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Monday Poll
What was your favorite Super Bowl commercial?

Posted on February 8, 2010 12:00 AM MST by Tiffany Kinerson



Admit it. You know you watched the Super Bowl to see the best ads of the year. Vote on your favorite commercial from yesterday. Was it:


Comments

Patti commented on 02/08/2010 2:24 PM:
  DEFINITELY NONE of these. alan and I vote for the Greenest car, the green police ticketing those using styrofoam cups and not composting.Sigh. Wish it were true!Patti
 
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The Book of 

Ooh La La!

Posted on February 4, 2010 12:00 AM MST by Sara Richardson

Ever since I was very young I have believed in the power of true love. When I could write, I started keeping a journal, but it wasn’t the “Dear Diary” type of journal. No, recording the day’s events never appealed much to me. Instead, I called my journal The Book of Love. Go ahead, laugh. I realize it’s a bit unconventional for an eight-year-old. (But you’ve gotta remember, I was also a budding romance writer.) Throughout the years I filled many notebooks. It became a compilation. The Book of Love Volumes I -  … well, I’m still writing books about love.

Now you may be thinking I filled my notebook pages with juicy secrets about all of the boys I loved, about those first kisses on the cheek, about my first boyfriend who dragged me across the playground and informed me we were “going out.” (Going where, I had wondered.) But let me stop you right there. Those notebooks were not filled with my secrets or my personal experiences with love. They were filled with others’ thoughts about love. Every time I came across a poem or Bible verse that spoke powerfully about true love, I copied it into my notebook. Eventually, when I grew older, I started to write my own poems, and “articles” about true love. (Wouldn’t you love to see a sample?)

See, I have always been fascinated by true love. I caught glimpses of it here and there. In the love between my parents, in their love for me, even in a couple of best friends. But I also believed there was more. So I studied it. Analyzed it. That is how I learned about true love. By reading about it. By writing about it. By realizing that love was the longing deep within my soul. That love was what I craved more than anything in this world. In that search, in those studies, I found the answer. God is love. We were created to love. And we were created to be loved. That’s why I’m a hopeless romantic. Because I know that true love—perfect love—does exist. Because I know it covers me. My absolute favorite quote about love comes from I Peter 4:8: “Above all, love each other deeply because love covers a multitude of sins.” Now that’s power.

Okay, since I can see you’re practically begging, I’ll share one of my early poems about love. (Disclaimer: What you are about to read was not dated so I have no idea how old I was when I wrote it. All I know is that it came from Volume II. Based on the tone, I think I was imagining this is something God would say to me, but I really can’t be sure about that, either.)

Let Me Love You
I long to teach you what the touch of a loving hand can do,
I ache to bring down the walls that surround you.
There is so much I want to share,
I am willing to risk showing you how much I care.
I want to give you the gift of peace,
So your searching may finally cease.
Give me your hand and hold on tight,
And I’ll show you the world in a different light.
A wondrous place where dreams are free,
A place far greater than the world that you see.

Go ahead, laugh again. I sure am! Have you ever written a poem or a profound musing about love? Share yours so I’m not so embarrassed!



Comments

Tiffany commented on 02/04/2010 8:45 AM:
  Check this out P.S. This is written when I was writing to no one in particular...just the hope of someone"Mon Ami ha!,...I've heard legends say you are theream I searching for you? My romantic lover, I've never felt your touch, but I know I love you forever. I will love you, my dear, past the neverrising sun.... I've always known you will come here as God sees us both prepared, and I've ony faltered in order to learn some lessons about you. I don't want you right now for God believes we're nor right...YET. But someday I will look in your eyes, my dear, and see the laughing smiles of my children. I am preparing for you and I'm waiting for you and I pray to God all I can for you. My husband, dear, and love of my life just pray for us both in our journeys be it far or be it near, it will be well worth the trip!" Talk about a blooming romantic!
 
Aunt Karen commented on 02/04/2010 1:00 PM:
  This may be the shortest love poem on record. I wrote it in a more cynical moment.LOVEYou may feel itAnd you may say itBut until you show itI don't know it.
 
Sara commented on 02/04/2010 1:18 PM:
  Tiffany, I wish we wouldve known each other when we were kids! Think of it we couldve started our careers when we were 10! Juicy romance stories for junior highers. Aunt Karen, I wouldnt call your poem cynical. Its true.
 
Patti Lacy commented on 02/05/2010 3:45 PM:
  Oh, I would never laugh. What poignant words that could express filial love, brotherly love, love toward an elder, toward a romantic interest, toward GOD!!!LOVE it...and you.
 
