American Idol - Top 8 Girls

My gripping review of tonight's American Idol is up on my Entertainment Blog. :>) If you're a fan, go check it out!

I'm a doof.

So. I'm sitting here (with my Spring Green laptop) (are you sick of me yet?) reading blogs in Google Reader, only I was on my Google Homepage instead of IN Google Reader like I usually am.

And I thought if I clicked Mark All As Read it was just gonna mark those five little posts that I could see.

But I was wrong.

So now I have absolutely nothing to read in Google Reader. Which is kind of liberating but also boring.

Well. I guess I'll have to go do laundry or something.

WFMW Backwards Edition - MP3 Help?

Wow, I have not done Works For Me Wednesday in about a grillion years, but I wanted to get in on the Backwards Edition this week. I am All About Asking The Questions, my friends!

Big Daddy and I are finally getting into the 21st century, musically, and have ordered us some nifty mp3 players. Not iPods, cause I am a cheapo. But they're pretty good mp3 players, I think.

And I'm afraid we're gonna get these bad boys and not know what to do with 'em, y'all. I wanna download podcastesses and songs and all that good junk, but I don't know how.

So is there a website with maybe mp3 for Dummies somewhere? Will you tell me where? I had a site bookmarked for really inexpensive downloads, but when I went to check it out today, it didn't exist. Wah. Do you have a favorite little-known site for downloads, preferably dirt cheap?

Help! Any links you can give me will be appreciated.

And if you seem to ask for help as much as I do, please check back here for Advice Forum Friday, my wildly popular weekly forum that's read by at least 8 or 9 people! It's all the rage!

American Idol - And Then There Were 8

Hey, y'all! Did you watch American Idol this week? I did, and I blogged about it at my Entertainment Blog. Go check it out if ya want.

The Eagle Has Landed

Oh y'all, my laptop is here, and it is oh so dreamy! I just wanted to let you know, but now I've got to get up off the bed where I've spent the last several hours, just wandering around Windows Vista and my dreamy Dell Inspiron.

Did I mention it was dreamy? Yeah.

Good Morning Monday

Big Daddy is off work most Mondays and we had big plans for today, my friends.

Take 2 girls to school.

Go to the YMCA and work out. For the first time. Since we began our membership 30 days ago.

Go to Tom Thumb.

Pick up Scooter from school.

Eat lunch at Mama's Pizza. Because Big Daddy loves Mama's Pizza and I declined to eat Mama's Pizza last Thursday night. So I owe him one.

Go to Wal-Mart, Kroger and maybe Target.

Pick up Tinkerbell from school.

Come home and relax.

However.

This morning I got an e-mail from the fine folks at DHL that said, and I quote,
"March 3 2008 7:18 AM - With delivery courier - Neighboring Town, United States Of America."

People. It's my laptop. And it's Spring Green.

If y'all think I'm going 5 feet from this house before that DHL man comes, you're out of your ever lovin' mind.

I'll keep you posted.



P.S. Big Daddy does not resent having to spend the day lolling around in bed watching TV. At all.

Advice Forum Friday - Tea Sandwiches

Good morning, people. How's your Friday so far? I'm sleepy.

Tomorrow I'm going to a Ladies' Tea at church and I'm nervous, y'all. I have this teeny tiny anxiety issue and I have never been to a Ladies' Tea, so I'm anxious. Oh, and p.s., I signed up to bring sandwiches. I thought it was a great idea at the time, but now I'm obsessing about it. What if they laugh at my sandwiches? What if they're soggy or ordinary or stink?

Yeah, I'm a mess.

When I signed up, I thought "I'll make my wonderful chicken salad and bring some lovely chicken salad sandwiches!" Except. My chicken salad is pretty chunky and I've never actually put it on bread, so I'm not so sure any more. I usually just eat it with crackers or straight. I could dice everything finer so it's not so chunky, but I don't know.

So you see where I'm going with this, right? I want your ideas. What's your very best tea or finger sandwich? Does it have cream cheese, mayo, what? What kind of meat and/or cheese, if any? They need to be on square bread so I can trim the crust and cut into quarters, but other than that it's wide open.

So inspire me. Please.

And as usual, if you have a question, post it at your blog and put your link right down there.

American Idol - The Girls

Hey, American Idol fans! Hop over to the Entertainment Blog to read my scintillating commentary on the Top 10 Girls.

Some Doofus in my house deleted the Top 10 Guys show from the DVR, so I got nothing on the guys.

P.S. The Doofus was me.

Love y'all.

Yes, I'm alive.

People, I have been busy. Every time I think about writing a blog post, my brain goes on strike and starts bouncing around to the things I need to get done instead of helping me compile a decent post.

So in the interest of more regular posting, I'll just tell ya some random things that have gone on around the Dirty Laundry household in the past several days.

Big Daddy would not rest until he had a new smoker, so that was a priority on Sunday. Then it sat in the back of the truck until he went across the street and asked some guys to help him unload it. I stayed in the house, far away from the exertion.

I still haven't bought a laptop. I ordered a Dell, then found a better discount code and canceled the order. I'll reorder it today. Really.

BD and I did some spring shopping yesterday and it was exhausting! We went to the Outlet Mall (except it's not a mall, it's outside) and wore ourselves plumb out. I just love buying spring clothes for my girls, and BD kinda enjoys it, too. My best buys? Shoes for 3.99 a pair at The Children's Place outlet. Also, Carter's and Oshkosh rocked, too. Except? I couldn't find a purse at the Fossil Outlet, and What Am I Gonna Do Now?

I spent Saturday at my parents' house with relatives from out of town. I wish we did that more often.

One of my oldest friends in the world got in touch with me recently. We lost touch a few years ago, and BOY was it GREAT to talk to him again.

I know, my friends, that this post is disjointed. Because right now my brain is disjointed. But I'll be straight soon, I hope. See ya.

Advice Forum Friday - Late again!

Good afternoon, my people. How y'all doin'? I've been reading Paula Deen's memoirs and am consequently talkin' even more hickish than usual.

