Another Busy Week and Random Dozen

I'm beginning to feel like I'm living my life on a treadmill, only this one isn't the one that sits stationary (and usually empty) in my basement "gym".  No, it's the the invisible treadmill that I run on throughout my days from one activity to another.  It seems that in those quiet moments I sit down now, my mind is still on that invisible treadmill going a mile a minute, leaving my mind blank from anything profound or remotely interesting to say.  Sigh.  Oh how I long for those boring days of yesteryear.  Not really, but some days I'd love a little slower pace.

What's been keeping me crazy busy?  Well... since my last post, Hubby and I hopped in the car Friday afternoon to head across the Canada/U.S. border to dine at our favorite, Olive Garden for our anniversary.  Yep.  It's true.  After only 16 years of marriage the fancy, romantic dinners and weekend getaways of newlywed anniversaries are gone.  I'm totally fine with it actually.  Just getting away with my Sweetie is always celebration enough for me.  Practical or what, huh?

After we ate we wandered around the Walden-Galleria mall in Cheektowaga, NY before heading to Target across the freeway overpass.  When we came out of the Target we viewed the most beautiful FULL rainbow we'd seen in years.  The skies over Buffalo were overcast with slight rain drops while at home, across Lake Ontario, the sun was setting below the layer of clouds in what appeared to be a pretty clear sky.  It was gorgeous.  I, along with a few other Target shoppers, grabbed the phone and snapped a few shots of the rainbow.  Funny how they say there is a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow?  At the end of this rainbow was the Olive Garden!!

My folks were at our place when we got home and we spent a wonderful weekend visiting, watching movies and enjoying their company before they had to move on to my sister's early in the week.  Before they left, on Monday, my Stepmom "G" helped me ice some cookies I was making to take to a baby shower for our church secretary on Tuesday night.  I wasn't completely sure how I felt about the cookies by the time I was finished, but in hindsight I think they turned out okay.  Not exactly like the brilliant cookies I'd seen online but for my first attempt I'd have to say, not too bad.  Wanna see for yourself?

The rest of my week has entailed preparing for another week of Abide, chiropractor and dentist appointments and now I'm finally sitting down for an evening of reality tv and blogging.  And since it's mid-week, that means it's time for Lid's Random Dozen Meme.  I haven't played in a few weeks but no time like the present to get in a little random fun.  Wanna play?  Head on over to 2nd Cup of Coffee to join in!

1. Do you prefer to read the book or see the movie?  It often depends.  I usually don't get a chance to read the book so I'll watch the movie (i.e. Charlie St. Cloud) but in the case of someone like say, Nicholas Sparks, I always read the book first and then the movie since I read his books when they are first released.  He's one of my favorite authors!

2. What is your favorite holiday and why?  Christmas of course.  I love the magic, the lights, the imagination of Santa, but most importantly it's my favorite because it's the "birthday" of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  It is the season where the BEST Gift of all was given... the love and hope of God in human form.  The Good News of Redemption personified.

3. Which do you like better - the mountains or the beach?  Beach baby!!  Give me sand between my toes and the "heavenly" wave machine of the ocean and I am one happy camper!

4. If money were no consideration, what vehicle would you drive?  A little sporty 2 seat convertible.

5. What is your favorite cold-weather beverage?  Some vanilla tea - no milk, no sugar... just vanilla black tea.

6. How do you communicate most often with your friends: phone, email, text, face-to-face, or Facebook?  I'd have to say most often... facebook.  Both online friends and my offline church friends use facebook so it is my most used form of communication, although I do use the other modes too.

7. How do you receive your mail? Mailbox on the porch, at the end of the driveway, down the street, or post office box?  Um... on my iPhone - hee hee.  Seriously, our snail mail comes via the box attached to our house at the front door.

8. Of the four basic personality types - sanguine, phlegmatic, melancholic, and choleric - which is your strongest? Which is your least evident? (See definitions below.)  My personality is equal parts sanguine, phlegmatic, melancholic (in that order) with almost no choleric.   My Hubby is the same only his phlegmatic is first, sanguine second with lesser melancholy and little choleric.  No wonder we get along so well - we're both high phlegmatic :-D

9. What do you miss the most about being 20?  My flat stomach and size 5 body!

10. How long from the time you get up, does it take you to get ready to walk out the door in the morning? It totally depends on the day and things like, did I have my shower & do my hair the night before?  If so, 30 minutes (like we do Sundays for church).  Other days... it could be an hour... mostly because I meander and take my time.

11. Who handles the car maintenance and pays the bills in your family?  We both sort of do... Hubby makes the money and the main decisions while I do the "leg" work - I take the vehicles in during the day while I'm home and I pay the bills.

12. For those in the US, how many states have you visited? For those outside the US, how many provinces/other countries have you visited?  Because I LOVE to travel North America, I'll answer for both countries... I have visited in Canada... Ontario (of course because I live here), British Columbia, Quebec, PEI, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia (the last 2 as a child & can't remember a thing).  In the U.S. I've visited NY, MA, CT, PA, NJ, MD, D.C., VA, W. VA, NC, SC, GA, FL, TN, KY, OH, MI, IL, WI, TX, CA and driven through a tiny bit of IN.  My goal in life is to see all 50 states!

And there you have it.  My life, my week and my Random Dozen in a Nutshell.

