Wordless Wednesday-Frosty Lives

We are headed up north for the holidays but before we leave, I thought I'd share my favorite picture from our trip to NY last year. I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. See ya in 2008!

We Elfed Ourselves!

For a few good laughs, check it out!
http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1431685971

Wordless Wednesday- Santa's Little Helper

There's Nothing Better Than A Good Fitting Pair of Jeans

I love a good fitting pair of jeans. The problem is things have shifted a bit since having 2 kids and I just can't seem to find that "perfect" pair these days. You know the ones that sit somewhere between my butt crack and my belly button, are long enough for my 5'9" frame and give my rear a little lift! Well lucky for me and the rest of you ladies who are searching for that perfect pair of jeans, 5 Minutes for Mom is offering a $200.00 gift certificate to TrueJeans.com where you enter your measurments online and the computer suggests jeans best suited to your measurements! Sounds good to me. Want to enter to? Head on over to 5 Minutes for Mom for details!

It's Starting to Look a Lot Like Christmas

We finally started decorating for Christmas. We've been a little slow about it since it has been in the 80's lately. There is something just not right about picking out a Christmas tree in swim trunks and sunglasses but we did (ok, so I wasn't wearing swim trunks but Sprout was!) And boy, there were slim pickins seein as how we are in Sweet Home Alabama and we waited until mid-December (see, I'm startin to pick up the vernacular). Our poor tree requires two books under one side of the stand and could still use a really stiff v-8 to get it to look somewhat straight! Sprout was still soo excited about decorating and couldn't bear to wait for the branches to drop. So, we let him put up the first ornament- to hold him over.

And I put up my favorite Christmas decoration...

It is an old window pane with snow men (one snow man and one snow woman, I suppose, in our case) painted on it. They are holding hands, or twigs, and gazing up to the sky watching the snow fall. I hang my icicle lights behind it and it twinkles in the night. I just love it.

And speaking of snow...we had our first snow...

I think this is the only "snow" our back yard will ever see here in Alabama. Gross, I know, but what do you expect from a husky/shepard mix when it is 80 degrees in December. He certainly doesn't need his winter coat around here!

Stay tuned for pics of our Charlie Brown Christmas Tree!

Grampy-O

This One's for Grampy!

Wordless Wednesday-Speechless!

Well, almost...

Remember my post Because She Would Look SO Cute In This. (click to refresh your memory)

Well, she does!

I was trying to win this pink pedal princess car for Sprite and lo and behold a giant 38 lb. box showed up on my door step a few days ago. The funny thing is, I was not the winner of this fabulous contest. A little elf, who prefers to remain anonymous, has been hard at work doing Santa's shopping early this holiday season.

Thank You Mystery Elf!

Calling All Dog Lovers!

Meet Otis...

Otis is the puppy of my Mother-in-law's Bulldog Dilly. He is an 11 month old Bulldog with juvenile general Demodicosis.

Before Demodicosis

With Demodicosis
Otis' Story
When Otis' family noticed something was going on with his skin, they took him to a veterinarian. They did a skin scraping to look for skin mites and they said the slide was clear. As they continued testing to figure out what was going on with him, his condition worsened. They brought him to see my Mother-in-law at her grooming shop, Puppy Pals, and then to another vet for a second opinion. Low and behold, when they did another skin scraping it was filled with mites! There was even talk of putting him to sleep because his condition was so bad and his immune system was too weak to fight off the infection. His medications include Clavamox antibiotics, s-adenosyl-225, which is an immune system booster, s-adenosyl-100, which is canine asprin, also canine plus- vitamin + mineral suppliments, omega 3&6 gel caps and vitamin E. He needed 2 baths a day at first, then just one, with special virbac Pyoben shampoo and mite dips. The total cost for his up keep is an estimated $700 a month and he needs at least 3 more months of treatment if he is to recover- that's at least $2100. This estimate does NOT include vet visit costs. He came to stay at Puppy Pals for 7 weeks while my Mother-in-law took care of him during the week. He went home on the weekends to spend time with his family. The poor little guy COULDN'T EVEN DRINK WATER. He would stand there in front of his bowl what seemed like forever. They put markers on his dish to see if the water level went down, but he wasn't getting anything. They started giving him his water with a syringe (no needles obviously) by holding his head up high and putting the water right in his mouth. He was a bit fussy about it at first but he adjusted to it after awhile. All he wanted to do was sleep all the time. This can be a normal for adult Bulldogs but not for a 9 month old puppy. He is slowly improving and is expected to make a full recovery, but the vet wants him to continue with his medication for the next 3 months to insure that he does. If he doesn't, then the infection could come back. They can't bare to see this poor little guy go through such a terrible spell again. They are doing everything they can to help him and his family through this rough time and are trying to raise a portion of his medical expenses in hopes that Otis' family receives the best christmas gift ever!!!!!! A happy, healthy Bully and a less stressful holiday season.

