Virtual Coffee

So I was checking out some of my favorite blogs yesterday, and Ms. Lesley at Fabulously Flawed was participating in a fun link-up. :) So I thought I would join in on the fun!

This morning I made some delicious blueberry muffins (to share) and my drink of choice today was Simply Lemonade with Raspberry...oh so good! :)

So what's up in the Leviner household?

I've been trying to catch up on household chores. I hope I'm not the only one that struggles with that after the holidays? I thankfully, got caught up on the dishes and today will have a clothes folding party...wahooo! ;)

I've got a few more lessons to complete with my Medical Transcription program. I seriously HATE that stuff right now. So I'll be finishing that up soon...I hope and probably taking a break from that area of my life. It seems that every time I get to the end of a program, I end up loathing it. I sincerely hope that's normal!

I'm strongly considering selling Scentsy products, to make some extra income. I just made my first Scentsy purchase and can't wait to see how it works!

I have some Valentine's Day decorating ideas. I hope to be able to start on these soon. (Once I tackle this house)

So that's all for me this time! Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday! :)

<3 Anna

Just so you know...

Hey everyone,

I just need to say that:

I completely forgot to update you guys on a couple of things.

1) I changed my blog name. It still includes In her own words, but I wanted to include our name in the title. Sorry for any confusion this may have caused!

2) I forgot to share this picture of one of my best Goodwill finds, from Saturday!

Heading up to the checkout, there was long line and I noticed a rack with purses. I was looking through and found this super cute Kate Spade purse. It may not be in season, but I thought it was adorable and for $3.00, can't beat that! ;)

<3 Anna

I'm Back!

Yep, I'm back!

So the internet hook-up didn't take long here. Apparently, we [really] only have one option...Charter.

So the move went really well. We are loving the new place and got tons done yesterday. I'm hoping to start putting up Christmas stuff tonight/tomorrow. (This is truly out of character for me, since I really like giving each holiday there due...BUT we are leaving Thursday for Georgia and won't return until Sunday. So I thought, wouldn't it be nice to have all the decorations up for our return?! :)

I'm hoping to get pictures tonight and tomorrow and give you guys the tour, in my next posts. So hopefully, I'll have my first post up tomorrow. If not, I'll be back with regular posts next week.

Whatever happens, I want to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving! Remember to take some time to think of all you have to be thankful for. I want everyone who reads my posts here, to know that I'm thankful for each and every one of you. Your comments mean so much to me. :)

<3 Anna

Update

Hey everyone,

This week is going by so fast! Our house is currently covered in boxes and there is laundry to fold, and dishes to do, but I thought I would take a time-out to breathe and blog.

Today: I will do what's mentioned above plus some baking to keep our friends and family smiling during the big move on Saturday. My friend, Whit is coming over tonight and we are having our last Athens movie night. This is always fun and with her crazy semester and this move, I'm sure it will be a breath of fresh air for both of us!

Tomorrow: John and I will take Whit back to campus and grab some breakfast on our way home. My mom will be heading over to pick up her treadmill---we borrowed and no longer have use for. Then we are hoping to do Chinese for lunch and go to Memorial Park. We hope to give Sophie a good walk and enjoy the little zoo they have there. (More packing) And Jessi's last flag performance as a senior. John's father and stepmother should arrive some time that night.

Saturday: MOVING DAY! We will be up bright and early to load the vehicles. Once they are loaded, we have to super clean the house for inspection. Then head on to our new home, get our keys, and unload everything. It's going to be a long day! But I'm ready for it!

I just want to thank all of my loyal readers for the encouraging words. Please continue to pray for the move and for safe travels. This will probably be my last post for the next couple of weeks. Our current internet provider is not available in our new home, so we will have to research and figure out who we will go with next. I hate having to go on an undetermined hiatus, but it is unavoidable. I will do my best to keep up with your blogs and comment as often as possible. Don't forget about me! ;) I will return!

