HOOOOOOOOO ARE YOU?

 I decided to participate in this week's questions from Hoo Are You Night Owl Crafting blog.

1.  What is your least favorite thing to clean in your house?
   Ummm....I think mine would be the WHOLE house! LOL! I do clean. I just don't like to. Actually, I think the bathrooms. I used to pay my niece to clean once a week when I was working, and I have to say it was well worth it NOT to have to clean the bathrooms.

2.  What color of shirts do you wear the most?
  I love rich colors of plums and purples, but I usually end up with a variety - if I can find them. I really have a hard time finding shirts I like, but that's another story.

3.  Do you have long hair or short hair?
  Short hair - with highlights. I just can't deal with longer hair. It gives me headaches, and I just think I outgrew that a long time ago.

4.  What time do you usually eat dinner?
  Normally, when I'm cooking, I usually start around 6:00 so we can be done and ready to watch our favorite TV shows if there is anything on that we watch regularly. Of course, we are pretty flexible.

5.  What is your favorite dessert?
  This could really be a very long list. It's hard to choose just one. Since we've been on WW, we don't eat many real desserts.
  When we were on our first cruise, we were introduced to Warm Chocolate Melting Cake, and I am getting pretty excited about our Oct. cruise so I can sample it again - for 7 nights!
  We had a dessert auction at our church Sun. night for a mission trip, and my DH paid $150 for an Italian Cream Cake made by one of the best cooks at our church. Would you believe we DID NOT eat a piece of it? He took it to school so that we wouldn't, but I did have to sample a few of the crumbs left on the cake. Let me tell you it was worth every cent! I just wish I could have had all I wanted!

  I love reading about fellow bloggers and meeting new ones. So come on over and join the fun!

Meet Me on Monday...

  I love Mondays (now that I don't have to go to work) because of Java over at Never Growing Old. Every Monday she posts 5 questions to help us fellow bloggers to get to know each other. Come and join in the fun!

  Let's get started:

1.  What is your favorite kind of potato chip?

     That would be Sun Cheddar Harvest. They are sooooo good, but of course they have too many points for WW. So if we eat chips, they are Baked Lays. (I enjoyed seeing other people's answers to this because I've never heard of most of those brands.)

2.  Do you make your bed everyday?
  When I was working, it depended on if I had morning duty because I had to leave earlier. I did try to make it up in the mornings, but even if I didn't, I always straightened it at night because I don't like to get into a rumpled bed. I make my bed everyday - to a point. It doesn't always look like this unless I'm having company.

3.  How often do you go to the hair salon?
  I have highlights, and I probably need to go a little more often than I do. I always push it to the limit. If my hair would turn totally gray/white, I wouldn't get highlights. My roots are dark even at age 61, but I do have some gray.

4.  What do you dip your French Fries in?
   Actually, I've never big a big fan of French fries until recently. I did like to get some from McD's every now and then, but since we've been on WW, we bake the Ore-Ida Crispers, and they are so good. We use a little ketchup. I'm not too particular as to what brand. I usually buy what's on sale. (I had to toss in this pic of this child in a ketchup  bottle Halloween costume. I just can't see my grandbabies dressed as a ketchup bottle. LOL)

5.  Do you shop with coupons?
  A long time ago, I did use coupons. Then the busier I got, the less time I had to fool with them, and most of the time the generic brands were cheaper than the name brands using a coupon.
  Lately, I've started back using coupons because there are so many available on the internet now. I signed up to receive weekly emails from the grocery store chain that I shop at the most - Brookshire Brothers. They send at least one a week for something free. Hey - I really like free! Even if I don't use the product, someone will.
 I had a hassle with WM the other day over some coupons that I printed off a couple of websites. I printed them. I didn't copy them. They were legit. It took 3 people to decide if they were legit.

 I hope everyone in Blogland has a good week.

Watch a video - Help a Charity

 Please go to this LINK. Watch the video of a bedroom makeover for Colette who has breast cancer. Then make a comment to donate $1.00 for someone else to have a makeover. You will also be entered to win some giveaways, but the most important thing is to help someone in need.

