Watercooler Wisdom...Or Lack Thereof

World's Greatest Dad...Really!

2009-12-23T20:29:00.025-06:00

Wait...I thought it was still October! What happened to the rest of the year???

Well, it is Christmas time, and it's been a very very VERY busy December. Every year I think I'm going to have a much better planned-out Christmas holiday where I get everything done early and I'm relaxed and peaceful. This was not that year. Like many people, we have been hit hard with the down-turn in the economy, and it's been a difficult year. But while Christmas is a bit on the sparse side this year, it hasn't been without its joys.

Here's one thing that has brought a lot of joy:

You'll notice the ones on the right are rather sparse...there were 18 of them. Similar story for the ones on the left...there were 35, but no more. So yes, these have produced a lot of joy. A lot of joy and probably a lot of pounds, too. Santa is so generous so we like to treat him well. I made the usual sugar cookies with cream cheese icing for him (a personal favorite of his, I'm told), but I've added a new treat this year as well. I call them Chocolate Ridiculous, because they are so good it's ridiculous. (Jenster, you'll appreciate these!) A Chocolate Ridiculous is peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwiched between two Ritz crackers and dipped in chocolate. (Insert "OH MY GOSH!!!" and Homer Simpson noises here)

See what I mean? Ridiculous.

Here's something else that made this season special. The girls and I went to a local craft store earlier this week so Little Bit could pick out something to make for The HOFFER for Christmas. She decided to paint a T-shirt for him, so she picked out the shirt while I found the paints. She started painting the back as soon as we arrived home, writing things like "World's Greatest Dad" & "My Dad Rocks!" The shirt sat on the kitchen table for a while to dry, then I suggested she hang it up to finish drying someplace secret. She hung it on the inside of my closet right on the door handle but neglected to tell me. So when I opened my closet door in a hurry later that day, the shirt with still damp paint flew off the handle (no pun intended!) and into a heap on the floor. It wasn't ruined, but it didn't come through unscathed, either. Upon further review, Little Bit was satisfied that it was still good enough to give as a gift.

The next day, she took the shirt out of my closet to paint the front, and again left the shirt on the kitchen table to dry. Unfortunately, Yummy, who is very mobile and very nosy, saw the shirt and decided to investigate. She pulled the shirt off the table into another heap on the floor. This time we were not so fortunate. Little Bit was crushed...she had worked so hard on it and was absolutely furious with Yummy. She was ready to throw the shirt out but I suggested she at least hang on to it to show her daddy how hard she had been working on a gift just for him.

When the HOFFER came home, Little Bit very sullenly showed him the shirt. I knew he would handle it well, but he answered her in such a precious way that it nearly brought me to tears. He very genuinely and lovingly told Little Bit that she had given him the best gift he had ever received. She (and I!) were rather incredulous, but he explained: "Little Bit, you gave me a gift from both you and your sister. The back is what you did for me, and the front is what Yummy did for me. I have a gift from both of you, and I love it!" He knew the effort Little Bit had put into it, and he validated that for her. When all was said and done, I could tell that was a special moment for her, and that her daddy had fixed things so that everything A-okay. I am certain she will always remember this Christmas for this precious moment. I know I will.

HOFFER, you really are the world's greatest dad. It is a privilege to be married to you. I love you.

My Fair...Fair!

2009-10-16T17:11:00.044-05:00

I have long wanted to change the look of my blog. The Daily B changes her look regularly, and I love it. But me, well, I'm too stingy to pay for custom templates, and I haven't found anything free that was easy enough for me to figure out. My brain is rather baby-fied these days, and time to figure out code just isn't in my day. I can't remember how I found out about The Cutest Blog on the Block, but I'm so glad I did! There are some great FREE templates (did I mention they were FREE???), and they come with easy-peasy how-to instructions. So I picked out a fall-ish background. It's not without kinks...I'm trying to figure out how to fix a slight overlap at the top of the posting section. Heck, I might just leave it for now. I just hope I pay close enough attention that I remember to change it at the appropriate time! :-)

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We Texans love our fried foods. We will, in fact, eat practically anything that has been battered and dropped into a vat of hot oil. And nowhere is this more evident than at the The State Fair of Texas. It is quite possibly the best place on earth to find such tidbits of deliciousness. As everything is bigger in Texas, it makes sense that we have the largest state fair in the United States, and let me tell you, it is a blast! While the fairgrounds are a permanent fixture in Dallas and are open year-round, the Official State Fair opens each year at the end of September and goes till the third weekend in October. There are lots of things to do and see. The Red River Rivalry is renewed each year as the University of Texas Longhorns battle the University of Oklahoma Sooners in the Cotton Bowl. The winner gets bragging rights for the next year.

There are two car shows--one for domestic, one for imports--that give fair-goers (is that a word? Probably only in Texas) a preview of the new models for the coming year. It's one of my favorite exhibits and one I never miss. Sorry...didn't get any pictures of the cars.

The Midway opens up with loads of games, rides, freak shows and fun houses.

Here's a fun house that Little Bit and I went through.

She was not impressed. However, once we made it through, she was, of course, ready to go again. That guy in the bathtub has been around for a looooong, loooooong, loooooooong time. He looked ready to fall apart at any moment.

Big Tex greets everyone at the gate and gives regular announcements of the various Fair 'goings-on". He's pretty huge...I don't think I even make it to the top of his boots!

But one event that everyone anticipates with baited breath is the announcement of each year's fried food. It's a pretty fierce competition with lots of good, and not-so-good, ideas.

One year the winner was fried Oreos (which I cannot fathom trying to improve on perfection).

Another year was peanut butter cups, another year Snickers won the prize...

Still another year, bacon.

That just seems wierd. Again, why try to improve on perfection?

This year's winner?

Deep fried butter.

Yep, you read that right...FRIED BUTTER.

The thing that is so funny to me is that the Hoffer has joked about eating fried butter smothered in white gravy for years!!! AND HERE IT IS ON THE MENU!!! Well, without the gravy, anyway. And from what I heard, it was really quite good! A columnist for one of the Dallas newspapers wrote an article on what fried foods were worth trying. She said the garlic-flavored fried butter was the lightest, fluffiest, most incredible thing she'd ever eaten. And yes, I did say garlic-flavored. There were several flavors, although I'm not sure what they all were. You see, as badly as we wanted to try some of these delectable delights, the lines to purchase said delights were HUGE! We would've spent the rest of our day just waiting to eat something designed specifically to clog arteries. Alas, we must wait another year to try the fried butter. But that means there will be yet another new fried food to try! Woo hoo! Can't wait!!!

A Very Practical Birthday

2009-08-15T22:26:00.046-05:00

Today was a big day at our house. It was THE DAY that Little Bit joined the ranks of the double-digit gang and turned 10 years old! WOO HOO!! And it was declared to be THE BEST BIRTHDAY EVER.

I’ve long been someone who believes that a person should spend his or her birthday doing whatever it is he or she wants. And these days, for Little Bit, it’s bowling. She spent much of this past school year in a kids’ league on Saturday mornings. She enjoyed it so much that The Hoffer & I decided to give her a ball, bowling shoes and a bag to carry both for her birthday. I am, after all, very in to practicality, and these seemed practically perfect for her (pun intended, btw). Her party was held at the same bowling lanes where she went for league play, and it was a great deal.

Now, since I am all about being practical, when we began the planning process, I also began to see just how very UNpractical this birthday could be. I envisioned more STUFF entering our house as a result of her very generous friends showering her with gifts for her birthday. Honestly, just the mere thought of all that STUFF entering my house was enough to cause great consternation in my stomach…where to put it, how to organize it, how to take care of it…all that STUFF adding up to more things to store and keep track of as we have our house up for sale. SO not practical.

And really, what could she possibly want? She was an only-child for nine years and has pretty much everything she wants. Anything else she might want is getting more and more costly. A bowling ball wasn’t really all that expensive, but I would never consider asking her friends’ parents to foot the bill for one! Most of the things her sweet and generous friends would give are likely very crafty things…which she loves but can only do so much. Gift card? Nice, but some people don’t like to give gift cards. So we’re back to square one…SO not practical.

A few of Little Bit’s friends had asked for no gifts at their birthday parties, but instead requested some kind of donation to their favorite charity. Hmmm…less stuff, doing good for others, learning to look outside herself…you know, this could work! I liked this idea, but I didn’t want to force it on Little Bit. It needed to be her idea and come from her heart. It needed to be something important to her. It needed to be her idea because she doesn’t care nearly as much about having something as she does the getting. It’s almost a challenge for her, I think, to see if she can talk us into getting something for her. After that, she may or may not do anything with whatever she talked us into getting for her, but at least she has it! So I prayed about it, then we talked.

Since she is more about the getting than the having, she really didn’t like the idea at first. After all, what’s a birthday party without presents? And the more we talked about it, the less she liked it. I started to panic a little, but I really felt this was the right thing to do…and NOT just because it was more convenient for me!!! I asked God for His guidance, and He reminded me that it had to be something of importance to Little Bit. He also reminded me of a large group of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels that had been rescued from a puppy mill earlier this year. So I suggested to Little Bit that we could collect donations to aid the CKCS Rescue organization to help dogs like our very own WonderDog. CLICK! That was the key, and she was completely on board. We asked Little Bit's buddies to bring donations of leashes, toys and collars. Let me tell you: these girls were GENEROUS! The coordinator for the Texas Region of CKCS Rescue USA went to great lengths to come join us at our party, and she was overwhelmed by the gifts these sweet girls gave. My sweet Birthday Girl decided to donate all of this week's allowance-I'm so proud! The rescue puppies will surely be blessed.

So check out our party pics and see what Little Bit declared to be “the BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!!!!!”

This is why I don't share my camera with The Hoffer. I end up with silly pictures like this one. Silly boy. :-)

Just a little camera-shy.

Yummy gets to celebrate with us too.

The Birthday Girl and WonderDog.

In anticipation of Coca-Cola Cake.

Make a wish!

Best buddies

Lots of giggles to go around!

My Girls

2009-07-18T20:15:00.035-05:00

Just wanted to share some pictures of my girls. I took these on Father's Day for the Hoffer (he was out of town so I could do it!) in the courtyard of our church. I feel fortunate that I was able to get the pictures of Yummy as good as I did, because she was tired from missing her morning nap and hadn't had lunch yet. Not in the best mood for picture-taking. But both girls did well.

This is one of my personal favorites.

This is what I refer to as the "after-bath". Get it??? Aftermath? After-bath??? Okay, so it was weak, but it's all I got.

Again with the "after-bath"! Thanks to our friends Steve & Tresa for that cute bunny towel!!!

Our little shutterbug. I've GOT to get her a camera of her own. Thankfully, she has the Hoffer's camera here, not mine!

These are goodies from sweet Deb, the Daily B, that I've been meaning to get pictures of for some time now! Love the bow head!!

I think she looks like a flapper from the 20s in these hats, and Little Bit thinks she's too cute!

Deb, you are fabulously creative! Love all the head gear you made!

Hope you enjoyed the pictures. I don't get around to doing anything else with them, like scrapbook or even put them in an album, so thanks for letting me share here.

For The Birds?

2009-07-10T10:38:00.054-05:00

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. (Matthew 10:29)

Yesterday was a fun day for Little Bit and a busy day for me. We invited a friend over for some playtime for Little Bit so I could get a few things done around the house. We moved our office to a new and much closer location last week, and in the process acquired a rather large amount of used office furniture. Some we will keep and use, the rest we will sell this weekend at a--UGH!--garage sale (I hate doing garage sales.). So I've been going through Little Bit's toys, my books and various other things around the house that we can include in the sale this weekend. I also took the girls out for lunch and a few rounds of bowling. The girls had a lot of fun, but by day's end, I was spent. That spent feeling always sets in somewhere around eight or nine pm each evening, but it hit me much earlier yesterday...say around 6:30? So after we dropped Little Bit's friend off at her home, we headed home too, where I immediately put Yummy to bed and pointed Little Bit in that same direction. The Hoffer has had a long couple of weeks moving and settling into a new office, so he was off to bed all on his own around 9:15. So thankfully, I was given some escape time all to myself. YIPPEE!!! Normally I would dive into my most recent "sappy romance novel", but as I am currently bookless, I headed upstairs and watched two of my favorite DVR'd shows, "Burn Notice" and "Royal Pains" (both on the USA Network, in case you're wondering). Around midnight the Hoffer woke up and came to drag me away from the couch and off to bed.

Now, I don't know about you other moms out there, but when I am getting ready for bed, about a dozen plus small tasks come to mind that I could knock out easily and quickly. Oddly (in my mind, anyway), the tasks that popped into my head involved my front porch. We have a pick-up/drop-off laundry service that leaves the Hoffer's dress shirts cleaned, pressed and hanging on our front door from a hook on Wednesdays (I don't iron...he would have no shirts left). Given that last night was Thursday, I realized that, since we don't often use the front door, our laundry had been hanging on our front door for more than 24 hours. So I open the door at 1:00 am to find the laundry...and this:

That's when the verse from Matthew popped into my head, because just above our front porch is this:

Can you see the birds' tails sticking out of their nest? I don't know what kind of birds these are, but I must admit it's kind of fun having them make their home right outside my front door every spring/summer. The only negative is that it does result in a very messy front porch...if you know what I mean. No consideration or discretion at all on their part. Disgusting is too kind a word.

So at 1:00 in the morning, I have a dilemma: what to do with this little bird who has fallen down and can't get up. I try to get the Hoffer to help me, but he's not getting back up out of bed for nothing. And while I do want to help the little guy, the thought of picking him up doesn't really induce any motherly or tender feelings. All I can think about is all the germs that might be on his feathers from being near that pile of bird poop on my front porch. (I didn't include it in the pictures for a reason...who wants to see THAT???) And besides, if I do put him back in the nest, won't the mother reject him because I touched him? I was stumped and didn't know what to do. So, with that verse in mind, I prayed for some guidance.

The Hoffer suggested I get online for ideas (I felt like kicking myself for not thinking of it on my own!!!). The site I found said that if you find a seemingly orphaned baby bird, it's okay to put it back into its nest, that the human-scent-rejection story is only a myth. I also decided to wake Little Bit up so she could be in on the excitement. I found a step-ladder and tested it, only to find out I was too short to get the bird back home. So I went back to the Hoffer and said the magic word: "Pleeeeease?" That was all it took (I'm going to remember that the next time I want to buys something frivolous!). He very sweetly got right up and put that helpless little bird back into his nest. My hero. :-)

So knowing that God doesn't waste anything but has a purpose in everything, I've wondered why He allowed that little bird to fall out of its nest. Was it just so my family could have a special bonding time over him? Was it a test of some sort to see how I would respond? Or is it something else still? Perhaps it was merely this: that I would write about it on my blog and find not just Matthews 10:29, but also the verses that followed:

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

In today's world of upheaval and unrest, of uncertainty about what a sometimes scary future might hold, when worries and fears bombard us and wear us down, sometimes we all need a reminder that God loves us and is going to always take care of us. "His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me." What a comfort that is.

A Bit of Mud Slinging

2009-05-30T16:30:00.012-05:00

I love summer break. You really have no idea how much. And since Yummy has joined us, time off is much harder to come by. So when school let out recently, there was a collective sigh of relief, I think, from everyone. No more getting up early to get Little Bit out the front door, no more arguing about what she's wearing, whether or not she has or even needs to brush her hair or teeth, no more worrying about being late, just getting up when we decide and doing whatever we decide. AAAHHHHH!

One of the things we like to do during the summer is to go out on our front driveway and just hang out as a family. The obligatory glass of "Summer Drink" (The Hoffer's tasty concoction of Diet 7Up and cran-grape juice) is almost always present. Sometimes we just sit around and talk, other times we play games. Little Bit tries to decipher the stars in the sky and see if she can find various constellations. The Hoffer, ever the creative one, came up with the UFO Game. Whenever something--plane, helicopter, etc.--flies overhead, someone says, "Hey, I can't tell what that is. It must be a UFO! There must be three aliens on board!" (because there are three of us...each of us gets an alien). Then we take turns naming our aliens and talking about what planet they are from, what their favorite foods are, what they are most skilled at doing, whatever we can think of. It's a silly way to pass the time and make a family memory. I am pretty certain, however, that these memories may lead to therapy later. That's okay, we'll all go together. :-)

Last night The Hoffer decided it was time to get out the garden hose and do some watering. First he cleaned off the door mat that was covered with, um, bird poop. Birds come every spring to build a nest right above our front door. It's a great nature lesson but always leaves us with a disgusting front porch and porch light. While the door mat is an easy fix, it is never-ending...once it's cleaned, it's messy again in a short amount of time. The porch light was not quite so easily fixed. The Hoffer sprayed it down and in doing so, shot out the light bulbs. Oops. (It was really funny at the time.) After that, he brought out a couple of bags of soil, spread it out some, then watered it down. When Little Bit made it outside, they decided to do a little mud slinging while Yummy and I watched. Here's the end result:

Thank goodness my washing machine is RIGHT inside the garage door!!! Any mud that made it inside stayed in the laundry room. Whew!!!

Yummy was unimpressed. Very cute, but unimpressed.

Even with all this silliness, I'm glad for our summer break. Maybe especially with all this silliness. We're ready!

The Killers: "A Dustland Fairytale"

2009-05-14T10:09:00.022-05:00

I used to watch David Letterman religiously when I was in college, but late-night TV in general isn't as attractive an option these days as a good full-night's sleep. And even if I was able to stay awake long enough to watch, staying up to the end of the show just so I could see the musical "talent" is just not worth it. Most live performances, irrespective of whichever of the vast myriad of talk shows that are on at that hour, are highly average at best. Recently, however, I managed to keep my eyes propped open long enough to be absolutely transfixed by one group's performance on Letterman. If you missed this amazing performance, I am so excited to be able to share it with you here. From the first plucks of the harp to the final guitar chords, The Killers' performance of "A Dustland Fairytale" had me mesmerized, glued to my seat, and completely drawn in.

From what little I have been able to find about this song, lead singer Brandon Flowers wrote this song about his parents. They met, grew up and fell in love in the same trailer park. His dad was an alcoholic and converted to Mormonism when Brandon was five. (Brandon is still a devout and practicing Mormon, even as a rock-&-roller.) The last part of the song refers to his mother, who is battling cancer of some form, and was still alive as of December of 2008 when Rolling Stone interviewed the band for an article (a very good article, I might add, and worth reading). I considered adding the lyrics, but all I could find were various attempts by someone besides Brandon Flowers to decipher the words. I am including, however, the stanza about his mom:

Now Cinderella don't you go to sleep
It's such a bitter form of refuge
Ahh don't you know the kingdoms under siege
And everybody needs you
Is there still magic in the midnight sun
Or did you leave it back in sixty-one
In the of the cadence in the young man's eyes
And where the dreams roll high

Here's their performance from Letterman. Enjoy!!

A Little of This, A Little of That...And Then Some of Those

2009-05-07T22:08:00.034-05:00

In my last post I lamented the fact that it is so very difficult to get Yummy's smiles caught on camera. Well looky here:

Little Bit got her giggling, and I grabbed my cell phone (my camera is AWOL) and snapped this. I love to hear babies laugh, and my Yummy is especially giggly. Doncha' love it???

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If anyone out there lives near Waco, there was a puppy mill shut down this week in the Waco area. Mostly rat terriers, but there were also some Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (like WonderDog!). No decision has been made as of this writing as to what will happen to these dogs, but if you are interested in helping out, whether financially, donating supplies to care for them, or fostering a dog or two in your home for a time, contact Sheila Simmons of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club Rescue USA, Inc. to find out more (www.cavalierrescueusa.org).

This is amazing to me, that people could be so beastly to those who can't defend themselves. Who says mankind is inherently good? "As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one..." (Romans 3:10)

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I love my sweet friend Flowerpot. She always has a smile on her face and a good word to share. She is one of the most beautiful people I've ever met, inside and out. Our girls have been in different classes this year, plus she's been working full-time and I've been so busy with Yummy, so I don't get to see her happy smile much. Since our schedules haven't matched up well this year, I like to go check out her blog to see what she and her precious family have been up to. (I like to do that anyway, but especially since we haven't seen each other much this year.) One of my "favorite" posts that she has written was back in February called "Worship Check". It's a very convicting post. She talks about how and where we spend our time and our money, and what that reveals about us. Ouch. For me, it wasn't pretty. This particular post been rolling around in my brain's very packed file cabinet, just lurking for the right time to be used. Well, God's timing is always perfect, and He brought it out of its "file drawer" and is using it in our lives to honor Him and help others. The Hoffer and I recently made a commitment to be better givers, to give to God His 10% first, even if it's difficult. (And believe me, with our economy the way it is right now, IT'S ALL DIFFICULT!) We decided to give more not just to our church, but also when we see a need. And God was faithful to give us opportunities to give RIGHT AWAY. The Hoffer was able to share with some who really needed it. I got an email from our church about a new crisis pregnancy center opening up, and we are donating a sofa/love seat combo to help get things set up. I hope I don't sound like I'm patting myself on the back...I am just so OVERJOYED at the opportunities the LORD is giving to us! How generous of HIM to give us yet another second chance to honor Him. Here are some verses He used to reiterate to me that we are to give generously:

Psalm 37:21, 25-26:

The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but the righteous give generously;
I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.
They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be blessed.

I love it when God gives me confirmation that I am on the right track...His track. :-) Thanks for the post, Flowerpot! Another jewel in your crown!!!

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Little Bit has had a rough afternoon. She has two BFFs (best friends forever, if you've never heard the term) that she has known for some time and loves dearly. One of these BFFs has been very unkind to the other one, and Little Bit was defending the wrong one. It was just too difficult for her to comprehend that someone she loves so much could do something wrong. Many tears were shed, but she is coming around. We are praying for a peaceful resolution. I love that God uses difficult situations in our lives to help others in need, and I was able to tell her about similar situations from my growing-up years and how I dealt with those situations. It's a comfort to her to know that she's not the only one to go through this situation and that I can give her some advice on how to handle things. Just goes to show you that God doesn't waste anything. :-)

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Finally, we have only TWO WEEKS OF SCHOOL LEFT!!! Bring on summer! I'm ready!!! And Happy Mother's Day to all you mommies and soon-to-be mommies out there!

