Wordful Wednesdays

Oooh, I have a problem! I want to play along with Wordful Wednesdays, but I can't seem to pick just one. Does anyone else ever have this problem? See, I got my computer back this past weekend. And the problem there? Nothing. Except Super Ray also loaded everything from my fried lap top, so I have pictures I forgot I had! And, some of them were exciting discoveries. I'm going to contain it to four, today. This first one is actually my crazy co-workers. We lurved us some holiday spirit! At some point I figured that since they are the closest thing I have to family, why not a family Christmas picture? And yes, we wore those headbands all day!!!
This is my baby girl at my old house. This is still one of her favorite ways to sleep, except usually she gets her head on the pillow! Hey, what can I say. She likes to be warm!
I think this was back right after M&D came back from their first mission in Argentina. If I remember right, I met them in CA and then we drove to UT. One of my most favorite places to be at Christmas time is at Temple Square. It's a tradition that goes back to me being a kid, and it was wonderful to get there to visit again. See the band-aid on Mom's chin? That was the result of chin meets pavement! Ouch . . . I'd love to do the lights again . . .not so much the trip to the ED!And finally, New Years, 07/08. I wasn't going to go out, just have a quiet night at home, and Holly convinced me to come party with them. And you know what? I had the BEST TIME! I loved this pic! This year I'm going with friends to a local FD's dance, so it should be good times for all. What about you? Any exciting plans?

I'm playing along at:

Tuesday

I love January and February. I think it's because life s l o w s way down and I have some time to myself to be able to breathe! This weekend, I had Friday night to myself, and then Saturday was dinner at Annette's. See, they got smart about Christmas. Rather than argue over whose house to spend Christmas with, they do their dinner the first Saturday AFTER the holiday. Brilliant, right? And then Sunday was all for me! I got my house clean, and muffins baked! Saturday I even got the inside of the car all armor-all'd and the inside windows cleaned.

Yesterday morning I was going to do some blogging, when my computer desk decided to collapse, nearly squishing me in the process! That's ok, because Dad had a creative solution, Boss man had some spare bricks, and now all is well.

Oh, and I am back on the wagon again. I'm going to get things into shape this next year! No more Dr Pepper (this will be the hardest!), and I'm cutting waaayyy back on carbs. I did really well following a weight-watchers-esq diet, and I'm going to do it again! I remember how great it felt to be running every night, and last night, I did my first speed walking session in a LONG time. The other benefit? Britney slept like a ROCK! So, going forward I'm sure you'll hear alot about the creative/healthy meals I come up with, even though some of them are a bit . . . strange. I need accountability people, so help me out, ok? Yes, Cindy, you can yell at me again. I need it. As soon as the gym gets regular hours when school gets back in, I'm going to start back there, too, for strength training.

The funny thing is, I knew that once I was ready, I'd be in this thing gung ho. It wasn't something that LifeForce could push me into, or that anyone could guilt me into. I just had to decide that it was time for me. I know I've had some issues over the past year and a half, and I've dealt with them. Saying good bye shouldn't be that hard!! I think I was way more emotionally vested than even I wanted to realize. The past is the past though, and I am moving on, baby!!!

Speaking of moving on, I better get to it so I'm not late for work. 1 more day in '08!

Friday Fragments, Christmas Edition

What a week this has been! This is a variation of Friday Fragments. Monday, at work, was our 2nd annual Cookie exchange. We had TONS of cookies, and I have to say that Cindy's have been a hit. She stuck a Popsicle stick in a mini-milky way, and then put a ball of sugar cookie dough around it and baked it. Y u m m y! I have taken pictures, but they'll have to wait, since they are on my 'puter at home. That night we had our office Christmas dinner, and as always, we had a great time. It's always fun to get away from work and let loose a little bit. And, the prime rib didn't hurt, either!

Tuesday I was supposed to go shopping with B., but he ended up going with his Mom instead. I left work early, and went home and felt sorry for myself. This head cold is tough stuff! Wednesday was one of the highlights of the holiday season, dinner at the R. house. Food? Oh my word. There was shrimp, meatballs, hot spinach dip, cold spinach dip, veggie trays, ham, Mexican dip, cheese ball, and an assortment of desserts. Like she said, if you left hungry, it was your own fault! The best part was spending time with friends who are like family to me. K. and L. got me a beautiful, soft, luxurious flannel sheet set, and the R's, gave me a slow cooker! She laughed at me, but I had been wanting something big enough to roast a chicken in!! We laughed and laughed when B. opened his gift - a beard trimmer! I saw it yesterday though, and it's charging . . . we'll see if it gets used! He then dropped the bombshell that I was to be at his mother's house at 1 the next day . . . the first time I've been there!

Sunday I was **so pleased** (note the sarcasm!) to start getting text messages while I was still in bed! I loved the messages, but I need a Do Not Disturb on my phone! Got up, walked Britney, and cleaned my house. I then headed over to B's house. The kids had just gotten home from their Mama's, and I got to be there while they opened presents. I don't think I ever realized how much fun it is to watch kids like that! I got such a laugh out of, "Oooohh, coool!!!!! . . . . . What is it?" Awesome. B. also gave me a Crock Pot! I didn't realize I was putting out so many cooking vibes, but I was really excited about both of them. I opened my present from Sharon, Mom's cousin. Oooh, and aaahh. She is SOO crafty, and I can't wait to get a picture posted of what she did . . . . it's unreal how talented she is! It's a quilted square/wall hanging of a nativity set, and it's stunning! After more presents at his Mom's, and then dinner, I came home. Got in bed at a reasonable time, and am working today. Tomorrow will be dinner with Annette's family, and then it's back to life as normal. I'm looking forward to New Year's Eve, as I'll get to be out partying with the best of friends, again. An awesome holiday season!

Christmas Eve

Yay! Christmas is almost here, then in Stacey's words, 364 more days 'til we get to do it again. Ugh. I'm fighting this stupid cold that's going around, blech! I came home early yesterday from work, walked Britney, and then pretty much collapsed on the couch. I feel a bit better today, but will be glad to have a day off to recover! I got BJ one of these Air Hog cars. You know, the ones that will run on a wall? Wellll, the kids loved it. The dog? Not so much! I've never heard her with a bark/whine like that before! I laughed, and laughed, and LAUGHED! Is that mean? But, she seemed to be enjoying herself!