Random Dozen in a Busy Week

I used to love sitting in my quiet days, blogging away about deep profound thoughts... or total fluffy trivia, but all that seems to be laid aside while I run like a madwoman trying to juggle my "new" life of ministry facilitator for our ladies' group at church (Abide), launch an evening version (Abide PM) and keep up with my wifely duties around the house.  I'm a little overwhelmed (but not really that much) but mostly just BUSY!  Not much time to sit these days and when I do, my mind is racing so fast about all the i's to dot and t's to cross in my life that not much semblance of sanity seems to exist.  Nonetheless, it's Wednesday so that means that Linda over at 2nd Cup of Coffee, will fill my brain with thought-provoking questions so I can blog about something... anything... today!  Here goes... this week's Random Dozen:

1. Have you, or has someone close to you, ever won an award for anything?   My oldest sister just won an award this summer for "Hometown Hero" in her city for all the amazing volunteer work she does.  We were all SO proud of her!

2. Who is the nearest relative to you who has served in the US Military?  Well... being Canadian... the easy answer is no one.  The nearest relative to me who has served in the Canadian military would have to be, I think, my Grandfather who was in the Navy.  

3. Share something that stirs the patriotic spirit in you.  If truth be told, I haven't felt overly "patriotic" here in Canada, well... my whole life (I'm an American at heart despite what my birth certificate says), but... that being said... I felt extremely patriotic during the Winter Olympics this past winter.  I was super proud to be Canadian then as we hosted.  Could this be my spiritual gift of hospitality kicking in? 

4. Where are you in the birth order in your family? Do you think your "placement" made a difference in your personality?  I am the baby of 6 and you betcha my placement made a difference in my personality!  I LOVE being the baby and even though I'm "old", I milk that sucker for all it's worth to this day!

5. Name one trait you hope you carry that was evidenced in your parents or grandparents.  I hope to become a prayer warrior like my grandmother and my parents.

6. If female, do you prefer wearing a skirt or pants? If male, shirt and tie or polo?  Pants!  I think my knees are too fat for skirts and with these hips, it's hard to find skirts/dresses I like.

7. Approximately how many times do you wake during the night? What do you do to go back to sleep?  This truly depends.  Is Hubby snoring?  Did I go to bed late and am so zonked that outside of an earthquake nothing would wake me (ie. last night there was apparently some bad storm that I totally missed).  Just depends.  What I do to go back to sleep is usually I start to pray and sadly, that puts me back to sleep.  Think God minds that?

8. Share a favorite movie quote.  After watching DWTS results last night... the first one that popped into my mind was from Dirty Dancing... "Nobody puts Baby in a corner"... although that isn't a favorite.  A favorite would be from Gross Pointe Blank where Martin Blank is telling his old school buddy about where he's been for the past 10 years.  He's a professional killer and his friend says upon finding that out, "Do you get dental with that?"  The whole scene between Jeremy Piven and John Cusack makes me laugh every time!

9. What is your favorite Fall candle scent?  Something pumpkin-y!  A little spice added but not too much or I'll get a headache.

10. What is one Fall activity you're looking forward to?  Thanksgiving!  It's early October here in Canada and the leaves are usually at their peak.  It's so pretty.  The air can be super crisp or we could have an "Indian summer" day where the sun is warm with just a little bite to the air.

11. Tell us about a pleasant surprise that happened to you recently.  The other day I was out pricing sofas for our family room.  I was up in a different part of our city, a little distance from home.  I've been looking for a new cell phone that can text for what feels like FOREVER and had finally narrowed down to either Blackberry or iPhone4 (although I wasn't sure how long I wanted to wait for one).  So... after leaving the furniture store, I spotted a Telus mobility store nearby.  I thought, "what the hey... I'll go in & ask about phones".  Talking with the guy I had decided that I would just go Blackberry because no one seems to have the iPhone 4 which is really what I wanted.  He looks as me and says "hang on" while he exits to the backroom.  Seconds later he comes out, holding an iPhone4.  WHAT!!!  So, after a quick call to Hubby, and a little paperwork, payment and a happy dance... I now own my very own iPhone4... and can TEXT people!!  FINALLY!!! lol

12. What was it like when you first met your in-laws-to-be?  The first "in-laws" I met was my Hubby's twin sister and her hubby.  It was somewhat awkward considering Hubby and I had only had one date and at the time he was then dating another girl, a friend of his Twin's hubby.  They (Hubby & the other woman) obviously didn't work out (since he's MY Hubby) and the next in-law I met was my mother-in-law.  Again, it was a tad awkward considering the way Hubby and I began, but she was so warm and welcoming.  Hubby & I only dated a few weeks (exclusively) before we got engaged so my dear mother-in-law didn't have long to get to know her future ... well... me!  It wasn't long after that I met the rest of Hubby's small family!  Now for him... it was a completely different story! lol


There you have it.  This week's Random Dozen and now I've got to get off here and get back to my myriad of duties!  

Catching Up and A Delayed Random Dozen

Now that my vacation blogging is all caught up, and my first Abide facilitating gig is behind me, I am finally able to catch up on the rest of my life.  This morning I was delighted to FINALLY put away the rest of my clothes from my suitcase that had been strewn on the bedroom floor since early Sunday morning.  How wonderfully de-stressing is a clean floor?!

My first week of Abide went fabulously, despite the upset stomach I carried all morning.  I was constantly comforted in my mind with God's assurances of my friends' love for me and His being in control.  It empowered me to not run the other direction in my moments of sheer terror.  How Good and Faithful is our God!

