For a Total of 200

I've reached 200 posts! To celebrate my  frequent posting habits dedication, I've compiled a list of bloggy goals and a blog recap.

 Blogging Goals

1. Host a blog giveaway
2. Host a blog swap
3. Finish the ABC challenge
4. Keep up with Featured Follower Friday
5. Meet a bloggy friend
6. Attend a blog conference/workshop
7. Participate in a blog cooking challenge
8. Reach 300 posts.
9. Do reviews for the products I've recieved
10. Create a blog post for everything I complete on my 101/1001 list
11. Feature more recipes.
12. Have a guest poster on my blog. (Let me know if you're interested)

Last 100 Recap

1. I now have 75 followers.
2. I wrote my first guest post.
3. I wrote several book reviews
4. I've won quite a few giveaways- business cards, Kraft gift pack, cooking sauce.
5. I'm planning several reviews: soap and chocolate products.
6. I've kept up with Go Win Wednesday.
7. I've started Featured Follower Friday.
8. I pulled over an old post from a previous blog
9. I created a Cast of Characters post to help you get to know the people I write about.
10. I've blogged about my time in Changwon.
11. I've made it to letter  K in the ABC Challenge
12. I've kept blogging about my wedding plans.
13. I've kept a running wishlist and featured some products from Etsy.
14. I made a tab for my 101/1001 list.
15. I've started Saturday Smiles. Won't you link up?

Questions for My Readers:

1. What made you want to follow my blog?
2. What do you want to see more of?
3. What would you like to see less of?
4. Is there one word you'd use to describe my blog?
5. How'd you find my blog?

Saturday Smiles

Welcome to the first ever Saturday Smiles! I hope you've had a lot of things to make you smile this week. I have! So write up a list of things that have made you smile- whether it was out of joy, happiness, gratitude or humorous delight and link up!.

1. Mr. Groom is on vacation for 5 days, so we're getting to spend a lot of time together
2. We had a great dinner Friday night with another couple.
3. We ran into the fruit and veg lady this week and were able to buy fresh apples and peaches at a good price.
4. We got the package my mom sent this week and were able to enjoy peanut butter sandwiches.
5. I got to read two issues of Real Simple
6. I developed a new workout plan that I really enjoy!
7. I was able to get all of my textbooks for less than $200.
8. Journey to the Center of the Earth came on TV day and Mr. Groom went out and got us lunch so I could stay in and watch it.
9. We had yummy chicken wings last night!
10. The Slingbox is back up and running so now we can watch our favorite American TV shows.

What things made you smile  this week?

K is for King

God is my king, and I am one of his daughters.

Being in South Korea has led me to grow spiritually in quite a few ways.

I've developed an improved pray life and my trust in the Lord has grown stronger.

I know he has a great plan for me and Mr. Groom and I'm excited to find out what it is and delve right in.

Being a Christian, I believe in the ABCS. The ABCS is the way I was taught in VBS how to tell someone how I believe you are "saved".

Ask God to come into your heart.
Believe that Christ died on the cross for  you.
Confess your sins.

While the ABCS are quite simplified, its the best way I feel like I can tell you what I believe on the blog. I believe many other things and try my best to keep the commandments, pray often and lead a life of faith. That doesn't mean that I am always successful.

When I'm at home, I love attending Morningside Baptist Church. I feel like a part of the family when I'm there. I've never felt so drawn to a church or felt like I fit in so well.

I have lately become curious about Judaism and things that I've read about on other's blogs like the Levitican diet. I'm taking a class in the fall on the New Testament and Early Christianity, which I think will be interesting.

Featured Follower Friday!

This week's featured follower is a chocoholic just like me. The wonderful follower of the week is Carol over at The Answer is Chocolate.

Carol describes her blog as "My corner of the world with ideas and inspiration on crafting, thrift store makeovers, DIY decor, upcycling, and of course, chocolate."

She's creative, crafty and a talented artist. She makes jewelery and writes like Stephen King.

Her blog is wonderful to read, and follow along with. I love her writing style.

She has a sidebar that highlights yummy chocolatey recipes.

She hosts Christmas themed linky parties. You should participate in the next one. They are really a lot of fun!

Thats enough from me, go check her out!

Book Review: Life of Pi by Yann Martel

I'm not going to lie. I've heard a lot about this book and I never planned to read it. It just didn't seem appealing to me. But, a friend here offered to loan it to me when I ran out of my own books to read. So, I gave it a shot.

And I liked it. Until I got to the end. I'm not going to spoil the book by telling  you what happens. But I was having a good time, reading along with Pi's adventures and marveling at his acomplishments. A boy trapped on a lifeboat with a tiger made for a compelling story.

