Help! Opinion/Thoughts Needed!

I have a problem.  It's not a big one.  It's not a small one.  It's an overwhelming one.  And I want to simplify!

Here's the thing.  I currently have 3 blogs.  That's right 3.  I have this on, Practicing Patience, as well as a receipe blog at A Pinch, A Dash, and A Splash and my photography blog, Courtney Ann Photography.  Ideally, I'd like to combine them all in some way.  I haven't played around too much, but I want it to be easier for my readers (Hi Reader!) to keep up with me and not have to click around to 3 different pages. 

So here's where I need your help, do you prefer a) links on the side to click and take you to the different blogs, b) tabs at the top to take you (a la P-Dub style), or c) would you prefer that I just combine them all into one blog? 

Please comment your thoughts, opinion, or vote.  Thanks!!!

Get Your Vote On

My brother is engaged.  We all know this right?  Well, he is.  To a wonderful woman.  Seriously, I couldn't ask for a better sister-in-law.

Well, they caught wind on a contest that Crate & Barrel is putting on (through me, 'cause I take care of 'em).  I would really appreciate it if you vote for them.  I know that they would really appreciate it too!  So read their little love story and show them your own love.

Click here to vote for them

 It just takes a few minutes to vote, and if you already have an account with Crate & Barrel, then it'll take less time. 

Thank you!

Being Single During Christmas at Church

This to me is hilarious!!!  Mostly because I can completely relate.

So, for all you single people out there, enjoy this list.  Heck, maybe keep score sometime. 

From Stuff Christians Like:
One of the most popular Stuff Christians Like posts of all time was #550. Surviving church as a single. But recently, a friend who is single came to town for the holidays and I realized I had missed whole chunks of awkwardness in describing the bottomless joy that is “Being single during Christmas at church.”
So instead of simply remixing an old post, I decided to create a holiday-focused scorecard. Think of it like a seasonal ale they put nutmeg in during January. It only comes around this time of year. Without further ado, I give you:
Being single during Christmas at church:

1. Someone tells you, “It’s tough to be alone this time of year.” = +1 point
2. They pat your head while they say that. = +2 points
3. They slap your butt like a football player after saying it. = + creepy
4. With bated breath, they ask, “Should I put you down as +1 for the Christmas party this year?” = +2 points
5. You good friends hold secret “couples holiday dinners” they don’t invite you to. = +3 points
6. They wince when the world’s worst commercials, Jared’s jewelry, come on TV and some horrible actress gets engaged right in front of you. = +4 points
7. If you’re divorced they tell you, “I think this year you should really ‘focus on you.’” = +1 point
8. They try desperately to find the silver lining and say things like, “It must be nice not to have to shop for anyone. My husband is so hard to get gifts for!” = +2 points
9. When you tell them you’re OK being single during Christmas, they give you a look that says, “You are such a liar. It’s impossible to be happy and single during Christmas!” = +2 points
10. They feel slightly guilty for watching romantic Christmas movies in your presence, like “Love Actually.” = +3 points
11. Someone tells you, “Being single doesn’t have to mean being alone.” = +2 points
12. Your friends have stopped saying “When you get married” because they’re not sure you’ve got it in you. = +1 point
13. Your friends now say, “If you get married.” = +2 points
14. Your friends now give you the marriage kiss of death and simply say, “God willing.” = +3 points
15. You are given some sort of cross stitched artwork that contains the verses from Proverbs 31 about how a woman should be. = +2 points
16. People tell you, “Maybe this will be your year” in the same tone baseball fans wonder if the Cubs will finally win the World Series this year. = +2 points
17. You attend a holiday themed church singles event that is billed as “Not just a Christian version of speed dating,” but is in fact, a Christian version of speed dating. = +1 point
18. A friend emailed you the link to this post because they knew you needed it. = +1 point
19. A friend emailed you the link to this post and suggested you troll the comments to find other like minded single people. = +2 points
20. A friend you only see once a year during the holidays, uses the S word when hearing you’re single. “Still?” = +1 point
21. People spend an exorbitant amount of time telling you marriage success stories, e.g. “The instant my friend Jill stopped looking for a boyfriend this incredible guy came along and swept her off her feet.” = +1 point
22. You’re divorced and someone gives you the incredibly encouraging advice, “God will bring you someone who will overlook your past.” = +2 points
23. This is the first Christmas you realized you officially crossed the age threshold. Instead of people saying, “You’re young, it will happen!” they now say, “Maybe you’re called to be single.” = +5 points
24. Someone makes a horrible joke about how this Christmas, you got the “gift of celibacy.” = +10 points
25. Married friends feel compelled to over tell you how difficult marriage is so that you don’t feel like it’s a winter wonderland of constant awesomeness. = +3 points
26. If you were given a kitten for Christmas people automatically think, “That was a doorway cat. You’re about to become the crazy cat lady.” = +5 points
27. For Christmas, someone gave you a book about dating that had a man or woman, alone on the cover staring out over a lonely windswept horizon, eating a Campbell’s soup for one, probably listening to the haunting melodies of George Winston. = +2 points
28. For Christmas, your friends bought you an annual pass to eharmony.com or another dating site. = +5 points
29. They filled out your dating profile for you and made you sound 97% more awesome than you actually are. = +10 points
30. The profile photo they used on your dating page is at least 10 years old. = +20 points
31. At a Christmas party, someone tells you the wildly inappropriate compliment, “Where were you when I was single?” = +2 points
32. People try to romanticize the tremendous amounts of free time you must have during the holidays without a family to bother you. = +3 points