Denise Miller Holmes commented on 02/07/2010 12:55 AM:
  I wasn't laughing Sara. I think your poem was insightful. You say you were a kid? I like, "I'll show you the world in a different light." Now, I wrote a poem in grade school that was TRULY terrible, and when I found it years later, I laughed myself silly. I think I had the king kill his queen, or some such thing, "and dead she fell down." That was an ANTI love poem, I guess. :D I think you should be aware that a kid usually doesn't write poems as good as yours at such a young age.
 
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Monday Poll

All I need to know about I learned from...

Posted on February 1, 2010 12:00 AM MST by Sara Richardson

To get in the mood for Valentine’s Day, we’re focusing this week’s posts on that yucky love stuff. Remember when we were young? A little more naive?  Idealistic? Hopeless romantics? Even now I love to watch the occasional chick flick that makes romance seem simple and unrealistically easy. What about you?  If your fav isn’t listed here, feel free to add it into the comments. Later this week, we’ll reveal the results and talk more about this crazy little thing called love.



What is your all-time favorite chick flick?


Comments

Rene commented on 02/01/2010 9:28 AM:
  I am not sure if my movie would be classified as a chick flick... My all time fav is "Dan in Real Life." It does have the unlikely love story, but what gets me most is the love from the extended family. There are the parents, the siblings plus their spouses, and all the kids. The time they spend together paints the picture of what a family really is... and in the end the guy gets the girl! This movie is my kinda chick flick because I want that huge family. P.S. My husband does not like to watch this with me, because it makes me want to have more kids!! So that would classify it as a chick flick, right?!
 
Aunt Karen commented on 02/01/2010 12:13 PM:
  I love all the Jane Austen stories especially Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and Sense and Sensibility. I think my most favorite modern love story is You've Got Mail. I've watched it so many times, that I can speak the dialogue right along with the actors. Another one I really like is Return to Me, with Minnie Driver. Then, there's always While You Were Sleeping, with Sandra Bullock. I have to admit it I am a hopeless romantic!
 
Sara commented on 02/02/2010 11:46 AM:
  Oh, Rene, I LOVE Dan in Real Life. One of my favorite movies. Yes, I think it's a chick flick. Although, it actually entertained my husband, too. I agree with you, I loved how the family interacted. It looked like so much fun, made me want to be part of it. Aunt Karen, I must have gotten my love for Jane Austen from you. Not only are her stories romantic, they're also witty. You've Got Mail is a classic, too. I'm also a hopeless romantic, and it really comes out in my writing!
 
Ant Cerin Bryce's spelling commented on 02/02/2010 2:42 PM:
  Sara, thanks for the "Happy Birthday" telephone call. I loved it! And I did have a very happy day. I could hear Erin giggle at the end of the call. Isn't it fun to hear someone giggle. It doesn't seem to happen that often anymore!
 
Patti commented on 02/02/2010 7:53 PM:
  LOVE all of Jane Austin themed films EXCEPT for the book club one AND a littleknown gem called "Miss Potter."Having a chick Valentine film party on 2/13will be sooo fun, and we are watching "Miss Potter."
 
Denise Miller Holmes commented on 02/02/2010 10:15 PM:
  My favorite chick flick is You've Got Mail. Sophisticated, smart, funny, and touching. My husband likes it too, and yes, he's really a guy! www.redhotread.com
 
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A Sisterhood of Jeans? No way!

Me on the left and Pam--circa 1992 (can't you tell by all that floral??)

Posted on January 28, 2010 12:00 AM MST by Tiffany Kinerson

I’m happy to watch a good chickflick every now and then—as long as you make sure my husband is nowhere in the vicinity (the retching, the snickering, the eye rolling…it’s not worth the “good cry”—trust me!). But as one voice in a sea of high-pitched opinions out there, I’ve got to talk about this one movie. You know the one. Where a group of girls can all magically fit into the same pair of jeans whether the body is long and lean or short and curvy. Yeah, right!

When I was growing up, my older sister, Pam, and I did not compete against each other. Although I often thought the things she did looked fun (dance team, choir…and, yes, an occasional pageant [I am a small town Texas girl after all!]) and therefore followed right behind her white boots or high heels, I never begrudged her successes or attention. Likewise, I don’t remember her begrudging mine (Wait, did I ever actually have any? No, let’s not go there.)

Anyway, my theory on how this could possibly happen between two sisters is that when I looked at her, I knew I would never be her. Never. And I’m pretty sure she knew the same about me. Let’s put it this way: Pam had the classic long and lean body (she actually went on weight gain diets in high school, if you can believe that), she was a dark-eyed, dark-haired beauty who thought deeply and answered wisely. She did not try to entertain people, she said what she thought and moved on in intelligent competence and confidence.

