Random Dozen

1. Do you believe, somewhere deep inside, that blonde's do indeed have more fun? That they are "dumber" than brunettes or redheads? Be honest!
Nah.  Although I look better as a blondie, I have just as much fun as anyone else. 

2. Which animal would you most like to observe in its wild habitat?
Do I have to camp in the wild?  I don't like camping so much, therefore I am unlikely to observe any animal in its wild habitat. 

3. This week the U.N. announced that Dr. Mazlan Othman has been appointed the official "Alien Ambassador," should any extraterrestrials contact us. Have you, or has anyone you know, ever seen a UFO?
An Unfinished Fabric Object?  Is that what you mean?  I have seen plenty of them.  

4. Name your favorite Hitchcock film.
Honestly, I had to google this to find out if I had ever REALLY seen a Hitchcock film.  Turns out I have seen several.  Much to my surprise.  I haven't ever watched 'The Birds' all the way through--too frightening for me.  I have watched 'Rear Window' all the way through.  Freaky movie.  Duh.  All of Hitchcock's movies are freaky. 

5. Would you rather spend time at the library, the mall, a craft store or home?
This is tough.  It's a toss up between home and the library.  Wait.  Someone else cleans the library.  I have to clean my house.  Bring on the library.

6. Which Disney princess is your favorite? (Or Disney character, if you are a guy)
Cinderella.  

7. What kind of art is your favorite?
The kind done my 3rd graders.  And the smiles that go with the art.  There is nothing better than a kid who is proud of artwork.  

8. How do you feel about viral videos, that is, videos made by amateurs that end up on YouTube receiving thousands of hits?
Who thinks to do that stuff?  And then, why do we watch it?  It's like a bad car wreck--I know I shouldn't watch, but I just can't stop myself.  There are some out there that are pretty darn funny. Like this one:



9. Where do you buy your jeans?
Eddie Bauer.
 
10. Tell me about your first automobile accident.
Oh geez.  I don't even know if it counts as an accident.  It was an accident but.....oh well.  You can decide for yourself.  I am 17 and I am driving a rockin' hot red Dodge Omni.  

For those of you born after the 80's, a Dodge Omni was the car to have.  Seriously.  What the Gremlin was to the 70's, the Omni was to the 80's. 

It's raining.  I need to go Kmart for who knows what(shoes) and I park, hop out and head into the store.  

Pretty soon I hear the intercom repeating what I think might be my tag and car model.  Nah.  That's not me.  Again, the intercom.   Nagnagnag.  Would somebody get out there and take care of whatever it is?  

Wait.

Um.  I think that someone is me.  

Turns out, I put the car in neutral and didn't set the emergency break.  Yep.  It rolled out of the parking place and into some lady's Oldsmobile.  

Let's just finish up by saying that I wasn't a very popular teenager at my house that day.  

11. Have you ever been honest when you knew you would benefit more if you would be dishonest?
Do I have to answer this question?  We all know that this is the story of my life. 

12. If you were appointed "Ambassador to Aliens," what would you show and tell first about life on Earth? What would be the most difficult thing to explain?
I am going with the most difficult thing to explain would be thongs.  And not the kind for your feet.  

You Know Sometimes I Amaze Myself

24 years ago I met an incredible man.  He was a simple guy that everyone loved being around.  It was obvious from our first meeting that I was in the presence of someone pretty amazing.  He just had a way about him and I was drawn to him.  It took him a while to be drawn to me.  Actually, that's not true.  He was just chicken.  

He finally got his guts up and asked me out.  It was pretty romantic--it something like this...'Hey.  You wanna go out sometime?'  I was wearing red ropers, wranglers and my favorite red sweater.  He was wearing jeans and a shirt.  I made him write down that he asked me out cause we weren't at a church function and I was pretty sure he wouldn't remember.

Well, he remembered.

This is the part of the story I like the most.....when he showed up at my door on December 10, 1986, I opened that door and he looked up at me and I knew that he was the man I would marry.  I still remember that feeling.  I hope it never goes away. 

He then said, "Um.  Do you think we could just hang out here tonight?  My checkbook isn't in real good shape and my mom's gonna kill me if it gets any worse."  Yep. I was done.  He was honest and up front.

He went to church without his mom telling him to.  Still does.
He was loyal to a fault.  Still is.
He thought deeply and spoke softly.  Still does.

And I am still amazed that he chose me.

He wrote something this week that I think should be read by the masses.... 
http://coachhays.com/2010/09/21/football-is-not-life/

And taken to the very heart of life.  Just sayin'.

A Real Game

So this came in an email to me.....and since I laughed out loud....I thought you might laugh out loud, too.

________________________________

THE 
NEXT SURVIVOR
SERIES 
Six married men 
will be dropped on an island 
with one car 
and 3 kids each 
for six weeks. 

Each kid will play two sports 
and take either music or dance classes. 

There is no fast food.

