YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I brought my memory stick today, so I can share pictures. Only a couple but hey, it's better than nothing.

The Cocoa Beach LO is a few of my favorite pics from our first trip to Florida in 2005. I journaled on the back of it about our room fiasco at the second hotel we stayed at and the time share tours we had to take. It's info I wanted to remember but it didn't really add to the LO and it was too long (takes up the entire back of the LO)to hide somewhere on the front.


Here is the tree in the living room. I took the pic this morning before it got real light out. Love how it turned out.

Well, regarding my goal list from yesterday....yeah, didn't happen.

Goals for tonight:

Finish my SS project for CMK. I really need to finialize what
stuff I'm sending her too. I guled on 3 brads...woo. Not gonna get done at this speed.

I have to make a card for SS. Didn't get near my scrap table.

Put up Christmas tree in the basement. The guys, including Mike, took over the basement and played a game called Scene It Sports Edition, I think.

Get a little fun scrapping in. See above answer.

Get the boys (all 3 of them) to clean their rooms and hopefully locate the house key the twins lost...*sigh* Well, this didn't even get close to happening. Still missing the house key.

Laundry...twins need socks and I am getting close to needing the tidy-whitey's. Um, well Nick found some whites in the dryer, so I didn't have to do laundry... Yet

I did get one thing done though - but it wasn't on my list of things to-do. Mom came over and ate dinner with us so she could show us her new set of wheels - which are very nice I might add. When dinner was over & Mike took over the basement Mom and & I set up my blanket project on the kitchen table. We finished one blanket last night. It didn't take very long at all with both of us working on it. I got the idea from V (my online chat buddy) to make a fleece tie blanket. On Black Friday I got the material to make 4 of them. This one has sports balls on it and has a green background. So I bought a funky brown to match it for the reverse side. It turned out really cute. I am very excited about the rest of them now. I sent it home with my mom to show Chelle, who helped me pick out the material. Now Chelle wants to make one. I didn't get a picture before Mom took it. I'll probably wait and do one of all 4 together.

I found out this morning that my FIL is signing the lease to his apartment tomorrow. He was very upset this morning about leaving his home and going to a new place with no memories. It killed me when he said he wished he had a mother or father right about now. He started tearing up, which Jack don't do very often, and that did it. I called Mike and had him call his brothers and sisters so we can all go over there on Friday and come up with a plan to help him move. Poor guy. So many memories are in his home and he's going to have to leave them.

Guess that'll do it for today. Getting ready to go to lunch soon.

Photos

Argh...I was on my way to work this morning when I realized I forgot the memory card from my camera to upload some pics today. Soooo, maybe tomorrow.

My mom bought a new mini-van. Well, new to her. Picked it up today. It's a 2006 Chrysler with very few miles on it, must have been a test drive car or something. She's so excited. Every time she borrows our van she talks about how nice it drives and how it's so nice to sit high up so you can see, etc. The other day she was saying that the repairs on her car were going to run her over $2,000. I said why don't you just trade it in. And so that's what she did. I hopt I get to see it tonight.

I've been tagged by Denise to complete a book survey. I haven't read a book in so long and I have such a terrible memory that I don't think I could even complete it. Sorry Chicka. I will tell you about the last book I attempted to read. It was called Tribulation and it was like tribulaton trying to read it. I don't even know who wrote it but I just couldn't do it - not even through the second chapter. That reminds me, I need to return it to Gary.

Goals for tonight:
Finish my SS project for CMK. I really need to finialize what stuff I'm sending her too.
I have to make a card for SS.
Put up Christmas tree in the basement.
Get a little fun scrapping in.
Get the boys (all 3 of them) to clean their rooms and hopefully locate the house key the twins lost...*sigh*
Laundry...twins need socks and I am getting close to needing the tidy-whitey's

Speaking of scrapping, I have some LO's I need to photograph and get up here. Been using my new bug. Lovin' the Cricut. I've kinda been stumped in my scrapping. I have gobs of pictures but none of them are amazing photos. They are just events. I really want to scrap them and get the events documented but the pictures don't call to me. Ever since I went digital I find that I don't print as many pictures. That results in not having a lot of current things around to scrap, which saps my MoJ0. Maybe I should try to get one of the events I have from last year scrapped tonight - ahhh, my own personal challenge.

