It's official...I'm weird!

Blogger-buddy and fellow student MotoMom filled out this meme. No, she didn't tag me.

But I stole it anyway. :P

Hers is a "Christmas Version". Don't know if I can stick with that or not, but I'll try...

Hmmmm...

7 Weird Things

1. We do a "Birthday Cake for Jesus". OK, that is IF I remember to buy the mix. Well, this year, I did buy the mix. Is it alright if I got "Devil's Food" for Jesus' birthday cake?
2. I don't like "It's a Wonderful Life". I don't know, just something too "dark" about it. My mother thinks I'm weird because of this.
3. I have also never seen the "Nightmare Before Christmas". Don't faint.
4. I could watch "White Christmas" twice a day for the entire month of December and never get tired of it. Sometimes I do. And sometimes, I even watch it in **gasp** May and July. And August and April and...
5. The best Christmas gift I ever got was a Super Nintendo. SNES. Remember those? I still have it!
6. I sometimes forget to open my presents on Christmas morning. I get so in to watching the kids and placing batteries and cleaning up wrapping paper...till one of the kids says "MOM!"
7. All I want for Christmas this year is my own car that runs. (sing to the tune of "all I want for Christmas is my two front teeth"). I know it sounds petty, but having to ask someones' permission to use the car is so, I don't know, IRRITATING. I know I should be grateful. I keep telling myself that.

Am I weird? I think so. I could keep going if you need more proof...

Tag! yer it!

S.O. Basic Facts Meme

I got tagged. My friend Kathy from RittyRats took the time to do this one up and she must want to see my answers. So she tagged me...and here I am!

Not that I have the history with MG that she has with her Larry. We've only known eachother two years. Here goes...


The basic facts:
Who is your significant other? MG...stands for My Guy. He would DIE if I published his name. He's not really thrilled about my blogging...
How long have you been together? Friends for about 8 months, then decided to begin a relationship May 5, 2006.
Dating/Engaged/Married? I am fairly sure we are engaged. I have a ring and I distinctly remember him saying "Beautiful, if you aren't busy for the rest of your life, will you spend it with me?"
How old is your S.O.? 50. If you ask him, he'll say "too old".
What’s his/her middle name? Same as my ex, unfortunately.

Which one?
I think some of these answers are going to surprise you. I know some of them surprised me!
Who eats more? He does! But after a gastric bypass, EVERYONE eats more than me.
Who says "I love you" first? He does, usually.
Who weighs more? He does.
Who sings better? I do, most definitely. But he's not half bad.
Who’s older? He is by nine years.
Who’s smarter? I am! But I would never tell him that. (see last entry)
Whose temper is worse? I get angrier faster - at the drop of a hat if I've had less than 6 hours of sleep. But my tempter drops just as quickly. If he gets mad, it can last for days.
Who does the laundry? Me. Because I like my clothes to all remain the SAME COLOR as when they went INTO the washing machine.
Who does the dishes? We share. Half and half. He used to do them all the time, but now that he goes to college AND works, we are trying to balance it out.
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Me.
Whose feet are bigger? Ummm, mine.
Whose hair is longer? Mine, but not by much.
Who’s better with the computer? Most definitely me.
Who mows the lawn? Me. He helped with the weedeating once.
Who pays the bills? We share. This is a new concept for me. We meet once a week and after paydays to discuss where we are at financially and who takes care of what. It was very difficult for me at first, but I'm getting better. (see last entry)
Who cooks dinner? mostly me. He used to all the time, but we adjust as life changes.
Who drives when you are together? I do unless we are in his car (which has been like maybe TWICE since I've met him), because he (A) he drives all evening at work and (B) he hates driving my Suburban. (also, see last entry)
Who pays when you go out to dinner? Whoever brought up the idea of going out.
Who's the most stubborn? He is! But he'll deny it.
Who is the first one to admit when they’re wrong? I think this one is a tie. We are both very flexible and able to admit when we are wrong.
Whose parents do you see more? As far as we know, his have both passed on, so that answers that question. You can probably tell from that statement that he wasn't very close to them.
Who named your dog? No dog. Although he wishes we did. I'm not a dog person. I named the cats. (see the last entry)
Who kisses who first? Again, a tie.
Who asked who out? I asked him for a ride on his bike. He asked me to meet him for coffee.
Who's more sensitive? I am. He's a man. Sometimes he just doesn't have the compassion for others that I wish he did.
Who's taller? I am. But again, he won't admit that.
Who has more friends? Hard to say. Up until he started his new job, I would have said me, but he has met lots of people in the last three months. He is so personable, everyone likes him.
Who has more siblings? I do, I think. It may be a tie. 3 / 3.
Who wears the pants in the relationship? Sore subject. I do. Because I have had to all my life. And it's hard to give up that spot...or even SHARE it. He says (to everyone that will listen) that I have "control issues". Don't tell him I said this, but he is right. I'm trying...some days are better than others. And the funny thing is that I WISH I wasn't. I would love to be able to rely on someone enough that I could trust them with my family and my future. I've just been knocked down so many times that I can't "give it up yet". Hopefully, someday...

I TAG whoever wants to do this one. It's thought provoking, to say the least.

Middle Name Meme

OK...Found something else cool at Chili's Place.

IT'S A MEME!!! I haven't done one in MONTHS.
**wicked cackle**

Apparently, you have to post these rules before you give the facts.
Players - "You must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don't have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.
At the end of your post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. "



Now, you'll find out why I like this particular meme. MY MIDDLE NAME HAS ONLY THREE LETTERS. Unlike my grandmother's (Albertine - Poor Gram!).


Stop laughing.


A - ALWAYS tired. Can't ever seem to catch up. If I sit down for longer than 2 minutes, my head is flopped back on the couch and drool is running down one side of my chin. It's a bad thing. So I try to stand up in church alot. Or in class. Or at least pick an uncomfortable chair.


