7 Random Things

I was tagged by Diane for this meme. Here's the rules:

Give 7 random facts about yourself. Those tagged need to write on their own blog those 7 facts as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag 7 others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and to read your blog.

1. I am eating toasted English muffins with peanut butter right now.
2. I haven't had a hankerin' for those in a long long time (usually when I'm pregnant)
3. No, I am NOT pregnant.
4. I finally went to Trader Joe's after having lived near one for almost a year!
5. I got a half gallon of milk for 89 cents!
6. and the English muffins
7. I'm hoping that now that I've been to Trader Joe's that I can keep myself from going every week (going to Costco is enough!)

Well, I don't feel like 'tagging' 7 people. I know, I'm not playing by the rules, so sue me! However, if you'd like to snag this meme then go right ahead!

The Day Has Come!

Today is the day! In just a few hours I will greet the babysitter and walk out the door and begin my weekend away! I've been looking forward to this weekend for months now and am so excited that the day has finally arrived.

My plane leave at 4:30 this afternoon and I'll arrive in Chicago shortly before 11:00. My friends will pick me up and we will stay in a hotel tonight. Then tomorrow we will stay in the Chicago area and do what ladies do, you know, shop! We may even take in a movie which we've been known to do on our ladies trips. After we're done perusing Chicago we head back over to Michigan where I'll spend the rest of the weekend visiting with good friends. I'm especially excited about Sunday when I'll visit the church we attended while living there. They finished a building project shortly after we moved so we never saw the finished product. Then come Monday I'll head back to Chicago to catch my flight home. I'll be home in time to tuck the kids into bed after giving them some little treats I hope to pick up while I'm gone.

So, Wednesday I pulled out my suitcase and threw a few things in and in just a bit I'll finish packing. Let's see if I have everything....

clothes..........check
toiletries.......check
travel clock...check
ipod................check
book...............check
no kids...........double, no triple, check!

Ah.....this weekend is going to be grand! I'll tell you all about it next week and maybe post a few pics too! Hope you all have a great weekend!

What to do? What to do?

I have a delima. My wedding ring is broken! The band has cracked all the way through at the bottom of my finger. It has done this before but it was thought to have been resolved when I had it repaired last year. As it is now, I can't wear it or it will certainly snag on something and I could loose it. I could get it fixed, again, but that would only delay another repair, right? Ryan and I have talked about getting new rings at some point but I'm pretty sure that now is not the time. He recently asked me if I would mind not having this one anymore and use the stones in it for another ring. I'm still thinking about that. I'm not too terribly sentimental but something just doesn't feel right about not having ones original wedding ring. I know, it's just a thing, but still! A part of me wants to keep it but then another part says it is just a ring and nothing in our marriage will change just because I no longer have the ring we said I do with. A new ring would be nice though. Our 11th anniversary is coming up. But something also tells me that a new ring isn't something that is traditionally celebrated at this milestone.

Since I can not wear my wedding band and announce to the world as I pass by that I am taken back off buddy, I am now wearing another ring (yes, I am one hot mama....phhht!). The picture isn't that great but it was the best I could do. This ring was given to me by my husband a few years ago when he was in Brazil. So at least it is a ring that he gave me but it doesn't exactly say wedding ring either. I have issues with this ring as well. The metal is thinning at the bottom of the band, so a crack is bound to happen in the near future. Right now it is doing a good job of holding the place of my missing wedding band, although it could use a good cleaning. How does one clean a silver ring anyway? It's not like I have any tarnish remover just laying around. Is there any household stuff I can use to shine this thing up??

In the meantime, I am pondering the design of a new wedding band. For when we do finally get around to looking at new rings that is what we'd like to do, design new ones (well, 'cause that is what my husband does, he's a designer so why not create our own special-to-us rings?!). So, I'll just to peruse some pretty rings online and get some ideas.....'cause nothing says Happy 11th Anniversary like a new ring!

A girl can dream, can't she?

