Bigsky Girls

2012-01-16T20:57:00.001-08:00

Oh my. Officially over two years since my last post. It is things like this that made me begin this motto in 2011.

I would feel that if I couldn't commit to an entire program or project I didn't even want to attempt it. Well, I need to be creative and this is a great outlet (hence the design above). So, here I am doing something.

Now, I'm wondering what my motto will become in 2012...

The Side of Elves I Never Wanted to See

2010-01-03T22:04:00.000-08:00

So, David and I were at Pita Pit the other night and just as I was about to bite into my salad I saw a funny look sneak onto his face.

"The elves aren't wearing pants..."

Now, being the mature, composed person I am I spun around only to crack up laughing and make David take a picture to share with all my faithful readers.

=D Deanna

WHAT?!?!

2009-12-24T09:40:00.000-08:00

Apparently coffee is good in a crisis...

A Weekend at the Movies

2009-12-13T19:29:00.000-08:00

OK, so we didn't actually go out to the movies this weekend, but we did take in a few. I have to admit that when the weather gets really cold like this (single digits) and there is no snow, there is little motivation to go outside. Saturday we caught up on Survivor since we missed it to go to The Best Christmas Pagent Ever at the Spokane Civic Theater. Then we watched a little Disney short called Prep and Landing. It was pretty cute, although I thought it was going to be longer after seeing a few ads for it. You can watch it on http://www.hulu.com/ by clicking here.

That evening we decided it was time for another Christmas movie. We have a few on our list.

Elf... check.

White Christmas... check.

Die Hard... wait... well, it takes place at Christmas time.

I actually hadn't seen Die Hard in years, so it was fun to watch. After all, it is 40 stories of sheer adventure!

Next, we watched something a little more mellow. Melissa wrote a post about wanting to see the movie Julie and Julia earlier in the year. Today we snuggled up to watch this charming little story. I enjoyed it thoroughly, although, our lunch seemed quite uneventful after watching all the French cuisine being consumed in this movie. I also felt like I may have gained 10 pounds just by watching all the butter and cream teasing me on the screen.

Oddly enough, we were playing 90's Trivial Pursuit later and this question popped up:

What famous cook stated, "giving up butter means that in about two years you will be covered in dandruff."

Once you see the movie, the answer to that question is incredibly obvious. ...so, why did I guess Dom Doluise? I guess I never was one to pick up on the obvious.

~Deanna~

Test Your Christmas Smarts!

2009-12-12T11:10:00.000-08:00

I've definately been getting more and more in the Christmas spirit lately. We went to "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" at the Spokane Civic Theater the other night, I finally got my Advent wreath set up (on the second week of Advent *sigh*) and we spent an evening at The Bing Crosby Theater (I live in Bing's hometown) tapping our feet and whispering the lyrics to "Sisters". Inspired, I dug out my Christmas box and began pulling out decorations, dvds and one of my favorite little finds, a box of Christmas trivia. Aaahhh... I love both Christmas and trivia, so I snatched it up when I saw it in a discount bin one year after Christmas. I also found a great site with some fun tidbits at http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/games/christmas-trivia.htm. Now, I would like to bestow some of the enjoyment on you!

Questions:

1. What are the three different colors used for the candles of an Advent wreath?

2. In Miracle on 34th Street, at what store does Doris Walker work?

3. What did General Washington cross on December 25, 1776?

4. What holiday tradition evolved from a large stewing pot set out in the streets of San Francisco in 1891 to collect money to provide Christmas dinner to 1,000 of the city's poorest residents?

5. What does the 'X' stand for when Christmas is abbreviated to Xmas?

6. What colorful tree decoration did Ralph E. Morris, a telephone company employee, contribute?

7. Name the reindeer whose name begins with a 'B'.

8. What Christmas song was first introduced in the movie, Holiday Inn?

9. In Bulgaria, what object is hidden in the ashes of the yule log: a key, coin, or ring?

10. What was the angel's name in It's a Wonderful Life?

11. In what country did the tradition of sending Christmas cards begin in?

12. Do female reindeer have antlers?

Answers:

1. What are the three different colors... Purple, rose and white

2. In Miracle on 34th Street... Macy's

3. What did General Washington cross... The Delaware

4. What holiday tradition evolved from a large stewing pot... The Salvation Army collection kettle

5. What does the 'X' stand for... The first letter of the word Christ in the Greek language is chi, which is identical to the modern Roman alphabet's X

6. What colorful tree decoration... Electric tree lights

7. Name the reindeer... Blitzen

8. What Christmas song was first introduced... White Christmas

9. In Bulgaria, what object is hidden... A coin

10. What was the angel's name... Clarence

11. In what country did the tradition of sending Christmas cards... England

12. Do female reindeer have antlers... Yes, they are the only species of deer that females grow antlers

How'd you do?

:) Deanna

A Christmas Story Worth Reading

2009-11-29T21:23:00.000-08:00

"The Herdmans were absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world. They lied and stole and smoked cigars (even the girls) and talked dirty and hit little kids and cussed their teachers and took the name of the Lord in vain and set fire to Fred Shoemaker's old broken-down toolhouse."

Thus introduces one of the most hilarious families I ever read about growing up. In one of my favorite Christmas stories this group of rowdy kids, through a series of events, force their way into the church's annual Christmas pageant. The story is narrated by one of the young girls at church whose mother ends up running the pageant. She tells it like a child would... unapologetically honest. The news spreads about the Herdman's playing the main roles and soon the whole town is waiting in anticipation to see what will happen.

The book is a light read of only about 80 pages and is perfect for reading out loud. The author weaves an important lesson through so much fun! I forced David to listen to me read it to him last year. I'm sure he won't be the last one either...
;) Deanna

The Best Things...

2009-09-26T15:32:00.000-07:00

If there is something I love it is quality time and things hand-made.

What can I say? My man knows me...

16 origami lilies. I set them on my desk at work so I can brag about him all day. =D

Deanna

A Fair Weekend

2009-09-10T20:54:00.000-07:00

Many people feel they come from a small town. Melissa and I (Deanna) know we come from a small town. It definitely had its good points and bad. It was hard being a high schooler living 80 miles from the nearest mall, but we definitely learned how to have fun just about anywhere. I suppose, like all good country songs, we spent our life dreaming about leaving our small town and then once we leave we find ourselves drawn back. One of the best times to be drawn back to the town we grew up in is the county fair. On Labor Day weekend the population swells from 1,000 to about 18,000. The fair has all the things a good small town fair should have. This last weekend was no different. One of my favorites is the exhibit barns:

These three pigs were obviously fans of NCIS:

We were always lucky to live just a few blocks from the fairgrounds. You have to cross the river to get there and lest you underestimate the beauty of the area, I snapped this photo on the way to the rodeo:

The next night was the demolition derby. This is no small event at the fair. The whole thing usually lasts about five hours and is full of crashes, cheering and spray painted logos.

This one was hilarious (nobody was hurt). The car on the bottom actually drove underneath the car on top.

The ironic thing is that as you peer through the exhaust and dust to make out the cars, the announcer reminds you there is no smoking in the grandstands.

This little gal was having way too much fun. She was also making eyes at David the whole time and at one point threw a slurpee straw at me... I don't blame her for being jealous though...

We had a great weekend. As we headed back over the mountains, I snapped this picture of the rain in the valley.

It is Time to Dig Out Another File

2009-09-02T15:25:00.000-07:00

It's been a pretty rough week, and there are a lot of transitions happening in my life right now, so I'm feeling off kilter. The good news is that I got a new job and will be starting next week. There has also been alot of tough stuff going on and so it's easy to lose sight of good things happening in the world. This is precisely why I have my Happy Heart File, so I can get a little lift during times like these. Here is one of my favorites. Improv Everywhere decided to make this Little League's game the "best game ever". You won't believe all the things they pull off!

If the video doesn't work, click here.

I always have a smile on my face by the end of this video.

=) Deanna

Is the Grass Greener on That Side?

2009-08-30T20:03:00.000-07:00

I keep driving by these sweet sunflowers peeking over the fence. All I had to take a picture with was my phone so I snapped this one. They make me smile and I can't help but wonder what they're looking at.

:) Deanna

Gotta Love the Stache

2009-08-30T17:05:00.000-07:00

Well, we managed to fit in the last outdoor movie (you may remember my description of these from last year's post). This weekend we got some action from Burt in "Smokey and the Bandit". As we set up our chairs we got to see some fun reminders of the movie.

Then we settled in for the ride. I have to admit I barely remembered the movie, but with movies like this it doesn't take long to grasp the deep characters and complex plot points. David put it something like this, "This is one of the most ridiculous movies, but it is just so fun to watch!" Well put! Of course by the end of the movie I think I had quoted every line of the song "Convoy" as well.

It brought back a bunch of memories from when we were kids and would go on road trips with our cousins with a CB radio in each car. I remember Dad's handle was Shutterbug and Mom's was "Livewire". I'm not sure I ever convinced anyone that mine was "Scooby Doo" but I was convinced in my head. Oh, but don't worry, we never were chased by a crazy Texas Sherrif, bootlegged, or drove a shiny black Trans Am... although we did have an awefully cool "heavy Chevy".

Hope you are still enjoying your summer too! There's still a little left!

We gonna back on outta here so keep the bugs off yer glass An' the bears off yer tail. We gonna catch ya on the flip-flop. This here's Scooby Doo on the side. We gone Bye, Bye...

*D*

Night Day at the Museum

2009-08-23T21:34:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a day at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture... or "The MAC" as most people around Spokane call it. They have an exhibit there now with costumes from all sorts of different movies and TV shows I watched growing up. They had the actual costume Robin wore in the Batman and Robin TV series, the hat worn by The Wicked Witch of the West, Indiana Jones' leather jacket, a Ghostbuster's jumpsuit and proton pack, lots of Star Wars and Star Trek costumes, the list goes on and on. Oh, and we happened to be there the day some special guests showed up. Luckily I had a Star Wars expert with me to alleviate any cultural or translation issues.

Here we are with a Tusken Raider or a sand person. They're supposedly quite aggressive and vicious. I think it must be because the sand gets into everything and chafes which can make a being quite irritable. This one looks scary, but really has a great personality...

We ran into a couple that look oddly like some friends of ours, but our friend doesn't have red skin, so it couldn't be her.

We got to see Princess Leia, Darth Vader with a young Vader in training, and possibly the cutest storm trooper I've ever seen. The helmet that's almost the size of the rest of him, the armor that's rolled up at the ankles, oh, and whenever he lifted the helmet the huge eyes and excited grin... these kids... ahem... these highly trained warriors were too fun!

We also wanted to try to connect with Mr. Vader because we figure he's probably just really misunderstood. He still wants to take over the universe, but we made some progress. I think he's reaching out...

*D*

Saturday morning breakfast & bag

2009-08-22T12:15:00.000-07:00

My favorite breakfast...the one I ask for on special occasions...is eggs in a basket. There was no special occasion today, unless you consider Saturday a special occasion like I do!Cut with a heart-shaped cookie-cutter. I don't think it tastes the same without a heart.Whole wheat toast with real butter, please. And a glass of OJ. Gotta have OJ.Of course I can't leave the puppers out...she gets dog food topped with beggin' strips...mmm...
After breakfast, I finished sewing my new knitting bag. Instead of hauling around my projects in a plastic grocery sack, from now on I'll have this to make me look stylish (& less bag-lady-ish).And then, after photographing my new bag, I just sat there, enjoying the nice fresh summer air with Cody. I feel like I need to soak it in before its gone.

I don't think I'm ready for Fall just yet.

Melissa

Three Good Books

2009-08-20T20:33:00.000-07:00

These are the three most recent books I've read & listened to (via audiobook from the library). Good, good & good!Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon, is actually the first in a series. And if you start this series, you better have some time on your hands. These are thick books! (and hard to put down) Outlander is about time-travel, strapping Scottish clansmen & romance...mostly romance. I'm not very good at explaining book plots, but I can tell you I couldn't wait to get back to it once I put it down. There was always something going on! Dragonfly in Amber is next in this series...& next on my "To Read" list.East of Eden by John Steinbeck. Steinbeck was so thorough at detailing each character (there were many) in the beginning chapters, I was half bored. Once it got going, though, I was really hooked. I kept trying to guess what would happen next & ended up wrong every time. That made me happy. I like "unpredictable" in a book. The plot revolves around Cathy, a complete sociopath & prostitute...& Adam, the man she marries & betrays. The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls. This is one of those books that makes you feel every emotion...happy, sad, happy again, angry...but mostly you laugh. Half the time you just laugh in disbelief. The Glass Castle is an autobiography, about Jeannette, her three siblings & their crazy, self-absorbed, nomadic parents. This book's ending gave me great satisfaction.

Melissa

John Adams

2009-08-18T18:30:00.000-07:00

I just finished watching the John Adams TV miniseries &......Wow! Normally I find it difficult to think of John Adams & historical figures of this era as real people or identify with them in any personal way. Things were so different & strange back then & lets face it, all we ever see are stuffy looking pictures in history books. But, I must say, this HBO series does a terrific job at breathing life into it all! (Paul Giamati & Laura Linney play the parts of John & Abigail Adams).The scenes that gave me chills & goosebumps:

Definitely, the swearing in of our very first POTUS, George Washington. My eyes welled up. I wish I could go back in time & be there...just for that one thrilling moment.

Secondly, the smallpox vaccinations. who knew they were giving smallpox vaccinations all the way back then?!! And it was not given in the handy form of a needle poke like it is today. I'll let you watch & see.

Third, watching slaves build the White House made me feel ashamed. What kind of sick irony is that, huh?

And lastly, when the Adams' daughter finds out she has breast cancer. What? Am I the only one shocked they were diagnosing it back then?! Well, I'm glad. But when she gets a mastectomy, without anesthesia...that's the scene that gave me chills up my spine.

You get all the basic historical information in this film that you learned in history class, but you also get to peek in on John Adams personal & family life. It's great! They should do a series like this on other historical figures.

A few other things of note: I loved how influential Abigail was in John's life.....& thank goodness men stopped wearing wigs!

