Friday, October 31, 2008

Hello Darkness, My Old Friend

It's 65 here today & sunny. A gorgeous fall day, but I'm just a little black rain cloud.

I think when God was passing out gracefulness & coordination I was back in line to get a second helping of snark. I went out yesterday morning to start up the mom-van before taking JD to school & slipped off the front porch. It was covered in frost & instead of shoes with any tread, I was wearing slippers. My feet shot into the air & I landed on my hip (butt) & my elbow. Today I am stiff as a board from my neck to my lower back (butt.) Blah, blah, whine, whine, sigh.

I've just taken a nice prescription muscle relaxer, so I should be fine, if a little woozy in about half an hour.

Oh yeah, "boo, shriek, etc."

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Tuesday's Tip Jar

Photobucket
My tip is a little gross, but it works! I was inspired by Mimi over at He and Me + 3 to put up a stain removing tip.


If you get a blood stain on fabric, I always end up with marks on the legs of my pants when I shave, spit on it! Yep, you heard me, spit! Something about each persons unique enzymes, blah, blah (insert actual science stuff here.)


The only way it works is if the bleeder is also the spitter. My sons thought I was crazy the first time I told them to spit on their clothes, but now they just write if off as one of the ways I'm "different from other moms." I choose to take that as a compliment, by the way.



Check out http://www.blogmommas.com/ for more from Tuesday's Tip Jar.


Monday, October 27, 2008



Outside My Window... Oskar the schnauzer playing in the leaves.

I am thinking... I should have been up way earlier this morning!

I am thankful for... My good fortune. We don't have a lot, but we have enough.

From the kitchen... Nachos, requested by JD.

I am wearing... A t-shirt that says "not all who wander are lost," and sweats. Same as last week! I guess I should change it up a little, but it's so cozy.

I am creating...
A new devotional blog, Devotional Daze.

I am going... Just to the grocery store.

I am reading... My bible, in chronological order.


I am hoping... That the facelift for this blog is complete by tomorrow. I have a new design coming.

I am hearing... Just the sound of Oskar's waterbowl. It pours water out of the top constantly after filtering it. It's very soothing.

Around the house... Working on a new cross stitch project.

One of my favorite things... The way Devotional Daze looks.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...Working on my new devotional blog.


Here is picture thought I am sharing... A picture I took a few years ago. DH told me not to take it, because it wouldn't come out. That was back in the days of film & we didn't have much left. I love the way it looks.

Photobucket

Thank you to Peggy at ~The Simple Woman~ for this great daybook idea. You can visit her here


Hey! Look Me Over!

Tell me do ya like what ya see!

Yes I borrowed from Prince a little there, but I'm just so excited about the new look of my blog I needed to sing!

A couple of weeks ago I entered a contest put on my Shera at
There's A Frog In My Soup that I found on Christian Women Online. Shera was giving away amazing blog design packages from her other website Sweet and Simple Design.

I was lucky enough to win the gorgeous layout you see here. I pestered Shera with a million questions & she calmly answered every one of them and made my blog perfect. I think she had so much patience with me because she's used to dealing with her 6 boys under 12 including a pair of 2 year old twins.

If your layout is looking a little less than stellar, stop by & take a look at what Shera has to offer. You won't be sorry!

Sunday, October 26, 2008

My Old Friend

Photobucket
This is Mr. Bear, my first best friend. He has been with me since I was 6 months old.

Photobucket

This is one of my favorite Lolcats. Do you notice the resemblence! Now I realize that Mr. Eye Bear & Mr. Bear are not twins, but I do think Mr. Eye Bear could be Mr. Bear's brother. At least a cousin.

I must tell you that they would have more of a resemblence if Mr. Bear had more of his fur. Due to unfortunate accident that left him with many broken bones, he was required to wear a body cast made out of orange floral shelf paper. The adhesive kind. (I do not want any snickers about my my childhood imagination. I'm an only child. It was lonely.) Once his body cast was removed we, Mr. Bear & I, were dismayed to find that the only real fur remaining was at the top of his legs, right below his butt. I tried to take a picutre for demonstration, but Mr. Bear balked at having his tushie all over the internet. Pictures like that can really hurt a persons career.


Thursday, October 23, 2008

Dear Sasha Fierce,

Dear Ms. Fierce,

I realize that as a star it must be difficult for you to decide what to be called. When one is a fabulous as you are you can't really be limited to one name, like Beyonce. I did want to inquire as to whether or not you considered the name Desperate Annoying? Hmm, did I type that out loud?

