♥ For Keeps ♥

I walked into the kitchen and found these on the table.



I think I'll keep him!

♥ I love you, Shannon! ♥

Frogs In The Toilet 101

Yesterday, there were a couple of people who asked about how the frog ended up in the toilet......I had that same question for Shannon (who is a plumber) myself, especially after finding a third frog in my bathroom toilet.

After freaking out (for the third time), I called him up at work and demanded asked him ever so politely to please find out where on earth these nasty frogs could be coming from!

I told him that we could not be the only people on the earth that this had ever happened to, and he was a plumber who knew people that knew people! Call some of those people and figure out how to fix this problem........

So he did.



Long story made short....We live in the woods, and our house is surrounded by trees. Apparently the frogs that were in our toilet (shudder) were some sort of tree frog. They would fall from the trees onto the roof of our house. And when the roof would begin to heat up during the day, they tried to find a cooler spot. Unfortunately (for me), that cooler spot was on top of one of our plumbing vents. When they climbed on top of this vent, they would immediately fall in. The first place that the vent led to was our master bathroom toilet (shudder again).

So to keep any more of these horrific creatures from staring at me while I peed used the bathroom in the future, Shannon had to put wire mesh over all of the plumbing vents on our roof. That way, when they landed on the roof and climbed on the vents, they would not be able to fall in ever again!

Thank you, Shannon!

Sleeping and Peeing and Frogs, Oh My!

If you have known me for any amount of time you would know there are four things that I hate don't like.

1. I don't like anyone to touch me around my neck...at all!
2. I can't stand feet. (The only exception being baby feet.)
3. I do not like to touch cotton balls or tear them apart....that gives me chills.
4. But, most of all, I hate do not like frogs!

Frogs scare me. I was not one of those kids that thought they were cute and wanted to touch them and play with them. No, sirree Bob. No thank you! If one jumped near me I would freak out!

All that being said, one morning, (I shudder even recalling it), I got up and went to pee use the bathroom. I was really tired this particular morning, so I maybe fell back asleep sat a little longer than normal on the toilet. When I finally woke up finished, I got up to flush the toilet. You can imagine the HORROR I felt when I glanced down in the toilet and saw that there was something staring back at me....

That's right, my worst nightmare come true.

A frog!

I was horrified! The frog was looking a little startled at me as well, considering the situation we had both found ourselves in.

When I was able to process that I had just sat down over a frog and fell asleep for a few minutes and used the bathroom on it, I quickly shut the lid to the toilet. And flushed it. In hopes, of course, that the frog would go, you know, where the water goes.......

It didn't work.

I opened the lid of the toilet(just a crack) to see if it was successfully flushed.

It wasn't.

I was horrified surprised once again as it proceeded to jump out of the toilet bowl and land halfway across the bathroom floor.

I started freaking out yelling for the boys to come and catch it for me.
Needless to say I had not thought the whole thing through very well. Neither boy was going to touch the frog knowing where it had just been......

Fortunately, Daniel had the presence of mind to run and grab our insect viewing box. He set it over the frog, and the frog jumped right into the box. No touching necessary. (He still used a lot of hand sanitizer afterwards, just in case)....:)

For a year months after this incident, I couldn't even use the bathroom without a full inspection of the toilet bowl before sitting down.

This post may seem like too much information to some people, but this is just the kind of stuff that always happens in my life.

Hey, it ain't easy being me.

"Say hello to my little friend!"

Where's Waldo?

Did you or your children like these books? My boys really enjoyed them. I spent many hours sitting in doctor and dentist office waiting rooms trying to find the elusive Waldo.

But don't worry, I'm not going to ask you to try to find Waldo today. No, instead, I'm going to have you try to find butterflies among the daisies. I know, I know, I said that I was done last Sunday with my spring daisy pictures, but I lied was mistaken. Sorry.

Friday morning I went out in my front yard to take a few more pictures of my beloved daisies before they all withered away. As I was taking some pictures, I spotted this little butterfly right as it landed on one of the daisies.



At first it was just one, then two, and before I knew it there were probably ten of them fluttering about in the daisies.

So, if you would like to, come along and see the butterflies in the daisies. They are much harder to photograph than I would have ever thought. Watching them I realized they are very much like two year olds, constantly on the go. They never stayed still for long; they just fluttered about from flower to flower.

