Happy Birthday

Happy 62nd Birthday, Mom! Hope you had a wonderful day. I love you!! :)

Happy New Year & Hooray

Happy New Year Everyone!!

The Wisconsin Badgers are champions of the Capital One Bowl!

Arkansas - 14
Wisconsin - 17

Woohoo!

Too bad Michigan didn't do better against USC! :(

Which Superhero Are You?

I am Wonder Woman



Click here to take the Superhero Personality Test

Too funny since I always wanted to be her when I was growing up...lol!

Heirloom Christmas Gifts

A gift I received for Christmas this year is probably by far the best gift I have ever received. Last Christmas we decided the adults would not exchange gifts. (Actually, my brother and I only exchanged one year. We decided to just put that extra money toward a gift for our parents. We were both young and still living at home rent free so why not give our great mom & step-dad a little something extra for putting up with us...lol!) Anyway back to my story, that rule only lasted one year. My mom is giving gifts again. I guess old habits die hard...lol!!

My brother and I are each handed a gift bag. In his was my grandpa's (dad's dad) old Miller Brewery Zippo lighter. He was a pipe smoker, but even when he wasn't lighting a pipe he would be sitting in his chair with that lighter in his hand. Along with the lighter were two of grandpa's badges from his days as head of security for Miller Brewery.

You won't believe what was in mine! It was her wedding ring!! My parents divorced when my brother & I were VERY young. I was 7 when the divorce was final, but they seperated when I was 5 & my brother 3. I have always loved that ring. It isn't a big beautiful stone, but I love it because it was mom's. Even though I haven't seen it on her hand for about 30 years I can still picture it. Strange the things that are etched in our memories.

My mom decided each Christmas she is going to pass along to us things she would want us to have after she is gone. Some of them may be things we wouldn't know the story of if she didn't pass them along. The things from this year were very obvious! :)

Thank you, Mom! I love the ring and know Scott loves Grandpa Brewer's things.

First picture is Grandpa Brewer sitting in his chair. He is holding something, but I don't think it is the Zippo here...lol!!

Second picture is my mom and dad on their wedding day May 6, 1967.

Thursday Thirteen #1

While reading one of the blogs I visit occasionally, I ran across Thursday Thirteen.

I think it sounds like fun so I may join in for at least a few weeks to try it out! Not sure if I will be able to come up with a theme every week (lol), but I will give it a try! Here it goes:

Thirteen Things about ME
1. I am 36.
2. I am married.
3. I have one 13 year old daughter.
4. I have a 6 year old Black Lab/Shepard.
5. I have a 3 year old Lab/Chow.
6. I am a SAHM (Stay-at-home Mom).
7. I live in Southeastern Wisconsin.
8. I have three brothers.
9. I have two step-sisters.
10. I knew all my grandparents.
11. I have NEVER flown on a commercial airplane.
12. I attended Trinity Bible College.
13. I am a neat freak, who tends to procrastinate.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens! my 2 cents alisonwonderland chickadee Jenny Ryan jo melissa guusjem caylynn Leave your link in comments, I'll add you here.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

What is the Thursday Thirteen?

Thursday Thirteen is a blog meme with one purpose - to get to know bloggers better. Thirteen is the magic number - because Thursday Thirty is too many!

Every Thursday, bloggers jot down thirteen things about their week, Thirteen secrets they’ve never shared before, Thirteen random things about themselves or their lives that give the reader a better idea of who they are. Then the fun begins, you go bloghopping! Find other Thursday Thirteeners, spend some quality time getting to know your fellow bloggers, interact with them through their lists and invite them to yours!

Is there a theme every week?

Nope! Your Thirteen Things can be about whatever you want. Just remember, most of your fellow Thirteeners expect to learn more about who you are or what you’ve been up to that week! If you do a themed list, you may want to keep that in mind.

The Silly Girl

Olivia is really good at making goofy faces and/or poses when she sees a camera comes out. Yesterday, was no exception. I caught this one of her while we were opening gifts over at my mom's. I love this pic because she was being silly, but had no idea the picture was going to be taken.

All Wrapped Up

I am proud of myself. *snicker* ALL the gifts were wrapped before the clock struck midnight! I was actually ready for Christmas before Christmas morning! Woohoo!

Merry Christmas!!

I hope you all have a wonderful day filled with love and many special memories! See you all on Tuesday, when I will be back to my regular blogging schedule!!

Back in Arizona

We had a really nice time with Bob's parents Sunday, and the food turned out perfectly! They are back home in Arizona now. The ten days they were here went WAY too fast. Frankly, I don't like them living so far away. It was nice to hop in the car and be to their house in five minutes.

We hope to make it out there for a visit in March. It all really depends on Bob's workload as that time gets closer.

Speaking of work and vacation, you can probably tell we didn't make our pre-Christmas trip. Bob was so busy the last two months and it put us behind with things around here. Namely, Christmas shopping, decorating, etc. We decided these days would be better spent taking care of the shopping. Wouldn't want Olivia to wake up with nothing under the tree Christmas morning...lol!

We got most of the shopping for her done Monday. Today, I will do the rest while Bob goes into work DURING his vacation.

Brittany the Elephant Gets New Friend

She has been alone at the Milwaukee County Zoo since Lucy died in September. She now has a new friend!

Milwaukee County Zoo Elephant Gets New Friend
December 15, 2006

A 26-year old African elephant named Ruth just arrived at the zoo from her former home in Brownsville, Texas.

Ruth will be company for Brittany, who has been alone since her companion Lucy died at the Milwaukee County Zoo in September.

"We wanted a good companion for Brittany, and Ruth met all that criteria, and more. It turns out that Ruth's companion had died, and so Ruth needed a companion also. So it was a perfect match," a zookeeper told 12 News.

Ruth will be kept in quarantine for 30 days while she gets used to things.

