I Can Feel The Ocean Breeze Now...

It's Saturday and nothing exciting to report from here. I feel like I'm going through a blogging slump. I have things I'd like to write about and share but just don't have the energy to do it. I'm sure you've all experienced these slumps too right?

As much as I enjoy participating in the fun things around blogland, they take effort and energy. I always have the best of intentions but then don't follow through. Real life sure does get in the way of blogging doesn't it!

Plus, I'm without a computer! I'm using hubby's right now and believe me, he asks me at least every 10 minutes if I'm finished with it yet. As my friend Jill says, talk about a "groove buster!" My computer bit the dust and I'm in mourning big time! I loved my computer (probably a little too much). My favorites, my pictures, everything, gone. I'm surprised I'm not more upset, but really, what can be done about it now.

The heat doesn't help either. It has a way of draining a person's energy. It's been almost 100 degrees everyday lately so I think summer is here to stay. I came up with the idea to run away to the beach tomorrow for a few days to escape the heat and boy did hubby jump at the idea! So that's what we're doing tomorrow, we're running away to the beach! Old downtown Ventura has cute, quaint shops so I plan on spending the next few days browsing around shops and taking long walks for exercise. The only thing missing will be my fun shopping buddies, my daughter Courtney and sister Debbie. I love shopping with these girls but hubby will do in a pinch!

So yep, the groove buster, Jake, and I will be relaxing with the cool ocean breezes for a few days. Hope your first few days of summer are relaxing too!

P.S. I'll be picking a winner tonight for my 300th post giveaway!

It's Time For A Giveaway!

I reached my 300th post recently and I definitely think it calls for a giveaway! Wow, 300 posts! I specifically remember writing that very first one. After I hit "publish post", I sat there thinking "ok, what next!?" I was afraid and excited all at the same time.

Over the last 15 months, alot of my day to day feelings have been shared, my life has been opened up and shared, and I've made wonderful friends and memories in the process. I wouldn't trade it for anything! Thank you for being on this fun journey with me!

Blogging truly has become one of my favorite things to do so that is the theme of this giveaway...favorites! It will be fun gathering up some of my favorite things to share with you. Hey, if Oprah can do it, so can I! Everyone knows that Target is my all time favorite so a $25 Target gift card will be first on the list...the rest will be a surprise!

Everyone who follows this blog are my favorites too so Saturday night I'll pick a winner from my follower list on my sidebar. It's just a small way of saying thank you for being a follower. I'll announce the winner Sunday.

So with that being said, I better get shopping!

Hide and Seek

I went to work today after being off for a week so I knew it was going to be tough getting back into the swing of things...and boy it was!

My husband went out of town yesterday so last night I got the laundry room all ready in order to leave Jake in there while I worked today. I put blankets down on the floor, food, water, the whole bit. I also blocked off the door so that he couldn't escape. Although Jake doesn't like his wheels, he's now scooting himself all over...but only when we're not home! I'm telling ya, when you leave the house, you never know where you'll find him when you return.

Today at lunch I rushed home to express Jake's bladder. Many a days I've gone my whole 12-hour shift without taking a bathroom break but there's no way I'm going to have Jake wait that long. I'm sure he doesn't have the sensation of needing to go potty, but now he's prone to UTI's, so we're really good about expressing him regularly.

Anyways, I came in the house and went straight to the laundry room...no Jake! I went from room to room to room, calling for him, couldn't find the rugrat anywhere. He was nowhere to be found! I grabbed the phone, called my husband, telling him "I can't find Jake anywhere. The alarm was on when I got home so I know no one was in the house but Jake is missing!" He says "what do you mean he's missing. It's not like he's gonna get up and walk anywhere!" Duh, I know that, but in the meantime he's missing!

Just as I was going out of Courtney's room (clear across the other side of the house), Jake pops his head out from under her bed!

Here I'm so concerned about Jake and where the little guys disappeared to and hubby's only worried that Jake's gonna leave a trail of poop while he's meandering about the house. Well, truth be told, he's already left a trail of poop while meandering about the house...a few times!

