Sanity Check

What's happened to TV?

2011-03-09T18:29:00.001+01:00

Is it just me or has television simply gone to hell in a hand basket? (Does that sound like somebody's grandma talking or what? ☺) We recently spent a couple of years living overseas where our TV viewing was minimal and somewhat "tame." We moved back to the States a few months ago and all I can say is... Wow! What a difference a couple of years makes! I'm completely and utterly taken aback by the "in your face" shows we're bombarded with these days. Seemingly nothing is off-limits. The more drama and dirt, the better.

There are some shows that have actually been on the air for several years, which I still find hard to believe. Need an example? Okay, how about The Jerry Springer Show? Who watches this garbage? Show of hands, please. This is seriously the most pathetic form of entertainment ever! They round up these dysfunctional people who seemingly can't wait to air their dirty laundry for the whole world to see and hear. Is it all real? Do people truly stoop this low to in order to be seen on television? I can't watch this show in its entirety. I've tried, for the sheer sake of giving it a chance before I judged it too harshly, but it's impossible. I'm embarrassed for the guests and I want to ask Jerry Springer if he feels good about himself for the role he plays in perpetuating the aggressive, vulgar, totally inappropriate behavior his guests display show after show.

Have you ever watched daytime soap operas? I've been a big fan of the ABC shows... All My Children, One Life to Live and General Hospital. I started thinking about what happens on these shows and have realized that the storylines are full of indecency... people sleeping around, cheating on their significant others, ruining lives, etc. How uplifting is that? I don't want my kids to see any of that nonsense.

Some of the newer shows on TV that make me crazy are these reality shows such as Jersey Shore, The Bachelor, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane, Jerseylicious and Real Housewives of ___________ (You can literally fill in the blank here as there are multiple versions of this show). These shows put fame, fortune and all things fake on a big ol' pedestal. They scream, "Look at me! Look at me!" Everyone wants to be seen, no matter what. Just listen to this (You'll need to turn off the music on the right-hand side of this blog & then click on the video below.).

Now I ask you... have you ever seen as much makeup, big hair, bling and cleavage in your life? OK, maybe you have, but is this something I really care to look at week after week? And that's just the visual! What about the language? This whole scenario may be 100% fake, but my question is ... WHO CARES? What kind of message are they trying to send viewers? I guess I don't understand the point of the show. It's like junior high on steroids with the cat fights, back stabbing and trash talk. There is nothing... I mean NO-THING redeeming about this show.

TV shows aside... What about our news media? Boy, they are over the top with their coverage of negative stories, aren't they? It's like they take great pleasure in exposing the most ugly, sordid details of people's lives and situations. Think about the people you see in the news most often and the reason(s) why. There seems to be a heck of a lot more negative than positive press, wouldn't you agree?

One would have to be deaf and blind not to realize this is actor Charlie Sheen, particularly since his wild, erratic behavior is a very popular topic right now. He's such a talented actor, but his personal life is a hot mess, and his business has become everyone's business because the media makes sure he's everywhere we turn... TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, the internet... you name it, Charlie's there.

It's no secret who this young lady is, especially since the photo happens to include her name. I chose an older photo of Miley Cyrus to post here because this was before all the drama in her life seemingly started. This is a younger, more carefree & innocent Miley. I don't know anything about her other than what the media would have us believe, and how true any of that is... well, it's anybody's guess. Her provocative photos must sell because we certainly see lots of them in the media.

I keep hearing the song Dirty Laundry by Don Henley playing in the back of my mind. Do you know that song? The lyrics ring so true... "People love it when you lose. They love dirty laundry...... Kick 'em when they're up, kick 'em when they're down." As much as we may think it would be cool to be famous, I think celebrity status carries with it a huge burden. Living your life in the spotlight for all to see, being constantly under the microscope and having people who don't even know you judge your every action must be very difficult.

What is it about our society that makes us want to watch and celebrate others make complete messes of their lives? Why are we obsessed with people who are "train wrecks waiting to happen"? We seem to get pleasure out of other people's pain and misfortune. The more they misbehave, the more attention they get... because we give it to them. We watch the shows and read the articles that gossip about others. Why? Does it make us feel better about our own lives?

TV can be fun, entertaining and educational, and I truly enjoy watching sometimes, but I find myself tuning out more than in these days because quite frankly, I'm tired of the negative messages I'm receiving. Whatever happened to shows like The Waltons and Little House on the Prairie?

Pray continually... and have a good attitude about it!

2011-03-08T03:10:00.015+01:00

The subject of praying continually has been on my mind and in my heart a lot lately, so much so that I decided to blog about it here.

Sometimes I feel completely overwhelmed with the number of prayer requests I receive every week. Do you know what I'm talking about? The cares and concerns of family members and friends are often enough to make me want to hang my head and cry. There are so many hurting people! I find myself almost wanting to turn a deaf ear to yet one more need, one more sad situation. I often just don't know how to pray effectively, but guess what? We're called to pray. And not just pray, but pray continually.

I've started making a mental list of those I have been asked to pray for lately, and honestly, the number is staggering. I have family and friends who are currently...

coping with divorce,

exhausted caretakers of elderly parents with major physical & emotional issues,

living with life-threatening illnesses,

struggling to help their nearly-grown child, who frequently finds drama and trouble, to learn from past mistakes and to move forward,

on an emergency trip home to visit a sick family member whose prognosis is unknown,

on an emergency trip home to attend a funeral after the unexpected death of a beloved parent,

living with Alzheimer's,

struggling with how to best serve the Lord; they have willing hearts, but unable bodies to serve in the way they had originally planned,

going through yet another military deployment,

dealing with family members' alcohol addiction...

The list could truly go on and on. You may have a similar list of needs and concerns, whether written or in your heart, that you're constantly praying over. It's easy to get depressed when I realize how much suffering there is in our world, just among the people I know personally. How can I possibly help any of these people? I can't. Not alone anyway. But I know someone who can, and hopefully you do too. Our Heavenly Father has the ability. He is mighty and capable, and He knows our deepest needs.

Amazingly enough, this same topic of praying continually came up today in the women's Bible study I attend. Coincidence? Nah, I totally think it was a God thing. I ♥ God things, don't you? Anyway, here's what the Bible tells us about praying continually...

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV, 2011)

How on earth is it possible to rejoice and give thanks while praying over unhappy circumstances? Is God serious? Does He really expect us to be able to have a good attitude in the process? Yes... He really does! Admittedly, that's a huge challenge for me. I don't have what I would call a strong prayer life. I'm selfish with my time and I'm not exactly the most faithful prayer warrior. I'm aware, however, that I'm a work in progress, and God is patient with my inadequacies. I'm trying to be more faithful with my prayer time. And let's face it, our world needs all the prayers we can pray... and then some!

The rejoicing & giving thanks part of prayer... well, I have to work on those aspects too. I don't think God expects me to be "happy" about the sorrow and suffering of others. I think He wants me to find hope & joy in the relationship I'm continually building with Him as I pour out my heart to Him and intercede for others, and that's where I can eventually find that thankful spirit. I can be thankful having the knowledge that God is always with me (and you) and He's not going anywhere. He hears our prayers, mine and yours.

I've often thought that there are certain times when praying is simply all we can do, but it's always the best we can do.

Where's HGTV when I need them?

2011-02-08T15:14:00.038+01:00

We're contemplating a few home decorating upgrades. We've had some of our furniture for years, items that were passed down to us from family members, which we were grateful to receive when we were newlyweds. We've purchased several new things over the years, but we also still have many of the hand-me-downs as well. Now that we've been in this house for more than 6 months, we've decided we want to make some changes and replace a few pieces of furniture, as well as add some paint and window treatments in a couple of rooms. Sounds like fun, doesn't it? In theory, yes, but in reality, not so much.

We've moved many times in the past 15 years, and so often I've made the mistake of rushing out to purchase bedding or curtains (just fill in the blank here) to hurry up and make our house a home, one that reflects our personal style. (Luckily my husband and I do have similar tastes, which is a blessing.) I literally jump the gun and end up regretting choices I've made, because I eventually find something I like more. I hate that!

I vow every time we move that I'm not going to do that this time, however, old habits die hard, and I get so excited and anxious to get things in order that I don't allow myself time to mull things over before making final decisions. Life in the military can be so chaotic and uncertain, therefore I figure I can at least organize and decorate our home, an area over which I can actually take control. Am I speaking to anybody?

Now I'm more cautious and consider things for a longer period of time, but I'm starting to lose my focus and have come to a standstill in all projects. I can't make up my mind about anything. I'm afraid I have no style. I see these awesome ideas on TV, in catalogs & magazines, but when it comes to putting those ideas that appeal to me into motion, I draw a blank. I just want a professional to swoop in and do it all... furniture, window treatments, painting... all of it! Please?

2011-02-07T15:13:00.009+01:00

I ♥ Bookworm! I'm not kidding. There are days when I could literally sit at my computer for hours on end playing this awesome game. It's a word game, so I'm exercising my brain, which is a good thing, right? It's not like I'm totally wasting my time. Please!

Okay, so I've let the laundry pile up a bit. I'll catch up. The kids can cook their own dinner once in a while. I've been meaning to teach them a little more responsibility lately anyway. Hey, it's okay to go without showering for a few days, right? Everybody does it! What's the big deal? Yes, I know my shoulder, arm and wrist ache, but that's certainly not due to tennis elbow as a result of playing a harmless online computer game. For heaven's sake!

Hi, my name is Marva and I'm a Bookworm addict. There... I've admitted my problem. Isn't that the first step to recovery?

God Will Take Care of You

2011-02-02T16:58:00.002+01:00

This is just about the sweetest video ever. I don't even need to add any commentary here. Just check it out.

Told ya so, didn't I?

The Good Napkins

2011-01-31T00:09:00.008+01:00

Someone emailed the following story to me and it made me giggle, which I've been needing to do more often lately. I have no idea where it originated, or if it's even true. Does it matter anyway? I think not. I figured I'd share it with you in hopes that it will make you giggle as well... Enjoy!

THE GOOD NAPKINS

My mother taught me to read when I was four years old (her first mistake). One day I was in the bathroom and noticed one of the cabinet doors was ajar. I read the box in the cabinet. I then asked my mother why she was keeping "napkins" in the bathroom. Didn't they belong in the kitchen? Not wanting to burden me with unnecessary facts, she told me that those were for "special occasions" (her second mistake).

Now fast forward a few months .... It's Thanksgiving Day, and my folks are leaving to pick up my uncle and his wife for dinner. Mom had assignments for all of us while they were gone. Mine was to set the table.

When they returned, my uncle came in first and immediately burst into laughter. Next came his wife who gasped, and then began giggling. Next came my father, who roared with laughter. Last came Mom, who almost died of embarrassment when she saw each place setting on the table with a "special occasion" Kotex napkin at each plate, with the fork carefully arranged on top. I had even tucked the little tail in so they didn't hang off the edge!

My mother asked me why I used these and, of course, my response sent the other adults into further fits of laughter. "But, Mom, you said they were for special occasions!"

Pass this on to your girlfriends who need a good laugh.

Life is too short for drama & petty things, so kiss slowly, laugh insanely, love truly and forgive quickly... and for heaven's sake, use the good napkins whenever you can.

Where do I belong?

2011-01-26T14:50:00.016+01:00

Do you ever feel like a spectator, seemingly always observing, but never truly participating in anything? That's sort of where I am at this point in my life. I don't say that to garner sympathy, only to perhaps see if anyone else is experiencing a similar feeling, and if so, how you're handling it.

The military lifestyle has called our family to move frequently, which has naturally meant that we've found ourselves in unfamiliar surroundings and situations over the years. We've been the "new family" in the _____________ (Fill in the blank with whatever word happens to be appropriate... squadron, church, school) many, many times. That doesn't normally bother me, as I'm not particularly shy, but I think the tables are turning for me and I'm finding that I'm not as comfortable in these settings as I once was, and I'm growing weary of being that new person everywhere I go.

You're probably familiar with the phrase "Bloom where you're planted." That's been my mantra for years. I know that we're only going to be residing in a place for a short time, and I have a choice of either sitting at home all alone or embracing my new surroundings, which, for me, means exploring the area, meeting new people and getting involved. I end up investing in a group of friends and it's always hard to leave and move on to the next place. I think that's the way it should be.

Leaving Spain to move back to the States was difficult. I had an awesome group of close friends and we did everything together. I think overseas assignments can tend to be very intimidating and isolating, therefore they lend themselves well to these types of tight-knit relationships. While I knew I was blessed to be there and to have these wonderful women in my life, I truly had no idea just how blessed. Don't you hate figuring these things out after the fact? I'd have treasured those people and that time in my life even more if I'd only known then what I know now.

I really thought that moving back to the States would be a fairly easy transition though. I mean, we'd lived in this area of Illinois before, so it was familiar territory. We had a church lined up, a beautiful home we'd purchased and good schools for the boys (That's debatable at times, but that's another post). So why do I feel this way? And what does "this way" mean? I can't verbalize it other than to say that it's unfamiliar to me and not at all what I'd expected.

Our military base is very "rank heavy," meaning there are lots of high-ranking officers stationed here. I have been in several situations over the last 6 months that have left me feeling very unwelcomed and discontented, situations where people are obviously name dropping, I suppose to impress others with the fact that they know "So & So." I've endured conversations where all people can talk about is their husbands' jobs and who's making general. I think it's great that people are being promoted, and they have my respect, especially considering how difficult it can be to make such a high rank, not to mention the time and attention their jobs require. I just know that these folks put on their pants the same way I do every day.

Quite frankly, I'm not interested in superficial relationships at this point in my life because they have no substance. I don't want to get to know someone just because her spouse is a general. Don't people see the insincerity of those who so are so obviously playing the game? I just want to be friends with someone because I enjoy her company and have a common interest. I don't really care what her spouse does. Does rank have to be a prerequisite for friendship?

I'm extremely proud of my husband for his military accomplishments because I know he's worked very hard in his career. I admire his stamina and dedication to being the best he can be, but not just in terms of his military career. I'm even more proud of the person he is, and how blessed the boys and I are that he's my husband and their father. My husband's rank has no real bearing on my feelings for him. Am I proud that he's earned his rank? Yes, of course I am. Does it make him more important/special in my eyes? No, it does not. And more to the point, does/should his rank elevate me as a person? Absolutely not! I could go the rest of my life without hearing "What does your husband do?" and be just fine.

I've always considered myself to be outgoing and hospitable. I'm all about inclusion and have tried to go out of my way over the years to reach out to newcomers, knowing how it feels to be in their shoes, and also knowing how great it is to be on the receiving end of a warm welcome. There's no better feeling!

I don't feel warmth here, not yet anyway. I'm still searching, and trying not to let my own judgmental feelings get in the way. Not everyone is careless and calculating. I know there are other women here who want the same things I do. I'm attempting to surround myself with positive, genuine people. One of the loneliest feelings for me is not having a sense of belonging. I no longer belong to the group of people I just left, and I don't yet belong to a group of people in my new surroundings. In the meantime, I wonder... Where DO I belong? God willing, I will eventually figure that out, hopefully sooner than later.

I'm still kickin'... and cleanin'

2011-01-13T16:19:00.012+01:00

It's been several weeks since my last post, and I wonder if I can remember how to do this blogging thing. Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's have all come and gone and now it's mid-January. For heaven's sake, I feel like I've lost a huge chunk of my life in the blink of an eye.

To be completely honest, I haven't felt like I had that much to share with anyone. I guess after having lived overseas and traveled to so many incredible places, it doesn't seem particularly exciting to write about my day-to-day life in Illinois.

Then again, maybe, just maybe, you might find my daily adventures amusing, because I manage to do a lot of really goofy things... things that would probably boost your self-esteem by several points. And of course I share all of this with my readers, all 3 of you, because it's like a community service kind of deal. I'm here for YOU!

Need an example of a goofy thing I've done? I'm happy to oblige. Just two days ago, I opened my refrigerator and discovered it reeked of something really strong, but I couldn't quite put my finger on the cause. I started moving items around on the very full shelves (Thank you, Lord, for lots of food to eat!), and finally determined the odor was coming from a jar of pickled beets that had overturned in the back of the refrigerator.

Oh, okay... no problem, I figured. I would just wipe up the mess and be done. That's not how it went down... not even close. This turned out to be a 2-hour ordeal that required the removal of every single jar, bottle, baggie, package and plastic bowl we owned, as well as all of the shelves and drawers themselves. Yep, that reddish pickled beet juice was everywhere. I kid you not. How could that much juice be in one little jar of pickled beets? Enough to drain out and splatter onto (and into) three shelves, three drawers, down the back of the refrigerator, onto the wound up water tubing, and then of course it pooled in the very bottom too. Just a fantastic mess! I can make 'em, I tell ya!

I should have taken a photo, but I was so on the verge of tears that it didn't occur to me at the time. The first 15 minutes of cleaning wasn't that bad, but that's because I hadn't realized to what extent my refrigerator was covered in pickled beet juice. Once I fully understood the serious cleaning job that awaited me, I began to mutter to myself, and eventually laugh, and I don't mean just a chuckle. I mean hysterical laughing, out of control laughing, the kind that could worry others who happen to be in your presence.

Just so you know, this exact scenario happened to me just a year or so ago. Yep, pickled beets and I don't have a good track record together. Maybe that's my cue to stop buying them. In fact, I feel pretty certain God Himself is trying to tell me that I need to cut pickled beets out of my diet altogether. You know what? Message received!

On a positive note, my refrigerator is spotless now. Don't envy.

I'm thankful for...

2010-11-19T15:52:00.078+01:00

As a kid, I remember singing these songs, not just in church, but in school as well. Most schools don't allow this type of music anymore, unless they're parochial schools. That truly saddens me. More and more it seems we're pushing God out, doesn't it? We're forgetting where we came from and turning our backs on our Heavenly Father, the One who created us, and loved us so much that He sent His one and only Son to save us all. While I can't begin fathom that kind of love, I do know that I'm thankful for it.

Thanksgiving is upon us, which seems hardly believable, as I think it was July and then I blinked and it became mid-November. Time is flying, which it certainly tends to do the older I get. But let's not talk about my age, okay? I'd rather talk about the blessings, both big and small, for which I'm thankful.

You know a person could go on and on about the blessings in his/her life, which would make for quite a lengthy blog post. What I'm gonna do, in the interest of time, yours and mine, is to think of things I'm thankful for that begin with each letter in the word "thankgiving." Deal?

Let's see... I might have to put my thinking cap on for this. Here is my "thanks" list, in no particular order...

T-H-A-N-K-S-G-I-V-I-N-G

"T" = TELEPHONES (I'm still amazed that I can talk with friends & family who aren't sitting right next to me), TATERS, TURKEY (Wouldn't be Thanksgiving without one... sorry to all you non-turkey eatin' people), TWO-YEAR-OLDS (now that I no longer have any), TRUMPETS (3 people play 'em in my house), TRUST, TENTS (Camping would be so much less enjoyable without them), TURTLES, TOES (It would be kinda hard to stand/walk without 'em), TANGERINES, TELEVISION (sometimes), TRASH TRUCKS (that haul away my trash), TRAVEL, TARGET (the store), TOASTERS, TOAST, TYPEWRITERS (Yeah, I know... how archaic of me!), THOUGHTFULNESS, TEAMWORK, TALENT, TINTO DE VERANO

"H" = HAPPINESS, HORSES (I don't ride, but I am from Kentucky, HANKIES (especially when I really need 'em), HELLOS ('cause that usually means I'm running into a friend), HARMONICAS (Like the way they sound), HOME (It's where I hang my hat & love on my family & they love on me right back), HELPFULNESS, HOLIDAYS, HARRY (CONNICK, JR.), HONESTY, HUMOR, HILARITY, HUMILITY, HEARTS, HAMPERS (the kind you put dirty clothes in), HERSHEY'S, HAIR (Even if it doesn't look great every day, I have some, it keeps my head warm and I'd miss it if I didn't have it), HANGERS (on which to hang my clothes), HAMMOCKS (I don't have one, but aren't they cool?) HGTV, HEROES

"A" = APPLES, ANGELS, AMERICA, AWESOMENESS, AUNTS (I have some good ones!), AORTAS (Can't live without one... literally), AIRPLANES (particulary ones that are in working order and take off & land on time), ALABAMA (I've lived there), ACTIVITY, ARTISTS, AIR

"N" = NIECES (Mine are pretty special), NEPHEWS (I only have one), NICE (people mostly), NINCOMPOOP (Not really... I just think the word is funny), NARNIA (♥ those movies!), NESTLE (as in chocolate), NICKNAMES

"K" = KIDS (particularly my own), KITES, KNEES (that still work), KRISPY KREMES (Hello!), KISSES, KINDNESS, KITCHENS, KIDDING (all in fun)

"S" = SENSES (The five we have are pretty dadgum awesome & I'd sure miss 'em if they ever went away), SISTER SCHUBERT'S (These are yeast rolls that are heavenly... really!), SNACKS, SUNSHINE, SILLINESS, SLEEP, STAMPING (like cards and such), SELFLESSNESS, SNOW, SANFORD & SON, STILLNESS, SUNRISES & SUNSETS, SURPRISES, SINGINGS SONGS, SOAP, SHAMPOO, SANDWICHES, STUFFING (the kind you eat), STARS (the kind in the sky mostly), SPECIAL SKILLS, STARBUCKS, SPAIN (I used to live there), SOLDIERS (for their bravery & sacrifice), SPORTS, SPORTSMANSHIP (the good kind), SACRIFICES (made for my benefit), SWEET TEA (Nectar of the gods), STOVES, SANGRIA

"G" = GOD (He's my Rock and He rocks!), GRAVY ('nuf said), GIRLFRIENDS (I shudder to think what my life would be like without 'em), GRANDPARENTS (They love us like crazy, even when we're brats, & they help make up our DNA, which could possibly get them thrown off my list, so let's just stop there.), GOOFY (You know, Disney's Goofy... ♥ him!), GIRAFFES (I just think they're cool), GIBRALTAR (Think "Rock of Prudential" here. I still can't believe I've actually been there!), GERBER (as in baby food... our boys ate lots of it), GRACE (Need some of it every day), GOODNESS (Strive for it every day), GIFTS (giving & receiving)

"I" = IRISES (the flowers that bloom in the spring, as well as those in my eyes), INDIANA ('cause I have family living there), INVENTIONS, INTUITION, INCOME, ICE (You really appreciate it when you can't get it!), INK, IKEA, INTERNET, IN-LAWS (They made my husband & they're pretty nice to me too.)

"V" = VICTORIES (like when my basketball team wins, or when I overcome a personal struggle... one extreme to another), VACATIONS, VACCINATIONS (What a blessing! Well, after they're over), VASECTOMIES (Just sayin'), VANILLA (ice cream, scented candles...), "V" GIRLS (Sorry, it's a private kinda club, and I really can't elaborate, 'cause not everyone is in the club), VALENTINES (especially mine), VINO, VISITING (family, friends & places)

"I" = "I" again? Geez, this one was hard the first time... let's see... ILLINOIS (where I currently live), INCLUSION (Iso much nicer than "exclusion"), INTELLIGENCE (my own, although sometimes lacking, and that of others), ICE CREAM, IDEAS (especially good ones), INSPIRATION
"N" = NAPS (one of the all-time best things invented), NAPOLEON DYNAMITE (the movie, which is hilarious & often quoted in our home), NATURE (Isn't it wonderfully amazing & beautiful?), NUTELLA (Getcha some!), NEIGHBORS (when they're nice), NOSTALGIA, NEWLYWEDS, NATIVITY

"G" = GRAPES, GUITAR HERO (I like to watch others play... I stink.), GEORGIA (I met my husband there), GARAGES (especially in the winter), GAMES, GIGGLING, GOOGLE (Love looking up info), GRAVITY (It keeps me from floating off Earth's surace), GENTLENESS

Whew! I've had fun making this list, but I'm telling you, I finally just had to make myself stop adding things because it was simply taking over my entire day. Isn't it great to have so many things for which to give thanks? Who knew? I challenge you to come up with your own list. You'll be amazed at the endless number of blessings you have in your life. Happy Thanksgiving and thank YOU for reading my blog!

Sticking Out Like a Sore Thumb

2010-11-02T23:36:00.027+01:00

I'm gonna share a few photos with you, and I want to look at each one carefully to see if you notice a particular pattern. Go ahead. Look! I'll wait here...

You're not done yet. Keep looking. I'm still waiting.

Yes, there's a point to this.

Relax. You're almost finished.

Okay, no more pictures. I promise. What did you see?

In each photo there was one person or thing that stood out among all the others. When this occurs in my neck of the woods, you might just hear someone describe that one unique person or thing as "sticking out like a sore thumb." Familiar phrase?

Now let me ask you this... Have you ever felt like you stuck out like a sore thumb? Have you ever found yourself in a place or a situation where you felt like you stood out among all others? How did it make you feel? I was recently put in such a position and at the time it struck me as being the most embarrassing, hilarious event.

Oh, did you want me to share my experience? Sure... why not? Get ready to be entertained.

It was a Saturday afternoon and our boys needed haircuts in the worst way. No kidding. They were shaggy dogs and we'd put off the deed long enough. As luck would have it, my hubby had to go into work for a few hours, so I had to take the boys myself. That wasn't an issue, but the place we'd previously gone for haircuts is closed on Saturdays (I know... can you believe it?), therefore we had to seek out another barber/salon.

My husband told me about a place located relatively close to our house, so the boys and I decided to try it out. We found the salon, noticing the sign outside read "Kingdom Cuts." I'd never heard that name before, but it had a religious ring to it, which was cool with me.

I opened the door to the salon and the place was quite literally jam-packed with people, and all of them were African American men. (I'm getting tickled all over again as I tell the story. ☺) Every head turned and all eyes were on me and my two boys, all of us as white as can be, and clearly sticking out like sore thumbs. My immediate thought was, "I am in the wrong place. They can't cut my kids' hair here." And what was my husband thinking, telling me to come here in the first place? Only these things happen to me! I'm sure of it!

Now I realize that haircutters are trained to cut all different types of hair, but realistically, how often would you say that a haircutter in this particular establishment cuts the hair of shaggy, blond-headed boys? I figured not real often, so I turned around and started to leave, however, this man followed us out to the parking lot and asked us to return. I commented that they looked very crowded inside (And they were!), but he assured me they could fit us in.

Well... what was I to do? I mean, seriously? I didn't want to offend the man and appear to be snooty or racist. I will admit to you that I didn't really want to go inside, but it had everything to do with feeling out of place and in unfamiliar circumstances, nothing more. Well... and the fact that I didn't want anybody to jack up my kids' hair. I have to live with them, you know.

So... we went inside, sat down and waited. And waited. And waited. That's how crowded the place was. I made small talk with a couple of the patrons, who told me they were regulars. One guy said, "I saw you open the door and then turn around to leave." I said, "They looked really busy." He then said, "I figured it was because you thought you were in the wrong place." I said, "Well, that too." He and I had a good laugh over that.

Turns out those boys got the best haircuts they've had in a very long time. I couldn't believe it! When we left, I told the gentleman who cut their hair that he'd done a fabulous job, and he said, "We'll see you next time." Next time? Hmmm... Will I take them back there? I don't know.

I had to return to the salon later the same day, all because my oldest son had left his cell phone sitting in one of the chairs. When I walked in, all eyes were on me once again, and I said, "I was here earlier - " and they looked at me as if to say, "Yes, we remember you." I'm telling you, it was like an SNL skit. They had found my son's phone and returned it to me.

While I was definitely outside my comfort zone, and stuck out like a big ol' sore thumb in Kingdom Cuts, I actually enjoyed the experience and have laughed and laughed about it ever since. I'm considering taking the boys back there for future haircuts.

Homemade Frosted Sugar Cookies... Are they really worth the effort?

2010-10-30T00:26:00.010+02:00

I'd planned on baking yesterday in preparation for my younger son's classroom Halloween party. He'd requested sugar cookies (with frosting) in the shape of pumpkins. No sweat. I had it covered, or at least I thought so, until I went to gather ingredients from the pantry and refrigerator. I quickly discovered I had no Crisco, an absolute necessity for my beloved and much-revered sugar cookie recipe, the one my family has been baking for generations. First of all, I ask you, how does any self-respectin' southern woman get by without some form of "shortnin'" (a.k.a. lard) in her cupboard? I seriously need to get my act together.

Mind you, I'd only been to the grocery store at least 3 times this week already, but I'd failed to add Crisco to my list of items to purchase. If it's not on a list, honey, it simply doesn't exist in my world. I will never, ever remember to purchase anything not on the list.

So... I had to go pick up Crisco and decided to go to Dierbergs real quick (By the way, there's no such thing as real quick in Dierbergs because they have way too many tempting goodies.), and I really should never have gone there, except I'd already been to Target, Schnucks and Wal-Mart earlier in the week, and since the commissary is a little out of the way, and all I needed was Crisco, I opted to go to Dierbergs. Let's just say I spent a considerable amount of time there and left approximatley $150 poorer. But I got Crisco!
Before heading home to begin my day of baking, I made a quick stop at the Starbucks drive-thru for a Pumpkin Spice Latte, my all-time favorite beverage at Starbucks. It's a seasonal item too, so I have to take advantage of its availability while I can. Keep in mind that I moved here just 3 months ago from overseas, where the Starbucks on base (which really is sort of Starbucks wannabe) did NOT offer this favorite beverage of mine, so you can understand how excited I am to be back in the Land o' Plenty where such things can be purchased and enjoyed, at least for a couple of months before it goes away until next fall.

I purchased my Venti Pumpkin Spice Latte, even tipped the drive-thru employee, and was about halfway home when I decided it was time to sample my beverage. I took a sip and quickly surmised it was NOT a Pumpkin Spice Latte, but a Skinny Caramel Latte. It wasn't even the right size, but I hadn't noticed in time to do anything about it, and I didn't have time to turn around and go back. I had baking to do... pronto! You know what they say about the drive-thru anyway (Cue Joe Pesci's character, Leo Getz, in "Lethal Weapon 2").

Note to self: Either go inside to order or check my order BEFORE LEAVING the drive-thru. I drank the Skinny Caramel Latte, but it just wasn't the same experience.

I baked cookies all afternoon, but had to wait until they'd cooled before frosting them. My son didn't want them to be jack o'lanterns, thank God! He just wanted orange pumpkins with green stems, certainly saving me from a severe case of carpal tunnel syndrome. I kept having to take breaks to run taxi service for both boys 'cause that's what I do. I'm thinking I have a bright future in taxi driving at some point, since I get to drive all over town and have learned the streets quite well.

I walked inside my oldest son's school at 9pm to retrieve him from the gym after basketball practice and discovered I had cookie dough and frosting all over my shirt and one wrist. Hmmm... I only have like 5 aprons, but for whatever reason I can never remember to put them on when I'm working in the kitchen. I even have a couple hanging on the back of the pantry door, for heaven's sake.By the way, this is not a photo of any of the 5 aprons I own, but I do love bacon. Am I speakin' to anybody here?

I finally finished the cookies around 10pm last night. They were time-consuming, but looked dadgum good and tasted even better.They were a hit at my son's party today and he seemed very pleased. Several kids asked if I'd made them and others commented they looked "awesome." I suppose in this convenient world of ours, where we can drop by the bakery and pick up already-made cookies, it surprises folks when we actually make something ourselves. One little boy asked for seconds and later thirds of our pumpkin-shaped sugar cookies and said, "These cookies are amazing!" Of course he said that about the pizza and everything else served too, but still... I beamed and handed him that third cookie. Yep, homemade frosted sugar cookies are most definitely worth the effort!

Breathe in and breathe out and SLOW DOWN!

2010-10-25T15:10:00.005+02:00

I thought I was prepared. I really did. I had volunteered to provide homemade cheesy chicken corn soup for my son's school as they were hosting a staff appreciation luncheon that day. I'd made the soup the night before, so all I'd have to do is reheat in the morning before dropping it off at the school.

I also made these fabulous pumpkin apple streusel muffins for Bible study as we take turns bringing food, and it just so happened to be the day our class was responsible for the grub. (By the way, both the soup and muffin recipes are courtesy of Southern Living. Need I say more?) I made the muffins the night before as well because I wanted to be ahead of the game and avoid rushing the following morning. It was a great idea in theory.

The next morning I got up and heated the soup in the crockpot. Mmmm... it smelled so good! The muffins were packed away in a Tupperware carrying case, but I ate one to be sure they were tasty, and they were, indeed, tasty. All was going according to plan until...

I showed up at my son's school, reported to the office and asked where I should deliver the soup. The office staff looked at me as if I had two, maybe even three heads. "What? What is it?" I wondered. One of the secretaries smiled and said, "We're not having a staff appreciation luncheon today. It's at the junior high." Seriously? I had taken my soup to the wrong dadgum school. I'd have bet good money that I was at the right school. What's wrong with me?

I had to backtrack and drive to my other son's school, driving very slowly because the crockpot was quite full and I didn't want it to spill, all the while realizing I was running behind and my perfectly detailed plan was beginning to unravel, slowly but surely. I dropped off the soup and then began to make my way to the church, stressed that I was going to be late. Of all days too! I hated being late, especially when I had a responsibility to be there on time with my delicious muffins that everyone was surely going to enjoy.

I was wasting no time driving to the church. In fact, I was driving a tad faster than I should have been, and it turns out I wasn't the only one who noticed. Yep, you guessed it... I got pulled over by an officer of the law. Just fabulous! I sat in my vehicle waiting for him to approach, wondering what he was gonna say and if I was gonna get a ticket. I was mortified that he left his lights flashing. Why do they do that anyway? People were driving by and glaring at me like I was a criminal, a fugitive evading the law. Or maybe I just felt embarrassed because I was so busted, although that's probably a poor choice of words. At least he didn't have the siren going too.

The policeman told me I was going 44 mph in a 30 mph speed zone. I searched my mind for a good excuse, but couldn't come up with anything that sounded convincing. He asked for my driver's license and proof of insurance and took both back to the cruiser to do whatever it is policemen do when they pull someone over for speeding. I guess they run a check on your vehicle to see if the person has other violations or something. I also think it's a great intimidation tactic, but again, I was feeling embarrassed and so busted, remember? And by then I was also thinking I was really going to be late for Bible study.

Bible study! Perhaps God will take control here and have the policeman cut me some slack because He knows I was headed to church for Bible study. Shameful, I know, because I was clearly in the wrong, but I had such good intentions that morning. I felt so defeated. I was just trying to be helpful, but I was also trying to do too much. I sat in my vehicle waiting to hear my fate (ticket or no ticket), when the tears began to fall. I kept willing myself not to cry, but just couldn't help myself.

By the time the officer returned to my vehicle, my sunglasses were all fogged up and my nose was running, and I couldn't stop the tears. I know he was probably thinking I was emotionally unstable or something. He gave me a warning only (Thanks be to God!). I told him I was glad he pulled me over because it was my cue to slow down. The officer looked like he was totally thrown off and he told me that sometimes we overextend ourselves and need to take a break. The poor man! I'm sure when he went to work that morning he had no idea he'd be counseling motorists.

I meant what I said about being glad I was pulled over by the police, and it wasn't to gain favor or pity because I'd already gotten off with a warning. I really do need to slow down and stop rushing like there's no tomorrow. So I'm trying to learn from my experience. I'm learning to breathe in and breathe out and SLOW DOWN!

Oh, and for the record, all that rushing around got me nowhere. I was late to Bible study and most people had already eaten by the time I arrived, therefore I had lots of those fabulous muffins left over. One word... humbling.

Motivation, where are you?

2010-10-18T15:30:00.003+02:00

People, it's been over a month since I've visited here, and this is MY blog. What's wrong with this picture?

I've been attempting to get my house in order. Yes, I know we moved in more than two months ago. No, I don't have everything squared away yet. This has been the all-time slowest organization job ever for our family! We still have pictures and window treatments to hang, bins to organize and rooms to decorate. I'm so indecisive about everything. I think I need a professional to come in and just make all the decisions for me.

And the longer this process takes, the less motivation I have to deal with it all. I need some want-to-it-tiveness. I need some creativity. I need some know-how. I need some wine. I need some HELP! Anybody?

School has started

2010-09-08T15:52:00.008+02:00

School has definitely started.

Wanna know how I know school has started, besides the fact that I have to get up at 6:30am so my kids can leave the house early in the morning and stay away until late in the afternoon? I'll tell ya how I know...

I know school has started because of the MOUNDS of paperwork that I've had to fill out, giving me a severe case of carpal tunnel syndrome in the process. Seriously, do we not live in a technological age when this stuff could (and should) be done electronically rather than by paper and pencil? And think of the number of trees that could be saved!

I also know school has started as a result of the multiple fundraiser information sheets that are currently littering my kitchen countertops, each of them suggesting my kids sell their hearts out so they can score big bucks for their school/Scout program/band program, as well as earn fabulous prizes for themselves if they sell a certain amount.

We just moved here. Who do we ask to buy this junk? And that's pretty much what this stuff is ~ JUNK... overpriced junk at that. Most of these organizations don't offer an online purchase option, therefore we can't send the information to our family and friends in out-of-town locations. I really don't want my neighbors running the other direction every time they see our family approaching. My kids are involved in 3 fundraisers already, with a 4th one beginning today. Who has time to do this fundraising stuff? We have precious little family time as it is, and I prefer to spend it doing something other than peddling cheap merchandise. Let's just cut to the chase here. How much money you want and to whom shall I write my check?

Another indicator that school has started is the numerous organizations that are begging for my involvement. OMG... It's so awesome to be wanted! Wait... I know what that really means. That's code for "Sign up and get sucked in." And if I'm the only person to sign up, that means I've just volunteered to be the coordinator. Go ahead, tell me I'm wrong. I'm more than happy to help in most organizations, but it's completely overwhelming at times. These days I'm very cautious when it comes to volunteering.
I've had it! You hear that, school PTA/band/Scouts? I'm officially stressed out and beyond overwhelmed. UNCLE!

Next stop... Italy!

2010-08-18T14:29:00.109+02:00

No, I'm not going to Italy again, but I realized I hadn't finished sharing photos from our cruise in June. The first stop on our trip was Monaco and the second found us docking in Livorno, Italy. Look toward the top left side of the map, and right above where you see "ITALY" in red, you'll notice Florence and the Arno River. That's where we toured, with a brief stop in Pisa as well.

Never having been on a cruise before, we were more than a little clueless about how to do everything. We wanted to make the most of our port stops, particularly those in Italy, so we could see as many sights as possible in the short amount of time the ship would be docked in each location. We'd heard about a reputable private tour company and eventually booked tours with them.

The tours are quite expensive, and whether our van held just the 4 of us or was at full capacity (7 people plus a driver), the cost was going to be the same. We talked to friends who had sailed recently and they recommended checking out this cool website where we were able to correspond with other passengers in hopes of finding 2-3 people interested in joining us on these excursions, thus lowering the cost for each of us. That's exactly what we ended up doing and before we knew it, we had a full van for each tour.

Of course the idea of traveling with total strangers seemed a bit out of our comfort zone. I mean, seriously, we didn't know these people from Adam! What if they were weirdos and it was uncomfortable? It's a chance we decided to take, and we couldn't have been happier with our travel companions.

From the port in Livorno, we traveled to the city of Florence, capital of the Tuscany region, with our driver, Arten, who was seemingly very knowledgeable about the area.

This is a replica of Michelangelo's "David." We would see replicas of this statue many times during our tour in Italy. We saw the real deal at the Accademia Gallery, however, we weren't permitted to take photos, although I saw lots of cameras flashing anyway.

This was a big square located on the top of a hill overlooking the city of Florence. Vendors were there selling various items to tourists.

One of many gorgeous views of the area

The Arno River runs through the center of Florence.

There wasn't a view I didn't find beautiful.

Another beautiful view

It thrilled me for the boys to be seeing places like this at their ages. I'd never even been on an airplane, and had rarely been out of my home state of Kentucky when I was a teenager.

This is a closer view of one of the bridges over the Arno River. The Ponte Vecchio is a unique medieval bridge with shops built along the sides. We walked across, but only window shopped as it's a very expensive area. Arten even told us not to purchase anything there because it's so over-priced.

The cathedral, called the Santa Maria Del Fiore Church is pictured in the background, on the far left. We got a close-up view of this beautiful structure.

Zooming in on the cathedral

Could you get used to seeing sights like this every day? I believe I could.

This is our driver, Arten.

The boys check out the views below.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again... We are easily entertained! We even found the cigarette machines intriguing.

I'm sure people were thinking how we were just silly American tourists, taking photos of photos. I couldn't help it. I'd just ducked into this small restaurant to use the facilities when I saw Rhett and Scarlett. I do love "Gone with the Wind," don't you?

Got Nutella? Nutella is popular where we lived in Spain too, but I didn't know what it was for the longest time. It's a delicious chocolate-hazlenut spread and I understand it originated in Italy, which makes total sense that we should see this big display of it here. Here's a little Nutella trivia for you from Wikipedia (in case you're interested)... "Under Italian law, it cannot be labeled as a chocolate cream, as it does not meet minimum cocoa solids concentration criteria." Oh, and the 5th Annual World Nutella Day is scheduled for February 5, 2011... really! Don't forget to mark your calendars!

Moving on...

I'm such a people watcher. This lady was standing in her high heels, chatting on her cell phone, and I wanted to see if she was really going to get on this motorcycle and ride away. She did! How does one do that in a skirt like hers? You go, girl!

We visited San Miniato (St. Minias on the Mountain) Church, constructed during the 11th century.

A tour group was listening to the gentleman in the long robe speak. I liked his socks and sandals.

The view beyond the San Miniato Church

Inside San Miniato... It was very difficult to get good photos as the lighting is very dim, and I'm not the best photographer.

Very serene

Mesmerizing!

Here we are with our excursion companions. We toured with the same three people for two days.

This is the crowd of people waiting to get inside the Accademia Gallery, where we would see Michelangelo's original statue of "David."

I didn't take this photo, but found it online to show you because it was of personal interest to me. These panels illustrate the biblical story of Esther, an Old Testament heroine. I had just finished a Bible study called "Esther: It's Tough Being a Woman" by Beth Moore. By the way, if you've never had the opportunity to participate in a Beth Moore study, I highly recommend you give one a go. She's awesome!

At some point during the day we stopped and had pizza (Hello! We're in Italy!) for lunch and it was magnifico!

The tall, slender structure is Giotto’s Campanile (Bell Tower), located in the heart of Florence. It's part of a complex of buildings that make up Florence Cathedral on the Piazza del Duomo, one of the most visited places in Europe.

This is the Battistero di San Giovanni (Baptistery of St. John), also located on the Piazza del Duomo. According to what we were told, many notable people were baptized here during the Renaissance period, and until the end of the 19th century, all Catholic Florentines were baptized here.

The Santa Maria Del Fiore Church (also known as the Duomo) was being cleaned and under maintenance during our visit.

The cathedral is quite impressive in size and beauty.

I love the aerial view of the Duomo! I didn't take this photo, but borrowed it from a website, giving credit to Paradoxplace.com.

Gorgeous architecture!

Artists set up camp near the cathedral, trying to sell their work to tourists.

"Pinocchio" is seen everywhere in the area, as the fictional story of the wooden puppet who longed to be a real boy originated in Italy.

Walking across the Ponte Vecchio (Remember the medieval bridge with the expensive shops I told you about?) and doing some heavy-duty window shopping. That's all we could afford to do.

The shops were gorgeous and simply oozed money.

A view of the Arno River taken from the Ponte Vecchio

Mmmm... gelato!

Naturally pizzerias were plentiful, and these two had great curb appeal.

The Palazzo Vecchio serves as the town hall. And guess what stands in front? A replica of the statue of "David," of course. ☺

This is a photo of a photo of Fattoria di San Michele a Torri, the winery we visited, which was unplanned, but we had the time, so we opted to stop. Wine? Oh, alright... twist my arm!

Touring the winery

After the tour we were given the opportunity to sample some of the wine. We weren't driving; Arten was driving. Wine? Don't mind if I do!

These guys aren't in to wine. Never fear! They have hand-held electronic games with which to entertain themselves.

We weren't sure if we'd have time for one more stop (an important one) before returning to the ship. We kept our fingers crossed, and as luck would have it, we had about 5 minutes to spare, so Arten pulled into in this parking lot to see what lies behind this wall.

We literally ran so we could get a view of this. Wondering what you're seeing? Look at the building on the very end.

We're getting closer...

It's the Leaning Tower of Pisa!

We hastily took the photo that everyone takes when in Pisa.

Sure wish we'd had more time for photos here, but when I said we had 5 minutes, I wasn't kidding. We did well to get these photos.

Now the boys will have the memory of being here, and photos to go along with it.

We had a jam-packed, fun-filled day with Arten and our new cruise friends. Our feet ached and we were hot and tired, but it was so worth the time and money invested, as we saw so many wonderful places. Thanks to Arten for his knowledge, safe driving skills and friendly disposition. It was time to rest up for the next day's adventure... Rome!

¡Adiós, España!

2010-08-02T20:36:00.003+02:00

Our 2 years in Spain came to a screeching halt, or at least that's what it felt like last week. We departed Rota on Wednesday, 28 July, and made our way to Illinois, traveling a total of 25 hours. We're very sad to be leaving Spain, as we've enjoyed our time there very much, and we'll greatly miss the wonderful friends made over the last couple of years. We carry with us some incredibly fond memories... of new experiences, traveling, Spanish food, beautiful beaches and sunsets and, most important of all, special friendships.

Upon discovering we were going to be stationed in Spain, I was excited, and yet somewhat nervous for various reasons. It was our first overseas assignment and there's so much planning that goes into an overseas move, especially when one's job doesn't even exist, as was the case with my husband's new job at the time. He was going to help start a new Air Force organization on a Spanish Navy base, which had its own set of challenges. We knew we'd be out of our element and comfort zone with no idea what to expect.

Although we knew months in advance where we'd be moving and what my husband would be doing, his official orders were slow in coming. Anyone in the military can tell you that nothing... I mean NOTHING... gets done without a set of orders in hand. We eventually received orders about a month in advance of our arrival in Spain. There was much to be done in very little time, but somehow it all fell into place and we arrived in Spain, weary from travel and suffering a bit from culture shock.

We still talk about the welcome we received upon touching down at the airport in Jerez, Spain, about 20-30 minutes from Rota. There were people waiting to escort us and all of our luggage to the base. They'd managed to secure a house for us, stocked our kitchen with snacks and drink, ordered pizza to be delivered for dinner and put toilet paper in the bathrooms. It was, hands down, the warmest welcome we'd ever received at any location, and we were greatly humbled.

In the weeks and months to follow, we learned a great deal about the Spanish language and culture, attempting to soak it up as quickly as possible, knowing we'd only be there for 2 years. My husband and I took a Spanish language course together and I followed up with another course. Our kids made friends quickly, as did we, which is the beauty of living on a military base, particularly in an overseas location where communities are naturally tight-knit. We lovingly referred to Rota as "Mayberry," due to its small size and the "everybody knows everybody" atmosphere.

My hubby's job ended up requiring lots of travel, more than we'd anticipated. We managed just fine, but really wished he could have been around more to enjoy our little slice of paradise. The weather was fabulous 9+ months out of the year and we eventually moved into a house with a view of the Atlantic Ocean. See Rota? It's located on the top left side of the map, along the coast. That's where we lived.

The travel opportunities were incredible and we took advantage of that every chance we got, which wasn't always easy considering my hubby was frequently away from home. We ended up adding several countries to our "Places Visited" list... Gibraltar, France, Portugal, Germany, England, Monaco, Italy, and Egypt. Of course we visited many locations within Spain too... Sevilla, Granada, Ronda, Cádiz, Arcos, Cape of Trafalgar, Punta Umbria, Huelva, etc. We feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to visit these amazing places. We saw horse racing on the beach in Sanlúcar, took in bullfighting in El Puerto de Santa María and enjoyed wine tasting at bodegas in Jerez. We did our best to bloom where we were planted and embrace the culture whenever possible.

We found ourselves invited to occasional gatherings of Spanish Navy personnel. Now there's a statement I never imagined I'd utter! The Spanish were always very warm and welcoming. Many of the officers knew English, as did several of their spouses, however, there were those who knew no English, which made me very thankful for having picked up some Spanish (albeit "cave man" Spanish); otherwise conversation might have been quite challenging. The whole "You can't teach an old dog new tricks" is so not true. I'm living proof! I might be just a tad slower at learning than I used to be, but I can definitely learn!

Friendships were formed quickly and easily, as I mentioned before, which was such a blessing for me. With the boys in school all day and my hubby frequently on the road traveling, life could have potentially been very lonely and isolating on teeny tiny Rota Naval Air Station.

I attached myself quite literally to a group of fabulously fun girlfriends, mostly Air Force with a sprinkling of Navy gals who reached out to me as I reached out to them. We did a whole lot of things together... took Spanish classes, went on trips and explored new places, shopped at the gypsy market and local malls, drank tinto and sangria, lunched in a number of places, attended Bible study, sat in one another's back yards around the fire pit, attended military functions, went to each other's kids' birthday parties, worked out, took walks, scrapbooked and rubber stamped and hung out at the beach and the pool. We also complained, complimented, celebrated, laughed and cried together. Thankfully there were more laughs than tears. Military spouses are a rare and special breed of women, and I loved spending time with my little circle of chicas (girls).

These special women (and their families) are the reason it was so difficult to leave Rota. I loved the location, view, weather, food, travel opportunities... all of it! But I loved the people more. These people are the ones who entertained our kids when we were busy with our move and had multiple things to accomplish. They brought us dinner or invited us into their homes to dine with their families. They gave us thoughtful farewell gifts. They took care of tying up loose ends after our departure by storing items to give to the family moving in behind us, delivering donations to various places when we didn't have the time, etc. They loaned us vehicles when ours were being shipped back to the States. They drove us to the airport at 5am and they sat outside in chairs to wave good-bye, holding signs that read "Adios, Campbells!" and "We will miss you!" as we drove out of the neighborhood. And they hugged us and cried with us when we said our good-byes. These are the kind of people we are grateful and proud to call "friends." ¡Adiós y muchas gracias por todos, amigos! (Good-bye and many thanks for everything, friends!)
So now we're currently staying in temporary lodging at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois (near Belleville in southern Illinois), getting ready to close on a house we're buying in a nearby town, and awaiting the delivery of our household goods in a few days. We're starting a brand-new chapter in our lives and, while we're sad to no longer be among friends in Rota, we're very excited about what the future holds for our little family in Illinois. We already know lots of people here, as Scott is headquarters for Air Mobility Command, our bread and butter. We're looking forward to seeing familiar faces, cultivating friendships and once again blooming where we've been planted.

Monte Carlo... home of the rich & famous

2010-07-26T13:20:00.001+02:00

The first stop on our 7-day cruise was Monte Carlo, Monaco. Monaco is part of the Province of the Maritime Alps, with Monte Carlo located at the foot of those mountains, therefore you can imagine that the land is rocky and hilly. Interesting fact... Monaco is basically half the size of Central Park in NYC. Can you imagine? That's the entire country!

Monaco can be divided into six neighborhoods, the most well known being Monte Carlo (from Italian origin meaning "Mount Charles"), founded in 1866 and named to compliment the prince of Monaco at the time... Charles III. I won't go into the history, but you can click here if you're interested in learning more about the founding of Monaco. I will drop a couple of names that will likely be familiar to you... Prince Rainier III (late ruler of Monaco) and his wife Princess Grace Kelly (late American actress, formerly of Philadelphia, PA).

Monte Carlo is of course famous for its casinos, luxurious hotels and expensive yachts. It's been featured in movies and TV series and hosts the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix. Chevrolet even named one of its cars "Monte Carlo." The rich and famous flock to Monte Carlo for a variety of reasons... to gamble in poker tournaments, attend fashion shows or boxing matches or to simply enjoy the beautiful scenery.

We chose to tour this small principality ourselves rather than pay for a guided excursion. Here are some of the photos we took that day...
It was quite foggy the day we docked in Monaco. I was hoping the fog would lift so we could get a better view of the area.

Thankfully I got my wish. The fog began to lift and visibility was much improved.

Here's a little closer view of the city.

Beautiful architecture!

We climbed to the top of this and walked the grounds of a gorgeous garden. I believe the garden was a favorite project of Princess Grace, if I read the brochure correctly.

One of the marinas

The boys are ready to venture into town.

There's no excuse for not picking up after pets here! They provide both the baggies and waste receptacles.

Looks like some kind of amphitheater, but I'm not sure.

Just one of many colorful flower beds we saw in the garden.

The landscaping was spectacular. We want their gardener!

This statue is the Virgin Mother by Damion Hirst.

My sweet hubby

Couldn't believe the number of seagulls that allowed us to get so close before flying away. Okay, so I zoomed in a little, but not that much.

Look at all the expensive boats and yachts down there! Poor, pitiful, poverty-stricken people undoubtedly reside here. Sad, isn't it?

Just a different view

Prince's Palace of Monaco

Royal guard on duty

Fabulous view of the port in Monaco. See our cruise ship?

These gorgeous flowering vines, which I believe are bougainvillea, were plentiful in the area.

My hubby and me in Monte Carlo

The boys in Monte Carlo with our cruise ship in the background

We enjoyed strolling through the narrow streets and alleys, perusing shops and checking out the food on everyone's plates along the way.

There's no way I was going to pass up the opportunity to have some ice cream, especially when it looked as sinfully enticing as this. I had the peach-mango and it was beyond delicious.

We enjoyed our day in Monte Carlo and stopped to pick up a couple of postcards and souvenirs for the boys before the day was through. Upon our return to the ship, one of the boys (no names mentioned) realized he'd lost his I.D. card, the one we had to use to get on and off the ship. He was panicked and absolutely grief-stricken! I don't know if he thought we were going to leave him behind and continue on the cruise without him or what. My hubby went to inquire as to what we needed to do in order to obtain a new card, and thankfully some nice person had found the card lying on the street, picked it up and returned it to the ship. Crisis averted and lesson learned! From that point on, all I.D. cards were given to my hubby for safe keeping.

Next stop... Livorno, Italy, where we visited Florence and Pisa. Stay tuned!

Cruisin'

2010-07-05T18:02:00.064+02:00

We went cruisin' in June, and I don't mean cruisin' in a car on a Saturday night either. We went on A CRUISE (our first) and had the best time. I'm going to be sharing lots of photos and details of our 7-day Mediterranean cruise with you over the next several days. First, allow me to show and tell you a little about our ship.

We sailed with Norwegian Cruise Line's "Jade," flying to Barcelona, Spain (where the ship would depart), making stops in the following port locations, before returning to Barcelona...

Monte Carlo, Monaco
Livorno, Italy
Civitavecchia, Italy
Naples, Italy
Palma de Majorca, Spain

Here she is... Norwegian's "Jade." The ship is known for its freestyle cruising concept, which basically means passengers have no set dining times, no assigned tables and a relaxed dress code.

I'm still amazed when I look at photos of the ship. The Jade is quite impressive with the capacity to accommodate over 2000 passengers and another 1000 or so crew members. It has 12 passenger decks, pools, spa, fitness center, several restaurants and bars, casino, live entertainment, etc.

Because we'd never been on a cruise before, we had no idea if any of us would be seasick, therefore we loaded up on motion sickness meds... just in case. Never needed 'em!

I'd always thought it would be fun to take a cruise, but just wasn't sure I'd ever have the opportunity. Living in Spain made cruising the Mediterranean very convenient since we just had to fly to Barcelona, which was a short trip for us. This was the perfect opportunity for our family!

My hubby told me he'd used some of our timeshare points to upgrade our cabin to one of the penthouse suites, but I had no clue what that really meant. Imagine my surprise (and utter pleasure) when we walked into our room and saw this! This was the family room area with our own balcony, a fold-out couch and wall-mounted TV.

This is a different view of the same room. We had a table and chairs, mini-bar and a machine to make coffee/cappuchino/tea.

This was our bedroom. The boys had their own bedroom and bathroom. The master bathroom was large with double sinks, and a separate tub and shower with ocean views in each. There were 4 TVs in our suite... one each in the family room, boys' bedroom, master bedroom and master bathroom. Seriously!

Here's the front of the ship. I'm wondering if anyone ever got in that little pool down below.

This is the unisex area of the spa. These chairs were heated and quite relaxing.

We could lounge in the chairs in the previous photo and this was our view. Nice, huh?

My hubby relaxes in the super-sized spa hot tub.

We frequented the pool deck area as the boys had a blast in the pool.

M chills in the pool.

The boys must have gone up and down the slide at least 500 times.

D comes zooming down the slide. The kid at the bottom of the slide just camped out there, refusing to move out of the way, no matter how many times the boys asked him. The kid's father was right there too, but it didn't seem to phase either of them, so the boys finally gave up and just started going down the slide as they normally would. If they happened to run into the kid, so be it. This was probably the only negative thing that happened on the cruise.

My hubby and I spent some time in the poolside hot tubs. There were 4 of them surrounding the pool area, so we could enjoy ourselves while watching the boys swim, slip and slide.

This is a view of the pool deck from the deck above.

Sunbathers enjoy lounging one deck above the pool.

These hand sanitizer auto-dispensers could be found in various locations around the ship. With all the stories we'd heard about people getting sick on cruise ships, it was no surprise to see these everywhere. Where there was no auto-dispenser, there was a crew member with pump in hand to dispense hand sanitizer. We were made to sanitize our hands before entering the eating establishments, as well as before coming back onto the ship after an excursion. This was a germophobe's dream come true!

Playing shuffleboard on the sports deck.

There was even a basketball court on board!

Of course our family doesn't always need entertaining. Sometimes we make our own entertainment. Here my hubby is playing keep away with my son's hoodie. I can't take 'em anywhere!

The boys chill out.

A couple of times we found towels folded into the shapes of animals upon our return to the room. The boys were anxious to see which animals they'd find after returning from an excursion. The ship's housekeeping crew even held a special towel folding class for passengers.

The food was good, the crew members were helpful and very friendly, and of course the ship had lots to offer... something for everyone. We've decided we'd like to become "frequent floaters." Where do we sign up?

Stay tuned for more on the excursions we enjoyed while on our cruise...

Getting my fix

2010-07-03T10:19:00.007+02:00

I'm the mother of two boys, and that's completely cool with me. I was a tomboy growing up around brothers and cousins of the male persuasion, therefore I'm not at all sure I'd have known what to do with a girl if I'd given birth to one.

I will have to say, however, I do enjoy getting my little girl fix every now and again with my friends' kids.

Last summer I got my little girl fix with my niece, who is now almost 2 years old. Just yesterday I viewed photos of her on my brother's Facebook page, and I prompty copied them so that I could share one with you. She's that cute, and besides, I can now get my fix when I really need it, and not have to rely on anyone else to fulfill that need.

Here's my sweet niece in one of the many photos I've previously posted, but that was then...

... and this, my friends, is now... Can you stand it? Is she adorable or what? I canNOT wait to get my little girl fix when we move back to the States next month! She and I must make a playdate right away. Hopefully she'll give me the time of day.

Space A travel woes

2010-06-27T10:14:00.015+02:00

I'm climbing on my soapbox for a bit this morning. Please bear with me and allow me to get this off my chest. Really, it won't take long.

I think I've mentioned that we are an Air Force family living on a Navy base, which has been a first for us. We've enjoyed our time here over the last 22 months. There's one thing, however, that has bothered me (and continues to bother me), and it's the way in which some folks feel it necessary to openly complain about their negative experiences with space available travel.

First of all, I don't wear a military uniform; my husband does. Why do people complain to me? Is there something I'm supposed to be able to do about their grievances? I wouldn't dream of walking up to the spouse of the base exchange manager, for example, and proceed to complain about the lack of customer service. This is just an example, mind you; I have no complaints about the base exchange.

Space available travel isn't a right in my opinion; it's a privilege. The main objective of the military aircraft that fly in and out of here is (GASP) not to cater to the needs and wants of family members, but to the war fighters, those military men and women who are serving our nation, particularly those downrange, in harm's way, who are counting on those planes to deliver necessary supplies to and from their locations.

Sometimes our military planes are delayed; sometimes they have maintenance issues. I truly believe the crew members, as well as the maintenance teams, do the very best they can to ensure planes fly safely and efficiently. I'm sorry passengers on these planes are inconvenienced from time to time. Our family has encountered these same inconveniences, so I understand the waiting, wondering and disappointment when our plans fall through. What we have to remind ourselves though, besides the fact that civilian passengers aren't top priority, is that there is no cost to us. If there's space available on one of these planes, and we are lucky enough to get on, we don't pay a ticket fee. It's FREE! Seriously, folks, if you can't deal with the possibility of space available snafus, you have another option... fly commercial.

It's not the fault of every person who wears the Air Force uniform that a flight was delayed. There are often situations behind the scene that we don't know or fully understand that cause delays. And these folks are doing their jobs. They have rules and regulations that must be followed. Frankly, I don't want any maintenance team rushing through a maintenance fix for the plane on which I'm a passenger. Quite the contrary, I prefer they take the necessary amount of time needed to actually correct the issue before we get airborne.

I don't expect people to be happy whenever they've endured multiple plane delays, but I do expect them to behave more respectfully of the process, and to keep their Air Force bashing to themselves. Military spouses do not deserve to be cornered and forced to listen to complaints about something over which they have no control. No one likes feeling as if they've been personally attacked, and when people speak unfavorably about a particular branch of service, it can be very offensive. We're all entitled to our own opinions, of course, but please don't confront me with your grievances; it's uncalled for, and unkind, not to mention unfair. I'm just asking for a little tact and common courtesy.

Coptic Cairo

2010-06-26T20:08:00.001+02:00

The second full day in Cairo was spent with my new friend S, our tour guide and driver. My hubby had to work, therefore he was unable to join us on our visit to Coptic Cairo (Old Cairo), an ancient area of the city dating back to the 6th century BC. The Holy Family was said to have visited the area during the flight into Egypt, seeking refuge from Herod.

The Fortress of Babylon

This is the Hanging Church, the most famous Coptic Christian church in Cairo. It's named for its location above a gatehouse of the Babylon Fortress; its nave is suspended over a passage.

This is one of several mosaics in the courtyard of the Hanging Church.

This mosaic represents the Holy Family's flight into Egypt.

The mosaics were incredibly beautiful!

It was quite common to see women dressed in full traditional clothing walking with children in western wear.

I enjoyed looking at the various Christian buildings and statues, each beautifully and uniquely made.

We saw lots of people gathered in the courtyard here, some playing the guitar and singing, and others in discussion.

Beyond the courtyard is this extensive cemetery, which we were allowed to visit.

I found it interesting that many stones held the names and photos of those entombed here.

Many of the statues were simply gorgeous!

These "houses" are family mausoleums.

These folks are our driver (the man who I was constantly thanking for getting us from one place to another without having an accident) and tour guide (the young woman named Shaza who spoke English very well and was adorable).

We were invited to join a group of folks for a 2-hour Nile river cruise on a private yacht. There were Americans and Egyptians alike and everyone brought food and drinks to share.

There was music playing on the yacht. Evidently the folks had only three CDs in their collection, or this was the music they thought our crowd would most enjoy. I don't know, but we heard tunes by Frank Sinatra, the Beatles and the BeeGees. It seemed odd to be floating down the Nile listening to this combination of music.

This photo was borrowed from my friend S, the same one who toured both days with me in Cairo. Can you imagine stacking boxes that high on the back of a truck? You see this kind of stuff on the roads in and around Cairo all the time.

This is another photo of S's. Knowing how unsafe the driving conditions are in this area, I would never hang outside any vehicle, moving or otherwise. We were told that people often cross the highway on foot because there's no other choice. There is no tunnel under the road, nor is there a walkway over the road. Sadly, people are sometimes killed trying to cross the highway.

Our trip to Cairo was short, but we packed a lot into our time there. Many thanks to our fellow Air Force friends who spent time showing us the sights! As careful as we were, the three of us (my hubby, his co-worker and I) all managed to come down with some kind of stomach bug before leaving Egypt. It was like a parting gift, the kind that keeps on giving... and giving... and giving. My hubby and I didn't have it as badly as his co-worker, but it still took several days to feel normal again.

I'm really thankful for the opportunity to travel to Egypt, but I'll have to say I'm happy I was only visiting. I much prefer living where I do.

Walk Like an Egyptian

2010-06-21T11:05:00.055+02:00

Okay, I know that's so lame... "Walk Like an Egyptian," but the opportunity is right there in front of me, thus I can't resist. Those of you who know the song, please forgive me, and for those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, it's not important. Forget it.

We returned from our trip to "the place I've promised not to mention again," and prepared for another trip, this time just my husband and me. He was scheduled to travel to Cairo on business and invited me to join him. His trip was paid for, so we just had to foot the bill for my travel expenses, and when else was I ever going to visit Egypt? We left the boys here at home with the teenage son of friends from church, something we'd never done before, and went on another adventure.

There were three of us on the trip... my husband, a co-worker from his office and me. We were met at the airport by someone who worked with my husband and was stationed in Cairo at the time. We got in an SUV and headed toward our hotel. Let me just tell you, everything you've ever heard about the driving in Cairo is true. I can't even begin to describe how dangerous and chaotic it is there. I took some video, but my position from the backseat really didn't accurately portray the craziness. Cairo has traffic lanes just like most cities, only drivers do not use them. They straddle the lines, cut one another off, blow their horns constantly and basically follow no rules. I just knew we were going to get wiped out. Most of my time in transit was spent in prayer that we wouldn't die in an accident between locations. I asked the guy if he got hazardous duty pay for driving in Egypt, and he did not. He should have!

Although our trip was four days in length, we essentially only spent two days in Cairo as the other two days were spent in air travel. I packed in a lot of sight-seeing in those two days. My hubby had to work much of the time, however, it was arranged that a driver would take me and a fellow Air Force spouse who lived in Cairo to various places to see the sights, which was incredibly generous and thoughtful. I'll share with you the highlights of the trip...

This is the outside of our hotel. Everything was very green and lush, clean and beautiful. This was like a mini-oasis in Cairo, as the rest of the city is quite different.

The accommodations were very nice. This was the view from the window in our room.

The morning after our arrival, my new friend and the driver picked me up at the hotel to meet the guys for lunch.

We ate at this restaurant.

We sat in a corner booth with this huge lazy Susan in the middle of the table, which made for easy sharing of the food. We were told to be rather cautious of what we ate, and to only drink bottled water. The food was actually quite tasty. I had to try this cheese my friend referred to as "squeaky cheese" because it "squeaks" when you chew it. It really did too!

I suppose I've been around my 13 and 10-year old boys too long as I found the "chicken balls" option very amusing. It clearly does not take much to entertain me.

After lunch, we went to visit the Pyramids in Giza. It was amazing to be driving along and see the tops of them in the distance. They're so close to the city! I thought they'd be out in the middle of the desert someplace, but they were right there.

Here we're walking up to see this pyramid, the Pyramid of Khufu, which is the largest of several in the area.

You can get an idea of just how large the pyramid is by looking at the cars and people situated at the base.

We climbed up a few steps. It's simply mind-boggling to think how much blood, sweat and tears it must have taken to build these structures. It's estimated that 20,000 to 30,000 workers built the Pyramids at Giza over an 80-year period.

Another pyramid

We saw lots of camels and riders while we were visiting the Pyramids. They were offering camel rides for a fee. We passed.

The driver took us to the backside of the Pyramids for a different view. We got out of the van and there lots of these folks selling souvenirs. Some of them were a bit persistent in their quest to get us to purchase something.

Isn't the view incredible? It was rather surreal. This country girl was standing looking at the Pyramids, for heaven's sake!

Here's my hubby being a good sport with this particular pose. He humors me.

Here we're posing with our friends. L-R: our host, me my hubby and my hubby's co-worker

Thanks, baby, for inviting me to join you on this trip!

The land beyond the Pyramids is all desert.

Our tour guide kept trying to take our photo with the Pyramids in the background, and these camel riders just wouldn't cooperate by getting out of the way. Evidently they wanted us to ride their camels, and because we weren't interested, they insisted on being in our photo.

We next visited the Sphinx, just a short distance from the Pyramids.

The Sphinx is a big tourist attraction too. Lots of vendors were out selling their trinkets. We'd been told by our tour guide, an Egyptian herself, to ignore the vendors. One guy just wouldn't give up and followed us, trying to get us to buy something. He wasn't very happy with us for ignoring him and said we Americans never buy anything. What these folks should realize is that tourists would probably be more apt to purchase souvenirs if they weren't hassled.

There were so many cool angles from which to shoot photos. I could have been there all day!

Another view

These three actually agreed to pose for a "Walk Like an Egyptian" photo (Cue the Bangles singing their 80's Top 40 hit), but I'm a good friend and promised not to post it online in order to protect the innocent. Doggone it! What was I thinking? That would have been such an awesome photo for this blog post!

Right across the street from the Sphinx is a KFC and Pizza Hut... really! That just seems wrong somehow.

We were driving back to our hotel and passed by these vehicles parked under an overpass. Apparently they'd been sitting there for quite some time. You can see they're coated in dust. Seemingly everything has a layer (or two) of dust in Cairo.

We were at a standstill in traffic and saw these dudes riding on the back of this flatbed truck. Considering how unsafe driving conditions are in and around Cairo, I couldn't believe anyone would be willing to gamble with their lives like this. I guess if one has never known anything different, the driving seems completely normal.

All I'm sayin' is that there's a reason cars look like this one (notice the scrapes and the dented front end), and this one doesn't look as bad as many others I saw.

There are lots of apartment buildings like these in the city.

There are also lots of buildings like these, ones that look like the construction hasn't been finished. We heard a couple of different reasons for this. One person said that these were homes and they're preparing to build on top for the next family. Another person said if homes remain under construction, the occupants aren't required to pay taxes. It would be interesting to know the full story.

This pretty much wraps up our first day of touring in Cairo. We ate dinner in the hotel and had some delicious Asian cuisine. Stay tuned for photos from the final day of touring in the area...

Last London Update

2010-06-16T17:22:00.056+02:00

I've been dragging out the whole spring break in London story long enough. I haven't had a lot of time to blog lately between the pack-out for our upcoming move and more travel, thus I've fallen behind on my storytelling. I'll share with you just a few last highlights of our trip and then I'll move on to a new topic... I PROMISE!

Okay, so we'd gotten the news that we weren't flying out of London anytime soon due to the ash cloud situation, and we quickly determined our extended stay was going to cost us a pretty penny, thus we started taking in freebie attractions.

We went to the British Museum, which is actually a very cool place to visit.

Here is the Rosetta Stone, an Ancient Egyptian artifact instrumental in advancing the understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphic writing.

We listened to the history of selected artifacts with these audio guides.

These are ancient remains of a human body, which the boys found fascinating.

M was all about the museum, which totally surprised us. We didn't expect him to be very interested at all, but clearly we were wrong. He plopped right down in front of this sculpture and listened intently to the information on the audio guide.

This is part of a collection of classical Greek marble sculptures that were originally part of the Parthenon and other buildings on the Acropolis of Athens. Impressed? We were.

This is a marble statue of a naked Aphrodite (Venus) crouching at her bath.

The next day we decided to walk to the science museum, and enjoyed a stroll through Hyde Park on the way there.

I hadn't expected to see so much wide-open untouched land in the city. It was beautiful!

We walked over the Serpentine, a recreational lake in Hyde Park.

All of my boys, my hubby included, found the science museum fairly interesting. I was less enthusiastic as science is just not my thing, however, I had a good time watching them and snapping photos.

Poor M couldn't keep his shoes tied. If he tied them once, he tied them a thousand times.

M enjoyed looking at the antique car.

Admittedly, I did find this interesting. The boys? Not so much.

What up?

This was a cool discovery in the health and medical field section, as it mentions Bethesda (located in the DC area, and someplace we've been several times) as being "the largest laboratory site devoted to biomedical research in the world."

M had fun in the hands-on section of the museum.

D looked like he was enjoying himself too.

My hubby was intent on trying to figure out this building block challenge.

From the look on his face, I think it's evident he wasn't successful.

After our science museum visit, we walked around a bit and decided to go inside Primark, a huge department store. The place was packed! It was as if we were in Kmart during the greatest blue light special ever.

I couldn't believe how crowded it was. It wasn't a major holiday or anything. I decided to snap a few photos of the crowd. The next thing I knew, some security guy approached us and asked me to stop photographing the store. I guess he thought I was casing the joint. He didn't understand that the country bumpkin in me was just gawking. I put the camera away.

On the way back to our hotel, we noticed police tape roping off a section on the corner, and there was blood splattered all over the sidewalk. We never did get the full scoop on what happened. Made for some excitement though.

You already know that we were unable to fly home to Spain from London. The ash cloud was wreaking havoc and we were continuing to spend money we hadn't planned on spending, thus we made a command decision to leave London and head south by train to Portsmouth, England, where we would eventually leave the country by ferry and end up in Bilbao, Spain. We would then catch a flight out of Bilbao to Jerez, which is close to our home.

Here's the route we took to get back to Spain.

This was our room on the ferry, which was much nicer than we'd anticipated. We thought it was going to be a tiny ferry, but it was quite large (1600 passengers) and was more like a mini cruise ship.

This is the main deck where the information desk was located. The ship had a couple of movie theaters, restaurants, a small casino, etc. It wasn't too shabby!

Dinner portions were out of control! I didn't just have some chicken... I had A chicken and probably 2 whole potatoes' worth of fries for one meal. Needless to say, I couldn't eat it all.

I enjoyed being outside on the observation deck, as that was where I felt the least amount of motion. I never got sick and didn't have to resort to motion sickness meds, but that's because I found my happy place here.

Some people got really relaxed and comfortable.

We got relaxed and comfortable too, only we didn't have swimsuits.

There was even a helipad for emergency helicopters to land, which is rather comforting to a first-time cruiser.

All in all, we had a fantastic time in London, but we were glad to get home. The volcano eruption and subsequent ash cloud situation made for great blog fodder though, I must say. This was a vacation we'll never forget for many reasons. Thanks for being patient with my seemingly never-ending saga. As promised, my next post will most definitely have a topic that doesn't involve London.

Spring Break in London (Part III)

2010-05-27T08:59:00.040+02:00

We almost talked ourselves out of visiting Windsor Castle, thinking it was a little out of the way, as it's not located in London. What a mistake that would have been, as it turned out to be quite easy and relatively inexpensive to get there by train, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. In fact, I would venture to say that Windsor Castle was the highlight of our vacation, at least for my husband and me.

We'd just gotten off the train here and took a quick photo of the castle walls, which can be seen rising above the other buildings.

The train pulled up to this wonderful area full of shops and eateries. We stopped for cups of hot cocoa and coffee before heading to the castle.

We left the shopping area and began to walk outside toward the castle.

Wow! The castle walls were literally right there! It was amazing to think that we were about to visit the grounds of the place built by William the Conqueror over 1000 years ago.

The town of Windsor is quaint and quite appealing.

We were told Windsor Castle is the largest inhabited castle in the world, and also the oldest in continuous occupation. It's one of the principal official residences of the British Monarch.

This aerial view of Windsor Castle shows the awesome size. I've read that the castle's floor space measures 484,000 sq ft. Hmmm... I suppose I could fit my belongings in a castle that size, how about you?

The boys finish up their hot cocoa while waiting for Dad to come back with our tickets to tour the castle grounds.

This is one of the entrances to the castle grounds.

These crowns sit atop every lamp post surrounding the castle.

We arrived just in time to watch these gentlemen march by, looking all royal and official.

We decided to spring for the audio portion of the self-guided tour, and the boys, particularly M, thought it was very cool.

The boys were anxious for the tour to get underway.

The tour started and we headed toward the entrance (not the same one I mentioned earlier).

This is the Round Tower, which divides the castle into two distinct sections, the lower ward (home to St.George's Chapel), and the upper ward, where the Royal Apartments and more formal state rooms are located.

As I've mentioned in previous posts, it seems odd to see history mixing with the modern world. Here we were visiting this very old castle and yet there were cars parked within the walls. These are cars of the folks who work inside the castle.

We went inside the castle right about here and toured an art exhibit and several rooms, as well as Queen Mary's doll house, which is amazing. Photos were not permitted inside the castle.

These are the grounds outside the castle walls.

This is the upper ward where visitors are not allowed.

If you look closely, you can see an armed guard standing post near a doorway. We were told Her Royal Highness, The Queen was on the premises that day, so perhaps this guard was on duty as a result of her being there. It sounds like a plausible explanation, so I'm going with it.

Here's another one of those things that struck me as somehow odd. We were looking at the upper ward and taking photos of this beautiful historical structure, and at the same time, an airplane was flying in the distance. I couldn't help but wonder what former royal monarchs would have thought about airplanes.

I don't really know what part of the castle this is; I just thought it was a cool view.

I liked this view as it shows just how high the castle walls are.

The flag flying atop Round Tower is the royal flag, which is supposed to indicate the Queen is on the premises. We were told the British flag flies on days when the Queen is elsewhere. That somehow seems like a breach of safety, don't you think?

This is St. George's Chapel, where King Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, the king's favorite of his six wives, are entombed.

Of course this was a must-have photo while in England, right?

At the end of our tour we visited the gift shop and bought a couple of postcards and Christmas ornaments, something we like to do when we visit a new place. We walked around the little town of Windsor, had some fish & chips and then made our way back to the train station. What an awesome day!

Spring Break in London (Part II)

2010-05-24T11:45:00.000+02:00

Sorry it's been a few days between posts. We've been busy prepping our house for this week's pack-out. Even though we don't leave Spain until July, our household goods will be shipped ahead of time, in hopes of it all arriving in the States by the time we get there. Anyway, here are more photos and commentary from our London trip...

The boys goof off in the lobby of this tour company as we wait on our guide to take us on a walking tour of the grounds surrounding Buckingham Palace as well as watch the Changing of the Guard.

This, friends, is Barry, our very eccentric tour guide.

I think Barry enjoyed carrying his tour sign. I think it gave him a real sense of power whilst walking among the common folk awaiting the Changing of the Guard. And I'll tell you what else it must have given him... ENERGY! The man wasn't letting any grass grow under him.

Police on horseback were monitoring the crowds and preparing the way for the Guard.

Wow! It was so impressive to watch these men ride by.

This is where Prince Charles and Lady Diana once lived with their sons, William and Harry.

I couldn't resist snapping a quick photo of these policemen wearing their "bobby hats." Those are so very English, aren't they?

We saw several groups of men marching by, some with instruments, others with weapons. The uniforms were a little different too. I'm not really sure who was who.

Here the boys pose in front of Buckingham Palace.

These hats were cool, but they look very hot, don't they? And my head itches just looking at them.

We had a little taste of home by having lunch at TGIFridays. We continued our taste of home kick with dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe. We were told London's Hard Rock is the very first one of these establishments. All I know is the burger was very tasty, but the music was incredibly, mind-numbingly loud! Geez, I'm getting old.

And get a load of this... We were on our way to dinner, just getting ready to leave the Underground tunnel, when we ran right smack into friends who were also vacationing in London. Who would have thought in a city the size of London that we'd run into another soul we know. It's such a small world, isn't it? We visited the Tower of London the following day, and ran into the same friends again. No, I'm not kidding.

By the way, the Tower of London was quite interesting. The Tower has served as a fortress, a royal palace, a prison, a place of execution and torture, an armory, a treasury, a zoo, the Royal Mint, a public records office, an observatory, and since 1303, the home of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.

This is Simon, a Yeomen Warder (a.k.a. "Beefeaters"), who conducted our tour of the Tower of London. Yeomen Warders are ceremonial guardians of the Tower of London. They've served at the Tower since 1485, and they have traditionally been responsible for looking after any prisoners at the Tower and safeguarding the British crown jewels, but in practice they act as tour guides. Simon was quite entertaining and sarcastic, which I totally appreciate. ☺

Special Yeomen Warders are responsible for the care of the ravens, which are housed within Tower grounds. Legend has it that if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London, the White Tower, the monarchy, and the entire kingdom would fall. I guess they'd better take good care of the birds, huh?

I found it amazing that we were standing on the walls of a centuries-old castle, and could look across the street and see all of these modern buildings. Strange!

It was so intriguing to me that within these walls so many people lived, were imprisoned and many executed, including Anne Boleyn and Lady Jane Grey. Man, the British have quite a bloody history!

We visited the Sherlock Holmes Museum, and M was very shocked to learn that Sherlock Holmes is a fictitious character. We thought he knew that all along.

The museum is actually a house that once belonged to an older gentleman. They do a pretty good job of making it look authentic for the period. Here we have to wait to be allowed upstairs to take a peek at Sherlock's personal quarters. They have a guard standing post.

The boys had seen the recent Sherlock Holmes movie, so going the museum was all the more fun for them, as you can see.

Both boys had the opportunity to sit in Sherlock's chair while chatting it up with Dr. Watson. ☺

No words necessary.

These are tiled walls in the Underground close to the Sherlock Holmes museum. We thought these were cool tiles.

Uh... excuse me, M... didn't know you were busy.

Our boys have fun wherever they go.

Stay tuned for recaps on our visit to Windsor Castle, a couple of museums and our unplanned mini-cruise... I have to get back to organizing for our move. The packers come in 2 days, and there's still a lot to do. I'm sure you have things to do as well, so run along. I'll be back in a jiffy. Cheerio!

Spring Break in London (Part I)

2010-05-07T07:24:00.022+02:00

It's time to share the details of our trip to London with you. Since I've already dramatically given you the lowdown on the ash cloud issue that prevented us from returning to our home in Spain, I'll try to refrain from slipping back into that whole scene, and just stick to the highlights. You will forgive me, however, if I simply have to refer to the "AC" every now and again, won't you? I mean, it makes for such awesome blog fodder. A blogger's got to use the good stuff, you know?

We flew into the airport in Heathrow, and had planned on riding the Underground (a.k.a. "The Tube," which is London's underground subway system), however it was down for maintenance in a few areas and we had to take the train instead. From there we took a cab to our hotel.

Aren't the cabs cute? All cab cars look like this. They may be different colors or have wording on the sides, but they all have the same body style.

We stayed here at the Victory Services Club, a hotel that caters to retired and serving members of the Armed Forces, located at Marble Arch in the heart of London's West End.

Our first day in London was spent riding on one of these double-decker buses, touring the city and seeing the highlights, which would help us determine what we wanted to go back and see up close and personal during the rest of our stay.

We got on the bus near the Marble Arch (in the background), only a couple of blocks or so from our hotel.

There were beautiful flower gardens in the Marble Arch area.

My hubby and I pose for a rare photo together. We were intrigued by the greenish sculpture in the background, therefore we checked it out for a closer look.

Ahhh.... it's a horse! Thought my Kentucky peeps would enjoy seeing this beautiful work of art.

I couldn't help but snap this photo of all the chimneys on the rooftops. They were so very London to me. I was reminded of the Disney movie "101 Dalmatians," my favorite.

This is the beautiful Westminster Abbey, the church where royal coronations have been held since 1066. 17 monarchs are also entombed here. We would go back to see the inside of this incredible structure, however, it was closed at the time and we never made it inside. Maybe next time...

We saw several protesters near Parliament.

In case we forgot where we were, all we had to do was look up. There were British flags flying everywhere!

If I remember correctly, the bus was driving across London Bridge (over the Thames River) as I took this photo of Tower Bridge. I remember singing "London Bridge" as a little girl, but it's Tower Bridge that's actually quite the sight to see.

We saw so many sights while riding on the tour bus... Big Ben, Parliament, the London Eye, the London Tower, Buckingham Palace, etc. I'll share each of these places with you, as we visited each of them and more. Stay tuned for more highlights from spring break in London...

Is there any better entertainment than air travel?

2010-05-05T11:27:00.010+02:00

Everyone knows we visited London during our kids' spring break, as I've shared with you our woes with departing the city due to the volcanic ash cloud that continues to wreak havoc for Europe and beyond. I'm going to share with you some of the highlights of our trip, including the great fun we had simply people-watching in the airport. I submit to you that there's no better entertainment that hanging out in an airport, watching and listening to the people. Would you agree?

I'm always amazed at the clothing and shoe choices people make for air travel. For instance, shoes such as these were being worn by many women... How can these seriously be comfortable? I sat and watched many a woman walk past wearing heels this high or higher, and the slow, awkward pace at which they were walking led me to believe they were not comfortable at all. Why would one choose to wear something so impractical and uncomfortable?

My idea of comfort on an airplane looks a little more like this... Okay, relax! I don't really own a pair of shoes like this, although they do look mighty comfortable.

No, the shoe of choice for me would be something made by Clark's, my current favorite brand of shoewear. I really like slides, open or closed-toe, but will always opt for closed-toe when traveling by plane. I tend to get cold during flight, and I don't want my feet to freeze. I also don't want anyone to step on my feet while I'm wearing open-toed shoes. That's some definite pain! And really, I don't like looking at and/or smelling other people's toes, especially in an enclosed area like an airplane. We saw our fair share of people wearing flip-flops and they had the filthiest toes. One word ... GROSS!

And what is it with some women wearing their outfits from "Sluts R Us?" I wanted to cover my boys' (not to mention my husband's) eyes to shelter them from all the cleavage being shown in the airport. Come on ladies... keep your girls covered! There are young boys and their dads trying to avoid staring at you, and there are lots of women shooting daggers as well. Make life a little easier for all concerned, and leave some things to the imagination, for heaven's sake!

At the very beginning of our journey to London, we ate lunch in the Jerez Airport. We saw several birds flying around, occasionally perching on chairbacks and tables, and all I could think about was where they'd done their business. Can that be sanitary? Should there be birds flying about the eating establishment in the airport? I think not.

We saw a family running for all they were worth, and I'm assuming it was in order to prevent missing a flight. I couldn't help but think of the Home Alone movies where the McAllister family had to run to make their flights. We've been in a rush before, but I don't think we've ever been forced to sprint through an airport. I'm sure the people we saw running had no idea they were entertaining us, however, they most definitely were.

Airports (and airplanes) can generate more noise than UK fans during the NCAA Tournament. Do you know how noisy that is? We heard (and saw) parents yelling at their kids, babies crying, siblings fighting, passengers beating on their tray tables like they were drums, people talking so loudly on the plane that we could hear every single word of their conversation even while wearing ear plugs, etc. We also saw a man who continually sniffed. I wanted to go hand him a pack of travel tissues with a note attached that said, "For the love of God, go blow your nose!"

Yep, flying the friendly skies can make for great entertainment. Forget napping! Forget reading a book! Just look around you!

You're never too old for free candy!

2010-05-03T10:55:00.031+02:00

We're at the stage of our boys' lives where they're figuring a few things out for themselves, quicker than I'd care for them to, I might add. Relax, I'm only referring to Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy. What did you think I was talking about anyway?

Our oldest is 13, and he's decided he no longer believes in the aforementioned trio. I really don't know how that could be, especially since the Easter Bunny just recently decorated our Easter tree while we were all in bed fast asleep, and left some awesome goodies in the boys' baskets. If anyone has a problem believing in the Easter Bunny, it should be me and my husband. We're the ones who don't get any goodies in an Easter basket!

Luckily for me, our youngest is still a believer... at least we think so. Regardless, he continues to "play the game," and I'm happy to play it with him. He was happy to attend the base kids' Easter Extravaganza, complete with food, crafts and an egg hunt. Oh, and while we were at this event, I saw a handful of kids the same age as our oldest, and I commented to them that I couldn't get D to join us. One of them piped up and declared, "My motto is you're never too old for free candy!" I thought that was cute.

Here's M enjoying a couple of hours of Easter fun...

No kids' event on base would be complete without the bouncy machines.

M found a friend and the two of them hung out together, drinking a cup of hot chocolate (It was a little chilly in the morning).

Just look at my son sitting in this tiny chair! This is evidence that he is, indeed, growing up. The sad face was the result of spilled hot chocolate. He doesn't like getting messy.

This was the big draw... the egg hunt and the possibility of winning a grand prize.

M and his friends wait for their age group's egg hunt to begin. The egg hunts for different age groups were supposed to have staggered start times. Didn't happen. When the first group started, virtually every group began to madly search for eggs. It was just a little disappointing for the those parents with kids that fall in different age groups, as they didn't get the opportunity to take photos of each kid.

While waiting for the egg hunt to begin, I saw some kids using their baskets for other purposes.

Hey, this kid had the same idea!

Some eggs were well-hidden, others were not.

Go, big guy! By the way, the Easter basket M is using is just a generic basket we had at home. His basket, as well as his brother's, the ones they've had since they were babies, were in a storage closet in our carport, and they had mold all over them. We've since attempted to clean them with bleach, but I'm not sure they're going back to the States with us. That makes me a little sad.

Found one!

Hey, just my technique only, but I wouldn't take time to count the eggs. There are more to be found!

The hunt is over and the boys dig through their findings to determine if they've found a prize egg.

They didn't find any prize eggs, but they still had a good time.

Thanks for playing the game, buddy!

World Traveler

2010-04-30T15:52:00.004+02:00

Just call me a world traveler these days. You know about our recent trip to London and the adventure we had trying to get home. My hubby and I were home here in Rota for about 5 days before we were off flying the "friendly" (?) skies again, this time without the boys.

We visited Cairo, Egypt, where he had business. We've only left our kids a handful of times in the past, when we lived stateside and could leave them with family. This was a big step for me... going to a foreign country and leaving my kids with someone other than a family member.

We had a great visit and saw some incredible sights, but I want to back up and show you some of the highlights of our London trip before telling you about our time in Egypt. Stay tuned for updates after I've had a chance to catch my breath and do a few loads of laundry.

Planes, Trains & Automobiles (Oh, and a Ferry!)

2010-04-22T16:30:00.024+02:00

During my last post I mentioned that we were unable to fly home due to the ash cloud from the volcano eruption in Iceland. Here's one of many photos you've probably seen on the internet...
We spent 3 more full days in London after discovering we couldn't make it home by plane. The hotel didn't have the same room available, but they did offer us adjoining rooms, which gave us more space, at a higher cost of course. We took it though, as we were grateful to have a place to stay. We'd heard that hotel rooms were nearly impossible to find and many people were forced to sleep at the airport.

The remainder of our time in London found us seeking free entertainment (The British Museum as well as the Science Museum) and doing laundry since we'd run out of clean clothes. How could we know we'd be spending 6 extra days away from home when we packed our suitcases? I had one pair of comfortable walking shoes for the entire trip, thinking that's all I really needed. I got so sick of wearing the same pair of shoes for nearly two weeks... I'm seriously thinking of burning them.

So the hubby and I made the "walk of shame" to the launderette, not once, but twice, since we had no idea how much longer we'd be away from home. The boys stayed in the hotel room just a block away and watched a movie while we went to do laundry. We threatened them within an inch of their lives if they opened the door to anyone while we were gone. They had a cell phone to call us if they needed anything and were told only to leave the room if there was a fire.

It was naturally a bit expensive to do laundry, but not as bad as we thought it would be. The washers were terrible though in that the powder detergent just ended up caked on our clothes. Fabulous! While waiting on the laundry, we slipped across the street to an Irish pub and shared a drink or two (or three, but who's counting?). It had been quite a long time since I'd been in a real bar atmosphere. If we heard the F-bomb once, we must have heard it 500 times. Hearing it in both British and Irish accents was very entertaining too.

Our flight was rescheduled for Sunday, however, the volcanic ash was still wreaking havoc and no planes were flying. My hubby, being the resourceful person he is, decided we needed to make alternate travel arrangements. Many of our friends were sending us email and Facebook messages, suggesting we travel across the English Channel, rent a car and drive to Spain. That would have been an option, if only thousands of other people hadn't already thought of it. There was no availability on any trains or boats heading that direction, nor were there any rental cars on the other end. We decided to take a train out of London and head south to Portsmouth, England, to hop a ferry ride to Bilbao, Spain. At least we'd be back in Spain and we could limp our way home, little by little. We were able to book a reservation on the ferry and managed to get a cabin with 4 beds, however, when my hubby attempted to confirm the reservation later, he discovered the website was down due to the massive number of people trying to access it. We couldn't reach them by phone for the same reason. All we could do was take the train to the ferry terminal and pray our reservation would be honored and that we wouldn't be turned away.

The train ride to Portsmouth was about an hour and a half. We took a taxi to the ferry terminal and could see it was very busy. We arrived around 3:30pm or so, if I remember correctly, and the ferry was scheduled to depart several hours later, like around 7:30pm. My hubby waited in the incredibly long line at customer service, while the boys and I located seats in the terminal. I'm glad we found seats when we did, as the place filled up quickly. I have no doubt the number of people in the building exceeded what was allowed by fire code, if there is such a thing in England. This photo doesn't even begin to depict the large crowd, as I snapped it before things got really crazy. If claustrophobia was a problem for any of us, we'd have been in trouble. There simply was no personal space. Perhaps this next photo will help give you an idea of what I'm talking about... The blue jean legs and the khaki leg you see were right in front of me (I'm the seated black legs in the photo). I didn't zoom in on this at all. This was exactly how packed the crowd got at one point. We were like sardines! To say that the ferry terminal was loud is quite an understatement. With so many people in one room, that would be expected, however, it was beyond loud. I've attempted twice to add my own video here of the crowded ferry terminal, however, Blogger doesn't seem to think I should do that right now. Maybe later...

There was a nice woman traveling with her father and her 4-year-old daughter who sat behind us. The little girl was precious, but she was a busy bee and got on my last nerve. She jumped up and down in her seat, and since my seat and hers were back-to-back, I could feel every move she made. She sang, she yelled, she poked me, she laid on me, she went under the seats... You get the picture. The mother would try to get her to stop, but this child was simply like the Energizer Bunny. She kept going and going and going... I found myself wanting to scream, "Serenity now!"

And trust me, it was a people watcher's dream, as there were some real characters in that room. I didn't want to be too obvious in taking photos of people, but I did manage to snap one of this gentleman, who reminded us of Austin Powers.

So we're finally home, 6 days after our scheduled return date. Here's a step-by-step rundown of our trip to get here...

Train from London to Portsmouth, England = 1 hour 30 minutes

Wait in ferry terminal = approximately 4 hours 30 minutes

Ferry ride from Portsmouth to Bilbao, Spain = 35 hours

Taxi ride to Bilbao Airport = 30 minutes

Wait in airport = approximatley 2 hours

Flight to Sevilla, Spain = 1 hour 10 minutes

Drive to our house = 1 hour 20 minutes

Later I'll share photos and memories from our vacation. We truly enjoyed London. We just didn't like being held hostage there. It was like that Eagles song about Hotel California... "You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave."

Cheerio!

2010-04-16T20:33:00.004+02:00

We're spending our boys' school spring break vacationing in London, England this week. We've had a blast taking in all the sights... Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guard, London Tower, Greenwich, Tower Bridge, Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Windsor Castle, etc. Photos will definitely follow. Until then, allow me to share with you a few things I've learned while here in London...

1) The Underground is an underground subway system, not a big entertainment complex with shopping, restaurants, etc., like in Atlanta.

