It's gonna feel real good...

Oddly enough, the words to Michael Jackson's, "Man in the Mirror," keep playing over and over in my mind.  

Oddly because I was confronted with these lyrics at the beginning of this month and they're smacking me yet again this second to last day of the month.  I started January and 2012 looking for ways that I could set goals for myself this year, rather than resolutions that I always wind up moving past and forgetting.  I wanted to create options that can build on one another.  Ways for me to improve my well-being and lead to bettering the world around me, wherever that may be.

As I reflect on the words of this song, I can't help but envision just how they're already providing motivation for this path that I'm on.  A path with many twists and turns.  A path I'm eager to keep rolling down and discover the plans He has for me.

My mind is sifting through,

"I'm starting with the man in the mirror,

I'm asking him to change his ways,

And no message could've been any clearer,

If you wanna make the world a better place,

Take a look at yourself

and then make a change."

I believe that as I travel this path I'm going to get to know me a little better.  That's already happening. 

I'm going to get to figure out what really matters in this world,

not just "my world."

I want to make a change.  I want to BE THE CHANGE!

Here's what's helping my cause...

Will you join THE PROJECT?  Let's SHINE together!

January 31, 2012 and forevermore...

*Look for pictures to come Friday!!*

Super simply sweet fix...

To occupy a sweet tooth that seems to be incurable at times, I came across said recipe.  Upon the event of my mouth turning into a water fountain, I knew it was part this evening's life plan.  I followed the signs and am currently in the process of bringing said recipe to life in my kitchen.

TURTLE CAKE

1 pkg. Super Moist German chocolate cake mix (follow directions on box) 1 pkg. Kraft caramels 1/2 c. evaporated milk Place caramels and evaporated milk in top of double boiler and melt over hot water, stirring constantly. Pour half of cake mix into a 9x13 inch greased and floured pan. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Then pour on caramel mixture plus, 1 cup of chocolate chips and 1 cup chopped nuts. Top with rest of cake mix and bake for 25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes then take out of pan. Frost when cool. CREAM CHEESE FROSTING: 1/2 c. butter, softened 1 tsp. vanilla 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese 1 box confectioners' sugar

Mix butter, vanilla and cream cheese and then add sugar.

cooks.com - recipes - cakes - turtle cake

Turnout to come...

Maybe it'll look something like this...

(with a homemade touch, of course)

Source: pillsburybaking.com via Caitlin on Pinterest

Small stuff...

On a high school youth group visit to a large, primarily African American, congregation in Indiana, I took a small (yet unknowingly large) message from the sermon that Sunday.  

"Don't sweat the small stuff,

cuz it's all small stuff."

My thinking was to not worry about the little things in life.  I thought of it along the lines of picking my battles and not worrying about the little things that happen.  Boy, was I wrong?!

First off, life is all little things!  And thinking this way made me a spoiled-rotten brat!  I hoped only for BIG things.  I figured, "if it's small, it's not worth the trouble..."don't sweat it."

The problem with this thinking... my expectations grew to unreasonable measures.  I wasn't taking time for and appreciating the small things in life.  I had mixed feelings on the differences between small and BIG.  I can now admit...my thinking has expanded.

It's funny how, in my reflections, my wonderfully amazing "other half" pops into mind oh so often.  He has such a way with expressing his beliefs without expressing his beliefs.  He is truly a man of God.  By truly, I mean his actions.  He doesn't throw religion around as a way to prove anything.  He just treats others in a Godly way.  He's laid back and such a "go with the flow" type person.  Nothing really gets under his skin and he works to keep from being under anyone's skin.  He always wants to be the good guy that everyone likes.  I have to admit, he's pretty good at what he does.  And I don't think it's because I'm partial. :)

I, on the other hand, am a worrier that doesn't slow down for fear of popping.  I rush through the small things in life so I can avoid a lapse.  When my daddy passed away 2 years ago, I focused on staying busy and keeping my life in the fast lane, as not to let things get the best of me.

