Hello guys - can you believe it's already Thanksgiving week? Today I'm thankful for:
A God whose mercies are new every morning! Lamentations 3:22-23
The photo shoot that has been rescheduled twice but which is (finally) supposed to be Tuesday afternoon.
Nick's dad offering to make the shoe moulding we need to go around the trim in our house around the edges of our new floors. If we buy the actual shoe moulding it's about $1 a foot. Nick's dad is going to cut and route it out of shelving board, which will cost us about $18 instead of $108.
The new furniture arrangement in our living room. It was just moving pieces around, but it was free and it gave the room a fresh feel.
A couple of clients who I had just about written off as far as ordering prints from their sessions contacted me to let me know they want to order soon.
The nice cashier at the grocery store tonight voluntarily went through her personal stash of coupons and gave me a handful that I'll be able to use in the coming weeks.
Have a great week, everyone!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Friday, November 19, 2010
Okay, this daily posting is harder than it looks...
It's been crazy busy the last couple of days, but I have plenty to be thankful for!
I got paid for my first print package (YAY!) and got to order it today.
When I bought my Nikon back in February (I think) there was a $50 gift card in the box to a photo lab. I stuck it back in the box to be looked at later and didn't give it another thought until we were moving stuff out of the living room to put down the new flooring. I had stuck the Nikon box under a side table in the corner beside the couch in case I needed to send the camera back. We pulled it out last night and I found the gift card. I was super excited because it was to the print lab I had already decided to use. Then I realized that it had expired in May. I called the print lab today and they gave me a new gift card code for $50, so I was able to order all my customers' prints as well as a bunch of wallet sizes of my work to use as samples and even a couple of Christmas gift prints. My total cost out of pocket was $5.40!
We got the flooring finished tonight - hooray for that!
I got to order a small free photo book from another photo website to use as a Christmas gift.
I also found an offer where I got 75 free Thanksgiving cards that will be here Monday.
Plus I received an offer for 50 free Christmas cards that I can customize with my own photos.
A good day to be a photographer!
Good night, everybody!
I got paid for my first print package (YAY!) and got to order it today.
When I bought my Nikon back in February (I think) there was a $50 gift card in the box to a photo lab. I stuck it back in the box to be looked at later and didn't give it another thought until we were moving stuff out of the living room to put down the new flooring. I had stuck the Nikon box under a side table in the corner beside the couch in case I needed to send the camera back. We pulled it out last night and I found the gift card. I was super excited because it was to the print lab I had already decided to use. Then I realized that it had expired in May. I called the print lab today and they gave me a new gift card code for $50, so I was able to order all my customers' prints as well as a bunch of wallet sizes of my work to use as samples and even a couple of Christmas gift prints. My total cost out of pocket was $5.40!
We got the flooring finished tonight - hooray for that!
I got to order a small free photo book from another photo website to use as a Christmas gift.
I also found an offer where I got 75 free Thanksgiving cards that will be here Monday.
Plus I received an offer for 50 free Christmas cards that I can customize with my own photos.
A good day to be a photographer!
Good night, everybody!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
I know, I know, I did it again.
I missed another day. But I was busy editing pictures! The family said they really love them and hopefully will purchase a package this weekend. Today (and yesterday) I'm thankful for:
Finally finishing those edits.
God's hand of mercy on our bank account.
Daisy finally learning to walk! Morgan walked at 10 months, so Daisy was really taking her sweet time at almost 13 1/2 months. But she's probably my last baby, so no rush. :)
Getting 151 free prints from Shutterfly, which really helps with a few of my Christmas gifts.
The amazing sex I had with my husband a little while ago!
Finally finishing those edits.
God's hand of mercy on our bank account.
Daisy finally learning to walk! Morgan walked at 10 months, so Daisy was really taking her sweet time at almost 13 1/2 months. But she's probably my last baby, so no rush. :)
Getting 151 free prints from Shutterfly, which really helps with a few of my Christmas gifts.
The amazing sex I had with my husband a little while ago!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Rolling along...
Day 15! The things I'm thankful for today:
My in-laws unexpectedly came over this morning and hauled off our garbage for us. We don't have trash pick-up where I live, so we go to the local garbage dump. Normally we do this every other Thursday when Nick is off so that we can use his Xterra. I can take it off if it's not too much, but it's hard to fit it all in my Camry. Anyway, this time we were going to have to borrow my dad's truck to haul away all the old carpet/laminate flooring, so it was great that they came and got it for us.
A silly little thing, but it made me smile: Morgan collects silly bands. She has hundreds of them. Most of them she has purchased herself with her allowance, although I do have a few packs for her Christmas stocking. Anyway, a few months ago I came across an offer to get a free pack from a soap company using them to promote hand washing in schools. I signed up for them and promptly forgot all about it. They came in the mail today and Morgan was thrilled. :)
Nick got all the flooring in the kitchen put down tonight with the exception of one spot where the under-floor needs to be repaired, and his dad is going to come fix that for us. It looks really, really awesome! When we bought the house nine years ago, we put laminate flooring down in the kitchen, living room, and hallway. At the time they didn't have much of the snap-and-lock stuff, and what they did have was expensive, so we ended up with the type you glue together. There was some sort of tool you could rent to help make sure you got all the boards together nice and tight, but my mom assured us she could put it down just as well without it and that it would be a waste of money. Unfortunately she didn't do such a great job with it, and we've dealt with gaps (that attract dirt), chipping, and swollen spots where water has spilled (as it inevitably will in a kitchen) and seeped into the seams. Nick has done a fabulous job with the new stuff, and all we have left is the living room.
I also want to mention separately how very thankful I am for all the hard work Nick has put in, especially here lately with getting the rooms cleared out and the flooring installed. He's truly a wonderful husband, and I'm so very blessed to have him!
My in-laws unexpectedly came over this morning and hauled off our garbage for us. We don't have trash pick-up where I live, so we go to the local garbage dump. Normally we do this every other Thursday when Nick is off so that we can use his Xterra. I can take it off if it's not too much, but it's hard to fit it all in my Camry. Anyway, this time we were going to have to borrow my dad's truck to haul away all the old carpet/laminate flooring, so it was great that they came and got it for us.
