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Sunday, July 31, 2011

Jack Vale - CopyCat 3


I love Jack Vale!  He is SO funny.  People are usually just oblivious to what he's doing!  Enjoy!
Saturday, July 30, 2011

Five Question Friday (A Day Late)




Ooohhh, how fun!  For some reason I love survey questions.  So, here's mine:

1. Vow renewal ceremonies-yay or nay?
Yay!  Nothing says romance and love like wanting to renew your vows to the person you love.  And what's even better is when the man suggests it!  If I was a swooner (which I'm not...) I would swoon if he asked me.

2. What sound/s annoy you the most?
TV commercials.  I can't stand to hear them and have to mute them.  Some of them are pretty funny, but others are just downright annoying!
3. If you had to pick, would you have only all boys, or only all girls for kids?
Neither!  I have both boys and girls that I've raised.  Neither is more difficult than the other, there are just different challenges with them.  All of them drove me crazy - equally!  ;)
4. Do you believe in alternative medicine?
Yes, absolutely!  I have a cousin who used to suffer from migraines.  She went to doctor after doctor and no one could figure out what was going on.  Finally, a friend suggested she go to this holistic woman.  The woman looked in her eyes and told my cousin she needed to get her teeth checked.  Thinking the woman was crazy, she made an appointment for her teeth and found out she had a very bad decaying tooth.  It was pulled and the migraines went away.


Of course, I realize there's more to alternative medicine than just that, but I think we sometimes rely much too heavily on man-made medicines when God gave us so much with which to work.
5. Would you take a family member's children and raise them if they needed it?
Hands down - YES!  Absolutely no discussion there.

New Me Challenge


So, here is my first week's progress of my New Me Challenge.

My goal: to lose 2 pounds this week.

Here is my progress for the week:

Monday:  Yoga, boxing, a run on the Wii

Tuesday: So sore today!  Did some Wii table tennis and bowling.

Wednesday:  No exercise today.  

Thursday:  Zumba today.  Kicked my butt!

Friday:  No exercise today.  We had family night out and I had butterfingers.  So, it's definitely salads this weekend!

My goal of two pounds was met, though!!!  According to my Wii.   :)  Yay me!
Thursday, July 28, 2011

Another Planking Pic



C'mon people....You've got to be kidding me!!!!  No sense, no sense!


Source: Gingersnaps in the Morning
Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Stalkers and Sharks



So, we had a little incident at the college today where my girls attend.  You see, hubby works there, too, as the Criminal Justice Coordinator and fills in as campus police.  Of course, he's also a cop.  Anyone who knows anything about cops knows that they stick together like glue.

One of our daughters had a guy following her for the past few days.  Today, she was walking down the hallway to a classroom (the hallway was empty except for her).  He came in at the opposite end and yelled out to her, "Hey!"  When she turned to see who it was, he said, "I've got my eyes on you.  I have for a while."   He would follow her and just show up wherever she went.  She said it was just creepy.

So, since Dad was off campus at the time, she went to a good friend of ours who also happens to be a CRJ instructor and ex-Army infantry (I'll call him M).  All she had to say was, "There's some creepy guy stalking me."

The sharks descend!

M went hunting, notified Dad and the other campus cops and some county deputies who were already on campus looking for someone else.  The stalker guy was found, "talked to" and warned very severely - you don't mess with a cop's daughter.

I think he got the point!  He said he would NEVER have anything to do with her again!!

Good thinking.

Hoo Are You? Tuesday

NightOwlCrafting

Like my bloggy friend Hannah, I'm a day late.  But, here it is:

1. Have you ever attended a professional sports game?
Yes, a LOOOONG time ago I went to a Dallas Cowboys vs. Denver Broncos game.  I was torn between which team to root for because I used to live in Texas but was, at the time, living in Denver.  It was a great game!


