Critty Joy

Why Hello There!

Hello my dear ones!

It's been quiet been here... and truthfully I have been okay with that.  

So a little update for you.

 

I am working on the Prayer series for next month.  It's been harder this year and I am hoping to get it finished in the next few days.

The last two weeks have been full of ups and downs.  

I emailed again about the job I had interviewed for but never heard anything back.  My heart was devastated for a few days as I must admit I really, really wanted the job.   I don't understand what God is doing but I am trusting Him and holding unswervingly to hope.  So last week I was really quiet in many ways trying to hold on desperately to hope and yet working through my feelings.

So I decided this week would be a fabulous week.

And it has.

❥ adorably sweet phone calls.

❥ Getting out of my comfort zone.

❥ Time with my niece and seeing her do little things like I do.  It's the sweetest.

❥ Laughter.  Lots and lots of laughter.

❥ New music from a favorite group.... Mumford & Sons.  (This song is my favorite...for today...haha!) 

❥ Butterflies.  Seeing them daily.  My gift from Him.

❥ The return of fall television.  I must admit to being too attached to television characters.

❥ Getting lost in a favorite book....and realizing I am too attached to book characters too.  

❥ Fun conversations.

❥  Quiet autumn afternoons with a bright blue sky and a lovely breeze.

❥ Some extra hours at work...much needed money as I try to find a full time permanent job.

❥ Dreaming of trips to far away places.

❥ Watching my Braves clinch a postseason spot!

❥ Anticipation for Friday night's Braves game.

 

I'm working hard on choosing joy and happiness this week.  Turns out it works.  :)

 

So my dear lovelies...what has been going on with YOU?

 

The Olympics and other Random Fabulousness.

Hi Lovelies!

I don't know about you but I am spending my time watching every Olympic sport I can.  It pretty much takes over my life for two weeks.  I am not really a sports person but when the Olympics come...I am a fanatic.  (The only other sport I do this with...baseball...my Braves of course!)  I guess you could say I am Olympics Obsessed.  (I am thinking of starting a support group... want to join)  My tumblr  and favorite tweets proves without a doubt I am a fan of these games!

It is also in one of my most favorite cities.  London is everything you want a city to be so seeing glimpses of it and other parts of England make my heart happy...and my wanderlust kick in.

I must say if you are not watching you are missing out on some amazing stuff.

Night 4 is definitely my most favorite!

The women's gymnastics team final was amazing... I cried and I cheered.  Those Fab 5...I want to put them in my pocket and keep them.  

Although the scrunchies and weird barrettes should go.  

The grace and poise the USA girls showed was beautiful.  And seeing their emotions...the fear, the happiness.  It was amazing to watch.  Jordyn Wieber has proved she has the heart of a champion...I just wish NBC would stop showing the footage from Sunday night.  We would have all reacted the same way when a dream was crushed.

I was also thrilled the Romania team won the bronze.  A piece of my heart will always belong to Romania and one day I will see the country with my own eyes.

The swimming is my other favorite.... I mean hot guys (how can one not appreciate Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte?!)...and some amazing races.  It's a win win!  Seeing these girls and guys living out their dreams.  It makes my heart happy.  Plus Phelps has long been a favorite so to see him make history...EPIC!

Of course the lady who interviews the swimmers after the races...she needs to go!

I have also been having fun chatting on twitter about the games.

One of the best things has been watching these parents as their children achieve their dreams.  

Also...I have learned some British slang this week...my favorite being brolly for umbrella.  We need to bring these words over here.

So...are YOU watching the games?  What are your thoughts so far?

 

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I have decided to do my prayer series in October.  So if you are interested in guest posting you can read the details here!

Also I am looking for more opportunities for prayer bombs.... you can read about those here.

 

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I am still looking for more clients for Delighted Designs...so if you are looking for a new header or something creative for your blog...email me!

 

Hope you are having a wonderful week Lovelies!

 

Things You Might Not Know...

I guess today is sort of a random brain dump of useless information about me... I called it things you might not know... but also thought of calling it the randomness from CJ's head....

So here you are...more random information than you will ever need about me...

❥ I am a HUGE Atlanta Braves fan. 

❥ It is my mission to get LOL replaced with ILH (Insert Laughter Here).  Why?  I just can't stand LOL.

❥ I am an Olympics junkie and cannot wait for Friday night!

❥ Hearing my niece say I hold you is my most favorite thing to hear.

❥ I have watched You've Got Mail three times in the last five days.  I want to be Kathleen Kelly....that's not odd...right?

❥ Watching You've Got Mail reminded me of how much 90's movies (and music if we are honest!) are still some of my favorites.  

❥ I prefer twitter over facebook.

❥ I set my alarm on the sevens.

❥ I've written over 150 cover letters in the last 6 months.  You would have thought someone would have said yes by now...

❥ I have always wanted to be a writer and didn't realize how much of a creative I was until 2 years ago.

❥ I plan my future European adventures in my head....almost on a daily basis.

❥ I have an idea for a book with a prologue and one chapter written... yet I am too scared to write it.

❥ Some days I am okay being single... some days it just sucks.

