Just Breathe

HOORAY FOR ....

2012-02-24T00:00:00.006-08:00

It's Oscar Time....

So are you ready for the 84th Academy Awards? Are you super excited like I am to see Billy Crystal hosting this year? Best openings ever except for maybe Hugh Jackman who had a good one a few years ago. I love the tradition of getting together to watch the awards each year. It's similar to a Super Bowl party for us but we don't go all out and get dressed up like some awards parties do. We are simple folk! In case you didn't know this already Academy Award night is pizza night in our house. This is a tradition that comes from my childhood growing up. Our ballots are printed and ready to be filled out.

My Father was the manager of a movie theatre when I was growing up. That was back in the day when movie theatres were pretty special. No big mega theatres back then. He started out at 16 being a usher and moved his way up to manager. It was the Atlantic Theatre back in Chicago. It is not a movie theatre anymore. Well needless to say I spent a great deal of time at the movies. My all time favorite was (1959) Danny Kaye in "The Five Pennies." (it actually received 4 nominations that year) I really had no clue what we were watching in the earlier days but it was a fun pizza night which back then was a special treat!

So we have continued the tradition with our children and we have all been avid movie goes. There was a time when Mark worked from home and we would often go twice a week. I have to say that for the past several years I have not been prepared like in previous years. We just don't make it to the movies as often anymore. Well this year I decided to get back on track and see all the movies that I could. Of course that didn't start until the nominees were announced so I didn't get to see everything. I concentrated on Best Picture nominations.

BEST PICTURE NOMINATIONS:

THE ARTIST*

THE DESCENDANTS*

EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE*

THE HELP*

HUGO*

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS*

MONEYBALL*

THE TREE OF LIFE (came in the mail yesterday!)

WAR HORSE*

(*=I saw this movie)

I also saw "My Week with Marilyn" and "The Iron Lady" plus a few other movies that have nominations. Have to say that the actresses and actors nominated gave excellent performances also. You have no idea how excited I was on Thursday evening when Mark brought in the mail and the The Tree of Life came from Netflix! How perfect was that timing? So it is safe to say that I have seen all the Best Picture nominations.

I was going to give them stars and review them but decided not too. I have to say that all the nominated movies that I saw were very good. They all easily get 4 stars, The Help is a 5 and The Artist is a 5+ in my opinion. I know everyone has their opinions on movies. There are a lot of wonderful stories to be told and these movies all kept my interest throughout the entire movie. How do you choose one when they are each so different yet wonderful. I think it is a year of excellent movie nominations! Hope you all get the chance to see these movies someday.

The Academy Awards are on Sunday February 26th starting at 4pm Pacific time on ABC with the Oscars Red Carpet Live and the 84th Academy Awards starting at 5:30 Pacific time. So the will be 7pm Eastern time and 6pm Central! It is the one award show that is presented live in all time zones.

Have a nice weekend and party on!

p.s. If you want to print out a ballot you can go here. If you want to know what the Academy Award is all about you can check it out here.

WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE

2012-02-22T00:00:00.000-08:00

1. February 22nd is National Be Humble Day...what makes you proud? What keeps you humble?
My children make me proud. My handkerchief ministry makes me proud. The broken hearts in our world keep me humble.

2. Where is the catch-all (aka dumping ground) in your house?
I have things on one end of the kitchen counter and then my sink in the bathroom which drives me crazy. I love an empty bathroom counter and mine is a mess right now!

3. Do you make it a point to visit State/National Parks when you travel or even in your own hometown? What's your favorite?
Yes, definitely, they are a must!!! Hard to pick one, I have been to a lot of them.

4. How would you define honor?
I am super sleepy this week so I am just putting something from the dictionary cause nothing is coming to mind. HONOR: honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs and actions.

5. Angel's food or Devil's food-which cake do you prefer?
Angel Food is my choice!

6. What's the most recent road trip you've taken? Where did you go and how many hours did you spend in the car? Do you like to zoom to your destination without stopping or leisurely wind your way there with stops along the way? What is your car snack of choice?
Well we went to San Diego but that is a short car trip. Mammoth Lakes in the summer is about 5 1/2 hours. Since we stop for Jerky and Sheepherders Bread in Bishop, CA we don't pack anything. I usually have water. We don't normally eat in the car :)

7. Recent headlines told how a preschool child in NC had their packed lunch from home taken away and a school lunch substituted by a school inspector who deemed the homemade lunch unhealthy. Reportedly the parent was then billed for the school lunch (chicken nugget meal) although an update to the story says the parent was not billed. The inspector was conducting a routine inspection of the classroom-he/she was not there solely to peek in the lunchboxes. The packed lunch contained a turkey and cheese sandwich, an apple juice box, a bag of chips, and a banana. You can read the story here. Your thoughts?
It sounds like an okay lunch to me. I think they need to be looking for other important signs of abuse to children.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Want to say thank you to thank Nani at The Chronicles of Nani for giving me two awards last Thursday. If you don't know Nani just click on over and visit with her. I am a new follower of her blog. It always feels good to be noticed and loved.

LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL

2012-02-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

Just to touch base on my last post before I get started on this one: I was telling Mark how I got a lot of comments on my last post. (I enjoyed your comments and understanding on my behavior) He said what did you post about? I said I posted about what a jerk I was about Valentine's Day and how I said to you "I will let them sit and the porch and die" regarding the flowers.

Well what I didn't mention is that the flowers from a very popular place where not in the best shape when they arrived. It surprised me because they always send the best! I didn't want to tell him but I felt that the company needed to be notified about it. So anyway I told him about my post and Mark with his awesome sense of humor said "Well after you told me that you would just leave them on the porch I made sure I called them and told them to just go ahead and send her dead flowers!" Gotta love him!