N - NOT a NANNY or a NEAT-freak. Mary Poppins I ain't. But my kids know I love them and we have fun. It does drive some people crazy that my house is dusty and there are a few papers that need to be filed (OK, ok, it's a huge box). But we play, imagine, ride bikes, swim, watch movies and eat popcorn till it gets all over the carpet, go to the park. And if there's no clothes on the floor and I can walk across the carpet without injuring myself, I'm happy. I think my kids are alot happier with a "not-so-uptight" mom. But I'm not advocating that for everyone. "To Each, His Own" is my motto.


N - Because I can't think of anything else that starts with an "N", I'll say that I don't much care for NUTS. Unless they are soft, like Pecans. Probably because I have teeth that are tenuous at best. And missing all my upper teeth on the left. So it's hard to chew crunchy things. Or Steak. I don't care much for that either.



Now, if you happen to stop by and you want to do this one, I'll tag...
1) you
2) and you over there...
3) and you in the t-shirt and sweats sitting at your computer.


Don't forget to let me know you did it so I can COME SEE!!

Tunes Meme Courtesy A.D.

Ambulance Driver did a meme on his page. He is such a good sport about it. So I thought I would pick this one up and throw it out there into my little ballfield of Blogworld.

I also figured out that I am JUUUUSSST slightly older than the A.D.; He says he "turned eighteen in 1986" ~ unfortunately, even though he's younger, I think he's wiser.

Anyway, here's how you play...

1. Go to the Billboard #1 Hits listings
2. Pick the year you turned 18
3. Get yourself nostalgic over the songs of the year
4. Pick 5 songs and write something about how these songs affected you
5. Pass it on to 5 more friends

Here it is...the top 5 for 1984!

1) I Can't Drive 55 - Sammy Hagar. Number 13 on the list for 1984, but number one in my heart. Also my theme song. Cuz I can't. You know...uhhh, drive 55.

2) Let's Hear It For The Boy - Denise Williams. Totally boppin' little song. My boyfriend may not be perfect or rich, but he loves me and that's what counts. At least that's what I thought when I was a teenager. :D
JUST KIDDING!!!

3) Like A Virgin - Madonna. As a "good" little Independent Baptist girl starting to go slightly "wild", this song was, shall we say, SHOCKING! Using the "V" word over the airwaves..OH MY GOODNESS! The next year, I volunteered as an assistant volleyball coach at the local middle school and had to ride to an away game on the bus with about 15 12and 13-year old girls. They sang this song OVER and OVER and OVER for the entire 30 minute bus ride. I hid the cassette tape for the trip home (you remember those? cassette tapes?) and it didn't matter, they sang it A'Cappella!
Just because it was "nasty".

4) Footloose - Kenny Loggins. I loved this one because I loved the MOVIE! What upright Baptist Girl who wasn't allowed to wear pants, dance, drink, cuss or smoke COULDN'T love "Footloose"? Yep, that's right. I didn't even get to go to a prom - because it was a DANCE. And you know what DANCING leads to, don't you?
Plus, Kevin Bacon is a Hunny with a capitol "H". Still is!!

5) Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper. And my OTHER theme song.

One of my favorite artists of the season was Weird Al. The take off he did on #5 called "Girls Just Wanna Have Lunch" was HILARIOUS! Then there was "Eat It" making fun of Michael Jackson. The man is a lyrical genius.

The hardest part of this meme was picking JUST FIVE! I loved most of them! Still do.
Except for the "99 Luftballons". I have never understood WHAT is up with that song!
Some of my favs are...
I Want A New Drug - Huey Lewis and the News
We're Not Gonna Take It - Twisted Sister
Against All Odds - Phil Collins
Legs - ZZ Top
I Just Called To Say I Love You - Stevie Wonder
Holding Out For A Hero - Bonnie Tyler
AND Jump - Van Halen.

Makes me wanna go CRANK up the Bass and cruise "The Gut".

I'm supposed to tag five people I guess. SO I pick...

You, and You, and you, and you and that other guy.
Have at it if you wanna! :D

Meme fun from Janene

Janene from Thoughts Of The Mama tagged me on this meme. I so enjoy meeting others with my name. There aren't too many of us around, you know.

Have you watched Spiderman 3 yet? MG and I went to see it. And you know the concept of the "Dark Spiderman" and the "Good Spiderman"? Then BurgerKing lets you CHOOSE which one you are going to be on their new Scratch-and-Win game.

Got me to thinking...Dark Janean ~ Good Janene.

We just won't go there...

ANYWAY ~ For your reading pleasure...

Random Stuff About me.

What were you doing 10 years ago?
working as a receptionist for a newspaper. Had a 3 year old boy. WOW, life seemed so much easier then.

What were you doing 1 year ago?
I had just gotten this job, thought "Wonderful! Now I'll be able to support myself."

Yah, right. Silly me.

Five snacks you enjoy:
1. Ritz crackers and cheese

2. Chocolate

3. Frosting on Graham crackers

4. Refried beans with corn chips (Tostitos Hint Of Lime!)

5. Did I say Chocolate

Five songs that you know all the lyrics: I know probably 1000 songs by heart, so this is pretty easy...
1. Amazing Grace
2. (WOW, Janene! Baby Mine is one of my favorites, TOO! I recorded it on a CD so my kids can play it whenever they miss me.)
3. How Great Thou Art ~ I actually made $75 for singing this at a funeral one time. Pretty good for about 10 minutes of my time.
4. God Bless The USA. Of course NO ONE can sing this one like Lee Greenwood. It just doesn't sound the same.
5. Your Cheatin' Heart - HW Sr.

Five things you would do if you were a millionaire:
1. Sleep for about 6 days straight - cuz I wouldn't have to work, right?
2. Take my kids (and three nannies) to Disneyworld.
3. Buy my very own house.
4. Get a car that 6 people could ride in without sitting on eachother's laps.
5. Save the rest for college, proms, first cars, etc.

