Lazy Daisy Log

Friday Fave Five

2010-03-12T09:50:00.004-05:00

Susanne at Living to Tell the Story hosts Friday Fave Five in which we share our five favorite things from the past week. Thank you Susanne for hosting this inspirational sharing game!

God's financial provision. Winter months for faith based missionaries can be very bleak. January, and February were especially hard but God is always faithful. We were especially blessed this week with a unexpected windfall from my mom. She told me that God had been nudging her to help her daughters. Thanks mom for your attentive heart and listening ear to the Holy Spirit's leading. We are indeed blessed by your gift.

Some improvement in Mr. Wonderful's energy level. We have switched to a Gluten-Free diet which includes more whole foods and away from processed foods. We are starting to see some improvements in my hubby's stamina. We realize this will probably be a gradual improvement so we rejoice in small steps.

The gradual return of Spring. It is so nice to start seeing some greening of the grass, buds on the trees, baby animals in the fields, spring flowers starting to sprout and finally temperatures in the 60's. I am so ready for spring!!!

The return of volunteers at the Mission. We will be having volunteers all this month. What an outpouring of service. We are staying really busy just trying to stay ahead of the groups so they will have all the equipment and supplies they need to be able to help us. (It's a good problem!)

Contact with the family. I have heard from all my kids this week, as well as my sisters and my mom . That doesn't happen very often and always makes me happy and feel blessed.

I don't......cause

2010-03-11T11:26:00.004-05:00

I got this as an email and couldn't resist posting it.

I don't do windows because...
I love birds and don't want one to run into a clean window and get hurt.
(I am compassionate)

I don't wax floors because....
I am terrified a guest will slip, hurt themselves, I'll feel terrible and they may sue me.
(I am careful and poor)

I don't mind the dust bunnies because...
They are very good company, I have named most of them, and they agree with everything I say.
(I am imaginative)

I don't disturb cobwebs because...
I want every creature
to have a home of their own and my family loves spiders.
(I am kind)

I don't Spring Clean because....
I love all the seasons and don't want the others to get jealous.
(I am fair minded)

I don't plant a garden because...
I don't want to get in God's way, he is an excellent designer.
(I am courteous)

I don't put things away because...
My family will never be able to find them again.
(I am considerate)

I don't do gourmet meals when I entertain because...
I don't want my guests to stress out over what to make when they invite me over for dinner.
(I am thoughtful)

I don't iron because...
I choose to believe them when they say "Permanent Press".
(I am trusting)

I don't stress much on anything because...
"A-Type" personalities die young and I want to stick around and become a wrinkled up crusty ol' woman!!
(I am winning this battle!)

*Blessed are the cracked: For it is they who let in the light*

Emma updates

2010-03-10T11:34:00.000-05:00

This is my screen saver....I love my girl and the fact that she loves pink and rose colored glasses. Look how long her hair is getting. My toddler is rapidly becoming a full fledged little girl. She loves to sing, do crafts, loves babies, her best friend Jack and loves to show off for an appreciative audience (that would be Poppa and Diva via Skype).

She is composing her own songs that she sings to her baby doll. She loves to jump, run, and loves to be tickled.

We are making plans to come see her in Canada this summer. I thought it would be fun to celebrate her half birthday and have a day for each of the holidays we missed...we might have to invent our own holidays too. What do you think of "Pink Day"?

Miss you my Emma Bug! Your Diva XOXO

Signs of Spring

2010-03-08T13:58:00.003-05:00

It's already March and today is one of the first days that the weather has gotten into the 60's. I'm so excited I want to get out and start digging in my garden. Early this morning I heard birds chirping by our bedroom window. It made me smile. I can see little buds on the lilac bushes, and this morning I noticed the daffodils starting to sprout. Maybe, just maybe spring will sneak in. Most of the snow has finally melted.

We are in the brown season.....the white snow covering is gone and the grass is a brown mat. The trees are brown, the mud from the melting snow is brown and I'm in a brown mood myself. Spring always brings changes and changes are already starting at the Nest.

Mr. Wonderful has been having some health issues. He has been having some digestive problem for quite a long time but they are starting to interfere with his energy level . I had noticed that he belches a lot and is flatulent frequently. He plays it down and says, "That's just what men do," but he is starting to be concerned himself.

Mr. Wonderful's brother has had some difficulty with chronic fatigue and found out that a gluten free diet helps his energy level and his over all well being. I don't think Mr. Wonderful has Celiac disease but if nothing else he seems to have a gluten sensitivity.

So guess who's learning how to cook again? If you said , "Poor Lazy Daisy" you are right on both counts. For the most part we are eating "whole, unprocessed foods". I am amazed how many foods have wheat, rye, barley or oats in them.

