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Show Me - ME!

Labels: Ella, Projects

posted by Melli at 12:23 PM | 10 comment(s)

Show Me - Day 5 & 6

Labels: Ella, Projects

posted by Melli at 5:34 PM | 17 comment(s)

Show Me - Day 4

Labels: Projects

posted by Melli at 1:01 AM | 12 comment(s)

Show Me - Front Doors.... and Rehobath

Labels: Ella, Projects

posted by Melli at 1:01 AM | 10 comment(s)

Ella Adventures ... and Show Me!!!

We had BIG plans this morning to go see tour a lighthouse up on Fenwick Island -- but when we got there we found that you weren't allowed to actually GO INSIDE it... and it was so packed around by houses that you couldn't even get a decent photo of the outside.... so we said the HeCK with that and went to play Putt-Putt! Ella likes Putt-Putt ... but she doesn't always understand the game!!! For instance...

Labels: Ella, Projects

posted by Melli at 11:20 AM | 17 comment(s)

Show Me - Day 1... and we've ARRIVED!!!

Okay, so I am laughing my butt off because I just found out that the whole reason I wanted this laptop was wso that I could participate in a photo project that wants to know all about my HOME!!! LOL!

Robert is hosting this weeks Photo Hunt, entitled "Show Me" and has asked us to show him different things each day -- but to try to be unique about it. Look at life from another point of view so to speak... and for today he wants us to show him our MAILBOXes! Well... I'm away from home for 3 weeks sooooooo....

Labels: Projects

posted by Melli at 1:01 AM | 24 comment(s)

Photo Hunt ... A Mom & Me Meme.... Project Black

Today's Theme: What IS that?

I really wasn't sure what to DO with this photo hunt this week. I don't know if we're supposed to be playing a guessing game or if we were supposed to find some kind of object that NOBODY knows what it is... I know there ARE no "supposed to's" in the Photo Hunt... but sometimes it would be good to have some sort of definition of what we're doing here! I couldn't find any unusual stuff... so I opted to go with the guessing game... I don't think this one is really too hard -- but daughter Krysti did NOT see it for what it is at all -- so I decided to go with this one! :P
The answer is further down in today's post.

THIS meme came to me in the email box from my niece first and then from my children. So, I answered them by email - because only my niece reads my blog - and then when I was putting it ON my blog, I decided to let MOM play this time too!!! Sooooooo... MY answers are in orange and are from yesterday... Mom's answer's are in blue and from this morning... and then if needed the truth about Mom's answers are in GREEN! Okay? Okay! Are we havin' fun yet?

1. Do you like blue cheese? Yes I do! I don't think I ever ate it. She hates it!

2. Have you ever smoked heroin? Ummm... NO! NO!

3. Do you own a gun? Only by marriage... No.

4. What flavor do you add to your drink at Sonic? We don't HAVE Sonic here... What's that?

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? SOMEtimes. No. She sweats bullets if she knows she has a doctors appointment! I don't tell her anymore until we get there!!!

6. What do you think of hot dogs? Occasionally ya just gotta have one! But ONLY occasionally! I think they're good to eat once in a while.

7. Favorite Christmas movie? Miracle on 34th Street - original version. It's a Wonderful Life. (I had to give her a list to choose from)

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? coffeeeeeeee... Um... I wanna say coffee.

9. Can you do push ups? yep! Don't think I've ever tried. (and so she DID try! It was hysterical!)

10. What is your favorite piece of jewelry? My cross necklace. My wedding rings. She wears 6-8 rings every day all on two fingers and doesn't have a CLUE which ones - if any - are her wedding rings!

11. What is your favorite hobby? Photography & Blogging. I ain't got no hobbies. That's for sure!

12. What is one trait that you love about yourself? My generosity. That I was good to my kids.

13. What is one trait you hate about yourself? My cowardice. That I can't lose weight.

14. Middle name? *gag* Clare Harriet

15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment?
1. I need to go clean the potatoes. What are we gonna do today?
2. I need to get them in the microwave for dinner. Who am I gonna see today?
3. I wonder why Krysti always needs to make HER dinner while I'm in the middle of making the one that she WON'T eat? I don't know what another one is. We were lucky to get two - it was a struggle!

