1. Setting aside the real March Madness (NCAA Basketball) describe something happening at your house this month that might earn the title 'March Madness'?

Alison has pneumonia!  ACK!

2. What's a favorite made up word from your childhood or a favorite from your children's childhood? Does your family still use the word today? If there's a story behind the origin please share.

When I was little...whenever we were going to Kentucky Fried Chicken, I would call it going to Gunga's house.  And to this day, even my brothers call KFC, Gunga.  


3. Will you be doing any spring cleaning now that the season is upon us? I read here a list of 15 quick (under one hour) spring cleaning tasks. They were-

clean out a drawer, vacuum furniture, whiten tile grout, dust the nooks and crannies you don't get to year round, degrease kitchen cabinets, wipe down walls, go behind furniture, wipe down ceiling fans, vacuum the mattress, clean the range hood, wash baseboards, shine the stainless steel, clean out vents, tackle the windows, and wipe down gadgets

Of the fifteen 'quick' tasks listed which two most need doing at your house? Will you do them?

Yes!  Spring cleaning is very important!!   We started with Alison's room and I am working my way through the rest of the house.  

4. A favorite movie set in Paris or New York?

I can't think of any...I am not a big movie watcher.

5. What's put a spring in your step this month?

When the sun is shining!  We have been getting so much rain, when the sun peeks through just makes me very happy!


6. Did you ever want to be a teacher? Why or why not?

Not really, I don't like speaking in front of people.

 

7.  What's your favorite floral scent? Do you have this somewhere in your home or maybe in a perfume? How do you feel about florals in food? How about wines with floral notes-yay or nay?

Lilacs!  My absolute favorite.  I use wax in a couple of burners around the house that melts the wax and makes it smell fabulous.   I am not sure about florals in food, maybe lavendar?  Wine!  yes, please!  

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I am almost 40!!!!!

1.  What is one area of your life where you're a perfectionist? Is that a good thing?
I am not at all a perfectionist, but I do prefer to be organized.  I like a place for everything and everything in its place.

2. What's something you find perfectly ridiculous?

My daughter!  She is just so funny, silly and fearfully and wonderfully made!  

3. What's a skill you've developed by way of that old fashioned saying, 'practice makes perfect?

I would have to say my cooking skills!  When I was first married I would make a few things often that I knew my hubby would eat.  But in the last few years I have really started making more things and getting more adventurous.  

4. What's your idea of a perfect breakfast?

We went to a family breakfast at a dinner a few weeks back.  I had what they called a Redneck Benedict.  It was so yummy.  Little chicken fried steaks, on top of biscuits with gravy and poached eggs.  So good!  

5. What's a trip, holiday, vacation, or day outing you've taken that you'd rate a perfect 10? Tell us why.

Our honeymoon cruise to Mexico was as close to perfect as I could get.  The weather, the food and being married to my best friend made it amazing!!

6. What quote or saying perfectly sums up your life right now? If you can't do perfect, how about one that comes close?

Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway - John Wayne

7. How would you spend $300 today?

I would take $100, give my husband $100 and my daughter $100 and we would all buy ourselves new clothes!

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

I have Emitophobia and my husband was sick yesterday.  I am trying to be strong and not lose my mind.  

The ankle accident

Went to the park on Saturday with the puppy where he met a new friend and proceeded to run around and have fun.  However...he and the new friend got a little too crazy and ran me over!!!   They knocked my off my feet and hurt my ankle...  It is just a little swollen...   :)

Cast iron

I am super excited about this gift I received from my mom.   A mini cast iron!  I have a big one but this is a small one that will be perfect for making a big cookie in!

1. Have you ever been fishing? Did you catch a fish? If so did you keep it or throw it back? If you haven't been fishing is that something you'd like to try?   Yes, I have been fishing.  The very first time was when hubby and I started dating.  I never caught anything but he did and we had a great trout dinner!!


2. What's something you're always fishing for in your purse, wallet, desk, or kitchen junk drawer?    Tape!  For some reason I can never find the scotch tape!!!


