Spring Quiz

You Are Blooming Flowers

You are an optimistic person by nature. In even the darkest times, you are hopeful about the future. You feel truly blessed in life and can sometimes be overwhelmed with emotions. You have an artist's eye. You are always looking for beauty in the mundane. You have a good sense of aesthetics, especially when it comes to shapes and color.

What Part of Spring Are You?

~ Message for Princess Bubbles ~

Message for Princess Bubbles:

~ Summer Sidewalk Art Stroll ~

If any of you missed the sidewalk art strolls last year, here are the dates for this summer; they are on Thursday nights, usually 4:30 PM or 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM

If you want to go, let me know, I love walking around the square and looking at all the crafts.


Dates set for Sidewalk Arts Stroll:
Dates are June 18, July 16 and August 20."

~ We have lift off ~

Space Shuttle Experience

Okay, we are on the stands at the Banana Creek Viewing Site; this is the viewing site for VIPs; in this instance, that means us … LOL! This is about 3 miles from the launch pad. The crowd is all so very animated because this launch has been put off 5 times, we are so excited, proud, and a little nervous about being there too! It’s almost like a party crowd.

So once the shuttle begins its lift off, you see the big plumes of smoke billowing up around the shuttle as it begins its upward move to space; you don’t even hear the sound at first, it kind of rolls across the water toward you and then you begin to feel the vibrations, your clothes actually begin to vibrate before anything else and the roar hits you. If you chance a look at the water, you will see the fish start jumping up out of the water and the sound waves move even through their living environment.

It is awesome; did you know by the time the shuttle has been in the air for 7 minutes, it is going 14,000 mph – can’t even imagine that!


Wouldn’t it have been so totally awesome to be there to experience with great event!

WELL, that is how we feel too!

We came home Friday night late. Once the Wednesday launch was scrubbed; and then the Thursday launched scrubbed, they would not authorize the travel/hotel expense us to stay the additional time to see the launch which took place FINALLY tonight at approximately 6:45 CST, but we were there in our hearts – if that is possible, we watched it in our living room. Only two people from our group of 65 stayed.

We were both so disappointed, I actually think I was more disappointed than G. But we had a great time otherwise. I learned more about space travel and NASA in one week that I would have even thought possible! That is where I gleaned most the information in first of this blog and some of it was just my imagination ... the fish thing is true though.

Our hotel was fabulous, it was like an Italian village, with outdoor cafes, shops, water taxis, etc. Oh, and every evening at sunset, they had an Italian singer serenade the crowd from the balcony of the lobby. The lobby was actually on the 3rd floor, so when you are sitting at the sidewalk cafes, the serenade is coming from above. Bellissimo !









Gary with Astronaut Dottie Metcalf Lindberger (scheduled to take flight in 2010)

Me with former astraunut Jon McBride; his last flight was scheduled after the Challenger disaster, which was deferred due to the that horrible event, he never flew another shuttle mission, he was also on the first crew with a woman crew member.

~ BubbaGump Day ~

Our hotel - Loews PortoFino Bay Hotel
Photo taken from a water taxi.

Gary and I had dinner at the Bubbagump Shrimp Company; they had fried shrimp, boiled shrimp, cajun shrimp, sauteed shrimp, coconut shrimp, ... you get the picture - we had a sample of several, it was great! And of course Forrest Gump was playing on a big screen. Cute saying on the wall, wanted to post it here:





If a man is alone in the woods and he speaks; and if his wife doesn't hear him, is he still wrong?





I know what my immediate response to this was ... what about y'all?

~ Deer Crossing ~

There is just something magical to me to see deer out in the wild by surprise. I was on my way home from running an errand today and a small herd of deer made an unofficial deer crossing right in front of me. Thankfully, I saw them far enough in advance to slow down and simply enjoy their beauty and grace.

To be honest, I was just glad to know all the hunters had not killed off all the herds out around my house during our most recent hunting season, now closed, thank goodness!

Anyway, I just felt like I was given my own little blessing by getting to watch them frolic across the field. I am so glad I am not married to a hunter!

~ It does snow in Alabama ~

~ OUCH! ~

"An inappropriate TV program leads to an acceptance of immoral behavior." Copied from Internet Cafe Devotions

I was taking a short break in my work day to read an online devotional and got stung - real bad. I was like, oh man, why did I have to read this ... now I am going to feel guilty every time I watch too many of the TV show I watch! I guess that is why I had to read it. huh!

Ya know ... it's not like I didn't already know this.

Enough said!

I watch too much TV anyway. Maybe I'll start paying attention to those irons in the fire again.

~ Too many irons in the fire ~

Origin: 'Too many irons in the fire' would mark an inefficient smith or one with an unskilled apprentice." (copied) also, the smith can't keep up with all the irons, they become overheated and blister, when the smith takes them out and puts the hammer to them, they flake and break and become unusable .... (paraphrased)

"To have “too many irons in the fire” is to be engaged in too many activities." (copied)

This is me. I am trying to do too many things and what winds up happening is that I am doing nothing well, or up to my full abilities. I just can't decide what I need to cull.

This relating to my "hobbies" only; for now ...