Since they live in NY and I am here in Sweet Home Alabama, I figured the least I could do was post his story and a link to the auction on my blog!

How to help...

An Ebay Auction to Help Otis...

HELP OTIS AND BID (CLICK HERE) ON THIS CUSTOM, MADE TO FIT, DOG COAT! EVERY PENNY GOES TOWARDS PAYING FOR HIS MEDICAL EXPENSES! HAVE A DIFFICULT TO FIT DOG? NO PROBLEM! COAT WILL BE MADE TO YOUR DOG'S SPECIFIC MEASUREMENTS!

AND DON'T FORGET THE FREE SHIPPING!!!!!! AUCTION ENDS DEC. 9TH SO HURRY UP AND PLACE YOUR BID TODAY!!!!



CHOICE OF RED OR TAN CHECKERED FABRIC



INSIDE OF COAT





If you would like more information about Otis, e-mail Brandi at pupgrmr@iwon.com or my Mother-in-law, Linda, at rompintoys@yahoo.com. Thank you for reading Otis' story and if you can help make this little darling healthy and beautiful once again-THANK YOU!

Good Night, Sleep Tight...

"Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite, have sweet dreams, I love you!"

Sprout says this every night when getting tucked into bed.

I say it back to him.

He turns to fall asleep with a smile on his face.

I walk out of his room with a smile on my face.

It doesn't matter what kind of day we've had...

This is the perfect ending!

Celebrating 100

I just realized that today's Wordless Wednesday post was my 100th post. I don't know how I missed the bells, fireworks, and streamers falling from the air but I did, so now I am going to make it up to you. In honor of my 100th post I am asking folks to share what they have 100 of. Here, I'll start! I have:

*100 blog posts (woo hoo, woo hoo)
*100 dog hairs (make that 100,000) on my pant leg
*100 photographs
*100 acorns in my front yard
*100 great memories
*100 crumbs in my couch cushions...

Your turn!

I'll even throw in a prize to the person who leaves the 100th comment on this post. I haven't decided what yet, I'm trying to come up with something to go along with the "100" theme...

Once I hit the publish post button, I won't be able to control the mobs of people waiting to leave a comment on my blog so hurry and don't delay, post your comment today! I had you going there for a minute, didn't I. Ok, seriously now, I don't normally receive anywhere close to that number of comments (unless it is a bloggy giveaway and I am giving away a basket full of goodies) so I am going to need your help here. Help a girl celebrate her 100th post, would ya? Tell your neighbors, tell your friends, tell your neighbor's friends! Typically, I think people limit responses to one per person but if you are crazy enough (uh-Sarah) to sit and type in 100 comments about 100 things you have without knowing what the prize is (it could be 100 rolls of toilet paper)- you have entirely way too much stuff and time on your hands!

So, what do you have 100 of?

Wordless Wednesday- A few of my favorites...

Tackle It Tuesday-The Giving Box

Today's project- decorate the Giving Box.

