The Story of My Life

Nothing should be done because of pride or thinking about yourself. Think of other people as more important than yourself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Phil 2:3-4 Chance for a Cure in China We have had so many fundraisers at my son's school that I have not even tried to do any of them after the walkathon- which we donated a TON for. No cookies, coupon books- nothing. But today his school sent home a Service Project- A teacher at his school's 35 year old husband has a rare disease- Spinocerebellar Ataxia (SCA). He is already losing his ability to walk and talk. The school is helping them to raise part of the $40,000 that is needed for his treatment expenses, which he must travel to CHINA to get. I did a little research and found that a scientist has had success in reversing some of the effects with fruit fly DNA! This treatment may help him regain his motor skills and has helped many others in the past. There is n...

Have I said that I loved Blogging? I get great personal satisfaction form rekindling my love of writing from blogging. I have made great friends and have gotten lots of good stuff in my short 3 months in the blogosphere. I got an email from a book rep,(Valerie M. Russo Hachette Book Group USA) the publisher of this book- Free Food for Millionaires - by Min Jin Lee. - It won many awards last year when it came out in Hardcover. The email asked if I would like to receive advance copies of books to review for my site. I replied, of course- I am a semi-retired librarian and I love to write....so it was an easy answer. This book comes out in paperback April 2008 and I got an advanced copy of it via UPS today to read! So exciting. The paperback version has a different cover than the hardcover, which is shown at the bottom of post. . The author has a book event scheduled on April 22nd at the Alabama Booksmith at 6:00pm. (I believe the rep found my blog after I went to the Mary Kay Andrews s...

1. Buy OXY tough spot carpet cleaner and put under your sink. You never know when you may need it. Also, Never put paintings that your 4 year old created on the dresser in her room to dry. They can be knocked off, and stepped on and leave footprints all over her room. (Maybe placed on the floor, stomped on and then danced around the room???....I don't know, I didn't see it.... I was blogging.) 2. Learn how to highlight hair. If you think you hate paying lots of money for your own hair color, just imagine paying that for a NINE YEAR OLD BOY!!!! My husband is appalled. Hey, its just hair. 3. Get a Mom t-shirt that said "....because I said so" on the back. Helena Baseball Moms got one for being team mother. I love mine! I wanted to make myself a photo button with my son's picture on it like I did when he played t-ball. He was appalled as well. He wouldn't even let me wear it when he was 5, much less now. 4. Buy the new Eggo Mini Muffin Tops for breakfast- that...

Ka'anapali Beach Maui, HI Ka'anapali Beach Club by Embassy Suites Maui is probably my favorite destination that we have visited, although I am hard pressed to pick between any of the tropical locations I have been blessed enough to travel. Let me just say that when we used to travel a lot- before kids- we took turns picking the destinations. After picking a Civil War Battle Field Tour from Virginia to Pennsylvania- obviously not my planning, but my loving husband- although I look to be so enjoying myself in the rain poncho at Antietam. I was so delighted when my turn came around again. Actually He wanted to go to Maui as well..... It it was so breathtakingly beautiful. We rented a red convertible for the week and just relaxed We took a helicopter tour of the Island that culminated in a champagne toast on the volcano base. I think that is what was so amazing about the island--The diversity of landscape. From volcano to barren, desert-like mountainous regions, to tropical rain...

Last week was my birthday and I didn't feel very well waking up on that morning. I went downstairs for breakfast hoping my wife would be pleasant and say, 'Happy Birthday!' and possibly have a small present for me. As it turned out, she barely said good morning, let alone 'Happy Birthday.' I thought... Well, that's marriage for you, but the kids... They will remember. My kids came bounding down stairs to breakfast and didn't say a word. So when I left for the office, I felt pretty low and somewhat despondent. As I walked into my office, my secretary Jane said, 'Good Morning Boss, and by the way Happy Birthday! ' It felt a little better that at least someone had remembered. I worked until one o'clock , when Jane knocked on my door and said, 'You know, It's such a beautiful day outside, and it is your Birthday, what do you say we go out to lunch, just you and me.' I said, 'Thanks, Jane, that's the greatest thing I've heard a...

