Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Heloise is in the house...

I got this in an email. I thought I'd share because I can't be the only person who needs this information on a daily basis... If you try something, let me know if it works. I'll be trying the grout cleaning with Listerine today.

1. Budweiser beer conditions the hair

2. Pam cooking spray will dry finger nail polish

3. Cool whip will condition your hair in 15 minutes

4. Mayonnaise will KILL LICE, it will also condition your hair

5. Elmer's Glue - paint on your face, allow it to dry, peel off and see the dead skin and blackheads if any.

6. Shiny Hair - use brewed Lipton Tea

7. Sunburn - empty a large jar of Nestea into your bath water

8. Minor burn - Colgate or Crest toothpaste

9. Burn you r tongue? Put sugar on it!

10. Arthritis? WD-40 Spray and rub in, kill insect stings too

11. Bee stings - meat tenderizer

12. Chigger bite - Preparation H

13. Puffy eyes - Preparation H

14. Paper cut - crazy glue or chap stick (glue is used instead of sutures at most hospitals)

15. Stinky feet - Jello!

16. Athletes feet - cornstarch

17. Fungus on toenails or fingernails - Vicks vapor rub

18. Kool aid to clean dishwasher pipes. Just put in the detergent section and run a cycle, it will also clean a toilet.. (Wow, and we drink this stuff)

19. Kool Aid can be used as a dye in paint also Kool Aid in Dannon plain yogurt as a finger paint, your kids will love it and it won't hurt them if they eat it!

20. Peanut butter - will get scratches out of CD's! Wipe off with a
coffee filter paper

21. Sticking bicycle chain - Pam no-stick cooking spray

22. Pam will also remove paint, and grease from your hands! Keep a can in your garage for your hubby

23. Peanut butter will remove ink from the face of dolls

24. When the doll clothes are hard to put on, sprinkle with corn starch and watch them slide on

25. Heavy dandruff - pour on the vinegar !

26. Body paint - Crisco mixed with food coloring. Heat the Crisco in the microwave, pour in to an empty film container and mix with the food color of your choice!

27. Tie Dye T-shirt - mix a solution of Kool Aid in a container, tie a rubber band around a section of the T-shirt and soak

28. Preserving a newspaper clipping - large bottle of club soda and cup of milk of magnesia , soak for 20 min. and let dry, will last for many years!

29. A Slinky will hold toast and CD's!

30. To keep goggles and glasses from fogging, coat with Colgate toothpaste.

31. Wine stains, pour on the Mor ton salt and watch it absorb into the salt.

32. To remove wax - Take a paper towel and iron it over the wax stain, it will absorb into the towel.

33. Remove labels off glassware etc. rub with Peanut butter !

34. Baked on food - fill container with water, get a sheet of Bounce fabric softner and the static from the Bounce towel will cause the baked on food to adhere to it. Soak overnight. Also; you can use 2 Efferdent tablets, soak overnight!

35. Crayon on the wall - Colgate toothpaste and brush it!

36. Dirty grout - Listerine

37. Stains on clothes - Colgate

38. Grass stains - Karo Syrup

39. Grease Stains - Coca Cola , it will also remove grease stains from the driveway overnight. We know it will take corrosion from car batteries!

40. Fleas in your carpet? 20 Mule Team Borax - sprinkle and let stand for 24 hours. Maybe this will work if you get them back again.

41. To keep FRESH FLOWERS longer Add a little Clorox, or 2 Bayer aspirin, or just use 7-up instead of water.

Monday, March 30, 2009

A Story...

I received this in an email from a dear friend. I had to share it.


A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of the men on it were able to swim to a small, desert like island. The two survivors, not knowing what else to do,agree that they had no other recourse but to pray to God.

However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the island.

The first thing the first man prayed for was food. The next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the land, and he was able to eat its fruit. The other man's parcel of land remained barren.

