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January 31, 2008
One Item
When stores put their holiday items out, it makes me want to buy, buy, buy! This is true especially at Valentine’s Day when everything is red or pink; so girly, innocent and sweet.
But, I have to stop myself.
This is very hard to do when I see pretty red bowls in heart shapes that I just know would look great sitting on an end table filled to capacity with Dove chocolate hearts.
Target has the most adorable Valentine’s Day decorations! You can find everything you ever wanted in the shape of a cupcake from placemats to cookie jars – they have it all.
The reason I have abstained is because when the New Year rolled around, I de-cluttered the house. I really took a good look at what we had versus what we actually needed. So, if I go in Target and buy every pretty thing I see, I’m just starting the clutter cycle all over again. By having this look, but don’t buy philosophy in my head, we save space at home and money in our bank account.
That being said, I have allowed myself one new item because it will store easily and it will be used every day.
A tablecloth:
If I had a dining room, I would buy linen, but I don't. We use this table every night. We actually sit at the table and eat. Food splatters or rolls off a plate and I’m not necessarily blaming the kids here! For these reasons, I buy the vinyl. It’s easy to wipe off any spills and perfect for people who actually use their table for eating ;)
Have you bought any Valentine's Day items?
Posted by tami at 1:40 PM Comments (3)
January 30, 2008
Maxwell House
This is just another reason why I do not enjoy change:
The container on the left is new and the one on the right is old. I loved the old container and used it to pour my grease in; like today when I made chili for dinner (because it is so cold outside) and had hamburger grease to contend with.
The new container has a handle and is plastic. The handle makes it easier to carry, but it makes it hard to get the coffee out once you open the lid because the handle part takes up space in the middle. I especially have a hard time trying to empty it into a canister.
Change – I loathe thee.
Posted by tami at 5:22 PM Comments (4)
January 29, 2008
Sweet Memories
As a child I loved candy and junk in general. If I could get away with eating it without gaining weight, I would still eat candy to this day.
I still have wonderful memories from my childhood though! It makes me happy just to see the colorful boxes. Even now, I associate most of my memories with food. Hey, if it helps me remember something that’s a good thing.
Here is a list of the things I loved growing up in the 80’s. I'm sure there are more I couldn't think of:
Charms Blow Pops - My friend Beki and I loved nothing better than taking a walk up to the corner store and sucking on a Blow Pop while drinking an ice-cold Ale-8
Dairy Queen Vanilla Ice Cream Dipped in Chocolate
Red Hots - I believe the small boxes were only 5 or 10 cents.
Atomic Fire Balls - I had plenty of these from that same corner store.
NECCO Wafers - I remember my dad bringing these home for me sometimes when he got off work.
Brachs Conversation Hearts - I ate bags of these when I was pregnant with Andrew – bags!
Jolly Ranchers - The cinnamon are still my favorites.
Jello Pudding Pops - I had these in elementary school.
Nestles Quik Chocolate Flavored Powder - This was my weakness – chocolate milk. I drank a cup every day after school. I believe the cups kept getting bigger ;)
Peanut M&M’s - I’ll admit I eat these in a gross way. I eat off all the chocolate with my teeth (I do not suck on them) and save all the peanuts for last.
Little Debbie Swiss Cake Rolls - I also love the Oatmeal Cream Pies, Fudge Rounds, Brownies, and the Strawberry Short Cakes. Oh, and the Donut Sticks, let’s not leave those out!
Smarties - I could eat a ton of these!
Fruit filled with Candy Powder
Did you recognize any of these goodies yourself? What candy or junk did you enjoy as a child?
Posted by tami at 1:14 PM Comments (9)
January 27, 2008
Hotel Review
The following review of our hotel room isn’t really for my regular readers as I don’t believe any of you have plans to travel to Parris Island, S.C. any time soon. My hope in writing this review is that people doing a search for the hotel will find this write-up and see how nasty the Days Inn Hotel at Beaufort South Carolina actually is. The reason we chose this hotel is because it is the closest one to Parris Island; only two miles away, but I would never recommend it.
I would send my review to other web sites; however, here I can show pictures as evidence. I always think pictures speak volumes. I was actually going to keep my mouth shut and say nothing until I received the following in an email from another parent of a graduating Marine:
We too traveled to Parris Island, and we stayed at the same hotel that you did. We were in room xxx, my daughter and her family in xxx, and other relatives were on the second floor. I hope you didn't have the bug problems that we had!My daughter also had problems. I said it was as if they raped us! Since they're the closest hotel to the base, I believe they take advantage of people. There was nothing any of us could do about it once we were there. My daughter complained, but the lady she spoke to was as nasty as the rooms! She said, "I can tell I'm not going to be able to make you happy." Well, I guess not, since the rooms were disgusting! There were two roaches in one of our beds! It gives me the creeps just thinking about it.
We had roaches; both dead and alive. I saw one crawling through the garbage can and the other was a fat one crawling up the wall. If I could have taken a picture of the one making his way up the wall without fearing he would escape, I would have.
Here is one dead roach:
And here is another dead roach below the window sill:
This peanut was very visible and would have been easily picked up if they actually cared, however the room had not been vacuumed thoroughly in a while.
