Wordless Wednesday - Haunted Mansion

Shock and Dismay

Tonight Sabrina Bryan was eliminated from Dancing With the Stars. She was, hands down, the best dancer on the show. How did this happen?!?

Birthday Bubba

Everyone stop over at Bubba's Blog and wish him a HAPPY BIRTHDAY today! He's the best brother anyone could hope for - I love him so much!

I'm still Mom and Dad's favorite, tho.

Happy Birthday, Dude.

Ten on Tuesday the Halloween Version

I'm not sure what's going on over at the Ten on Tuesday website, but it appears to be malfunctioning again. So I'm doing my own list again this week! I present to you:

Ten Halloween Costumes My Children Have Had

1. Garden Fairy (by far Daughter's cutest costume - she was 19 months old)
2. Pumpkin (Little Son's first - he was such a cutie!)
3. Dipsy the Teletubby (Little Son's second - again, too cute!)
4. Black Cat (Daughter - she was 2!)
5. Scooby Doo (Little Son)
6. Harry Potter (no, not Little Son, but Harry-Potter-Fanatic Daughter - even with the glasses and scar people thought she was Hermione. Ticked her off.)
7. Lady Knight (Daughter - she got on a knight kick, too, reading a series of books about a lady knight)
8. Pirate (Little Son)
9. Astronaut (Little Son)
10. Sandy from Grease (Daughter, who loved this movie in her pre-High School Musical days)

This year Daughter is going as a vampire cheerleader and Little Son as Phantom of the Opera. Happy Halloween, everyone!

Is my mommy gonna get lucky tonight?

It was several months ago, I believe - the USO Family and the Bubba's Sis Family were out together and decided to go to Barnes & Noble. We all head our separate ways in there - the men go one way, the women another, the kids yet another. So D and I are browsing about and we come across a table of High School Musical Magic 8 Balls. Cool! We decide to ask the Magic 8 Ball a question (come on, you know you would, too!). D picks one up and jokingly asks, "Am I going to get lucky tonight?" Her answer: "All signs point to NO." We giggle. Then we hear it. Unbeknownst to us, Daughter had walked up to the table, too, and thought she'd have better luck with another Magic 8 Ball....

"IS MISS D GONNA GET LUCKY TONIGHT?"

D and I just looked at each other, trying so hard not to laugh. Then Lamb joins in.

"IS MY MOMMY GONNA GET LUCKY TONIGHT?"

By now D and I are hysterical with laughter. Those sweet, innocent little voices asking such questions of a Magic 8 Ball! And not in a bookstore-quiet voice! People were starting to stare.

Apparently the girls couldn't get a satisfactory answer, so they kept asking,

"IS MY MOMMY GONNA GET LUCKY TONIGHT? IS MISS BUBBA'S SIS GONNA GET LUCKY TONIGHT?"

Now we are literally sitting in the floor, doubled over with laughter, tears rolling down our faces. The girls think we are upset because we're not going to get lucky. "Don't worry," they tell us. "You'll get lucky soon!"

If only they knew we were perfectly happy with "All signs point to NO!"

Someday, when they are much, much older and know what "getting lucky" really means, we will remind them of this incident. I can't wait to see their faces.

Drama Queens, Act II

Yesterday Drama Daughter and her BFF competed in the second Drama Festival of the school year - again, they competed in the same five events: Prose, Poetry, Storytelling, Group Acting, and Individual Improv. This time they each received FIVE Superior ratings (blue ribbons) and the coveted Five Star Trophy!

I expect Hollywood to be calling any day now.

Their next undertaking: UIL One-Act Play. They're doing Twelfth Night. I'm sure it will be fabulous!

Of Apple Pies, Orphan Trains, and Dancing Dogs

Because it's against the law to cook dinner at home on a Friday night in Texas (well, that's what I heard), D and I have taken to a Ladies' Night Out on most Friday evenings. Well, usually we take the kids with us, but not always. Tonight we did, but they sat at a different table across the aisle from us. We pretend we don't know them. D and I usually pick our restaurants based on the dessert choices. Our favorite is apple pie, and lately we have been jinxed in the apple pie department (both at Cheddar's, where they dropped it on the floor, and TGIFriday's, where they "just took it off the menu yesterday". Seriously. We almost cried.). Tonight we chose Chili's, even tho they don't offer a hot apple pie dessert. We just like Chili's. Much to our delight they now offer "mini desserts" - a small dessert in a shot glass - and one of the choices was caramel apple cheesecake, or something to that effect. Brilliant! So after snarfing up our Southwestern Eggrolls we each ordered one. Rather disappointing. NOT hot, full of raisins, and only fairly delicious. Oh well. Back to Cheddar's next time. Surely we won't be jinxed a third time, right? Right??

