Random Thoughts

Froggy Friends

2010-08-07T15:31:00.001-07:00

The sweet black kitty who so far has not taken a chomp out of either one of them...

and the two friendly, photogenic frogs who have taken up
residence on our back porch
every evening after dark since the beginning of July.

Because Hubby did not believe me, here is photographic proof
that the brown one enjoys a good scratch.
Scratch him on his right side, he leeeeeaaaans to the right...
scratch him on his left side, he leeeeeaaaans to the left.

Yes, I am easily amused.

Snow in the South

2010-02-21T21:58:00.001-08:00

Yep, these pictures were taken in my yard in central Alabama. We've had snow three times this year already, with more predicted for the middle of this week. These pictures show what has so far been the heaviest snowfall for us.

So--I've seen snow this year--now I'm done with it. Hear that, Mr. Snow Meister?

This is why they call it a hissy fit...

2009-11-03T15:17:00.000-08:00

Top picture: how Mommy looked dressed up for the Costume Crop at the store on Saturday.

Bottom picture: how Emmitt reacted when Mommy walked into the living room to get her stuff together to go to the crop.

My new nephew!

2009-06-25T19:23:00.000-07:00

Baby A.J., born at 12:41 p.m. today, 7 pounds, 9 ounces, 20 inches long--and SO cute!
I can't wait to spoil this one too...

Two Decades

2009-05-18T13:32:00.001-07:00

My "baby" is now 20!!! In many ways, I feel EVERY minute of being a mom for 20 years--in other ways, I wonder where in the world the time went!

Hope your birthday was great, Chrissi! Your dad and I are very proud of you!!!

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
--Philippians 4:13

The Magical Land of Oz

2009-05-05T20:21:00.000-07:00

My niece (who WILL be on American Idol one day--watch for her!) portrayed the King of the Flying Monkeys last week in her middle school drama department play. The monkeys all danced around while singing a caberet-style song about the Wicked Witch. It was hilarious!

We are so proud of our little monkey! =)

The grass is always greener...

2009-03-24T21:28:00.000-07:00

My poor little boys...they long to live outside with the other guys, and they just can't. The white ones (Bert and Ernie) can't hear (and we don't want them to suffer the same fate that their dad did at the house at which they were born) and the black one (Emmitt) is really just not very smart and tends to head straight for the street...so letting them roam outside unsupervised is out of the question. They do get out sometimes, but the hard part is getting them back in...

Bert is on my list today because when we let him out for a little while he crawled waaaaaaay up under the back porch and could not be enticed out, even with the bag of treats I waved at him from my spot in the dirt (on my knees, my head turned upside down, while Casey dog rolled around beside me and pulled on my hair--fortunately this was pre-shower...). After about 30 minutes of being nice, I finally got the hose and flushed him out...although water doesn't bother him too much, since we used to have to put him and his brother in the shower when they were babies...long story! When I was finally able to get him out, he was a little less white than he was going in...so I took him and put him in solitary confinement, in the bathroom, to clean him off.

While I was cleaning him off, Ernie and Emmitt gathered outside the closed door. When I opened the door, I saw that they had been trying to look under it to see what kind of trouble their brother was in...their expressions were very much like two little boys who were snooping--so funny! They slinked into the bathroom, walked over to him and sniffed him, and then sat on their haunches and stared at him the entire time I was in the shower. I have obviously raised judgmental felines.

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T19:47:00.000-08:00

Roses from Keifer for me and Chrissi yesterday...and burgers on the grill tonight for our Valentine dinner! It just doesn't get any better than this!

Thanksgiving Vacation Pics

2008-12-04T12:52:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, we had a family vacation over T'giving in Gatlinburg, with my parents, sister and her fam, and brother and his fam. We were in separate cabins, but spent time together on Thankgiving day and on Saturday for the Iron Bowl (ROLL TIDE, by the way!!!). We stayed in the CUTEST cabin! It's a pet-friendly, 2 bedroom/1 1/2 bath with hot tub, jacuzzi tub, gas fireplace, grill, wrap-around porch, washer/dryer, and a dining table perfect for scrapping! If you are interested in staying in this cabin, click here.

Autumn Pictures

2008-11-13T12:10:00.000-08:00

Not fabulous pictures, but they satisfied Christen's desire for fall photos...taken beside a pretty tree on the mall in Trussville. =)

Christen's award

2008-10-23T09:08:00.000-07:00

We SO appreciate Christen's job coach from last year, Mrs. Thompson, for nominating Christen for the Employee of the Year Award! I thought it was a school thing, but it's really more than that...the award is from the Greater Etowah County Committe on Employment of People with Disabilities, which is a division of the Governor's Office on Disability at the State Department. Pretty cool, huh? We met a lot of nice people yesterday, including Joe Smith, who once worked for Governor Guy Hunt (and was friends with Bear Bryant!) and Graham Sisson, who is currently employed at the state department with Governor Riley. The venue was quite nice, too. The waterfall picture was taken outside the Activity Center where the program was held. (We all know I take any chance I can get for a photo opp!). Thanks for the congratulatory e-mails--Christen got a kick out of reading them! =)

What Year Do You Belong In?

2008-10-03T08:40:00.000-07:00

Okay--Found this on Jenney's blog--it's cute and only takes a couple of minutes. Try it...

You Belong in 1969

You are a free spirit with a huge heart. Love, peace, and happiness rule - oh, and drugs too.

What Year Do You Belong In?

2008-09-18T19:51:00.000-07:00

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?
You have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.
You made him ruler over the works of Your hands, You put everything under his feet...
O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!
from Psalm 8

Okay, don't judge me...

2008-09-09T20:09:00.000-07:00

but I have a new cat. Another cat. That makes seven pets, five cats and two dogs. I know. Don't judge me.

But look at him. His siblings were all adopted and he was left there by himself. He saw us and immediately started putting on a show. He has an overbite and six toes on each of his front paws. How precious is that? He'll fit right in with my gang of misfits, won't he?

His name is Emmitt, after Christopher Lloyd's character in Back to the Future. We had a Marty, so we figured we had to go there...

I love these faces...

2008-08-12T19:43:00.000-07:00

Amazing Pet Tricks...

2008-07-08T06:44:00.000-07:00

Okay...well maybe not amazing--but still pretty funny...

I dropped a $20 out of an envelope I was handing to my hubby last week. Ernie jumped off the couch and began rolling around on the money.

Bert enjoys running around the house carrying a purple wand with sparkles and a feather boa attached to it. (I have yet to capture a picture of that...) He also ripped open a bag in which I had put some pink feather boas for a project at the store and dragged them around the house before I caught him. In this photo, he is playing with a package of K & Company felt in the kitchen by throwing it into the air and swatting it on the way down.

Stormy loves Christen so much that she will stand at her bedroom door and whine as loudly as she can until someone lets her in to snuggle with her...and will not get out of bed unless Christen gets up first!

When it's too hot outside, Buddy comes in to cool off on the kitchen floor. Marty, who enjoys a good nap, recently took advantage of this opportunity to get in a little snuggle with his brother.

I don't have any recent pictures of Casey (the mutt), but I have to tell a story about him too...He is extremely hyper--until you let him ride in the car. Then he sits calmly in the seat on his blanket, not moving a muscle other than to turn his head and look around.

