REMEMBER...

Your CLOTHES "speak" even before you do...

AND...

ALWAYS check out the "rear view" in a mirror BEFORE leaving the house!!!

PONDERISMS...

· I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural
causes.

· There are two kinds of pedestrians: the quick and the dead.

· Life is sexually transmitted.

· Healthy is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

· The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.

· Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.

· Have you noticed since everyone has a camcorder these days no one talks about seeing UFOs like they used to?

· Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

· All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.

· In the 60's, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal.

· How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?

· Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, 'I think I'll squeeze these dangly things and drink whatever comes out?'


· If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a song about him?

· Why does your OB-GYN leave the room when you get undressed if they are going to look up there anyway?


· If quizzes are quizzical, what are tests?

· If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, then what is baby oil made from?

· Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet Soup?

· Does pushing the elevator button more than once make it arrive faster?

· Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

· Do you ever wonder why you gave me your email address?

Marked OFF "THE LIST"...

Michael worked VERY VERY HARD this past weekend... and got a MAJOR project marked off our "Spring/Summer" To Do List... we now have a NEW PATIO!!! THe old patio was BLUE STONE... and had seen better days... THIS patio is 25x11 (a tad bigger than the old) and is tumbled brick set with fine sand...


So from Friday afternoon until 2:00 Sunday afternoon was spent leveling... setting... leveling again (THAT was the toughest part according to Michael)... and filling... OH... and the FUNNEST part (again according to Michael) was getting to use....

THIS... a TAMPER!!! He really enjoyed this... and MAY have "tampered" a bit too much in a couple of places (causing another leveling to occur... LOL)... What is it with MEN and rented toys???

We'll be picking up some patio furniture (I found some at LOWES that coordinates with my estate sale find) adding the FIRE PIT (an early Mother's Day present) and enjoying MANY Summer nights out back!!!

Thank you sweetie for doing such a GREAT JOB!!! :o)

OUCH...

Well... warmer (MUCH WARMER) weather has arrived... we made it to 82* yesterday!!!

And I enjoyed the day outside while Michael worked on our new patio...

I think I enjoyed it TOO MUCH...



OUCH!!! Don't worry... EVERYONE ELSE was SLATHERED with sunscreen... !!!

Wanna WIN Somethin'????...

Hurry on over to my DEAR FRIEND JENN'S blog... she's having a little giveaway (OK... not SO LITTLE)... and while your visiting JENN'S BLOG... browse around... her BLOG is FABULOUS!

Go Figure...

Well... this RECENT bout of WET WEATHER has done NOTHING to IMPROVE my attitude... YEP... I'm IRRITATED... as usual...

I just don't understand... WHEN you sign your child up for an activity (DANCE, sports, music, art) shouldn't you REALIZE that there ARE going to be ADDED EXPENSES incurred??? Shouldn't you BUDGET for and ANTICIPATE (because you KNOW there are RECITALS, TOURNAMENTS, SHOWS, WORKSHOPS, CAMPS) those added expenses... so WHEN they (the added expenses) come up, you're not whining because you don't have the money? And don't even get me started on MULTIPLE activities... I REALIZE that not everyone can afford to do EVERYTHING (and WE don't)... but DON'T "do EVERYTHING" if you can't AFFORD to...

Sorry if I sound insensitive... but at least I'm being honest...

Or am I being STAUNCH??? My latest (ongoing) "crush" is on The BEALES of GREY GARDENS... did anyone see the HBO special with Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange on Saturday??? FABULOUS!!! It made me dig out my DVDS and spend Sunday watching them TWO TIMES IN A ROW!!! Lilley-Kate had been walking around with a scarf tied on her head and saying "MUTHA DARLING" and "FATHA DEAR" and marching around like Little Edie...

Well... the sun won't be out tomorrow... as we are expecting rain ALL WEEK... but the weekend is suppose to be FABULOUS...

I Was HOPING...

That a "New 'Do" would bring on a new "attitude"... not quite...


Although I think I LOST 10 lbs. AFTER getting a good "choppin'"...

*sigh*... NOW I need a DYE JOB...

Thank you...

Susan Boyle... for reminding us to NEVER judge a book by its' cover...

And for putting that teenage smile on Simon's face!

Traveling... Against the Grain

LAST week I realized something SHOCKING... EASTER was a week EARLIER than I THOUGHT it was!!! So I have been scrambling (ok... actually probably dragging my feet) this whole week to "catch up" and be ready to "hit the road" tomorrow morning... the best laid plans...


I DID decorate my "all season tree" at the end of March... put out a couple of Easter decorations (thinking I was "on the ball")... I'm totally happy with how my tree turned out... I LOVE the tree topper (eggs bought at Hobby Lobby for .99 each)... and of course the POMPOM GARLAND that I originally saw HERE added to the whimsey of the whole thing...