This very visible broken plastic was behind the nightstand between the two double beds:
These black socks were left behind the dresser:
Our room was also dusty. There was dust on top of the coffee pot and fridge. We actually had to have a cleaning person clean the bathroom because I saw pubic hairs on the floor and in the tub! The “clean” towel the cleaning person left draped over the tub had a long, dark pubic hair on top of it. They also left behind a used washcloth draped over the shower curtain. I did not take photos of the pubic hair because that was too gross even for me.
It makes me shudder to imagine what we missed since these things were all very visible.
We rarely travel, but I think we were right to expect more.
Posted by tami at 10:46 PM Comments (8)
January 26, 2008
Our Options
The last time we went away from home was in 2003. This was before we had Guido, so we didn’t have to worry about getting a babysitter. We had Church, but if you know cats, you know they can be left alone for longer periods of time because they have litter boxes. Back then, my parent’s came in once a day to feed and check on him. I believe we were only gone two nights.
We did take a day trip in 2006 to Kings Island. At that time, I had a friend come in and not only take Guido out, but also spend several hours with him. I knew she would talk to him and be good to him because she likes animals. I say this because I had a friend once who told me she didn’t like Pugs. I asked her why and she said she didn’t know, she just didn’t like them. When she found out I had asked someone else to sit with Guido, she acted peeved, but I really didn’t care. Why in the world would I ask someone to watch my Pug if they don’t even like Pugs?! That’s not logical.
When we knew we would travel to Parris Island, we knew we had a dilemma on our hands. We would be gone three whole days and two nights. We had to either:
A. Take Guido with us
B. Take him to a doggy daycare AKA: a kennel
C. Find someone who could stay overnight in our home
Option A was ruled out fairly quickly once we thought about it. Guido had never stayed by himself in a hotel room and we knew he would be there alone pretty much all day. We also knew that we wouldn’t make the check-out time because we would have to keep him there during Andrew’s graduation and pick him up afterwards. This wouldn’t have been fair to him.
Once I made several phone calls, option B was ruled out. The “doggy daycares” in our area are wonderful for dogs during the day; however I didn’t call one daycare that said they had a person who stayed with the animals all night. At every daycare I called, they all told me the time they closed and that an alarm was set in case an animal escaped. In other words, at night these daycares become overpriced kennels where there is no human contact. There is no way I was leaving my baby in a kennel.
Option C ended up being the best one for us and fortunately for us, we know some people who know our animal family and love them.
My Aunt Patt agreed to spend each night at my house so that she could be with Guido, feed him, and sleep with him each night. She lives in Lexington, so this meant a commute for her each day, but she was willing to make the sacrifice because she loves him so much.
During the day, I had a very dependable friend and animal lover come in to take Guido out and feed Church. She is full of energy and I knew Guido would be happy to see her each day.
So, that is how things worked out. They had someone check-in on them during the day and someone else sleep over at night. It worked out perfectly and I am grateful to them both.
Here is Guido’s babysitter:
I have a photo of my friend who fed Church and took Guido out during the day, but since I didn’t ask for her permission to post her picture, I won’t ;)
Posted by tami at 9:55 PM Comments (5)
January 24, 2008
Time With Andrew
A random photo from our kitchen:
And a joke:
Snow StormOne winter morning during breakfast, a husband and wife in northern Minnesota were listening to the radio. They heard the announcer say, "We are going to have eight to ten inches of snow today. You must park your car on the even-numbered side of the street so that the snowplows can get through."
So, the good wife went out and moved her car.
A week later, while they are eating breakfast again, the radio announcer said, "We are expecting 10 to 12 inches of snow today. You must park your car on the odd-numbered side of the street so that the snowplows can get through."
The good wife went out and moved her car again.
The next week, they are again having breakfast, when the radio announcer says, "We are expecting 12 to 14 inches of snow today. You must park..."
Then the electric power went out. The good wife was very upset and with a worried look on her face, she said, "Honey, I don't know what to do. Which side of the street do I need to park on so that the snowplows can get through?"
With love and understanding in his voice, the husband replied, "Why don't you just leave it in the garage this time?"
I listened to Andrew play the piano, interviewed him, and we played Rummy as a family. I also took my first test in geography and even read some from my John Irving book.
It was a good day.
Posted by tami at 11:12 PM Comments (2)
January 23, 2008
Schooling
Andrew is very happy to be home. His next stop will be Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He will be there twenty-two days for infantry training. All Marines, no matter what field they have chosen have to go through infantry training.
After those twenty-two days, he goes straight to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri for MP (Military Police) training which is his chosen field. I have been told this school lasts about two months, but I don’t know the exact number of days he will be there. When his schooling is complete he has no idea where he will be stationed.
He has been catching up on the latest games, watching movies, and running around with his friends. Last night, he spent the night with a friend so I don’t expect to see him much today. I don’t mind though. He doesn’t know when he will get to spend time with them again.
Ashley missed three days of school last week to see Andrew’s graduation. Monday was a holiday. Tuesday and today have been snow days, although the roads looked completely dry to me this morning. My point is this; she has been out of school a total of eight days counting the weekend. She has just had herself a little mini vacation!
I like having snow days when they are really needed; however I think to the future and wonder when these days will be made up. I hate it when the kids are making up days in the sweltering heat of summer. Everyone has a hard time concentrating in those conditions. If I were in charge, I would have students make up the days on one of the other holidays or teacher-only days. This way, it wouldn’t take away from their summer break. I am not in charge though, so we will see what they decide.
I have been very busy with schoolwork. This geography class has much more writing than I bargained for. Fortunately, I am only taking two classes. My computer class is moving right along also, and I have a test in that tonight, so I have to stay on top of things. I feel sorry for the people who have a full load.
Kevin has started his Master’s classes. He doesn’t complain about his classes like I do though. He takes them in stride, writes his papers, and doesn’t think a thing of it. That’s a naturally smart person for you. If I soaked up information like a sponge and didn’t have to read over paragraphs and articles several times in order to comprehend what was being said, I wouldn’t complain either.
Posted by tami at 10:43 AM Comments (5)
January 15, 2008
Too Much Watching
A friend sent me this site and I forwarded it on to some of you in email. If I failed to send you an email, please check it out. The results may surprise you!
Yesterday I read and cleaned all day. I took a quiz for one class last night and wrote a paper for another class this morning. I still need to finish reading a chapter in my geography book today.
I am in the middle of an awesome John Irving book; however I have not picked it up in days because I have been so busy. I would love nothing more than to curl up with it for a few hours. Maybe that time will come tonight.
I have added a new blog to the sidebar: Bree's Buzz. She just started her blog on December 17th, so it won’t take you too long to get caught up.
*****
Since the writer’s have been on strike and there are no new episodes of House, we have gotten interested in The Biggest Loser. Tonight, American Idol begins. I guess I’ll be taping tonight and when the writers do come back. I really shouldn’t have started watching a new show at all, but I had heard The Biggest Loser was supposed to be good. People are right; it is good and very interesting. This is another reason why I haven’t read my John Irving book; I am too busy watching TV! I like to blame it all on schoolwork and cleaning, but in all honesty I can’t.
Posted by tami at 6:44 PM Comments (4)
January 14, 2008
Oreo Goodness
Saturday, Ashley went to her grandmother’s house to bake a cake:
Ashley cannot remember the exact name of the cake, but it was something like Oreo Crunch Cake:
It was delicious! I especially enjoyed it because I don’t get to eat many desserts now days. I am still walking and doing my step aerobics almost every day. I usually take the weekends off though.
In the last set of comments, Stacey and Ellice asked about Andrew’s graduation.
He will graduate this Friday and we will be there. I plan to do a Talky Blog, but there is no telling when it might show up on here because we will be very busy. I will take pictures and film, so you will get some of both, but it may take a week before you get to see it. It should be fun though!
Now I have to get to my reading. I have a test to take online tonight and possibly a paper to write before tomorrow night.
Posted by tami at 9:12 AM Comments (5)
January 13, 2008
He Made It!
First off, I would like to say a big thank you to Stacey, Kimberley (fondly known as GW), Dawn, Tammy, my dad, Dana, and Chastity for leaving such supportive comments while Andrew was on the Crucible. I appreciate all of you taking the time to read what I wrote and respond. That’s what friends do; they support each other.
Andrew called me this afternoon because today is Liberty Sunday. He said it (the Crucible) was as bad as I had heard it was going to be. He said his feet were still hurting. Right when they got back they had an EGA (Eagle, Globe, & Anchor) Ceremony where they received their EGA pin which signifies they are Marines. This was a very emotional time. After the ceremony, he ate his warrior breakfast.
I asked him if he was able to rest when he got back to the barracks and he said no, they were still up and moving around because all their weapons had to be cleaned. They have to turn those in for the next set of recruits coming through. He is excited about leaving as soon as the graduation ceremony has ended.
This phone call took place in Wal-Mart … I walked back to the yarn section where no one was. When I got off the phone I felt like jumping up in the air and running around the store, but I didn’t. I kept my composure until I was at home in my own driveway. I am still pumped from that call, hearing his voice, and knowing 100% that he made it through. He said, “Unless I fall off a building, I’ll graduate.”
OOH-RAH!
You have one proud mamma writing today!
Posted by tami at 5:09 PM Comments (8)
January 12, 2008
The Crucible: Day 3
Information provided by the Parris Island website.
Day 3 (Saturday)
Reveille (0300)
Nine-mile hike (0400-0745)
Recruits conduct a nine-mile hike from the Crucible site back to the battalion.
Warrior’s Breakfast
The recruits are treated to a breakfast fit for only true warriors.
It consists of all-you-can-eat steak, eggs, and potatoes.
Posted by tami at 12:14 AM Comments (4)
January 11, 2008
The Crucible: Day 2
Information provided by the Parris Island website.
Day 2 (Friday)
Reveille (0400)
Events 4-6 (0600-1800)
Event 4 – Combat Assault Resupply
A one-hour event in which teams resupply water, ammunition and MREs through the Combat Assault Course
Following the completion of the Combat Assault Resupply, recruits negotiate a bayonet assault course and the warrior stations below:
Sgt. Gonzalez’s Crossing
Teams cross a “contaminated area” by swinging on ropes from “safe spot” to “safe spot”.
Pvt. Cecula’s Wall
Teams climb a 10-foot wall and climb down the opposite side by a knotted rope.
Land Navigation Station
Basic map reading and grid coordinate plotting will be reviewed and evaluated.
Core Values Station
Recruits sit inside a hut and receive information on a particular core value from their drill instructor.
Event 5 – Enhanced Confidence Course
Teams have two hours to complete five events of a modified Confidence Course.
The Sky Scraper
The team retrieves a “wounded” dummy from the top of an 18-foot tower.
