BAM!!!!!

 

Lets kick it up a notch around here!

Do you remember these........

Well I decided to kick it up a notch!

Check them out now!

I just hot glued some ribbon around the frame.  If you actually have the frames from the Dollar Tree, the ribbon fits perfectly into the grooves on the frame.  I loved them before, but now I love them even more!

Winner Winner Turkey Dinner!!

 

 

Drumstick please............

And the winner of Turkey Smackdown 2008 is..........

 

Number 6!!!!!  This was Syd's creation and she will NEVER let us forget it.  :)

HEY EVERYBODY!! this is Sydney! I would like to thank everyone for voting for my "hot" turkey.(which is what I like to call it).Thank you for giving me this award even though mom wont give me anything for winning it, but thank you :D

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all!!!!  Gobble till you Wobble!!!!!!!

 

LETS GET READY TO GOOOOBBBBLLLLEEEEEE!!!

 

I decided that I want to make these cutie patootie turkeys, that I saw over at Blissfully Domestic.  I thought it would be some great family bonding time. 

So I went and gathered all my supplies.

Oh I just have to show you this.  This is MY toolbox.

Inside is a bunch of stuff that I can use for just about anything.  Its like a Macgyver kit.  There is no telling what I could do with the stuff inside this thing.  Its a dangerous thing I tell ya.

Oh and just like anything else I have and do, it is completely disorganized.

 

Ok back to the real project.  Turkeys....

We painted our rocks brown.  Don't they look excited!!!!!

Then we I cut out the felt pieces for the feathers and the beaks .

Now it was time to glue them all together and add some googly eyes.  Don't you just love googly eyes.  :)

While we were bonding, Syd said "Mine is the best, its gonna be hot.  Hey I know lets let the people vote on them to see whose is the best!" 

So there you have it the Turkey Smackdown of  2008 is on!  Its up to you now, the good people of blogland to decide which little turkey is the best.  There are no fancy prizes, just the satisfaction in knowing that you have decided an all important event in our household. 

Let the games begin.....

Oh and just for the record the little thing on the far right up there, that one is a bear.  Its another one of L.L. creations.  :)

Just leave your decision in the comments.  I will announce a winner on Thanksgiving! 

Oh and no matter who wins, the point to the whole thing was to make my kids have some quality time with each other.  I think that was accomplished with only minimal blood shed, so its all good no matter the contest outcome.  :)

 

Hi Y'all!!! Remember me!?!?

I went to eat lunch with two of my sister's today. They fussed at me. :( "Why have you not blogged in 14 hundred day's" they asked? (ok that might be a bit of an exaggeration) I know I am bad, so very bad. Not only have I not been able to blog, I have not read Twlight, or done laundry, or the dishes, but I have been extremely busy!

Friday - Mama had her second surgery, and everything went very well. Also, my Father-in-Law went hunting at their place up on the mountain, and decided to try and pass a kidney stone while he was up there. Ok I don't think it was his decision. He was in ALOT OF PAIN. They had to bring him to the hospital that night.

Saturday - I have helped my sister Deta at the studio, taking pictures of precious little children.

Sunday - I have been at Church, and a Thanksgiving dinner, and then to the Mountains to go pick my Father-in-Laws truck. Then back to the studio to pick Syd up, because she went to help Deta do another photo shoot.

Monday - Work, Work, Work

Tuesday - oh wait that is today and here I am :)

Hopefully things will calm down slightly and I will be able to post something truly enlightening.

On to important matters. Does anyone out there know where to get "Bella's Lullaby" I want it for my phone, or my ipod, or something.

***Note - As my lovely daughter stated in the comments, it does not take a rocket scientist to know how to download a song from i.tunes. I do know it is probably there, but what I am REALLY looking for is like a ringback tone. Thank You, you may go on with your lives now. :)***

~sigh~ :)

 

 

I have just gotten back from watching the movie "Twilight".  I unlike most everyone else in the world have not read the books.  I know, I know its shocking.  How could I go watch the movie without reading the books.  Well I did it anyway and now its done, its done, the movie has been watched, the characters are in my head, and well I am now hooked.  So this week I have added two new guilty pleasures to the list.

1) Beyonce's "Single Ladies"  Sing it with me now, "if you liked it  then you should've put a ring on it".  Ok now I am going to be singing that in my sleep.

