Funniness

Nester featured this blogger last week and she has quickly become one of my favorite reads. This made me laugh out loud.  Truly. Like shaking the bed because I was trying to hold it in because it was late at night and Brad was sleeping next to me kind of laugh out loud.

The Hippie Chick

So we've already covered the fact that many of you are no longer blogging. I had no choice but to move on. I even deleted some of you from the list. It's not personal. It's business. (Yes, that is from You've Got Mail) No updates. No linky for you.

In my quest to find some linky worthy blogs I started with Jana's list. I went down the whole thing. Many (most) of them bored me. It's not personal. I bore easily. But one of them- one of them is funny. It's Aud's blog and it is funny I tell you. I also noticed she goes to The Nester. That settles it. Any friend of The Nester is a friend of mine. So even though I don't really know this self proclaimed hippie girl (although I think I maybe I was at her house for a shower once??)I'm adding her to the Linky list.

And Aud...if you ever read this...don't do the home birth in the bathtub...even hippie chicks gotta draw the line somewhere sweetie.

Hey, Where Did Everyone Go?

Look over there at the blogs I read section...it is a sad day. Out of the 13 or so blogs listed only 3 are even updated anymore. Not naming names but some of you have small children or are newlyweds or recently moved or all of the above. You have lots of blogging material. What's the deal? Doesn't anybody blog anymore?

I know the "pros" like Nester and Vintage are still kicking but where are the rest of you? It's too quiet...I see you reading but no one is talking back to me anymore...Hello? Hellllloooo? Is this thing on?

Headed to the Nest

You know how you pop from blog to blog searching for a new crafty idea or some inspiration. Most blogs you go in and out of quickly. Occasionaly you find one to save as a favorite and once every million clicks you find *that* blog. The one that becomes your go to blog for all things fabulous. You don't even know this person which makes them very celebrity like in your mind. Everything they say resonates with you. Every craft they do is fabulous. Every picture is perfect. Well imagine finding out that the celebrity blogger you adore is having a yard sale AND then imagine that you find out the celebrity blogger is not only having a yard sale but she actually lives in your metorpolitan area?! Can you hear the giddyness in my typing here?

Nester is having a yard sale and I can go!!!

Who is Nester you ask...stop right now and head on over to the nest. Read about her window mistreatments here. Read about her fabulously frugal ideas here. Be still my heart.

I'm trying desparetly not to scare off the Nester with my stalker like tendencies. I'm hoping she is flattered and not frightened by the attention. I don't know Nester but I bet she understands. I bet she has a mentor blogger too. I bet she won't even call the police when I show up 12 hours early for this yard sale.

Testing. Testing. 123

Playing around with the blog layout a bit... What started as a simple task has turned into a major overhaul and I'm not convinced I even like it! I like the segmentation of those blocks I used to have. But I couldn't get the header like I wanted it with the blocks and it did cover alot of the background. I'm going to sleep on it for now and see what I think with fresh eyes in the morning...

Tagged for Randomness

I was tagged by Mark on Facebook. It's a snow day so I figure I have time to spend on such randomness. Here is the assignment- "Once you've been tagged, you should write a note with 16 random things (shortcomings, facts, habits or goals) about yourself. At the end choose 16 people to be tagged and tell why you tagged them." Here we go...

1-I actually like random things like this. In fact I think randomness is an efficient way to multitask.

2- I will be sucked into watching this inauguration coverage all day. I even got a little teary when Mrs. Obama gave Mrs. Bush a gift as they arrived at the White House. I have no idea why. I would LOVE to know what they discuss during their coffee.

3- I have 10 pairs of pajama pants. Apparently I collect them much like I collect flip flops.

4- I'm actually enjoying the process of getting my masters. I don't enjoy the extra work but I am enjoying the goal. I think it's going to be one of those things that sucks while you do it but later you are so glad you did.

5- I wish someone I am really close to would have a baby so I can hold it and spoil it and then give it back. Any takers? Annemarie- that means YOU!

6- After 3 years I don't really miss QT iced coffees anymore. I've become a Starbucks junkie instead. Sad day.

7- After 3 years I don't miss Braums milk anymore either. I like Maeola milk from On the Run now.

8- There are times I wish I could just smile, nod, and keep my mouth shut. Wouldn't that make life easier?! Then again, I have gotten way better at that and I don't want to totally lose my voice.

