Time for Change

So, when I started this particular blog is was named for the business, and was intended to be about the business, but over time, it just became the place for me to vent, to write and to work out everything in my life.

After some thought and encouragment, I have decided to "split" this blog. This blog will remain, and the name will remain the same and I will continue to blog here, but it will be business focused, and creations focused, meaning that it will be more about "a TAMM creation", and what I am creating and designing and having fun with.

All the fun stuff, my practice writings, the posts about tv shows and my soapbox rants, all of that will be moving over to a new blog at wordpress. Yep, I decided to give them a try since I hadn't used them before and a number of people have been telling me about them and saying I should use them instead, so I am giving them a try. The new blog is http://www.atammmommy.wordpress.com
Yep, I tried to keep the name in the same vein so that you would all know that it was me, but that blog will be all about me. I love the writing and I am thinking about working on some practice fiction stories on the blog, so that is the main thing that really prompted me to go ahead and do the slipt.

Please bear with me as I work on the slipt. It is going to take me alot of time to get things moved and then cleaned up once I move them. Thanks for your support!!

Dancing with the Stars - April 29th

Dancing with the Stars - The Results Show
April 29th

So last night was another Dancing with the Stars Results show, and Monday night had it's share of excitement, with Christian pulling a muscle in his arm in the middle of the dance, and yet they were still safe.

So who did we say good-bye to, well, as the pictures tell, we said good-bye to Shannon Elizabeth and Derek Hough. It will not be the same without Derek, I loe to watch him dance, but overall, I'm okay with Shannon going home.

I have no idea who Shannon Elizabeth is, or how she got on Dancing with the Stars, but she tried and worked hard, and I think this is the downfall of just about every model type on the show, when you are tall and thin (like they want models to be) you have the tendency to look gangly when dancing, there is just not the smoothness or flow of the arms and legs as with others.
Personally, I would have been jumping for joy if Mario and Karina had went home last night, they were my vote to go, but sadly they stayed. Sorry to all of you out there that like him, but there is just somethign about him that doesn't set well, and then there is the ice princess karina, I really liked her when she danced with Mario Lopez, but since then she has developed an attitude (although I think it has always been there, but with Mario L, they were dancing so well, and he was such a great sport that it didn't show on her until the end when they announced the winner and you could tell she was pissed and Mario was like it's okay)

So another week of my guilty pleasures in watching "reality" tv. Thanks for sharing with me in my fun, and look for an update on the Brownie Camping trip soon (just give me a little more time to recover!)

Software, Digitial Cameras and More

Okay, so I am surfing and having fun and I ran across this wild site that has great information on software, camreas, phones and laptop pc.

It's great! The first article I noticed was about a boaster pack to switch Windows XP stuff to Vista. Well, now it's a great idea, and with Vista becoming the only thing you can get now, it is probably needed, but you know that I am loathe to give up my Windows XP. I like it, and I am used to it and I just don't feel like learning something new right now.

What was even better though was the next couple of posts were about digital cameras, and I am in the market for a new one. The $5 digital camera I got off Ebay last year is about to bite the dust, but then again I have gotten my moneys worth out of it so far in the past year that I have had it, but I knew when I got it that it would not be a longterm thing, as it was a model that was no longer made, but it got my going and got my feet wet in the whole digital camera realm.

So if you are surfing and you need something to look at, this is a great site to check out! Thanks!

The Bachelor: London Calling - April 28

The Bachelor: London Calling
April 28th Episode - From three to two


So although there are three roses here, we start tonight with three girls; Amanda, Chelsea and Shayne. After full day (and night) dates one girl will go home and two will remain to go with Matt to London to meet his family.

I think the meet the family should be fun to see and I am looking forward to how they like the best of the two he chose.

To be honest with you, I have been thinking all along that Matt has been making a mistake keeping Shayne. Sorry to all of you out there that like her, but she is young and although she says she is intelligent, I can't see here and we have never seen her really hold and intelligent conversation with Matt. I think she is only there because she is cute and he is attracted, but I don't think she is marriage material, at least not right now.
So this will come as no surprise, I was hoping he would send Shayne home last night, but I was surprised at who he did send home. I have visited the fan forum boards and those who sleuth out things, and I can say that I think it was a surprise to a number of people.


Last night, the beautiful Amanda, seen here on their one-on-one 50's date, was sent home. Didn't see that one coming! Alot of people had her pegged to be the final gal and I think I did too. They had a connection and I could see the same sense of humor in them and all. I realyl thought they could make a relationship work.

This leaves Chelsea and Shayne to go to London, and of the two, I really think that Chelsea is so much more like him and that they could make a good long-term relationship work, but I am not getting my hopes up. I so want to see one of these shows end in an actually marriage and a good realtionship. I guess I am just a romantic, but I want everyone to find love and have a good relationship.

So, on to next week and what it might bring when the family gets to met Shayne and Chelsea!!

Software Review Blog

So I'm wandering about the internet reading blogs, what else am I suppose to be doing, besides it's fun!

So I come across this website that offers asoftware review on different things.

I like the reviews, I think they are clean and they give you information and links to what they are talking about. Not sure where the author is from, but they are defintely not a native English speaker, because sometimes you have to read a sentence two or three times to understand what they are meaning. You know, that is ok. I don't have a problem with that part, I think that is just part of the whole internet experience, and to see what people in different areas think about different software is great too.

So, thinking about software or making money, then check out the site. I say the making money because there are also a few website reviews too, in addition to the software reviews.

Top Chef Chicago - April 23

Last night was Top Chef night, and boy did I need my Top Chef fix! It was great, in fact I even watched the re-run of it right after the original, two hours of Top Chef, what could be better? Well, blogging about it of course.

Okay, so the Quickfire Challenge is to make a dessert. Now to preface this challenge Padma even says if you have watched in the past you know that dessert has been the downfall of many a chef. So explain to me why we have people who have no idea what to do going into this? Antonia says she has never mae a dessert? Excuse me? Once you knew you were going to be on Top Chef, and espically her who said she practiced for the palette challenge, wouldn't you be learning at least one or two desserts that you could do when the challenge came? Why are you not prepared? I was floored!

To be honest though, I was surprised, all the dishes were pretty well received. Antonia, Mark and Spike (or Andrew, they are beginning to look alike to me) were in the bottom. Dale, Richard and Lisa were in the top, with Richard winning for his Bananna Scallops. I actually thought his dish looked good and I would want to try it. I liked Dale's too.

