Karen's Korner

Adios :(

2009-06-05T05:30:00.002-04:00

Unfortunately this will be my last Friday of Favorite Fives. I will not be posting anymore this summer but will continue to check in with all of you to see what you are up to and will also continue to harass my hubby on his page (you'll still get the best of our bickering). I have thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful kindness you all have shown me and I feel totally blessed to have made some wonderful new friends.

My hopes are that you all have a wonderful and safe summer filled with lots of fun and family.

If any of you feel absolutely lost without talking to me (LOL), you can always email me at

karenjenkins04@yahoo.com.

Thanks for all your support with this endeavor and I'll look forward to posting all my summer happenings this fall.

Love & Blessings to you all, Karen.

This week I'm doing my Favoirte Five a little different.

I though I'd share some of favorite pics of my favorite people.

Kenzie - First trip to Districts at the ATP in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was a cold, cold morning!

My two bestest girls - napping away!

My Grandchildren - Camdyn, Little Will & Haleigh

My Hubbie! He's the best!

Family Picture - Christmas '07

Abbie - Doing what she does best!

Kenzie - Sectional Championship '09

Kenzie - Homecoming '09

My Grandchildren Again!

Haleigh, Little Will and Camdyn

The "Halfa" Car

2009-06-04T05:30:00.000-04:00

On our way home from the grocery Saturday, our local car dealer was displaying this car. Is it not the cutest thing you have ever seen? I have no idea the name of it (it's made by Toyota) but I call it the "Halfa" car.

My husband was sure to point out how "unsafe" it would be but hey, look at how much money you would save in gas. It is just too cute and come to think of it, I don't think Hubbie would even fit in this car - all the more reason to buy it RIGHT!!!

Just big enough for me and Abbie!

A View From My Lens-Part 2

2009-06-03T05:30:00.002-04:00

Round 2.

The leaning tower of "Pee"za! LOL

Is this not the cutest wind sock you've ever seen?

A View From My Lens

2009-06-02T05:30:00.000-04:00

I enjoy taking pictures. This weekend I took my camera along with me and thought I'd share some of my favorite shots.

This is the lake where I have caught my 2 fishies that are keeping me in this lead thus far!

I'll tell ya, it's just torture sitting here and looking at this all day ;)

Yea, I kinda like yellow!!!

This is a part of our garden just as the sun is kissing it first thing in the morning.

I'm Hooked!!!

2009-06-01T05:30:00.000-04:00

There are very few computerized games that I play. I stink at most of them so I choose to keep my self-esteem in tact by playing only the games I feel I am competent enough to play. My daughter has Guitar Hero and Rock Band - I'm pretty OK with the guitar - on EASY. She, on the other hand, plays everything like she was born to do it. I tried the drums with Rock Band - lasted about 2 minutes and was boo'ed off the stage!!!!! Everyone got a good laugh and that was the end of my drumming career (it's a lot harder than it looks).

Last week I was watching Kenzie play a game called Farm Town on Facebook.

You start off with an empty plot of land and you have to buy seed to grow and then harvest your finished product at the market in order to make money to buy more seed to enlarge your farm. You can buy animals and farm houses and trees and hay bales and .........., you get the point. Well this game looked like fun and I wanted to play but after being told NO by my wonderful little daughter (you have to start your own MOM), I decided to create my own facebook page so I could have a farm of my very own. Needless to say, I haven't accomplished much this weekend. I'm sooooo hooked on this game it's not even funny and I might add my farm is doing quite well. I've got all kinds of goodies planted and just waiting for harvest time to roll around.

Another game I can play for hours on end is Roller Coaster Tycoon. I seem to enjoy the games where you have the opportunity to build things up from scratch in order to make them profitable. I've conquered RCT 1 and 2, maybe I need to move on to newer version (hint: good Christmas present Mr. Jenkins).

Need to get back to my farm, for some reason my little piggy wants to escape from the pen and explore my garden........ a farmer's work is never done!

Friday's Favorite Five!

2009-05-29T05:30:00.001-04:00

Today I'm listing 5 things I'd like to do before leaving this big ole world.

I'd like to take a hot air balloon ride.

I'd like to be able to go to The French Open, Wimbledon, The Australian Open and The U.S. Open to watch some phenominal tennis (all of which would include Nadal and/or my daughter).

I'd like to purchase an RV and just take off with no destination in mind.

I'd like to be able to design my own home and actually live in it.

And I'd also like to be here to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary!

Good Sleepin'

2009-05-28T05:30:00.000-04:00

One of the many things I love about summer is a nice thunderstorm rolling in just as I'm getting ready to go to bed. There is nothing more relaxing than listening to the rain fall and hearing the rolling thunder in the distance. Ahhhhh, this makes for some good sleeping. What are some of your favorites to fall asleep to?

How About A Fifth?

2009-05-27T05:30:00.001-04:00

All is good around the Jenkins household for the next couple of weeks. Roland Garros - The French Open - has officially begun and we love to watch tennis.

We are supporters of Rafael Nadal and love to watch this guy on clay. He has proven to be a phenominal player of the last several years. After the first time I watched him - I WAS HOOKED! Tennis is such a demanding sport and it really takes it's toll on the ole' body. After Kenzie started playing, I was able to see fist hand how grueling it can be. I have watched my children as they have played softball, basketball, football, soccer, baseball and tennis and I have to admit - tennis has me on the edge of my seat waiting for that next point to be awarded. I am hooked on this sport and love nothing more than watching my hubby and daughter go at it on the court. With her improving every day, she's giving her old man a run for his money and he is eating it up. They are a lot of fun to watch but for the next two weeks, my eyes will be on Rafa.

Rafa has won for the last 4 years, can he make it 5?

P.S. Way to go Helio - 3rd time is a charm!!! I wonder if he likes his Mirror Ball trophy the best! LOL

Who's Winning?

2009-05-26T05:30:00.000-04:00

Hubby and I went fishing this past weekend and we had a blast. We went to a lake we had not been to in ages. We found just the perfect spot and set up camp - er, I mean our chairs and stuff. It really was a great place to be, however, we didn't catch any fish there. After a few hours and lots of sun later, we decided to go back to my trusty spot where I had caught my first first of the year. GUESS WHAT..... along came number 2. Yep, Karen 2 - Pat Zero, Zip, Nada, Goose Egg. WooooHoooo! He had 4 good bites, even got a couple of them close enough to shore so they could laugh at him as they let go of his hook. At one point, he used the excuse that his hook was not sharp enough to catch them. LOLOLOLOL!

A great time was had and I look forward to fishing expedition number 3.

YEA ME!!!

Happy Memorial Day

2009-05-25T07:19:00.002-04:00

Happy Memorial Day to you all and a sincere "Thank You" to all who have given so much.

Friday's Favorite Five!

2009-05-22T05:30:00.000-04:00

For today's favorite five I wanted to share my favorite candle fragraces with you. I love burning candles. I love the frangrance, the glow and the feeling of warmth that they can put off on a cold winter day.

My most favorite of all is a candle that was called the cake candle. They had a cranberry one that smelled delicious. One of the things I liked about the candles so well was that you didn't even have to burn them to smell them. You could just sit it out in your favorite crock and enjoy.
These babies lasted forever.

I also like the Yankee candles. My favorites in these would be Clean Linen, Hazelnut Coffee, Blueberry and only around the holidays, a pumpkin or cinnamon scent.

How about yours - what are your favorite candle scents?

DWT

2009-05-21T05:30:00.000-04:00

Before Kenzie had her license, if she had a date to go to the movies , dad or I would drop her off and pick her up. At the time it could be somewhat of an inconvenience but hey, you go with the flow. Well, this past Saturday she went out on her first "car" date. The guy she went out with has been a "friend" of hers for about a year now. We met him and his family last year at a tennis tournament. He and Kenzie have played together a few times and text (the new way of communicating) each other all the time. He lives on the opposite side of the county (about 40 minutes from our house) so they hardly ever see each other. Well as I was saying, this past Saturday, these two finally hooked up to go out (only as "friends"). He drove clear out to our house to pick her up and then the movie theater they were going to was way across town (about 30 minutes away). She was content to just meet him there (which her father preferred) but her friend would hear nothing of it. He gets to the house, picks her up and off they go. Dad and I wait up for her to get home so we could grill her on the evening. Dad starts asking 50 questions about the movie (Star Trek) -OMG YOU'RE KIDDING ME- I could've cared less about the movie I wanted the good stuff, was there any hand-holding, did he put his arm around you, did he pay your way in, how was his driving, did he text while he drove???? Yea, these were the real questions. No one cared about the stupid movie (which accoridng to Kenzie was a bomb). Well, he was a perfect gentlemen, however, he did text while he was driving. THAT'S A BIG NO-NO IN MY BOOK especially when my daughter is in the car with him. Kenzie has been "threatened" that if caught even talking on her cell while driving - well let's just say, the car will be a rust bucket before she'll drive again. I know she would never get into a car with someone who had been drinking but how do we protect them from DWT (driving while texting). It's not illegal (not here anyway) but yet can be just as dangerous. This has really scared me and I don't quite know how to deal with this one. Young drivers are not experienced enough to be texting while driving. Heck, I've been driving for over 30 years and don't like to talk on the phone while I'm behind the wheel let alone try to text someone. We need to nip this in the bud!!

Fresh Air

2009-05-20T05:30:00.001-04:00

Since the weather has finally broke, I like to start off my day with an invigorating 2 mile walk first thing in the morning. My MP3 player and I usually try to hit the door about 6:30 a.m. I walk down our road and with being in the country, I never know what I might run into. The one thing I most look forward to on my walk is the fresh air. It smells so clean at that time of day. It's like the night has cleansed and refreshed it and is ready to start anew. It is so peaceful (yea even with my music craking in my ears, I can also hear the quiet - I'm just that talented). Last week I was lucky enough to see a small deer. Oh it done this heart good I tell ya. I stopped and just allowed myself to watch this magnificent creature as it pranced along it's way. It amazes me how graceful they are. There are also fields on both sides of the road and they had both been tilled and freshly planted. As the sun was rising and hit that fresh dirt, it was a sight to behold. I love the sight of a freshly tilled field. The dirt looks so brown and rich. Boy do I sound like a country hick or what!! One of the things I most look forward to is watching the beans and corn start their growing process. Right now I can see for miles and miles (isn't there a song like that) but soon, the corn with start to block that view and by the time it's done, all I'll be able to see is the road in front of me, but all the while I'll get to listen to it grow (yea the mp3 player will be left at home so I can enjoy the sounds of life). There's nothing like the country life!!!

