Let's Be Friends

Jenn from My Beautiful Creations gave me this cute friendship award. I think the world of her, and it means so much to me! What a great thing to find after a long, long day. Thank you, Jenn!

This is what the "Let's Be Friends" Award represents:

These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement (? big word, lol). Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

I didn't write the clever text, but it's very true that the bloggers I'll pass this on to are really friendly people!

Tammy at Queen Sized Funny Bone

Tamy at 3 Sides of Crazy

Wani at Wani's World

"J" at Musings from Left Field

Tammy at The Daily Warrior

Giggles at Happy Tiler

Lucy at Lulu's Petals

Latree at Dandelion

How do I get OFF the phone?

I don’t enjoy talking on the phone much. I outgrew the “You hang up first – No you hang up first” stage a long time ago! Maybe, 20 years ago. I avoid the phone.

Although I don’t like to use the phone much, I try to call my mom every day to check on her. From the first time I tell her I need to go until we finally hang up usually takes an extra ten minutes. It goes something like this…

Setting the scene: This is our second phone call of the day. Nothing important to discuss. All the details taken care of. Ten minutes later…

Mom – And then I saw Archie outside….{more insignificant details about people I either don’t know or don’t want to gossip about}.

Me – Well, I gotta go now.

Mom – He has the cutest kitten… {more insignificant details about the neighbor’s cat}

Me – I gotta get off the phone now.

Mom – He’s dating his wife’s best friend (the wife died a few years ago)… {and more insignificant details about people I either don’t know or don’t want to gossip about}

Me - I gotta go now so I can cook dinner.

Mom - What’cha havin’ for dinner?

Me - Chicken

Mom - What kind of chicken?

Me – Just plain, but I gotta go now.

Mom – Just plain baked chicken?

Me – Yeah, but I gotta go get dinner ready right now so Dave can get to class on time.

Mom – Dave? What class? I didn’t know he was taking a class.

Me - Yes, Dave is taking a class. Government. But Mom, I really gotta go now. I have to get dinner ready before it’s time for him to leave.

Mom – Well, okay.

Me – I’ll talk to you later.

Mom – Okay. Bye

Me – Bye. {thinking to myself – Finally! I thought I was gonna have to hang up on her.}

This beats my sister’s record by a long-shot!

We’re not bad daughters. You know how moms get. They forget how busy we are even though they were once in our place with families to take of. Even though she drives me nuts, I love her!

The Island Tag

My bloggy buddy Tammy over at Queen-Sized Funny Bone tagged me. If you've never read her blog, go there now. I love it! Now, on with the tag...

“Your ship has sunk. (That's just my luck!) You have, of course, been stranded on a deserted island. You have salvaged a copy of the King James Version of the Bible and a copy of the complete works of Shakespeare. Nothing else.

“The very next day you find one of those Arabian Lamps in the sand. Of course, you rub it and, of course, a rather grumpy Genie appears.

“‘Let’s get this straight - there is a recession going on. There are restrictions on the three wishes now. I don’t do water or air transport now so no boats, planes or magic carpets. As for electronics, forget it. There isn’t the infrastructure on this island.

“‘I can let you have one book and I mean one VOLUME, one essential item and one luxury item. Now hurry up and make your choices, I have to get to those five other islands you are going nominate.’”

One BOOK

Since Genie said a volume, I'm asking for a Harry Potter boxed set with all of the books in it. I can't choose just one book! I love books!

One ESSENTIAL

A bathtub where I can relax, and a fancy one at that.

One LUXURY item

Coke! Can't live without it.

I'm going to tag Tammy at The Daily Warrior, Joy at Joy to the Blog, D2 at My Life is Based on a True Story, Bubba's Sis at Mother, Daughter, Sister, Friend... Me, and Miss Sniz.

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Heads or Tails

Please join us for Heads or Tails!

TAILS - Anything that "Rhymes With Case"

I need a break from this, so I plead my case,
Too many burdens and duties that I have to face,
Toward my husband, not feeling especially full of grace,
No matter that he gave me Valentine flowers in a vase,
The stress of my world moving at such a quick pace,
Too much to keep up with makes life seem like a race,
Also (get the drift?) not in the mood for satin and lace,
To say we have no romance wouldn’t be far off base,
Really, I’d just like to have my own space,
I’m overwhelmed and need a personal, peaceful place,

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No Oscars for Me

I am so out of the loop! Have you seen any of these movies?

