Subway Art

photo from The Idea Room

Amy over at The Idea Room came up with this great project! Go on over and get your free download today. I love it

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!!