Worst Cooks In America

I love Food Network. As much as I enjoy their cooking shows, I absolutely love their reality competitions. Iron Chef, Challenge, Next Food Network Star, Next Iron Chef, and now Worst Cooks In America.

This has been airing on Sundays all through January, and tomorrow night is the finale. I have watched as Chef Anne and Chef beau have tried to teach some pretty sorry cooks how to make a decent meal. From the beginning, one of my favorites has been Jenny Cross, and I was super excited tonight when she made it to the finale. There is not a doubt in my mind that she can't bury Rachel who, in my opinion, should be nowhere near the finale. If Chef Beau hadn't stolen Jenny from Chef Anne a couple of weeks ago, it would probably be her going against Jen. That would have been an even fight.

I guess we'll see how they both do tomorrow night.

Have You Heard About The Green Police?

I absolutely love the concept behind the Green Police. In the UK, there are officers who wear green jackets, and their main duty is to enforce the Carbon Reduction Commitment. The Glastonbury Festival is coming up, and these officers will be out in full force, educating festival goes about the benefits of going green. The Green Police will be handing out green bags, and encouraging festival goes to help control litter, and make sure that people understand the importance of respecting their environment.

What do you think? Should we get some of those Green Police officers over here in the US?

I Blog, I Care

Want to help the Red Cross, but maybe you just don't have the extra money right now? Then you can help by putting this badge on your site, and then following the rest of the directions. It is easy, and it is free.

1. Copy the “I Blog, I Care” badge and the rules (1 to 6) on this page.
2. Post these in one or all your blogs.
3. Tag/invite your other friends to join by sharing this with them.
4. Leave your post URL here: The Twitterer
5. For every fifteen (15) blogs joining the I Blog, I Care Movement, a $1.00 donation will be given to the International Committee of the Red Cross. You can also donate directly here: http://www.icrc.org.
6. Spread the love and show you care.

Come on, ya'll. This is easy to do, and won't cost you a thing. Let's all repost this and help spread the word.

Today's Fun Brought To You By Snow

This afternoon, Brandi's BFF Faith ventured over with her dad. They live right across the highway from us, and were tired of being stuck inside, so they walked over. Faith's mom is my friend Nicole, the one who just had a baby last Monday. (I did get the spelling wrong. It's Anzleigh, not Ansley) My kids had been out earlier in the day, and they were sledding down our little hill. When Faith got here, most of the snow on our little hill had turned to mud, so they had to figure out something else to do. This is where Ryan came in handy.
Our yard is still a sheet of ice, so the sled was sliding nicely on it. The only problem was that the kids were having to run and jump on the sled to get it to go across the yard. At first Chad (Faith's daddy) was pushing them to get them started, but he tired out pretty quick. Ryan decided to tie a rope to the sled and pull the kids around. He's young, so he had a lot of energy. His biggest problem was that it was slippery, and he kept falling as he tried to run.

It was pretty funny.

Eventually he tied the rope around his waist, and was able to pull both girls at the same time. They were having a ball! After a while the girls decided they wanted to pull Ryan, but he was a little too heavy. He didn't think it was quite fair that after all his hard work he didn't get a ride, but I told him now that he is getting older, he will be able to do things that the girls can't, like going to Boating School or riding the tube on the lake come summer time. That seemed to lift his spirits, and he went back to pulling the girls around the yard. By the time they were all wore out, Brandi was soaking wet and freezing, which is what I was trying to avoid with her because she has been so sick. As soon as I got her back in the house, she took a shower and warmed up pretty quick, and hasn't started back to coughing, so hopefully she'll be alright.

Every school district, except ours, has closed school tomorrow. Our district is on a 2 hour delay, but I think I am going to let them stay home. If the roads are too bad for buses at 6:30am, I don't see them being much better by 8:30am. I would rather be safe than risk my kids getting hurt in an accident. My only worry is that Brandi has missed so much school already, and I am afraid that we will be called in for an intervention like we were with Ryan.

If it comes to that, I will tell them that I was only being a good mother. They can't fault me for that, can they?

Get It, Girl!

You all know that my mom bought Brandi a hamster for Christmas. Her name is Princess. She came with a really awesome wire cage, complete with wheel.

The problem with the wheel is that she likes to pee in there. I have no idea why, and I have no idea how to stop her from doing it. The last time we cleaned her cage, i left the wheel off for a few days, soaking it to try and maybe get rid of the pee smell. I was also hoping once she didn't have the wheel to pee in, she would go in her cage, and when I put the wheel back she wouldn't feel the need to pee in there anymore.

I was wrong. So Junior and I bought her a ball so she can get exercise, and I can take the wheel out of her cage permanently.

The only problem we are having is that princess is a biter. This makes it a little difficult to get her into the ball. Yesterday Junior took the top off the cage and once she got into her wheel, he put the ball up to that hole so she had to get in. But, the top of the cage is a little difficult to get off and on, so we needed a better solution.

Today I used a glove of Kasi's and just reached in there and grabbed her. She was not at all happy, but she seemed happy running around the house in her ball. And I mean RUN! She gets that thing going really fast, and she likes to chase your feet. I'm not kidding. If you walk past her, she will change direction and follow you. It really is pretty cute.

Now if I can just figure out how to keep her from pooping in the ball...

Magnetic Necklaces

Valentine's Day is coming up in a couple of weeks, and I know some of you are looking for the perfect gift to give your love one. I am going to suggest Titanium Magnetic Necklaces. The one in the picture even looks like little hearts, making it perfect for Valentine's Day.

I have heard good things about magnetic jewelry, although for the life of me I can not remember what it is supposed to do. I think it is supposed to help if you have joint pain or something. My mom had fibromyalgia, and I am wondering if a magnetic necklace might help with her pain.

Whatever the benefits are, there are some beautiful pieces to choose from. I just happen to like this magnetic necklace the best. It is very affordable, too, at under $70. You can even get free shipping, worldwide.

