Ryan says GOP needs to pick its fights with Obama

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Rep. Paul Ryan has a message for fellow Republicans: Let's stick together and carefully pick our fights with President Barack Obama.

In a speech Saturday to conservatives, the Wisconsin congressman and 2012 vice presidential nominee outlined a pragmatic approach for dealing with a second Obama administration. Saying that Obama would attempt to divide Republicans, Ryan urged them to avoid internal squabbles.

"We can't get rattled. We won't play the villain in his morality plays. We have to stay united," Ryan said at the National Review Institute's weekend conference on the future of conservatism. "We have to show that if given the chance, we can govern. We have better ideas."

The GOP is reeling from back-to-back presidential defeats and trying to determine whether to oppose Obama at every turn or shape his proposals with conservative principles.

How the party rebounds was a major theme of the three-day meeting of conservative activists, a dominant voice in the GOP. A similar theme dominated the Republican National Committee's winter meeting, which ended Friday in Charlotte, N.C.

With a surging minority population altering the electorate, Republican leaders have discussed the need to attract more women and Hispanics while at the same time standing firm on the values that unite conservatives. Republicans said despite the losses, the party could return to power by projecting optimism and attracting new voters with a message of economic opportunity.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a star among conservatives after surviving a union-led campaign to recall him from office, said government needed "brown-bag common sense," a reference to his frugal practice of packing his own lunch of ham-and-cheese sandwiches every day. Qualities like optimism, staying relevant to voters and showing courage in tackling big problems would be rewarded at the voting booth, he said.

"We've got to learn to be more optimistic. We've got to learn to give a viable alternative to the voters," Walker said.

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said Republicans needed to use upcoming fights over the budget and the deficit as "leverage points" to tame long-term spending and debt. Projecting an upbeat outlook for the party, he said Obama's policies would drive many voters to Republicans just as many Americans turned to Ronald Reagan after the economic turmoil of the late 1970s.

"We're on the verge of a rebirth of conservativism," Cruz said.

Looking ahead, Ryan rejected the notion that Republicans were "in the wilderness," noting that the party controls the House and most statehouses. But he said Obama's victory over Romney meant that Republicans would need to recalibrate their approach to deal with the new political realities.

"If we want to promote conservatism, we'll need to use every tool at our disposal," Ryan said. "Sometimes, we will have to reject the president's proposals ? that time may come more than once. And sometimes we'll have to make them better." He said Republicans should have two main goals for the next four years, namely "to mitigate bad policies" and "to advance good policy wherever we can."

Ryan acknowledged that "we all didn't see eye to eye" on the recent "fiscal cliff" vote to deal with a combination of spending cuts and higher taxes that were set to take effect at the start of the year. He defended his support for the bill, saying it was the only way to avoid sweeping tax increases and prevent the economy from going into a free-fall.

As chairman of the House Budget Committee, Ryan said Republicans needed to guard against a debt crisis for the country that would undermine the economy. He said he would promote changes to Medicare and Medicaid and would propose a budget "that will balance and pay down the debt."

But November's election results still linger. Ryan said he was "disappointed" by the outcome, saying he was "looking forward to taking on the big challenges" while living at the vice president's residence. "My kids were looking forward to having a pool," he joked.

___

Follow Ken Thomas at http://twitter.com/AP_Ken_Thomas

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ryan-says-gop-needs-pick-fights-obama-204420214--politics.html

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Iranian workers demand South Korea 'return' funds

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) ? About 1,000 Iranian workers have staged a protest rally in front of the South Korean Embassy in Tehran demanding the return of $70 million allegedly held by Seoul after a collapsed business deal.

Employees of Iran's Entekhab Industrial Group claim South Korea has blocked a refund of the money after a failed bid in 2010 to buy Daewoo Electronics, a former subsidiary of the now-defunct Daewoo Group.

Iranians believe the deal was called off because of South Korean worries over mounting international sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.

"Return our money," the protesters shouted Sunday in the third such rally in recent months.

Daewoo officials were not immediately available for comment.

