Sunday Stealing Questions

It's more questions and answers today.

1: 3 Fears 
Snakes
Tight places
Extreme heights

2: 3 things I love
Time with  family
Time with friends
Time by myself

3: 4 turn ons
A happy disposition
A sweet spirit
An engaging personality
Positivity

4: 4 turn offs
Self centeredness
Vulgar or offensive language
Indescency
Negativity

5: My best friend
I have several dear friends that I so enjoy doing life with.

6: My favorite book
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

7: My best first date
I didn't date all that much, but my first date  with my husband was to our church's 
Sweetheart Banquet around Valentine's Day.  It wasn't really a date as I was only 13
but he did walk me over to the banquet from my house which was next door to the church.
I definitely called it a date but my parents did NOT. Since that first date ended up in marriage
6 years later then I suppose it qualifies as a "best first date."

8: How tall am I
I use to be 5' 6" but I've probably started shrinking ~smile~

9: What do I miss
A lot things but especially my Mother who died unexpectedly almost 10 years ago

10: What time was I born
If I remember from the last time I looked at my birth certificate,
 I was born around 2:45 PM.

11: Favorite color
My favorite color changes from time to time.  Right now I'm a big 
fan of all shades of grey.

12: Do I have a crush
Not that I know of

13: Favorite quote



14: Favorite place 
I have been to some awesome places, but none can compare to HOME!

15: Favorite food
Hummm.......any spicy food, love it!

16: Do I use sarcasm
Occasionally, but, I'm not sarcastic habitually

17: What am I listening to right now
The NBC nightly news ~isn't that exciting~

18: First thing I notice in new person
Whether or not they have a warm and engaging personality

19: Eye color
Brown

20: Hair color
Auburn

Have an awesome Lord's Day!

Saturday 9

 It's Saturday and that means it's time for the Saturday 9.  I really enjoy this weekend link up as the questions give readers a chance to get to know a blogger even better.  Hope you enjoy!

Saturday 9: It's a Jungle Out There (Theme from Monk) (2003)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
Not only have I never heard the tune I had to think really, really hard to even remember the show.  I never watched it but I think I remember hearing of it.  I'm just not a sitcom person anymore.

1) This week's song is the theme from the detective show that ran from 2002-2009. Were you a fan?
Well, as previously stated, I've never seen it, barely heard of it, so definitely not a fan.

2) The song warns us about the air we breathe and the water we drink. Does your home have an air or water filter?
No air filter but we put in a "whole house" water filtering and softening system when the house was built due to this area having extremely hard water.  So, so glad we did. 

3) The lyrics say, "People say I'm crazy to worry all the time." Are you a worrier? Or do you just take things as they come?
Interesting question.........I like to call it fretting rather than worrying but, it's all the same isn't it?  I am not good at taking things as they come but I do adjust rather quickly.  I've learned that it is necessary to survive, just adjust your sails and go on.  Fretting and worrying has never accomplished anything so far as I know, but I will say, that so many of the things I have worried about in my life have never come to pass. So, perhaps it does do some good. ~wink~  

4) TV's Adrian Monk is known for his outstanding deductive powers, an homage to Sherlock Holmes. Have you read any of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's books featuring Sherlock Holmes?
No, never read any and they do not interest me in the least.

5) Monk was also known for fastidiousness and precision, an homage to Hercule Poirot. Have you read any of Agatha Christie's books featuring Poirot?
I've never read one of Agatha Christie's books.

6) This song was written and performed by Grammy and Emmy winner Randy Newman. Do you have any trophies or plaques? 


I have never received a trophy or a plaque and that's probably a good thing as it just gives me or my kids one less thing to get rid of one day. ~chuckle~  My trophies are my two children and 4 Grans. ~doesn't get much better~

7) Before winning an Oscar in 2001, Mr. Newman had the distinction of having the most nominations (15) without a win. Do you consider yourself a graceful loser? 
Oh, indeed!  I am just not a real competitive person.  I played tennis for years and while I did play to win, I never lost any sleep over losing and was always happy for whoever did win.

8) In 2003, when this song was introduced, Lance Armstrong won his fifth Tour de France. Later, he was disgraced in a doping scandal. Can you think of a time when a hero disappointed you?
The few folks that I immediately think of as my hero's are spiritual giants for whom I have such deep admiration.  Only a couple of them are what might be referred to as famous, the others are just folks I know on a first name basis and some are dear friends. None of these have yet to disappoint me.  But, with that said, humans fail us so I try to keep my eye
 on the one who never fails or forsakes - Jesus Christ - He's my biggest hero!

