Sarah Sez

Merry Christmas, turtle style

2010-12-24T13:32:00.000-08:00

Last year it was cake balls. This year, homemade turtles.

Here's how you do it.

You need some of these...

Some of these...
and some of these,
Word on the street was that ROLOs were like the cabbage patch dolls
of 20 years ago. Hard to find!
After checking 4 different places I got lucky and Hannah B.
brought me 4 bags all the way from Bloomington, IN
THANKS HANNAH!!!
they were going to be that much better cause the ROLOs came
from Tarjay!

Unwrap the candy (hardest part)

You could save the gold foil wrappers for your next decoupaging project,

I opted to throw them away.

Place pretzels on a wax paper covered cookie sheet and

set ROLO on top of each pretzel.

Put cookie sheet in a 250 degree oven.

Bake for 5 minutes.

Take out and immediately firmly apply a pecan (press it down a bit)

to each one.

Let cool completely. (the waiting is the hardest part)

ENJOY!!!

I got a little inventive and put another pretzel on top of some of mine

for a ROLO sandwich.

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM ME AND MINE

TO YOU AND YOURS!!!!!

2010-11-01T07:42:00.001-07:00

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Fall 2010

2010-11-01T06:48:00.000-07:00

We attempted outdoor Fall decor for the first time this year.

Thanks to Cliff's nephew we were able to obtain some bales of hay/straw. Cliff was totally offended that I did not know the difference between hay and straw. I still don't.

Our good friends Norman and Cinda once again brought us the "great pumpkin".

They sure can grow 'em big.

The non-rain kept us busy watering mums daily.

Jack and his very special horseshoe gourd.

It's the great pumpkin!

Concern?

2010-10-24T12:50:00.000-07:00

Here we go again.....

Saturday the mail lady brought me a little something special.

Anonymous letter number 2!!

Remember the first one? You can read the post about it here.

This time I'm not going to share it all with you. The stuff about me, whatever. The stuff about my husband and kids, not so much.

Let me start by sharing (for all of you who have never had the joy of receiving an anonymous letter) the roller coaster of emotions one goes through when you pluck the letter from your pile of mail.
Interest, bewilderment, anger, sadness, hunger, shock, thirst, anger, humor, thirst, more shock, confusion and more hunger.

(I cannot guarantee you will feel this way when or if you are the recipient of an anonymous letter, perhaps you will be one of the lucky ones who loses your appetite and then not only have you gotten an anonymous letter but the scale shows you have lost a few lbs!)

I'm not sure where to begin or what to say about this letter. This one was pretty mean and I gotta give it to the writer, minus the improper zip code placement in the return address it was error free and pretty well written. Of course when one gets a letter such as this even though there is probably no chance of ever finding out who the author is your mind does immediately go to a suspect(s). I have my ideas of who wrote it. Those of you who know about the group of individuals who committed crimes against me and my family could be thinking along the same lines I am.

One of the best parts about being the recipient of an anonymous letter is telling people you got an anonymous letter and then getting the sincere response of "who was it from?". Laugh or cry, that's the choice you have to make. In the face of douchbaggers that write something so vile and riddled with lies I have to choose to laugh.

Here's the deal with me. I get that not everyone likes me. Since the writer of the anonymous letter told me that I consider myself a martyr I will invoke the name of a real martyr. Mother Theresa. Even in all her martyrdom glory she had some idiots that did not like her. Not that I am Mother Theresa like in anyway. I am not a nun. I do not live in poverty. I don't go around doing good works and I have never professed that I am in any way, shape or form martyr like. (although at my death I do expect a large statue to be erected in my honor. I also expect all of my friends to laugh now in Beevus and Butthead style because I just used the word erect) I am what I am and at the ripe old age of 37 years old I don't see myself doing to much changing, but that could change to. I don't want to purposely make anyone angry. I don't ever try to purposely hurt any ones feelings. I am not made of stone (until statue time at my death) and if you cut me I will bleed (orange and blue. GO EAGLES!).

The letter was signed "Concerned Citizen of Jasper County".

After thinking about it for a couple of days I suppose I should consider myself flattered. With all the problems Jasper County has to be concerned about I am what the anonymous douchebag chooses to focus on. WOW!! Who knew I was that important or powerful? A reality show has to be the next step for someone with my level of fame!!

The letter advised me to "step carefully" and last sentence of the letter told me to "Consider yourself warned". Noted. I'll make sure to write that one down and carry it with me. That way if you ever do get the balls to reveal yourself I'll have something on hand to shove up your ass.

I am also a concerned citizen of Jasper County but I'm not anonymous about my concerns. I care about my son's school so I joined the PTO. I support Newton Athletics, I want to see the athletic programs at NCHS continue their tradition of excellence so I am the Co-Chairwoman of the NCHS Athletic Boosters. I'm concerned about issues that face our county so I am active in the Jasper County Democrat Party and was recently appointed the Jasper County Democrat Precinct Committee Co-Chairwoman. I wish I could do more for Jasper County and someday if time permits I know that I will. I share these things not to toot my own horn but to say COME THE FREAK ON! Concerned Citizen my ass! Don't you have more important things to worry about than little ole me?

My God, Emily Allen is shopping for wigs. She's worried about finding hats to keep her head warm this winter because the chemo she is on to make sure her cancer goes away will also make her lose her hair. Be concerned about that. That's the kind of stuff that concerns me. That's the kind of stuff that keeps me up at night. Seriously, think bigger. Think better.

I'll close with the wise words of one Cee Lo Green. His latest prose pretty much sums up my feelings about the most recent development in the freak show that is my life:

AIN'T THAT SOME SHIT

and on we go......

PEOPLE SUCK

2010-09-07T19:44:00.000-07:00

In case you have not noticed, I'm blogging again. So far just some stuff about my kids. I have some other nuggets up my sleeve. Maybe some stuff about fried frito pie (can't you just hear Homer). I'm not sure I have it in me because it scares the hell out of me and makes my stomach and heart hurt, but I sure would love to write something poignant about the burning of books and the hatred that somehow has become commonplace in this country of ours. We'll see.

Anyhoo my sister Rebekah told me a story this weekend that I thought was just too good not to share. I could tell that what could have been an awful thing turned into a moment that restored her (what had been previously)very bruised faith in humanity.

I asked her if she would write a guest post on my blog (I do love a guest post) and she agreed. I am better for hearing this story and I hope you are as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Let’s be real. After two Divorces and enough runs through our small town rumor mill to qualify for at least some sort of really great athletic event, if not the Olympics, I pretty much chalked life up to……read the title of this post. (Don’t make me say it again).

Today my Sister asked me to tell you a story about someone that does not suck. This guy is probably the King of all NON SUCKDOM. And for awhile anyway, my faith in humanity has been restored.

The story is a simple one found throughout the ages and most of us have had the opportunity to hear it. The Bible, Fairy Tales, Sermons crafted from clever email forwards, various episodes of LHOTP (that’s little house on the prairie), etc. but sometimes people lose their faith and the Big J.C. knows when to step in and place you right in the middle of your very own life size email forward. It goes a little something like this…………

A shopping day had been planned for a couple of weeks, at least… D and I are on a mission to restock her wardrobe prior to her starting a new job. (which started today- congrats D!) We were having a lot of success when we finished up our second to last planned stop and came back out to the car and get the oh-so-fab tick tick tick noise when turning the key. NICE! At least with it being Labor Day weekend there were a lot of people around to help. Let’s get the hood open (our S.O.S. signal). Well, picture 2 damsels in distress trying to open the hood (and now however you are picturing us, humor us and make us just a bit hotter. And however you are picturing me please don’t put me in any form of pastel. Thanks) unsuccessfully. I immediately find a perfectly delicious man with both legs completely sleeved in ink from the knee down. Too bad he was as clueless as we were. We finally let him off the hook when Crazy Don and his Gal, Cindy ride into the story….on their Harley.

Crazy Don knows what’s up. He pops that hood right open and looks around and tells it just like it came from the Book of James (that is D’s dad and if you know him then you know what I mean). We were pretty much screwed. Acid Erosion. Cables eaten completely in half. I could tell it wasn’t going to be a “get some jumper cables and be on your way”sort of ordeal. While Crazy Don is checking things out under the hood D and I are getting to know his gal, Cindy. We find out that Don drives a truck all week long and has one MAYBE two days a week to be at home with her and his family. They were out on a ride that day spending time together. It just wasn’t in Crazy Don to drive on by and leave two ladies on the side of the road. She made it clear that they might look rough (believe me when I say Don looked JUST FINE and when I say fine that is spelled H-O-T-T) but they were good people and would do what they could for us. CD explains that parts are going to be needed. D and I immediately start counting our cash (who carries cash these days anyway?) and notice a bank with an ATM not far from us. He says we’ll settle up when they get back and off ride CD and Cindy to our rescue.

THEY RETURN! OUR RESCUERS RETURN!! CD and Cindy return with parts for the car (and drinks- they brought us drinks!) While CD is working on the car myself, D and our new gal-pal Cindy continue shopping. How cool is that? I determine that Cindy is nothing but Bad-Ass. I love her. We bonded over music and metal earrings and D loved that she could talk us out of a typical Tawny Kitaen-esque, rollin on the hood of a car in an 80’s music video, purchase that we probably would have regretted later anway (ok, im being real. I never would have regretted it. It would have went great with my blue eye-liner!). Like we had known each other all our lives!

We wrap things up and go back to check on Crazy Don and he is just finishing up as well. Our hero, in leather. What could be more perfect?! Maybe the fact that he would accept ABSOLUTELY Nothing for his time, the parts to fix the car, or fixing the car in general. Ahem…W.W.T.B.J.C.D? W.W.C.I.D? After thanking them OVER and OVER we knew we should let them get back to their day together. We had already blown a couple hours of their day.. but we just kept talking and CD finally decides we will head to Bdubs for drinks.

Crazy Don got a chance tell us about an amazing organization that he is a new member liaison for- check them out- http://www.guardiansofthechildren.com/. Their Motto says it all. “Don’t let your silence drown out their cries.” What an amazing way to help kids in the most desperate of need. Fixing a car for two stranded ladies pales in comparison to the work he does with this organization. We of course got to talk about SOA and the SOS and all thing motorcycle club related that we found very interesting and he probably was inwardly laughing but was very gracious about it all. Anway, im pretty sure we walked away from what could have been a pretty shit-tastic experience with two lifelong friends (oh, and did I mention they made us call them when we got home- yep, they were that good!)

So the moral of the story? Like I said we’ve all heard it before in one form or another. But, let me tell you. This was the best lesson I’ve learned in a long time and it couldn’t have come in a better package. It’s been a LONG time since I have blogged and those who know how I roll know I’m not wrapping this up without a GNR reference. So here goes.. in the words of the great, Axyl Rose “with your Bitch-Slap rapping and your cocaine tounge you get NOTHIN Done” so that’s it folks. If you don’t speak GNR here is the best translation I can give. When you are busy keeping the rumor mill spinning you don’t have a lot of time left to stop and help stranded chicks who love leather!!!!!

Flat Jack

2010-09-07T11:43:00.000-07:00

At Jack's kindergarten Open House we were sent home with a couple of projects.

One was a page about Jack. A place to put a picture of him, a picture of his family, his birthday, his favorite foods and what he likes to do.