Yes, I have six pets, yet I was looking at hermit crabs (I owned half a dozen at one point several years ago), fish, hamsters, and an orange striped kitten at Pet Smart the other day. My niece Heather told me that he wouldn't, but I know that hubby will leave me if one more critter shows up at this house...=)

Graduation Pictures

2008-06-14T09:08:00.000-07:00

By popular demand (okay, three of you asked me to post some...), I am finally posting a few graduation pictures. Purple is a good color on Chrissi, don't you think?

The Recital

2008-06-03T21:29:00.000-07:00

Christen did her solo and her two dance routines at her recital, and did a great job. She then received her five-year and perfect attendance trophies, along with a bouquet of flowers from Mrs. Salli, her dance teacher, as a graduation gift.

Oh--and then she took the mic away from Mrs. Salli during the presentation and told the entire audience how much she loved her and that this day was the best day of her life.

Cracked me up.

Made me cry at the same time.

Fly Away....

2008-05-10T07:30:00.000-07:00

First of all--don't be grossed out by the red substance you see in the picture. It is leftover dye from the formation of the wings inside the chrysalis during metamorphosis. This redness worried my students--I had to explain it several times.

So now for the real reason I posted this--when I taught first grade, we did butterfly gardens almost every year. Once I moved to fifth grade, I stopped. It just wasn't in our curriculum. This year, however, over spring break, I found a butterfly garden on sale at Bed, Bath, and Beyond and brought it to school. I sent for the larva, followed the directions, hung up the garden, and threatened the children with signing the discipline book (horrors!) if they even looked hard at it before the butterflies emerged.

After what seemed like a very short time, the butterflies broke out of their chrysalises and began to fly around. Of course we were fascinated. Even after seeing it several times, the newness of their lives was still awe-inspiring to me.

After a week, it was time to set them free. We all walked out (a chain of 52 excited kids with their backpacks and their loudness) right before the bell rang, with me carrying the garden and leading the way. Don't ask me how they "knew", but all four of the butterflies lined up in a nice, neat little row along the zippered edge of the garden as we were walking out, eagerly awaiting their freedom.

The first butterfly darted out, flew straight up and over the elementary gym as fast as he could--our eyes could barely follow him. The second one flew out and around for a little while and then flew away. The third one danced above the heads of an entire row of the children before flying away, and my teaching partner said it looked like he was giving them kisses.

The fourth butterfly did not come out. I jiggled the garden a little, but he was just hanging on the mesh, fanning his wings. He flew onto my hand when I reached in, but then hesitated for a while before finally flying away.

Of course, because I've been so emotional and philosophical lately, this event made me think about how people react to new and exciting opportunities in their lives. Do you fly toward changes as fast as you can, never looking back? Do you fly around a little while, noticing people and places along the way, before setting forth on your journey? Or do you hesitate, hold on to what you know for a while, hang back in fear and uncertainty of what's out there? All those butterflies knew from experience was that little garden, a mesh cage that hung in a classroom. Yet they all reacted differently to the concept of freedom.

Which way is the best way to react?

I couldn't begin to tell you.

I guess my point is...they all went for it. They noticed a world outside what they knew, and they flew away to become a part of it.

One month from today...

2008-04-21T18:35:00.000-07:00

my "baby" graduates from high school! Where did the time go?!

I don't think it's hit me yet.

The funny thing is that Christen fully expects everyone who attends her graduation to be in hysterical tears by the end of the night. She has told the story to everyone who will listen that her dad, mom, Nana, and all her cousins will be boo-hoodling by the time she gets her diploma. She also is telling everyone that we'll be cheering, calling her name--she's cracking me up!

Basically, if we control ourselves, she'll be disappointed...

Happy Birthday, Keifer!

2008-04-01T21:25:00.000-07:00

My hubby hit the big 4-0 last Thursday!!! Christen and I gave him an I-Pod and case. Then last Saturday we had a surprise party for him at his favorite BBQ place. He was shocked! We had a wonderful time. I took a lot of pictures, as you can see...we are so blessed to have friends and family who love us!

Two Crazy Weeks...

2008-03-16T09:02:00.000-07:00

These past two weeks have been crazy busy. I should whine and complain about the lack of sleep, but I will not! In the crazy busy-ness of these two weeks, I feel I have accomplished a lot and haven't been spinning my wheels, which of course would have been very frustrating--so I can't complain! Christen has been sick with a severe sinus infection, which has been awful for both of us, so I will complain about that. She even missed two days of school, which is very unusual for her. In almost four years of high school, she has only missed three other days, one of which was for a funeral. She (fortunately!) is rarely sick. We may go see the Horton movie this afternoon if she's feeling up to it. I have a feeling she will be...

Speaking of Horton, I have always loved that character. His whole big-hearted, tenacious, I-know-what-I'm-doing-even-if-you-don't-see-it attitude is very appealing to me. My teaching partner just did a week on Dr. Seuss books (symbolism, morals, etc.) to celebrate "Read Across America" week, which is every year during the week of Thedor Geisel's birthday, March 2nd. It was amazing to see the children revisit their early childhood favorites with fifth grade eyes. She did an awesome job with that unit of study. She is a fabulous teacher and I am proud to call her my friend.

Some of my favorite quotes ever are by Theodor Geisel:

Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.

Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.

Today you are You, that is truer than true.
There is no one alive who is Youer than You.

The promised cat pictures...

2008-02-22T19:43:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago I bragged on how well my four-legged children were getting along and promised some photographic proof...well, here it is...I know, it doesn't look like much--but the fact that there is no projectile hissing or chasing of the senior kitty up the curtains is progress...

Yes, I'm a little twisted...

2008-02-22T17:57:00.003-08:00

but I think this is hilarious...courtesy of my crazy-fun friend Melinda!

A reason to scrap...

2008-02-22T17:26:00.000-08:00

What better reason to scrapbook than work-related stress? I've obviously had my share of it lately...

The top layout has one of those old pictures that I had been meaning to put in my album but I just never had--it was taken at Christen's 13th birthday party. (Oh, I look so young!) The color scheme came less from the colors in the picture and more from the fact that I was "craving" pink. I know that sounds crazy, but after the day I had at work yesterday (not to mention the other days this week--sheesh!), LOTS of pink was the only thing that I thought would help...

The second one has the paper that my sweet friend Lelia gave me a couple of weeks ago. More pink! =)

WOO-HOO!!!

2008-02-11T19:35:00.000-08:00

Check it out--MY MOM--at the young age of 65--just entered the Internet age! She just had me set up an e-mail address for her, mainly so she can talk to my brother and my cousin's wife (hi, Martha!). How cool is she?! Nana rocks!

Five Things...

2008-02-10T19:30:00.000-08:00

I'm lovin' right now:

1) Clorox Green Works cleaner
I HATE to clean. I mean I HATE it. Straightening up, organizing--even washing clothes--I can do that all day--but deep cleaning, put on your gloves and open the windows to let the smell of bleach out cleaning--oh, how I hate it. But this new cleaner makes it a lot more pleasant. I cleaned the bathroom top to bottom with it yesterday. Floors, toilet, sink, mirror, counters, shower doors. It's awesome. It's strong, but smells terrific.

