Paying It Forward

Paying It Forward.

I've thought a lot about this topic lately. 

When I say that I would rather give than receive, I really honest-to-goodness mean it.  It makes me feel good.  Maybe that's why I enjoy doing giveaways on my blog so much.  It just feels so darn good to give.

I'm really sad to say that I recently missed out on an opportunity to pay it forward. 

I was standing in line at Wal-Mart.  It was on Monday, after a long day back at work.  I really just wanted to be at home, with dinner already on the table, but I was stuck in line waiting to pay for my groceries.  The lady in front of me was paying with an Access Card (our state welfare/DHS food program) and it always seems to take longer.  She had already scanned it twice and then the cashier had to scan it in for her.  When it was all said and done, she still owed thirty three dollars and some change.  I could tell that she had a little bit of money in her hand, but when the total came up, she was short.  She laid down some dollars and started counting out the change in her wallet.  I felt the urge to give her some money then, but I didn't want to embarrass her or make things awkward.  So, I didn't do anything.  Then, she handed the cashier a bag back and said to just take them off...it was enough, so she handed the cashier what money she had counted out, got her receipt, and left.

I wish I had just handed her some money.  I'm not sure if what she handed back to the cashier was necessities or not.  It's more about the principal.  She was in a bind and I had some extra.  I should have paid it forward.

I'm saying all of this to say that I won't let that happen again.  If I get the opportunity to pay it forward, I'm going to do it. 

I'm making it a New Years Resolution.  One that I plan to keep.

We had the opportunity to pay it forward on The RHOK blog last month.  You can read about it HERE.  It felt good. 

Have you ever paid it forward OR been the recipient of someone's generosity?

P.S.  I'm giving everyone a little extra time (due to my bloggy break) to enter in my giveaway.  Go HERE to comment and enter!  You'll have until Wednesday, January 12th, to enter.  I'll announce the winner on Thursday, January 13th!

McLinky Monday - New Years Traditions

Today on The RHOK, Mrs. Priss wants to know how we spend our New Years Eve...

how we ring in the New Year...

She asked,

Do you stay up until midnight?

Do you get together with friends?

Do you have any New Year's Eve or New Year's Day traditions?

Did you make a list of resolutions?

Did you eat black-eyed peas?

Well, Mrs. Priss, let me tell you, we are Party Animals...witha capital "P" and "A".

If you consider staying at home playing a mean game of Guess Who being a Party Animal,

or watching Ryan Seacrest and NKOTB on television being a Party Animal,

OR seeing the ball drop in Time Square from the comfort of your couch being a Party Animal,

OR toasting with Sparkling White Grape Juice (OK, and maybe a little champagne for those of us who are over 6) in fancy glasses being a Party Animal...

OR popping poppers out your front door and blowing horns and wearing shiny hats and yelling HAPPY NEW YEAR over and over and over being a Party Animal...

then, yeah we're Party A-N-I-M-A-L-S.

We also eat LOTS of black eyed peas.  I just ate some that were left over for lunch today.  We also make resolutions and talk about new goals for the new year.

I think it's a consensus around our house this year...#1 resolution...FINISH THE HOUSE!

I also have the revolving resolutions, you know the ones that are there EVERY year...lose weight, be healthier, save money...blah, blah, blah.

Here's to more happiness, opportunities, open windows, good cups of coffee, great books, ingenious ideas, witty inventions, health and prosperity.

Hope 2011 is your best year yet!

So, how do you ring in the New Year?

Stop by and let us know at The RHOK!

Just Checking In...

So, how was your Christmas? Our Christmas was wonderful...

We had a white Christmas! It was beautiful! It was the first white Christmas we had seen in 8 years or so and the first time Oklahoma had been under a blizzard warning in years and years...possibly ever for some places. We've enjoyed playing in the white fluffy stuff.

We made snow angels...

lots and lots of snow angels.

We've played in the snow until our fingers are numb and our noses are so cold they're about to fall off.

Then we've come back in, drank some hot cocoa, and went back out for more.

The snow wasn't the only good thing about Christmas. Santa was good to me! (Apparently I wasn't so bad after all ;) I got a new camera! It's a Canon EOS Rebel XS...I love it! I have over 500 pictures from Christmas, but would like to edit some of them before posting them here on my blog. What kind of photo editing software do you use? Any tips or suggestions are greatly appreciated. I'm still trying to get back into the swing of things...and not being very successful at it. My Google Reader is FULL. I've got tons of new toys to find a place for and we're getting ready to have Isaiah's 6th birthday on Friday!

We've also had a loss in our family. My Grandpa Norman (my dad's dad) passed away on the 28th. His funeral is this weekend. He will be greatly missed. I'm just thankful that I listened to the voice inside and took the opportunity to go and visit him a week or so ago...you never know when your last visit will be.

I encourage you all to embrace each moment you get with family and give lots of hugs...really mean it...hug 'em tight! I'll try to get around and visit you guys as soon as I can! Love you all♥

I wish for health, happiness, and peace for each and every one of you in 2010.

Happy New Year!

To All My Wonderful Blogland Friends:

I just wanted to take this time to thank everyone who stops by and reads my blog (even if just this once). It means a lot to me that people actually read the things I write. So, I'm grateful and blessed for all of you. I love reading your blogs too. They enlighten me, educate me, make me laugh, make me cry, inspire me, keep me up-to-date...I can't imagine what I did before blogging! I am excited about the new year ahead of us! I have a few goals, or resolutions I guess you could say, that I would like to share...

1. Draw closer to God. This is not a hard one for me. I strive to do this daily, without making any resolutions, but I like God to be at the top of all my lists☺
2. Spend good quality time with my family...Isaiah, Michael, my grandparents, parents...everyone.
3. Enjoy life. I know this one is broad, but that's kinda the way I like to do my resolutions. I like to keep them broad...it gives me lots of room to move around and go with the flow. So, whatever "enjoy life" means in 2009, that's what I want to do.
4. Take care of relationships. Tend to them like a garden...water, weed, give them sunlight.
5. Drink as much coffee as possible☺
6. Have fun as much as possible.
7. Read lots of new books (or old ones...I just can't get away from Twilight!)
8. Finish at least one scrapbook! It's crazy, but I have tons, I mean LOADS of scrapbooking stuff, but not one finished scrapbook. I guess I should say my hobby is collecting scrapbooking supplies, instead of actual scrapbooking!
9. Be healthier.
10. Be greener.

So, do you have any goals...resolutions? Let me hear them...go ahead just write them in my comments☺

Happy New Year!!!