So this is.....

just some pictures, testing to see if my blogger dashboard will cooperate.

Ever since I had switched to Internet Explorer 8, lots of applications/web pages would not work properly (that previously did) and it was VERY frustrating!! For example, I could no longer load multiple pictures when creating a blog post. For some reason, I could no longer scroll the pics down within the box. So that had majorly discouraged my blogging. [Who wants to read a blog without pictures?] Anywho.....

So I switched to Firefox. Mostly because the online tests that I have to take for my schooling, were not compatible with IE8, but would with Firefox. And I LOVE Firefox!!! All my applications that had stopped working, now work again. My last test is to post lots of pics on my blog. So let's get a move on and see how it goes!!!

Alrighty then......

Here's a couple of Bentley's pre-prom pictures that I took.


















I noticed on Firefox that I can load pictures (yay!), but after I click "done", it just pastes the code, and then I have to re-place the code where I want the picture to be. Oh well....a bit different from what I'm used to, but good enough for me for now!!!!!

Today is the day

Everytime I hear that phrase, I hear this song in my head.



Today is the day



I LOVE this song by Lincoln Brewster.



Anyway...........I am NOW "officially" a college student. Today my online classes start.


Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know that I said back in MARCH that I was officially a student. And I was, because that's when I registered. But my financial aid had the hiccups, which made me miss the deadline for classes beginning then. So I had to wait until today.


So today is IT!


I've already watched my first powerpoint slide presentation, and even took some notes! Then this afternoon I will watch the full lecture and take many more notes. I have UP TO a full two weeks to do the first nine chapters, participate (or start) in at least 3 discussions on the classes discussion board (in lieu of writing a paper) and to take the 1st test. I can always work ahead and be done sooner than that if I choose. But since this is my first class back after a 6yr hiatus, I think I will not rush things.



So I'm excited today.

WARNING - No pictures!*

*(because my batteries are charging for my kids' performance at church tonight)


It is better than chocolate.


And there ain't much better than that.



So I bake when I'm stressed.

Why am I stressed?

My online classes start Monday, and I JUST TODAY ordered my books. (and paid waaaay too much for them to get here on Friday, so that I can at least look at them before class.)

And because I love all the teachers at my kids' preschool at church. And this week is teacher appreciation. And because I didn't have the money two weeks ago to give to buy them things this week. And I still wanted to show them MY appreciation.

And how do I do just that?!?

By baking, of course.

Seeing as how I started this "thing" with my daughter's class, and word has spread like wildfire.

Seems that I can bake.

Just because I have taken cookies in every week - a cookie recipe that starts with that corresponding letter they've been studying - no less, on show-n-tell day for my daughter to smile prettily while passing them out.

It all started one week when my daughter didn't have anything to take in for show-n-tell that week. And I just happened to have this awesome cookie recipe for that very letter. So I baked. And teachers sniffed. And chewed. And drooled. And talked.

And word spread.

So I decided to make them breakfast all by myself tomorrow morning for them. Not much stress to that. Or is there?

Did you ever notice that when you are trying to impress someone, that for whatever reason, the recipe always seems to flop? Nope, me neither.

But I love those "oopsies" that allow me to taste how good it should have looked.

And the one from a few minutes ago?

Blueberry-Lemon coffee cake.

I'm so sorry that part of it stuck to the pan when I flipped it out. Okay, I'm not. But it sure was good.

Better than chocolate.

OOPS and HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Today, my [one of my] babies turns 18yrs old. My oldest son Bentley is now 18.

He came into the world in a most memorable way by being born with 100% bilateral paralyzed vocal chords. God healed him when he was 7 weeks old.

Now he's turning 18 in a most memorable way as well. He is in Hawaii with his high school's band. Everything inbetween is just as memorable.

He has been there since last Tuesday, and will will come home tomorrow evening. I've missed him this past week, but especially today.

So this morning my two toddlers wanted to call their oldest sibling and wish him a happy birthday. It was a little after 11am our time, so it would've been a little after 7am his time - and I knew they'd be up. We rang his room, and woke him up! The kids shouted "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" I asked him why he was still sleeping. (They usually met as a group by 7:30am for breakfast.) He said, "Mom.....it's only 5am here."

OOPS!!!!

(guess I didn't realize Hawaii was 6hrs behind us. I thought it was 4hrs.)

You were #1 trumpet in band this year, and you are #1 in my book too.

Happy Birthday my son!!

Computer - less

I am on a borrowed computer. Mine has decided that it wanted to take a vacation......without me. I'm not sure how long my computer will be gone. It didn't say goodbye, much less leave me with any advance notice that it was going to be gone so that I could prepare for its absence.

I already miss my friend, and all the friends that it holds. Hopefully my computer will miss me and come back soon. Until then.....here is a little something.

Noni last Easter sitting in front of our phlocks....

Double Dog dare

I follow MckMama's blog. Me and many others. I have been praying for Stellan. I have been crying out to God on his behalf. I have been thanking God this morning for the improvement that has been taking place.

In the midst of everything that she is going through, she still threw down the gauntlet.

She has double dog dared her readers. I couldn't pass it up. Normally, typically shy, introverted me........rose to the challenge.





And I did it!!!!!!





I hit the coveted mark!!! Here is proof:







Sweetness in its smallest form, is still sweet.

