tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166880042011-12-14T20:51:09.360-06:00Hi. My name is Shalee and I'll be your server today. Let me tell you about today's specials: Take it or leave it. Either one goes great with our coffee, but I suggest the "take it." It's that good.Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comBlogger7671100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-65662395532512637292008-08-01T15:16:00.002-05:002008-08-01T15:18:22.872-05:00

Hey! What are you still doing here? Didn't you read my last post and see that I'm in a new home? No? Well, alrighty then. If you need more coffee, pie and doses of reality, head on over to http://shaleesdiner.com.There's a whole bunch of people already there, but we can always make room for more!

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-50010617299660763132008-07-14T06:44:00.000-05:002008-07-14T06:45:14.085-05:00

So here we are the week of our big move, and I realize that I have been totally remissed at showing you my new home.WHERE ARE MY MANNERS?! Please forgive my lack of grace and click here to see my new place. Then you'll be able to "oo" and "ah" over it and tell me how to better decorate it because I do not have the golden touch.I wonder if Antique Mommy makes house calls...

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-1947962496195161942008-07-11T05:04:00.000-05:002008-07-11T05:04:08.667-05:00

The Girl, who is fast approaching 12 at lightning speed, has been petitioning us for a cell phone. This request has only come of late, mainly because she herself indicated the reasons that a cell phone would be frivolous at this stage in life less than 6 months ago.She has no need to have one during the day at school.She’s home most of the time and has the house phone for use.When she does go out

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-60265955239966636822008-07-10T18:06:00.002-05:002008-07-10T18:16:31.966-05:00

Yep. I’m asking for your prayers again. If it’s not one thing, it’s another… My father-in-awe has been taken back to the hospital for an infection that can only be treated with surgery. I’m assuming that they need to cut out the infection since the antibiotic isn’t treating it well enough.So… the prayers are first and foremost that God will lay his healing hand on Ron. This Sunday will be

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-35352681039156437922008-07-10T05:58:00.000-05:002008-07-10T05:58:00.533-05:00

Well, you know it had to happen sooner or later. Work is not work without another technological problem for me to submit to our help desk. Here's my most recent submission.Doing the old two-step to Brad PaisleyImpaired [Customer - ShaleeNow I know I can't dance. Never could, probably never will. But the way that I'm having to two-step around the internet by getting access to it is wearing me

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-4238501027049099912008-07-08T22:00:00.001-05:002008-07-08T22:00:00.767-05:00

Sometimes I think we put too much emphasis on things that are NEW!, ADVANCED!, or THE NEXT BIG THING!Often I find that the same old products that have worked for years are the best things to use. I hate it when I get caught up in the frenzy of trying something new, only to find that it didn’t work as well.Take 20 Mule Team Borax for instance. Here is a time-tested product that has worked

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-65934132052291170142008-07-08T06:56:00.000-05:002008-07-08T07:08:48.748-05:00

The camera cord to download picturesPlastic leftover containersHydrogen PeroxideBooze (I don't know what possessed me.)T-shirts (I keep stealing Mr. Right's shirts)Maple syrupWriting paperMixing bowlsDrinking glassesBubble bathCertain spicesBand-aidsBooksAnd I seem to have packed up my sanity in one of the boxes last weekend too!

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-1154977469848599402008-07-04T06:00:00.003-05:002008-07-04T06:00:01.451-05:00

Today is America's birthday, a day when Americans should celebrate liberty and freedom that was hard earned in 1776. In declaring our own independence, we were doing more than breaking away from England: we were breaking away from tyranny, from the idea that some men were fit to govern others without their consent and from the chains of dependency and servitude. This first taste of freedom led

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-65655099912205895192008-07-03T06:34:00.000-05:002008-07-03T06:34:01.592-05:00

I was out of dishwashing detergent and being the frugal person that I am, I said to the family, “I’m not buying detergent until we move. I’ve got some Dawn in here that we can use.”And then the moaning ensued. Too bad for them. I’m not above using what I’ve got, and I actually like doing dishes by hand. All they had to do was put the dishes away. Slackers.However, God in all his infinite wisdom

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-88043095987950992192008-07-01T22:00:00.001-05:002008-07-01T22:00:00.800-05:00

This is one of my family’s favorite meals. It sound odd, but Oh. My. Lands! It is delicious, easy and cheap!Strawberry ChickenBoneless, skinless chicken (enough to feed your family)Italian bread crumbsMilk (to make the bread crumbs stick – can use eggs if you prefer)Strawberry Jam (or Seedless Raspberry if you prefer)Preheat oven to 350°.Dip chicken into milk (or eggs), then roll in bread crumbs.

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-66643373099308822082008-07-01T05:55:00.004-05:002008-07-01T06:14:20.167-05:00

It's time for a little shout out to the Lord, so you know that it must be Gratituesday, where one can be vocally thankful for something in life.Let me honest: I love that the kids are away at Grandma's all summer. It's a joy to us for so many more reasons than sleeping naked again.Mr. Right and I have had opportunities to laugh, cry, play, and work in situations that may not have been possible

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-73463935663520338652008-06-30T05:32:00.002-05:002008-06-30T05:32:01.235-05:00

So Friday around 3 PM, I realized that I would be on my own after work. The kids were at Grandma's and Mr. Right had to work late so I wouldn't see him until around 8ish that night. I wanted to find something to do that had nothing to do with packing because I am tired of packing. In other words, I wanted to get out.Here's the problem with getting out: I couldn't spend any money. Since we're

