Wednesday's Random Dozen

It is Wednesday and that means it's time for another Random Dozen questions which is hosted by Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee! Just click on her blog title right back there and join us for some random fun!!!

1. How good are you at delaying gratification?
Fairly good. On a scale of 1-10, I would give myself a 6-7. As I've gotten older, I've learned more and more to apply Philippians 4:11...."for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."

2. Maybe a marshmallow wouldn't be too difficult a temptation for you. What food (or anything else) would be most tempting?
A nicely cooked steak or Pizza Crossing Pizza! Oh my!

3. On a scale of 1-10 (10 being saintly) how patient are you?
I would have to say 6-7.
Only now that I've said THAT, I'll probably be faced with crazy stuff today that will make me lose it! I suffered with a very painful disability for 4-5 years, was on a walker and eventually was unable to go out very much. I learned that alot of things that I thought were sooo important, weren't. And that so many things that I thought HAD to be done, didn't. I learned that everything didn't have to be done my way and that maybe there was actually a better way than MY way. There was. A few times. :-) Life went on and the earth kept turning. Now that I'm much better, I'm endeavoring to hold to and practice those valuable lessons that I learned.

4. Have you ever waited for something in life only to be disappointed upon realization of the goal/object/etc.?
Hmmmm......would you believe that this most often applies to eating out for me? :-)


5. Are you a person who takes shortcuts?
Oh yes! I especially learned to do this when I was disabled physically!



6. Which line is hardest to wait in?
The DMV, because the place is so bland and boring, though I usually find someone to talk to and the line at our church carry-in dinners or similar gathering where there is food, especially if I am really hungry! So, I most often get something to drink, sit down and visit with someone until the line is gone. :-)



7. Did you wait to discover the gender of your unborn child until its birth?
No, because that was 23 years ago and that was not available to us. I did his room in yellow and green! :-)



8. Are you more patient with children or the elderly?
I believe I am just as patient with one as I am with the other actually.



9. Did you ever sneak a peek at a present?
Oh, yes.....when I was just a little girl, my sister Debbie and I shared a double bed. My twin brother Johnny came into our room and woke me and Debbie and I up in the middle of the night. We tiptoed up the stairs and peeked up over the railing and there, in the big room that was the upstairs of our house, were toys!!! I remember specifically seeing a white wooden table and chairs! Oh, but we were so excited!!! We tiptoed back down the stairs and crawled into bed but I don't think we slept another wink!



10. What is the longest you've ever waited for anything?
Possibly, to get married to a wonderful, christian man. It was 11 years after giving my heart to the Lord, at age 23, that I met Ed and he was definitely worth the wait!!! :-)



11. Who has more patience, you or your significant other?
I asked my DH this question and he agrees with me.....it is a toss-up, because we are patient with different things and situations. That's our answer and we're sticking to it! :-)



12. Which of the following songs about waiting is your pick for the best? (OK, you may substitute another, if you like.)
A) Anticipation by Carly Simon
B) The Waiting by Tom Petty
C) Right Here Waiting for You by Richard Marx
D) Wait for Me by Rebecca St. James

Oh, definitely C! I love that song!!

What else? The grandbaby! :-)

Here is just the most adorable picture of our beautiful daughter-in-law, Erin, and little Jaylon all dressed up for church! As his MawMaw Pat said, "He looks like a little man but smells like a baby!" :-)
ANDDDDD.....he started walking yesterday!!! I was in the kitchen fixing coffee and Jaylon was standing at his little activity table playing when all of a sudden he let go of it and came toddling into the kitchen, his little arms stretched out and a big smile on his face, as he headed for his grandma....me!! My heart just about burst with love and excitement!! *tears* He is just about the most precious thing in the world!!!
He finally reached me, buried his little face in my skirt and giggled and bounced up and down. I scooped him up and gave him kisses and hugs. It was a precious, awesome moment!

I finally made it up to my brother and sister-in-law's to borrow the high chair that Daniel had used when he was a baby. I wanted to use it because the newer ones are so big and gangly and take up so much room. Their son, Jason, who is now close to 35, was the first to use it; then Daniel; and now Jaylon! AND it is still in very good condition. I love keeping and using things like this high chair through the generations. They have so much sentimental value.
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I've been cooking some new dishes this week, as I'm in the house alot and it has been so yucky outside.

I made Teriyaki Chicken on Monday. It was delicious!!! Here's the recipe:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 skinless boneless chicken thighs
Directions:
In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the cornstarch, cold water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and ground black pepper. Let simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and bubbles.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
Place chicken pieces in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Brush chicken with the sauce. Turn pieces over, and brush again.
(I baked the chicken on a foil-lined jelly roll pan to save on clean up and it worked fine. AND I just had to toss the aluminum foil when the chicken was done. No scrubbing or soaking a baking dish!)
Bake for 15-20 minutes then turn over, pour or brush the chicken with more sauce and bake for 15-20 more minutes.
I doubled the recipe for the sauce and it was just enough!
I served the chicken over stir fry vegetables mixed with fettucine. It was delicious!

On Wednesday, I fixed Spam (Treet) Casserole which I got from Barbara at Stray Thoughts.
I also nicknamed it "Heart Attack In A Skillet" LOL
I tweaked the recipe a little and came up with this:
1 can of Spam or Treet cut into small chunks and browned in a little margarine or butter
1 small onion chopped
Sautee the onion with the meat.
Add one can of cream of mushroom or chicken soup
Add one can of cheese soup or one half jar of cheese whiz
Add water until you get the consistency you like.
Add 1 package of cooked noodles.
I also added 8 ounces of frozen peas for some added color and taste.

This was absolutely delicious! BUT it's not something I am going to make very often for obvious reasons! :-0 Oh, but it is comfort food deluxe! AND you have to have bread and butter with it!!! :-)
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And one a final note:
What other country in the world comes to the aid of other countries in time of need and devastation, like the United States? And I'm not talking about just the government.
No, it's the people of this great country that I'm really speaking of.
Americans are the most compassionate and generous people in the world and I'm so proud to be an American. Other countries and their people can say what they want about us but we know who we are and that's what matters. And when tragedy and disaster strikes, we know in our hearts where the world turns.
Though our government may be much less than perfect (that's an understatement!), this country and it's citizens are second to none.
Yes, I'm proud to be an American. Especially in times like these.

Random Dozen Time!!

Linda, at 2nd Cup of Coffee, hosts Random Dozen every Wednesday, so go to her blog if you would like to join in the fun, meet some new people and share some things about yourself!

1. So I was thinking about how Jon Bon Jovi never seems to age much. His hair is smaller nowadays, but he still manages to look like a boy somehow. And then that made me think of the story of Dorian Gray. Question: If you physically lock in one age for yourself, which would you choose and why?
Hmmmm........you know, I think I'll just stay the age I am. I'm too tired to go back and I've worked to hard to get here. :-/ That's just how I'm feeling today. :-)
BUT, I have said.....on good days.....that I actually feel 35 on the inside. That is, until I get out of bed! LOL

2. What is the best dish that you cook or bake (your piece de resistance?)
Creole Vegetables and Smoked Sausage which can be found here!

3. When you feel blue, what is one strategy you use to help yourself back to normal?
Get out of the house, go some where, take a walk, visit a friend and go out to eat.
That isn't actually just ONE thing, but they are all kind of similar.

4. When was the last time you danced in public?
At my nephew Jason's wedding which was about three years ago, I believe.

5. Do you consider yourself a realist or dreamer?
A dreamer, though I do stay in touch with reality! :-)

6. As a parent, what is one thing that you have done well?
I helped to lead my son to the Lord and then to know the Lord and His
Word in a deeper way and more personal way.