❥ I obsessive organize all the files on my computer... it's sort of ridiculous really.

❥ I really struggle with knowing what I want to do next in life.  When I list my passions (which range from books to flowers to being an advocate for trafficking victims) I sometimes wonder how it all fits.

❥ I prefer texting and emails to phone calls.  

❥ I dream of having a girls night on the town with my favorite friends wearing rockin dresses and fabulous shows.

❥  I get obsessed with certain colors and use them constantly for a while.  (I bet you could guess what colors I am currently obsessed with....)

❥ I am very much an introvert but you probably could not tell from meeting me online.  haha!

❥ I am a very different person from who I was...even from a year ago... I like the changes.  I feel much more like...me.

❥  When things are rough I usually marathon my favorite shows or read a favorite book...and usually consume too much chocolate.

❥ Story of my life....

 

Your turn!  Share some things I might not know about YOU in the comments!

 

Guests and Random Musings.

Hello Lovelies!

It's been a busy week for me!  Not only does vacation start tomorrow but someone turned 2 today!  

Oh my heart!  How much she has changed!  Her party is tonight!  I cannot wait to celebrate my favorite person.

Between stress at my very part time job, lots of cleaning, packing, and party prep... this week has been crazy!

Just wanted to share a few things...

Today I am honored to guest post on my friend Kristine's blog, Words by K. Lynette, as her first guest poster for her fun series Roses and Thorns Fridays.  Go visit and share your roses and thorns!

 

Since I am going to be out of town next week it will be quiet here at CJB.... I have two great guests for Monday and Tuesday and I may try to do a photo post at some point during the week.

Of course you can always follow me on twitter, facebook, or instagram (crittyjoy) if you want to see my posts from vacation :)

I am so excited to spend time with my family and to be there when my niece sees the ocean for the first time.

 

I hope you have a lovely weekend and wonderful week next week Peaches!  Are you doing anything fun this summer?

♥

 

 

Random Friday Musings.

Hello Peaches!

I had some random things to share and what better day to share than on a Friday?  

There have been a few posts lately that have touched my heart...especially about hope...

Two have been guest posts on Lore Ferguson's Blog Sayable... Lore is a new to me blog find and I am enjoying her guests....and reading her back posts.

Hope is Circular was something my heart needed to read... and Hope is Breaking did this single girl's heart good in knowing I am not alone.

Jon Acuff's post on Loving the Unlovable brought me to tears because it is something so close to my heart right now.

My dear friend Amanda had this quote on her blog, Ruin is a gift - Elizabeth Gilbert, and she also linked to this post which messed me up but gave me hope.  :)

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See this girl:

she is turning 2 two weeks from today.  Time is going by much too quickly!  

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I have been thinking on this and decided to just put it out there.... 

Would you like to guest post on Critty Joy Blog in June?

I am not going to blog over our vacation coming up and I decided to put a call out to you if any of YOU want to guest post while I am on vacation.

It would be a pretty quick turn around as I would need your post by June 7.

The topic could be anything but right now I am really pondering hope, imperfection, faith, dare, freedom, story, and the list could go on.  And you can always share part of YOUR story.  :)

You can leave a comment here or email me: crittyjoyblog {at} gmail {dot} com

I will definitely be posting photos of our trip through instagram so if you are there you can find me (crittyjoy), on twitter, and on facebook!  

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Today's plans include getting a hair cut and finally seeing The Avengers and then a weekend getting caught up on things.

Do you have any fun plans this weekend?

 

Have a delightful weekend dear ones!

 

A Pin, A Link, and Quiet.

I cannot believe that October is merely days away!  Is it just me or is this year flying by?

I am working hard on my October series and so this week?  CJ Blog is going to be very quiet!  My Becoming series will start this Saturday, October 1!  I am excited to share what God has prepared in my heart about this subject...and part of my own story.

Today I am sharing some randomness with you in a pin and a link.... because they make me happy ;)

 

The link?  

It is to Downton Abbey.  It is a BBC production but here in the states it is under the Masterpiece Classics label on PBS and it is AMAZING.  You can watch it on netflix watch instantly but for those of you who don't have netflix.... it is free to watch HERE until 10/3.  (it won several Emmys...rightfully so... so PBS is making it available for all to see!)

 

And the pin...

Umm could this little guy be any cuter?!  I think not.  He was my desktop image for a few days.  (if you want to pin him to one of your pinterest boards just click the photo!)

 

And with my randomness done.... I bid you adieu until Saturday. 

 

<3,

Ramblings and Musings...

I am feeling random today so I thought I would share some randomness....bullet point style! 

 

❦ I am so excited!  My dear friend Kristen (Schiffman) has a new ministry.  Talk21.  It is just getting started and will launch in early 2012.  For now you can read her blog or listen to radio broadcasts she had done in the past.

❦ Want to help an awesome girl win 10,000 dollars toward college?  Just go and watch her video and every view counts as a vote for her.  It is her own original song and it is beautiful.

❦ I stayed up way too late Saturday night finishing a book.  It's been a while since a book kept me up.  The book?  Sarah's Key.  It is heartbreaking yet moving.