A silly little thing, but it made me smile: Morgan collects silly bands. She has hundreds of them. Most of them she has purchased herself with her allowance, although I do have a few packs for her Christmas stocking. Anyway, a few months ago I came across an offer to get a free pack from a soap company using them to promote hand washing in schools. I signed up for them and promptly forgot all about it. They came in the mail today and Morgan was thrilled. :)
Nick got all the flooring in the kitchen put down tonight with the exception of one spot where the under-floor needs to be repaired, and his dad is going to come fix that for us. It looks really, really awesome! When we bought the house nine years ago, we put laminate flooring down in the kitchen, living room, and hallway. At the time they didn't have much of the snap-and-lock stuff, and what they did have was expensive, so we ended up with the type you glue together. There was some sort of tool you could rent to help make sure you got all the boards together nice and tight, but my mom assured us she could put it down just as well without it and that it would be a waste of money. Unfortunately she didn't do such a great job with it, and we've dealt with gaps (that attract dirt), chipping, and swollen spots where water has spilled (as it inevitably will in a kitchen) and seeped into the seams. Nick has done a fabulous job with the new stuff, and all we have left is the living room.
I also want to mention separately how very thankful I am for all the hard work Nick has put in, especially here lately with getting the rooms cleared out and the flooring installed. He's truly a wonderful husband, and I'm so very blessed to have him!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Friends and free magazines
Hello, guys! Today I'm thankful for:
The fact that my friend D came to church with us this morning. The message really spoke to her, and while she did not come to a decision, the Holy Spirit was really dealing with her. At one point she was crying so much she got up and left to go to the bathroom. I went to check on her, and she asked me to come back in with her and sit in the back. I agreed, and she really seemed to be thinking hard about what was being said. After the service we all went out to my parents' house and had lunch, and she hung out with us until it was time to go back to church. She declined to go to the evening service, but I think she will come with us again.
Nick and I got most of the flooring in our kitchen pulled up tonight. All that we have left are the areas under the dishwasher and our pantry cabinet.
A few weeks ago I signed up for a free subscription to Martha Stewart Living. I had forgotten about it completely (and in fact can't even remember where I found the offer), so it was a neat surprise to get my first issue in the mail yesterday, especially since I was doubtful at the time that it would even show up!
And I'm grateful to have read this post. I needed to hear it. We are facing some real financial needs right now, and while I know, know, KNOW God is going to provide (He always does!) in His time, just when we need it, it helps to be reminded of it too.
Good night, everyone!
The fact that my friend D came to church with us this morning. The message really spoke to her, and while she did not come to a decision, the Holy Spirit was really dealing with her. At one point she was crying so much she got up and left to go to the bathroom. I went to check on her, and she asked me to come back in with her and sit in the back. I agreed, and she really seemed to be thinking hard about what was being said. After the service we all went out to my parents' house and had lunch, and she hung out with us until it was time to go back to church. She declined to go to the evening service, but I think she will come with us again.
Nick and I got most of the flooring in our kitchen pulled up tonight. All that we have left are the areas under the dishwasher and our pantry cabinet.
A few weeks ago I signed up for a free subscription to Martha Stewart Living. I had forgotten about it completely (and in fact can't even remember where I found the offer), so it was a neat surprise to get my first issue in the mail yesterday, especially since I was doubtful at the time that it would even show up!
And I'm grateful to have read this post. I needed to hear it. We are facing some real financial needs right now, and while I know, know, KNOW God is going to provide (He always does!) in His time, just when we need it, it helps to be reminded of it too.
Good night, everyone!
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Super Saturday
Okay, okay, so I missed a day. But I had a good reason, I promise! I spent all night last night (literally - I went to bed at almost 5 this morning) working on the new floors with Nick and Morgan. We finished Daisy's room yesterday and finally got the carpet pulled up in Morgan's room early this morning. Today Nick's dad and stepmom came over and helped put down the new flooring. So of course I'm thankful for that!
I'm also thankful that today my parents decided to go ahead and buy us enough flooring to redo the kitchen and living room too, and I couldn't be more excited!
My brother and sister-in-law did something really neat for us today too. When my brother became a pastor, the church decided they wanted to pay for his and his wife's monthly cell phone bill so that he could have an unlimited minutes/text/media package and always be available without having to worry about a huge bill. Anyway, they wanted to switch him from ATT to Verizon. My brother's contract was up, but his wife's was not (they've only been married a little over a year and weren't on the same account).
So anyway, they went in to cancel her account and ATT told them there would be a big cancellation fee. They asked if there was any way they could waive it. ATT said they could not, but that they would be willing to credit $50 of it to another ATT account if they had another account they'd like to put it on. They decided to have it credited to our account. My brother called me to tell me this, and I offered to pay him for it when we can, but he said he wanted us to just consider it part one of Christmas. :)
God has been so very good to us!
Those of you on praying terms, I would really appreciate your prayers for a situation. My friend D is not a Christian and is not entirely sure she believes in God at all. I've been praying for her for a few years, and she's been to church with us a couple of times. She messaged me the other day and asked me to have coffee with her. We met last night and spent some time talking, and she's in a place where she's feeling like her life is really empty and she's just really searching. We talked some about God and what He means to me, and she got pretty teary eyed. I've invited her back to church tomorrow, but she's not sure if she'll be there or not. Please just be in prayer for her, that she'll come to realize what/Who she really needs, and also that I can be the friend I need to be here.
Anyway, I'm BEAT (and not in a good way!), so I'm off to bed. Good night, all!
I'm also thankful that today my parents decided to go ahead and buy us enough flooring to redo the kitchen and living room too, and I couldn't be more excited!
My brother and sister-in-law did something really neat for us today too. When my brother became a pastor, the church decided they wanted to pay for his and his wife's monthly cell phone bill so that he could have an unlimited minutes/text/media package and always be available without having to worry about a huge bill. Anyway, they wanted to switch him from ATT to Verizon. My brother's contract was up, but his wife's was not (they've only been married a little over a year and weren't on the same account).