I'm horribly behind not only in my home this week, but in my online "home" too so without further ado... here is this week's Random Dozen, thanks to Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee:

1. Do you do garage sales? If so, tell me about one great find. If not, tell me why not.  I am SO not a garage sale, kinda girl.  Nope.  Can't stand them.  Why?  Well... it's too much for me.  It reminds me of going to a flea market (or my maternal grandmother's basement).  Clutter everywhere.  I liken it to shopping at Marshall's for me.  I hate routing through and digging to find treasures.  Call me lazy.  I want my treasures displayed all nice and neat for me in co-ordinating colors, styles, etc.
2. Name the last thing you fixed.  Does my hair count? If so, I fixed that Thursday morning!
3. Name your A) Favorite item of makeup OR B) Favorite tool  My favorite item of makeup is my mascara... or at least was.  I loved my Cover Girl Professional with the curved bunch but couldn't find it when I needed mascara while away.  Instead I bought Maybelline and it runs down my face now making me look like a raccoon.
4. Which room in your home needs organizing more than any other?  Totally my bedroom... although the floor can now be seen... my dresser is another matter!
5. Which room could use re-decorating?  Same room... my bedroom.  I am tiring of the yellow walls and we desperately need a new bed set.  The Martha Stewart quilt we bought was a hunk of crap and started fraying almost as soon as it hit the mattress.  I just can't seem to find what I want and when I do, we'll repaint the walls to match.
6. Share something unique about your town.  Hmm... unique?  Our Mayor is in her 80's and people only compete against her in elections to get "practice" for when she retires.  She is well-loved in our City.  She's even been mentioned by Regis and Kelly on their morning show!
7. If you could send a one-sentence message to your great-grandchild, what would it be?  I wish your Grandmother/father had been born so you could exist!
8. Do you Facebook?  Um... do fish swim?  Do birds fly?  That would be a huge YES!
9. Describe your favorite shoes.  I love my Merrell sandals I bought at Dillard's last summer in Myrtle Beach.  They are SO comfy that I wore them on my 4.6 mile trek through San Francisco and my feet didn't hurt.  It was my old lady hips that hurt after that walk!

My favorite sandals

10. Do you listen to more talk radio or more music radio? What kind of station is it?  I listen to more music radio, especially in my SUV with the XM radio set to The Message, a contemporary Christian station.
11. How far would you travel for a really good (favorite) meal?  Well, we've traveled 90 miles from our home to Buffalo, NY, crossing the Canada/US border for Olive Garden so I guess the answer is... pretty far!
12. If you were totally honest with yourself (and us) what should you probably be doing right now instead of blogging?  Instead of blogging at this moment, I should be ironing Hubby's shirts or cleaning my house since that was all laid aside for my Abide prep this week.  You?
So... that's my Random Dozen for the week.  What's yours?  Head on over to Linda's and join in on the fun!

 

Plugged Back In... with a Little Random Dozen on the Side

Can I just tell you that even though I missed you all terribly while away last week, I LOVED being unplugged.  I did so much better than I thought I would with my ahem internet addiction.  Only once, when back in civilization at the spa on Tuesday, did I try to connect to wifi... but it didn't work, much to my chagrin.  Since coming home, it's felt like I wasn't away to a completely peaceful environment at all due to some unexpected stresses, so bear with me as I quickly recant for you my time up at the Lake so I can go back there in my mind and remember the peace and tranquility, if even for few minutes.

Hubby and I got to Dad and G's around 10:30am on the 14th.  It was a humid weekend and we certainly felt the lack of air conditioning in the woods, yet with the humidity came warm lake water so I actually got in to swim float on the noodles so graciously left by one of my siblings.  Sunday night my NC sis and bro-in-law arrived and the party really got started.

Monday was my birthday and I awoke to a delicious breakfast made by my Sweetie, of French Toast with berries, and bacon.  Mmmm!  We all sat around the table and enjoyed my fresh new morning on the OTHER side of my 40's.  Yikes!  The rest of "my" day was spent going for a long walk to the waterfall down the road, reading, playing games and being loved upon by my family.  Hubby BBQ'd steaks, potatoes and veggies and then we had a delicious raspberry vanilla cake with whipped cream frosting and shaved chocolate for dessert.  It was delicious!!

For my bday Hubby got me a GC to Best Buy (which I bought portable docking speakers/charger for my iTouch), Martha Stewart's Cupcake book,

this cool Wilton icing tip thingy and a cupcake stand.  My sister and brother-in-law gave me a cool little white box full of notepads, pens and Snoopy stickers!

After dinner and gifts we played Dominoes around the kitchen table which is something our family LOVES to do at the cottage... play games!

Tuesday we "youngins" hung out at the dock

and then played outdoor games (Ladder toss and beanbag toss) before Hubby had to head back to the big City.  After he left, G, C and I drove one exit down to the Inn and Spa where we swam in the fresh indoor pool and enjoyed a nice hot tub stay before going and having our nails done.

G and I had pedicures while C had her nails done.  I talked her into getting purple nails to go with my funky green toe color for California!  If I can't be a skinny blonde over there... at least I'll have funky toes!

Wednesday was a perfect summer day and we spent the majority of it down at the dock, in the water or playing the outdoor games... and laughing our heads off.  Thursday was rainy, which made it easy to stay indoors and pack up for our trip home.  We left Thursday after dinner so we could be home to go to Canada's Wonderland with Hubby and some of my bro-in-law's siblings/niblings.