Entekhab produces home appliances in Isfahan, about 300 kilometers (180 miles) south of Tehran.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-27-Iran-South%20Korea/id-ea7678aa362641d0a89e6adac21eb27b

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Pushing for equality in Waco (Offthekuff)

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Self-healing, stretchable wires created using liquid metal

Jan. 23, 2013 ? Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed elastic, self-healing wires in which both the liquid-metal core and the polymer sheath reconnect at the molecular level after being severed.

"Because we're using liquid metal, these wires have excellent conductive properties," says Dr. Michael Dickey, an assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at NC State and co-author of a paper on the work. "And because the wires are also elastic and self-healing, they have a lot of potential for use in technologies that could be exposed to high-stress environments."

The researchers first created tiny tunnels, called microfluidic channels, in a commercially available self-healing polymer using solid wire. By filling those channels with a liquid-metal alloy of indium and gallium, they were able to create a liquid-metal wire in an elastic sheath. Because the wire is liquid, it can be stretched along with the polymer sheath.

When the wires are sliced or severed, the liquid metal oxidizes -- forming a "skin" that prevents it from leaking out of its sheath. When the severed edges of the wire are placed back together, the liquid metal reconnects and the sheath re-forms its molecular bonds.

"We're also excited about this work because it allows us to create more complex circuits and rewire existing circuits using nothing more than a pair of scissors by cutting and reconfiguring the wires so that they connect in different ways," Dickey says.

Similarly, the technique developed by Dickey's team could be used to create complex, three-dimensional structures with connecting microfluidic channels, by cutting the polymer sheath into sections and reconnecting them at different angles with the channels still in alignment.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by North Carolina State University.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Etienne Palleau, Stephen Reece, Sharvil C. Desai, Michael E. Smith, Michael D. Dickey. Self-Healing Stretchable Wires for Reconfigurable Circuit Wiring and 3D Microfluidics. Advanced Materials, 2013; DOI: 10.1002/adma.201203921

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/matter_energy/electronics/~3/VHsQGUJ-nf8/130123133713.htm

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The Next 20 Years of Impact Investing

This post originally appeared on the Green Money Journal blog.

By Lisa Hall,?President and CEO of Calvert Foundation

Throughout the course of this year, I have found myself attending numerous conferences and participating in panel discussions where attention has been focused on impact investing. I believe that in 20 years we will look back and consider these past few years as the turning point in an economic movement. Looking forward to the next 20 years, there are many, myself included, who are convinced that we are experiencing a paradigm shift. A change in cultural norms and expectations that will result in all investors ? individual and institutional ? committing at least some portion of their investable assets to social impact and making investments that are in harmony with their values.

A true investment

When I joined Calvert Foundation in 2005, impact investing ? investing for a financial and social return ? was still a very new concept but was steadily gaining popularity. Back then we called it ?community investing.? Call it what you will, this type of investing remains a core part of socially responsible or sustainable investing. What makes impact investing different is that we are not investing in publicly traded companies, but instead in organizations which help people to improve their lives through affordable housing, jobs, community services such as daycare and healthcare, and more.

When I say investment, I mean it in the truest sense. Calvert Foundation makes it possible for everyone ? from individual investors in increments of $20 to large corporations in amounts as high as $20 million ? to invest in low-income communities and provide capital where there is none. We enable Impact Investing through our Community Investment Note, which then directs capital to help finance affordable housing, charter schools, health centers, Fair Trade coffee co-ops, and job creation. These investments in the future of our country and our world are helping to transform the lives of individuals and families.?At the same time, investors receive a return on their investment of up to 2 percent. This blended value investment generates both a social and financial return.

Thankfully, we are not alone in our efforts today. The idea that you can invest in socially responsible endeavors and get a return on that investment was radical when we initially conceived of it. Now it is a concept at the very forefront, influencing how investors think about?risk, return and rewards. Calvert Foundation recently commissioned a study involving 1,065 financial advisors; 72 percent said they had interest in offering products that provide sustainable investment to their clients, while 38 percent expressed strong interest in being able to offer those products now. The advisers surveyed indicated that they were willing to recommend impact investments to one-third of their clients, dedicating 10 to 20 percent of their portfolios to this type of investing. Based on these numbers, the study estimates a sustainable investment market of about 2.5 percent of advisers? assets under management, or $650 billion. The change that these dollars can make is both monumental and within the scope of our imagination, our expectations and our ability.

