"A Wink and a Smile"

I don't talk about her a lot.  It isn't that I don't get along with her because I think that I do ... pretty well.  We don't have that chummy girlfriend type mom-daughter friendship and I am sure part of it is because we don't live near one another.  I also think it may be because my mom carries a whole lot of baggage.  She had a tough childhood ... one with abuse, neglect, and no parents to raise her.  She grew up in the foster care system and I know her childhood was really very sad.  Her take on life is very different than my own, but despite that she wanted so much more for her own children and I do believe that she did her very best.   She married my Dad who was her knight in shining armor.  He took care of her and understood her.  I know that I have talked more about my Dad because even thought I didn't have that chatty father-daughter relationship, we understood each other in a quiet sort of way.  A lot of my personality comes from my Dad, however some o...

*Saw part of this in my daughter's MagnifiKid ! Life is an opportunity, benefit from it. Life is beauty, admire it. Life is bliss, taste it. Life is a dream, realize it. Life is a challenge, meet it. Life is a duty, complete it. Life is a game, play it. Life is a promise, fulfill it. Life is sorrow, overcome it. Life is a song, sing it. Life is a struggle, accept it. Life is a tragedy, confront it. Life is an adventure, dare it. Life is luck, make it. Life is too precious, do not destroy it. Life is life, fight for it. ~Mother Teresa

We dug into our grab bag of dress-up this year.  All of these were either repeats or previously worn dance recital costumes, but I'm glad for the $$$ savings .   This year I only had the little ones with me. Daddy and {k} are at a big swim meet, while my oldest decided to comb the neighborhood with her friends.   WE have too much candy that will "magically" disappear in the next 2 weeks.   No it will not be ALL EATEN, but it will be GONE ;)

Is is silly on Halloween to be baking sugary icing chocolate chip pumpkin muffins? Lately I feel like I have a big fat "F" in the special treats department . So today my children will get my pumpkin muffins for dinner.  There is some nutritional value with eggs and pumpkin ... right?  Dessert will be CANDY and lots of it. *Don't worry before crashing from their sugar high those girls will BRUSH THEIR TEETH a long, long time. Recipe for Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins YUM YUM! Ingredients: 1 cup flour 1 cup sugar 1tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp of baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt 1 tsp. of cinnamon 2 eggs beaten 1 cup canned pumpkin 1/2 cup cooking oil 1/3 cup of miniature chocolate chips Directions: 1. In one bowl combine ... eggs, pumpkin, and oil. 2. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients, then fold in the chips (you can also addpecans, but I am allergic). 3. Spoon batter in to muffin cups (2/3 full) and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees

HAPPY HALLOWEEN to all! (repost photos from last year)

*A friend sent this to me. It looks really small, but if you click on it, it will enlarge ...

Called "I can NEVER make up my mind" At the start of a day, I will stand in my closet and just look at my choices.  Some days I just wish the clothing would jump off the hangers and onto me.  I wonder if another's pick would add a new dimension to my same old, same old clothing ;) This week I found myself returning two halloween costumes that I bought a month ago.  My girls NEVER saw them and since they were creative enough to make up or find costumes that we already had in our house, I decided to send the purchased costumes back to the store.  It was then that I thought I could just buy something for me .  The potential buy - UGG boots or ones that look like them. I'm sort of a casual girl that wears jeans most days and these boots would look cute ... I think. Now I've done a little research and these UGG boots are not that cheap, but they make many, MANY knockoffs that are A LOT cheaper.  So I decide in these hard economic times that I don't NEED the real t...

Just because I feel like it ... Clover Lane She has had some really warm and fuzzy posts.  Her blog keeps getting better and better. Catholic Teacher Musings She brings me back to my childhood with her funny, real stories. HAVE A HAPPY DAY!!!

I have ads by Google on my sidebar and most of the time I find ads that deal with teeth whitening and swim outlet.  For a while it had other ads dealing with homeschooling. Does G o o g l e have eyes? It's like they have noticed that my blog has switched gears.   Do I really talk about my teeth that much???? Swimming maybe, but teeth ...

7 days left and I can't wait until it is done and over with. I'm tired of the attacks and especially tired of reading the nasty, vulgar comments that I find on many sites. I don't know why I have been sucked into reading so much that is out there. Part of it is curiousity ... I'm human. HOWEVER, I feel like I bounce from site to site reading way more than I need to and it really is having a negative effect on me. Has politics always been this way? I would imagine with the internet, things are way more "in your face". THAT SCARES ME! I think there are a lot of people out there acting and speaking in very sinful ways. What will it be like in the future? Will elections to come get even uglier? I'm sure a lot of the morally reprehensible behaviors (NOW) have a lot to do with the current state of our economy. That doesn't excuse the evil words and actions that so many partake in. People can be so manipulated by the media and because their sensitivities have...

Kim tagged me on this ... Locate the closest book (I can do that and for once it is mine) Open up to page 56 Locate the 5th sentence (darn my first sentence is half done when you start the page) SHARE ... "So you'll fit in," he said. Hmmmmm ... those words make me laugh.  I have not read the book to which this line is from.  To be honest it may be a "summer read" sort of book and I don't normally read those kind.  I was at a swim meet with a mom who was reading this book.  She lost it on day 1 and on day 2 came in with a brand new copy ... she needed to keep reading.  Anyway, she found her original book and just gave it to me. I may read it.  It may help me to take my mind off so many serious things happening in our world.  It is a pretty popular book ... most likely on the best sellers list. BUT (relating that line to my life) I don't always feel like I fit in.  I'm not one to follow the crowd.  I'm not overly confident with my choices.  I don...

ELECTION PRAYER (Please Pray Daily) “Ever-faithful God, we consecrate the 2008 U.S. presidential election and our entire nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Our Loving Mother, Patroness and Protectress of the Americas. We ask that You take our Nation into Your Loving Care, reach into the hearts of the electorate, and give them the strength and enlightenment to know your Will, and to exercise Your Will in their vote. Abba, Father, Thy Will Be Done!” *Consider joining in prayer every night until Election Day at 9 PM.  I've put the Novena on my sidebar.

ELEVEN things that I just love about {k} ... Her kind heart Her determination ... she works really hard at swim practice and at meets Her neatness ... she may be the only one (of my girls) capable of keeping a clean room Her sweet personality Her comical side ... she is a goofball Her prayerful soul ... she isn't afraid to offer up a prayer to someone in need Her funky style ... some days she drives me nuts, but other times I just wish I had the nerve to be a bit more "out of the box" like {k} Her sweet musical side ... lovely voice, dedication to getting a song just right on the piano Her love of all music ... even some of the oldie stuff my husband and I will listen to Her artistic side ... she has neat handwriting and is a wonderful artist and    11.  LAST but not least ... THOSE DIMPLES !  Her smile, her eyes, and her dimples just light     up a room.  She can make anyone around her smile ... she's contagious that way ;) HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my second baby.