After a week, the first man was lonely and he decided to pray for a wife. The next day, another ship was wrecked, and the only survivor was a woman who swam to his side of the land. On the other side of the island, there was nothing.

Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes, more food. The next day, like magic, all of these were given to him. However, the second man still had nothing.

Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that his wife and he could leave the island. In the morning, he found a ship docked at his side of the island. The first man boarded the ship with his wife and decided to leave the second man on the island.
He considered the other man unworthy to receive God's blessings, since none of his prayers had been answered.

As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from Heaven booming,'Why are you leaving your companion on the island?'

'My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for them,' the first man answered. 'His prayers were all unanswered, and so he does not deserve anything.'

'You are mistaken!', the voice rebuked him. 'He had only one prayer, which I answered.
If not for that, you would not have received any of my blessings.'

'Tell me,' the first man asked the voice,'what did he pray for that I should owe him anything?'

'He prayed that all your prayers be answered.'

For all we know, our blessings are not the fruits of our prayers alone, but those of another praying for us.

When Jesus died on the cross, he was thinking of you!

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Zebbie's New Scent

Zebbie is into scents... all kinds...
He sniffs everything - and I mean everything from rugs, to shoes, to plants, to mailboxes, to rocks, to blades of grass. You name it he sniffs it.
If he finds something he'd like to try out - like you and I do at the perfume counter at Macy's - instead of asking for a squirt of the scent on a card or a quick spritz on the wrist, he rolls in it.
Yesterday I was trying to get out of here in time to make it to Richmond for noon. Sounds simple enough... get the kids off to school, pack an overnight bag, get Mr. out the door for 9, pick up the kitchen and swap the wash on the way out the door.
It wasn't that simple.
Zeb requested to be let out at 9. At 9:25am he returned.
He stunk! And I'm not talking about eau de cologne spray here... I'm talking about Eau de Bear Sheet. Eau de Bear Sheet has an indescribable scent... kinda like a septic tank. He had bear sheet everywhere to go along with the smell. I assume he really loved this new scent. He had bear sheet under his chin and along his neck - yes, I know that's where most people put their cologne... But this was chunky and brown and yucky!
Can I tell you how disgusting it was to wipe off said bear sheet? It was so disgusting that I threw him in the tub and gave him a bath. He was not impressed with his bath at all, but I didn't much care. I could not have him rubbing that crap all over my house while I was gone!
After his bath, he tried to rub off the scent of Suave shampoo on his towel.. It didn't work. He still smells great. And his hair is shiny, too!
Eau de Bear Sheet is definitely off the list.

Friday, March 27, 2009

I'm off...

Like a herd of turtles...

I hope to be in Richmond by noon. I'll be the one in the blue shirt at the registration desk... That narrowed it down for you, didn't it? LOL! I know, it's always a sea of blue shirts behind the registration desk.

I'll be back to see the kids play tomorrow...

I'll be baking tomorrow afternoon for Sunday's 8th grade band picnic...

So - if you need me - now you know where to find me.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Little Bell Lost

When we were at the bell event on Saturday, I opened the cases to take the bells out and there was an imposter in there. It looked like a C#, it sounded like a C#, but it wasn't my brand new Schullie C#.

The label on the imposter's handle said PUMC. I brought the little bugger home and made some calls. It appears that C# belongs to my dear friend Ann who has located my sweet C# in her case. I think these impy C#s were attempting to pull a "Parent Trap", but WE can tell them apart. Their handles and disks are completely different. Silly C#s.

So, since the little PUMC# has nothing better to do, I figured I'd give her a taste of life in the country. She's sat on our counter and become part of the family. She's done laundry and dishes. She's made cookies and tacos. She's fed the dog and been rubbed on by the cats. She's had a real fun time riding in the car. She's been to school, the winery, the ice cream place, our favorite local burger joint, the dump, the high school track practice, the honor society meeting, and more. I even dressed her up in a lovely plaid ribbon. What a life!!