Yes, I'm late getting the ridiculously popular Advice Forum posted this week. Shoot me. I've been feverishly choosing a laptop, since our income tax refund was deposited into our sad little account this very morning.

Hallelujah to the King.

So my question for you this week is simple: What's your favorite website to find screamin' good deals? I've been all over Slickdeals.net, and I'm sure there are other sites that are just as good or better. Give it up, y'all. Tell me your secrets.

And as usual, if you have burning questions for the 'net today, post it down yonder.

American Idol - Top 12 Girls

Don't you want to hear my scintillating commentary about last night's American Idol? Check it out on my Entertainment Blog, and don't forget to tell me who your favorites are!

American Idol - Top 12 Guys

I'm talking about American Idol on my Entertainment Blog. Please come on over and share your opinions!

Save Friday Night Lights!

Y'all, Friday Night Lights is one of my VERY, VERY favorite TV shows. And Big Mama brings it to our attention that our beloved show may not be renewed for another season.

Please join the campaign to save my show!

And check out some episodes online if you haven't found this gem yet.

Advice Forum Friday - Lasagna

Hey, guys! How was your Valentine's Day? Ours was VERY low key; I just have no desire to fight the restaurant crowds on the actual day, so Big Daddy and I will go out for an evening alone this weekend.

Last night we were going to get take-out, but finally decided it was just as easy to make a lasagna. Big Daddy ran up to Target real quick while I got some ground beef out of the freezer and thawed it out. Hey, maybe I'll just run through my easy lasagna "recipe" for you.

Here's what we used:

1 lb ground beef, browned and spiced up (mostly garlic)
2 8-oz packages of Italian Cheese blend (we like the cheese!)
1 carton of ricotta
No-bake Lasagna Noodles
2 jars of Prego chunky garlic and tomato sauce

Here's what we did:

Dump one jar of sauce into the ground beef
Spread a think layer of plain sauce on the bottom of the pan
Lay noodles on the sauce
Spread ground beef/sauce mixture on the noodles
Use a small scooper to plop hunks of ricotta all over the place
Cover it with lots of cheese
Lather, rinse, repeat

Cover with foil. Bake in the oven at 375 for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for about 20 more minutes.

I finally realized that lasagna is just not that big a deal to make, y'all. I used to get so confused about which layer goes where and what if I don't have the right ingredients, and I tell ya, since I started throwing this together, we have enjoyed lasagna MUCH more often. And it tastes just as good, I swear.

You may be wondering, "Lori seems to have it all together; what could she possibly want from me this Friday?"

You couldn't be more wrong.

Here's the deal: I told you my lasagna secret; now I want to know YOURS! I don't always want ground beef in my lasagna, and it will horrify you to know that I don't always like Italian sausage. So what else could I throw in there that would be good? Please don't say zucchini, because ICK. Other than that, bring it on.

And of course, if you need a little info or help this week, post your question at your blog and put your link down below.

And have a great Friday!!

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day, y'all!

Here's hoping your day is filled with love.

I watch too much TV.

I'm so behind on my TV watching, cause Big Daddy had a double-header at softball tonight. I didn't go to his game (too cold!), but neither did I watch our shows without him. So I'm behind on American Idol, The Biggest Loser and the season premiere of Jericho!

I did watch Big Brother, though, and my commentary is here.

Now I've got to figure out how to get caught up, while still caring for my loving family.

Random Randomness

In the interest of more frequent posting, here's what's bounding around in my head and my life right now:

Tink now has an additional teacher in her classroom. Today's just the 2nd day, so we'll see how that goes. We still consider pulling her out almost constantly, but we're taking it one day at a time. After calling me with her concerns, the school counselor has not followed up with Tink or me at all in the past two weeks. Nice.

I'm finally getting a laptop! Now comes the daunting task of choosing which one. My uncle, the computer geek, says don't get an HP, get an Acer. My dad says don't get an Acer, your uncle has problems with his all the time. Oh, the decisions!

The income tax refund should be pretty, which is why I can get a laptop. After we repair the Air Conditioner, pay off the ER bill from December and clothe our children, of course.

Big Daddy's getting a smoker, too. He's the designated rib smoker in our circle of family and friends, and his smoker is rusting out and too small, anyway. Those suckers are expensive, y'all!

On Sundays after church, the girls love to run through the grass on the way to our car. They stop and check out the pretty yellow flowers (weeds) and dandelions. Last Sunday, Scooter picked a dandelion and got ready to blow. "I wish...I wish...I wish for...a big chocolate cake." She IS her Mommy's daughter!

I hope y'all are having a great week. Hopefully I'll have something more interesting to write about soon. OOH, like tonight's episode of American Idol!

Advice Forum Friday - Peeling Potatoes

That's right, people. Peeling Potatoes. Well, actually cutting potatoes. I don't peel 'em except for the really ugly parts. But peeling sounds more alliterative, right?

What I want to find out from you is, do you have a magic tool or method for cutting potatoes? I made some scrumptious fried potatoes with onions last night, and it took me 30 dadgum minutes just to cut the dang things up!

That's boring, y'all.

So as I was chopping, I was wondering, what's the secret?

Please enlighten me.

And as usual, post your questions at your blog, and then link up right down here.

You might be lazy if...

Your daughter comes to tell you it's raining, and instead of getting up and looking out the window, you surf to the local TV station's website and check the radar.

Yep, it's raining. See all that yellow stuff on the map? That's rain.

Checking in...

Hey, all. I've been scarce again the past few days; family comes first, you know?

I have been so weighed down with family matters lately that I haven't had much uplifting to say. While I will gripe about crazy drivers and even my crazy kids sometimes, when it comes to serious matters, I don't feel comfortable sometimes laying it all there.

But today, my internet friends, I'd like to ask for your prayers. My Tinkerbell needs your prayers.

Tinker has an awful teacher who picks on her unmercifully. And I am not one of those crazy, overprotective mothers. THIS teacher is mean. THIS teacher yells at the class on a regular basis. THIS teacher criticizes Tink to the point that my formerly confident, even selfish 6-year-old now feels worthless and ugly. And THIS teacher has created an environment in her classroom that makes my Tink feel like she's back at The Shelter. And that is the most horrible thing in my Tink's short memory.