Peace out, ya'll.

The status of my health has been questioned (thanks Denise) so I wanted to be sure to check in today to let you all know that I am alive and well. I have been so swamped that I haven’t even spent much time at my favorite web site. Now, you know that’s busy!!!! The rundown goes like this….

Last Wednesday, the 22nd, I was merrily working away here at the office. Co-worker wasn’t in – she went on vacation for the second time in the entire 6 years she’s been here. I had some work and was taking my time with it since I figured that would have to last me all day. I was also working on my Thursday 13 (in a Word document just in case blogger got a wild hair) about things I was thankful for.

About 11:15 the boss started laying things on my desk telling me what to do with them. At 11:30, they left for lunch and told me to change the answering machine and that I could go for the day. I was thinking earlier that morning that they would probably tell me around 4ish that I could go home. So I abandoned my TT and got out of Dodge, so to speak.

Went home and cooked a turkey for a family at our church. The wife has cancer and some of the church made the fixin’s for turkey dinner for her family. Mike and I fixed a cheese ball and made some cookies and I got my turkey ready to go in the oven. I set my alarm for 3:30 a.m. and all I had to do was turn the oven on and put the turkey in so I wasn’t up for hours or anything. The smell of it woke me up about 8 though. Smelled yummy!!!

Lets see….Thursday was spent at my aunts. Had a wonderful day with family just being lazy and chatting with my cousins. Mike and I continue to rule the Cranium board. WOO HOO!!!!!

Friday, we rolled out of bed around 10:00 (I did want to get up and hit the early bird sales but I was too tired). I got several things that I really wanted though – so I would say it was a successful day.

Saturday morning we took some kids from our youth group – 24 of them – to the mall. They were great and I got a couple more items on my shopping list. That night I put up the Christmas tree in the living room. I had to rearrange the room of course, but it went up fairly quick.

Sunday, was church all day and that brings us to today. Been busy at work coming off the holiday. On top of that my boss is going to be out of the office tomorrow he wanted to be caught up with tomorrow’s diary before he left today.

This coming week should be pretty busy too – Monday through Friday is prayer meeting, more Christmas tree set up, church, sign language and choir practice.

Here’s my incomplete 13 things I’m thankful for:

1) Most importantly, I am so thankful for Jesus and His unconditional love. He is my peace, provider, joy, salvation and so much more. I can’t imagine my life without Him. My relationship with Him means more to me everyday.

2) I thank God for my husband. He is more wonderful than I could ever have hoped for. I so totally do not deserve him.

3) I am thankful for my boys. They light up our house with so much joy. What fun we have together. When they are old with families of their own, I hope they remember the great times we’ve had. That they reminisce with lots of laughter about "back in the day..."

4) Even though I don’t like the fact that I have to work (since I really wanna be a SAHM), I am thankful that I have a job to go to. There are many people I see on the streets that are begging for a little change and it does make me thankful that I have income and am able to help provide for our family.

5) I am thankful for my senses. I fear loosing my vision. Not that I am having problems with my eyes, but my favorite Aunt lost her vision due to diabetes. That left an impression on me. I am thankful that I can see the beauty around me, my children’s faces, my husband, etc.

6) I am thankful for my friends. How fun it is to have them.

7) I am thankful for my country and the freedom I have to do as I please.

Now that the serious stuff is out of the way…

8) I am thankful for chocolate. That is one truly happy food. Hot Fudge, Dark Chocolate, White Chocolate, regular Chocolate, etc….

9) And then there’s Diet Coke. I crave that stuff.

That's as far as I got. I know I thought of some other things over the weekend but now I can't remember them. I hope to post some pictures tomorrow if I can remember to bring them to work.

Cooking Your Thanksgiving Turkey

Is there anyone out there who’s cooking her very first turkey dinner? Are you not quite sure how to tell when that bad boy is cooked, but not dried out? Give this recipe a try:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Brush 10-14 lb. turkey with melted butter, salt and pepper.
Stuff cavity with 4 cups stuffing and 1 cup uncooked popcorn.
Place in baking pan with neck facing towards the back of the oven.
Listen for the popping sounds.
When the turkey’s rear-end blows the oven door open and the turkey flies across the room, it’s done.
Perfect turkey every time!

BBBWWWWWHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry I just had to do it......I got that from Becky at PageMaps and thought it was too funny not to share.

Actually I make a really good turkey. I made my first one last year and it turned out delish!!! I used those amazing cooking bags to cook mine in. Step 1 - Rub butter between the skin and the meat. Ok, so with butter anything can turn out good. Step 2 - Cut 2 oranges in half and squeeze them inside the bird. Leave them inside to cook inside the turkey. You can also put an onion inside too if you wish. Step 3 - tie the bag up and cook the bird UPSIDE DOWN. That's the key. I don't care if your grandma told ya not to - try it. It keeps the meat really moist cause you're cooking it in the juice. I don't remember cooking times and heat. I think it's printed on the directions that come with your bird. I think it may have to cook just a little longer since you have it upside down. Can't remember that either.

Man it sure was yummy. We had 2 turkeys last year - one made by me and the other by my aunt. Mine was gone sooooo fast. I was disappointed there were no leftovers to bring home. So there's ya a tried and true Turkey recipe.

Alright, I realize I missed the Thursday 13 yesterday. I just didn't feel like coming up with a list. It was just too much pressure to deal with. LOL Maybe next time.

I am so glad today is Friday. It's been a really nice week but I'm just ready for it to be over and get in the weekend. Tonight I'm getting together with my friend to iron out some more of the details of our crop in January. We decided we better get our ducks in a row before the holidays hit. If we wait, we'll be a wreck trying to pull it all together in time. I've had a lot of interest but so far nobody has actually signed up. I know people like to wait till the last minute for stuff like this, at least if you're like me you do, but I was thinking they could sign up before the holiday money starts coming out of the bank. Oh well, I feel pretty confident that we'll have a good turnout.

Oh, I need to say that God has really taken care of the situation that I posted about the other day in my cryptic blog. We found favor with these people and it is all working out just fine. Thank you all for praying - it could have turned out very bad for us.

Ok, Cami left me a comment the other day about photos of my LO's. Cami, I am stitching challenged. I am totally unable to understand my compter software to do that. At one point I tried to do it, but my files would end up so huge I couldn't upload anywhere. I have a lovely Dell color printer and scanner combo....but I don't have a driver for my Mac. I'm going to have to get a new one that will work with the Mac so for now, I'm stuck with bad photography I guess.

Have a great weekend everyone. Don't forget to get them turkeys out to defrost!

Cryptic blog post

God is amazing!!!! It never ceases to amaze me how he cares about me. He has the whole universe to take care of, yet when I have a problem, He knows about it and cares enough to
orchestrate events to prove to me that He's listening and working on my behalf. Sometimes I don't take things to Him in prayer because I feel so insignificant in the scheme of all He has to do. And yet, even then, He knows and cares. This past week, Mike and I began a new trial. I have had fear about it and it's totally taking away my peace. I keep trying to give it to God but the worry creeps back in. (Yeah, that's the cryptic part of today's post since I'm not going to tell ya any more than that.)

Yesterday our pastor spoke on giving things to God and how we need to have faith that He will take care of our situations in the right time. The woman in the Bible that touched the hem of his garment didn't even touch Him or talk to Him to have her miracle done. She had enough faith that His hem healed her.

Last night we had a visiting minister and he spoke about Job. How at the end of that book, the second to the last verse starts with "After this..." There is an "AFTER" which means the tribulation/trial ends. I was given a word that things would work out for our good. I feel so much more peace about the whole situation. I just need to have faith in Him.

Thank you God for hearing me and caring for me.


Soooo, I had a great weekend. I got my house cleaned, went grocery shopping, I got some scrapping in, and had a girlfriend over and played cards.

OHMYGOSHOHMYGOSHOHMYGOSHOHMYGOSHOHMYGOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I got a cricut and I am sooo in love with it. I played with it a little over the weekend - did a couple very simple layouts with it. I am for sure wanting more catridges. I am already seeing this will be a necessity. I know I'll have to wait a while though, they are expensive and I've already gotten a lot with just getting the machine. Sooo, the next one on my list is Jasmine...I think I would get a lot of use out of that one.