<3 Anna

Update

Hey everyone,

The past couple of days have been pretty busy and fun. Tomorrow John and I will be traveling for an interview for John. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. We will be staying overnight and the interview is early Thursday morning. So I will not be posting tomorrow. I may pick back up on here Thursday or at the latest Friday. I will be sure to update you all on our Halloween fun and how the 21 day Organizing stuff is going.

<3 Anna

Quite Contrary, Garden Log 3

My dearest readers!


I've been horrible about updating our garden progress. I've been waiting to take pictures and still haven't gotten around to it. (All week my focus has been school and getting organized with that. I took my first test today and got an 85. I studied very hard and was hoping for an A, but I'm happy with my grade. I now know what to expect and it takes the pressure off some. ;)

So back to the garden update, so far we have had a few zucchini plants harvested. We used the first one in spaghetti and it was amazing! The other night we steamed some to go along with the main course, also very good. We have other plants that look like they will need harvesting soon! So excited to see the fruit of our labors!

The only bad note this time is one of our cucumber plants died. Our begonias are also struggling in the GA heat. We could seriously use some rain down here! We water the garden everyday now, but there's nothing like natural rain water. :) I would also love to hear it on the roof again!

Any fellow gardeners out there? How are your plants doing?

<3 Anna

ps. I'm going to try and do better and get pictures next time! ;)

Change in Plans

Hey everyone,

I've been busy lately trying to get everything ready for school. So yesterday I met with my advisor to get some more information on my program. This is when I got my bad news, the earliest I could get my CNA is in January. (There's a HUGE waiting list) This is bad because John and I are working towards moving next year. (I don't need to still be in school around that time. It's just too risky.) There are also several fees that we cannot afford right now. (I'm sure our insurance would cover some, but I digress) I'm kind of sad, but I know that being a CNA wasn't my dream job. I was happy to have a direction for awhile, but it wasn't necessarily the right one. So my school plans are put on hold for now.

I'm taking this time to re-focus, re-energize, and re-evaluate my life. Right now I'm looking for a part-time job, volunteering, and trying to figure out what I'm truly passionate about. I may get my CNA some day. I'm not entirely ruling it out, but for now it's plan B and I'm definitely not doing it through ATC. I'm sick of that place and I'm sick of dealing with people who don't care about me and the fact that I'm trying to better myself.

So that's where I am right now. I don't really like it, but I'm at peace about it.

To all my followers, I'll be catching up on your blogs soon. I miss you guys and don't worry you'll be seeing more of me again:) I will also be making regular posts again and some possible revamping again. (I get bored too easily;)

<3 Anna

Caught up!

Hey everyone,

I'm taking this post to catch up on all things that are going on.

Last Saturday: My hubby and I went to see Gnomeo and Juliet. It was everything I expected and more. It had a couple of adult jokes (no worse than Shrek), and had a good balance. The movie used a lot of music from the 70's. John commented that the writers must have been overly obsessed with gnomes. I agree, and 70's music...lol. It was incredibly cute and very creative. I recommend it! :)

Easter Sunday: Our church is about an hour away and since we were already traveling to my great-grandparents, we were unable to attend the Easter service. :( So I listened to worship music while doing my cooking for the big lunch. I made my vegetable casserole and a strawberry shortcake (that took forever!) We arrived at my great-grandparents---had prayer and ate a big delicious lunch! We don't have any children of Easter egg hunting age (except for my little cousin, Kylie and she wasn't there.) Everyone is looking at me to have the next one, but I'm in no hurry! ;) So I didn't witness any Easter egg hunting this year. Hubby did get me a big jar of jellybeans (my favorite!) to share with everyone. So we spent the day enjoying good food and family. We ended the day by watching "Veggie Tales: Twas the Night Before Easter." It was really cute. I didn't grow up in church, so all things Veggie Tale are new to me. I may be an adult, but I still enjoy a good cartoon, especially one with a good message!