I'm Heeeeeerrrrrre....

2009-04-27T21:01:00.034-05:00

Wow...I have been gone a LOOOOOOOONG TIME!!! I can't believe April is almost gone! This whole year (translation: school year) has been such a blur, and my brain is so crowded with stuff. I decided I was long overdue for another blog post, so here goes.

I just HAD to share this picture. This is Little Bit with a family friend of ours from about five years ago.

OH MY WORD, ISN'T SHE ADORABLE???? She was SUCH a cute baby and toddler--she's about four, almost five here. Such a stinker. I always loved her hair like this. She hated it, but I'm pretty sure she was the only one who did. I went through a rather large box of pictures yesterday, dating waaaaaaaaaaaay back before she was even thought about! It was a ton of fun, seeing just how much Baby Bit looks like her big sister.

And speaking of Baby Bit, she will henceforth and forevermore be known as YUMMY. Because she is. Need proof?

Talk about sweet feet!!! Don't you just want to take a nibble? Here's the head-to-toe version:

And a head-shot:

Now you see why we started calling her Yummy. She's Super-Delicious!!! Many thanks to The Daily B for that fabulous--and I do mean FABULOUS!!!!--outfit. She wore it to Little Bit's school on Grandparents Day a couple of weeks ago and was a huge hit with that awesome bow! I love baby bowheads. :-)

And just in case you're wondering, yes, she smiles...quite a bit, in fact. She's incredibly ticklish, and we are merciless about making her laugh. But when it comes to pictures, I just can't catch her doing it with my camera. Argh.

Yummy had her 6-month check-up today (yes, yes, I know she's 7-1/2 months) and came through with flying colors. She is almost 17 pounds and 26-1/2 inches "tall". She is everything Little Bit was...times ten. If Little Bit was happy, Yummy is exuberant. If Little Bit was just a bit curious, Yummy is into everything. To steal a phrase from a favorite author--Deeanne Gist--she is everywhere at once! She isn't crawling yet, but when she starts I'll have to keep my running shoes on. She always wants to be doing something else. When she's sitting in her booster chair to eat, she wants to see what's going on out the window, see what Wonderdog is up to, check on the cat, play with whatever is nearby, watch her sister entertain her...you name it. She'll think about eating eventually. And when she does, it will be LOUD AND CLEAR. Did I mention she's LOUD???? It's funny to listen to her, but it can also get nerve-rattling. If I get to take a nap during the day, I can assure you...it is WELL DESERVED!!! :-) So needless to say, feeding time is interesting.

As for what she likes to eat, her favorites so far are sweet potatoes, squash and bananas. She'll also eat green beans, peas, egg yolks, banana-and-strawberry yogurt, and will try anything. She's at the age where I can puree whatever I'm eating, which is SO EXCITING to not have to make three separate meals for four people. Little Bit is very picky and won't eat what we eat. I'm hoping Yummy is different in that area.

Another first for her was our trip to the coast over Easter. The weather didn't permit much, unfortunately, but we did take the girls to the beach for a couple of hours. While Little Bit was rolling around in the sand and waves, Yummy stuck her feet in the sand and was done pretty quickly. She was ready for a bottle and a nap, which she promptly did. The rest of the weekend was a lot of fun, with the Hoffer's brother and sister plus families meeting us there. It's not often we all get together, but I was so glad we did. Brother lives in southern California with his three kiddos and sister lives in Houston with her two boys. Everyone had a busy life, so this was a treat to get to hang out with them. It was especially nice for me to have several helpers with Yummy, so my arms got to rest some. :-) Sorry, no pictures. The Hoffer packed my camera somewhere and we still haven't found it. It will show up at some point...!

Grandparents Day is a huge undertaking at Little Bit's school. I love it...taking time out of our every-day busyness to honor those very special gray heads full of wisdom. Each class prepares a little something for friends and family to perform on that day. Little Bit's class performed Longfellow's "A Psalm of Life", which became a favorite poem for me while helping Little Bit memorize it. Check this out:

Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream! ?
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us farther than to-day.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act,--act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o'erhead!

Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;

Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.

I am not big on poetry, but this one just jumped off the page for me from the first line. I plan to have this printed out and framed alongside the two "footprints" Little Bit made. One was for the Hoffer that said "Dear Daddy, I love the way you are funny. HAHA!" The other was for me and said, "Dear Mommy, I love the way you are perfect." (I'm going to have to keep that one handy for ammunition...;-)) She also made one for my mom, who couldn't be there because she is blind. It says "Dear Granny Bob, I'm sorry you can't see this, but I love you." She is so precious.

The Hoffer has been crazy busy expanding our business. He has been traveling a lot as well. I miss seeing him and look forward to our rare and short times together without the girls. In fact, we're going to watch some TV together and eat some super-delicious popcorn here in a few minutes. So let me share one last picture for today so I can go snuggle! This one is also about five years ago, after a race...which should explain the gear.

Okay, here are a couple more:

A contemplative moment. Not sure where this was taken...those aren't my curtains!

And would you trust your financial future to this little guy??? :-)

Ahhhh...it's good to be back in bloggerland!!!

Happy Valentine's Day, and Thank you Deb!

2009-02-13T15:19:00.007-06:00

Check these out, courtesy of Deb at the Daily B:

That's Baby Bit in her Valentine's finest! Isn't the hat AWESOME???? A HUUUUUUGE THANK YOU to Deb over at the Daily B! She made this and a few other hair embellishments for my girls! This is only one of them...pictures of the rest will come soon. Deb, you are such a love! Thank you for these sweet gifts! She was quite the hit at Little Bit's class Valentine's party yesterday!

Final Holiday Thoughts, Facebook and Picture Day!

2009-02-07T17:03:00.036-06:00

So Queen Flowerpot brought out her soapbox--and I LOVE it when she does--and reminded me that my list was all about "doing". My Christmas was a very "Martha" Christmas. You know, Martha in the Bible? It's found in Luke 10:38-42:

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

I really relate to Martha. It bugs me when I am "slaving away" (drama queen!) at something and others sit around, seemingly oblivious to the massive amount of "stuff" that needs to be done. It's very self-centered of me. Jesus would probably tell me the same thing He told Martha. After all, isn't Christmas His birthday? Why shouldn't He get what He wants? I love the Christmas "to-do's"...they make great memories and traditions...but they need to be in balance with what's truly important about the holiday. It's not just a cliche'; Jesus really is THE REASON for the season.

Thanks, Flowerpot, for the reminder. You can get up on your soapbox with me ANYTIME!

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I did it...I finally took the Facebook plunge!!!! On one hand, it's a drudgery to have one more computer-related thing to keep up with. On the other hand, I have friends from high school that I haven't seen since graduation that I found on Facebook, so I'm very excited about that. I was tagged by one such friend to post a 25 Random Things About Me, so if you are on Facebook, I would love to have you check it out. I had fun writing it, and it's a little different from the 7 Random Things I posted here last year.

I really tried to avoid the whole Facebook thing, but I had to finally give in. Little Bit wanted a page so bad, so I caved. She's the main reason I joined: I wanted to be able to see what it was all about and keep an eye on her all at the same time. Check me out if you're on Facebook too!

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My internet connection is finally fixed, and I can now post some pictures!!! YIPPEE! It's embarrassing...all it took was the push of a button. Argh...that's maddening. Anyway, here are some pictures I've been wanting to share. Enjoy!

I think she's about 3 months here.

No, we didn't give her the ice cream!!! But oh, she wants it baaaaad!!! That's my girl!!!

Wonderdog has great respect for the Dog Whisperer!

The HOFFER came up with this idea: Baby Bit's pacifier holder attached to the bottle to give her (him?) a "hands-free" feeding system. I'm not sure if I'm proud or embarrassed.

Baby Bit is about 2 months old here. Little Bit loves her baby sister! Next are some shots from Halloween:

My "little mermaids" and their daddy.

Little Bit and a friend from school...a very grooooovy girl!

Two Little Mermaids

My Littlest Mermaid

I'd better stop there...Baby Bit is HUUUUUNGRRYYYYYYY!!!!

Holiday "Hmmm"s

2009-01-01T21:11:00.042-06:00

Was your holiday fun? Ours has been busy yet quiet. Not much planned but so busy with preparations for what little we did do. I'm looking forward to Little Bit going back to school next week, and yet I have loved having her here. She has touched my heart in some very special ways. At bedtime she gets cups of water for The HOFFER and me to keep on our bedside tables overnight. One night she pre-made some bottles for Baby Bit and put them in the refrigerator before heading to bed. One of the Christmas gifts she made for each of us was a "Gift of Words". She wrote out an anagram of our names plus Mommy and Daddy, and the words she came up with for us were so very sweet. Here's what she wrote for us:

D ude
A ctive
D addy-tastic
D addy-fun
Y ou rock!!!

M ommy-tastic
O ptimistic
M ore better than any mommy
M ore helping than anybody
Y ou are nice

I love the "D is for DUDE"...spot on!!! Oh my goodness...my daughter is the sweetest. I am so blessed.

I am craving some normalcy and routine. My brain just isn't up to the activity of the holidays this year. Perhaps a "new baby" thing, but I really feel like I've blown it to a certain extent this year. I know I'm still adjusting to Baby Bit and figuring out the "new mommy" thing again, but I still think I should've been able to make the holiday time more special than it was. Maybe I'm being too hard on myself, maybe not...I don't know. But the holiday is about over, so I can only go forward from here and try to do better next year. This time of year is one of Little Bit's favorites, so I hate that we didn't do more festive things. Thankfully, she doesn't seem very disappointed in her break, I don't think. At least I did my Christmas letter with pictures this year...although I have yet to send it out. Well, it's more than I did last year.

So what do I wish I had done this Christmas?

1. Get my Christmas shopping started and done much earlier, like July
2. Bake cookies and other goodies to give to neighbors and friends
3. Not leave teacher and classmate gifts for last-minute
4. Get Christmas cards/letters with pictures out by first half of December
5. Decorate house, inside and out (we did get the tree done!)
6. Make hot chocolate (the recipe on the Hershey's cocoa box is THE BEST!!!)
7. Check out Christmas lights more often (Little Bit loves doing this, especially in her pj's)
8. Set out cookies for Santa (even though we've had the Santa talk, we decided to go ahead and set cookies out for him anyway, just because it's fun.)
9. Had breakfast, lunch and dinner already prepared and ready to go into the oven so I wouldn't end up cooking and cleaning the kitchen for the majority of the day
10. Watched more Christmas specials with my family

However, since I'm so optimistic (Little Bit used this one because she couldn't think of a word that started with O!!!), I'm going to be glad for the things I did do:

1. Printed out Christmas newsletter with pictures of both girls to send out
2. Decorated tree
3. Made cookies for Little Bit's classmates and teacher, plus had extras to give out (a total fluke but still warrants bonus points!)
4. Made it to Little Bit's class Christmas party and took pictures
5. Drove around neighborhood looking at Christmas lights at least two, maybe three times
6. Drove through "Santa's Ranch" light display (required a 30-minute drive south of town and a 40-ish minute wait in line just to get in, plus $20 entry...ouch)
7. Didn't arrive empty-handed to brother's Christmas shin-dig...took cookies
8. Had my traditional gift-wrapping time while watching the traditional 24 hours of "A Christmas Story" on TBS
9. Watched "A Charlie Brown Christmas" about six times and "The Grinch" about four times with Little Bit
10. Had a sweet baby added to my Christmas celebration
11. Read through "What God Wants for Christmas" with my family

At least I had more positives than negatives. That's not such a bad thing. And again, maybe I'm being too hard on myself. But there are women out there who can do all this stuff and more in addition to having a baby...I'm just not one of them. It seems I can't get my act together since bringing Baby Bit home. I've never been very "together" in the first place, and having a baby seems to have brought my worst incompetence to the forefront. My consolation is that I know what I need to work on and what to plan for next Christmas. And while I'm not one to make New Year's resolutions, I do love having a fresh start, a clean slate, or a second chance. And that, for me, is the beauty of the new year.

Daytime Drama...or 57 Channels and Nothing's On

2008-12-09T13:39:00.028-06:00

When I was in high school, many of the popular girls watched soap operas, or as they are called today, DAYTIME DRAMAS. And because I wanted to be popular too (I wasn't part of that group), I started watching soaps as well. I started with "All My Children", since that was the one I had heard the most about. Once I was hooked there, I added "General Hospital" to the list. Eventually, since "One Life to Live" was right between the other two, I ended up watching three hours of soaps each day that particular summer.

Alas, if I could only have THAT time back!!!

Since then, I have cut out watching television during the day. I simply don't have time for it. Yes, ladies, even Oprah. I actually never really got in to Oprah (GASP!!!). I did watch her show a few times, and each time ended up being a huge emotional investment, usually either tears or anger. As I said before, I just don't have time, or energy, for that.

Oh, and no offense intended to those of you who do watch soaps. They're just not my thing.

Once Baby Bit was born, however, I needed something to do while nursing her. Normally I would've grabbed a book and polished it off by the time she was done feeding. But I was typically in a sleep-deprived stupor, so if I read anything, I would have to go back and read it again later since I wasn't quite coherent enough to grasp it. So I grabbed the remote and started flipping. It took me a while, but I ran across a few daytime shows that I actually like. Some I had heard of for some time but had never seen; others were completely new to me. So here, in no particular order, is some of my favorite mindless drivel from daytime TV:

1. Clean House & Clean House Comes Clean (The Style Network): okay, this one really is my favorite. They ask such great questions when helping a family declutter their home. So great, in fact, that it has inspired me to go through my stuff and get rid of some things with which I thought I would never part. My grandfather's rocking chair, for example. I never sit in it, and neither does anyone else. I don't even remember my grandfather sitting in it, for that matter, so it doesn't really hold any memories for me. All it does is act as a catch-all, so out it goes. Too bad...it's a beautiful chair with a great creaking noise. :-) But I'm getting rid of it. Little Bit has begun tossing a few things as well. Maybe by this time next year my house will be a Clean House! :-)

2. Airline (The Biography Channel): THIS one scares me a bit. It shows typical daily drama for airline employees. It's amazing what is required of the employees in this industry. One episode in particular showed a passenger that had been removed from the plane because she was drunk. The poor employee that had to deal with her got a verbal assault full of expletives that went on for quite some time. Makes me a little nervous about flying. I think I'll stick to ground travel.

3. What Not To Wear (The Learning Channel): This is a fun show! I LOOOOOOVE before-&-after shows, and this is a good one. Stacy and Clinton are just a bit on the pompous side, I think, but I suppose they can be because they are good at what they do. Nick and Carmady, the hair guy and make-up babe, are incredibly compassionate with the people they help. Stacy and Clinton could use a dose of that. After all, there's no need to ridicule someone who doesn't know better. If they know better and don't act on it, well, THEN they can be uppity. But some of these people just plain don't have a clue and DESPERATELY need the help. All in all, they do a good job, and I love the show.

4. Carter Can/Red, Hot and Green (HGTV & DIY Networks): These two shows have Carter Oosterhaus as their host, and I just like to watch him. He makes my eyes feel good. ;-)

5. Ace of Cakes (Food Network): Love, love, LOVE Duff and his gang!!! These people are absolutely AMAAAAAAAAAZING when it comes to decorating cakes!!! They seem to have a lot of fun doing it too.

So those are my top favorites, but there are a few others I like that didn't make my favorites list: Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and Food Detectives (both on Food Network); I Want That! and any of its "sub-shows" like I Want That! Tech Toys/Kitchens/Bathrooms (Fine Living Network...actually this one should be on my list! It's awesome!); What You Get For The Money (also on FLN), and Cool Tools (DIY Network). That last one is an oddity for me. I'm not a tool-gal, but some of the tools this guys shows are pretty cool, even for those of use who are "DIY-challenged".

So maybe daytime TV isn't quite so mindless after all. :-)

If A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words...

2008-11-27T21:15:00.012-06:00

...then what follows are several thousand words, and I don't need to say anything else! :-) I had hoped to post more but am having trouble, either with my laptop (no surprise there) or Blogger. Either way, I hope you enjoy what I have so far. :-)

For Someone Special

2008-11-20T16:12:00.003-06:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR JENSTER,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!!!!

Hope you have a fabulous day, Jenster! My life is richer for knowing you.

Bits of Updates

2008-11-13T13:51:00.009-06:00

Get it? I made a BIT of a joke there...small pun...remember? I call my girls Little Bit and Baby Bit? Okay, so it's not THAT funny. I got a giggle out of it.

So my girls are doing well. Baby Bit is two months old now, 10 pounds, 8 ounces, and 23 inches long...or tall. Everyone who sees her comments on how tiny she is, but she is, according to her pediatrician, tall (75th percentile for height) and healthy (50th percentile for weight). She had her first set of vaccines on Tuesday, and she did not like them ONE LITTLE BIT (no, I was not trying to make another "bit" pun.). She is a sensitive little girl; when she gets cold, it's to the bone and she cries bitterly to let us know she needs a blanket. When she feels pain, it is very intense. Little Bit handled her first shots pretty well, but not so much Baby Bit. She had a tough night getting over them. I gave her a tiny dose of Infant Tylenol and she slept and slept and slept, and felt better the next morning. She has two major accomplishments of late: 1) she sleeps through the night (AT LAST!!!); and 2) she can turn over from her back to her tummy! We are oh so proud. :-)

Little Bit has us a bit (there it is again!) puzzled. She is not a tidy girl...not even remotely. If I could post a picture of her playroom, you would see just how much STUFF we have allowed her to accumulate over her short life. If you've ever watched "Clean House", you'll get an idea of what her bedroom and playroom are like. She comes by it honestly; I was the same way as a kid. Now that I'm grown up, I'm still not terribly tidy, but I'm not quite as messy as she is. So I bought her "Clutter Control" from American Girl. She's had it for several months but not applied any of the suggestions given in the book...till recently. We gave her some new storage in her bedroom, which gave her a place to put many of her favorite dolls and stuffed animals. I'm so impressed...she has kept her room picked up and walkable. I caught her cleaning out and organizing her notebook for school. Her bathroom is actually clean...and I didn't do it...SHE DID! She asked me if she could sweep the porch. Next she wants to tackle her playroom (which, once it's done, will be Baby Bit's room. I think she has forgotten this fact.). I am fairly certain that an alien has been switched out for Little Bit.

Finally, the COOLEST thing EVER happened to The HOFFER. HE HAS A TROPHY NAMED IN HIS HONOR! Is that not WAY COOL???? Here is the announcement that was made about the trophy:

We have a special surprise this year! It has been in the making for several years. It is our new "best of show" trophy. It is being named the Cash Matthews trophy. We picked Cash because of his Oklahoma background and if you have ever met him you would know there is no other individual who deserves this more! Right attitude, loves god and family and is a top notch representative for BMX. In the years Past we have also let Cash and the current ABA Hall of famers pick the winner. This year it will probably be half Cash/HOL and half fan favorite vote! If you win the trophy you can keep it for the following year for display with your bike. There will also be a number plate on the bars to keep forever that will have info on sponsors and to be a excellent thing to hang on the bike. The only thing we ask is that the trophy be returned by Oct. 1, 2008 to be engraved with the 08 winners info. This thing is huge and weighs a ton! LOL, so be prepared to ship it back if you win out! We would like to thank thumperpilot and the ABA for all the help they give to make this a fun deal for everyone. Also thanks to Osrlracer for his help in years past. BMX cyclery of Sand Springs,Vintagebmx.com, OSBMX.com and HRP number plates for letting us use some logos and for all the good work they do! And thanks to Cash for letting us put his name on the trophy.

What else can you say about something like that except "HOW COOL!!!!"!

Gotta go pick up Little Bit from school. More on the trophy thing, as well as the girls, soon.

Of Babies And Their Stuffs

2008-10-29T13:12:00.009-05:00

As I sit at The Hoffer's computer, Baby Bit on one hand while slooooooowly typing with the other, I am truly regretting my decision to wear a black shirt. The pool of spit-up on my left shoulder just doesn't go as well with it as I had anticipated. Neither does the follow-up shot flowing down the middle of my shirt. I prefer dirty diapers to spit-up. They are contained much better and have fewer surprises than a spit-up episode. Seems with spit-up there can never be enough urp rags to be found. A large tarp isn't big enough to protect me from the spit-up tsunami.

Baby Bit is 7 weeks old and doing beautifully. She has big dark blue eyes (at least for now), chubby cheeks, a dusting of red hair, and a gorgeous Gerber-baby smile. She can be embarrassingly loud, is fascinated by ceiling fans and mobiles, gets cold easily, and has a special wail for whatever she needs to communicate (hungry, tired, wet diaper, etc.). She "performs" extremely well for others: smiles, funny faces, great noises. When I nurse her, she often looks up at me like she knows something I don't and the joke's on me. She spits out her pacifier whenever something is about to come out, regardless of which end or what bodily function it may be. Except for the lack of hair, she looks just like Little Bit's baby pictures. And speaking of pictures, I have a TON that I want to post. Unfortunately, we are down to only one computer and it's not mine. I am hopeful our computer issues will be fixed soon. I am DYING to show her off!!! Till then, it's good to be back in cyberspace and feeling mostly normal again. I hope to resume my blog-hopping activities very soon! I'd better go for now. It has taken at least 30 minutes to type this short post! This one-handed stuff is anything but efficient.

Uh oh, the pacifier just came out. I NEED TO TAKE COVER! Ooops...too late. Time to change clothes...AGAIN. ;-)

So....It's been awhile since I checked my mailbox...

2008-09-23T13:37:00.024-05:00

You can see by this picture that our postal carrier is a VEEEERRRRRYYYYY understanding woman!!!!

If you have sent us something recently but haven't heard a reply from us, rest assured that it's not for a lack of gratitude, but rather a lack of sleep. I take every opportunity I get to take a much-needed nap. My email inbox looks very similar to this stack of "snail mail". If you'll bear with me for just a bit, I promise you'll hear from me soon! Know that we feel so very blessed by all of you. I am so humbled that so many are rejoicing with us over our new family member. You have all been so very generous with your lovely gifts, not just for Baby Bit but Little Bit as well!!! And the meals being brought in...I LOVE IT WHEN SOMEONE ELSE COOKS!!! (The HOFFER just appreciates THAT someone cooks...PERIOD!)

