Appreciating Pickles

Summer Reading

2011-08-04T07:12:00.000-05:00

I usually do a lot of reading in the summer. This summer hasn't afforded me that luxury due to our move. I did start and finish one book though. It was a "Dollar Store" read and a surprising one at that. The name of the book is "Jokes My Father Never Taught Me" It's written by Rain Pryor, the daughter of Richard Pryor, the comedian. I just happened to find it in the Dollar Tree one day this past spring and sat it on my book shelf. In packing for our move, I put it in my "keep it with me" bag for the rare moments when I had some down time. It quickly became one of those pushing myself to stay awake and finish this chapter books and one of those, you and the kids can go in and wait for the table, I'll be in in a minute books. Not because the writing was so great but because it was so real. It was amazing to see this world known comedian who was endeared by so many be characterized as someone who walked with, carried and invited visitors into his own personal hell. She writes about his rampages, their awesome vacations that end with bloody beat downs and his losing battle with MS. It was a good summer read. Check it out!

Now, as I'm recuperating from this move, I'm thinking about something else I'd like to read and the number one on my list is "THE HELP"

I've seen the movie previews and read the reviews so as soon as I can get the crew back to school, I'll be on it!
What was your last read?
Why did you read it and what did you think of it?
What's next on your list?
Let me know in the comment box.

Read me next time and don't forget to show some appreciation for the pickles in your life!

Hey Y'all

2011-08-01T09:03:00.000-05:00

AND... I'm Back

So it has been a minute or two since my last blog. Well we can all attribute that to life happening. I am here in Columbus Ge-or-gia! Trying to settle in and get things to have a sense of normalcy for myself and the crew.
Thank you to all of you who sent such well wishes, prayers and positive vibes for our transition. We needed it. I firmly believe that everything went as well as it could've gone.
I must admit, I am a little jumbled in my head, which is exactly why I needed to write today. I need to start sorting somethings out. What better way than public ~~therapy~~ blogging...
There a a million things I want to say but I believe in responsible blogging, so I must wait until I can say whatever it is with tact and grace.

I leave you all with this and feel free to share it! We make life hard, but our world is made up of everything we need to get through it, IF we are paying attention and living a conscious life, check this out!
When I woke up this morning, I asked myself, "What is life about?" I found the answer in my room...the fan said, "Be cool." The roof said, "Aim high." The window said, "See the world!" The clock said, "Every minute is precious." The mirror said, "Reflect before you act." The calendar said, "Be up to date." The door said, "Push hard for your goals." The floor said, "Kneel down and pray"...
and I did!

Cheers,
Read me next time!

Memorial Day 2011

2011-05-30T08:34:00.001-05:00

On this Memorial Day I find myself thinking of the men and women that I know and even those that I don't. I'm thinking of the people that I knew that lost their lives on mission for our country and their family members whose loss is so real and present on this day.
I am also thinking of the men and women who are currently on mission, have recently returned from mission and those that are preparing to go out on mission. When I'm in these thoughts I always feel an urge to do something and then I remember that I do. I take those thoughts and I turn them into prayers. And today like most days I pray for the men and women, past, present and future that work in fields and positions that ultimately keep America being America.
Those prayers include the many fire fighters and Police officers that do the job locally and out on our roads and boarders. I pray for their families and loved ones as well.
So while I'm not the person that attends the Memorial day parades or even the big tributes at the huge cemeteries, I celebrate and the lives of each of you that I am so grateful for, Today I PRAY!

Heavenly Father, I praise and thank you for all that you are. I praise and thank you for all that you've done, do and will do in our lifetime.
Today father, I ask that you bless and keep the men and women in service to this country, I ask that you would find favor for them, with them and through them.
Lord, Keep their families and show them a peace that passes all understanding. Allow them to know that in it all of our glory goes to you.
On this Memorial day father allow this country to know how important it is for us to remember and celebrate the lives that people have promised to this country and have lost fulfilling those promises. Let us all be thankful.
Last father, I would ask that you would present our country's leadership with a vision that lines up with yours and that each and every one of them be blessed with the mercy and grace that each of us longs for all the days of our lives.
I ask these things in Jesus' name.
AMEN
If you've read this prayer and taken the time to reflect, I thank you for joining me in doing the best we can on this Memorial Day.
You have done your part to Appreciate A Pickle today.

What do you have planned for today? Do you do the family cook out thing? The visiting loved ones at the cemetery? Or do you attend the parades? I'd like to know how you celebrate Memorial day and why. It may simply be a tradition, let me know.

Cheers and Happy Memorial Day!

The Vegas Experience

2011-05-27T11:20:00.000-05:00

We are back from Vegas and back from the down time we seem to need after any vacation.
Honestly, Vegas is great if you respond to that environment. It, for me, was a bit of sensory overload. Does that make sense to any of you?
It's what we call here at my house, shiny ball syndrome.(Your attention is diverted by anything that catches it in the moment)

That's how I spent my four days and three nights.
At the end of it all, what I know is true is that the time spent disconnected was so needed. The time spent with the Mister was necessary for reconnecting us after this deployment. The time spent without ~~some~~ my kids asking me for something, to do something, or be somewhere was priceless!
It was a great experience.
Now, I just have to focus on our move to Georgia at the end of June.

So here are the pictures of some of the
time spent in Las Vegas, some are better than others, enjoy and let me know what you think!

Entrance at The Monte Carlo

Sky Line at New York New York

Chocolatier at The Bellagio

Streams of Chocolate

Longest stemmed roses we'd ever seen and they're real

The Liberty Bell at The Bellagio, The Eagle is made from flower seeds

Bellagio, creation made from seeds. I love Sunflowers!

MGM, I couldn't be nearly as comfortable with this position!

View while having a pina colada at Caesars Palace

on our way to the pool at Caesar's Palace

The view at at he Venetian

Now US:

Garden at The Bellagio

Pool at The Bellagio

Indoor Garden at The Bellagio

On the Strip

I love it when I come across this bearing a name resemblance, seriously, Dara is not too common in most of the U.S.A.

On our way out to The Jabawockeez show

Going out

Headed in to MGM

Thanks for reading me and Cheers!

To all of our military family and friends, Happy Memorial day and thank you for all that you do!

Fair Question... Fair Response Friday

2011-05-20T06:55:00.000-05:00

Here I am, so excited!
Two days to Vegas Baby!
I can't wait!

So If you are showing up today and have missed any of the latest posts, check out the right sideline or even the archives on the bottom, left sideline and catch up with us. Feel free to respond to any of the older posts as well.

Today, I'm calling Fair Question....Fair Response Friday because every now and then someone will send me a question on Face Book, email or text me and I simply reply that way, but I thought to myself yesterday, when I got this request "Can you blog about Why the more things change, the more they remain the same?"
That's do-able! Is do-able a word?
Anyway, now I'm asking all of you. What does that mean? I've heard it all of my life and never really gave it that much thought until yesterday.

What does the more things change, the more they stay the same mean to you?

This is a fair question, give us Pickles a fair response....
You can leave your response in the comment box.

Cheers and read me next time!

WWW.Wednesday

2011-05-18T15:32:00.001-05:00

Who? What? Where?... Wednesday

After catching up on a little news, and I do mean a little and doing some much needed reading, I thought about a new format for the blog. Something a little engaging and an opportunity to get some of your thoughts ans opinions.