I'm playing along at:

Also, have y'all seen this group? I read about them on CNN, and decided to take a look. I bought the album! The "12 Days of Christmas" is my favorite, closely followed by "Africa". Let me know what you think!

I'm Back!

Online! Ray got my 'puter fixed . . . and I am SOOO relieved! Even better, it has all my "stuff" from my lap top.

This weekend I was sooo busy. I went with the Ramsey's to see the dancing lights in Roanoke. I hadn't ever seen something like that IRL, and it was well worth the trip. Ignore the jumpy shooting, it was rather awkward from the back of the vehicle, but this guy does a great job. He works with Annette. I can't believe people have that much time on their hands!

Saturday I got up and met with members of the Natural Bridge Speedway Auxiliary, and we helped pack and deliver Christmas Baskets for those in need. The time spent with each other was the best, as was being able to help those in need. Probably the highlight there was getting to spend a little one on one time with Laurie. That NEVER happens! There are times I wish I lived much closer to people.

Speaking of living closer to people, Sunday I got to give the best present so far. I loaded up and showed up at Msh's house. I had plotted with her Mom to make sure she'd be home, and I got to go and spend time with her and her beautiful baby girl. Tomorrow I hope to have some pictures up. I took a TON of them! S. has gotten so big!

Sunday night I dashed home, and whipped up a batch of cookies for the Cookie Exchange at work today. Bruce and the boys were there, so I went ahead and gave them their presents. The kids loved them! I was worried, since it's been a while since I had to buy gifts for kids, other than the R. clan. Tonight I may go shopping with B. What's with men who leave the shopping to the last minute?? I'm fighting a stupid head cold, and am pretty durn miserable. If I don't feel better when I wake up tomorrow, I'm going to call off the cooking on Christmas thing. No sense in passing along cooties, right? I think that one of the WORST things we do is that in the height of flu/cold season, hey, let's get together and share cooties! Ugh.

Check back tomorrow for Wordful Wednesday pictures of my weekend!

Friday Fragments

It's that time of week again! Friday Fragments, from Half Past Kissin' Time! I love this, since I can come up with a couple of sentences about just about anything. Hey, I even took notes this week!

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Let's see. Monday when I came in, we had no computers at work. Nothing. Nada. Makes it really hard to be productive when nothing will work! Still, I had busted my tail and made cinnamon rolls for Stacey's birthday. Happy Quarter of a Century, Stacey! Even if you did call me names later . . .

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That same Monday, we needed a document printed. Since, no computers, one of my co-workers asked me to help her with the typewriter. She didn't know how to make it work! Since when did typewriters go out of fashion? The best part was when she needed to put in a dollar amount, and she looked perplexed. "Where are the numbers?" For the record, this was NOT Stacey having issues!

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We have got the most beautiful Poinsettia's here at work. Some of them are even yellow/red speckled, and I love them. I think they really set off the decorations and complete the look. Ah, Poinsettia, you complete me. No, not really, but . . .

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Cub Scouts got cancelled this week due to numerous illnesses. Cindy didn't have to/get to do Britney duty. And the worst part? I think Britney is suffering Cindy withdrawal!!!
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Last night I put the almost-finishing touches on the homemade Christmas Ornaments that I'm making. I'm really pleased that they turned out like they did. I was worried that they wouldn't form right, but they seem to be doing well. I'm even going to have to keep a couple for myself! I'm not normally a crafty person, so I'm breathing a sigh of relief!
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One of the presents I'm most excited to be giving is coming up very quickly. I'm not going to say much more here, since I'm afraid it would let the cat out of the bag, but I'll be sure to report back! Plotting is so much fun . . .
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This morning I didn't have to be to work until later, so I decided to walk Britney early. She went nuts! It was so much fun to see how excited she was, and she really seemed to enjoy our walk much more than usual. I guess things out of the routine can be good for person AND puppy!
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This weekend: Christmas lights tonight, Christmas Boxes tomorrow, computer back tomorrow evening, and then Sunday is Sunday. Whew. I'll almost be glad when Christmas is over!!!

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Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop

Good morning! It's time for another workshop, and I chose this prompt:

Last night it snowed buckets and you are forced to spend the entire day at home with your family...what's the plan!?!

First of all, I'm going to have to adjust this, just a little. Simply because, I don't have a family at home! But, when it does snow, it's one of my most favorite times of year. Britney goes nuts in the snow, and we have an absolute ball playing with snowballs. The hardest part for me is reigning her in, because with her bad knees, after a day of snow play she can barely walk! I love watching her IN snowfall, because she turns into a reverse Dalmatian. I remember coming out of a squad meeting to find 4-5 inches on the ground. I dashed home and got Britney. Drew was out running one of the plows, and said he couldn't figure out who the idiot was out in the snow at 9p . . . then saw Britney! Yup, I would be that idiot.

Now, when I was at home in Utah, snow fall didn't mean diddly. It was business as usual. But. Then we moved to NC, and one day they thought it might snow and they cancelled school! Brad and I didn't know what to do with ourselves! When it would snow, there would be the obligatory snow angels, snow men, snow balls, and pathetic attempts at sledding. We had a tiny hill around the corner of the house, and Brad would wear it into mud trying to get to sled on it. Then we'd get to come in and warm up with hot chocolate, and warm socks.

I have to say, I don't miss the constant cold, ice, slick, slush-y mess. What I do miss is the fluffy snow flakes, childish play, and peace that a thick snowfall brings.

Cookies!

Grocery Mama is wanting to know what kind of cookies you're making! IF I can get my hands on some peppermint extract, I want to try these!

Wordful Wednesday

I love Wordful Wednesday's. I enjoy seeing every one's pictures, as well as picking out a current favorite. But, I have a problem this week. My computer is at the 'puter hospital! So, instead, I am going to have to make do with a cell phone picture. I'll get my baby back this weekend, and I'm sure I'll have a TON of emails to catch up on!