Junior, if you're reading, consider this a hint.

What I'm Listening To Right Now

This CD came out Tuesday, and of course I was right there at Walmart getting my copy. I don't know if it was on special because it was the release day, but it was marked $12, and I only paid $8. Not bad at all. Since then, I have been listening to it non stop, because as I have said before, I have this obsession where I have to know every word to every song so that I can sing a long. And let me tell you I am making progress, and there are actually a few that I can sing through already.

There is one song, If I Knew Then, that I absolutely love.

The lyrics:

The first time that I saw you, Looking like you did
We were young, we were restless, Just two clueless kids
If I knew then, what I know now, I'd fall in love

You're on a bus in Chicago, Three rows to the left
You know my heart was reaching for you, But we'd never even met
If I knew then, what I know now, I'd fall in love

Cause love only comes, Once in a while
It knocks on your door, And throws you a smile
It takes every breath, It leaves every scar
It speaks through your soul, And sings to your heart
And if I knew then, what I know now, I'd fall in love

On a summer night in August, in the backseat of my car
Said I'm trying to get to know you, I took it way too far
But if I knew then, what I know now, I'd fall in love

Oh, cause love only comes, Once in a while
It knocks on your door, and throws you a smile
It takes every breath, it leaves every scar
It speaks through your soul, and sings to your heart
And if I knew then, What I know now, I'd fall in love

Oh I've used up a lot of chances, I can't get them back
But if again it comes crawling, I'm gonna make it last

Cause love only comes, once in a while
It knocks on your door, and throws you a smile
It takes every breath, it leaves every scar
It speaks through your soul, and sings to your heart
And if I knew then, what I know now

If I knew then , what I know now

I'd fall in love

One of the things I hate is that this CD doesn't come with the lyrics, so this is my version of what they sing, and it could be totally wrong. But trust me when I say it is a beautiful song.

A Day On The Lake

One of the women that Junior works with was telling him about a fishing tournament that is coming up in April. It is a family tournament, where the kids do the fishing. There will be trophies up for grabs, and I know my kids would love to win one. The only problem is that you have to have a boat.

When Junior told this lady that we didn't have a boat, she offered him the use of her pontoon for that day. She said she trusts him, and knows that he will take good care of it. It's nothing like Fractional Sailing, but I am sure the kids and I will enjoy a day out on the lake. I told Junior my only condition is that he has to wear a life jacket the entire time he is on the boat.

You see, he doesn't know how to swim. I grew up in the water, and consider myself an excellent swimmer. If I happen to fall overboard, I can get back on the boat myself. If Junior goes over, he would drown. Of course, the kids would have on life jackets, too. That is the only way I will feel safe.

I just hope we can catch enough fish to win a trophy for the kids.

Monster Jam 2010

Wednesday night, Ryan was messing around on the computer, and he ended up on a local rock stations web site. He found a link to an online contest they were having for tickets to the Monster Jam that will be at a local arena tonight. He asked me if he could enter, and I said sure.

Well, yesterday morning I got a phone call from the radio station...he won two tickets! I was so excited for him, and couldn't wait until he got home from school so I could tell him.

Junior had the idea to make a sign that said "Ryan, you WON!" and we had Brandi hold it up as he got off the bus. The kids on the bus started yelling out the windows, asking what he had won, and he was so excited to share his news! As soon as he saw the sign he knew.

So tonight my guys are off to the show, as long as the weather hold off. We are expecting a winter storm with 1 to 3 inches of snow, and the arena is a good 40 minutes away. Hopefully the snow won't start until they are home safe and sound. They are taking my camera, so I am sure I will have lots of pictures to share.

Warning:

The other day when I went to see my friend's baby at the hospital, Junior had to wait outside with Brandi. They sat in the car and Brandi did her homework. When she was finished, she made this sign to go on the front of her homework folder. Just in case you can't read it, it says:

warning: when you open it there is something boring in it...it is hideous...it is ugly...it is mean...it is little...it is my very own little piece of junk...it is my HOMEWORK

Yeah, she's a piece of work! lol!

The Hunt For A House Continues

I am getting kind of frustrated with this whole "finding a new place to live" thing. Every place we have looked at has something we don't like, and i have a feeling we are going to end up picking the best of the worst. I am surprised at what people are asking for places that are falling apart. We went and looked at a house (mobile home) last week. It was advertised as having four bedrooms and 2 baths for only $600 a month. What a joke! One of the bedrooms was no bigger than a closet, and the wall in one of the bathrooms was rotting on the bottom. When we told the lady, after looking at it, that we weren't interested, she wanted to know why. Exactly why. Junior told her the layout didn't work for us, and we high tailed it out of there.

The house we are seriously considering is the one with the small living room. It is the only house we've seen that is in really great shape, and that has big enough bedrooms. It is also right across the street from McDonald's and a bunch of other fast food restaurants, so if I had to go back to work one day, I could walk there while the kids were in school.

For right now I am still mainly focusing on getting the house packed up. We are still undecided on the best moving strategy. Junior thinks we should rent a storage building (which we were going to do months ago but never got around to it), but I don't see the point of moving everything twice. I mean, if I had my way, we would hire a Moving Company Los Angeles and let them do all the work. They are:

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It would be so nice to have someone else break their backs trying to move our entertainment center. Moving Companies Los Angeles would make this move so much less stressful. But, I really can not complain about moving, because the last time we did this, I had just had surgery and couldn't lift a thing. That would have been the perfect time to take advantage of Los Angeles Moving Companies services. This time, I am able to lift, and will probably end up doing more lifting than Junior. His shoulder and back just aren't what they used to be, and I would hate for him to re-injure something.

The only thing standing in our way now is finding a new place. Like I said, the best of the worst is looking pretty good right now.

$2.14 Feeds A Family Of 5?

This is kind of a long story, so don't say I didn't warn you, kay?