So, here we go

The WHO:
Lakeysha Beard, yeah, I'm guessing none of you know her, and neither do I, personally anyway. But, I'm sure all of you have come across her or someone just like her a time or two. "Big Mouth Beard"
talked LOUDLY, on her cell phone for a sixteen (16) hour train ride with other passengers. She was even reported as becoming belligerent with another passenger when asked to stop. Did I mention all of this took place in a designated "Quiet Car"?
Lakeysha was escorted off of the train and charged with disorderly conduct. Anderson Cooper put her on his ridiculist last night! I love it!
I think that was more than appropriate.This is a personal pet peeve of mine. Talking loudly on any phone is a pet peeve of mine. Seriously, why are the phones made with an earpiece? Obviously so you can hold it close and actually speak into it. It is my belief that you should only use the speaker option on a phone in privacy as well. I really don't care nor want to hear other people's private and usually ridiculous conversations. It seems and I'm going to say it.... ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR! You can read more here.

Well, Lakeysha, you got what was coming to you and deservedly so.
Do you feel like this was a bit too much?
Do you feel like this was handled well?
Is this a little thing being blown way out of proportion?
If you were on this train ride to H%&#, what would you have to say to Lakeysha and just how would you say it?
Is this a police matter or simply an etiquette or lack there of matter?

The WHAT:
What are you guys eating and cooking lately?
I get bored eating the same old stuff, which then leads to eating out, which then leads to budget busting, which then leads to an extra pound or two... you understand me, I'm sure. So tell me what you're eating and cooking. I was at my weekly community group meeting and someone said just that. We love the fellowship and getting together but we also enjoy that someone different is responsible for each meal. So there always seems to be something yummy that you didn't think of. My latest obsession, I stumbled across at a Mother Daughter event I attended for Mother's day. Since then I have been searching for a recipe for these "Asparagus Rolls" Do you know what I'm talking about? The ones with the sliced bread, asparagus and some other elements but the bread comes out so tasty and buttery! Those ones.... Hahaha!
If you have this recipe and directions please post it in the comment box or send me an email at carrluvsideways@gmail.com

What was the last great bit you ate?
I want to know... and if you loved it, tell me about it! If you made it, post the recipe for all of us Pickles. And yes you can send it to me and I'll post it next Wednesday.

The WHERE:
I am headed to Vegas this weekend and I am so excited. I need a break and change of scenery in the worse way. I haven't even gotten there and I'm already giving thought to where I'd like to go the next time I have the ability to get away for a bit.
So here's what I'm asking all of you that have been to Vegas before, Where do I have to go while I'm there and what do I just have to see? I didn't plan to do a bunch that way we didn't feel obligated in any way, but I am open for suggestions and referrals. If you make a suggestion and I get to visit I will post the proof and a huge thank you!
I will say that the Mister is definitely planning to see the Jabawokeez show and I the Hoover Dam, of course!
Let me know, where to go!

I hope that you all enjoy this new Wednesday format.
I look forward to receiving your feedback.

Cheers and Read me next time!

Purging

2011-05-16T10:58:00.000-05:00

Hey Pickles,
I have been a so side tracked. I'm assuming that this may be my life for a bit with our impending move and all. BUT, flexible is all that I can be.

We are in the midst of purging. What a huge chore. It is absolutely amazing what you will find out about yourself in the process of a purge. The projects you started and didn't finish, the gifts you bought with aunt______ or uncle ___________ (fill in the blank) in mind.
Craziness!

As I have stated before, I'm a reader of all things, I can get my hands on. In that statement I made a gross understatement. At the end of the garage portion of this purge, may I just say that I have four, yes 4 large boxes of books to donate to the library.
Do you know what condition these books have to be in to donate to the library? That four boxes speaks nothing of the books that weren't suitable for donation or the four boxes of home school curriculum and aids that I donated to a neighbors home school group. Oh, or the two big boxes of mine and the mister's college text books. Call it crazy... I did.

I must say, it was fun to sit with the hubby and find old photos of our kids or times we had just forgotten about, it really turned out to be a time of bonding which caught me by surprise. It surprised me so much so that it brought a huge epiphany for me and this is where I ended up "When we take the time to purge our lives it opens up space for the real things that matter so much"
Well today is a new day and the start of the kitchen purge. What do you do with kitchen items when you purge them? I'm asking you... What do you do with those items? In a purge or downsize, do you donate everything? What should be thrown away? Check out the poll on the right of the page and let me know what do you do with the things you have no use for?

UPDATE
I'm sure some of you remember that I had bought the IPAD and that I didn't love it! You can read about it here. So after all of that, I have purchased and love the Samsung Galaxy Tab. This is exactly what I was looking for. The size, the interface, the apps. THE PRICE! I love it! I'm a the newest fan of android!

I wish all of you a great Monday!

Cheers and Read me later....

Celebrating Continued....

2011-05-05T08:44:00.004-05:00

*Okay I think I've got it now!*
So in the past I've asked for my readers to leave your comments here on AP, in the comment box, and without fail, we just haven't achieved that goal. I decided to look back at past comments, emails, tweets, text messages and even ran through some of the phone conversations and what I came up with was the fact that I missed it. Readers will comment on blogs and in comment boxes if there is a dialogue. You commented and I didn't answer. I apologize. That would be the reason for all of the other forms of commentary, duh! I in fact answered to each of those. I got it, I got it! So from here on out I agree to answer each of the comments left here at AP, if for nothing else then to show my appreciation for each of my readers, individually or until I get this massive following and I'm hosting my own t.v. show and doing radio spots.... a little too much? LOL!
I digress, forgive me and let's dialogue! If you may need help doing so you can find directions in the FAQ's.
On with it then...

This week I really wanted to focus on celebrating.
When I met my husband, he never once said that he wasn't used to being celebrated. After a period of time it's was more than obvious.
It had never dawned on me that if he wasnt used to being celebrated then he probably wasn't well versed in celebrating anyone else. That was a hurdle.
Celebrating is nothing more than a gesture of appreciation. That doesn't mean that it has to be the biggest, grandest display every time, but it really should be the most heartfelt and sincere gesture.
I learned a major lesson in learning to love my husband and that was this same fact. All celebrations and gestures didn't have to be big. He taught me that those small celebrations meant just as much if not more than the big ones. We are both better at knowing how to celebrate each other, if you ask him he may say different...

How do you celebrate those around you?

Here are a few ways to celebrate the different Pickles in your life.

For little Pickles:

-Picnics with their favorite foods
-Having an unplanned lunch with the kids at school, if you have more than one child, schedule the lunch at different times or on different days. (be sure to let them know why you're CELEBRATING THEM)
-Plan a meal and allow the guest of honor to make up the menu, don't tell them that they're the guest of honor. Tell them what time dinner will be and have some balloons and indiviual desserts waiting.
They'll really get a kick out of this.
-Take an impromtu picture of them that really shows who they are and frame it with a caption. Give it a special, always seen place!
-Teach your children not only how to appreciate others but how to show it!

Here's a great article for all of you mom's out there.
http://simplekids.net/photographing-mothers-day-2/

For your significant Pickle:

-Sending them flowers, a balloon bouquet, or an edible bouquet to the office or work place is a huge score.
-Sunday Brunch is big in my book
-That coupon book never gets old, make your own with coupons for the little things ie... putting laundry away, two consecutive days of dishes or a bed time pass (get your mind out of the gutter) this means you'll do the duty of getting the kids down for bed and shutting the house down.
-Gift certificates to the favorite spa or restaurant is always great, psst- (always make the gift certificate enough for two! This gives the option of taking a friend along or the favor may be returned when you're asked to join) Was this an ah ha moment for some?
-Take an impromtu picture of them that really shows who they are and frame it with a caption. Give it a special, always seen place!

*Make sure to tell the person why you're celebrating them*

Here's a great article for all of you significant others.
http://lifestyle.msn.com/relationships/article.aspx?cp-documentid=8319163

For your Pickle friends:

-Send a random card in the mail even if you live around the corner
-If your friend works, make plans to pick them up at their lunch time and take them to lunch
-Send them a simple text message or email celebrating or thanking them.
-Take an impromtu picture of them that really shows who they are and frame it with a caption. Give it a special, always seen place!

