It's me, Charity

This is the Dream Team earlier this week. Muy Caliente brought us in Jarritos Mandarain Pop! IT WAS SOOOO GOOD!!!! It tasted like a drink version of Cuties!!!! We had to take a picture clinking our drinks. When she was taking the first picture Sheryl said, wait, you have to get the rest of their bodies in!! She finds it amusing how we naturally pose. I can't help it, my foot pops on command!! And Apes always does her one foot forward thingy. Cracks me up :)

Stink eye- Courtesy of Benjamin

1. I randomly whistle at work (and at home) when I'm working on something. 2. Got a Casting Crowns Live in concert cd/dvd for 2.64 today thanks to my Grams giving me coupons! YAYS!! 3. I got to visit with my friend Jenni this morning after my Dr visit. She works next door to my Dr. She never fails to CRACK.ME.UP! 4. Very much looking forward to my Friday night of Fun. I am ready for some relaxation and alone time! 5. My Mom told me I should re-think getting married someday since I like to be alone and have quiet when I'm at home. Thanks Mom. 6. I bought my Nephew Purdue Pacifiers. They are sooo cute!! 7. And I totally am buying him Purdue sippy cups when he gets to that stage :)

1. Random student coming into our office and asking us if we would like him to get us some Dilly Bars from the Preferred Partners fair. It was so sweet and thoughtful! 2. Quiet Morning @ work Thursday and a quiet time after 4:30. 3. Solving a problem and getting accolades. 4. No feelings of overwhelmedness today. 5. 32 degrees not feeling as cold as I had expected coming from 68 degrees yesterday. 6. Free Lunch Picnic from Anne. 7. Left over apples from picnic now in our fruit bowl! 8. My new-found addiction to Oranges. I cannot get enough. 9. Only 2 apts on the schedule tomorrow. WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! 10. Seeing Bergs and Sheryl at Bible Study and getting hugs! 11. Realizing that God is trying to change me. 12. And that he's not giving up on me despite my stubborn sin fullness. 13. Books from the Library. 14. Having time to read 3 books in 4 days. 15. A new Greys Anatomy tonight!!!

You may have noticed something new on my sidebar. Its a link to the Facebook page for my new Business "Music from the Heart"! My dreams of teaching Piano are finally coming true! I have a few students so far and I am absolutely LOVING it!!! Music and the love of it literally runs through my veins, well that and coca cola :) I am having so much fun sharing my passion and love with my little students and seeing their eyes light up as they start to learn and make music! My dream is to have my own Music Studio within a few years and do this full time. I can't imagine anything more fun and fulfilling than teaching Music all day long every day. It just makes my heart skip a beat! So if you live in the Lafayette area and are interested in lessons, please shoot me a message and we can talk! And if you're not from around here and have kids or are interested yourself, find a local Piano teacher. It is never too early or too late to learn. And I guarantee that playing the P...

Here's what I sported for Pink Weds this week!! I got this top on clearance at Cato's last week. Its so spring-y!! Someone told me my top matched my name. Um.. Charity means love? I wasn't sure what she was going for there!! My supermodel pose doesn't quite fit with the attractive bruise on my face. Yes, a week later its still there! I think its starting to fade though, I hope!! What did you sport for Pink Weds??

To entertain me. This is my new sidebar on my second monitor at work. Yes, I have two monitors, by choice! I love it, and especially during prime apt time, its a life saver! Anywho, as I was saying, I love LOVE my new side bar! I have my tulips, that I can water! and watch grow! totally awesome! My clock that tells me helpfully what day it is, because seriously people unless its Pink Weds I usually have no idea what the day is. My snow globe of weather, whatever is going on weather wise outside is in the globe. How cool is that??!! and the newest addition, my photo slide show at the very top. That makes me very happy!!!!! And yes, I snapped a picture right as it stopped on the picture of me and Amy doing our Precious face. Perfect timing!!

