Brownie Outing

Just Us Girls - Mother/Daughter Brownie Outing
Belmont Girl Scout Camp Preserve
Saturday, March 29th, 2008 9am-noon

CANCELLED

Due to all the recent rains we have been having here, locally, the road out to the Girl Scout Camping Preserve is flooded over, and with the Flood watches still in effect and the flood stages still rising, the Council made the determination to go ahead and cancel the Just Us Girls Outing.
The road into camp is flooded over and, although I have not seen it, I was told that most cars would not be able to cross the water, and with the water still rising, it was just not safe to try.

I am sorry that we are going to have to miss this, but in the efforts to keep everyone safe, this is probably the best course of action.

I will update everyone on the Spring Mill trip as soon as I have some information.

Thanks!!

EBay Offerings

So, EBay is offerring a special price on listing fees for items that are listed at starting prices under $1.00.
So what did I do? Well.....I listed the three most recent books that I read, and reviewed here, for sell.

Mums the Word

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=150230254374&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=005

SOLD Undead and Unwed

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=150230255761&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=005

SOLD Slay It with Flowers

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=150230256858&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=005

So, if you have read the reviews and you are looking to read the book, here is your chance to get it cheap, and in good condition!

Slay It with Flowers

Slay It with Flowers
by: Kate Collins
A Flower Shop Mystery Series, book 2

So I told you about Mum's the Word the first book in the Flower Shop Mystery Series. Well, now the second book in the series, Slay It with Flowers.

Once again, the setting is the ficitional New Chapel, Indiana and this book is set probably a mere weeks after the first book. That alone draws you in, we see all the characters almost exactly as they were when the last book ended, so there is nothing that has gone on while we were gone that changes them in anyway so it is easy to pick up the story in this book and carry on.

Abby has agreeed to do the flowers for her cousin Jillian's upcoming wedding, which we heard about in Mum's the Word, but this is set around the bridesmaids and the groomsmen all being in town about three-four weeks before the wedding for fittings and to get to know each other, like they all don't already know each other already. The bridesmaids are all sorority sisters, except Abby, and they do tend to fit the steorotype, but what can you say, it's a novel. The groomsmen are all fraternity brothers, and the groom and his brother, Abby's ex-fiance, couldn't be more opposite if they tried! I loved it! What great character development!

Of course, we get to see more of what kind of a realtionship Marco and Abby might be developing and also feel out all the other characters. For all everyone says about not wanting Abby to get involved, or stick her nose into another murder investigation, it is the family and friends that end up encouraging her to get involved again this time! I loved reading the way each and everyone looks out for her, but at the same time wants her help for their own reasons, and that makes the story all the more real and human.

You know, I loved this book. It kept me guessing until the end, and I was pleased and surprised with the outcome. I loved the local flavor again of reading a book set in Indiana, and in fact I think the town and the local college, sound very much like the town in northern Indiana that my husband was raised in, so that makes it more enjoyable to read too.

I want to give you information about the book, and would love to encourage you to read it, because I think it was a fun, easy read, but I don't want to give away any of the details of the book. I just think that ruins the book. So I tried to give you enough to get you wanting to read the book, without ruining the whole story.

I hope you enjoy! And if you do read the book, let me know what you thought! Please!!

Undead and Unwed

Undead and Unwed
by: Mary Janice Davidson
Queen Betsy Series, book 1

So, Mary Janice Davidson has a new book series out, called the Queen Betsy series about a newly arisen vampire named Elizabeth Taylor, only don't call her that or Liz, Betsy is fine; and by the way, she's heard all the name jokes she would care to here. Only she isn't your typical vampire, none of the gloom and dome with her, she just wants to know where her shoes are.

When I read this book, I just kept picturing Sarah Jessica Parker from Sex in the City when I read Betsy. That is exactly how I would describe her, she is loyal to her shoes, and you need her on your side, a new pair of Ferragamos or Jimmy Choos and she is there!

It's written in a light-hearted manner and Betsy is more flippant than anything, but I did enjoy the book. Although, I think Sinclair is my favorite person right now, he is so more your typical vampire, dark and handsome, mysterious and yet somehow you just want to know him. I want to know know more about him, his history and everything. I am not quite as interested in Betsy, but she does provide for some good lines and keeps it from being a dark series about vampires.

Great read for a weekend. I read it Saturday while making cookies for Easter, so it is a light, fun, easy read. Enjoy!

Queen Betsy Series

Queen Betsy Series
by: Mary Janice Davidson

1. Undead and Unwed
2. Undead and Unemployed
3. Undead and Unappreciated
4. Undead and Unreturnable
5. Undead and Unpopular
6. Undead and Uneasy
7. Undead and Unworthy

This is a cute little series about vampires, but not the ones that you have read about before, the main charachter is more Sarah Jessica Paker in Sex in the City than Vampire. She may be a vampire, but her loyalty lays in the shoes! Cute read!!

Tutoring

I think I have mentioned in the past how much I love to read, and I have listed my own reviews on books I have read and then when I read a series I have listed the series in order. Well, have I mentioned that my middle child, daughter Maeve loves to read? And have I mentioned that the oldest, son Tiernan is having trouble with reading?

Right now I am sitting at the public library while Tiernan is in his tutoring session. I have nothing else to think of to do, and I don' want to waste the time while he is being tutored, so I came upstairs to the internet computers, and although I am limited on the amount of time I can be on thise computer, I think I can still get this blog written and posted in that time frame.

Tiernan has struggled with reading since last year, although we were leade to believe from the teacher that it was not as bad as the new teacher this year thinks it is. I don' know if that is a difference in the teachers from first grade to second grade or if it is something else. All I know is that he is well below his grade level with his reading. We asked about having him tested for learning problems, but they don't want to do that right now, at our first parent teacher conference, but at the end of the second quarter, they assigned him to an inclussion teacher, so he does reading in the classroom and then another special reading class later.
You know, I am not real worried about him because he is so smart and intelligent when it comes to math and science and social studies. He rocks those courses, it is only reading that he has trouble with and because he struggles with it, it becomes a daily fight to get him to do homework! UGH! I hate to fight with him over doing homework!

So as a parent, who is concerned about their child, we looked around and found a tutor, not in our school system but a reading recovery teacher from the school system next to ours, and so every Saturday we met her at the library for her and Tiernan to do some reading and for her to work with him. All I can hope is that we can get him to the point were he enjoys to read again, and once he enjoys it again, then I know that he will do better.

Top Momma

I'm on the Top Momma website!!!!

