My Faves

I have been wanting to journal all week, but have been consumed with busyness!! Maybe it is the various projects I am starting, or the fact that Josh has been on the computer 24/7 doing various 'getting ready for his office to open' type projects, but I simply have not had the time I need to write!

I have had the most wonderful week, visiting lots of fun places with the kids. On Saturday, Josh and I went to Wylie to a birthday party at the fire station. I'd never been to a fire station, and found it to be quite interesting. The kids really enjoyed it too. I see a fire station birthday in Major's future some day. He was entranced by the ladder, the firetruck, and most of all, the cake! It was good to see my old friends again. I miss them so much.

On Monday, I went to do what I have been waiting to do since the moment we moved here.... I got a membership to the Ft. Worth library. I was sincerely disapointed in the library in this town and even more disappointed when I learned I would have to wait three months to be able to check out books from Ft. Worth! Ah.... the day has finally come! I do love everything about the library! It is one of my favorite places to go.

On Tuesday I took the kids to Central Market. I have always been a Wal Mart girl, but grow increasingly tired of their sad looking produce and lack of selection. I am also quite annoyed at the placement of the foods in Wal Mart. When we lived in Garland, I used to avoid the snack/chip aisle and the candy aisle with ease, but the local Wal Mart strategically places staple items (like chicken broth and soups) in the chip/candy aisles. So, now, when I go to Wal Mart, it is harder than ever to avoid those foods that I know are not good for us to eat!!! The lines are long. The parking lot is overcrowded. The people are not friendly. When I visit the seafood counter at Wal Mart, I ring a bell and wait a long time (like 5 minutes) until an annoyed looking worker comes to help me. I leave the seafood counter with some smelly, less than fresh fish products. But- at Central Market, when you visit the seafood counter, you receive many helpful hints on how to prepare and serve the very FRESH fish they have there. For example, I was buying some tuna steaks. The very nice man at the counter took care to remind me that my young children should not consume lots of the tuna steaks, because of the mercury content. He listed off the many other types of fish that have mercury issues. He packed the very FRESH fish in ice and bagged it for me. He gave me several ideas of ways to prepare various seafood items and even commented on how cute my kids were! Now that's service!!! :) And there's more.... a neat lady named Villa in the bread department offered to "fix" Mary Alice's baby doll's diaper. The diaper had fallen off and sweet Villa saw the whole calamity as it unfolded :) and offered to make it better for Mary Alice. Would Wal Mart do that? I don't think so!

It really wasn't the service that made me love my experience there, it was the food! Lovely, beautiful, good smelling, fresh, aromatic, colorful food! I felt intoxicated as I wandered the aisles of that wonderful store. I love that there are interesting and healthful foods there. I love that I bought some oranges on the vine, Irish Oatmeal, and ginger root. I used to say that, to me, there is something special about Starbucks. To me, people who drink Starbucks are living large. I will add shopping at Central Market to my list of luxuries. Of course, I can't afford to buy all of my groceries there, but it is definitely the place to go for specialty items and, most importantly,produce.

This morning, I took the kids up to Hulen Mall, where we met a friend from college (Becky and her sweet daughter Emmerson) for lunch. So much fun! Tomorrow, Chad and Miranda are coming to keep the kids while Josh and I go to a Bed and Breakfast. Chad and Miranda gave Josh a gift certificate to bedandbreakfast.com for his graduation back in May and we have only now been able to use it.

Josh's office is coming along. I'll try to post some pictures soon. We got a new camera for Christmas. I can't seem to figure it out. Have a blessed day!