Friday, October 31, 2008

This Week on the Home Front Part 5

This week I organized my wrapping paper and gift bags which Rachel Anne of Home Sanctuary suggested to us a couple of weeks ago as one of our daily "Small Things" challenges. I finally got to it! She inspires me to do so much! You can hook up with RA at her blog anytime, but she hosts a special Company Girl Coffee every Friday.







Another woman who inspires me is Marcia, the Organising Queen. Marcia posts daily tips on organization and decluttering almost daily, and she hosts a special edition of Decluttering on Fridays.





I cleaned out my sock drawer. It didn't take long, but it was productive. I tossed 12 (yes, a dozen) mate-less socks, gave three pairs of athletic socks I don't like to my son (whose foot is as big or bigger than mine already), one pair to my daughter, and two to donate.

Kids' computer area - neat
CD's - neat Electronic decluttering - My Pictures - all neatly catalogued into folders by occasion, type, or subject.

Also electronic - I considered switching from Bloglines to Google Reader, but I love the interface on Bloglines and the way I can organize it. I deleted 18 blogs from my feeds, though, you know, the ones you might read sometimes. Well, I just don't have time unless it's something I really love. I can always add them back later if I change my mind, but it felt good to clean it up.


I also received Good Mail this week! This Halloween/Fall scrapbook kit and Paper Crafts magazine arrived from Kimmy at Stamps, Scraps, and More. This totally rocks because I was preparing to do a Halloween page of my twins, and I can use all the help I can get.



Totally by surprise, I received this magnetic not pad from Mamarazzi of Dandelion Wishes. She must know me well, because I love to put a shopping list on the refrigerator that everyone can add to during the week as they think of things they need. You're awesome, Mamarazzi!

This is the final day to visit my Bloggy Carnival post for your chance to win a $20 Amazon.com gift card.


And it's a good thing I wrote this post a couple of days ago, even though I am posting it today, because I have been so sick! I think my head is going to explode, I about passed out at the doctor's office when they tried to take my blood pressure, and my throat feels like Freddy Kruger has been scraping it with his long, icky nails. Thanks for listening to me whine!

Subscribe in a reader

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Thursday Thirteen #45

Tomorrow is Halloween - not my favorite holiday. What am I celebrating? I admit it's fun, though. However, today I'm going to list what NOT to put in my trick-or-treat bag this year (or any year, really)

1. Licorice - ick! Never have liked it.
2. An apple - red, green, candied, doesn't matter. I don't want it.
3. A box of raisins. Yes, I eat raisins, but I don't want them for Halloween.
4. Lemon drops - remind me too much of cough drops.
5. Toothbrush - nuff said.
6. Chocolate Pirate Coins - Melamine scare and recall!
7. Those orange and black peanut butter candies. Nope. Don't like 'em.
8. Pennies - nuff said.
9. Cinammon hard candies - they burn my mouth.
10. Dubble Bubble bubble gum - Super Bubble is okay, but not Dubble Bubble!
11. A pamphlet about God's love. I'm not worshipping the devil! Just out for some fun. I know God, and I love God, and He loves me. If you don't want to participate, turn your light off and don't answer the door.
12. An orange - see number 2.
13. Candy corn - Don't shoot me!

I'm wishing everyone a safe and happy Halloween. If you're going to have pix up in the near future, or a post about your Halloween, leave me a comment to remind me to visit you!


BOO!

Isn't this the cutest picture? My friend, "J," at Musings from Left Field "boo-ed" me. We boo-ed people at work this year, and we usually boo people in our neighborhood. Why not a blog boo? This time, the treat is this adorable photo!

Now, this is how Blogging Boo will work. Go to as many friends as you want and tell them they've been "Booed". Have them link back to your blog to pick up their Halloween Treat (picture)! Tell them to "Boo" their friends. Then, put the picture in your side bar so everyone knows that you've already been "Booed".
So, are you scared yet!!?? Well, you better be!!! BOO!!!

One more time - the rules - short and sweet!
1. Take picture, put on sidebar
2. Tell people they have been booed
3. Link back to who booed you

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Wordless Wednesday

My clarinet player. Band concert October 28, 2008

Click here for more Wordless Wednesday.