So until I am back to my "normal" self, here are some pictures to keep you occupied. Enjoy, and once again, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Girls

2008-09-19T14:54:00.004-05:00

Chubby cheeks: born 09/09/08; 7 pounds, 14 oz, 20-1/2 inches long at 8:03 am; looks like my dad!

Little Bit and Baby Bit

Everyone home and healthy. More to come...right now I need a nap!

Last Post Before THE BIG DAY

2008-09-08T21:14:00.004-05:00

I can't believe it...I'm almost done, and my new daughter will be here tomorrow. It's still all just a bit surreal to me, but I know it will become VERY REAL tomorrow morning. We arrive at the hospital at 5 am, and Baby Bit should be here in the flesh by 7:30 am, assuming all goes as it should. So forgive this very short post...there will be more tomorrow. :-)

Worthy Reads from Cash Flows and The Coffee Stop

2008-09-04T22:17:00.005-05:00

I don't have a whole lot to say today, so be sure to check out The HOFFER's most recent post over at Cash Flows. He always has something worth reading.

Another good read is my buddy Shauna over at The Coffee Stop. She has a funny post today...of course about those boys of hers!!!

We had our final OB appointment before Baby Bit arrives today...pretty much the same...all is well. We go in next Tuesday, bright and early (bright being a relative term!) at 5 am. If you're up at that time, please pray for us. I expect everything to go smoothly and without incident, but there are always those inherent risks involved with surgery that, in my opinion, would be better served with a large dose of prayer and God's grace. So thanks in advance for praying for us. :-)

It's past my bedtime, so I'm heading to bed. More this weekend. :-)

Happy "Going Into Labor" Day?

2008-09-01T13:00:00.012-05:00

OH, HOW I WISH!!! I am SO VERY ready to have this baby! I will give you one last belly shot later this week, as well as a look at some of our sweet baby goodies.

Yesterday we went to the mall and did some shopping. The HOFFER took Little Bit to Build-a-Bear to spend birthday money from Grandma, and I went to the maternity store to get some must-have nursing items. And now that I have THAT out of the way, Baby Bit can come anytime she wants!!! I must admit I am a bit torn: while I am anxious to be done and have Baby Bit here, I also like the stability of knowing exactly when/where/who for my C-section on September 9th. If she decides to come before then (and I don't yet have any indication that she will), everything will have to be taken care of spontaneously and there will be some questions: will my doctor or a fill-in be there; can I get WonderDog into the kennel right now; did I pack everything I need, etc. If I can hang on for EIGHT MORE DAYS for my scheduled C-section, everything is a known factor and falls easily into place. So you understand my dilemma.

While we were at the mall yesterday, we ran into some friends of ours who were shopping for a mutual BMX buddy who is turning 40 this week. They decided, as did most of us, to get him a gag gift, and they chose a book titled "Sex After 40". Opening the book, you find a bunch of blank pages. These friends showed the book to their daughter, who is a freshman in college. She took one look at the title, and a look of abject fear at the prospect of looking inside the book spread quickly across her face! It was priceless! And yes, she took a chance and peeked inside. You could see the relief engulf her. :-)

After the mall, we headed to the Birthday Boy's house for a surprise party. When he opened his "Sex After 40" book, I was able to raise my hand and "debunk that myth!" The HOFFER raised his arms as if in victory. :-) It was a fun time but a long evening, and I was glad to get home. Today is a day to stay home, relax and do some "quiet" things, like write thank-you notes, finish some school items with Little Bit, take a much-needed nap, and of course, write the obligatory blog post. I had a pretty long post rolling around in my head early this morning as I tried to go back to sleep, but much of it has gone the way of the Dodo bird. Alas, Pregnant Brain strikes again! So it's back to bed I go for yet another nap...or perhaps to the kitchen for something to eat! More later this week!

If You Blinked, You Missed It

2008-08-25T21:54:00.007-05:00

Didja' see any of the BMX coverage from the Olympics? Wowee...what coverage. I'm overwhelmed. I'm sorry, but plain and simple, IT SUCKED. Bob Costas, on the air, states that BMX "is a sport I know nothing about." Oh, silly me, I THOUGHT IT WAS YOUR JOB TO KNOW THIS STUFF. ISN'T THAT WHAT YOU GET PAID TO DO????? Nicely done, genius.

Oh, did I just write that out loud?

Because it rained in Beijing, BMX got rained out for a day, as the track was an outdoor track. (Yes, some tracks are indoors.) The good thing about that is our buddy Kyle Bennett had wrecked and dislocated his shoulder in one of his qualifying races, and that rain delay gave him an extra day to recover. The bad thing was it knocked most of the races off your TV screen, so BMX didn't get the coverage we had hoped to see. So in case you missed it, Latvia won the gold, and the US brought home the silver and bronze. Our friend Donny Robinson was the bronze medal winner! WOO HOO!!! Congrats!!!

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Hang on...WonderDog needs a bathroom break, and I don't really want him using my carpet as his toilet.

Okay...thanks for waiting. I'm back.

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School started up again for us last Thursday. I used to think this was a stupid idea, starting school with only a couple of days left in a week, but my mind has since been changed. The nice thing is it lets the kids, parents, teachers, etc., ease into the new school year. This way the getting up early for the first time in literally months isn't quite as painful, because only a couple of days later you get the weekend off to recoup from the initial shock. Little Bit LOOOOOOVES her 4th grade teacher, but school in general, and homework specifically, is definitely not her favorite thing. That should come as no surprise...neither the HOFFER nor I were that fond of school, so we get it. It's the vocalization of those dislikes that has become the issue at hand. Little Bit is not one of these people that gets things done in a hurry when assigned a task she dislikes. She draaaaaaaaaags it out, procrastinating in the hopes that she can get out of whatever task it might be, complaining the entire way, and generally making life miserable for anyone within earshot. And believe me, she does not give in easily. While I appreciate her dedication to her cause, there's always a point where she just needs to give in, suck it up and deal with it. Unfortunately, she hasn't figured that out yet.

If WE don't figure this out, this is going to be a very...long...year.

On a lighter note, if you haven't read Jenster's posts about her kids starting school, it's a riot!!! Here's "Ye Olde Tale" and "Ye Olde Tale, Part II". Quick, go read them, then pop back here. I'll wait.

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Oh, back already? That Jenster is a hoot, isn't she???

So I'm just a couple of weeks away from my scheduled C-section, and let me tell you just how excited I am about it. I can't wait for someone else to hold this very precious yet very wiggly baby girl. Things continue to progress as they should, and I've noticed a few contractions here and there. Nothing very strong...yet...but contractions nonetheless. After all, my body doesn't care if I'm having a C-section or not. We are just about prepared for her arrival. I have a few nursing items still to buy, but that should be an easy thing to get done. I frequently get asked if the nursery is ready, and the answer is no. Perhaps I should have taken care of that during my second trimester when I had the energy, but I figured she's not going to be sleeping in there any time soon, so I wasn't too worried about it. The problem that has arisen, however, is where I put all her STUFF: clothes, toys, etc. So I'm having to make room in my room for everything. Not too big a deal, but some of my wonderfully generous friends have given us clothes for several months down the road. I hope I don't sound ungrateful...I'm not. I just planned poorly. Oh well...it will all work out...somehow.

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I should probably add something else here, but I got nothing. So I'll stop here for now.

More BMX...And More Baby

2008-08-18T12:45:00.008-05:00

Thanks to everyone who has participated in the BMX Hall of Fame voting! If you haven't voted yet, you need to do it soon. The deadline for voting is September 4th, so go make your voice heard! The three nominees suggested by The HOFFER (see last post) are very deserving, and voting takes a quick 60 seconds, so hop to it!!!

If you've never seen an actual BMX race, your big chance is this week while watching the Olympics! This was posted last week on the American Bicycle Association BMX website (www.ababmx.com):

"The 2008 Olympics are well underway in Beijing, China and BMX racings' debut is just a week away. The excitement is building within the industry and fans with the anticipation for BMX racing hitting the world stage. Below are the airdates and times listed by NBC. We just wanted everyone to be aware of the dates and times so they don't miss out. Please forward this on to all your friends and family to spread the BMX word. GO TEAM USA!!

Aug. 19th 8:00-9:00pm, Primetime, Live ET/CT

Men's BMX Cycling

Aug. 20th 12:30-2:00am

Men's BMX Cycling Quarterfinals

Aug. 20th 2:00-5:00am

Men's BMX Cycling, Primetime Replay

Aug. 20th 8:00-10:00pm, Primetime, Live ET/CT

Mens and Womens BMX Cycling Finals

Aug. 21st 2:00-5:00am

Mens and Womens BMX Cycling Finals, Primetime Replay"

Be sure to set your DVR/Tivo/VCR/whatever you use to record TV shows for TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY to see some of BMX's finest giving their all. While watching, be sure to cheer on a couple of The HOFFER's buddies who are riding for Team USA: Kyle Bennett and Donny Robinson. WOO HOO!!!

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More baby stuff to come. Assuming she doesn't come early, we are three weeks away (as of August 19th) from welcoming Tiny Bit into the family. I'm feeling fine, although a bit panicky because I feel like I still have so much to do before she gets here. I was able to cross several big ones off my list this past weekend, after Little Bit's birthday and family leaving town. I had a huge burst of energy Sunday and got quite a bit done trying to return some semblance of order to my house and my laundry load! Yes, I know that is often a sign that the baby's coming soon. But hey, three weeks IS soon, so I'm counting on that!!! School starts on Thursday, so I will give you birthday party details and baby stuff at that time.

Till then, GO TEAM USA!!!!!!

Hall of Fame Voting Commences!

2008-08-08T12:30:00.003-05:00

Wow...I haven't posted in weeks and now I have two posts in less than 24 hours??? What's up with that???

When I first began blogging, my very first post was about last year's ABA BMX Hall of Fame vote. Well guess what, sports fans? It's that time of year again! Anyone can vote, and all you need is a valid email address. So take about 60 seconds and cast your vote! Here's the email that The HOFFER sent out recently about how to vote and who he voted for:

One of the great honors of my life was to be inducted into the ABA BMX Hall of Fame. My time in bmx was meaningful to me as a kid and then again later as an adult. Many of you were helpful in submitting votes on my behalf, and I am still so thankful for that support.

The 2008 Hall of Fame is upon us and I would appreciate if you would take a moment now and vote for some very worthy nominees. It just takes a moment and it helps a very worthy cause.

Here is how I am voting this year:

Early BMX Pioneer: Danny Oakley. Danny was on the Mongoose Team during my own time there and was instrumental in so much about bmx, it is really hard to figure out how he isn't already in the HOF. He helped numerous companies get off the ground, was a bmx inventor, and most importantly, was a GREAT champion of bmx racing. Danny was one of the few guys to have a custom bike made in his honor by the legendary Mongoose Factory and to this day, he is one of the most respected racers and innovators in the history of BMX. Oh yea, he grew up to be an actual ROCKET SCIENTIST!

BMX Racer: Tim Judge: Tim Judge was one of the few riders from the East Coast to get excellent magazine coverage in the early days. Tim won numerous titles including a World Championship in the early 80's. Tim had perhaps the most dramatic style of any racer of his era, and frequently you would see kids imitating him "doing a Judge" over a jump. The BMX HOF has overlooked many east coast riders and the vote for Tim Judge is very worthy for that and many other reasons. Tim went on to be a Jet Ski champion and is to this day regarded as one of the finest racing talents of any sport.

BMX Industry: Roger Berg: Roger Berg was the inventor of the UNI Seat that stormed the US and the world during the 80's. His constant innovation in bmx was fueled by his experience at GM where he invented the square headlight and was near the development team of the famous Corvette. Roger was one of the first to use wind tunnel technology in the invention of bmx equipment. His products are some of the most copied to this day and his induction into the bmx hall of fame is just recognition for all he has done.

The link to vote is this: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=voeEegM28gVFX_2bOq56seqw_3d_3d

Please take a moment to vote now as the voting ends soon. Thank you for participating in bmx, one of the greatest sports for kids! BMX is in the Olympics this year as well so stay tuned on August 19 for some awesome racing! Thanks again! Oh, and if you have some friends who would like to help make history, please feel free to forward this to your address book! Anyone with a valid email can vote. You can vote from any valid email address! Have fun!!!

Miscellany and a Few Pet Peeves

2008-08-07T13:15:00.026-05:00

I have been severely lacking in mental abilities and motivation of late, which partially explains my recent online absence. The other reasons are being just flat-out tired and having guests in from out of town. A friend's daughter, who for some reason thinks we are too much fun, came and spent several days hanging out with us. She's a sweet girl, and I hope she will come back very soon. Incredibly mature for a high school sophomore, I often forget she's not an adult. Regardless, we had a good time showing her around town and introducing her to our favorite eateries.

My brother is in town from Virginia for a couple more days. He and his two grown sons stayed with us for two nights and are now over "mooching from" another sibling (his words, not mine!) till early Saturday morning, when they will load up and head back to their goat farm. Little Bit and WonderDog are moping around the house now because they are gone! And by the way, if you've never been to that part of the country, it's a trip well worth taking. The scenery is incredibly beautiful, and the weather is amazing. Not to mention the TONS of history that went on in and around there. Their house is five minutes from Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, where John Brown conducted his infamous raid during the Civil War. Great place for history buffs, to say the very least. The house where my brother & family live, and where my sister-in-law grew up, predates the Civil War and has even been designated a historical landmark. Pretty nifty, if you ask me. Alas, no one did, but this is my blog, so I get to say what I want. ;-)

One of the places Big Brother and Sons wanted to go to while here in town is a BBQ restaurant called the Salt Lick. It's an absolute dive but has the best barbecue you'll find for miles. And I do mean miles, as it is a good ways outside the city limits. It's in a dry county, so those that want beer with their beef have to bring it with them. Seriously! On weekends, if you don't arrive before 5pm, you'll easily have a minimum 2-hour wait just to sit down and look at a menu. Thing is, it's worth the wait. We took them there the last time they came to visit eight years ago, and they've been bragging on it to their Virginia cronies ever since. After eating there the other night, one of my nephews commented, "Waited eight years for that, and it was SO worth the wait." Truer words were never spoken.

We are currently preparing for Little Bit's birthday next week, as well as my sister and her husband coming in from Kentucky for several days. School starts the following week, and we found out who our teacher will be for this next year. Little Bit had a couple of teachers she hoped to get and did get one of them, so she is very excited. All through 2nd grade she prayed to get a certain 3rd grade teacher, but God said no, not this time. So I am very happy that she has a teacher she really wanted. Add to that the fact that one of her best BFF's (best friends forever, for those of you who don't have pre-teen daughters) is in her class this year, and fourth grade seems to be shaping up into a great year.

I have just over 4 weeks to go at this point, and I am SOOOOO TIRED! My brain is shot, I can't seem to focus on anything, my house is a wreck, and I can't get comfortable to save my life. Tiny Bit is her busiest at night when I would REEEEEALLY like to get some rest. Fat chance. I try to remember at those times that it will all be worth it once she gets here, but I'm not always so successful. So while I'm in the mood to grouse, I'm going to pass on an article from the good folks at WalletPop.com: their list of what they think are the 20 most annoying things done at grocery stores. It's a great list, and I agree with most of it. I've even found myself doing a few of them...most often for me is aisle blocking. My sincerest apologies to anyone I have blocked!!! Things I would add to the list? People who don't put carts back in the cart stalls provided (there's a good reason they are provided, people!!!), and pedestrians crossing the parking lot that seem to think that they don't need to hurry and get out of the way of impending traffic (SO rude!!). So go see if you agree with their list, and I'll be back next time in a better mood and better rested.

Yeah, right.

More Baby Stuff

2008-07-10T12:08:00.001-05:00

I'm writing this shortly after reading the final blog post by Andrea at Punk Rock Mommy. It was my first time to read Andrea's blog, an online journal of her battle with breast cancer, and I am moved to tears. Her final words are beautiful, moving, and a good reminder of what's important in life. My heart rejoices with her as she is in the presence of her Maker, yet at the same time breaks for those she left behind. I look forward to meeting her one of these days when I also enter heaven. For now, I will grieve with and pray for her family.

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On a significantly lighter note, my doctor appointment this past week went, once again, very well. Since I had an emergency C-Section with Little Bit, I wanted to schedule this one. Little Bit's entry into this world was exhausting. My water broke at midnight, and after several hours of epidurals and pushing, Dr. P strongly suggested a C-section because she wasn't coming out. She was finally born at 11:42 am the next morning. Not pleasant. Tiny Bit, unless she comes sooner, is due no later than September 14th. However, she is now scheduled for her first appearance bright and early on September 9th. That means that, as of this writing, she is only 9 WEEKS AWAY. OH. MY. GOODNESS. (Panic has officially set in.) Dr. P didn't want me to go past the 14th (40 weeks), so we had to schedule it during the week prior (39 weeks). My only request was "NOT on September 11th!!!" I just couldn't saddle her with that birthday, so September 9th it is. I go back again in two more weeks, when we'll do one more sonogram. Little Bit is very excited about that, so she's going with us for this appointment.

So here I am at 31-ish weeks:

Baby News

2008-07-02T23:20:00.000-05:00

I had hoped to have a belly picture to post last week after my doctor appointment, but as so often occurs, life gets in the way and it didn't happen. I am on the every-two-week plan now--THE HOME STRETCH!!!--and go in again this Thursday (or today, by the time most of you read this), so I will once again attempt to post a picture at that time. My last appointment went very well, and God used it to encourage me in a rather shallow area of my life.

Before I tell you how good God was to me last week, I need to give you a tidbit of information about my pregnancies. I have been pregnant only two times in my life. Both times happened shortly after I had slimmed down somewhat. Prior to Little Bit, I had lost 15 pounds; before Tiny Bit, I had gone down two sizes. I figured God could've used better timing and let me enjoy my slightly more svelte self a while longer, but ultimately who am I to tell Him what to do? So with both pregnancies I have tried to not focus on that, but rather be grateful for the privilege of getting to be a mommy. I haven't been so good at it this time around.

Last week I had been feeling somewhat akin to the Goodyear blimp, and not the scaled-down toy version, either. I kept expecting them to call and ask me to fill in for the blimp at the next major sporting event. Every time I went into my closet I got discouraged as I looked longingly at my non-pregnant clothes, aching to be able to wear them again. Some of my most favorite warm-weather pieces were ones I really didn't get to wear much, since I bought them last fall right before I found out I was pregnant. Add a tub-full of guilt on top of that desire to not be rotund--I wasn't being grateful for this precious gift--and I felt awful. In case I haven't mentioned it before, I went through 5-1/2 years of infertility before I was blessed with Little Bit. If I was still going through that battle with infertility today and someone had said to me what I was currently thinking, that she was more worried about not getting back into her non-pregnant clothes rather than rejoicing in the fact that she was getting to be a mommy, I would have clocked her upside the head with a baseball bat for being so ungrateful. It was a no-win situation, and I was absolutely pathetic. A couple of times hormones took over and I just started bawling. Poor HOFFER didn't really know what to do, and frankly, there wasn't much to do but let me vent.

When I go see my doctor, the first thing that happens when I get called in for my appointment is the dreaded weigh-in. I mentioned to the nurse on one occasion that I didn't want to know my weight, so she told me to close my eyes. On subsequent appointments I have just stood on THE BEAST with my back to it. (HA! Tell me how much I weigh, will ya???? I'll show you!!!) Last week's appointment was no exception. I outsmarted THE BEAST yet again and stood with my back to it, ignoring its evil declaration.

While I outsmarted THE BEAST, apparently no one told Dr. P that I didn't want to know my weight. And technically, he didn't tell me how much I weigh. What he did was listen to Tiny Bit's heartbeat, measured my belly, and looked over the information on my chart. Our brief conversation went something like this:

Dr. P: "Looks like you're doing great. You measured the right size, baby's heartbeat is strong, and you've only gained 10 pounds, so you're doing great."

Me: "I'm sorry...what did you say? Did you really say 10 POUNDS?"

Dr. P: "Yes, only 10 pounds. I think we talked about..."

I stopped listening at that point, because it was really all I wanted and needed to hear. ONLY TEN POUNDS!!! Then I tuned in again as he said "You should be back to your regular size in no time."

I could hear the angelic chorus singing "Aaaahhhh!!!!"

Call me shallow, but this was SO INCREDIBLY ENCOURAGING to me!!! With Little Bit I gained about 40-50 pounds...blew right past the 200 mark. I ballooned to the size of a hot air balloon, which for someone who has been relatively petite for most of my life, is very bad! But I didn't care because I was so VERY excited just to actually be pregnant. I have been a bit more careful this time around. I eat at Sonic only 2-3 times a week instead of every day. (I wish I were joking!) I honestly believe it is the vitamins I'm taking...it's the main difference between this pregnancy and my first one (other that not having a daily dose of foot-long Coney, large tater tots and a Route 44 Coca-Cola with extra ice). The cool thing is they are not prenatal vitamins...they are the same vitamins I've been taking on a daily basis for about five years. So I continue to take these vitamins (in addition to my prenatals) and am continuing to do well. The only concern was that, in spite of taking an iron supplement every day, I was still anemic. So I have been given a stronger supplement, and that seems to be working well.

I wish I weren't so shallow. But I think I will look at it in a more positive way: I'm grateful that I have a healthier pregnancy than my first one, and that I'll be back to my old self much sooner than the first time around.

I'm Officially A Fan

2008-06-27T12:06:00.026-05:00

I must confess that, while I haven't used AOL in years, I love AOL's main page. There's always something there that peaks my curiosity enough to check out the picture or first paragraph of an article. Sometimes it's worth looking into, sometimes not. But look what I found there today! Definitely worth checking out!!! I believe the entire article would be found at USA Today, but this I found--via AOL's main page--at http://www.oceanup.com/oceanup/2008/06/kevin-jonas-sr.html.