What’s the craziest “single comment” you’ve heard?

1 Week...

...in the life of a Weight Watchers member.

I resemble this remark!

Day 1 (right after weigh in)
Oh boy, that piece of cake I saved is near,
Besides, no pounds will ever show,
I've got seven whole days to go.

Day 2
A day of shopping at the mall,
And a burger special - cheese, mayo and all.
I'll walk it off and get in gear,
Six days to go, no weigh-in near!

Day 3
I think I'll skip my tuna lunch.
A Reuben Sandwich is what I'll munch.
With maybe a shake and chips, you know?
Besides, I've got five days to go!

Day 4
For breakfast one egg, toast and juice.
Kids left their pancakes.  Oh! What's the use?
These days wasting food is such a sin,
And it's still four days till I weigh in.

Day 5
Boy, the weekend is really rough.
Restaurant menus are very tough.
I'll work off this steak, no problem here.
In just three days I'll be in the clear?

Day 6
Breakfast...I'll just have coffee today.
Maybe I'll lose some that way!
Supper...I'm starving - I could eat a whale.
Two more days till I step on that scale!

Day 7
Now my nerves are really a wreck.
I might as well eat.  Oh! What the heck!
I'll drink tons of water and walk all night.
One day to go - I'll be alright.

Weigh In Day
I polished off the pizza as a snack today.
But followed it with two bowls of Special K!
I gained two pounds - can you believe?
Maybe it's the Milky Way I've got up my sleeve.
Really, Weight Watchers works if you just take it slow.
I guess I didn't have seven days to go!

Days of December

December
1	Day Without Art Day
3	Special Kids Day
4	Extraordinary Work Team Recognition Day
	National Dice Day
5	Bathtub Party Day
6	Miner's Day
	National Pawnbrokers Day
7	National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
	National Cotton Candy Day
9	Weary Willie Day
10	Human Rights Day
11	International Mountain Day
12	Poinsettia Day
13	International Shareware Day
	Day of the Horse
14	National Children's Memorial Day
15	Bill of Rights Day
	Cat Herders Day
16	National Chocolate-covered Anything Day
17	Clean Air Day
18	International Migrants Day
19	Underdog Day
20	Mudd Day
21	Winter Solstice
26	National Candy Cane Day
	National Whiner's Day
28	National Chocolate Day
29	Tick Tock Day
30	Falling Needles Family Fest Day
31	Make Up Your Mind Day
	No Interruptions Day

Forgive me for a minute...

I wanna win something! And in order for me to get an extra entry in the drawing I need to post with a link.

So you see,

(Have you noticed I start sentences with 'so' a lot? Yea, I noticed.)

So, you see, I'm a big fan of a Texas photographer. I came across her some time ago and was in awe. Awe inspired, I wanna be as talented as she is, oh! and look she loves Jesus too!

