Things I miss about Texas

On the 18th of this month, my family reached our first Georgia milestone...one year as Georgian's...I thought it would be appropriate to mention...ok, whine about the things I miss from home. In no particular order they are:

1. Kolaches...fresh from the oven cheesy goodness. Especially the ones we got as kids from "One Grand Donut Stand". Those were the BEST!

2. Mom and Pop type Donut Shops. Where are they? And I am so very sorry... Dunkin Donuts is NOT one.

3. Bluebonnets, Indian Paint Brushes, Mexican Blankets, and fields of sweet rye grass.

4. Homecoming Mum's... Who knew this was a Texas thing!

5. Mexican Food and what I mean by Mexican Food is Tex Mex. Oh my word. There are not words to describe what they call Mexican food here. Just. Not. Words!

6. A Horizon. Nothing but trees here as far as the eye can see.

7.  Wranglers and Cowboy Hats.

8.  Twang

9.  Tuesdays with the McYaYa's.  Ok so this isn't technically a Texas thing...but it happened in Texas so it counts!

10.  Friends and Family close enough to drive over and visit with. 

Other than that...we love it here.  Texas will always be home but Georgia is getting there....well, if you let go of the desire to have decent Mexican food!

A Pinterest pin that Works!

So I am ADDICTED to Pinterest.  I mean it may be worse than my addiction to Dr Pepper and THAT is saying something.  I LOVE to craft and cook and just look at what other people post.  I have something like 1994 pins and about 450 likes...as of right now! lol  Now the real question here is, "how many pins have I actually done?"  Well, in reality quite a few!  Let me tell you about one I tried last night: 

One of my Friends from Church in Texas pinned this great link, How to De Funk Your Bath Towels from the website www.mythirtyspot.com.  I don't know about you but this has been an issue for us.  Somehow there seems to always be a couple of towels that get that "funk".  Nothing works.  Washing, Bleaching, Praying..nothing.  This happens with bath towels, wash cloths, and kitchen rags.  Drives me flipping crazy and I usually throw them out.  What a waste of money!  So, I was equal parts skeptical and excited when this pin filtered through to me. 

So, basically this is the drill.  Use super hot water and one cup of vinegar and NOTHING else to wash the towels.  Then wash them a 2nd time with super hot water and 1/2 cup of baking soda.  Then dry them.  You will end up with clean, fresh, fluffy towels again.  Sweet deal right?!  Even better y'all..it actually works.  I had a few towels in this condition and some kitchen rags that where destined for the trash can.  Last night I gave it a try and now I have wonderful clean towels.  Even the kitchen rags.  They don't have the kitcheny greasy smell any more.  (is kitcheny even a word?)

Give it a try!  You won't be sorry!

Blessings!

The Truth is...

I am a member of this amazing private FB group for just over 4000 members.  Wow. Right?  Anyway this one lady asked who was losing weight naturally and who was using help.  Be it pills, shakes, etc.  Back and forth the comments go over and over because some feel whole heartedly that you must do it purely on diet and exercise and other's...like me...drink a healthy shake or do something else.  There was no judgement in most of the comments but a lot of ladies kept saying that they couldn't drink a shake or anything else because once they stopped...they would gain all of their weight back and that was cheating...blah, blah, blah.  This is my response on that page....

 

 

"I think with anything...if you get lazy...you will gain the weight back. Period. Losing with diet and exercise alone, with the help of a doctor, with weight watchers, surgery, nutria system, body by vi, isagenics, beachbody, shakeology,...

jillian michaels, bob green...or any combination of the available options...the end result must be a change of lifestyle. A change of mentality, a change deep within in us that says: I will not allow myself to get this way again.
I have personally witnessed family members and close friends who lost weight from surgery...only never exercised and ate what they wanted when they wanted....today they weigh as much or more than before. A great friend of mine lost a ton of weight by following LA Weight Loss's diet and doing Pilates. Now? She gained it all back and then some after they went out of business. My own sister is taking those dang "high school skinny" pills and losing weight but she's done the pill thing before.... Myself, I got lazy. Last year I lost 25lbs or so with diet, exercise, and drinking my shakeology daily. Got hurt, moved, depressed...blah blah blah. Stopped exercise and didn't drink my shakeology...might have drank a 2liter of dr pepper a day all the while saying it was this reason or that reason and I gained it all back and then some.
So I certainly think we can not pass judgement on how each of reach our goals. What we need to decide is once we get there...how badly do we want to stay there? That is when you will find out if what you did to get skinny was worth it. Is keeping my body, my self esteem, my pride I in what I accomplished worth what it takes to stay there? If you get lazy...even for a little while...guess what so easily can happen? You may (like I did) wake up and realize you are right back at square one. And I really had no one to blame but myself. You have to love yourself enough to keep fighting for it...even on the days you really want to say screw it. Know what I mean?"

 

I personally believe that my life changed the day I committed to shakeology and the benefits it provides.  100% .  If you want to know more...visit my beachbody coach site at www.beachbodycoach.com/cheerfullong

Squirrels in the attic! What?!!!!

We've been invaded. I'm two ways torn by this. 1) I am a die hard soft heart when it comes to soft furry creatures. I will literally wreck my car rather than run over an animal! There was this one time in college that involved: a poor, poor family of raccoons, dark curve in the road, and fog. Let's just say I am STILL traumatized over that one. Seriously. Anyway, I digress. 2) I can NOT stand repetitive noises. Anything over and over again is going to make me flip my lid! So. The freaking squirrels. Three weeks ago I informed the property manager about the squirrels. Did they do anything? Ha! No. Not until I was forced to be all grippy at the office. Today maintenance comes to "trap" the squirrel. Strike that. The squirrels. As in a whole family. As in BABIES! I do NOT kill babies. So now we have an issue. How do we get the squirrel family safely out of my attic? I am all ears for suggestions!!!! Really. Help me!!!!!

Menu Plan Monday

Good Morning Y'all,

It's a beautiful day here in Georgia.  One of the first really cool days of fall.  I could almost get away with wearing a sweater.  Oh Happy Day!  Well, almost.  It will warm up later today and then I would look flat out silly in my sweater.  No one wants that!   The Drama Queen asked if I could turn on the fireplace this afternoon.  Um.  No~  Well, I told her if it was still 60 degrees after school, I would absolutely do it!  It won't be.  Bummer.  Soon, very soon!   The thing is, this weather makes me wish for cool days simply so that I can make SOUP!  My joy and my husbands absolute misery.   Thankfully he travels a bit....and on those days, I cook everything he doesn't like! Ya, for us!  So, enough random chitchat.  My menu this week is...

This week will be ALL Receipes I have Pinned over on Pinterest!

Monday:  Better Than Take Out Chinese Chicken and Rice

Tuesday:  Just like Chick Fil A Nuggets and even better homemade Chick Fil A Sauce

Wednesday:  Pioneer Woman's Penne w/Chicken Thighs

Thursday:  Pioneer Woman's Beef and Bean Burrito's

Friday:  Brisket Taco's with Homemade Tortilla's well maybe on the homemade tortilla's

Saturday:  Garlic and lime Marinated Chicken Mexican Ceasar Salad's

Sunday:  Crock Pot Baked Potato Soup


Stay tuned to see how they turn out!!!!!

Be Blessed!
Cheerful

Letters

Today, I had an epiphany.  It was ne of those moments when you realize certain things must change or that they already have and you missed it.  Letters.   Remember those?  The absolute joy you had the very moment you opened the mailbox and found a letter addressed to YOU?  I do.  I still have most of them.  I L.O.V.E.D getting letters.  My stepfather traveled a lot.  He would send me post cards from everywhere he went.  My Mamaw and Papaw lived in another state...she would write to me.  In high school I would write to friends who were stationed overseas.  Letters.  Gone is the day when we would send a weekly letter home to momma or grandma.  When my Mamaw passed away 7 years ago, one of the things I received was an envelope of the letters that I wrote to my Mamaw.  Letters from a little bitty girl all the way up to letters about the boyfriend at that moment and wondering if he was indeed "the One".  Recently I was blessed with a email that contained the transcriptions of almost 90 letters that my Great Great Grandfather Allen Livingston wrote to his mother in the late 1800's.  Simple letters really, that had little tidbits of his daily life.  It occurred to me that my children will not have this experience.  They are of the "email" generation.  That generation that can text in a language I can not understand.  The first generation that does not remember "Stationary" or typewriters.  What can you do about that you ask?  Well, write letters.  Today I wrote a letter to a Great Aunt I have not seen in 15 years, a card to my first boss, a card to a sweet lady who used to work for me, and  a letter to my Momma.   I had my girls write a letter to their best friend's in Texas.   Next weekend we will do it again, and again the following weekend.   We will begin writing letters.  Would you like to receive a letter from my children?  Would you be willing to write them back?  The only way to keep the art of letter writing alive is to do it!  I challenge you today...to write a handwritten letter to someone.  Remember that joy of opening the mailbox and seeing a letter?  Give that joy again!

A letter from my Grandpa Mutt in 1987



Its been awhile

Listen in:  the perfect quiet of the morning
Plans for my day:  continue researching homeschooling
Dinner: homemade Lasagna
Happiness in the small things:  ice cold Dr. Pepper in my favorite cup!

So, its been awhile since I found my way to bloggyland.  It has been kinda busy in our lives.  Brent is working a lot and loves it.  I am finding my niche in the my new normal.  Getting used to being a real stay at home mom has definately had its ups and downs.  But, I am getting it figured out!  The girls are doing ok in school here but they are NOT happy.  That being said we will be homeschooling them next year.  It has been decided and decreed.  Now I am in the process of making a curriculum for them.  I will post more about that at another time.   We are making friends.  I met  a great lady right across the street and she and I hit it off.  I am so glad to finally have a girlfriend.  She would fit right in with my beloved ya-ya's.  I miss my ya-ya's : (  Life in Georgia is good though.  I am happy.  Very happy!

Photo Happiness

As I sit here

So we are firmly planted in our new home and new routine in Georgia. As I sit here thinking, I see how silly all of my fears were! It's beautiful, they have Dr Pepper and Blue Bell, and we are slowly making friends. All of us! Our church is amazing and we have a great small group. Life here is good and I am so Greatful for all of my unexpected Blessing in life!

The Gentleness Challenge

I am excited to participate in the Gentleness Challenge...to become a better mommy