16. Name 3 things you bought yesterday.
1. Twelve more leather bracelets for the middle schoolers. Nothing. White Crocs.
2. glue dots Tan canvas shoes
3. glitter sparkle sun catcher paint

17. Name 4 drinks you regularly drink. coffee, water, pepsi, milk ... Coffee, iced tea, milk. (if I tie her down and pour it down her throat, water.)

18. Current worry? No worries at the moment. Got a lot of worries... but couldn't think of one!

19. What do you hate right now? Television ... but I always hate it. I don't hate nothin. (cuz I'm not trying to wrangle her into the bathtub!)

20. Favorite place to be? ALMOST anywhere else. With my family & friends.

21. How did you bring in the New Year? At Amanda's house toasting the new year with Water... with Luz! Watched television til they showed it, and then went to bed. ( today she thinks it's 1920)

22. Where would you like to go? LOTS of places but Greece first. I guess New York.

23. Name two people who will complete this? Family? I'm the last one. Friends... I dunno... Complete what?

24. Do you own slippers? NO! How did I end up the only one in the family without a BIG pair of ANIMAL slippers??? Uh... no, I don't think I do.

25. What shirt are you wearing? Turquoise t-shirt. A green one.

26. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? No. I always slide off! They are gross! I never slept on any.

27. Can you whistle? barely ... *giggle* no...

28. Favorite color? All of them. Blue

29. Would you be a pirate? No way matey! Aargh Aargh! No. Where are you getting these questions?

30. What songs do you sing in the shower? I do not sing in the shower... I THINK in the shower! It's one of the few places I get some peace! I don't sing NO songs!

31. Favorite girl's name? Amanda... I mean Krysti... I mean Amanda... I mean Krysti... Carol

32. Favorite boy's name? Mathew... I mean Derek... I mean Mathew... I mean Derek... Charles

33. What is in your pocket right now? I dont have any pockets right now. Nothing. She doesn't have any pockets either or else there would be at least one tissue and a toothpick!

34. Last thing that made you laugh? Mom came home from being out all day with Tammy and introduced Dad & I to her "new" friend! Again. Right now! All these questions!

35. Best bed sheets as a child? Um... when I was a child sheets ONLY came in white cotton. Period. WHAT??? Gawd! We didn't have no special kinds of sheets...

36. Worst injury you have ever had? I s'pose when I stuck my heal in the spokes of a bicycle when I was only a year old. I don't remember anything worse than that... unless you count when I ripped a billion layers of skin off my calf while shaving... Oh Gawsh... I don't think I've had any injuries.

37. Do you love where you live? No. I like it... I don't LOVE it... but I like it. Does she KNOW where she lives? Noooo...

39. Who is your loudest friend? I am the loud friend! (hey! Amanda said that too! But she's my daughter - well... my friend too... but my daughter first... ) I can't think of a friend. That's just sad :(

40. How many dogs do you have? one. none. we live together!

41. Does someone have a crush on you? I have really serious doubts about that! I have NO idea!

42. What is your favorite book? The Bible! I don't have a favorite book.

43. What is your favorite candy? Milky Way Dark peppermints

44. What song do you want played at your funeral? I have NOT thought about this yet... but I'll make my play list... one of these days! Whatever one they want to!

45. What were you doing at 12:00 am? coloring... nothing... I just woke up and got up. She was sleeping. (thank God!)

46. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? Good morning God! Coffee.... What was we gonna do today.

Labels: meme's, Photo Hunt, Projects

posted by Melli at 1:01 AM | 27 comment(s)

Project Black... and Books... and Skywatch Friday!