The two elephants can already see and hear each other from their separate enclosures, and they are starting to get acquainted.

source: TheMilwaukeeChannel.com

Change to the Sunday Meal Plan

My grocery store only had the flavored pork tenderloins yesterday afternoon. So I had to change my meal plan slightly. That's okay this change will me a little less work for me. :) The new plan:

Meal:
Honey Mustard Pork Tenderlion
Brown/Wild Rice
Fresh Green Beans w/EVOO & garlic pepper

Dessert:
Triple Chocolate Bliss Cake (I made this cake this morning and it smells SO good.)

Sunday Meal Plan

Meal:
Pork Tenderlion w/Cranberry Sauce
Wild Rice
Fresh Green Beans w/EVOO & garlic pepper

Dessert:
Triple Chocolate Bliss Cake

Jeff Gordon's Going To Be a Daddy

from: nascar.com

CHARLOTTE, N.C. --- On Wednesday, Jeff Gordon announced that wife Ingrid Vandebosch is pregnant.

"We're obviously very excited," Gordon said in a statement that appeared on his Web site. "Christmas came early for us this year.

"This is a very special gift for us -- one that we're both looking forward to. The due date is early July, and Ingrid and I can't wait to be parents.

"We've known for a little while, but we couldn't wait any longer to share the good news with our friends and fans."

Gordon, 35, married Vandebosch in a small, private ceremony in Mexico on Nov. 7.

Gordon and Vandebosch have been together since 2004. They appeared in the movie Taxi, in which the 37-year-old model played a bank robber and Gordon made an uncredited cameo appearance at her invitation.

Gordon announced his engagement to Vandebosch in Sonoma, Calif., in June and then won the Nextel Cup race the next day.

Christmas Comes Early This Year

At least for us! Bob's parents are in town -- woohoo. They arrived Saturday afternoon. Olivia & I went out to dinner with them and Bob's brother's family Saturday evening. Unfortunately, Bob wasn't able to make it because of all the craziness at work.

Friday evening we are taking them to The Packing House, one of our (and their) favorite places to dine! Sunday afternoon we will be together at our house for our Christmas celebration!

Oh no, Sunday is only a few days away! I need to wrap their gifts, bake a little something, and plan a meal! I better get moving!! *snicker*

Procrastination Turns to Motivation

The photo taking and digital scrapping I have been doing lately was at first me trying to put off things I know need to get done in preparation for Christmas. Well, it has turned into motivation! I don't know how, but working on those photos and pages recently has put me into the mood to get things done!

Must bring back the wonderful memories of Christmases gone by! I am looking forward that family time. Bob has been SO busy with work that Olivia and I have hardly seen him in the last week or so. It will be so nice to have that time together!

Here's a "motivation" layout:

New Profile Pic

I rarely like seeing pictures of myself, but I like this one. I guess the key is to take it myself while looking in the mirror with only the Christmas tree lights on in the room...LOL!! Here's a version with less cropped out! :)



I love the softness of the light and colors in this photo.

Scared of Santa?

I think these kids are...lol!

Cool Advent Calendar

At harpold.com/advent each day contains Chrismas memory, a holiday link, and something special. I found this link at this stop in my blog travels! :)

Gearing Up for 2007

Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. ~ William Morris

I know I have mentioned before wanting to simplify! I have made some progress during this year, but I want to make even more next year! I am mapping out a plan for my ring-in-the-new-year declutter! First up, the basement! It will be perfect because that is where we store the tree and ornaments. So just before I take the tree down I can begin that project!

Happy Birthday Jim

I'm a baaaaaad sister-in-law! I almost forgot to post a happy birthday to Bob's brother, Jim!

Happy Birthday, Big Guy! We love ya!

I Call This Procrastination!

I should be doing laundry, dusting, or writing out a few Christmas cards, but I needed a little break. I decided to look at some old pictures. I saw one of my favorites and had to scan it to play a bit!

They are 5 & 3 in this picture!
Where has all that time gone?

Grandmas Say the Darndest Things

My grandma has trouble pronouncing a few words most of them see to be french. My mom and I always spend alot of time with her and some of them are words that come up often enough that we have to think before we say them so we don't say them incorrectly...lol!

Somedays we laugh so hard with her when she says a new one. I have told grandma I am going to write a book entitled Guide to Speaking with My Grandmother or an English to Grandma Minnie translation dictionary.

Well, this morning during our morning phone call a new one came up. She was talking about watching this. It is a repeat of Episode 1 and shows the preparation for a visit from France's President Chirac. She told me they were preparing to show a shortened version of Les Miserables to the guests at that event. Only grandma called it less missle robels. She is one cute lady! I love you grandma! :)

On Making Friends

You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you. ~ Dale Carnegie

Sad News Day!

James Kim's body found after massive search. I had been following this story since I first read about it here.

Three people killed in Falk Corporation Explosion. We live at least 15 miles south of this factory and could feel and hear the blast at our house. Bob was upstairs getting ready for work, and I thought what the heck is he doing up there.

Girls-Only Blogthings

Recently, I ran across a cute site in my web travels called girls-only blogthings!

Your Celebrity Style Twin is Gwen Stefani
Trendsetting, unique, and stylish.

Who's Your Celebrity Style Twin? Take the quiz and tell me your celebrity twin style! :) Be very careful though...lol!! The first time I was there I think I spent about 25 minutes taking those little quizzes.

Editing to Add: My celebrity style twin has signed a fragrance deal with Coty! Read about it here.

O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum

How lovely are thy branches...

Thank goodness for Target! I decided to pick up purple, turquoise, and green ornaments. They are GREAT jewel tones and from a collection called Holiday Couture! They fit in nicely with the golds we already had.

Just a fun shot!

I left this image larger than I usually do for blog entries.
If you click on the image, you can see the ornaments a little better.

It's hard to see the in the pictures, but the new ornament have gold glittery designs on them. I still want to find some floral picks to add to the tree, but other than that I am finished! Woohoo!

Holly Hobbie

Did you know Holly Hobbie had a makeover?