❦ I also spent way too much time on netflix over the weekend watching the show Eureka.  I was not a sci-fi fan until about two years ago I discovered Doctor Who...and then Firefly and now...I am a sci-fi nerd.  I mean I am a nerd anyway so it's all good.

❦ Discovering new music is one of my favorite past-times and I found a song that I just cannot stop listening too.  Redeeming Love.  I am sure there will be a post coming about this soon as it resonates with some lessons I am learning.

❦ I have been doing a great deal of brainstorming for something that has potential to be somthing great here at CJ blog....I will share more on this later ;o)

❦  As of Late is this Thursday!  I hope you will join me and share what has been going on with you lately.

 

What have you been reading, watching, or listening to, Peaches?

A New Look and Randomness.

CJ Blog has a new look!  My dear friend Kristen designed my awesome new header and I think it is my most favorite ever.  It captures so much of my life right now. The colors are also delightully unique and fun.  I had some fun playing around today and getting everything just right ;)  

 

It's been a rough week but I am in the mood for some randomness...so....

❤  On Monday I got to met one of my lovelies in real life!  Alison and I have been online friends for several years and Monday we got to move online to real life!  It was such fun to just sit and chat face to face.  I adore when my internet and real world collide.  And...if you love cute and fabulous accessories you must check out her Etsy shop!  (could not resist plugging her shop...it's part of her dream!)

 

❤  My sweet blog friend Kim gave me a fun blog award...

Thank you, Kim!  Your kind words touched my heart so!  

You are suppose to pass it on to 10 bloggers who ignite your world with their thoughts...but oh my...I could not narrow it down to 10.  Know that if you read CJ and have left a comment I have visited your blog and YOUR words ignite my world.

 

❤  I found this quote this week and it has been on my mind a great deal...

Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting--a wayside sacrament. Welcome it in every fair face, in every fair sky, in every flower, and thank God for it as a cup of blessing.

--Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

I really adore the phrase for beauty is God's handwriting.  What a thought.

 

❤  I have been reading again.  It has been so fabulous to discover my enjoyment of books again.  It has mostly been fun fluff reading but it's summer so.... embrace the fluff!

And because this made me laugh and is SO true...

Source: bookfessions.tumblr.com via Christy on Pinterest

 

Reading again gives me hope that writing and creating might be discovered again soon!

 

 

And with that last bit of randomness dear Peaches I bid you adieu and fond wishes for a fabulous weekend!

Adorkable.

I was feeling random so I thought I would share some fun today ;o)

 

It's no secret I love words.  And sometimes I enjoy making up new words or combining two words together.

That sort of happened last week.  

I am a self proclaimed dork.  I am very okay with that...sort of proud in fact.  ha!

Last week...out of the blue I used the word adorkable on something I pinned on pinterest.

I realized immediately how appropriate the term was for me.  I know it is not a new term but it was a new to me term.

I have a friend who often tells me when I do something or say something I am adorable.

So the combination just made sense to me....

Being in a creative mood I had to make something a little sassy for my new word.

 

Then I had to go to urban dictionary to see the many meanings of my new word...

One of my favorite definitions was... A person who has an intelligent, quirky and random personality and combines it with being adorable, cute or beautiful.

I think I like it ;)

 

So that's my new word.... and I am wondering do you have a word that you like a lot? One that describes you or you just like to use to describe things in your life. Did you make it up or hear it and immediately like it?

Share your words in the comments...lets have some fun on this lovely Friday!

 

Have a fabulous weekend!

Something Fun.

My life has been quite serious as of late and well today....let's just say I felt like Alexander ;)

I needed to have a little fun.

So that means blogthings.... and other randomness.

 

First...if you have not heard of pinterest...you must go and check it out....it is so fun and it is my new favorite online place.  It is fun and addicting ;)  If you want to check it out...you can look at my pinboards.  I have some invites if you want to join the fun!

 

And because I enjoy random.... blogthings are fun and perfect for this lovely Friday.

 

I completely agree with this one ;)

Your Summer Vacation is Paris

You love abstract ideas and concepts. You are a deep thinker. You are part philosopher and part artist. You look at the world in interesting ways. You soak up culture and knowledge of all sorts. You are very intellectual. You have no desire to lead or follow anyone. You're on your own awesome solo journey

 

 

This one made me laugh...

Your Hatred of Mushrooms Says You're Normal

You don't really appreciate strangeness. You feel put off by eccentricities. You need time to yourself to simply enjoy life. You relax easiest when you're alone. You seek out comfort and what you know. You aren't big on trying new things unless you think you'll like them. You try to avoid mistakes in your life. You know there are no do-overs.

And of course...

You Are English

You are a very verbal person. You can't help but pay attention to the actual words that people use. You are intuitive and wise. You can usually pick up on undertones that others are missing. You are analytical and critical. Very few details escape your observant eye. You have a great appreciation for art and expression of all sorts. You don't have to like a book to value it.

Maybe I should think more into that last one....

Ahhh randomness makes me feel much better.

So Peaches, I have been thinking of you.  How are YOU?

As of Late is next Thursday (May 19)...I hope you will join me!