Yep, I am currently considered a Top Momma, but to stay on their front page, I have gotta get alot of people to click on the picture I submitted....so....this is the picture that I submitted to them.

This is Molly and Maeve playing in the dress up clothes. Maeve is the one in the back in the purple hula-skirt and Molly is in the front in the green outfit. They are sure cuties!!

Anyway....please click on this link: http://www.topmomma.com/mommas/referal/1433 to register your vote for my girls and keep me on the Top Momma front page!

This is something fun I thought I would try, and you know, the thing is I submitted that picture to them in January!! And it is just now making it onto the front page, so I don't know how long I can keep it there, espically if you all don't click and vote to keep it on the front page. I just wanna say that I am a Top Momma for a little while. Please!!

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Make Me A Supermodel

Last night was the next to last show in Make Me A Supermodel. You know I was watching, espically since I really wanted Shannon to be gone after last weeks vote, so I had to watch and see what happened.

The one thing I don't like about http://www.bravotv.com/ is that I can't paste any of the pictures onto this blog from there. I can do it with any of the pictures on the network tv sites, which you have seen me do for the last couple of blogs on Dancing with the Stars and Biggest Loser, and I like doing that. I think it makes it more fun to read that just all words.

Anyway, we start off with the vote, who was going home Shannon or Ronnie.....easy, Shannon. Thank you voters! I was really tired of her and her attitude, and you know, last week i said that I was sure we would see a different Holly if Shannon was gone, and you know what? We did! She actually seemed to be having fun with the guys and joking around, and you know I think if Shannon had left a long time ago, Holly might not have gotten so bitchy and cocky, and took the time to get to know the guys and she might just have grown even more. I think this week was one of the better for her, just because she lost all that bitchness. Still, although I think she is thin for the real world, when I was watching the catwalk, I did notice that she had some flab going around the middle, and they did meantion that they hold models to a different standard, and it was more about being toned that flabby, apparentaly she has not been hittign the gym and it shows. Which makes me doubt her as the winner a little.

Ronnie, I was surprised by last night. You know, everyone has said he was too catalog, that was the only place you would see him, and I can picture him in a catalog easily, but the photo shoot last night was as far from catalog as you can get and he rocked it! I loved the comments by the photographer, he really like Ronnie, in fact he really like all the guys alot, and that says alot for how far they have all come.

Perry, even in a photo shoot meant to make him look creepy, he rocked it! I was so loving it, it was great, and he looked good, and the photographer even mentioned it. Yes, he still looks funny in asuit, and you know, I think that the suit they put on him on the catwalk was not fit just right, I think there are better lookign suits out there for him, and although the one judge mentioned the square shoulders, I think like in the goth photoshoot, the way that suit was tailored fit his body better and looked good. I don;t think the problem is him is a suit, but in that particular suit.

Ben, you know i love him. He just reminds me of my brother, and I was blown away by this photo shoot! He rocked it and the photographer enve said so. He has come such a long way, and sometimes I think he is my favorite just because of how far he has come, and in other times I think he just still looks so innocent that I want him to win.

I was really glad to hear the judges say that no matter what, all four of them would work and be well-paid in this industry. That they would book Ben for a fragrance shoot right then. That goes to prove that the vote has been right all along, that these four deserved to be there and that they will work in the industry and make a good living at it. In the end, who do I want to win and who do I think will win? You know, I have no idea how the vote will go, but I really think it is between Ben and Perry, and in fact those are the two it is between for me.

Bunny Breakfast

Bunny Breakfast

When: Saturday, March 22nd, 2008
9am to 11am

Where: St. Paul United Methodist Church
4201 W. Third Street
Bloomington, IN


Come join us on Saturday for the Annual Bunny Breakfast at St Paul UMC to benefit the St Paul UMC Preschool.

Breakfast will be served from 9am to 10:30am.

Games and Crafts will be available for the kids with lots of goodies given out.

The Easter Bunny will be there from 10am - 11am for pictures.

All money raised goes to benefit the St Paul Preschool.

Come have fun! I'll be there working, along with hubby and all three of my kids will be there. The older two are graduates of the St Paul Preschool, and my youngest is a current student in the preschool. Come check it out and raise money for a worthy cause!

Biggest Loser - Makeover Show

So this week was the big makeover show on Biggest Loser, and who would be going home. Well, you know, I think I am going to focus more on the makeovers and let you see what I think. I do need to mention that at the beginning of the show, Maggie is voted off and goes home, so no makeover for Maggie. Sorry.

Ali, wow! You know, what more can I say about her. She was voted off, and then came back as the biggest loser at home so far, and you know what, she has Brittany, Kelli and even Maggie beat! She looks so much better than all of them and this dress really shows off how far she has come!
The girl has lost 79 pounds so far and I think she is doing great. She is probably pretty close to her goal weight and her ideal weight at this point, so I don't see her dropping a whole lot more, but way to go this far.



Roger is just a big teddy bear of a guy, and I just love him! Look at him now! Yeah, he is still a big guy, but he has lost so much and he continues to do it and he continues to encourage the younger guys, Jay and Dan, all the time. I love him. I think he looks great and that he has done a great job.
He has lost 121 pounds! That is a small child! I am telling you, this is the guy to watch at the finale! He can still lose a good deal more, so I don't think he is anywhere near his goal or ideal weight, so he could knock them all off the block when he comes in on the finale.



Brittany, well if you didn't know, she left at the end of the night, and I have to say that it was defintely her time to go. This dress looks good on her, although I am not sure what they did with her chest, but it makes them (her boobs) look fake. Must have been some kind of tape to keep them from popping out as she walked the runway.

She has lost a total of 51 pounds and I think she is pretty much at the bottom. I am not sure that she can nor should she loss too much more than this, maybe another 10 pounds, but beyond that I think she is at goal or ideal weight now.


Kelly, you know, I really hope this makeover helped Kelly to grow some self-esteem, because you know I am tired of watching her cry and wimper all the time. She is looking good here, but at the same time you can tell that she still has a bit to go.

Kelly has lost 72 pounds, and I think that she could probable lose another 20-40 before she hits her goal or ideal weight. She is the only girl that I think still has any amount of weight to actually lose anymore. So, if she can stop the whimpering then she can stay for awhile.



Okay, Dan, finally a hair cut! Yeah! He was needing that so bad! And he looks better, still a little goofy, but doing good! He is just such a youngin that it's scary.

Dan has lost a total of 111 pounds so far, and that is incredible. I think he might be able to take a little more off, not as much as Roger, but I still think he has a ways to go to be at goal or ideal weight.


Okay Mark, you're done. You look good, although they really should have shaved you, that scruffy thing looks awlful! I think he is really at goal or ideal weight.

Mark has lost 100 pounds and I think that is about all he is going to lose. You know, he might try to go lower to win, but I think he is at a good healty weight and he needs to go home. Of course I also think he needs to go home because he is effecting his brother and not in a good way. He has too much control over younger brother Jay, point in fact that Jay lost only three pounds working out with big brother this week.


Now, Jay. I love this little guy. He is so sweet and it seems he has lived under his big brothers shadow for far too long. He needs Mark to go so he can grow and become his own man. He does better weight wise, losing more when mark is not there than when he is.
Jay has lost 87 pounds so far, and I think he probably has another 30-40 pounds to go to hit his goal or ideal weight, and I would really like to see Jay stay around, espically with Roger, when mark was gone and Jay and Roger worked out, Jay did so much better. I think he needs another influence in his life right now.

So now you know what I think, how I think the makeovers went and how much I think they all still have left to lose. You know, I like this show and have from the beginning. I think it is good, but sometimes I think people go too far and try to lose under their ideal body weights just to win the money, and that is not good, which is why I said goal or ideal weights. Sometimes a person has a certain weight in mind, but in all reality that weight is too low for their bodies, and they may win the money but they can't maintain that weight and end up putting some of it back on after it is all said and done. I think there needs to be a healthy ideal weight set for the players, and they aren't allowed to go below that weight to win.

RR/RW Gaunlet 3

Okay, so a new rant for me. Yes, I know that I haven't commented on Tuesday night's Biggest Loser yet (makeover pictures weren't up on the web yet), and then I have things from last night to do. That being said, before you think I have nothing better to do than comment on tv shows, I do, it's just that it is tax season and I am busy at work, so the nights and the tv shows are the relaxation and so I am sharing that with you! Just wait till after April 15th and all the deep and meaningful insight I will share!

Okay, so every now and again I turn on MTV and watch the RR/RW challenges, you know Real World vs Road Rules....yes, I used to watch Real World all the time many, many years ago, say way back in San Franciso. Anyway, I had heard alot of people talking on a spoilers board that I am on about who won this, and I kept thinking no way, it is just no possible, so I watched and I am pissed!!

This was set up as Rookies (those doing less that three shows) and Veterans (those doing more than three shows) and so the Veterans dominated, I mean they won everything, unless they were throwing the challenge. It was so lopsided. So we come down to the final challenge. It's an Army Strong Challenge (product placement! WOW so this is what the Army is doing to recruit young people, paying prize money on RR/RW). The goal is to finish this long course with all you players. Now the Rookies have 6 and the Veterans have 10.

The Rookies are way ahead, mainly because the Vets have one guy, Big Easy, and he is big, and he is slowing them down, but they are fighting. Well, we come to a point where Big Easy collasps, the ref comes out and CT is yelling that they will carry him the rest of the way, and this lady in the striped shirt refuses and calls the paramedics and they take him off. Now, the vets rally and say no matter what they are finishing the race. Now at this point the rookies are on the final challenge, the vets make up the time, catch up to the rookies at the final challenge and actually win the event.

No, MTV can't have that, they tell them because Big Easy didn't finish with them they don't win. Well you know here is my problem with that, they wanted to carry him the rest of the way, but the ref and paramedics wouldn't let them. That is NOT their fault. It's not like Big Easy quit or they left him behind, they did what they were told to do. I am sorry, but the Veterans won, but for some insane reason they gave the money to the whiney Rookies. And yes, the girls on the rookie team drove me nuts! They were whiny and bitchy and if I never see them again then I will be happy.

So, the Veterans were robbed. You know, if the ref hadn't made them leave Big Easy and they left him on their own decision, then that would have be fine, but they were told they could not carry him and the paramedicstook him off, because the ref of the game took him out, they should not have been penalized.

Pictures....nope. No pictures for you on this show because I refuse to go to MTV's website, and you know what, I have decided that I no long will watch MTV. Why? Why did this upset me last night so much? I don't know. The fact that some of the people on the veterans team are almost as old as me now? The whiny, braty rookies, or the comments from the rookies about how they won, like it was all their doing, that they were better than the Vets, I don't know, maybe. Maybe I am just sick of young kids thinking they are entitled to things, that they deserved something they didn't work for or earn. I don't know. All I do know is that this set me off last night and I was pissed.

Man I need to get a real life!!!

Dancing with the Stars - Women's Night

Dancing with the Stars - Women's night!

So last night the women danced, and I saw most of it, although for the first half hour I was switching back and forth between Dancing and Biggest Loser.

Shannon Elizabeth is paired with Derek Hough. Ok, I have no clue who she is, although I thought I heard a profession poker player, but still, she was pretty decent last night, so if that keep Derek around for awhile, I am all for that one! She is cute, young and did a good job, so I can handle watching her for awhile.

Priscilla and Louie, well....humm, she did well last night and Louis is good, and she is dancing for the older crowd, but I need to say one thing, Priscilla, I hope you sued the pants off the plastic surgeon that did that to your face! She has had at least one if not more BAD face lifts. At this point her cheek bones stick out and her lips have this exaggreated bow pointsto them, and it is really hard to look at her! I feel so bad, and she was and would still be such a beautiful woman if she hadn't gotten that bad surgery! I can handle watching her dance, but not when they show a close up of her face. I am feel so bad about that!

Marisa, I know she is on broadway, I think playing the Ricki Lake role Hairspray, which is great, and I love, love the fact that she is NOT a size two! And then there is Tony!! Oh, how I love to watch him dance too! This will be nice. She did a good job, a little low on content, but it was the first week and I think Tony took it a little slow on her, maybe he has Jane on his mind still, so this should be a good one to watch too.


Monica Seles and Jonthan Roberts, this should be good! She is such a great athlete that it will be fun to watch the committment she puts into this, but she is defintely not a girly-girl. I think she can pull it off though and it will be nice to see. Jonthan, well I didn't like him last season with Marie Osmond, he started looking like a long lost Osmond by the end of the season, so I not sure what I think of him right now. Hopefully it will be fun to watch.


Kristi and Marc, they were amazing last night! I am so excited that Marc got another awesome partner this season, and personally I think it is time for the gals to win. They should have won last season, but I think they have a cast set up for them to win this season! Kristi and Marc could be it! She is graceful and beautiful and although the dancing is not the top, I think she could be. She is determined, just like Monica, so I can see these two putting alot into their practices and doing very well.