2) "Twilight" ~sigh~  Oh to be 17 again........Ok no wait, I had just had a baby, ummm nope I am done with that.

Now off to actually read the books.

Ok well after I sleep, It's 12:30 and well,  I am tired!

 

HIJACK BY LISA: Some things never change.....

Remember in Valarie's post yesterday where she showed us the picture of her tongue hanging out when she was a little girl? Well, last night I was looking some pictures that I made during our open house of Sorella Studio. Imagine my surprise when I found this little jewel:

And just in case you can't see it well enough.....

You know what they say. Once a goofball always a goofball. :)

Lots of love, Lisa

Deja Vu

 

I feel like I have done this craft before...... Oh wait I have.

Do you remember when I got this AWESOME idea from over at Joys place?

 

Well I liked it so much I did some more.

(the paper is really not pink)

Voila!!!!!!

Now just to make things interesting.  Can you find my boo boo in the project?

Hmmm, I hope you find the right one and not a bunch of new ones I didn't realize were there.  :)

 

Rah Rah Ree

Kick em in the knee, Rah Rah Ras kick em in the other knee. :) I hope you really didn't think I would say that other word.

Every time I look at these picture, I say that "cheer" in my head. I also start remembering my elementary school days when we all wanted to be cheerleaders. On the playground we used to pretend to be cheerleaders. My favorite cheer was.....

U-G-L-Y

You ain't got no alibi

You UGLY, hey hey You UGLY

Yes You are !

C-U-T-E

We got personality

Were CUTE, hey hey Were CUTE

Yes We are !

This may be the reason I was never a cheerleader. You could consider me a goofball, not a cheerleader. Probably still can. ;P

Deta and Lisa were cheerleaders. I can't remember if Jan was one. Robin followed in the steps of here big sister (me) and was not a cheerleader either.

Here are some early photos of Lisa wanting to be a cheerleader.

Notice I am trying to do the splits like her.

Don't you love here saddle oxfords! :)

Now do you want proof that I was a goofball at an early age? Lets take a closer look at this picture.

Yes that would be me hamming for the camera and sticking my tongue out. :)

I think she was trying to choke me in this picture.

Notice the evil grin on her face.

Notice my hands look like they are about to try and lift up toward her hands perched around my neck. She had probably just started applying the pressure.

Now I wanted to be a cheerleader. I worked on my splits (which I can still do by the way) and cartwheels. I worked on not having spaghetti arms. I worked on my wrist, so they would not have a bend in them. I worked on my SMARKLE (Smile and Sparkle). It was to no avail. I had two things that stopped the dream.

Deta and Lisa

They were just to good. It was hard for me to follow them. You see I would have had the same cheerleading sponsor as both of them. I tried out, I didn't make it. I tried out, I didn't make it. Then the sponsor said these words that have haunted me to this day (not really, just going for the dramatic affect). Valarie you will never be as good as your sisters Deta and Lisa. ~sigh~ (More dramatic affect) :(

Its all good though. If I had been a cheerleader, then I would not have had time to hone in on my goofball skills like this....

This....

And This.....

So see it all worked out!

******(People! make sure you read my sister Lisa's comment! I think she is a goofball also. :) Just sayin!)******

WORD FROM LISA: Hey all you Bloggy Friends out there! I just wanted to drop in for a minute and tell y'all that I was NOT the perfect cheerleader. You can read my comments here:

Valarie Lea!!! You have totally misrepresented me in this post!!!! I was a TERRIBLE cheerleader!!!!

I was only a cheerleader one year! That was the year they consolidated schools and let EVERYONE that tried out be on the "squad." We had 37 cheerleaders that year for goodness sake! Here are some memories that I have. I could NEVER keep my hands straight. The harder I tried, the more they would dip in the middle with my fingers pointing to the sky. Look at that picture you posted! I couldn't (still can't) do the splits.I tried out at Highland Rim one time and didn't make it. Ms. McGrath (yes, Ms.) told me it was because I had a broken arm and she thought I was just trying out to prove I could do it. What?!?!? Whateva! Shouldn't that have showed her that I had spunk and personality????? I guess not! Oh...and the time Ms. Webb came down from out of the stands when I was cheering a football game. The cheer was "FIRE UP!" She said I had everybody in the stands looking up in the sky because I was down there hollering with my southern accent, "FAR up!" Heee heee. I thought that one was pretty funny. There was the time I wanted my bee bop socks to be as white as everyone else's, so I soaked them all night in bleach. About the time I got to school, they started literally crumbling apart. I had to go the rest of the day and ballgame without any socks!!!!! And then! (you don't think I have issues do you?) There was the time I put "Sun In" on my hair and turned it COMPLETELY orange. AND!!!! I had also put fake tan on my legs and my legs were VERY streaky orange. I looked like a punkin, punkin on a punkin night. :) (sorry y'all. family joke.) So you see? I was not the perfect cheerleader. I was a cheerleading flub.

