Rain or Shine

2010-04-17T16:07:00.001-05:00

What happened to that nice Spring weather that we had all week. As soon as the weekend gets here it turns ugly. Sigh...

Hiatus

2009-09-13T12:07:00.003-05:00

Wow! I have not posted to this blog in an amazing amount of time. And I'm not sure if I'm back or just easing back into it slowly.

Last April, my husband and I separated and we filed for divorce. I've been trying to get my life back on track in another direction and emotionally.. I just was not into blogging anymore. I slowly but surely start to feel like myself more and more each day and hopefully I'll have things to blog about and get back into reading all those blogs that I always enjoyed. Bear with me.

A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do

2009-04-09T05:52:00.002-05:00

I finally tackled an item on my to-do list that I've been avoiding. I have an old computer that I've been holding onto until I had time to dismantle it so that I could remove the hard drive and destroy it. You don't want anyone getting a hold of your personal stuff, you know. The hard drive is the small silver box laying to the right of my dismantled computer.

Apparently, erasing your hard drive does not actually erase the hard drive. Formatting your hard drive only makes it so that your computer loses the directions to your information and therefore isn't able to retrieve it. In both of these cases, your information is still there and retrievable by hackers.

Here is the hard drive after being opened and that round silver disk is what I'm trying remove and destroy. I drilled about 7 holes in the hard disk and then beat it up with the claw side of a hammer. During this process, I found out why it's called a hard disk. I had to bang on it with all my strength just to make a dent. Hopefully I've done enough damage to keep any potential hackers from getting a hold of my goodies. We wouldn't want that.

A favorite spot

2009-04-07T04:42:00.000-05:00

You can't open a drawer around here without someone jumping in and getting comfortable.

I love Oklahoma in the Springtime

2009-04-05T05:17:00.000-05:00

Isn't Spring the greatest? Its new and fresh and everything comes to life with a renewed sense of being. No, it's not the plants I'm actually talking about, it's me. I've been in a winter funk for the past month with no motivation to do much of anything that took any effort.

Then Spring comes along and changes everything. A few of my plants that are coming up are my Hosta, Elephant Ears and the Stonecrop. The Clematis has new leaves and its flowers will soon follow. I'm worried about my Passion Vine but since it seems to be partial to warmer weather, I think I'll just not worry about it too much just yet and see how things play out.

All of this new growth has caused me to feel energized and ready to take on a new project. But I need a project and since Spring is what gets me moving my groove thing, I'll dedicate this project to the outdoors. I have most of this week off so I've purchased a few new plants to replace the ones that I lost last year. I'll get them planted and then I'll sit outside and admire my work, because that's what I like to do... admire...my...work.

We have issues

2009-04-02T05:58:00.001-05:00

I'm here to confess a moment that is directly related to me inheritating a family gene that I like to call "white trashicus". This gene has not been proven to be in Ray's family history but it must be there somewhere, or else I'm contagious.

We moved into this house ten plus years ago and shortly after, a storage building was built onto our property to protect our garden equipment. Ray bought paint for the shed that was suppose to match our house, but since he is color blind, it wasn't exactly a matching color. We had a blue storage building to go with our gray house. I will say that our gray house does have an ever-so-slight blue tint to the color, but it is still clearly gray.

This big blue eyesore sat to the back of our property but that didn't keep it from being in plain site of all our neighbors no matter where they live. Our poor neighbors. As for my family, we were immune to how ugly this looked because genetics made it possible for us to look the other way and forget. Much like one might see in one of those trashy type yards, it was our rusty car on blocks of cement.

But finally, after 10 long years and some available time during Spring Break, Ray and Cody repainted our little shed a beautiful, perfectly-matched-to-our-house, gray paint. And now when I come up the driveway, I can be proud when I see the little gray shed.

Everything just seems right in the world now. It's very healing.

Dog jail

2009-03-31T05:16:00.000-05:00

It's jail for dogs. At least it looks that way. This is where the girls usually go for refuge when they need it. As you can see, the door is open but it looks like they should have metal mugs in their paws, banging on the bars.

Skelly Lodge

2009-03-27T05:48:00.000-05:00

I had a wedding reception to go to this past weekend for the daughter of a close friend. I didn't get any pictures of wedding guests or the wedding couple for that matter because I was too busy visiting and eating. My, oh my, did I eat. I think this amount of eating has recently been featured on the news and referred to as "binge eating". I did NOT however partake in purging, although I probably would have slept better and felt better if I had.

Aside from eating, I did make time to get pictures of the scenery around Skelly Lodge where this reception was held. The view was amazing and you could see for miles, literally. The huge boulders pictured here were a photo opportunity waiting to happen, and many of the guests and wedding party took full advantage. Even though the trees had no leaves it was still a very picturesque place.

Inspector Clouseau

2009-03-25T05:04:00.000-05:00

Since the weather had warmed up some and since Mojo was standing at the backdoor, I decided to let him go out and investigate the back porch.

He didn't waste anytime checking things out and making sure that things were as they should be in this outdoor space. He did a close inspection of the soil quality in one of my pots. I'm pretty sure I heard him say it was good to go.

Geocache first-timers

2009-03-23T17:38:00.019-05:00

Cody and I ventured out on Sunday to look for geocaches in the area. This was something that I've been curious about for the last couple of years after reading about it on an online news site. The appeal for me is that it takes place outdoors and I love to be outdoors if the weather is nice.

Just so happens, it was a very nice day and we had nothing better to do anyway. So with my camera and GPS in tow, we headed out and begin our day of discovery. The inside of trees make good hiding spots, especially when it is surrounded by broken limbs. Cody loved it and didn't seem as apprehensive about walking into certain wooded areas as I was.

Our first cache contained tattoos and other miscellaneous and very small items. We exchanged a tattoo but on the next few caches, we only left our name and the date of our discovery. I'll be going online to visit the geocache site to leave a comment about each place that I visited and to let others know that there is a geocache still to be found.

Viva Las Vegas...hopefully!

2009-03-13T05:26:00.002-05:00

So Caitlin and I are leaving for Las Vegas and we have checked in at the airport, go through security and are waiting at the gate when an announcement comes over the speakers that our plane has arrived but it's at the end of the runway where it sits because the pilot noticed when he touched down that he couldn't control the steering of the plane. It takes them about 30 minutes to tow the plane up to the gate so that they can assess the problem and let us know when our flight would be leaving. The end result is that our flight was cancelled and they found a plane in Dallas to take us to our destination, but not until the next morning.

Caitlin will miss her first game in this tournament along with one other teammate who was also on that flight and since our team had a couple of other players that were unable to go on this trip, her team now doesn't have enough players for that game.

I hope things go better once we get to the airport this morning.

WTF???!!!

2009-03-06T05:20:00.002-06:00

I received my Social Security statement in the mail this past week because it's that time of year when I get this reminder that my birthday is coming up in a couple of months.

Anyhoo...did anyone else receive their statement recently and compare it to last year's statement, only to find out that if you retire at the age of 67 you are now eligible for a lower amount of income than what the previous year statement indicated? Even though you have now contributed a whole year more of social security taxes? RaggleFaggleFrickinFruck?!!

I won a moisturizing kit!

2009-03-05T05:49:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, I received a wonderful package in the mail from Jessica at A Moxie Mom. I entered a drawing on her blog and won!

It's a Dermalogica Skin Kit for that troublesome dry skin that many of us suffer from daily and especially during the winter months. I can't wait to use this kit. Thanks Jessica!!

New books

2009-03-04T10:11:00.004-06:00

I just finished reading "Outlander" by Diana Gabaldon and I'm now starting on her second book in the series called "Dragonfly in Amber". I can't wait to find out what happens next with the two main characters, Claire and Jamie.

I also purchased an audiobook to add to my Ipod so that I'll have something to listen to on the airplane ride to Las Vegas that I'll be taking next week. There is a showcase soccer tournament there that Caitlin's team is attending.

Why does shopping feel so good?

2009-02-28T15:51:00.006-06:00

Hayden's birthday is tomorrow and this past week I went shopping for the clothes that he asked for and I also ordered a few items online. Shopping for him is like shopping for a daughter. He likes clothes and likes the latest styles with a variety of color.

I wasn't able to do this for my oldest son, Dylan, because he wore athletic shorts and t-shirts to school every day all year round, no matter how warm or cold. And the only colors that Dylan would wear were white, gray or something dark. On one hand, this was a good thing because his clothes weren't costing us an arm and a leg; but it was also soooooo boring.