So we did talk about the flowers when he came home but I just had to ask him a question about something he gave me for Christmas. I told him that his gift of the Pandora bracelet should have made his Valentine's gift an easy choice. I just assumed he would go and get a little heart charm for it. He said he totally forgot about it. I told him that I didn't want the bracelet to fill myself, I wanted charms from him or the children to fill it up with things that they would love to give me for it! You agree with me on this one, right?

So Mark often watches Guy Fieri on the Food Network and he had seen one on a pizza place in San Diego. We go to San Diego several times a year for a day trip. We will either go to La Jolla and eat at The Spot or go to Carlsbad to eat at Jay's which are two favorites of ours. Since he had given last weekend to work he decided not to go into work on Friday. Since we didn't spend Valentine's Day together and he thought about visiting the pizza place he had watched with Guy, we headed to San Diego on Friday.

(You don't have to watch this, I just wanted to show you that is was on Food Network)

So the pizza was just okay but Mark and I had a great drive and a day of some great conversations. Look at the old San Diego electrical poles. I always love the flower shops in San Diego on the corners of several streets. How do you like my shadow shot of the Turf Super Club? So you see the bread on the shelf. Well if your into low carb you may have heard of the Smart Carb #1 bread from Julian Bakery. Well they are in La Jolla and yes we bought several loaves. Sometimes you just want a piece of bread!

So after stopping for bread and eating at Luigi's we headed to Carlsbad to go to the Premium Outlet Mall and walked around. We picked up a few things at Crate & Barrel. I looked at purses but nothing said "Bye me!" We stopped in Carlsbad to get a few pictures of the ocean. After we left Carlsbad we ended up stopping at the mall to go into a Macy's. Mark has been looking for a Winter top coat for his trip to Europe. He will be going to Finland and Switzerland which are both pretty cold this time of year. Well we ended up finding a very nice coat. The sign said 60% off and then you got an additional 10% off. The coat was $350. but it only rang up at 40% off. We told the man that the sign said 60%. So he went over, took the sign off and said this is your lucky day, no one else is going to get this deal. So with tax it came out to be around $137.00! Can't beat that deal. What a fun day we had.

On Sunday we went to Los Angeles to meet up with Adam & Tristen. We went to The Museum of Contemporary Art. I saw my first original Pollock! We had a very nice time looking at the artwork on display. Afterwards we went out to eat at Masa of Echo Park Bakery & Cafe'. It was perfect. Casual, unique and Chicago deep dish pizza! We had a wonderful late lunch with wine, salad, garlic bread and awesome pizza. (of course I stuck to my diet) See the modern building in the picture, that is the Walt Disney Concert Hall which was just down the street from the museum.

So what do you think, pretty busy weekend for me don't you think?

P.S. I know this post looks long but in order to get my header to be centered I had to make my page narrower.

JUST THE TRUTH, MA'AM

2012-02-17T00:00:00.000-08:00

1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 NIV
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Mountains on Thursday, loved how the sun was hitting the peak.

So I was a little upset with Mark that he was going to be out of town for Valentine's Day. I mean it's okay, I get the business aspect of it but why would they schedule a convention during Valentine's week. See the problem is that my poor hubby has to tread lightly around me. I've been hurt, I have learned to deal with jealousy most of the time but sometimes it shows it's evil little head. So he decided not to mention that this trip was during Valentine's Day.

So one day I was looking at the calendar and bingo there it was, his trip would make him out of town for that special day. Well Debby went into her pity party for one and made of point of asking him why he didn't tell me. I'm like it would have been nice if you had come to me and said "Honey, I will be out of town this year for Valentine's Day so do you want to celebrate before I go or when I come home?" Seems simple to me but he is never sure how I will react so being quiet is usually his plan. Doesn't always work for him!

So I was a little pi**ed off when he left. I made a point of telling him in my sweet voice "you better not send me flowers because they will sit by the front door and die!" Don't you just love me sweetness, my ability to be understanding. Sometimes I amaze myself. He left the Friday before and I got a card in the mail from him which was lovely. Then on Monday the flowers arrived. He sent them Monday because I go out to bowling on Tuesday's running errands afterwards. Well I took them in and opened them up. Honestly I was missing him and these little tokens were melting my heart.

Well we did have a good laugh the other night. See in all honesty I could not find the Valentin's card I bought for him. But since I was angry I decided to just put in a generic card that I was mailing out to the children in the family. It didn't say much and I didn't sign my normal "love always, Debby" no way, he just got a "love, Debby." You gotta love me, right? So I told him about the fact that I misplaced his card and how I was mad at the time. He said he was wondering why the card was so simple and we laughed about it. Isn't it nice that we can laugh about those things? (I had slipped the card into his packed suitcase before he left)

Needless to say I know how foolish I can be. As grown up as I can be I still act like a spoiled child often. Sometimes it amazes me that he actually came back to me after we divorced. Did he really think I had changed. I guess I fooled him. Anyway, I did miss him while he was gone and I am going to try to be a better wife because one thing I know for sure is that I love him with all my heart.

So I started a new medication for my COPD and I waited until I was home along with someone else to make sure I didn't have some adverse reaction. Do you think I am evil because for a moment I thought about laying on the floor to see what reaction I would get since I told them to check on me in my office? (Well it would have been my bad because they never checked anyway)

So while I am being truthful here I have never liked having to type word verification on blogs but I do it because I am a fan of the blog I am reading. For a person who read 50 posts a day it can be very time consuming for me. (By the way if you are with Blogger Spam mail will never show up in your comments) Anyway, have you noticed that verification has been changed. It's those ugly two word ones where one of them is very fuzzy. Actually I was directed to a blog that can say it better then me. Head on over to The Run*A*Round Ranch Report to read her view on this subject. I love leaving comments and talking with my blog friends but some days I think it would be fun if we could just hit "LIKE" like we do on Facebook! Now don't get me started on the ones that say my comment was too short or the ones where the verification doesn't go through because I typed it wrong and the long comment goes away!