This week has been spent cleaning, school stuff, and volunteer stuff. I had a meeting with the volunteer coordinator at the adult daycare. It went really well. If everything gets processed in time, I should start as early as next week! :) I have a meeting with my advisor next week to do some paperwork and get more information on the program. I unfortunately, have to wait until June to register. It stinks, and I have to pay a fee:/ Oh well! My friend also gave me some info about a possible job opening, so looking into that as well. After a bit of a break from things, it seems that my life is about to get busy again. It feels good! :)

***Last night there was some bad storms in my neck of the woods. I'm thankful that my family and friends are safe. Many have lost their lives, please keep these families in your thoughts and prayers.***

So you are all now caught up on things! I hope to get some pictures of the garden today and post an update tomorrow. You wouldn't believe how fast everything is growing!

21. Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton?

This is a tough one. I'm very much a worrier so it would be nice to live joyfully, but I also value my intelligence....hmmm...I don't know if I can choose.

<3 Anna

Plans and Such

Hey everyone,

I was hoping to post about my new etsy store today, but we've been having trouble with our debit cards. (We have money in our account, they just don't work. :/) So I was unable to create my seller account. BOO! Keep your eyes peeled for a post, when things get fixed.

My focus now is to get my life organized. I know that when I start school again(in July), I'll need some sort of schedule to keep me focused.

Here are the things that are important to me:

Devotion/prayer time

Bible reading

Reading for pleasure

volunteering with Humane Society

Finding a nursing home/ something of that nature to volunteer with.

Writing

My blog

Regular Exercise

Starting my Etsy store and working on my small business

Spending time with family and friends

Chores

Crafts---I'd like to learn to sew again and take time for special projects

What's important to you? What is your must have for a good day?


16. How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy?

I think this is because everyone has a different personality. Some people are gifted with a green thumb and would love nothing more than to garden and spend time in nature. Others are not gifted in that area or do not enjoy the outdoors. The different preferences people have, has ALOT to do with what makes them happy.

<3 Anna

Quite Contrary, Garden Log 2

Hey everyone,

I thought today would be a good day to update you on the garden. So far the only thing that is really growing is our zucchini.

I don't know if it's the bipolar weather or if it's the fact that my mother's dog peed on them...but the daisies have been looking bad ever since. :/ Also the lawn guy ran over our hydrangea bush, so I have little hope of them growing.

On the bright side, the day lilies and begonias seem to be doing well. :)

Hopefully, I'll have some better news on the next update!


14. Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity?

I probably have...I'm pretty sure I've seen more of the reverse. I usually see the beauty in things first and then realize the reality of that thing/person/situation.

<3 Anna

Odds and Ends

Hey everyone,

Yesterday I was able to get the kitchen drawers, cabinets, pantry, fridge, etc. cleaned out. John and I went through all of our clothes and between the two of us, we have more than enough to donate. We filled up the car and will probably be taking stuff to Goodwill this evening. I'll also be going on a shopping trip (at some point) to replace some things I can no longer wear. As well as scheduling a hair cut...I'm in desperate need of one. I just don't know what to do with it!

On another note, I filled out my application to start school again. If all goes according to plan, I'll start in June. I'll be studying to get my CNA. I'm looking forward to it!

9. To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?

This is an interesting question. I have a control-freak type personality. I want to be in control and feel that I have the power over situations. There are times when I don't. This is when I'm reminded that God is in control. I have to trust in Him for my future. This is not easy, but it does make dealing with tough times easier.

<3 Anna Ps. If you are looking for the 100 post, go here: http://inadaze13.blogspot.com/2011/03/100-facts-about-me-part-2.html

Not your typical Valentine's Day...