Here is a good article for all of you Pickle friends.
                                                          http://www.squidoo.com/ways_to_celebrate_friendship_day


*Again, please let the person know that they are being celebrated*

These are very simple tips. You know the people that you are in relationship with but you may or may not know their need to be celebrated and/or appreciated. If nothing else, it's an opportunity to put that energy out into the world to have it returned to yourself. Think of it as starting a trend if you will.

Make sure to come back to AP and let us know who you celebrated and how. The big and the little celebrations. Remember, a little goes a long way.

*Appreciating someone but never celebrating them is like buying a gift and wrapping it up beautifully and then simply sitting it on a shelf and never gifting it. *

Well I wish every Mom, Mom to be, Mom in spirit and Mom in function a very Happy Mother's day.

Read me next time and Cheers!

Celebrate Good Times... C'MON!

2011-05-02T08:03:00.002-05:00

All weekend I have thought about How important it is to celebrate "Good Times"

A lot of times we come up with excuses as to why we can't make time or put out the money. The one thing I find true is that it doesn't have to take a lot of time or a lot of money.

It really just takes the sincerity of heart and the right action to convey your sentiment.

So today, I'm celebrating a couple of things. I'm sure most would think the first is my husband being home from Afghanistan, and while that was first and foremost on my mind, his coming home triggered some other things.

The day I taught him how to recharge the AC in the truck.

I want to celebrate my "oldest Pickle" This is the old soul and my "wanna be big boy" I know I don't blog about him much and almost never show pics of him, he's at a weird age, 13 soon to be 14 and he doesn't hang out with me much anymore unless food or spending money is involved and he's not much on me taking his picture either. So I had to reach back into 2010 to find these pics I'd taken of him at random times. I think he's beautiful, In person and on film but most of all in character. I'm sure most of us may say the same about our first born. He's my only boy and the guinea pig, obviously, but I like him soooo much! Currently! I'm aware how quickly that may change...

Chilling on the deck.

He is now taller than me. His hands and feet are bigger than mine. He is spending time completely submerged in music, nope... slow down... He doesn't really listen to what the other kids are listening to. He is a Micheal Jackson, James Brown, Stevie Wonder and Prince fan for life. He's actually come a long way from his days of all "ELVIS" all the time.

as if he really sees me!

Every weekday morning, his alarm clock sounds off. He then gets out of his bed and comes into my bedroom. He grunts in his way to let me know he's there and I can move over to "Daddy's Spot" and I do. I take my top pillow with me and he climbs into my slept in space. We drift back off to sleep until my alarm sounds for us to wake up.
Friday was different, you see this was something he started when Dad deployed and while knowing he needed that, I needed it to. It was such an important year in his development and his dad was going to miss it all. I needed to keep him as close as possible. So this was it, the last day we would wake up like this..... hmmmm.

THe real guy, he loves babies.

When he came in, I scooted over but I couldn't fall back to sleep. It was sad for me to think this was it. Yes I was grateful for my husband coming home but sad for having to kick my baby out. I laid there pretending to be asleep. A few minutes went by and I scooted close to him, with is back to me, I just put my arms around him and held him. My first thought was he's too big for this and my second thought was, uhhh sleepy thirteen yr. old... this could go very bad.... but I held on anyway! I spoke quietly, " are you sleeping? " His sleepy deep response was "You're touching me" I said "what" he then replies " I can't sleep if you're touching me" okay he's awake, enough! I just wanted to say thank you for keeping me company and helping me to start my days off in such a nice way, for the last year. He tells me, I'm welcomed. Then he moved very slightly, I kissed the back of his head, let him go and planted both of my feet in the small of his back. I gave him one firm shove toward the edge of the bed, he turned over and grabbed me, I kicked and pushed, he landed on the floor with a loud thud. He sat there laughing as I layed now horizontally across the bed, thankful for the dark and him not being able to see me as the tears rolled backwards and down into my ears.

In living Color!

I said in my most convincing mommy voice, now this is one of the stories you need to hold on to with exact clarity, there's gonna be a day when you'll be able to tell your friends how you've been getting kicked out of women's beds since you were thirteen, be sure to leave out the fact that it was you're mother! We both laughed.... I like him, still today... and I celebrate our getting through this year and I celebrate our friendship!

What or who are you celebrating today? I'm not talking about the party or the balloons. I'm speaking to the appreciation as usual. Does that include yourself? Absolutely.

Leave me a comment in the box, so I can celebrate with you!

OH YEAH, I AM CELEBRATING THE RETURN OF THE BIG PICKLE!!! Take that any way you want to! smile! I'm glad to have my family together as a unit!

Read me next time & Cheers!

A Place for Everyone!

2011-04-26T11:44:00.002-05:00

Hello Pickles.

I Trust that all of you have had a great weekend and Happy Easter or Resurrection Sunday!

We are trying NOT to get blown away here in Tenn. The storms have been terrible here. The power outages have been a pain as well. I guess we are more blessed than some so I will just express great APPRECIATION for being spared what others haven't!

This is the large limb that struck my roof and smashed the smaller tree in my yard.
I'll have to get a co. to clean it up and haul it away.

I hope that none of you have any major damage and will be able to endure what ever storm is brewing in your neck of the woods as we brace for another round or two of this craziness.

My two pickles are in Girls Scouts and while it takes a lot of time and I don't always feel like attending, I must say it's always great when I get there. The moms in troop 169 are awesome. There's always a question of how a group of moms will get along and military spouses and civilian spouses mixing, but I have to say it goes without a hitch every time. We had the pleasure of hosting this year's Daddy Daughter dance. The troop decided on a 50's Sock Hop and our troop leader got right to work. It was fabulous. I would love to spread out the credit but, it was more like she took us into consideration, planned accordingly and delegated when the vision came together. It was flawless. Thank you Kristen and troop 169, for making our Clarksville Girl Scouting experience nothing short of great!

My Big Girl Pickle All Dolled up!

Thanks to grandma for making this great poodle skirt!

When a Daddy can't be there what goes better than a well put together Grand Father?

My Pickle getting all dolled up!

Grandma comes through again, but I had to add the blinged out Scotty Dog

I mean, I'm sure that was his hay day, any way! Hahaha...

And ... I thought I would leave you all with this! I always drive by this place and I always have the same laugh about it! I love Jay Leno's Crazy Headline's segment. He always has crazy/ quirky signs that people from all over the country send him. I'll be sending him this one because I know that there is A Place for Everyone! Even for those that make their living with one of the oldest professions!

I obviously love Word Play!

Well, that's it for me, today! Stay safe and don't forget to Appreciate a Pickle!

For those of you still having a little problem leaving a comment, please see the newly added FAQ's at the top of the page!

Read me next time,

Cheers!

1 Year Later

2011-04-21T11:50:00.001-05:00

Woot, Woot, Yay for me, Yay for my little Pickles and... Yay for Normalcy! If you couldn't tell by the ruckus,
My Mister is on his way home.

I'm excited, now.
I'm grateful always!
And I'm over my trepidation.
Yes, Trepidation.

For those who are military members or spouses, we do this one year, sometimes more and sometimes less, deployment. For that time you maintain two separate lives, updating each other as to what's going on in your lives but doing so with a bit of discretion. You shouldn't knowingly upset the balance of each others worlds with anything jarring or heavy, IF you can help it!

The time passes and you come back together as a family but have to keep in mind that most likely neither of you are still the same people that you were at the beginning of the deployment.
As you all may or may not know, I'm always on a quest, hence AP, to just be better than yesterday, so here I am with a year full of being better than yesterdays and he'll come back with a year full of "I just gotta get back home"
Can you see where we may differ now?