Apparently D and I take a long time to eat. It can't be all the talking we do. But for some reason all four kids finish up their meals WAAY before we do, and subsequently become bored. Now, they are very well behaved children - never make noise, complain, even get up from their table (which is how we can pretend we don't know them). But tonight's ploy to get us to hurry was long, sorrowful looks. Lamb pretended to sleep on Daughter's shoulder, while Daughter gave us her most pitiful expression. And they think WE embarrass THEM in public! D said they looked like they were on an Orphan Train. This made us crack up even more and take even longer to finish eating. That'll teach 'em.

Back at D's house, I was showing her my super-nifty new mp3 player I got for my birthday - she plugged one earbud into her ear, and I had one in mine. Surfing thru the songs, we started belting out "Raspberry Beret". We could totally be the next American Idols. D's dog Ty even started dancing along, pumping his body perfectly to the beat. I was impressed! Wait a minute. He's not dancing. He's......going to throw up! A hissy fit ensued, trying to get him outside before he barfed (didn't work), then trying to bribe one of the kids to clean it up ($5!! Also didn't work.) In the meantime Bear and Little Son are wandering about the house, needing scissors, tape, and "something heavy we don't need". Never a dull moment around here!!

Next time I'll tell about our precious daughters asking the Magic 8 Ball if their mommies are going to get lucky tonight.....

Friday's Feast #20

My 20th Friday's Feast!! Bon appetite!

Appetizer

Name a great website you would recommend to others.

The Breast Cancer Site - see the button on my sidebar!

Soup

On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 as highest), how often do you dream at night?

Um....a 12! I dream every night VIVIDLY. Sometimes I wake up exhausted. I even dream if I take a nap!

Salad

Did you have a pet as a child? If so, what kind and what was its name?

We had a miniature schnauzer named Chamois. I guess I just love schnauzers because now I have two!

Main Course

If you had the chance to star in a commercial, what would you choose to advertise?

Disney World!

Dessert

What is your favorite kind of hard candy?

Life Savers

Wordless Wednesday - Snuggle Puppy

Ten Random Thoughts

The official Ten on Tuesday site has gotten off schedule - or I have gotten off schedule. Either way, I've already done this week's list, and next week's. So here's something else for your reading enjoyment - 10 random thoughts of mine:

1. I think Halloween has gotten totally out of control. The decorations, the costumes, the marketing. It's nearly as big as Christmas.
   
2. Speaking of holiday decorations, I really hate those big inflatable things people put in their yards.
   
3. I got an mp3 player for my birthday (the big surprise) and I L-O-V-E it! I have 710 songs on it and I like to just put it on "shuffle all" and then I never know what's coming up next. But I know I'll like it because I put it on there!


4. I am already bored with Survivor. The challenges are pretty cool, but there are no good "characters" on the tribes. Where's the Colby, the Rupert, the Jonny Fairplay? These people are boring, and now that Aaron is gone, not even good to look at.


5. In fact, I'm bored with several of the shows I started out watching this fall. I'm whittling down that list on my sidebar.


6. However, I am excited that The Amazing Race is coming back next Sunday (November 4).


7. I want to be Julianne Hough when I grow up.




8. I thought I might miss teaching dance this fall. I don't. But I do miss dancing, and I think my body misses the exercise. Gotta do something about that......


9. I thought I would hate having a part-time job at Hubby's work. I don't. It's not so bad.


10. Little Son's school is asking for money again. Why don't I just arrange to have our paychecks directly deposited into the PTA's account??

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

Fall has arrived!

We finally got some cooler weather today - we woke up to temps in the 70's, but a front blew through, bringing some rainy, windy weather - and temps dropped to the lower 60's! Tonight it's supposed to be in the 50's!! Now some of you may not think that's too chilly, but that is 30 degrees colder than what we've been having the past few weeks, so to us....BRRR!

Friday's Feast #19

Happy Feasting!

Appetizer

If you were a dog, what breed would you be, and why?

I would just be a mutt with good characteristics of several breeds - loyal, loving, well-behaved, smart, and cute!

Soup

What does the color purple make you think of?

Oprah Winfrey

Salad

Approximately how long does it take you to get ready each morning?