Melissa

A remote idea

2009-08-16T20:57:00.000-07:00

I know. Everyone says you shouldn't have a TV in the bedroom. But my husband & I enjoy drifting off to a nice sitcom. And, more importantly, where else would I go when Project Runway's on & he's watching something else on the living room set? To the bedroom I say!

The only problem is, we have to put our remotes between us on the headboard (so we can both reach them) & from there they regularly fall behind the bed. Many a night, I'm crawling around on the floor with my back-scratcher trying to push them within reaching distance. Such a pain.

Sewing machine to the rescue!
Now I can use my back-scratcher as a back-scratcher & not a remote pusher-outer.

Melissa

Jack of All Trades, Master of... Well, Whatever...

2009-08-15T10:13:00.000-07:00

I've never been one to focus, undivided, on one task. I'm always coming up with some new thing I want to try. That's why stores like Joann's, Home Depot, heck, even Target are so hard on me. I walk in and all the little project neurons in my brain start firing up until I leave with smoke coming out of my ears and bags full of random items none of which are the actual item I came in for in the first place. I know the people who run the stores are all too familiar with my kind. I suppose there's a bunch of government funded researchers somewhere tranquilizing aimless shoppers coming out of Michael's to tag them for further consumer monitoring. We must do what we can to lift this recession, you know.

Well, here are a few of my latest little endeavors:

I was able to sneak in a day of raspberry picking. I froze a ton of them, but also made a batch of freezer jam. Can't wait to put a little of this in my fro-yo!

Of course I'm still working on the garden. I've got some fun little peppers coming in and some great tomatoes! Lately as I've been eating the garden-fresh tomatoes I've been wondering what those red things I've been buying at the store all year are. They look the same, but the taste doesn't even compare!

David and I finished our 50 Mile Challenge last month! Yay us! We finished it on the fourth mile of the 8K we did together. Now we are preparing a fun chart for our next challenge.

Melissa gave me her old sewing machine a couple months ago, so that's really getting the wheels turning on some projects. Dad gave me a bookshelf that I've been wanting to spruce up, so I decided to see what I could do with some paint and material. I love color, but I think I got a little too pastel on this one. I like the material and the paint, but together they look like they belong in a nursery. I'm still pondering this project... I've also been experimenting with my dining room wall. I added some vinyl words and want to surround them with pictures, but haven't gotten everything in frames yet.

Oh, that's just a sampling. I also have other projects scattered about my home and my life. We'll see what turns out and what doesn't! Now, if you'll excuse me, the last time I came back from Michael's I blacked out and when I came to I had this big, plastic bracelet on. I'm gonna go see if I can get that thing off...

*D*

Greased Lightening

2009-08-09T22:17:00.000-07:00

I know what I'm getting when my midlife crisis hits...

I went to this car show on Sunday. Totally l-o-v-e-d it. Now I'm in the mood to pop Grease in the DVD player & hang out with Sandy & Danny for a few hours. These cars transport me back in time a little bit when I look at them. I always have a clear vision of me driving & also......being a girl......which fashion accessories I'm wearing while driving.My favorite at the show. This beautiful blue '66 Chevy Chevelle Malibu. I see myself in something a little bit 80's rock & roll...& revving that engine.Under the hood.......fancy pancy!And, Hello. I can just see myself speeding down the highway in this '59 Chevy Corvette! Of course I'm wearing a long head scarf, Jackie-O sunglasses & a huge grin.This '55 Chevy Belair would be my cute family car. A pretty dress, heals & pearl earrings are the attire. Or capris with a crisp white blouse. My hair is pulled back chignon-style.I also really liked this two-tone color.And certainly our vacation rental would be this '56 VW Bug, complete with roof rack to carry our all-important parcels to the beach. :-) Um...hot pink gingham swimsuit? This is the first time I've heard of a Rambler Marlin ('65). I thought it was interesting & different & I could get used to driving one of these too! Love the HUGE side window...holy smokes! I think something simple like a wrap skirt & flats is in order here.Now if I were to drive a motorcycle or scooter.....this '81 Honda Passport would be the ticket. You have to have a basket on a bike. Where else are you gonna carry your six pack of root beer?! Also, when riding this bike, you must be accessorized with a cute helmet & goggles, I think.

The only thing missing from the car show was some old Ford pick-up trucks from the '70's era. And anything with wood-paneling. Rather disappointing.

Melissa

Teddybear Massacre

2009-08-08T06:58:00.000-07:00

Poor Teddy.Now if I could just figure out who the guilty party is???

Melissa

Home

2009-08-01T14:38:00.000-07:00

I've lived in Utah for 7 years now & while I love it here, it has never felt like home to me. I think J & I will eventually find a place to settle & that place will feel like home to us. But for now, whenever I drive back to Montana, the place where I was born & raised up...that is where I feel like home.

We drove there last weekend, Cody & I. And we very much enjoyed ourselves! I wanted to document the entire trip in photos, but I got caught up with enjoying myself so much, I forgot my camera most of the time. Thank goodness my dad was there to remind me, here are just a few...

Grandma was canning beets on Friday, so Dad picked them out of his garden...while I snuck into our neighbors raspberry patch & helped myself...I'm kidding. Dave is always generous with his raspberries. There was no sneaking...just eating. Here I am! Cutting the beets in the wrong direction, according to grandma. Oh well. I'm not eating them. Cleaning intermission. That juice is bright red & it drips all over the place.After all the beets were put into jars, we boiled them & then the fun part... waiting for the lids to "pop!" so you know they sealed. They sure are pretty. I'm glad J likes beets because I was given two jars to bring home.This is where we walked the dogs twice a day. Lucky! I wish we had a place like this to let Cody run free in Utah. As well as a nice freshwater brook to have a drink & cool your belly. :)I could do without the dead things that Cody brought back to me on every single walk!, tail wagging with joy. But dogs will be dogs.Oh yes, this will always feel like home to me. Every time we go home, I always drop by The Little Bear ice cream shop in Thompson Falls & have the best huckleberry ice cream in the world. Seriously, it is the best. I went twice on this trip. And, us girls...me, Mom & Deanna, made our rounds to the awesome local thrift stores. I have done some thrifting since I got home too & I will delight you with all my finds next time.

Until then...

Take care everyone, Melissa

Knitting for cold body parts in need

2009-07-19T10:58:00.000-07:00

It's over! My yard sale is finally over! I made a whopping $135 for all the blood, sweat & tears I put into it. Oh well. At least now I have extra spending money for my trip home to Montana. That's next week, baby!

So what's up on the knitting front? Well, not now, but come winter there will be a world of cold body parts out there in need of knitted things, like hats, scarves & blankies. I decided I want to cover them.

This whipped up rather quickly after work on Friday:

[July Baby Pom-pom Hat]

I hope it fits a baby. I do not have any babies to test these things on. Can someone lend me a baby?!! Okay, well it does fit this big-headed stuffed dog.

So this year, I've chosen The Dulaan Project. An organization out of Flagstaff, AZ collects knitted (& probably sewn) warm items throughout the year & sends them to Mongolia, where the winter temperatures plummet to way below freezing. The next shipment goes out in July 2010, so this gives me 12 months, in which I will try to make 12 items to cover 12 cold body parts.

Next month's hat:

This hat pattern was ripped out of a Martha Stewart magazine forever ago. It's the only hat pattern I can do, so there will be many versions in different sizes & colors.... Oh! Wouldn't earflaps be cute?! I might have to experiment with that.
Or maybe I should learn to knit beyond rectangles. Don't be fooled by my hats & purses. They look round, but they are all rectangles that I've folded over or manipulated into something else. By the end of the year, I want to have some socks on my circular needles & be knitting in-the-round. I bought this book for inspiration:

The Coquette sock will be first on my needles; I like ankle socks:

Second on my needles will be the Ragg Hiker; oooh, they look warm:

Another purchase:

I WANT THESE LEG WARMERS!!!

And how cute are thes angora baby booties?!! Again, can someone lend me a baby?!! :)

And, finally....yes, Coy, I'm still working on your scarf! [I was going to put a picture here, but I decided you'll have to wait.] It is soooo much better than the one I made for myself. I think your neck will have something soft, warm & cably to cover it this winter.

Until then, keep cool everyone!

Love, Melissa

Summer To Do List

2009-07-15T00:08:00.001-07:00

My schedule has been scattered all over the place this summer! Luckily I've been able to mark some important things off my to do list like...

Pick strawberries

Meet with friends for a walk

Stick pink, girly tattoos on foreheads, noses, cheeks (ahem... not those cheeks!), arms, a boyfriend, and ankles

Play... lots

Watch things grow

Do some journaling

I hope you are getting some important stuff done this summer too!

;) Deanna

When my husband gets back in the Fall

2009-07-14T05:48:00.000-07:00

These are the things I look forward to most.

~ long walks, with Cody leading the way
~ taking in new movies at the big theatre
~ his homecooked meals
~ camping at Bear Lake, just like last year
~ smoothie & poker nights (or Skipbo, or Uno)
~ knitting, while he watches football
~ 4-wheeling to the mountaintops
~ just knowing he is there

Is there a hanger fairy?

2009-07-11T20:42:00.001-07:00

And if I pile all my plain white plasticy hangers under my pillow tonight, will she replace them with these lovelies? Well, I think it's worth a try...

Au revoir, Melissa

Photographer is Miss Retro Modern. But they were spotted first on Knitting Iris's blog.

Performing a Clutterectomy

2009-07-10T16:57:00.000-07:00

It's a yard sale at my house! One week from today.

Signage. Check.
Pricing. Check.
Friends commissioned to help set up. Check.

I'm going to make this a pleasant day for myself. Sort of a summer party feel, so I can be relaxed & friendly around my customers, which is most important. The night before, I'll put up some leftover 4th of July decorations & bake cookies. The day of, I will sit in the shade with my radio & knit during the lull moments (hopefully not many of those).

Okay, this is about the time where I overwhelm myself with worst-case scenarios & panic, which I did earlier. A little. And just now my stomach feels a bit queezy. But really, things are moving along quite nicely.

:) Melissa

Grandmother

2009-07-08T19:52:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, I emailed a photo to my friend Kay & asked her to make me a beautiful heirloom. Well, it arrived in the mail today (yay, mail!) & I was soooo happy!

Isn't she lovely? Her name is Maude & she's my grandmother.

Truly, the more I look at this sweet frame, the more I adore it. I'll be hanging it above my nightstand tonight. I never knew Grandma Maude & we have a lot of catching up to do.

Melissa

Independence Day

2009-07-04T21:55:00.000-07:00

Yay, fireworks! Did you ever lie on your back in the grass & gaze up at elephant shaped clouds? Just like the clouds, I felt like I could see pictures in these fireworks tonight.

As seen from my bedroom window, with a camera in one hand & a dog in the other...

These look like red poppies.A green space monster, hurtling to earth on a stick?A swan, swimming under the moon.I don't know. Just pretty fireworks in this one. :)I often take it for granted, but today I am reminded to be thankful for my freedom. Hope you had a beautiful 4th of July too!

M

"What's On Ur Playlist" Circa 1989

2009-07-01T22:00:00.000-07:00

Today the Walkman turned 30 years old. Kids these days take for granted that if it wasn't for this cutting edge technology they could still be carrying "ghetto blasters" around on their shoulders.

Since Melissa wrote her "What's On Ur Playlist" post a little while ago I (Deanna) thought it might be fun to peek into her playlist from the past. (Well "our playlist" since I was four years younger and dependent on my junior high sister to lead me into the ways of pop culture.)

The last time I was at our parents' house, Dad was handing me things he'd found here and there that he figured must be ours. I opened up a shoebox and their was our playlist.

There were some infamous tapes in there that could possibly go down in pop history.

It is easy to see that when Melissa wrote about her eclectic taste, that's something that hasn't changed much.

Lucky for us we had the grandfather of the modern day playlist available: the mixed tape. Special note that one of those mixed tapes is "Dirty Dancing". We listened to that so much I could probably still sing along with every word... even the latin songs.

Like I said, I pretty much depended on my older sister to share her music, but after awhile I started developing my own tastes. Oh, I liked these ones.

I'm pretty sure the first tape I ever bought was The Beach Boys' "Kokomo" (go ahead, you know you wanna sing it... Aruba, Jamaica, Ooooh I wanna take ya...), but here were a couple of staples in my music library a little later on.

Wow, I listened to my IPod while writing most of this post. Things do change, don't they? But I don't care what kids today say, we and our cassette tapes were hip.

The Healthiest Brownies I've Ever Made

2009-06-29T18:30:00.000-07:00

I have recently heard about a couple friends using odd ingredients in their brownies. Black beans. I will try just about anything, but when I tried these, it was a bit of a mind over matter experience. To my surprise they were really good... well, you know... considering what's in them... ;)

I decided they were good enough that I needed to try making them myself. So, I went to one of my favorite websites, http://www.allrecipes.com/, and found a recipe for Black Bean Brownies. This website has just about anything you can think to cook and it has comments below each recipe from people who've tried it. Not only do you get ratings, but you get advice, suggestions, and ideas about each recipe.

The result? They turned out well. They were pretty easy and are great for people on a gluten-free or low-carb diet. Now, you can't compare them to the thick, fudgy brownies Grandma makes, but they taste great with a little frozen yogurt and chocolate syrup!

^Deanna

A glorious weekend

2009-06-28T19:55:00.000-07:00

Yes, I said glorious. Why? Because the sun was shining longer than 5 minutes & because I scored free paint & a free chair (above).

Early Saturday morn, I was reading The Farm Chicks' blog where I found out Glidden was giving away free quarts of paint (which they've since run out of - but are now giving away free $5 rebates). And while I had no idea what to paint with it, I fell in love with the Canary Song yellow. Because yes, I went straight in to stare at all the pretty colors. I'm secretly mesmerized by paint chips & the names of paint chips. Who comes up with these great names anyway? "Sea glass" being my particular favorite of the Glidden collection.

Anyhow, the Canary Song was ever so cheery & I've been thinking lately that my house could use a good dose of cheer. I ordered it.