A Birthday Celebration In Numbers

20 cupcakes for Mae's classroom
4 icing colors
1 pink swirl of accent icing on each cupcake
20 gumdrops (1 for the top of each cupcake)
3 mini cakes (instead of one big birthday cake, the cake won't last very long this way, do you blame me?)
1 plastic table cloth
1 big fat black sharpie to write birthday message

17 cuts to above-mentioned table cloth
1 'Happy Birthday' curtain
2 people to hang it
2 trips to Target to scout out and then buy birthday bike
20 minutes finding and securing a hiding spot for birthday bike in the garage
16 prayers that she won't find it!
2 packages of 25 count multi-colored balloons
48 balloons to cover living room floor (1 broke, the other had a hole)

30 minutes to it took to blow them up
5 minutes to regain consciousness from lack of oxygen to my brain
4 hours of sleep lost getting everything ready for the morning
5 presents for the birthday girl
75k number of times the birthday girl had to be told that it was not time to open them
1 pink and purple candle in the shape of the number six
1 birthday song sung
1 very happy, very pleased six-year old!

Worth all the trouble, time, expense and lung capacity?

A b s o l u t e l y !

My Birthday Girl

Today I’ll celebrate my little girl
I’ll watch you dance and sing and twirl
For on this day six years ago
You began your life, began to grow
And I’ll love you more than you will know.

Today I’ll pull out your baby book
just to peek, just to look.
I’ll want to see all the sats
and remember where you were at.

Today I’ll think ‘wasn’t it the other day
when I first saw the face of Mae?’

Today I’ll remember the very day
on that blessed day in May
that you came and changed my name.

I know I’ll never be the same.

Today I’ll recall many things of you

The things you’ve done, the things you do
The things that are unique to you

Today is a day of joy and praise
And as my voice to you I raise
In song and voice to you I'll say

Happy Birthday, my precious Mae!

Seeking Forgiveness

I had a difficult day yesterday and didn't handle some situations very well. The kids were driving me crazy and we all miss the man in our house. I felt bad about how I responded to the kids so I went in to talk to Mae about it after bedtime.

Me: I'm sorry I was a big fat meanie. Will you forgive me?

Mae: You're not fat.

Well, not exactly the response I was looking for...but thanks for the compliment.

I Think I can, I Think I Can!

Ryan was gone for most of last week and is gone some this week too, so these two weeks have been more on the difficult side for me. I do have many good things to look forward to, so today that is what I will focus on. These are the lights at the end of my tunnel:

1. I get a few hours to myself tonight as the kids will be with a couple from our bible study. Alone time....what's that? and what will I do? Oh...the possibilities are endless. The problem is deciding what to do!
2. Ryan comes home from Spain!!! (did he get me something? probably not, but that's not the point. it'll be great to have him home again!)
   
3. Mae's birthday! This does mean that I have lots of balloons to blow up, a doorway streamer curtain thingy to make and put up, 20 cupcakes to make, and present shopping to do....but I will focus on the joy of such an occasion instead of the details.
4. I get my haircut on Saturday! I am growing my hair out a bit and right now it is getting quite shaggy so it will be great to get it cleaned up a little. I look forward to the shampooing too, but what lady doesn't enjoy a good shampoo job when getting their hair done?
5. Mae's birthday party is next week. She is going to have so much fun with her friends doing some kind of craft at Michael's. All I have to do is bring the birthday girl and a cake, they do everything else!!!
   
6. Next weekend is my long-awaited ladies trip to Chicago to see my good friends in Michigan. I. Can't. Wait. I get giddy with glee just thinking about it!!!

That's pretty much it. Not too much, but I am pleased with these few things I have to help me stay positive. I can survive these next few days, right? I think I can, I think I can, I think I can......

The Bearing of My Soul

My friend Deanna tagged me for this meme. I guess it was about time, I think I've tagged her a few times in the past. Anyway, the point of this meme is to bare my soul, as Deanna puts it, and disclose the contents of my purse. I think you'll find that my life is as boring as the contents within my daily bag. Here goes!