I was SO EXCITED to finally be able to wear my new sandals! I scored them at Goodwill last fall, brand new from Target! LOVE!! Not so much love the back of my ankles now, a tad ouchy, but oh so worth it for this cuteness!! Last week I got a new purse for Spring. I don't have very much green at all, but this jumped out to me when I walked in the store and I loved it!! Spring is coming peoples! Get excited!!

I have had to walk around now with this monstrosity on my face and tell people, yes I still have a bruise from the Dentist and yes, it does still hurt. Albeit not as bad as it did, still sore. One student today, bless her heart, leaned over my desk and whispered, "I'm saying this because I would want someone to tell me... You have a little green, right there...." I had to tell her it was from the Dentist. I think we were both embarassed. She was sweet though! This is not the face of a happy girl here... And I look super creepy when I smile with it. Nice. Never ending attractiveness right here folks..

1. Eph 4:29 2. No jacket or coat required weather! 3. No line of people outside my office when I came into work. 4. The most peaceful, perfect Friday night! 5. Carnation Breakfast Blend Drinks in CHOCOLATE!! 6. Wearing my new open toed, brown bow sandals from Goodwill! 7. Hot pink nails :) 8. Cutie Oranges. 9. Handmade presents from Debby. 10. Using my words for good! 11. Dog N Suds posting my blog on their Facebook page! 12. Teaching my first Piano lessons and LOVING IT!!! 13. God's grace in making a crazy day not as horrible as I expected. 14. Eating lunch outside at a picnic table. 15. Seeing Cara at the library. 16. Ice cold water. 17. Library books from a favorite author. 18. Hugs from Linda K Shaw! 19. Funny Quotes from Linda K Shaw "You can't be laying around here doing nothing, this isn't Unicef!" 20. Yummy Salad that I made!

Or at least that's what I think my Snugglemuffin is thinking. I adore this picture of him but it makes me want to grab hima nd cuddle him and love all over him!!

Apes has lived in Laffy for several years and had NEVER been to Dog N Suds!! I was aghast and horrified at this and of course had to take her there! We got permission to close our office the Friday of SB, since there were only like 6 people on campus anyway, not exactly a huge rush for our office! So we were able to have a very rare lunch together! mmmmmm... fried mushrooms! I can't eat much fried food because of my tummy but thank goodness I can eat these with no problem!! nummy!! The coleslaw and fries that I didn't eat because I was too full after my mushrooms and coney burger! My stomach has definately shrank in terms of appetitte since my surgery. YAYS! Posing with my Dog n Suds cup and the Ordering Station! My date!! When she left work Thursday I told her "make sure you wear something cute for our date!!!" she did but it was chilly so she had to wear her sweatshirt. I told her I even shaved my legs for our date :) but really it was because I wanted to wear ...

So I was looking at myself in the bathroom mirror at work and I thought OH NO!! I got eye shadow on my cheek! So I tried to gently rub it off as my cheek really still hurts from the Dentist and I realize that its not makeup, its a bruise and my cheek is swollen! It hurts to smile and to put on lipgloss. :( Two of my favorite things! I went into one of my bosses offices and told her we needed to have a serious talk about April. She asked me why what did she do? And I said, LOOK AT THIS! SHE IS ABUSING ME!! The look on her face was priceless!! hahahahah I said well or the Dentist did this. But really the first story was way more entertaining don't you think? I pulled that on everyone that came thru our office. It was rather entertaining to me. It doesn't take much.

Happy St Patricks Day from Benjamin!!!!!! I just die when i see this picture! i love his little smirks!! LOVE THEM!! Had to include this so y'all could see the awesome blanket my Mom, his Nana made for him! Isn't it amazing!! He looks like he had something to say here :) And of course, you know I had to include a picture of his delicious cheeks. I love this boy!!

