Brown Sweater Redo

So I'm on a bit of a altering/sewing kick, and today, its a cozy, fashionable brown sweater getting properly fitted. It's another cheap Goodwill Pound store find. 73cents baby!

Again, I simply used the basic sewing tutorial posted earlier.

BEFORE:         I'm afraid it's a little too big!

Matched up, cut and pinned

AFTER:                   Voila'! I'd say it fits quite lovely, don't you?

Goodwill Hunting Finds

Hey Y'all! Just poppin' some tags!!!

My most recent trip to Goodwill yielded some fun finds. Always keeping my nose to the wind looking for bargains, I was ten steps inside the door of the South Hill Goodwill and saw the sign for a media sale! 50% off is always a good deal! So, DVDs, VHSs, music and books were all up for the hunt. Because of the sale, on this occasion, I chose almost exclusively books and media.

**Thrift-shop hunting tip! Wait to buy books and media until they have special sales like this one. I saved $18.46 on this purchase alone! Ask your local thrift stores' manager for info on upcoming sales (the Goodwill's in Pierce County print out monthly calendars showing the upcoming color tags that will be on sale and what other, special sales are coming up.)

They were just putting new movies out when I walked in, and so I had the pick of a fresh batch to look through. I found quite a few gems.

I was inspired by the little loves of my life. Yes, my love affair with my nephew and niece continues, and they are reaching an age where they are starting to read, and my love of all things vintage prompts hunting sprees to find treasures to buy for them.

Sigh, I've simply decided that I need to have kids of my own soon, so I can have someone to read and buy books to and buy toys for. I'll admit, I already have a small collection of vintage wood toys and books for them, when they come, which I will have to share in a later post.

First, for the kiddos, I bought four children's books. "The Great Big Fire Engine Book", three little golden books "I love you, Mommy!", "I love you, Daddy!", and "Presto!".

I especially liked Presto!, a book based on the Disney Pixar short, about a selfish and clueless magician named Presto, a hungry rabbit, named Alec, and two magically connected hats. In his classic magic act, Presto reaches into the top hat, that is a magic portal to the pointed wizard hat, where Alec is supposed to be waiting to be grabbed and pulled out of his once-empty hat, to the amazement of the crowd. Instead, using the hats, Alec the rabbit maneuvers himself just out of reach, and puts the magician through a gamete of zany and often-times painful rigors in order to obtain a carrot. I thought the kids would like it because of the funny antics and the infliction of pain. And there is a rabbit :)



Courtesy of Disney Pixar

I finally bought a book for myself that I'd been wanting to purchase for a while, but wanted to hold out for a sale like this one. It's "Seven Promises of a Promise Keeper" by such authors as Dr. James Dobsin, Luis Palau, Bill Bright and Randy Phillips.

I also found a Biggest Loser book; "The Biggest Loser, Successful Secrets".

Then, some workout DVDs.

Billy Blanks' "Billy's Boot Camp" series; "Ab Bootcamp", "Basis Training Boot Camp", "Cardio Boot Camp, and "Ultimate Boot Camp". And "Dirty Dancing - the Official Dance Workout". Who doesn't love the movie, wouldn't love to learn the official dance from the movie, and doesn't love to dance as a form of exercise.

Then, to add to my VHS Walt Disney Studio Film collection "That Darn Cat". This is the second to last of the collection, now I have all but one! (Still looking for "The Sword and the Rose".

And a few DVDs

"Shrek the Third" and "Toy Story 3" - it was totally coincidental that they were both "3s" and animated.

In the non-media category, I found a 4 pack of high quality cloth, chocolate-brown dinner napkins and a fun, bright pink floral scarf.

I also saw a stained wood, corner shelf unit that I had been looking for and liked but on closer inspection, it had too many flaws and needed too much work for the trouble. So I took a picture, and left it there for someone else to enjoy!

More to come soon!

Reflections on Turning 30, part 2

Now that my birthday has come and gone, I felt it only right based on yesterdays post that I should share my "Oreo" birthday celebration weekend. I had two days of "partying" sandwiching my actual birthday, which was really quiet, uneventful, even lonely. The days prior and post were anything but.