Currently I'm buried in cookbooks and books on being Gluten-Free. I have discovered some wonderful websites and am gleaning some information on how to change regular recipes into gluten-fee ones.

I emptied the pantry yesterday and gave the food to my neighbor. We are still in investigating products and prices right now. One of our local stores is closing out their gluten free products and so we picked up quite a few products that we are trying at half price.

Our big splurge was Lundberg Rice Chips (Honey Dijon.) Wow! I was delightfully surprised at the wonderful taste and crunch! It became an instant favorite immediately! You can bet we will be going back to the store tonight to pick up more at half price.

So looks like we are in for an expensive change for rice flour, corn flour etc. but I ask you....can you put a price on feeling good.

Will keep you posted on our adventures and if we are making progress in keeping Mr. Wonderful healthy.

Oscar's First snowperson

2010-02-28T15:52:00.004-05:00

Being a grandparent is a great thing and witnessing a child's "first" is a huge thing for me. Since our grands don't live nearby it's harder to be present for a "first".

Sometimes the weather will actually cooperate and lend a hand in creating a "first" as it did for Oscar's first snow man. It has been 25 years or more since Mr. Wonderful built me a snowman but it took no time at all for him to construct one for Oz.

He found enough hardware to help make the face. and I came up with the hat, gloves, and scarf. Every one had a part in creating the snow man, even Oscar .

I think the parents and and grandparents had more fun than Oscar. He learned that snow is cold and that you have to wear so many clothes that you can barely move. I'm sure if he had fallen on his back he wouldn't have been able to get up again. He also found out that Mom takes a lot of pictures and he had the attention of four adults.

Suzy finally put the camera down long enough to finish the face and sculpt the finish piece . We think Mr. Snowman looks pretty cute and well dressed. His face is made of a block of wood for the nose, two black plugs for eyes and a strip of black weather stripping for a mouth as well as a chain saw wrench that looks like a pipe. Of course all of us took the opportunity for a photo with Oscar.

Here we are with the proof of our day in the snow. I have always had a fondness for the fluffy white guys and I must admit it was a fun time for me and made even better getting to share it with my family. Aren't we cute snow bunnies?

Of course we had to get a photo of our New Yorkers. Tim, Suzy, and Oscar with our temporary resident Mr. Snowman. I should tell you that the snowman has had an extended lifespan in my front yard with the unusual cold weather and snow but, as we all know, all good things must come to an end.

This is the picture I took this afternoon of our snowman. Not even enough snow left to make a snowball! Going, going, gone! What a great memory though.

Chinese 60th Birthday Bash

2010-02-17T15:48:00.003-05:00

Welcome to Mr. Wonderful's birthday party. He turned 60 the day after Valentine's day. He had done some research on the internet and found out that the 60th birthday in China is very important. The 60th birthday is regarded as an important milestone in life and therefore is often a big celebration. After the 60th birthday, a celebration is held every 10 years. (Mr. Wonderful says that's ok with him too!)
In the Chinese culture, 60 years complete a life cycle and 61 is regarded as the beginning of a new life cycle. So I guess life really does begin at 60!

We were thrilled to have Suzy, Tim and Oscar with us over the long weekend and with their help were able to pull off the surprise. Thanks to Andy and Tim we had authentic Chinese New Year decorations from China Town. We were also glad to be able to hear from Andy, Becky and Miss Em by phone.

Mr. Wonderful loves Chinese food so we had Chinese take out from our favorite Chinese place. Suzy and Tim went all out with decorations and I love this picture of my man getting into the swing of the party. He's so adaptable! Suzy had written fortunes that are favorite sayings of his, and quotes the children heard from him while growing up. She painstakingly inserted them into the fortune cookies we bought.

Mr. Wonderful loves sushi (not so much now that he found out you can get worms from raw fish). Suzy came up with a great alternative called "Mock Sushi". It's made from marshmallows, Rice cereal, gummy worms, and fruit roll ups. (It's the only sushi this Daisy would ever eat!) What do you think? It looks pretty close to a California Roll and fortunately no one tried putting Wasabi on them.

We wish you all could have joined us. It was a fun surprise and a sweet memory that we will both have for a very long time.

Happy Birthday Mr. Wonderful, Here's to a new life cycle with you!

Happy Anniversary to Jerry and Becky

2010-02-12T16:14:00.001-05:00

Guess Who has been married for 5 years now? If you guessed our Becky give yourself 5 points.
Miss you all so much. Hugs and Kisses (wish we could babysit for you!) xoxo

Thursday Thirteen,..why I'm looking forward to spring.