I had no clue until this morning while out shopping for my niece, Caitlyn. Won't she just love this little girlie? I sure hope so!

Holly sure has come a LONG way from when I had a Holly Hobbie bedroom, dish set, lunch box, etc! It's fun to see the popular dolls from when I was growing up making a comeback!

As you can probably see, I got a tiny start on my Christmas shopping. Three people down. I think that leaves about ten or twelve -- yikes. I better make my usual tracking list so I don't skip anyone! At least only 5 need to be done for this weekend!

The Blizzard of 2006

Now it's really beginning to look alot like Christmas! We got about 13 inches of snow today, and it fell in about ten hours! Woohoo!

All schools in the area were closed. Bob went into work, but found out shortly after he got there the Milwaukee office was closed. Think they could notified at least one of the area stations who announce school & business closings? Instead he got an email about 45 minutes after getting to work. NICE!

I spent most of the day in the house working on our tree. It is a pre-lit that decided it doesn't want to be pre-lit anymore. I am not sure my fingers will ever be the same after taking off all those little doodads they use to attach the lights to the tree. Some new lights are back on now. I will decorate it a little later tonight.

I did clear off the deck so the dogs weren't bringing in all that snow and kicking more in as the doggy door swung back and forth. Ever try letting the dogs use a doggy door with a foot of snow outside it? I will tell you it is not pretty! Still have to tackle the driveway, but will wait for Bob to get home so he can share in that joy...lol!

I will add some photos of our winter wonderland later. I need to hit the shower and figure out what I am making for dinner.

Here is one to hold you over until then...lol!!

Chevy looking out the patio door.
I think he is wondering
what is all that white stuff,
and do I really want to go out there?

Oh, did I mention we were in the 60s Monday, Tuesady, and Wednesday?

House Aglow

A couple shots from last night...



I just love the second one!

Labels

I upgraded to Blogger Beta not too long ago. It allows me to add tags or labels to my entries. I think it will be nice to have the ability to have "related" entries linked together with one click. I have begun adding them, but it will take a little time to add them to all my entries.

I think photos will be my fav!

Beginning To Look Alot Like Christmas

After Bob got home from work last night we put up the lights along the roof line. This afternoon I put the lights on the evergreen bushes in front of the house.

We keep it simple, but one of these years we do plan to put lights on the second story as well. I guess 10pm the night you are putting lights up isn't the time to decide that. We need more lights and a longer ladder to accomplish that. There's always next year.

I need to add the wreaths w/ red bows around the lights on the garage. The local stand where we usually buy them isn't open until tomorrow afternoon.

If you click on the image above, you will be taken to a larger picture where you can see four little "lights" in the front window. Those lights are Boomer & Chevy's eyes...lol!

Where Oh Where

have all the purple ornaments gone? Ever get an idea in your head and then head to the stores so you can execute that idea only to have your hopes dashed? That's what has happened to me the last two days! Last Christmas I thought wouldn't it be fun to replace all our deep red ornaments with deep purple. I wanted a tree decorated in deep purple and gold. Well, from the looks of it everyone else in my area had the same idea. In the last two days, I have been to THREE K-Marts, TWO Targets, and Milaeger's and all the purple ornaments I wanted are GONE. I also checked Wal-Mart, but the purple they have is too bright for me. I am going to check a couple other places tomorrow and if I cannot find them I will just use the deep red again this year.

Smokin' Hot

I mean his music!
(this time! *snicker*)

I picked up this CD today! If you liked Chris on American Idol, you are going to LOVE this CD.

I'm Back

Not that I was really gone, but the four day weekend was busy anyway! Hope you all had a GREAT Thanksgiving weekend! Time to kick into Christmas gear! :)

Happy Thanksgiving

Hope you all have a wonderful day surrounded by those you love!

UGH!

Finally, have my car back from the shop! Had to have a coolant leak fixed and was without it for a couple days. Thankfully, we are having some GREAT weather so Olivia was able to walk home from school. It is a long walk, but not so bad on a nice day!

Would you believe we are supposed to be close to 60 degrees tomorrow. Before you say yes, remember this is Wisconsin & late November...lol!!

Winter Look

My winter look is complete, and I am pretty happy with it. I may tweak some of the colors bit, but basically it will stay the way it is for the time being.

I have taken a look at it in the browsers I have available to me and all looks okay. If any of you see any crazy stuff, please let me know! :)

New Look!

You can probably see the colors of my blog have changed! That can only mean one thing -- a new banner will be unveiled SOON!! Hint: Think winter! :)

Where Has the Week Gone?

I can't believe how quickly this week went by! I didn't get nearly as much done as I planned to. Oh well, there's always next week!

I will kick into full Christmas preparation gear on Friday, but not by going to the stores! I am staying far away all next weekend. We do make one trip to Milaeger's*, a local garden & gift shop. The have really great Christmas stuff. Actually, they have really great EVERYTHING! That place is dangerous...lol!!

Tonight I am going to test the outdoor lights so they are ready to go when I send Bob up on the ladder next Friday morning! *snicker*

*I'll be on the lookout for a Milaeger's exclusive breast cancer Radko ornament! Not sure if there is a new one, but we were suprised a couple years ago! ;)

Joey's Gone; So I Say

Go Emmitt! Go Emmitt! Go Emmitt! :)

Preparing for Christmas

Bob's parents will be in town from Dec 9-18. On Dec 19 Bob, Olivia, and I are planning to take a LONG over due family vacation, but will return before Christmas. That means I will have to have all my decorating and shopping done earlier than usual. The shopping is started, but no where near done. I have begun addressing cards -- doing a few a day makes it seem like less work. I won't put up any decoartions until next weekend, but have pulled out what I plan to use this year to save a bit of time when decorating day rolls around.

I am sure I will still end up wrapping a few gifts at about 2am Christmas morning!