See my Bloggy Giveaway Post (Amazon GC)


Subscribe in a reader

Monday, October 27, 2008

An Award and A Swap!

Tamy at 3 Sides of Crazy is hosting a holiday swap. Click on the link to go to her post about it. It's going to be fun!

Tamy also sent me this adorable Kreativ Blogger award. Isn't it pretty?
Rules:

Mention the blog that gave it to you and comment on their blog to let them know you have posted your award.

Publish these rules.

Share 6 values that are important to you and 6 things you do not support~ Grant the prize to 6 people.


I support

1. God, the father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ

2. Having children involved in activities that teach them teamwork, the importance of effort, and clean, healthy living and promote self-respect and respect for others.

3. The value of education, particularly in our society.

4. The value of hard work. The world owes you nothing.

5. Eating family meals together as often as possible.

6. My Constitutional Rights.




I don't support


1. Welfare under our current laws. They system is necessary, but needs to be revamped.


2. Abortion


3. Boards of education made up of non-educators who think they can make educated decisions when they haven't been in a classroom since they graduated.


4. Child abuse.


5. The IRS.


6. People who don't wear underwear. (I had to throw that in there!)


Six People I am Passing This Award to:

Wani's World

Tiny Blessings

Nothing but Purple

My Life is Based on a True Story

Mother, Daughter, Sister, Friend, Me

Dandelion Wishes

Heads or Tails

This week's Heads or Tails prompt is Tails - tell a scary story, real or otherwise. I'm going to cheat just a bit and re-post a story I wrote that was originally published on my blog July 23, 2007. I hope you enjoy it.

"Wicked" by Forgetfulone

From the outside, the house was silhouetted by eerie, yellow moonlight. The gold-plated letter “A” was burnished on the crown of the arched entryway. A row of ornately sculpted columns adorned the veranda. The dormer windows on the second floor reminded me of eyes, evil intent, beckoning me to dare cross the threshold. The rose window caught my attention momentarily, its beauty in contrast to the general atmosphere surrounding the structure. Lightning blazed across the sky sending a spectral glow over the entire home, particularly the widow’s walk at the top of the building.


I could hardly believe it. I had found it! This ancestral home, which I thought only existed in my head, had haunted my worst nightmares for years, and I had never stepped foot inside it. But tonight… tonight, I would. I would dare this house to repeat my dreams to me.


I approached cautiously and tried the knob. The door was unlocked as if the house had actually invited me to enter. The corridors trembled as if heaving a heavy sigh as I entered. I kept reminding myself, “It’s only a house. It’s only a dream.” That was my mantra. My boots echoed dreadfully through the vast hallway as I headed for the stairs. “It’s only a house. It’s only a dream.”


Suddenly, I was jerked backward by an unseen force. Back, back, and back down the hallway I took from the entry. I turned to run, but the door was sealed with a deadbolt locked from within. There was no key in the door. I ran forward down the hall again trying to reach the staircase, but I froze in fear. The walls in the hallway were closing in on me. “I am going to suffocate!” I thought aloud. I pushed on a wall with all my strength trying to keep it from crushing me, as I continued to scoot my way forward. At length, I was free. I was at the stairway, the hallway left behind. I climbed the stairs hurriedly looking for the source of my nightmare. It was something on the second floor, that I was sure of, but I didn’t know what I was looking for. I believed I would know it when I saw it.


When I reached the landing, there was water leaking from the sides of the walls gushing to the floor pooling around my ankles. There were too many leaks to attempt plugging them, so I continued forward to the room straight ahead. There was the soft glow of lamp light emanating from the room, and it drew me near. In my dream, this was the end. I would wake up in a cold sweat having endured the suffocating hallway and the water creating a small river at my feet.