Quiltaway....

....or giveaway. HERE.....very nice gift.

Tongue Cancer Awareness....

  It's Follow Friday 40 and Over at Never Growing Old. Come and join along.

    I'm using this post today to hopefully get more people to read this.

(This is long, but please read. It could save your life or someone you love.)

Those of you that knew me before blogging came into my world, know that in March 2008 I found out that I had tongue cancer.
 I had some crusty places on my tongue that my dentist, and my oral surgeon were very concerned about. They sent me on to some maxilliofacial doctors - Ghali/Kim.
 After the first 3 biopsies within about a 3 year span, they just told me to watch it, and come back if I suspected anything, but to come once a year for checkups if I felt I needed to.
 Those places started getting sore so I figured it was time to return to the doctor. Good thing I did, because this time they were malignant - squarmous cell carcinoma.
 Anyone who had had any kind of cancer diagnosis knows the feeling. I will never forget the look on my son, daughter, and husband's face when I woke up, and asked if everything was ok. Utter despair! but lots of reassurance that all would be fine. Well, no one except God above knows that for sure!

 In May 2008, I had very major surgery. You can read about it in my Archives (just scroll down the page) if you wish.

 That's why my daughter started this blog.  It was traumatic, painful, and overwhelming, but in the end, I had a good outcome. There was no cancer in the lymph nodes, and I didn't have to take chemo/radiation. Thank you God!  (Short version: Dr. cut out the cancerous tongue, took the main vein in my left arm to use for my tongue's blood flow, took a piece of muscle from my forearm to repair my tongue, took skin from under my arm to repair my forearm. Basically cut from my left ear down and back up to my throat. 12 hr. surgery)

  Of course they explained all of this to me during my post-op appointment - but hello! Do you think I really understood what was going to happen? and neither did my family. I think in some ways it was harder on them than me - at least for the first few days because I was in ICU unconscious.

  The miracle part is - on the 8th day I was talking! Amazing to say the least. As horrible as it sounds, the inside of my mouth gave me the least amout of pain and discomfort.

  Now my message is this. So many people do not realize how common mouth/tongue cancer is, and people don't get these things checked as they should. I was in the 4% to even get this as I had never smoked. Smokers are in a very high % to get mouth/tongue cancers. One reason mine was so successful is that it was all confined to the tongue area, and they were able to remove it. Yes, I have regular checkups. I have wonderful doctors. They know me personally if I see them on the street. That's how often I've been there. They are like my family.

  Just last week I went to the funeral of the sister of a friend. She died from tongue/mouth cancer. She was only diagnosed/operated on a little over a year ago. Hers was already in Stage 4. She had a lot of complications after the surgery. It was so sad. She was only 55 years old.

  Dr. Ghali was at the visitation as she was also his patient. The first thing he said to me was, "When do I see you again?" I will be there in September!

 I have met two other bloggers whose lives have been affected by this cancer. I will post their links for you to read and meet them.
 SIMPLY DEBBIE - she lost her precious daughter to tongue cancer.
 WHEN I'M NOT WORKING - Peg's husband is a tongue cancer survivor.

  Thanks to blogging and social networks maybe we can spread more information about tongue cancer.
  Feel free to post a link to this. It is very important to me to inform people about tongue cancer.

Meet Me on Monday - So Much Fun!

1.  What is your favorite kind of doughnut?
    Honestly I just like plain sugar coated HOT donuts! I could eat half a box if I was allowed. I just have to resist since we have been doing WW. (I love KK.)

2.  How often do you pray?
  I guess I could say that if you have a close relationship with God that you pray continuously. I pray when I'm sewing, when I'm driving, and anytime I feel the need to pray. I keep a small notebook, and I write down prayer needs of people who are ill, deaths, accidents, our soldiers, etc. I go over this list every night when I go to bed. If you have a prayer request, please send it to me.


3.  What is your favorite kind of music?
  I guess I like mostly country and love songs. I listen to the love song channel on TV almost all day.  I just love pretty songs.

