This is a Savage Girl Public Service Announcement ;)

I have some news that I would like to share with you if you have not already heard. I have accepted the title MRS. and will be leaving my current position as Family and Consumer Science County Extension Agent in Monroe County in July. I will be marrying Clifton Angel and will be leaving Monroe County to become his wife and relocate to Coldwater, Mississippi. I also will be transitioning into the DeSoto County Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent position with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. The last day I will be in the office locally will be Monday, July 7th.  It has been my honor to serve as your County Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences for the past five years.

I have had the pleasure of working with many wonderful people during this time. I appreciate the professional relationships and the personal friendships that I have had the opportunity to build while working, living, and playing in Monroe County. Thank you Monroe County for welcoming me with open arms, hearts, and homes! I could not have done my job without the support of my many volunteers, the Extension Homemakers, the Family and Consumer Science Advisory Council, the County Extension County, and the Monroe County Extension District Board. Everyone has willingly been accepting of change and has given selflessly to help me build relationships while they gave their time, talents, and efforts to investing in me and my FCS work. You have my greatest gratitude and appreciation. I would not be the person I am today without having known the wonderful people here in Monroe County.

I would like to salute my FCS Extension clientele families and individuals and the community partners and collaborators I have had while being here in Monroe County. Through their hard work and enduring faith of building strong families one individual at a time together collectively we have made Monroe County a better place to live, work, and play while I have been here in the past five years. When you look at our Monroe County statistics we are living on less that the national average and our population is slowly decreasing, but Monroe County is shining and slowly our community is rallying together and collectively we are in the process of moving forward to sustain ourselves in the future instead of letting the future consume us. I have witnessed our community switch gears and begin to being a proactive community instead of a reactive community. Change around here is slow because good ideas take time to manifest and become great innovative ideas.

In the last five years, our county gained many new things that we all need to celebrate! Now in Monroe County we have primitive camping at Tompkinsville City Park, gained a Farmers Market building, opened a Family Wellness Center state-of-the-art facility, opened many new businesses throughout the county and in the downtown business district of Tompkinsville, created a foundation with a vision for the downtown area of Tompkinsville, started an annual summer concert series at Printers Park, developed a seasonal decoration plan for Tompkinsville, and the list could go on and on.

Together since I have been here in Monroe County we have lost weight together via the Weight the Reality Series, learned how the Stand Up to Falling, preserved fresh fruit and vegetables, began to Take Ownership of Diabetes, Plated it Up Kentucky Proud, celebrated physical activity via the Second Saturday/Sunday, started Life Stories and Memory Banks, participated in Drive By Quilt Hanging, taken Small Steps to Health and Wealth, and gotten more Moneywise in addition to multiple other things. I have asked you to step outside of your comfort zones and hear about new methods and research based programs. Please join me in patting you on the back for taking a gamble on listening to my crazy ideas and research based methods while I extended knowledge to you. Collectively we have begun making the small steps to lay the ground work to begin improving the quality of life for individuals and families so that we can have strong families for Monroe County, Kentucky.

I personally am looking forward to visiting Monroe County to see to progress that you will continue to make once I am gone. I have no clue what is in store for my future, but I know that I am very thankful and blessed to have been given the opportunity to be your Monroe County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences. I thought this was my “forever” job but plans have changed. Thank you Monroe Countians for making my time here so memorable. I am thankful for the opportunity to have served all of you for these past 5 years.

My co-workers here locally in Monroe County are hosting a farewell reception for me on Monday, July 7 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Monroe County Extension Office. I would love for you to drop by so I can say a proper thank you, goodbye, and see ya later before I embark on the next chapter of my life.

Becoming an Angel can get a little rocky...

Recently this Savage Girl got engaged. In the midst of the engagement excitement, wedding planning, putting my house on the market to sale, job hunting, job application and resume building, the thoughts of moving and transitioning into married life, finalizing my current job, and simply general everyday life have needless to say become overwhelming for this Savage Girl. My head is spinning simply thinking about all these transitions and adjustments. I get butterflies just thinking about it all. I say a simple prayer to God to give me the strength, for understanding His plans for me, and His will be done.