Update on my gold quest

2009-02-20T08:32:00.004-06:00

Remember when I sent in my gold jewelry to see how much it was worth? Well, it wasn't as much as I would have liked but then again, I know nothing about the value of gold. The day after I received my check there was a news segment on tv talking about how the value of gold is down these days and to wait until it rises again before selling. Too late!

I have the option to return the check and have my gold returned if I'm not ready to sell or to deposit the check and consider it a done deal. I'm considering my options.

I heard a banging noise

2009-02-17T22:12:00.002-06:00

Cody left one of his Christmas presents in the pocket of jeans and I washed it in the washing machine this past weekend. Dried it too. Ipods aren't meant to be washed.

Nap

2009-02-10T05:25:00.000-06:00

I was sitting on the couch doing some work on my laptop when I looked up and took notice of my cats. One was to my left and one was to my right.

I just thought it was funny that they were both covering their eyes. They were almost perfect bookends of each other.

Where do I sign?

2009-02-07T05:46:00.003-06:00

This is one of those things you don't see everyday so of course I had to try and get a shot of it. You know a person really supports our troops when he lets anyone and everyone sign their name to his truck with a sharpie.

Selling some gold

2009-02-05T14:00:00.009-06:00

I was watching Rachael Ray the other day and she had a segment about a company that buys gold jewelry called Red Swan. You send in your jewelry and they mail you a check. If you aren't satisfied, you contact them and send the check back and they return your jewelry.

So I've decided to try it. I have a couple of pieces of old jewelry that probably aren't worth much but I'm curious to see what I can get. Plus I'm not attached to the jewelry that I've chosen to send in. I haven't worn any of it in over 20 years. One piece is a necklace that an old boyfriend gave to me and then I have a ring that had the tiniest diamond in it once but the diamond came loose and I lost it. Those two pieces along with a gold chain is what I've chosen to send in and see what happens. The people at Red Swan will probably open up my box and laugh when they assess the value or they'll be mad that they paid the postage to have me waste their time. Ha!

I have a nice pair of earrings that I considered sending in but I'm too attached, even though I don't like to wear gold jewelry. Afterall, silver is "da bomb" these days. I also can't part with my "add-a-bead" gold and lapis bead necklace because it was such a popular trend when I was in high school and I remember returning to the store often to purchase more beads everytime I had enough money. Do you remember doing this? Anyway, this necklace stays. What if I need this piece of jewelry as proof that certains things in my life really did occur when I'm old and reflecting on my past.

I want to be just like her!

2009-01-31T20:55:00.007-06:00

I just had to post this picture of my Mema. I haven't seen her in many years and I've been asking for a picture for a while now, but since my dad doesn't own a camera it has taken some time. He took this picture of her with his camera phone last weekend. She still drives her car and gets it washed each week. Her and her sister(good genes in that family) take trips together when they can and she reads so much that I'm sure the library is having a hard time keeping her in books. She is pictured here working on a crossword puzzle which she starts and completes daily. All of my childhood memories of her are special. When Tanya and I were little girls, we LOVED staying overnight with her and my Pepa on their farm. This special woman also turned 98 years young this past January. I think she's incredibly special.

You couldn't pay me to drink it

2009-01-29T22:08:00.006-06:00

Have you ever had a coffee that was so strong tasting that after you took a sip, it tasted like you just smoked a cigarette? Ok so it wasn't a coffee, it was one of those coffee type drinks with added flavor and a fancy smancy name. Anyway, I had that happen earlier this week when I was sampling a Caramel Latte. Uhh...thank you, McDonalds?

The Ice Storm Cometh

2009-01-28T09:02:00.014-06:00

The ice storm came in waves. It started with a slight coating of ice on the cars. But then as the frozen rain continued and temperatures dropped, our streets and roads were coated as well. Sleet fell through the night and there was a layer on top of the ice. This was a blessing in disguise because it supplied the traction needed on the roads so that those who needed to get to Lowes… could. :-)

By the afternoon, we were well coated with sleet and snow and the roads were a slippery mess mostly because of the surface being abused all day. This picture was taken with my cell phone... while driving. I call it multi-tasking. Some call it risky. It was a little more harrowing getting home and there was some slippage and fishtailing involved here and there. Fun to some, I’m sure, but NOT to this gal. We have too many hills to climb in this area and midway up one of them I questioned whether I was going to make it. Ray says he did the same thing.

We have a pin oak in front of our house that is clinging to it's leaves from the previous summer and will probably hang onto them until the new ones begin to emerge in the Spring. It's an ugly object to view all winter but now with this nice new coat of ice, it's a look that seems to work.

All of the foliage in the area takes on a new look and as much as I despise the ice, I am in awe of the beauty it supplies.

Honestly, I'm honored.

2009-01-27T05:50:00.001-06:00

I've been presented with this award from Dawn at Dawn's Diversions. We've been blog friends for a while but just recently met face to face at the blog night that I attended. She was the organizer of this event and invited many Oklahoma blogger friends. It was a fun evening and it was great of her to do it.

As the recipient of the award, I have to share 7 things about myself. Finding 7 things that you don't already know about me might be a challenge but I'm up for it. And then again, I may have mentioned these things already, because I'm pretty much an open book.

I also need to share this award with 7 others and those others are:
Desert Trivia
Chickens in the Road
The Hunter's Wife
Decisionally Challenged
4 Lettre Words
A Heart for Home
It's a woman's world

1. When I get one of my kids alone, I tell them they are my favorite. They've all heard this at one time or another and I think they are on to my secret.

2. I was a very wild (or stupid)teenager and did things that a typical teenager doesn't typically do. Things I will take with me to my grave. Needless to say, I watch my kids closely.

3. I've dressed up like Miss Piggy, a gorilla and a clown to deliver balloon bouquets for a place I worked many years ago.

4. I take notice of people's hands because you can tell if they have ugly toes by the way their fingers look. I don't want to look at ugly toes.

5. I'm pretty sure it doesn't show but I can be quite the bitch. If I don't like you, you probably already know it because I don't try to hide it.

6. I love to spend time with my closest friends because I've never laughed so much with anyone else as I do with them. I feel blessed everytime I'm with them.

7. My favorite thing to eat is not sweets. I would rather have regular food over any kind of sweets. I love casseroles, mexican food, italian food, food food. Yep, I love food, but sweets is not on the top of my list.

Reverse Psychology

2009-01-25T07:49:00.002-06:00

There's an ice storm in our forecast for Monday and Tuesday. Not the news I wanted to hear when those are the two days that I report to work this week. Not only will I drive to the other side of town over slippery, icy roads but I will also trek across an icy parking lot that is free of any hand holds if by chance I might lose my footing.

It seems that the more I hate winter, the more I become a target for this frigid abuse. If I'm being punished for my strong hostility towards this colder season then I'm willing to change for the greater good. From this day forward, I will "adore" winter.

Winter creed:
I'll embrace the prickly coldness of its winds and envelop the stings of its icy rain. I will laugh at it's playful attempts to bring me down on my rear. I will prevail.

After all, it's only 54 days until Spring.

Oklahoma Hoedown

2009-01-24T07:37:00.020-06:00

I went to a local pub/grill last night, called the Fox and the Hound, for a dinner with several local bloggers. We were expecting around 20 women and actually had about 15 show up, so it was a really good turn out for this event. note: If I get any names wrong in this post, please forgive my memory.

Some of my "getting aquainted" time was spent with these girls, Jerri Lynn, Georgie and Dawn. Jerri Lynn and Georgie live in the Tulsa area and Dawn lives in Owasso, closer to my neck of the woods. You can't see it but Georgie is wearing a shirt that says "I heart Dawn" made by her daughter. We all love Dawn for putting this event together. I found out that Jerri Lynn is from Ft. Worth so with both of us being from Texas, we talked about things that Texas has that Oklahoma doesn't have like good mexican food, barbecue and Dairy Queen. And what a coincidence that we both have family in Midland.

Here is Dawn with Michelle and Jessica. I enjoyed meeting Michelle and finding out how her and Dawn became friends. Both of them love blogging and photography. Jessica was very nice and I look forward to reading her blog.

I was also able to visit with Melinda and Maggie who are pictured here with me. I'm the one who looks awkward because I'm the most unphotogenic person. But I digress.

Can you believe that Melinda drove over 2 hours to attend this dinner? Now that's impressive! As for Maggie, her blog has been nominated for one of Oklahoma's best looking blogs and it's well deserved. In fact many of these bloggers have been nominated in one catagory or another.

It was a pleasant night and not one of these people appeared to be "abinormal" (you know... Young Frankenstein... 0k....nevermind). I was really pleased at how nice all of these girls were and I'm looking forward to getting to know them better.

And you just now noticed?

