Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Mother's Day Photo Contest


This is a photo of my 11 year old twins (and me) taken this past March at Epcot in Disneyworld. This photo means so much to me because it was a truly happy day, the first day of our Florida vacation, and a dream come true for me to be able to take them to the happiest place on earth. I never thought it was possible. We got to goof around, ride rides, and forget about the real world for a few days. It just reinforced the bond that we already had that sometimes gets lost in the reality of every day life. It's also the first time in a long time that I can remember when they didn't argue with each other for five whole days in a row. You other moms are thinking... if my kids won't argue with each other, well, count me in! (And, to make it more special, this photo was taken by my mom!)

Click over to 5 Minutes for Mom where there is a photo contest in progress for a fabulous prize - $1,000! Just post your photo on your blog, sign the Mr. Linky there, and on May 2, a lucky lady will win! They have lots of other great giveaways, too. Check them out!
TO MAKE THIS EVEN MORE SPECIAL... This was my 300th Post!

Thursday Thirteen #26


Fun With Words


Onomatopoeia - a word that imitates the sound it is describing, suggesting - its source object

Here are 13 onomatopoeic words that describe things that happen around my house in the course of time it takes me to type this.

1. Pfffft – My coke can being opened.
2. Thump, thump. thump – the sound of the dog’s leg hitting the floor when he scratches.
3. Bam - The sound of the refrigerator door hitting the door to the garage that has been left open.
4. Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud, thud - you'd think a herd of elephants was climbing the stairs, but it's just the kids.
5. Owwww – the sound my daughter makes when her brother hits her in the back with a granola bar, immediately following by wailing and tears. Yup, even at age 11!
6. Grrrrr – the sound of my stomach telling me it's almost time to eat.

7. Tinkle. tinkle, tinkle - You thought I was going to say something about the bathroom, but I fooled you! It's the sound of the doorbell on my daughter's room.
8. whirrrr - the sound of the handmixer whipping up some potatoes.
9. Murmur, murmur, murmer - the distant sound of a teenager on the cell phone.
10. Shhhhh – the sound of the air conditioner humming away.
11. Thwoot – the sound of the automatic air freshener spritzing a burst of fragrance into the air every 7 minutes (and it still doesn’t hide the funky dog smell).
12. Rrrring – the phone that no one wants to answer.
13. Ruff – the sound of the dog asking to be let back inside.


Tuesday, April 29, 2008

These Dreams... Continued


I had two recurring dreams as I was growing up. The first one was about a bear chasing me in the forest. I had that dream at least once a week when I was from the age of remembering dreams until I was about 7 or 8 (till 1972 or thereabouts).


The other recurring dream started when I was about 8 or 9 (1973-1974). It was always about an evil house. It was a two story house (maybe 3) , with big dormer windows in the front and a balcony on the side. I never even lived in a two story house until three years ago, so I don't know why I was dreaming about one. Anyway... the house was bad, as in evil. It trapped me inside, with the walls closing in. There was a force stronger than I, and it was pulling me. I always remember waking from that dream in a cold sweat trembling with fear. I had this dream over and over many times until I was a teenager


The bear story? Who knows what that was all about. But I swear the house in the second recurring dream (nightmare) was the Amityville House, and I dreamed about it before the murders happened (1975) and before the movie came out (1979). It's really freaky. I've only shared this with a few other people - because people tend to disbelieve me, but it's true. The same thing didn't happen in my dream that happened with the murders or the movie, but it was the same house! I was going to put a picture of the house on this post, but I just can't. I don't want to look at it every time I open my blog for the next few days. You can check out these links if you want to. Google book search, movie from 1979, movie from 2005, or the official website.


Things like this freak me out. I don't even go to scary movies - well - not the typical scary movie like Amityville or The Omen. I just don't watch them. And I hate crazy dreams that startle me awake, that make me afraid of the dark, that fill me with dread for the entire day.