Need A Chuckle?!?

2009-05-19T05:30:00.000-04:00

ONE FOR THE LADIES!!

One day my housework-challenged husband decided to wash his Sweatshirt. Seconds after he stepped into the laundry room, he shouted to me, "What setting do I use on the washing machine?" "It depends," I replied. "What does it say on your shirt?" He yelled back, "University of Oklahoma." And they say blondes are dumb...

A couple is lying in bed. The man says, "I am going to make you the happiest woman in the world." The woman replies, "I'll miss you..."

"It's just too hot to wear clothes today," Jack says as he stepped out of the shower, "honey, what do you think the neighbors would think if I mowed the lawn like this?"
"Probably that I married you for your money," she replied.

A man and his wife, now in their 60's, were celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary. On their special day a good fairy came to them and said that because they had been so good that each one of them could have one wish. The wife wished for a trip around the world with her husband.
Whoosh! Immediately she had airline/cruise tickets in her hands.
The man wished for a female companion 30 years younger... Whoosh...immediately he turned ninety!!! Gotta love that fairy!

Q: What does it mean when a man is in your bed gasping for breath and calling your name?

A: You did not hold the pillow down long enough.

Donuts 101

2009-05-18T05:30:00.001-04:00

Who doesn't love a fresh warm donut for breakfast. Well here at my house, it's a huge favorite. We live about 10 miles out of town so to make a trip into the local bakery is not always something that's appealing on a lazy weekend morning. Well, we found a way to make our own. That's right - The Jenkins Bakery has fresh warm donuts on any given weekend. They're quick, simple and really, really good. So, being the sweet and unselfish person that I am, I decided to share my recipe with all my buds (you've probably all already heard of this but bear with me OK)!

Buy a couple rolls of biscuits from your local grocery and lay them out on the counter (this is pretty simple so far huh)!

Next, find something to make your donut holes (this can be the tricky part). I use a 2-liter lid, it works perfectly.

I pour about a cup of oil into our frying pan and heat it on medium to medium-high. I also lay out my paper towels for them to drain on and have my tongs and slotted spooon ready for action.

I fry the donut holes first. They are kinda tough to turn so I only make about 5 at a time. The donuts will cook pretty quickly so you'd better have everything ready before you start. They probably only take about 5 seconds on each side (told ya it was quick).

After they've cooked, I lay them on a paper towel to drain and cool a little. Your donuts should be a nice light golden brown.

Then - just have fun with em! In this picture I have used regular sugar (the donut holes are the best with this coating), powdered sugar, chocolate icing (any cake icing will do, I zap mine for a few in the microwave to make it a little easier to spread) and of course - SPRINKLES!!! You can get creative and use any topping your little heart desires.

If this is new to any of you, please give it a try. If some of you already knew this and are more creative than me - please share!

HAPPY DONUTS!!!

Friday's Favorite Five!

2009-05-15T05:30:00.002-04:00

Hubby gave me a great idea for today's favorite five. What are your 5 favorite smells of summer.

My number one smell would be rain. It just seems to have cleansed everything and it smells so fresh and new.

#2. Fresh cut grass (kinda sneeze a lot but it's well worth it).

#3. Roses - who doesn't love the smell of fresh roses on the old rose bush.

#4. Chlorine - gotta love that swimming pool smell.

#5. BAR-B-Q. YeHaw!! Who don't love grillin' out. We do it a lot here at the Jenkins homestead.

I would like to ask for all my blogging buddies (who are the best) to keep a dear friend of mine in their thoughts and prayers. Robin is going through a very difficult time right now regarding her grandchildren, who reside in California (she resides here in Ohio). It's as though her hands are tied being so far away and she can't seem to find anyone in CA. willing to help.

This or That!!

2009-05-14T05:30:00.000-04:00

Would you rather hit the slopes or take a cruise?

My answers are obviously reflected in the picutres.

Would you rather have a nice family sedan or a hot little sporty convertible?

Would you rather go bowling or play miniature golf (I suck at bowling)?

Would you rather live in the mountains or on the beach?

For a vacation, would you rather visit a resort or have a private island to yourself?

It's....... An Anaconda!!!

2009-05-13T05:30:00.002-04:00

Pat and Kenzie were going to the tennis courts last Saturday and I had decided to stay home and take care of some "stuff" that needed to be tended to. Well after some deep pondering of the situation, I decided it was just too nice to stay indoors. I hadn't gotten my walk in for the day yet so I decided to kill two birds (sorry Jen) with one stone. I'd mow the yard and get my exercise at the same time. Now this is a task that hubby usually does, but every now and again I enjoy getting out there and working up a good sweat. So off I went. Mowed the front with no problems, mowed the back with no problems, worked my way out to the back 40 and THERE WAS A PROBLEM! As I pusing along minding my own business, I happen to look up and there it was...... it was huge (all of 2 feet), it was brown and slithery-like, it was an ANACONDA! Swear it!!! That thing was HUGEMONGOUS!!!! It was reared up in striking position just hissing away. WHAT THE HECK! I was alone with no place to run (no we didn't have another 3 acres behind me). I WAS TRAPPED by this huge beast. OK, just chill out and think this through calmly. So, I inched my way closer to the monster hoping the mower would scrare him, WRONG. He was not budging. So, there we were, it was a stand-off, me vs. the anaconda (don't forget I was armed with the mower). After an hour (1 minute) it laid it's ugly head down and then, of all things, stretched completely out (was the length of the yard I'm sure) and decided to sun bathe. OK, this was not even cool, I had no posse to back me up (they would've run for the hills anyway) and still had some yard to finish. So I inched forward a little more and it started to slither, ever so slowly. Did I mention I am TERRIFIED of snakes!!! So I inched a little more, it slithered a little more. FINALLY, as night was settling in (probably a good 2 mintues) the monster slithered far enough away for me to be able to complete my row and go on about my merry way. Rest assured I never took my eye off him either.

After all this, I completed the yard, put the mower away and went over to wash my hands at the hose. VOILA! It's an ANACONDA TOAD. Scared the bajeezees right outta me! Enough was enough, in the house I went, and in the house I stayed.

When Pat and Kenzie got home I was excitedly telling them about the attack of the Anaconda, and what does my loving husband say to me...... "Why didn't you just run over it with the mower". Hmmmmmmm, never thought of that one!! I DON'T THINK SO, it would've jumped up on me and eaten me alive.

This is my Anaconda Toad! He's kinda cute in the picture, not so cute when he jumped out at me and tried to attack!!! LOL

Happy Birth-Day!

2009-05-12T05:30:00.002-04:00

Today would've been my mom's 67th birthday! She has been gone 11 years now. Mom and I had a "unique" relationship. One would definitely not call it typical but it was still a relationship. Over the past week or so I've have some very fond memories surface that I hadn't thought about in a long time. Trips to the candy store, the root beer stand, the dairy queen. Mom loved to indulge us with things like this. She was also a very spur-of-the-moment type person. If she felt the desire to go do something, that is exactly what we did. Mom loved to buy things for those that she loved whether it be something as simple as a donut from the local bakery or an ornament that reminded her of you. She was very free when it came to that type of thing and that's a wonderful freedom to have. I'll admit though that there were times when all I wanted from her was a big old hug or simple "I love you", those things did not come so easy to her for whatever reason.

My mom also treasured her grandchildren. Whatever they were doing, she wanted to be a part of it as well. She never missed a little league baseball game, never missed a basketball or volleyball game, never missed a dance recital or soccer game. You name it, she was there. She was a huge fan of all the kids. They all loved having NANA around. Again, she would spoil them with candy or ice cream or taking them to the toy store to pick out anything (within reason) that they wanted. Mom was great like that.

It saddens me that she never allowed herself to accept our hugs as a act of love toward her. For whatever reason, she always felt there was a hidden agenda behind it. I can remember the morning that she passed away, I was praying to God and said "at least now she knows our hugs were there because we loved her, not because we wanted something from her". For some reason it was very important to me that she KNEW that. And ironically enough, the day before she died I had given her a hug when I was leaving and she never questioned it. My mother passed silently in her sleep at the age of 56 from a massive heart attack. She looked so peaceful lying there in her bed snuggled up with her pillow. There was no pain on her face at all. That is how I'll always remember her now, peaceful and content.

Happy Birthday Mom! I miss you more than you could possibly ever know and here's a GREAT BIG HUG from me to you!

A Day In The Life Of Gardening

2009-05-11T05:30:00.005-04:00

For as long as we have been married, Pat has always had a garden. He loves to get out in the dirt and mess around. We started out with just tomatoes, green peppers and onions. That was many moons ago. We now have a "real" garden. He works very dilligently to prep the soil and make sure it's ready come planting time. I'm not as big a gardener as he but he does have a wonderful little helper that jumps at the chance to go out in the back 40 with him and get in the dirt.......... yes, you guessed it - ABBIE!

So, last weekend we went out to plant some of our veggies. Pat had already planted the garlic (last September) and my green onions as well as his regular onions. You'll note below that Abbie feels the need to do her inspection to make sure all is growing the way it should.

OK, the onions and garlic looked good, now to make sure the beans, tomatoes and peppers were ready to roll.

YEP, all looks good. We had her OK to go ahead and proceed with the planting process. She supervised as we placed the plants and seeds into mother earth. Abbie has always loved wandering through the garden and especially loves when the corn has grown tall. I think she feels as if we can't see her as she's roaming through the rows and with her being a beagle, that nose is always covered with dirt when she emerges.

Finally, all the seeds are sown and we just have to wait for the growing process to begin. It doesn't take too long because of the wonderful job Pat has done in getting everything ready and all the rows marked. However, some of us were pretty tuckered out. Supervising is a pretty intense job with a lot of responsibility and when done correctly, well, let's just say a break is in order.

So, with a big paws up from Abbie, we'll sit back and watch mother nature do her thing.
I'll be posting a photo journal of the garden on the side of the page so we can see how well the garden grows.