Last weekend, Junior and I decided to treat the kids to dinner out. It had been a few weeks since we had been to a restaurant other than fast food, so we headed to our family favorite, Golden Corral. For those of you who are not familiar with this restaurant, it's a buffet place that has family style food and the best salad bar around, in my opinion. We don't usually go out on weekend nights, because I have serious problems with crowds, but Junior really anted to go, so I sucked it up.

We got there around 5:30, and the place was hopping. We found a table big enough for the five of us, and the waitress came over and introduced herself, asked what we were drinking, and then disappeared.

Now, like most buffet places, you have to use a clean plate for every trip. Let's say that each of us used four plates...1 for salad, 1 for bread, (they have an amazing bread bar with the most delicious bruschetta topped italian bread...but that's not my point here) 1 for dinner, and 1 for dessert. That's 20 plates for our family of five. During the entire meal, the waitress never removed a dirty plate from our table. We had to flag her down for drink refills, and at one point I watched her go back and forth between three other tables, and ignored us.

This was okay...I have patience. BUT, when Junior and the kids all left the table, I flagged her down because all of our drinks were empty, and we needed refills. She asked again what we had, and off she went. She came back with two drinks, mine and Junior's, and told me she would get to the kids in a little bit.

Um, WHAT????

I was floored. She basically told me my kids weren't worth her time. Not a good idea, lady.

So Junior comes back with his dessert, and I tell him what she said. He gets up from the table, and I knew where he was going. Just like I thought, he returned with the store manager, and let's just say he wasn't exactly keeping his cool. He wasn't mean, mind you, just frustrated, and wanted the manager to see what our table looked like. I know my husband, and thought it best if he sat back down and cooled off. As the manager walked away, I took Brandi to get some ice cream. The manager stopped me and asked me what happened, and I told him what she said about the kids drinks. He asked me if I thought the waitress was overwhelmed because they were so busy and short handed. I told him very nicely that his staffing problems weren't my problem, and that even if she was busy, she could have taken a minute to bring my kids refills. She was making time for all the other tables. Then, get this, he tells me she is new, and it's her first night waitressing.

Are you freaking kidding me?

They put a brand new waitress, with no experience (his words) alone on a Friday night? No wonder she didn't have a clue. It wasn't long after I sat back down that all the plates were cleared off our table, and we all had fresh refills. Then the manager comes over with a coupon for three free buffets to use the next time we came in.

So last night we head back over there, and little did we know, it was kids night. Junior, Ryan and I ate for free, and Brandi and Kasi ate for $.99. The bill came to $2.14 for the five of us to eat. Of course, it cost a little more because we left a nice tip. The waitress we had last night was wonderful.

I wonder if she knew who we were....

Camping

We have decided that we are going to go camping for a full week this year. The only thing we haven't decided on is where we are going to go. I want to go back to Greenwood State Park, but Junior has his heart set on finding somewhere new. The problem is that I want to have a campsite on the water, so the kids and I can swim while Junior fishes. Junior wants to find somewhere that has a pool. I love pools, don't get me wrong. I just don't want to spend my vacation in a public pool while Junior sits by the lake.

We have been buying a bunch of pretty cool things for our campsite. Every year when we camp, I see all the "real" campers putting up lights and signs, and basically making the campsite very homey. Every year I tell Junior that I want to do the same thing, but we never buy the supplies.

This year I have a list of things I want to get before we go, and on the top of my list is comfortable outdoor chairs. I want a chair that can recline a little, and that I can use either to relax at the campsite during the day or to fish by the lake at night. Lights were on my list, too, but we bought some already when the Christmas stuff went on clearance. We ended up with four boxes of rope lights, and I can not wait to see how they look set up on our gazebos.

I am sure where ever we decide to go, we will have a wonderful time. We will just have to keep Kasi away from the campfire.

Welcome To The World, Ansley

I am so excited! When Brandi gets home I am heading to the hospital to cuddle a brand new baby girl! My good friend Nicole gave birth yesterday afternoon, and both mommy and baby are doing great! Nicole's mom emailed me last night saying the baby had a head full of black hair, long enough for a bow. I don't remember the exact weight, but I know it was over 8 pounds, so she is probably a little chunker. I can not wait to see her!

Real Estate Bailout

Junior and I went and had our taxes filled out last week. We can not file yet, because I am still waiting on one more 1099, but we did get some idea of how much money we will be getting back. Let's just say it brought a huge smile to my face. We usually don't have any deductions, but this year the lady who filled out our taxes asked us a ton of questions, and ended up finding a few we qualified for since I work from home.

The big one I wish we qualified for is the Real Estate Bailout. Buying a house is a dream of ours, but we just can't do it right now, which means we are going to miss out on this. If you haven't yet heard about this, and let's face it, unless you have been living under a rock, you have probably heard something about it, check out this video. It explains things a whole lot better than I can.

Basically, if you want a nice big chunk of money, buy a house before the end of April. I wish we were buying instead of trying to find another place to rent, but that's not in the cards for us this year. I am hoping that we can find a rent to own place, so that we won't be throwing away thousands of dollars. Because let's face it, when you rent, you are basically throwing money away.

I'm tired of it.

84

Today is my Grandmother's 84th birthday.

I hope my mom passed along some of her genes to me so that I get to celebrate my 84th birthday.

I haven't seen or spoken to my Grandmother in years, but hopefully now that my mom bought a house she will come for a visit. Brandi doesn't ever remember meeting her...it's been that long.

I don't think she reads this, but just in case (there is a link on my Facebook page, and we are friends there...how funny is it that my 84 year old Grandmother is on Facebook! lol) I hope you have a wonderful birthday!

Online Shopping

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of CSNStores. All opinions are 100% mine.

I think it is an understatement to say that I have been feeling a little overwhelmed these days. I didn't think it would be so hard to pack up this little apartment. Who knew I had so much stuff? As I am packing, I am weeding out the things we don't use, or need. I am throwing out broken things, and trying to get rid of the things the kids have outgrown; clothes and toys alike. Part of this process is keeping a list of things that I use, but are broken, that need to be replaced.