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-43026698934819933762008-06-27T05:14:00.004-05:002008-06-27T06:24:26.898-05:00

One of the things I adore about this beautiful blogging community is the way it allows bloggers to communicate with each other. You leave a comment and, if you've done everything correctly on your part, I can respond to you via the email you have set to your blog name.Can I just take the time to reiterate how you need to pair your email with your comment name? It's so frustrating when I want to

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-64770373608199521182008-06-26T05:56:00.003-05:002008-06-26T06:26:19.399-05:00

Though I have completely forgiven Mr. Right for his lack of chocolate cake etiquette, I found that I was having a really rough time forgetting the perfectly good chocolate cake. (Mr. Right, however, was doing just fine though. You should have heard him laughing over the post and over the comments!)I even pulled a Fiddledeedee and retrieved the container from the trash can. However, when as

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-25553129414596790362008-06-25T07:28:00.003-05:002008-06-25T07:46:39.932-05:00

Last night, I finally had a chance to meet with Jules again. It's been about 9 months since we've really chatted. I joked that I could have had a baby since we'd last met. Actually, I don't think it was all that funny, now that I think about it.Anyway, Jules invited her good friend Billie to dine with us because "if Billie finds out that we went to the Cheesecake Factory and she didn't get to

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-48906839021410576582008-06-24T05:24:00.000-05:002008-06-24T05:41:08.268-05:00

It seems quite fitting that since I posted my books late, I should post the wrap-up post late as well. I’m nothing if not consistent.Which pretty much makes me nothing, so let’s scratch that last thought, shall we?As a recap, here are the books that I chose to read for the SRT 2008.Cold Sassy TreeCitizen GirlThe CompanionChrist the Lord: Out of EgyptAnna's BookBrave New WorldWater For

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-90963978733605922372008-06-23T22:11:00.003-05:002008-06-23T22:23:17.120-05:00

Mr. Right and I, thanks to our friendly AMC neighbor, had the opportunity to see Get Smart tonight. Oh. My. Lands.We were laughing so hard that we couldn't stop at times. I was trying to keep my laughing to a minimum so that I wouldn't miss the next lines, but dadgum! I just couldn't do it. I kept laughing and giggling over past lines which was running into the new lines that were making me

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-12359156010591786632008-06-23T05:59:00.003-05:002008-06-23T07:02:30.827-05:00

Last night I calmed an entire set of hoodlums who were really good kids in disguise, I picked up my Honey Baked Ham from a Baskin Robbins and I invited Bruce Willis over for Christmas, ending the conversation with him with "Don't worry. My kids won't pepper you with a million questions. They have no idea who you are because we don't have tv. I can't speak for the rest of the family though."

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-23336478941907146022008-06-18T18:42:00.003-05:002008-06-19T15:48:47.974-05:00

I wrote the bottom portion of this post yesterday before we heard about my father-in-awe. I thought I had scheduled it to auto-post, but evidently, it's still up on the computer at home. I guess that when you pack and leave in less than 20 minutes, you're bound and determined to forget a thing or 20. At least I remembered underwear.I'd like to take a moment to say that you all are a balm to my

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-44863116608090187382008-06-18T18:37:00.002-05:002008-06-18T18:42:24.269-05:00

I find that I’m wimbly-wambly sometimes. I want what I want, and it’s usually well after not getting a “Yes” from God that I find out the reasons he said “No.”I thought I knew the soul reason for my not attending She Speaks: We’re buying a house and the money that would have been used for travel is being used for down payment.But it seems that God has another reason too.We’ve just found out

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-60529968772882520332008-06-18T05:04:00.004-05:002008-06-18T05:24:16.070-05:00

I just made a short list of things that I would love to do this summer. See Mt. RushmoreAttend SheSpeaksPurchase all new towelsPay off one student loanHike the RockiesVisit an Amish community and buy lots of homemade breads, veggies and various itemsTake the kids to DisneylandSpend a weekend boating on a lakeBuy a stainless steel trash can (sheeze-louise! Those things are expensive!)Take Mr.

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-24174687252829975322008-06-17T06:11:00.006-05:002008-06-17T07:29:52.395-05:00

It's time for a little shout out to the Lord, so you know that it must be Gratituesday, where one can be vocally thankful for something in life. Last week, I had begged for votes because I'm nothing if not shameless. As a result of the An Island Life poll, I was not picked Most Likely To Succeed. However, when the winning blog is named Praying For Parker, I find that I don't mind taking backseat

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-81540371662166279272008-06-16T06:43:00.002-05:002008-06-16T07:09:25.674-05:00

I don't know why I've been hit hard with being tired. It may have had something to do with the 8 hours in the car over the last 44 hours, but who knows.It's official. We're kidless again. We took the cat back to the kids who are living the high life at Chez Grandma. The Boy did deign to snuggle with me for quite a while on Saturday morn, and that was a blessing to remember. However, I think

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-35896709899161820082008-06-15T04:58:00.002-05:002008-06-15T04:58:00.415-05:00

When I saw this one a few months ago, I knew it would be the perfect Father's Day post.Happy Father's Day to all you wonderful dads out there!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I was out walking with my 4 year old daughter. She picked up something off the ground and started to put it in her mouth. I took the item away from her, and I asked her not to do that."Why?" my daughter asked."Because

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-49653224959342308992008-06-13T05:56:00.005-05:002008-06-13T06:08:02.007-05:00

Early in the Spring Reading Thing 2008, I read Anna's Book by Barbara Vine, who actually is Ruth Rendell. (Can anyone tell me why I think the Vine books are so much better than the Rendell books? I know they’re written by the same authors, but the Vines are so much more descriptive, clever and suspenseful in my opinion. Weird, I know.) This beautifully crafted, fine distinction in literary

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-43325675236453263162008-06-12T04:40:00.005-05:002008-06-12T05:13:04.198-05:00

So… it’s awfully quiet around here. Yesterday the kids left to go live at the House of Fun, aka Grandma’s house. (Grandpa lives there too, but he’s not in on the ownership gig. He’s just the man who gives hugs, ice cream and drives them to McDonald’s whenever they feel like going out for the “World’s Best Fries” – that’s how the kids feel about them anyway… oh heck, that’s how I feel about them

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-59590371856289388902008-06-11T05:26:00.003-05:002008-06-11T05:39:13.429-05:00

Did y'all realize that Father's Day is this weekend? THIS WEEKEND?!Now I know how Mr. Right felt when I mentioned Mother's Day gift ideas and he had this blank look on his face...I told him that I'm getting him a house for Father's Day. Do you think he'll buy it?With Dad's Day quickly approaching (June 15th by the way), I've decided to take him to one of his favorite places: Outback. He'll be

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-45168551793749035142008-06-10T06:48:00.002-05:002008-06-10T07:08:53.983-05:00

It's time for a little shout out to the Lord, so you know that it must be Gratituesday, where one can be vocally thankful for something in life.I’m most grateful today for bloggy love. There are times when God uses one of you to say the thing I needed to hear or to do just the thing I needed done to feel that extra measure of support, friendship, understanding, encouragement and yes even

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-24872689163155006722008-06-09T06:32:00.002-05:002008-06-09T06:36:14.982-05:00

Last night when I was putting The Girl to bed, she called out, "Mom! Don't do the laundry in the morning when you get up. I want to do it so that learn how to start it and to finish it by folding it all."Ummm, okay.Tell me something that you never expected to hear your kids utter. I'm too tired to think anymore and I'd really love to hear from you today.

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-39891810087535014592008-06-06T05:31:00.003-05:002008-06-06T06:05:57.698-05:00

I just realized that I only have two weeks to complete my Spring Reading Thing 2008 list. I’m almost done, but I’m irked with myself that I haven’t posted about the books... again. Fortunately for me I can cover most of the books in one sitting as they’re all a part of the same series. Whew! Grab your coffee because this review is a little longer considering that I've compacted all 14 books into

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-73776317359599388942008-06-05T06:08:00.001-05:002008-06-05T06:08:00.297-05:00

The Girl is really growing fast. Too fast if you ask me. How is it possible for an 11 year old to top me by a couple of inches?Oh, yeah. I'm short. Well, as my mom said when I finally topped her at 14 years old, "Sha. It's no big deal. Three-fourth of the world is taller than me."Great. Now I'm turning into my mother because I said the same thing to The Girl.She's not only tall; she's funny too.

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-62345425846713772832008-06-04T05:41:00.003-05:002008-06-04T05:46:27.337-05:00

I know that I’m blessed beyond measure in so many ways. My cup is often overflowing and spilling out onto the floor. I’d like to take a mop to it, but I like that kind of mess.One of the ways that handle the kids is that I get rid of them send them to Grandma and Grandpa’s for the summer while Mr. Right and I act like newlyweds again and get to sleep nekked while we miss them terribly every

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-26139015709849552092008-06-03T05:30:00.004-05:002008-06-03T05:38:44.783-05:00

It's time for a little shout out to the Lord, so you know that it must be Gratituesday, where one can be vocally thankful for something in life.On Sunday, The Girl, two friends and I took a road trip to the church camp for those who were in 3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th grade last year. Along the way there was much laughing, much singing, much talking and, as usual with that many girls, much confusion.

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-55841349122702789242008-06-02T06:30:00.002-05:002008-06-02T06:37:25.412-05:00

I was so busy swimming with the kids, playing games, reading, going through old boxes in the basement, spending time with Mr. Right (ahem), grilling, eating brownies and talking with Mr. Right's dad who took us out for ice cream that I didn't have time to write a post. Oh, and I took The Girl and two of her friends to a church camp yesterday. We sang loudly and excitedly over many a songs on

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-78633648696831540652008-05-30T05:46:00.003-05:002008-05-30T06:11:07.257-05:00

Take the Quiz here!You are Elizabeth Bennet of Pride & Prejudice! You are intelligent, witty, and tremendously attractive. You have a good head on your shoulders, and often times find yourself the lone beacon of reason in a sea of ridiculousness. You take great pleasure in many things. You are proficient in nearly all of them, though you will never own it. Lest you seem too perfect, you have a

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-64291765147786738292008-05-29T06:27:00.004-05:002008-05-29T06:37:01.148-05:00

Well as far as I'm concerned, you can teach old dogs new tricks... For example, here is the last Tech Support incident that I submitted on work last Friday.Problem Description - [(Shalee) -- 05/23/08 10:07 AM] My printer has checked out for the long weekend already... Although you and I know that the holiday weekend doesn't officially start until 5 PM tonight, my printer has decided to leave

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-74400263986284176402008-05-28T05:50:00.003-05:002008-05-28T05:59:41.438-05:00

With the up and coming move, we've involved our kids in the entire process. They've helped pray for the sale of our house. They trudged through more houses than they would care to admit. They've continued to pray that God would lead us to the house in which He wants us to live. Now they're praying that God will make friends readily available for them when we move to the new place.In other

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-5385279067341254672008-05-27T06:37:00.003-05:002008-05-27T07:04:16.036-05:00

It's time for a little shout out to the Lord, so you know that it must be Gratituesday, where one can be vocally thankful for something in life.Today, I am extremely grateful to God that we will NOT BE HOMELESS. The seller and we finally agreed on a bid for the house we want. We've signed the contract and now all we need to do is to have the inspection and then to wait for our closing day.Oh

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-16266079933998074552008-05-26T06:14:00.001-05:002008-05-26T06:16:56.338-05:00

I was having a conversation with a friend of a returning soldier from Iraq. The military man said that he was amazed at what his uniform did for him: on this return trip home, everywhere he went in the airports, people would stop him to say thanks, to buy him a drink or to hug him. He was struck with the thought that so many people would outwardly appreciate him - a stranger - just because he

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-87035089536466151982008-05-24T21:12:00.004-05:002008-05-25T21:35:51.720-05:00

Hey, we made an offer on a house. It immediately gave us the feeling of "home" when we saw it.Would y'all say a prayer that the seller would accept it as it is under what her asking price was? We're really hoping that it's where God wants us to land.Oh, and it has a guest room so when you decide to come for a visit, we'll have a place for you.Help us give it to God so that we'll know his

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-1921627144811401452008-05-23T16:51:00.002-05:002008-12-09T07:15:24.008-06:00

Remember when I told you about the Q&A regarding skin, breast, and cervix cancer?Some answers are in! Some because the doctors were overloaded with good questions and they needed longer than a week to answer them. They're working on them though!Part One deals with the questions about skin cancer so head on over to Karen's place to find out the answers that you need to know.Part Two, which will

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-75059532457383562782008-05-22T06:11:00.004-05:002008-05-22T06:55:19.881-05:00

Thank you so much for your suggestions for my Mac situation. Y'all were coming up with some fabulous ideas!To answer a couple of questions about it, here's what happened: It died. I woke up one day, turned it on and got the gray screen of death. I hadn't done anything with it that was daring other than to bring it to work so that I could try to blog on Blogger blogs. (STUPID WORK FILTERS!) We

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-27002056358067946432008-05-21T05:02:00.001-05:002008-05-21T05:02:00.864-05:00

All I can think right now is "Bummer." About 2 months ago our MacBook died. It wasn't even a year old! But now it is dead dead dead.You want to know the thing that I hate the most? All my pictures were on it. We tried to get them recovered, but the specialist can't get anything off of it. The reason we bought a Mac is because they're supposed to last forever. Well, I'm here to tell you

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-68932679328036243032008-05-20T07:06:00.003-05:002008-05-20T07:12:10.346-05:00

It's time for a little shout out to the Lord, so you know that it must be Gratituesday, where one can be vocally thankful for something in life.Why is it that I constantly need reminders as to how good God is? I mean, I know he is good, but somewhere along the way, I forget his promises for his children. Then I start thinking about how hopeless things seem, how much of we need to get by and what

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-44124016498205278572008-05-19T09:00:00.001-05:002008-05-19T09:00:05.033-05:00

You know what amazes me the most about this world? That it's not as standoffish or closed-off as it seems at times. Y'all amaze me with your offers of encouragement, support and readiness to pray for someone across the web. I don't mean just for me either. Kelli, Heather, missionaries, tsunami/tornado/earthquake/hurricane survivors, Compassion... Y'all are not even picky about for whom

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-41218222250988143702008-05-16T04:00:00.002-05:002008-05-16T04:00:01.701-05:00

Did you know? Melanoma - Melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, is characterized by the uncontrolled growth of pigment-producing cells. One American dies from melanoma almost every hour (every 62 minutes) and is the most common form of cancer for young adults 25-29 years old and the second most common cancer in adolescents and young adults 15-29 years old. If detected in the early stages

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-47175768791552768352008-05-15T07:54:00.000-05:002008-05-15T07:54:00.817-05:00

Thanks Sherry at Life With Sherry for picking me to do this meme. Of course, I can't be just like everyone else, so I had to put my little spin on things. Originally, the meme was to tell 10 things about your self, but since I've done those a few time, I thought I'd do this one with a twist. If you're tagged, then you can do whichever one suits your mood.So hate is a really strong word. Let's

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-71976743752924331242008-05-14T04:44:00.000-05:002008-05-14T04:44:00.728-05:00

Back in the days before I made my own detergent, I used to buy Purex, mainly because it cleaned really well at a fraction of what Tide, Gain or All cost. I was always pleased with its scent, its cleaning power and its price.A week ago, I received a sample bottle of the new Purex Natural Elements Apple & Melon scented detergent, a laundry cleaner derived from 100 % natural cleansing ingredients

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-23773155623505547532008-05-13T07:05:00.002-05:002008-05-13T07:16:13.038-05:00

It's time for a little shout out to the Lord, so you know that it must be Gratituesday, where one can be vocally thankful for something in life.Four days ago, when I was having an awkward day, I asked Mr. Right to make us some brownies. That sweet man knows me well; after pouring some into the pan, he handed me the bowl and spatula, making sure that he left quite a bit behind for me to lick

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-63150378354917292502008-05-12T06:57:00.003-05:002008-05-12T07:08:13.969-05:00

Tragedy struck the summer before my sophomore year. Mandy, my dear friend and confidant, had to move. Being in our military town certainly had its advantages: new friends, cultural diversity, southern upbringing, the determination to hold dear to others while they were around. The major disadvantage was that most everyone had to move just when you formed a beautiful friendship. So before our

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-63270085685018032082008-05-11T06:18:00.001-05:002008-05-11T06:18:00.836-05:00

A woman, renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk's office was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself. "What I mean is," explained the recorder, "do you have a job or are you just a...?""Of course I have a job," snapped the woman."I'm a Mom.""We don't list 'Mom' as an occupation, "housewife covers it," said the recorder

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-28715668995868441812008-05-10T06:10:00.001-05:002008-05-10T06:10:00.982-05:00

So since I'm all about trying to win free good stuff (Target gift card from Blogged-In, A&E Romantic Classics from everyone - but most presently Barb), I might as well tell you about the Netflix giveaway at Kelli's place, Living In Grace. She's giving away a mighty fun prize."I'm giving away FOUR! FREE! starter memberships to Netflix. You will get a one month subscription to Netflix, and can

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-39065754228836561342008-05-09T06:33:00.002-05:002008-05-09T08:35:45.290-05:00

I found this meme at Pam's place, Without Fear. I couldn't help myself.Where is your cell phone? In my purse... along with my new matching Bluetooth which I still haven't gotten used to yet.Your significant other? Well, assuming you mean Mr. Right, he's upstairs in the shower. Hey! That gives me an idea. I'll be back in a bit...Your hair? Well, some of it I'm sure is down the drain now... But the

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-25330465968784140912008-05-08T04:46:00.001-05:002008-05-08T08:48:14.603-05:00

I really don't want to tell you this little tidbit of information because it will decrease my chances of winning... But I'm also striving to be less selfish, so this will make a great start.So you wanna chance to win a cold hard gift card to Target? Then head on over to Blogged-In Network to see how you too could pay for your daughter's new tennis shoes. And some new shorts for her ever-growing

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-24951463382673176152008-05-07T06:29:00.006-05:002008-05-07T07:47:40.490-05:00

It's one of those days for me. I can't seem to wake up. I'm not grumpy, but I can tell that I'm not my normal merry self either. What's up with that? Perhaps the fieldtrip with my son took more out of me than I thought it would. I know that I woke up yesterday with legs that were telling me that I had more muscles that aren't being put to good use than I thought.Here's my gripe: Why is it that

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-541999996550144142008-05-06T07:06:00.003-05:002008-05-06T07:32:38.638-05:00

It's time for a little shout out to the Lord, so you know that it must be Gratituesday, where one can be vocally thankful for something in life.I'm so thankful that Christian music has evolved to a point of being as good or better than secular music. When I was growing up, most of the Christian music was good, but not anything that you would want to hear on the radio. It seemed mostly sappy or

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-79854160408945824882008-05-05T07:13:00.005-05:002008-05-05T09:56:52.181-05:00

Sorry Mom and Chris... you'll have to wait til next Monday for the high school memories and the really great music. Thank you all so much for the sweet birthday wishes. I did indeed have a wonderful day! It's amazing how much fun you can have when you and your family are pretty footloose and fancy free. I posted the birthday list before we did anything that day, so there were a few minor

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-7368473306785095832008-05-03T06:00:00.003-05:002008-05-03T06:05:09.152-05:00

What does turning 37 mean to me?Lunch the week before with my boss (steak with blue cheese crumbles)Gift card to favorite Chinese restaurantLunch the day before birthday with coworkers for worlds best saladThoughtful gifts from them (I'll be smelling really great for a while.)Smiling at the number of “birthday gifts” from my online friends (Yay y’all!)Waking to kisses from the not so little

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-67326757161110452972008-05-02T07:35:00.002-05:002008-05-02T07:40:18.974-05:00

Do you know the parable about the talents? The one where the master gives 5 talents to one servant, 2 talents to another and one talent to the last servant? The master leaves for a journey. The first two servants double the talents given to them, but the last one does nothing but bury it in the ground. The master is thrilled with the first two servants because they did something with the money

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-67116481001081743122008-05-01T07:01:00.003-05:002008-05-01T07:10:02.453-05:00

Contrary to what a commenter who described me as closed-minded and not wanting to “live in the real world” thinks, I love a good story – one that is genuine, substantial, gritty, with all sorts of obstacles to overcome and all sorts of real life situations to endure. I want to read stories where the protagonist is believable, struggling with some fear or hindrance, but in the end finding

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-44224887579567498852008-04-30T05:39:00.002-05:002008-04-30T05:51:58.216-05:00

A few months ago, when I was bored at work, I googled "free meals" and entered my town name.Boy was I surprised when I found a list of places where you can sign up via the internet for a free birthday meal! So I signed away. And then I forgot all about it.Until last Friday...So far I've had a great meal at Red Robin, I plan to have another great on at b.d. mongolian and Arby's, I've won a free

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-37867688997043090822008-04-29T05:31:00.005-05:002008-04-29T05:42:04.668-05:00

It's time for a little shout out to the Lord, so you know that it must be Gratituesday, where one can be vocally thankful for something in life.I'm so grateful that there is an entire family of believers around the world.You don't have to live next door to someone to be a member, nor do you have to look remotely the same or even speak the same language. All that's needed is to have the belief in

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-20907364145090893282008-04-28T05:36:00.003-05:002008-04-28T05:48:09.086-05:00

High school: The start of where you really learn about life, who you are and who you didn’t want to be.Being the nerdy, school-loving person that I was, I could not wait to start ninth grade. The shear joy of signing up for my choices, finding out how much time I would have to run from one class to another, discovering who would be my classmates for the next four months (or if it were a full