Sorry, this post had a mind of its own today and is not formatting like I want it to. :(

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T09:35:00.003-04:00

What are WE? WE forgive, WE nurture, WE hurt, WE fix, WE stumble, WE grow and

WE love.... unconditionally. That's what WE are.

Friday's Favorite Five!

2009-05-08T05:30:00.003-04:00

Just how many ways are there to realx? Each person has their own unique style of finding relaxation and today I thought I'd share mine with you. How do you realx?

Make some popcorn, grab my pillow and watch a good "chick flick".

I love to read and can spend hours getting lost in a good book

Take a relaxing walk. Nothing is more soothing than nature at it's best.

Rocking my worries away!!!!

Now this isn't something I can do whenever I want, but how relaxing is it to just sit and stare into a camp fire?

Weight Loss!

2009-05-07T05:30:00.000-04:00

SURE FIRE WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM

A guy calls a company and orders their 5-day, 10 lb. weight loss program. The next day, there's a knock on the door and there stands before him a voluptuous, athletic, 19-year-old babe dressed in nothing but a pair of Nike running shoes and a sign around her neck. She introduces herself as a representative of the weight loss company. The sign reads, "If you can catch me, you can have me." Without a second thought, he takes off after her. A few miles later huffing and puffing, he finally gives up. The same girl shows up for the next four days and the same thing happens. On the fifth day, he weighs himself and is delighted to find he has lost 10 lbs. as promised.

He calls the company and orders their 5-day, 20 lb. program. The next day there's a knock at the door and there stands the most stunning, beautiful, sexy woman he has ever seen in his life. She is wearing nothing but Reebok running shoes and a sign around her neck that reads, "If you catch me, you can have me". Well, he's out the door after her like a shot. This girl is in excellent shape and it takes him a while before he can continue, so for the next four days, the same routine happens with him gradually getting in better and better shape. Much to his delight on the fifth day he weighs himself only to discover that he has lost another 20 lbs. as promised.

He decides to go for broke and calls the company to order the 7-day, 50 lb. program. "Are you sure?" asks the representative on the phone. "This is our most rigorous program." "Absolutely," he replies, "I haven't felt this good in years." The next day there's a knock at the door, and when he opens it he finds Richard Simmons standing there wearing nothing but pink running shoes and a sign around his neck that reads, "If I catch you, you're mine.

Lucky Lady!

2009-05-06T05:30:00.000-04:00

With Kenzie having her license, as well as all her friends, she has had a little more freedom. With that being said it has given hubby and I more "alone" time. When we got married I had 2 children from a previous marriage so there was never really any "alone" time for us. Well let me tell ya, we're both kinda enjoying this, and not in the way that you all are thinking (get your minds out of the gutter). We are truly having a good time. We have always had a loving relationship along with a strong friendship and now we have time to just spend with each other. Sometimes parents invest all of themselves in their children's lives and when the children leave, the couple have lost their connection to each other. I am extremely thankful to say that hubby and I have raised the kids as a partnership. My older two have created a lot of waves, don't get me wrong, but we've muddled our way through and have a unique bond because of it. I can remember through some of those rought times my grandmother telling me "Karen, you're children will come and your children will go, but that man will love you and be with you forever". It was the best advice I'd ever received.

I look forward to spending more time with my hubby. I know they'll be lots of laughs and fond memories to come. I am a lucky, lucky lady!

Common Sense

2009-05-05T05:30:00.000-04:00

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

- Knowing when to come in out of the rain;

- Why the early bird gets the worm;

- Life isn't always fair;

- and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge). His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason. He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;

-I Know My Rights

-I Want It Now

-Someone Else Is To Blame and

-I'm A Victim

ZZZZZzzzzz!

2009-05-04T05:30:00.002-04:00

For the life of me, I cannot sleep in. It doesn't matter what time I go to bed, I wake up between 6 & 6:30 a.m. every single day. Of course during the work week I feel like I could sleep until noon. I can remember my mom and grandmother both would wake that early and say it was because they were getting old. GUESS WHAT! I'm getting old! I'm not going to give my age away but I will say I'm in the high mid 40's. My body is really starting to feel used! WHEN THE HECK DID THIS HAPPEN AND WHO SAID IT COULD? I think I'll start looking around for newer style to trade it in on! LOL! Does anyone else out there feel kinda dinosauric?? What's changing in you to make you feel old?

Friday's Favorite Five!

2009-05-01T05:30:00.001-04:00

This week my favoite five are bands. These are the groups that I could listen to anytime.

1. Rascal Flatts

2. Journey (the old and the new)

3. Keith Urban

4. Rod Stewart (yes, I'll admit it)

5. Brooks & Dunn

What are your favorites?

Hot Tub!

2009-04-30T05:30:00.000-04:00

3 women in a Hot Tub

There were 3 women, one German, one Japanese and one hillbilly, sitting naked in a hot tub. Suddenly there was a beeping sound. The German pressed her forearm and the beep stopped. The others looked at her questioningly. "That was my pager," she said. " I have a microchip under the skin of my arm."A few minutes later, a phone rang. The Japanese woman lifted her palm to her ear. When she finished she explained, "that was my mobile phone. I have a microchip in my hand." The hillbilly woman felt decidedly low tech. Not to be outdone, she decided she had to do something just as impressive. She stepped out of the hot tub and went to the bathroom. She returned with a piece of toilet paper hanging from her behind. The two other women raised their eyebrows and stared at her. The hillbilly woman finally said, "Well, will you look at that, I'm getting a fax."

Piatt Castles

2009-04-29T05:30:00.000-04:00

You guys didn't know you were among royalty did ya? My maiden name is Piatt and the castles below were created by my ancestors in Logan County Ohio.

I have lots of good memories that tie into these castles. When we were growing up, my mother, grandmother Piatt, my brother and myself would go up to the castles and visit with our relatives quite frequently. Jimmy (my brother) and I were allowed to roam the castles as long as we didn't touch anything. We never roamed too far though because we were afraid that the ghosts of our ancestors past would get us! After having lunch and finishing up with our visits, we would go to the Piatt Cemetery and mom and grandma would clean up some of the sites while Jimmy and I roamed around (again, never too far because we were sure it was haunted as well).

My dad and his brother would go up there to hunt and I was always welcome to tag along. I didn't necessarily appreciate the hunting so I would stay at the castles with "Uncle Bill" and he would feed me lunch and tell me lots of stories about the castles. Sometimes on our way up, dad and Uncle Don would talk about how they would spend the night there and sleep in the attic (the castles are considered a museum and have tours that go through so the rooms couldn't be messed with). They would tell how they would be woke up by rats running across them and about the resident "ghosts" that resided there and the antics they would pull. I loved hearing all the stories that were told.

Through an unfortunate series of events, the castles fell into the hands of "non-Piatts". My uncle had remarried and upon his passing, the "new wife" and her children took over. I can remember going up there afterward with Grandma and they actually told her she had to pay to enter the castles and they treated her as a tourist. This woman was a PIATT, who did they think they were talking to. I watched her heart break right before my eyes. I was so incredibly angry. To this day, I have never went back. I would love to take MacKenzie there so that she could "experience the castles" and learn of her ancestry but I know I'd never be able to allow her to explore them the way that I was allowed to. I'm still very proud of who I am and where I came from and no matter what they choose to do with the castles, I'll never forget what really went on inside those walls.

Mac-A-Cheek

Mac-O-Chee

Art At Your Fingertips!

2009-04-28T05:30:00.001-04:00

I have no idea who the artist is but I found these to be pretty amazing. This person has more talent in his pinkie then I have in my whole hand! Get It? LOL

O H I O!

2009-04-27T05:30:00.002-04:00

This past weekend we had the opportunity to go to Ohio State's Spring Football Game. Hubby thought that it would be just he and Kenz - I DON'T THINK SO! I had never been to one of their games before and I was not about to miss out on this one.

We left the house around 8 a.m., got there about 9:30, tailgated until around 10 (there was just too much to see to sit around all morning) then off we went to explore the campus.

Well for those of you who don't know, OSU has a HUGE campus. There was a flurry of activity everywhere! A sea of scarlet and grey (their school colors). We made our way to the stadium so that we could get in early and get primo seats (it was general admission).

Around 11 OSU and Notre Dame faced off in a Lacrosse game. That has got to be the most BORING sport I have ever had to sit and watch. It was impossible to keep track of that stupid little ball. I never knew who had it and who didn't. I'll swear my eyes were bleeding before it was all said and done (which unfortunately was 4-fifteen minute quarters). Kenz really enjoyed it though. Finally it was game time. For the rest of my life I don't think I'll ever forget how I felt when I heard the band (which is called "The Best Damn Band In The Land) play their school fight song. Now I have heard this song many, many times on TV, but hearing it in person - well I have no words to describe it.

It turned out to be a glorious day with 85 degree temps and a record crowd of 96,000. We all had a fantabulous time and chalked up another great Jenkins family memory.

Friday's Favorite Five!

2009-04-24T05:30:00.001-04:00

Well, for today's favorite five I decided to go with something we'll all have a taste for over the next several months........
ICE CREAM!
My top five favorites are
1. Mint Chocolate Chip (Homemade brand is the best)
2. Cookies and Cream
3. Strawberry w/Real Strawberries in it (No one beats Breyers)
4. Chocolate Fudge Swirl
5. Chocolate Chip

What are your favorites?

Wilbur Doodle - Part 2

2009-04-23T05:30:00.001-04:00

If you'll recall, we ended yesterday with my father thinking he was going to take Wilbur to the butcher shop. Well, after I had found out what the plans were for my little Wilbur Doodle, I had a MAJOR fit. HOW DARE HE! I have loved this little bovine, nurtured him, bonded with him, told him my deepest darkest secrets. This was my pet and he had wrapped himself around a big part of my heart. They couldn’t do this to me or to him, I would not allow it!!!

Now I usually got my way when it came to my dad. I was most definitely a daddy’s girl and don’t think I didn’t pull out every trick in the book. I had to save Wilbur no matter what. So, after many, many nights of crying myself to sleep (loud enough that dad could hear me), he agreed to at least talk about it. After a lot of pouting, sobbing and just plain anger, he agreed that he would sell Wilbur (keeping him was just not an option as per the agreement with his friend), use the money he got from him and then go to the butcher shop and buy a ½ cow already butchered. HOOORAY! I had won! I had saved Wilbur Doodle’s life and it felt sooo goooood.