A role for everyone

Those of us working for this change are inspired and encouraged by the growing interest in sustainable investing within the business community. Large corporations are beginning to understand the power of uniting investment and social conscience. A great example is Starbucks. Earlier this year, Starbucks teamed up with the Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) to help create and sustain jobs. The Create Jobs for USA program provides capital grants to select Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). These CDFIs, which include Calvert Foundation, provide loans to underserved community businesses. The goal of Create Jobs for USA is to bring people and communities together to create and sustain jobs throughout America. Not only did they initially seed the program with a $5 million contribution by Starbucks Foundation, they also made an important public statement about the potential of corporations ? and each of us ? to make a difference and be part of the solution to our current social and economic challenges.

Real-life examples

What does impact investing look like? For an investor, it looks much like the rest of his or her portfolio ? until that investor understands the social impact they are making. ?Calvert Foundation offered me a great opportunity to give food to my soul when it came to switching from Wall Street to an organization that is entirely devoted to helping the community, especially the needy, in a varied, fruitful, and meaningful manner,? said Marta Santiago, a New Mexico resident and Community Investment Note holder since 2005.

Over the years we have enjoyed great success in bringing new investors to the table by making multiple channels available to them. By working with financial advisors and transacting through multiple brokerage firms, we have enabled investors to hold the Community Investment Note in their investment portfolios. Through our partnership with Microplace, an eBay company started in 2007, we have made it possible for investors to purchase Notes online, starting as low as $20. Investors can also come to us directly, opening a Note through an application and simply writing a check. We know that we have to do more to engage and educate investors in order to grow our investor base beyond 10,000 people. In the years to come, we will continue to increase the distribution of our Note ? and additional investment products as we develop them ? through more and more mainstream brokerage firms. We are also developing strategies to bring new investors into the fold. For example, we want to engage the millennial generation through partnerships with colleges and universities, social media outlets and networking events. We are also embarking on efforts to connect diaspora communities and enable individuals to invest in their countries of origin. Other special initiatives that we envision for the future include regional initiatives. Imagine a program that allows anyone to invest in community projects that help to rebuild America, create jobs and improve critical services in distressed areas like Detroit.

For people in need of help and opportunity, it looks like hope and a way to serve needs across all different types of communities. Take, for example, children in Minnesota. When the state experienced the longest state government shutdown in our nation?s history last year, the hardest hit were non-profit organizations that depend on funding from state grants. Where did Minnesota-based non-profits turn when they could no longer count on their primary source of funding to continue providing critical services? The Nonprofits Assistance Fund (NAF), a Calvert Foundation borrower, stepped in to offer emergency bridge loans, providing credit to cover cash flow delays for groups like Northern Lights Community School of Warba, MN. A well-managed and incredibly successful school catering to students who have faced difficulties in traditional public school settings, Northern Lights got a loan from NAF to fill the school?s financing gap. Since 1980, Nonprofits Assistance Fund has provided over $75 million in loans to more than 1,700 non-profits. Impact investors working through products like Calvert Foundation?s Community Investment Note are a key part of this process. ?Years ago, we came across an opportunity to fund a project and were unable to get the financing we needed from anyone but Calvert Foundation,? said Kate Barr, NAF?s Executive Director. ?NAF is now serving this role for the communities of Minnesota when it?s needed most.?

