Shanty girls giving a Silhouette away!!!

The girls over at Shanty2chic are have a Silhouette give away too!!! Holy cutouts batman. I really really really want one of these machines! The more I look into them the more fun things I can think of to do.

Again if you win this and I don't ....you have to share with me ;)

The Shanty2chic girls will be announcing the winner on Monday Nov 29th, 2010.

Look whats being given away

Lorie from Be Different Act Normal got to review a Silhouette electronic cutting tool and Silhouette gave her one to give away!! How cool is that.

I have to admit I have seen several things about these but never really paid much attention to them. Lorie has me sold!! I really really want one. I could do so many fun things.

Go over to her blog and enter...but if you win and I don't you have to share with me ;)
You have until 10 am MST Monday November 29th, 2010 to enter.

5 books

**all the books are at the top of the page because I have deleted the photos to many times as I tried to edit my post. I finally gave up

Barnes and Noble asked a question on facebook today " can you tell your life story in 5 books (from kids books to current reading)? It got me to thinking about the books I really remember reading or being read to me over the years.

Those of you who know me know I am an avid reader. I have read thousands of books. I really wish I had a list of all the books I have read over the years.

I have a vivid memory of going in the library when I was eight and checking out LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott. I was drawn to it not because anyone had told me about it but because the author's first name was Louisa which is my middle name.

When I was in high school I decided I was going to read all of Earnest Hemingway's books which I did. Who knows what made me want to read all of his books.

Books have always been a part of my life. It is in my blood. One of my favorite things to do is go to a book store. Chase asked me the other day "If there was a Zombie invasion where would you go?" with out hesitation I said Barnes and Noble....if I am going to die I am certainly going to die in a place I love plus I can get snacks at Starbucks until the Zombies come to eat my brains. I think it is a win win ;)

So with out anymore ramblings on my part here are my 5 books (but I had a really hard time keeping it to 5)

The first book I remember "reading" was I AM A LITTLE BUNNY by Ameri Fechner. I loved this book and would look at it over and over again. It is the one book I can remember asking
for my mom or dad to read to me at night.

I have lovely memories of my dad coming home from work taking a shower and then I would sit in his lap while he would read to me from THE WIND IN THE WILLOW by Kenneth Grahame. I think I was in Kindergarten or first grade when we read this "together".

I loved reading the ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN BOY DETECTIVE series by Donald Solob. This was the beginning of my love for reading mystery's


When I was in middle school I came across a book called THE VELVET ROOM by Zilpha Keatley Synder. This was a book that I read over and over even when I was in high school. On the Barnes and Noble site it says for age 9 and up which I think is fine I don't remember any thing that would not be OK for a 9 year old but I am not sure I would have read it in high school several times if it was a book for such a young audience. Then again I will read the back of a box if there isn't anything else around ...so maybe it is for a younger audience.

I am currently reading CHILD OF THE NORTHERN SPRING BY Persha Woolley. This is book one of The Guinevere Trilogy. I am on page 114 of 450 but I am loving this book so far.

Here is the link to the synopsis because I don't know how to copy and paste into my blog.

Back to normal...if you can call it that

Finally I have a new computer. I can download photos and everything Yee Haw. First I have to down load the billion photos I have taken and sort them all out.

I have been under the weather the past couple of weeks. Had to have a little surgery but not anything you want to know about I promise. I was so thankful for my new laptop. I wish I could say I was in a drug induced haze but I can't take pain killers so all I could take was Tylenol. I could not even take Advil it thins the blood and doc does not want that.

The boys started school. It is hard to believe that Chase is in High School! I think what makes it so hard is that means less than four more years with us and then he is gone. I don't care if you come back and live at home it is never the same once you have gone off to college.

Justin is doing well in middle school. Before I blink an eye it is going to be him in High School and then they both will be gone.

We bought a piano Chase wants to learn how to play now that he is not taking band anymore. I only took lessons for a short while but I think I can pick it back up it will be nice to try.

Justin is still playing baseball. The other night he his a 2 run RBI single of course it was the first game I have missed. I was so sad that I missed it. Drew said it was a nice hit right between first and second base.

I know I have so much more to catch up on but I will wait for some photos so you have something to look at and no need to pay attention to my ramblings :)

Lemon Chicken

I love to cook but cooking in the summer is not my favorite thing.While I love summer in some ways in ( think lazy days) the thing I really dislike the most is heating the kitchen up when cooking. I avoid baking as much as I can during the summer. This summer our grill is not working so that has made things little harder. I am always looking for new recipes and today I found a good one for Lemon Chicken. Of course I don't ever follow the recipes I use them more as guide lines....so here it is with the way I cooked it :)

4 boneless chicken breast ( pounded thin or buy chicken cutlets )

1 large onion sliced ( I used a sweet onion)

2-3 cloves of garlic pressed

olive oil

butter

flour

salt

pepper

1 lemon

chicken broth

*squeeze juice out of lemon

*heat a skillet put in about 2-3 T of olive oil add onions and garlic cook until the onions are translucent about 3 minuets

*remove onions and garlic from pan

*Add butter about 1 T

*put flour on a plate or baking dish add salt and pepper to taste (I have no idea how much I use we don't do a lot of salt so I don't use as much). Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture.

*put chicken in pan and cook on medium heat for about 2-3 minuets on each side or until golden brown.

*remove chicken from pan

* add about 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth and lemon juice let come to a boil

* add the onions and chicken back to the pan and let cook for about 5 minuets.

I know there are a lot of steps but it was done in less than 25 minuets from start to finish.

I think the next time I make this I may wilt a bag of spinach in the pan the last couple of minuets.

20 Years ago today

Twenty years ago today I was introduced to my sweetheart. I had a good friend whos husband worked with Drew and kept trying to set us up but I wouldn't go on blind date.... I had another good friend who knew Drew ( but did not know the other friend) who introduced us...True love, it was ment to be.

PS don't you just love my 90's hair!!

The 4th of July

We had a great 4th we were up at 5:30 (yes AM!!) so that Drew and Justin could get to the starting line on time. They ran the Peachtree Road Race together Drew's 21st and Justin's 1st. I was excited and sad at the same time. I was going to run the Peachtree with Drew last year. It was a Christmas gift to Drew, then I got a stupid sinus infection which led to taking some meds which led to having tendinitis and tendionosis in both of my Achilles tendons. Four months of Physical Therpy later my feet were better but still have pain sometimes. Anyway back to my boys :)

Shannon and Max ran the race with them so Chase and I went over to their house to get the girls ready to go down and watch the race. Drew, Justin, Shannon and Max went down to the race together. Chase, the girls and I picked up Granmommy and Grandaddy and went down to watch. Thank goodness Grandaddy was willing to drive. I hate driving in Atlanta. We were really lucky and got a spot close to where we wanted to stand to watch for our runners. It was so nice outside it really was a great day for running. Our gang ran the race in an hour and eigh minuets. Not bad for having an 11 year old (who had not trained) with them.

After we got home showered and took naps we went over to Granmommy and Grandaddy's house for a cook out. We played games, ate and played more games. Then we went and watched fireworks. The past few years we have gone to Lenox Mall and watched they but this year we just went up the road to watch. It was nice to be close to home but not as much fun as being at the Mall and feeling the big boom in your chest when the fireworks go off.

Next year's goal the whole family running together....that's my goal anyway.

Hope you all had a great 4th and are having wonderful summer.

sorry there are no photos I am having to use the boys compter and it will not download them :(

I snagged the one of the t-shirt from the web