The Shelter. The Emergency Children's Shelter that my daughters were in three times in one year. The Shelter where they lived for two months, even though the time limit is 30 days, before we were chosen to be their parents. The time limit is 30 days because living in The Shelter is traumatic. There were caring staff members there who took very good care of my girls. But there were no parents. There was no stability. Just fear.

My two big girls still lay in bed at night wondering where they'll go next, even though they've been in our home 3 years, and ADOPTED for over 2 years. They still wonder. And worry.

Tink has dreams almost every night about shelters and parents dying and grandparents dying and if that happens, then who will take care of me? Please pray for her.

Yes, I've spoken with the school administration, and are waiting for some results, but in the meantime, please just pray.

Thanks, y'all. I appreciate you.

Advice Forum Friday - Steam Cleaners?

Hey, y'all, it's Friday again. Time for me to ask you another burning question. This time it's very straight forward.

Do you have a carpet cleaner?
If so, what kind?
Do you like it?
If not, why not?

I have got to get this carpet clean, and for the amount of money I'm spending on products that do a pretty good job, I could buy a machine to do it much faster. So since tax time is a comin', I may just go and buy me a carpet cleaner.

Thanks for your input!

And as usual, if you have a question for my vast readership, just post it on your blog, include a link to me, and don't forget to sign the Mr. Linky down there.

Don't forget, Have a Great Friday!

Oh, no! It's a Meme!

I saw this at Carissa Blog and since I have blogger's block, I shamelessly stole it.

MOUTHOLOGY

Q. What is your favorite fast food restaurant? Hmmm...I guess I have to say Jack in the Box, for their cheap tacos and Jalapeno Poppers. I am currently addicted to Jalapeno Poppers. Seriously. I can't stop.

Q. What is your favorite sit-down restaurant? Cha Cha's. Local Mexican restaurant. As my friend Karen says, It's my Kryptonite.

Q. On average, what size tip do you leave at a restaurant? 15%

Q. What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of? Jalapeno Poppers. Did I mention I was addicted?

Q. What are your pizza toppings of choice? Historically, pepperoni. Lately, though, I can't always eat meat toppings. They yuck me out, so onions, mushrooms, green olives or sweet peppers. Yeah.

Q. What do you like to put on your toast? Butter and preserves or jam. Peach, pineapple, or cherry.

TECHNOLOGY

Q. What is your wallpaper on your computer? A beautiful solid coral color. I got tired of the business of icons on top of a picture.

Q. How many televisions are in your house? Three that work. Oh no, four counting the tiny little B&W that I use in the bathroom sometimes.

BIOLOGY

Q. Are you right-handed or left-handed? Right.

Q. Have you ever had anything removed from your body? Tonsils and gall bladder.

Q. What is the last heavy item you lifted? Pooh.

Q. Have you ever been knocked unconscious? Yes - Auto accident at 15.

BULLSHITOLOGY (If you'll excuse the term.)

Q. If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? Goodness, I don't know...probably not.

Q. If you could change your name, what would you change it to? No clue.

Q. What color do you think looks best on you? I've been told the aqua or turquoise family.

Q. Have you ever swallowed a non-food item by mistake? Again, no clue.

Q. Have you ever saved some one’s life? Not that I'm aware of.

Q. Has someone ever saved yours? God.

DAREOLOGY (You can stop here if you're bored.)

Q. Would you kiss a member of the same sex for $100? No way. Wait...just a peck? I could handle that. I kiss my Aunt Rebecca like that.

Q. Would you allow one of your little fingers to be cut off for $200,000? I think there's a good chance. $200,000 would change our lives forever, but it's not enough to make us crazy.

Q. Would you never blog again for $50,000? No.

Q. Would you pose naked in a magazine for $250,000? Oh heck no.

Q. Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000? Yes.

DUMBOLOGY

Q: What is in your left pocket? Dryer Lint.

Q: Is Napoleon Dynamite actually a good movie? Don't know.

Q: Do you sit or stand in the shower? I stand when showering, sit when bathing. What kind of question is this?

Q: Could you live with roommates? I'm assuming this excludes immediate family. Could I? Yes. Would I ever want to? No.

Q: How many pairs of flip flops do you own? About 6

Q: Last time you had a run-in with the cops? No run-ins. I did get pulled over for running a stop sign, but got off with a warning. Yes, I cried, but it wasn't a ploy. I'm over-emotional like that.

Q: What do you want to be when you grow up? Healthy and wealthy.

LASTOLOGY

Q: Last Friend you talked to? Big Daddy.
Q: Last person who called you? Big Daddy.
Q: Last person you saw? Pooh.

FAVORITOLOGY

Q: Number? 17.
Q. Season? Autumn.

CURRENTOLOGY

Q: Missing someone? James, our friend who passed away 3+ years ago. I miss him every day.

Q: Mood? Anxious.

Q: Listening to? The dishwasher.

Q: Watching? The cursor.

Q: Worrying about? Kids, money, my life.

RANDOMOLOGY

Q: First place you went this morning? School run.

Q: What can you not wait to do? Get a laptop.

Q: What’s the last movie you saw? Pursuit of Happyness. I do not like depressing movies. Although there's a reasonably happy ending, this is one depressing movie.

Q: Do you smile often? I guess...

Q: Are you a friendly person? I try to be, but I get very anxious in new situations, so my shyness or nervousness could seem like unfriendliness.

So there you have it. I'm a big freaking freak. Are you?

The Biggest Loser - Jan 22

Are you watching The Biggest Loser? I'm talking about it over here.

Homeschool Humor

Hey, all. Things have been crazy around here; I just haven't found time to post this week. I did read something funny this morning, and I HAD to share it with you.

It's The Bitter Homeschooler's Wish List. Go check it out.

To the list, I would like to add:

To all customer service employees: Please do not assume that it's okay to ask my daughter, "Why aren't you in school?" Seriously. My children have been taught that it's not okay to talk to strangers. YOU are a stranger. If you have a question, address it to me, and I'll decide whether it's any of your business.

I'm really not as witchy as I sound.


Edited To Add: The Wish List was originally posted here.

Advice Forum Friday - Sock Suggestions

Hey, y'all! I'm actually writing this post early this week, and I couldn't be prouder of myself. Really.

Pooh and I were just cleaning out my sock drawer (because I am incapable of doing anything by myself. I mean, my sock drawer? Do I really need help to clean out my sock drawer? But I've got these kids, may as well use 'em.)

...anyway, where was I?

Oh yes, the sock drawer. So I have humpteen pair of white socks; far too many. And I hate to throw anything away, but neither do I want to pass my dingy socks on to someone else. I mean really, used socks?

So here's where you come in. I bet someone out there (or several someones!) has a wonderful idea for using old socks. And don't say Sock Monkeys, cause those would be some sorry looking Sock Monkeys, for sure. The other SMs would make fun of them and I just don't want to be responsible for bringing that kind of embarrassment into anyone's life, even if it is just a Sock Monkey.

I may be delirious.

Anyway, bring me your ideas. And if you have a burning question for the internets today, write a post at your blog and post the link for us down below.

Bye now.

Meme Time

Y'all, this is hilarious. I saw it at Redneck Diva's, and was just going to check it out, but when I saw the first result, I had to post it.

Go here. The first article title on the page is the name of your band.

Go here. The last four words of the very last quote is the title of your album.

Go here. The third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

Here's what I got:

Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland is my band.

Those That Get Lost is the name of my album.

Overheard

Tink. You've got to sit on top of my shoulders or on the top of the chair. You can't let your butt hang down behind me.

American Idol - Best Friends Forever

This clip is kinda long, but please hang in there until the end. I promise it will be worth your time.

Some points:

This guy has homecoming mums on the back of his silver lame cape.

I'm pretty sure Paula was stone-cold sober and she knocked it out of the park at the end. Knocked. It. Out. Of. The. Park. I admit I'm not a Paula fan, but she rocked this song.

We were screaming over here in the Dirty Laundry Household. Thank goodness for the DVR, becuase we watched this bad boy about 5 times last night and saved it to watch again.

Public Service Announcement

You know what drives me crazy? When people say VIN Number. Especially television reporters.

VIN is an abbreviation for Vehicle Identification Number. So what they're really saying is Vehicle Identification Number...Number.

Please spread the word.

Thanks for your time.

Softball - I'll take the blog fodder where I can find it.

So hey, we went to Big Daddy's softball game last night, and I have the following observations:

My husband and I must really get into shape; he had to run from 1st to home, and I swear in that last stretch he was about to stroke out.

Do you think some people are just missing the Tact Gene? Two women sat a few feet behind me and discussed me, AND I COULD HEAR THEM! People, either include me in the conversation or move away so I can't hear you!

And by the way, I just hate it when people find out my children are adopted and say things like, "Oh, they look just like sisters!" or "They look like they could be yours!" HI, THEY ARE SISTERS AND THEY ARE MINE. People, I try so hard not to be overly sensitive, but COULD YOU PLEASE THINK ABOUT HOW THAT SOUNDS? How about "They look just like you!" That sounds so much nicer, don't you think? And I don't mind if you ask me when the girls can't hear you, "Are they biological siblings?" SO. I think we've covered that sufficiently.

There is a lady who works at the softball fields who brings her age 4-ish little girl to the fields and lets her roam around. Everywhere. This poor child has no protection or supervision. She has a Game Boy and candy all the time, so I don't think money is an issue. It's just attention. So she comes up and tries to drink my kids' drinks or stick her hand in their popcorn, and that's when I get freaky, because y'all, I don't know where this kid's hands or mouth have been. And since she has access to all the concession stand food she wants, I don't see where telling her NO is being unChristian. Last night my girls and their friend were sharing a soft pretzel, and she came up and tried to take part of it. I told her she needed to go tell her Mom she wanted a pretzel. And folks, she came back with a big fat pretzel of her own, which she set down and never picked up again.

Am I ranting? Because I feel like I'm ranting. But am incapable of stopping.

And because I feel compelled to prove that I am, indeed, compassionate, I will tell you that for three years I worked with women and children who were infected with HIV and AIDS. I loved them, hugged them, I kissed their sweet cheeks, I wiped their tears, and I was not afraid of them or their viral loads. But with this little kid, I'm more concerned with flu, viruses, bacteria, and the epizootis. And we're not talking about ME; we're talking about MY KIDS, and that's a whole different ball game.

Anyway.

Oh, and American Idol is on again. I forgot to watch it last night, but not tonight, oh no sir. I'm there.

I'm gonna shut up now. If you haven't commented before, this might be a good time to come out of the shadows and tell me you feel me. Or that you don't, if you do it nicely.

Merry Tuesday!

Morning, all. I hope to be back later today to share something (anything!) of substance, but for now I'll share with you this HILARIOUS video. You may want to go potty before you click play, so you don't tinkle yourself.

Enjoy!

Advice Forum Friday - Better Late Than Never!

Hey, my peeps! I totally forgot to post AFF yesterday; it was Pooh's birthday, so we were pretty busy all day and night. I do have some things to ask you, though. Let's get started, shall we?

Item Number One: Snowflakes. My girls have several items of clothing with snowflakes on them, and I didn't put them away with the Christmas clothing. The girls keep asking to wear them and I have this conflict Every Single Time. It's winter and snowflakes are winter, so it's okay to wear it, right? But are snowflakes considered winter or Christmas?

Item Number Two: Does my site load slowly for you? I've been advised by a valued source that yes, yes it does. I'm so embarrassed because I get frustrated by slow-loading sites, and now I may be one of them. And I don't want to lose any of my 8 readers, so I'm gonna start playing around with things to see what's causing it.

I'm not posting a Mr. Linky this week because I'm in a hurry, and you guys rarely link to a question at your blog. But if you want to this week, let me know and I'll add a Mr. Linky in a hurry.

Thanks!

Holy Smokes!

