Tales from the Homefront

You're invited........

2009-09-24T15:00:00.006-04:00

Wanna come????????

Come see Angie Smith (www.audreycaroline.blogspot.com)

October 16-18,2009

At the beautiful Westfields Marriott in Chantilly, VA. www.westfieldsmarriott.com

xoxo

66 Books

2009-02-13T10:03:00.007-05:00

I wanted to share with you something else I've been doing this year.

I have embarked on a journey to read the Bible in a year. If you've never done this, I strongly encourage you to give it a try. Regardless of where you are in your own spiritual journey, I feel there is so much to learn from reading the story as a whole.

I did this once before a couple of years ago, and gained so much from the process.

Knowledge of God.

Seeing how He has woven certain themes throughout the Bible.

The spiritual growth from being in God's Word every day.

The last time I set out on this journey....it ended up taking me a year and a half to complete it. There were a few days that I skipped and some days where I wanted to go back and reread what I read the day before. But, still I persevered and was able to finish.

This year my church set out on Jan 1 together. We have a guide that we are following. I have made it all the way to Numbers!! Woo Hoo!!!

This is something that you can start at any time. You don't need to wait until Jan 1 to get started. Jump in today.

Some things that have helped me:

1. I do not read my daily reading in a Study Bible. I get too bogged down in the notes and it distracts me. Instead, after I'm done reading for the day if I have questions (I usually do) then and only then do I look at the notes in my Study Bible.

2. Before starting each book of the Bible, I read a summary of it in the book The Map: Making the Bible Meaningful, Accessible, Practical by Nick Page. It is a great resource tool.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is well worth the money spent. It was recommended to me this fall by Jen Hatmaker, who spoke at our church's Women's Retreat.

Each chapter includes a quick overview, details, puzzling points, graphics & much more.

3. A friend of mine is part of a group of bloggers all reading the Bible in a year. They've started a blog and one of them posts each day on that day's passage. It is encouraging to know others are with you on the journey and also to read their insights.

Check it out: 66 Books

If you decide to do this, let me know. Or if you've done this in the past and have anything you'd like to share that has helped you, please let me know in the comments.

Favorite SuperBowl Commercial

2009-02-07T14:28:00.003-05:00

So this is totally random...but I love this ad!!!

Makes me laugh every time I see it.

Just a thought, I'm adding on to this post. It's something that has been bugging me since the Superbowl. We were at a friend's house and were watching it live. I found it totally disheartening to see some of the inappropriate ads that were run during a broadcast that families were watching. The sexual innuendo is something that I have become increasingly aware of, as my kids have gotten older. I find it hard to believe that there are people who are okay with their children viewing this garbage. Is that what Americans really want??? It has made me very thankful for my DVR, which is how we normally watch prime time programs when we are at home.

Now, I am getting off of my soapbox. Click on the video above, it will make you laugh.

So how are your New Year's Resolutions coming along???

2009-02-05T09:29:00.004-05:00

Here we are 5 days into February and I'm just wondering....how are your New Year's Resolutions coming along??

Broken??

Forgot about 'em???

Doing great???

Checking 'em off??

I was messing around online and came across a list of the most popular New Year's Resolutions (These are from www.boncherry.com):

1. Lose Weight

2. Pay off Debts

3. Save Money

4. Get a Better Job

5. Get fit

6. Eat Right

7. Get a Better Education

8. Drink Less Alcohol

9. Quit Smoking

10. Reduce Stress Overall

Quite a list, huh??? Sound familiar??

How about these funny New Year's Resolutions? (From the same website):

1. I will do less laundry and use more deodorant.

2. I will give up chocolates totally. 100%. Completely. Honestly...

3. I will figure out why I really need 9 email addresses.

4. I will not bore my boss with the same excuse for taking leave. I will think of some more excuses.

5. I will stop sending emails to my wife or husband.

6. I resolve to work with neglected children- my own.

7. I will spend less than one hour a day on the internet. This of course will be hard to estimate since I'm not a clock watcher.

8. I will not tell the same story at every get together.

9. I will not read email or text when I am on the phone with someone else.

10. I will think of a password other than "password."

I no longer make a list of New Year's Resolutions. A whole list is a lot to change. I used to do it in the past, but by Feb I'd already failed. Instead, each year, I focus on one thing that I'd like to emphasize.

This year, 2009, I am trying to laugh more. That's it. Laugh more. Two little words. It's something that I can think about as I'm going through my days and it's a change that I can make. 2008 was a trying year for me, both emotionally and spiritually. It was a rough road. Laughter is good for the soul. I mean the real laugh out loud until tears come...that kind of laughter. Laughter is healing. That is why I'm trying to laugh more.

Let me share what I was striving for the past couple of years with you:

Last year, 2008, I was trying to be authentic. Not that I was a liar before, but there were certain areas in my life where I'd kind of hide behind a mask.

In 2007, I was trying to simplify. That's it. To simplify....in all areas, organization, schedule, kids stuff and mine.

I've found that focusing on one little area can bring true change. It's something that can be achieved.

So, I probably should've posted this post Jan 1....but you know, I've been busy. I've been living life. So, I'm sharing it with you now, better late than never. Who needs a new year to make change?? Start today!

Smiles for the week!

2009-01-24T12:42:00.002-05:00

Little Buddy: (On a night where we were having baked chicken for dinner...) I don't like this kind of chicken. I only like old chicken that's been dead for about 5 years. How long has this chicken been dead??

Little Buddy: (Later in the week, when we were having chicken patty on roll, tater tots, and applesauce....my tribute to Elem school lunch!) This is the best dinner you've ever made. You should cook like this all the time!

Me: (While watching the Steelers/Ravens Playoff game) I can't believe the Ravens are wearing short sleeves! They are gonna freeze.

The Champ: Please Mom, they are men. Men don't get cold.

and my favorite......

My Girl: (to me and Brian) I'm fifteen, I know everything there is to know. :)

Computers and a Prayer

2009-01-19T08:28:00.003-05:00

Isn't the power of technology incredible?? Generally, technology and myself are not a good match. It's kind of like oil and water. When it comes to the computer, I've had a love/hate relationship with it. Mostly hate. I love the endless possibilities but hate that I really don't know how to do much other than email. Seriously, until two years ago I didn't even know how to upload my digital pictures on to it!!! All of my precious family memories were trapped on memory cards....when one would get full, I'd go to WalMart and by a new one. Sad?? I know!

Thankfully, some friends showed me the light one evening when I confessed that I had about 15 memory cards, and I've been uploading ever since!

Excel???? Powepoint???? You scare me!

Let's just say that when the computer isn't working right, I'm the kind of girl that turns it off and hopes it will get better by "resting."

Over the past year and a half something has happened thanks to the computer, that I never would have thought possible. I have made some wonderful friends and reconnected with old friends.

Have you met a friend over the computer???

Last year I was the team Mom for my daughters cheerleading squad. As part of my "duties" I had to update the parents through email. Often I'd do this late at night after 11PM when everyone was asleep. Many times one Mom would be up and email me right back. I'd email her back. We just connected instantly. We talked about raising teens, lice, friends, even death. We never met each other because she wasn't able to attend the games. After a few months of emailing each other she finally came over to my house. When she pulled up and got out of the car, we just hugged each other. It was so nice to finally meet in person. (Of course my kids thought it was pretty dorky.... they call her my email friend.) We've stayed friends, done lunch, and she was one of my biggest encouragers about running in the marathon this past fall.

This year I joined facebook. Talk about a mind boggling experience. Let's just say that if you join facebook you will be reconnected with people that you've known through every stage of your life. It is the new version of "This is your life." Everyone from people you went to elementary school with, sorority sisters, past co-workers, family members, to friends and neighbors that your close with today. It is so strange to see them all listed side by side on one computer screen.

About a year and a half ago, I started this blog. My sole intention was to update my friends and family on my kids. As time passed I connected with other women and got to know them and their stories through their blogs. I like to think of it as the new way for Mom's to connect. When my Mom and Grandma had their kids, most Moms didn't work outside the home. They'd get together and share stories, recipes, laugh & cry together. I like to think that in a way, the blog kind of replaces the over the fence talk of generations past.