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-73037898823522602712008-04-26T06:49:00.003-05:002008-04-26T07:45:53.621-05:00

First, for the lovely polka dotted pink bag:(The Girl does not come with the bag. I need her to stay here for slave labor and for future modeling gigs for the up and coming giveaways.)Suzie G (who unfortunately doesn't have a blog... yet), who actually answered the suntan/sunscreen question, was the lucky #124.Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway.Now, if you're interested in

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-18897154395495702022008-04-24T17:24:00.003-05:002008-04-25T05:45:24.980-05:00

Hey, did you know that my birthday is coming up in a week? Normally I wouldn’t beg for a gift, but seeing how it’s not actually for me, I think I’m allowed this little faux pas in birthday etiquette. I mean, you would generally WANT to get something for a friend’s birthday, right? And I'm your friend, right? So I’m just going to cut to the chase and tell you want I want most in the world. And it’

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-77986368191436184012008-04-24T06:14:00.000-05:002008-04-24T06:16:49.706-05:00

So, it's been a while since I've reviewed any books from my Spring Into Reading 2008 list. Never mind the fact that I'm over half way through it, and I've even added/read a few that should have been on the list in the first place. So much for following my word that I would post reviews faithfully. Just be prepared for multiple book reviews over the next few weeks because it there's one thing I

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-65654291806154985732008-04-22T17:45:00.004-05:002008-04-23T05:36:18.285-05:00

A recurring question from my Prêt-à-Porter, Fiesta Style! post that I have been asked is "How did you buy all your clothes on ebay?!"Come closer my little friends. I'll tell you my shopping secret...Here’s the long and short of how to shop ebay for clothes.Log onto ebay and select “Clothing”. Next select “Women’s Clothing”. Ummm, if you're a guy and you're shopping you might want to select "Men's

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-73375279433949183612008-04-21T17:28:00.003-05:002008-04-22T06:39:34.491-05:00

It's time for a little shout out to the Lord, so you know that it must be Gratituesday, where one can be vocally thankful for something in life.This week, I've been blessed more and more with the knowledge that The Girl and I have a pretty good relationship. Never mind the fact that she's teetering on the fence from being a girl to becoming a woman. Never mind that I'm a walking hormone waiting

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-19660734761580350512008-04-21T04:32:00.003-05:002008-04-21T05:35:43.042-05:00

It’s that time of year again – the time where you put all your hopes into the hands of others and pray that the Random Number Generator will be your best friend time and time again…If this is the first time at Shalee’s Diner, then welcome! Coffee is on the house for you, and you’ve just got to try some of the strawberry pie… it’s that good. As the sign says, I’ll be serving the same slop as I

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-47923234935847590442008-04-18T05:55:00.004-05:002008-04-21T06:39:07.573-05:00

Chilihead posted some quotes that were her favorites. I thought I’d totally piggyback on her and do the same. Because I am a copycat. And that’s what friends do. They steal good stuff from those they love. You can quote me on that."I intend to live forever. So far, so good." - Steven Wright"I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific." - Lily Tomlin“The 12-

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-13557149965964227862008-04-17T06:29:00.004-05:002008-04-17T06:48:42.867-05:00

Although I think Al Gore is full of something not-quite-green and I shiver at the thought of his loosely "researched facts” garnering him a Nobel Peace Prize, I do think that he has a minute point about considering our surroundings. I also think that we have a responsibility to clean up our acts - literally.So with slight trepidation, I’m letting you know about Seattle Mom’s Earth Day

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-87831251252906566392008-04-16T06:55:00.002-05:002008-04-16T07:14:10.560-05:00

Seeing how I recently wrote about my eyesight, I thought this was very appropriate to post today.I received an email from a friend yesterday. Shalee,I am getting a kick out of your memory blogs! I'm not sure if you watched MTV when your parents weren't looking, but Bowling for Soup has a song called 1985 and you should totally watch the video...especially if you watched music videos in the 80's!

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-44715082735249446472008-04-15T06:41:00.003-05:002008-04-15T07:01:21.239-05:00

It's time for a little shout out to the Lord, so you know that it must be Gratituesday, where one can be vocally thankful for something in life.It's so simple really, but after talking with multiple people the last few days about glasses/contacts/eyesight, I am so grateful that I don't have to have anything to see yet. (I do have a pair of reading glasses, but I only got them because we had money

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-86875468764480562532008-04-14T05:39:00.003-05:002008-04-14T05:46:02.645-05:00

Eighth GradeWhat can be said about this year?It was a year that brought me face to face with so many things. Some good, some that no child should have to know.I was in my first wedding that year. My mom’s best friend’s daughter was marrying and she asked for me to be her flower girl. Yeah, at 13 years old. Well, I felt lovely (though not beautiful) in that long pink gown. I can remember the

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-63402144591367977752008-04-11T05:50:00.005-05:002008-04-11T07:01:19.425-05:00

Welcome to my closet! Come in, come in. There’s not much room, but maybe if we rotate a bit, I can get you all in here. Chocolate strawberries anyone? How about some mozzarella sticks? Oh and just take your pick of wine or Diet Coke (Blech, if I do say so myself). If we run out, I’ll just send Mr. Right out for more. He’s really good like that. Comfy? Good. Now let me share a bit about myself

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-50331462121265964652008-04-10T06:54:00.002-05:002008-04-10T07:03:21.009-05:00