Stairway to Heaven
Team members move two ammunition cans over the top of a 36-foot ladder obstacle.
Two-Line Bridge
Team members cross two 52-foot long ropes with their hands and feet suspended two feet and 10 feet off the ground as they carry ammunition cans and water resupply cans.
The Weaver
Team members climb over and under 24 logs, 42 feet in length ascending to 14 feet as they carry ammunition and water resupply cans.
In addition to the Enhanced Confidence Course, teams go through a Combat Endurance Course.
Combat Endurance Course – Teams conduct a simulated patrol, negotiate the obstacles and report the number and types of obstacles to intelligence sources.
Event 6 – Cpl. Day’s Defense (Unknown Distance Firing)
Teams of four fire two magazines of five rounds each from simulated building structures at unknown distance targets in a time limit of 70 seconds. The number of targets hit and number of unused ammunition is then recorded.
Following Day’s Defense, team members participate in a 250-meter casualty evacuation where members remove simulated casualties from a simulated danger area consisting of artillery simulators.
Night Event (1900-0000) Night Infiltration Course
Teams resupply water, ammunition and MREs at night in a simulated combat environment. The teams take their ammunition cans, water cans and simulated MREs through the Combat Assault Course with the added obstacle of darkness.
Sleep (2300-0300)
Posted by tami at 7:58 AM Comments (3)
January 10, 2008
The Crucible: Day 1
For those of you who don’t have a clue what the Crucible is (I didn’t know either until a friend went through it a few years back), I have listed the information under this opening statement. Each day I will tell you what Andrew is doing. Whether you read it or not is up to you, but I think you should read it. I think you should have some idea what a person endures to become a United States Marine. Not everyone can do this.
Knowing military time will help you have a better understanding of what you will read. This first entry is long just because it describes what the Crucible is before going into what they are actually doing.
The following information was provided on the Parris Island website.
The Crucible is the defining moment of recruit training. The Crucible is designed to evaluate a recruit’s mental, moral, and physical development in order to validate the transformation into a United States Marine. For most, the Crucible will be the first time they reach the limits of their mental, physical, and emotional endurance. They will know that they are capable of much more than they previously believed. They will know that they can exceed their own personal limitations through teamwork, perseverance, and courage. The Crucible, once experienced, will be a personal touchstone and will demonstrate for each and every recruit the limitless nature of what they can achieve individually and, more importantly, what they can accomplish when they work as a team.The Crucible consists of 54 hours of intense, physically demanding training, under conditions of sleep and food deprivation. During this time, recruits will be forged in the furnace of shared hardship and tough training that is the time-tried and battle-proven trademark of Marine recruit training. There will be night forced marches, a tough night infiltration movement, a combat resupply event, a casualty evacuation drill, and combat field firing. Any recruit who quits will not bear the title Marine.
Recruits will encounter unique obstacles, each bearing the name of a heroic Marine from our illustrious history, which can only be negotiated with teamwork. Once each obstacle is overcome, the drill instructor mentors the recruits, critiques their efforts, and retells the story of the Marine for whom the obstacle was named, bringing to light how that individual exemplified our core values. . . . . . . Honor, Courage, Commitment.
The Crucible is the culminating event in recruit training, and in order to become a Marine, all recruits must complete and pass the entire evaluation. Capping the already tough challenges of the previous two days is a 9 mile march with full packs and all of their personal equipment. It is the final event designed to see who has what it takes, and all recruits must complete the march to pass, and those that do not pass are sent home. At the end of the march the recruits participate in the Emblem Ceremony. This is the moment when the legacy is handed down, they earn the title “Marine,” and the newest Marines are presented with the Corps’ emblem, the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor, by their drill instructors.
Basic Facts:
1. Recruits will travel 42 miles on foot during the event.
2. There are 29 problem-solving exercises during the Crucible.
3. It consists of 36 different stations.
4. The recruits will have three meals, ready-to-eat (MREs) during the 54 hours.
5. The recruits will be required to carry ammunition cans up to 50 pounds and dummies up to 100 pounds during the Crucible in addition to 782 gear, uniform and M16 A2 service rifle weight.Day 1 (Thursday)
Reveille (0200)
Night Movement (0300)
Recruits conduct a 6-mile hike to the Crucible site.Events 1-3 (0600-1800)
Event 1 – Day Movement resupply course
A one-hour event in which teams resupply water, ammunition and MREs through a course which consists of trenches, wire fences and walls.After the resupply course, teams negotiate the warrior stations below:
Pfc. Jenkins Pinnacle
Teams cross two horizontal cable-supported logs.Pfc. Garcia’s Engagement
Individuals demonstrate their knowledge of hand-to-hand combat skills, and then participate in a warrior case study of Pfc. Garcia.Sgt. Basilone’s Challenge
Teams of two climb over an eight-foot high horizontal log.Event 2 – Leadership Reaction Course
A three-hour event in which the teams perform six reaction course problems which test their ability to work as a team to solve problems.Some of the problems include:
1. Using three wooden boards to cross a number of stumps without touching the ground.
2. Negotiating a water hole using the same wooden board concept to get from point A to point B.
3. Transporting a large container over a wall using the limited resources available.
4. Once completing the events, the teams of two face off in a pugil stick bout.Event 3 – Core Event and Warrior Stations
A one-hour event which can hold a maximum of six teams working concurrently.Noonan’s Casualty Evacuation
The team will recover a downed pilot and another recruit “shot” by a sniper and transport them over a mile of wooded terrain.Enhanced Obstacle Course
The recruits carry a dummy casualty on a stretcher and ammunition cans from one end of a standard Marine Corps obstacle course to the other, going over all obstacles.Nuclear-Biological-Chemical (NBC) Trail
The recruits move along a 500-meter trail increasing from Military Operational Protective Posture (MOPP) 0 to MOPP 4.Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP) Strikes Station
Recruits are required to demonstrate and conduct five-minute MCMAP strikes.Core Values Station
Recruits sit inside a hut and receive information on a particular core value from their drill instructor.Night Event (1800-2200) Five-mile night hike with a time limit of three hours.