2009-01-23T08:32:00.009-06:00

Hayden informed me that he needed a new pair of shoes because his were feeling too small. So after school, we went to our local shoe store and found him a nice pair of athletic shoes. We threw away his size 6 shoes that were too small with a hole forming in the toe area and he walked out of the store wearing his new, size 9 Adidas. Yes, I would say that his shoes might have been feeling a bit small.

Winter Ball 2009

2009-01-22T06:03:00.001-06:00

Caitlin attended the Winter ball this past weekend with her boyfriend and about 6 other close friends. She enjoys almost any reason to dress up and go out in public. Their plans were to go to a movie after the dance and then go "glow" bowling at the local bowling alley, but they weren't able to go bowling because they attended the late movie and these kids have curfews... as all kids their age should.

Are we there yet?

2009-01-20T05:54:00.001-06:00

We had a bit of cold weather last week and even saw a little snow. Luckily it wasn't anything major and didn't stick around for more than a day. In fact this past Sunday was incredibly nice with temperatures in the high 50's. It felt good to go outside and stand in the sunlight. I like to imagine that Spring is near and the first signs of it are appearing, even though that is clearly not true.

One of our customers at Lowes mentioned that he could remember one April here that received a terrible snow storm. I had to walk away and just not think about it.

My irrational side

2009-01-18T19:28:00.010-06:00

I decided to take a little hiatus from the blog world this past week and focus on doing other things like chillin', kicking back, relaxing and taking it easy.

Although it's not easy to relax when you are cultivating a science experiment in your backyard. I decided to partially uncover the swimming pool to check on the water since it's been almost 4 months since we covered it for the winter. I peeled back the cover and noticed that the water was a little dark but I figured the pool cover was the cause so I peered down through the water trying to locate the drain at the bottom and couldn't see it. I could however see the pool light and with this object to focus on, I could see that the water was definitely not in good condition and even a bit of a green tint. The water in my swimming pool has been infected with an algae and has started to turn green and just the thought of the water turning dark and murky soon makes a chill run down my back. Not only that, I'm having swimming pool dreams where I'm removing the cover to find out what lies beneath. I'd be lying if I said I'm not at all freaked out by this.

For as long as I can remember, I've had this water phobia focused mainly on plumbing problems that involve uncontrollable water issues or water flow. So if my toilet overflows, I remain calm, rational and deal with it like an adult, but it spooks me to my core!

Dumbbells are not so dumb

2009-01-10T06:18:00.003-06:00

I started working out with my bff a few months ago on her bowflex machine. It was a really good workout and it was fun at the same time. When the holidays crept in, it was a little more difficult to find the time or motivation to work out.

I've noticed the past few weeks that I haven't felt as good or slept as well as I had been and I think it might have something to do with not working out for so long. So this week I've been trying to workout with my dumbbells and I even did my 8 minutes abs, buns and arms. I'm a little sore today so I'm taking the day off, but I'm glad that I have a few days of workouts behind me.

Delicious

2009-01-08T12:14:00.006-06:00

The past few days, I've been trying to organize my recipes and find more for my collection and this is the magazine that I consider my recipe bible. I like them because they don't use those fancy ingredients that I never have on hand. Just simple recipes that are easy to make. I love getting things organized. It makes me tingle.

My white trash is showing

2009-01-05T06:53:00.004-06:00

My next door neighbor teasingly asked me when we were getting my car repaired because he was a little concerned that I was making our neighborhood look bad driving this unsightly mess around. I reminded him that I've never denied being white trash trying to fit into an upper class environment and right now, my white trash is showing.

I'll be taking my car into the body shop this week and finally getting it repaired from the damage that was done in San Antonio. We normally would have taken care of this already but we had to wait for the insurance company to actually make contact with their client to determine who was liable. Puhhlease!! We weren't even in our car and they need to verify who was liable? I hate insurance companies and thier stupid mindedness! They love to take our money every month but their butt tightens up when they need to give a little back.

Beware: may cause cavities

2009-01-02T19:42:00.007-06:00

I got up this morning and started a crock pot of stew and then proceeded to make a rich fudge from the back of the Hershey's Cocoa label. My mother has made this recipe many times and I had her teach me how many years back. I decide this time to make it the way the Hershey's label suggested and all went well until I got to the end.

Hersheys says that after you reach a certain temperature to remove from heat and let the fudge cool to 110 degrees, a temperature I never reached because it started hardening up. I went ahead and added pecans, which is an adjustment my mother made to the recipe and an important one, and then began to stir it. This was an incredible struggle and took lots of muscle power. I was able to get it onto my platter but unable to spread it out because it set almost immediately. In the end it was still quite delicious.

I used a candy thermometer this time and it sure made things easier. My mother had taught me to watch for a glossy-ness in the chocolate and if you put a small amount in cold water and you were able to form a ball with it, then it was ready. I was always able to make the fudge successfully but never felt comfortable deciding when the chocolate was glossy, so the thermometer was a great tool to use. Here's the recipe but I've altered it to the way my mother taught me. It's very rich and chocolatey, so if you think you can handle it then try it and let me know what you think.

Classic Rich Cocoa Fudge
3 c. sugar
2/3 c. cocoa
1/8 t. salt
1 1/2 c. milk
1/2 stick of butter
1 t. vanilla
1 c. pecan pieces

Butter a large plate or platter.

Mix sugar, cocoa and salt, in a heavy 4 qt saucepan, until all lumps are gone. Stir in milk.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Boil, without stirring, until mixture reaches 234 degrees on candy thermometer or until small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water forms a soft ball which flattens when removed from water. (Thermometer should not rest on bottom of pan)

Remove from heat. Add butter and let melt. DO NOT STIR. When butter is melted, add nuts and stir. Spread quickly onto prepared platter; cool completely. Cut into squares.

It's January 1st, 2009

2009-01-01T06:52:00.002-06:00

Happy New Year!!

Hope everyone had a safe and happy New Years Eve. I made salsa, a bean dip to have with chips and cookies that failed miserably. I think it might have been the shortage of baking soda. The cookies were delicious but flat.

This year I actually stayed up until midnight. Well... sort of. I think I might have dozed off a time or two while watching tv, but I was up and about at 5 minutes before midnight and stayed that way until the clock struck twelve. I quickly found myself in bed shortly after where I had no problem finding dreamland.

Four Foods on Friday

2008-12-27T07:18:00.005-06:00

Here is this week's Four Foods questions.

#1. Do you prefer cooking with electric or gas? I like gas because when you adjust the heat, it's immediate! Although I have a new stove that is an electric smoothtop that I'm getting to use and find out how I like it. (I didn't pick it out so hopefully I find out over time that I will love it.)

#2. How many times a month do you order out? At least 8 -10 times.

#3. How do you like your ice - cubed or crushed? Crushed is the best because sometimes when you get a drink, you also get a little chunk of ice to chew on. Sonic has the best crushed ice!!

#4. Share a Christmas recipe. I don't have anything specific to Christmas except what I made for dinner this year so I'll share my baked beans recipe.

Baked Beans
2 can 16 oz. pork and beans
3/4 C brown sugar
1/2 C ketchup
1/4 C mustard
1 onion; chopped
1 package bacon; raw, 2 inch pieces
liquid smoke
6 shakes Worcestershire sauce

Slightly cook bacon and onions. Mix all other ingredients together. Lay bacon strips on top. Cover and cook for 1 hour @ 400-425 degrees. Uncover and cook 5 - 10 minutes until bacon is browned.

Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year!

2008-12-25T06:35:00.001-06:00

Christmas tag

2008-12-22T05:46:00.005-06:00

I saw this meme over at "That's Baloney" and I thought it was a great thing to post during the Christmas season.

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends. Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE!!! Change all the answers so that they apply to you. Tag as many people as you want to....Tis the Season to be NICE!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? At Christmas time I usually always use wrapping paper.
2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial, it's always been artificial.
3. When do you put up the tree? Anytime during December when I have time.
4. When do you take the tree down? I know this is going to sound bad but it's gone the day after Christmas.
5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, but only in small quantities and maybe only once during the holiday.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? My favorite gift was a stereo that I received for my birthday. I was the happiest child that day.
7. Hardest person to buy for? Parents
8. Easiest person to buy for? My children
9. Do you have a nativity scene? No
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? I'm BIG on doing things on the computer, but Christmas cards need to be mailed the old fashioned way.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I've received tools in the past that I didn't want or need.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? The Santa Clause or Elf
13. When do you start shopping? Most of the time I start in November.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Not yet, but I'm not against it.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Pie
16. Color lights on tree? white
17. Favorite Christmas song? Winter Wonderland
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home. I believe kids should get to have Christmas at home.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Probably not.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Neither, it's an old fashioned style fabric Santa Claus
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The hustle, the bustle and the finances.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Red ornaments are beautiful.
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Mashed potatoes
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? A laser hair remover but I'm not asking for it because it's super expensive.