2) The British say, "Mind the gap" when getting off the subway, which essentially means "Watch your step." Oh, and there are no "EXIT" signs here... only "WAY OUT" signs.

3) The Underground users are just like the ones in the DC area... rude and inconsiderate. It's as if no one has ever heard the words "excuse me" before. Seriously... manners are becoming a thing of the past.

4) Drivers drive on the left-hand side of the road, which would totally confuse me if I were driving. Thankfully we've been using the Underground and/or the train system, thus we haven't had a need for a rental car.

5) Our original hotel room didn't have a shower, only a bathtub, which is rather inconvenient, however, some rooms don't even have a bathroom, so we're feeling blessed.

6) Most rooms don't accommodate a family of 4, but we've been fortunate in that ours does. We each have our own twin bed (The hubby and I have had a good laugh over that).

7) One must sell a kidney in order to pay for a family of 4 to go to the movies in London. It's THAT expensive!

8) London is very much an international city in that we've seen (and heard) many, many different nationalities represented here.

9) Fish and chips rock!

10) The history in this city is astounding!

11) It's truly a small world. When one can run into friends, not once, but twice, in a city the size of London, it's a small world indeed.

12) There are cafes where people smoke these things called "shishas" or "hookahs," where they're inhaling fruit-flavored tobacco. I'll post a photo later. I'd never seen anything like this before and found it quite interesting.

13) It's difficult NOT to speak with a British accent while visiting here.

We were supposed to go home to Spain yesterday, and made it all the way to the airport, only to discover the volcanic ash from the eruption in Iceland had made air travel impossible. Flights scheduled after 12:00 noon yesterday were cancelled (Ours was scheduled to depart at 1:10pm), and the airports have remain closed ever since. We're fortunate that we were able to book a room at the same hotel and that we have the means to pay for it. There are many travelers who aren't as fortunate.

So we're spending more time in London than we expected. It's all good, but I'll have to admit, I had my heart set on sleeping in my own bed last night, and so did the boys. Our youngest quipped, "I hate Iceland," after learning we wouldn't be able to return home for at least a couple more days, as if Iceland could have prevented the eruption from happening. It's fun, but very expensive here, so we're going to be doing more things that are FREE, like the museums and window shopping. Cheerio for now!

An Unexpectedly Perfectly Beautiful Warm Fun-Filled Day with Friends

2010-04-09T10:16:00.027+02:00

I love having an unexpectedly great day, don't you? You know the kind of day I'm talking about... one that begins completely unplanned, but ends up being so much fun and making for some very memorable moments. The boys and I recently experienced one of those days.

One girlfriend called and asked, "What are you doing today?" Does that sound like an invitation or what? I sure thought so! The boys and I were game, and before we knew it, we were venturing out into town with three other moms and their kids. We had no real agenda other than just enjoying the beautiful sunshine, which had been missing for quite some time from our little patch of paradise.

Here the kiddos pose together as we begin our walk on the Rota boardwalk.

My girlfriends and I took a turn posing with the beautiful ocean waters behind us. I still have to pinch myself from time to time to make sure this is all really happening. I do live in southern Spain and the ocean is just right there!

Sidebar: I ended up sitting in gum at the end of the day. Fabulous, right? I didn't want to run the risk of getting gum stuck on the seat of my vehicle too, therefore I took off my sweater and sat on it for the ride home. Um... yeah... probably not the brightest idea I've ever had. Long story short... the gum came out of my jeans, but I had to throw out the sweater.

We always see fishermen whenever we pass by this area. That was the longest fishing pole I believe I'd ever seen. I wonder what kind of catch they had that afternoon.

We'd intended to go to our favorite little sandwich shop on the boardwalk, which had been closed during the winter months, and was scheduled to re-open the end of February. Even though it was more than a couple weeks into March, the restaurant was not open. Bummer! We searched and searched for open restaurants, but weren't finding anyplace. Our decision was to backtrack and stop for some quick tapas, but before we did that, we surprised our kids by suggesting ice cream first. Are we cool moms or what?

One of my girlfriends was feeding her little boy this mini-popsicle. We initially had difficulty figuring out if he liked it or not.

He'd take a break from eating the popsicle, as if to let us know he'd had enough, but then he'd want more...

... and then he'd make that adorable face again.

Another girlfriend's little boy decided he needed a mini-popsicle too.

The kiddos were all too happy to pose for another photo on the beach.

Here we go, playing follow-the-leader, on our way to find some "real" food so the kids don't go home and tell their dads that we moms only fed them ice cream for lunch. ☺

We did find some food, and some entertainment to boot. Score!

From the look on M's face, I think you can gather we had an unexpectedly perfectly beautiful warm fun-filled day with friends. When can we do this again?

Green thumb? You be the judge...

2010-03-31T17:16:00.000+02:00

I swear, I'm a lethal weapon against healthy plants. My plants used to look nice. What happened to them?

Now they all look like this... sad, withering, dying. They're pitiful!

I haven't been watering them because our gardener does that for us, but I'm wondering if the torrential rains we experienced during the seemingly never-ending rainy season have literally drowned our plants. Is that what the yellow leaves mean?

How about no leaves? What does that mean? I'm thinking it means I don't exactly have a green thumb. I guess I need to start over with some new, healthy plants, or just give it up and buy fake ones that I can't kill.

It's tough being a woman...

2010-03-19T14:56:00.007+01:00

I've been participating in a Bible study with our base PWOC (Protestant Women of the Chapel). We're currently doing Beth Moore's study entitled "Esther: It's Tough Being a Woman."

So... do you think it's tough being a woman, and, if so, why? I definitely think it's tough being a woman for many reaons, but I'll share just one with you right here, right now...

Do these look familiar? Yes? No? How about a different view?

Still don't know? Need a hint? Okay... if you're a woman over the age of 40, you have likely worn these at least once, and if you haven't you SHOULD!

These little snazzy Band-Aid-like thingies are what women wear during a mammogram. No, I'm not kidding. Seriously. They're like Band-Aids, only they're not; they're "adhesive markers." The metal dot in the center is there to provide a clear "landmark" for the radiologist on the mammogram images, or at least that's what I understand. All I know is that it feels strange to have adhesive anything in that area.

I'd dreaded mammograms with a passion long before I'd ever had my first one. But you know what? They're really not as bad as everyone makes them out to be. At least they aren't for me. Sure, I don't wake up wishing I could go get a mammogram every day, and no, I don't like showing my chest to people other than my husband, and I hate that I can't wear deodorant during the mammogram because it's right then that I want to start sweating profusely, but let's face it... mammograms are necessary and they can help save our lives, right? So... we women gotta do what we gotta do to take care of ourselves.

Later, after the mammogram is finished, and you're talking a mile a minute with a friend out in the parking lot of the base exchange, you feel something foreign and you're momentarily panicked, thinking to yourself, "Something just doesn't feel right." Then you realize that you've forgotten to remove the adhesive markers. At first you want to shout "Hallelujah!" because you know it's just those dadgum adhesive markers and not lumps in your breasts (Thank you, Lord!), and then your face burns with embarrassment. Of course I wouldn't know about anything like this happening.

Okay, okay... I admit it! Yes, it happened to me. Heaven, help me! Some days I just need some assistance.

Yeah, it's tough being a woman in a world where mammograms are a necessariy evil, and to add insult to injury, our own scattered brains cause us embarrassment. Thankfully I've only lost my mind and not my sense of humor. ☺

Go Big Blue!

2010-03-19T11:32:00.020+01:00

71 East Tennessee State

100 Kentucky

Am I proud? You betcha!

My beloved Kentucky Wildcats beat East Tennessee State in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. The Cats just claimed the school's 26th Southeastern Conference Tournament title and have an NCAA record 12th 30-win season.

UK is also the youngest team in the tournament by average years of collegiate experience. This team gets a lot of criticism, and I think UK player DeMarcus Cousins covered it well when he said, "A lot of teams want to come at us because of who we are and what individuals we have on our team... At the same time, if we lose, we were basically supposed to lose because of our inexperience. If we win, we were supposed to win because of our talent."

Have I mentioned we like college hoops at our house? We drag out this "write-on wipe-off" board every year during March Madness and fill in the brackets.

Of course we're especially drawn to the East Region, since that's where Kentucky is playing. It won't be an easy road to the Final Four, but I really think this team has the potential go all the way.

Eric Bledsoe led the Wildcats with 29 points, connecting on 9 of 11 field goals, 8 of those shots from 3-point land. His eight 3-pointers set a new record for a Kentucky player in an NCAA tournament game. He surpassed former UK player Tony Delk's previous school record of seven 3s in the 1996 championship game victory over Syracuse.

Kentucky made over 50% of its shots during this first-round game, and the team managed to sink 15 3-pointers, something they haven't exactly been doing consistently throughout the season. I love this quote by East Tennessee State's coach, Murry Bartow... "Our scouting report said they couldn't make 3s and they made 15." Surprise! Surprise!

I so wish I'd been able to stay up to watch the game. I was rather confident they would win, and the game didn't start until 12:15am here in Spain. I was so sleepy! Now I wish I'd taken a nap earlier in the day so that I could have stayed up to watch what I understand was quite a spectacular game for the Cats. The next game is scheduled for Saturday night at sometime around 8pm or thereafter. That means I'll have to be up at 1am to watch my team. Can I do it? I'm sure gonna try!

Go Big Blue... Beat Wake Forest!

Big Blue Nation & March Madness

2010-03-15T09:56:00.032+01:00

It's March Madness, one of my favorite times of the year. We're big college hoops fans at our house. One could say I'm rather partial to the Kentucky Wildcats, and my husband roots for his North Carolina Tar Heels. We actually cheer for one another's teams, as long as they're not playing one another. When that happens, we're a house divided. ☺

My beloved Wildcats are having quite a successful season, and I'm lovin' it. I don't get to watch as many as games as I'd like due to the fact that I reside on another continent. Between the not-so-wonderful TV coverage and the time difference, it's challenging at times, but I watch my team whenever possible.

UK just won the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Tournament and it was a nail biter championship game. They won by the narrowest of margins... 1 point in overtime. I cheered, yelled, clapped and carried on like a maniac. I believe I frightened my children. My oldest was IMing with his dad (who was out of town) during the game and he told him I was "very excited." I'm certain I suffered several mini heart attacks throughout the final minutes. If this is any indication of how the NCAA Tournament is going to go, I might just need to seek the advice of my physician before any further viewing of games.

I'm celebrating with the Big Blue Nation this week and couldn't be prouder of them. Here's a little coverage of the SEC Tournament...

Fanatical fans show their team spirit. In case you aren't aware, UK fans are very serious about winning... ALWAYS!

One of our more famous fans... actress and UK graduate Ashley Judd.

John Wall is UK's all-time leading freshman scorer and assist leader. He leads the SEC and ranks fifth nationally in assists. He's recently been named a First-Team All-American, SEC Player of the Year and National Player of the Year by Yahoo! Sports, just to name a few honors. To say Wall is an exceptional player is putting it mildly. He's phenomenal and so exciting to watch in action. The question is... will he stay for his sophomore year, or will he go pro? I choose to think about that after the NCAA Tournament.

Just a little more regarding John Wall...

This is DeMarcus Cousins, affectionately known as "Boogie" or "Cuz." He was recently selected as a First-Team All-American, he's set all-time records for Wildcat freshmen in double-doubles and rebounds. Cuz has more double-doubles than any other player in the league this season and the most by a Wildcat since the 1973 season. I made reference to Cuz on Facebook during the championship game, and several people thought I had a cousin that played on the team. ☺ Um... these folks are obviously not Cats fans, or they would know who I was talking about.

Here's the shot that Cuz made to put the game into OT. I think by this time I'd chewed every single one of my fingernails to the quick.

Cuz and John Wall celebrate the win. Wall hit a 3-pointer and Cuz sunk a pair of freethrows late in the overtime to help seal the victory.

The UK Wildcats receive the SEC Tournament championship trophy. Three Cats were selected for the all-tournament team... John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Eric Bledsoe.
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The whole team savors the moment.

UK is the #1 seed in the East Regional of the NCAA Tournament and they take on East Tennessee State in the first round on Thursday night (Friday morning for me here in Spain). Go Big Blue! Claw 'em, Cats! I'll be watching.

Need a Maxine fix?

2010-03-10T08:26:00.004+01:00

I love Maxine, the wise-crackin', hilarious ol' lady who graces many a card (among tons of other items) in Hallmark stores all over the country. She's got attitude and she tells it like it is. Somedays I'd love to be more like her... confident, fearless, witty and just flat honest. Here's a little taste of that sassy broad...

I don't personally have this problem, but I know people who do, God love 'em.

I'm just old enough to have gotten out of college and started a family before any job I had required me to learn the art of Power Point presentations. My 13-year-old knows so much more than I do in this department. My knowledge and ability level is closer to Maxine's.

Okay, I know this is ugly, but it's funny too. Sometimes you just want to tell off the mean people of the world, you know? And Maxine does it so well, doesn't she?

Every day needs to begin with a little Maxine humor, don't you think? Consider this my good deed for the day. ☺

Proud Moment

2010-03-09T13:45:00.013+01:00

Our oldest son was recently inducted into the National Junior Honor Society.

D is a very good student and involved in lots of activities in our community.

He's a great kid! Yeah, I wish he'd tucked in his shirt, and if I'd had my way, he'd have worn khakis rather than jeans on this day, but we compromised with a nice collared shirt and shoes other than sneakers. I choose my battles as wisely as I possibly can.

You could say I'm a proud mother, and you'd be right. My husband and I have decided we'll keep him around for a while longer.

My good friend Liesl, whose daughter was also inducted into the NJHS, took this video for me. I got tickled a couple of times when these Junior ROTC cadets accidently poked themselves in the head with their sabers. Luckily they were wearing hats, right? I so wish Liesl had captured that on video. I know, I'm easily entertained.

I do... take 2

2010-03-04T17:24:00.050+01:00

Have you ever been to a vow renewal ceremony? I had never been to one until last week, and I have to tell you, it was so precious and made such an impression on me, that I felt compelled to share it with you.

First allow me to give you a little background information, as this was a very unusual situation. The couple renewing their wedding vows were essentially strangers to me. I'd met the husband once, a few months ago, during a conference he was attending at our military base. He and my husband work together, although he's stationed in a remote location, geographically separated from his family for a year. I had never met his wife.

Fast forward to about a month or so ago... My husband told me that this guy had invited his wife to meet him here for a different conference, and once the conference was over, the two of them were going to renew their wedding vows. The interesting and somewhat tricky part was the fact that she was totally unaware of his plans, and he needed a little help pulling it off.

My first thought, honestly, was the possibility that this couple's marriage might be a bit rocky, considering the time and distance involved with these kinds of separations. Extended deployments and remote tours are challenging, so maybe this guy was doing something extra special because he was desperate. You hear about this kind of thing all the time. I sincerely hoped he was confident that his wife would accept his proposal. How sad and humiliating would it be if this whole thing blew up in his face?

A few of us local folks were helping with the planning and execution of this special event, and after receiving a few emails from this guy, it quickly became apparent to me that my initial concerns were totally unfounded. He was completely sincere and obviously crazy about his wife and I found myself getting very excited about being in on this wonderful secret.

Okay, so dwell on this for a minute, looking at it from the wife's perspective, will you? Just picture getting on a plane, minus your children, so you can rendezvous with your husband, a deployed military man serving his country in some not-so-desirable place. You haven't seen him in several months, you're meeting him at the beach in southern Spain and you have a whole week together. Granted, you can't sit and hold hands and stare into his eyes during the conference, but you get to see him every single day for a week. That sounds pretty fabulous, right?

What this woman didn't know is that her husband was planning to ask her to marry him all over again. It wasn't just a "Hey, let's renew our wedding vows while we're together" kind of thing. He'd purchased a ring (an exquisite one, I might add) and was going to literally get down on bended knee and pop the question. He'd arranged for a military chaplain to perform the ceremony, invited a handful of guests, arranged for a bouquet of flowers, had dinner reservations at a great restaurant afterward, and even had a mini wedding cake waiting. Oh yeah, and the wedding was to be held in a castle... really! Photos would later take place on the beach, close to sunset.

I ask you... how romantic is THAT? Do you have chills? Are your eyes brimming with tears? This story awakened the princess in me and every other woman with whom I've shared it. On the flip side, the men who were either witness to this event or merely heard about it, shook their heads in despair and disbelief, and muttered things under their breath like, "Thanks a lot, dude! Way to set the bar impossibly high!" or "Great... my wife is NEVER going to let me forget this."

Would you like to see a few photos from this fairy tale-ish second wedding? Yeah, I thought you might, and I'm happy to oblige...

This is El Castillo de Luna (Luna Castle), which translates to "Castle of the Moon." The proposal and subsequent wedding took place here. It's reported that Ponce de León used the castle during his visits to the area. Oh, and King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella supposedly stayed here as well. How many people can say they got married where that kind of history exists?

This is the room where it all took place.

A small crowd of guests waited for the happy couple to arrive.

This is the big moment we'd all been waiting for... the proposal! I think the blushing bride was surprised, although I don't know for sure. The surprise was nearly given away more than once during the week, so she may have had her suspicions, but if she did, she very graciously kept them to herself. ☺ Sidebar... Do you just love her sassy coat or what?

One of our base chaplains performed the vow renewal ceremony.

I loved it when they turned and faced one another. The vows are coming up!

I was rather grateful to be behind the camera and "busy," otherwise I would have been searching for tissues I'd forgotten to stash in my purse.

Just look at our beautiful bride... she's positively glowing! And why not? She's in love with her husband of 18 years and they're celebrating that love in such a simple, sweet and incredibly romantic way.

I love hearing couples repeat their wedding vows. I get this little peek into their relationship, as they share their feelings for one another. This moment is solely for the bride and groom, and yet the couple allows invited guests to witness this very private, personal pledge of love. I so appreciate the vulnerability that exists at this point in the ceremony. Each person is pledging their love and devotion to one other, in the presence of God, as well as everyone else in the room. It's such a lovely promise, don't you think?

I must confess a huge faux pas right here. Are you ready for this? I missed the kiss! I know, I know... I can't believe it either. How does one miss the kiss? All I can hope is that the other person taking photos captured it.

Taking photos during a wedding felt a little intrusive to me, but everyone wants photos of this special event, right? If I could have willed myself invisible, I would have. This particular moment... the prayer... felt the most intrusive of all. It should be the most sincere moment of the entire ceremony, shouldn't it? I didn't want to take anything away from that.

There was some time between the wedding and dinner to walk a short distance to the beach for photos. We were so thankful for beautiful weather, especially since it had been raining the day prior and the skies seemed to promise more the day of the wedding. Do you feel your head tilting as you look at this photo? Note to self: Hold the camera level next time! That's what people get when dealing with amateurs! ☺

Here they are... the happily "re-married" couple!

This archway provides beautiful views, no matter through which side one looks. From this direction, one can see Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la O (Our Lady of the O Church) in the background.

Just a little closer view of the happy couple

The view looking from the opposite side of the archway is equally beautiful, as we can see the ocean in the background. Unfortunately I don't have Photoshop capability, or I would have already cropped out the people behind our couple.

Think they were getting tired of smiling? Maybe not, but they probably were tired of posing. We put our cameras down for a while and just enjoyed the scenery.

I'm thinking the groom did a mighty fine job picking out this ring. That's some serious bling!

The happy couple gathered with their guests at a restaurant in the Hotel Duque De Nájera for dinner.

Okay, I missed the kiss, but I got a staged kiss.

A local military spouse made this beautiful mini wedding cake for the occasion. She actually made a second cake to be sure there was enough for everyone. Both were delicious!

The huge sparkler on top of the cake was on behalf of the restaurant, a little Spanish touch I suppose. I never dreamed I'd see fireworks accompany a wedding cake, but there's certainly a first time for everything.

So there you have it... a secretly planned proposal, followed by a castle wedding most little girls (and big ones too) only dream about. I'm so happy to have been there, and I wish this special couple many, many more years of wedded bliss. Here's to love and marriage!

Wild Olive... get your verse on

2010-03-01T17:17:00.014+01:00

One of my girlfriends recently turned me on to this awesome website called Wild Olive Tees. Click here to check out the site. They make super cute Bible scripture t-shirts for women and children. Here are a few samples of the product line (Scripture is below each photo as it's otherwise difficult to read)...
"The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." ~ Zephaniah 3:17

"I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me."
~ Psalm 13:5-6

"…to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor." ~ Isaiah 61:3

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will." ~ Romans 12:2

All of the T-shirts pictured above are for women, but here's one of the kids' T-shirts... "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." ~ Colossians 3:17

Aren't these precious? I just love 'em! The site also offers gift cards, which I recently took advantage of for a friend's birthday. Some of the shirts are currently on sale as well... perfect if you're looking for a little somethin'-somethin' to give a special someone. ♥

Walk tall and carry a big stick

2010-02-28T17:25:00.002+01:00

I have apparently become the neighborhood watch dog, not because I signed up for the job, but purely out of necessity. So... what does one do when every kid in the neighborhood, plus several outside the neighborhood, meet up in front of one's house to shoot hoops, ride bikes, throw football, etc., and that one kid begins to cause trouble?

When I say "trouble," I mean he is rough with other kids, particularly the younger ones. He throws things at them, takes off on other kids' bikes and won't get off, engages in name calling, etc.

The situation is a little complicated because I believe the kid might have a few issues I don't fully understand. I've attempted to talk nicely to him and explain that his behavior isn't acceptable as he's hurting other kids, in more ways than one. He's always very polite to me and nods his head, replying, "Yes, ma'am." But then he goes right back to the bullying.

I have no idea if this child's parents are aware of the challenges we're experiencing as I have yet to speak to them, although I have told the child I will if I feel it necessary. I'm beginning to feel it necessary more and more with each passing day, and boy, do I HATE confrontational situations. I avoid them at all costs.

All I know is what was once a peaceful setting for kids to gather and play together has become quite the opposite. I have kids ringing my doorbell, telling me that this child has said or done something hurtful and inappropriate. I understand the need to tell an adult, and I'm the closest one, so it makes sense for them to come to me, but I'm tired of playing referee and being put in the position of having to discipline other people's children.

Several of the children who play in our neighborhood don't live all that close, and I just wonder if their parents have a clue as to where they are when they're missing for hours on end. I'm more than a little perturbed with the lack of parental supervision around here. While I'm not in the habit of calling out someone else's child, I will most certainly do it when there is no parent present, especially if the mischief continually happens in my front yard.

Anyone have some good, sage advice for me?

Do as I say, not as I do...

2010-02-24T16:59:00.003+01:00

There's an Air Force conference here in Rota this week. We have a considerable number of out-of-town guests attending, and many of them are traveling with spouses, therefore I've been busy hanging out and having a good time with a bunch of new friends for the past couple of days.

With the help of several of my local Air Force girlfriends, we've put together an itinerary of activities to include a trip to a nearby Spanish village, morning out for a Spanish breakfast, shopping at the gypsy market, walking tour of the local area, lunch at the beach, etc. I'm hoping our visiting spouses are enjoying themselves and feeling welcome here.

Of course it's been my goal to be as organized as possible, sending emails in advance to those in attendance to give them the full scoop... information about the local area, options for daytime activities, weather reports, advice on the type of clothing and shoes to wear, etc.

The past two mornings we've met in the lobby of the hotel where most everyone is staying. I've been reminding everyone to carry their base passes, military ID cards, as well as their passports with them at all times. You never know when you could get stopped at the base gate, or even somewhere off base, and be required to show these items.

So today while we're at the gypsy market, I go to pay for a couple of scarves I've decided to purchase and realize I do not have...
1) any money,
2) my military ID card,
3) nor my Spanish driver's license,
all three of which I am supposed to have for this excursion.

Yeah, do as I say, not as I do...

Where were you?

2010-02-20T11:45:00.003+01:00

Yesterday I had a couple of appointments and several errands to run, and I ended up not making it home before the boys got out of school. I tried and tried to call the house to tell them where I was, and that I'd be home soon, but all I got was voice mail. I tried calling my husband to see if he'd heard from the boys. All I got was his voice mail. I thought to myself it was a good thing I didn't have some kind of emergency.

I drove home, and just as I was entering our cul-de-sac, I saw both of the boys outside playing with neighbor kids. I pulled up next to them, and in a rather indignant tone my oldest asked, "Where WERE you?"

Where was I? Where was I? Are you kidding me?

In the nicest voice I could muster, which probably bordered on being just slightly sarcastic (I know you're surprised), I answered, "Where was I? Where were YOU? I called twice and no one answered the phone. How am I supposed to tell you where I am when you're not in the house?"

I guess the look on my face and the slightly sarcastic tone of my voice were enough to stop my son from further comment. His response was simply "Oh."

I told him I'd been to the commissary and had groceries to put away. He followed me home and jumped right in to help, something I normally would have to ask him to do. Hmmm... maybe I need to use this strategy more often, huh?

Valentine Update

2010-02-18T20:06:00.011+01:00

Just wanted to keep you up to speed with what went on here during Valentine's weekend...

On Saturday night my hubby took me out to a very nice dinner in El Puerto de Santa Maria. We joined three other couples from our group of friends and had a great time.

Here I am with my funny valentine, who also sprung for a dozen red roses as well as a box of chocolates and a Yankee candle (The latter gifts were from the boys). Yeah, I'm spoiled, and I love it!

I'll show you some of the delicious food we enjoyed during our night out...

The shrimp was really good, except they don't serve it with cocktail sauce.

Someone had a good time playing his food, but I won't mention any names. Those shrimp are literally staring at me! Kinda makes it hard to eat them, but trust me, I managed just fine. ☺

Mmmm... these little deep-fried babies were fabuloso! One was fish, and although I have no idea what the other one was, we referred to it as the Spanish version of a hush puppy.

Chocolate... really good chocolate.

In my last post I told you all about the gifts our boys purchased for their girlfriends. The oldest had given a gift to his girlfriend, which met with genuine gratitude on her part. She's either as sweet on him as he is on her, or she felt guilty for not giving him something the night of the dance, because on Sunday afternoon she showed up, unannounced, at our door with a gift and card for him. Her parents had driven her and were likely watching, therefore she didn't linger. She handed him the gift and the two of them briefly hugged before she said she had to go. I never even got to see her! Anyway, she gave him a very sweet card and a stuffed animal in return and he was so pleased. In that moment, the last 13 years of his life flashed before my eyes. I can't even describe the feeling. I know he'll probably have lots of girlfriends as the years go by, but I think I'm always going to remember this first one as being very special.

Our youngest son has yet to give his girlfriend the gift he picked out for her since she's still out of town. He did, however, share with me some of the notes she's given him at school, all safely folded and hidden somewhere in his room. He was so cute when showing them to me.

Ah, love is a many splendored thing, isn't it? No matter if it's mature love, young love or just puppy love, it's precious. I hope you had a memorable Valentine's Day with someone you love. ♥

Valentine Gift-Giving for Kids 101

2010-02-13T14:49:00.005+01:00

Our boys are ages 13 and 10, and each of them has a girlfriend. I don't know how serious these relationships are, particularly where our youngest is concerned. He only knows his girlfriend asked him to be her boyfriend and he responded in the affirmative. Beyond that, he doesn't know what "going together" means. I'd like to keep it that way.

Our oldest, on the other hand, is apparently a little more "involved" with his girlfriend. He's been "seeing her" for a couple of months or so. They're in the same grade and have a couple of classes together. I have my spies at school, who have reported sightings of hand-holding, but nothing beyond that. My son and his girlfriend have attended two school dances together as a couple, and he's insisted on paying for the tickets out of his own pocket for the two of them. I like that he's generous and thoughtful in that way. ☺

About a month ago I'd discussed the fact that Valentine's Day was approaching, and inquired about the boys' intentions in regard to any gift-giving. Did they plan on buying said girlfriends any gifts for this special day? I want to be prepared for these things in advance since gift options are limited here. They both said they hadn't planned on it. Hmmm... I dropped the subject, but revisited it a couple of weeks later.

When asked about valentine gift-giving for said girlfriends a second time, the boys stuck by their original responses. I asked my oldest if he and his friend referred to another as "boyfriend-girlfriend" and he said yes. I asked him if he really liked this girl and he again said yes. Really? I told him, and I believe my exact words were, "You won't be her girlfriend for long if you don't get her a gift." I explained that girls look at things a little differently than boys, and that if he and his girlfriend are indeed a couple, she would most definitely be expecting a gift. He finally got it. Boys!

My hubby and I accompanied our son to the base exchange to help find both a card and a gift for this young lady. We were really surprised that he actually wanted our assistance. He ended up choosing a card that focused on friendship, so it wasn't something her parents would be raising their eyebrows over, and he opted for a very cute stuffed animal, something he felt she would like. I added a little baggie of valentine M&Ms and told him I had a red gift bag he could put everything in, and we'd make it look nice by putting some tissue paper inside.

That same night, as he was going to bed, my son asked me if I could go ahead and retrieve the tissue paper for the gift bag. Mind you, Valentine's Day was still 2 weeks away, but he wanted the gift ready right then. I obliged, getting quite a big kick out of his concern, and he asked me if he was supposed to wad up the paper and stick it in the bag. I had to show him how to gently stuff the paper in the bag to make it look pretty. It was all very funny and endearing. Never before had he shown an interest in the presentation of a gift. He must really like this girl. I'm so not ready for this!

Once his brother had taken care of his girlfriend's gift, our youngest son decided he should give his own girlfriend a gift as well, therefore we made yet another trip to the base exchange to search for just the right thing. He came up with a tiny stuffed animal... a pig to be exact, one that snorts when you squeeze its mid-section. I wasn't so sure this chosen gift would go over very well. I mean, who gives his girlfriend a pig? That could backfire big time, right? He assured me that she would like it, as she collects pigs. We bought it, but I immediately called the girl's mom (a friend of mine) to inquire about the likelihood of this gift being a hit. She confirmed that her daughter has been on quite the "pig kick" lately. Score! He's already showing signs of being a good boyfriend in that he actually listens to what she tells him. We added some valentine M&Ms in her gift bag as well. He hasn't had the opportunity to give her the valentine gift yet, as she's out of town for a few days. I hope his gift will meet with satisfaction. He's fairly oblivious to the whole thing, and I'm okay with that.

Last night our oldest met his girlfriend at the Cupid Dance for middle-schoolers. My hubby and I had offered to show up and help chaperone and he looked like he might faint on the spot. ☺ He took the gift with him and gave it to his girlfriend at the dance, and he said she liked it, hugging him twice in return. Awww... WHAT!? They were hugging? Were they doing anything else? I so wanted to ask, but I refrained from giving him the third degree. Instead I focused on asking questions about who else was in attendance and what kinds of things they did. He said they slow-danced, and at last count, the two of them have slow-danced together about 8 times between the last two dances. He's counting how many times they've slow-danced. I think that's precious!

This whole gift-giving thing for girlfriends is new to me. I don't know if I can take the pressure.

Poop happens. Really... it does!

2010-02-10T18:57:00.005+01:00

I should take a moment to apologize upfront for this photo. You may not find it remotely entertaining. I, on the other hand, found it to be hysterically funny today. I realize I have a warped sense of humor. Please don't hold it against me. Brace yourself!

Nothing like having your dog doing its business as the kids pose for that beach vacation photo. Seriously... this has "cherished memory" written all over it.

Thanks to my cousin Tracy for emailing this photo my way. You have no idea how much pleasure it's brought me. Sick and twisted, I know. ☺

P.S. I have to thank my friend Kerry for pointing out that another photo I had posted here was somewhat... AHEM... X-rated. In the photo was another dog doing its business, only it was a different kind of business, if you understand what I'm saying. This is just one more reason why I should wear my glasses while using the computer. Thank you, Kerry, for pointing this out to me. I'd have hated for my readers, all 3 three of you, to be offended. ☺

Mirror, Mirror...

2010-02-07T19:47:00.000+01:00

Yeah, don't I wish?

Back in the saddle again!

2010-02-03T12:38:00.006+01:00

Well, it's official... I've removed my "World's Best Couch Potato" badge and traded it in for a new and improved one... the "Lord Help Me I'm Out of Shape but Trying to Get Back into Shape" badge.

A couple of my girlfriends asked me if I wanted to work out with them and I simply couldn't think of a good enough reason not to join them. I guess I'm out of excuses for being a slug and I really do want to be healthier and feel better, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. I want to be able to walk up a flight of stairs and not feel like I need a hit of oxygen on the spot. I'm tired of squeezing into my clothes and feeling as if I look like a can of biscuits that just exploded. Just focus on that visual for a second. It's not a pretty sight.

I've been making exercise and diet a priority for the last 3+ weeks, and I'm already seeing results. I've lost almost 5 pounds and I feel a difference in my energy level. I'm sleeping like a log at night and just have a better all-around disposition. You know my family is lovin' that! The camaraderie with my workout pals is awesome too. I love the socialization as well as the encouragement we give one another.

Am I struggling?
Yep! I've been on "hiatus" from exercise for several years. I'm not going to get back into shape overnight.

Am I tired?
Yep! But like I said, I sleep good at night.

Am I sore?
You betcha! I'm quite sore, but I'm trying to work out the soreness and keep moving. I hate it when people say, "It's a good kind of sore," because soreness is NOT a good thing in my book, but I do understand it's a necessary evil right now. I won't always be sore, right? Right? Hello?

So say a little prayer for me that I can continue to stay motivated. I need all the help I can get right now.

Rainbow = Promise

2010-02-02T07:23:00.005+01:00

A couple of weeks or so ago we woke to this beautiful sight just outside our back door. We could see the entire rainbow, clear as day. (In fact, there was a double rainbow, but the second one was very faint and not easy to see.) Unfortunately I couldn't capture the entire rainbow in a photo, but thankfully I was able to snap a few photos of it before it disappeared into the clouds. Wow! What a way to start the day!

"I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth." ~ Genesis 9:13

"Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth." ~ Genesis 9:16

"So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth." ~ Genesis 9:17

"This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."
~ Psalm 118:24

One fine day

2010-01-28T20:32:00.004+01:00

Ever had a day when you felt utter contentment? Today has been one of those days for me. The simplest of things made for a truly blessed day...

I woke up with a roof over my head, clean clothes to wear, food to eat and a family I adore.

My husband just got home last night from his third trip this month, and he'll be home for a few weeks before traveling again. Sometimes his job frustrates me to no end, but I desperately LOVE this man and miss him terribly when he's gone.

A good friend picked me up and drove me to and from Bible study this morning. I just treasure her friendship so much and enjoy our time together immensely. I will miss her greatly when we move this summer.

Bible study was fabulous! We're doing a Beth Moore study, which is a first for me, and I'm actually excited about doing my homework. God must be working on me!

I've lost 4 pounds since returning to the gym. While I'm not obsessed with what the scales read, I'm definitely pumped to see that my efforts have begun to pay off. Weight loss is such a great motivator! I so appreciate the support and encouragement people have shown me and I love the camaraderie I share with my workout pals. I have a long way to go, but I've started, which is usually the hardest part for me.

I've had a couple of fun conversations with friends while on Facebook. I love the fact that I can simultaneously instant message with girlfriends in California, Kentucky and right here in Spain. Technology ROCKS!

I watched my kids play outside with their friends for hours this afternoon. They were simply chasing one another, talking, laughing and hanging out. It's so cool to see my kids with their friends. I made them all chocolate chip cookies and they were thrilled.

I witnessed one of God's beautiful masterpieces tonight in the sunset just out my back door. He provides the most incredible sights, doesn't he? I often take them for granted, but I'm trying to remember to slow long enough to fully appreciate the beauty around me.

I have felt an unusual sense of peace and tranquility all day today. I can't explain it. I don't have to. It was a gift. Thanks, God... I needed that.

Girl Scout Cookies are here!

2010-01-26T15:57:00.015+01:00

Anyone else love Girl Scout Cookies besides me? Heaven help me, those cookies are sinfully good, aren't they? I could totally get carried away and eat an entire box in one sitting. My favorite? Thin Mints, of course!

I was curious to see which cookies are the best sellers, so I went to the Girl Scouts website and here's what I discovered...

25% Thin Mints

19% Samoas®/Caramel deLites®

13% Peanut Butter Patties®/Tagalongs®

11% Peanut Butter Sandwich/Do-si-dos®

9% Shortbread/Trefoils

I continued to browse the Girl Scouts website and came across a Q & A section. Here are a few of the questions that I found very interesting, followed by my own non-politically correct answers...

Q: What if I'm not satisfied with my cookies?

A: Seriously? Who wouldn't be satisfied with a Girl Scout Cookie? You might be dissatisfied that you didn't buy more boxes, or that you gained 10 pounds after eating your weight in them, but the cookies themselves are VERY satisfying, in my opinion of course.

Q: What about the concerns of those on low-carb diets?

A: Um... what about them? Hello! These are COOKIES. Low-carb dieters should probably find something else to munch on. How about a carrot stick?

Q: Don't Girl Scout Cookies contribute to the childhood obesity problem?

A: Maybe, but so do lots of other foods. Should we ban all foods that aren't 100% healthy because obesity exists? Please tell me no one is going to ban Girl Scout Cookies. That would be so wrong.

Q: Why don't you offer cookies that are whole-wheat, non-dairy...?

A: I'm thinking the obvious answer is because the cookies would no longer taste good and the Girl Scouts are actually interested in selling the cookies in order to make money. That's just my guess though. Don't take my word for it.

Q: Who are the girls on the Girl Scout Cookie boxes?

A: Who cares? Will knowing this piece of information determine your decision on whether or not to purchase a box of cookies?

The word on the street here is that Girl Scout Cookies have arrived. Better find yourself a Girl Scout and get yourself a box, or two, or three... before they're all gone!

Christmas Morning

2010-01-25T19:15:00.000+01:00

All the preparation for Christmas morning takes weeks, right? All the searching online for the right gifts (Very few of our gifts were purchased locally as we're somewhat limited in our choices here), waiting for packages to arrive, gift wrapping, decorating, cooking and baking... it's all for this day, which is seemingly over within minutes, right? Then there's the let down after all the gifts have been opened. We took our time opening gifts, allowing each person to open one gift at a time for all to see. We took photos and savored the moments. Here's a little peek into our Christmas morning...

