Blogging Brain Freeze

Ay yi yi....I love vacation but coming back to reality is very hard to do. It's hard to find time to get back in the groove of laundry, bill paying, catching up on Office Work, etc., etc., when ALL I want to do is catch up on blogs. I've done some peaking but get so overwhelmed because I want to make comments on everything that everyone has been doing. Is it possible that ya'll have gotten MORE creative, MORE cleaver and even MORE interesting since I've been vacationing!?!?!? I THINK SO!

Here's a few of my vacation pictures.....I promise to blog about something more interesting next time!

It snowed lightly one day in West Virginia/Ohio where I was there. There wasn't even enough for me to shovel off the driveway, but I was prepared.

Nope...this is NOT a Snow Ninja or Terrorist....it's my friend, Susan, trying to peg me with a snowball!

Here's the view my bedroom window. EVERY morning I immediately checked out the window for snow and this day I was NOT disappointed. It's SO exciting to wake up to snow.

Here's a cute kitten in the flower bed that looks happy that is snow.

One last thing.......I just gotta share this cute HotDog Man with you. Hillybilly's (and that's not a SLAM...that's what THEY call themselves where we visited) LOVE THEIR HOTDOGS! We get them every time we visit. The standard dogs come with Chili and Coleslaw....and it's delicious! Top that off with a Frosty Rootbeer from the drive-in hotdog stand and we're in heaven!

You're Gonna Think I'm Crazy!

You are probably going to think I'm WACKO but I've packed my bags and am leaving sunny, warm Houston for the Appalachian Mountains for what I'm calling a SNOW-CATION!

This is what the flowers look like outside my office and home.......pretty, huh?

Today was SO sunny, it was a great day to take pictures of all the flowers that are in bloom.

I walk by this every morning before going in my office....it's so pretty I can look at it without putting a little smile on my face.

Before leaving for work I saw this beautiful Angel's Trumpet in my back yard. The morning sun looks so pretty shining through the leaves.

and YEP...call me crazy....I'm leaving for a week to PLAY in THIS!!!! WOOHOO!!! Snow makes me giddy.

Have You Done This????

Life sure has it's ups and downs and this week has been a roller coaster. I had a co-worker commit suicide after being diagnosed with early Alzheimer's; Baby Cora, who I didn't know except from blogging friends, lost a short battle with cancer; Betty, another blogging friend lost her son.........Lots of good things happened this week too but all this randomness has made me aware of the short time we have here on earth. My plan is to review my life more often and check off more items on the list below as things I've done.


Jan at http://jt-jantom.blogspot.com/ had this fun "meme" on her blog...and asked for others to play along...so I am!!! This questionnaire relates to things we all have done/not done has got me in "DREAM MODE". I've done a LOT of things in my life, but there are still many, many more left undone. My answers are in COLORFUL PURPLE!!!

Started your own blog

Slept under the stars

Played in a band

Visited Hawaii

Watched a meteor shower

Given more than you can afford to charity

Been to Disneyland/world

Climbed a mountain

Held a praying mantis

Sang a solo

Bungee jumped

Visited Paris

Watched a lightning storm at sea

Taught yourself an art from scratch

Adopted a child

Had food poisoning

Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

Seen the Mona Lisa in France

Slept on an overnight train

Had a pillow fight

Hitchhiked

Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

Built a snow fort

Held a lamb

Gone skinny dipping

Been to a Broadway show in NY

Ran a Marathon

Been in three states at once

Ridden in a gondola in Venice

Seen a total eclipse

Watched a sunrise or sunset

Hit a home run

Been on a Cruise

Seen Niagara Falls in Person

Visited the birthplace of your Ancestors

Seen an Amish community

Taught yourself a new language--(IF PIG LATIN COUNTS)

