Can You See Me Now?

I think I figured out why some of you couldn't see my header! Are you using IE? I took a look at my blog from IE and couldn't see it either. I worked a little magic with the code and now I can see it. Hope you guys can too!

Arizona, Here He Comes

Bob is not fond of flying, but he leaves tomorrow morning for Arizona. It took weeks for me to get him to purchase the tickets. He will return Saturday evening.

Boy, am I going to miss that man. This will be the longest we have been apart since we have been married. Olivia and I are staying home. Since this was a last minute planned trip there were just too many things that didn't work out for us to travel together.

We have been planning on going out to Arizona in the spring to visit Bob's parents, grandma, and take in some Brewers and Cubs spring training games. Since Sama isn't doing very well I think it is very important that at least Bob get out there to spend time with her.

I better get the laundry finished so I can pack his suitcase!

Happy Birthday!

Happy 85th Birthday Grandma Minnie! I love you, missed going out bummin' with you last week. I am looking forward to seeing you this week for our weekly "date"! (Yes, I know she won't see this...lol!)

Here We Go Brewers

...and Bratwurst...lol!

Yes, the Brewers won this afternoon and so did the Bratwurst...lol!! I was pullin' for the Italian Sausage...rofl!

A Little WI Sports News

From Packers.com: The Green Bay Packers and American Family Insurance Thursday announced the theme of this year's Packers cap campaign, the Packers Heart Cap, to raise money for the fight against heart disease.

This is the second joint campaign for the two organizations. Last year's effort, the Packers Breast Cancer Cap, raised more than $1 million for the fight against breast cancer.

Through sales of the Packers Heart Cap, a red baseball-styled cap featuring the Packers' 'G' on the front, with an American Family Insurance logo and green and gold heart on the side, the two organizations will raise money to be distributed to statewide charities focusing on heart disease research, prevention and support.

From milwaukeebrewers.com: Chorizo will join the Bratwurst, Polish Sausage, Italian Sausage and Hot Dog for a race on "Cerveceros Day" -- that's "Brewers" in Spanish -- following the sixth inning of Saturday's Brewers-Reds game at Miller Park. Chorizo will then be "optioned out to the Minor Leagues for more seasoning," according to Melvin, though there is also the issue of Major League Baseball's approval process for new mascots. The Sausage Race will officially become a five-weenie affair beginning on Opening Day of 2007.

Yes, we really have sausage mascots in Milwaukee, and I will be seeing them (minus Mr Chorizo) on Sunday afternoon!

Card Carrying Member

I am now a card carrying member of a gym. The YMCA to be exact.

I know what you are thinking. Don't you own a treadmill and BowFlex? Don't your parents own a company that manufactures fitness equipment? Yes, yes and yes...lol!! I find the using the treadmill in our basement boring, I have hit a wall with the BowFlex workouts and I am not going to go workout in the showroom at my parents company during business hours. I don't want to be alone in that old, creepy building after hours.

I know it is time to kick my workout up a notch or two. One of the things I am really longing for in my workout is swimming. Just some simple laps in the pool. This will bring back memories of high school.

I wasn't able to set up my orientation and meeting with a trainer until next Wednesday, but I am still able to use the equipment. Tomorrow morning I will be up bright and early to head over to the Y for my morning swim. I am looking forward to it SO much!

Sad News In the NASCAR World

From NASCAR.com: Benny Parsons, 1973 NASCAR champion and television analyst for NBC/TNT, revealed Wednesday that he has lung cancer and expects to begin treatment immediately. However, he plans to continue working, beginning with the Aug. 6 race at Indianapolis.

You can read the complete story here.

Darling Notecards

While making my morning stop at one of my favorite blogs, I was introduced to Rock Scissor Paper. They have the most darling 50s looking dress, shoe, etc notecards.

I love notecards and stationery. I just have a very hard time bringing myself to use my favorites.

I will let you know if (and what) I order when I break down...lol!!