This one of Gracie - just love how it turned out. I got that goofy paper as a freebie in a magazine last year sometime. I never thought I would use it - it's just too bright. But it goes perfect with her little carseat do-dads. The flowers are cut by my cricut.



I wish I could figure out a way to get decent photos of my layouts while in my house. I don't always have the opportunity to get photos during the day so I have to get them in the evening inside. I end up with distorted colors or glares on my photos. UGH!!!

Have a great evening everyone.

A Lame Thursday 13...

1) I have put off doing this crazy 13 today cause I didn't have anything to say. So you are going to get randomness.

2) Today's weather is absolutely gorgeous. It is about 77 degrees out and the sun is shining!!! Love days like this. I was talking with my mom about it and we were saying how thankful we were after having so much dreary weather lately. The really sad thing is, winter hasn't really hit us yet. Imagine how we'll be feeling by next month.

3) Austen & I ended up having bronchitis. Did I post that already? Can't remember. Anyway we are both on antibiotics. Mine are literally ginormous HOT PINK pills and they smell like banana or something. They also make me ravenous. So I fell like I'm eating everything in sight.

4) We're working on Christmas stuff at church. I'll be working with the Sign language team - can't wait to get that started.

5) I have stayed off of the quick cuts and sizzix trends. I was fine without them. I always realted them to little shapes and not letters. Well for some reason the bug hit me - I want a Cricut so bad. I showed Mike one day while at Michaels and he keeps looking at them if I drag him in there. He even notices them in sale papers. Sooooo, my IM buddy V and I were talking one day and she hooked me up with a lady that sells them cheaper than anyone else (sale or no sale). I talked to Mike and he said I could order it. It's my birthday and Christmas all in one - and I can live with that. I'm so excited. I should have that hot little machine in my hands by the weekend. EXCITING!!!!!

6) Shoot, this is only 6????? I can't do many more.

7) I'm sending out the email for the crop today or first thing in the A.M. Praying all goes well.

8) The boys' school pictures came in yesterday. They turned out soooo cute. I usually don't like their pictures and this time I didn't order very many. Figures they would turn out good this time.

9) It's 4:44 and I'm nowhere near done with this post.

10) My feet aren't happy with the shoe situation. I am so used to wearing flip flop style shoes that all my closed in shoes are giving me blisters. ouch!

11) I am finished with the last CJ I decided to participate in. I'll be mailing that baby out tomorrow.

12) I did a LO for a lady on SJ. Can't give away too much info I think its a surprise. But I really like how it turned out. I'll have to 'lift' myself. ;)

13) There! I did it. Finally!!! Have a great evening.

Number Crunching

Someone sent this to me in an e-mail. I thought it was fun.

YOUR AGE BY EATING OUT

DON'T CHEAT BY SCROLLING DOWN FIRST!

It takes less than a minute.

Work this out as you read ... Be sure you don't read the bottom until you've worked it out!

1. First of all, pick the number of times a week that you would like to go out to eat. (more than once but less than 10)

2. Multiply this number by 2 (just to be bold)

3. Add 5

4. Multiply it by 50

5. If you have already had your birthday this year add 1756 .

If you haven't, add 1755.

6. Now subtract the four digit year that you were born.

You should have a three digit number.

The first digit of this was your original number

(how many times you want to go out to restaurants per week.)

The next two numbers are YOUR AGE! (Oh YES, it is!!!!!)

Have a fun day.

Thursday 13, #6

Remember those wooden peg games that look like this???My kids love to play that game when we go to Cracker Barrel. Today's TT13 is about that game ~

Here Is The 13 Step Program To You Being A Peg Game Genius:
#4 to #1
#6 to #4
#1 to #6
#7 to #2
#13 to #4
#10 to #8
#2 to #7
#7 to #9
#15 to #13
#12 to #14
#6 to #13
#14 to #12 and
# 11 to #13

How's that for weirdness?!! LOL

Have A Great Thursday!!!!