SO MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE CALLED THIS POST WICKED!
(not to be confused with the musical)

WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE

2012-02-15T00:00:00.000-08:00

1. George Washington-Abraham Lincoln-Thomas Jefferson...who would you most like to meet and why?
Honestly I don't have any desire to meet any of them.

2. What's your favorite chain restaurant?
Are you talking fast food? I hardly ever do fast food. I do like Red Robin a lot!

3. I spied this question on the Bears at Home blog last week and she gave me permission to steal borrow it: When you look back on your life, do you imagine you'll think about the goals you failed to meet with regret? Or will you look at what you accomplished and say: it was good?
I didn't set a lot of goals for myself. I wanted to be a wife and mother, which I achieved. I only have a few regrets but they can't be changed so I would say "it was good!"

4. Grapefruit-take 'em or leave 'em? Given the choice between an orange and a grapefruit which would you choose? Would you prefer it served as is or squeezed into juice?
Grapefruits are fine but I seldom buy them. I would pick an orange. Well if someone will give it to me all peeled that would be great otherwise I will take the juice.

5. When was the last time you cleaned out a closet? Is there a closet in your home that currently needs cleaning? What are you waiting for?
It been about two years and yes our bedroom closet needs cleaning. What am I waiting for?: The Fairies to come at night and do it while I'm asleep.

6. You get to have lunch with three famous people...who would you like to see round your table?
Princess Diana, John Travolta and Bill Clinton.

7. On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate your ability to parallel park?
I would be a 1. Can't do it, never could, however back in Illinois in the 60's I had to do it to get my license so I guess I did it once.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
Something really fun for me happened on Sunday. For some reason when I turned on my computer I happened to glance at the People.com Latest News widget that is on my Google home page and noticed an article about awards being given at the BAFTA Awards. Well I had no clue about these awards. (I'm sure Joyce knows about these) They are the British Academy of Film & Television Arts Awards. I immediately went to my channel guide and went to see if I could find them on BBC. I did! I enjoyed this show so much. It was like watching our own Academy Awards and all our stars were there. You can see who their nominations were here. The Artist took the most awards and I totally agree. I can't wait to own that movie! Stephen Fry was the host and I found him to be very amusing.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

2012-02-14T00:00:00.001-08:00

Of course this next pictures is from my trip in Europe in June 2011. A trip I will never forget. There is a story that I wrote last year about how this trip came about. It involves a Valentine's Day gift I bought for Mark to give me and what happened on the same day I bought it. It was a sign, a Godincidence that only He does so well!

You can read about the Love Locks here.

Well my Valentine is in Dallas this week so I am going to make the best of the day without him. After bowling today I am going to head to a Casino and drown my sorrows in front of a Keno machine :) (Love you Mark)

So these are the treats I made for my friend's children at bowling. Amber & Dylan say they are pretty good, I did not taste them :) I found this treat on Pinterest and the recipe is from Betty Crocker. It's called Valentine Chex Mix. You can also find it here on my Pinterest page. I never did find the red sprinkles so I used rainbow ones!

Hope you have a wonderful day. ((HUGS)) from me!

FAF + SUPER BOWL RECAP

2012-02-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

Head on over to Brandy's to join in!

So what have I lost this week. Well with Super Bowl it doesn't make it easy but a lot of the things I made were low carb, not everything but I stayed away from those items. I still ate more then I wanted too but it was all really tasty. My weight fluctuated a lot this week but I managed to weigh 200 again yesterday when I weighed myself. It's time to add in some exercise which is not an easy task for me. I do have a Jane Fonda walk DVD that I should try and do what I can.

Starting weight: 216
Last week's weight: 200
This week's weight: 200
Total weight lost: 16

I was in my kitchen working on appetizers at 8:30am. It takes time to get things ready. I baked two dessert items and had 4 other items that were baked in the oven. Mark always wants me to have something new each quarter but that doesn't happen anymore. Nope, come fill your plates while it's hot! Watch the game and don't miss the commercials. (awesome that we can pause!) I did however wait until half time to put some things out. We usually have a football pool. (Mark puts in the money) Well this year I won $30. and Amber won $70. woo hoo! So it was a fun time. Food was excellent and we enjoyed the commercials.

We had Savory Spinach Bites, Artichoke/Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms, Bacon Wrapped Shrimp, Low Carb Scones, Raspberry Muffins (it's what I had in the house), and Crispy Parmesan Asparagus Sticks. We also had pretzels with dips, a veggie tray, nuts, M&M's, cheese pretzel bites and some rolled meat with cheese that mark found at Costco. I also made some fresh whipped cream for the desserts. There were also 3 new ice creams in the freezer for those that wanted some. (Drumstick, Mud Pie and Butterfingers)

So you can find the recipes on my Pinterest Boards under Things I Have Made - check!(click on the board and then click on the picture you are interested in, the link will be in the right upper corner)

YOUNG LOVE

2012-02-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

Today is Amber and Dylan's 10th Wedding Anniversary. I find it hard to believe and wonder where the years have gone. My goodness, I never even realized that I was 50 when they got married! (I think I have mentioned that age never bothered me until I turned 60 last year.*sigh*)

These two spend all their time together and it is so much fun to hear them laughing all the time. It is almost two years since they moved in with us so I know firsthand how they get along each day. They have had their ups and downs through the years but one thing that is true is that they love each other so much. It is a wonderful thing when your children find love. Even better when you love the person they are with! I think they are spending their day today at the Sea World in San Diego.

Happy 10th Anniversary!

Wishing you a lifetime of Love, Happiness

and Perfect Health

WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE

2012-02-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

1. What is something you are loving right now?
I've been on a kick to see nominated movies, or movies with actors who have been nominated for Academy Awards and it has been so much fun. I am loving that right now.

