Goodbye 2009, Hello 2010!!!

Wow, 2010. Just typing it seems weird. But I guess I should get used to it huh? I mean, what if I live to be 70? The year will be 2055 then! Whoa. My mind just got blown.

Alrighty, moving on to less mind-blowing topics, it is the new year (well in about 13 hours for me at least) and so I guess it's time for all those New Year's Resolutions to spring forth in plenty! I've already seen commercials on TV and heard commercials on the radio about weight loss, stop smoking campaigns, etc., targeting all those who are going that route. Long ago I made resolutions, and then broke nearly all of them. Then I started making resolutions that I knew I wouldn't break -- i.e. wear seatbelt (I always do so it's not a far stretch), brush teeth daily, eat at least once a day... get my drift? Then I realized that that was just stupid. So, I started making New Year's Resolutions to not make any resolutions, therefore I wouldn't break any. But if I make a resolution to not make any resolutions so I wouldn't break said resolution didn't I indeed make a resolution and therefore break it all at the same time. (There is no spoon.)

Oh geez, I fear I might have lost you after that last paragraph... BUT, if you're still here, I do have some resolutions. And they are resolutions that I plan to keep, so please encourage me to do so... :)

Regina's New Year's Resolutions for 2010

1. Declutter my house, keep it clean, and organize my office better. [I've actually already started this one, you should see the PILES and PILES of stuff to be thrown or given away.] I'm hoping for my office to look similar to this in a few months:

2. Participate in a sprint triathlon. I know most people just say that they want to lose weight in the New Year, but that really hasn't worked for me in the past so this year I'm doing something different. I'm going to start training for a triathlon and in doing so, the weight should fall off freely. That's my hope anyway...




3. Read, Read, READ!!! I'm always reading things but so much of the time I'm reading things for my own entertainment - *ahem* Twilight Saga Books.... BUT, this year I'm going to still read for my own entertainment, but I'm also going to read some books to help me grow as a Christian (I've already started Captivating and its workbook), AND I plan to read the Bible too. I've got a few other books lined up for after I finish Captivating and I've seen numerous plans for reading the Bible in one year so I'm going to pick that up too. :)




4. I've got ideas! LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of ideas. Ideas about ministries, ideas about new creative projects, ideas about my house (inside and out), ideas about books and paintings, ideas about IDEAS! So... I'm going to start including them in my journal and hopefully, I can start getting some of these ideas into fruition. After all, Edison, Shakespeare, Da Vinci, all started with just an idea... ;)

5. Get out of more debt. I'm happy to say that we paid off our Lowe's credit (which was a small amount) and we paid off my wedding ring (which was NOT a small amount) just yesterday so that's two bills we paid off this year and I'm hoping to pay off *most* of our other small debts this next year.

Well, I think that just about wraps up my New Year's Resolutions for 2010. Who knows, maybe I'll add more later. What are YOUR New Year's Resolutions?? :) Care to share?

I hope you have a very Happy (and SAFE) New Year's Eve and MANY, MANY blessings for you in the New Year.

Team Feature Tuesday - TrueTexasScents

Good morning all! It's snowing again out here in west Texas and I have to say, I LOVE IT! I know it causes bad driving conditions and such things like that. But here I am, all snuggled up in my office just working away and getting to watch the snow come down outside. It's wonderful. I think I'm finally rested up from my vacation. Isn't it funny how you need a vacation from a vacation?
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Anyway, I've got the next Team Feature Tuesday ready for you (and on a Tuesday, surprise, surprise!) and I think you're going to like this one. This week's Team Feature Tuesday comes from my team TEAMETSYTX, which features members who are or were living in Texas. TRUETEXASSCENTS is a wonderful shop full of candles, votives, linen sprays, and decals for that cowboy OR cowgirl in your life. Here are some of my favorite items and I hope you go visit the shop to see all the wonderful items. (PS, I LOVE the names of the scents, perfect!)

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SANGRIA WINE VOTIVES

I think the color of these candles is just fabulous, and I'm sure they smell delightful too!

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LONESOME DOVE

My husband is a big fan of Lonesome Dove and I think he would really like this. It could be a good candle for his office!

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COWGIRL WEDDING

I think I'll have to keep this one in mind when wedding season comes back around. For details on what the scent is exactly, check out ther shop.

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BLACKBERRY PICKIN’

I bet this candle would take me back to those summer days when I used to go blackberry pickin' with Granny and Papa. I think this is my favorite! Especially since it's in my favorite color. haha :)

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LINEN SPRAY

How cool is this?!?! I hate it when I make the bed in my guest room and then it's months before someone comes to visit so by that time the bedding isn't as fresh as it should be. This would be perfect. There's also more fragrances of this linen spray available in the shop!

