Thursday 13.....#38....the letter R

In keeping with the ABC theme for 2008, the letter R:


1. Ring tone: on my phone is Nickelback's Rockstar

2. Riesling was my first favorite wine....that was about ten years ago.

3. Rascal: was the name of one of my first pets.

4. reusable: grocery bags. Just started using them in Feb 08. I am STILL using the plastic bags we had stored for lining trash cans and such.

5. real estate: We are on the hunt for a house in KY now. We close on the one here in May!

6. red: easily my favorite color

7. railroad: Alaska Railroad Tours from Fairbanks to Denali was one of the favorite trips we took when we lived in Fairbanks. We saw a momma bear with her three cubs!

8. reorganizing: I am constantly reorganizing things in my home to make them more efficient!

9. radio: My favorite morning radio show, Bobby Bones show, never fails to make me laugh. Even if I am not in the car in the morning, I listen to it on my laptop at home!

10. respect: "Don't rely on someone else for your happiness and self worth. Only you can be responsible for that. If you can't love and respect yourself - no one else will be able to make that happen. Accept who you are - completely; the good and the bad - and make changes as YOU see fit - not because you think someone else wants you to be different.”<---Stacy Charter

11. rude: I don't believe there is ever a need to be rude to anyone. (I am afraid to be rude to wait staff for fear they will spit in my food!) LOL

12. restaurant: my all time favorite is Ted's Cafe Escondido in OKC. Best fajitas on the planet!

13. risotto: I want to try the Pioneer Woman's risotto . She makes it look so easy to cook.

Many thanks to Nap Warden

Many thanks to Nap Warden, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

Last week nap warden of N. W. Designs hosted a "Give it away, Give it away, Give it away, now!" random act of kindness. All you had to do was leave a comment. Whew hoo! I can do that. Later that week, I saw there were 268 comments. Yeah right, like I was going to win. So my idea of "Pimp My Blog" was out the window.

But this weekend, she emailed me! I won!

Many many thanks, Nap Warden, you rock!

Taken by a four year old

Taken my a four year old, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

I finally got around to uploading Will's latest pictures. I like to call this series the Rainbow. Since I participated in Anna's color challenge, Will saw me on the hunt for all things yellow, then all things green. So one day he asked me, "Mommy, what color are we taking pictures of today?"

I would give him a color and off he would go. A few minutes later he would come back and ask for another color. The monster truck was his "yellow". That green mossy ball was his "green". The copier his "black" challenge. Livi's princess headband was "purple". The step stool counted as his "white".

After he did several colors, he started on his favorite things: his room, the caterpillars , his little flier, all his cars, his boonie cap his daddy brought back from Iraq, his trains, and his all time favorite is the Imaginext dinosaurs.

Happy Monday, y'all.

weekend recap

It has been a great weekend. Laid back, not too hot, a bit of rain to cool things off, kind of weekend.

We each took a kid out on a 'date'. Husband and Livi went to Olive Garden. All the wait staff loved her! Will and I had just as much fun at TGIFridays. He had 'dirt in a cup' for dessert. After lunch out the kids wanted to go to the park with the dinosaurs. I am surprised they even remembered this one. We haven't been to that park in over a year! It was fun. The kids are already planning the next date.

The caterpillars are doing great. We put them into the net mesh now that all of them are in the chrysalis stage. They do not like being taken outside when it is in the mid-50s here! That is the coldest it has been since February!

The best thing all weekend...I am a winner! I won a blog makeover from Nap Warden Designs. I am so excited to see what she does. Go check her out, she does some cute stuff! That's right and she is going to pimp my blog! whoo hoo

Happy Sunday, y'all!

weekly winner, April 20-26, 2008

Thanks to Lotus at sarcastic mom for hosting this fun way to see all those extra pics that I didn't blog about this week.

part of the mongo play structure in the backyard

The storm that rolled through yesterday evening

towel roller here

day four of our caterpillar project....four of the five are on the top ready to do the chrysalis stage

Not much this week......I guess I need to pick up the camera more....happy weekend, y'all!

Photohunt: unique/funny signs

I pass this place whenever I get a hankering for a great latte that isn't from the big Star. It always makes me laugh! So when I saw "unique/funny signs" as an upcoming challenge, I knew I had to trek over there to take a picture.

Mind you, this is not in the best part of town. When I was trying find a shortcut out of this area, I called my friend Phyllis. She lived here forever and knows all the shortcuts. She told me she was in a Subway near here when it was robbed at gun point. Nice.....here I am with my mongo camera trying to get a funny sign and nearby robbers hang out.