2010-02-04T00:01:00.000-05:00

13 Reasons I'm looking forward to Spring.

1. I'm tired of being cold. I sit at my desk between two space heaters.

2. I miss the spring colors, grass, flowers, flowering trees.

3. It will be nice not to have to wear gloves when I type.

4. I'm looking forward to not having to wear four layers of clothes.

5. I"m looking forward to spending time outside.

6. I'm looking forward to planting a garden.

7. I get cold at night (Mr. Wonderful steals the covers!)

8. I love to be outside in the sunshine!

9. I love light colorful spring clothing.

10. I'm looking forward to wearing sandals again.

11. I miss my daisies, and lilacs.

12. I'm looking forward to the smell of new mowed grass.

13. I'm looking forward to not having a cold bathroom in the morning.

Random Dozen

2010-02-03T00:46:00.006-05:00

1. Do you use the labels various charities send you as free gifts ?Yes, especially as a return address label on bills.

2. What is your favorite time of day (or night) for skywatching? Evening, I especially like watching the sunset. I'm too lazy to get up early to watch it rise.

3. What is the most adventurous you've ever been with trying a new food? (Keep it G-rated please) I'm not adventurous at all. I'll try a small bite if some one I trust and knows me tells me they think I would like it. I'm not a raw fish eater or exotic animals.

4. Have you ever heard a rock sing? (Trust me, there's a reason for this one!) Not that I know of, I have heard a singing bridge .

5. If you could learn a language you don't presently speak, what would it be? I'm not good with languages, so it would probably be sign language.

6. Al Capone's tombstone read, My Jesus, Mercy. If you could write your own epitaph, what would it say?
Here lies Daisy, Plucked before her time, A bright spot of color and a sweet fragrance to God.

7. If you were a famous musician who was known by one name, like Cher,Sting, or Jewel,what would it be? It does not have to be your first name, but it can be, if you would like. Daisy

8. Have you ever been inordinately into a television show? I'm really into reality shows like Project Runway, Top Chef, and even Survivor.

9. When you sneeze, do you go big, or do you do that weird heenh! sound that makes people think you are going to blow your brains out? Any other variation we should know about? I'm a big sneezer and have been known to sneeze in a series, sometimes as many a 10 times in a row.

10. Do you still read an actual newspaper that you hold in your hands, or do you get your news elsewhere? We get our news online, or on the radio or TV.

11. Are you a good speller? No, Praise the Lord for spell check. I used to ask my Dad how to spell something....he would say, " Go look it up". I would answer, "Then give me the first few letters so I can!"

12. At what time each day do you start thinking about ~~Lost~~ lunch? About 11:30

Ten on Tuesday

2010-02-02T10:06:00.004-05:00

Ten Things I Should Be Doing instead of Playing on the Computer

1. Get dressed.....yep, I'm still in my PJ's and slippers.

2. Fix lunch.....I'm getting hungry so I need to fix lunch.

3. Stick some laundry in the washing machine-that way something will be working since I'm not!

4. Clean out the guest room.....I just walked in, got overwhelmed and walked out again.

5. Go through one drawer in my desk-I'd do more but then I might lose my title as a lazy daisy.

6. Write our newsletter....but that would involve getting my brain in gear.

7. Come up with some ideas for Mr. Wonderful's upcoming 60th birthday....any ideas?

8. Email my kids-( Hello kids, I'm thinking about you, just in case you are actually reading this!)

9. Catch up on my Diva blogs.....I'm way behind, sorry Emma and Oscar!

10. Read one of several books next to my chair- always a strong draw!

Daisy Dilemma: Which ones do you actually think I'll do?

happy birthday Beeks!

2010-02-01T12:57:00.003-05:00

Today is your birthday,Becky. It's cold and snowy here today and reminds me of your birth. You were very considerate to be born between blizzards. Had you come on your due date, dad might have had to deliver you and that would have been traumatic for all of us.

I remember holding you in my arms and thinking you were the sweetest baby in the world. It amazed me how instantaneously we both fell in love with your sweet face and little smiles (I don't believe for a moment it was gas pains!)

Everything you did was an adventure. We were your captivated audience and cheerleaders. You were always the first to lead the way, first to break the rules, first to try the boundaries, first to be brokenhearted by injustices, first to pick out your own books and your own clothes. Dad used to call you "his girl" but looking back now I'm sure you were always your own person, unique and fiercely independent.

I marveled at your determination in sports and academics. Looking back now, I don't remember a single challenge you didn't face, head on and overcome. I admire that in you, even though I
don't always understand or approve .

You are very opinionated and boldly go all out to let your opinion be known (very much like another person I live with). I'm glad you have strong morals and convictions. I love that you live life with passion.

In many ways you are the child most like your mother, and also least like your mother. What an amazing enigma.