As you can see, both Santa and our family members were very generous with us this Christmas.

Santa obviously enjoyed the cookies and milk we left out for him the night before.

M received a skateboard, something he'd been wanting.

Check out the new guitar pajama pants D got. He needed these more than you know as all of his other long pajama pants were high waters.

My hubby was happy to receive a set of James Bond DVDs, something he'd asked Santa to bring.

Yes, I got something too... an umbrella from my boys. Before you start thinking I got the shaft, let me tell you I received several wonderful gifts, but I was on the other side of the camera by choice most of the morning, and I did ask for an umbrella. I also know it's supposed to be bad luck to open an umbrella inside, however, I'm choosing to live life on the edge these days, so I chanced it.

Santa brought both of the boys the "Napoleon Dynamite" DVD. We'd watched this movie once before when neighbors loaned us their copy and the boys have been quoting scenes from it ever since.

D received a very large, coveted lego set he'd been wanting for a while. It's amazing how quickly he and his brother put these things together.

M served as our trash picker upper, a job he doesn't mind doing at all, so we all took advantage. I know... that was pretty naughty of us, huh?

D was stoked to be on the receiving end of a laptop computer, something he needed and wanted, but didn't ask for, thus it was a total surprise. I believe Mom and Dad scored, what do you think?

M got a laptop too! No, we didn't hit the lottery, nor did we lose our minds. The laptops are a great investment in that the boys are required to do more and more homework on the computer. D's old computer was a hand-me-down that was on its last go 'round, and M has never had his own computer, and we'd like to see him expand upon his computer skills.

D swapped his old robe for the brand-new one he got for Christmas. He's lived in this thing ever since. We've started referring to it as his smoking jacket since he wears it like one. He's practicing his Howard Hughes look.

M was stoked to get a new pair of slippers that he says, "Feel like walking on clouds." Hmmm... I might want some of those.

S sports his new sweater vest, right over top of his T-shirt. He's such a trendsetter!

Legos are ALWAYS a hit with our boys.

D is our resident clown and often serves as comic relief for the family. Christmas morning was no exception.

Here are two very happy, satisfied, any maybe a little spoiled boys. Merry Christmas, guys! Now go get started on your thank-you notes!

Thanks to all of our family and friends for the Christmas gifts and holiday wishes. We had a blessed holiday season and hope you did too.

Christmas season fun continues...

2010-01-13T19:24:00.022+01:00

You probably thought I'd finished with the Christmas update. Not quite. I told you we were busy people in December! Here are some of the other fun things we did during the holiday season...

The boys attended the AF squadron's kids' Christmas party. Here they are watching all the kids go up to sit on Santa's knee to receive their gifts. We were wondering if either of them would participate. Let's see...

Yep, we still have a believer in our midst, although he was very shy and perhaps a little embarrassed about sitting on Santa's knee in front of all those people.

Both boys had small roles in the children's Christmas play at the chapel. D played two roles, the part of Isaiah and one of the three kings.

M played the role of Joseph. He didn't have a speaking part, but he was required to sit with Mary beside the Baby Jesus in the manger nearly the entire play. His knees ached when it was over.

The boys pose with several of their chapel buddies before the play began.

Here's a shot of most of the cast members.

D is such a ham, no matter how large or small his part happens to be. He just has a good time wherever he goes.

We had the opportunity to see the Harlem Globetrotters when they paid an unexpected visit to our base. I'd seen them perform when I was a little girl, but that was a very long time ago. This was a first for the boys and they had a blast.

The players pretended to argue in front of the spectators and people ended up getting wet when the guy with the cup of water threw it at his teammate, who happened to duck just in time. Okay, I knew the drill, but I still got wet.

D was lucky enough to snag one of the mini-basketballs the players were throwing into the crowd.

M didn't get a basketball, but he waited patiently in line to get every player's autograph on a poster everyone received upon entrance into the gym. Here he poses with one of the players.

Between Christmas and New Year's, a group of celebrities traveling through Europe on a "Hollywood Handshake Tour" stopped at Rota to meet and greet military families. There were seven of them, but only five were available when my girlfriend and I went to get autographs and photos. Here I'm posing with Dennis Farina, probably best known for his role on the TV series "Law and Order," and Bill Brochtrup, an actor from the TV series "NYPD Blue." Both men were incredibly nice.

Here I'm posing with Wanda Colón, well known for design shows on HGTV and various movies; Lissa Layng, a TV and film celebrity I honestly didn't recognize (No offense to her!), but evidently she's been on "Unsolved Mysteries," "Days of Our Lives," etc.; and James Reynolds, an actor famous for his role on "Days of Our Lives," who also happens to be a former Marine and currently works with the U.S. Dept of Veteran Affairs as the spokesperson for hospitalized veterans.

Okay this pretty much wraps up the holiday season happenings, with the exception of Christmas morning, which I'll share with you in a later post. We really did have a great December with lots of unique opportunities, however it's rather nice to be enjoying a slower-paced January.

More Christmas Event Highlights

2010-01-07T19:39:00.024+01:00

The month of December kept us hopping as we had multiple events on the calendar. Here are a few photos from each of those events...

D invited a friend (code for GIRL) to go the Jingle Bell Dance at school. The dance, sponsored by the senior class, was only for 7th and 8th graders. Because D had asked his friend to go with him, he felt it necessary to pay for her ticket, which his father and I thought was very appropriate and nice. What was even nicer was the fact that he wanted to use his own money, although we'd offered to spring for the tickets. Doesn't he look handsome all dressed up? OMGoodness, my baby is growing up entirely too fast! By the way... a good time was had by both my son and his date, or at least that's his story and he's stickin' to it.

The same night D was at his big dance, my hubby and I went to the local Air Force squadron Christmas party held at a nice hotel out in town. Will you look at my handsome husband! (Insert loud whistle) I found my outfit, a sleeveless black knee-length dress with a long burgundy dress jacket, at the base exchange in Germany, and snagged it right away as it's always difficult for me to find dressy clothing in my size.

I'll have to say, the older I get, the more frumpy and out of touch I feel since everyone seems to be wearing dresses like this one...

... or this one...

... or this one...

... or this one. Seriously. I have NOTHING even remotely like these dresses in my closet. Whatever happened to long-sleeved, below the knee Christmas plaid dresses with wide, white collars? I definitely didn't see any of those at the party!

My hubby and our oldest hang out at the Cub Scout Christmas Party.

M (in the glasses) chats it up with some of his Scout buddies.

M had a great time at the party. Each of the boys received a Pinewood Derby car kit as a gift.

M becomes the first in his den to meet all the requirements to become a Webelo II. He had no idea and was quite excited to hear the news.

D played with the intermediate band in the winter concert. He's located on the far left in the Santa hat.

D plays the trumpet and he absolutely loves it. It's nice to see him so excited about music.

M joined a few kids from his Scout den at the chapel to help prepare Christmas treat bags for the single service members on base.

As you can see, we had a myriad of things going on last month, and that's not all. We got to see the Harlem Globetrotters right here at Rota, flag football started, the boys were involved in the children's Christmas play at the chapel and more. Stay tuned for more December updates...

Tables for Ten

2010-01-05T15:25:00.016+01:00

Every year the PWOC (Protestant Women of the Chapel) hosts an event called "Tables for Ten" during the Christmas holiday season. Hostesses each decorate a table and plan a meal for ten ladies. Other ladies may bring food items or help in some other way, but the hostesses are responsible for most of the planning. They even give each person at their table a small gift. It's fun to see the creative ideas for decorations, food choices and gift giving. I'll share with you a few of the photos I took that night.

This is one of several tables set up for the event. Unfortunately I don't remember everyone's theme or the food served at each table.

I do remember the hostesses at this table used a patriotic theme, which is evident from the photo. They served all foods that contained some type of chocolate... even the salad! Sounds like my kind of table! These creative, thoughtful hostesses provided several cute gifts for their guests, my favorite being the apron with "Tables for Ten 2009" embroidered on the front.

You'll notice each table had candles. This is because our dinner was held by candlelight.

These ladies are getting ready to start dinner and appear to be checking out their gifts. If I remember correctly, the theme of this table was snowflakes.

I loved the dishes at this table!

This is the table I co-hosted with a girlfriend. We chose a Campbell's Soup theme, serving homemade pumpkin soup and cheesy chicken corn soup, salad and bread. Everyone shared desserts on a table in the center of the room.

We tried to incorporate the main Campbell's Soup colors with a red tablecloth and place settings consisting of gold chargers, clear dinner plates and white soup mugs. Our gifts were baggies filled with a Campbell's Soup ink pen, post-it notes and a couple of packages of mints that resembled mini cans of soup. We also printed out for everyone individually stamped recipe cards for the soups we served.

Our guests work on a Campbell's Soup trivia quiz we did for fun. Of course there was a prize...

Yes, the lucky winner of the quiz took home a coveted can of Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup.

Here's our group of ladies. There was a tenth person, but she had to leave early and missed our photo. Several of our guests were out-of-towners we invited from a neighboring military base.

I really enjoyed the evening and hope to have the opportunity to participate in something similar at our next base. It's a fun way to get together with other women and share some faith, food and fun.

Christmas Tidings Begin

2009-12-30T09:41:00.013+01:00

Christmas has come and gone and, as always, I'm left feeling as if it blew past me when I wasn't paying attention. So much preparation and then... POOF! It's over.

We were a busy bunch during the holiday season, and of course it's not completely over as tomorrow is New Year's Eve. I'll share with you some of the highlights of our holiday season, beginning with the base tree lighting ceremony in early-December...

Friends from our chapel sang Christmas tunes and were quite a hit. I always enjoy hearing these two sing together as their voices blend beautifully.

My hubby and some of our local Air Force friends gather during the tree lighting festivities.

This adorable little girl was to perform with her dance team, but the poor thing developed quite a severe case of stage fright and just froze in front of the crowd.

This is my girlfriend's precious little boy and also the object of affection for lots of people, me included. I get my baby fix whenever C's around.

These ladies work for MWR (Morale, Welfare & Recreation for those not familiar with the acronym) and they dressed in candy cane attire for the event. They looked cold, but very cute!

This guy donned a Christmas tree suit for the occasion. I think it takes a man very confident and comfortable with his masculinity to put one of these babies on.

This is just one of many Christmas-related events we attended during the holiday season. More to follow... and I still have to share some photos of previous trips to Portugal and Germany. I have so much to show you! In case I don't post again before January is here, allow me to wish you a Happy New Year.

The age of innocence is fleeting

2009-12-18T07:55:00.004+01:00

I knew this day was coming, and it's finally arrived. My oldest son, at the age of 13, has decided he's outgrown Santa. I knew this was the case as he'd been questioning the very idea of the great, magical bearded one for probably the last 2-3 years. In fact, I'm sure he stopped believing a while ago, but just didn't announce the news to the family for fear of having nothing under the tree on Christmas morning.

We were recently at a kids' Christmas party on base, and Santa was handing out the gifts under the tree, calling each kid up, one at a time, to sit on his knee and have his/her photo made. "D" wasn't keen on sitting on anyone's knee and he came to me to ask if he could opt out. Our truth-revealing conversation went something like this...

D: Do I have to sit on Santa's knee?

Me: Why don't you want to sit on Santa's knee?

D: I'm too old for stuff like that.

Me: What makes you say that?

D: I don't know.

Me: Don't you believe in Santa?

D: No, not really.

Me: Why?

D: Mom, I just don't think it's possible.

It wasn't so much what he said, but how he said it that made me realize he truly no longer believed. I knew it didn't matter what I said. His mind was made up.

Me: (Slightly panicked) Does your brother still believe?

D: I don't know, but I think so.

Me: Keep it alive for him!

D: Got it!

We talked about how the belief in Santa is a magical part of Christmas and we don't want to ruin that fun for other kids and their families, so he should keep his thoughts and beliefs to himself. I believe he gets it.

I know now that it's true... the age of innocence is long gone, and that makes me a little sad. I find myself wanting to turn the clock back and make time stand still. My little boy is a young man now, a young man with feet bigger than mine and 6 more inches on his frame than this time last year. He's growing up and leaving fairy tales, childhood games and pretending behind. How can that be?

Were his Christmases magical? Will he carry with him cherished memories of Christmases past? I certainly hope so, as I have such fond memories of Christmas as a child. Everyone should, don't you think?

Needin' a vacation after all the Christmas preparation!

2009-12-07T07:56:00.013+01:00

Folks, Christmas is upon us! Are you feeling the joy or are you struggling to get everything done before Christmas Day arrives? We've been shopping and decorating and baking and writing newsletters and addressing cards and going to parties until we're nearly wiped out. And it's only 7 December!

Everything is such a production, you know? Take gift buying, for example... you have to figure out what to give the recipient, which can be very difficult, especially when some recipients give you absolutely no idea what they'd like to receive. (If you're on the receiving end of one of our gifts and you think I'm talking about you, I probably am.)

Next you have to set out to find the gift you're looking for, and when you live in Spain, my friend, it can really be challenging. First of all, shopping here is just plain different than shopping in the States. There aren't as many options. I rarely find what I'm looking for. Thank God for online shopping!

Once you've purchased a gift, you have to wrap it, right? I used to love to wrap until recently. It's quickly becoming one more step in "THE PRODUCTION." I'm mailing the gift and sending it across the ocean. It's already a hidden surprise in a box, right? Why do I need to wrap it too? I know I should make it all pretty so the recipient feels special, but the cost of shipping alone should be enough to make the recipent feel special. Boxes, bubble wrap and packing tape ain't cheap!

And to top it off, every stinkin' box has to have an accompanying customs form. Have you ever had to fill out one of these babies? Filling out one isn't such a big deal, but it gets rather old after the fifth form. I'd rather have a poke in the eye with a very sharp stick than to fill out those forms. And of course if you live overseas, you have to mail your boxes very early if you want them to reach their destination before Christmas. When most people are still just thinking about their Christmas gift lists, our boxes have to be in the mail.

I've been relying heavily on online shopping for the last two Christmas seasons. I'm sure my family thinks I must be the laziest person there is, but in the interest of saving time, energy, money, and more importantly my sanity, I've decided to purchase online and have the gifts sent directly to the recipients. Sometimes gift wrapping is an option, and sometimes it's not. Many people are receiving gift cards this year. If you're one of those people, please know I love you, but I simply had no clue what to buy for you. You can take your gift card and "Get yourself something nice... something REAL nice" (Quoting Cousin Eddie from "Christmas Vacation") on me.

By the way... who takes care of the gift purchasing in your house? I take care of it around here, and while I've willingly accepted that responsibility, I wonder what would happen if I didn't do it. Hey, maybe that will be at the top of my wishlist next year...

Marva's Christmas Wishlist:
1) Someone else purchases all of the Christmas gifts this year

Gift buying is just one of the many responsibilities we have during the Christmas season. There's also the baking. Do you feel like you've baked for an army? We need to bake for the single service members here, which I think is a great idea since these folks are far from home and without their families. Showing them a bit of Christmas cheer is a nice thing to do, but how many cookies do I really need to bake before I've adequately passed around the Christmas cheer? Four different groups have asked me to provide cookies. And my oldest son helped make cookies for a group last night. I'm going to be so tired of baking that I won't have the desire to bake for my own family. The Scrooge in me wants to know when someone is going to bake me some cookies.

This year it took us only a day to decorate for Christmas. It should have taken us a week as we have more decorations than any family ought to have and now we're both in need of traction after our marathon decorating day. There are the outdoor lights and decorations to put up as well as the tree and indoor decorations. I have to literally remove most of our everyday home decor in order to make room for the Christmas decor. We have bins upon bins of decorations. Whose fault is that? I have to admit the fault lies with me as I love Christmas decorations, but only when I'm shopping for them, not while I'm doing the decorating.

We're still in the process of printing out our family newsletter that we always send along with our Christmas card. We got a new computer recently and we had to install some new software. Let's just say that we needed some technical support last night when we started printing out these suckers. One year we didn't send our newsletter to many of our family members and friends because we figured they pretty much knew what was happening in our lives and that they might be bored with it. That backfired in a big way and we had to "renew subscriptions" so to speak. I don't understand it... it's not like the newsletter is particularly clever or creative, but for some reason, people want to be on the receiving end.

Anyone who sends out Christmas cards knows this is definitely a lengthy process. You have to pick out the cards you want to send, decide whether to include a family photo and subsequently take care of those details (frequently a HUGE headache), determine how many cards you need to send out, type and print out the family newsletter (if you're in to that kind of thing, and obviously we are) buy the stamps (if your local post office has them), address the cards (We print out labels on the computer, which is always a lesson in patience and perseverance), stuff the envelopes with cards and newsletters and maybe a photo, affix the stamp as well as labels for your return address as well as the recipient's address times 300.

Yes, we send nearly 300 Christmas cards. My rubber stamping friends who make their own Christmas cards have my respect and admiration. I'd have a severe case of carpal tunnel syndrome if I made cards for 300 people. Not happening! So people, if nothing else, this should point out that you ought to feel extremely privileged if anyone sends you a Christmas card, as many people no longer feel the need to do so and have gone the route of online cards and newsletters for various reasons to include going green to save the environment, ease of convenience, and saving money. Their decision is probably based a little more on escaping the whole process of sending cards. It's time-consuming, expensive and can be a real aggravation, especially when you run into technical difficulties.

Are you going to any Christmas parties this year? I've been invited to 8 parties that I think of, just off the top of my head. Don't get me wrong, it's great to be included and to have places to go, and parties are generally fun. Parties also require a great deal of time and energy too. You have to be concerned with what you're going to wear, which may require a shopping excursion or two, not to mention a trip to the hairdresser and/or the dry cleaners. If you have younger children at home, you have to consider a babysitter and food preparation in your absence. Luckily we're beyond the babysitter stage, but we still have to think about what the boys are going to eat when we're not here. We need to teach those boys to cook for themselves!

There's also the host/hostess gift one feels the need to purchase for parties. If you're going to a kids' party and Santa will be there, you can bet your child will be receiving a gift from the bearded guy, which really means you'll need to shell out another $10 (or less) for a gift for each of your kids. And of course you have to take food with you everywhere you go as every event is a potluck. If your children are school aged, you'll probably be needing to purchase teacher gifts and possibly treats for their friends as well. Calgon, take me away!

Do I sound like Scrooge? I suppose I do, but honestly, my giddy up 'n' go has gotten up and went. I need to ask Santa for more energy, an attitude adjustment and a whole lot of Christmas spirit.

Listening to some new tunes

2009-12-04T14:44:00.004+01:00

I just got this new CD in the mail and I'm lovin' it! Mark Bishop is a southern gospel singer and a former classmate of mine from Kentucky. I've told you this before, but I'll tell you again... Mark and I went to school together from 1st grade all the way through our senior year in high school, and I'm just so impressed with his talent. Looking for some good Christian music that tells a great story? Visit Mark Bishop Music where you can purchase your very own copy of Mark's latest CD.

Happy Thanksgiving... Maxine style

2009-11-23T10:03:00.011+01:00

Thanksgiving is this week, and lest we forget to be truly reflective upon the many blessings in our lives, let's hear what Maxine has to say on the subject...

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!