Bedspreads

I love to change bedspreads with the seasons. Right now I am using a blue and white chenille bedspread I bought at Goodwill and I love it! I need to start looking at Fall bedspreads because I noticed that Belle had taken my brick red bedspread out to the backyard….and left it there…in the rain….with the dead possum. I just can’t stomach using that bedspread now knowing that it was near a dead possum…it just kind of ruins things for me…you know?

So, I think I want to go with a chocolate brown one this time. I do like this one…but mainly because it’s named Chianti and I like to say that word! Lol!! No, really, I do like the chocolate brown and I think it would be so nice in my bedroom!

No, wait…it’s this one folks! I pick this one!! Bee-yoo-tea-ful!!

HillBilly Book Barn

Yep...that's the name of our local used bookstore for homeschoolers! Isn't that funny!! You should see the stacks and stacks of books...lots of books and great prices but I want to stick a fork in my eye because it is not organized. Actually, there is organization, just not how I would do it....and that is why when I visit this bookstore owned by a wonderfully helpful lady, my OCD tendencies really show themselves!!

Was it bad for me to organize two of the shelves???? I wonder if she would let me come in one day and just restack the books....and put them in order by subject and then size....and then by the color of the spine....I would do it for free....otherwise, I'm going to need some therapy because I'm completely freaked out right now! lol!!

I did find some things for school though......Neat!

Crafty Girl Weekend!

OK, Judi and Sonya…I have found our place to meet for our Crafty Girl Weekend. That’s what I’ve named it!

This Tennessee Mountain Retreat is practically in my backyard and I didn’t even know about it! I’m just thrilled to find out about it!!

Sugar Hollow Retreats offers wonderful accommodations in the mountains of North East TN. Even though this retreat is very close to where I live, I think it’s secluded enough to feel like I’ve actually gone farther away. There are several different types of rentals…some for small groups and some for larger groups. Sugar Hollow Retreats can even accommodate corporate retreats!

For our Crafty Girl Weekend, I’m going to ask about the Sequoia Cottage..it has a HOT TUB!! Here's some photos....I'm serious about this girls so let me know what you think! This is a large cottage and there is room for 5 more people.......

Notice the tv....we can be crafty and watch Facing the Giants, Pride and Prejudice, all the seasons of House and more! lol!!

Whew...That Was A Lot of Work...

Sponsor Me!

but very fun!! Blogging for 24 hours is quite an adventure...there were several times I thought I was going down but fortunately I didn't. Stephanie was a great monitor and would check in on me often and that helped! I also made several friends and we would visit each other and comment with words of encouragement.

My goal was to raise $300 and as of yesterday morning, I have raised $320. There is still one more day to donate so if you feel led to do so you can click on the "Sponsor Me" link at the top! I'm blogging for COTA--Children's Organ Transplant Association.

Come Visit Me At Gus' Gang!!

This is a sticky post!~

I'm over at Gus Gang today...blogging in Blogathon 2007! Come visit me and meet some of the children who are waiting for transplants. Please also consider donating to help these families pay medical expenses that insurance is not covering....

Home Theater

When we move into our dream home at the beach, I want to have a room devoted totally to entertainment. This room will be where we hang out on rainy days. Our home theater will have wonderfully comfortable recliners and a big screen tv. We’ll have enough room so our neighbors will be able to come over and watch movies with us. Oh, and wouldn’t it be neat to have one of those dvd trivia games to play on the big screen tv…as we are reclining in our leather chairs?! Cool Beans!!

These would be the recliners I would choose. I love the color and they look so very comfortable! I think it would be nice to sit in these to read also! I don’t know though….I may get too comfortable and fall asleep!

You can find these wonderful home theater recliners, plus many more styles, at Gallery Furniture. This Houston furniture store also carries pieces for your living room, bedroom, home office and dining room. There is also someone to help you design your area. I would certainly have to use this service when designing our home theater. I know what I like but I have a tendency of picking pieces that really don’t go together well!

