Yum

You Are a Ham SandwichYou are quiet, understated, and a great comfort to all of your friends.
Over time, you have proven yourself as loyal and steadfast.
And you are by no means boring. You do well in any situation - from fancy to laid back.

Your best friend: The Turkey Sandwich<

Buddy's First Shave

Buddy got his first experience shaving over the weekend. Not easy. Being autistic he is hyper sensitive. I don't think that he enjoyed the experience.

Book scrappin'

My masterpiece from Ladies' night at Mrs. Goofy's. I had such a good time fellowshipping and paper folding! Thanks!!

Then I was inspired to work on my own project...

a perpetual calendar for my desk at work. I will embellish some more but for the most part: a one day project. That is good for my completion oriented personality!

Cooking 101

Basic Sauce:
4lb ground beef (or chicken or turkey)
4 onions, chopped
2-4 ribs celery, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 cans (28oz each) diced tomatoes
2 cans (6oz each) tomato paste
sliced mushrooms (optional)
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Brown the ground beef with onions, celery and garlic. Drain well. Add in remaining ingredients. Feel free to add spices to your taste. Divide mixture into five containers (approximately 2 cups each). The first dinner, I usually add some cumin and chili powder for tacos. The second dinner: spaghetti. The third: lasagna. The fourth, add salsa and beans for a quick chili. The fifth, add chili powder for sloppy joes. My favorite is add chili powder or bbq sauce and corn. Spread over pizza crust and top with cheese for a sloppy joe pizza.

Please share your time and money saving suggestions!

Spring Valley Beach

How I spent my anniversary...Buddy on the slide...Nice splash!

Tdawg (in back) and his friend, Louie on the sidewinder.

Buddy and me on the sidewinder.

Despite his expression, Buddy was having fun. We had a great time!

Twenty one years ago today...

Date:July 25, 1987. Place: Russian Jack Springs Park, Anchorage, Alaska.

Two crazy kids...people guessed that we'd stay married no more than six weeks.

This is the Don Corleon picture...he made me an offer I couldn't refuse :-)

No scanner for the pics...so I had to improvise...

And today. We haven't changed a bit!

Wordle

Microburst

Tdawg saw the stick rocket through our screen... ...the screen is toast. Yet another weekend project...

Tdawg said it got quite windy during the storm, he captured the blowing leaves...

...the aftermath, also known as the lazy man's way of tree trimming...

...our neighbors pile of broken limbs.

Fun in Moody

When it comes to balloon animals, I can make a snake, a worm and a caterpillar. Ok-they all look the same :-) But there was a man in Moody who made this monkey. He also made a penguin, and Ariel, the little Mermaid, while I was watching. It is part of his children's ministry. It was so cool!! I was thankful to meet him and support his gift in reaching kids.

More Miracle League

This was so adorable! The kids got the biggest kick out of this tiny horse. The horse even ran the bases before the start of the game and got its very own home run! :-) I asked the lady about the shoes. They are specially made from her tracking the feet. She said that she has sixteen more at home.

Miracle League World Series

Saturday we drove south to participate in the Miracle League World Series. It was awesome! There truly were angels in the outfield. One of the kids there was 76 years old! Simply amazing ball players!! Buddy had a great time and loves his trophy! I am so thankful that Buddy played this year. It has been such a blessing to meet these kids and see how they have overcome their obstacles! Each one of them really is a walking miracle!

More Flashbacks

When Hurricane Ivan tore through Pensacola, my cousin (JD) and her husband (RD) came to stay with us. I had not seen her since she was a baby. What a blessing it was to get to know them! We were just happy to be able to help. Fortunately, their apartment was not seriously damaged. They are now stationed in California. JD just had their second child and RD is serving aboard the USS Ronald Reagan. I hope we get to see them again soon!

Flashback Friday

On this hot, humid, hazy Friday...two crazy kids in Anchorage (a few years ago)

Profoundness

Hmm… I’ve never heard it quite like this.

But God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.1 Corinthians 10:13b

It's ironic that one of God's certain promises concerns an area in which we feel very uncertain: our ability to escape temptation. Here is the two-fold certainty God has provided concerning temptation: You will never be tempted beyond your ability—that is, beyond your spiritual maturity level. And, there will always—always—be a way to escape the temptation.
God has said it, and that makes it certain. Whatever tempts you is covered by this two-fold provision.

More than you ever wanted to know...

