A Meme

Jenn tagged me with this and I've answered her exact list. I am sure I could come up with places/things I've been/done, and more than likely thinks I'd liked to do. But this is enough for now I would imagine!!!

1. Started your own blog -- yes, 1
2. Slept under the stars - yes!
3. Played in a band - no
4. Visited Hawaii - no
5. Watched a meteor shower - yes!!!
6. Given more than you can afford to charity - yes!!
7. Been to Disneyland/world - yes, and going for the 2nd time in June
8. Climbed a mountain - maybe a little one!!!
9. Held a praying mantis - yes, yuck
10. Sang a solo - yes, yuck again!!!
11. Bungee jumped -no
12. Visited Paris - no
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea - yes!
15. Adopted a child - yes, actually!!
16. Had food poisoning - yes
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty - no
18. Grown your own vegetables - yes
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France - no
20. Slept on an overnight train - no, but would love to!
21. Had a pillow fight - yes, several
22. Hitch hiked - yes, as much as I hate to admit it. Long time ago though
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill - I won't answer in case the boss reads this! LOL
24. Built a snow fort - snow man maybe???
25. Held a lamb - yes
26. Gone skinny dipping - oh yeah!!!!
27. Run a Marathon - no
28. Ridden in a gondola - no
29. Seen a total eclipse - yes
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset - yes, several of both
31. Hit a home run - in high school
32. Been on a cruise - no
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person- yes!
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors - no
35. Seen an Amish community - yes
36. Taught yourself a new language - if pig Latin counts!!! LOL
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied - yes
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person- no
39. Gone rock climbing - no
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David - no
41. Sung karaoke - yes, yuck again
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt - no
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant - yes
44. Visited Africa - no
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight - yes
46. Been transported in an ambulance - yes :(
47. Had your portrait painted - yes
48. Gone deep sea fishing - no
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person - no
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris - no
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling - yes
52. Kissed in the rain - yes!!! :)
53. Played in the mud - yes 5
54. Gone to a drive-in theater - yes
55. Been in a movie - no (was in a taping of a comedy DVD for a Christian artist)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China? - no
57. Started a business - yes
58. Taken a martial arts class - only once, that's all it took to tell me it WAS NOT my thing
59. Visited Russia - no
60. Served at a soup kitchen - yes
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies - yes
62. Gone whale watching - no
63. Gotten flowers for no reason - yes!!!! :)
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma - yes, often
65. Gone sky diving - no
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp - no
67. Bounced a check - aaahhhh, yes :(
68. Flown in a helicopter - yes
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy - yes
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial - yes
71. Eaten Caviar - yes, YUCK
72. Pieced a quilt - helped with one
73. Stood in Times Square - no (but the one who tagged me is going to take me there)
74. Toured the Everglades - no
75. Been fired from a job - yes
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in Arlington - only on video when TFS students did it
77. Broken a bone - yes
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle - yes
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person - no
80. Published a book - no
81. Visited the Vatican - no
82. Bought a brand new car - yes
83. Walked in Jerusalem - no
84. Had your picture in the newspaper - yes
85. Read the entire Bible - yes
86. Visited the White House - yes
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating - no
88. Had chickenpox - yes ~ gotta a scar on my forehead to prove it!
89. Saved someone’s life - no
90. Sat on a jury - yes :(
91. Met someone famous - yes
92. Joined a book club - yes
93. Lost a loved one - yes
94. Had a baby - no
95. Seen the Alamo in person - yes
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake - no
97. Been involved in a lawsuit - yes
98. Owned a cell phone - yes
99. Been stung by a bee - yes

WEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Actually Wii. As you can see from the pics below, my grandsons are deprived of fun things. Since tomorrow is a school holiday and I'm off, too, they came to spend the night tonight and spend the day with us tomorrow. The youngest got a Wii for Christmas and brought it with him. What you see pictured is what they brought for one night and one day!!!! I thought I might be a little busy ~ but instead I am going to have to go to our Chiropractor and our Orthopedic surgeon. I bowled, golfed, and played baseball on the Wii. I am doing well to type this post ~ WHEW is all I have to say!!

Also pictured are the iPODS they got for Christmas and birthday. When you combine, 2 and 1/2 sets of grandparents, an aunt, two uncles, parents, an October b'day, Christmas, and a January b'day, this time of year is a BLAST!!! I will be back online after my surgery!!!

OKAY, OKAY

I was left a message yesterday that if I did not update my blog that a certain "anonymous" person was going to get someone of greater power to step in. I could lie and tell you that I have just been so busy and overrun with such excitement in my life that I did not have time ~ but since there is a threat of that greater power coming after me already, I better tell the truth. There is nothing that exciting to tell and I have been lazy since the holidays!!!!!

Actually there are some fun things going on! Today, our youngest grandson turns 7 years old. That is just too much to take. He began rec. dept. basketball last night and it is a blast watching them. He is going to have a Nana and Papa day with us on Monday since I will be out of town this weekend and will miss his party.

I am going to one of my favorite places today ~ Tallulah Falls, GA. I am an active member of the Georgia Federation of Women's Clubs and we own and operate a private boarding school, Tallulah Falls School. GaFWC recently built a lodge up there and that is where we will stay. The school is 100 years old this year and there are several celebrations going on. This weekend is to honor current and past State and District Presidents. I am a past District President and serve on the Tallulah Falls School Board of Trustees so I head up there this afternoon. I can't wait to see everyone!

