Christmas In August

I've signed up to win! I couldn't resist a Flat-Panel LCD HDTV! One of the "rules" is to link yall over so you, too, can win. Feel free to NOT link over and sign up - this would make a good Christmas present for my hubby. He is notoriously hard to buy for.

Sponsored by Best Buy.....

A Question For The Weekend

This one comes with an explanation. In Hairspray, the main character runs into her high school teacher's lounge and all the teachers are smoking. The air is thick with smoke and we can hardly see though it!

That was my first teacher's lounge. They had just started separating the smokers from the non-smokers and, trust me, I was one of 3 non-smokers. We had a small closet. The smoker's had a large room (with a window) and it was almost impossible to walk in there!

So....

What was your first job? Did you love it?

Summertime And The Living's Easy.....

Wow! This has been one of those weeks! It seems like I never have time to write and whenever I have a (minor) inspiration - one of the kids is playing on Webkinz.

To Update:

• Yes, I finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I have been talking about it with others who have also finished it. I can't give away any info here..... OK, one thing. I saw an interview with JK Rowling and she told Harry, Ron and Hermione's future careers. Harry add Ron-Revamping the Auror's office. Hermione-High up in Magical Law. (Donna, you are finished by now, right?) It was so nice to hear that my guesses were confirmed....
• Went to see Hairspray with "the girls." Funny, funny movie! At some points the dialogue was just a reason to get to the next song - I loved that....
• Abbie was disappointed that she didn't get to go to Hairspray. She is convinced that I'm taking her at some time in the near future. I'm not sure it's that family-friendly.....
• Had a great day at the pool! Most of our friends were there and it was so overcast that all others members stayed away. Just us in that huge pool - the lifeguard l00king like they wanted us to just "leave already...."
• I'm trying to find a read that's worthy of following Harry Potter - right now I'm holding a Christian fiction by Thoene. They are usually very uplifting and engrossing....
• Kenny and Abbie are back to normal since camp. Right after camp, I could tell a difference in Kenny and it was so sweet. He seemed more willing to go with the flow. Now, he's back with fighting with his sister for the preferred spot on the couch....
• Took a few things to Mimi's for her garage sale - sold nothing! Of course now I see stuff everywhere that should have gone.....

Yep, He's Precious

I think I should let you know that my child LOVED Leadership camp! He even seemed more grown-up for 2 days, at least. He talked about his dorm counselor, Jeremy, and how Kenny loved hanging out with him. He played guitar. He was Neville (Longbottom - they had a Snape counselor, too.) He could beat-box, and did. He taught the kids Step. (If for some reason you don't know what these words mean, ask a teen or a pre-teen.)

Kenny's been singing all the camp songs, too. When My Jesus Rocks The House isn't Pass It On let me tell, ya. He told us all about Jacob - he even explained that I probably wouldn't want a child by my servant. That's right, dadgum it.

He had called us on Thursday night to tell us to come to the "Personal Project" presentation. This is a modern-day talent show. Kenny was so wonderful doing Step - he just gave it everything he had! One of his counselors told us he was "precious." Kenny overheard her and he's mentioned that compliment to me. We couldn't have asked for a better first-time away experience.

Dear Ms. Rowling,

Thanks for:

• A series where the good guy wins and the bad guys loses.
• Books that I can read with my kids and still enjoy.
• A girl character that's smart and nice to be around.
• The friendship between characters that isn't always perfect. And then there's forgiveness. Just like real life.
• A boy/man that we can all look up to (even if he's a wizard.)
• The epilogue. I needed that epilogue - badly.

A Question For The Weekend

Are you thinking about what will happen next to Harry? Have you pulled yourself away from the book long enough just to read what blather I may have written or asked? Me, too.

What blog do never miss going to other than this one? Why that blog?

Friday Fun Zone

Wanted: Fluffy

I'm trying to read some lite, fluffy stuff while I await Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. (Have you heard there's a new book coming out?) I don't want anything that can't be finished by midnight Friday night so I'm choosing according.

I picked up the Nanny Diaries thinking that would fall into the "fluff" category - funny, not too deep. I was wrong. I'm recommending this to every young woman I come across (or her mama.) It's all about a young woman (21) who is completely taken advantage of by her employer. She's trying to make every happy. She wants everybody to get along. She wants her employer to step up and be honest. Sound familiar to anybody? Your first job, maybe?

Our main character, Nan, never gets up the nerve to confront her employer. Her mom and dad try to get her to be up-front with her employer about working conditions but she's afraid of making somebody mad. She's afraid of losing her job. So Nan worries about it constantly and obsesses with her family and friends.

A great read to discuss with a young girl. To talk with her about standing up to injustice. About knowing when to confront or even how to gently question a request/demand.

According to my counter we only have 3 more days!

Shhh. Keep It On The Down-Low

My Lost addition stills lives over at my TV blog.....

He Isn't That Old, Is He?

We dropped off Kenny at ACU Leadership Camp yesterday. Yep, I left my baby in the care of someone I met in dorm hall. A guy's dorm, no less. And this, so called, caregiver was carrying a baseball bat. Was he intending to hit my child on the head to keep him in line?! It stank like mildew, the toilet seat had some black spots on it, and my sweet first-born was in boy heaven.

We hadn't gotten to the end of the street when it hit me that I had just left my son! This kid, that I hardly let go to the other side of the store without me, was free to wander the ACU campus for 2 hours without supervision! Who knows what kind of mischief he and his roommate would get into to?! But I'm sure it's okay - they both had watches! Because telling time makes them do everything they are supposed to do, right?