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

I'm really surprised to say that I have seen NONE of the Oscar Best Picture nominees this year. I WANT to go see a few of them, but my husband is so particular about which movies he will actually go to the theater to see, and I'm not going to the movies alone. Can't take my 12 year olds to see most of these, not that they'd be interested. So, I will probably skip the Oscars tonight and check the Internet for winners tomorrow. How about you? Are you watching? Anyone having an Oscar party?

I've actually done more this weekend than I usually do since the kids' basketball games are over . I went to the mall yesterday to get some things for Mamarazzi's Favorite Things Swap. Went out to eat both Friday and Saturday night. Went to watch a fun Mardi Gras parade with the kids and a couple of friends. I rarely get to do things with my friends, so that was a real treat! And, of course, had to run the kids around to places they needed to go. Plus the grand-twins were over today. It doesn't sound like much, but I'm usually such a homebody. Now my husband is asking me to go to Walmart, and I just can't! I feel guilty, because he's asked me twice, but I just don't want to go anywhere else this weekend!

I've edited over 200 photos during the last week. I'll be making a slideshow for my father-in-law's 80th birthday, and I only have one more week to put it all together. I better get busy! No Oscars for me!

Friday Fill-In

Please join us for Friday Fill-In. Join in the fun here!

1-3 are courtesy of Mar today.

1. Give me more work to do and I'll cry!

2. Whenever my husband drinks, he snores worse, and I end up sleeping on the couch.

3. I wish I had more money to redecorate the house.

4. Carrabba's bread and pasta, not to mention the pomegranate martini, was the last thing I ate that was utterly delicious.

5. To live in this world you have to find some happiness to keep you from the despair. I'm still learning to do this.

6. Other than this one, LuLu's Petals is the last blog I commented on.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to a bubble bath and a movie with my daughter, tomorrow my plans include nothing of consequence, and Sunday, I want to go to a Mardi Gras parade in Kemah with some friends.

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Heads or Tails

THIS week's theme/prompt is:

HEADS - "Legend"

Urban Legends are the bane of the Internet.

What is an urban legend, you ask?

Zimbio says, "An urban legend is a kind of modern folklore consisting of stories often thought to be factual by those circulating them.... Urban legends are not necessarily untrue, but they are often false, distorted, exaggerated, or sensationalized."

The best source on the Internet to determine if something is true, partially true, or just an urban legend is Snopes.

For example:

Semen from several dead men is found in restaurant food. (completely false)

Dropped food will remain germ-free if picked up within five seconds (completely false, although we use the five-second rule at my house!)

The FDA has issued a warning about an association between Hepatitis A and green onions (true)

The design of the California flag was a mistake. (true)

Walt Disney's body was put in cryonic storage. (completely false)

Finland once banned Donald Duck because he wore no pants. (completely false)

A tooth left in a glass of coca-cola will dissolve overnight. (completely false - but we have a lost tooth we could try that with tonight!)

Casinos pump extra oxygen onto the gaming floors during the early morning hours to keep tired patrons from heading off to bed. (completely false)

I could spend hours debunking urban legends at Snopes. It's so fun!

IF's become FIRL's

This weekend, while most of you were celebrating with cards, candy, flowers, and romantic dinners, I was doing something special, too. Three of my IF's* became FIRL's**!!!! Meet the Fab Four:

That is me on the left end, Forgetfulone.
Next to me is Kris from It's My Life.
To her right is Bubba's Sis from Mother, Daughter, Sister, Friend, Me.
And on the very right is D2 from My Life is Based on a True Story.

*IF's = Internet Friends
**FIRL's=Friends in Real Life

We had plans to meet at Jason's Deli Saturday afternoon. I kind of had that first-date-nervous feeling to begin with, but in no time at all, we were eating, talking, and mostly laughing. I felt like I'd known them for so long.