The second assignment was a paper doll that he was to decorate as he saw fit.

The Open House was August 12th. We had until September 3rd to turn in the assignments.

We turned in the info page on September third.

I asked Jack what he wanted to make his paper Jack look like. He was not sure. I gave him a couple of option's--Newton Eagle guy or business suit guy (cause in Jack's spare time he sells insurance). He wisely choose Newton Eagle guy.

Since I don't have a craft room, craft cabinet, craft drawer or craft anything (I DO own a glue gun) we asked my Mom (Jack's Mam who besides all her other craft supplies actually owns a huge plastic tub filled with felt. Just felt. All different colors of felt) if she could assist.

Jack and I went out to Mam's to give his blank paper doll an orange and blue makeover.

Here's the finished project........

Didn't Mom and I do a great job!! ;-)

The paper doll was also due on September 3rd.

He turned it in today. September 7th.

The Mother of the Year committee called this morning.

They said don't even think about it.

School picture day 2010

2010-09-06T07:21:00.000-07:00

Remember school picture day back when we were in school? You get the picture taken and then they send home three proofs to choose from.

I'm new to all this. The first day of school Jack came home with his form from the school picture company. I was to choose and pay for the package we wanted, the pose of the pictures in the package and the background for said pictures.

Lots of choices to make and $$ to spend on pictures that you have not had a chance to see.

So after perusing Jack's wardrobe I choose the background that I hoped would go with the shirt that I hoped would show off his still Ken doll summer blond hair.

I thought I would take a few pictures that morning just in case the school pictures were not so desirable.

Harry had a polo that matched Jack's so I put him in it to take some pictures that I was pretty sure could up being contenders for this year's Holiday card.

Take one

Jack is thrilled.

(notice the half pressure washed sidewalk.

I got Cliff a pressure washer for his b-day.

Seriously the most satisfying cleaning experience EVAH. The cord would not

reach far enough so the sidewalk is only half done.

The next family that buys the house can finish it.)

TAKE TWO

TAKE THREE

TAKE FOUR

TAKE FIVE

little did I know this was a good as it was going to get

TAKE SIX

TAKE SEVEN

TAKE EIGHT

~~~~~~

That's a wrap.

I give up.

I'm hoping the photographer from LifeTouch had better luck than I did.

Jack goes to kindergarten

2010-08-20T19:44:00.001-07:00

Make a photo slideshow

Make sure to turn on your speakers!

Walking for a cure

2010-08-03T06:34:00.000-07:00

This weekend my "curly headed sister from another mister" Amber Lindemann, heads to Chicago with her actual sister Brianne. The two of them will be walking a total of 60 miles in 3 days participating in the Susan G. Komen 3 day walk for the cure. 20 miles a day. I asked Amber if she would write a guest post(s) on my blog when she got back. I knew she would have lots of stories and pictures to share. I was so excited that she accepted and will be sharing the story of her walk with us. She was nice enough to do a "pre-walk" trip report. I gotta admit when she first told me she was going to do this I thought she was a little crazy. I was proud of her, but still 20 miles a day for three days? That's nuts. Then I read this. Now I get it....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. 1 in 8.

I remember the day last fall....a close friend of mine, a fabulous woman sat in my living room and told me she had an aggressive form of breast cancer. I cried, and I felt helpless.....She is the strongest person I know, and is continuing her battle with a smile. She is so much stronger than me because I know I could never endure what she has and still laugh and smile. She is an amazing woman that I am lucky to call a friend.

In March, I signed up to walk in the Susan G Komen 3-Day for a Cure. If I could do nothing else to battle this disease, then at least I can help raise money for funding to search for a cure.

I took the fundraising challenge head on and within a month had raised the entire $2,300 fundraising minimum. My sister Brianne was inspired and signed up to walk with me. She had her $2,300 goal met a few weeks after me. Thank you to everyone who donated anything to us. Everyone was so generous. Our Bingo fundraiser was a HUGE hit and I hope to walk again next year and have another Bingo night!

The 3Day is a fundraising event held in 15 cities across the U.S.A. We chose Chicago on August 6, 7, and 8th.

We will gather together with 2,500 other walkers and walk 60 miles in 3 days. We'll camp along the way and shower in semi trucks. 3 days without indoor toilets..... We'll camp in hot pink tents and eat under the blue sky. It is going to be such an empowering 3 days, meeting survivors, and unfortunately walkers walking in memory of those who didn't survive. I'm sure I will cry more tears this weekend than I'll be able to count, but the Chicago walk alone will raise more than 5 million dollars for a cure.

I CAN walk 60 miles in 3 days. I'm sure I'll get plenty of blisters, but as much as blisters will suck, chemo is worse. I'd much rather walk any distance than fight Cancer.

I'd walk for anyone and am walking for everyone. I'm walking for Wanda. I'm walking for you, for your family, for your mothers, and aunts, sisters, and friends. I'm walking for your daughters. I'm walking for MY daughter, who I hope can grow up in a breast cancer free world.

I'll post updates for days 1, 2 and 3 when we return.

Thanks again for everyone's support!

Amber (walking in honor of Wanda Snyder)
Brianne (walking in memory of Lisa Massey-French)

Team "Saving Second Base....one step at a time"

Kaylie Sue got married....

2010-07-27T20:49:00.000-07:00

My first cousin Kaylie has a special place in my heart.

Maybe it's because growing up I watched her struggle with that awkward Diel girl thing and I totally knew what she was going through.

More likely than not it's probably because of what anyone who is around Kaylie can see. She's a ray of sunshine. A smile always on her face. She's nice, but not TOO nice.

She's grown up now. No longer awkward. She grew into her height and the boobs.

and she fell in love....

Last month Kaylie got married.

Kaylie and Jake's wedding was pretty much perfect.

She was beautiful. Her dress was perfect A french horn played as a choir of their friends serenaded Kaylie and Jake.

I'm not sure if I have ever used this word to describe a person, but Kaylie was BEAMING!

The smile never left her face.

Jack and Harry sporting the matching outfits

that their Mother loves.

Mr. and Mrs.

(another great thing about this wedding, faux mustaches!)

Uncle Pat and Jack enjoyed toasting

(Jack's glass was filled with water--simmer down now!)
Check out Cliff's face!

Gus Bierman getting down with his bad self

pretty Hadley

Kaylie hearts N*SYNC (and really, who does not)

I wish I had captured the entire song because these girls had the choreography down.

It was a great day. My kids had SO much fun. As we were walking to the car that evening Jack said "why did we have to go, I was just getting ready to break a leg!"

Congrats Kaylie!!!

(and Jake)

Welcome to our OOL

2010-06-24T06:47:00.000-07:00

We've all heard it. Don't pee in the pool--"they" put something in the water and it will change colors!

I decided that if this product did exist I needed it. Not that I think we have a big urination problem in our pool, but mainly for the pure novelty.

I went to my good pal Google to see where I could purchase the product that turns pool water red if you pee in it.

This product does not exist!!!

Urban legend.

I guess pee away in any pool. You will not be encircled by a cloud of red.

The ole cement pond.

I suppose I could declare it 100% urine free, but how would I know!?

Fish Fry/Newton Eagle shirts

2010-06-18T07:22:00.000-07:00

NCHS Football Fish Fry tonight at the Newton KC Hall

4:30-7:30

I'll be there with the Athletic Boosters selling t-shirts, (see design above), 3/4 length sleeve t's, taking orders for hooded sweatshirts, orange and blue tote bags, and car decals (new design).

Come out and see us. Eat some fish, buy a shirt.

Disney Photo Pass Pictures---the final chapter

2010-06-08T12:14:00.000-07:00

Disney Photo Pass pics part 4

2010-05-31T19:00:00.000-07:00

Happy first birthday Quincy

2010-05-27T20:48:00.001-07:00

My nephew Quincy is one year old today.

Little Quinny, QQ, Q, QT, Quincy Todd, Quinalicous.

I wonder what we would have ever done without him. He is a ray of light and anyone who is around him cannot help but fall in love.

Quincy and Harrison are six months and one day apart.

My sister Michelle and I assume (and I hope correctly) that they will be best friends.

No matter what, they are stuck with each other. FOREVER.

We took the boys to see their Auntie Amber at Photographics for what turned out to be a perfectly painless and easy photo session.

The results were......

check them out for yourself

http://www.photographicsgallery.net/p548031836
I think they speak a thousand words.

Disney photpass pictures pt. 3

2010-05-27T08:26:00.000-07:00

Harrison is one and a half

2010-05-26T20:23:00.000-07:00

My little Prince is 18 months old today. To celebrate I made this slideshow (I love a slideshow so much it really is a gift for me). I know he is my kid and all, but really, he is pretty stinkin' cute.

Make a digital slideshow

2010-05-25T07:17:00.000-07:00

One of, if not my favorite picture of the trip.

It pretty much says it all....
Harry meets Buzz

Jack gives Woody a high five

And a hug

look at me in the backgroud, it was so sweet I was crying

yep, it's more Disney pictures

2010-05-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

You thought I was done didn't you?

Nope. There are more.

At Walt Disney World they offer a service called Photo Pass. You are given a "credit card" that you present to the Disney Photo Pass photographers who then take your picture. The photo pass photographers are all over all of the parks and our experience with them was great. They would not only take a picture with their camera, but were always willing to take one with our personal camera. They scan your card and then when you get home the pictures are available for you to view online, edit, and add Disney borders etc. You can also purchase the pictures for a very inflated Disney type price. The Walt Disney World machine is super smart. How can anyone resist these pictures (we could not and purchased a cd of all of them)?

Here are a few. I'll share the rest in the days to come.

doo do doo do doo Handy Manny!

Jack prepares to see.....

One of the guys from Little Einsteins!

Family picture at Hollywood Studios

Jack in front of the Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom

The glory of......

2010-05-24T12:34:00.000-07:00

children....

can't send 'em to the circus and there's a chance you could end up on

Dateline if you send them to a boot camp.

It always could be worse...

as witnessed in one of my new favorite websites

http://www.shitmykidsruined.tumblr.com/

feel superior if you must, but tomorrow it could be you!

Lucy's got her lipstick on a little too bright...

2010-05-16T12:35:00.000-07:00

Digital slideshow customized with Smilebox

A big deal in a small town

2010-05-13T11:00:00.001-07:00

Create your own digital slideshow

What ya wearing under there?

2010-05-11T19:48:00.001-07:00

CVS was so kind and sent me a coupon for Huggies newest product.

Denim diapers.

Yep, just what every baby needs.

"A cool new look just for summer"

Does that mean Harrison can wear just these to the ballpark?

I find them odd.

I'm sure I'll buy some.

I do have a coupon....

Or, I could just get some of these.

Wrangler diaper covers!!

YEE HAW!

Since we are on the subject of underwear, what about that underwear bomber guy?

I can just imagine that terrorist club meeting.

Bin Laden probably said something like "I hate to even bring this up, but we have these new underwear bombs, I don't even know if they are going to work, anyone wanna try them?"

Then the new guy to the group, wanting to make a good impression volunteers.

Bin Laden looks at him like he must be crazy (and this guy has to know crazy when he sees it) and says "Are you SURE???" In my mind that's how that went down.

Why do these terrorists think the idea of 72 virgins in heaven is such a good thing?

1. Where did they come up with the number 72?

2. Why not make it 72 prostitutes?

"you commit this terrorist act and you got 72 chicks waiting for you that REALLY know what they are doing!" would seem like a better deal to me.

I'm just sayin'

~~~went a little off subject for a minute.