2. Have you ever been to a concert and if so which one was your 
ultimate favorite performance?
Why, yes!  My first was....oh brother, I'm about to really date myself....Rick Springfield.  Oh, yeah, I thought he was the bomb then, but I was only like fifteen.  

I've been to a Michael Jackson concert which was pretty cool.  But the most recent, which was probably about 8 years ago, I went to an Enrique Iglesias concert in Atlanta.  I was hooked on him for a while.  But then, my hubby, who is always looking out for my best interests, told me he was gay.

3. Have you ever been to Disneyland or Disney World?
Yes!  Went as a kid and then as an adult.  Swore I'd never go again but it's been a few years so maybe the terror has worn off.

4. What is your favorite theme park?
I don't usually go to theme parks anymore but the most memorable I guess would be Knotts Berry Farm in Anaheim, CA.  It was great for the kids.

5. Do you have a favorite vacation spot?
Hmmm...well, yes...Paris.  Hands down.

The Mom Song

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Volunteer Tuesday


 One of my passions is volunteering.  As Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle stated in Pearl Harbor, "There's nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer."  And he's right.  Volunteers are some of the most energetic, passionate, caring people you will ever meet.  Why?  Because they give their time and energy for FREE.

I believe whole-heartedly that a person can find peace and happiness just by volunteering.  When you give of yourself freely in a way that benefits those around you, you are also benefiting yourself.  There is great satisfaction in providing a service for others.  And people of all ages can volunteer!



I believe volunteering is also beneficial for children and youth.  Besides giving kids valuable work experience, it teaches them so many other things such as working with a team, work ethics, and how to communicate with people of all ages, not just their own peer group.  It teaches them not just how to follow orders but also how to be a leader.



And since I love volunteering so much, every Tuesday I'm dedicating a post to that subject.  I will give you ideas, post photos, articles, and more.  Hopefully, I will inspire in you a sense of volunteerism, too.

Today's Idea:

VolunteerMatch

Volunteer Match is a great website where you can go to find opportunities all over the world.  Enter your zip code to find opportunities, organizations, or disaster volunteering.  They even have webinars on How To Be A Great Volunteer and you can tell your own volunteer story.  If you have a non-profit, you can recruit volunteers.  They also have communities on the major social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

So, what are you waiting for?  Get out there!

Planking is Dead


Ok, here's a new video clip.  Apparently, owling is the new craze.  Again, I don't get it.

Thanks to my friend, the Batty Nurse, for sharing this with me!

Planking


I don't get this new craze.

Someone please explain.
Monday, July 25, 2011

Tuesday Blog Hop

The Adventures of My Family of 8 Tuesday Blog Hop


Yay!! I love blog hops! If you're stopping by, please follow me. I follow back! Happy hopping!

New Me Challenge


The New Me Challenge is more than just a challenge.  The purpose is for those of us who want to shed some pounds to help support each other through weekly posts and comments.  But it's more than just support for weight loss.  It's about committing to living a healthier lifestyle.

I'm no fitness expert or dietician. I'm simply a woman who, like so many others, wants to lose weight and feel better about herself.  I want to be able to look in the mirror without cringing but more than that, I want and need to make the change into a lifestyle.  After having open heart surgery a year ago, I made a commitment to myself to lead a healthier lifestyle.  But I haven't always followed that.  I need accountability and support from those who understand and are in the same boat.

So, the goal for the New Me Challenge is for us to support and encourage each other.  If you'd like to join the club, grab the button on my sidebar, post it on your blog.  Our "weigh-in" posts will be on Fridays.  You don't need to post your weight if you're not comfortable with that, but you can post things like your progress, your pitfalls, your goals,etc.

Let's get to it, girls!

Be Happy, Be Healthy!
Saturday, July 23, 2011

Burlesque

I watched this movie for the first time the other night. I've always been a Cher fan but had not really followed Christina Aguilera much. Since I was bored, I decided to give it a try. I LOVED it! It was very entertaining and I loved the music.

And let me just say, that girl has some pipes, now! My goodness! I want a voice like hers in my next life.