Friday, I planned and hosted a Formal Event for our church's youth group. We got all dressed up in "formal" attire, and then went out to dinner at the Olive Garden. Then we all drove to the Pastor of our church's house, to watch a movie and have ice cream. This year, the about 85% of the kids in our youth group are all home schooled, and so, in talking to some of them, was reminded that they had no kind of prom or formal event. When I was in high school, it was the highlight of the year to get asked to the spring or winter formal, or prom, all dressed up, go out to dinner, and enjoy the glances and whispers, all speculating on where we were going and what we were doing. Then we'd go to a dance, get our pictures taken, and dance!! True, in the end, we did not dance, but the enjoyment of going out in public, all dressed up and having an enjoyable dinner all together, then going for banana splits and a movie, was equally enjoyable. All the kids had a great time, and it was indeed a highlight to the year, and a nice punctuation to the summer.

We had about 23 kids total, and I had quite a challenge in coordinating enough leaders to drive everyone. It took about two weeks to coordinate and communicate with everyone, so when it came right down to thinking about asking anyone to do something (have lunch or go out shopping with a friend), I had been so totally preoccupied with planning my event, I totally forgot.  So the event was festive and fun.

I felt totally overdressed, or at least was the most dressed-up, formally attired one at the party (I wore what I'd have worn in high school; long ball gown and tiara) but felt so beautiful, like a true Cinderella. In fact, the only time I've ever felt more beautifully dressed up was on my wedding day!

I must have showed my age in my choice of formal attire, because none of the kids were wearing full-length, or ball-gown type dresses. The style now a days is tea length. Oh well.
One of my favorite elements to my costume, was my pearl tiara, one that I put together mere hours before the event. When trying on gowns and trying to decide which to wear, I didn't feel the outfit was complete without the quintessential "cherry" on top, so to speak. In my high school days, you'd often see girls at prom, or the other formals wearing little bejeweled crowns; all secretly hoping to be named prom queen no doubt, myself included. So, I made mine, using some pearl flourishes I already had. It truly was the cherry on top, no?

Saturday...

The day of my actual birthday was pale by comparison.While feeling blue and alone, and sitting around the house doing nothing, I got a phone call from my hubby, saying I should go outside and see if I had received a package, and that I should be expecting something special from him. "What could it be?" he coyly assuaged. I had not heard the doorbell ring, any knocks at the door, or any blinks or barks in the direction of the door by my trusted sidekick and guard dog, Bear. Sure enough, there was. Festively wrapped, and sealed with a note, was a smallish box. I was peaked with curiosity. What was it?? And when I opened the box, I wasn't sure what it was, or what the possibilities of the contents of the box were. I was truly a bit daunted. He had sent me a brand new Ipad mini, complete with a bright pink protective case with a keyboard. He knows I am trying to blog more regularly, so the keyboard was an especially helpful and thoughtful addition. Plus, the protective, versatile case was bright, hot pink! My favorite color. I spent the next few hours just playing with it, trying to figure out all the apps and features. It is so cool; even now I can't even tell you everything it does, but it has Siri (which can also be used to take dication, my favorite feature), you can play games, watch movies, and blog!! He had said it was something I'd always wanted, but would never have bought for myself. How right he was! His thoughtfulness and generosity made my day!

Sunday, the day after my birthday, my neighbor and friend, agreed to throw a party for me. Originally I had planned a wine-tasting party (for Saturday), but had no one able to come. I took it personally at first, thinking no one cared to come. But then my darling husband, all the day from an overseas deployment called one of the husbands of the ladies I'd invited, to find out why no one had RSVP'd. Apparently there was a bachelorette party planned for the same day, and all the ladies that I had invited were already committed to going, and couldn't come to my party. So, my honey called my neighbor, who arranged to change the date of the party, and knowing how stressed I had been over planning the formal event, she insisted on doing everything herself.

I had agreed to share half the cost and trouble of preparing food for the wine-tasting party, and with the new one,  after the change, I wasn't allowed to help at all.

She overwhelmed me by her careful and wonderful preparation of food and decorations. And I was equally overwhelmed by the turnout of supportive friends.

My parents even drove up for the day and surprised me! I was overwhelmed by feelings of love and support from all sides. And all because of a phone call from my beloved husband from half a world away. Yes, I think it's fair to say I feel loved and supported by my friends and family on this, my 30th birthday.

Reflections on Turning 30

So within the last few moments of my 30th year, I thought it'd be a good time for some last-minute reflections on what the first third of my life has held for me. The day has been equally as disappointing as  it has been fulfilling and surprising.