Five bad habits:
1. Saying "Oh My God!" It just slips out before I can stop it ~ but I would REALLY like to lose that phrase from my vocabulary.
2. Sarcasm
3. Late night snacking
4. Hiding chocolate in my underwear drawer (Whoops! Now you where I keep my "sta*sh")
5. talking too loudly

Five things you like doing:
1. Sleeping
2. Blogging (could you tell?)
3. Riding my bike
4. Snuggling with MG
5. Playing Uno Attack with my kids

Five things you would never wear again:
1. the Purple bride's maids' dress from my ExMother-in-laws wedding
2. Size 52 pants
3. 5X t-shirts
4. short skirts (varicose veins - need I say more?)
5. My ex's wedding ring

Five favorite toys:
1. My car. Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!
2. The computer

3. My new makeup I got from Loose Lips NY!
4. My sewing machine
5. My mountain bike

I'm gonna tag ~ Whomever wants to take the time to do this one. :D

God bless yer socks off and have an AWESOME week!

Two things meme

My friend KariAnne over at Practicing Contentment did this little meme on her little space in the World Wide Web...so I thought I would SURPRISE her and play along. She is just one of the sweetest ladies I have met in Blogworld and I am honored that she stops by here.

Two Names You Go By:
1. Nean
2. Hey Babe

Two Things You Are Wearing Right Now:
1. Red sweater
2. Dolphin swimming through a heart necklace - gift from a wonderful friend.

Two Things You Want in a Relationship:
1. Love my kids!
2. Put up with me when I'm crabby.

Two of Your Favorite Things to do:
1. write on my blog.
2. Swing on the swings

Two Things You Want Very Badly At The Moment:
1. To be at home in bed
2. Chocolate

What 2 pets you had/have:
1. Tinker - white cat with grey stripes on her head
2. Oreo - newest edition to the house; rescued from County animal control. Thinks he owns the place now. Black/wht spoiled rotten cat.

Two people who will fill this out first:
I’ll tag…
1. I don't know...
2. Maybe YOU!

Two things you did last night:
1. Finished my LAST chapter in Psych 101! WOOHOO!
2. prayed with my kids when I put them to bed.

Two people who live at your house:
1. Me
2. #1 kid

Two things you ate today:
1. Buffalo-hazelnut chicken breast
2. steamed vegies - GAK.

Two people you talked to last:
1. Sheryl
2. MG

Two things you’re doing tomorrow:
1. Babysitting for a friend - Newly single mom of 4, doctors' appointment. Need I say more?
2. Making about 40 phone calls I couldn't make today because it was a holiday.

Two Favorite Holidays:
1. Christmas is my number one!
2. My birthday. It's cool to be queen-for-a-day.

Two favorite beverages:
1. Coffee
2. Bartles and James Fuzzy Navel.

I don't think I'll tag anyone this time, but if you want to play - Rock on!! Have an awesome week. :D

I got TAGGED! 7 things

My friend Moto Mom tagged me for this one. I am honored! Thank you, girlfriend!!

"Here are the rules: Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their seven things and add a copy of these rules. THEN, you need to choose 7 people to tag and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog!"

Hmmmmm. Seven things...

1. I once worked for 30 days in training as a 911 dispatcher. I couldn't handle it. 12-hour rotating shifts and the heartwrenching drama was just too much for me.
2. I'm going to college working towards an Associates' in Emergency Medical Technologies (Paramedics). Yah, that seems kinda weird after the disclosure of #1, but when I'm there with them, at least I can DO something even if it's only to give them a hug when things go south.
3. I've become addicted to Trail mix. It's very sad. Looking for the best deals/sales, hiding it in my room so the kids don't eat it, sneaking it to work in my briefcase. I wonder if they have a 12-step program for Trail mix.
4. Probably because of #3, I've GAINED 20 lb.s in the last year. Between the addiction and the depo shots and quitting smoking, I can't fit into my pants anymore. Please PRAY!
5. MG will be 50 next week. BOY have I got a surprise party planned for that man!
6. I am as tall as my father and six inches taller than my mother. I have three younger sisters; number 2 girl is six foot two, number 3 girl is five foot four and number 4 girl is five foot eleven (like me). Not one of them weighs over 160 lb.s. Even the six foot two girl. Guess I'm just blessed!
7. I would dearly love to have another baby. I know, I know...I'm forty, single and I already HAVE four kids. It would totally mess up my current plans for the future. But that doesn't change the longing.

There! Now you know all my deepest darkest secrets. I think I'll tag Connie, KariAnne, A.D.,
Rebekah, 7 QTPies, Megan, and DeeDee. I hope you all forgive me. :D

God bless and take it easy on yourself this week. Nobody else will.

A Real Mom Meme

I saw this meme over at Shanilie's place today and I thought...HOW VERY COOL! I'm always up for a good meme. From what she wrote, the idea is to just write about your definition of a "Real Mom". So here's mine ~

• Real Moms lick their thumbs to wash your face...because they figure you already have all the same germs anyway.
• Real Moms say stupid stuff like "I said close your mouth and eat your dinner. Now ANSWER ME!"
• Real Moms love you no matter what you do, what you are wearing, what you say or how much mud you track onto their clean floor.
• Real Moms wipe snot and wipe bottoms even when it makes them Yak!
• Real Moms are not perfect; they burn dinner, slip up and say a naughty word. Real Moms lose their temper, color outside the lines and forget appointments. But they ALWAYS apologize.
• Real Moms love God. :D (Couldn't resist making a funny - sorry! If you haven't ever seen the bumper sticker "Real Men Love God" then you wouldn't get it. But that's ok...I love you anyway!)
• Real Moms put their families' NEEDS first. Notice I said "needs" not "wants". Mom's needs need to fit in there somewhere, too. After all, a family NEEDS to have a sane mother, ya' know.

One incident from my childhood has always been important to me because as a child, it showed me that my mother cared about us more than anything else in the world.