So anyway, they went in to cancel her account and ATT told them there would be a big cancellation fee. They asked if there was any way they could waive it. ATT said they could not, but that they would be willing to credit $50 of it to another ATT account if they had another account they'd like to put it on. They decided to have it credited to our account. My brother called me to tell me this, and I offered to pay him for it when we can, but he said he wanted us to just consider it part one of Christmas. :)
God has been so very good to us!
Those of you on praying terms, I would really appreciate your prayers for a situation. My friend D is not a Christian and is not entirely sure she believes in God at all. I've been praying for her for a few years, and she's been to church with us a couple of times. She messaged me the other day and asked me to have coffee with her. We met last night and spent some time talking, and she's in a place where she's feeling like her life is really empty and she's just really searching. We talked some about God and what He means to me, and she got pretty teary eyed. I've invited her back to church tomorrow, but she's not sure if she'll be there or not. Please just be in prayer for her, that she'll come to realize what/Who she really needs, and also that I can be the friend I need to be here.
Anyway, I'm BEAT (and not in a good way!), so I'm off to bed. Good night, all!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Thankful Thursday
Today is Veteran's Day here in the states, and I would be remiss if I didn't mention that I'm incredibly thankful for those who do or did serve in the military. From my father to my old boss to former schoolmates all the way down to the kid whose senior picture I shot for the yearbook back in March, they are all brave for making the commitment they made, and we owe them our freedom.
I'm also thankful for the laminate flooring my parents bought for us to put in the girls' rooms. The carpet in both rooms has been pretty much trashed by 9 years of kids, mechanic's boots, and potty training puppies, and it was basically unsalvageable. We've wanted to replace it for a long time (more urgently since Daisy started crawling), but haven't had the money. My mom and dad decided to just go ahead and get it for us, and Nick got most of Daisy's room finished tonight.
Anyway, I'm sooo tired and ready for bed, so it's a short list tonight. 'Night all!
I'm also thankful for the laminate flooring my parents bought for us to put in the girls' rooms. The carpet in both rooms has been pretty much trashed by 9 years of kids, mechanic's boots, and potty training puppies, and it was basically unsalvageable. We've wanted to replace it for a long time (more urgently since Daisy started crawling), but haven't had the money. My mom and dad decided to just go ahead and get it for us, and Nick got most of Daisy's room finished tonight.
Anyway, I'm sooo tired and ready for bed, so it's a short list tonight. 'Night all!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Wonderful Wednesday
It's hump day!
Today I'm thankful for:
The fact that today's photo shoot went well.
Today's visit to the salon to get trimmed, plucked, and colored - hooray for no more gray!
That tomorrow is Nick's day off!
That the photo shoot I had scheduled for tomorrow has been postponed till Tuesday - now Nick and I get to enjoy the day together!
The money I made at the photo shoot today.
Our DVR.
Sweet tea - mmmmm!
Have a great night!
Today I'm thankful for:
The fact that today's photo shoot went well.
Today's visit to the salon to get trimmed, plucked, and colored - hooray for no more gray!
That tomorrow is Nick's day off!
That the photo shoot I had scheduled for tomorrow has been postponed till Tuesday - now Nick and I get to enjoy the day together!
The money I made at the photo shoot today.
Our DVR.
Sweet tea - mmmmm!
Have a great night!
Gratituesday
Gosh, almost a third of the way through the month already! Today I'm thankful for:
The unexpected photo booking I got for tomorrow.
The $20 Target gift card that I forgot I got for my birthday - I was able to go get Daisy a Christmas gift and both girls some stocking stuffers today.
The coupons I found today that are going to get some free stocking stuffers for Nick and Morgan.
The metal shelf that my brother gave us tonight - Nick is going to convert it into a rack to hold my new backdrops.
The fact that www.restaurant.com currently has their $25 gift certificates for $2. Every time this deal comes up I spend $8 and get $100 worth for us. We use them at a couple of different sushi restaurants and have never had a problem. What makes me really happy is that this is going to be a great (but inexpensive) and easy to ship Christmas gift for my (hard to buy for)brother who's currently working/living in Texas. The number of restaurants available for his city was staggering to me, and I know this is something he'll love! (Btw, if you want to take advantage of the deal, it's good through 11/15, and the coupon code is GIVE.)
Tonight Daisy learned to : 1) blows kisses and 2) enthusiastically clap for herself afterwards. Cutest. Thing. Ever.
Morgan has been such an amazing big sister, especially here lately, and Nick and I are both so proud of her!
Morgan's conduct grade has been exceptional so far this school year!
The unexpected photo booking I got for tomorrow.
The $20 Target gift card that I forgot I got for my birthday - I was able to go get Daisy a Christmas gift and both girls some stocking stuffers today.
The coupons I found today that are going to get some free stocking stuffers for Nick and Morgan.
The metal shelf that my brother gave us tonight - Nick is going to convert it into a rack to hold my new backdrops.
The fact that www.restaurant.com currently has their $25 gift certificates for $2. Every time this deal comes up I spend $8 and get $100 worth for us. We use them at a couple of different sushi restaurants and have never had a problem. What makes me really happy is that this is going to be a great (but inexpensive) and easy to ship Christmas gift for my (hard to buy for)brother who's currently working/living in Texas. The number of restaurants available for his city was staggering to me, and I know this is something he'll love! (Btw, if you want to take advantage of the deal, it's good through 11/15, and the coupon code is GIVE.)
Tonight Daisy learned to : 1) blows kisses and 2) enthusiastically clap for herself afterwards. Cutest. Thing. Ever.
Morgan has been such an amazing big sister, especially here lately, and Nick and I are both so proud of her!
Morgan's conduct grade has been exceptional so far this school year!
Monday, November 08, 2010
Crazy Blogger!
Well I just had the weirdest experience with Blogger! I tried to do my post, and the new post box looked REALLY strange. So I tried to do the post by choosing Edit Post on an old draft. When it published, it didn't have any of my current post, just the old partial draft (which, btw if you saw it, it was a survey I had copied and pasted from somewhere, and the answers in it weren't even mine! They belonged to whoever I copied the survey from - guess that's why it was still in draft!). Anyway, here's trying again:
Today I'm thankful for:
The free room spray I got at Bath and Body Works - yay coupons!