Know that I love and adore you my "We, Can Do It" girl. Happy Birthday Babe.

Momma

Yes, I know it's Friday

2010-01-29T12:43:00.002-05:00

13 Things I want to accomplish this year!

My daughter Suzy recently came up with 101 things she wanted to do in the next 1001 days. You go girl! I 'm not sure my brain can come up with 101 things to do so I'll settle with 13 for now...and yes I know it's Friday but I had to really think about these okay?

Go to the Philadelphia Flower Show....I noticed it was listed in the book "1000 places to go before you die" so if it's good enough to make the book it's good enough for me. Fortunately it's on Suzy's list too and she already talked to her dad about going with them some time the first week in March. To my surprise and delight he said "Yes".
Boston in the Spring ...we talked about going all last year and it never happened. I would really love to take the walking tour and have been researching things to see. Let's see if we can pull it off this year.
Fly to Canada to see my grand girl Emma...this Diva can't go a whole year without seeing her Emma. We have talked about being "fair weather grandparents" . Emma's birthday is in January so we have talked about celebrating her half birthday in July with her. It would be something unique we could do with her that no one else does.
Get below 200 pounds....I'm flirting with it now so it wouldn't take much effort to finally get to "One-der Land". I would like to lose more but it's the goal for now.
Read all the Percy Jackson and the Olympians books with Mr. Wonderful. We already have read 3 or the 5 and have enjoyed them. We take turns reading a chapter to each other. It's a fun way to enjoy a book together.
Make our annual pilgrimage to Savannah....our main support comes from friends and Savannah Christian Church. We go back every year to visit small groups, the missions committee and friends to give updates and encourage groups to come work with us. We need to schedule a date soon. If it's not on the calendar it just doesn't happen.
Go to the TECH conference May 20-22, at Epworth by the Sea, St. Simons Island, Ga....TECH stands for Technical Exchange for Christian Healthcare and was established 20 years ago with the vision of spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ while improving the quality of healthcare in the developing world. It's a great way to network with other Christian missions.
Add some new recipes to the 4, I already know. It seems like we eat the same thing all the time. I need to add healthy recipes and prefect them to our likes and needs.
Turn our guest bedroom into a work out room when not needed for guests. I want to put my stationery bike in there along with other exercise equipment. I know I would use it more especially in the winter months.
Get rid of my fat clothes...and bring down the next two sizes for incentive. Holding on to my fat clothes makes it possible for backsliding and I to look forward to fitting into smaller clothes.
Lean down the contents of the Attic....We moved lots of stuff that we shouldn't have when we left Savannah. Now, after 6 years I can let go of it....it doesn't fit in with our lifestyle anymore and needs to be moved out.
Spend a few days with baby sister in Chicago....I haven't seen her very cute apartment or met " the boy" in her life. I need to make it a priority this year even if it means going by myself ( I hate doing things by myself!)
Go on a road trip with my wild and crazy friend Melli.....she's invited me on a cross country trip, we haven't settled on time, or cost or logistics but I so want to go! I've got a silly grin on face just thinking about it!

Random Dozen

2010-01-27T12:46:00.004-05:00

1. How good are you at delaying gratification? Pretty Good, I guess it depends on what I'm holding out for.

2. Maybe a marshmallow wouldn't be too difficult a temptation for you. What food (or anything else) would be most tempting? Chocolate layer cake.....excuse me I think I hear the kitchen calling me. Drat the power of suggestion.

3. On a scale of 1-10 (10 being saintly) how patient are you? My momma taught me to be kinder than necessary so on a scale of 1-10 I'd be an 8 or better.

4. Have you ever waited for something in life only to be disappointed upon realization of the goal/object/etc.? Who hasn't experienced that at one time or another. I have a very vivid imagination so I can dream up all kinds of wonderful expectations that real life would have a hard time trying to compete with.

5. Are you a person who takes shortcuts? Depends on how knowledgeable I am and if I have time restraints. If there is something that will save time and be acceptable yes, I will take shortcuts.

6. Which line is hardest to wait in? Anything that has to deal with the Federal Government.

7. Did you wait to discover the gender of your unborn child until its birth? My kids were born before there was the technology to know.....so all three were surprise packages!

8. Are you more patient with children or the elderly? preschoolers and the elderly

9. Did you ever sneak a peek at a present? Of course....if it's a present it needs to be opened!

10. What is the longest you've ever waited for anything? We were married for 4 years and told we wouldn't have children before our first was born. In this age of instant everything it was a long time to hope and pray.

11. Who has more patience, you or your significant other? Me,me, me, and me, Mr. Wonderful is used to fixing things and can usually figure things out quickly. He doesn't deal with frustration well, but bless his heart, he is getting better.