She's getting a little homesick and has requested to be reunited with the rest of her set ASAP. She will get her wish tomorrow evening when her siblings arrive in Richmond for the Area III Festival. She and I'll be heading down in the afternoon - I've got things to do and She is going to help me. We going to stuff packets at the registration table, put signs up, and generally help where ever we are needed until her family arrives.

I am ready to have my own sweet C# returned. I'm sure she's had quite a time and I can't wait to hear about all the wonderful things she did while she was away. Alas, her vacation is over. The school kids miss her terribly - the imposter is okay, but her handle doesn't feel the same in their hands and she just isn't as cute and shiny as their own. You know?

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Listerine Total Care

I was asked to review this new Listerine Total Care by Johnson's and Mom Central.
I can't say enough wonderful things about this stuff.

When I opened the box I saw this new purple mouthwash. I'm not one to gravitate toward anything purple, but this stuff has made me a purple lover! Mr. is pretty fussy about his mouthwash and he thinks Listerine Total Care is wonderful, too! He put it on our shopping list and is on the prowl for the giant sized bottle.

Listerine Total Care has 6 benefits in one swish -
* Helps Prevent Cavities
* Restores Minerals to Enamel
* Strengthens Teeth
* Kills Bad Breath Germs
* Freshens Breath
* Fights Unsightly Plaque Above the Gum Line


The original Listerine was always too spicy for me, but not this new Total Care. This stuff is great! It isn't too spicy - you can swish for the requisite minute and still have tastebuds when you are finished.

This wonderful stuff kept my mouth fresher over night. I didn't have that filmy residue on my teeth in the morning. THAT is enough to make me buy this stuff and not wait for a sale. That said, you don't have to wait for a sale! Head on over to Listerine.com and get yourself a $2.00 off coupon.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Fill in the blank

Erase my answers copy and paste the questions and fill in with your answers. It's fun.

1. My ex...I've been married 20 years.
2. Maybe...I should start exercising. Maybe tomorrow.
3. I love... ringing handbells
4. People say that I...am a little nuts.
5. I don't understand... calculus and physics
6. When I wake up in the morning... I can't believe the night has gone so quickly.
7. Life is...what you make it.
8. My past... is pretty boring!
9. I get annoyed... by things that don't work the way they are supposed to.
10. Parties...I'm going to one tonight.
11. I wish... I had enough cash to put the front porch on my house.
12. Dogs... are silly.
13. Cats... are cats.
14. Tomorrow... I am going to a handbell fest.
15. I have low tolerance... for laziness.
16. If I had a million dollars...I'd pay off and renovate the house and I'd invest the rest.
17. I am totally terrified... of losing a child.
18. My husband... is the best!
19. My life... is wonderful!
20. I lost... my mind a while back.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Ringing the bells..

This past weekend I was in Ocean City ringing handbells with 500 other crazy people who love to ring as much as I do. I was working, so I didn't get to ring as much as I would have liked, but it's okay. The clinician - Michael Kastner is phenomenal.

I drove with 2 lovely ladies from my church choir. They are really sweet and it was nice to get to know them a little bit better. It was a long drive and they kept me entertained the whole way both ways.

This weekend, we have another bell function - although it's much closer to home. Mr. and LLB will be joining me along with a few ringers from my church choir. I am hoping that a few ringers from my home church will also join me. The 6th Dimension will be there and they are going to ring for us!! They are awesome!

Next weekend I'll be in Richmond ringing at that Area III Festival. It's all handbells all the time around here in March!

Wanna ring?
Wanna try a festival?
Give me a jingle...
I can set you up!

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Theta Alpha Pi

That's a blast from my past!!!
Today I'm off to have lunch with two of my sorority sisters.
Yes, my friends, it's true. I was in a sorority.
I loved every minute of it. As a matter of fact I woke up with our song running through my head. I still have a sweatshirt and my paddle. I think if I looked long and hard enough I could find my pledge notebook.