One of the things I want to replace is my desk. There is nothing wrong with the one I am using now, other than that it is not something I picked out. It is a hand me down, and not exactly my style. Since I spend most of my day sitting here, I think I should have a desk I like. I found this desk online at csnstores.com, and I love it. I like the combination of black and wood, and I think it will fit nicely in my "office" once we move.

One of the other things on my list is a whisk. I did have a nice one, but it got caught in the drawer when I tried to open it, and it bent. It still whisks, but it looks funny. I really like this colorful one. It has personality, kind of like me. I also found this at csnstores.com. In fact, I found all kinds of neat things on this site. They offer everything from office furniture and whisks to luggage and pet supplies.

Like most things these days, you can find CSNStores on Facebook. I became a fan so that I can find out about all their great sales and giveaways first hand. It is only recently that I have become a fan of online shopping. I have missed out on so much! It is so much more convenient to sit here and search for the things I want with a click of the mouse than it is to go traipsing to different stores all over town.

I look forward to ordering lots of things for the new place once we get settled. The trick is to find the perfect house first.

Monday, March 8th

I don't know how or why, but NBC has brought back one of my favorite new shows this season:

Trauma!

I can not even begin to tell you how excited I am. I have no idea if this has anything to do with the whole Leno thing, and I really don't care. I just wish I didn't have to wait six more weeks!

My Poor Baby

Brandi is sick, yet again. Another upper respiratory infection. She is out of school until Friday, and I am not sure yet if I will even send her then. She has been running a low fever, and I like for the kids to be fever free for 24 hours before they go back to school.

I ended up taking her to the ER, because we couldn't get in to see our doctor due to therapy. After three hours and a couple of chest xrays, we were finally on our way home with a prescription for Robitussin plus codeine (or some type of special stuff), which of course her insurance wouldn't cover. Thankfully it was inexpensive, and we actually had the money to fill it ourselves. So, right now she is medicated, and trying to not fall asleep so she can watch Wizards at 11.

I don't think she is going to make it.

The Final Destination

I admit it...I am a horror movie junkie. I love all the bloody gory stuff. My only thing is that I can only watch each movie one time. If I know what's coming, it loses something. Except the SAW movies. I have to watch those a couple of time to figure out what the hell they are all about, although the last one...I think it was the 5th one...explained everything dealing with the first 4 pretty nicely.

The other day I watched the 4th Final Destination movie. Unfortunately, I didn't see it in 3D, but I could see where those effects would have made the movie even more disgusting. I have seen the first three, and to be honest, I really liked them. I actually saw the third one before the first two because it just happened to be on television one day. I think that one is my favorite.

This one wasn't bad. I liked how they showed a lot of premonitions, and not all of them came true. And, as usual, all the main characters, who thought they had cheated death, were killed in the last few seconds of the movie.

For all of you horror movie fans, make sure to check this one out. Especially if you have seen the others in this series.

Need New Glasses? Ryan Does

Ryan is supposed to wear glasses at school to see the board. I asked him the other day if he was wearing his glasses like he is supposed to, and he said no. When I asked why not, he said it was because they were broken. It seems he had them in his book bag, at the bottom, and then got squished. This happened months ago. Months! I was so angry with him; not because he broke his glasses, but because he didn't tell me. Luckily, we have insurance on the kids and eyes are covered 100%, so I can get them replaced for free. He also needs an eye exam, so he will have that done, too. The glasses he wears look like this:
Now, if you don't have eye coverage on your insurance plan, let me tell you about Zenni optical. They offer eyeglasses for as low as $8. In fact, the pair pictured above is from their $8 selection. You can check out this article written for the Examiner to read for yourself how satisfied Zenni customers are. In fact, I know someone personally who bought two pairs of glasses from them, and they were extremely impressed with the quality of the glasses. To be honest, they were expecting an $8 pair of glasses, otherwise known as a cheaply made pair. They were pleasantly surprised with the glasses they received. It's nice to know that in these hard economic times that you don't have to neglect your eyes. You can get cheap, but not cheaply made glasses, for reasonable prices. In fact, you can buy multiple pairs of glasses for the same amount of money that one pair typically costs. That is what I call an awesome deal.

Breathless

Imagine going about your day, just as you do everyday. All of a sudden, you see these two creatures who are beautiful and innocent. Creatures unlike anything you have ever seen before. Imagine how much your life can change in that single moment.

That is what this book is all about. These beautiful white creatures come to earth through a bright light, and change the world. They bring two friends with horrible pasts closer together. They bring a damaged man back to his family. They bring peace to other animals. They are magical, to say the least.

As a huge Dean Koontz fan, this book was the only thing I really wanted for Christmas, and my mom made sure that I got it. As with most of his books, I read it in just a few days, and I loved it. I will admit that there was one storyline that didn't really fit with the rest of the book, but for the most part, it was a great read. In fact, I am going to let Kasi read it. She has been after me for years to read something that he has written, but there has always been some kind of adult content that I felt was too mature for her. This book didn't really have any of that, so I think she will enjoy it. Of course, when she is done we will discuss it, and if she has any questions while reading it I will be happy to answer them for her. The only bad thing is that she will have to wait until we moved, because it is already packed.

I would most definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a great read.

Taking Online Classes

I am a mom. First and foremost, this is the title that best describes me. Ever since the day my son was born over fourteen years ago, I have worn this title proudly.

But, now I am beginning to think there is more to me than that. My kids days of depending on me for every little thing are long gone, and I am finding that I am not sure who I am now, or who I want to be. I have been thinking about going back to school, but with Junior's work schedule, I do not know how we can make that fit. The best, and easiest solution would be for me to look into Online Colleges. I could go to "school" when it is convenient for me, and I could work it into my schedule. I have heard that taking classes through online colleges can also be cheaper than actually going to a campus for classes, and that would be wonderful, because we don't have much money lying around for "extras", and that's what school would be for me right now, as much as I hate to admit it. I bet I could qualify for some financial aid or a grant or something if I applied.