I am typically a big fan of Disney movies, but generally not too hip to their TV shows or Disney radio. With the radio especially, I feel like I'm being constantly yelled at. And no, it's not a pregnancy thing either. :-) Age-related...perhaps. It does sound like something my mother would say. Anyway, what little I've heard from the Jonas Brothers has been good, so I already liked them. This article just made me an official fan. It's nice to be able to tell Little Bit that the music she so wants to listen to is something I can endorse. I love that God always finds ways to put His children in places of influence in some of the most spiritually desolate places...like Hollywood! Check it out!

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June 24, 2008

Kevin Jonas Sr. "We Didn't Give The Boys Purity Rings As A Pledge Of Perfection."

The Jonas Brothers wear purity rings as symbols of their commitment to remain virgins until marriage. Their ordained minister father, Kevin Sr., strives to make time for the family to worship and give thanks for their blessings.

He revealed to USA Today: 'The boys made a decision when they turned 12 years old to put those rings on their fingers. We didn't give them these rings as a pledge of perfection, but as a reminder of values. Our hope is that they'll always know that there's a good, right way to treat the opposite sex.'

Joe added, 'Even songs we write today, if you really listen to the lyrics, it can be about love songs, but it's also about our relationship with God. It's simple. We're Christian guys in a rock 'n' roll band.'

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ROCK ON, GUYS!!!

Pleasant Words

2008-06-10T12:20:00.034-05:00

The question was raised recently, once again by astute blogger Shauna at The Coffee Stop, as to how to share something personal on one's blog knowing that one will have to ultimately face lurkers. Here's what she said:

"There is a reason I haven't been blogging as frequently, and hopefully I'll feel confident enough to share it here soon. Quick question: how do you get personal on your own blog, knowing you will come face to face with some of the lurkers?"

It's something I've often wondered myself. How do you blog about something difficult you've been facing without sharing something lousy about another person? Any suggestions? I'm listening! I haven't been blogging for long, but my basic rule of thumb, for life as well as blogging, is that if I don't have something nice to say then I should keep my mouth shut (something The HOFFER has been asking me to do for quite some time--LOL!!!). While I've learned over the years that unkind words or gossip usually come back to bite me in the butt if I don't keep quiet, that doesn't necessarily mean I follow that little nugget of great advice with any regularity. Words can be used to build up and bring joy, or they can be used to destroy and hurt. Once spoken, they can't be taken back. In print--letter, email, note, BLOG--it's even worse, because it's written out for all to see and read again and again. Here's what the Bible says about what we say and how it affects others in James 3:3-12 (I'm using The Message translation):

"A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the whole horse. A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it!

It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell.

This is scary: You can tame a tiger, but you can't tame a tongue—it's never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth!

My friends, this can't go on. A spring doesn't gush fresh water one day and brackish the next, does it? Apple trees don't bear strawberries, do they? Raspberry bushes don't bear apples, do they? You're not going to dip into a polluted mud hole and get a cup of clear, cool water, are you?"

Yikes. That IS scary!

I had originally planned on this post being about a few pet peeves I have, but reading those verses has caused me to change my mind. Pet peeves are negatives. So perhaps another time when I really need to vent...perhaps. Since words can be used for good instead of evil, positive instead of negative, I would like to share some pleasant words written about my Beloved (a.k.a. The HOFFER), as well as one more Bible verse. It's from one of my favorite books, Proverbs (New International Version, this time!).

Proverbs 16:24: Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Boy, did we find out just how true THAT is!!! Check out these pleasant words that someone wrote recently about The HOFFER! And yes, his name really is Cash. This was posted in a BMX chat room that he has been a part of for several years. (OldschoolBMX and Vintage, as referenced in this post, are both chat rooms focusing on BMX racing, mostly past but also present.)

"If anyone knows Cash, they’re a better person. What can I say but THANK YOU!

There are very few people on this earth that I look up to and admire. My dad was one. A good Christian man when he passed just after his 56th birthday. My pastor is another for instance. He brings the word of God to his flock every week in and week out. He’s genuine, not judgmental. He loves Jesus and he loves people. Then there's Cash. Cash is another person that I really admire. He is a genuine person and really loves people. When I first started back into this BMX thing, I thought it was kind of silly to be racing BMX into my late 30’s. However, with my involvement in OldschoolBMX and later Vintage, I found out that Cash was racing and that to me told me that it was alright to do so also. As time went on, I found Cash to be a warm and caring man. Never have I heard a discouraging word come from his mouth. He always has something positive to say and you can see Christ working through him. I consider myself fortunate to have met Mr. Matthews and to have him call me friend is truly an honor that I cherish.

Cash, I love you like a brother. If there’s anything you or Katy need, please don’t hesitate to let me know. I pray for you, your wife, your daughter, and the one in the womb. Cash, you are doing God’s will. Keep up the good fight!

Thank you!

Your friend, Mike"

Oh my goodness. How would you like it if someone said something like this about you? I was weeping openly after I read this. But what's important is this: our friend Mike hit the nail right on the head. The HOFFER is EXACTLY what Mike said: encouraging, always has something positive to say...pleasant words indeed. I am truly blessed to have him be such a major part of my life.

Happy 17th Anniversary and Happy Father's Day, Sweetheart! I love you.

I'm Speechless (And The Countdown Has Begun!)

2008-06-06T12:25:00.047-05:00

If you look at the length of this post, you will probably think, "This woman obviously does not know the meaning of the word 'speechless'." I will explain that part later. But as you can see by the ticker at the top of my page, as of today, I have 100 days till my due date. THE COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN!!! WOO HOO!!! As for an early delivery, that is only wishful thinking. My family has a history of delivering big babies and delivering them late. I'm not complaining about the big...that means my baby is healthy. I'm just whining about the late. Fortunately for me, Dr. P. said that we wouldn't go past the due date given my age. What a great doctor!!! ;-)

I wish I were one of those women who enjoys being pregnant, but I'm not. My sister and my niece both absolutely love it. My sister cracked her best jokes when she was pregnant, and given that she has 5 kids, she has come up with enough material to last a career for any comedian. Me? Not so much. I hate being uncomfortable, I hate being hot (which is a constant here in Texas), I can't function without adequate sleep, I hate having to think about food 24/7, I hate having to pay ridiculous prices for and wear maternity clothes...blah, blah, blah, whine, whine, whine. Those of you who have been pregnant before know the drill. That being said, I am nonetheless so very blessed to have been given this great gift. I love the end result and know that going through all the stuff I don't enjoy is so very worth every minute of it. Little Bit is solid proof of that. So I try to keep my whining to myself and not complain...no one wants to be around a whiner. I don't know how successful I've been at that...I'll have to check with The HOFFER. God bless him...he is on the receiving end of most of those whines. What a saint.

I slept pretty late this morning. My allergies are giving me fits and I'm taking all the medicine I'm allowed to take, as well as what works for me. Claritin and Nasacort work pretty well but sometimes need some extra help. If I weren't pregnant, I would have two or three days of Sudafed 12-Hour to get dried up and be done with it. Alas, it's one of those pregnancy draw-backs that I can't take Sudafed, so my head feels like it's the size of a watermelon and my nose the size of a large naval orange. I can take Benedryl, but it gives me weird dreams that keep me up all night. My allergies are usually at their worst at night because (those with weak constitutions or are reading this during a meal may not want to read this next part) all that yucky drainage settles in my throat and chest since I'm lying down. So sleep is once again eluding me, hence not getting up till after 10:00 this morning. Let me tell you...I needed it!

Once I did wake up and get going, I ran out to grab breakfast for everyone because I am out of eggs. Must have protein first thing in the morning, and LOTS OF IT. After I got back with a bag full of breakfast tacos and started to sit down to eat with Little Bit and The HOFFER, there was a knock on my front door. We ran to see who it was, and we were pleasantly surprised to see our Mail Delivery-Babe with a big box for us. My Blog Buddy Shauna from The Coffee Stop sent me a bottomless box of baby goodies! I was speechless. So to brag on my Canadian buddy's incredible generosity, allow me to share the bounty with you. Little Bit will be serving today as our resident Vanna White.

Here is Little Bit giving Shauna the "I LOVE YOU" sign for the Littlest Pet Shop puppy/kitty (we're not exactly sure, but Little Bit doesn't care at all!) sent just for her! It's also a virtual pet that can be registered and played with online. Right up her alley!!! Her exact response was "I'M GOING TO SLEEP WITH THIS FOR ALL ETERNITY!!!"

Here she is showing off one of the baby gifts. It clips onto the car seat cover and the two little noisemakers hang down for the baby to grab. VERY cool!!!

And then came THE CLOTHES, which if you have ever shopped for baby girl clothes...OM MY GOODNESS. THEY ARE IRRESISTIBLY SWEET!!!! The first picture is a package of onesies...something there are NEVER enough of for a new baby. The second picture is of a package of long-sleeved nighties. Of course they're pink and girly!!! Love them!!!

Oh, just a side note: Little Bit and I went to register earlier this week. She didn't understand that we were REGISTERING ONLY, NOT BUYING. While I filled out some paperwork, she grabbed a cart and came back a few minutes later with about 15 outfits, nearly all of them some form of pink. When Little Bit was born, all but about two or three of her outfits were pink. I LOVED IT!!! Okay, back to the bounty:

FOOTIE-JAMMIES!!!!

Another onesie...the second picture has a close-up of the front. Hard to believe that Little Bit was once this size!!! WAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!

HEY! How did Chester the Wonder Dog sneak in here????

A smelly-good for Mommy and Baby...

More clothes. Isn't she going to be such a sassy girl??? Check out the detail on the jeans!

And of course, Little Bit modeling the outfit!

One more of the Wonder Dog. Silly boy.

So Little Bit has spent one day of her summer vacation playing with her new online pet, and I don't mind. It has given me the opportunity to brag about a sweet and generous friend whom I have never met in person, but hope to do so one day! Shauna, thank you again for your wonderful gift. The HOFFER and I were in tears as Little Bit kept bringing more and more stuff out of the box! I am so privileged to know you, if only as an online buddy. You rock!

Modern Day Version of "Who's On First?"

2008-06-02T16:41:00.026-05:00

Okay, THIS was just TOO FUNNY not to share with the masses, and I don't like to send out mass emails, so thank goodness I have a blog. If you've never heard Abbott and Costello's classic comedy routine "Who's On First?", click here to watch a YouTube video of this famous performance. It never stops being funny. Watch it before you read any further. This will be much funnier if you do.

So here is the email sent to me from a friend:

If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their infamous sketch, 'Who's on First?" might have turned out something like this:

COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT

ABBOTT: Super Duper Computer Store, Can I help you?

COSTELLO: Thanks. I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about buying a computer.

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: No, the name's Lou.

ABBOTT: Your computer?

COSTELLO: I don't own a computer...I want to buy one.

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou.

ABBOTT: What about Windows?

COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?

ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?

COSTELLO: I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows?

ABBOTT: Wallpaper.

COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.

ABBOTT: Software for Windows?

COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses, and run my business. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?

ABBOTT: I just did.

COSTELLO: You just did what?

ABBOTT: Recommend something.

COSTELLO: You recommended something?

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: For my office?

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!

ABBOTT: I recommended Office with Windows.

COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?

ABBOTT: Word.

COSTELLO: What word?

ABBOTT: Word in Office.

COSTELLO: The only word in office IS office.

ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.

COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?

ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue "W".

COSTELLO: I'm going to click your blue 'W' if you don't start with some straight answers! What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: That's right. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?

ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.

COSTELLO: What's bundled with my computer?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?

ABBOTT: Yes, at no extra charge.

COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?

ABBOTT: One copy.

COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money?

ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.

COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?

ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!

*******************************************

A few days later...

ABBOTT: Super Duper Computer Store, can I help you?

COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?

ABBOTT: Click on START...

Is This A Meme?

2008-05-28T16:58:00.005-05:00

I'm still fairly new to blogging, so some of the lingo still escapes me. I think I get the idea of a meme, but I still don't know where the term came from. All I can figure is it's a "thing" all about me, me, me. Am I close?

My friend Jenster emailed this to me months ago (how embarrassing!), and while it looked like a lot of fun, I just didn't think I had the time to complete it myself. And frankly, I probably still don't. But I'm going to anyway. Dishes can wait a little longer. (Bathroom breaks, however...) So here we go:

1. Do you like blue cheese? DEFINITELY!!!

2. Have you ever smoked heroin? Heroin, no; cigar, yes
3. Do you own a gun? Yes. Guess I should learn to use it.
4. What flavor do you add to your drink at Sonic? Cherry, if I could drink carbonated drinks.

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointment? No

6. What do you think of hot dogs? A GIFT FROM GOD!!! Ball park dogs & Nathan's are THE BEST!!!!
7. Favorite Christmas movie? It's a Wonderful Life (A Christmas Story comes in a very close second)

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Milk

9. Can you do push ups? I can do push up...singular, not plural. After one, I'm done!

11. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? My Roman coin earrings

12. Favorite hobby? Reading a good romance novel.
14. Do you have A.D.D.? Not officially...!!! Wait, I'm sorry...did you say something?

15. What's one trait you dislike about yourself? Only one? INCREDIBLY disorganized.

16. Middle name? Katherine

17. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment. 1. I should probably be doing something a bit more productive right now; 2. Did my timer go off yet? 3. I wonder if Wonder Dog pee'd on the carpet again.

18. Name 3 things you bought yesterday. Grilled cheese sandwich, a SuperSonic cheeseburger-no tomatoes, and a Root Beer float. No, it was NOT all mine!!!
19. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Milk, water, iced tea.
20. Current worry? Is my baby going to be okay? (No, there's no indication that something's wrong...just a general concern!!!)

21. Current hate right now? THE HEAT...THIS OPPRESSIVE HEAT! AND IT'S STILL ONLY MAY!!!

22. Favorite place to be? Cape Cod, Massachusetts in June
23. How did you bring in the New Year? Very quietly at home watching the ball drop. Such a sissy.

24. Where would you like to go? Cape Cod; Pennsylvania; Hawaii; San Diego
25. Name three people who will complete this: me, Jenster...uh...oh wait, she already did. Uh...me...uh...I'm stumped.

26. Do you own slippers? BIG FLUFFY PINK ONES WITH A HUGE FLOWER ON THE TOP!

27. What shirt are you wearing? maternity tank top under sweatshirt (basic pajamas!)

28. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? I've never tried...sounds slippery.

29. Can you whistle? So well and so loud my daughter's friends think I'm cool. Come to think of it, hubby's friends are impressed too.

30. Favorite color? Pink

31. Would you be a pirate? No. Remember? I'm a sissy.

32. What songs do you sing in the shower? None

33. Favorite girl's name? Audrey

34. Favorite boy's name? Hmmm...that's a toughie

35. What's in your pocket right now? No pockets.

36. Last thing that made you laugh? My husband!!!

37. Best bed sheets as a child? I don't remember.

38. Worst injury you've ever had? I jammed my pinky on my right hand and couldn't write for a couple of weeks. As I said before, I'm such a sissy.

39. Do you love where you live? Like a lot...not quite love.

40. How many TVs do you have in your house? Way too many...three

41. Who is your loudest friend? Pam when she's watching a University of Texas or Dallas Cowboys' football game

42. How many dogs do you have? Only one, but he thinks he's human

43. Does someone have a crush on you? Yes, I think so.

45. What is your favorite book(s)? Redeeming Love, by Francine Rivers; The Measure of a Lady, by Deeanne Gist; Sharlene MacLaren's Little Hickman Creek Series; the first three books in Dee Henderson's O'Malley series (Danger in the Shadows, The Negotiator, & The Guardian); Tamera Alexander's Fountain Creek Chronicles (can you tell I like a good series???); Francine Rivers' Mark of the Lion Series.

46. What is your favorite candy? Reese's Easter Eggs; they are far superior to any other Reese's product, but they're only out at Easter. The PB cups are an excellent substitute!!!

47. Favorite Sports Team? Texas Rangers...even though they are permanently ensconced in the cellar.

48. What song do you want played at your funeral? Amazing Grace

49. What were you doing 12 AM last night? Hey, this is a family blog!!!

50. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? Can't someone else let the dog out?

Awfully selfish of me, I know. So there you go...more information about me than you really wanted to know. If you decide to answer these very probing questions on your blog, let me know! Back to the dishes!

Prayers for Steven Curtis Chapman and Family

2008-05-21T23:14:00.007-05:00

In case you hadn't heard, here's the AP news story:

Daughter of Gospel Star hit, killed by car

Published - May 21 2008 10:12PM CDT | AP

By JOE EDWARDS - Associated Press Writer

The 5-year-old daughter of contemporary Christian music star Steven Curtis Chapman was struck and killed Wednesday by a sport utility vehicle driven by her brother, authorities said.

The girl, Maria, was hit in a driveway on the family residence Wednesday afternoon by a Toyota Land Cruiser driven by her teenage brother, said Laura McPherson, a spokesman for the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

McPherson said no charges are expected.

************************************************************************************
Update:

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made here.

To see a video of Maria Sue Chapman or to offer condolences, click here.

These links are also available at the Shaohannah's Hope website.

Little Hickman Creek Series, Or Tagged Again!

2008-05-15T17:50:00.000-05:00

Last Friday I was tagged by my buddy Shauna over at The Coffee Sto p to share about a favorite but rather lesser-known book. (If you haven't visited Shauna's blog before, it's time well spent. She has three of the funniest boys you'll ever find!) From Shauna's post last Friday:

"Patti Abbot launched this great idea. Here's her original explanation:

This is the first of what I optimistically hope will become Friday recommendations of books we love but might have forgotten over the years. I have asked several people to help me by also remembering a favorite book. Their blog sites are listed below. I also asked each of them to tag someone to recommend a book for next Friday. I'm worried great books of the recent past are sliding out of print and out of our consciousness. Not the first-tier classics we all can name, but the books that come next."

So in keeping with Friday book recommendations (yes, I know I'm posting a bit early!), I am taking some liberties with this and recommending not just one book, but a 3-book series by Sharlene MacLaren. It's her Little Hickman Creek Series, and consists of three of my all-time favorite historical romances. I'm including the synopsis from each book.

When I started this blog last year, one of my first posts was about my favorite authors. Sharlene MacLaren, who is on that list, is a new-ish author with whom I have absolutely fallen in love! Every book of hers that I have read has been one that I've read at least twice, if not more. Each book is better than the one before. And not only are her books wonderful, Shar herself is such a fun gal that you will absolutely love her. She's been so generous with me with email notes that I feel like I've known her for years. Check her out at her blog or her website. You will enjoy getting to know her better. Till then, let me encourage you--STRONGLY encourage you!!!--to read her Little Hickman Creek series.

The first book in Shar's Little Hickman Creek Series is "Loving Liza Jane":

A Divine Leading: When Liza Jane Merriwether rode into the town of Little Hickman Creek, her first thought was, "Oh Lord, what have I done?" Kentucky was much different than what she was used to back East, but she knew God had led her here for a reason. Will she discover His plan for her life?

The Handsome Widower: Soon, the petite schoolteacher is beloved by all...including Benjamin Broughton, a handsome widower struggling to raise two young children. Will he overlook the perfect wife that God has practically dropped in his lap for a mail-order bride?

A Destined Love: Liza Jane's teaching contract implicitly states that she is to have "no improper contact with the opposite sex." Will she discover that with God, all things are possible?

Sounds good, doesn't it???? I can assure it, IT WAS!!!

*************************************************************************************

The second book in the series is "Sarah, My Beloved".

A Divine Mix-up: A beautiful redhead has traveled from Boston to Kentucky by stagecoach to be a mail order bride. But when Sarah Woodward arrives in Little Hickman Creek, she is greeted by her prospective husband, who tells her he has fallen in love with another woman. Disappointed but determined, Sarah refuses to leave until she finds out the reason why God led her here.

A Hardened Heart: A tall, dark and ruggedly handsome man, Rocky Callahan meets the fiery Sarah. He has tragically lost his wife, his only child, and his sister. Faced with raising his sister's two children alone, he suggests a "marriage in name only" to Sarah.

Healing the Past: Will Rocky let go of the pain in his past and trust God's plan for his life? Will Sarah leave him for a past beau, who has followed her to Kentucky to bring her home? Or will Sarah and Rocky find true love from the hand of the ultimate Matchmaker?

I love a good "marriage of convenience" story...and this one is JUST THAT!!! A REALLY GOOD ONE!!!

*************************************************************************************

The third and final book in the series, just recently released and what I think to be Shar's best work to date, is "Courting Emma":

A Divine Plan: Twenty-eight-year-old Emma Browning has built a barricade around her heart to survive the pain of growing up with her alcoholic father, Ezra. As she runs Emma's Boardinghouse, she plays host to an array of unkempt, earthy characters while trying to maintain a protective emotional distance from people. No one has succeeded in getting to know the beautiful yet steely edged proprietress. That is, not until Little Hickman Creek's handsome new pastor, Jonathan Atkins, takes up residence in the boardinghouse and begins to dismantle her carefully controlled world...

A Struggle to Forgive: Clinging desperately to her stubborn ways and unable to forgive her father, Emma begins receiving letters from a mysterious sender who somehow knows about her and has secret information about Ezra's past. Amidst all this, she is surprised--and unsettled--by the attentions of both Jonathan and Billy, the smooth-talking traveling showman.

A Miraculous Love: When the town of Little Hickman Creek is stunned by an unexpected turn of events, will Emma risk removing her protective shell to accept the love of God--and the love of a man?

As good as the other two are, this one is without a doubt my favorite. Well worth the wait!!!

************************************************************************************

I love a good book, but even more I love a good series. A series gives me another book to anticipate. I also love when characters from one book show up in subsequent books. It's like visiting with old friends whom I haven't seen in a while. (Yes, I know I need to get out more!!!) Shar's "Little Hickman Creek" series has all those things, and then some. You can read these book summaries and probably guess how each book will end, but I can promise you that NONE of Shar's books are predictable. Her writing has quality and depth, and she tells a wonderful love story with a happily-ever-after ending that always leaves you sighing and wanting more. Check her out! You will be so glad you did!