If you know who Jeff Dunham is, you will be envious! We have tickets to see him at the Alabama Theater next week! We bought the tickets at Christmas and I hadn't realized it was coming up so FAST. He is SO FUNNY- my favorite comedian. My husband, sister, niece, Aunt and my sister's friend are going. I can't wait. If you do not know who Jeff Dunham is, here is a sample. He has several characters and they are all great. Walter the grumpy old man is funny and reminds me of my Dad. I told him he is so cheerful he needs to be a Greeter at Walmart. There are lots of clips posted if you want to watch more. I let my son watch one of the cleaner clips- which was still a mistake-- and he is so mad that he can't attend. It is definitely ADULT HUMOR.

This was the best night of AI so far for me. I have to say that David Cook has been my very favorite every week and last night he was incredible. Billie Jean as a rock song. Who'd a thought???? (My pick so far.) Michael Johns was amazing as well. Lucky for him that song was in his birth year. Who doesn't love We are the Champions !! ( He is my son's pick so far.) I am not much a fan of the ladies, but I guess Carly was my favorite. I love the Total Eclipse song and thought she did OK with it. Brook's got my 2nd place vote with her soulful piano playing performance of Every Breath You Take . ( Love the song as well.) Although Kristy Lee did a little better this week, If they do not get her off there soon, I may just die!!! I can't stand her. I agree with Simon, she is a Stepford wife robot, albeit a patriotic one after singing God Bless the USA . Must Go: Kristy Lee Cook- STOP THE TORTURE. I have wanted her to go for 3 weeks. Ramiele Malubay- I am just tired of her...

What Charnita Means You are very open. You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily. You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind. A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life. You are very adaptable. You are truly an original person. You have amazing ideas, and the power to carry them out. Success comes rather easily for you... especially in business and academia. Some people find you to be selfish and a bit overbearing. You're a strong person. You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality. You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something. You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense. You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun. You are very intuitive and wis...

We all went to my Dad's house to celebrate Easter and let the kids hunt eggs. He has a farm in the country in Marshall County, a little north of here. He has 6 acres out in the middle of nowhere- and it is peaceful and quite. Unless the grandchildren are visiting! My sister and brother/sister-in-law and nieces and nephew were there and had a great time. They all brought the eggs they had colored and Paw Paw and Nanny had put coins in plastic eggs for them. My Maw Maw, who is 95, also got to come and see the great-grandchildren play. She played the harmonica while my little girl did what appeared to be break-dancing. We had good food and, of course, opportunity for priceless photos. As an added bonus, my sister and I got to pull my brother's oldest daughter's FIRST TOOTH! Boy, will there be some excitement at her house with the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny visiting on the same night. We made sure to tell her that the first tooth, the fairy usually brought $25.00. Her ...

E agerly anticipating spring A waiting a time of celebration S pending time with family, chasing brightly colored eggs T racing Christ's journey to the Cross which Ends in glorious Resurrection

The beach portion of our adventure was supposed to begin today- at my Mom's in Gulf Shores. She called yesterday to say that the riptides were worse than ever- all beaches were under red flag and some under "double red flag". They had 7 near drownings and 1 fatality. She said the life guards and coast guards had been on TV to warn people to stay out of the water. And my son is quite the adventuresome spirit. GranGran did not want me bringing my little dare devil anywhere near the water and asked us to come another time- as much as she wanted to see the kids. She said the roads were so congested since no one could be at the beach that it would not be a good vacation for us. So we are home. At least I am. My son has spent the night with a friend last night and has been home, changed clothes and is gone to another friends for the day and night tonight. When he is 16, I will never see him. So I am home, forced to shop. And color Easter eggs- which I LOVE. I went yesterday and...

This is Print #2 in my Family Pathways portrait series, Fiddler's Rest. The first one, The Journey is posted here as well . This is my paternal great grandfather's fiddle- And my maternal grandmother's old butter churn. I went to my maternal great grandparent's homeplace this weekend and took lots of shots- This shot is one of my all time favorites. Straight off the camera, perfect lighting. I have lots more sentimental, antique keepsakes and can't wait to get my series completed, canvases ordered and hung! My brother has been given this fiddle by my 95 year old grandmother who is still living. He almost made me sign a release to take it and my sister and I had to have it back by sundown. Can you believe he does not trust us? We spent a long time trying to find the perfect place for the perfect shot. We went to a huge creek and rocky waterfall area first, but climbing down the rocks with a 200 year old fiddle and a very expensive camera for 2 rather accident prone ...

Let me be the first to say that I am a girly girl. I hate to get dirty. I, like an idiot, got on the back of a 4Wheeler with my sister driving, thinking, stupidly that since my baby daughter was on the front, that I would be safe and we would take a nice leisurely spin around the nice trail in the woods. Before I could even get on good, she buried the 4-wheeler up well to my calves in mud and spun the tires until I screamed so much it made Baby girl cry. Yes, that is mud on my face, my glasses and my clothing. A great time was had by all. Except for me.

Be back soon....

1. Find something you are passionate about and do it. I used to be passionate about lots of things and I am getting there again. Sometimes we lose our self in the daily thing called life- try not to. 2. Have lunch with an old friend and dinner with a new one. We did that this week and it was nice. Old friends are a comfort -- and new ones are a challenge and refreshing. 3. Enjoy SPRING!!! Bask in it's renewing warmth. 4. Take a long walk. 5. Did I already say enjoy spring?????? Ok, well then do it twice. I am going to visit family, my sister for one - for the kids to be spoiled, and me to work on my story. (My father, brother, nieces and nephews and I have rendezvous planned with old friends as well....) Then to my mom's at the beach..... I plan on taking lots of pictures and writing lots. I will be back soon. I know you will by anxiously awaiting my return for more installments. (I can't wait to color eggs when we get home...) Happy Friday and Happy Spring Break!!!!

Webkinz World!!! Where else can you play roulette, slot machines, Mah Jong, buy things, mine gems and plant a garden ? Although, due to my obsessive compulsive disorder, I am banned by husband from ever buying another Webkinz pet. The picture of my beanie baby collection shown below, circa 1997, BEFORE I EVEN HAD KIDS- but was collecting for my niece - is evidence as to why. I guess he could be right on this one. (Who does this?????) (Never give me a checklist. I will complete it.) (Oh, honey, they will be valuable one day!) (Somewhere in Tampa, A GoodWill attendant got 3 lawn and leaf bags full as a hefty donation and made lots of fun of me.) There are more stories I could tell about beanies- but I will save them for another day I wish to embarrass myself.

"There is no security quite as comfortable and undemanding as the kind you feel among old friends." I had lunch and a wonderful afternoon visit with a friend of mine that I worked with as a cashier at Food World in high school and college! I met him 23 years ago and we were great friends for 5 years or so. We have tried to keep in touch, but I have only seen him 2 times or so in the last 18 years. We reconnected via the myspace world and ended up only living 5 miles apart or so. It was a wonderful relaxing time- just like I had seen him every day since we met. Isn't that the definition of a true friend? His home is beautiful and of course, you know I too my camera along for the ride.

this bathroom is a nightmare!!!!!

"There was never yet an uninteresting life. Such a thing is an impossibility. Inside of the dullest exterior, there is a drama, a comedy, and a tragedy." —Mark Twain "Storytelling is healing. As we reveal ourselves in story, we become aware of the continuing core of our lives under the fragmented surface of our experience. We become aware of the multifaceted, multichaptered ' I ' who is the storyteller. We can trace out the paradoxical and even contradictory versions of ourselves that we create for different occasions, different audiences.... Most important, as we become aware of ourselves as storytellers, we realized that what we understand and imagine about ourselves is a story. And when we know all this, we can use our stories to heal and make ourselves whole." ~Susan Wittig Albert ~(Story Circle Network) A blank piece of paper is God's way of telling us how hard it to be God. -Sidney Sheldon Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The ...

Well, it was a very cold weekend with only a dusting of snow. Just enough for my son to make muddy snowballs and mess up about 4 sets of clothing- my husband says men do not have outfits. I hibernated all day Saturday and Sunday until the sun came out and it warmed up. I did have my new book and a nice fire to keep me happy. I finished the book last night and it was fabulous. I will write a full review soon, but I truly enjoyed passing the frigid temps with my latest read by my current favorite- Mary Kay. It was strange because I began the book CRASHING on the couch an Saturday- and finished it yesterday in a lawn chair soaking up some sunshine in the driveway watching the children play outdoors. My son has had a BB gun- camouflaged rifle, no less since he was 3. Yes, 3. My father has so many funny tales about finding things in the road. I guess he is very observant, but has found a new chainsaw, several ball gloves and, yes, my son's BB gun. He gave it to my son when he was 3 and ...

1. Go somewhere close to your home that you have never been. If you get lost, text message Google. 2. Make a Slide Show of your favorite pictures using Windows Photo Story or Movie Maker and email to your friends and family. It is free and easy. Grandmothers love it. 3. Look up your favorite author's website if you haven't already. Send him/her an email. 4. Put your favorite quote on your fridge....I would say email signature, but take your choice. My favorite quote of the day is: Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans!~John Lennon 5. Get some extra sleep this weekend. It makes you feel better. (Even those the clocks SPRING FORWARD this weekend one hour on Sunday at 2:00 AM. I love the longer days but it screws up my kids' biological clocks- even an hour.Not to mention that my son will annoyingly say it is really not the time that it is for a good 2 weeks....) You can do it before you go to bed if you'd like, you don't have to get up at 2...

My daughter and I ventured on a field trip today. As I wrote earlier, my current favorite author is Mary Kay Andrews . She was having a signing of her new book at the Little Professor's Bookstore in Homewood . Though the weather was yucky, I am terrible with directions and Ally does not like to ride in her car seat any longer, I could not resist meeting the author and getting an autographed copy of Deep Dish , the newest tale by Andrews. So we set forth. I printed directions and we were out the door by 10- knowing my penchant for being late, we left extra early. As we approached the exit from the Interstate, I looked down at my glorious Yahoo map directions and realized it printed directions the the center of the ZIP CODE for Homewood and not my destination. I had looked the address up earlier and did think for half a second that this map was not correct or at least not like the prior one I pulled up to the destination...., but thought for sure it was just a short cut! My husband...

This week has gone by fast! I took a personality test that I found on Philosopher Mom's blog. It was rather interesting. Your Visual DNA . Although Philosopher argues that it is invalid, it hit me just to a tee. Her interpretation of it is very funny as is her entire blog..... although she can be very deep sometimes and makes me overwork my brain.....(but I do love her!!) I was an Easy Rider in Mood, Escape Artist in Fun, High Times Roller in Habits and Home Soul in Love....fairly accurate. Check it out...it shows you a series of pictures and you choose the one which is you! You can even make a cool Widget with your answers. (Shown at bottom of all posts....) Then my old dear friend sent me an email about horoscopes-- LIBRA - --Nice to everyone they meet. Their Love is one of a kind. Silly, fun and sweet. Have own unique appeal. Most caring person you will ever meet! However, not the kind of person you want to mess with... you might end up crying... Libras can cause as much havoc ...

I recently finished reading all the books by Mary Kay Andrews . If you have never read these entertaining stories, you are missing out. I know, I am obsessive compulsive and once I started on these, I couldn't stop, but you won't be able to either, OCD or not. A Southern writer with a background in journalism, Andrews, tells tales of women in Georgia and other southern settings- in all kinds of predicaments, and they are hilarious. Her eye for detail and decor make the stories sing with personality and ambiance. Little Bitty Lies was my first experience with Andrews' books. I bought it one Saturday morning at the bookstore when we all went to browse. By Saturday night, I was done. ( I sat outside with my children as they played with my head in the book.....) It was that enthralling. It is laugh out loud funny. It is so typically what we all fantasize about- plotting revenge against a cheating man with our Best friend ...Just kidding.....of course- who would fantasize abou...