I immediately rejected the ending of the book as a cop out. But then I gave it some thought. The more I thought about it the more I think I understand what the author was trying to do. It often works in great works of literature. But it didn't work here. Nope, Mr. Martel, I want a do over. I want a better ending. I want an ending that flows with the sense of adventure I got from reading the book. I don't want  a halfshot attempt at a "literary"/"thinking"ending. Thats not what you set me up for. So, if you ever get around to rewriting the ending, let me know.

Other than the  ending, I enjoyed reading this book. I could see the characters, the zoo, the tiger. I really liked the thoughts Pi had about religion. I mean, you're stuck on a boat with a predatory animal- what better to think about?

Have you read it? Did you feel the same way I did about the ending? Or am I totally off the wall here?

I'm a huge slacker.

And I apologize.

Getting a blog award always brightens my day a bit. It lets me know someone has taken the time to read and has ended uo actually enjoying my blog! Woot!

But for some mystery reason I am a total slacker when it comes to reposting awards. That being said I have recieved two awards lately and must now pass them on.

I've won the Versatile Blogger Award from The Answer is Chocolate and More than a Mommy. Thanks for the awards ladies! And I'm sorry I've been suh a sslacker about reposting.

So here are my nominess:

Life in Dawleywood
Mandy's Life After 30
My Simple Everyday
Newlywed Adventures
The First Year Wife

Walk With Me?

Since I've been here I've been working on my goal to take more "just because" or "just for fun" walks. Occasionally, Mr. Groom and I will go on a stroll after dinner. Before the summer schedule started I would take walks around 6pm. Since it was cooler yesterday, I thought I'd walk the trail again. I took along my camera, so that I would be encouraged to be creative. I forgot that cooler weather means more mosquitos, so I didn't make it quite to the top of the hill because I'd endured far too many bug bites.

Here's the path I take:

Down two streets and past the high school

Towards the library, until I run into what looks like a driveway

Down the path I go

Need a breather?

See the graffitti?

Around the corner...

and past the mushrooms.

Up some man-made stairs

Up some natural stairs

Have a sense of humor, Mother Nature?

If you keep going, you run into a flat spot

with exercise equipment. I work out there somedays

but this time the bugs were too bad.

Thanks for walking with me!

Go Win Wednesday

A few giveaways this week....

GENERAL

Ends August 4th. Win a $25 gift certificate to Lailee's etsy shop.
Ends August 6th. Win a Kitchenaid Professional 600 Series Stand Mixer!
Win a cute hostess package.

LIMITED

USA and Canada Only. Ends August 14. Win a Wine Tote.
USA and Canada only. Ends August 14th. Win a gift code to CSN!
USA and Canada only. Ends August 10th. Win a weave towel.
USA only. Ends July 31st. Win Stationary.
USA only. Ends August 4th. Win a salad dressing set.

Seven Springs

Saturday night Mr. Groom and I went out to dinner with our friend Aerie. We went to Seven Springs, which was located inside of a western style mall called City 7. You ordered of the menu and helped yourself to the buffet. I ordered maple terrayki chicken and it came with a side of carmelized onions and carrots. Aerie and I made a salad to share with shrimp, fresh pineapple and an amazing citrus dressing.

The buffet featured stockpiles of food and I felt like I was in Western food heaven. I ate more than I've ever eaten in Korea or that I've ever eaten at an American buffet. And yet, I ended up feeling only mildly full and not grossly stuffed.

In addition to my meal I dined on the creamiest "cream pasta", and tons of grilled veggies and fruit. I feel veggie deprived here so I made sure to load my plate with tomaotes, peppers, cuccumbers, corn and squash. Mr. Groom brought me bruschetta and it was  the best I've ever had. It was  topped with whole tomato slices and minced onions.

I fixed a dessert plate as well with almond cheese cake squares, a mini chocolate chip cookie, yogurt dipped bananas, apples, grapes and vanilla ice cream topped with blueberries. Two little notes I've noticed about desserts here. The first is that when  you order something like an "almond muffin", "chocolate chip muffin", the chocolate chips or almonds are just sprinkled on top of the muffins, not baked in them. The second thing I noticed at Seven Springs. I think the cheesecake we tend to eat can be described a little as pie like (not cherry pie, but like a chocolate pie?). Here it was definitely textured more like cake, with crumbs and everything.