Praying

Praying for MckMama and her son Stellan today. Please join me.

It's OFFICIAL!!

It's official.

It's done.

As of today.....

I am a college student [once more].

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After many years and many, many interruptions, I am back on track to [FINALLY] getting my college degree. I am continuing my education online through Liberty University out of Lynchburg, VA.

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I have registered for classes, been approved for financial aid, and am all set! Classes begin on May 11th, and will continue on through the summer.

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I am SO excited!!

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YAY!!!!!

VERY frustrated

VERY frustrating when you lose things on your computer and have no way of retrieving them. So I will sit and look at this picture and remember happier days, and just how awesome God really is.

Homemade headwear

I just love homemade head wear that is made in school.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Logic

"Mommy, I'm not going to tell you something right now because I don't know what it is yet."

Rare day

It's rare that we get snow down here in the south.....and even rarer when it's in March!! The last time that happened here was over 12 years ago!!! So here are a few pictures of our rare day in March.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to me............

Sorry!

Sorry to be MIA for awhile now. We've had much sicknesses of all sorts in our house lately, and I am off to the doctor myself, today. Hopefully we will all be better soon & I can get back to blogging!!

Valentine's Day

It seems like there is an [unspoken] contest at my toddlers' preschool for Valentine's day. 'Let's see who can attach the most candy - or biggest bag - to their litty, itty, bitty valentine that they're handing out.' My daughter came home with 37 pieces of candy!!

That's not counting what was in little bags attached, nor the package of bear shaped graham crackers she ate......and there are only 12 kids in her class! Unbelievable.

THEN.....dear hubby and I decided to "go out" for Valentine's, after the toddlers were in bed. (shopping to pick up milk, VERY romantic). When we got back home, Rooney (who was watching his younger siblings for us) met us at the door, and said that Bubba had thrown up EVERYWHERE in his bed, about 5 minutes after we left. I felt so bad for Rooney having to deal with cleaning up that mess. He was such a great help!! He got everything stripped and bagged (so he wouldn't have to touch it while carrying it down stairs); got Bubba bathed, changed and set up on his little fold out couch with his "spitting bowl". We came home to this:

Poor thing.

Next year I hope I get chocolates instead.

Saturday Spectacular

This picture is just truly amazing.

I find it amazing that this photo, taken so many years ago, actually still exists! And now, someone has put it online for all of us to see. This INCREDIBLE picture was taken in 1918. It is 18,000 men preparing for war in a training camp at Camp Dodge , in Iowa . EIGHTEEN THOUSAND MEN!!!!! What a priceless gift from our grandfathers!

It says on the bottom left of the picture: Mole & Thomas, 915 Medinah Bldg., Chicago, IL.

On the bottom right it says: Human Statue of Liberty, 18,000 Officers and Men at Camp Dodge, Des Moines, Iowa. Col. Wm. Newman, Commanding, Col. Rush S. Wells, Directing

Right underneath the picture it says: Standing Tall, titled "Human Statue of Liberty," this image was taken at Camp Dodge in Iowa and used 18,000 men.

FACTS:

Base to Shoulder: 150 feet

Right Arm: 340 feet

Widest part of arm holding torch: 12 1/2 feet

Right thumb: 35 feet

Thickest part of body: 29 feet

Left hand length: 30 feet

Face: 60 feet

Nose: 21 feet

Longest spike of head piece: 70 feet

Torch and flame combined: 980 feet

Number of men in flame of torch: 12,000

Number of men in torch: 2,800

Number of men in right arm: 1,200

Number of men in body, head and balance of figure only: 2,000

Total Men: 18,000

Wordless Wednesday

Proximidade

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

I have officially been bestowed my very first blog award by Katie. Katie has a delightful domain that is deliriously delecatable. You really should check her out here.

I really don't know what to say...other than...thank you.

Proximidade is described as:

'This blog invests and believes in PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes for self-aggrandizement! Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers!'

This blog award should be sent to your favorite eight bloggers and they, in turn should forward to eight of their favorites. You should include the text for Proximidade (above) in your announcement blog.

Here are my 8 bloggers:

Betsy

Courtney (cjane)

Heather

Christine

Heidi

Courtney

Jen

Laura

Entre Nous (between us)

Now if only I can get my teen boys to do this...........

we'd be all set

New Day

Today a new day has risen.

Thank you Vice President Biden for saluting former President Bush. A true sign of deserved and earned respect. Thank you for acknowledging him.

So long Mr. Bush. Thank you for your great and honorable leadership. Thank you for standing firm in your faith. Thank you for owning up to mistakes. I wish there was more integrity and moral honor such as yours in this country. You will be missed.

Welcome President Obama. We WILL pray for you.

Flashback Friday

Flashing back

to the warmer days..........

when we could still dress like this

and dance like this

and twirl like this

and celebrate the warmth

of DEC 30, 2008!!

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*SIGH*

How I miss those warm days................

My teacher says....

"Mommy, my teacher says that you put stockings on your feet.....See?"

How can one argue the difference between a stocking and a stocking when she looks so adorable wearing "her stockings"?!?

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..

....

......

Or would one want to?

To all of us who have wondered

about the laws of gravity, aging, gaining weight in places that never used to be.....

I believe that this explains it perfectly....

I'm so glad that there's finally an answer to explain it.

I just wish I didn't have to be so smart.