And while you look for them, if you like, you can hum a little Dolly Parton tune.
You can click on the pictures to enlarge them.

♫ Love is like a butterfly ♫



♫ As soft and gentle as a sigh ♫



♫ The multicolored moods of love are
like its satin wings ♫



♫ Love makes your heart feel strange inside ♫



♫ It flutters like soft wings in flight ♫



♫ Love is like a butterfly, a rare and gentle thing ♫



Isaiah 40:8
The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.

I Am A Bare Feet........What Kind Of Shoe Are You?

Several days ago, Kelley at Aroma of Joy posted this "shoe" personality quiz, so I decided to take it for myself. It is actually quite accurate; I am always barefooted at home (but with socks when it's cold, of course). If you are interested to find out what kind of shoe you are, just click on the link below. I would love you to let me know what you find out, and if your "shoe" profile is true about your personality too.:)

You Are Bare Feet

You are a true free spirit, and you can't be tied down. Even wearing shoes can be a little too constraining for you at times! You are very comfortable in your own skin. You are one of the most real people around. You don't have anything to hide. Open and accepting, you are willing to discuss or entertain almost any topic. You are a very tolerant person. You are accepting and not judgmental. You should live: Somewhere warm You should work: At your own business, where you can set the rules

What Kind of Shoe Are You?

Bible Study About The Woman With The Issue Of Blood

This week's woman in my devotional study is "The Woman with the Issue of Blood."

There is probably not a woman on the face of the earth who does not identify with this woman on some level.

This is her story as found in the book of Mark.

Mark 5:24-34
So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him.
And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years.
She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.
When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed."
Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.
At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"
"You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?'"
But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it.
Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth.
He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

Having to deal with the issue of blood once every month is enough for me (not to mention my family); this woman had to deal with it every day for twelve years.

Here's what the Bible says about a woman and her monthly period during that time in history.

Leviticus 15:19
When a woman has her regular flow of blood, the impurity of her monthly period will last seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean till evening.

Here's what the Bible says about a woman who bleeds at a time other than her period during this same time in history.

Leviticus 15:25-27
"'When a woman has a discharge of blood for many days at a time other than her monthly period or has a discharge that continues beyond her period, she will be unclean as long as she has the discharge, just as in the days of her period.
Any bed she lies on while her discharge continues will be unclean, as is her bed during her monthly period, and anything she sits on will be unclean, as during her period.
Whoever touches them will be unclean; he must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean till evening.

I cannot even imagine the physical and mental anguish that this poor woman must have felt. Twelve years enduring what must of been physically and mentally heart breaking pain. She must have been so pale and exhausted from the constant loss of blood.

The loneliness must have been devastating as well. The lack of human contact for twelve years is hard to comprehend. No hugs. No kisses. Not even a handshake to greet you. Just isolation. Rejection. Shame. Loneliness.

I know when it is my time of month, I am probably not the most pleasant person to be around, but I can still be around people. I can hug my husband and my children. I can still go to church and greet friends with a hug or a handshake. I can sit in the same chairs as others without fear or shame. I don't have to worry about others being unclean just by brushing up against me in a crowded hallway.

But this woman had to deal with all these issues and many more every day of her life for twelve years.

So by the time we are introduced to her in the book of Mark, she must have been just at the absolute end of her rope. When we find her heading for Jesus, she is desperate for relief from her suffering.

This woman was broken mentally, physically, and financially. She had been to all the doctors she could find, and she had spent all of her money hoping they would heal her, but they never did. She had exhausted all her options.

Except one.

She risked everything as she thought to herself, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." Just imagine what would have happened if the people in the crowd knew who she was and knew about her issue of blood. She had to have wondered about those things, but she did not let the fear of being "found out" stop her. She kept her eyes on Jesus.

She still had faith.

So many times in life we find that when every thing else is gone..... only faith remains. Faith is ultimately all we need.

And Jesus said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

Imagine how different her life would have turned out had she not had that faith and acted on it. I wonder myself how many blessings I have not received in my own life, because I didn't have the kind of faith that she had as she approached Jesus. I want that kind of faith in my life. And I don't just want to believe in that "faith".....I want to act in that "faith."

At the end of this week's devotional study the authors give a prayer challenge to all of us as women of faith. They say each night before bed remind yourself of your need for faith in your life. If you feel your faith starting to fade, ask God to take the little faith you have and fan it to a flame. Light a candle (just remember to blow out your candle before going to sleep) as a reminder of this need and say this prayer.

