6,000th Viewer of the Blog

Just so happens I'm view number 6,000 on the blog.   Monthly posts are down this month, so you know next month it's going to be auto posting time!  I believe I'm going to have a lot to post coming up.

I'm having a grand time going through the holiday flyers and checking out the doorbusters that were last Friday, ha.  Very cute stuff out there and Santa's lists from our house are getting longer, longer, longer!

See ya on December 1~

Happy Birthday Grayson!

Look who's three!  :)

Skye Nina's hair really is NOT on fire, but it looks like it was in this picture!  Funny!

It appears a few of the Littles have forgotten Santa Claus is watching!!

There are more pictures, but I am dozing off as I type... kiss hug kiss hug

Married Ten Years

I can't let a big milestone pass by without mention.  Today is our 10th wedding anniversary.  Four of my favorite photos of us are in a large frame hanging near my desk.  They span 1997-2004.  (The photo of the photos isn't that great, but the flash kept bouncing off the glass, so I had to angle the camera.)

Thanksgiving Montage Featuring Three Out of Four

The day is Thanksgiving and the year is 2009. John Sam and Caroline are ready to eat!  Scratch on John Sam's cheek courtesy of Caroline and her penchant for self-defense. 

Thankful for (who stands just like his daddy)

and for (who models brand new lip gloss)

Kids are thankful for this tradition (which coincidentally happens to be the reason they're STILL not asleep at 11:07 pm)

I am thankful for the following pictures.  The last ones I took of the three of them were in 2005 when I got my first little digital camera.  I had to cajole just a little bit - but you already know I'm not above doing that.  ;-)

Happy Thanksgiving!  xoxo

Thanksgiving Food Prep

I'm pretty handy in the kitchen, but only a select few folks know this.  Here's the *proof* I can make edible stuff! I did forget to take a picture of my Sweet Potato Casserole . . . but I hear it was realllllllly tasty!

The fruits of my labor!  Fran's World Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Happy Thanksgiving!

So much to be thankful for!  Some of my favorite Turkey Day quotes:


"Gratitude is the sign of noble souls". ~Aesop


"Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action.". ~ W.J. Cameron


"One single grateful thought raised to Heaven is the most perfect prayer."  ~ G.E. Lessing

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was thank you, that would suffice." ~ Meister Eckhart

Domestic Goddess Day on the Horizon

Going to bed early tonight so I can get up and make the following items for Thanksgiving:

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Sweet Potato Casserole
Large Croissants

The Oyster Cracker mix is mixed and soaking in as I type.  Yum!

Is there another good word for irritated?

Because I'm gettin' tired of using the same old word all the time.  Let's have a contest.... the one who can comment with the best synonym for "irritated" will win (wait for it........)








*An original free blinkie on the blog in the near future!*

Can I get a woot-woot!?

All the nights I've skipped posting have been chalked up to irritaion, pure and simple.  But everyone will be glad to know I put my camera in the tote bag, just like I said I would.  Taking pictures usually perks up my spirits, so I'm going to try that secret home remedy in this coming week. 

Who hasn't started defrosting their turkey yet?  Better get on that ;-0

Sunset

On the way home from work, the sunset was awesome.  Very dark orange with a grayish cloud floating through the middle.  Dusk outside, with lanes of white lights coming towards me and lanes with red brake lights in front of me.  I would've liked to get a picture of that. By the time I got down the exit and turned, the sun had already sunk so much I could only see the top quarter of it.

I seem to notice a lot of photo-worthy scenes lately, and I love enjoying them.  Sometimes I want to put them on film, too, but I don't have one of my three cameras with me. Kinda silly, so I've decided I'm going to carry one with me all the time, just like my writing notebook.

Bulldogs Senior Night

Last Friday was Senior Night at Christina's high school, home of the Bulldogs.  Her cheerleading coach got sparkly tiaras for the senior girls, and there was a special program honoring all seniors before the football game started.  The Bulldogs beat the so-and-so Panthers (can't remember where they're from, sorry). 

The kids thought they were something else when the cheerleader captain (Christina) brought them noisy blow-up sticks AND two candy holders apiece. It was chilly but between the blankets and the lively crowd, we hardly noticed.

It was fun watching the cheerleaders, the marching band, and the football game.  Reliving my old glory days, haha.  One thing I thought was, Why do I have to pay to get into this football game? I never had to pay when I was in high school. Then I remembered--DUH--because I was a cheerleader, too, and we got in for free.  The more some things change, the more they stay the same, eh?

GO BULLDOGS!!!

Henna Tattoo Part Deux

I neglected to post the "after" picture of my muy hoochie henna tattoo after the dye had dried and flaked off.  It lasted until yesterday, when I noticed it was finally fading a little. The swirls coming out from the flower were supposed to be a little thinner, but it was still pretty.  I liked having it, except a couple of times it interfered with a bracelet I wanted to wear.  Too much accessorizing for me, I think.  ;0

Confessing to cheating

Totally cheating on the blog posting.  I know it, and I know you know it.  I'm just here to own up to it like the big girl I am.

Indira Gandhi

"My grandfather once told me that there are two kinds of people: those who work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was less competition there." - Indira Gandhi 

Friday 13th

Happy to report that no drama, tragedies or even mildly irritating moments occurred on Friday, November 13.