I connected with these sisters on Facebook and they don't live too far from me. I've got to get my photo albums and the latest school pix of the kids and put them in the car.

I'm looking forward to reconnecting with these ladies.
It's been a long time since we sat in the hall and ate popcorn...

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Funny stuff

Mr. was on his way into the shower.
I swatted his bare but as he ran by.
I said, "Your butt is cold."
"It's my refrigeration unit."
Pause...
"It's gas powered."

I'm still laughing....

Saturday, March 14, 2009

A Meme

I'm off at OC. I borrowed this Meme from Melli.
Enjoy! I'll see you all when I get home on Sunday.


1. How old do you look?
I probably look a little younger than I am... Well, I hope I do.

2. Where do you live?
In a little house in the country.

3. Are you waiting for something?
I'm waiting for LLB to get up for school.

4. What’s one pet peeve of yours that is not common?
I HATE wet paper of any kind.

5. Do you want/have kids?
Yes. I had one of each and that's plenty.

6. Have you ever thought about converting your religion?
Nah... I'm protestant... whatever denomination is fine.

7. Last shocking news you heard?
Not much shocks me...

8. What was the last thing you drank?
Tea that Mr. made for me.

9. Who do you most look like in your family?
I look like my mom with some of dad tossed in there for good measure.

10. If you could have something right now, anything, what would it be?
New windows - all 27 - hardwood floors upstairs, and a farmer's porch out front... oh, and a red Kitchen Aid stand mixer

11. Where does most of your family live?
Here with me.

12. Where did you grow up?
MA, Spain, Saudi Arabia

13. Where do you want to go on vacation?
No where. I like to stay home

14. Have you ever had a panic attack?
Nope

15. What can’t you wait for?
This weekend to be over.

16. When’s the last time you told someone you loved him or her and meant it?
Today.

17. Have your parents ever smoked pot?
Hahahahahahahahaha!!!

18. Want someone back in your life?
No.

19. What do you order at the bar?
I don't order. Mr. orders. But I like a nice cold frosty beer.

20. When was the last time you cried really, really hard?
Ohhhhh... it's been a few months ago... God and I were arguing.

21. Ever licked someone’s cheek?
Eeewww... no.

22. What is your favorite thing to eat with peanut butter?
Fluff

23. Where were you on July 4th, 2008?
At home - I think.

24. What are your nicknames?
Mom, Hey you!, Dahling, Gorgeous

25. If you could go back in time, how far back would you go?
I wouldn't... I like my life and all it's conveniences.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

I killed him...

And I'm going to celebrate!

It only took 20 years.
We had a tumultuous relationship.
We went around and around.
Tonight was the last time I will ever have to turn him on...
He got over heated and then he died.
It was the late time he'll ever beat --- cake mix.
My mix master was pronounced dead at 8:30 pm this evening.

I find the moment bittersweet.
He was a gift from Mr. and he served me well.
But deep down I always wanted a red kitchen aid mixer.

So, now I can get what I want, but I'll miss the little guy in the closet.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Tuesday...

This weekend I'm off to Ocean City for a handbell festival. Do stop by and say hi if you are there. I'm the one in the blue shirt - that narrowed it down for you, didn't it?

Before I can even contemplate leaving on Friday morning, I've got to get all my ducks in a row around here. LLB has a million things going as does #1. Getting their schedules straight so I can give it to Mr. is top on my priority list. I am still not sure he's going to be able to get it straight in his head! Alas, if he follows the flow chart I'm constructing, he should be just fine... Well, as long as he doesn't deviate from the plan, he will.

I handed off 3 octaves of bells and foam to one of my ringers. She was NOT impressed with the quantity of crap we have to haul out there.

I need to purchase 3 large - okay large as in huge - space bags. Anyone have any idea where I can get them today? or tomorrow? What do I need 'em for? For foam. If I can suck the air out of the foam, we can actually fit people in my car! Imagine that?