The fact that Nick unexpectedly got to go see a college basketball game tonight with some men from our church - great seats too!
Finally having my tags renewed - they expired at the end of September - eek! I'd say that was spankable, but Nick's expired in August!
The discount grocery outlet that just opened near our house. There's another really close to my old job, and I used to shop there all the time. But it's 25 miles away, and that's just too far to drive if I'm not going to be out there anyway!
Nutter Butters - yum!
Good night, everyone!
Today I'm thankful for:
The free room spray I got at Bath and Body Works - yay coupons!
The fact that Nick unexpectedly got to go see a college basketball game tonight with some men from our church - great seats too!
Finally having my tags renewed - they expired at the end of September - eek! I'd say that was spankable, but Nick's expired in August!
The discount grocery outlet that just opened near our house. There's another really close to my old job, and I used to shop there all the time. But it's 25 miles away, and that's just too far to drive if I'm not going to be out there anyway!
Nutter Butters - yum!
Good night, everyone!
Sunday, November 07, 2010
Sunday Sweetness
Hello, everybody!
Today I'm thankful for:
The extra hour of sleep I got due to the time change.
The great church service.
The great deal I got on diapers.
That I was able to knock out several Christmas gifts today for a good price.
That one of those was for our nephew, for whom I had NO IDEA what to buy!
The nice lunch we had today.
That I got to go to Wal-Mart All By Myself without one single kid tonight.
The sweet, sweet giggles I got to hear out of Daisy tonight. Admittedly, I get to hear those every day, but they never get old!
Have a great week, everyone!
Today I'm thankful for:
The extra hour of sleep I got due to the time change.
The great church service.
The great deal I got on diapers.
That I was able to knock out several Christmas gifts today for a good price.
That one of those was for our nephew, for whom I had NO IDEA what to buy!
The nice lunch we had today.
That I got to go to Wal-Mart All By Myself without one single kid tonight.
The sweet, sweet giggles I got to hear out of Daisy tonight. Admittedly, I get to hear those every day, but they never get old!
Have a great week, everyone!
Fantastic freebies!
Hello, everyone!
Today I'm thankful for:
The spanking I got last night (now that it's over).
The fact that I got to see my friend Elizabeth this evening.
The fact that I got most of Daisy's room clean today.
All the great photography backdrops I got FOR FREE from Elizabeth's dad tonight!
My dad for letting me borrow his truck so I could go pick up the backdrops.
The extra hour of sleep I'll be getting when we set the clocks back tonight!
Happy Saturday!
Today I'm thankful for:
The spanking I got last night (now that it's over).
The fact that I got to see my friend Elizabeth this evening.
The fact that I got most of Daisy's room clean today.
All the great photography backdrops I got FOR FREE from Elizabeth's dad tonight!
My dad for letting me borrow his truck so I could go pick up the backdrops.
The extra hour of sleep I'll be getting when we set the clocks back tonight!
Happy Saturday!
Saturday, November 06, 2010
Betrayed by Facebook!
I got a spanking last night. It was promised to me the night before, but I didn't mention it here because I never know when (or even if, in some cases) we'll be able to get to it.
Recently I've found myself staying up much later than I need to. Part of it has been me trying to find time to edit pictures, but part of it has been spent just playing online and catching up on our DVR listings. Of course Daisy wants to get up about 8:30, whether I've been up till 4:00 or 5:00 or not. Naturally this has left me pretty tired and unproductive.
So on Tuesday night I mentioned that I really need to be going to bed earlier. Nick immediately agreed, and I suggested that maybe I needed a curfew. He thought that was an excellent idea, and even though he didn't set an exact time, he made it clear that he expected me to be more responsible about it.
I had good intentions - really I did! Unfortunately it got late pretty fast on Wednesday night. But it wasn't nearly as late as I had been getting in bed recently, so I thought I was still okay. In fact, I even read for a while after I went up to bed.
Thursday when Nick got home from work he asked me what time I'd gone to bed.
"Ummmm...I don't remember exactly."
"It was late. Do you know how I know? Looking at your facebook."
Well crap. He let it drop, but I knew it was going to come up again. That night when we went to bed (you can bet I went up when he did!) I snuggled up against him and apologized for not being more obedient about it. He answered with the sort of "Mmm-hmmm" that generally means the apology is a good idea.
"Are you going to paddle me?" I asked softly.
"Yep." That was all the conversation about it that night, and I figured it would be several days before he could take care of it. Morgan's best friend Sarah was due to sleep over the next night (last night), and Saturday nights are rarely good for any kind of alone time because Morgan's bedtime is later on Fridays and Saturdays.
Originally Morgan was supposed to spend the night with my parents, but then Sarah's mom asked if Sarah could sleep over. We'd been trying to make that happen for several months now and never could get our schedules to coincide, so I hated to tell her no, even though it wasn't really the ideal time for us.
I kept meaning to call my mom to tell her Morgan wouldn't be coming over, but every time I thought of it, it was at a time when I couldn't call her. I was on my way to pick Morgan and Sarah up at school yesterday when I realized I still hadn't let her know. I called her and told her what was going on and apologized for not telling her sooner, and she said, "Well, I've already got dinner made - why don't you bring them out and let them spend the night here?"
Sarah has spent the night with Morgan at my parents' house before, and they've even taken both girls on an overnight trip out of town, so I knew Sarah's mom probably wouldn't care. But I was hesitant myself because I knew this would give Nick the opportunity to paddle me once Daisy was in bed. Still, I knew I couldn't let that dictate the girls' night, so I agreed to ask Sarah's mom and run it by the girls.
Of course Nanny and Papaw's house is always way more fun than home, so both girls were on board with it, and Sarah's mom said yes without hesitation. So when Nick got home from work yesterday it was just me and Daisy.