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Alrighty, I hope you enjoyed that edition, I had to 'favorite' a lot of items in the TRUETEXASSCENTS shop to keep in mind for later. I hope you stop by and visit the wonderful shop and remember to buy handmade! :D

love MUCH love

I'm back!!!

Hello all! I hope you've all stuffed yourself on Christmas feasts, exchanged presents that are only what you always wanted, and have spent more time with family than you usually care to. Ha, only kidding about that last one. Sort of... my family drove me nuts this year.
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Anyway, our Christmas vacation with my family was wonderful. Except for the part about them driving me nuts, which I was not kidding about... right now I'm very irritated at my family, but perhaps I'll wait until another time to explain all of that. This year we had a REAL white Christmas, not one of those imposters where it snows a few days before and lasts until Christmas day, oh no. This one was legit. It started snowing Christmas Eve and snowed all night so we woke up to a white Christmas. Oh how lovely it was!
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There's something magical about snow that wakes up my inner child (the one that really never sleeps if I'm being perfectly honest) and makes me so excited I can hardly stand myself! This was also the first Christmas in a LONG time where I've gotten to spend anytime at all with my brother. He's been more or less estranged from the family for the past 10+ years but now he's reconnected with my dad and things are great again. Him and his fiance spent Christmas Even at my dad's house, and even spent the night. (Which really makes me thankful for the snow since I know that wouldn't have happened if the weather wasn't bad.) Anyway, it was just lovely. I did eat at 2 of the 3 places I wanted to in Oklahoma, Adelita's will just have to wait until my next trip. Yum, Yum, Yum!
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Anyway, I'm trying to catch up on laundry and clean house and all that fun house work that I've gotten to forget about the past week. So, I better go, but I'll be back tomorrow with the Team Feature Tuesday! YIPPEE!!! Who will it be? Who will it be????

love MUCH love

Team Feature Tuesday (on Wednesday) - CityOnaHillCreations

Good morning all! I'll have you all know that I actually CHOSE to post this one late. haha. Well, I had the photos and everything ready, but I was getting tired last night and decided to just wait to do this in the morning. BUT, this will be my last team feature for TWO weeks, since I will be on VACATION visiting my family next week! WOO HOO!!!

Alrighty, well this week's Team Feature is from my TeamCAC. You can find all of our items by searching "TeamCAC" in your search requirements. This Team Feature is on a cute little shop called City On a Hill Creations, which I just discovered this week! It has SOOO much variety: paintings, wall hangings, vases, keepsake boxes, etc., that you really should be able to find something for anyone!

CITYONAHILLCREATIONS

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OUT OF THE MIRE PAINTING

I love the meaning behind this painting and I love the aesthetics of the painting itself, DELIGHTFUL!

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BUSINESS CARDS

So maybe that person you know has everything, but do they have great business cards?

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HANDPAINTED VASE

A lovely, artistic vase!

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WALL HANGING

I can think of several places in and around my home that this would go perfectly!

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POPPIES PAINTING

I adore this painting! And I have a thing for paintings on multiple canvases!

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KEEPSAKE BOX

Also, for that person who has everything... a box to put it in! :)

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Alrighty, that's it for this one! I hope you stop by CITYONAHILLCREATIONS to see even more wonderful items!

love MUCH love

Weekly Wishlist - Candy Cane Craze! (Part One)

One day, I'm going to have a themed Christmas tree with a Candy Cane theme to it. I just think those decorations are GORGEOUS! Also, one day I'm going to host a themed party and it will be a Red & White party where everyone has to dress in red and/or white. How lovely?!?!

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Anyway, in the spirit of the holidays, and in the theme of Red and White, this blog is dedicated to getting your home all festive! The second part will be dedicated to geting YOU festive... haha, it should be great! I hope you enjoy part one!

WREATH

Let your guests be greeted by this beautiful red and white wreath! I ADORE THIS!

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GARLAND

I love the simplicity of this garland. But it also could be blinged out a bit with some icicle ornaments.

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COASTERS

And to help keep your furniture from getting those horrid rings....

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VASE

And I think this little vase is perfectly lovely! It's perfect all year around, BUT think of how simple yet stunning it would be on a mantle or entry way table with a couple sprigs of holly berries? Gorgeous? YES!!!
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CANDLE

And for the overall ambience of the party, a gorgeous red faded to white, peppermint scented candle. Ahhhh.... heavenly.

