Hi!

Just popping in to say Hello!

God has blessed me so much with this new job!  (Even if I did accidentally drop a cookie jar yesterday while we were condensing the Christmas aisles.  It made a spectacular crash but no one was hurt, thankfully.)  I'm working a LOT of hours, which means I'm hard pressed to get everything else done, but I'm getting there.  The wedding photos from the other weekend are nearly done; Lucy Jane has some work to do this week too, early morning and late at night.  Then there is the laundry and the housework, the kids homework time, baths and bed.  I'm getting much help there from family and friends, though.  God is so good.

If you've written me snail mail, or are waiting on me for a letter via 52 weeks of mail, I will be sitting down Tuesday morning to get those answered, so just hang in there!

After work tomorrow, we'll be going to get our Christmas tree!!!  I LOVE this time of year.  I will post photos as soon as it's all up and decorated.  I'm headed right now to bring all the stuff out of storage.  I hope you all have a wonderful week, and I will post again as soon as I can!

Love y'all!

Thanksgiving Irony

This time last year, I wrote this post about what I'm thankful for.

With the exception of having a Honda Odyssey instead of the Buick, and my job being different, this year's list is exactly the same as last year's, down to the box of cordial cherries! LOL

But I do have way more to be thankful for, even if it doesn't all get mentioned.  Like, this year more than last year, I'm thankful for the penpal letters and cards that have shown up in my mailbox these past few months.  I'm thankful for so many new blog friends.  I'm thankful for my Gran's hip surgery to have gone so well.  I'm just thankful.  For so much.

I'm off to the kitchen now, to pop some gossamer spice cookies in the oven for tomorrow!  We're going to Atlanta to be with Husband's family (his mom's side in the a.m., and his dad's side in the afternoon).  And after I am full up with all of that food (glorious food), I'm going to sleep as long and hard as I can, because I will be working retail on Black Friday and Saturday! :)  I've missed it, though, and I'm looking forward to helping people find what they need for Christmas gifts and projects.  I LOVE my new job so much!

Happy Thanksgiving, my loves.  I am thankful for you.
Until Sunday,
Jenny

Getting and Giving

Yet again I find myself retro-posting blog entries!  Another week has roared by and I'm way behind on my Frank Friday, 52 Weeks of Mail, Music Monday, Video Wednesdays flipping everything.  Don't forget to check the Blog Archives list to see what might have gotten slipped in that you may have missed in the update feeds.

I am loving my new job and am getting lots of hours!  I worked from 1 til closing last night.  I get to do that again tonight and then have Thanksgiving off.  Black Friday and Saturday will be hectic, but not horrible, as I'm set down for very reasonable hours.  (By reasonable, I mean my full 8 hour shifts don't start at 4 a.m.)  Sunday afternoon, I am planning on taking a couple of hours to get completely caught up here on The Modest Peacock.  I have a lovely little journal that I write out a post schedule in (and then scribble all over, as things swap and change and get mixed around!).  I also write out post ideas/memory joggers for later reference.  So rest assured, dear reader, I have some good posts in store if you will just hang in there with me! :)

In the meantime, I'm hosting another giveaway!

You may have seen the Avon widget on my righthand sidebar.  I've been an Avon Rep for 2 full years now, and I love it!  I'm still getting started, really- it takes time to grow a business, especially when you can't devote full time to it because of kids and other responsibilities, etc- but so far I have loved getting to know people in my community.  I buy as much Avon as I sell, but it all works out in the end. :)  Well, Avon had these FABULOUS cosmetic bags to go with some skin care products a few campaigns back and I had to get a few to share!  They are 9 and 1/2 inches long by about 6 and 1/2 inches tall with a zipper on top and a see-through back.

(Cards not included, but I will be throwing in some other mail goodies with it)

They are technically "cosmetic bags", but the possibilities are endless as to how you could use them!  I'm using mine for a mini writing kit to take along with me to places- a couple of favorite pens, some postcards, some notecards, and some stamps and voila!  Letter writing stuff that goes where I do! :)

I have 3 that I will give away- one now, and the other two sometime throughout next year.  So if you don't win this one, you'll have another chance later!  (If you just want to go ahead and purchase one (or several), you can email me privately and I will help you with that.  They are $10.00 each, plus tax and shipping.)

The drawing for this one will take place on Saturday, Dec 10th.  I'm giving an extra couple of days because of the Thanksgiving holiday and a lot of people not in town/online because they are spending time with family (which is exactly as it should be! :)).

