Giving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

Today, I am thankful for:

My family, which I never feel like I can see enough
Yummy food
Rest...which is something I can forget to do sometimes
A new job, starting on Monday!! Post to come...
My Savior
My wonderful and encouraging friends
And my new home of Chattanooga

And, in particular today, I am grateful for my hair. I cut about 10 inches off of my hair yesterday. Selfishly, I wanted to just trim a couple of inches off to make it more manageable. But I also had to recognize that I would probably never have my hair quite as long as it was ever again and I knew that I needed to donate it.

Before:

After:
I know that's soooo weird to just see a pony tail hanging out, but I felt like I needed to show the picture for the full effect!

I am mailing off my ponytail on Saturday to Pantene Pro-V's Beautiful Lengths donation program. They take several ponytails that are donated, dye them to be the same color, and put them together to make a wig--a free wig for cancer patients. I am so thankful that I have the means to grow out my hair and donate it...it's so often the little things that we take for granted. So today, I am grateful for my hair that I do have--short or long, I'm grateful to have it.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends--eat lots of food because you have it, enjoy the friend and families that truly are a blessing, and praise God because we live in a country that sets aside a day of thanks.

Shout out to Sloan-o and Peaser

This past weekend when I was in Athens, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I do in fact have friends that read this blog...when I was called out for not listing a friend's blog on my list of "Blogs I follow".
So here's to you Sloan; a shout out for your blog, which I do in fact read. :)

And Pease, I would post your blog...if you had one, which you don't so shout out to Peaser just the same!

I love you both and it was fun to see you this weekend!

In the near future, you will read about:

• My new job!!! Very excited about that post!
• This wonderfully exhausting weekend in Athens
• Thanksgiving plans
• Pictures of my home in Chattanooga...this post has been a long time coming, but I just keep finding other ways to fill my time.
  

If I put my "goals" up, I figure I have my reading public to hold me accountable, right? Well, those are my best intentions anyways.

Two Part Post

Part One:
Here we go....I'm about to sign up to take the GRE in January. What is the GRE you might ask? It is the Graduate Record Exam, which is basically the college grad's SAT. I am planning on taking this test in 2 months so I can apply to graduate schools starting in March. Whew....I thought I would never willingly take another standardized test again, but silly me, here I go.

Part Two:
I really do want to blog more, but there's a slight problem. I hate just blogging with no personal pictures. But since I am using the Liner's internet, I don't want to upload my pictures to their computer and I'm not the computer whiz...which means I can't figure out how to hook their internet cable up to my computer. Anyone have suggestions how to connect my computer to their cable internet?

Brand Name vs. Store Brand

In my recent efforts to live under a very strict budget (thanks to a minimal income), I have in fact become a "frugalista" (to steal a phrase from Target commercials). What does this mean? This means, I spend as little as possible on groceries as my first step. So, I have switched from some brand name products to the "Great Value" Wal Mart brand on items like cheese, milk, sour cream, and a few other products...but I have come to realize that spending a few extra dimes can be worth it for taste. Examples--goldfish, diet coke, and some cereals. I don't care if I save $5 on some of these items, I can taste the difference and it's worth it to me to spend the extra money.
What do you do to cut some nickels and dimes off of your grocery bills? What items are you willing to spend a little bit more on for good taste?

Is anyone out there??

Just checking that my blogging is not in vain since no one really comments too much (which is fine not to) but I was just checking that someone out there is reading my thoughts. :)

She said YES!!

Kasey Gabhart is getting married!! Before too long, my best friend will be Mrs. Vance :)

JR proposed to Kasey last night at the end of her Bible Study and she said yes! JR had sent me a facebook message last week to let me know what his plan was because he knows how much Kasey and I mean to each other, let's just say he earned major points from her best friend! haha
So she called last night and asked me to be her maid of honor, something I was not expecting! I am so happy for her and cannot wait to be with her through the wedding planning process, and even more excited as she starts to plan the rest of her life with her fiance!