I just couldn't let Easter "whiz by" without at least ATTEMPTING an Easter craft... yea... attempting would be the operative word... when I saw THESE on retromama I KNEW I wanted to try them... TOTALLY CUTE... so I did... spent Tuesday carefully cutting and sewing... ending up with 6 "round" eggs... Hmmmmmmmmm... THEN I ready PEGGY'S BLOG and saw that SHE made the EGGS... and they LOOKED LIKE EGGS... and realized I had not read the DIRECTIONS carefully... am thinking (actually more than thinking) I skipped over the whole "grain direction" thing... and THAT is why I have 6 "balls" instead of EGGS... *sigh* Lately... that has been the story of my life... not being "on the grain"...

So... we are off to "The Old Dominion" to celebrate Easter with my family... as "unprepared" as I am (feel)...

I hope EVERYONE has a WONDERFUL EASTER!!! Is it MONDAY yet????

Magazines and Mud...

I LOVE Decorating magazines... especially one's that practice "budget friendly" ideas... after visiting some VERY INSPIRATIONAL blogs I KNEW I'd have to pick up the latest issue of THIS magazine... and as PROMISED (by reviews of fellow bloggers) I was NOT disappointed!!! I think SEEING THIS project on WHAT'S NEW? has totally inspired me!


LOTS of fun Springy/Easter crafts in Blogland too!!! THESE are definitely on my TO DO LIST (for next year)... they'd be SUPER CUTE with ribbon hangers and hung along a mantel or on an all season tree!!! (Although I DID pick up the SUPER CUTE SHABBY cake stand in that post on my latest trip to TARGET!!!)

Two days of dry weather allowed Michael (with the "help" of Lilley-Kate) to square off and grade the ground for our new patio out back... My "Math Major" of a husband (yes... he DOES hold a Mathematics Major) "mismeasured" the area when ordering the bricks and had to call the place to order 60 more... so once the LimeStone is delivered things will start moving towards completeing THAT project... YIPEE!!!

We enjoyed a "nice" weather weekend... but seem to have "slipped back" into the old habit of CLOUDY, WINDY and COLD today... we're expecting SNOW overnight... WHERE is SPRING???

TWO Steps Forward...

Quite a few months ago THESE steps were removed and reset one by one (oh the joys of an "old home")...

Now Michael (realizing that his "Winter To Do" list has been sorely ignored) has begun to tackle the stripping of each step... he's been doing good... moving FORWARD 2 steps a night... using a razor blade to scrap off the varnish and then sandpaper to smooth the wood... revealing BEAUTIFUL OAK underneath...

Once ALL the steps are stripped... and sanded... he'll caulk any "gaps"... and then RESTAIN and VARNISH the steps... paint the risers and bottom half of the stairs and be able to check off a "Winter To Do" project!!! YIPEE!!!

I thought it would be "fun" (and rather unexpected) to either paint or stencil the risers 1-14 (the number of steps on the staircase)... we'll see though.. I've seen similar projects on other blogs and LOVED the results... I think it would add a touch of "whimsey" to an otherwise "boring" passageway (how exciting can a staircase be???)...

MY part of this project was to remove all the old carpeting/padding and tack strips on a whim (OK... not REALLY a whim... more like a "last stand")... when Michael was on a business trip... I guess I'm considered the "destructor" and Michael is considered the "REstructor"...

In keeping with the "theme" of this post... we had been experiencing some rather "Spring"like weather in these parts over the last few days... enjoying the "warmer" (low-mid 50*s) weather... and woke up to a heavy "dusting" of snow and 20* temps this morning...

As long as "we" (ok... Michael to be more specific) keeps moving FORWARD in the project progress I know (the REAL) Spring can't be too far off!

WHAT???...

OK... so I pick up this SUPER CUTE skirt pattern today at JoAnns... I favor a very specific TYPE of skirt... a bit A-line... with a little swing at the hemline... VERY FIGURE FRIENDLY... I get home and look (more closely) at the sizing measurements on the back of the pattern envelope... and about have a MAJOR STROKE...


HERE are my HONEST TO GOD measurements (and according to ANTM and TYRA BANKS I AM considered to be PLUS SIZE)

HEIGHT 5' 4"
WEIGHT 135-138
WAIST 33" (I have a bit of a "pooch")
HIPS 41" (OK... and I carry a little "pocket full of sunshine" too)
I TYPICALLY wear anywhere from an 8-12 (in MISSES) on the bottom (depending on CUT, manufacturer and TOM)

So... according to THIS pattern... it won't fit me??? SERIOUSLY???

Memories...

AAAAAAhhhhhhh... SALTINES... I'm sure for a lot of us these brings back memories...

Slathered with peanut butter and "fluff" (the marshmallow kind)... or peanut butter and jelly... crushed up in a bowl of chicken noodle soup... the eternal cure for a rumblie tumblie... or the dreaded "morning sickness"...

I couldn't resist buying these at the grocery store when I saw them in MINIATURE... and reliving some fond memories!

CAUTION... be CAREFUL eating things in miniature... before I even realized it HALF the box was gone!!!... I wonder if miniature size means miniature calories???

I SPY... and I'm TRYING...