Yesterday over at Stray Thoughts, Barbara did her Thursday 13 on her favorite children's books she read when her kids were young. I was starting to leave her a rather long list in her comments and finally hit erase and decided to just do a post on this topic! I read a mess o' books to my kids when they were little. Our typical bedtime routine was for each child to pick a book and then we all gathered up on one kids bed and read each one. SOMEtimes I would pick a book too and that meant FOUR bedtime stories!!! (poor Amanda... she only got ONE when she was little... unless she requested another one!) LOL! Reading to my kids really WAS one of my favorite activities. It breaks my heart that Luz doesn't allow me to read to HER more often! Sometimes I have to trick her into hearing a story by reading it out loud "to myself"! Anyway... here is MY list of absolutely favorite children's books! (Less Winnie-The-Pooh, which EVERYONE should know is a must read!) Mind you... these are ALL in the "read to me" age group... I could make a whole 'nuther list for the 7 or 8 and over crowd!

1. Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown. To this day Amanda & I still have it memorized!

2. Where The Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak -- A little boy gets a little too wild and gets sent to his room without his supper! Turns out his ROOM is where the WILD THINGS are! After spending enough time with them, Max's tummy starts to get hungry and he thinks maybe being a wild thing isn't such a great deal after all... But the Wild Things say "Oh, Please don't go! We'll EAT YOU UP we love you so!!!" But Max says... "No!" and returns to the supper table.

3. Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day, by Judith Viorst. I pretty much think this title speaks for itself... if ANYTHING could possibly go wrong in a child's life, it DID - to Alexander! ALL on one day! And little Alexander's catch phrase caught on around here - forever! We STILL complain that we are "Moving to Australia!" when things go wrong... and someone always comments that "Some days are just LIKE that... EVEN in Australia!". Tis sad... but true. And Alexander is awfully cute about it!

4. The Mitten, by Jan Brett. Jan Brett is FIRST an exceptional artist/illustrator and secondly a talented writer. The Mitten is not actually written by her - but an adaptation of a Ukranian folk tale. The story is about a little white mitten that is lost in the snow... and how many many many forest animals are warmed by it! However... Brett has many other stories too that she has both written AND illustrated. A few of my favorites are Berlioz, the Bear and Armadillo Rodeo. If ya ever find yourself in NEED of a realllly cute story about an Armadillo... THIS is the one!!! She is a favorite, for sure!

5. My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother, by Patricia Polacco. Polacco is another favorite story teller. This one was a particular favorite of Krysti's - because of course she HAD a rotten redheaded older brother! Other books by her that I HIGHLY recommend would be Just Plain Fancy, about 2 little Amish girls who just hate being "plain" all the time, and a very special egg...that isn't so plain! ... and Chicken Sunday - about friends and trying to do a good deed, it revolves around a special HAT (which of course endeared it to ME!) and some beautiful eggs. Of course, once you read Polacco and discover her comfortable style of writing, you will want to read all of her books! And there are many to choose from!

6. Kermit The Hermit, By Bill Peet. This is the story of a crab! (NOT a hermit crab) A selfish, cantakerous crabby ol' crab! He gets into a bit of a pickle, and ... well... you read it! Written in rhyme, it is a very very fun read! Peet is another author that we enjoyed MANY of his stories -- but one thing is certain - Bill Peet does not write SHORT children's stories. They are not chapter books -- but they are long stories! Our rule was if they wanted a Bill Peet story, that would be the ONLY story that night! Some other favorites of his were Chester - The Worldly Pig, Cockadoodle Dudley, and Cyrus - The Unsinkable Sea Serpeant which for some reason is not listed on Bill Peet's web page!

7. Can't You Sleep Little Bear?, by Martin Waddell and illustrations by Barbara Firth. I mention that because these are some of THE MOST endearing children's books EVER written! And the illustrations are just adorable too! There is so much love between Big Bear & Little Bear that it's just ... well... I think I cried the first time I read this one. This is the first of a series. The others are Let's Go Home Little Bear, and Good Job Little Bear. And if you have a small child or a grandchild and DON'T buy these books... you don't know what you're missing!