Do you think I could find one of these popcorn machines to go in my home theater….and a drink machine?!

Blogathon 2007

Sponsor me!

Join me over at Gus’ Gang on July 28^th as I participate in Blogathon 2007! I will be raising money for COTA: Children’s Organ Transplant Association. This group diligently raises funds for families who have children waiting on transplants. Pete and I were very fortunate to not need their services but there are a lot of families out there who do. There are times that insurance does not cover a medical flight, lodging or even some meds and special formulas that these medically fragile children need as they are waiting for organs.

Please pledge money for these families(all pledged money goes directly to COTA)…they shouldn’t have to worry about finances during a time when their child is so very sick….

You can pledge here at Up the Hill Gang and over at Gus’ Gang.

More Vacation Homes....

Ok, folks. If I can’t live in North Myrtle Beach then I’m going to head up the coast to the Beaufort area and look at some more nc waterfront property.

I think this house would be perfect for us. It is plenty big enough for all of us so we won’t have to leave any of the kids behind!

Living in this house will take me farther away from my favorite place to eat crab legs but I think I can manage. I’m sure there are quite a few restaurants in the area that serve crab legs that are just as tasty!

This is also a nice little house…I love the color! If we were to buy this one though, we’d have to leave several kids behind and that would make me a tad bit sad! Maybe this could be mine and Pete’s retirement home….what do you think Pete??

***sponsored post***

Biology in Motion

Here's a neat website for those of you that will be studying biology this year with your kiddos. I love to find sites like these because they make learning so much fun. They are also great for visual learners (like me!). I think we'll be using the organizing section some...and probably the cardiovascular section. Neat!

My Vacation Home

There is no reason in the world that I should not have a beach home in North Myrtle Beach! I mean really, we go there yearly and we love the area so why shouldn’t I have a luxury home right there on the beach, right?!

This is one of the properties that is available right now and I just love it! You can take a virtual tour of the inside...neat!!

If North Myrtle Beach is not calling your name like it is mine, there are other luxury homes available all across the country! Check them out!

***sponsored post***

And the Winners Are.......

What a great time I've had during Dog Days of Summer! I've entered a gazillion contests and found a gazillion new blogs that are just wonderful. Thanks Shannon!!

This has been so much fun that I think I'll have giveaways more often!! So, I'll stop blabbing and get on with announcing the winners!

The first winner is: #67 (that's what that tiny number down there says!)


Congrats to DeputysWife!

The second winner is: #116
Congrats to Cherylann!

Be sure to check back soon to see what I'll be giving away!!

My Favorite Charity

What is your favorite charity that you support?

One of my favorites in COTA. COTA is an organization that helps children and young adults who are in need of a life saving transplant. These transplants are very expensive and there are situations where insurance companies just don’t help out at all. This is where COTA steps in and helps the family with funds and fundraising. Monies that are gathered are used not only for medical expenses but also for lodging, medical flights, food and other necessities.

It is so important to me to help these families in their times of need. We were once a family with a child waiting for a transplant and fortunately for us, our expenses were covered 100%. There are a lot of families out there who are not as fortunate and really, should they have to deal with the hardship of not having enough money for their child’s medical care? I don’t think so. We need to come along side these families and help them out!

You can read more about COTA at their website. While you are there, go visit some of the kids who are waiting for transplants. You might discover a child in your area that you can help out!

This post has been sponsored by philanthropist and business owner, Navtej Kohli. Please visit Navtej at the following places:

http://digg.com/users/navtejkohli/profile

http://navtejkohli.wordpress.com/

http://profile.typekey.com/Navtej_Kohli/

Friday Link Love

I'm serving up two weeks worth of Link Love Friday since I completely did not get around to it last week. So, without further wordy-words, I give you this week's Link Love List!

Tiny Blessings: Visit this neat Mommy blogger who is the mommy of two little ones who were born prematurely...hence the name "Tiny Blessings"! It looks like one of her kiddos is going to need tubes placed in his ears so if you have gone through this (Judi!) she would love to hear about it. Be sure to visit her cooking blog Too Many Recipes! Did I mention that her blog is pink? You know how I love a pink blog!!