So what brought me to the ghetto......GOLD TEETH RILLISTS???

GOLD TEETH RILLISTS??? Dang, not the shot I wanted I drive around the block and get a bit closer and a better shot. I am in a parking lot across the street using zoom! Oh, 7 GOLD TEETH GRILLISTS. See, isn't that hilairious?? Or is it just funny to me in my sleep-deprived state before I get my little cup of caffeinated love? But even better....oh yeah, it gets better.

You need them in ONE DAY.....they offer them 1 DAY SERVICE. So get that party started, I'll be there with my gold grill.

If you’d like to play, click here

Friday fill in

some storm, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

Friday fill in courtesy of the wonderful Janet

1. When I fell in love, I fell fast!
2. It is February when the flowers bloom and it heats up outside here in Texas!
3. Oh no! The internet connection is down, I might get the ironing done finally.
4. Any fluff reality show (my new fav is the one with Tila Tequila) is the craziest tv show ever.
5. Cheese and crackers make a great meal!
6. I hope we are in KY long enough to plant a garden.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to pizza with the family and watching the storm, tomorrow my plans include a date with Will and Sunday, I want to sleep in!

Caterpillar to butterfly- days 1-3

Ceterpillar to butterfly- days 1-3, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

Will got a butterfly canopy for Christmas from his Aunt M. It is one of those expandable things with a fine mesh walls. There is a little card included to send in to get the caterpillars. Note to all: Don't lose that card. Since you have already paid for the caterpillars in the canopy set, all you have to pay is shipping when you send in that card.

BUT if you lose that card you end up spending $14.99 + shipping, for more live caterpillars. You get five Painted Lady caterpillars in a cup. There is food at the bottom of the cup. When they arrived I was sure one was dead. It didn't move for almost 20 hours. Then the second day it had not only moved, but it doubled in size. It should take about three weeks for the total change from caterpillars to chrysalis to butterflies.

>
Right now the food is disappearing at an alarming rate. I hope there is enough in there for them. There are tiny silk threads in there to help them climb. So far so good....

Thursday 13.....#37....the letter Q

In keeping with the ABC theme for 2008, I am on letter Q:

glass flowers, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

1. quickly: So excited we sold the house so quickly (in about 30 something days!!). If you look closely, you can see the house across the street unside down in the glass.

2. queen: I do hope my friend Claudia gets her queen bees.

3. QVC: I have bought stuff from there.

4. Quiznos: love me some Quiznos....good thing they don't have a drive through

5. quit: I quit teaching five years ago this month! I had to go on bedrest while pregnant with Will shortly after Spring Break. I never went back.

6. quiet: those words have NEVER been used to describe me.

7. quite: I am not quite sure if I am ready to do a move again! I guess it doesn't matter if I am or not!

8. quake: The first time I felt an earth quake was when we lived in the east Bay of SF three years ago.

9. quarters: I have all the state quarters since they started releasing them.

10. quarters (as in housing on post): I hope we get quarters on post in the old historic district at Fort Knox.

11. quarrel: I hate to quarrel with anyone.

12. quack: My mom frequently tries quack-like meds. My favorite one she tried was something called colidial water.

13. quote: favorite quote, okay it is a song lyric From Stand by Rascal Flatts
You feel like a candle in a hurricane
Just like a picture with a broken frame
Alone and helpless, like you've lost your fight
But you'll be alright, you'll be alright
Chorus:'Cause when push comes to shove
You taste what you're made of
You might bend 'til you break'
Cause it's all you can take
On your knees you look up
Decide you've had enough
You get mad, you get strong
Wipe you hands, shake it off
Then you stand, then you stand

Project Green and Happy Earth Day

Anna of Anna Carson Photography is doing another color challenge..... green. This was taken at the duck pond last week. Normally when I take pictures of the kids, it is very nonchalant. They pay no attention to me as I just get down and snap pics. We had been there about thirty minutes. Well, thirty minutes into a mongo lollipop like that, the last thing Will wanted to be doing was sitting around a park bench. He wanted to run, explore, jump off things, and all the things that make him a boy. This was the final shot, can you see the "Mom,-are-you-done-yet" look?

Speaking of green, in honor of Earth day, these are the few things we have done to go green in our home in 2008.

• switched to my own bags for groceries.
• reuse the produce bags multiple times or until they break ( I still want to make the ones made of tulle.
• switched all bulbs to the CFL light bulbs
• unplugging appliances when not in use
• slightly raised the thermostat during the day ( I still can't do 78 degrees though!)
• stopped buying bottled water....use a refillable one now.
• buy organic produce when possible
• do only full loads of laundry on cold
• add one meatless meal per week
• buying bulk packages rather than single serve items

Not a whole lot, but it is a start.....pretty soon I just might hug a tree.

