Step through the web into my life. Read the ramblings of daily existence. My life, though by no means mundane in the overall picture, possesses such poignant moments that sometimes I just shake my head and wonder where the cameras are because it can't be real. Then I realize -- THIS is what it's all about!
That sure looks like Christmas, doesn't it? I love Christmas lights... especially on homes... next year I will have them on mine! Come Hell or high water! I WILL have my freakin' Christmas lights! Grrrrr.... This week, same as last year, Friday Fill-INs gives us our fill ins and a game! (you have to identify Christmas songs by the initials of the first words of the first line of each song.) If you'd like to play along, great! if you just want to do the regular Fill-Ins, that's perfectly fine, too! And...here we go! 1. Ahhhh flannel and fleece and slippers and turtlenecks and hot Earl Grey tea with honey.... mmmmm.... 2. For Christmas dinner, I am preparing tetrazzini, Caesar salad, Italian wedding soup and garlic bread! 3. Creating a heartwarming memory for my children is what Christmas is all about to me. 4. There simply is no time for relaxation in December! Ain't nobody got time fo dat! 5. Kick start the new year! I'm ready to. Not that I need a new year to do anything special but it makes a great time to feel "out with the old, in with the new" (ideas, habits, and such.... not my favorite sweatshirt because it's old, and work and has frayed edges and I love it and if you try to take it away I just may have to poke you with a meat fork in the jugular 6. To the dolts that thought 12/21/12 would be the end of the world, you've just proven to yourself what we all knew all along -- you're an IDIOT! 7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to my one day of getting things under control, tomorrow my plans include shopping, wrapping, cooking, baking, cleaning and Sunday, I want to spend time with my favorite cousin and her family for our annual Christmas get-together! ! AND/OR 1. IDOAWCJLTOIUTK: I'm dreaming of white Christmas. Just like the ones we used to know
2. CROAOFJFNAYN: Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Jack Frost nipping at your nose...
3. IBTLALLC: It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
4. OLTOBHSWSTL: Oh little town of Bethlehem, how still we see Thee lie
5. SBRAYLITLSIG: Sleigh bells ring, are ya listening? In the lane, snow is glistenin'
6. IBHFC: I'll be home for Christmas
7. WWYAMCWWYAMC: We Wish You A Merry Christmas, We Wish You A Merry Christmas
8. IHTBOCD: I heard the bells on Christmas day
9. FTSIAJHS: Frosty the Snowman, is a jolly, happy soul Just an assortment of some of my favorite renditions of these classics.
Welcome back to Sunday Stealing which originated on WTIT: The Blog authored by Bud Weiser. Here we will steal all types of memes from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent memes. You may have heard of the expression, “honor amongst thieves”. In that age-old tradition, we also have our rules. First, we always credit the blog that we stole it from and we will “fess up” to the blog owner where we stole the meme. We also provide a link to the victim's post. (It's our way of saying "Thanks!") We do sometimes edit the original meme, usually to make it more relevant to our global players, to challenge our players, sometimes to select that meme's best questions, or simply to make it less repetitive from either this new meme or recently asked questions from a prior featured meme. Let's go!!! Today we ripped off a blogger named Javier from the blog Our Page. Bud left it for us in the event that I got desperate, I cashed in this weekend... but alas, the blog has been deleted.... So... But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Take the time to comment on other player's posts. It's a great way to make new friends! Link back to us at Sunday Stealing! Who is your favorite artist (Any field.): I'm rather boring in that I don't like to play favorites. I don't have a favorite of much of anything -- color, number, song, movie, book, artist, play, etc. Though I do tend to have a favorite CHILD (at any one given time) but that's only because out of the three I can generally feel that ONE is doing what he is supposed to -- which makes HIM my favorite.) Otherwise, providing favorites for ANYTHING proves to be quite a difficult task for me.
