Tagged again!

Ok Hilary! Here you go.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? hot chocolate.
2. Does Santa wrap the gifts or are they unwrapped under the tree. Santa does not come to my house yet seeing as there are no children there.
3. Colored lights on house/tree or white lights? White.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? I used to but I couldn't find it this year (The plastic kind)
5. When do you put your decorations up? Usually the weekend after Thanksgiving.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? What is considered a holiday dish?
7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? Probably the Christmas Eve Night that my sister convinced me that we could her sleigh bells on our roof.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? One of my grade school teacher's said "Now, everyone know that Santa isn't real!" (I didn't!)
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? My parents always got us Christmas pajamas, an ornament and one or two small things from them on Christmas Eve.
10. How do you decorate your tree? Clear lights, silver and gold bulbs and silver and gold ribbon.
11. Snow! Love it or dread it? That, I haven't decided yet.
12. Can you ice skate? I did when I was little a few times and I thought I was awesome at it but I am kind of doubting myself now.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Not really.
14. What is the most important thing about the holidays for you? Spending time with loved ones.
15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? Hmmm...Lots.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Getting pj's on Christmas Eve and then wearing them to bed.
17. What tops your Christmas tree? A gold star
18. Which do you prefer-giving or receiving? Giving, I love to see peoples faces when they got the perfect gift.
19. What is your favorite Christmas song? Secular: "I want a hippopotomous for Christmas" and Spiritual: "O Holy Night"
20. Candy Canes-yum or yuck? Yuck.
21. What do you want for Christmas? A case for my jewelry.
22. Do you attend an annual Christmas party? Yes. My Sunday School Class usually has one.
23. Do you dress up on Christmas or wear PJs? PJs first, then get dressed.
24. Do you own a Santa hat? No, but my mom probably has enough for all of us.
25. Who do you normally spend Christmas with? Both of our families.
I don't think anyone really reads my blog so I don't know who to tag.

All I want for Christmas!

I love hearing stories about children at Christmas. A loan officer at work, Greg, has a 4 year old daughter, Sarah, that has an interesting Christmas Wish List this year! She wants a fish in a bowl, her own lipstick, an imaginary dinosaur, and an alarm clock! Greg told us that he was going to wrap an empty box and when she opens it, he is going to fall on the ground saying "Sarah! Get your dinosaur off of me!" Oh, to be a fly on the wall that day! I think it is going to be a hoot!

Santa Sighting

This past weekend was our Christmas program at Church. It basically consists of 70 adults squished into a gigantic riser system that is made to look like a Christmas tree! Oh, the merriment! Anyway, the first row gets to sit. I was conveniently placed on the second row! (No sitting for me!) The man that sat directly in front of me is a Santa Clause Look-A-Like/Mail Man. The children's choir filed on stage and joined us in the fun for a song. As they were filing back off stage, the tiny little girl that brought up the back end of the line was walking backwards looking at Mr. Mail Man, waving frantically and quietly yelling "Santa....Santa"! It was precious! Mr. Mail Man later told us a story of one day on his route, he was delivering mail in a cul-de-sac and saw a couple of little girls run into their house. As he rounded the street, there they were standing on the sidewalk with milk and cookies! Oh, the things this man has encountered! Maybe I can somehow make myself to look like...say...Cindy Crawford and see what kind of attention I get! Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Halloween Madness

For Halloween this year, I was a ballerina!

Whitley was a ballerina as well, but she didn't get into it as much as I did!

Erwin was Super Dog!

We had our friends Paige and John over and they brought their Dog-daughter, Avery with them - She was a pumpkin for halloween!

Mike and Heather Neff also brought Lane over, who was the cutest little horse on the planet!

Tagged!

Tagged!
I got tagged by Hilary, so here it is:

5 Things I was doing 10 years ago:
1. I was a sophomore at Woodward High School.
2. I'm sure I was watching lots of tv.
3. I have a really bad memory.
4. That was a really long time ago.
5. I had been 16 for 6 days.