This is the start of what has become an annual tradition around our house this time of year-filling the Giving Box. As a parent, and as a former nonprofit professional, I feel it is important to cultivate my children's philanthropic spirit and teach them about the the gift of giving back. We do this different ways throughout the year but each year before the holidays, we fill a box, called the Giving Box, with items that we would like to donate to a local shelter or charitible organization. This tradition has become a family affair and even the kids participate. Sprite still requires a little help but Sprout sorts through his toys and picks out things that he would like to donate to other children who are less fortunate than he is. At first he was less than enthusiastic about this idea; especially since sharing has been one of the harder lessons for Sprout to learn. But each year it has gotten a little easier and he has grown more generous. I love watching him pick up a toy, think about it, and then willingly put it in a box for another child. Some of his favorite toys from years past have even made it into the giving box. I love hearing him say that he doesn't need a certain toy and watch him get excited while imagining another child playing with it. This has become a special time for us and usually becomes a time of reflecting and story telling about the toys that he selects to donate. It has become a tradition that I look forward to and cherish. I'll post a picture of the Giving Box once it is finished!

Check out this article entitled Teaching Children Charity or this one on Passing on Lessons of Charitable Giving. And for a list of publications on involving children and youth in Philanthropy, click here.

Do you have any Philanthopic traditions? How do you plan to give back this time of year?

Happy Giving!

I'm Looking for a Face Lift

Or rather my blog is. If I was looking for a face lift, I would just head to the FACE Clinic in Dothan (I saw an advertisement for this place and had to check it out). I find this a bit scary, truth be told! I mean do people really admit that they went to a face clinic? Here is an advertisemet from their website (grab your husbands for this one)...

"Face facts, your wife does not want a vacuum for Christmas. An oven mitt is nice, but why not give her something she really wants. The FACE Card can be used for all goods and services at The FACE Clinic. A facial, laser hair removal, Botox, skin products, even cosmetic procedures can be purchased with The FACE Card. This reusable card can have any amount initially and be used and increased at any time."

What is this-a gift that keeps on giving? Men, if you are still reading, let me give you a bit of advice. Do not, I repeat DO NOT buy your wife a gift certificate to the FACE clinic for Christmas if you want to be around to ring in the new year! I can't speak for all woman but I bet a good number of women would prefer a new vacuum or even an oven mit to a FACE card! If my husband gave me a gift certificate to the FACE clinic for Christmas you can bet your bottom dollar that he would be ringing in the new year as a single man with a little less thunder down under! While there are days I wish I could trade the one I have in for something a bit more glamorous, I'll keep the face God gave me-for now anyway. Check back in 20 years and I may have a gold-plated, frequent visitor card to the FACE clinic!

Anyway, while I am not quite ready for a visit to the FACE clinic, I do feel it's time for a bloggy lift. The problem is that I have yet to find the BLOG clinic (hey, maybe I'm on to something here). So, this is where you come in! I am turning to my faithful readers, assuming I have a few, in hopes of some recommendations. I am not looking for anything outlandish here that costs more than I make in a year- oh wait, that would be nothing!!! Seriously, maybe just a new header, colorscheme and signature. So, who designed your blog? Who do you recommend?

I Survived Black Friday

Prior to yesterday, I was a Black Friday Virgin! I know, I know- Black Friday is a disgusting nod to unabashed consumerism, a revolting frenzy that displays the shallowness of our culture. BUT-I was lured by a nice shiny Office Depot ad advertising a new computer for $350 and a free printer (a $300 savings!)!!! So I decided to shove my morals in my pocket and display my shallowness by venturing out like a mad woman with the gusto of a seasoned professional in the wee hours of darkness. Call me what you will but we NEEDED a new computer!

When my alarm went off at 3 a.m., I remembered the real reason I was still a Black Friday virgin. True, I liked to hide behind the moralistic views displayed above about the revolting frenzy of our commercialistic society...yada, yada, yada-but the truth of the matter is, I am not a morning person! And can 3 a.m. really be considered morning? What the hell was I thinking, especially after having drank entirely too much red wine the night prior? Somehow, I mustered the courage and strength to stand on two feet, down a large cup of Joe and 2 Tylenol, put on my running shoes and head out into the unknown! I thought about grabbing my husband's kevlar, especially after hearing about some of the horror stories from years past (like this one) but since I was going no where near this place...