Calvert Foundation?s work and Impact Investing as a sector has a global reach. Consider Lucy, who lives in a small village in Northern Kenya. Lucy wakes up bright and early, nudges her kids out of bed, and prepares a meal to start their school day. While it sounds like a scene played out in homes across America, it bears no resemblance at all. Lucy?s day begins at 4:30 am. That?s when women in the drought-ravaged region of Meru begin an hour-long trek to collect water from a stream. On this day Lucy feels lucky since back at home she finds enough wood to start a fire. It also means a five-kilometer walk to collect wood can be put off until tomorrow. Thanks to our partner The Paradigm Project, which we provide an opportunity for investors to invest in through our Community Investment Note, Lucy and others like her are receiving relief through clean-burning stoves that reduce wood consumption and toxic smoke, saving women long and often treacherous journeys to collect wood. Although the stove is a solution to just one problem, Lucy views it as a way to restore dignity to women for whom mercy has been in short supply.

Aligning our money with our values

Taking part in this movement is not simply our individual and collective responsibility; it also creates mutual benefit for investors and the recipients of these investments. It?s time to align our money with our values ? to have our money working in harmony with what we believe and not against what we believe.

Anyone can do so by investing as little as $20 in women?s economic empowerment on Microplace. You can serve as a mentor to an entrepreneur just starting out. You can give to a community organization providing job training. At Calvert Foundation we believe that Impact Investing represents the best of what we can be as a society ? not for the 99 percent or for the 1 percent, but for the 100 percent. Economic recovery rests on ensuring sustainable access to capital, both to grow existing businesses and to finance new ventures and innovation. Through groundbreaking mechanisms, promising models are actively supplying much-needed capital to small businesses and economic development projects. In some cases, these models are also demonstrating new and sustainable ways to grow wealth and to help communities adapt to a changing economy.

At Calvert Foundation we spend a lot of time explaining what we do ? I hope in this article we have been clear about what we believe. We believe in economic justice. Impact Investing in economic justice means that families in Cambodia and other emerging economies can send their children to school ? providing an education that prior generations didn?t receive. It means being able to stay in your home after being a victim of predatory lending. The numbers of people left behind by traditional financial systems is growing ? but over the next 20 years we can reverse this trend. Our current financial systems are just not enough to meet the challenges and needs of these turbulent times. Calvert Foundation offers a solution through our Community Investment Note. We encourage everyone to take part and participate in this simple solution that creates economic opportunity for all.

Article by Lisa Hall, President and CEO of Calvert Foundation (?www.calvertfoundation.org), a nonprofit that has pioneered impact investing, a type of investing that delivers social and financial returns. When Lisa joined Calvert Foundation in 2005, she took on management of a $76 million loan portfolio as Chief Lending Officer. Over the years, Lisa more than doubled that portfolio to nearly $190 million, while keeping losses under 1.2 percent during one of the most economically challenging periods in recent history. Follow Lisa on Twitter @LisaGreenHall

[image credit: wonderwebby: Flickr cc]

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Source: http://www.triplepundit.com/2013/01/next-20-years-impact-investing-investing-financial-social-return-delivering-being-100-economy/

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9 Tax Questions Homeowners Must Ask, PLUS 5 Ways To Stay On ...

Now is the time to start putting together records and information for your 2012 tax returns which are due April 15, 2013. Here are some tax questions homeowners need to ask:

1. What tax benefits did homeowners get in the recent ?fiscal cliff? budget agreement??Two tax provisions that ended in 2011 were reinstated for 2012 and 2013: 1. Mortgage insurance premiums are again tax deductible for people with adjusted gross income below $110,000; 2. Homeowners will continue to get tax credits for certain energy-efficient home improvements. For details, visit www.irs.gov or ask a tax professional.

2. What are the home related tax deductions people most often claim??One of them is the mortgage interest deduction (which can mean about $3,000 in tax savings for the average itemizing homeowner) and another one is the deduction for property taxes.

3. What is the #1 mistake homeowners make with their taxes??If your real estate taxes are not part of your monthly mortgage payment, you are billed by your town or county. Those tax bills often include other items like trash collection and snow removal fees. Be careful to deduct only the part of your bill that is property tax.

4. What tax deduction should I be sure to take? Make sure to deduct any points you paid on the mortgage you took out to purchase your home in the tax year you paid them. But if you refinanced, you need to amortize and deduct any points you paid over the life of the mortgage. People can easily forget the deduction after a few years.