3. Your favorite fish tale or movie?   Finding Nemo!  HA!


4. Are you sunrise, daylight, twilight or night? Explain why you chose your answer.   Sunrise!  I love starting the day fresh!!


5. What's the oldest piece of clothing you own and still wear?   I have a pink hoodie that I still wear and is ages old!  It is starting to get holes and hubby teases me for wearing it.  But I love it!


6. We've got one more month of (officially) winter here in the Northern hemisphere. Are you feeling the need for a getaway? What's been the best and worst part of your winter so far?   I am ready for sun!!!!  I love that we had a bunch of snow this year but I am ready for longer days and warmer weather.

7.  The Wednesday Hodgepodge lands on National Margarita Day...will you be celebrating? Frozen or on the rocks? Are you a Jimmy Buffett fan? If so, what's your favorite JB tune?   I would love a margarita on the rocks with some Mexican food!  I love Jimmy Buffett!  And Margaritaville would be the song!!


8.  Insert your own random thought here.   I need more coffee!!!!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. What do/did you call your grandparents? If it's something unusual tell us the story behind the name. If you're a grandparent what do your grands call you? Who chose your moniker?  Unfortunately my grandparents have all passed away.  However, when they were alive both sets were just Grandpa/Grandma and their last name.  Nugget calls my mom-a-law Nana and my mom Grammy and both grandpas are called Papa but my father-in-law is Papa Bob.  Nugget came up with Nana herself when she was very little.


2. Ever taken a road trip along the California Coast? If so what was the highlight of your trek? If not, any desire to do so? If you were to take a trip along the California Coast what's one attraction you'd have on your must-see list?  Yes!!  Years and years ago after high school graduation.  The Redwoods were amazing!!!


3. What are three things you don't know how to do?   Let's see, there are many things that I do not know how to do so picking three is hard but I am going to pick three things that I don't know how to do and want to learn!   1.  speak Spanish   2.  write in calligraphy   3.  make candles


4. Tom Peters is quoted as saying, 'Celebrate what you want to see more of.' If that's true what will you celebrate and more importantly, how will you celebrate?   Yes!  I think that there can certainly be more love and understanding in this world.  Share it, live it!


5. Thursday (February 16) is National Almond Day. Do you like almonds? Which would you prefer-an Almond Joy or a macaron? What's something you make that calls for almonds?  I love almonds!   Almond Joy is the best of three things, coconut, chocolate and almonds!


6. What does Saturday morning look like at your house?  Getting up and making coffee and usually something yummy for breakfast!  Bacon and eggs or biscuits and gravy are favorites.  I usually strip the bed and wash the sheets.


7. Share with us a favorite book you've read this winter.  I am ashamed to admit that I have not read a book this winter!!


8.  Insert your own random thought here.   Hubby and I are going on a date on Friday night and I am looking forward to it!  We have not had a date night in a long time!

The beach....

This weekend, I went with my mom-a-law and my sister-in-law to the beach!  We had a wonderful time.  The weather was perfect, no rain and not too cold!   We also went to the aquarium which was amazing!!!!  

The closet....

When we moved into our townhouse a year ago...we loved that we had so much more closet space than we ever had before.  There is a huge closet under the stairs that we decided would be Alison's closet.  We could keep her clothes, toys and even play in that closet since there was so much room....it could be her own little hide out.  The only downside to this....  The mess!!!

(disaster)

Clothes, clothes and more clothes everywhere!  And underneath all those clothes?  Random toys!!!  I was on a mission on Saturday to straighten this mess up!!  It was so easy to ignore the mess by just closing the door, but alas, I couldn't ignore it forever!   So the clean up began!

I started with all the clothes that we will donate.  I ended up removing three garbage bags full of clothes that she either didn't like to wear or that were too small.   I had one bag full of clothes that were either too stained or had holes and were not suitable for donating!  

Next came the toys!  That basket with the yellow trim is a laundry type basket that my mother-in-law gave me.  I put all her toys that were scattered about into it!  I also threw away a garbage bag full of random toys that were broken or just not worth donating.  