Lovin' Everyday Minerals

I recently discovered a new brand of make-up, and I am in love! I am not a big fan of foundation, but let me tell you I need it...lol!! I ordered the Everyday Minerals sample kit last Tuesday, it arrived Friday. I could not get the package open fast enough. This stuff is wonderful. I do not feel like I am wearing any make-up and my skin looks better than it ever has with any make-up. It's similar to Bare Minerals, but I like the price tag on Everyday Minerals MUCH better! :)

You can order the sample kit here. All you pay for the sample kit is shipping, and you chose how quickly you would like to begin using EM!

CrAzY!

Is the Gnarls Barkley song stuck in your head now? LOL!!

The weather here is really, really cRaZy! Yesterday it was 66! Tonight it is going to snow! Thundersnow to be exact. There is thundersnow just a bit to the north of us. The storms are moving quickly and we should only have about an inch of accumulation. I say bring it on...lol!

The Last Half Bath Entry

The accessories I mentioned about a week ago are in the bathroom now. So here are the pictures I promised you all. :)

This bathroom is so small
I had to stand in our pantry across the hall to get this shot!
Yes, it's really that small...lol!



The wastebasket is my favorite piece.

I haven't gotten the print framed yet, but will spare you another picture of our bathroom when I do have it done...lol!!

Bad Blogger II

This is beginning to sound like a bad series of movies...lol!! This time bad blogger isn't me. It's Blogger.com. When I wanted to post my entry last night, that portion of Blogger was down. Seems to be functioning now! So no more bad Blogger.

Election Day

Did get out and vote? If not, you can't complain...lol!!

Tomorrow's Shopping List

The country portion of our music collection will grow by two!! Woohoo!

Bad Blogger!

That's what I was last week. The days just go away from me somehow and I never got back here to post an entry for some of those days. This will hopefully be a better week!

Three Cheers for Bob

Bob came home from work early (early for him) last night and gave me the night off from cooking. Woohoo! The three of us had a nice time and good food at Champp's!

I will post pictures of the bathroom later today. I have to wait for the batteries to charge. Someone (Olivia you little stinker...lol) used the backup set in her camera and didn't charge them when they were drained.

Wow! What A Day!

This was definitely not a simplify day! I spent most of the day running, but it was all necessary. I guess those days cannot be avoided and are okay as long as they are few and FAR between!

On a happy note, I did find the pieces I needed for the bathroom. I hope to get them out tomorrow and will post pictures once it is done. The print I ordered arrived, but I will have to have that framed. I am waiting for a better sale (or coupon) at Michael's for that one! It feels good to be so close to completion on the project that began SO long ago.

Trick-or-Treat

Bumper Stickers

We don't put bumper stickers on our cars, but I still enjoy reading what others put on theirs. Saw this one this morning:


It is still making me chuckle almost 12 hours later! *giggle*

Organization Idea

I have ALWAYS struggled with organizing my spices. They are stacked alphabetically in the original containers, but it doesn't really work for me. I have been searching off and on for something else. I don't want them sitting out on the counter and don't want to attach any hardware inside the cabinet door.

A couple years ago I was watching a decorating show on HGTV or TLC and someone used magnetic paint in a child's room. I have always remembered this paint and thought it would be cool to use inside a cabinet to make a little message center or something like that. Well, fast forward to today when I noticed magnetic spice tins at BB&B. Couple dozen of these brilliant little tins paired with the magnetic paint inside that cabinet, and I think I will have that problem solved! I hope to do this next week. I will let you all know how it goes when I am done!

Bathroom Project

Today's to do list (the bathroom):

• paint ceiling
• hang border
• hang pictures
  
• order larger print (Essence by Kimberly Poloson)
• new hand towels, soap pump, trash can, etc.

I love days that are that productive. Yes, the bathroom is small, but it always feels good to get a project done. Well, it's not completely done, but the last part of that list will be easy.

Here are a couple pictures (the second is most true to the actual color):



The print I had in there before adding the border did not match the style of the border at all. The solution: cut three images from the border put in three 5x7 frames that were not being used, and taaadaaaa--instant art for the bare wall!

The towels, soap pump, and other accessories don't really go either, but I don't have a quick fix for those. They will just stay until I go to the mall with grandma next week. I also plan to replace the mirror sometime!

Home Improvement Stores

I love browsing around the home improvement stores. I needed some ceiling paint, wallpaper adhesive and a couple other things so I stopped at Menard's. While there I spotted one of the strangest products I have seen in a LONG time! Have you heard of Paint Pourri? In case you haven't, and you have the same look on your face I had when I first looked at the package. It is not scented paint, but a packet of fragrance you add to your gallon of paint. The scent can last 6-12 months. You better make sure you like the scent you choose before you paint. That's a long time to have to put up with a dud fragrance.

Don't Drink the Project Runway Water

LOL!!

From people.aol.com: Project Runway judge Nina Garcia and her husband, David Conrod, a senior managing director at Guggenheim Capital, are expecting their first child together in March, Garcia confirms exclusively to PEOPLE.

"This baby must have some amazing fashion sense," Garcia says, "waiting until empire waists and volume came back into fashion!"

I love that quote...lol!

One Step Closer

I ordered a border for our half bath last week, and today it arrived! That means I am one step closer to having a completely decorated bathroom! I plan to tackle it on Wednesday or Thursday. It's a tiny room so it should only take a few hours to hang. I can't wait to have that step done. Then I will have a find a print or two to hang. I have my eye on a couple, but will decide after the border is up.

Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Charlotte

Carolynn, Kelle, and Diane...

I will be thinking of you!! I wish you all a safe walk with no blisters!! :)

For those of you who don't know, these three dear ladies have made the trip to Charlotte to participate in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer this weekend! They raised over $8,000 for the cause. Great work ladies!

Project Runway Finale

I totally loved the outcome of this show! I fell in love with Jeffery's collection, and Uli's was a VERY close second. I have always LOVED Laura's designs, but she has kind of a narrow scope -- lots of evening wear. Her pieces were always sewn to perfection. During the season I liked Michael, but I thought he lost a little something when it came to his collection.