30 minutes or less - I am very low-maintenance

Main Course

How many cousins do you have, and are you close to them?
I have three cousins - one on my father's side and two on my mother's side (one of which is Wendy Bird). I am very close to Wendy Bird - she's more like a sister than a cousin!

Dessert

Take your initials (first, middle, last) and come up with something else those letters could stand for. (Example: SFO = Sweet Funny Otter)

Just Damn Cute!

Wordless Wednesday - Kisses

What's your name?

Found this on USO Girl's blog and it looks fun!

RULES: Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following...they have to be real places, names, things...nothing made up! You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question.

What is your name? Jill (gasp! I just revealed my real name!)
4 letter word: jump
Vehicle: Jaguar
TV Show: Jeopardy!
City: Jackson
Boy Name: Jacob
Girl Name: Jolene
Alcoholic Drink: Jack Daniels
Occupation: jockey
Something you wear: jeans
Celebrity: Johnny Cash
Food: jelly beans
Something found in a bathroom: Johnson's baby powder
Reason for Being late: jinxed
Cartoon Character: Jessica Rabbit
Something You Shout: Jackass! (I've been known to shout this at other drivers...heh heh.)

My Ten Favorite Halloween Candies

Trick or treat! It's Ten on Tuesday!

1. Laffy Taffy - banana is the best!
2. Tootsie Pops
3. Tootsie Rolls
4. Special Dark minis
5. Reese's cups
6. Butterfingers
7. Whoppers
8. Milk Duds
9. Skittles
10. Now & Laters

Change

When I was in high school I was friends with a brilliant young man who wrote a sonnet in my senior yearbook; here is an excerpt:

"Before the last tear falls away
A final word I'd like to give.
So take my thoughts and from this day
Fly forward and in bliss do live....

To win the war 'gainst pain and strife
Accept CHANGE as a way of life."

I much prefer the mantra, "Change is bad. Change is bad. Change is bad..."

Change is hard for me. Perhaps it is the Libra in me that doesn't like my scales to be thrown out of balance. I do understand that change is necessary in life, but it seems like things just change too fast! New neighborhoods and shopping centers pop up overnight, changing the landscape of the town I grew up in so fast I can barely keep up. Stores where I regularly shop remodel and move everything around so I go in and am immediately lost. My children are growing up much too fast - and I love who they are becoming, but I miss those baby days, too. Couldn't I have just had a little bit longer? And my body is changing. Bubba's Mom always told me it would when I got to be about this age (I think I can hear her snickering). Nothing drastic, mind you. But things are shifting, wrinkling, pooching. Why can't I just stay the way I have always looked? I liked my 24-year-old body!!

Things change at Hubby's work - not always for the better. Things change at our church - puts everyone in a tailspin. But change is necessary for growth, and if you're not growing, you are dying. I may not embrace change, but I must accept it.

But why does it always have to be so scary?

This is my cat.

Yes, it appears that this IS going to be my cat after all. However Mustachio turned out to be a girl kitty, so now her name is Delilah. We fed her and she was voracious - now she gets a little bit of milk every morning and some Fancy Feast every evening. She loves me.

Hey, there Delilah....

Friday's Feast #18

It's Friday already? Time for Friday's Feast!

Appetizer

When was the last time you were surprised?
when I opened my birthday presents last Sunday!

Soup

Fill in the blanks: My eyes are ________, but I wish they were __________.
My eyes are A PRETTY BLUE but I wish they were LESS WRINKLED AROUND THE SIDES.

Salad

If you were a Beanie Baby, what would you look like and what would your name be?

I would be a cute, furry sloth with a crown and my name would be Queenie! Right, D????

Main Course

Name two things you consistently do that you consider to be healthy habits.
get yearly checkups and mammograms, eat my veggies

Dessert

What brand of toothpaste are you using these days? Do you like it? Why or why not?

I actually had to go look! It's Crest. Toothpaste is toothpaste.

Wordless Wednesday - Night Light

Ten Things That Worry Me

What, me worry? My Ten on Tuesday offering for this week:

1. Breast cancer
2. Alzheimer's
3. my children - their health, their safety, their futures, everything
4. money
5. Hubby's health
6. Hubby's job
7. the lump on Good Girl Dog's side - what if it's a tumor?? She is 7 years old today.
8. that cat hanging around my house, thinking he lives here, meowing at my door every night
9. my upcoming flight to Florida in November
10. not living up to others' expectations of me