I've been ignoring my blog.

Patches shows her disapproval.



Time sure flies when blah, blah, blah.

So this happened...

The Boy's car is in the #6 spot.



It won Scouts' Choice!



My car. It didn't win anything.



And we went here.



And here.



And then I did this because I'm a twelve year old boy.

Winter won't leave

Sometimes, winter is nice.

Where there is snow you can go out and play in until Scotch wears out!



Where twenty year old young men love to pelt anyone in sight with snowballs!



Where eleven year old boys play until they are soaking wet!



Then? This happens...



Winter thumbs its nose at you.



And branches start plummeting out of trees.



Not nice, winter. Not nice.

Ha!

I used to shave on Mondays, but now we weigh in on Fridays and since I wear shorts....

Ten on Tuesday

Ten things that are on my nightstand:

1) Lamp with the beaded French Whorehouse shade. I admit I like to play with the beads.

2) Clock radio/cassette player. The Boy's old one. It has shiny stickers on it.

3) Lip balm. Four lip balms as a matter of fact.

4) A fan. I needs muh white noise.

5) My Nook. Named sNOOKie.

6) A suction cup. ?!?!?! No idea where that came from.

7) Scrabble Flash game I got for Christmas.

8) Flashlight. In case we lose electricity.

9) Wrist brace. Carpal Tunnel sucks.

10) iPod mini and headphones. Norah Jones relaxes me.

What's on your nightstand?

Are you a redneck?

I got this in an email and just had to pass it along. Enjoy.

You might be a redneck if: It never occurred to you to
Be offended by the phrase, 'One nation, under God..'

You might be a redneck if: You've never protested about seeing
The 10 Commandments posted in public places.

You might be a redneck if: You still say 'Christmas'
Instead of 'Winter Festival.'

You might be a redneck if: You bow your head when
Someone prays.

You might be a redneck if: You stand and place your
Hand over your heart when they play the National Anthem

You might be a redneck if: You treat our armed forces
Veterans with great respect, and always have.

You might be a redneck if: You've never burned an
American flag, nor intend to.

You might be a redneck if: You know what you believe
And you aren't afraid to say so, no matter who is listening.

You might be a redneck if: You respect your elders and
Raised your kids to do the same.

You might be a redneck if: You'd give your last dollar to
A friend.

Wow

Hey there. It's been a while. That darn Facebook is taking away all of our time together. I would say that I will try to do better by you, but we all know that's pretty funny right there.

We had a scare with one of the dogs. We pretty much thought he was dying. Seven different medicines later, he's better, but still not 100%. They think he has Erlichiosis. It is a tick disease our vet has never diagnosed in his 30 years up here. Imagine that. He talked to a vet in San Angelo, Texas, and got the diagnosis. Thankful for that.

Everything else is pretty much the same. Still bowling. The Boy is still in Scouts and taking piano lessons. He did join band at school and is learning the trombone. Doing pretty well, too. The Commander is still going to community college. Still cussing the computer out on a daily basis. Oldest Boy is still at Iowa State and hanging in there.

What about you?

Questions

I'm borrowing this from Andria. I may even borrow some of her anwers just to show that, even though we have never met, we think along the same lines!

1. What curse word do you use the most?
Andria says...
I have to pick a favorite? I work in profanity the way artists might work in oils or clay. It is my true medium.

I say...
This was me when I worked. Now I don't have much of an opportunity to let it fly. I did say, "sh*t" the other day. I was alone though so it was sort of a waste.

2. Do you own an iPod?
I have a mini and an iTouch. The iTouch is used to watch movies on the go and to check FB and email when the computer is occupied. Also? I can kick butt on Bejeweled with it. I use the mini when I remember it! I just charged it the other night so I could take it to Sleeping with the Dinosaurs. One of the Scout dads snores like crazy. (I heard him during a camp out last year.) I'm hoping I can drown him out with some Nora Jones.

3. Do you still remember the first person you kissed?
Yes. And the second!

4. Would you rather take the picture or be in the picture?
Andria says...
I would love to be in some pictures so my kids will remember what I looked like, but no one else in this house will ever use the camera.