Me being me, started talking myself full of trepidation, filling my home with anxiety and then just flat out became paralyzed. I just had to sit with the fact that he was finally coming. I could turn over the reigns of this machine we call a family and just relax. That's what we always think first but then it came. I'm going to have to cook, I'm going to have more laundry, I'm going to have to schedule time with him... I'm going to have to be considerate! I know, i know!
Don't worry, I got there. I'm so ecstatic to have him come home, healthy!
I realize there is nothing for me to worry about, that time, prayer and patience can't work out.

Gotta love that!

Then I remembered a quote that says there are no perfect marriages, only people that have mastered the art of forgiveness. Not to mention someone even tweeted it yesterday! I don't know if I'm a master of anything but as long as that's what I strive for, I'm sure we'll be fine.

In this, I've learned that negativity is familiar to me. I learned that I can talk myself into this crazy state and be there because of it's familiarity, not because it works.

Thanks to my friend who through their seeking clarity, really helped me to see my situation clearly.

Now, I gotta go finish my chores before Daddy gets home! Have a great weekend, Pickles!

Read me next time and...

Cheers!

You Know what BIG FEET means...

2011-04-18T17:03:00.001-05:00

Hey Pickles!
So from the time we were old enough to talk trash or sit around and hear other people talk trash, we at some point heard some woman say " well you know he has big feet and you know what that means, right?" Right, well, uuumm, I think I do! That means he has BIG.................Shoes! Hahaha!
No that means he has a big you know what....
Well I'm here to say that you shouldn't believe everything you hear and even less of what you see. That's what my grandmother would say. Everything isn't always what it seems, sometimes it's a whole lot more or in the case above a whole lot less. Just joking fellas!
I am an avid reader. Does that mean that I'm always glued to a novel? No! That means I read anything I can get my hands or eyes on. That means the occasional novel, a magazine, a newspaper article, a written tutorial or researching something or other on the web. I love reading and I love knowledge. It's always fascinating to come across something I don't know or have never heard before.
This brings me to the point of this blog post. I started tweeting last week and while it's an education, you can socialize without being too personal. I like Facebook, but it can be a little too personal as some people really do have relationships, be them friendly or personal on the WORLD WIDE WEB! hhhmmm!
okay, I digress.
While tweeting last week there was a tweet from O'magazine. The link to this article took me to a place of Oh my goodness's and caused me to take a better look at people.
It was beyond interesting, it was informative and short!
So, it was just what I needed for the 1minute thirty seconds it took for me to read it!
Do you know that shortened eyebrows doesn't necessarily mean that you got jacked up when you got your brows done but that you could have that disorder!
What disorder?
Go and read the article! LOL!!!
Here's the link http://www.oprah.com/health/Sign-of-Diabetes-Thyroid-Symptoms-Yellow-Nails just click it!

Blog Business:
None of you managed to fit all of the criteria of the last challenge. So let's try this again. If you have signed up to follow me by email (top left of this page) or have subscribed to this feed for your reader, then you've already met half of the criteria and the rest should be easy. All you have to do now is leave a comment here in the comment section of AP (below) for each of the remaining APRIL BLOG POSTS, yes, each of them!
I love your emails, facebook love, and even phone calls, but I'd appreciate the commentary HERE at AP!

Again, I'd like to say a big congrats to Amanda who won the last blog challenge.

So this time it's simple,
sign up to follow Appreciating Pickles
(those that have already signed up may play along)
Leave a comment today and on each new post through APRIL
at the end of APRIL everyone that has done so,
will be entered into a drawing to receive some spring goodies!
What are you waiting for? Leave a comment, already. please!

Read Me next time and Cheers!

I'm So Guilty

2011-04-14T09:19:00.001-05:00

Today, I woke up and felt great.
Got right into my routine and then it came to abrupt halt.
Today my kid is a SOUR PICKLE! My 13 year old Pickle, derailed my happiness, not my joy.
I believe that happiness is an emotion, joy is more of a state of being. Therefor, my joy remains in tact. But, I'm not so happy for the moment... You may differ in opinion. You're allowed to. Hahaha.
Any way, he derailed that because he is searching for his identity and boy do I remember that. But I have to say that back when I was searching there were very heavy influences and "Rules to Live by" if you will. That was the climate then.
We had MTV and BET and the Cosby's and Roseanne, Family Matters, Ricki Lake etc... I could fill a book with what we had to influence us. No, not all of them were great influences but it was much easier to see where you fit in or didn't fit in.
Not today, all the lines are blurred and everything is so politically correct. Like anything, this has it's good and it's bad.
For the way that my children are being raised we don't necessarily acknowledge color, but being military we are forced to see rank and status. It's just part of our lives, we do see and pay attention to the way we show up and or allow our kids to show up because it does reflect on our Patriarch.
Well, that 13 year Old Pickle is starting to rebel just a little bit, and I've made my excuses for him, but enough is enough. When I go out and spend good money on good clothes, yes it is partially for the benefit of knowing how people will receive you but it's also for the benefit of helping you to keep your self esteem in tact.
At 13 I don't expect him to get that, but what I do expect is for him to trust that I know what I'm talking about and know that I wouldn't ever intentionally tell him anything to put his physical, mental or emotional self in harms way.
So there will be a compromise, I'll lay his clothes out for him through the rest of the school year and dare him not to dress it what has been put out for him and he'll get to eat, sleep and generally reside in my home until the day comes that he's able to effectively afford to pay for those things himself!
I think that's good.
Fair? Maybe not!
Am I worried about that, No!
I'm guilty, today on April 14th, twenty-eleven of just not giving a flying flip about what my 13 year old wants to wear, because he doesn't know enough about not being governed by his feelings! Sometimes, you just have to do what is expected!
Yup. I'm SOOOOOO GUILTY!

And for this he Will one day "Appreciate this PICKLE!

Don't forget to show some appreciation for a pickle in your travel through life today!

Cheers!

One last thing, The Mayor of New Jersey tweeted this, just this morning "Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it." William Arthur Ward"
It's not just me people, we have to show our appreciation/ gratitude, it's imperative!

Read me next time!

Appreciating Pickles: Life Happens

2011-04-13T08:55:00.000-05:00

Appreciating Pickles: Life Happens: "So I hope not one of you, pickles, feels neglected! I haven't been writing because Life has started happening, AGAIN. This will ju..."

Life Happens

2011-04-12T17:55:00.000-05:00

So I hope not one of you, pickles, feels neglected! I haven't been writing because
Life has started happening, AGAIN.
This will just update you all.
After Spring Break I could not come back and commit to the P90X program. Let me just say, there is a certain level of ignorance needed to work through that...

Are you asking "what are you talking about?"
Let me explain. If you go into such an intense program not knowing what you're getting into, you work really hard, it's intense and painful but you muster up the heart to just work through it... Then you go on Spring Break for a week.... Well it's really hard to come back and knowingly get back to that, that pain, that torture, going to bed in pain, waking up in pain, walking... in pain, going to the bathroom... say it with me... IN PAIN!
okay, so now you get it. This program, I liken it to child birth, you don't know what labor is like and you just psych yourself out and go with it, then after the birth (if it's the Au-natu-ral) makes you curse the day that man (your significant other) was born. Now a few months later, you're so in love with your baby and finally getting some sleep, this baby can fit all of those really cute outfits now and even the soft shoes. You are in complete bliss and thinking to yourself "Hell Yeah, I can do this again"
Clearly, I'm not there yet!
P90X is a butt-kicker and the experience is way too fresh in my mind for me to go back just yet!. My kids are even 4 and 3 years apart.
Now I'm on Weight Watchers and really loving it. This is great for someone like me , who really enjoys learning to be more aware, I'm aware that I don't have enough rigorous activities, I'm aware that salt and vinegar potato chips are the most evil temptation in existence, and I'm aware that I'm addicted to coffee. I think that's a lot of awareness for three weeks, but I am down 5 lbs. Love it!

On to the next happening in my life, I made a purchase that just keeps on giving. And here it is.....