I know what you’re thinking - Dad didn’t really sell that cow, he just told me that and actually took him to the butcher. WRONG-O BABY! I made him take me to the auction house and watched my little buddy be sold. I was heart-broken and shed many a tear but I knew that the farmer who had just purchased my Wilbur, had a huge farm with lots of girlie cows and Wilbur would be in 7th heaven. It had to be that way, RIGHT! Wilbur was a pet, he would not make a good sirloin or T-bone. He just didn’t have it in him. He was the best darn cow around.

That my friends is where this story ends. It took me a while to not think of Wilbur everytime we had steak or hamburger, but I did rest in the fact that I knew it wasn't him. I cannot fathom raising something, only to turn around and eat it. It’s not in me. I know people do it all the time but not this girl. Once I’ve looked into those little eyes, I’m hooked! So no, a pioneer woman I would never make. I've told Pat many a time that if we had to raise our own meat we'd both become vegetarians and luckily, he agrees with me!

What Is A Pet?

2009-04-22T05:30:00.000-04:00

In growing up, we lived on the edge of the city limits. A field backed up against the rear of our property. My parents allowed us to have pets of all shapes and sizes. My brother had ferrets, skunks and raccoons. You name it, and at some point in time, we had it. Well, Dad thought it would be a good idea to raise our own chickens. He built them a nice little house with chicken fence all around it (my dad could never sit still so he was always building something). Well we got the little chickens and soon they grew into big chickens. Dad now wanted to start slaughtering the chickens and have them for dinner….. WHAT!!! He proceeded to do what people do when they dress a chicken (it’s too disgusting to tell). The next thing I knew, that poor chicken was now fried up and laying in the middle of our kitchen table for dinner. OMG- NO WAY JOSE! I was not about to eat one of our pets (at least that’s what I considered them to be). After dad grew tired of the chickens (thankfully it didn't take long) he had another brillant idea. He had some friends who lived in the country and asked if we could keep a cow at their place (luckily we couldn’t keep one at our house). I went with him to the local stockyard and we picked out a nice little brown cow. It was love at first moooo! I named him Wilbur before he had even left the auction ring. Over the next few months, I went with dad every night to feed and walk Wilbur (he soon became known as Wilbur Doodle). This was the greatest thing ever! I was actually walking a cow and that cow would also come every time I called his name. Who needed a dog??? Well, Wilbur grew at a very alarming rate which was sad to me but Dad was quite tickled about it. Am I gullible or what?? This was not my pet cow, this was dinner for the approaching winter. I THINK NOT!!

Part 2 Tomorrow

Life and Love

2009-04-21T05:30:00.001-04:00

Ok, you all know how I feel about my Abbie. This is the absolute best dog I have ever had. I adore her personality. She couldn't be a better fit in our family. With that being said, I watched Marley and Me last weekend (I had also read the book when it first came out). I knew what I was getting myself into and was told that for the last 40 minutes I would cry like a baby! Well that is somewhat correct, I only cried for the last 30 minutes. A friend of mine (who is a major dog lover) refuses to watch the show because of what happens in the end. I don't understand her thinking on this. Yes it's sad, but it also shows how a young pup came into a couples life, turned it upside down, made them question whether or not they even wanted to keep him, decided to keep him, suffered the consequences, watched him became the best friend of the couples 3 young children (all the while I might add, getting into the trash), and showed the couple what unconditional love really was. This dog had a great LONG life. He wasn't taken down in his prime, he wasn't abused, he was loved and he loved back. Yes, the ending was sad, but eventually we all die. The lesson is not in the dying, but it is how much love we give while we are here!

A Great Visit!

2009-04-20T05:30:00.003-04:00

Over the weekend Pat and I had the opportunity to visit a horse farm. I'd gotten to know Karen, who owns it, through my place of employment. Our original intent was to go out and pick up some manure (yes I said manure) for our garden. Karen boards and gives riding lessons for these fine animals. She has a wonderful set-up out at her place. There is an outdoor arena as well as an indoor arena. She has over 145 acres of land with riding trails that wind throughout her wooded property. It was magnificent. I'll tell ya, that woman works her rear end off. There is so much that has to be done in taking care of not only the facility but all the horses as well. Right now she has about 20 or so horses. They are fed and watered in the AM, let out into the different pastures (each walked out one at a time), all the stalls are cleaned and new bedding put down, then they are brought back in for the evening and fed and watered again. On top of this, she gives riding lessons mid-morning through late afternoon. Karen was kind enough to allow us to wonder about the stables and look around all we wanted. It was so much fun. There were a lot of pictures taken (pics on my side bar) and a lot of questions asked. Karen also offered to give me a free riding lesson and of course I'm going to take her up on that one. They took me out and introduced me to the horse I would be riding, her name is Butterscotch and she seemed so gentle and sweet. It'll kind of be a double-edged sword though, I'll love every minute of it, but I'll also want a horse of my own (having a ranch has been a dream of mine for quite some time). I'll be sure to have Pat video my lesson for a future blog because I'm sure they'll be plenty to laugh about!! Needless to say, I'm quite excited and can't wait!

This is Butterscotch!

Friday's Favorite Five!

2009-04-17T05:30:00.001-04:00

Before I start this post, I wanted to send you guys over the Patjseenitall and check out episode 5. I've told him he needs to post more often, but imagine this, HE WON'T LISTEN TO ME!!

OK, now on with my post!

This week I thought I'd list my favorite meals served from the grill.

1. BBQ Chicken - All I can say is YUMMY!

2. Teryaki Chicken - MMMMMMMMMmmmmmm

3. BBQ Ribs - Have you noticed I kinda like the BBQ stuff.

4. BBQ Pork Chops - Need I say more?

5. BBQ Hamburger - Again with the BBQ.

I know, these are boring but I'm a simple person and these make me happy. I also like to cut up potatoes and add green peppers, garlic and onions, place them in a packet made of aluminum foil with a little olive oil, seal and let them cook right along with whatever is on the grill.

Wanna share! What's your favorites!

A Fishing Tale, or Two!

2009-04-16T05:30:00.003-04:00

After reading the fishing tale my hubby posted, I felt I needed to give my side of the story!

While growing up, my family spent many a day and night fishing. We went to Lake Erie once a year to fish for perch and then would come home and have a huge fish fry for friends and family. My paternal Grandmother (Grandma Piatt) loved nothing more than for us to pick her up and go spend the day at the lake (she was in her late 70's when this all started). Mom would pack a picnic, then we'd pick up Grandma, go to the bait store which also sold penny candy, load up on bait and goodies then off to the lake we'd go. On our way to the various places we would fish, we would drive by different farms that had cattle. Well, if the cattle were standing (according to Grandma) it would be a good day of fishing. If the cattle were laying down - we might as well go home. She was a firm believer in this (I can't remember if it ever held true or not). At any rate, we'd have a great time no matter if we caught something or not.

OK so back to the point of this story. Hubby and I decided to purchase some poles and take them out every now and again for a dip in the local park. It would also give us an opportunity to get away for a while and spend some quality time together. Well on Easter Sunday we decided to do just that. We'd been out fishing many years before and, well, let just say, Hubby isn't the greatest fisherman (not for lack of trying). It's not like he does anything wrong, he's just got some bad mojo when it comes to the little fishies. When we first got there, the little duckies were driving me insane. They would swim over our lines, then some would fly off then fly back and of course land right next to our bobbers. And to top that off, idiots, and I do me idiots, would bring their little kiddies over to feed the little beasts, which sent them into a frenzy, knowing we were sitting right there trying to fish. It's not like this isn't a huge park with probably 200 ducks roaming around! So needless to say, we weren't having the best of luck with getting any bites. After a while, duckie nap time took effect (the beasts were so full by now they could barely swim). Guess what, the fishies started nibbling. HOORAY! We both got a couple of bites but neither of us we able to reel anything in. In experimenting with his worm, hubby found a way to let the worm dangle a little from his hook so that it would attract the fishies more. This process took probably 2-3 minutes to accomplish so that it dangled just right. In all fairness here, I didn't want the fish that were biting to think we weren't interested any more so I simply decided to move my bobber closer to where his was (he was getting more bites) to that I could keep them interested. How can this be seen as invading his space. I was helping him out - wasn't I?

After several hours of really enjoying ourselves and having went through 25 worms, we decided to pack it in and call it a day. So we did have a great time and look forward to getting out more often.

We might not have caught any fish but I did catch this...... with my camera!

It went from this......

to this!

Is this not the most beautiful thing you've ever seen!! Totally worth it!

A Truth!

2009-04-15T05:30:00.003-04:00

A picture says a thousand words. I need not say any.

Where's The Floor!

2009-04-14T05:30:00.000-04:00

In recalling my teen years at home, I can remember my room literally having paths made between clothes to get to my bed or dresser. My mother would often say "how can you come out of that mess of a bedroom looking like a million bucks". I was allowed to keep my room "untidy" for 6 days of the week, but on the 7th (always Saturday morning) - IT WAS CLEANING TIME! It used to take me hours to clean up all those clothes (we weren't allowed to have food or drinks in there). Then, the next morning, AHHHH, all was well again! It took seconds to make it HOME again. Well, what goes around, comes around. My husband and I both like to keep our home orderly and clean, not immaculate or freakishly clean, but nice and tidy. In fact, my husband can NAG with the best of them when things aren't put away (his mother was a "clean freak" so he was never allowed to make his bedroom his own). Well, like mother like daughter! Kenzie Rae loves for her room to be a total disaster (I really think it's worse than mine ever was) she claims it makes her feel "comfy", and this drives her father up the wall. So, after many discussions, both civilized and uncivilized, we've agreed to allow her to have "her space" but once a week, that room has to be cleaned "our way" and if her clothes can't find the clothes hamper, that's her problem. Unfortunately her mess tends to overflow into the rest of the house and then dad goes into NAG mode once again. That girl definitely knows how to push his buttons. Hopefully allowing her to have her space now will lead her to being a little neater when she acquires a home of her own. We'll keep our fingers crossed, after all, it worked for me!

