New Year's Eve

Today is the last day to reach my goal of 2k visitors
for the blog for the year of 2011.
I am very close!

I had another goal that ended today as well.
I needed $400 in sales from my Thirty-One business
by noon today.
I did not make that goal unfortunately.
Although I was very close.
But I am proud of myself For what I did accomplish!
It was my first run and I did well.

I even have one possible party lined up
and a catalog party lined up!
Plus 2 girls who are thinking of signing up!
That would put me at promotion.

So the New Year looks promising from here.
I hope you can say the same.

Be safe tonight, Don't Drink and Drive,
And have a wonderful time ringing in the new Year!

Goodbye to Twenty Eleven!

Challenge

I found a letter to myself not too long ago.
Basically discussing with myself the things I
would like to change about myself.
The things I'd like to change about my life.

When I read it I was surprised to find the even though
I has completely forgotten that I had even written it,
I had accomplished most of the things.

I have a challenge for all of you.
As a sort of add on to your resolutions
for the new year,
Write a letter to yourself.
Tell your self where you would like your life to be next year.
What you hope to accomplish this year.

Is there anything you want to change?
How about some things you might like to add to your life?

If you are really brave you can come back here and comment.
Share what you would like.
If you are up for it, send me your letter to my email and I will post
it here as a guest blogger.

housewifeblog@live.com

..these little wonders, these twists and turns of fate...Rob Thomas, Little Wonders

Up To Date

Just a little end of the year update on my house life.
I have signed up to sell thirty-one gifts.
I am having my first party this week.
As of today I have cleaned and cleaned to get the
house back in shape after Christmas threw up everywhere.

I am excited and nervous too!
I have no idea how to conduct a party,
well the theory's.
But theory is one thing.
Actually doing it another.

In other news we are expecting more Dotson puppies.
Oh boy.
I had not yet recovered from the last batch.
But they are cute!

My son is very into Lego's as of now.
The good thing is that he does like to read as well.
At least he divides his time with good habits too.

The Hubby is happy with his job.
Union work took some getting used to.
But now he says he only wants to have a union job
from now on.


We are looking forward to the new year.

If you are interested here is the links for our
Photography page and my thirty-one link.
http://www.mythirtyone.com/crystalsj31/
http://www.facebook.com/#!/JohnsonProStudio

Have a safe and happy new year!

Hit count goal is currently at 47 hits to go!
Spread the word.

Merry Christmas!

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas.
I know we sure did.

My son made out great!
I think that he got everything he asked for.

We even made a quick trip to Oklahoma
to visit.
My grandmother had a as good a Christmas as my son.
We got her a Kindle, I hope she really enjoys it.

I even got to show off our photography skillz.

I learned that my brother is addicted to coffee.
No way I could drink that much coffee.
I learned that people will line up outside WalMart
even in freezing weather just to get a deal.

I waited in my warm car.
I'm no dummy.

On Christmas Day we spent the day with my brothers
sister and parents and the kids.
My son and his cousin decided to chug Hot sauce.
Too funny.
They barley got it out of the neck of the bottle.
But the way they acted you would have thought
they drank the entire bottle.
After that My Mom and Niece competed to see
who could drink down jalapeno sauce the fastest.
My Mom won. lol
I even caught it on video.
Yes we do crazy things on Christmas.

We ended the holiday with a very early shopping trip
this morning.
Where I got to have a nice breakfast with just my
husband.
And he bought me a very pretty ring that is my birthstone.

Hope that your Christmas was as good as mine!

31 reasons to love Christmas

In honor of my new Thirty-One adventure
I am giving you 31 reasons to love Christmas time.
In no particular order.
What is Thirty-One?
Check it out.
http://www.mythirtyone.com/crystalsj31/

31 Egg Nog
30 Yummy treats!
29 pretty lights
28 Shopping fun
27 Candy Canes
26 Hot cocoa
25 Santa Claus
24 Christmas Movies
23 Saying You'll Shoot You Eye Out! (Over n over for no real reason)
22 Dirty Santa Games
21 Family Photos
20 Food and more Food!
19 Leaving Cookies for Santa
18 Grandparents
17 Reading Night Before Christmas
16 Wrapped under a blanket with loved ones
15 Warm fireplaces
14 Holiday themed jewelry
13 Family traditions
12 Getting to wear ugly sweaters
11 Christmas Parties!
10 Church Pageants
9 Giving to the Angel Tree
8 Giving to others
7 Young faces light up
6 Seeing those you haven't seen all year
5 Travel
4 Time off from work
3 Kids are out on break
2 Time with Family
1 Remembering what its all about the Birth of Jesus! 

Christmas for all

My gift from my G-ma

This weekend we attended our first Christmas event of the holiday's.
I think a lot of families got together this weekend.
All of the little traditions that each family has is what makes the time special.
My Mom and sister and I usually bake and make candy treats between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
That's just a little thing we like to do.

This weekends at our family get together we ate and exchanged gifts with my grandma.
I love my gifts from her each year because its always something she hand made.
This year I got wonderful kitchen towels and she made the hangers for them.