"And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates." ~Deut. 6:6-9


7. Which is your favorite character on the Andy Griffith show?
Barney! He just makes the show!!! :-)

8. On a scale of 1-10, how much do you know about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.?
4

9. Have you never been mellow? Have you never tried … to find a comfort from in side you? (Sorry, Jorge was singing that song just now, and it just seemed to be perfect timing as I was creating this week’s questions.) REAL question: What is your #1 driving pet peeve?
Clutter and disarray.


10. Which color best represents your mood today? Care to elaborate?
Blue. I've just been a little melancholy this week for some reason. I think it is the lack of sunshine and blue skies and warm weather and green grass. *sigh*


11. If your spouse were an animal, which would he/she be?
Welllll.....I just read this question to my DH and I can't type what HE said, sooooo I'll stick to MY answer, which I can't think of right off the top of my head. :-)
Okayyy....I've REALLY given this some thought and I'd have to say a Labrador dog because he is so faithful and loyal and loving.
I also thought he's alot like an ant because he is such a hard worker. He is! I have such admiration for him, in this respect.
Sooo, that's my answer and I'm sticking to it!! :-)


12. What activity takes up the bulk of your time on an average day?
Picking up and straightening up; picking up and straightening up; picking up and straightening up.....you get the idea. :-)

Now I remember!

......a couple of the other things that I wanted to post about!
I took my sister Debbie to a doctor's appointment last Thursday. I also had Jaylon that day, so he went with us. Like he had a choice! :-) He is such a good little guy to take anywhere! He's just all smiles and so good-natured.
While Debbie was in with the doctor, Jaylon smiled and wooed those who were in the waiting room. :-) He was especially intrigued with one lady's wheelchair. He had been playing with the wheels on his stroller but was amazed at how big her wheels were. She told him that this was the natural life progression for some people......from the stroller to the wheelchair. It was touching to see Jaylon standing there holding onto her wheelchair, so precious.
When Debbie came out and we were preparing to leave, this sweet woman told us that it had made her day to have Jaylon come over and smile at her and spend some time with her and her wheelchair because she had been having some difficult days. Oh, and her husband had a long, untrimmed beard that Jaylon found intriguing, too, though he didn't go near it! :-)
When I have Jaylon out and about with me, I am still amazed at how a small child can brighten the day for so many people. It takes so little to brighten someone's day. I so want to make sure that I do just that, whether I have little Jaylon with me or not.
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Speaking of Jaylon.......I haven't seen the little guy since last Thursday! And I am missing him ALOT!! Erin is off work today, so I am hoping to get my hands on him at some point in the day!! :-)
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On our way home last Thursday, I drove through the CVS drive-through to pickup medicine for Debbie and when the window opened I was visually bombarded with more cleavage than a person should have to look at through a drive-through window! Oh my!!!
The young lady was sweet as could be, but did she have to display her gifts for everyone to see? AND she was bent over in order to talk to us sufficiently which didn't help to obstruct the view any. :-0 I've wondered if I should call and mention it to the manager but then I thought not because I seldom go to this particular store and so on.
I just don't understand the need to show cleavage. AND why mothers OR fathers would allow their daughters to leave the house dressed in such a manner. Which brings back the memory of me when I was a teenager and upon arriving at school, I would hurriedly go to the restroom and roll the waistband of my skirt up a couple of times to make it a little shorter, so I am well aware of the fact that parents do not always know EVERYTHING about their child's appearance when they are away from home! :-0
I guess I am just from the old school of thinking that if you are working with the public, while dressing fashionably, you should still dress modestly.
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One day last week, Jaylon was playing in the cupboard where I keep my tupperware bowls and such. He pulled out a cottage cheese container that I had washed and kept. He drug it into the living room and commenced to playing with it by putting the lid on and taking the lid off, putting the lid on and taking the lid off, putting the lid on and.....well, you get the idea. I was sitting on the sofa and he was at my feet and as enthralled and intent as he was in playing with this simple object, I was just as enthralled that he could sit there for close to thirty minutes and do this simple task over and over again and find it sooooooo interesting. Occasionally, he would pick up a block, put it in the container and shake it noisily, only to go back to "lid on, lid off, lid on, lid off". Amazing. And I love it that little ones still find the simplest of things so much fun!

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Some other tidbit that I had wanted to blog about faintly scurried through my thoughts awhile ago but, alas and alak!.....it has disappeared into the abyss! :-/ It may be retrieved at some point during the remainder of my afternoon and if so, I will make a NOTE of it!

Rainy Days and Mondays......

Okay, so it isn't Monday just yet, but it surely is a rainy day! AND a cold day! AND a dreary day! Well, you get the point.
This is the part of winter that I have a difficult time with. *sigh* BUT spring is only two months away, I keep telling myself!
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The outside Christmas decorations are almost all down and put away for another year. Finally.
There are still two wreaths hanging in the kitchen window and the bathroom window because I couldn't reach them and today it is raining too hard for us to get the ladder out and retrieve them. We still have the spiral trees to take down and the icicles lights around the carport.
In days gone by, this would have driven me crazy......having two wreaths up and the rest down, the spiral trees still up, etc.
Oh, but I've learned that life goes on and it doesn't really matter to anyone but me, AND they are outside where I don't have to look at them, so that is a plus! LOL We'll get them down in the next couple of days because Ed is off Monday and Tuesday.
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I've had to find a new brand of hosiery to wear. The brand I did buy started making the style that I like with a control top. I do not like control top pantyhose. Hello.
It has taken me quite a bit of looking and searching to find a new brand and style of hose that I like but I think I finally have. AND they have a control top. I cannot find a brand/style that I prefer that does not have a control top! Grrrrrrrrrr!
This is almost as traumatic as the time that Rave changed the formula for their hairspray a few years ago!!! I didn't think I would EVER find another brand of hairspray that I liked!!! I even wrote to Rave a few times to complain about the "new and improved" product they thought they had! AND the new fragance smelled like fish!!!!
Now I use Tresemme' 2 Gold and I love it but the price just keeps going up BUT rather than try to find a cheaper brand, I'll use the Tresemme' a bit more sparingly.
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I know that I had several small things that I wanted to post about but for the life of me, I can't remember what they were! I know, I know......I need to write them down! *sigh* That is the story of my life!
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One thing I've remembered that I do need to do is go take my Sunday afternoon nap before I run out of time!!! :-)
The End.

Random Dozen!

It Wednesday! That means it's time for Wednesday's Random Dozen Meme hosted by Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee! You can join the fun by clicking HERE!!

1. When was the last time you craved a food--what was it, and did you cave?

Would you believe yesterday? AND it was a Big Mac! Yes, a Big Mac! I cannot tell you the last time that I had one AND there is just NOTHING like a Big Mac. Sooooo, after Jaylon went home yesterday evening, I drove into town, purchased a value meal, came home and savored each and every bite! :-) It was delicious!

2. M & M's or Skittles?

Definitely M&M's and I prefer peanut, please! :-)

3. Have you ever read the Bible completely through?

Yes, I did last year -2009-for the first time!

4. How long does it take you to really wake up in the morning?
Just a very few minutes actually. I am one of those morning people! You know.....who sings and talks and all of that upon waking, though not in an annoyingly noisy way. I'm kind of quiet about it all, out of consideration for those around me. :-)


5. Have you ever been on a cruise? If not, would you like to?
No, I've never been but I think I would like to go on one.

6. Who is your favorite actress?
Hmmmm......I don't know that I have one favorite actress and if I start naming who I do like then I'll probably end up not naming some that I REALLY like! BUT, to name a few, Glenn Close, Meryl Streep, Judy Dench, Susan Sarandon, ......that's really all I can think of at the moment.