Hmm...now what to paint?

After the paint ordering frenzy, I felt energized & got straight to work Spring cleaning the house, getting stuff ready for my pending yard sale & taking our Winter/Spring backlog of recycling to the recycling center. I love recycling, but it really does take over your garage if you don't have a nice weekend to clean it out. And as I pulled our truck back into the driveway on arriving home, there it was...the chair I've wanted all along for my sewing table. I've daydreamed about this chair. The rounded, spindly back. Yes. My neighbors just set it out on the curb for Monday morning trash pick-up & I saved it. It's dirty, but I'm thinking some soap, water...& maybe some paint...yellow paint?...might turn it around. Actually, now I'm thinking a nice shade of blue. Ahh...well, something in this house will be painted yellow, if not the chair.

Now a few random things.
While folding laundry Saturday afternoon, these clean white towels stacked atop my white washing machine thrilled me to no end. I love white on white. I admired it for some time before giving in & putting the towels away. *sigh* I felt compelled to take this picture & share it with the world. Wouldn't it be great to jump in a pile of clean white towels? I think that is my newfound dream.I also think I might be turning British. Is that possible? No accent yet, but my evening treat before bed all weekend was tea & toast. Aveda tea, which is my favorite tea in the whole world. And cranberry orange toast from Great Harvest Bread Co., where I visit more often than is necessary.

And more evidence I might be turning British... I began yearning to watch something Pride-&-Prejudice-ish late Sunday afternoon. After a brief search at Netflix, I found Wives & Daughters which I was able to play from my computer. Of course, this taking place in early-1800's England, the ladies in the movie do quite a bit of needlework. Which got me in the mood to knit. I knit in the English method, not the American-Continental method (more evidence). So I picked up a project & knitted away 3 straight hours while totally engrossed in the movie. It is long, much like Pride & Prejudice, but highly recommended by me. Very good.

And that's all for now. M

p.s. If you want to sample my favorite tea, let me know. I'll happily slip a packet in the mail for you.

News In All Its Forms

2009-06-28T15:04:00.000-07:00

There are a few words in the English language that just sound weird when they hit my ears. "Pubescent", no matter what the context, just makes me crinkle my nose when I say it. Perhaps this is why this headline made me take a double take:

"Telescope finds space blobs are pubescent galaxies"

I just had to laugh that they used that adjective to describe a galaxy, but... oh wait... it gets better...

Wednesday, June 24, 2009
WASHINGTON - Mysterious space blobs aren't infant galaxies as astronomers once thought. Scientists say they mostly consist of galaxies going through puberty, all hot and bothered.

Wow! Someone was either having fun with their journalistic liberties or they are raising a young teenager and their homelife snuck into their work... well, maybe both. I doubt any of these kids are reading this article, but aren't they going through enough? I'm sure their older sister's have referred to them as "gaseous blobs" enough... they don't need it cemented in news print.

...One theory was that they were young galaxies cooling off. But the new research says they are hot and chaotic with gas halos, growing supermassive black holes and about to stabilize....

Oh, I remember breaking out in quite a few supermassive black holes...

;) Deanna

Julie & Julia

2009-06-26T12:11:00.000-07:00

I can't wait for this movie to come out in August. I could use a little inspiration in the kitchen.

xo, M

Summer livin' on the patio

2009-06-24T18:42:00.000-07:00

My gardening plans this summer:

Firstly, impulse-buy one pot pretty pink flowers at the supermarket.
Secondly, sprinkle Crysanthemum & Phlox seeds in pretty ceramic eggshells, water them & wait for something beautiful to bloom...
Done.

Gee, that was hard work. Now I really must put my feet up & relax. Truly, I've been relaxing in my patio rocking chairs too much this summer. Things are getting neglected around the house.

No, no...it can wait. For now, there is tea to be sipped & books to be read. And very serious thinking to be done...like, shall I get one of these? One can never have too many places to put one's feet up...

xo, M

Dessert Recipe - Fast, Easy, and Lower Calories!

2009-06-23T10:44:00.000-07:00

I found myself with some rhubarb this week so I decided to do a little experiment. I combined a couple recipes and did some substitutes to lower the fat and calories and it turned out good!

First (well, after I started the oven preheating at 350) I pulled out my 9X9 (or close to that anyway) pan and filled the bottom with 4 cups chopped (about 1/2 in squares) rhubarb. Then I added 2 tablespoons water and 1 cup Splenda over the top.

Next I used the crisp recipe my sister gave me, but with a couple substitutions. I mixed together 1/2 package of cake mix, 1/4 cup vanilla yogurt (to replace the butter), 1 tablespoon cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons Splenda. I made it into a crumble with my fork and then covered the rhubarb.

About a 1/2 hour of baking later I had quite a yummy dessert (and my apartment smelled amazing)! I added a little Haagen-Das Vanilla, Honey and Granola Frozen Yogurt.

I made this yesterday and sampled it today. I actually think I like it a little better chilled overnight so you might want to sample it both ways. Happy eating!

=) Deanna

Calling All Combines!

2009-06-21T21:59:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I experienced a first that I just had to tell... well, anybody who will listen about. It was my first ever combine demolition derby! I've been to regular demo derbies for cars, but never with these Monstrous Machines! I'm such a sucker for these quirky home town events and I sure wasn't disappointed.

Little Lind, Washington grew from about 500 people to a couple thousand last Saturday. The event started out fairly unorganized, but it really just added to the humor of the situation. A man who sounded just like Larry the Cable Guy (and I am not exaggerating and I don't think he was either) began the announcing. First they gave out prizes for the best decor (thanks to David for a bunch of these great photos!):

Some of the best names were Prison Break, Tater Salad, Stacks and Cracks, and The Flusher.

Here is Prison Break showing off a little:

Finally they started the actually Demolition Derby:

It didn't have the speed and action that the cars do, but it is crazy to see such huge machines just ram into each other. Occasionally we would hear a loud *POP* which meant one of the huge front tires had popped like a balloon.

After the first round of heats, the combines headed back to be fixed for the final heat (by fixed I mean basically completely rebuilt). At this point they had grain truck and regular farm truck races:

Then they had more grain truck and farm truck races. Then they had still more grain truck races. At this point in the day everybody had something stuck in their eye, a layer of dust covering every exposed area of skin and families with small children were leaving in droves. There was one heart stopping moment when one of the trucks rolled over and another literally drove right on top of it. Not all the trucks had roll bars, but I'm pretty sure this driver is alive because he did:

Finally, hours after the event started, the final heat came. By the end there were only a few combines limping toward each other trying to do any damage possible, one with only one wheel for quite some time. A local boy won, which I'm sure was well deserving. The combine, Free Beer Tomorrow, is in the front of this photo looking pretty much like a crumpled up beer can itself by the final round:

After Larry the Announcer Guy thanked us for coming we went home sweaty, sunburned and dusty, a sure sign of a great day.

~Deanna~

A votre sante! That's Cheers in French.

2009-06-19T20:05:00.000-07:00

Cheers, Darling! To 5 happy years & many more...

Jonah's side of the family is Cajun-French from Southern Louisiana. And today I got to thinking about just how lovely & loud everyone sounds when we go back to visit. Such a contrast to my quiet-spoken side of the family from the Northwest. Of course I have no idea how to spell anything, but Jonah's charming family has taught me a few of their words & phrases over the years. Here are some of them (phonetically)...

Sha or Sha-sha is a term of endearment

Toot or tootie is also a term of endearment

Do-do (with long o's) is how you tell little ones "go to sleep"

Noonie means pacifier

Sa-say-bone means "It's good!" when you are complimenting the cook

Nosay faunts means that person is nosey!

Teetsootie is little mouse

Teequet is a short ponytail or piece of hair sticking up

Coolyawn means crazy idiot

Mawmaw means grandma or old lady & is sometimes used to describe someone who looks frumpy

Cawsawns is underwear!

They say I'm gonna pass the vacuum or pass the mop

They use the term hard-headed to describe each other as stubborn & I find they are usually right

Get down means get out of the car

Lower or speed up the TV means lower or raise the volume on the TV

And speaking of TV, it's time to lay like a potato in front of it & watch Bravo... hello, anyone else need to get caught up on The Fashion Show or Real Housewives of New Jersey?

Goodnight & God bless. xoxo, Melissa

I thought I'd lost these forever...

2009-06-17T20:53:00.000-07:00

Well now. I was sifting through old emails & look...I found these long lost photos (our computer crashed last year...no backup, lost everything...sooooo cliche).

Anyhow, here are the li'l purses I knit for my nieces. There is no pattern. Sometimes I just play around & good things happen.

Of course, I did a more extensive search of the email archives...ohhh the many wonderful & horrible things I found. I will share them later. :)

What's on ur playlist?

2009-06-13T15:48:00.000-07:00

I've had the worst ever luck with mp3 players, y'all! I had 2 of them that never worked right. So, for the past 10 years, I've been hauling around my CD player...on walks, to the gym, on airplanes or wherever music listening is required. While my CD player has always been reliable, it has also been bulky to carry. Not to mention, you have to carry extra CDs with you or listen to the same one over & over. Well, for my birthday-slash-anniversary gift this year I got another one! Thank you, babe. And guess what?!! It works!!!

So now I'm gonna share a part of my monsterous playlist (I went a little nuts this weekend) & in return I beg of you to share yours with me...or at least your favorite artists. I'm always looking for new music because I get bored easily.

I have to start with my all-time favorite singer, Natalie Merchant (formerly of 10,000 Maniacs). I love, love, love her voice & all the instruments used in her music.

More songs I'm loving right now:

Hey There Delilah by Plain White T's

Put Your Records On by Corinne Bailey Rae

Three Little Birds by Bob Marley & the Wailers

Truckin' by Grateful Dead

Another One Bites the Dust by Queen

We Got the Beat by The Go-Go's

Celebrate by Wyclef Jean

32 Flavors by Alana Davis

Groove is in the Heart by Deee-Lite

Island in the Sun by Weezer

Beverly Hills by Weezer

Baby Got Back by Sir Mix-a-Lot

Shut up & Drive by Rihanna

Tainted Love by Soft Cell

Lose Your Way by Sophie B Hawkins

Feels Like Home by Chantal Kreviazuk

Stay by Lisa Loeb

Eternal Flame by The Bangles

That's Not My Name by The Ting Tings

Barbie Girl by Aqua

Love Shack by The B52's

Sweet Home Alabama by Lynrd Skynrd

(...and comedy by Mitch Hedberg & Dane Cook)

Now...do tell...what's on your playlist???

M

Walking

2009-06-07T16:11:00.000-07:00

J is working overseas this summer so we are walking to pass the time away.
Cody & I have walked everyday for 3 weeks, minus 3 days for bad weather. I do this for 3 reasons: because Cody goes stir-crazy if she isn't exercised, because I need an outlet for stress & because I want to lose weight. In the 3 weeks I've been counting, I've walked an estimated 27 miles & dropped a few pounds. To stave off boredom, I've mapped out 3 walking paths from my house, each a different length (short = 1 mile, medium = 1.5 miles & long = 3 miles) & each with different scenery. The 1 mile path weaves through the houses in our neighborhood, with 2 small parks where I let Cody off the leash to run freely (don't tell anyone). The 1.5 mile path is pictured in this post & is my favorite because it circles around our local pond. The 3 mile path stretches past the pond & out past an RV park & picnic area. Also, very nice.While doing the medium & long walks, I always stop for Cody to cool off with a swim & a drink. There's a little duck family that swims just far enough out of the way so Cody can't get them. When we started walking 3 weeks ago, the ducklings were tiny, downy little things. Now they are almost as big as the adults with feathers.On Saturday & Sunday mornings we get started early while it's still cool outside. On these days we see birds galore & just yesterday 3 beautiful red foxes. I was never interested in birds much, but now I can kinda see the fascination with them. There are so many different types. I've tried identifying some of them online. So there are multiple benefits to walking for me: Bonding with my dog, stress relief & when J calls in the evenings, I have plenty to talk about!

M

Graduation Time!

2009-06-05T17:25:00.000-07:00

Congratulations all you graduates out there! I know alot of high school seniors in Spokane are graduating this weekend and they are excited. I realize I still have alot to learn about life, but here is what I would pass on if I sat down and chatted with one of these seniors.

You're going from a place you know well to either a new school or a new job. This is exciting and scary at the same time. Enjoy the excitement and don't take yourself too seriously when you mess up because everybody's been the new person at some point.

Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Don't get too caught up in what all the other graduates are moving on to. Whether you think you're better or you think you aren't doing much, you never know what's going to happen. Who you are is way more important than where you go to school or what kind of job you have.

If you're moving on to college, remember that your G.P.A. is very important. God, People and Academics - keep it in that order.

If you feel insecure in your new surroundings, don't forget that there are lots of people who feel the same way. If somebody makes fun of you for making a mistake there's a good chance they're trying to cover up their insecurities.

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

You will soon have a ton of new ideas thrown at you. One professor will tell you one thing and another will tell you the opposite and both can prove it. Listen to people and try to understand but keep in mind that even the most educated guess is still a guess.

If you feel like you're in way over your head don't think about the mountain you have to climb, just focus on the next step. If you can't even do this it's always OK to ask for help.

The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. -King Solomon

~Deanna~

Free Summer Fun

2009-06-03T15:25:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for something to do with the family this summer, but don't want to spend alot of money? Well here is a good idea. Regal Cinemas is having free family movies throughout the summer. If you go here you can find the movie schedule in your area.

Now, if you are just concerned about free chocolate, this one is for you. Mars is giving out 500,000 coupons for free chocolate on Fridays for a promotion. Now, the problem for those of us on the West Coast is that the giveaway starts at 9:00 a.m. EST. This means 6:00 PST. Doesn't seem like the odds are quite that fair, but what can you do? You can go here to sign-up on Friday.

Just thought I'd pass on the fun!

Deanna

A Fun Weekend and Other Stuff

2009-05-31T20:40:00.000-07:00

First a couple of updates:

This is our 100th post! I wish I could give $100 to the first 100 readers who respond to this, but I know you get so much joy out of reading our blog you wouldn't be able to accept it on principle. ;) So, I will just say happy 100th post everybody!