9) Random question -- We're catering lunch. Should we put you down for a burger or a taco?
Definitely a burger with chipolte mayo, onion, dill pickles and lettuce.  I do like tacos but given the choice of these two, the burger would win.  

Lea's Favorites and Reviews

Things have been quiet here at my blog this week.  But, it's time for another favorites and reviews post today.  I probably get more comments on these posts than any other I do.  I love knowing what other folks favorites are or what they think of an item or product. So, hopefully my readers find this helpful to them.

I don't know if any of you dislike flossing your teeth as much as I do or not, but this Waterpik flosser has been a Godsend for me.  I have had more dental issues than the law allows and flossing is of utmost importance for me.  This little jewel has made flossing so, so much easier and enjoyable for me.  It has a small tank that you fill with warm water and a high and low speed.  It is cordless and that is a game changer as far as I'm concerned.  Who wants to fool with cords.  I use mine every night and I can assure you if I had to use regular flossing string, I would think of every reason under the sun not to do it nightly.  And, yes, this is available from Amazon.
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I'm a big fan of Lipsence long last lipstick but decided about a month ago to give this Colorstay Overtime by Revlon a try.  They do have some great colors but, for me, it just wasn't as long lasting as Lipsense.
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If you know me at all then you know that I am a huge "straw snob."  I ALWAYS, ALWAYS use a straw!  And, I drink 4-6 bottles of water a day and I found these extra long straws on Amazon (I haven't seen them anywhere else) and I was one happy gal!  And, yes, I know that the powers that be are "outlawing" plastic straws and a couple of states have already done away with them.  Well, I'm stocking up just in case that happens.  I can't imagine life without straws. 
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If you haven't been introduced to the Chips Ahoy Thins then you need to be.  We have tried the Oatmeal and Chocolate Chip and Hubby and I give them a 5 star rating.  They are a great snack and quick bit of sweetness and all for only 35 calories each.  Of course, who can only eat one? 
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I still have a desktop computer and spend a good bit of time at it.  I  use to have a difficult time trying to get my feet comfortable while I was working.  I found this Ergonomic Foot Rest 2-3 years ago and it was the answer.  It tilts back and forth which allows for you to find your comfort spot.  It has rubber grippers on the stand that keep it in place.  And, once again you can find it on Amazon.  It makes sitting at a desk so much more comfortable!

There you have this edition of my Favorites and Reviews.  Hope you found something that you are anxious to give a try.

Have a great weekend!!!!

The Saturday Nine

It's another Saturday 9.  I'm really enjoying this link up as it's another good way for my readers to get to know me better. ~as if they wanted to~ It's always fun to read everyone's answers to the questions.  Enjoy!

Saturday 9: The Nanny (1993)


.
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This week's song is the theme from a sitcom that originally aired from 1993 to 1999. Were you a fan? I vaguely even remember the show, so no, I was not a fan

2) The song tells us that Fran once worked in a bridal shop. Have you ever worked in a retail setting? I sure have.  I worked in a Kroger grocery store the summer after my junior year of high school and I worked at Leggett's Department Store during the Christmas season when I was about 16 years old.  Both of these jobs were in Lynchburg, Va.  I haven't worked in retail since that time.

3) The kids in the Sheffield household appreciate their nanny's "joie de vivre," which is defined as "exuberant enjoyment of life." Are you feeling joie de vivre this morning? 
I sure am.  I love Saturdays and I always find that so interesting.  I do not work outside the home so perhaps everyday should feel like Saturday.  But, it doesn't to me.  I love Saturdays and often I do get caught up on things, but I enjoy getting caught up and staying caught up.  It's a constant battle for sure.  Then some Saturdays it's just doing whatever my heart desires.  But, for today, I am feeling "exuberant enjoyment of life!. 

4) "The Nanny" is the colorful one, the one who wears red when everyone else wears tan. What color do you think you look best in?
Well, what an interesting question.  I wear an  awful lot of black and white so I guess I must think that I look good in it.  Many, many years ago when the "color palettes" were popular I was pegged an "autumn."  And, black was not in my pallette.  Hopefully  most of us have the where with all to wear colors that look good on us and don't have to have someone figure it out for us.~smile~  There are definitely colors that I steer clear of, such as yellow, periwinkle, lime green or any overly bright color and the list goes on and on.

5) The TV show, The Nanny, was the brainchild of actress Fran Drescher. She got the idea while visiting her an old friend in London. Her friend's pre-teen daughter enjoyed having Fran as a confidante and shopping buddy. Do you enjoy shopping as a leisure activity? Or would you prefer to just dash into a store, grab what you need, and get out and go home?
Well, there's no denying that I do love to shop.  But, I'm somewhere inbetween leisure and grab and go.  I like to browse and it doesn't take me long to see if there's anything I'm interested in and it doesn't take me long to make a decision.  I either like it or I don't, I either need it or just merely want it and I don't labor over most of my purchases.  


6) The friend Fran was visiting in London was Twiggy, who was the world's most famous model in the 1960s. Name another famous model.


Cindy Crawford from the 80's.  She was known for her eyebrows and athletic body. ~what an interesting combination~  After modeling she expanded her career into fitness videos, TV commercials and a clothing line.  

7) The Nanny: The Complete Series is available on DVD on Amazon. It consists of 19 discs and takes 55 hours to watch, start to finish. What TV show have you recently binge watched?
The only TV show I have ever binge watched in my life was Longmiere.  Hubby and I binge watched the series together back in February of this year.  It was one of the BEST shows I have ever watched.  Yes, there were some scenes I could have definitely done without but the story pretty much kept me on the edge of my seat for the entire series. 

8) The Nanny theme was sung by Liz Callaway. Her father, the late John Callway, was a long-time Chicago newscaster. Have you, or has a loved one, ever been on TV?
Nope! I've never been nor has a loved one and likely never will. 

9) Random question -- Which of these adjectives comes closest to describing you: sexy, sophisticated or down-to-earth?
Oh, my, what an interesting question.  Definitely not sexy, well, not in the sense that the world views sexy. Sophisticated, hummmmm....I suppose I can be if the occasion calls for it but for the most part I don't think so.  Down-to-earth, yes, very!  My parents use to say to me, "always remember, we all put our pants on the same way, one leg at a time."  In other words, we are no better or no less than anyone else.  The good Lord made us all and in His sight we are all the same. I consider being thought of as down to earth one of the best compliments in the world.

Enjoy your Saturday!!!

Birthday Recap - Part 2

Okay, if you are a Pioneer Woman fan then you will love this post and you also need to plan a trip to Pawhuska, Oklahoma.  Bridget and I planned our trip back in March.  We are both fans of PW and since Bridget and her family only live 2 hours from Pawhuska, we knew we had to go. So, we decided that my birthday would be the perfect occasion.

We arrived around 10:15 in the morning and immediately began browsing some of the area shops and at noon we went to Pioneer Woman's wood fired pizza restaurant.  Oh, my goodness, it was so very good! We had pizza with a Caesar salad.  

After lunch we continued our browsing and shopping.  Around 2:00 PM we decided we needed a break and decided to go and try out a pastry from the Pioneer Woman bakery.  Again, it was delicious.  We had a cup of coffee with a blueberry scone that melted in our mouth.  The bakery is located on the  second floor of the Mercantile.  They have a nice seating area that overlooks the small town.  It was definitely "the pause that refreshes."

After "the pause that refreshes" it was time to go and check into the Boarding House.  The Boarding House opened in mid-March and we felt very fortunate to even have gotten a room.  Bridget was online the minute their website opened for reservations and we got lucky and got a reservation.  Their website literally crashed the evening they opened it.  They never anticipated that over 32,000 folks would be trying to make reservations.  They booked up through March 2019 in a matter of minutes.  Their website is currently closed for reservations but they told us that they would be opening it up soon for reservations after March 2019.  There are only 8 rooms, so that helps to understand the wait.  But, let me assure you that it is worth the wait.  They treat you like a Queen and the rooms are fabulous.  We stayed in the Prairie Room.  BTW, the building that is now the Boarding House has been several things over the years but the last business that it housed was J.C. Penney. 

It was just beautiful as you can see from the pictures above.  Everything to perfection, very roomy and any and everything that one could need for a memorable stay.  Once we were settled in we took off to go to the Mercantile shop before we had dinner  at the Mercantile restaurant. 

AND, who did we run into????  Yes indeed, it was Marlboro Man himself, Ladd Drummond, Ree's husband.  He was milling around visiting with folks so Bridget and I took advantage of the moment.  He was so very nice and even obliged us with a picture.  Someone commented to me that he sure was mighty fit to be married to an excellent cook like Ree.  Well, I can't even imagine the calories he must burn working their ranch.  

Our dinner that evening at The Mercantile Restaurant was wonderful.  We met up with another mother/daughter staying at The Boarding House and we enjoyed their company over dinner. They have vintage looking dishes, lovely cloth napkins and a fabulous wait staff.  Bridget and I opted for one of their sandwiches and they did not disappoint at all.  We topped it off with another delicious blueberry dessert.