She was canning. Pressure cooker canning. I don't remember what was in it. But she was trying to keep an eye on it and do other housework at the same time. Well, she forgot about it. And the next thing we heard was a sizzling, thumping noise as the pressure cooker reached the point of no return. Then POW as the pressure release valve blew off and stuck into the kitchen ceiling. My mother moved faster than I have ever seen her move before or since...she ran into the kitchen turned off the heat while shielding her face with one arm; then in one fell swoop, she grabbed up both us girls and blew out the front door.

Then we sat outside and played in the front yard for awhile. Looking back, I'm sure she was expecting her home to explode in shards of flying metal pressure canner at any moment. But that didn't happen.

And she left all her worldly possessions in that house to save her two little girls.

As a result of that, I was terrified of pressure canning. Didn't even ATTEMPT it until I was 36. Someone gave me five grocery bags full of fresh green beans and I could not let them go to waste. Had to bite the bullet and can them. I SWEATED bullets for the first couple of canner-loads. Ready to grab up my little ones and head for the front door at the first sign of trouble.

I don't know if I'm a "Real Mom". Sometimes I feel like a very "Fake Mom". I guess only my children's therapist will know for sure.

I tag you...if you want to play.

ME - like you don't know enough already!

Courtesy of the same Awesome Lady I got this meme from...

All about the Wonderful Amazing....ME!

How tall are you barefoot? 5 ft 11 in.
Have you ever flown first-class? No, in fact, I've only flown one commercial round trip flight ever. Weird, I know! And it DEFINITELY wasn't first class. My knee impressions are probably STILL embedded in the back of that plane seat. I've flown once on a small 6 passenger plane and one quick helicopter ride. I would LOVE to fly in first class. Just like the movies!
One of your favorite books when you were a child?Alexander and the Magic Mouse.
A good restaurant in your city? Hmmm, let me see. That's a tough one because my little backwoods town only has 2! Not counting the mini mart and the drive through coffee hut. So I guess I'll pick The Fare. Decent down-home cookin'!
What is your favorite small appliance? My bread machine. Yummmm!
One person who never fails to make you laugh? #4; The child is pure slapstick.
What was the first music that you ever bought? An Air Supply record. YEP! Vinyl.
Do you do push-ups? I don't think I could.
What was one of your favorite games as a child? Theatre. My sisters and I would create a stage on the bottom bunk and make up plays to perform for our parents.
When you were twelve years old, what did you want to be when you grew up? A marine biologist.
Your favorite Soup of the Day? Cream of Potato with bacon OR Split Pea.
Have you ever met someone famous? When I was a dinner cook, I made Chicken Fried Steak for Robert Conrad. And my family was friends with Ramblin' Rod Anders. So I saw him several times.
Date of Birth? October 22.
From what news source do you receive the bulk of your news? Channel 12.
Current worry? That my financial aid for school won't come in. I shouldn't worry! If it doesn't work out, then I will know God has other plans. But it's just that I want it SOOOOoo much!
Current hate? Naughty word around our house. I really don't like bill collectors.
Favorite place to be? on the right side of my queen bed under my black sheet, comforter and electric blankie. I am not even halfway kidding! I am so tired I can hardly stay awake.
Least favorite place to be? The dentist chair. (**GOOD answer, MotoMom!!)
Do you consider yourself well organized? Yes, fairly. It depends on the project but yes, in general.
Do you believe in an afterlife? MOST definitely.
Where do you think you will be in 10 years? I know where I HOPE I will be. I hope I am catching a baby as he enters the world.
Do you burn or tan? Depends. If I am out for a long time, I'll FRY. But if I'm just out for repeated short bursts, I'll get brown. Although never REAL brown, jut a light dusting.
Are you more optimistic or pessimistic about the future? I am optimistic for myself. I believe there are some great things for my future. However, I am fairly pessimistic looking toward the view of the world - It's going to heck in a handbasket as far as morals and family values.
What did you fear was going to get you at night as a kid? This may sound dumb to you, but when you are raised in a valley and you learn about volcanoes in school...Ummm, YAH! Especially those pictures of Pompeii or watching movies about it. I could just picture the lava rolling out of the top of one of those hills and oozing down over us. Would I be able to get away in time?
What's in your pockets right now? A dum-dum wrapper.
Last thing that made you laugh? My co-worker.
Worst injury you've ever had? Haven't ever had any bad physical ones. Got a hole in my leg one time from the window crank when I ran a stop sign and got t-boned. I rolled a car one time, but only bruised my leg. Fell out of a tree, but only knocked the wind out of me. Jammed my wrist one time, but never broke it. I could go on and on... The worst injuries I've had have been emotional. They hurt far more and take longer to heal.
How many TVs do you own? 4
Best compliment received? "You're kids are SO smart...well-behaved...beautiful, etc." If I'm doing a good job with them, that's what's important. Oh, wait, there was that one time in our little local market where the oriental man that owns it said "WOW! You look much younger since you lost weight! Twenty, maybe!" I almost kissed him. I love you, Mr. Li!!
What leaves you speechless? When people give me something special. I have a hard time accepting generosity. This may seem dumb, but one time I was out of $$ till payday and MG was down visiting. He asked if I had stopped smoking (I hadn't...yet) and I told him no, that I just couldn't afford cigarettes. Later he stopped at a 7-11 to get a pop and he came out of the store with a bag. When he plopped it in my lap, it held a bottle of water (which I NEED to drink more of!), a bag of M&M's (chocolate!) and two packs of smokes. Such little things and definitely NOT good for me. But it showed that he CARED; That he wanted me to be HAPPY. I couldn't even say thank you...I just sat there and bawled. He thought he did something wrong, poor baby. (**note - Don't worry. I quit smoking in October last year)
What is your favorite book? This is not what you expect...I like true crime stories. Ann Rule is one of my favorite authors. Robert Fulghum ("All I Ever Needed To Know I Learned In Kindergarten") is another of my favorites.
Last meal you cooked for the opposite sex? Last night, I made him stuffed hamburgers.
What were you doing at 12 midnight last night? Sleeping, most definitely.