Last night we went up to bed at a reasonable hour. Although he hadn't mentioned the spanking again, I knew it was hanging over my head, and I kept stalling to keep from actually undressing and getting in bed. Finally I had to take my pants off and crawl under the covers, and as soon as I did he said that we had something to take care of. He got up and pulled out the Spencer paddle.
Now I have mixed emotions about the Spencer paddle. Fantasy-wise, it really appeals to me, just because of the shape and size and the extra shivery detail of the holes. But in reality, this is a Very Serious Paddle. And when it's a serious spanking, as this one definitely was, there is no layer of arousal to cushion the burn. Spankings hurt, especially the way my husband gives them, and I knew that this one would be no exception. I actually even asked if I could put my pants back on first, even though I knew the chances of that were less than slim.
"Nope," he answered.
"Please?"
"What did I just say?"
I didn't ask again, because I knew that if I kept pushing I was likely to lose my panties too. He lectured me for a bit about the staying up late, but also about the fact that he'd asked me to focus on getting the laundry done and Daisy's room cleaned out (there are lots of things in there she's outgrown) and neither chore was as far along as he felt they should be.
Then he picked up the paddle and proceeded to blister my bottom with it. It wasn't nearly as long a spanking as some that I've had, only about 100 swats, but the paddle really made an impression, and the last 10 swats especially left me marked. This morning when I turned over in bed I could really feel it. When he was finished paddling me he held me close and asked me if I thought I has learned my lesson. I assured him that, yes sir, I certainly had.
It helps me so much when he steps in to help me focus, and I really do appreciate it.
Friday, November 05, 2010
Happy Friday!
It's Friday! It's Friday!
Today I'm thankful for:
Morgan's overnight play date which unexpectedly went from her best friend spending the night here to both of them spending the night with my parents.
Today's piece of cheesecake, which was Godiva chocolate!
That today is payday!
Fruit Roll-ups (honestly, I'm going to get away from the food).
Daisy, who is 13 months old today.
The Picaboo photobook I got in the mail today. I had a coupon to get it for just the shipping, and it's going to make a great Christmas gift for my parents.
Hair dye. I truly do not cherish my gray, and I can't wait to get it colored next Wednesday.
Happy Friday!
Today I'm thankful for:
Morgan's overnight play date which unexpectedly went from her best friend spending the night here to both of them spending the night with my parents.
Today's piece of cheesecake, which was Godiva chocolate!
That today is payday!
Fruit Roll-ups (honestly, I'm going to get away from the food).
Daisy, who is 13 months old today.
The Picaboo photobook I got in the mail today. I had a coupon to get it for just the shipping, and it's going to make a great Christmas gift for my parents.
Hair dye. I truly do not cherish my gray, and I can't wait to get it colored next Wednesday.
Happy Friday!
Thursday, November 04, 2010
A yummy day of thanks...
Today I'm thankful for:
The yummy lunch I got to have today with an old friend from high school.
The bag of GINORMOUS marshmallows I found at Wal-Mart tonight.
The frozen Coke I'm drinking right now. Mmmmmm!
The adorable outfit Daisy was wearing today. Nick's sister sent it for her birthday.
The Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake I got at Sam's today.
Hmmmm...most of these seem to have to do with food. I'd better have a piece of cheesecake and give this some thought...
The yummy lunch I got to have today with an old friend from high school.
The bag of GINORMOUS marshmallows I found at Wal-Mart tonight.
The frozen Coke I'm drinking right now. Mmmmmm!
The adorable outfit Daisy was wearing today. Nick's sister sent it for her birthday.
The Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake I got at Sam's today.
Hmmmm...most of these seem to have to do with food. I'd better have a piece of cheesecake and give this some thought...
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
Old friends
Hope you guys have had a great Wednesday!
Today I'm thankful for:
The old classmate who contacted me late last night to set up a photo session for next week.
The friend whose dad used to do photography work on the side. She told me tonight that she has some of his old lighting and background equipment for me for the fabulous price of free!
The great church service we had tonight.
The sweet time Nick spent with Morgan this evening building a model log cabin for her extra credit project at school.
Happy Hump Day!
Today I'm thankful for:
The old classmate who contacted me late last night to set up a photo session for next week.
The friend whose dad used to do photography work on the side. She told me tonight that she has some of his old lighting and background equipment for me for the fabulous price of free!
The great church service we had tonight.
The sweet time Nick spent with Morgan this evening building a model log cabin for her extra credit project at school.
Happy Hump Day!
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Mixing bowls and ballots
Today I'm thankful for number of different things.
I'm thankful for my mom giving me a couple of mixing bowls. In the past week both of my most used bowls have gotten broken. When I mentioned to her that I would love to get a couple of cheap ones for Christmas she said that she actually had two extras that she needed to get rid of because she didn't use them and needed the space. They were exactly the size of the two I lost.
I'm thankful that I was able to exercise my right to vote, and that my mom watched the kids for us so Nick and I could go together to do that.
I'm thankful for that my brother James made it to Texas okay. He's a surgical tech and he's just taken a 13 week traveling post. Ironically his apartment for the duration is only about a half hour from Nick's sister's house, something else I'm thankful for. It's nice that he knows someone locally who can help him navigate things like toll roads and other new-to-him phenomena.
I'm thankful that Daisy seems to be very much on the mend from her cold.
Good night, all!
I'm thankful for my mom giving me a couple of mixing bowls. In the past week both of my most used bowls have gotten broken. When I mentioned to her that I would love to get a couple of cheap ones for Christmas she said that she actually had two extras that she needed to get rid of because she didn't use them and needed the space. They were exactly the size of the two I lost.
I'm thankful that I was able to exercise my right to vote, and that my mom watched the kids for us so Nick and I could go together to do that.
I'm thankful for that my brother James made it to Texas okay. He's a surgical tech and he's just taken a 13 week traveling post. Ironically his apartment for the duration is only about a half hour from Nick's sister's house, something else I'm thankful for. It's nice that he knows someone locally who can help him navigate things like toll roads and other new-to-him phenomena.
I'm thankful that Daisy seems to be very much on the mend from her cold.
Good night, all!
Monday, November 01, 2010
Plenty to be thankful for!