Hee-hee! All I can say about all those things is I did not. Or was not.

I have brown hair now, but when I was growing up, my mom and I thought it’d be fun to “play” with my hair. It was always Farrah Fawcett blonde. And hot rolled. Sometimes permed—and severed from over-processing! I have blue eyes. My body is what I kindly refer to now as “athletic”: I am of medium height and curvy (by the way, always on weight restriction on the dance team [yes, we had weight limits (remember? Smalltown Texas) and, no, it didn’t scar me]). I talk way too much for my own good and always think people want to hear the funny quips that arise from the broken depth of my brain. In short, I was born with a silver foot in my mouth. Intelligent, maybe, but sometimes you have to wade through the silliness to find it.

My sister and I did not—nor will we ever—fit in the same pair of jeans. Never. It would be craziness to even consider such a thing.

As I think through that fact, I believe the lesson learned here is that once a woman can come to terms with both who she is and who she is not, then she can be free to live the life she needs to live. Not attempting to shove herself into some mold impressed upon her by outside forces. Choosing only to live comfortably within her skin as well as her favorite pair of jeans. Which certainly are not my sister’s favorite. And probably aren't yours, either.

Let’s do a little poll. What are your best-fitting favorite jeans? And tell us why. Let’s celebrate our differences and the beautiful variety God placed on the earth in our individual styles and shapes.

I’ll go first. Levi’s 515 Bootcut are the best! They button just above my hips but don’t dig into my stomach or pull my unders down. The flare at the leg gives my bod a sassy curve without making me look dowdy. Oh, but it can’t be the stonewashed color; I learned that the lighter color also means 1% less spandex. For some reason this matters.

Now it’s your turn. Leave a comment (btw, if you subscribed to us, you can leave a comment by clicking on the home page) and let's show what travelling pants really look like: multi-colored and fitted. And that's what sisterhood is really about--encouraging one another into who you are. 



Comments

Adrianne Melby commented on 01/28/2010 7:26 AM:
  My favorite jeans are BKE The Buckle brand KATE cut jeans. They are a midrise perfect for this mommy who is constantly bending over to pick up toys or kids high enough that they don't "show" anything but lowrise enough that they flatter my shape, EASED through the hip and thigh, plenty of room for my "thick" thighs I used to buy jeans just to fit my thighs and then they would be way too big for my waist. Bootcut straighter leg makes my shorter legs look long. I always go for darker denim seems to hide more of the imperfections and I only buy jeans that are stretch denim with 2 spandex for the comfort factor :I am excited to see what other people have to say about their favorite jeans.
 
Jolie Taylor commented on 01/28/2010 12:33 PM:
  I recently went jeans shopping and had decided that if I had to spend a fortune to get a good pair of jeans that fit me right and I felt comfortable it, then I would do it. After trying on many pairs of 100 jeans and not liking any of them, I found some Levi's 542 pencil leg jeans on a rack and thought, "Why not?" 35.00 later and I had a pair of jeans I love!! They are also a little loser in the hips and thighs but tighter in the waist I'm a pear shape. I love them and would wear them everywhere if I could!
 
Christy Cousins commented on 01/28/2010 4:13 PM:
  I have some favorite jeans and if you see me in person I'm probably wearing them. They are from Talbots, dark denim and have blue embroidery on the rear pockets. They are so comfortable and go with everything. They also fit my postpregnancy bod pretty well. I'm realizing that I can't really use that as an excuse anymore since that baby just turned one. Here's hoping that I'll find another pair that are just as awesome when these wear out!!
 
Karol Bukovac commented on 01/28/2010 7:56 PM:
  Who knew such thought and commentary would come out of a simple question from a friend, but I decided after pondering it today, that I did have some things to say about jeans. Really, I'd rather wear sweats! Shopping for jeans and other things is a challenge. I am just tall enough to have difficulty in finding the right length or maybe I'm just too cheap! I did have success this Christmas at the Vanity Fair Outlet in Graceville, FL and now own a pair of Lee's that fit to a tee dark denim, slight stretch, waist sits just below my belly button good for my lack of waist and the fact that I hate wearing belts, and the hem touches the floor perfectly while barefoot which means they go with a low heel or tennis shoes. Now that's a good pair of jeans. The only challenge is finding that same pair twice especially at an outlet.
 