And afterwards the Adults always play Dirty Santa.
There is always a fight over something.
And this year was no different.
Its all fun though, not to worry.
No one gets elbowed in the eye or anything.

Some of my family back home had a family party too.
I was unable to attend but I did get to enjoy pictures that were posted.
One of the traditions they have is to play dirty Santa with Christmas ornaments.
What a precious keepsake to have each year.

Each family is different and new traditions get made every year.
A girl friend of mine had her first family party this year.
They prove that all families are not alike.
At the event held at her sisters house they watched videos made by each other,
the sisters died each others hair, and they played a entertaining game of "Jerry Springer"
Yes, Im seri...
No really, no lie.
They made up stories of their spouses cheating and having each other's babies.
All the while their 70 something year old father watched and laughed.

Whatever your hoilday traditions, Have a Merry Christmas!

Unhappy to the Death

You know I write about happiness a lot.
I see some around me who are not happy.
I see that a better life is within their reach.
Some are just too afraid to try.
Too afraid to hope possibly.
Maybe they are comfortable residing in the current state of which they are.
I have to question why.
I write to try and speak to my readers hearts and minds.
I am a problem solver by nature.
I am a fixer.
Sometimes it is hard for me to know I can not help.
I can not do my word-ly magic.

A few days ago Steve Harvey was the guest on the Dr Oz show.
He has written a couple books.
He is a comedian if you are unaware.
His books somehow came out to appear that he knows a lot about relationships.
Whether he does or does not.
He said He was just being honest, telling what he knows from his own past experiences.
His outlook is a different way of looking at things.
Possibly because he's a man, ladies you ever notice how foreign men can be?
Haha
The thing that struck me was what Dr Oz said.
If a man is not happy in his marriage/relationship, he will lose 4 years off his life.
Do you know how many a woman loses of she is unhappy?
12
Twelve
12 years off her life she loses If she is not happy with her life/relationship.
I was floored.
My guess was zero.

Sadness is too hard on us women.
An idea maybe I have known, that might explain my constant urges for your happiness.

Steve had some great thoughts.
His book is probably worth the read.
One tip he gave to "re-program your mans brain" was, no nagging.
Instead of complaint that your man has not taken out the trash,
Compliment him.
Tell him that he's so strong that you need him to take out the trash for you.

Hey it's worth a shot.
Check out the book.
Straight talk, no chaser
Find it hereStraighttalknochaserSteveHarvey

As always, it's just some food for thought!

Read a Movie, Save a Soap

2 things today.

I finally got to watch the Final

Harry Potter Film!

It was good.

Better than Part 1.

It progressed very fast.

It was  very close to the book.

Yet if you have not read the books you

may be lost in this one.

I actually read the entire series between the last two films.

And I loved them!

If you are a fan of the movies I recommend giving the books

a good read if you have yet to do so.

They are well worth it.

My son got the first 3 from a friend of his

for his birthday this year.
He started reading and was compelled to watch all of the movies again. haha

So secondly, If you read me regularly you know I am a Soaps fan.

One Life To Live has been soooooo great the past few days.

Its always good.

But this story line is great.

Fraternity Row is "their" soap.
Watching my soap stars in love with their own soap has been
so funny!
Then Roxy picks up a tabloid and screams!
Her soap has been canceled!!!!!

I love it! It was priceless.

Now Roxy is on a mission to save her soap.

I have found a Facebook page that is trying to do just that.

Word is that Prospect Park may be on the fence about bringing

Daytime to the online site, as promised.

Go here and like the page if you wish to help out.

DaytimeFansUnite

Thanks!

Dream big or go home!

I always dream bigger than life.
A dreamer I am to the core.
I imagine to be an artist dreaming is a requirement.
My whole life I have lived half in another world.
TV, books, or my own wiring but I think my fave place to hang, is in music.
Music has such a great power.
Different parts of one song can speak differently to each person.
I think clearly while music is on.
When I was in technical college I would plug in my head phones and listen to music. It helped me to focus oddly enough.
If you do not have dreams then what do you focus on?
What do you look forward too?
Some of my dreams scare me even.
For example I have always wanted to go on a cruise.
Yet thinking of being on the huge vast ocean without any sign of land terrifies me!
Did you hear my breath catch just then?
Another of my large dreams is a European trip.
I so love history.
I went to Canada in high school and loved it immensely.
I know that it would be 50 times greater to go to Paris, London, Italy, and a few places in between!
After 9-11 I am afraid to fly.
If you can not tell I have a few phobias.
And they can be paralyzing at times.
Yet I still dream.
I still want to do these things one day.
Set goals, yes be realistic.
But if you can not Dream big I don't think you are living true to your self.
And if your not true to yourself then who are you true too?

 What is bigger than the Eiffel tower?

Zodiac and You

It's official.
I finally made it to Z!
Yeah! Streamers are flying in the air!

I completed the A to Z challenge.
It only took 4 months.
haha That is not very good.
But as any housewife knows,
the house duties come first.

So does my other writing I guess
since some days that took my attention away as well.