Last night was the Rescue Squad's Christmas banquet. The squad provides the meat, and then everyone else brings a dish. I was scrambling to get there at all, let alone on time, so I whipped up some of Pioneer Woman's peanut butter cookies (the ones in the mini-muffin tin) and called it good. However. Some people have MUCH more creativity than I do. I doubt Laurie had much more time, but check out these guys! Aren't they CUTE?

She did the little noses with starbursts, and the ear muffs on the one are a red starburst and green marshmallows! How could you even think about eating them? This is one of the things that I love about the holidays - all the amazing deserts!!

I'm playing along at:

Back Online

Well, kind of, anyway. From what I hear, my computer is fixed, but I won't get it back until this weekend.

This weekend I had the best experience. The NBS Auxiliary went to a local home for boys. The Auxiliary sponsors one of the cottages for Christmas, and we went up to judge the Christmas decorations of each cabin. I was so impressed with their works with these kids. At dinner, I haven't seen manners like that in years. The boys stood when ladies came to the table (wait . . . were there ladies there?? Just us girls!), shook hands, thanked us for coming, whoa. But, the best part was this one kid. He sat there and seemed to have an attitude of, "I'm here, but only because I don't have a choice about it." Trying to have a conversation with him was like pulling teeth. Finally I asked him how he ended up here in Virginia, and he said that he used to live in UT. Ah ha! Where in Utah, and it turns out I knew the area. From there it was like the floodgates opened. When we got back to the cottage, he wanted to share his pictures with me. I so enjoyed getting to meet him and spend time with him. So far, it's been the highlight of my Christmas season. I'm sure there is an upcoming event that I'm not going to talk about that's going to upstage it, but I'll let you know, after it happens!

Sunday was L's birthday party, and man, the girl cleaned up! I loved getting invited, and the food, oh . . . wow. This is why K's house is one of my most favorite places to eat!

That night I went with Heather to see "Twilight". I've read all the books, I'm totally in love with Edward, and I wanted to see if the movie measured up. Note to self: Movies never measure up. The first time I saw Edward, I was all, 'That's him?' But, by the end, I was all, 'hello, Edward!' In a nutshell, if you haven't read the book, you miss waaayyyy too much. Still, if they make 3 more, I'll be there for all three!

Friday Fragments

Good morning, and time for another edition of Friday Fragments. You know, all those random thoughts that don't qualify for a post all on their own? It's a fantastic idea from Half Past Kissin' Time, and I love it!

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Monday night I attending the Fire Dept.'s business meeting. See, they're running a bit short on people willing and able to balance a checkbook, and since I'm in the financial business, they asked me to do it. Hey, as long as I don't have to go into burning buildings, and can just do the one meeting a month . . . ok. So, this means that when life is in full swing, it's Mon - Fire Dept, Tue - Rescue Squad, Wed - Cub Scouts, Thur - Ruritan's, Fri - Drag Strip, and Sat - Dirt Track. And I've always wondered why Sunday is a day of rest!

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Wednesday night we made houses at Cub Scouts. The kind with Graham crackers, lots of icing, and various assorted candy and cereal. The kids enjoyed it, it was a fantastic mess, and another night down!
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Last night I went to my friend K's house and helped her clean. For some reason, cleaning other people's houses is fun. My own house, not so much! Still, I enjoyed spending time with her and the rugrats, and I felt like I got something accomplished. The other side is I slept really good, too! (Thanks, C., for Britney duty!)
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This morning, C. and I stopped for nutrients. Ok, not really, we stopped at the Golden Arches, but isn't caffeine a nutrient? A woman had pulled in to drop someone off, and was partially blocking the drive thru exit. There was enough room, so I went around. She gave me this evil look, like I was getting in her way! C. commented on it, even. Why is it that some people are just so . . . mean? It's Christmas! Time to wave, smile, be friendly, good will towards men (and women!)
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Tomorrow Super Ray should be coming to finally fix my computer! Yay! I can do very limited things, but the best part is that he's going to be bringing a new program I want, as well as my data from my old fried lap top. If all goes well, I should have the "Forgotten Carols" by tomorrow afternoon!!! YAY! I've missed them this season!
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Also, tomorrow evening, friends of mine and I are planning on going to see the Living Nativity. I've heard great things about it, and I'm really excited to see it. Camels, anyone? Also, I hear tell that there's a house in Roanoke that has a musical light display so hopefully I can get a chance to see it this year!
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Finally . . . don't shoot me, but I'm still trying to fit in a trip to go see Twilight. I've read the books and can't WAIT to see it!!!

Thursday Writing Assignment

And again, I'm participating with Mama Kat this week . . . I love her blog, and she just found out her daughter is allergic to all sorts of stuff. Same thing my best friend has discovered she's allergic to. Wheat. How do you deal with that? Do you KNOW that almost everything I eat has wheat in it? And, my friend is also lactose intolerant. So, no dairy, no gluten. Y i k e s.

Anyway, on to the assignment. Worst dentist experience ever.

HA! As soon as I saw that, I knew I had to write about it. Not that it's long, and drawn out, or anything. I was seeing one dentist. I had a problem with a tooth. It needed a root canal. And then a crown. Not fun procedures, but not the end of the world, right? Except, when I went in to have the temporary put on, he mashed it up in there, and my friend drove me home. We got about 1/2 way to my house, and it fell out. So, we went back, and he put it in again. Then, the permanent crown came, and I got that put in. It lasted a week. After numerous (15+) trips back to get it put in again, and again, and again, I've given up. Fixodent puts the thing in and holds it there. The tooth on the other side had the same problem about the same time, but he told me that one didn't need a crown, just a filling. That filling broke. Then the whole tooth came off at the gum line. Now that I've consulted another dentist, it turns out that the root canals on BOTH teeth were not done completely/properly, and I get to have them done . . . again. And, the crown on the one side needs to be redone. Now, the best option is to have implants done. To the tune of about $6000. So every morning, I fix the crown on the left, and "build" a tooth out of orthodontal wax for the right. It's worked, until I get get the pennies saved to get the work done. Donations are happily accepted, if you're feeling the love!