Don't think there is anyway you can hide an underwear bomb in these.

100% organic!!!

Disney trip 2010

2010-05-11T08:28:00.000-07:00

Create a photo slideshow

Have you noticed all the slideshows lately? I like making them. It's my new thing ;-)

Hannah Bergbower, R.N. B.S.N.

2010-05-10T09:05:00.001-07:00

Picture slideshow personalized with Smilebox

A month of Sundays

2010-05-10T08:35:00.001-07:00

My new goal is to take pictures of the boys every Sunday before church.

As you can see, Harrison is THRILLED with the idea.
Cooper spent the night Saturday night.
He and Jack had their dollars all ready to give to Jesus.

A little better....

2010-05-04T07:26:00.001-07:00

Another picture slideshow by Smilebox

Motherhood....

2010-05-02T11:53:00.000-07:00

You're gonna miss this....

You're gonna want this back...

You're gonna wish these days

Hadn't gone by so fast

~~~~~~

Being a Mother is not easy. The army slogan "the toughest job you'll ever love" comes to my mind. This past week Jack came home and told us something that had happened to him at school. I was shocked and upset. I was not ready to handle these issues. I don't want to have to call teachers and have to explain to Jack that even though so and so is his friend, we cannot repeat the things he says or do the things that he does.

And so it begins.

I'm not ready for this.

I want my biggest parenting problems to be getting my kids to sleep alone, taking Harry's bottle away, helping Jack make the letter C.

I don't want this yet, but I can't stop it.

~~~~~

Here's Jack at one and a half. His second Easter, sporting a sailor suit (you know I love a sailor suit).

Jack would not be caught dead wearing a sailor suit now, but I had the pleasure of putting Prince Harry in that very same outfit a couple of weeks ago.

~~~~~
These are the good times....

So take a good look around...

You may not know it now....

But you're gonna miss this....

~~~~~

Jack's almost done with preschool.

This Fall he will be in kindergarten. Gone all day long.

When you have kids, people tell you to enjoy them, it goes so fast.

My dear neighbor is 85 years old. She loves my boys and likes to tell me about her kids when they were little. She still remembers potty training, bike riding, and sleepless nights. I'm sure you never forget.

~~~~~~

May you grow up to be righteous

May you grow up to be true

May you always know the truth

And see the lights surrounding you

May you always be courageous

Stand upright and be strong

May you stay forever young

2010-04-26T06:36:00.001-07:00

This free picture slideshow personalized with Smilebox

Total Eclipse of the Fart/The British are coming

2010-04-20T19:37:00.000-07:00

The title of this post really has nothing to do with where this post (and it may take a while) will eventually lead. I just had Total Eclipse of the Heart in my head. Turn around.....

and because I have a little 7th grade boy in me I started thinking it would have been funnier if the song was called Total Eclipse of the Fart. Then I got to thinking about a fun game I have played a time or two with a group of friends and just maybe an adult beverage (or roadie) in a huggie (or koozy) where you change the name of a normal TV show or movie to something a little more racy. Like...

Doogie Hoser M.D.

Star Whores

Titanic

Romancing the Bone

Ole Yeller

.....I could go on and on

and then I got to giggling. Pretty hard.

and then I got to thinking about what happened to me yesterday morning, and I got to laughing pretty hard. It was either laugh or cry. Laughing is always better.

Yesterday morning I awoke to phone calls, text messages, and emails asking if I was ok. Was I in London. How was London. Could I pick up a Big Ben calendar while I was in London. How did I get to London, etc and so on and so forth. (lucky for me most of my friends have a REALLY good sense of humor)

WHY these questions you ask???

You may recall that a while back I had some illegal type activity (I was the victim, not the criminal) going on that involved my email account. I did not close said account (my bad). I opened another account and slowly tried to pick up the pieces and move on.

Anyone that was in the contact list of my old account (and it was a rather large contact list) received the email below yesterday morning:

Hi,

I am writing this with tears in my eyes, sorry I did not inform you about my trip. I actually made a quick travel to London and unfortunately attacked and mugged at gun point on the way to my hotel, all cash, credit cards and cell were stolen off me but luckily I still have my passport with me. I've been to the embassy and the Police here but they're helping issues at all and my return flight leaves anytime from now but I'm having problems settling the hotel bills and the hotel manager won't let me leave until I settle the bills.

Am freaked out at the moment.

SARAH D.

~~~~~~

I am NOT in London. Due to some volcanic ash problems I don't even think I could go to London if I wanted. I'd tell you if I were going. I don't even have a passport. I need to walk quite a few more 5k's before I am "passport picture" ready.

This email is part of what is called a phishing scam (adding the ph makes it sound so much more glam). "they" hack into an account and send the email to all contacts and hope that someone takes the bait and sends money.

If you were a lucky recipient of the above email and responded to it, you were given info on where to wire money to. I HOPE that no one did (if you want to give me money I can give you my personal address).

After doing a little checking, it seems that I am not the first person this has happened to. If you ask around you will find someone or someone who knows someone who has a similar story.

It seems that this time it was random. This time it was not personal.

I'm not sitting on the loo smoking a fag, talking on the telly.

Getting ready to eat some blood pudding.

Taking my baby for a walk in his pram and then changing his dirty nappy.

Just another installment in the reality show that is my life.

On this weeks very special episode.......

God Save the Queen!

Tally ho!

Harry and the dog

2010-04-15T20:24:00.000-07:00

Harrison LOVES the dog. He likes to play with her, he likes to chase her, most of all he likes to feed her.

Harry likes to come in the kitchen and "beg" for some sort of food. I give it to him. He gives it to Fiona. After three plus days of this you would think I would learn. I still fall for it every time.

I am not sure how much Harry has had to eat since we got the dog, I think most of the food I put on his plate goes to the dog. Since he is my second child, I am going to go with the "he'll eat when he is hungry" school of thought.

Paying homage to a Queen

2010-04-14T11:10:00.000-07:00

Dixie Carter died this past weekend. It hit me hard. Harder than I could have imagined it would. Elgance, class, and grace. A true lady is what she was.

I have posted this clip many times, but it would not be a fitting tribute to her without sharing it again.

This is my pump me up, get ready to kick some ass, pick me up when I am down speech. I am glad that I have been blessed with sisters and friends that are Julia Sugarbakers. I hope you have at least one in your life.

You heard me right, we got a dog

2010-04-12T11:25:00.000-07:00

Meet Fiona, the newest member of our family.

She's three years old.

We adopted her from some friends of ours who her were her foster parents.

Prince Harry and Princess Fiona

Harry just loves her!!!!

Jack on the other hand....

well, he is learning to like her and

he sure enjoys riding along on his bike when I take her for a walk.

Damn

2010-04-05T07:16:00.000-07:00

I'm fat. I know it. I'm pretty honest about it. I've never been skinny so I don't really have anything to compare it to. Recently I have made the decision to try to lose some pounds. I have no visions of appearing on the cover of Life and Style in a bikini , I just would like to be able to-for once- turn left instead of right when I walk into Fashion Bug. I gave up the cookie dough. I have been working out. Drinking less diet coke and more water (water is gross, no fizz). I've lost some pounds. I actually have surprised myself with my success so far. On top of my diet and exercise regime my sister Michelle and I have been walking together. We usually have a kid or three with us. Pushing a stroller seems to give one more of a work-out. Since we were doing so well walking we decided to take our show on the road and signed up for our very first 5k. Last Saturday's dam run at Lake Sara.

The first step was figuring out how far 5K was. 3.1 miles. We were pretty sure we had been walking at least 10 miles most nights, but decided to walk a little farther the night before as part of our training. After our training walk we hopped in my rental van to measure our route. To our disappointment it was 3 miles exactly. 3 miles was longer than we thought.

We carbo loaded on tortillas that night at chips and sauce.

The morning of the 5k it was raining, but aint nothing gonna break our stride. We headed to Lake Sara, parked and made our way into the sign up area. We both immediately realized we were out of our element. A lot of professional looking people doing stretches and stuff. It was a good thing I did not bring my diet coke in with me (I said I cut down, I did not give it up). Only bottles of water were being consumed. Not a pretty silver and red can in sight.

We made it to sign up (since Michelle usually shaves a few years off of her age, I had signed her up as 29 years old, later I realized that a competitive walk is not the time to lie about ones age) and got our numbers. Once again we were clueless as to how to affix the numbers to ourselves. Most of the other women in attendance were not members in good standing of the well endowed club as Michelle and I are. We finally got our number placed in acceptable area and headed for the starting line.

Before the race
We were amazed at the crowd

The back of the t-shirt each participant received.

Dam run!

Ok, part of the reason we did it was to say damn as much as possible.

Ever seen Vegas Vacation? Chevy Chase at the Hoover dam?

Get your dam souvenirs...

Awaiting the starting gun.

There was no starting gun.

That was a disappointment.

And we were off......

Only a quarter mile in.

To early to ask for oxygen?

Water break.

Since I watch to much TV I was worried that,like a Seinfeld episode, my cup

would be filled with hot coffee.

It was ok to throw your cup on the ground.

I asked.

Someone was going to pick them up.

I'm glad that was not my job.

I hope whoever had to do that got a free t-shirt.

Michelle rehydrates.

My suggestion for next year--provide fountain sodas.

I think more people would do it if there was free fountain sodas.

You know I am right, look how many people buy Polar Pops.

Dam we were hot.

A lady walking behind us saw me attempting to take our picture and offered to take one for us.

I gave her the camera and she and her partners got ahead of us and snapped this

action shot.

Michelle was pretty sure that she was not nice.

They just wanted to get ahead of us.

dam, I think she was right.
~~~~

The finish line was in site.

I was hoping the Chariots of Fire theme would be playing as we crossed.

There were people lined up cheering as we made our way to the end.

We both gave them our best Miss America wave.

We made it!

We finished.

Not such a bad time.

I would say two minutes could be taken off due to time spent taking pictures.

After we crossed the finish line we were both given medals.

You may be shocked to know that Michelle or I neither one are very sporty.

We are very good at watching Newton Eagle football and I like to think of myself as a

fairly proficient badminton player, but neither of us had ever gotten any type of award for physical activity so this medal was kind of a big deal.

We would like to thank God for making this possible.

Our families. Most of all our fans. Without them we do this for nothing.

~~~~~~~~

THIS IS FOR ALL THE FAT GIRLS!!!!!!!

On top of the shirt and medal we were also given a huggie (koozy in Ashley speak) filled with a

free bottle of water! This day just kept getting better.

~~~~~~

Our kids all modeled the medals that their Mother's had won.

~~~~~~~~~

Michelle is signing us up for our next 5K walk.

I'm in as long as we get a medal and a t-shirt.

Easter: Twenty Ten. The best of times, the worst of times.

2010-04-04T20:11:00.000-07:00

Jack woke us up this morning to what he immediately declared was the best Easter evah!!

The Easter bunny had brought him a Touch-n-Brush!!

Jack is a huge fan of any "as seen on TV" products and this was number one on his wish list.
It even came with the Sonic 4x toothbrush!

By the time we left for church he had brushed his teeth so much that his gums bled.

