A Cup Full of This

This is funny

noreply@blogger.com (A Cup Full of This) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:42:00 +0000

As a homeschool mom, all I can say is this is funny!

Lilly

The Best Things in Life

noreply@blogger.com (A Cup Full of This) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 02:00:00 +0000

My oldest is only 5, but I am constantly amazed and how much has changed in the way of baby products in such a short period of time. I had a baby shower this weekend, so I spent some time this week looking at all the new gadgets and improved versions of things I had for my three. Then I saw something I could not believe...Let me digress for a moment. I am a bit of a health nut and when I was pregnant with my first I researched everything and I desperately wanted glass baby bottles. How hard would that be to find? I mean that is what I used as a baby, and my parents and their parents (I think you get the point). At the time, impossible. I looked everywhere. I spent hours on line looking. I even had Dot looking for me. I could not find them anywhere. So I settled for Dr. Brown's bottles. Well, here I am five years later in Target and there they are. So I came home and did a little research on the internet and they are sold everywhere now. Now, while this is frustrating for me, I am glad to see that they are now easily available. But more than anything it goes to show that the best things are generally the things that have been around for long time.

Lilly

Jury Duty

noreply@blogger.com (A Cup Full of This) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:24:00 +0000

When I returned from a one week stay up North to visit Distant Love, the last thing I thought I would see in the mail was a summons for jury duty. Now I’m not one to complain, well maybe just a little but this is my second time serving in the past two years. The first time, I was on the grand jury where I served for about eight weeks and let me tell you, the experience gave me a whole new perspective of where I reside. I wasn't sure if I was ready to get another glimpse into the inter-workings of my community. (Sometimes I enjoyed burying my head into the sand. It's a little grainy but otherwise not bad.)
Since I’m not one to sidestep my civic duty, I dragged myself and my laptop to the county courthouse. There were many of us sitting there waiting our turn to be called before the judge, raise our right hand and take the oath of service even if it put a kink into our palm pilot planning day. While I waited in our brand new county courthouse positioned prominently off of the square, I (listened) eavesdropped to the conversations of my fellow jurors. I didn't hear anyone complain about being here. Folks talked about their families and people that may know in common. There was also the conversation of work and looking for work and of course the housing market. I even thought I saw someone from high school.

Maybe, I shouldn't complain.

I had been dismissed from one civil case involving a local business in which my mama is known to be a patron. I’m thankful that there are folks in this small booming community to handle all of the judicial business of our community. So, I must admit that this jury selection process allowed me to see what is going on in the small world where I live.

Thankfully, the experience didn't make me want to run and take to the hills for cover.

Dot

A Great Deal!

noreply@blogger.com (A Cup Full of This) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 20:55:00 +0000

I wanted to pass a great deal on to all the mom's with small kids in the Atlanta area. The Georgia Aquarium has a Me & Mommy deal. For only $20, the Me & Mommy ticket includes Aquarium admission for one adult, free admission for children age 5 and under (maximum four children per paid adult) and free parking ($10 value). This offer is valid Monday-Friday, now through March 31, 2009, and can only be purchased online. You also have to bring the little ones along to take advantage of this great offer.

With all the cold and dreary weather we have had lately, this would be the perfect thing to do to get the kids out of the house. And if yours are like mine they have cabin fever so bad I am surprised I still have paint on my walls. So definitely take advantage of this great deal!

Lilly

I like my...

noreply@blogger.com (A Cup Full of This) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 15:39:00 +0000

Klean Kanteen.

I was not what anyone would call eco-friendly. (I'm still struggling with it.) However, I was willing to do my best and give it a try. I was what I would call a recovering water bottle addict. Now how did I tie both eco-friendly and water bottle addict in the same thought?

Well let me tell ya’ll.

There was a time when I had the tendencies to buy bottled water every day of the week excluding weekends. I would either have bottles half full (never half empty) or empty bottles - littering my car, my home, and my workspace all at the same time. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew that there was something wrong with my habit and I had read a lot of articles on the Internet about going green.

I wanted to do my part. Not to mention, the TV commercials scared me, almost into a true believer. I wanted to know, lifetime in a landfill; what did it really meant. Lilly told me to read, Living Green Practical Guide to Simple Sustainability by Greg Horn. When I read the book, I thought that most of his practices were way over my head but I could relate to the Klean Kanteen. It was eco-friendly, health friendly, bottled water in a sense (my addiction), and I thought I could save a little money in the long run. Who was I to argue? I knew that I could surely handle it.

Well, I've owned my Klean Kanteen for about a year now and I haven’t bought bottled water since my purchase with the exception of the occasional bottle past the airport security checkpoint. I've also saved a few dollars. Although, I must tell you, there’s filtered water at work and at home so that made the transition all the more easy.

Go check out the website Klean Kanteen and check out the photos on flickr (good to know I wasn't alone).

Take a gander and drink up.