8. The Happy Man and His Dump Truck. This is a Little Golden Book. Barbara mentioned several favorites yesterday, including Scuffy - The Tug Boat and The Poky Little Puppy which were also favorites of ours. But The Happy Man never became a "well known" children's book - and I'm not sure why! Maybe it was just the WAY I read it... I don't know... but my kids absolutely LOVED this book - it's about a happy little dump truck driver who comes across some farm animals and gives them a ride in his dump truck -- each time he tips his dumper it's like a sliding board ride for the animals! It's just cute! And ANOTHER Golden Book... I'm not big on promoting television shows books -- but from Sesame Street... The Monster At The End Of This Book, starring lovable furry old Grover... I must have read that book a million times! I've never read it to a child who didn't giggle hysterically!

9. Bentley and Egg, by William Joyce. I don't know why this book is currently unavailable - unless it's because it is sO well loved that they can't keep it in stock! But it doesn't seem to be available from the publisher either! Bentley is a grasshopper of joyous soul and poetic heart - and a fairly high intellect... who is asked to babysit an egg while his duck friend goes away for a few days. It's spring time... Easter time, and a BOY finds Egg. Oh dear! Bentley has his hands full! And Egg has some adventure! If you can FIND a copy of this book, BUY it! It is soooo worth the read!

10. Where The Sidewalk Ends, by Shel Silverstein. I couldn't let the list go completely without bringing Shel Silverstein into the picture. My kids were poetry addicts! Like mother, like kids I guess. But Shel Silverstein was far and above their favorite poet! We had all of his books! His others include A Light In The Attic and Falling Up. Those are the 3 best ones... his others are okay... but these 3 ROCK!

Alright! I could go on and on and on forever and a day... but I think 10 is enough especially since I spoke of more than one in most listings! LOL! If you dO have small kids, or grands, I hope you'll try some of these! I don't think you'll be sorry!

Labels: Projects, Skywatch

posted by Melli at 1:01 AM | 25 comment(s)

Thurs 13... and Project Black - Take 8

1. Wiggly - This is a very important thing to know about me! I am soooooo wiggly! I can't sit still for a very long time... I start tappin'... and bouncin'... and WIGGLIN'!!!

2. Whimsy - I love anything whimsical... and if it's serendiptous that's even BETTER!

3. Wishy-Washy - Oh, this IS me! Indecisive? Oh boy! Especially in restaurants! But with pretty much everything. It takes me forEVER to make a decision!

4. Wall Flower - When I was a teenager I was a horrible wall-flower! (well... no... actually, I was a pretty GOOD wall-flower! But you know what I mean!) As an adult I have become a lot more confident and thus don't spend too much time clinging to the wall anymore. ... but every now and then... UGH! And I HATE when it happens! People always think I'm being stand-offish -- when actually I'm being insecure! I HATE being insecure!

5. What A Wonderful World - by Louis Armstrong. Yea. I love this song!

6. Walmart - The store I hate to love. It drives me whacko (oh! WHACKO! Good "W" word!) that they move into town, put all the Mom & Pop places out of business... and have the best durn deals on all the junky cheap stuff we NEED all the time! It really IS a love/hate relationship!

7. Wind - This should not surprise most of you... I LOVE the wind! Yes I do! I love gentle breezes, I love blustery days, and I love 85 mph hurricane force winds! I do. *shrug*... I can't HELP it! Some of you also know I love (and collect) wind chimes, as well!

8. Waves - Well, duh! C'mon now... you know I love the Ocean! And if I love the ocean ... and I love WIND ... then it only makes sense I LOVE the waves! Right? I will admit that as I get nearer to being a woman of a certain age, I do become EVEN more respectful of the waves than I was say 5 or 20 years ago!

9. Wander - I dO love to wander! I would love to travel all the way across the country with NO time-line, and NO budget! I would head north and cut across, taking side trips here, there, and everywhere, and when I got all the way to Washington State, I would head south, and come back doing the same thing along the southern half of the country! And there ya HAVE it -- that really IS my dream vacation!!! As a matter of fact pft to the vacation -- I'd actually like to spend about 2-3 years doing this!!!

10. Watermelon - Is there anybody who doesn't love watermelon? I'm really a wussy watermelon eater though! I've become addicted to the SEEDLESS variety! No more spittin' fer me!