I'm not tagging anyone in particular, so if you want to play just copy and paste and leave a comment so that I can visit your post and read your answers. Have fun!

Back off, Lady!

2008-12-21T05:14:00.002-06:00

I stopped at Movie Gallery the other day to pick up some things for Christmas and the woman that checked me out absolutely annoyed me to the point that I was pretty mad by the time I left. She kept saying things like, "Do you need anything else, Sweetie?", and "Can you please sign here, Sweetie", and the final blow was "Here's your receipt, Babydoll".

AAaaaaarrgh!! I bet she called me "Sweetie" at least 4 times. I don't know, maybe it's just me but there is something about a woman who is the same age or younger than me calling me these ridiculous names. Maybe if she was 90 I would have thought it was cute. I felt like it was lacking respect. She better not catch me on the wrong day; a day that my children have seen me have in the McDonald's drive-thru.

Ice Fountain

2008-12-19T06:59:00.003-06:00

Even though the ice had melted on the streets, this fountain was still frozen solid when I drove by it on Thursday morning.

Soon.. and counting!

2008-12-18T05:38:00.000-06:00

I'm done with my Christmas shopping except for a few really small stocking stuffers for the kids. I have a few gifts that I will need to wrap and then I can sit back and relax.

Dylan will be coming home on Sunday and will be home for 2 weeks. His old room is now being occupied by Cody, so it's going to feel different having him here as a guest. Although I hope he feels comfortable and not like a guest at all.

I'm so ready for the holidays to begin!

Coated with Ice

2008-12-17T09:28:00.004-06:00

Our area has been covered in ice this week and the schools have been closed for the past three days. If the kids return to school tomorrow, they will be taking their final exams without any chance to review in class, as was the plan this week.

The roads have been treacherous and I've been stuck a couple of times and sliding all over the road the other times. The streets in town are in pretty good shape but once you leave the city limits.. beware!

Jacket

2008-12-12T09:06:00.006-06:00

I've been on the hunt for a new jacket for Cody and this has not been an easy task because I've have found that the boys are very particular about the style of their jackets. I think my problem in this search is that I was looking at coats which are too heavy and thick for their taste. So... to Cody's disappointment, Ray bought Hayden a new jacket this past weekend and because Cody told Ray he already had a jacket when Ray asked him about it, Cody once again, did not get a new jacket. The jacket he was referring to was a hand-me-down that started with Dylan (who is now 19 years old) and not one of the boys have ever wanted to wear it as it was passed down to each one. I think Cody didn't feel like he could say he hated the jacket just to get a new one, so he sat quietly and very disappointed that he missed this opportunity for a new jacket.

So when I got back from my trip to Raleigh, I went on an all day search for this new item. Cody found a near perfect jacket at Old Navy. I must say, this kid was incredibly happy to have this jacket and he put it on immediately when we got home after all the tags had been removed. He then took his evening shower, redressed, and put the jacket back on to wear for the rest of the evening. I didn't know whether to feel sad that I took so long buying this item or happy that he loved it so much.

We just went a little greener

2008-12-09T05:07:00.000-06:00

After months of making a loud screeching noise, on and off for the past few months, my washer finally bit the dust. It happened while Ray was at home and I was only aware of it when I walked in and noticed he had it pulled away from the wall and was working on it. He said it was time to buy a new washer and who am I to argue.

So this is my new front loading washer that I've been yearning for ever since I used my sister's washer while visiting her one summer. It uses less water and spins the heck out of the clothes which makes drying time faster since there is less water left in your laundry. Only time will tell how much we like it but I have a good feeling about it.

Four Foods

2008-12-07T06:58:00.004-06:00

I'm at it again, sharing my answers to the Four Foods questions this week.

#1. Does your family usually eat meals in the kitchen or somewhere else?
We eat in the kitchen and living room. Unfortunately we are not the eat around the dining table type of family. Our schedules are way too busy for that kind of togetherness so we do our bonding at other times.

#2. Who usually does the dishes in your house?
Our Hotpoint dishwasher. We ask the kids to rinse their dishes and put them in the dishwasher and I add the soap and start it up. I'm not sure that's called "doing dishes". I am the one who scrubs dishes after cooking but I stick them in the dishwasher also.

#3. What’s your favorite small appliance or tool in the kitchen?
Probably my hand chopper for chopping and dicing vegetables. Makes meal preparation so much easier.

#4. This one’s for my son. Share a recipe for chili.

Chili
1 lb ground beef
Chili mix
1 cans tomato sauce
Optional: beans of your choice, tomatoes, stewed tomatoes and any extra spices.

Brown ground beef. Add the chili mix and cook for 1 –2 minutes more. Add tomato sauce and water and allow to cook for 20- 30 minutes. Serve.

In Raleigh, in case you were wondering

2008-12-06T12:16:00.003-06:00

We have been in Raleigh, NC since Thursday to play a few soccer games in a College Showcase tournament. Things have been uneventful unless you count the first plane ride that we caught out of Tulsa almost dropping from the sky and killing us.

I exaggerate. But it was the scariest moment I've ever had in a plane. The jet suddenly dropped down as if it had stopped running and everyone let out a gasp and/or was awaken from thier naps. My heart was racing and I think we were all a bit uneasy until we touched down. The pilot wasn't even kind enough to let us know what had just occurred. I guess he's used to acrobatic flying and he just treated it like it was a normal part of the experience.

It's official, he's an Airman

2008-11-27T22:13:00.006-06:00

So far, this week, we've had a great time with Dylan, catching up and hearing all about his time at basic training. He's wanted to do nothing except relax, eat and more relaxing.

Here he is at the retreat ceremony when we set eyes on him for the first time. I was surprised at his appearance but incredibly proud. He's so serious!

Here are how these recruits stood during the ceremony. I loved looking at how they did everything the same and at the same time. Lots of practice, I'm sure.

I catch myself taking a peek at him every now and then, because I'm happy that he's here with us and I'm trying to get used to that new haircut. I think he looks great!

Crime capital of Texas

2008-11-27T20:43:00.007-06:00

We were in our hotel room on the evening of our second day in San Antonio when we heard a crash outside in the parking lot. Hayden, who is notorious for playing pranks, looked out the window and told us that my car had been hit. We were all like, "yeah right.. whatever". I looked out the window and sure enough my car had been hit by a small red car and hit hard enough that it moved my car over 6 feet from the place it previously had been parked. There were 3 boys standing outside the red car so we rushed out to the scene of the accident. When we made it out to the parking lot, they were mad about the damage to their own car. I was telling them to look at the damage done to my car and they responded again with "but our car is worse!". Stupid punks!

While we were calling the police and accessing the damage, two of the boys took off running and never returned. I think the driver would also have left the scene had his car been able to run, but it was messed up good. Fortunately for us, he had to call his mom, and we were able to collect insurance information. These boys had dropped a large flashlight in the grass and we are guessing they were using that to look into cars for valuables. Luckily my car is fine except for missing part of the bumper and we aren't able to open the back hatch door because of parts that are bent out of shape.

The last time we were in San Antonio was 15 years ago and on our first night at our hotel, we had our car stolen. "San Antonio, we hear your message loud and clear... we do not want to come back just as much as you obviously don't want us here."

Airmen's Run

2008-11-26T09:57:00.004-06:00

I'm sharing a video of the Airmen's run that we watched this morning. What's that?? Did I see Dylan?? Sadly, no.

I cannot tell you where he is during this run because we were not able to spot them as they passed. I'm beginning to wonder that he may look so different that I can't spot him in a crowd. We are returning to the base at lunch time, where we will get to spend the afternoon and evening with him.

Pre-Trip

2008-11-24T05:25:00.005-06:00

I'm packing for our trip and making sure I have everything that Dylan has asked me to bring. He'll be going to Biloxi, Ms after this week is over and wants to take his computer, phone and I-pod with him.

I talked to him on Sunday and it had to be the best conversation I've had with him so far because of something very touching he said to me. He was so nice.

It looks like we might be going to Sea World while we are there so it's turning out to be like a mini vacation for our family. San Antonio is just one of those places where there are so many things to do.

Premiere

2008-11-21T05:57:00.000-06:00

This is the day that many of us have been looking forward to for months now.

The premiere of "Twilight"!!!

And like so many of you, I'll be spending the day with girlfriends, dining at a nearby restaurant and attending this romantic movie about a teenage girl and her vampire boyfriend.

I wish I had a vampire boyfriend.