7. ______ is something that I will just never understand.
How anyone can/could abuse a baby or a child or kill their child/children. Never. Ever.

8. How much of a technology junkie are you?
Oh, I'm not much of one at all. I have my desktop here and a very basic cellphone. That's it for me!

9. Do you enjoy selecting greeting cards for people, or is it more of a cultural "have to" for you?
When I shop for cards to send to people, I do enjoy reading the cards to the point that I have to be careful that I don't take too much time browsing! :-) (I'm that person you see standing there laughing while looking at cards!)

10. When was the last time you got a new style/haircut?
Oh my......it has been awhile since I've done either. My hair hasn't been cut for many, many years and while I haven't completely changed my hairstyle, I do alter it a bit now and again.

11. What do you enjoy shopping for most?
Nothing. I do not like to shop. At all. Although, online shopping has made it a bit more bearable.....IF I have to.

12. What's the last thing you think of before you leave the house?
Is everything turned off? Do I have my car keys? Lord, please go with me/us and grant us a safe trip.

It's Monday

It's all a blur......

You know, with the Christmas and New Year holiday weekends and now this crazy past week of school delays, early dismissals and cancellations, I don't know which end is up! OR what day it is!! Or on which day I did what!
Is anyone ELSE as confused as I am?!?!?! LOL
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I'm thinking that it was on Friday (don't quote me on this!) that my friend Pam and I went to LJ's Coffee Shop for a late breakfast, as she didn't have school that day. I wasn't really hungry but thought I'd go have coffee with her at least, where we could catch up after not seeing much of eachother during the holidays. Well, upon looking at menu, I saw that they had mush. I loooove mush but haven' t had it for years, so I ordered some.
The waitress brought me this platter with three huge pieces of mush on it, butter and warm syrup.
The only problem was that it didn't look like any mush I had ever had.
BUT I thought I'd give it a try. It was hard or should I say "crusty" on the outside and mushy on the inside. Now I like my mush just a tad crusty on the outside but this stuff was HARD.
I tried everything to make it good. Slathered it with butter. Drenched it with syrup. Why, I even sprinkled some salt on it. Then a little sugar. Nothing. Not the slightest smidgen of improvement.
Soooooo, after I had hacked my way through eaten most of the first piece, I just pushed aside the rest of it and enjoyed my coffee, which was stronger than I like BUT, in spite of all of THAT, I was in good company and Pam and I had a great time of catching up! :-) So, all was not lost.
(Oh, the ice water was really refreshing. I'm just sayin'....)
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Yesterday, Erin called and wanted to know if I wanted to go thrift-shopping at Volunteers of America with her and I said sure! Ed said he would watch Jaylon while we went!
Would you believe that I found an Izod flannel shirt and a Ralph Lauren flannel shirt for Ed? They were like new and I got them both for under $5!!!
We then swung by and picked up my sister Debbie who was suffering from cabin fever (okay, it was actually really-small-apartment-on-the-fifth-floor-of-a-highrise-fever) and headed for The Old Dutch restaurant for lunch. It was Erin's pick. They have a buffet that she really likes.
BUT, I'm sorry to say that the noodles and salad were the only things worth sinking your teeth into.
Now this is supposed to be one of THE best restaurants in the area, folks! And I know that it is January and business is slow but that is no excuse for the quality of the food that we had yesterday! BUT we took it in stride. (Oh, but I've taken alot of bad food in stride the past few days!)
The broasted chicken was dry and tasted like it had been cooked in old oil. The green beans and other vegetables were just bland.
Oh, but the real killer was the cake that came with the buffet?!
They brought it out to you when they saw that you were finished with the main part of your meal. If it had been any smaller, we would have needed a magnifying glass just to see it AND it was terrible! White, crumbly cake with a thin layer of the yuckiest tasting chocolate icing I've ever had!
BUT...would you believe that we were able to laugh about all of it??
It started with me saying something about being able to bake a better cake than that with one hand tied behind my back, with both eyes closed and it digressed from there. Somebody said something about standing on one leg.......:-)
Somehow....only the Lord knows......we had the best time and about laughed ourselves silly over it all! Soooo...in spite of the bad food, we left feeling better and having had a wonderful laugh!
And, yes, we left a generous tip, in spite of all the badness!
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Last night, Ed and I just spent a cozy evening here at home watching episodes of Law and Order that I had DVR'd.
We had never watched Law and Order until New Year's weekend when USA had a L&A marathon. So, I thought I'd just record a few and see what they were like.
OKAYYYYY!!! We've found our new favorite show! :-)
But a couple of things I've noticed! There isn't much humor in these shows. No inter-personal relationships going on in the workplace. And these people do not eat or drink on the job! They are all business!!! We prefer the ones with Vincent D'Onofrio in them but they are all good. We just like his character. He's quirky.
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This morning, I've accomplished some things that I've been meaning to do for a long time but have just put off for whatever reason: mending a shirt for Ed, sewing a pair of slacks for Daniel, de-pilling two throw pillows that I have on the sofa, chopping and freezing three bags of cooking onions that were given to me (I shed a tear or two over those!), de-hairing a comforter that I had let Ellie use for a bed during last summer and washing it and putting it away.
I also fixed breakfast and lunch for me and Ed and did my friend Pat's hair before coming here to the computer.
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Now, I am going to go in and finish tidying up the kitchen, whereafter I am hoping to dust and reorganize the bookcase that sits here beside of my computer desk. Oh, but I have put THIS job off for months! Here's hoping I can get this done today! *fingers crossed*
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And I close this post with, yes, you guessed it....a picture of the boy! :-) Okay, make that TWO pictures of the boy! :-) (You know how we grandmas can be!!! We can't just take ONE picture!)

Yummy Chicken Bites!!

My nephew and his sweet wife brought THE most scrumptious chicken/bacon wraps to our Christmas family get-together! They were gone in 60 seconds! (where have I heard THAT before?)
So, I asked for the recipe and fixed them a few nights later. I had just finished them when Daniel and Erin arrived to get little Jaylon. Let me tell ya.....they went fast!!! *whoosh*
They are soooo delicious! They are our new favorite food! :-) That is, until the next one comes along!
ANDDDD, noooooo....I didn't take a picture of them! THAT is one of my new year's resolutions: To take pictures of the food that I fix!
Here is the recipe:

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chili powder

6-8 boneless chicken breasts

1 pound of bacon, slices cut in half
Combine the sugar and chili powder thoroughly.

Cut the chicken into nice chunks that can be wrapped in a half slice of bacon. After you've wrapped each chunk of chicken with bacon, roll it in the brownsugar/chili powder blend, secure the bacon with a toothpick and place on a broiler pan or baking sheet.

You will have alot of these so you will need at least two baking sheets or you can bake them in batches.

My nephew said that they baked theirs on a broiler pan so the fat would drain off as they cooked.

I did not have a broiler pan, so I baked mine on a foil lined baking sheet, then placed them on paper towels in a 9X13 dish to drain.

I baked them for 15-20 minutes.

I had some chicken chunks left after I had used all of the bacon, so I just rolled them in the seasoning mixture and baked them. They were scrumptious even without the bacon!! Just ask Erin, as she does not care for bacon.