Wordful Wednesday

Since I started dating B., there have been some changes in my life. Just a couple. But, one of the things that I've failed to realize is that it means changes for Britney, too. And, I'm not too sure she's willing to go along! Case in point:

The kids were trying to watch a movie. N. is on the other end of the couch. But, when I sit on this end, I let Britney curl up with me. I guess B. didn't realize that! Britney just helped herself right back to her regular end, and made do the best she could! Poor puppy . . . LOL

What you don't see in this photo is the time they spent playing with her BEFORE that completely wore her out!!!

I'm playing along at:

Warm again . . .

The 'puter thing is really, REALLY aggravating me, but that's ok, since Super Ray is going to Save The Day. Right Ray?

Anyway, this weekend was the other 2 parades for this area. There wasn't a whole lot of other stuff going on in my life, and I loved getting to spend time with friends I don't usually get to. Heck, even A. and D. came by the house to visit! Ok, so maybe they were really just dropping off a check, but I can still pretend it was because they really wanted to see me, right?

The guy who organized the Glasgow parade put so much time and effort into it, and it really showed. That was the one parade we could throw candy at (daylight), and we had a blast doing it! Even as cold as it was, the kids had an amazing time. It wasn't the longest parade, and we threw candy at everyone. Adults, kids, dogs, police, it was awesome. This character was a trip to watch. Here he was trying to steal one of our candy buckets . . .

Like I said, one of the best parts was spending time with friends. Aren't they the greatest? I think between the two of them, they know everyone in the surrounding counties!!

We froze our tails off, but I think everyone had at least as much fun as I did. I would be remiss if I didn't say a very, very, very special thank you to Cindy, Britney's favorite letter-outer, and Carolyn, a new letter-outer for rescuing me, yet again. There's no way I could do the things I am able to enjoy without the spectacular friends that I have!

This week promises to be fairly "normal". That means that I have lots of meetings, and a little bit of free time. Hopefully, I can get some more "Christmas" done. What about you?

Friday Fragments

Mrs. 4444 at Half Past Kissin' Time (what a great blog name!) does a Friday Fragments, and I'm going to play along.

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Last night was BV's Christmas parade. We met in the FL parking lot, Laurie threw her plastic at me and told me to buy a new tree. Why? 'Cause the one on the float came off and was all jacked up. So, we got that tree, got it up, and rode to the line up in the drizzle and cold. I had the best time! We have 2 more parades this weekend.

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F. tried to get me some beads so I could try to copy this amazing craft-y tree that Sharon made. Yeah, the beads are WAY cheaper online, but because I can't plan ahead, I can't get them here in time for this Christmas. Sorry Stacey, maybe next year!

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I've been playing Super Mario Bros. 3 like crazy. I love it! I'd forgotten how much fun it is. By the way, if any of you run into a copy of SMB 2 that they would like to send my way, it would be the best stocking stuffer ever! I miss that game . . . can you believe my NES even still works? Crazy. Who needs Guitar Hero?

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My house still smells like a skunk. Not bad, but just noticeable as you come in the door. Will it never go away?

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I did a bad, bad thing. I followed a link through Facebook that a friend sent me. Yeah. I know. Say it with me . . . virus. So NOW I can't get online at home. At all. And Super Ray is stumped, but is sending me the fix-it so hopefully I can come out of withdrawals this weekend. 'Cause I got to have my PostSecret Sunday fix, ya'll! It was funny, he was reading about the virus and I was all, Yup, yup, I did that! Soooo frustrating. Thank goodness for smart and clever friends though!

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Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop

So, Mama Kat does these weekly assignments, which I love. Frequently, I want to write, but can't think of what to write! This week, I'm choosing:

Are you still friends with you high school friends? Describe them.

That would be Kathi and Mendi. Two sisters, both blond, blue-eyed and gorgeous. We all went to the same church, which meant early morning seminary. There were ups and downs, but you know how it goes with time . . . you only remember the good stuff. Kathi had this yellow VW bug, and she was always so much fun . . . both of them were. Kathi was all sunshine and happiness. She was always up for an adventure, and never cared what people thought. She just was herself, and everyone loved her for it. I remember riding the bus in the mornings, with them finishing their make-up (Mary Kay, of course!)

Once we were out of high school, we found other adventures to have. Kathi was the one who really turned me on to line dancing in Maggie Valley. She also came out to Idaho to visit. And, she went to school at BYU-Hawaii. Ok, so I might have been the tiniest bit jealous! I don't talk to either one nearly as much as I would like to. Kathi has her own thing going on, with a very handsome son, and Mendi is now doing the "Happily Ever After" thing. But, every time I go home, it's like no time has passed at all. They are one of the few things that I miss about "home". Every time I go to NC, my list of "must do's" gets shorter and shorter, but a visit with Kathi is always at the top of that list.

Do you have a friend like that? I'd love to hear about them . . . and I hope it prompts you to pick up the phone and call them!

Wordful Wednesday

Hey, I do have a picture!

Our Rescue Squad president just stopped by and dropped off my service ring (5 years). Now, I've been on the squad since 2001 . . . I'll let you do the math, I'll wait. Anyway, the ring they initially ordered was . . . not pretty. I promptly put it back in the box and stuck it in my drawer. Evidently, I wasn't the only one to feel this way, so they tried it again. And, here's round 2:

I'm pleased! And, it's gold. Usually I wear silver jewelry, so I was glad to have something different. Hey, at least it's a picture for Wordful Wednesday!

5 and 5

So, I saw this on another post, and figured it would make a good post for me as well. I've been feeling very un-inspired as of late, and completely forgot about Wordful Wednesday's. I'll have to do better next week!

5 things I love about the Holidays:
1. Decorating. I love putting up my tree and seeing all the lights everywhere.
2. Food. Duh! It's when people make their signature dishes, and turkey. Yummy!
3. Christmas music. I have about 3 days worth of Christmas music on my Ipod now.
4. The Forgotten Carols This is separate from Christmas music because it is. So there.