2. Paris, Venice, New York, and Rome are considered four of the most romantic cities in the world. Which one would you most like to visit?
Since I was in Paris last June I am going to say New York. I really, really want to visit New York!

3. Are you a romantic?
Yes I am 100% and a therapist once told me that I read too many romance novels, that real life really isn't like that. Unfortunately for me that is true.

4. What's your favorite love story made for the Big Screen?
I could list dozens, they are my favorite type of movie to watch. I am going to say "A Lot Like Love", "The Mirror Has Two Faces" and "Notting Hill."

5. Everyone loves Pooh bear and friends...which character are you most like and why?
I haven't got a clue, I really don't know them well. I do think Piglet is the cutest!

6. What's the best chocolate something you've ever eaten?
I actually went to ask Mark if he remembers anything that I may have said that about. He reminded me that I seldom go crazy over chocolate. I love Cheesecake! I do however like a Frango Mint, Mint Meltaways from Fannie Mae, Dove Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cups.

7. Share a favorite quote about love.
Well the most famous one is "Love Means Never Having to Say Your Sorry" from Love Story, 1970. Then you have "You Had Me at Hello" from Jerry Mcguire, 1996. I happen to like this one from Notting Hill, 1999, “Don’t forget I’m just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.”

8. Insert your own random thought here.
I want to thank everyone who prayed for Bridget from bowling. She did pass away last week. Her family was at bowling yesterday and they are doing as well as can be expected. I will be attending her Memorial Service on Saturday.

POST IT NOTE TUESDAY ~ EARLY EDITION ~

2012-02-06T09:21:00.001-08:00

FAF - BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN

2012-02-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

Head on over to Brandy's blog and join us.

So I am calling this one Back in the Saddle Again! First of all I waited until I got back to a weight that I had posted before which was my best weight last year. That was probably right before our trip to Europe last June when I was right around 200. Then after Christmas I got on the scale and I couldn't believe I was up to 216. It crushed me. So technically I am back to square one which is 200 pounds. I was happy to lose the 16 pounds but to me they don't really count!

So I am back to doing low carb which we did about 8 years ago when I got down to 147 and stayed that way for a few years. Then we got lazy in our eating. I don't care what diet you are following you can't get lazy. You have to stay with healthy eating all the time. One thing I know for sure, the more carbs you eat the more you crave them! I am also watching my sugar intake, nothing special other than limiting the sweets. So far so good. I am working really hard to be creative in meals and it certainly helps to have Google, Blogs and Pinterest on my side.

As far as back in the saddle goes, Mark and I bought a Groupon to take a wine tour through the vineyards on horseback. Getting some weight off is definitely going to make that easier for me. (and the horse) We also found out we have a family wedding coming up later this year and I would love to look better for that. So say a prayer, cross your fingers and wish me luck!

I made low carb Chicken Parmesan last Saturday that I found at Food.com. It was absolutely delicious. We will be making this one often!

New post over at Debby's Tree today!

Hope everyone has a nice weekend and enjoy the Super Bowl Sunday. I am working on a feast of low carb appetizers!

WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE

2012-02-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

Click on the button to join in on Joyce's Hodgepodge!

1. It's that most wonderful time of the year...tax season! Do you complete your own returns or farm that job out to the professionals?
Mark does our taxes.

2. This next question comes from Kansas Bob...he posed it in his response to something I asked in an earlier Wednesday post and I asked him if I could add it to the Hodgepodge some day. Today's the day....Which do you think has changed you more-love or pain?
Definitely pain!

3. Tangerine Tango has been named color of the year for 2012. Your thoughts? Would I find this color anywhere in your house? How about in your closet? If not, will you be adding this color to your life in some way in 2012?
Looks to coral for my taste. I do not think I will be using it anywhere.

4. Are you a collector? What do you collect and does it get admired, used, and/or dusted regularly?
I collect Jim Shore and Willow Tree pieces. They get admired in the family room and in the dining room. I have a small collection of Polish Pottery which we always put the snacks in at parties. I have a collection of giraffe figurines that are in the living room. I also have S & P shakers but they are not out on display. I also have a very large magnet collection but no place to put them in this house! I have a large collection of pine cones that are on display. I could go on and on. So the answer is yes I am a collector, not to mention all of my 800+ ornaments!

5. February is National Heart Month...besides a green salad what is one tasty heart healthy dish you like to prepare?
A glass of wine with a small bowl of almonds!

6. When was the last time you had car trouble?
Well actually my emissions light recently went on in my car but I'm waiting for the recall letter on the water pump to go to the dealer to get them looked at. So as I type I currently have car trouble!

7. Have you been more demanding on yourself lately or less? Is that a good trend?
I think I have been more demanding on myself when it comes to dieting. I am doing a great job but it is never easy. I am also trying to push myself to do more so both are a good trend for me!

8. Insert your own random thought here.
Did anyone have the opportunity to watch "A Smile as Big as the Moon" on ABC Sunday night? It was a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie and it was so moving. The made-for-TV move starring John Corbett as football coach Mike Kersjes -- who wrote a book about taking 19 special education students to NASA Space Camp in 1989 -- will air again this weekend, making its debut on the Hallmark Channel. So set you DVR so you don't miss it. It will air at 8 and 10 p.m. Saturday an again at 2 p.m. Sunday. Another airing is scheduled for 4 p.m. Feb. 12 on the Hallmark Channel.

Also those of you who prayed for Marysa I am happy to say she is doing well and was at bowling yesterday. They are running several tests to see why is was so ill so you can continue to pray for good results. On a sad not one of our bowling friends is losing her battle with cancer. She comes from a family of 9 children, she and three of her sisters have been bowling with us for several years now. I know her entire family would appreciate your prayers.

I THINK YOU MIGHT ENJOY THIS

2012-01-30T00:00:00.000-08:00

The Sistine Chapel in Rome
Click on the link below the picture.