I did go to college after high school, but I never finished. I was working towards a degree in early childhood development. I wonder how old credits have to be before they are non-transferable? I guess that's something else I should look into.

The Proposal

This is the best chick flick I have seen in a while. Sandra Bullock stars as Margaret, an uptight book editor, who finds herself in quite the predicament...she is being deported. Here solution is to get married. To her assistant. Who didn't see it coming.

Ryan Reynolds plays Andrew, the assistant. He agrees to go along with this crazy (and illegal) scheme as long as Margaret agrees to promote him to an editor. To prove to the immigration officer that they are serious, they head to Alaska to announce their engagement to Andrews family.

There were plenty of moments in this movie that had me cracking up. There is one part where Margaret and Andrew's grandmother, played by Betty White, were chanting in the woods, and holy crap...I was hysterical! Oh, and then when Margaret and Andrew start singing "It Takes Two To Make A Thing Go Right"...I seriously almost peed my pants. It was so funny!

I had to pay to rent this movie on Charter, but it was so worth it. In fact, I think I might add this to my dvd collection in the near future!

Survivor: Heroes Vs. Villains

The cast:
Back Row: Candice (Cook Islands), Tyson (Tocantins), Randy (Gabon), Stephenie (Palau, Guatemala), JT (Tocantins), Cirie (Panama, Micronesia), Colby (Australia, all-stars), Danielle (Panama), James (China, Micronesia), Tom (Palau), Sugar (Gabon), Coach (Tocantins), Courtney (China)
Front Row: Rupert (Pearls Islands, All-stars), Amanda (China, Micronesia), Russell (Samoa), Parvati (Cook Islands, Micronesia), Jerri (Australia, all-stars), Rob (Marquesas, all-stars), Sandra (Pearl Islands)

Can you guess who the Heroes are?
What about the Villains?

I was a little disappointed to see some of the names. I mean, some of these people have already played twice. Amanda made it to the finals twice, and lost both times. Does she really deserve another shot? As happy as I am to see Rupert, he not only played twice, but he won the fan favorite cash prize. I just think they should have given some other players the chance to come back.

That said, it is going to be great to watch Russel go up against Boston Rob and Jerri.

Brandi wants Sugar to win, and I am kinda hoping Colby or Rupert wins. I know, they have both already played twice, but they are so likable and such good guys!

Who do you want to win? I know I'll be tuning in for the premiere on Feb. 11.

Sunday Is Family Day!

Today is Sunday, so we will be heading to my mom's house. She decided a couple of weeks ago that Sunday's are going to be "family days", and that she would be cooking dinner every week, and she wants the whole family to come over. I love this idea! Before my mom remarried, we used to spend a lot of time at her house, and she is finally getting back to that old self.

Last week my sister and I were there, which meant I got to spend the day with Carson and Lylah. It's crazy how much I love those little boogers. My sister said Lylah is giving her a hard time about taking a bottle, which she needs to do before my sister can go back to work. I found this really helpful website about all things Baby and child, and I am going to show it to her later at my moms. I am hoping they will have some advice about bottle feeding breast fed babies. From what I saw, they offered all kinds of articles on a huge variety of subjects, and I know that any little bit of advice can be helpful when you have run out of your own ideas.

My brother will also be there today with his wife and kids, so it is going to be a full house. I don't get to see these guys as often as I would like, but it is always fun when we do get together. I see a mean game of Hollywood Rummy in my future...

I can not wait!

My New Facebook Profile Picture

Don't you just love it! The girls were bored tonight, so I let them give me a makeover. Kasi did the left side of my face, and Brandi did the right.

I am really digging the three different colors of lipstick!

When they were finished, I did what any good mother would do. I let them take a picture, and I am using it as my facebook profile picture, which most of you probably already know, because you stalk me there as well as here.

I should get some major mommy point for this!

Who's Your Valentine?

People say that Valentine's Day is the most romantic day of the year.

I say why wait for one day every year to show the person you love how much they mean to you?

Junior and I have never made a big deal about Valentine's Day. I know he loves me, and he knows I love him, and we show each other all through the year. That said, it would be nice to get some flowers and chocolates on the same day as millions of other girls. I remember when Brandi was just a couple of months old, Junior sent flowers to me on Valentine's Day. I had just gone back to work, and I was feeling so sick that day. (turned out I had the flu) I still have the card that he sent with them. It was signed from him and the three kids. It was the best Valentine's Day I have ever had.

This year I might drop hints that I want flowers again. I will, subtly, let him know that he can use a Proflowers code to save some money, too. My favorite flowers are pale yellow roses. I used to like pink ones as a teen, but as I have grown up my tastes have changed.

But, if I don't get flowers, that will be fine, too. I know with moving and everything we have happening in the next month, this particular Holiday may slip by unnoticed. But that's okay.

Like I said, I know my husband love me, and I don't need a special day for him to prove it to me.

I Love You, Man

I watched this movie last night, and I just have to say:

I love any movie that quotes The Princess Bride.

Did you movie fans (or Princess Bride freaks like me) pick up on it? It's during Peter and Sydney's first time out, at the bar. They are getting drunk and saying stupid stuff, and Sydney says "Anybody want a peanut?", in the voice of Andre the Giant. It was great!

The movie itself was crude at times, which I kind of like. There were parts where I was laughing pretty hard. Remember, my other favorite movie is The 40 Year Old Virgin, which also has Paul Rudd in it. He was also in Knocked Up, another movie I love, and Jason Segel was in that, too.

Anyway, the movie is about a guy who has no male friends, who gets engaged. He overhears his fiance talking to her girlfriends about it, and decided to make a friend.

If you are looking to laugh, check out this movie. It's too funny.