The Easter bunny (aka our fab neighbor across the street, Lola)

left the boys a basket with dollar filled eggs. That is my kind of Easter bunny!

Prince Harry blessed his parents with the best Easter present of all,
a sleep filled night! We had to wake him up!
(notice the bed head)

Me and my boys before church

Harry and Jack sporting their matching ties

Man they looked cute...

After church we headed to my parents for lunch and egg hunting

(why do we hunt eggs on Easter?? The Lord has risen. Fill plastic eggs and hide them.

Was that in the Bible?) Jack's earache that he had mentioned earlier, but forgot about because of his repetitive touch-n-brush use, began to hurt again. We ended up leaving mid meal. It was too bad because what I had was REALLY good. Jack then declared it the WORST Easter ever and said that besides his touch-n-brush NOTHING good was going to happen to him that day.

Sadly I left behind my tray of Twyla Harvey egg shaped, frosted sugar cookies.

These things are little Easter miracles.

So good. No Easter will be complete for my family without them from now on.

Jack and I headed home for some R & R (why does that term always make me think of M*A*S*H?). Cliff and Harry headed to his family Easter where Harry got to do some egg hunting.

After a nap, bath, and some frozen pizza Jack seems to have made a full recovery.

Only time will tell if this Easter will go down in the books

as the best or worst.

Hope yours was hoppy!

Answering the "What is a roadie" question.

2010-03-28T20:18:00.000-07:00

If you ask me, the hotness in the middle

of that fine looking group of ladies

could carry my guitar anytime.

Wrecked Ho, a new family member, and a little Designing Women

2010-03-25T07:11:00.000-07:00

The Tahoe is down for the count. After a young man ran a stop sign and plowed into my beloved HOE I am now driving (courtesy of the fine folks at Shelter Insurance and Enterprise Rent A Car) a brand new Dodge Town and Country mini van. I have always sworn that I would never have a mini van, since Cliff is very anti-mini van I doubt if that ever changes, but this thing sure is one sweet ride. I'm just about ready to go get a "If this van's a rockin' don't come a knockin'" bumper sticker.

Tuesday night we took a drive out to Sam Parr so Cliff could experience the joy that is the rental mini van. Jack talked the ENTIRE time. He complained, he asked questions, he had observations, he just was going non-stop (Cliff says he gets it from me???). After driving through Sam Parr Cliff bet Jack that he could not make it back home without saying a word. Jack made it about 50 feet. He gave him a second chance and even sweetened the deal with $20.00(a pretty safe bet). Jack shocked us and made it all the way from the wye to our house silently. $20.00 was his.

Yesterday Jack and I were discussing his plans for his money. He wanted to buy a rocket ship or some clothes. I suggested that maybe he give part of his money to another kid who does not have as much as him. Jack was shocked to learn that some kids go to bed hungry and might not even have toys. After much thought Jack was willing to give up $7 of his $20.

I had read on another blog about Compassion. A Christian organization that allows you to sponser a child with a monthly donation. Jack and I spent hours yesterday looking at the pictures of kids from Kenya (there were lots of countries to choose from). Jack was going to pick just the right one to give his $7 to (it costs more than $7 a month FYI, Jack's going to have to go to Vegas or something to make up the difference). Some kids looked too happy. He wanted one that looked sad. They all seemed to like soccer. Jack prefered one that liked football or basketball. I found an adorable seven year old named Willis that I wanted to go to Kenya and bring home to live with us, Jack nixed Willis because he was wearing shoes and "gasp" socks! He wanted someone who looked sad and was shoeless. No choice was made and Jack went to school.

After school Jack said he had decided to choose Anthony (which he pronounced Anfony). I did not recall seeing any Anfony but we went back to the Compassion website in search of him. No Anthony/Anfony. Jack was crushed. I told him someone else was probably sponsering him and that was a very good thing. Jack cried and said that his $7 was going to buy Anfony good stuff, better stuff than whoever else got him. He calmed down and last night we FINALLY settled on Kiko. An adorable five year old Kenyan boy. He was wearing shoes, but Jack liked him because he had on pink pants-Jack said that meant he was poor since he had to wear girl pants--and he helped his family by gathering firewood.

In a couple of weeks we will get some information about Kiko and hopefully I will have a picture to share. I'm pretty proud of Jack. The world seems so big, but at our house it just got a little smaller.

(for more info on Compassion click on the picture above, I dare you to look at all those beautiful little faces and not want to take them all home)

~~~~~~~~

All this Anthony/Anfony talk made me crave a little Designing Women. You really can never go wrong with them.

Cracked rose colored glasses

2010-03-23T20:07:00.000-07:00

I was up late Sunday night. I was not watching a March Madness basketball game, I was enthralled with my own personal March Madness, the vote on health care reform. Harrison was up late with me. I held him on my lap as I cried (tears of joy) and told him we just saw history being made. I realized that it was not a perfect bill, there are flaws, but after supporting a President that has promised us change this felt like perhaps we were finaly taking a step towards that change he had promised.

For some reason when I woke up Monday morning I expected the world to look different. Everyone to feel different. I know I did. I felt better. If just for a day I was going to wear those rose-colored glasses. I made the mistake of turning on the news. Black congressman called the N word, Gay congressman called the F word, a Congressman who voted for the health care reform bill called a baby killer. An email from a friend telling me that her black husband had gotten a message with a picture of President Obama's head on Hitler's body. I could go on.

I got to wondering if maybe the day after the civil rights bill passed people joined facespace groups like "I bet we can find 10,0000 people who think civil rights is wrong". Or maybe the day after women were given the right to vote people called President Wilson the antichrist. Maybe it just takes a while. Maybe people will come around.

I'll tell my Prince Harry about the night he was up late with his Mommy and watched history being made. Sadly I will have to tell him and his brother about ignorant, white trash, racist idiots as well.

Here's my friend, Bro. Keith Olberman speaking so eloquently about the situation at hand~~~~~~

EPCOT day

2010-03-23T08:10:00.000-07:00

We made it through rope drop and the beginning of rain and headed straight for Soarin. Jack and Cliff rode while Harry and I hung out. After I had my turn riding Soarin with Jack we headed to the finding Nemo ride (aka the clam mobiles).

Harrison and Jack had a great time playing in the area outside the ride.

We saw lots of signs like this during our trip.

Florida's winter had been unusually harsh and lots of the normally

beautiful landscaping had taken a hit.

Jack and Cliff on Test Track. Jack is in the front middle.

Jack and I on Test Track. Jack and I are in the back.

The look on my face is not fear, it is annoyance. We stopped mid-ride for about thirty minutes and just sat in the car. Jack had to go to the bathroom really bad. Really bad.

Jack was pretty worried about ever getting out of the car. He asked everyone on the ride with us if he could use their cell phones to call 911 because this was an emergency. Everyone in the car but us could speak Spanish. I'm pretty sure they were talking about us and the seat that we left wet after we finally got off the ride.

We headed back to our hotel for a change of pants and a little rest.

After that it was back to EPCOT for our reservations at Teppan Eda, the Japanese restaurant.

While we waited for the other people we would be dining with to arrive (they were strangers) I got a picture of what I thought was a big fashion don't.

I'm fairly certain this is NOT what Chuck Taylor had in mind.
~~~

The rest of our table came and we were seated and warned that the grill in front of us was very hot. The kids were far enough away that we were not worried that they would burn themselves.

First course of hot towels.

Our waitress made Jack some easy to use chopsticks.

Cliff enjoyed some sake.

Harry used his chopsticks.

Our chef

It does not get much better than an onion volcano.

Jack used chopsticks to eat his entire meal (and a good portion of mine).

Watching him do that was one of my favorite parts of our trip.

The food was great!

Chicken, steak, vegetables and Japanese noodles.

We loved this meal. Jack and Harry both ate so well here.

After dinner we went to the Japanese gift shop in search of more sake for Cliff. He sampled some at the sake bar (and purchased a bottle). The girl working at the sake bar was from Japan and Germany (not sure how that works). I really wanted to say "how about WWII? we kicked your ass both ways!", but I refrained. Jack got some Japanese candy that reminded me of the Simpson's episode where Homer's face gets put on the box of Japanese laundry soap.

My champagne cocktail from France.

ooooo laa laa

This was a great day.

Just magical.

Wet pants and all.

Do it for the girls

2010-03-17T07:15:00.001-07:00

My good pal and curly headed sister from another mister, Amber Lindemann

has signed up for the Susan G. Komen 3 day walk for the cure.

This August she will go to Chicago and walk 60 miles in 3 days.

Crazy and amazing.

She has committed to raise at least $2500 by the time of the walk.

If you would like to help Amber achieve her goal you can do so by

clicking here

$5, $10, whatever you can give will help.
Cancer sucks.
I doubt there is a person reading this that has not been
affected by the big C in some way shape or form.

Epcot

2010-03-17T06:51:00.000-07:00

Our first full day at WDW was spent at Epcot.

We arrived before the park opened. It was a little chilly that morning.

As soon as we made it through the turnstiles we spotted Daisy!

Cliff surprised me by being very into the characters and getting

their autographs.

More Epcot to come....

Art from a towel at Walt Disney World

2010-03-08T07:12:00.000-08:00

Every afternoon we could not wait to get back to our room to see if Mousekeeping

had left us a towel animal.

Those mousekeepers can do wonders with some wash clothes, rubber bands and stickers.

Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter

2010-03-03T07:37:00.000-08:00

Because some of my peeps are Disney obsessed (which means wanting to know about every last detail) here are some pics of our Disney home.

Jester in front of pool

Inside lobby

Fountain inside lobby.

We loved the authentic Frenchman that gave the boys

plastic coins to throw in the fountain everyday.

(that and holding the door really was his job)

bon jour!

Outside one of the buildings

Off to the kingdom...T.R. part 5

2010-02-23T19:09:00.000-08:00

After we got settled into our rooms we headed to the Magic Kingdom.

It was raining, but still glorious....

First stop was the chapeau shop to get the boys their ears.

We made our selections and while I waited for their names to be embroidered on the back Cliff took the boys outside. When I came out with the hats look who we saw.....

Pinocchio!!!!

We headed straight for Buzz Lightyear and then Jack surprised me

by riding Astro Orbitor with Cliff.

We rode a couple more rides and then it was time to head to

the Wilderness Lodge for our dinner reservations.

We got on the boat that took us from the Magic Kingdom to the Wilderness Lodge.

Jack sat as close to the captain as he could.

The captain's name was Juan. Jack thought he did an

excellent job.

Jack and Captain Juan.

The Wilderness Lodge was beautiful. I wish I had taken pictures.

By the time we made it to the Whispering Canyon for the dinner that I was sure to start our trip off on a magic note, Harrison had had it. He did not want to sit in a high chair and it really was not a place we could let him run around.

My steak came with a hair. They took it back while Cliff and Jack started on their food.

I got up and let Harrison run around in the lobby.

I came back with Harry and my new steak arrived, WAY to underdone.

I was close to tears. Things were not working out the way I had planned.

I ate the baked beans that came with Cliff's meal.

They were really good beans.

Things were looking up.

We got our desserts to go and headed out.

Back to the hotel we went.

We decided to take the boat to Downtown Disney to walk around for a bit.

After we checked things out we got in line to wait for the boat to take us back to our hotel.

