July 28th Questions:

1. What is your blogging style?

• Stir it up… I’ve done that.
• Can we talk?… and that.
• Observing the scene… yep.
• Stuff you want to know… hopefully .

Why is that? Tell us why you think your blogging style falls into one of the above categories. Are you okay with this style? If you could change your blogging style, what would you change it to?

I think my blogging style is all kinds of styles… from memes to random thoughts. I’m completely okay with it, it’s how I am… random …  I don’t think I’d necessarily change it, maybe be more interesting but oh well.

2. Have you ever read a book because Oprah suggested it? If so, what was the title and was it what you expected? If not, why not?

Yes. Several of the first books of the Oprah book club.  I pretty much avoid her lists these days.

3. Who do you turn to if your techie things die? Why this person? Are you very good at fixing techie things? Tell us your most successful, or most terrible, experience at fixing something techie.

Matt.  He is smart and can fix things. Yes. My most successful fix was a few years ago when my laptop power thingie stopped working.  I couldn’t find a place to fix it so I ordered the part off ebay, took my laptop apart, soldered the piece in, and put it back together.  Go Annie!

4. July is nearly over, any final words? (Sum up your month for us – the good and the bad).

July has been a hot month full of running and birthdays!  Lots of room cleaning and painting.  Tons of swimming and outside stuff.  A good month for the most part!

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Outside my Window...a little cloudy and really hot!I am thinking…that I have a hard job ahead of me!  Including moving lots of furniture!

I am thankful for…my bloggy meet up with Kari today!

From the kitchen...No cooking tonight.  Too busy.  We got carryout gyros. Bleck.

I am creating…nothing.

I am going… to help dad install his new flat screen tv.

I am wearing…khaki shorts, brown top

I am reading…twilight.  Yes still.

I am hoping…to get my floors un-sticky after Emelia spilled a gallon of pink lemonade.

I am hearing… matt smash coke cans!

Around the house…sticky floors that were just mopped, a load of laundry to fold, a tired big girl to put to bed.

One of my favorite things…a day planned with lots of fun things!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week… working in my bedroom, switching furniture around, eating germany with miki…

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you…me & Izzy swimming on her birthday…

Whew, that’s a lot of stuff for one post huh? We’ve had a busy day ending with a birthday party. I’m posting this all late Sunday night… but tomorrow is Amanda’s 18th birthday! I can hardly believe that I am the mother of an eighteen year old! It really seriously seems like yesterday that she was a little baby, then a little girl… then a pre-teen… you get the picture. It really goes fast. If you have a little one and you think it doesn’t go fast, let me tell you here and now it does! You will blink and be singing happy birthday to your eighteen year old child.

Amanda has been a relatively easy child to raise. She has a very sweet spirit and is quiet in nature. She is an incredibly hard worker in school and has made us so proud so many times… getting the golden falcon for having all “A’s” throughout junior high… being in the State and National Honor Societies… Having the highest gpa… making over 30 points in a single basketball game and winning MVP of the tournament… so many things she has done in her life to make us proud. She has a silly sense of humor that you only see if you know her well enough for her to show it to you.

Happy Birthday to Amanda. I love you!

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Crystal tagged me for my five favorite things!

1. family! Immediate to extended… they are my favorite peeps.
2. friends! I have the best friends. I’m a blessed girl!
3. church! We have an awesome church.
4. blogging! I love to blog and love my bloggy friends (I’m meeting another IRL Monday!)
5. sleep! My nap was cut short today to get ready for the party tonight… but it sure was nice!

I won’t mention purses or sonic ice… long lunches talking or praying at bedtime with Matt… shopping trips with my mom or snuggling with Izzy. Well, I guess I mentioned it all… but I just have so many favorite things. Thanks for the tag Crystal. I’ll tag anyone who wants to list their five favorite things!

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One of my oldest bloggy friends (Sheryl) gave me the sharing the love blogging award. Thanks Sheryl!

I’ll pass it on to Amanda since it’s her birthday and all… and to my other birthday friends… Jenny (July 30), Marcia (Aug. 6)! I pass it to you too if your birthday is this month or in August! Happy Birthday!