Sleep (0000-0400)
This is what it would be like if the American Gladiators visited hell. Know what I mean?
Posted by tami at 4:34 PM Comments (5)
Mom of a Marine
I found this poem on the Internet. I have no idea who the author is; if you know, you can let me know in the comment section.
I feel exactly like this mom felt when she wrote this poem. The Crucible began this morning at 2 AM for Andrew. In just a little while, I will post some information about this extraordinary event. Please keep Andrew in your prayers.
When you awoke this morning to begin the Crucible Did you know I walked every step with you that was possible? When you humped all those miles over rough terrain, Did you know I was by your side again? When your rations were low and your belly was hungry, Did you know that I wished it wasn't you but instead it was me? When your feet ached and blistered from stress, Did you know that I was carrying you deep in my chest? When you were tired and sore and almost ready to fall, Did you realize I would have carried it all? When you had little sleep and your eyes were red, Did you know I would have given you my bed? When you had to push and pull for that extra mile, Did you know that I was so proud and so tall, with such a big smile?When you went to boot camp, I went to one too; It's the one where mom's worry over all you go through. I couldn't eat dessert, knowing that you had no treats, I felt guilty for wanting a pedicure, when you had tired feet. I anguished over every tough moment, I thought you had I cried when I missed you, I cried when I was sad I cried over your letters, that declared your love for "Mom" I cried over thinking about the day you would come home. I cringed if I thought someone was yelling at you Even though I knew it's what they had to do. I lost sleep just wondering how you are I prayed and thought and even wished upon a star.Now your almost through and soon you will be One of The Few The Proud, a New MARINE I get an Honor too for going through the boot camp for Mom's I get to hug you and hold you in my arms I get to see how handsome you really are I get my bright shining star No I don't get a medal or a pin to wear I don't get to sport that awesome Marine Hair My reward is one that can't be seen It's called "Being the Mom of a U.S. Marine."
Posted by tami at 1:05 PM Comments (1)
January 9, 2008
Keepsakes
Since the New Year I have de-cluttered every room excluding Andrew and Ashley’s bedrooms. Since Ashley has been at school, her room has to wait and of course, Andrew is away.
We have given many bags to the Goodwill, but its stuff that we didn’t ever use or need. When you open a closet door and things fall out at you or you open a cabinet and have to shove the stuff back in quickly in order to shut the door again, it is time to reconsider your wants and needs.
I didn’t need ten packages of Easter eggs just because I bought them on sale. I also didn’t need thousands of unused Valentines dating back to when Andrew was little. I believe sometimes we get too caught up in the possessions someone once used rather than the person themselves and their personality. A few keepsakes are okay, but I don’t have to save every little thing in order to keep my feelings alive.
For example, I think it was smart to choose one baby outfit my children wore and donate or sell the rest. Why would I need a whole box or bag of baby clothes? I could save them for grandchildren, but I think I would rather my grandchildren wore newer styles.
This has been a wonderful cleansing for me and I hope it continues. I told someone that I will now think twice before buying more items. I need to ask myself the questions:
* Do I really need this?
* Where will it sit in my house?
* Do I want to give up space for this item?
* Is this something I will be tired of looking at within a few months?
Posted by tami at 10:36 PM Comments (5)
January 8, 2008
Odd For January
American Gladiators is back on TV and it is just as good as it was years ago when I watched. It came on Sunday and Monday night this week, but I believe Monday will be its regular night from now on.
Last night was also the season premiere of Jon & Kate plus 8. If you missed it, don’t worry, they will replay it again. I cannot get enough of this show and these people!
Tonight we will watch The Biggest Loser. So far, this show seems to have a lot of positive things going for it. The only bad thing I observed in the first episode was that the older adults are expected to compete and keep up with the younger adults. That doesn’t seem quite fair. But, American Gladiator doesn’t seem fair a lot of the time either. For example (my numbers are not exact), you can have a man who is 5’7 and weighs 150 pounds up against a gladiator who is 6’4 and weighs 230 pounds. Since this is my first time watching these shows, I will not judge them too quickly. In future episodes I might find out things which I don’t know at this time.
*****
This afternoon Guido and Church enjoyed the warm January temperatures. They love having the screen door open:
Posted by tami at 8:00 PM Comments (5)
January 7, 2008
Some Differences
I want to say this first and foremost; I have deep respect for all branches of our fine military. However, I found this on the Internet and thought it was funny. Keep in mind that I did not write it … but I did get some laughs from it.
Differences In The Military
Submitted by: George F. Blanton (USMC 1956-1960)
In an effort to ensure proper training and readiness among the military services, Congress has approved the following changes to basic principles of recruit training:
Haircuts:
* Marines: Heads will be shaved.