Also, David and I are on our 30th mile of our 50 Mile Challenge! David has recovered enough from his stint in the hospital that we were able to walk two miles together the other night.

OK, on to the fun of last weekend. David is getting to know me pretty well, so he set up the perfect day trip for the one year anniversary of our first official date. He is obviously quite the romantic to remember such things. He knows I like to explore new places and holes in the wall, so off he drove me to Wenatchee and Leavenworth. I've been to both, but never had time at either one. He found perfect spots to explore!

The main place in Wenatchee was Ohme Gardens. Beautiful! Walking paths everywhere, flowers, views, a wishing well, waterfalls...

I saw some Indian Moccasins there! They are the little yellow flowers in the front that look like tiny slippers.

This is one of my favorite picks and I wish you could see all the little waterfalls flowing over the rocks behind us.

Next we headed into Leavenworth which is a little Bavarian town in the mountains. Everything is cute! Even the 76 Station and McDonalds have their logos painted in a fancy Bavarian style. There are leiderhosen everywhere and fudge! Oh I love the fudge! They had a band playing polka in the main park and the smell of German Sausage wafting through the streets.

The next day when people asked me where we went and I told them Wenatchee, they chuckled because it isn't a real tourist destination. This is why I started out saying David is getting to know me so well because for me it doesn't matter what town we go to, it's the exploration and new experiences I love.

In Memory

2009-05-25T12:21:00.000-07:00

If you have trouble reading the quotes, click the image for a larger version.

With deep gratitude,
Deanna

Gardening Begins!

2009-05-21T11:08:00.000-07:00

It is official! I have begun my garden. My compost is looking great!

I got some tomatoes and peppers going.

Some flowers in my Goodwill and dollar store mash-up of containers. :)

Some begonias and impatiens.

And some herbs.

I'll be adding a bit here and there, but I'm off to a good start!

:) Deanna

Happy Heart File: Update on the Ducklings

2009-05-20T10:26:00.000-07:00

Apparently the ducklings I wrote about have become an annual event! Here's another video to add to my happy heart file!

lDeannal

I'm Back!

2009-05-06T19:07:00.000-07:00

Wow! It's been a while, hasn't it? Yes it has. I never did follow up on my March post, but it is long gone now. I kind of checked out for awhile. I was laid off, my car was totalled (nobody was hurt), I had to wrestle with the insurance company, and I had some friends and family health issues arise. I have dealt with everything to the extent a person can so far and things are OK. The job and the car issues were almost humorous at times since they seemed more like a TV plot. I went to the grocery store one day and the cashier asked me how my day was going. I told her it had been one of those days. When she gave a canned response I couldn't resist seeing if she was awake.

"Yea, I got laid off a few days ago and now I just found out my car was totalled..."

"Oh no! I'm sorry, that's horrible!"

She was awake. I didn't want her to feel too bad so I assured her it was all things that can be fixed with time and money and that is truly how I see it. Considering all the problems out there in the world, time and money are relatively easy resolutions.

The most stressful part of the car ordeal was the claims adjuster. I had to deal completely with the other person's insurance because she ran a red light and was at fault. I'll just say that I do not give the claims department at Farmers Insurance any stars for their people skills. I will give 5 stars to the Washington State Insurance Commissioner's office for how easy to reach and helpful they are!

On the brighter side, the Bigsky Girls were reunited last week with the Bigsky Mom and Dad, Bigsky Brother-in-law and Bigsky Dogs. We all had a good time. It was so nice to get together again, especially because we had to skip this last Christmas due to the weather. This time most of the roads were clear (most meaning everywhere but Butte where the freeway was closed the day after we got home due to snow... in April!).

Also, David and I hit the halfway point on our 50 Mile Challenge! We have walked 25 miles together and will have to take a bit of a respite from the challenge due to some health concerns that have arisen. We'll get back out in the beautiful weather as soon as we can though!

As far as walking goes, I was able to run/walk Bloomsday again this year. This year I walked it with my little sis and when you walk it you get grouped with the fun crowd. Not just fun in the enthusiastic sense, but also in the full blown costumed character sense. We finished Bloomsday with two giant walking crayons, two gorillas (one in granny panties), two guys in speedos (not my favorite), Spiderman, Jedis and various other creative individuals. I've run and walked the race five times now and the organizers, volunteers (5000 of them!) and participants always do a phenomenal job!

March On!

2009-03-06T08:25:00.000-08:00

Oh, I do love March! Why you ask? Well, in the Inland Northwest we get the first hint of spring. Although it is always important to remember that we always have a fake spring. Everybody gets all excited, dusts off their gardening tools and pulls out the summer clothes. Then in a week or two... snow. This is always a bit disheartening, but at least it reminds us that it will come! As for Spokane we got the slightest wisp of snow through January and February and yet our December dump is still receding off my patio. The robins have been attacking the ground with a vengeance when they see any area that isn't white. Even some bulbs are pushing their way out into the welcoming sun. I got my Master Composter newsletter yesterday and it is just bursting with events and ideas. On a side note, I went to a job interview a couple weeks ago and the interviewer discovered I was a master composter. It cracked my up because throughout the interview he'd say something like, "OK, this is a little off the subject, but what kind of worms do you actually use?" It was cracking me up, but not enough to dampen my enthusiasm for sharing my interest. (By the way, you would use red wigglers.)

Well, if you know me well enough, you know that I do enjoy watching a bit of college basketball. So, here we go! Bring on the Brackets! Time for the Tournaments! Soar to the Score! I'm sorry, I just can't help it... I was blessed with the gift of alliteration. But I do want to note for those of you who aren't into basketball, you should at least tune in when you see any of the ads for NCAA online. They're pretty darn funny.

OK, and now for my last March note for this post... ah yes... the Iditarod. The race actually starts this weekend. If you've never followed it, I gotta tell you it's pretty exciting. In the beginning you might want to just check in now and again, but as it draws to the end the mushers have to really pull out their tricks to pass their opponent. Last year was a great story as Mackey faked out King with a "rest stop" only to sneak out of camp as King grabbed a much needed nap. These guys are both in it this year, but you never know what could happen with all the variables they all have to face.

Yes, I know I'm pretty eclectic in my interests, but it makes life fun! March on!

_ Deanna

A Second Helping of Deanna's Discoveries

2009-02-28T20:15:00.000-08:00

Please indulge me one more round of discoveries. This is the last day of February and I will soon be off posting about the madness that is March, so let me sneak in these discoveries now...

Swaptree
The point of this website is to swap things like books, videos and games. Let's say you have a copy of The Godfather but are willing to give it up if you could finally get your hands on High School Musical. Just sign in (probably under an alias in a case like this) and see what's out there. My friend has used it a few times and has had a good experience so far.

Debit Card Hackers
The furrowed brow foreshadowed my plight as she stared at the credit card scanner.
"Huh. Let me try it again."
I figured it was just some glitch because I'd had that happen before, but then the discovery.
"It says I can't give your card back to you."
What??? The gas station clerk said the machine reported the card as stolen and she'd have to send it back to the company. I felt slightly like a criminal as I walked past the customers waiting impatiently to pay for their Corn Nuts. When I called the bank the next day the guy nonchalantly told me that some hackers had gotten into a payment processing system so there were cards being returned all over the place.
"Would you like me to see if you're on the list?"
Um... yea! I was on the list and he told me a new debit card would be coming to me this week. I am thankful the problem is resolved, but I find it odd that if somebody hacks into my account the gas station will know before me. I received my debit card today and never did get a letter, call or email from the bank explaining to me what happened.

Librivox
The goal is to get all the books in the public domain into an audio format that is available free to everybody. Volunteers read the chapters and then they are all organized into a catalogue. The downside is that some of the volunteers' reading is just... well... annoying. However, each volunteer only reads a couple chapters and most of the readers do a fine job.

Logan Magazine
I came across this magazine as I was browsing different magazines published in Spokane. Here's a good little description from her website: "At 16 years old, Logan sustained a brain injury. Her desire for positive influences for young women with disabilities motivated her to create Logan Magazine with her mom, Laurie." If you know any young girls who have some serious obstacles to overcome, check it out.

Deanna's Discoveries

2009-02-25T23:27:00.000-08:00

I love to share discoveries I've made, so what a great chance to share with everybody at once!

Daylight Saving Time: I love the when it ends. All of the sudden you feel like you have more time in the evening because it stays light so long. Imagine my excitement when I discovered it's less than two weeks away! That's right! Make a note somewhere so you don't forget it on March 8.

Coconut Flour: My friend has been baking with coconut flour like crazy lately, so I decided to try it out. The bonus is that it is low in carbs and high in fiber. I haven't gotten around to the baking, but I have added it to my protein shakes/smoothies. My friend was telling me it absorbs a lot of moisture and so I hoped it would thicken my shakes up a bit. It does and you also get a yummy hint of coconut flavor.

Parking Mystery: You may have remembered this car from a December blogpost about the massive amounts of snow we received.

Well, this morning I looked out and the car had vanished and this is all that remained:

It appears that the car has evaporated faster than the snow. Really, there are no tracks where it drove out or anything. How did it get out? A crane? Pranksters? Aliens? ...weird.

Chicken Curry Salad: I found this recipe on http://www.allrecipes.com/ with great reviews. I made it for lunches this week and, I too, give it 5 stars.

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cooked and diced
1 stalk celery, diced
4 green onions, chopped
1 Golden Delicious apple - peeled, cored and diced
1/3 cup craisons
1/3 cup seedless green grapes, halved
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
3/4 cup light mayonnaise

"Manic Monday" and "I Love a Rainy Night": I've discovered that these are two songs I turn to to pick up my mood. I find this ironic since Mondays and Rain are two things that usually cause my mood to need a pick-up.

Yummy Recipe: Cowboy Caviar

2009-02-19T22:30:00.000-08:00

In my last post I told you that David made some really yummy Cowboy Caviar. It's a great thing to serve at a party. Here is the recipe as quoted by David himself:

Cowboy Caviar

Serves...a few or so

In a bowl, mix the following:

2 cans of white shoepeg corn.
2 cans of black-eyed peas or black beans
2 green onions, chopped
13 1/2 cherry tomatoes, chopped
2 avocadoes, peeled, pitted, chopped and mildly glared at

Stir in the following to coat:

2 glugs red wine vinegar
4 "Rachael Rays" of extra virgin olive oil

Season to taste with the following:

Salt
Pepper
Love
LOTS OF CUMIN!! Like 2 tablespoons of it!!

Optional Ingredients:

Chopped jalapenos
Chopped cilantro
Chopped finger tips

Serve with chips at room temperature.

Valentine Fun

2009-02-18T20:05:00.000-08:00

OK, we had some serious fun on Valentine's Day. Maybe this will give you some ideas for a future Day o' Love.

Friday, was for me (Deanna) to score some boy points. I think I did well. I got cupcakes from the best ice creamery, Maggie Moos. (Deanna Tip: If you have a Maggie Moos in your area I suggest going to the website and signing up for their email list. You will get free ice cream on your birthday and lots of other fun coupons. Baskin Robins does this too. ) I believe I scored additional points by watching sci-fi shows with David. Here is Worthington (Romeo) Whuppinstuffie. David made him for me. I'm not sure what tickles me more, the bear or David cracking himself up by picking out the name Whuppinstuffie.

OK, here's where David scored some girl points. Not only did he steal my heart with cheese and dark chocolate, he cut the cucumbers into little hearts. We had lunch with his fam. The stuff with the chips is what he calls "Cowboy Caviar". At some point I will definately have to get the recipe to post.

We then played my favorite game, Apples to Apples. Get some goofy people, adjectives and nouns and hilarity ensues. (Deanna Tip: At the end of the game go around the circle and have everybody read the adjectives they have collected as if it describes them, kind of like a fortune cookie or horoscope.)

OK, the finale was The Melting Pot. Here are the highlights:

Rose petals all the way across the skywalk down the hall to the restaurant.

Yummy food, food, and more food. Then they bring out some yummy food for dessert.

A bathroom door that you don't have to touch. Just wave your hand and it opens. (It's the little things, you know.)

Six-Word Memoirs: Valentine's Edition

2009-02-12T21:45:00.000-08:00

Today I was listening to Talk of the Nation on NPR and they had an interview with some magazine editors who had their subscribers write six-word memoirs. They received such a huge response they compiled them into a book. They have now come out with a sequal; "Six-Word Memoirs on Love and Heartbreak". Some samples from the book are:

Red-eye. Him window. Me aisle. Love.
- Joanne Flynn Black

Leap of faith. S***, no parachute.

- Katherine Yunker

We "I do" -ed. Then he didn't.

- Lisa Parrack

Palindromantically: Eros saw I was sore.

- Aaron Fagan

Best family ever. Thank you, Match.com!

- Alexa Young

Marriage, children, empty nest: Now what?