Travel to and fro

2008-11-19T05:17:00.007-06:00

I couldn't lift a finger to type a new post the last couple of days. It was a busy weekend in Houston with a late night drive back home and I had to be at work by 6am the next morning. So after working the last couple of days, I'm now re-energizing my cells.

Dylan called this past weekend and I was able to talk to him for awhile and get better idea of what was happening at basic training. Just one more week until his graduation in San Antonio. It will be a great way to spend Thanksgiving.

Two Things

2008-11-16T06:02:00.001-06:00

Two Names you go by:
1. DeeBee
2. Mom

Two things you are wearing right now:
1. Pajamas
2. T-shirt

Two of your favorite things to do:
1. Lunch with friends
2. Computer

Two things you want very badly at the moment:
1. To have my shower over with
2. 1 million dollars

Two favorite pets you have had/have:
1. Mojo - black cat
2. Tanji - silver schnauzer when I was first married

Two things you did last night:
1. Dinner at Pappasitos
2. Mall

Two things you have eaten ~~today~~ last night:
1. Shrimp Brochette
2. Bit o honey

Two people you last talked to:
1. LeAnn
2. Caitlin

Two places you have been in the past year:
1. Orlando, Florida
2. Las Vegas, Nevada

Two Favorite beverages:
1. Vanilla Cappuccino
2. Margarita

Houston

2008-11-15T05:35:00.001-06:00

Caitlin and I are in Houston this weekend for a couple of soccer games and maybe some shopping at a nearby mall. We are sharing a hotel room with another mom and two other players. Should be a fun weekend.

Twilight

2008-11-14T05:20:00.003-06:00

Next Friday is going to be the best day. I'm going with 3 other friends and we are going out to eat and then to the movies to see Twilight!!!!!! I can't wait!!!!!! Did I use enough exclamation points because I really want you to know how I feel. Are you feeling me?

Poor guy

2008-11-13T05:50:00.000-06:00

I feel sorry for Ray sometimes because his job at the office is so hard!

I think I'm shrinking

2008-11-12T05:20:00.000-06:00

The last few pairs of jeans that I've purchased have been too long and dragging on the ground. It's annoying!!

Green Country Skies

2008-11-11T05:06:00.004-06:00

Don't ever say that we don't do fun and exciting things. This past weekend, I took my kids to the Tulsa Air and Space Museum, only we weren't there to visit the museum. We were all pumped up about going to the PLANETARIUM!! I know, exciting huh?

Although the show had some very interesting facts and I left more educated about our skies than before I arrived, it was a little bit boring in parts and the kids said the same.

It can't be said that I don't do important things for my kids' education. I just hope that my kids' friends don't get jealous.

Four Foods

2008-11-10T05:25:00.000-06:00

I think I missed the last couple of weeks, due to no reason that I can think of at the moment. But I'm back on track this week and ready to play. Visit Fun, Crafts and Recipes if you want to play this meme and share facts about yourself.

#1. Stuffing. Boxed or from scratch?
From scratch... all the way!!

#2. If you were served the perfect Thanksgiving dinner what would it be?
What's perfect for some might not be perfect for others. My idea of perfect is Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, corn, gravy, rolls and lots of pies. And this meal would need to be fixed by someone other than myself, like my mom. So there!(This is for you, Tanya)

#3. What’s your favorite Thanksgiving leftover?
Dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy!!

#4. Share a recipe using turkey.
I don't make anything using turkey so I'll have to pass on this one.

Operation Quick Call

2008-11-08T20:05:00.002-06:00

Dylan called today to make sure that we knew about him being able to leave the base on Thanksgiving day and to give us a phone number to call to make that request. Yes...we have to make it official or he won't be able to spend the day with us. And you know how the military is always giving every event an official name like "Operation Desert Storm", well this one is no different and it has been tagged as "Operation Home Cooking".

He sounded good and he asked if there was anything that I wanted to know about basic training. I have a thousand questions and I had to grasp for the most important ones to ask quickly, so I think I asked him if he was sore from his training and how he was doing. I told him I would have to ask more when I see him next. That was about all I had time for when he said he had to get off the phone. It's always so good to hear his voice. I can't wait to see him in a couple of weeks. This is the third time I've talked to him and it's always very rushed, but just hearing him does me a world of good.

Fun with Memes

2008-11-07T21:27:00.007-06:00

Here's a meme that I spotted at Dawn's Diversions. It looked fun, so I thought I'd play.

I give you money and send you into the grocery store to pick up 5 items. You can only pick one thing from the following departments.. what is it?
1. Produce: Bananas
2. Dairy: Milk
3. Meat: Roast
4. Frozen: Waffles
5. Dry goods: Pasta

Let’s say we’re heading out for a weekend getaway this weekend. You’re only allowed to bring 3 articles of clothing with you. So, what’s in your bag?
1. Jeans
2. Long sleeve shirts
3. Pajamas

If I was to listen in on one of your conversations throughout the day, what 3 phrases or words would I be most likely to hear?
1. What??!
2. Brush your teeth!
3. Do you have homework?

So, what 3 things do you find yourself doing every single day, and if you didn’t get to do, you probably wouldn’t be in the best mood?
1. Computer
2. Shower
3. Make my bed (Something about this affects my mood)

Sweet, you just scored a whole afternoon to yourself. We’re talking a 3 hour block with nobody around. What 3 activities might we find you doing?
1. Shopping
2. Working on a puzzle
3. Computer

We’re going to the zoo. But, it looks like it could start storming, so it’ll have to be a quick visit. What 3 exhibits do we have to get to?
1. Monkeys
2. Lions
3. Bears

You just scored tickets to the taping of any show that comes on T.V. of your choice. You can pick between 3, so what are you deciding between?
1. Oprah
2. Ellen
3. The View

You’re hungry for ice cream. I’ll give you a triple dipper ice cream cone. What 3 flavors can I pile on for ya?
1. Chocolate Chip
2. Strawberry
3. Chocolate

Somebody stole your purse/wallet…in order to get it back, you have to name 5 things you know are inside to claim it. So, what’s in there?
1. Wallet
2. Migraine medication
3. Gum
4. Chapstick
5. Receipts

You are at a job fair, and asked what areas you are interested in pursuing a career in. Let’s pretend you have every talent and ability to be whatever you wanted, so what 3 careers would be fun for you?
1. Psychologist
2. Interior Designer
3. Accountant

An upgrade

2008-11-06T05:53:00.007-06:00

Remember this pathetic attempt to create a handle for our microwave, after the real thing had fallen off?

Now it's this.

I was worried that we didn't have a good seal around the door of the microwave and microwaves were seaping out causing us cancerous danger, so we replaced it before we all died. You can't tell here, but it makes the kitchen look different, more updated and high tech. Now we want to replace the stove and dishwasher so that all our appliances will look as spiffy as this new microwave.

How he came to live with us

2008-11-03T05:58:00.000-06:00

Isn't he pretty? I know... it's probably just me, but I love this animal.

He's had a special place in my heart since I first saw him locked in an animal crate at the place where I took my dogs to be groomed. He stuck his paw through the little bars and batted at my fingers and then sprang off to play with a toy that dangled from the top of the crate. He's was the cutest thing, (after my children of course). He needed a home, but I left him there because I wasn't sure I needed a third cat. Since I could not get him out of my head, I ended up going back to the groomers the next day to take that little kitten home. He's been entertaining us everyday since.

Woot! Woot!

2008-11-01T05:43:00.001-05:00

Here's the weekly update on the gas prices in this area. Can you believe that gas has fallen below $2?? I'm amazed and really had some doubts that we would ever see this price again. I realize that it won't stay at these prices but it's so great to see before it goes up again.

Our last trick-or-treater...

2008-10-31T20:45:00.004-05:00

...was a pony. And that little cowboy behind him was the one who rode in on him. I wanted to pet that horse so badly but all I did was stood there and told the mom that they sure did have a big dog!

I love how life here sometimes imitates a country life.

2008-10-31T14:49:00.010-05:00

Happy Halloween!!

Hope everyone has a great time tonight during the festivities!! Don't let the witches and ghouls get you and don't cross the path of any black cats!! Keep safe!

I'm not George!

2008-10-30T05:26:00.008-05:00

"I will name him George and I will hug him and pet him and squeeze him."

And if you want to see the cartoon that this quote came from then I've put here for your viewing pleasure. (especially around minute 2:04)

Boo!!

2008-10-29T19:08:00.001-05:00

I've been Boo'd by Dawn who is a fellow blogger that also lives in a town nearby here.