5. Getting to spend time with friends and family.

5 things I don't love about the Holidays
1. Un decorating. My house looks so plain and blah after everything is gone.
2. Money. I hate dealing with money, and in December, there's never enough for everything.
3. Seeing the "gimme" attitude that too many people have, or worrying about getting the "it" item. Really, a month from now, kids will be wanting something else.
4. Dishes. It's the downside of all that yummy food!
5. Too much to do! I enjoy all of it, but January is a welcome break!

Pain in the Neck

Literally. Sunday I woke up. Went through my usual routine, let the dog out, turned on the computer, stretched, and pop, went that muscle right at the base of my neck, right at my shoulder. Yee-ouza. I've done this once before, so I quickly took a magic pill, Advil, and started in with the ice and heat. It helped . . . a tiny bit. At least I could kinda sorta a little bit move. I kept myself on the couch all day, and yesterday as well. Today, it's back to work, but if I move the wrong way or turn too quickly, I remember that muscle well!

Is anyone else watching "The Amazing Race"? I'm so disappointed! I wanted the mother/son team and the brother/sister team to win! Now I guess I'm cheering on Nick and Star. Team Dan-drew? How the HECK have they made it this far?? See, Msh and I would have done better than them! Crazy.

This week promises to be very full. I have Cub Scouts, a parade, am on call, have another parade, and then it's back to starting over again. What about you? Is life crazy for you yet?

Saturday Night

Today was the LAST race of the season. No more Drag Strip, no more Dirt Track. And, while I'm going to be SO glad to have my weekends back to me, the $$ stream will be sorely missed! Drag Strip will start back up in March. Sounds like a long time away, but can you believe that's only 3 months from now?? Crazy.

Tonight I'm up at the R. house. The 'rents are out for an evening minus rug rats, so I'm having the pleasure. L. and L. and I are watching "Extreme Loggers". Quite a show! Considering that this is what B. does, I guess I ought to be learning something about it!

I read about the death at the Wally World up north, and then the shooting at the 'Toys R Us'. Yeah, 'cause THAT's the holiday spirit! I think too often we get caught up in the stuff aspect. I was stressed about what I'm going to get everyone, and then I realized . . . it's so not about the stuff. I'm excited to spend time with my friends, and to get to enjoy those memories. If I can't make it, I'm not giving it. I refuse to use plastic to buy trinkets. I wish I was made of money and could get everyone the things that they want. Still, this year, more than previous ones, I want to make sure that the real reason is remembered. I've been listening to Christmas music, and can't wait to listen to the "Forgotten Carols." If you haven't heard it . . . look into it. Really, really good schtuff. What are you doing for the holidays? Anything to make this year more special than others? What are you excited about giving this year?

Black Friday

And I'm at work. Work, people. Yesterday was wonderful, with the exception of not having cranberry jelly (from a can!), and none of Mom's pumpkin pie. However. I did eat more than enough of everything else! By far, the very best part, was getting to spend time with my friends. I ate out at the cabin with the R. clan. B. had been hunting with the "men-folk", and they came in to eat, and then headed back out after Bambi. I then left from there and took off for home. Dashed in, made a batch of Apple Dumplings, then took the dog for a walk. Some day, I will learn. This time, at least it wasn't skunk. Just some other wonderful dead creature that smelled almost as bad! So, I rushed her home, gave her a quick scrubbing, just in time to get the dumplings out of the oven. Dashed over the mountain to Annette's Mama's house, just before it was eating time. It was wonderful to spend time with them, even if every one was missing Sidney. From what I understand, he's now in Baghdad. Remember him, and their family in your prayers, OK?

Today we've been listening to Christmas Carols, and every so often one will come on that has someone cringing. For me, it's "I'll Be Home For Christmas", and I think it's because it's been so long since I was in my house with my family. Carrie doesn't like "Chestnut's Roasting On An Open Fire", and Stacey doesn't like the "Twelve Days of Christmas". What about you? Any particular favorites? Or any that you just can. not. stand.?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Good morning, and Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope every single one of you has a beautiful day full of lots of memory making activities. I am so grateful to have the family and friends that I do. Now, I'm off to get ready for the day and the TWO dinners I've been invited to.

Black, White, and Red All Over

I couldn't help but leave this post in place for Wordful Wednesday's. It was just such a GREAT adventure, I wanted to share with my bloggy friends!

So, tonight I take my dog for our usual walk. We head down by the cell tower, since it's so cold, I'm just going to let her run for a bit. She's off running and playing, when suddenly, I notice a small creature waddling by me. All it took was a hint of white, and I was high tailing it. Unfortunately, dear sweet Britney decided to investigate, and got slammed by Mr. Pepe le PEW. Gross. Disgusting. The smell is NOTHING like what you smell in the air. It's a burned rubber/garlic/burned onion, and it is AWFUL. And, I have to let her RIDE back to my house in my car. YUCK. Gross. Ugh. I stopped by GE and picked up several large cans of tomato juice. And vinegar. I got back to the house, and ran Britney into the bathroom. I started dumping cans of tomato juice on her, and it occurred to me, "It looks like a blood bath in here! This would make GREAT blog material!" and I just the door to the shower, and went in search of my camera. Heeeerrreee's where it turns into a "blogg-able" moment . . . Britney, very unhappy about the skunk scent in her eyes, tries to come find me. She wriggles out of the shower, and out of the bathroom, and INTO the bedroom. Where she promptly shakes all over my light grey carpet. See?

CSI, come take a look. Doesn't it look like a horrible murder scene??? I drag her back into the bathroom, where she takes off through the other door, and shakes all over the kitchen!!! I finally got her back into the bathroom, where I was able to bathe her in the tomato juice, then a good scrubbing with puppy shampoo.

I think I have all the skunk smell off of her, and I've now showered, and I'm on load 2 of about 4 loads worth of blankets and towels used in cleaning up. I also got the bathroom cleaned. See where I started?

