Wednesday Hodgepodge

 

Happy Wednesday, friends! I'm here to link up with Joyce today for her wonderful Wednesday Hodgepodge. I always love these days and am excited to read what other people share to answer her questions. 

1. What was your favorite part about growing up in your hometown? I attended church in my hometown as a young girl, so I would say that my friends were my favorite part of growing up here in Collierville. I attended school here for one year, and after growing up here myself, I love that my sons were raised here. They went to the schools here in town for several years before we became a homeschooling family, but their friends were all still right here near them. I also love that our church home is here and that they grew up there. It's a wonderful feeling to be loved and to know that your "kids" are loved by so many who saw them grow up! 

Right now, my favorite thing about my hometown is that it still feels like a small town, even though it's anything but. I love that we have an annual Christmas tree lighting on our town square, a Christmas parade down one of the main streets in town, and that everywhere I go, I see people I know. I love that I get to be involved on one of the town boards by serving as a library board member and that it feels like I get to give back to a community that I love. I love my little Hallmark movie of a town that I am blessed to live in and be a part of. 

2. Do you prefer "material" gifts or "experience" gifts? If you answered "experience", tell us about what you received and truly enjoyed. I've never been given "experience" gifts before, but I would love those. I would love season tickets to The Orpheum to see shows that come to Memphis. The thing about this membership is that you need two to have someone to go with! 

3. Is brown a color prominently featured in your home decor? Your wardrobe? What's a favorite brown thing that you own? Of the brown foods mentioned here, which is your favorite and most often consumed...brown sugar, brown rice, pretzels, coffee, dates, cloves, German chocolate cake, whole wheat bread? 

I have a brown leather couch, so I'll answer "yes" to this question. That has been a staple in this home since my sons were young, because it held up to the wear and tear of raising boys and having lots of their friends in and out of my home. It also holds up well with pets who think they're human and who have turned the couch into their nap couch. I don't love wearing the color brown, honestly, but I do love that natural color that I call "oatmeal". It seems like a lighter shade of a brownish color, and I think it's flattering for lots of skin tones. Of the foods listed above, I love German chocolate cake, but I don't eat it often at all. Coffee is another story, though, and I love it and drink it multiple times every single day! Well, sometimes I only have one cup, but you get my drift. 

4. Which Charlie Brown character do you relate to most? 

According to the fun little online quiz I took per Joyce's suggestion, I relate most to Woodstock because I am loyal, kindhearted, and enjoy helping others. (Their words, not mine.) If I'm being honest, I'll confess that I didn't read or watch a lot of Charlie Brown while I was growing up. I loved the Christmas special, though! 

5. What's a favorite item you've purchased this year? My sheets! Every single night when I climb into bed, I have this thought. They feel so luxurious! Here's a link for them. I've purchased several things at the onslaught of my life changing to make things feel differently without him. I wanted to make the spaces more mine after my life changed so much. I feel good knowing that it's so different! Another favorite purchase from this year is my Christmas tree. 

This is how beautiful it was even with nothing on it by the lights. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

The closer we get to the holidays, the more my calendar is filling up! I don't mind it one bit, honestly, but that is all the more inspiration to finish my shopping and gift wrapping sooner rather than later. I don't know if I'll meet my Thanksgiving deadline, but I'm going to try! So far I have a staff ladies luncheon at the home of one of our church members on a Thursday, I have a staff Christmas party at a beautiful historic venue called Heartwood Hall, and I have two work events planned for nights leading up to Christmas. I'm grateful for the extra hours this affords me at work, and I was going to go anyway, but now I get to be paid to attend. Bonus! I was dreading the thought of one of the events and showing up alone, but I talked to my friend today at work and will be riding with her and her husband. I will not dread it if I have someone to show up with! 

Thanks for reading my blog today, friends! Love to all. 

Jenn 🖤