I dare you not to tear up.

I needed a brain break. So I went to Dooce.com like I sometimes do. And Heather told me to go read THIS.

Go read it. The cab ride We'll talk about it later.

Not a political post

Remember when I told you that Roger Ebert had a blog? Does anybody else read it? I found this blog entry to be very interesting. It's about the candidates and their favorite movies. What do you wish you could ask the candidates? And not the normal foreign policy or economics questions. What do YOU want to know?

10 Random Things for a Friday

1. Roosters do not crow just in the morning. Either that or mine is confused.


2. Kashi is giving away free cookies! Dark chocolate. yummm.


3. I dyed new mom's hair this week. (at her request) It was supposed to be a strawberry blonde. It's more of a dark auburn. I think she wanted something brighter.


4. I put away the last of the citronella candles yesterday. Yet another sign of fall.


5. We have a volunteer squash plant growing near (and on) our heat pump. It's from one that didn't get picked up after the wedding last October. Little one keeps checking every day for ones that are big enough to pick.


6. Hubby and Son2 cleaned up volunteer trees from the fence line yesterday. They completely filled the dump cart. Twice. See. Told you we were behind on yard work.


7. Little one and I have eaten an apple directly off of the tree 4 times this week. Maybe this weekend I'll make applesauce. Hubby has ordered apple crisp as well.


8. Little one is sick. Today is day 5 of an unexplained fever. Took her for a couple of diagnostic things at the hospital yesterday. I just wish they'd find something so she can take something and feel better. And so we can all sleep straight through the night.


9. We moved the dune buggys. They still don't run. Apparently they can't find the right parts. I am sad. I want to ride the dunes. And I want them out of my yard. :)


10. Last weekend was the 5th annual family walk and bike ride event for Project Jason. We walked. Until little one would walk no more. and it then became the 1st annual carry your child for more than a mile event. Next time I need bring a stroller. Somebody remind me, OK? Thanks.

Check back later tonight. I'll try to get pictures uploaded after little one goes to bed. Kisses!

Things I'm currently infatuated with

• This gal's paintings. You need to buy her book.
• Soft Fuzzy Yarn - I want to learn to knit again. Maybe I can get the gauge right this time.
• Throwing out Jim's clothes that don't fit or are just trashed. He said I could.
• Pick Stitch quilts from Pottery Barn. They remind me of my great-grandma's house. I want a green one. Or maybe I should just make one. Yeah, right, like that'll happen.
• Skype. Do you have it? I need to go buy a webcam.
• This gal's blog and videos. KWerner design. I know. I've liked her for a while. I think it's the music.
• Pumpkins and funny looking squash.
• Old cookbooks. Sad that I threw away the Betty Crocker one at some point. Probably in a move.
• Vintage Hawaii travel posters. I'm looking for original ads and posters. Not that I have the money to buy any right now. I just want to get the bedroom decorated. We've lived here for more than a year!
• Window shopping for new living room furniture.
• Dried fruit and roasted almonds.
• Disney movies I haven't seen in a long time.
• Sunflowers.
• Las Vegas reruns.
• Watching a video of Lucas that my dad emailed me.

What are you infatuated with at the moment?

Hope all is well with you and yours. Happy Tuesday!

Should'ves Could'ves and Would'ves

Should'ves Could'ves and Would'ves won't get me anywhere. In other words I can't do a darned thing about it now so why worry about it.

I know this.
In my head.
I forget this quite often.

The speaker I heard this morning put it in another way that has been making me laugh all day. Finding me here. Sharing the same great wisdom with you.

"Don't should on yourself. Don't should on other people." -- MK Mueller

That is all.
Now go back to whatever fun and exciting thing you were doing before.

10 Random Things for a Friday

So here we are on another Friday. Amazing isn't it? Where the heck did the week go?