And finally, to finish off my Friday book recommendation, I now tag Deb over at The Daily B. I noticed you have "Loving Liza Jane" on your Shelfari list, Deb! So next Friday is yours!!!

Mystery Revealed

2008-04-24T20:16:00.029-05:00

First I will start with my most recent belly pic. Here I am:

Not whale status yet, although that will come about soon enough. Here I am at 19 weeks, 4 days, and everything is progressing beautifully and as it should be progressing. Today I had my monthly check-up AND my 5-month sonogram. This is the time when the sonogram tech checks to see that the baby's development is correct: fingers, toes, bone structure, vital organs, etc. (if there is any etc.). This is also when parents find out if they are having a boy or girl.

First let me say that everything looked great. All the vital organs were developing as they should, 10 fingers, 10 toes, the spine looked perfect...everything was normal and as it should be. So for that we say THANK YOU, LORD! Your handiwork is amazing!

Next we found out what we are having. If you recall, I was absolutely certain we were having a boy. (For that post, click here.) The HOFFER, however, was convinced it was a girl. Little Bit didn't really know but really hoped for a girl. She was being told by friends and classmates that little brothers were Satan's direct attack on big sisters and were to be avoided at all costs. Either way, whether boy or girl, it didn't matter to me. I was just grateful for the privilege of being a mommy again.

I went in for my appointment this morning all alone. The HOFFER had a regrettable scheduling conflict that really couldn't be avoided, so it was just me. I was actually okay with that...as long as he's there when the baby arrives!!!! I walked in with a VCR tape and an envelope for keeping the news a secret till we could get together as a family. As I said before, the appointment went very well...all is normal, and normal is good. My sonogram tech took a picture of the baby's privates, made sure it said either boy or girl, slipped it in the envelope, and sealed it.

After I came home, I let Chester the Wonderdog out for a bathroom break, then brought him back in so the two of us could take a nap together. I was running on about 4 hours of sleep and was really ready for some rest. Ten minutes into our nap Wonderdog let me know in no uncertain terms that he needed to go back outside for another potty break. I reluctantly got up and took him back outside. After all, it beat having pee or poop on my bed. Unfortunately for me, a short section of our fence is missing and in the process of being repaired, so he ran to one of his favorite places to potty: our next-door neighbor's yard. As if that weren't bad enough, he hasn't mastered the art of coming when called and COMPLETELY ignored my desperate pleas to come back to our yard. Right as he squats for a poop break, my neighbor walks out of her back door. Oh, how embarrassing!!!! I cringe. "I am so sorry! I will clean this up...I PROMISE!" She told me that she was only coming out because she saw me and wanted to find out what we were having. (She really is a sweet neighbor.) I explained the situation, that I didn't know and that results were in a sealed envelope, but that I would be glad to let her peek inside. (I felt a bit obligated since Wonderdog had soiled her lovely lawn!) So I cleaned up the poop while she checked the envelope. She made one comment that made me think it was a girl, then said something else that made me think boy. She was nice enough to keep the secret.

We went to dinner with some close family friends to share our big news. After ordering our meal, we handed the envelope to Little Bit to let her reveal the Big Secret. It took her a minute to figure the picture, but then finally found the answer to our question:

"GIRL!"

Her name is Sarah Grace.

Baby News...Again

2008-04-22T20:50:00.007-05:00

As you can see from my counter at the top of my blog, I'm at 19 weeks, and all is well. Nothing much new so far. My last appointment (that I CLEARLY neglected to blog about!) went smoothly...heard the baby's heartbeat, which is WAY COOL!!! This week I go and find out if we're having a boy or a girl, and I promise to post a belly shot before the end of the week. I am rather rotund these days!

A funny story about the sonogram scheduling: The HOFFER was leaving his office last week and was half-way out the door when he stopped to check with his lovely assistant (who will now be referred to as the Lovely Assistant) about his upcoming appointments. An older woman was on her way past him to the dentist's office next door when he asked his Lovely Assistant, "When is our sex-thing scheduled?" It was at that point that The HOFFER realized someone had overheard his question. The Lovely Assistant just laughed as he sped out the door and ran right into the elevator to be alone with his humiliation.

Okay, so that's all I have for now. I'll have more after Thursday!

My Own Personal Presidential Candidate

2008-04-17T22:11:00.008-05:00

I never really considered myself First Lady material. After all, I'm waaaaaay too casual to dress in a suit every day. If I was First Lady, jeans and flip-flops would be the new business suit, and I see that going over about as well as a pregnant polevaulter! Additionally, I'm not terribly interested in politics. I get way too irritated and angry because some of the people in office say and do some of the stupidest, most ignorant things ever imagined and there's not one thing I can do about any of it, except to cast my vote to get them out of office. But The HOFFER has made a post on his blog that, pretty much, gives his candidacy speech. I don't know exactly how serious he is about all this, but there are his thoughts on how this great nation of ours should be run in black and white. It's okay to disagree...I'm not going to refuse to speak with someone just because we don't believe the same way. (If we all believed the exact same thing, one of us wouldn't be necessary.) So go over and read what The HOFFER has to say about being President of the United States of America. Little Bit will love you forever if you vote for him...she's already making plans to move to D.C., remodel the White House and call it the Rainbow House. I don't know how I would feel about it all...guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. :-)

I AM STUNNED

2008-04-11T20:54:00.000-05:00

Are you an American Idol devotee? Did you see Thursday night's show? If you did, are you as shocked as I am? I am absolutely REELING! What is up with this???? What is going on???

Last season, after their Idol Gives Back show, they decided that every contestant was safe that week, but that two contestants would be eliminated the following week. This year, they decided to not do it again that way, and who was eliminated? Michael Johns.

What is up with this??? This just goes to show that ANYONE, regardless of how amazingly talented they are, can be kicked off the show! I was absolutely certain beyond any shadow of a doubt that Michael would end up one of the final two contestants (with David Cook as the other). Did you SEE his performance of Bohemian Rapsody during Hollywood Week? Did you SEE him sing Light My Fire better than Jim Morrison ever thought of singing it? Have you ever heard ANYONE else even ATTEMPT to sing ANYTHING by Queen and do it justice? Michael Johns not only did We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions justice, HE KICKED IT IN THE (fill in the blank)!!!! This is so weird. So much so that I think Idol has something up its proverbial sleeve. I won't be terribly surprised if they somehow manage to bring him back next week. If they don't, well, they're just morons. I am certain that, whether or not he's really off the show or Idol's just messing with us, Michael Johns will come out with a CD some time over the next year. And I will be standing in line to buy it. Rock on, Michael!!!

Another Video--This One's REALLY GOOD!!!

2008-04-07T22:33:00.011-05:00

I had hoped to do more posting over the weekend, but we had a friend in from Wisconsin as well as a shin-dig in his honor, and I am still pretty much a worn out cookie. So for your listening and viewing pleasure, and until I get back to posting more stuff, here is a video of our friend Jessica. She is a senior in high school and is performing here at her school's version of American Idol. Not only is she lovely inside and out, she has a beautiful voice. As if that's not cool enough, she also races BMX with us and is rated #3 in the nation. She's the whole package. I think you'll enjoy hearing her sing, even with Grandma's cell phone going off in the middle of her song!

More stuff--baby, Chester and otherwise--to come soon. Oh, before I pass you on to the video, I have to tell you about what The Hoffer did today. He left for Augusta, Georgia this afternoon. Those of you who are golf fans have a pretty good idea of what I'm about to tell you: YES HE'S GOING TO THE MASTERS!!!! Tuesday only, but WHO CARES???? If you're not a golf/sports fan, The Masters is the most prestigious PGA tournament of the year, as well as the most sought-after and difficult ticket to get in ALL of sports. I can assure you he will be driving up Magnolia Lane in tears Tuesday morning. I'll be in tears with him. He made a short post about it on his blog, so check out Cash Flows when you get a minute.

One final thing: if you are in the mood for some good romance, check out the blog site for Christian romance writer Kristy Dykes. I must embarrassingly confess I have never read Kristy's books, but after reading her blog about her and her husband, WHO NEEDS TO???? (No offense, Kristy!!! I promise to read your books, but are they half as romantic as you and Milton???) These two are the sweetest couple I have ever seen. Kristy was diagnosed with brain cancer last year, and you should read some of the posts her husband Milton has written. Even before her diagnosis, these two are just sick in love with each other. I have been lurking around her blog for a good while, posting only on occasion, but since her diagnosis all I can do is watch and pray. Their absolute devotion to each other is a beautiful thing to see. Please check it out, and keep them on your prayer list.

Alright, without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, performing Misty, I give you the lovely and talented Jessica.

Roadrunner Users, Beware!

2008-03-30T11:06:00.025-05:00

This really isn't what I wanted to post after a nice long Easter weekend, but I felt it important to pass the word along. I received the following email yesterday (thankfully in my junk mail box) and after some follow-up with Roadrunner, found it to be a false email. Check this out:

"Dear valued customer,


We are currently performing maintenance for our
Digital Webmail Customers. We intend upgrading
our Digital Webmail Security Server for better online
services.

In order to ensure you do not experience service
interruption, Please you must reply to this email
immediately and enter your password here (********)
and Check out your new  features and enhancements with
your new and improved roadrunner account,to enable
us upgrade your Account for better online services
please reply to this email.

Thank You for Using RoadRunner. "


The first thing that clued me in that something strange was afoot
at the Circle K (a "Bill & Ted" reference, in case you're wondering)
is the fact that they asked for my password.  The next thing that
caused me concern was the way it was written.  I'm a grammar/
spelling nut so the capitalizations in the middle of a sentence
--one big, long, run-on sentence at that!!!-- as well as "to enable
us upgrade" said to me that this was probably not sent out by
Roadrunner.

I called and spoke with Mike with Roadrunner Tech Support
about the email, and it struck him as odd that the email
service was referred to as "digital webmail".  Email is indeed
digital, but it's never referred to as such.  He also reminded
me that Roadrunner will NEVER ask for my password.
Finally, he asked about some things in the email header
(which, being a techno moron, took me a minute to find),
and we found that even though this was "sent" from
"support@roadrunner.com", the reply-to email address
was a Yahoo address.  So I copied and pasted the email
and sent it to the abuse centers at both Roadrunner and
Yahoo.  I have not heard back from Yahoo, but here is
what Roadrunner had to say:

"This message did not originate from RoadRunner
and is actively being dealt with by the Security
team. Please do not provide your account
information to these sites. If you have, contact
your local office to reset your account information. 
 
For additional general security information, please
visit Help and Member Services, Security and Abuse Help. 
 
RoadRunner also has a security software package
available called CA Internet Security Suite, which
\contains an Antivirus, Firewall with pop-up blocker,
Anti-Spam, and Anti-Spyware. This can be accessed
on the RoadRunner homepage, by selecting the RR
Benefits link on the menu at the left-hand side.
You can then follow the steps for downloading and
installing the software. 
 
Note: If your credit card information is
compromised while using the Internet, contact
your credit card company immediately. Each
company has specific policies regarding online
theft and fraud. Please contact them directly
for more information. 
 
 
Thank you for taking the time to contact
Road Runner. 
 
- Road Runner Abuse [CL]"


So there you have it, sports fans.  If you have Roadrunner and
get this email (or one similar), don't answer it.  Get in touch
with the abuse center (security@rr.com) so they can put a
stop to the deviants who do this kind of thing.

**************************************************

On a lighter note, I just finished book #3 from Sharlene MacLaren's
Little Hickman Creek series.  FABULOUS!!!!!!  It was so good it
inspired me to write a little bit of poetry for Shar.  I will share
it with you now:

An Ode for Shar
(with apologies to Clement C. Moore)

'Twas the weekend of Easter
And all through our home,
Only our cat stirred,
Being left all alone
(but in the good care of a neighbor!).

We had packed our car full
And headed four hours south
To Port Aransas, Texas
To hook something with a large mouth.

Our friends Dan and Cheryl
Had come in from Big D.
We fished, we sunned,
And we laughed heartily.

Upon our return,
On my porch what I saw
Was a package delivered
And meant just for MOI!

OH GOODIE! I thought
As I picked up the box.
It’s the books that I ordered,
And all were in stock!

With scissors I carefully
Cut open the tape.
I slowly opened the box,
My mouth all agape.

A light from inside
Of the box did glow.
Angels from heaven sang “AAAHHHH!”
As they looked on below.

IT’S THE BOOK I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR!
I thought with delight.
“Courting Emma”, its name,
And I started that night.

A few days and interruptions later
I finished with a sigh.
Another happy ending!
Oh my my my my!!!!

She’s done it again,
I thought about Shar.
Yet another fabulous story,
Her best one so far.

And at the end another teaser!
“Hannah Grace” is its title.
A very busy author,
Hardly ever idle.

But another long wait?
2009????
Back to “Emma”, I guess,
It was, after all, SO DIVINE!

I plan to give more details about the whole Little Hickman
series later, but if you get the chance to read these books, jump
at it!!! Sharlene gets better and better with each book she writes.
Great romance and ALWAYS a happy ending!

More soon! Hope you all are doing well.

Early Easter Greetings

2008-03-20T10:48:00.004-05:00

Hi everyone! This has been a really busy week, and I can't wait to tell you about helping out with the Seder Feast my daughter's third grade class (actually, the entire grade) participated in. It was beautiful. Alas, I must leave you all behind for a few days--and EVEN CHESTER!!! WAAAAAH!!!--to head down to the Texas coast to spend Easter with a high school buddy of mine. So here's my wishes for a blessed Easter for you all. As we say when Christmas comes around, remember that Jesus is the Reason for the season. Seems to fit with Easter as well. :-)

New Baby Picture

2008-03-09T22:17:00.010-05:00

Thanks, everyone, for indulging me in my continuous baby conversation. I hope to give you a bit of a break soon and talk about some books I've been reading since Christmas, but first I have to show you a new baby picture.

Isn't he an absolute LOVE?????

The HOFFER and Little Bit have been begging to get a dog for months, but I have had some pretty strong reservations. First, I'm allergic to dogs; on a scale of 1-4, I'm a 3. It's usually a delayed reaction, but nevertheless, I am allergic to dogs. Second, most of the dogs we have previously owned weren't a good match for me. Bunker was awesome...he was an older white lab that was just about as sweet as they come. Sandy was a jealous mixed-breed that was so strong, had she been human, could've played in the NFL. She was always butting in between us and Bunker, and poor Bunker rarely got any attention. Eddie was a hoot. He was a toy fox terrier with a personality that wouldn't quit. He was so fast and spastic that he could out-run Emmitt Smith. (Not that Emmitt Smith is spastic...just fast.) But he was a bit much for me. Buddy was a stray that ate everything--and I mean EVERYTHING--in our garage. The other dogs didn't like him, so we didn't keep him long. All that to say that dogs and I haven't had the greatest history. I'm actually a cat person, but The HOFFER is SEVERELY allergic to cats, so no cats. And finally, with the baby coming in September, I had to figure out the right time to get a dog.

That was when The HOFFER found Arthur.

He's a Cavalier King Charles spaniel. He's hypoallergenic, doesn't shed much, is very low-key, very sweet, and will be no bigger than about 12 pounds. How perfect can a dog get???? Arthur is the name the breeder gave him, but we are probably going to change that.

So we went to pick him up today, and he has made himself right at home in our laps and our hearts. I knew God would bring us just the right dog. Didn't He do a fabulous job???

HOLY COW, I'M PREGNANT!!!

2008-03-07T16:18:00.015-06:00

You might be wondering, at this point, exactly where I've been these past 12ish weeks. Yes, I know I'm pregnant. I was the first one to know and spread the big news. And yet, in spite of the fact that I took four pregnancy tests, have seen two sonograms, have all the symptoms, and am quickly outgrowing my normal clothes, there was still something a little surreal about me being pregnant. There was just something that didn't click for me, and for The HOFFER as well. I don't know that I can explain it any other way, or explain why we felt that way, but we did.

All that changed yesterday.

We went in for a nuchal translucency screening yesterday, which is medical-speak for some genetic testing. This particular test is a sonogram that checks for the possibility of Downs Syndrome. There is a tiny little sac of fluid right behind the baby's neck. It should measure no more than 1-2 mm; 3 or higher doesn't guarantee the baby has DS, but it is cause for concern. Conversely, a normal measurement isn't a guarantee either, but is a good sign.

We got a good sign.

As a matter of fact, we got more than just a good measurement (1mm), we saw our baby again, but this time, however, we got action!

When I was pregnant with Little Bit, we went for a sonogram at about 5 months to find out gender and whatever else they check for at that time. She was so funny...lying back, hands behind her head, ankles crossed, just chillin'. I am not kidding. She still hangs out that way. Baby Bit, on the other hand, well, let's just say I expect to get pretty skinny chasing after this little one. He (and that's a generic he...he's not developed enough at this stage to find out gender) was wiggling, squirming, playing, kicking his feet up over his head...and that's what did it. He became very real and very alive to us at that point. That is when we realized that we are really going to have a baby. That so ROCKS!!!

The HOFFER said that he would imagine his mother is probably laughing her tail off up in heaven right now, knowing that he's probably going to get exactly what he dished out to her. My worry is that I don't think I did anything to deserve THAT!!!! We'll just have to wait and see how this Baby Bit turns out.

Maybe I'll get a baseball player after all.

I Think It's A...

2008-03-01T15:07:00.009-06:00

I have been asked if I'm going to find out the sex of my child. I can't believe this is even a question, but some people don't want to know. Some people want that "IT'S A BOY!" or "IT'S A GIRL!" moment. I've known others that have found out what but keep the name a secret so there will still be some element of surprise. Okay, that's fine. NUTS, in my opinion, but fine. I don't need surprises. I want certainty. I want to know what it is so I can concentrate on how to decorate, what kind of clothes to buy, and what kind of names to focus on. It's so easy to find girl names that we love. but good boy names, for some reason, are hard for us to find. We're still looking. For a girl we like Sarah Grace. The HOFFER loves the name Grace, probably because we have been given so very much of it; and Sarah, because Sarah in the Bible was 90 when she had her first child. And I thought I was old.

A side note, speaking of being an older mom: one of the boys in Little Bit's class told me recently that I am past child-bearing years. (His mom is an ER doctor, so I guess he should know.) Isn't that a hoot, especially coming from a 3rd grader????

I am happy with whatever God has decided to give us. It is a blessing beyond my wildest dreams. But I think this one will be a boy. Based on my family's reproductive history, this one is surely going to be a boy. Check this out:

Grandmother: girl first, boy second
Mom: girl first, boy second
Sister: girl first, boy second
Niece: girl first, boy second
Me: girl first, ? second

Are you seeing a pattern here? Here's more:

Mom: 7 kids; girl, 3 boys, girl, boy, girl
Sister: 5 kids; girl, 3 boys, girl

I'm thinking this one will be a boy. We find out for sure in April.

TAG! You're It!!!

2008-02-25T12:12:00.013-06:00

I took a peek this morning at one of Michelle Sutton's recent posts. If you don't know who Michelle is, she is the Edgy Inspirational Author, and she writes and reviews a lot--A LOT!!!!-of Christian fiction. If you don't believe me when I say "A LOT!!!", take a look at her "What I'm Reading..." list. I don't know how she does it.

Anyhoo, the particular post I read was from last week--February 23rd, to be exact--and it sounded so fun I'm going to start the tag here. Here's how it works (although I'm changing it up just a bit):

1. Grab the book you are currently reading and turn to p. 123
2. Go to the 5th sentence
3. Post the next 3 sentences
4. Tell the name of the book and author
5. Tag 5 others

Michelle's tag said to grab the nearest book, but I want to know what you're currently reading whether it's nearby or not.

Okay, here's mine:

"I'm afraid I must, Miss Coleson." Katie firmly withdrew her hand from Blanche's grasp.

"You must call me Blanche." She took one step backward.

Catching Katie, by Robin Lee Hatcher

Well, I must say that I was hoping for something a little different than that. Maybe I should've gone to p. 124. Taken out of context, this sounds as if something fishy is going on between these two ladies! I've read the book before, so I assure you Robin, who is one of my absolute favorite authors, has not written anything inappropriate!!! This book, in fact, is one of the reasons I love Robin. It's quite dreamy.

Alrighty then! So I am tagging Jenster, Becky, Deb, Shauna, and Angela! Tag, ladies, you are IT!

Pregnancy Progress--11 Weeks

2008-02-23T11:52:00.021-06:00

I went to see my new OB yesterday--Dr. P--who was the doctor that delivered Little Bit when my water broke and my OB was on vacation. See how God works these things out??? I like him because he is practical and matter-of-fact. He is also a did a FABULOUS emergency C-section and is a Christian, which is just the icing on the cake.

It was a great visit. The good news is that I am further along than originally thought, so my due date has been moved up from September 18th to the 14th. Since being pregnant is not the most pleasant time for me, sooner is always gooder. The REALLY good news is that Little Bug is doing just fine and progressing along as he/she should. Heartbeat was where it should be, development is right on schedule. I go back again on March 25th, but I will be getting a nuchal translucency screening in the next 2-3 weeks to determine if Little Bug has Downs Syndrome. Downs Syndrome is one of those higher risk issues for women who are 40+ and pregnant. Basically the screening is a sonogram where they measure the thickness of the back of the baby's neck. It's very accurate and non-invasive, which makes it much safer than an amniocentesis. Dr. P also said it would be a great time for Little Bit to come "see" the baby. The sonogram is shown on a big screen TV at the foot of the bed, so we may take her with us.

Little Bit is a lot like her dad in many ways. One in particular is that both of them worry...A LOT. So much so that I never need to...they have it covered. She had a fever yesterday and couldn't go to school. Finding a sitter that quickly and during school hours is next to impossible, so The HOFFER got her dressed, gave her some Motrin, packed her up and took her to his office to play. Fridays are pretty quiet up there, and his FABULOUS assistant, whom I DEARLY LOVE, kept an eye on her while we went to the doctor. On the way to the office, my sweet girl confessed to her daddy that she was afraid for Mommy. She was afraid that, since both she and The HOFFER had fallen down the stairs and each hurt a foot, then surely I must be heading to Heaven soon since I was going to the doctor. (I don't see the connection either, but in her sweet 8-year-old mind it made complete sense.) So The HOFFER asked Dr. P to write a note to Little Bit assuring her that all was well and that I am completely safe...which, of course, he did. I talked to her later and explained that my doctor visits would be to make sure everything was all right, not because something was wrong. Both the note and our talk seemed to settle that nagging worry of hers.