One commenter on the previous post (which can be found here) said she will go through a whole day feeling affected by the dreams she has, just like me. For example, if I dream I'm mad at my husband, or if I dream he did something wrong, I will feel that way the entire day. Dreams can be so darn realistic that it's hard to separate them for real life!


Anyone care to share or comment?

Monday, April 28, 2008

UB Funkeys


They're not as cute as the extremely popular webkinz, but they are interactive! Have you heard of UB Funkeys? My daughter has a set that she got from my mom for Christmas. The "base" Funkey plugs in to the computer via a USB cable, and she can change which Funkeys she's playing with from the base.


On their home page, you can take quizzes, respond to polls, play games, and visit Funkini Island or FunkeysTown with your own collectible Funkeys. There are tabs where you can click on "Who are the Funkeys," "The Funkey Community, and "Funkey Facts."


The official description of Funkeys states: U.B. Funkeys™ - the collectible figures that unlock a virtual world filled with games and items. Each Funkey that you collect unlocks new zones. Play the games in the zones you unlock to earn coins to buy items you can customize your “crib” with. Post your virtual world crib online for all of your friends to see!


My daughter likes these, and it's a nice break from ClubPenguin, WebKinz, and Runescape, which are three other online places I allow the kids to go. Check it out!

Sunday, April 27, 2008

GORK


Sunday Scribblings offers this topic:

Is there hope, do you think? Or not so much? Maybe you're impatiently awaiting the Rapture; maybe you think we've already doomed the Earth and the human race to a wasting death; maybe you think everything will be just fine. What is the future of the planet?

Here's the short answer!
GORK!
(God Only Really Knows)


Visit for Sunday Scribblings here!

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Scrolling Saturday


Scrolling Saturday is a meme hosted by Such Simple Pleasures. Dust off an old post and post it again! How easy is that?



This was originally posted on Sunday, December 30, 2007.


Now and then…

The sadness creeps up on me.

As fresh and raw as if it were yesterday.

I am empty with loss.

The earth sits motionless on its axis.



Now and then…I wish I could see your face again.

Talk to you.

Show you pictures.

Share your wisdom.

Record your memories.

I wonder how life would have been,If you had lived.



Now and then I wonder…Would different choices be mine these past few years?

The stories you could share,

The influence of your knowledge,

Your example for the grandkids,

And mom, a different person without you.



And now and then…I’m okay;

I’m strong;

I’m fine.



Now and then…I can forget the way you died.

Suddenly,

Without warning,

Unanticipated and too soon.

And I know I can never forget.



But now and then, I won’t remember.

Mostly now, there’s a hole in the universe where you should be.
In Loving Memory of my Father

L. D. Rankin

3/14/35 – 10/10/04

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

13 Great Morgan Freeman Movies

Edition #25!

Did you know Morgan Freeman was on The Electric Company back in the 1970’s? How many of you remember THAT show?

~Sh~
~Out~
Shout!
~T~
~Op~
Top!

If you’ve never seen The Electric Company, you didn’t get that. Sorry.
On to my 13 for this week.

Morgan Freeman is one of my absolute favorite actors! I can’t say I’ve loved every movie he’s been in (such as 10 Items or Less – didn’t appeal to me), but here are 13 that I have enjoyed.

1. Clean and Sober – A pretty good movie, even though he’s not the main character.
2. Lean on Me (1989) – based on a true story about an inner city school
3. Driving Miss Daisy (1989)– a bittersweet story
4. The Shawshank Redemption (1994). It’s rare I can watch a movie more than once, but I definitely can watch this one over and over. And, to think, it’s about prisoners!
5. Outbreak (1995) – The story about an airborne virus is good, although the book was better. It usually is.
6. Se7en (1995) – What is it with serial killers? Strange movie in some ways, but unique as well
7. Kiss the Girls (1997) – Every time I read an Alex Cross book by James Patterson, I picture Morgan Freeman as Alex.
8. Under Suspicion (2000) – Another crime/thriller movie
9. Along Came a Spider (2001) – another Alex Cross psychological thriller
10. Bruce Almighty (2003) – Who else could play God and get away with it?
11. Million Dollar Baby (2004) – Who’d ‘a thought I’d like a boxing movie?
12. Evan Almighty (2007) – Another “Biblical” adventure
13. Gone Baby Gone (2007) – I guess I just like mysteries and psychological thrillers. I was very surprised at the ending of this one.
Morgan Freeman has been is lots of other movies, of course, but I hope you enjoyed my list.
To visit other Thursday Thirteeners, click here.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