I loved those BeeBop shoes in the post thought. I wish I had some now. LOL! I probably WAS trying to choke you. I probably wanted to be in the camera spotlight all by myself and you wouldn't get out of the way being a camera hog and all.

Now talk about Deta. She was the perfect cheerleader.....Love, Lisa

Since typing this comment, I have thought of a couple of other flub ups I had as a cheerleader.

There was the time I wanted my hair to be as shiny as the other girls (I never could quite measusre up to them). Someone told me if I washed my hair with eggs, it would be good for my hair and make it shiny. What they forgot to tell me was this....don't rinse your hair with hot water. I had scrambled eggs in my hair for the longest. It was attached to every single strand of hair. You don't think anyone got me to do that on purpose do you? Hmmmm. I'll have to think about that for a minute.

One last thing....one time I had a basketball game to cheer at and had mama or daddy drop me off. Once inside, I realized I had come on the wrong night (we had 3 squads and took turns cheering). I had on the wrong cheering outfit and stood out like a sore thumb. Ms. Webb and everybody else laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed. I was so embarrassed and didn't have a cell phone to call anyone to pick me up. I had to grin and bear it.

I think its safe to say that I have successfully given you a better portrayal of my cheerleading year than the way Valarie made it look. :) You see...she obviously isn't the ONLY goofball in our family. LOL!

Now back to your regularly scheduled Valarieness.....

For more random memories from some awesome people, go over to

Kristen's at We are THAT Family.

From Our Family to Yours......

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Pay Attention!!

 

If you don't listen to anything I ever say, listen to this. 

I received a phone call from my oldest daughter this evening.

Jessie:   Where are You!

Me:        At TJ Maxx why?

Jessie:   Well that would have been good to know seeing, as I just almost got kidnapped!

Me:        What!!!!!

So now I am thoroughly freaking out in my head, trying to stay calm on the phone in the middle of TJ Maxx.

Apparently she was shopping at our local Books-A-Million between classes, and she noticed this strange guy following her around the store.  She said that when she would go down an aisle, she would look up and he would be staring at her from the other aisle.  She would move to another aisle and he would follow.  She had tried to call me, but my phone went straight to voice mail (stupid phone), so she called her boyfriend.  He told her to check out and when she does ask them to watch her go to her car.  At this point she said she did not see him anymore.  When she checked out, she asked them to watch her go to her car, they said they would.  She walked out the door and he was standing right outside the door.  She ran to her car and locked the door and left.

This has really freaked me out tonight.  I immediately left TJ Maxx and went to Books-A-Million.  I told the people at the front again what happened.  They were a bit shocked and called the manager.  As I was explaining this to them, someone behind me said there was a strange man walking around in the parking lot.  When I left the store, there was a homeless man sitting outside the door and another man walking in the parking lot.

Now this is not an extremely bad part of town.  There is a Toys R Us, HomeDepot, Costco, Starbucks, and Zaxby's all within spitting distance. 

What to do???  I  went directly from there to a local sporting goods store and bought mace!!!  Logan said to get her  a Taser, but I don't think that is legal. (Is it?)

Have I said that this freaked me out a bit?   I have been followed in a store before, but that was me, not my child.  My insides just feel like Jell-O.

I am telling you this to remind you that there are weirdos and freaks out there.  Take care of yourself and those with you.  Pay attention to your surroundings getting in and out of your car.  Pay attention to strange people following you in a store.   Do not be afraid to ask for help to your car.

 

I found this article when I was searching for safety tips.