The Century Mark

I just noticed my entry yesterday brought me to 100!

Must Be The Season

Catalogs, catalogs, and more catalogs! That's what our mailbox was full of today! Guess it is time for the catalog retailers to remind us that there are only 67 shopping days until Christmas. As if the trees full of ornaments in the stores aren't enough.

Anyone done shopping yet? LOL!

Key to the Cure

Oscar de la Renta Key To The Cure T-Shirt

Show your support for the fight against women's cancers with a limited edition cotton T-shirt designed by Oscar de la Renta exclusively for Saks Fifth Avenue's Key To The Cure. $31 from the sale of each T-shirt will benefit the Women's Cancer Research Fund.

If interested, you can order this t-shirt from saks.com. My sweet husband ordered this shirt for me yesterday! What a nice surprise! He has NEVER placed an online order! Yes, he has said I want this or that, but then it is my job to find it online and order. I have even had to order my own gifts before! :)

Thank you, honey! Do I have to take away your credit card now? LOL!!

I Love Words

I ran across this quote by Evan Esar today:

You can't do anything about the length of your life, but you can do something about its width and depth.

I searched for more of his quotes. Some of his others are as funny as this one is good. A couple funny ones:

Housework is what a woman does that nobody notices unless she hasn't done it.

It takes hundreds of nuts to hold a car together, but it takes only one of them to scatter it all over the highway.

Good News In the NASCAR World

Here's an update to the sad news I posted about a few months ago!

NASCAR legend Parsons says he is cancer-free
By Greg Engle, Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

CONCORD, N.C. -- Benny Parsons, the 1973 Cup champion-turned NBC/TNT broadcaster, said Friday at Lowe's Motor Speedway that he is now cancer-free.

"Three months ago my family doctor called me into his office and told me I had lung cancer," Parsons said. "So Rick Hendrick told me if I was going to fight cancer, you have to get [oncologist Steven A.] Limentani. He helped Rick through his leukemia 10 years ago. So we did.

"The last three months we have been battling the disease. Then Wednesday, I had a scan and [Limentani] called me Wednesday afternoon with the best news: 'The cancer is gone ... see ya.'"

The rest of the story can be read at nascar.com.

On a less serious note, Kevin Harvick is the Busch Series Champion! Woohoo Kev!! :)

Campaign for Real Beauty

Have you seen Evolution?

This is a GREAT message for our young girls. I know a few older girls who could learn a thing or two from these ads as well...lol!

Cold & Snow!

There wasn't much, but we did get some snow! My word it is COLD here now! It is 38 degrees here right now which wouldn't be too bad if the winds weren't 30-35 mph! That makes the wind chill 24 degrees! I don't mind the cold weather, but this is a little too soon for me.

The pictures I posted yesterday were taken late yesterday afternoon. Here are the same flowers this morning:


They won't be around much longer with the cold that is here! :( Here are a couple more shots of our yard with the itty bitty snowfall.


Nothing like the two FEET they are expecting in Upper Michigain -- YIKES!

Shhhh...Don't Tell Our Hydrangea It's October 11

Or the roses...

By tomorrow morning they will probably be covered in frost. The temperature is dropping so quickly here right now that you could probably see the movement in a thermometer. There is a chance for SNOW, but no accumulation is expect. At least not tonight, but it won't be long before there will be.

Confession

It's not that "good" a confession! If you were thinking you would have some dirt on me, sorry...lol!!

I have turned into a Rachael Ray fan. Not because I sit and watch her new show, but because it is on in the house for noise while I am cleaning, surfing the web, doing a craft, or getting ready to face my day. I late September she made Spaghetti & Meatball Stoup (yes, stoup -- thicker than soup, but thinner than stew). Well, I made it tonight and it was YUM-O!

So are you going to tune in tomorrow? hehehe!!

Celebrity Fantasy League

Not into sports fantasy leagues? If you are a celebrity junkie, Girls In The Know may be the place for you! :)

No School (again)

Olivia was off school again today. This time it was for parent/teacher conferences. She is doing well so far! We have been on her to keep up her grades and are proud that she has so far!

ABC News: Person of the Week

This story is for you, Carolynn! :)

Lindsey Adams
Teen Racecar Driver Dedicates Career to Breast Cancer Awareness

abcnews.com

Oct. 6, 2006 — Lindsey Adams has traded her cheerleading uniform for a race car as she mixes her love of speed with a cause that's close to her heart.

The desire to race is in her blood — her father and her grandfather were also race car divers. "My earliest memory is actually at the motocross track, begging to race," Adams said.

She eventually got behind the wheel, and now wants to go all the way to the Indy 500. The 19-year-old is so serious about becoming a professional race car driver that she deferred a college scholarship to keep racing, despite her status as one of the few women in the sport.

"Being a female in racing, it's like the big pink elephant in the room," Adams said. "The guys definitely did not make it easy for me."

She said it was hard for guys to lose to someone driving a hot pink formula Mazda. "Because there's a girl that shows up to the track in a cheerleading uniform … she goes and puts on a racing suit and she kicks your butt," Adams added.

Driving for the Cure

Adams is now making her pink car work for her own purposes. The rosy colored hue happens to symbolize breast cancer awareness, a cause she is embraces because her mother survived the disease.
Her mother, Debbie Adams, initially postponed cancer treatment because she was pregnant with Lindsey, opting for a single mastectomy after her daughter was born.

"My mom had battled for her life," Adams said. "And she was there for my sister and me only because she willed herself to be there."

Then, when Adams was 17, her mother had two bad mammograms.

"She was just like, 'I'm exhausted. I'm tired. I don't want to worry anymore,'" Adams said. "So she made the decision to have a mastectomy."

Adams said it was then that she realized her mother's disease was not something that was "just going to go away."

"It was real to her this time," Debbie Adams said. "She said, 'Mom, someday I'm going to do a race for the cure.' I said, 'You better win that one!' But then I started thinking about how we win, and how surviving is a win."