We live in the same general area, we're all moms and wives, and we all enjoy scrapbooking. But I already knew all that. I won't reveal the secrets they shared with me - at least not yet. But go check out their blogs, because if you don't know them yet, I'm sure you will find that they are the sweetest and cutest bloggers out there who are always "keeping it real." We will definitely have to get together again! Maybe next time, we'll scrap!

We had such a great time, and I feel blessed that I got to meet them! Now... how am I going to get to North Carolina, South Carolina, Canada, California, New York, Connecticut, and all those other places that have bloggers I want to meet? Thinking, thinking, thinking...

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Scanalog Giveaway

Steph is the winner!

Do you read magazine articles you want to save? Maybe decorating ideas or recipes? Then you know that clipping those articles/ideas/recipes can be a long task. Then... what do you do with them? How do you organize them and find them easily?

If any of this sounds like you, you should check out Scanalog. SCANALOG is a CD-ROM software system you can use to store, catalog and retrieve your favorite articles from your favorite magazines or catalogues. There are eleven Master Categories in SCANALOG that cover a range of women’s interests, from HomeDecoration to Gardening to My Spirit. You can also scan directly from a web site.

I have tried it, and I found that is is very user-friendly. I enjoy being able to open Scanalog and easily find a recipe, a crafting idea, a decorating idea, or an article that I wanted to read again when I have more time. And I didn't have to clip anything or set up any binders. It's all there on my computer.

The CD-ROM retails for $49.95, but I have one to give away! Entering is easy. Simply leave a comment on this post no later than 11:59 CST February 22, 2009. That's it! This giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada!

Would you like extra entries? You may do any or all of the following - Leave an extra comment for each entry.

1. Subscribe to my blog via a reader (let me know if you already subscribe).

2. Follow my blog (let me know if you already follow).

3. Stumble this post.

4. Blog about this post. Don't forget to leave your link.

This post was written on behalf of Family Review Network. Scanalog will provide the winner with the product.

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Menu Plan Monday

I haven't written out my menu plan in a few weeks, but I'm doing it now. It keeps me accountable. And it's part of a committment to eat at home during the week so we can spend less money and avoid fast food. You can see the meals get easier as the week goes by.

Sunday - Tonight we're having t-bone steaks (on sale at Kroger, grilled by hubby), baked potatoes, green beans, and salad.

Monday - grilled chicken and fettucine alfredo*, garlic bread, salad

Tuesday - Taco Salad**

Wednesday - crunchy fish fillets, mac-n-cheese, carrots

Thursday - Soup and grilled cheese sandwiches

Friday - pizza night - probably out

*alfredo sauce

1 pint heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

pressed fresh garlic to taste

** taco salad

I don't really measure everything - just toss it together in a big bowl

taco meat - ground beef and seasoning mix prepared according to package

tostada chips

small can sliced ripe olives

package of shredded mild cheddar cheese

head of lettuce, shredded

chopped fresh tomatoes

French dressing (sometimes Catalina)

Happy Eating!

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Sunday Scrappin'

If you are a scrapbooker (traditional or digital) or do any sort of paper crafts, please join us for Sunday Scrappin'! It's so much fun!

I only have one ta-da this week. I finished the tin I started about three weeks ago. I gave it to my husband for Valentine's Day. I'm not exactly sure he liked it, but here it is. I tried.

I didn't have time to do any scrapbooking! I've been so busy at work and at home. I still haven't finished three of the pages I started on my scrapbook retreat. That's one of my goals.

This weeks' optional challenge is to think outside the box and go round.... rounded corners, circle-shaped cards, a layout in a circular pattern, etc. Be creative!

Have a scrappy week!

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S C Johnson Glade

The Winner is Eve - Admaswife

This week, I received a new product from Glade called Sense and Spray. I love it! It has a motion sensor on it so you can conserve your refills. The unit automatically sprays fragrance when a shadow has been cast on the sensor. Or, you can get a burst of Glade fragrance at any time by pressing the boost button on the front of the unit.


The unit is easy to load and comes with batteries included in the package. And the fragrance I received, Clean Linen, is refreshing.


Guess what? I have one to give away! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post. That's it.


