Happy Birthday to Josh!

6:00 p.m. Monday Evening-EDITED to say:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BABY BROTHER JOHNNY TODAY!

(I hear they're all going out for Mexican Food tonight. My Josh had lunch at the same restaurant on Friday. Word is he was real tickled to find some of "HIS REAL PEOPLE"!! The restaurant is owned and operated by real Mexicans and the food is authentic!)

Next weekend, my first born will turn 22 years old! I can't believe it really, and he'll be out of state on his birthday!

He left for a job in WV Tuesday, so Monday night we had a few of his friends over for a quickly thrown together "party" at our church fellowship hall. My hubby cooked Josh's favorite Mexican meal. We all ate like pigs and had a wonderful time. We adults had the most fun watching these young people, ages 19-22, (oh and Shane, age 11) play hide and seek in "THE HALLWAY OF DEATH"! What is the HALLWAY OF DEATH you ask? Well, it's located in the back of the educational building in the church my dad pastors. The back of the church was built with that wall to an alley. There are no windows back there, so if you close all the classroom doors on the front side of the hall, blocking all daylight or street lights from shining through, that hallway is the spookiest place on earth! The kids have had many fun evenings over the years, turning off all lights and hiding in the church nurseries and classrooms. I didn't know until recently that Josh and his friends had named it THE HALLWAY OF DEATH! That's a fitting name for it due to the many bumps and bruises they come out with, due to running into things and each other.

They screamed and giggled like young children, making me feel younger as I watched and listened to them. They had so much fun playing this game of hide and seek for about two hours, and would come out occasionally into the fellowship hall for air, where the more mature adults were! Speaking of mature - Oh did I mention I made Tiffany's mom run the gauntlet with me leading her by the hand? At each door we'd scream and squeeze each other's hands a little tighter! I mean - it is so dark in that hallway that you feel as though you can slice the darkness with a knife. Finally after Peggy and I giggled so hard (and dribbled *shhh, don't tell anyone!*) we took refuge out in the lighted fellowship hall with our hubbies who, um, were acting a lot more mature than we were! Oh it was fun! If you ever come to visit me, remind me to take you through THE HALLWAY OF DEATH!

Agustin, Shane, Josh Daniel, Naomy, Josh Rios, Tiffany, Alysha, Josh Luckey (who leaves for Marine Boot Camp in Sept.), Leslie

YES! In this small group, we had three Joshes! Group Photo before we closed up shop and headed home. I think it was around midnight thirty!

I wish I had thought to take the above photo before Shawn got away.

Mexican Josh with his Senorita, Tiffany!


My nephew Josh and his wife, Naomy.



I LOVE this shot!


Peggy and Ray Wright, Agustin, my mom, my dad.


Great conversation if Ray is around!

He requested apple pie for his birthday treat!

Carvel Ice-Cream Cake for everyone else!
Here Josh is blowing out the candles and making a wish for sure!

I LOVE this picture!

Alysha, Tiff, Josh R. Josh L. Shawn

Looking at Josh's baby photo albums I had on each table. I think they just found the photo of Josh being "potty trained"!
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Photos below are of our Red Envelopes we're sending off to the White House tomorrow for

Red Envelope Day. People all across America are trying to get a message to President Obama and his administration to rethink their stand on abortion.

On the back of an empty, sealed, red envelope, you were to write the following message and mail it by March 31.

"This envelope represents one child who died in abortion. It is empty because that life was unable to offer anything to the world.

Responsibility begins with conception."

Address the front to:

President Barack Obama

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20500

Be sure to include a return address if you do this. If it does not have a return address on it, it will simply be trashed. You have until Tuesday for the postmark, so go ahead, get on board and send your red envelope in today!

This is the one Shane addressed and prepped. I used the tiny slip of paper at the top corner to cover up our address on the return label. We are sending out a dozen of these Monday morning.

A Special Greeting For Rita (my sis)

BREAKFAST:DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT!

We've always heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I've always been prone to skipping breakfast, but now that I'm diabetic, I've searched out some quick easy breakfast ideas which I include at the end of this post. Whether you're off to work or school, the benefits of a good breakfast last all day long. A breakfast that includes lean protein like an egg, nonfat yogurt, or skim milk, and a whole grain and/or fruit can:

*Help control hunger and the urge to snack, especially if you're trying to lose weight (That Would Be Me!)

*Improve your ability to concentrate and keep you more alert (Lord Knows I Need Help With Both of Those Tasks)

*Help control blood sugar levels

*Improve your total daily nutrient content

Tips:
1) Nonfat milk has the same amount of bone-building calcium as whole or 2% milk.

2) To get all the vitamin C from a tomato, don't remove the seeds before cooking or serving.

Most of the vitamin C is found in the jelly around each seed. For the best flavor, store tomatoes at room temperature.

HERE ARE SEVEN WAYS TO START THE DAY. I especially like these ideas because their quick and easy!

1)A blended smoothies made with one cup frozen fruit, 1 banana, 1 cup nonfat milk, 1/2 cup nonfat yogurt, and honey to taste.

2)Whole-wheat English muffin with one scrambled egg, one slice of low-fat cheese, and a slice of tomato or lean ham.

3)1 oz. package string cheese, one small apple, an d a small bran muffin.

4)A whole-grain cereal (cold or hot) that contains at least 5 grams of total fiber or 2 grams of soluble fiber per serving with nonfat milk and fruit.

5)1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese with 1/2 cup pineapple cubes (fresh or canned without sugar) and two granola bars.

6)1 hard-boiled egg and 1 cup of grapes.

7)Whole-wheat toaster waffle with 1 tablespoon peanut butter and a sliced banana.

Hopefully, these simple breakfast ideas gave you a few new ideas. I HATE boring breakfasts. Having the same thing day after day is not my cup of tea!

The Good Intentions of the Grandmother!

Why does my son's car smell of BEER!? Well, it could be due to the good intentions of the GRANDMOTHER!!! You see, the Grandmother decided to make the road trip with Josh on Tuesday from Florida to West Virginia. The Grandmother had several plastic zip-lock bags of "Amish Friendship Bread" starters stored in a plastic bucket in the back seat. That means, fermented flour, sugar, and milk! The Grandmother's good intentions were to bake, bake, bake many loaves of bread once she arrived at her sister's home. Well, the "starters" had a plan of their own! Late evening, after some time in "higher altitudes", Josh asked the Grandmother if she heard that strange noise coming from the back seat. She did! What she saw when she looked behind them was astonishing! The plastic zip-lock bags had expanded during the trip. (This reminds me of my first trip to Mexico. Details may show up in a separate post.) The white bread starter was oozing out of the zipped part of each bag and had popped the top off the plastic bucket the Grandmother had stored them in! The white "stuff" had even spilled out onto my son's backseat! The smell was obnoxiously strong! If any of you have ever participated in prepping and baking the Friendship Bread, then you know the mixture smells like "beer" after a few days of sitting out on your counter. (My friend Kim calls it "Happy Bread" because of the fermentation!) The Grandmother started yelling, "Josh, take the next exit! We've got to clean up a mess." He exited and they cleaned as well as they could with bottled water and paper towels which the Grandmother had brought along. They then had to drive with the car windows down, trying to air out the poor car. The next day, they were able to clean the upholstery better and the situation (smell) seems to now be under control; but oh, what a story, memory, and laugh the Grandmother and Josh have to share! The Grandmother told me she was worried that if they got pulled over for an infraction, the officer would ask if they were drinking and driving, due to the odor being so similar to that of beer!

I felt bad for the Grandmother when she told me this story over the phone last night. She had prepped and planned to bake this delicious bread and distribute it to her brother's and sister's while visiting them. At least her intentions were good. Readers, take heed! If you're going to travel from Florida to the mountains, please refrain from packing any fermented bread starter!

I've posted a few photos to show the special bond that has developed over the years between my son and my mom, better known in this post as 'THE GRANDMOTHER'!

The Grandmother and Josh at Tampa International Airport ready for their flight down to Venezuela to visit guess who? (Rita and crew) Notice the big, black and gray action packers? These were staple luggage for anyone stateside flying down to see my sister. They were usually full of peanut butter and jelly jars, school curriculum, and many ingredients for traditional American holidays. (Gravy mix packets, pumpkin pie filling, Stove Top dressing (Clint's preference). The Grandmother has also taken big items down to the kids, i.e. inflatable kayaks, solar panels, etc.

The Grandmother, with Tom, Kaden, and Bianca, at Josh's Sr. year homecoming basketball game and ceremony.

The Grandmother cheers Josh on at a baseball game. The Grandfather is there as well.

The Grandmother with Jayde and Josh at a Cathedral's concert in Orlando. (If you click to enlarge this photo, you can see that Josh is sick in this photo. His eyes were peaked and his lips red from fever. I remember Josh was a real trooper this night. He slept during most of the concert. Come to find out, he had a sore throat and fever that had developed during that afternoon ride to Orlando. )

The Grandmother was a fan who went to all of Josh's football games.

A visit from the Grandmother many years ago. (YES! They're seated on the toilet-lid closed of course! I must have taken this right after Joshy's bath time.)

Josh and the Grandmother on his sixth birthday. He was so happy to receive his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Skateboard! Also, in the photo is the Great-Grandmother Lula who is now in heaven.