The instructions for Boo'ing fellow bloggers is this:
Go to as many friends as you want and tell them they've been "BOO'd." Have them link back to your blog to pick up their Halloween Treat (picture) and tell them to Boo their friends. Then put the picture in your side bar so everyone knows that you've already been "BOO'd" and to send the picture to someone else. What a fun Halloween thing to do for us bloggers.

Just because it's "white" again, doesn't mean it's clean!

2008-10-29T05:28:00.002-05:00

We were a little slow at getting the pool filters cleaned for winter storage this year. We had freezing temperatures last night of 28 degrees and we still had not removed the filters out of the pool equipment and cleaned them. Actually, you are suppose to replace them every year but since they cost somewhere between $300-$500, we will be cleaning them until it's absolutely necessary to make that purchase.

Ray got home early from work and pulled out the pressure washer and started spraying them down. Then, thinking he was done after about 5 minutes of this, he came and got me to tell me he was finished and to come check them. Last year, I spent a good hour or so on them so this timely cleaning was a bit surprising. I went out to find that once I started spraying the filters, there was still murky water, lint and black particles coming out of them. It took us about 45 minutes to an hour more of this to get them as clean as they were going to get. And he thought he was done after 5 minutes!! I hope he keeps his day job because after taking out the trash, cleaning the garage and washing the cars, he's no good at house chores and I would not be very good at bringing home the bacon.

2008-10-28T07:17:00.011-05:00

We had a nice evening last night at home. We don't have nights like that often because of our soccer schedules. Caitlin and a neighbor friend of hers from across the street went to the store and bought cookie dough. So while they made the chocoloate chip cookies, the boys and I patiently waited for our share of cookies and watched a few Family Guy episodes. That cartoon has so many things that are just so inappropriate but funny at the same time. The boys would laugh about the dumbest things. I think it was a "boy" thing, because I just didn't get it. And "no!" it wasn't the inappropriate stuff. I get that!!

It wasn't long and the smell of cookies had us headed for the kitchen where Caitlin and Kyle had started sampling them and taking crazy pictures. We each had so many cookies that I'm surprised we didn't go to bed with stomach aches. I love nights like this where we just hang out, laugh, cook and just enjoy each other.

Look at this!!

2008-10-27T05:07:00.001-05:00

I filled my tank for less than $40. It wasn't that long ago that it was costing me $80. I'm so happy!

First contact

2008-10-26T05:09:00.003-05:00

While I was at work today, Ray called me to let me know that I had received a letter from Dylan. It's been almost 2 weeks since he left for basic training in the Air Force. I was pretty excited and hurried right home to get my letter.

Unfortunately it wasn't a letter, it was information about his graduation that the Air Force required all recruits to send home. But I was ok with that because I now had his address and I could write to him to lend some encouragement in the off chance that he might need it.

So we went to Hayden's soccer game that afternoon and while sitting there enjoying the game, my phone rang. IT WAS DYLAN!! I only got to talk to him for about 90 seconds but it was enough time to hear that he was enjoying basic training and he was doing really well. He said they had been really busy so there wasn't much time to call home. I told him I would write him and he said he would write and tell more about what was going on with his training. I look forward to seeing him in November and hearing all about his experience in San Antonio. I have so many questions!!!

Home fresh goodness

2008-10-25T05:15:00.006-05:00

I had a goal for myself this week and it was to try and make homemade bread. What made me want to try this, you ask? Well, I'll tell you. I'm a fan of a fellow blogger who lives a country life, and that's putting it mildly. Her blog is called Chickens in the Road and you should really check it out if you aren't already one of her readers.

I'm downright jealous of the resources that she has at her fingertips or should I say, right outside her front door. Her and her husband recently built a new house and for the past year she has added ducks, goats, chickens, a dog to watch these animals, a garden and a pond. She has decorated her home this fall with the foliage that grows near her home and around her property. She's been learning how to milk goats and make cheese from that milk, which has not been an easy task to collect. And on top of all that, she's funny, she's an author of romance novels and she bakes homemade bread frequently using a recipe that has been handed down from generation to generation.

She was my inspiration to make my first batch of homemade bread. I followed her directions and mixed the ingredients as instructed. I let the dough rise in a covered bowl for about an hour and then kneaded it.

I only have 1 loaf pan so I opted to use half the dough to make a few large rolls. This photo was before the bread was allowed the second time. It's at this point that I divided the dough to make my rolls and my 1 lone loaf.

An hour later, the dough had risen again and was ready to go into the oven to be baked. I was so proud every time that dough would rise successfully. I figured I would mess something up with the ingredients and be left with a flat lump of dough that would need to be trashed.

But look!! The bread turned out beautifully and was delicious as well. I can't wait to make my next batch and to try her other versions of this recipe.

Handy Shmandy!

2008-10-24T05:40:00.005-05:00

I thought I would share how handy I am at fixing things. I must have inherited this cleverness from the white trash part of my family. Yes, I have white trash members in my family tree and I've learned to accept it but not to pass along "their ways" with my children. Except for this one time:

The handle on my microwave recently broke off and we were having trouble getting that door to open.
BEWARE: A rhyme to follow. So tug as we may, and tug as we might, that door wouldn't open without a fight.
The plastic frame around the bottom of the door was starting to give out and I was noticing a small crack where it would surely snap off soon. I had to do something fast. Thank goodness for duct tape. I taped it to the inside of the door and left a bit hanging out at the bottom to give the kids (and myself) a brand spanking new handle. Voila! Do you see it? Pretty snazzy, huh? Life is good again.

Four Foods

2008-10-23T05:11:00.003-05:00

Here's this week's Four Foods. If you like to share recipes and might find it fun to share information about yourself related to food, then join in by visiting Fun, Crafts and Recipes. It's fun and it's a way to meet other Four Foods bloggers.

#1. Name something you use cream cheese in/on.
I mostly eat cream cheese with red pepper jelly and wheat thins. But since my cholesterol is a bit high, I've bought fat free cream cheese and I'm going to try it out. I doubt that I'll like it much.

#2. Do you use yogurt in any recipes?
I've never used yogurt in anything I've ever made. I think I'm afraid.

#3. Macaroni salad. What do you like/put in yours?
I like macaroni salad, but I've never made it. The only thing close is a pasta salad with the twisted pasta, broccoli, salad peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes and Kraft House Italian dressing. It's delicious.

#4. Share a recipe that you use sour cream in.
I haven't made this in quite a while because of my picky-a** children, but this dish is so good! Please try it and let me know what you think. I got it from my sister years ago.

Quick Creamed Chicken Breasts
6 bnls whole chicken breasts
½ c. chopped mushrooms
1 c. canned cream of mushroom soup
1 c. sour cream
¼ c. chopped parsley
paprika

Place chicken in shallow baking dish. Combine soup, sour cream, mushrooms and parsley and pour over chicken. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake uncovered about 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Just a little bit

2008-10-22T13:54:00.003-05:00

It's raining in "these here parts" of the country. The lightning and thunder made an entrance today as well.

It makes things difficult when you are out grocery shopping and taking the dogs to the groomers. I've been soaked more times today than I want to remember.

Sometimes, life gets in the way

2008-10-21T21:40:00.003-05:00

I haven't posted in a few days because we were traveling home from Mississippi on Sunday and then I worked all day on Monday and Tuesday. I plan to find something interesting to blog about but I needed to get past these last few days.

Our trip to visit Miss. State was quite an experience. The coaches will be coming to watch Caitlin play when we go to Houston for our premiere league games. It should be interesting to see what happens. I'll keep you posted. It's going to be difficult to see the coaches and not be able to go up to them and say "hi" or even wave in their direction. NCAA rules!!! They bite.

More of our road trip to Miss. State

2008-10-18T08:14:00.011-05:00

It's all about Miss. State:

Even girls need weight training:

Indoor facility for those bad weather days:

Film room:

Rock wall in the recreation center:

Pregame warmup:

Watching the game from the grassy knoll:

To see what we could see

2008-10-17T01:12:00.016-05:00

We drove around the campus of Mississippi State after we had dinner even though it was already dark but we just wanted to see what we could see. (The blurry pictures are a result of having the "flash" option off...I'm sure I'm not doing something right.)

The most impressive things were the Sorority and Fraternity houses. They were also the only things we could get pictures of in the dark, since they were well lit up.

They were huge!

The lights were on at the football stadium so we were able to get a glimpse at this as well.... again.... another massive structure.

Four Foods

2008-10-16T05:06:00.002-05:00

Time for Four Foods from Val at Fun, Crafts and Recipes.

#1. Share a cupcake, muffin or cookie recipe.
I don't make cupcakes as often as cookies so I'm sharing a cookie recipe.