Whew!

*lol*

Grandbabies and Birthdays

A nice lady I work with is expecting to hear the news of the arrival of her newest grandbaby. We all hoped she'd hear something before 5:00 pm, but she didn't hear a peep! By tomorrow, she'll have a big story to tell - we hope!! :)

Speaking of birthdays, my Grandma Daniels also celebrated a birthday today--it would've been #102 for her. She used to tell people I was her li'l namesake!

It was quite cool today and I think I would've enjoyed it more if it had been sunnier. I'd like to see a little more sunshine tomorrow, please.

11:11 PM on 11 Nov 2009

All those ones! :)

Has to be lucky in some capacity, right? Mathematical, astronomical, spiritual--the possibilities are endless!

9:21 pm

I forgot about the CSI trilogy (part 2 of 3). So, I won't be going to bed until I've watched it. I came home today from work, put some chicken in the oven to roast, set the timer for 20 minutes, and settled in for a power nap. The late night caught up to me! I heard the kids get home while I was still sleeping. I looked at the clock, but I thought it was in the morning time and we were very late for work and school. So as I jumped up, I thought, why am I wearing a dress? And what time is it, really? Right about then, I saw the kids in the kitchen with their backpacks, and I realized it was still Wednesday night.

It's one of the strangest feelings to wake up suddenly and think it's a certain day, but then realize it's not that particular day. It doesn't make sense for a few minutes, ya know?! I felt off balance a bit and couldn't convince myself which day it really was.

Well, I don't think I'll have any trouble at all falling asleep tonight! haha~

;-)

Happy Veterans' Day!

Remembering all the soldiers who with American price and fierce determination have made our country the greatest in the world. Thank you for your brave efforts on our behalf. We appreciate your continued sacrifices and stand proudly behind you with grateful hearts.

Late night at Wally World

John Sam, Caroline and I went to Literacy Night at school. Bought some books at the Book Fair (admitting my dorkiness). I watched NCIS in between showers and checking homework. After that, I trekked up to Walmart. It was practically empty, a good thing. But I did not get home until after midnight - OMG! Even though I said I wouldn't, I went thru the Christmas section. It wasn't picked over and messy like it is after Thanksgiving. I got really cute stocking stuffers, gift boxes, and teeny-tiny bows.

The reason I went after NCIS is cause I just can't miss Michael Weatherly. His character is so in love and it's funny watching him try to conceal it, even though I'm convinced Ziva knows.

I am tired but will plan on going to bed right after "New Christine."

Fiesta in the Park at Lake Eola

Damn! I had this huge post all typed out and it disappeared. I'm too annoyed to retype it. Here are the unusal trinkets I found today at the Fiesta in the Park at Lake Eola. Got a henna tattoo. This pic is before I wiped the dye off. Should last 3-5 days, they said. :) Pictures are terrible quality; apologies. xoxo

New Banner and More Photo Elements

FINALLY got the new photo banner done and added some more pictures. You'll have to look at everything again to find the new stuff. ;-D

[School photographs courtesy of LifeTouch photography]

Pooped Out

Well, I guess it's way better than pooped on! :)

This morning my little helpers and I made a batch of cookies with chocolate and white chocolate chips. We took them to the bake sale at the school's Harvest Fest. The weather was just beautiful and the kids ran around like Thing 1 and Thing 2. We came home and they played in the living room, then we went out in the backyard and played some more. We went to the brand new Chick-Fil-A, gave the big cow a high five, and the manager came out to the long drive-up line with little stuffed cows for the kids. Now Thing 2 (Caroline) is in the shower and Movie Night is almost upon us. The treat tonight is a milkshake with whipped cream! I'm guessing they'll want to watch Over the Hedge - again!

I on the other hand will enjoy the small amount of quiet time they let me have until the movie is over.

Night, peeps! xoxo

Shooting in Downtown Orlando

We are all safe now, but it's been a tough and sad afternoon. The shooting occurred less than a mile from our office. As a matter of fact, I used to work in that building. On my way home for lunch, I passed at least 10 law enforcement vehicles, plus another SUV hauling the Mounties (police on horses). I knew something very bad was happening, but I didn't find out what it was until I got back to the office.

After yesterday's events at Ft. Hood, everyone was very scared that today's shooting was somehow related. It doesn't appear that there is any connection.

I'm grateful this is over. My thoughts and prayers are with those who were wounded and their families, and the families of those who were killed. I have a lot of admiration for the police, sheriffs, federal employees, and emergency EMTs who collaborated and navigated this escapade without a hitch.

I look forward to learning why this happened. Here is a link in case you'd like to read more.

MORE DETAILS: <http://www.clickorlando.com/tu/5L5CLbhNT.html>

Boring? Beat? Lame?

All of the above? Here's my riveting blog entry whose only merit is upping post count.

Today I noticed that our family seems to go through an abnormally large quantity of two items: milk and toilet paper. Not sure if there's a connection, but I will ponder on it.

Banner

Almost done with my updated photo banner! Still have to do a bit of cutting & pasting, so it'll be a few more days.

Fall Back

I'm loving the extra hour. I actually woke up before my alarm went off.

Enjoy the day! I'll try to be back later. xoxo