My 2009 "Enrichment" To-Do List

1. Read some books. So far, the only book I've read in 2009 is Night of the Twisters (a fine read, but a young adult novel that I first read in late elementary school). It's nearly February, and my list of books that I want to read is only getting longer.

2. Scrapbook. I'm still working on a scrapbook that I started before Dave and I got married. We'll be celebrating our 3-year anniversary in April. Hmmm.

3. Figure out how to work the sewing machine that I got from my mother-in-law. You know, the machine that I got several months ago. The one that is taunting me from inside the closet. The one that I have no idea what to do with.

4. Work on my ongoing cross-stitch project. I wanted to make a big picture for Dave, but I thought that I should start on something small first (you know, for the practice). That was two years ago. Apparently, I'm still practicing.

You know, I think I see a pattern forming here... :-)

Smoochacha Patchko Goes to Pittsburgh, Part Deux

You may remember my little friend Smoochacha Patchko. Smoochacha went with Dave and I to Pittsburgh when we went last August. He had such a good time that he decided to go back.

This trip to Pittsburgh was much colder than last time. I thought poor Smoocha was going to freeze to death, but he managed to make it through. He even made some new friends in the snow!


When he wasn't playing in the snow, Smoochacha was busy with other fun activities. He even learned about fire safety from Fireman Dave (and got to "ride" on a real fire truck!)


I think Smoochacha had fun on his trip to Pittsburgh. To see more pictures of his exploits (or a few of mine and Dave's!), check out my Flickr page.

Pittsburgh Bound

Pittsburgh skyline from PNC Park

Tomorrow morning we head up to Pittsburgh -- our home away from home (well, for Dave, I guess it's technically just "home"). We try to go up at least once a year to visit Dave's grandparents and our other friends, though this visit comes a little sooner than that.

The weather report is calling for COLD temperatures. While I'm not excited about the mercury numbers, I am hoping that we'll get to see (and maybe play in!) some snow. A true southerner at heart, I'm always excited to see snow...especially since we don't get it very often. Dave and I are also hoping to take part in some winter activities -- mainly ice skating and snow tubing. I'm really just hoping to not get frostbite in the process. :-)

Stay tuned for pictures and posts from our trip!

Library Love

I have a confession to make...I love going to the library. I know that probably makes me a dork, but I'm okay with that.

I am forever astounded at the amount of information and the resources that are available to us for FREE at the local library. In high school, our local library was a great place to do research for school papers, but it also had a large collection of VHS tapes (you know, pre-DVD days) and CDs available for check-out. Who needs to pay $3.99 at Blockbuster for a movie that you check out for free at the library?

In college, the library was "social central," as our three-story library was one of the main hubs of campus. The first floor of the library was a great place to find people you were looking for and catch up on the latest news. Thankfully, the upper two floors were quieter and more conducive to studying, paper writing, and napping (I took more than one nap on the cushy third-floor sofas!).

Now that I'm an adult (and paying my own bills!), I think I love the library even more. I love to read, but I hate to spend money on something that I'm going to read once and then leave on the shelf to collect dust. So I go to the library, where a wealth of knowledge (and some unexpected resources) are there waiting for me.

"It is impossible to enter a large library... without feeling an inward sensation of reverence, and without catching some sparks of noble emulation, from the mass of mind which is scattered around you."- James Crossley

Something new...

Sigh. Time goes fast when you're having fun...or something like that. I feel like this week has been a whirlwind of activity. But then, compared to last week when I mainly hung out on the couch and got caught up on TV, I guess it has been busy!

Last Sunday, our pastor started a new series called "Be the Change." The series is based around us being the change that we want to see in others and starting the new year out right. While I don't really believe in making New Year's resolutions (they're just asking to be broken!), I think it's a good reminder to stop and take stock of where your priorities are.

I think my biggest "priority change" for 2009 is to be more deliberate (and consistent!) with my time spent with God. It has been my experience that when that's in place, the rest of life sort of sorts itself out.

"Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right." ~Oprah Winfrey