This was one of my favorite scenes.  Enjoy!

Friday, July 22, 2011

Follow Friday - 40 and over!

I love a 40 and over blog hop.  Since, you know, I'm over 40....shhhh.  Follow me!!!


Follow Me Friday!

I love Fridays!  Especially when there's a blog hop involved.  I love to see new blogs and, of course, get new followers.

So, come on and join me.  Follow me and I'll follow back!  :)


Thursday, July 21, 2011

My New Nook Color

For my college graduation, my mother gave me a fantastic gift!  A new Nook Color!  I love to read but for the last several years all I've been reading are textbooks.  She thought I might like to do a little pleasure reading.  And she was right.

I don't remember the last time I was actually able to read for pleasure.  I wasn't sure I'd even be able to because I've been in such dedicated focus the past several years.  But, I was thrilled to try it anyway.  I've been devouring book after book.

I love all the neat features it has.  I can download apps like wallpapers.


I chose this one of Paris because I love that beautiful city!

The Nook store has thousands of books to chose from!  I felt like a kid in a candy store.  And depending on what you choose to buy, they cleverly load suggestions on your BN home page.

Here's part of my TBR pile (To Be Read).  

I can also play games and access the Internet.  

One thing I love about it - it's private!  I don't always like curious or wandering eyes to see what I'm reading.  Not that I'm reading bad things, of course.  I just don't like prying eyes and my Nook allows me that privacy.

I L.O.V.E. it!

New Washer and Dryer

So, this probably isn't very exciting for most of you.  Then again, if you've ever been in my shoes for a few days, maybe it will be.

Our old washer and dryer (Maytags - which I will NEVER own again) finally decided to go the way of the dinosaur.  The washer went first - after only five years of service.  Luckily my MIL was not using her washer anymore so we replaced ours with her Roper.  It lasted until 2 days ago.  (Of course, I blame a certain family member for OVERloading the poor thing!)  The dryer was on its last legs and would need about three to four runs to get the clothes dry.

So, we gave in and went out to buy new ones.  Kenmore, this time.  So far, so good....

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Blog Buttons

It seems that every blog I visit has its own button - except mine.  I haven't had the time to actually sit down and create one.  I know most people use Photobucket so I guess in my leisure time (whhaaa haaaa haaaa haaaa) I'll do a little research on how to create one.  It can't be that hard, right?

So, bear with me....or is that "bare" with me....

UPDATE

Ok, I think I now have a blog button.  Would anyone like to test it by putting it on their blog?  I'd be happy to return the favor!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Conan the Barbarian

Ok, I'll admit it.  I'm a closet Conan fan.  Always have been - since Arnold.  I love the epic action.

Here's the trailer.  It comes out in August!

Enjoy!

Monday, July 18, 2011

Soul Mates


For my cousin who just joined the Soul Club....  yeah, we're THIS!!!

His and Hers:



Mine:

This is Hubby putting on my "stripes".  Yes, he's a pinstriper.



The finished product:




Sucker Punch Fail

The stupidest movie I have seen in a LONG time!  I couldn't even sit through the whole thing.
Thumbnail

E turns 18!

So, E turned 18 today. Wow! Do I feel old! She wanted to go to her favorite Mexican restaurant, although I'm not sure why. They have a tradition of putting a big sombrero on your head and smashing whipped cream in your face.

Of course, this was AFTER she got caked in the face at our annual family reunion over the weekend - courtesy of mom (yours truly). All I can say to that is....MOM'S PAYBACK!!! Oh, yeah!




And the fun is not over yet!  <wwwhhhhhaaaaa hhaaaaa haaaaaaa!!!!>

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

My Stylish New Ride


Just for the record, my stylish driver, Charles, received a severe reprimand for taking it out without permission.  
Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Brendan MacFarlane - Up and Coming

I discovered this kid after my cousin posted about him on Facebook.  I think he's a bit older now than these videos show but he is VERY good.  Enjoy!