I've met many women through my blog. Including a few that go to my church. One friend that I met used to go to my church and had moved to Florida and started blogging. We read each others blogs and finally got a chance to meet in person this fall. How cool is that? There have been many friends I've met that either have a blog that I started reading or who've somehow stumbled across mine. It is always so neat to meet them in real life.

Then there are those people that I've yet to meet in real life. This is one. Her name is Kelly and right now she can use our prayers. After battling infertility she got pregnant and just gave birth to her first baby, a girl named Harper. Harper was born at 40 and a half weeks and is in critical condition right now in Tulsa. She is having problems with her lungs and her heart. She can give you the details better than I, so if you have a few minutes go over to her site and read about her. If you could stop what you're doing right now and say a quick prayer, I know it'd be greatly appreciated.

Happy 9th Bday!!!

2009-01-15T10:40:00.011-05:00

At the beginning of the month my Little Buddy turned 9 years old!!!

It is soooooo hard to believe. How can my baby be that old?? Next year, he'll be in double digits!!! That is just wrong!

It's funny because I think he'll always be my baby. Even when he's 20, 30 or 40. It's just something about that youngest kid.

There are 4 years between him and his brother. For a long time we thought we'd only have 2 kids. When we decided to have a third, it was so exciting. We were older, wiser (so we thought..Ha!) and had a little more money.

We really focused on each stage and tried to enjoy it. We tried to just be in the moment.

So, now he is 9!!!

He is such a cool kid.

His sense of humor is incredible.

He loves sports.

He has unlimited energy.

He loves to read.

He loves God.

He loves his family.

Here are some pics from our celebration at Medievil Times. He has been wanting to go there for a couple of years.

(It's a little pricey, but they have some really good deals online if you want to go.)

It was a lot of fun!!

I love you and am so glad that I'm your Mom!!!

Your smile for the day!!

2009-01-13T17:25:00.005-05:00

Remember Evolution of Dance?? Well he's BAAAACK!!

Check out Evolution of Dance 2!! Love this guy!! Enjoy!

Christmas 2008

2009-01-05T08:54:00.035-05:00

Well another Christmas has come and gone. What a wonderful break from the craziness that is our normal life. The kids were off of school for two weeks!!

We did a lot and we did nothing.

We stayed up late and we slept in.

We visited with family and spent time with friends.

We played games, watched movies and just spent time being together and being in the moment.

Dakota, the Christmas Doggie!!

The kids decorated Christmas cookies on Christmas Eve....a tradition in our house.

We dyed My Girl's hair back to it's natural color that morning.

Doesn't she look great??

Little Buddy got a robe.....how fitting!

A new bat!!! The best gift ever! (At least if you're a 13 year old baseball player!)

Santa even brought Edward Cullen to our house!!

Love these boys!!

Merry Christmas 2008!!

So what did Mary & Joseph do while waiting for baby Jesus??

2008-12-18T10:16:00.007-05:00

Apparently they played Bakugan!! I thought this was funny. My 8 year old left his Bakugan balls here before he went to school. I did a double take when I walked by...it really looks like they are playing doesn't it???

Christmas time in NYC!!!

2008-12-15T16:47:00.088-05:00

About a week and a half ago, I got up early in the morning and went to New York City with some good friends.

We had a great time.

Here are some of the pics!!

The sunrise on the ride up to NYC.

Here we are...we've finally arrived!!

A cool Christmas sculpture.

Flags in Rockerfeller Center.

The famous ice rink & tree.

The tree up close.

Check out that tree topper!!! It's Swarosky!

St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Some of New York City's finest.

The Empire State Building.

Inside Grand Central Station.

The stores were all decorated beautifully...this is the outside of Lord and Taylor's.

This is the inside of L & T. Check out that garland!!!

Then we went to Radio City Music Hall to see the Rockettes!!

This wooden soldier number was my favorite!

As part of the show, they had an incredible live nativity.

The finale.

Here we are in front of Macy's!

This is where everyone stops and performs during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It was so neat to be there in person!

This is the crystal ball that is dropped in Times Square on New Year's Eve. It is on display, inside of Macy's. I was surprised at how small it is. (I'd say, only 4 or 5 ft in diameter!) The cool thing about it is that it changed colors every 30 seconds or so.

Lastly, we made our way to Time's Square!!!!

Do you see this sign???? Lost...coming January 21st!! I can't wait!!!

It was a great day!!! I can't wait to go back with the kids.

Christmas Tree, Take 2

2008-12-14T17:51:00.013-05:00

For the second year in a row, we've had to redecorate our tree! Last year, we had a real tree that fell over. This year, we bought an artificial tree that was 9 ft tall to go in our FR with 10 ft tall ceilings. We brought it home, set it up, and guess what?? Our ceilings are only 9 ft tall, not 1o!!

The tree went all the way to the ceiling. We tried to live with it, but couldn't stand it. So after a couple of days, we bought a new tree. We took down the old tree & put up the new tree in the same night.

Don't you just love how they stand on the couches to reach the high spots??

Here it is!!

Isn't it pretty???

Next year, we're hoping to only decorate our tree once!!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!

2008-12-10T10:25:00.016-05:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at our house!!!

The Nester is having a "Show us Your Garland" day....so here's mine.

She has an awesome tutorial on how to make a fancy swag type of garland on her blog. We have our stockings, so that wasn't going to work for me. Instead, I just layered mine on top of the mantel...and voila!

I also did a cute little garland on our Dining Room light fixture...again, it's just layering. So easy!!

Crafty Ladies!

2008-12-09T00:01:00.002-05:00

Every year on the day after Thanksgiving the girls in my family spend the day at the Maryland Christmas Show in Frederick, Maryland. We spend the day looking at the crafts, then have dinner and shop some more!!

Fun times!!

Thanksgiving Day, Part 2

2008-12-08T05:29:00.016-05:00

These are pictures from our second Thanksgiving meal of the day!!! My side of the family gathered at my parents house.....so nice to see everyone!!

Mary, Jeff & Izzy

My big kids & their cuz!!!

It's always fun to play with a baby!

Grown up Table.

Kid Table....some "kids" never get to leave this table!

Little Kid Table...with Grandma!!!

Beautiful girl!

What do you mean dinner's over????

Goodnight!

(One of my kiddos snapped this pix....so funny, isn't this what we all do at the end of Thanksgiving Day???)

Thanksgiving Day, Part 1

2008-12-08T05:16:00.020-05:00

This year, for the first time in 5 years, we went to both mine & Brian's families houses on Thanksgiving!!! What a day!

It was soooooo nice to see everyone, but at the end of the day, boy were we stuffed!

Check out this turkey!!!! Doesn't it look like it could be in a magazine???

Dessert....mmmmmm!

My Big Kids on Grandma's porch.

Cousins!

Chris & Lynn

O in his "handsome clothes!!"

Silly Boys!

Sisters....awww!

Ready to pray....

More of the fam waiting to pray....

Still more....

Still more of the family!!!

Amen and....

let's eat!!!

Thanksgiving Top 10!!

2008-11-25T16:25:00.013-05:00

In honor of Thanksgiving, here are The Top 10 Reasons Why I Love Thanksgiving:

10. Turkey & homemade stuffing! mmmmmmm

9. Mashed Potatoes!!!!

8. Getting to visit with lots of family.

7. No gifts to buy. :)

6. No costumes to feel guilty about not being homemade.

5. Mid day naps actually encouraged!

4. Pies!!!!

3. Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

2. Mashed Potatoes...can you really ever get enough???

1. So much to be thankful for!!!

Have a GREAT Thanksgiving!!

Another Teenager in the House!!

2008-11-24T10:08:00.005-05:00

Last week Charlie celebrated his 13th Birthday!!! I can't believe it!! Now we've got 2 teenagers in the house.....lookout!!

The pix isn't the best, because I forgot my camera....this is from my phone!

I love you so much buddy, and am proud of the person you are.

Hope you LOVE being 13!!

More than you ever wanted to know....

2008-11-18T19:32:00.013-05:00

This is fun!!! I got this first 150 things from Jennifer and Jenn. The extra 99 things are from Lizzy. The things I've done are in bold.