Extra entries - you may do any or all of the following - Leave an extra comment for each entry.
1. Subscribe to my blog via a reader (let me know if you already subscribe).
2. Follow my blog (let me know if you already follow).
3. Stumble this post.
4. Blog about this post. Don't forget to leave your link.

Contest ends Friday, 2/20-09, 11:59 CST.
This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents.

This post was written for Family Review Network as part of a program by SC Johnson Glade, who also supplied the product for review and giveaway.

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IRL?

With the exception of the person who got me started blogging when she moved out of state, I have never met another blogger... ever! But... I'm so excited because I might get to meet a couple of my blogging buddies IRL Saturday. That's IN REAL LIFE! I'll say no more right now, because I don't want to jinx it, you know, Friday the 13th and all.

That got me thinking, though. Maybe I'm just a big nerd or something, since I know absolutely no one else who blogs, and I'm so addicted to it. Wait. That can't be right! All of you aren't nerds. Are you? Of course not! Regular, normal people blog. Right?

But how come no one I know blogs? Last year during lunch one day, I mentioned that I had a blog (I don't remember how it came up in the conversation), and the looks I got seemed to ask, "Are you from another planet?" My co-workers have no idea what the whole blogging experience is like. And they're missing out! Many of them are just so completely anti-technology.

Some of my co-workers have Facebook pages. I guess I must be "so old" (I'm only 43) that I have heard one-too-many-times from my 20-something co-workers, "You have a Facebook account?" What's up with that? Yes! Of course I do. And Twitter. And StumbleUpon. I'm "with-it!" I'm "hip!" I'm keeping up with the times, baby! In fact, I beat most of them to the punch with the whole Internet/technology/blog/Facebook thing. (I used to have a Myspace, but honestly, I hate Myspace!) I even met my husband on the Internet in 2001, long before Match.com was up and running. But, unlike Al Gore, I didn't invent the Internet!

My husband knows I have a blog, but he doesn't read it. Not to my knowledge, anyway. I've shown him a few things I've written, but he is really not interested. If he blogged, he would be a lurker. He wouldn't write or respond in comments. Which is FINE - I love all the lurkers out there who read my blog!

My mom knows I have a blog. My sister knows I have a blog. Neither of them knows what a blog is, though.

My children know I have a blog. They often remind me who I am, Forgetfulone, when I ask them the same question three times in a matter of fifteen minutes. Yep, five minutes is my max retention on short term memory! But my kids don't read my blog, either. Which is probably for the best.

I just wonder, how many of you - not you PRO-bloggers who know everybody - but those of you who are normal, every day, regular bloggers like me... do you know other bloggers IRL? Do your friends and co-workers blog? Do you wish they did?

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Thankful Thursday

There are many things I am grateful for at this time. No, everything in my life is not perfect, and not everything is the way I want it to be, but expressing gratitude is one step I sometimes take that lifts my mood when I am feeling down. Perhaps I will start keeping a gratitude journal.

Today, I am grateful for...

My mother - Her surgery was successful, and though we had a rough patch and thought we might lose her - the Lord saw fit to save her. She will undergo chemo for the first time in about ten days. I love my mom, and I want her to have the quality of life she enjoys, and God is extending His hand to us.

My husband - though we rarely see eye-to-eye lately. He loves me, though it doesn't always seem like it, but we are learning to see the positive things in each other.

My children - My oldest step-daughter is going through a rough time, and I am thankful I can be there as something sturdy she can count on. My twins have both been sick, but God's healing hand has come, and they are on the mend.

South Houston Bible Institute - I take a class through SHBI which brings me closer to God as I study. I'm grateful that they can provide tuition-free courses with an academically respectable curriculum. I am currently enrolled in a class on Old Testament Prophets.

What are you thankful for today? Consider joining us at Thankful Thursday.

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D is for Disney World!

I am joining ABC Wednesday Roundup for the first time. Click the name to be taken to the home page where you can view other participants or join in yourself. This week's letter is D! I have lots of D's I could write about (me, dear hubby, my son, my dog, my dad), but I chose a place that I absolutely love!

D is for Disney World

Disney World inspires,
Disney World is magic.
The happiest place on earth!

Four worlds in one,
Epcot and Animal Kingdom,
Disney’s Hollywood Studios,
And Magic Kingdom best of all!

