Thursday, November 30, 2006

Thankful Thursday Thirteen

Welcome to the last in my series of Thankful Thursday Thirteen Extravaganza. My final Thursday in November celebrating all things wonderful and worth being thankful for.
You can visit my other lists starting here.

  1. makeup
  2. acne cream
  3. brushes
  4. hair dryers
  5. my pillow
  6. my blankie (ahhh, to be in bed with my blankie . . . .)
  7. doggie-poop-free grass (no explanation needed)
  8. teddy bears
  9. clean drinking water
  10. being out of debt
  11. indoor heating (it's 15 degrees outside - it sucks!)
  12. brownies ( chewy, rich, chocolate, mmmmm, don't you want one!)
  13. milk (can't have a brownie without milk)


Ok, while you are eating your brownie, if you need a laugh, be sure to check out yesterday's Wordless Wednesday post below.

Have a fabulous Thursday!!

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Wordless Wednesday

alien song





(this isn't mine, I don't know who to credit but it always makes me laugh. enjoy!)

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Now that's odd!

My dear friend Anthony at My Sick Mind has tagged me for some "internet fun". I get to select six of my favorite oddities to share with the world.

According to the rules…
Each player of this game starts with the “6 weird things about you”. People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave a comment that says “you are tagged” in their comments and tell them to read your blog.
So, Anthony, World, here we go:

  1. Deal me out: I have (just a tad of) OCD in my veins. Therefore, I can't enjoy several card games such as Spoons or Pounce. I am too busy straightening the card piles.
  2. PJ's are our friends: I have to wear PJ's to bed, even in the heat of summer when I am complaining about the heat. Something to do with a fear of having a fire and ending up on the street in my underwear or, God forbid, less.
  3. Don't mess with my shower: I am a tad fussy about my cleanliness. I have a way I shower, an order of doing things you might say, that I execute every time. (can I hear you say OCD?)
  4. Make it a Virgin please!: This may amaze some of you and be really really weird to others, but I have never had a drink of any alcoholic beverage. Just consider me your designated driver!
  5. Those are what???: I don't like caviar. Nasty looking. Nasty tasting. Just plain nasty.
  6. It was only a dream: 20 years after graduating High School, I still occasionally have dreams that I am failing French class and won't graduate. I see the big seating chart with a black X through my name. Something to do with fear of failure I am told.

There you have it. So, we all have issues, now you know a few of mine. I would like to pass this fun on to six of my newer blogging buddies:
Tara @ Coffee Crochet
Colleen @ the Colleen Scene
Jennifer @ Wilson Six - (who by the way sent me a cute notepad. Check out her stuff)
Molly @ These Little Moments
DK Rymer @ A Flyover Blog
Becky @ Absent Minded Housewife

If you don't like playing along, blame Anthony. He started it!

Sunday, November 26, 2006

My Scariest Day!

It was a beautiful day. The kind of day that makes you want to be outdoors. I was enjoying the sun dappled shade of a towering oak when I noticed a young girl setting a picnic for one. She was lovely, with golden hair that fell in natural tendrils around her face. Her eyes were a deep shade of blue that rivaled the sky on this warm summer’s day. She wore faded blue jeans and a blouse the color of a lime. She was barefoot, having taken off her sandals, and I noticed her toenails were painted pink with little white flowers on them.
As I was also alone that day, I decided to venture a little closer and introduce myself. Perhaps we could picnic together. I enjoy making new friends and the park is usually a great place to find them.
As I was getting closer I could see the items she was setting out for her picnic. She had lain out a red and white checkered blanket on which she had her opened picnic basket and a small stool to sit upon. She pulled out her utensils, a cloth napkin and finally her meal. An odd meal, I thought, it looked like cottage cheese.
I had gotten close enough to introduce myself and quietly cleared my throat. That is when we made eye contact for the first time. Then all hell broke loose. She let out the most horrific scream I have ever heard. I covered my ears, in vain, trying to block out the noise. She started waiving her arms in the air, swinging at me, and yelling “get away, get away from me”!
I didn’t know what to do, my heart was beating so fast and I didn’t know what had set her off. I tried waiving my hands back at her to tell her to calm down. That set off another wave of screams. This time she picked up her napkin and started swinging it at me. She knocked me off balance and I fell to the ground. Before I could get up she picked up one of her sandals and started swatting at me. I was so terrified the only thing I could do was quickly crawl back up my line, into the safety of my web, in the sun dappled shade of the towering oak.
Copyright 11/2006
Linda Voss
aka Domestic Goddess

Thursday, November 23, 2006

"Thankful" Thursday Thirteen

Welcome back to my month of Thankful Thursday Thirteen. If you are interested in my previous Thankful Thursday Thirteen lists, because they really are worth experiencing, you can go here and here.

