It's Almost Here

The day is almost here when my baby girl will walk down the aisle in her elegant white satin gown. All eyes will be on her as she drifts along carrying her petal basket and smiling as the crowd ewes and awes over her. Of course she's not the bride! She's the flower girl and her big day is tomorrow.

Rehearsal is tonight, and she's been promised a BIG surprise if she does well. You never know what a two year old will do in a setting like this. But, I will be perched at the front of the church (not center stage, of course), but off to the side beckoning Baby Girl forward with a brand new princess Barbie. Her daddy will be nowhere in sight (of Scamp at least). One look at him, and she'll lose it.

The day might even go so well that Scamp requests to sing a song on stage. It's happened before. She sang Jesus Loves Me by herself into the microphone of the podium center stage at my parent's church. I wasn't there to witness it, but apparently she was quite the little ham.

Wish us well, and hopefully pictures will be posted soon of her darling little self decked out in her flower girl dress.

Shockingly...Heartwarming

I know what you're thinking. How could a sweet little Christian gal like me be seen renting a movie like that? You're right. That's why I let my hubby hand the clerk the DVD and hoped he didn't look too closely at it.

But, you are not gonna believe this. It was shockingly...moral. Minimal language, absolutely no hanky panky (minus a few swanky comments) and you have Lars and the Real Girl.

Lars, your everyday recluse, has reached a breaking point and orders himself a lady friend. Albeit she's plastic but he believes she's real. He introduces her to his brother and sister-in-law and asks if it wouldn't be too much trouble for them to put her up in the spare bedroom. They don't want anyone getting the "wrong idea." His family reluctantly agrees due to doctor's orders. He's suffering from a delusion, you know. Then, the whole town takes little miss Bianca under their wing and even elect her to the school board. It's so serious, it's funny -- roll on the ground funny...but surprisingly heartwarming. Who would have thought?

Little People on the Road Swap

Hey, Scamp here. Mama has put me to work writing this post. Mama's friend Angi invited us to play along in the Little People on the Road Swap.

Mama said I could find a little buddy. You know, like a stuffed teddy or kitkat to ride along with us this year when we go to the Smokies. Then, me and Buddy are gonna do a lot of posin' for the camera on our vacation. Then, Mama's gonna let me help paste those pictures in a scrapbook (and post several on Scamp's Place, too) to send to our partners in crime. Well, Mama says not really crime partners but other kiddos who are gonna play along and send us a scrapbook and some souvenirs, too.

"It's gonna be great!" That's my new favorite saying.

Mama and me want to invite all you bloggers and your kids to play along, too. You don't even have to go on vacation! Just take your new buddy 'round your town and take lots of pictures. Mama added the link to the Little People Swap up above. Go visit to read all the rules and sign up. The deadline is June 10th or the first 50 to sign up.

R&R

What I'm in need of today! A little Girl's Night Out. I got to go to the movies with my two SILs and my MIL on Mother's Day. But, with Beef working super late this week and me watching Scamp all day and late into the evening, Beef and I both need some relaxation time.

I've been having a lot of fun building Pug Houses (Club Houses) with Scamp this week. She has been wanting to build one every day either using the couch cushions or using blankets to make a tent in her bed. That's what she's taking her nap under today. But, I am so emotionally drained. She is a talker, a non-stop talker who repeats the same thing for 10 minutes at a time and won't take no for an answer (without a little help from me). I just need to close my brain off for a few hours. I think I may need to cry, too, but I'm just too spent!:) I'm off to do...nothing.

Island of Saints

"Island of Saints" by Andy Andrews was my first book to finish for the "I Heard It Through the Grapevine Challenge." Coach Jenny had recommended it on her blog. It is quite an astonishing tale that surpasses the bounds between fact and fiction. When author Andy Andrews unearths German World World II relics on his beach front property, it launches him into a search to find the truth. He weaves a tale of love and forgiveness that takes place on the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico where recently widowed Helen finds the badly injured body of a German submarine lieutenant. Her anger almost forces her to leave him for dead because her husband was killed by his countrymen but something deeper compels her to rescue him.