Dot

Sanity or ?

noreply@blogger.com (A Cup Full of This) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 02:03:00 +0000

We all have things we enjoy doing. Things that help bring us sanity in this crazy world we live in (and with three little ones I am always searching for a little sanity). Mine happens to be crafting. Crafting what you may ask? Really anything. I love to sew, scrapbook, knit, crochet, but this lends itself to another problem. I end up with more "projects" than I know what to do with. Right now I know I have 4 sewing project, 1 knitting project, 1 crocheting project and more scrapbook projects than I can count. So maybe it is not sanity I am searching for after all, maybe I am just addicted to crafting. So as I try to catch up with my life, I have vowed that I will work on one project a month and maybe, just maybe I can find some sanity. So stay tuned for my crafting updates

Lilly

Daphne

noreply@blogger.com (A Cup Full of This) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 15:11:00 +0000

I love the smell of Daphne, especially when the ground is still wet from the early morning dew.

The scent reminds me of a sweet perfume that a great aunt (pronunciation: /ant/) with the name Aunt Bea or Aunt Willa Mae wears while in her finest church hat and white gloves on her way to the latest social gathering of the Women’s League.

I have two plants growing under a window in my front yard, my mama has about six. You can say that we are addicted to its fragrance. Now, I must give you this caveat if you plan to grow these beauties. There are several different varieties of daphne. I'm not quite sure of the type that I own. When I bought them, I wasn't even sure of the color. The owner of the nursery, Mr. Micky, gave me the odds.
"Well, they could be pink or white. I ain't quite sure." I took my chances and hoped for pink. I was very fortunate in the outcome that both were indeed pink.

However I do know, these plants can be a bit temperamental or I just don't have the luck of growing them. (Since planting them five years ago, I've replaced one plant.) Mine are an early season bloomer from late February to early March. They do require some shade, they do need space and they are slow growing but well worth the effort.

Every morning when I leave for the daily grind of work, I take a deep breath, immediately sneeze, say "hello world what do you have for me today."

Living in the south we don’t have harsh winters with six feet of snow and torrential ice storms; however, a girl who’s accustomed to 90 degrees in the shade, winters are cold enough to keep you inside praying for warmth.
I think of it as the good Lord’s way of saying spring is on its way.
Hallelujah!

Dot

Yoga On Demand

noreply@blogger.com (A Cup Full of This) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:44:00 +0000

I hope everyone's New Year has been off to a wonderful start and I hope that you have been able to stick to those New Year's Resolutions. I wanted to share my New Year's Resolution that I have actually been able to stick too. One of the things I have always wanted to do and never had the time or the really the money to do was to take a yoga class. So I decided there had to be some yoga clips online. I mean, if you can find out how to apply make up on You Tube, then somebody has a yoga video on line. The problem I was having was they were all 10 to 20 minutes long. Well, I finally found the answer to my question, Yogatoday.com. It is totally free, hour long yoga videos. You can't download the videos, but they are quite a workout. They are all filmed in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, so the scenery is beautiful. It works out great because now I can do a real yoga class when I have the time. Yeah! Here's to a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Lilly

Image by Free-StockPhotos.com

Back on track

noreply@blogger.com (A Cup Full of This) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 02:30:00 +0000

I know it has been quite awhile since either Dot or I have posted anything, but I promise it is not that we have forgotten. Between the two of us we have had quite a lot going on. Dot has been on a job search that has finally been successful and everyone in my family has been sick. Anyone with kids knows if one gets sick it has to work its way through the family. Anyhow, I think we are back on track...so stayed tuned.

Lilly

Homeschool Toolbar

noreply@blogger.com (A Cup Full of This) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 04:27:00 +0000

I wanted to share something that I recently came across... the homeschool toolbar. It's free of spyware or viruses, does not open pop-ups or hijack your searches,allows you to control your privacy features such as cookies and cache from the toolbar and no personal information is required. It has a Google powered search box, includes an email notifier where you can add all of your emails accounts in one convenient place such as Yahoo, Google, personal or business. Plus, it will notify you when one of your accounts receives mail. Lastly, it will NOT slow your computer down! Check out their website and get it added to your browser.

Lilly

Happy 4th of July

noreply@blogger.com (A Cup Full of This) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 03:32:00 +0000

I have always loved the 4th of July...the heat, the food, the outdoors, family, friends. It seems like everyone gets together on the 4th whether it is with family or friends to celebrate and have a good time. I know we do that on other holidays, but maybe it is the simpleness of it that I like. While I enjoy the other holidays too, on the 4th all you really need is hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, friends and family. Oh and fireworks! So we wanted to wish everyone a happy and safe 4th of July.

Enjoy

Lilly & Dot

New Light Bulbs

noreply@blogger.com (A Cup Full of This) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:58:00 +0000

My kids say funny things all the time, but every once in a while they say something that is not only funny but profound. Tonight we have been having thunderstorms with lots of lighting and thunder. As the sun was going down, it created a beautiful orange glow across the horizon. Because of all the lightning and thunder I went in to check on my two oldest girls that share a room together. They weren't asleep when I went in and I asked them how they were doing. My oldest said "Look Mommy" as she pointed to their window. You could see the orange glow from outside coming through the sides of the curtains. She asked me what that light was since it was suppose to be dark outside. I asked her what she thought it was. (I am always trying to not only see what they think of things but also encourage their imagination.) She said "I think God got new light bulbs." Without a doubt, God got new light bulbs at our house tonight.