On the right hand side of the photo are the family coats that are hanging there but there were just too many, so I took the coats that we do not wear all that often and moved those to the hall closet.  

The final result...  

(wow, there is a floor)

Amazing!!   You can actually walk into the closet now.  She can find exactly what she is looking for. The top shelf is separated into two piles, short sleeve and long sleeve shirts.  The 2nd shelf is all her skirts and dresses.  The 3rd shelf is pants and shorts that she wears under the skirts and dresses and a bin with all her socks and underwear.  The bottom shelf is all pajamas and a basket with hats, swimming suits and gloves (so random stuff).  It took me over an hour to clean up the mess but the results are amazing and now we can open the closet without fear of getting lost in the disaster!!!

Snow!!!!

A couple of weeks ago we got a ton of snow!  Almost a foot in fact and for the Pacific NW that is a lot!  Of course, compared to other parts of the country it isn't a lot but for us, it was a bunch.  We had a great time playing, sledding and going for family walks in the snow!  The puppy loved it and Alison had so much fun!

The snow started on a Tuesday afternoon and quickly escalated to this!!!   It was amazing to watch and the snow just kept piling up!  

This was at about 6:30 in the morning!  She just couldn't wait until after breakfast to get outside!  That is the one thing about not getting snow very often, you have to take advantage of it when it happens!  While she played outside with daddy, I made bacon and eggs!!  And watched from the window with a hot cup of coffee!!!  

(happy heart)

Daddy built the snow up into a big pile for sledding!  Mama even tried it although, I don't remember sledding being quite as painful as a kid as I do now.  ;)

All good things come to an end however and the snow has melted, all except for the few dirty piles about town that were from plowing.  I must say, I really do enjoy the snow and I am hoping that since it is only the end of January...that we get a couple more snow days before spring.  :)

A new year and a huge update!!

I have not posted in a really, really, really long time. But I decided that a new year means it is time to start blogging again!!! So many good and bad things happened in 2016.

 I will start with the two very bad things!!  We lost these two precious fur babies.  Miss Mew had a stroke in May and we had to put her down as she could no longer walk.

We also lost Beastie.  My big dog that had been my best friend and protector before I even met my hubby.  She had turned twelve on January 8th and started going down hill very quickly and passed away on February 1st.  She lived a lot longer than most giant breeds.  We always joked that because she was English Mastiff/Lab mix that she was living on Lab time.   My heart really does hurt daily missing her!!

Now onto the good stuff!!  Alison started the 1st grade and absolutely loves it!  It is amazing that she can read and write now!  It seems just like yesterday she was a tiny baby!!!  She amazes me every day by what a sweet and kind little girl she is.  We are so very blessed that she is ours!!  

Another very exciting thing that happened in 2016 was the addition of this little fellow!  He is a Golden Shepherd (Golden Retriever/German Shepherd) and is now 7 months old.  He is a very, very busy guy.  I had forgotten how very buys puppies are as Beastie was 12 years old.  His name is Hicks and is quite the precious little guy.  Although busy, he is always good for a snuggle which I love!  He certainly doesn't replace Beastie or Bailey (our other dog that passed before) but he does make a great addition to our family!  

(we shall see if he grows into those ears)

We are hoping that 2017 will be a great year for our family.  Many goals are in place such as paying off debt and starting a new business!   And many other awesome things which will be blog posts in their own right!!  My goal is to post at least once a week!  Maybe even twice if something exciting happens!  :)   

Two days....

Surgery is in two days...and the butterflies in my tummy are certainly doing their thing. Getting a bit nervous. I am trusting that I will be just fine.

Swimming!!!

I really do think that Alison is part fish. She loves the pool and has spent more time in the water this summer than out!

Medical update...

Apparently there was a conflict with the 2nd surgeon that needs to be present for my surgery, so my surgery date has been moved up to August 27th!!! As scared as I am, I will be happy to not be in pain any more!