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Alrighty, well that's it for this addition. What fun themed parties do you have in mind? Worst Christmas Sweater? Green and White? And what's your favorite theme for a Christmas tree?

love MUCH love

Team Feature Tuesday (on Friday) - ThePinkSink

Alrighty, Only three days behind on this one... lol. Oh well, it's still full of interesting, useful and lovely items. Maybe you can get the Christmas shopping done for all the ladies on your list, all right here! This team feature is from my TeamEtsyTX. I hope you enjoy, stop by again soon! :D

THE PINK SINK

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COCOA BUTTER SOAP

This looks yummy enough to eat!!!

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TWILIGHT PERFUME

And for the Twilight-obsessed people in your life... like me. ;)

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WHIPPED BODY FROSTING

Vanilla isn't boring, especially when it's whipped!

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SUGAR CUBE SCRUB

Oh I bet this makes your skin feel wonderful!

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PEPPERMINT LIP BALM

This sounds cool and fresh! And I've heard that peppermint lip balm makes your breath smell better too! Double whammy!

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FOOT SCRUB

This looks heavenly. I hate how some foot cream makes your feet smell minty. Really? Spearmint feet?

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love MUCH love

Weekly Wishlist - "Blue Christmas"

I'm way behind in my blogging again, grrr.... Boy how I love Christmas and all things winter-y and Christmas-y. But boy how busy it gets sooo quickly. It seems that in October and November I have a lot of "hurry up and wait" moments, where I'm looking forward to decorating and baking and this and that, but then I can't really do anything yet so I just have to wait. :( And now that it's December and I've been planning things, and buying gifts all year, I'm still amongst all the other people out there that are scrambling to finish their Christmas lists and holiday baking. SHEESH! Oh well, I still love it! And even though I should be studying for finals.... here I am, in all my glory, blogging again. haha.

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Also, you may have noticed the title of my blog post. I'm changing it from Weekend Wishlist to Weekly Wishlist. It seems that I can usually come up with a wishlist once a week but it may not always happen on the weekend. I'm trying to save myself here, haha.

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Alright, on to the important stuff... this WEEKly Wishlist is inspired by December's birthstone - Blue Topaz. Now having done some research, I see that December has several different birthstones, but Blue Topaz is the one I've heard the longest and it's what we're going with today. So, Happy Birthday Mom, and to everyone else with their December birthdays. :)

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BLUE DRESS

I adore this dress, and those RUFFLES, and the POCKETS!!! Oh heavens!

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STACK RINGS

Oh how I so desperately want stack rings! And these are just lovely!

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NARWHAL SHIRT

Everyone needs a narwhal shirt, don't they? I know I do!!!

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BLUE TOPAZ EARRINGS

These earrings are just beautiful!

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SILK CLUTCH

This is one of the most gorgeous clutches I have seen... EVER. I so love it!!!

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Alrighty, well that's the wishlist for this week. I really should stop procrastinating and work on my final paper and study for my finals.... but where's the fun in that?!?

love MUCH love

I have a new shop!!!

That's right, I have a new shop on Etsy. Please stop by to check it out:

COWGIRL BAKERY

I'm really surprised by all the views my few items have already gotten. My hope is to keep adding items year around so please check back often to see new listings. In fact, I'm adding a new item TODAY!!! :D

Almond Biscotti

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Vanilla-dipped Almond Biscotti

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Chocolate Dipped Almond Biscotti

Go see! Go see! Go See!

Check out this wonderfully delicious treasury my other shop was featured in:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=78247

It's SOOO neat and expecially YUMMY!!!

love MUCH love

Team Feature Tuesday (on Thursday) - One9Designs

Yes, yes, yes, I know I'm behind. But better late than never has become my motto recently. lol. Anyway, this week I'm bringing you a feature from my TeamCAC ------ ONE9DESIGNS.

One9 is incredibly talented and if I were a wealthy young lady, I would spend a good deal of money in her shop. She's really got gifts for EVERYONE, even that furry, four legged friend of yours. :)

ONE9DESIGNS

Please visit her shop and see ALL of her lovely items! :) Here are a few of my faves!

SOAR WITH BIRD

A gorgeous necklace that anyone would love!

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FIRST CHRISTMAS

What a beautiful ornament for new parents or newlyweds! A wonderful ornament to start a tradition with...

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STACK RINGS Oh I want stack rings so bad... and aren't these just LOVELY!?!
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STRENGTH – PINK RIBBON
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this necklace! It's beautiful and perfect!
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HEART IN HEART
And for that person on your list that likes things modern and simple... this would be perfect! It can even be personalized!
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PET TAG
And last but certainly not least... we mustn't forget those furry friends that live with us. :)
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Alrighty, I hope you enjoyed that. Please visit One9's shop. She really does make some beautiful and remarkable stuff and this is really just a glimpse of it. :)

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love MUCH love