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink

02. Swam with dolphins

03. Climbed a mountain

04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive

05. Been inside the Great Pyramid

06. Held a tarantula - (Never!!!)

07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone

08. Said "I love you" and meant it

09. Hugged a tree

10. Bungee jumped-(on my list!)

11. Visited Paris -(on my list!)

12. Watched a lightning storm at sea

13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise

14. Seen the Northern Lights

15. Gone to a huge sports game

16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa

17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables

18. Touched an iceberg

19. Slept under the stars

20. Changed a baby's diaper

21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon - (See Here!!!)

22. Watched a meteor shower

23. Gotten drunk on champagne

24. Given more than you can afford to charity

25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope

26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment - at a wedding (I know that is terrible.)...my friend and I were totally out of control...the couple ended up divorced 5 years later...hope we didn't jinx them!!

27. Had a food fight

28. Bet on a winning horse (okay, this was when I was a kid...my family would always bet on the Kentucky Derby.)

29. Asked out a stranger

30. Had a snowball fight

31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can

32. Held a lamb

33. Seen a total eclipse

34. Ridden a roller coaster

35. Hit a home run

36. Danced like a fool and didn't care who was looking

37. Adopted an accent for an entire day

38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment

39. Had two hard drives for your computer

40. Visited all 50 states-(Close!!! I've been to 45!)

41. Taken care of someone who was drunk

42. Had amazing friends -(Still do!!!!)

43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country

44 . Watched whales

45. Stolen a sign

46. Backpacked in Europe

47. Taken a road-trip

48. Gone rock climbing -(on my list!)

49. Taken a midnight walk on the beach

50. Gone sky diving -(on my list!)

51. Visited Ireland

52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love

53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them

54. Visited Japan

55. Milked a cow -yep, it was gross!!!

56. Alphabetized your CDS

57. Pretended to be a superhero-Wonder Woman...loved the outfit...funny thing is that Brian actually met Linda Carter about 10 years ago....and was at her house in Potomac Md!!!!

58. Sung karaoke

59. Lounged around in bed all day

60. Played touch football

61. Gone scuba diving

62. Kissed in the rain

63. Played in the mud -(need to do this!!!! Sounds fun!)

64. Played in the rain

65. Gone to a drive-in theatre

66. Visited the Great Wall of China

67. Started a business

68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken

69. Toured ancient sites

70. Taken a martial arts class

71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours (LOSER!!)

72. Gotten married

73. Been in a movie-(No, but I was in a commercial!)

74. Crashed a party

75. Gotten divorced

76. Gone without food for 5 days

77. Made cookies from scratch

78. Won first prize in a costume contest

79. Ridden a gondola in Venice

80. Gotten a tattoo

81. Rafted the Snake River

82. Been on a television news program as an "expert"

83. Gotten flowers for no reason

84. Performed on stage

85. Been to Las Vegas

86. Recorded music

87. Eaten shark

88. Kissed on the first date

89. Gone to Thailand

90. Bought a house

91. Been in a combat zone

92. Buried one/both of your parents

93. Been on a cruise ship

94. Spoken more than one language fluently

95. Performed in Rocky Horror

96. Raised children

97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour - No but I've seen Jimmy Buffet & Huey Lewis each in concert about a bazillion times!

98. Passed out cold

99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country

100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over

101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge

102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking

103. Had plastic surgery

104. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived

105. Wrote articles for a large publication

106. Lost over 100 pounds

107. Held someone while they were having a flashback

108. Piloted an airplane -(on my list!)

109. Touched a stingray

110. Broken someone's heart

111. Helped an animal give birth

112. Won money on a TV game show

113. Broken a bone

114. Gone on an African photo safari1

15. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears

116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol

117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild

118. Ridden a horse

119. Had major surgery

120. Had a snake as a pet - NEVER!!!

121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon-(No, but I watched the Brady Bunch do it!!)

122. Slept for 30 hours in a 48 hour period

123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. States

124. Visited all 7 continents

125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days

126. Eaten kangaroo meat

127. Eaten sushi

128. Had your picture in the newspaper

129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about

130. Gone back to school

131. Parasailed -(on my list!)

132.Touched a cockroach

133. Eaten fried green tomatoes

134. Read The Iliad and The Odyssey

135. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read

136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating-(Never!)

137. Skipped all your school reunions-(Nope, been to them all and even helped plan them!)

138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language

139. Been elected to public office

140. Written your own computer language

141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream

142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care

143. Built your own PC from parts

144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you

145. Had a booth at a street fair

146. Dyed your hair

147. Been a DJ

148. Shaved your head

149. Caused a car accident

150. Saved someone's life (When I was a lifeguard!!)

These are the 99 from Lizzy, a couple of them are duplicates, but not all.

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii - TWICE & still want to go back!!!!

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland/world

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon - Oh Yea!!! I did it!! See Here!

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching - and seen tons of whales too...in Hawaii!!

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book-(on my list!!)

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous -(Was asked out in college by the quarterback who went on to play in the NFL for many years....I turned him down...it was a smart move.)

92. Joined a book club -(Started my neighborhood book club.)

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

Winner!!!

2008-11-17T09:07:00.004-05:00

The winner of The Shack is.....Mikki at Living Life Where Shoes Are an Option!!!!!

Mikki is an old friend of mine....from way back before we had kids. She started blogging years ago....I remember when she sent me an email about it...I thought to myself, what is a blog??? What is the point of that??? Ha Ha...look how far I've come!

To the rest of you....put this book on your Christmas lists...or go buy it..it's paperback, so therefore less than $10. Trust me, it'll be money well spent.

Happy Monday!!!

Giveaway/Must Read!!

2008-11-12T12:00:00.004-05:00

If you have not read this book, you need to!!!! It is truly the best book I've read this year. If you're curious about God and relationship with Him, then you must read this book.

I am giving away a copy for free, just leave me a comment to enter.

The winner will be chosen on Monday.

Happy Veteran's Day!

2008-11-11T08:58:00.004-05:00

Today is Veteran's Day. I hope you take a minute to stop and pray for all of those men and women who have fought for our country and those who are currently fighting for our country.

The picture is of my son's football team...this past Saturday. This was right after they won their last playoff game and realized their dream of making it to the Superbowl. One of the boy's uncle, John, is over in Iraq with the Marines. The boys have kind of "adopted" him this season and he's "adopted" them.

They sent him his own Raider's Jersey...(that is their football team) which they all signed. They've sent him tons of well wishes. He's in turn sent them some of the most encouraging, inspiring emails each week before their games. It has been such a neat thing to be a part of.

Last week, along with his email, he included a pix of him wearing their jersey in Iraq. This week he sent the boys USMC t-shirts!!! When the boys won their game, they all put on their shirts and posed with the USMC flag for a pix to send back to their buddy John.

This coming Sat the boys will play in the Superbowl. Win or lose, they've all learned a lot about self sacrifice, team work, and never giving up...thanks to one fine Marine.

Happy Veteran's Day and thank you to all of you who have served or who are serving our country.

A Day in DC!!!

2008-11-07T08:18:00.030-05:00

Last weekend, we spent a day with some good friends in DC. We've been friends FOREVER...literally. Now they live in NC, so we only see each other a couple of times a year. It was a fun time!

Love these two people!!!

The Capitol.

The Washington Monument.

The Air & Space Museum.

These two have known each other their ENTIRE lives...how cool is that?

Love this pix!

How much fun can you have with a statue??

Little Buddy & the Moon Landing!

"I'm just a Bill on Capitol Hill!"

(Dont you just love School House Rock??)

The Supreme Court Building.

The Library of Congress.

Halloween Fun!!!

2008-11-03T08:43:00.030-05:00

How do you like these Halloween lights???? No, this isn't my house.....it is a house in my neighborhood though...isn't it cool??? They put the web up a couple of weeks before Halloween and don't add the spider, who is made of balloons, until Halloween.

Boy #1.....he was a nerd this year....I loved it...he was in character the whole time. He cracks me up!!

Boy#2....or should I say Girl #2???? Isn't he funny???? His friends all got a kick out of his costume.

Ready for Trick or Treating!!!

