A Meme Made by Meeee!!

You can follow along if you dare! Informally tagging all my regular readers who like to do these sorts of things.

Eight Things

Eight things... in my fridge

1. raw milk
2. ketchup
3. Albert's hot sauce
4. eggs
5. lunch meat
6. yeast
7. 4 things of mustard
8. raw cream

Eight things... in my closet

1. box of socks
2. bed sheets
3. lots of shoes
4. hanging clothes
5. hanging jewelry organizer, completely empty!
6. two red table cloths, destined to become living room curtains someday
7. three large boxes of JUNK
8. bumper pads from Ryan's nursery set, made by my mom

Eight things... in my purse

1. three pens
2. flashlight
3. toothbrush
4. one dollar bill
5. mint gum
6. earrings
7. scissors
8. religious tracts from the girls' church

Eight things... in my(bedroom, kitchen, or car, choose one)

1. five quilts
2. three afghans
3. dozens of books/magazines
4. cd player
5. yarn
6. suitcases
7. picture boxes
8. artwork

Just Messin'

First, a fun personality test. Dead-on accurate as usual.

View Full MyPersonality.org Profile

0 50 100	%
Openness	84%
Conscientiousness	16%
Extraversion	5.5%
Agreeableness	64%
Neuroticism	21%

(click to read but don't go by their graph, the numbers aren't right on that one for some reason. they are right here on this one.)

And now collages of pictures scanned on my trip to mom and dad's, click to enlarge and see the lovely details!

These are my dad's parents. His mom is the one in the light colored overalls and on the right in front of the car downtown(bottom pic).



My great-grandfather(the young man) and his parents and siblings(bottom pic) with great-grandpa being the little boy front and center. I'm not sure who the babies are in the first pic.


I'm feeling a bit better today. Enough to make a trip to Hobby Lobby for yarn and crochet hooks! Now we just need to get Mark well and I think we'll be out of the woods. We're expecting nasty ice stormy stuff tonight, bluck.

The flu...

We has it.

Ryan was sick over the weekend of the 17th, I came down with it Tuesday, Sarah on Wednesday, Amy on Thursday, and finally Mark on Saturday. Everyone except Ryan still feels bad. Bluck.

Maybe I'll feel like a real post by mid-week, I've got tons of pictures to upload, transfer and edit. I've missed it! However, I am having fun on Facebook. If yall haven't tried it, do so!!!

We are trying to get back on track today by cleaning guinea pig cages and litterboxes, vacuuming the floors and doing laundry. So far the vacuum is clogged and we've been unable to locate the wad of stuff so the floor won't be happening for now. You wouldn't believe how ready I am to not have carpet in the living area! I'm looking at tile online as I type this but my tastes apparently run to the expensive side. What I want would cost about $4500. Maybe we'll just paint the concrete and get some area rugs...

Inaugural Celebration Chicken With Rice....

A melting pot of spicy flavors...

2 large bone/skinless chicken breasts, in 1-inch cubes
2 bone/skinless chicken thighs, in 1-inch cubes
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
couple glugs of olive oil
1/2-1 teaspoon of each of the following spices, adjust to your taste:
cumin, cayenne(about 1/4tsp of this one), dry mustard, curry, ginger, celery seed, garlic powder, onion powder and salt.
2-3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 14 oz cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes with juice
1 14 oz can pineapple chunks in juice, with juice
1 bunch cilantro, washed and chopped fine


Cook chicken and veggies in oil for 15 minutes. Add spices and cook 5 more minutes. Add soy sauce, tomatoes, and pineapple and simmer for 20 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally. Throw in cilantro and simmer another 10 minutes or so. Serve over hot, buttered rice or grain of your choice.

OBAMAMAMA, this was goooood!!!!

I really should post...

But it feels so good to be lazy!!! I haven't been lazy all the time though, mostly I've been busy! We got in late Monday night, mom and dad left Wednesday morning and we hit the ground running, picking up where we left off but with more laundry. The kids had church Wednesday night, I had a doctor's appt Thursday, kids had to be carted to various and sundry places Friday and Saturday... In between the driving we got some things done. I spent my birthday money, we got a paper shredder for Mark's business, bbq for my birthday, kids went to church and spent the night with friends, etc, etc. Anyway, I am TIRED now and Ryan has apparently contracted the flu, yuck, so we may all be sick next week. He was fine Saturday afternoon when we took him to a friends' house but came down with high fever and chills late that night and has been that way all day today. He tried to watch football but ended up going to bed early.

My camera decided to die while we were on vacation but my brother just happened to be giving me his old one(again). My computer won't upload from it so I have to use the girls' which means no pics for a few days. I'll try to get to that in the next day or so.*G*

It is 8:15 and I'm headed to bed. Whew.

Musical Trip

My dad and I are the singers in the family. Not that we're good, just that we can't help but do it. I sing all day, every day and I'm pretty sure my dad does too. Here's a tiny bit of what we sang along to on our trip from North Carolina to Texas.

I'm HOME!!!

We drove straight through yesterday, leaving a very cold Micaville around 7am and arriving in Longview around 10:30ish(honestly I didn't look at a clock). There was fresh snow on the far end of Yancey county but not too slick on the roads. It was beautiful on the mountains but I don't have a picture, the cameras were packed.

The trip went by really fast, dad and I took turns driving. We saw dozens and dozens of deer all through Mississippi, probably over 100. The girls and I had fun watching for them, until we hit one. Dang things leapt in front of us, the first one made it across to the median, the second one crashed into the rear wheel well. I have no idea if it could have survived its wounds, we found a dent and where it wiped off the road dirt along the back of the SUV. After that it was a nervous trip, there were deer EVERYWHERE!! Thankfully the Louisiana deer weren't as plentiful.

Mark took me to lunch today for my birthday. Then mom and I went and enlarged patterns from several books and magazines for our thrifted wool projects.

We're having homemade chili for dinner with cornbread. Mark's coming home early because we didn't sleep well last night. He's VERY busy with his new company, getting everything in compliance takes a long time!

Anyway, I've got pictures on 3 different cameras so it's gonna be a few days. I'm sure it will take a week to get back to normal!!!


(the girl in the hat is my mom's mom's mom, Ollie Skaggs)

Killing Time...

Here's what my mom and I have been up to today, ignoring housework and laundry, scanning old pictures!! Click to see them better!


(the top middle is us with my great-grandfather who lived 99 years)


(I'm in the budweiser shirt, by the way. AND, my dad still wears that maroon and white tobaggan!)

Conversations with Sarah...

Last night I went on the back porch to observe the weather. Sarah wanted to come too so I had her bundle up. We turned off the porch light so we could see the stars and moon better. I pointed out how we could see snow in the boxwood patch so we were ooohing and ahhing over that. Then...

She told me about how she and Amy had been up there yesterday and seen all sorts of tracks. Some looked just like dog tracks, they were Puppy-girl sized, some were Daisy sized and one was people sized. But it didn't really look like a people foot but more like a cross between a people foot and a dog foot. It was shaped like a sweet potato or cashew and had toes and claws. Hmmmm, my neck hairs stood on end. Like these?



Or the ones found Here.

I casually quizzed her on shape and size and we went inside. Amy described the same thing and I handed them each a pen and paper to draw what they saw, in separate rooms. They came up with the same exact thing, a bear track! Later Ryan verified by looking online at all kinds of tracks. He said it was definitely not canine, the toes didn't go around the pad but were across the top in a line. I let the girls look and they picked out several bear tracks that fit the bill.

They are banned from the hill/boxwood patch for now, unless they have a grown-up with them(preferably not me). Good thing their uncle is coming home today, he can go along.

My mom said that she and my dad saw a bear track up there once, on the trail Sarah and I went on a few days ago(wish I could get pics on here). I plan to investigate later. Where the kids saw the track is all grass, no way a track would show up after the snow melted, but the trail has muddy ruts so there might be one there.

The Family...

Well, MY family anyway...



Check out that poodle perm! I think this was a few weeks before my 14th birthday.

forever flying, a dear friend is gone...

Vyarl Wayne Martin

HURST, Texas — Vyarl Wayne Martin, 46, a veteran of the Army, Navy, and active member of the U.S. Coast Guard Reserves, passed away tragically Sunday, Jan. 4, 2009.

Funeral: 11 a.m. Friday at First United Methodist Church of Hurst with Dr. Michael McKee officiating. Graveside service: 9 a.m. Friday at Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery in Dallas. Visitation: 6-8 p.m. Thursday at Forest Ridge Funeral Home in Hurst.

Vyarl was born April 20, 1962, in Decatur, Texas. He grew up on a farm in Duke, Okla., where he graduated from Duke High School. He attended Western Oklahoma State College and graduated from Oklahoma University with a bachelor of science degree in aviation technology. On May 28, 1994, he married the love of his life, Kim Olivadoti in Batavia, N.Y. Lieutenant Commander Martin served honorably in the United States Army, United States Navy, and more recently the United States Coast Guard for more than 15 years. He was activated after the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, and served in both Memphis, Tenn., and Galveston, Texas, for more than two years, defending the security of our nation during Operation Noble Eagle. In September 2005, he was a key member of the Operations Section during mass-shelter operations in Houston, Texas, following the devastation of New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina. His humanitarian efforts were instrumental in providing food, clothing, medical attention, housing, and other basic human needs to more than 44,000 displaced citizens. For his many accomplishments and service to his fellow countrymen, Lieutenant Commander Martin was awarded the Coast Guard Achievement Medal and the Army Achievement Medal. Vyarl also was employed by Petroleum Helicopter, Inc. of Morgan City, La. For more than three years. He flew for PHI carrying oil rig workers to offshore platforms. Before working for PHI, he was a flight instructor at Meacham Airport in Fort Worth. Vyarl dearly loved to fly and was a pilot for jets, single/muti engine planes, and helicopters. He was a member of the VMAX Club and the Gold Wing Club. He will be dearly missed by all of his family, friends, and co-workers. Vyarl was preceded in death by his parents, Pastor Adrian Martin and Treva Davis Martin. Survivors: Loving wife, Kim Martin; brothers, Joel Martin and wife Deanna and Kip Martin and wife Lana; uncle, Stanley Davis and wife Barbara; niece, Hannah; nephews, John, Luke, and Mark; and numerous cousins.

Deer and music....

The more I listen, the more I like them. First Aid Kit.





Now for the deer!! I wish I had been able to slip out the door to take these pictures. There was a mama, a daddy, and two babies. I only managed to get one shot of the mama, running across the yard to join the others. They were in the front yard late last night, I could see their eyes glowing blue when I stepped out before bed. This morning they were in front of the picture window for about an hour but I only found the camera at the last minute.


(mama deer sprinting across the yard)


(babies nibbling)


(babies watching mama who'd snuck around the back and come up the neighbor's driveway)


(watching and listening)


(itching)

thrifted afghan pictures...

I just LOVE this afghan!! My mom's mom had one and I have always wondered where it went. I'm sure some cousin has it but mom thinks it may have been donated. No telling, that was well over 20 years ago. Anyway, I've never seen one in a thrift store til now and this is a beauty! There are several squares in need of shoring up with some matching yarn but that can wait til we get back home, it won't unravel before then. Sorry for the poor quality of the pictures, it was late at night and I've got no editing software on this computer.










(Nan kicking Bert's butt on bags of our salvaged wool)

I snatched the girls' camera....

Wish I had a way to upload from mine, it makes better pictures. These will have to do for now. Hope to have some of the kitties soon. Click to enlarge, they are worth it.


(from driveway looking right)


(house for sale across from driveway)


(shed included)


(storm clouds over the mountain-driveway looking left)


(this was absolutely gorgeous)


(house- on right side of drive looking up- next pic is from same place turned to the left)


(mean ol' Buckaroo, lives up to his name by trying to bite the hand that pets him and kicking too!)


(he is pretty handsome though)

Is this cute or what?

My parents adopted two babies several months ago. This is Bert and he weighs about 5 pounds. They look like china cat figurines, very beautiful and delicate. Nan is a bit shy but I've got some pics on my camera. I'm trying to figure out how to get them onto the girls' computer, which is where I'm posting from now. Hopefully I can get it all worked out soon.

Mom and I have been going nuts at the thrift stores with the wool blazers and sweaters. So far we've deconstructed at least 15 or 20 and there are maybe 15 more to work on. We'll end up halving the goods when we're done. I have LOTS of ideas in the works, LOTS! I'm also working on my third batwing shawl. Its about halfway finished.

It was 14 degrees here this morning!! We're expecting snow on Friday but it will be followed by rain and won't stick. When we were here 2 years ago there was the pretty kind of snow that stayed for 3 days. The kids were in heaven. I wish it would do the same this time.

Anyway, that's the goings on here. I don't know what we'll do today for our New Year's celebration. I'd like to cook something, maybe a chocolate pie or something.