The Sistine Chapel

Virtual Tour

In the lower left corner of the page use the plus (+) to move closer, on the minus (-)to move away. Choir is thrown in free. Just click and drag your arrow in the the dirction you wish to see.

BECAUSE IT'S ALL I HAVE TODAY

2012-01-28T08:00:00.000-08:00

Ta Da

So when I was finishing up "you know what" (that I am not talking about anymore!) I could not resist taking picture of these two adorable Hallmark ornaments. These kind of little things just make me so incredibly happy. The refrigerator is from 2007 "Holiday Fridge" which sold for $20.00. The oven is from 2004 "Christmas Cookies" which sold for $25.00 but is going for around $149.00 now. Listed as hard to find. You really can't get any cuter than this. The oven has a plug to go into the tree which I don't use but it had a scented thingy that would smell like baking cookies. The oven door open and there is a tray of cookied inside.

Each year I will keep out something new that I received that is a Christmas decoration. So this year it is the Jim Shore Santa holding a rooster. Isn't it cute? He will sit with my everyday Jim Shore pieces this year.

So when it comes to getting you know what done....

all my giraffe's are now in a row!

For those of you who may be interested in the SAG (screen actors guild) Awards, they are on Sunday evening on TNT or TBS. They will be honoring Mary Tyler Moore!

There is a new post today over at Debby's Tree. Some after Christmas purchases.

A few flowers that are blooming in the yard.
Enjoy your weekend!

WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE

2012-01-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

Head on over to Joyce's blog to join in.
Thanks for the questions Joyce!

1. The NFL playoffs were held this past weekend and this year's Superbowl lineup will feature The New York Giants versus The New England Patriots. How do you define 'patriot'?
I'm not sure, I guess it's how someone feels about their country. So this is what the dictionary said "1. A person who vigorously supports their country and is prepared to defend it against enemies or detractors." So I was kinda right!

2. What's something in your life right now that feels like a 'giant'?
I would guess it is some clutter. Nothing bad, nothing that you can see but things that need some really good cleaning out. Clutter can choke you, like the giant is sitting on your throat!

3. What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think back to being 18?
Being in love!

4. Coconut-mashed potatoes-vanilla ice cream-mayonnaise...which white food would be the hardest to give up?
I will say ice cream but none of them have a huge hold on me.

5. Describe an incident or a day you remember as the coldest you've ever experienced?
Nothing specific is coming to mind but I avoid being cold at all costs. Sledding, ice skating, skiing, etc. I would always be freezing no matter how many items I had on! We did go off the road in a ditch in an very isolated area in Nebraska back in the 70's while we were on a trip. (I was driving) That could have turned into something really bad but we were fortunate that someone did come by after several hours.

6. You're hosting a brunch...what's your favorite dish to prepare and serve?
Really Joyce? You want me to cook for a brunch. Actually I have never had a brunch to cook for but I guess I could whip together a breakfast casserole.

7. How do you combat negative thinking?
Reminding myself about all the things in life that I am thankful for. Then I proceed to thank God for all of them.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
I'm excited about the 84th Academy Awards on Sunday February 26th. The next few weeks I am going to try to see some of the movies I haven't seen yet. It's one of my favorite nights of the year! You can click here to see the nominations.

POST IT NOTE TUESDAY

2012-01-24T00:00:00.000-08:00

P.S. Kristin hasn't been doing Post It Note Tuesday lately but I still want to give her the credit for this one!

YOU WIN SOME, YOU LOSE SOME

2012-01-22T00:00:00.000-08:00

Warning: This is a poor me post so you don't have to read it.

This post isn't actually about Las Vegas but I thought I would share a few photos. I never bring a camera so these are just from my phone. Living in California, 233 miles from Vegas, we get ads on TV all the time for hotels. This one seems to be shown often and I think it is pretty weird so I thought I would share it with you in case you haven't seen it!

We entered on the West side of the Hotel and in the lobby are these huge pillars that light up. Maybe every 10 minutes the pictures will change. They are always moving and really beautiful! That was the entry to our set of elevators to the 56th floor. I had this desire to have Mark video me doing something silly in the elevator like the commercial but I never had the nerve.

The room was wonderful and the main reason I am showing it to you is because of the shower. You see that view from the bathroom looking at the beds. Well you can actually watch someone take a shower if your into that. (maybe 40 years ago that would have been fun!) Thankfully there is a very nice thick shade that you can draw for privacy....

In the shopping area there is a clothing, etc. store and the entire window areas which went on forever had nothing but antique sewing machines hanging in them. It was amazing.

We actually had a very nice time. We ate at the STK restaurant and the meal was delicious. Would love to have the opportunity to try several other ones at the Cosmopolitan. This was Mark's second time staying there and I think it's his new favorite. I think that may be because he always comes home a winner from the tables! Truthfully I enjoyed the casino a lot and hope to go back soon. I will be in Vegas again in June with my bowling league but I will be staying at The Orleans which is off the strip. It's where we bowl and it's just super convenient. Have stayed there many times and it has everything I need for a fun weekend. Amber usually goes with me for a yearly girl weekend.

As you know I didn't feel well when we left. Woke up with that miserable cold on Monday and pushed myself to bowling on Tuesday. When I got home from bowling I packed my bag and spent the rest of the day on the sofa. Never slept that night, tossed and turned with a never ending running nose with added sneezing fits! Wednesday was most likely the worst day of this cold. My nose never stopped running and the more drugs I took the worse I got. Being a die hard keno player (machine) I sat and played for hours when I should have just but upstairs sleeping. When I finally did get upstairs to sleep around 9pm I watched TV until about 11pm. Turned the TV to music, smooth jazz, and tucked myself in. Did I sleep? NO! I could not sleep. I bet I ended up sleeping 3 hours Wednesday night.