I say...
Amen, Sister!!

5. Has anyone ever called you lazy?
*I* call me lazy.

6. Has anyone told you a secret this week?
Nope.

7. What is the first thing you notice about someone to whom are attracted?
Eyes, shoulders and butt.

8. To what are you looking forward?
To when people can end a sentence in a preposition without shame!

9. Do you own any band t-shirts?
Rolling Stones, Harry Connick, Jr. and Riders in The Sky. Can you tell my taste in music varies?

10. When is the last time you slept on the floor?
Last year at Sleeping with The Dinosaurs at the museum. (If by "sleep" you mean tossing and turning on the floor, curling up on a three foot long padded bench, and finally resigning myself that sleep wasn't going to happen.) This year, I've got my air mattress and battery operated pump ready to go!

11. What did you do last night?
Went to eat pizza at Jake's, tinkered with my new Nook, watched Modern Family and had a pretty good night's sleep.

12. Do you get along better with the same sex or the opposite sex?
I've always gotten along with guys. I was a big tomboy growing up and I still have a lot of that lingering. I worked closest with guys at my two real jobs. It was like having a butt load of brothers! That is one of the big things I miss living up here. No guy friends. I miss my boys!

13. Who was the last person to make you mad?
Hi Husband!

14. To whom would you want to be tied for 24 hours?
Andria says...
Does an extra soft king size bed with 1000 thread count sheets count?

I say...
Sweeeeeeeeeet. Can someone bring me food?

15. T or F: All’s fair in love and war?
Andria says...
No. Just because I want to say no.

I say...
Exactly.

16. What’s something you’ve always wanted?
I don't know. I'm pretty good with what I have. More money is alway nice. (Money can't buy happiness, but it can take you places where you can look for it.)

17. Do you enjoy spending time with your mother?
Yes! I love my mom!

18. Do you want a bright yellow ‘06 Mustang?
How about a blue '08 Sebring convertible? With heated leather seats and a remote start?

19. Where is/are your best friend(s)?
In Oklahoma and sitting across from me.

20. Would you rather swim in the ocean or a lake?
I grew up swimming in lakes so I'm gonna have to go with the ocean.

Brrrr

A photo is worth a couple thousand words...



But the cold doesn't keep the artist from his work.

I don't knooooooowwwwwww!

My loving husband told me that he was going to by me an ereader. Yay, me!

I don't know which one to get. Boo, me.

I have looked into both the Kindle and the Nook.

They both:
Have the same screen size.
Can take SD cards for more memory.
Can play games.
Can play mp3 files.
Can browse web (limited).

Plus -

The Kindle:
Is lighter in weight.
Is $10 cheaper.
Has an e ink pearl screen.

The Nook:
Can share books. (MIL and SIL have Nooks. I could share books with them.)
Can read epub format.

I have the Kindle App on my iTouch and really like it. I tried the Nook App and ended up deleting it.

Any suggestions? I'm kinda leaning toward the Kindle, but I just don't know.

(Totally forgot to put a title here. Oops.)

It is winter in Iowa. That means more time in the house. And less time out in the freezing, cold snow. So instead of just sitting on my hind-end, watching my stories, I decided that I would dust off my sewing machine and try some new things.

Flannel Rag Quilts. I've made a few.

This one.


This one.


This one.


And...doh!


I have made two more, but they are surprise gifts. Maybe I'll show them after Christmas.

Today, I saw a pattern for coffee cup cozies. I thought I would give it a shot. I had to stop at the Salvation Army store to find some buttons. I ended up buying a blouse with some red buttons. I ended up liking the fabric so much, I cut up the blouse and used it!







Who knew I had some sewing skills?

Product Review

Christmas is closing in and you know what that means!

HICKORY FARMS!!!

Yum, yum, yum.

I was selected to recieve a Hickory Farms basket and to give you a review of it. When I told The Commander, he said, "Yippee!" and may have clapped his hands a little.

Here's what we got...



(From the website) This Perfect Picnic Basket comes with everything. The lucky person who opens it will find it filled with Hickory Farms® Summer Sausage, creamy cheeses, crackers and mustards. Our Melt Away Mints and Famously Thin Peanut Brittle promise a sweet ending! Think of all the family picnics that will be all the more special because they open and close with a keepsake Peterboro Basket®. Wt. 3.7 lbs.