This is the first pumpkin that I ever carved!!!! (Usually Brian does that job, but he was away....so the boys and I did it ourselves!!!)

Here is Charlie's.....he carved his own! Do you like his creative touch??

The sad thing was that when we woke up Sat....both pumpkins were gone....teenagers had stolen them. :(

This is my house.

Earlier in the day, we had all gone to the High School's Homecoming Parade....it normally isn't on Halloween...but it had gotten rained out a few weeks ago.

I like it, because it is such a small town thing! Each grade makes a float. Their are corvettes carrying the class princes & princesses and Senior King & Queen. The marching band & cheerleaders are part of it. The kids like it because all of the High Schoolers throw candy to the crowd.

My girl is on the cheerleader float...but I couldn't get a good shot of her...figures!

Fun Day!

2008-10-30T18:36:00.009-04:00

Today was a fun day.....first Little Buddy had Twin Day at school. He was actually triplets with 2 friends. They all wore jeans, white t shirts, and spiked their hair into faux-hawks....fake mohawks. He looked GREAT!

After the kids went to school, I went shopping with a friend and bought 13 Vera Bradley Bags!!! Don't worry, none of them are mine.....they are part of the prizes for Charlie's Baseball team's Vera Bradley Bingo. It was so much fun....and even better to be spending someone else's money!!!

BTW...if you live near me..the Bingo is at the end of Jan.....we'd love to have you come!!!

Marathon Pictures!!!

2008-10-27T22:37:00.043-04:00

This is me AFTER the race! 26.2 miles...I still can't believe that I actually finished!!

Some funny highlights of the day.....

At about 2 miles into the race a guy passed me who was running and juggling at the same time!!! Yes, I said juggling. He and I were near each other for most of the race until about 20 miles when he took off. He totally beat me!

At about 4 miles 2 guys passed me who were barefooted!!! They flew by me and I never saw them again!

At about 5 miles I passed the oldest man I've ever seen run. He must've been 80 years old. I could not believe that he had been ahead of me for five miles!!!

During miles 5-10 I was hanging with 2 gay guys who were speedwalking. They were the fastest walkers I've ever seen. When I asked them what their pace was they said 12.5 minutes/mile. I was running next to them to keep up!

At 10 miles I saw Bri & the kids for the first time since the starting line. My little buddy was holding a sign that said "Run Forrest Run" with a line through Forrest & Mom written next to it.

At 14 miles a guy passed me who was running backwards! I told him he was really making me feel bad. I asked him if he'd been running backwards the whole race. He said, no he hadn't been...he'd also walked backwards for some of it! :) Later in the race, I passed him and I ended up finishing way before him!! Ha! Take that...Backwards Running Guy!

For miles 15-17 my sister, Kris came on the course and ran with me!!! I love her!

Between miles 15 & 19 I saw my family and friends lots of times. It was so encouraging for me. They are the best!!!!

At mile 19.5 I "Beat the Bridge!!" The runners had to be at the 14th street bridge by 1:15PM or else they were not allowed to finish. Those who were cut off had to ride busses back to the finish line. I did not want to be on that bus!

I got to the bridge about an hour before the cutoff time!!! I was thrilled!!! This was when I knew that I was going to finish the marathon.

Miles 22-25 were absolute killers! My entire body wanted me to STOP.

At mile 26.2 I crossed the finish line!!!! My family & friends were cheering me on from the bleachers.

A Marine put a medal around my neck.

Finishing the marathon was one of the best moments of my life.

I also want to thank all of you who cheered me on at home. It helped so much to know so many of you were getting the texts of my splits and watching my little dot move on the map like I was Harry Potter!

Here are a whole bunch of pictures...starting with the night before the race.

This was the Team in Training Pasta Party. We were all there except Charlie...he was with Gma & Gpa.

Here are the kids with their arms around Charlie's empty seat.

My gear....ready to go...the night before.

5:45AM...getting ready to leave!!

Just practicing! :)

Oh yea, here's my #....don't forget it!

One of the starting tunnels....and the gun that started the race.

The starting line....look at all the people!

Here I am walking up to the starting line...it was freezing before the race.

This is me saying hello & goodbye to B & the kids about 2 minutes before starting. I threw off the gloves & coat about 1 and a half miles into it.

Here is a really gross picture of me running. I am at mile 10 here.

Bri was my gatorade refill guy along the race....they provided drinks, but I also brought my own.

Here is the sign...isn't it cute???

This is me & my sister Kris running together. She has on the grey sweats.

Here I am on the final approach.

Thank God!

Just about to cross the finish line.

Me & my medal!!!!!!

Bri & me....I love him. He was so proud of me.

The whole family...my biggest supporters.

Part of the gang at the finish line. I love you all!!

I did it!!!

2008-10-27T10:33:00.017-04:00

I cannot believe that I did it!!! I ran in and finished the Marine Corps Marathon!!! The whole experience was truly incredible. It was amazing. I am so glad that I did it. I still can't believe that I finished it!!!!

My family and friends came down and cheered me on. It was so neat to see them along the route. My sister even came on the course and ran with me for 2 miles! The crowds and Marines were lining almost the entire course cheering on the runners. It was so inspiring and encouraging. It was so neat to be doing it in DC too. It felt very patriotic.

My goal was to "beat the bridge." That is the 14th street bridge at about 19.5 miles. The runners had to be there by 1:15PM or they would not let you continue running. Those people, who didn't get there in time, were put on busses and driven to the finish line. I did not want to be on that bus! When I reached the bridge an hour before the cut off time, I was thrilled! I knew then, that I was going to finish the race!!

My final time was 6 hours and 8 minutes! That was very exciting because I was hoping that I would be able to come in at 7 hours, if I was able to finish at all.

Brian took lots of pictures, as did the MCM people. I will upload them in the next day or 2.

In the mean time. Here are some pictures from Friday when Brian and I went to DC to check in.

When we took this picture...I was thinking that this might be the only finish line I'd see.

Yes, we are cheesy..aren't we???

That night we went to some good friend's of ours house for our church community group. When we knocked on the door, my friend Shawn answered and he was wearing a little card taped to himself that said, "We support #17341"

As, I entered the house I saw that everyone was wearing one. I was so touched.

I love these people!!

I had to take a pix with the photographer too!

Thank you all for your kind words, love, encouragement and prayers. I know that I wouldn't have been able to do it without you.

I am so incredibly sore today. My knee held out for the entire race, but as soon as I finished it totally locked up on me. I'm in pain, but it was soooo worth it.

In a day or two, I'll be feeling fine....and I'll always be able to say that I ran in a marathon!

It's Almost Time!!

2008-10-23T20:27:00.003-04:00

Hello my Bloggin' friends!! I'm so sorry I haven't been around lately...I have been consumed with getting ready for The Marine Corps Marathon this Sunday!!!!!

These past couple of months my runs have gotten longer which means the time it takes me to run them has also gotten longer....we're talking 2, 3, or 4 hours!!!! A few weeks ago I ran my longest run at 20 miles...and honestly I thought I wasn't going to make it!

The race is Sunday, so please think of me. I'm praying for no rain, for my left knee to hold up, and for the stamina to finish the 26.2 miles!!!

Myself and 18,000 other people will be running in it...so look for me on TV!

I Met a Friend!!

2008-10-13T17:06:00.003-04:00

Me and Steph at my church's Women's Retreat!!!

This whole blogging world is soooo cool. This is Steph from The Scoop from the Loop. She used to live in Maryland....near me. She also used to attend my church!!! We never knew each other when she lived here, but met through blogging after she moved to Florida!!!

This past weekend my church had it's annual Women's Retreat in Virginia and guess what??? Steph came. We finally got to meet each other in person!!! What a neat experience....and she is just as nice & funny in real life!

More Fall Decorations!!

2008-10-08T21:40:00.012-04:00

Hey.....Here are some more Fall Decorations for you, as promised. The wreath on my front door is from Safeway! Can you believe that? I love it because it's not too orangey....and it was on sale!

Here's a close up of part of my fireplace mantel.

The only things I purchased this year were the white pumpkins.

Everything else was from other parts of my house. These 2 napkins inside the baskets were a gift that I never use because there's only 2 of them. I think they're great here.