HAVE A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE!  I LOVE YOU AND I AM THANKFUL FOR YOU! :)

Yours Ever,
Jenny

52 Weeks of Mail: Week 6

This was a good week for outgoing.  Incoming, not so much, but I have heard from several people saying they've sent things, so I'm sure the box will be full this week! :)

Incoming:
Just one, but it was good!  My first post from Canada!  Snailmailfan over at 100 Days of Snail Mail sent me this great "Where's Waldo?" postcard.  It took me a good 5 minutes to find him and the 4 other things on the list, but I finally found them all. :)

Outgoing:
8 pieces!  That's pretty good for this week, considering I did start my new job too! :)

A penpal intro to a girl in Japan, a thank you to Vicki over at 2 Bags Full for the lovely Vera Bradley purse I won in her giveaway, a penpal intro to a girl in Malaysia, a penpal letter plus goodies for a friend in Nashville, TN, part one of a long letter reply to my penpal friend in Ohio, a note to Pamela of Cappuccino and Art Journal (which, sadly, was not as artsy and creative as I would have liked.  I have an idea for next one, though.), a reply letter to Katie of The Marlowe Bookshelf, and last but not least, a letter to Misty of Confessions of a Pen Thief, which I decorated last minute in a mystery theme.  (For no apparent reason, other than making the little footprints like the ones that show up on Harry Potter's Marauder's Map was super fun and easy and cute!) :)

Partly Cloudy

It was drizzly and overcast yesterday.  So I thought this wonderful short fit just right for this week's Video Wednesday.  Enjoy.

Abundant Blessings

My Grandmother had hip surgery yesterday, and aside from the pain that any major surgery brings, she came through it very well.  I am blessed to have in-laws keeping Gremlin #4 for a week while we adjust to Gran's schedule when she gets home.  That means I can drop everything at a moment's notice and help, but mostly it means I can stay on top of the housework for everyone (there are 8 people living in the house, remember) without Gremlin #4 being underfoot/needing attention/turning my brain to oatmeal with her Barbie movies being played over and over and over.  :)

Last night, Cute Gremlins #1 and #2 asked to go play at a friend's house.  With Gremlin #4 gone, that left just Gremlin #3 and me to ourselves.  So I took him to eat pizza at Stevi B's.  The best part of the meal was when he wanted to "clink" our (plastic) cups of Coke together and have "cheers".  That's just pure 6 year old silliness and I have missed enjoying that when my attention is divided amongst 3 more Cute Gremlins.

After supper, we stopped by the office supply store.  While I was admiring some pens, he tried to sneak up on me from around the corner to the next aisle.  Of course I could hear him- because he's a first grader, he's about as stealthy as a dinosaur crossing a gravel parking lot that's been covered in bubble wrap.  So I turned around and he says the most awesome thing:

"Awww.  I was trying to sneak on you.  Did you hear my footprints?"

Yes, sweet baby.  I heard your "footprints".  LOL  I am so blessed to have him.

I was also blessed today when we went to the new library (that would be trip #6 in the space of a week and a half, for those of you who are keeping track. ;)) and got these books.

I know I've blogged about my stationery addiction, but I think this is coming in a close second!

Anyway, while we were on our way to the library, I got a call back from a job I had put in for a month ago and I'm hired!!! PRAISE GOD!!!  I report tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. to fill out paperwork and get acclimated to everything.  I already know where everything is, since I'm there all the time anyway. :)  So I'm VERY EXCITED!  It's part time seasonal, so I will still make time when I am home to post for you, dear readers.  I may have to make good use of the "schedule" feature in the post options!

And with that good news, I'm headed to bed!  Big day tomorrow!
Love to all.

52 Weeks of Mail: Week 5

As always, I'll start with what arrived!