Describe yourself: I'm 5'2"... medium length brown hair... blue eyes... I have an AWESOME "moon tan." I like to work out. I love to cook, read, take photographs. I'm a mom, a wife, a friend, a daughter, a sister, a cook, a maid, a chauffeur.... I give everyone one "gimme" and then after that... I will go off on your ass and put you in your place. I am SO not above going all Dixie Carter on someone! I'm addicted to my computer, Facebook and my iPhone. I hate to shop. I hate fashion. I hate maintenance. I love animals and nature and could easily be considered a "tree hugger" insofar as my love of being "green." I AM a realist and realize, however, that in this day and age, it's not always possible when you're a busy mom of three. I can typically be found wearing Reef flip flops, a flannel shirt, jeans and a baseball cap. I'm a simple kinda girl. How do you feel today: I'm recovering. I've had a head cold which made the weekend rather YUCK. Describe the area where you currently live. I live in suburbia hell. If you sit in the water closet in my bathroom and do not shut the door, my neighbor could easily look in through the window if she were walking up her stairs. That is to close. (I did put a opaque film upon the window to prevent that from happening.... just using that as an illustration to show that THAT is entirely too close to live to someone.)
If you could go anywhere, where would you go? Estes Park, Colorado. Your favorite form of transportation: My feet. Though I would love a Jeep Wrangler or a big ole Suburban XL.
Your best friend is: Lola... my Boston terrier. She loves me. Consoles me. Snuggles with me and doesn't tell me my butt looks fat in anything I wear. You and your best friends are: a fun bunch of people to hang with! What's the weather like: It's about 45 degrees F supposed to warm up to 68 today. Favorite time of day: I love mornings. It's quiet in the house. The sun slowly breaks over the horizon filling the sky with a pinkish-orange glow.... and then BAM... it's a beautiful way to wake up. If your life was a TV show, what would it be called: It wouldn't. My life is far too boring to be a TV show. I dislike drama. What is life to you: Finding your niche and making your mark. Seeking happiness. Continually challenging yourself. Thinking outside the box. Never settling. If you choose to breed, to then become the best parent you can enabling your offspring to make good, conscience, grounded, responsible decisions. Your relationship: Is that a question? Which one? I have many. Your fear: today it's not getting the reindeer brownies made in time for Drew's party. Ha! I don't have many. I think the only fear that I have is something happening to me before my children are grown... I want to be there for them... sports, dates, tests, challenges, failures, etc. Plus, you know, I want them to actually eat a home cooked meal! What is the best advice you have to give: Wow, that's some pressure right there. One that I follow to this day is to "Choose your words carefully and make them sweet, for one day you may have to eat them." I am not one to spew forth derogatory statements for the purpose of breaking someone's character. I only speak the truth -- even in anger or frustration -- because I believe -- even in those moments -- our job is to build one another up, not break them down. However, sometimes the greatest gift you CAN give someone is to hold up a mirror before them so they can truly see it as you do. When said mirror IS held up, mind you, the delivery has been known to be less than sweet. I tend to go a little Dixie Carter on people when I've had enough. I don't see that as a bad thing, however. Just a direct approach. Thought for the Day: Just breathe. This, too, shall pass. How would you categorize your soul's present condition: Do I have one? Didn't CS Lewis said that you do not have a soul? I think he said that you ARE a soul and that you HAVE a body?
Welcome to another edition of Saturday 9. This week's topic: Christmas Carols. Come join in the fun!
1) What's the first holiday song that comes to mind? "Blue Christmas" by Elvis. It's my all-time favorite Christmas song. I do also love Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" as well so long as it's not full of the Beiber baby. 2) Are you sending cards (either by postal service or email) this year? If so, have they gone out yet? Usually I have the list compiled and the cards out by the 10th of the month but I just wasn't feeling it this year so no cards from us. 3) Can you see any holiday decorations from where you're answering these questions? Of course! My house looks like Christmas threw up all over the place. 4) Do you wrap gifts in paper or take the gift bag route? Wrapped in paper of course. I do, however, take the gift bag route if it's difficult to wrap. 5) The holidays are an important fundraising time for charities. Here's an opportunity to do a shameless plug for your favorite. What organization or cause do you wish got more support at the holidays, and all year around? Irving Police and Fire Blue Christmas. My mom started this charity 30 something years ago when she was a patrol officer at the Irving Police Department. She came in contact with may families that needed assistance during this time of year. It has evolved into an amazing organization full of caring hearts that come together for the community of Irving each year. I'm proud to be a part of it. 6) Andy Williams was famous for his family holiday specials. What TV family would you most like to spend Christmas with? I don't watch TV... but if I had to pick I'll go with... The Ingalls (you know, the ones from Little House on the Prairie). 7) The holidays are a big time for travel. Where did you go on your first airplane flight? I went to Rocky Mount, NC, to visit my Uncle Buddy.