Life in a Shoe: This homeschooling mom of eight is amazing!! This blog is just so lovely and chocked full of wonderful information. Right now there is a great contest taking place....just let me say "Vision Forum"! Go check it out!!

Camy's Loft: "This is the blog of the loud Asian chick who writes loud Asian chick lit."....and her tagline says it all! Camy gives away lots and lots of books so give her a visit and read her reviews! I'll be reviewing one of her books this September!!

Tennessee Text Wrestling: This blog inspires the writer in me! Thomma Lyn is an author and I just really enjoy reading her blog...she is obviously very creative. I want to be her when I grow up!!

Looking Towards Heaven: I knew I would like this blog when I saw the cool dotty header at the top! It makes me happy! Karla also has a business...and oh my goodness...I can get mommy cards with this dotty design!! WoooHooo!! Really, folks, check out this blog...very nice!

Great Books~A Chapter A Day: Neat blog where you can listen to the classics, one chapter a day. Be sure to not miss the weekly poem. This is really a cool blog and I'll be using a lot when school starts!

Crafty Carolina Girl: Lots of Crafty Goodness here, folks! You'll want to dig around here because there are some great ideas, free patterns, and tutorials!! Neat!

Queen of Dirty Laundry: Love this blog! Lori is a real hoot...just notice her post titles! You'll enjoy your visit!!

Real Life: This is a lovely blog I came across this past week when I was entering a gazillion contests in the Dog Days of Summer. You'll find a nice assortment of different topics and all are well written...you'll enjoy your visit!

Well, I'm one short so I'll add an extra one next week! Enjoy your visits!!

Shopping the Easy Way

This is going to sound nuts to some of you but I really don’t like to shop!

Now, don’t get me wrong. I love to buy things, but I don’t like to shop for these things! I know it’s wise to comparison shop especially when you are going to be purchasing a large ticket item. I just don’t have the patience though. I really would prefer to buy the first thing I see even if it’s ten dollars more. I’m nuts that way!

So, why do I do this? Simple, I hate going to all the different stores. That’s why I really like these sites where I can compare prices. I can comparison shop at Where2LookOnline.com and find a huge selection of different items…and I can do all of this in my pajamas! When I find the best price, I can get ready and go to just that one store or better yet, I can stay in my pajamas and order online! Of course, this is a huge time saver but it also saves me a lot of money because I’m not going into ten different stores and being lured into buying all those things I don’t really need.

One of the features that Where2LookOnline.com offers is a price comparison toolbar that you can install. This toolbar is easy to download and is spyware free and doesn’t require any personal information. It is simply a tool to make your searches and comparison shopping a lot quicker.

Not only can you comparison shop with the toolbar, but you can be kept up to date with the current postings on the comparison shopping blog. This is a neat blog with product reviews and price comparisons, sale announcements and more. You can also become a contributor to the blog if you are interested in writing articles about online shopping. Neat!

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Kafka...Cool!

"When Gregor Samsa woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself changed in his bed into a monstrous vermin. He was lying on his back as hard as armor plate, and when he lifted his head a little, he saw his vaulted brown belly, sectioned by arch-shaped ribs, to whose dome the cover, about to slide off completely, could barely cling. His many legs, pitifully thin compared with the size of the rest of him, were waving helplessly before his eyes." The Metamorphosis, Chapter 1, pg. 3

This is a quote from on of my all time favorite books, The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. Have you read it? Gregor Samsa turns into a bug...how cool is that!?

Even more cool is this graphic novel I discovered today. It's illustrated by Peter Kuper and is based on The Metamorphosis. Kuper also has created another graphic novel based on some of Kafka's other short stories. I would love to see one of these novels....I may have to head out to Barnes & Noble to see if they carry it. I think Nik would like there books but I need to read through them first...you know I like to censor! lol!

Here's a link to a movie clip about the book. Neat!