Introducing Prince Murfi

Al I can say is that for as much joy as he brings the kids, he brings me 6am wake ups even on the weekend, little poop filled packages near my fire place and yes, he tries steal my 113lb. American Bull dog's virginity! LOL!

This is our princess Raven, notice what Murfi did to mu rug, eh!

That's a sight to see. Despite it all, My Bull dog is no longer acting out because of loneliness.

He sleeps like nothing I've ever seen

Still sleeping

We're all works in progress.
Lastly, we're counting down to the return of my Mister. He should be here at the end of the month/ the beginning of the next month.
Till next time,
Don't forget to Appreciate a Pickle and
CHEERS!

as he attacks, he's crazy

Hey, I'm on twitter, now! Look me up and follow me at ApprecPickles!

I Just Don't Like IT!!! Rant... UpDate!

2011-04-08T15:01:00.000-05:00

Pickles,
This will be a quick Post!

I am not the techno geek that my husband is, but I've recently found good reasons to purchase some things that could make my life a lot easier. So right after the new year, my first purchase was the Shark. The one for the floors. I love this machine. Granted I did have to get used to the AU-Natural smell of it. I am that chemical girl and I like my clean fresh scents!

The SHARK gets two thumbs up for me.

Here it comes,
I was looking for a product that would allow me to unchain myself from my desktop PC. I never did embrace the laptop. I bought one for my husband and it seems all of my friends love theirs. I couldn't quite love it. I did purchase a smart phone or two and have loved the abilities of each of them. Still can't get enough done on the go with three kids....
I researched the IPAD now the IPAD 2... Thought long and hard about it. The IPAD got marked down on the release of the IPAD2 and then the earthquake happened. I thought long and hard...
My husband was so excited that I showed any interest period. I asked people that I knew owned them, they raved, I read the reviews, they raved... My husband bought it and had it sent to me. I LOVED IT!.... for a full two hours.
Now, that may have been because he stalked me from a war zone about it, no seriously. I came in from Hobby Lobby last Friday and the kids had the box, I put my keys down and the phone rang, it was my husband saying "So what do you think of it" I say " think of what" he says "the IPAD" I'll let him know as soon as I know. He sat on the phone with me for at least 45 min. while I registered and set it up. I liked it... he asked for pics. I had no problem with that except I wasn't able to touch it from that point 1:40pm till about 10:00pm that night. Why you ask, well let's just say the kids thought it was for them, obviously!
AND... It should have been!

I JUST DON'T LIKE IT!!!

The fact that you can't use flash on the IPAD is enough for me. Then I found out that I can't even link up my office live thinga ma jigs to the IPAD account.
It doesn't even give the full function to a lot of my work sites. D+%$, D!^&*, D)*^%

The IPAD gets one thumb up and one thumb down from me. That's because it's not a bad device, it's just not for me...It's going back!
Oh, and let me say that I don't appreciate Apple's Policy. WE paid s/h to get the device, now I'm trying to return it. The Policy is that you have to return it within 14 days, pay the return s/h and a 10% restocking fee. Simply, that STINKS!

I want to know, what do you own that you can't live without?
What do you have that you will be returning? And what will be your next purchase?

If you've missed any posts of Appreciating Pickles, I'm sure it's unintentional. You can catch up...
Keep scrolling down, to the bottom left of your screen you'll find the archives and all past posts!

Thanks for reading me!

UPDATE: 4-8-2011
Apple only charged me 1.5% for returning the IPAD!
Okay so they aren't spawns of satan but... :-)
all is well... again

Vote For Him Already

2011-04-06T12:57:00.000-05:00

Hey Pickles!
First we have some business to handle.
Congratulations to Amanda, who won last months blog candy. Your gift card is on it's way.
Amanda is an elementary school teacher who loves and appreciates her pickles, dearly. How great is it that a teacher would win the blog candy here at AP? Yay!!! Amanda.

Next, a few of you have asked me to get on twitter. You wouldn't have been the first. My friend in O-H-I-O had also urged me to do the same. So now you can find me on there. My name there is of course ApprecPickles or you can use this link http://twitter.com/ApprecPickles , look me up and follow.
Yeah, this does kind of go against my belief as far as being too accessible but truth be told, I'm also trying to grow this whole blog experience. A Pickle's gotta do what a Pickle's gotta do!

Now on to it!
That's right I said vote for him already, I'm not talking about Obama, this is so not the politically correct forum he would need!
I'm talking about MR. Good Will Hunting. Did any of you catch or DVR him on the Nate Berkus show ( Oprah Prodigy)?
I have no time to watch t.v. but I do take take time to DVR the couple of shows I like most and get to watch them in a decent two week time span.
Any way, this young man, named Rashon Carraway, blogs under the name Mr. Good Will Hunting on his blog and now t.v. personality... Hey, side note.. My last name is Carrasco... that whole Carra thing in common... I digress.
Mr. Good Will Hunting is the self proclaimed Thrift Store Lifestyle Coach. I love his style. He knows his stuff. This gentleman (seriously) may be from South Carolina but he has mastered a very city boy chic design attitude. With his denim and bow tie attire, he was so deserving of his spot on the Nate Berkus show. He shared some great tips. I immediately signed on to check out his blog and haven't been disappointed, I have even signed up to follow him in my feed as well as on twitter.
If you haven't checked him out as of yet, just do it!!!
Rashon is currently in a contest for the coolest small apt, home, space etc... In my opinion he's already the winner because unlike so many others he did it with such budget savyness ( is that a word?) Yay for you, Mr. Good Will Hunting.
I need all of my readers, followers and guests to check him out at www.rashoncarraway.com and then you can head over to http://community.apartmenttherapy.com/contests/smallcool/2011/entries/925 to vote for him.
Sounding like too much work, just visit his page and click on the photo/article and follow directions.
Rashon, I am on my way to log in my vote, good luck to you and your awesome shopping/decor sense.

Cheers! and don't forget to appreciate a PICKLE!

AND The Winner Is...

2011-04-03T22:26:00.005-05:00

So last month when I started this blog, I knew that I would have some faithful readers and those that would catch me when they could. But most of all I needed to check my audience, so I knew what kind of writing I'd be doing... Anyway in order to do that, I put up some blog candy for those that met two criteria for a drawing - 1 sign up to follow me or subscribe and
2 leave a comment on each (every) of the posts through March 31, 2011
then your names would be entered in a drawing for a restaurant gift certificate for a restaurant near you. Well no one (not one) person met both criteria, therefore Nobody gets anything. :-)
I got emails from those of you that had something to say about the posts. I got cuddos on Face Book and I even got a little something in the snail mail. Well none of that bothers me but I would appreciate the interaction and dialog here at AP.
Seriously, I have modified the rules of the drawing to really show my appreciation for all of you Pickles for supporting me. And... because I can do that, it's my blog! Hahaha.... So I did the drawing out of the people who signed up to follow the blog and left a comment. Thank you all again!

Well, The winner is......... wait for it........ Amanda!!!! Congratulations Amanda! You have seven (7) days to get in touch with me to get me your full name and address so I'm able to get your gift card out to you. You have until Monday April 11th to email me at carrluvsideways@gmail.com to claim your prize. (In my best Price Is Right voice)
Thank you for participating.

Now on to today's post!

I'm sure I've mentioned the fact that I'm a military spouse. There is a little tradition that we have as wives. A lot of times you're able to purchase these little buildings to set up the community of places you've been stationed.
There is a lady here in town that allows you to come in and make and customize your own buildings.
I LOVE IT!
I spent last wed, doing just that. So here are a few photos of the journey.

The building (blocks) are pre cut. This is how they look with the base paint

This is the mess I was making when I got in the Zone. LOL!

My friend was working on her set as well.
We bumped into an old acquaintance while there. She came in to work on a piece for her home.
Airborne proud!