These Dreams


Sometimes I have the strangest dreams, and they are soooooo vivid! Sometimes my dreams feel like they've actually happened in real life, and I will go through the day carrying the resulting emotions as though it did happen, even though I know it didn't. I'm not really sure if I want to know what this means or not. Probably too freaky!


Last week, for instance, I dreamed I was sitting on my stool at the front of my class reading to them. No big deal, right? The problem was that a student pointed out that I had chewing gum stuck between my teeth. The dream was so vividly real down to the detail of the appearance of the classroom and individual students and their reactions, not to mention my embarrassment.


Shortly after returning from our Disney World trip last month, I dreamed my mom and I, along with my 11 year old twins, were going on a gigantic, red roller coaster bigger and taller than any roller coaster that possibly could exist. We boarded the coaster and proceeded to pass through several parking lots, over a field, and many minutes later finally reached the beginning of the ride, all while actually seated on the coaster.


We then had to wait a long time for our coaster's turn to go up the first steep incline. As the ride lurched, sending us skyward, my heart must have skipped a few beats. The plunges, twists, loops, forwards and backwards, gave me a heart-stopping scare and made me feel like we would surely die. I believed we were still on the roller coaster when I awoke.


What was that all about? It felt so real! And my mom would never get on a baby roller coaster, let alone this mammoth! She has back problems, among other things. What I thought strangest was the walk we had to take to get to the boarding line as well as the coaster travelling through parking lots and fields just to get where it was supposed to start. It's just crazy!


What are your vivid dreams, or do you have any? More to come later, I'm sure, like have you ever had repetitive dreams?

Monday, April 21, 2008

Heads or Tails


This week Skittles (our Heads or Tails host) has flipped "heads" with the topic "Direction."

What comes to my mind is the Bob Dylan song "Like a Rolling Stone." These lyrics in the second verse , in particular:
How does it feel?
How does it feel?
To be on your own,
With no direction home,
A complete unknown,
Like a rolling stone.
There are quite a few YouTube videos of this song, but I chose this one because the pictures and the message of the song blend together and strike a poignant chord with me. Here ya, go! And to visit other Heads of Tails, click here.




Sunday, April 20, 2008

And She Remained Composed (Sunday Scribblings)


It took every amount of effort I could muster to remain composed. I would like to be shouting obscenities, calling names, and crediting "this woman" with the breakup of my marriage, but I mainted my composure and endured the salty remarks, insults, and commands with dignity while standing on my own front porch with the children within ear shot.

Here stood "this woman," the same woman who seven years previously seduced my husband into another life, now with a child of their own, almost three years old, criticizing me for allowing my children to participate in sports and after school activities. Excuse me?

"It takes time away from their father," she says.

What I want to say is that HIS JOB is what takes time away from the kids. Always has. He goes to work at four, comes home at 6AM, sleeps, wakes up at 1 or 2, and repeats the process, all by his own choice, all after quitting a job that he had every other weekend off.
He attended two football games last year. Last year, he attended no soccer games, no basketball games, and thus far, no baseball games this year. And of course, my boy isn't playing all four sports at the same time. He has a lot of down time in between seasons.

"Well, he has to work." I wanted to ask if she'd ever heard of a sick day. Oh, no, that would be too irresponsible! They don't take sick days, hadn't taken one in seven years. Maybe he could come out and watch his son and support him emotionally.