9- My kids are at such a fun age right now. Maci and Aaron can have long indepth conversations with us and Andy is awesome comic relief. They drive us crazy but it's a good time.

10- I wouldn't buy a Carolina Girl t-shirt until I'd lived here over a year and I still feel a bit untruthful when I wear it. It's like I think the Carolina Girl police will come and bless me out for wearing it when I wasn't actually born here. (Stacie...do you think it's ok for me to wear that shirt?)

11- I like to talk to strangers at times and at other times I get annoyed when strangers talk to me.

12- I'm a teensy bit impressed by this Carolina snow today...it actually looks like snow this year.

13- I've become a much better teacher since moving here. Sometimes the "county things" drive me insane but most of them really do make for better teachers.

14- I soooo wish Brad was home with us on this snowday today. He is in an all day meeting and I miss him so much. The thing I can do to show him how much I miss him is to get all the laundry done today. Yep, coming home to empty laundry baskets is the best way to say "I love you" to him.

15- Whiny kids get on my very last nerve. Right now one of those whiny kids has the last name of Horner!!! Does he honestly think he can play in the snow without a hat?!

16- It has been so long since I've made snow icecream that I am going to have to look up the recipe today...and the you know I will end up changing it!

Public Service Announcement

[stepping onto my soap box]

People. It is not called the World Wide Web for nothin. What is let loose in cyberspace stays in cyberspace- forever. It is not seen or read by only your Granny in the nursing home or your bestest friend down the road. It is cyberspace- exposed to millions (billions?) of people- worldwide. You don't want your friends to think you're an idiot. You don't want strangers to think you're an idiot.

As a concerned Internet surfer I am offering this public service announcement to use as a good rule of thumb---- if you have the slightest thought of "is this inappropriate?" THEN IT MOST LIKELY IS! Always er to the side of caution. Your Granny in the nursing home will thank you. I thank you.

[stepping off my soap box]

Recycled- None of that Sissy Crap

Saw this on Penny's blog...loved it...and since I'm *so green* I just had to recycle it...

None of that Sissy Crap
Are you tired of those sissy ‘friendship’ poems that always sound good, but never actually come close to reality?Well, here is a series of promises that actually speak of true friendship.You will see no cutesy little smiley faces on this card-Just the stone cold truth of our great friendship.
1. When you are sad –I will jump on the person who made you sad like a spider monkey jacked up on Mountain Dew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2. When you are blue — I will try to dislodge whatever is choking you.
3. When you smile — I will know you are plotting something that I must be involved in.
4. When you’re scared — we will high tail it out of here.
5. When you are worried — I will tell you horrible stories about how much worse it could be until you quit whining, ya big baby!!!!
6. When you are confused — I will use little words.
7. When you are sick –Stay away from me until you are well again. I don’t want whatever you have.
8. When you fall — I’ll pick you up and dust you off.
9. This is my oath…I pledge it to the end. ‘Why?’ you may ask — because you are my FRIEND!

Oh My Blog!

I was looking through my pictures file and saw this picture- Crap! This was a blog I forgot to blog! This blog was going to be about how I watched the hurricane come in to NC and how that was really interesting since it was just a few hours away and the weather channel was broadcasting from Ocean Isle yada yada. But now it has been too long and that blog has lost all relevance.

Another happening I forgot to blog about was our AWESOME staff development trip to the White Water Rafting Center- we rafted class 4 rapids and had a great time doing it. That really would have been a good blog.

Am I the only one that mentally blogs things but never actually gets it on the pc? Often I will think and maybe even say, "oh I'm going to blog about this," but then life happens and I wake up days (or weeks) later realizing I never got it done.

Which reminds me, I meant to write a blog about how certain people in my life (you know who you are!) will feel really bad for making fun of my memory loss if I end up with Alzheimer's or something!

Get Real

I just spent the better part of the last half hour reading a new (to me) blog. As I'm reading, I'm amazed at how there are words on the page portraying this picture yet I've witnessed polar opposite actions from the person. If you're going to take the time to blog, do it however you like. Be serious. Be silly. Be whatever you want to be. But above all- be real!
Seriously.