5 Things on my To Do List:
1. Laundry...Lots and lots of laundry
2. Loose 15 lbs! (I am sure I am on my way with the cookies and Diet Dr. Pepper I got out of the vending machine for breakfast!
3. Get the battery changed in my watch.
4. Write a blog about my car accident and finding the toddlers on the side of the road.
5. Find some dark bamboo blinds/roman shades for my bedroom.

5 bad habbits:
1. Pushing the snooze button.
2. Letting the dogs sleep in my bed. (acctually that is their bad habit but it's my fault.)
3. Stealing money from my Dave Ramsey envelopes to use in another area.
4. Picking at my toe nails and finger nails.
5. Chewing on the inside of my mouth. (this is a new one)

5 Places I have lived:
1. Woodward
2. Shawnee
3. Oklahoma City
4. Edmond
5. Broken Arrow

5 Things I am listening to right now:
1. The Smith Barney lady talking.
2. Someone's chair squeking
3. The flourescent lights humming.
4. Someone's computer beeping
5. My boss sniffling.

5 words I hate:
1. maybe
2. naughty words
3. There's is one that I really hate but I can't think of it at the moment.
4. chillax
5. I guess I'm really not a hateful person because I am having a problem with this section. (Just kidding.)

5 Jobs I have had:
1. RA
2. Math Tudor
3. Target Worker
4. Receptionist at a Retirement Home
5. Commercial Loan Assistant

5 Things I have eaten today:
1. Famous Amos Cookies
2. Ice
3. Diet Dr. Pepper
4. I'm sure I accidently swalloes some toothpaste.
5. That's about it. It is still pretty early.

5 Websitesd I visit daily:
1. Yahoo
2. Craigslist
3. Arvest
4. Business Manager Wired (only on weekdays)
5. Google

I tag my Jeremy (I know you won't do it though.)

Update on Water Leak

After 10 minutes of scooping rusty water out of my water meter with Jeremy's favorite cup, I have concluded that we have no water leak. We apparently just used a BUNCH of water last month. No more baths for Jeremy!

I Blame Cynthia!

I got my water bill the other day. Normally it is about $45.00. This month it is a whopping $82.19! I sat down with the bill last night and noticed the usage went from 5,000 to 20,400! That is a sizable jump! So, last night at church, I decided to ask a few home owners if they could think of any explanation for the increase! I asked Cynthia, who I sit next to in choir, and she said that I more than likely have a leak and to look in my water meter to see if there is water obviously flowing around in there.

So, after I got home from choir, (by this time is was dark) I trekked out to the water meter and pulled the lid off. I was on the phone with my dad to explain to him what I saw, seeing as he is much more knowledgeable than I am about the inter workings of the water meter. Anyway, I pulled the lid off and leaned over to look in and down goes my cell phone! Into the nasty water! It was dark and I was afraid to stick my hand in the possible snake and spider habitat to retrieve my phone so I just watched it. I just watched it die! After a few deep breaths, I stuck my hand in and grabbed my phone. It was too late! Now I am without a phone for a couple of days!

Moral of the story: Don't listen to Cynthia about water leaks or at least don't talk on your phone when you look into your water meter!

Also: If you try to call me today or tomorrow, I probably won't answer!

There's more than just a chip on MY shoulder!

Last night, I was in the backyard and I noticed my dogs playing with something on the ground. I went to inspect it and bent down to get a closer look. I didn't see it, but I felt it jump on me. I quickly brushed myself off and did not feel it or see it on me anywhere. I decided it must have jumped back off. I stayed outside for a couple more minutes and then went inside. When I got to my bedroom door , I felt it jump off of my shoulder! (Apparently it decided to stick around for a free ride!) Anyway, I looked on the ground at the largest spider I have ever seen! (Next to a taranchula!)

I quickly ran outside and yelled at Michelle for assistance. When she saw it, she decided she wanted to take this opportunity to expand her photography portfolio to include nasty spiders! As I was fetching her camera, he ran under my dresser. Michelle wanted me to help her get it out. I refused. I ran across the street and knocked on the first door that still had lights on in the house. The neighbor that I had retrieved to be my spider hero just happened to be a 4th grade science teacher. The neighbor hero and the crazy photographer captured the spider in MY tupperware! (I am not happy about this situation.)