I got up, showered, got dressed and went downstairs to gamble around 9am. As you know I was fighting tooth and nail to keep this cold out of my COPD lungs. Thursday was awesome. I woke up feeling wonderful. Nose stopped running and I had absolutely no breathing issues. Hooray, I win! I was on top of my game. We had a nice drive to and from Vegas. Chalk it up as a great trip even with the cold!

Screaming...... No I don't lose some, I lose them all. Wake up Friday morning and it's in my lungs. No frickin way! Don't get me wrong, I am so thankful to God for all that he has given me for my entire life. I have nothing to ever complain about. I know things can be worse and even though I can't breathe today I have life when so many others don't. But there is a depression that sets in and I just start crying. Why can't I just feel good, why do I have to have this day after day. See even on my best days my lungs suck. I look at Mark and I tell him how much I envy him. So I get my breathing machine (nebulizer) and medication so I can start my treatments. I put a smile on my face and try to make the best of my day because in all honestly I am truly blessed.

Sorry to be Debby downer but sometimes I just have to get this off my chest. So where does that leave my tree? You only get one guess :) You know how sometimes you can't see the forest through the trees? Kendra warned me before Christmas. Don't overdue because you will end up sick. Yes Kendra you were right! But someone answer this for me, how do you not make Christmas the best for your family each year? (I don't just do it for them, I love it too.)

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
New International Version (NIV)

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

P.S. I only left $40. in Vegas so I really played on their money!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ADAM

2012-01-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

Our son Adam is 33 today.

We love you Adam with all our heart.

Hope you have a beautiful day.

This is Adam & Tristen in Mammoth Lakes last summer.

Adam was born around the time of the big Blizzard in Chicago. It was 1979 and we had a blizzard days before he was born. Had a little bit of worry about being able to get to the hospital in time! It didn't cause us any trouble but I have pictures of us getting out of the car at our home with him and the piles of snow were way above my head. (I will have to search for those photos) There was a bit of concern about Super Bowl Sunday on the 21st and I am pretty sure my doctor decided to induce me that Friday at my appointment so I wouldn't mess up his game plans. (he was of course watching me for toxemia and my BP was high but I know that game was important to him!)

Amber & Dylan baked him some cookies!

We celebrated Adam's birthday on Sunday the 15th. We (Mark, Debby, Amber & Dylan) went into Los Angeles to spend the day with Adam & Tristen. Watched some football and went out to eat at a wonderful place called Matteo's Restaurant. They have been open for 40 years and rated on of the best Italian restaurants in LA. The dinner was fantastic!

Love,

Mom & Dad

Also want to give a shot out to my Mother-in-law who turned 84 yesterday. Happy Birthday Mom, we love you!

WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE

2012-01-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

1. A new Miss America was crowned on Saturday night-did you watch? If you were a contestant what would your talent be?
No I did not watch. I can't remember the last time I watched one. There is absolutely no talent that I could perform!

2. Do you have houseplants? Real or fake?
Yes I do. I have a few fake ones because of location to light. I have several real plants also. I love real plants and there was a time in my life when I had over 200 living plants in my house. I was the manager of a flower shop back in the day.

3. When you were in school did you speak up or were you more of the hide your face, avoid eye contact, and pray the teacher didn't call on you type of student?
I would definitely hide my face! I made it through school because the teachers liked me. I was a sweet honest cute little girl. I melted their hearts but in the long run they didn't do me any favors by giving me passing grades.

4. Next Monday marks the Chinese New Year...what do you order when someone suggests Chinese food?
Usually Chow Mein and an orange chicken item.

5. How would you define a miracle? What would it take for you to consider something a miracle?
A miracle to me is something that could not have possibly happened without God being involved, like when someone has cancer and with prayer the cancer has left their body. I know there have been miracles that I have not seen but I believe they happened.

6. What's your favorite Disney song?
I love the song from Enchanted called "That's How You Know (When Your in Love)"

7. I should have ________ yesterday.
Bowled better!

8. Insert your own random thought here.
I am on my way to Las Vegas today (God willing) so you will not hear from me! Unfortunately after having a weekend of feeling really good health wise I woke up Monday morning with a miserable cold. I am fighting tooth & nail to keep it from going into my lungs. I got myself to bowling yesterday then got my bag ready and then I just laid low the rest of the day.

I have a prayer request. I have two close personal friends at bowling who are cousins to each other. Their cousin Marysa joined their team this year. Marysa recently had a urinary track infection and ended up going into renal failure. They actually have had to get her heart back once already after crashing. She has a sweet little 3 yr old son. As of yesterday she was not doing well and woke up with severe chest pain. Please say a prayer for Marysa. I believe in the power of prayer.

Thank you Joyce for all the wonderful questions. If you want to join in just click on the button!

POST IT NOTE TUESDAY ~ EARLY EDITION ~

2012-01-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

P.S. Kristin is note holding Post It Note Tuesday at this time but I still like to give the credit for Post It Note Tuesday to her.

ROUND ROBIN

2012-01-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

Have something to share?
Head on over to Amy's and join in the fun!

Well if you need an appetizer I found this one Pinterest at The Curvy Carrot. It's for Savory Spinach Bites and they are delicious if you ask me. We had them on Christmas Day and everyone loved them. They were easy to make. I used more stuffing, maybe doubled it! Since I had some egg whites from a recipe that used the yolks I only used 4 eggs and than the whites. We are a Pepperidge Farm stuffing family so we love the flavor. I normally use cubed for my turkey but I bought the loose one for this recipe. I also don't keep garlic or onions in the house so I used the dry kind and let them sit in the melted butter for awhile. It worked out great.

I will definitely make these again!
YUM....

So head on over to The Curvy Carrot to get this recipe.

TAG,TAG,TAG,TAG,TAG, I'M IT!

2012-01-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

Well I have been tagged by Stacy at A Life Lived Well. If you have time head on over to visit Stacy's blog!

I was also tagged by Rochelle at A Family Of Looneys. Click on over and visit with Rochelle.

