08.17.10 Affordable but tasty!

My parents are coming over tomorrow night and bringing dinner. . . made from scratch with TLC!!!  We'll be having lasagna.  And I love red wine with an Italian meal.  So tonite while I was at Food Lion I got my fav affordable red, it's by Riunite called Lambrusco

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08.16.10 Taking the bull by the LONGHORNS

While we were away this weekend Mike's parents took us to the LONGHORN for dinner.  It was delicious!!!  And I should have made that a capital D!!!  So Mike wanted to get his dad a gift certificate for his birthday.

08.15.10 Driving Home ~ ~ traffic

There is always traffic on the ride home it seems.  It doesn't matter where you've been or for how long, when it's time to go home there is always traffic!

It was a rainy day and Mallory and I were having a little fun with the camera (aka cell phone) to pass the time.

08.14.10 Grandma Snuggles

Visiting Mike's parents in their new home in Southampton, PA.  After many, many years of living on Long Island they sold their house and moved to a more laid back kind of lifestyle.

Mallory totally took advantage and enjoyed some grandma snuggles!!  : D

08.13.10 - GREAT Grandma

We took a drive to PA today.  It's been a planned trip for a couple of weeks.  Mike's parents moved to Southampton in June and we wanted to see the new place.

However, our first stop as we headed north (besides potty breaks!  LOL ) was in Kennett Square.  Great Grandma Mills lives there ~ she's actually Mike's grandma but since all of mine have passed on, I 'pretend' she's my grandma too.  She has been in my life for over 20 years and in my heart she truly is my grandma ~ I love her so dearly.

In September she will be 99 years old!!  She is unbelievable and truly GREAT!!! 

Comfort Food

Today was the day that Buck (Mallory's boyfriend of 6 months) left for college.  He's going to Pfeiffer in NC.  A few days ago they broke up thinking it would be for the best, but just couldn't stand it so they got back together.  I'm not sure if his leaving today was harder on her or on him.  There were lots of tears ... I even shed a few.  : (

We went out to Cracker Barrel for dinner for some good comfort food.  She went with the Homemade Chicken n' Dumplins, with hashbrown casserole and macaroni & cheese.  That's some serious comfort!!! 

She managed to muster up a smile...

Bloom Bloom Bloom

Bloomin' again! 

This is a hibiscus that I was given 2 years ago and it just keeps on blooming!  Bright cheery yellow with a sassy touch of red ... it always makes me smile when I walk in to the room and see that it's bloomin' again!!

The day that went on forever

I was here today -- for what seemed like forever.  The summer work hours are 4 ten hour days, which is nice because we get 3 day weekends.  Some days the 10 hours go by quicker than others, however today seemed to go on for about 20 hours.  I took a second to capture the office in a state of peace and quiet. 

In 3 more weeks the students and teachers will all be back and it will be impossible to find this state of peace and certainly no quiet!  ; )

The reason the day seemed so long has nothing to do with work, it's personal stuff.  It's just hard to leave the personal stuff behind and be all business.  Praying for peace for Mallory and Buck and others that may need it.  Life is not just about the destination, but more about the journey!

Dinner and Dish

I really love to cut the end off of a watermelon.  It's a great meal and the dish can be thrown away!!

Cheers to old friends!

 A light dinner @ Legend's with a couple of old friends from high school -- Denise Manello (in green) and Toni Maxey (in brown).  It was really wonderful food -- and we only got appetizers, the hummus was to die for!!  The conversation and laughter was fabulous!! 

I feel safeR

I went to Home Depot today to get a couple of yard things and when I came out this was what I saw.

In the event of an automobile "fender bender" gone bad, which vehicle do you want to be in?!?  YIKES!!!

While the mini is so cute, I happily drive my CAR-A-VAN!!  ; )

Went to Williamsburg

I missed making my post yesterday but I did NOT miss taking my photo!  ; )  This is a photo "series" that I have started -- I call it "Coffee Time with Tee".  Tee is short for Teresa, which is what many people over the years have called me.  It's a little play on words (coffee / tea) and open to photos other than just coffee, but primarily coffee.

White Chocolate Mocha - to Williamsburg, VA

I took the photo early in the morning as I was making one of my many surprise trips over to Williamsburg to see my parents.  If I get up early in the morning and don't really have set plans for the day I will drive over to spend some time with them. 
Yesterday we met at IHOP for breakfast.  We ate mushroom and spinach omlettes with some pancakes and had coffee, of course!  Then we did a little bit of Goodwill shopping and also spent a little time at the Yankee Candle Outlet.  Then for lunch we picked up some hotdogs with mustard, onion and chili from Gus's, Hot Dog King.  We took them home to eat with some delicious homemade coleslaw!  The rest of the afternoon was spent hanging out on the couch, just relaxing, watching some TV and chatting.  It was a terrific day!!

Below is a screen shot of my "Coffee Time with Tee" pix.

These photos have been taken at random times. 