Father, forgive my little faith
Make it big
Reduce my ego
Make it small
Give me a chance
To touch you and be touched
No matter how foolish
No matter how frightened
No matter how strange I feel
Fan my small spark into a brightness
Lighting the way ahead
Amen.

Pray this prayer like you mean it.

God honors faithfulness.

Hebrews 11:1-2
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.

Faith is what pleases God.

Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Try remembering the testimony of faith that "The Woman with the Issue of Blood" has the next time you are at the end of your spiritual rope. The same God that healed her, wants to heal you. Will you believe in Him for that healing?

I have another clip here from You Tube. If you have the time and would like to listen to it, it is a monologue about "The Woman with the Issue of Blood." It is powerful, and it touches on all of the aspects of this woman's story.



Psalms 30:2
O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.

Google Search Words And Phrases

Because I Said So is a blog I like to read. Have you heard of it? If not, check it out.....it is very funny!

Dawn, the author of the blog, occasionally does a post about the funny words and phrases that people have typed in as a Google search that have led them to her blog.

So, just for fun, I thought I would do the same thing.

Come along, and I'll show you what I found.

You can click on each one if you would like to see the post that their Google search led them to. (I felt so sorry for some of them, because I know my post was, more than likely, not what they had in mind when they began their search.)

These are not listed in any particular order. (Except for maybe I saved my personal favorite for last.)

The Princess and Her Prince Charming

Archie Bunker Comments Myspace

Mocha Syrup Walmart

Sinful Women of the Bible

Dressing Room Swimsuit Trunk

Are You Smarter Than Seventh Grade?

Dogwood Tree MySpace Layout

Rhonda Adams

Brenda Wilbee Devotions

The Woman of Samaria

Bryan Adams Thought I'd Died And Gone To Heaven Resemblance

Painted Toenails

Shulammite Woman

Physical Gown

Is this marriage worth saving?

All Toes Are Not The Same Size

Elephant Ear Washer

Now for my "personal favorite", but really, don't go by me....I have the sense of humor of a twelve year old boy.

Making Cow Poop Out Of Chocolate

This made me laugh out loud! Whoever it was searching for this apparently found what they were looking for though, because they came back to this same cow poop location....Maybe they wanted to write down the "cow poop" recipe.

If you have some funny Google search words and phrases, I would love to hear them.

I'm really looking forward to the Google search words and phrases that will eventually lead people to this post of mine.

"Inside The Actor's Blogger's Studio"

Today's post is a little different than my normally weird usual posts.

Today, in the manner of James Lipton, I am hosting an online blog interview, and I am extremely pleased to welcome a very special guest.



No, I'm not interviewing Robert Redford. (But could you please pray about that for me? Thanks!)

I will be asking this special guest a "few" James Lipton type questions, but I changed them up a bit, and added seven a few more of my own.

So now, I would like to introduce you to an amazing woman that I have had the privilege to get to know in this big, blogging world of ours.

Let me start by sharing with you, my first encounter with this incredible blogging woman.

The first time that I met this lovely lady, she was hanging out in her home, and she was just "keeping it real" as some folks like to say.....Click here to take a peek.

The moment that I read her "Okay Let's Get Real!!!" post, I started stalking her I knew that we had to have been separated at birth.

(My mom is now going through the rigorous process of trying to adopt her.)

So ladies and gentlemen (Hi, Shannon), it is with great pleasure that I introduce to you today, Mia.

Or as we bloggers like to call her, Mama Mia.

(Thunderous applause accompanied with a standing ovation!)

Welcome, Mia. I'm honored to have you as a guest on my blog post today.

Mia, since I know that you are a very busy woman, I will get right to the questions.

1. What is your favorite word? I have a lot, but the 1st and best is "heaven," then nostalgia, butter cream, and understand.


2. What is your least favorite word? Boring, (I tell my kids only boring people get bored). Hate and duh are other ones that I can't stand.


3. What makes you laugh out loud? My friend Janice and my brother, I guess that should be "who" makes me laugh out loud.


4. What makes you cry? Thinking of all the people I have lost, and whenever I hear of abuse of any child, elderly person or animal.


