Some things I LOVE

Since bloggers like to do posts listing things that they love, I've decided that I will do the same.  {The other bloggers are doing it, Ma!  Why can't I?}  So here's five {5} things that I love... LOVE. 

#1  Celestial Seasonings Tea-- My favorite?  Raspberry Zinger.  Mother bought it for me about a week ago, and it's amazing.  Plus, completely natural ingredients.  It's all fruit!

 

#2   A nice, low voice for a man... Josh Turner?  His voice is amazing.  

 Beautiful.  

#3  Ragdoll Cats  

Need I say more?

#4 Meltaway Mints

If you've never had one, you've never lived.   You've never lived, have you?  I knew it.

#5  Camellia Flowers

Aren't they absolutely gorgeous?  Photo taken by me yesterday at Cypress Gardens.  

Wow! Thank you!

I'm flattered.  I was just looking at my blogs stats, and just day alone I have had page views from Brazil, the U.K., Russia, Sweden, and Taiwan.  Just today!  Wow!  Thank you guys!  You. are. awesome.  Really, truly.  Denmark, Slovenia, Canada, Romania, Singapore, Germany, Malta, China... Wow!  That's all I can say.  So to all of you readers from other countries...

Tak
Vielen Dank 
Cam o'n ban
Tesekkurler
ありがとうTack
Gracias
Hvala
감사합니다 

спасибо

mulţumesc
Obrigado
Grazzi
Je vous remercie
謝謝

 

Beautiful New Font

Which is me exactly.  Or at least the blog exactly.  Which is somewhat me, exactly.  So how do you like the new font {can be found on sidebar, post titles, date}??  Isn't it pur-dy?  You don't need to answer that... I know it's pur-dy.  The font is "Homemade Apple."  Whatever that means.

Two Pictures

I took some pictures of the cats {just for the heck of it} and had a little photo shoot with my darling sister, Elle.  It didn't go as well as planned because she had an {unwelcomed} guest come along, but it was OK.  I guess.  Not really.  But whatever.  So here's a really good picture of Fritzy and one from Elle's photo shoot- one of my personal favorites.  The one of Elle is edited.

 Mr. Fritzel Snitzel... and Barnie is in the background.  :]]

A really good closeup of Elle's face.

Something I Hate

     People who are judgmental.  There, it's out.  I HATE judgmental people.  Am I judging judgmental people?  Maybe.  Am I a hypocrite?  It may seem so.  But it's something that really bothers me.  As Christians, we're told that we should not be judgmental, but I've found that Christians are the people who judge the most.  You may be thinking, "Pssh... Alyssa, I don't judge people!  I know that it's wrong and it's not my place."  Yeah, well that's what everyone says.  My friends are some of the most judgmental people I know, and they are self-proclaimed "strong Christians."  I see.
     What about the kid who sits alone at every student council meeting?  Why aren't you going over to talk to him?  Well, maybe you'll be afraid that people will judge you.  I know that I've felt that way before.  Or, what about the pregnant teen who is shunned by all of her peers?  You're judging her because she crossed the line.  Maybe you don't have the whole story.  But you ignore her, just the same.  Or, for instance, Justin Beiber.  "Ugh, he has such a girly voice. Plus, he's only like, 5 feet tall."  I can name at LEAST five of my friends who have said something like that.  
     Now I don't want to get into politics {it's not my thing}, but the best example I can think of:  Barack Obama.  He is probably one of the most hated men in America, and much of the hating is done by Republicans.  A lot of the Republicans are Christian.  Yep, have you ever said something hateful about President Obama?  Have you ever talked bad about him?  I imagine your parents have said some not-so-nice things about this man.  I think that's ridiculous.  "Oh, he's ruining the country."  "The economy is in the worst shape it's been since the Great Depression, and it's all Obama's fault."  It's not like he's TRYING to ruin the country, it's not his fault.  He's doing what he honestly thinks is best.  Unless you've been in that position, you don't have an opinion.
     Now I'm sorry for going on about this, but it's something that truly bothers me.  Bothers me a lot.  Enough that I would rant on about it in a blog post to my {loyal} readers.  You really are all amazing people, but we need to remember to not judge.  Don't say bad things about people you do or don't know, because it's not your place.  I'm sorry if I have offended any of you, I just had to get this off my chest.

I Don't Lie

I told you I would post pictures from Middleton Place, so here they are!!!

 This was the swan cleaning itself, it was super cool!  I'd never seen a swan do that before.

 Elle and Daddy.  :]]

 Me-- I thought it was cool that the wind was blowing my hair.

 The house.  The original burned down, I think this might have just been the library that they moved into.  But I'm not positive.

 Don't wake the bull!

 The {super-good} picture of the goose, again.

 Elle petting the horse.  He was very nice!

 Two goats that wouldn't leave Elle and me alone-- they tried to eat my camera. :[

 One of the peacocks on the plantation.  I believe there are three males and two females.

 This one was hiding, I thought it made a cool picture.

 Isn't this pretty?  It's one of the ponds.  Love the sparkles!

 Their famous statue-- someone put the flower there, it's not part of the statue.   ;]]

 My favorite flower:  Camellia!  They have a new camellia pathway {or something like that}.  There were only a few flowers blooming, but that's alright.  

 The swan close up... if you click on the picture you can see water droplets on the swan's head. 

The swan cleaning itself some more.  Must have felt dirty.  :]

Pillow Talk: What Does Your Pillow Arrangement Style Say About You?

I saw this article on Yahoo! and thought it was pretty interesting... I think that it applies for me!  What about you?  Leave a comment letting me know your pillow arrangement!

By Karen Ziga, HouseBeautiful.com

Are you classic or casual? Romantic or relaxed? It turns out that how you arrange your pillows can reveal clues to your psyche. Read on to see what your bed could be saying about your behavior.

Photo: Annie Schlechter

If Your Pillows Are Asymmetrical

Are your pillows tossed about in any which way? Do you arrange your pillows without a particular order? Your unfussy style says that you are a relaxed, bohemian type who's easygoing and open to new experiences.

Tip: Stick to the same color scheme when selecting pillows, but try using different prints and patterns to mix up the look.

If Your Pillows Are Balanced, but Have a Single Accent

Do you prop pillows the classical way, but throw the symmetry off with one extra bolster? Do you prefer when something doesn't look too perfect? If so, your style is traditional with a twist. You're never too prim and proper — but you aren't given to the latest trends either.

Photo: Annie Schlechter

If Your Pillows Are Precisely Stacked

Are your pillows tiered, trim, and level? Does clutter on the nightstands (or anywhere) drive you crazy? This systematic, monastic tower of pillows indicates you have a modernist style. If someone saw your bed, they would probably guess that you're artistic, creative, and intellectual.

Photo: Annie Schlechter

If Your Pillows Are Delicate and Decorative

Are your pillows an exuberant array of Euro-square, cases, shams, boudoirs, and neck rolls? Do designs without embellishment feel cold and unwelcoming to you? If you're drawn to a dreamy, whimsical look, then you're a romantic. You prefer frilly and feminine to streamlined and rigid and are a firm believer that more is more.

Photo: Annie Schlechter

If Your Pillows Are Perfectly Symmetrical

Do you consider yourself organized? Keeping all your ducks in a row — and your pillows too — means you have a tailored, classic style. This look is best for someone who is detail-orientated, organized, and orderly.

My pillow arrangement is "Delicate and Decorative."  Would you say I'm a romantic?  I do love frilly, feminine things.  Here's a picture of my bed: