Ten Favorite Things

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens......this week's Ten on Tuesday post highlights Ten of My Favorite Things:

1987

Twenty years ago Ronald Reagan was President, the New York Giants won the Superbowl, the world population reached 5 billion, and Baby Jessica fell down a well. It was a time when the show Married With Children hit the air and everyone learned how to "Walk Like an Egyptian." Iran Contra was in news, evangelist Jim Bakker resigned and Liberace died. And I graduated from high school.

Last night I attended my 20th high school reunion - I was really undecided about whether to go or not, but I'm so glad I did - I really did enjoy it. My graduating class was large - nearly 1000 students - and there was a good turn-out at the reunion. It was a good thing we had name-tags because often I would recognize a face but be unable to recall a name - or I would see the name, look at the face, and think, "No way!" Some were grayer, some balder, some heavier - one or two have had cosmetic surgery (yes, I noticed!). I saw a lot of old friends - talked with a lot of people for the first time in 20 years - danced and drank beer and had a good time (how can you NOT have fun with 80's music playing?)! Most of the people that I wanted to see were there, but not all. My high school boyfriend who ended up breaking my heart into a million pieces within a year of graduation was not there - too bad because I wanted him to see what he missed out on! Ha! But another person I really connected with my senior year was there, and it was great catching up with him. He's a really good guy, was a good friend to me back then, and I have never forgotten him - in fact I still have notes and poems and things he wrote to me. I hope that we can keep in touch now.

I stepped back in time last night - and it was a fun trip. Can't wait for the next one!

Postcard from Camp

Hi, Mom! We're having a great time at Camp Nana! Yesterday Nana took us to see Ratatoullie and it was really good! We think it would be really cool to be a chef. Today Granddaddy took us to the Houston Museum of Natural Science and we got to see the exhibit on Imperial Rome, which was really really interesting. And we saw the dinosaurs and a bunch of other neat stuff. Tonight we are having popcorn and watching some movies Nana rented for us. Tomorrow morning we're going out to breakfast!

We miss you! See you Sunday!

Love,

Your Kids

Things that make me go, "Huh?"

Camp Nana

Today my kids leave for Camp Nana - four fun-filled days with Bubba's Mom and Dad (who only live 15 minutes away and we see them nearly every day anyway)! It's a tradition we started several years ago when the kiddos stayed with Mom and Dad while Hubby and I went on a week-long Caribbean cruise. Now every summer they spend several days and nights with their grandparents and they do fun stuff like crafts, field trips to the museum and movies, and just hang out and be spoiled. They love it. And Hubby and I enjoy the break. We don't have any big plans except attending my 20th high school reunion on Saturday - eek I feel old! Other than that we will enjoy the peace and quiet for a few days. Aaaaaaah!

Happy 4th of July!

Appropriately, the Foto Pherrets word for this week is FLAG!

Ten Things To Do Before I Die

While composing this week's Ten on Tuesday list, Tim McGraw's song Live Like You Were Dying kept running thru my mind. Here's my list of things to do before I die.....

1. I know this will be on a lot of people's lists, but I really want to swim with dolphins - I have swam with stingrays in Grand Cayman and it was incredible! Now I want to swim with dolphins. I know there are several places in the Caribbean where you can do this, and the next time we go on a cruise I will likely check them out. But I really want to go to Discovery Cove. It's pricey, but it looks oh so awesome!
2. See my children grow up, hopefully graduate from college, and have happy, successful lives
3. Be a grandmother
4. Overcome my fear of flying so that I can travel and see more places (like Las Vegas!)
5. Take Drew Bear to Disney World
6. Be debt-free
7. Own my dream house
8. See the Astros win the World Series!
9. Celebrate my golden wedding anniversary (50 years!)
10. Learn sign language

Nerds

Here's the scene - two 13-year-old girls and their 10-year-old brothers. The girls have come up with a brilliant plan for a club - a specially-themed club that they have invited the boys to join. The boys decided to form their own club; ironically it is identical to the girls' club.

Now here is how the argument would go amongst normal children:

Girl: "Mom, they're copying us!"
Boy: "Nuh-uh!"
And so on and so on....

Here is how the argument goes with MY kids:

Daughter: "Mom, they PLAGIARIZED us!!"
Son: "No, you didn't COPYRIGHT it!"

Nerds.

Dream House

I got an e-mail from an old friend recently and she told me that she and her husband were getting ready to build their "dream house". That got me to thinking - what defines one's "dream house"? If I won the lottery, what would my dream house look like? What would yours look like? Does anyone really have their dream house? Barbie has hers, altho it has changed over the years so I'm thinking she gets bored with it and needs an upgrade every so often. I'm sure my friend and her husband bought a nice piece of land somewhere - after all, location is everything - and have drawn up plans to build a lovely house with all the bells and whistles. There are a plethora of home improvement shows on TV now to show us just how crappy our stuff is and tempt us with the latest and greatest gizmos and gadgets - things that make life more convenient, or things that are just plain cool.