*Army: Stylish flat-top's for all recruits.
* Navy: No haircut standard.
* Air Force: Complete makeovers as seen on the Jenny Jones show.
Training Hours:
* Marines: Reveille at 0500, train until 2000.
* Army: Reveille at 0600, train until 1900.
* Navy: Get out of bed at 0900, train until 1100, lunch until 1300, train until 1600.
* Air Force: Awaken at 1000, breakfast in bed, train from 1100 to 1200, lunch at 1200, train from 1300 to 1400, nap at 1400, awaken from nap at 1500, training ceases at 1500.
Meals:
* Marines: Meals, Ready-to-Eat 3 times a day.
* Army: One hot meal, 2 MRE's.
* Navy: 3 hot meals.
* Air Force: Catered meals prepared by the Galloping Gourmet, Julia Child, and Wolfgang Puck and Emeril Lagasse. All you can eat.
Leave and Liberty:
* Marines: None.
* Army: 4 hours a week.
* Navy: 2 days a week.
* Air Force: For every four hours of training, recruits will receive eight hours of leave and liberty.
Protocol:
* Marines: Will address all officers as "Sir," and refer to the rank of all enlisted members when speaking to them (i.e., Sgt. Smith).
* Army: Will address all officers as "Sir," unless they are friends, and will call all enlisted personnel "Sarge."
* Navy: Will address all officers as "Skipper," and all enlisted personnel as "Chief."
* Air Force: All Air Force personnel shall be on a first name basis with each other.
Decorations/Awards:
* Marines: Medals and badges are awarded for acts of gallantry and bravery only.
* Army: Medals and badges are awarded for every bullet fired, hand grenade thrown, fitness test passed, and bed made.
* Navy: Will have ships' engineers make medals for them as desired.
* Air Force: Will be issued all medals and badges, as they will most likely be awarded them at some point early in their careers anyway.
Camouflage Uniforms:
* Marines: Work uniform, to be worn only during training and in field situations.
* Army: Will wear it anytime, anywhere.
* Navy: Will not wear camouflage uniforms; they do not camouflage you on a ship. (Ship Captains will make every effort to attempt to explain this to sailors.)
* Air Force: Will defeat the purpose of camouflage uniforms by putting blue and silver chevrons and colorful squadron patches all over them.
Career Fields:
* Marines: All Marines shall be considered riflemen first and foremost.
* Army: It doesn't matter, all career fields promote to E-8 in first enlistment anyway.
* Navy: Nobody knows. The Navy is still trying figure out what sailors in the ABH, SMC, BNC and BSN rates do anyway.
* Air Force: Every recruit will be trained in a manner that will allow them to leave the service early to go on to higher paying civilian jobs.
Posted by tami at 3:41 PM Comments (1)
January 6, 2008
Semper Fi
A Marine as seen by:
Himself:
A handsome, buff, highly trained professional killer and female idol who carries a finely honed K-Bar, wears a crisp 8-point cammie cover and is always on time due to the absolute reliability of his Seiko digital watch.
His Wife:
A stinking, gross, foul mouthed lovable bum who arrives back at home every few months with a seabag full of dirty utilities, a huge Seiko watch, an oversized knife, a filthy hat and hornier then hell.
Headquarters Marine Corps:
A drunken, brawling, HMMWV-stealing, woman-corrupting "cumshaw artist" who wears a Seiko watch, an unauthorized K-Bar and a squared-away cover.
His Commanding Officer:
A fine specimen of a drunken, brawling, HMMWV-stealing, woman-corrupting bullshitter with an incredibly accurate Seiko watch, a finely honed razor sharp K-Bar and a salty cammie cover.
What others have said:
Congress:
Marines are overpaid, overrated tax burdens who are indispensable since they volunteer to go anywhere at any time and kill whoever they're told to kill, as long as they can drink, brawl, steal HMMWVs, corrupt women and sing dirty songs while wearing cammies, oversized knives, Seiko watches and really screwed-up 8-point covers that don't look like the Army's.
Ronald Reagan, former President of the United States:
"Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they've ever made a difference in the world. Marines don't have that problem."
General Douglas MacArthur, US Army:
". . . these Marines have the swagger, confidence and hardness that must have been in Stonewall Jackson's Army of the Shenandoah. They remind me of the Coldstream Guards at Dunkirk."
Admiral Chester Nimitz, US Navy, on the Marine Corps' battle for Iwo Jima:
"Uncommon valor was a common virtue"
General Douglas MacArthur, US Army:
"I have just returned from visiting the Marines at the front. There is not a finer fighting organization in the world!"
LtCol T R Fehrenbach, USA, in "This Kind of War"
"The man who will go where his colors go without asking, who will fight a phantom foe in a jungle or a mountain range, and who will suffer and die in the midst of incredible hardship, without complaint, is still what he has always been, from Imperial Rome to sceptered Britain to democratic America. He is the stuff of which legends are made. His pride is his colors and his regiment, his training hard and thorough and coldly realistic, to fit him for what he must face, and his obedience is to his orders. As a legionnaire, he held the gates of civilization for the classical world ...
today he is called United States Marine."
