I Simply Remember My Favorite Things...

and then I don't feel so bad. la la la I watched The Sound of Music earlier this week. Great movie. My bff Syd watched it also, so we were singing some of the songs from the movie today; great fun. And then I...........didn't feel so bad. la la la Then we played Go Fish, and she womped on me. She of course giggled and laughed about that. Then we went out in what sun was still shining and took Bay for a walk. All in all a pretty good afternoon. Oh, yeah and I fed the GB and smothered him with hugs and kisses. Syd fed him his bottle til he got heavy and she couldn't hold him up any more. Grits and eggs for dinner, yum......comfort food. And I didn't eve have to make it. Renee brought over some cute onsies for Niki. What a great neighbor. Glad to have them!! So, I've been doing interviews for 2 days and it's starting to make me crabby. Hopefully done with those tomorrow!

Dec. 24th - Christmas Eve

A fun filled day. Opened presents with the kids had chinese food for lunch. Lazed around and watched Christmas movies and spoiled RJ. He fell asleep in my arms while I was reading. Then later to Sarah's mom & dad's for dinner and more gifts. A few daily pics of Friday's Cardinals.

Obsessed with Cardinals

Yep, that's me. I just love em. They twitter in and twitter out. Don't stay long at the feeder at all. They are different shades of red and all different sizes. I even bought a Cardinal sweatshirt to wear on Christmas Eve. I take all kinds of pictures of them; trying to outdo the ones from the day before. Need a longer telephoto lens I'm thinkin. Although this is not too bad since it's at the back of the lot where the woods begin. Just me at home waiting for the 3rd day in a row for the ADT man to come. They did something wrong and jammed up the home line. Need to get here soon since I still need to do my holiday grocery shopping! Krogers is bound to be a mad house.

Winter Solstice

The winter solstice occurs exactly when the Earth's axial tilt is farthest away from the sun at its maximum of 23° 26'. Though the winter solstice lasts only a moment in time, the term is also a turning point to midwinter or the first day of winter to refer to the day on which it occurs. The seasonal significance of the winter solstice is in the reversal of the gradual lengthening of nights and shortening of days.
Yay, the days will already be getting longer. That's trying to put a positive spin on the whole "winter thing" right?

So, here it is: All:

gifts purchased

gifts wrapped

bills paid (for the week)

holiday food selected

I still need to do the holiday grocery shopping. Whew, that's always a task isn't it? That should be the last of the "to do's" hopefully. I was pleasantly surprised to see Renee backing up into the drive today. She dropped off a gift for Nik. She has been working boo co hours and we've barely had time to catch up. I'm sure her poor family has barely seen her either.

I've been snapping pics of all the birds at the feeders; I just love seeing them and trying to get good pictures. I captured quite a few yesterday. Pics that is, not birds. We were supposed to get 1 to 2 inches of "s" today, but not sure if that is still the plan or not. Will have to watch the WEATHER CHANNEL!

Kinda Bored

This is the 2nd day I've been stuck at home with no vehicle. Thankfully yesterday afternoon, Chris "dragged" me up to Birch Run to go to the Coach outlet. Bought my first Coach purse. It was on clearance for 50%, then they gave you a coupon at the door for another 30%. What a deal. Merry Christmas to myself. LOL. As previously stated the Pergo floor is mostly done. Thought I'd post a few pics of that. After filling the bird feeders, I've been on a mission to snap photos of the Cardinals. I've included a few pics from the big snow storm. Gonna make some peppermint bark for the Rush family get-together on Sunday. Got the holiday haircut last night. Really, what is left to do? Gifts are wrapped and under the tree. I am ahead of schedule this year. The weather sure has been wicked cold hasn't it? Every time I go outside the winds seem to making my skin horripilate. Do you know what I mean?

Saturday night we are bbsititng baby RJ and maybe he is even spending the night. He's really a good baby. Getting so BIG, he weighed 11.1 oz at the dr. last Friday. Katie said he rolled over. I didn't quit believe her. So she set him in the crib. Of course he didn't roll over. So she went and got her camera to show me the video. While we were watching it I looked down and he had turned from his belly to his back!

Word of the Day for Friday, December 17, 2010
horripilate \haw-RIP-uh-leyt\, verb:
To produce a bristling of the hair on the skin from cold, fear, etc.; goose flesh.

Ho Ho Hum

I think I already have the winter blues and it's not even winter! The snow looks so pretty and the sun sure does shine, but baby it's cold outside.

All the gifts are wrapped and under the tree.
The floor is down, but not the moldings put back up.
The shopping is done, the stocking is stuffed.
It's just me in my hoodie, all bundled up tight.

The Ultimate Market Experience

Colasanti's Market in Highland Twp. Just north of Milford. It's got everything and then some. Today was the first day of "Count Down to Christmas Open House. Very cool. They had vendors from local made in Michigan products. All kinds of goodies; meats, cheeses,wines, dips, and lots of Christmas greenery. Sarah had seen this place one year in her work travels and thought I would like it; she was so right. We bought; greenery's to hang on the garage, JK Scrumpy hard cider, wine from Pelee Island Winery, a couple awesome dips, ham glaze, a pomegranate, Snicker doodle flavored coffee beans, poinsettia in a cute pot and a piece of artichoke and spinach quiche.