There IS A Reason For My Lack Of Posting Lately

Hello blog world! I feel like I haven't been around in forever. I know there have been some posts from me, but to tell you the truth, my heart just hasn't been in it.

I am totally stressed out about finding somewhere to live, and I am packing like it's an obsession. I want to be ready to go as soon as we find a new place, and that means that everything needs to be packed. The good thing is that I am totally organized (which is weird for me) and things are moving along great. This weekend I am going to focus on the bedrooms, and hopefully it won't be too long before I am unpacking!

Climbing The Mountain by Anne, a lay Apostle

Are you looking for an inspirational book to read? If so, you should check out Climbing the Mountain by Anne a lay Apostle. This is just one book in a series of books where she explains how God has spoken to her, and in each book she reveals what God has shown her. In reading what other people have written about these books, I am led to believe that they can teach you how to strengthen you relationship with God, and become closer to Him.

We all have our own journey to take, and climbing our personal mountains can be a little easier if we have Faith. I am not a very religious girl, but that doesn't mean that I don't have my own personal relationship with God. I will admit to being a little curious about these books, and might just get a copy for myself.

And So It Goes

The place we were interested in has been rented. I am not worried too much, because it just means that we weren't meant to live there. I am a big believer in "what is meant to be, will be", and when we have the money in hand, I am sure we will find the perfect place.

We are actually toying with the idea of moving closer to my mom and sister. There are so many houses in that area for rent, with prices we can actually afford. The only problem would be that all the kids would change schools (it's a different district) and I'm not too keen on moving Ryan. With his ADHD, he has a relationship with the school nurse, and now that I am typing this, I realize that he will be going to a new school next year anyway, so what's the difference? But, changing at that age (14) has got to be hard.

I don't know...I have so much thinking (and packing) to do.

The Lunar Antics

I will admit that whenever we get a daily paper, the first thing I read is the comics. I know, as an adult I should be reading about world news or politics, but those things don't interest me too much. I would rather laugh than have to deal with the reality that is our nation these days.

So imagine my delight when I was asked to review this new comic book, called Boy, I'd Hate To Be Made Out Of That Stuff. The comics inside are geared more towards adults, or at least teen aged kids. I tried to get Ryan and Kasi to read it (my 14 and 12 year olds) but they didn't get a lot of the jokes. I found them (the comics, not the kids) really amusing. Their take on our everyday doings are right on.

There are three things you should know about these aliens:

they have antennas

they have flying saucers

they are good in math

I think it's time to meet the cast of characters:

Zeno: He spends a lot of time making sure us Earthlings know that he is a lot smarter than us. He spends a lot of time pointing out our (us humans) shortcomings.

Zed: The math expert, but also very shy.

Linda: The only female alien, she is more than capable of going up against the boys. In fact, she is often threatening to straighten them out.

Drusus: This guy is hard to describe, because he is not in a lot of the comics. But when he does make an appearance, it is usually to assist one of the other guys in one scheme or another.

The Professor: The unlucky (or lucky, depending on how you view the situation) human who is hosting this alien family.

Check out one the comics from the book:

This book is set to be released on January 18th, but you can get an advanced copy right now. Just head to their website and order your copy. You can even get free shipping. Oh, and if you ask nice enough, you may even get a signed copy. How cool is that?

***I was sent a copy of this book to review, but please know that the opinions stated here are my own. I was not paid to say nice things. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.

Free Samples

I love getting free stuff. I mean, who doesn't? I have gotten some pretty cool things, too. My favorite so far has been the egg shaped lip balm. I can not for the life of me remember what the name brand was, but I really loved the product. I found the link to it at shop4freebies.com. This site has all the links to the free stuff, and it is updated daily. In fact, every afternoon I get an email, alerting me to that day's free samples.

Did I mention how much I love free stuff? I have gotten blood glucose meters, laundry detergent, cereal, shampoo and condition samples, just to name a few. Some days it's like Christmas when I check the mailbox.

So go. Sign up for the email notifications. I mean, it's free stuff! Why not get some for yourself?

I Just Realized...

...that I haven't posted anything since Thursday.

That is so not like me.

Nothing special has been happening, I have just been doing a lot of packing.

And then more packing.

We found a place to live...peeking in the windows, it looks perfect for us. We are waiting for the owners to cal back so we can set up a time to walk through. The only problem is that we won't have the money to move for a few more weeks, and it might not be available then.

We have our fingers crossed, though.

Homer Awards

As most of you know, Junior works at The Home Depot. Right now he is an inventory specialist, and before that he was a sales associate. The job he does now does not require him to constantly interact with the customers, but when someone asks him a question, he does have to help them.

Now, when a customer feels like he did a good job, they can call, or speak to a manager personally, to praise him. Every time this happens, he is given a badge, or a Homer Award, as they call it. Every time he gets three badges, he gets a $50 bonus.

Well, last month, Junior got his 12th homer award. This is apparently a big deal, and instead of a bonus, he got a watch. A really nice watch. There's a picture of it.

And Junior being Junior, as soon as he brought it home, he went online to see how much it cost. I laughed when he couldn't find it online.

I want him to wear it, but he doesn't like to. He says it is too heavy, and that it is too loose. I did talk him into having it sized, and then trying to wear it. I mean, it is a really nice watch, and I hate for it to just sit in the box. I want him to enjoy it.

But, if he doesn't want to wear it, I will put it up for him. He may not think it is a big deal, but I think it is an awesome accomplishment for him.

Planning A Romantic Weekend Getaway

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hiltons of Branson. All opinions are 100% mine.

I was in the grocery store today, and as usual, there was no bread or milk. You see, in the south, when there is even the slightest chance of winter weather, people buy milk and bread. Weird, I know, but that's what happens. Luckily I went in for soda, which they had plenty of.

I did notice something while shopping, and that was all the Valentine's things that are already on the shelves. This year, Junior and I will be celebrating our 16th Valentine's Day together. In all of those years, we have never, other than our honeymoon, went away by ourselves, without the kids. I am thinking that it is about time that we do.