On Monday, Nov 7th, I got a lovely long penpal letter from Laura over at the Daily Dodo.  I love ALL of the letters I get, but I just can't help it- seeing an address from my beloved England is my absolute favorite! :)  On Thursday, Nov 10th, I really had a good mail day: I won the Vera Bradley purse that sweet Vicki over at 2 Bags Full gave away on her facebook page!  Thank you, Vicki!!!!  I also got my newest issue of Tea Time magazine, a letter from one of my Ohio penpals, and a notecard from the peacock set that Misty of Confessions of a Pen Thief won, so that I got to keep one when all of my own set had been mailed out.  (I sent her one to keep out of my set in with her goody box.) :)

Back of letter from Ohio

The week didn't end there!  Today, after I'd gotten home from shooting a wedding for 7 beautiful hours (Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Raffety!  I love y'all!)  I got 6 wonderful pieces of mail!  3 catalogs/fliers to some of my favorite stores (Things Remembered, Family Christian Stores and Jo-Ann Fabrics), and 3 letters.  One is another letter from the Ohio Penpal who wrote the one pictured above, one is a wonderful avian themed letter from fellow blogger Katie over at The Marlowe Bookshelf and one is a gorgeous mail art from none other than Pamela Gerard, whose blog, Cappuccino and Art Journal, I found on the 52 Weeks of Mail page.

But wait- what's that, also in the photo?  It looks like an airmail envelope, doubling as a zippered pouch!  Could there be a giveaway coming up soon?! ;)

LOVE the owl! 

Gorgeous goodies from Pamela!

One sad thing did come in the mailbox: an introductory penpal letter that I'd sent a few months ago, that was unable to be delivered. :(

*sniffle* :(

Now on to outgoing!

On Monday, I sent out a bill and a letter to my Ohio penpal. (no, the bill did not go TO the Ohio penpal. Only the letter. lol)

And on Saturday:

Thanksgiving card to friend in TX, letter to Laura of Daily Dodo (link above), introductory letter to penpal in Japan, postcard to Bev Sykes of The Penpal Project and a postcard to Kate Kane of Birdcage Cards, whom I "met" on the 52 Weeks of Mail facebook page.  A modest offering, but I had been getting ready to work a wedding, get hired at another job for Christmas, tend to 4 kids, etc.  (I know, I know.  No excuses! lol)  If you sent me mail and haven't gotten a reply yet, just be patient- I always write back!

Still Alive

I did not die.

I have been SUPER BUSY this last week and there hasn't been time to do the posts that I wanted to do the way that I wanted to do them.  So here is a big ole "HI!!!" from over here, and I will do my best to start catching you up on all the latest goings on in a post (or 2) tomorrow.  

Love to all,

Jenny

Mathematics

Cute Gremlin #2 is learning about Roman Numerals in school.  I was never very good at math when I was in school.  I fought to pass Algebra II (hey look, a Roman Numeral!) in high school with a 76 or something, and I was proud of that C, because it was hard.  You ask me to play a clarinet concerto, fine.  Write a 10 page paper on any part of British Literature?  Sure.  Give a US History presentation with visuals and references? No problem.  But Algebra, Geometry and beyond?  Not so much.

So I'm very proud of my Cute Gremlin for having an aptitude for something that I never mastered.  She's a math whiz.  Her reading fluency and comprehension irk me sometimes, but this is when I am reminded that she is not me.  (Heck, she doesn't even have my genes.)  We help each other learn.  She loves math, and I love that she does. :)

Here are two great songs about math.  One is "New Math" by Tom Lehrer, and the other is a great song (that contains Roman Numerals!) called "18 Wheels on a Big Rig" by Haywood Banks that we heard on the Bob and Tom radio show a long time ago.  Also, here is an Abbott and Costello clip about math that we love.

Enjoy!

Frank goes to the Fall Festival

Mostly just pictures in this post, as they tell the story best.  Enjoy.

Ephesus Baptist Church Fall Festival: Monday, Oct 31, 2011

Cute Gremlin #1 goes as some other teenager named "Bob",  Cute Gremlin #2
is a vampiress of sorts, Cute Gremlin #3 is Batman's Sidekick, Robin,
and Cute Gremlin #4 is a mermaid.  Frank got dressed a bit later. 

Frank helps us pick a pumpkin

Frank goes as a mummy

Hanging out with Cute Gremlin #3 Boy Wonder as he eats his hotdog

Cute Gremlin #3 takes Frank on the cake walk.  They didn't win this
time, but Cute Gremlin #2 did it as well, and won some brownies.

52 Weeks of Mail: Week 4

First the incoming:
Look what's arrived in my mailbox!

On Tues, Nov 2, I got a letter from a penpal in Nashville TN (who, incidentally, could be my twin in interests and personality), and a letter from a penpal in OH.

Along with her super cute letter, my Nashville friend sent me 2 seasonal teas to try!

And the letter from my Ohio friend had wonderful characters drawn on it!