Introducing

For your blogging pleasure, I am pleased to introduce So Stacie a blog authored by our favorite "Miss Osborn." You'll want to check in often because Stacie has alot to write about as she plans her June wedding. Blog on Stacie!

Tagged

I was recently tagged by Jessica. This one is a little bit harder to fill out than the normal tag thing but Jess is a mommy to be so I am going to do my best here just for her and baby Harper. (is that the winning name??)

Joys:

1) Summer vacation!

2) Watching my kids play on the beach.

3) Having "snuggle and watch a movie night" with Brad & the kids.

4) Finding the cutest flip flops ever- that no one else has yet.

Fears:

1) Heights

2) Scary movies

Facts:

1) I can not visualize anything. I have to physically see it to be able to picture it.

2) I have to really watch it or I will get sucked into TNTs Primetime in the Daytime schedule this summer!

3) I am a list maker and a calendar keeper. (& that isn't a picture of my calendar up top...got it off google.com)

4) I can be a bit picky about just a few little things. ;)

Been Tagged

Anna May "tagged me" So I am supposed to now write a blog of 10 weird/random facts/habits/goals about myself- at the end choosing 10 more people to tag. Here we go.

1. I don't carry a purse. I traded in a purse for a diaper bag 10 years ago. By the time I stopped needing the diaper bag I had figured out how to carry all I need in a little keychain thingy...and in the console of my vehicle.

2. Speaking of that vehicle...it is a pit inside. Jackets, random papers, brushes, lipsticks, CDs, toys, etc. etc. are in there. Brad gets very frustrated with me about it.

3. I don't know how I stand the car being a mess because in the house I need everything to have its own spot. Baskets organize everything here from toys to shoes to plastic forks to papers. Everything has a basket.

4. I am the worst about watering my plants. More than 254 (ballpark figure) plants have met their demise around here because I just don't water worth a flip.

5. I still don't know I know what I want to be when I grow up.

6. I do not have the patience for voicemails. I'd much rather just see your missed call than have to dial it up and listen to a voicemail. Let me just call you back to see what you wanted. I'm probably going to be calling you back anyway. Why not eliminate the extra step?

7. Having said that, I do have an ongoing 'voicemail thing' with a friend. I am not sure how it started (due to random fact #10) but we leave looooonnngg rambling voicemails for eachother every day. I do enjoy listening to those. Maybe because they are often funny. Maybe because I expect them. I've also learned that leaving those voice mails is much like therapy. I can often vent on the voicemail and not have to talk about that particular subject again.

8. I worry more about what other people think than I should. I also worry about it more than you think I do. My "whatthecrapever" attitude is something I have to work at. You know what I mean....

9. There are many days I still miss Church on the Move so much I ache. The podcasts are good but not as good as hearing Pastor in person. I miss the entire atmosphere.

10. For the most part, my memory sucks. Sucks with a capital "S." Ihave to write down everything I need to remember. Reruns don't bother me because I have no idea how they ended. I rely on people with good memories. This is precisely why Kendra and I are in major trouble when we get together. She is the only person I know that has a memory as bad as mine!

11. I'd much rather do something if I am not required to. I like to go the extra mile. I like to overachieve. But if you are forcing me to...I will buck the system.

12. This little bit of rebellion is exactly why I have to post 12 facts instead of 10 and not tag anyone. ;)

What Have I Done??

A few days ago I thought I was going to be techno savy and get my email to work on both my computer and Brad's laptop. Apparently I am not so savy after all. I'm currently having email issues. Issues that my darling husband will have to sort out for me. (He truly IS techno savy!) Anyway, if I am not replying to your email...try again or go the old fashioned way and just call me. Because at this point, I don't know what I am getting or not getting or where what I am getting is going!

A Little Interaction

I saw this on Valerie's myspace and loved it! I hope she doesn't mind that I snagged one. Please sign in...please.

For your blogging pleasure

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Because we can never have too much music, I recently added a video roll. Take a peek under the first set of blinkies for the Michael Buble channel from YouTube. You can click and listen without leaving the blog. I believe the videos will randomly change each time you pull up the blog. Just mute the other music I have going (on the slide show) By the way, I just changed that music...the last song was too slow. The blogger people need to come up with a way to have music play like MySpace does so I don't have to add the slide shows to every page. I have found this music addicting and now that I've found how to have it auto play, I can't imagine a silent blog. Hopefully the smart guys at Blogger are working on a playlist for us.