I thought about him all night. I kept looking at the clock and wondering what was going on with him at that moment. At 10:50 when I was ready for bed, Jim assured me that he was in the dorm, safe.

Check out over at Tammy's blog for her camper post....

A Question For The Weekend

After last week's deep question, (that even required it's own post!) I'm going easy on you this weekend.

What's your favorite candy bar? How often do you have one?

Friday Fun Zone

This may look like Texas but it's really in California. I would make some joke here but I'm pretty sure Texas has its own set of crazy activities (Rattlesnake Round-Up, maybe?)

The Harry Potter Zone

I'm entering the Harry Potter Zone. It's brought on by the release of a Harry Potter movie or book. The Zone will last until I have, not only seen the movie and book, but dissected it with others that are in the Zone.

I went yesterday and bought tickets for the 3:00 showing of the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Kenny and I will be there with our friends. I have my frequent buyer card ready to get Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on June 21 (at midnight, I'm sure.) I have finished the 6th book (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) again, so I'm ready for the final fight with Lord Voldemort.

It's a little hard to think of much else. Although I was awake last night until 1:30 watching Pride and Prejudice and I'm going to the library this morning to check out the last 3 tapes of the BBC version. I've heard over and over how wonderful Colin Firth is as Mr. Darcy - I'm not getting it yet. I wanted to smack him right up until his proposal last night - I'm looking forward to that story, too.

Yes, I'm also living in the real world. I'm cooking, cleaning, folding clothes, etc but my mind is in the Zone (or in 19th century England.)

I Don't Have A Hybrid, Yet.

My friend loves Bono! She loves his music and his activism. It's a little obsessive really. One day she was telling me that Bono has written in his book that he fights for the poor because of his Christianity. He believes what Jesus said that whatever we do for the "least of the these" (Matthew 25:40) means -for him-the poor. (Did I say that right, Tammy?)

I, too, was intrigued that helping the environment has become a political or religious statement. Is this because most Evangelicals are Republican and this issue has become something the Left love? Are we choosing to believe that the earth is being destroyed based on our political party?

I don't know if the rain forest will be gone in 100 or 10,000 years because we want cars and toilet paper. I have no idea if the polar ice caps will melt so I can fly on vacation. I not sure that if I leave my curling iron plugged in - my grandchildren will have no protection from the sun. I don't have a side in the huge global-warming issue.

But I do believe that God made humans to protect His creation. I believe that He gave us dominion over the earth. (Genesis 1:26) I think that the Father wants us to be good stewards over his creation. I think that means doing the recycling thing whenever possible. I think that means makes wise choices in purchases of appliances. I think that means applauding those who bike more and drive less. I think it means watering your lawn responsibly (1 time a week is enough.) I believe we are doing God's will when we are seeking new ways to provide a planet for our future generations.

A Question For The Weekend

In honor of the Live Earth concerts, I'm asking about your tree-hugging practices. Check out the Nature Conservancy website for more info......

What do you regularly recycle? Do you do anything else that consciencely helps the planet?

Friday Fun Zone

There are too many smart-aleck things to say about this video. Like: "Why pay that much for a haircut and then have to mess with it so much?" Or "Is he preparing for lipstick there at the end?" Feel free to add your own.....

Admitting You Have A Problem Is The First Step

I seem to have developed 2 new addictions. It's true - 2 new things that I gotta have every day. Only one involves the computer and I'm quite proud of that actually.

Firstly, I gotta have my Webkinz. Or Abbie's Webkinz. Or even Kenny's Webkinz now. Abbie was given her Webkinz - a Persian cat she named Heartsie - for her birthday from one of her best buddies. She likes to play on the computer and win money to spend on her cat but being a non-reader is somewhat of a hindrance. Kenny has been playing for her and has won her lots of points! She spends it on clothes, mostly. Typical girl. Today I got Kenny his own Webkinz - a black Lab named Coop - and now he's racking them in for his own animal. My little secret is that I like to play the games, too. Shhhhh, I'm winning them for Abbie, yall. It's not like I'm doing it for my self.......

Secondly, for some reason I can't get enough peanut butter. If I feel like I need a little bite, it's a spoon full of peanut butter. Oh yeah, it's Jif. I'm keeping the extra-crunchy on hand all the time now. I'm not sure what's going on with me and Extra-Crunchy but I'm feelin the need, right now!

Happy Independence Day

I so appreciate everyone asking about my dad - I'm feelin' the love. Daddy went home from the hospital yesterday at about 1:00. I talked with him at 5:30 and he still seemed pretty tired out. He told me that getting home "about wore him out." My parents house in on a hill and the only way to get in is to climb a flight of stairs or go up a hill and then 4 stairs - I was worried it might be a little much for him.

As I have said before, I'm so thankful that my brothers are close. My sweet sister-in-law, Kathy, actually brought him home. Please keep all of them in your prayers.

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Funny thing: This morning I took Kenny to get donuts - he's been bugging me for a week! We went to the Jack-n-Jill on Judge Ely and saw a group of high school boys leaving. They were getting in their church van with the two men who were apparently chaperones. Kenny (reading their t-shirts) said it was some sort of camp. Then Kenny informed me that one of the boys was using the building next to the donut shop as a urinal. EWWW!

This lead to a discussion of how tacky that was, how it didn't represent that young man very well, and how he didn't represent his church very well. Teachable Moments - they're everywhere.....

FYI: AM Donuts is closed for the 4th of July.