Adams is dedicating tomorrow's Grand Bayou Road Race — at the No Problem Raceway in Belle Rose, La. — to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and her career to finding the cure.

"Right now, we're sending out a mass mailing. I think it's like 500 letters, which doesn't seem a lot to a lot of people, but it's just me and my mom that's doing it, that's putting this all together," Adams said.

Together, mother and daughter have given a painful experience a purpose, and an exciting career deeper meaning.

"[I'm] given this opportunity to race, to be a champion, to be a role model, and I wanted to use that for something other than the vain pleasure of being famous," Adams said. "I wanted it to be something where … I could make a difference on a bigger level than just the motor sports circuit."

What a refreshing thing (the last quote) for a 19 year-old to say.

Sheryl Crow: Life After Cancer

By Jenny Sundel

Almost six months after being cancer-free, Sheryl Crow is "the happiest I've been in years." The singer, who's touring the U.S. with John Mayer, says that having breast cancer redefined her life. "I think it was a great release for me, just going through the experience. It’s what you do with the experience that really defines who you become."

So, how is she different now? "I let go of a lot of the pressure I used to put on myself. I was very self-critical and I also was a person who would never say no to anything," she told us a recent Estée Lauder breast-cancer benefit in Beverly Hills. "I was conscious at all times of making sure everybody was happy before myself, and now I’ve just made it a practice to say 'no' once a day, just for the exercise of it!”

Though Crow – who wears a custom-made gold bracelet with the words "Breathe" and "That which does not kill me makes me stronger" as well as her diagnosis date inscribed on it as a spiritual reminder – is already looking forward to celebrating her one-year anniversary. "It depends where I'm at in my life," she says. "I might take a trip."

from: people.aol.com

Boxing Anyone?

If you are thinking of taking up boxing, why not purchase some pink boxing gloves. Let's knockout breast cancer!

everlastboxing.com
Aren't they cool?

A Reminder for Me

The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak. ~ Hans Hofmann

It's About Time

From packers.com

Green Bay Packers on Tuesday released cornerback Ahmad Carroll. Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations Ted Thompson made the announcement.

Carroll, the Packers' first-round selection in the 2004 NFL Draft, played 34 games in three seasons, starting 28 contests. He had 104 tackles (95 solo), three interceptions, three sacks, 26 passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

What they forget to mention is all the blown coverages and the umpteen million hands to the face penalties!

Chevy Likes Shoes

This morning while walking past the living room I found Chevy sleeping in the sunshine. Not far from him were a couple dog toys and a "foreign" object...

Dog toys? LOL!

It should be to the left of the dress in front of the vase on the window seat!

This was taken another day, but this is where he sleeps every sunny morning.
This dog LOVES the sun.

Sewing Success!

I worked on a sewing project most of the day Saturday. It was so much fun to be at the maching again making something wearable. I scrapped the top project for now and worked on a dress. I still have to put in the zipper, hem, and make a couple alterations to the shoulders. The way the instructions in the pattern said to sew them it leaves points. I don't want to walk around with pointed shoulders...lol!!

I chose to make the dress pictured on the left:


Here's my not quite finished version:


In the picture my dress looks like a shapeless kimono. That is because the zipper isn't in and it's just hanging there gaping open in the back. Once it is finished I will have Bob or Olivia take a pic of me wearing it. You will then see it isn't shapeless at all...lol!

My inspiration for the dress: A Dress A Day and Boden. I really want the Boden dress, but I don't wear dresses often enough to justify the $128 price tag. I will settle for my red & black Butterick 4849 that cost me less than $40 for fabric, a zipper, and the pattern.

Also, ignore that "fast" on the pattern. With all the pieces and facings on this dress it is not fast...lol!!

Me, Myself, and I

That's who I am hanging out with tonight! At least I have the dogs to talk to...lol!

Bob is at his annual work retreat -- two days of talking about the firm. Sounds like fun, hey? LOL!

Olivia is camping with Girl Scouts. I remember going to the camp ground she is at when I was her age. It was one of the most fun places we ever visted with Girl Scouts. There are hiking trails in the bluffs overlooking a lake. It is so beautiful. They spend most of Saturday hiking. She will be tired when she comes home Sunday afternoon.

This is just one of the views from the bluffs!

Ahhhh, Organized & Clean

I spent the day in our full bath and gave it a much needed fall cleaning from ceiling to floor. It took most of the day, but what a difference. If you don't see me for a while, I might be standing in the door way of the bathroom admiring the shining sink, tub, floor, and walls...lol!

Bob & Olivia better not mess it up! *hehehe*

I'm Afraid

Very afraid! Two entries in a row with Oprah in the title! Maybe I should make it Oprah Week on my blog...rofl!

Elizabeth Edwards' Oprah Appearance

I knew a little about this family prior to today. Most of it from the 2004 election campaign. Politics had nothing to do with why I was interested in seeing Elizabeth on Oprah today. I like stories about how people deal with tough times in their lives and use what they have been through to help others deal with the same or similar tough times.

Listening to this woman speak about the unexpected death of her son tore my heart out. I cannot imagine the pain of having to bury a child. She also spoke a little bit about breast cancer. About when she found the lump, the importance of mammograms, and her diagnosis and treatment. I thought the whole show should have been about the Edwards, but unfortunately it was not. Guess the appearance on Oprah did its job...lol. I am going out to pick up Saving Graces tomorrow.

Wednesday's Oprah

I am not a big Oprah fan, but I do check weekly to see who will be making an appearance. She can keep the shows of traveling cross country with Gail. BORING...LOL!! However, this one caught my interest:

The Day Your World Falls Apart - Elizabeth Edwards - They looked picture perfect, hand-in-hand, every night on the news. Now, what you haven't heard about the day their world fell apart. Elizabeth Edwards and her husband, Senator John Edwards on their heartbreaking loss. And, how she handled her breast cancer. Today's Oprah.