The bottom right photo is actually a photo taken on Cinco de Mayo, toasting with a cold Corona and my dear friend Carrie.

So "Coffee Time with Tee" has no hard set rules... much like my whole life, I just kinda go with it and enjoy!!!

Popsicle

It's a dark stormy night.
Watching some Seinfeld and enjoying a Superman Popsicle.

CHILLIN' . . .

What's for dinner?

Somedays that question can push me right over the edge!!! 
I live with 3 picky eaters, so the menu at our house is limited.  Sure, I can make more interesting things for myself, and on occasion I do, but it's just not the same.

Anyway, tonite when Mike asked, "What's for dinner?" I wanted to pull my hair out, but it's not quite long enough to get a good grip!  ; )  

We ordered one of our favs ... LUCKY CHINESE

My fortune for today is  "You are heading in the right direction."

Now for my little bit of sharing on the fortune cookie.  According to Wikipedia the cookie is made from flour, sugar, vanilla, and oil.  It is served as dessert in Chinese restaurants in the US.  The fortune is the piece of paper inside that contains words of faux wisdom or an ambiguous prophecy.

I found a site that I think is worth a chuckle now and again.  It's a cyber cookie, that will give you a daily fortune without any calories.

I also found a movie called "The Fortune Cookie".  It dates back to 1966 and stars Walter Mathau and Jack Lemmon.  I'm going to try and find it -- I think it would be a great rainy day movie.

Reason To Read

In this Project 365, I've decided that I'd like for it to be a little more than just a photo project.  I'm trying to use it as a catalyst for writing and researching. 

This morning as I was leaving for work I caught this out of the corner of my eye. 

It's a Luna Moth. 
When I noticed it, I knew immediately that I wanted to use this for my P365 photo.  I hurried, but very cautiously so I didn't spook it, to dig out my phone which doubles as a camera.  As I took the photo I wasn't quite sure if it was a moth or a butterfly.  Now, after just a few minutes of reading on the www, I have a much better sense of who this little creature is.  There are of course the facts and the fiction. 

Facts:  *wingspan can be up to 4 1/2 inches, *males have larger, bushier antennae (I think this is a male), *adults do not eat, they don't even have a mouth, *adults only live 1 week and in that week they breed

The fiction/fantasy aspect is that the moth is a symbol of transformation and the carriers of dreams.

I hope that this photo leads to you read up a little and see what you can learn about the Luna Moth.

Update @ 9pm . . . when I came home this afternoon, I didn't see the moth so I figured it had moved on, but after my reading I had a thought, "Maybe it's still there and I just missed seeing it earlier, or maybe it came back."  Well sure enough I went out to look and there it was, on the underside of a the same leaf it was on this morning. 

I think it's pretty cool !!

WHO RESCUED WHO ? I know.

In January 2009, our beloved buddy of 12 1/2 years had a stroke and we had to, out of our absolute love for him, have him euthanized.  We had rescued him from a local animal angel in Union City, TN in 2006.  He was only 6 weeks old at the time.  We named him Oliver (after the cat in Oliver & Co.).  This dog was remarkable and amazing!  Anyone who ever met him was amazed at how awesome he was!!

The kids loved him and he loved them.  Oliver loved Mike and Mike loved him so much.  For me, it was much more than love.  (I thought I could put the feelings down here, but I'm not there yet.)  Let's just say I was extremely lost when he was gone.

At first I wanted a "replacement", right away.  I came to realize that Oliver was not replaceable.  I was sad.  And I was also mad, because Mike and the girls didn't want another dog at all.  Lots of talks took place regarding another dog. I couldn't get them to understand the need I had, the void in my heart.  I started going to the RAL in hopes that I would find "the one".  After several visits, I made a connection, but it didn't work out and I had to tearfully (aka sobbing) return him.

I was embarrassed at having to return this dog, and once again very sad, so I stopped looking.  Then one day, I inadvertently clicked on the RAL link in my dropdown menu... at first I was going to shut the window, but then I caught a glimpse of this sweet, sweet face.  I went to meet Denali.  He was skiddish and scrawny, and he had just finished treatment for heartworm.  Right away I needed to rescue him from this life in a cage.

It's been almost a year now since Denali joined our family, and every single day he has brought me unexplainable joy!  So when I see that paw shaped bumber sticker  "WHO RESCUED WHO?"  I know!!  And I say an extra little prayer of thanks for this furry dude!!

This is his imitation of the great Sphynx

Re-start on P365

It's early morning... P365 restart has begun!  This photo was actually taken on Sunday morning, August 1st and then I thought, 'Uuuh, do I really like this photo? Maybe I'll take a better one later in the day.'  Well before I knew it the day had zipped by and here I am right now, right where I was yesterday, but without the breakfast sandwich. 

Breakfast, made by Mike.

They say it's the most important meal of the day.

So here is my P365 restart photo for August 2nd.  It's called 'Coffee, made by Mike' -- ; )  (Thank you, my dear sweet man!)