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Last but not least… menu time!

Monday is Amanda’s actual birthday, but she’s going out to eat dinner with Lorenzo and seeing Mama Mia… so we’ll just have a normal meal here. Most likely quesadillas. With grilled chicken and guacamole.

Tuesday grilled burgers and broccoli cauliflower salad

Wednesday we’ll have spaghetti & garlic bread.

Thursday grilled chicken and baked potatoes…

Friday Matt has requested gyros. yuck. but okay.

OH. One more thing. Guess what I got today?

Happy Monday!

Week’s Weather … It’s gonna be a hot one!

Sunday Sermon … tba…

Life lessons … Everything always works out!

Favorite Meal(s) John’s penne pasta with artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, greek olives, and zucchini, with garlic bread YUM!

Treasured Moment(s) Shopping with Amanda for her birthday outfit after breakfast at Panera, swimming with Bailey and Isabelle, movie with Matt Bailey and Emelia, time spent with Julie, lunch with Susan & Mickey at Cheesecake Factory.

Simple Pleasures sonic ice, baby wash and a loofah, summer tan, cinnamon rolls.

Talked with Julie while doing her hair, Matt’s mom, aunt and sister during their overnight visit here.

Impacting News

National … the hurricane (dolly).

Local

Personal Izzy had her birthday July 26! She is 6

Things I Read : still working on Twilight. Devos. Bible.

Movies/Videos mama mia, bucket list

Places We Went lunch with Susan & Mickey at Cheesecake Factory! Movie “mama mia” with matt, bailey and emelia…

Budget Savers/Busters movies are expensive… plus cokes and popcorn… ouch! gas is ridiculous. . . saved money on Izzy’s clothes from Gymboree by using gymbucks!

Blessings: good health, good friends, family.

Challenges getting everything done!

Accomplishments: Did a lot of yard work! Organized and cleaned pool area. De-weeded the gardens, cleaned oven and stove!

Family Happenings party for all the July birthdays with Matt’s family and a party tomorrow night for Amanda and Izzy with my family.

Photos

Izzy is six today! Six years old. Not the way I imagined her sixth birthday when her life began six years ago…

Isabelle is a beautiful, smart, loving, precious little girl that could not be loved more by more people.

I’m thankful for the six years I’ve had with her so far. I thank God for her life. I trust God with her life.

Saturday 9: We Travel Well

1. What part of the world and country do you live in?  United States.  Oklahoma.  Middle of the state …

2. What is the furthest from home that you have been, and where is it? Florida. Orlando.

3. What travel destination have you enjoyed the most?  Disneyworld.

4. What travel destination have you enjoyed the least?  Wyoming.

5. Is there somewhere you’d like to visit but have not, and where is it? Tons of places!

6. Do you prefer traveling to see historic places or to hit the beach and relax? both.

7. What popular vacation destination have you never considered because you think you’d not like it? grand canyon.

8. Where do you travel to most recently? Orlando.

9. Do you like day trip “mini-vacations”? Not often.  Sometimes we go to Dallas for the weekend.

~Summer Favorites~

1. Favorite Summer Activity: Swimming!

2. Favorite Summer Meal:  Fresh veggies, like corn on the cob. Grilled food.

3. Favorite Thirst Quencher:  Coke with sonic ice.

4. Favorite Summer Weather:  Warm, not scorching hot.  Sunny upper 80′s or low 90′s.  It’s going to be 103 this monday!  too hot!

1. What is your favorite mode of transportation (flying, train, car, boat, etc.)? Why?

I love to fly. Well, I don’t love to fly… but I love getting there quickly and I love walking around the airport and watching people coming and going and wondering about that and well, driving is just too much work. Although I do drive just about everywhere so I guess it would technically be my favorite mode of transportation.

2. If you could fly like Superman, jump and swing like Spiderman, swing on vines like Tarzan or fly on an umbrella like Mary Poppins, which would you choose?

I’d choose Superman. I don’t have a practical need for scaling buildings, I live in a small town… there aren’t many vines around here and the umbrella thing just seems too old fashioned.