I couldn’t let it end here now. “It’s only a house. It’s only a dream,” I repeated. The door was ajar on the lamp-lit room, and I slowly pushed it further open. It creaked in resistance. There was an oil lamp radiating on a circular table set next to a chair covered in gold brocade. On the right side of the room was an ancient bureau adorned with cologne bottles, a silver brush, and a silver mirror. “Those aren’t what I’m looking for,” I told myself, though how I knew that is a mystery. To the left was an armoire. I would have to open that to see what was inside. Then I realized that the oil lamp was my beacon. Next to it, sitting lonely on the table, I saw it! An amulet. This was what would set me free from my nightmares. I grabbed it from the table and jammed it in the pocket of my jeans. My heart sank when I realized I had to find a way out of there.


The hall from which I came was completely flooded with foul-smelling water. Besides, it would lead to the hallway that I care not to enter ever again. There must be another way. I searched the room I was in for clues. There HAD to be some other passage. All of a sudden, the thunder cracked outside the room. A gust of wind blew out the flame of the oil lamp. My heart thudded in my chest, and my palms grew sweatier. Beads of perspiration were forming on my lip. Lightning lit the room every minute or so, and I was able to find my way to a wall and search for some sort of door or entryway to lead me to safety. After about five minutes, I felt a change in the pattern of the wallpaper. It seemed more like paneling, cold and smooth. I groped in darkness waiting for lightning so I could catch a glimpse of what the change meant. Crack! A knob! I turned the knob, and it felt as if someone pushed me through the opening, and I freefell into a dark tunnel of nothingness. My head hit something hard, and I was knocked unconscious.


Two days later, I awoke in my own bedroom just as my friend was walking into the room with a tray. On the tray were tea, biscuits, strawberry jam, and… the amulet! “Where did you get this?” I managed to squeak.

She responded, “We found it in your jeans pocket when we found you lying on the side of the road out near the Interstate. How in the world did you get there? Do you remember anything?”

Oh, I remembered being in the house and finding the amulet, but I didn’t remember a thing after hitting my head. The doctor said I was a lucky lady with only a mild concussion and a few scrapes and scratches. I believe I am a lot more than that.

I believe with all my heart that the amulet saved my life that night. I believe with all my heart that the amulet prevents my nightmare from reoccurring. And I know I shall never part with it, nor will I ever return to that wicked, wicked house.

This is a combination of fiction and a recurring dream I used to have.


Visit for Heads or Tails here. Thanks, Barb!

Subscribe in a reader

Tagged Again

I was tagged by Jenn, and because I love her so much, I'm going to do this right now!

Here are the rules:
1. Each player starts with eight random fact/habits about themselves.
2. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
3. At the end of your blog post, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their name.
4. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged and to read your blog.

As usual, I'm going to cheat. I've done some very similar tags, and here they are:

Quirks Meme

Let's Play Tag

8 From Me


This time, I am tagging anyone who wants to play along!

Bloggy Carnival Giveaway Oct. 27-31

The winner!

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers: 270
Timestamp: 2008-11-01 18:16:33 UTC

Michelle of Big Blueberry Eyes. Congratulations!

I have been anxiously awaiting this bloggy carnival since the last one. I love them! Go to to the main Bloggy Carnival site to find tons of bloggy giveaways!

Now, I know you came here for the giveaway, but maybe you'll take a minute to look through some of my posts, and maybe you'll find one (or more) you like, and you'll come back! Here's a few to get you started:

Gah!

The Hits When You Were Born

Travel and Tipping

In His Hands

What's Your Niche?
I am NOT Forgetful!

Now, to the good part. This time I am giving away a $20 Amazon.com gift card to one lucky recipient anywhere in the world who has a valid email address.



All you need to do is leave a comment on this post. What would you buy with your gift card? Make sure you leave an email address if you are not a blogger or if your email address is not on your blog's profile.

For an extra entry you can 1) stumble this post by clicking the stumble it button at the end, or 2) subscribe to my feed in your favorite reader. Be sure to leave a separate comment for each of your entries.

Random.org will help me choose a winner when this giveaway ends at 11:59 PM October 31, 2008. The winner will have three days to claim the prize. If not, another lucky winer will be selected. Good luck, and have fun entering lots of other giveaways! I hope you'll come back and check out some of my posts!