5. What is your favorite "country" word or phrase? "Independent as a hog on ice," and "I'm fixin' to go to town."


6. What sound or noise do you love? My favorite music (The Beatles), and when someone says "I love you."


7. What sound or noise do you hate? I hate when I hear someone blaspheme God.


8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I would like to be an author of children's books.


9. What profession would you not like to attempt? I would not like being a nurse.


10. What profession have you attempted before that not many people know about? I was a hairdresser.


11. What is your favorite memory of being a mother? I worried over bringing my youngest two home to homeschool them. Several months after we had begun my youngest daughter and I were reading a great book together outside in the porch swing. I was just soaking in the moment and thinking how wonderful it was. My daughter looked up at me and said "You're thinking the same thing I am aren't you Mom? This homeschool thing is the best!!"


12. What is your most embarrassing memory of being a mother? I was a first time Mom, and I took my 4 month old daughter to get her picture made. She was dressed all in white and pink. The day before we had begun baby food spinach....well as soon as I set her on the picture stand, she got red faced, did a little push, and then filled her pants, shoes, socks and surroundings with poop!!! I felt like a terrible mother!


13. What does your husband do that gets on your nerves? He never, ever just sneezes once, if he starts sneezing it goes on FOREVER!


14. What does your husband do for you that makes your heart melt? He always makes sure everyone else's comfort, needs, and wants are taken care of before himself. Once in winter he ironed my socks so that when I put them on they would be warm and toasty!


15. If you could tell a complete stranger about what God has done in your life, what would you say? He has saved me from myself, given me purpose, amazing gifts (my children), and a future.


16. What is your favorite Bible verse and why? Revelation 21:4. This verse has been a huge comfort to me, but also a hope and something to look forward to.


17. Since we know that Heaven exists, what do you long to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Welcome! Wait right here while I go get your Mom.


Mia, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule as a homeschooling, blogging wife, and mother of three to be with us today and answer all of these questions. I am honored to have had you as my very first guest on "Inside The Actor's Blogger's Studio."

(More thunderous applause accompanied with a standing ovation!)

And to all you other bloggers out there, if you would like to stalk learn more about Mia (like I always do) check her out at her blog called Mama Mia. You can also find out more about her life on her new recently launched photography project called Three Hundred And Sixty Five Days.

I hope that you will tune in again soon for another post of "Inside The Actor's Blogger's Studio." You may be my next victim guest!

I'm just warning you saying.

Breaking News Flash!

We interrupt this regular blog post with a "Breaking News Flash!"



Kermit the Frog here with a Breaking News Flash from Crazyville!

There are strange events happening at Amy's house this morning. As many of you may know her home is located in a small town called Crazyville. In a previous post she had mentioned that her boys had bedrooms that were very similar to pig stys. So what I have to tell you today will, understandably, be quite shocking!

Now I will take you live to the scene of this breaking news situation. (But I warn you, these images are graphic! Parents, you may want your kids in the room while you watch this.)



Yes, ladies and gentlemen, what you are seeing is real......Amy's youngest son, Daniel, is vacuuming his brother's room. I know that this is a very difficult thing for all of you parents who are watching this broadcast to even comprehend.

Amy is not even able to write a post for this blog today, because she is obviously still trying to recover from the shock of this unbelievable event. But please don't worry about her; Shannon is right by her side as they both try to come to terms with this shocking new situation that is taking place in their home.

Now let's go back to Crazyville and watch as this vacuuming situation develops.



Well, ladies and gentlemen, with things like this happening here in Crazyville, it leaves us only to ask ourselves the question, "What is this world coming to?".......

We will return to our regularly scheduled blog post tomorrow.

Today's Breaking News Flash has been brought to you by the letter:

♫ At Last ♫

I have mentioned in a previous post about the soaring price of gasoline, and its effect on my family.

Well, the price of gasoline is not the only thing that is affecting my family; the price of Starbucks coffee is affecting us as well. Starbucks coffee is ridiculously very pricey. If you think about it, a cup of Starbucks, depending on where you live of course, is more expensive than a gallon of gas. I'm just saying.

However, I looooove to go to Starbucks and order a Grande Mocha Frappuccino Light (for Amy). But with times being hard all over lately, I have had to learn how to do some things myself in order to be more resourceful.




Oh, stop! I'm kidding. I said resourceful not illegal.

In my effort to be cheap more resourceful, I have come up with my own bootleg version of a Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino Light. Now granted, it doesn't taste anything exactly like their drink, but it's close enough to perfect for me. (Isn't that a country song?)

