Sunday, March 25, 2007

A great movie to restore your faith in humans...

"The Ultimate Gift" is a fantastic movie. I went to Pekin to their new stadium-seating theatre today. It's a limited release movie and was not playing around here anywhere. I wanted to go to Scrapbook Magic in Pekin, anyway, so this was an opportunity to do both in one day. And what a beautiful day it was for a drive. It was 75-80 degrees and gorgeous outside. I absolutely fell in love with the movie, especially in this time when a lot of young people think money is everything and that the world owes them a living. Nice to see something like this to lift up the spirits.

Enjoyed Scrapbook Magic, although it's a bit far from home. The drive was a little over an hour, but we will see. The store is medium sized and she carries a lot of nice stuff.

Got home and talked to Kendra on the phone for about an hour and that was nice. Even got to talk to Autumn and Trina a bit, too. Autumn is such a sweetie and I'm hoping I will be able to get off that Friday (the 6th) to babysit the two girls. We could have our Easter then and spend some time with them. Miss them....

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Art

Can you tell.....I've been on Blogthings again?????

You Are Best Described By...

Impression, Sunrise
By Claude Monet

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

3/20/2007 - Trendy Tuesday Tv Husband Challenge

Good morning ladies! Today's trendy Tuesday? Tell me about your tv husband... you know, that guy on tv that you crush on? Obsess over?

My first tv boyfriend was Mike Seaver from Growing Pains. .... Sigh.

Now, I have moved on to tougher, meaner pastures. I am officially Mrs. Jack Bauer... unless of course Michael Vartan from Alias returns to tv, then I will be Mrs. Whatever Character Michael Vartan plays.

My husband informed me that he would be Mr. Jennifer Gardner in whatever show she was on (I guess we are an Alias kind of family). Look out Ben Affleck!


When I was really young, I wanted to be Mrs. Dr. Ben Casey (Vince Edwards) and then I graduated on to wanting to be Mrs. Pete Cochran (Michael Cole of Mod Squad). Next came Mrs. Appolo (Richard Hatch of Battlestar Galactia. Then there was Mrs. Spike (James Marsters of Buffy....okay so maybe I didn't want to be a vampire, but Spike was still hottttt!).

Currently there is a tie between the good-boy/bad-boy.....Mrs. Jack Shephard (Matthew Fox) and Mrs. James "Sawyer" Ford (Josh Holloway) both of LOST!

Monday, March 19, 2007

Coffee Addiction.....

Okay, this is kinda long, but I LOVE it!

You Know You're Addicted to Coffee When...
You can jump start your car without cables.

You answer the door before people knock.

You get a speeding ticket even when you are parked.

You've worn out your third pair of shoes this week.

Your eyes stay open even when you sneeze.

You grind coffee beans in your mouth.

You can type sixty words per minute -- with your feet.

You soak your dentures in coffee overnight.

You sleep with your eyes open.

You have a picture of your coffee mug on your coffee mug.

Instant coffee takes too long to make.

You channel surf faster without the remote.

You don't sweat... you percolate.

You short out motion detectors.

You walk twenty miles on your treadmill before you realize it's not plugged in.

The only time you are standing still is during an earthquake!

You've worn the finish off your coffee table.

All your kids are named Joe.

Juan Valdez named his donkey after you.

People get dizzy just watching you.

Starbucks owns the mortgage on your house.

The nurse needs a scientific calculator to take your pulse.

The Taster's Choice couple wants to adopt you.

When someone asks 'How are you?' you say, 'Good to the last drop'.

You buy milk by the barrel.

You can outlast the Energizer bunny.

You can take a picture of yourself from ten feet away without using the timer.

You can't even remember your second cup.

You chew on other people's fingernails.

You don't even wait for the water to boil anymore.

You don't get mad, you get steamed.

You don't need a hammer to pound in nails.

You don't tan, you roast.

You forget to unwrap candy bars before eating them.

You go to AA meetings just for the free coffee.

You go to sleep just so you can wake up and smell the coffee.

You have to watch videos in fast-forward.

You haven't blinked since the last lunar eclipse.

You help your dog chase its tail.

You introduce your spouse as your coffee mate.

You just completed another sweater and you don't know how to knit.

You lick your coffeepot clean.

You name your cats Cream and Sugar.

You ski uphill.

You speak perfect Arabic without ever taking a lesson.

You speed-walk in your sleep.

You spend every vacation visiting Maxwell House.

You think being called a drip is a compliment.

You think CPR stands for Coffee Provides Resuscitation.

You'd be willing to spend time in a Turkish prison.

Your first-aid kit contains two pints of coffee with an I.V. hookup.

Your coffee mug is insured by Lloyds of London.

Your lips are permanently stuck in the sipping position.

Your nervous twitch registers on the Richter scale.

Your only source of nutrition comes from Sweet & Low.

Your taste buds are so numb; you could drink your lava lamp.

Your Thermos is on wheels.