Home Remedies

2009-04-13T05:30:00.000-04:00

AMAZING SIMPLE HOME REMEDIES

1. AVOID CUTTING YOURSELF WHEN SLICING VEGETABLES BY GETTING SOMEONE ELSE TO HOLD THE VEGETABLES WHILE YOU CHOP.

2. AVOID ARGUMENTS WITH THE FEMALES ABOUT LIFTING THE TOILET SEAT BY USING THE SINK.

3. FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE SUFFERERS ~ SIMPLY CUT YOURSELF AND BLEED FOR A FEW MINUTES, THUS REDUCING THE PRESSURE ON YOUR VEINS. REMEMBER TO USE A TIMER.

4. A MOUSE TRAP PLACED ON TOP OF YOUR ALARM CLOCK WILL PREVENT YOU FROM ROLLING OVER AND GOING BACK TO SLEEP AFTER YOU HIT THE SNOOZE BUTTON.

5. IF YOU HAVE A BAD COUGH, TAKE A LARGE DOSE OF LAXATIVES. THEN YOU'LL BE AFRAID TO COUGH.

6. YOU ONLY NEED TWO TOOLS IN LIFE - WD-40 AND DUCT TAPE. IF IT DOESN'T MOVE AND SHOULD, USE THE WD-40. IF IT SHOULDN'T MOVE AND DOES, USE THE DUCT TAPE.

7. IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T05:30:00.000-04:00

I hope you all have a most wondeful Easter!

Happy 50th Barbie!

2009-04-10T05:30:00.001-04:00

So she's normal after all!!!

Easter Egg Hunt!

2009-04-09T05:30:00.001-04:00

Who doesn't enjoy hunting for Easter eggs? Every year here at the Jenkins household, we color Easter eggs. Since Kenzie is the only child left, she has alot to color. It’s like pulling teeth to get her to do it (if I remember correctly, last year I don't even think she did).

Oh well, every Easter morning, she gets up, checks out her Easter grub, then it's off to find the eggs. The Easter bunny has to get up pretty early to get this done and he also has to remember how many he hid and where he hid them. We have actually, as I’m sure everyone else has, not been able to find all the eggs. Now that’s OK if they’re hidden outside, but here in the crappy weathered state of Ohio, most of ours are held inside. Not so good, especially since they are hard-boiled eggs (the bunny now writes down all his hiding places so as not to forget again).

Later in the afternoon the grandkids come over and usually by then, we can take the egg hunt outside. Now we have the little plastic ones filled with candy and surprises. It doesn’t matter the age, everyone enjoys a good Easter egg hunt!

All is well and then on Monday morning, I make the dentist appointments. Such is life.

Easter Pets!

2009-04-08T05:30:00.000-04:00

Now after yesterdays post you're probably wondering why I would do one titled "Easter Pets". As I had stated in that post, I have never bought any of my children a DUCKIE for Easter. However, one year Kenzie asked for an Easter Bunny (a live one). OK, I can handle that, after all, I had raised several bunnies for 4-H when I was a youngun. This was going to be fun. The Saturday before said Easter Sunday, I took Kenzie to our local farm and seed store to look for her bunny. When we walked in there were about 5 of them in a big aluminum water trough. I made sure she picked out the most "tame" one of the bunch. So we take the little fur ball home to introduce him to the rest of the family.

Now remember, Abbie is a beagle and beagles are not supposed to like bunnies and I'm a little worried. Well, my worries were put to rest rather quickly.

The bunny was named Ziggy. And like any pet that enters our home, he became a member of the family. I have never ever seen a bunny like Ziggy. I was able to train him to use a litter box. No, I'm not kidding. We took shredded paper and placed it in a litter box. After following him around for a while, he finally made a deposit (nice little brown balls). I gathered them up with a napkin and placed them in his litter box and low and behold, that's all it took. He used it from that day on.

Ziggy could do tricks as well. He loved Cheerios and pieces of bread. So we used these little goodies to teach him to sit up.

He also learned that if he played “dead” someone would come out to revive him.

Ziggy grew to become a good sized rabbit. We had an enclosed back porch and that was his home. He was free to roam about all day and at night he would be put into his cage. He had toys to play with a plenty of room to hop about. He loved to look out the window as well.

Then Ziggy developed a nasty little habit. He started eating the carpet, the screens, the foosball table and the spare dining room chairs that I kept in there. Now, I could've kept him in his cage all day and eliminated this problem but Ziggy was used to running around all day and I could not do that to him. So, after much thought, Ziggy found a new home with a nice German Baptist girl that had just lost her bunny (who was also allowed to roam free in her bedroom). Perfect ending to what started out being a perfect Easter Bunny. From now on, all the bunnies in our home will be stuffed (toys).

Sense of Humor!

2009-04-07T08:51:00.003-04:00

One of my co-workers shared this with me this morning and I had to share with all of you. Who says the teens (watch the video portion of story) in Springfield don't have a sense of humor.

An Easter Memory!

2009-04-07T05:30:00.002-04:00

I thought I’d share an Easter memory with you. Every year, my brother and I would wake up at the crack of dawn and run out into the kitchen to see if the Easter Bunny had come. Sure enough, the table was full of our baskets (back then we each had 2) and a big spread in the middle for mom and dad. But also, every year without fail, there would be a big cardboard box with a light shining down into it. What was in the box you’re wondering….. Baby DUCKIES!! Yes, every year my mother felt the need to buy us baby DUCKIES! Yes, they were cute, yes, they were fun, yes, THEY DID STINK and who had to clean the box with the DUCKIES in them, that would be me and my brother. Of course, Jimmy (my brother) would somehow manage to weasel his way out of it and I would be stuck with give the little DUCKIES a nice sweet smelling home. OK, after about the 3rd year, I’d had enough.

What did we do with they DUCKIES you’re wondering to yourself, well after rearing these darling little DUCKIES for about a month, Mom would take us to the park to let our wee little DUCKIES go live with the rest of the wee little DUCKIES that all the other children got for Easter. Now this is just cruel, first I get the DUCKIE, then I bond with the DUCKIE, I clean and care for the DUCKIE then I have to let my little DUCKIE be set free and I’m traumatized. What was that woman thinking?

And NO, I have never bought my children a DUCKIE for Easter.

A Post Dedicated To PEEPS!

2009-04-06T05:30:00.004-04:00

I LOVE PEEPS! They are the cutest things I have ever seen and every year they bring out yet another color to make them even more irresistible. If I could, I would buy a package of every shape and color made. When my kids were wee little ones this would be their first taste of Easter (after all, they had no teeth and who needs teeth to eat Peeps). I personally like mine a little on the chewy side so I'll let them "air out" for a few. With this being a dedication, I thought I'd share some Peep facts with you.

1. In the early 1950's it took 27 hours to make one little chick. Today it takes a mere 6 minutes.
2. They are so popular they have become the best non-chocolate Easter candy for the last decade.
3. Yellow chicks are the most popular followed by pink, lavender, blue and white.

Peeps are also very versatile -take a look!

Now who wouldn't want this in the middle of the Easter Dinner Table? It's just too darn pretty to eat!

This one's called "The Peep Show". Just too cute!

I'll bet you're ready to go pick up a pack of peeps huh! Share your favorite Peep with us.

Friday's Favorite Five!

2009-04-03T05:30:00.003-04:00

With Easter just around the corner, I chose to list my top 5 favorite easter candies.

First, I had to pick Cadbury Mini Eggs. These things are "Da Bomb". In my opinion, these chocolatey scrumptious little morsels beat the pants off of M&M's.

Next would be PEEPS. Easter is not Easter without these little cuties. I like to leave mine sit around for a few days so they are nice and chewy.

Can you say CHOCOLATE! Hmmmmm, I'm sensing I have a sweet spot for chocolate.

I tend to favor these little peanut butter eggs over the bigger ones. But hey, if it's Reese's, it's gotta be good!

Once again, chocloate. This time it's covering marshmallow. I also like the chocolate covered marshmallow eggs.

And as an extra, you can't leave out jelly beans. I only like the red and purple ones though. One year, I picked only these colors out of a bulk candy bin (it took about 15 minutes to gather a pound). Why pay for something you're not gonna eat right?

I can guarantee you that my basket will be loaded with all my favorites, what will be in yours?

PLEASE CHECK OUT PAT'S SEENITALL POST TODAY. GUARANTEE YOU A LAUGH ON THIS ONE!

Dance Fever!

2009-04-02T05:30:00.006-04:00

At about the age of 3 we decided to put Kenzie into dance class. She was extremely shy and we hoped this might help. Things seemed to be going well. We had signed her up for jazz and she would come home after every class and show us what she had learned. At the end of the year the dance school would put on a recital to showcase what the students had learned. Kenzie's teacher came up to me at dress rehearsal and asked me if Kenzie could talk. After a whole year in class (which was 1/2 hour a week), my child had never uttered a word. I was speechless at this point.

Well, dress rehearsal went off without a hitch and Kenzie really seemed to enjoy herself. So the next evening, we proceeded to the recital. Her hair was done, her make-up was finished and we stood there along with all the other anxious mothers and daughters, waiting our turn to lead them up to the stage. Finally it was time. I think my heart was beating faster than hers. I had no idea if once she saw how many people were in the auditorium, if she'd turn and run, stand and stare or muddle her way through her routine.

WHAT WAS I THINKING! When that curtain opened, a smile spread across her face from ear to ear and she danced her little heart out. That was only be beginning of an 8 year run of classes and recitals. She stayed with jazz and added tap and gymnastics. MacKenzie was very successful over those 8 years and had won many awards as well. She was also the youngest dancer awarded a teaching position within the school (I believe she was 9 then and most of her students were twice her size and older than her). Needless to say, she came out of her shell. To this day, that girl loves to perform, she no longer dances because sports took over, but she can still wow a crowd!

(There are more pictures on the right side of my page)

April Fools

2009-04-01T05:30:00.006-04:00

Get up really early and sneak into your victims bathroom and fill their hair-dryer with baby powder. And when they turn it on, their head will be pure white just like an old person!

Take a rubber band and slip it over the lever on the spray handle so that when someone turns the sink on, it will spray him or her in the face. This is an easy way to pull a great prank!

Drop a candy bar in the pool. Make sure other people see it floating. Be the hero and get the bar out of the pool. Then grab it and take a big bite.

This is a great payback for those of us with teenage who can actually figure out how to use their phone. Change all the speed dials. Here are some ideas, change all the friends and family around. When they push the button there will be this uncomfortable pause of mental confusion. If they change all the numbers back. Change them again.