Detective Shows How Easily Predators Reach Kids Online - Sandy Springs, GA Patch

As many of my Facebook friends already know, I'm a staunch advocate in fighting human trafficking and sexual exploitation. I feel it's my job and personal mission to open the eyes of the people of America - supposedly the Land of the Free - to the unimaginable realities that exist right under their noses. And I'm not talking about people in another state - I'm talking about YOU, the one reading this.

You may think, "Well, this is not something that happens around my neighborhood." But, I challenge you to think again. In the article below, a Sandy Springs, Georgia detective shows just how easy it is for predators to get to your child online. Sandy Springs is an affluent area in the Atlanta metro area. This scourge does not just happen in third world countries, in lower income districts, or to runaways. These children don't ASK to be exploited.

The Internet has become a staple around many homes. It provides easy access to anything under the sun that a person could want. Including the purchasing of sex from an 11 year old. Don't believe me? Read on....


Sandy Springs Detective Shows How Easily Predators Reach Kids Online - Sandy Springs, GA Patch
Monday, July 11, 2011

A new look for E

Ok, I had to post this.  Don't be too shocked.  This is not how she normally looks - I would never allow this on a normal, regular basis.  This was a project my other daughter, L, had to do in Cosmotology.  I think she got an A and E walked around school like this all day.  I would have loved to know what her other Criminal Justice students thought.  LOL!

Tuesday Blog Hop


Please leave a comment and follow me and I'll be happy to follow you as well!  :)  Happy Hopping!

I Believe She's Amazing Flash Mob

Discovered this from another blog (thanks  Modern Mom) and had to share it.  It's about honoring a friend, but more than that, it's about honoring those amazing women in your life.

Here's to us, girls.


To find out more about this story go to:


L could be a double



Tell me, do you see any similarities?  The top is Demi Lavato.  The bottom is my daughter L.
Maybe it's all in my head!

Biggest Roach in Georgia

Ok, I know this is just tremendously disgusting, but I had to share. After living in Texas as a child and having to deal with the Texas-size roaches on a daily basis, I was tramatized for life. And I do mean FOR LIFE! I do not like roaches! Let me repeat that - I DO NOT LIKE ROACHES!

This big sucker was crawling on my mom's wall over the bathroom door. It was at least 1 1/2 to 2 inches long. I know it doesn't look like it in this pic - it had been smashed once with a huge broom already - but trust me, it was! Luckily for me, and everyone around me (my mom and A) I don't think it was the type that flies. If it was - well, you can fill your head with any manner of images of a 40something grown woman screaming like a banshee as she sprints out the door.

One roach dead - points for my mom for saving me!
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Give It To Me Monday

Welcome to Give It To Me Monday's Blog Hop!  As you can see, I really need your "follow".  I've recently changed accounts so I am starting from scratch!

So, come on in, join me, the water's warm...or whatever.  I look forward to seeing how many blogs I can follow!


http://www.graphicdesignbytara.blogspot.com/
Sunday, July 10, 2011

Michele Bachmann

By now everyone has probably heard that we have a female running for the GOP nomination for President.  I'm really of two minds about this.  One the one hand, it is a very symbolic move in favor of womens' rights and equality.  But, who is this woman?  I'm busily doing research on her to find out what she stands for and if she's honest in her dealings.  So far, I've seen commentaries both ways.

It may surprise you to know that she is not the first woman to run for President of the United States.  From my brief research, Victoria Woodhull in 1872 was the first woman to run.  Shirley Chisholm was the first black woman elected to Congress and ran for President in 1972.  Her slogan was "unbought and unbossed" (you go girl!).  Many of the women who have thrown in their hat were from parties other than the two major ones, Republicans and Democrats (I've never heard of the Looking Back Party or the Peace and Freedom Party).  And, of course, the most recent from the Democratic party was Hilary Clinton in 2008 who lost the Democratic nomination - and we all know who she lost to.