Miss USA in the PR Gown

I want this evening gown:



You can see a better picture of Tara Conner, Miss USA, in the gown here.

Where Is the Summer Going

There are school supplies all over the stores, and they have been out there for a few weeks now. It seems each year the supplies and cool weather clothes come out earlier and earlier.

I know kids in a lot of areas go back to school soon, but around here they don't start until after Labor Day. Do we really need to have our supplies purchased two months ahead of time? I guess so because I am beginning to pick up Olivia's supplies while the sales are good and things aren't picked over. You know she can't have the "plain" solid color notebooks and folders that were good enough for us...lol!! If they will get her to do well in school I am all for it, but in late September (to her) they will just be dumb things she has to take to class to take notes and home to do homework...lol.

Then one thing I want to know is why do we have send 8th graders to school with a package of overhead projector markers? Is it to make clean up easier for the kids who get caught tagging their desks, the walls or the bathroom stalls? Hmmm...I just wonder...lol!

When I Grow Up

When I grow up, I would love to be a fashion (or interior) designer! I have LOVED sewing since I was about 6.

I have been watching this season's Project Runway. From what I have seen in the first two episodes I really like the styles of Laura Bennett and Kayne Gillaspie.

The task in last night's episode was to design a dress for Miss USA, Tara Conner, to wear in the Miss Universe pagent. (I believe it airs this Sunday night.) Kayne was the winning designer. Isn't that dress stunning? I think I want one...lol!! Ooooh, Kayne!! hehehe!

Watching Project Runway is stirring up the sewing passion in me again. I have the itch to make myself some new clothing. However, my trips to the local JoAnn's in the last two weeks have left much to be desired in the fabric department. Unless you are looking to do some crafting or make a dress out of polar fleece. I guess I will have to venture out of the immediate area a bit or hit eBay.

Oooops!

I should have published this post yesterday (July 18, 2006), but instead I saved it as a draft!

We finally cooled off from the HOT temps that have been around the country the last week or so. I looks like that won't last long. I have to get the grass cut before we are back up near 90. It's not fun to do yard work in that.

Here are the pics I promised Monday!

This variety of Day Lily is called Pardon Me.
It's blooming like crazy right now.

Our Unique Hydrangea will be in "full" bloom soon.

The name unique really fits this hydrangea. The buds on the flower head never seem to all open at once. It gives the flower a lovely lacely look. I love having dried hydrengeas in the house. I am not sure how these dry, but I am planning on giving it a try this year. I'll let you all know how they turn out.

Bloggin' Slacker

Boy, have I been a bloggin' slacker the last few days...lol!?!

Here are a few pics from the weekend...

The curio mentioned in Thursday's entry.

The baskets!
The one on the left is the one $5.00 treasure!!

The view of the moon was incredible here Saturday night. It was HUGE, an awesome shade of orange, and so low in the horizon. The only thing that can be seen in the picture is the moon so you just can't get tell how huge or low in the sky it appeared. The color in the photo is true to what we saw here. I don't think I have ever seen the moon look like that. I am pretty sure it had something to do with the hot, humid weather we had along with most of the country this weekend.

The AWESOME Orange Moon!

I plan to take a few out in the yard today and will post them later. More blooming and close to blooming plants. :)

Find of the Season

I dropped Olivia off at her summer violin class this morning. Since it is only an hour long, and I hate to drive home and be in the house for about 25-30 minutes before I have to leave again I decided to hit a few rummages. I found the most wonderful item for an awesome price. Before I tell you what my little treasure is I have to tell a little story of why I have (and LOVE) this collection.

In January of 2005, Bob's great aunt passed away. His great uncle passed away before we were married, and I never met him. She was a wonderful lady and from what I hear Uncle Bill was just as wonderful. They never had any children and always treated Bob's mom like their own. Bob and his brother were treated (read spoiled...lol) like grandchildren. When she passed away, they left most everything to Bob & Jim.