This is my purse. Boring, but basic, black. It goes with everything and doesn't show dirt. For what it is, I like it. The shoulder strap is short and causes the purse to fall right at my elbow (makes it easy for slingin' around). I know, black isn't always in season but I'm not the adventurous type and have never bought anything but a neutral colored purse. I like small purses. I don't carry much so I do not require a large bag. In junior high a had a purse that was pretty close to measuring 3x5! I didn't carry much then either! It is as small as I can get away with. I don't care for the need to have one, but have one I must. I'm tellin' ya, guys have it easy with getting away with a wallet that folds up and fits in their pocket!


This is my new wallet. I did get a little adventurous last week when I bought it, notice the pink stitching?! When opened up you would see that the entire inside is hot pink! Whoo-hoo I'm livin' on the wild side! Just a little side note here....the last wallet I bought was 14 years ago (yes, it was black too). The other nifty thing about this wallet is that is comes with a detachable strap so that I can carry just my wallet if I choose. I don't know that I'll ever use that feature but the strap is in my purse for just such an occasion.


The next few items for your viewing pleasure is the transaction register for my checking account, a Starbucks gift card I got for Christmas this past year (no, I haven't even used it yet. I'm not much of a coffee drinker BUT I do like their vanilla frapaccinos, so I'll use it this summer for sure!), and the little plastic container holds my, let's say, feminine products for those inconvenient moments of need.


Inside my purse is a little pocket that is to be used for a cell phone. As I do put my cell phone in that handy pocket I also stuff it with other little things that would otherwise clutter the inner cavity of my purse. The little bits of clutter include, but not limited to; my address book, business cards, pictures (isn't my once-a-baby-boy cute?!), and eye glass cleaner/wipe (I have a thing about dirty glasses)

There's my cell phone! I like the wallpaper I chose for it. Do you like the fishies?? I also keep a pen in that handy little pocket. I don't like being without one! Then I keep my chapstick in the zipper pocket, can't be with out that either!


So there you have it. My soul for all of blog-world to see. Now, if Mary, Amanda, and Jenn would like to play then consider yourself tagged! This was a handy meme, it gave the the chance to weed a few things out! Thanks Deanna!

More Smoothies

We are in the zone! The Smoothie Zone that is. I went to Costco yesterday and picked up a huge bag (like I really have a size choice at Costco) of frozen strawberries so we are set as long as I have fresh bananas on hand. The kids (and I) are loving them for lunches and after dinner treats!

I've given up on giving Isabel her smoothie in a sippy cut without the stopper inside. The smoothies are just too thick to make it through the tiny holes in the lid. So Issy just gets hers in a mug instead. She's doing pretty well, considering she's almost two! Can you tell??!

Open Season

Mmmm....look what I had for lunch today!!! It was sooo good! The weather is warming up and today just seemed to scream out for a delicious strawberry smoothie. So I obliged and made some for myself and the kids. No one was disappointed, well except for maybe Isabel since she didn't finish her hot dog. But she's not all that acquainted with smoothies yet so she doesn't quite know what she's missing!

Summer is the perfect time for smoothie makin'! I usually make mine with orange juice, one banana (or two, depending on how many people I'm making them for), then I throw in some frozen berries. The best smoothie I've made I used a juice blend of orange, pinapple and peach (or something like that, but it definitely had peach! that was the key ingredient to this successful smoothie!). I made it a few more times after that, but then the store I bought the juice concentrate from closed and I couldn't find it in any other local store! I'll have to look for it again now that I'm in a new area with more choices.

I'd better stock up on my smoothie ingredients 'cause I'm thinkin' it's officially Smoothie Season!

Daily Trivia

Yahoo! is an acronym for "Yet Another Hierarchical Officious Oracle."

Fact-o-rama? Or Crap-ola?

Ok, so this is really coming from tomorrows daily trivia question calendar that graces our counter (among, many, other things!). I didn't care too much for today's so I skipped ahead! I'll post the answer tomorrow (so Wendy will have plenty of time to read this post and make her guess!) *big grin*

I'm out of ideas for what to write about today. Maybe I'll come up with something as I run some errands and go to the park for lunch with the kids and a new friend? Let's all hope so, for I fear I'll loose my loyal 2 readers!