I don't think my dream house can be built. I think it must be found. My dream house is old - an historic Victorian house with real hardwood floors and a big front porch. Something like this in Beaufort, South Carolina:


Or this in Natchez, Mississippi:

Or this (OK, this is cjh's house, but I do covet it!):

I don't need anything too fancy - I like the oldness of them. Just updated enough to make life comfortable (I do need my dishwasher, microwave, indoor plumbing, etc.). But you can't build houses like that. They must be discovered - like a hidden treasure. Perhaps one day I'll discover that treasure for myself, and then my dream house can be a reality!

Friday's Feast #6

Friday's Feast for the last Friday in June:

Appetizer

How many pieces of jewelry do you wear most days?

My wedding rings and 3 earrings (two in one ear, one in the other); sometimes in the summer I will add a toe ring.

Soup
What is your favorite instrumental song?
Right now I would have to say the theme to Pirates of the Caribbean.

Salad

Who has a last name that you like?

Me! :-)

Main Course

Name a popular movie you’ve never seen.

E.T.

Dessert

Fill in the blank: Nothing makes me ___________ like ____________.

Nothing makes me groan in pleasure like a good foot rub!

Way to go, Biggio!

Tonight Craig Biggio became the 27th MLB player to reach 3000 hits in his career (and only the 9th to do so with the same team)! I have been a Biggio fan for a long time - he has played his entire 20-year career with the Houston Astros. Not only did he get hits 2998, 2999, and 3000 tonight, but he added hits 3001 and 3002! Five hits in one game! Carlos Lee capped off the night with a walk-off home run in the 11th - a grand slam at that! It was a great night in Minute Maid Park, indeed!

Congratulations, Craig! Well done!

Thank you. Thankyouverymuch.

Wow! I am so honored to have this award bestowed upon me by Stacey over at JameeForever!!! I think she is a Rockin' Girl, too! Thank you Stacey! Now I must give the award to five fabulous blogging women. I choose:

USO Girl - She's new to blogging but oh so cool! Even tho I talk to her nearly every day, I love the way she writes about things in her blog - and she takes GREAT pictures!

Pigs - This is the first blog that I read that was someone I didn't know personally, and I read it every day! This girl is so talented in her writing, and she is hilarious! Her baby, Piglet, is the cutest, and so is her beagle Gus. You gotta check her out!

Eddie - I linked to Eddie thru Pigs - they are BFF's and I really enjoy reading her stuff, too. She's a way cool college prof.

Get AMPed - Another friend of Pigs, this girl cracks me up, too. She's living in New York City right now and loving it!

cjh - cjh is a college friend of Bubba's, and she's super cute and fun! She has a neat job and a cute little house that I covet.

Congrats to all! Get the award button from my blog (above) and pass it on to more Rockin' Girl Bloggers!

It's hot here.

Took this picture of my van's thermometer while I was out running errands today......

Time

This week's Foto Pherrets word is TIME. It has been 1 year since my grandmother passed away - this picture of her and my grandfather was taken a long, long time ago....

Return of Navy Son

Navy Son comes home from Italy today - he has finished his tour of duty there and is on leave until he reports to the Naval Academy Prep School on July 29 (his 3rd anniversary of enlistment!). Right now Hubby is picking him up from the airport. I don't know how much we will see of him while he's here, because he's got a lot of peeps to see and hang with, and he's actually staying with his his great-grandmother (Hubby's granny) while he's here. But we will enjoy him while we've got him and then send him off to do more great things. Watch out world!

My Visual DNA

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Be sure to click on "Read my VisualDNA" above for a complete interpretation! I think it describes me pretty well!

Ten Greatest Bands of All Time

This week's Ten on Tuesday list - the Ten Greatest Bands of All Time! Oh, this'll be easy, I thought. Ha! Had a hard time narrowing it down to ten. Here's my final cut (in no particular order):

1. Bon Jovi
2. Aerosmith
3. Journey
4. The Beatles
5. Styx
6. AC/DC
7. The Eagles
8. Van Halen
9. The Rolling Stones
10. Guns N' Roses

An Honorable Mention goes to Def Leppard, The Police, REO Speedwagon, and Lynyrd Skynard. They rotated on and off my list all week. I wish it was Fourteen on Tuesday this week!

So, does my list date me or what?? Ha! Rock on!

Oh, and since you're here checking out my list, check out USO Girl's list, too - she's a new blogger and needs more readers!

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Tagged Again!

I've been tagged again - this time by Jolene of The Middling Monettes. Here is my list of Eight Things That I Know:

1. I know that I will spend eternity in Heaven with Jesus Christ.
2. I know the words to a LOT of songs.
3. I know that after two or three drinks I will be quite tipsy. This is especially true if I haven't had very much to eat!
4. I know that putting Hubby in charge of taking pictures or video is a bad idea. He tends to cut off heads.
5. I know how to drive a stick shift.
6. I know that no matter how hard I try, I can't yodel.
7. I know that sometimes you just need your mom.
8. I know how important the little things are.

OK, now I have to tag some people - I choose Bubba's Mom, USO Girl, Crazy Working Mom, and Mz. Jackson.

Have fun!

One, two, three.......BREAK!

Why is it that bad things always happen in threes? Like things breaking......just this week we have had a hat trick of things breaking around here! It started off with the kids' computer - we think it needs a new video card, but we're not 100% sure. Hopefully that will be an easy, inexpensive fix. Then the lawnmower broke. Mechanically Inclined Hubby tried in vain to fix it, but it's looking like we need a new one. That might not be so inexpensive. The doozy of them all this week was that Hubby broke a tooth! The dentist says he needs a crown - and maybe even a root canal! Even with dental insurance, this is NOT cheap!

Reminds me of another movie quote: "Sometimes life has a way of just kicking the shit out of you." I can't remember what movie that's from - I want to say Terms of Endearment - but I'm not sure. Oh well. It's true.

Friday's Feast #5

My Friday's Feast is served......

Appetizer

Name a funny habit you have.

always keeping the TV volume on an even number

Soup

If you could instantly know how to play a musical instrument, which one would you pick?

the piano

Salad

How long is your hair?

Well, I just got quite a bit cut off for summer, but I would say about shoulder-length, maybe a tad shorter.

Main Course

When was the last time you forgave someone, and who was it?

I struggle with forgiveness - little things are not a problem, but the big stuff - well, I tend to carry a grudge. I would have to say my kids or my husband, tho I can't think of for what! Must not have been a big deal!

Dessert

What is your favorite kitchen appliance?

my microwave - ha!!

A new meme!

Thanks to USO Girl I have found a fun new meme - Foto Pherrets!

This week's word is SUMMER. I know I used this picture in another meme, but it is one of my absolute favorites (and one of my absolute favorite places to go in the summer - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina!)

Texas News

This is the kind of stuff that happens where I live:

Calf Runs Down Freeway Feeder

HOUSTON -- A calf kept humans at bay for nearly an hour and a half as it ran down a freeway feeder road early Thursday. Harris County Precinct 8 deputy constables said the calf charged a woman twice as it ran along the Gulf Freeway feeder road near Clear Lake City Boulevard at about 1:30 a.m. Deputies used the patrol cars and a wrecker truck helped guide the calf back into a hole of a fence, where it escaped. No injuries were reported.

Ten Movies I Like to Quote

This week's Ten on Tuesday list was a fun one!

1. Gone With the Wind ("I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow.")
2. Ghostbusters (" We came, we saw, we kicked its ass.")
3. Bull Durham ("I believe in the soul, the c**k, the p***y, the small of a woman's back, the hanging curve ball, high fiber, good scotch, that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, overrated crap. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter. I believe in the sweet spot, soft-core pornography, opening your presents Christmas morning rather than Christmas Eve and I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days. [pause] Goodnight.")
4. Caddyshack ("Cinderella story. Outta nowhere. A former greenskeeper, now, about to become the Masters champion. It looks like a mirac... It's in the hole! It's in the hole! It's in the hole!")
5. Forrest Gump ("Me and Jenny goes together like peas and carrots.")
6. Pirates of the Caribbean ("Savvy?")
7. Hope Floats ("Dancing's just a conversation between two people. Talk to me.")
8. Finding Nemo ("Cuz we were like, "woaaaah.", and I was like, "woaaaah." and you were like, "woaaahh...”)
9. Talladega Nights ("Help me Jesus! Help me Jewish God! Help me Allah! AAAAAHHH! Help me Tom Cruise! Tom Cruise, use your witchcraft on me to get the fire off me!")
10. Steel Magnolias ("That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.")

Music Skipping Meme

Found this fun meme on ilovegoaliesplits' blog! This should be interesting, since I have over 750 songs in my music player!!!

- Put your music player on shuffle.
- Press forward for each question.
- Use the song title as the answer to the question even if they don’t make sense.

How am I feeling today? "Let's Hear It For the Boy" by Deniece Williams (appropriate for Father's Day! Let's hear it for the dads!)

Will I get far in life? "Shake for the Sheik" by Escape Club

How do my friends see me? "I'll Always Be Right There" by Bryan Adams

Where will I get married? "I Want You Bad (And That Ain't Good) by Collin Raye (hmmmm....)

What is my best friend’s theme song? "Since U Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson

What is the story of my life? "Livin' on Lone Star Time" by Dub Miller (that's a good one!)

What is/was high school like? "You Want To Make A Memory" by Bon Jovi

How can I get ahead in life? "In My Daughter's Eyes" by Martina McBride

What is the best thing about me? "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me" by Elton John

What is today going to be like? "I Want It That Way" by the Backstreet Boys (ha!)