Monday, March 09, 2009

The Ball

The Cotillion Ball was last night.
LLB looked gorgeous in her dress.

As she looked at herself in the mirror, she noticed that she had an hourglass shape - she was impressed. She should be! Ahh to be young and skinny... (I am not sure if I miss young or skinny more.)

HP was very handsome in his tux. See?He and his family arrived shortly after we did. He was walking up the sidewalk looking for LLB. He saw her and gave her a thumbs up. I guess that's the new fangled way of saying, "You look terrific!"

They got neon hats this year.

This is HP and LLB as they wait for the next dance to start.

LLB and HP had a great time dancing. They had some wicked cool dance moves. At the end of the night, they were trying something out or showing someone how to do something (I'm not sure which) and they did this twirl arm slide thing. (So, I don't know the terminology - shoot me!) R and I looked at each other with our mouths hanging open. Where did they learn how to dance like that? It was quite impressive!

LLB had a couple of other friends from school there. I asked if she danced with any of them. "No, they don't dance well." Okay, then.

LLB and HP are going back to Cotillion next year. It seems they like it. #1 might go back, too. Last night he realized how much he missed it. Here he is dancing the electric slide:Love those legs!

Sunday, March 08, 2009

A Big Enough Government

My friend Joyce sent me this in an email. I thought it important enough to share with all of you.

1. In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm and three or more is a congress..
-- John Adams

2. If you don't read the newspaper you are uninformed, if you do read the newspaper you are misinformed.
-- Mark Twain

3. Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress.
But then I repeat myself.
-- Mark Twain

4. I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle .
-- Winston Churchill

5. A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.
-- George Bernard Shaw

6. A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow man, which debt he proposes to pay off with your money.
-- G. Gordon Liddy

7. Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.
-- James Bovard, Civil Libertarian (1994)

8. Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries.
-- Douglas Casey, Classmate of Bill Clinton at Georgetown University

9. Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.
-- P.J. O'Rourke, Civil Libertarian

10. Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else.
-- Frederic Bastiat, French Economist (1801-1850)

11. Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases:
If it moves, tax it; If it keeps moving, regulate it; And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
-- Ronald Reagan (1986)

12. I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.
-- Will Rogers

13. If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free!
-- P.J. O'Rourke

14. In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other.
-- Voltaire (1764)

15. Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you!
-- Pericles (430 B.C.)

16. No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session.
-- Mark Twain (1866)

17. Talk is cheap... except when Congress does it.
-- Anonymous

18. The government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other.
-- Ronald Reagan

19. The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings.
The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery.
-- Winston Churchill

20. The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin.
-- Mark Twain

21. The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools.
-- Herbert Spencer, English Philosopher (1820-1903)

22. There is no distinctly native American criminal class... save Congress.
-- Mark Twain

23. What this country needs are more unemployed politicians.
-- Edward Langley, Artist (1928-1995)

24. A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.
-- Thomas Jefferson

Friday, March 06, 2009

Psalm 2008-2012

FROM THE FIRST BOOK OF DEMOCRACY


OBAMA IS MY SHEPHERD, I SHALL NOT WANT.

HE LEADETH ME BESIDE STILL FACTORIES.

HE RESTORETH MY FAITH IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

HE GUIDETH ME IN THE PATH OF UNEMPLOYMENT.

YEA, THOUGH I WALK THROUGHT THE VALLEY OF THE BREAD LINE I SHALL NOT GO HUNGRY.

OBAMA HAS ANOINTED MY INCOME WITH TAXES,

MY EXPENSES RUNNETH OVER MY INCOME, SURELY, POVERTY AND HARD LIVING WILL FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF HIS TERM.

FROM HENCE FORTH WE WILL LIVE ALL THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES IN A RENTED HOME WITH AN OVERSEAS LANDLORD.