Pam Blaies commented on 01/29/2010 7:32 AM:
  I had a pair of favorite jeans that I wore almost every day for about 6 yrs Gap Bootcut But then my husband got me a new pair from the White House/Black Market for Christmas. When I first tried them on, they were so tight I felt like I couldn't move & I HATE tight clothes. I went to exchange them for a larger size. But, the saleslady told me they would stretch out as I wore them and that I should really give them a try. Well she was right, I wore them all day and by the end of the day, I forgot I was wearing jeans they were so comfy! Now, these are definitely my favorite pair! Noir Stretch
 
Sara commented on 01/29/2010 8:29 AM:
  Okay, so I am typically a bargain shopper when it comes to clothes, but Ive never been able to find a cheap pair of Jeans that really get me. Im pretty complex. A soccer player for years, which gives me a sturdy base. After child hips that definitely have a generous curve. Well, one day on a lunch break I wandered into the Ann Taylor store close to work and I found them. The perfect jeans. Magic jeans. I put them on and they instantly transformed my body. Five years and two kids later I still wear them. And they still fit me perfectly. SoAnn Taylor boot cut jeans. A little yuppie, perhaps, but there ya go.
 
Jackie commented on 01/29/2010 8:46 AM:
  whichever pair looks good and doesn't cost 100.00. Currently I have Ralph Lauren and some old Lucky Brand jeans on sale of course. Not really a "brand loyal" kinda girl.
 
Rene commented on 01/29/2010 8:53 AM:
  I had a pair of jeans that a friend handed down to me. They were so streachy I loved them. They started to get holes. I wore them until they ripped twice! My husband finally convinced me to throw them away. I believe they were Adolfo. I have never been able to find them anywhere. :
 
Mary Trietsch commented on 01/29/2010 10:31 AM:
  You girls are sooo funny! I have 4 sisters and we are all past the age of 40 that's all I'm saying. We all wear jeans. Me, I get my jeans at WalMart. At my age, it just doesn't matter! Anyway, I buy Levi's or Lee's or any other brand they happen to have that cost 20 bucks or less sometimes, I find sales. I must admit I like them to be slightly lower cut in the waist and to have some spandex. I don't buy anything that looks like it is already worn out no holes, a little decoration on the pockets is fine. Bless all you "sisters" out there!
 
Janet Driggers commented on 01/29/2010 11:53 AM:
  I am a very frugal person most of the time, but the one thing I will drop some cash on is a good pair of jeans... my latest find are Hudson's... they are dark denim, have some stretch and don't look like 'Mom' jeans! They are comfy and are the type of jeans that you can dress down or up!
 
Tiffany commented on 01/29/2010 3:10 PM:
  Can you believe this? Not one duplicate entry in the bunch! I love our individuality!
 
Mary W. commented on 01/29/2010 6:01 PM:
  This post is timely for me, because I found my perfect jeans about two weeks ago. I went into The Gap grudgingly, because they usually don't have styles that suit me, but I remembered they carry some petite sizes, so I took a chance. I'm glad I did, because there, lo and behold, were a pair of brown jeans of the softest denim that fulfilled my two basic requirements: shortness how tired I am of wearing rolled cuffs! and curviness throughout the hips and buttocks. It's such a difficult jean to find, but I found it, and that's the good news. The bad news is that there was no sign describing the jeans and no description other than the size on the tag. As I queued for the register, I actually said out loud, "I should buy two pair," but I didn't. Now I can't even find them online. So, I've found the perfect jeans, but will I ever find them again?
 
Stephane Yearian commented on 01/29/2010 7:35 PM:
  Believe it or not, my favorite jeans are from WAL MART!!! The brand is Faded Glory RN # 19747, Style: FGL17448, color: denim almost stonewashed and UPS: 72821366112 I didn't know all that was on the taG!. I usually wear a size 8, but these are 71 cotton, 29 polyester, and 2 spandex so I needed to go with a 10. Because they are "lowrise" for me not as low as many muffin's wear, they hung in my closet for at least a year before I would wear them. They are my first pair of bell bottoms since the '70's. I can wear them and wear them and wear them and they look great! On a trip recently to FL, they started to look a little tired, but when I put on my brown Fossil belt, I was set to go again! I honestly get a compliment from someone everytime I wear them!
 
Stephanie commented on 01/29/2010 7:35 PM:
  P.S. Cute picture, Pam!
 
Stephanie commented on 01/29/2010 7:37 PM:
  P.S.S. My jeans were less than 20!
 
Cathy Huntington commented on 01/30/2010 5:45 AM:
  Got to be the good old 501's by Levi. You wear them to work in the yard because you don't think they are your best pair of jeans.Then you find yourself wearing them with ankle boots and you look hot enought to go out to dinner in them. My daughter even commented to me awhile back when I was wearing my 501's, she said" I forgot how good a pair of those look. They even look cool when you are painting your house. A little paint or a hole here or there just adds character to an old pair of levi's.
 