On Wednesday the 3rd, I got this wonderful postcard of the Little Black Sambo story from Bev Sykes over at The Penpal Project.  The postcards came from a restaurant in Santa Barbara, CA as a set of 8 with one telling the story and the other 7 illustrating.

When I was little, I had this version of the book:

I loved the part about how the tigers chased each other faster and faster until they all melted into butter.  I think it's a shame that the book was given such a negative stigma with/involving racial slandering.  I thought it was wonderfully told and illustrated and, as I was a child, I never understood any of the controversy of it.  I have that copy still, packed up in my storage somewhere from our last move.

And now here is the outgoing:

Today I sent out Misty at Confessions of a Pen Thief's giveaway winnings, a letter to my OH penpal, a letter to a penpal in MO, and a postcard to help a student project.

I copied this about the postcard project from Bev Sykes' blog (see link above with Sambo postcard):

"His school is collecting postcards from around the country and around the world for their diversity/international day in the early spring.  It doesn’t matter if they get multiples from each state, they're just trying to rock the class's world with the amount that Hunter can bring in!
     So, if you wouldn’t mind sending a postcard to him, that would be great, I know we have people EVERYWHERE!  Before taking them in to the school Kelly plans to put them all out together and take a picture, she says she’ll be sure to share the picture when they’re done. There is no set deadline, but she's thinking if you can do it between now and the end of November that would be best.


Hunter Johnson
8443 Sand Point Drive West
Jacksonville, FL 32244


Feel free to share his address with any friends and family you may have in other parts of the world as well, the more the merrier!"


That was all for Week 4.  Write more letters, and I will see you at the mailbox!

Sniffle, Hack, Ah-CHOO!

Eldest Cute Gremlins do not believe me when I tell them that running around at night, in 40 degree weather, barefoot and with no coat on will make them ill.  They insisted on doing this at the Fall Festival on Monday.  As a result, all three of us now have dazzling examples of the common cold, each with our own variations.  Gremlin #1 sported the sore throat variety, while Gremlin #2 is sobbing that she has an earache (this is a perpetual issue with Gremlin #2).  As for myself, I picked up the Raging Sinus Infection accompanied by a splitting headache.

No sewing got done.  No fairies got crafted.  No photos were edited.  No letters were written.  No Avon books went out.  No library books were returned or checked out.  No real food was cooked.  (I just threw 2 cans of ravioli in a pot, heated it and called it dinner.)

I used plenty of these:

And took some of this:

And now I'm going back to this:

Better blog tomorrow.  Love you all.  'Night.

October Gratitudes

ALREADY!?!?!

I know I say that every month, but Golly Molly, October didn't stick around for very long!!!
Here's just some of what I was grateful for:

• 10.31- Fall Festival and Taco Bell date with husband afterward
• 10.30- Baking cakes with husband after church
• 10.29- Going to the pumpkin farm with my family
• 10.28- Husband is home
• 10.27- My friends at the USPS Winston. Love going in to mail off my letters!
• 10.26- Chocolates from England!!! :D
• 10.25- Letters from Germany! And Tea with friends!
• 10.24- The technology that allows me to simultaneously cook dinner and chat with a deaf friend who lives 4 states away.
• 10.23- Evening church service
• 10.22- Unexpected photo ops!
• 10.21- Unexpected gifts of the world's best walnuts in the post!!! :D NOM!
• 10.20- Great Bible study (again!) and week 2 of 52WOM :)
• 10.19- Getting Cute Gremlins to bed early
• 10.18- Teatime
• 10.17- Getting to sleep in!
• 10.16- My Lifegroup
• 10.15- Wonderful "Celebrate Marriage" event at church
• 10.14- A break from the Cute Gremlins
• 10.13- Week 1 of "52 Weeks of Mail"
• 10.12- Hot tea
• 10.11- Random sweet and encouraging posts on my FB wall from friends to let me know they love and care about me. :)
• 10.10- Seeing the floor in my closet. If only for a short time...
• 10.9- Sleep, soup and tea
• 10.8- Beautiful day for running errands and being a tourist in my own town. :)
• 10.7- Grace from other people as we had a "Monday" kind of Friday
• 10.6- Bible study was awesome
• 10.5- Time at church
• 10.4- Job Interview!
• 10.3- Carpet spray and paper towels :P
• 10.2- Courageous Movie date... and Kleenex
• 10.1- New friends and blogging inspiration