- Oliver House

There was some great ones that NPR listeners responded with on the story's website, unfortunately my anti-virus software thinks the comments are deadly so I am unable to share some of my favorites right now. You will have to check them out yourself. There are so many that just make me want to know more! It is also amazing to me how many thoughts just six words can stir up. Well, I thought I'd participate too:

Deanna

My Week as a Dear Abby Column

2009-02-09T23:41:00.000-08:00

Dear Abby,
You are a syndicated column, which means you are known all over the country. Would you please advise the general public that a three-day weekend should become a social norm?
-Miserable on Monday

Dear Abby, The phone company has had to come to my home three times this week. Each time they would fix the phone and the next day it wouldn’t work again. I’m beginning to see them more than my friends. If this keeps up, will I be expected to remember the technicians’ birthdays and send them a Christmas letter in December?
-Phoneless but Phriendly

Dear Abby,
The other day in my gym's sauna a woman spread out her towel as I walked in. She did not even attempt to make room for me as she sprawled from one wall to the other. I was certainly frustrated at the complete disregard, but eventually moved on. A couple days later I returned to find a different woman having an extremely loud conversation on her cell phone. She made no effort to hang up or even quiet her voice to a regular conversational level as I laid my head back and shut my eyes. About a minute later, realizing she had no intention of ending the cell yell, I gave up, took a shower and went to my locker. I could still hear her through the shut sauna door, on the other side of the wall and down a row of lockers. Would it be inappropriate to dump a bucket of ice water on people like this to ensure a relaxing sauna for myself?
-Heated

Dear Abby,
The water in my shower backs up at certain times of the day (i.e. times when I need to use it). It is not only inconvenient, but pretty sickening when the drain water backs up into my bathtub. My specific drain is not clogged because other times of the day it works just fine. I know it is something my apartment manager should deal with, but every time the manager "fixes" something it ends up worse than before. Should I try to deal with this on my own or take the risk of my bathtub being destroyed?
-Clogged and Clueless

Dear Abby,
Recently I discovered that some ladies from my church are smuggling illegal substances across the border. Does it make me an accomplice if I look the other way... and chuckle. I guess I should mention that the the substance is dishwasher soap containing phosphates* and the border is between Washington and Idaho.
-Washed up in Washington
*Washington has outlawed any soap containing phosphates. While environmentally responsible, the phosphate free soap really just covers the food on your dirty dishes with a soapy film. I eat off the soap filmy dishes as my civic duty.

Dear Abby,
I'm really looking forward to Friday. Have you convinced the general public that we need to switch to a three day weekend yet?
-Here's to Hoping (A.K.A Deanna)

Candy for Your Valentine

2009-02-05T23:47:00.000-08:00

I came up with a great way to make candy hearts relevent to this generation. Some of you saw this on my old blog, but I thought I'd share the love again for those who were deprived of my marketing genius.

Love, Deanna

The Challenge

2009-02-04T07:17:00.001-08:00

You are cordially invited to join the 50 Mile Challenge.

Ah, don't worry, it's not as ominous as it sounds. Basically, it's just a fun way to get moving. David and I (Deanna) decided motivation to walk more would be a goal, a prize, and of course, coloring a picture! I created a chart for each of us to monitor our progress. Now, we wanted to focus on what we do together so our hang out time can include more activity. We'll just call the stuff we do on our own extra credit. I would love it if any of you would like to challenge yourself to 50 too! There's no time limit or rules. All you need is a little enthusiasm and preferrably some brightly colored markers.

We got to color our first 3 miles on Saturday.

Hey! Who put that picture in there? Let's try that again...

We got to color our first 3 miles on Saturday.

See you at the finish line!

Superbowl Sunday

2009-02-01T18:25:00.000-08:00

I pretty much missed the Superbowl today. Oops! I had more important things to do like laundry, general cleaning-up, 7-layer dip making, knitting, blogging (which I'm missing the end of the game for now...might as well! Jonah will catch me up.) I just don't seem to have the TV stamina I used to. I get too figity. Good thing I started knitting.

Speaking of knitting, Jonah just requested a scarf in hunter's orange.

I call it the "Outdoorsman."
My goodness that's bright!!! Yes it is. I'm keeping the pattern small & simple. Nothing fancy for my man...although, I did offer to embroider a heart or weave in a ribbon & bow. He said no to this.

My cousin, Coy, also requested a scarf. I decided on blue because her favorite color is blue. I know this because we used to fight over grandpa's one & only blue cereal bowl. I really didn't have a thing for blue. Just making things difficult. She isplanning a trip to Utah to compete in a triathlon...SO, here is the "Triathloner."Okay, if by chance you are the one person who has never tried 7-Layer Dip, here is how I make it.

This is the first...um, 5 layers? There really are more than 7 layers in this dip.

1 lb. ground beef mixed with taco seasoning
1 can refried beans, heated
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 tomato, diced
1 small can diced jalapeno peppersNext, I add:

Sour cream (as much as desired)
Guacamole (ditto)
Salsa (ditto)
1 small can sliced black olivesThen, I top it off with:

A handful of lettuce, chopped up very small
1/2 onion (the other half)
1/2 tomato (the other half)
A few handfuls of Mexican blend cheese
Dig in!

Don your game jersey (in our case, it's the New Orleans Saints...poor Saints), grab a cold drink & plop down in front of the tube.Or pass out... My baby. Yes. She has a Saints jersey too.

Love, Melissa

Life Disconnected

2009-01-28T14:57:00.000-08:00

Wow, I (Deanna) haven't been my usual bloggy self lately. Why you ask? Ah, the answer is simple, I've been disconnected. My internet has been down for a couple of weeks and thanks to wonderful aparmtent life, the many channels I must go through sometimes slow down, get blocked or have their car break down so they have to take the bus to get to the building they manage, but don't actually live in. I've been able to sneak in access here and there, but the truth is, I pay my bills, shop, talk, apply for jobs and a billion other things through my computer so I'm feeling a bit unsettled. Do you even realize how long it's been since I've been able to play a decent game of Chicktionary?! Besides, what if I have to email something very important to somebody very important? Luckily, I do have a few minutes to send bits of intellectual stimulation to the people in my life. How else would I alert my fine readers about this breaking (and actually true) news?

Pedestrians ran in every direction and a woman and her dogs jumped into a lake as a 77-year-old motorist led officers on a wild, yet slow, ride through the hub of Port Orange near City Hall.

If that little snippet doesn't make you want to read the full article, how about:

At one point, a policeman ran alongside her car and was able to open the door and grab Hollifield's left arm. But that only strengthened her resolve. She put the car in reverse, revved the engine and rammed into the officer's squad car before roaring off, police said.

As you can see, it is paramount that I get this internet issue fixed immediately.

Daily Grind

2009-01-28T05:32:00.000-08:00

How do you keep your house clean? Do tell.

Personally, I've spent hours thinking about this & decided, finally, that there just isn't enough time in my day to keep everything as sparkling & put-together as I'd like it to be. I have to let go of that. But, one day last year, I dreamt up this house-cleaning schedule which works for me...us, I mean. J helps of course.

The laundry & dishes are constantly piling up...I mean, it's a battle just to be able to see the bottom of our sink or laundry basket...so we clean those daily. And J would rather clean the kitchen than do laundry & I, vice versa, so that works out pretty fair & even. Otherwise, I counted up the rooms in our house, the front step, back patio, garage, yard & our vehicles & spread them out over one week, including a day of rest (I'm so nice). J & I have one chore to accomplish, besides dishes or laundry, each day. Not so bad, eh? Of course there are days we don't get to it or don't feel like it, but we try.

So here is our weekly cleaning schedule (J & I switch chores for the 2nd week & then back to this schedule for the 3rd week, etc.)

Sunday: I clean the bathrooms, J cleans our bedroom

Monday: I mop all linoleum floors, J vacuums all downstairs carpets

Tuesday: I vacuum upstairs carpets, J cleans living & dining rooms

Wednesday: I clean the kitchen (other than dishes), J cleans front step & back patio

Thursday: I clean the laundry room, J vacuums our stairs

Friday: Day of rest. No cleaning!

Saturday: I clean the car & garage, J cleans the truck & does any yardwork that needs to be done (we usually don't alternate on Saturday because J likes yardwork & I don't)

And there you have it.

Yours truly,
Melissa

I can't believe it.

2009-01-24T18:49:00.000-08:00

Remember these tiny monogrammed pillows?

I made them for a contest at Sublime Stitching & just look who won!!!

Yay! I think I win the first 4 issues of Craft magazine. That's cool, but I'm more excited about winning in general. I never win. :)

Melissa

If You're Gonna Dream, Dream Big...

2009-01-23T20:00:00.000-08:00

When I was "knee high to a grasshopper" (that's what my mom would always say), people would ask me what I wanted to do when I grew up. My first serious aspiration was to be a major league baseball player and an archaeologist in the off-season. For those of you readers who don't know, this plan never came to fruition. The next serious consideration was to be a speech pathologist and audiologist. I'm not exactly sure why this popped into my little third grade brain, but then again, I always have been drawn to the art of conversation (i.e. I talk a lot). As I was bathed in hormones throughout my jr high and high school years my ambitions were usurped by friends, boys and acne. However, a distant part of my brain was calling to me to make it big on Broadway. Again, for those of you who don't know, I have not become a speech pathologist, audiologist or a star on Broadway... but I still have acne. My university years were filled with decisions and I followed my loquacious giftings (loquacious giftings in this case meaning I still talked a lot). However, there is always a crazily perfect dream hanging out and having fun in the back of my head. I wanted to share my current resident. Folks, may I present The Greenhouse.

Imagine, it's a cold winter day and it has snowed... let's just say... 19 inches in 24 hours. Wouldn't you just love to cuddle up with some coffee or maybe fly away to somewhere tropical? Can't decide? Come on over! I would have a giant tropical greenhouse looking something like this:
Birds would be flying around in areas behind some netting (so your latte doesn't get any extra "cream"). You can grab your friends and a latte, sit by the waterfall and listen to the birds.

Oh, and the temperature wouldn't be the only thing that's warm. The baristas would be warm and friendly and able to chat anytime because it would be overstaffed. They would make some great coffee (fair trade, non genetically altered of course!). Sometimes they will sing a silly song for you or remember your daughter's birthday, but they will always do there best to make you smile. If you're a regular you will probably have your picture somewhere around the cafe area in a frame. It's always important to have family photos you know. We would send used coffee home with our very welcomed composters. We also might stick a flower behind your ear as you walk out the door so you can go add a little color to the world.

Deanna

It's Inauguration Day!

2009-01-20T20:05:00.000-08:00

Good golly! Look at all those people!

Melissa

Ridiculously easy (& yummy) apple crisp

2009-01-19T20:01:00.000-08:00

Okay, peeling & cutting apples is the hardest thing in preparing this recipe, unless you were invited to a bazillion Pampered Chef parties a few years ago & bought everything from their catalog including the apple-peeler-corer-slicer, which turned out to be one of the best things you ever did! In that case, this recipe is a breeze! Whew!This also happens to be a Pampered Chef recipe too (just to give credit where it is do).

Quick Apple Crisp

5 Granny Smith Apples
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I like walnuts)
1 package (9 ounces) yellow cake mix
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoons cinnamon
Vanilla ice cream

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Peel, core & slice apples. Place apples in 8x8" or 9x9" baking dish.

2. Microwave butter on HIGH 30 seconds or until melted. Chop nuts. Add nuts, cake mix, sugar & cinnamon to bowl; mix until crumbly. Sprinkle mixture evenly over apples.

3. Bake 35-40 minutes or until apples are tender & topping is golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream.

Yields about 10 servings

Eat & enjoy your hard work... Melissa

To be a kid again

2009-01-18T13:20:00.000-08:00

Just for a day, if I was transported back in time...

Maybe I would play in the big mud puddle on the corner, write an imaginitive story for my parents, climb the old apple tree (the one with the low-lying branches), or sew clothes & household items for my dolls out of old socks.Last week, I happened upon this Micro Monogram challenge & thought...why not? I probably won't win, but it would give me an excuse to sew up some tiny pillows (which somehow led to an entire bed ensemble) just like I did as a kid. My Barbies would be proud.If you were a tiny gnome, or troll, or tooth fairy, wouldn't you be tempted to stop here & take a nap?

Oh man, I hope we have a little girl someday. In the meantime, I'll take it along with me next time I visit my nieces.

Melissa

On Cinnamon

2009-01-17T16:35:00.000-08:00

I remember when I was a little kid one of my favorite treats was cinnamon toast. The bread was Wonderbread white and condensed by the weight of melted butter. On top was a mixture of cinnamon and sugar that was always prepared in a sugar jar by the toaster.

By fluke, as I am writing this, I somehow managed to spell cinnamon right on the first try. The word “cinnamon”, like ~~necassarily~~ “necessarily” and ~~knowlegable~~ ~~knowledgable~~ “knowledgeable”, is one that on a rare occasion I may spell correctly, but never really know for sure unless I run the spell check.

Mostly I use cinnamon in drinks like hot chocolate or protein shakes. My favorite use in the winter is to throw my orange peels with a couple cinnamon sticks, a bit of cloves and allspice into a pot and heat it on low on the stovetop. This adds moisture to the air and makes my apartment smell like wintery treats.

One time a friend of mine added cinnamon to her chocolate chip cookies and everybody complimented her on her ingenuity. I thought it was a good idea to try it, but I just don’t think the cinnamon mixed well with the rest of the flavors.

I’ve never been sure why cinnamon candy is spicy hot. I’ve never had hot, natural cinnamon. I am allergic to cinnamon candy and gum so if I eat it my taste buds swell up and my tongue feels like I burned it with hot pizza. :P Deanna

My dreams have been crushed.

2009-01-15T21:24:00.000-08:00

Much improvement needed.

As a 1930s wife, I am
Average

Take the test!

Melissa

Getting to know my husband in 10 text messages...

2009-01-14T06:04:00.000-08:00

I was trying to clear out my phone by deleting old text messages. I really don't think I'll be able to delete these...they made me laugh too hard! And what's better than a good laugh, I ask you?

Follow-up note: Some of these are just funny because I have no idea what we were texting about at the time.

tend your biscuits!

no tend to my dinner

If it's any recoglection I'll be heading to lunch in 30 mins.

[recoglection?]

i'm still alive sweetie. just thought you should know

who loves the puppy? I do!

you sexy can of evaporated milk!

[he is attracted to me & my skin is very pale]

I DO! I DO!

damn it woman. How's everything going? having fun?

sexy wench. I got my phone unlocked

ok. love your official computer geek!

[got his A+ certification & now signs all my emails love your official computer geek]

Love your official blogging geek, Melissa

A Mad Night of Libs

2009-01-12T23:11:00.000-08:00

Last night David and I did some Mad Libs. You know those little books we took on road trips when we were little where you fill in random words to end up with a goofy story. Well here are a few from last night (N.B. These have not been censored because they were created in innocence!)