So I'm surfing around the lovely blogosphere and land upon A Gorgeous Blog, where I hoped to find some inspiration in the department of making my home a sanctuary. Because right now it just looks like a tornado hit it.

Maybe putting a vase of flowers on the table isn't gonna quite cut it over here. But it's a start, huh?

Anyway.

Gorgeous Blog flashes on my screen, then immediately goes away.
Computer loses its ever lovin' mind.
Outlook Express creeps ever so slowly across the screen.
Have I mentioned that nothing I do with the almighty mouse helps?
The stoopit computer has lost its ever lovin' mind.
"Wipeout" starts playing.
Really Loud.
I become convinced that I've been overtaken by a virus.
And it's laughing at me.
And playing "Wipeout" to tell me what's currently happening to my computer.
I wonder if this will be a good enough reason to buy a laptop.
And will I be able to recover all the crap that I have stored on this dadgum possessed, wiped out computer?
I'm reaching for the power button, hoping to get there before something starts smoking, when...

Everything calms down and I see that Gorgeous Blog has a Gorgeous Music Player, currently playing - you guessed it - "WIPEOUT."

Overreact much?

The Biggest Loser - Jan 8

Hey, y'all. I'm talking about The Biggest Loser over here.

Are you watching?

Survivor 16 - Fans vs. Favorites

I'm talking about the next season of Survivor (coming Feb 7!) at the Entertainment Blog.

Advice Forum Friday

Wow, y'all, it's Friday already. YIKES!

Okay, here's what I want you to talk to me about today - Carpal Tunnel.

Please.

This stupid right hand of mine is killing me, y'all! During the day it's totally tolerable; it just goes numb and tingles a lot.

But Bed Time? Is a whole new world. I'm tellin' you, it's driving me crazy! My hand hurts, it goes to sleep, it throbs, it burns, it tingles, it swells...can you feel my pain?

So - first of all, how many of my lovely readers have this problem? And if you do (or if you know someone who does), what's your secret weapon? I'm looking for any and all suggestions right now - exercises, braces, sleeping positions, drugs...ANYTHING.

And yes, I'm gonna go to the doctor, but I keep having to reschedule.

Thanks, guys, I knew I could count on you!

And if you post a question at your blog, be sure to sign the Mr. Linky down below so we can find you!

I can't tell my age!

Because I'm too lazy to think of anything else to post, and because I actually love this little quiz, I present to you...

The Older Than Dirt Quiz

Count all the ones that you actually remember (not that you've only heard about).
Ratings are at the bottom. The ones I REALLY remember are bold.

1. Blackjack chewing gum
2. Wax Coke-shaped bottles with colored sugar water
3. Candy cigarettes (and they had powdered sugar inside the paper so you could really blow "smoke!")
4. Soda pop machines that dispensed glass bottles
5. Coffee shops or diners with table-side jukeboxes
6. Home milk delivery in glass bottles with cardboard stoppers
7. Party lines (at my grandparents' house, but never at mine)
8. Newsreels before the movie
9. P.F. Flyers
10. Butch wax
11. Telephone numbers with a word prefix (OLive-6933) (We had letter prefixes; does that count? CR5-9999)
12. Peashooters
13. Howdy Doody (of course I know who he was, but I think he was gone before I came along)
14. 45 RPM records
15. S&H Green Stamps (My mom saved 'em, and I still remember where the Green Stamp Redemption Store was!)
16. Hi-fi's
17. Metal ice trays with lever
18. Mimeograph paper
19. Blue flashbulb (the square one on the top of my Instamatic that used 126mm film?)
20. Packards
21. Roller skate keys
22. Cork popguns
23. Drive-ins
24. Studebakers
25. Wash tub wringers

If you remembered 0-5 = You're still young
If you remembered 6-10 = You are getting older
If you remembered 11-15 = Don't tell your age
If you remembered 16-25 = You're older than dirt!

I'd love to hear your results, too! If you want to take this over to your place and post it, be sure to let me know so I can check it out. If not, just tell me in the comments how you did.

And have a great Friday, y'all!

Biggest Loser Couples

Hey, y'all! I'm talking about Biggest Loser Couples here.

Check it out and tell me what you think!

Random Observations

I got these shoes. Except they're more tan and pink. I heart them oh, so much.

When researching the shoes for this post, I discovered my shoes are running shoes. Trail Running Shoes, to be exact. All Terrain, actually. That cracks me up. The last time I ran was about 5 years ago, crossing a busy street in Las Vegas.

Please pray that the shoes have magical powers.

It made me very, very frustrated that stores closed early on New Year's Day. I have no problem with New Year's Eve, but New Year's Day? What the heck? They don't close at all for Independence, Memorial or Labor Days. Valentine's Day? Pshaw! Veteran's, Columbus, President's? NO! I don't even think they close for Easter any more! But New Year's Day - when the mode of celebration is watching football and recovering from the night before - oh, we'd better close at 6:00 p.m. I was very fussy, y'all.

I was fussy about the aforementioned store closings because we drove 10 miles out of our way so Big Daddy could use a gift card. What a waste of gas and time!

I am in love with faux knitting. I may cripple myself and no one in my family will ever want another gift from me, but I can't stop!

I have watched The Biggest Loser Australia Marathon for two days straight (while faux knitting). Please pray that I don't become addicted to Fox Reality.

Guy Fieri needs to back off on the spray tan, in my opinion. I tried to find a photo but couldn't. Just take my word for it, the last couple of times I've seen him on Food Network, he's been suspiciously orange.

Have a great 2008, y'all! I've got to go buy some more yarn.

Advice Forum Friday - Healthy Edition

I am not making a New Year's Resolution. That's so cliche and they never stick.

At least not around here.

What we are doing, however, in the Dirty Laundry household, is committing to get healthy. And the first of the year seems like a good time to start, don't you think?

Obviously, the first thing we've got to do is stop eating a bowl of ice cream (or fudge or whatever) every evening while we're watching TV. Oh, and takeout for dinner on the bed while we watch TV.

Maybe we should stop watching so much TV? Nah. That would be overwhelming.

So. I will probably sign up for Weight Watchers online in a month or so, after our budget recovers from Christmas. WW Online has been successful for me twice.

