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December 31, 2007
A New Game
We spent the day watching movies and playing the Hannah Montana game Ashley received for Christmas:
It’s really a game made for girls her age. I told her she needs to play it next time she has someone spend the night.
She just left a little while ago with Andrew’s girlfriend, Christina, who wore this tiara while she worked this evening:
Kevin and I plan to watch another movie. We have been watching a lot lately. You will see that long list soon :)
Posted by tami at 9:09 PM Comments (0)
December 30, 2007
Blind To Books
Mom returned to church this morning for the first time since earlier this summer. She is feeling much better and she looks great!
Once we got home from church, we didn’t leave the house again. We watched a few episodes of The Waltons and de cluttered some areas. For some reason, I have this great desire to rid myself of unneeded things. For example, I found insurance books from a company we haven’t had for a year! It amazes me that I never noticed them sitting right in front of me every day, but I get used to the things around me and somehow become blind to them. It’s just like with the Halloween decorations; every year I miss something when putting the stuff up. I am so used to seeing that ghost magnet on the fridge, that it becomes normal.
Right before Christmas, I donated a ton of books that I had read over the years and knew I wouldn’t get around to reading again. I had told myself oh, this book was so good I’ll read it again someday, but when I really let myself think about the situation, I know I will never get around to those books again. I have too many others still in a stack, but it has gotten smaller; mainly because I haven’t allowed myself to shop for tons of used books until I have gotten this stack down a lot further.
I believe I have read many books this year though. I kept track of them all and will list them after the New Year. I won’t be reviewing any unless you have specific questions; there are simply too many.
Posted by tami at 10:58 PM Comments (5)
December 29, 2007
Justice Served
Most times when we eat out we have a good experience. I take everything into consideration when I eat out. Everything from the ambiance, music, price, service time, taste and quality of the food are important to me.
Today we ate HERE.
As far the ambiance goes …
When I pulled my chair out to sit down, there was a dirty napkin and set of silverware someone had left. Kevin had the job of removing this because the host was long gone before we had taken our seats.
We also had the pleasure of looking at this filthy switch plate the entire time we ate:
Trust me; the photo does not do it justice.
As I looked at this blackened switch plate and thought of the silverware which had previously occupied my chair, it made me wonder if the cleaning crew had taken a leave of absence.
The music and price were just fine. The server was okay, but he needs to try a lot harder. The server and service was very sluggish.
I ordered Ribs which were served with Cole Slaw, Baked Beans, and a Roll:
There was no butter for the Roll and none was offered. The Baked Beans were lukewarm, not hot. They tasted okay, but we could tell they came straight out of a can. The Cole Slaw was completely flavorless.
And the Ribs ….
If you have ever seen Ribs at ANY restaurant, you will know they don’t look like they do in the above photo. Ribs are not normally flat like a steak. I knew when I saw them that something was up; they had given me an appalling cut. The bones only went half way through the ribs. The remaining half was all gristle. It took me forever to eat that half. I had to take each piece and shred it between my fingers to remove the gristle.
In the photo below: at the top you will see a piece that was too tough to eat. In the middle is the pile of gristle (excluding the pieces I spit out in two different napkins, very ladylike mind you), and on the right-hand side are the half-bones.
The Ribs actually tasted good, but that cut should never have been sent out.
I did not complain because I have heard the horror stories and seen on TV what some restaurants do when a customer complains. Not returning to this restaurant and writing this post will be my justice.
Posted by tami at 9:17 PM Comments (4)
December 28, 2007
Dogs & Cats
While you watched the You Tube videos, someone else watched them also:
We have had to play Jesse and Sydnee singing over and over for him. He looks around and gets excited. His tail wags as he wonders where they are.
*****
These are my new Cheshire Cat pajama pants:
They are super soft and I could stay in them all day.
Posted by tami at 8:46 PM Comments (1)
December 25, 2007
The Best Christmas Present
I received the best Christmas present this afternoon.
Andrew called.
He had ten minutes to talk. He spoke for a minute with his Papaw and then another minute with his dad and then spent the rest of his time talking to me. He said to me, "This is your phone call." When he said that, my heart swelled and my chest puffed up a bit!
He said they got to watch the movie Man on Fire yesterday and it was really good.
Today he said they had turkey and dressing to eat. He said they truly give you plenty to eat every day and it tastes good.
He has received all of our mail.
His voice was hoarse, but gosh it was good to hear from him. He only has 23 days left.
Ten minutes sure go by fast when it’s been months since you’ve talked and you want to know everything, but at the same time just say I love you.
Posted by tami at 8:15 PM Comments (4)
An Early Start
Merry Christmas everyone!
These are the presents we worked our way through last night:
I think I will be very tired by the end of the day; I always am.
Posted by tami at 8:48 AM Comments (2)
December 24, 2007
HE Is The Reason
As in years past, I will post pictures of Ashley’s gifts. This year, however, I’m not going to be in a hurry to do it tonight. Instead, I have created a Christmas Ornament gallery for your viewing pleasure. Some of the photos are poor quality because they were taken in 2005 with a much older camera. Still, I think you will enjoy them. There are 27 photos on three pages.
We are having family over tonight and I will have the camera rolling. If I get anything exciting, I will try to post it in the next few days. It takes a lot of time to edit the videos and post them, so I’m not promising when they will appear.
THIS is the most important video you will see anyway. Please watch it all the way through because Jesus is the reason for the season!
Posted by tami at 10:47 AM Comments (2)
December 23, 2007
Sweet Surrender
Yesterday, Ashley spent the day with her Grandma (Kevin’s mom) baking and being creative with food.