5. What?s the most important thing I should do as a first-time homeowner? Look at?the HUD-1 form you received when you closed on your home. There may be fees like prepaid taxes or interest you can now deduct.

6. What should I look out for if I?ve owned my home for a number of years? If you?ve refinanced and taken out home equity loans or lines of credit, remember that the maximum outstanding home equity debt that?s deductible is $100,000 and the maximum amount of deductible mortgage interest is $1 million.

7. Which home improvement records should I keep? Keep all receipts for the capital improvements you?ve made to the property. Tax rules let you add these expenses to your home?s cost to reduce any profit you might have to pay taxes on when you sell. But most people are exempt from taxes on the first $500,000 of profit for joint filers ($250,000 for single filers).

8. What?s the difference between a capital improvement and a repair? Fixing a furnace so it keeps working is a repair; replacing it is a capital improvement.

9. Will taking a home office tax deduction increase my chances of being audited??Taking the deduction shouldn?t generate an audit by itself. But if your expenses are unusually large, or if it looks like you?re using office costs to create artificial losses, the IRS will probably look into it.

NOTE: Always consult a tax professional for the definitive answer to any tax question.

AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION

Doing routine home maintenance is the best way to avoid those really expensive repairs that can come when things aren?t looked after. Plus, when it comes time to sell, buyers will pay more for a well-maintained home. Here?s how to stay on top of the upkeep.

1. Make a schedule and stick to it. Most maintenance can be done annually: roof, gutter, and downspout repairs; sealing exterior cracks; weatherproofing windows and doors; furnace and air conditioning checkups; inspecting and cleaning the drainage system. Put these on your calendar, then do them!

2. Take care of problems as soon as they appear. If a pipe leaks, repair it immediately. If a roof looks worn, repair it before it leaks. When gutters back up, even on a new house, water can come down inside walls and even damage the framing. You want to avoid the extra damage that can occur after something fails.

3. Assemble a team of contractors and repair people. Ask friends in your area, neighbors, and your real estate agent to recommend trades people. When buying a home, ask the seller for a list of the people who have worked on the property.

4. Be careful when choosing the least expensive contractor or building materials. Don?t make cost the most important factor. Shoddy work and inferior materials will cost you more when you have to redo the job.

5. Ask your home inspector to re-inspect your property. Periodically bring in a professional inspector to show you what needs to be done to keep your home in good shape. Inspectors can point out simple, inexpensive things, like sealing cracks and touching up paint, which can make a big difference in the long run.

It?s also a good idea to keep up with the latest home financing information. If you?re thinking of buying a new home, refinancing your existing one, or funding home improvements, please call or email us ? we?re always here to help?. Have a great day!

P.S.? The housing market is in the early stages of recovery, as home prices inch up in many areas yet remain extremely affordable ? and mortgage rates stay historically low. But if you?re thinking about buying or refinancing, it?s smart to get the financing process started early. Please call or email us to talk about the attractive options available now.

Source: http://www.brandmortgage.com/2013/01/23/9-tax-questions-homeowners-must-ask-plus-5-ways-to-stay-on-top-of-home-maintenance/

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Country Girl at Home: Mother/Daughter Sunporch Chat with Angela ...

Hi and welcome to my sunporch!? I'm serving some of those chocolate chip brownies that I shared a couple of weeks ago.? I've got coffee on because Angela is a coffee drinker and I've also got hot chocolate because that's what Holly and I prefer.??:)??You're?in good company today and in you're in for a double treat!? These two ladies have a special place in my heart.? I've always been close to my mom and Joy and I are close as well.? These?two bloggers?are mother and daughter and they share a very sweet close relationship.? I picked up on that right away as I visited both of their blogs.? I know you'll enjoy them!? So grab yourself some coffee or hot chocolate and a chooclate chip brownie (or two)?and make yourself comfortable and enjoy!

We're going to start with mom,? Angela of Thru Nana's Window..........

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Meet Angela...

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1) How long have you been blogging and what/who gave you the desire to blog?