And because today is the ACTUAL Thankful Thursday, I will give you not one, but two lists. That's right! Two lists for the price of one!

Where else would you get this kind of thankfulness value!

So, on with the lists!

  1. nice people (mean people, not so much)
  2. teachers
  3. neighbors with tools
  4. neighbors with tools who are willing to share
  5. scrapbook stores
  6. scrapbook supplies
  7. my scrapbooking buddies
  8. paper products
  9. Bryers Reeses Peanut Butter Cup icecream
  10. comedians with family friendly humor
  11. Veggie Tales (ya gotta love Larry Boy!)
  12. colors
  13. rainbows
and list two:

  1. teeth
  2. dentists
  3. Novocain
  4. q-tips (water in my ears just drives me batty!!)
  5. ears
  6. water
  7. bats, no wait, not bats, um - deodorant
  8. ibuprofen
  9. anti-depressant drugs (yes, the Goddess is a highly functioning medicated individual and will chat with anyone about it who is interested enough to ask)
  10. brooms
  11. vacuums
  12. spell check (I actually spelled vacuum right)
  13. eyes
now my wish for you - "Have a very happy Thanksgiving day (those non US folks can just have a fabulous Thursday)." I am off to make pie!

Monday, November 20, 2006

You'll never look at it the same way again!

Today, I have a fun, fast, and easy crafty crafty project for you. I am going to show you how to make this cute tote from *ta dum* a placemat!



First you need a placemat. Fold it in half (the sides of the placemat will now be the top of the tote) with right sides together and stitch together on each side.








Now you are going to take the corners and fold it to a point.
You want the side seam to line up with the imaginary mid-line from the bottom of the tote.
Measure in 2" on the seam and draw a stitch line. Sew along line.



Do this on both corners. It will now look like this.







Turn the bag right side out. It will now have a squared bottom.


(inside view)







Now you need some coordinating Gros Grain (pronounced "grow" grain) for the handles. Measure 12" plus how long you want the handle. Cut two. (In my sample I used 24" - 12" for the handle length and 6" for hang down on each side.)
Pin the ribbon where you want the handle to be sewn, with the 6" hang down on each side.





Stitch the ribbons. You can do a fancy stitch or just zig zag. I like to stitch a rectangle with an X in it. You just need to secure it well.
Do that on both sides. Now that the handles are sewn on, tie a double knot with the 6" hang down.


Now you have a cute tote. This is the perfect size for carrying scriptures (Scripture Tote), can be a purse, can be for knitting or other crafty crafty projects.







Friday, November 17, 2006

Tacky is as Tacky Does - or - O.J., it isn't just for breakfast anymore.

I remember when O.J. Simpson was revered as a great ball player and all around great guy. Remember him in the Airplane movies? Remember the commercial (Avis car rental I believe) where he ran through the airport terminal?

Then I remember when I reacted with a literal jaw drop when the verdict to acquit him came from the "Trial of the Century".

Now I am somewhat stunned as he comes up with one of the most unbelievably tacky stunts imaginable. If you haven't heard, He has now authored a book titled "If I Did It, Here's How It Happened", where in he details how he would have carried out the murders, if he had in fact done it.

Is O.J. that desperate for money and decided to "get gain" at the cost of the memory of his wife and dragging the families through this again? We know that some time after the acquittal, He was ordered to pay about $33 million for costs of the crimes, in a civil trial, but it is understood he has only paid some thousands of dollars to the families.

Or, is he just feeling left out of the spot light and this is the only way he can think of to get attention.

Shame on you Mr. Simpson. For bringing this tragedy back into focus in a way that mocks the event, the judicial system, the families, and your participation in the murders. Yes, we all believe you did it. Yes we feel like this is finally your confession. Who knows, maybe you do have some bit of a conscience that prompted this, but I doubt it.

My thoughts and sympathies go out to his children. It is bad enough that they had to lose their mother in this horrific way but now they have to live through the memories and added press all over again.

I would hope that the American public would show their disdain for this pathetic attempt at the spotlight by not wasting their hard earned money on it.