They made a gingerbread house:
Cookies:
Peanut Brittle:
Chocolate Chip Nut Cookies:
Peanut butter spread on Ritz crackers which were dipped in white chocolate:
I would swear this morning Ashley was still on a sugar high!
Posted by tami at 10:41 PM Comments (1)
December 22, 2007
On With The Show This Is It!
This Is It - The Bugs Bunny Overture
by Jerry Livingston & Mack David
Overture, curtains, lights,
This is it, the night of nights
No more rehearsing and nursing a part
We know every part by heart!
Overture, curtains, lights
This is it, you’ll hit the heights
And oh what heights we’ll hit
On with the show this is it!
Tonight what heights we’ll hit
On with the show this is it!
Last night we drove around Winchester looking at Christmas lights. These are 25 of my favorite photos.
I’m sure we missed lots of houses, but there is no “map” of places to see so we were left to our own devices. Also, I know of certain houses that are normally lit up, however they were dark last night.
Posted by tami at 9:58 PM Comments (1)
December 21, 2007
Donating Time
On December 8th, Kevin and I rang the bell for The Salvation Army:
This afternoon, dad and I wrapped presents for The American Cancer Society:
Both times I had a lot of fun!
Warning: I think everyone in Winchester is at Wal-Mart right now.
*****
Ashley had her tubes taken out this morning. Everything went well. She does have a hole in her ear where the tube stayed in so long, but the doctor is hopeful this will heal.
*****
Kevin finished the scarf he was knitting for me:
I love it! It’s so warm!
Now, he is working on a sweater for Ashley:
Posted by tami at 6:36 PM Comments (6)
December 20, 2007
They Better Be Good!
I have been craving Waldorf Chicken Salad which calls for seedless grapes. Yesterday while in Wal-Mart I was shocked to see the seedless grape section empty. Then I looked up and noticed a sign which stated they were out of seedless grapes due to a nationwide shortage.
Kroger however had plenty of seedless grapes. Kevin chose a bag and we headed to the register to pay. Take a look at the bag below. How much would you expect to pay for a bag of grapes that big? I will tell you it weighed 2.08 pounds.
Want to know why they had so many left?
Well, at $3.99 a pound I’m sure people felt they were being ROBBED!
Yes, the total for this trip to Kroger for one bag of grapes was $8.30.
Merry Christmas! I hope you aren’t planning to have fruit salad!
In other news:
We have officially finished our Christmas shopping! YEA!!!
Posted by tami at 8:57 AM Comments (3)
December 19, 2007
Unsanitary
This Article which was sent to me via email, brings up some very interesting things.
Go read it and then you can come back to me ;) It will open in a new window.
First off, I call it a purse and not a handbag. I guess in different parts of the world, people call it different things, but I will refer to it as a purse.
I hate it and it ticks me off when I walk in a bathroom stall and there is no hook to hang my purse on. At some places this isn’t a problem because the toilet paper dispenser is big enough to sit my purse on. There are some places where I don’t have that luxury though. I walk in and there is no hook and no place to sit my purse. This is where some balancing skills come into play. My purse weighs about 15 pounds and that is no joke. I have posted about the contents of my purse before.
Anyway, I have to balance that baby on my arm while pulling down my pants. Then I have to sit with it in my lap whilst I go. Wiping is where it becomes really hard to balance. I can’t just sling the thing over my neck or it would kill me. Trust me, I have considered doing that, but knew it would be a very bad idea and I would have a sore neck for a week.
So in the article, they talk about women sitting their purses on the bathroom floor. I would never do that! My purse is also cloth; one of the ones that holds the most dirt. I don’t even sit it on the floor of a restaurant while I am eating. When I cannot sit it next to me in a chair or a booth, I balance it once again in my lap. Unless there is a wall behind me, I will not hang it on the back of the chair. To me, this is begging for someone to rob you. I don’t trust other people at my table to watch what is happening to my purse hanging on the back of my chair. There is just too much that can go wrong.
I do sit my purse on the counters and kitchen table. The article is correct though, it’s no different than putting a pair of shoes on the table. I need to think about that from now on. Also, Ashley is in middle school and she takes her purse to school and then sits it on the kitchen table. How sanitary do you think that is?!
Ashley’s purse – on the kitchen table!
I also put my purse in any buggy (cart) I get at Wal-Mart. That can’t ever be good. I have also sat it on the floor of the changing room while I am trying on clothes or on the counter in the changing room. You wouldn’t think that would be too dirty.
Now that I really think about it, my purse has been on bleachers, classroom floors, and the floor at church. Yea, I need to keep it off the counters and table. What about you?
Posted by tami at 7:40 AM Comments (6)
December 18, 2007
Eating Out
We eat out about once a week and normally it’s in a nice restaurant. I love eating Charlie’s seafood, but we have to eat that in the car. I don’t care though; it’s worth it. So far, I think Charlie’s fish is much better than Regatta (greasy), Friday’s (they have really good fish), Rumor’s (you don’t get much for your money), or Texas Roadhouse (their catfish is very good). Charlie’s tops them all!
If we go to Charlie’s, we pay under $15 for the three of us. In a restaurant, we will pay very close to $50 if not go over that a little; most of the time it’s worth the price. We always leave a 15% tip even if the server wasn’t up to par. Kevin always pays for the meal. I hand him the money and then he puts it in the black money thingy. We’re married so naturally we share all of our money.