When I made these I only had 4 chicken breasts on hand. I had alot of the seasoning left over, so I kind of figured that you would need 6-8 breasts, at least, to use all of the seasoning given in this recipe. You could cut down on the measurements for the seasoning if you didn't want to make so many.

They are worth the effort, let me tell ya!! :-)

Let me know if you fix them and what you think of them!!!

Bon Apetit'!

We have a problem....

....okay, I apparently have the problem....with the comments on my blog. Barbara was kind enough to email and let me know that she has not been able to comment on my blog. I wondered why I hadn't been getting any comments!! Especially on my Ohio State Football Buckeyes post!! :-) I mean, I know two ALL of you care about their Rose Bowl victory, don't you?!?!?! :-)

Sooo, if you been by to visit, read and comment, please....come back!! Leave a comment!! ( i am so pathetic...)
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It has been snowing here most of the afternoon and it is beautiful! Our county is on a level 2 snow emergency and school has been canceled for tomorrow.



Oh, and speaking of school being canceled: Ed is a private transporter for our school district, so is school is canceled or delayed, we get an early morning call letting him know what it is going on.
Sooooo, this morning the phone rings shortly before five, with a message telling him that school will be dismissed one hour early today.
We thought that was a bit unusual because early dismissal has always been two hours.

At about ten minutes past six, I turned on the local news and weather only to see in the announcements running across the bottom of the screen that our district is on a two early dismissal schedule. What????

Sooooooo, I call the school transportation dept. number only to get a recording that says, "All Logan-Hocking Schools are on a regular schedule today."

Helllloooooo!!!!! Does ANYONE know what is going on in this district??

I pressed "0" and spoke with the transportation secretary who said that the phone announcements were incorrect and that we were on schedule for a two hour early dismissal.

Finally, someone had the correct information! I just couldn't believe that so much misinformation had been put out there when thousands of parents and students were needing to know what was going on. Thankfully, it all got straightened out eventually.
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Jaylon has had a bit of a cold this week with a stuffy nose and all. Thankfully, he hasn't had a fever. He is such a good little guy even when he doesn't feel the greatest.

He watches his daddy play drums at church and it is looking like Jaylon just may be following in his daddy's footsteps. :-)
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Well, I am going to take myself off to bed on this snowy winter's night. Goodnight to all!

Rose Bowl Victors!!!

I can't believe that I forgot to mention that the Ohio State Buckeye football team WON the Rose Bowl!!! How awesome is THAT???? Oh, but did we ever shut the naysayers UP!!! BOOYAHHHH!!! .....okay, I'm done. :-)

Random Dozen Time!! :-)

Linda, at 2nd Cup of Coffee, hosts a Random Dozen each Wednesday and here it is Wednesday already! AND the first Wednesday and Random Dozen of 2010! We'd love to have you join in the fun. Just click on Linda's blog link up above!!
Here's my offering for the week!!

1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being a cranky-baby-hissy-fitter, how much of a complainer are you?
Welllll.....if you ask me....and you have :-)........I would say 2. Honestly, I just don't complain very much. BUT if you asked my husband.....and you haven't and he doesn't blog.....he would say....hey, wait just a minute! I'll ask him!
Yayyyyyy.....he said a "3"!!!!! See? I told you I wasn't much of a complainer! What a guy! :-)

2. When someone else is talking, do you listen, or are you thinking about what you're going to say in response?
I used to be a distracted listener but I've really worked to discipline myself to LISTEN! It hasn't been easy, especially because I can be a talker! I just told myself to stop and consider how I would feel if I wasn't being listened to. This doesn't mean that every one that I talk to now is REALLY listening to me but I do think people are more apt to engage in conversation with you AND to listen to you IF they see that you are REALLY listening to them. It does work. "Do unto others....."


3. I just deleted 1062 messages from my email account. Do you have any plans for a clean sweep this month--of anything?
Perhaps not a "clean" sweep but we are definitely "redding" out here and there! Where does all of this stuff come from anyway!?

And now, here are some brilliant questions from a gal named Angie at Angie's Ad Lib who graciously offered to let me borrow her brain. Please go over and see Angie because it was so nice of her to help me out. Thank you so much, Angie!

4. Tell us about your perfume. Was it a gift? What does it remind you of? Do you have a signature scent?
I don't have a perfume, per se, but I do wear White Gardenia lotion from Bath and Body Works. I like the softer scent of the lotion.
YEARS ago, I wore Jungle Gardenia by Tuvache'. Oh, but I loved it! A lady that I worked with wore it one day and I was mesmerized by it. I just had to have it! I received so many compliments when wearing Jungle Gardenia. After wearing it for a few years, they discontinued it! I was devastated!! I mean, it was MY scent!
For a few years I just wore this and that, unable to find anything that really did it for me, sometimes not wearing anything, until I found the B&B Works lotion.
AND THEN they quit making the White Gardenia. Can you believe it?!?! BUT I happened to find some little dollar bottles of it during one of there semi-annual sales and I bought ten of them!!! Here's hoping I can continue to find it here and there! :-)

5. What is your best organizing tip for the new year?
If you haven't used it or worn it in the past six months, get rid of it! The chances of you using it or wearing it are practically nil! I read or heard this somewhere and it is true!!!


6. What is your favorite comic strip?
I don't read any comics.

7. Do you sleep with a fluffy or flat pillow?
In between. Seriously. I love my pillow.

8. What color is your kitchen? Why did you choose that color?
Green with touches of purple because I find it to be soothing.

9. What’s the most interesting bumper sticker you’ve seen?
"Honk if.....you see parts falling off." :-)

10. Do you prefer an expensive writing tool or whatever is lying around? (Are you a Montblanc or a Papermate?)
I am definitely a Papermate! :-)

11. What chore doesn’t feel like a chore – you just enjoy it (at least most of the time)?
Making my bed. We hardly bother the covers when we sleep and most mornings when I am making my bed, I am talking to it in my mind, saying, "Oh, but I can't wait until we meet again in about 14 hours. *sigh* ", as I smooth the comforter and fluff the pillows. *sigh*

12. If your parents often repeated themselves, what is something one of them said more than once?
"Jewel, you'd better get up. You're going to be late." *groan*

Artery-clogging, sin-in-a-pan cake!! :-)