I can't believe this is my FOURTH post today. Sundays are SOOooooo Slow!

ABC's of Homemaking

Tagged AGAIN! WoooHooo! Connie at This Little Blog of Mine gave me the high five...so here I am with another fabulous Meme for your reading enjoyment!

Hee Hee.

Aprons- Y/N? - No. Aprons are for "mature" ladies. My grandmother wore an over-the-shoulder vest style one. Constantly. So I do have fond memories of aprons. But, ummm, No. I'm not that old yet.
Baking- Oh yah. Couple times a week. Otherwise my kids would have no snack food. Plus it's something we do together; the kids and me. The oldest is learning how to cook (like measuring and mixing) so sometimes I talk him into doing it while I "supervise".
Clothesline- Y/N? - Only out of necessity. Like when my drier croaked last summer. I HATE towels dried on a line. Stiff as the proverbial BOARD.
Donuts- Ever made them? - several times. THe first time was cake donuts. They were little rocks. Gag. Yeast donuts come out fairly well, especially Idaho Spudnuts. Made them for MG once and he thought he was in heaven. But they are a PAIN in the HINEY to make!
Everyday- One homemaking thing you do everyday? - Uuuuuuh, Hang on...
I'm thinking.
Really...I am. Ummmmm...
Honey? What "homemaking thing" do I do everyday?
OK, stop laughing.
That man is NO help whatsoever!
Freezer- Do you have a separate deep freezer? - YES! I got it as a gift from a family member. It is SO handy! I go to the canned food outlet and stock up on huge pans of foodservice mac and cheese or salisbury steak for like $4 apiece. I wait till hamburger is on sale for $1.99 a pound and get about 20 lb.s then freeze it in one pound packages. I wish I had more time for that kind of stuff...
Garbage Disposal- Y/N? - I WISH!! That is my most UN-favorite thing to do...stick my fingers down in the drain and fish out a wad of yuk. Gives me the willies just thinking about it.
Handbook- Y/N? - I keep them all. I even have the directions on how to replace the batteries in the "Night Night Dora the Explorer" doll my 4 year old got for Christmas.
What I NEED is for someone to find the handbook on "How to Raise Four Children Without Pulling My Hair Out."
Ironing- Only when I'm quilting or sewing. Have to press them seams, ya' know. No clothes, though. That's why God made the Clothes Drier.
Junk Drawer- Where is it? - I had one at my old house. I moved almost a year ago. The contents of the junk drawer is still in a box in the garage. Guess I didn't need all that stuff after all, huh?
Kitchen- Design and decorating? - Are you kidding? I'm happy if the dirty dishes aren't overflowing the sink and the counters aren't too crunchy. Mismatched dishes from three different sets. Mugs from about 4 kids' school projects, church and work. Handtowels in 10 different styles and designs. A black dishwasher, white fridge and almond stove. Wallpaper and flooring are what the original owner of that 1990 mobile home picked from the factory.
Which DEFINITELY would not have been MY first choices.
I'm just saying...
Love- What is your favorite part of homemaking? - Baking. Definitely. I love the creativity, time with my kids and trying new things to see how they turn out. We did some low-carb cookies last week that were positively GAGGY.
Mop - Y/N? - Only when I have to. MG usually takes care of that.
Nylons- Wash by hand or in the washer? - Don't have to wash them. If I wear them, they get a run in them. It NEVER fails. Every time. Serious.
Oven- Do you use the window or open it to check? - Open it. The window is too dirty to see through. :D
Pizza- What do you put on yours? - My absolute favorite is Taco pizza; beans, corn chips, cheese, chilies, lettuce, sour cream. Mmmmmmmmmmmm...I think I'm hungry now!
Quiet- What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment? - If I sit down for longer than three minutes, I fall asleep, quiet or not. And my house is NEVER quiet! There is always a TV on somewhere. If I happen to be alone for a minute, I pray.
Recipe card box- Y/N? - NO way. Little cards everywhere.
Style of house - Early American Trailer park.
Tablecloths and napkins- Y/N? - Only on Thanksgiving or other holiday. Otherwise, it's a plastic tablecover and paper towels.
Under the kitchen sink - Dishwasher soap, garbage can, misc. cleaning products.
Vacuum- How many times a week? - Once a week. But I should do more.
Wash- How many loads do you do a week? - about 6 - 8. I've tried to get other people to do it...without success. But I guess if they are going to take care of the kitchen, I can handle the laundry.
X's- Do you keep a list of things to do and cross them off? - No, I do them when they HAVE to be done. Like if something is REALLY yucky...or if my Mom is coming to visit.
Yard- Who does what? - I do it when it begins to resemble a jungle. My kids pick up their toys and bikes, but none of them are old enough or co-ordinated enough to trust with a lawnmower.
ZZZ's- What is your last homemaking task for the day? - Before I go to bed, I check the kids, make sure their TV's and lights are off. I turn off the lights and lock the door.
And make sure the counters are wiped so the stupid ANTS don't come visit. Arrgh!

I tag you...whoever wants to do this one. It's kinda long...and I don't know who's done it and who hasn't. So have fun!

Why do I blog? I got TAGGED. :D

I know you all aren't gonna believe this...
You're really not!

But this is the FIRST TIME EVER that I have been "tagged" in blogworld!
No Joke!

Erica at Butterfly Kisses is passing on a meme entitled "Why do you blog?"
And she picked me!! Wow! Most people are, like, "Oh, NO! not another meme to do..." but NOT ME, ladies and gentleman! I am pleased as punch and honored beyond belief that someone picked ME and wants to hear what I have to say. YESSS!!

OK...now that I have that off my chest...