When we eat out, we sometimes meet my parents somewhere, but more often than not, it is just the three of us. I haven’t eaten what I consider to be fast food in a while; such as McDonald’s, Burger King, Arby’s or someplace similar. If I only eat out once per week, I certainly don’t want to waste that one time on fast food. I like to sit and enjoy myself. I like an experience. I don’t consider anywhere that has a play yard an experience. That’s fun for young kids, but it’s not for me.
My favorite appetizer would have to be the Bloomin’ Onion at Outback. It’s very unhealthy and greasy and then you dip it in the sauce which makes it worse for you, but when I’m there, I have to order one. Joe Bologna’s (a local pizza place) also has a great appetizer which is the Fried Combo. With that you get a little bit of everything including cheese sticks, mushrooms, banana peppers, zucchini, and onion rings. Once again, this is very unhealthy, but it’s delicious. We haven’t been there since before May and that’s a good thing. It’s hard to resist, but I know my limits.
Outback has the best house salad hands down. Their croutons cannot be beat and everything such as the tomato and cucumber is cold and crisp. I have tried house salads everywhere and this one is worth the money.
My favorite main dish depends on where we eat. Lately it has been ribs, but I have been very disappointed in everyone except Texas Roadhouse. Places that are supposed to be famous for their ribs have been a big letdown. I can think of three places right now, but I won’t name them.
As you can tell, I don’t worry about fat or calories when I eat out. To me, it is a treat, so I eat all of those foods that are bad for me which I don’t eat at all during the week.
I don’t know anyone who owns a restaurant, but I know of a person who works in a restaurant. I think it would be very hard work. When I was 15, I worked at Wendy’s for about three days. I didn’t go back in a Wendy’s until I was around 33. Does that tell you anything about those three days?
I dated someone who worked at a fast food place when I was a teenager. No matter how many times he washed his uniform, it still smelled like fast food. If you’re not craving it or eating it, it really stinks.
If I ever received the wrong food, I would let the person know. Now days the food isn’t brought out by your waiter or waitress anyway, it’s brought out by an expediter. If the food I received was bad, I probably wouldn’t say anything. I have seen too many stories on television where they spit in the food or do other things to the food when it is taken back. I don’t think all places are this way, but you don’t know which ones are trustworthy and would not get mad.
The worst experience I ever had at a restaurant had nothing to do with the restaurant itself. We had been seated at a large table at Cracker Barrel and had just started looking over the menu when a little girl ran towards us and then vomited right next to our table. (My sister still laughs at this story.) I about died. I felt bad for the little girl and yet, I really, really wanted to leave. However, I kept my feelings to myself and we stayed because my entire family was there. I just made sure that I kept my head turned while they cleaned it up. That experience still gives me the shivers.
The worst food I ever had at a restaurant was an appetizer called “Baked Stuffed Mushrooms”. They have them at an Italian restaurant. My parents ordered them because they think they are delicious and wanted Kevin and I to try them. I scooped one up and it looked like an eyeball. It had the texture of what you think an eyeball would have. As a matter of fact, if you have ever touched your eye, this is what one of these mushrooms felt like in my mouth. It was so gross I wanted to gag. Kevin, who loves mushrooms, also hated them and said they were the nastiest things he had ever eaten. Sorry mom and dad!
I do not like eating at buffets. There are several restaurants in Winchester that have buffets and I don’t go near them. They’re always packed with people though. I guess because you pay one price and it’s all you can eat. My problem is that everybody and their brother has breathed, sneezed, and coughed on that food. Little children have touched the food with their fecal fingers. It’s nasty and I cannot bring myself to do it.
There is a restaurant which has a day of the week in its name and it is supposed to have a superb salad bar. I don’t think so. It has never been up to my standards or had things I would expect a good salad bar to have. They have good food, but the salad bar is nothing to brag about. Buffets also allow you to overeat and that’s another reason I avoid them; that and the fact that I like to be served when I go out. I don’t like having to get up and get my own food. Like I said, eating out for me is an experience.
Posted by tami at 9:26 AM Comments (5)
December 17, 2007
Children
Big families like The Waltons fascinate me. Any TV show with lots of brothers and sisters are always interesting to me. I know they are only TV shows, but I believe they give you a good idea of what it would be like to have that many people in one house. I think about it and it boggles my mind. The show Jon & Kate Plus 8 on TLC is reality TV. Kate has to cook, clean, do dishes, wash clothes, dress, and potty train; all for EIGHT children. She does have help occasionally, but I cannot imagine how exhausted she must be at the end of each day. Then again, when they get a little older, things will be more fun. I love the reality shows like Kids by the Dozen where they have lots of children; some are adults while others are just out of diapers.
I wouldn’t want that many children, but its fun to observe. Growing up, I always wanted a boy and a girl. I wanted to have the boy first because my best friend had a big brother and I thought that was neat, so I always wanted one of my kids to be the big brother. It’s funny that this is exactly how things happened. As you know, I have Andrew who is 18 and Ashley who is 11.
In my mom’s family, it was she and her sister and in my family, I have one sister. My sister and I are four years apart. It’s hard to believe she is 31.
Kevin and I decided many years ago that we didn’t want any more children. Our reasoning was; we didn’t want to start over. We were finished with car seats, diapers, potty training, teaching letters, and so on and we didn’t want to do that again. I’m not saying I don’t want grandchildren or I don’t like watching babies because I do. I’m just saying we don’t want to be responsible 24/7 for a baby again. Grandchildren can be returned ;)
When I was young, I always wanted to be a teacher. As an adult I learned, it didn’t take a classroom to become one. Any mother can tell you that once you have children, you become a full-time teacher. Everything is a learning experience and that doesn’t exclude the mother herself. I have learned many things throughout the years from my children.