2) Chocolate Mix Skittles
I cannot keep Skittles in my house. I eat them all until I get absolutely sick, or my teeth start to hurt--whichever comes first. Now I am in really big trouble. Some of the flavors are chocolate pudding and chocolate caramel. Yum...

3) The movie Across the Universe
There are a few war scenes that I had to fast forward through (I'm a wimp when it comes to war movies), but this is by far one of the best movies ever made. It's moving, creative, fun, poignant, and visually stunning. You must see it.

4) Ringo Starr's new song
Speaking of the Beatles, have you heard Ringo's new song called Liverpool? It's a very interesting song. The best way to describe it is that it's an autobiographical love song to his hometown. Some of the lines (here I go again...) are

I've always followed my heart
And I've never missed a beat.

5) The Grammy Awards
C'mon--Tina Turner and Brad Paisley performing, Vince Gill dissing Kanye West on live TV, Kid Rock singing "That Old Black Magic" with Keely Smith (the first Grammy winner for a duet recording), Rhapsody in Blue on piano--who doesn't love all that?

Super Tuesday!

2008-02-05T20:30:00.000-08:00

Did you go out and vote in the primary today? Chrissi and I did! Today was her first time to ever vote! She has always gone with me to the polls and has asked since she was small when she would get to vote, how much longer will it be, what "job" will she get to vote for, etc.--and now that time is here! Gotta love the democratic process...

A Little Less Serious...

2008-01-28T19:52:00.000-08:00

Ugh...recent sad events have left me writing depressing posts. I guess I'm thinking that putting my sadness out into the universe will weaken the hold of the sadness on my heart. Maybe it will...but I will stop now. I will now write about completely frivolous and non-depressing topics.

1) Chrissi got her non-drivers' license in the mail today. She thought the paper copy was cool...she didn't realize that the hard copy would be even cooler! Of course I took pics of her holding it...will post either pics or a LO with them soon (depending on how soon I can make it to Wal-Mart!).

2) Joined Sam's Wholesale Club last week, as a spouse under Keith's membership. LOVE spending money in there...gotta watch out! They have their own scrapbooking line, and also carry Sonburn paper...320 double-sided sheets, in tons of colors...for under $20--yay! I don't have enough patterned paper, you know...but I'm actually going to use some of this to make kits to sell, I think.

3) The baby kitties (Bert and Ernie) are IN like flint! Marty and Stormy (the senior kitties) have heretofore made their opinion of the baby kitties quite clear--with various slaps, hisses, and growls, usually right under Momma's nose--for Momma's benefit, of course. But it was really cold this past weekend...and neither of the senior kitties wanted to go outside...and guess who has their very own litter box, in the nice warm bathroom, and a food bowl that is never empty, and two nice soft beds? The baby kitties, of course! Familiarity does NOT breed contempt when it comes to spoiled kitties who hate the cold...at one point, Stormy and the two babies were all asleep on my bed (photographic evidence soon to come!) and Marty gave one of the babies the "love nuzzle" when he walked by him. They even played in the sink together. (I know, cats don't like water...but mine do!) All is right in the feline world--at least so far!

An aside--the dogs have been fine with them from the start. They don't know that they aren't supposed to like cats...

All right--there's some totally random positive stuff! Whew! I feel better! =)

Ten Days Later

2008-01-28T18:46:00.000-08:00

It has been a difficult ten days since Carrie's death. The children are still weepy on and off. We are still finding little tidbits of her existence--her writing project on the bulletin board, an unfinished handwriting assignment in one of her textbooks (which had been sitting in a pile at my feet until today, when I finally asked a couple of brave girls to turn them in for me), an Accelerated Math report in a folder. As badly as I know her family is suffering, and as much as the other children miss her and don't understand how this could have happened to someone their age, I also have a huge hole in my heart. She was one of those children that made it worth showing up for every day. She was one of the ones that I actually felt like would be different for having been in my class. It turns out that I am different because of her. I will be the one changed by having known her.

Was she perfect? No. Was she the easiest student I have ever taught? Goodness, no. =) But I remember the sweetness in her voice when she said my name. I remember her singing in class as she worked, so caught up in the music that she honestly didn't realize she was doing it. I remember the conversations about clothes and friendship and the songs she loved. I remember how happy she was when I actually helped her conquer the math problems that so often frustrated her. I remember her smile.

Did I do enough for her?

This is my selfish thought every time she comes to mind.

Prayers please...

2008-01-18T21:35:00.000-08:00

One of my students died in a house fire this morning. If you live nearby, you may have seen the story on the local news. Very few details so far, but we believe a propane heater exploded, killing her instantly. A tiny bit of comfort lies in knowing that she did not suffer, but the staff and students are heartbroken. We cannot imagine what her family must be going through.

Please remember all of us in your prayers.

Recent "Stuff"

2008-01-15T20:56:00.000-08:00

I have to use the term "stuff"--I don't dare call my layouts "work" because work is never as fun as getting my hands on my photos and supplies! I did have some fun in my scrap room before Christmas break was over (which is why my house still looks like a band of gypsies just moved out...). I finally read my camera's instructions so that I would know how to fix some problems I've been having, and I can now share...

I'm also trying some different camera angles when I take pics of my "stuff", inspired by Jenney, Christine, and Ali Edwards (all of whom have blogs linked to mine--check them out!). So the first pic is obviously a detail from one of the layouts I posted. I just liked that corner and the way the shot came out.

The journaling on the "What She Sees" LO is about a late night right after school started when Christen still wasn't back on schedule and was up too late (what else is new in my house...). I of course was up grading papers, and it being 100 degrees outside during the day at the time and the school year being brand new, I looked (and felt!) pretty rough. Christen picked up my camera on her way to bed and took a picture of me looking down at my papers. When I asked her why she took a picture of me looking so terrible, she said that I looked beautiful and she just had to take my picture. Gulp...

Cool...

2008-01-15T20:33:00.000-08:00

I was just logging in to post some LO photos, and saw the quote to the left, which is {randomly} generated by the Quote of the Day website. I have to post it here because it will change in 24 hours, but right now it reads:

Fortune favours the bold. --Virgil

Pretty neat that it includes MY word for 2008, huh? Gotta love it...

Okay, now I have a confession. I am hopelessly addicted to paper. The picture above is proof. Those are the papers I have purchased since Thanksgiving. Yes, you read that right. I rationalize by saying that before then for several months I had not bought more than one or two sheets of paper at a time and that I needed it and that I had some Christmas money from Mom and Dad that I should use at least some of for myself and that I used a good bit of my own stash in filling the orders I had before Christmas...any way you slice it, I have a real problem.

Isn't that the first step in being cured--admitting you have a problem...?

My Little Family

2008-01-14T20:42:00.000-08:00

I just realized that I haven't posted anything yet in 2008. This is a picture of us on Christmas Day at Shelley and Bryan's house. Are you sick of my Christmas pictures yet? I hope not...there are an awful lot of them...

I have actually already scrapbooked in 2008...I almost completed my "Christen's First Job" mini-album (it still needs ribbons...) and did seven layouts. Now if I can get my camera to act right so that I can snap pictures and upload them...aargh!

I am determined to post some stuff soon! =)

My word for 2008...

2007-12-31T23:53:00.000-08:00

Taking a cue from the mucho-talented Ali Edwards, I am claiming a word as mine for the coming year. (Sorry, Mr. Webster.)

My word for 2008 is bold.