FIVE REASONS WHY I BLOG

1. Adult interaction. With four kids, I spend most of my day that I'm not at work breaking up fights, preparing food, cleaning up food, kissing booboos or watching Spongebob Squarepants and Dora the Explorer. Blogworld may not be TOTAL "reality" but the friends I've found stir up my adult brain cells, make me think...and make me laugh.
2. To unload. My blog is where all my feelings come out. If I'm happy; it's there. If I'm sad; it's in my blog. If I'm frustrated; its' the place to rant. MG can only listen so long before his eyes start to glaze over and he gets that little smile on his face that means "I really love you, honey, but I'd MUCH rather be doing just about ANYTHING else."
3. Sometimes I blog to communicate with myself. Now, I know the theme from "Twilight Zone" just started playing in your head, but turn it down just a minute and let me explain. It's like Erica said in her meme; I actually write better than I can talk. Unlike her, though, I LOVE to talk. Especially on the phone...so it's a good thing I'm a switchboard operator. But I have diarrhea of the mouth. It runs faster than I can think. Which gets me in trouble. But that's another story. When I write, I slow down my thoughts. I go back and read what I wrote every so often and then new ideas form. The light bulb comes on as I look at what I typed out with eyes that are a little more objective. I can actually work out problems and ideas as my posts form. It's cool, Really it is. Even if you don't understand or think I'm about half a bubble off plumb, it's OK. Gotta love me! :D
4. This may sound like a dumb reason...and I'm sure you've probably already noticed. But I get bored alot. My job is easy. I'm totally serious. It should be illegal to get paid for what I do. Which is basically sit on my hiney for 8 hours and surf the Internet and answer the phone if it rings. Oh, and once in awhile I do an overhead page. AND there's TWO of us doing this job at all times...sometimes there are THREE of us on duty. So we have to share the phone calls. In all fairness, I do have a report I'm supposed to do and a packet of paperwork to check most evenings. Which takes about an hour, if I drag it out. So I get bored. At least I USED to. Now I have my bloggy buddies.
5. Which leads to the 5th reason I blog. My friends. I started blogging out of the clear blue sky after I discovered that a MySpace friend blogged on Blogspot and read his stuff. Now, I have a solid group of fanTAStic ladies and guys that I check in with often to see how their lives are going. We pray together; we share concerns, funny stories, party and email some. I've participated in a white elephant party and a valentines party and am working on a special project with a new friend that I met through a bloggy fundraiser. God has blessed me over and over by the amazing people I have met in this online community. I even met my twin, Connie; I swear we were somehow separated at birth! It is amazing sometimes how two peoples' lives can run such parallel courses!

All of these blessings I would have missed if I hadn't started blogging. My blog-buddies remind me every day that there is a bigger world out there. I am blessed to know you all. Thank you for touching my life.

I tag Connie, MotoMom, Rebekah and anyone else who would like to play along. :D

The Long, Long, Long, Long New Year's quiz

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!


The longest New Year's Meme ever...courtesy of Heth at From Under the Laundry Pile (http://laundrypile.blogspot.com/, CRUD I wish I could figure out how to do those cute links without the entire URL showing! Oh well.)
If you find yourself nodding off, I won't be offended if you skip on to something more interesting...like Antique Mommy or BigMama or BooMama or Don't Try This At Home or This Little Blog of Mine or... pretty much anybody else.

1. What did you do in 2006 that you had never done before? Been the only 40-year-old woman on the swingset. Divorced my husband of 15 years. BLOGGED!
2.Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? My New Year's WHAT? Just for the record, I gave up New Years promises to myself LONG ago. Official definition of "Resolution":
a formal expression of opinion, will, or intent.
AND another definition I thought was interesting:
the process or capability of making distinguishable the individual parts of an object.
Probably more than you ever wanted to know...but it was eye-opening (to me, anyway :D) to realize that thinking about "resolutions" entailed breaking down your life; clarifying and simplifying.
ummmm, YAH! I think most of us need that.

As for making more? Not on New Years. But I think I will try to get up EVERY DAY and resolve to do my best. Right after I pray and ask for forgiveness for all my screw-ups from yesterday. Arrggh!
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? No. Unfortunately, most of my friends/family are past this stage.
4. Did anyone close to you die? No one close to me. Old friend I hadn't seen in awhile, First exhusbands' father and a wonderful lady from church.
5. What countries did you visit? WOW...I can't afford to pay ATTENTION, much less travel.
6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006? More self control, more time with my children, more income so I don't have to worry, more hours in a day, more energy...can I quit now?
7. What dates will remain etched in your memory and why? September 19th - my baby's first day of school *sob*! June 28th - the last day I saw my husband. October 5th - The day MG said "Hey, if you don't have any other plans for the rest of your life, will you marry me?"
8. What's your biggest achievement of the year? Survival! Seriously! losing my job and having to give notice to my landlords in the same week was the scariest, harriest, leap of faith I have ever taken. God was right there and totally worked it out.
'Course I knew He would - but it didn't keep me from being scared.
9. What was your biggest failure? Kind of a tie between losing my job and filing divorce papers.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Not really. Dehydrated myself a few times, but nothing serious. A few colds and one stomach bug. That's about it. And HOLY COW am I grateful!! With four kids, you never know WHAT's coming down the pike.
11.What was the best thing you bought? I didn't buy it...but ended up with it. My aunt bought me a small car (Taurus SHO) because the gas for the Suburban was sending me to the poor house at top speed. Which is how I usually drive. Shhhhh, don't tell anyone.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My son went from a .78 GPA at the end of last school year to a B average now at his new Charter school! BooooYah!
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and disgusted? A friend I let stay with me for Awhile who racked up porno charges on the Pay-Per-View. Yah...I'm an idiot.

14. Where did most of your money go? Gas - 30 minute commute one way to work.
15. What did you get really really excited about? The possibility of being able to begin my Midwifery education.