11. Washington, DC - Born & raised! I still and will always love that city! I was reminded of this yet again when I was down there last weekend for Women of Faith! I only LIVE about 45 minutes from the city ... but do you know - I would LOVE to get a room down there for about a week and really explore the city now - as an adult! I used to stomp around through the city when I was a kid. But I've been away for so long. Going IN to the city is NOT the same as "being" or "living" in the city. GOING IN is almost a nuisance. But BEING in has a charm all it's own!

12. WHOPPERS - You know... Malted Milk Balls! Oh my gosh... I LOVE 'em! I never ever get 'em anymore. Ever since the kids quit trick-or-treating. Darn. I don't think I've even seen them in the stores. Probly I just haven't been lookin' for 'em... but maybe I should. Probly a good thing I'll forget to!

13. Wishing Wells - Oh yes! Even at 50 years old, I'm still about wishing! I'm about PRAYING more. And I believe in prayer! I don't really believe in wishes! But... sometimes it's just FUN to wish! I wish for things that I would NEVER bother God to PRAY for! I wish for things that I don't really care if I get or I don't! I guess wishes are more whimsical. Just "oh wouldn't it be FUN?" type things! Mostly it's just about tossin' coins into the fountain! ;)

Labels: Projects

posted by Melli at 1:01 AM | 15 comment(s)

Project Black -- Take 7

Labels: Projects

posted by Melli at 1:01 AM | 12 comment(s)

Project Black - Take 6

Okay! Well... I've known since PB began that I wanted to share this statue. Amanda gave it to me for Christmas a few years ago... several years ago actually now... and it is absolutely a favorite piece in my house! I just LOVE it! So, I have been photographing it here and there and nothing was coming out just the way I wanted. I finally put it back where it goes, and forgot about it for a few days! Then last night I started photographing some other things... and noticed this... it took me a few tries with different settings to get the focus just right - but I am sO happy with the way this came out! You don't NEED to see the whole statue -- you only need to see the heart of the matter!

Labels: Projects

posted by Melli at 1:01 AM | 16 comment(s)

Project Black -- Takes 4 & 5

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posted by Melli at 1:01 AM | 14 comment(s)

Project Black -- Take 3

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posted by Melli at 1:01 AM | 11 comment(s)

Project Black - Take 2

Labels: Projects

posted by Melli at 1:01 AM | 19 comment(s)

Project Black -- Take 1

Labels: Projects

posted by Melli at 8:55 AM | 15 comment(s)

Project Blue & then a Long Long Looooooong Meme...

I found this UNnamed Meme over at Hootin' Anni's place the other day. (But I noticed last night that Grams has done it also!) You know me and a meme... and this one's a doozy! So... I'm not taggin' anybody... but play if ya feel like it - and let me know if ya do!

In your ENTIRE life, have you ever...

gone on a blind date? Nooooo. I'm surprised I wasn't talked into it though...

skipped school? IF you've been around my blog for a long time, you know that I was NOT an easy teenager... and yes... I skipped a LOT of school.

watched someone die? Only a pet.

been to Canada? Nope. When do we leave?

been to Mexico? Nope. When do we leave?? (I WAS just across the water from it though!)

been to Florida? Yes! Many times! My grandparents lived in St. Petersburg when I was small, and we went there many summers. And then I've been to Daytona and Disney World a few times each.

been on a plane? Yep! Not crazy about them anymore... but I will still fly for the sake of GETTING SOMEPLACE!!!

been lost? *whew!* Have I ever! When you're trying to get from Minneapolis back to St. Paul, and you end up in Osh Kosh, you knOw you're in trouble!!! (true story!)

been on the opposite side of the country? Nope! When do we leave???

gone to Washington, DC? Does being BORN there count? Yes... I lived there until I was 9, and the only time I ever lived "very far" from there was when I lived in Minneapolis! I go to Washington on a regular basis!

swam in the ocean? EVERY chance I get!!! And my next chance is in less than 2 weeks!!!

had your booze taken away by the cops? Umm... No.

lettered in a high school sport? Ummmm... No.

cried yourself to sleep? Many many many many many times.

played cops and robbers? I don't remember playing this...

played dolls? Oh yea! I loved my babies!!!

recently colored with crayons? As a matter of fact, I have!

sang Karaoke? You tryin' to get me kicked OUT???

paid for a meal with coins only? Ah! Ya haven't LIVED until you've paid your tab with coins! Pennies is best! A lot MORE fun when you don't HAVE to do it -- when it's all you've got - not SO much fun!

done something you told yourself you wouldn't? I am CARETAKER to my M-I-L! That was certainly NEVER supposed to happen!

cheated on an exam? No. You see, one would have to actually CARE about their grades in order to have a desire to cheat... I didn't start caring about grades until I was in my 30s!

made prank phone calls? OY! My bestest best friend in high school and I spent many many hours making prank phone calls in 9th or 10th grade.... but we called one house where the guy actually PLAYED back! Of course we remembered the number and called it again a few nights later! We actually ended up making FRIENDS with the guy! PHONE friends. I think it was like the preliminary to blogging! Crazy, dumb kids...

laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose? I have... I don't wish to do this again.

caught a snowflake on your tongue? LOTS of them!

danced in the rain? Yes! Yes! YESSSSSSSSSS! (does anybody answer No to this???)

written a letter to Santa Claus? Of course!

been kissed under the mistletoe? Certainly!

watched the sunrise with someone you care about? Yes indeed!

been arrested? NEXT question!

blown bubbles? Awwwwww.... of course I have!

gone ice-skating. Oh yea! We had a pond near my home as a kid that would freeze! They (those amazing they's) would put up a YELLOW flag if it was safe to skate, and a RED flag if it was not! We skated a LOT back then!

been skinny dipping outdoors? MmmmHmmmm....

had a nickname? Melli IS my nickname! I was also called Jellybean my whole life until my brother died.

been to Africa? Nope. When do we leave???????

eaten cookies for dinner? Hmmm... I think I DID one time! Fig Newtons to be precise!

been on TV? Noooooo... been in the paper a few times... but I don't think I ever made tv. Not that I knOw of anyway!

stolen any traffic signs? hehehe... No. No traffic signs.

been in a car accident? Ugh! Yea... not fun!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

What is your.... mother's name? Mary

favorite drink? My MOTHER'S??? Martini!

favorite alcohol? (what goes in a martini?)

birthplace? I think SHE was born in Washington DC too...

favorite vacation spot? She liked Ocean City a lot!

favorite salad dressing? Ya know... I really don't remember! I like RANCH though!

favorite pie? Hmmm... I think she liked PUMPKIN! (I like blueberry... or key lime!)

favorite number? She never mentioned a favorite...

favorite movie? Oh! I know this one! She LOVED Mutiny on the Bounty!!! Laughed her butt off!!!

favorite holiday? I'm pretty sure it was Christmas.

favorite food? She liked steak a lot...

favorite day of the week? I know she LOVED Sunday -- and I do too!

favorite brand of body wash? I don't think body was existed before she died.

favorite toothpaste? She always used Colgate. I, on the other hand prefer Aqua Fresh!

favorite smell? Dang... I never asked her. Can you really narrow it down to just ONE though???

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Do you have any... tattoos? No! That is an emphatic NO!

body piercings? Ears... one in each lobe.

Do you drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? I drive a SUV! A BIG one! With 4 BIG doors!

What do you do to relax? Blog! And other stuff!

How do you see yourself in 10 years? Older... with MORE grandchildren! And less pets. And more gray... and less red. More wrinkles... (hopefully) less pounds.

Labels: Projects

posted by Melli at 1:53 AM | 13 comment(s)

A Perfect 10! ... and Project Blue

So, Little Luz Estrella had her gymnastics recital yesterday! And because I am an OH SO PROUD Nana, YOU get to see alllllllllllllllllllll of her grand accomplishments! Let me start off telling you that in her FIRST session of gymnastics, she was a wee bit behind the other children... she had to do a little catching up! But in THIS session (only her 2nd) she was the leader of the pack! The instructor kept calling on HER to remind the others how things were done! *gloat*gloat*gloat*... (see me beam!)

Labels: Projects

posted by Melli at 1:01 AM | 23 comment(s)