What will the next books be, author Kato Kaylin with "Testimony, The House Guest's Guide", and "Face First, Using Your Deposition as an Audition"?

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Thursday Thirteen

Welcome back to my Thankful Thursday Thirteen extravaganza!!
As a reminder -

In homage to the month of November, I will be posting Thursday Thirteen’s this month of things I am thankful for. Last week's list.

(These lists will delve deep into my thankful pot because I am not going to list the typical: husband, children, God, the internet, parents, friends, job, family, the internet, freedom, liberty, the internet, etc., so consider those already listed)


  1. cell phones. I feel so much safer when driving along in:
  2. cars
  3. containers.I love containers.They make me happy
  4. mountains
  5. flowers
  6. bees buzzing
  7. peanut butter
  8. peanut butter m-n-m’s
  9. when I don’t have to cook
  10. when someone else cooks
  11. delivery pizza
  12. UPS (even though they don't deliver pizza)
  13. public school(my kids and I would not make the poster children for homeschooling)

Wordless Wednesday















(mmmmmm, peanut butter filled Kong)

Monday, November 13, 2006

Would You Pass 7th Grade Biology?

As I was driving my daughter home from school today she quizzed me from some flash cards she had made in Biology class.

My deduction was that I would flunk 7th grade. I know it has been a while since I have been in 7th grade, but I don't even remember studying some of the things she was quizzing me on.

I consider myself an intelligent person but this is kind of damaging to my psyche. Are all the 7th graders running around smarter than me?

I am going to give you the mini quiz she gave me. See how you do. I guess I am either trying to validate that it isn't just me (misery loves company) or that I really need to go back to school.

1. What are Heterotrophs?
2. What is Light Reaction?
3. What is Dark Reaction?
4. What are Autotrophs?
5. What is the formula for Density?
6. Explain Photosynthisis:
7. What is Stage 1 in the Respiration Process?
8. What is Stage 2 in the Respiration Process?
9. What is Mitochondria?
10. What is Respiration?

Answers are in my comments. Good luck!



Friday, November 10, 2006

Is your child as safe as you think they are?

My kids are teenagers and therefore we don't belt them into car seats. Although sometimes they act like 3 year olds.

I was over at Plain Jane Mom's and she mentioned this video. It is a very powerful video and I have enough friends and family with young children that I felt the need to share it.



If you know someone with young children, please take the time to share this with them.


An open letter:

Dear owner of the vehicle parked in the carpool drop off lane,

I have noticed several times, while dropping my children off at school, that your vehicle has left the parking lot and made it's way to the carpool drop off lane.

I wanted to bring this to your attention as I would be a little concerned if my vehicle wandered off on its own. Because I can't imagine that you would actually park your car in the drop off lane. Your vehicle may be having separation anxiety as you have left it on it's own while running into the school to conduct whatever business you had to attend to.


Perhaps you ought to have a talk with your vehicle about the fact that the carpool lane is for picking up and dropping off students and not parked cars. It may be interested to learn that while it is only longing to be closer to you, it is in fact causing problems for those of us who are trying to drop our children off. It is blocking the flow of traffic and causing our vehicles to pull into the driving lane, blocking the flow even more.


Furthering the problem, I have noticed that several times your vehicle has brought along a vehicle buddy, causing that vehicle to think it is alright to park there too. This is making the drop off lane even shorter and causing even more of a traffic backup.

Perhaps you should think of leaving the radio on in your vehicle to keep it company or get it a puppy to love in your absence. Just remember to crack the window.

Thank you for taking the time to deal with this issue and making the carpool experience run smoother for everyone. Your vehicle included.

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Thursday Thirteen

In homage to the month of November, I will be posting Thursday Thirteen’s this month of things I am thankful for.

These lists will delve deep into my thankful pot because I am not going to list the typical: husband, children, God, the internet, parents, friends, job, family, the internet, freedom, liberty, the internet, etc., so consider those already listed.

Without further ado:

  1. refrigeration
  2. Albertson’s meat department (I can’t imagine having to “get” the meat to that stage on my own. Eeeeewwww)
  3. washing machines
  4. computers
  5. the sound crunchy leaves make
  6. sunrises
  7. sunsets
  8. sunrises the next day (It would suck to be in darkness all the time)
  9. Birkenstocks
  10. gravity
  11. modern plumbing
  12. Louis Armstrong singing “Wonderful World”




  13. soft pajamas

Wordless Wednesday














(you are either going to say "too funny" or "eeeeeewwwww". C'est la vie!)