Karen Tillery Barksdale commented on 01/31/2010 7:44 AM:
  Well, just when I think I have a favorite pair, I change my mind....girl's preogative, right? Or maybe because things just keep shifting around. One day the pouch is on my tummy, the next day it's on my butt! Anyway, today my favorites are my BKE jeans, Stella, 29 x 33 1/2, 2 spandex. A little lower rise than I usually prefer, but just have to make sure I wear a long tee or tank. One problem is that my 8th grade daughter, Brittney, and I can wear the same jeans...so mine are often not found in MY CLOSET!!!! PS. Great idea Tiffany! Miss you Pam! :
 
patti lacy commented on 01/31/2010 7:49 PM:
  My favorite pair are whichever ones still fit.Fun, fun post!!!Patti
 
Heather Puca commented on 02/01/2010 9:56 PM:
  I wish, I really do, that I loved jeans. But, I've always said that the worst things to shop for are jeans and bathing suits, and I hate to shop. Soooo, that results in not finding that perfect pair of jeans or bathing suit for that matter. But, I will say that I love pants....they have to be just the right amount of stretchy though. I like them to hug my body but not cling. And, even more importantly, they need to keep their shape after sitting in them for a long time....that's the biggest challenge. None of this droopy butt syndrome. I like a pair of pants that will go from sitting on the floor with my boys all morning to working around the house to out for the night and still look the same when I get home as when I put them on. Capiche? I know you know what I'm saying. They can't be the kind that you only like just after they have been washed and shrunk back a bit. I have found just the perfect pant called The All That Pant. It truly is "all that."
 
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Listen Up!

 

Posted on January 26, 2010 12:00 AM MST by Tiffany Kinerson

“…Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak….” James 1:19

My friend, Karol, is a great listener. As I’ve observed her in conversations, I’ve begun to take note of the specific non-verbal pointers she teaches through day-to-day interactions. Here are the top three, as they come to my mind:

#1—She seems to care about what’s going on in the other person’s life. When my husband came home from a mission trip recently, Karol was the only one who actually asked to see his pictures and hear his stories. Not that I think surrendering yourself to 500 slides of your friend’s latest exploits is a requirement, it’s just that she really wanted to give him a chance to talk about the exciting times he got to have on his first mission trip. It was fun for him, a good chance to de-brief on an important milestone. She seems to actually rejoice when we rejoice and mourn when we mourn. Which leads me to the next tip.  
 
#2—She simply listens. What I mean by this is she doesn’t do either of the following: one-up your story by telling her own (and better!) adventure or use your story to re-direct the conversation back to herself. With Karol, I’ve never heard anything near, “you think that’s good? Well, wait ‘til you hear this one!” (Actual words I have heard from some of the poorer listeners in my life—God? Me. Will You keep me from being that person? Please.) Karol lets the other person talk until they’re actually finished talking. She’s not afraid of “dead air.” Often after I’ve said my spiel, she thinks for a moment and then responds. This means she doesn’t figure out what she should say while I talk. She just listens, which involves the next important step.

#3—She doesn’t interrupt. I’ve seen her lean forward, her face bright with a new statement. Then I’ve watched her catch herself. She pulls back into her chair and shuts her mouth, actually folding her hands onto the table. She then awaits an appropriate “in” for her interjection. It’s amazing, really. How many times have you sat back and noticed that your pile of friends sound like a bunch of cackling hens, unlistening, growing in volume as they interrupt, speak up, and fight for airtime? When Karol’s around, it seems her calm leadership tends to encourage others to behave in a similar manner. Or at least she has that affect on me. We hear one another. We talk. There are natural breaks in conversation. Times to think. And it’s okay.

Conversations with her are calm and fulfilling. I think one of the reasons I call her a good friend is because of her fabulous listening skills. What about you? Do you have any good listeners in your life? Bad listeners? What have you learned from these people?



Comments

Nicole Baart commented on 01/27/2010 9:13 AM:
  Good morning, ladies! Just wanted to let you know that I linked your site to my blog today and answered Sara's questions. Looks like you already have representation, but I hope the blog question is still timely. :Blessings to you! You have a beautiful site.Warmly,Nicole
 
patti commented on 01/27/2010 11:18 AM:
  Sigh. GREAT post. I am not a very good listener but hopefully will get better! Some of my friends are wonderful examples!!!Back in Denver, eh? Have a blast!!!
 
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