12. Which of the following songs about waiting is your pick for the best? (OK, you may substitute another, if you like.)

A) Anticipation by Carly Simon definitely my song. I love the thrill of anticipation. It will keep me going for a long time! Not to mention I'm a huge Carly Simon fan.
B) The Waiting by Tom Petty
C) Right Here Waiting for You by Richard Marx
D) Wait for Me by Rebecca St. James

Treasure Hunt.....

2010-01-26T14:21:00.004-05:00

Some hidden treasures I've discovered recently...I've been trying to look for hidden treasures throughout my day. Some days the treasure is really hidden and other days it seems to be everywhere.

Yesterday: Watching some cardinals at our bird feeder. It was such a gray day that their bright red feathers were a beautiful contrast and made me smile.

Sunday: The treasure of reconnecting with old friends for a movie and chatting over coffee afterwards. Our life gets so busy at times that it is easy to forget that we need the laughter and love of friends that have been with us through good times and bad.

Saturday: Working with ladies from the Junior League! There were 6 of them and they did 45 boxes of summer clothing for Haiti in just 3 hours.

Friday: The joy of staying home in my warm nest, in my pj's and slippers and lost in a good book. A day off is always a special gift!

Thursday: The treasure of food, water, and shelter. We have been working on relief supplies for Haiti and it reminds me to be thankful for what I have.

Daisy Dilemma: Are you finding hidden treasures around you? Are you looking for them?

Random Dozen

2010-01-20T21:43:00.001-05:00

1. So I was thinking about how Jon Bon Jovi never seems to age much. His hair is smaller nowadays, but he still manages to look like a boy somehow. And then that made me think of the story of Dorian Gray. Question: If you physically lock in one age for yourself, which would you choose and why? I've enjoyed every age I've been so far so I would lock in the age I am right now. I'm healthy, somewhat agile and love being a grandmother. The pressure is off me now to produce, or impress and I've learned to learned to enjoyed life and live it too the fullest.

2. What is the best dish that you cook or bake (your piece de resistance?) Easy Lasagna....it's quick, easy and never any left over.

3. When you feel blue, what is one strategy you use to help yourself back to normal? Praise music

4. When was the last time you danced in public? Whenever the mood stikes.....this ole lady can bust a move and doing "a happy dance" is one of my specialties.

5. Do you consider yourself a realist or dreamer? a realist that like to dream.

6. As a parent, what is one thing that you have done well? Pray for my children on a daily basis.

7. Which is your favorite character on the Andy Griffith show? Aunt Bea

8. On a scale of 1-10, how much do you know about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.? 6

9. Have you never been mellow? Have you never tried … to find a comfort from in side you? (Sorry, Jorge was singing that song just now, and it just seemed to be perfect timing as I was creating this week’s questions.) REAL question: What is your #1 driving pet peeve? People who cut you off in traffic.

10. Which color best represents your mood today? Care to elaborate? Hot Pink....pink is a happy color and I've got lots of volunteers coming in today to help with Haiti relief.

11. If your spouse were an animal, which would he/she be? A guard dog, fiercely loyal , protective, smart, beautiful brown eyes, and affectionate to his owner.

12. What activity takes up the bulk of your time on an average day? playing on the computer.

Treasure Hunt

2010-01-19T11:49:00.004-05:00

Do you make New Year resolutions? I used to but it seems they didn't last very long, if I made it till mid January I felt like it had been a success. I didn't make any this year. This year I decided to look for "hidden treasure" every day.

We read a daily devotional and this was the basis for the idea . "On

January 1,2008, Keith Severin and his 7 year old son, Adrien, agreed that they would spend at least 15 minutes every day that year searching together for treasure. They went out each day in every kind of weather to see what they could find. A year later their collection of coins, golf balls, recyclable bottles and cans, and various other items had yielded more than $1,000. In the process, they enjoyed many hours of companionship and fun."

So often my day comes and goes and I've forgotten to look for the hidden treasure it brings. I miss too many opportunities to appreciate people, and things that make my life easier, nicer and comfortable.

Solomon was one of the wisest men that every lived and he said, "If you seek (wisdom) as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures;then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God....Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. "(Prov. 2:4-5,9).

So, I'm on a daily treasure hunt. It makes me feel like an explorer, a detective, and yes, some days even a pirate..Arrr!

Yesterday's treasure: Reading a book out loud together with Mr. Wonderful. We skipped watching the usual reruns of Law and Order and read several chapters of "Plum Spooky" a Janet Evanovich book based on bouty hunter Stephanie Plum. It was time well spent together and the funny part was listening to Mr. Wonderful change his voice for the different characters!