I decided it would just weigh me down in the sprint for my black beauty securely packed in a Compaq box. So, I was perched outside Office Depot at the ass-crack of dawn resisiting the urge to fight off the mobs of people after MY computer! Turns out nobody wanted MY computer afterall. Go figure! Everyone wanted the top of the line computers that cook, do the laundry and take care of the kids or the televisions the size of my house so I had nothing to worry about. In fact, I think I could have slept another 8 hours or even showed up just before closing and still gotten my lackluster computer that merely provides recipes, laundry tips and only provides occasional babysitting!!! Oh well, at least now I am a Black Friday veteran who not only experienced the madness, but who survived and conquered!

And who says Black Friday can't be fun for the kids? The kiddos played with the box and styrofoam for hours while Toby and I felt completely satisfied with our first Black Friday purchase- even if it doesn't put the kids to bed for us!

I Am Thankful For...

Good Friends

Goofy Kids (especially Giblet and Gobbler)

Good Food

Cheap Wine!

and Diapers in the Freezer-DIAPERS IN THE FREEZER!!
(the result of too much of above)

I know what you are thinking and you don't want to know!

Holiday Shopping

I was visiting A Frog in My Soup today and came across this section on holiday shopping. The recent announcements of mass toy recalls has made many, myself included, a little wary about shopping for toys this year! Shera, from A Frog in My Soup, has shared a few store ideas that offer simple, creative toys that I thought I would pass along. Here is what she offers on her blog:

For the kiddos on your list there's Magic Cabin and HearthSong! Each of these shops is dedicated to inspiring children and their love of simple and fun things!

Magic Cabin - Childhood's Purest Treasures. Here you can shop by department, collection or even by age. They offer categories of products such as . . . toys and games, doll play, arts and crafts, books and household items as well as an entire section dedicated to sale items.

HearthSong - Toys You'll Feel Good About Giving. Offering a gift center, an entire section dedicated to the Parent's Choice Award Winning products they carry as well as products for outdoor play, classic toys, dollhouses, crafts and much more!

I also found these sites, http://www.coolmompicks.com/safertoy07/, http://ecochildsplay.com/2007/11/19/green-kids-holiday-gift-guide, which I really liked so thought I would share.

Happy Shopping!

Wordless Wednesday- Caption Ideas?

But She Would Look SO Cute In This...

Can't you just picture this pretty little girl pedaling around in this adorable pink princess pedal car? Well, I can! And 5 Minutes for Mom just happens to be offering this adorable car in their Retro Giveaway. So, I just had to enter because she would look so darn cute in it! And just in case Santa is reading, I think one of your elves might be able to find this pink pedal car at Pedal Cars and Retro Collectibles! No shame, I know!

And since it is that time of year again I am working on crossing items of our list. And to help me do it, I have turned once again to 5 Minutes for Mom and their Christmas Giveaway 2007.

Head on over and see what you can cross off of your list!

New Drugs for Women!

My friend Katie sent this to me and had me rolling on the floor so I felt inclined to share!!!

NEW DRUGS FOR WOMEN

DAMNITOL Take 2 and the rest of the world can go to hell for up to 8 full hours.

EMPTYNESTROGEN Suppository that eliminates melancholy and loneliness by reminding you of how awful they were as teenagers and how you couldn't wait till they moved out!

ST. MOMMA'S WORT Plant extract that treats mom's depression by rendering preschoolers unconscious for up to two days.

PEPTOBIMBO Liquid silicone drink for single women. Two full cups swallowed before an evening out increases breast size, decreases intelligence, and prevents conception.

DUMBEROL When taken with Peptobimbo, can cause dangerously low IQ, resulting in enjoyment of country music and pickup trucks.

FLIPITOR Increases life expectancy of commuters by controlling road rage and the urge to flip off other drivers.