Thank goodness I am also the type to express my feelings.  So, I haven't exactly held those in as I've continued to go, go, go.  I won't say that I haven't paused to think about things, but it's seems easier to me to have a simple pause, let things out, and keep going as not to completely stop.  However, it is so easy, at times, to slip.

Another thank goodness, I have my God.  He is my Father who has such great plans for my life.  Although I don't know have insight into that path, I do know it's great!  Difficult too?  Yes!  Frustrating at times?  Uh huh!  But worth it?  Of course!

If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have come across one of my greatest challenges. 

I am taking a closer at the little things, the lipstick kisses, the being home, the non-materialistic things in life.  That's really what life is all about.

You have to ENJOY the small stuff, cuz it's all small stuff.

Just don't "sweat" it.

My small stuff includes and is, by no means, limited to...

~ forehead kisses ~

~ couch cuddles ~

~ surprises (giving and getting) ~

 ~ niece or nephew sleepovers ~

~ home-cooked meals ~

~ bringing pins to life ~

~ sleeping with my pooches ~

~ country road escapades ~

~ volunteering ~

~ and many more ~

I leave you with a few small things to "sweat"...

Source: threepinkdots.com via Lauralee on Pinterest

Source: runwithglitter.blogspot.com via Lauralee on Pinterest

Source: cleverlyinspired.blogspot.com via Lauralee on Pinterest

Source: chef-n-training.blogspot.com via Lauralee on Pinterest

Happy Firsts and Birthday to me...

It's always nice when your birthday falls on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday.  It just so happened that mine fell on a Sunday this year.  I was actually born on a Sunday too!

I've had a lovely celebratory weekend!  It's been yet another reminder of the all the blessings in my life.  A bit of a share of my celebrations...

found my purple and gold...

I wanted to experience a restaurant for the first time (in connection with this week's challenge by Ashley)

This week, do something for the first time.

Something that you've never done, and experience the fresh outlook on it all.

It can be something big, or extremely small.

But just do something new.

That's exactly what I did and what better time than my birthday?!

I've been wanting to visit new places, including the experience of delicious delicacies close to home.  So, after our large group dinner plans went awry, we journeyed out to take in some new eats!  

Being from just outside the grand city of Louisville and having a part of my heart in the grand state of Louisiana, I decided to pay tribute to ME at Cafe Lou Lou's!  A little bit of Louisville, with a little Louisiana, and a dash of Mediteranian.  It was delectable!!  The atmosphere was super cute too!  I was even able to delight in shrimp pesto leftovers today...actually ON my day of birth!  They were just as tasty as last night too!

After dinner, we took on a couple games of bowling with my sister and her fiance.  It was a blast with a way more than slight couple domination on our part!  Woo hoo!

The night before last included a dinner date my parents, which was   yet another delectable taste...Soul Florentine (pan-seared white fish) at Mimi's Cafe.  Upon my arrival home, I was greeted with a sip of heaven from my MIL...a bottle of 6th sense.  FYI...you can never go wrong with a bottle of wine.

Of course, what completes a birthday is a slice of cake.  Now, yes...I enjoyed my sweet treats both Friday AND Saturday nights.  But, today...BIRTHDAY CAKE!!  M brought home a fave (besides red velvet)...white cake white icing (and buttercream at that!!).  With the homemade flowers he cut and pasted to the bathroom mirror this morning AND the sweet cuddly face that's melted and stole my heart, I'm only reminded again of the blessings I've been blessed.  

THANK YOU everyone for your sweetness and special tributes to my 28th year of God's creation.  We'll see what all it has in store :)

I'll leave you with the precious face that has been graced with the name of June,

as the sister to our Johnny boy...

We rescued her from a hoarding/abuse situation where she was
first taken in by Tyson's Chance Animal Foundation
(where I spend some of my volunteer time).