Didn't Make the Cut

Here are some random thoughts/incidents that I intended to blog about but was either too lazy, distracted, or just forgot before I got it done...

*the WalMart greeter thinkin I was shoplifting the $9.97 garland that was hanging open in the cart amidst my groceries...how insulting!

*the dangers of drinking straws...and Andy's latest visit to the ER...

*the scene at WalMart as I accidentally ran my cart into a display while attempting to secretly test some lights by plugging them into the big outlet thingy...come to think of it, that was the same night my receipt was audited...hmmm...

*the lovely luncheon at Treshers Sunday afternoon with a great recipe for poppyseed
chicken...

*details on the best darn longest lasting doggie cologne I have ever smelled...

*to Santa or not to Santa and why I don't really have a large opinion either way...

There you have it. The blogs left on the cutting room floor....

Quiz Time

I've received the replies back from the quizes I sent out (see post below) and I don't feel quite as badly now. Kendra wasn't sure of my eye color either. :) Out of 5 replies, 2 said I was a rule follower, 2 said I was a rebel, and one (from the girl that's known me 2/3 of my life!) said it depends on the situation. She's definately right about that. Basically- if I agree with the rule, then I am a rule follower. If I think it is a stupid rule, then I am a rebel. Makes perfect sense if you've ever met my dad! Most thought I would need a computer if I were stranded on a desert island and that is also true! Here is the whole quiz for you to pass it on to your buds and see how well they know you.

1. Where did we meet?
2. Take a stab at my middle name:
3. How long have you known me:
4. Do I smoke:
5. What was your first impression of me upon meeting:
6. Color of my eyes:
7. Do I have any siblings:
8. What's one of my favorite things to do:
9. Do you remember one of the first things I said to you:
10. What's my favorite type of music:
11. What is the best feature about me:
12. Am I shy or outgoing:
13. Am I a rebel or do I follow the rules: rebel
14. What's your favorite memory of me:
15. Any special talents:
16. How many children do I have:
17. If there was one good nickname for me, what would it be:
18. If you and I were stranded on a desert island, what is one thing that I would bring:

MySpace for YourSpace

Through a chain of events I have now found many of our "kids" from back in the day on MySpace. However, being the smart kids they are- they have their pages set to private so I have to be listed as a friend to get to see it. I really want to see them but I don't do the whole MySpace thing. Sooooo...Julia hooked me up with a decent looking decoy page so I can pretend to do MySpace in order to see their spaces! Make sense?

The crazy thing is these kids aren't kids anymore. Some are married, all have graduated, and somewhere along the way they grew up. Brad was a bivocational youth pastor for 7 years- that's a long time to spend with those kiddos. They were always at our house, which we loved. They loved how Brad liked the music as loud as they did. They would leave their shoes at the door and kept the water balloons outside. Good kids I'm telling you. That time in our life seems like yesterday and like a million years ago. All at once. We had lock-ins, Windermere, SDC, YEC, SNAC, Six Flags trips...Six Flags trips where we didn't even get to go to Six Flags. It was a wild ride. We learned alot from them and I hope they learned a little something from us too.

So I'll gladly fake the myspace deal to get a glimpse into their grown up lives. If they happen to find my "real space" here and read about themselves- we love you guys! Everyone that signed that wall also signed our hearts. And if any of you ever took a picture of the wall....send a copy my way!!!!

Don't Blink

I uploaded some of my favorite blinkies...go ahead and take a look to the right...scroll down...there are a few groups of them. Go ahead, I'll wait. You can learn alot about someone from their blinkies. Don't you wish we could attach blinkies to peoples foreheads?

The checker's at the grocery store would say, "Warning: I don't really know how to sack, better watch your bread."

The car hop at Sonic's would say, "Please don't give me extra change to get back a dollar...I don't understand how that works and it hurts my head."

Our kids would say, "I'm really not a hellion, I just need some lovins and a nap."

I think they could be very helpful. I'd love to have a bag of blinkies that I could just slap on people as I saw fit. Nothing mean, just a little tidbit to warn others. ;) It goes along with the comedian that said stupid people should wear a sign...who was that...anyway, a sign may be too much. But now a blinkie- if we made it cute, I bet we could get away with that!