Coffee, made by Mike

And so here I go, AGAIN, working on my P365!

Time flies ... at Mach 4!

Oh my!  It seems I have lost track of my P365 again.  However, I'm excited having made it much longer than last year.  And in that excitement I'm going to just pick it right back up tomorrow, August 1st. 
The weekly digi-scrapping was working well, until several things hit me all at once and I lost motivation for taking pictures as well as digi-scrapping. 

Now I'm going to take a new approach to P365.  I'm going to use the one item that we all seem to have with us all the time now, everywhere we go - - the cell phone!  While the pictures might not be of terrific quality, the project is not a photography competition it's a personal challenge.  So that's my new thought process.

I have even created a fresh layout for my blog.  The kit is called Elegantly Tough by Roseytoes Designs, and can be found at Enchanted Studio Scraps.

Week 22

This week's LO was made with the new Mega Kit @ Enchanted Studio Scraps.  It's called "In The Spotlight"

If you make a $10 purchase at ESS, you can get this kit for free during the month of JUNE!!

Week 21

Happy to still be on track this week.  The most exciting thing this week was that we traded our 2007 Hyundai Elantra for the new 2011 SONATA!!!  It's much roomier and it's a six speed!  But my favorite thing is that it has bluetooth for talking on the cell phone hands-free!

I guess the next most exciting thing was finding a "fresh" recipe in a magazine.  I gave it a try and L♥VE it!!  Of course at this moment I can't put my hands on the magazine . . .  I wanted to post the recipe to share.

Oh well, I'll update with the recipe when I find where I put the magazine.

The LO was made using Magkikikota, a collab by Starry Eyed Designs and Trish H. Designs, both from ESS.

On track AGAIN ! ; )

I have persevered and am back on track again with my P365.  I am determined to complete this year and then have it made in to a photo book. 

Week 20 ~ May 16-22

This was made using a new collab from ESS - - Cherry Lemonade

Week 19

Mother's Day started this week.  I went to brunch, after riding around a few places in an attempt to have breakfast it got to be almost time for lunch, with Mike and the girls -- it was yummy!  I got flowers from the girls and even a bunch of peonies from Buck, Mallory's boyfriend.  I thought it was extremely sweet of him!!

It's that time again at work -- busy, busy, busy.  I do not like the month of May in the Guidance Department... diplomas, names spelled perfectly, awards & scholarships, senioritis and all other grades with spring fever, everyone's crabby and anxious for the summer break!  I am also anxious for the summer break when I am only one of about 10 people in the whole damn school!!!!  Peace and quiet!  : )

Mallory ended up at the ER miserable and being tested for strep which thank the Lord it was negative.

I went for my "annual" (5 years after the fact) eye exam.  I must say that having my eyes dilated would have be almost as annoying as a pap smear!!!!!  The cheesy "glasses" they gave me to wear popped off when I walked out of the clinic and I was BLINDED!  Ended up with a nasty headache.

So here it is, another week in pictures!!

Kit:  Enchanted Studio Scraps Collab ~ ~ Cherry Lemonade

Week 18

May 2-8 is aka Week 18.

I used the Enchanted Studio Scraps MAY MEGA ~ Garden Party for this LO. 

What a terrific week of REALaxation!!!  Awesome!

Mike's job sent him to VA Beach for a school, and I got to go with!!  During the week when schools are still in session ... can you say peaceful?!?!?

Week 17

I'm catchin' up!!

~  Week 17  ~

Created using Chris Greiser's NATURAL WONDER kit and the fonts, Trajan & Californian.

The week was buzzing with PROM stuff, from getting the nails done, deciding what to do with the hair, to finalizing dinner plans, not to mention "the dress".  Saturday morning there was still stiching being done on "the dress"... but it was all worth it because Mallory loved it!  Personally I was not quite happy with a few things about it, like the cleavage and the zipper OR the fact that I forgot to put the eyehook clasp on it!!!  However, I will NEVER sew another dress again!!!!  ; )

Both of the girls had fun and made it home safely -- that makes my heart happy!!

 

Allison was escorted by Jake.  And she looked stunning in her strapless Calvin Klein!  Her friend, Olivia, did her hair and saved her a big chunk of cash!!  They went and had dinner at Ruth Chris Steak House.

Mallory went with her boyfriend, Buck.  She was so happy in her "made by mom", plum colored gown -- it was a beautiful color for her.  And while I learned my lesson about sewing prom dresses, she learned the lesson of paying $75 to have your hair done professionally only to have it 'fall' before dinner due to humidity!  It still looked fantastic!  They went to Yamato's Japanese Steak House for dinner.

Week 16, better late than never!

Oh my, once again I've fallen a wee bit behind in my P365.  Only in the compilation and layout creation.  My photos are a daily activity.

So here is April 18-24 aka Week 16.

I put this together using a template by BTA Designs

and the Enchanted Studio Scraps May Mega, Garden Party.