Feeling good...

Good morning!

Yahoo! The child is feeling so much better!

First we are off to collect prizes for completing the summer reading program!

Next, lunch at Mimi's Cafe.... Mmmm the Blue Cheese, Walnuts, Cranberries, Strawberries and Vinaigrette Salad! Delicious!

The Newest Backseat driver! ha ha

 Have a great day! Today we are off to the Sea!

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It's Monday...

... and your at work...

... but I'm on VACATION!

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Sorry, I just couldn't help myself! tee hee

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Vacation... Day 2...

... "Mom, I don't feel good."

Yes, that's right, we've got a sick child today. Well, we're going to hunker down with water and crackers and wait it out. Sweet Jesus, let this be only a 24 hour bug and that it is self-contained!

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Edelweiss

That's what kind of flower I am...

... an Edelweiss. Which means strength/courage.

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"You get your greatest joy out of life by helping others. You are loyal, caring, and devoted. You are no weakling either. You have been faced with many hardships and challenges throughout your life but rather than becoming resentful or cold, you have worked through these difficult times and gained great strength and motivation. You understand what it's like to feel helpless and scared, so you make it your life's mission to help those who are struggling like you once were."

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What kind of flower are you? Take the test here.

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8 Beaches to go

Today I was reading the top 10 beaches listed and I have been to 2 of them... the St. Thomas of the US Virgin Islands and Malibu in California. Hmmm, only 8 more to go! Although for this cash strapped vacation, we'll be going to this beach for a day...

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Carmel Beach! Small enough to not be to crazy crowded and they have public restrooms! We're hoping the dolphins will show up again like last year.

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I love the Carmel / Monterey area! If I had to pick though, it would be Carmel. Also known as Carmel-by-the-Sea! In 1906, the San Francisco Call devoted a full page to the "artists, poets and writers of Carmel-by-the-Sea" and in 1910 it reported that 60 percent of Carmel's houses were built by citizens who were "devoting their lives to work connected to the aesthetic arts." Early City Councils were dominated by artists and the town has had several mayors who were poets or actors including Herbert Heron, founder of the Forest Theater, and actor-director Clint Eastwood, who was mayor for one term, from 1986 to 1988. Wow, how time flies, seems like yesterday he was mayor doesn't it!

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TGIF!!

Thank God it's Friday!

... that means I am on VACATION...

... and hope to sleep in until at least 7am everyday.

Join me in prayer that the little people SLEEP IN!!!

*~*

Lady Luck!

Wow, my Lady Luck continues...

I've received a blog Award!

Cynthia at Muse-Swings, creator of this award, bestowed it upon me because she feels my blog "celebrates the closeness and traditions of family and friends and fabulous food."

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As I told her, I am at a loss for words! Thank You is the obvious thing to say but it doesn't express the heartfelt gratitude I feel! Wow! It's simply a joy to know that your blog is read and appreciated by others than your circle of friends and family!

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Lucky, lucky, lucky... Me!

Sisters are better than they need to be sometimes and mine is no exception.

You see, I am the "little sister".... a 6 year age difference, the one who got on her LAST nerve, the one who used her LAST whatever it was, the one who wore shoes and clothes that were sworn to bring great consequences if worn... because it was written in the Big Sister Handbook! Yep that was me. Now, fast forward 20 years and... I'm not so bad afterall. In fact, I'm a pleasure to be around! Like a girlfriend, to have lunch with, or dinner with, or go to church with, or compare hair color with, or spend a lovely evening seeing the play "Sound of Music"! Yes, it's nice to have a sister!

( my sister is rolling her eyes as she reads this... lol)

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Remember my post from Tuesday at the tea party and wanting to have those darling Shoe design combo tea cup and plate to take to work? Well guess what I got as a giftie from my big sister today?!

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Give up?

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My very own BEAUTIFUL, LOVELY flowered tea cup and plate!

I love the sea shell shaped plate!

Thank you Melody! I really LOVE it!

“If your sister is in a tearing hurry to go out and cannot catch your eye, she’s wearing your best sweater.” ~ Pam Brown

Saturday Playdate

Mom, can I have a play date with a friend?

Yes.

Hmm, can we also have lunch?

Yes.

Hmm, can we do it like you do?

Do what honey?

Ya know, have all the fancy tea stuff with our lunch?

Sounds like fun!

YES!

But first I need to go to the store for some fruit and bread.

Since I'll be busy cooking and setting the table, I'll stop by the donut shop for a quickie breakfast.

Like we'll need anymore sugar today... my favorite is the chocolate iced buttermilk in the back.

Okay table is ready with assorted fruit, scones and tea sandwiches. Today's selection is Peanut Butter and Jelly, traditional cucumber and my new favorite, sliced ham with apricot & cream cheese spread.

Yea! Play date friend has arrived and ready to celebrate their soccer team win.

The princess crowns are left-over from my sister's Queen for a Day birthday party held back in January. Scroll through the blog for January and you'll see more great photo's of that!

For today's centerpiece, I used the bottom of my biscuit jar and topped it with this darling miniature tea set my Mother In Law got for me!