Thanks Tammy for having us over to visit with you on the sun porch. It is such an honor to be here. I started blogging 2 years ago this month. Holly, my daughter, had been blogging for a while and kept on at me to jump in and have my own blog. With her help and guidance, blogging has been a rewarding experience for me.

2) How did you choose the name of your blog and why?

When I began blogging my granddaughter, Darbee Rae, was 3 years old. We would sit on the front porch and swing and peek into the windows of the great room. The same swing where I swung her Mama many years before. Thus the name, ?Thru Nana?s Window? was created.

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3) What variety of topics do you post on your blog (examples - home decorating, family, gardening, recipes, adoption, homeschooling, crafting, etc....)

The blog was created for me to share my love of country and prim decorating and to become friends with those with the same interest. As it has progressed, I tend to share a variety of topics. Sometime nothing more than what has gone on in the life of a Mother, Wife, and Nana. My love however will always be my home and decorating.

4) Tell us a little about yourself and your family.

I have been married to my best friend and childhood sweetheart for 39 years. God blessed us with a daughter, Holly, after 9 years of marriage. She was born two months early and weighed in at 3lbs. 7 oz. The day I found out I was pregnant in the doctor?s office, I said a prayer and gave her to God. I fully believe to this day, God heard my prayers and after 1 month in the hospital, we brought home a tiny but healthy 3lb. 15 oz. baby girl. Holly and her husband have blessed us with a wonderful granddaughter, Darbee Rae.

Here is Mr. P. The love of my life.

Here are my two girls, Holly and Darbee Rae.

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5) How would you describe your decorating style?

I don?t guess there is a name to my style of decorating. I love primitives and have prim accents throughout my home. I have a few antiques and several family pieces that have been handed down that are priceless to me. I would love more antiques. I also love the country farmhouse style. If I see something that speaks to me, I buy it and worry about how to display it later.

6) What's your favorite color and why?

My favorite color is red. It is a bright and happy color to me. I want something red that I can see in every room. Red makes me smile!!

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7) Tell us a few of your favorite things (collections, things that make you happy, etc.).

When my feet touch the floor in the morning, I am happy and thankful God has given me another day. I try to start each day as a new beginning with a smile on my face. A favorite day is one that I have spent with my girls and/or friends shopping and junking. I love collecting redware, old boxes, whisk brooms and country/prim coffee mugs. The latter being so hard for me to find.

8) What do you like to do in your spare time (hobbies, crafts, etc..)?

I spend so much time during the week with my girls while Mr. P is working. So, when he is off, I love doing things with him. A day trip out of town junking and ending the day with a quiet supper is so much fun. A night at home snuggling in front of the fireplace and just sharing the day?s events is comforting. He also has a woodshop here at home. Love it when he makes me something and brings it in for me to use in my d?cor. I love making bowl fillers, stitcheries, and am learning punch needle. Here are Darbee Rae and Papa working on a project together.

9) What does your dream house look like? (Describe and/or include photo)

This one might surprise you. Here is a picture of my dream home. It is on the national register of historic homes here in town.
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No, you don?t have to go back and make sure I said I love prims and country. Ha! This is totally Victorian. There is a long story behind my love for this house. It might be a good post on my blog one day. Although it is a private residence, at one time it was a bed and breakfast. Mr. P surprised me and took me there for the night for an anniversary getaway. We had the whole house to ourselves. My dream would be to own it, return it to the bed and breakfast and Holly and I run it. There is a cute cottage behind it that Holly and her family could live in. Sounds perfect don?t ya think?

10) If you could visit anywhere, anytime, where would it be and why?

Traveling is definitely an interest of mine. I would love to say I had visited every state in the U.S. I would start on the eastern side and my first choice would be to visit New England in the fall.

11) Would you share with us a favorite homemaking/organizing tip or recipe, etc..?

I love changing and playing house. But?as most, I have to be in the mood. My advice to anyone, make your home comfortable for you and your family. Surround yourselves with things you love. The best compliment I ever received was when a visitor said, ?I could stay here forever. It?s like going to my grandmother?s home years ago.?

12) Tell us something about yourself that we might not already know from reading your blog. (something unusual, etc..)