So I promised a belly picture--clothes on!--and here it is:

While I promised clothes, I didn't promise make-up, so you're going to have to suffer with that. (I'll remember to close that door next time.) Just a bitty bulge, but that too will change soon enough.

Not much else to tell, so I think I'll grab Little Bit and take a nap. We both could use it!!!

YOU LIKE ME! YOU REALLY LIKE ME!!!

2008-02-20T19:37:00.010-06:00

Are you kidding me? The Every Day Kindness Award? CLEARLY these people don't know me very well, but I am touched and humbled! My book & blog buddies, Jenster at Jenster's Musings and Shauna at The Coffee Stop BOTH nominated me for this very sweet award. I am moved to tears. Okay, not quite, but I am touched. Truly!!!

Now, since I was doubly-blessed, I want to doubly-bless as well. I would like to pass this on to my sweet friend Flowerpot over at Made New . Her most recent post will show you just what an absolute LOVE she is.

My other nominee is none other than the HOFFER himself. Check him out at Cash Flows. He has said some pretty swell stuff about yours truly. Does that count for Everyday Kindness?

There you have it, friends. Thanks again to my B&B buddies Jenster and Shauna. I feel so loved!!!

I'm Sooooo Tired...

2008-02-14T14:36:00.005-06:00

Given that I am still in my first trimester, I shouldn't be all that surprised. But NEVER in my entire LIFE--not even when I was pregnant with Little Bit--have I EVER been this tired! I am taking 2, sometimes 3 pretty hefty naps EVERY DAY. I can't get ANYTHING done. I have some precious neighbors who have been helping me get Little Bit to and from school every day, as well as friends who have offered to take her home for a playdate. For that I am ever so grateful. I hope that will at least partly explain why my posts have been so sparse lately.

So given the sleep theme, I'm taking you over to my friend Misty's blog. If you haven't visited her blog before, you will enjoy it. She is one of the sweetest humans to ever grace Planet Earth, and has been a huge encouragement to me during the years of our friendship. She has a condition called Periodic Paralysis where she regularly goes in and out of these little "mini comas", and yet I have never heard her complain. You should get to know her. She's awesome.

The post on her blog that I'm taking you to is about her new mattress. I think you will get a good giggle out of it, and maybe even get some good information. Click here to check it out. If that link doesn't work, copy and paste this: http://made-new.blogspot.com/2008/02/new-mattress.html.

Blanket Statement

2008-02-07T13:36:00.000-06:00

My mom is nearly 87 years old. After raising 7 kids, she is currently a widow and has 18 (almost 19!) grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. She loves to listen to books on tape and knit or crochet baby blankets. She keeps so busy with them and makes so many that most of them get given away to a local crisis pregnancy center, although on occasion I will ask her to make one for a friend who's having a baby. That was how I broke the BIG NEWS to her. I kept dropping hints that I needed another baby blanket, that I didn't know if it was a boy or girl, that I didn't have any idea what the colors were, that baby's mom and dad attended college at UNT and OU, respectively, when she suggested collegiate colors. It didn't even occur to her that it might be MOI who was pregnant. In her defense, I wouldn't have guessed me in a million years, either. It was pretty funny.

That being said, here are some pictures of Little Bit showing off some of Granny Bob's handiwork with detail shots of some of them. Yes, we really do call her Granny Bob; no, we're not complete rednecks; her given name is Betty Bob, so my dad suggested "Granny Bob" when grandbaby #1 was on her way.

This is one from Little Bit's private Granny Bob collection. She has about eight of them...I think. It's her current favorite and was actually one my mom was making for a friend of mine who did some sewing for her. It's in University of Texas colors, much to our chagrin. We're hoping she grows out of those colors.

Aren't these blankets beautiful? Here's the amazing part: My mom went completely blind two years ago and can't see at all what she is doing. She does it completely by feel.

Baby News

2008-01-31T09:45:00.000-06:00

I had my first doctor appointment this past Monday, and it went well. The OB/GYN I've been seeing for the past 15 or so years is only a GYN these days, but he agreed to do the first appointment for me. He and his assistant, by the way, laughed when I told them I was pregnant. I didn't see much humor in it...at the time.

With my history or irregular cycles and infertility, I've never really kept track of when my cycle starts and finishes each month (except when I'm going in for my annual exam and I know they're going to ask that question!). So when Dr. K asked when my last cycle was, I had no clue. Thankfully the HOFFER is good at remembering dates--even for THAT--but he could only guess the first half of the month. Well, he remembered better than I did. All that to say Dr. K estimated I'm about 6-1/2 to 7 weeks along. My due date is September 18th. And given my age, he said, that date needed to be a firm date, meaning I wouldn't be allowed to go a moment past that day. WOO HOO!!! There ARE advantages to being older!!!!

We saw the heartbeat (which put me in complete and utter awe), and Little Bug measured about 6 mm from head to butt. Dr. K did say there are additional risks to my pregnancy--higher instances of multiples, miscarriage and Downs Syndrome in women who are pregnant in their 40s. This particular issue has been the only concern I have had, and it has been a bit of a worry for me. I know this is a God-thing, and I know that whatever happens, however this baby turns out, this is such a gift from Him. It's completely out of our hands and totally in His alone. That should bring total comfort and keep me from worrying, right? WRONG. I didn't realize how much it was bothering me until the night before our doctor appointment. Right before bed I lost it. I had been assuring The HOFFER that this was real and that everything was going to be all right, but this time it was his turn to be a comfort to me. So the HOFFER and I prayed about it, and I felt a peace come over me...almost like someone (Someone!) was pouring it out of a pitcher over my head. It was amazing.

Yaaaaawwwwnnn....ooops, sorry. Guess it's time for a nap! I'm working on posting the sonogram picture and will do so as soon as I can.

The Other Shoe Has Just Dropped, Part Duuuuhhhh....

2008-01-17T17:03:00.000-06:00

Several of you have asked for more details. I don't have a lot to offer, but I'll give you what I have.

First, you might remember my "Walking Wounded" post where I mentioned how Little Bit and The HOFFER both fell down the stairs and hurt a foot, and how I was just waiting for my turn. Well, I think this is my turn, hence the title of this post.

So you want details? Not many details to be told...we JUST found out Wednesday morning. And YES, I KNOW WHAT CAUSES THIS. We weren't trying at all, didn't even think it COULD happen, to be quite honest with you. Considering my history with infertility--it took us 5-1/2 years to get Little Bit--I assumed it was a non-issue. But my cycle never showed up, so The HOFFER jokingly suggested we might be pregnant. I did a pregnancy test early Wednesday morning, which gave me a positive result. I thought that SURELY I had done something wrong and CLEARLY it was a false positive. So a few hours later I did another test...and got another positive. My doctor said they are extremely accurate these days. So after slowly coming out of a complete state of shock and disbelief, I made a doctor appointment. I go on the 28th for a sonogram to check heartbeat and get a crash reminder course on what comes next. The HOFFER has been a bit numb for a couple of days, but seems to have taken it well otherwise. Little Bit wasn't happy at first--her exact words when we told her were "I'm doomed". But she has had time to ponder and think about it, and now she is excited about it too. If our calculations are correct, Little Bug (his official-for-now name...thanks, Annski!) should be making his first appearance some time in September or October. My biggest concern is that, by the time Little Bug arrives, I'll be just short of 45. (Ouch...did I just admit that???) I am just having to trust that God knows what He's doing by giving Little Bug to us. So we'll see what He has in store for us.

That's about all the news I have! I'll keep you posted as things progress. Sorry to keep you in suspense!

Cute Shirt for Little Bit, or The Other Shoe Has Dropped

2008-01-16T19:36:00.000-06:00

Okay, perhaps I'm obsessing just a bit. It is, after all, just a T-shirt. But you have GOT to check this out on her! Doesn't she look awesome?

And just in case you can't quite see what is says, here's a close up:

Details to follow...!

The Walking Wounded and Other Miscellany

2008-01-14T21:01:00.000-06:00

Please forgive the length of this post. I really do try to keep my posts relatively short (CLEARLY I have failed in that endeavor!!!), but I've had a lot on my mind and a lot going on! So here we go!

My home, of late, has been THE place to be for the physically afflicted. First of all, both The HOFFER and Little Bit have really bad allergies anyway, but this allergy season has been horrific for them. I have never seen them suffer like this. One of Little Bit's teachers recommended a pediatric allergy doctor to us, and we had our first visit today. He agreed that Little Bit needed to be tested to see exactly what she's allergic to, but tests can't be run until all Claritin and Benedryl are completely out of her system. It only takes one week to get completely off Benedryl, but 3 WEEKS to get completely off Claritin. Poor girl. She's going to be fairly miserable for a while. That means her parents are going to be fairly miserable as well! He did give us a few other medications to help her get through till her testing.

As if that weren't enough, Little Bit tripped coming down our staircase yesterday and hurt her foot. Oh my goodness, you should have heard those screams! Miraculously, nothing is broken or even torn. Not even really sure what's hurt or what happened to it. We gave her some Motrin and kept her foot elevated all day Sunday, and there wasn't much, if any, swelling. Today she was able to get her shoe on for school, although it was quite painful. By the end of the day, she was walking on it pretty well. Still hurts, but she's doing really well in spite of it all.

Okay, want to hear something spooky? The HOFFER was walking down the stairs about a week ago, took one step too many, slipped and landed wrong on HIS FOOT! Is that bizarre or what? The really scary thing about it was that shortly after I got to him, he very quickly turned white as a sheet, started sweating profusely, then promptly passed out. I was worried he was having a heart attack and couldn't breath. He had slumped over forward, then he fell back against the wall with his chin touching his chest. I had never seen anything like it and was TERRIFIED. He was out for about a minute (although it seemed like an eternity!), then he came to and slowly regained his color, stopped sweating and was okay. He didn't remember passing out and was understandably nervous about going to sleep for the night, so I stayed up to read for a while and kept an eye on him. He slept for about 45 minutes when he woke up again. I told him I thought he was okay for the night since his color was back and his breathing was good and steady. So he slept, albeit a bit fitfully, for the rest of the night (only about 3-4 hours). Needless to say, what little sleep I got was also full of fit. After getting up and getting Little Bit off to school the next morning, I came back and joined The HOFFER in getting a bit more sleep. We slept till noon, but we needed it. Here are the God-parts: as with Little Bit's foot, nothing was broken or torn...it just hurt like the dickens. Lots of Advil, Vitamin C (my mother's cure-all) and rest helped it heal pretty quickly. He was putting weight on it in just a couple of days. AND--The HOFFER already had a doctor appointment scheduled a couple of days later! He was able to talk to his doctor about what happened, and he reassured us that everything looked just fine. The passing out was even a normal occurrence.

With all that has happened to The HOFFER and Little Bit...I'm just waiting to see what's going to happen to me!!!

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As I mentioned in my last post, Little Bit and I went to see the new Veggie Tales movie on Friday after school. I had invited several friends from school and church, and we had a great turnout! Even better, the movie was HILARIOUS! Even if you don't have any little kids to take with you, GO SEE IT! You won't be sorry! The only thing I didn't like was audience-related. Apparently, a man sitting in the row in front of us didn't think the people at Big Idea had done a good enough job, because he kept adding his own sound effects! At least his kids enjoyed it...!

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Have you ever had to put a pet to sleep? We had to do just that on New Year's Eve. We were adopted by a mama cat and her three kittens when we first moved to Austin. That was in 1992. Mama Cat passed away about four years ago. Birdie disappeared right after Thanksgiving and we haven't seen her since. We wouldn't see Mulligan for days, then he would reappear just fine. Well, this last time he reappeared he wasn't so fine, so Little Bit and I took him to the emergency animal clinic right away. Given that he was around 15 years old and any kidney treatments weren't guaranteed to set him right (renal failure is very common in elderly cats), I made the decision to let him go. It was really difficult for Little Bit to understand, and she took it very hard. They gave us a few minutes to say goodbye to our sweet kitty. They also gave us his paw print in clay for us to have as a keepsake. It was a lousy day.

At least we still have one kitty left.

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I believe I have previously discussed the fact that my favorite sports are, in order, baseball and football. Notice there is no mention of basketball? Would you care to guess what sport Little Bit is drawn to? Of COURSE it's not baseball or football...it's BASKETBALL. No offense to you basketball fans out there...basketball just never "clicked" with me. Austin has a minor-league basketball team, and we had been talking about taking her to a game when one of The HOFFER'S business associates gave him four tickets--and very nice ones, at that!--to Saturday's San Antonio Spurs game! Is that cool or what? We picked the worst possible night to go. San Antonio has a HUGE military presence, and Saturday night was Military Appreciation Night at the Spurs' game. Don't get me wrong...our military is ridiculously under-appreciated. I think our military deserves far more thank you's than they get. We civilians have no clue about what these soldiers AND THEIR FAMILIES have to put up with. It humbles me and I get really emotional when I hear about the sacrifices made by these people, the incredible feats of heroism, and the fact that these men and women see it as just doing their job. There were at least a couple of guys from a nearby burn unit at that game...others with missing limbs or other wounds. They honored as many soldiers as they could. There was a Purple Heart ceremony at halftime. Standing ovations throughout the game to say thank you. It just wasn't enough.

I spent nearly the entire game crying my eyes out.

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And last but not least (hey, what's all that cheering about???), I finished two books from my "Big Christmas Box O' Books". One was really good and one was GREAT! But I will save that for my next post. Until then, here's hoping I continue making it down the stairs safely!!! Thanks for making it through to the end with me!!!

Quite Possibly The Best Pirate Movie Ever

2008-01-11T00:00:00.000-06:00

For those of us who are devoted Veggie Tales fans, January 11th is a momentous occasion. It is the day of (drumroll, please) Big Idea's second theatrical release, "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything"!!! TA DA!!! (insert thunderous applause)

Their first venture onto the big screen was "Jonah--A Veggie Tales Movie", and it was FABULOUS! (I still cry nearly every time I hear "God Is A God of Second Chances".) "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything" promises to be another winner. Yes, I know, they don't look so fierce. Perhaps it's because these pirates are here to show us what true heroes are like. WHAT??? You're one of those fuddy-duddies...uh, I mean people who just doesn't care for cartoons or kids' movies??? Do you have a pulse? Please, for your own sake as well as that of all mankind, I beg you to reconsider. Remember the Rocky & Bullwinkle cartoons? That should give you an idea of what it's like to watch a Veggie Tales show: a lot of fun for the kids while sneaking in some clean adult humor to make it enjoyable for the adults.

Still need convincing? It's a show about "a bored gourd, a sour grape, and a cucumber who wants to be cool", according to the trailer. You'll get to see the new music video "Rock Monster" (sung to the tune of the B-52's "Rock Lobster"). Does the name Steve Taylor ring any bells? He contributed a song called "Yo Ho Hero" and performs it with yet another favorite of mine, the Newsboys. And if THAT'S not enough, it will be worth seeing just to see cheese curls turn evil! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Still not convinced? Then YOU need to see it more than anyone. Quick...buy your ticket early and camp out by the front door of the theater. It's okay...your therapist agrees with me.

When "The Bee Movie" came out, I put together a very casual Friday afternoon at the movies with several classmates and friends. It was great fun and we had a great turnout, so I'm doing it again for this one too. After school gets out on Friday, we are heading to the theater!

So if you're looking for something to do this Friday, check out "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything". It's my favorite way to get my daily dose of vegetables.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ME!!!

2008-01-08T21:46:00.000-06:00

Wow...do I feel out of touch! And no wonder...my last post was two weeks before Christmas! It was a pretty busy holiday, but we have had some good down time and great holiday fun. However, I could've used another day or two added to our break. As consolation, we have a four-day weekend coming up over the MLK holiday, so my wait will be rewarded.

I am the only one in my family that doesn't really care if I get gifts on THE DAY (be it Christmas, anniversary, birthday, or any other gift-giving day that I may have inadvertently left out). Big Bit (a.k.a., The Hoffer) and Little Bit are ADAMANT about having their gifts on THE BIG DAY, regardless of what that BIG DAY might be, but I don't care. I know that if I am required to wait for my gift for whatever reason, my reward will be great. And let me show you just how great my reward was:

Do you know what all this is? It's my Christmas present, which came last Thursday. Big Bit did some last-minute shopping for me and bought NEARLY EVERYTHING on my Christianbooks.com wishlist!!!! WOO HOO!!!! Does he rock or what???? CLEARLY I have been a VEEEEERY good girl!!!

Little Bit woke us up bright and early on Christmas morning, squealing that Santa had AT LONG LAST made an appearance at our house and would we PLEEEEEEEEASE GET UP SO WE CAN OPEN PRESENTS!!!! In a stroke of genius so we could stay in bed for a few more minutes, we told her to go check to see if the cookies and carrots (for Santa and reindeer) had been eaten. She was then told to grab the stockings and bring them into our room so we could dump them out there. My stocking had (among other things) two large pieces of paper sticking out of the top, which was the receipt of what had been ordered, along with a note from Big Bit telling me what he had done. As an avid reader, I could not have been given a better gift!!! There were also a couple of CDs and DVDs that I had been wanting, as well as three books on tape for my mom that I had already picked out. The coolest part: three of the books he bought for me were pre-orders that will be coming to me in January and May! THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING!!! Want to see what I got? Check it out:

Christy, The Complete Series DVD
Amazing Grace--DVD
Second Chances--DVD
Who We Are Instead--Jars of Clay (CD)
Redemption Songs--Jars of Clay (CD)
A Passion Most Pure, by Julie Lessman (arriving in January!)
Ten Thousand Charms (Book #1), by Allison K. Pittman
Speak Through the Wind (Book #2), by Allison K. Pittman
From A Distance, by Tamera Alexander (coming in May!)
Defiant Heart, by Tracey Bateman
Freefall, by Kristin Heitzmann
Autumn Blue, by Karen Harter
Remember to Forget, by Deborah Raney

(Do I sense that some of you are making notes of which ones you plan to borrow?)

Deep In The Heart of Trouble, by Deeanne Gist (coming in May!)
Lanterns and Lace, by Diann Mills
Her Cinderella Heart, by Ruth Scofield
This Heavy Silence, by Nicole Massarella
Before I Wake, by Dee Henderson
The Truth Seeker (book #3 in O'Malley Series), by Dee Henderson
The Healer (book #5 in O'Malley Series), by Dee Henderson
The Rescuer (book #6 in O'Malley Series), by Dee Henderson
Flies on the Butter, by Denise Hildreth

Not sure exactly why he bought books #3, #5 and #6 but not #4 from Dee Henderson's O'Malley series, but believe me, I am NOT complaining!!! I decided to start with "Ten Thousand Charms", by Allison Pittman. I'm enjoying it so far...it's holding my attention, but it's not so riveting that I'm neglecting my responsibilities (the true definition of a great book!). I read the short bio about the author and discovered she lives about an hour south of me in an area of town we frequent! How cool is that!

New Year's was pretty quiet. We saw the ball drop, and we watched Robbie Maddison fly 322 feet and 7 inches on his motorcycle...TWICE! It was INCREDIBLE! Even though he didn't go as far as he had hoped, he still broke the previous record. He jumped higher than a six-story building and longer than a football field! It was amazing. Here's the video, for those of you who missed it:

Surprisingly, that's all I have for now. Glad to be back in cyberspace!!!

Welcome to the Family!

2007-12-13T19:13:00.000-06:00

Please indulge my auntly pride as I introduce you to the newest member of my family. The handsome fellow relaxing in the baby barcalounger is my niece's #2 child and #1 son. His name is Dane (NOT named after Dane Cook), born Thursday, November 15 at 10:49 pm, weighing in at 8 pounds, 10 ounces, and 20 inches long. Standing at the top of his bouncy seat is big sister Jovi (NOT named after Jon Bon Jovi...are you seeing a pattern here?), who is 2-1/2 years old and very excited to be a big sister, as you can see. Jovi looks EXACTLY like my niece did at that age. Adorable, huh?

My mom now has 18 grandchildren and two--count 'em, TWO--great grandchildren! We are so very blessed.

Amazing Home Remedies

2007-12-11T09:06:00.000-06:00

Oh, the weather outside is frightful. Well, not here anyway. It is currently 69 degrees and drizzly outside. Yesterday the high was 64; today is expected to get up in the 80s! But wait--we have a cold front expected in, so the temperatures tomorrow are expected to take a dive down to the upper 40s. BRRRR!!!! (she said with tongue firmly ensconced in cheek) Welcome to Texas weather. If you don't like it, give it a few minutes...it'll change. Meanwhile, Cash is on a business trip in Kansas City. Have you seen the weather reports for KC? Ice storm warnings abound! The poor guy hates to fly anyway. Add lousy weather to the mix and pass a bottle of Scotch and he might make it back with his sanity in tact.

Have you Elfed yourself? If not, head on over to www.elfyourself.com--sponsored by Office Max--and have a go of it. You can elf or Scrooge yourself and add a voice too! My husband has had WAAAAAAAAAY too much fun with it. I had trouble accessing it today, so it might be a little busy. Here's the link to ours: http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1268109244

Finally, my very helpful brother Matt (yes, the one who's life is on the line for tickling me mercilessly as a child) sent this fabulous list of home remedies to me. Thought you might be able to use them as well.

Happy Tuesday!!

1. If you are choking on an ice cube, simply pour a cup of boiling water down your throat. Presto! The blockage will instantly remove itself.

2. Avoid cutting yourself slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold while you chop.

3. Avoid arguments with the Mrs. about lifting the toilet seat by using the sink.

4. For high blood pressure sufferers: simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure in your veins. Remember to use a timer.

5. A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.

6. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives, then you will be afraid to cough.

7. You only need two tools in life - WD-40 and Duct Tape. If it doesn't move and should, use the WD-40. If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape.