I woke up with no specific plan for the day. I found myself alone, with no prospects of doing anything to mark the day as anything special and out of the ordinary. Part of me found strange peace in that, having been sick for nearly three weeks and still recovering. Part of me was horribly depressed.

I was depressed because I figured if I didn't have a day full of fun, planned activities with people who want to beat down my door to be around me, then I must not have any friends.

I figured if I don't have my family all around me, to take me out to dinner then it's a lame day.

I really wanted to have a birthday like in Julie & Julia, full of close friends and fabulously french food, then I would know I'd survived and become a successful adult. 
 

It's one of my favorite movies (and I don't easily chose or commit to favorites) Julie & Julia, a coming-of-age story juxtaposed with a fanciful tribute to Julie Child. I identified with Julie Powell, feeling utter dread in my upcoming rite-of-passage. As if turning 30 was the end of the world unless I could prove I had spent it well, had demonstrable skills and hordes of friends to surround me and make me feel like less of a dismal failure or disappointment. But sitting alone in my house on my 30th birthday opened my eyes to some surprising realizations.

I'm not like Julie Powell, in that I don't have to accomplish those things in order to feel successful, happy, or fulfilled. And I didn't think turning 30 would be terrible. But I did have a list of things I felt I should accomplish in order to feel I spent my life (so far) well.  I just thought I had to accomplish the list by the 30-mark, have certain things, and be with certain people to make it worthwhile. But here I am. 30. And I'm happy.

Truly, I'm happy.

Sure, I didn't accomplish my 30 before 30 list. Not even close really. Here it is, so you can see how dismal my attempts were.

30 before 30 List

Personal development
2. Read through the entire Bible - studying and studying well
3. Finish outstanding craft projects
4. Learn to dance
5. Run a 5k - done!

Fitness
1. Reach my "goal weight" (115lbs)
6. Have an emergency fund/vacation fund (3k min
7. Learn to play the piano. Well.
8. Take a Hawaiian vacation - done
9. Do karaoke.
10. Go to a drive-in movie.

Financial
11. Cook an entire thanksgiving meal
12. Develop & implement a budget
13. Write a book
14. Learn to shoot a gun properly
15. Pay off student loans

Personal Ambitions
16. Be in a play
17. Get a good camera and learn to use it
18. See Kristin chenoweth in concert
19. Mentor a younger girl - done
20. Get a facial - done

Hobby
21. Blog for three consecutive months
22. Set up my own savings account - done
23. Try Zumba (at least 3x) 

24. Attend 24 cycling classes
25. Take up cycling
26. Learn to bake a good loaf of bread consistently
27. Take voice lessons
28. Play softball/coed baseball
29. Conquer my lack of confidence
30. M&D record-memories-parenting plans/spiritual holiday implementations
31. Start a family

So I think I've got about 1\6th of the list done. It doesn't matter really. In retrospect, on the other side of 30, I've survived. It's not that those things aren't important, they are. But it's silly to feel like you haven't achieved anything if you haven't done 30 things on a list by the time you turn 30. More than anything it's a good exercise in finding out what is important to you, what you want to accomplish, but also what will change as you try to work toward checking things off the list. Priorities change. Like this list has several fitness-oriented items, but the revised list has those spots replaced with things like 

make a bosom friend and "see Kristin Chenoweth in concert" is replaced "become more like Jesus". Not bad substitutions I think. 

My real aspiration is to be content. Content with myself, content with what I have and who I am. And to continue to grow. To make goals and then to work towards them. To invest in people. To gain character. To love people and to live life to the fullest. Sure, I've failed at things, I've spent time poorly at times. There is still room for growth. I have not arrived at the end of my life yet (thank goodness). I can take comfort and find contentment in knowing that people like me for who I am and what I bring to their lives. That I'm a genuine person who cares about people. That I try to bring my best to whatever I'm doing. And I'm human! I make mistakes and I can get up from them, and learn, moving on to another day and another attempt. I love that I'm not going to get stuck in my failures. The list will always change, and will never be completed, but that's part of life. That is the object of life. Serve God, love others, work hard, grow, live!

My life is full of people that love and like me, and full of blessings and opportunities. Yesterday was full to the brim with challenges, friends, fun events, disappointments and surprises. Tomorrow will be too.

Happy birthday to me, and I look forward to the next chapter of life with gusto and happy anticipation!

What Ever Happened to the RSVP??

So, some serious food for thought:

What has happened to society? To courtesy? To commitment?