I do believe most children are different today than they were when I grew up. The music they hear on the radio is much more explicit; the shows on TV are gorier and have many sexual innuendos. In general, I think children know more about life at a younger age. Even if they avoid the radio and TV shows, the news describes a lot of sad stories and they love to give as much information as possible. They use words like mutilated, rape, and sodomy. Those words alone evoke many images and questions. I don’t remember ever hearing those words when I was growing up.
I think children are naturally good though. I believe they have good, pure hearts and through our mistakes – though they may be accidental - or through the mistakes of others, they can begin to turn sour if the situation is not handled correctly. I believe we are all born with sin, but that sin does not rear its ugly head until a certain age. That age would depend on what the child has been exposed to.
The most amazing thing to me about children is their curiosity and willingness to learn. Naturally, I am not referring to older children. Preschoolers are so much fun to be around though. They love to sing and dance, learn to read and write, play games, and color with pretty crayons. They see things in different ways than we do. It’s a blast when they see something for the first time; their reactions can be very entertaining! For example, I have three beauty marks on my face. As one of my nieces sat in my lap, she pointed and touched each of those beauty marks. As she touched them with furrowed brows, she said, “Aunt Tami, I think you have spots!”
To me, that was priceless.
The most important thing we need to teach our children is about Jesus Christ and that he is our Savior. The only way to heaven is through Him. There is no other way. They need to know that He died on the cross to save us from our sins. They need to experience church. No church is perfect as no people are perfect, but we have to keep our eyes focused on the goal and the goal is Heaven. Everything else is irrelevant.
I am not getting preachy here; at least, I don’t mean to. I let Ashley watch all kinds of things on TV that would make some parents heads roll. She also listens to many colorful songs, but she still knows right from wrong.
My favorite thing to do as a child was play with Barbies. I had the dream house, cottage, a purple Corvette, a yellow van, furniture for every room, clothes, shoes, and lots of Barbies. I was very fortunate to have so much. I also had a room just for my Barbies and it wasn’t small either. I would sit in that room for hours and use my imagination. That was so much fun! As I have said before; I would have no problems playing with Barbies right now and I am 35. I don’t think that is strange though. Adults play Guitar Hero and other games on their systems and computers. Many adults play fantasy games, so I don’t think having the desire to play with Barbies is that bizarre.
Now that I have talked so much about children, I would like to say that I don’t think there is anything wrong with people who don’t have children or who don’t want children. I had a teacher in high school who when asked why she never had children replied, “Because I want to travel."
Now, some people would find that way of thinking selfish, but I don’t. If you don’t really want children, you shouldn’t have them because they are a lifetime commitment. I don’t fault people for that.
Posted by tami at 9:58 AM Comments (3)
December 16, 2007
Sunday Nuts
I sensed some surprise that I wore my Chuck Taylor’s to church:
I believe everyone will be happier with this choice:
This is the nativity scene I see before entering the sanctuary:
This morning I received a surprise before church. You will recall THIS post where I wrote about a wife bringing a horrendous book to my mother while her husband waited in the car.
Well, the husband walked up and asked me, “Do you still have the book we brought to your mother or did you throw it away?”
I was taken aback by this question, but told him that no, I had not thrown it away and that my dad would have to get it for him. He said, “If you’ll just leave it on the porch, I’ll come and pick it up.”
I wonder why he asked me if I threw it away. Not that I wouldn’t mind shredding the thing to pieces. I don’t think anyone should read that book, but it would seem that “the Baptist grapevine” – the pastor’s term, not mine – is hard at work. Mom didn’t ask for the book and if he was that worried about it, he shouldn’t have passed it along to complete strangers. Mom didn’t even recognize their names!
Something else has come to my attention recently in regards to mom. Someone is passing along a rumor that she has three more months to live. Why in the world would someone say something like that? When mom was questioned about the rumor, she was totally taken by surprise. It made her feel as though everyone else knew something that she didn’t. What a horrible feeling this must have been. I know I felt awful for her.
I have come to the conclusion that there are a lot of nuts out there and you just have to keep your mind on your own business.
Posted by tami at 2:00 PM Comments (7)
December 15, 2007
Totally Drab!
I started a Talky Blog around lunchtime, but didn’t feel like pursuing it once it became even drearier than it had been because of nightfall. It rained all day today. Sometimes it wasn’t that bad, but most of the time we were fighting off big, fat drops of rain which looked almost slushy on my new winter coat.
It was grey and wet and people were out in droves Christmas shopping; not because they wanted to shop, but because they had to shop. I don’t think anyone would choose to get out in this weather if they didn’t feel the great last few weeks before Christmas push to do so. I cannot think of one parking lot we entered today where we didn’t have to wait for a space. It was madness.
To top it all off, I felt we wasted a lot of time. We went across town to shop because we thought it was necessary; I thought it was necessary. Kevin is always up for anything, so I am the one who gets the harebrained ideas. Once we were on our way home, I realized that we didn’t need to travel half as far as we traveled or go in half the stores we took the time to go into.
At this time of year, time is critical. It’s such a shame and a waste to spend at least half an hour looking for a place to park and then going into the store only to realize, they don’t have what you are looking for. Then you must leave, travel to another store and do the same thing over again. We did this four times today thus wasting hours of precious time.
At the end of the day I can at least say that I did buy and wrap another gift, therefore checking another person off my need to buy for list. I also decided to give two people money, so that was easy enough; I put the cash inside two Christmas cards, which will be hand-delivered. So, I actually finished with three people today. That’s not shabby.