Elimination Challenge, after a trip to Second City they get a five course menu. The audience at Improv throw out a color, and feeling and a food, and that was what each course was to be. This time, they were allowed to pick their own teams, and so Richard and Dale teamed up, and I thought ok, this will be good. Those two cook alot alike and they get along well, so there can be nothing bad come out of this one, and I was right as they ended up winning for their "Green Preplexed Tofu".

Andrew and Spike teamed up and made a squash soup, which during the PI's Antonia says during the last team challenge he wanted to make soup and she said no, so if he wins with this she is going to throw up....Eat your words girl, he is a better chef than you, because he ended up in the top two, and Antonia was once again in the bottom. Andrew and Spike were "Yellow Vanilla Love" and they made a Squash soup with a Vanilla Creme Fresh. It actually looked good and the comments were all good.

Now that being said, and before I move on to the bottom two, I have to say that the comments from the judges and people eating the dinner, were once again all good. The food has stepped it up a notice, and even the bottom two were good dishes, so it came down to technicalities for the bottom two. This is awesome! i can't remember a season where the quality of the dishes were this high throughout, where all the dishes were good, no on bombed and they have to knit-pick to get to the bottom. I loved it! I am so pumped for the rest of the season!

Antonia and Lisa teamed up and were suppose to make Polish sausage but they added a little Chrizo at the end to the dish instead. Okay, wait....you were given a theme, stick to it. And at the end, judges table, shut up and listen! I wanted to just smack Lisa, but then we all know she is not my favorite. She just wouldn't listen to what they were saying. It was nuts.

Jen and Stephanie were in the bottom too, and I don't think Jen understood that she was to listen to what they had to say either, she was surprised, well. Let's just get to it, in the end they sent jen packing and you know what, I am not sorry. I would have been happy to see Jen, Lisa or Antonia either one go.

Now I just have to say about Lisa, wash your motuh out with soap girl! I am over it! Every time she opens her mouth it is f*&%ing this and f*&%ing that and I am tired of it! I know in the first episode they were all cursing, but once the nerves settled, you hardly ever hear any of them saying anything except when warranted, and then there is Lisa who adds it to every sentence whether it needs it or not. I am done with her, she is negative and doesn't listen. Proven by last week when Dale told her her negative attitude was wearing on people, and she told him to f*&% himself, that right there is an example of the negative attitude, you can't take criticism. I am more than ready to see her go home!

As to who I think might win this? It's between Dale and Richard. They are hands down the best chefs out there this season, and they can cook circles around the others, proven by the fact that no matter who Dale is paired with he ends up in the top, and although Richard had the one bad turn in the bottom with Andrew and Mark, other than that he ends up in the top all the time too. I think it will be exciting to see them continue to cook and wow us throughout.

I think Mark might be in over his head, and I am wondering if he might be going home next week, he does pretty well in the team challenges, as he works well with people, as long as he is with someone strong, he is good, but by himself or with a weak teammate he falters.

Only time will tell.....

What in the world is going on?

Okay, so a friend sent me this article in an email, and I hope the I have sourced it right, to give credit to who originally wrote it, but this is just too much for me to keep my mouth shut on anymore.

Teen Suspended In Beating Of Special Needs Student INDUSTRY (KDKA) ― School officials in Beaver County have suspended a 17-year-old student for allegedly beating a special needs student unconscious while other students recorded the attack on their cell phones. According to witnesses, the attack happened late last week on a school bus in the parking lot of Western Beaver High School. The 16-year-old victim suffered a concussion and broken teeth in the attack. Witnesses tell KDKA that the eleventh-grader attacked the 16-year-old victim for no reason – saying the assault was not provoked in any way. Though the bus driver reportedly tried to stop the attack, the witnesses say the driver was blocked. At least 8 other students recorded the beating with the cell phone cameras. Parents say they're sickened by what happened. "It was just shocking and appalling that students would videotape it and that someone would even think about hitting someone who was disabled," Linda Lamantis told KDKA. "Our kids are being taught that this is OK, it's acceptable," Lamantis added, "that it's entertainment -- it's funny. And it's not. " Police in Industry are now investigating. Investigators are also trying to determine if some students on the bus actually went as far to bet on the "fight."
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

I have no idea what the world is coming to, but I can tell you that when I was in school this never would have happened. I mean 95% of the stuff going on in the schools today didn't happen when I was in school, and if someone had tried them, they would have been marched to the principal's office for a paddling!
Yep, I grew up with paddling as a staple punishment, and no one ever tried anything like this. Somewhere along the way, we have lost the way.
Yes, before you start complaining, I know that there are people who take the paddling and spanking too far, past the edge of normal to abuse, but you know what, that has always been around, and taking punishment out of the schools has not lessened the numbers of abused children, in fact if memory serves me right, the latest numbers are on the rise.
The problem is that kids have no sense of right or wrong anymore, they are allowed to get away with too much, even if they are "punished" for something, the time-outs and taking away things just do not send the message that a good paddling did! I mean, look at the state of our schools. This is not the first case of a beating being taped, I think there have been at least four in the last week, and some ended up on YouTube. Enough is enough, what is it going to take for parents to start being parents again, stop trying to be your child's friend, and demnd respect, teach them right and wrong, and don't let them get away with this crap out of fear that you will hurt their feelings. This is ridiculous. We have taking all the parenting away from parents and the schools no longer have any power over children, and we have a nation full of disgruntled kids that have no idea what is right or wrong and do things like this for fun!
Enough! What is it going to take for enough people to get angry and stand up? I for one do not want any of my children to end up this way, and I refuse to pander to them in fear of damaging their egos.

Freelance Writing

If you haven't figured this out yet, I am going to let you in on a little secret, I love to write! I love to read as well, and being able to write is just fun for me. I have always dreamed of writing a book, or at least supporting myself with my writing, but I never knew where to go or how to start.

I started my blog in the beginning because I was trying to sell my handcrafted items, and although I still make them and sell them, they are more a relaxation for me than a business. I still love to make them and that is the reward. As my attitude and thoughts changed, so this blog changed. I started talking more about family and the kids, thinking it would be good for my brothers who are in Kansas to see the kids and what is going on, but I can't get them to read them anyway, so it became more of my journal. The more I read about blogging and writing, the more I realized that I could take any topic and write on it, it would develop my skills as a writer and I would learn more.