One Hundred & Fifty Seventh Post

Now I'm tied for over-all posts I had last year. My goal every year is to increase from the last year. So, the rest of my posts this year could very well just end up to be nonsense!

In other news, I gave myself a raise. Isn't that cool? When you're in charge of payroll, you can do that. :)

Would love to go to the desert and estivate as some do.


(Word of the Day for Tuesday, December 7, 2010
estivate \ES-tuh-veyt\, verb:

1. To spend the summer, as at a specific place or in a certain activity.
2. In zoology, to spend a hot, dry season in an inactive, dormant state, as certain reptiles, snails, insects, and small mammals. )

Baby It's Cold Outside

Every year it seems I adjust less and less to the cold. Brrr. In fact I'm trying out some gloves with the finger-tips cut out while I'm working on the computer. My hands are warmer, but it feels kind of bulky. I'll see if I can get used to it or not. The heat is turned down a bit today because Sarah is hard at work putting in the new Pergo flooring. Yea! I think it's going to look really good.

I'm glad most of the Christmas shopping is done! About this time I start thinking, "so I could move to Florida after all!" But, come summer I usually think, "I'm glad I never moved to Florida." Ha Ha I guess I'll just grin and bear the weather. You know like focus on how beautiful it is. I talked to my pops this morning and he said there is about 6 inches up North at his home. It's always pretty up there with the snow. I'm not sure if they ever get pogonip or not. Probably not.

Word of the Day for Monday, December 6, 2010
pogonip \POG-uh-nip\, noun:
An ice fog that forms in the mountain valleys of the western U.S.

9 Best Winter Fruits and Veggies

Pomegranate
Pomegranate seeds are high in polyphenols, plant chemicals that fight inflammation. Mix the seeds into oatmeal for more flavor and crunch.
Brussels Sprouts
Remove the outer layer of leaves, trim the stems, and toss with olive oil and sea salt. Place them on a baking sheet and roast at 425 degree-F until they're nicely browned.
Persimmon
The antioxidants in persimmons can help control diabetes and the cell damage it causes. Serve the fruit with prosciutto and fresh mozzarella.
Leeks
Many restaurants offer potato-leek soup in the winter, but you can also finely slice leeks and add them to omelets, salads, and rice.
Kiwifruit
One kiwi contains about 100 milligrams of immunity-boosting vitamin C. Add kiwi slices to a spinach salad.
Beets
Wrap one or two beets in foil and bake them in a 350 degree-F oven for an hour or until they're cooked through. Then cut them into cubes to toss into a salad of greens and crumbled goat cheese. Add a drizzle of walnut oil.
Guava
One cup of raw guava contains more than 8,500 micrograms of the antioxidant lycopene, which may help prevent coronary artery disease. Pair it with blue cheese and figs for a snack.
Kale
To temper kale's bitter taste, gently sauté it with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, chopped garlic, and pine nuts.
Pomelo Pomelos pack flavanones, a class of antioxidants that have been shown to help prevent the spread of cancerous cells. Include them in a topping for a dessert sorbet.
From Women's Health

I Must Be Gettin Old

It took me way longer than the usual to change my blog template this time. It kept reverting back to the old background. Finally, I realized that the old template was still "on." Yikes! Not like I have a million things to do today or anything. It's been a whirlwind around here. Had to go clean out a "hoarder" house and that took a long time. I'm going to be making a photo album and then I'll send it to whoever wants to see it! :) When I have a spare moment that is.

Close call last night. Sarah's mom & dad were driving back from Holland (MI) hauling a large tractor when they got rear ended. The fishtailed, rolled 4 or 5 times and ended up right-side up in the median. Thank goodness it was a large wide median; apparently they were close to the other side of x-way. They are both okay, bruised and bumped but Thank God nothing more. Got them checked out at hosp. last nite. Let them go around 12:30 a.m.

RJ is getting big and a little chunky. He is 3 weeks old. I get to see him almost every day. Nicole is almost 6 mos. and starting to show a lil baby bump. She found out she is having a boy; and is talking about naming him Payton Russell Terry. That's a mouth full. Work is good; lots of it. Wow, I'm using lots of semi-colons today. HA. Hope you enjoy the Christmas muzak while you read.

Anyone who says "Easy as taking candy from a baby" has never tried it.

Author Unknown

Bitten by the Baby Bug

"I'm not a baby person." I used to say. But, then again there is something so sweet about a newborn. Specially one that is close to your heart. His name is Richard Bernard Weirzbicki IV, or RJ for short. Whew, good thing cuz that is a mouth full. He's just the right size. Doctor said he is perfect. Today he is one week old. Happy Birthday to you RJ.