Okay....it's really called Gooey Butter Cake, which doesn't sound a whole lot better, but is it EVER delicious!! Oh my!!!
My girlfriend Pam brought it to our ladies' Christmas Party at church last month and it was to die for! And it is so simple to make!
Here is the recipe which I actually found on the back of a package of cream cheese:
Gooey Butter Cake
1 box of yellow cake mix without pudding
1 stick of butter melted
1 egg
1 8oz. package of cream cheese softened
2 eggs
1 16oz. box of powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350.
Mix together cake mix, butter and 1 egg until thick and smooth. Press into a 9X13 baking dish or pan. Mix together softened cream cheese, 2 eggs and powdered sugar until thoroughly mixed and pour onto cake mixture. Bake at 350degrees for 30-35 minutes. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar. Cut into squares and enjoy!!!
A calorie or fat gram count per serving was not given. (Is it any wonder? :-0)
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Okayyyy, I've decided the outside decorations can stay up till Easter if necessary because I'm not taking them down in this weather and these temps! Brrrrrrrrrrrrr!!! It is COLD!!! I know it's winter but these temps are below normal. Windchills below zero and all. The one enjoyable thing is the resulting snow. I just love a covering of snow on the ground in the winter. It makes the bare trees and lack of green so much more bearable.
AND remember how I said that we leave our outside Christmas lights on all day on New Year's Day? Well, ours developed a short of some kind on New Year's Eve so it was ixnay on the ightslay on New Year's Day and life went on. :-)
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My siblings and our spouses gathered together for our annual New Year's Eve day lunch date Thursday afternoon at 2pm at Millstone BBQ. We had the best time ever, just talking, eating and enjoying eachother's company. We started this tradition after our mother passed away in 1999 and have met each year since. I always look forward to our gathering together after the busyness of Christmas, just to relax, enjoy a good meal together, converse and share the blessings of the Lord in our lives.
AND you have to know my family and that we always share our food. Meaning, we always get appetizers and pass them around and if someone has something that we've not had before, we always share a bite or six. We do enjoy eating! :-)
AND, even though we were together on New Year's Eve Day, we still called eachother the next day to wish eachother a happy and blessed New Year!
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Ed and I were asleep as the entering in of the new year came and went! :-) Snug in our bed as the temperature plummeted and snow fell outside! :-)
Upon rising the next morning, I liberally seasoned some plump country ribs and put them in the oven to bake. When they were done, I put them in a dutch oven and added some pungent sauerkraut to them and let them simmer while I peeled potatoes for rich, buttery mashed potatoes! I also baked light/yeast rolls. We had a delicious New Year's Day dinner!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We've slept in for the past three mornings until 7:30-8ish, which is REALLY late for us as we are usually up at 5:30 because Jaylon arrives at 6:30 each morning. It has been nice to just lay in bed, for a change.
But I do miss the little guy and can't wait to see him, hopefully, tomorrow! Erin said that he's taken a shaky step or three in the past couple of days! :-)
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ANDDDD.....may we have a drumroll please?.......I read my Bible through this past year!!! Yayyyyy for me!! It is the first and, more than likely, the last time that I will do this! I mean, I read and study my Bible and I did want to be able to tell the Lord one day when I see Him that I had read EVERY word that He provided for me, BUT the likelihood of me doing so again? Welllllll......I can't say that it's gonna happen,k?
I much prefer studying passages and particular books, topics, and such. I glean much more from it.
BUT, I am so glad that I've read it through at least one time!
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That is all for tonight!
Hope you are enjoying the first days of the new year!!

2009's last Random Dozen!!!

Linda, at 2nd Cup of Coffee, hosts a Random Dozen every Wednesday and this is the last one for 2009! If you'd like to join in, just hop on over to her blog and do it!!!



1. Do you find it gross to share drinks with family? Friends?
With Ed, my husband or Daniel, my son, no. Anyone else? Yes.

2. What have you learned this year? (You didn’t see a question of that weight coming, did you? At least not for #2.)
I've learned how absolutely wonderful it is being a grandma! I could never understand what these grandparents were going on and on about, loving these little munchkins so much. NOW I know! There are no words to describe it. You have to experience it...at least I have had to..... to really know and understand what it is to have grandchildren.
Here's the thing: My sisters could be on their last leg but let one of the grandchildren want to come over or spend the night and they just about NEVER say no. I couldn't understand where they got this sudden infusion of energy or whatever it is. But now? Jaylon can be gone for an hour.....I'm serious......and Daniel and Erin can call and say, "Hey, would you all mind watching Jaylon while we go in town for a little while?" And, even though I may be tired or he's given me a run for my money that day, I'm just as excited to see him when they bring him over as I was that morning. *shaking my head* I don't understand it but I love it!!! :-)

3. When do you dismantle the Christmas decorations?
The inside decorations come down shortly after Christmas Day. This year, they are down already. The outside decorations stay up until New Year's Day when we burn the lights all day long, as do our neighbors who have decorations still up. It has become a sort of tradition up and down our little country road and I love it!!

4. Something you wish to accomplish before the end of 2009 is:
Reading my Bible through! And I am going to do it!!! Yayyyyy!!!

5. How do you feel about winter (after Christmas)?
Well, it can be a pretty difficult time after awhile, especially if the weather is gloomy and miserable BUT one thing that has helped me to kind of come to terms with winter weather is something my boss at the library told me a few years ago. I had asked him if he found winter difficult because he is an outside kind of guy. He told me that he looks at winter as a time of rest, repose and reflection. He expounded on it a bit more and I really thought about what he said, took it to heart and have since learned to appreciate these few months of winter more.
Still, that being said, the dreariness and starkness can get to me at times. Hey, I'm human! :-)
Oh, and having snow on the ground and sunshine once in a while helps tremendously!!! :-)

6. Have you participated in after-Christmas sales?
Would you believe for the first time in our married life (almost 23 years) that we did???? We just went to Wally World and it wasn't very crowded. We needed new garland for our front porch and we got the last four bundles of deluxe pine garland at half price!!! And we bought two storage bins! So it was really worth the trip!!

7. Do you have plans for New Year’s Eve?
No. I used to feel that we had to be doing SOMETHING, going SOMEWHERE, being with SOMEONE but as I've gotten older, I've discovered that it is just as wonderful to just be home with my husband, snuggled in bed, reading a good book and wishing eachother a Happy New Year before we go to sleep, which is almost ALWAYS before midnight! :-)

8. Is there anything special awaiting you in January?
Hmmmm.....not that I can think of. Daniel will be 23 on Jan. 3. My baby!!!! LOL That's all that I can think of!!

9. If your life this year was a movie, what category or genre would it be? (Romance, Comedy, Drama, Thriller, Suspense, Farcical, etc.)
Well, my life might very well have contained a little of each, more of some, less of others. So, that's my final answer!! :-)

10. How much time per day do you spend blogging? Please do not lie. I will know.
I'm thinking two hours, three at the most, when I am on the computer. Some days I don't even turn the computer on. Or some days, I just check email or read blogs. I just don't have the time to be on the computer, like I used to, now that we're taking care of little Jaylon. I do want to do better at posting on my blog because I think of it as my journal of sorts. That's my first resolution!!!

11. Who runs your household?
Well, Ed and I both have things that we do, so I would have to say that we both run our household. It is such a partnership and through the years, we've eased into a pattern of doing things and taking care of responsibilities that just works wonderfully for us!! :-)

12. Share one hope/dream for 2010.
Okay, off the top of my head, I'm wanting to say: "World Peace." You know, like Miss America or Miss Universe! LOL
BUT, on the serious side, I want to be anchored to the Lord as never before and grounded in His word. I want to be a light in this world of His grace and mercy for He is coming soon and I have so many loved ones and friends who need to be saved!

We have begun!

Hi everyone! Well, Christmas DAY is over but the Spirit of Christmas should last all year! Because He is the same yesterday, today and forever!!!

We started yesterday in cleaning out our big walk-in closet/pantry which used to be Daniel's closet. We are almost finished in there.

After doing that, we moved out to the big storage room which is attached to the garage. We call it the "pool room" because Ed built it specifically for Daniel AND it did have a pool table in it at one time! BUT after Daniel got married we moved the pool table out to the youth activities room at church and started using the room for additional storage.

My, but we did have some wonderful family times in that pool room. *sigh* And while I do treasure the memories so, I do miss those days and times.

Anywayyyy......during the years, which amounted to 5 or 6, in which I was unable to get around very well, things just got shoved and thrown into this storage room. We keep our recycle bins in there. When Daniel and Erin moved here beside of us, they put alot of their things in there. Ed has kind of tossed things in there helter/skelter over the years, so you can imagine the disarray.

Well, amazingly, I started in the corner just inside the door to the left and began sorting and uncluttering and sweeping as I went. In about an hour and a half, I had made ALOT of progress. Now we just have to contact our neighbor who runs a trash/refuse business and have him come by Tuesday to get all of the junk we no longer need or want. And I have to have Erin come over and tell me what to do with some of their stuff.