Thumb Cookies
½ C shortening
2 egg yolks
½ C butter
2 C flour
½ C brown sugar
½ t salt

Roll in small balls and cook 3 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove and mash the center of cookies with thumb. Bake 5-6 minutes.
Filling: 2 c. powdered sugar 2 T. milk ¼ c. melted butter food coloring 1 t. vanilla Mix together and fill in thumb prints.

#2. Cupcakes, muffins and cookies require something to drink. What do you drink with them?
Milk is the best with cupcakes and cookies. But muffins, it depends on the type of muffins. Maybe a pop would be my next preference of drink.

#3. Which do you prefer, mini muffins and cupcakes or full sized ones?
Just give me full sized ones. I want a big cupcake with a big flavor... yumm.

#4. What type of muffin or cupcake pan do you use? Silicone, disposable, etc.
I use the metal pan with the non-stick surface. I would love to try the silicone type someday.

Could the drought be over?

2008-10-15T05:25:00.002-05:00

So our last soccer game of the weekend which was on Sunday did have a happy ending. At least for our team. We won the game and actually scored 3 goals to the other team's 1. I think we all collectively felt a sigh of relief since the last few weeks have been a bit disappointing for this group of girls and their parents. We have not won a game but only managed to tie at best in the last 4 games or so. Hopefully we are back on the road of scoring goals and winning games.

And now for some pictures from that game. Here is the team getting their halftime peptalk from the coach. That's my girl in the middle on the bottom bench looking very ~~bored~~ interested.

And look at her here, winning that ball and defying them any chance of scoring against us. You go get 'em girlfriend! Of course, she learned this from her momma.

Wait, here she is about to step in the way of the shot that is being taken by the opposing team. That's gonna hurt. No pain, no gain... and we did the gaining on this day. The team looked great and all the girls played well that Sunday. They should be proud.

I didn't know that I signed up for this 19 years ago

2008-10-14T15:30:00.010-05:00

It's funny how one day they are babies in your arms and then the next day they are grown and gone. Dylan left for basic training on Monday. His mood was great and we had a good morning together as we went to Walmart to buy a duffle bag and stopped by McDonalds to pick up something for breakfast. We had one last talk about how it was going to be while he was at basic training and what we both expected and didn't expect from each other.

Once we arrived at his dropoff, we hugged goodbye and I told him that I would see him in about 6 weeks. I took pictures as he made the walk to begin his journey in the Air Force and then he was gone . We drove off and started the ride back home and it seemed like everything was going to be ok. But that was just a mistake in my thinking and as I would later find out.. Ray's thinking too. Nothing is the same and life now has a different look. I'm sad and my head is in a fog. Being by myself at the house today was unbearable. I thought that keeping the tv turned up loud enough where I could hear it from any room would keep my mind focused on other thoughts. No matter what I tried, I couldn't escape the fact that I was alone in my head.

I ended up leaving the house right after 11 and going to where two of my very good friends work. I was not going home until my kids came home from school. I hung out with them during lunch and for the rest of the afternoon. Their office was closed for the week and they were doing small jobs around the office or I would not have been able to be there. As was expected, we laughed... a lot... and I was soon feeling good again.

I really have the very best friends that one could wish for and I knew that turning to them would be the answer. I will lean on them for the next few days as I wait for things to get better.

But none of my kids are ever allowed to leave us now that we know what to expect. :-)

Tag, you're it!

2008-10-13T16:08:00.004-05:00

Michelle at The Froggy Bottom Blog tagged me in a game to name 7 weird or random facts about myself. And here its is.

Seven Weird or random facts about me:

1. My scariest dreams usually include something to do with water and plumbing. To this day, an over flowing toilet really freaks me out.

2. I had my appendix removed when I was only 3 years old.

3. My left foot is a bit pigeon-toed. I have to consciously make myself turn my foot outward when I walk.

4. One of my hobbies is genealogy. I started working on my family's history about 12 years ago, but with raising kids and such, I put it to the side about 8 years ago and plan to start on it when things slow down in my life.

5. Two of my favorite foods are tuna casserole and banana pudding.

6. I love to sing. There was a lot of singing around me when I was growing up and it's something that I've loved for as long as I can remember. I can hold a tune but I don't have a good singing voice. That doesn't stop me from wailing out a tune.

7. I'm afflicted with migraines and usually get one about once a month. Luckily, I have great meds for them and it doesn't usually interrupt my day.. .much.

Now, I will tag others.

Tanya at Desert Trivia
Angie at Garza Clan of Colorado
Donna at The Domestic Life
Vicki at Another Day Another Rambling

Saturday soccer

2008-10-12T07:22:00.006-05:00

We drove over to OKC yesterday for Caitlin's soccer game. Her team is in a big time funk right now and cannot get that ball in the back of the net to save their life. It's bad.

On a positive note, Caitlin called the assistant coach with Mississippi State yesterday and talked to her for a few minutes while we drove back to Tulsa. She was very nice and made Caitlin laugh a few times, not sure what was funny but it was a good thing and put Caitlin at ease. We have a meeting at the admissions office when we first get there on Friday and then we will be watching their soccer game that night. From there, Caitlin will leave with the team and spend the rest of the evening with them and I'll meet them for breakfast the next morning. We are very excited about this trip and hope that it has a scholarship offer somewhere in the near future.

We go back to OKC today for another game and it needs to be better than it was yesterday... geez!

My tummy don't like it

2008-10-10T08:26:00.005-05:00

I haven't felt especially well the last few days, something with my stomach is not feeling quite right. Other than that, I feel completely fine. I started wondering if maybe it was because Dylan was leaving on Monday. It's strange because I don't feel upset about his departure(yet!), but it is on my mind most of the time. Could this be enough to have this kind of affect?

And now, to add to my jitters, Mississippi State's assistant soccer coach has invited Caitlin to go there next weekend. She will visit the campus, check out the soccer facilities, meet the team, and watch them play a game. I'll be driving her down but I'm not sure where my involvement ends. I've heard stories where she'll spend time alone with players from the team and even possibly stay the night with them...IN A COLLEGE DORM!! She's just 16. This makes both of us a little apprehensive. We've been hoping for this opportunity but it makes us nervous to think of meeting the coaches and knowing the right things to say and ask when we get there. If all goes well, they will offer her a scholarship to play for them.

Eeeks! What do we say?... What will they say?... What do we NOT say?... Will they like her?... What shoes will I wear?

With so much happening right now and this next week, it makes me wonder if this is why my tummy is feeling flighty. Hey, maybe I'll end up losing a couple of pounds.

Look what I can do!

2008-10-09T05:16:00.010-05:00

Mojo makes life a little more interesting around here in that way that a cat can. And look at those sweet paws with the cute little tufts of hair growing between his toes. So cute, right?

Guess what he can do with those "precious" paws? He can open my bedroom door using the door knob...which he does in the middle of the night. Not a big deal except he's the reason I wanted the door closed, to keep him out.

He jumps up on my bed, presses his nose against my face, kneads the blanket and purrrrrrs; all in an attempt to get me to pet him. Nevermind the fact that I tried to pet him earlier that day and was quickly shown that his majesty did not, in any way, want to be bothered by the likes of me.

But at 3 o'clock in the morning, he's ready for that attention that I was offering earlier. I roll over away from him and face the other way. Well, no matter! He just climbs over me, careful not to miss poking all four paws one at a time into my side. Once he's in front of me, he again makes nose to nose contact, maybe even a lick or two with that rough tongue. I lie perfectly still just to let him know that he's not going to win this game. With his efforts exhausted, he collapses against my body with all his might, snuggles up tightly and falls asleep.

I guess I could lock my door, but I'm afraid I'll wake up and find him picking the lock.

Gas prices

2008-10-08T05:03:00.002-05:00

This is the price of gas here today.

Swweeeeeeet! It's pretty sad when you get excited about the price of gas being just under $3. How I miss the good old days when it was closer to $2.

Snuggles

2008-10-07T05:04:00.000-05:00

She's happy and the tail is happy. Nothing better than snuggling up to a smelly shoe.

Friday's Four Foods

2008-10-06T05:19:00.004-05:00

It's that time again. Every week, Val at Fun, Crafts and Recipes gives us 4 challenge questions to answer about food. This week is no different so if you want to play, copy and paste the questions below onto your blog, give your answers and then leave a comment at the Four Foods on Friday post on Val's blog.

#1. Pasta. How do you tell when it’s done? Do you cook on medium or high?
I cook it on high and for the longest number of minutes suggested or until it looks ready to eat.

#2. Deep frying. What kind of oil do you use?
I don't do a lot of deep frying and although I shouldn't, I still use vegetable oil. But I have at times used the better choice of oils.