Epcot with its trademark silver ball,
Test Track racing adventure,
Beautiful countries from all over the world.

Animal Kingdom has the safari,
And the best place to meet characters,
Everest, the best thrill ride,
And a super Lion King show.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios
shows you how magic is made.
Aerosmith’s Rockin’ Roller Coaster
Makes magic of its own.

And best of all, the Magic Kingdom,
Where dreams come true.
Space Mountain and Thunder Railroad
The old stand-bys of Disney,
Toon Town, where you can be a kid again,
And the parades! Oh, the parades!
Feeling like a prince or princess!
Costumes, songs, and shows!
Exploding fireworks and a glimpse of Tinkerbell.
Truly the Happiest Place on Earth.

Disney World is Divine!

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Interested in taking a Disney vacation? Click Magical Getaways!

Heads or Tails

Today's prompt from our lovely hostess, Skittles, is "A Love Story."

Visit the home of HoT for more participants.

There is no love story here for me today. I'm a cynic who has given up on true love, and particularly, on romance. Oh, I love my parents, my children, my pets, and friends, but romantic love has always been my nemesis.

So my Heads or Tails today is a blast-from-the-past about the end of a love story, because, like Gloria Gaynor, I am a survivor! And should my marriage fail me, I will continue to be a survivor! Just gotta love this disco song, too.

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Sunday Scrappin'

Last weekend I went to a relaxing retreat that included shopping, a massage, wonderful meals, walks, and a lot of time to scrapbook. I worked on 22 pages. 19 of them are complete. I have three to put the finishing touches on this week, and I need to finish my altered tin for Valentine's Day. Here is a sample of some of the things I got to do and a few of the pages I completed while I was on my Round Top, Texas retreat.

Please join us for Sunday Scrappin'! This week's challenge is to get your Valentine's Day projects finished!

How NOT to end your Thursday evening.

Nothing like a little fender bender to round out the evening! I stopped at Walgreens on the way home from my daughter's basketball practice. As we left the store, in a very happy mood, I might add, there was no car in front of the door. We walked to the 4 Runner, got in, and I started backing up. Crash! Someone had pulled up to the curb, left her car running with a passenger inside, and headed toward the doors. Yes, parked at the curb, not in a space.Well, I bumped her as I was backing out. She wasn't there before, and besides, who parks their car at the curb and leaves it?

I pull up a little, and the woman in the car thinks I'm trying to drive away. She's yelling in a threatening tone, "Oh, No you don't!" I got out of my vehicle and explained that I was moving to a space where I could give her my information without blocking the driveway. I moved my car, and the other girl, the one who had been driving, said she would pull in next to me. I apologized several times, and I asked her to take my information. She searched for a notepad and used my pen, but she wanted me to write it down. I gave her my info and apologized again.

She told me she was okay as long as the police weren't involved. (WHAT?) I wonder what she's hiding!

Then,two huge, youngish guys come up to the car to get in, too, and one of the other passengers had gotten out of the car. She seemed reasonable whereas the driver and the other passenger didn't. I was feeling rather uneasy, especially since my kids were in the car with me. I got her name and the make and model of her car. No license plate on her car. She just got it off the used lot, apparently, because it wasnt a brand new car. I had to explain to her how to call her insurance in the morning and have them call mine. She didn't have a clue, really. I wish I'd taken a photo with my cell phone camera, but I was feeling pressured. I really thought that at any minute, the one rude passenger was going to start pounding me. So, that's how I ended my Thursday! And I guess that's why we have insurance, because accidents do happen.

No one is hurt. My car suffered no damages. She has a dent in the passenger side front panel.

What do you make of all this? My fault, yes, but such a weird experience!

Thursday 13

Check out the NEW Thursday 13!

Thirteen things I "need."

I NEED...
1. Some sleep. I get so little sleep. I should be in bed right now. After everyone else is in bed, I get a chance to blog and have some quiet, me time.
2. New shirts/tops. I was looking at mine, and they are so inadequate. This will go on a wish list for future reference.
3. Money. To pay bills, of course. It would be nice to not have to live paycheck to paycheck. It's do-able, too.
4. Medicine. I feel a cough and sore throat coming on.
5. Answers. I had an ultrasound today, and I need answers.
6. To participate in Mamarazzi's Favorite Things Swap. This is something fun that I can allow myself to do. I need fun, because all work and no play makes Jane a dull girl!