1. What time did you get up this morning? 5:30 am
2. Diamonds or pearls? Both!
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Kung Fu Panda (I'm a PG chick)
4. What is your favorite TV show? Deadliest Catch, MonsterQuest, Antiques Roadshow
5. What is your middle name? Anne (like the Queen and the Princess)
6. What food do you dislike? raw fish
7. What is your favorite CD at the moment? Van Morrison: Greatest Hits
8. What kind of car do you drive? Betty is a Ford Explorer
9. Favorite sandwich? Roast beef with cheese
10. What characteristic do you despise? one upsmanship/bragging
11. Favorite item of clothing? leopard print jam-jams
12. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you
go? The Florida Keys or Montana
13. Favorite brand of clothing? inexpensive and comfortable
14. Where would you retire to? A motorhome
15. What was your most recent memorable birthday? It would have to be my 29th birthday. I have celebrated it for several years in a row! :-)
16. Favorite sport to watch? college football
17. Your shoe size? 10
18. When is your birthday? September 26th (29 years ago, ha ha)
19. Are you a morning person or a night person? night
20. Pets? 1 dog (although she doesn't know that she is a dog!)...I guess Cletus, Buddy and Tdawg don't count?
21. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with us? We are headed to the big city this weekend for an All Stars tournament.
22. What did you want to be when you were little? An architect and later a truck driver.
23. How are you today? Good, just a little tired, it was hectic at work today.
24. What is your favorite candy? Chocolate (with carmel and nuts)
25. What is your favorite flower? carnations
26.What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? July 18th
27. What is your full name? Her Royal Highness: Queen Laurie AFP I
28. What are you listening to right now? The A/C humming
29.What was the last thing you ate? Cheeseburger
30. Do you wish on stars? Yes
31. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Periwinkle
32. How is the weather right now? Warm and hazy
33. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Cletus
34. Favorite Soft drink? Diet Dr Pepper
35. What is your favorite restaurant? Logan's or Red Robin
36. Hair color? God Frosted
37. What was your favorite toy as a child? Barbie dolls and a deck of cards
38. Summer or winter? Neither --- Fall
39. Hugs or kisses? Hugs
40. Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate
41. Coffee or tea? tea
42. When was the last time you cried? last week.
43. What is under your bed? dust bunnies and some of Cletus' junk
44. What did you do last night? Watched Deadliest Catch and prepared for a guest to spend the night.
45. What are you afraid of? snakes and drowning
46. Salty or sweet? Both
47. How many keys on your key ring? 4
48. How many years at your current job? 2 months
49. Favorite day of the week? Saturday
50. How many towns have you lived in? 7: Golden, Eaton, Greeley, Anchorage, Huntsville, Hazel Green, Meridianville.
51. Do you make friends easily? No

Reasons for Everything

I was asked today why do I wear my watch on my left hand, since I am right-handed. Well, back in college, I sitting with my friend, Mak, drinking a pop and waiting for our next class to start. (I'm from the west and we called it pop instead of coke or soda or soda pop). Anyway, Cute boy comes over and asks me what time it is. I'm so flustered that I completely forget about the drink in my hand. I turn my wrist to read my watch and proceed to dump half of my pop into my lap! Very smooth!! Well, I guess it is time for me to go home and change clothes, eh? So from then on...my drink is in my right hand and my watch is on the left wrist.

Setting the Record Straight

This post is dedicated to Mrs. Goofy. One summer day, I was painting the living room. Tdawg was probably about three years old. He had lots of small animal toys. He would show them to me while I painted. So, he said: Leezard Mommy! (Um what?) "Leezard Mommy...Leezard run fast." Wait! What do you mean run fast?? Yes, it was a large (7" from nose to tail)blue tail lizard running into my kitchen. I could only imagine two unpleasant outcomes. One: lizard gets trapped under the fridge and dies a smelly death. Or two: lizard is loose and runs over me in the middle of the night. So, I try to call Cletus. No answer. So I call Con-bon to see if her hubby is home. He is not. She suggested that I go to Wally World and buy a terrarium and keep the lizard. No, not an option! So I grab the BIG gulp cup and the pancake spatula. And proceed to put the cup in front of the lizard and tap the spatula against the floor behind the lizard. Ureka! the lizard runs into the cup. I proceed to run (yes, RUN) screaming through the laundry room, down the steps, through the garage and out into the yard. I slung everything and ran back into the house; making sure to close the garage door and lock the bolt. Whew! So, I look out of the window, sure to see Lizard and the gang mounting a full scale assault on our home. No, I saw Earle, my neighbor staring at the cup and spatula. He called me and asked if he could have the "perfectly good" spatula that I threw in the yard. Absolutely!! I did warn him of the lizard germs! It wouldn't be the last time that Earle thought I'd completely lost my mind!!

Wanted Poster

Lazy Days of Summer

With all of the activities, the truly lazy days of summer are few are far between. But every once in awhile, grab a lawn chair and marvel at the magnificence of it all.