Happy Tuesday and Earth Day, y'all

Manic and Muffin Monday.....apple spice crumb muffins

Manic and Muffin Monday.....apple spice crumb muffins. Manic Monday brought to us by the talented Fleur-de-Lisa.

Who is the black sheep in your family/group? Probably my brother, he was the wild child.

If you were a character from a book, what character would you be? Cinderella....okay maybe I wasn't a step-sister, but I did marry the handsome prince.

What's your favorite accent? Well, I do like mine.....a bit Southern, okay, a lot southern!

We made apple spice crumb muffins that were from a Longaberger mix. (Thanks to Husband's mom, Meg!) I don't usually like mixes, but they were really wonderful. We used the Williams-Sonoma Railway pan.

Now for the flower.......it is halfway in the picture.....BECAUSE, we are halfway there.........we SOLD OUR HOUSE!!!

WHOO HOO!! Well, half way because they accepted our counter offer. Now I am in the "getting-ready-to-PCS" mode. Hence the reason for using the Longaberger muffin mix.....I am trying to get rid of all that stuff in the pantry.

Happy Monday. y'all

weekly winner, April 13-19, 2008

Thanks to Lotus at sarcastic mom for hosting this fun way to see all those extra pics that I didn't blog about this week.

Just the kids, walking down the street from the blue bonnets.

Last Sunday we drove around for an hour to find blue bonnets. We did see the ones in the median on the highway. Not brave enough to stop and take pics there (though I have seen some people do this!)

So when we saw this tiny patch in our very own neighborhood, I was thrilled!

Needing a little "bunny time", also known as "I-am-tired-and-need-a-nap" time.

Texas blue bonnet

My shot for Photohunt that I didn't get posted.....oh smell!

Marble painting idea from Corey of Living and Loving Every Minute of It .

Livi's artwork with the marble painting. She titled it, "Dinosaur under the Sun".

Hope all is well.....happy Sunday, y'all!

Friday fill ins and bare foot in blue bonnets

bare foot in blue bonnets, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

Friday fill in courtesy of the wonderful Janet

1. The last time I lost my temper was Thursday.

2. Tuition refunds is what I'm fed up with!

3. The next book I'd like to read is Scott Kelby Elements 6 book.

4. The Beach is what I'm looking forward to.

5. If you can't get rid of the skeleton[s] in your closet, this is a hard one for me, may I have a bye for this one, this week?

6. The best thing I got in the mail recently was something from Piperlime.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to putting my feet up (or in the blue bonnets) and a glass of wine, tomorrow my plans include a birthday party (didn't I say that last week as well??) and Sunday, I want to read my Scott Kelby Elements 6 book.

see saw- taken by Will

see saw, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

Kind of brain dead, so I decided to go to the 17th page of my Flickr, find the 17th picture, and blog about it.....today is April 17th isn't it???

Ironically, it is a see saw of the kids that their grandparents got them. But it personifies my day to a T......

UP: Yesterday we received an offer on the house!

DOWN: It was for much less than we have it priced.

UP: Got the counter offer back to the Shine Team by 9AM....thinking we would hear from the potential buyers soon.

DOWN: this afternoon, received a verbal counter-offer, (still not even close to what we want!

UP: They wanted my pot rack, maybe I'll get to keep it!

DOWN: 9 PM, still no hard copy of their counter offer.

UP: It has only been listed since late March.

DOWN: Maybe someone else will want my pot rack, my cool fridge that we just got when we moved here, and the play structure.

UP: I know someone will love my home as much as we do, I just need to be patient.

DOWN: Patience is not my strong suit!

UP: I think that is enough up and down for one day!

Happy Thursday, y'all!

Thursday 13.....#36....the letter P

In keeping with the ABC theme for 2008, I am on letter P:

1. pizza: We ordered pizza every Friday when Husband was deployed. The take and bake chain Papa Murphys was our favorite! The kids still expect it, so we have continued this tradition.

2. love Pandora radio

3. Photoshop: have learned the most from my Scott Kelby books.

4. paint: We paint every time we move (even if it is just for 11 months)....totally makes a house a home.

5. planner: I used to use a PDA, but I like paper better.

6. Professional: I could easily be a professional organizer, but I would do it for free!

7. Packing: I keep a packing list in each suitcase.

8. Put: I don't mind packing up and moving to another place, but it does worry me when we PUT our stuff in someone else's hands. Hopefully we can move door to door and it won't have to go into storage.

