Canine Conspiracy!

Just in case you are wondering, I am doing crafts. I can't post any pics for two reasons...our dogs (4 at last count) decided it would be fun to play with the wireless router for the computer and knocked it off the shelf....no one claimed responsiblity of course but I knew. My son is currently repairing the damages,
Actually, regarding the dogs...I've come to the conclusion that there is a "Canine Conspiracy" afoot...or would that be "apaw"? Anyway, anyone who knows me knows that I favor the older dog Katey. Don't get me wrong, I love them all, but Katey is older and has "issues" (floor licking, barking at reflections of aluminum foil in the kitchen and oven doors opening) Well the other day, I was walking down the steps and unbeknownst to me there was a kong at the bottom of the steps. Well, if you ever saw a kong (we have four of varying sizes, 2 med. red, 1 extra tough med. black, and 1 KING kong and you know who that belongs too) they are round and are filled with treats to keep the dogs busy for at least three seconds (if you are a Mastif/Lab anyway...enough time for me to escape out the front door). This particular morning, I stepped on it and fell on the wood floor (carpet currently being pulled up by my son and DIL). OUCH! I recovered with no broken bones only a nice bruise on my arm. I then proceeded through the cellar (aka basement for you non-Pittsburghers) to the outside to find my son's dog out there. (chocolate lab) He proceeded to pick up this 8 ft. tomato stack he found somewhere in the yard and whacked me in the leg!!! OUCH..again! I recovered! Well, I gotta tell you, these incidents so close together made me start thinking (along with the fact that I watch alot of Investigative TV) that this could be a canine conspiracy. I'll tell you why (then you let me know what you think):
1. Katey was attacked a few weeks ago by Chloe the young female terrier (who wants desperately to be the Alpha dog) and Katey was cut on the head. (it was over a food morsel)
2. I babied Katey for a couple of days letting her sleep in my room away from any night time attacks on her and to help her one inch gash heal.
3. The other dogs are outside without Katey alot and have a chance to "talk" if you know what I mean!
4. With Katey out of the picture, Chloe becomes the Alpha, but Chloe also knows that I protect Katey, hence, if she gets rid of the Queen (aka me) then getting rid of Katey is a piece of cake!
5. I see Chloe letting the other dogs, Eros and Reese, eat out of her kong, let them eat her treats....bribbery, I say.
So, whadda ya think? And what should I do??? Don't kid yourself....dogs are smarter than you think....given a couple thousand years.....Planet of the DOGS!!!!
Till next time (I hope)...yinz crazy guys!!!

What's your DNA?

I think I did this before, but it has changed a bit I think since I've gotten married. Try it...it's a fun!! (and pretty accurate when you read the Visual DNA Profile at the bottom of the screen.
ENJOY!

Another Wedding....

....That's right!!! This time it's my handsome son and his lovely fiance who tied the knot on the beautiful beaches of Lake Michigan! We are so excited and happy for them. It was definately one of the most beautiful weddings we ever witnessed!!!
ENJOY!

Make a Smilebox photobook

Saw this over at Stash of Sanity and thought it was cool..

7 ANSWER QUIZ

7 Things To Do Before I Die

1. Be a grandma
2. Be a great-grandma
3. Live to be 108
4. Live in another country with Sweetie Man
5. Win an art award
6. Retire
7. Change a life


7 Things I Can Do

1. Cross Stitch
2. Quilt
3. Crochet
4. Make people laugh
5. Bake
6. Write poetry
7. Read directions


7 Things I Cannot Do

1. Drive a long distance (passenger only)
2. Swim or dive into deep water
3. Sing in front of a crowd
4. Be bored
5. Cook a meal well
6. Change a tire
7. Read a book in one night


7 Things That Attract Me To Another Person

1. Smile
2. Ease at laughing
3. Silliness (aka Corny-ness)
4. Honesty
5. Good smelling breath
6. Good listener
7. Same hobbies


7 Celebrity Crushes
(I have none so I'm changing it to 7 People I would love to meet in person)

1. Rob Bell (Christian Speaker/Pastor)
2. James Taylor
3. Nancy Grace (Court TV)
4. Diane Sawyer
5. Robin Roberts
6. Charles Gibson
7. Jodi Picoult


7 Things I Say The Most

1. Yinz Guys
2. D'ja eat yet?
3. Cellar
4. Slippy
5. Are the dogs fed?
6. Who pooped?
7. Don't flush that toilet yet!


So, what's yours?????? Till next time, yinz crazy guys...............