Tomato Juice cans, vinegar, and her collar soaking in a vinegar/water solution. UGH. SO ABSOLUTELY BLOGGABLY DISGUSTING! I called Cindy, and thankfully, she brought over some coffee grounds (she's the only one I know who would have coffee grounds at 9p!), so I can roast them. I've heard it will help get rid of odors. Between that, and the 30 candles, something's gotta help, right? Right????

ETA - Did you know that Tomato Juice does NOT work? The puppy shampoo did more good! What does work, however, is a recipe of Baking Soda, Hydrogen Peroxide, and a few drops of dish soap. The candles and Febreeze helped with the house, but so far, nothing has helped with the car odor!!! I have pie pans of baking soda set out . . . any other suggestions?!?!?

Despair

Or rather, Despair.com. Pioneer Woman posted some of these today, and I couldn't help but share some of MY favorites. What about you? What really speaks to you today?

Personally, romance? HA! hee hee! Ho! Oh my word . . . have I EVER felt that way sometimes. Check out the others at http://www.despair.com/ . . . and don't forget to let me know what your favorite(s) is!

Mama Kat's Thursday Prompt

Mama Kat is one of my most favorite blogs to read, and this week, I'm going to play along. You pick one of her prompts, and then write about it.

"The Last Time I Laughed Really Hard . . ."

Occasionally, at work, an email will start. Then, you start to hear a snicker. Then a chortle. Then a guffaw. Every so often, you get to see one of your co-workers, taking her glasses off, wiping her forehead, and laughing so hard her face is bright red and there is NO sound coming out. That email was funny enough, but when you get a reaction like that, you laugh at them, then laugh at yourself laughing, and then, the giggles kick in and you simply. can. not. stop. How do I know? Oh, because it was Wednesday at about 3:45pm. What was the email? Oh, I can't help but share!

THIS IS HYSTERICAL!(I don't have a clue as to who wrote this, but....WHAT A HOOT!)

All hair removal methods have tricked women with their promises of easy, painless removal. The Epilady, scissors, razors, Nair, and now . . . the wax. Read on.

My night began as any other normal week night. Come home, fix dinner, play with the kids. I then had the thought that would ring painfully in my mind for the next few hours. 'Maybe I should pull the waxing kit out of the medicine cabinet.' So, I headed to the site of my demise: the bathroom.

It was one of those 'cold wax' kits. No melting a clump of hot wax, you just rub the strips together in your hand. They get warm and you peel them apart and press them to your leg (or wherever else) and you pull the hair right off. No muss, no fuss. How hard can it be? I mean, I'm not a genius, but I am mechanically inclined enough to figure this out. (YA THINK!?!)

So I pull one of the thin strips out. Its two strips facing each other stuck together. Instead of rubbing them together, my genius kicks in so I get out the hair dryer and heat it to 1000 degrees. ('Cold wax,' yeah...right!) I lay the strip across my thigh. Hold the skin around it tight and pull. It works! OK, so it wasn't the best feeling, but it wasn't too bad. I can do this! Hair removal no longer eludes me! I am She-rah, fighter of all wayward body hair and maker of smooth skin extraordinaire. With my next wax strip I move north. After checking on the kids, I sneak back into the bathroom for the ultimate hair fighting championship. I drop my panties and place one foot on the toilet. Using the same procedure, I apply the wax strip across the right side of my bikini line, covering the right half of my hoo-ha and stretching down to the inside of my butt cheek (it was a long strip) I inhale deeply and brace myself....RRRRIIIPPP!!!!

I'm blind!!! Blinded from pain!!!! OH MY HECK!!!!!!!!! Vision returning, I notice that I've only managed to pull off half the strip. Wha?!?! Another deep breath and RIPP! Everything is spinning and spotted. I think I may pass out . . . must stay conscious. . . must stay conscious. Do I hear crashing drums??? Breathe, breathe . . . OK, back to normal. I want to see my trophy - a wax covered strip, the one that has caused me so much pain. I want to revel in the glory that is my triumph over body hair. I hold up the strip! There's no hair on it. Where is the hair??? WHERE IS THE WAX??? Slowly I ease my head down, foot still perched on the toilet. I see the hair. The hair that should be on the strip . . . it's not! I touch. I am touching wax. I run my fingers over the most sensitive part of my body, which is now covered in cold wax and matted hair. Then I make the next BIG mistake . . . remember my foot is still propped upon the toilet? I know I need to do something. So I put my foot down. Sealed shut! My butt is sealed shut. Sealed shut! I penguin walk around the bathroom trying to figure out what to do and think to myself 'Please don't let me get the urge to use the facilities . . . My head may pop off! 'What can I do to melt the wax? Hot water!! Hot water melts wax!! I'll run the hottest water I can stand, into the bathtub, get in, immerse the wax-covered bits and the wax should melt and I can gently wipe it off, right??? *WRONG!!!!!!!* I get in the tub - the water is slightly hotter than that used to torture prisoners of war or sterilize surgical equipment - I sit. Now, the only thing worse than having your nether regions glued together, is having them glued together and then glued to the bottom of the tub . . . in scalding hot water. Which, by the way, doesn't melt cold wax. So, now I'm stuck to the bottom of the tub as though I had cemented myself to the porcelain!! God bless the man who had convinced me a few months ago to have a phone put in the bathroom. I call my friend, thinking surely she has waxed before and has some secret of how to get me undone. It's a very good conversation starter. 'So, my butt and hoo-ha are glued together to the bottom of the tub!' There is a slight pause. She doesn't know any secret tricks for removal but she does try to hide her laughter from me. She wants to know exactly where the wax is located, 'Are we talking cheeks or hole or hoo-ha?' She's laughing out loud by now . . . I can hear her. I give her the run down and she suggests I call the number on the side of the box. YEAH!!!!! Right!! I should be the joke of someone else's night. While we go through various solutions, I resort to trying to scrape the wax off with a razor. Nothing feels better than to have your girlie goodies covered in hot wax, glued shut, stuck to the tub in super hot water and then dry-shaving the sticky wax off!! By now the brain is not working, dignity has taken a major hike and I'm pretty sure I'm going to need Post-Traumatic Stress counseling for this event. My friend is still talking with me when I finally see my saving grace . . . the lotion they give you to remove the excess wax. What do I really have to lose at this point? I rub some on and OH MY HECK!!!!!!! The scream probably woke the kids and scared the dickens out of my friend. It's sooo painful, but I really don't care. IT WORKS!! It works!! I get a hearty congratulations from my friend and she hangs up. I successfully remove the remainder of the wax and then notice to my grief and despair . . . THE HAIR IS STILL THERE . . . ALL OF IT! So I recklessly shave it off. Heck, I'm numb by now. Nothing hurts. I could have amputated my own leg at this point.