Well why should the kids have all the fun! I had to do all the work, so I got all my tea stuff out to enjoy as well! Hmm, choices, choices... I think I'll choose French Vanilla tea with some milk and brown sugar cubes... of course!




Delicious if I say so myself!

Now this is a treat! A customer of mine brought in a large box of garden vegetables to share among my office mates and let me tell you, it was so wonderful! I probably brought home $10 worth of yellow and red tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh basil! I knew exactly what I was going to make with those and since I wanted some grown up food for lunch, I made my version of a Caprese salad using mozzarella cheese, both kinds of tomatoes, the basil, olive oil and S/P.

 

 Now it's time for PLAY! It was a bit windy today, so swimming didn't last too long but it was rated the best play date ever and I'm the best Mom ever. Yeah, that's right!

I hope that your Saturday has been as much fun as ours!

 

~*~

Especial-Tea for YOU!

Greetings and welcome to the "Especial-Tea for you" party hosted by Muse Swing!

Please visit her lovely blog to get the complete list of ladies participating today!

For now... just relax and enjoy the music.

I wished I could have found something vintage to wear but nothing looked right for the party mood I am in, so.... I'll put on my party dress and jewels!

Of course an Updo hairstyle!

May I pour you a cup of tea? Would you like brown or white sugar cubes? I lOVE brown sugar cubes with my tea, it takes the flavor to a whole-nother level with milk! While we wait for the others to join us, help yourself to some treats...

Today I am contributing my famous cream scones! My popularity is among 5 friends who swear they can't duplicate it even though I gave them the recipe. (by the way... scroll down my blog and you'll see my previous post for the recipe if you would like it) Personally, I think no matter what the recipe says... it's all in the brand of flour you buy and the technique of how you stir, fold or knead the ingredients for the person making it.

In my opinion, there is no other curd topping than Trader Joe's Lemon Curd... seriously you will compare every other lemon curd to this brand in the USA and they'll never measure up. They carry it seasonly though so stock up during the holidays through spring.

My other hard to find favorite in California... Wild Huckleberry Jam! I love jam! If it's homemade I love it even more! I dream of being a judge at the county fair for homemade jams, pies, cakes, bars... you name the treat and I'll praise your sweet name for it! Speaking of the fair... my dad is singing in the California State Fair at the end of this month during the California State Karaoke Championship! But I'll write about that more another day!

Now that we've had a little something to eat, it's time for conversation!

Have you heard about these? They are Iced Tea with Lemon, sugar-free mints! You can buy them at CandyAddict.com or a store near you!

Do you happen to subscribe to Tea Time? It is growing on me, I think I'll ask for a subscription for my birthday later this year.

...or this? It was a glorious day when this returned to publication, my subscription request went out the very next morning!

Have you ever seen these Aqua trays before? They are for your bath tub, perfect for just a little something.

Oh the other day, I found these combo tea cup and plate with shoe pattern on the Internet. I hope someday they show up at a discount store so I can call them mine! It would be great to take to work so I can use it at my desk. Right now, my desk plates and cups don't match but that is what makes it darling too. But these... would be sooo me!

What are your favorite ROMANTIC movies? I have several..

A Room with a View because the costumes are simply gorgeous and the acting represents the book like it I expected! Isn't it a bummer when a movie adaption of a book is a BIG let down? Well this won't disappoint you!

Enough said...

My FAVORITE MOVIE every time in all contests!

Who wants to go get their shawl and hanky? Go ahead, I'll wait!

Ooooh the red dress!

Now this one didn't become a favorite until recently. I definitely had to be a mature adult to understand the story and wow, it's a beautiful story.

Well all good things must come to an end... I'm thrilled you could join me today! Don't forget to visit all the lovely blogs today who are participating ! But before you go, here is my party favor! This gorgeous White Chocolate Tea Cup set! That's right, it's edible!

Balanced Mind

Yes, that's right folks, I have a balanced mind!

Lisa over at The Preachers Wife blog shared the brain test she recently took and... well I just had to take it too! The results were that I have a nearly 50/50 balanced brain. I was relieved to see the results because when the first question appeared, I raised an eyebrow and said.. "what the heck is that?"

I thought a balanced brain must be good, right?!

"Your hemispheric dominance is equally divided between left and right brain, while you show a moderate preference for auditory versus visual learning, signs of a balanced and flexible person.

Your balance gives you the enviable capacity to be verbal and literate while retaining a certain "flair" and individuality. You are logical and compliant but only to a degree. You are organized without being compulsive, goal-directed without being driven, and a "thinking" individual without being excessively so."
(Yeah, I didn't understand any of that either... lol)

Hmm, then I read on...

"The one problem you might have is that your learning might not be as efficient as you would like. At times you will work from the specific to the general, while at other times you'll work from the general to the specific. Sometimes you will be logical in your approach, while at other times random. Since you cannot always control the choice, you may experience frustrations not normally felt by persons with a more defined and directed learning style."
(Yea ya think!)