When it is grey and ugly outside and everything is dead, dead, dead; we do have the pretty Christmas lights to make us feel cheerful. Here is a look at our tree:
Posted by tami at 11:26 PM Comments (4)
December 14, 2007
Cars
I don’t remember practicing to drive until I was 16. I didn’t actually get my license until I was 17 though. It wasn’t because I wasn’t allowed; I simply wasn’t interested and had no need to drive. My parents took me to work and picked me back up. Life was easy.
Driving isn’t hard for me, however I don’t parallel park. I would if I could be sure that no one would be waiting behind me for me to finish, but you can never guarantee that. If another car is waiting on me on a busy street, it only makes me nervous, so I won’t attempt it.
I can only drive an automatic. I never learned how to drive a stick shift and I have absolutely no desire to do so. Why would you want to drive a stick when an automatic is so easy?
I have a Saturn which is paid for. This is the second Saturn we have owned. We have had a very positive experience with them (I am knocking on wood).
As far as car accidents go, I have been in two. The first one was when I was 17 and my boyfriend was driving. I can honestly say that it was not his fault. It wasn’t anything major; only a fender-bender. The second wreck was bad. Kevin was driving and we were headed home on a busy road. A man was in the oncoming lane stopped and waiting for us to drive by so he could make a left-hand turn into his driveway. The sun was shining in another driver’s eyes who was driving up behind the stopped vehicle and he never even saw that the man was stopped. He ran into the man in front of him going around 55 MPH. The man, who had been stopped, had already turned his wheels to the left, so when he was rear-ended, his car came barreling into us. Kevin’s car (a Mazda which he LOVED) was totaled. We were extremely sore and had horrible bruising from our seat belts. I am very thankful we were wearing them though or we could have gone through a window. As it was, when this happened I was rifling through the glove box, so when we wrecked, I jammed my knee into it.
That wreck taught me a valuable lesson though: you should never turn the wheels of your car in the direction you want to go until you are actually able to turn. If that man’s wheels had been straight when he was hit, he would not have hit us.
I have been pulled over by the police, but neither time resulted in a ticket. One time, I had a break light out and another time I was driving too closely to the squad car in front of me. I thought it was an officer I knew, but it turned out to be an officer I had never met. How embarrassing!
The only things I know about my car are how to check the oil and put more oil in and how to put gas in the tank. I do not know how to change a tire. Isn’t that why we have cell phones?
Driving at night is not a pleasant experience for me. I feel very disadvantaged and like to use my high beams whenever possible. It annoys me when other drivers refuse to dim their headlights, thus blinding me. It’s just rude. Anyway, I am always afraid I will meet a deer. Too many drivers and deer have died on a road we frequently travel. I don’t blame the deer though. We have built so much; they don’t know where to go where they can live without us intruding.
The longest trip I have ever taken by car was from Kentucky to Florida. I can sincerely say that I don’t remember much of the ride though. Both times I have been to Florida were with my parents, so my dad always drove. Now days I could never be in someone’s back seat for that long. I am so used to driving that I get car sick fast if I have to sit in the back.
The nine-hour drive to Parris Island, South Carolina should be interesting. I thought it was a long drive when we traveled three hours to Gatlinburg; I cannot even fathom nine. Kevin will drive the entire way since it is all on the interstate. I will be in constant prayer and probably cry once or twice, maybe even three times on the way. I panic and don’t enjoy one minute of it. If you have any suggestions to make this drive easier, let me know! If we had the money, I would fly to avoid a nine-hour road trip and that's saying a lot since I have never flown!
Posted by tami at 8:55 AM Comments (5)
December 13, 2007
Guest Blog From Parris Island
Andrew wrote me a letter from basic training and said, “How about a guest blog from basic?"
How cool is that?! So the following is exactly what he wrote:
Sunday December 9thHello Blog Buddies! In case you don’t know me, my name is Andrew and I’m the son of the wonderful woman you read so much about. I am currently in basic training, Parris Island, S.C. U.S. Marine Corps, which I’m sure if you’re a regular, you know by now.
It’s not bad here. You’ve got the physical training, the knowledge (classes), and the screaming. It takes some getting used to and now I’m great! I actually find it quite enjoyable sometimes.
So far I’ve lost around 15 pounds and am shooting for 25 pounds. That will put my weight at 165. I still can’t believe my dad weighs less! LOL!
Basic Information:
*PT – 3-4 times a week
*Food – 3 squares a day – it’s good!
*Sleep – Usually 8 hours every night
*Free time – 1 hour per night & 4 on Sundays
*Church – is two hours long and very informative and fun
*Bathroom – it’s like going in your front yard during a yard sale
I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year! God Bless!
If you leave any comments on Andrew’s post, I will print them out and mail them to him.
Posted by tami at 5:33 PM Comments (6)
All About Animals
Kevin came home from the library with THIS book. Oh, the titles people come up with!
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I have added a photo to the Low Calorie Foods gallery making the total 13.
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Since I discussed my own pets in yesterday’s post, I would now like to discuss animals in general.
I don’t know anyone who owns any exotic animals.
I do not believe it is acceptable to test cosmetics on animals. Testing on animals for medical research is okay with me as long as there is a true need and the outcome will help people.
There are many different types of animals I would not eat just because I am either:
A: not used to it
or
B: some animals are too cute for me to eat.
I eat regular meats such as beef, pork, turkey, and chicken. I would not eat squirrel, frog legs, deer, rabbit, duck, or anything with the head still attached (like the duck in A Christmas Story). The meat must come in a package with writing on it or you won’t see it in my freezer.