I did get hit on in Walmart yesterday. I realize as I type those words that they don't even need an explanation, because ALL sorts of stuff begins to go through the mind at this point! I was looking at Wii stuff for my grandson's birthday when a man, maybe in his 30's, with almost all his teeth, and a big grin on his face, came around a corner and almost ran into me. He apologized, stopped and looked at me, then said, "You have really pretty hair." I said thank you and kept on looking at Wii things, he kept on looking at me, which was needless to say, a little creepy. He walked away a minute or two later and did not say anything else to me. Weird!!!

I did buy myself a new toy!!! I have decided that I am not a scrapbooker/crafter, but just someone who collects scrapbooking, crafting, paper making, stamping, etc. products and stores them in a back bedroom, calling it a craft room! I would post a picture of this so called craft room, but would be WAY TOO embarrassed. If I ever get myself together and decide to finally clean the thing up, I might take before and after pics ~ but don't hold your breath out that interpeeps!!!

My new toy is a SLICE by Making Memories. It is a small, lightweight die cutter. I said I was not going to purchase anymore stuff until I cleaned up the room and began working on things again ~ but QVC (yes, I hate to admit it), a special offer and exclusive designs at 12:45 am was way too hard to pass up!!! It does some fun things and here are just a few! Obviously, the SLICE did not make the magnet ~ it' just a bonus for you.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Here we go again ~ another year gone and a fresh new one to look forward to. It's been a tough year, so I look forward to 2009! Did anyone do anything fun last night? Hubby and I stayed home, ate a wonderful steak dinner and watched GA Tech get pounded. It was a nice, quiet evening! Today we will have family over to eat New Year's Day dinner. The southern tradition is to eat black eyed peas and greens. Problem is, no one likes them in my family except me, so cream potatoes and green beans will have to do today!!!!! Simple, edible and makes the little ones happy.

I've made no resolutions this year either. Lose weight, get more exercise, eat right, get organized, spend less, save more, etc. have been used to death! Last year, I said that my resolution was not to make a resolution, that way I would not be disappointed!!!!!

So I hope everyone is looking forward to this new year with new opportunities to spend time with and love on your family, make a difference in someones life, and letting go of all the old hurts, disappointments, bitterness, and failures.

I begin a new bible study next week, Beth Moore's Esther, and I will strive to grow in God's word and pray for my family, friends, church, work, our country, and others liked I've never prayed before. We all could use it, don't you think????

Love and New Year wishes to all of you!

Odds and Ends

I have to give credit to friends blogs, e-mails, and word of mouth for these tidbits, but they are worth your time!!!

(From Butterbean) This might be the SWEETEST stories I've read lately.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?section=magazine&id=3789373

(From Butterbean) The Archway Bakery in Ashland, OH closed this fall and 300 workers lost their jobs. Lance (cracker co) bought Archway. They immediately gave 60 people their jobs back, seniority & benefits...and hope to give the rest theirs as well. In addition, the company gave all 300 employees $1500 gift cards! I wrote them an email and said that although we haven't bought Lance before, we will now b/c of their actions. What a cool way to share the Christmas spirit!!!
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/12/23/cookie.factory.reopens/index.html

Hubby saw a story about this church and we found this site about it. BEAUTIFUL!
http://www.scrapbookpages.com/Rothenburg/Tour/JacobsChurchInterior01.html

My grandsons introduced this YouTube video today and we've laughed over and over!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdOiF_qdQLI

From my friend Jenn at Delightfully Cliche. She introduced me to this group ~ Straight No Chaser. It's an a cappella group and they are GREAT. Check them out at http://www.sncmusic.com/. I downloaded their new Christmas CD, Holiday Spirits, and have listened to it quite a bit.

Last but not least from my sister ~

And the stockings were hung . . . .

I finished the stockings last night and am actually pleased, I hope the kids and grandkids like them!

Now I'll being wrapping packages and get some more Christmas spirit going! Our poor doggie got sick last night (all over the house actually, and I won't share the details since I love ya'll). Apparently dogs decide they need to "hide" the results of their sickness and she'd rubbed her nose on the carpet (and in other things) so much that the top of her nose was red raw. Suffice it to say, hubby would rather have taken the dog to the vet than stay and clean up. She is now in the doggie hospital with an IV and will have to stay until at least Monday. Yippee, a vet bill ~ Merry Christmas to us!!!!!!

Happy Ho-Ho to Ya'll

It's the Tour of Homes!

Boo Mama is hosting another Tour of Homes! Here are a few pics from this years decorations. Not much change from last year. I did include some pics of stockings I've made. They are made from felt and have not been "attached" to the stocking or sewn yet. They are just pics of the cutouts! Enjoy and visit more homes here! Click on any picture to enlarge it.

UPDATE ~ Stockings are completed now and hanging from the mantle. Check them out here!


The mantle looks rather sparse and boring, any suggestions in the pic, but it's beside the tree and there is a book case full of stuff to the left of it. The other pic is my kitchen window!!



Stocking layouts! They will have a little more top detail, etc.

Merry Ho Ho