Whadya think?

Christmas pics

2007-12-28T21:18:00.001-08:00

Okay, okay, I admit it...I take WAY too many pictures of my four-legged children, and I spend a whole lot of time blogging about my daughter and the nieces and nephews--and not nearly enough time telling you about my dear hubby.

He and I began dating at Christmas time, more years ago than either one of us care to admit. We said "I love you" to each other for the first time two days before we spent our first Christmas Eve as a "couple". Christmas is a big deal for the two of us, for more than just the obvious religious and parental reasons. =) This year, hubby got some extra special gifts for me, including a heart bracelet (no picture of that yet) and a new faucet for my sink. You have to know the story behind the sink...in late February of '06, his brother (who owned his own plumbing company at the time) and his helper installed a deep sink (given to us by my mom) in my kitchen. We came home around lunch on the first Friday of March (we were off work because I was at the hospital having an endoscopy done) and found our kitchen flooded from faulty installation of the sink. (The story is that some couplings failed...) We ended up having to replace the flooring throughout 3/4's of our house...but that's another story altogether, so I digress. My point is--the faucet of this new/old sink never shut off correctly. I had to jiggle it every time I turned it off to get the water to not leak. And you also have to understand something about me--I spend A LOT of time in the kitchen, and I turn the faucet on and off A LOT. Between watering animals and plants, cooking, crafting, cleaning, a mild case of OCD about washing my hands...well, you get the picture. Big pain in the neck for Paulie. Anyway, I have not-so-silently suffered through this for almost two years, so on Christmas morning, Keith handed me a large box. (I rattled it and thought it was silverware.) It was a new faucet!!! I was thrilled, needless to say! AND--he installed it before dinnnertime on Christmas DAY! Have you ever? He's such a great fellow...I think I'll keep him!

And just to get a little more sentimental than a kitchen faucet story, I watched (for about the fourth time) the "100 Greatest Duets" countdown show on CMT today. The number one duet was "Islands in the Stream" by Kenny and Dolly. I cry EVERY time I hear this song (yes, Rosy, it's another crying post!), and it's because the lyrics make me think of Keith. The song is about two people who have been through a lot and have made a decision that together is where they want to be--very fitting for the two of us and our 21 years of life together! Here are some of my favorite lines:

You do something to me that I can't explain

Hold me closer and I feel no pain

Every beat of my heart--we've got something going on

I can't live without you if the love was gone

Everything is nothing if you've got no one

and you just walk in the night, slowly losing sight of the real thing

but that won't happen to us and we got no doubt

too deep in love and we got no way out

Oh--and this is the best--I dare say one of the best lines ever written--

We start and end as one, in love forever

Maybe I should have saved this post for Valentine's Day...

Love you, Keifer!!!

'Twas the day after Christmas....

2007-12-26T07:17:00.001-08:00

Too much fun and frivolity? Too many presents to unwrap? Too much eggnog?

None of the above. Just a very lazy cat who thinks he's a human--or a ferret--we haven't figured out which yet...

Christmas Wishes

2007-12-22T20:26:00.000-08:00

How precious are these faces? This picture was taken after Molly's voice recital. She sang "Here Comes Santa Claus". She did GREAT! I had the pictures developed today. My mom and my sister cannot wait to see them! I'm still shocked that we got all four kids to look at least in the same general direction at the same time! (Christen is worse than Brody about not looking at the camera... :)

I saw a church sign today that read, "The most important thing about Christmas is the first six letters." Very cool way to put it...

Merry Christmas!

Time after time...

2007-12-17T18:01:00.000-08:00

The Christmas decorations have been fascinating for the baby kitties! It has been quite a challenge to get done just the small amount of decorating I have--but I finally decided, if I can't beat 'em--I'll take pictures! A scrapbook page waiting to happen...

My youngest nephew (my sister's son), who is 15 months old now, said my name for the first time on Friday night! He was following me around after his big sister's Christmas voice recital with a cookie saying, "Paupie, Paupie", trying to give me a bite! I can remember when my oldest nephew (on hubby's side of the family, in the top picture, after his band concert), who will be 13 at the end of this month, first started calling me "Aunt Paulie". How time flies!!! One thing that I love so much about the nieces and nephews is that they tell me they love me each time we speak or part, just like my daughter does. I love that they are so giving with those words for me--'cause you know, they don't have to be.

My dream photography session/scrapbooking fodder? ALL of my nieces and nephews in a picture with Christen--preferably in black and white!

Lovely Ladies...

2007-12-09T20:03:00.000-08:00

Chrissi and two of her friends after the Senior Play...such beautiful girls, on the inside as well as the outside! I am constantly aware of how blessed Chrissi is to have ended up in a school where there are so many great kids! These two girls are two of the first, way back in seventh grade, who were friendly and helpful to her, just because they have been raised to show the love of Jesus to others...

And completely related to that--follow with my stream of consciousness for a second--we watched "Charlie Brown Christmas" last week at school. I cry--I mean tears rolling down my face--when Linus recites from Luke 2 and then says, "That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown." Gets me every time! It's just stated so simply, and so perfectly--all of what Christmas means, wrapped up in that small Biblical package. :) Love it! :)

My Girl...

2007-11-27T19:36:00.000-08:00

What was I thankful for this Thanksgiving (and every other day of the year)? My beautiful daughter...

Okay, so this is not life-changing, but....

2007-11-15T20:22:00.000-08:00

ESPN is conducting a poll to see who fans vote as the greatest College Football Coach of All-Time and right now Paul "Bear" Bryant is losing to Tom Osborne (who?).

Go vote and pass this along to any BAMA fans you know.

Voting ends December 1,2007 at 11:59 am ET.

http://proxy.espn.go.com:80/espn/specialsection/citirosebowl/2007/

School Desks

2007-11-06T19:49:00.000-08:00

My friend Sarah sent me a forwarded e-mail recently. I wanted to post it here in honor of veterans who have fought and continue to fight for our freedom.

Back in September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, social
studies school teacher at Robinson High School in Little Rock, did something
not to be forgotten.

On the first day of school, with the permission of the school
superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of
the desks out of her classroom. When the first period kids entered the room,
they discovered that there were no desks. Looking around, confused, they asked,
"Ms. Cothren, where are our desks?"

She replied, "You can't have a desk until you tell me what you have done to earn the right to sit at a desk."

They thought, "Well, maybe it's our grades." "No," she said.

"Maybe it's our behavior."

She told them, "No, it's not even your behavior."

And so, they came and went, the first period,
second period, third period. Still no desks in the classroom. By early afternoon
television news crews had started gathering in Ms. Cothren's classroom to report
about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her room. The final
period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the
desk-less classroom, Martha Cothren said, "Throughout the day no one has been
able to tell me just what he/she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that
are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you."

At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened
it. Twenty-seven U.S. veterans, all in their uniforms, walked into that classroom,
each one carrying a school desk. The vets began placing the school desks in
rows, and then they would walk over and stand alongside the wall. By the time the
last soldier had set the final desk in place those kids started to understand,
perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had
been earned.

Martha said, "You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These
heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. Now, it's up to you to sit
in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens.
They and others paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education.

Don't ever forget it."

Have you seen this...?