And, what I wanted to say was maybe he should get decent work with decent hours and decent pay - always a problem when we were married, too.
He sees them for 2 hours Saturday and 2 hours Sunday, and the rest of the time is spent with their step-mom, her family, and their half-sister. Oops! "Real sister, Blood sister," I'm told. "They need to bond. It's not fair for you to keep him in activities on days he's supposed to be with his father and 'sister'." The little girl is okay, but she's nothing special to me. If my kids bond with her, great, but if they don't, they will all be fine. The purspose of visitation is for the kids to see their FATHER, and they don't. I keep all this in my head.

She says, "I worked out the amount of child support we pay according to each day we get to see them." That's not how it's done, is what I want to say. They have to be supported whether they are here or at his house, and it's his responsibility. Wacky woman!

She says, "Surely they would throw him in jail if he didn't pay child support." I say, "Probably." I'm thinking, what does that have to do with anything? She tells me that they are involved in too much and they need to pick one thing and stick to it. I tell her they are at the age where they are still experimenting with sports and other activities to see which ones they like and which ones they are good at. She says, "We didn't do any activities when I was growing up." I think, but don't say, well, then, maybe that's what's wrong with you.

The gist is that the kids shouldn't participate in anything that is going to interfere with them seeing their father. When I remind her they don't really see him anyway, she says it's so they can bond with their "sister" who is 9 years younger than they are. I told her I was perfectly happy to let him miss a baseball game or two to go to their dad's. No big deal. Oh, No! Her self-righteousness came back with, "No, he has a responsibility to the team. He needs to be responsible and we need to teach him that." (Read - You, his mom, aren't teaching him to be responsible.) I'm thinking, we don't need to teach him anything, I do, and I do teach him that and so much more. Seems to me my boy missed half his soccer games last spring so he could go to his dad's house, and I never once made any remark to them. Seems to me my girl missed girl scout activities so she could go to their house only to be told to pick up the dog poop in the back yard. I kid you not! And she sees her dad for how long on the weekend? Maybe four hours total.

How dare she come to my home (the step-mother) and tell me what to do for MY kids? She also said I am not to deal with my ex anymore, but with her because she is in charge of everything. I calmly took her cell number down. I remained composed during the entire ordeal, and it was an ordeal of which I've only scratched the surface. Oh, trust me, there was even more!

She'll find out, I will continue to let my children participate in whatever they have an interest in to strengthen their skills, keep them off the streets, teach them self-respect and teamwork, and help them grow into responsible, well-rounded adults instead of into trashy home-wreckers whose only concern is themselves. And if I need to communicate about the kids, I'll call their dad. Good thing I stayed composed and didn't say all that!
To view other Sunday Scribblings posts, click here.

The Sorting Hat Says "Hufflepuff!"

I found this quiz when I visited All Things Cherished, and since I love ALL things Harry Potter, I had to give it a try!


Which Hogwarts house will you be sorted into?

Thursday, April 17, 2008

That Little Thing We Like to Call the Blogroll


Have you taken a look at your blogroll lately? You know... that area of your sidebar where you list your favorite or frequently visited blogs?


I am making some changes to mine - adding some people whose blogs I frequent often and have never gotten around to adding them. If I am supposed to add you, or if you'd like to link each other, just let me know. This led me to some questions I'd like to ask of all of you.


1. How often do you change your blogroll?

2. What is it that makes you want to add someone or take someone out?

3. Do you add only people who add you, or do you add them even if they don't reciprocate?

4. And, last, how much time do you spend looking at other people's blogrolls and following their links?


Feel free to answer any or all of the questions, or just leave a quick comment if you'd like. I'll compile all the opinions I get for a later post.

Friday's Feast April 18



Appetizer
Name a color you find soothing.

Soft colors in hues of blue, pink, lavendar or cream. They are relaxing.


Soup
Using 20 or less words, describe your first driving experience.

I don't remember it! I only remember being nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs!


Salad
What material is your favorite item of clothing made out of?

It's an incredibly soft, white bathrobe. I have it on right now.


Main Course
Who is a great singer or musician who, if they were to come to your town for a concert, you would spend the night outside waiting for tickets to see?

There is absolutely NO ONE I want to see who is worth spending the night outdoors in line!