3. You’re driving down the road and you see a small cluster of people, all with their thumbs out hoping to hitch a ride with you. As you near the group you realize that the people standing there are Queen Elizabeth, Johnny Depp, Barrack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and John Grisham. You only have room for one person. Who would you pick up?

I couldn’t pick up Johnny Depp (I’d have to call Natalie to come pick him up!)… I’d probably pick up the queen. She’s old for goodness sakes and it’s hot here! She would be very grateful for a ride I’m sure.

4. What was the most memorable trip you’ve ever taken?

Probably our trip to Orlando. I remember every thing about that trip, it was so wonderful. I can recount all the days in my mind. It was one of the best weeks ever! Disney rules!

5. If you were planning a road trip with your best friend, where would you start, what would you stop to see and where would you end?

A road trip? Can’t we fly somewhere? Oh ok…. I’ll play along. I am not a fan of long drives, so there would be lots of stops. I think we’d drive to Florida and stop and see a few bloggy friends along the way.

6. You are able to transport yourself back to any time. What would it be and why?

This question is easy. And repetitive. It would be the week prior to Izzy‘s accident. I would have every security measure installed so that the accident would have been avoided. The fence would be there like it is now along with alarms everywhere. I’d probably even go as far as to get one of those kid leashes and strap her to me.

7. Would you have flown with the Wright Brothers when they first discovered air travel?

Absolutely not! I am in the camp of wait and let it become safe and well tested. Not a fan of trying something new that hasn’t been given all the safety thumbs up and even flying in the planes now is a little daunting, but I feel they are safe. (I watch the steward’s eyes, if they look calm I am calm… I figure they have been flying enough to know when to really be worried.)

You know you wanna play! Visit “Kicking it in Crazyville” to link up!

Friday Fill-Ins #82

Here we go:

1. I believe whatever doesn’t kill you will make you stronger (duh!).

2. If you’re good at something, thank God for that talent.

3. Why so many people turning their faces away from God.

4. Something is out there, it’s just the dog.

5. If my life were a sitcom, it would be titled “my life as annie.”

6. Sitting on my back porch [if you don't have one, use your imagination] I see the nicely mowed yard, the blue pool water, and the weed eater waiting for me to finish!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to Matt’s mom and aunt Jane Ellen coming for a visit, tomorrow my plans include Izzy’s sixth birthday! and enjoying John’s pasta for the birthday lunch and shopping… and jane ann’s hair and Sunday, I want to have amanda’s and Izzy’s birthday party!

We replaced a few lighting fixtures recently. I changed the one above the dining room table because it had gold on it and I am not a fan of gold. We replaced the fixture in Emelia’s room when we painted and rearranged because the two of us found a pretty one when shopping for paint. One thing I learned when shopping for a fixture was that there are tons to choose from and a lot of different prices too.

I’ve been dieting for several months now. I can’t even remember when I started, but I think it was early Spring or late Winter. I think I’ve lost at least 30 pounds. I am at a little bit of a stand still, but I’m okay with it because clothes fit well and everything, but I would like to go ahead and get the last little bit off once and for all! I don’t think I would ever consider taking a drug like Lipovox.

I got this list in an email (thanks Betty) and thought it was great!

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile.

It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if

you have to.

3. When you wake up in the morning complete the following

statement, ‘My purpose is to __________ today.’

4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food

that is manufactured in plants.

Alaskan salmon, broccoli , almonds & walnuts.

6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

7. Don’t waste your precious energy on energy vampires, issues of

the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead

invest your energy in the positive present moment.

8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like

a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

9. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.

10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

11. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

12. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

13. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.

14. Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what

their journey is all about.

15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: ‘In five

years, will this matter?’

17. Forgive everyone for everything.

18. What other people think of you is none of your business.

19. GOD heals everything. (Physically or Spiritually)

20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

21. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your

friends will. Stay in touch!!!

22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

23. Each night before you go to bed complete the following

statements: I am thankful for __________.  

Today I accomplished _________.

24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

 

Visit Sheryl to share faith lifts.