Something that has helped me be at peace is on Sunday mornings at the Tompkinsville Church of Christ for the past couple of months I’ve been reminded of the great expectations God has for each of us. The memory verse has been Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”.  In this passage the prophet Jeremiah was writing to the entire nation of Israel to encourage them while they were in exile.  Yes, He has plans for us each but we must put our talents to work. We are each individuals but together collectively we can accomplish more. If you are in the area this weekend come join us for Friends and Family Day this Sunday, May 4 at 9:00 a.m. and see how your life and God can intersect. We would love to have you!

I am excited about all the future possibilities that are in my near future and the great works that together my future husband and I can do collectively for the Lord’s church in Coldwater, Mississippi. Great things are happening in Tompkinsville. Great things are happening in Coldwater. Great things are happening all around us and around the world. Are you apart of them?

Our life, our faith, and God’s plans intersect daily. We each simply need to rely on God and the Bible to balance everything that comes our way. I’m trying to balance everything now and stay committed to Christ in the midst of all the transitions going on in my crazy life. Are you?

Let the prophet Jeremiah remind us that it is not all about us, it might not look exactly like what we think it should sometimes, but we need to understand that God provides hope through His kingdom and a His promise of a future in heaven for those who obey Him. Please keep in mind I am writing these things not only to tell you, but to remind myself so that I keep my mind focused.  

All this talk about the future, great expectations and God reminds me of a recent happy moment. Whenever I think back to this day I get a big smile on my face and dream of my future on earth and how I now have a partner to help me get to my heavenly home in eternity. So I am going to leave you with my proposal from Clifton on the day I became his fiancée. (This is his recount of the proposal and my reaction in his sweet words.)   

Our relationship began AT the rocks.

At times it has fallen ON the rocks.

We have always had to lean UPON the Rock, Jesus Christ.

Because the Bible says "Two are better than one,"

And because you rock my world,

I bought you a rock.

[At this point, Lara was well in tears and said, "oh, you did?"]

{Pulls ring out and gets down on one knee and grabs Lara's left hand}

Lara Christen Savage, will you marry me?

[Her eyes were filled with tears and with a great big smile she began nodding her head and exclaimed] “Yes!!!”

Now I am one step closer to being an Angel because I said yes!  We will say “I do” in less than 76 days! I’ve got the Rock above, a Mr. Awesome rock by my side, the rock on my finger, the future honeymoon in the Rockies, and whatever life rocks that come my way. Whatever my future holds I am ready to take it on. I said “yes”.  Are you willing to say “yes” and hear the Word of God (Rom. 10:17; Acts 2:37), believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the only Savior (John 8:24; Acts 4:12), repent of sins (Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38; 17:30), confess Christ (Acts 8:35-37; 1 Tim. 6:12), and be immersed in water in order to be forgiven by the blood of Christ and enter the church (1 Pet. 3:20-21; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Eph. 1:7; Rev. 1:5; 1 Cor. 12:13; Acts 2:41,47).

House For Sale

Well the Savage Girl's house is for sale! I recently got engaged so I'm putting my house on the market. Clifton is one more step closer to transitioning this Savage Girl into an Angel! I'll blog about our big engagement day later on here, but right now I need a little help spreading the word about my awesome little house! Almost five years ago I moved into the area and modified this little house into my dream home.When I made decisions about the house they were made solely because I was fixing this house for my needs. So please help me sell my house! Please share and re-post this blog link about my house or share my zillow listing that is located later in the blog. Selling a house is new to me, but I thought why not try to do it myself!