I raved about the dinner all night and even dreamed about the cream pasta. This weekend was the perfect time for us to go because I'd complained to Mr. Groom this week  that no matter how much I'd been eating lately I couldn't stop being hungry. I have also noticed a decrease in energy since being here. Before arriving I could do situps in sets of 50. Now I can barely do 25 situps in a row. I really think the lack of variety and the lack of vegetables in my diet is causing this. (When I eat vegetables here it is either peppers on pizza or lettuce with a slice of carrot in a salad. I make potatoes and occasionally cook them with peppers but that's it.)

But,the restaurant was wonderful. If I were single, and in Korea alone I would go there at least once a week. It was that fabulous.

I got a PACKAGE!

I don't get much mail in South Korea so it is doubly exciting when it happens. Today I received the package my mother sent.

I opened the package and found all of the goodies packed in a shoebox!

I unpacked everything and discovered:

(a sweet bear card, beef jerkey for Mr. Groom, gum, our favorite granola bars, creamy peanut butter)

(the two newest Real Simples and baggies for us to bring liquids home in our carryons)

Thanks Mom! We'll be eating PB & Banana sandwiches for dinner  tonight! Yum! Oh, that reminds me, I'll have to post tomorrow about the amazing restaurant I went to this weekend!

Monday Minute- Interesting Questions

I tend to shy away from weekly committments like memes. I'm suprised I still follow through with my weekly giveaways post and my current blog series that's taking me through the alphabet.  So don't be suprised if I don't come back for the next Monday Minute. Anyway, I thought these questions were interesting and decided to share my answers. What are  yours?

1. What is your what-if person?
(what-if person being what if I married this person)

I can't imagine myself with any man besides Mr. Groom. But I used to have huge crushes on Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom.

2. What is your nickname?

I have had many through the years. My dad used to call me Doodle (after my love of cheesedoodles) and my sister, Sissy and Ray-Ray. Currently, Mr. Groom calls me Bastion or Babers. And a few others but I don't want to share everything.

3.  If you could have named your self what would you have picked?

I quite like my name. Although when I was a child I wished for a name that was more "romantic" like Charlotte. Soon, my name will be changing and it will be alliterative and I like the idea of that.

4. Who were you named after or why did your parents choose your name?

No one. My parents decided my name on the way to the hospital. Before that I was going to be Morgan Danielle.

Words of Me Creativity Challenge Day One

A few of my favorite quotes to get you going:

“Sometimes you've got to let everything go - purge yourself. If you are unhappy with anything . . . whatever is bringing you down, get rid of it. Because you'll find that when you're free, your true creativity, your true self comes out.”- Tina Turner

“Sometimes you've got to let everything go - purge yourself. If you are unhappy with anything . . . whatever is bringing you down, get rid of it. Because you'll find that when you're free, your true creativity, your true self comes out.” -Scott Adams

Writing is like listening to music. It gives the subconscious time to think.

"When I was younger I could remember anything, whether it happened or not." - Mark Twain


To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting. ~e.e. cummings, 1955


"Dream big, work harder. Have lots of fun, lift a finger, do something for someone else. Cheer your friends on. Cheer yourself up. Celebrate as much as possible. Enjoy everything. Right now. It's OK to want more and do more but be present with where you are or who you are with. Don't rush the situation - even if it's bad. Move on when you can. Don't settle.Try everything you can and get over everything holding you back." - Alex Beauchamp

Now, if you haven't checked out the creativity challenge, stop by Words of Me and check it out. Click here:





 I've been being lazy today so I'm not sure what I'll do creative today but I'll be sure to give you a recap at the end of the week. Happy Creating!

An Old Entry from an Old Blog

Last year I blogged for my college, on their website. I'm copying over one of my favortie posts, because sometimes I feel I need a reminder of what it was like to be in Scotland and let the little things go. The lesson I talk about in the post is something I really want to try to work on and bring back into my life. So here is the old post:

Long walks in the rain leave plenty of time for reflection. Yesterday, on my way home from Uni, I thought about my professor’s description of the Scots as “messy” and about how much whining I’d done about the Scottish way of doing things.
I’ve come to realize that the “messiness” I strongly rejected with every American bone in my body, is actually something to strive for. The Scottish have got it figured out. None of these people care that it’s raining on their nice clothing. What the heck can they do about it? Nothing. And they realize this and have embraced it. Instead of going around in sweats on dreary days, like I do back home, the Scots go about as if nothing is different. They can’t change it, so why worry?
“Why worry” seems a common thought among the Scots. I’ve heard it so often since I’ve been here. The way I am, I want to know things now, I want things to follow a logical system. I want to know things are taken care of. Well, that’s not quite how things are done here. “It’ll work out,” “It’ll happen,” “It’ll take care of itself” are all things I’ve been told, when I’ve been stressed about something, like signing up for classes. The attitude here is much more, “You’ve done your part, let it be.” It has to be a much more stress free way to live.