You're so wired, you pick up AM radio.

You've built a miniature city out of little plastic stirrers.

You've worn out the handle on your favourite mug.

You take your morning coffee with you in the shower.

Your heart beats noticeably faster as a reaction to the smell of coffee.

You actually get these jokes and pass them on to other friends who are addicted to coffee.

Sunday, March 18, 2007

Right Now?

3/18/2007 - What are you earning right now?

This might be my favorite quote yet. Really. Hope you have a wonderful Sunday!

In old age you must put up with the FACE, the FRIENDS, the HEALTH, and the CHILDREN you have EARNED. -Fay Weldon.


Earned? To me, it's more like CREATED. My face looks the way it does in part because of the care or lack of I've taken in the past. Too many sunburns and not enough sunscreen (back in the 50's and 60's that didn't exist) and the creams and gentle cleansings I'm giving it now. I'm learning more each year about my skin and learning to love it no matter how it looks.

My friends....they have come from the way I've treated people in the past. Some have come in and out of my life because of lack of keeping up, changing and differing attitudes towards things. And some have stayed because of learning to value friendship as we get older. As I've gotten older, I've developed more friendships and hung onto them because of their value.

Health....once again, we create a lot of our own health. It comes from the way we eat, exercise, lifestyle, genetics and attitude. Health is one area where I'm experiencing some changes within the last 3 years, but my attitude keeps getting better and better.....so that has to be a plus.

Our children....well, we definitely created them and molded them a lot into the persons they are now. Whether for good or bad, they pick up our habits and traits. I loved raising my children, but now that they are grown, my love for them is even greater as I see them develop into mature adults whom I can relate to on a grownup level.

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Green Day!

Happy St. Patricks Day!!! 3/17/07

May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.
~Irish Blessing

Do you celebrate St. Patricks Day? Green Beer? Corn beef and cabbage? Do you celebrate your ethnic heritage on another (less green) day?


We mostly celebrate this day with food and wearing green. I'm a redhead and part Irish, but we aren't really partying kind of people. Sometimes I make corn beef and cabbage and sometimes we make Rubens. This time we were planning on going out to a new restaurant and have Rubens, but David came home sick from work and we couldn't go. So.....I went up to ElPaso and got Rubens, fries and Ruben soup (that was to die for) and we celebrated that way. He's feeling much better now so it turned out okay.

Friday, March 16, 2007

Love Cynthia!

Lynsey sent out emails to everyone on The Paper Moon's mailing list that we were having a surprise party for Cynthia Friday night at Carrie's church. We all made 8X8 scrapbook pages about our years at the store. It turned out wonderful. We all got there about an hour before she did. Joan even stopped by her house after her husband (Randy) took her and the boys out to eat and picked up her mom to be there. She had actually worked at the store to help out a bit at one time.

She totally didn't see it coming and was very pleased. We all told a lot of stories and made plans to do things in the future. Lisa is in the process of setting up her basement into a scrapbook haven for all of us. She even bought the big AccuCut die-cut machine from the store and most of the good dies. We are all planning several page-swaps throughout the year. Carrie is having crops on the 2nd Friday nights of the month at her church. She is going to work at Scrapadoodle (who is moving into a larger spot) and they even want Cynthia to teach some classes. Cynthia is wanting to host some scrapbook weekends also so things are looking up. Carrie also is having classes for scrapbooking and stamping the last Saturday of each month, which I have already signed up to bring treats in April for. Just so happy that we can all spend that special time together.


Cynthia, Joan, Karin & Danette



Carrie and Joanie



Lisa and Chris




Randy, Cynthia's Mom, Cynthia and 2 of her 3 boys
(and yes, they are all as tall as they seem)



Cake & Flowers (we each brought a flower)



Our weekend at Stony Creek and we ate out at Jonah's
Second page is Vonda, Cynthia & Danette in the crop room/bottom picture is Chris in crop room



National Scrapbook Day, May 6, 2000 at Freedom Hall in Morton, IL (where Cynthia lives). (unknown, Janet, Karin, me, Wendy, Jocelyn, unknown, husband & wife, Rose, unknown) Second page, Janet & myself and behind is us I don't remember them. This was my first all-day crop ever and fell in love! It was called "A Prescription For My Addiction" and we had to dress up, as you can tell by the photos, like doctors and nurses.

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Winning the Lottery!

3/14/07 JACKPOT!!!

I'm going to do a lot of fishing.
— ED NABORS, 52
a Georgia truck driver who stepped forward to claim half of a $390 million jackpot, the richest lottery prize in U.S. history


So what would you do?


Well, first I would have to actually play the lottery to win, which I don't. There have been those rare occasions, but not often enough to ever win. But if by some fluke I did win, I would find me a great investment counselor. I would pay off the house (which is close to being done anyway) and give a large portion to my favorite charities. There might be one BIG vacation, but there wouldn't be a lot of splurging. I'm 7 years away from retirement and not sure if I would stick it out or not. Just depends on a long talk with dh and how I'm feeling.