Here are a few specifics and features about my house and possibly your future home: 

Features: 

• 3 Bed Rooms & 1 Bathroom
• It is nestled near "Old Mulkey Meeting House State Historic Site" 
• Newly remodeled
• 1,206 square foot brick home (built in 1975)
• Modest sized living area
• Eat-in kitchen with built-in appliances that are black (NEW Built-It Microwave) 
• NEW CH&A unit (that still has 9 years left on the warranty) 
• Roof & replacement windows are less than 6 years old
• 1-2 cars can park under the carport
• Storage building in backyard
• Nice maintained and established landscaping 
• Seated on 0.50 acre
• Great neighbors 
• All closets feature custom built-in shelving 
• Blacktop driveway
• Septic tank
• City water & City Trash Pick-up
• Located just outside the city limits. Only 1.6 miles from the center of Tompkinsville. 
• Located less than 1 mile from Monroe County High School & Monroe County Middle School
• Less than 1 mile from local Family Wellness Center
• Home is move in ready and is a must see to truly appreciate all the added features! 
• Great starter home for couple or single individual! 
• Call today and come see this competitively-priced, move-in condition home that may just be your dream-home.

To view my listing on Zillow.com click here or visit LSN and search "Home For Sale Tompkinsville, KY". The LSN ad number is 3987921. 

An update from the Savage Girl...

Well it has been a long time since I blogged! Too long to be exact. Life got to rolling right along and busyness overtook this Savage Girl. So I thought why not give you an update?!?!? So here it goes....

Here are 5 updates on the Savage Girl and her crazy life...

1. Today marks 6 months of being with an ANGEL! I'm truly blessed that God gave me him. I thank God often for Clifton. We have laughed together, cried together, had many ups and downs, got stuck in the mud and lived to tell about it, and tons of other mushy details I'll spare from blogging about.  
   
    
2. After hanging a few Christmas decorations to decorate and beautify our downtown area in November my back went into shock mode. A couple of back disc herniation's later, tons of pain, the addition of stress, multiple doctors visits, an MRI, and physical therapy...I am almost 100% healed. Hopefully at my upcoming appointment I will be released and given the OK to do whatever I want. Needless to say this Savage Girl has slowed down and tried not to act like Superwoman. Sometimes I still think I can conquer the world and do it all but I try to take it easy and wisely plan out my options so I don't re-injure myself. FYI the decorations looked great by the way...see below ;)
   
3. I could really use your help. I'm requesting prayers for my family. Cancer has made a reappearance in my family. My dad, grandmother, and cousin-in-law are all battling the big C right now and could really use your thoughts and prayers. My sister is doing great...she has been cancer free for three years now!
   
4. Lucy has been a member of my family for 8 months today. She is still my precious bouncing bundle of joy! There is never a dull moment in the Savage Girl's house with Lucy around... 
   
     
5. Last but not least...here is an update on my weight loss journey. The scale inched up a little during my back injury and the holidays. I'm not happy to report this, but all I can do is start making small changes to get back in the swing of things. Once I get the OK from the doctor I will start back with my normal exercise routine of walking Lucy daily and the wellness center for water aerobics and the workout room. I still would like to lose about 20-25 more pounds, so we'll see what happens over the course of the next few months as I get back into my routine. 
   

Until next time...

Love, 

Lara

Savage Girl Updates and My "New Year" Mindset

Where do I begin this blog post? Oh there are so many things to tell and update you on! This Savage Girl has been busy and hard at journeying through life the past few months. I didn't take the time to post and tell you about the Savage Life. Sorry followers for not keeping you up to date! 

2013 ended with some new additions and changes in my life. 

First, I added Lucky “Lucy” Savage to my household this summer. She is a bouncing bundle of joy that provides endless hours of companionship and outpouring love. My daddy sure picked up an awesome little dog in the Brimstone Community. 

Next, I have learned I need to slow down a little and enjoy rest and relaxation. I am constantly on the go doing this or that. Over six weeks ago my back started giving me trouble at work. I tried to push through the pain and keep going because that is all that I had ever known, but to no avail it just seemed to get worse. This Savage Girl is learning that rest and relaxation are needed within life and are not just recommendations! I ended 2013 yesterday visiting a specialist in Cookeville and he reaffirmed this to me with his “prescription” for the next six weeks.  Please pray for me on this endeavor!  