I started talking to a very nice couple behind us. They were celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary and had just finished seeing Cirque due Soleil.

They told me they were from the Keys

and that he was a retired Marine Biologist.

It took all I had, I wanted to so badly, but I refrained from saying it...

THE SEA WAS ANGRY THAT DAY MY FRIENDS

coming up...Epcot

He really is the Prince!

2010-02-23T06:34:00.001-08:00

Harrison was the male winner of the Jasper County Jr. Women's Club

"My Favorite Valentine" contest!!!

I'm thinking we need to take our show on the road.

I'm pretty sure I have it in me to be a great pageant Mother.

Those Toddlers and Tiaras people got nothing on me.

Now we just need to order his flipper.

Practicing his talent.

It's a Libarace number.

A Prince has gotta eat....

We made it!! T.R. pt 4

2010-02-21T19:32:00.000-08:00

If you would like to place a bet on how many posts this trip report us going to take, please comment with your guess. I'll say 37.

I'm going to try really hard to get it close to wrapped up this week. More posts, less going off subject.

Around oneish in the afternoon on Saturday we drove onto Disney property. There it was, the sign. Welcoming us. We had made it.

I got a little teary.

This is where we would be staying for the week.
Disney's New Orleans themed resort.
This place was just fabulous.
Better than I had expected.
We all loved it.
I'll share more pictures of our resort in a later post.

We pulled up and parked and made our way inside.

I went to check-in (with no waiting).

I had requested a certain location on the resort property, and when Everett the CM (cast member) that was checking us in told me the building we had been assigned to I was a little disappointed. He said he would see what he could do, stepped away and came back a few seconds later with what he told me was a better location.

Everett seemed to know his stuff so I took his word for it.

Everett gave Cliff and Harrison "My First Visit" pins and also hooked Jack and Harry up with a pile of beads.

We parked and headed to our room.

Mousekeeping had left us a little surprise.....

Everett was right.

I could not have imagined a better location.
Our building faced the river and was just steps away from the

boat launch that took resort guests to Downtown Disney.

Jack loved watching the boats and waving at the passengers.

Coming up, part 5

A character encounter, an almost breakdown, and that promised Seinfeld reference

And the secret ingredient is......

2010-02-18T19:53:00.000-08:00

Taking a break from the vaca related posts to share this little tidbit.

My friend Ashley Bunton (shout out!) shared a link to Sheryl Jame's new recipe blog on her blog.

It's so good I gotta share.

www.familymeals101.blogspot.com

Tonight we had the chicken stroganoff. Good stuff. Really good. So easy.

The ingredients were simple and included cream of mushroom soup.

I'm a firm believer that pretty much anything with cream of mushroom soup in it has gotta be good. I'm just waiting for the night that the Iron Chef says "and the secret ingredient is.....CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP!!"

Hot in the hot tub and you can't have to much IHOP-Disney trip report part three

2010-02-14T19:30:00.001-08:00

Where were we?

Back on the road again. We had to stay in front of the dreaded snow.
Let me go off track for a minute....
For some reason my husband is a freak about the weather. He checks the weather channel constantly, his Internet usage is pretty much limited to checking stocks and the weather channel.com. I suppose he is blissfully unaware that there is a bigger world of porn, celeb gossip, and social networking sites out there.
A couple of weeks ago the weather was saying we were in for it. Snow and all the trimmings. Cliff sent me a text telling me I needed to go to the store to get supplies. I questioned this because:
1. We both grew up in the country. In Illinois. Not Mexico, we've seen snow before.
2. We both drive four wheel drives and unless it is deer season, have a four wheeler parked in our garage.
C. We live two blocks from a gas station.

Back on track.
So on we drove. We made it through Atlanta rush hour traffic free and continued to head south. My friend Paige had recommended a hotel in Tifton that we had made reservations at for the night. After realizing that it was too cold to enjoy the outdoor pool at said hotel we cancelled that reservation and found one that had an indoor pool.

We arrived at Tifton and Jack begging to get in the hot tub.

We finally gave in and headed down to the pool.

Harrison did not want to get in. I think it may have been due to the fact that the swim trunks I packed him were not actually swim trunks. They were shorts that I thought were swim trunks. He's only one, but I think he knew.

I think he looks like Charlie Brown in this picture.

Jack LOVES a hot tub. He talks about his friend's Cole and Ross's hot tub all the time.

He just could not wait to get in the hot tub.

Don't worry, we only let him set in it for a short amount of time.

I did not get a picture of Jack and the older lady that he shared time with in

the hot tub. He had a lot to tell her. I think she was just looking to relax and I was

fairly certain that she did not want her picture taken.

We ordered pizza and tried without success to set up the pack-n-play that had been

sent to our room for Prince Harry.

We gave up and decided he could just sleep with me.

He rolled out of the bed a few times that night.

He was fine.

(so far that parent of the year award is going to allude me again in 2010. 5 year olds in the hot tub, one year olds rolling off the bed.)

We were up and ready to go bright and early the next morning.

Cliff packed up the Tahoe in the pouring rain.

I lost one of our room keys which made wet Cliff not so happy with dry Sarah.

We decided to drive a while and stop for breakfast.

We enjoyed it so much the morning before that we stopped at IHOP

for breakfast again! I think we all had pretty much the same thing.

Cliff got a cheeseburger again.

Harrison loves IHOP.

And then we were off. Today was the day. Our official arrival day.

It was raining as we left Georgia and continued to rain into Florida.

As we got closer to the World I was worried that it literally

was going to rain on our parade.

At exactly 50 miles out (per Jed, the GPS)

the rain stopped. The sun came out.

Pixie dust....

Coming up:

Arrival and a Seinfeld reference

Twisted Sister and IHOP--Disney Trip Report Part two

2010-02-12T08:31:00.001-08:00

We were officially on the road. Cliff had expectations that we would sleep in the car for the first few hours on the road (while he was driving). That did not happen. We were too excited to sleep!

We christened the GPS Jed (in homage to our dear departed fish) and made it past Evansville before Cliff officially was skeptical of Jed's direction giving skills.

Jack sang his own version of "We're not gonna take it" for a good thirty minutes straight. It went a little something like this:

When I'm gonna take it, when I'm gonna take it, when I'm gonna take it ANYMORE!!!!

That's it. over and over and over and over

The night before we left I told Cliff that a dream of mine could be fulfilled on this trip, you see I had never eaten at an IHOP (I know, that is ALL kinds of crazy) and had high hopes that we could right that injustice on our was to Florida.

We had plans to stop in Nashville for breakfast. The weather had predicted snow for the KY, TN area and our goal was to stay ahead of the snow. The boys and I slept for a while and we woke up ready to eat.

I started looking for places to stop and suggested maybe a Waffle House would be good enough. Jack was ALL for it. He was very intrigued by the sounds of an entire house made of waffles!

We drove through Nashville and decided to take an exit to get something to eat. What do you know, right off the exit like a beacon in the night....International House of Pancakes!!!

Cliff got a cheeseburger.

As much as I was against him getting this at the House of the pancake,

when it arrived I was a little jealous.

My strawberry and banana topped goodness.

Jack's plate.
We all shared with Harry. He loved having french fries for breakfast.

We hurried through breakfast as the snow was supposed to be starting at anytime.
I made Cliff stop outside the IHOP so I could take a picture.
It had just started to snow.

up next:

Jack gets hot in the hot tub

and we arrive at Disney

Getting there is half the fun?

2010-02-11T11:22:00.001-08:00

Disney trip report Part one

And we're off.....

3 am is a fairly familiar time to this Mother of poor sleepers. So it really was no problem for me to get up at that time on Friday morning. I got myself ready finished packing up what I could not the night before and Cliff and I woke the boys put them in their traveling clothes and around 4:20 in the a.m. we were off. Disney here we come!

We made it all the way to the outskirts of Olney before Jack asked "are we there yet?".

Coming up: Part two, IHOP dreams fulfilled.

Disney or bust!!

2010-01-26T06:44:00.001-08:00

Early this Friday morning the Kinkade family is leaving for the world's most magical place.

This trip is a long time coming. We had plans to go in 2008 but, I found out I was pregnant with the Prince. Not wanting to go while with child we postponed the trip to October of 2009. When things were not working out with the planning portion of the trip like I wanted (I could not get reservations at all the places I wanted to eat) once again the trip was postponed. This Friday it's finally going to happen.

We are driving. I just did not want to pay to check two cases of overnight diapers.

I do feel guilty taking a pricey, fun filled vacation while there is so much devastation in Haiti. I'm going to have to do my best to make up for it. Hopefully I can get one of those cute little babies to come and live with me. (and then take her to Walt Disney World)

We will be staying at Disney's version of New Orleans, Port Orleans French Quarter. Not a bad place to be since I have decided that I am that I am a Saints fan. Reggie Bush is on the team and my friend Traice Crain says fun stuff like GEAUX SAINTS-that's all it takes for me.

A full trip report with pictures (and plenty of them will be of food) will be on my agenda when we return.

Pat Robertson can SUCK IT!!!!!!!

2010-01-14T08:14:00.000-08:00

As I was so concerned about my lack of sleep and my baby wetting though his diapers, not so far away in the country of Haiti mothers were worried about where their babies were going to sleep, where they would find diapers, where they would find food, drink and shelter for their children.

Once again reality slaps you in the face. I realize my problems are so small. I am so blessed. The people of Haiti need our help.

Yesterday, douchebag extraordinaire Pat Robertson had the audacity to call the devastating earthquake in Haiti a blessing in disguise. He suggested that they were cursed because they made a pact with the devil. I was going to put up a clip of him talking about the Haitian tragedy, but I don't want to give him any air time on my blog.

Here's what it says in the third chapter of the first book of John (a passage that I hope Mr. Robertson reads before he goes to bed tonight):

17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?

18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

Here's how you can donate to the earthquake victims:

text the word HAITI to 90999

by doing this you donate $10.00 to the American Red Cross, $10.00 will show up on your next cell phone bill

OR

text YELE to 501501 to donate

by doing this you donate $5.00 to Yele Haiti, Wyclef Jean's Haiti foundation

btw, Wyclef is a former member of the Fugees, a group responsible for one of my all time favorites. A remake of Roberta Flack's Killing Me Softly.

As you text your donation, give this song a listen....ONE TIME, ONE TIME

From our President:
“To the people of Haiti, we say clearly and with conviction, you will not be forsaken. You will not be forgotten,”
“In this, your hour of greatest need, America stands with you. The world stands with you.”

2010's first miracle

2010-01-14T05:56:00.000-08:00

Unconfirmed that is. Someone from the Vatican will be here later this week to investigate.

HARRISON SLEPT ALL NIGHT!!!!!!!!!

Not sure if it was the overnight Huggies (in the next size up) that did it, or maybe he just was so tired from not sleeping the three nights before. Whatever it was, wrap it up! I'll take it!

At 4 am when I woke up and realized he was still asleep I got worried and had to go and check on him!

Keeping our fingers crossed for another sleep filled night.

Sleepless in J.C. take two

2010-01-13T18:37:00.001-08:00

Last night was not much better.

In fact, if it is at all possible, it was a little worse.

Another three pair of pajamas night.

Last night Cliff did take pity on me and get up with Harrison around 2 am
so I could get an hour or so of uninterrupted sleep.

I took your advice and bought a case of overnight Huggies.