While your victim is showering, sneak in and take all their clothes, the towels and bath mat.

Unplug your mouse from the computer or unplug your phone from the jack.

Whether you pull any pranks or not I hope you have a fun April Fools Day!

Woe is Me

2009-03-31T05:30:00.000-04:00

How many pair of flip flops can one girl own? The last I checked you could only wear one pair at a time. However, I was told that you should have a pair to match pretty much every t-shirt you intend on wearing over the summer. Then you need to have a specific pair to wear before and after a tennis match and also a specific pair for basketball. How foolish of me!

And then there's the cami's. How many cami's can one girl own? You can only wear one at a time right? WRONG! You wear 2 or 3 at a time and heaven forbid you wear one of the same colors in the same week!

And then, you need to buy more flip flops to match all the new cami's you have! UGGGGG!

Rape

2009-03-30T05:30:00.000-04:00

I'm going to blog here about a very sensitive subject. Rape! No, I don't mean the act of one human being violating another (I've got your interest now huh), I'm talking about bird rape. It is going on all around us. It frightening, horrifying and shameful. I, as of yet, have seen a willing female participant in this horrific act. These poor little girl birdies have no where to run (fly) and no where to hide. It's a sad, sad sight I tell you. And not only are the female birdies being violated against their will, but the poor little female kitties are as well. The other morning, very early I might add, I was awaken by a cat fight. That female did not give in so easy. YOU GO LITTLE GIRL KITTY CAT! Something needs to be done and I suggest you contact your local congressman!

*This post by no means is meant to make light of rape, it is a very sensitive subject and it sickens me to no end (which is why these little male birdies really tick me off). Please understand I am merely commenting on our winged and furry friends reproduction process.

Friday's Favorite Five!

2009-03-27T05:30:00.000-04:00

How about some humor to start your weekend off right!

Laughing does a body good!

Please share a laugh or two with us as well!

Crocs

2009-03-26T05:30:00.001-04:00

One good thing about warm weather coming in is comfy footwear. I love Crocs. They have got to be the most comfortable thing ever to house my little tootsies. I have a pair that is so worn down that I can feel every little pebble I walk across, but I refuse to give those babies up. I bought a brand made by Scrubs and those are like walking on clouds. Who can't love these things, I mean you can buy a pair in every color imaginable. For some though, they pose the problem of keeping them on while actually walking (I'm not mentioning any names....Pat). For me, it's Crocs or nothing baby, in fact, it's time to go Croc shopping!

Look, even Kennie Tennis Bear has some (I told you Build-A-Bear has everything).

Aren't they just too cute! I'm seriously looking for a pair just like em!

Cuddly Buddy

2009-03-25T05:30:00.000-04:00

I've run across another wonderful blogger by the name of Grandma J. She has a cuddly buddy by the name of Phillip Johnny Bob (PJB) who, from what I can tell, has been on some exciting adventures. I had mentioned to her that I would have to introduce PJB to my cuddly buddy.....

KENNIE TENNIE BEAR

Kennie Tennie Bear was given to me by my daughter Kenzie

(she decided I could cuddle with this and leave her alone).
She was created at Build-A-Bear Workshop and adopted by our family.

It's kinda hard to tell from the pic but she has her little tennis t-shirt and tennis skort.

This is her buddy George. He's a soccer star disguised as a monkey. Kenzie created and adopted George about 7 or 8 years ago. He was our first member from the Build-A-Bear family.

Here is the whole clan (it is very addicting). In the back is George and Lily, Lily was also created and adopted by Kenzie for an Easter gift the year after George came along (George was lonely and needed a friend). In front of George is Chloe, I created and adopted her when Lily came along (who says this is kid stuff) and of course we have Kennie Tennie Bear who is only about 6 months old. Now for those of you who have never been to Build-A-Bear (and I don't care how old you are), I say GO GO GO! It's alot of fun. They have every kind of outfit and accessory you could imagine. You could literally blow your whole pay check in there.

Look at her, she's such a ham!!!

The Sound Of Music

2009-03-24T05:30:00.000-04:00

As I'm seasoning in life, I realize that I love listening to the piano. I'm not a big jazz fan and don't particularly care for the symphony, but there is something about the piano that has captured me. It seems to be able to take me on a journey of so many emotions. It can be soft and soothing, and in an instant turn into something fierce and angry, and then a little toe-tapping tune comes along. I love to just hold on for the ride while I'm listening to it. It used to bother me how animated the pianist became while playing, but now I GET IT! How can you make an instrument like that talk without FEELING exactly what you want it to say? Bravo I say, Bravo.

A Soothing Melody? NOT!

2009-03-23T05:30:00.002-04:00

Don't cha just love hearing the little birdies just a singing their little birdie hearts out? It's truly a beautiful sound. We have a huge tree outside our bedroom window. Every year, this tree calls out to all the little birdies to come live in it. Now when I say right outside our bedroom window, I mean you can open the window reach out and touch some of the leaves. Since the birdies all love this great big tree, it allows us to enjoy their beautiful birdie melodies. However, as the sun starts coming up earlier, their little melodies start a little bit earlier. By May their little tweeting voices start in at about 5 a.m. and we're ready to take a cannon and fire it out the window at the big old tree that houses all the cute little birdies. Don't get me wrong - I'm all for the melodies of the morning but I'd sure appreciate those melodies starting just a little later in the morning.

Friday's Favorite Five!

2009-03-20T05:00:00.002-04:00

Today I thought I'd share my top 5 favorite cereals. Now, believe it or not, this was not an easy task for me because I LOVE CEREAL! It's the perfect snack or a quick meal. I know, I know, it's not the healthiest of things to eat (at least not the kind I like), but it's so convenient and always hits the spot.

This is my most favorite. I absolutely love these in the morning.

These are great to nibble on anytime of the day, with or without milk. Makes a great finger food don't cha think! These are also great to make trail mixes with.

I'll eat these the same as Froot Loops, with or without milk. If I'm wanting something sweet while watching TV in the evenings, I'll grab either these or Froot Loops.

Who doesn't enjoy a bowl of Apple Jacks with ice cold milk? YUMMY!

Last but not least, yea, I gotta have em (not as often as the above mentioned, but they're still good).

So, care to share a few of your favorites? I know that the majority of you are a healthy bunch so I'll expect to see bran flakes and grape nuts (boring).

Happy Birth-Day!

2009-03-19T05:00:00.006-04:00

Today, my only son, Brad, turns 22 years old. He has been a spit-fire from the moment he was born. That child was always going full blast 24/7. He learned at walk at the age of 9 months, babbled incessantly from the moment he knew he could make a noise come from his mouth, and never, ever, took a moment to just STOP!! He had no interest in school at all. I remember in 3rd grade, they were leaving an assembly in the gym and had to wait in a line until their turn to exit. He happened to be standing underneath the fire alarm and guess what - just wanted to jump to see if he could reach it. Well not only did he reach it, he set it off. The whole school was evacuated. Brad was also very inquisitive as to how things came apart. One day, while having a time-out in his room, he decided to take his little tool box set and remove the door knob. Needless to say, that time-out lasted a little longer than expected. One year he received a remote control car for Christmas. Again, he had gotten into trouble and was sent to his room, when I had went up to tell him he cold come out (it had probably only been about 15-20 minutes), he had completely taken this car and the remote apart. He was probably around 5 or 6 then. These are just a couple of the antics he pulled. There was never a dull moment with him. He still likes to take things apart, but at least now he puts them back together. So here's to a Happy Birth-Day for my son!!

I HATE OHIO!

2009-03-18T05:00:00.002-04:00

If I'd had the choice, I would've never been born here in Ohio! My heart has always longed to live near the mountains in a warmer climate, maybe further south or out west. I would love to be able to wake in the mornings, look out the french doors in my bedroom that lead out to my second story balcony (that has a hot tub) and view the the sun rising over the mountains. I have always wanted to move away from here but the timing has never been quite right. With Kenzie being a sophomore, I figure I can take another 2 years, but then, I'M OUTTA HERE! I want to get away from the traffic, the ever-watchful neighbors, the barking dogs. I want about 5 acres of wooded land and I'm planting my house smack dap in the center of it. My nearest neighbor would be about 5 miles down the road. No, I'm not a recluse, but I do enjoy my privacy. I love to sit outside and listen to nothing, I want to be able to lay in my hammock for hours on end just reading with no interruptions. I don't know about you, but there are times when I need solitude so that I can regroup in order to function normally again. OH CALGON, TAKE ME AWAY!!! So, with that being said, if any of you know of where I can find "my paradise" please fill me in.
P.S. I'm also accepting donations of the monetary kind!! lol

I NEED a Hammock!

2009-03-17T04:00:00.001-04:00

I have come to the realization that my body NEEDS a hammock. When I was younger we used to have one. Of course, my brother and I would constantly flip each other out of it so I never saw the relaxing value that it contained. Now, I think I NEED one! I could easily see myself in one allowing life's burdens to fade away (that is until I have to get up again). One of Kenzies friends have one in their front room (it's a nice one I can assure you). If we had one in ours, there would be another world war break out (so much for relaxing huh).

I'd also like to suggest a new video blog my husband started. For those of you who already follow his daily blog, you might enjoy this one as well! However, you know when you've listened to a DJ forever and then you finally see him and he's just not what you picture him to be....... LOL! But seriously, you'll get to see his quirkyness up close and personal now. I'll give it a 5 star rating.

A Bonding Moment!!

2009-03-16T05:00:00.001-04:00

I have something that I've got to share..... Saturday, Kenzie and I actually spent the whole day together shopping, then dinner, and only had 1 incident. Oh it was wonderful! I knew my kid was in there somewhere (I joke, she's really not that bad, just has her typical "teenage" moments)! Then, to top it off, she "thanked" me and told me she had had a "GREAT" day! Brings a tear to the eye I tell ya!! She hadn't been feeling well all week so she was exta cuddly as well. She also finished her driving instruction so dad is going to take her Friday for her test. Keep your fingers crossed for her.

Friday's Favorite Five!

2009-03-13T05:00:00.000-04:00

For this weeks favorite five I thought I'd list my favorite TV shows.

First would be The Mentalist with Simon Baker. This show is great! A little mystery, a little intrigue and alot of eye candy! Whew, he's a cutie!