Protect yourself from would-be assailants by being
equipped with the greatest weapon of all: knowledge

by Jessica Howell

"It doesn’t just happen in the movies,” warns Richard Hart’s book 139 Ways to Prevent Sexual Assault of the dangers of parking lot abductions. In fact, the common preoccupations of women (chatting on a cell phone, searching for the car in a crowded mall parking lot) are habits that assailants seek out in a victim, making it easier to startle or catch them off guard.
While constantly being aware of your surroundings seems an obvious rule of thumb when in a parking lot, it’s often ignored in the hustle of daily errands.
To help refresh your safety skills and shed light on predator tactics, Hart offers the following tips to women:

• Don’t approach your vehicle if a van or other large vehicle with tinted windows is parked next to it. Find a security guard to walk you to your car; they are paid to do so. If a security guard isn’t available, look for a nearby couple walking to their car and say something like, “That vehicle wasn’t there when I parked. Would you mind making sure I get into my car safely?” Most people would be happy to lend a moment and ensure your safety.
• Walk with purpose. Multiple studies have shown that a quick, purposeful walk sends subconscious signals to predators that you are not an easy mark. They typically decide to wait for another victim.
• Keep one hand free at all times. This at least gives you the opportunity to attempt to fend-off a would-be attacker.
• Have your key ready to open the car door. Never stand next to your car searching through your purse. Robbers, car-jackers and sexual predators all watch for this type of distraction.
• Once in your car, lock the doors immediately. This is the time that a bystander could quickly and simply open a car door and let himself in, a frequent tactic since it doesn’t attract a lot of attention from passersby.
• Get moving. Don’t sit inside of your vehicle adjusting the stereo, rummaging through shopping bags or your purse, or talking on your phone, especially if the lot is not well populated. Instead, drive to a well-lit area and stop the car (but leave it running) and then search for the item, make a phone call, etc.
• If you have an unlocking button or keyless entry system, make sure you unlock only the driver door. Most keyless systems let you unlock either the driver door or use two punches to unlock all doors. Unlocking all doors allows a predator to simply slide into your car from the passenger side and do whatever he wants.
• Make sure that your dome light is always functioning properly. As you unlock your vehicle at night, glance into the back seat and make sure that an attacker has not gained access to your car.
• Lastly, never approach your vehicle if a single male is loitering anywhere near it. Period.

You can read  more on this article here.

I just praise God that He was with her and kept her safe.  Thank You God!

TODAY WAS THE DAY!!!!

Let me tell you, when you meet one of your blog buddies, everything changes. No more are they in the "blogworld". They are your in real life friend. Ya know what I hate the way that sounds. My "in real life" friend, if you are my friend you are my friend "in real life" whether I can actually hug you or not. There is no distinction. :) Moving on.....

Today I actually got to hug another one of my in real life friends. Valarie (and no I am not talking about myself) and her family drove all the way from Georgia to come visit us, and we had a blast. They are here in the states visiting family and friends. They are missionaries in Mexico. It is quite cold here today, so I cooked chili, white chicken chili, and potato soup (thank you Lisa M. it was awesome, even though Syd still says its not as good as yours). Big Logan was going to cook chickens on his mega grill, but I didn't want him to have to cook all day. Did that stop him from grilling something out? No! He still went and grilled on the little grill. You will not believe what he did though. He grilled "redneck steak". What is that you ask? Well I didn't know either until he told me, but let me show you a picture of it and see if you can figure it out.

Any guessers??? Its a big honking slab of bologna ! It actually was really good, basically tasted like fried bologna.

So when they got here, it was like we have known each other forever. Like family you just have not seen in a while.

Syd had already called dibs on Israel, their baby.

Oh my gosh would you look at those eyes and checks!!! He was so squishy!! I could just eat him up!!!

Logan, Shiloh , and Abigail played from the moment they got here until they left. They had a really good time together. Oh and Abigail can hold her own with some boys.

Would you look at this face! Her shirt says it all....

They played outside, they played the Wii....

We ate chocolate icing on a spoon, with homemade hot chocolate....

We even watched the Auburn/Georgia game. With actual Auburn and Georgia fans in the room together, and no fights. :)

Seriously no Auburn or Georgia fans were hurt in the making of this post! :)

We fed the donkeys and enjoyed the cold fall weather....

Hmmmm, am I missing anything so far?? Oh yeah! Me and Valarie, Valarie and I, Valarie and Valarie, Valarie x 2, Valarie squared, Ok I will stop now. :)

Yeah we were not ready, this would be the photographers (Syd) fault.

I just love this girl!!!!

Ok and just incase you did not get enough of those checks of Israel's, here you go!!!