Movie Log

It was a busy month last month, so we did not have to opportunity to watch many movies.

1. Lost season 2 (I managed to finish the second season but now I find myself wanting more and I have to wait for the dvd release of season 3!!! I only hope they release it soon after they finish airing it this month, because I want to be all caught up before season 4 starts in the fall. Do you think it'll happen??)
2. Barnyard (Antoher family flick night. The movie was humorous and we all enjoyed it...except maybe Ryan who fell asleep on the couch, it was a long week.)
3. The Notebook (Good love story. We only skipped over two steamy scenes, but otherwise it was a good movie about love through a lifetime.)

See, only three movies and really only one that we watched together. Hopefully we will get the chance to watch more together this month, but I doubt it since Ryan will be traveling a lot.

Ginormous Plastic Bag

I've seen the commercials for these big 'ol zip lock bags, have you? When I first saw them on TV I thought " Phhht! What in the world would I need a ginormous plastic bag for?". I should not have been too critical, for I have found a purpose!

Big bulky sleeping bags!!!

I recently took one of our two big sleeping bags to the cleaners to use for my recent guests. The other sleeping bag will visit the cleaners shortly so it will be ready for camping this summer. Well, now that our guests are gone I need to put this big bulky thing away. It had been stored in our hall closet, but it takes up too much space. I'd like to put it in the garage but I don't have an adequate and safe place to put it. I also do not have one of those stuff bags to put it in and I do not want to simply roll and tie it up. I am afraid that spiders or other creepy insects will nest in it. That would not make for a happy camper, if you now what I mean. Ewe! So I've been pondering how and where to store these bulky things.

(Enter brilliant idea here) Eureka!!!

Ginormous plastic bag! Perfect!

I went to good 'ol Target and picked up a box of Hefty Big Bags. I was contemplating the Glad bags but Hefty offered their XXL size bags with 2 gallons more space for the same price. So, Hefty it was. And it fits perfectly! I can now safely store the sleeping bags in the garage or even stuffed under my bed. And no worries about creepy bugs nesting in my camping gear!!! Sweet.

First Date

Way back in February Ryan and I met another couple at church who had recently moved to our area from another state, same as us! The great thing was that we all longed for friends in our new place of living. The sad part is that we could never get together, for last minute reasons. Many times I planned to get together with my new friend but one of my kids would get sick, or hers, or it ended up just being bad timing. This went on for a few months....until today! I had my doubts but it finally came to fruition. Praise the Lord!!!

So, today was my get together with my new friend, Lani. I was excited. But what does one wear to a first time play date anyway? It really is like a dating. I settled on my standby jeans with a new two piece top ensemble and finished the outfit with my new cute mary-jane type shoes I got last week.

Yep, I was stunning.

Well, ok, I looked fine for a play date. Nothing too special, I don't want to scare her off! *big grin*

It was great to finally get together! I just know that we will be good friends. I can just tell already. A great thing is that her three kids are about the same ages as mine, just opposite genders. So we really understand each stage and phase the other is dealing with. It's going to be great getting to know her and giving each other's kids new playmates.

Thank you Lord for this new friend and for working out the details.

God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good!

More Trivia

Ok, I'm out of blog fodder, so again, I resort to my daily calender for inspiration. So sue me!

Amelia Bloomer invented bloomers.

Fact? or Crap?

**the answer will be posted tomorrow morning in my comments section.

Daily Trivia

A child was the first known person to survive a fall over Niagara Falls.





Fact? or Crap?

*noooo cheating! I will leave the answer tonight or tomorrow in the comments section.

Too Much Thinking Hurts!

Wendy has nominated me for the Thinking Blogger Award. Maybe she's stayed up too late while her husband has been out of town? For there's gotta be a reason why she thinks I deserve this most prestigious award. There's just gotta be!