The initials R.S.V.P. are often found at the end of an invitation. But what does it mean? These initials stand for the French phrase "repondez s'il vous plait," which means "please respond". This means that the hostess would like to know whether you plan to attend her party. She has sent the invitation, now it's up to you to respond.

As much as an R.S.V.P. request may seem up-tight and old-fashioned, it's practical, it's for a very important reason. It lets the hostess or party planner know how many people to expect at her party. If this is to be a catered party, or at a restaurant she will certainly need to give the caterer or locale a head count by a certain date, and that count will need to be accurate because she is obligated to pay for or plan for the given number of guests.

Even if the hostess isn't using a caterer, she needs to plan ahead. She will need to know how much food to buy and how many places to set at the table, and other important details are dependent on your RSVP. 

To help you better understand, imagine YOU are planning a simple party. You want to serve cake and ice cream. In order to assure that everyone gets a piece if cake and some ice cream, you need to know how many people will be there. Imagine you have 10 people RSVP. You buy enough cake and ice cream for 10. Then, come party time, you have 17 people come. That means that 7 people won't get any cake, you'll either have to scramble at the last minute or have a stinker party and people will be disappointed and not have a good time. Some may even have their feelings hurt, be mad at you  or not want to come to another party that you throw. You think "is that fair? How was I supposed to know that extra 7 people would come? I invited them, yes, but they didn't tell me they were coming!" And that is the point exactly. THEY didn't tell you. They didn't do their part.

This happens all the time. I am a youth group leader at my church and I can't tell you how many times this happens. I'm in just such a pickle right now actually. You announce the event months in advance. Say RSVP (or "tell me if you are coming") no later than 10 days prior, or we'll assume you're not coming and only plan for the ones that have said they are. A day or two before the event and your number doubles because kids forget, and then others talk about it last minute and then bam! You've got double trouble. 

But most people would say "hey, they're kids, it happens" -I say;  teach people to commit.

To say "yes I'm going" or "no I'm not" and then should the situation change, say, "sorry, too bad you didn't RSVP, I didn't know you we're coming, but that's your responsibility for not responding,  not mine. I had ten pieces of cake for the ten people who said they were coming".

Maybe I sound like an old stick in the mud, but it seems like in society these days we don't have consequences for people who don't take responsibly. We put the blame on the ones that won't accommodate, who won't make the necessary materials  pop out if thin air to meet our needs despite their having every opportunity to communicate the future preparations needed in advance. We make the responsible ones the bad guy. 

 

I ask you "HOW IS THAT FAIR? How is that right?"

How is it any different from concert tickets? You want to go to a concert. You buy a ticket, you will get to go in and see the concert. The ticket taker gladly opens the door and shows you to your seat. You don't buy tickets, you won't get in! The bouncer at the door will be glad to see to that.

I'm not just talking about parties or concerts, but life. Consequences are important to remind or teach people that they are responsible for their own actions. And taking away consequences from the guilty party and putting them one the innocent is wrong, and it breeds entitlement, irresponsibility and disaster!

The bottom line is:

Take responsibility for your part in your own life. If you don't you'll only have yourself to blame.  

Maybe too serious a topic? But a very important one. Anyway, food for thought!

Life Lessons: Stuck in Bed, Sick

I have been sick lately, and while stuck in bed, I've been watching tons of movies. So, I thought today's blog post should be a movie review, since I haven't done one of those in a while.
I chose the romantic comedy classic “While You Were Sleeping”. I hadn't seen this movie in a long time, probably a couple of years, but I had a few epiphanies while watching it. And I want to share them with you. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Let's start with...

The Plot

The movie begins on the rails of Chicago's iconic L train, and other famous Chicago landmarks, while “This will be (an everlasting love)”, sung by Natalie Cole plays during the opening credits. The kicky song quickly becomes the most annoying three minutes of the movie, and we are happy to turn to an orange colored sky and the voice of Lucy (Sandra Bullock) giving us some back-story. She reminisces on childhood memories of her and her father (her only family, her mother died when she was young) the adventures they shared before he too died, leaving her an orphan.