Obviously Not Long Term.

But one can hope.

So what advice do I need, you ask? Well, for starters, I'd love to know your favorite healthy(ish) recipe. It doesn't have to be tofu and sprouts, although I'm not opposed to that. We'll try anything. At least Big Daddy and I will. The girlies might eat bananas and cereal that night.

A favorite go-to in the past has been faux quiche, made with Egg Beaters, Heart Smart Bisquick and whatever else we throw in there. I have the basic recipe stuck to the fridge, and then I just pour it over whatever we have - spinach, mushrooms, bacon, ham, seafood, whatever.

My very favorite healthy recipe is fresh green beans with caramelized onions and bacon. Here's how I do it.
Step 1. Slice up one onion and place in pan with 1-2 T of butter, margarine or olive oil. Cook on low until they caramelize. Don't rush this.
Step 2. Rinse and trim fresh green beans.
Step 3. Steam 'em.
Step 4. Using kitchen scissors, chop up pre-cooked bacon (it's lower in fat somehow) into the already caramelized onions. Toss the mixture around until the bacon is heated and maybe crisped a little more.
Step 5. Throw in the steamed green beans and toss very well.
Step 6. I like to add some lemon pepper, but Big Daddy doesn't. Do what you want.
Step 7. Eat a big old plate of this deliciousness for dinner. There are some calories in the butter/oil and some in the bacon. That's it.

So. Here's what I'd like you to do for me today. Share with us your favorite healthy recipe. Bonus points if it's easy. You can post the recipe on your site and post your link down below, or you can just put your recipe in the comments section.

And if you have a question to ask my vast readership today, here's how you do it.
A. Post the question on your blog.
B. Link to me in that post.
C. Leave a link to your post down below in Mr. Linky.

Questions? E-mail me.

Answers? Lay 'em on me.

And y'all have a great weekend, okay?

Tink's Wisdom

Tink: You only marry one time, unless you're a rock star. They marry one person and then another. and then another and another. Until they die.

Looks like she's got a good grasp of the facts.

Logan, The Sky Angel Cowboy

Advice Forum Friday

Hey, y'all. So glad you could make it over to my little neck of the woods today. I hope your Christmas preparations are going well. I think I'm doing all right, unless my faulty memory has screwed me and I've forgotten something important.

We're hosting Christmas Eve at our house this year, so I'm looking for some menu advice again.

P.S., Thanks so much to Jennifer, WendyDarling, Meredith and shoeaddict for the great suggestions last week. We ended up adding Eggs Florentine, combining Jennifer and Meredith's recipes for the breakfast casserole, and winging it on the fruit salad recipe. Everything turned out yummy.

So. I am not so much a fan of sit-down dinners, especially since our house is so small, so we're having munchies. So far, here's what's confirmed:

Honey-Baked Ham. Yum. (I'll probably have rolls and condiments so we can make small sandwiches. What about a yummy sandwich spread or unusual idea you have for something to add?)

Tamales. Is this just a Texas thing or what? We love tamales year-round, but especially on Christmas. I wish there was a place nearby that had more varieties, but the old-school pork tamales from our favorite little place will be just fabulous.

Fruit Salad. It was so good last Sunday. If I don't post the recipe soon, remind me, 'kay?

Toll-House Pie. Dang, y'all. This stuff should be illegal. But it's not, at least not until Jan 2, so I'm making it, dadgummit.

Fudge. Yeah, baby.

Truffles? If I can find the recipe that's just canned icing, chocolate chips and liqueur/flavoring.

Divinity, if we can find a good recipe and we have time. Big Daddy used to work for a candy company that made the best divinity in the world. He's just itchin' to try his hand at it again.

Obviously, I need some more suggestions for non-sweets. I think we've got the sweets covered, don't you? Especially since my Mom will be bringing Bon Bons, Pralines, Pecan Pie and Coconut Pie.

And if you need advice for anything this week, you know the drill. Just write about it on your blog, link back to me, and post your link down below.

Merry Christmas, People!

Come on in!

Hey, people! Did you miss me again?


I have been oh, so sick, ended up in the ER Monday night, but I am on the mend and trying to get caught up with humpteen million things. Things like...oh, I don't know...wrapping and mailing gifts maybe? Or finishing Christmas cards? But my priority, of course, is posting photos of my favorite Christmas decorations, and getting in on the tail end of BooMama's Christmas Tour of Homes.

Behold my tree. And what's that underneath? I believe it's a little girl! Thank goodness, because I have been wanting one of those forever!


And speaking of little girls, this ornament is a special one to us. Big Daddy and I bought it after my miscarriage several years ago. Even then, we must have known God had blonde, blue-eyed girls in our future!


What? Another treasure 'neath the tree? That's right, ladies and gentlemen, it's Mr. Buster Brown, who took up residence under the tree as soon as we put it up this year. He's senile, bless his heart, but we love him.


Here's one of our nativities. I just sit 'em wherever I can see 'em real good. Also in the picture, you can see my paternal grandparents, Grandma and Daddy Jim. Grandma died before I was born, and my Daddy Jim when I was 3. I can really still remember him; I love that.

And yes, that is our wedding picture up there on the left. Talk real sweet to me and maybe I'll post a good one some day.

My Department 56 Dickens Village. I started collecting it years ago when I worked at a snooty Christmas Store, and I've been cursed with expensive taste ever since! I haven't gotten a new piece in a few years, and I don't even think we put it out last year, but isn't it cute? I'll have to take some more pictures later, cause there are dancing, spinning people in Fezziwig's Ballroom, and smoke comes out of the chimney on The Christmas Carol Cottage Revisited.


My Santas. They're little and I love 'em! Please disregard the fact that my mirrors look dusty. There must be something wrong with my camera. Couldn't be that I never even THINK about getting those suckers down and cleaning them.


Oh look! You can't see the dust nearly as bad when I add sepia tones. Or can you?

And my final treasures, y'all. My sweet little Bear, who's been with me the longest, before there was a Big Daddy, and before there were three little angels underneath my tree.