We have been to the zoo several times, but the last time we went, I felt so sorry for them. I believe they were meant to run free. As much as I love seeing them, I think they are sad to be enclosed. It reminds me of that episode of the Twilight Zone called People Are Alike All Over. If you read the synopsis, you will see it is the same thing.
I don’t support animals in the circus either. I don’t like the idea of keeping them in cages traveling constantly for our entertainment. As much as we are told they receive the best care, I have a hard time believing that.
Those feelings aside, I do not believe it is okay to free an animal that has lived in captivity all its life. It would be unfair to the animal to expect it to survive on its own.
I believe hunting is okay if the meat is actually eaten. I do not believe in hunting for sport. As far as wearing furs, this same sentiment applies. If the person ate the meat of the animal whose fur they wear, this is okay with me. In this case, the animal did not die only for its pelt. Sadly, this is normally not the case.
I have never been to a horse race, but I have ridden a horse. They are hard on your rear end! I wasn’t comfortable with the experience.
My favorite animal is the giraffe. I love their coloring, big eyes, and long eyelashes and neck. I believe they are very graceful.
Posted by tami at 7:44 AM Comments (3)
December 12, 2007
Furry Relationships
As you know I have a pug named Guido who is three years old and a cat named Church who is nine. Both of these names came from books. Guido was one of the characters in the Anne Rice book Cry to Heaven. The name Church came from Stephen King’s Pet Sematary. If you click on that link and look at the cover, don’t think that our Church is like that. He is a very docile creature until it is feeding time; then he turns into a meowing freak! All of a sudden around 10:30 AM he starts speaking to me. If I move ever so slightly in my chair, he thinks I am getting up and going to the kitchen. This sets off some trigger in his small head which he cannot control or turn off.
The same thing happens around 10:30 PM. At this time it is Kevin’s turn to be barraged with his constant meowing. If Kevin so much as moves a foot, Church sees this as a sign that Kevin is getting up and therefore needs to feed him. He can be quite vocal when he wants to be.
I do talk to both Church and Guido. I cannot imagine having a pet and not talking to him/her. That would seem like an oddity to me. I will freely admit that I don’t talk to Church near as much as I talk to Guido. Church doesn’t have his own voice to me either. Guido has a voice and I speak in this voice and talk for him. He has a sweet, little voice, but he can get feisty when he wants. He has definite opinions about things. His favorite thing to do with me besides taking a walk is taking naps. Guido and I both love a good nap!
Kevin and I don’t plan to have any more pets. We are firm believers that there is a responsibility that comes with having a pet. It can be as long as eighteen years and in our book, that is a serious commitment. We believe now that once our time of commitment is up, we will want to have a bit more freedom. Right now, we definitely don’t have that freedom.
I don’t like leaving Guido for over six hours. He is not used to this, so I don’t believe it would be fair to him to all of a sudden make him hold his bladder for that long. When we go shopping on the weekends, I feel a responsibility/tug of love to come home after a certain length of time. I feel very guilty when we leave him for more than four hours.
If I had it my way, he would be allowed to go everywhere with me as long as he was in some sort of carrier. I could very easily buy one of those packs that moms and dads wear to hold their baby’s close to them on their chest. I would definitely have one of these if the stores would allow it. In my world, dogs would be allowed in every store as long as they were in a stroller or carrier. Take a look at THIS carrier. This is what I’m talking about! Do you think there’s any chance I could smuggle Guido in Wal-Mart in one of these carriers if I had a blanket over his head?
Kevin would have a total fit!
Oh, but you see, Guido IS my baby now. Some readers will not understand this, but I cannot explain it.
I believe cats are smarter than dogs; however I love my dog more. I am a horrible mom, but there; I’ve admitted it! He is my friend and he shows love. I know Church loves me and I think he has shown this more since Guido has been here. It’s like he has to prove something now, but he still doesn’t jump all over me and tell me how much he missed me and how mad he is that I was away so long and ask why I didn’t talk him along.
Guido has not been trained to sit, roll over, or do any extraordinary thing. When you come to this house, you better plan to be jumped on, licked, and get hair all over your clothes. He breaths heavy, sneezes, snores, and wants nothing more than attention. He wants to be noticed and loved. If you come to my house and you speak to him harshly, my opinion of you will be nil. Yes, it has happened or I wouldn’t be mentioning it.
Someone said that pugs are the clowns of the dog world and I believe this to be true. He is a wonderful companion who gives unconditional love. Cleaning poop out of the yard (when we actually clean it up), vet bills, hair everywhere, coming home early, food bills – it is all worth it because I love him.
Posted by tami at 12:04 AM Comments (5)
December 11, 2007
Only 37
I love this:
Two little princesses dancing in a row,
Spinning fast and freely on their little toes,
Where the light will take them no one ever knows,
Two little princesses dancing in a row
-Tin Man
*****
I want to introduce you to Andrew’s girlfriend. I should have done it a long time ago, but I never got around to it.
That is Christina. She and Andrew met many years ago in middle school where they dated for about three years. They got back together toward the end of their senior year. She now attends college and wants to become a nurse. I believe this is a good choice since it is a profession which is needed no matter where she goes.
She is one of the things that keep Andrew going in boot camp. He loves getting her letters and writing to her. He thinks about her night and day, naturally.
Speaking of Andrew, he is doing well. He said he fired his rifle “and it was awesome”. He still hasn’t been in the gas chamber because the date was moved. He will do that in two weeks. He says he can do 90 sit-ups in two minutes and 15 pull-ups. His time was 24:20 on the 3-mile run.