BUT I AM GLAD I AM AN AMERICAN, I AM GLAD THAT I AM FREE.

BUT I WISH I WAS A DOG AND BARACK OBAMA WAS A TREE.

It's Friday...

And my week isn't over yet.
LLB is on the mend - the sinus infection from last week is almost vanquished... Hopefully the zithromax will stay IN her tummy after she takes it tonight. It made a repeat appearance last night and it was not pretty...

We have lessons and parties and band competitions and balls and church and meetings and more.. If you need me to do something - catch me on Monday. If you need me to sit and have a glass of wine with you - call the cell! I can definitely squeeze that in!

I have heard from a friend that my dear friend W is moving on with her life - I'm not sure this is such a good thing. I can only hope and pray that she knows what she is doing. I cannot condone her behavior, but I will always be here if she needs me. I am worried for her girls - hopefully they will come out of this fiasco strong, independent women. (I know their father is doing his best in that area.) Alas, I cannot fix the problems, but I can be her friend - whether she wants me to be or not.

Thursday, March 05, 2009

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Sack Lunches

I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight. 'I'm glad I have a good book to read Perhaps I will get a short nap,' I thought.

Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and
filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to
start a conversation. 'Where are you headed?' I asked the soldier seated nearest to me.

'Petawawa. We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we're being deployed to Afghanistan

After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached the east, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time..

As I reached for my wallet, I overheard soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch. 'No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks. I'll wait till we get to base '

His friend agreed.

I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill. 'Take a lunch to all those soldiers.' She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. 'My son was a soldier in Iraq; it's almost like you are doing it for
him.'

Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, 'Which do you like best - beef or chicken?'

'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class. 'This is your thanks.'

After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room. A man stopped me. 'I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this.' He handed me twenty-five dollars.

Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the
aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand, and said, 'I want to shake your hand.'

Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the Captain's hand. With a booming voice he said, 'I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.' I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers.

Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs.
A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.

When we landed I gathered my belongings and started to deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another twenty-five dollars!

Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. 'It will take you some time to reach the base. It will be about time for a sandwich. God Bless You.'

Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers. As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals.

It seemed so little...

A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life,
wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States of America' for an amount of 'up to and including my life.'

That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.'


H/T An email sender

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Snow...

The snow has come and it's still here - in patches.
The ice is here in patches as well. Fortunately, I can avoid them as I drive... Today was our 2nd snow day.

Today we went bowling. They had a wonderful time... although you won't see any of them on ABC Sports any time soon! There are no bowling prodigies in our family...
Let's just say that it's a good thing that colleges look for academic types more than athletic types...

Tomorrow morning the kids go back to school! Yippee!!
Not that I don't enjoy the kids when they are home, mind you... I'm just ready for them to go back to school so I can get on with my days...

Tomorrow evening we've got a concert... LLB - does she have that solo? No decisions have been made... Trust me... you'll hear her in Colorado if she doesn't get that solo... She deserves it. She worked hard to learn it. (It helps when you are the only trumpet in the band who can hit that high note.)

I'm ready for them to go back to school, to have their schedules back to the normal chaotic pace... BUT I like to keep them close. I like to have them home. I am going to miss them both when that big yellow bus pulls away... well, I'll miss them for a few minutes anyway.

NBA or NFL?

36
have been accused of spousal abuse

7
have been arrested for fraud

19
have been accused of writing bad checks

117
have directly or indirectly
bankrupted at least 2 businesses

3
have done time for assault

71,
repeat
71 cannot
get a credit card due to bad credit

14
have been arrested on drug-related charges

8
have been arrested for shoplifting

21
currently
are defendants in lawsuits, and

84
have been arrested for drunk driving
in
the last year

Can
you guess which organization this is?

Give up yet?


Neither,
it's the 435 members of the
United States Congress


The same group of Idiots that crank out
hundreds of new laws each year
designed to keep the rest of us in line.