Subscribe in a reader
This giveaway is now closed. A winner will be selected and posted November 1st.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Menu Plan Monday

Thank you, Organizing Junkie, for hosting Menu Plan Monday and keeping us on our toes!


Monday - chicken fajitas and refried beans. (I buy hand-made flour tortillas at the tortilleria at our local Kroger. I use slices of chicken, grilled with onion and green bell pepper and fajita seasoning. We add shredded Mexican blend cheese and sour cream.)

Tuesday - Crock pot beef with mushrooms, red pepper, onion, and tomatoes. Rice on the side.

Wednesday - eat at church

Thursday - Gorton's grilled garlic butter fish filets, Velveeta shells and cheese, and spinach.

Friday - typically pizza night, but due to Halloween, we are having chili/cheese dogs and chips.

Subscribe in a reader

Sunday Scrappin'

Sunday Scrappin' is hosted by the wonderful Amy. All you do is post your Ta-Da's (accomplishments), T0-Do's (goals), and you have the option to participate in a challenge. This meme is open to all paper crafters, cards, scrapbooks, as well as digital scrappers. Anyone is welcome to join us.

Ta-Da's
I completed two scrapbook pages and a thank you card(which I don't like, but I'm using anyway). My original goal was six pages, but that's when I had planned to attend a crop Friday night which was cancelled.

To-Do's
I want to complete at least two more pages, a Christmas card, and a gift tag.

Challenges
I completed the SS challenge to use something fuzzy! I used some fuzzy fiber on one of my pages. This week's challenge is to use some ribbon. I can do that!


I'd also like to check out the challenges at Stamps, Scraps, and More, DRS Designs, and 52 Sketches.


Have a great week, everyone! Happy scrappin'!

Friday, October 24, 2008

Decluttering

Marcia at Organising Queen hosts Decluttering Fridays.

Here are some Before and After Photos of a few decluttering projects from this week.


















I got rid of old magazines, scraps of paper, mail that I hadn't gone through. In addition, I got rid of two shirts, one of my daughter's jackets, and a two pairs of shoes I haven't worn in a while. I got one of them out to wear, and the heels were rotting off. They went in the trash. The shirts, other shoes, and jacket will be donated.
I also cleaned with CLR this week. I'm very happy with the results. There is always so much to do! I declutter and clean a few things, but there's always more! How does that happen?

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Friday Fill-ins


1. Right now, I'm feeling exhausted!

2. In bed alseep is where I want to be.

3. How does one keep up with all the demands of life including church, marriage, children?

4. My planner somewhat keeps me on track.

5. Please don't eat yellow snow. Ha! We're not gonna get snow here!

6.Scrapbooking, loving on my kids, loving on the kitty, reading, and sleeping fill me with joy.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to my son's baseball game - no organized scrapping -darn! it was cancelled, tomorrow my plans include scrapping on my own, sleeping, and meeting with the SBA officer about a loan and Sunday, I want to scrap, sleep, and go to a jewelry party!

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Needs Analysis Tag

(See the picture of the luggage tag? Tag! Get it? I'm so corny!)


Lucy tagged me for this "Needs Analysis", and it's a lot of fun. If I mention and link to you, you're tagged, and I hope you'll play along!

Laura needs some post-toddler love. Could be true. Let's give her some bloggy love!

Tamy needs to know details. She always gives us details, such as great recipes and advice.

Chrissy needs a new place to live and a yard to run and play in! LOL If you're aware of her neighbors, you might know this is actually kinda true.

Amy needs a clever name. I think she already has one! (Tiny Blessings)

Jenn needs a glass of wine. Don't we all, every now and then?


If I've tagged you, all you need to do is Google the name of the 5 bloggers you are tagging with the word "needs" attached and see what comes up.

I did a Forgetfulone Needs blog post not too very long ago if you want to check it out.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

CLR Tackle


5 Minutes for Mom teamed up with CLR Bath and Kitchen Cleaner for this week's Tackle-it-Tuesday. CLR says it "cuts through calcium, lime and hard water deposits, soap scum, dulling film and dirt." We'll just see about that! My project involved the bathroom.