7. Peace. With 6 people and 2 pets, I rarely get any peace and quiet. Am I the only one who can help with homework? Am I the only one that cares if the clothes get washed? Am I the only one who knows where everything is?
8. The Weekend. I need to relax, but I also need to catch up with grading and spend some time with my children.
9. A Plan - I work better with a plan. I need one to get me through this mass of work I need to do.
10. My own Room - My husband snores so much I usually end up on the couch. I'm tired of it.
11. To Lose Weight - I just love food so much! I could stand to lose 25 pounds.
12. To Exercise More - So I can get back into shape like I was before in case we go hiking again or do the zip line in Austin over spring break.
13. Love and appreciation. Do we women ever feel like we get enough of that?

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Journal Buddies

Recently I received an autographed copy of Journal Buddies: A Girl's Journal for Sharing and Celebrating Magnificence. As a mother of tweens and teens and a teacher of this age group for 20 years, I realize how big an issue self-image can be. This Journal Buddy book is a unique and entertaining way to help develop a positive self-image. I am glad that I have this book to share with my 12 year old daughter.

Journal Buddies takes the diary concept and makes it interactive. The journal starts with an introduction to the concept of journaling as well as examples, ideas, and reasons why people journal. Each journaling section has a place where a buddy can record qualities she admires in the writer, and a place for the writer to do the same. Each journaling entry has a prompt such as "beauty" or "confident," or "amazing." The author concludes with a section for reflection of the journal entries. The process of completing the journal is an adventure! It a great confidence-booster and a place to examine a girl's own thoughts and beliefs. I even got some great ideas to use in my classroom with girls and boys.

The Dove Foundation's review of Journal Buddies states that it is "a very creative way to help encourage self esteem in young girls. It is so important in this day and age tohelp children with their self-image. This delightful ingenious journal will show them a way to capture their imagination, ideas and thoughts and share them withothers. Giving the diary concept a different look. This is a perfect gift for young girls." Journal Buddies interactive journaling systems are winners of the 2008 Mom's Choice Awards.

Journal Buddies: A Girl's Journal for Sharing and Celebrating Magnificence can be purchased from Amazon.com for 16.95. And, they have one for boys, too, called Journal Buddies: A Boy's Journal for Discovering and Sharing Excellence. Amazon also has the "look inside" feature enabled on these two books so you can take a look before you purchase them.

This post was written on behalf of Family Review Network and Journal Buddies.

Related Posts:

Real Girls, Real Pressure

Tweens' Back-to-School Concerns

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Heads or Tails

This week's Heads or Tails theme it to choose a past theme. I'm choosing two. "Watch" which we did Dec. 30, 2008 and "Joke" which we did July 15, 2008. (You can click the links to go to Heads or Tails home and read more, or to go to my previous posts on these topics.

As I predicted, I only got to WATCH a few minutes of the SuperBowl. Some of you might have thought my previous post was a JOKE, but it wasn't.

I walked in the door at 4:50 from a weekend get-a-way of scrapbooking, shopping, and relaxation in the Texas Hill Country. (I got 22 pages done, shopped a couple of hours, took some fabulous photos, socialized, and even got a massage.) Then, I came back to reality.

Here is what I did that kept me from watching the SuperBowl.

Changed the sheets on two beds.

Laundered and folded those sheets

Cleaned out the litter box

Did two more loads of laundry

Chauffered my children to their parties.
Gave the dog a bath (but he still stinks - now it's a wet dog smell)

Made three lunches for Monday

Washed a few dishes.
Vacuumed half the house

Took my husband to get a bite to eat. Yes, I took him. He was feeling a little neglected with me being gone all weekend.

I also planned lessons and helped with homework.

See all those "important" things I had to do? I'm exhausted thinking about it!

So, I saw no commercials in their entirety, saw only a few plays, and completely missed half time. How come it doesn't feel good to say, "Told you so!"?