Marlee and Fabio (?), okay so we have a new guy, don't know what to make of him yet, but Marlee surprised the pants off me! I knew that she is good and has mastered alot even being deaf, but I wasn't sure about this, but she did great, and I think we will see her for awhile in this! I love her, and I am so excited to watch her. I just hope that having a new guy doesn't hurt her in the competition this season. I would like to see her go far.

So, now you know what I thought....I think it just might be the women's year to take the title, and I would love to see that happen.

Remember, if you want to vote for free, go to the abc website at http://www.abc.com/ and vote for your favorite dancers. And more than anything enjoy the show!

The Bachelor - London Calling

Did you really think that I would miss this one? Nope! Been watching the Bachelor since the Andrew Firestone season, even though I keep getting disappointed when it doesn't work out, but I am a hopeless romantic at heart, so I keep watching to see one of these actually work out!

So last night was the first ever British Bachelor, and can you complain?!? Nope, something about the accent just makes it all seem right! Yep, I could listen to him all night! The girls, well....let's just say, I did not have pleasent thoughts for some of them and here are a few!

Okay, so I called this girl, messy hair all night. I am really sorry, but I do not remember alot of their names, and since she didn't make it to next week's show, I guess it doesn't matter. I can;t recall anythign about her except that her hair was a train wreck, and I think she might have actually tried to do that, since I saw some bobby pins, but I have no idea why! It looked awlful. I mean, if you are wanting to make a good first impression, make sure it looks good, not like you just crawled out of bed.

This gal was just way out of place. She was a Youth Minister, and the minute she got out of the car and it told on the bottom of the screen that was what she did, I knew she was going home tonight. I think she might have been a great gal, but she was kinda quiet and shy, maybe reserved and this was just not the element she needed to be in. Then there was the bangs, those looked like a bad cut job, so I am sorry to say, she went home. Although it might have been nice to have someone like her around for awhile, the morals and values that she could have brought to the table would be nice for a change.

I think this might be Stacy, but all I know for sure about her was that she drank WAY too much, was obessed with herself and that to try to get the first impression rose, she stuck her panties in Matt's pocket! UGH! At least he even went on camera and said that was just gross! I am sorry, but if you have been doing that to attrach men, then you are probably not attracting the marring kind! Shortly after that, she passed out in the bathroom(?) on a mattress. Not sure where she actually was, but there was a mattress in front of a tub. Warning to future bachelorettes, watch how much you are drinking. This is the second or third season I can remember that someone has been sent home on the first night because they drank way too much, if you can't moderate yourself, then you need help.

This girl, sorry her name is Shayne; once we got a shot of her face, I kept thinking I have seen her before, and then we find out she is an actress. I have to admit, that I was pleased when she told Matt that it was a family business, that her dad and grandfather were actors, and yes he might have seen them, but she didn't mention their names, at least not in the parts we saw. She did admit later in the camera interview part that her dad is Lorenzo Lames, and I was thinking, I remember him, he was hot, and then the next thought is what are you doing here? Are you looking for publicity for a new show you are doing or something? I was a little upset that he kept her around, but he did mention being attrached to her before he knew she was an actress.

Think her name was Robin, and she got down and got funky in the room, not even sure if there was music, but she did this booty shaking thing and I was a little, well grossed out is the best way to say it. Sorry, but I was just not getting it and not sure why she did it when she did, but it seemed a little off, and well, enough said, she went bye-bye last night too. I understand the wanting to get a party started comment, but this was not the place for that. This was not that type of party, everyone was trying to get time to talk to Matt, and I think she blew her time with this dance thing.

Amy, now I don't remember much about her, but when he called her name at the rose cermony I was thinking, why? She is not all that attractive, I mean there are alot of girls that are a lot prettier, and then I thought you know, maybe she is more of a real person that the others, maybe he talked to her and it was a geniune connection, so we will have to wait and see.

Michele, she was one of two gals named Michelle last night, which is nothing new to me! And I do remember her being kinda bubbly and friendly and she played the clarinet. I mean, dig out all the tricks to get him to remember you, I guess. I am not sure that a clarinet is what I would use to get him to remember me, but it seemed to work and so we will see more bout her later. She is also a red-head and the only one I noticed all night, so that might be nice!

Ashlee is a singer/songwriter and she actually wrote and played a song for Matt last night. Now again, this is one that I guestion just a little bit about being here. Are you here to find love and a husband or to promote yourself and your talent? Just have to throw that out there. As you can see, she got a rose so we will have a little more time to figure that out.

Kristine, well, I am at a loss. I don't remember her getting out of the limos, I don't remember him ever talking to her, but she got a rose and will be staying around another week. Humm. Well, at least that gives us time to get to know her a little better.

Okay....so that was my take on some of the girls from last night! What was your take? Are you a hopeless romantic like me and hope that this one will actually work out and we might see two people truely fall in love and get married?

Tune in next week!

Dancing with the Stars - Men's Night

Okay, so last night was Men's Night on Dancing with the Stars, and you all know that I was watching, because by this point you know that you can count on me to be watching anything reality and voting show-wise because I am just addicted to the stuff! Oh well, at least it is a cheap habit!

Steve Guttenburg is paired with Anna, and all I can remember about her is that she was pair with Albert or somebody last year and was the second to leave, I think. Steve is kinda like having John Ratzenburg on the past year. He is a nice funny guy, but he has a LONG way to go in the dancing. He didn't do too bad and I can see him staying around for a little while.

Adam Carrolla and two time champ Julianne Hough....well, it's about time! Julieanne is a great girl and a wonderful dancer, but two years in a row she has pulled the best athlete in the competition and then the best smiler and won both years. You knew that it had to happen, she was going to get paired with someone that couldn't dance his way out of a box! Finally it happened, she got Adam, who has got to be the worst dancer. You know, I think he might even be worse than Billy Ray Cyrus, and yes I like his music, but he is no dancer, even he said that. So this is the year for Julieanne to leave early, and the earlier the better is all I can say.

I have no idea who this guy is that is paired with Cheryl. His name is Cristian something, and he's latin, but other than that, I know nothing. He is a decent dancer, I mean really, he's latin he better know how to dance! So Cheryl has a chance to stay around for awhile this year. You knew after she won her second title that they would have to give her some bad guys to even it out, and that is what happened, but I think she is getting back up there now. We'll see how this on goes.