Anyway, since I have been asked twice numerous times how to make my version of this drink, I thought I would share my secrets with you. You know, in an effort to help you be more resourceful too. Just think of today's post as very valuable money saving information. Or not.

Here is a photo of what you will need to get started bootlegging making your own.



The first thing to do is fill your Starbucks cup about 3/4 of the way full of ice cubes. (Yes, I saved my original Starbucks cups...what about it?)

Then dump the ice into the blender. Like so. (Dump is a technical term that I like to use in my kitchen. If you are confused by that technical terminology, let me explain, to dump also means to pour. I realize not everyone is as fluent as me in this technical terminology.)



Measure one-fourth a cup of milk. (I use fat free milk, but you can use any milk that you have on hand; although, I would frown upon the use of breast milk. I'm just saying.) Then all you do is dump pour it into your Starbucks cup.



Now add one packet of Sweet'n Low to the milk. (You can use Splenda or sugar if you prefer. I use Sweet'n Low, because my momma does.)



Next I add about 2-3 teaspoons of instant coffee to the mixture. (You may or may not notice in the picture that I am using a children's medicine cup to measure my coffee with. Since I have collected about 78 of these cups over the years, I thought I might as well put them to good use. These medicine cups work very well for this bootlegging resourceful experience.)



Now, using the same medicine cup, I am adding about 3 teaspoons of sugar free caramel syrup into to the cup. (You can use regular syrups if you prefer....I would, but I would gain three pounds just thinking about regular syrups, so I have to stick with the sugar free kind. But please feel free to substitute any of these ingredients. You will be drinking the one you make, not me. So it is important that you like it. I don't think I will gain three pounds if you drink it, but you never know. Come to think of it, just don't talk to me about it; that way we know that I won't gain any weight. Thanks for your cooperation.)



The next step is adding in 3 teaspoons of sugar free vanilla syrup. (Remember to please not talk to me about the use of regular syrups in this recipe. Thanks again.)



Time now to add about 3 teaspoons of the coffee syrup. It is a very thick syrup, so it will probably not all come out of the cup, but that won't hurt anything. (I have only been able to find this syrup at Wal-Mart. Let me know if you know of another store to purchase it at.)



Up next is my favorite ingredient of all.........sugar free chocolate syrup. Mmmmmmm.
I add 3 teaspoons of this to the mixture.



But, I like it so much that I add another 3 teaspoons, just because. Mmmmmmmmmm.



Like the coffee syrup, the chocolate syrup is also very thick. Since it would be a criminal act to waste any of that chocolatey goodness, I now fill the medicine cup up with water to mix with the chocolate syrup left in the cup. I then proceed to dump pour the water/chocolate combo into the coffee mixture.



And since there is usually still some chocolate left in the medicine cup, I add water one more time, and dump pour it into the coffee mixture as well.



Now get a spoon and mix all these yummy ingredients together. Like so.



Dump Pour all of the chocolatey coffee goodness over the ice in the blender.



It should look something like this.



This next step is probably the most important step of all. Make sure to put the lid on the blender before starting it. Trust me on this one. (I'm just trying to help you people.)



Now set the blender on the High speed and blend. (Mom, I apologize. I didn't realize quite how filthy the outside of my blender was until I saw this picture on my computer. Sorry. And to everyone else reading this, my filthy housekeeping habits are absolutely no reflection of the way my mother raised me.)



Once all the ice chunks are gone, and the mixture is well blended.....you are ready to dump pour the drink into your cup.



You can drink it just like this....but I wouldn't recommend it.



I recommend topping it off with whipped cream, fat free of course.



Ahhhhhhh......come to momma!



One sip of this chocolatey coffee goodness and I start hearing Etta James singing in my ears......

♫
At last my love has come along
My lonely days are over
And life is like a song
At last the skies above are blue
And my heart was wrapped up in clover
The night I looked at you
I found a dream that I can speak to
A dream that I could call my own
I found a thrill to press my cheek to
A thrill that I have never known
You smiled, and then the spell was cast
And here we are in heaven
And you are mine at last
♫

Of course, I can't promise that you will hear Etta James singing in your ear while you drink it, but I always do.......

When your cup looks like this......



......you will know that you are finished enjoying your bootleg resourceful drink.

And now this long post is finally over......♫ At Last! ♫