I'll let you know how it goes....

What I wouldn't give for......

2010-01-12T08:54:00.000-08:00

A good night's sleep!

I realize my blog has been more than lacking in posts lately. I have a few started and just can't get them to completion. I'm working on it, but the words just won't come. Perhaps it's due to my lack of sleep.

Here's last night's schedule (and it's a fairly good representation of most school nights):

Cliff and Jack are in bed (together) by 7:30.
--yes, I know that is early. Cliff gets up around 5ish and Jack usually goes to bed whenever he does.
--Jack sleeps with us, we are not family bed people, we are lazy people that gave up on making him sleep in his own bed, Jack goes to bed with Cliff and then when I come to bed I take him to the couch because he won't sleep in his own super cool bunk beds upstairs by himself. I know it's awful. Judge away.

Harrison and I hang out until he is asleep and I put him to bed by 8ish.

Then it's my glorious alone time. Lately I spend it on the computer planning our upcoming Disney trip down to the minute. Sometimes I'll have a little cookie dough.

Harrison is up and screaming by 9:30ish, I pick him up (because from experience the night's before, he will SCREAM for over and hour) change him and his pj's because has peed through them, get him back to sleep by 10:30. Go to the bedroom, pick Jack up and carry him asleep to the couch.

Then I finally get to bed. I'm not a lay right down and go to sleep kind of gal. I like to watch an episode of the Office and then drift away to the soothing liberal sounds of Chris Matthews of MSNBC. Last night I was asleep for approx 15 minutes when Jack comes into the bedroom crying. I let him get in bed with us and try to go back to sleep (and remember I am not a go right to sleep kind of person) in a bed that is not big enough for 3 people.

Finally get to sleep. At 1ish I hear Harrison wake up. He does goes back to sleep on his own, it takes me a little while.

2:30 Harrison wakes up and I know the cry, he's not going back to sleep on his own. I get up and change his diaper and pj's cause he has peed through them again. Fall asleep in the chair with Harrison and wake up at 5 when I hear Cliff's alarm go off. Take Harrison and myself to my bed. As soon as I lay down Harrison wakes up. I get him some milk and he finally goes back to sleep. I go back to sleep eventually.

6 am Harrison has peed through his pj's again onto our bed. Change him and take him back to bed with me where we sleep (me in the wet spot) until Jack wakes us up around 7ish.

If you are keeping track that's 3 diaper and pajama changes and yes, amazingly, Cliff seems to sleep through it all.....

Kate's new do

2010-01-06T18:30:00.000-08:00

or don't?

Girl, you work that weave!

2009-12-31T19:33:00.000-08:00

And so we say farewell to 2009.

The year that was in Sarah D. bullet point form

~~~~~

History was made as Mr. Obama went to Washington
Jon and Kate came to an end
Rosie is single again
The King died
Douchebags were revealed
Sarah Palin......remind me why we ever talked about her in the first place?
We lost a Golden Girl
The Hangover was a movie worth seeing multiple times in the theater, buying the day it came out and watching over and over so you can quote scenes with your friends. Or, maybe it's just to see the hotness that is Bradley Cooper.
A show called GLEE made my heart sing
RIP Luann Platter
The balloon boy family made most of us look a little more normal (and hide our weather balloons)
Octomom. What surprised me the most about her is how good she looks now. She carried 8 kids and looks hot. I had two and pretty much look like sh*t.
In don't judge a book by their cover news: Susan Boyle
Taylor Swift was everywhere. We're supposed to hate Kanye because he interrupted her speech at the VMA's. It was rude, but he was right. Single Ladies WAS a better video.
The man who would not let Baby be put in a corner died.
My Queen (OPRAH) announced the end date of her show.

~~~~~~~~~

I'm sure I've missed a few. My highlights may not be your highlights.

Wishing you all a prosperous, celeb death free, and happy 2010!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. ~Benjamin Franklin

Merry Merry

2009-12-24T06:53:00.000-08:00

The five club has a new member!

2009-12-20T20:46:00.000-08:00

Today my boy Jack is five years old!

Woo hoo.

More birthday related madness

to be reported on later, but I just wanted to acknowledge his special day.

Happy Birthday Jack!

Goodness gracious great balls of cake

2009-12-18T19:19:00.001-08:00

Let me start by saying that the junior high boy in me chuckles a bit every time I hear the words cake balls. Come on, you gotta be thinking it to.

~~~~~~~

I'm not a Christmas baker. I'm not a Christmas candy maker.

As a rule, I'm not all that crafty. I do own a glue gun, but any craft or baking project usually leaves me with a burnt thumb.

When I heard about cake balls I thought it was something that I could actually do.

The possibilities are as endless as the varieties of cake mix and icing at the grocery store.

Today, we are making red velvet cake balls.

~~~~~

Start with a red velvet cake mix.

(Now if you are one of those people that don't believe in cake mixes and think that your

from scratch cakes are better than any mix could ever be, this post is probably not for you.

I'm sure you are too busy with your icing bag and rose tips decorating up some beautiful Christmas cookies to read this anyway.)

Follow the directions on the box and bake the cake.

When cake is finished, let it cool.

When the cake is cool remove part of the cake and begin to crumble it in a bowl.

Continue until entire cake is crumbled.

I know I used a red bowl for my red cake, but it's my pretty new longaberger bowl that I just love.

Once cake is crumbled get out your icing.

Since this is red velvet, I'm using cream cheese icing.

Remember in Steel Magnolias when the had the armadillo groom's cake at the wedding?

They cut into it and it was blood red.

Good movie. I laughed, I cried.

I digress......

Add icing to crumbled cake a little at a time and mix.

Continue doing so until entire container of icing is added and

cake and icing are completely mixed together.

Here is where you've got a choice to make.

At this point it may not look the best, but you know it would be really good to just eat it.

Maybe you've had a hard day or the Biggest Loser is on (I know it is over, but I always found myself eating something really bad while watching that show).

If you do choose to just eat it now, I'm sure not judging. I'm fairly certain you have earned it.

Enjoy! If you decide to move on in the cake ball process, follow me.

This is where it gets a little messy.

You gotta use your hands.

Take a small amount of the cake mixture and form it into a ball.

I made mine a little too large and will rectify that the next batch.

Live and learn.

Think tootsie roll pop size (I hate the brown ones).

Put the formed balls onto a wax paper covered cookie sheet.

I decided to make mine into cake pops so I inserted a sucker stick.

I got the sticks at Wal-Mart.

After you have moved all of your frozen crap around, put the cookie sheets into the freezer.

I let mine freeze for a few hours, I think an hour or two would have been plenty.

They don't have to be frozen solid, they are just easier to work with out of the freezer.

When your cake balls have spent enough time in the freezer get them out.

Take an entire package of white almond bark (why is it called that?) and melt it according to package direction. I don't own a double boiler so I just used the microwave. It worked fine.

You've worked pretty hard so you may want to reward yourself with a little taste of
the almond bark. It's good eh?

Now, take the cake balls and dip them in the almond bark.

This is a trial and error process.

I dipped some and spooned the almond bark over others.

Whatever works for you.

Since I am currently in the running for mother of the year, I let Jack help.

After that fiasco I'm out of the running.

If you want to put sprinkles on them like we did, make sure you do it immediately after

they are dipped in the chocolate.

The finished product.

Stored in an air tight container and put in the frig they should keep for a couple of weeks.

ENJOY!!!!!!!

Full of crap

2009-12-15T13:10:00.000-08:00

If you are like me and do the majority of your network television watching on a Terre Haute, IN based station, you may have seen a commercial for this insurance agency.

CRAPO INSURANCE AGENCY, INC

Even though it is pronounced crepe oh, I still think it is a crappy name for an insurance agency.

Pretty much a crappy name for any kind of agency.

Except maybe a toilet agency.

I'm not so sure there are toilet agencies.

NOT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!

2009-12-12T06:56:00.001-08:00

Remember this post http://sarahsplayground1.blogspot.com/2009/01/devil-made-me-do-it.html ??

The typo heard round the world that was the Kinkade family holiday card of '08?

I did it again.

Below you see Harrison's beautiful first birthday party invite. Check out the month.
Yep, December is spelled wrong. Luckily my 10 year old nephew Dawson noticed it within 2 seconds of getting the card in his hand. Unlucky for me the invitations had already went out in the mail.

I think an obvious mistake on personalized cards that I send out is going to become my thing.

After much blood, sweat, and tears I finally placed my holiday card order. A phone call to K. Jill Bierman, NCHS English Teacher to the stars over comma placement assured me that I was fine in that department, old school-but fine. (I did not contact Mrs. Bierman over the comma placement in the previous sentence, I'm sure that it is wrong and that there are way too many, I do love a comma)

The cards should arrive next week. I probably misspelled one of my kid's names.

The big ONE

2009-12-11T07:58:00.000-08:00

My little Prince turned one Thanksgiving day.

The morning of his birthday Harrison got his

new battery operated four wheeler.

Now everyone in the family has one except for me ;-(

(I think I will survive)

On Thanksgiving day/Harrison's birthday we (me, Cliff and our boys)
along with my parents and my sister Rebekah and her family
(Michelle and her fam were at Disney World) headed to French Lick
to celebrate Thanksgiving and the little Prince's birthday.....WATER PARK STYLE!!!

We did not forget the cake!

We had a great time at the water park.

I think a new Thanksgiving family tradition was born.

Last Friday night we had Harrison's official birthday party.

A cake fit for a Prince!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

check out Harrison and Jack's pictures taken by our friend

and fabulous photog Amber Lindemann

www.photographicsgallery.net

The first haircut

2009-12-07T19:51:00.001-08:00

A couple of weeks before Harrison turned the big ONE we took him to get his first haircut from my boys favorite hair stylist, Amanda Ginder.

He really did not cry THAT much.

I think Amanda was concerned that Harrison was going to be another Jack

(there are no words to describe the level of awful Jack used to be during a haircut, he needed a straight jacket).

All done and ready for some action!

2009-11-29T20:09:00.000-08:00

I have not mentioned it in a while, but purses I do still sell.

Visit my sister site, SARAH SELLZ

to check out the selection.

Thicker "fattie" flat wallets are now available.

SARAH SELLZ will be at the

Newton Holiday Bazaar this Saturday at the

Community Center in Newton, 9-4

Harrison is turning one!

2009-11-25T08:31:00.000-08:00

My little Prince will be one year old tomorrow.

Thanksgiving day--talk about something to be thankful for!

One year ago

Today

Happy Birthday my sweet boy!

Halloween

2009-11-23T18:33:00.001-08:00

Almost one month later.

Halloween pictures.

Jack went as "nerdy business guy". He even had business cards to pass out.

He kind of looked more like Alfalfa from the Little Rascals. He had NO clue who that was.

I need to try to rectify that quickly. Little Rascals are a must see!

Look at my sweet little lamb!
Prince Harry was just the cutest thing.

Check out these little monsters

Dexter

Quincy

Please O, say it ain't so!

2009-11-20T07:12:00.000-08:00

Word has it that today my hero and queen, OPRAH will announce that her show will end in September of 2011.

It's a very sad day.

How will I know what to read and who to vote for?

She's an inspiration.

An American success story of the best kind.

I love you OPRAH.