Next would be Greek. Kenzie got me hooked on this show during it's first season. We are now prearing to start season 3 and I've never missed an episode. Lots of good humor!!

Now, Scrubs. Who doesn't love this show. It's so stupid you have to laugh!!

A new one for me this year is House. Yet another Kenzie has gotten me hooked on (she also hooked dad as well). I've had to go to the library and catch up on all the seasons.
If I'm ever in need of a doctor, DON'T call House!!!

And last but not least, LOST! I am not exaggerating when I say I am totally lost watching LOST! This show has really went off the deep end.

And there you have it. What are some of your favorites?

Innocence In Murder?

2009-03-12T05:00:00.001-04:00

This will probably be a touchy subject. How do you guys feel about the recent stories where children are murdering members of their family. Is an 8 year old capable of uderstanding the finality of death? Do they truly realize that "daddy" won't be back tomorrow? Yes, they committed the act, yes, they knew how to load the gun and pull the trigger, but in most cases, who taught them to do it anyway and why on earth would any parent want to teach an 8 year old how to load and fire a gun. I'm not saying that it justifies the action but come on. My granddaughter is 8 and I can guarantee you she does not understand that if she were to "shoot" mommy today because she was being punished for something, "mommy" would not be back tomorrow. She knows that when people die they go to heaven, but to her, heaven is just another place to live, no different than living in another house on another street. I don't know how I feel on this issue, the act in itself is horrendous and then to lose a loved one even escalates it more. Kenzie done a report of whether an "adolescent" should be tried as an adult for such a crime but in all the language she read it never mentioned just what age an "adolescent" was. According to Webster's, the definition of adolescense is: the time of life between puberty and maturity. Hmmmm that covers a lot of ground huh? Now, the definition of child is: a boy or girl before puberty. I'm sorry, has an 8 year old gone through puberty yet? Therefore, he is still a child and needs to be treated as such. You cannot try him as an adult, yes he shot someone, but he does not think as an adult does. Yes, he committed the act of an adult, but he was taught to do it by an adult. UGGGG! This is a really frustrating issue for me. Care to comment???

AWARDS!

2009-03-11T05:00:00.005-04:00

I would like to give out a "WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD" award to all of my new friends here in the blogging world that have made me feel very welcome. I absolutely love doing this and really appreciate all you guys taking the time to come to my page and comment. You sure know how to make a girl feel "WELCOME".

I would like to recognize:

Pat J (at least in HIS mind) Knows It All (my biggest supporter)

http://patjknowsitall.blogspot.com/

Day by Day.... My Life As A Busy Bee (Suz)

http://daybydaywithsuz.blogspot.com/

Me Melanie

http://memelaniemel.blogspot.com/

Unglazed (Jen)

http://unglazed.blogspot.com/

With My Whole Heart (Maria)

http://w1thmywholeheart.blogspot.com/

WIXY's Gone Bananas (Cliff)

http://wixygrad.blogspot.com/

This and That (Poo)

http://everythingandinbetween.blogspot.com/

You sure know how to make a girl feel "WELCOME".

Comedy vs. Thriller!

2009-03-10T05:00:00.000-04:00

When it comes to movies, I am all about comedy! One of my favorite things to laugh at is when practical jokes are being played on people. There is nothing funnier than an innocent shopper going to slide open the freezer just to have someone pop out and scare the holy crap out of them! I'm chuckling just thinking about it. Oh you gotta love the element of surprise. However, with that being said, I absolutely hate scary movies. Hate the suspense of knowing someone is going to jump out and cut someone's head off or chop them up with a chainsaw. Uggg! And of course, the bad guy never dies (ie: Freddie Kruger, Michael Myers), I mean come on, how can they be incinerated and yet come back for yet another revenge. NO THANK YOU! I had seen Carrie with Sissy Spacek in it and to this day, cannot even look at a commercial advertising it. The scene where she comes up the steps covered in blood..... well, let's just say I avoided walking past our basement door for several YEARS after that.

Luckily, both my husband and daughter enjoy the light-hearted world of comedy as well. Don't get me wrong, I love a good chick flick but a comedy can really lift one's spirit.

*I would whole heartedly recommend watching Jeff Dunham. He's on comedy central quite a bit. He's a ventriloquist and has created several characters that are - how shall we say it - HILARIOUS! We've been able to rent his two DVD's from our local library (Arguing With Myself and Spark of Insanity). Here is a clip from youtube, hope you enjoy!!! www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQm_8vX3sYU

True or False?

2009-03-09T06:00:00.000-04:00

Guess which of the following are true and which are false?
(Answers are below)

1. Apples, not caffeine, are more efficient at waking you up in the morning.

2. Alfred Hitchcock didn't have a belly button.

3. A pack-a-day smoker will lose approximately 2 teeth every 10 years.

4. People do not get sick from cold weather; it's from being indoors a lot more.

5. When you sneeze, all bodily functions stop, even your heart!

6. Only 7 per cent of the population are lefties.

7. Forty people are sent to the hospital for dog bites every minute.

8. Babies are born without kneecaps. They don't appear until they are 2-6 years old..

9. The average person over 50 will have spent 5 years waiting in lines..

10. The toothbrush was invented in 1498.

11. The average housefly lives for one month.

12. 40,000 Americans are injured by toilets each year.

13. A coat hanger is 44 inches long when straightened.

14. The average computer user blinks 7 times a minute..

15. Your feet are bigger in the afternoon than any other time of day.

16. Most of us have eaten a spider in our sleep.

17. The REAL reason ostriches stick their head in the sand is to search for water.

18. The only two animals that can see behind themselves without turning their heads are the rabbit and the parrot.

19. John Travolta turned down the starring roles in 'An Officer and a Gentleman' and 'Tootsie.'

20. Michael Jackson owns the rights to the South Carolina State Anthem.

21. In most television commercials advertising milk, a mixture of white paint and a little thinner is used in place of the milk.

22. Prince Charles and Prince William NEVER travel on the same airplane, just in case there is a crash.

23. The first Harley Davidson motorcycle built in 1903 used a tomato can for a carburetor.

24. Most hospitals make money by selling the umbilical cords cut from women who give birth. They are used in vein transplant surgery.

25. Humphrey Bogart was related to Princess Diana. They were 7th cousins. 26. If coloring weren't added to Coca-Cola, it would be green.. Now, scroll down for the answers.........................

They are all TRUE ... Now go back and think about #16!!!

Time for a Change

2009-03-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

I love gaining an hour of daylight. However, for the first couple of days, I'm a little out of sorts after the time change. To make matters worse, my husband will change the clocks sometime during the day today and then I'm totally lost. Most people change them before the go to bed tonight (I don't know of anyone who gets up at 2 a.m. to change them and if I did, I'd tell them they had some issues), not my husband. WHY do you ask, I have no friggin idea! I used to think he did it just to fool with me, but NO, he feels the need for whatever reason to change them in the middle of the day. Now I've belly ached quite a bit about it so he'll leave a couple of them on the right time but for the most part our daylight savings will start sometime today (he's probably already changed them).

Friday's Favorite Five!

2009-03-06T06:00:00.006-05:00

I thought that with SPRING right around the corner
I'd share with you my favorite outdoor flowers.

Hyacinth - Ohhhh, nothing smells better than a Hyacinth! If I see one, I've got to stop and smell it! This scent, no matter how hard they try, can never be duplicated. It's one of God's own!

Rose - Who doesn't love a rose. Not only are they nice to smell, but to receive them from someone you love - now that' s priceless (HINT HINT Mr. P).

Lilacs - We have a huge bush in our side yard. Cannot wait until they bloom so I can cut a huge bunch of them to bring into the house.

Daffodils - What can I say, they make me feel warmer just looking at them!

Pansy’s - What flower garden doesn't have a pansy! I love to try different color variations since they offer so many.

The Twit

2009-03-05T14:56:00.002-05:00

My husband is a twit, that tweets on twitter. Go to his blog (PatJknowsitall) to check out his new Twitter page (and don't forget to call him a twit).

Reality TV!!

2009-03-05T06:00:00.001-05:00

I'll admit it! I'm hooked on Reality TV!

Now I don't watch all of them but I have listed the one's that I do enjoy!

Amazing Race - My most favorite of them all! I could watch this show year-round!

I am so envious of all the places they get to go!

I wanted the couple from Ohio to win, but they got booted this week!

My next favorite is Dancing With The Stars! Love this show. Kenzie danced jazz and tap for several years so I really can appreciate the work they put into this.

Next, Family Jewels. Who doesn't love Gene Simmons. OMG this show cracks me up!

All kidding aside, Pat and I both agree that this man loves his family so much, that he would do absolutely anything for them. It always good for a chuckle.

And last but not least, The Celebrity Apprentice. With it just starting, it's sure to be a challenge for all of them to have to put up with Joan Rivers and Dennis Rodman!! God help them all.

New Ideas!

2009-03-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

I know it's a little early for the subject of Easter, but I'm wanting some new ideas for Easter dinner. I'm tired of ham and don't want turkey. I'm not what you would call one of those types of people who are open to "far-out" food. I like my staples (pork, chicken & anything Italian). So with that being said, can you guys give me some ideas. What do you serve for your Easter dinner (and if it sounds good, count on 3 more at your table)?

Play Along!!

2009-03-03T06:00:00.003-05:00

Please answer the following questions. The answer to each question has to begin with the first initial of your first name. Please post your answers in the comment box so we can all share. HAVE FUN!

Name a city in the US - Kansas City

Name an animal - Kangaroo

Name a dessert - Key Lime Pie

Actor or Actress - Katherine Hepburn

Something you would find in the grocery store - Kale

A Day At The Spa! Ahhhh!

2009-03-02T06:00:00.002-05:00

Abbie was treated to a day at the Jenkins Spa for her birthday! Here is her pre-treatment pic!

Next it was time for her "Massage" with water (we cannot use the B_ _ H word around here)!
She absolutely LOVED (ahemmmm) every minute of this sudsy rub down!

After her vigorous massage, she was in for a good ole' rub down with a

100% Egyptian cotton towel (ha ha)! She seems to be enjoying it don't you think?

Ahhh, now here is where our fat happy beagle was fat & happy!

She received a gourment meal fit for a Queen!

Next it was on to the unwrapping of her birthday present!