What is in store for this weekend? "Celebration" by Kool & The Gang

What song describes my parents? "You're Beginning to Get to Me" by Clay Walker

To describe my grandparents? "Go Rest High on That Mountain" by Vince Gill (I promise I'm not manipulating this!)

How is my life going? "Shine" by Collective Soul

What song will they play at my funeral? "The Best I've Ever Had" by Gary Allen

How does the world see me? "Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus" by Alan Jackson

Will I have a happy life? "Sparks" by Coldplay

What do my friends really think of me? "Come Sail Away" by Styx

Do people secretly lust after me? "You've Never Been This Far Before" by Conway Twitty

How can I make myself happy? "You Sang to Me" by Marc Anthony

What should I do with my life? "The Beaches of Cheyenne" by Garth Brooks

Will I ever have children? "House of the Rising Sun" by The Animals (this makes no sense at all, unless my children are the animals.....ha!)

What is some good advice for me? "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt

How will I be remembered? "This Is How You Remind Me" by Nickelback

What is my signature dancing song? "Livin La Vida Loca" by Ricky Martin (ha!)

What is my current theme song? "Sneaky Snake" by Tom T. Hall (Don't laugh! I used to love singing this song with my Granddaddy so that's why I have it! And no, I'm not sneaky, but I do like root beer!)

What does everyone else think my current theme song is? "Shake It Up" by The Cars

What type of men/women do you like? "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol (Hubby works in the automotive industry - how perfect is that?)

Cinderella, dressed in yella, went upstairs to kiss a fella.....

OK, first of all, I may not be the best person to comment on this, because I do not work out. I don't think I've ever been to a gym. I dance - that's it. But it must be working for me because I'm 5'1'' and I weigh less than 100 pounds and I'm pretty healthy. So. Anyway, I was reading the paper the other day (yes, I read the newspaper) and I came across an ad for this. A ropeless jump rope. I am thinking this is the dumbest thing I have ever seen!

WHY NOT JUST JUMP UP AND DOWN??

Friday's Feast #4

TGIF and bon appetite!

Appetizer

Fill in the blank: The best thing about where I live is __

___being near the ocean (OK, it's the Gulf but close enough)____…

Soup

Create a new name for a deodorant (like “Flower Fresh” or “Shower Scent”).

Summer Rain

Salad

What was the last piece of software you installed onto your computer?
I can't even remember!

Main Course

If you were to receive a superlative award today beginning with the words ”Most likely to…”, what would the rest of the phrase say?

....take a nap!

Dessert

What two colors do you like to wear together?

khaki and navy

You're a grand old flag...

Happy Flag Day!

Ten Awesome Things About Me

Another challenging Ten on Tuesday post for me - I don't tend to see myself as awesome in any way. I'm just me. So I got help on this one - I asked ten people to each tell me something awesome about me! So here's what I came up with - according to those who know me best, here are Ten Awesome Things About Me:

1. I am a true and loyal friend with a great capacity to love unselfishly.

2. I am a wonderful mother - the greatest compliment I could receive from my own mother. She said, "It comes so naturally to you, like you were born to mother. And, of course, your children reflect that."

3. I'm an awesome tap dancer.

4. I can eat whatever I want and not gain weight (many envy this).

5. I keep in touch with my family and friends and remember all their special days (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.).

6. I am great at organizing things, whether it be vacations, files, photos, whatever (some say this is anal, however at least one person in my life thought it was awesome, so there!).

7. I can roll out of bed and be ready to go somewhere in 30 minutes. No dilly-dallying and waiting around on me!

8. I'm fun to hang out with and always make people laugh and feel good about themselves.

9. I take awesome pictures - I have a good eye for photography.

10. I may not cook meals very well, but I can make a damn good dessert!

Awwww......hearing that that's what other people think of me.......now THAT makes me feel awesome!

Happy Tuesday!

Weekend Randomness

Pat-A-Cake, Pat-A-Cake, Baker's Man.....

My kids have taken up baking - a fun summer thing for them to do! Of course they aren't baking anything from scratch - we don't even have scratch in our house. I don't even think my store carries it because I've looked and I can't find it anywhere. So I settled for an 88-cent cake mix. They started easy - just a Bundt cake. Mix it up, mix it up, throw it in the pan! Delicious! Next they moved on to muffins - my personal fav - and last night it was lemon bars (again, from a mix, but oh so delicious!). So this summer we always have something freshly baked sitting around to snack on, and the kids are learning some good skills. As Martha would say, it's a good thing.

Last Week's Soup

Some of my blogger friends were concerned for me last week that my stress level was up at an 8. Well, I'm happy to report that this week it is way down - I'd say a 2. The worries that were hanging over my head have been resolved (and who says worrying doesn't do any good?) and I'm feeling good about life once again.

