I am such a dork!

Am I tired or what??? I typed up 2008 in review...not 2007! I even posted on a few blogs: Hope you have a great 2009! I bet they're wondering why I don't wish them a happy 2008! LOL

I am TOO tired! I think I'll go back to bed for a year and then it'll be 2009!

HAPPY 2008!!!

Tagged!

by Perri: Here's how it works:


Link to the person that tagged you (check)


Post the rules on your blog. (check)


Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog, (this is hard!)


Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs. (random..as in strangers?)


Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.


Seven Random Facts about Teresa:


1. My name is Teresa and I am called Teresa...not Terri. Not that there's anything wrong with that name, but when I introduce myself as Teresa, please do not say "Nice to meet you, Terri." (been there, done that...cringed)

2. On Thursday of last week I found out that Hydrogen Peroxide is a great blood stain remover. That may explain why I was strangely happy when Neal cut his finger on a nail Friday and got blood on the carpet. Sick, huh?

3. I was also sickly excited when Ben had a nosebleed Saturday morning and I had another blood stain to clean up.

4. Hydrogen Peroxide does work in cleaning up blood stains!

5. I have a calendar fetish. I have a calendar in almost every room in my house: kitchen, school room, Beth's room, Ben's room, the kids bathroom, and our bathroom. I also carry a pocket sized calendar in my purse.

6. After two years, I am almost finished with the "read the Bible through in a year" plan! Maybe I'll make it through in one year in 2009!

7. I am opposed to "Blu Ray Discs." Why can't they stop at DVDs and leave well enough alone!

Okay, that's it about me. Here's who I tag:

1. Amy
2. Andi
3. Jenny
4. Lyn
5. Sarah
6. Anthony
7. Marsha

2007 (not 2008) in Review

Perri tagged me for another post, but I'm having a hard time coming up with things to write for that one...so I'll start off with reviewing 2007 (not 2008). I've typed the first sentence from the first post of each month in 2007 (not 2008). If you want to read further about that particular post, you can click on the sentence. The first three months are from my old blog. Here goes...

January: My 2006 in Review

Okay, I got this idea from my friend Perri.

February: SNOW DAY!

Shortly after waking up this morning, I shuffled into the kitchen, flipped on the radio, and started the coffee.

March: It's Working -- Too Late

I can't believe it's working now...my blog that is.


April: Baseball and Allergies

Warm temperatures, tulips, daffodils, green grass, budding trees, POLLEN!

May: Driving???

Here's Ben "driving" and Beth telling him what he's doing wrong!

June: Our Super Baseball Player

Ben had a fun season playing baseball with a local church league.

July: Happy 4th of July!

I walked through a county courthouse square,

On a park bench an old man was sitting there.

August: It's Friday! Yaah! I love Fridays!

September: I'm a Girly Girl

I found this on Amy's Blog. Let me know if you do it.

October: Potato Soup Pizza

Since I've been grinding my own wheat the last 4 months, we eat a lot more pizza around here!

November: Yuck!

Last night in the gym at church:

Ben: "I have some bad news."

December: Late Thanksgiving Post

I just downloaded the pictures from my camera and came across this picture of my Cranberry Supreme Salad.

That was kind of fun...for me, anyway. :o) It's fun to look back and see what I've written. Lots of things I would have forgotten if I had not written them down! If you do this on your blog, let me know!

Happy 2008 (not 2009 -- although I wish you a happy 2009 in another year!)!!!

Just Call me Carol...

Your Christmas is Most Like: A Very Brady Christmas

For you, it's all about sharing times with family. Even if you all get a bit cheesy at times.

What Movie Is Your Christmas Most Like?

My Skating Rink

I was able to download a short video of my skating rink. I love the music, but after a while it gets tiring...I'm so glad there's a volume control on it!

(Okay...I was able to see the video when I previewed my post. Is it showing up for anyone?)

A Few of my Favorite Things

These are a few of my favorite things around the house right now:

I have a huge Christmas village, but this year I only set out a few pieces. I was overwhelmed at the thought of having to pack them back up after Christmas! I kind of like it simpler this year for some reason.


This is the skating rink that Neal purchased for me many years ago! The skaters actually skate around and there's Christmas music playing. The ferris wheel moves, too.


A close-up of the tree stand. I would love to buy a tree there!


Here's our tree this year. I just love to sit and look at it.


Every year Neal and I purchase an ornament with the year on it. This is the ornament from our first Christmas as a married couple.


This ornament was made when Ben was about a month old. His hand is so tiny! I love this ornament!


A couple of years ago, Mom gave me some ornaments from when I was a kid. This one was one of my favorites. I can remember decorating the tree while we played Christmas records on the stereo (yes, records! You know...big CD's.) I love the old Christmas songs performed by Bing Crosby or Frank Sinatra.


Have to have a Virginia Tech ornament or two on our tree!


This is one of the ornaments I decorated early in our marriage. I set out to have a "Victorian Tree." It worked until the kids came along, and then any thoughts of a theme tree went out the window! (But that's OK!) :o)


I'd love to see other people's favorite ornaments and decorations! Let me know if you post them on your blog.

Some thoughts on....

The Golden Compass.

No surprise...I'm not going to watch it, and I will not allow my children to watch it. I read an excellent post on a blog that I read that explains very succinctly the way I feel about supporting this movie. I'm going to paraphrase a part of her post for those of you who don't have the time to go over and read her entire post:

There are missionaries all over the word who are dying (yes, dying)or risking their lives due to their commitment to spread the gospel and tell others of Christ. So why in the world would I want to go and support a movie that does the exact opposite of what these missionaries are doing?

Instead, take that money and do something worthwhile with it: support a missionary, or an orphan in a foreign country, or, heck, why not right here in the good ol' USA?! Help out a homeless mission. You don't even have to be a "Believer" to see the common sense in using your money in a more worthwhile way.

There are several "children's" movies/tv shows that we do not allow our children to watch simply because they're a waste of time, or the kids have terrible attitudes that I don't want to portray as okay to my kids, or for other reasons. This movie, however, I will not support just because it is dangerous. Yes, the movie is supposedly watered down and does not have an overtly anti-religious theme (although there are some things in there that I've seen even in movie trailers), but it will just lead children to want to read the books which when you get into the 2nd and 3rd books in the series are very anti-God. Why would I want to support that or the man who wrote the books?

By the way, if you're an athiest doesn't that mean you don't believe in God? So, if God's not real why spend so much time and money trying to kill Him in the eyes of children?

Cookies

Here are two really good (if you like peanut butter) recipes. And they are SO easy!


Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

1 cup peanut butter (I like chunky)
1 cup sugar
1 egg

24 Hershey Kisses

Mix top three ingredients together. Form into 1 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Pull out of oven and place unwrapped Kiss on top of cookie. Place on cooling rack or waxed paper to cool. It will take a few hours for the kisses to harden (if they make it that long!)


I Don't Know the Name of These Cookies, Cookies

Box of Ritz Crackers
Smooth Peanut Butter
Chocolate Bark

Spread peanut butter on one Ritz Cracker and put another cracker on top. Melt chocolate and dip peanut butter crackers into it. Place on waxed paper to harden. (You can also use white chocolate bark. And if you want to decorate them you can sprinkle the colored sugar on them while they are still wet.)

Duh...

I hate it when I myspel words or names, and I really did a doozy this time. (side note: did you know that doozy is not a word. I know because we play Scrabble last night and I looked it up. It's not a word!) Anyway, I did a doozy. I announced a couple of days ago on my blog that Neal and I are supporting "Mike." (BTW -- I was quite disappointed that the news channels didn't carry the story that the "B" family has come out in support of Mike Huckabee. They told that Jerry Falwell, Jr. was supporting him. Hmmpff (don't know how to spell that one either). Anyway, I digress. The other day I misspelled Huckabee. I actually misspelled it today on Andi's blog, too. Embarrassing! It is not Huckaby...it is Huckabee. So don't vote for Mike Huckaby. Vote for Mike Huckabee. :o)

(Edit: I misspelled misspelled when I wrote this. I would also like to know why when I did my spell check that they gave me the option of the word Gospel for myspel. Huh???)

Have You Ever...

You know when you pay for something with a credit card at Walmart or some other store, and one of the last questions the credit card swipey machine asks you is "Is this Total okay?" Don't you seriously just want to look at the clerk and say "No, I would like a lower total, please?" And then just stand there with a deadpan look on your face and watch her squirm?

Our Day Started With A Thump...

Neal decided to take today off to go deer hunting. So at 5:45ish this morning he got up and got ready to go. I got up a little after 6:00 because I had a busy day ahead of me and I knew if I didn't do my Bible reading first thing I'd never get it done. So while Neal finished getting ready I sat on the couch and read my Bible. Around 6:30 he kissed me goodbye and went out the front door. About 3 seconds later I hear "THUMP, THUMP, THUMP, THUMP.". It didn't really sound like that, but I don't know how to spell bwoom, bwoom, bwoom, bwoom, and I hear a big groan and then a big moan (you know the difference don't you?). I rush to the door and flip on the light and there my husband is on the ground at the bottom of the stairs. Unbeknownst to us, it was raining outside (what's the big deal, right?), but it was also 28 degrees! His feet flew out from under him before he even took the first step down! Poor guy! He slowly got up to his feet, and said he didn't break anything and went on hunting. So after my heart slowed down, I sat back down and continued my Bible study after praying for my husband. :o)

I had an appointment 20 minutes away at 7:50 am, so at 7:15 I *carefully* went out and started my car. Boy, was it slick out there. I still hadn't listened to any news or weather reports though. I'm thinking "no big deal, it won't be slick on the roads." Well, it was a big deal...the roads were covered in ice. The first accident I saw (or at least saw the traffic backed up from it) was just past our house. We have a bridge near us that goes over a bypass...the cars were backed up for who knows how long on that road. Still, I thought "no big deal." I had to go to this appointment so I really didn't have a choice. The only other option I had was to go later in the day, but I had a full day scheduled and didn't think I could fit it in.

Long story short...it took me over an hour to get to my appointment. I passed at least 5 accidents on the way...bad ones. One was on a bridge that goes over the James River. A large panel truck rear ended a small car...the car had a carseat in the backseat (the ambulance had already taken the people away). I prayed that child was okay. The second was a few yards past the bridge, and it was a very large SUV on its side. Scary.

Before I left my appointment to come back home, I called the house to check on the kids. Neal answered the phone. I excitedly asked him if he got a deer (since he was home already). He said "no...I'm in pain...it's raining...and it's COLD." He came home. He has been parked in the recliner all day icing his back. When I got home I looked at it and his lower back was swollen and a knot had formed. We think he broke his coccyx (sp?). I think only time will heal this injury...I just hope it's not too long for his sake.

So that was our day up to 9:30 am. I was ready to go back to bed and start all over!

Tiger Beat Questions

I found this on Perri's blog who found it on her friend's blog. Just some goofiness from a 1967 Tiger Beat magazine on this cold December morning:

what is your favorite flower? Carnations (bouquets with all different colors)

what is the most insane question you’ve ever been asked? Do your kids get enough socialization? (Please if they were any more socialized I couldn't stand them!)

what word in the english language do you wish you’d invented? logorrhea (we use this word often to describe our daughter's talking habits)

where would you like to live? I'm quite content where I am...just add on a garage and a screened in porch and I'll be even happier. :o)

what is the first quote that comes to your mind? "I'm your huckleberry." Yes, I am stuck on Tombstone right now.

what do you miss about your childhood? Sitting on my Daddy's lap and listening to his heart beat.

who's your favorite villain? Villian? Hmmmm....Spiderman movies are big at our house right now so I'll choose the Sandman.

what was your favorite subject in school? computer lab

in what hour of the day do you function best? from 5:00 to 6:00 pm (that's when I'm moving around making supper)

if you could change your name, what would you change it to? I'm already Mother Teresa, so who can beat that?

what is the main fault in your character? faults? I don't have any faults? Who are you kidding??? (pride?)

who is your favorite historical figure? In recent history I'd say Ronald Reagan

what in the world do you least desire? Being stuck upside down on a roller coaster.

finish this sentence: “happiness is a thing called…” Love! (the love of my Heavenly Father, my family and my friends)

I Got Elfed!

Hey, I just made a total elf of myself. Check it out by clicking this link below.

If that doesn't work, you can copy and paste this into your browser:

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1174042109


Thanks, Jenny, for this funny idea!

I Like Mike!

Less than a year until we have to choose a new President. Yikes! Well, Neal and I have finally decided on who we would like to see be our Republican candidate. There are others that would be good choices, as well, but Mike Huckaby is our favorite.

I was looking at Jenny's blog tonight and found this clip and it just added to my reasons why "I Like Mike."

For those of you who've watched the movie "Tombstone," here's my slogan for Mike:

"I'm your Huckaby."

Priceless

Beth just told me what her Daddy told her the other night on their date. He said, "Tonight is like one of those commercials:

Gas to drive to restaurant: $3.00

Cost of meal: $75.00

Date with my daughter: PRICELESS!"

Beth's Birthday

Beth's new bedspread. She wants to redo her room in blue and brown. Next we'll have to paint the walls.

Neal took Beth out on a "date" for her 13th birthday. They went to what is probably the nicest restaurant in our town (and most expensive, too). She got to experience having several courses, different forks, and a server who would refill her drink after she would take a couple of sips. She really enjoyed the restaurant and experience, but mostly she enjoyed valuable time spent with her Daddy.

Neal also gave Beth a ring. He called it her "Princess Ring." He told her that when she looked at it she should remember that she is her Daddy's Princess, and that she is also a child of the King (speaking, of course, of God our Father).

Late Thanksgiving Post

I just downloaded the pictures from my camera and came across this picture of my Cranberry Supreme Salad. It was the first salad I'd made in a gelatin mold. Not difficult, just a little time consuming. I'm not a big gelatin salad fan either, but for some reason I was in the mood to try one. Several people said they liked it though. :o)

1 3 oz pkg raspberry-flavored gelatin (I used sugar-free)
2 cups boiling water, divided
1 16 oz can whole-berry cranberry sauce
1 3 oz pkg lemon-flavored gelatin (again sugar-free)
1 3 oz pkg cream cheese, softened (I used reduced fat)
1/3 cup mayo (reduced fat)
1 8 1/2 oz can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 cup whipping cream (I used 1 cup of Cool Whip)
1 cup miniature marshmallows (I used, uh, well, miniature marshmallows ;o)

Dissolve raspberry gelatin in 1 cup boiling water; stir in cranberry sauce. Pour into an oiled 1-1/2 qt round mold. Chill until partially set. Dissolve lemon gelatin in remaining boiling water; set aside. Beat cream cheese and mayo; gradually add lemon gelatin. Stir in pineapple. Chill until partially set. Whip cream; fold into the lemon mixture. Add marshmallows. Spread on top of the cranberry layer. Chill until set. Yield: 12 servings.