8. Remember: Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

Daily Thought: Some people are like Slinkies. They're not really good for anything, but they bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.

A HOF-er Thanksgiving

2007-12-06T12:42:00.001-06:00

So I'm a little late. I have never been accused of being timely.

If you check out Cash's blog, you'll find his post about our Thanksgiving trip to Tulsa. He gave the "Cliff Notes" version; I'm filling you in on the details and providing photographic proof that we actually went!

He mentioned that we stayed at the Radisson Hotel with Sleep Number beds. What he didn’t tell you about was the indoor waterpark. It was mostly for small children—the water was three feet at its deepest—but Little Bit had a great time, even though she’s not such the small child anymore. There were a couple of slides, a fake palm tree with water flowing out the top, water cannons and fountains of water squirting up everywhere. I never did have access to the camera while at the pool, so here are a couple of pictures from Radisson’s website:

It was pretty nifty, but those fountains made it really loud. Not pictured is the hot tub, which TOTALLY rocked! I took Little Bit down to play every evening till close. Needless to say, she slept very well.

I must say I was not impressed with the Sleep Number beds. I like to sleep on a soft mattress, so my sleep number was around 30. Basically, I just deflated my side of the bed, which kept Cash rolling onto my side of the bed throughout the night. And since I am one of those people who needs plenty of space while sleeping, it was not good. It was nice, however, to be able to try it without having to extract that large number of dollars from my wallet.

Wednesday was the Hall of Fame banquet, and it was wonderful. Cash was MC for the event and put together a great slide presentation for the three new inductees. The first inductee was someone who made an impact in BMX through industry (that could be bikes, magazines, technology, etc.), and that was Elaine Holt-Osmond. (No relation!)

I didn't get to spend much time with Elaine, but let me tell you what I already know about her: she has to be one of the SWEETEST humans to EVER grace this earth. I wish she didn’t live all the way over in sunny California so I could get to know her better in person (although it does give me an excuse to travel!!!). Elaine coined the term BMX and started a magazine called “Bicycle Motocross News”. She was involved for only four years, but her impact on the sport is still being felt today. She didn’t even know she had been nominated and wouldn’t have found out if Cash hadn’t tracked her down! Wouldn’t THAT be a cool phone call to get?

The second inductee to the BMX Hall of Fame was Dennis Dain.

From the ABA BMX website:

"Best known as the “Red Baron”, this Western Sports-A-Rama local was pilot of the world’s greatest side-hack team. During the hack era of the 70’s, Dain & Ruiz were on top, practically undefeated between the years 1975 to 1979. He was one of the original bike testers for Elaine Holt’s Bicycle Motocross News (the sport’s first newspaper). Dain was one of the first racers to be sponsored by GT, and even had his own Dain replica frame. He also rode for Redline and was a longtime racer for ABA BMX Hall of Famer “Big Daddy” Ralph throughout most of his career. Dain was a founding member of PRO. Dennis still lives in California and works for UPS."

I got to meet Dennis and his wife Sauni, and they were kind enough to let us hang out with them for much of the weekend. They were so genuine and fun, and I really enjoyed getting to know them. Little Bit was more impressed that they live five minutes from and have season passes to Disneyland than she was about anything else. She also thought it was cool that Dennis is a fan of both Hannah Montana and Kim Possible! Instant street cred in the eyes of an eight-year-old!

The third and final inductee was Nebraska’s own Greg Grubbs.

Once again, from the ABA BMX website, because they can explain it better than I can:

"Greg was the first racer from Nebraska to make a name for his self on the national circuit. Not only was he fast, he was the hero to many racers that wore glasses and he was well known for his sense of humor. Greg started racing in 1976, turned Pro at age 15 in 1980, then won the ABA Cornhusker National in the 16 expert class, back when you could race Pro and expert in the same day. In 1981, he won 12 ABA single A races, while riding for SE Racing in the summer. He won the Jag World Championships in A Pro and Pro Open in 1981. In 1982, he was picked up by Redline and won his first race for his new sponsor in Orlando , Florida as AA Pro. He was featured on the December ‘82 BMX ACTION cover. He finished the ‘82 season as the #3 Pro behind the Patterson Bros. In 1983, Greg was dropped from Redline and began wearing a jersey that stated “FREE AGENT”. In the summer of ‘83, he was the first instructor/counselor at the Woodward Training Center along with Mike Miranda, Mike Poulson and Joe Baumert. He briefly rode for JAG BMX. He rode for Hyper BMX from mid-1984 to end of 1985, until owner Billy Farrell was killed in an auto accident. He retired in 1986. From ‘86 to ’90, he attended the University of Nebraska , where he received his B.A. in Anthropology. He made a comeback in 1990 by winning first race back as A Pro at the Mid-West Nationals. In 1991, he blew out his knee at the Mile High Nationals and retired permanently. He was the on-camera talent for the ABA BMX TV Show “Pump”. Greg currently lives in Los Angeles where he works on commercial production and works for the TV show Motocross Files."

Having worn glasses myself since the third grade, I can understand why he was such a hero to the bespectacled set! In addition to commercial production, he apparently has been working hard on his golf game. I've been told he is a single-digit handicap golfer. In case you don't know much about golf, that's REALLY REALLY good!!!

Here’s a picture after the banquet was over. Elaine, unfortunately, had to leave early, so I didn’t get a picture of her with the other HOF-ers. Good job, Cash!!! You were awesome!!!

Here’s Little Bit--isn't she just so sweet??--at the coliseum on Thanksgiving Day during practice for the races that started Friday. Dang, she has great hair. Little Bit and I sat in the stands playing with her pink Nintendo while Cash and the guys checked things out around the Grands.

Cash took this picture that same day, also at the coliseum during practice. The guy on the far left is our friend Alex from Arkansas, but his nickname is Elvis. Elvis is one of the funniest humans I’ve ever met, and he has an amazing story. Earlier this year he had a heart attack and died—yes, DIED—at work. He was revived at his desk and twice more on the way to the hospital. He now has a pacemaker to keep his heart going, and guess what he did that weekend: HE RACED! Elvis, you rock. Between Dennis & Greg is Joe Baumert, Greg’s best friend. They raced together in Nebraska when they were kids and were always ranked #1 and #2 in the state.

We had a great time in Tulsa. I loved meeting all of this year's inductees and spending the weekend with them, as well as some of our BMX teammates! Congratulations to this year's inductees and here's to next year!

Guys, This One's For You

2007-12-03T09:57:00.000-06:00

I hate my laptop. For now, anyway. I have spent several HOURS over several DAYS trying to figure out what's wrong with it. (Hey, Katy, did you know there are people who do that for a living???? You should call one!!!) So that's at least partly why I haven't posted since last week. To quote Charlie Brown: Argh. I'm stuck using the desktop upstairs while Little Bit is at school. Not nearly as accessible as my laptop in the kitchen, which I love having so handy. Oh well. Since I don't have much to say post-wise, here is a funny for your Monday morning. Guys, I highly recommend keeping this handy. It could prove useful when your beloved just isn't herself!

Happy Monday!!!

DANGEROUS:	SAFER:	SAFEST:	ULTRA SAFE:
What's for dinner?	Can I help you with dinner?	Where would you like to go for dinner?	Here, have some wine.
Are you wearing that?	Wow, you sure look good in brown!	WOW! Look at you!	Here, have some wine
What are you so worked up about?	Could we be overreacting?	Here's my paycheck.	Here, have some wine.
Should you be eating that?	You know, there are a lot of apples left.	Can I get you a piece of chocolate with that?	Here, have some wine.
What did you DO all day?	I hope you didn't over-do it today.	I've always loved you in that robe!	Here, have some wine .

Another Video???

2007-11-27T08:54:00.001-06:00

Please, indulge me just one more!!!! I am still getting back into the swing of things after our week in Oklahoma, and I'm still working on my post about our Thanksgiving travels. My sister sent this one to me, and I think you'll get a kick out of it. For whatever reason when I click on the video to play it, I keep getting a pop-up window about navigating away from this page. If you get the same pop-up, click "cancel" and the video will play without a hitch.

Have a good laugh and a good Tuesday!

I'm Having a Meltdown!!!!

2007-11-26T08:44:00.001-06:00

Hey all! We are back from Tulsa, Oklahoma, where we spent most of last week celebrating Thanksgiving with friends and fellow BMXers. I have some pictures from the Hall of Fame banquet that I'll post this week. But for now, since Becky asked, here is Steve Taylor's "Meltdown (at Madame Tussaud's). See if you can guess who plays the part of the news reporter. If you miss her during her first shot, don't worry...there's a close-up later on in the video.

TAG! I'M IT!!!

2007-11-15T22:29:00.001-06:00

Hey everyone out there in Blogworld! I have been MIA this week because of a couple of things. First, I've been reading a REEEEEALY great book and haven't wanted to put it down! And second, my Little Bit has had an awful cough due to allergies, and we've all been through the ringer as a result. She's starting to improve--I think--and just in time for Thanksgiving vacation. Our school gives us the entire week off next week, so we're heading up to Tulsa, Oklahoma for the BMX Hall of Fame Induction for 2007 and the Grand Nationals. I'm taking my laptop with me, so I'll not be quite so absentee.

Becky over at Stuck in Frump (don't you love that title?!) has tagged me! I'm so excited--my first game of online tag! WOO HOO! I am to tell you 7 random things about me. Before we proceed, let me warn you: This may be more information about me than you ever wanted to know. Ready? Alrighty then.

1. I can't sleep on my hair.

I have tried and tried and tried to not be so persnickety about this, but if I lie down on my back with my hair underneath my neck and back, I will be up all night. I can stand it only about 5 minutes max, then I have to lift it up and out of the way. It drives me nuts. I know...freak of nature.

2. I don't like to tell people what kind of car I drive.

And yet, some--even most--of you know! The reason is because of people's reactions to this kind of car. Reactions range from "wow, that's an awesome car!" to "who did you have to sleep with to get THAT?" I actually had a former Bunko buddy suddenly turn cold toward me when she found out what kind of car I have. Yes, I know that how other people react is not my problem...it's theirs. But I would just rather not have to deal with that kind of thing, so if I can avoid saying anything about it, I do.

That being said, I HAVE THE COOLEST MOMMY MOBILE EVER!!!!!

Sorry for that outburst. Back to my randomness.

3. I like the AC vents in my car aimed at my neck.

I may be a freak of nature, but this one is pretty logical...for me, anyway. If it's blowing above my neck, it's blowing in my face and dries out my contacts, thus making driving a dangerous prospect. If it's blowing below my neck, it doesn't cool me off. The AC blowing at my neck is perfect.

And when I add the seat heaters...aaaahhhh!!! Nirvana...

4. I've always wished I could sing.

Those of you who attended high school with me may be thinking about now, "Uh, so you were in choir for three years...why?" Oh I can sing...I can carry a tune without the help of a bucket. I can even harmonize at times. But I can't SING. Jana, my friend from high school, can SING. My friend Pam has two incredibly beautiful and talented daughters who can SING. I can sing, but no one is beating down my door demanding I sing the National Anthem at the next Dallas Cowboys game. This bothered me for many years until I realized that, if God had blessed me with that talent, I would be required to use it in front of a lot of people, and that just isn't my thing. I took piano lessons for eight years, where I discovered that performing for others--even an audience of one in a competition--is horrifying for me. As I sat down at the piano, my hands would start to shake, my stomach would churn, and none of it would quit till long after I was done with my piece and back home for quite some time. I never got used to it. So even though I wish I was a better singer, God clearly knew what He was doing, and I'm at peace with the fact that I'm not.

The people who sit around me at church, however, may not be quite so at peace with this as I am.

5. I am severely athletically challenged.

I may be the world's most fabulous fan, but when it comes to athletic performance, I am not your guy. I tried basketball in junior high and played probably two, maybe three times the entire season. The coach put me in purely out of pity. I was on the JV volleyball team in ninth grade, and I was okay. My teammates may have something else to say about that, but I could get the ball over the net. Isn't that the objective of the game? I would've played softball if we had had a team. It is the next best thing to baseball, after all. Perhaps that's why I love sports...because the athletes can do something I never could.

I can, however, whistle so loud your ears bleed.

6. I hate being tickled.

Did I say hate? I meant DESPISE!!!! Getting tickled is something I just cannot, WILL NOT, tolerate. Just the thought of it gives me the yippies. I was the youngest (and most adorable) of seven kids, and my brothers were merciless ticklers. They would sit on me and pin my arms down to my sides so that I was helpless, then poke me in the chest till I was beyond miserable. I would be screaming at the top of my lungs, begging them to stop, pleading for mercy, and neither of my parents ever did a thing about it. Not even so much as a "Please stop whatever it is you're doing to her just so she'll shut up!" (Hang on...now that I think about it, Matt was the only one who did that. Matt, if you're reading this, run for your life while you can!) These days any time someone even attempts to tickle me, he/she gets threatened within an inch of his/her life. Fair warning is given, so anything I do in self-defense is permissible, well-deserved, and I will NOT feel guilty about any bodily injury. Needless to say that attempt is not made often because I will follow through on my threat.

7. I hate to cook but love to bake.

You would think that someone who majored in Home Economics in college might actually enjoy cooking, but not me! I hate it. I hate the planning, I hate the prep, I hate the mess, I hate the clean-up, I really hate it all. One of my favorite cookbooks is Peg Braken's "The Compleat I Hate To Cook Book". It's probably out of print by now (it was one of my mom's favorites too) but if you can find a copy, it's worth having if only because the author is such a riot. If you hate to cook, you will feel like you've found your soulmate with her. All her recipes involve just a few ingredients and minimal effort. I love her. And I do have a few recipes that I love and make me appear to be a genius in the kitchen, but they are few and far between. Baking, however...THAT'S another story. Baking involves "Happy Food"--cakes, cookies, pies, cupcakes--that makes people happy. While cooking involves survival, baking is celebrations. Cooking is fuel to get through the day; baking is the grand finale that leaves a smile on your face (there's a reason it's called "Better Than Sex Cake"). I mean really...who could POSSIBLY say no to Coca Cola Cake, Chewy Chocolate Cookies with Reese's Peanut Butter Chips, Peanut Butter Cookies with Hershey Kisses in the middle, Nestle's Tollhouse Cookies, Lemon Meringue Pie, Pecan Pie, French Silk Pie, Peach Cobbler...I could go on forever! Wouldn't you rather have one of those delicious delectables instead of eggplant? Brussel sprouts? Turnips? Notice I'm only mentioning veggies? A good filet mignon could supplant dessert, but it would have to be reeeeeealy good! Notice also that I'm a member of NutriSystem...enough said.

So those are my seven random things! Thanks again, Becky, for including me in the game! I am now tagging:

1. Misty
2. Cash
3. Shawn (this could be your first post!)
4. Dan (if you ever get one going!)

The HOFFER is a Blogger!!!

2007-11-08T19:36:00.000-06:00

One more thing: my husband Cash--affectionately known around here as THE HOFFER because of his Hall of Fame status--decided I was having way too much fun blogging and decided to take the plunge into the Blogosphere! Check out Cash Flows when you have a few minutes. He already has a couple of posts!

Need Some Inspiration?

2007-11-08T10:49:00.000-06:00

If you are in need of a lift today, go to http://www.sonnyradio.com/kylelograsso.html to see a great video of a special little kid. It takes about 10 minutes or so to watch, and it's worth every minute. What a fabulous story, and what an amazing kid. Warning: you can't watch this video without Kleenex!

Birthday Food!!!

2007-11-07T09:52:00.000-06:00

I know you all have been DYYYYYYING to hear how I spent the rest of my birthday. It's okay, you can admit it. But first I need to mention that I have been TAGGED! Becky from Stuck in Frump has nabbed me for a game of online tag. I am putting my finishing touches on my seven random things and will be posting my randomness for all to see soon. Thanks for including me, Becky!

And now , my birthday saga continues…

After the trip to the Witte Museum, my daughter and I came home and rested up a bit. Okay, she rested up a bit…I took a two-hour nap! After our very early start to the day and spending much of that time on my feet, I was ready for some quiet and sleep. Besides, I had to be well-rested for my birthday dinner. And to my way of thinking, there isn’t much that’s better than a birthday meal.

If I haven’t made this clear yet, I love to eat. I especially love Saturdays because it’s my “free” day to eat whatever I want without guilt. Birthdays are the same as a Saturday: guilt-free eating. I don’t need a party, I don’t need a lot of presents, I don’t even need a lot of friends around…I just want a really good meal and a really good dessert. Past years have included Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse (pretty much the ONLY place I’ll eat without considering dessert first) and Roy’s Restaurant, but this year we did something a little different.

So have you been to The Melting Pot? I hadn’t…till my birthday. Oh man, was it gooooooooooooooood!!!! The Melting Pot is a fondue restaurant. I thought fondue was either cheese or chocolate, but there was much more.

It was just my husband and me—there was no way my picky eight-year-old was going to eat there—so we head to the restaurant and walk in to some of the most delectable smells you could ever imagine. What it was I didn't know, but I was certain it was divine. The restaurant looked pretty much like most restaurants, but was almost exclusively booths instead of tables. The hostess seated us at a booth then shut the door. IT WAS SO COOL: A ROOM TO OURSELVES!!! On the table were two things: a vase full of striped roses from my husband—they look like peppermints!—and a cooktop burner with a double-boiler sitting on it. My husband ordered a beer for him and a glass of wine for me.

Now, if you’ve read my posts before (and if you haven't, click here) or know me very well at all, you already know that alcohol really isn’t my thing. I prefer dessert to a hangover. However, a good merlot is about the only possible exception to this rule. The one he ordered for me was called a “Ménage a trois”. No, I am not kidding, and yes, it was good for me. We did have our own room, after all.

The rest of the meal was great, even if I did have to cook it myself. The appetizer course was a cheese mixture with garlic, beer and a mixture of different cheeses. The waiter put everything into a double-boiler of sorts and heated it up on the cooktop till it melted. We were given bread chunks, some veggies and granny smith apples to dip. Surprisingly, the apples were my favorite. After the cheese came the salads. As with alcohol, salads just aren’t my “thing”. The lettuce used in most salads is iceberg, which I hate. It's basically crunchy water and a waste of stomach space I could be saving for dessert. If I’m going to eat a salad, it’s going to be a hearty one…it has to have about three pounds each of meat and cheese added to it, or it’s not worth eating. I had the Athenian salad: iceberg lettuce, red bell pepper slices soaked in olive oil, Kalamata olives, parmesan cheese and some kind of amazing dressing. It was without question the BEST salad I’ve EVER eaten. I could’ve stopped right there and died with a smile on my face, but there was more! We were given a plate of meat—paradise on a platter!—to cook in a broth with various herbs, spices and other things. Oh, yeah, we had a few veggies, but I skipped those. Dessert was chocolate and caramel flamed with pecans added. We dipped rice krispy treats, marshmallows covered with Oreo or graham cracker crumbs, a small slice of cheesecake, bananas, strawberries…need I say more? Decadent was the word for the night.

As if that weren’t enough, so that my daughter could celebrate with me as well, we went to Bennigan’s for lunch on Saturday (birthdays usually last a week at my house). I had a Monte Cristo sandwich, and if you’ve been paying attention, you already know what I had for dessert. That’s right, Death by Chocolate. What a way to go.

I’m absolutely certain I have gained 10 pounds just talking about all the food I’ve eaten, so this seems like a good place to end. And no, there wasn't more food that I could talk about anyway. I considered making myself a Coca Cola Cake (a family favorite around here), but decided I had better not. I'm waiting for another weekend to do that!!! :-) So that puts the wraps on my fun birthday!

Halloween Happenings

2007-11-03T13:15:00.000-05:00

Some people really like Halloween. They celebrate the entire month of October and go all out with decorations, costumes, and goodies. I am not one of those people. We did the trick-or-treat thing till I was in 6th grade when Halloween suddenly became evil and all I got to do instead was go to church and listen to a sermon. Hmmm...dress up in costume with my friends and get lots of candy, or sit quietly in a church listening to a sermon...wow, I am so conflicted (she said, dripping with sarcasm). Needless to say I wasn't too happy about it. But there weren't a lot of other options for kids back in "those days", so I was pretty excited when I became a parent and my daughter had other options. These days, I don't have a problem with anyone else doing the Halloween thing, but I don't like all the scary stuff. Fortunately for us, there's plenty to do.

I don't know about the Sonic Drive-Ins where you live, but the ones here in Austin serve all-you-can-eat corn dogs and ice cream for 50 cents each. You can still get other menu items, but for me it's all about the the 50-cent foods. I had 3 corn dogs. YUM. Afterwards we still head over to church, but this time it's for the Fall Festival, where the kids can play games, win prizes, join in a cake walk, ride a barrel train...you name it. It's a huge deal and seems to get bigger each year. So I am now going to attempt posting some pictures from our October 31st.

This is how I would love for my daughter to be seen all the time. Precious, beautiful, she truly is my princess and the sweetest girl on earth. She's dressed as Princess Aurora, or Sleeping Beauty.

Ah, but looks can be deceiving! These are how she really is. Isn't she goofy???? She cracks me up. With every pretty picture I get, I also get about five silly ones. Allow me to introduce you to Opera Girl, Princess Terror and Princess Thinks-She's-In-Charge-Alot.

And these are her "glass slippers" (and yes, I know I'm mixing fairy tales.). If you only knew how FILTHY these things are. It's best that you don't, but I do. Ewww.

These are some action photos of the festival. First, backwards beanbag toss. She got in two out of three! Impressive!

Then the original version of Frogger. The "frog" is supposed to land on a small platform. It did not.

Here she is trying to hit ping pong balls into little buckets. Her aim is not good.

This is her favorite...the Fishers of Men station. The blue thing I CLEARLY neglected getting into the picture is a screen with fish painted all over it. Behind the screen are volunteers putting candy onto the "hooks" (they're really binder clips).

And finally, the Princess and the Queen. The headband I'm wearing is a bunch of candles spelling out "Happy Birthday". Yes, I was a birthday cake. I'm SO all about the food.

Princess Aurora declared this year to be "The Best Halloween EVER!!!" I know I had a good time.