Neat Belisi Blogs

While perusing the selections of silk scarves and Designer Silk Neckties over at Belisi, I discovered one of their blogs that is really neat! It’s called The Diva’s Dream and focuses on current and up and coming fashion trends, home décor, food and wine and trendy designers plus more. Now I really need this kind of blog because I could use some help in the fashion area..well, actually in all those areas!

There is also another Belisi blog I found interesting….Beautiful Me. This blog focuses on trends in make-up, skin care and health. I discovered what it meant when a product is labeled as “wildcrafted”! You’ll have to visit the blog to find out what it means…quite interesting! Neat!

***sponsored post.***

Murdered 'Possum

Good morning, folks! We've got a HUGE storm rolling in so I wanted to make sure I jumped on here real quick to tell this tale of murder!

Milo, my sweet little beastie dog, has murdered/eviscerated a baby 'possum....a wee little 'possum. We were calling him in for the night when we heard a strange flapping sound. Ususally, Milo comes running but not this time...so we became concerned that the flapping around was a beastie eating our beastie! Just as we are discussing this, Jake starts to head into a mini meltdown.

Using one of those little red laser lights, because we have no flashlight, Pete was able to determine that Milo was the beastie that was doing the eating. Was it a rabbit, bird...what? Jake melted down more when he realized that Milo could be eating something that was rabid. So now we had a murder in the back yard and a melt down in the house.

Oh I got to hurry...they are saying that the storm is almost here....

Pete tried to grab Milo to take him in but Milo wasn't gonna leave his catch. He was left outside to finish his feast...there was no way we could have gotten that 'possum from him without being bitten....so he played with it...and we gagged.

Eventually he was ready to come in. Jake picked him up and dropped him onto the ground.....I sat at the computer with my feet on the desk...screaming...Pete sat on the couch telling us that Milo DID NOT have 'possum guts all over him! I know he didn't because Pete had done what he always does when something has gone awry...he had poured bleach on the victim! I'll have to write another post about Pete and his bottle of bleach...

This morning, Pete and I were talking about the murder. I know that beasties eat other beasties but it has been hard for me imagine my little beastie doing that. So, because I usually let my stupidity hang out in the mornings, I asked Pete "do dogs really eat raw meat like that?". Not missing a beat, he replies, "Yes, Jenny. Dogs have not discovered fire yet!" What would I do if I didn't have my dh to makes things clear! lol!

Pete and I went out just a bit ago to check things out. I know...we're gross like that! Anyway, this little wee 'possum was on his tummy with his little front and hind legs stretched out behind him...awwwwww....really, it was sad. I know 'possums are u-g-l-y but this was just a little thing so there was some cute there.

Pete found his heart, kidneys, liver and some of the intestines right at the back deck. In all honesty, that was quite interesting. Everything was pretty much intact and we could really tell what was what! Cool!!

That dog is gonna have to get a good bath before he lays on my couch!! Sheesh!

Sorry, no picutres....

Praying For Parker

Please join me in praying for Parker, a sweet little guy who is having quite a bit of trouble with his heart. Right now you can make a donation to the "Love for Parker" fund and not only encourage his family but also be entered in a really big giveaway. There are quite a few items that have been donated so I'm sure there will be many drawings.

Most importantly, we need to all pray for Parker...just really bathe him in prayer!

You can read more about this sweetie and get updates at his blog, Prayers for Parker.

Amazing Grace... The Movie

I saw this over at Laura's and just had to share! This movie looks like it will be really good...can't wait to see it. Neat!

Cool Stuff For Kids!

Kids love to see their name in writing! Well…ok…I’ll admit it…adults do too!

Identity Direct has some really neat items that can be personalized with your child’s name. There are school items such as pencils, crayons, lunch bags, labels, etc that are available.

What a neat “back to school” gift for your kids! I think I want a gift too! Here’smy pick!!

PreSchool Science Books

Here's another small, visual list of the books I want to use this year in my Pre-K Science class at our homeschool co-op. I'm going to be posting my completed topic list later this evening...well, that's my goal!