I challenge you to look for the hidden treasure around you. I wonder what I'll find today? Happy Hunting. Let me know if you find something good!

happy birthday Emma!

2010-01-18T00:37:00.003-05:00

Our our Emma turns 3 today. She celebrated with her friends yesterday in a "Curious George" birthday party. Doesn't she look like a party princess. She's learning early about the birthday tiara!

Your present is on it's way to you little one. Poppa and Diva had a great time shopping for you and your momma.

Sending you hugs and kisses. We are so proud of you.

Hail to the Queen Mother

2010-01-14T16:00:00.002-05:00

Monday was my mother's 83rd birthday so we all made the pilgrimage back home.

It was nice to spend time with my sisters. Mom's real gift was having all her girls home at the same time.

Sister Bev, tackled closets and drawers. New shelf lining was put down and several things were discarded (including beach towels that are over 30 years old and thread bare!) She also took on trimming the holly bush outside and doing a thorough cleaning of the kitchen.

My sisters are much more organized than I am and consequently have greater influence on mom. Sister Bobbie, decided that mom needed new place mats and napkins so bought mom a new set and tactfully suggested that she might want to retire the other set. Mom would have none of that and tactfully suggested Bobbie take the new ones home with her! (As you can see, we don't lack for spirit at our house!)

Several of Mom's Birthday surprises turned out to be too much of a change for the poor dear and it took her quite a while and many tears to work through it. Kudos to sister Bev , who was able to calm the situation down and worked tirelessly to resolve the "surprise" upgrade to Mom's Web TV ( despite the network being down for 72 hours!)

Sister, Bobbie, bought mom a fireplace insert that is electric.
It has both logs and flames and can be controlled by remote control. It will also blow out heat if you want it. It is similar to an electric heater. It makes the room very warm and toasty as well as very inviting visually.

My contribution was bringing Mr. Wonderful with me to install everything and fix minor household problems. (Hey, we all have our gifts!)

Mom's email situation is still not settled which is a problem since she really likes getting pictures and notes from her friends and family.

Happy Birthday Mom......may God bless you with many more healthy, productive years.

Random Dozen

2010-01-06T11:28:00.005-05:00

1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being a cranky-baby-hissy-fitter, how much of a complainer are you? I'm pretty mellow so I would give myself a 4. However, it doesn't take
a lot of encouragement to get me to express my frustrations.

2. When someone else is talking, do you listen, or are you thinking about what you're going to say in response? I'm a good listener. At the mission I sometimes think I should post a sign on my door that says...."Psychiatric Help 5 cents". ( hmm....maybe I should have given myself a 6 on the first question.) Most of the time the person just needs someone to vent to and reassurance that their response was valid. Listening involves assessing their body language, tone, inflections, affect and trying to hear what they are really saying.

3. I just deleted 1062 messages from my email account. Do you have any plans for a clean sweep this month--of anything? I need to go through my emails, and organize the folders on my computer at work. I've also got a room by room cleaning process I'm working up to (those kind of things can't be rushed!)

And now, here are some brilliant questions from a gal named Angie at Angie's Ad Lib who graciously offered to let me borrow her brain. Please go over and see Angie because it was so nice of her to help me out. Thank you so much, Angie!

4. Tell us about your perfume. Was it a gift? What does it remind you of? Do you have a signature scent? I rarely wear perfume but if I do it's always Shalimar. It reminds me of vanilla and I'm a very vanilla person. It's light and reminds me of baked goods....need I say more?

5. What is your best organizing tip for the new year? Clean off the table and other drop zones in my house that attract clutter, mail, papers etc.

6. What is your favorite comic strip? Pickles....especially the older I get.

7. Do you sleep with a fluffy or flat pillow? Fluffy, and I also travel with it...I'm a pillow snob.

8. What color is your kitchen? Why did you choose that color? Light blue....it's restful, and matched my plates.

9. What’s the most interesting bumper sticker you’ve seen? Disclaimer: I saw this on a car bumper and it really made me laugh.

10. Do you prefer an expensive writing tool or whatever is lying around? (Are you a Montblanc or a Papermate?) I'm a Staples black ink pen snob. It's cheap, it writes well and the ink flows well. It actually makes my handwriting look better! Who knew? Not to mention that I lose pens frequently.

11. What chore doesn’t feel like a chore – you just enjoy it (at least most of the time)? Baking

12. If your parents often repeated themselves, what is something one of them said more than once?

"you and I are going to go round and round if you do....." I never really knew what that meant but I know it wasn't good and it wasn't something I wanted to find out.