But I love the idea of being able to give to charities I love and having money to make sure retirement is as comfortable as possible. I would also get a new phone number and give it out to NO ONE except my daughter, granddaughter and son! NO ONE ELSE!

Tuesday, March 6, 2007

Trendy Tuesday - I Must Admit:

Well ladies, pull up a chair to today's coffee hour. I am a Chai Latte girl myself, how about you? Today's trendy Tuesday topic ... admit something!

Here are a few of mine -
I am not a pet person. With a few exceptions (Barb's dog, Memphis) I do not really want a pet or to play with others pets. This doesn't mean I hate animals - I really don't, just don't want any myself!
I hate watching movies more than once. There are very few movies that I have seen over and over - Top Gun, Legally Blonde, Braveheart. I also hate watching tv show reruns.
I do not crave sweets - candy, chocolate... much more of a salts girl!

What about you?


- I do not drink soda - EVER - not any kind, flavor or brand.

- We have 14 steps going upstairs and 12 going down to the basement and I count them EVERY SINGLE TIME I go up or down.

- When we have company and I set the table, it has to be absolutely perfect with plates all the same space from the edge of table, silverware on the correct sides of plates and knives facing the correct direction.

- Cannot stand anyone coming up to me and touching my hair!

- Keep a stash of goodies (chocolate, cookies and some chips) in my craftroom hidden from the rest of the world.

- I have Chapstick with me at all times, 365 days of the year. It's in my pocket, both cars, on my nightstand and in every room of the house.

Okay, I'm starting to sound a little OCD even to myself!LOL!

Monday, March 5, 2007

Monday's Thought.....

Monday: What do you want?

The first step in getting what you want out of life is this: decide what you want.
-Ben Stein

Seems like a big thought for a Monday.


It is very easy to let every day just slip away without thinking about what you want. We all want the basics - food, getting to and from work, taking care of our children or spouse - just the basics. There isn't much thinking involved in that. Just routine. But to really think about what we want out of life - that's another story. I know a lot of people who don't think beyond today or tomorrow. Any maybe occasionally a vacation or small future event. But I'm talking about the big things in life, like what kind of person do you want to be, what kind of legacy do you want to leave behind. It takes time and effort to come to definite decisions about what your belief system is and what kind of person you will strive to be. And then, for me, lots of prayer and spending time with God. I know I want to constantly improve in my thoughts and actions towards others. It's easy to love those who love you or are just nice people, but what about those people that others have a hard time getting along with. What kind of person do I want to be towards them?

I want to be kind to everyone and patient and calm during all of life's storms. I'm striving and praying but will always be going in that direction.

Sunday, March 4, 2007

Gotta Love Coffee Quotes!


Saturday 3/3/07: Coffee

"Coffee: creative lighter fluid." -Floyd Maxwell


Creative lighter fluid? Definitely! Coffee can get me charged quicker than anything (other than my rather active 3 year old granddaughter and my talkative 30 year old daughter). Working an odd schedule (night shifter), David and I live a rather odd life. Coffee is my staple, my lifeline on the weekends and keeps me alert when I need to be. I don't overdo, but a good cup can get me down here in my craft room creating instead of sitting on my butt and flipping through channels on the TV.

Starbucks is my place of choice and I drop in every Saturday morning after work, although we have some other wonderful places in town. I love the Coffee Hound downtown with a very friendly atmosphere (and David says "hot chicks"). Then there is Bevande over at Eagle Station area. They make the best Cafe Mocha,,,,,using dark chocolate. I order my coffee beans from Coffee AM online because they carry good beans and the most extensive line of flavored coffees I've ever seen.

A few more of my favorite quotes......

"If it weren't for caffeine, I'd probably have no personality at all!"

"Coffee: Water with an Attitude!"

"Decaffeinated coffee is the devil's blend."

"Decaf? No, it's dangerous to dilute my caffeine stream."

"The morning cup of coffee has an exhilaration about it
which the cheering influence of the afternoon or evening
cup of tea cannot be expected to reproduce."
Oliver Wendell Holmes



"I make serious coffee - so strong it wakes up the neighbors."

"I don't have a problem with caffeine. I have a problem without caffeine!"

" Coffee falls into the stomach ... ideas begin to move,
things remembered arrive at full gallop ... the shafts
of wit start up like sharp-shooters, similes arise,
the paper is covered with ink ..."
Honore de Balzac




All said and done, I'm a coffee person.

Saturday, March 3, 2007

I'm Back!

Boy, have I ever neglected my blog these last couple of weeks. Been busy and couldn't seem to find time to get to it. Had some projects to get caught up on. But I'm back now....so I'm leaving you with a little story I found on someone else's blog..........hope it makes you smile!


An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole, which she carried across her neck.
One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water, at the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After 2 years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house."The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your
side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.
For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

SO, to all of my crackpot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!