I was looking into the Romance package available at the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing, and it sounds wonderful. We can get in-room sparkling wine or cider upon arrival, access to the hotel health club, pool and whirlpool spa, and a full American breakfast for two in our room. Of course, we would choose the cider, as neither of us drink. We would also take full advantage of the whirlpool.

Or we could choose the Hilton Bed and Breakfast Package and enjoy the comfort of the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel and get the personalized Hilton Breakfast for two all weekend long. It would be so nice to enjoy my husbands company without the constant interruption of the kids. I seriously don't know if I can remember how not to be a mom, even for a weekend. But, I am more than willing to give it a try.

He's So Freakin' Yummy!

Favorite Male Artist at The People's Choice Awards...he was looking hot!
I just wish he would get rid of that red head he was with. I mean, how can he marry me with her hanging around??? lol!!! Okay, so maybe I don't need to marry him. Maybe just a little playtime???

Oh, and I love his latest song...til summer comes around.

You're welcome...enjoy.

I'm Going To Try...

I wrote a post on my other blog today about my lack of new year's resolutions. I am just not feeling it this year. Why not? Because every year I make the same resolutions, and I never follow through.

Okay, maybe one time I did follow through, and that was when I quit smoking, although I quit in October, so it took me most of the year to get it done. But, better late than never, and that was eight years ago and I am still smoke free. This past year Junior quit smoking, and I hope he is able to stay that way.

Almost every year I say I want to lose weight, but then I don't do anything about it. If I am completely honest, it is because I am lazy. I know I am. I would much rather play video games or watch television than exercise. I am even too lazy to join a weight loss center like Nutrisystem, where they do all the work for you. Not the exercise part, but portioning out your food and making all your meals nutritious and healthy. How bad is it that I am too lazy to let someone do all that for me?

I think it is better to say that I am going to try, not resolve, to eat better and lose weight this year. (I write this as I sit here eating a peanut butter sandwich with pickles at 10:30 pm) Is there really any hope for me at all?

The Hangover

Most of you know that I have two favorite movies, and they couldn't be more different. I love The Princess Bride, and have ever since the first time I saw it. I remember one time in high school, my parents took my younger sisters and my brother out of town, and my older sister and I were left home alone for the first time. I was working at McDonald's at the time, and one of the nights they were gone I worked the closing shift. A bunch of us who worked there thought it would be fun to walk from the restaurant to my house, which was a couple of miles, at 12:30am in the pouring rain. No umbrellas, no jackets, no nothing.

Needless to say, by the time we made it to my house, we were soaked! We all went in and put on clean clothes, and being the rebels we were, we watched The Princess Bride. I know, you can't believe how wild we got! My parents are out of town and we watched a freakin' movie! lol!

Anywho, my second favorite movie is The 40 Year Old Virgin. I don't think you can get much further away from The Princess Bride than that. This was the one thing that Junior bought me to make my boob surgery recovery a little easier. I must have watched that movie a hundred times.

So, seeing as how I like that kind of humor, I was sure I would love The Hangover. My sister said it was great, and I have to agree. There were times when I really did laugh out loud. The part where the Chinese guy jumps, naked, out of the trunk and wraps his legs around the other guys neck...I was hysterical. Or when they found the baby in the cabinet...too funny.

If you don't like crude kind of humor, you may want to pass on this movie. All you other guys, check this movie out. It is definitely worth 100 minutes of your life.

Walking

I used to love to walk. In fact, there was a time when I was walking about four miles a day. Then we moved, and I never have been able to find a route that is safe to walk where we now live. This is another thing good about moving; I can try and find a place that is "walker friendly".

When I was walking, I had a few things that made each outing a little more pleasurable. First and foremost is a great playlist on my MP3. I always listened to songs that were up beat and fun. I found that the slower the song, the slower I walked, and the faster the song, the more bounce there was in every step I took.

Second was a great pair of walking sneakers. I just read this article titled Walk It Off, where they talk about how having the right pair of shoes for walking can make all the difference. I can not agree with this more. I started walking with an old pair of sneakers I had had for years, and my feet would start hurting about halfway through my walk. I finally talked Junior into buying me a shoe specifically designed for walking, and my feet quit hurting. Coincidence? I don't think so. Right now you can get free shipping at The Walking Company, so it's the perfect time to invest in a good pair of walking shoes.

The third thing I did was dress in layers. Even when it was cold out, I would end up taking off my jacket and walking in just a tshirt. No matter how cold it was outside, I knew that I would warm up as soon as I started walking, so wearing a long sleeved shirt didn't make sense. I also preferred walking in the morning. I don't know why, it was just easier for me, and it set the tone for the rest of my day.

I am really looking forward to getting back into the habit of walking every day. I think it will help with losing some of this weight, too.

And They Picked Yesterday To Come Fix My Bathtub

I was standing outside yesterday afternoon talking to a friend of mine who had stopped by, and this guy walked up and asked if I had any leaks in the apartment. He said he was told my toilet continuously runs. I told him that it was my tub, not the toilet, and that he would have to give me a minute before he could come in.

Now, I don't know about how clean you keep your house, but with five people and one bathroom, I will admit that that room is not always "company ready", if you know what I mean. So I left the guy standing outside as I grabbed up all the clothes off the floor and wiped down the sink.

When I finally let him in, this is what he saw:
Yeah, I am pretty sure he went back and told the management company that we are leaving. Now, we were in no way sneaking out, but our lease is up in February, and if we can't find something by then, I don't want to HAVE to leave here, know what I mean? It ticks me off that my tub has been running, continuously, for the 18 months we have lived here, and they send someone out to fix it when I am in the middle of packing. Ug.

As he was checking out the tub, I asked him if he was only the plumber. He said yeah, but then asked why I asked. I started to tell him about the ceiling in the kitchen (and now bedroom) leaking and falling in, and he said he knew, because he was the same guy who put in the new water heater during the summer. He told me that he went back and told the management company about our problem, and then asked if anyone ever came out.