Without having to worry about things in life that really don’t matter, or aren’t the most important, they focus on what really matters–life’s pleasures, like spending time with family, walking through beautiful gardens (even in the rain), savoring a hot chocolate with brandy, eating ice cream (even when its cold), picnicking in Edinburgh, and at least in Glasgow, alcohol.


I see children everywhere. Small children play in the gardens during their parents’ lunch break; older ones go off to eat lunch alone. Instead of rushing to different activities after school it seems like the family congregates in the park. Children are allowed to play outside for recess, in the rain. I was never allowed out for recess if it were raining. And why shouldn’t they be allowed? Children love to play in the rain. It’s just not a big deal here.


Walking everywhere is not a big deal either. I walk about a mile to class everyday, sometimes further. My friends and I have started to calculate distance, based on how far something is, in addition to the mile we already walked. So if it’s two miles from home, we say one.


I hope this attitude will seep into other areas of my life. I want to be more appreciative of the little things, and to be able to let go of things that don’t matter. But, I don’t think that it’s something I can control. I just have to let it happen.

So, I want to try to reiterate this way of thinking into my everyday life. I think I will find it useful later when I am a newlywed  and recent grad.

I want to think hard and see if there are any "lessons" I can pick up from the Korean culture as well. I'll get back to you in a later post on that one. If you'd like to browse through the old blog and read about my time in Scotland and my college focused life, go here. Some of the last entries overlap with things I blogged about here.

Cast of Characters

I blog about the people in my life all of the time. Sometimes I feel like I just mention them haphazardly and leave you to figure out who the heck I'm talking about. So I thought I would do a run down of who everyone is:

Mr. Groom:

He was born and raised in Pennsylvania, but acts more like a southern gentleman than any man I know. Maybe, its because he's traveled a lot, maybe its because he was in the Army. He's a sports ADDICT, and loves to make people laugh. If we believed in reincarnation I'd say he was a stand-up comedian in a past life. He is a certified teacher and has a degree in Sociology. Currently, he's teaching English in South Korea.

"Lyric"

We met my freshman year of college and roomed together last year. We are both rooming with K10  this year. She's very artistic and wants to be a teacher. I call her Lyric because thats what some Facebook app said her name would be if she was born today

"Hot Glue/MOH/bestie"

I met this hot lady my junior year of high school and we've gottten closer every year. She goes to my college's "brother college". She is the Maid of Honor in my wedding. She loves penguins and Disney and has a boyfriend who does a kickbut impression of Captain Jack Sparrow. I call her Hot Glue because of an inside joke a few summers ago that I can't quite remember. And no alcohol was involved during the joke's conception. Go figure.

"K10"

K10 is Lyric's Red Devil Little Sister and our future roomate. I'm so glad the two of them got paired together because, although I've only known her for less a year (oh! I just realized that), we've become really close and I can't imagine being without her friendship.

Mother

Mommy dearest. She's my mom and for that reason I love her, but she doesn't make being around her very easy.

Father

My dad's a hunting and fishing kinda guy. He's a part of the local Duck Unlimited group and has a "Duckaholic" sticker on the back of his gold Expedition. I guess "aholics" run in the family. For the most part, he's a better cook than my mom, but don't tell her I said that.

Sister

She's younger than me but a whole lot tougher. You don't want to get into a wrestling match with this gal. Beach lover, softball player, IGA clerk. She's headed to USC-B.

Featured Follower Friday

For the next few Fridays I am going to feature a few of the bloggers that follow my blog. I doubt I'll make it through 70 weeks and get to feature all of you but at least we're starting somewhere. Maybe a few weeks I'll double up and feature more than one follower.

The first blog I want to feature is Life Blessons: The Blessings and Lessons of This Little Life of Mine.

In her sweet and meaningful blog Carmen shares things she has learned about her faith and marriage. I love reading her insights on things like the Old Testament, God's loyalty and  marriage vows

I also love the posts where she shares how to make things like corn dog muffins or your own shampoo.

So go check her out and tell her I said hello!

Five Question Friday!

Happy Friday Ya'll!!

Its time for 5 Question Friday with My Little Life! With the time difference I always forget to link up but hopefully I'll remember this week. Here are the questions:

1. What were your school colors?
High School- Blue and Green.
College Purple and Gold. Our mascot is the Valkyries.
2. What's the best compliment you ever received?