Personal Ad
I enjoy long, slimy walks on the beach, getting snarled in the rain and serendipitous encounters with salad tongs. I really like pina coladas mixed with club soda and romantic, candle-lit puppies. I am well read from Dr. Seuss to Fred Savage. I travel frequently, especially to gas station bathrooms. , when I am not busy with work. (I am a hockey player.) I am looking for Prozac and beauty in the form of an Inuit goddess. She should have the physique of Madonna and the socks of Hilary Clinton. I know I'm not very attractive in my picture, but it was taken 8 days ago, and I have since become more wrinkly.

William Shakespeare - Sonnet 141
In faith, I do not smile thee with mine kidneys,
For they in thee 1 1/2 curling irons note,
But 'tis my toenail that loves what they digest,
Who in despite of view is circled to sing.

Nor are mine nostrils with thy tongue's fiber delighted,
Nor pink feeling, to base continents prone,
Nor taste, nor smell, rap to be burned
To any groovy county fair with thee alone.

But my five dominoes nor my 123 senses can
Dissuade one foolish kneecap from cooking thee,
Who leaves peeled the likeness of a skunk,
Thy proud heart's bus driver and fighter pilot to be:

Only my halitosis thus far I count my gain,
That she that makes me tweak awards me sushi.

His Cheeseburger: A Love Song with Mr. Lunt (VeggieTales)
He said to her, "I'd like a cheeseburger
And I might like cereal as well."
She said to him, "I can't give you either."
And he said, "Isn't this Taco Bell?"
She said, "Yes it is, but we're closed now,
But we open tomorrow at 12."
He said, "I am wholeheartedly hungry,
But I guess I can wait until then."

Cuz you're his cheeseburger
His pink cheeseburger
He'll wait for you. Shazaam!
He'll wait for you.
Oh, you are his cheeseburger
His crisp cheeseburger
He'll wait for you
Oh, he will wait for you

He stayed at the drive-thru till sunrise
He may have dozed off once or twice
When he spotted a billboard for Denny's
Cornish game hen and hashbrowns for half price!
How could he resist such an offer?
He really needed something to druel
Cheeseburger, please do not get dorky
He'll eat and be back here for lunch!

Cuz you're his daft cheeseburger
His slow cheeseburger
He'll be back for you, holy rusted steel, Batman!
He'll be back for you.
Won't be so long, cheeseburger
Oh, lovely cheeseburger
Be back for you
Oh, he'll be back for you.

Cuz he loves you cheeseburger with all his cebu
And there's nothin' gonna tear you two apart
And if the world suddenly ran out of handbags
He would get down on his lips and feet
To see if someone enthusiastically dropped some cheese in the dirt
And he would wash it off for you
wipe it off for you
Clean that silly cheese off just for you!

You are his cheese... buuurrrr... grrrrrrr!

And here is the original Cheeseburger song in case you have never heard it. It really needs no embellishing to be hilarious in itself!

Or, if you'd like to do your own...

~Deanna~

My new, finally finished, scarf & winter bag

2009-01-11T13:49:00.000-08:00

I did it! I put the fringes on my much desired & long awaited green cable scarf last night while chatting with Deanna on the phone. It's done. I'm not totally digging how it looks because I purled too much across the front & forgot that makes the edges curl in. So mostly all you can see is the back which is not as pretty as the cables I spent so much time knitting on the front. I AM still wearing it, however...one, because I spent sooooo much time on it & two, because it is SO soft. My neck is in heaven. I can't stop running my fingers through the fringes either. I have lots more of this yarn. Perhaps I'll knit another, with a different pattern of course, as a gift to someone special. This is the winter bag that I knit last year. I just finished sewing the handles on this afternoon. I love it.Things have been pretty quiet this weekend. Mostly knitting & watching football. I suppose it's time to take the puppies out for another walk... Melissa

Music to warm you up

2009-01-10T16:18:00.000-08:00

I love this CD so much, I'm listening to it while I write this & you can listen too, right here. :) I had to buy it after listening to this Fresh Air interview.
I'm not great at writing reviews, but here are my thoughts...if you like old folk songs & country music, you'll enjoy Rambling Boy. It's the kind of music you'd listen to at a small town county fair while laying on a handmade quilt...a light warm breeze blowing against your cheeks. That's why it's perfect for these cold winter days...the music takes you to that place & warms you up.

His singing family includes son Josh, wife Ruth, triplet daughters Petra, Rachel, Tanya, & son-in-law Jack Black...yes, that Jack Black...he adds a fun song called Old Joe Clark to the album. Some of his singing friends include Roseanne Cash, Vince Gill & Ricky Skaggs...& more. I especially enjoy Single Girl, Married Girl, where the triplets sing together. Their voices sound great all together. They also have an old, old clip from a show where Charlie sang & yodeled as a little boy...it's called Old Haden Family Show. So cute.

Hope you get a chance to listen. And if you have any musical suggestions for me, I'd love to hear them.

Melissa

Whipping things up

2009-01-04T09:02:00.000-08:00

Well, the weather outside is still frightful, so its a good excuse to spend quality time indoors getting to know my new pretty pretty pink & white Project Runway version sewing machine. This is the Christmas present I really wanted! Thank you, Babe. I love this crafty/baking blog . The author, Alicia, recently published a craft book which I bought. So here is my version of her Happy Birthday banner. Could've used it for J's birthday, but not to worry. It will surely be used for many happy birthdays to come!There is also a Welcome Home banner in the works, which will be hung when J gets back from his deployments. Need to buy fabric for the lettering today...I'm thinking navy blue? And I love soft books. I wish they made soft books for adults. Pride & Prejudice, the soft book please. :) BUT, until that awesome day happens, I will continue to sew them for my neices & nephews.I hope everyone is having a lovely week.

Melissa

Celebrating

2009-01-02T13:03:00.000-08:00

1 Roll of crepe paper + 3 Presents + 36 Cupcakes + 1 Surprised husband =

A happy birthday!

Melissa

Big Dump '08: A New Record

2008-12-30T15:28:00.000-08:00

Well, I just thought I'd give you all an update. I read this on Yahoo News today:

By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS, Associated Press Writer Nicholas K. Geranios, Associated Press Writer – Tue Dec 30, 2:16 pm ET

SPOKANE, Wash. –

...The center of a snow-laden supermarket roof in north Spokane collapsed Monday evening, prompting the evacuation of that store and adjacent businesses. A fire official said only one minor injury was reported....
The collapses came as Spokane set a monthly record for snowfall, at 59.7 inches, after 8.3 inches were recorded in the 24-hour period ending at 4 p.m. Monday, said National Weather Service meteorologist Ellie Kelch. That's more snow than the area receives in a typical winter.
The city's previous record of 56.9 inches was set in January 1950. Snowfall records in the area have been kept since 1893, Kelch said.

I would just like to remind you that 59.7 inches is actually 0.3 inches shy of 5 feet of snow! Oh, and the grocery store that collapsed, that's where I get my groceries and, if I would have returned my movie on time, I would have been at the time of the collapse. The roof over my gym's pool has also collapsed to add to the growing statistic. So far it sounds like nobody has been seriously hurt by the cave-ins. The city has actually called in the National Gaurd to help out a bit too.

There is supposed to be another storm coming in tonight.

Big Dump '08: State of Emergency Declared

2008-12-27T12:02:00.000-08:00

As I sit here, the snow is still coming down outside. Now, it’s not like it has been going completely non-stop for over a week now. There was about a minute on Wednesday where the snow stopped falling. However, there was also a period of darkness meaning that this brief respite could have come from all the planes bound for Seattle and Portland converging over Spokane en masse. “It’s OK!” SeaTac officials assure holiday travelers, “once that guy out on the tarmac is done with the snow shovel, we’ll lend it to the Portland Airport.”

Our Mayer declared yesterday that we are officially in a state of emergency, meaning that we should be getting a 17.3 billion dollar bailout soon. This is much better for her public image than last year when she declared, “It’s just snow, folks. We’re doing the best we can.” Now, I’m sure she was just saying what anybody in her position would really want to say to all the people who are convinced the city employees are refusing, just to spite them, to use their magic wands on the streets. Perhaps, however, it would have been taken more understandably if it hadn’t come on the heels of a meeting to outline Spokane’s plan to fight Global Warming.

We may be in a state of emergency, however, as frustrating as it can be, I’m not sure I could pick a better emergency to be in. What other state of emergency gives you days off school for sledding, beautiful artwork of snow and icicles, continuous good hair days, time to snuggle up with hot cocoa and a book without feeling like you should be out doing something, and the chance for all those life lessons… really kiddo, you don’t want to stick your tongue on that pole…

**Deanna**

Some Wintery Fun

2008-12-24T09:33:00.000-08:00

Well, it snowed all day yesterday, but thank goodness it was a very light and beautiful snow. The kind of snow they have on TV when they want the scene to be romantic. There were just a handful of large fluffy snowflakes at a time and they fell slowly like feathers. I decided I must take a walk in this and I assure you I wasn't disappointed. It was absolutely beautiful out there even if I did just about freeze my legs off. ;)

In the evening David and I went to see Christmas lights and it was kind of cool to see so many shine from beneath a pile of snow. I think the icicles hanging off the roofs were just as fun to see too. Occasionally there would be some lights behind a wall of icicles and that was so crazy looking!

After the lights we headed to The Davenport Hotel to see the gingerbread houses. Every year chef and architect teams will team up to compete in the gingerbread house display to raise money for Christ's Kitchen.
I had to get a picture of the lobby itself because it is always so incredible at Christmas.

This year the theme seemed to be storybook characters. Here is one that I thought was cute because I've always been a fan of Madeline.

I also liked the detail on this one... and the roof was made of those yummy cheap cookies I like so much!

And here is the grand champion!

*Deanna*

Big Dump '08: The Escape

2008-12-22T08:18:00.000-08:00

Well, as of right now, we are buried under about 8 more inches of snow since yesterday. I keep looking at the national news expecting some attention, but the Midwest and East are getting all the attention. This is a section from the AP this morning:

"...the National Weather Service said Bismarck was on track to break a 1916 record for snowfall in December. The city has had 19 inches of snow so far this month, and with 4 more expected Monday night, the record of 21.7 inches could be shattered."

What?! 19 inches for the month and they get all the attention? We had 19 in 24 hours! Oh, and they could shatter their record by 1.3 inches? What would you call the 6 inch obliteration of our 24 hour record? Finally, some good, clean, non-scandalous news for Spokane and the AP flies right by us like all the 4 wheel drives out there who don't realize there's anybody else on the road... but I digress...

This weekend did give us a respite. Saturday was a clear blue sky and people were out in droves. I'm not exactly sure what a drove is, but if it means every main arterial was bumper to bumper and each mall parkade was completely full, then there were definately droves on Saturday. Enter David on his white steed (steed in this case meaning Pontiac). He came over with the most special gift; a snow shovel! Then, he whisked me away (whisked in this case meaning inched through traffic) to dinner. We went to Bangcok Thai which is off the beaten track, but right along the river.

It was warm and quiet and best of all, it was not my apartment! Thai iced tea is one of my new favorite discoveries. It is a smoky flavored tea with sweet coconut milk in it. Yummy yum...

Shoooooot!

2008-12-20T10:49:00.000-08:00

I haven't been in the holiday spirit at all this year & I was reeeeally hoping that my family coming to visit would make me feel all cheery & merry & get me back on Santa's "nice" list, but it's not going to happen. The sky opened up & dumped 2 feet on Deanna so she can't go anywhere. My parents can't drive down because of the icy roads either.

What is going on with the weather this year?!!

Cody & I decorated the tree anyway...
I bought this tiny tea set 2 years ago & tied red ribbons to all the pieces so they could hang from the tree limbs... This is a Martha Stewart ornament kit I bought at Michaels last year. I'm thinking about making some of these pretty balls out of my old Christmas cards. Wouldn't that be cute? And resourceful since I don't like to throw anything away?This is only about 1/3 of our tree ornaments. I wasn't in the mood to dig everything out & in forethought, definitely not in the mood to put everything away after Christmas. :)And we're dogsitting this month. Cody couldn't be more happy to have a guest. Rumble! Fight! Play!I guess things will be okay. I really wanted to see my family, but our (my) plans haven't changed. I still want to drive around & look at the lights & go see Marley & Me Christmas Day after tearing open all our presents.

Hope you have a nice Christmas too.

M

Big Dump '08: Digging Out... Before the Next Round

2008-12-19T13:22:00.000-08:00

Well, we are finally having a reprieve from all the snow. Here are some photos that I have taken, with the exception of the overhang above. That is a friend's roof. Snow + negative degree temperatures + wind = what you see in that photo. I would just like to remind you that 4 days ago we had virtually no snow. Many have heard that we broke the record at 19 inches within a 24 hour period, but it did not stop at 19 inches. Many people have started calling it Snowmageddon. I still prefer to call it Big Dump '08.
I couldn't get into work again today, so I have been stuck in my apartment again. As I sit at the computer I watch the squirrels dealing with the weather. At one point this squirrel tried to venture out into the deep (three times deeper than him at least) and seemed a bit confused. Then, without warning he dove head first into the white stuff. I started cracking up because he completely disappeared. Then after about 10 seconds, out pops his head with a little apple in his mouth. I had to cheer for the tenacious little guy.
I decided to venture outside and take a walk to the store to not only get some exercise, but to just be completely sure they were out of snow shovels... I know, no chance. It was quite a walk. Some of the sidewalks were shoveled down to only an inch or two of snow, but to get to them you had to walk over a three foot berm. This was OK with me because you just turn into a kid when you get in snow that deep. At one point I started walking through the non plowed, knee deep snow and, my oh my, I found a replacement for the gym. If the sidewalk wasn't shoveled and you didn't want to get buns of steel, you would end up walking on the road. This was OK I guess because there's hardly any traffic and it's all slow. I do, however want to give kudos to the snow plowers because for having 20+ inches of snow, the streets looked pretty darn good!

On my way back from the store I caught up to a gal who was carrying grocery bags and didn't have gloves on. I helped her carry her bags and found out she just moved here from Jordan a couple of months ago! What a welcome to Spokane! I assured her that once the snow goes away it is beautiful here. We're supposed to get another storm before this weekend is over. I wouldn't be all that disappointed is the weather man was completely wrong this time. I suppose the next one shouldn't be this bad though. This last one just made itself at home and hovered over us like those unwanted Christmas guests who just won't go.