I said no, and he said he wasn't surprised. He said the only reason he was here was because they had to pay a huge water bill (remember when my water was turned off a few weeks ago? ) and they were pissed about it. So, until my ceiling actually falls in, they don't care. He then said he wasn't surprised that we were moving, because he wouldn't live like this either.

Oh, how I can not wait to move!

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The Magic Number Is...

I got on the scale this morning, and I was down another pound.

That makes a total of 42 pounds.

I am pretty proud of myself.

With all the packing and wii playing going on around here, I am hoping to lose another five this month.

Wish me luck!

New Living Room Furniture

I love shopping at outlet stores. I don't mind if things are a little irregular, or if they were overstocked somewhere else. It just means that I get whatever it is at a great price. We have an outlet mall not too far from where I live, and Junior and I were just talking about making a trip out there this weekend, as long as it's not too cold, because it is an outdoor mall.

Now, as much as I love outlet stores, it never occurred to me that you could get furniture at an outlet. I know, it makes sense, and I bet they have really great prices. I went online and started looking around for good deals on living room furniture, because that is the one thing I want to invest in when we move next month. Wow, it just dawned on me that we only have about a month or so left in this apartment, and you have no idea how happy that makes me.

Anyway, getting back to the furniture. I found a Chicago Furniture Store that offers overstocked and floor model furniture at discounted prices, and I am excited to try and find something that would look good with my entertainment center and end tables. They claim that their selection changes frequently, so I am hoping that even though I didn't see anything today that I loved, I can still find something before the move. I would love it if we didn't have to take out old fashioned looking couch. I really want something a little more contemporary.

It Is COLD!

I woke up cold this morning, even though the heat was turned up pretty high. No matter what I did today, I could not get warm. At one point I had on pajama bottoms, a tshirt, a robe, fuzzy socks and slippers, and I was still cold.

Right now, it is 22 degrees outside.

I am not looking forward to heading to the bus stop in the morning...

Cute Phone Cases

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Pexagon Technology. All opinions are 100% mine.

Do you have an iPhone or a BlackBerry? If so, do you have an extra $5 in your pocket? If so, you can get one of these colorful personalized Apple & BlackBerry cases. That's right. For only $5 you can get one of these covers.

The iPhone covers fit either the iPhone 3G/3Gs or the iPod touch 2nd Generation. You can get either a soft silicone or hard plastic case, and either kind can be personalized with a logo and you name. There are twelve different colors to choose from:

I would pick the purple. That is if I owned an iPhone or iPod. I am pretty sure that there is a color available that matches your personality, too.

The BlackBerry cases fit the BlackBerry® Curve™ 8300, BlackBerry® Curve™ 8900, BlackBerry® Bold™ 9000 and the BlackBerry® Tour™ 9630. These come in the same colors as the iPhone covers, and they are also able to be personalized with your name and whatever logo you choose. The hard plastic is not an option, though, as these are only available in the silicone.

Now, I know I said you could get these covers for $5 each, but what I didn't mention is that the $5 also includes shipping. I don't know that you can beat that price anywhere else, especially since this includes the personalization.

Now I just need to get one of those phones so I can get one of these purple cases.

Guess What?

I have another blog! In fact, I have three other blogs, but one I haven't touched in months. One of the other two is kind of a personal-all-about-me-without-the-kids type blog, and the other one, the one I want to talk about, is my crafty blog. This is where I post the things I make, whether it be crochet, wood crafts, or even cooking. In fact, there have been a lot of cooking/baking posts thanks to the holidays. The reason I want to talk about this blog is because it gets zero traffic.

I know it's my own fault, as I don't market it the way I do this one. I don't drop ecards for that one, though I really should. Google seems to like it, as it went up to a PR2 the other day when we had the update happen. (thankfully, this blog stayed a PR2, too, which makes me very happy) Anyway, I don't want you guys to feel pressured to visit my beautiful creations, but I really think you should. Especially this post...these are the cutest cupcakes!

Oh, and if you want to visit the other two, you can do it here and here, but there's not too much good stuff one these. One is mostly pictures, and the other one is mostly my bitching about everyday things not related, directly, to my kids.

So, if I know you from one blog, and you have others, let me know so I can visit you, too.

December Top Droppers

I would like to say a big "thanks!" to all of you guys who dropped here last month. For the first time in forever I made it onto someone's top droppers list who I am not friends with. I was dropping a little while ago, and there I was. I know, it's probably not that big of a deal, but I was excited. I guess it's the little things that make me happy. Either that, or I need to get a life!

Anyway, it's now time to thank my top droppers:

top jokes: compiled funny videos, jokes, and pictures.

anns snap edit scrap: mixed bag of my digital photography, photo editing, digi scrap designs, freebies and rambling about life

all stace, all the time: My insane life and times filled with teen drama, marital comedy and realizing that 600 miles away from my insane family still isn't far enough!

rambling stuff: I HAVE DECIDED TO ACCEPT ALL ADS,WITH NO RESTRICTIONS AT ALL.THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADS

crimsonsparkle.net: The view from my window

vanilla seven: Showcases of photography, idea, concept, design, graphic, environment, architecture, interior and art

simple forex: This is a site about my simple Forex trading strategy. I primarily trade EUR/JPY and EUR/GBP. My strategy is easy - Set and Forget - combined with strict risk management.

greetje greets you: Greetje greets You with accounts of her life, reviews, travels and a lot more

the junk drawer: Fresh and delicious stories about anything that amuses me, confuses me, or makes me blow a gasket. Take a look around the drawer. Just leave everything where you found it.

doocci.com: Collections of funny pictures and videos, as well as stories of my life.

These 10 blogs dropped here 31 times last month, and I am extremely thankful.
You guys are the best!

Happy New Year!

I hope this year all your dreams come true!