NOW I JUST WISH I HAD A PHOTO OF THIS LATEST FERMENTATION INCIDENT TO ADD TO THE POST!

Doctor's Opinion Of The Financial Bail Out Package

The Allergists voted to scratch it, and the Dermatologists advised not to make any rash moves. The Gastroenterologists had sort of a gut feeling about it, but the Neurologists thought the Administration had a lot of nerve, and the Obstetricians felt they were all laboring under a misconception. The Ophthalmologists considered the idea shortsighted. The Pathologists yelled, 'Over my dead body!' while the Pediatricians said, 'Oh grow up!' The Psychiatrists thought the whole idea was madness, the Radiologists could see right through it, and the Surgeons decided to wash their hands of the whole thing. The Internists thought it was a bitter pill to swallow, and the Plastic Surgeons said, 'This puts a whole new face on the matter.' The Podiatrists thought it was a step forward, but the Urologists felt the scheme wouldn't hold water. The Anesthesiologists thought the whole idea was a gas and the Cardiologists didn't have the heart to say no. In the end the Proctologists left the decision up to some butt-heads in Washington!

ARE WE LYING DOWN ON THE TRACK?

"Neither a wise man nor a brave man lies down on the track of history to wait for the train of the future to run over him."

--Dwight D. Eisenhower

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"Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged."

--Ronald Reagan

"CAPTURING GLIMPSES"

Here's a link to a new blog I've been following, "CAPTURING GLIMPSES". She's reached her big milestone of writing her 100th post. We all know what that means, A GIVE AWAY! Rush on over to sign up for something fun and girly! Tell her Pam at Midnight Musings sent you! I think she will be drawing the winner's name on Saturday morning.

"CAPTURING GLIMPSES"

My Singing Debut on Blogger!

Shannon and I were singing for her daughter Sydney. Do you think we should buy a diesel bus and head on to Nashville? Oh before playing the video clip, scroll down a tad and turn off my music player. Enjoy!

TERRIBLE, JUST TERRIBLE

...is a great description of my blogging lately. I have been doing much reading though, so it's not all bad! *smiles*



Josh flew home from West Virginia Thursday evening but flew out again this morning for New York. He returns to Tampa next Saturday, then he'll be driving up to West Virginia the next week. He is working there and would like having his own car with him next time around.


Aunt Donna was released from the hospital last Sunday. Word is she still isn't her chipper self. Please keep her in your prayers.

To close, I thought I'd share a picture taken of my lovely son the week before he left for West Virginia. He and my brother used our garage for a workshop to refinish some restaurant doors. The second morning they came over to work, my lovely son walks into my kitchen and proclaims, "Look mom, I brought over two stri*ppers!" Of course, I jerked around from the sink to see just what in the world the kid was talking about. I was so relieved to see the cans of wood stri*pper in his hands. Whew!

( I had him "re-enact" the entrance for this photo!)

SHAKESPEAREAN INSULT

There’s no room for faith, truth, nor honesty in this bosom of thine.

It is all filled up with guts and midriff.
-Taken from: Henry IV, part I

A Note to the British Ambassador

I just this week sent out a note to the British Ambassador, apologizing for how Prime Minister Gordon Brown was treated while visiting the White House a couple of weeks ago. It's really not too late if you would like to mail in an apology as well. I think the more notes the British Embassy receives from us, the better.

Please join me in expressing our embarrassment for our current President's rudeness and unfortunate behavior during the recent visit of Prime Minister Gordon Brown. You may also wish to mention how you duly appreciate Britain standing beside us and paying in blood and treasure in the course of this war on terror.

Mail your note to:

Sir Nigel Sheinwald
Her Majesty's Ambassador to the U.S.
British Embassy
3100 Mass. Ave. N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008

If you'd like to phone the embassy as well, the number is:202-588-6500

IF YOU HAVE SONS, YOU HAVE LEARNED MANY THINGS

like...

1.) A king size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2000 sq. ft. house 4 inches deep.

2.) If you spray hair spray on dust bunnies and run over them with roller blades,

they can ignite.

3.) A 3-year old Boy's voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded restaurant.

4.) If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong enough to rotate a 42 pound Boy wearing Batman underwear and a Superman cape. It is strong enough, however, if tied to a paint can, to spread paint on all four walls of a 20 x 20 ft.. room..

5.) You should not throw baseballs up when the ceiling fan is on. When using a ceiling fan as a bat, you have to throw the ball up a few times before you get a hit. A ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long way.

6.) The glass in windows (even double-pane) doesn't stop a baseball hit by a ceiling fan.