These are the buildings after I've added my Doors, windows and tent openings...
The tags that I've painted white are going to be attached and used as labels for each building.

So here they are, sanded, stained and labeled

Here's a close up of the Village, this doesn't have to be the set up. This won't be my set up. this is only for Photo sake.
I love the BDU building.
I hate my writing w/o lines!
Oh well...

Just guess who those represent, that's right...
My three pickles!

some of these have tent openings-ish to represent deployments

This was the perfect way to spend such an ugly grey day here in Tn. If you'd like to know how to contact Laura Mercier at Horse Feathers, let me know. She is by appt. only. Thank you so much for a great time and project, Laura.

To check out my crafting exclusively you can find me at http://www.toad-lycrafty2.blogspot.com/

Cheers!

Don't forget to appreciate a pickle today!

2011-04-01T03:18:00.006-05:00

If you are anything like me, there are few things that feel as good as being on all fours, knees feeling like they can't take much more, the warm sun on your back, I just can't wait!

Happy April Fools Day!
I'm talking about GARDENING!!!

My 1st attempt at growing Watermelon

I hate that I'm moving this summer because I won't be able to take my garden with me. But, I'll still have the pleasure of growing one. As a matter of fact my chives for my dips, the citrus mint for my mojitos and my celery have all sprouted... I'm hoping they all make it through this cold snap. I love fresh everything. I'm sure that comes from my roots but it doesn't hurt that I'm married to a Mexican Eating Machine! And the fresher he can get his food, the better he likes it!
Each year I grow cucumbers and tomatoes and even some zucchini. I also grow a few herbs. There's something about walking out your back door to collect whatever it is your going to need for any given meal. It's awesome to look out of your window and see your kids rinse off a few cherry tomatoes or a cucumber and sit on the steps and eat them and if you have a little one like mine there is no rinsing necessary. That's the good life of summer.

My Pickle using one of the the cucumbers like a phone!

Picking a cucumber for her afternoon snack...

It's amazing, for as gifted and talented as I am with the outdoor gardening, I SUCK at growing indoor plants. I buy them because they look great, then my youngest pickle usually adopts them and loves them the way they deserve to be loved.
I adore fresh cut flowers even more, plus I can toss them when ~~I'm done~~ they're done. They have a natural expiration date.

Which takes me some place else all together. For months, now probably years, I really pay attention to expiration dates. Obviously with food but even more in my day to day relationships and interactions.

Do you believe that relationships have expiration dates?
Do you believe in the fact that there is either a reason, a season or a lifetime to all relationships? Or are you the person that holds people hostage?
Not literally, I 'm not talking about the person or tied up in your basement or the people buried under the cement slab in your backyard!
Seriously, you can log off, now!

Anyway,
how many times have we stayed in these tired, beat down, burdensome and obligatory relationships? I'm not even referring to marital relationships. That may apply to some. But I'm talking about friendships and work relationships, boyfriend, girlfriend type relationships, jobs, etc...
I can go further and talk about professional health relationships, I know right now that my kids are patients at a pediatric office where I love the doctors and hate the front office staff and the waiting room set up. Does it work for me, kind of, but it has an expiration date on it. I'll be moving and we'll have to find new pediatricians. Acknowledging that, I know that I've had personal relationships that were the same. These are the ones that are for a reason/season. Do I regret them, not at all. I came to understand that God really does give us what we need... always... It's hard to see that sometimes, but we also have to know that those relationships have expiration dates. These are the same relationships that have to be dealt with in the manner it what they were meant for and no more. Have you ever had the experience of going from being friends to being friendly?
Really? I have. Maybe you just didn't know it...
I've had friends that for whatever reason we grew apart and we now remain in contact every once in a blue moon, not by actual effort, though. When we come across each other it is plenty of well wishes and warm heartfelt sentiment exchanged and we go back to our lives as they were until the next time we run across each other. I know that this is okay because, speaking for myself, I don't wish, hope for or long for that friend in any other way. Being friendly is enough. The expiration came, it was respected and we were able to move on!
Have I ever not respected an expiration date? Uhh, yeah! Where did it get me? Not far, wishing I had left that person alone a long time before then. Wishing I was able to walk away from the situation without hurting any one's feelings or getting my feelings hurt.
Does this also hold true for work experiences? Absolutely... I remember the days when I would drive up to the Red Cross with my stomach in KNOTS! Feeling like the weight of the world was on my shoulders! I wanted to just circle the parking lot and leave. But I couldn't, I wouldn't. I missed the expiration date because it was still fun to go to work. Everyone that had made it fun, had made their exit strategy with all of the upcoming changes about to become effective, but I was still having fun. Then there were only the two of us from the original bunch of us and a lot of new leadership and rules that made it unbearable. I had been on two other job interviews but still hadn't made the effort to leave. Now I don't know if that was fear, stupidity or a bit of both but I missed the expiration date... And I paid for it!
Now these examples don't support the idea of the rare people you meet in life and no matter how much time has passed, you pick up where you left off and know that no matter how far the distance this person would drop whatever it is and be there by your side if you requested. Those are what my grandmother would have called "the Lifetime" sadly even our lifetime relationships even have expiration dates, but that really doesn't matter because one or both of us will be too dead to know it! Gotta love that.

Okay Pickles, so watch your expiration dates... a great country singer sang " You gotta know when to hold'em, Know when to fold' em. Know when to walk away, and Know when to run" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNnrTNFWcsg&playnext=1&list=PL68E7FD8890F77764

Good old Kenny Rogers! I love that song! That chorus can be applied to life! And Yes, this is my favorite version. LOL! A little something to leave you Pickles with a smile!

Well that's it for me today. Take time to appreciate a pickle and read me next time! Have a great weekend!
Cheers!

I Just Don't Like IT!!! Rant...

2011-03-30T22:16:00.003-05:00

CHANGING SCENERY

2011-03-28T04:20:00.010-05:00

I couldn't wait until my kids got old enough for us to go away from home for days at a time and not have everybody out of sorts. For those that have/had young kids, I'm sure you'll agree that leaving your own environment can be way too big of a chore, sometimes. There were times when I just didn't vacation because it was more work and I'd still need a vacation when I got back...

No More... Mostly...

The girls in full flight, getting away from that Tyrannosaurus Rex...

So we took off for a few days last week for spring break and when we take off, it's important to me to get back to the most natural things I can find or stand with three kids.
This time, Cave City KY.
Now, let me make this very clear, it wasn't my first choice! As a matter of fact, I'd already purchased a trip for the family for a spelunking and cave overnight in McMinnville TN.
My 13yr. old wasn't having that? He insisted that we couldn't possibly sleep over night in a cave without dad. I explained how the Native Americans and slaves had done it. He let me know that we may not have all of the liberties we'd like to, but we definitely didn't have to take cover in the overnight shelter of a cave. LOL! Okay, so he had a point!
We wound up at the Comfort Inn, off of I65,with the heated swimming pool and the make your own Belgian waffle breakfast bar... I know right!

You can always find me hanging out with the odd crowd!
Such neat replicas at the indoor/ outdoor museum.

That left us to visit the caves during the daylight, checking out the dinosaur museum... during the daylight... The only thing we saw at night was the McDonald's and the Cracker Barrel... So much for getting back to nature. Even with all of that taken into consideration, I appreciated the CHANGE OF SCENERY!
The smell was different, The sun rise was different, The people were different,
That's for another blog post...

By the end of it all, I have to admit, I really appreciated being born in the 20th century, to live in a time of technology, though often abused, and a time of being able to just access a change of scenery. To have lived when people were using caves as shelter wasn't exactly a time of living as much as it was a time of surviving. Wow, just think about the challenges people faced.
The scenery allowed me to think and process differently than I normally would. I seemed to listen with a different intent, I had the opportunity to gather knowledge with my kids rather than have to constantly be the teacher, I Loved it!
I had such clarity about a 1 or 2 of my own struggles. Just being separated from most of my comforts, transformed me a bit.