As an adult, Lucy is a lonely token collector on the L trains in Chicago, who one day forms a secret crush on a dashing commuter named Peter Callahan, who is a complete (but handsome) stranger. On Christmas day, she is guilted into working, since she has no family, and frankly, no life. As fate would have it, she is there just tin time to rescue Peter from an oncoming train after a mugger pushes him onto the tracks. His injuries leave him in a coma, and she takes him to the hospital, where a nurse overhears her musing aloud, "ohhh, I was going to marry him." Misinterpreting her, the nurse tells his family that she is his fiancée. At first Lucy is too caught up in the panic and embarrassment to explain the truth. She winds up keeping the secret for a number of reasons: 1. Peter's grandmother (Elsie) has a heart condition and she fears that telling the family will cause a stroke, and 2. leading such a lonely life, she quickly comes to love being a part of Peter's big and loving family. One night, thinking she is alone while visiting Peter in the hospital, she confesses to him (in a vegetative state) her predicament. Saul (Peter's godfather) overhears the truth and later confronts her, but tells her he will keep her secret, because the accident has brought the family closer.

As a loner, with no family and few friends, Lucy becomes so captivated with the quirky Callaghans and her new place in their family that she cannot bring herself to reveal that Peter does not even know her, because she thinks it might hurt them. She enjoys a belated Christmas with them and then meets Peter's younger brother Jack. He is suspicious of her at first, but he falls in love with her as they spend time together. They develop a close friendship and soon she falls in love with him as well.

New Year's Eve, Peter wakes up from his coma. When his family comes in, including, Lucy, he is confused at her being there as he does not know her, so they assume that he must have amnesia. She and Peter spend time together, but she has already fallen in love with Jack. Saul persuades Peter to propose to her "again", and she agrees despite her feelings for Jack, still not wanting to lose her new family or risk Elsie's health. When Jack visits her the day before the wedding, she gives him a chance to change her mind, asking him if he can give her a reason not to marry Peter. He replies that he can not, leaving her disappointed and thinking she has misunderstood his feelings toward her.

On the day of the wedding, just as the priest begins the ceremony, Lucy finally confesses everything and tells the family she is in love with Jack rather than Peter. Peter's real fiancée (who happens to be married herself), also arrives to stop the wedding. As the family argues, Lucy slips out unnoticed, unsure of what the future holds for her.

SPOILER ALERT!!!

Some time later, as Lucy is back to her mundane life and job collecting tokens from passengers at the train station, Jack surprises her by placing an engagement ring in the token tray of her booth. With the entire Callaghan family watching, he walks into the booth, drops to one knee and proposes. In the last scenes of the film, they kiss, riding their "get away car" of a CTA train for their honeymoon. She narrates that Jack gave her the world by fulfilled her dream of going to Florence, Italy, When Peter asked when she fell in love with Jack, she replied,
"It was while you were sleeping."                                                         Plot source - Wikipedia

Sigh, I love this movie!!

Why Do We Love It?
 

Well, we like this movie because we like Lucy, and we identify with her. She is like us; human, average. Her life is boring, she makes mistakes but she's kind, and she wants things that we want: love, recognition of her value, acceptance, and to be a part of a loving family. She's the underdog. We want her to be happy, because we want to be happy. We've all felt alone. We've all been fixated on someone. We've all fantasized about a mister perfect and wanted a family. We want the dream.

Also, we've all been in Lucy’s shoes. We feel like our life isn't going anywhere, that all the guys that we want are too good for us or wouldn't give us a second glance. And then the guys that want us, are not exactly prince charming. And we do want the fantasy, we want prince charming, we want to live happily every after.

Like Lucy. She is so alone that she falls “in love” with someone she'd never even talked to. But then there's a twist. Though a series of mix-ups, his family is led to believe that she is his fiancée'. They quickly accept her and she falls in love with being part of a family. And whether or not we have a loving family, we all want to belong. 

But then, there's the ruggedly handsome younger brother, and unlike her fictitious fiancée, she has a real relationship with him. At first he's suspicious, and there are numerous misunderstandings. They fight, they make up, they spend time together, they get to know one another, and then, they fall in love.

But Lucy is stuck, she doesn't know how to tell the truth, without losing both the man and the family that she's always wanted. We understand why she does what she does because, in the same situation, we'd probably do the same thing.

So in the end, when she finally tells the truth, she gets the guy (and a pretty sweet proposal) and they all live happily ever after, you've gotta love that. THAT is why we think we love this movie!!