8) Does the weather have an impact on your mood? Nope. Well, not unless I'm having to break down camp in a cold downpour. That's not a lot of fun. 9) Snack time! You're about to make yourself your favorite sandwich. What ingredients do you need? Crunchy peanut butter and banana. YUM!!!
It is time once again for Friday Fill-Ins. Join us, won't you? And...here we go! 1. Oh, my the senseless violence that has swept through that small Connecticut town has left an open wound across the entire nation. How someone could hold such contempt against their own mother that he felt the need to shoot her -- in front of a classroom of 5-year old children is beyond incomprehensible. I wish it stopped there but after he then turned the gun on every child in the room... and the adults that were coming to their aid just makes me SO GLAD that he is DEAD! He doesn't deserve to live, breathe, or have any kind of funding from a public source for a trial or to spend the rest of his life in a cell when he took so much from so many. 2. When I ask someone to do something, I prefer it sooner, rather than later! 3. Buy one, but only if you need it. I don't "get" why people don't truly follow this mantra. 4. I am TIRED -- positively TIRED! I went to see the release of The Hobbit at midnight last night and got home at 3:40 am. Makes for a LONG day when you have to wake up at 6am and have a sick kiddo at home. 5. Soon, I'm turning 40. I'm not happy about it. Not one bit. 6. Do you wish upon shooting stars? 7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to sleeping -- isn't that SAD? The ONLY thing I'm looking forward to tonight is SLEEPING! Ha! Tomorrow my plans include nothing because I had to cancel them due to the fact that my 2 year old came down with a mild case of the chicken pox (yes, he has been vaccinated but YES, he got them) and Sunday, I want to finish Christmas shopping!
That about sums up today. Bleh. And you can quote me. To the smart-mouth that thinks the world revolves around him. Newsflash. It doesn't. You would easily have new shoes... if you would just come to realize that every pair you own doesn't have to cost $150. You need to learn that somethings -- are your fault. Learn to whole-heartedly apologize. The best way to become a man is to learn to say "thank you". Oh, and newsflash, I have a great memory. To the drama-filled young'un who thinks that to feign a stomachache will land you -- yet another -- day home gaming... forget it. You're going to school. Period. End of story. I have a direct line to Santa. You're millimeters from coal! To the monkey who won't quit throwing food and asking WHAT, running the opposite direction from the changing table every time he poops and who still believes that dogs are meant to be smacked... I'm about to sell your ass on e-bay. Listen up! Your only saving grace is that you have better manners (aside of throwing food) than any other tri-peds here. Feel lucky.... you're barely treading water! 'Tis the season to bug off because I'm done. Signed, the resident Ho. Ho. Ho.
Today we ripped off a blogger named Zoe from the blog Mama Geek. She states that she got it from Mummylish. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Take the time to comment on other player's posts. It's a great way to make new friends! Link back to us at Sunday Stealing! The idea of the 11 Questions Meme is that you are given a set of 11 questions to answer by a fellow blogger , and then once you have answered them you have to think up 11 questions of your own to ask, we consider that part of the meme a bonus and optional, so.. feel free to come up with 11 questions, ONLY if you feel like it. Fun stuff. Sunday Stealing: The 11/11 Questions meme What is your favorite possession? I don't put a lot of value in material things. That being said, I could easily say... my laptop/computer, my phone or my camera. My laptop/computer because it keeps me plugged in. My phone because it keeps me connected and on time and my camera because it is my means of recording memories.