There was some icky, black stuff parked on the metal strip at the bottom of the shower door. I've been trying to get it clean for a long time, but nothing would cut through that grime. However, I put my gloves on, sprayed the CLR on it, and waited a couple of minutes with high hopes. Guess what? I wiped it down with a sponge, and it came right off! Here are before and after pictures.













And since it worked well on the grime on the shower door, I decided to try it in the toilet bowl. Not bad!
And if you tackle a project with CLR Bath and Kitchen today, and you visit 5 Minutes for Mom, you could win a cool prize package including $100!
What did you tackle today?

Monday, October 20, 2008

Heads or Tails



This week's Heads or Tails prompt is "wire." I tried to find a funny joke about wires, or a cool picture, but my patience grew thin. You're not getting the story about a woman who stepped in a puddle that had a live electrical wire and later required surgery because that's sad, and you're also not going to get the story of the brown bear who electrocuted himself by chewing on wires from an electric box because it was pretty disgusting. Here's what you're getting instead.

Claim: A girl required surgery after swallowing a wire that had come loose from a barbecue grill cleaning brush that was cooked into a hamburger.Status: True

As Paul Harvey would say, here's the rest of the story. (link)


The reason I chose this particular urban legend, that turns out basically to be true, is because it happened "down the street" from me in Galveston. I guess in a way, this heads or tails serves as a public announcement message to all of us! Do you trust the person cleaning your grill?
All links take you to snopes.com
(I've been tempted to remove this post all day. This is what you get when I write a post while I'm half asleep. This, plus four edits!)

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Crazy Weekend


Sunday Scribblings offers the topic "My Style" this week.


The last few days have been quite unusual. Thursday night I got into an argument with my unreasonable husband. I also dealt with some long-term depression. My father passed away four years ago, almost to the day, and it hit me hard.


I went to my son's baseball game Friday night anyway. But when I got home, I didn't stay up until 2 or 3 in the morning. I was in bed by midnight. That's not my style!


I woke up Saturday, stayed up for an hour or two, then went back to bed and slept most of the day away. That's not my style! I even went to bed before 11 Saturday night. That's definitely not my style! I did no cleaning, no organizing, so grading, no scrapbooking, no blog posting, no nothing!


Sunday morning, I woke up at 3:30 and couldn't go back to sleep because my husband was snoring. I went downstairs and laid on the couch for a while. I finally went to sleep for a couple of hours, but woke for good at 7:30 AM. That's not my style!


However, the rest of the day was completely productive, and that is my style! I watched my son's baseball game, tried to teach my daughter a little about basketball so she can try out, cleaned, cleaned, cleaned, cooked breakfast, cooked dinner, made Monday's lunches, and cleaned some more! I even started on a new scrapbook page and posted on my blog. Now, that's my style!

Friday, October 17, 2008

Sunday Scrappin'


Sunday Scrappin' is a place for scrapbookers and paper crafters to share their projects and encourage eachother. Thank you, Amy, for hosting this meme.

Ta-Da's
I didn't get any scrapbooking done this week, but I did do some paper crafts.
I made these cute witch's brooms (with treats in them) based on a tutorial I saw at DRS Designs. A big Thank You to Chrissy for sharing this site with me!
We anonymously "boo-ed" each other at work. I stamed "boo" on the bags, cut the tops, put treats in the bags, put a stick in them to make them look like brooms, tied them with ribbon, and there you go! Here's one close up.I really liked the Halloween card I made last week, so I duplicated it in a slightly smaller version to go with the "brooms." I attached one to each broom along with the "boo" sign and the "boo" poem that goes with it.
To-Do's
I'm invited to scrap with some other ladies next Friday, so I am hoping to get a lot of pages done. Well, maybe not a lot, but more than two! I also REALLY want to try a challenge this week. Sunday Scrappin', 52 Sketches, Stamps, Scraps and More, or DRS Designs.
SS Challenge
Last week's challenge, which I didn't do, was to use something clear. This week's challenge is to use something fuzzy. I might have some fuzzy fibers I can use.
Happy scrappin' this week, everyone!






LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails