Time to Eat

Appetizer
What does the color dark green make you think of?

Dark green makes me think of money.

Soup
How many cousins do you have?

I counted and I have 26 (I think) first cousins. My second cousins are closer to my age and there are a whole bunch of them!

Salad
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how honest are you?

Nine. At one time a guy I was dating told me I was the most honest person he knew - sometimes brutally honest - but always honest.

Main Course
Name something that is truly free.

Jesus's saving love is the only thing I know of that is truly free.

Dessert
Using the letters in the word SPRING, write a sentence.

Some people really inspire new growth.

Thirteen Simple Green Things We Now Do

1. Use the new fluorescent light bulbs. (Note: some of these contain mercury so be very careful not to break them and to dispose of them properly.)
2. Changed to cloth napkins.
3. Purchased reusable Meijer grocery bags. (I love these. The handles make them easier to carry and they hold way more than the plastic bags.)
4. Reuse the plastic bags we do get as trash bags for small bed and bath wastebaskets.
5. Placed a bag (card store size) with the new batteries so old/dead ones can be placed in the bag for safe disposal.
6. Made a habit of lowering the thermostat in areas of the house not being used.
7. Made a habit of opening blinds & curtains to let sunlight in during the day and closing them in the evening to keep heat in.
8. Unplugged cell phone chargers and only plug them in when charging a phone.
9. Mark water bottles with our names and refill them rather than buying more.
10. Wash almost all laundry in cold water.
11. Open dishwasher to allow dishes to air dry rather than running the dry cycle.
12. Have a bin for recycling cans. These are donated to a local charity that collects them.
13. Starting to shop for a more green vehicle to replace the "formerly known as HHR". (Not in a big hurry on this one as my instinct is still to want to buy a nice, safe Army tank.)

Check back next Thursday for some wreck/insurance/etc. tips and pictures of the "formerly known as HHR".

Two for Tuesday-yadseuT rof owT

I am a Violet What Flower Are You?

It's really funny that I'm a violet since that is my Mom's name! The explanation says: "You have a shy personality. You tend to hesitate before trying new things or meeting new people. But once people get to know you, you open up and show the world what you are really all about."


The birds are out and flying around at my house and there are geese everywhere. I had to stop three separate times, in three different places, this past weekend to let geese cross the road!

Now Serving

Appetizer
Given the choice, would you prefer to live in the country or in the city?

Definitely the country! I love the outdoors and nature. We currently live on five acres that was all woods until we cleared part for the house, driveway, etc. I do enjoy being in the city too so I always want to live within an hour or so of a big city - but I wouldn't want to live there.

Soup
Who is the cutest kid you know?

Grandbaby Jaiyda, of course!

Salad
Fill in the blank: I couldn’t believe it when I heard my friend, Linda, got an email from Clinton Kelly from What Not To Wear! Really!

Main Course
If you could star in a commercial for one of your favorite products, which one would you want to advertise?

My first thought, currently, would be OnStar!!! It really does work just like on the commercials! Until a month ago my answer would probably have been Enviga, Mt. Dew, or New York & Co. jeans.

Dessert
What type(s) of vitamins and/or supplements do you take on a regular basis?

Viactiv chocolate multi-vitamin.

Thursday Thirteen - Words

I'm feeling the need to do something lighthearted so my Thursday Thirteen is a list of 13 words that because of the way they sound or look just amuse or confound me.

1. phenomenon
2. asterisk
3. refrigerator (who came up with that name anyway)
4. Arkansas (when they named this state were they claiming it as their version of Kansas)
5. bookkeeper
6. onomatopoeia (obviously this word does not fit it's definition)
7. echo (echo, echo, echo)
8. oxymoron
9. meme (the debate on how this is pronounces rages on)
10. Ohio ( I always want to write/type this OhiO)
11. peppercorn
12. syllabus ( why can't they just say course outline instead of silly-bus)
13. VACATION ( It's just my favorite word for what it means - not for any of the aforementioned reasons)

St. Patrick

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

So, on St. Patty's Day most people are thinking of corned beef and cabbage, green beer, parades (for politicians), rivers dyed green, four-leaf clovers, leprechauns, and all that blarney.

The real holiday is a feast for the patron saint of Ireland who was captured as a teen and taken to be a slave in Ireland. While captive his faith and prayer life grew. Six years later he escaped and eventually became a part of the church and returned to Ireland as a Christian missionary. He is said to have baptised thousands of people and to have ordained many priests. While there is no proof, the legend of his use of the shamrock as a representation of the trinity - Father, Son, Holy Spirit- is likely accurate.

So, today, every time you see a shamrock, think of the trinity. Every time you see green, think go. Go on your own mission - go serve, go tell, go love, go share.

Sermon in a Sentence

Compassion will cure more sins than condemnation.

-Henry Ward Beecher

Munchies

Appetizer
On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 as highest), how much do you like your own handwriting?
Probably a 5. I don't think I have pretty handwriting by any means but it is legible which shows an improvement that has happened over the years.

Soup
Do you prefer baths or showers?
Showers- definitely! In a bath I just feel like I'm sitting in my own dirt - ick! I will, occassionally, take a bubble bath or a whirlpool bath just to relax.

Salad
What was the last bad movie you watched?
Define watched. We like NASCAR so we started watching Talladega Nights. It was so bad, however, that we turned it off about 15 minutes in to it.

Main Course
Name something you are addicted to and describe how it affects your life.
Enviga - my ultimate caffeine fix. I get the Mt. Dew caffeine but with the added benefits of green tea antioxidants and 20% of the RDA of calcium. The only way it really affects my life is the expense because it is pretty pricey and the search to find it. Only a few stores carry it and the ones that do run out quickly.






Dessert
Which instrument is your favorite to listen to?
Piano - althought, with St. Patty's day coming up, I should mention that I also like bagpipes.

Two for Tuesday-yadseuT rof owT + Plus one.

Okay, I don't know if my brain is still scrambled from being thrown around like a rag doll in the wreck or if I'm getting blonder by the minute but I have been doing some pretty goofy things lately. So here are three things I've done that you might want to avoid.

1. We moved a spare mattress into the bedroom yesterday for me to sleep on instead of the very uncomfortable couch. Yeah! It is half in the sitting area and half in the bedroom so that Rocky can still get around it in the wheelchair. Do not, however, when trying to put the sheets on, fling them out like you do in a non-confined area. This will result in somehow managing to crack your knuckles into the door frame and adding to the bumps and bruises you already have.

2. If you think you turned the curling iron on but the little red light is not lit up, do not check to see if it is hot by taking ahold of the barrel! This will result in a very sore hand, several "not so nice" words, and the discovery that the curling iron is working fine except for the little red light which has apparently burned out.

3. If you are recovering from a recently broken nose, no matter how excited you are to see your beautiful granddaughter and be able to hold her again, do not hold her close enough that she can unintentionally bop you in the nose. This will result in tears running from your eyes and the urge to both wet your pants and drop the baby (neither of which is an option).

Double Feasted

Since I was unable to do last weeks feast and am so glad to be back feasting, I'm doing two this week.

Feast One Hundred & Eighty One-March 7, 2008

Appetizer If you could be any current celebrity for one whole week, who would you want to be?

Oprah

Soup On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how much do you enjoy talking on the phone?

Four- although it depends a lot on who I'm talking to.

Salad Name a charitable organization to which you have donated (or would like to).

New Life Ministries www.newlife.com

Main Course What is a food you like so much you could eat it every single day for a month?

Pizza

Dessert Have you or anyone in your family had the flu this year?

Yes, even though I had my flu shot. - - -


Feast One Hundred & Eighty One-February 29th, 2008 •

Appetizer Who was the last person you hugged?

Jackie - my daughter-in-law's mother - she and her husband were leaving after visiting and bringing us dinner because of the wreck.

Soup Share a beauty or grooming trick or tip with us.

Use Witch Hazel for an astringent. It is inexpensive but is the main ingredient is some of the most expensive brands.

Salad What does the color yellow make you think of?

Sunshine and daffodils

Main Course If you were to make your living as a photographer, what subject would your pictures revolve around?

I would LOVE to make my living as a photographer and I would photograph nature and scenes all over the world!

Dessert What was the longest book you ever read?

As in number of pages or as in "will this book ever end"? Pages would be Gone With the Wind (I think I finally finished it). "Will it ever end" would be my anthropology textbook in college. I didn't think the class would ever end either.

13 Things I'm Thankful For This Week

Our wreck on the 23rd has been an eye opening experience in many ways. We have seen first hand God's protection and blessing and we have been made aware of how many things in life we take for granted. The following 13 are just some of them.

I am thankful-

1. for God's hand and sovereignty over every situation and that He can bring good out of anything.
2. to be alive - to be able to have more time on this Earth with our children, family, and friends, and to hold my granddaughter, and pet my dogs, and watch the snow, and feel the warmth of the sun.
3. that my husband is alive and recovering. (And being a very good patient, by the way.)
4. that our daughter and unborn son are alive and healthy.
5. that everyone else involved in the accident is alive and that once my vehicle was hit it did not hit anyone else - just a light pole.
6. that we are blessed with children (including our son-in-law and daughter-in-law) who are willing and able to "step up" in an emergency situation.
7. nurses - who every day do a job that I certainly never could.
8. for the CNA/CPA's who change the sheets, gowns, and bathe the patients and do so with kindness, consideration, and respect.
9. for the EMT's who were quick, professional, and understanding.
10. for dear friends and family who have provided prayers, meals, help with housekeeping, companionship, run errands, and other things to numerous to mention in order to help us. We are truly blessed to have you in our lives.
11. for the lessons that God has and continues to teach us throughout this ordeal and that He has allowed us to share His love with roommates and others.
12. for His amazing provision which is so perfectly timed.
13. for a "wake-up call" about priorities, what is truly important, and how very, very blessed we really are.

I Didn't Really Fall Off the Face of the Earth- But It Sure Feels Like It

Hi to all my bloggy friends! I know it's been a long time without a post so let me update you as to why. Saturday Feb. 23rd my husband, daughter (the pregnant one), and I were on our way to do some shopping in Indianapolis when we were hit by a full size pick-up truck that had been stolen. The man driving the truck ran the red light and hit us at between 45-50 mph. I was driving (what used to be my cute HHR), my husband was in the passenger seat and my daughter was sitting behind me. Each person's placement is important in that we know that God for-knew this accident would happened and placed our daughter in the back seat. Normally on a trip like this my husband would sit in the back where he has a little more shoulder room and let her sit in front to visit with me. He & I both thought of mentioning doing that before we left home on Saturday, but for some reason (God), neither of us said anything. The car was hit at the front wheel and front of the passenger side door so my husband sustained the worst injuries. He has four broken ribs, had a punctured, collapsed lung and a compound/compression fracture in the first lumbar of his back. The lung is doing really well and the ribs and knee are healing. The back requires a brace which we refer to as his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle shell. He will probably be in it for 3 months. With the combination of injuries (ribs on his right side, knee fracture on the left) someone must be with him all the time. Daughter and baby are doing fine. She was able to get out of the car herself and was monitored at the hospital to check the baby and both are doing well. She has some serious bruising and a cut on her neck from the combination of her seat belt and her necklace. I was knocked unconscious so I don't remember any of the actual accident. We're not sure if my nose was broken or just bloodied but my son and his wife said that when they arrived at the ER I looked in worse shape than my husband. Thankfully, I am just bruised about everywhere, both internally and externally. (Who knew your body could make an entire rainbow on its own!) So, while I am thankful that it was clearly not any of our times to fall off the face of the Earth, it definitely feels like I took that big a fall. Needless to say my vehicle (formerly known as my HHR) is totaled. We were very well cared for by the EMT's and Methodist Hospital and are very grateful to the nurses, doctors and staff and the many people who have prayed, called, cooked, and help in numerous ways throughout this ordeal. We have seen God's hand all over this experience and my husband and I have both commented on important lessons that we have learned from it. So my Two For Tuesday thoughts are the two most important lessons we've learned:

1. God is in control - always.
2. God, family and friends are the only real priorities in life. None of the rest of it matters.

My blogging may be intermittent over the next few weeks but I have a lot I want to share with all of you about the things this "accident" has taught/shown me.