Michelle took the spider to a remote wooded location this morning and released it back safely into it's natural habitat and more importantly, far, far away from me! I sent an email to whatsthatbug.com for assistance in identifying the monster! I will keep you updated on any information received. Until then, enjoy this photo!

Shopping with the Mr.

Yesterday Jeremy emailed me to ask what my evening plans were. I told him that I was going shopping. He asked if he could go because he needed some pistachios. I quickly responded with "um...no." Apparently he didn't get the picture because when I got home from work, he asked if I was ready to go. I decided immediately that I need to come up with some shopping rules for him. Here are the rules:

1.) No putting anything into the basket without my permission.
2.) No wondering off away from me with or without the basket.
3.) No complaining.
(Sounds like a child, huh!)

He broke all of the rules in our shopping trip last night. At one point, I found 6 boxes of Crystal Light in our basket. I made him put 3 back. I think that I was still being generous. When we go to the store, I have to tell him that he can only get 2 cheeses. He would spend $40 easy just on cheese. Last night he informed me that fish is the new cheese for him. He got 3 bags of fish! Yes, 3!

We seem to always go over budget shopping when he comes with me. Last night we were $40 over. If anyone has an idea of how I could get him un-interested in going shopping with me, I would greatly appreciate it!

Attention:

People!: I am not kidding about the black shirt. Who wants it?

Dawn Castor: Of course you can add me! You are so silly!

10 Things About This Week:

1. Goal of the Week: To have all laundry baskets empty at least once.
2. Shocker of the Week: I deep cleaned my bedroom/bathroom.
3. Regret of the Week: Wearing green underwear with my white pants.
4. Eww of the Week: I used the brush that sits in the bathroom at work.
5. Quite Time Tidbit of the Week: Love is a choice. Not a feeling.
6. Craigslist Find of the Week: A free orchid.
7. Highlight of the Week: Finding my husband's old diary.
8. Give-Away of the Week: I have a black long sleeved size 12 wrap shirt. Anyone want it?
9. Ridiculousness of the Week: My husband has over 250 dvd's.
10. Missed Friend of the Week: Sarah Reed

Plague Warning!

My aunt-in-law gave me some clippings from her honeysuckle. She brought them to me in a mason jar with water. I have been growing roots in my kitchen window for a while and just adding water when needed. Well, we went out of town this weekend and when we got back, I notice tons (by tons, I mean TONS) of things swimming in the water! We thought about waiting to see what they turn into (they look like itty-bitty tad poles!) Before we entered into the world of breeding unkown insects/amphibians/reptiles, I decided to put Yahoo! Answers to use. I posted my situation and received an answer fairly quickly. Turns out my swimming babies are mosquito larvae! We have since decided not to wait, we will be dispossing of them immediately!

What's that bug?

Today at work, I glanced over and saw a centipede making his way into the conference room. I got a co-worker to guard it while I went to get a man. I ran into the collection officer's office and informed him that we had a situation in the lobby. He immediately jumped up, with a panicked look on his face, and followed me to the bug. (I might have over reacted a tad!) After a quick inspection of the creature, he stepped on it and pulled a snotty Kleenex (I know it was snotty because I put it in there) out of the trash can and scooped it up and threw it away. Well, I became curious about this bug. I am not certain if it was a centipede or a millipede. So, I began to search the web and found a very interesting site that I want to pass along to you all. It is whatsthatbug.com. Basically, you can take a picture of a bug and they will tell you what it is and post it on their website. After searching this site, I am still unsure what he was but I am somewhat ashamed for killing him. I found out that these bugs eat other bugs that we don't want hanging around. I suppose I should have just released him into the wild...or at least onto Main Street.