We Learn About Ourselves from Watching Movies

When I was single, I thought I would never be complete or worth anything unless I had a man; as if that made me valuable. I might even say that I was in love with love, much like Lucy at the beginning of this movie. But unlike Lucy, I at least had (and still have) a loving family who made me feel valuable, by showing me unconditional love. But both of us learned the same lesson. Lucy and I learned that meeting Mr. perfect isn't as important as finding a good man of character who loves you for exactly who you are.

Epiphany #1: You need to know and accept who you are....

Well, who was I? I had plenty of crushes, and they were all based on things like his looks, if he was smart or a talented musician, or if he was funny, or popular; all without getting to know the guy and who he really was. And usually, I'd fall for the guy and fall hard. My life's pursuit and self-worth was tied to what that guy thought me, and if he liked me. Mostly the guys didn't like me as much as I liked them. Or if I dated someone, it wouldn't be for long, and then he'd quickly move on to someone else and I'd think I wasn't as good as whoever he left me for. I'd think I wasn't enough. I was so much like Lucy, thinking that the earth revolved around the guy I had a crush on, and several times, on guys that didn't know I was alive, and my self-esteem took several good hits as a result.

When it comes to guys, they fall into two categories; the Peters and the Jacks. Guys who have different priorities, like the two brothers in this movie. When you break it down, you'll see what she's really getting.

Peter is mister "Prince Charming", mister "Do the Right Thing" who looks perfect from the outside, but that's all he cares about. Appearances; being successful at work, driving a fancy car, having an apartment in Paris, having a pretty girlfriend with nice boobs and a nice nose, but doesn't care if she's a nice person, or that she's already married. We also find out that when he was young, he got an awarded and praised for saving some squirrels. But that's not the whole story. He only saved them once he had put them in a position to be saved, and he didn't do the right thing by telling the truth. Plus, he doesn't have any kind of relationship with his family, he doesn't care; so much so that his secretary buys and sends their Christmas presents. Peter wants to look like the guy who does the right thing, but doesn't actually do it. He has professional prowess, but no realization of what he misses out on by caring about the people in his life that really matter. He probably has no idea how to have a real relationship. 

Jack, on the other hand, cares deeply about his family. In fact, he cares more about his relationship with his dad, than pursuing his own successful business, in order to keep the peace and to be near his family. He cares about his brother too. He admires him, and yet isn't jealous of his success. He's ok with who he is. And he cares deeply about Lucy, and spends time getting to know her. Jack knows how important it is to have real relationships with the people in his life. He sees value in it, and in them.

Peter's god-father Saul, could see Lucy's worth as a person. He called Jack "a putz" for not realizing what an amazing woman that Lucy was. He told him that if he couldn't see that, and didn't fall in love with her within two minutes of being with her, then go ahead break it off with her, just realize that you're a putz. In essence, Peter wouldn't have ever gone for Lucy on his own. He had already been mugged and fell off a train platform, he had a head injury that sent him into a coma, and then came back out of it, and still he didn't see it. It was only after his godfather called him "a putz" that he even realized how close he had come to death, and how valuable Lucy was to have around. And then when he proposes, you sense that he does so out of disingenuous obligation, the hazy romanticism of the moment, and the fear of seeming like a “putz” to his godfather being of greater concern, rather than being motivated by genuine love, because he isn't. He doesn't even talk to her about herself, he doesn't even spend time getting to know her. She only says yes because she doesn't want to turn down a perfectly good marriage proposal from a rich and handsome man, and deep down she doesn't want to spend the rest of her life alone. You can really see Peter's priorities when Lucy tells him that she is in love with Jack and calls off the wedding, when he is more worried about his carpet then the relationship ending... or her feelings. She is worth so much more than that!


Some guys need someone to smack them in the head and hold up a sign. They aren't interested until the girl is interested in them first. They don't have guts or eyes to see the gem that is in front of them, and these guys are not worth your time!!!

Epiphany #2 You are a valuable person. You are a gem.

Lucy's relationship with Jack on the other hand isn't perfect by any means, but they do things together, they get to know one another, and develop a close friendship. Jack realizes on his own that she is someone that he wants. HE falls for her. And while his communication skills aren't always the best, he's genuine. Through an honest, yet imperfect relationship, they get to know one another and they fall in love.

So, she has a choice, just like we all do, if we recognize what it really is. It may seem she has to chose between the dream and reality; between someone who seems perfect and promises her everything she's ever wanted, but can't deliver - and holding out for what she really wants, but it's not only that. What she really needs to do is chose between settling or holding out for what she's worth. For someone that is worthy of her.