Make New Friends, Keep the Old; One Is Silver, The Other is Gold

My grandmother used to have a pillow with that little adage stitched upon it. I have some wonderful friends in my life (including my BFF USO Girl!) but lately here in the blogging world I have made some new friends - and for that I am blessed. Thank you all for the visits to my blog and all the comments - it's so nice to "meet" you all! Come back often!

Pirates - Arrrrrrr!

This afternoon we're going to see the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie (At World's End). I have heard that it is long and rambling and hard to follow, but definitely worth seeing. Since I get to spend a great deal of time watching my Pirate Love Captain Jack Sparrow, I'd say that's going to be worth the price of admission alone!

We've also started watching the new summer reality show Pirate Master - it's by the same guy who produces Survivor. So far it is just OK in my opinion - I don't love it like I do Survivor and my other reality shows, but it's good entertainment for the summer.


That's all I've got for now! Everyone have a great weekend!

Welcome, USO Girl!!

Everyone head over and check out my BFF's new blog: Just Call Me Part of the USO

Welcome, sweetie! I think you will find blogging to be lots of fun (and hopefully entertaining for Coastie Brother).

Friday's Feast #3

Friday's Feast for today - enjoy!



Appetizer

What do you consider to be the ultimate snack food?

Brownies, hands down.

Soup

On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 as highest), about how popular is your last name?

Probably about a 3 or 4.

Salad

Who is your all-time favorite sitcom character, and why?

Chandler from Friends - before he hooked up with Monica!

Main Course

Do you shop online? If so, name some sites you like to browse for goodies.

I rarely shop online, but I do like Amazon for books and CD's. You get them so fast!

Dessert

Fill in the blank: I think ___________ should be ___________.

I think birthdays should be special.

Absolutely. Ridiculous.

They've let Paris Hilton out of jail already. This is a travesty. A sham. A mockery. A traveshamockery!! (Can't remember which commercial that came from, but it sure is funny!)

She is a spoiled brat. I'm ready for her 15 minutes to be up.

****UPDATE****

Ha ha - she's going back! Read this online just now:

LOS ANGELES(AP) Paris Hilton was taken from a courtroom screaming and crying Friday seconds after a judge ordered her returned to jail to serve out her entire 45-day sentence for a parole violation in a reckless driving case.
"It's not right!" shouted the weeping Hilton.

Awwwwww........poor Paris! NOT!

Ten Things I Wanted To Be When I Grew Up

What a fun Ten on Tuesday topic this week! Here's my list of my childhood aspirations....

1. Ballerina (I didn't have the ankles for this as a career.)

2. Artist (I have no idea why this was appealing to me because I can't draw well at all....but I always did like to color....)

3. Veterinarian (Doesn't every kid want to be this at some point in their life?)

4. Circus performer (Something with a beautiful costume and graceful animals....)

5. Teacher (This career goal actually made it to my college years....and I guess as a dance teacher I still kinda get to do this.)

6. Psychic (I used to try SO HARD to have psychic powers!!! No dice.)

7. Author (Would still like to be this someday.)

8. Miss America (Would also like to be this someday.)

9. Barrel racer (Again, glitzy cowgirl outfit, beautiful horse....)

10. A Mommy (the greatest job in the world, and it's the one I ended up with! Yay me!)

Dream On...

OK, all you dream interpreters - figure these out!

Dream #1 from Thursday night: For some reason I am in Dallas and have to fly home on a plane (I am very scared of flying). My mom is with me and she is telling me I'll be fine - it's less than an hour and it'll be good practice for my flight to Disney this fall (which is really happening). But she is also trying to get me to check a bag that has a big, black gun in it! And I'm freaking out that they're going to detain me or something because I brought a gun on the plane (even tho I checked it with my baggage and didn't carry it on or anything). Next thing I know, I'm on the plane, but I realize I have gotten on the WRONG plane and I'm headed to Los Angeles! Panic!

Dream #2 from Thursday night: I am at the dance studio where I work, getting ready to teach my baby class. But I can't because the room I use is being taken up by a bunch of the teachers and students rehearsing for some big dance show they're going to be in. And I'm thinking, "Why wasn't I asked to dance in this show? I'm one of the best dancers in this studio!" So I'm kinda pissed. Then I notice what appears to be a kitten has gotten into the dance room, then I realize it's a squirrel! So I go to pick it up and take it out, and it bites me on both my hands. Hard. There's some blood. Now I'm scared I'm going to get rabies.

Dream #3 from Friday night: Hubby and I have a little Chinese girl (I'm not sure if we adopted her or what, but we had her). BUT the Chinese Government is coming to take her back, AND take all of our things! Anything that is touching the floor is fair game. So Hubby and I (and for some odd reason, Hubby's brother) are running around hiding things and putting them up off the floor so the Chinese Government won't get them. I'm trying to think of what possessions I cherish the most and where I can hide them. We are cramming stuff everywhere.

What is up with all that?!??!?!?