Friday was a BLAST!  We rode the rides ~ even the super scary Bohemoth... TWICE ~ played at the water park after lunch, and caught the Snoopy on Ice show.  We laughed and screamed.  It was SO much fun!  I want to go back ASAP!  We ended the night with the to-die-for Funnel Cakes and head home with sore feet and happy hearts.

Now I'm home... running like a madwoman... but stopping for a moment to get back on the blogging bandwagon and this week's Random Dozen, thanks to Linda over at 2nd Cup of Coffee.  Here's this week's questions:

1. What is your favorite Mexican dish?  I'm not an overly adventurous eater so I'd have to say quesadillas.

2. When you were a kid, did you get started on your homework right away after school, or did you procrastinate?  Procrastination is my middle name!

3. What is your favorite store for home furnishings?  If we're talking the little things (sheets/towels, gadgets) Bed, Bath & Beyond... if we're talking furniture... a store in my neighborhood called Woodcraft.

4. When you were young, did you like school lunches?   Not at all - BORING!  Seriously... how many days in a row can you eat the same boring sandwich? Blech!

5. Is religion a crutch?  I don't think it's a crutch at all.  I do though believe that church is like a military hospital, where the wounded soldiers go in for healing (and maybe the odd crutch) but then go out restored and ready to do more battle.

6. In your region, what is the "big" (most popular in the community or state) high school sport? Is it wrong that I have NO idea?

7. Do you consider yourself rich?  Monetarily ... it would depend on how you define rich and who you're comparing me to.  According to society - nope, not rich.  Compared to someone in a third world country or a homeless man on a downtown city street - absolutely!  What I AM rich in though for certain is in love and God's blessings!!

8. Which of these would you have the best chance for success in administering:
A) CPR
B) Heimlich Maneuver
C) Changing a flat tire
Well... I'd have to say "C" but barely.  I'd actually suck at all 3 if truth be told!
9. Which dance would you prefer to learn & why: 
A) Salsa
B) Hip Hop
C) Waltz
D) Swing
I'd LOVE to learn Swing, although I'm super non-bendy so I'd probably kill myself trying but it looks like SO much fun and I just love watching swing dancers go at it!  Reminds me of that movie Blast from the Past when Brendan Fraser's character is dancing with 2 girls in the bar.  Looks like SO much fun!!

10. What's the worst news you've ever delivered to someone?  I really don't know.

11. Name something you learned in college that had nothing to do with classes or academics.  Um... here is where I confess that I only did a few months of college (as an adult student in my mid-20's)... I learned that I'm not a student (no matter how old I am) and I also learned (to answer the real question)... that you can snort a piece of dental floss and have it come out your mouth - lol.  I didn't try this, but I had a friend who did... it was GROSS!

12. New variation on an old question: If there's a song in your head that just won't get out, what is your favorite (or most repeated) line in that song?  Today the answer to this question is the first line in the chorus of "All Along" by Remedy Drive:  
All along I was looking for something else 
You’re something else
All along I was looking for something more 
You’re so much more
I finally found what I could never see before 
You’ve always been the one that I was looking for

Now it's your turn.  Head on over to Linda's, grab the questions and have fun!

The Return of Linda's Random Dozen Meme - YAY!!

As I look at the calendar today a few things come to my mind.  1.  Why is it that once August 1st comes, the month seems to whip by?  2.  Today is the day, 18 years ago that I became an official "Great" Aunt (I always knew I was a great aunt... but the birth of Kaitlynne made it official!!  Happy Birthday College bound Girl!).  3.  Today, Linda, from 2nd Cup of Coffee has returned with her Random Dozen Meme... so... without further ado, here we go...

1. When was the last time you laughed until you cried?  About a week ago, my friend Amy called me when she returned home from her camping vacation.  I'd given her a trio of my favorite books by Kristin Billerbeck to read while she was away.  I wasn't home when she called so she left me a voice mail, using the character names and totally making me crack up laughing as she left her message "in character".  It was hilarious!
  
2. If you found $10 today, what would you do with it?  I'd love to say I'd do something hugely humanitarian with it, but I'd probably just stick it in my purse and use it sometime later for some small purchase while out and about.  

3. Do you volunteer anywhere?  Does ladies' group at church count? 

4. What is your favorite summertime veggie or fruit, and how do you eat it?  I LOVE raspberries, and garden grown tomatoes... and corn on the cob.  The raspberries are preferred with fresh whipping cream or ice cream... the tomatoes are enjoyed either in a toasted tomato sandwich or alone with lots of salt/pepper on and corn on the cob needs to be drenched in butter, salt and pepper!

5. Is your social sphere (circle of friends) small, medium or large?  I think I would say somewhere between small and medium including both offline and online friends - probably medium if you combined the two groups.

6. When was the last time you attended a family or school reunion? How did that go?  In May we had a family reunion of sorts with my siblings and parents to celebrate Dad's 80th belated birthday.  It was WONDERFUL!  Never been to a school reunion... and never care to thanks!

7. When you're feeling blue, what is the best way someone can cheer you up?  Hmm... I would think that it would depend on why I'm blue.  Sometimes I just need a distraction to snap me out of it... other times I need a shoulder to cry on... other times I need a good swift kick in the reality head to get me back on track.  