A turtle... a mailbox... a feather... a flute... a horseshoe, beetle and basket of fruit; Seven pinecones... an apron and key... A turtle, a swing... and the letter B...

I SPY signs of Spring... greener grass... warmer temps and "longer" days... crocus', daffodils and tulips... Fat robins visiting our birdfeeders and new tenants moving in under the front eave...

I SPY a "stinkie" attitude... that I have been DESPERATELY trying to shake... hopefully as Spring moves in to STAY... my current mood will MOVE OUT!

HAPPY SPRING EVERYONE!!! :o)

I was ONCE...

considered "cool"... a DEAR FRIEND had come to visit... and upon seeing my "old ride" in the driveway exclaimed "OH... People who drive THOSE are cool and don't even have to be TOLD"... Hmmmmmmmm... REEEEEEEEALLLLY??? Well... THAT "old ride" is going to sit in our driveway now FOREVER... because on THAT DAY... for ONCE... I was "coooooooool" (and apparently didn't even know it!)


I don't aspire to be cool much anymore... not that I wouldn't WANT to be again... for just a moment... maybe THESE will help a bit? Although I was informed by a VERY KNOWLEDGABLE 7 year old that they DIDN'T make me look COOL... they made me look "SPARKLIE"

Damn...

YES!!! Yes I heard you "calling me" from the 2nd shelf of the pantry... but I THOUGHT if I pretended I didn't hear you... you'd stop... but... you didn't... OK... maybe you DID stop calling me and I was just IMAGINING I was continuing to hear you calling... Yea... let's go with that scenario...

DAMN YOU!!!! DAMN YOU CHEESIE GOOD PUFF'N CORN! WHY WHY WHY do you have to taste SO GOOD?

String... Strang... Strung...

I always LOVE visiting other blogs... LOTS of neat people doing SUPER NEAT and CRAFTY things... I have had THIS particular craft (from Artsy-Crafty Babe) saved to my favorites since around Christmas... and have spent the last few nights completing it...

I bought the PomPoms at the Dollar Store (I bought 10 bags)... and used COTTON CROCHET THREAD (I didn't have any upholstry thread around)... I used 6 bags of PomPoms and ended up with about 18'-20' worth of garland... it'll go on my "All Season Tree" during Spring/Easter... SUPER EASY (although I DID jab myself a couple of times with the needle... OUCH!)... and it gives me something productive to do while watching television in the evenings... I have plans to make MORE garlands in different color combos...

Thanks to everyone out there who inspires me!!! :o)

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss...

Today Lilley-Kate's school hosted a "Birthday Celebration" for Dr. Seuss (part of the Read Across America program)... it was an afternoon of everything "Suess"... The kids all sported "The Cat's Hat"...

And were served "green eggs and ham" (a bit TOO GREEN for about 98% of the kids... I think the lunch ladies went a bit too "seussie" with the food coloring!)...

We spent part of the event reading a Dr. Seuss book together... Lilley-Kate's favorite is "Fox in Socks" (Although I am NOT a "Seuss" fan... my favorite is Sam I Am)...

It was a fun afternoon... seeing the "Cat's Hats"... the GREEN eggs and ham... and spending time together READING (something we do OFTEN in our home)...

In the BLINK of an Eye...

Our FAVORITE GIRL has turned SEVEN!!! HOW is that POSSIBLE?!?! I am the Mother of not only a 7 year old... but a soon to be 21 YEAR OLD TOO! I found today ironic in a weird way... it took SEVEN LONG YEARS to get pregnant with Lilley-Kate... and today we CELEBRATED her 7th BIRTHDAY...

She told me tonight before heading to bed... "Mommy, Today was the BEST DAY of my WHOLE LIFE!"...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our FAVORITE GIRL! Thank you Lilley-Kate for being everything that you are... our dream come true! WE LOVE YOU!

Counting the "Lasts"...

I have become keenly aware recently that I need to pay CLOSE ATTENTION... to the "Lasts"... because they are becoming more frequent now than the "Firsts"... My Favorite Girl is growing up... and will soon be celebrating a birthday... Lilley-Kate has become "Miss Independent" all of a sudden... wanting to do EVERYTHING herself... *sigh*...

I remember the last time Nick wanted me to sing "You are My Sunshine" to him before bed... the last time I insisted on "holding hands" while walking in a parking lot (it was the LAST time... and I knew it would be... so I felt justified in the insisting)... when I became "Mom" instead of "Mommy"... the last time kissing him "goodbye" in front of the school wasn't met with a roll of the eyes and a shushed "ugh"... the last time HE TOLD ME "Mommy... you are the prettiest girl in the world"... all tucked safely away in my "Last" Memories"...

We so anxiously await the "Firsts"... First smile... first "coo"... first steps...

I'm NOT anxiously awaiting the "Lasts"... but I am keeping my eyes WIDE open... because I know... they will arrive... I want to remember them... the "LASTS"... as fondly as I remember the "FIRSTS"...




Never underestimate the value of the little moment- Anonymous