Last, but certainly not least, I added an “Angel” Guy to the Savage Girl life. My change in life status is now “in a relationship” according to social media. LOL. It is my hope that he will be a permanent addition! I am proud to say that Clifton is my best friend and he completes me in every way possible. He is an amazing spiritual leader, encourager, and an inspiration to me. In the short six months I have known him I have learned that sometimes life might throw you a few curve balls and the road might get a little muddy or rocky. His philosophy is not to give up! He is also helping me realize that slowing down is a requirement to enjoy life…not an option. I cannot wait to see what 2014 has in store for this Savage Girl and Angel Guy.    

I started this blog last year thinking about the Godly woman God wants me to be and thinking about His plan for me. I want to revisit this today since 2014 is now upon us. I enjoy my life being a follower of Christ, daughter, sister, friend, county agent, and life-long learner. I make it my daily guidepost and life purpose to be the best that I can be and do what God intends for me to do with peace, joy, and thanksgiving. I make my fair share of mistakes along the way. I am not perfect, so I ask for your forgiveness and God’s forgiveness and mercy whenever I make mistakes and have roadblocks along the journey.  I have my eye on the end prize and ultimate gift…heaven! My ultimate goal is to one day get to heaven and be surrounded by family and friends. 

This Savage Girl has the daily goal to: 

1. Put God first.
2. Focus on my current family while building the foundation of my future “family” through building a strong relationship built on God, Love, Respect, Trust, and Loyalty
3. Continue to build relationships within my work community all while increasing productivity through efficiency, organization, and collaboration in order to build a strong family and consumer science program that will help others through life-long learning. 
4. Have a servant attitude and give back to others. 
5. Make healthier lifestyle choices to improve my overall health and well-being.

My life is nowhere near perfect; it is crazy and hectic with lots of love thrown into the mix of God, Family, Work, Service, and Health along with tons of other things that change my path along the journey. It is my hope this year to keep my mindset and have a spiritual focus. I want to strive hard this year to take time to reflect on God and His love, His gift of Christianity, and His second coming that is one day in the future when we least expect it. Where is your mindset this year? 

May God bless you and your family in the upcoming year!  

Get Up and Get Moving…

“Get Up and Get Moving”…this is something this Savage Girl has been struggling with for the past month… “Getting Up and Getting Moving”! I have had A LOT on my plate during the past month. I vowed that if I could live through September that I would try not to over commit myself again to so many things all at the same time! This past year I have been trying to realign myself and prioritize those things that are important to me and work hard at focusing my vision on them instead of being so scattered. I have made it a goal and priority to live healthier and move more in order to have a healthier body for Lara. No one else can help me achieve this other than myself! Tons of people are great sources of encouragement, but I know deep down that I have to have the want and desire within myself first to make it all possible. So I have been trying to be more active each and every day. September was hard, but I was still able to squeeze 30 minutes in 4-5 days each week. I am not perfect, but I am trying!

Now to throw in a promo for an upcoming work event related to this topic…This Saturday my office is hosting an event that is near and dear to my heart called “Second Saturday”. This event encourages families to “Get Up and Get Moving”! The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (my employer) and I want to encourage families to be active together. My co-workers Ken Johnson and Susan Turner and I welcome you to participate in Second Saturday! 2S is an opportunity for all community members to join together and show that they want to be healthy and have fun while doing so. The program is in its 6th year and the growth of the program demonstrates how Kentuckians value their health and the health of their communities.

So what will we be doing at Second Saturday?!?!?

October 12th from 3:00-6:00 p.m. in Downtown Tompkinsville come join us to “Get Up and Get Moving”. Magnolia & 3rd Streets will be closed for the event in order to help create a safe fall fun atmosphere. On the agenda for the event includes:  4-H St. Jude Color Walk, Hoola Hoop Contest, Group Fitness Classes hosted by the Family Wellness Center, Tricycle Trail, Free Hot Dogs and Water, Free Door Prizes, Fall Decorations (mums, pumpkins, corn, and straw)will be For Sale at the event, and the Monroe County Medical Center, Monroe County Family Wellness Center, the Monroe County Health Department & others will be offering health screenings and information.

