A to Z Blog Challenge - O

Letter O

Oysters

Up until just a few years ago, you would have never heard me say.... "Oysters are yummy!" I always thought that they were pretty "yucky" and I had no desire to eat them! Then, a friend introduced them to me at a get together. I had a RAW one on a saltine with hot sauce! Surprisingly, it really wasn't that bad! Then, I had one that was broiled in the oven with a chunk of Parmesan cheese on it!! Oh my!!! It was sooooo yummy! I think I ate several of those! Then, when David and I traveled to New Orleans in the Fall of 2009, I introduced him to them! We ate them cooked, tho. He still hasn't had any raw ones!

Oxygen

This is something that my mother now has with her at all times. Since she has developed Congestive Heart Failure, she has had to be on oxygen pretty much 24/7.

Onions

This is something that, as a child, I would NOT eat! Now, I love them! I can still remember not liking McDonald's hamburgers because they had little bits of onions on them. I would scrape them off every time! Now, David and I add them to just about everything that we cook. It's funny how our tastes change.

Olives

I "like" olives, but they are not something that really like. However, Ashley REALLY likes black olives! She could eat a whole can of them in one sitting! I like green ones in my salad sometimes, and I like sliced black ones on my pizza.

Organized

This is something that I try to be. I try very hard to keep my house and things organized, but I don't always succeed. Having EVERYTHING organized would be wonderful!!! If I could have free reign in a Container Store, that would make my day!!

I don't usually do this

I'm sure that many of you have seen (or even follow) blogs that have "giveaways". I don't usually participate in them, but this particular one caught my eye!

I was reading through a few of my favorite blogs when I saw the giveaway at Jen's blog, Tatertots & Jello. (Click to read the post)

Jen has put together a giveaway for $50 to WILLOW HOUSE with her friend, Bridget. There are several ways to enter the giveaway, which are explained on Jen's blog. One of the ways to enter is to BLOG about the giveaway. So.......... this is what I am doing! **Smile**

Another way to enter, is to visit Bridget's Willow House site and tell her what your favorite product is. I did this, as well. This is the product that I picked ---

 It is called the French Wired Tiered Stand. It is on page 49 of the Willow House catalog. This picture is from the Fall catalog.

It's funny, because just before I read Jen's post at Tatertot's & Jello this morning, I read Carmel's post over at Our Fifth House. (You can read that post by clicking the title.)

Carmel has a BEAUTIFUL home and blogs about her decorating and organizing ideas. Today's post was about this very item from Willow House!! Carmel has used the beautiful wired tiered stand to organize items on her kitchen desk area.

Recognize the stand?? It looks a little different, huh? Apparently, it comes apart and Carmel took the top tier off so that it would fit better on her desk. It's still VERY pretty!!

I have been looking for decorative ways to "spruce up" & organize my home office space and I loved Carmel's idea! It's kinda' neat how mine, and these other two blogs, are coming together so nicely!

I may or may not win the giveaway, but at least I have an idea of a beautiful way to decorate and organize my desk supplies!

Day one of ... "The Purge"

Original date written -- 4/5/10

This is my Spring Break week and I really want to take advantage of the time and get rid of some clutter!! I have WAY too much stuff and I need to get rid of some of it. I wouldn't call myself a "hoarder", but I am a clutter-bug! I have trouble getting rid of things. I find myself emotionally attached to "things" and can't get rid of them.

For example... I love books and I have a hard time getting rid of my favorite ones that I have read. Why? Because I liked them so much, I just might go back and read them again. --- NOT!!! I know deep down that I won't. But, I still have a hard time getting rid of them!

Then, there is my scrapbooking stuff. I have quite a bit of it, even though I did go thru it recently and got rid of some of it. I keep telling myself that I will get back into that time consuming hobby, but in reality... I probably won't. I also think of all the money that I invested into my scrapbooking "stuff" and have a hard time getting rid of it because of that reason, too.

Most of what I have in my house are things that are sentimental to me and I have a hard time letting go of them. But, when I think of how much "neater" my house would be if I would get rid of some things, I get excited.

I better go and get started while I am "excited"! Maybe if I blog about my accomplishments, it will help. ~ More to come!

*** Well, it's now 11:15am, and I feel like I haven't accomplished much at all, even tho I've been working for 2 hours, here in my office!! I have done some detailed cleaning and some "going thru" and "throwing out", but it doesn't feel like I've done much at all! Now, I've got to stop and go take a shower and hit up the grocery store. Oh, poo! First I have to figure out what meals I am making this week!! UGH!! ~ Hope to get back to "Day one of the Purge", later!

*** It's now 4:20pm, and I just got thru spending another 2 hrs working on my office! Still have a ways to go, but at least it looks better and I can actually SEE the floor!! Of course, the foyer is now full of stuff that needs to go to other locations in the house! Haahaaa!! ... That will be tomorrow's first priority! (I hope!)