A Butcher? A Baker? A Candlestick Maker?

I am having a mid, mid-life crisis. And I need your help. I mean it. I really need your help.

I have been looking for a job for nearly four months and given the fact that I am at home in my slippers and last night's pajama pants (I went to Costco in them) typing this post at 2pm on a Wednesday while sipping a homemade latte, well, I have had no success in securing employment.

My professional experience lies under the umbrella of higher education and under that are areas of specialty such as event planning, student development, and marketing.

My interests include "green" living, interior design, graphic design, writing/blogging, children's ministry, and anything orange.

So what I need you to do is to throw out ideas of things I could do or places I could look for a position based on what I shared with you and on what you know about me. Your idea could be just what I need!

So please, on behalf of the butcher

the baker

and the candles that the candlestick maker made


send me your ideas! All ideas are welcome.

Back from California

What, you didn't know I left? I know, I wanted to keep it a secret! No particular reason....maybe just for the shock value of telling you that I had gone and come back all in the span of 8 days.

I haven't much to share except a few pics of family....

This is me with my cousin Melissa's family: that's Melissa in the back right with her son Eric next to her and in the front is her husband Joe with their daughter Lauren. Oh, and that's me looking away from the sun.

This is me and Simple Guy....in case you needed me to tell you! Notice the many layers and my scarf. It was cooooold in San Diego!

And this is my precious Grandma- Simple Guy calls her Meme (pronounced "may-may"). My sister, brother and I used to call her that because we called my dad's mom Grandma and needed a different name for my mom's mom.....and Meme is a shortened way to say Grandma in French. Anyway, here she is sitting in my aunt's living room. Isn't her fur vest awesome? I told you it was cold!

I Heart the Book of Daniel

I have been studying the book of Daniel using Beth Moore's "Lives of Integrity, Words of Prophecy" study. Here it is:

I have been doing this in a small group for the past few months and I have to tell you that I highly recommend it to anyone looking to dig deeper in the Word with fellow sojourners.

I can recall poo-pooing a class on Daniel being offered at my alma mater (here's a little trivia for you: I have a degree in Bible- everyone at my alma mater automatically received a double major in Bible and whatever you chose to study) because I though the book was, in my sophiticated college thought, "Booooooring!"

Oh how wrong I was, friends! The book of Daniel is AMAZING! You cannot fully understand Revelations unless you study Daniel. Studying Daniel provides more insight and backdrop into other passages found in other books such as Proverbs, Isaiah, and Ezekiel.

Seriously, I heart Daniel. Now I understand why one woman who was studying this book during her pregnancy later named her son Daniel.

If you attend my church and think you might be interested in doing this study, let me know because I am considering doing it again.

"Orange" You Glad I Shared These With You?

Oh, I love orange- I really, really do. I can't tell you what started my love affair for all things orange, but whatever it was that bit me, it bit me hard. In honor of my love for all things orange, I wanted to share with you some of my favorite orange things.

This is a smaller version of my current day planner- I got mine from Marshall's for $9.99 but it retails for nearly $50. I think the company that made mine makes a good planner- check them out here.

I really like this lip balm by Alba Organics. It has SPF in it and no petroleum! You can find these and other great flavors at Whole Foods and I believe I saw them at Target.

So you probably remember my boots- my beautiful Hunter Wellies in Pumpkin. Oh friends, you have not truly walked the earth until you have done so in orange Wellies!

There are no words to describe how wonderful this perfume-in-a-stick smells- this is Musc & Patchouli. I bought my latest tube from Anthropoligie but you can find this and other scents at Amazon.com. Check out the company's site here.

Okay, so this is the deal of the century that you are looking at here. I bought this exact BCBG wool cardigan for.......drum roll please.......$7! It retailed at $210. Gotta love Marshall's! It is so much prettier in person- has gold threads through it with tiny gold bead buttons.

Let's hear it for mid-century orange vellour chairs! Whoo-hoo! We got these sweet things from Room and Board.

Opening cans is so much more fun with this KitchenAid can opener!

And I also have an orange wallet but could not find a picture on the web to show you and I was too lazy to take one myself.

Someday maybe I'll have any of these things:

Orla Keily bag

Mac notebook

KitchenAid mixer....when we move into a bigger place with more cabinet space! And if I convince Simple Guy to get it in this color and not silver or white.