The 4-H St. Jude Walk is open to anyone of any age. There will be a walking track loop setup along 3rd and Magnolia Streets for all those interested in walking. All individuals can walk for a donation in any amount.  All donations go to St. Jude Children’s Hospital and we’ll accept donations whether or not individuals walk. All walkers are to meet at the headquarters booth near City Hall to register to walk. Since the walk is a “color walk” we will be throwing colored powder and if you don't want to be painted with colored powder we will have a special tag for you to wear.

Attention parents…All kids with tricycles are encouraged to bring their tricycle and take the “tricycle trail” challenge that will be setup on Magnolia Street.

     

This event is a “come and go” type event or “come and stay” for the entire afternoon! If you are a planner like me and want to catch a particular FWC class that will be offered at 2S here is a tentative schedule of sorts: Pilates will be at 3:30 p.m., Zumba at 4:30 p.m. and Aerobics at 5:30 p.m. There will be a “Hoop-Off” at 5:30 p.m. also for all youth and all those young at heart.  

Please note that the 2S event will be canceled in the event of rain.  For more information about the 2S event please contact the Savage Girl at the Monroe County Cooperative Extension Service office at 487-5504 or leave me a comment on here. So together Let’s Get Up and Get Moving! Share this post to encourage others to "Get Up and Get Moving".  

Savage Girl Life Reflections

Tonight I have been thinking about how crazy and stressful my life has been over the past few weeks. So guess what?!?! I blog to take my mind off of it. You might be asking why in the world is this girl stressed. So let me explain. First, I know I brought this all upon myself because I said "yes" to many people and things over the past few weeks. I didn't have the heart to say "no" because I wanted to see everything happen that was thrown my way when I was asked to be involved. Second, I guess I thought I was superwoman or something like that! LOL

All this thinking got me to reflecting on the council and advice of the wise dear friends that have been my cheerleaders and my "angel" over the past few weeks. So I thought I would share with the Savage Girl blogging world because you might be struggling with the same addiction to saying "yes" when you should be saying "no" or "maybe" at another time. In no particular order here are some of the wise things that others have been telling me to help me along the past few weeks in order to survive the storm of craziness when "A Savage Girl Meets Life"...

"Ordinary people can do extraordinary things if they have faith."

"Ordinary people change lives and bring out the best in others..."
 
"Take a deep breath and everything will be OK."

"Life. It is what it is. You cannot change it now. Simply take it one step at a time. Work on the important things first and start marking them off the list one by one. Leave the unimportant things for another day. They will be there when you get back."

"Rome wasn't built in one day."

"Build Bridges. Collaborate and partner with others. Find those within your circle who are experts. Seek them out and ask for help where you fall short."

"Don't forget to delegate."

"You may not always understand why God allows certain things to happen but you can be certain that God is not making any mistakes."

"Smile. Chin up. Everything will be OK!"

"Keep your eye on the cross because we are saved by the power of God. "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" 1 Corinthians 1:18."

And a little advice from me...(Please KEEP in mind I NEED to do more of this!) "Take time to kick your feet up and enjoy the moment."

 

And...last but not least let me personally add that when life throws you on the rocks and the climbing gets tough do not forget to be thankful first to God and second to those dearest and near to you! God will not give you more than you can handle at one time. So take time to whisper to God, give him the praise and glory, and ask for His council and guidance. He in turn will give you peace, guidance, and understanding in the mist of the storm.

Blessed

Tonight I wanted to take a few moments to say that I am truly blessed beyond measure! Sometimes I might procrastinate, forget things, or lose my patience but at the end of the day everything will be OK! I am a forgiven Savage Girl, that is saved by the blood of Jesus Christ and it continuously washes me clean daily, and I have the hope of an eternal home in heaven one day waiting for me. I am blessed!