Well, that's my update on Big Dump '08 for now. I'm going to go finish a Christmas present for my mom so I can get it in the mail. Our family Christmas plans were definitely adjusted for the weather, so we're all trying to get things in the mail in time for Christmas.

**Deanna**

Big Dump '08: Condition Red

2008-12-18T12:40:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting here typing as I watch my neighbor shovel the snow off the roof. The former record for snowfall is 13 inches in a 24 hour period. We just got 19 inches in a 24 hour period. The city calls this Condition Red. Anytime you are in a state of red it is not good. Basically it means that the plows won't get to my street until some time in April. Yesterday I drove to work with some light snow blowing around and by the time I went home at 5:00, I was beginning to wonder if I'd even make it. I did make it home yesterday evening with some fancy maneuvering, but I haven't left since. Pretty much everything is closed that can be, and half the drivers that braved the roads are stuck, with many of the cars just abandoned in the road under a mound of the still falling snow. Since the snow is up to the average adults knees there is also quite a few people just walking down main arterials just because there is nowhere else to walk.
These photos are right out my back door. I marked the inches in increments of 10 so you can see that it is just below the 20 mark. I also stepped into it up to my knee. Most of my friends are measuring the depth with their children. I'm seeing photos on Facebook of children lost in the fluffy whiteness with nothing but huge grins from purple lips visible. For the most part, and I'm guessing it's because this is our first major snow, everybody is taking this in good spirits. The kids, of course, are in their perfect vision of winter while most of the adults have become kids again for the moment.

The weather is on TV non-stop now and I just got word that one of the major malls has just completely closed. There is a ticker running across the bottom of the screen just listing everything that has closed today... it might be easier to list what is open. The surprising thing is that they haven't given this storm a dramatic name yet. I decided to adopt the one the two radio DJs called it this morning; Big Dump '08.

I had a fluffy squirrel bound by my sliding glass door and as I have been curled up in sweaters and blankets inside, I felt a little guilty. I had a sunflower left over from my dad's garden, so I tossed it out for him. I'm a sucker.

Well, it is still snowing so I'll have to keep you all updated. It sounds like we'll just keep getting more. The good news is that the Gonzaga game is still on for tonight! Also, if I run out of eggnog, I'm in walking distance of a grocery store.

*Deanna*

Changes That Heal - A Book Review

2008-12-17T12:58:00.001-08:00

My last book review for the 2008 Fall Into Reading challenge.

Changes That Heal

Dr. Henry Cloud

This book focuses on four developmental tasks--bonding to others, separating from others, integrating good and bad in our lives, and taking charge of our lives--that all of us must accomplish to heal our inner pain and to enable us to function and grow emotionally and spiritually.

OK, this is going to seem like a bit of a one-sided review, but I really believe Dr. Henry Cloud,co-author of Boundaries, has written a booked jam packed with basic tools for life. It holds basic concepts that really, when not dealt with in our life, will ripple out and affect our thoughts, emotions, and actions in all sorts of ways. For me, Dr. Cloud's explanations were simple and easy to understand, although I do have some experience with counseling. Dr. Cloud is a Christian and he emphasizes God and scripture throughout the book, but this book could be just as relevant to non-Christians as he has strong research and highly respected experience to back up his writing. This is a book that I will not only keep to refer back to and reread, but I will also keep additional copies on hand to give to anybody who would like to work through it.

To see my other 2008 Fall Into Reading reviews click below:
The Clerk's Tale
The Shack
The Wise Woman

To see Fall Into Reading book reviews from other bloggers visit the list on Callapidder Days.

<>Deanna<>

Deanna's Self Portrait for Winter

2008-12-16T10:26:00.000-08:00

The Finisher

2008-12-14T13:32:00.000-08:00

I was happily knitting my scarf last week when the pup knocked over a pile of books on the floor, uncovering a forgotten embroidery project from July. Then, a few days ago, I realized we don't have a Christmas stocking for Jonah because I didn't finish making it last year. And yesterday I pulled some wrapping paper out of the closet & noticed a handbag I knit last year & meant to sew handles on. Oh yes...I'm that girl. The starter of many projects. The finisher of few. Well, now. I guess it is time to become The Finisher. So, I am working on my summery pillowcases here, during the day & my scarf at night.Aren't these embroidery threads just beautiful to look at? I find myself staring at them a lot. :)And I will finish sewing the handles on my winter bag next.Unfortunately, Jonah's stocking is MIA. Oops. I'll keep looking & make sure it is ready to go up next Christmas.

M

Dancin' Dee, Mix It Up Mel and Merry Martha

2008-12-11T13:53:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Dancin' Dee, Mixin' It Up Mel and Merry Martha

2008-12-11T13:11:00.001-08:00

Here's an old Christmas clip I found of Melissa and me back in our dress-up-like-elves-and-go-to-the-speakeasy days. Here's one where we ran into Martha. She was so much more laid back before she built her empire. *sigh* Oh, the things you do when you're young and having fun...

Terribly Terrific Twos

2008-12-07T20:45:00.000-08:00

I periodically teach the two and three year old Sunday School class. (By teach I mean keep them from throwing baby dolls at each other and otherwise tearing the church down.) I love this age... especially for a couple hours every week. Don't hold me to that statement when I have a two or three year old of my own. Life is so exciting to a two year old and I never leave the class without a fun story or two... or three.

This morning I was on duty once again. Church starts at nine, so the parents with young children all start filing in at about 9:15.

"Good morning, Karsten!"

"Rrrraaarrrr!"

"Uh oh! Are you a tiger today?" (He was a tiger a few weeks ago.)

"RRRrrrr... a monnnssterrrrrr!"

So, I had the theme of the day. Karsten's imagination usually leads the other kids as they bounce in and find their favorite toy. Soon the girls were running back and forth from the kitchen to him with monster juice, monster chocolate milk and monster fried chicken. Karsten could be on Broadway solely on the expressiveness of his eyebrows and was a very convincing monster. Faith, however, was a little less convincing as she squealed, "I'm scary!" through a wide grin.

I was able to teach them about the angel visiting Mary. This involved a flannel board. I can always keep their attention with a flannel board. Once I asked some teen girls to find some characters for the kids to play with and they apologetically came back with a bag of yarn and random scraps of flannel. Unfazed, I assured them there was no need for an apology as I set the kids up. Twenty minutes later they had created balloons and various Picassoesque creations with the same gusto that they had used sticking the animals by Adam and Eve a couple weeks earlier.

Today we ended with Duck, Duck, Goose. I've worked with some who worry about rules with this game. I quickly assure them that a child young enough to enjoy this favorite doesn't have to have a reason for rules. This group of youngster know somebody picks a goose, but that's about as far as they've gotten so I've figured out a pretty good system. They all sit on randomly scattered carpet squares (I gave up on the sitting in a circle idea pretty early) and I pick who is "it". At two and three being "it" is one of the highest honors you can attain so me choosing keeps them from breaking out into any tribal wars over the decision. All eyes are glued to the chosen one as she taps heads and they wait for the goose to be declared. The kids get so excited at the word "goose", they just can't remember who's supposed to run so they all run every time. I used to try to keep the kids sitting so the goose could chase the "it" around the circle but after a few futile attempts I realized I was just distracting them from their fun. Now, they all jump up, giggle and squeal and run in all different directions until I shout, "Quick! Find a carpet square!" At this, they collapse in a heap on the nearest one and begin to tell me that it is now their turn to be "it".

Wow, the terrible twos. Terribly exciting, enthusiastic, imaginative and, well, pretty chaotic... in a good way... um... for the most part...

==Deanna==

Happy Heart File: 12 Days of Christmas

2008-12-03T09:14:00.000-08:00

Time to share a holiday selection from my Happy Heart File. I'm sure most of you have seen this video, but I LOVE IT! They sang this back in the nineties, but thanks to the wonders of YouTube it spread like wildfire last year and they could not meet the demands for dvd sales. Since then they have created an updated dvd. If you haven't seen this, it is hilarious and filled with amazing talent!

\Deanna/

Take a Number

2008-12-01T20:58:00.000-08:00

I was sucked into Joann’s tonight. I wanted to grab some fabric for a project I’m working on. After wandering through a plethora polka dots, plaids, and paisley I headed over to the fabric cutter. There was a customer at the counter, so I stood to the side waiting my turn. A lady working on some sort of knitting at the side counter stared at me.

“Did you take a number?” The lady asked as she looked over her glasses with superiority.

I don’t buy fabric often, so I felt like I was breaking some sort of rule.

“Oh! No, I didn’t realize I needed to.” I grabbed a number figuring there must be customers I couldn’t see wandering among the fleeces and flannels. I looked around and saw no one checking out the counter and then I had to keep my laughter in as I noticed the sign above the counter said “33”. I looked back at my ticket and confirmed I was 34. The young worker finished up with the customer and then looked up at the sign.

“Number 34.” She announced to the crowd standing around the counter (by crowd I mean me). I looked around and chuckled to myself as the knitting lady was the only other person within earshot and she was oblivious to us now. I stepped up and handed the girl my number that I had grabbed just minutes before. Whew, it’s a good thing I had some guidance, imagine the chaos I could have caused by disrupting their advanced system.

+Deanna+

Thankful.

2008-11-27T19:52:00.000-08:00

In honor of Thanksgiving, Cody wanted me to dress her as a pilgrim...no? Okay, I wanted to dress her as a pilgrim and she reluctantly posed in front of the camera for 2 seconds before violently shaking the contents from her head. :)
What is my favorite float in the parade? Tom Turkey!I wasn't feeling much in the Thanksgiving-y mood this year, but Jonah went ahead and cooked this mucho delicious dinner for us, so I happily scarfed down 2 full plates and a piece of pumpkin pie. I was very thankful after that.Please...oh please, let a piece fall on the floor!Nap time, followed by a walk (and my camera batteries dying). Hope your day was as nice as mine.

M

It's That Yummy Time of Year...

2008-11-26T23:36:00.000-08:00

Oh, what to bring to Thanksgiving Dinner tomorrow? I want to contribute something, but I know there will be food bursting out the windows. Just having this predicament makes me thankful. I'm thankful that my question is what to choose of abundance rather than whether I will have enough to eat.

Thanks to David's cunning Internet skills, I decided on a sugar-coated pecan recipe from www.allrecipes.com. Due to a huge sale on pecans and their lack of inventory, I switched to walnuts. We also added a couple little extras here and there. The basic recipe is as follows.

Sugar Coated Pecans
"These sweet pecans are wonderful snacks for any occasion."

Original recipe yield 1 pound

Servings: 12

INGREDIENTS
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water
1 pound pecan halves
1 cup white sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Grease one baking sheet.
In a mixing bowl, whip together the egg white and water until frothy. In a separate bowl, mix together sugar, salt, and cinnamon.
Add pecans to egg whites, stir to coat the nuts evenly. Remove the nuts, and toss them in the sugar mixture until coated. Spread the nuts out on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake at 250 degrees F (120 degrees C) for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes.

For more information, comments and nutritional breakdown click here for the recipe's web page.

David and I added a little vanilla powder and orange zest to spice things up a bit. They turned out great... and they make your home smell wonderful! Above shows them right out of the oven and I do suggest "taste-testing" a few when they are warm and fresh. I also recommend watching The Cosby Show while you're baking. This helps pass the time and you can stir once at the beginning, middle and end of each show. Those crazy Huxtables got to meet Stevie Wonder tonight as the sugar browned to a golden coat.

I believe this was a success, but I will have to wait until tomorrow for the official test. I sure hope they will find a place on the table tomorrow.

A Delightful Day

2008-11-23T19:42:00.000-08:00

Saturday was one of those days that I would describe as delightful. I met David downtown just to walk around. We wandered around Riverfront Park and walked over the waterfalls. There is a sort of pier built out over the water with a memorial to the early missionaries that moved into this area. I like to try to picture places the way they would have looked back then. All the sudden life is a lot more challenging when there are no bridges or smooth travel… and all without my favorite modern convenience, indoor plumbing!

So then, I found out that half of our party (a.k.a David) had not been to the Davenport Hotel. “That’s it. That will be our next stop!” I proclaimed as I scanned the skyline for the prettiest roof. I may go there all the time, however, it doesn’t help my sense of direction one single bit. The previously mentioned part of our party was able to direct us to our destination.

Again, we traveled back in time, but this time to the turn of the century. To me, the Davenport is spectacular. I will often park on the opposite side of my destination so I have to walk through the hotel on the way. The developer had it remodeled back to its original design knowing he would be doing it more for its historical beauty than a profit. Now, I just can’t wait for their Christmas Tree Ceremony and Gingerbread House display!

After wandering around outside awhile longer we decided to head over to the Steam Plant Grill for a snack. The Steam Plant is the actual old steam plant that has been converted into a microbrewery and restaurant. It has been remodeled to allow the building to tell its own history. You can still see different parts of the plant and how they would have worked. You must try to get in before the holidays are over for the eggnog cheesecake with the nutmeg brandy glaze. Wow! Yep, that’s about it… wow! (Please excuse the picture… all I had was my phone.)

That was a great way to wrap things up before we headed back through the park. Now that I’m writing about it, I’m realizing what an historical little jaunt we took. I love that kind of stuff. I love finding the local areas that give you a sense of what the place is all about. Well, if you’re ever goofing around Spokane… there are some delightful ideas for you.