He only has 37 days to go until graduation! OOH-RAH!
Posted by tami at 9:50 AM Comments (4)
December 10, 2007
An Adjustment
I don’t have an “empty nest” yet and won’t for some time, however, I still feels the pangs of what it must feel like sometimes.
From time to time I get that empty feeling when I see commercials for toys my children will never get to play with; other times it happens whilst shopping.
Friday night, we found ourselves in Tuesday Morning. This is a great store full of odds and ends. It kind of reminds me of a Big Lots, only it has more expensive items.
Anyway, we went down the toy isle and I suddenly felt that pang of emptiness. It did not help that Ashley wasn’t with us. I tried to ignore this feeling as much as I could, but I wasn’t in the mood to buy anything.
Sunday morning in church the younger children got up and sang a song which would be in their Christmas concert. Every one of them looked beautiful. Some wore Christmassy sweaters and others were just dressed sweetly; the girls with bows in their hair and ruffles on their sleeves, the boys in sweaters or little suits. There is nothing quite as enchanting as the sound a little voice makes when it sings. It was so sweet it made my heart ache because I don’t have one their age.
I know I have many good years left with Ashley still at home. We haven’t raised a girl, so this will be a totally different experience I am sure. The eleven years we have had thus far have been wonderful. I look forward to her growing up and experiencing new things, but at the same time I think back to those days when she could wear those ruffled dresses with a bow atop her head, when she loved her baby dolls, when she couldn’t get a shoe on so I had to help, when she was thrilled to get a pad of paper in her Christmas stocking, when I had to read the same book to her over and over; little things add up to a lot when you no longer have them.
I guess with Andrew leaving for the Marines, I have realized this thing called life is moving on. I guess I didn’t comprehend it because it happened so suddenly. One day he was here and the next he was gone. One day Ashley was dressing like a princess and the next she was reading thick novels.
I do appreciate what I have, please don’t think otherwise. Nevertheless, when everything you’ve been used to is gone or has changed, it’s a hard adjustment that’s all. I’m going through an adjustment.
Posted by tami at 11:56 AM Comments (3)
December 9, 2007
Lost And Found
Yesterday evening Ashley left her purse in Kohl’s while trying on shoes. We all about had a fit when she realized it once we were back in Winchester and in the car on our way home from Wal-Mart.
I called Kohl’s and asked for the lost and found department, which I believe is the same thing as customer service and thank goodness, some wonderful person had turned in Ashley’s purse.
As we walked out of Wal-Mart, before we realized the purse was missing, my dad called my cell phone. He informed me that they were over in Hamburg eating at Friday’s and asked me to call him back when I got home.
So, I did call him back, but by the time I called, I had a favor to ask; would he and mom be so kind as to go to Kohl’s and retrieve Ashley’s purse from the customer service counter.
Of course, they did, thus saving us a trip all the way back to Lexington. Ashley inspected everything in the purse; cell phone, money, keys – everything was still there in its place. We told her how fortunate she was and what could have happened had someone not so nice had found her purse.
It is very doubtful that the kind soul who found her purse is reading this blog, but if you are, many thanks go to you!
While Ashley lost something yesterday, my dad found two items.
The first thing he found was a cell phone someone had dropped in Dawhares. He ended up meeting the woman and returning her phone to her a little later.
He also found a man’s billfold in Target, I believe. After the man in front of dad had made his purchases, he left his billfold and his money lying on the counter. Dad took the billfold with him and called a number on the inside.
He didn’t want to turn the billfold in at the counter at Target because he said it would have been too easy for someone to have taken the money out and said it was turned in that way. Dad wants to make sure the man gets everything he is supposed to get. Hopefully he will hear from the man soon.
All of this is a lesson though. We are all in a rush and all we want to do at times is buy our stuff and get home. Sometimes, it would be much better for us if we would slow down and think about things before we act.
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This afternoon we finished watching Tin Man which I had taped earlier this past week off the SCI FI channel. We watched it together; Kevin, Ashley and I and I think I speak for us all when I say we thought it was good. It was very, very far off from The Wizard of Oz story, but it was enjoyable. I’m sure they will replay it if you want to give it a try.
Posted by tami at 5:55 PM Comments (5)
December 7, 2007
Christmas Quiz
I received this quiz in email, but thought it would be fun to share with my readers. As I said yesterday, I would love to see your answers too either in the comment section or on your own blog if you have one :)
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both
2. Tree: Real or Artificial? Artificial
3. When do you put the Christmas tree up? The day after Thanksgiving
4. When do you take the tree down? About two days after Christmas
5. Like eggnog? Yes - too much
6. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes
7. Favorite gift received as a child? Barbie Dream House
8. Hardest person to buy for? I cannot say or I will get reprimanded.
9. Easiest person to buy for? Ashley (my daughter)
10. Worst Christmas gift? Leopard print shorts – how old am I 80?!
11. Mail or e-mail a Christmas card? Mail – unless I don’t have their address.
12. Favorite Christmas movie? Christmas Vacation
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? January
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes
15. Favorite food to eat on Christmas? Our homemade Chex mix
16. Clear or colored lights? Colored
17. Favorite Christmas song? Do You Hear What I Hear?
18. Travel during Christmas or stay home? Stay home
19. Can you name Santa's reindeer? Yes
20. Angel or Star on tree top? Angel
21. Open presents on Christmas Eve or morning? Both
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Some people leave the “Christ” out of Christmas!
23. Favorite Christmas memory? The year we gave Andrew about a million Pokémon cards and Ashley the same in Beanie Babies.