H/T Joyce

Monday, March 02, 2009

Mending Fences

The election is over. It is time to repair friendships with the other party. Governor Sarah Palin is doing her part to do just that.

The rest of the world cannot understand how, after bitter election campaigns, American politicians can kiss and make up.

For instance, Governor Palin has invited to her great state of Alaska the men who defeated her--Barack Obama and Joe Biden. She has set up a moose hunting trip for their enjoyment and hired three prominent experts in their field to assist them.

Dick Cheney will lead them on the hunt; Ted Kennedy will drive them back to their cabins each evening; and Bill Clinton will entertain their wives and daughters.

H/T - my email in box

Current - By Discover

Discover - it's my favorite credit card company.
My discover card has a ladybug on it. (Need I say more?)

Anyway, Discover has come up with a new and innovative product - Current - It's designed for teens but tailored for parents! It's a way to give your teenager a "credit card" to learn how to manage money, BUT allow the parents control the spending. Check it out! It's actually one card for everything:
  • You can use the card for purchases big and small
  • Earn online and in-store discounts at thousands of stores and restaurants nationwide
  • Get cash when you need it at the ATM - 4 free withdrawals per month!
Parents have control...
  • You decide how much your teen can spend
  • Restrict shopping in categories like ATMs, hotels, tobacco stores, liquor stores, and more
  • Set daily, weekly, or monthly spending limits - This is my favorite!!
  • Monitor purchases online, or receive email or text message alerts
  • Add funds from your checking, savings account or direct deposit or even your own credit card.
Teenagers need to learn how to manage their money. They need to learn how to save and how to spend (although, sometimes I think they have the spending thing down pretty well!!)
  • Teens can access tools and tutorials that help them learn to spend smarter
  • Teens can directly deposit their own paychecks - it is certainly harder to spend your own hard earned cash!
Discover is there:
  • $0 liability guarantee means that we'll reimburse 100% of any fraudulent charges made with your teen's card
  • Disable a card if it's lost, and easily enable it when found
  • Because it's not a credit card, there will be no effect on you or your teen's credit history
Oh - and since we Discovercard users get to choose what our cards look like, the Current users do to! They have 7 wicked cool choices!

If you think this card is perfect for your family - sign up!
Need more information? Check out the FAQ.


This is a MomCentral post!

Sunday, March 01, 2009

Herding Cats...

It's a skill that Mr. perfected.
He gets out of bed, puts on his slippers and suddenly, 2 cats appear.
They look at him adoringly and meow a "good morning" (or "feed me!") at him.
He motions towards the door with his hand and they run - full tilt - out the door and down the stairs.
They knock each other over on their way down the stairs. They sound like elephants.
They stop short at the bottom and look up adoringly... they wait for their shepherd.
They sit and watch him make his way down.
When he reaches the bottom of the stairs they trot to the kitchen - Angel sits next to the bowl (she is the queen, you know). Mini Kitty rubs along his ankles purring.
He gets the food and plops it in the bowl while opening the back door with the other hand.
Angel eats.
Mini Kitty goes out.
Herding cats... it's quite a skill.

Drum and Bugle Corps

LLB has been invited to become a member of a new Drum and Bugle Corps - her first rehearsal is tomorrow. She will be playing for hours and she couldn't be happier - well, if she could actually breathe, then she might be a wee bit happier...
The poor kid is so stuffed up that she decided to skip the Battle of the Books competition she was scheduled to be at today. You have to know that she felt simply awful if she decided to stay home in her bed instead of hanging out with all her friends (to answer questions about the books they all read - how nerdy is that?).
This afternoon we gave her trumpet a bath in preparation for tomorrow. (Trust me. It needed it!)
Her trumpet is clean and disinfected, her valves are oiled, and her slides are greased.
Now, if we can just get her sinuses to drain and her ears clear out...