2007-10-23T18:17:00.001-07:00

This is hilarious...it's Anita Renfroe at a recent Women of Faith conference, singing something called "The Mom Song" to the William Tell Overture (which is my cell phone ring tone, BTW...a little Paulie trivia for ya).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxT5NwQUtVM

Oh, and how's this for a random thought?--I think I broke my pinkie toe today. One of our high school band members backed into me at our school's pep rally and stomped on it...

An update because Jenney told me I had to...

2007-10-20T16:08:00.000-07:00

My youngest nephew just turned one! I am almost finished with a first birthday album for his mommy! This is the title page...

I know...Ernie's eyes look kinda spooky...but it IS almost Halloween....

C standing on the canal bridge that's behind the hotel where we stayed for the convention. There were goldfish in the canal as long as your leg!

Attended a fun all-day crop today organized by Kathy from the SE message board...she's so great! I love that it came at exactly the right time for me...needed some stress reduction!

Found out Wednesday that C has a part in the Senior Class play--how cool is that? The plays are written by the senior English teacher, so they are always filled with witty puns and literary references--and always hilarious!

Attended my friend Becky's wedding last weekend...it was lovely! There were a few problems getting the ceremony started, and she has been in love with this man for 15 years (it's a looooong story--don't ask!), so when he put the ring on her finger, she let out this long and loud siiiiiiiggggghhhhh that could be heard all the way through the church. It was so funny, but so adorable. I am very happy for her! She will love being married...

Speaking of...my husband has been SO great lately about everything...I don't know what I'd have done lately if he hadn't been! Here's to hubbies who have a clue about the kind of emotional support their wives need, and give it to them! Yay!

The Senior, continued...

2007-10-05T19:47:00.000-07:00

One of C's senior portraits...I was really pleased with them!

Friday when I picked her up from school, she handed me the envelope from the company that prints grad invitations and calling cards. Good grief! I can remember bringing my mom that same envelope, sitting down with her to decide what to order. I really wanted the key chain in school colors, the photo album, and the senior memory book. Can you guess what C wanted? The exact same things...plus a school logo pullover. (Good thing the company takes credit cards...)

Another "senior moment" (yea, I know that phrase really has a different meaning)...a couple of weeks ago during halftime at the Homecoming Game, the seniors gathered on the field to sing the alma mater. My SIL had to walk her down there--I immediately teared up and couldn't even help her down the stadium steps! The kids all stood in a long row--the football players, the cheerleaders, the band members, and the other kids in their school t-shirts--all arm in arm across the field. Quite touching! The senior class photo for the yearbook was also taken yesterday morning...I saw the yearbook sponsor and some boys setting up the risers for it in front of the school, and I of course teared up!

I had no idea there would be all these milestones throughout her senior year that would make me cry my eyes out before she actually graduates...

Ya gotta love this...

2007-09-21T22:00:00.001-07:00

I was reminded recently of this great passage by Marianne Williamson and I wanted to share:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other
people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Good stuff, huh? How about this, from Romans 8...

"For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, 'Abba, Father'. The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ..."

Those of you who know me and who read my blog know that I am ALL about standing up to fear and doubt lately...you should try it! (Of course, you may have to turn 40 first like I did!)

Just to check in...

2007-09-02T16:01:00.000-07:00

I've been so busy lately that writing an actual paragraph or two would be next to impossible...so here are a few ramblings that have been bouncing around in my mind lately.

1) I love this quote:

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind. ~ Dr. Seuss

2) Costa's makes a great BBQ chicken pizza.

3) I (*almost*) made it through church today without crying!

4) According to a source on the internet, plain yogurt is good for the upset stomach of a small cat. (Can you guess what I've been dealing with lately...?)

5) When your washing machine makes a sound like the drum rift in Heart's Barracuda while it's going through the rinse cycle (you know....verump vrump vrump verump...barracuda!!!!), is it time to get a new washing machine?

6) Low fat ice cream is just as good as the regular kind...well, when you put chocolate syrup on it, that is.

7) Re-runs of Friends still make me laugh my head off.

8) Grading math tests takes for-e-vah!!!

9) I lost another pound this week! Woo-hoo!

10) ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!!

11) Got a TON of pictures developed yesterday at Wal-Mart. One of the ones I had printed is above...

The beauty of math...

2007-08-28T17:39:00.000-07:00

Two of my teacher pals sent me the same e-mail recently featuring the symetry of different mathematical operations. I would be remiss if, as a math teacher, I did not share it with all my friends out there in Blogland (a term I still think is so very cool, Amy!). So here goes:

1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321

1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 +10= 1111111111

9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888

1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111=12345678987654321

Something about all that just makes me happy...sigh...(How weird am I?)

For the love of books...

2007-08-17T19:30:00.000-07:00

There are good books, there are great books--and then there are books that change lives. Here is my list of life-changing books, with a recommendation at the end for the one I just finished reading.

A Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats...the first book I remember reading all the way through, all by myself, in first grade...

The Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle Series by Betty McDonald...read lovingly by my teacher as I sat on the seventies gold-brown carpet of her second grade classroom...the books I was listening to when I decided I wanted to become a teacher when I grew up...

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle...recommended by my sixth grade English teacher...sparked my love for all things scientific, fact and fiction...

the literature textbook we used in 9th grade English, that included pieces by John Steinbeck, e.e. cummings, Gwendolyn Brooks, Langston Hughes, William Faulkner, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, William Shakespeare, and countless others, that taught me the value of a well-turned phrase...

the worn black Bible, belonging to my grandmother, that I read when I was a teenager looking for answers...

Love You Forever by Robert Munsch, introduced to me by an inspiring children's lit professor in undergrad, only a few months before I learned I was pregnant....

There has been quite a long stretch since a book has changed me, but I just finished one by John Ortberg that has changed my heart--If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat. It's about living in the freedom of God's plan for you and not in the fear of failure in the eyes of the world. It's about doing what you know God wants you to do, and waiting for Him to reveal His will. It's about living a life where at the end you don't have to look back and ask, "What might I have been if I had trusted God?" My favorite quote:

"If you live in fear, you will never experience the potential that God has placed in you."

This book parallels a sermon I heard by Joel Osteen about a year ago about living life without regrets. One of the main points of his sermon is that the greatest storehouse of lost human potential--the most love never freely given, the most friendships never nurtured, the most books that were never written, the most businesses never started, the most encouraging words left unsaid, the most dreams left unspoken and unfulfilled--is in our cemetaries.

Read Matthew 14, and then read this book.

Who Am I Human Video

2007-08-09T20:16:00.001-07:00

WOW--check out this video that's been circulating through e-mail lately...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT7x3VnrqbA

The Senior...

2007-08-04T19:09:00.000-07:00

In four days, my baby will be a senior in high school. When did this happen? Wasn't I fixing her bottles and changing her diapers last year? Wasn't she just starting preschool last month? Her first day of kindergarten, when I passed her hand from mine to her teacher's, was just yesterday...when did she turn 18 and get to this place?

We were told it wouldn't happen. We were told she would probably never walk or talk or have friends or go to a regular school. We were given names of various institutions and told to consider our options.

We said no thank you. In four days, my baby will be starting her senior year, beginning her first job, and tackling the next challenge in her life. A life that "experts" told us would not happen. A life that we were determined would happen.