#3. Grilling. Do you grill on foil or directly on the grill?
We grill directly on the grill. Always have and probably always will unless we are grilling vegetables.

#4. Share a recipe that involves cooking something two different ways. Example, for lasagna you might fry the meat and bake the whole dish.
I recently made a post about making stew and had been asked to post the recipe, so it's coincidence that my stew recipe would be the answer to this question. It's not anything special or different, it's just fast and easy, as it should be.

Stew
2 pkgs stew meat (I have a large family)
3 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
3-4 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 can green beans
frozen corn
1-2 cans beef broth
salt and pepper

In pan, heat cooking oil. Lightly coat stew meat in flour, salt and pepper and sear lightly. Put meat in crock pot. Peel and cut potatoes and carrots. Layer potatoes on top of meat and follow with carrots, corn and green beans. Pour in beef broth as needed to cover potatoes. Salt and pepper and cook on high for 4-6 hours. Stir, serve and enjoy.

Laughter, the best medicine

2008-10-05T05:32:00.002-05:00

I want to thank everyone for your prayers for my dad who was admitted into the hospital last week. He is now home after 8 long days in that place, but they still don't know the exact cause of his illness. The doctors think they are getting close to a diagnoses but nothing conclusive yet.

He is feeling so much better and is improving everyday. He kept his sense of humor through this ordeal and was even making me laugh about some awkward things he was going through.

He's the reason why I have such a sunny outlook on life. What a great thing to inherit.

Air Force basic training is right around the corner

2008-10-04T05:09:00.001-05:00

Dylan leaves for Air Force basic training soon. I retrieved a couple of boxes from the attic and started removing items from his room that we will keep in storage and items that he'll take with him once he's been stationed. Dylan sorted through his clothes and cleaned out his dresser drawers, while I packed away his trophys and awards that he received over the years.

I realized while we were working that it was a good thing that we were taking care of this now because it was a little emotional for me and if this were the last weekend before he leaves, I don't think I would be able to handle it very well.

This "clean-up" will be all done now and next weekend we won't have any large hurdles for me to deal with. He leaves a week from Monday, on the 13th of October. Just 10 short days from now, he'll be an Air Force recruit.

Guilty, Guilty, Guilty!!

2008-10-04T05:03:00.001-05:00

O.J. Simpson found guilty! Ha!!

I can't say that I'm disappointed. Of course there will be an appeal and he'll probably get off in the next trial, but for now... hee hee. I watched some of the trial and it definitely sounded like he handled that situation like a gangster would, regardless if he was just trying to get his own stuff back. Ha, ha!

Sorry, can't help but laugh.

Mother-Daughter bonding

2008-10-03T05:08:00.000-05:00

Here's a picture of Caitlin chillin' before her final game last weekend. We were watching the game that was being played on the same field where her game was soon to be taking place. Although we didn't win either of the games (both were a tie), the weekend turned out to be a lot better than I had anticipated. I thought it was just going to be another soccer weekend where we rush to one game, shower, eat and get ready for day two. But it was actually better because Caitlin and I were able to fit in a nice dinner at Olive Garden and then went shopping at the mall. It was a bonus that we did not fight over what clothes were cute and which were definitely NOT while shopping.

It warms the heart

2008-10-02T05:13:00.000-05:00

It doesn't look like much here, but this was the beginning of a very delicious stew. The ingredients are layered in the crockpot and cooked for several hours. Here it sits undisturbed and unstirred but moments from now, it'll look savory and delicious. Mmmmm, I love stew during the cooler months of the year.

You made me Meme!

2008-10-01T05:22:00.002-05:00

I saw this Meme over at Dawn's Diversions and she says to anyone that sees it to consider yourself tagged and to particpate. And so I will. After all, it has a cute title, don't you think? You can play too, if you're cool like me.

1. What were you doing 10 years ago?
We just made the big move to Claremore, Ok from Midland, Tx. Our neighborhood, which is out of city limits, was new so there weren't many neighbors around us and I remember it being dark and scary at night. My kids were young with my youngest being 6 months old. And I was fat, or fattish.

2. 5 Things on my To-Do List Today.
I plan to dust the furniture, make a trip to the grocery store, call a friend to have lunch, do some weight training and make dinner.

3. What snacks I enjoy.
I love peanut clusters, bit-o-honey, barbecue potato chips, powdered donuts and popcorn.

4. What would I do if I were to suddenly become a Billionaire?
Remodel our home and add a couple of extra rooms, plan for my kids to go to college anywhere they want and go shopping for clothes!!! I would do many things but I wouldn't get too crazy.

5. 3 Bad HabitsIs it awful that I can't think of any bad habits? I don't drink(only socially and rarely!!), smoke, or bite my nails. The worse thing I can come up with is that I might talk too long on the phone to my friends and family.(sorry, but I love you guys!) I'm definitely on the computer a lot... is that bad?

6. 5 Places I've lived.
I was born in Upland, California and we moved to Monahans, Tx before I was 3 years old and not for very long. Soon after we moved to Midland, Tx where I grew up. After I married, we moved to Oklahoma City, Ok and back to Midland and we now live in Claremore, Ok, just outside of Tulsa, OK, where I'm content to stay. I love the TULSA area!!

7. 5 Jobs I've had.
Famous Corndogs was my first job at the age of 15. I was employed by several retail companies, one being Waldenbooks and others that included JCPenneys and Sears. I worked in the accounting department for a couple of different places, mostly accounts payable. I now work at Lowes and I don't know if it's the job or the people that work there, but I love it!

8. 5 Things People don't Know About Me..
(1) I've had some weird "tics" that come and go without warning and stay with me for years. (2) My BFF is the only person besides myself that knows my deepest secrets. No one like her. (3) I had a job once where I dressed up like a gorilla and Kermit the Frog and delivered balloon bouquets. (4) I like to watch Family Guy. (5) I've always wanted to own a bookstore.

I want more passion

2008-09-30T05:03:00.002-05:00

Here is only the second flower that I saw on this vine this year. My passion vine didn't bloom much this summer but I'm expecting a lot more of these flowers next year now that this plant has had time to get established. When summer returns next year, it better not disappoint me.

Four Foods "from" Friday

2008-09-29T05:34:00.001-05:00

It's another week of Four Foods provided by Val at Fun, Crafts and Recipes. This is the same thing that we've all seen our kids do on MySpace where they answer the many questions about themselves and then share it with all their friends in a bulletin. The only difference here is that there are fewer questions and it always involves food. Join in and share!

#1. Turnips. Love em or leave em?
Leave 'em. I've tried them and they didn't leave me yearning for more.

#2. What’s your favorite roasted dish?
Any vegetables that are roasted will work. And while we are talking roasted... roast and potatoes is my favorite.

#3. Salsa. What kind do you like?
The salsa from a mexican restaurant in Midland, called Jorge's. It's the best, but when I can't have that then I want to make it homemade because it's the closest thing to Jorge's salsa.

#4. Share directions on how to make your favorite quick meal, meaning start to finish in about 30 minutes or less.

Pinto Beans and Sausage
1 lb pinto beans
salt, handful
1 lb german sausage
1 T worcestorshire
1 bell pepper
1 can whole tomatoes (cut up)
1 onion (chopped)
onion powder

Cook beans per directions.(I've made them from dry and from a can, both are good) Add all other ingredients. Cover and let the mixture lightly boil until it starts to thicken. Serve with rice.

It's official

2008-09-28T05:00:00.002-05:00

The summer is over and so are the pool activities. We winterized the pool and covered it for the winter. I can't wait until next summer.

Broken

2008-09-27T04:59:00.000-05:00

I got in my car to run a few errands today and my car wouldn't start. This was the same thing that happened 6 weeks ago so we already knew that the problem was the starter. Thank goodness this didn't happen a day later because I'll be in Dallas on Saturday.

I called Ray and he took the rest of the day off from work to get it fixed. Not only did Ray pick up a new starter at the auto parts store, but he also got a few other items that, hopefully, he'll use more than just this one time.

I'm just happy to have my car fixed again.

Preoccupied

2008-09-26T06:36:00.003-05:00

I haven't exactly had blogging on my mind this week because my dad came down with a serious illness and was admitted into the hospital. Doctors still don't know what this is or what has caused it but he was feeling better yesterday and it was probably due to the fact that it was the first day he didn't have a fever.

I'm in awe of him as a patient. As sick as he's been this week, he's been so kind to the nurses and doesn't have anything bad to say about the hospital or staff. We've had other family members in the hospital before and they were huge complainers and just bad patients wanting all of their demands met. This man is a gentle giant and I'm hoping for him to get much better, very soon.