So, my question to you is:  How do you feel about the possibility of a woman becoming president?  Do you think she would do a good job with issues such as foreign relations and being Commander in Chief?  Would she bring a different element to the position through her "womanhood-ness"?  Could she do it?

I look forward to your thoughts!

Sunday BlogHop

Since I've changed accounts, I need to take advantage of these BlogHops.  This is the first one I've done since changing and I need to build my followers - as you can see to the right of this post.  So, who will be my first? It could be you!


So, come on!  Hop on board!
Saturday, July 9, 2011

Beware!  Funny, but a little gross!

Nook Color Giveway!

If you're in to blogging and perhaps looking for a great Christmas gift - or maybe a little something for yourself - enter this giveaway for a new Nook Color!


Dallas - the new generation


I am most likely dating myself here, but I used to watch Dallas as a kid with my parents.  That was the highlight of our weekly tv shows - what would JR do next?  I remember a season finale - Who Shot JR?  Whoa!  We could hardly wait for the next season.

Well, for Dallas fans out there, it's coming back!  

Here's what "they're" saying:

It’s been a long time coming but Dallas is officially back as TV series  in Summer 2012 only on TNT in a 10 episode run
This is fantastic news for fans of the series as Larry Hagman, Linda Gray and Patrick Duffy reprise their roles alongside the next generation of Ewings played by Josh Henderson, Jesse Metcafe, Jordana Brewster and Julie Gonzalo.
Brenda Strong from Desperates Housewives fame also joins the cast as the latest wife of Bobby Ewing.
So JR is back in town as we see a brand new chapater unfold with JR’s son John Ross as the man we love to hate.
The new version will focus on the Ewing offspring — J.R. Ewing’s son John Ross (Josh Henderson of Desperate Housewives), and Christopher, the adopted son of Bobby and Pam Ewing (Jesse Metcalfe of Desperate Housewives) — as they clash over the family dynasty’s future. Jordana Brewster (Fast & Furious) stars as Elena, who is involved in a love triangle with Christopher and John Ross. Julie Gonzalo (Veronica Mars) stars as Christopher’s fiancĂ©e Rebecca. The updated Dallas will feature original series stars Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray. Hagman gained worldwide fame for his portrayal of oil baron J.R. Ewing. Gray played J.R.’s wife Sue Ellen Ewing, while Duffy portrayed J.R.’s younger brother Bobby.
If you can’t wait that long check out the new series TNT official website http://www.DallasTNT.com for behind the scenes photos, and more.

Source

Can hardly wait!

I'm excited about doing this Follow Me Friday.  I've recently changed accounts for my blog so I'm having to renew all my followers and as it stands right now, I have NONE.  :(  We all know how we covet followers.  

I'm also hoping to update my Follow list.  I love seeing blogs I haven't seen before.  And if you choose to follow me, bear with me as I rebuilt my blog on this new account.

Blessings!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
This is the next step for me. I'll be heading to start my Bachelor's degree at Brenau University this fall. I'm a little apprehensive because, so far, I've been able to concentrate solely on my education, but this fall I hope to have a full time job again, after many years of being out of the work force and raising children.

I recently graduated with an Associate degree in Criminal Justice from a technical college. I've proved to myself that I'm certainly not the student I was in high school - and let me tell you, that's a GOOD thing! I graduated with top honors. (yes, I'm tooting my own horn, here)

So, here's to all the moms out there who chose to raise their children first (although I still have a 6 year old and two teenage daughters at home) and pursue education and/or career later. Here's to all the non-traditional students who juggle work, family, and school and still manage to make it all work somehow. Hats off to you!

Here I go!
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 Hi y'all.  Come on over!  I'm doing a little rearranging of my blog and am using a new account for it.  This will help me be better organized and I hope to keep on top of things.  I hope you will continue to follow me if you are already a follower, and join in if you're not.
On to the re-vamp....