Here's what

2009-11-19T12:25:00.000-08:00

My friend Lisa has a blog Lisa's Fresh Hell. I have it linked on my little blog roll on the right hand side of my blog, but for some reason it does not go to the top when updated.

Her blog is fresh, funny, thoughtful, honest, and so well written.

Give it a look see.

I personally just can't wait to see what kind of fresh hell she will introduce us to next.

200,000!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-11-18T04:56:00.000-08:00

That's right, 200,000 visits to my litte ole blog

SARAH SEZ!!!

To celebrate, I had a little give away (see post below).

The winners (drawn randomly) were:

Rick Lindemann

Rebekah Gosnell

Mindy Browning

one Bounce dryer bar and fresher smelling laundry is headed your way!

Congrats and thanks to all who played!

The big 200,000!

2009-11-12T05:38:00.000-08:00

As you can see by the hit counter at the right of the screen, SARAH SEZ has had almost 200,000 visits!

To celebrate I'm giving away 3 bounce dryer bars. I love these things. Will never go without one in my dryer again. If you don't have one yet, here's your chance. If you do have one, here's a chance to get a refill.

You can enter up to three times by answering the questions below.

One answer per comment.

~~~~~

1. Say you won 10 million dollars in the lottery, after paying off all your bills and donating to charity and all that good stuff, what's the first fun thing you would buy for yourself?

2. What are your three favorite movies?

You know, the movies that you can watch over and over and never get sick of.

3. Say you have not had anything to eat all day and you are starving.

How many Big Macs do you think you would be able to eat?

~~~

because I know you are just dying to know my answers, here they are:

1. A home fountain soda machine that dispenses diet coke only and has the Freeze style gravel ice.

2. Dirty Dancing

Goodfellas

Old School

3. 5

~~~~

Contest closes when the hit counter reaches 200,000. I'll them randomly choose the three winners (maybe someone will win all three).

GOOD LUCK!

Read that, reading this, gonna read this

2009-11-10T06:05:00.000-08:00

I just read this

I know people like Jodi Picoult. This is the 5th or 6th book of hers that I have read. Her writing style is becoming more and more familiar to me and less and less likable. This book was about a woman who loses her husband in a car accident. She is left to mother her 2 year old daughter alone. Luckily the police officer who was at the scene of the accident remains in her life and what do you know, they fall in love and get married. He is wonderful and the only father her daughter ever knows. To finish off the nursery of the baby they are expecting years later, a questionable homeless type man is hired. He ends up killing her husband and daughter. She has the baby and it's a girl. Years later the little girl needs a heart transplant. The only heart that will work is the heart of the man who murdered her father and sister and may or may not be the reincarnation of Jesus. He's on death row and wants to donate his heart, perhaps it will make things right. Kind of sounds like a special 3 parter of Grey's Anatomy staring Eric Stoltz doesn't it? Sounds like I am giving away too much? Don't worry, this is all in the first two chapters. I'm going to give this book a 6.5/10. I read it all, but the entire time it felt like I had been there done that. All of her books are starting to read that way to me. I'm taking a Jodi Picoult break.

~~~~

Right now in preparation for the movie, I'm reading The Blindside. I'm almost finished. It's a lot more technical football stuff than I expected, but a great story. I can't wait to see the movie!

~~~~

I'm getting ready to read this
I've read it before, in fact I've read it more than once, but it's been at least 5 years so I'm going to read it again. It's on my favorite book list, but as your life changes, I think probably the books you love are different as well. I am interested to see if this book touches me as much now as it did then.

Want to read it with me? Get a copy of the book (it's available in paperback for around $7) and start reading (it's a pretty long book).
I'll post something after the first of the year and we can discuss the book.

In mourning

2009-11-09T06:07:00.000-08:00

Saturday we lost Jed (the fish). After his escape from the jaws of death the week before, this past week was a gift.

Thanks for all of your concern.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for gift cards to chips and sauce. Jed would have wanted it that way.

Happy Fall y'all

2009-11-09T05:52:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago we took the boys up to the Diel deer cabin/pond to take some Fall pictures. I wanted to get a good one of the two of them (and one of Prince Harry in his cute new pumpkin hat) to use for a Fall photo card. It's REALLY hard to get two kids to sit still and pose for a picture. Even harder outside when there's lots of stuff to look at and put in your mouth! Anyhoo, here's a few cute ones.

He's ALIVE!!!!!

2009-11-02T18:38:00.000-08:00

Remember our fish? Rocky and the twins Jed and Julie?

Julie passed away a couple of weeks ago and this past weekend we had a close call with Jed.

Friday morning Jed was not moving much at all. He was just pretty much laying at the bottom of the tank. I was fairly certain that it was going to be his last day with us. I was uncertain as to what my options were. I wanted to help Jed. I knew he had not been himself since he had lost his twin. I was pretty sure that the Newton Vet Clinic would not really appreciate a fish related emergency call plus Jed had signed a DNR. He had made his wishes known. No heroic life saving measures. It seemed that another fish funeral was to be held in our bathroom and it was time to pull out the black leotard.

Friday night I checked on Jed before we left to go out for round one of trick or treating. It looked like he was headed to that big fishbowl in the sky.

When we returned from trick or treating and put the royalty to bed, I checked on Jed. It appeared that he had passed away. I told Cliff and he callously told me to flush him. Since Jed was actually Jack's fish (even though I have taken over the care, feeding, and all legal issues regarding the fish) I decided I would remove him from the tank and put him in the freezer so Jack could be around for the funeral/flushing.

I got out the net and attempted to remove Jed who was laying on his side not moving on the bottom of the tank and then a funny thing happened. I got Jed into the net and he moved. JED WAS ALIVE!!!!!! It was a Halloween miracle! I got out a bowl of water and put Jed into it. He started swimming slowly and by the next morning seemed fine. We cleaned the tank (ok, Cliff cleaned it, I am not in charge of that part of their care, I make to many messes while filling the tank with water) and replaced Jed and Rocky.

3 days later Jed is still with us and seems pretty much back to normal. I've learned that Jed's a fighter. I think he's got a lot of swim left in him and I am so glad I'm going to be around to see it. After this, I think the next time I am at Wal-Mart I am going to pick Jed up one of those fish castles. He deserves it.

Covered Bridge Fest '09

2009-11-02T17:08:00.000-08:00

Columbus Day was celebrated this year with a trip to the Covered Bridge Festival. Myself, along with my friends Holly and Jamee had a top notch good old time.

I had not been in a few years. The festival has grown in size since the last time I had visited, but shrunk in quality.

One thing that had not changed was the food. I think that was the real reason we went. The selection was great, but Holly and I both came for one thing............................

The apple dumplin'

(makes you drool just looking at it)

The famous Covered Bridge old school ham and cheese sandwich

these were the only food pics I took, we also had soup in a bread bowl, ham and beans made in a huge iron witches cauldron type thing, and homemade root beer, I wish I would have gotten one of the worlds best pretzel that I was fortunate enough to eat--made by the Amish of course (what is it about those Amish?), but no picture could do it justice, I dream of that pretzel

uh huh

and, we all bought stuff at this stand

I think Jamee got her stuff for 1/2 off and

Holly and I for 50% off

broom corn

I did not buy this shirt.

All in all a fantastic time.

I think it is now a yearly event.

I'm counting the days until I can have another one of those pretzels.

What to be.....or not to be

2009-10-29T18:16:00.000-07:00

Bun in the oven

Balloon boy

-this is what I would be if I were to dress up

Probably wrong on some level,

I find it humorous and you know whatever party these people are attending,

adult type beverages are being served. I bet that guy did not count on asking someone over and over to give him a drink all night.

Sandra Lee from Semi-Homemade

(or whatever her kooky tablescape show is called)

as Madonna.

I just gave someone an idea.

There's a good chance that if you are the go out to a bar on Halloween kind

of person, you may see this costume.

I wonder if this is a costume or one of those sad street children

in India (I watched Slumdog) and the urinal is their house.

If not, cool costume.

Sexy RIGHT

Sexy very WRONG

And then there was the Kate wig..........

Book review

2009-10-27T12:13:00.000-07:00

I read it.

I did not love it.

Does that make me a bad person?

I had heard good things. It's a book that lots of people seemed to love.

Just really was not for me. It's SO not believable.

I give a 5.75 out of 10.

I'm not sorry I read it.

On the cover of my copy it says:

Here's the next THE LOVELY BONES

This book is no THE LOVELY BONES.

Read it. It's been a while for me. I'm going to read it again.

Now that's a good book.

1 down, two to go

2009-10-23T06:57:00.000-07:00

Do you remember our fish? Rocky and the twins, Jed and Julie?

Yesterday Julie passed away. Jack noticed her floating on the bottom of the tank. I noticed Rocky nudging her like he might eat her. I had supicions that Julie was pregnant. She was in a tank with two male fish and yadda yadda, you know what happens. I fear that she may have died during chilbirth.

We immediatly scooped Julie out and gave her a proper send off in our bathroom.

Julie's passing got me to thinking about The Cosby Show and the episode where Rudy's fish dies and they hold a funeral for her fish. Vanessa wore a black leotard and tights. I tried to find that clip on You Tube and was unsuccessful, instead I found this little gem. I kind of think Julie would have wanted it this way.

Save the rabbits

2009-10-21T07:15:00.000-07:00

Seen on the side of a van (along with one of those stick people decals that represent how many people are in your family and a Jesus fish):

HARE RESCUE

I got to wondering, what are they rescuing the rabbits from?

A life spent inside a magician's top hat?

A once loved 4-H champion rabbit that is past his prime and been put out to pasture?

Or perhaps a rabbit that is in an abusive relationship and just can't get out. I can just imagine the rabbit in the grocery store pushing her cart, wearing sunglasses to cover the bruises and some lady comes up to her and gives the HARE Rescue card, telling her that there is a way out.

Anyhoo, SAVE THE RABBITS!

Slow leak

2009-10-19T14:38:00.000-07:00

Have you been as obsessed with the balloon boy story as I have?

Turns out it was all a hoax.

I went ahead and destroyed my weather balloon.

Those freak shows just ruined it for all of us.

If one of my kids were to get in a weather balloon and float away now no one would believe us.

From here on out I will be a more than a little cautious of people named or who have named their child Falcon.

Falcon is only a name if you are appearing on The Bold and the Beautiful. It is not a name for real life. I'm sure there was a falcon in the Bible. That does not make it a Biblical name.

Parenting for real

2009-10-15T18:43:00.001-07:00

Here's what they don't teach you in all those fancy parenting books:

~~~~~

What do you do with your kids at McDonalds while placing your order and getting the food?

You can't hold the 10 month old and a tray filled with McDonald's goodness.

You can't trust the 4.5 year old to carry the tray filled with the McDonald's goodness (even more so because he was mad that we were at McDonald's and not Chips and Sauce and was only satisfied with McDonalds because they had Bakugans in the happy meal).

~~~~~

What do you do with your kids at Wal-Mart when you have to go to the bathroom (and you have to go really, really bad. partially due to the fact that you forgot that eating anything from McDonald's will necessitate a speedy trip to the bathroom). You can't take your cart into the bathroom. You can't put the 10 month old on the floor because it's so gross. You can't leave the 10 month old in the cart outside the bathroom with your 4.5 year old. It's an age old problem.

~~~~~

These are things they don't tell you at birthing classes. These are important issues that are not addressed in WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING.