Jason Taylor and Edtya, well....I like Jason, he's our token football player this year, and I think he will be a good dancer. He's paired with Edtya, and although I think she is a great dancer, I hate her outfits! She starts out the season okay, then they get skimpier and skimpier, until it's like a string bikin with a skirt! I am sorry, but I have never been able to understand her dresses and that just makes me not want to watch them. Although if Jason dances as well the rest of the season as I am expecting him to do, then they could be there in the end.

Mario and Karina, haven't we seen this before? You know I loved watching her and Mario Lopez dance, although that may have been because I would watch anything with Mario Lopez in it! I liked her that season, she had a softness to her that I have not seen since, and I don't know if that had to do with her and Mario's relationship or what, but since then she has just gotten, well, bitchy. She is a little cocky in the interviews and then she is kinda mean to her partners, and so I am not sure what is going on with her. This Mario is young and good, so watch out, but I am not sure I can handle to much of Karina, unless she softens up again.

Penn and Kym, you know I am really tired of Kym getting all the left-footed guys, I mean after Jerry Springer, she should have gotten a winner! Really!! I would have liked to see Kym and Jason. I think Kym deserves a better partner, but then again maybe Penn will surprise me, but last night was not a good beginning, but then again it wasn't good of anyone, aside from Mario. So I am hoping for good things from Penn because I think Kym deserves better, so I hope he doesn't disappoint.

Tuesday night is the ladies and I am looking forward to that one again. Check back tomorrow for my thoughts on it. Voting online for Dancing with the Stars is free and you can do it at http://www.abc.com/ and that is the ONLY way I vote, if I vote! I refuse to pay money for this stuff!

So who is your favorite?

Extreme Home Makeover Sunday 3/16

Extreme Home Makeover
Okay, so by now you know I am addicted to tv, and Sunday is my Extreme Home Makeover night and cry-fest! And last night was good!!
Met the Boettcher family, the dad is a Biker Pastor, and before you get all high and mighty, we have a "biker church" in our community, and I can tell you this, that church makes it a point to be involved in anything and everything community and to do things for others all the time!! If you don't believe me, you have got to check them out....http://www.thehop-e.com/


Now, the mom worked non-profit in the community and the daughter has a son with problems, they are all living in a run down trailer, and running a teen ministry out of the garage. Well, you know this will be good.


I have to say, I liked the house and all, but it really was a little bit of a sore thumb in the trailer park neighborhood they live in, I mean everything around them was a trailer, and here in the middle of all that is this house.




I think the best thing I noticed about the whole thing was the ministry. The dad kept saying that his whole goal in doing the show was to inspire someone, somewhere in the world to get involved, to do the same thing in their comminuty to build up the kids, because they are worth it, and they are the future.

You know, I have to go here.....everyone talks about kids, about how they are the future and that they are going to hell in a handbasket, that no one is doing anything for them or with them, that they don't have any common sense, they are doing drugs and killing each other and what ever else you have heard recently. The biggest problem with it.....NO ONE is doing anything about it! Everyone is complaining about the kids these days, but no one is stepping up to do anything. Everyone thinks it's someone else's job. The parents think the schools need to do more, the schools think the parents need to do more and nothing gets done. There are few community programs, but they are all fighting for limited money, and in the end it ends up falling on churches to do anything, because we all know if you want anything done in a community, and you want it done quickly and without alot of government red tape, ask a church.
I mean, take a look at New Orleans after Katrina....who were the first people in to help, churches, who is still there helping, churches. Hummm.....and people are constently saying we need a seperation of church and state, but when it comes down to it and there is a crisis, the same people that don't want church in their schools or gorvenment are the first in line at the church for aid.

So I'm off my soap box and moving on. I liked this episode and I hope, if nothing else, it made you think. Maybe it challenged you to do more in your community and maybe it challenged the way you think about people.

Oyster Aware

Knock, Knock?
Who's there?
Oyster
Oyster Who?
Oyster the soup before it burns

Okay, so I am no good a jokes, but did you know that eating raw or under-cooked oyster can be no laughing matter?!

For the majority of people, it is no big deal, but if you fall into one of the at-risk catergories, then you might be harmed, becoming ill or worse, from eating raw or under-cooked oysters. How do you know if you or a friend or family member is at-risk? Do you even know the correct ways to fix oysters?

What can you do? Check out the information on Gulf oysters and see if you fall into an at-risk catergory, and even if you don't, check out the information and receipes. Now, receipes, that is what I'm talking about. You never know, you may find a way so much better than what you have tried before.

Make Me a Supermodel

Okay, so I'm addicted to these new "reality" type shows, and if they are on bravo, even better. Last night I watched Make me a Supermodel.

You know, the only thing I don't like about BravoTV, is that I can't link to any of the pictures of the job they did this week.
First off, they did some crazy "lookbook" thing, and I didn't care for it. Then they went to New Orleans and did a Goth photo shoot in the cemetary! I loved this!! The guys rocked it! WOW! Perry and Ben looked so great, I was amazed! They really fit in the picture and when you look at them, they stand out. Ronnie was good, but he just has too much of a pretty-boy face for the Goth pictures. He did the best he could, but it wasn't near as good as Perry and Ben.
The girls...well, let me say that Shannon got a well deserved kick in the pants! i am sorry, but for the last couple of shows, I have felt she has been extermely cocky and self-assured that she is better than anyone else and that she has nothing to fear from anyone else on the show. Problem is that i have never liked her from the beginning, I think she has been here way too long. Holly, I loved in the beginning, she was so different and innocent, but in the last few shows, she has been hanging out with Shannon too much and becoming more and more like Shannon and I don't like her.
I feel as though the girls have decided that the guys can not be the supermodels, and so they can be mean to them but they don't really have to perform with them if they don't want to because it won't hurt them. Case in point, Shannon just dropped the ball on the Goth photo shoot, and she just figured that Ronnie would take the blame for it and she would be safe. You can tell by the comments that she made in questioning, and the judges caught it. She just placed all the blame on Ronnie and said she did her best, when you could clearly tell she was slacking.

So Ronnie and Shannon are up for vote, and Shannon really needs to go home. Ronnie and Holly can go next week. I really would like to see Perry or Ben win this. My take....Ben reminds me of my brother, who is a state police trooper, so I like him alot. I think he has done a good job, but I worry about his wife when this all airs, how she is going to handle this and how he will feel when he sees the way he acted with Ronnie. I think Ben needs to take second place, and maybe he will still get some good modeling contracts out of it. Holly, I used to like, but she has become so much like Shannon that it makes me sick, so she needs to leave right after Ronnie, which would put her in third place, which is plenty high enough for her. Perry, now this is the man! I could handle seeing him in the magazines and anywhere! And, for all the crap he has been put through with his (ex)girlfriend, I think he deserves a reward, so I put Perry as the winner.