TOO CUTE!!!!!

This was too cute not to share......remember this when someone has had too many beans for dinner.....it's just a BUTT SNORE!!!! (are there "Breath Rights" for that????)

Till next time, yinz crazy guys.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz oops, sorry!

Sorry yinz guys....

....ya haven't heard from me in awhile cause I was sorta on vacation....and one of our stops was this fabulous mansion in Alton IN. It's owner is the uncle of our Pastor. OMG...it was incredible! We got to stay one night here....definately not enough time!

Just to prove I'm telling the truth...this is me in front of the mansion!!!! (and not photoshopped either!)


This is the back of the mansion......

And Sweetie Man sitting in the back yard...oh, did I tell you the Mansion sits on the banks of the beautiful Mississppi River???

Check out this view from the back yard!!!!!!!!!!!

For all you cooks out there....check out this kitchen!!!!!

Let's not forget the "wheels" in the garage!!!

Can you spell "LAMBORGHINI"????????????

I could go on and on here!! There was a guest house, a pool and hot tub, 13 bedrooms and 9 baths and an arcade and theatre in the works!!! And one family occupies this. The great part is that the gentleman who lives here came from nothing to this!!! And now he gives back to those in need....it's an awesome story and an awesome family. It was a sorta side visit on our way to the Willowcreek Arts Conference in Chicago Illinois. Well worth the stop!!

Hey, and the Arts Conference wasn't so bad either....lots of fun there too! All in all, even with the long drive, it was a good time! Constantly on the go....and we got a taste of real Chicago Pizza....mmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

So, that's were I've been yinz guys. At this point in time, my son and his fiance are ripping the carpet out of my house and re-painting some rooms for me (sorta a trade off for room and board). So my house is in a bit of turmoil....it's not easy to always find the computer let alone get to it...know what I mean! So, bear with me here. Not to worry, Jen...I'm still alive!

Till next time, yinz crazy guys....................

Our Honeymoon

Since it's the official start of the Sunshine Season....thought I would bring you a little bit to get you going with some Honeymoon pictures from beautiful Punta Cana....Enjoy!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

A Classic....

If you haven't watched this and you are a mom....consider it my present to you..

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?cl=7769235

HAPPY MOM'S DAY, YINZ GUYS!!!

Hey.....

I'm still writing Thank You notes....in the mean time check out who has a blog now....
My Girl......

MAXINE

Enjoy....

Our Wedding....

Well, we're back...and very very happy! Everything was beautiful. I do have to tell you a little story. The day, weather-wise, was warm but rainy and cloudy so we were dodging raindrops most of the day. The church we were married in has beautiful large windows, so the night before, knowing the weather was going to be dreary, I said a prayer that maybe just for a little bit, around 7 pm, the sun could shine through those windows as it is so beautiful. As the wedding drew near, I sorta forgot about it and said it really wasn't that important anyway as I was just so happy nothing could dampen this day. Well, I was in a room with curtains on the window getting ready and then when it was time, I was to step out into and down the hall to the sanctuary. Well, as soon as I stepped into the hall and looked into the lobby area.....the sun broke through all those clouds and shined for about one half hour like you would not believe! Well, needless to say that is when the tears started to flow.....my breath was taken away! God had truly blessed our marriage! Sweetie Man said the God was letting in our parents and my brother and his wife from Heaven to watch us get married....either way, it was absolutely amazing!!! The rest of the night it poured and hailed, but we were inside having the time of our lives. The honeymoon was incredible but I'll let you digest pictures of the wedding first and then I blog some honeymoon. Thank you for all your wonderful good wishes for us both...you are all awesome cyber-friends!
With that said, enjoy the pictures below. Be sure to press both the arrow in the middle and when the music begins, press the play button on the bottom. Let me know if you have trouble viewing and I'll set up another link also. Enjoy yinz guys.......

Make a slideshow - it's easy!

Well TODAY is the DAY....

It's finally here...the day I become Mrs. Sweetie Man! We've waited eight years for this day and believe me we are ready!!! Everything is pretty much in order and ready to go. I want to thank you all for your good wishes and congratulations during the past couple of weeks as I rambled on about this day. You guys are the best! I wish I could webcast it for you but we are hoping to upload a video on the blog in a week or so after the honeymoon. Keep us in your prayers for a safe journey for all the travelers including us (I'm not crazy about planes) and for an awesome wedding this evening! Thanks, Yinz Guys....talk to ya in a week or so!!!!