One of the toughest challenges for me is to be patient, listen to God, and do as He simply instructs for me to do each day. Sometimes I forget to remember how blessed I truly am because I get wrapped up in everything I have going on in my Savage life. Maybe you have the same challenge! Here are a few things I try to keep in mind each day:

1. Be open to hear God's Word. 
2. Keep in mind that God is all loving and trustworthy!
3. God commands us to follow Him. If we truly are His follower we will do so no matter if our friends and family are following, because God commands it. 
4. Obey and follow God's instruction no matter what challenges and adversity we face.   
5. Be loving and dedicated no matter the cost.

God challenges us and tests us to see if we will be faithful to Him. "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him" (Jeremiah 17:7).

Watermelon Festival

Once a year the small town of Tompkinsville comes alive with hustle and bustle. It is awesome to see people out and about! I feel like I am in a metropolis city far removed from small town America in the heart of Kentucky on the Tennessee stateline! Around 10,000 come to “town” for the annual Monroe County Watermelon Festival each year. The local Tompkinsville Inn is booked years in advance leading up to the big day each Labor Day weekend.

Community volunteers, local business owners, and land owners have been preparing for this event by painting, doing improvement projects, and decorating storefronts. “Town” looks awesome! If you want to donate and give back to “town” the Heart of Tompkinsville Foundation would gladly accept your donation to help with downtown projects and events to help revitalize downtown Tompkinsville.  The mission of the Heart of Tompkinsville Foundation to strengthen the economic base of Tompkinsville’s central business district, to foster the restoration, preservation and development of its unique cultural and architectural heritage, and to establish the downtown as a great place to shop, work, recreate and live. Let me know if you need their contact information.

Getting back to the Monroe County Watermelon Festival…If you have never been to the Monroe County Watermelon Festival it is an annual event held each year the Saturday before Labor Day. The event is sponsored by the Monroe County Arts Council and the Tompkinsville Jaycees and almost all local organizations in the county participate in some form or fashion in the event.

Tomorrow Main Street will be covered with Arts and Crafts booths along with Commercial and Non-Profit promotional booths from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The Parade officially kicks off the day’s events at 10:00 a.m. then live music will be going on throughout the day downtown. So bring your lawn chair and come join the fun! There will also be lots of food vendors offering a variety of food choices. Monroe County BBQ will definitely be a mainstay at the event! Personally the Savage Girl will be helping the Monroe County Extension Homemakers host the Annual Watermelon Festival Quilt Show in the Old Courthouse Courtroom. We will be accepting entries from 8:00-10:00 a.m. and will let the public view the quilts from 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Also in the Courtroom an Acrylic Art Show will be on display for viewing.  The festival will be hosting a “Hoop-Off”, Local Author Visitation, 5K & Fun Run, Rolley-Hole Marble Tournament, Watermelon Contests, Cornhole Tournament, Antique Tracker & Engine Show, and much more!

There is something for everyone!  Come join the fun and excitement of all things watermelon at the 34^th Annual Watermelon Festival in downtown Tompkinsville Kentucky tomorrow. If you can’t make it tomorrow then plan to make a visit next year. Mark your calendar for the Saturday of Labor Day weekend next year.              

Yard Sales

Yes, I am going to blog about a work topic of sorts on my personal blog! Call me crazy, but it is something that I personally have coming up next week and I also know that you might benefit from a little information in the subject. Here is a blog press release of sorts about “Yard Sales”. Continue reading for helpful tips and pointers. I hope that you will join me in de-cluttering your life and ridding yourself of unnecessary items around your household! If you need to contact me about “yard sales” or any work or personal topic my information is below also. 

Do you have a pile of clothes in your closet that no longer fit? Maybe you have an entire wardrobe of clothes like me that are taking up valuable space! Losing 50 pounds has caused my extra closet to become stuffed with clothes I can no longer wear. Or maybe some books piled in the corner that you have already read. Well a yard sale gives you the opportunity to make a little extra cash, and keep these items out of our landfills. And if you are like me it also gives you spending money for a new wardrobe that is much needed!