Friday's Feast #2

Friday's Feast for today! Enjoy, and Happy Friday!

Appetizer

Name something you think is “the best.”

The BEST summer snack - strawberries and my homemade fruit dip (1 block of cream cheese, 1 jar of marshmallow whip, and 1 cup of powdered sugar, blended well)

Soup

On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 highest), how stressed are you today?

8

Salad

What kind of cleanser do you use to wash your face?

soap and water (I know - gasp!); I do use cold cream to take off my eye makeup on the rare occasions I do wear eye makeup

Main Course

Tonight is a blue moon! What is something that you believe only happens “once in a blue moon.”

It only snows in Houston once in a blue moon - but I'm thinking that's NOT gonna happen today!

Dessert

When was the last time it rained where you live?

Not counting a passing sprinkle, then Monday (Memorial Day) - it was a complete washout!

I was born a skinny white child....

Summer is here, and I'm just waiting for the teasing to begin. The ribbing and jokes about how WHITE I am! "Don't you ever get out in the sun?" "Girl, you need a TAN!" "I think they can see you from space you're so white!" You get the gist.

I really can not tan. Not easily, anyway. However, I can burn real good. I have had some BAD sunburns in my life - sunburns that caused me to have to call in sick to my job because I couldn't put on clothes. Sunburns that were so deep they looked almost blue. Sunburns that made me physically ill. I worry now about the effects of my adolescent vanity and stupidity in the sun-worshipping department. I really don't want skin cancer. Really. Don't. And frankly, I don't care if I'm tan anymore, either. White and healthy or bronzed and cancer-ridden? I'll take my Southern magnolia skin any day, thankyouverymuch. So if you don't like the way my pasty, toothpick-skinny legs look poking out of my shorts - well, then don't look. I probably haven't shaved them in a couple of days anyway.

My Ten Greatest Accomplishments in Life

This week's Ten on Tuesday list was tough for me......I don't really feel like I have made great "accomplishments" in my life - except for my kids. Those three kids are the greatest things that I have done in my life. I didn't graduate from college, I don't have a high-powered career, I haven't battled any major diseases (altho I watched my mother do it), I haven't changed the world in any big way. But I have raised a son to be a fine young man, and am raising a daughter and another son that amaze me every day with their wonderfulness. So if that is my only legacy - to be their mother and to have helped shape them into who they are - then that is the greatest legacy of all.

So here are some other things I have done that, to me, are pretty neat accomplishments:

1. Trained and danced with a professional ballet company
2. Found the courage to leave an abusive ex-husband
3. Overcame fear and rode all the roller coasters at Disney World
4. Won a bowling tournament
5. Went from renting a home to owning one
6. Survived the Hurricane Rita evacuation without going crazy and killing someone
7. Became a dance teacher so I can give children the gift of dance (see a small success story here)
8. Ended unhealthy relationships and cultivated new, healthy ones
9. Supported my husband thru difficult times
10. Swam with stingrays in Grand Cayman

Tag - I'm It!!!

Wow - I've never been tagged before! I feel so special! This tag is courtesy of Michael - Lover of Amy:

What were you doing 10 years ago?
May of 1997... Navy Son (who was not yet in the Navy, of course) was 11, Darling Daughter was 3, and Baby Son was 2 months old....so probably just adjusting to life with three children! We were also getting ready to buy our first house - they built it over the summer of 1997 and we moved into it in November.

What were you doing 1 year ago?
Pretty much the same thing I am doing now - recovering from dance recital and looking forward to a relaxing summer! We were also in the process of selling our rental house, a process that took FOREVER but thank goodness we finally got it sold! Now if we could just sell the one we're in now we'd be in good shape.....

Five snacks you enjoy:
1. Chocolate candy - pretty much any kind
2. Mrs. Baird's mini-donuts (first choice - powdered sugar; second choice - chocolate)
3. Homemade Muffins - favorite is blueberry, but tonight I had a banana nut one and it was pretty yummy
4. Jelly beans (Brach's only, and no black ones! Ick!)
5. Fritos and bean dip

Five songs that you know all the lyrics:
1. "I Want You To Want Me" by Cheap Trick
2. "Livin' On A Prayer" by Bon Jovi
3. "Folsom Prison Blues" by Johnny Cash
4. "Fishin' In The Dark" by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
5. "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins

Five things you would do if you were a millionaire:
1. Pay off all of our debt
2. Set aside money for the kids' college
3. Buy my dream house
4. Take a really cool vacation
5. Buy Astros season tickets

Five bad habits:
1. PROCRASTINATING! If it weren't for the last minute I wouldn't get anything done!
2. Putting something in a "safe place" and then forgetting where I put it!
3. Eating candy
4. Not hanging up/putting away laundry (I think our underwear and socks perpetually live in the dryer!)
5. Letting my car get really really low on gas.