This reminds me of a few other "bug situations" that I have had. One summer I worked at a girl's camp and accidentally kicked a scorpion into a swimming pool filled with screaming children. I also caught a pregnant spider in a film canister. We dumped her into a bathtub which caused it's millions of babies to spread out all over the place. It looked like someone dropped a container of pepper into the tub. That summer my cabin-mate and I also mistakenly cut off a lizards tail. We thought it was a snake! (I am aware that lizards and snakes are not bugs. I just thought I would throw that in!)

I will close with one other story. When Jeremy and I were dating, I called him up one night and informed him that I needed his immediate help in my apartment. Upon his arrival, I led him into the bathroom where I instructed him to kill the spider that had decided to occupy my shower. He said "ok, but I will never kill a bug for you again." To this day, he has kept his word.

P.S. During my research, I discovered that Oklahoma is a breeding ground for freakishly large centipedes. Woo-Hoo for Oklahoma!

Check out whatsthatbug.com

Now Accepting Applications

My best Tulsa friend is moving. I am not too happy about it. Her and her husband are moving to Yukon/Mustang area. He got a job! Congratulations, I guess. Anyway, I will need a new Tulsa best friend. I enjoy long walks in the mall and playing cards. If anyone is interested in this opening, please apply in person. Holly- you will be missed! Good luck!

Reunited After a Year!

About three months after my husband and I got married, he lost his ring! Oh yes, lost it! I was not a happy camper, needless to say! We searched the church, cars, and house up and down with no luck. Well, yesterday I got a call from my friend Melissa who goes to our old church in Edmond. I was in church so she left a message and said it was very important. I was thinking that someone died! When I got ahold of her, she told me that she was talking to someone at church and looked down and there was a sticky note with a ring on it. She immediately recognized it as Jeremy's wedding band. The sticky note read: "found: men's wedding band...week's ago". She is mailing it to us! We didn't think we would ever see it again! Have you ever lost something and been reunited after a very long time?

Game Show Mania!

I was on Wheel of Fortune! I won a new red car and over $10,000!!! Too bad it was all just a dream.

New Feature

I have now added a subscribe via email feature that you will see to the right. This is for all who are just on the edge of their seat waiting for me to post another blog! Now, there is no more hourly checking my blog for a new article needed! It will come straight to your email! Enjoy!

Take one down, pass it around, 13 boxes of hair color on the wall.

I like change! I tell people that I can't afford to change my home decor, so I change my hair color! I am a member of a yahoo group called "Freecycle". Basically, I get emails all day long of things that people don't want anymore and you email the person if you want it and then go and pick it up. It is all free! Well, yesterday there was an email that posted about a lady who had some hair color that she didn't want. I was the first one to respond so I went and picked it up from her and now I have a hair color store located in my bathroom. I have 13 different hair colors including some highlighting kits. If you are interested in some change, let me know! I can hook you up! So, if you see me and think...'hmm...something looks different about her'...it's my hair color!

Ebay Adventure!

So, I decided to try my luck with Ebay. I bought a few things at garage sales to sell them. I wasn't sure how to calculate the shipping so I decided it would be a good marketing strategy to have my posting be free shipping! After all, who doesn't like free shipping??? Anyway, some of my items sold and I was so excited! So far, I have made -$8.00 in my ebay business. Shipping is more than I imagined! No more free shipping from Sydn-a-palooza! Oh well! You live, you learn!

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

I just wanted to share this picture of my dog Whitley. I think it is too funny!

While I am at it, I will share what my dear husband does when he gets ahold of the camera.

There are many pictures like this one....he's just making a different face.

Don't look at the smoking bride!

When we were leaving the Civic Center from The Sound of Music, there was a wedding reception letting out at the same time. We looked over and noticed that the beautiful bride, all decked out in her wedding garb, was smoking! As we walked passed her, there was also a young girl and her mother walking by. We heard the mother say "Oh, look at the bride!" The daughter followed with "A real live bride? Where?" The mother replied "Oh! Don't look at the bride! Don't look at the smoking bride!" and she rushed her daughter out of sight of the smoking bride!