Dessert
What is the most frequent letter of the alphabet in your whole name (first, middle, maiden, last, etc.)?

It was a tie! N and A, 5 each, and they are also the last two letters of my first name.
To join us for Friday's Feast, or to read what others are saying, click here.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Thursday Thirteen #24





Who Needs American Idol?



Here Are Thirteen One Hit Wonders that I Actually Like Listening To!
Notice they are one HIT wonders - not "one-song-ever-recorded"wonders! Sure, some of them had other songs, but these were classified "hits" by Billboard Magazine during the eras when they were most popular.






1. Rapper’s Delight by Sugarhill Gang 1980 *






2. Funkytown by Lipps, Inc. 1980 *





3. Tainted Love by Soft Cell 1982 *
Embedding disabled - Click here to watch.
All the other videos were just absolutely too weird to post here!

4. Hooked on a Feeling by Blue Swede 1974 *






5. Kung Fu Fighting by Carl Douglas 1974 *






6. Convoy by C. W. McCall 1975 *






7. Smokin in the Boys Room by Brownsville Station 1973 *






8. True by Spandau Ballet 1983 *






9. Hot Child in the City by Nick Gilder 1978 *






10. Lovefool by The Cardigans 1996 *






11. Afternoon Delight by Starland Vocal Band 1976 *






12. The Hustle by Van McCoy 1975 *






13. Take on Me by A-Ha 1985 *




Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Wordless Wednesday

Epcot Center, Florida, March 2008.


My New Award



I got this wonderful award from my blogging buddy HolleeAnn at The Vasquez Three. If you haven't checked out her blog, I highly recommend it! She's a family-oriented mom who is thoughtful and light-hearted. I enjoy reading her blog. Thanks for the award!

Monday, April 14, 2008

Heads or Tails


This Tuesday meme is hosted by Skittles. It has its own home at Heads or Tails. Click on the link to see who else is participating. She offers up a heads or tails topic, and we come up with the rest. It's great fun!

HEADS - Tip

*OR*

TAILS - Anything that rhymes with Tip. (my choice)


Larger and larger grows each hip,
Probably because of the chip and
dip,
Or maybe it was that bite of cheese nip,
Or the strawberry shortcake with cool whip,
Oh, that milkshake, I only had a sip.
I couldn’t resist when I put it to my
lip.
I offer you this tiny little tip,
If the jeans are going to be able to
zip,
You might pass up these snacks and get a grip,
Or when you bend over, your jeans will rip,
Because larger and larger grows each hip.






Menu Plan Monday


Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie hosts this meme to help everyone stay organized for the week with menus, planning and grocery shopping. So, I'm a little late. At least I got the menu planned, and now I'm posting it so I'll stick to it!


Monday - grilled hamburgers, tomatoes, onions, lettuce; crispy crowns (seasoned tater tots), and carrots.


Tuesday - Mexican chili (This is my crock pot day). It's boneless breast of chicken, a can of black beans, and picante' sauce. Serve over rice or tostada chips with cheese sprinkled on top.


Wednesday - homemade beef and cheese enchiladas and guacamole salad. For the guacamole (and it's pronounce waca moley), I mash fresh avacados, put in a small amount of chopped onion, one small Roma tomato, chopped, and a dash of garlic salt.


Thursday - Guy's night out. My husband goes to "steak night" every Thursday with his father and brothers. The rest of us fend for ourselves. Since we have piano and baseball, we usually end up grabbing something quick from Subway, Jason's Deli, and occasionally fast food such as Whataburger, Sonic, or Taco Bell.


Friday - Traditionally, this is pizza night.


By the way, the "Meal in One" from last week was absolutely delicious! The recipe is linked in the post which you can find here.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Unconscious Mutterings Week 271


Unconscious Mutterings is a free association meme hosted by Luna Nina. She gives us some words, and we "free associate" whatever comes into our mind. It's fun to compare with others!