We were going to slice it all up and serve it at Thanksgiving, but most of it didn't last that long! We dove into the Mission Jack Blend cheese and Beef Summer sausage right away. (That cheese is SO good.) Peanut Brittle? Gone. Melt Away Mints? My favorite. (Don't tell the strawberry candies!) I haven't cracked open the mustards yet, but the honey pineapple has been calling my name.

And don't get me started on how cute the basket is. Perfect for transporting a pie or small casserole.

Hickory Farms gift boxes have always been a gift we know will get used. We buy at least one every year (if not more). If you are looking for that hard-to-buy-for person (or anyone else, for that matter), keep Hickory Farms in mind.

It's good stuff.

_____

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Hickory Farms and received a signature gift box from Hickory Farms to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Friday Five

1. Are you a morning or a night person?

I am totally a night person. You are lucky if you come in and wake me in your morning person, chipper voice and I don't punch you in the throat.

2. You’re having dinner with friends. They all start gossiping about another friend of yours. What do you do?

I listen and then confirm or deny based on what I know. If I don't know, I end up asking the friend later to see what's up.

3. What is the worst job you've ever had?

I was a cook at the Sonic Drive-In for one whole month. I hated that place. (My co-workers were great!) They would hose down and wash the floor while people were standing there doing their jobs! My feet would get soaking wet. I got grease burns every shift. We had to reach into the hot water the weiners were kept hot in WITH OUR FINGERS because they didn't have any tongs. And, I was told not to touch the pop machine and the ice machine at the same time because it would electrocute me. Great.

4. What magazines do you subscribe to?

I recently subscribed to Entertainment Weekly, Country Living (both of those purchased with Coca-Cola points), Good Housekeeping and Redbook ($5.00 a year each, on special). I want Reader's Digest, but I need a cheaper price.

5. What is your favorite restaurant in your area?

Describe "area". In town? The Dairy Queen. Within 30 miles? The Green Mill has a Blaze Burger that makes my eyes sweat, but The Dairy Freeze has the best soft serve chocolate ice cream I have ever had. Ever. Within 45 miles? Mineral City has a most tasty Coconut Chicken Salad. Nom, nom.

It's fall, y'all!

It's fall. Time for pumpkins...



and mums...



and leaves...

lots of leaves.



We raked and mulched last Saturday. I took this photo this morning. I guess we get to do it all again.

It is kinda pretty, in its own way.



I did get to use some of my artistic qualities to make "art with natural media".



In other news... my husband was surprised that the grass under the tire swing was getting killed off. Silly man.



The kids around here love this thing. We don't need no stinkin' swing set. Just a flat tire and some rope.

Conversations with my son

Actual conversation in the car on the way to school this morning.

Him: Can I have a flare gun?
Me: No.

BBQ Samich

I'm making this again today.

I was whining the other day about not having any good BBQ since I've been up here so I went on Tasty Kitchen and found this recipe.

It. Was. So. Good.

I'm not going to add as much water this time because it was a little runny, but everything else was tasty!

Enjoy!

Tangy BBQ Samich

•3 pounds Beef Roast Of Choice
•1 cup Onion, Sliced
•1 cup Ketchup
•1 cup Favorite BBQ Sauce
•1 cup Water
•2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
•2 Tablespoons Vinegar Of Choice
•2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
•2 cloves Garlic, Minced
•1 teaspoon Chili Powder
•1 teaspoon Sea Salt
•½ teaspoons Black Pepper, Cracked


1. Dump all of the ingredients in your slow cooker.
2. Cook on High for 6-7 hours. At that point, pull out the roast and shred meat using two forks. Then put the meat back into the crock and let it sit a bit to allow the juice to saturate meat.
3. Pile the meat into a good bun such as Bolilo or Telara and top with cheese if you choose.
4. If you don’t eat it on the way to the oven, you can broil the cheese and buttered bun until golden and crispy.

Come on cold!

What a crazy fall we are having up here.