16. What song will always remind you of 2006? Rascal Flatts - "What Hurts The Most".
17. Compared to this time last year are you? a)happier or sadder? Happier for sure. b)fatter or thinner? Thinner - Praise God for Gastric Bypass Surgery! c)richer or poorer? Richer - relatively.
18. What do you wish you had done more of? More Doing what I know is right.

19. What do you wish you had done less of? Less Raging, Less dating.

20. How will you be spending New Year's Eve? Working "Good evening, How may I direct your call?"
21. Did you fall in love in 2006? Yes, but I wouldn't call it "Falling"..it grew, steadily over time.
22. What was your favorite TV program? House
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? I can't think of anyone I HATE.
24. What was the best book you read? "God's Jewels are Crystalized Tears" and "Normal is Just a Setting on Your Dryer". Barbara Johnson is wonderful.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery? Gretchen Wilson - I'm just a rebel like that.
26. What did you want and get? I wanted to go to The Pacific Gospel Music Association Festival...And it was tough, but I did it. I also wanted MG to be a part of my life - and he chose me. He chose me, he chose me, he chose me...

27. What did you not want and not get? I wanted a bicycle...but so far, no luck. Just have to keep waiting, I guess.
28. What was your favorite film this year? Chronicles of Narnia...hands down!
29. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you? Went on my FIRST EVER limo ride with my family and YUP, I was FORTY.
30. What one thing would have made your year measurably more satisfying? SELF CONTROL. WOW, I mess up SO bad when it comes to that Fruit of the Spirit.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion in 2006? My personal style this year was "Too-skinny-for-fat-clothes, too-broke-to-buy-new-clothes". Kinda Baggy, polyester hip-gop wannabe style. :D
32. What kept you sane? One thing was MG. I knew I could always pick up the phone and he would be there for me, no matter what. Even before we decided to make a go of the "relationship", we talked for hours on the phone. Second was my Christ. When I think I'm losing it and I just can't go on, His Word brings me back to reality. Third, My kiddos. When I sit and look at them, I remember what is important in this life. Of course, they are one of the big reasons I go INSANE every once in awhile, too.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Hmmmm, Who do I "fancy"? LOADED question. But you know, they are all just Eye-candy. Fluff. Fantasy. I'm more of a reality-based person. Why should I lust after George Clooney or envy Angelina Jolie when MG is always by my side saying "Have I told you today how much I love you?"...or my kids are wrapping little arms around my neck whispering "I Love you Mommy"? I wouldn't give that up for the WORLD!!
34. What political issue stirred you the most? None. I suppose I should care more. It all just seems so far away...like there is nothing I can do about all that crud anyway, you know? Sure I could rage and holler about wars and laws that need to be changed...but I'd rather try to make a difference here where I can.
35. Who did you miss? I miss my foster kids and wonder where they are...if they are alright.
I miss my grandmother. I miss my mother. http://douglassmom.blogspot.com/2006/11/hi-friends.html
36. Who was the best new person you met? I have met so many this year! I can't decide who is best! Don't put this pressure on me...I might crack! ok...ok...ummmm...All my co-workers, cuz I just started this job in April. My neighbor Mol (Who is moving away TODAY! Waaah!) and ALL my WONDERFUL BLogger friends! :D
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006. Never puke with your glasses on. http://douglassmom.blogspot.com/2006/12/you-thought-dolphin-corpse-story-was.html
OK, seriously now. I think the greatest lesson is that if God tells you to do something, you'd better LISTEN!
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. From Rascal Flatts "He Ain't the Leavin' Kind" :

No matter what you do

No matter where you go

He's always right there with you

Even from those you don't believe

And wanna leave him behind

He ain't the leavin' kind

ABC's - Blogger style

Found this over at Chili's...and I'm bored again. :D

It's ok...you don't have to read it.

A - Available or single: LOADED QUESTION! I'm technically single (well, almost. Divorce final soon) My heart belongs to MG...And I'm available to meet friends for shopping, coffee, giggles...
B - Best Friend: MG, T
C - Cake or Pie: Don't care...as long as it's CHOCOLATE. OK, maybe I like pie a little better.
D - Drink of choice: Coffee, coffee, coffee, latte', mocha...Ooops, sorry, get carried away.

E - Essential Item you use everyday: Yep, the computer. I can live one day without it...but ONLY one.

F - Favorite color: PURPLE. :D
G - Gummy Bears or worms: If I HAD To pick (Ack!) I'd pick worms.
H - Hometown: Cloverdale, OR is where I was born and raised.
I - Indulgence: Getting my nails done. That...and Coffee.
J - January or February: January is BAD. So February would have to be my choice. #1 turns 13 and February is Valentines Day and School Carnival. I guess that's good. Kinda.
K - Kids & Names: Four kids, no names on here, SO-rry.

L - Life is Incomplete Without: My kids and my relationship with Christ.
M - Marriage Date: I'd rather not relive that...
N - Number of Siblings: Three younger sisters
O - Oranges or Apples: Apples...kinda like Fuji's
P - Phobias or Fears: Not fond of the dark...but no matter what I am "afraid" of, you always have to be brave when you are a Mom. If the kids are freaking over a bug or something, you have to go in with a macho-face and "take care of the problem". Then you can gross out later...
Q - Fave Quote: Sorry for the language...but it's funny.

One brave thing a day...step out, take a chance, do a good deed, help someone. And keep it a joy all to yourself.

R - Reason to Smile: My blogger friends, A roof over my head, my kids are fed, MG, Christmas, My parents, chocolate, coffee, NOT weighing 405 lb.s anymore...OH WAIT! Was I only supposed to list one thing?
S - Season: Fall. My birthday, cooler days but still good weather, School starts.