Here is a short little list of things I am thinking about today:

1. I have six listings to add to Ebay today. Ebay is running a special today....twenty cent listings!!! I'm on it!
2. I deposited my latest check from Treasure Trooper. Granted it's only $28.26, but hey that's $28.26 that I didn't have before I spent a few minutes filling out meaningless surveys! Last month I my check was for $30. I so love this simple way of making a few bucks! (if you want to sign up you can use my referral link to get started, or just go to treasuretrooper.com!)
3. Gotta finish my bible study for tonight, I've so slacked off these past two weeks. Yikes!
4. It would be nice if I would finish unpacking my suitcase. Yep, it'd be nice.
5. My back hurts. I don't know why. It starts to feel better then I have to pick up Isabel, then it hurts again. I need to stop babying my baby. *sigh*
6. That's enough, I don't want to think anymore.....maybe I'll go take a nap!

Here is yet another list, but this one is of the people that make me think;

1. Chris at The Mayne Events. It makes me think of her starting a new life in a new place (just like me!). Her blog also reminds me of how much I miss her......but praise the Lord for email, telephones and blogs!
2. Julie over at Everyday Mommy makes me think on a more serious and spiritual note, but at the same time she includes everyday antics of her life. It a great balance!
3. Then there is Kim at Temporary? Insanity. She's a hoot! (and I don't regularly use that word either!) I enjoy reading (and seeing pics) of how she is organizing her life and home. An inspiration indeed!
4. And I love, love, love to read what Wendy is up to in paradise. Wendy's Tiki Hut is loaded with tons of cool things that she and her family do now that they are basking in the sun and waves. I wish I could be as cool as Wendy!
5. Last, but not least, is Becca at Zerbik. Zerbik is where Becca goes to hash out her spiritual thoughts and musings. I have enjoyed her many thoughts and questions and have also had the opportunity to dialog a bit with her.

The participation rules are simple:


1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,
3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote.

A Great Two Weeks!

The kids and I have had a very full two weeks. We just returned on Saturday from good ol' Modesto, where we spent the week. It's good to be home and back into our routine (and beds), but we miss our family and great friends.

My good friend, Rachel, and her three boys spent the week after Easter with us. It was great!!! I can not say how wonderful it was to have a whole week with such a good friend, it was a blessing indeed. We did lots of things but my favorite was being able to have full and completed conversations! I can't remember the last time Rachel and I had the opportunity to talk with each other. I blame it on having children. *big grin* While she and her boys were here we went to several parks for lunch, visited the zoo, and even did tie-dyed shirts! One day I got a couple of baby sitters and Rachel and I went to a ceramics painting store and spent a couple hours painting and talking. It was fabulous!

When it was time for Rachel and her crew to leave, the kids and I caravaned back up North. Cell phones are sooo handy! Being able to travel together for half the trip was handy too. If one person had to stop to use the 'necessary' we just called the other person, pulled over at the next gas station and the other person would watch all the kids instead of unloading them. I gotta say my return trip home was without this convenience. *sigh*

The second part of our two week extravaganza hit once we got to Modesto. The kids and I enjoyed the Grandma's and the Grandpa's as well as the cousins. My mom took a couple days off work and one day we went to Micke Grove with my sister-in-law and her 3 kids. The kids had a great time together. I think the best part of that day was the time we spent at the park for lunch. We spent more time there than we did inside the little zoo. The park was a great place for lots of picture taking too! The other major thing we accomplished while in town was getting a picture of all the grandkids for my mother. That's not an easy feet with six kids ranging from 10 to 2o months, but we were pleasantly surprised with how many good shots we had to choose from. And now we have yet another picture that captures our time together (toe sock included!).

Alas, here I am, back at home sitting in front of the computer reminiscing about my past two weeks. I gotta get it down and post the pictures before I forget! Now that I am home I also have to get back into the routine of fixing dinner again. *sigh* I have not a clue what will be the fare for tonight. Any ideas??