MENICILLIN Potent anti-boy-otic for older women. Increases resistance to such lethal lines as, "You make me want to be a better person. "

BUYAGRA Injectable stimulant taken prior to shopping. Increases potency, duration, and credit limit of spending spree.

JACKASSPIRIN Relieves headache caused by a man who can't remember your birthday, anniversary, phone number, or to lift the toilet seat

ANTI-TALKSIDENT A spray carried in a purse or wallet to be used on anyone too eager to share their life stories with total strangers in elevators.

NAGAMENT When administered to a boyfriend or husband, provides the same irritation level as nagging him, without opening your mouth.

And last but not least...

FUKITOL When life just blows ...

Embracing Womanhood

Embracing Womanhood-from Daily Om
(Thanks Suzy for sending this to me- love it!)

There are many ways and myriad reasons for women to honor and embrace all that they are. And when any individual woman chooses to do so, all women collectively move closer to becoming what they are truly capable of being. By honoring her experience and being willing to share it with others—both male and female—she teaches as she learns. When she can trust herself and her inner voice, she teaches those around her to trust her as well. Clasping hands with family members and friends, coworkers and strangers in a shared walk through the journey of life, she allows all to see the self-respect she possesses and accepts their respect, too, that is offered through look, word, and deed.

When a woman can look back into her past, doing so without regret and instead seeing only lessons that brought her to her current strength and wisdom, she embraces the fullness of her experience. She helps those around her to build upon the past as she does. And when she chooses to create her desires, she places her power in the present and moves forward with life into the future.

Seeing her own divinity, a woman learns to recognize the divinity in all women. She then can see her body as a temple, appreciating its feminine form and function, regardless of what age or stage of life she finds herself. She can enjoy all that it brings to her experience and appreciate other women and their experiences as well. Rather than seeing other women as competition, she can look around her to see the cycle of life reflected in the beauty of her sisters, reminding her of her own radiance should she ever forget. She can then celebrate all the many aspects that make her a being worthy of praise, dancing to express the physical, speaking proudly to express her intellect, sharing her emotions, and leading the way with her spiritual guidance. Embracing her womanhood, she reveals the facets that allow her to shine with the beauty and strength of a diamond to illuminate her world.

Ernie's Not The Only One Who Loves His Rubber Ducky!

Kiss Me My Feathered Friend!

Kiss Me or I'lI Ring your Neck!

Kiss Me or I'll Bite your Beak, Birdbrain!

Maybe he Likes Updos!

He does, He does!

Ohh, he kissed me, he kissed me-and it made my hair stand up!

Wordless Wednesday- My Veteran!

I think my favorite thing about this picture is that Sprout took it! It was an amazing moment in itself but seeing this picture through the eyes of our son is just awesome!

Tackle it Tuesday

Well, I am feeling soooo much better and have so much to tackle this week. Thank you for all of the well wishes! It's amazing how alive one feels after recovering from the flu. I've logged 6 miles in the last two days. Albeit, it's been a little slow going ...

But at least I'm moving again!

In other news...

I have 3 days until the Holiday Bazaar, gulp, and have just began to put my baskets and bags together, gulp! Here's what I've done so far this morning...

Before

After

Mediocrity is My Excellence

So many days I strive to do more, give more, be more, often struggling with feelings of mediocrity.

Some days I long to be the June Cleaver of Moms, the ones who: cook 3 course meals, from scratch, with fresh vegetables picked from the garden, make their children’s clothes from the cotton they spin, make quilts by hand from family heirlooms, make homemade jams and pies from recipes past down from one generation to the next… but I am not and never will be.

Other days I long to possess a natural gift- the gift of writing words so eloquent that readers weep in response, the gift of capturing photographs so stunning that they leave viewers breathless, the gift of creating music so beautiful that it moves the spirit of those listening… but I do not and never will.

But today as I sat in the backyard playing in the rocks with my daughter I realized that she does not care that I did not pick her carrots from a garden and puree them, that she is not wearing a dress that I painstakingly stitched by hand, that the quilt in her crib is not made from family heirlooms, that her jam comes from a jar that says Smuckers…

To her my words are eloquent, my photographs are stunning and my music is beautiful! And that-that is what really matters!