1. Spent most of the week at a work related conference. Learned quite a bit but I am now WAY behind at work.
2. I got several nice cards and phone calls and emails on my birthday. Even got flowers from a friend. It was a good birthday.
3. Need to spend the weekend working on the house and the yard. Both look like we had a tornado.
4. Went to the aquarium at the zoo last night. It was for an adult type social thing. I took Bray anyway. She spent the entire time oohing and awwing over the sharks and turtles. It was an incredible way to spend the evening.
5. My niece Ella sprained/broke her ankle this week. I feel her pain.
6. Heard a great motivational speaker this morning. http://www.mkmueller.com/ Check her out. It was a really good couple of hours.
7. I'm in love with a big blue frog.
8. Scrapfest was Awesome!
9. The chickens are laying a good 1/2 dozen eggs a day. It's pretty cool. Can't get over how orange the yolks are.
10. I have to work for a good part of tomorrow. :(

Take it easy. Play it safe and be careful.

Political quizzes are for the birds

You are a ....... I took this quiz. Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid I think the questions are skewed. I don't think I am really what it said I am. Take the quiz. Does it come out like you think it should? I think it's the questions. Maybe it's me. It's usually me. Let's just go on that theory. But now I have something to consider..... Still don't think I am what it says I am. Damn quizzes.

Hello Hamburg!

:)

I love the blog feed that tells me where people are from.

Hello Hamburg Iowa!

Wordle

You HAVE to check this out. It is the coolest. www.wordle.net Try and make one of your own. When I have some time, I'm going to make a list of huge proportions to make one with all of the important things in my life. Keep in mind that there isn't a way to edit the words once you post them.

10 Random Things for a Friday

Yes. I know it's really Wednesday. But it's MY Friday. Because you see, I'm going to SCRAPFEST and have no intention of getting online on Friday. I'll be way to busy doing make and takes and what not. So here you go.

10 Random Things for a Friday (even though it is really Wednesday)

1. I took more than 200 pictures in the last week. Granted only about 30 of those are one "to keep" but I took a lot. I'm proud of myself. And have I mentioned how much I LOVE digital photography? 200 standard film photos would just be insanely expensive to develop.
2. I hate everything in my closet. I'm sick of the clothes that I have. But I hate shopping and I have no available clothing budget. Bray needs fall clothes worse than I do. So I am stuck with what I have for the foreseeable future.
3. I've been nursing a Blue Monster this morning. The sugar-free energy drink, not Grover or Cookie Monster. I am now experiencing a wicked Taurine and Caffeine high.
4. I am way overdue on doing employee evaluations. I think I'm going to just give them all a copy of last year's eval and their respective raises. Do you think anyone will notice?
5. In case you missed it before... I'm going with two girl friends to Minneapolis this weekend for Scrapfest . I'm a little excited. Can you tell?
6. One of my tax clients is driving me insane. It's only September and they have called 5 times this week to ask questions about this year's return. Aye Ca rumba.
7. I miss baby Lucas. and his dad. I want to see them. But Jr. says they are doing well so for that I am glad.
8. Baby BAM and his momma have been at our house every day this week so far. I LOVE it!
9. Son2 has an interview for a cool new job on Thursday. Not a "career" job, but it's out of restaurant work so he's excited.
10. Does anybody own a juicer that they just LOVE? I am wanting to buy one. And the Juiceman juicer we used to have sucks to clean. I don't really want another one like it. Anybody have any suggestions?

Happy Wednesday! Celebrate Hump day in whatever way suits you best. Just make sure if makes you smile.

OK, now pretend it is Friday. HAPPY Friday! Have a great weekend!

Weekend photos part 3

This is the sunflower that it took Amber 5 minutes to get off the stalk.







This is the garlic that I helped hang for storage.















See how busy I was Sunday? Potatoes and sunflowers and garlic and chasing chickens and running with the dogs. It was a busy day.

Weekend photos part 2

I helped Daddy dig the last of the potatoes.

See! I helped get these out of the ground!