The baskets are at least 15 years old from parties I went to ages ago. In fact, I wasn't even using them. I had them on a shelf in my storage room!

The fake fruit & flowers inside the small basket are actually a candle ring! I just set it right inside the basket on it's side.

Here's the whole mantel.

Sometimes, it can be tricky to decorate a mantel. Mine can be tough because of the funky transom window above it.

Here are some tips that have worked for me:

1. Use a lot of things.

2. Play around with them.

3. Try different things... you're finished look will probably not be what you had in mind when you started.

4. Layer your things.

5. Use different textures and finishes.

6. Use items of varying heights.

7. Don't lean a mirror above your fireplace. All you will reflect is your ceiling. If you really want a mirror up there..hang it so it reflects your room.

8. Don't be afraid of color.

9. Have fun!

PS. Come back next week & I'll show you the outside of the house!

A Touch of Fall

2008-10-07T05:00:00.004-04:00

I just love Fall decorations. This hangs in my entryway.

The full effect.

(Isn't it weird how the paint color on the wall looks different in these photos? This one is the truest representation.

Our Dining Room centerpiece.....for you Steph!

This is the Fall version...you can look at this post to see the same centerpiece decorated for Christmas and Springtime. I'm a big believer in using what you've got. Why reinvent the wheel each time??? Just change out some seasonal elements....and voila!

Come back in a few days to see more!

2008-09-29T23:04:00.005-04:00

We've had an exciting weekend here....it POURED down rain on Sat and both boys still played their football games. Charlie's team basically played in a mud pit and loved it!! They had so much fun. In the midst of the game, he ended up breaking his thumb during a tackle.

I took him to Urgent Care where they X-rayed him and said it was broken. Today I took him to follow up with the Orthopedic Surgeon and to get his cast. Believe it or not, this is the FIRST cast for any of my kids.

Here he is in all his glory....

Surprisingly, he is still allowed to play football. He will just have to wrap the cast in foam. He won't be able to write because he's right handed. Hmmmmm...he can still play football but he can't do his school work. Sounds like a boy's dream come true!!!

45 Lessons

2008-09-24T18:08:00.005-04:00

This was sent to me by my Dad a few months ago, and I love it. I wanted to share it with you all.

It was written by Regina Brett of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio.

She says it is the most requested column she'd ever written and it was rerun in honor of her 90th Birthday. I'd say she's got a lot of wisdom to impart.

45 Lessons Life Taught Me

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement early starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful, or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words, "In five years, will this matter?"

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will. Stay in touch.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative.

37. Your children only get one childhood. Make it memorable.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we threw all our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

So what do you want to do??

2008-09-22T08:35:00.003-04:00

When Brian & I were first married, we spent 4 years together without kids. I have no idea what in the world we did with all that free time, but I do remember both of us sitting around all weekend asking, "So what do you want to do??"

"I don't know, what do you want to do??"

and so on, and so on....

I was thinking about this last night as I fell into bed at 10:30PM. We had no idea back then, just how much free time we had.

When my kids were little, it was so physically exhausting because they needed me 24/7. I always thought it'd be so much easier when they were older.....it's different, not necessarily easier. Now instead of physical exhaustion...the culprit is busyness.

Here is a recap of our weekend:

Friday:

I worked a little.

Went to the grocery store.

Made 12 dinners for a Dream Dinner swap.

Took Charlie to football practice & stopped to buy him a ticket to the Sock Hop on the way home.

Brian & Mike TV went to watch Veruka cheer at an away game.

I went back and picked up Charlie from practice.

Drove Charlie to Sock Hop.

Sat in silence all by myself for 1 hour!! :)

Bri came home & picked up Charlie from Sock Hop.

Saturday:

Helped Veruka with Car Wash signs.

Went to Mike's football game.

Left game and went to Veruka's Cheerleading Car Wash...stayed to help for an hour.

Drove Veruka home.

Went straight back to football field to watch Charlie's football game.

Came home & got changed to go out on a date with Bri....we saw Tropic Thunder.....very funny, if you like "stupid funny" movies.

Sunday:

Went to church.

Met friends for Dream Dinner's swap.

Went straight to both boys baseball tryouts...for Spring baseball.

Left in the middle of tryouts to drive Veruka home from her tumbling class.

Went back to finish watching tryouts.

Came home, picked up Veruka and went Homecoming Dress shopping. She got a dress & shoes that we both love!!

Had Bro-in-Law's fam over for cookout.

Sat on the couch for an hour & went to bed!!!

Here's what I didn't do:

1. Meet with our Community Group....thankfully, we were taking the week off.

2. Go for my long run Saturday.....I'm off to do that now!!

So, to those of you with young kids, my advice is cherish the time. It goes by so quickly. Before you know it, you start living your life in your minivan.....being the taxi driver!!

Good Bye, Ty-Dye!

2008-09-18T09:04:00.005-04:00

I've been meaning to post all week, but I am just now getting around to it. Why??? Because all 3 of my kids have been sick with the stomach virus!!! Doesn't that stink? Today, they finally all went back to school. I can bleach the barf buckets and put them away until next time. (Oh yes, there's always a next time.)

So, I need to let you know that we've had a dear pet pass away this week. Ty-Dye the gekko. He lived a long and happy life.....3 years. I thought that was pretty good, until Veruka told me that most gekkos live 30 years! (I guess Ty-Dye was 27 when we bought him. :)

That's right, I said bought him. No, he wasn't free. We actually paid money.....for a gekko! (I know, I couldn't believe it either!) It all started when Charlie was turning 9. He had been asking for a pet. Veruka had gotten a kitten for her 9th Bday.....that's another story for another day. At the time we were trying to avoid the whole dog thing....of course we eventually caved on that front. But at the time, this was before Dakota aka...before dog.

Anyway, we were at the mall & the kids wanted to go in the pet store. While we were there the boys had to look at the reptiles. I mean...snakes and lizards are required viewing for all boys, aren't they?? Veruka and I were ooohing and ahhhing over the adorable puppies when Charlie ran up and asked if he could pleeeeease get a gekko for a pet.

I thought it sounded like a great idea....I mean a gekko...that had to be low maintenance right? He drug me to the back of the store to show me the cool gekkos that he liked. They were neat alright, but I couldn't pull my eyes away from the price tag.......EIGHTY DOLLARS!!!! I am not making that up!!!!

8 - 0....Eighty!!!

I quickly recovered and told Charlie we'd need to see if we could find one that cost a little less.I was hoping he'd forget after a couple of days. No such luck. He wouldn't let the gekko idea go. After all, I had said yes, he could get one. He decided he wanted it for his birthday. He asked for $ and supplies. My sis gave him her old fish tank, along with a thermometer and money to put towards the gekko. I was able to find a cheaper gekko.....only 50 dollars....(can you believe it??) ....at PetSmart.

The day finally arrived, and I took him to PetSmart where we spent $50 for a carpet, water bowl, fake cave and driftwood. Then of course there was the $50 for the gekko which Charlie named Ty-Dye. Now that is a cool name for a gekko isn't it??? He looked like he was ty-dyed....thus the name.

Well, as we were getting ready to head to the check out, I mentioned to the overly helpful PetSmart girl, that we almost forgot to get food. I turned and asked her,

"What do gekkos eat???"

"Crickets", she replied.

"What???? I thought I heard you say crickets???" was my reply.

"That's right!!" she said, "and don't worry, we sell them here."

"What????"

"Can't the gekko just eat cricket flavored food?" I asked exasperated.

Apparently, not. The girl helpfully showed me where I could get a small cage for the crickets....and food for the crickets. That's right, food for the food of the gekko!!!! Sheesh!

So, every two weeks for the past 3 years I've driven my butt 20 minutes to the nearest PetSmart to pick up live crickets. Oh, how I'll miss that duty.

Ty-Dye was buried earlier in the week with a full funeral. When we realized he had passed away, I asked Charlie if he wanted Ty-Dye to have a burial at sea or a burial in the earth. He and Mike TV just stared at me wide eyed and silent.

Then finally, Charlie asked, "Does burial at sea mean flushed down the toilet?"

He chose burial in the earth.