Having a hormonal daughter aligned with a hormonal mother may just mean that we’re going to have fireworks a time or twenty-two… Poor Mr. Right. He’s going to be there to witness it all. Or maybe not. Maybe he’ll think that having Guy Time with The Boy would be perfect right about now. Until 2015.It's not even bad right now, but from all that I hear and all that I remember, it's going to

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-80909427813887569222008-04-09T07:09:00.004-05:002008-04-09T07:20:33.290-05:00

One man who's been hit with a head cold for over a weekOne girl who is on the cusp of adolescenceOne boy who, at times, can talk non-stop like Goob in Meet the RobinsonsOne boss gone for most of the weekOne house still for saleOne cat who is being missedOne stack of books readOne movie watched - Enchanted (I liked it!)One day is begging to have someone (me) play hooky to go play with Jeana in

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-9094688865949724602008-04-08T06:37:00.003-05:002008-04-08T07:10:52.080-05:00

Are you looking for a little pick me up between Sunday and Thankful Thursday? Are you seeking ways that God is active not only in your life, but the life of others? Well, then let me share a bit about Gratituesday with you!My friend Laura (not the friendship like I am with many of you - this is the real deal! We've been in Chorus together in college, had babies at the same time, played cards

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-57200132473167474292008-04-07T05:52:00.004-05:002008-04-07T07:14:51.943-05:00

Take a stroll with me, would you? Here, I'll even give you some walking music. Ahhh yes, 7th grade: the time when everything was different - clothes, school, the body itself. It was here that I first learned to change classes every hour. It was here that I discovered how truly inept I was at Social Studies/History (Sorry Mr. Webber... I really did try! I just couldn't make those dates stick in my

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-76076486438090350032008-04-04T06:08:00.000-05:002008-04-04T06:09:59.298-05:00

A word of warning: This post is the longest review I've written, but it's full of really good things, so I encourage you to read to the end. I tried to cut it down, knowing that length can be a blog killer, but I couldn't trim much; it's not full of much fat. Perhaps you can grab your coffee now and relax whilst I talk a bit. Oh, and you might want to get a snack too. It may take a while.Let me

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-49378367722186952792008-04-03T04:06:00.006-05:002008-04-03T05:16:39.818-05:00

Dear Sirs and Madams of any and all vehicles:  I would like to share my noted observations for several of you who "share" the road with me.While I may not pay as many taxes as you do, Mr. Hummer or Mrs. BMW, I still do pay them.  Therefore, the road is mine as well as yours.  Please cease and desist from acting as if you are the sole owner of the pavement.Mr. Explorer, when you bob and weave in

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-82249234005896761902008-04-02T13:14:00.003-05:002008-04-02T13:21:39.331-05:00

You Are a CommaYou are open minded and extremely optimistic.You enjoy almost all facets of life. You can find the good in almost anything.You keep yourself busy with tons of friends, activities, and interests.You find it hard to turn down an opportunity, even if you are pressed for time.Your friends find you fascinating, charming, and easy to talk to.(But with so many competing interests, you

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-5018533618942096362008-04-01T13:15:00.002-05:002008-04-01T13:20:42.115-05:00

Somehow my post for today pales when compared to an email that I received last night. So I'm replacing whatever mundane thing I had to say with these wonderful words that were written from a loving parent.Whether or not you support the war in Iraq, it does not diminish the fact that men and women put their lives on the line for their fellow human race. They do it not for glory or for accolades,

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-24290520783152468162008-03-31T13:17:00.001-05:002008-03-31T13:18:33.770-05:00

We had one of those weekends what was so busy that it's kind of a relief to get to Monday! I'm tired, I'm sore and I'm poorer than I was on Friday, but I'm glad to be breathing.Friday night the kids and I watched Bee Movie. It was cute and I really do recommend it, but I didn't think it was as funny as all the actors did. (Well, Patrick Warburton's character really made me laugh, but that's

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-84371378006232297562008-03-28T05:39:00.004-05:002008-12-09T07:15:24.833-06:00

Do you want to read a delightful book that is chocked full of wit, humor and valuable life lessons? Then I whole-heartedly recommend that you read Cold Sassy Tree. Olive Ann Burns wrote a doozy of a book, just as she turned 60. (She wrote it as a way of dealing with her cancer. Talk about taking something painful and turning it into something good... It seemed very therapeutic, not to mention

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-58926938129523362082008-03-27T13:00:00.006-05:002008-12-09T07:15:26.166-06:00

I don't know why, but I'm just so tired. Around 3 PM, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Unfortunately, I was at my desk at work, so no nap for the weary. I don't feel sick. I don't think I'm coming down with anything. I'm just tired, which is odd considering that I've had great, uninterrupted sleep for the last several days.I think it's this crazy weather. It's a beautiful 74° one day; then a

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-55024662688458206342008-03-25T13:05:00.007-05:002008-12-09T07:15:26.665-06:00

Man oh man. have I been busy! I've unloaded and unpacked every box for my parts of the office, which when I think about it is all of it except my coworkers' offices. Whew! Was I glad to have an excuse to leave early yesterday. I had to go pick up some materials with which to hang all the pictures. Guess what we'll be doing today.I have to tell you - I love this new office. It's 10 minutes

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-32222369141660261662008-03-24T05:56:00.001-05:002008-03-24T05:46:31.741-05:00

Oh my... Time really has been flying if I can't remember to join into the fray of one of my favorite things ever!  It's time for the Spring Reading Thing 2008, hosted by Katrina at Callapidder Days.  (There she is with that catchy title again...  That girl, she should be in marketing!)So here are the books on my list for this Spring:Cold Sassy TreeCitizen GirlThe CompanionChrist the Lord: Out of