Its a beautiful evening here in the Midwest!! Its 8:28 pm and its still 71 degrees outside!!!!!!! I have my balcony door open, without a screen since my apt complex doesn't seem to think that's a high priority. ahem. ANYWAYS! Its beautiful and I cannot tell you how HAPPY I am to finally have some warm, sunny weather and not have to wear a coat and socks! I don't know which annoy me more, coat or socks. I basically hate them both. School is on Spring Break this week which means campus is DEAD. We're talking prime parking spots right by the door every single day. Its fabulous!! We of course have to be there but its been a nice break from the chaos. Monday starts Summer/Fall Registration and I am dreading it with every fiber of my being. Its going to be horrible. I've been trying not to think about next week and just enjoy this week! We actually got the big wall in our office painted, TWO COLORS!!!!! And we're getting an oak chair rail next week. Its going to be su...

I walked into Bible Study that night feeling pretty confident. After 14 weeks of being hit over the head each and every Weds night of what was wrong in my life and heart that I need to change to become more like Christ, I was SURE that this was going to be the one week where I was not going to be convicted. I mean after all, it was about Speaking love and words of encouragement. Hello, I am a Words of Affirmation girl! I send notes to people and try and build them up as much as possible. I love doing that. So I was positive that I had NOTHING to work on and I was just going to sit there and pat myself on the back for finally getting something right. Clearly I was not paying close enough attention during the lesson on PRIDE a few weeks ago . Needless to say Bible Study did not exactly go as well as I thought it was going to. Whitney started teaching and almost from the very first words that came out of her mouth God started speaking to me. And what he had to say wasn’t pretty. All this ...

I am determined that Spring is going to happen one way or the other so I am ushering it in with my clothes!!!! I felt like my hair was actually working for me today. YAY GO HAIR!! I started curling the bangs since the hairdresser cut them too short and they were just laying in a clump. not sure if i love it or not? but its better than what it was! I'm sporting one of my super cute new necklaces from my BFF Kim for my birthday! She keeps me accessorized! ;)

My Nephew just melts me completely. All I have to do is look at this little face and I get a silly grin on my face and my heart goes all fluttery.... I mean LOOK AT THESE CHEEKS!!! How can you not love that schmoopy-ness???!! Its just too much for me to handle. Must go to Iowa IMMEDIATELY!!

Its amazing to me how God can show his love for me even in painful situations. God is good and he SHINES in the hard times. I had something happen last week that a year ago would have broke me. I would have been so miserable and in a "STATE" as my Mom would put it. But this time I wasn't. By the end of the week I was darn near JOYFUL which truthfully almost freaked me out a little bit! Its awesome to see how much God has been working in my life and is changing me and molding me into his own. And how he is teaching me complete dependance upon him and how to find my happiness and peace within him. I've always tried to but I think being such a people pleaser I have tried in the past to find my happiness from others and what they thought of me. Which is pretty prideful. (When I catch up blogging on Bible Study we'll talk about that ;) ) But through the past year I feel like God has really been working on me and in me and opening my eyes to his blessings. I originally...

I have had a very rough day in the beverage dept. I had been anticipating since Monday afternoon the homemade Coke that Stimpy was making me and bringing into work Tuesday morning. Sadly he was running late and forgot it in the rush. I got his text and thought ok well I really want a Coke so I will get one from the vending machine when I'm on my way to my office because I don't think I can wait untill this afternoon! I seriously just wanted a Coke!! Since I never carry cash on me I used the vending machine that you can swipe your debt card. I swiped it. It charged me. AND DIDN'T GIVE ME A COKE!!!! I was like you've got to be kidding me!! And then it told me that they weren't accepting cards at the moment, please try again. Um no thanks. So I suffer through my Terrible Tuesday with no caffeine or sugar. I leave at lunch and decide to go to CVS and use my ECB's to buy some 2 liters of Coke. I could get them for FREE with my ECB's . I walk into CVS and f...