Five things you like doing:
1. Dancing
2. Travelling
3. Scrapbooking my travel photos
4. Taking a bubble bath
5. Fishing

Five things you would never wear again:
1. A white bathing suit!!
2. Leg warmers
3. Short-shorts (a la Daisy Duke)
4. For the same reason as #3, a mini-skirt
5. Braces

Five favorite toys:
1. my computer
2. my digital camera
3. my DVR (Who invented this? Brilliant!)
4. 20Q (that thing is SMART!)
5. I just can't think of anything else. I'm not that into "toys".

OK, I've never tagged before - but I'll give it a try:

Katie Lady
cjh
Samantha Jo
Hootin' Anni
StaceyG

Friday's Feast #1

Another meme I think will be fun: Friday's Feast. Here is my first:

Appetizer

Name a sound you like to hear. the ocean

Soup

What is your favorite kind of cheese? queso dip

Salad

Do you sleep late on Saturday mornings? Why or why not? I sleep late whenever I can!!!

Main Course

When was the last time you forgot something? What was it, and how long did it take to remember it? I also forget stuff all the time - in fact, I can't even remember the last time I forgot something, but I'm sure it was today!

Dessert

Fill in the blank: I notice ___bad manners____ when __I'm eating out___. (Like men who do not remove their hats at the table!!!)

And the winner is......

Eric and Danielle - Winners of The Amazing Race 11

Earl Cole, winner of Survivor: Fiji

Apolo Anton Ohno and his partner, Julianne Hough, winners of Dancing With The Stars

and Jordin Sparks, winner of American Idol

All of my reality shows have come to an end for the season. And I am happy with all the winners, altho I really wanted Dustin and Kandice to win The Amazing Race and Yau-Man to win Survivor. And I kinda wanted Joey to win Dancing With The Stars. But I'm OK with the ones that did win. All were good. Congrats to them all!

So now that those shows are over, a whole new bevvy of reality shows is beginning for summer! Last night was the premiere of On the Lot, which I DVR-ed and have not yet watched. Tomorrow brings a new So You Think You Can Dance?, which I enjoyed watching last time around. Next week I plan to check out The Next Best Thing and Pirate Master. I don't know how any of these shows will measure up to my favorites, but they should provide reasonable entertainment for the summer. That and my Houston Astros. I don't think I'll have to give up my Prime Time Couch Potato title just yet!

Ten Favorite Pics I've Taken

At first I thought this Ten on Tuesday list was going to be hard, because most of my favorite pictures are of my family - and I don't really want to post personal pictures on my blog. Then I started looking thru my pictures and it began to be hard to narrow my favorite non-family photos down to only ten!! So after much hemming and hawing, here are the ones that made the final cut:

My favorite subject next to my kids - my dogs!

Naughty Little Boy Dog - but isn't he cute?!?

My favorite place in the world!

My favorite place in the world at night!

My other favorite place in the world - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Another one from Hilton Head - I took this from the boat and then petted this dolpin on his nose! His name is Blackbeard and he lives in the wild, NOT in captivity.

The Texas State Capitol at night...

The inside of the Capitol, looking up into the rotunda....

The Mississippi River from the deck of our riverboat cruise...

Graceland

And another one down....

Another successful dance recital has come and gone.....this year was a little easier on me than last year because I didn't dance in any dances at all. I only had to work in a teacher capacity and everything went pretty smoothly as far as that goes. My greatest achievement of the weekend came Saturday afternoon - my class of babies (3- and 4-year olds) was all ready for their first recital - they looked precious in their tutus and ballet slippers - but one, the youngest one, was completely overwhelmed by the backstage ruckus, and clung so tightly to her mother's legs that I thought she was trying to climb back into the womb. After convincing Mom to leave, I took Baby Ballerina into my arms and we removed ourselves from some of the din and found a quiet place to sit and chat. Mainly she just leaned up against my chest and hid her tear-streaked face from the world, but the more we talked the more she relaxed, and soon I had her waiting in the wings on her own two ballet-shoed feet, attached to me now only by her little hand. Would she go on stage? Would her mother get to see her Baby Ballerina's debut into show business? I gave her all the Teacher Love and Kindness I could muster up, and she did, indeed, go on. She danced, she smiled - SUCCESS! This is why I do what I do.....the smell of the grease paint, the roar of the crowd.....and the smiling faces of my dancing little girls when they come off that stage and hug me. I love it.

(Sniff!) One More

Add this one to the list of Songs That Make Me Sad:

Waxing Poetic

I have loved this poem since I studied it in high school, and its lines are in my mind as our journey thru life takes us once again into the many summer mornings.....

Ithaca

by Constantine P. Cavafy

When you set out on your journey to Ithaca,

pray that the road is long,

full of adventure, full of knowledge.

The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,

the angry Poseidon -- do not fear them:

You will never find such as these on your path,

if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fine

emotion touches your spirit and your body.

The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,

the fierce Poseidon you will never encounter,

if you do not carry them within your soul,

if your soul does not set them up before you.