T - Tag 3 or 4 people: I don't think that many people read my blog! :D
U - Unknown Fact about Me: I think I've pretty much spilled my guts here...The only thing I can think of that I might not have said before is that I have no back teeth on the upper left jaw. Attractive, huh?
V- Vegetable You Don't Like: PEAS...And I don't do brussel sprouts, cuz they're like GIANT peas. And spinach and asparagus...cuz they TASTE like peas.
W - Worst Habit: Sticking my head in the sand and ignoring something difficult to deal with.
X - X-rays: I've had 43 different varieties of X-rays...surprised I don't glow in the dark. I do have a copy of a film of my #1 when I was pregnant with him. His little skeleton curled up inside my big one.
Y - Your Fave Food: Italian. and chocolate. and coffee...
Z - Zodiac Sign: I ain't all big on astrological stuff, but I'm a Libra. Signified by a scale. Balance, justice, peace..as in "don't rock my boat, man!"

Ok, that killed a little time. Thanks, Chilihead!

http://donttrythisathome.typepad.com/justdont/

Tag...Things about me...

Snagged from Tina at http://mommyofftherecord.blogspot.com/...

I've probably already done this...but it had a couple of twists I didn't remember. And I'm bored tonite. So here goes...

Try not to laugh too hard.

Things you may not know about me...
1. I believe that Bras are a torture instrument.
2. I don't eat anything attached to a bone (e.g. chicken, ribs)! Too many biology classes..
3. Speaking of biology classes, in high school advanced biology, we had a project to find a dead animal, debone it (decay, boiling, bugs, acid, whatever...) and then reconstruct the skeleton. Everyone picked owls, rats, raccoons...you know, roadkill, basically. NOT ME!
Dad came home one morning from the coffee shop and said "HEY, there's a dead dolphin washed up on the beach!" So GUESS WHAT I DID?
I know...it may be illegal in several states, but I reconstructed a six foot dolphin. Except for one flipper which was carried off by small animals while I waited for some of the meat to rot off. And I was NOT very popular at school when I was boiling the rest of the meat off a half rotten sea mammal in the lower hallways biology lab. Ewwwwww....
I got an imcomplete as well, because the one flipper was missing. Last I heard, the high school STILL HAS THE THING in the biology classroom.
4. I have been an EMT and a firefighter.
5. I used to raise rabbits for meat. Have also raised pigs, 5 different kinds of chickens, turkeys, 3 different kinds of ducks, and several variety of goats.

Things I want to do before I die...
1. Be an EMT again.
2. Deliver a baby.
3. See all my children graduate from High School and come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
4. Record a Gospel CD.
5. Go dancing.

Things I cannot do...
1. Dance!
2. Snap my fingers. Just get a small "thudding" sound when I try.
3. Eat a tomato without gagging.
4. Eat fish without a similar response.
5. Stand on my head or do a cartwheel.

Things I CAN do...
1. Make my eyeballs wiggle.
2. Speak "Whale" fairly well. (see Dory on Finding Nemo)
3. Make cool paper snowflakes with pictures in the pattern.
4. Can create a decent quilt.
5. This is getting hard....Ummmmm...OH, I know! I can grow babies. Got 4!

Things that attracted me to my husband (MG)...
1. He seeks God's will and craves the Lord's blessing.
2. He has a generous heart.
3. He knows how to apologize.
4. I can talk to him - he is my friend.
5. We laugh.

Things I say most often...
1. SERIOUS?!?
2. Really? (this loses some translation without the voice inflection)
3. ExCUSE me! Can you NOT do that, please?!?
4. I love you!
5. Can I have a hug?

Movies I love...
1. White Christmas. "Counting Your Blessings" is one of the best songs!
2. Thelma and Louise. I know, I know...
3. Little Mermaid. That crab with the accent cracks me up!
4. Beaches with Bette Midler.
5. Sound of Music and Fiddler on the Roof. "If I were a rich man, yiddle-deedle-diddle-deedle-diddle-deedle-diddle dum..." ooops, sorry, momentary lapse on reality there.

So if you read this and you wanna fill it in, I'd love to read it! TAG!

Santa, Explained

I don't usually do this because it drives me CRAZY when people just "repost emails" or other people's writings. But I read this story today in an email sent to me by a dear friend and it got me to thinking...YAH! This is how you explain "Santa Claus" to your kids. This is how I explain Santa Claus to MYSELF, for Pete's Sake!

I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!"

My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her "world-famous" cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so.It had to be true.Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me.

"No Santa Claus?" She snorted...."Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad!! Now, put on your coat, and let's go.""Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my second world-famous cinnamon bun."Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything.

As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars.That was a bundle in those days. "Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car. "Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's.

I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself.The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping. For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for.

I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, and the people who went to my church.I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock's grade-two class.Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out to recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a cough; he didn't have a good coat. I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat!

I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that."Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down."Yes, ma'am," I replied shyly. "It's for Bobby."

The nice lady smiled at me, as I told her about how Bobby really needed a good winter coat. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag, smiled again, and wished me a Merry Christmas.That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat (a little tag fell out of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) in Christmas paper and ribbons and wrote, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it.

Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially, one of Santa's helpers.Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk.Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going."

I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his door and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma.Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open.

Finally it did, and there stood Bobby.

Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes.That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were: ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team.

I still have the Bible, with the coat tag tucked inside: $19.95.May you always have LOVE to share, HEALTH to spare and FRIENDS that care...And may you always believe in the magic of Santa Claus!

Author Unknown

NOW, my friends...please share the joy. I know it's hard to "toot your own horn" so to speak, but have you ever done something for "Santa's Team?" Have you ever SEEN someone do something that was just SO cool you wanted to tell everyone...but, being on Santa's team, you couldn't tell - TILL NOW?!?

OR..
have you ever been the recipient of "Santa's Team" sneakin' up on your porch, like I have?

Now's your chance to share...please, leave a comment or share on your own blog and leave a link. Warm the hearts of your blogger buddies!

**PS..."Santa" means "Saint"... He and Jesus are buddies. Trust me on this. God bless all the "angels on this earth" who do wonderful things at the holidays in the name of Santa.