I've found myself wanting to complain a lot the last few days - I'm tired, we don't have enough money to pay the bills, my laundry is overwhelming, the baby and I have both been sick, I still haven't gotten that birthday spanking (which is turning into a desperate need by this time!), blah, blah, blah...
BUT, here's the thing. Despite all of that, my life is incredibly blessed. I have innumerable blessings, showered on me by a God full of grace. And so this month, I'm going to stop giving voice to my ingratitude and start concentrating on what I'm thankful for! To start with:
I'm thankful that the cold Daisy and I have shared seems to have both skipped Nick and Morgan and be on it's way out the door for both of us.
I'm thankful that my photography business has brought in $380 in the last month.
I'm thankful that Morgan made the AB Honor Roll this quarter.
I'm thankful that I've found enough coupons and good deals that I've been able to buy 3 nice Christmas gifts and 4 nice birthday gifts for less than $34 total.
I'm thankful that in this time with no health insurance I can still take Daisy to the Health Department to get her immunizations at no charge.
I'm thankful that I finally get to be a stay at home mom.
I'm thankful that our new church home is such a fantastic place and is so very full of the Spirit.
And right now I'm thankful that I get to go crawl in bed and snuggle my sleeping husband!
BUT, here's the thing. Despite all of that, my life is incredibly blessed. I have innumerable blessings, showered on me by a God full of grace. And so this month, I'm going to stop giving voice to my ingratitude and start concentrating on what I'm thankful for! To start with:
I'm thankful that the cold Daisy and I have shared seems to have both skipped Nick and Morgan and be on it's way out the door for both of us.
I'm thankful that my photography business has brought in $380 in the last month.
I'm thankful that Morgan made the AB Honor Roll this quarter.
I'm thankful that I've found enough coupons and good deals that I've been able to buy 3 nice Christmas gifts and 4 nice birthday gifts for less than $34 total.
I'm thankful that in this time with no health insurance I can still take Daisy to the Health Department to get her immunizations at no charge.
I'm thankful that I finally get to be a stay at home mom.
I'm thankful that our new church home is such a fantastic place and is so very full of the Spirit.
And right now I'm thankful that I get to go crawl in bed and snuggle my sleeping husband!
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Welcome, Everyone!
It was so good to hear from everyone for Love Our Lurkers Day! Old friends and new, I welcome you all! I apologize for not being able to answer individual comments - this has been a crazy weekend! Yesterday I had to take Morgan to school (Nick usually does, but he got up late), take Daisy for her 1 year check-up (she had to have SEVEN immunizations, poor baby!), pick Morgan back up at 12:40 (it was a half day of school for some unexplained reason), go pay some bills, head to the grocery store, pick up some lunch for me and the kids, then head to church for a wedding I was shooting! Today I had another shoot, and the baby has felt bad all day because of the shots yesterday, so I'm just now getting a chance to breathe. But anyway, I did want to say thank you all for popping in - I'm so glad to know you!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Love Our Lurkers Day!
Hello! Hello! I'm just popping in between editing photos, so I can't stay, but I will be back to read comments, and I want to meet YOU! Yes, you - the one over there reading but never commenting. That was me once upon a time (heck, if I'm honest, I rarely comment now, but that's due to a serious lack of time rather than shyness). But I did finally take the step one day of stepping (anonymously) into the bloglight, and I made SO many awesome friends, some of whom I now know in real life (at least facebook real life). It makes my day when I get a comment or an email from one of you letting me know you're reading, and it really, really makes it when I find out that something I posted helped someone! So if you want to share your story or just say hi, comment away!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Another year gone by
Hi, all. I know I've not posted for a bit, but I've been BUSY! We had Daisy's birthday party on her birthday (the 5th), and it was a great success. She got lots of pretty clothes and plenty of toys that have kept her absolutely fascinated ever since. She's growing so fast - I can't believe it's been a year since I had her! She took about 6 steps last night which is the most she's ever walked at once. To be honest I had expected her to walk sooner since Morgan walked at 10 months, but she's likely my last baby, so I'm happy to keep her small as long as I can!
We have a favorite spot we like to go to in the state park around the lake. It's this big stone gazebo with picnic tables, grills, restrooms, and a huge outdoor fireplace. We decided to get there early because it's first come, first serve, and this spot is hugely popular. Nick bought everything we needed for breakfast and lunch, and we got there at 9 AM. Nick makes this amazing breakfast scramble with hash browns, eggs, cheddar cheese, onions, peppers, bacon, and sausage. You slather a tortilla with sour cream then spread the filling on top, roll it up into a burrito and have the best breakfast ever! He usually only makes it when we go camping, but I really love it, and it was soooo good on a crisp fall morning!
I got to take some really neat pictures of a very brave deer that wandered through and let Morgan and me follow it for a rather long time. I also got some neat shots of some fishermen on the weir dam and a kayaker on the lake. Around noon family and friends started showing up, and we had hot dogs, chips, chili, potato salad, etc for lunch, followed by birthday cake and ice cream. My in-laws bought me a microwave (ours went completely dead a couple of days earlier), my mom and dad gave me a journal and some money (actually the money was a couple of weeks ago, but it ended up going for bills - boo!), Robert and Faith got me a Target gift card (yay!), and Kelly and Grant got me some Thanksgiving dishes. I also got a card in the mail from Kate today with a $25 Visa gift card that I took to Bath and Body Works and went crazy with. Funny thing about that - it was a Vanilla Visa card. I'd never heard of them before, but it made me smile. Oh, and the photo shoot that day wasn't until the late afternoon, so it didn't get in the way after all!
My photography business has picked up some. I had a newborn shoot last Tuesday and a couple's one year anniversary shoot on Saturday, and I have my first paid wedding this Friday. I'll also be doing a friend's family pictures on Saturday, but I don't expect to get paid for that one.