So Long, Farewell, auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye

My best friend Sarah is moving to Chicago! She is going to Wheaton to get her masters in Biblical Exa-something. We had a great going away weekend for her in Edmond! We had a surprise party for her Friday night and then on Saturday night, we went to the Sound of Music at the Civic Center. It was a great weekend.

New Swimming Pool

Last night I turned on the sprinklers to water my yard and then went to bed! Not sure what I was thinking. So now, my garden has turned into a swimming pool. I will be opening up my new pool to the public. Admission is $1.00. All procedes go to help pay my water bill. Let me know if you are interested in some summer fun!

Daily Math Problem

There are 3 military men that go to get a hotel room. The room costs $30.00 so they split it evenly each paying $10.00. After a while, the hotel owner decided that he felt bad for charging them that much, being military men, so he gave 5 one dollar bills to the doorman and asked him to take it to the men and split it evenly. The doorman looked at the 5 ones and decided to give each man back $1.00 and keep the other $2.00 for himself. So, now the men have paid $9.00 dollars each. $9.00 x 3 is $27.00. The doorman has $2.00. That is $29.00. Where is the other dollar?

Whoever figures this out can keep the other dollar.

Pancake Kisses

Yesterday, I met my sister and her 2 kids in Owasso for brunch. We went to IHOP. Hollace (my neice) accidently hit me in the face and so she wanted to kiss it and make it better. She said they were "pancake kisses...with syrup" (she had syrup all over her face!) It was too cute. When we were parting ways, I got more pancake kisses! Love it!

Craigslist Strikes Again!

Our dog Erwin is an escape artist. We have done everything we can think of to keep this dog in the fence and have resorted to a tie-out. One thing we tried was to line the fence with landscaping timbers...15 of them to be exact. This didn't work either. He just dug under the logs and the fence. That little rascal!

Anyway, I have decided to try a new idea which includes lots of Chicken Wire and Rock! So, to try to get rid of the landscaping timbers, I put an ad on Craigslist.org for "15 Landscaping Timbers for $20.00 or $2.00 per Timber. I will also trade for a honeysuckle or other plants depending on what you have." I got an email from a guy who had Lamb's Ears and Black-eyed Susans. I said "we have a deal!"

Last night, he came to my house to get the lumber and gave me a HUGE Lamb's Ear plant, a Black-eyed Susan, a seedling morning glory that he had in a coffee container, a bucket of horse poop, and $20.00!!! I made a killing! Yea for Craiglist!!!

Nasty Tricky-Trickster!

Last night I found a pair of my husbands dirty socks stuffed into my pillowcase. He thinks he is so funny!

Gardening is my new hobby!

This is my garden in the front of my house. I had help from a really nice lady that I met on Craigslist.org. She gave me the Crepe Myrtle in the middle.

This is what I did with my Memorial Day off! I don't have very many plants for this side yet.

This is what I got out of the day.

I've been Tagged!

I've been tagged by Hilary Hubbard.

Here's how to play: Post the rules on your blog and complete the following:
3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 current obsessions/collections, and 3 random, surprising facts about yourself. At the end of your post tag five people and let them know they are tagged by leaving them a comment on their blog- Have fun.

3 Joys:
1. Listening to my windchimes.
2. Standing back and looking after finishing something. (example: cleaning)
3. Singing.

3 Fears:
1. Bones.
2. I will get made fun of because I only have 2 people to tag.
3. That I will never like to exercise and I will always like McDonalds.

3 Goals:
1. Lose 15 lbs.
2. Get out of debt.
3. To one day be an expert at something.

3 Obsessions/Collections:
1. Diet Dr. Pepper.
2. Garage Sales.
3. I am currently collecting my used calculator tape. When I get a lot, I am going to interoffice it to a co-worker.

3 Random/Surprising Fact About Me:
1. I was born without the tissue that connects my ligaments to my fingers.
2. I have had one stitch. (In my face!)
3. I love to make charts/lists.

I tag: Sarah and Jeremy

A few things you should know before agreeing to be my friend

1. If you have a truck, I will take advantage of you.
2. I will never agree to go to a sporting event with you. You can ask, but I will say no.
3. I begin most sentences with "I shouldn't say this but..."
4. You will more than likely be asked to color my hair at some point in our friendship.
5. I am not always oozing with class.