Before I get into today's Letter Z.
I wanted to give you all an update.
November is officially over.
I failed my NaNoWriMo this year.
My word count only got above 7k.
I will continue to work on the MS.
It just is not a NaNo success story.
I will try again next year.

So I chose the Zodiac to blog on today.
If you do not know your sign here is a list:
Aquarius Jan 20-Feb 18
Pisces Feb 19-March 20
Aries March 21- April 19
Taurus April 20- May 20
Gemini May 21-June 20
Cancer June 21-July 22
Leo July 23-August 22
Virgo Aug 23-September 23
Libra Sept 24-October 23
Scorpio Oct 24-Nov22
Sagittarius Nov 23-Dec 21
Capricorn Dec 22- Jan 19

I really believe this has a lot to do with how we act.
How our personalities come out.
And the way we react to each other.
Any time I read my horoscope its very close to how my day went.

It is very interesting to read about your sign.
To hear how much you are that way.
If you are born on the date your sign starts or ends
you are cusp born which means you are both the sign before or
after. That will cause you to be like a bit of both.
I am cusp born Virgo and Libra for example.

I have a Twitter feed that I really enjoy following.
They post facts every day for each sign.
Here is the link.
https://twitter.com/#!/ZodiacFacts
Check them out the facts are great! 
I just seen that there is a blog from them as well,
here is that link.

http://zodiacfacts.blogspot.com/

 

A few things they post are like this:

#Pisces are thoughtful listeners who can empathize with any situation.

#Scorpios rarely lose they just keep on going, since they are stubborn and determined to succeed.

As a #Gemini no matter how much life throws at you, you always hold a belief that tomorrow will be a good day.

 

 

Year's end

So we are at the end of 2011 already.
We have seen the last of the Harry Potter movies.
(I have not yet. so shhh..)
We have the first part of Twilight's Breaking Dawn out, still
in theaters.

Thanksgiving has come and gone again.
The Shopping craze is in full swing.

So what is in store for next year?
I have a few crafty ideas in mind.
I have been researching and learning new things
to do.
I am hoping to find me a few more hobbies to keep me busy.
I have so many as it is.
I quilt, write, make jewelry, can build Websites,
Photography, Photo editing, reading, scarf making,
crocheting, painting, and I am sure I am forgetting a few.
My new things I am learning is how to make Tutu's, and hair bows.

They are lots of fun and who doesn't love that instant gratification?

I have had lots of hits on my blog this year.
But I have a goal.
By the end of the year I want to reach 2,000 hits.
So I am asking you all for a bit of help.
Can you click that little facebook button or twitter link
located below each post.
And share with your friends.

Total hits so far is 1,669.
331 to go!

x-mas is upon us

Little Danny enjoying our beautifully lit tree

Its that time again.
Time for crowded streets at any time of the day.
Rude people at every store.
Long lines, and even longer ones.

I ventured out again this year for black Friday.
Actually I was out all Thursday night starting at 10pm.

We got home around 4 Am and half my party was still raring to go!
Well that could have something to do with the 2 cups of coffee that she, who I wont name, had at 11 at a pit stop at the Ihop, Mom.

Yeah, she said we were all going home to sleep and would resume at 5, that didn't happen, haha.
But it was a very different experience from my other Black Friday excursions in the past.
I had never seen Walmart so crowded. I was in a line at Kohl's that wrapped around the store twice, waiting for hours.(Well My dear husband was. We put him in line shortly after arrival to be a place holder.)

But I'm getting off topic here.
My point is, that Yes people around us may be rude.
You may stand in line for a very long time.
You may not have any coffee to fuel you.
But the looks on the faces you bought for,
Well that makes it all worth it.

I did title this entry X-Mas.
But I am not one to use that wording.
I don't really like it at all.
For this purpose though I needed an X
Yes I am winding down my Alphabet challenge.
I am sure by the lack of regular posts you could tell
that I was having trouble.
Some letters I would have to ponder for a few days.
I did grow as a writer from it, so it served it's purpose.

I like to blog about my interest's.
Things that mean something to me, and so it took a bit of
thinking on a few of the letters in the Alphabet.
Its Christmas time and I wanted to write about that.
So I improvised. But Taking the CHRIST out of Christmas?
That is impossible.
Some may try, inserting an X here a Happy Holiday's there.
I have seen a few upset by the Holidays phrase.
But really its just that we have so many this time of year.
That one does not bother me.

Christmas is the celebration of the birth of our lord.
I don't think that can be changed do you?
It will always be the day of his birth.
And therefore it will remain CHRISTmas forevermore.

I have been told a time or two that I sound like I am preaching a bit in my blogging.
I am sorry if I offend you. No one is making you read me.
Although I do appreciate every single one who does.
As I said I write about what I am passionate about, I write what I know.
And I am passionate about the Lord.

This Christmas when you are on the road
and its taking you much longer to get anywhere.
When you are standing in lines and your feet hurt.
When someone is rude to you out and about.
Keep the smiling faces in your mind.
Think about the family time you will soon be having.
Sitting around a warm fireplace snuggled up to a lit tree,
with your hot cocoa in hand.

It will all be worth it in just a very short time.