Sunday was my birthday. Much to my surprise, Nick arranged a birthday party for me! This was a pretty big deal for me, because I haven't had a birthday party since I was seven. My younger brother James' birthday is the day before mine, so it was a struggle for my parents just to pay for gifts for two, let alone throw a double party! Anyway, let me backtrack just a minute:
My photo shoot for Saturday was originally scheduled for last Monday, the 11th. I called the girl a few days beforehand to confirm and she said that she needed to postpone it 5 days. Okay, no big deal, we had no plans as far as I knew, and Nick was off and could watch the kids. Fast forward a few days and I'm telling Nick all this for the second time and it suddenly sinks in for him what I'm saying.
"THIS Saturday? You have a photo shoot THIS Saturday?" It turned out that he had been on the phone all day with family and friends and our local fruit and berry farm making arrangements for us to have a picnic/party there on Saturday. My actual birthday was Sunday, but they were having some kind of festival that day. I had mentioned wanting to go apple picking sometime a few days earlier, so he was trying to factor that in. Once I knew what was happening, we talked it over and decided to just do a cookout at the lake instead.
We have a favorite spot we like to go to in the state park around the lake. It's this big stone gazebo with picnic tables, grills, restrooms, and a huge outdoor fireplace. We decided to get there early because it's first come, first serve, and this spot is hugely popular. Nick bought everything we needed for breakfast and lunch, and we got there at 9 AM. Nick makes this amazing breakfast scramble with hash browns, eggs, cheddar cheese, onions, peppers, bacon, and sausage. You slather a tortilla with sour cream then spread the filling on top, roll it up into a burrito and have the best breakfast ever! He usually only makes it when we go camping, but I really love it, and it was soooo good on a crisp fall morning!
I got to take some really neat pictures of a very brave deer that wandered through and let Morgan and me follow it for a rather long time. I also got some neat shots of some fishermen on the weir dam and a kayaker on the lake. Around noon family and friends started showing up, and we had hot dogs, chips, chili, potato salad, etc for lunch, followed by birthday cake and ice cream. My in-laws bought me a microwave (ours went completely dead a couple of days earlier), my mom and dad gave me a journal and some money (actually the money was a couple of weeks ago, but it ended up going for bills - boo!), Robert and Faith got me a Target gift card (yay!), and Kelly and Grant got me some Thanksgiving dishes. I also got a card in the mail from Kate today with a $25 Visa gift card that I took to Bath and Body Works and went crazy with. Funny thing about that - it was a Vanilla Visa card. I'd never heard of them before, but it made me smile. Oh, and the photo shoot that day wasn't until the late afternoon, so it didn't get in the way after all!
Anyway, there was no birthday spanking, although it was discussed and put on the schedule for sometime this week. I may be jinxing myself by posting that, but here's hoping. Anyway, that's what I've been up to - how about you guys?
Saturday, October 02, 2010
Well that's one way to start a conversation...
Oh my. Last night Nick and I had some semi-alone time (Morgan spent the night with my mom, and the baby was asleep for the night), and it definitely didn't go how I expected. I was expecting some playful intimacy, and there was most certainly some of that. But before we got to that, Nick told me that I'd had a pretty poor attitude lately and it was time for him to "get out a big stick" and devote some attention to my butt. I was caught off guard to say the least since I had pretty much decided that DD and all that goes with it was a fond memory. He opened the toy chest and pulled out the Naughty Stick we got a few months ago from Cane-IAC. Now by this time I had already lost my panties in anticipation of gentler pursuits, so I was completely without protection, and Nick was intent on making up for lost time.
I'd like to say I took it with dignity and grace, but in truth I flopped around like a fish and yelled like someone was stabbing me. It went on for what seemed like forever, but what was probably somewhere around 400-500 swats. And despite knowing how much I needed (and in the overall picture wanted) it I wasn't exactly obedient about staying still. What I very much appreciated once it was over was the fact that he didn't let me dictate when it was over. After it was done we connected in sweeter ways, and when we were ready for sleep it was with me curled up in his arms.
The really amazing thing was that he had not read my blog, so he really did initiate this on his own. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers - I feel so very loved all around.
I'd like to say I took it with dignity and grace, but in truth I flopped around like a fish and yelled like someone was stabbing me. It went on for what seemed like forever, but what was probably somewhere around 400-500 swats. And despite knowing how much I needed (and in the overall picture wanted) it I wasn't exactly obedient about staying still. What I very much appreciated once it was over was the fact that he didn't let me dictate when it was over. After it was done we connected in sweeter ways, and when we were ready for sleep it was with me curled up in his arms.
The really amazing thing was that he had not read my blog, so he really did initiate this on his own. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers - I feel so very loved all around.
Friday, October 01, 2010
Thank you
I just want to say thank you to the wonderful people who have commented here or emailed me directly in the last few days. It touches my heart deeply to have such amazing readers who care so much about me and are so quick to offer sympathy, advice, and prayers. You guys are awesome!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Rambling
Hi, guys. Not too much to post about, just felt like rambling. The other day I had myself almost convinced that it was a good time to have a talk with Nick about spanking and DD and what his leadership means to me. I figured that with him dealing with an injured back right now, it would automatically take the onus off of him to actually act on such a conversation with any kind of immediacy, and it would keep the whole thing pretty low pressure. Then I realized that all it would do would be to add stress to his whole recovery, and that's the last thing I want.
I've really been praying about it, because this is a serious thing for me. These are real needs, and if Nick won't or can't meet them, then they'll just go unmet, because I'm certainly not taking them to someone else. But that of course is not ideal. It's not a good marriage for either of us if one of us is constantly hungering. And that leads me as always to wonder if I just shouldn't "be this way." Not that it's wrong in itself to be someone who wants to have a DD marriage - just that maybe it's wrong for me. But if that's the case, I don't know how to fix me. And please understand that I'm only talking about me and my situation. The last thing I want anyone to take from this blog is the idea that spankos need to be "fixed." I just think that for me - well, shouldn't I fit with the person God chose for me to marry?
The thing is, I'm no good at knowing just exactly what I'm supposed to do. I'm always afraid that I'm going to mistake my own desires for God's leading. So I'm leaving things just as they are. The ball is in God's court now, and if this is truly supposed to be a part of our marriage, then the next conversation we have about it will be initiated by Nick. And if that never comes, then I have to trust God to mold my needs and desires to what they need to be. Now if I can just keep my mouth shut...