Weekend Neurosis

2008-11-23T13:40:00.000-08:00

Last week, the weather turned very cold which reminded me of something I dreamed up for my 'to-do list' last Spring: Knit myself a soft cable scarf in green, my favoritest of colors. I drew up my own pattern & made a special trip to Jo-anns to find the softest yarn possible. That yarn has waited patiently all year & now, after ripping the stitches out, re-writing the pattern & starting over 3 times, it slowly & lovingly becomes the scarf I hope to wear for many winters to come...On the right arm of my recliner a pretty ball of yarn unravels as I knit. And snuggled between my knees, a sweet puppy watches me.And while she watches me, I watch a marathon (this is where the neurosis comes in) of CSI. I actually wake up early & watch it until far past my bedtime on both Friday & Saturday. It is Sunday afternoon now & I may finish the second season this evening. I can't stop. I am obsessed & my bloodshot eyes prove it. I love Grissom. Quiet, book smart, mysterious. Of all the CSI's on TV, he is my favorite.If you're familiar with Grissom's character, you know that he is a crossword fanatic, so when I needed a break from the knitting, I penned a crossword or two or four...by now, who is counting? I did manage to peel myself away to take puppers for her walks & go grocery shopping for Thanksgiving, in case you are getting worried about me. :) Ahh, I'm such a homebody.

Love,
M

A Week in Review

2008-11-22T09:22:00.000-08:00

It's been a fairly average week. Things passed quickly and I was just thrilled to sleep in this morning, grab a cup of coffee and snuggle up with my book. Pretty typical... although, the more I thought about it, maybe just typical for me. I suppose a "typical week" is more like a thumbprint in that there are no two exactly alike.

My Week in Review:

High: Getting back together with my little sister (BBBS) after months of lost communication.

Low: About 28 degrees.

Made Me Smile: Presenting David with the first of my "Geek Chic" line, a framed set of Dr. Who quotes, for his new apartment.

Major Questions: Why do Disney movie characters never have mothers and, if they do, they are either evil or get shot by a hunter? What the heck am I going to do for Thanksgiving since it is NEXT WEEK?

Shocking Moment: Definitely when I went down the slide at McDonald's with Raylinn. Every screw my butt hit on the way down sent static electricity shooting through my body as I slid closer to that eerie mural of Ronald McDonald. Really? We have robots doing surgery, but we can't find a way to construct a slide that will not electrocute the children of this country? Although... in some strange masochistic way... is that part of the fun? Maybe this should be under "Major Questions of the Week".

Reminder That I am Quirky: When, after an enthusiastic elocutionary outpouring about my favorite modern convenience, I got a smile and the comment, "Wow, I've never known anyone as passionate about indoor plumbing as you."

Favorite Idea: Adding cinnamon and nutmeg to my vanilla protein shake to make it taste like an eggnog shake. Yum yum, I love eggnog.

Favorite Discovery: Playlist.com (thanks to Katy's blog!). Finally a playlist that has the perfect combination of country, gospel, Disney soundtrack, 80's rock, top 40, praise, and 60's folk rock!

Peaceful Moment: My lunchtime walk in the state park when the sun was shining and the scene was just filled with all the exciting things you notice when you are a kid.

I hope you had a "typical week" too!

:) Deanna

The Wise Woman: A Book Review

2008-11-17T14:23:00.000-08:00

Click here for full html text online.

Click here to download book as pdf.

I will start the review out admitting my bias. I love fairy tales and I love George MacDonald. The Wise Woman is a parable but still has the feel of a fairy tale. I think it is well worth the short amount of time it takes to read.

The plot follows two young girls, a princess and a peasant, through their experience with The Wise Woman. The Wise Woman is a benevolent god-like figure and recognizes overwhelming pride in both girls. Both sets of parents have spoiled them and lead them to a point of a somewhat divine intervention. Both girls have different circumstances forming different forms of pride so each experiences a different form of creative discipline.

The story is a look at pride, what causes it and how to overcome it. It is written to a younger level of reader which, in my opinion, is MacDonald at his best. The lessons are clear and just as true today as when they were first written with his own hand. This will be one of those books on my shelf that is pulled out to quote, reread and share.

For more of my book reviews visit these posts:

The Clerk's Tale

The Shack

For book reviews from everybody in the Fall Into Reading Challenge visit Callapidder Days.

~Deanna~

Veterans Day

2008-11-11T10:42:00.000-08:00

Featured here are excerpts from some of the letters in Andy Carroll's book, War Letters: Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars, dramatized in the American Experience film. Find these and more at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/warletters/letters/index.html.

June 18, 1918
"We were all subjected to several different kinds of [gas] today, with and without masks... It sure is horrible stuff, honey."

Lukert was wounded in France, but he did return home to his wife. He spent 36 years in the Army and was a regimental commander in World War II.

---

December 12, 1862

"...the acres of little shelter tents are dark and still as death, no wonder for as I gazed sorrowfully upon them, I thought I could almost hear the slow flap of the grim messenger's wings, as one by one he sought and selected his victims for the morning sacrifice... Oh northern mothers wives and sisters... would to Heaven that I could bear for you the concentrated woe which is so soon to follow..."

After the war, Barton went on to found the American Red Cross.
---

January 18, 1944

"We now have a mix of wounded, medical patients, and battle-fatigued soldiers. ...The wounded were happy to be missing only one arm or leg... I have a terrible earache but as usual I have to work. The patients need me."

Wandrey served in Western Europe and North Africa as a combat nurse, accumulating eight battle stars in some of the war's bloodiest campaigns. At age 81, she was still receiving letters from some of her patients.

---

March 8, 1991

"I can't describe it. I mean the scene on the highway. We all just looked at it in the moonlight as we drove through the now silent carnage... ...It's only been the last couple of days that I've come to realize the horror that has taken place here. ...And I think it's taken so long because with only the small number of exceptions on our part, it was almost entirely theirs..."

After the war, Welch developed asthma, memory and equilibrium problems. He has since retired from the military.

---

December 31, 1945

"This is the last day of the last month of the year, and this should be the last letter that I shall write to you... So long, honey, and pucker up -- 'cause here I come."

On leave from Camp Shanks in Orangeburg, New York, Hoffman met Evelyn Giniger just days before he was to go to Europe with the 12th Army Division, in October 1944. After five dates with Evelyn on five consecutive nights, Nathan was restricted to camp, as were all the soldiers who were about to leave. He sent her an orchid with a note that read, "I'll be seeing you," taking his words from the popular song of that name. Nathan began writing Evelyn in between bouts of seasickness on the transport ship to Europe, and she wrote back. As the 12th advanced through France and Germany, Evelyn and Nathan's correspondence continued, running to thousands of pages -- which they both saved. When Nathan came home in January 1946, Evelyn was already in Waco, waiting for him. They were married a month later.

---

"November 11th 1918 will always be remembered by yours truly...At 10:45 the order came to cease firing... That was absolutely the happiest moment of my life. The rest of the day little groups of smiling Germans came up to the line with tobacco and wine..."

Palmer returned home after the war and played for the Western Reserve University football team.

---

Thank you to all who have served,

Deanna

Recovering Nicely, Thank You

2008-11-05T17:07:00.000-08:00

A thank you to Deanna for holding up her end of this blog while I recover from surgery. I am back to work, but fall into my big lazy boy recliner at the end of the day completely exhausted, barely able to muster a word to my husband who waits on me hand & foot. Thank you, Babe. I hope to be back up & doing things soon. Actually, this cold weather puts me in the mood to knit a scarf.

I did make it to the polls yesterday to vote for my very first time ever! I've been following (completely addicted to) this election for months & bawled my eyes out yesterday as the results came in on the TV...out of sheer joy & happiness for Barack Obama & a little sadness as John McCain graciously made his concession speech. What a long haul it's been for the both of them. And all the waiting is over for us. Phew! I am so proud to be an American at this moment & so hopeful for our future.

Melissa

Randomness and My Green Tambourine

2008-11-03T21:29:00.001-08:00

O Danny Boy
I heard the song O Danny Boy twice today in different settings. I always love hearing this song. This strikes me as odd because it is really depressing.

Presumptious
I love the word "presumptious". It just sounds really cool when you use it in a sentence especially in the form of irony. Here is a sentence I used in an email the other day that was just meant to have "presumptious" in it:

"Last winter my drink of choice was a 16 oz., 2%, double split shot, sugar free vanilla latte. I wanted them to make it upside down, but I thought that might make me sound presumptious."

I have actually said it since then and I do like saying it just as much as writing it. A word I really like using but struggle with saying is "circuitous".

Free to be... You and Me
I was reading a book today and the author mentioned the album, Free to be... You and Me. Wow, I happily shot back in time to the hours I spent listening to the record as a kid. The author said she left it playing in her car once when she went out to dinner. When the valet returned her car he was so excited because he hadn't heard the album in years. I didn't realize so many people shared the memory of this album with me.

Cutting my lip on my sandwhich
On Saturday I went out to eat at Downriver Grill. I was having a brie and chicken sandwich with apple and crandberry on it and the bun was grilled to a beautiful, but sharp, golden brown. I say sharp because at one point I went to take a bite and it scratched my lip. A little while later David told me I still had cranberry sauce on my lip. When I checked, it was actually blood from the cut I got from my sandwich. I got a cut from bread. Suddenly, knowing that my sandwich can cut through my skin, the Ginsu knives cutting through a shoe doesn't seem all that impressive.

<>Deanna<>

Fall Back... to sleep

2008-11-01T12:40:00.000-07:00

The Rescue - Tales from my Happy Heart File

2008-10-30T22:12:00.001-07:00

OK, those of you who know me may know that I have a Happy Heart File. Inside this file is stories, cartoons or anything on paper that makes me smile even when nobody's around. This file is especially important for those days when life seems overwhelming. I decided I should share the love in my HHF. Here's a fairly recent story I added that I first found on my Snopes.com urban legend update. I was so excited to find it was true and the cherry on top is that it happened right here in Spokane! Here's the article written about it on KREM 2's website :

Man catches ducklings jumping from ledge
05:23 PM PDT on Wednesday, May 28, 2008
By KEVIN BLOCKER; KREM.com
SPOKANE -- As a senior loan officer at Sterling Savings Bank downtown, Joel Armstrong has spent a considerable amount of time helping people realize their dreams and bailing people out of financial jams at the same time. He would have never imagined that his most memorable rescue would have occurred while helping a mother duck and her recently hatched offspring down to the river on Tuesday.

"It was an amazing site; I'm an animal lover at heart," Armstrong said from his office on Thursday.

Outside Armstrong's office window one month ago he noticed the mother duck laying eggs in a cement awning, which rests 10 feet above the ground. Those eggs hatched on Monday. When he arrived to work the following day he observed the mother standing at the edge of the awning before swooping to the sidewalk below. What he saw next took his breath away.

"The first duckling goes to the edge and... smack. Just hits the sidewalk," he said.

Horrified, Armstrong darted out of his office and to the sidewalk below. The duckling laid motionless for about 10 seconds before regaining its senses. The next thing Armstrong knew, all the ducklings had instinctively lined up on the ledge ready to follow the first one's lead. Now lined up a like a centerfielder, Armstrong proceeded to shag ducks like falling baseballs from the sky with his bare hands.

"In one instance two jumped at the same time," he said.

Armstrong caught both.

"I truly think the entire time the mother duck could sense I was trying to help," he said. "She just stood there and allowed me to catch them."

But that was only half the battle. The next step was to get them to the river. Armed with a gaggle of co-workers from the office, Armstrong and some of the Sterling Savings staff were prepared to serve as guides for the ducks to the water. However, it was clear that between traffic, and the ducklings inability to move at an expeditious pace, it was going to be a tedious journey. So one of Armstrong's colleagues retrieved an empty box, placed the ducklings in it and walked them to the river.
Finally, at a calm location along the river, the mother duck welcomed her newborns to a setting clearly more indigenous to their native habitat.

"It was amazing watching them jump," Armstrong said. "Could you imagine the second day of your life having to jump from a building to get home?"

The Shack: Book Review

2008-10-29T21:15:00.000-07:00

The first time I ever heard about The Shack was on The Bryant Park Project on NPR. I was intrigued to say the least. Here was a publicly funded radio show that in no way catered to a Christian demographic interviewing an author who had written a book about reconciling pain with a loving God. The interview was fascinating in a very normal person sorta way, but I will let you listen for yourself. A few weeks later I found myself bombarded with people telling me I should read it and reviews saying it was controversial. I just had to read it myself.

The first part of the book is hard to get through. Young introduces a crime against a child that that anyone with a conscience would be horrified about. This is how he leads the main character, Mack, into an interaction with the Trinity about how a good God can allow such evil.

I found the story beyond the initial shock of the crime to be warm, peaceful and very personal. Many reviews criticized his doctrine and theology but I didn’t see it as a commentary or exegesis. It felt to me like a hurting man working through one of the most common questions of good and evil. I was impressed that the author had such a firm hold on my interest when most of the story was actually conversation. I could relate so easily to Mack’s questions and struggle and I did feel a sense of resolution with him at the end of the book.

I would recommend this book. It was interesting, thought provoking and very, very human. If you’re like me you’ll feel like you just heard a fantastical story from an old trusted friend. Most people would think it was pretty crazy but more than anything you want to believe that so many things about it are true and deep down the truth is you do.

*Deanna*

Leaning Tower of Propaganda

2008-10-28T21:29:00.000-07:00

Well, I've had some very faithful penpals lately. Kevin and Don have been sending me notes almost daily and calling me. Oh, and so has Dino, John, Chris...

Something tells me these relationships will soon be over. I see them everywhere. They tell me how much they care and how much I mean to them, but once I tell them where I stand it's done. They don't call... they don't write.

The pile of letters from the last couple weeks were stacked in my recycle bin. I grabbed them to see if I was exaggerating the level of correspondance in my head. I really wasn't. The level turned out to be 6. Well, 6 stories I guess...

Here's a little monument to all those campaigning for my vote. I like to call it the Leaning Tower of Propaganda.

_Deanna_

Autumn Trees

2008-10-26T11:44:00.000-07:00

Every single October, this tree, the one that grows just outside our front door, has amazed me with it's stunning change of color from green to fiery red. When I see it begin to change, I know it is for sure Autumn & it is time to pull out my sweaters & soft nubby socks. It is hunting & football season for my husband. It is also the time when he takes his 4-wheeler out with the fellas for the last times before the snow falls.And just beyond this row of yellowing trees in our backyard, is the dog park where one little puppers goes to play with her pals. Not just in autumn, but all year around. Its at least bearable in the cool weather though.
M