 



Make-It "Monday": Oh, Strawberries!

Last week, I took a Spring Break from teaching. For the last couple weeks, my room had turned into what I referred to as the "Spring Break Pit." Mending, sewing crocheting, books to read - they were all placed in plain view so I wouldn't forget about them during my "vacation." Of course, I bit off more than I could chew, but one of the projects I did accomplish is this wee Strawberry Dress. A few weeks ago, Maddy made some strawberry slippers for a little girl yet to be born, and mama loved it so much she bought strawberry fabric to make a go-along dress. The pattern is from Create Kids Couture ~ talk about adorable sewing projects!! :)

So yes, happy Make-It Monday on a Tuesday! :)

 



Giveaway Winners!

 



Five Minute Friday: A Special Moment

Another 5 Minute Friday, with another lovely word: "Remembering"

My memories are not like other people's. I do not remember "when I was little" in chronological order. The people I saw every day, the things I did each week - they are simply not there. My memories are more like a scrapbook. Snap-shot moments placed at random. Some of them I know were special moments, others I am clueless as to their significance in my mind. Sometimes, I cannot even remember events I know now were milestone events. Who knows why this is?

 

I do know, however, that I treasure those moments I have. They are all special to me, now.

 

Like the time I was in my room, at night, and daddy brought little Ben in and put him in the crib at the foot of my bed. I still don't know why he was in there - ours was the girls room - but he was. For a moment after daddy left, Ben stood at the end of the crib closest to the door, and mournfully marked daddy's departure. I squirmed out from the covers, crawled down to the foot of my bed, and leaned over the crib, stretching out both my arms.

 

"Ben, you wanna do this?" (apparently a code word, or tradition)

 

Ben turned and walking on tiptoe to my end of the crib, replied, "I do, I do, I do!"

 

We grabbed each other's hands and just stood there, perfectly content.

 

And that's the end of the memory.

(a memory I love)

 

Want.

To.

Edit.

 

Posting now, to avoid the temptation.

 

What are some of your treasured memories? Do you remember moments, or seasons of your life?

 

Blessings!

 



Sometimes I Wonder ~ Random Moments

Here's a random question for ya:
What is the "polite" way to eat fried chicken?

photo credit

Munching on a little lunch mama had brought home - the yummiest, most un-greasy, fried chicken I'd ever had - while teaching today {no lunch break on Thursdays} I was struck with a sudden terror: "Am I being rude, eating with my fingers? Is there a way I'm supposed to eat fried chicken?"

I remember my grandpa once telling us a story of going out to dinner with his dad for fried chicken at a "nice" restaurant. Being country boys, they were a little uncomfortable when they observed that all those around them were daintily {albeit rather unsuccessfully} slicing off bite-sized pieces of chicken using forks and knives. When my grandpas' plates were brought, it took all of 10 seconds for them to discard the "nonsense," abandon utensils, and turn fried chicken back into finger food! "All of a sudden," my grandpa said, laughing and chuckling away, "you could hear this collective sigh all throughout the restaurant, and we looked around and saw everyone else setting down their forks and knives and pickin' up that chicken!"

I love that story. It makes me grin every time I think of it. Yet, it doesn't seem to answer my question. Who was right? The prim-and-proper, unsuccessful, "polite" people? Or my pragmatic, down-to-earth grandpa and great-grandpa {who were promptly copied by everyone else}? What defines the line between manners and a lack thereof? What defines finger food? If you know, please, help me out of my Manners Predicament!!

~~~~~~~

Speaking of wondering, if you're wondering who the giveaway winners are, let my put your minds at ease...kind of. Monday. 10am. There will be an official announcement. Now you know. :)

Thanks muchly to all of you who came to my party ~ I had an amazing time, reading the insights of all my visitors, and I hope you did, too!