Soooo, long story short, we've now discovered we can't trust a paralyzed dog! Well guess what, Jake's in for a little surprise! We'll soon be bringing out something from his past. Watch out Jake, the trusty old baby gate is coming out of retirement! There's gonna be no more escaping the laundry room now buddy!

If you just weren't so darn cute...

It's Friday

And I'm nosy...

So here's the question: Are you a follower of my blog? If so, be prepared, I feel a giveaway coming on! I just reached my 300th post!

Have a great day!

Thrifty Thursday

Thank you Leigh for hosting Thrifty Thursday each week. To join in the fun or to visit other Thrifty Thursday participants, click here.

Even though I'm fairly new to the world of thrifting, it didn't take me long to discover that it's "hit and miss" with thrifting. Some trips to the Goodwill are fruitful and some not so much. Lucky for me, my recent trip to the Goodwill was a hit.

I've got definite plans for the goodies I brought home...all of which are in the process of getting spray paint make-overs.


The 3-tier shelf was $3.79. It was off white and covered with rust. I washed it down good, sanded over the rust areas, and gave it a fresh new coat of paint. We'll be redoing 2 bathrooms soon and I thought this might be nice in one of them. For now, I've got it in one of the bathrooms, sitting on the back of the toilet.


Not bad for $3.79 wouldn't you say!? It's now a dark color and goes great with the dark new hardware that's already been put on the cabinets.

As far as my other goodies, I spray painted the candle holders black...thinking ahead for Halloween! The red wire hanger will soon be white. Won't it be cute to use for different types of ornaments for holidays such as Easter, Christmas, Halloween, or Valentine's Day! And last but not least, I've got some fun plans for the plate. I liked the plate because it has pre-made holes in the back so that it can be hung from ribbon. Believe it or not, you can spray paint plates and I gave it a once over today. I'll be sure and post a picture of the plate project when I'm finished.

So there you have it, my Thrifty Thursday finds. Hope your latest thrifting trips have been as fruitful as mine.

The Teachings Of Jon

Just wanted to share this touching clip with you. It's amazing to me how God puts just the right people in just the right families.

I think I've fallen in love with Jon.

I Have A Question For You...

Does anyone do this anymore besides me?














Ironing is a lost art I tell you.

My mom taught me how to iron at a very early age, grade school age. I've always liked ironing. I find it relaxing and it's the only time that I watch TV. I usually iron for a few hours straight, ironing 30+ pieces at a time.

I remember being in about 4th or 5th grade and doing my mom's ironing for her. She showed me how to dampen the clothes using a coke bottle filled with water. We had this little bottle stopper with holes in the top that fit on the coke bottle. I'd sprinkle the clothes with water, roll them up really tight, then stick them in the refrigerator. I'd take them out one by one and just iron away. I felt so grown up and I really was a good little ironer.

When I was in 6th grade, my uncle hired me to do his ironing for him. He was a single guy and he hated to iron. He wore large size dress shirts, which I starched and ironed. He paid me .25 cents for each shirt and let me tell you, I thought I was making alot of money. I was so disappointed when he got married because I lost my job!

As I got older and had kids, I continued to iron...and iron...and iron. Thinking back on it now, I was always ironing...but my kids sure looked great! I remember my good friend Carole telling me that her daughter said my son was one of the best dressed kids in their high school. I said, "yah, tell me about it. I'm the one buying and ironing all those clothes!"

And I still iron. I iron my shorts, pants, dresses, skirts,
t-shirts, tops, scrub tops, pants, and jackets. I even iron tablecloths and napkins.

I know what you're thinking...weird OCD menopausal woman here, and you're probably right.

But hey, if I should ever decide to abandon my nursing career, I could take up ironing for a living...but you better believe I'll be charging more than a quarter!

Cry, Cry, And Cry Some More...