To all you Animal Lovers...

Sweetie man made this at Bitstrips! I didn't realize he did this thinking, how cool that he found a cartoon that really happened to us! Then I realized he made it at Bitstrips. Check it out and make your own cartoon strip with people that look just like YOU!
Till next time, yinz crazy cartoons.....

4 DAYS AND COUNTING!!!!

Why should the wedding ring be worn on the fourth finger? You really won't believe it - but it is, as it says, Amazing.

There is a beautiful and convincing explanation given by the Chinese.

Thumb represents your Parents
Second (Index) fin ger represents your Siblings
Middle finger represents your-Self
Fourth (Ring) finger represents your Life Partner
&the Last (Little) finger represents your children

Firstly, open your palms (face to face), bend the middle fingers and hold them together - back to back

Secondly, open and hold the remaining three fingers an d the thumb - tip to tip
(As shown in the figure below):

Now, try to separate your thumbs (representing the parents)..., they will open, because your parent s are not destined to live with you lifelong, and have to leave you sooner or later.

Please rejoin your thumbs as before and separate your Index fingers (representing siblings), they will also open, because your brothers and sisters will have their own families and will have to lead their own separate lives.

Now rejoin the Index fingers and separate your Little fingers (representing your children), they will open too, because the children also will get married and settle down on their own some day.

Finally, rejoin your Little fingers, and try to separate your Ring fingers (representing your spouse).

You will be surprised to see that you just CANNOT, because Husband &Wife have to remain together all their lives - through thick and thin!!

How cool is that??? Till next time, yinz crazy guys.....

ONE WEEK AND COUNTING....

I MOST CERTAINLY DO!!!!!

Maxine Says....

Who I REALLY am!

Saw this on Kari's blog.....I've always told Sweetie Man that he brought out the ME who I thought I was (scraped away the years of crap heaped on me)...he brought out who I remember being when I was young.....The description below is about as close as you're gonna get to who I am...for real! (this is weird---except for the last sentence as I will be HAPPILY settling down!)

What Lucy Means

You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow. You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily. Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is. You are a very lucky person. Things just always seem to go your way. And because you're so lucky, you don't really have a lot of worries. You just hope for the best in life. You're sometimes a little guilty of being greedy. Spread your luck around a little to people who need it. You are very open. You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily. You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind. A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life. You are very adaptable. You are a free spirit, and you resent anyone who tries to fence you in. You are unpredictable, adventurous, and always a little surprising. You may miss out by not settling down, but you're too busy having fun to care.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

It's CRUNCH time!!!

Honestly, I'm not that bad but I do hope Sweetie Man understands IF I do happen to get a little irritable with only 16 days to go to the wedding. I work better under pressure but I do have a slight tendency to focus intensely on things and if anyone gets me off track....I could bite their head off! Nothing major tho!!
A few of you did ask how the plans are coming along. Very well actually. Got a trial run on my hair and ended up having it highlighted for the first time in my life. Got alot of compliments tho alot of people also thought I got new glasses (see my post on "What Women Notice")...go figure! I also lost 22 pounds total since January so that helped alot...especially in my face I think. Yesterday, got my nails done in what's called "pink and white"...I just love getting "fake" nails! That is such a treat for me...never had it done and my nails are naturally thinner than paper! I just feel so GIRLY...something I never had felt till I met the Sweetie Man! Tonight is the "final" dress fitting...I hope. The hem was wrong last time so hopefully I can take that "baby" home today!
People are waiting till the last minute to tell me if they will be attending....a little frustrating but I have to admit, I'm the same way with RSVP's. Maybe next time I'll be a little more prompt.
So, it's all coming together for the most part and it's not even that big of a wedding. But it is fun and exciting...and the best part is that in 16 short days I'll be MRS. SWEETIE MAN for the rest of my life!!!!!
Till next time, yinz crazy guys....(check out my book blog...managed to get a quick book review in ...enjoy!)

Happy Easter....Happy Spring!

Won't you wear a sweater?

In honor of what would have been Mr. Fred Rodgers' 80th Birthday, March 20, 2008 is "Won't you wear a sweater day?" What an awesome man he was....he touched so many lives. I have my sweater on today...do you? Happy Birthday, Mr. Rodgers!

Happy St. Pat's day, yinz mcguys!