God knew. He's been faithful every step of the journey. We knew. We've kept going, even when it would have been easier to quit working so hard. She knew. She has mastered the art of stubborn perseverance.

The Class of 2008. Way to go, Christen. You rock.

Happy birthday to me...

2007-08-01T20:23:00.001-07:00

DH left yesterday morning for Louisiana to work. On his way back today, he stopped in Mobile and then Greenville (south of Montgomery) and completed two more jobs. He pulled into the driveway at 8:15 tonight...and on the way home had stopped to get me not one but TWO dozen roses and a card for my birthday. (Pink roses are my favorite, but he said the white ones were so pretty, he had to get them too.)
Even though I had gone to the beach with my friends, and I told him that was my gift from him. Even though we had already talked about going out to dinner this weekend with his brother's family to celebrate. Even though he had been on the road for two days working...he still brought me flowers. Twenty years into it, and he still surprises me.

I am so blessed.

Relaaaaaax.....

2007-07-25T07:12:00.001-07:00

which is EXACTLY what I'm going to do, starting tomorrow...

I am headed to the beach with several of my good friends to celebrate the "big 4-0", a milestone that has been both highly anticipated and strangely dreaded. I bet some good friends, some sand between my toes, a couple of good books, and a few margaritas will help me make it through...

Petition

2007-07-17T15:08:00.000-07:00

From Lifetime Television:

"In January 2007, Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Representative Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT) reintroduced the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2007 (S. 459/H.R.758). The bill would require insurance companies to allow a woman and her doctor to decide whether she should recuperate for at least 48 hours in the hospital or whether she has enough support to get quality care at home following this emotionally and physically difficult surgery. Last fall, as part of the network's Stop Breast Cancer for Life campaign, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Jewel, joined by Lifetime executives, delivered more than 12 million signatures to Congress calling for an end to the cruel practice of sending women home without a sufficient recovery period, sometimes just hours after their mastectomy. And since then we have collected nearly 5 million more!

Sign the petition below to urge Congress to pass the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2007 (S. 459/H.R.758) to ensure no more women are forced to experience a 'drive-through' mastectomy."

http://www.lifetimetv.com/breastcancer/petition/signpetition.php.

I sent this to many of you via e-mail when I received it last night. If you're not on my e-mail list, please click on the link. It takes about 30 seconds to sign.

My grandmother Marie, who lived with us and helped raise us kids, died twenty years ago today from breast cancer, 7/17/87. I have now lived as much of my life without her as I did with her. I still miss her terribly.

Inspiration...

2007-07-13T16:08:00.000-07:00

It's easy to feel like you're all alone
To feel like nobody knows the great that you are
The good that's inside you is trying so hard to break through

Maybe it's your time to lift up and fly

You won't know if you never try

I will be there with you all of the way

You'll be fine

Don't let anyone tell you that you're not strong enough

Don't give up

There's nothing wrong with just being yourself

That's more than enough

So come on and raise your voice

Speak up loud and make some noise...

You have a diamond inside of your heart

A light that shines bright as the stars

Don't be afraid to be all that you are

You'll be fine

If the next words I type are "Sweet Niblets!", would that help you guess that these are the words to a Hannah Montana song? DD bought Miley Cyrus' double CD today (10 Hannah songs, 10 Miley songs...very shrewd marketing ploy, but I digress...), and this is "Make Some Noise", the third tract on the Hannah CD. I imagine that it's been played on the show, but I had just not heard it until today.

May I just say...WOW! Did we have those kinds of messages when we were growing up? Not in music. Even in the 80's (yes, I'm old...for you youngsters, the 90's...), we just had a lot of head-bangin', party all night, you're-so-hot-baby kind of songs. Even the love songs were more about getting it on than about "you're such a great person and that's why I love you." And the bulk of secular music now--well, it's about humping and bumping and cursing and being a...that two-letter word that to me is one of the worst words that a female can be called, but is now in the vocabulary of most 10-year-olds...

This song--and all the songs written by whoever the songwriting team is for this show--are not about that. They're about reaching for your dreams. About enjoying and appreciating your life and the people in it. About being a friend. About not being afraid to "be all that you are".

It's a risk to promote that message. You can't bump and grind to a Hannah song. A gangsta rap artist will not likely sample a Hannah song on his next album. Rolling Stone Magazine will not tout a Hannah album as the next great classic of our time. But for the sake of our children--particularly our daughters, for whom popular culture bombards with twisted ideas of perfection and fulfillment on a daily basis--thank God there is someone out there willing to write and record songs that tell them they have "diamonds in their hearts" and lights that shine "bright as the stars".

WOW...

2007-07-08T18:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, in the rain (which--if you live anywhere NEAR Alabama--you know was a sight for sore eyes), I leased my new car, a blue 2007 Highlander! I turned in my 2003 Highlander (the white one), the first SUV I'd ever owned. I love all the room that an SUV gives me (a place for my stuff, thank you George Carlin), and I don't think I'll ever go back to driving a car. If you are in the market for SUV's, the Highlander is built on a Lexus/Camry chassis, so it drives like a car, with all the perks of a roomier vehicle. I am very excited. I ended up with a very affordable payment because it's a lease, and because the sales team worked with me to get me the best deal they could. The salesman who helped me is named Ryan, and he is a genuinely charming young man (for a salesman, that is!). No, he really is, and if you live in the Birmingham area, and you're interested in the Toyota product, send me an e-mail at pmhammond@earthlink.net, and I will put you in touch with him. He and the finance manager, John, who was the salesman for the lease of my first Highlander, will work with you any way they can.

Of course there are all kinds of great features that were important to the husband--the tire type, the slightly longer/roomier build, the V6 engine--but the most exciting thing to me was that I have a sunroof! I've never had one...drove with it open as soon as the rain let up on the way home yesterday! I felt very Malibu Barbie doing that...

2007-07-08T17:37:00.000-07:00

For those of you who visit Ali Edwards' blog religiously (Jenney, I'm talkin' to you!), you are no doubt familiar with the products of this little company, Catslife Press. For those of you like me, who appreciate Ali's style and often incorporate it, but spend much more time stalking Heidi Swapp's blog to see how many more babies she's going to have--oh, and of course--what new cool products she's introducing--you may not be familiar. Check it out at http://www.catslifepress.com/. When I get paid next month (because the scrapbooking budget--such as it is--is fully depleted this month), I will have to spend some money there. They have THE coolest stamps I've ever seen (other than Rhonna Farrar's clear stamp line--but that's a post for a different day...) at the coolest prices I've ever seen. Go see.

BTW, the lovely model in the upper right is our 9 1/2-year-old tabby, Stormy, in her favorite spot--Christen's bed.

Serendipity

2007-07-02T22:51:00.000-07:00

Okay--you know the term--it means "a happy accident"? (If you've seen the John Cusack movie by the same name as this post on TBS lately, you may remember. BTW, John Cusack is one of "my" guys, along with Matthew Perry and Keanu Reeves...but that's a post for another day...sigh...swoon...sigh again).

But this is supposed to be a serious (Christian-minded...) post, so I'll wipe the drool off the keyboard and continue...

Okay, I believe in happy accidents, coincidences, weird little events that happen for very specific reasons. I believe that God speaks to us through these happy accidents--through serendipity. When I talk to people about this topic (which I often do), I get one of two very different reactions. I get those who smile and nod, giving me the look you give a person whose mental health is in question..."Uh, huh, really? Um, yea, I know what you mean..." and then they get away from me very quickly.