Although we had a nice camping club weekend, I'm exhausted. I was a bundle of menopausal nerves, crying at times over stuff that normally doesn't bother me.

I cried because my daughter Courtney came to visit us...and then had to leave...

My son Brandon started a new job and he told me that he doesn't really talk to anyone at work yet...I cried...it made me sad for him...and then I cried again because I had to leave him...

I was walking around the campground with Jake yesterday, looking at all the other dogs, and I started crying because Jake can't walk anymore...it's making me cry now just typing it...

I cried off and on all the way home today because I don't want to live in my city anymore. My kids, parents, and many friends all have moved away. We don't have the connections here anymore...but my husband doesn't move easily and the housing market is in the toilet...

And I cried because I was leaving our good friends. We live over 2 hours away from all of them. They get together during the week for dinner, see each other on holidays, take little fun trips together, etc. I'd love to be able to socialize with them more often...

I was a mess...aren't you glad you weren't around me this weekend!?!

It's Friday

And I'm nosy...

So here's the question: Do you ever get headaches? Have you ever had a migraine?

I had a headache from sun up to sun down yesterday. I took a total of 6 Tylenol, didn't help. It's pretty much gone today but I still feel it lingering on a bit. Since I've been dieting all week, I've cut my caffeine consumption wwwaaayyy down. I'm sure it was caffeine related.

Camping Club Weekend

Yippee, it's that time again! We so look forward to this one weekend each month. It's always great to be able to spend time with good friends, relax, eat delicious food, and enjoy the nice weather. I can't wait!

The theme this month is Cinco de Mayo so I won't be eating much of the food this time though. I'll be eating salads and such since I started my diet on Monday. The diet is going good although I do have a massive headache right now. Caffeine related possibly!? I've already lost a few pounds. It feels good to be headed down the right path. The extra weight isn't only menopause related, I've overindulged way to much this last year and it's caught up with me.

I have my 30 Day Shred DVD and will start on it on Monday. I knew I'd be out of town Thurs-Sun so I've been walking instead. I'm anxious to start the 30 day Shred but I hear it kicks butt. That's ok, this butt needs kicking!

I'll get to spend time with my kids this weekend too. Courtney is leaving AZ today for Orange County to babysit my nieces and nephew for the weekend. My nieces are 16 and 17, have boyfriends, and my SIL doesn't trust them to be alone while they're out of town. Smart woman that SIL of mine! We'll be at the beach near Courtney and the kids so they plan on spending the day with us on Saturday. I'm planning on seeing my son tomorrow for sure. He asked if I'd like to go to lunch, maybe do a little shopping with him tomorrow. He's no dummy, he knows momma's got the checkbook! No really, Brandon never asks us for anything so I'm HOPING he lets me treat him to a few things this weekend. I'm blessed with 2 loving, very responsible, and incredibly beautiful children!

As always, I'll take along my camera and hopefully will capture some good memories. Even though I think about it, I hesitate to take pictures sometimes because people don't know I have this blog. I often want to say "lets take a picture so I can blog about it" but of course say nothing and end up with no pictures either. I'll work on that!

Be safe and have a fantastic weekend!

Courtney (aka Little Sis)...

Today was the last final of your Sophomore year. You're now officially a JUNIOR!

Sis, you've worked so hard these last 2 years in college, Dad and I are so proud of you!

But now that it's summer, GET A JOB, please!

Love, Mom

Excuse My Language

But really...Menopause sucks!

I don't eat enough to keep a bird alive yet I keep tipping the scale. A few pounds here, a few pounds there, enough already!

It's time to pull out the big guns...


Ok, now that I've got my exercise plan intact, anyone know of a good remedy for those darn hot flashes that seem to have taken over my life now too!?!

Do You Have A Rose Garden?

My mother-in-law hired an interior decorator to help her when they remodeled their old home some 25+ years ago. Sandy, the decorator, was terrific and really did a superb job. The house turned out beautiful.