8. Have you taken a vacation this summer?  Not yet!  We head to the Lake for a few days next week and then in a few weeks after that we're off to Cal-i-forn-ia!!

9. What is the most unnecessary item you carry with you all the time?  Is it wrong if I say my cellphone?  I don't use it that often so it seems rather unnecessary... although if it had facebook, twitter and internet on it, then that would be a completely different story!

10. What is the best summer flick you have seen so far?  We haven't been to the movies much this summer so I guess I'd say Charlie St. Cloud.  We really enjoyed it!

11. Describe a perfect summer day.  My perfect summer day would consist of Hubby being off work... and we'd be on vacation at the ocean... sitting in the sand... and the sky would be cloudless... temperature in the high 80's-low 90's with a gentle sea breeze.  We would play in the surf on our  boogie boards and the hours would tick by super slow so the day would feel like it lasts forever.

12. Please a share a favorite photo from the summer so far!  

I didn't take this picture.  My niece's hubby took it of the triplets at 

my Dad's place on the Lake this summer... Aren't they THE cutest sunbathers EVER?!

Speaking of the triplets... I was so thrilled to get a little visit in with them today before I had to go to a meeting for Abide (our church ladies' group)  I haven't seen them in almost a month and it was SO good to smother those little chubby cheeks with "Auntie Love Kisses".  Mmmm they are YUMMY  babies!  They are 8 months already... can you believe that?  It'll be awhile before I see them again, unless I can sneak in a visit in 2 weeks before we fly away.  

Wednesday Whereabouts and Random Dozen

It is amazing weather here and I am loving it, despite having this strange cold thingy.  I didn't sleep well last night and was up at 7am with a coughing fit.  Wondering if I overdid things yesterday.  I couldn't stay inside with yesterday's beautiful "Summer" weather so I washed my SUV and helped Hubby clean out some junk in the garage.  I vegged all evening with the PVR running like mad to catch all my Tuesday night shows:  DWTS, AI, Glee and Parenthood.

This morning when I crawled out of bed coughing my fool head off, I came downstairs, wrapped myself up in a warm blanket (which I needed thanks to air conditioning!) and watched Glee and Parenthood.  After I showered I head out to take some of the garden "cell packs" to a garden center to recycle, and then did a little shopping.  Found a couple new halter-top tees on sale (not a great sale like I get in the U.S. mind you) and did a little grocery shopping.  Soon after getting home Hubby came in for the afternoon off work.  We sat out in the back yard enjoying the sunshine and then head over to the pool where I stuck my feet in while he swam with a couple neighbourhood kids.

We'll be laying low the rest of the afternoon and evening, watching the AI finale.  Who do you think will win?  Who do you think should win?  That's always the rub isn't it with reality tv?

Now for this week's Random Dozen, thanks to it's great creator Linda over at 2nd Cup of Coffee:





1. Would you rather host party or simply attend a party?  It kind of depends.  Often I like to host a party because I love being a homebody and I love entertaining, yet there are times where it is so much easier just to attend.

2. Tell us about the most memorable party you've been to.  Would you believe I can't think of one?  Tells you how memorable the parties I'm invited to are ;-)

3. What is one thing you hope for in the after-life?  To be in the presence of Jesus and to see my loved ones who've gone on before me.

4. What do you enjoy most about sunshine?  Where do I begin?  The warmth, the glow it gives my skin, the brightness it brings to my day, the way it brightens my mood... I could go on!

5. When you attend a bridal/baby shower, do you prefer to bring your own gift or chip in with others to buy a larger gift?  This depends on who the shower is for.  Often times for a church shower where I don't really know the person, I like to go in on a gift, but if it's someone I know I like to get my own gift.

6. Would you rather have a FREE week of having your house cleaned or all of your meals cooked for you and your family?  Oh the cleaning please!  For the meals... that's what take-out is for!

7. What song describes your mood today?  Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves

8. What is something you received for your own bridal shower/wedding that you still own or use? (If you are not married, feel free to sub a gift you received a long time ago.)  We still use a ceramic "country" lamp we got for a wedding gift, although the switch broke on it.  I now use a power bar to turn it off and on.

9. Your favorite flavor of ice cream is?  Ben & Jerry's Caramel Hat Trick (although I've only had it in Myrtle Beach this past Spring but oh my!!!!)

10. When was the last time you felt "tested?"  It has been awhile.  Maybe a year or so ago?  I think the last true time was when God & I were "wrestling" once and for all over the control of my future re: children.

11. "[Fill in the blank] is a food that once I start eating I find really hard to stop."  Caramel popcorn is a food that once I start eating I find it really hard to stop.  I end up eating the entire bag myself :-(  (Move over Hubby!!)

12. "-----" is the best motivation.  Conviction is the best motivation.  I mean... it is all about pleasing God isn't it?


There you have it!  Hope you're having a Wonderful Wednesday wherever you are!

One Really Good Set of Random Dozen Questions

Good Morning Blog World!!  Even though I went to bed MUCH too late ... again ... last night, and even though I had to unglue my eyes open this morning... the sun is shining, Jesus loves me, and it is a GLORIOUS day!  Don't you think??

Last night before I went to bed I perused this week's Random Dozen questions.  Linda (at 2nd Cup of Coffee) did a great job this week!  Loved her "theme"... can you guess it?  Without further ado... here we go:





1. What is one really fast, know-by-heart "go-to" meal to fix in a pinch?  Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and Campbell's Tomato Soup (with milk instead of water).