9. pantry: I usually keep a perpetual pantry, but we are in the use what we have phase since we are less than two months out to a move.

10. paper: I have never been able to keep a paper journal (except scrapbooks), but I love to blog....seems easier somehow.

11. parmigiano-reggiano from Zingermans......three words: TO DIE FOR

12. pasta: favorite is a Greek pasta salad I make: penne, spinach, balsamic vinaigrette, kalamata olives

ten little piggies, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

13. pretty: The last time I got my toes done, the girl said I had pretty feet! I just laughed. Livi has feet exactly like mine!

Happy Thursday!

Beach house

Beach house, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

Guess where we are going?? We decided to go back to the beach one more time before we leave Texas this summer. The kids had such a blast
. But this time Husband can go with us. Last time four moms and seven kids went! We stayed in a mongo house just beside these A-frames.

So over the long Memorial Day weekend, we will be hitting the beach! We are going to surprise the kids. I know they will love it. I am so excited.....how many days until then??

Happy Tuesday, y'all.

Manic and Muffin Monday.....well, cookie Monday this week

Pumpkin cranberry cookies, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

Manic and Muffin Monday.....pumpkin cranberry cookies. Manic Monday brought to us by the talented Fleur-de-Lisa

Is there anything for which you would willingly give your life? sounds cliche, but my family....Husband and the kids

How would you communicate with someone if you didn't share a common language? hand gestures (not that one!), pictures...I don't know, I have never had to do this.

Where is your ideal place/location to have a wedding? We had ours in an old chapel on post. It was so pretty with all the stained glass windows. But I love portraits of beach weddings.

Happy Monday, y'all.

Weekly winners, April 6-12, 2008

Thanks to Lotus at sarcastic mom for hosting this fun way to see all those extra pics that I didn't blog about this week.

nice rims...I wish I had gotten the entire rim, but I shot this out of my car window after the kids were buckled in already!

I swear I can see the tummy ache.

Do you see what Livi sees?

letter S....or part of the planter on my porch

ladybugs can scoot too

Eyes closed, he is really enjoying this lollipop

a little red pop

This thing was honked (pardon the pun) when he realized we didn't have food for him!

Happy Sunday, y'all!

Project Yellow....take two

Project Yellow, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

Anna of Anna Carson Photography issued a yellow challenge earlier last week.

Here is my second attempt at Project Yellow....this is the bar area that separates the kitchen from the family room. I hung these iron gates myself when Husband was deployed. I felt so "Call me Lion, hear me roar" when I finished. I COULD do things by myself!

The paint on the walls is called Nacho Chip....to me it is darker than a nacho chip. We have used this on walls in Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma.....and probably when we move to KY!

Photohunt: twisted

twisted, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

I saw this in the pool last week and knew it would be perfect for this hunt.

If you’d like to play, click here

next week: 13

a beautiful day in the neighborhood

a beautiful day in the neighborhood, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

How can you not be outside when it is like this? Blue skies, scooters, bikes....and silly kids.

BTW, we had someone come do a second look this morning. I had planned on getting some extra sleep after the kids went to preschool. ( I am coming down with a cold or something)....but the realtor called. Maybe I should make plans to sleep in every day! We didn't hear anything, so I guess they choose the other house. But it is good to know that our house was in the top two. They did want to move in in late May. We told them we had to stay at least until the end of the school year (late May). We would have had to move into one of those home-tels until we got housing in KY....but at this point, if the house sells, I will dance naked in the streets......oh wait, that might be a bit extreme, but you get my drift!

Happy Thursday, y'all!

Thursday 13.....#35....the letter O

letter O, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

In keeping with the ABC theme for 2008, the letter O:

1. One: Husband and Olivia when she was one day old.

2. Olivia: easily my favorite O...this picture totally captures her spirit: free, silly, happy

3. Orange: the sky really was this orange....kind of freaked me out a bit.

4. Ocean: love love love to be at the ocean...(I delivered Livi about two weeks after this was taken!)

5. Oklahoma: Born there, lived there until I was the big 3-0!

6. OU: THE University of Oklahoma....proud graduate

7. Observe: I love to sit back and observe people, especially at a mall.

8. Occupation: now domestic diva.

9. October: favorite month....I love the fall.

10. Organized or anal, you choose.....I prefer organized.

11. Obsessive: I am obsessive about washing hands.

12. Olives: cheese, and crackers are my favorite snack.

13. Omaha steaks steaks: best beef ever!