7.) When you hear the toilet flush and the words 'uh oh', it's already too late.

8.) Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.

9.) A six-year old Boy can start a fire with a flint rock even though a 36- year old Man says they can only do it in the movies.

10.) Certain Lego's will pass through the digestive tract of a 4-year old Boy.

11.) Play dough and microwave should not be used in the same sentence.

12.) Super glue is forever.

13.) No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool you still can't walk on water.

14.) Pool filters do not like Jell-O.

15.) VCR's do not eject 'PB & J' sandwiches even though TV commercials show they do.

16.) Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.

17.) Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving.

18.) You probably DO NOT want to know what that odor is.

19..) Always look in the oven before you turn it on; plastic toys do not like ovens.

20.) The fire department in Austin, TX has a 5-minute response time.

21.) The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earthworms dizzy.

22.) It will, however, make cats dizzy.

23.) Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.

24.) 80% of Women will pass this on to almost all of their friends, with or without kids..

25.) 80% of Men who read this will try mixing the Clorox and brake fluid.

I've Always Appreciated His Tender Heart

Former President George H. W. Bush speaks to the media after his wife's recent heart surgery. Much has been said about his outward showing of emotions. Even while POTUS, he was known to shed a few tears in public. I find it "real" and "endearing".

Watch a short video here to see the heart of a husband! (The best parts are right near the beginning and then again about two thirds of the way into it when he speaks of "the kids"!)

PS: You can scroll down to the bottom of my blog and hit the stop button on the music player before watching the video.

Missing Them!

Many of you already know that my brother and son moved temporarily(?) to West Virginia where work awaited them. They only left this past Monday, but I'm already missing them. I guess it's the knowledge that they're so far away that makes me miss them so soon.

The week before they left town, I had the opportunity of seeing them every day for an entire week! They were refinishing the doors for Olive Garden and my garage was closer than their workshop. It was fun hearing their cheerful banter through out the day, and it made me happy to be able to feed them lunch daily. I'll cherish our lunch time conversations for a very long time.

In this clip, my son Josh is acting a little "silly" or maybe he was just high from the "fumes"!?!
(you will hear my Shane chuckling at the end of the clip)

I read the following article today from the Associated Press. This isn't the first time I've heard of this professor's predictions! Leave me a comment if you feel so inclined and let me know how you feel about this guy's opinion.

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Scholar: U.S. to Collapse Next Year, Alaska Reverts to Russia
Wednesday, March 4, 2009 3:18 AM
Article Font Size
If you're inclined to believe Igor Panarin, and the Kremlin wouldn't mind if you did, then President Barack Obama will order martial law this year, the U.S. will split into six rump-states before 2011, and Russia and China will become the backbones of a new world order.

Panarin might be easy to ignore but for the fact that he is a dean at the Foreign Ministry's school for future diplomats and a regular on Russia's state-guided TV channels. And his predictions fit into the anti-American story line of the Kremlin leadership.

T0 read more about Panarin's dire predictions, click here.

© 2009 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Prayers for my Aunt Donna

Once again dear friends, we are requesting you to bring my Aunt Donna before the Lord. She had another terrible bout of vomiting and pain yesterday (Mon.) around noon. My cousin's wife called 9-1-1 and Aunt Donna has now been admitted into the hospital once again. They're saying that this time it is a return of Pancreatitis. She had a terrible bout with it about five years ago at which time we thought we were going to lose her. About a month ago, she was hopsitalized with similar symptoms of it as well. I'll let you know when we have more information.
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Aunt Tommie is safely back home. We so enjoyed having her with us during these past few months.

My son and brother safely arrived in West Virginia at about 1:30 this (Tues.) a.m. They have not had much employment here in the Tampa Bay area lately, but have several jobs awaiting them in WVa. thanks to family and friends!

It's a beautiful day here in Florida! Quite cold yesterday, down to freezing last night in our area, but today is sunny and a tad chilly. Idid get in my three mile walk! Yipee! I must get back to making that a daily priority. I've gained some of my weight back and am quite frustrated. I'd love your prayers for that area of my life. I must get healthier!

I'm listening to Agustin out in the backyard working in our mulch beds and to Shane staging a war with his action figures. Counting it a blessing that we're all home and together today.

DID YOU KNOW THIS ABOUT 'PORCUPINES'???

Just For Fun

* Porcupines are also called 'quill pigs'. They are short, fat, and covered with as many as 30,000 spiny quills.

* Contrary to popular myth, porcupines cannot shoot their quills. When a predator approaches, the porcupine will turn its back, raise the quills and lash out at the threat with its tail.

* The common porcupine is a good swimmer, its hollow quills help keep it afloat. It is also an excellent tree-climber and spends much of its time in trees.