I was also tagged by Mary at Life In a Small Town. Wow, I feel so honored to be tagged by so many wonderful ladies. If you don't know Mary already head on over and get to know her.

I was also tagged by my friend Karen over at Karen's Korner. Click on over and meet Karen! You have an opportunity to meet 4 new friends so why not take advantage of it.

I was also tagged by Empty Nester over at Empty Nest. If you don't know her I suggest you click on over to meet with her.

I will be answering each set of 11 questions from Stacy, Rochelle, Mary, Karen and Empty Nester. Thank you ladies for thinking of me.

1. Post these rules.*check*
2. You must post 11 random things yourself.*check*
3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post.*check*
4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.*not*
5. Go to their blog and tell them that you've tagged them.*not*
6. No stuff in the tagging section about ‘you are tagged if you are reading this.’ Blah blah blah, you legitimately have to tag 11 peeps!*not*
(I will always do the tag but I do not pass them along anymore. If you want to play you are welcome to join in)

Here are 11 random things about me:

1. I love to buy unusual pens. Bought my last one at Wicked.
2. I use to be obsessive about cleaning. Not anymore!
3. I never watch the news.
4. Wine will keep me awake at night yet I can sleep after a cup of coffee.
5. I always park on an end spot!
6. We are working on a gallery wall of vacation shots on canvas.
7. I've become a shut in because I don't like how I look.
8. I love to mail out cards.
9. I plan on spending less money this year on things I don't really need.
10. I still prefer my pictures from my P&S compared to my Canon Rebel!
11. I would love to have a talk show, I think I would be great at it.

Here are my questions to answer from Stacy:

1. If money and know-how aren't obstacles, what is your dream occupation?
I would love to be a counselor to people.

2. Valentines' Day is the next "big" holiday. Tell us about your best or worst or funniest Valentines' Day.
Well I would imagine my worst was after my husband left me back in January '82. Valentines Day has never been a favorite of his so I can't remember many of them. (for those who don't know we have been back together for 22 years)

3. Do you have a mentor and if so, what have they mentored you in?
No.

4. If you could be doing anything under the sun right now, what would you be doing?
I would be living in London and seeing what it is like!

5. Music can evoke powerful emotions and memories. Is there a song that can instantly take you somewhere?
I can't come up with a specific song at the moment but their are a few songs from the '80's that take me back to Parents Without Partners and dancing with someone at one of their parties.

6. What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?
My father always says "Never lose the spirit of Christmas." He also says "Don't grow old" but that one I can't seem to do!

7. Have you ever met anyone famous? If you did, what was your impression? Were they what you expected them to be?
I meet Jimmy Durante years ago but I don't remember those specifics about him.

8. What one book (other than the Bible...'cause everyone's going to say that) do you think no one should go through life without reading?
I don't do a lot of reading and when I do they are usually romance novels. For now I will say "The Help." After seeing the movie I went and bought the book because I wanted to make sure there was a copy of it for my grandchildren to read some day. So kids if you are reading this don't throw it out when I die!

9. What is the most unusual thing you've ever done?
Nothing is coming to mind but I am sure there is one out there! As a young girl my best friend and I took some bras, stuffed them and walked through the alleys like some sluts. I don't remember anyone seeing us or why this was important to us. We had to be about 8 years old.

10.Has your life turned out to be anything like what you'd imagined when you were growing up?
I think it has. I wanted to grow up, get married and have children. I never expected it to be so hard.

11.Have you set any goals or made resolutions for 2012? Share one?
No I have not set any resolutions for 2012 but as always I hope to get going with a plan to lose my excess weight! (lost 3 pounds) I also want to declutter because clutter holds you hostage and shuts you in.

Here are my questions from Rochelle:

1. What is a house chore that you hate doing?
I don't like changing the sheets on the bed.

2. What is your middle name?
I'm sorry but there are people who watch for this information.

3. Have you had any horrible dates?
I can't remember one specific date but I am sure that I have.

4. If you could have a dream vacation, where would it be?
I am going to say New York and Washington, DC. Two places I would love to visit.

5. What is a movie that you are looking forward to seeing in 2012?
I hope to see "We Bought a Zoo" tomorrow. I suppose the next Twilight movie would be a good answer!

6. If you could have a girl weekend with your best friend. What would you do?
I'm not sure but I would love to just be in the hotel room with room service and watch movies. Sounds like fun to me. We would eat, laugh and have a great time catching up.

7. What is something that you love to eat and wish you could have it all the time?
Pizza and Reese's Peanut Butter cups.

8. Do you like to dress up or are you more comfortable in jeans?
No dress up for me!

9. If you are on Pinterest. Is there something that you have made from it?
I have made several recipes. I love Pinterest.

10. What is one of your favorite family memories?
I think that every Christmas is one of my favorite memories.

11. What kind of music do you listen too?
I like Smooth Jazz and I listen to a lot of movie soundtracks. Since I blog and watch movies all.the.time I fall in love with the soundtracks.

Here are Mary's questions to me:

1. Who is your favorite singer/music group?
Barry Manilow has always been a favorite of mine.

2. Do you have a favorite game to play on the computer/tablet/iPad/iPod? If so, what is it?
Well actually before blogging I would spend all my time playing Webkinz online. I still go over every once in awhile.

3. What is your favorite movie?
That is extremely hard, I am so fond of movies. It's a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, Five Pennies, The Holiday, The Family Stone, etc., etc., etc.!

4. How long did you know your spouse when you got married? If you're not married, what is the longest you have seen someone?
I knew Mark in H.S. where we dated for a few months sophomore year. Then we didn't date again until after graduation night in '69. We married in '72.