4.  What do you order when you eat Chinese food?
  I love Chinese food, but it's also NOT on WW. Chinese food has a lot of sodium content. When I do eat it, my favorite is Shrimp Fried Rice - YUM! 

5.  Would you rather snowboard in the winter or swim in the summer?
  I love winter, but couldn't snowboard if I wanted to, so I guess the answer will be SWIM in summer with the grands.

 Come join the fun at NEVER GROWING OLD - MEET ME ON MONDAY.

Never Growing Old Follow Friday!

  I hope some of you will join in the PIF Handmade Gift Challenge. Please read THIS post.
 

Great Giveaway...

Enter to win a Coach Handbag over at Posh on a Budget.

"Pay It Forward" using your talents....

Thanks to Cortney Lyon from Living and Loving in California,  I found out about a great way to promote handmade gifts through a project called Pay It Forward (PIF). Here is how it works:

1.) Cortney will be sending me and 2 of her other readers a handmade gift.

 2.) In return, the 3 of us will post about it on our blog and host our own PIF for 3 of our own readers.

 3.) Then those people will continue the PIF from their blog. Confused?

Here are the official "rules" of the PIF:



1. The first 3 people to visit my blog & leave a comment here on this post saying they want to participate will receive a handmade gift from me. You are allowed 1 year (according to the rules) in which to send out the gift.


2. You must have a blog of your own to participate in the PIF.


3. You must post about the PIF on your blog & you must offer the challenge of a PIF.


By accepting my PIF, YOU agree to host a PIF on your blog, you will agree to send a handmade gift (within 1 year) to the first 3 people who sign up on your blog to participate in your PIF & so it continues.



My stipulation is that I will only accept bloggers within the U.S. because of the shipping rates. (Sorry, I just have to do this.) The PIF rules say that you have up to 1 year to send out your handmade gifts...so you have plenty of time to participate and to create!
 When bloggers receive a handmade gift, they should post it on their blog for everyone to see. I think this will be so much fun.


If this sounds like something you would like to participate in, just leave me a comment and mention that you are interested in participating in my PIF. I'm not going to tell you what I'm making, you'll just have to sign up in blind faith.
  So someone, anyone, and at least 3 people, please sign up! I think this will be so much fun.

Shirley

Meet Me on Monday....

  I love this. It sort of sounds like a song. LOL
Java from Never Growing Old is our host. If you would like to join in, go on over and link up.

 This week's questions are:

1. What is your favorite dessert?
    This is hard. I seldom eat any really good desserts since we have been trying to do WW so when I do eat one, I want it to be something very, very good.
  I love homemade bread pudding, lemon icebox pie, pecan pie, Italian cream cake, and on and on. I absolutely love my husband's chocolate pie. The recipe is actually for a coconut pie. He just leaves out the coconut and adds cocoa. Everyone raves over it that eats it.

     
2. What do you wear to bed?

    In summer, I wear nylon pajamas, and in winter I wear tee shirts and knit pajama pants. I love winter. I always have. When I had my surgery in '08, I got so used to wearing pj pants and tee shirts all day - every day - that it took me forever to get used to wearing real clothes again.

3. Do you get regular manicures/pedicures?

 I've never had either. I have very hard fingernails, and I wouldn't dare mess them up with fake nails. Polish just gets nicked and messed up. I used to keep them faithfully polished, but not any more. I couldn't polish my toe nails if I wanted. LOL

4. Did you play any sports in high school?

  That would be a "NO". I did play summer ball once in middle school, and I did really good. We lived so far away from the school that I seldom got to even go back to watch a ballgame or anything.

5. Do you have an iPod?

 This is my favorite question of the 5. I got an iPod Touch for my birthday. I love it! I can lay in bed at night, check my FB and email, and listen to my favorite songs that usually put me to sleep. I also like playing Words with Friends. 

 I enjoyed meeting some new blogging friends last week. I hope you will join in the fun.

Another Blogiversary!

 Congrats to Fiona & Twig for making it one year on the blogging circuit.
 Go and check out the great giveaway. Good luck to all because there are a lot of entries!