That weed we thought was Jack's beanstalk? It turns out it is pretty sunflowers.

Last weekend's photos

Ignore the hair. We'd done alot this Sunday.

And don't mess with the juice. It goes where I go.

Willy was exhausted as well. See. He wouldn't even look up for a picture.

I spent last weekend making Brandon laugh.

Countdown

hey sharon. guess what?

2 Days until we leave for Scrapfest!!

10 Random Things for a Friday

1. Last Saturday I bought a 2 pound Brandywine tomato at the farmer's market. (yes, it really was 2 pounds, to tomato selling dude weighed it while I was standing there.) It was the best tomato I think I have ever eaten. OK, maybe not the best. The best would be the first tomato from the garden each spring. But this was close to the best. When sliced, the slices were bigger than the bread on which the tomato sandwich was made. mmmm. I used the other half to make a Caprese salad. Love me some fresh mozzarella.
2. Tomorrow I am going to farmer's market to buy another perfect tomato.
3. Baby BAM is growing like a weed! He is starting to look less like a xerox copy of his mom and more like his own little self. I know that makes no sense but you know what I mean.
4. I was planning on going to see Baby Lucas this weekend. But I need to save money so I'm not going now. This makes me sad.
5. Jr. is back in school this semester. He's got a full workload but he seems to be handling it all in stride. I am so proud of him. And not just because he is going to be a 4 star chef.
6. Son2 is looking at college and better jobs and what not. He is such a different place than a year ago. It's amazing.
7. My niece Rachel started walking this week! So sad that we are missing it.
8. What is the best housewarming gift you have ever received and/or given?
9. I know I've said it before but I really want an Ipod. Or something similar. I also want to win the lottery so we'll see how that all works out.
10. I am making it my mission this weekend to document as many things as possible with the camera. I've been a little lax in the photo department lately.

Hope that all is well with you and yours. If you are local, give a ring. I have some bookkeeping to do but other than that we are plan-less for the weekend!

Today is September 4th

How the heck did this happen? September? and the 4th of it at that. What happened to my summer? Did it really ever get hot? OK, that one week, but you can't count that one as a whole summer's heat. Why are we not having the Indian Summer we've had almost every year since we moved to this lovely end of the Midwest. I don't get it.

School has started. Football games have commenced in our backyard. And at night we have to put on shirt sleeves to sit on the deck. I have sorely missed summer. Even the tomatoes are confused and never did put out anything that can even remotely be called a summer's bounty. And Halloween stuff was being stocked at Target today when I went there to pick up more Fiber One bars and dried fruit at lunchtime. What is this "bring on fall" conspiracy?

But it does come with some niceties.

• We can sit on the back deck in shirt sleeves and maybe a light jacket
• The marching band is sounding better.
• Last night was the freshman football game at the high school. When we first got outside, the announcer was yelling, "Touchdown Thunderbirds!" I repeated the TOUCHDOWN and put my arms up in the air like the refs do. The little one thought it was hilarious and started laughing and copied me. Then every time she heard the announcer she'd say again, "TOUCHDOWN" and put her arms up. It was a good 15 minutes worth of entertainment.
• The mosquitoes have all but gone away.
• The leaves on my gorgeous burning bush are starting to change.
• We turned off the air and have opened all of the windows. LOVE IT!
• Apple and Pears will be appearing soon.
• My birthday is in 12 days. (HINT HINT!!) Somebody remind hubby.
• SCRAPFEST!!
• Camping is bearable.

Still can't believe it is September. But it is. And other than the fact that we are one month closer to snow.... I guess it isn't so bad. Guess I better drag out my favorite sweatshirt.

FINDING GINA

Here is an excerpt from the Finding GINA tour from last year and the television show that they are putting together from the tour footage. Erin is the one featured in this video. Ignore the insane woman giving the interview.

whispering in her ear

psst..... hey you... yeah you... you know who you are..... come here... I have something to tell you....

9 days until Scrapfest!!