Epiphany #3 You are worthy of holding our for someone that is WORTHY of you.

The lesson is that it is important to spend time getting to know the true character of a person before forming an attachment. It is important to let the guy fall for you, to see you as someone that they want, and then let them chase you. And maybe more importantly, it's important to know yourself, to be happy with yourself, and to find someone who cares about the same things you do. You want someone who knows you, flaws and all, and still wants you for who you are. Character counts. Knowing a person (and not just thinking you know them, based on a few chance encounters or perfect-seeming dates) is critical to a lasting relationship.

When I was single, I thought I would never be complete or worth anything unless I had a man who told me I was valuable. But what I didn't know was that I am valuable already. And it's so much more important to find someone who has character and value, and recognizes and loves your for your s, rather than someone who seems perfect. Yes, both Lucy and I learned the same lesson; that meeting Mr. perfect isn't as important as finding a good man of character who loves you for exactly who you are.

That's really the lesson of this movie. That's why I think we (at least we ladies) love it!

So when Jack finally steps up, comes to get her and pops the question, it is the most triumphant of moments. She finds someone that she can laugh with and grow old with. And that is the best ending of all!

The 9 Rules for a Great Garage Sale

I don't often go garage sale-ing, and I don't know why. Maybe I'm lazy. I love treasure hunting and bargain shopping. Maybe is has something to do with safety in numbers, I usually go with my mom. But one day I was just in the mood and had seen tons of signs hanging up everywhere I went. It was a sunny day, I had some cash in my pocket, and so, I gave in. I followed the signs and started in on the hunt. There were many forgettable sales, the kind you pull into and maybe even make the mistake of getting out of your car since you're already parked, but wish two steps out of your car that you hadn't wasted your time at all. But then there was one that, while not yielding any great deals/buys, was so enjoyable that it shined a light on the rules for a great garage sale.

1.Signage, signage, signage!!! This is essential! You MUST have clear, bold, to-the-point signs that tell you what and where it is, and lots of them to point the way. If they can't read your signs or can't find the place, you'll NEVER get any customers. AGAIN, the number one most important element to a great garage sale is SIGNAGE!

 

2.Multiple families = lots of stuff = lots more customers.

 

3. Clever displays. This sale used several clever displays that helped optimize space and showcase the goods. Namely, several long rods hanging inside the garage for clothing, a tall, multi-tier shelf on top of a table in the center, to show off glass wear (the shelf was also for sale), and two cork boards full of jewelry... we'll get to that.. A great sale needs to be full and look good from the street, or people will just do a fly-by, and not stop because it looks like a puny selection.

 

4. Smart sellage; the cork boards and zip-lock bags were a work of genius. Often times I'll see bowls or boxes full of random-looking jewelry, and if you are brave enough to dive in you know what a tangled mess that leads to – also, that method is not very buyer/looker friendly. Putting the jewelry inside clear zipping bags, with the price and any pertinent details written on the bag or a card (like with earrings attached) was attractive and made it super easy to browse their selection.

 

5. Pretty prices; everything was marked with price tags, and because it was a multi-family sale, the tags were color-coded for each seller.

 

6. Clear cashier – they had a patio table with an umbrella (clearly marked “cashier” written in tape) and the sellers had on aprons for making change, so you'd know who was a buyer and who was a seller. I hate chasing down the seller, or asking random strangers “do you work/live here?”

 

7. A free box near the curb. Great to draw in buyers and great for distracting/appeasing kids with something free to take away.

 

8. No crap!! I've been to garage sales in beautiful, upscale neighborhoods that seemed to promise treasures a-plenty, but have been disappointed to find little more than a trash heap. Don't try to sell crap at a garage sale. Don't waste people's time. Take it to the dump.

 

9.  A goodie booth. When you're in full-treasure hunting mode, the last thing you want to do is stop somewhere else and grab a snack. And bargain hunters get grumpy or even mean when they get hungry. That's why it's super nice when cookies, rice-crispy treats and lemonade or coffee are available for sale. Kids usually do the selling, so it's great to support young entrepreneurs while simultaneously keeping the treasure-hunters happy and undeterred.

 

 

So, my favorite finds of the fabulous, five-family garage sale? Three flower vase/votive holder centerpieces, new, in the box, for $5 each, and a stack of small chalk-board signs, perfect for future party food and games. I do love to entertain. :)