I have cross stitch projects, started and now gathering dust;
I have paintings started and now gathering dust;
I have scrap booking projects started and bought, that I just can't seem to make myself finish or start;
I take violin lessons, but struggle to take time to practice;
I have gardening ideas that I start and leave unfinished;
I have tons of books, but seldom read anymore; but can't resist a used book store - especially the one at the main library downtown - with each book I purchase, I can just imagine curling up on my couch with a yummy cup of coffee within arm's reach and my dogs curled up at my side, getting lost in the pages for hours of pure enjoyment ... doesn't happen though; I am too consumed thinking about all of my unfinished projects; and, then doing nothing, uhmmmm except reach for the remote control so I don't have to think about those things anymore ...


I want to drop violin, but will feel like such a failure if I do. I am struggling with it horribly - probably (most likely) because I don't practice like I should! But of all of these extras, I enjoy it the least. To use the paraphrase from above, my violin is about to blister and it is on the edge of flaking and falling apart when I get it out to practice ...

I am in "inefficient smith".

Do any of you have this problem?

~ My Mom & Dad ~

These are my wonderful parents (photo taken last summer). Many of you offered up prayers for my Dad this past week. He had surgery replacing a pacemaker with a debribulator - he is doing well; tired and a little frustrated at being immobilized for 6 weeks due to left arm being strapped to his chest and having a weak right arm ... but doing very well.

Thank you to all for your prayers!

~ My name is Pride ~

I heard this this morning in Sunday School (thanks to Gracie Lucie) and I thought it was worth repeating on this post. I had never heard this before, but it speaks so much truth. I battle with this enemy - pride - more than I should and this spoke to me ...

My name is Pride by Beth Moore

My name is Pride, I am a cheater.
I cheat you of your God-given destiny....because you demand your own way.
I cheat you of contentment......because you "deserve better than this."
I cheat you of knowledge......because you already know it all.
I cheat you of healing......because you're too full of me to forgive.
I cheat you of holiness.......because you refuse to admit when you're wrong.
I cheat you on vision......because you'd rather look in the mirror than out a window.
I cheat you of genuine friendship......because nobody's going to know the real you.
I cheat you of love....because real romance demands a sacrifice.
I cheat you of greatness in heaven....because you refuse to wash another's feet on earth.
I cheat you of God's glory.....because I convince you to seek your own.

MY NAME IS PRIDE. I AM A CHEATER.
You like me because you think I'm always looking out for you. U-N-T-R-U-E.
I'm looking to make a fool of you.

God has so much for you, I admit, but don't worry........
If you stick with me YOU WILL NEVER KNOW.

~ Molly Turns Four ~

My granddaughter turned 4. She had a birthday party and a pile of presents like I have never seen for one child ... It's nice to have them home - they recently moved back home after being away (ARMY) for a few years.

~ Happy V Day ~

~ No Title ~

~ Mom's Birthday ~

My sister and I gave my mom a surprise birthday party. She turned 80 last week.

We invited several of her friends and family and about 40 or so came to help celebrate and the surprise was great. We weren't hiding in her home to yell "surprise" - ya know you just can't do that to an 80 year old woman ... but we were all waiting for her in their home and on their front porch when they drove up at 4 PM saturday - she loved it and we loved that everyone showed up to celebrate and .... that we had enough food!

Happy Birthday Mom - I love you very much!

(Mom and her granddaughter, Hannah)

~ I guess I am getting Old ~

We are negotiating the lease of a new copier and the two sales people we are dealing with call me "Miss Velda" - which makes me feel older than if they called me by my last name ... I am not an age fanatic, and I realize the years of my youth are faded into the shadows of my memories, but really, Miss Velda! That's what preschool kids call their daycare leaders ... It makes me want to bop them on the head with a rolled up newspaper ...

Then again, maybe they haven't been out of preschool that long ago, and at least they kept their manners!

~ Diet Humor ~

Found the below on the web, wonder if it's true ???? :)

~ Uh Oh ~

The space shuttle is postponed ... we don't know yet .... if that means our trip will be postponed or if we just don't get to see the shuttle take off after all. Waiting to see ...

~ Refreshing ~

Going to another church sometimes is refreshing.

I went to Cullman to spend the day with my parents and I met them at their church - before going to their home to share a wonderful "mom cooked" meal! I always like going back there, because it is the church I grew up in, so I see alot of old friends. Their church service was awesome this morning. You felt the Lord's spirit and they have wonderful things happening there; The Lord has sent them a new minister who seems to be setting them on fire and it was a great day to share their church service with them.

Not saying that I feel there is anything lacking in my own church. I love it. This was just a good day with spend in church with my Mom & Dad.

~ Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ~

My 13 year old stepson thought I was out to torture him on Saturday. I dragged him off to the theater to see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the Broadway Theater League. I had no idea that he was not even familiar with the classic movie - obviously he did not grow up in my house ... But from the beginning of the play, while Chitty was still just an old junker waiting to be bought, loved and fixed up, he was hooked! He loved it. I was sooooo glad! If he lived closer, I bet I could make him into my "play" partner because my husband is very particular as to which ones he will actually agree to sit through with me! Men!