Silence :: Sound
Wall :: Barrier
Killed :: Dead
Wishful :: Thinking
Poodle :: Furball
Sullen :: Pouty
Do not disturb :: Sleeping
Philadelphia :: Liberty Bell (I almost put cream cheese)
Anticipation :: Ketchup Commercial
Sidewalk :: Chalk


Not very original, I'm afraid, but fun nonetheless!

Friday, April 11, 2008

Scrolling Saturdays


Join us for Scrolling Saturdays! This meme is hosted by Such Simple Pleasures and Manners and Moxie. All you do is dust off an old post and post it again!

This was originally written and posted September 30, 2007.

POWERFUL

I am not powerful.
In fact, I feel exceedingly powerless most of the time.
I do not exert great power or force.
I am not physically strong beyond the ordinary.
I do not feel like I have the uncanny ability to move people with the power of my voice, speech, written word, or logic.
And I certainly don’t feel like I have great authority or influence.

However, I have powerful, strong emotions.
When I am hurt, I hurt deeply.
When I am in love, I love passionately.
When I am angry, I am completely angry.
When I am sad, I am inconsolable.
When I am afraid, I am profoundly afraid.
When I am content, I am genuinely satisfied.




Thursday, April 10, 2008

Games People Play


Are you a player? That's playER not playah! I don't have a lot of time to play online games, what with blogging and all. And work and kids and house-cleaning. You get my point. When I do have time, I usually go back to one particular game called Candy Drops at Candystand.com. It's a puzzle game set up on a grid that slides from left to right and top to bottom. The object is to line up three or more "candies" either vertically or horizontally. When you do, they disappear, and the rest of the row moves down (or over). Here are the rules according to the website:

Make matches of 3, 4, or 5 adjacent tiles to score points!

Make as many matches as you can before time runs out.

Earn extra time as your point total goes up.

It's thought-less, brain-less fun. To give it a try, click here.

What online games do you like to play?

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Thursday Thirteen


I am in desperate need of something light-hearted and totally random today, and since I had cheese and crackers for a snack, I decided to write thirteen things to do with a saltine cracker.



1. Make pine bark (chocolate treat). I haven’t used this recipe, but in spite of the sound of saltines and chocolate combined, it looks delicious!

2. Use as a home remedy for nausea along with cola syrup, ginger, and tea.

3. Crush them into soup or chili.

4. Serve with any type of cheese for a light snack or appetizer. That’s what I did today. - OR use just plain butter! Thanks for the reminder, Lori. I love it that way, too.

5. Eat them all then use the box to make a purse. Check out this item at an Etsy store!

6. Crush them up in meatloaf (instead of bread crumbs) with a bit of egg to make the meat stick together better.

7. Take the Saltine Cracker Challenge (10 crackers in your mouth in one minute with no beverages) and put your video on YouTube like these folks! Apparently, there are several versions of this "challenge" out there. (If anyone can handle this, Sandy can!)

8. Perform this science experiment to demonstrate how the chemical energy in food can be converted into motion.

9. Use a cracker to trace a square onto paper. I don’t know why you need a square, but now you have one!

10. Make a snack of mini peanut butter/cracker sandwiches.

11. Use a cracker (along with a few household items) to make a “humane mouse trap.”

12. Use them as manipulatives to demonstrate simple math concepts such as adding, and especially subtracting them because you can eat them as you subtract.

13. Use a cracker to complete this easy experiment about the digestive system.
Check out Thursday Thirteen here!


Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Being Thankful - or giving it my best shot


A dark and desperate time threatens me now.
I was warned to think positive.
I must think positive.
What has been done, is done.
It is and always will be.
Take stock of what I have, not what I gave up.
This isn’t “what would’ve been”
And it isn’t “what could’ve been.”
It is “what is now” and “what is to come.”

Lord, I pray for the strength, patience and wisdom I will need to make it through this bump in my road.

I am thankful for:
**God, Jesus, and a place of worship to call home, where friends will be there for me if I need them.


**Family – My dad who is in Heaven there with God whose memories I treasure; my mom, who is still living and who I often complain about as though I were a teenager; my sister who has been there to listen to my troubles.