October Baseball

2007-10-30T12:05:00.000-05:00

Once again, the Boston Red Sox have risen to the top of the baseball world and were crowned CHAMPIONS on Sunday night. The Colorado Rockies, in spite of how well they played, were swept under the rug in only four games. I was actually pulling for the Rockies in Game 4, simply because I wanted the Series to go on for a few more days, as well as see Josh Beckett pitch ONE MORE TIME this season. It would also have been nice for the Sox to win it at home instead of on the road. It was a reasonable hope, given the Rockies had 45 come-from-behind victories this year, a pretty incredible feat in and of itself. But alas, it was not to be. So congrats to both teams for winning their respective league pennants, and to the Red Sox for winning it all!

Baseball is my favorite sport, but things didn't start out that way. I grew up in a family of football fans. As I mentioned in a previous post, I watched the Dallas Cowboys during their heyday when Tom Landry was coach, Roger Staubach was QB, and they were considered not only America's Team but God's Team. Ah, those were the days...except they never did beat the Steelers in the Super Bowl. Terry Bradshaw, Lynn Swann, Franco Harris...I hated them. In spite of how good those guys were, I despised them. I was and still am a Cowboys fan through and through. The hard part for me about being a Dallas fan in those days? Riding to school with Steeler fans. The morning after the last time Pittsburgh beat Dallas in the Super Bowl was the worst. The Steelers at that time were 4-0 when playing in the Super Bowl, and the kids I carpooled with were not mere Steeler fans...their dad was a former Steeler player. They didn't have to say a word about the game, they just rode to school, quietly staring out the window. Ouch...it still stings. (Yes, Charlie and Beverly, if you're reading this, I'm talking about you!)

In the midst of all this great football, I started going to Texas Rangers baseball games. It was my payment for babysitting for my sister. She really got a bargain, but I learned to love baseball. Texas rarely won, but Texas had some fabulous players that were heroes: Buddy Bell, Steve Buschell, Jim Sundberg...the list goes on.

To this day I still love baseball. In my opinion, it is THE all-American sport. There is something beautiful and poetic about a 6-4-3 double play that mere words cannot describe. And while summertime baseball is beautiful, October baseball is amazing. October baseball is an all-together different level of play, and it is awe-inspiring.

I say awe-inspiring, and yet I have never personally experienced post-season play with the Rangers. To see fans at a baseball game wrapped up in coats, gloves, hats, etc., is a foreign concept, something strange and wonderful never experienced in Texas, a truly miraculous event that I get down on my knees and beg God to give to the Rangers. This team is in a league of its own, and I don't mean that in a good way. Let me explain: first you have the farm teams--A Ball, AA Ball, AAA Ball; then there's the Rangers, then there's the rest of major league baseball. The Rangers are the final stepping stone before making it to baseball greatness. Lest you should think me completely out of my mind, do the names Slammin' Sammy Sosa, Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez, or Alex "A-Rod" Rodriguez ring a bell? All three of these guys played for Texas before going on to bigger and better teams. Sammy Sosa ran head-to-head with Mark McGwire in 1998 to see who would break Roger Maris's home run record. Pudge Rodriguez, a huge fan favorite, was about to be traded when a "SAVE PUDGE" campaign throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex kept him on the team. He was traded a few years later and has won two World Series since leaving the Rangers (Florida Marlins and Detroit Tigers). Alex Rodriguez--if you pay ANY attention to baseball, you know what's going on with him. The salary he commands boggles the mind. And yet, my poor hapless Rangers remain in the cellar, barely seeing daylight. It's the curse of a Rangers fan.

Thankfully my secondary team--the Red Sox--has what it takes to make it to the championship game. And while some fans see the Sox as the second coming of the Evil Empire (sorry folks, that honor has been reserved for the Yankees), vacationing with friends up on Cape Cod has made me a bit of a Red Sox devotee. The Rangers are still "my" team (perhaps at this point out of pure pity), but I am excited that Red Sox won the Series this year. After all, as Rangers fans eternally cry out, there's always next year.

Of God and Field Trips

2007-10-27T15:22:00.001-05:00

I started my birthday off very early by showering and getting ready for the 3^rd grade field trip to the Witte (pronounced “witty”) Museum in San Antonio. Most school mornings I just throw on almost anything that isn't pajamas to take my daughter to school, then come home and get ready for my day. But God had been busy and once again made sure I was available to go on this field trip, so I had to get up early and be sure I was relatively presentable so as to not scare away the rest of the civilized world. He has done this every year since she started school, and I haven’t missed a long-distance field trip with my daughter since 1^st grade. Usually I’m not even signed up to go, but inevitably someone is unable to go, and I have always been available. The first time this happened was for a trip to the San Antonio Zoo. A few days before the trip I had an overwhelming sense that my daughter was going to have some kind of crisis while on this field trip and would need me. Nothing really major, mind you, but I just knew she was going to need me there. So as I started trying to figure out a way to go on this field trip, someone emailed me saying she was unable to go and could I could fill in. Of course I jumped at the chance, and the zoo was a great trip. And yes, my daughter did encounter a minor crisis and I was able to be there for her. God sure knows what He's doing. Okay, time for a slight pause.

Let me add here, in case I’ve never mentioned it, that we live in Austin, which is about an hour or so north of San Antonio. Both cities are full of history related to the Texas battle for independence, and San Antonio is a great place for all-day-away-from-school field trips. As for Austin, it's not only the state capitol, it’s a lovely place to live and a lot of fun. When I was at my reunion and my friends asked where I was living these days, I would tell them “Austin” and the reaction was exactly the same from person to person: a wistful look, a slight sigh, followed by “Oh man, don’t you just love it there?” Suffice to say that Austin is a pretty cool place to live, even if it is a bit weird. But that’s another post. Okay, back to our regularly scheduled program.

In 2^nd grade, the kids at my daughter's school study Texas history, and there were two field trips I was dying to take: the Alamo and the trip to Washington-on-the-Brazos State Park, which is where the Texas Declaration of Independence was signed. When signing up for class volunteer activities, I saw that these two trips were filled up. I planned on driving my car on both trips, simply because I just wanted to go. But once again, I ended up filling in for someone who had to drop out last minute on each trip and rode on the bus with my daughter for both trips. For the trip to the Witte Museum, a classmate’s mother mentioned to me how her son seems to think I make it to every single field trip. I think I can understand why!

So the Witte Museum turned out to be a great way to spend my birthday. It’s a good mix of interesting DNT exhibits (“DNT” means “do not touch”) as well as one whole building full of hands-on stuff. The kids enjoyed the HEB Science Treehouse the most, as they had just completed a study on simple machines. There was a sky cycle that many of the kids rode—strapped in by harnesses, over a net, riding on a very heavy wire. My daughter loved playing with the pulleys. I think the biggest hit was getting to be “on TV”. There was an exhibit that showed how meteorologists report the weather on TV. The kids would stand in front of a green screen but could see themselves across the room on TV with the weather information behind them. There was also some green fabric that answered my question as to how Harry Potter’s Invisibility Cloak was filmed. We saw a dinosaur exhibit--and what kid doesn't like dinosaurs?--and a real mummy. Ancient cultures are the history topics for 3rd grade, and I thought it neat when the classes mummified a chicken. The boys thought it was cool; the girls were grossed out. At any rate, this field trip was very applicable for the kids and covered things they had just studied so that these things became very real to them. It was really cool. One added bonus for me: I got to chat with one of the other parents during the trip and found out we grew up right across town from each other, even graduated the same year! We had much to talk about, and it was great fun.

Right before we left, my daughter wanted to get something from the museum gift shop. When she went after the Webkinz, I had to put my foot down. No way was she going to get yet another Webkinz at gift shop prices, even if it WAS her own money! So she bought some polished rocks, a key chain and a plastic ring. She was, for the most part, pretty happy about her purchases.

I would love to tell you more about my birthday, but this is longer than I thought it would be. So more next time on the rest of my birthday.

WOO HOO! IT'S MY DAY!!!

2007-10-24T22:22:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to me (on Thursday),
Happy Birthday to me (on Thursday),
Happy Birthday, dear meeeeeeeeeeeeeee (on Thursday),
Happy Birthday to me (on Thursday)!!!

And what am I doing on my birthday? Taking a field trip with a bunch of 3rd graders. Uh, what is wrong with this picture?

;-)

Reunion Wrap-up, Part Deux

2007-10-17T12:53:00.000-05:00

I've received lots of responses, most via email, to my last post, and amazingly enough, all of it was positive. So thanks everyone for chiming in. And I did hear from Sandy, so we are once again connected. WOO HOO!!! As at our 20-year reunion, I was once again impressed with how many of you guys married up and how lovely and wonderful your wives are. Frankly, I'm a bit befuddled by it all. You guys have sales skills I never knew about.

My mind is still reeling from ALL the events of the weekend--not just my grand-scale humiliation--and I have some thoughts to share with specific people. Forgive me if I don't include everyone...

Louisa--you are my second greatest regret. I so wish you had been able to come. I plan to check in with you around Thanksgiving as we are definitely coming to Oklahoma. Cash has the opportunity to see his secret crush at a shin-dig in Tulsa and he refuses to miss out. Imagine that! See you in November, friend.

Jamie--thank you for being you. Love the ponytail. Your wife is awesome. So I've inspired you to blog, have I? That could mean one of two things: either you liked what I wrote and want to "go and do likewise", or you thought what I wrote sucked and you think you can do better. I'm going to assume the former and be happy with that. The nice thing about blogging is that Pam Pack and Kate Turabian have absolutely no input.

Bob--you are a riot. I am so glad you and Heidi came Saturday night. It wouldn't have been nearly as fun without you. I also couldn't have gotten through The Revelation without your "help". I owe you. Congrats again on #4.

Dan--Dude, you rock! I have all your albums!!! I have had so much fun reconnecting with you and getting to know your fantastic family. Cheryl is wonderful, and your girls are a joy. I look forward to many more years of professional sporting events, Steve Taylor listening parties, and rubber-band shooting. I NEED MORE COWBELL!

Sandy--YEA!!!! I am so excited to hear from you!!! I promise to do better at staying in touch.

Doug--I talked to Cash about the bike stuff. He said if you pedal really fast and steer around them you won't end up in the trees. And just to ease your conscience, I have completely forgiven you for forgetting we went to the Junior-Senior banquet together. Teresa is wonderful...tell her to call me when she's in town and can do lunch.

Craig--no need to worry about me showing up unannounced at your front door. I've come to terms with things and the torch I've carried all these years is more like a Bic lighter these days. Thanks for being such a good sport and taking it so well. Oh, yeah, Happy Birthday!

Hunter--you have a daughter named Katy and she's really really really smart. It just can't get any better than that! Your wife is precious...she's coming to stay with me for some time. I'll call you when I decide to give her back.

Dana--I am so glad you came! I have missed your sweet smile over the years.

Jana--I'm so bummed you didn't/couldn't make it!!!! Yes, I still live in Austin, but we have moved since you last stopped in to see us. Lucky for you, we’re closer to town. Come see us when you're here in April.

Philip--CALL ME. RIGHT NOW.

Julia--thanks for the offer (all of them) of your guest room. I just might take you up on that some day. It was good to see you. Thanks for the giggles.

Libby—have I ever told you that you make me think of Jackie O? Please take that as the compliment it was intended to be. I still laugh about you giving me grief about kissing Matt. You are so cool. Glad you’re back in Texas.

Mike--I'm stunned...I had no idea you had a crush on me, but apparently I was the ONLY ONE who DIDN'T know (I'm feeling Craig’s pain here.) I guess, however, the one date we had didn't live up to the hype of the crush. Sorry to disappoint you. ;-)

And last but certainly not least:

Charlie: WHERE ARE YOU?

Now for those of you who gave me all that grief for drinking WATER while the rest of you were consuming tasty adult beverages, please allow me to elaborate.

For me, liquid consumption is a matter of practicality rather than entertainment. I drink because I am thirsty. Most tasty adult beverages require too much effort to enjoy. Beer tastes like what it looks like, and tequila always requires a tongue-shaving the morning after. And believe me, those nicks and cuts just aren't worth the effort. Alcoholic beverages I do enjoy are the ones with the little umbrellas in them, and the cost is just stupid. I can pay $8 for a Bailey's on the rocks, or I can have the whole bottle for $15. (Do I sound like Ford here?) If I have the option of picking either a dip cone or a daiquiri, without hesitation I will take the dip cone every time. Without question I would choose flan over a top shelf margarita. I would rather have Carino's chocolate cake (the one that's heated up with the little toffee flakes in it...mmmmm) a la mode over a Coors Light, Coca Cola Cake over Bud light, peach cobbler instead of Michelob, and a batch of chocolate-Reese's peanut butter chip cookies over anything. Give me liberty, or give me Bennigan's Death by Chocolate. I can't think of a better way to go.

One more thing: Craig has requested that witty banter be volleyed back and forth via email. It gives him something to do while wiling away the hours at work. Dan, Ford, Bob, can one of you be in charge of this?

TCA class of '82, you are awesome! My life would be so different without you all in it. Thanks to everyone for the impact you have made in my life. See you in five years if not sooner!!!

Ramble, Ramble till we're blue, We're the Class of '82!

2007-10-15T13:10:00.000-05:00

Sorry to be delayed in posting the events from this past weekend. I know you all have been waiting anxiously to hear about it...all two of you. ;-) So here goes.

This weekend was my 25-year high school reunion. I attended a small private school (it was small back then, anyway) in the Dallas area, and our graduating class was a whopping 42 people. The title of my post was our class motto. Don't ask me what "rambling" is...it's been too many years. All I know is that you know it when you're doing it. However, it would be much better explained by some of my guy friends. Any volunteers?

From all outward indicators, it was a fabulous weekend. There were a lot of people that I hadn't seen in several years, and it was good to see them all. My biggest regret: I missed seeing my friend Sandy. She was one of my best friends in high school, and I wish I had been better about keeping in touch with her. She came to the first night of the reunion only, and she left before I got there. Sandy, if you're out there reading this, I MISS YOU! And no, I didn't just fall off the edge of the earth again. Your email server considers me to be spam. (Go ahead, Python fans, sing out!) Too many emails with the same subject line, I think. You would think I would learn to pick up the phone and call. If you fix the email thing, I would love to hear from you.

From my perspective, there were two huge questions that dominated the weekend: 1) Where's Phillip? and 2) Who was your secret crush? We still don't know the answer to the first question, but I left him a message on his answering machine letting him know just how unhappy I am, as well as an email in his Inbox. We'll see what kind of excuse he has for missing out. As for the second question, well, that was a question I would have preferred unanswered. It's a funny story, in spite of my great humiliation. Some of the names are being changed to protect the innocent or those who just shouldn't be identified.

Friday night, I went out with three friends after the Homecoming football game (which my team won decisively...was it 62-0?) to continue catching up. Someone posed The Question, and my girlfriend Lisa (a.k.a, The Great Keeper of Secrets) spilled the beans as to who my big crush was (thank you very little). After the class had dinner together Saturday night, there were six of us who decided to continue the party at a burger place across the street from where we had dinner. One of those people was Bob, who had been at the table with me the night before when my big secret had been revealed. Also sitting at the table was a classmate who, after consuming large quantities of liquid courage, decided to bare his soul and inform another classmate that he had been carrying a torch for her for 29 years. The Torchbearer's good friend--we'll call him Craig because, well, that's his name--was ecstatic that this was done, because he had been hearing about it for lo these past 29 years and had grown just a little bit weary of it. The Torchbearer's good friend was also my secret crush that I had had since he walked in the classroom door in 7th grade.

After the discussion about the Torchbearer and the Object of his Affection had run its course, the conversation then took a turn in my direction when Craig--a.k.a., my secret crush--wants to know just who my secret crush is. Surprisingly enough, I had actually given consideration as to whether or not I would ever tell him. It had become a topic of conversation with my 8-year-old daughter last year when she asked me if I had ever had a crush on anyone. I told her yes, but I didn't want to tell her who. She is another Not-So-Great Keeper of Secrets, so that little tidbit of information would be out at the most embarrassing moment possible (which is not too far off from what actually occurred Saturday night). I had decided there was no real good reason to ever speak of my secret crush, so when Craig put me on the spot, I panicked just a bit. Here's how the conversation ensued:

Craig: So Katy, who was your secret crush?

Me (panicking and trying to stall while still appearing calm): You really want to know who my crush was?

Craig: Yes.

Me (closes eyes and shakes head no): Mmmm...no.

Craig (starts guessing): Was it Joe?

Me: NO, he was too mean.

Craig: Was it Fred?

Me: NO! I mean, nothing against Fred, but no.

Craig: Well, he sure had a crush on you.

Me (brightening): He did??? Really?

Craig: Oh, yeah.

Me: Wow...who knew.

At this point, Bob decides to jump in and give Craig a little help.

Bob: Craig, I'm going to help you out here. (gesturing with fork in Craig's direction) Think lower football number...think shorter...think...the person I'm pointing my fork at right NOW.

Me (cringing and hoping beyond all hope that last clue wasn't a dead giveaway) Ouch.

Craig: Me?

Don't ask me what kind of expression Craig had on his face...I couldn't look. He was thoroughly surprised, however.

Craig: You're kidding. I had no idea. Why didn't you ever say something?

Me: Well, it's not exactly the kind of thing you just walk up & say, "By the way, just thought you should know..." Besides, I figured out that I'm way too old for you. (Craig's wife is five years younger.)

Bob: Wow, Craig, I can't remember the last time I've seen you blush like that.

So there you have it...my great humiliation. Fortunately, Craig didn't run out of the restaurant screaming...well, not very loud, anyway. It was pretty funny to watch it all unfold, even if it was at my expense. I have more thoughts to share, but they will come another day.

God's Perfect Timing

2007-10-11T09:47:00.000-05:00

I've been a little quiet for the past few days...partly because I'm still relishing in the fact that two--COUNT 'EM, TWO!!!--of my favorite authors stopped by and commented on my blog. But I've also had a lot going on and have a lot coming up. But I have a cool story to share about how great God is and what He did this week.

I am the Queen of Good Intentions. You would not believe what a nice person I am, at least in my head. I have plans to bless others out the wazoo, but so much of it never comes to fruition. My follow-through stinks. Not only that, but I am also the Princess of Procrastinators, especially when it's something I dread doing. Recently I had promised my newish neighbor that I would bring a meal over after her daughter's eye surgery. Guess what...I FORGOT! I felt awful about it, and I knew I had to make things right. I kept putting it off, however, because I don't know my neighbor very well and wasn't sure how she would react. I finally sucked it up yesterday and MADE myself go take a casserole and some cookies over as a peace offering. I prayed and prayed that God would give me the words to say, that I hadn't done irreparable damage (I don't know what her spiritual status is), and that He would be glorified. I'm standing at her door, wanting to get this over with yet kind of hoping she won't be home. Not only was she home, she had company. It can't get any worse.

She lets me in and I start babbling my apology. She is very sweet, tells me not to worry about it, and that the baby is doing well. I show her my peace offering, and she is very excited. She says (and this is the way cool part), "Wow, I was just wondering what I was going to do for dinner. The kitchen is pretty torn up because of the work we're having done, so this is perfect." Isn't that cool? God's timing is perfect even when I procrastinate! GOD, YOU ROCK!!!

I am off till probably Sunday or Monday. I will be leaving tomorrow afternoon for Dallas for my 25-year high school reunion. I am very excited. No, really, I am! I'll tell you all about it when I get back. I might even try to post some pictures!

Have a great weekend, all!

Watercooler Wisdom...Or Lack Thereof

World's Greatest Dad...Really!

My Fair...Fair!

A Very Practical Birthday

My Girls

For The Birds?

A Bit of Mud Slinging

The Killers: "A Dustland Fairytale"

A Little of This, A Little of That...And Then Some of Those

I'm Heeeeeerrrrrre....

Happy Valentine's Day, and Thank you Deb!

Final Holiday Thoughts, Facebook and Picture Day!

Holiday "Hmmm"s

Daytime Drama...or 57 Channels and Nothing's On

If A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words...

For Someone Special

Bits of Updates

Of Babies And Their Stuffs

So....It's been awhile since I checked my mailbox...

My Girls

Last Post Before THE BIG DAY

Worthy Reads from Cash Flows and The Coffee Stop

Happy "Going Into Labor" Day?

If You Blinked, You Missed It

More BMX...And More Baby

Hall of Fame Voting Commences!

Miscellany and a Few Pet Peeves

More Baby Stuff

Baby News

I'm Officially A Fan

June 24, 2008

Pleasant Words

I'm Speechless (And The Countdown Has Begun!)

Modern Day Version of "Who's On First?"

Is This A Meme?

Prayers for Steven Curtis Chapman and Family

Published - May 21 2008 10:12PM CDT | AP

By JOE EDWARDS - Associated Press Writer

Little Hickman Creek Series, Or Tagged Again!

Mystery Revealed

Baby News...Again

My Own Personal Presidential Candidate

I AM STUNNED

Another Video--This One's REALLY GOOD!!!

Roadrunner Users, Beware!

Early Easter Greetings

New Baby Picture

HOLY COW, I'M PREGNANT!!!

I Think It's A...

TAG! You're It!!!

Pregnancy Progress--11 Weeks

YOU LIKE ME! YOU REALLY LIKE ME!!!

I'm Sooooo Tired...

Blanket Statement

Baby News

The Other Shoe Has Just Dropped, Part Duuuuhhhh....

Cute Shirt for Little Bit, or The Other Shoe Has Dropped

The Walking Wounded and Other Miscellany

Quite Possibly The Best Pirate Movie Ever

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ME!!!

Welcome to the Family!

Amazing Home Remedies

A HOF-er Thanksgiving

Guys, This One's For You

Another Video???

I'm Having a Meltdown!!!!

More Video

TAG! I'M IT!!!

The HOFFER is a Blogger!!!

Need Some Inspiration?

Birthday Food!!!

Halloween Happenings

October Baseball

Of God and Field Trips

WOO HOO! IT'S MY DAY!!!

Reunion Wrap-up, Part Deux

Ramble, Ramble till we're blue, We're the Class of '82!

God's Perfect Timing