Fading fast

September will be here tomorrow.  Labor Day is Monday.  Even though it was a hot 90 degrees here today, summer is coming to an end.

Summer coming to an end means fall isn't far behind, then winter, then my husband finally comes home to me!  So I am all for telling summer bye bye.  Don't let the door hit ya in the butt.  Can you go any faster??

I was supposed to work today.  I worked ten-hour shifts last week and was going to work one more today before our holiday weekend but we were told yesterday at Wingman Day (where they served us fried fish, french fries, hushpuppies, cole slaw and fried chicken for those who didn't eat fish) that overtime was cancelled at least until Wednesday.  That we'd met our quota and were caught up to the point that the other buildings needed to work this weekend to catch up with us.  I have to admit that I was not the least bit mad about that.  I was exhausted!  The overtime was voluntary, of course, but I was going to go out there and get it but I was still relieved when they told us.  So me and Tabbie Hoffman slept way in this morning and didn't get very much accomplished at all.  Two loads of laundry and some nature time.  I think that was a good day.

The mushroom lamp

My friend, Brandy, who lives with her sweet little family in Virginia, bought her children a mushroom lamp some time ago and I always admired its soft whimsical glow in the pictures she posted on her blog.  Recently, she mentioned in a blog post that it was on sale and I decided to order one, too!

I got it yesterday and I love it!!  It's made out of a very lightweight fiberglass that's virtually unbreakable which is awesome because before I even got it out of the box good, I had dropped it.  Brandy did say it was good for children.  :)  In my klutzy defense, though, I was talking to my mama on the phone and trying to open the box at the same time.  I've never been able to pat my head and rub my belly at the same time.  

Anyway, here it is!

Ain't it so cute??!  I put it there with my other 'shrooms and owls.  

It comes from Magic Cabin, a company that sells natural toys, dolls and games and encourages children to use their imaginations for old-fashioned play.  You won't find any video games there!

They sent one of their catalogs along with my lamp and a tube of Tom's Silly Strawberry children's toothpaste!  Yummmm.  I love strawberries.  :)

There's an app for that!

I am loveloveloving my new smartphone!  Why on earth did I wait so long to get one?  I don't know.  Craziness.

It didn't take long for me to become addicted either.  I thought I'd tell y'all some of the apps I use and love and see what you like as well.  Feel free to comment!  :) 

Social networking, shopping and newsy ones:

* Facebook.  'Nuf said.
* Pinterest
* Instagram
* Blogger
* 13WMAZ
* CNN
* The Macon Telegraph 
* Target
* Publix
* IKEA
* Amazon

My favorite is the YouVersion Bible app.  Thirty-eight English versions of the Bible (wow!) plus reading plans, study guides and videos.  I LOVE it.  It's so great to always have God's Word right there when I need to hear it.

I also like Directv's app.  I can watch TV shows or movies right on my phone.  That's pretty cool.

I have a few games that I play, too.  Old school Frogger (ha!), Larry told me about Fruit Ninja so I play that and love it but I swear, there's something weird going on with the bananas, a guy at work told me about Flow Free and I love that one, too, and I'm on level 18 1/2 of a game called Happy Street.  Then there's Words With Friends and Songpop.  Of course.  :)

I downloaded my first book to my phone and pretty much hated reading it on the phone.  I ended up going to the bookstore and buying the paperback.  It's the fifth book in that cowboy romance series I've been reading.  So I really couldn't have four paperbacks and not get the fifth, right??  :)  

I also have a flashlight and an ocean sounds sleep app that I love, too.  

What apps do you love??

Almost halfway!

Today is August 10th already!  Larry has been in Quitman for four months and in twelve short days, we will be halfway home!!  I can't believe how fast time is flying by but I am SO grateful for it!  I'm ready to finally have my husband home with me.

Y'all know I had THE LIST, right??  When we started this journey in April, I had a list of nineteen things that I wanted to get done before he gets here in January.  I only have one thing left and that's just a fall maintenance thing for the heating and cooling system.  Something that had to be done anyway.  I'm finding myself adding new stuff every day, though!  I don't think I'll ever be completely done.  I told him I was trying to make everything perfect and he told me he doesn't need perfect, that he would be happy to come home to a sleeping bag on the floor!  Bless his heart.  We can surely do better than that!

I think Santa's gonna bring a whole new bed.  Shhhhh.  :)

Mama and Daddy were so sweet to give Larry this leather recliner and I just put a table I got at IKEA beside it for now.  I'm probably gonna wear this chair out before he gets here.  My butt can't seem to stay out of it.

Larry got his drivers license and he's finished up the mandatory day classes at the Refuge.  He's staying busy by manning the yard sales they're having and by working in the store downtown.  Oh, and by selling the smoked Boston butts, ribs and turkey breasts they sell for fundraising.  That boy could sell ice to an Eskimo.  The Refuge survives on donations and love offerings and what revenue they bring in from their store, yard sales and meat sales.  It is a wonderful ministry and if you or your church would like to donate money or items they can sell, just let me know and I'll get you in contact with them.  Larry starts school on the 20th and the VA is paying for him to go to school and they're paying him to go, just about the equivalent of a month's salary!  God continues to bless us every single day.

I'm staying busy, too.  Adding to THE LIST daily, it seems, and trying to keep my mind occupied while Larry does what he has to do.  Since the Pentagon cut our furlough days down to six from eleven, next Friday is our last Furlough Friday.  We'll be working full time again after that.  With all the overtime we can stand, I imagine.

Staying busy is good. 

Vintage bedding squeeeee

I have just fallen in love with vintage bedding this summer!  I've found some really good deals on eBay and Etsy.  I've gotten three beautiful sheets and eight pillowcases so far.  Vintage queen-sized sheets are really difficult to find, I guess because most folks had double beds in the 60's and 70's.  But I try!  I hunt and I hunt and I've been able to find three.  Muslin and cotton mostly.  They didn't really care much about thread count forty years ago either.  I'll admit that I'm spoiled and a bit of a thread count snob.  400 is pretty much my starting point but these are so ultra soft and comfy that I bet if you were to put a count on them, they'd be somewhere around 600.  I guess they just used higher quality material back then.  The sheets I've been able to get were still in the packaging, too.  They just sat in a bureau drawer for forty years until their owner passed away and her house was cleared out by her children.  I know she'd be so happy that I'm using and loving them!

This is what I have on the bed right now.  Four pretty floral pillowcases that I picked up for a song on eBay in May, a white organic cotton fitted sheet and a fine muslin flat sheet covered in tiny flowers. 

Tabbie Hoffman likes his floral throw that I bought at the beach several years ago and a pillow I've had for fifteen years.  :)

And I put this sheet on the sofa for now.  Just to keep the kitty hairs to a minimum. 

I may never buy new sheets again!