I have a terrible fear of flying. I have never flown in a plane and have no desire to do so.

13) Tell me a little bit about the special bond you share between you and your daughter, Holly. (You can tell us this from any angle?..special memories, etc?. anyway you want to do this, Angela!)

Holly and I have always had a wonderful relationship. I think her being an only child, growing up and surrounded by adults made her more mature for her age. Our relationship was never one we had to work on. As she grew older, our love and companionship grew closer and closer. We were always honest and open with her and let her see the good and bad in all situations. I thank God daily for the relationship I have with her and she shares with me and her daddy.

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14) Tell us a way God has blessed you and/or your family.

God has truly blessed me and my family in more ways than I could express. There have been many rough times during our 39 years of marriage. One time that comes to mind was during the building of our home. Our contractor went bankrupt and left us with nothing. God provided and we struggled, but finished our home with the help of family and friends. I can?t imagine a day in my life without God by my side.

15) Share any words of wisdom and/or a favorite quote you'd like to leave with us.

?I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.? ?Abraham Lincoln

I have so enjoyed my visit with you on the sunporch, Tammy.?? Thanks again for the invite.

? ? ? ? ? ??? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

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Words from Tammy:? Thank you so much for joining me today, Angela.? We have so many things in common.? I can tell that we're both very sentimental and have deep love for family.? I'm looking forward to being a grandma one day....love your relationship with Darbee Rae and Holly.? :)??You know I'm with you on the red....in my book, it just can't be beat!? I have red in just about every room also!? You already know it, but you are truly blessed!? :)

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Now meet daughter, Holly.......of Holly's Hobbies and Darbee Days.....

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1) How long have you been blogging and what/who gave you the desire to blog?

I have been blogging for 3 years. I started blogging as more of a journal to document my days at home with Darbee. I wanted a way to remember all of the ?little? things we did and all of our fun adventures. I use a site called Blog 2 Print each year and have my blog posts and pictures for the year published into a hard bound book. These are priceless keepsakes to me. They will be something that Darbee Rae will treasure one day.

2) How did you choose the name of your blog and why?

I do not claim to be a crafter. I ?piddle.? I like to try and learn how to do new things. Therefore, I have many hobbies. I also write about my days with Darbee who also likes to ?make things.? I wanted something catchy and cute. Thus the title? ?Holly?s Hobbies and Darbee Days.?

3) What variety of topics do you post on your blog (examples - home decorating, family, gardening, recipes, adoption, homeschooling, crafting, etc....)

My blog is pretty much a hodge podge of everything. I do some posts about my home. Some of my decorating, yummy recipes, and my craft adventures. I also share our adventures and the fun times we share as a family.

4) Tell us a little about yourself and your family.

I am an only child. I have always strived to do good and serve the Lord. I am a quiet person until I get to know you. Then watch out. I will sit and chat for hours! I have always been a people pleaser. I have been married to my hubby, Stacy for 9 years. He is my perfect match. Here is one of hubby hard at work. Notice his little helper in the background. Ha! Our family is small, but we are all close and I cherish that.

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5) How would you describe your decorating style?

My decorating style is whatever I like and whatever makes me happy. I have some prim items in my home and some things that I just like. I don?t have one style throughout my entire home.

6) What's your favorite color and why?

I guess it would be black. LOL. Nothing gothic or anything. I just like it. When you wear it, it goes with anything and makes you looks slimmer right? ? My car is black. Black is a good prim color also! I am trying to convince myself to paint my kitchen cabinets black! Hehe. See this hall tree? It has been passed down through our family and I am so proud to have it.

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7) Tell us a few of your favorite things (collections, things that make you happy, etc.).

I don?t really collect anything. If I did, it would be old jars. I like old mason jars and neat old bottles. I have a purse/bag fetish and could probably open my own department store with all of my bags. ? I like cute ink pens and funky socks too! This is just a sampling of purses and bags. Trust me?.there is LOTS more!

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8) What do you like to do in your spare time (hobbies, crafts, etc..)?