**More Family – my children, who make me proud when they do the right thing (and I’m still thankful for them even when they make me sad for not doing the right thing), for making good grades, for loving the Lord, and for loving me. My children are so important in my life.


**A home to live in, food to eat, transportation, a job, and a small measure of security.


**I live in a place of freedom; freedom to think, freedom to express myself, freedom to worship, freedom to speak my mind, freedom to be happy or depressed if I so choose, and freedom to question, wonder, learn, research, and dream.


**I am thankful that I am not in an abusive relationship, that I can provide a good home for my family, and that I can realize when I need help.

Monday, April 07, 2008

Heads or Tails


This week's theme/prompt is: HEADS - Express.

The first thing that comes to my mind when I hear the word "Express" is Madonna's song, "Express Yourself." While it is a strange video, it calls to mind an even stranger time in my life, a time I was expressing myself, a time of partying, and a time of independence. Here for you, courtesy of You Tube, is Madonna's video.



Click to visit other HoT participants. Or click to visit the creator of HoT, Skittles.

Give Me Five!



The 'Give Me Five' Monday meme is designed to share fun information with each other in a simple short list! Here's how it works. Each week, Becca will put out a random topic and you share 5 answers of your choice on the given topic and link back to her. Join us; it's fun!


Funny you should ask! Not too long ago, right around Valentine's Day, I blogged about my favorite sweets. Not all of them were candy, but a few were. Here are the candies I really like, not in any particular order.

1. I love anything chocolate, but especially M & M's. Melt in your mouth, not in your hand! They are so much better than Kissables, which have a really thick candy shell that has an after-taste. The candy shell of M & M's really does melt in your mouth giving way to wonderful, creamy chocolate!


2. I like Reese's peanut butter cups - a lot. I couldn't stand them when I was a kid. In fact, I wouldn't eat anything with peanut butter while I was growing up. Strange how our tastes change. Peanut butter and chocolate really are two great tastes that taste great together. I especially love them mixed in with Coldstone Creamery chocolate ice cream. What a decadent treat.
3. Russell Stover's strawberry cream chocolates are a treat I don't get often. I think they should make a whole box of JUST the chocolates with the sweet, strawberry cream center. And I don't even like strawberries.
4. I love Sweet-Tarts, particularly the pink and purple ones. My teeth don't love them, but I do. Do you remember when they used to package two extra large Sweet-Tarts, one purple and one pink? I was in love with those.

5. Last, but not least, watermelon Jolly Ranchers. My students and my own kids love any flavor of Jolly Rancher, but I will only eat the watermelon kind. And no, I don't like watermelon, either. Only watermelon candy!


Sunday, April 06, 2008

Menu Plan Monday


Argh! Don't you get so mad a blogger when you try to post, it doesn't work, and it wipes everything out?! Of course you do, if it's ever happened to you, and I'm willing to bet it has. And now...

Laura over at I'm an Organizing Junkie hosts Menu Plan Monday each week. It's not extremely exciting to plan a menu, or to write about it, but it helps me with both grocery shopping for the week and with staying organized in my busy life. Plus, posting it makes me stick to it! Click over to her blog for more menus and some great ideas.

Monday - Slow cooker chicken (made with boneless chicken breast, cream of mushroom soup, cream of celery soup, chopped onion, garlic powder, and a dash of burgundy cooking wine), penne pasta, French style green beans.

Tuesday – I’m going to try a new recipe called “Meal in One.” Click for the recipe if you’re interested. It’s a beef/potato/vegetable casserole, but the recipe sounds yummy.

Wednesday – Grilled hamburgers, au gratin potatoes, and probably corn, (I know! Two starches, but not everyone like potatoes, and not everyone likes corn. At least one of the two will please them all.)

Thursday – Busy night – dinner on the go!

Friday – Pizza night, as usual. Last week we ordered from Dominoes. We’ll probably go to a local pizza restaurant this time. I don’t like to cook after a long week of working, playing, and being the chauffeur and housekeeper.