Yesterday began as I expected, me bribing myself with coffee to get out of bed. I had breakfast, devotion, texted John "Happy Valentine's Day." The day progressed just as uneventfully, that is until about 1:00. I saw a strange car pull up in my driveway, wasn't too worried---people love to use our driveway to turn around. The man then stepped out of the car...I assumed he was lost and wanted directions. He came up to my door and knocked. I went to my bedroom with phone in hand. The man knocked on our door several times, then our neighbors. He then finally left. I was thankful. John called me about 30 mins later. I told him I was paranoid and he said he understood. This kind of threw me off, he then proceeded to tell me that our neighbor had been robbed. I told John that I saw the guy. The cops were there investigating and had contacted John. They then talked with me and I gave them a description. I was pretty much paralyzed with fear after that. I called and texted a few friends to keep myself from freaking out too much. Thankfully, the cops told me that the burglar was caught and our neighbor was able to get his things back. The cop said that Sophie (my dog) was the reason the guy didn't break into our place also. So Sophie got some extra spoiling yesterday.

So yesterday didn't go according to plan, I'm thankful things were sorted out as well as they were. I also found out that my dad had my mom's van repossessed. He showed little to no remorse and acted as usual like everything was my mom's fault. I'm so sick of him. My mom has done everything she can to be civil with him and he still has to act like an immature baby.

The evening continued on...John and I thought about getting take-out, but I decided that I wanted to go on with our plans. I didn't want that guy to ruin our evening. So we made dinner as planned: steak, baked potatoes with bacon and cheese, broccoli casserole, and lava cake with vanilla ice cream for dessert. John and I exchanged cards. He got me a lovely bouquet of flowers and other great surprises. The evening ended well and I learned how to load a shotgun...lol.

<3 Anna

Week One: Follow up

Hey everyone!

So tomorrow will mark one full week of treadmill and Jillian Michael's workouts. I have been very sore but challenged. I like how I can already see a difference in me, and that I'm actually craving water. This is a big deal, because I'm not much of a water drinker and also I have a tendency to get dehydrated easily. So things are going well with the Physical aspect of my goals, I need to implement better eating habits and I should be set on this one.

I finished my first book for my 50 books goal. I'm excited to be reading again and actually enjoying it. I've been experiencing some reading and writing ruts lately. Both are finally getting back in order. I'm still waiting for my papers to be processed for my tutoring job...my patience is wearing thin...so ready to start and get out of this house. I'll be tutoring in the evenings, so I'm hoping to start volunteering (possibly with the Humane Society), once I get paid and can afford the getting back and forth. So Mentally, I'm getting my ducks in a row.

I wish I could give the same positive feedback on my Spiritual life. I'm praying and reading, but feeling I'm just scratching the surface and going through the motions. I need to pray about that and see what God has in store for me. I know a deeper connection with Him is more important than all of this other stuff. Please pray with me about this.

Another one of my goals was to spend more time with the people I love. I hope that once everyone gets back into the swing of things, this will get a little more normal. I also hope to meet new people and make new friends, in the new places I will go.

I haven't done so hot with the worrying less and enjoying more part. I've felt increasingly anxious and worried over stupid things. I really need to learn to not analyze so much and read more into things that I haven't actually heard. No more assumptions!

How are your New Years goals/resolutions going? Are you sticking with them? Adjusting them?

<3 Anna

Just a list update

What's going on in the life of me (in list form) and what's coming up:)

* Job interview tomorrow!!!
* Camping in Table Rock, SC this weekend:)
* John actually has Monday off...yay!
* My 24th birthday-July 10
* Cookout with family:)
* The Harrison's are visiting:)
* Visiting Victoria and Baby Balian!
* John's b-day and our anniversary:)

It's the Weekend!

Hello readers!

Today is a great day! I'm home after a very long week at my internship. I'm really enjoying it there and I hope to stick around even after my internship ends. So right now the plans for the weekend are as follows:

Friday:
6-8 Sparrows Nest Banquet
8-whenever Spend time with my hubby---maybe watch a movie and snuggle;)

Saturday:
7:30-9:30 work
9:30-2:00 Chores around the house
2:00-whenever Go out with my hubby---going to antique stores and places like that

Sunday:
Church, nice lunch, and continue spring cleaning

So I think that sounds like a pretty sweet weekend:) What are your weekend plans?