Monday, November 06, 2006

Get out and VOTE!

Tuesday November 7th is Election Day.
Remember to take advantage of living in a free country and let your voice be heard.
GO VOTE!!




These are Get out the Vote posters.










Even though they aren't from this current year, I like the messages that they convey.











To look at more posters, go to this website.










Saturday, November 04, 2006

Help Me I'm Melting!

You know, I used to be cool. Kinda hip anyway. With the times. My clothes were in style and I listened to the current music that was popular. It wasn't until my daughter turned about 13 that I started noticing the dreaded "generation gap" rearing it's ugly head.

Now a couple of years later, things start popping up that make me actually feel a little bit, dare I say, old-ish.

We like to listen to some of the same music. I like, for instance, Evanescence and Linkin Park. And we have raised our kids to appreciate all kinds of music; classical, jazz, the essentials like Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald etc. Much to my chagrin she has recently taken up Country music. I don't know where I went wrong. But sometimes when she has music on (and I use that term loosely) I think to myself "what is up with all that noise and screaming".

I remember when I was a teenager and I had the radio on (as usual) and my dad came by and said "this sounds like jungle music". Well obviously he just didn't get it. So now I think to myself, am I not "getting" it or has music really just gotten as crappy as it sounds. I think the later is true.

I remember the good original rap. Remember Run D.M.C? The music was actually fun. The version of "Walk this Way" with Aerosmith. Classic! Rap today, ugh. And the whole Hip-Hop thing. I would rather listen to my daughter's Country music than Hip-Hop.

I have transitioned to the lower waist band trend so I don't have the dreaded "mom" jeans. I still prefer my Birkenstocks and I hate the pointy high heeled shoes that are popular now. My wide-ish feet don't like them and my lower back doesn't want to be tweaked out of alignment. (am I sounding old-ish?)

I just don't know why the times keep changing and yet so much is the same. I remember in grade school when my mom wore a paisley skirt suit set. I thought it was the most unattractive pattern imaginable. Dare I say hideous. Wouldn't I have been surprised to learn that in my high school years I would love "fish in ecstasy" as we called it. Paisley and argyle. Thin ties and big shoulder pads. Skinny jeans and big sweaters.

It is kind of funny to see the big hair and skinny pants starting to wend it's way back into the social conscience though.

Maybe when it does I will be cool again.


Friday, November 03, 2006

The Enabler to my Love Affair

As you may remember, I confessed earlier to having something on the side. Yes, my love affair with the internet.
Today I feel a need to talk about my enabler to that love affair.
It is my web browser, Firefox. Not just Firefox, but the new version 2.0. I love the whole tab functionality thing that Firefox offers. It allows me to open whole folders at a time, link to new websites and get a new tab up so both sites are open – I don’t lose one for the other. No making choices as to which site is better. I can have them all.
And now, oh- - be still my beating heart, automatic spell check. What more could a girl ask for. When I type in my blog, when I leave comments in someone else’s blog, it automatically does a spell check for me. This is great for those words you look at and they start looking wierd, weerd, weird, so you think you may have misspelled it, but you aren’t sure. (i before e except after what?) A girl does want to look good now doesn't she.
All this is wrapped up in a hot foxy little browser that I can spend my day with flitting around the internet. I long ago gave up that other "e" program and haven’t looked back since.

Food for Thought Friday

This week I am going to share a really yummy recipe that our family loves. It is super easy and can be done in the crock pot or on the stove top. As you know, I am all about easy and this fits the bill.

Taco Soup

1 1b. ground beef
onion, chopped
brown and drain, combine in pan or crock pot with:

1 can kidney beans
1 can tomatoes
1 can corn
1 can tomato soup
1 pkg. taco seasoning

Serve with grated cheese, taco chips and sour cream.


Just a note: beans, tomatoes and corn are put in with the liquid included.
This recipe can easily be doubled.

For more Food for Thought Friday recipes or to play along, visit SlackerMoms-R-Us.


Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen things I want to do before I die.

(no, this isn’t an announcement, just an idea)

  1. photo safari to Africa
  2. learn sign language
  3. visit Egypt
  4. learn archery
  5. visit Italy
  6. go back to school, earn degree in English
  7. be a published author
  8. visit Jerusalem
  9. serve a church mission with my hubby
  10. finish training to earn my black belt
  11. pay off my house early
  12. see my girls get married and be happy
  13. be an awesome grandma