The Photograph


This piece was written for Sunday Scribblings. The topic is "photograph."



The tasteful black and white photograph rested on the fireplace mantel. Carefully preserved in a vintage frame, the photo was a focal point of the living room where she often gazed at it with a melancholy feeling.


The smiling couple in the photo was beaming, and the love in their hearts was evident in the natural way they delved into each other’s eyes. The woman, in her simple white cocktail dress, gloves, and tiara veil, and the man in his classic black suit, were the essence of happiness. The woman, a little plump, was beautiful, with thick, silky dark hair, dark eyes, and cheeks that appeared rosy though this was not a color photo. The handsome, brown-haired man was tall and thin, perhaps feeling a little awkward, but with an air of innocence about him.

They were natural, not posed, and so photogenic. She looked longingly at the wedding photo of the man and woman, missing them both. Her parents.



I wish I had the photo to post here, but I can't find where it's saved on the computer. This is a photo of the couple some 38 years later.
To visit more writers from Sunday Scribblings, click here.

Friday, April 04, 2008

Scrolling Saturdays


Welcome to Scrolling Saturdays. Thank you to Manners and Moxie and Such Simple Pleasures for hosting this meme. Did you pick out your archived post yet? Is it cleaned up and ready for some lovin'? So post it...what are you waiting for? I hope you'll play along!

This was originally posted on Sunday, August 5, 2007.

"Decisions." On first instinct, I'd say that I don't like to make decisions. But that is ironic because I like to be in charge. I guess it really depends on the situation.

For example, a big decision such as whether or not I am going to buy a new car is usually pretty simple, likely because big decisions such as that do not happen every day. It's the little decisions that are sometimes difficult for me. What am I going to wear today? What movie do I want to see? At what restaurant shall we dine tonight?

Shopping! Clothes shopping, in particular, is difficult. Do I really want to pay $50 for this item? Do I really want this shirt, or am I just buying it because it's a really great sale? Do these pants make me look fatter? (On an aside, of course they do! If you have to ask, put them back!)

I make decisions for others much more easily than I make them for myself. I decide what I will allow my children to eat, what they can watch on TV, whether or not they can have friends over at a certain time, and so on. I guess it is easier to dictate to others than it is to decide for myself. I make decisions in my job every day, most of them quite simple choices.

Why is it so hard to decide things for myself? Is it laziness? Is it fear of rejection of some sort? Is it worry that I will do something wrong or make a bad decision? I can't decide!




Thursday, April 03, 2008

Friday's Feast



Appetizer
Invent a new flower; give it a name and describe it.

It is called "cheerful." It's dark pink with a light yellow and brown center. It's similarly shaped to a cala lily, but it smells like stargazers.


Soup
Name someone whom you think has a wonderful voice.

Colbie Caillat (Click her name to go to a link to watch her video. Embedding is disabled, so you'll have to click over for this one.)


Salad
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how clean do you keep your car?

7. I try. I can't stand when people leave trash, books, or food in the car. I don't get the outside cleaned as often as I should.


Main Course
How do you feel about poetry?

pretty good! tee hee


Dessert
What was the last person/place/thing you took a picture of?

My 11 year old son playing at his first baseball game (which I haven't uploaded to the computer yet).

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Thursday Thirteen #23


13 signs you’re in need of counseling

1. If there is a major change in your life, good or bad.
2. If you self-medicate (alcohol, drugs, food, etc.)
3. If you have unexplained physical problems that may be arising from stress.
4. If you are depressed or anxious, and it doesn’t go away.
5. If you doubt yourself.
6. If you have low self-esteem.
7. If a child is experiencing stress due to your attitudes and behaviors.
8. If there is too much distance in your marriage or partnership.
9. If you just need to talk.
10. If you’re curious about the counseling process.
11. If you and your mate or partner have never had an argument.
12. If you’re uneasy, but you’re not quite sure what’s bothering you.
13. If you have any thoughts about hurting yourself or others, even emotionally.


Follow this link for some common sense information.

Click here to view other Thursday Thirteeners.

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