Rajin Cajun

RC admits that she is not crafty. I had to take a pic when she was able to tie this bow! And if you thought it was funny to watch RC tie a bow...watching her change a diaper was hysterical! It is awesome to me that God gives us each different gifts! I am thankful to have friends who have all sorts of neat gifts!!

Precious

Precious and I first met at a baby shower. She sat in my lap for a long time! She was so calm and happy in my lap. But Miss Gassy said that I was hogging her; took Precious away from me and she screamed! Then a couple of weeks ago, I kept the nursery kiddies and my little Precious was in there. She screamed like a wild banshee for the Rajin Cajun (RC). RC's daughter is in her twenties. RC admitted that she is out of practice. I took Precious and she immediately calmed down. I had the best time taking care of her. I could so take Precious and spoil her rotten and then give her back about age two. I'm sure that her parents won't mind (jk). She is so sweet! Isn't it funny when you have a connection with a total stranger? It has to be a God thing!

Of course, I'm Ernie!

You Are Ernie




Playful and childlike, you are everyone's favorite friend - even if your goofy antics get annoying at times.



You are usually feeling: Amused - you are very easily entertained



You are famous for: Always making people smile. From your silly songs to your wild pranks, you keep things fun.



How you life your life: With ease. Life is only difficult when your friends won't play with you!

The Sesame Street Personality Quiz

I think this is pretty accurate

The Road Trip of Your Life

You see romantic love as what's most important in life. A deep connection with someone else is the primary thing you crave. You live a life of leisure. You take your time in every aspect of life and enjoy it to the fullest. You are all about risk and randomness in your life. You travel off the beaten path... in fact, you're often the one carving the way! You are able to find a fairly healthy balance between work and play. You work when you need to, but you never let yourself burn out. In another life, you could have been a great novelist. You have a knack for describing things in an interesting way.

The Road Trip Test

Buddy & Tdawg not so long ago?

Buddy and Tdawg

I thought this was a good pic of the boys. They surely are growing up fast.

Archive

I was cleaning this last weekend and found a disk of pictures that I had forgotten about. This is Tdawg about eight years ago. Time surely does fly!

My name is Cinco de Mayo?

You Are Mayonnaise

You tend to be a very quiet, introverted person. You're happy to sit back and let stronger personalities shine. You value loyalty and harmony. You try to bring people together. Your taste in food leans toward simple comfort foods. You love holiday meals as well as old school favorites like mac and cheese. You get along with mustard and ketchup personalities. You have an unlikely alliance with hot sauce personalities.

What Condiment Are You?

Green?

You Are a Green Crayon

Your world is colored in harmonious, peaceful, natural colors. While some may associate green with money, you are one of the least materialistic people around. Comfort is important to you. You like to feel as relaxed as possible - and you try to make others feel at ease. You're very happy with who you are, and it certainly shows! Your color wheel opposite is red. Every time you feel grounded, a red person does their best to shake you.

What Color Crayon Are You?

Hmm, I would have guessed 29

You Act Like You Are 23 Years Old

You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel like an adult, and you're optimistic about life. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences. You're still figuring out your place in the world and how you want your life to shape up. The world is full of possibilities, and you can't wait to explore many of them.

What Age Do You Act?

Hmm...very interesting

You Are Chopsticks

People see you as exotic, unusual, and even a bit intimidating. You are a difficult person to figure out. In truth, you try to live a very simple life. But most people are too frenzied to recognize the beauty of your simplicity.

What Utensil Are You?

Public Speaking

I suffer from the number one fear: public speaking. My mother signed me up for speech and drama at a young age. None of this "training" did me any good. I had to speak in front of a crowd this morning. Just hand me a microphone and make me stand at the front of the room and I'm suddenly transformed into jello! The papers in my hand were shaking. My legs were shaking and my knees were locked. Then I start having visions of people storming at me with lit torches and pitchforks. It is totally irrational! I would have no problem talking to these people (most of whom I know) one-on-one or in a small group. I don't even know if I made any sense. I made notes...but I couldn't read them because I was shaking so hard. It is so bad that even members of my own family were betting against me. Tdawg bet that I would completely pass out within the first three sentences. By the way, he lost that bet. Probably because I did remember to breathe this time. Also, I did not stand on the platform for fear that I would fall off. I'm still left wondering how the speakers from last weekend manage to address 19,000 people on a regular basis!!

Pyrotechnics

We went over to TDawg's friend's house for swimming, bbq and festivities. Everyone brought fireworks, so we had quite the show. TDawg loved setting off the fireworks! Even Buddy helped this year. Buddy loves sparklers. He lit and danced (!) with dozens of them. Next year we will know to buy a BUNCH of sparklers. A good time was had by all!