Thankful Thursday - Blog Hop Edition

 Dear Friends, As we know, tragedy can be heart breaking. These are the times I turn to being thankful. Reminders of the good things I have, turn my mind away from the negative things we are surrounded by. Please join me. 1000 Things I'm Thankful for 21- Health 22 - Safety 23 - Family and Friends who texted me on Monday 24 - Friends to pray, cry, and console with 25 - Opportunities to give back 26 - TV to inform and help me stay weather aware 27 - Coffee and tea to energize 28 - A car with no hail damage 29 - Churches providing assistance 30 - Friends who stayed safe from the storms.   Clearly, being thankful can bring out my selfish nature and its nothing to be ashamed of. Link up your thankful thursday posts below and grab my little button. Click around and I'm sure you'll be inspired. I am looking for co-hosts, guest posts, and blog swap opportunities. Let me know if you are interested. <center> <a href="http://www.esthernorinedesigns.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p633/esthernorine/Snapbucket/064B5285_zpsa92b64ee.jpg" height="250"width="300"/></a></center> <p> a</P>

 

Travel Tuesday: Egyptian Adventure

After exploring the mall attached to the Hilton, I discovered it was not my kind of mall. If you're from Portland Oregon, Mall 205 comes to mind, Anchorage, Alaska: Sears mall, Westminster Colorado: Westminster mall. Perhaps, you get my drift. The stores were all local merchants selling perfumes, essential oils, and things I was not interested in. We were invited into one store to sip tea and listen to the merchant tell us stories of harvesting the flowers for the essential oils. No thanks. 

Our next trek was to the Egyptian Museum. Unfortunately, photos were not allowed inside the museum and i followed the rules as usual. I'm not a rule breaker. This museum is busting at the seams with artifacts. Laid out in the grass in front, melting in the sun (not really but it was May and warm), strewn across the floor, and piled high. Most items were not in cases for display, except for the mummy exhibit (ew gross, I did not check that out) and King Tutankhamen, which was ostentatious and seriously cool. That exhibit is traveling and if it comes to your town, check it out. I missed it when we lived in Denver but I figured that's ok since I saw in Cairo. For food, we enjoyed good food at Hard Rock Cafe. It was fantastic and American. Sometimes the comforts of home help one to enjoy a wildly exotic vacation. The Egyptian beers were not memorable in flavor but the recipe is ancient and is made with sand (maybe that's an urban legend.) The price of beer was, at the time, marvelously cheap at bars and even the Hilton. Our adventure continues with the tour of the pyramids, next week. Linking up with Helene for Travel Tuesdays. Please stay tuned for Weight Loss Wednesday. 

 

 

 

 

Thankful Thursday

Yesterday was a major test for my patience. The morning was chaotic with the installation of a new phone system. Thankfully by the afternoon, I was settled and making phone calls.

Today I'm thankful for a warm cup of tea on a rainy morning. I'm thankful for God's wisdom and provision. Too bad I can't see His plan! That would certainly ease my inevitable anxiety.

Please stay tuned for high five for Friday.

Thankful Thursday

Dear friends,
Welcome to thankful Thursday. This post means a lot to me because I need to be mindful of the blessings I have. This is your reminder to. :)

Today, I'm thankful for little things that easily get forgotten: a good cup of tea, a happy purring and meowing cat, free lunch at work (although I still need to be cautious with the portions I serve myself.).

On a separate note for weight loss Wednesday, I gained 2 pounds. I know why. Those catered lunches were more than I could handle. Today is another catered lunch and I have my plan. I know it's Olive Garden and I will not eat a bread stick, I will choose one pasta dish and put just about a cup on my plate, most of my plate will be the salad. This should be good for me.

Ok, back to thankful Thursday. It's your turn, what are you thankful for? Please stay tuned for high five for Friday.

Thankful Thursday: Top Ten

Welcome to thankful Thursday: Top Ten.
1- God: His grace & His miracles are awe-inspiring.
2- Family: I'm blessed with a wonderful immediate family and a loving husband.
3- Pets: My kitties are sweet little angels sometime and I'm forever thankful for them.
4- New job: I'm starting the new year at a new job and I'm overjoyed!
5- Last job: I'm thankful for the income and relationships I've developed. I'll miss the people, not the job.
6- Vacation: I'm thankful we had the best trip to St. Lucia and I can't wait to return!
7- Friends: I'm thankful for my friends over the years and the new ones I'm finding today.
8- Tea: I'm thankful a warm cup of tea warns more than my insides, it warms my soul.
9- Wine and beer: I'm thankful to be able to excite my tastebuds with these tantalizing beverages.
10- Blog buds and readers: I'm thankful you have been a part of my journey.

Happy New Year! Cheers to a fabulous 2013!

Please stay tuned for High Five For Friday; holiday vox box edition.

Thankful Thursday

Welcome to Thankful Thursday.Today, I am thankful for the little things. A warm cup of tea.A sweet photo of my kitties.Facetiming my mom and sister.A successful dinner.Heat.Hugs.What are you thankful for?Please share!I am sending a big thank you to Sara at Life in a Break Down for allowing me to guest post yesterday.Thank you and stay tuned for High Five for Friday!

Top Pick Tuesday

Mug, oh sweet mug. How much do I love you? You deliver life giving tea early in the morning and late in the day. Your dishwasher safe qualities are important to me, otherwise you would sit there dirty for weeks. I am a mug fiend and am always looking for more mugs (odd since I have more than enough.)

It is Top Pick Tuesday and I am sharing my passion for mugs via Dalayna at Pointing Up and Britt at Yellow Umbrella Design for a recent mug swap. I was surprised by the sweetest package from Pamela at Pamela's Heavenly Treats. I already follow her because of her sweet but healthy treats. She pegged me as a cat person, obvious since Chomps and Kirby are always showing up on my blog, and ordered the cutest kitty mug.

Dear Pamela,

Thank you for the sweet mug. I love the design and I will drink many warm cups of black tea with it. I look forward to checking out your treats and trying a recipe or two in my kitchen. Many thanks! E N D

Tea

Tea. A time to slow down. Reflect. Relax. Chat. Tea time is not meant to be rushed. Connect with friends. Meet new friends. That's what tea is meant to be.