An Anonymous Canadian Citizen:
"Marines are about the most peculiar breed of human beings I have ever witnessed. They treat their service as if it was some kind of cult, plastering their emblem on almost everything they own, making themselves up to look like insane fanatics with haircuts so short as to be ungentlemanly, worshipping their Commandant as if he was a god, and making weird animal noises like a band of savages. They'll fight like rabid dogs at the drop of a hat just for the sake of a little action and are the cockiest SOB’s I've ever known. Most have the foulest mouths and drink well beyond man's normal limits, but their high spirits and sense of brotherhood set them apart and, generally speaking, of the United States Marines with whom I've come in contact, are the most professional warriors and the finest men I've had the pleasure to meet. "
General John J "Black Jack" Pershing, US Army:
"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle!"
General Mark Clark, US Army:
"The more Marines I have around the better I like it!"
General Johnson, US Army:
"I can never again see a United States Marine without experiencing a feeling of reverence."
Richard Harding Davis, war correspondent (1885}
"The Marines have landed, and the situation is well in hand."
A Marine Drill Instructor at Parris Island:
"Did you come here just to spoil my beloved Corps, maggot?"
A boot camp weapons coach:
"To a Marine, happiness is a belt-fed weapon."
LtCol Oliver North, USMC (ret)
"The only people I like beside my wife and kids are Marines."
MajGen J N Mattis, CG, 1st MarDiv - Iraq, March 2003:
"You are part of the world's most feared and trusted fighting force. Engage your brain before you engage your weapon. Share your courage with each other as we enter the uncertain terrain north of our Line of Departure. Keep faith in your comrades on your left and right and Marine Air overhead. Fight with a happy heart and a strong spirit. For the mission's sake, our country's sake and the sake of the men who carried the Division's colors in past battles -- who fought for life and never lost their nerve -- carry out your mission and keep your honor clean. Demonstrate to the world there is 'No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy' than a United States Marine."
Eleanor Roosevelt - 1945:
"The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps."
Semper Fi
Posted by tami at 12:27 AM Comments (5)
January 5, 2008
It Doesn't Come Cheap
When Kevin was in line waiting for our lunch, I spotted this billboard:
I hope it catches a lot of attention!
Classes begin Monday, so I had to buy my books today. I went to two different bookstores because of the price difference.
One bookstore is next to UK’s football stadium:
Had I bought my computer book NEW, it would have cost me $97, but USED it was only $77.
I had the book in my arms and was standing in line counting my cash and preparing to buy this book when a girl spoke up behind me. She asked, “Are you buying or selling that book?”
I told her I was buying it to which she asked, “How much are you paying for it?”
“$77,” I replied.
She said, “Well I’ll sell you mine for $50. They’d only give me about $20 for it anyway, so this way we both win.”
Out into the hallway we went to transact our business. She went away feeling better because she had made some money and I went away feeling better because I had just saved $27.
Saving money always gives me a good feeling.
As for my geography book; NEW at my school’s bookstore it was going to cost $136, USED was $102. At eCampus it was going to be $130 NEW or $95 USED.
You can see either way, eCampus was cheaper on this particular book. (They were more expensive on my computer book and only had NEW books available.) Since I had $5 off in coupons, it saved me some. I hate spending $90 on one book, but I still feel better knowing I saved on the other one.
Kevin’s classes start on the 14th, so we will be buying his books very soon. I don’t even want to think about how much they will cost. He definitely needs three books and may need five depending on what the teacher requires. These are all only for two classes. AARRGGGG!
I told Kevin we never think about how it’s practically free to go through elementary, middle, and high school. Our parents paid a small fee each year, but it was nothing compared to what we pay to further our education. Don’t you wish that was free also?!
Posted by tami at 3:56 PM Comments (5)
January 4, 2008
Glad
We had our first snow day of the school year on Wednesday. I have tried to tell some of you in other states how they call off school even for a little bit of snow; we’re just not used to it. This was the road out my window when I woke up:
Frankly, I’m glad they called school off. I cannot drive in the snow at all.
Posted by tami at 11:41 PM Comments (4)
January 3, 2008
Every Year
I showed it to you in 2006.
Then I showed it to you again in 2007.
Here it is once again in 2008!
Whoohoo! Doesn’t this give you all the confidence in the world in our intelligent advertisers at Kroger? Diet! No, don’t diet! Diet! No, don’t diet!
Kevin and I think it is too funny every year walking around Wal-Mart after Christmas. All of a sudden, you see all the diet paraphernalia appear everywhere they can stick it. The exercise machines and equipment are prominent in their ad this week also.
I hope none of you buy into this New Year fad of buying all this stuff and then a month later, forgetting about it.
Someone is buying into it or they wouldn’t keep doing it every year. Someone is stocking up on Lean Cuisine and then buying Edy’s ice cream for dessert! Is that some sort of a joke?!
Posted by tami at 11:49 AM Comments (6)
January 2, 2008
Questions Answered From The Comment Section
Tammy, here are my top 5 picks from the books I read in 2007:
1. Victoria Holt – Mistress of Mellyn
2. J. K. Rowling – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
3. Alice Sebold – The Lovely Bones
4. John Irving – The Cider House Rules
5. George Orwell – 1984
**I love any Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, or M.C. Beaton books because there is nothing quite the same as a great murder mystery. They are my cake, if you please.
Stacey, if you are going to read Barbara Kingsolver, make sure to read The Bean Trees before Pigs In Heaven. No one told me Pigs In Heaven was the sequel, so I read them in the wrong order and it kind of ticked me off. They should have a warning in all second books: Read such-and-such before you read this!