Pray that the road is long.

That the summer mornings are many, when,

with such pleasure, with such joy

you will enter ports seen for the first time;

stop at Phoenician markets,

and purchase fine merchandise,

mother-of-pearl and coral, amber and ebony,

and sensual perfumes of all kinds,

as many sensual perfumes as you can;

visit many Egyptian cities,

to learn and learn from scholars.

Always keep Ithaca in your mind.

To arrive there is your ultimate goal.

But do not hurry the voyage at all.

It is better to let it last for many years;

and to anchor at the island when you are old,

rich with all you have gained on the way,

not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.

Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.

Without her you would have never set out on the road.

She has nothing more to give you.

And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not deceived you.

Wise as you have become, with so much experience,

you must already have understood what Ithacas mean.

What's in a name?

Found a cool link on one of the blogs I linked to today - and here's what I found out:

My name is the #159 most common female name.
0.142% of females in the US share my name.
Around 181,050 US females have the same name as I do!

So of course I had to look up the info on the rest of the family:

Hubby has the #842 most common male name.
0.007% of men in the US share his name.
Around 8575 US men have the same name as he does!
So he's a little more unique than I am....

Navy Son has the #246 most common male name.
0.063% of men in the US share his name.
Around 77,175 US men are named the same thing he is!
Not as unique as Hubby, but moreso than me.

Darling Daughter has a very rare female name.
Very few females in the US share her name.
She should be proud of her unique name! (I am proud I gave it to her!)

Youngest son has the #739 most common male name.
0.009% of men in the US share his name.
Around 11,025 US men are named the same thing he is!
So he's still not as unique as Hubby, but unique nonetheless....

I find this all very fascinating.

Ten Songs That Make Me Sad

My Ten on Tuesday list for this week - Ten Songs That Make Me Sad:

1. Where've You Been? by Kathy Mattea
2. Walking Her Home by Mark Schultz
3. Because He Lives (because it was my grandmother's favorite hymn and hearing it makes me think of her)
4. To Make You Feel My Love by Garth Brooks
5. After All This Time by Rodney Crowell
6. Don't Take the Girl by Tim McGraw (the video is really the killer on this one)
7. I'm Already There by Lonestar (go ahead - watch the video and try to not cry)
8. Hurt by Johnny Cash
9. Whiskey Lullaby by Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss
10. It's Your Song by Garth Brooks (sorry, can't find a good link to this one)

Hmmm......mostly country songs. Interesting.

Cole Survivor

So Earl Cole is the $1-million winner of Survivor: Fiji. I'm OK with that, but I really think Yau-Man should have won, and he would have if Dreamz hadn't gone back on his word and had given Yau-Man Immunity in the Final Four like he said he would. I think that is the lowest act since Johnny Fairplay told his dead grandmother story in Season 7. But oh well. Earl played the game well, so congratulations to him. Maybe he'll buy Yau-Man a new truck.

I'm not tellin'!

The Ten on Tuesday topic this week was "Ten Things Most People Don't Know About You" - cjh's list is great (especially #4 - it reminds me of something the Ya-Ya's would do!). I really wanted to do this this week, because I love to make lists anyway and putting lists on my blog is extra fun! But the more I thought about it the more I realized - the things that most people don't know about me are things I don't want most people to know about me! I'm not a very secretive person - those who know me know me well (in fact, Hubby thinks I blab too much sometimes). But there are some things - maybe not even ten - that I just don't want everyone to know. So, sorry! No Ten on Tuesday list for me this week. I'm already at work on next week's list, tho. It should be a good one!

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The Good

- Wonderful Son was baptized today and the church had a HUGE party for him (and the other people who were also baptized today). Our family and friends were all there and it was a fabulous, blessed event!

- Rookie Hunter Pence hit a grand slam in yesterday's Astros game!

The Bad

- The critter is still pitter-pattering around in our attic, eluding the trap.

- Despite a few hopeful showings lately, we still do not have a contract on our house.

- The Houston Rockets

The Ugly

- Roger Clements

Ten Movies That Make Me Cry

Inspired by cjh, who was inspired by geek and 10 on Tuesday, here is my list of Ten Movies That Make Me Cry (this was not a stretch for me because almost ALL movies make me cry!):

1. Titanic - bawled and bawled when I saw this one! Seriously. Bawled.
2. Fried Green Tomatoes - ditto, and it was first movie I saw with Hubby!
3. Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (cried when I read the book, cried when I saw the movie)
4. Hope Floats
5. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (yes, I know this was a comedy, but the end was sad!)
6. Forrest Gump
7. Big Fish
8. Parenthood
9. The Prince of Tides (my daughter's name comes from this book/movie)
10. Passion of the Christ (how could anyone NOT cry at this one?)

There are other classic tearjerker movies that I refuse to watch for that exact reason, like Stepmom or My Girl or The Notebook. I mean, why put myself thru that?