So last summer when we went down to Florida to clean out her house and get it ready to put on the market. We walk in to her home and there is this darling little curio. It's about the size of a sofa table with just one glass shelf and of course the bottom. It is filled with Murano glass and Capodimonte. It was sitting right next to her chair. I knew by the way those items were displayed that she loved them. There was no way I was going to leave that curio for the person who bought her home. I wanted to be home and in the family. We had so much stuff to bring back home it just wouldn't fit on that first trip. Knowing that bummed me out, but thankfully we needed to make a second trip to finish getting her home ready to put on the market. On the second trip we had plenty of room for the curio. YEAH!! I knew didn't know much about Murano glass or Capodimonte, but I knew enough to know that some of the pieces were probably brought back from when she and Uncle Bill visited Italy while he was station over in Europe.

We brought the Murano and Capo home on the first trip so we knew it was safe. Bob's brother and his wife have the Murano and we kept the Capo. It has that shabby chic look I LOVE. The curio has a spot in the entry of our home and it is filled with her Capodimonte and the one piece I already had. On top is a her small Capo basket. It is the only thing on top of the curio and I knew it need more on it. I could just never find that right things to put there.

Well, I am sure can see where this is going. At a rummage, I ran across a much larger Capodimonte basket, It could be the fraternal twin of the one that we already had. I practically ran over to the table it was sitting on to grab it and check the tag. When I looked at the tag, I think I let out an audible gasp. Not because it was high, but because it was FIVE dollars. I cannot find anything on the web similar to it right now, but I know back when we brought her things home last year there a small one (the one I already had) on eBay that went for $105.00. There are a couple chips on two of the roses, but those will be facing the wall.

I still call it Aunt Vi's collection and I was SO thrilled to add to it for her today.

We love you and miss you Aunt Vi!

Finally & Just In Time

I finally finished painting the outside of the fence and the arbor and just in time. The HOT, HUMID weather will be back for the weekend.

BEFORE
This photo was taken last summer.
Just imagine what another Wisconsin winter did to it!

AFTER
This was taken just an hour ago.
I am so pleased with the way it turned out.
There was just a slight color change.

Other stuff is happening in the yard as well. The hydrangeas are looking glorious!

This was taken tonight and is the same flower I posted a picture of late in June.

The hostas (yuck!) are blooming. Soon (read tomorrow) I will be cutting those flowers off. I hate them. I am planning to remove most of them from our yard. They line the entire sidewalk along the side of the garage. The previous owners didn't use much creativity when it came to planting that area. I have never counted, but there must be about 18 hostas along there ALL in a straight line. Did I say YUCK ? LOL!!

It looks like we will have our first day lily bloom of the season tomorrow morning. I sure hope so. I love the variety we planted. (Note to self: purchase more of those day lilies...lol!!)

The rest of the painting projects I have planned will probably have to wait until the fall. Usually when we hit mid-July the temps aren't great for painting and/or staining. Although, today was beautiful here near the lake. Mid 70's and not much humidity until late this afternoon.

I do have one good thing to say about the humidity. It makes the sunsets even more beautiful.

Off to watch Project Runway and Rock Star: Supernova! :)

Please Say It Isn't So

From nascar.com:

Scott Savol, who finished in the top five of American Idol Season 4, will be part of pre-race activities for the Pennsylvania 500 Nextel Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway on Sunday, July 23, 2006.

I just hope that will be one of the weeks they don't show the person who sings God Bless America!!

JTRS Lovers: Remember Karner Blue?

The 2002 Event Shoe that was inspired by the endangered Karner blue butterfly. Well, here's a bit from a story that was in our paper today...



A Nudge for Nature
Wisconsin program nurtures the flowers that feed the endangered Karner blue butterfly
By MEG JONES

Willard - The pale blue butterfly - hardly bigger than a nickel - fluttered and flitted at the side of the Clark County road dotted with lupine and other wildflowers.