It's high time someone wrote a realistic parenting book. One that tells it like it is. One that gives you the morning line-up on Disney channel and Nick Jr. One that tells you that every once in a while it's ok to give your baby that refuses to sleep a dose of Benadryl before bed.

I'm not up for the job. I'm still recovering from my meal at McDonald's. If you've got it in you, let me know. I'll buy a copy.

Book review --Little House style

2009-10-14T17:56:00.000-07:00

I recently finished reading Melissa Gilbert's book Prairie Tale.

With all of the Mackenzie Phillips "I slept with my father" talk out there,

this book was a breath of fresh air.

As a long time devoted fan of Little House on the Prairie (LHOTP), I found it to be highly enjoyable. Michael Landon sounded pretty Pa like in real life. She did not like the girl who played Mary (I never really liked Mary myself)

and was good friends with the girl who played Nellie.

Besides the inside scoop on LHOTP, she pretty much tells all about her life.

This book is not going to win a Pulitzer Prize, but I give it two thumbs up.

It's the Great Pumpkin!

2009-10-13T19:38:00.000-07:00

Jack was so surprised and lucky again this year when our friends Norman and Cinda Short

brought him a HUGE pumpkin that came from their pumpkin patch.

It weighed at least 1000 lbs!

ok, maybe not 1000, but it weighed a lot
Jack with Norman and Cinda.
We love Norman and Cinda.
They are so good to us and really love our kids.

Jack was so happy!

Thanks Norman and Cinda!

Harrison

2009-10-13T19:37:00.000-07:00

NCHS ALUMNI BAND

2009-10-07T11:18:00.000-07:00

I love the Homecoming parade. Mainly because of the NCHS Marching Eagles Alumni Band.

Here they are playing Battle Hymn.

I'm not sure if it gets any better than this.

Jack's new pet

2009-10-06T06:10:00.000-07:00

10 days ago Cliff brought home over 50 goldfish (technically they were not goldfish, but lots of them were orange) to use as bait for his river fishing trip. I thought it was a little barbaric and felt pretty sorry for the fish. Some of them were pretty large. I immediately suggested that we build a fish pond. I guess that takes a little more work and preparation than I realized. The fish were doomed. There lives would end on the Embarras. Except for one. Cliff told Jack he could keep one. He choose the one that he said had the longest tail (and does not look like a goldfish). Jack named him Rocky.

MEET ROCKY!

Cliff ended up coming home with a few unused fish and Jack got to choose two more.

We now have Rocky and his brother and sister, the twins--Jed and Julie.

10 days and $50.00 spent at Wal-Mart on a fish tank and supplies later, they are shockingly still alive. Jack does a pretty good job of feeding them and reminds me that it is "his responsibility". Cleaning the fish tank must be my responsibility.

Pointing it out

2009-10-05T19:10:00.000-07:00

If our trip had not been rescheduled I would be in Walt Disney World right now. Instead I am in full blown trip planning mode for our rescheduled February trip. I decided against telling Cliff that we would be wearing matching Mickey shirts at least one day (probably more--shh). I am sure he will appreciate it that much more if it is a surprise.
Have you tried the Bounce dryer bar yet? I love new laundry products. I think this one works pretty well. You just stick the bar inside your dryer and it is supposed to last up to 4 months.
I feel really bad for Kandi from the Real Housewives of ATL.
I finished reading "Julie and Julia" last week. I give at 7 out of 10. It was an ok book. It's the true story of a woman named Julie who cooks her way through Julia Child's cookbook and blogs about it. I think it would have been a little more relatable to me if it was say the Grace United Methodist Women's cookbook.
Jack is sick. Hacking cough and fever. I am hoping he feels well enough to go to school tomorrow for school picture day. Speaking of, what's up with choosing the background color, pose, and package size BEFORE the pictures are taken? TOO many choices before I even know if the pictures are good!
I've said it before and I will say it again, I LOVE GLEE! Wednesday nights on FOX. 8:00 I cannot rest until everyone I know is watching this show!
Harrison is 10 months old. He is SO close to walking.
No 2016 Olympics in Chicago. I was not so sure that Obama was going to get us the Olympics, but I thought if anyone could it would be OPRAH. Poor OPRAH. Maybe now she can focus on a health care plan.
I am SO OVER Jon and Kate.
My blog counter tells me that I am getting close to visit 200,000. Watch for a give away when it gets close to the 200,000 mark.
Jack told me today that he wanted to be called Jackula. I thought that was pretty inventive, by bedtime he was over it.
I'm worried about Burt Reynolds.

Filled with GLEE

2009-10-01T05:04:00.000-07:00

If I could only watch one TV show (I don't think my Keith and Rachel on MSNBC would have to count), it would be GLEE (FOX, Wednesday nights at 8:00).

Here's a clip from last week's episode. High school football with a choreographed dance number on the field! Can it get any better? (hint, hint Coach Fulton)

Jack and Cooper. BFF 4 ever

2009-09-28T18:54:00.001-07:00

Jack and Cooper were lucky enough to be invited to the social event of the season -- Heidi L's 5th birthday party. Cooper came over to go with Jack and he was dressed to the nines! After seeing Cooper, Jack wanted to wear a tie as well. I think these boys were looking to pick up some chicks at Heidi's party!

T.M.I.

2009-09-24T11:35:00.000-07:00

Dear Mackenzie Phillips,

It's too much. Too much information. While your life sounds like a V.C. Andrews novel, I just don't want to hear about it.

You have ruined the Mama's and the Papa's for me. California Dreamin' and Monday Monday will never be the same.

I need to be assured that I will not turn on the Today show and hear this kind of talk. Kids are getting ready for school! I don't want to feel like I need to shower after watching OPRAH.

Let's put all of this to rest and focus on more important topics like Jon and Kate getting rid of their dogs and Kanye being mean to that cute little Taylor Swift.

Keep on keeping on.

Sarah D.

The Pottery Place

2009-09-23T03:53:00.000-07:00

The week before school started my friend Jamee and I took our kids to Champaign for one last hoorah. Our friend Amber had raved about the Pottery Place so we could not wait to try it out.

Emily and Jack
Jack's football

Painting his oatmeal bowl

The fine chocolate dish Jack

painted for Mam

Finished products (I did the pitcher)

before firing

This can be the cover of their

wedding programs.

We ate lunch at a BBQ joint

inside an old red barn

right next door to the Pottery Place.

We all gave it two thumbs up.
Very good food and really cool decor.

A ride on the merry-go-round at

the mall to end the day.

~~~~~

A week later our stuff was finished

Professionals we are not, but I love how it all

turned out. Jack was impressed with how

shiny it all was.

Jack was supposed to save this for Christmas

but he could not wait.

Mam loved it!!

Painting pottery was a great time.

I recommend it highly and think that pretty much anyone would

have a good time.

We can't wait to go back.

Fall Festival

2009-09-17T20:32:00.001-07:00

It's here.

The hottest event in the J.C.

That's right....

It's Fall Festival time!

Porkburgers, corndogs, and shake-ups.

Friday and Saturday

9/18 & 9/19

On the square in Newton,IL

Best of all, I'll be there!!

On the courthouse lawn (SATURDAY ONLY), directly across from Arndts.

9am-????

SARAH SELLZ

www.sarahsellz.blogspot.com

lots and lots of cute bags

& this year, something new--SUNGLASSES!!!

Stop by and see me.

Swayze

2009-09-15T05:40:00.001-07:00

We knew this one was coming, I just hoped and prayed it would not happen.

We lost Patrick Swayze. In this summer of celeb deaths, this one seems to have the most sting. We don't know these people, yet it feels like we do. I always thought that if I met Swayze he would be able to teach me to dance, clean up the riff raff from any bar I worked at, and be so cool while robbing a bank that I would later go surfing with him.

Thanks Swayze. It really was the time of our lives.

Labor Day at the Diel Pond

2009-09-14T06:22:00.000-07:00

Ever Labor Day weekend, the Champaign Diel's host a super fun wiener roast at the Diel Deer Cabin/Pond. It's become one of my favorite events of the year.

Ronnie and Marla Diel brought their new dog Murphy.

Harrison squealed with joy every time he saw the dog.

Murphy is the best dog ever.

Harrison pulled his hair and tried to give him kisses.

Murphy did not care.

By the time we left, I was ready to see if Murphy had any
brothers or sisters still needing a home.
I slept on that one and am happy to report we are
still 100% pet free.

Harrison and his Daddy.

(Cliff makes a rare blog appearance)

Gabe and his big catch

Gabe's even bigger catch.

Gabe (with lots of help from Ben Bierman) caught this snapping turtle.

Gabe named it Goliath.

He really, really wanted to take him home.

I am happy to report that the Fulton household remains

100% turtle free.

It's bullet point time

2009-09-13T14:44:00.000-07:00

Why do I need to teach my baby how to read? He's a baby for heaven's sake. You've seen the commercial. It seems a little creepy to me to have an 18 month old that can read. Cliff thinks it is a great idea. Not gonna happen. I'm also not going to teach my baby sign language. He's not deaf. (if he does become deaf, I will consider it) (if he becomes Mexican, I'll consider Spanish)
I LOVE GLEE!!!! Watch it. Fox 8:00 Central time on Wednesday nights. I'm seriously thinking of starting my own show choir.
Baby gates are dangerous. My arms and legs are covered with bruises from what I have taken to calling babygate '09
Cliff is back. No more working out of town. The camper has a for sale sign in it. Campers we shall not be.
I just saw a bumper sticker with Obama's campaign symbol that said "Got birth certificate?" Really? Really, really? Have we not cleared that up yet? Yes, yes I do have a copy of his birth certificate and I will be happy to show you. I doubt that would be good enough though. He's our President. Get over it. (by the way, he's also black, don't ya just love it)
If the babygate bruises were not enough, falling out of the booth at chips and sauce has added bruises upon bruises to what has turned my body into something that you might see at S.W.A.N.
Colleen Leffler had a baby. Colleen. Wow. He's a doll. Congrats Colleen.
The Newton Eagles are 2-1. Last Friday's game at Olney was good old fashioned Newton Eagle football. I love it.
I tried to take pics of my myriad of bruises. They just were not that flattering so you will have to use your imagination.
For those who have asked, we have rescheduled our Disney trip. Things were not working out with the planning and if I could not do it right, we were not going to do it at all. We are now going the first week in February. I am so excited. Planning it may be as much fun as the trip itself. Sorry I did not let you in on this sooner.
My life has become a little calmer. For a while there it was straight out of Compton. A lot of you were genuinely concerned and I really do appreciate it.
Harrison is a mad man. He is all over the place. Today he climbed up 5 stairs. Looks like it's time to put up another baby gate. Think the football coach would loan me some pads?

Just a swingin'

2009-09-10T16:29:00.001-07:00

Bubba, this one's for you

2009-09-09T19:32:00.000-07:00

This afternoon Jack said "Mom, let's do some dancin'.......put on some Michael Jackson!"

We don't always dance on tables at our house, but today was a dance on the table kind of day!

Enjoy Jack and his moves with your head tilted to the side. Jack's Mom can't figure out how to rotate the video.

~~~

This one is for Jack's Aunt Bubba.

For her love of dance, song, Michael Jackson, and for reminding us on a daily basis that it really does not matter if you're black or white.