Dalai Mama Giveaway....

  I just found out about this Giveaway from another blogger. So I'm sharing in order to give myself an extra chance to win.
  Just because I'm telling you doesn't mean you have to enter. (LOL - humorous sarcasm here)
  Seriously, it's a great giveaway. May the luckiest blogger win!

If you like to sew for babies.....

...you might want to enter this blog giveaway. Laurie over at SewnSo's Sewing Journal (alias Southern Stitches) has opened a new website called Brer Rabbit Designs.
 Go to Brer Rabbit's Blog to see how to enter.

Meet Me on Monday Blog Hop....

 

To get to know fellow bloggers, I'm answering the 5 questions that Java from the Never Growing Old blog posted. This can be a lot of fun.

1.  Do you watch soap operas?
     My DH and I both watch All My Children. We used to watch it years ago, and then just quit because of working and kids. After I had my big surgery 2 years ago, we started back watching, and now we tape it and watch it together at night. LOL We had to find something to do while sitting here all day for 2 months during my recuperation time. Our favorites are Greenlea and Ryan.

2.  What appliance is used the most in your house?
  Well, if a sewing machine is considered an appliance, then that would be my answer, and my embroidery machine. It runs on electricity, right? So I think that qualifies it to be an appliance. My 2nd answer would be my washing machine.

3.  Do you wear make-up everyday?
  I wear make-up almost everyday even if it's just a little. I hate to be seen out of the house without any kind of make-up. I have blotchy skin, and scars on my neck so I use Bare Escentuals, and it really helps to hide flaws, but of course, nothing really hides scars. It just makes me feel better.

4.  What is your worst pet peeve?
  I didn't have to think twice about this one. People who don't return phone calls, emails, or texts. I usually have a reason for calling or writing such as to ask how someone is doing. So if I care that much about someone then they could at least answer within a reasonable amount of time. I just hate to have someone say, "I'll call you right back" or "I'll call you tomorrow", and tomorrow never comes. 
(There are really no pictures to describe this answer.)


5.  What is your favorite lunch meat?
  I thought this one was sort of funny. I think my favorite is Spam. LOL I seldom eat it because we've been on Weight Watcher's, and spam is not really an option compared to a Smart One's frozen dinner for 4 points.  

     I hope you will join in on the fun on Meet Me on Monday Blog Hop! I've had a great time finding blogger friends, and I've learned so much from reading about other people in Blogland.

I'll Be Missing my Sweet Grandson!

This is Follow Me Friday! Just click on the blue button.

Cayden will start to kindergarten on Tuesday! I just can't believe he is starting to "Big School". That's what Shelby (little sister) calls it.
  When I was keeping them the other day, she told Cayden to read the words in her book because he was going to "Big School." LOL
  He has grown up so much yet he is still just a baby to me. I would love to be a fly on the wall to see what he does. He is an amazing kid, and he has common sense way beyond what some adults have.

 Cayden is always so determined to master whatever he is given. He took swimming lessons this summer for a week, and by the time we got back from Florida he could swim across the pool. We were only there for 3 days.
 He has had a wonderful pre-school teacher for the last two years - Ms. Regina. She has done an exceptional job with those children. She's not only taught them the basics, but she's taught them life skills such a making a grocery list. That was a hoot!

(Cayden dressed as Ernest above.)

 Cayden is such a joy, and he never meets a stranger (much like his PawPaw). I know he will do well in school and life in general. He also has a set of wonderful parents. (I helped in that area.)
  So Happy Kindergarten Cayden! Mimi will miss our play days, but I know we will have a lot of fun when we do get the chance to play!
 Love you sooooo much!

 Pre-K Graduation - May 2010  (Melts my heart.)

Another beautiful giveaway.....

....and it's on one of my favorite blogs, A Gathering of Thoughts. Even if you don't like to enter giveaways (can't imagine that), you will love her blog.
  I really would love to win, but I will be a good sport and be happy for whoever does win - this time! LOL

One of my favorite places......

...is having another fabric giveaway. Go check it out at 44th St. Fabric Blog.