It's no wonder the Karner blue butterfly was sticking close to the lupines, because the purple flower is breakfast, lunch and dinner for the endangered species during its larval stage. As a small caterpillar, the creature eats only wild lupine, snacking on the flower's leaves and leaving behind tiny marks like miniature window panes.

You can read the complete story here.

My Thoughts on the Sheryl Crow GMA Interview

Yesterday's segment was mostly about the break-up with Lance. That wasn't the part I was looking forward to seeing.

Today's segment was about her diagnosis and treatment. She had a lumpectomy followed by seven weeks of radiation. Her skin on her breast was burned, her breast became hard and painful. The toughest part for her, however, was the fatigue. She surrouded herself with friends.

I was a bit disappointed with the things she stressed in the interview. She did mention the importance of knowing family medical history. The only mention of yearly mammograms was when she said if you know you have breast cancer in your family to have a baseline mammo and follow-up yearly. I think she should have stressed yearly mammograms period. Many, many, many women are diagnosed daily with NO family history of breast cancer. Monthly self exams were never even mentioned.

I know she may have mentioned all those things, but it could have been cut out for whatever reason. If that is the case, I say shame on the editors of the piece.

Knowing how Sheryl Crow takes issues and makes them her battle, I was wondering what she would do with breast cancer. I have to say I was disappointed.

Oh, How I Love Cleaning & Organizing

Earlier this summer I made a plan to do a deep cleaning/organizing in the house by taking one room each week. Today while working, I was thinking how crazy I was to schedule the kitchen for a week when I only had three days to work on it. Well, just a few mintues ago I ran across the schedule, and I am not so crazy after all...lol!

Needless, to say the family room didn't get done. I can take care of it in just a couple hours tomorrow. It's a small room with only a few pieces of furniture. They are easy to move for the big vacuuming. Next week is really kitchen week. Oh well, at least now I have a good start...lol!! I got the inside of all the lower cabinets wiped out and organized as well as the drawers. I was planning to tackle the pantry tomorrow, but will hold off on that until next week. It really needs to be done. I need to move some of our less (read almost never...lol) used small items to the basement to make more room for my growing stockpile of groceries.

Speaking of groceries, would you believe I spent less than $45 on groceries this week? Almost half of that was on some GREAT Diet Pepsi sales they were running around the area. Woohoo!

Sheryl Crow Interview on GMA

I forgot to mention: I am looking forward to the Sheryl Crow interview on Good Morning America tomorrow and Friday. I will TiVo it because I just can't bring myself to sit and watch two mornings of GMA. Many of those people on there drive me nuts...lol!

They're SOOOOO Dreamy

Nickelback, my favorite group, is in town tonight with Hoobastank! I don't care about Hoobastank, but one of these days I WILL see a Nickelback show. I hear they are awesome live. If it wasn't for the short work week, we would so be there. How dare Chad and the gang not check my schedule before coming to the area...LOL!!

They are performing at Summerfest which is said to be the world's largest musical festival. Most of the music is free with the price of admission which is only about $15 this year. Each evening there is a band that plays the mainstage and of course that show isn't free. The free stages usually have a lot of great acts as well. They are usually those who have had big hits in the past or those who are just getting started. A few of this years free acts are (or were) Dierks Bentley, All-American Rejects, Alice Cooper (that one was for you C...lol), Lynard Skynard, and The Fray. There really is something for everyone.

My boys are on the mainstage tonight! I hope everyone going has an awesome time!

Happy Independence Day

Let us NEVER forget the sacrifices made by so many so we can enjoy the freedom we do each day!

I LOVE Sundays

Sundays like this one that is! Other than church we did not go anywhere today. I spent it relaxing on the deck, catching up on a little laundry, working on a couple scrapbook layouts, and tweaking the header for this blog! (It's up. If you can't see the header try clicking refresh while holding down the shift key.) I am pleased with the way it turned out.

Bob is off work tomorrow and Tuesday. Olivia is off from her summer orchestra class all week. I am looking forward to the next couple days where we can be together and just relax like today. :)