What an accomplishment it is to have that room finally decluttered and organized! Yayyyy!!!

The next area to be organized and decluttered is my hall closet! AND I am showing no mercy!!! :-)

Daniel, Erin, and little Jaylon came over Christmas Eve and we exchanged gifts and spent some precious time together. Here is Jaylon with one of his books that we got him and a little bead/maze toy.

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Ed and I spent a rather quiet Christmas Day together. Of course, in the morning, as usual, I talked to each of my siblings on the phone. :-) I just love them all so much! My oldest brother and his family went to Myrtle Beach for the holidays! It sounded like they were having great time and he said everyone, if they are able to, should do Christmas at Myrtle Beach or somewhere simlar at least once! I dropped a heavy hint to Ed!! :-)

I fixed a delicious breakfast casserole for us in the morning and later that day put a roast in the crockpot.

We went to see my sister Debbie later in the day where we had a wonderful. Though my siblings and I don't exchange gifts, I've always given Debbie a gift of some sort at Christmas. It is almost always something that she has told me that she needs. This year it was a duster. Actually, two dusters. You know....the kind that you wear around the house. A lightweight, usually cotton, housecoat.

Well, Ed started teasing her and telling her things like: "I can't believe you spent good money on those things just to dust the furniture with them!" or "How do you dust the furniture with those?" I egged Debbie on and told her to come up with a good comeback for him because he teases her unmercifully! To which she replied, "I just put one on, spin like a top, and go through this place like a white tornado!" That was pretttyyyy good!

Which leads me to ask, "Why do they call them dusters?" Does anyone know?

Yesterday, the day after Christmas, we did something we've never done! We went shopping! Yes, we went to Walmart in the morning, around ten-ish.

I think what prompted us to do this was the fact that my girlfriend Tina stopped by early that morning to give me a Christmas gift as she was on her way into Walmart to it the sales! Soooo, Ed and I thought we would venture out, too!

It wasn't nearly as crowded as we thought it would be and we got the last 4 bundles of deluxe pine garland for half price!!! Yayyyyy!! AND we got two storage bins and a couple of other unnecessary useful items. :-)
We came home and I made two cheeseballs for my girlfriend Pat and her husband. They came down a while later and I did her hair.

After that, we just relaxed until starting on the closet and storage room.

Then we freshened up a little and took off to see the Christmas lights in the area.

All in all, it has been a very relaxing and enjoyable holiday weekend!

And tomorrow, Jaylon will be here bright and early!

Here is another picture of him enjoying his birthday cake!! :-) (The boy loves sweets!)

Jaylon's first birthday!

Bring on the cake! :-)



And so we did! :-)

Good Monday Morning, World!

We have snow! For Christmas! Yayyyy! And we don't have too much.....like so many on the east coast...yet, we have enough to make it feel and look so Christmasy! Above is a picture of our home that I took on Sunday morning, yesterday, as we were going to church!

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It has been a busy weekend and past few days! Wow. Friday evening, we went shopping for our weekly groceries and then came home and waited for the snow! Oh, how I was hoping we would get some, because we were right on the line on "getting or not getting" very much snow.

Happily, we awoke Saturday morning to a covering and it continued to snow throughout the morning. Our Sunday School Christmas Program practice was canceled but our family Christmas gathering later in the day was not, thankfully.

We all gathered at the church in the afternoon and enjoyed a delicious variety of food and a great time of just being together! Only one nephew and his family was unable to be there! And my three nephews, who are truckdrivers, all made it home safely before the snow hit! One of my nephews said he had alot of fellow-drivers who were stuck in the mountains in New York and other points east.

Erin's mother and two friends took The Funbus (a local tour company) on an overnighter to do some Christmas shopping and I still don't know if they've made it home or not. Hopefully, they have!

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Gotta go...the boy is after the kitty!!! He's on the move!!! LOL Be back later hoperfully!

Monday randomness!

Don't you just love the fact that they (whoever "they" is/are *grin*) have made HTML and tweaking your blog soooo much easier??? I am!!!! I had mosied on over to Barbara's blog and saw that she had snow falling! Yes, snow! Wellllll, I wanted some. (said in a whiney little-kid voice.) LOL Soooooo, I googled "how do I put snow on my blog" and, alas and alack! there it was! AND it is so simple! AND now I have snow falling on my blog!!! Yayyyyy!! You can find other neat things at Jill's blog!

(Yessss.....I knowww......it doesn't take much to entertain me!)
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AND if you'd like to see some Redneck Christmas lights, head on over to Sir's blog HERE! :-)

Barbara has some Christmas funnies that I really enjoyed! Thank you, Barbara! AND Ivman has a great post on Christmas decorations HERE!
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Here is a picture of Ellie the cat of the house sitting in the window watching me as I took pictures of our front porch the other night! :-)

Here it is...Sunday already! Yesterday...Saturaday....was truly a day off for me! It has been such a busy week! AND my internet access has been sketchy because our phone line needed repaired outside but Ed got it fixed yesterday morning! In the frigidly cold morning air!!! :-)

Sooo, that is one reason why I have not posted or commented on blogs the last few days!

BUT on the positive side, I sat at my computer last night...Friday night..... and got all of my pictures organized into folders!!! *whew* That WAS an accomplishment!!! AND an enjoyable one, I might add!
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Soooo....to recap my week:

Tuesday evening, my sister Debbie and I went to our church's ladies' Christmas party. I took a delicious Peanut Butter Apple Trifle that I DIDN'T get a picture of!! I wish I could be more like Barbara or Mrs. NurseBoy who always post pictures of everything! (Do you two have your cameras surgically attached to your hands or sumthin'? *smile*)

I had wanted to fix a Christmasy looking trifle but couldn't find the recipe I had wanted to use and couldn't come up with anything off the top of my head BUT wouldn't you know....I found the recipe for the Christmas trifle AFTER I had finished the Peanut Butter Apple one! *sigh*

I also took Potato Soup which was delicious on such a rainy, cold evening. I really just wanted to stay home...inside and warm....but I'm so glad that we went. We had a great time with the ladies.

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Thursday evening, Erin and I joined in with my sisters, nieces, great-nieces, and a few random great-nephews thrown into the mix....*grin*.....for a cookie exchange! We had a ball!!! And did we ever have the cookies!! I brought Ed home a plethora of cookies! (To THAT he would say, "You brought me a bunch of different kinds, too! LOL) You should have seen how his face lit up!!! :-) He loooooves cookies!!

Our sister-in-law Sandy brought a big cooker of homemade vegetable soup and I made sloppyjoes and we had sherbet punch....my fave!!! :-) We had a blessed time but, alas, no pictures! AND I DID have my camera with me! But I was too busy to be taking pictures! You know.....hogging down munching on cookies, slurping up eating vegetable soup, guzzling sipping punch! :-)
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Both nights I was soooooo worn out, aching, back hurting...so much so that I just had to force myself to go but both times I was so glad that I did. I just love being around people and I love this most wonderful time of the year!