I was lucky enough to go to http://whoissashafierce.com/ so I could guess who Sasha Fierce reallly is. The thought of winning a personal message from you, Sasha & a $500 giftbag set me all aquiver. I can only hope that the gift bag contains clothes from Beyonce's 'House of Dereon' clothing line.
These stunning examples have me hoping I will be the lucky woman picked.

Obviously I would be proud to wear these jeans & shoes while I run my daily errands! Nothing says HOT like jeans up to your boobs!

DEREON Pictures, Images and Photos

On days whenputting on a shirt & pants just seems like too much work, I found this lovely jumpsuit. I'm sure to be the star of the PTA meeting in this!

Dereon Pictures, Images and Photos

And finally, for the little ones, there are these adorable outfits. Nothing screams 'great mom' like dressing your daughter up like a street walker.

dereon Pictures, Images and Photos

The read spiked heels on the girl in the red hat would make great church shoes, don't ya thing? By the way did you have your ad people apply those little girls makeup with a trowel? Little girls today really should start looking like a desperate pop star as soon as possible. Woe is me for only giving birth to boys.

Anywho, things have been a little boring around my humble abode. I think I may just go by Trixie Vyxsyn from now on. Now I just have to make mediocre albums and cheap looking clothing & I'll be all set.

Sincerely,

No More Socks!

For those of you who know me, this post does not refer to the fact that I hate wearing shoes & socks. While my feet much prefer to be naked that's a whole other story.

While talking to my husband one day I compared our life to a pair of socks. Sometimes we get to be together. Unfortunately most of our time is spent just going where someone else takes us. Just being dropped here or there, like socks. We don’t have a lot of drive or motivation to set our own course. Now to be fair Chris works about 60 hours a week. Hmmm, what’s my excuse?

I read a blog post today over at
Blah Blah Blog that really spoke to me. Now I don’t know Shauna, but the last part of this post really hit close to home.

Let me just say that I am a great ‘starter’. I have lots of great ideas and when I am at the beginning of a new project, I am super inspired and motivated. When it comes to follow through & finishing, well, not so much.

I realize that my life is scattered in all these little bits all over the place, so I end up doing an o.k. job at a bunch of different things. What I need to do is narrow my focus to the things that are really important and do those things really well.

After praying and contemplation I have narrowed down my priorities to just a few.

First I need to focus on growing my relationship with God. Besides daily bible reading and weekly bible study, I’m going to commit more time to my devotional blog,
Devotional Daze.


I need to focus on my family. I need my husband and sons to know that I am striving to be the best wife, mother & home maker that I can possibly be.

I need to finish my schooling. I am a taking college courses online to be a medical transcriptionist and I have not been focusing enough time to finishing. I want to get done so that I can start making more of a contribution to the family finances.

I’m also going to continue this blog. I have so many great people that I have ‘met’ by doing this and I don’t want to lose that. Plus I think writing here keeps some of the crazy from getting out and my husband sees that as a bonus.

So there you have it. I’m officially refocused. Wish me luck!



Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Photobucket
Psalm 103:15
For more Word Filled Wednesday
Visit The 160 Acre Wood

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Photobucket
I have a couple of different uses for coffee filters.


Wrap a filter around a hard taco for your little one. It keeps things from hitting the floor & holds everything together if the shell breaks.


Also put a coffee filter in the bottom of a pot your are putting a plant in. The pots that have the holes in the bottom for drainage can let the soil out if the hole is too big. A filter keeps the soil in while still allowing the excess water to drain.


Check out http://www.blogmommas.com/ for more from Tuesday's Tip Jar.

Because I Said So

There they are, the four little words that I swore to my Shaun Cassidy & later Duran Duran posters I would not use when I was a parent. I raged against my parents at the injustice of such a statement!

Simply because they had been fortuitous enough to be born 20 years before me, did that really make them think they knew more than me? "Because I said so," I reasoned, wasn't a reason at all.

Obviously if they heard out my reasoning on why, at 13, I should be allowed to spend the weekend with a friend and her older sister at U of M, my smart and snappy answers would have overwhelmed any negatives they could have presented.

At 14 when I decided I was old enough to smoke, regardless of the law or my lung health, "because I said so" was the best my parents could do. Granted they did spend a good hour or so lecturing me on all the reasons why this was a bad choice and, you know, illegal, but my cunning arguments were about to win them over if only they hadn't brought out the BISS card.

I vowed over and through my adolescent tears never to be as uncool as my parents were. I would hear my children, and having been there myself, know if they were mature enough to drink at 16, even though the legal drinking age was 21. I would not deny them in the same way I had been denied. Opressed, really is a better word for it.