Had enough money to be truly satisfied

Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

Gone rock climbing

Seen Michelangelo’s David

Sung karaoke

Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

Visited Africa

Walked on a beach by moonlight

Been transported in an ambulance

Had your portrait painted

Gone deep sea fishing

Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

Kissed in the rain

Played in the mud

Been to Grace Kelley’s grave in Monaco

Gone to a drive-in

Been in a movie--no but been in two commercials

Visited the Great Wall of China

Started a business

Taken a martial arts class

Swam in the Mediterranean Sea

Visited Russia

Served at a soup kitchen

Sold Girl Scout cookies

Gone whale watching

Gotten flowers for no reason

Donated blood, platelets or plasma

Gone sky diving

Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

Bounced a check

Saved a favorite childhood toy

Visited the Lincoln Memorial

Eaten Caviar

Pieced a quilt

Stood in Times Square

Toured the Everglades

Been fired from a job--I've been laid off

Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

Broken a bone

Been on a speeding motorcycle

Seen the Grand Canyon in person

Published a book

Visited the Vatican

Bought a brand new car

Walked in Jerusalem

Had your picture in the newspaper

Read the entire Bible

Visited the White House

Killed and prepared my own meat

Had chickenpox

Saved someone’s life

Sat on a jury

Met someone famous

Joined a book club

Lost a loved one

Had a baby

Seen the Alamo in person

Swam in the Great Salt Lake--actually dipped my hand in...it was WINTER!

Been involved in a law suit

Owned a cell phone

Been stung by a bee

This was fun. If you'd like to play along, let me know so I can read your list.

What's on this list (on NOT on it) that you HOPE to do? I Want to travel the WORLD...to Paris, Monaco, Russia, London, Greece, China, Asia, New York, etc. etc.etc.!

Yaya Chique Visit

I had a big adventure this past Saturday! I've been following Debi's blogs--currently named: http://thejunkinyaya.blogspot.com/, almost from day one of my blog experience. As it turns out, Debi has THE COOLEST shop in HOUSTON! My friend, Tyra, and I loaded up the SUV and headed out. I KNEW the store would be cool but OMG, ya'll....it's CRAZY COOL! Tyra and I shopped, and oh-ed and ah-ed, and laughed with Debbie for almost 3 hours! Can you see the GIDDY smile on my face!?!!?!? Debi gave us the grand tour, told us interesting details about the artists that created all the wonderful objects in her shop, and even gave us some good old southern ice tea (Yes...we drink it year round here in South Texas!) We even got to hang out in her workshop/back rooms for a while and see where she make all sorts of beautiful jewelry, handcrafts art, etc. She is LIVING my dream. I would work there for NO PAY just to sit at a "masters" feet such as she. Below is Tyra and Debi and T. found JUST the sunglasses for herself! They have rhinestones on them and are just a HOOT!Here is the check out counter....notice the cute bags Debi sent us home with. EVERYTHING in the shop is PRECIOUS...Debi pays attention to detail and it shows! I got a REALLY cute black t-shirt with a cool Fleur-de-lis on the front. Picture to follow because I forgot to take a pic but I'm sure we'll be going back again to pick up a beautiful leather jacket Tyra is pinning for! AND I promised myself a wonderful decorating book written by a friend of Debi's.

After we left Debi's we dropped by Marshall's and YES...there are still a few things out there on sale from Christmas. The cute red box was marked down to $5...and the huge bottle of Body Scrub was $3! Couldn't pass that up, could I? I LOVED this little beret and it was on sale for $6 because they called it "Holiday Wear". However, I left it out in reach of Mr. Carson and he decided to play with it. (he's usually not a Bad Boy like that!) I THINK it's fixable but has a bit of fabric chewed off the bill. THAT, my dears, will be my Ultimate Re-DO/fix/trash to treasure...IF I can fix the hat. I'll keep you posted. :)

And HERE are the fabulous CHRISTMAS deals I got. The picture is made out of felt. There is a button missing from the top of the Church steeple but I can fix that! Not bad for $3, eh? The box with the Vintage Santa had the striped paper napkins in it and that was $2. The box is very study--like a small cigar box and I LOVE Old Timey Santa's! Last, the red and white polka dot runner was $6...originally $30. WOOHOO....It will go perfect in my FUNKY, COLORFUL Cottage!

My FAVORITE of all the finds at Marshall/Home Goods was this sign. I'm a sucker for signs....and I have quite a few places where this one would go just perfectly. It just makes me giggle---Camp Run-A-muk....That's Funny!