The history behind the story was so astounding. How could the Germans sink our cargo ships right in our own waters and no one know about it? Even if you aren't able to believe the story as fact, you won't be able to walk away from it without being changed. Forgiveness is a remarkable thing that never ceases to amaze me.

Time Travel Tuesday

High School Graduation Edition
What do you remember about graduating from high school? Was there anything special about the actual ceremony you remember? What did you do after graduation?

I graduated from a class of about 350 students in 1996. Prior to graduation, the girls were asked to vote on which color robe they wanted to wear, red or black (like the guys). My sister's red robe looked almost pink when she graduated so I tried to convince my girlfriends to vote for black, unsuccessfully I might add. But, when my fuschia robe arrived, it was 5 times too big and drug the ground. So, I ended up wearing my sister's robe. Thank goodness we had the same color.

My favorite part of graduation was being able to share it with my cousin Chad, who sat right next to me. He had been voted class president and gotten the reigning Miss Tennessee to speak for our class. Chad is such a goof ball and of course cut up during all the speeches. He gave one himself, but I remember he was so sad he cried. He would probably hate that I shared that. I was more glad than sad because I was hoping to leave my geekdom behind.

After the ceremony, our families reserved the banquet room at Shoney's to celebrate mine and Chad's graduation along with another family friend we had grown up with, Brad. After the party, I attended Project Graduation at the middle school. It's an all night event for graduating seniors and their friends with all kinds of food, games, and prizes. I won a Walkman (CD-style). Remember the days of the Walkman before MP3 players? One lucky student walked away with a car. About 3 hours into the night, my dad walked in with a very stern look on his face. The lady who checked me in the front door forgot to do just that, check my name off. It was all a big misunderstanding which certainly freaked my parents out. We were able to leave at 6am to begin our new lives! Mine would start the next Monday since I started a college English class immediately. What was I thinking?

Share your memories!

Generations

Today, Scamp and I went shopping and to lunch with my grandma and one of her sisters, my great-aunt Lura. I grew up in a large family with close ties to all my extended relatives, especially on my mom's side. Her mom had 9 siblings, 5 girls and 5 boys total, and I knew every one of them plus my great-grandmother and great-grandfather. Both my great-grandparents have passed away along with one great-aunt but the rest of the siblings still try to get-together a couple of times a year.

It has been a wonderful blessing to have such a large extended family, and it's really nice for Scamp to be able to know and love them as much as I do. There is so much history they can all share and have shared with me all my life. I remember stories from my great-uncle Bob about growing up in the Great Depression. He was always excited on Christmas because he and his siblings would get an apple and an orange a piece and that was it. We don't even consider things like chocolate a luxury now. I hope I'm able to teach Scamp gratitude living in this fast-paced got-to-have-what-I-want-now society. I know I get caught up in that mind set way too often.

I am so thankful for the opportunity to listen and to learn. I hope Scamp is able to cherish the memories as much as I do.

Slip-n-Slide Fun

Scamp received a toddler-sized slip-n-slide from Aunt Mary and Uncle Josh for her birthday last year, and last week was the first time we've been able to pull it out. We set it up on a little ditch in our backyard to make sliding easier. The top of the slide is a blow-up float while the bottom is a little pool just perfect for her two-year old stature. But, the best fun didn't start until Daddy added her plastic slide. With practice she was able to go from the top of her orange slide to the very bottom pool area with no help. She squealed and laughed every time. Our neighbors even came out to watch her play. But, what happened to the warm weather? Yesterday was cold outside and today is still chilly but sunny. I'm ready for warm weather to stay. And Scamp is ready for more slip-n-slide.

Bike Buddies

I came home with this bicycle seat for Scamp yesterday because the day before she cried when I left for a bike ride without her. I debated over whether to purchase a pull-behind cart or not, but when my cousin told me she had one and had trouble pulling it (too much leg work) I knew I didn't want to get a cart. For one reason, they are pricey plus I can't afford the extra pressure on my feet with the plantar fasciitis. But, this seat (and her helmet) were a big hit. She couldn't wait until we had it together and when I finally got out on the rode with her, she did not want to come home!! My mom used to have a seat attachment on her bicycle and at two or three years old I remember riding behind her. I really enjoyed it then, too.

My favorite exercise used to be walking, and I would have loved to push Scamp in a stroller. But, my painful foot condition prevents me from doing that. So, when I was out with her yesterday on the bike, I felt so blessed. It's going to be a great bonding time for us. We can't wait to go again.

Escape from Rose Petal Cottage

Rose Petal Cottage can be a good thing to keep Scamp occupied unless she doesn't want you to leave. There are two ways out, squeezing through the tiny split door or separating the cottage in two and stepping out. Obviously, the door didn't work in my case because she latched on to my shirt and pulled me back inside. It's was funny to see how many excuses she made up to keep me in. Finally, I had to push my way out. I didn't capture the aftermath on video, but it was ugly. She stood at the top of the stairs wailing and begging for me to come back. I felt so bad, but we had to get ready to go to the grocery store. She did recover though.

Puppy Power

Scamp and I went to visit an older couple that recently moved from our neighborhood. We were able to bond with them over the past several months and actually helped them move. We had not seen them in person for a few weeks, so Scamp and I headed out with baked spaghetti for a few hours to visit with them.

Scamp loves their Shih Tzu puppy named Little Man as much as he loves her. The dog becomes so hyper when Scamp's around to play. They usually have to keep him somewhat corralled with a harness and leash but today they let Scamp be in charge of his leash.

Oh my word! We barely heard a peep from either the puppy or Scamp for an hour because they played and played...until they accidentally knocked over a house plant and needed help cleaning up the dirt. Scamp continued to pull Little Man from room to room where they would hide under tables and in corners to cuddle. They dog literally became exhausted and instead of begging to be petted he begged to lay down and rest, but for only a few minutes because there were more cuddles to be had.

Guess who got the first goodbye hugs and kisses when we were leaving? Little Man, of course. Now Scamp is exhausted, laying in her bed for a nap covered with dog slobber because she wouldn't be still long enough for me to wash her off. What a joyous day for all of us!

I Heard It through the Grapevine Challenge

I saw the I Heard It Through the Grapevine Challenge at Gail's blog. Lynne's Little Corner of the World is hosting, and here's what you need to know:

Where do you find new books to read? Do you get recommendations from friends? From the library? From the person next to you on the plane or train or bus? From other book blogs?
The goal of this challenge is to read 3 new-to-you books between May 1 and November 30 that have been recommended to you. Feel free to read more if you want! Any type of book is OK. It can even be a book by an author you’ve read before. Cross-overs with other challenges are fine, and you can change books at any time. And there will be a prize at the end of the challenge. You will need to sign up before June 1.

All I had to do was look at my Amazon Wishlist to find books others have recommended. Here are my choices:

1. Island of Saints by Andy Andrews (recommended by Coach Jenny), which I picked up at the library today!
2. Winter Haven by Athol Dickson from Sonya's blog.
3. Snow Angel by Jamie Carie recommended by another blogger I just can't remember who.:)
4. The Shack by William P. Young. Recommended by Deanna from my BSF discussion group.
Alternate 1: Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George (recommended by Emily from Deliciously Clean Reads. BTW, check her blog out!).

Also, we may play along at Teen Lit Review as well. Happy Reading!

30 Days of Housecleaning

I think I'm going to have to change the title. What do you think? Of course, I do have a good excuse for why it took me much longer than 30 days to complete the last challenege.

But, I am glad to report our bedroom looks worlds better. From cluttered to classy, here's our improved space:

My back still hurts from all the cleaning we did. Check out the before pictures here. It helps to be motivated by 15 plus women (some of which I didn't even know) coming to my home for a mystery.

I am also really excited about the new bedside tables I purchased. The matching tables to our suit were not available when we bought the set a few years ago. We hunted them down and finally found them, but they were going to cost almost as much as what we paid for the entire suit. An interesting enough, I saw our bedroom suit on the Price Is Right a couple years back. Anyway, here's the before and after pictures:
I went with black to match the marble tops of the other pieces and because the wood color is very hard to find.


The next challenge will be two-fold: organize the downstairs walk-in closets that you cannot walk into and empty the storage room upstairs in order to convert to a playroom. The goal here is to have a mega-yardsale then give what doesn't sale to the Salvation Army.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Tickle Mama

Watch the video at You Tube.

Scamp and I played dress-up today. Her imagination has really started to flow these last few months, and I'm just amazed with the sayings she picks up. I have no idea where she learned to say, "Ladies and Gentlemen!" Probably a TV show or maybe one of her cousins. I actually got a few great videos today so I'll have to post some others later.

Murder Mystery 2008

Click here for the Murder Mystery Slideshow.

Would you have thought all these characters came from the Bible? Of course, not exactly. They are more updated than their Bible-time counterparts ( and maybe a wee bit exaggerated on a few parts), but the strong-willed, selfish and manipulative personalities are all there. The most interesting part was actually identifying with the "bad girls of the bible." Yes, I did share a few characteristics. I would have to say some of the most memorable moments of the evening were seeing the hippies in protest out on my lawn and watching my friend Robin sashay in wearing her showgirl costume. I nearly fainted (with laughter)! I so enjoyed seeing how inventive my friends were in making these characters come to life. What fun (and a blessing)!

More Book Reviews

The Witness (Shield of Hope Series Book #1) is the first book I've read by Dee Henderson. Although it is the first, no other books have come out in this series. That is one of the main reasons I chose it. Most of her books are in series, and I didn't want to get too tied down with a long series.

Synopsis: from book cover "Police Chief Luke Granger's witness to a murder, Amy Griffin, has been on the run for years. Her family thinks she was murdered eight years ago, but Amy chose to accept a life in the shadows in order to protect her sisters' lives. Now unveiled secrets about their father have thrust the sisters into the public spotlight. The man who wants Amy dead now sees her sisters as the way to locate her. Luke and two of his homicide detectives are determined to stand in the way. They are each falling in love with a different sister, and it's become a personal mission to keep them safe. But chances are that at least one of them will fail, and facing the future will take a faith deeper than any of them currently knows."

At first, I couldn't get into the book because I had a hard time with her writing style. But, after about the third or fourth chapter, I began to enjoy it. It had a nice storyline with three cops and three sisters pairing off. The book did have a few graphic scenes relating to the murders, but I was able to handle them ok. And I don't want to give too much away, but it was a bit sad. If you enjoy detective type books, this one won't disappoint, and it doesn't leave too much of a cliffhanger since no other books have followed.

A Rush of Wings by Kristen Heitzman was my second book by the author. I reviewed her other book, Freefall, here.

Synopsis: from book jacket "Running from terrors both recent and remembered, Noelle flees her New York mansion for the Rocky Mountains, seeking a place to hide from the men who betrayed her. Her sanctuary is a horse ranch, where she discovers solace in the breathtaking scenery she paints. But as the attentions of two brothers slowly soften the wall she hides behind, the past she yearns to escape becomes a menacing threat she cannot deny. Will Noelle find courage to give her broken heart to the One whose perfect love casts out all fear? Kristen Heitzmann skillfully creates a story resonating with emotion and a poignant spiritual journey."

She is one of my new favorite authors. I loved A Rush of Wings as much as I did Freefall. I think I'm really able to identify with her characters. She interlaces her stories nicely with God's word. Again, I love her balance of romance and adventure. And I just found out there is a second book following A Rush of Wings. The Still of the Night will immediately be added to my wishlist!

Happy Mother's Day to Me...a few weeks early

Hubby ran outside yesterday and brought a fairly large box into the house that had been delivered. I figured it was something for his work, but a few minutes later he came into the living room and said he wanted to give me my mother's day present early. He thought I would enjoy using it now. What a nice surprise! I had been wanting a laptop to keep up with my two blogs. It came at the perfect time because our upstairs computer plus the Teen Lit Review site have been acting up.

I love it!! Beef even copied all my files from the main computer so that I won't have to run back and forth between two computers. Now, if only we can get TLR up and running. If anyone knows what to do with the error on the site, please help! Everytime I go to the main page using our computer upstairs, the site locks up and says Stack Overflow! Argh!! But, I'm still really excited about my laptop!! Thank you, Baby!

Chillin'

Scamp and her Daddy had a "picnic" on the back porch this last week with all the nice weather. Her favorite thing to do outside is visit all of our neighbor's dogs, which she does often. She generally has to visit each one twice in an outing. We don't have a dog since we already have a cat in the house and no fence in the backyard. But, I think she may think those dogs are really hers. Although this week, her best time was probably when Beef put up the tent in the backyard, so she could have a clubhouse.

Speaking of clubhouses, Scamp loves the cartoon Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. She has two little outfits that make her look a lot like Minnie Mouse although she still calls herself Mickey. Those are her "Mickey shoes" and her Mickey (Minnie) Mouse ears, which she got from Stacy last year when they went to Disney World. It even has her name on the back. She wanted to wear her ears to Sunday School, but we were afraid they might not come back in one piece. You ought to see her in the other little dress that looks like Minnie. It's black with a pink bow and white polka dots. So precious!

The Saga Continues

I got back from the doctor's office today. My hormone levels are slowly going down, but they told me last week I will have to have blood work every week until my pregnancy levels are at zero. Thank goodness the needle stick isn't as bad as it was at the hospital.

But, on to brighter news. Scamp went with me today. It's a 40 minute drive to my doctor, but we pass a great park on the way. I packed us a lunch, and we spent an hour and a half playing. The weather was (and still is) wonderful. It's sunny with a slight breeze. It's spring again. At least for this week. How's the weather on your end?

I won't be able to post any pictures today. I got some really cute ones yesterday with Scamp lounging outside in her sunglasses. Oh, she's getting so big. For some reason, our computer is running some sort of Windows updates, and it's taking hours and hours. So, hubby switched me over to a Mac (just until the updates are finished). I have to admit there are some neat qualities, but there's a few things that are just backwards and therefore frustrating to me with this computer. It looks nice though.

Time Travel Tuesday

This week travel back to your junior or senior high prom…

Did you go all out? What did your dress look like?

Who did you go with? Any special memories from prom night?

Venture on over to Annie's to share your memories.

I went to prom as a sophomore and as a senior. My first prom was with my first serious boyfriend, who was a grade ahead of me. My prom dress was above the knee, sleeveless and fitted. It was completely covered with a vertical stripe sequined pattern. The colors were dark -- red, purple, black, and maybe green. It really didn't look as bad as it sounds!! I wore my spiral permed hair up. My date arrived for some pictures, then he took me to his parents' house for more pictures. I believe we went straight to the prom. It was held at a meeting hall overlooking the lake. We entered on the second level, which overlooked the dance floor and an erected two-story high twinkling Eiffel Tower on the dance floor. The theme was Paris. My most unforgettable moment was when my shoe toppled down the stairs, and my date had to fetch it for me. We danced, had our pictures taken, ate, then went home. I had an early curfew.

I missed my junior prom because no one asked me (no boyfriend), so when senior prom rolled around I asked my friend Jeff. He was actually my first date's best friend. He accepted, plus we started dating soon after. I thought I looked much better in these pictures. My dress was solid black velvet and almost floor length. The dress was very simple except for a lightly sequined upper back. My hair was pulled up again, and of course, it was big, curly, and totally 80s (although it was the 90s!) He took me out to dinner first, then we went to the hideously decorated high school cafeteria for a few dances. Afterward, we went to my friend Jill's house to watch a movie (one of the sequels to Tremors). He took me home before the movie ended because, yet again (and rightly so), I had an early curfew.

Both proms were fun -- not really the proms themselves, but buying the dress, having my hair done, and of course the expectation of a magical night.