You see, Kayla Barker of Spink Studio is doing a giveaway.  And I thoroughly enjoy entering giveaways, even though I normally have a snow's chance in hell of actually winning.  And to date, I haven't won anything from anywhere.  But still, I try.  So I'm trying again.

Kayla Barker is giving away her time and talents by giving away 50 FREE custom designed Christmas cards. 


We already discussed my affection of receiving Christmas cards, but did I tell you I love sending them too?  Well, I do.  And I really like having a unique card.  A one of a kind.  Something that had effort and thought and creativity put into it. 


(Although, that was not the case last year for me.)


So here I am.  Try to win 50 custom designed Christmas cards.


Did I mention how talented Kayla is?  I dare you to go to her site and check out her ability; not only with photography, but also with photoshop.

Let's Play a Game!

It's getting to be about that time of the year.  You know, the time of the year when your mailbox starts to overflow with holiday cards and well-wishes.  Honestly, getting Christmas cards is maybe one of my favorite parts of the holiday season.  Getting to see those that I'm not in frequent contact with and how much everyone has grown (or in my case gotten older). 

So here's a fun little game that I found in the December 2008 edition of Real Simple.  Play along with me.  Then at the end of the card receiving season we'll compare scores.  Come on!  It'll be fun!

Holiday-Card Score Sheet

When the season's greetings start rolling in, tally up the points for each card you receive and check your holiday luck.

Gain points when you receive cards from:

• Dentist, insurance agent, hairdresser, dry cleaner, mailman +0.5 each
• Your own mother +0.5
• Another relative +1
• Friend via e-mail +0.5
• Your boss +1
• Friend you see at least once a week +1
• Above, with reference to an inside joke +3
• Long-distance friend, devoid of any personal message +2
• Above, with personal message of at least three lines +5
• Anyone who includes a handwritten personal note of more than five sentences +5
• Long-lost friend who hasn't been heard from in 20 years +10

Lose points when:

• Card and envelope are same piece of paper -1
• Signature is imprinted rather than handwritten inside card -2
• Photo is of a helpless pet in a holiday costume -3
• Your name is spelled incorrectly -4
• Highly religious card celebrates faith other than your own -5
• Card is the same one you received last year -6
• Return-address label was provided by charity to which sender may not have actually contributed -7
• Family newsletter contains words such as gallbladder, spleen, and gout -8
• Family newsletter is from ex who is (not so) subtly gloading over his/her recent wedding and cushy new job -10
• Long-lost friend who hasn't been heard from in 20 years asks for money of a place to live -20

Bonus points:

• Gilded envelope +0.5
• Handwritten return address +1
• Card in which all family members appear to have signed their own names +2
• Newsletter or family photo in card +2
• Card with moving parts +3
• Extremely clever handmade card +4
• Oversized card requiring extra postage +5
• Card sent from foreign country +6
• Newsletter with humor at progeny's expense +8
• Card with check, cash, or gift certificate +20

I'll check in every now and then with my to date results.  This could be fun!  Join me!

Thank Goodness it's Thursday

• I'm ready for flannels sheets. Now I just need to do the work and out them on the bed.
• New photography system to test out: shoot in raw, basic edit raw, further edit Photoshop.
• I no longer need to take my camera to photography class. Mainly 'cause photog is over and now we're working in Photoshop.
• Epic fail at WW lately. Someone kick my butt, not literally. But if you see me putting candy on my mouth, then yes literally.
• Mom and dad are joining WW through work. Yea for WW friendly food when I eat dinner over there. 5 nights a week.
• I heart babies. And I think babies heart me. Or maybe it's my bust. No, it's me.
• I have a lot of DVRed shows to catch up on. Praise Jesus for the DVR system and not having to schedule life around tv shows.
• I memorized a bible verse in a day. Need to do that more often. Ask and I'll recite it to you.
• I'm excited for Saturday. Getting away for the day to taste some fermented grape juice with friends.
• I think I may just like this new blogger app, seems user friendly and gives the send picture option. See...

            Yep, that's my dog.  In bed.

• Funny enough I started this last night (or this morning however you want to look at it) and I thought of a few more random things but thought for sure I'd remember them when I got up. I don't remember them. Oops.