This week our Christmas banquet at church is Tuesday evening at Lee's Banquet Haus. And our annual Peters' Family Get-together is Saturday at 3pm at the church in the fellowship hall. I am roasting a turkey and making rolls for our get-together. AND I'm in charge of our annual game of family/Christmas bingo which everyone loves!! :-)
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I finally got to watch the movie "Julie and Julia" last night. We don't watch alot of movies but when we do we have been getting them from the Red Box dispenser at Walmart. Kroger's also has one. It is so nice to be able to pay $1 for a movie for one day. We quit renting them when the video stores started charging for five days. I mean, who wants to watch a movie for five days? Hello. Also, our local library has a great selection of old and new movies and we like to get movies there, too, though they are sometimes hard to get.
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Little Jaylon is growing by leaps and bounds!!! He is just about ready to walk! :-) He will be a year old the 22nd of this month! He calls most everything "Gog" which we thinks means "Dog". Ellie, the cat, will take off through the house and Jaylon will start saying "Gog....Gog...." I told him that Ellie would be so mortified if she knew that she was being called a "Dog". :-)

Here is a picture of the boy with which I will end this post before it gets too terribly long! :-) For some reason, he loves playing with his grandpa's belt! :-)



But WAIT! There's more! (Where have I heard THAT before? LOL) Here's a picture of our front porch decorated for Christmas!

Random Dozen!!

Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee hosts a weekly Random Dozen meme at her blog! If you'd like to join us in the fun, just hop on over to her blog and go to it!!! :-)

1. Which physical trait do you now accept--maybe not love, but accept--and no longer feel extremely self-conscious about?

Would you believe my hands? Yep. You see, I have fairly big hands. Also, the veins in my hands are huge and "bulgey", a phlebotomist's paradise!!! :-) My nails have not always been very nice either, though now that I take supplements and vitamins for bone and joint health, they are really nice! :-)

But I have learned to love my hands, to appreciate them, for they give out so much love and care to those around me and they help me to care for me. :-) They enable me to play the piano and express myself musically and to be a blessing to others musically.

2. This week Meredith Baxter Birney, best known as the mom on the favorite 80s sitcom "Family Ties" came out of the closet, which led me to formulate this question: Who do you think is/was the best TV mom?

Hmmmm.....I've really had to think about this one and I would have to say Claire Huxtable *sp*. She was/is just so classy AND a good mom!

3. Do you speak any foreign languages? Are there any you'd like to learn?

No, I do not speak any foreign languages, though sometimes my DH husband gives me this puzzled look after I've said something, making me wonder if I did just say something "foreign" sounding. (I think it's a man/woman thing. *grin*) BUT I would love to be able to speak Spanish and French. At this stage of life, though, I have to be honest and say that I just don't believe that I have the dedication that it would take to learn another language. *sigh*

4. Who is your personal hero?

My sister, Debbie. She has been through so much; has lost everything and built her life all over again from nothing; raised three wonderful children almost single-handedly. She is now the best "Nanny" her grandchildren could ask for and "Aunt Debbie" that her nieces and nephews could want! She is simply amazing and she is my hero!

5. What is one holiday food that you find extremely difficult to resist over- indulging in?

Would you believe any kind of meat? Be it ham or turkey or meatballs or the meat on a deli tray. Jody made the most scrumptious meatballs for our ladies' Christmas party at church last night! They were to die for! And our pastor's wife made a dip/spread that was mostly chicken. You put it on crackers. Oh my! I am such a carnivore!!!

6. Tell me about a Christmas decoration that has special meaning or sentimental value.

I don't know that I have just one because, you see, through the years, as Daniel was growing up, we collected ornaments that he made or received at school, from relatives, in our homeschool group and those are very special to me.

7. How do you feel about snow?

I love snow! If we are going to have winter and it is going to be cold and overcast, then let there at least be snow on the ground to make everything look beautiful, pristine and wintery!!!

8. On average, how many hours of sleep do you get each night? Not that I'm jealous of any number over three or anything.

In all honesty, I usually get about 7 hours of sleep each night. I just have to and I've learned this the hard way.

Oh, when I was younger....as in my 20's and early 30's....sleep was not important to me and I went around soooo sleep-deprived most of the time.

THEN, after I got married and little Daniel came along, I REALLY learned what it meant to be sleep-deprived! I worked full-time, was very involved at church and had my home, husband and little baby to care for. When I just couldn't push myself anymore, I would sign up for a day's vacation, not tell anyone, get Ed off to work, take Daniel to his Aunt Sandy's (his care-giver) and I would go back home and sleep all day.

9. Tell me about your first crush.

Oh my, do you really want to know?

Okay.....I was in the 7th grade. I lived in the country and our school was in a small village called Union Furnace. There were 21 kids in my class. 10 girls/11boys. Nothing too exciting here.

UNTIL this year. *sigh*

All 21 of us had gone to school together for these 7 years. Oh, maybe an occasional new kid here and there. But, more often than not, it was the same classmates, year after year.

UNTIL this year.

In he walked...and rather noisily, I might add. He had on these shoes with heels. You know, like the Beatles wore. Wow. AND he wore "slacks", not jeans. Wow. And nice shirts. *sigh* He combed his hair straight back and it was a little wavy, not parted on the side or a flat-top or a burr haircut like the rest of the boys in our class. Wow.

He was so cool. He was from the city. His family had moved that summer to SE Ohio. Appalachia. Wow.

AND he was assigned the seat RIGHT BEHIND me! Wow.

I was so totally smitten. I was a goner. Over. Done with.

AND he was so polite. Polite? Wow. He held the door for girls. Let them go first. Was rather soft-spoken. *sighhh*

I'll save you alot of gorey details and just tell you that I did want to be his girlfriend and that didn't work out, BUT we did become really great friends and in my estimation, that was even better. AND I survived that first tumultuous crush without any lasting emotional scars. Thank you, Lord!

10. You're stuck in a room for 2 hours with only a chalkboard and chalk. What will you write/draw?

Hmmmm....... in all honesty? I'd get bored PRETTY quickly and probably just try to relax and catch up on some rest (see # 8 above). :-)

11. Do you dress for the current temp or for the day's forecast?

For the day's forecast! :-)

12. Favorite Christmas movie is?

I have to pick just one??

I would have to say the newer version of "Miracle on 34th Street" with "Elf" running a close 2nd. Then it would have to be the newer version of "Little Women" with Susan Sarandon in it, coming in 3rd. (Yesss....Little Women has a Christmas scene in it!! )

More randomness

Sooooo.....last Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, my friend Pam and I went out for lunch at Jack's Steakhouse where every Friday they have a lunch special for $4.95 which consists of a killer fishtail sandwich (it's huge!), steakfries, cole slaw and dessert. Yes, you read that correctly! You get all of that for the amazing price of $4.95! I love it!!
Afterwards, we went to see The Blindside. Well, the theater was a bit drafty so I put my coat down around my legs, kept my gloves on and as the movie started, I dozed off. I must have slept through a little more than half of it. I mean, I had just eaten a nice lunch, I was all cozy and warm and it was bound to happen! Plus, I had had a fairly busy morning, so I was ready for a nap, though the theater might not be the best place to take one though it worked well for me!!! :-)
Anywayyyyy.....the part that I did see was really good!
Soooo.....yesterday, I asked Ed, my DH, if he wanted to go see it as I had missed the first half of it and he did! AND I want you to know that I stayed awake for the entire movie!!!! Yay!!! :-) AND it is indeed a wonderful movie! But you have to be sure and stay for the credits because they show alot of pictures and so on at the very end as people are leaving. We don't go to the movies very often but we had heard that this one was really good and we usually go to the movies at Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years as it has become a sort of tradition for us like the Christmas Parade.
Afterwards, we stopped at Speedway and got a hotdog BECAUSE they have the BEST hotdogs and I had a craving for one!!!! AND what IS it about the way they cook them on those roller cooking thingies that makes them sooooooo scrumptious?!?!?!
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AND one last thing! Ed has asked me what I want for Christmas and really? I don't need a thing and can't think of anything that I really want, sooo I told him that I would like to give a good offering to Christmas for Christ which is a program in our organization (UPCI) that supports Home Missionaries and starting new churches. So, we will be doing that.
AND I've always wanted to go to NYC at Christmastime! We are cautiously considering this and looking at our options. I mean, it is, no doubt, going to be very cold in NYC at this time of year and we will be doing alot of walking and will we be able to get a room at a decent price. Oh, and we are planning to drive instead of fly. So, there is alot to consider. I'll keep you posted!!! It's so exciting to think about!!! I loooove NYC....anytime of the year!!!
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Well, I have to go and get ready for church! Have a blessed Sunday, everyone!!
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Oh, and did I mention that it is 15 chilly degrees here in SE Ohio this morning?!?! BRRRRR!!!!!!