I plan to watch! In fact, TiVo is already set to go so I don't forget. It's on at 4pm here, and that's a busy time of the afternoon for me.

Bye, Bye Summer

Just before midnight central time tonight we say farewell to summer and HELLO autumn. This is my favorite time of year. I am ready for it! :) I can see a few trees beginning to turn, but the peak is still a few weeks off. It's a beautiful time of year.

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. ~ Albert Camus

No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace
As I have seen in one autumnal face.
~John Donne

Rekindling My Sewing Passion

Finally! I chose fabric and a pattern for my first clothing project in a LONG time. I spent quite a bit of time on some pattern websites and sewing blogs today. I chose a kimono style shirt from Simplicity 4020. I was inspired to do this by Stacy Sews!

Here it is:

In this fabric:

The fabric is a jersey knit in olive green (a bit lighter than it appears in the scan) with gold flecks. It is SO soft!

The Office Returns Tonight

In honor of the return of Bob's favorite show...

The Office Denim Day PSA

Steve Carell's character, Michael Scott, is nuts. Sometimes the things he says are just so wrong it makes them funny. Here's one of my favorites: "This is our receptionist, Pam. . . . If you think she's cute now, you should have seen her a couple years ago.

Frost? Say It Isn't So

Sounds like we may be getting our first frost of the season and WAY too early if you ask me. Being this close to Lake Michigan we don't usually see our first frost until late October or early November. I want fall; not summer straight into winter...lol!!

Over the weekend I kept feeling like I was coming down with something. Well, I was right! I have some sort of cold type bug. It took full hold Monday evening and has made me pretty miserable the last two days. Today it has moved to my sinuses and given me a whoppin' sinus headache. If it doesn't let up some tomorrow, I will be visiting my doctor so it doesn't turn into one of my tough to kick sinus infections.

Off to eat some soup & rest, rest, rest! :)

Oh No! Not Another Shopping Story

I am sure you all are getting sick of my shopping stories, but I wanted to note this milestone. :) I didn't save big percentage wise this week. Only about 27%, but I was able to skip ALL my Grocery Game Li$ts. We are so well stocked that we didn't need anything on those lists. Can you believe I only spent $27.61 on groceries this week? All we needed was produce, milk, cottage cheese, and eggs. Those things you can't really stock up on when the prices are at their lowest. Prior to the Grocery Game I spent about $150/week and had nothing in the house. Our cupboards are overflowing with options now!

There are two things we are getting low on and would love to have show up on the li$t next week -- toilet paper and paper towels. There is enough to last another week, but I don't like being this low and think about paying (gasp) full price...lol!

New Fav Song

It's like the Bee Gees have made a comeback...lol!! It makes me want to dance EVERY time I hear it! Love, love, love it! :)

I Don't Feel Like Dancing by Scissor Sisters

Chocolate Milk After Exercise?

It sounds good to me! I HATE those sports drinks and always need something more than water after a workout. My body always seems to want something in the dairy family. Could this be the answer for me?

Fitness News
From the: Journal Sentinel
Posted: Sept. 17, 2006
Chocolate milk may speed your recovery

For a lot of people who do endurance activities, the longer they are out exercising, the more they think about the food and drink they want to consume when they get done.

How about chocolate milk?

A new study suggests that chocolate milk is an effective post-exercise recovery drink and an inexpensive alternative to traditional fluid replacement and carbohydrate replacement drinks.

The study involved nine endurance cyclists who exercised to exhaustion and drank either low-fat chocolate milk; Gatorade (a fluid replacement drink) or Endurox (a carbohydrate replacement drink).

The cyclists who drank chocolate milk during a rest period were able to bike nearly twice as long than those who drank the Endurox and as long as those who drank the Gatorade. The researchers speculated that chocolate milk had a beneficial combination of carbohydrate and protein.

"Our study indicates that chocolate milk is a strong alternative to some commercial recovery aids in helping athletes recover from strenuous, energy-depleting exercise," co-author, Joel Stager, a professor of kinesiology at Indiana University, said in a statement. "Chocolate contains an optimal carbohydrate to protein ratio."

A 154-pound male would need to drink 17 to 27 ounces of chocolate milk to meet recommendations for post-exercise carbohydrate. A 132-pound female would need to drink 14.5 to 23 ounces.

The study, which appeared in the International of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, was funded, in part, by the Dairy and Nutrition Council.

Volleyball Fun

Saturday Morning Olivia had her first volleyball games of the season. The played a doubleheader. Her team did pretty well. They won the first match, but lost the second. The team they played in the second match was fresh because they did not play a doubleheader. You could see the girls on Olivia's team getting pretty tired during the sixth game. That's okay -- every team will be playing two doubleheaders it will all even out in the end. Of course, it doesn't matter since they don't keep track of W-L records in the rec league in our area. It is kind of silly, but makes for alot nicer parents when you are sitting and watching the games. :)

Beautiful Days

Today (and yesterday as a matter of fact) were the most gorgeous days! I will take a little lot of rain anyday if it means I can enjoy two days like we just had. The sky was the most glorious blue with a few lovely puffy clouds. The temps were in the low 70s and a I see a few trees beginning to change color.

While weather wise the day was beautiful, it was a little stressful. As some of you know, just about everyone over 45 on my dad's side of the family has or died from some sort of heart ailment. We got a call last night that my dad was going to be having a heart catheratization. I believe this was his fourth since 1997. Apparently, he has been having pain in his back (near the shoulder blade) and down his arm off and on since March, and didn't tell anyone. Thankfully, my stepmom noticed how much pain he was in and made him go to the doctor.

The procedure went fine, but he did have to have a pretty severe blockage clean out and a stint placed there. Another area the balloon was used. He was home about two hours after the procedure. He is doing well other than being tired.