Christmas with Oscar and Emma

2009-12-28T15:15:00.000-05:00

Our very active grands received tunnels and tents from us this Christmas. Oscar seems to get the hang of it right away. He always had the biggest grin whenever he surfaced from one end of the tunnel. Of course he was rewarded for his actions by a very animated Poppa . It was hard to imagine who had more fun....Oz or Poppa.

We got to watch Emma open her tent and connecting tunnel via Skype a few days after Christmas. She really enjoyed the opening gifts part of Christmas and according to her Momma thought getting a gift from Diva and Poppa every day (on her Advent Calendar)was something she really enjoyed. She really liked the Hello Kitty Blink!

Poppa and Diva definitely had some quality time with Oz. This was such a sweet time watching Mr. Wonderful and Oscar playing dinosaur. They were both growling and looking fierce . They were putting together a dinosaur puzzle. (Rather Poppa was and Oz was taking the pieces out as quickly as Poppa put them in.)

Little ones certainly make for a fun Christmas. I've put away the Christmas ornaments till next year. Hope you had a wonderful time with friends and family.

Christmas Wrap up

2009-12-25T16:18:00.000-05:00

Mr. Wonderful and I spent Christmas with my mom in Virginia Beach. We got to spend 5 days with her and discovered several things that needed to be repaired, replaced or fixed while we were there.

It really was a "Divine Appointment" as many of the things we discovered by accident. I was making Christmas cookies for Boy Wonder and Suzy in my mom's kitchen and realized how dark her kitchen is. I was having a hard time reading the recipe so I knew Mom would have even a harder time. Solution: Mr. Wonderful put in under the cabinet lighting so she can see better . He had it installed by the time she came back from her hair appointment. Mom does not like change but did have to admit it was easier to see and cook.

Christmas day I became a bag lady. My mom does all her own yard work and gardening. Several weeks ago the Nor'easter hit Virginia Beach with 60 mile and hour winds. Needless to say quite a few leaves decided to fall during that time and mom felt it was her personal obligation to the neighborhood to rake her's up and bag them. Fortunately she got sick after a few hours in the yard and after coughing for a day or two and finally getting over it....decided to leave the leaves exactly where they wanted to fall. She told us "The leaves don't bother me" which both of us knew was a big fat fib.

So Christmas day, after the presents were unwrapped and everything was cleaned up. Mr. Wonderful and I went out and bagged and raked leaves in her front yard as well as her back yard. Naturally mom complained the entire time but was thrilled to have the task completed. We managed to rake up 14 bags of leaves and inspired her neighbor to rake her front yard. By the time we finished, Mom had made an incredible Christmas dinner with all my favorites so we felt like it was a good trade off.

While working in my Mom's yard we discovered that she needed some drainage gravel on the side of the yard where the drainage comes off the house. I had talked to her about the rather large trench it was making between the driveway and the yard before and she was not in favor of doing anything . Mr. Wonderful decided we really needed to do something about it before it became a liability by having someone fall and break an ankle or also having the driveway collapse because of the ground being washed away. So we decided that forgiveness was easier to obtain than permission and we filled in the trench with drainage gravel. Needless to say my mom was not happy with my decision. ( Which is the reason I also bought her roses for her table to soften the blow a bit.)

By the time we left we had taken her to pick out carpeting to be installed in two weeks when we all gather for her birthday. I had replaced her hot mitts (cause I got burned taking out items from the the oven) and Mr. Wonderful had repair her printer so she can print out pictures we send her. So for one brief moment in time I was the golden child. It's always good to end the year on a high note with your mother. We (the three daughters) are all planning on making the pilgrimage home for Mom's birthday in two weeks.

Christmas Lint from my brain.....

2009-12-22T10:09:00.004-05:00

Today is one of those catch up days and cross things off the to do list.

Mr. Wonderful and I leave tomorrow to spend Christmas with my mom. She is getting excited about our coming and has already informed me of the Christmas dinner she is planning. We keep telling her not to cook so much and she keeps ignoring it so the Christmas tradition continues.

We plan on being in New York to spend time with Tim, Suzy, Oscar and Andy. Since Oscar doesn't know one day from another....any time we get there will be Christmas. I'm wrapping the gifts now and putting them in a separate bag. I'm sure if he is like most boys he will enjoy the box more than the gift!

Check out this picture of Oscar! Doesn't he look like he will be in fine form to rip into Christmas gifts? I love the little devilish grin! Suzy's says he runs everywhere and is quite the climber. Looks like this Diva and Poppa will get a work out trying to keep up with him. I'm sure we can convince Mom and Dad to take a much needed break and spend some time together and let us enjoy some Oz time.