I've really been praying about it, because this is a serious thing for me. These are real needs, and if Nick won't or can't meet them, then they'll just go unmet, because I'm certainly not taking them to someone else. But that of course is not ideal. It's not a good marriage for either of us if one of us is constantly hungering. And that leads me as always to wonder if I just shouldn't "be this way." Not that it's wrong in itself to be someone who wants to have a DD marriage - just that maybe it's wrong for me. But if that's the case, I don't know how to fix me. And please understand that I'm only talking about me and my situation. The last thing I want anyone to take from this blog is the idea that spankos need to be "fixed." I just think that for me - well, shouldn't I fit with the person God chose for me to marry?
The thing is, I'm no good at knowing just exactly what I'm supposed to do. I'm always afraid that I'm going to mistake my own desires for God's leading. So I'm leaving things just as they are. The ball is in God's court now, and if this is truly supposed to be a part of our marriage, then the next conversation we have about it will be initiated by Nick. And if that never comes, then I have to trust God to mold my needs and desires to what they need to be. Now if I can just keep my mouth shut...
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Just life.
Gosh, I feel like I don't have much to post about here these days. Life has been pretty good. God has really been amazing providing for us financially the last couple of weeks.
This past Monday Nick randomly twisted his back when he leaned over to tie his shoe, and it just sent him to his knees in pain. There was no way he could even drive, let alone go to work that day, and I was freaking out worried about how we were going to pay for treatment. I called my mom and asked if she would care to come take Morgan to school while I stayed with him, and she agreed. When she got back home, she called and suggested a chiropractor she knew of who had been known to work out payment plans for patients who needed it. We don't have insurance and are still trying to pay off the bills from where I had Daisy, so I told her she could go ahead call the guy and see what he could do.
Much to my surprise she called back 10 minutes later with great news. Not only did the doctor agree to a payment plan, he also agreed to a ridiculously low fee for the treatment ($50 for x-rays, $40 for the visit, and $20 for adjustments), and she had scheduled Nick an appointment for that afternoon. We took him in and the doctor was just awesome. Unfortunately it turns out that Nick has a disc injury, and he's had to have several adjustments this week. The good news is that it seems to have helped him tremendously, and the price is right.
One thing we were really worried about was making up for the missed day of work on his paycheck. Thursday night my brother (our pastor) unexpectedly called and asked if he could stop by. He came over and dropped off an envelope with enough cash in it to more than make up for the shortage. The church benevolence committee had, without us asking or even mentioning the need, decided to gift us with the money. My brother let them know that he did not want to influence the vote since he's family, so this was done completely without his input, something I was very glad of so that there's no question of impropriety. Anyway, we were just overwhelmed with the gesture, and the money definitely came in handy!
Daisy will be a year old on October 5, and we'll be having a small birthday party for her in the church's fellowship hall. My mom and mother-in-law have taken care of almost all the arrangements for it, and I'm so excited that we get to do it!
That's all the happy news I have. In other news, I'm feeling pretty discouraged about the possibility of DD being resumed. It just doesn't seem to be on the table. And I can feel myself drawing inward. I can recognize the struggle for what it is, but I don't know what to do about it. Communication is just not an option here. It's been communicated into the ground, and there's just no benefit to it. The irony here is that every time over the years the I've told him I was willing to let it go, he's assured me he was still on board with continuing. This time I had managed to tell him that I wanted to start the weekly spankings and things were going well with it (I thought). Then he just...stopped. No fight, no warning, no indication that he was done with it, but it does seem to be the case. And I feel abandoned, and hurt, and at the same time unsurprised and like this is only what I had coming. Perhaps this is finally it.
This past Monday Nick randomly twisted his back when he leaned over to tie his shoe, and it just sent him to his knees in pain. There was no way he could even drive, let alone go to work that day, and I was freaking out worried about how we were going to pay for treatment. I called my mom and asked if she would care to come take Morgan to school while I stayed with him, and she agreed. When she got back home, she called and suggested a chiropractor she knew of who had been known to work out payment plans for patients who needed it. We don't have insurance and are still trying to pay off the bills from where I had Daisy, so I told her she could go ahead call the guy and see what he could do.
Much to my surprise she called back 10 minutes later with great news. Not only did the doctor agree to a payment plan, he also agreed to a ridiculously low fee for the treatment ($50 for x-rays, $40 for the visit, and $20 for adjustments), and she had scheduled Nick an appointment for that afternoon. We took him in and the doctor was just awesome. Unfortunately it turns out that Nick has a disc injury, and he's had to have several adjustments this week. The good news is that it seems to have helped him tremendously, and the price is right.
One thing we were really worried about was making up for the missed day of work on his paycheck. Thursday night my brother (our pastor) unexpectedly called and asked if he could stop by. He came over and dropped off an envelope with enough cash in it to more than make up for the shortage. The church benevolence committee had, without us asking or even mentioning the need, decided to gift us with the money. My brother let them know that he did not want to influence the vote since he's family, so this was done completely without his input, something I was very glad of so that there's no question of impropriety. Anyway, we were just overwhelmed with the gesture, and the money definitely came in handy!
Daisy will be a year old on October 5, and we'll be having a small birthday party for her in the church's fellowship hall. My mom and mother-in-law have taken care of almost all the arrangements for it, and I'm so excited that we get to do it!
That's all the happy news I have. In other news, I'm feeling pretty discouraged about the possibility of DD being resumed. It just doesn't seem to be on the table. And I can feel myself drawing inward. I can recognize the struggle for what it is, but I don't know what to do about it. Communication is just not an option here. It's been communicated into the ground, and there's just no benefit to it. The irony here is that every time over the years the I've told him I was willing to let it go, he's assured me he was still on board with continuing. This time I had managed to tell him that I wanted to start the weekly spankings and things were going well with it (I thought). Then he just...stopped. No fight, no warning, no indication that he was done with it, but it does seem to be the case. And I feel abandoned, and hurt, and at the same time unsurprised and like this is only what I had coming. Perhaps this is finally it.
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