Inside of the 2nd cave, Diamond Caverns

There was this moment when I realized that with my mother being in the military and the ups and downs of the lifestyle, I didn't have very many, maybe 1 or 2, no, I'm sure it was just the one, yeah (1) moment like this with my mother. On one hand it saddened me, but I looked up to see that "oh Yeah, we brought her a long too" and it made no sense to dwell on what I didn't have because I had all of that and then some in this moment, among this Scenery.
This time, my change of scenery not only brought me an appreciation for the new but a clarity about the old too.
It's important to take the time to get away. The minister at church this Sunday gave such an on time message and I'll share the formula he gave for making a heart connection with your kids but I think that it holds true for anyone your building a heart connection with. Time + Talk = Heart Connection! That's not any talk it's on the level and expressive talk, that talk that is revealing and substantial. Changing your scenery makes that task a non task. It will give you a starting place.
If you can't get away, take the time to go some place local that you've never been, take the time to change something in your surroundings, that you can appreciate. Move furniture, get rid of that picture on the wall and make something new, something that represents you and your family, put it up in it's place. Change your scenery and see how it affects you.

AND... of course I want to hear about it! If it's not the most recent but the most substantial change of scenery you've experienced, let me know, leave your story in the comment box below. If you'd rather email me, feel free, I'm at carrluvsideways@gmail.com.

This eating machine had eaten my oldest so his sisters decided to rescue him!

Until next time,
Cheers!

OH YEAH, Talk about changing scenery...
How about changing your life,
I want to send out big hugs to three people that I have warm fuzzies for..
Mrs Kirsten C. who just recently started school, and to Danitza and Jade
who recently started classes as a couple! How huge is that?
Parents, career people and people with military careers still making that forward movement!
Cheers!

Don't forget to subscribe to this blog. If you don't know how or have no clue as to what I'm talking about, send me an email at carrluvsideways@gmail.com or leave me a note in the comment box of this blog.

Don't forget that the 1st ~~(25)~~ (20)people, geesh, this is the last week to sign up or follow me and leave a comment on each post through March 31st, 2011 will be put in a drawing for a restaurant gift card.

I like the idea of dia-blogging, I want to hear what you have to say. I need "FEED BACK"

If you've missed an episode of "Appreciating Pickles just keep scrolling down to the bottom left of your screen, yeah archives, you'll find it there!

Spring Break

2011-03-18T19:00:00.000-05:00

It's Officially Spring Break for the Kids and myself as well.
So I won't be posting this next week, but it's a great opportunity to take a look back at any posts you may have missed.
Here they are in order, you can just click on each of them and it'll take you to it.

Why Pickles?
Rich Moments
Challenges

I appreciate all of you pickles that have read or are currently reading me. Especially those who've truly made a commitment to be better each day and to appreciate those around you.
I'm sure it was Mother Theresa that said the world is more starved for love and appreciation than it is for bread...
That says a lot.

I will be changing some things about the blog site over the Spring break as I've also concluded a bit of a conflict of interest with my blogging and crafting.

For those on Spring Break as well, enjoy! For those of you that aren't, take some time to relax and appreciate the day.

Cheers!

Challenges!

2011-03-14T22:47:00.005-05:00

How do you handle "Challenges?" And for some, we have to ask "How do challenges HANDLE YOU?"

I read an article years ago that talked about the idea that Americans were basically some of the weakest people in the world. I was surprised to read such a thing because, you know us Americans we are a "SUPER POWER" plus I'm married to someone in the military! I began to take offense but then I read on... This article explained the American Resolve and Our need to be so politically correct. I read on..
It then spoke to the fact that we do not seek out challenges. "Okay, now that's far enough", I thought, "You have no clue, I've had challenges", is what I'd have said had he physically been there. I read on...
The author of this article went on to explain the difference between having challenges and conquering challenges. Well, Well... I digress...
Hell up until that point, I had a husband, two kids, living expenses and student loans but I was dreaming about my 8th grade math teacher.. Mrs. Ward, telling me how she was going to fail me because I never met the challenge in her class and that I could shape up or join her for summer school. That was then...

Me, personally, I seek out challenge. NOW!
It took me a while but I ~~figured out~~ realized that my willingness to face or take on a challenge was directly linked to my growth, maturity and faith or lack there of when considering these things. I say realized because life and people in my life tried to teach me that time and time again. Yeah, I wasn't exactly paying attention. But when the light came on, it was Crazy Good.

Here it is:

Are you the Pickle that's up to the challenge? Do you get the
tools, access your resources and find your way out of the jar?

Zig Ziglar, I believe is the one who said it. What you get by reaching your destination is not nearly as important as what or who you will become through the journey.
I'm sure I'm paraphrasing.
But,That statement couldn't be more true.

Take a moment to reflect on one of your most challenging times in life...

Come back... we're not done yet.

If you got the lesson that you were supposed to get, you should have been changed by that challenge. For the better that is. Maybe it taught you " that you shouldn't"... maybe it taught you "that you should"... maybe it taught you " that you should WAIT"... or it may have simply taught you "that you should believe"... whatever it was, you should have been changed. If you weren't changed, beware, that challenge will come again in life. Caution, it may be disguised differently, but it will be back...

Now think about the people in your life, those near and far. Think about who and what they are... now think about the way they've handled life's challenges. If this person is someone you look at and say _______(you fill in the blank) is so immature, understand that _______ hasn't embraced and worked through enough challenges. If you think about________ and say _______ hasn't changed a bit, understand that ________ hasn't embraced and worked through enough challenges. If you think about ________ and are able to say ________ doesn't believe in themselves, or doesn't have any confidence or stick- to- it- ness ( as I like to call it) Please, understand that ________ (say it with me now) "HASN'T EMBRACED OR WORKED THROUGH ENOUGH CHALLENGES"

Now think about who you are, think about the way you handle life's challenges.

Can you fill in those blanks with your name? Can someone else fill in the blank with your name? It would be each of our hope's that they couldn't, but just in case, let's open ourselves up to a new challenge and see who and what we are on the other side.
Did I say anything to make you believe that all challenges are grueling? I don't think they are.
I Don't believe that all changes are going to be earth shattering, most of them aren't.
That's t.v.
Most of my change is on the inside, in my gut, in my spirit and in my effective disposition.
For real, anyone can cut their hair and change their clothes and claim to be changed...
REAL CHANGE takes REAL WORK. And there is always work to be done...

So if you find yourself running from challenges or simply choosing not to participate, please know that what ever it is will be there when you get back..
allow yourself to see how much better you're going to be for facing it.
If you're a parent think about the knowledge you will have to share with your children on the matter.

Conquer your challenges and watch yourself grow, see yourself mature and experience where your faith will take you.
Conquering challenges builds character, conquering challenges builds self confidence and faith, and conquering challenges really does mature you.
I tell my friends, I'm not looking for greatness, I'm looking for progress, everyday. I'm just trying to be better than I was yesterday!

I am grateful for my Challenges, I'm thankful for my lessons, I appreciate my faith and I love every lesson learned!

Now take that Mrs. Ward, I met the challenge!

That's all I've got today, Pickles...

TODAY'S CHALLENGE:
Tell me what your current challenge is, by name or anonymously. Just put it out there. What are you doing about it?

Now That's HOTTT!!!

I'll tell you, mine is my weight, No I'm not grossly overweight, but I'm not comfortable either. I have a military ball, a Vegas Trip and a PCS move this summer and I want to be in shape, healthy and "CUTE" that's right! I said it!

I want to be a the hottest Pickle, when my ~~boyfriend~~ husband returns.