So, Ty-Dye was placed in the finest of caskets.....an Ann Taylor jewelry box. He was draped in a flag...one of the mini flags on a stick...for the procession....and he was laid to rest under our Japanese Maple tree. At the end of the funeral, Brian played taps on Charlie's trumpet. Good ol Ty-Dye, may he rest in peace.

Hershey Park Happy!

2008-09-12T08:59:00.016-04:00

I'm backtracking just a bit here...on Labor Day we spent the day at Hershey Park with some old friends of ours. We had tons of fun...if you've never been to HP...you must go...it's our favorite amusement park!!

Feeding the ducks!???

(We came all this way and they wanted to stop and feed the ducks! It kind of reminded me of when we've gone to Disney World and they want to wait in line to get autographs!!)

Duck butt!! (The kids all thought this was hysterical!)

Tree Huggers!

The Champ & his buddy had to ride in front!

The Storm Runner....Charlie with his hands up...crazy kid!!

Cool boys!!

Sweet girls.....

The thrill of victory!!!

(He won this on his first try!!!! Can you believe it??)

The agony of defeat! :(

(I don't know what was worse....the fact that he didn't win, or the fact that his brother did.)

Don't worry, we hugged him up and made him feel better.

There's always the next time...right??

Braces Off!!

2008-09-09T08:17:00.004-04:00

We have some exciting news in our house....after six years, My Girl has finally gotten her braces off for good!!! She is thrilled! I know an angel is smiling down from Heaven. :)

Happy Birthday Honey!!!!

2008-09-08T00:01:00.000-04:00

This is one of my favorite pictures of Brian. It's from our Outer Banks vacation last year and he's holding baby Evan.

Thanks for being my best friend.

Happy Birthday!!!!

I love you.

I love a RAINY day!!!!

2008-09-06T14:47:00.008-04:00

Hello my laptop friends,

I haven't forgotten about you. I'm still here and all is well. No need to worry. My life's been busy, that's all.

First, I got a job!!! I am still subbing, but last year it was sooooo inconsistent. I decided to take a little part time job and I'm loving it. I am working with 2 of my good friends so we're having a blast. (Lots of talking and laughing to accompany our work, if you know what I mean!) I'll be back in the classroom too, but this will give me something to do that is a little more consistent.

The great thing is that the office is only 10 minutes away from my house. My hours will be very flexible....on working days I'm only in the office from 10:00AM-2:30PM or 3 so I'm home when my people get off the bus. So far, the first week's been great.

Second, I have to confess that I've been cheating on all of you with facebook. I'm totally addicted to it. I love going on to see if I've got any new friends and who they are and I'm really loving the flair!!!

Here's the pathetic part, I went on fb to check it out for Veruka. Just to see if we thought it was safe enough for her to set up one. Well, in doing that, I set up my own facebook. I started getting requests from people that I know in real life who want to be my friend on fb. At first I was emailing people and telling them that I really didn't have a facebook, partly because I knew I'd get hooked on it, but soon there were so many requests, I said what the heck and just went with it. (I was right too, I'm totally hooked on it!) It's pretty cool. I've reconnected with some friends from High School & college plus lots of other friends. If you don't have a facebook, you've gotta check it out!

So, now I sit here on this rainy day and I'm finally catching up with my blogging buddies. Today, I was supposed to wake up at 6AM and run 12 miles (yes, you read correctly, I said 12!) Our boys were each supposed to have football games which Bri was going to leave for at 6:45AM. It all was cancelled thanks to my good friend Hanna!!!! So instead, I slept in, drank my coffee in my pj's, read my People magazine (because a girl's gotta have her priorities), did a ton of laundry, cleaned my house and am catching up on my blog! What a great day!

Also, when our mail came, look what was in it....

I won this from Nancy at her blog. This is the first time I've EVER won anything!!!! How fun!

What did she win????

2008-08-29T07:30:00.006-04:00

So are you wondering what was in my giveaway??

Ta Da!

Just a few of my favorite things...

Chocolate Covered Pretzels

A Gift Card to Starbucks

A Can of Old Bay Seasoning...

and if you want to know what's in the package....

You'll need to go here to find out.

Have a great weekend! We finally get to sleep in tomorrow! Yea!

F. D. O. S. -- Tears of Sorrow or Jumping for Joy??

2008-08-27T20:36:00.023-04:00

Yes, I'm still here....we've just been super busy with the last days of Summer and the First Day of School!!!

Here are the pictures....

10th Grader!!

(She wasn't too thrilled because the cheerleaders had to all dress alike for the first day...polo shirt and flip flops that they made. Normally, she loves the cheerleader spirit days....but not the very first day of school. I thought she looked cute anyway!)

7th Grader!!!

The middle of Middle School!

3rd Grader!!!

The year of playing the recorder and learning cursive writing!

The Middle School bus stop.

The Elementary School bus stop!

(35 kids are at our Elementary School bus stop.....it looked like they weren't going to fit on the bus, but they did!)

And they're out of here!!!

So, what did I do???? First, I met some friends at Panera for Back to School Bagels....then I met up with another group of friends and went out to lunch at Mimi's Cafe and hit Tar-jay for some shopping. I spent the last hour of my time back at home all by myself enjoying the sound of silence!!

Ahhhh.

Usually, I am sad on the first day of school. I miss having the kids around. This year though, no tears for me. I am happy for them. It is neat to think of all that lies ahead. I am looking forward to seeing what the year brings for each one of them.

What about you??? What does the first day of school mean....

Tears of sorrow or..... Jumping for joy?????

Sorry, I took down the pics of my kids with the signs...because they had their real names on them....brain cramp!! So, if you're just now reading this...imagine them all holding cute little signs with their names and grade!!! ~Kath

We have a WINNER!!

2008-08-21T22:38:00.011-04:00

First of all, I just wanted to say thank you, thank you, thank you to each of you for stopping by my blog.

I was blown away by all of your comments!! Thanks for helping me feel the love. If you were here, I'd hug you all.

Without further delay, let's get to our winner.....

103 of you commented....so I used the old fashioned method (aka: Debbie's method)....because I have zero skills when it comes to technology and computers.

(I mean seriously, it is a miracle that I've been able to actually have this blog. I am that pathetic.)

So, no random generator for me.

Can I get a drum roll???

Isn't my helper cute??

Our winner is.....

S'more of My Thoughts at My Wheels are Turning!!!!!

Now here's the funny part, when I went to her blog...guess what it's theme is??? It's all about camping! I thought that was pretty funny considering I am so...."not the camping type."

(Although, maybe if I had an RV, I'd be singing a different tune!)

Congratulations S'more!! I'll be in touch with you.

For the rest of you, I've got a question....

Earlier today I had commented on a friends blog that I was so excited because unleaded gas was $3.53 a gallon here. Well, when I was running around today I saw that it had dropped to $3.49 a gallon for unleaded!! Boy was I excited. I pulled right in and filled up my Mommivan.

Isn't that sad that in my mind $3.49 is a bargain???!!!

When I was in college gas was 70 cents a gallon for unleaded! That right people I said 70 cents!! (Yes, I'm old....it's okay...the 40's rock!)

So, here's my question...since you guys are from all over....how much is a gallon of unleaded gas where you live??

Come On In!!

2008-08-19T21:18:00.026-04:00

Hey Everyone!

Come on in. I am so excited to be one of the featured bloggers representing the great state of Maryland!!! All of you ladies from "Blog Around the World" come on in and make yourselves comfortable. For my old friends, who don't know about BATW, click on the link and go check it out. Basically, it started as a post that turned into a Ms. USA pageant, that turned into a brand new blog for my friend Debbie.

I am so excited that Debbie chose Maryland today, because guess what??? This is also my 100th post!! You know what that means??? That's right a giveaway!!Keep reading and I'll give you the details.

So, I guess I should post some fascinating facts about Maryland, but I'm too lazy to look anything up.

Here's what I can tell you off the top of my head......

Maryland is just a hop, skip, and a jump from Washington DC.

You pronounce it Mair-uh-lind. Kind of like Meryl Streep, but Meryl Lind instead. You do not pronounce it Mary Land. Got it? Good, let's move on.