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-57652085644207825582008-03-21T05:19:00.003-05:002008-03-21T07:04:34.614-05:00

Oh. My. Lands. My ears are still ringing.  Between the The Girl and her friend Bailey laughing and singing and playing and then The Boy and Bailey having a few tickle wars, my senses were on overload, especially since it's been so calm around the house for the past week. I knew I missed the little critters, but it's always amazing how much my heart leaps when I see them after a long visit.  It

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-1709449148561122572008-03-20T07:06:00.000-05:002008-12-09T07:15:27.101-06:00

Would you mind spending a couple of minutes running through this quick survey?It will help Blogher know what kinds of ads appeal to my readers. I'm all for putting ads up that won't offend others...Now just so we can get on with real life, we're going to pick up the kids tonight. Can I just share with you HOW EXCITED I am to get those hoodlums back? I have to say, I'm just a teensy bit ready

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-87319822466982007902008-03-19T05:36:00.006-05:002008-12-09T07:15:27.275-06:00

Once again, my tip is coming from my mother-in-awe.  (That woman makes my life so much easier!) To clean potatoes, carrots, yams - any number of root veggies - in a jiffy, get a pair of these:These body scrubbing gloves are great for cleaning off all the dirt in a snap. I keep my pair under the sink for quick access and put them back when they're dry. Easy peasy and I can quickly move on to

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-62940286659252969282008-03-18T05:22:00.002-05:002008-03-18T05:42:00.115-05:00

Read a book or four.Watch several episodes of Lost online to catch up with the world.Spend time with your husband without locking the door. (*ahem*)Take a long bath.Eat cookie dough without fear of being caught.Take a nap.Watch some movies (Inside Man, iRobot, Invincible - so far)Go out for coffee with your sweet man.Get all traces of laundry done.Read every post in Bloglines.Eat out, thinking

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-42294358612875522342008-03-17T06:04:00.004-05:002008-03-17T07:06:42.021-05:00

We made it through our weekend without the kids. It was tough, but somebody had to do it...So what do to crazy, kid-free couples do on their two days off from work and they get to be together? Why they go car shopping, of course! I can't tell you how romantic car shopping... isn't. I mean, we would test drive cars where one of us would sit in the back, but we couldn't both sit in the back, so

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-71527437463553860582008-03-14T05:00:00.001-05:002008-03-14T06:24:55.033-05:00

But maybe not the way I expected...I spent all Wednesday looking for a new used car. A lot of time was spent online, trying to narrow down the hunt. By the time Mr. Right came home from work early, we were ready to hit the road to find our set of wheels that will get us around town.We went down a few of the car strips where they specialize in used cars. We looked and looked and looked. And

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-24824099338971166052008-03-12T10:12:00.003-05:002008-03-12T10:19:43.843-05:00

We took our old car in for a few hose replacement yesterday only to discover that it needs much more done to it to get it back on the road.  The car isn't worth putting several hundreds into it, so we're off for some immediate car searching.   As we work on opposite ends of town, we're in a bind until we can get another vehicle. Pray that God will put one before our eyes that will be a durable

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-62103138063099789762008-03-12T07:58:00.002-05:002008-03-12T08:07:43.410-05:00

We are blessed beyond measure here at the Diner.  We have a parents who love to spend time with the grandkids, so every spring break, we take them up to their place for the week and a half vacation.It saves us a mint in childcare AND, more importantly, it allows our kids to have a chance to forge fantastic, recall-them-years-later memories with them.  Oh, and it allows Mr. Right and me an

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-27835487745029361512008-03-11T03:26:00.000-05:002008-03-11T05:50:33.941-05:00

(Thanks to Michelle Branch for putting into words how I feel about Mr. Right. Hey, why reinvent the wheel?)So I'm a little left of centerI'm a little out of tuneSome say I'm paranormalSo I just bend their spoonWho wants to be ordinaryIn a crazy, mixed-up worldI don't care what they're sayin'As long as I'm your girlHey, you are on my sideAnd they, they just roll their eyesYou get meWhen nobody

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-40145031811895671752008-03-10T05:33:00.004-05:002008-03-10T06:23:21.704-05:00

So I had another one of my dreams last night. This dream was great because I went to spend some Girl Time with BooMama in Alabama.  And boy, did we have all sorts of excitement! First off, Sophie had been remodeling her house.  She was just taking the crow bar side of a hammer and pulling up beautiful wood floors.  There were sections of her house where you could see way down (like 20 ft) to the

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-35239997812821806002008-03-07T06:02:00.004-06:002008-03-07T06:20:07.167-06:00

Who ever said the Creator doesn't have a sense of humor?Dwight Nelson recently told a true story about the pastor of his church. He had a kitten that climbed up a tree in his backyard and then was afraid to come down. The pastor coaxed, offered warm milk, etc. The kitty would not come down.The tree was not sturdy enough to climb, so the pastor decided that if he tied a rope to his car and drove

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688004.post-88287622000794664542008-03-06T05:58:00.001-06:002008-03-06T07:01:08.978-06:00

In an effort to keep you updated about Susanne, I thought I would just share our email exchanges.  Hopefully you'll enjoy them as much as we did.Oh, and you'll know who's who by the lack of capitol letters on Susanne's part!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~your house looks awesome. praying it's going to be a real quick sale.i'm doing much better today. yesterday was pretty hard. i had two

Shaleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364055849106684154noreply@blogger.com