Lilly

A Title for Mom

noreply@blogger.com (A Cup Full of This) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 04:26:00 +0000

I am a proud SAHM. When my first daughter was born, it was not a decision that I even needed to debate. I knew that I wanted to stay home to raise her. But on more than one occasion I have been in a social situation and been asked "What do you do"? I proudly answer "I'm a stay at home mom", only to have the other person say "Oh". I know by their reaction what they are thinking "She's just a SAHM". I suddenly feel the need to explain my career choices to a complete stranger and list my accomplishments that I complete in a day, not to mention all the kisses and hugs I get in a day. (Which is not something my boss ever gave me in corporate America.) While I know that what I do is worth while and worth more than any salary could ever pay, I wanted to share an email I received from one of my friends. So anyone that is a SAHM or knows a SAHM this is for you and next time someone asks you what you do you can have an answer that will leave them speechless.

Enjoy,
Lilly

A woman, renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk's office, was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation.

She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.
'What I mean is, ' explained the recorder, 'do you have a job or are you just a ?'

'Of course I have a job,' snapped the woman. 'I'm a Mom.'

'We don't list 'Mom' as an occupation, 'housewife' covers it,' Said the recorder emphatically. I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of a high sounding title like, 'Official Interrogator' or 'Town Registrar.' 'What is your occupation?' she probed.

What made me say it? I do not know. The words simply popped out.
'I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.' The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair and looked up as though she had not heard right.
I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written, in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.'Might I ask,' said the clerk with new interest,
'just what you do in your field?' Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice,
I heard myself reply,
'I have a continuing program of research,
(what mother doesn't)
In the laboratory and in the field,
(normally I would have said indoors and out).
I'm working for my Masters, (first the Lord and then the whole family)
and already have four credits (all daughters).
Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities,
(any mother care to disagree?)
and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it).
But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.'
There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door.

As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career,
I was greeted by my lab assistants -- ages 13, 7, and 3.
Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model,
(a 6 month old baby) in the child development program,
testing out a new vocal pattern. I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy!
And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than 'just another Mom.' Motherhood! What a glorious career! Especially when there's a title on the door.

Don't Get a Case Give a Pillowcase

noreply@blogger.com (A Cup Full of This) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:38:00 +0000

My mom a cancer survivor and a fighter, came across Conkerr Cancer. It’s an organization that provides pillowcases to children battling cancer and other life threatening illnesses. Truly a group of people who understand, it’s the simple pleasures in life that really make a difference.

By the way my mom has already sewn six pillowcases, just a little pat on the back.

My sewing skills are borderline acceptable at best so I won't even embarrass myself; although, I can get the message out. Go over and check out the site Conkerr Cancer.

Lilly and I would be interested to see any of your finished pillowcases so send us your pictures and we may post a few here.
I know the title is cheesy but you get the idea.

Happy sewing!
Dot

Welcome to Our Blog

noreply@blogger.com (A Cup Full of This) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 03:42:00 +0000

Welcome to our blog A cup full of this. We are Lilly and Dot and we have been best friends since high school.

I am Lilly and I am a happily married homeschool, SAHM to 3 beautiful little girls, A (5), L (3) and M (1). In my free time (yeah right!) I also work at home as a contractor developing training. Before kids I used all my education that took me forever to get to be part of corporate America. I left the corporate world shortly after my first daughter was born. While I loved what I did, I don't miss corporate America at all! Being a SAHM has been not only the hardest job, but the best job I have every had. I feel so blessed that I have been given this great gift. I know not every mom gets that opportunity.

I am Dot not my real name but a name that does hold great meaning to me. I'm a corporate drone and I actually like what I do for a living. It isn’t the nine the five but the people that keep me going. Although, there has been on more than one occasion that my nerves have been a wreck. However, I digress.
I love to travel; however, I spend most of my time traveling to spend too few precious moments with, going forward to be known as, Distant Love. He is a great guy; although if I use his real name, he would lose the remaining hair he has on his head.
I’m a single “pet parent” – not a send my toy poodle to the puppy spa type nor a endulge in the gourment dog food but close.
Raised in the Bible belt and reared by several strong women and I dare not exclude my dad; I have a love of the Word and an admiration for those that made me into the person I am today. It has also made me into the highly opinionated with a thirst for knowledge person that I am today. Thus my BFF Lilly and I are cut from the same cloth and a blog is born.

So between the two of us, we have opinions on just about everything.

We started this blog because we have always wanted to do something together, but we just haven't had that million dollar idea yet. So until then we thought we'd start a blog and share our opinions on the things we talk about everyday.

Thanks for stopping by,

Lilly & Dot