Maryland is all about steamed crabs. (Sorry Louisiana, we don't boil the crabs over here on the East Coast.) We steam them and then smother then in Old Bay. What's Old Bay, you ask??? Only the best seasoning ever invented by anyone anywhere. You can put Old Bay on just about anything (right Jon??) It is especially good on crabs!!!

(It is sooo good that when my hubby and I moved out west we actually packed a case of it to take with us. They didn't sell it where we were moving to, and there was no way we could live without it...that's how good it is!)

Maryland is the home of the Baltimore Orioles....even though they've stunk since Cal Ripken Jr. retired....we still love em! Go O's.

If you come visit, be sure to spend a day at the O's super nice stadium, Camden Yards and then you can shop and dine at the nearby Inner Harbor.

My friend Steph just reminded me that Maryland is also the home of Duff aka: The Ace of Cakes. We can swing by Charm City Cakes and see what he and the gang are up to this week.

If you like boating and history, then we'll head on over to Annapolis for a day at our beautiful waterfront state capital.

I almost forgot to mention, we also have a football team here. They shall remain nameless. My hubby and I aren't fans of that team. We were both born and raised in Maryland. We moved away and came back after that other team came to Maryland....so we are die hard REDSKINS fans here in our household. We've done our duty well and have raised our sons accordingly.

(Our daughter has somehow decided that she is a Cowboy's fan....I'm afraid she's going to have to be disowned.)

Maryland is also the home of the Gold Medal Man, Michael Phelps. Woo Hoo!!! Was he awesome in the Olympics or what??? My friend Mikki asked the question that I just can't seem to answer.....Why was his suit sooooooo low????? My goodness, every time he swam I was afraid we were just one air bubble away from finding out if he shaved his whole body before each race -- do ya know what I mean???!!!

Michael, we love you, but please do us all a favor and hike up your suit.

If you decide to stay we can "go down the ocean, Hon." Now that is not how I really speak, but that is how a true blue Baltimorian speaks. Translation = we can "drive to the beach." (Don't worry, I am fluent in their language, I'll stick close by your side and translate all of your conversations for you.)

I know you've got lots of other blogs to get to today so, lets move on to our giveaway.

What will you win???? You'll have to wait and see! All I can say is it'll be good.

When will you know if you're the big winner? Check back with me on Friday and I'll let you know.

What do you need to do to enter this fabulous, wonderful, one of a kind, 100th post/BATW giveaway???

Leave me a comment.

That's it!!!

Thanks for stopping by. Now go check out those other awesome ladies that Debbie has listed today!

I'll see you Friday, when we reveal the big winner!!

PS. Since Debbie mentioned my Hot Air Balloon Ride.....click HERE if you want to read about it!

Adventures in Camping

2008-08-17T22:30:00.016-04:00

So, while I'm backtracking....I thought I'd show you some pictures from our camping trip two weeks ago.

Jennifer P. and Amy B. both posted about camping last week, so I had to post these pictures.

Amy's post especially spurred me on because it was titled "10 Things I Love About Camping." Now, just to give you some background, I grew up with a camping family. We had a pop-up camper and camped across the country for several vacations. (That is how I visited over 40 states in the US!)

As a kid I loved it.

As a teen I remember asking my Mom & Dad why couldn't we just get a condo at the beach for a week like a normal family??

As an adult I've dreaded it, even hated it....but I continue to go once a year, because my kids love it.

We didn't camp for the first time until our Little Buddy was two years old and Brian was soooo excited about it. In fact he was so thrilled about it I thought maybe he'd bought a camper and was going to surprise me with it.

No such luck.

We camped the first two years in a tent.

After that we "moved on up" and now we camp in a cabin. Well, they call it a cabin. I call it a shed with beds. But, at least we don't have to set it up....and if it rains we stay dry.

In the spirit of Amy's post I give you:

10 Things I Hate About Camping

10. The bugs & spiders!

9. Fear of being attacked by a snake.

8. Yucky campground showers. Yikes!

7. No sleep.....too many strange noises.

6. The sound of snoring, coming from another campsite!

5. Packing up half of the house just to go for a weekend....then coming home washing everything and putting it all away.

4. The smell of the "Camping Man"...men and boys who do not see the need to shower or change their clothes the entire weekend!

3. Sleeping on a Double bed with my hubby....do you see how big he is???

2. Did I mention the bugs and spiders??? (Steph, you & I are 2 of a kind!)

1. No Air Conditioning!

and.....just to be fair......

10 Things I Love About Camping

10. No video games, computer, or TV!!!

9. Tons of fun time spent with my hubby and kids.

8. S'Mores!!!! Yummy!

7. All meals cooked by the men! Woo Hoo!

6. No mess from the crabs....it all goes in the campground dumpster.

5. Spending time laughing and relaxing with good friends.

4. Loving wine from a box and Jiffy Pop Popcorn.

3. Lots of time for playing cornhole.

2. Sitting around the campfire chilling.

1. Making great memories that you just can't get in a hotel.

So, for one weekend a year, the 'loves' outweigh the 'hates.' We'll be back again next Summer!!!

Sitting around the campfire. (Do you like our fancy lights on our cabin???)

The crabfeast......mmmmm!

Loving this.....my man cooking!!!

Good friends!

PS. You'll know you're at the same campground as me, when you hear the blow dryer going at 7AM.

Sorry, I'm a high maintenance girl, what can I say???

A Night With the Jo Bros!!!

2008-08-13T15:15:00.074-04:00

That's right ladies, you read correctly.....a night with the Jonas Brothers!!

Quick, go ahead and get your daughters, they are gonna want to see these pictures. I'm not going anywhere, I'll be right here waiting for you to come back.

Okay, Are you ready???

As you can tell by our tickets, the concert was one week ago today. I had planned to post about it the following morning but that was when I discovered I had no cable and no internet......for 5 days!!!

Then we got back and I had to post about our hot air balloon ride.

So, now I am going to show you the pictures from the concert.

First, let me introduce you to the ladies that went to the concert with me.

Here are the Future Mrs. Jonas, the Future Mrs. Jonas, and the Future Mrs. Jonas

Aren't they cute??? (That's My Girl in the yellow top.)

All right, they don't have to become The Future Mrs. Jonas's....I think they'd just settle for a date to Homecoming.

Here's the Jo Bros old bus.

Everybody signs it.

Ready for the concert to start.

Keep in mind that our seats were pretty far away. Thank goodness for my zoom lens! Some of the pictures are a little blurry and some are clear. (Weird!!??)

The Jo Bros as the show began.

Nick and Kevin jamming on their guitars.

All 3 boys!

Joe among a sea of fans.

The concert goers consisted of about 300,000 girls and Moms, 5 boys, and 2 Dads!

The girls ranged from age 19 down to 4....(although why anyone would want to take a 4 year old to a concert that was loud and started at 8:30PM is beyond me.)

Oh Yea!

Nick on the drums.

This picture reminds me a little of the Beatles or maybe the Bee Gees....do you agree??

Joe sings to this little girl who was picked out of the crowd. The Future Mrs. Jonas's thought he should've chosen one of them instead.

Then Demi L. came out to sing a song from Camp Rock. She was also the opening act.

Joe sings to the girls.

The boys were up on pedestals that rose up out of the stage. This was a cool shot with the screen behind him.

Sitting and singing.

Nick sings and plays the guitar. Are you catching on here that none of the girls really liked Kevin???? I guess he's just too old. Sorry.

Okay, here's one Kevin picture. (Look at that one Dad with his arm on the stage looking totally bored! Ha!)

Joe smiles for the girls.

Jamming with Big during "Burnin' Up."

That's it! Thank you and good night Baltimore!

(Not sure why this pix is a blur, but I love the arms reaching up to them!)

When we left the building I managed to turn the wrong way. (Me and my good sense of direction.) If we'd turned left, it would've been quicker to get to our parking garage. Instead, we turned right. This meant we had to go around two extra sides of the building. In doing so, we ended up on the side where the busses were parked.

There were about 100,000 fans lined up and packed on the sidewalk about 8 feet deep. They were all hoping to catch a glimpse of the Jo Bros as they left the building. I told the girls to keep going. There was no way they were going to see the Jonas Brothers.

After all, I'd been to 100's of concerts before (okay, probably not 100's) and have never seen anyone famous.