I posted some pictures from our last two weeks. I'm sure I put too many on there but I'm also sure that my family and friends will enjoy them. So, to the other 3 people that look at my blog, please forgive the numerous pics of kids and fun.....to the rest.....enjoy!

My Schpeal

Alright. Many of you have asked what exactly I said when it was my turn to say something of interest at the audition for Deal or No Deal. Here is the gist of what I said:

Hi, my name is Deanne and I was young and stupid when I got married when I was 20. But by the grace of God my husband and I will be celebrating our 11th anniversary this summer. The Lord, my husband and my children are the joy of my life.

Sheesh, when I write it out it doesn't seem like I said much! But when your standing in front of the person that will choose whether you get on the show or not and you only have 20 seconds, time seems to fly!

Do you think that what I said was worth remembering? You tell me. I'm thinking no, but hopefully I'll be wrong. We were told that once we said our schpeal that we were to leave, no questions or badgering. If we were chosen then we will be notified or reached with a phone call. It could be tomorrow or six months from now, or never. We were also told that about eight thousand people showed up that day for the auditions. So, again, is what I said something that is memorable in the midst of seven thousand nine hundred and ninety nine other people? I didn't think so either.

**If anyone is interested in playing a little on-line game of Deal or No Deal, you can play it here.

What Were We Thinking???

So, Deal or No Deal was in town recently and was holding open auditions. Ryan and I decided we'd go, so we did.

Yes, we are crazy.

No, we are not as crazy as most of the other freaky people that showed up.

It was an experience that's for sure! We had no idea of what it would be like and we are not likely to do anything like it again.

Let me first say why we decided to try out. We live in a very expensive place and it will take us at least a year to get together enough money for a down payment on a house. That is all we would want, just enough for that down payment. If it were not for that we would not have entertained the notion of going.

The auditions were from 10 to 2 on a Saturday but Ryan had read online that it was best to show up at six. So, he headed out early that morning and I caught up with him a couple hours later. Ryan got in line around 7 am and I got there at about 9. We had no idea that we would be in line for most of the day! Although I did not know the duration I did bring bottled water for the both of us along with snacks. It was a good thing too for I was in line for over 6 hours (Ryan for 9).

See, told you we were crazy!

I don't think I have ever stood on my feet as long I did that day. At least when you go to an amusement park you get to ride some rides or sit down every once in a while. My legs just ached and hurt. I must be getting old because I was not aware of some of the muscles I have (isn't that something that 'older' people say?).

I was surprised at the number of people that showed up (although I shouldn't have been) as well as the variety of people. There were certainly a number of people that fell into the category that I call 'freaks and weirdos', and many of them carried signs and had writing on their shirts or even wore costumes. I. Don't. Know. Why. The part that surprised me was that their were older people there (older as in retired). It's just not one of those things that I would think would attract people of that age. Of course there were younger people there with their groups of friends, but there were also people there by themselves. That struck me as odd too.

While standing in line for hours and hours, we listened to a band play then taped music when the band was on break. Some people danced when the music was really upbeat or played a classic popular song. That was entertaining in itself. At one point an African American woman of large proportions got her groove on and a retired man started freak dancing behind her! It was hilarious to watch as this mis-matched pair as they did their thang! Someone also brought a beach ball and the crowd passed that thing around in the air for hours.

I spent most of my time thinking of what to say when it came time to go before the casting directors. Every few hours the casting producer would come out and tell everyone what was expected. Which was that we each had 20 seconds to tell them something interesting about ourselves, something that would make them remember us individually. If I was memorable then they just may think of me when a profile they want on the show comes up. So I tried to think of something to say. It was a good thing I had hours to think of it 'cause I'm a perfectionist and I know I would have froze or blew it completely if I didn't have time to prepare something to say. In hindsight I'm not entirely sure that what I did say fell into the category of 'memorable', but I did my best.

So, that was pretty much our experience in this American phenomenon that is reality or game show television. I could go into more detail but I really don't wish to bore you more than I already have. We stood in line, moved forward, and watched weirdos. What more can be said?