Next week I'm going to try hair color . . .

Wordful Wednesday - Africa

I think my next few "Wordful Wednesday's" will consist of some of my most favoritest pictures from my Africa trip in 2006. I have over 1700, so please be patient with me as I try to narrow it down a bit.

So, hmm. Animals or scenery? Animals or ocean? I think . . . Oh, I don't know! Mix it up? Ok, I can do that!

Here's the thing. South Africa, or rather, Durban, didn't look ANYTHING like the Lion King! Here's the top of the waterfall in the mountains that we visited. Pretty, right? Yeah, but here's a shot of that same waterfall. Don't slip!

And, animals? These critters were at Tala, a reserve an hour or so outside of town. It was a small reserve, but the first "animal" place I visited, and I was SOOOO excited to see real African animals in the wild!

The Zebra (pronounced Zeh-bra) are actually dark brown and white, and NOT the same on both sides. Huh. Who knew? And, they LOVED to pose!

The giraffes were mildly inquisitive. Beautiful, graceful creatures. Quick story. (It is WORDFUL Wednesdays!). One of the missionaries had a strong accent, and would roll his R's. One of the other Elder's left a message for him to call a certain number, and ask for a Mr. G Raffe. With the R Rolled. It took him a couple of tries to realize they had given him the number of the local zoo!!! Ok, back to pictures.

The Rhino's were beautiful, if not a little intimidating. I'm guessing that while Dad was pretty laid back, Mama didn't want anyone to mess with her "baby"!

Want more? Come back next Wednesday . . . I'll have lots more to share!

7 Things

Alright, alright, I confess. I have a bad habit of stealing fun ideas. This is the second one I swiped from I Just Call It As I See It. I'm jealous of people who get to do fun EMS things, since my night calls lately have involved being cancelled before we get on scene, or no calls at all! So, here's how I'm going to amuse myself this morning. Let me know if you play along!

Divulge 7 things I plan to do before I die

- Get to a point where I don't stress about every dime coming in and out
- Own a house
- Safe a life
- Deliver a baby (either my own or someone else's!)
- Buy a new car
- Learn to let it go
- Visit Italy

7 things I do now

- Worry too much
- Not say no often enough
- Love my life
- Have a ridiculous morning routine
- re-kindled my love affair with Dr. Pepper
- Open bags, etc. from the bottom (sorry Cindy!)
- Make my bed every morning

7 things I can’t do

- Whistle with my fingers in my mouth

- Pay off all my debt with one paycheck
- Run 10 miles

- Forget how certain scents affect me
- Go without toe nail polish
- Do major mechanical work on a car
- Play a musical instrument other than the piano

7 things that attract me to the opposite sex

- How they smell
- Their smile
- Their values
- How they treat other people
- Their eyes
- Sense of humor

- Ok, ok, I admit it - how well they flirt!

7 things I say most often

- Are you serious?
- Thank you for calling . . .
- Sugar bunches/Lovey Bunny/Angel Bumps (ok, stupid nicknames for my dog!)
- Oh man

- Shheshellfresshel
- How are you?
- Dagnabit

7 People I admire

- Michelle

- Annette
- Karey
- Laurie

- My parents

- My grandparents

7 Interesting Things About Myself

- I'm adopted. Go ahead. Ask me anything you want - I love talking about it and my view points.
- I do "fake" Sheri well - unless you really know me, I can be SO nice you'll never know I'm not really being so.
- I have a touch of OCD. I like things done a certain way, and I don't like to have my routine thrown too far off
- I love kids. I majored in Early Childhood Education, but decided that all the red tape and aggravating parents weren't worth the effort.
- While I'm an EMT, and love running squad calls, when people come up and say, "look at this", I get SO queasy! I like emergencies where they belong . . .
- I prefer to use humor in most situations. If you can make someone laugh, you can usually get what you want/need accomplished.
- I was a cat person all up until Msh got her puppy, Baron. Now, I'm totally a dog person.
- I have a sad addiction to new products. I believe that the NEXT one will give me the model-y shine-y hair I see in the commercials. However, when I do find that amazing, oh-my-gosh it totally works "thing", I LOVE to tell people about it. (Ask me about the new Venus Breeze razor sometime!)

Your turn. Let me know so I can come visit you!

5 Things

5 Things I Was Doing 10 Years Ago-

Living at SVC
Driving my CRX
Not realizing how good I had it
Getting over a broken heart
Developing a relationship with my BFF Msh

Things on My To-Do List Today-

Fixing "audit" stuff
Walk my dog
Bake a cake
Talk to B.
Pay bills

5 Snacks I Like-

Popcorn
PB & Honey
Peanuts (in the shell!)
Cookie dough
Skittles

5 Things I Would Do If I Was A Millionaire-

Pay off my debt
Buy my house
Buy a new car
Go to the Caribbean - and take my friends with me!
Invest, invest, invest.

5 Places I Have Lived

Utah
North Carolina
Idaho
Virginia (x 3 places)


5 Jobs I Have Had-

Cashier
Fast food (various positions)
Customer Service Manager
Teller
EMT

5 People I Tag to Answer

The five people that read this!!