Do you like to read? If so, which books do you love best? I love to read. I mean, LOVE to read. Honestly, however, I don't have a true genre that I prefer. I have authors that I've read and loved and then tried to read a subsequent book and hated it. I love the classics. I love reading books on topics that I'm interested in as well. I guess you could say that my interest is as wide and varied as the melting pot in which we live. Do you have any pets? I have a co-dependent Boston Terrier named Lola. We have a rescue named Lucy and a full-blood German Rottie named Moose. What was your favorite food as a child? Is it the same now? My grandmother's biscuits and gravy, goulash and Kraft macaroni and cheese. Is it the same now? Absolutely not. I make biscuits and gravy but I don't eat it. I don't have a recipe for my grandmother's goulash so it hasn't ever been recreated. And, Kraft mac and cheese is DISGUSTING! What is your favorite thing about blogging? I love being able to record memories, photos, and events not only for me but also for my children. Plus, it provides me with the journaling for my scrapbook pages when they're completed. If you could live anywhere, where would it be? Colorado. No question. What is your favorite number? I don't have one. Which of these things would you find hardest to give up for a year? Chocolate, reading, coffee or smoking? Seeing that I don't drink coffee or smoke... I don't "crave" chocolate so any of those would be easy to give up.... it'd have to be reading -- definitely reading! If you could make your life into a movie, what would you name it.. and who would you want to play you? I have no idea.... seriously. I could sit here and think and have no idea. That would require too much brain power... it's Sunday, I'm running low. If you had £20,000 for a shopping spree, what would you buy? I'm assuming that the currency is pounds. I'm American. We are not cultured in the ways of foreign currency symbols. So, if I am assuming correctly, $20K pounds about $32,000 US Dollars. My first questions would be a) do I *have* to spend it? I'd rather save it, you see. b) Do I have to spend it on me or is it just a "spree." I have a hard time spending money JUST to spend money. I'm not your typical female that really ENJOYS this kind of thing. I hate shopping for clothes. I hate shopping for furniture. I hate shopping for just about anything. I know I'd be happy to go blow it at an RV store and get me a new RV to take camping. That would be and easy one-stop-shop. I could buy me a new ring... meh, who am I kidding...that'd be stupid. I'd rather just save it. If you could eat lunch with one famous person, who would it be? I wish they could be more specific with the questions -- is it someone alive or anytime from history? I'm going to assume it means current day "famous" and say that I would love to eat lunch with Sarah Palin. You may laugh but I adore the woman. She's tell-it-like-it-is and in-your-face honest. I appreciate her and just think she's awesome.
I will be completely honest, I let out a giddy scream and clapped at my desk as soon as I saw the picture featuring today's Saturday 9.
OH MUH GARSH -- It's Elvis. I LURVE ELVIS! Let me say it again. I LURVE ELVIS. I listen to him religiously and... I will admit that the first preset on my satellite radio channels is ... THE ELVIS STATION! Yes, and I listen to it ALL.THE.TIME. Swoon! Ok, so enough about my giddiness. I'm just a tad excited to share my lurve of all things Elvis with you! Now, I shall carry on. Saturday 9: Blue Christmas 1) Do you ever suffer the blues during the holidays? I think it would be a lie to say that you didn't to some degree. As we grow up and our children are no longer mesmerized by the fairy tale of the jolly old elf in the red suit sneaking around homes in the dead of night.... to know that there may be one less person to gift if you've lost someone near and dear to you... to know that there are children who will do without because their parents can't afford it and may be too humble to ask for help from those who can... There are lots of reasons to have the blues. However, there are an equally number of reasons to NOT have the blues. You just have to be strong enough to search for those blessings and focus on them instead.
2) More than 18 million visitors have toured Elvis' home, Graceland. Have you ever been there? NO! I'd love to go though. That will probably be one of the ventures on my bucket list that I make alone. I'm okay with that. 3) Elvis dyed his naturally light brown locks black. Do you dye your hair? Nope. I'm seeing more greys, however. I probably should but that would require maintenance and, well, I HATE MAINTENANCE. 4) He also insisted his young girlfriend, Priscilla, dye her hair jet black. If your lover asked you to change your hair, would you? Nope. 5) Elvis served his country at an Army base in Friedberg, Germany. Have you ever been to Germany? Nope, but I'd love to go there as well. 6) Elvis famously had an affair with Ann-Margret during the filming of Viva Las Vegas. Have you ever indulged in a dalliance with a coworker? Of course. 7) Thinking of his movies ... Elvis was, by and large, unhappy with his film career and once said, "The only thing worse than watching a bad movie is being in one." Are you happy with the way your career is going/has gone?Um... I don't have one. I'm a domestic engineer. As me again in 20 years and I may have an answer for you. 8) Elvis lost "the battle of the bulge" toward end of his life. Are you happy with your weight? Is any woman EVER happy with their weight? Just kidding. I am a work in progress. Am I happy with where I am? Yes. Do I know I'm still getting better all the time? You bet your ass I do! :) 9) As a teenager, Elvis worked as an usher at a movie theater. What was your first job? I worked for my grandmother in her ceramic shop. She had an outbuilding in her back yard, and the my grandfather built her a second one. She had two kilns going almost daily. Shelves full of greenware and bisque ready to be painted, fired and then bought by this woman that supplied the warehouse that supplied to interior decorators' that finished out model homes. It was a fun, hard, hot job but I loved it.
It is time once again for 