And those precious angels. Merry Christmas, everyone!

Advice Forum Friday - QUICK!

Hey, guys! I'm looking for some quick suggestions from you this week, so I'll get right to it.

We're having a Christmas Brunch here at the Dirty Laundry household, This Sunday. We've pretty much got the menu set, but I'm always looking for suggestions and new recipes. Here's what we've got so far:

Breakfast Casserole (eggs, sausage, cheese, etc.)
Quiche (Probably bacon & Swiss)
Sausage Balls
Paula Deen's Ultimate Coffee Cake
The Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls
Crystal Paine's Banana Bread
Fruit Salad

So where do you come in? Well. Turns out Big Daddy is going to have to do most of the Sunday morning work himself, because I have to stay for the second service at church, when I had intended to be home getting everything ready. So I'd like to simplify things a bit.

First of all, I need a tried and true recipe for a Breakfast Casserole. Preferably something I can put together the night before and just pop it in the oven on Sunday morning. I've made a pretty good one before, but of course can't find the recipe now. I have a yummy sounding recipe for breakfast casserole that has a crescent roll bottom, but I think it would probably be best fresh out of the oven.

Also, do you have a recipe for Fruit Salad that uses pudding mix? You know, it kind of makes a creamy glaze in there? I've had it, but I've never made it. Have you?

Finally, since we're not doing our grocery shopping until this evening, I'm open to any other suggestions. Let me reiterate: Easy, oh and did I mention frugal? and bonus points if I can make it in advance.

If you have recipes, you can post them here in my comments, or post them at your blog and sign Mr. Linky. Whatever floats your boat. If you have suggestions, lay 'em on me.

And as always, if you have a question to ask the internets today, just post it at your blog, link back to my post, and sign lonely Mr. Linky down there.

I leave you with the results of our impromptu Dirty Laundry Christmas Photo Session. They clean up pretty good, don't they?

Holiday Q & A

Welcome to the 2007 Holiday Edition of Getting to Know Your Friends!

I've gotten this e-mail from humpteen friends, so decided to use it for blog fodder. I'm just doing the first few today.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Yes, please. But I've never had egg nog with brandy or whisky or whatever in it. Is that weird?

2. Does Santa wrap the presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa just brings one, and it's not wrapped.

3. Colored or white lights? White!

4. Do you hang mistletoe? Not usually, but I'm not opposed. :>)

5. When do you put your decorations up? ASAP, but this year it's slow going. The tree's up but no decorations on it yet. So we keep them up until the first week of January.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Yes, please. All of them. Oh, specifically? Fudge, Mom's bon bons, good fruitcake, divinity, oh, and maybe some sweet stuff.

Play along at your blog if you want to, and be sure to let me know so I can check it out! Or just tell me in the comments what your answers are.

Happy Tuesday!

Win an Insignia Shelf System!

Those great girls over at 5 Minutes For Mom are at it again, and I couldn't be happier!

This time, they're giving away an Insignia Shelf System (with iPod dock, USB port, CD/DVD player, digital AM/FM, HD radio and more), courtesy of Best Buy!

Run over to 5 Minutes For Mom and check it out!

Merry Christmas, y'all!

God's Provision

So this morning I'm wandering around the house, getting people dressed for church. I still don't know what I'm wearing, because my clothes on air fluff in the dryer are still wet. I opened the upper cabinet to our fancy dryer, and lo and behold, there's my favorite shirt just waiting for me. I may have had a Hallelujah Moment.

Me: THANK YOU LORD! Thank you for your bountiful provision! Thank you for taking care of Mommy, even in her procrastination. I LOVE YOU LORD! Thank you for taking care of me even though Tinkerbell thinks that I'm crazy!

Tink (6): (Deadpan) Well you are.

Alrighty then.

PLEASE NOTE: Although I may have been more exuberant than usual, my Thanks were extremely sincere. I love my God and the fact that he takes care of me even though I'm a procrastinator.

To Santa or Not To Santa

Y'all, I sometimes feel like a ginormous insecure failure as a parent. How's that for an intro, huh?

It's Santa. I have a love/hate relationship with Santa. I like the fantasy of Santa, but I don't like lying to my kids.

I think that if we'd raised our girls from infancy, we probably would have done things differently, BUT...

When we adopted our girls, they were 2, 4 and 5. The 4- and 5-year-old already believed in Santa, so we didn't tell them otherwise, but we downplayed the whole thing. Santa brings them one gift each, and since Tink has doubts, we tell her this: "You can believe what you want to about Santa, but don't tell anyone else that what they believe is wrong."

Do you know that I've heard parents say that the rule in their house is, "You have to believe to receive." In other words, when you stop believing in Santa, you stop getting presents. WHAT?

My girls will all tell you, "Santa's not important. Jesus is important." But Santa sure is a fun little fantasy, isn't he?

I think I was maybe 8 years old when I figured out that Santa wasn't real. It was actually Easter, we were at my Grandmother and Granddaddy's house, and I was ticked off because all of my aunts and older cousins were in a bedroom with the door shut, going through a bunch of shopping bags. I sat out there ticked off, pouting, trying to figure out the big secret, when VOILA! I got it. I talked to my Mom, she confirmed my suspicions, and the dominoes started falling...Easter Bunny...Tooth Fairy...Santa? I don't remember being upset or disappointed at all. I just knew.

The next Christmas, I remember laying in the bed at my grandparent's house, listening to the screen door slam, knowing that my parents were bringing in the "Santa" gifts. It's really a kind of neat memory to me, the first time I KNEW.

Around the time I learned the truth about Santa, I guess I became aware of the fact that my Granddaddy was a Scrooge. And reason for his Scrooginess? When he was a boy and learned the truth about Santa, he was devastated that his parents had lied to him, and he never got over it.

I'll try to remember to tell you more about my Granddaddy and Christmas later, but for now, let's get back to the point, shall we? The point being: I'm conflicted about going along with the whole Santa's Real thing, but I don't want to come right out and burst my kids' bubble, either.

So we won't. We'll probably just continue along the road we're on. Downplay Santa, but don't come right out and blow his cover. And be more confident in the choices we make, worrying less about what others think.