On average Americans produce almost 3 pounds of waste per person per day. Second-hand items are a great way to reserve space in our landfill for items that cannot be reused, recycled or composted.  Remember the old saying, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”  This Savage Girl now loves shopping at yard sales, consignment stores, and thrift stores. You can get awesome deals! Any items leftover after your yard sale can be taken to a local charity like the Village Shop we have here in Monroe County, or places like Goodwill or the Salvation Army located in nearby towns. Make sure to get a receipt for the items you donated to receive a tax deduction.

Yard sales are also a great place to find bargains. By purchasing second-hand items, you’re not only saving money but also conserving natural resources that would have been used to produce that item if it were new.  Take a pair of jeans for example; to make one new pair it takes approximately 2,900 gallons of water.

Next weekend, September 6 & 7, I will be having a yard sale personally to rid my house of unwanted clothes and clutter.  So if you need a bargain come and see me! Or maybe this blog post will motivate you to have your own yard sale to give me a little yard sale competition!

When shopping at yard sales there are a few pointers you should consider.

1.  Although extremely unlikely, bed bugs could potentially hitch a ride into your home on your yard sale purchase.
2. Wash and dry all clothing purchased at a yard sale as soon as you bring the items into your home.
3. For items such as couches be cautious and inspect the item carefully before purchasing, especially near seams. 
4. Do not purchase a used mattress. For more information on bed bugs contact me at work at the Monroe County  Extension office.

Whether you’re looking to make a few extra bucks this summer like me (because I need an entire "new to me" fall and winter wardrobe) or if you are in search of a bargain, a yard sale may be your answer!

Sources:  National Geographic. Earth’s Freshwater: A Guide for Teaching Freshwater in Grades 3 to 8. n.d. Accessed on May 10, 2013 at http://education.nationalgeographic.com/media/file/freshwater_chapter7_v2.pdf.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for 2010. December 2011. Accessed on May 10, 2013 at http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/msw_2010_rev_factsheet.pdf

 Ashley Osborne, Extension Associate for Environmental and Natural Resource Issues, University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture

Tompkinsville's Newest Business..."City Cafe" is NOW OPEN

Today marked the opening day for a new business in downtown Tompkinsville, Kentucky! Terin Burgress Coe opened "City Cafe" on Main Street in the former Subway building. Terin asks that everyone please bare with her as she learns about the business and tries to work out all the bugs and kinks that any new business has whenever they first open.

I first met Terin a few months ago when she came into the Extension Office scoping out information for new businesses and the possibility of using local Kentucky Proud produce for her restaurant. We tossed around a few ideas and exchanged contact information. Fast forward a couple of months and today was the grand opening day of her new business! Terin is full of ideas, enthusiasm, and zest which is just what downtown Tompkinsville needs! Her dream came to fruition today when the doors opened this morning! I wish her the very best of luck. Please go support her and her new business!

City Cafe is open Monday-Friday 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with the possibility of maybe one day expanding hours as their business and customer base grows. City Cafe will be offering breakfast and lunch. Their menu is small for now but once they have their menu items perfected they will be expanding it and will feature seasonal specials.

Here are a few photos of items that my co-worker Susan and I ate for lunch. They all were delicious and we both would recommend them to anyone! This is a must try kind of place for anyone especially the Savage Girl and her blog followers!
 

Chicken Salad on Croissant

Turkey & Swiss Sandwich

Grilled Chicken Salad

 

Top things to do in Louisville, Kentucky

I just got back from Louisville, Kentucky and decided there are a few things everyone should know about...so here are the top things to do on your next visit to Louisville, Kentucky whenever you are in the big city for a few days. And NO they are not in any particular order!