2. What is one item you won't leave home without. (Purse and license do not count.)  Lately it seems, my iTouch.  It holds my Bible, calendar, watch/clock, book (yay Amazon for Kindle & Kobo), entertainment (music & games), shopping lists, to-do list.  I would feel lost without my little electronic BFF.

3. Where is one place you never tire of visiting?  The Ocean and/or Beach.  Doesn't matter which coast, which beach... just give me ocean waves and sand between my toes and I'm a happy girl!

4. Share one factoid of your family's history.  My Mom used to babysit actor/performer Martin Short's older brother and sister.  They lived down the street from my Mom's family.  Martin wasn't born at the time so she never babysat him though.

5. Complete this sentence: "Once upon a time I .... was lost in a deep dark pit of despair, but Jesus found me and lifted me out.  It is MUCH brighter up here!!"

6. If you could win a one year's supply of anything, what would it be?  Wow... this is hard.  One thing that came to mind was a year's supply of gas so I could hop in my car and take a super long road trip to visit all my friends all over North America and not worry about the cost of travel.

7. "One quirky thing you may not know about me is .... I NEED to change the toilet roll in my powder room if someone goes in an replaces the roll "incorrectly"... meaning if they have it roll under.  I even want to do it in other people's bathrooms, but restrain myself.  Is that quirky? lol

8. You have one dollar in your pocket. What will you buy?  Well... first of all, is there anything left to buy for under a dollar?  Hmm... something at the Dollar store, like wrapping paper?

9. "One thing that always makes me laugh is .... quirky humor, especially on t.v.  Examples of this are my past favorite shows:  Pushing Daisies, Eli Stone and my new favorite, Glee."

10. What is one thing you could do today to help yourself reach a personal goal?  Go to Lowe's and get my garden border and then the nursery to pick my summer garden plants.  That would fulfill my personal goal of planting my garden!

11. What is one thing you could do today to bless someone else?  Smile at a stranger.  Wish dear friends Happy Birthday (which I've already done).  Pray for family and friends.  Oh wait... that's more than one ;-)

12. What is one thing you're looking forward to soon?  Meeting with our new "Abide" team and start planning the Fall for our ladies at church.


Did you figure out Linda's theme?  Head on over and grab the questions for yourself and join in on this week's Random Dozen!


As for me... I'm going to go flatiron my hair so I can go out in public... really... my "natural" look is scary!  I'm going to head off to Lowe's and try and make that personal goal (my garden) happen.  

Busy Beaver and Random Dozen

I have been a busy today!  My friend, Amy and I have been cutting and pasting all the various "difference maker" submissions along with photos to the display boards we're putting up at Saturday's banquet.  It felt like art class today as we pulled out our scrapbooking supplies and put together a pretty cool display if we do say so ourselves! I'll try and take my camera on Saturday night to take some pictures of everything to show you.  Tonight we have a meeting for the banquet and then some of us are staying to discuss next year's plans for Abide.  I've been feeling like God is asking me to step up and take a bigger role with the group so we'll see what He has planned with that as the weeks unfold.  


Let's get on with this week's Random Dozen though before I have to go to my meeting.  Once again a shout out to Linda for her funtabulous questions.  Check out her blog at 2nd Cup of Coffee if you want to join in on the fun yourself!








1. Please share one memory of your high school graduation. Pics would be great!  I've got no pics, but I have only one real memory of that moment.  Our school didn't have the traditional "cap & gown" so we just wore our "sunday best" for graduation.  I had a white cotton dress (with 1980's Lady Diana ruffles).  Before the ceremony I ended up getting a little blood on the dress from a cut on my finger.  I was mortified but this was the day my Mom gave me some very helpful advice.  She said, "When you get blood on clothing, use your own saliva to get the blood out" and don't ya know... worked like a charm!  I gobbed on my dress and voila... bloodstain gone!

2. What is one "emergency use" item you keep in your vehicle at all times?  Jumper cables.

3. In your region, do you celebrate graduation open houses? Addendum: (If so,) how many open houses/bridal showers/weddings are on your upcoming events calendar? Nope.  Never heard of a graduation open house.  As for upcoming events on my calendar, nothing really although come the Fall I know of a baby shower I'll be invited to!!

4. Tell me one truth you believe about motherhood.  That I would die if I never became one and yet, somehow I've survived ;-)

5. What was the last thing you broke?  Funny you should ask this today.  While putting together our displays for the banquet, I broke my Creative Memories tape runner thing... totally messed it up.  Oh well.

6. On average, how many pieces of junk mail do you receive daily?  Maybe 2-3, somedays we don't get any mail at all though so I guess it all evens out to maybe 1 piece/day.

7. Do you like to shop by catalog?  Not really.  We don't have that many catalogues up here to shop from and if it's clothes, my body is hard to fit so I need to try things on so catalogue shopping would be a drag for that.

8. Is lawn maintenance at your house a "his job," a "her job" or "his/her job" or "that's why we have teenagers" job?  Lawn maintenance is a "their" job... as in the landscapers that our condo corp pays to cut the lawn!  They shovel the snow in winter too.  The gardening though is a "her" job, while spreading grass seed is a "his" job.

9. Which room would you like to redecorate in your home?  I'd like to redecorate our bedroom and I'd love to remodel our main bathroom.

10. Do you read a newspaper regularly, or do you read most of your news on line?  News comes from online.  Can't stand the papers all over the house and seriously, who has time to read the entire newspaper?