I worry about this man constantly. After the first cath he stopped smoking for awhile, but now smokes as much as before if not more. He hasn't changed his eating habits. He does have one thing going for him and that's excercise. He delivers fuel oil for a living and that is no easy job! Just wish he would listen to the doctors, my stepmom, my brothers and I when we tell him he needs to make changes. Both his parents and one brother died of heart disease. His other brother had 6 bypasses when he was 52. My dad is just one stubborn man!

That is one of the things that motivates me to maintain a healthy weight and excercise almost daily.

Ack!

I can't believe Lukas won RockStar: Supernova! Booo...lol!! I will forever be on The Rand Wagon!

Don't Forget

Set your TiVo (DVR) to record Dancing with the Stars! *snicker* Looking forward to seeing Emmitt's moves and Tony!

One of this season's new professional dancers grew up not far from where we live. Meet Jesse DeSoto.

Rain, Rain, and More Rain

I am SO sick of rain...

RAIN -- Saturday
RAIN -- Sunday
RAIN -- Monday
RAIN -- Tuesday
RAIN -- Tomorrow

It has been unseasonably cold and wet since Saturday afternoon. I am looking forward to the drying out and warming up forecasted for later this week. After all this rain our lawn will need to be baled after it is cut...lol!

Five Years -- We Remember

World Trade Center
New York, NY

aPentagon
Washington, DC

United Airlines Flight 93
Shanksville, PA

As a Reminder

This is on its way to my house to be a physical reminder to simplify! It will probably go in the family room!

Simplify

The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak. ~ Hans Hoffman

Tuesday and Wednesday evenings I was just exhausted. I have decided that simplifying my life needs to involve more than just the stuff in my home. It also needs to include my schedule and what I decide to put on it.

I will start by moving my workouts back to early mornings (I have been going late mornings the last couple weeks). I think taking care of ME by working out first thing each morning will really help. As women we tend to put everyone ahead of ourselves. Bad grammer aside, there is truth to the saying, "If momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." I also need to do a better job of actually planning my days instead of just running from here to there.

Run, Run, Run

I need a nap after just thinking about all the running I did yesterday. I need to put a reminder in my calendar for next year to stay home on the first day of school. I was more exhausted than Olivia.

• 5:30 Wake to have a little quiet time before making sure Bob & Olivia are ready for their days.
• 7:15 Leave house to drop Olivia & neighbor boy off at school
• 7:30 Back home to make Bob's lunch and make sure he has everything he needs to face the day.
• 8:00 Make and eat breakfast
• 8:25 Shower and get ready to face my day
• 9:35 Leave for grandma's to take her to a dentist appointment, Wal-Mart, lunch, and the grocery store.
• 2:20 Back home to put away the few groceries I picked up.
• 2:35 Leave to pick Olivia up from school
• 3:05 HOME SWEET HOME, but not for long
• 4:15 Leave for the Y, to change the family membership to individual (no sense paying for Bob and Olivia if they aren't going to use it. Grrr!) and workout.
• 4:30 Workout for a little over an hour
• 6:00 HOME SWEET HOME
• 6:15 Make dinner after checking the mail. Woohoo! My FOOT SOLDIERS: Stories From the Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk book arrived. This book has a chapter on a dear friend's battle with breast cancer while pregnant.
• 7:00 Clean up kitchen
• 8:00 ish Visit with Bob while he works out on the BowFlex (at least someone is using it...lol)
• 8:45 Warm-up supper for Bob
• 9:05 Finally, I get to sit down! We watch Rockstar: SuperNova recorded on the life changing TiVo, of course. Also watch a few amazing performances over again. (GO TOBY or MAGNI!!)
• 10:00 Move to the den to be with Bob while he does a little work. Begin to read the wonderful little book, but have to put it down because I am dozing from my day of running. :(
• 1:30 Wake up in the chair in the den and decide it's time for my bed! LOL!
  

Today doesn't look like it is going to be much better, but tomorrow I do not plan to leave the house other than two trips to school! I am looking forward to that!

Where Has the Time Gone?

I cannot believe Labor Day is here. We didn't have any plans for today other than a little yardwork. The rain has put a damper on that. Looks like it will have to wait!

Olivia goes back to school tomorrow. She says she isn't looking forward to it, but I know she is. Her backpack was organized for weeks. Thursday night was the open house for the kids to meet their teachers. It is school tradition to bring your supplies and items to decorate your locker on this night, and guess what Olivia did. Now does that sound like a girl "not" looking forward to starting school? LOL!


I know I am looking forward to school starting. It is time to get back to the normal routine. Bob has been working so many hours, Olivia has been running to do things with her friends, and try to plan a decent meal around that. With the exception of Sunday lunches, I think the three of us have only eaten together once since before Bob went to Arizona. I like routines and am looking forward to getting back into one.

Milwaukee County Zoo's Lucy

Earlier today, I heard some news that made me a bit sad. Lucy the Elephant had to be put to be put down this morning.

Zoo Euthanizes Lucy the Elephant
The Associated Press

Published: September 1, 2006

Lucy the elephant, believed to be the world's fourth-oldest African elephant in captivity, was euthanized Friday morning after staffers found her lying down in her stall, the Milwaukee County Zoo said.

The medical staff had recently decided that if the 46-year-old elephant were found lying down again, she would be euthanized, spokeswoman Jennifer Diliberti said.

In June, Lucy became ill and was unable to stand up in the African exhibit yard. A crane was brought in to lift the 9,000-pound (4,050-kilogram) animal to her feet; she struggled for a few days after that but improved.

Diliberti said Lucy was found lying down in late July but was able to get up on her own.

Brittany, Lucy's companion and the only other elephant at the zoo, was allowed in Lucy's stall after she was euthanized so she could grieve, Diliberti said.

She said the zoo hopes to get another elephant soon as a companion for Brittany, who is in her late 20s. Lucy spent 44 years at the zoo.

"It's just so sad but she had a good, long life here so that's good," Diliberti said.

Needless to say, she has been there longer than I can remember. Her yard was one of my favorite stops at the zoo.

source: iht.com