She's gotten very good at unwrapping.

Abbie loves "road kill" (any kind of furry rodent with a squeaker in it).

And when it has a bushy tail, well, it just doesn't get any better than that!

The only down side is that Abbie doesn't like to share her toys :(

When the thrill had worn off the new toy, it was time for her PET-E-CURE!!

(Ha - I loved that one).

She doesn't thrill on this but will cooperate for a biscuit.

And here is the good ole' girl when her day at the spa is over!

All Happy & Relaxed! What more could she have asked for!!

A "Spring" In Your Step!

2009-02-28T08:19:00.004-05:00

GUESS WHAT! Tomorrow is March 1st, know what that means! SPRING is on it's way and I for one cannot wait. "Oh God of Spring, bless us and come early this year for the cold long months of winter have taken their toll on this poor body of mine". Sorry, got a little carried away there. But seriously, I seen some little daffodil heads popping up yesterday and it made my little ole' heart leap with joy. There is hope after all! Just looking at this picture makes me feel better!

Friday's Favorite Five!

2009-02-27T06:00:00.003-05:00

I've decided to dedicate this Friday's Favorite Five

to our most favorite breeds of dogs.
Ready!

A tri colored Beagle!

A brown & white Beagle!

A black & white Beagle!

A red & white Beagle!

A fat happy Beagle!*

*This is my fat happy Beagle. All my blogging friends - meet my "Abbie".

She will be 10 years old this Sunday! I couldn't ask for a better dog. She is full of personality, great with kids, loves to walk, loves to sleep, loves to eat, loves to eat, loves to eat

(you get the point).

She just lives to love and I love her dearly!! Happy Birthday Yabber Dabbs!!

I've also posted pics of her on the right of my page.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then giving Abbie only two of them.

Dear Mom

2009-02-26T06:00:00.002-05:00

How's this for a letter to good ole' Mom!

Dear Mom:

It is with great regret and sorrow that I'm writing you. I had to elope with my new girlfriend because I wanted to avoid a scene with Dad and you. I have been finding real passion with Stacy and she is so nice. But I knew you would not approve of her because of all her piercings, tattoos, tight motorcycle clothes and the fact that she is much older than I am. But it's not only the passion... Mom she's pregnant. Stacy said that we will be very happy. She owns a trailer in the woods and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter. We share a dream of having many more children. Stacy has opened my eyes to the fact that marijuana doesn't really hurt anyone. We'll be growing it for ourselves and trading it with the other people that live nearby for cocaine and ecstasy. In the meantime we will pray that science will find a cure for AIDS so Stacy can get better. She deserves it. Don't worry Mom. I'm 15 and I know how to take care of myself. Someday I'm sure that we will be back to visit so that you can get to know your grandchildren.

Love, your son Paul

P.S. Mom, none of the above is true. I'm over at Dustin's house. I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than the report card that's in my center desk drawer. I love you. Call me when it's safe to come home.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Adolescence is perhaps nature's way of preparing parents to welcome the empty nest.

Hello, Have You Seen My Daughter!!

2009-02-25T06:00:00.004-05:00

Teenagers - need I say more. Well yea, cause that's kinda what this post is about. You see, 16 years ago I gave birth to this wonderful little red-headed baby girl. She was the sweetest thing you could ever ask for. Never a discipline problem, always ready to play, very interested in everything. Yea, I'll say it, she was almost perfect. Up until this past year we had the most enjoyable daughter you could ever ask for. What happened you ask? No, that's what I'm asking. It seems as though some sort of beast has decided to take up residence inside our precious little angel and this being has no type of resemblance to an angel (trust me, I've seen the horns). Kenz is my youngest. I have 2 older children and they definitely tested my parenting skills. Now I'm thinking OK, you've raised two already, you've got to have some type of "step-up" on this. WRONG!!!! I don't care how you prepare for your child, I don't care how you raise them or how much love you show them, that thing called "the teenage years" will consume your precious little loved one. Our daughter used to do this thing that we all call talking now when I ask a question, if I'm lucky, I get some kind of noise that comes from deep within my child (I'm assuming it's the beast trying to communicate with me). I'm also wondering if she has learned some kind of new language that I have not been able to figure out (texting still has me baffled). Hmmmm, I know this is a phase and I know someday, my precious little angel will again re-emerge, but until that day, we'll have to learn to live with the "Beast Within".

QUOTE OF THE DAY: It's difficult to decide whether growing pains are something teenagers have - or are. ~Author Unknown

She was a beautiful sight, blue eyes and red hair
She was a blessing, wish you could’ve been there

Such a joy to be around, and never to weep
Except for at night when we needed our sleep

Her best friend was Barney,a huge purple dinosaur
She’d watch show after show till we couldn’t take it anymore.

Because of her shyness we introduced her to dance
Boy did she blossom, the audience never stood a chance

Sports came soon after and her father was proud
Because she loved to perform and could entertain the crowd.

She kept us quite busy, there was always something to try
And before we knew it 16 years had went by.

Our conversations turned short, her answers turned blunt
There are no longer sentences, only a deep mysterious grunt.

Something’s moved in and taken over this child
It has horns and sharp teeth and its moods are not mild.

She prefers other aliens named Becca, Kathy and Lynn
For they all to live with “The Beast Within “.

She looks like our daughter and we know it’s not a dream
This is only happening because she’s sixteen.

She’ll soon re-emerge and she will see clearly,

That all through this invasion, we’ve loved her dearly.

The Amish Ways

2009-02-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

I recently watched the movie - The Devil's Playground, which was about the Amish teenagers going through rumspringa. I was astounded at how so many of the Amish teenagers turn to cigarettes, alcohol and drugs. I mean it's one thing to experience the English world but it's another to turn to all the evils of the world. You would think that would be the last thing they would want to mess around with. I can understand going to the movies, riding in a car, using a computer, things like that, but I would've never thought they'd turn to substances that would take the purity from their bodies. I was actually afraid some of them would die from alcohol poisoning or an overdose. There are many things the Amish do that raise eyebrows, but this right of passage makes no sense to me. Over the past year I have read several books written by Wanda Brunstetter and Beverly Lewis that are Amish themed (which I wholeheartedly recommend). The simplicity of their lives is very captivating to me however I know it would be no cake walk. I like my modern conveniences but at the same time, wouldn't it be wonderful to get up in the morning and know that the work you have ahead in your day will be spent at home taking care of those you love.
Awwww, that just warms my heart!

QUOTE OF THE DAY: You cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself.

Why Does Healing Have To Hurt!

2009-02-23T06:06:00.003-05:00

One of my new friends here in the blogging world is going through quite a horrendous challenge right now and with that being said, it gave me a thought.

Why is it when we are trying to recover from something that has brought us a tremendous amount of pain and is creating havoc with our everyday lives, that we have to go through even more pain to rid ourselves of it. Excuse me, something is not right here. Is this someone's idea of a joke because being hurt the first time is bad enough, but to have to re-live those things again in order to make sense of them - makes no sense at all. It's no wonder most of us go through life with all kinds of baggage, it costs too much to get rid of.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: The significance of a man is not in what he attains but in what he longs to attain.

Purina Diet

2009-02-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

Wanted to share this joke I received yesterday from a co-worker. Hope it brings a smile to your face ;)

Yesterday I was buying a 2 large bags of Purina dog chow at Walmart, for my dog Wendy. I was about to check out when a woman behind me asked if I had a dog.
What did she think, that I had an elephant? Since I had little else to do, on impulse, I told her that no, I didn't have a dog, and that I was starting the Purina Diet again, although I probably shouldn't because I ended up in the hospital last time. On the bright side though, I'd lost 50 pounds before I awakened in an intensive care ward with tubes coming out of every hole in my body and IVs in both arms. I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and that the way that it works is to load your pockets with Purina nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry and that the food is nutritionally complete so I was going to try it again. (I have to mention here that practically everyone in the line was enthralled with my story by now.) Horrified, she asked if I ended up in intensive care because the dog food had poisoned me. I told her no; I had stopped in the middle of the parking lot to lick my butt and a car hit me.

I thought the guy behind her was going to have a heart attack, he was laughing so hard! WAL-MART won't let me shop there anymore.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "A dog has lots of friends because he wags his tail and not his tongue."

Friday's Favorite Five!

2009-02-20T06:23:00.013-05:00

When the Jenkins family takes a road trip, one of our favorite things to do is to play the "favorite" game. So in that spirit, I've decided to dedicate Fridays to just that. This week I've decided to list 5 places that would be my favorite to go to on vacation (money not being an issue). Feel free to play along, at best, we get to know each other a little bit better.

The first place I would choose would be Greece. I love the color of the water. It's just seems so beautiful!

My next pick would be Mallorca, Spain. I am a huge Rafael Nadal fan and really feel the need to stop by the ole homestead and have a chat with him and the family. (he's the #1 men's tennis player right now)

Next, off to Texas I go! I have always wanted to see horses running wild and work on a Dude Ranch (well maybe not work but you get the point).

Now we're off to the Smokey Mountains. Have been there more times than I can count and still cannot get over how majestic they are.

Last but certainly not least, St. Thomas. Don't know why, have just always wanted to go.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Do you know the difference between education and experience? Education is when you read the fine print; experience is what you get when you don't.

ALSO: BIRTHDAY NOTE - Someone in Robin's Nest is celebrating her special day today! HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROBIN!!!

Back To The Basics

2009-02-19T05:00:00.005-05:00

One of my dreams has been to start a retreat where people can come to get "back to the basics" of their lives. In my mind I have about 100 mountainous wooded acres that wrap around a large lake with log cabins strategically placed for privacy. A huge stable with horses and lots of trails to be ridden that are wound throughout the area. In the lake there are paddle boats and canoes so that one can go out into the middle and just listen to nothing at all. My retreat would be a place of healing, not done by any one person, but done simply by nature. I believe deep within our core, we are a simplistic being and at times, the simple things are what is needed to become centered again. It's very easy to get wrapped up in family strife, work, bills etc. Over a period of time we become numb to the gifts that were given to us to help ease these pressures. That's where my retreat comes in. There's no schedule, no meetings, no counseling just you and the great outdoors. Now tell me, what could be better than that!! I'll keep dreaming and maybe someday you will come across a brochure that invites you to get "Back to the Basics".

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.