How's that for the most rambling post you've read this holiday season? Thanks for sticking with me; I needed to get that off my chest.

Advice Forum Friday

Hey, y'all! It's time once again for Lori to show how little she knows about...everything. Cause I'm runnin' to my internet buddies to ask your advice yet again.

Can I just tell you that I love hearing what you have to say about...everything? Seriously! I appreciate it more than you can imagine!

I guess, heck I know, that I'm an insecure type. I always wonder how other people are handling situations, whether they be minor or earth-shattering. And even when I KNOW without a doubt what I should do, it's always nice to hear from someone else's perspective.

So Thanks.

And on to my question for you this week. I would love to hear about your paper organization system. I have a mountain of paper on my desk, and it makes me very sad. I've got homeschool stuff, public school stuff, bills, coupons, church stuff, medical stuff, all kinds of stuff, just like I'm sure everyone else has, too. Where do you put it all? I have files all over the dang place and I've tried 40-eleven different systems, and I still haven't found something that works for me.

I'm hoping that hearing how other people handle this yuckiness will inspire me with a new and successful plan. So lay it on me.

And you know what, if you want to post the answer at your place and then just sign the Mr. Linky down below, go ahead. If you want to post your advice here in my comments, go ahead and do that, too.

And as always, here's the way to get your question seen by all 6 of my readers:

Write a post at your blog
Link to me in that post
Sign Mr. Linky down below

If you don't know how to use the Mr. Linky, please e-mail me and I'll be happy to walk you through it. It's one of the few bloggy things I know how to do.

Gimme!

Look at the great giveaway going on right now at 5 Minutes for Mom! The package includes oodles of toys from the award winning Parents® Magazine toy line.

Go check it out - they're announcing the winner (hopefully me!) on December 9.

Warning: May be Too Much Information

Tink (6): Mom, this is true; my poop was really standin' up.

Big Daddy: Like we really needed to know that.

Tink: Well, it was.

Scooter: Let me see! Let me see!

Tink: It's already gone Bye Bye.

Scooter (4): Aw, man.

We're a high-falutin' family over here, y'all.

What a Monday it was!

Y'all, my big girl learned to ride her bike yesterday. I'm so proud of her, and her Daddy was almost a blubbering mess.

Our girls have always had bikes, but we live in a very busy neighborhood and their Mommy is a worry wart, so they've really only ridden in the driveway, and with training wheels. Yesterday, Big Daddy was outside working on a project, so Pooh asked him if she could ride her bike. He helped her out a little, and before long he was yellin' for me to come see that girl racing up and down the street! Since it was the middle of a weekday, the neighborhood was quiet, so her Mommy didn't even have a conniption.

Have I mentioned we're proud? So that's my first Happy for today.

And here's my second Happy: Look what Big Daddy and our friend Andy made! It's for a display at church, and I think it's just gorgeous. Right now it's in front of our house, and I love looking at it when I come and go. Isn't it gorgeous?

Number Three on my happy list today is my pair of fuzzy slippers. I love these dudes so very much!

What's making you happy today?

Good Morning, Monday!

Hey, y'all. Don't you love it when you're in a good mood on a Monday morning? Let's get right to my 3 happies today, shall we?

1. Have I mentioned that it's Big Daddy's Day Off? He's right over there snoring because it's his only day to sleep in. I didn't love getting up by myself this morning after staying up too late, but I do love giving him the treat of unlimited sleep!

2. There's banana bread in the oven! I used this recipe from Biblical Womanhood. I can't wait for that timer to ding!

3. How this for a segue...I'm happy because I have a menu plan for this week that includes breakfast, lunch and dinner, and that I did it almost completely from my fridge/freezer/pantry. We bought some minimal groceries last night, and we're set for at least a week. Yay Us!

So without further ado, I present to you Menu Plan Monday!

Monday
B - English Muffins, Yogurt
L - Spaghettios, Fruit
D - Dinner out with Grammy and Grandaddy, and then looking at Christmas Lights

Tuesday
B - Cereal, Fruit
L - Cheese Pizza, Carrot Sticks
D - Potluck Soup (Odds and ends from the freezer/fridge/pantry with some mushroom soup and Mommy Magic)

Wednesday
B - English Muffins, Fruit
L - Ramen Noodles with veggies
D - Grilled Sausage Sandwiches

Thursday
B - Cereal, Fruit
L - Mac & Cheese, Carrot Sticks
D - Crockpot Chicken and Rice (rice, chicken, cream of whatever soup, in that order)

Friday
B - English Muffins, Fruit
L - Oatmeal with cranberries and nuts
D - Life Group Christmas Party - We're bringing Big Daddy's Famous Ribs and a Toll House Pie.

Saturday
B - Probably a bunch of unhealthy sweets leftover from the party, with milk for calcium!
L - Pancakes and Sausage
D - Sloppy Joes

Yes, the breakfasts are boring, but we're on a budget here, folks, and we have lots of English Muffins in the freezer!

Y'all have a great Monday. Oh, and tell me what's making you happy today.

Still Happy!

Hey, y'all. Hope your weekend was lovely. Mine was, and here's what made it that way.

1. My church. I love our church, our pastor, and most of all, our God.

2. My Sunday Nap. Man, what is it about Sundays that makes me so sleepy?

3. Big Daddy's work party was at Johnny Carino's tonight; they rented out the whole restaurant. Cool, huh? We had a sitter, so we had a nice, leisurely dinner with adult conversation.

Tomorrow's Big Daddy's day off, so we're finally going to start decorating for Christmas. I hope.

What made you happy today?

Merry December!

Making me happy today:

ONE. I inventoried all of our cold food (deep freeze, fridge and freezer) and am doing my own personal freezer/pantry challenge until it all runs out. More money for Christmas!

TWO. Christmas movies All Over The Television! I can let my kids watch something other than Disney and Noggin without worrying about it!

THREE. Big Daddy's off work for the next two days. They're always my most favorite days of the week!

Hope your weekend is going great! And that you don't have a seizure from all my exclamation points! !