Even as my children were young I expounded the values of giving them choices instead of laying down a dictatorial law.

May I just say, God laughed. As a parent of 2 teenage boys I find the dreaded phrase flying out of my mouth on a regular basis.

My mother, bless her heart, laughs out loud every time I end an argument with her favorite saying. Being the children of her beloved daughter, my sons do not let "because I said so" be the end of the conversation easily. Imagine my outrage when the be all, end all, parental trump card of sayings didn't quiet my boys or end an argument. If I have to turn into my mother, couldn't my sons at least have the decency to cooperate?

I outwitted all of them and came up with my own phrase to put a stop to teenage arguing, "hand over your I-Pod." *sigh*

Monday, October 20, 2008



Outside My Window... Beautiful leaves starting to blanket the grass.

I am thinking... I wish they would finish cutting down the tree already! Some neighbors have had chainsaws going since 7 a.m.!

I am thankful for... My warm house as this weather is getting colder and so many people are losing their homes.

From the kitchen... Apple cobbler & pork chops.

I am wearing... A t-shirt that says "not all who wander are lost," and sweats.

I am creating...
A better social network.

I am going... Nowhere, DH's car is in the shop, so he has my van today.

I am reading... One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell.

I am hoping... To ditch this flu that popped up yesterday.

I am hearing... Moe, our tortiseshell cat, snoring. I swear this cat could wake the dead!

Around the house... Putting away lots of laundry. (For the second week in a row!)

One of my favorite things... Cross stitch.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...Working on my new devotional blog.

Here is picture thought I am sharing... A praying mantis the boys found on the porch, blech.


Photobucket

Thank you to Peggy at ~The Simple Woman~ for this great daybook idea. You can visit her here http://thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/

Saturday, October 18, 2008

I found this on My Life Tales From Smurfland and thought I'd play along.

I choose......
Tom Hanks over Tom Cruise
confrontation over avoidance
Mexican food over Chinese food
late nights over early mornings
beer over wine
CBS over NBC
sweet over salty
beach over mountain
Chocolate over vanilla
dogs & cats (there is one of each watching me right now, I don't want either of the mad at me!)
mistakes made over missed chances
lipstick over lipgloss
J.K Rowling over J.R.R. Tolkien
dark chocolate over milk chocolate
hockey over football
pie over cake
half empty over half full
sense of humor over sense of style
Jeopardy! over Wheel of Fortune
soda over iced tea
The Breakfast Club over Dirty Dancing
french fries over french toast
Cinderella over Belle
small town over big city
The Oscars over The Olympics
too cold over too hot
mustard over ketchup
Caesar salad over house salad
books over movies
pedicures over manicures
John Cusack over John Malkovich
oranges over apples
fast cars over big trucks
elliptical over treadmill
summer over winter
time alone over time with girlfriends (I don't get out much)
vacuuming floors over mopping floors

Play along...what do you prefer?

FYI, I found Tammy at my life on the Michigan Mammas page. Hop over & check out all of the talent we have here in Michigan!

Are We There Yet?

Obama Pictures and McCain Pictures


I have had it up to my armpits in politics! The negativity spewing from every direction just wears on me. I know who I'm voting for, so lets just go ahead & have the election now...just make them all shut up.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Photobucket


This is my first time posting Tuesday's Tip Jar, a meme from http://www.blogmommas.com/
Here a some cool freebies that I found.
Free sample of John Frieda Luxurious Volume hair products.
Free shopping list notepad from Pur.
Free sample of Seattle's Best Coffee.
After washing your hair in your great John Frieda shampoo, you can sip your Seattle's Best Coffee & write out your shopping list!

Monday, October 13, 2008



Outside My Window... A little sun shining through the shade.

I am thinking... Helping my son, JD. He is still morning the loss of a friend who passed 5 months ago.

I am thankful for... My great friends I spent so much time with this weekend.

From the kitchen... Homemade pumpkin butter & Yankee pot roast.

I am wearing... A blue nightshirt.

I am creating...
A new sense of order.

I am going... To the orthodontist with JD & taking Jack to a Christian therapist later.

I am reading... I Heard You Pain Houses, the story of Jack Sheeran & the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa.

I am hoping... For a happy day.

I am hearing... A plane flying overhead from the airport.

Around the house... Putting away lots of laundry.

One of my favorite things... Reading.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... Not too many, really.

Here is picture thought I am sharing... Chris & I at the orchard on Saturday.



Photobucket

Thank you to Peggy at ~The Simple Woman~ for this great daybook idea. You can visit her here http://thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/

Saturday, October 11, 2008

The History Of The Apron


I don’t think our kids know what an apron is.

