My Good King

Saw this on the way home from Ashley's gymnastics and I couldn't resist taking it with my cell phone. Don't worry ... I wasn't moving when I took it.

Ashley took advantage of Martin Luther King, jr. Day to have her best friend over for a sleepover (I mean ... a non -sleepover, lol!). The best part of her sleepovers for me is when they shut the bedroom door (well, they have to leave it a little bit ajar) , and I hear the silly giggles and excited chatter from where I'm sitting in the living room (yes, we have a teeny, tiny house) . Soooo teenager. Sooooo cute. Sooooo fun. and sooooo funny :) I went to bed at midnight and they were still going strong. I'd better enjoy these days, because all too soon they will pass. Oh, and they insist that drinking sparkling cider makes them behave as if they're drunk. No amount of logic and reason can dissuade them. I would post a picture of them, but: I don't have the mom's permission, so I won't post. Ashley actually has a friend who hates getting her picture taken (woe to me, huh?). I could beg her, but I will restrain myself :)

I have been wanting to take this for some time now. This is how my "baby" sleeps every night. It is so adorable (to me, anyway, lol!) that my little eight-year-old sleeps with stuffed animals. The bear's name is "Big Bear" (how original, no?) and the panda's name is "Kung Fu Panda" (hmm... I'm sure you're wondering where he got that original name from!) I'm going to miss this when he's older. And, the moment I've been waiting for ... the link to the website for which I did the pictures. Before I post it ... a HUGE disclaimer ... I did not take the equipment shots, or the shots of Ashley or the female dentist. Those were very generously taken by my professional photographer friend, Dave . I learned SO MUCH just by watching him and asking questions. I also learned that I have A LOT more to learn than I ever dreamed of. But I did have fun taking the other photos. :) Here's the link in case any of you are interested.

So, a few months ago, I happened to see this movie on TV, and it has become one of my favorites--maybe because it combines two loves: romance and food! I also LOVE the soundtrack from the movie (which is r - a - r - e for me), so I downloaded several of the songs. To the right you'll see one of them (Mambo Italiano) ... it's not exactly from the movie, but it's really close. Very blue-sy. Anyway, thought I'd share. Maybe I'll take it down in a few days and put up another song. I've been on a serious "download music" binge lately and I can see where it would become addicting if I let it. Gonna have to restrain myself. It's SOOOO easy, though. Just a couple of clicks, and the song is mine. Hard to remember when I'm clicking that each click is $0.99. What's up with me? B-U-S-Y. That's what. I am working three days this week, plus a couple of hours another day. Which means I'm overwhelmed ... So behind in housework --as in I haven

Hope you all have had a very peaceful, relaxing, and joyful holiday season. I've had a wonderful week ... spent it relaxing for the most part. Thought I'd share my New Year's Resolutions for this year (I'm not actually copying you, Teena; I actually planned to do this before I saw your blog): exercise 3 x per week for a minimum of 20 minutes in Jan. Increase 5-10 minutes per month until I'm exercising 5 x per week @ 30 minutes per session. Anyone know of fun exercise, FEEL FREE TO TELL ME, lol! I love good dancing videos and strength training in particular. I LOATHE jogging! get more organized by really using Flylady again. Stick to the routines. Create a weekly chore chart to keep up with the house since I'm working 2+days per week. create a craft nook in my living room where I can be creative. The supplies I use on a regular basis will finally get a central home :) lose one clothing size by June 15th by making small changes in the way I eat. create a sch