Recently I found some freelance writing, online writing opportunities through this website, and although I am not sure of my skills at this point, I am so excited. The idea that I could one day be writing for other people, that I could learn and practice and get better at writing to the point that one day I might even be able to get that book in the back of my mind out and into print, that is just exciting.

Why do you blog? Do you tell a story, the story of your life and your family and your day, or do you blog to share information? Do you blog for the fun of writing or is it work? I love to hear from others, and that is one thing that is big to me, comments. That is how I get better as a writer and learn, comments from others. I would love to know why you blog, why you write and what you think. Thanks for sharing!

Looking for Workboots?

My Dad is one of those guys that has to wear special workboots in his job, you know the stell toed things, and Mom and I have always been looking for them, because they aren't always the easiest things to find, and when you do find them there isn't alot of selection.

Well, I just came across a website for work boots, and it looks pretty good. They offer free ground shipping on orders over $50, and you all know, if you know anything about workboots, that making an order at that level is not hard to do. They even have to steel toed shoes that look more like dress shoes, instead of your typical work boots. Those are the ones that my Dad likes and that he wears in his job at the factory. They also seem to be the harder ones to find than the others. We used to have to buy his through the Union because we couldn't find them anywhere else. Good to know there is an option now.

Well, I think I need to do a little more looking around. Father's Day is coming up and that sounds like a pretty good excuse to do some shopping, and with Free Ground shipping on orders over $50, that is just another reason for me to do some shopping.

I'm off to spend some money! Check them out if you have a chance!!

Dancing with The Stars - ResultsShow - April 22

Last night was the results show on Dancing with the Stars, and you know, that means another star went home.





Marlee Matlin and her dancing partner, Fabian were in the bottom two, and they were annouced as in the bottom at the very beginning of the show, which I hated.

They shared bottom two, or the red light with Mario and Karina, and while I know that Marlee was not the best dancer, I would have been fine with Karina and Mario leaving last night, but alas that was not to be as Marlee and Fabian were sent home.

You know, I loved watching Marlee dance. I know the fast dances were her downfall, but then what did you expect. I am just so amazed and proud of her to see a deaf woman get out there and do as well as she did.
She learned the slower dances and looked great, and she tried as hard as she could on the faster dances, but they were too hard, which says nothing against Marlee. I think she is a wonderful actress and person and I am just so proud that she risked it and got out there on the dance floor and showed they what she had.

For next week....well, I personally have just had enough of Karina, her personalty is just wearing on me, so she and Mario can go. Then Shannon Elizabeth and Derek, although I love watching Derek, she just still has not figured out how to look like a woman on the dance floor, no hips, and she can cry all she wants, in dancing the hips have to be there, and no just there, but overly exaggerated to show up. I think she is starting to learn to move the hips, but not enough to show up. Personally, I think Kristi wins this season, there is no one that can even come close to her, but then there is Mark Ballas bad luck, last year he had one of the best dancers in Sabrina Bryan and got kicked off way too soon, but still I think she wins it all. As to who can go the whole way with her....well, really, no one else is anywhere close.

Okay, so next week we get two dances. Let's see how they do!

The Sugar Camp Quilt

The Sugar Camp Quilt
by: Jennifer Chiaverini
Elm Creek Quilts Novel Series, book seven

The Sugar Camp Quilt is the seventh book in the series, but is completely new in the way it is written. This book is set entirely in the past, in fact, pre-Civil War, but the Underground Railroad is alive and running through Creeks Crossing.

In the Runaway Quilt, through the journal of the family member, we met some of the past people in Creeks Crossing, including the Wright's, and the Nelson's, and Doctor Granger. This book goes back to the time when Doctor Granger is a young boy of sixteen just starting his training as a doctor, and although he is mentioned in the book, he is not actually around for most of the events, save one small time frame during the passing of Uncle Jacob. Most of the story revolves around Dorthea Granger, who we met in the Runaway Quilt as Dorthea Nelson. This tells us of her life and introduces us to Mr. Nelson.

Dorthea is somewhat shelter and has no idea that people don't believe the Bible the way she was raised and that anyone in their town could actually think Slavery is right is beyond her. This book opens her eyes to the fact that people she just assumed to be like her because they lived in Creeks Crossing are in fact slavecathers, and she is appauled to say the least. It is her coming of age story in the time pre-civil war and the quilts factor in again in the story line.

I loved the book. Again the quilts were wonderful and to read a young girl, much like I would think I might have been, so completely unaware that people out there could hate each other this much and not believe that all are created equal, was wonderful to read. I think you will enjoy this one also!

The Master Quilter

The Master Quilter
by: Jennifer Chiaverini
Elm Creek Quilts Novel, book six

So, Andrew and Sylvia grew tired of everyone at Elm Creek Quilts planning every detail of their wedding, although they knew their friends were only doing it out of love, enough was enough, so behind their backs and in complete surprise, Andrew and Sylvia turned the annual Christmas Gathering into their own wedding. Now that the shock has worn off, the Elm Creek Quilter's turn their attention to the Wedding Quilt. Andrew and Slyvia got married without a wedding quilt, and Sylvia being the driving force behind Elm Creek Quilts, well they had to come up with a master plan.

In secret, they appeal to quilters all over to send in a quilt block of their choice that makes them think of Sylvia, and once in they will assemble them into the Master of all quilts.

The problem is secrets, once secret leads to more and more, and as the story unfolds we find that each person at Elm Creek is hiding something that would best be dealt with together.

The book is broken up into mini-books, or a group of chapters devoted to one person, and then as you read the next person so see a completely different view of what was told in the frist person, so it is told by someone else. The way tht Jennifer was able to weave these together is masterful, she wove a sotry better than a quilt and it was wonderful, and really kept me interested and looking forward to how another person saw what was going on and what would eventually happen. In the end, all came out for the best, but the twists and turns were amazing! I loved they way she wove this story!

Loving Sports

Loving Sports here in the Midwest. I'm a big sports fan, what about you?

I know it's only April, but all I can think about is only four more months and football will start again! I love football, high school, college, NFL, even my son's little Upward Flag Football league. And my love of football is a little strange in that I was born and raised and still live in the land of basketball, Indiana. Yup, everyone around me loves basketball, and I can live with or without basketball, it is not a big deal to me. Now football, that is another story!

It's no wonder that football is my son's favorite sport, or that he has played flag football for two seasons now, and he is only in second grade. When football is on, we are watching every night of the week, Thursday (college games on tv), Friday (local high school games), Saturday (the local college), Sunday (NFL) and Monday (NFL). That leaves only two days of the week that we have to do without.

Not only do I love watching football, get a bunch of people together and I love playing football! What could be more fun on a cool fall day, than running and throw a football around, and what a great thing that families can do together, because even with four or five you can have a blast playing football in the yard, you don't have to have a full team. And what great exercise! I mean, have you tried to outrun an eight year old lately? It's not as easy as it sounds, and it's fun.

You know, sports are another way to get families involved with each other, and nothing is better for the development of young kids than to spend time with their parents, and sports helps us spend time with our kids, do fun things, learn and exercise all in one event. What more could you ask for?

So what about you? Do you like sports? What is your favorite?

The Bachelor: London Calling - April 21st

The Bachelor: London Calling
Monday April 21st Episode

Last night the four remaining women each took Matt home to met their families. Okay, now I don't know about you, but this is a big deal to me. I didn't take alot of guys home to met the family, in fact there were a couple there that I would not take home, but then again I knew that they were just a short-term thing anyway. The premise of this episode has always bothered me, I mean, you haven't known him that long, he is dating these other women at the same time and yet you are taking him home to met the family.

Shayne:
Okay, so I didn't watch alot of this one. Sorry, but one look at her mom, and my face hurt! I couldn't watch her! I mean really, the lips the face, can we say too much botox? Something was wrong and it looked awlful. It was suprising to see her sister look so much like her, down to the actions, although from the conversations, I would say the younger sister is a little more mature than Shayne.
Can you tell she isn't my favorite? Sorry folks, but I have just not liked her from the beginning, and then when I found out she was Lorenzo Lamas' daughter I liked her even less, and mainly because to me it smacked of a set up, not of true romance, and I am the romantic at heart, I want someone to find true love.

Noelle:
This was great. I think it was a good time and they got to know each other and have fun, but a little too late. Noelle really didn't get much time with Matt throughout the show and she has hung around because others were more trouble and needed to be gone, but I just don't think they ever got the chance to connect and develop, and Noelle admitted that part of that was her fault in that she was a little slow to open up, well, duh! You are dating a guy with 25 other women, I'd hold back too! I just don't think this is the right venue for her. I think she is a great woman and will make someone very happy, but she needs more time to open up to someone and this was not the best place for her.

Chelsea:
I think this again was a great visit. I think they had fun and he loves that about her, and I think he got to see that although they are alot of fun, she can be serious.
I loved the outtakes at the end of the episode when they went back to their date and getting oldtime pictures made, it was jsut so much fun and showed that they have a great time together. Is that enough for a realtionship? I don't know, but I think they might have a chance.

Amanda:
So she decides to pull a prank on Matt and hire a fake family, and they are over the top, and it was funny, and the best part is that Matt loved it! He couldn't believe that she pulled one over on him and that she got him, and he loved it! You know, I really think that Amanda and Matt have the same type of humor and love the same kind of jokes. Now is that more best buddies or a relationship, I am not sure yet, but I think it holds well for them.

So far, I am thinking that Amanda and CHelsea have the most in common with him, they have the laughter and the romance, whereas there only seems to be romance with Shayne, nothing more than a physical attraction. I think Amanda and CHelsea would make a better fit with him, but we will see where it goes.

What do you think? Did he make the right choice? And who is your favorite?

Wild West Brownie Overnight

So Friday night is the Wild West Brownie overnight.
Please come prepared for any weather, and remember closed toe and heel strudy shoes for hiking.
We will met at Beuhler's parking Lot, down by True Value and car pool over to the campground, meeting at about 6:30 at True Value.

Here is the schedule as I got it from the Council:

2008 Wild Wild West Overnight Schedule
EVENING - Friday April 25th

7:30pm – 8:30pm Check-In and set up sites
8:30pm Campfire (Western stories and songs) Bridge house Porch
10:00pm Ready for Bed
11:00pm Lights Out & Quiet Time

DAY - Saturday April 26th

Have breakfast before the day begins! (this is something our troop will bring - anyone have ideas on what you want me to bring? We will have one large cooler to keep all out cold food in....)

9:00am Opening at the Flag Pole (in playfield)
Group assignments will be given out at this time
9:20am – 9:50am First Station
9:55am – 10:25am Second Station
10:30am – 10:45am Morning Snack (PROVIDED)
10:50am – 11:20am Third Station
11:25am – 11:55am Fourth Station
12 Noon – 1:00pm LUNCH (on your own...this means the troop brings, again we will have no access to a kitchen, so ideas on what you would like would be great!!)
1:05pm – 1:35pm Fifth Station
1:40pm – 2:00pm Afternoon Snack (PROVIDED)
2:05pm – 2:35pm Closing ceremony & SWAPS @ the playfield
2:40pm – 3:00pm Clean up & Check out*

The stations will be:
1. Western Jewelry
2. Western Wear
3. Western Transport
4. Western Spirits
5. Western Games

It sounds like alot of fun, and the stations of activities they have for us to do sound wonderful, I think all the girls will have a good time.

As of right now, I still have not received our cabin assignment, but I have Leader's meeting tonight, so I will check on that. Thank you Joe, Courtney's dad for volunteering military type cots for us if we are in the great rooms and need them.

I will be calling everyone this week to confirm meeting time and such! Looking forward to it, also please be thinking about what we want to pack for Breakfast and Lunch, as we will NOT have access to the kitchen, so it needs to be good cold!

Top Chef Chicago - April 16th

So, tax season is behind us and I can have a real life again, so I treated myself to Top Chef and a couple of books, which I will blog about later.

This episode of Top Chef starts with Jen in a funk about Zoi's departure and with a bit of a chip on her shoulder. I wonder if that chip will still be there once she gets to watch the episodes and realizes that Zoi was called out two weeks in a row for lack of seasoning?

So the Quickfire Challenge is pairing food with beer. Okay, I know so of you out there are thinking, what? Beer is beer, they all taste the same, well I am sure all those big name lavels do tend to taste the same, but small, local micro-brewed beers are another thing completely. I don't drink mass marketed beers, but there is a little brewery in town here, Upland Brewery, and I do like a couple of their beers.
I was a little put off by Nikki's comments, that beer to her means fried foods, and that a coupld of them seemed to think beer was beneath them. I wonder how they would have faired on the vending machine challenge or the quicky mart challenge of past seasons.

Some of the foods were good, so missed big time, but in the end Jen and her chip on the shoulder won the Quickfire, and she claimed it was all because she had something to prove with zoi leaving, maybe that Zoi wasn't that good of a cook and she was better?

The Elimination Challenge was to Tailgate for a Bears game. Some of these people looked so lost! Have you never cooked real food? It reminded me of a few years back when Harold said something was beneath him to cook. Yeah, well, this is a test, lets see how good you really are.

I loved that we got to see the comments of alot of the people eating the food, and i was really surprised when they seemed to like everbody's food, but at the same time I am thinking how can you flub up a tailgate? Really!
I also loved Dale's reactions when he realized that he was serving food to Gale Sayers (a Chicago Bears legend) and then Richard Dent and William "The Fridge" Perry, also both bears Legneds from the 1980s SuperBowl fame. I thought it was great, and the way he was so humbled to be serving them, he really got the challenege and the meaning, this was more than just cooking to him, he was serving local legends and he rose to the occasion, so I was pleased that Dale won this challenge.

In the bottom, we had Nikki, Ryan and Mark. Okay, so Mark had no clue, he had never seen American Football, knew nothing about tailgating, and picked the wrong grill. I think he thought that picking the other grill would help him stand out, but it just messed with his flow and timing. He was constantly having to fix the fire and flame, and he was just rushing around and a complete mess. I didn't want to see him go home over this one challenge, I thinhk he is better than that.

Nikki, tried to make a New York classic, which might have went over at a Giants or Jets game, but not at a Bears game, then to top it off she ran out of half the food before the judges ever made it to her table. Not good, poor planning. I would have been okay with her leaving.
Ryan, well, Ryan just made it easy on the judges. He went with way too high class food, this was a tailgate party not a luxury box catering, and then to top it all off, he didn't even make the food well, and it was not good. Okay, so Ryan, pack your knives and go. I am glad. He was just really flying under the radar until this point, and then he talks the whole episode about this all being beneath him, or at least that was the vibe I got from him, so I am glad to see him go.

Now, I have to talk about Lisa. Lisa, Lisa, Lisa. Dale apogolizes for yelling at her the night before, that her negative attitude had just got on his last nerve and he is sorry. I have no problem with this. I think she does have a negative attitude and what does she turn around and say, that Dale apogolized that SHE made him mad, she calimed he could go *&$% himself. Well, no if you would just calm down a little bit, quit flinging the curse words around you might realize that he was right. The girl has driven a nail in the other nerve with me. At this point, it will be none too soon when Lisa and Spike leave for me. I am over them and really don't want to watch them anymore.

So what did you think? Did the right person win? Did the right person go home? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Discover Spring Mill Event

Saturday was the Discover Spring Mill Event hosted by Girl Scouts, and my troop of Brownies went, although it turned out to be a cold day, and a couple of girls had to stay home due to colds, those that went had a good time.

The first event was a trip to the Gus Grissom Memorial Museum in the park. Gus was the second man in space, and flew the Liberty Bell and Gemini rockets. He was born and raised in Mitchell, IN; which is were Spring Mill State Park is, so the perfect place for the Memorial Museum. The girls did a scavanger hunt in the museum to look for and find interesting facts about Gus. I think they had a good time. I know Maeve did because she spent all day Sunday telling Nana and Papaw and anyone else that would listen everything she learned about Gus and the early space program.

The next event we headed to was Clogging. The girls got to learn a few basic clogging steps and then put them together into a dance. It was so fun, and since it was pretty cool out that day, this really warmed them up.

After eating a brief lunch, we went on a two mile hike, which was suppose to go down to one of the caves, but with all the rain we have been having around here, we couldn't make it to the cave as the path was washed out, under water in one area and there was no way to go around. It was still fun, and believe me my legs are still feeling it!!

To end the day, we went to the Pioneer village and looked in all the houses. We also went to the meeting house and learned to play games from the time period and made a "leavings doll". It was called that because it was made from the leavings, or scraps left over. After games, they went to the leather shop and learned how to make candles! The wax was beeswax, and so the candles smelled like honey.

All in all it turned out to be a great day, and the girls learned alot about the past!

Discover Spring Mill

Discover Spring Mill State Park
Saturday, April 12th, 2008
9am to 3pm

Calling all Browines in Troop 441!!
For those of you who signed up to go on the trip to Spring Mill, it is this weekend. Here are the details.

Please meet in the Beuhler's Parking lot, down near True Value between 8-8:15am. We will carpool from there, leaveing the parking lot by 8:30.

Check In at Spring Mill is from 9:30-9:45am. Then events are scheduled throughout the day.

Please bring:
Sack Lunch,
Change of clothes (at least one, if not two, including shoes)
sunscreen,
bug spray
long pair of pants.

Please wear:
strudy, closed toe and heel shoes for walking

I will be bringing some snacks for the day, but if you would like to bring something to share with everyone, that would be wonderful.

I think it will take us two cars to get down there, and about 45minutes. It should be a great time!!

Top Chef Chicago - April 9th

Okay, so I am a couple days in getting this up, sue me! I'm sorry, but it's tax deadlines and I am tired!

So this week starts with the Palate challenge, you know the one they are blindfolded and have to taste test things and identify something. Great! They only told us who was the lowest and who had the top three scores, I really wanted to know everyone's numbers!!
Antonia won, getting 12 of the 15 tastes correct, not bad. Ryan and Jen tied with 11 or the 15 correct. You may be saying Ryan? Jen? Yeah, that is what I thought. Ryan is the forgetable guy that was paired with Mark last week and Jen is the mohawked girl in the relationship. yeah, I know they are both forgetable. i really wanted to know where Spike landed in those numbers....hum, I'm thinking maybe 7 or 8, maybe a 9. Then there is Zoi, and I am thinking she probably didn't do too good, 7.

Another team challenge. okay, enough already, I want to see them cook and fall flat on their faces themselves, no more team challenges, please!! So we have four teams, Earth, Water, Air and Fire.....let's see what they can do.

Fire:
This team is Dale, Lisa and Stephanie. Okay, Stephanie deserves a gold medal for dealing with Lisa, and I personally though Dale did a good job of not going off on Lisa, until the last two minutes of the show, but still. They fought tooth and nail on the menu, a first course for 80 people on a $500 budget. The finally decided that Stephanie would do a chile rubbed shrimp, dale a chile salad and Lisa bacon.
Let me move on as say that this team rocked it. The food was good, loved by all and they ended up your winners. Now, of course only one can win the prize and Ming, the guest judge decides to award it to Lisa for the bacon, becuase it was something he had never seen? Excuse me? Come to my house, I have been cooking bacon in the oven, weighted to lie flat for years!! Okay, so I don't add the miso, but still, something new? Do you not get out much Ming? What's the deal?

Air:
Well this team is forgetable. Ryan and Jen and whats-her-face, the one that does pasta all the time. Yep, they do duck, and it ends up being decent. It's not the top and not the bottom. It was funny, there were four teams, and this was the first time they only called one team in the top and then two in the bottom, so this team was just there. They weren't good enough for the top, not bad enough for the bottom, which is about all I can say for the people or the meal, I remember the duck and that is about it.

Water:
Richard, Mark and Andrew. Boil-in-the-bag salmon was their main dish. Fish swim in the water, cooked in water, was Richard's reasoning, and I am thinking, ugh. I am not a big fan of the bag cooking thing he did, I was thinking is would make it have the texture of mashed potatoes. I have never really liked the boil-in-the-bag meals anyway. And then Tom said it was mushy. Andrew went back a round and made the fake cavier again, okay, it might get a good review one time, but leave it alone, it can be over done if you do it over and over again. Really. Poor Mark, I think he was completely out of his element with Richard and Andrew, they are not his style of cooks, and I just don't think he had any idea what they food was going to be and what to do with them.
So they end up in the bottom two, and worse than the food.....scales! Yep, Richard either didn't clean the fish, or didn't clean the fish very well. Ming got a mouthful of scales! UGH! Bad, bad team!

Earth:
Antonia, who has immunity, Zoi and Spike, can you say conflict? Spike wants to make soup and Antonia and Zoi don't think that is a good first course? Excuse me? wasn't soup the traditional first course in history? How can you not want to do soup or not think it was a good first course choice? So they go with something more "earthy", mushrooms and beef....whatever.
Can we say bottom two!! This time is was about flavor, no seasoning, which is one reason I am thinking that Zoi did not do well on the palatte challenge, she claims that she is a heavy-handed seasoner, and Gail admitted that the Rosemary was overpowering, but that it was a bd choice to go with the mushrooms, as is you just shouldn't put the two together, but then what did we expect from Zoi....when the chocolate and wasbi won last week she promised us that is doesn't taste good, and since she knows what does and doesn't taste good better than the judges, why does it surprise me about her mixing mushrooms and rosemary, even I don't think that sounds good.

At round table, they decide since the dinners voted Earth the lowest that they are the bottom, and one of them will go, and since Antonia has immunity it is down to Spike and Zoi. Tom says I would like to send them both home and I about wet my pants, thinking please, please, please send them both home! But alas, my dream was not to be and only Zoi went home.

Okay, I am not sorry that she went home. She was in the bottom last week and really seemed to have no clue as to why and so she is defensive and mean when she gets up the next morning, and I am thinking did you even listen to what they are trying to tell you? Two weeks in a row in the bottom, and I am thinking that she was in the bottom in the first week or so too...so really, no surprise.

Spike, you can just go on home next week, although Lisa is going to give you a run for your money on that one. I can't stand her at this point anymore. She was running around the kitchen complain, slamming things, cursing and whatnot, and I am like, see ya! People were complaining about Dale, but I think she is worse. I haven't seen that much from Dale that bothers me yet, yea he thinks he is good, but you know what, so far he has been able to back up hie thinking that with his food, so I have no problem with him, unlike Lisa who is all talk and Spike who is even more talk.

So....what did you think? Did the right person go home?

The Biggest Loser - April 8th

Okay, so last night was the next to final episode of The Biggest Loser, and guess what, they did something new again! They weighed the final four, and just when the top two thought it was over and everything was going exactly as they wanted, wrench! No, they don't get to vote to eliminate, Amreica does....yep, we get to vote.

So here's the link to vote.....http://www.nbc.com/The_Biggest_Loser_5/vote/register.shtml You can vote as many times as you like, as far as I can tell from the FAQ pages, and voting opened at 10pm ET on April 8th and runs through 10pm ET on April 10th. So VOTE!

Now, let me talk about who you can vote for....


Roger:

Okay, so this guy is the biggest teddy-bear of a guy I have ever seen, and I have loved him since day one!

He lost 15 pounds this week, which at this point in the competition is almost unheard of. The 15 pounds was his personal goal for this week, because by losing 15 pounds, that put his total weight loss while on campus at 144 pounds, which is one pound more than anyone else in Biggest Loser history! He has the record, at least until next season!

15 pounds, when you lose that much, there is no way you should be below the yellow line, but he is. So vote for Roger. I really think he deserves to go to the final and to win it all. Also, he actually can lose a little more weight and still be within the healthy range for himself.



Mark:

Okay, so Mark get's kicked off and then gets back on campus and manages to wreck his numbers and his brothers while he is on campus enough to get his brother kicked off and then when we only has Roger to work out with, he manages to step it up and lose 12 pounds, but it still puts him below the yellow line.

Okay...so you can vote for Mark if you really want, but I don't see it. Mark is pretty much at his healthy weight range, and I can't see him losing anymore weight. In fact I was a little shocked that he lost this much this week. I don't think he has any weight loss left in him.
Besides that, I just don't care for the guy, and then there are the girls. They were so sure they had thisin the bag, they were pretty cocky in the interviews, that they were sending Roger home, Mark was a friend and they could beat Mark in the end, so they were excited, only to have the wrench thrown in, and now they might not win.

Now, a little on the girls.
Ali has lost more weight than any woman on Biggest Loser, at a total of 99 pounds, but I think she is maxed out, she actually looks a little too thin right now, so I am thinking she has nothing left to lose for the finale.

Kelly, well, she has lost 93 pounds, and she probably has more to lose still than Ali, but I am think not more than maybe 10 pounds.

For Ali and Kelly to have a chance to win this, they have to go up against Mark, who has little to nothing left to lose either. If they go up again Roger, who can still lose another 20 pounds or more, they lose. Personally, I know everyone thinks it's time for a woman to win Biggest Loser, but I would rather see Roger win.

In a perfect world....Roger would win the finale, and Trent (his original partner) would win the at home Biggest Loser part. That would just be perfect for me. They were wonderful, stand-up men and they never played dirty and they were just honest, good old boys and I loved them both.

So now, I've made my plea for Roger....I'm headed back to the NBC site to vote some more, how about joining me? What do you think?

The Bachelor: London Calling - April 7th

So last night was another episode of The Bachelor: London Calling. Of course I watched it, even though I had to get up early this morning and have my son at the dentist at 7am. What I thought I would tell you this morning, was about the three ladies that left last night. Before you say anything, photos from last night's show are not up on the website yet, so these are pictures taken from the week before.

Kellie:
Oh heavens, what can I say about this girl! I mean really. What did we get to know about her besides the fact that she drinks like a fish and apparently thinks she can hold her liquor but really can't!

Last night was great, Matt sat her down and said, let's talk. He told her she was the life ofthe party but he felt like she liked being with the other girls and drinking more than she liked being with him, so what did she do? She flashed her boobs at him! I mean really?!?! Did she not learning anything from Stacy on the first night? Drinking too much and slipping your panties is not good thing, what would make you think drinking too much and flashing your boobs would be agood thing. The problem is that I don't think she could think!

Everytime she was shown, no matter what date or where at the house they were, she alwasy seemed about three sheets to the wind. All I could think was, her poor mom, what must she be thinking, and then I hope she realizes what a foold she made of herslef when she sees this on tv, and the obvious question, why did he keep her around so long? That one I still can't answer.


Ashlee:

Okay, so we know you can sing, although I wasn't all that impressed with her voice. She seemed so shocked to go home, but Matt had asked her point blank, is there anything more to us than your singing? I mean he was impressed with her singing, and everytime she sang it did things to him, he admitted, but he wondered if there was more to her. And so what did she do? She sang to him again, then when he pulled her aside right before the Rose Ceremony last night and asked about it, she just really had no answers for him. To me, it seemed like she has been able to use her singing to get her places in the past. In the end she said she wantedto be know as more than just the singer, but that is exactly what she put out to Matt, Ashlee the singer, she sang for him every chance she got and when asked hard questions all she could do was smile and sing again.

Holly:
Well, I think this one had some people surprised. She had a one-on-one date with Matt last week, and yet during that date, Matt specifically mentioned at times there were voids in their conversations, that they seemed too comfortable with each other. Okay, now I am all for being comfortable with someone and not having to talk, but this is speed dating, at this point there really can't be the voids in conversation. Then last night when he asked if there were any challengeing questions she had of him, she said no....think of something, anything, it just made her look uninterested in him.

So, we are down to six gals, and they are all going skiing next week, and from the previews looks like a couple of good cat fights are on the way.....

My predictions.....the next two to leave will be Chelsea and Marshanna. Sorry, just don't see it working on those levels. What do you think?

Happy Birthday Maeve

Happy Birthday Maeve!!!

Saturday, April 5th, 2008.

Miss Maeve turns SEVEN years old!!

Oh how I remember the day you were born.....

I went to the Doctor on Friday, and Dr Weiler said I wasn't looking too good, and my blood presure was starting to creep up, so if anything funny happened before my appointment the next Friday to call the office, and she gave me a list of things to start looking for, one was throwing up. So Tuesday, Tiernan and I drove over to Mom's house and spent the day, and Grandma Imogene came up and trimmed my hair for me, and we had agreat day. Mom made meatloaf for dinner, then Tiernan and I headed home. All was fine until about 4am, when I woke up and starting throwing up. I wanted until Brad work about 8am to say anything to him and he made me call Dr Weiler, which I did as soon as the office opened at 8:30am. Well, of course she told me to get my little bottom into the office, and so Brad and I loaded up Tiernan in the care seat and headed to the doctor's office, and which point she took one look at me and sent me straight to the hospital. Yep, my blood pressure was way up, and I was having small but constant contractions, so at the hospital they put me on an IV and we called Mom and she came down and I rested that day in the hospital and they did your c-section the first thing the next morning. April 5th, 2001 you were born, weighing in at a healthy 7 lbs 3 ozs.

Now you are SEVEN. I can hardly believe so much time has passed, but it hasm and here you are, growing up so fast.

Happy Birthday Maeve, my wonderful and beautiful daughter.

Dearly Depotted

Dearly Depotted
By:Kate Collins
A Flower Shop Mystery, book 3

Dearly Depotted starts on July 4th, the day of the big party that Abby is doing the flowers for at Trudee DeWitt's and also her cousin Jillian's wedding. Which happens to be about three weeks after the end of book two, Slay it with Flowers, which is probably one of my favorite things about this series, one book is just a continuation of the previous without long gaps between the events.

So you know, with Jiilian's history, this is not going to be smooth. Jillian's calls many times throughout the day threathening to run away, to call off the wedding, and Abby can't let that happen, Bloomers needs the money that the wedding is bring in bigtime!

Of course, it wouldn't be a Flower Shop Mystery without a death and an investigation, which of course will have to involve Abby and Marco, who gets roped into standing in at the wedding for a fallen groomsman, who happend to sprain his ankle the day before the wedding playing tennis.

You know, the character development is great. Abby and Marco have been trying to build a possible relationship since book one, they know they are attracted to each other, and they tend to do things together, but is it enought to build a relationship one. This is great, it is not a hop into bed on first sit kind of relationship, it's a slow growing thing, and that is great. Too many books anymore have the romantic characters hopping into bed together at first chance and it dooms the story and relationship for me.

i am enjoying this series, and Abby's playful yet tough, smartass attitude is great, it sounds like me when I was younger, read before kids here, and so I think that is part of the draw of the books. That and there is is humor in everything, it might be a murder mystery but it is done with humor overall, and so that makes it a great light read, and right now during tax season, that is just what I can use!

Take a look, and if you read the book, please let me know what you think!!

12 days to file your taxes

It's Tax Season, that means, for those of us who work in an industry that deals with tas returns, we are so busy it's not funny, and for those of you who keep forgetting about them, you only have 12 days left to file your returns!

This is my third tax season working for a local CPA office. We have one CPA, one full-time staff accountant and two part-time staff accountants, which doesn't seem like alot, but we get out about 125-150 personal tax returns a year. It's busy!

The first year, it was all new, and I was fresh back into the working world after being at home for seven years to have my kids. So I was excited and enjoying the new role and the praise of being a workign person again, and the adult contact.

The second year was a little rougher, and it wasn't as smooth and I worked more hours over and above my schedule than the first year and so it was losing some of the luster and shine already.

This year, well, it really started losing the luster in the summer. See, I have a nice job, in that I work 30 hours, then in the summer, I drop down to only four days a week, which is great and we are realyl slow around here anyway. Well, this year, about October, the boss told me he wanted me to come back to five days, and I wanted to ask him what he was thinking, because we were slow and I was having to invent jobs to keep myself busy working FOUR days, how was I ever going to fill FIVE days. But he seemed to have no clue! The full-time gal was using personal hours everyday to fill her time, and he saw it on the time sheets week after week, but he refused to let me keep my four days, he wanted me there five days whether I had work or not. Well, that really started to wear on me, and this year it's worse.

I have alot on my plate to do, and I will be told to point one project in the front, then when I get behind on the others, because I did what was told, I get yelled at for being behind. I was told last week that I am "required" to work extra hours each day, and weekends, but there is no such thing as overtime pay around here. I have a family and a life outside of this place, but sometimes I think my boss forgets, because he has no live and practically lives in the office, he thinks we all can too.

Saturday is my daughter's seventh birthday, and he wants me to work. Well, the bigger problem is that other than some leftover filing, I have nothing to do on Saturday. I guess I could come in and play on the computer and let him pay me for it, but that is just not my style. Right now, I am using my lunch hour to blog, because I just need to vent it all out and get it off my chest.

So.....12 days to file you taxes!!

Top Chef Chicago - April 2nd

Last night was another episode of Top Chef Chicago, and I actually stayed up to watch it, although I was tired, this stupid tax season is realyl taking it out of me this year, and Top Chef isn't on in my area until 10pm.

So the Quickfire is on technique, and you know I think some of them got it and others have no idea what he meant by technique. I liked Dale's, which ended up winning and I like Richard's, but knowing that Richard and one of the other guys whose name completely is lost to me at this moment, have worked for the guest chef before, well I didn't like that, and I was glad that the challenge was won by someone other than someone who had worked for the guest chef before.

The Elimination Challenge was to base one course of a meal on a movie. Well....I had a ton of ideas for that, and I think some of them were great! I was not sure about the first course...Willy Wonka, okay so chocolate and wasbi? But the judges all claimed that it worked at tasted good, although some of the other chefs claimed that it did not. I think they need to taste it before they complain so loudly. Most of the dishes were not that memorable. I think the one I like the best was the one that when teams were picked they thought they wouldn't have a clue together...the one with Mark and the other guy that worked at one time for the guest chef, they ended up picking a Christmas Story, which I personally just can't stand as a movie, sorry, I have just never liked it, but not only did they pick that movie, but they picked a specfic scene, and built the course around that, and it looked good! Ted Allen was even heard saying, I have a never favorite dish, after eating their dish. I was a little surprised that they were not called in the top dishes, I kinda wish they could have known who well they actually did, I think that would benefit them both and encourage them a little.

Yeah, that is an issue for me. I wish that all the teams would get called to judges table and that they would all get comments from the judges on what was good, what was bad and why they were in the top, bottom or middle. I think it would make it easier on them to understand what they are or are not doing. But I know that time doesn't allow them to show that, but I realyl hope that even though we don't see it on the show, that the judges are actually talking to them all.

Anyway, Spike and Manuel end up in the bottom. Okay, so Spike over-rules Manuel and says his style of cooking, well Manuel being a good guy say, hum, I don't know this sytle, but this is a good change for me to learn something about it and so okay....well, Spike can't cook worth crap, the course tanks. In the end, the judges sent Manuel home, but I really think they should have sent Spike. They claimed the Manuel should have stood up to Spike more, but Manuel was very up front about using this as a chance to learn something new, and I think he should be appauled for that. Spike knew how to cook it, and does it all the time, and it failed, so I think the blame should have fallen squarely on him and he should have went home, not Manuel who confessed to not knowing the style.

Sorry, but I think I am over Spike. He can just move on to something else, because he is not as good as he thinks he is and he doesn't take repsonsiblity for the meal. When asked who should go home, he refused to stand up and say, me, it was my idea and my style. He insted said I don't play that game, which meant that he wanted to throw Manuel under the bus and save himself, that alone should have gotten him booted. Oh well, maybe next week!

There are still just too many of them for me to really be able to tell anything about them right now, although I am not liking the couple in the kitchen anymore. I think it is distracting to the others and in poor taste. Just my humble opinion, I would like to hear yours!!! Leave me a comment, let me know what you think and who is your favorite!

The Quilter's Legacy

The Quilter's Legacy
by: Jennifer Chiaverini
Elm Creek Quilts Novel Series, book five

Sylvia has finally decided to marry Andrew, and when Sarah mentions making her wedding quilt, Sylvia decides to find her mother's quilts, they should be in the attic. Only once she starts looking, Agnes, her former sister-in-law tells her that they aren't there, that her sister Claudia sold them all off. With the help of the Elm Creek Quilters, Sylvia starts looking for them.

This is written as two novels in one, you will get Sylvia in her search and then we switch over to her mother as she grows and learns to quilt. As Sylvia searches for the quilts, we learn the real history behind them from her mother's own story. It is amazing to read, and then the details that didn't get passed down, because we all know that there are just some things about our families that we just don't pass on down to the kids!
I found myself wanting to tell Sylvia what her mother did or said and how much a quilt meant to her, or why she started it or what she did and why she did it! It was an amazing read, and although we follow Sylvia on the journey to find the quilts, we also find out more about Sylvia and her relationship with Andrew grows as well as the relationship of the other ElmCreek Quilters.

Jennifer is an amazing writer, and to be able to tell two intertwined, yet still seperate stories so well, that you never feel one is more important than the other, is amazing and I enjoyed it so much. The first time that she really did this two in one storyline with the Elm Creek Series was the last book, Runaway Quilt, and she does it again in this book, but it fits with the stories that are being told, and just seems to be the perfect way to tell the stories.

If you love a good book, this is for you, and if you are a quilter or just love the history of quiliting, this is a great book. I look forward to reading more and more in this series!