In my spare time, I mainly like to shop! LOL. I am a Pinterest and Facebook addict. I enjoy making stitcheries and have been trying to learn to sew a bit. I am by no means an expert. One of my favorite hobbies is photography. I would dream of one day owning my own photography business. I keep a camera with me wherever I go. Here is a picture of a sunset I took near our home.

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9) What does your dream house look like? (Describe and/or include photo)

Oh wow. Let me see. My dream house would be a big white two story house with a wrap around front porch. It would have a full finished basement and my mom and dad would live with us. It would sit on many acres of land and have a huge workshop out back for my dad. I would have a dream craft room too! It would look something like this?

10) If you could visit anywhere, anytime, where would it be and why?

This is hard. I have never been on a plane and have no intentions to, so I don?t know? I would love to visit heaven. I would love to have just a glimpse. Just a peek to be able to answer all of Darbee?s questions about the afterlife. Let me explain?by visiting, I mean like we would go and visit with a friend. The purpose being to answer all of Darbee?s questions. When God sees fit, my goal is not to visit but to live there eternally.

11) Would you share with us a favorite homemaking/organizing tip or recipe, etc..?

Make it yours. Do what you like with what you have. Don?t worry about having a perfectly clean house all the time. Enjoy it. Live in it. Be proud of it. Here is a pic. of our home.

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12) Tell us something about yourself that we might not already know from reading your blog. (something unusual, etc..)

My hubby is 20 years older than I am. It?s a funny story how we met. I worked at Chick-fil-A. He came in alone all the time and I felt sorry for him. After getting to know him, I had a bright idea to set him up with a lady from my church. Well?without going into all the details, it backfired and turned out he liked me instead. We dated for 2 years and were married in December of 2003. He had never been married and is a perfect match for me. God knew what he was doing when he put us together.

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13) Tell me a little bit about the special bond you share between you and your mother, Angela. (You can tell us this from any angle?..special memories, etc?. anyway you want to do this, Holly.)

My parents and I are extremely close. BUT..besides my hubby, my mom is my best friend. People often laugh at me for the relationship I share with my mom. I am so thankful and proud of it. I can only hope one day Darbee Rae and I are as close as she and I are. She is my shopping partner, crafting buddy, listening ear, advice giver, shoulder to cry on, and so much more. I love her to death.

14) Tell us a way God has blessed you and/or your family.

This is a hard one because God has blessed me and my family beyond measure. I could write forever. One way is with Darbee Rae. Hubby and I had tried for two years to get pregnant. I had just about given up. I had been to fertility doctors and nothing had worked. Finally, I gave up on all the medicines and put it in God?s hands. I knew if he wanted me to have a child, he would give one to me. During that time, my grandmother?s condition got worse and she was no longer able to stay alone. She was put in a nursing home. This was a very difficult time for our family, especially my mom. Right after all of this, Darbee Rae was born. Boy does God like to teach us lessons? I learned that things will happen in HIS time, not mine.

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Here is a picture of Darbee Rae with ?Nanny.? Darbee met her when she was 3 days old and didn?t miss many weeks in her life visiting her each week at the nursing home. Nanny was blind and was never able to see Darbee. One of her favorite things was for Darbee to sing Jesus Loves Me to her. Darbee Rae sang it one last time for her at her funeral. How special.

15) Share any words of wisdom and/or a favorite quote you'd like to leave with us.

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Words from Tammy:? We also have several things in common.? I loved reading how you and your hubby ended up married.....that's so sweet and I just love your deep love of family!? Darbee Rae is a little sweetheart and love her RED hair!? You are truly blessed.? Thank you for joining me.? I sure did enjoy your visit, Holly!

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Thank you, to faithful blogging friends and new ones alike!? I'm so glad you joined us on the sunporch today!? Of course, I love reading your comments here too, but be sure and stop by for a visit with Angela on her blog here, and with Holly on her blog here.??They would love to "meet" you and have you follow along too!? And?have a great day!? :)

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? Tammy ?

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Source: http://countrygirlathome.blogspot.com/2013/01/motherdaughter-sunporch-chat-with.html

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