Like, Major Randomness!!

You have been warned! :-) This will probably be a jumbled up mess of everything from the past two weeks!

If you have stopped by my blog during this past week, you've, no doubt, noticed that I've been playing around with my blog design! How frustrating!!!!

I haven't been able to find a blogheader image that I like and when I did find one that I liked, it wouldn't fit! Grrrrr!! Sooooo, at this point.....I'm leavin' it!!!

I even found a website that gave instructions on how to remove the border from the header but I lost it into cyberspace and haven't been able to find it again!! Soooooo.....what you see? Yeah, that's it. *sigh*

I like pictures. I don't care for what I call "Patchwork" design or "Scrapbook" design. I mean, I love it on other blogs...just not mine. Ladies, you know how we are: We know what we want. :-)

AND, what with having dial-up, it has been supremely frustrating, to say the least!!! It takes forever to do anything like blog design.
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Our Thanksgiving was wonderful!

This year, we bought a fresh turkey. Every time I've said that, I've instantly thought of how people used to say a young person was getting "fresh" when they flirted with you or spoke to you inappropriately. Do any of you remember that terminology? But I couldn't think of anything that a "fresh" turkey might say when looking death in the eye! LOL SIR, I think you, of all people, would be able to come up with something!! :-) Help me out here! Please?!?!
Anywayyyyy.....the turkey was absolutely scrumptious! The best we've ever had! I put it in the oven at about 3am and ohhhhhh, when we woke up later, the house was filled with the blessed aroma of turkey!! Is there any better smell???? *sighhhh*

As the morning progressed, I made light rolls, noodles , dressing AND REAL mashed potatoes made with evaporated milk and real butter. Oh yum! A little while later, I made a peach pie for Ed because that is his favorite and he doesn't really care for pumpkin pie.

Daniel came over at around 10:30 that morning to change the oil in his car, came in the house and immediately grabbed two warm rolls and started eating them! :-) He came in and snatched a couple more before he went home! :-)

We enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner with Erin's family at two that afternoon, but I always make a Thanksgiving meal for Ed and me to enjoy during the weekend.
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My family all gathered in Logan on Saturday afternoon for the annual Christmas parade. I wasn't able to go last year because of my hip surgery, thus I was so excited about going this year! Not all of the family could be there but those of us who were had such a wonderful time. I had called most everyone and reminded them to bring bags for the kids to put their candy in! :-)

Those little ones scrambled to get the candy that was thrown to them like they had never had a piece of candy before in their lives! :-) Go figure!

My twin-brother Johnny won "Best Walking Unit" in the parade! :-) He, his son and daughter-in-law gave out candy and stuffed animals as one of his other workers drove on of the business trucks in the parade!

All-in-all, we had a great time!
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Jaylon loves to bang things together, whether it is blocks or whatever he can get his little hands on, so I got the idea of giving him something cymbal-like to bang together. Alas! Aluminum foil pie pans! He loves them!!! As you can see in this picture!!! :-)

Wednesday's Random Dozen #14

It's time for another Random Dozen! Number 14, to be exactified....that's Tigger-speak for those of you that don't know. :-)

Anyhoooo....if you would like to join in, just link up over at Linda's blog, 2nd Cup of Coffee and have some fun!

1. Which Wizard of Oz character are you most like?

Wellll......some might say the Wicked Witch of the West, but I would have to say the Scarecrow! :-)

2. When you're deciding what you're going to wear each morning, which item do you select first? Why?

My top or blouse because then I build my outfit from the colors that are in it: shoes, skirt, t-shirt, hose or tights.

3. What kind of animal do you think the world could live without?

After watching the Blue Planet series, it would just have to be one of those deep sea critters that lives miles below the surface of the ocean that no one ever sees anyway, even if they are really unique and beautiful when discovered and captured on film by some special camera that cost a kazillion dollars so someone like me could see them and be simply amazed and oooo and ahhhh because I like to watch stuff like that. the end.

4. How many Christmas trees are in your home?

Only one, IF I decide to put it up this year. I will definitely put up lighted garland and such, but I'm undecided about the tree, as of yet. You see, we have this crawling-about-to-walk adorable little boy in our home this year and I'm thinking I don't want to have to tell him "no" constantly or be smacking his little hands.

5. Would you prefer to be emotionless if it mean you didn't have to feel a heartbreak?

Oh, no.....I could not survive without feeling the love and happiness that life can bring. Yes, heartbreak can be debilitating but the Lord is such a comforter and has always been there and seen me through.

6. Do you ever experience holiday let-down or depression?

Yes, some years more than others. Though, as I've gotten older, not so much, thankfully.

7. Do you like Michael Jackson's music?

No, because I've never listened to it. Well, I'm sure that if I listened to some of it, it would be familiar, having randomly heard it, here and there. You know what I mean! :-)

8. Why is it that we never judge people who have their teeth fixed for cosmetic reasons, but every other cosmetic procedure has a stigma?

Well, let me tell ya, I just think some people look ridiculous with these perfectly white, straight, gap-free, HUGE teeth! I mean, come on!!!!

9. Enjoy horseback riding?

Uh, no. I've never had any luck riding a horse. Two of my uncles had horses, so when we went to visit them, we kids always wanted to ride them, of course. Well, at my Uncle Bill's, they helped me up on this horse, who immediately took off in hunt of the horse next door who was, well, "available", for lack of a better word. Right in front of my uncle's house, he stepped out of the front door, having heard my blood-curdling screams, yelled something at the horse and that horse stopped dead in its tracks, catapulting me over its head to the ground! Wow! As you can tell, I've never forgotten THAT experience.

Then, my other aunt and uncle had horses, too. Sooooo, one time when we were there, once again, they helped me up on one of their horses for a leisurely ride around their mobile home. Did I say leisurely? That horse took off around the house where it got too close to the house, which did not have under-pinning and it was way up in the air, and caught my thigh on an undercorner of the house, about ripping my leg off! I survived, but I no longer have a fondness for riding horses. But then, even if I did, this 58-year-old, double-hip-replaced body has no desire to climb up on one. *groan* No, thank you, I'll just pet their soft noses. :-)

10. Shoes--practical or stylish?

Practical because my body won't let me wear stylish. :-)

11. What was the name of your first pet? Feel free to post a pic.

Winky. He was our family's little Pekingnese. He only had one eye, so my dad got him for a really great price from a kennel where he did the plumbing work.

12. What percentage of your Christmas shopping is done?

I cannot really say because we don't do alot of shopping and gift-giving at Christmas-time. It is more about getting together with friends and family and celebrating and remembering our Saviour's birth in that way, whether it is at church or parties or banquets! Let the celebrating begin!! :-)