It probably had something to do with my writing. That, and Mr. Groom telling me he thought I was better at sharing than I said I was.


3. Do you buy cheap or expensive toilet paper?

Charmin, usually.
4. Have you ever had a surprise party thrown for you? Or have you had one for someone else?
Yes! My 18th birthday was a suprise party. We played twister and had a cake fight. It was awesome


5. What is one material possession that you "can't live without"?
 
I've been without my laptop for a while now and I miss it. It's got all of my wedding planning, school stuff , writing stuff and recipes. I can't wait until the night of August 24th when I can charge it up and get everything sorted back out!

What are you answers?

On My Own

Today is the last Thursday Five you'll see from me because Mannland has stopped hosting them. This one I'm doing on my own because I'd been looking forward to it. After this week's, I'm going to start posting a list of things that made me happy/grateful/excited/joyful/estatic/bouncy or that simply brought a smile to my face. I'll be posting them as Saturday Smiles and including a Linky for anyone who wants to link up. You can write a post specifially for the Saturday Smiles linkup or you can link a post you'd written earlier in the week-as long as its relevant. So check back July 31st for the first edition of Saturday Smiles.

Here's my last five:

1. I won two food  related giveaways this week!
2. I got a letter in the mail today.

3. I was able to borrow two new books to read- The Host and Life of Pi


   

4.  I ate heavenly rich chocolate gelato (twice...sssh!). And it cost around $2.

5. Mr. Groom's sister called and told him about a job opening for a principal at a private school. The deadline to apply isn't until after we get back from S. Korea. Keep your fingers crossed! If he gets the job, I'll be moving to PA. Anyone from there?

PS: Don't forget to visit this weeks ABC Post: J is for Journaler

J is for Journaler

I have always had journals. People always give them to me for birthdays and holidays. I have many that, as a child, I only wrote in for a few pages and then tossed aside.

Recently (maybe since 2007), I have started to write in them more often. One of my goals on my 101/1001 list it to write daily and writing in my journal is one of the  ways I accomplish that. I also count blogging, and of course creative writing, whether it be a poem or a character sketch.

In my journal I writer down my thoughts about the day, or my plans for the day or tomorrow. I write lists. Just this morning I started a list of 15 recipes I want to try-in preparation for completing number 44 on my list.  I write down wedding ideas and blog post ideas. I've made comparison charts for things like my bridesmaid gifts and I've started on a wedding day timeline. Occasionally, I start writing prompts in my journal. I have another journal that I glue quotes into.  I often write down my prayers in my journal. I am a better writer than speaker so I find that when I write my prayers I don't "fumble" for words as much. God made me a writer for a reason.

My journal serves as a record of my thoughts but also as a planning tool and a spiritual tool. No one is allowed to read my journal but me. My journal is the grown-up version of my imaginary friend.

Do you keep a diary or journal? What do you use it for?


Oh! One last thing! I found out about this thismorning and figured it would tie in perfectly with my post about journaling.







Its a commitment to 31 days of being creative- whether it be through scrapbooking, decorating, cooking or simply journaling. Even though I won't be able to do much besides journal as the 31 days ends soon after I return home I will be journaling and possibly sharing some writing on the blog over the next 31 days. So, if you'd like to join the challenge, head on over and check it out!

French Toast?

Last night I thought I'd make french toast for dinner. I'd never made french toast but had seen it made, and looked up a few recipes to make sure I would do it right.

I didn't have the cinnamon that I usually love on my french toast so I mixed honey in with the eggs and milk. But I used a really light hand with the honey because I am running low and really don't have it in my budget to buy more and only use it a few times.

The toast came out yummy but I think I used too much eggs or not enough milk to balance out the eggs. I liked the toast but it wasn't the slightly sweet treat I'd hoped to cover in banana and pieces of chocolate. It was way to eggy. So I ate my egg toast with a side of bananas covered in chocolate bits.

Not a culinary masterpiece but it sure was yummy.

And on a side note: My mother is suppoused to be sending me a package filled with granola bars (I'm a huge snacker) and peanut butter. So hopefully I can make peanut butter toast soon!

What'd you make for dinner last night?

Go Win Wednesday

Limited

ENDS TODAY. USA and Canada. Win a CSN gift certificate.
USA and Canada. Ends July 24th.Win a CSN gift certificate.
USA only. Ends August 6th. Win a lovely candle!
USA only. Ends July 23rd! Win 100 postcards.
USA and Canada only. Ends August 14th. Win a purse holder/hanger.
General

Ends July 28th. Win $40 to spend at MB Arts Studio.
Ends July 25th. Win 100 postcards.