What am I doing about it? I've jumped into this P90X regimen my bestie has so talked me in to. It's a killer , but I love the burn! AND I sleep better.

That's my physical challenge, my mental and spiritual challenge is getting through this deployment. It really hasn't been hard... but.... I'm grateful for my Challenges! Enough said!

Did I tell you that if you say it enough, you'll eventually believe it?

CHEERS

I don't want to forget to ask that all of you that read "Appreciating Pickles" take the time to reflect on the Challenges that our fellow men and women are facing in Japan and other affected places. Take the time to say a prayer and send some positive energy to their lives, allow their experience to have you Appreciate a Pickle that you haven't in a while.

BLOG BUSINESS

Don't forget to subscribe to this blog. If you don't know how or have no clue as to what I'm talking about, send me an email at carrluvsideways@gmail.com or leave me a note in the comment area of this blog.
Don't forget that the 1st ~~(25)~~ (20) people to sign up or follow me and leave a comment on each post through March 31st, 2011 will be put in a drawing for a restaurant gift card.
I like the idea of dia-blogging, I want to hear what you have to say. I need "FEED BACK"

If you've missed an episode of "Appreciating Pickles just keep scrolling down to the bottom left of your screen, yeah archives, you'll find it there!

RICH MOMENTS

2011-03-10T22:54:00.005-06:00

aaaaahhhhh, I feel the love already. Thank you to all of you that came by the comment section on my last (1st) post to show me some love. And yes I forgive you all in advance, I'm sure it'll be the same people putting me in my place when I get it wrong as well. LOL! Seriously I wouldn't expect any less. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you...

Here we go.

I see a lot of things that maybe other people don't see. For any of you that have spent any time out with me, you know I am a people watcher. I can sit quietly in a spot and just watch people be people. I'm not easily surprised by anything they do. I've literally moved around my entire life... I feel like I've seen just about all human behavior...
Both my mother and step father were active duty Army. HOOOAH!!! And as if I didn't know any better I married Army.( I wouldn't change it for the world) We'll dia-blog
(blog conversation) about that at another time. I need to like copy right that word! DIA-BLOG... "yes I know you can't copy right a word!"
Anyway, the most interesting things on the planet, as far as I'm concerned is us, people. The thought process or lack there of keeps me entertained. I'm not even talking about television.
I mean real everyday ~~people~~ pickles. "Had to say it at least once."
There I was walking through my local Walmart and a woman walking just a little bit ahead of me, moved kind of oddly, of course it caught my attention.
I checked her out, she didn't look handicapped in any way.

We continued to walk, and then it happened. In one continuous movement and with blinking speed. I watched this lady stop pushing her cart, put the inside of her elbow to her nose, whip out her right leg and cross it over her left leg, ~~squeeze~~ clinch her butt cheeks as hard as she could and sneeze! It took all of me to hold it together. I'm literally laughing out loud as I recall this to tell you all. She was trying not to tinkle when she sneezed. I LOVE IT...

HaChoo!

Now come on, for those of us that have been pregnant and sneezed or had that horrible cold that rendered your pelvic muscles useless or the time you just held your pee-pee(whisper) too long and didn't count on having to sneeze. That's right, there you were thinking, "Now I've gotta get myself cleaned up and change my undies!" I LOVE IT...

She put on such a grand display.
When she was done, she ran her fingers through her hair, adjusted her coat, re-gripped her shopping cart and continued on as if nothing ever happened.
It was one of those moments that I simply call "RICH" it was real, it was authentic, and yes it was funny...

If I'd have had my head down, on the cell phone or just had been too consumed with me, I would've missed her! I would've missed that real people moment.

I said all of that to say "Are we missing the "Rich" moments in our lives?" No they won't all be these hilarious moments. It might be the moments that make you cry, the moments that just cause you to actually look at someone and truly see them, the good and the bad. In a word , Fulfilling.
I feel like sometimes we are so glued to our devices and our televisions and even wishing we had something more or something different, therefore we miss those "RICH" moments that we should be looking for. The moment where we can be our authentic selves and allow those we are sharing the moment with to be the same.At least be present enough to know when someone else is experiencing a rich moment,

Please believe, I'm as guilty as anyone. It takes practice and the will to be better today than we were yesterday. So make it a personal goal to be on the look out for your moments. Besides you may be lucky enough to come across a "PISSY PICKLE" Hahaha....

Make Life Rich by being aware, being present, and being authentic.

Cheers!

BLOG BUSINESS

Don't forget to subscribe to this blog. If you don't know how or have no clue as to what I'm talking about, send me an email at carrluvsideways@gmail.com or leave me a note in the comment area of this blog.
Don't forget that the 1st (25) people to sign up or follow me and leave a comment on each post through March 31st, 2011 will be put in a drawing for a restaurant gift card.
Last, I like the idea of dia-blogging, I want to hear what you have to say. I need "FEED BACK, FEED BACK (Janet Jackson)
OK, this is really last, HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND and read me on Monday! And... If you missed the last blog, just keep scrolling down to the bottom left of your screen, yeah archives, you'll find it there! Did I already say to READ Me on Monday?

CHEERS!

Why Pickles?

2011-03-07T22:58:00.002-06:00

Hey Pickles! Let me say "Thank You" for showing up... I'm excited about this Blog. It's been a long time coming. I've kind of struggled with my writing confidence. Now, I'm just jumping in. I know I'll never know what I'm capable of until I try it. Whew, let's learn and laugh!

So Pickle? Why Pickle?
It's just what I call people. I've revisited that question time and time again. And I always come back to the same idea... because we all start out somewhere. Think about it, we come into this world the same way and life then has it's way with us.
We go through the sweet and the sour, the ups and downs the lumps and bumps that make us who we are and in the end, most of us maintain a soft inside. That core, that foundation that keeps us real and attached to who we really are.
Not to mention I've met a few children in my adult life that irked the living ~~hell~~ day lights out of me. I couldn't call a child the ugly words that came to mind, but I could call them a PICKLE! Now it would be up to me which type of pickle I assigned the "Little Brat" but that was between me, myself and I, So the expression obviously evolved after that. Oh, and I love Pickles. Have you ever tried the fried pickles at Hooters?

They'll cure what ales ya... ( In my best IRISH accent)

So fast Forward to the me of Today, I have learned to appreciate every PICKLE on some level. The young and the old, even the lumpy-bumpy pickle that showed up at my door with that extra vinegar they're lugging around, leaving a sour taste in every one's mouth. You know who you are... I digress... We are all pickles because of what life's experiences make us. But we all have that soft inside that makes us alike and offers us hope for being better tomorrow than any of us were today. Take the time today and everyday from now on to appreciate the Journey of every Pickle!

My Pickles picking cucumbers from our garden...

Here's the Big question... wait for it... What kind of PICKLE are you? AND why? Let me know...

Are you a sweet Pickle? (I'm sure we all think of ourselves as such)
Are you a dill/ sour Pickle?
Are you a Kosher Pickle? (Funny thought, inside joke!)
Are you a Gherkin? (who's a shorty?)
No clue, make up a type of Pickle but be able to explain why!

Here's an informative read:
http://kristiriley.com/featured-articles/pickles/

Oh yeah, Since I'm here and kind of like the "New Kid On The Block" The first 25 people who subscribe to my blog and leave a comment for each post now through the end of March 2011, I'll draw your names in a random drawing to win a little blog candy, a Gift Certificate from me, for a restaurant near YOU!!!
Now understand that I said the first 25 people who subscribe and tune in. So come back to read me and invite a couple of friends.

Shorter:

be one of the 1st (25) to subscribe
leave a comment on each post through March 31st, 2011
be put into a Drawing on March 31st, 2011
possibly win gift certificate to a Restaurant
Sorry Family Members, you can't play!
Got it? Good
Thank you for reading Me...

I'll be Back on Friday...