This time last year, we had more than an inch of snow. Temps have been in the 80s the last few days and the Asian Beetles are going strong.





I thought they were cute, little ladybugs, but, boy was I wrong! These suckers bite! They come in yellow, orange and red, with or without spots. And they invade like nobody's business. We've had a bunch come in the house and collect up in the corners. The Commander had to get a broom handle and knock them down. And they stink when you smush them. Yick.

There are some other bugs that are everywhere as well. People call them No-See-Ums, but when I looked at photos on the web, that isn't what these bugs look like. They are tiny, black things and they excrete an enzyme that burns.

The Boy's scout leader said to wipe Listerine on you to keep them away. We looked at him like he was crazy and ended up joking about wiping Jack Daniels on you and swigging the rest of it down!



The mosquitos are still trying to carry off young children. We just need a good hard freeze!

_____

Harvest is slowing coming to an end. Thank goodness. The dust and stuff in the air is causing a bunch of folks to be coughing, sneezing and gacking. Hopefully we can get a good rain (before the freeze!) and get some of this stuff settled down.

_____

In other news...

Someone joined the band.

Conversations with my son.

Me: Did you get a cough drop?
Him: No.
Me: Go get one.
Him: Not right now. My program is on.
Me: Your program is on? What are you? 87?
Him: Well, if you multiply my age by eight and add seven, then yes.

Friday Fill-In

1. I'm going _____.

2. Laughter _______.

3. Perhaps today you can make it a point _____.

4. It's hard to know how much ________.

5. Compassion is _____

6. _____ no matter how difficult.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _____, tomorrow my plans include _____ and Sunday, I want to _____!

**********

1. I'm going to attempt to make a quilt. I won't be one of those fancy quilts with the stars, barns or Sunbonnet Sues, but it will be mine! I love the quilt my Granny made for me and I would like to pass a little something like that down to the kids.

2. Laughter is a wonderful thing. I miss my Oklahomies. They made me laugh like crazy.

3. Perhaps today you could make it a point to do some laundry?

4. It's hard to know how much is too much? I don't know! This one is hard.

5. Compassion is getting to be a sparce commodity. Parents are teaching their children.

6. I'm going to try to start exercising again no matter how difficult. I wish I had a treadmill. That would make it easier.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching Avatar, tomorrow my plans include a trip to the cities for in-laws' birthdays and The Science Museum and Sunday, I want to just hang out with the fam!

Murphy went with us.

Yesterday was a doozie.

It started out okay. The Boy and I were making pancakes into odd shapes and I attempted to make the number ten (for his age). I ended up with a legless turkey.



Then, we got in the car and headed north to get a replacement lens for my glasses. (I was cleaning them one day and TINK! a small chunk broke off right next to my earpiece. Luckily, there is a one year warranty and so they ordered a new lens for me.)

I got my glasses at a small department store's eyecare place. I really like the store. It is kinda like K-Mart's more sophisticated older sister.

Anywho...The lady put my new lens in and I walked back to the toys to fetch the boy. We wandered toward the front of the store and I noticed I already had something on my new lens. I took my glasses of to check and there was a crack in the lens!

I went back to the eyecare place and let the lady have a look-see. We both agreed that it wasn't in the lens when she put it in, but it sure was there now.

I asked her to put the other lens back in since the piece that was missing didn't interfere with my vision, but the new crack sure did.

We got back into the car and headed to sprawlmart for another gallon of paint for the deck.



Wouldn't you know it? Dutch Boy is not longer making the accent base. How special is that? The paint manager told me a different store had three gallons left and if went to that store (An hour and a half from where I was.), and couldn't get any, come back and they would try to match as close as they could and if I bought a gallon, they wouldgive me a gallon for free to make up for the gallon we used. While that was nice and all, we really don't want to repaint what we have painted. We are headed down to Ames tomorrow so maybe we can look at the store there.

In case you are wondering why we are going to Ames? We are going to visit that tall boy in the above photo and wish him a happy 20th birthday! And take him presents! And food! And buy him supper! (Red Lobster hates to see him on All You Can Eat Shrimp Night.)

Let us take a moment to remember him when...

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