11. Do you believe everything happens for a reason?  Absolutely!  Whether it's to teach us something or as a consequence of something, there is always a reason for stuff.

12. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?  Hmm... I think probably doing the right things.  Although it's important to do things right, I tend to think doing the right things is more important to me.

And there you have it... this week's Random Dozen... and even done on time this week!

Surprises, Sisters and This Week's Random Dozen

Sheesh... why can't time run just a titch slower?  I feel like the days are whipping by so quickly and I've barely had time at home this week, let alone time to sit and blog.  The week has been a whirlwind but I am LOVING it!

Last Saturday morning I head across the U.S./Canada border over to Buffalo to pick up my sis at the airport as she made her way from NC to "home" to join in on the big surprise party for Dad's (belated) 80th birthday party for Sunday.  It was great to see her and spend the afternoon and evening with C as we visited her mother-in-law and then spent the evening with our brother, sister-in-law and nephews before I left for home to make my "Bowl of Bows" salad for Sunday's big party.

I barely slept Saturday night from excitement over what was to happen Sunday.  You know, that "I'm afraid to sleep-in" kind of cognitive sleep where you sleep in like 30 minute segments.  Not sure if it had anything to do with a mental recall of when I overslept the day Mom died and missed being at the hospital with my entire family.  I woke up exhausted and hoping that I wasn't going to run myself down so early after my bout with strep last week.

Thirty-four of my siblings, niblings and great-niblings secretly assembled at my brother (& niece's) church where Dad and G attend when they're in town, some even sneaking past them in the parking lot.  Dad was so surprised to see the 3 rows of his family.  He knew something was up when C strolled into church.  Delighted, he and G sat amongst his family where the pastor gave a great sermon on John 10 which for me personally had huge significance as it was the passage God used to bring me back to Himself in my late 20's.  "No one can snatch you from the Father's Hand"... not even ourselves!

My brother and sister-in-law so graciously opened their home for the party and we ate, laughed, (all talked at the same time... with no pepper shakers in sight ~ little private joke which I'll explain another time!)  Dad's gift was a picture frame with room enough for all our 6 individual families and extra slots to put pics of us 6 kids with Dad and however else Dad wants to fill them.  We gathered on R & M's front lawn for photos and continued to spend time gushing over the triplets, rejoicing over the news that the triplets will be adding a cousin in the Fall to their family, and enjoying the birthday cake which was an inferno at one point with the 80 candles lit!  It was a fantastic time and one of the reasons I LOVE my family so much!!  Thanks R & M again for your hospitality!

The rest of this week has been filled with two major things - spending time with C as much as I can before we take her back to Buffalo for her flight home Sat, and prepping for our Abide ladies' banquet at church.  Meetings, lunches, movies... I think my hubby forgets what I look like this week as I run from thing to thing.  Last night 2 of my sisters, my sister-in-law, great niece and I went to see Oceans at the movies.  This was my second time seeing it and it had much more impact this time in light of that huge oil leak happening in the Gulf of Mexico.

All this (long winded) commentary to explain why my Random Dozen is late again this week.  So, without much more "ado", here is this week's questions and answers.  Thanks once again to Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee for her great questions!  Be sure to check her site out for yourself!





1. What was the last thing about which you procrastinated?  I would probably have to say housework.  I've been out and about so much that dust bunnies are reigning supreme on my coffee table and the  carpets on both staircases are crying out for a good run with the vacuum. Maybe I'll get to that this aft!

2. How long does it take you to fall asleep, and do you sleep through the night?  It truly depends.  If I'm super exhausted like I've been lately it takes me seconds to sleep and then I often will sleep through the night, although most of the time it takes me a while to shut my brain down.  I'm also a light sleeper so I wake up often in the night with sounds either coming from Hubby or the open window and police station/fire station in the neighborhood.

3. Which decade would you choose to exemplify your favorite fashion styles?  I think my favorite styles come from the 50's or classic 60's (think Jackie Kennedy).  

4. What is your personal best dish to feed a crowd?  Sweet and Sour Meatballs.  I buy turkey meatballs frozen and then make my own sauce using brown sugar, white vinegar, flour, soy sauce and ketchup (I think that's all the ingredients off the top of my head).

5. Are you an impulse shopper? What was the last thing you bought on impulse?  Not for big purchases but the odd time I'm impulsive.  The last thing I bought on impulse was probably loose tea at the Tea House I took Dad, G & C to on Tuesday for lunch.  I'm never a big $ amount impulse shopper.

6. What is one wish you have for your own funeral?  "How Great Thou Art" and "I Can Only Imagine" as the music.  Guess I should make sure Hubby knows this huh?

7. If it's true that joy is in found in the simple things in life, what does your joy look like today?  Today, I am finding joy in doing laundry with my new washer/dryer.  They are so quick ... and quiet!  Loving the front load too!!

8. What is your favorite type of bread?  Hmm... being the "Carbo Queen" I am... how do I pick one?  First thing coming to mind is Olive Garden Breadsticks.

9. What trait do you fear developing the most? (Laziness, greediness, grumpiness, etc.)  Again... so many to choose.  I think narcissism ... I really struggle with some self-centeredness (I like to blame birth order on this) but I fear it will only get worse, especially not having children to make me less so.