 

- Posted from my iPhone

Days of November

November
1	All Saint's Day
	National Author's Day
	Sadie Hawkins Day
2	Zero Tasking Day
3	Cliché Day
	Digital Scrapbooking Day
	Sandwich Day
4	National Chicken Lady Day
	Use Your Common Sense Day
6	National Men Make Dinner Day
7	National Bittersweet Chocolate w/Almonds Day
8	Cook Something Bold & Pungent Day
	National Tongue Twister Day
9	Guinness World Record Day
10	Area Code Day
	Gingerbread House Day
11	Death/Duty Day
	National Young Readers Day
13	World Kindness Day
14	National American Teddy Bear Day
15	America Recycles Day
	I Love to Write Day
	National Bundt (pan) Day
16	International Day for Tolerance
	National Adoption Day
	World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims
17	Homemade Bread Day
18	Married To A Scorpio Support Day
	Micky Mouse Day
	Push-Button Phone Day
19	Have a Bad Day Day
20	Great American Smokeout
	Name Your PC Day
	Universal Children's Day
21	World Hello Day
	World Television Day
22	International Aura Awareness Day
	National Family Volunteer Day
23	You're Welcomegiving Day
24	Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day
25	Shopping Reminder Day
26	Tie One On Day
28	Flossing Day
29	Electronic Greeting Day
30	Computer Security Day
	Stay Home Because You're Well Day

Days of October

October
1	Balloon Around the World Day
	World Vegetarian Day
2	Guardian Angel Day
	World Farm Animal Day
3	Lee's National Denim Day
	National Diversity Day
	World Smile Day
4	10-4 Day
	World Card Making Day
5	World Teachers Day
6	Mad Hatter Day
	World Habitat Day
8	International Top Spinning Day
	National Bring Your Teddy Bear To Work Day
9	National Depression Screening Day
	World Post Day
10	Emergency Nurses Day
	National Cake Decorating Day
11	National Coming Out Day
	Reptile Awareness Day
	Universal Music Day
12	Clergy Appreciation Day
	International Moment of Frustration Scream Day
13	National Kick Butt Day
14	Be Bald and Be Free Day
15	National Grouch Day
	White Cane Safety Day
16	National Boss's Day
	Dictionary Day
	Get Smart About Credit Day
17	Mammography Day
	Mulligan Day
18	Sweetest Day
	World Menopause Day
	World Toy Camera Day
19	Evaluate Your Life Day
	Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Day
22	International Stuttering Awareness Day
23	National Mole Day
24	Lung Health Day
	United Nations Day
25	Make A Difference Day
26	World Priest Day
	Mother-In-Law Day
27	Cranky Co-Workers Day
28	National Chocolates Day
29	Internet Day
30	Haunted Refrigerator Night
	National Candy Corn Day
31	Frankenstein Friday
	National Knock-Knock Jokes Day

Days of September

September
1	Chicken Boy's Day
4	Newspaper Carrier Day
5	Be Late For Something Day
	Cheese Pizza Day
7	Google Commemoration Day
	National Grandparent's Day
	"Neither Snow nor Rain" Day
8	National Boss/Employee Exchange Day
9	Wonderful Weirdos Day
	Teddy Bear Day
10	Swap Ideas Day
11	Patriot Day
	Remember Freedom Day
12	Video Games Day
13	Bald is Beautiful Day
	International Chocolate Day
	Positive Thinking Day
15	International Sing-Out Day
	National Women Road Warrior Day
17	Citizenship Day
	Constitution Day
	Pledge Across America Day
19	National POW/MIA Recognition Day
	Talk Like a Pirate Day
20	Big Whooper Liar Day
	America's Day for Kids
	Wife Appreciation Day
21	International Day of Peace
	Women's Friendship Day
22	Dear Diary Day
	Hobbit Day
	National White Chocolate Day
23	Innergize Day
24	National Women's Health & Fitness Day
	Punctuation Day
25	National One-Hit Wonder Day
26	Dog Scouts of America
	Love Note Day
27	Ancestor Appreciation Day
	World Tourism Day
28	Gold Star Mother's Day
	National Good Neighbor Day