What I'd Like For You to Know

This morning, I had a complete blank about what to write about. I started several, and they were all, well, just blah. Kind of like the weather today. Then, I read one of my favorite blogs, Rocks in my Dryer. There's an article there every so often about "What I'd Like For You to Know" which I love. I think the reason I couldn't think of anything to write today, was because it had already been written here. So, go check it out, and then let me know what you think. The part about a single person at church? So true. About wanting to play with other people's children? Again, nail on the head. I'd love to hear your comments.

http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/shannon/2008/11/welcome-to-anot.html

Rick-Rolled

Ok. I admit it. I shamelessly stole this from Happy Meals and Happy Hours. Gotta check her out. I tried to keep (for the most part) politics off my blog, but this was too funny NOT to share!

Rick-rolled (rik'-rold)
An internet prank whereby someone is directed to a link unaware that it is actually the music video to Rick Astley's 1987 hit "Never Gonna Give You Up".

Monday

I'm sick.

Blah.

'Nuff said.

Saturday Alphabet Soup

How about some Friday fun?

A is for age:
32, baby!

B is for beer of choice:
Yuck. I hate beer!

C is for what you care about right now
Very, very, concerned about the next four years. I don't think it's going to be sunshine and lollipops like people think.

D is for your dog's name:
Britney

E is for one essential item you use everyday:
Deodorant

F is for one favorite TV show:
Desperate Housewives

G is for favorite game to watch:
Football

H is for Home town :
H'ville, NC

I is for instruments you play:
Piano

J is for favorite juice:
Apple today

K is for whose butt you'd like to kick:
Eh, no one's at the moment

L is for last place you ate:
My bedroom. I was getting ready for work!

M is for marriage:
Between a man and a woman.

N is for your Middle name:
Same as my mama's!

O is for overnight hospital stay:
Never happened.

P is for people you were with today:
No one yet - it's Saturday!

Q is for quote:
"It's always easier to get forgiveness than permission."

R is for Biggest regret:
Him.

S is for SEX:
I am a female, yes.

T is for time you woke up today:
7:02, Britney whining. 7:03, Kenny singing.

U is for underwear you have on now:
Comfy!

V is for a vegetable you love:
Artichokes!

W is for worst habit:
Self doubt.

X is for xylophone (because it always is):
I used to play one of those too.

Y is for something yummy you ate today:
Gotta go with the Cinnamon Sugar donut!

Z is for zodiac sign:
Taurus

My Mama

It's that time of year. I got past Halloween, I'm hearing Christmas Carols at Wal-Mart, and I'm starting to pick out new and exciting recipes for this year. So what does that mean? It must be my Mama's birthday!

Mom and I go way back . . . way way way back to the phone call. "Sister W, are you ready to become a mother? You need to pick her up by 5." Really. It happened like that. See? I told you babies come from the baby store!!! Labor and delivery, overrated, I tell you! My grandpa didn't believe it . . . he thought some idiot had decorated the wrong truck! But, then, there were the 3 of us . . . Grandma, Mom, and Me! So, without further ado, here's Mom!

In looking through photos this year, I'm come to realize something. Dad's always the one taking the pictures! So, since Mom is one of his favorite people, it's been fun to go through these. (Mom, are you sorry you left the photo albums with me yet?) Anyway, I'm pretty sure that this one was taken at Lagoon, in Utah. A very long time ago!!

And, I'm guessing, this was at a park in Roy. Easter Egg hunt . . . maybe?

Picnics were a big thing for my family. Many a time there would be fried chicken, potato salad, and other fixin's (although, while still in UT, those were fixinG's) and take off for the mountains. Usually VERY cold water to be found, which was perfect for chilling a watermelon.

Ok, so, I missed this trip, but here's Mom and my brother, Brad. She'll have to fill me in on where and when this was taken!

Going exploring . . . always fun, and the more of a teenager I became, the more obnoxious I became about what fun was. But, Mom was always up for some adventure, and always annoyingly positive about what a GREAT time we were going to have. And you know the worst part? She was right!

But, as teenagers go, there's always a way to get even . . . esp. if Dad is handy with a camera! This was taken in a Haunted House in Gatlinburg, TN. Yeah, I only WISH I had a figure like that!

My Mom, a natural redhead with beautiful green eyes. And the interesting thing? People would always tell me I looked like my Dad, and Brad, like my Mom. I'm sure it was the eyes . . . Brad's were a crazy awesome shade of green, too!Mom, and her Mom and Daddy. See? Everyone comes from somewhere . . . it's just from the baby store, I tell ya!Mom and Dad are still in Texas, doing the whole mission thing that they love so much. I admire them, out there, standing by their beliefs, teaching, sharing, and loving. These last two pictures, from my visit this past April. I love you, Mom! Happy Birthday!!!

More from the Weekend

So, the trip back from North Carolina was exquisite. There are times that living in the Blue Ridge Mountains, ain't so bad!

Bruce kept getting frustrated that I was reading so much, but between "New Moon" (if you're not reading Twilight, ugh, you don't know WHAT you are missing!) I did manage to see, and appreciate, the scenery!
We wanted to get back, because Ms. Boss Lady had put together a family afternoon. We had a different means of transportation, and headed up the mountain. See? Recognize her? That would be Laurie, from my previous post.
It was hard to get pictures while bumping and moving around, but I managed to get a few of the ride up. Absolutely breathtaking. I love the fall!!

We would stop occasionally, to allow someone to ease through a rocky spot, or just to stretch a bit. Somehow, they managed to be at the prettiest spots!
Eventually, we got to the "high point", which was the lookout tower on House Mountain. Talk about a view . . . worth every second of the trip up there!
Can you believe I went all the way to North Carolina when a view like this was in my own county??? I'm so blessed to be here!

I think LR's T-shirt sums it up the best:
Plus, it's hard to find fault with a kid playin' in the dirt!!!

Other than the view, the best part was getting to spend time with friends that I consider my family away from family. Not only am I blessed to live in amazing countryside like this, the people that I get to consider my friends are SPECTACULAR! That's Ms. Boss Lady's mom on the left, Laurie in the middle, and me on the right. Talk about a weekend to remember.

We went back to the cabin, had take out from one of my favorite establishments (that would be Ms. Boss Lady's Catering!), and then roasted marshmallows. One weekend truly for the books.