But then I get the polar opposite--the reaction of the person who also believes that God speaks to us, answers prayers, gives us signs--whatever you want to call it--through these coincidences. Those people always have a story or two to share about their serendipitous moments, and the stories are always fascinating. The still small voice that tells you to move to another lane of traffic right before the person in front of you slams on his brakes for no good reason. The nagging thought that you forgot something at home so you turn around, and on your way back to where you were going, you see that you avoided an accident. The idea that seemed to come from nowhere that you should call a certain friend you haven't talked to in a while and you find out that she is going through a crisis and needed someone to talk to. The urge to go into a certain store, not looking for anything in particular, and you find an item that would be a perfect gift for a special person, or you meet up with a friend you hadn't seen in years at the store's check-out. Or meeting the new friend you immediately "click" with whose presence in your life makes you stronger. When an acquaintance or even a stranger, someone who doesn't really know your heart and your dreams, gives you a word of encouragement that is way more specific than he or she should have known...do you know what I mean?

Or, like me today--I went into a book store to let Christen spend some of her birthday money and (as a treat for reaching my half-way point) I was planning to buy the new Max Lucado book Every Day Deserves a Chance. Rosy is reading it right now and told me it was great. So I'm looking, I'm looking, I'm seeing Lucado's name on the dust covers, I'm looking...and out of ALL the books in the whole Inspirational/Christian Living section, ONE book is turned with the front facing me. It is called When God Winks at You. It's not a brand new book, not a flashy, big, exciting looking book--but I knew immediately what the subject of this book was--serendipity! I also knew immediately I was supposed to buy that book. So I grabbed it. (I found the Lucado book a few seconds after I saw this one, in the section in which I had already been looking for five minutes, BTW.)

At the counter, the clerk said, "Ooh...I think I need to buy this book too. I need affirmation that my happy accidents have meaning!" and then she laughed (as I was about to hit the floor). I began reading it this evening, and it turns out the author calls these coincidences "Godwinks"--God is winking at us through these signs, just like your favorite uncle or your grandma would wink at you across the dinner table, just to say, "Hey, I'm here, and I'm thinking about you."

Okay--and get this...when I was a kid, one of the things that I would do was play school with my brother, sister, my dolls, my cat--whoever would sit still long enough to be "taught". One of the things I would use to teach my students were the tunes from Schoolhouse Rock--from Saturday morning cartoons. I LOVED those tunes, and still use the music CD's of them in my classroom today.

The author of the book was the ABC executive in charge of the Schoolhouse Rock programming in the 1970's.

Okay, God, I'm sending you a wink back ;-). Thanks for talking to me today. I'll keep trying to listen.

Why am I still up?

2007-07-01T22:07:00.000-07:00

Although I've had trouble sleeping for the past several years, since I started the diet I have slept like a baby...but tonight--not EVEN sleepy! And am I in there doing the dishes? Am I balancing the checkbook after writing the beginning of the month bills on Friday? Oh, no, I am not. I have been in the study working on LO's! I just finished the first LO of the new babies. And it is actually 10 after 12 here, not a little after 10 o'clock as the final line of the post says.

The picture is of the kitties when I walked into their room (formerly known as my bathroom) after coming home from church. They woke up, turned over, cocked their heads from side to side, and stared at me for the longest time--well, long enough for me to go to the living room, get my camera out of the case, turn it on, and take three pictures. This was the best one. Of course I already have a LO title in mind for the pictures--"Hello, Mommy!" Ernie (on the left) often sleeps on his back, but I saw him today on his back, front paws out to each side, with his mouth hanging wide open! I was too panicked to take a picture of that...I had to make sure he was breathing!

Random thoughts, part 2

2007-06-30T09:44:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe that today is the last day of June!!! When June is over, I begin to get anxious about the start of the new school year because July goes by in such a flash! I did just find out that my new teaching partner is supposed to be WONDERFUL, which will lighten my worry-load for the rest of the summer! I am planning to meet her one day next week when she and a couple of the other teachers work in their rooms. One of the teachers who encouraged her to interview at our school just got engaged at the beginning of this month. I am so happy for her! I told her that being married is terrific--even with its ups, downs, and in-betweens!

Speaking of the terrific DH, he gave me (for no reason, just because) a gift certificate to a local hair salon for...wait for it, wait for it...an HOUR-LONG massage! Oh, good gravy--if you've never, you should...you REALLY should! I feel like a new woman!

Speaking of feeling like a new woman--here's my weight loss update: I went to the weight loss center for my weekly visit this a.m., and I have lost three more pounds!!! WOO-HOO! My total loss is now at 25, the halfway point...it only gets tougher from here!

In case you're wondering, the baby kitties are doing fine--except now they jump and climb on everything!!! I'm shocked at how fast they are growing/developing motor skills/becoming attached to us. They are so much fun...well, when they're not biting on my toes...

Quiz: Who said this?

2007-06-28T07:11:00.001-07:00

Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.

An artist? An author? A songwriter? A fellow scrapbooker? Nope.

It was Franklin D. Roosevelt. Interesting, yes?

Now get off this computer, go to your scrapbook space--and create something!

America the Beautiful

2007-06-26T07:59:00.000-07:00

A friend sent this to me recently in an e-mail. How totally awesome is this picture? It's my avatar on www.scrapbook.com, which you should visit if you have time. (Of course, who introduced me to it--Jenney!) There is a LOT of cool stuff on it, including a huge gallery, contest listings, and interesting articles. Oh, and you can also shop in their superstore...but I've resisted that so far. (After my jaunt to the superstore in Tennessee a couple of weeks ago, I've had to!)

My gallery is listed under paulieh3, Jenney's is scrapbookjen, and Lelia is under Tablefor3. And if you look, go to mine first--I don't want to be the act that follows either one of them--they are SOOOOO great!

P.S. I had to drive my sister to the vet this morning to have her 10-year-old dog put to sleep. Please remember her in your prayers...

Sleepy boys

2007-06-25T21:00:00.000-07:00

Why did I spend sixteen dollars on a soft kitty bed? All I should have done was tump my wicker trash basket over...

Making Memories stickers

2007-06-25T14:20:00.000-07:00

Sweet niblets!--how many of you scrappers out there are familiar with these teeny tiny stickers?

They are the coolest! I first got a couple of sheets of them in a kit at Target, and didn't know the company name. I figured it out by reading supply lists in some of the mags, ordered a few packs a couple of months ago--and they JUST came in! I'm very excited! (How sad is it that I am THIS excited about alphabet stickers? And for those of you who know me well, did I really NEED more alphas...?)

I've used them on about a dozen LO's so far--they are very fun! One of them is posted above. (The letters are on the bottom right.) They are the perfect size to add a little "P.S." to a title. They are called Boho Chic Tiny Alphas, and (as far as I know) are available in four different styles. (And no, I don't work for Making Memories--I wish! I'm just a fan!)

I love Sunday mornings

2007-06-24T18:41:00.000-07:00

My heart and flesh cry out
For You, the Living God
Your Spirit's water for my soul
I've tasted, and I've seen
Come once again to me
I will draw near to You
I will draw near to You....