24. Favorite place to shop? Target
25. Is there a gift you have always wanted and never received? I cannot think of one.
Posted by tami at 11:20 AM Comments (4)
December 6, 2007
Annoying Things
What annoys you about living where you are now?
A couple up the street does not abide by the leash law. They have two small dogs and since the dogs are small, they believe the dogs do not have/need to be leashed. The wife’s excuse is, “Well, people let their cats run wild.” I have a cat and I do not let my cat run wild; that and the fact that there is no leash law for cats. I firmly believe there should be though.
Do you think you have habits that annoy other people?
Yes! I am sure my opinions and firmness in certain beliefs annoys people among many other things.
Does it annoy you when people kiss in public?
It depends on how long the kiss lasts and how open-mouthed it is. (I tried to put it nicely.)
Do you get annoyed when other people display bad manners?
Yes. Now, I don’t care if you put your elbows on the table, but I do care when you talk with your mouth full of food and the food is not only showing, but is spewing out! I also think it is rudeness to the extreme to eat while on the phone. I can hear you and you sound gross!
If something is annoying you, what do you usually do?
I usually ignore it unless it is someone living in my house. If I am on the phone and get annoyed, I roll my eyes or hold the phone away from my ear.
Does it annoy you when people don’t use the right punctuation?
Sometimes; it depends on who it is and the age of the person. I make errors too, so I’m not too critical when it comes to this, only when it is something that should be very obvious to everyone.
What kinds of people annoy you?
People who say they want equal treatment, but really want a step up for doing nothing.
** Feel free to answer these questions on your own blogs. I would love to read your answers!
Posted by tami at 11:44 AM Comments (1)
December 5, 2007
Christmas Comes Early
Yesterday we received a large box in the mail:
It was full of tissue paper for protection:
Under all the tissue paper were three individual boxes wrapped in red wrapping paper:
There was one for me, one for Papaw, and one for Christina (Andrew’s girlfriend):
Andrew sent us each a new shirt for Christmas.
They said, “My Boyfriend”, “My Grandson”, “My Son” ONE OF THE FEW, THE PROUD, A MARINE”, respectively.
Christina, my Dad, & me
Needless to say, we could not have been more touched.
I have no idea how he managed this feat!
Posted by tami at 5:27 PM Comments (7)
December 4, 2007
Some Used WHAT?
Do you believe a present has to be new in order to wrap and give it away?
I do not have this dilemma this Christmas, but the question did arise a few Christmas’s ago. I bought about ten used books for my mom. They looked new except a few may have had the previous owner’s signature inside the front cover. In my opinion, that makes the book even better and more unique, but some people may not like that.
I decided to wrap the books as if they were new and present them to my mother. She received other gifts from us that year, but I think it was those books that gave her the most pleasure. Even though some said 1989 or 1990 on the cover, the stories were no less good. In fact, she is still working on reading them to this day.
Photo from 2005
I recently bought something from ebay which will be a Christmas present. It is new, but I just wonder if it would matter if it wasn’t.
Does it matter to you what the item is if it is used or not? Do you prefer to not get any used items or do you not mind the gift at all no matter where it was bought or who the previous owner was?
I would not want used lotion or make-up as things of this nature are personal and may or may not have touched skin; you never know. You may feel differently though if it is your favorite lotion or face cream and was discontinued. In my opinion, books are the exception to the rule, but you may feel otherwise.
I am wondering how you feel about used CD’s and DVD’s. Would it bother you if you received a movie or CD for Christmas and it was not shrink-wrapped? Answer honestly. You are under the cone of safety on this site which means no one is allowed to berate you for your answer.
Posted by tami at 12:58 PM Comments (10)
December 3, 2007
Pretty Trees
Months ago, I posted the link to The Breast Cancer Site. I told you if you go there each day and click on “Click Here to Give”, the sponsors will give a donation to help fund a mammogram for a needy woman. At that time, I didn’t notice it, but there are tabs at the top of that page. One takes you to The Animal Rescue Site another takes you to The Hunger Site another leads to The Child Health Site another to The Literacy Site and lastly, there is one for The Rainforest Site. You do the same thing on each page; simply click the button to give. Yes, it takes a few minutes, but it is worth it in my opinion.
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Saturday we just so happened upon the Trees of Life display at the mall at Lexington Green.
There was live singing and refreshments.
This beautiful pink tree was created by DeAnn Stephens from WKYT.
The ornaments on the tree in the foreground were made from corn husks. In the background was a tree decorated with John Deere ornaments, but it’s hard to see.
The sale of each tree helps the Kidney Health Alliance of Kentucky.
This was a “Carnivale Christmas Tree”:
And an Ale-8-One tree decorated by the Kidney Health Alliance of Kentucky.
Sadly, I did not write down who created each tree, but if you helped with one, know that they made a happy atmosphere.
Posted by tami at 5:04 PM Comments (3)
December 2, 2007
Chuck The Heels!
These are the movies I watched in November:
11-14-07 Home for the Holidays
11-25-07 Next
11-27-07 Forrest Gump
11-29-07 The Sentinel
11-29-07 Night at the Museum
11-29-07 Sliding Doors
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I love walking into church the first Sunday of December. Everywhere you look there are white lights, white flower arrangements with shimmering bows, and lots of greenery.
It is a festive, yet reverent way of keeping with the season.
This is one of the small arrangements. I love all the curly Q’s sticking out of the top:
My long, grey skirt:
I hope you weren’t expecting heels ;)
Posted by tami at 3:22 PM Comments (4)