10. What trait would you like most to develop?  I really want to develop the trait of being a better listener.  I am an extrovert by nature so I "think" out loud and then my mind races so fast while people are talking that I end up blurting out what I have in my mind like verbal vomit.  Having 3 older sisters hasn't helped either... I learned young that the only way I could speak was to interrupt and now I do it ALL the time and I hate it! 

11. Which room in your house best reflects your personality? Why?  Most of my house reflects my personality as my decorating style is "country" but if I had to pick one room only it would be my living room... it has Teddy Bears lining the walls on shelves, jelly cupboards, etc.  I think they reflect my personality and young spirit.

12. How do you maintain balance in your life regarding, work, family, church, other organizations and activities, and blogging?  Does anyone really maintain balance?  I try to maintain balance by praying about things as to what I should be involved in, etc. but I also try and prioritize in my mind a bit as to what should be at the top of the list on any given day/week, etc.  Make sense?


So... there they are for this week.  Sorry for the super long post.  Bravo to you who stayed with me this whole, long-winded time.  Now off to fold some laundry before taking Hubby's car in for an oil change!

Random Dozen Delayed

Yep... normally Random Dozen is done for Wednesday but well, this week has been quite a week.  It all began on Monday night after dinner.  All of a sudden, out of nowhere, came this sore throat.  It started on the left side of my throat and by bed time had moved to the center.  Tuesday morning it had moved again,this time to the right before settling in all over.  Pain in my ears.  Dull headache.  Yuck.  Getting sick!

By Tuesday night I began to feel like I was part of the circus... the knife swallowing act.  Every swallow I took was excruciating.  Slight fever.  Thinking I'd felt this before.  Guessing strep!

Wednesday morning... the worst.  I didn't even want to swallow.  Didn't want to talk.  Nothing.  All I wanted was sweet relief.  I journeyed to the nearest walk-in clinic, sat in the waiting room for an hour and then left rejoicing in the glorious piece of paper in my hand... my prescription that would take this sore throat away!  I popped my first pill when I got home and by this afternoon my sore throat is almost history.  Sorry to say... but I LOVE DRUGS!  (The legal kind of course!)

I've slept a good portion of this week realizing that being unconscious is much easier than being awake with such a throat.  Obviously I've needed the rest too because no other time can I sleep for 10 or 11 hours.  With that though I've missed a lot.  I missed getting out and about, missed my last morning of the Esther/Beth Moore bible study at Abide (ladies' group) and missed my weekly Memes.

But... it's only Thursday, one day late for Random Dozen so... here we go!  Thanks as always to Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee for bringing this entertaining excitement to our week!





1. Have you ever been so lost that you were really afraid?  I would say... yes, sort of... one time Hubby and I were following the GPS through the mountains of central California.  I knew we should make this one turn, but instead we chose to follow the GPS and next thing we knew we were on this deserted twisty road and the gas tank almost on empty.  We were afraid we'd run out of gas on this lonely road and we actually were afraid... praying our faces off!  Obviously, we survived ;-)

2. Have you ever been to an island?  Yep.  Our honeymoon was on the island of Aruba, but before then I'd been to the Dominican Republic in my mid-20's, and technically... aren't all continents islands??

3. Are you more of a thinker or feeler?  FEELER!!

4. Do you tend to see issues or situations in life as black and white or shades of gray?  It really depends on the issues.  Some things are total black/white issues that shouldn't be seen as gray, but the non-essentials I can tend to be more of a shades of gray person.  Did that make any sense?  (If not... I'm blaming the medication!)

5. If you were stuck on an island, what book would you hope to have with you (Let's pretend the Bible is already there, so you can't say that.) I'd have my Sony Reader (which is technically a book) and I'd have it FULL of my favorite authors, both fiction and non-fiction.

6. What are you most afraid of?  Hmm... if I allow myself to go there, my biggest fear is Hubby dying and leaving me all alone.

7. Would you rather lose all of your old memories or never be able to make new ones?  Wow.  Great question.  I'm very sentimental so I'd probably say I'd rather not be able to make new ones because I LOVE reminiscing about the "good ole days"

8. Pretend I'm looking at a scrapbook page about you. There are three spaces for you to drop in individual pictures. What are those pictures of, and why did you select them?  Sheesh... another hard question.  Um... Definitely a pic of me with Hubby, most likely at the beach... my most favorite person at my most favorite place.  Another would be um... a pic of me with family cuz next to Hubby they are the most important thing and a third picture... hmm... Hubby & me with "the boys" most likely at some travel place we've been cuz it's always good to have a "family photo".

9. If you were re-doing your wedding, what would you do differently? (If you're single, tell me one thing you would do if you were planning a wedding OR huge party.)  If I were re-doing my wedding I would get a better photographer.  We cheaped out on ours and it has always been my one big regret.  I'd love to re-do my wedding just so I can do it all over again with my Hubby.

10. Tell me one thing you know/believe about forgiveness.  Forgiveness is essential for inner peace.  When we let someone off our hook and forgive, we take the weight off ourselves and it frees us.

11. You're waiting in a doctor's office. What is your favorite way to pass that time?  Well, this was me yesterday and what I did was read a book on my iTouch (Kobo application).  Totally made the hour go quickly!

12. If there were a clone of you in a parallel universe what is one way you hope she/he would be the same as you and one way you hope she/he would be better?  I would wish my clone were more Type A and focused but I would hope she was just as friendly and fun.  (I hope that doesn't sound conceited).


So there you have it.  This week's Random Dozen.  Go on... play yourself!!