The principal use of Grandma’s apron was to protect the dress underneath.

Along with that it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children’s tears and on occasion it was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

When the weather was cold Grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips & kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in the apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that “old-time apron” that served so many purposes so well.

They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron, but I don’t think anybody ever got sick from Grandma’s apron.

* My Mom, who grew up in a real farmhouse, passed this on to me. I don't know who wrote it, but they seem pretty wise.

Saturday 9: Return to Sender
1. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it? In March when my son Jack went to 6th grade camp.
2. Can you change the oil on a car? No, but I feel confident that if I had instructions I coule do it. I once rotated my own tires just to prove to a boyfriend that I could do it myself!
3. Name three things you have on you at all times. Wedding ring & engagement rings, a ring that Chris gave me when were dating & a necklace that has my great-great grandmother's wedding ring & my dad's baby ring on it.
4. What’s your life motto? Ummm, how about "Oh sh!t!"
5. What’s a word that you say a lot? Frick
6. What were you doing at midnight last night? Reading People magazine in bed.
7. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought? Where are the tweezers?
8. Who is your worst enemy? The defeatest voice in my own head.
9. What does your watch look like? It looks a lot like my cell phone. I don't have a watch.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Happy Birthday Barry!


Photobucket

I hope you & Linda have a great day. Look how cute they are!

Photobucket

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

I May Have To Change Grocery Stores, But I Still Have My Panties

How many people do you know who can say they lost their underwear at the grocery store? Yep, underpants lost at my local Kroger. Now before you start to think that I was getting hinky with the frozen foods guy, let me explain.

I had errands to run so I had to put on real clothes. For those of you who don't know me in person this means actual pants (not sweats or jammie type pants), shirts with no holes & the appropriate undergarments. If I'm at home all day, I cannot vouch for what you will see if you come knocking on my door unexpectedly, but I can assure you that it isn't pretty.

I was at Target looking for some of those new empire-waisted baby doll type tops that are in style right now & flatter my type of figure. You know the body type with extra rolls of fat around the middle & rear, (sorry to have to leave that image in your head.) When I was reaching in my jeans pocket to get out my car keys I thought I felt something in there besides my keys. I dug around & alas, nothing but keys. I hopped in my Mom-mobile (teal colored Ford Windstar mini-van) & ran off to the grocery store.

I got some lettuce from the produce department, started to move on & realized that I needed some fruit so I circled back. Then I saw them. Laying on the tile in the produce department was a pair of my underwear. 

You may wonder how I knew they were mine, but I knew it as well as I know my name. Those were my underpants...laying on the floor...in the middle of the produce department...at my local Kroger. They must have been stuck inside my jeans from the dryer. I quickly walked over to the bread aisle & weighed my choices. These were a favorite pair of mine. The kind that don't wedge into inappropriate places, don't droop, sag or show visible panty lines. I needed to get these underwear back!

I casually walked back to produce noticed that there were several people around, but none of them were near my unders. Luckily I was able to kick them into the organic food department & pick them up without anyone noticing. I hope.

Monday, October 6, 2008



Outside My Window... A grey cool day & a lot of yardwork that I've been ignoring!

I am thinking... About getting back to school after having my gall bladder out.

I am thankful for... A roof over my head & food in my belly.

From the kitchen... Jack want's Spam for dinner, so Spam it is!

I am wearing... Dk. gray fuzzy sweatpants & a longsleeved sage green t-shirt that says "chill".

I am creating...
A new work space.

I am going... Nowhere but to pick up the boys from school later.

I am reading... The Last Of The Husbandmen.

I am hoping... For a windfall.

I am hearing... The cats, Chloe & Moe wrestling & playing chase.

Around the house... Getting my office/school area up to par.

One of my favorite things... Sleeping!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... Getting caught up on school & lunch with my friend Jan on Wed.

Here is picture thought I am sharing... Chloe making herself at home on Jacks new winter coat.



Photobucket

Thank you to Peggy at ~The Simple Woman~ for this great daybook idea. You can visit her here http://thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Evil In A Tiny Cup...(tiny spoon included)

Today I found this at the grocery store (ignore the NutriSystem food.)


Photobucket

Small & quite cute, don't you think?

Look how small it is in my hand.

Photobucket

See the tiny spoon?

Photobucket

Something this small couldn't possibly be bad for you right?

Haagen Daz also has turned out these tiny sources of evil. The dulce le leche flavor Haagen Daz was too shy to be photographed. (or it was eaten before I could get the camera, whatever)