So, today…
Today I am content with mediocrity. Today I accept mediocrity as my excellence!

I'm so Blue-hoo-hoo, Blue-hoo-hoo, Blue-hoo-hoo hoo!

A tribute to my favorite Veggie Tales character: Madame Blueberry...

I'm so Blue-hoo-hoo, Blue-hoo-hoo, Blue-hoo-hoo hoo! I'm so Blue I don't know what to do! I'm so Blue-hoo-hoo, Blue-hoo-hoo, Blue-hoo-hoo hoo! I'm so Blue with a case of the flu!

I'm so Blue-hoo-hoo, Blue-hoo-hoo, Blue-hoo-hoo hoo! I'm so Blue I don't know what to do! I'm so Blue-hoo-hoo, Blue-hoo-hoo, Blue-hoo-hoo hoo! I'm so blue my husband now has the flu!

But in keeping with the "Lesson of Thankfulness" that Madame Blueberry displays, I am thankful that my children have yet to come down with it! I also have to say that I am very thankful for my husband! He worked 18 hour days during the week, took care of me and the kids all weekend and tried to squeeze in homeowrk and study time in preparation for today's critical checkride (final "test" to complete the primary portion of flight school)- an exhausting schedule. He has been working so hard for the past year to get to this point. So when he came home sick yesterday unable to fly-we were both devastated! But he was such a trooper! Between runs to the bathrom yesterday, he sat at the table, with a bucket by his side, and finished his flight plan for today's final checkride. I don't know how he did it but I was purely impressed! His pure willpower and sheer determination (ok, and a few doses of Airborne) are what got him out of bed today at 4 am to go attempt to complete his checkride. I am so incredibly proud of him!

Wordless Wednesday-Parenting with the Flu

The Upside Down Show

I'm still so dizzy that I feel like I am trapped in an episode of the

Upside Down Show.

Will someone please push the rightside up button?

Trick-or-Treat

Ok, it was definately not a treat that I came down with the flu the day after Halloween!! I won't share all of the gruesome details with you but I will tell you that when my husband found me sprawled out on the bathroom floor he knew it was bad! The only good thing to have come out of this is that I have lost 7 pounds since Friday-without walking! Yes, I am still sitting at 25 miles and feel a bit of dread about reaching the 100 mile mark but hopefully I will recover from this and be ready to wear my walking shoes again. I feel a litle overwhelmed with everything I have to do right now, clorox my bathroom, walk 75 miles, wash my sheets-again, catch up on laundry, dishes, mail, etc., prepare for the Holiday Bazaar, walk 75 miles...blogging! You see what takes priority, don't you? Yes, I do love me some blogging-but really, it is one of the few things that I can do from bed or the couch and come on, a girl can only watch so much HGTV. I have to admit I was surprised, ok, down right shocked, to see that the blogosphere did not come to a screaching halt while I was sick! :) I mean it's not like there was a Bloggy giveaway going on or anything!!!! Wow- that was incredible. I still have not caught my breath from that yet!

Ok, now for the Treat:

And the Basket Goes To... Drumroll Please

Meleah the Mommy at Twintastic (http://hobtwins.blogspot.com/).

Congratulations! My husband picked #11, his lucky number and the number of years we have been married! Meleah the Mommy left the 11th comment- yippy! I will get the basket out this week and since her favorite product is the Creamy Wild Rice Soup (one of my faves too), I will throw one of those in the basket!

A special thanks to everyone who entered my giveaway! It was so much fun to see what everyone enjoys. Be on the lookout for my newsletter, which will be coming soon, and contain special offers, holiday gift ideas and recipes!

Also a huge thank you to Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer and Bloggy Giveaways for sponsoring such a fun and fabulous event! It was a blast and I look forward to the next one!

Wordless Wednesday- Happy Fall!

The Great Pumpkin

The Giant Sunflower

A Perfect Pair