The Shirtless Bearded Man

I have recently become addicted to Craigslist! I have given away several things using it that I would have had to pay someone to haul off. Yesterday I placed a wanted ad for a trunk bike rack. I do not have a bike yet but I figured that I should have a bike rack so when I find a bike I will have a way to get it home. I got a reply to my wanted ad shortly after I placed it. The guy wanted $10 for it. After work, I went to pick it up. After I found the place, out from the back yard (which was filled with things including about 7 sheds) came a shirtless bearded man wearing a pair of kahki's and a bucket hat (when I say beard, I really mean a beard...a white long scruffy beard!) The man's name was Jeff. He was the exact opposite of anyone named Jeff that I have ever known. Definately not your typical Jeff. Anyway, he brought out the bike rack and when I was about to leave, he asked where I was going to ride bikes to. I told him that I didn't actually have a bike yet. He said "well, I might have one for you" and went into his backyard junk jungle and returned with a seatless bike. It was a pretty nice looking bike just missing a seat and air in the tires. I decided that this would be a bike for Jeremy. I told him that I was actually looking for one of those old types (you know the kind with a basket) and he said "well, I have one of those too!" So he went back into the backyard junk jungle and came back with a blue "good vibrations" Huffy bike! Now this bike was also in not excellent shape but definately something that I could work with. So, we put the 2 bikes on my new bike rack and I paid him $50 for the entire package and went on my way. Today, I am going to be picking up some FREE monkey grass from a Craigslist lady. Have I said that I am a fan of Craigslist?

Dust Bunnies & Sister Throwing

Thursday night, Jeremy and I set out for my parents house. The plan was to clean out mom's garage and have a garage sale. The weekend garage sale whirlwind began with a lightbulb. Early Friday morning, my sister, Hilary, and I went into the garage to get started on this monsterous task. We flipped the switch for the light in the garage and nothing happened. So, I had the bright idea of putting my almost 30 year old sister on my shoulders to change the lightbulb. After the light came on, for some reason that is still a mystery to both of us, I threw her onto the ground. Luckily, the garage sale items broke her fall. My mother asked Jeremy to paint her bedroom a nice light neutral color that will go with anything. Therefore, he painted it yellow with a red accent wall! Not exactly what she had in mind. So, the day began with a lightbulb and ended with:
10 Dirty Fingers
9 Million Empty Boxes
8 Hours of Driving
7 Dust Bunnies in my Nose
6 Scrapes and Bruises
5 Things to Sell on Ebay
4 Dollars in Personal Garage Sale Earnings
3 Trips Down Memory Lane
2 Moments of Hysterical Laughter
1 Warning for Speeding (Jeremy's)
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree!

Woo-Hoo for Garage Sales!

Random Message to my Husband: I'm not going to Twitter and you can't make me!

Fiberlicious!

I LOVE Fiber One Oats and Chocolate bars! They have 35% of the daily amount of fiber that you are supposed to get. I ate 3 of them last night. I learned this morning that that was not a great idea! I think I overdosed on Fiber! But...I had fun doing it!

Garage Sale-a-palooza!

I had my first garage sale in my new house this weekend! It went ok. The city kept driving by and stealing my signs so we had to have back up signs to replace the ones that were taken (something about them not being legal I guess!) I made about $200 of which most was promptly spent on a couch that was also an attendee at my sale and a cover for it from Wal-Mart. There were a few larger items left after the sale was over. One was a queen size mattress that was in less than acceptable shape. I put a sign on it that read "free queen mattress!" Apparently no one was willing to take it off of my hands so I resorted to posting an ad on Craigslist.org. A lovely lady and her grown children stopped by yesterday to give the mattress a new home. They threw it into the back of their truck and the grown kids jumped in on top of it and laid down for the ride home! I have now replaced the junk in the garage with my husbands weight set. I wanted him to have his 'man cave' so I hope he uses it wisely.