Well, as we were squeezing behind the crowd, one of the Future Mrs. Jonas's got lost!!! In all truthfulness, it was actually pretty scary to think I'd lost someone else's daughter. She did not have her cell phone with her. She was lost for about 20 minutes that seemed like 2 hours!

Finally, she did a smart thing and asked a stranger to borrow their cell phone to call. We met up with her around the corner which was now at the front of the busses.

We were getting ready to cross the street to go to our parking garage when a security officer told us we couldn't cross yet. He said we had to get back to the curb because the busses were getting ready to leave.

I tried explaining that we weren't waiting for the busses. We were just trying to cross the street. He told us we'd have to wait.

So we backed up. Because we were already in the process of crossing the street, we ended up being right in front of the crowd.

If you look at the pix below, the busses pulled out where the cross walk is.

A minute later we heard screams around the corner. We couldn't see that side, but I assumed that meant the Jo Bros were exiting the building.

The busses started and the second bus to pull out had it's door open. We could see all 3 Jo Bros in the bus, but leaning right in the open door was Nick Jonas. Guess what??? He was about 15 to 20 feet away from us and he waved. I am not kidding!! It looked like he waved right at the girls.

Of course they all screamed. The whole thing lasted about 10 seconds, but it played out in slow motion. It was so neat!

I could not believe it. I told the girls to remember that night because it would probably never happen again.

So, that was my night with the Jo Bros!

This is a picture of the side of the bus. I wish I'd thought to turn my camera on video, but I honestly thought we'd be seeing the side of a bus and that would be it.

Here is just one last thing that I noticed as a Mom. The boys were all 3 wearing the same exact clothes that they had just performed in. They left the building about 30 min after the show ended. There was no hanging around backstage with groupies for them.

The show was awesome. It was very wholesome and clean. You can take your kids to see them and feel good about it. And if you do, make sure you wait outside by the busses, because you just may get to see them!

PS. If you go, bring ear plugs.....not because of the music, but because of the screaming girls!!!

Happy Anniversary!!

2008-08-12T09:12:00.043-04:00

Today is mine and Brian's 19th Anniversary!!!! We celebrated it this weekend by going away to a Bed and Breakfast near the Shenandoah Mountains in Virginia. This is the second time we've stayed in a B & B. It was really nice. Brian is not much of a B & B person, and for that matter, neither am I. What I mean by that, is that neither of us likes the idea of staying in a common house, sharing a bathroom, or meals with strangers.

Both of our B & B experiences have been exactly the opposite of that. Each time we've had our own little cottage. We've had total 100% privacy with no other people to interact with at all. This weekend our cottage was 2 floors with a sitting room downstairs and the bedroom and bathroom upstairs. There was a fireplace on each floor. Our cottage was by the pool so right outside our front porch was a beautiful swimming pool that we mostly had to ourselves.

It was very relaxing and peaceful. We spent a couple of hours Sat on Skyline Drive which was beautiful. We came back to our cottage and took a nap of all things. That night Brian told me that he wanted to give me my present. We were going to go out to eat, but not to get dressed up. In fact, he told me to wear tennis shoes. (So far, it was not sounding like my idea of a romantic Anniversary Dinner....but I went along with it.)

We drove about a half an hour and finally arrived.

Guess what my present was????

It was a ride in this!

Let me just tell you, I was very excited. Number one, because I am tough to surprise. And, Number two, because I really wanted to go on a hot air balloon ride....(remember it was on my list!?)

The Balloon pilot's name was Bob. Bob told Brian he'd need some help to set up the balloon.

(I guess he asked Brian because his other passengers were myself and 5 older women...not elderly, but older than us.)

There is Bob setting up the balloon. The basket started out laying down.

Here is the balloon as it filled up with air.

Getting close to being full!

Bri was really helping out a lot. I was glad he was there!

Now it was time to turn on the flame.

And set the basket and balloon upright.

We were off and flying!

It was amazing how much we could see and how smooth the flight was.

Here we are!

This picture is looking straight up into the balloon. The flame had to be turned on every minute or so to keep us up. It was hot, hot, hot!!! In fact, I thought my hair was going to burst into flames because of the hairspray I'd put on earlier!

Isn't the shadow cool?

We'd been up for about 30 minutes when all of the sudden the wind came to a complete standstill. We were stopped over a strip of trees.

We started getting lower and lower.

We went all the way down into the tree tops!!! This was not a good feeling. Bob told Brian to lean over the edge and try to grab the tree tops to steer us away from them!!!!!

I told Brian not to lean over the edge and grab the tree tops!

Next, Bob tried to bounce the basket off the treetops!! This was also not very comforting. He informed us that we only had a few minutes of fuel left! He told us all to hold on tightly to anything we could.

I could not believe it!

Here is where the balloon came down. Amazingly we were all fine and the balloon did not get tangled in any trees.

Bob yells for Brian and 2 others to hop out and pull the basket and balloon away from the trees.

They do it and have to run through a field of weeds, thorns and thistles three feet high while trying to pull a heavy balloon.

They make it to a clearing.

Now Bob wants them to take a running start with the basket and balloon and try to boost him up over the trees because there is a freshly mowed field on the other side of the trees. He tells everyone to get out to make the balloon lighter. Everyone except for me. He wants me to stay in the balloon with him since I had shorts on.

I looked at Brian with my eyes as wide as saucers. At the moment, all I wanted to do was to get out on the ground with everyone else.

Brian looks at me then looks at Bob and says,

"Sorry Bob, she's getting out."

He quickly pulls me over the edge to safety.

Bob used some fuel to double check the field on the other side of the trees and to see if by chance there is some wind.

Still no wind, so he comes straight down. Bri and the others try to give a running start and push Bob & the balloon towards the treeline. Instead, Bob goes straight up. Brian tried to hang onto the side of the basket and was literally hanging onto it as it lifted into the air. His feet were about 3 feet off the ground before he jumped back to safety. I wish I had a picture of this because it really was funny looking, but I was worried that he wouldn't jump off in time and he'd get hurt.

Finally Bob decides there is no way we're going to get him over the trees. He yells for us all to push him over a fence in the other direction where there appeared to be a break in the trees big enough to fit the balloon through.

Here we are....well not me, I was taking the picture. Look at Bob riding along while his paying customers carry him in the balloon! They pushed him through the opening. Then we all had to climb over a small stone wall and a rusty barbwire fence. Brian goes first....no problem. Then the old ladies go next. One gets over while 3 get stuck on the fence. (I am not kidding...their pants were hooked on the barbwire!) It was absolutely crazy. Brian finally manages to help everyone over the fence.

As Brian was helping us, Bob was yelling to grab the rope so he could land. It was unbelievable.

Finally, our ordeal was ending! The balloon was on the ground in a field. Now all we had to do was deflate the balloon, pack it up, load the whole balloon and basket onto the truck, and ride back to our cars!

The whole ride was supposed to last 45 minutes. Instead, it was 3 hours of mayhem!

So, now I can cross "hot air balloon ride" off of my list. I can assure you that we won't be doing that again. It was definitely a once in a lifetime event.

What a story we have!

Happy Anniversary Brian!

I love you.

No Cable, No Internet....5 days!

2008-08-11T11:31:00.003-04:00

Hey All,

Yes, I'm still here...I've had no cable and no internet for the past 5 days!! Can you believe it??? I finally got reconnected this morning....hallelujah! I've got lots to share with you...it's been a busy week around here....but have too much to do right now. Check back in tomorrow.

Check this Out

2008-08-06T08:59:00.004-04:00

Do you want a new look for your blog??? You know I love, love, love Darcy and her work at Graphically Designing....if you want a custom blog....head on over to her website.

But, if you're just looking to make your blog pretty and would like to spend zero dollars....go to this website:

www.thecutestblogontheblock.com

I found out about it from my niece, who blogs. (I'd link you to hers, but she uses their real names and would like to keep her blog private.) Her new look is so cute! I love it. If your interested.....go check out some of their great layouts.

Unlike Pyzam, you don't lose all of your links and other goodies from your blog when you upload one of their layouts.

Can't wait to see your new looks! If you make a change, link back to me and let me know.

Have fun!