Now...I was trying to link to the video of the catwalk, but I could not get it to work, and I couldn't get a link to the pictures to work either....it is not my day....

http://www.bravotv.com/Make_Me_A_Supermodel/season/1/photos/portfolio.php?e=10

Build A Bear Workshop

So Monday March 10th was Molly's Fourth Birthday. What do you do for such a special day? Well, we took all three kids to the mall to Build A Bear Workshop and let them each pick out and make a bear. This is all three as we are done.

I think Molly had a really good time, she loved picking out her "bear", which was actually a monkey and getting it stuffed and fluffing and showering it. Once we got past that point though, it was sensory overload! There were two full walls of clothes to chose from, along with about four other display racks with stuff on them to choose from! It overwhelmed me, I am sure it was too much for a four-year old!



This is the stuffing process, and the kids all thought this was the greatest thing. They loved watching the machine, and while we were there they had to put more stuffing material into the machine and the lady even let the kids help do that, and they loved it! It was good for them to see it and understand what went into the bears, or monkey's in this case that they were building.




Overall it was a great time, and I think they had a good birthday. Of course, those were the most expensive stuffed animals I have ever bought in my life, but as long as they take care of them, I am ok with it....maybe I can get them to just keep these and I can throw away all the mountains of other stuffed animals they have! Wishful thinking on my part!

Top Chef Chicago

Welcome to another season of Top Chef. This time around, we are starting in and set in Chicago, the heart of the midwest, and only about four hours from me!

So, we meet the constestants as they arrive in Chicago at Uno for lunch. I have to say I was excited by this because I have actually been there for lunch, long, long ago! Hubby took me there not long after we were married one weekend on my first visit to Chicago. There is something unqiue and wholesome about Chicago pizza, it is a meal in and of itself, and in fact it's usually two meals!

Okay...the two gals that revealed they are actually partners? What? Wait a minute, this is Top Chef, not Big Brother, leave the relationships out of the show, I want to see cooking, not relationships! That being said, when we get to the house and everyone is making nice and getting to know each other, two people annoyed me with their behavior, Nimia, who refused to get to know the others and went to bed while they were all talking and Dale, who played pool with himself and said that he had to think he was better than everyone else or he never would be, he didn't mingle either.
Yes, it's a competetion, but you are going to be with these people for awhile, get to know them. The old saying, "keep your friends close but your enemies even closer", haven't they realized that they need to make nice and get to know people or they will have no clue when it comes to group challenges and what the other chefs are able to do.

Okay....now on the quickfire they made Chicago pizza, and I have to say that alot of them left something to be desired. Too much crust, not enough crust, Chicago is a blend of just enough crust filled with wonderful flavors and fillings. That being said, I was okay with the way the top and bottom went and was ready for the challenge, which we all knew would be a team challenge, I mean, really, with that mean people, what did you expect.
Now, you notice that I haven't mentioned anything about the dishes in the challenge, well, I just don't know what to say. Some of them, I just didn't get. I mean, what were they suppose to be making, and then others, like the desert souffle, well I can't make a souffle, so who am I to judge, but it didn't sound bad, and I really think Eric would have been better served to have tried a dessert type souffle too. Oh, and was it Ryan that Rocco called as dense as his nochio? Well, I just think he had no idea what Chicken Piccata was, it was probably not something his mama served, and so he made what he thought it was, which went over like a lead balloon, What gets me, if you aren't sure of something why not ask? Oh yeah, right you don't want the competition to know you have no clue what you are doing?!

All I can really say, Nimia, well girl, you deserved your exit, and from the minute that you refused to getto know the rest of the cast of players and went to bed, I knew your weren't going to be here long. The other problem I had with her....she was so thin! I mean she looked model-sickly thin, and she is suppose to be a chef, if you brought me somethign to eat, looking that thin, I would be worried about eating it, because if you can't cook enough to keep yourself looking healthy then why would I think you could cook for me.

So, on to next week. So far, I have not picked a favorite or even any that I really like, other than the Australian, and that is just because I like listening to his accent.

Home at Last by Billy Ray Cyrus

So last night on the way to take the kids to my parents for a couple of days, we listened to the new Billy Ray Cyrus CD.
Okay, before you get all indignant and start cripping about the 80s, the mullet and Achy Breaky Heart; he's still a good songwriter in spit of the 80s mistakes, and haven't we all made them, I mean....parachute pants, Farrah Fawcet hair, roller skating, the hairpsray, the bangs(big hair), the hair bands (Posion, Whitesnake...you remember them). So, now that we are past that, we can realyl talk about the CD.
Billy Ray website

I liked it alot! It fits. It's written by a guy with kids, so as a mom with kids, around the same age, it just speaks to me. It has those type themes, and it goes with growing up.

The first song, Ready, Set, Don't Go.... you have probably already heard. If you don't listen to Country music, they have been playing the version with his daughter singing with him on the tween pop stations. He wrote it as she took off to go film Hannah Montanas, and it is about a father letting go and letting his little girl grow up. And who in my age set hasn't faced this or is getting ready to face it right now!

The Beginning is another middle-age classic, talking about life and what it's all worth, what it means and realizing that as you get older it gets better and it's always as new beginning.

The Buffalo is about a guy who puts his life into a company only to be told they are letting him go, and his anger and his strife and dealing with it. The reference to the Buffalo is strong, because the buffalo were pushed off the land by man moving and taking over what was once theirs, and they didn't put up a fight, I mean really what animal has been able to fight off man taking over everything they had. And not going quitely, likethe buffalo, standing up for what you believe in and what is right.

He does a wonderful cover of Van Morrison's Brown Eyed Girl that I loved. He has a strong presence and voice, but you know I almost forgot at times that it was Billy Ray and not Van Morrison.

There is another great coming of age and standing for what you believe in song on the end, Stand. I loved it, and I wanted to quote is, but I can't remember then exactly right now, and since I can't stick the CD in and listen, it will have to pass.

Billy Ray has written alot of good songs, and they tend to get ignored or forgotten in the wake of Achy Breaky Heart, but if you can get past that and really listen, I think you will find a geniune, down to earth man singing about real life and what is right and making the best of what you have. If you're looking, take a chance on this one!

Review from another guy, so you don't have to take my word alone for it, and this guy even compares Billy Ray's voice to Johnny Cash. So there, what have you got to lose, go to the website and check it out!

The Biggest Loser Couples Edition

Okay, so we took the kids over to my parents last night to have dinner and then cake and ice cream for Molly's birthday, which was Monday. Then the kids are staying a couple of days with my folks since this is Spring Break. The reason I tell you this, I missed most of last nights episode.

So I finally get home and tune in, and there is Ali on the scales, and I am thinking why are they showing this old episode. Well, turns out that for some reason Ali and Mark are back on campus. The minute I see Mark I am worried for Jay. You know, I think he really needs Mark to be gone so that he can grow into his own person more, you saw what happened last week for Jay without Mark there.
So Dan weighs in and it is not good, and then Jay weighs in and I am thinking, I told you so! Mark needs to get his butt back home and let Jay shine. At the same time, I am thinking, this might be ok. We still have the black team gals to weigh in and they don't drop that much, but then when each one gets up they only need drop like 3 pounds to beat the guys 7-8 pounds, hummmm. But Brittany only loses 2 and Maggie loses none, so I am fine. They are below the line and one will go home.

This is where it get's interesting, the weigh in finishes and it's time for a commercial and when they come back, it is the start of Law and Order.....WAIT A MINUTE.....nope, I am not wrong, I have no idea what happened (probably that special election that was being help in Indianapolis yesterday, they must have broke into the show earlier) but I didn't get to see who went home, Maggie or Brittany, personally you could send them both home and I wouldn't care.
EDIT: Okay, so I had to surf around and found out that I wasn't the only one who didn't see the eviction. They didn't show it. Now, not sure when they will show it next week, but they are going to do the make-overs with TIM GUNN next week, which is another good reason to watch! There are a number of them that NEED a good make-over and we all know TIM GUNN is the man for the job! Make it work!

I have liked the guys on the blue team, Roger and Trent, Mark and Jay (although I like Jay more than Mark) and Dan from the get go, and I want to see them all do well. Although, personally I would like to see all three of the guys on campus, Jay, Roger and Dan do better than Mark, I would also like to see Trent do better than Mark.

So now, do I surf around online and try to figure out what I missed or wait until next week?? Uhmmmm....

Tax Season

Have I mentioned lately how much I hate tax season?
You know, I never thought much about taxes, although I did think that it might be easy and fun to go to one of those day long classes, learn to do taxes and make some extra money doing them when I was still home with the kids. That was before.

Just over two years ago, it became necessary for me to return to the workforce, due to a number of issues, but mainly because my husband's grandmother passed away and we were left to support his mother. We were stretching the budget as much as possible with him working, three kids and me staying home, so I went back to work. I took a postion as the Administrative Assistant in a small CPa firm. I love the gals I work with and most of the time, it is fine. Tax season is another story!! It can get so hectic, and what is suppose to be a 30-hour week becomes 36, 40 or more hours a week, and the stress and pressure to get things done fast and the clients.....oh my stomach hurts!

All I can say is that you have to have a certain charachter to do taxes, and I don't think I have it! I get too stressed out, probably because I know that I have three kids at home that need me and other commitments like church, girl scouts, cub scouts and my business that I still have to attend to, and if I am putting in 36 hours at the office, I have to neglect something else, because I have it all scheduled too close together!

With that being said...Monday is the first deadline. Business' have to file their taxes by March 15th, but that being a Saturday the deadline is Monday March 17th this year. Then only a month till the Individual deadline of April 15th. Then thing relax a little until the Personal Property Tax deadline of May 15th....then we switch into summer mode, which means, really relaxed and I actually get to go back to less than 30 hours a week, four days in that week!

There is something to be said for working in for a CPA....summers are pretty easy around here!

Mum's the Word by Kate Collins

Mum's the Word
by Kate Collins
A Flower Shop Mystery - First in the new series

So you know that I love these quirkly little themed mystery series, and I have read and reviewed for you a number of them, the last one I did being a Knitting Mystery Series. Well, I found a new series, A Flower Shop Mystery series, and the first book is Mum's the Word.

So I sat down last night and read this one. It is cute and a good read. One thing that I liked, it is set in Indiana, where I was born and raised and still call home, so that was a fun little detail that made it neat to read, and they mention Indiana University, where I attended, met my husband, graduated from and got married at, so the connections probably made me like it a little more than others might like it.

Abby Knight is the lead, and she is a young woman, who "failed" law school and bought a Flower Shop. Now, I say "failed" law school because it is mentioned that she failed, but there seems to be another story underneath her failing that has not been uncovered yet, I just get the feeling that there is more to it and that. She clerked for a lawyer in town, and is still on good terms with him, and he figures in the story line as a friend, someone to advise her and since she still meddles in law affairs, her helper. She also knows that he takes alot of pro-bono work, so she invloves herself to help find information he needs for cases. I think she might be too naive for law school, she still believes in justice and paying for wrong deeds, and the good guys always win.

The story starts with her car getting hit in a hit-and-run, which runs into a murder. You think this is going to be the main story line, but there is the divorce of a friend's sister that meddles with that line, and you have two sets of bad-guys in the story and which ones go with which crime mixes and twists, until it is the very end, when Abby figures it all out, that we figure it all out, and it takes the retelling of events to those concerned, her roommate Nikki, employee's Lottie and Grace and the bar owner Marco, that we actually figure out that there are two different crime stories running, and it just happens that the two crimes crossover into each other and get us confused as to who goes with which crime!

I have to say I loved it!! It kept me reading till the end. I was all for the one crime ringto be the big bad guys and they were behind everything, when it turned out that the divorce had the real bad guys, and the hired bad guys just kinda got mixed into it. I loved that it kept me thinking and waiting and on the edge of my seat till the end. I loved that they figured it out and that it was a score for the good guys. I mean, this story even included a crocked cop, a sexy neighbor, a high school crush and an ex-fiancee. It was well written and drew you in.

Book Two in this series will be Slay it with Flowers

I have about four of these at home, and will work on getting you all a series in order listing soon! In the meantime, pull up a chair, grab a warm blanket and a cup of joe and enjoy the story!

Project Runway Season 4 Finale

So last night was the finale of Season Four on Project Runway. Did you watch? Or are you just waiting for me to tell you what I thought?

First off, you should know that I was really excited to see the collections, I liked what I saw of Rami's collection when Tim visited and I wanted to see where Jillian went, then I wanted to see Christian for the pure laughter of the whole thing. I was a little disappointed that they didn't have a surprise additional item like last season and the season before, when they had to create another item or the collection.