"You may also minimally experience conflicts associated with auditory processing. You will be systematic and sequential in your processing of information, you will most often focus on a single dimension of the problem or material, and you will be more reflective, i.e., "taking the data in" as opposed to "devouring" it."
(It's all these years of government work)

"Overall, you should feel content with your life and yourself. You are, perhaps, a little too critical of yourself - and of others - while maintaining an "openness" which is redeeming. Indecisiveness is a problem and your creativity is not in keeping with your potential. Being a pragmatist, you downplay this aspect of yourself and focus on the more immediate, the more obvious and the more functional."

Okay, that last paragraph I can totally agree with! Yep, that's it! I'm a well of talent that has barely been tapped into yet! (My friends are rolling their eyes right now!) But let's cut to the chase... until my two little people are raised up adults fulfilling God's plan for their life, my own creative desires will remain on the back-burner. And right now, creative desires don't pay $$$, so tomorrow it's back to work I go.

Well, I also have the gift of discernment and after all this fun, I know you want to take the test too! So here ya go.... Brainworks Test

Come back and share how you scored!

Blogger Tea Party!

A fabulous idea by Muse Swings ...
http://muse-swings.blogspot.com/2008/07/you-are-invited-to-especial-tea-just.html
She is having an "Especial-Tea" party at her blog, on August 5, and we are all invited! Join in the fun..... If you have trouble with the link (I'm not good establishing linking to other sites) here are her instructions....

"I thought it would be nice if we all had tea together on Tuesday, August 5th. The plan is simple: decide what you would like to picture on your blog for the tea on August 5th. Use your imagination - It can be anything you would like to prepare, bring or do at your Especial-Tea.

You may want to take a picture of Especial-Tea things you have, a table setting, a desert, a jam or jelly, a place in your garden, birds that might visit us during tea, something you might wear, a hat, a pet you would like to bring with you, flowers, anything at all. Anything. Take a picture that expresses your Especial-Tea. Post it along with whatever you would like to say about your contribution on your post for the 5th. This is an all day event.

You may also extend this invitation to all of your readers! Everyone is invited. If a friend is not yet a blogger and would like to attend ask them to send you a picture to post on your blog for them."



Follow her instructions at the end of her Tea Post to join in! What a wonderful thing to look forward to on Tuesday! I already know what I am going to post and what I'll be wearing!! ha ha When I get home from my long work day and the kids are in bed, I'll brew myself a cup and sit back and enjoy all the participating ladies having tea together! Love it!

Top 100 Books

The BBC say the average adult has only read 6 of the top 100 books on their list.

A new blog that I've found at bygonebeauty had the following post invited us to join in. I'm a pretty obsessive reader, reading all the time from different sources. My man wonders how I can read in the living room with the kids playing and the TV on... my reply was... "I'm a Mother... I can easily tune it out. Yep, no problem." He shakes his head because his style is in a room alone in complete silence with no distractions.

I agree with Kalianne that a reading sabbatical would be absolutely wonderful! If you'd like to participate in this meme simply copy the list and follow the instructions below. Don't worry if you haven't read many books - the list is only the BBC opinion. Be sure to include the books you'd like to read too and those you think should be struck off the list. Feel free to list books not on the list that you deem worthy. Finally, be sure to post a comment so we know where to find you!

1) Look at the list and bold those you have READ (watching the movie doesn't count!).

2) Italicize those you intend to read.

3) Underline the books you love.

4) Strike out the books you have no intention of ever reading, or were forced to read at school and hated.

5) Reprint this list in your own blog.

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien

3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte

4 The Harry Potter Series - JK Rowling

5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

6 The Bible

7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte

8 Nineteenen Eighty Four - George Orwell

9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman

10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens

11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott

12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy

13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller

14 Complete Works of Shakespeare

15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier

16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien

17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks

18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger

19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger

20 Middlemarch - George Eliot

21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell

22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald

23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens

24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy

25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams

26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh

27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky

28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck

29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll

30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame

31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy

32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens

33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis

34 Emma - Jane Austen

35 Persuasion - Jane Austen

36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis

37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini

38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres

39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden

40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne

41 Animal Farm - George Orwell

42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown

43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving

45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins

46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery

47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy

48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood

49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding

50 Atonement - Ian McEwan

51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel

52 Dune - Frank Herbert

53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons

54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen

55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth

56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens

58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley

59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon

60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck

62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov

63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt

64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas

66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac

67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy

68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding

69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie

70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville

71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens

72 Dracula - Bram Stoker

73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett

74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson

75 Ulysses - James Joyce

76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath

77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome

78 Germinal - Emile Zola

79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray

80 Possession - AS Byatt

81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell

83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker

84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro

85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert

86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry

87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White

88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom

89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton

91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad

92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery

93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks

94 Watership Down - Richard Adams

95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole

96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute

97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas

98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare

99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl

100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

Books I Think Should Be Included On This List -

Room with a View - E.M. Forster

The Call of the Wild - Jack London

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain

I could go on and on and on and on.....

As the saying goes... So many books. Too little time.