Under The Weather

That's what I've been thinking. I just haven't been feeling myself. Well what does that mean, "Under the weather?" Here's what "Go English.com" had to say:

To say that someone is "under the weather" is to say that they are not feeling very well. Example: "What's wrong?" Answer: "I'm a bit under the weather." They probably have a simple cold or flu which will go away quickly. Example: "It's nothing serious; I'm just a bit under the weather." Being "under the weather" reminds us that a quick change in the weather can affect our health and the way we feel.

So, is it because of the weather, now I'm confused. I suppose it could be. In this case, I think not. My head and tummy have been feeling yucky. Hopefully the weather and my health will improve!

Hard Frost

hard frost: A frost where both the air and the soil has dropped below freezing. Many plants can survive a light frost but cannot survive a hard frost. GardenWeb Glossary of Botanical Terms.

Wow, it's amazing what one hard frost can do. I wish I had a "before" picture! Yesterday, did turn out quit nice after all, though. Not a cloud in the sky and it almost felt warm. I even took a walk. I may even do that again today.

Rehearsals have started in earnest. It's only 3 weeks until the big show. We have 3 hour rehearsals, twice a week. Whew, that's a lot of time. I'm doing all the group singing numbers, a duet number, and then 2 mini-skits. It's going to be fun. I have to admit, it's kind of fun to be singing again. Some of the people have really beautiful singing voices.

"Genguins" and Other Stuff

Had my lil 2 yr old yesterday. We watched the "Genguin" movie, AGAIN! He loves it because of the "scary" parts. Oh, that means Penguin. Didn't take a nap tho, so that means we watched the whole thing. whew. He is so fun and cute. I've been busy trying to finish the "Profit and Loss" report, well really I mean all that makes it up, for the business. We are thinking about doing a Re-Fi. So the books have to be up to date.

Started out good on the whole eating thing yesterday. Bowl of cereal for breakfast and sandwich for lunch. BUT, we decided to go the Bar Louie's for dinner. THey have half off appetizers until 7:00. Yikes, didn't do so good at all. Used up all my "extra" points for the week. So, now I have to stick to the basic plan for the rest of the weekend. Oh, well. I'm making vegetarian chili for dinner tonite, and "spookgetti" for dinner tomorrow. Then on Monday, A pork tenderloin with apple compote. Shhhhh, now you know all my secrets. It will all be good.

Weighty Matters ~ Week 8

Down 8/10 of a pound this week. Whopping total of minus 4.8 Could be worse right? A little perspective here. I could be up that same amount. This is really hard, this time. But, I am in this for the long haul, so hang on. My blood sugars are running better. That is always a good thing. So, I'll just be plugging along this week. Hope to see a better loss next week.

The "Blue" Disaster

So, Saturday my scrappin buddy and I were trying to set up the tables. We decided to move the old kitchen table that is downstairs. There were several gallons of paint on the table. I suppose that is my fault. You see, I still hadn't finished my summer project of repainting the wooden birds that my sister had sent me. Soooo, the paint cans got carried downstairs so that I could "finish" the project. Niki tried to tell us the table was broke and not to move it. Did WE listen? Oh no. We can just move it a little. Well, the table kind of caved in. The results were horrifying.

One good thing, however....... The bluebird got painted when I dipped it in the big blue puddle.

The Leaves are Falling, Falling

But the weather is soooooooo nice! 70 degrees as we speak. Last week I took some pictures in the back yard. I'm really gonna miss the leaves on the trees and the warm weather. Got the camper winterized, the crib mattress and changing table wiped down.

Yesterday my scrappin buddy - Chris- and I scrapped most of the day. After we cleaned up the BIG paint disaster. Maybe I'll take pictures of that and post that another day!! I got 11 or 12 pages done. Yea! I love it when a plan comes together. I made a pot of white chicken chili and she made some 1 point spice muffins. Very good. Then later in the evening we all went out to Bubba O'Malley's and then played some euchre. Then we got out the old, and I mean old, family PIT game. That was so fun. We laughed and laughed. Fun times with friends are the best.

P.s. my lillies bloomed again~ so I took a pic.

Tony's (In)Famous Steak Sandwich

In quaint St. Charles Michigan. Cute joint, right? Must be good, right? Wrong. I'm kind of embarrassed to say that even when the waitress told us the sandwich had "spaghetti sauce" on it ~ we still ordered it. Well, in our defense, she said it was really good. It wasn't even that. Really weird. We had a good laugh over that. The only other joint in the town was a bar looking place, so that's why we chose Tony's giant steak. Big ole slabs of bread, with a "steak" patty then slathered in spaghetti sauce. Hmmmm.

Eatin Like a Pig

No, not me! The birds in the backyard. I can't seem to keep the feeders filled. Now I now why. Today I received a newsletter from "Wild Birds Unlimited." The article was all about the fact that the birds are preparing for migration/onset of winter. So they are "pigging" out right now whenever they can.

So for now, DON'T "eat like a bird."