Now, if I was ranking the collections, it would have been 1) Rami, 2) Jillian and 3) Christian. Why? Well, let me tell you....

Rami: I just love his clothes. I loved the whole line, they fit and look good on a woman's body. Now, I did question the long black dress that he showed on the walk-off, the circles over the hips, but when I saw it the second time around I thought, she actually looks like she has hips in that dress. So I can see where it would work. There wasn't a dress I didn't like. Although I have to say that I am disappointed that he cut some items based on Tim's opinions. That Yellow coat and short dress he showed Tim were gone, I think if he had left them he might have been able to win. And where does Michael kors get off on saying that he doesn't like Rami's color choices? All he ever wears is black. I like color and I love that turquoise color that he used. Too bad, I think he was the best!!!

Jillian: Ok, this was probably the second best collection on the runway. I loved the sweaters, the skirts and the jackets weren't bad. There were only three items I think she should have axed, the short gold lame dress, that was just awlful, then the short black dress with the sheer overskirt layer, it was ok, but it just, I don;t know, it didn't work for me. The last one, that black and navy blue corset thing with the plazzo pants, ugh! Plazzo pants are the worst things in the world, either make a real pair of pants or make a skirt, I just hated that whole think, and the pleating on the pants? What was she thinking.

Christian: Are we sure this was Christian's line or was this Chris's costume line? I am sorry, but I felt the whole line was costume pieces, and they go and kick Chris off telling him he is too costume?!?!? What are we doing here? There was nothing I liked about Christian's line, I guess I could say that at least he lost the bird pants, but then he turned them into that end dress, which I hated! I thought no one in their right mind would wear that, and then Victoria Beckham siad she would wear it, and I thought right, no one in their right mind!! I am sorry, but Victoria Beckham is the LAST person I would look to for fashion advice!!

I didn't like Christian from the get-go. I thought he was a spoiled brat that needed a spanking at times and other times he needed his mouth washed out with soap.....then last night when he told his models notto eat before the show! I wanted to smack that silly little smile off his face! He is the reason we have so many eating disorders in fashion! Attitudes like his, and then they rewarded him for it! UGH! This is just so wrong!!!

On to other things.... did catch a glimsp of Jack with Dale (Top Chef runner-up (he should have won!!)), which does a heart good, and a number of former runway vets. You know, I think if you wanted to reward the kid...Daniel from season 2 would have been a much better choice than Christian, at least he had good designs and was modest and humble enough about his talent, unlike the cocky and spoiled Christian.
I'm disappointed, and mad and I said last night I would not watch another season after this, but by the time Top Chef is over, I will probably be back to watching the next season of Project Runway.

Tuesday Night's The Biggest Loser

So I've been admitting to my tv-watching habit lately, and today is another. I love watching The Biggest Loser. Have watched it since the beginning and enjoy it.

Now that being said, I knew from the get go that the big shocker tonight at the weigh in woul be that the teams were no more, I mean, really, they were down to 3 to 4, what else could it have been. I have also loved the guys of the blue team all along, now I had issues with Dan and his mom there for a couple weeks, espically when she loaded up and didn't drop what she needed to, to try to eliminate and specfic team, but now that she is gone, I think Dan has grown so much more with those guys to help him. I also think that Jay proved more to himself this week with Mark gone than he ever did in all the weeks before that. All that being said, I was actually glad that it went to singles, because it meant that with the normal weight loss these guys on the blue team pull in, they would all be safe, and we were definetly lossing a black team member.
I was surprised at Maggie's weight last night. I am sorry, but I really think that she has been skating along. This week you could actually tell a little more that she has lost weight, but she just doesn't seem to be dropping it as fast as the other, or even looking like she is losing, so I would have been happy to see her go home already. Sending Bernie home was defintely game play for the boys on the former blue team, and if you think the three of them are going to turn on each other now, I have a bridge in California to sell you! Those guys are going to stick together, and with Bob until the end, and I applaud them for it! Bernie was the only one that could challenge their numbers, so they needed to get rid of him, and I think Bernie knew that all along.

It was good to see Bernie had made it past the 100 pound make at home and was looking good. I am looking forward to seeing the finale.

Well....now you know my tv habits.....Sunday night is Extreme Home Makeover, Tuesday night is Biggest Loser and Wednesday night is Project Runway, or Top Chef next week. What's your tv habit? Guilty pleasures?

Extreme Home Makeover - Sunday 3/2

Okay, so another one of my quilty pleasures is sitting down on Sunday nights with the kids to watch Extreme Home Makeover and cry. Yep, they are always cause for a good cry and it gets me through the next week.

So Sunday night, we sat down and saw the story of a guy who started building his families dream home, a recreation of an old historic civil war house, and was called up with his National Guard Troop to Iraq and the house sat there, unfinished, rotting away. Sounds like so many things that have had to be put off for this silly occupation.

Okay, yes I am going to offend some of you, but I do not like, and have never liked this silly occupation. And no, I don't call it a war, because a war has a beginning and an end, this has no end, and in all reality probably never will have an end, we will always have a base and troops of some number there. This is an occupation and when you get through all the smoke and mirrors, it was all for the precious oil that we seem to not know how to live without.
Now, that being said, do no for one moment think that I don;t value and cherish our soliders, They never asked to do this, they are just doing the job they were told to do, whether they believed in it or not was never asked and they did what was required. Some never knowing the scarifices that would be asked of them for the sake of oil. I support our troops, I am greatful for all the do, I still do not believe that this particular assignment was proper, but they are still heros to me. I send care packages and food all the time to soliders that are somewhat, in some strange and twisted fashion related to our church, because that is how I get the addresses, and I pray for them daily, but I still don't agree with the whole thing. And that is the ultimate beauty in this country, is that I have the freedom not to agree with something.

Now, back to the house!! I loved that this time, they didn't build a hugh oversized house. They stayed, for the most part, in the footprint that the father had originally laid out, the original design of the historic house, with a small add on museum off to the side. It was wonderful! I cried for the family, for the austic son, for the father that would have to return to Iraq and for the mother that was left to raise two boys alone.

Everytime I watch this, I love the houses they build, but this one was afavorite of mine. Not too big, the kitchen, well I would love that, and the historic touches. I guess I love history too and that a house with charachter from the past means more to me than some cookie cutter house in a new subdivision with forty some house exactly the same all around it.

If you've never watched Extreme Home Makeover, grab a box of tissues and sit down and enjoy some feel-good tv for a brief period in time, watch people come together for the good of someone else, not for their own glory and enjoy! It will restore your faith in mankind, at least for an hour.