Check out this adorable picture of the divine Miss Em and her braids. It's probably a good thing we don't live closer cause all it would take is this look and a "Pl-ease Dita" and you know I'd be buying her a pony or a convertible. We talked with her last night on Skype and she is enjoying her Advent calendar and according to Becky likes to wear the bow all day. I'd love to have her as my present this Christmas.

We will definitely be missing our Canadians this Christmas. Jerry is working most of the holidays and the cost of traveling makes it hard on all of us. We will be doing some video conferencing so that will help us see Emma's reactions to her gifts. Can you believe our girl will be 3 in January?

Uncle Andy will miss bringing his favorite niece a beautiful flower for a beautiful girl. Speaking of Boy Wonder.....congrats on the two B's and one C he got as final grades in Accounting and Statics (both very hard courses that he will never have to take again! Yippee!)

Look how much Emma has changed!

We will be on the road tomorrow so would appreciate your prayers. We are taking the laptop so might have sneak out to post.

Merry Christmas!

My new favorite cookie

2009-12-20T23:29:00.002-05:00

I'm totally in love with these limited edition Dark Chocolate and Mint morsels.

I made the recipe on back of the package and now it is my all time favorite.

Knowing how I tend to lose recipes I decided to put it on my blog so I can find it again.

If you are a fan of dark chocolate and mint this is a must have recipe.

Mint chocolate delights

2 cups flour 1 cup butter 2 large eggs
2/3 cup Baking cocoa 2/3 cup sugar 1 10 oz package Dark chocolate and mint chips
1 tsp. baking soda 2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven: 325

combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, sugars and vanilla extract in large mixing bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time beating well. Gradually add
flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by well rounded tableshoon unto ungreased baking sheets,

Bake: for 11 to 13 minutes or until cookies are puffed and centers are set. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes, remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Snow.....definitely a White Christmas

2009-12-19T20:04:00.002-05:00

These are the snow people that Mr. Wonderful surprised me with last summer. The surprise is that I found them again for Christmas. I love snowmen. Mr. Wonderful says I have a thing for "fluffy white men" and he's glad because he is one of them.

Yesterday the snow started falling. I personally love to watch the snow especially if I don't have to be out in it. Mr. Wonderful has made some treks out to put wood in the firebox so we have great heat and we are warm and toasty inside our little nest.

At 10 a.m. we had already had 16 inches. Here's some pictures of our back yard.

You can see the accumulation on the bird feeder! It looks so beautiful and serene. Mr. Wonderful is such a softy he made sure the birds had plenty of food.

All church services have been canceled for tomorrow so it looks like we will be watching Dr. Charles Stanley tomorrow morning on the TV.

Here's a picture of our Christmas Country Santa wreath. There are farm animals as well as Santa in Overalls on it. It goes well with our little country cottage.

Living in a small town has its advantages. Santa comes to our door in a firetruck every year. Our Oscar loves fire trucks so I can hardly wait for him to spend Christmas with us so he can see our friendly firemen Santa.

Here's our front porch decorations. It's very striking with the white snow on the ground right now.

No snow pictures are complete without a picture of our favorite grand daughter Emma laughing on a sled. Hope you are enjoying your snow days.

Coming up for air....

2009-12-18T12:08:00.002-05:00

She's back! Yep, I'm coming up for air from my Christmas seclusion. All the Christmas letters are out,( I've written so many Christmas letters for staff at the mission that I'm not sure who I'm talking for at any given time.)

My gifts are all mailed out (about 30 including friends and family.) My advent calendars arrived late but many of my friends use them for decorations until after Christmas anyway. My Tea Cups filled with various teas and pithy sentiments from me ended up being "Emergency Stress Relievers "instead of Advent Calendars.

My Christmas decorations are up.....our tree gets smaller every year with just the two of us. Pictures of our grands dominate the tree including a small hand print of baby Oz that his mommy made us last Christmas.

Our Canadians got their Advent Ribbon just to find out that some of the gifts had been opened .....(hopefully yogurt covered raisins and Hello Kitty socks aren't illegal in Canada.) They didn't open all of them so my labors weren't entirely wasted! You can bigify the picture to see the details of each little package on the ribbon.

Would you believe I was in such a hurry to get my gifts mailed that I forgot to take a picture of my tea cups? I stole this picture from Melli...(guess it was a good idea that I sent her one.) I love nothing better than sitting down with a good friend and catching up on our lives over a hot cup of tea or a steaming cup of coffee ( with peppermint mocha creamer!) I figured this way they would know how much I really miss each and every one of them.

My Christmas shopping is done. Now comes the part I love best. Just sitting here in my little nest, enjoying the Christmas music, great smells from cookies baking in the oven, curled up with a good book in my favorite chair with a great cup of tea watching the predicted foot of snow coming down with no place I have to be.

I love Christmas for all the right reasons!