Amazing love, how can it be? That You, my King would die for me?
Amazing love, I know it’s true. It’s my joy to honor You,
In all I do, I honor You.

You gotta love Sunday mornings. I get to sing and listen to preaching--that's it. I don't have to answer the phone, run errands, print invoices, grade papers, wash dishes--or feed, clean, or water ANYTHING. I get to spend time in worship, and no one will storm in and grab me and throw me in jail because what I'm doing is forbidden. I am so thankful for the opportunity to attend the church of my choice (or NOT attend, if that's what I want to do...). Religious freedom is definitely on my top ten list of blessings.

And of course I cried again today during the service--be glad you don't have to sit beside me in church.... There's a different reason every week, of course--one of the songs, or I'm going through something--part of it this week was my concern for our pastor and my DH--they're both going through some tough times right now, with totally unrelated specific issues, but both problems associated with forgiveness. The sermon just happened to be on that topic today. (The hubby seems to be coming through on the other side of his "stuff", but we're still not out of the woods yet...)

But part of it was Chrissi.

She sings too loudly, always has--and well...(I can say this to you because she doesn't read my blog...) she's just not very good. She took Chorus in 10th grade, improved a great deal for a while--but she's lost it now. It used to bother me, that she sang so badly and so loudly at church, in front of people, gah, come on--you can imagine the reaction in my head. But I've let that go...and today, my special girl, singing her heart out to these songs, eyes closed, right hand raised to heaven...oh good grief. With all this other stuff in my heart, my love and concern for these two important men in my life--I just lost it. For all her teenageness, for all the difficulties she has in her life--she MEANS all that stuff when she's singing it.

Do I always mean it...?

One more down...

2007-06-23T08:49:00.000-07:00

Twenty-eight to go!!! I just got back from the weight loss center, and I've lost another pound...woo hoo!!! "Mini-wave in celebration of me!" (Yes, that's from Friends...).

The best of both worlds...

2007-06-23T05:14:00.000-07:00

My friends on the Scrap Etc. message board will appreciate this, as will anyone with female offspring...it's kind of a running joke that our daughters (and now we, their supposedly grown-up mommas) spend way too much time watching Hannah Montana/know all the names of the characters/sing the songs/etc., etc. There are threads on the MB about it, entries on the SE blog--it's really very funny. We've even influenced a few of our fellow MB'ers with sons to watch it...but you know it's waaaaaay out of hand when your cat doesn't miss a minute of the Hannah...

"SUCKER....!!!!"

2007-06-22T14:14:00.000-07:00

Or at least that's what my vet called me when I walked in with not one but TWO kittens!!! I called on the way there, to make sure he could see us...and seeing as how I have THREE other pets already, the vet was quite swift to judge. He of course was right, but still....

We got to SIL's mom's house, played with the kittens on this extreeeeeeemely high front porch, heard the story of how the daddy cat was just attacked and fatally injured by a neighborhood dog, and how the momma cat was not taking good care of the kittens, and how they would be taken to the humane society next week...and before I knew it, I was taking two kittens home with me! I headed to Mom's house to let her pick one (her cat died about a year ago, she's been missing a feline companion, etc., etc.), so I called her and said we were on our way--but it was a no go, for various reasons.

So I now have two kittens, which are not "she's" after all, but he's. (Hey, I didn't look--I just took SIL's mom's word for it...). We did the first shots and the ear mite treatment, got the schedule for the next set of shots, got some kind words from the vet and his staff (as a way to make up for calling me a sucker, no doubt), and then headed off to Wal-Mart to purchase litter box supplies, food, etc. K and C are very happy about it; Marty Cat is not. No surprise there...

Oh--and we named them Bert and Ernie. The blue-eyed one (whom the vet says is very likely deaf--did any of you know that most of the time blue-eyed white male cats are deaf?) is Bert.

Okay, just one more....

2007-06-22T08:30:00.000-07:00

DD (the teenager with a capital T!) is taking her own sweet time to get ready to go run our errands, so just one more post. (I'm having way too much fun with this...!)

These pics were taken by DD at the retreat house. I am wearing NO makeup...yea, I know the pic is pretty small, and you really can't tell unless you click on it to enlarge it--but if you had asked me a year ago if I would even put a picture of myself minus makeup in my SB, much less on my blog, I'd have said that you were nuts! But now...

Look at me, I'm growing...

(Just a warning...that was the first of many...I will occasionally (okay, all the time) quote a line or two from "Friends"...I have most of the episodes memorized...Oooh...(read in your best Pepe LePew accent)...that is pitiful, no?)

Okay, so I channel Warner Brothers cartoons too...I didn't get out much as a child...apparently not as an adult either!

Testing, 1, 2, 3...

2007-06-22T07:17:00.000-07:00

Just checking to see if I can upload any pics...

Well, I guess so...this is one of my newest layouts of my daughter at a house where we just had a scrapbooking retreat. She was at my mother's house (husband out of town for work...) while I was at the retreat with some of my scrapbooking friends (who are some of the most talented girls I've EVER met, BTW--more about them later!). DD (after talking to almost everyone there on my cell phone for about 30 minutes...) decided around 10 on Saturday night that she wanted to come...so I trekked 35 minutes each way to go get her. And I got some great photos out of it, including some she took of me, which are in a LO I will post soon...right now, off to get me a cat!

Some random thoughts....

2007-06-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

Looking over my official profile as I checked my first post gave me pause...it tells my zodiac sign and birth year animal (Leo the lion is my sign and the sheep is my birth year animal...which is kind of strange to me...the lion and the lamb)...but I digress. These "facts" about me that are important enough for a web service provider to include on everyone's profile don't tell a THING about who I am or what I believe. So I will let this post do that...

In no particular order, I am a wife, mother, teacher, aunt, sister, daughter, scrapbooker, Christian, friend, American, pet owner/animal lover, an almost 40-year-old (yikes!). I like to stay up late, but I can be a morning person when I have to be. I love to read but don't have much time to. I have trouble with my weight, but I've lost 21 pounds in the last few months.
I have blue eyes and dark brown hair. I love to laugh. I enjoying cooking (and spend waaaay too much time watching the Food Network). I deeply love my family and my friends.

But the most important part of who I am is my belief that life is to be embraced and cherished--that no matter what has happened in your life, you are called by God to be the best person you can be. Circumstances can break us, or they can make us better people--that whole "what does not kill us makes us stronger" concept. You ultimately make the decision that you will be happy with the life that God has decided is yours.

You choose to be happy, or you choose to be miserable. According to an old pastor I once heard, "Dance with the one that brung ya."

I'd rather dance than sit it out, thank you...

Oh, dear--now I'm channeling Lee Ann Womack...I should go!

Peer pressure is a good thing...

2007-06-22T06:50:00.000-07:00

MANY of my scrapbooking friends have blogs. Am I one who follows the crowd? Not always. Do I think that my friends' blogs are COOL? Definitely. So here I am. I now have a blog.

On top of that, I have a cool new digital camera--a Sony CyberShot...an early birthday present from the hubby. So you will soon be seeing more pictures of my daughter, nieces, nephews--and oh, yea, my four-legged children--two cats and a dog--than should be allowable by law....!

Oh, and hopefully...another kitten soon. We are scheduled to go today to look at her...solid white, crystal blue eyes, six weeks old...oh, my. I'm in BIG trouble...