Each man must 
take care of his 3 kids; maintain his career,
keep his assigned house clean, 
correct all homework, 
complete science projects, 
cook, 
do laundry, 
and pay a list of 'pretend' bills 
with not enough money. 

In addition, 
each man 
will have to budget enough money 
for groceries each week. 

Each man 
must remember the birthdays 
of all their friends and relatives, 
and send cards out on time--no emailing. 

Each man must also take each child 
to a doctor's appointment, 
a dentist appointment 
and a haircut appointment.

He must make one unscheduled and 
inconvenient visit per child to the Emergency Room.

He must also make cookies or cupcakes 
for a school function.

Each man will be responsible for 
decorating his own assigned house, 
planting flowers outside, and keeping it 
presentable at all times.

The men will only have access to television 
when the kids are asleep and all chores are done. 

The men must shave their legs, 

wear makeup daily, 

adorn themselves with jewelry, 

wear uncomfortable yet stylish shoes, 

keep fingernails polished, 

and eyebrows groomed 

During one of the six weeks, 

the men will have to endure severe 
abdominal cramps, backaches, headaches,
have extreme, unexplained mood swings 
but never once complain or slow down 
from other duties. 

They must attend weekly school meetings 
and church, 
and find time at least once to spend 
the afternoon at the park or a similar 
setting.


They will need to read a book to the kids each night 
and in the morning, 
feed them, 
dress them, 
brush their teeth and 
comb their hair 
by 7:30 am.


A test will be given 
at the end of the six weeks, 
and each father will be required to know 
all of the following information: 
each child's 
birthday, 
height, weight,
shoe size, clothes size, 
doctor's name, 
the child's weight at birth, 
length, time of birth, 
and length of labor, 
each child's favorite color, 
middle name, 
favorite snack, 
favorite song, 
favorite drink, 
favorite toy, 
biggest fear, 
and what they want to be when they grow up.

The kids vote them off the island based on performance. 

The last man wins only if...
he still 
has enough energy 
to be intimate with his spouse 
at a moment's notice.


If the last man does win, 
he can play the game over and over and over 
again for the next 18-25 years, 
eventually earning the right 
to be called Mother! 


After you get done laughing,
send this to as many females as 
you think will get a kick out of it and 
as many men as you think can handle it. 
Just don't send it back to me.... 

I'm going to bed.

Questions to Ponder

I was thinking about things we say in conversations. 

Often times I have heard the phrase and probably said it, too....."OMGosh that is just wrong.  It wrong on so many levels that I don't even know where to start." 

Here's my thought....Isn't wrong just wrong?  I can't think that there are levels of wrong.  Wrong is just wrong.  Doesn't matter what it is, if it's wrong, then it's just wrong.  Whether it's a math problem or the way someone has been treated. 

If it's wrong, it's just wrong.  There are no 'levels' to wrong.  Just sayin'.

Updates

Been MIA...again.  I guess you better get used to my randomness. 

Back on January 1 my family gave up these:

And these:

I know.  For a family who lives to eat and hates to clean up, giving up paper plates seemed like a crazy idea.  But we generate a lot of trash.  And it isn't all white.  That's a gene pool issue.  Anyway, paper plates aren't expensive.  We only used around 150 a month.  But it's 1350ish less we've used since January 1.   

I bought plastic divided plates on the dollar isle at the grocery store.  They look like this:

They aren't this pretty.  They are a lovely shade of green (like army) and navy blue.  2 plates for $1.  I initially bought 6.  It soon became evident that we needed more.  So I bought 6 more.  For $6, I got 12 plates.  We have an unfortunate accident with 1 or 2, but 9 almost 10 months into the experiment, we still have 10 plates. 

Why did I buy plastic divided plates?  Don't have I plates that we could use?  Why, yes, of course I have plates that we can use.  I have 14 place settings of Fiesta.  But it was one of those things....we didn't want to use them for things like pop tarts or toast.  And what if we were just having a sandwich? 

The paper napkins were a little more difficult to give up.  I do love napkins.  I usually need 3 or 4 during a meal.  I rarely go to a restaurant that I don't use several napkins.  I have been accused of having a napkin fetish.  My lunch bunch makes fun of me and my napkins.   We initially made some cloth napkins from material I had in my stash.  Frack made them on a snow day.  It didn't take long for us to figure out that we would need more napkins than I thought.  I don't launder towels everyday and that is where I thought the napkins should be laundered.  As luck would have it, my favorite kitchen store had cloth napkins on their 50% off table.  So I picked up about 20 napkins for about $20.  Works for me.  And now I really miss cloth napkins when I have to use paper.  Funny thing.

So far the experiment is working.  Saving some trash one piece at a time.  Just sayin'. 

Random Dozen

1. Describe the best sandwich in the world, according to you.
A sandwich made by someone else.  Preferably served with fries and a diet coke in a place that I don't have to clean up when I leave . 

2. Which inspires you more: a good conversation, a song, a book or movie?
Yikes.  
 
3. What is your favorite board game?
One I can win.  
 
4. As you grow older, are you more or less patient with small children?
More patient because they aren't mine.  Praise God.

5. Name one item you never let yourself run out of.
I can't think of anything.  Most people will say toilet paper or diet coke or peanut butter M&M's but I regularly run out of stuff.  Important stuff like toilet paper, diet coke and peanut butter M&M's as well as toothpaste, acid reducer and dish soap.  
 
6. Do you agree with Tennyson's assertion, "'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?"
Yep.  Take a risk.  Put yourself out there--good things happen.  So do bad things.  Do it anyway.

7. Name one national treasure or monument that you have visited.
Gee.  I don't think I have been to a national treasure or a monument.  But when I grow up I am going to Mount Rushmore and then to the Grand Canyon. 
 
8. Which is more painful, to be disappointed in someone else or to be disappointed in yourself? 
Since it's all about me....disappointed in myself.  I just hate it when I do something that I know I could have done better, handled differently or said it kinder, gentler way.
 
9. What makes your kitchen uniquely yours?
Pink appliances?  Purple walls?  Red and white checked curtains? Black and white checkered flooring?  What isn't unique?
 
10. Are you a crafty person?
Not if I can help it.  
 
11. What is your favorite traditional picnic or bbq (cookout) food?
Whatever someone else cooks.  And cleans up.  And purchases.  
 
12. Name one leisurely activity you enjoyed over Labor Day Weekend.
Napping.  It was lovely.  And it was alone.  Just sayin'.

Brownie Bites

This is the post that almost wasn't.  I hate to complain....but I am COMPLAINING.  Blogger and I just can't keep on this way.  We took a break like a couple of middle schoolers 'dating' but I think I am going to have to go all the way and break up.  Once again, I was forced to curse and pound the table when trying to upload photos.  Really, Blogger? 

Alas, I was able to pull myself together and I have a little recipe to share with you. 

My son found this recipe years ago in a magazine that he was reading while he was, um, well attending to his business.  It's a gene pool issue.  Anyway, he was probably 7 or so and he thought these would be easy and fun.  And he was right, for the most part. 

You need 1 brownie mix and a bag of hugs.  Mix the brownies according to the directions. 

Then you fill mini muffin cups with brownies.  I line mine with mini paper cups I buy at this really awesome kitchen store we have here in town.  You can spray the mini muffin tins with baking spray but......the brownie bites must sit until they are completely cool before removing them from the pan.  I have tried removing them before they are cool and the hug sets up and well, I am telling you that it isn't pretty.  My people will still eat them, but they cannot be taken anywhere for the public to enjoy. 

Bake the brownie bites at 350 for around 12 minutes.  The actual recipe says 16-22 minutes--which is wwwaaaayyyyy too long.  Try hockey puck long. 

And yes, I have 2 mini muffin pans.  I don't particularly care for the red silicone one.  I just HAD to have it and really, I don't like it. 

I do under bake my brownies just a bit.  We like them with that slight under bake.  After you remove the brownies from the oven, place a hug on the top of the brownie bite.  And you are done. 

A couple of tips......these are best baked a day ahead of when you want to serve them.  They don't come out of the paper muffins cups really 'clean' the first day.  And they kind of set up.  They are just better the second day.  I intended to make them last night for a function tonight, but I was simply too tired after dinner last night to do anything but watch Project Runway.  Highly addictive stupid show that I can't stop watching once I start--bad car wreck kind of thing--I shouldn't watch but I can't stop myself. 

I took this one out of the muffin tin kind of warm so I could take a picture of it for you.  You can kind of see that it kind of flattens out the hug and make it look a little like a....well.....um....a body part that shouldn't be seen, pierced or tattooed.  Think Janet Jackson at the Superbowl.

I have used differently flavors of kisses--mint, caramel filled, peanut butter, blah blah blah.  Hugs make the prettiest brownie bites and actually, I think they taste the best. 

Just leave them in the muffin tin until they are completely cool to save yourself from immature comments from the peanut gallery.  Just sayin'.

Never....Ever

And I do mean never......ever.....never.....EVER...

let a teenager who knows too much.......

about technology....and where to find certain applications......

borrow your computer. 

Nice. Proudest mom moment, ever.   Just sayin'.

Um...Excuse Me Do I Know You?

Well.  It seems as though I am famous.  And not just in my little head.  Yesterday someone said to me, "So you're the Mrs. Hays of THE Hays Crew!"

Um.

Well.

"Yes.  Yes, I am."

And then what do I say?  I haven't posted in a month of Sundays.  I have a million things that I could write about but can't find the energy to open the lid on my laptop.  I have some very funny things that have happened to me that I think you all would find equally as funny.  I have some super pics.  And some great recipes.

Oh and wouldn't you know that I screwed myself over and didn't get enough water last week so this week I have an 'allergy' situation attempting to cause me to want to sever my head.

Alas.  It's the same song 17th verse.  School has started and it's kicking my biscuits.

But hey, I am famous.  Just sayin'.