1. I was so looking forward to a free weekend to do nothing, but instead my truck decided to break so its going home Saturday to visit its Mechanic aka my Dad. 2. My hair is finally getting to its peak length and actually looking good everyday. This makes me very happy!! 3. For the first time this year I wore shoes without socks or trouser socks to work, two days in a row. My toes were a little cold but I am determined to be barefoot!!! 4. I am obsessed with the picture of Benjamin smiling at me through his pacifier. I just love it! You can see the glint in his eye and it just makes me squeal with happiness!! I love him!!! 5. I am thinking of becoming my nephew's stalker. He's just too cute not to. 6. Apes was shocked when I told her of my previous love of professional wrestling and THE ROCK when I was in HS. Wait untill she see's my THE ROCK Action Figure Sippy Cup :) 7. Shane our Security guy was CRACKING us up Friday, here's a funny Quote: " You don't need n...

Thursday night I finished out the 7 days of Birthday Celebrations by having dinner with my friend Nikki D at Arnis! I have been craving their Pizza for some time now! You'll notice that we went straight for the corner pieces! They are the best! There is nothing like an Arni's corner pizza piece! MMMMM YUMMY!!! Us Girls!! I'm Sporting my new necklace that I got for my birthday from K&L. I felt like such a rockstar!! You may not be able to tell in the picture but I was having a crazy good hair day! I don't know that I've ever gotten so many compliments on my hair in one day! YAY!! I had alot of fun with Nikki and it was great to just sit down, eat and have some girl talk!! Thanks for taking me out girl!!

I met my Mommy over lunch on Pink Weds, and for once she was wearing Pink! I was so proud! It may look like I'm wearing Purple but my Cardigan and shirt are both Pink. I got them from my Bro and SIL for my bday and I love them! So festive!! Tuesday night I finally got to see what Katie Marie had made me for my Birthday. She had teased me saying she was making it and that she had to go to the hardware store for supplies. Needless to say I was intrigued! She made me this super cool picture holder out of an old mirror that Sammy had broken awhile back! She took it apart and used the frame. I thought that was pretty cool! (and yes that is a Christmas Tree floor mat you see on my floor in March.) I will say though when she had me close my eyes and put my hands over my face so I could be surprised because it was too big to wrap I was a tad worried. I asked her, Can I carry this up three flights of stairs? Oh the joys of living on the third floor! Thankfully it wasn't THAT heavy an...

Saturday night I headed back to Lafayette for the Previously Planned Charity's Birthday Dinner Party Bonanza at Olive Garden! OG is a birthday tradition that I've held for the past ten years I think. yikes. ever since college I've always went to OG for my Birthday and this year was no exception! We had a fun group of people and I really appreciated them coming out to spend time with me celebrating my birthday!! This is the reaction I get when I get out my camera. Apes and Steven Weaven! Who btw made me a FABULOUS Chocolate Raspberry Cake. OH.MY.GOODNESS was it GOOD!!! Stimpy and his quite delightful gf Kendra! It was my first time meeting her and I can see why he loves her! They were so cute together! The Bergs!! Jessica and her hubs Mikel. I just LOVE those two!! And I love that he wore a tie to my dinner! That made me smile. You can count on a Baptist to show up in a tie for a dress up event, can I get an AMEN??!!! Me and Bergs, take one!! Pictures should really not...

Full Disclaimer: My hair struggled today and I really didn't care so I just slapped a headband on and called it a day. Hence the following pics! Anywho! Emboz and baby Madi and I met up for our Ladies who Lunch from Feb, we were a day late :) We met at Chili's and man alive if you go there you HAVE to get their Queso! It was soooo good!! And I just happened to have a free coupon for it! Even better!! Me and the Madster. I was having a rough day so I got in some baby hugs and love. Babies just make the world a better place! Look at her sitting up like such a little lady! She is so delicate! I couldn't get over the difference between her and Benjamin. He's almost bigger than her and she is two months older than him!She is such a sweetie and she was sooo happy today! I loved it!! My monstrous sandwich! I ate half, and took the other half home and ended up picking through it like a little kid. Classy, I know. I love my monthly lunches with Emboz! Its so awesome to hav...