ONE.
Visit the Cheesecake Factory! Yes, I know it is a chain restaurant, but they have awesome desserts that I occasionally splurge on! FYI I worked out twice the next day following when I ate this yummy dessert...I was hoping to compensate for my sinful action! HA! The special currently is Toasted Marshmallow S'mores Galore. This Savage Girl thought she had died and gone to heaven!

TWO.
Visit the Kentucky State Fair, especially 4-H Cloverville and the Monroe County Pride of the Counties Booth! I just spent two days helping judge and prepare for you to visit along with 100+ other County Extension Agents, 4-H Volunteers, and State Specialists. I spent another couple of days meeting with the "Plate it Up" Kentucky Proud Committee and volunteering at the Monroe County booth.

The fair offers fun for all ages! 

 

Clovella (Monroe County 4-H Mascot) hung out a little with me at the fair helping judge the "folk art" and "nature" craft entries.

 

Here is the "Plate it Up" Kentucky Proud Committee at Agriculture Commissioner James Comer's Commodity Breakfast.

THREE.
Eat at Lilly's Bistro in the Highland area. They offer delicious Kentucky Proud cuisine and feature produce from Hart County, Kentucky.

FOUR.
Take in The Brown Hotel and try the official Kentucky "Hot Brown". I didn't make it there on this most recent trip but I ate there on a previous trip...and it was sinfully good!

FIVE.
Last but not least go visit the Christian brothers and sisters at Cedar Springs church of Christ. They are a warm and welcoming church that are worshiping God in spirit and in truth. Ben Giselbach is their minister and Hannah is his wife. If you need a few great blogs to add to your reading list check out "Plain Simple Faith" and "The Heart of Hannah".

So if you have visited the Louisville, Kentucky area before what is your top things to do while in the big city? Feel free to comment and share your thoughts!

The Bull and Thistle Take 2

Friends, food, fellowship, and fun are must haves for any girls day out...plus a little pit-stop at The Bull and Thistle! Last week a few friends and I traveled to Gainesboro, Tennessee to partake in a culinary experience like no other! My original intention and goal for the visit to Gainesboro was actually to go to my all time favorite dentist Dr. Driver for my six month dental cleaning. HA! But while in the area I knew I wanted to make a stop at one of the best restaurants around, so I extended the invitation to a few friends. Trust me...there was plenty of shops to keep them busy while I got my pearly whites polished and the small wait would be worth the awesome food! We decided to make it an all afternoon and evening affair to celebrate their birthdays! We even found a little time for pedicures and shopping :)

I like to think that the restaurateurs of this little "Celtic Irish" eatery had Proverbs 24:3-4 in mind when they had the vision for its creation. "By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures." The Bull and Thistle is a rare "diamond in the rough" type of place that has something for all ages along with friendly service and an awesome cozy atmosphere. It is filled with rare, beautiful, and tasty dishes. Check out my blog on my first visit to The Bull and Thistle if you haven't already read the post about why I think it is so great!

So if you have not already made the drive to this small community you must! If you locate Cookeville, Livingston, Carthage, Lafayette and Celina, Tennessee on the map the dead center is Gainesboro! If you visit be prepared to make frequent trips back!

Here is what we ate...

BLT...my friends each got this sandwich for lunch and I heard no complaints... 

Steak Sandwich...my sandwich...delicious! The fries were AWESOME!

Courtney's very chocolate dreamy dessert! 

Bananas Foster Crepes...my dessert was fantastic! It was my favorite thing that day at The Bull and Thistle :) But what girl doesn't love desserts! 

Strawberry Shortcake...Alisa was in heaven! 

The Birthday Girls and the Savage Girl! 

Now, stop reading my blog if you haven't been to eat at this restaurant yet. Make your reservation to visit The Bull and Thistle by calling (931)268-7170. Who knows I might see you there!  Keep in mind that food is not everything in life. The Savage Girl might talk a lot about yummy dishes and great places to eat but you also need to remember to "taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him" Psalm 34:8. Let me know if you have any questions about God, Family, Work, Service, or Health...basically anything in LIFE. I might not know 100% of the answers but I know a great book that does!