She is a good author although The Poisonwood Bible reminded me of the movie The Mosquito Coast. I liked this movie better than her book. Maybe if I had never seen that movie, I would have enjoyed the book more.
By the way, I haven't read a Sidney Sheldon book I didn't like and I have read them all ;) I highly recommend them if you want a quick, easy read.
Posted by tami at 11:53 AM Comments (5)
2007 Book List
These are the books I read in 2007. You will notice very little activity for July. This is when my mom was in the hospital.
I believe the last book I read in 2007 was very fitting for myself!
Date Finished – author – title
1-2-07 – Sidney Sheldon – The Best Laid Plans
1-11-07 Agatha Christie – The Murder on the Links
1-14-07 Agatha Christie – Peril At End House
1-19-07 Jeannette Walls – The Glass Castle
1-31-07 Barbara Kingsolver – Pigs in Heaven
2-9-07 John Berendt – Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
2-15-07 Alice Sebold – The Lovely Bones
2-26-07 John Irving – The Cider House Rules
3-1-07 C.S. Lewis – The Great Divorce
3-5-07 Barbara Kingsolver – The Bean Trees
3-10-07 Agatha Christie – Third Girl
3-18-07 V.C. Andrews – April Shadows
3-27-07 V.C. Andrews – Girl in the Shadows
3-30-07 Sidney Sheldon – A Stranger in the Mirror
4-3-07 Laurien Berenson – Hush Puppy
4-5-07 George Orwell – 1984
4-15-07 Stephen King – Cell
4-18-07 Kathie Lee & Cody Gifford – Listen To My Heart
4-27-07 Jim Quillen – Alcatraz From Inside
5-4-07 Geneen Roth – When Food Is Love
Sir Author Conan Doyle – The Sherlock Holmes Novels:
5-7-07 A Study In Scarlet
5-10-07 The Sign of The Four
5-13-07 The Hound of The Baskervilles
5-16-07 The Valley of Fear
5-19-07 Paul Rosa – Idiot Letters
5-28-07 Sidney Sheldon – The Doomsday Conspiracy
6-3-07 Agatha Christie (adapted as a novel by Charles Osborne) – Spider’s Web
6-14-07 Barbara Kingsolver – The Poisonwood Bible
6-25-07 D.H. Lawrence – Lady Chatterley’s Lover
7-31-07 Agatha Christie – Poirot Investigates
8-2-07 No Author – Irish Blessings
8-13-07 J. K. Rowling – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
8-25-07 V.C. Andrews – Broken Flower
9-1-07 V.C. Andrews – Scattered Leaves
9-12-07 Agatha Christie – Postern of Fate
9-16-07 Elly Berkovits Gross – Elly: My True Story of the Holocaust
9-24-07 Tim LaHaye & Jerry B. Jenkins – Kingdom Come: The Final Victory
9-27-07 M.C. Beaton – Agatha Raisin and the Wellspring of Death
9-30-07 Ruth Gruener – Destined To Live: A True Story of a Child in the Holocaust
10-5-07 Janet Fitch – White Oleander
10-12-07 Christina Schwarz – Drowning Ruth
10-16-07 – Agatha Christie & various other authors – The Floating Admiral
10-26-07 Stephen King – Fire Starter
11-4-07 M.C. Beaton – Agatha Raisin and the fairies of Fryfam
11-19-07 Various Authors – Alfred Hitchcock Presents Stories For Late At Night
11-20-07 Richard Paul Evans – The Christmas Box
11-23-07 Various Authors – Home For the Holidays
11-29-07 Elie Wiesel – Night
12-7-07 John Irving – The Fourth Hand
12-9-07 Various Authors – Liberty, Equality, Power: A History of the American People
12-14-07 Victoria Holt – Mistress of Mellyn
12-20-07 Agatha Christie – Problem at Pollensa Bay & Other Stories
12-28-07 Christina Crawford – Mommy Dearest
12-30-07 M.C. Beaton – Death of A Glutton
Posted by tami at 6:37 AM Comments (3)
January 1, 2008
Happy 2008!
These are the December movies or specials I watched:
12-2-07 Robots
12-2-07 Forever Young
12-4-07 Miracle on 34th Street
12-6-07 White Christmas
12-9-07 Home Alone
12-11-07 Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
12-11-07 Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer
12-12-07 A Garfield Christmas Special
12-12-07 'Twas the Night Before Christmas
12-13-07 The Super
12-14-07 Eloise at Christmastime
12-16-07 Lady and the Tramp
12-17-07 The Island
12-17-07 The Little Princess
12-18-07 Pee-Wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special
12-18-07 The Fountain
12-19-07 A Flintstones Christmas Carol
12-19-07 Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol
12-20-07 Red Eye
12-21-07 A Christmas Story
12-23-07 The Bells of St. Mary's
12-24-07 How the Grinch Stole Christmas
12-24-07 Christmas Vacation
12-24-07 Cellular
12-26-07 The War of the Roses
12-27-07 The First Wives Club
12-27-07 Die Hard
12-28-07 Lady in the Water
12-28-07 Die Hard 2
12-28-07 The Bourne Ultimatum
12-29-07 Die Hard: With a Vengeance
12-29-07 Live Free or Die Hard
12-30-07 Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
12-31-07 Premonition
12-31-07 The Wizard of Oz
12-31-07 The Departed
Posted by tami at 12:36 AM Comments (2)