Of all the things that were bought and/or changed during the remodel, the large wall in the family room became my mother-in-law's favorite. Sandy had such an eye for detail and the wall in the family room turned out gorgeous. Sandy took old family photos, placed them in beautiful, expensive frames, then hung them all over the wall. To make it even more of a showcase, she hung track lighting from the ceiling to spotlight the photos. It was stunning.

My mother-in-law called this wall her rose garden.

My mother-in-law Sally passed away eleven years ago, and soon after, the family home was sold. My in-laws always had a second home in Palm Springs and my father-in-law decided to make Palm Springs his permanent home. During the packing and moving, my FIL asked my husband if he wanted any of the pictures. He didn't have to ask him twice.

My husband brought home some of the photos years ago and I didn't hesitate to hang them in our home.

I have a rose garden.


My mother-in-law and her only brother...


My father-in-law's parents on their wedding day...


My father-in-law as a child...


This is a picture of an ice sculpture at my in-laws wedding. It has their picture inside the ice sculpture...


I also added in these pictures of my husband and I...


Do you have a rose garden?

A Person's Worst Nightmare

Thursday morning my husband mentioned that he thought he heard sirens earlier that morning, around 3:00am or so. Sirens that were REALLY close by. As it turns out, a home in our neighborhood caught on fire. It didn't burn to the ground but I would imagine it's a complete loss. This was a well maintained 4700 sq foot home, with pool and 4 car garage. As you can imagine the loss is devastating. I drove by yesterday to take some pictures and saw the clean up crew busy at work. A gate has been put up around the house to keep people out. I also noticed that they lost 2 cars in the fire, they are still parked in the garage.




This house sits on a large corner lot and has always been known as the "Santa Claus House." Every year the owners decorated big time at Christmas, drawing crowds from all over the city. The owners would dress up as Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus, hand out candy canes and pose for pictures. They also had 2 trains decorated for Christmas and gave children rides around the neighborhood to see all of the decorations. Our neighborhood has long been known as the place to be during the holidays. At times I'm not even able to back out of my driveway due to traffic. We have limo rides that come through as well as horse drawn carriages giving people rides around the neighborhood to see all of the decorated homes. Christmas in my neighborhood is magical to say the least.

The owners of the Santa Claus house sold it recently due to health issues. It was too large of a home for them to care for any longer. The new owners have only been in this house for a year or so. They have done some remodeling and updating and were really showing pride of ownership. Having your home burn down is every person's nightmare so my heart just breaks for them.

If you get the chance, please keep these people in your thoughts and prayers. I'm sure they would appreciate it.

Blue Monday

Thank you Sally for hosting Blue Monday each week. To join in the fun or to visit other Blue Monday participants, click here.

I haven't mentioned it in awhile, but hubby and I are members of a camping club that meets once a month. We've been members of this club for almost 3 years now so needless to say, some of these people have become dear friends. Like family really.

The club members officially start arriving on Friday afternoon/night and leave on Sunday, but a handful of us try to arrive on Thursday night. That way it gives us 2 full days to enjoy each others company. We talk, play games, go on walks, sometimes shop or do crafts, but there is one thing that we do best...EAT!

For this week's Blue Monday, here is a picture of a group of us on a Sunday morning, eating breakfast before we pack up and head for home. Our official club colors are blue and white. A few are wearing their blue camping club jackets in this picture. Also, look at that blue sky. Isn't it beautiful!


I can't wait until the next campout...and we'll be wearing our blue!

It's Friday

And I'm nosy...

So here's the question: Are you worried about the Swine Flu?

I wouldn't say that I'm worried, I'm cautious.

I work with sick people on a regular basis normally so I'm cautious to begin with. I'm just more cautious now. Many of our patients have relatives coming from and going to Mexico.

So...

As always, I'll wear a mask when dealing closely with patients, especially if they have a cough, I'll report to our doctors any patients with flu-like symptoms or respiratory issues, and most importantly, I'll stress handwashing. We've put out even more bottles of hand sanitizers than normal...and we normally have alot.

So far, it's business as usual.