5. Were you involved in music in high school/college?
I was in chorus but I wasn't very committed to it.

6. What special group were you involved in during high school/college?
None, just the cool kids!

7. When you're all alone, what do you like to eat for dinner?
Well I don't cook much anymore so most nights are whatever they want to make for themselves. If Mark is out locally he will usually bring me home some cheesecake so that will be my dinner. I don't have a specific answer for this one.

8. Left or right handed?
I am right handed.

9. How tall are you?
I am 5'2' and most likely less since I'm shrinking with age.

10. What is your favorite pair of shoes?
Birkenstock. Next would be a pair of Born shoes.

11. How long have you lived in your house/apartment/condo?
Lived in our home now for 5 years. Last home was 17 years.

Here are my questions from Karen:

1. What is one item on your bucket list?
New York city! I think I need to spend a few months there because I want to see the Fireworks in July, want to see Central Park in the Fall and want to enjoy the lighting of the tree for Christmas. A few plays thrown in would be fun too!

2. Where did you spend your most favorite vacation?
I have had many wonderful vacations over the years so I really don't want to pick one but since it was recent and I.loved.it I will say Europe.

3. How many are in your family?
I grew up in a family of 5. We are a family of four originally but have added two special members to our family along the way. So we are six with 2 wonderful puppies.

4. What is your least favorite chore to do?
Well I already mentioned one which was changing the sheets so I will say cleaning up after cooking.

5. What is the best thing you cook?
Probably Thanksgiving dinner.

6. What is your favorite restaurant?
I like a place called The Tavern in Los Angeles but Mario's in Riverside is pretty much tied with it.

7. When you were younger what was your dream job and are you doing it now?
Never had a dream job in my mind. Wanted to be married and have children.*check*

8. Do you play a musical instrument, and if so what is it?
No!

9. Where did you meet your best friend?
Well my very first best friend was my neighbor Shirley when I was growing up. I will always consider her my best friend and we still send cards to each other. She moved to Colorado after H.S. but she is now back in Illinois. I would love to visit with her.

10. What is your favorite television show?
I enjoy Modern Family a lot and look forward to Parenthood each week.

11.Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I haven't got a clue because the first 60 years flew by sooooooo fast and I just want to live one day at a time right now.

Here are my questions from Empty Nester:

1. I am currently on a weight loss journey. What is your current journey?
I am working on cutting down on carbs and refined sugars.

2. Do you fear change, welcome it or do you simply not think about it?
Never liked change, never will!

3. How's your patience level?
Most of the time I have a very high level of patience however I hate waiting for toast!

4. Do you journal? Why or why not.
I have but I never remember to do it so I eventually quit. I thinking blogging is my best effort at getting things down on paper, so to speak.

5. Do you have pets? If so, do you spoil them?
Yes and yes. Our Skye is a family member and is spoiled/respected at all times.

6. Do you prefer a quiet night at home or a night out on the town?
I love being at home but it is also fun to go out every once in awhile.

7. What is the last movie you saw at the theater?
We Bought a Zoo.

8. Do you like sports? If so, what's your favorite?
No I am not a sports fan but I do enjoy watching golf.

9. Will you watch the Super Bowl this year?
Yes I will. We always have a party with the family and I love the commercials!

10. Did your team (if you have one) make it to the playoffs?
Well I would choose the Bears and no they didn't make it.

11. What about March Madness? Will you be filling out a bracket this year?
No and I don't really know what it is but I assume it's a sport.

If you know me you know I love answering questions. I think I hit the jackpot with this one!

WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE

2012-01-11T00:00:00.001-08:00

1. Lake Superior University has once again published a list of words/phrases they think should be banished from the Queen's English in 2012- amazing, baby bump, shared sacrifice, occupy, blowback, man cave, the new normal, pet parent, win the future, trickeration, ginormous, and thank you in advance. Which of these words/phrases would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why?
Since I don't have a clue what trickeration and blowback mean I will pick those.

2. Are you easily embarrassed?
I know I use to be but I think I can accept my mistakes/blunders better now. Nobody is perfect!

3. What is your go-to snack?
Depends what we have in the house at the time. Lately its been nuts.

4. Have you ever been to Washington D.C.? If not do you have any desire to go? What site/attraction would you most want to see in that city? If you have been, what's your favorite site/attraction?
No but it is one of my dream spots. I want to see it all. Every memorial and several of the museums.

5. sit ups-planks-lunges-squats...which do you hate the least?
None of the above.

6. What's a small act of kindness you were shown that you've never forgotten?
Well when I was a teenager and we had a major snowstorm, a few of my girlfriends and I decided we wanted to go to Barones Pizza (THE BEST). We were not at the age of driving yet so we decided to hitchhike. A very nice man picked us up and give us a very big warning about never ever doing this again. How you never know who might pick you up and it's way to dangerous.

7. Have you ever been a blood donor?
Yes, I did it regularly for years. I haven't done it in at least 10 years.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Steps to taking down Christmas decorations:

Step one: Start gathering miscellaneous items from around the house and put them on the dining room table. (started this) Also wash all throws and table cloths. (doing)

Step two: Have husband get down all the necessary bins/boxes and be thankful you didn't put out the other 6 bins of Christmas. (done)

Step three: Get a shot of ambition! I am ready, it's time.

Didn't feel well on Monday when I had plans to work on this. Also didn't feel well on Tuesday, didn't even go to bowling. So pray that today is the day. You are welcome to cheer me on ..... Go Debby, Go Debby, Go Debby!

POST IT NOTE TUESDAY ~ EARLY EDITION ~

2012-01-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

As far as I know Kristin is not doing Post It Not Tuesday right now but I thought I should still put the link up.

GUESS WHO IS 3 TODAY?

2012-01-07T00:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Miss Skye B

I love her so much.

She has two favorite toys. Her worn out pink tennis ball and her green lightbulb toy that is all chewed up and actually belonged to Charlie! Well it has a crazy bounce to it, as she went to get it it bounced again and down the hill it went. So glad that Dylan is young enough to get over the fence and save the day!