The next morning we checked out, very begrudgingly, and headed toward home.  On our way we stopped by The Lodge where Ree films her TV show.  It is 6 miles down a gravel road and I didn't know if we would ever get to it.  At one time it was the house that Ladd grew up in.  They refurbished it with a HUGE commercial kitchen, HUGE pantry, several bedrooms and a nice living area.  It is obviously very much lived in.  We stood at the very stove she cooks at on her show.

Above is a picture of her food, spices and staples pantry.  You name it and she had it in there.

Above is her dish,  utensil and pot and pan pantry.  Oh, my goodness, I've never seen so many mixing bowls, pots, pans, dishes of every description.  It was like being in a kitchen store. 

All the way across the back of the lodge is a wooden deck over looking a part of their ranch.  I'm sure in the early morning and late afternoons it is a wonderful gathering spot.  As with most things, our time had come to an end but we left with so many wonderful memories of a fabulous time.

Pawhuska is a town of 3200 people so it is quite small.  Ree and Ladd have done so much to refurbish the little downtown area and have even more plans for the future.  They will be opening a top notch steak house Nov. 1st and then they have another building taking shape but no one seemed to know what it was going to be.  One of the staff speculated that it might be a spa.  

Bridget and I were there right at 24 hours and did everything there was to do in Pawhuska.  So, most of the folks that visit are day visitors.  But, for me, staying at The Boarding House was the high light of our visit.  There are areas nearby that one could visit to add to their stay but we had left our men behind and once we did "all things Pioneer Woman" we were ready to head towards home.

Some interesting facts about the Drummond family:
Ladd is a 5th generation rancher
The Drummond family are the 23rd largest land owner in the US.  They own 433,000 acres of land in Oklahoma.  Yes, 433,000!!

If you are a Pioneer Woman fan then you need to read the book, "From High Heels to Tractor Wheels."  It was written by Ree about how she and Ladd met, fell in love and married.  It is such a wonderful and interesting book. 

Yes, it was indeed a birthday to remember and a most special time for Bridget and me to share.

Birthday Recap - Part 1

Well, I have just enjoyed one of the best birthday celebrations!  I pretty much celebrated for a week, but, hey, at this age, I think that's pretty much okay.  I just wanted to share bits and pieces of my #66 with you.

It all started with a lovely dinner at one of our favorite restaurants with dear friends.

I received so many lovely gifts and remembrances and one extra special one came from my blogging friend Andrea.  It was such a wonderful surprise and she sent me "all things lemon."  You can check out Andrea's blog, Living on Cloud Nine, here. She's a real sweetheart! I also received a boatload of wonderful cards from friends and family. 

My "day" started with breakfast at Cracker Barrel.  We had gone to Little Rock, AR the day before as we were in route to Oklahoma.  I generally love Cracker Barrel but breakfast that morning was just not all that good.  I was a tad disappointed as it was the beginning of MY birthday.  But, it was just the beginning and the day held all kinds of wonderfulness later on.

We arrived at our daughter's mid-afternoon and when we walked in she had a big banner and a pretty birthday cake.  I felt so special and so celebrated.

Clancy and Coleman were so excited about giving me their gift so that was done before my birthday dinner.  It was the lovely personalized bracelet that you see above.  My grandmother name with the birth stones of the grandchildren.  Two of the grandchildren have the same birth month so it worked out perfectly to have the 3 stones placed evenly among the 4 letters.  I love it!!!

After a delicious dinner it was time to blow out the candles and cut the cake.  Of course, I was shocked when I saw all the colorful layers of the cake and I was quite impressed.  And, when I tasted it, I was more than impressed.  It was absolutely delicious!!!  Bridget had put her best foot forward in creating this masterpiece.  The base of the cake is the white super moist boxed cake mix and it is true to it's name, super moist.  I am now anxious to try my hand at creating one of these.  Bridget said it isn't necessarily hard, just time consuming.  Needless to say, I felt more than a little celebrated!

After the celebration we all headed outside to watch Clancy work his sheep.  He just got his sheep a couple of weeks ago so they are still quite stubborn and haven't really figured out who is in charge.  But, it won't be long until Clancy will have the upper hand. ~smile~ It's such a great way for him to learn responsibility and commitment.  It's hard to believe this sweet boy will be 10 years old in Oct.

Okay, this wraps up Part 1 of my birthday celebration.  Stay tuned for Part 2, on Friday, when I recap mine and Bridget's trip to Pawhuska, Ok to do "all things Pioneer Woman."  

Let me just say, it was "all that and a bag of chips."  I can't wait to share it with you.

TBB Asks - All About A Party

It's good to be back after a wonderful "birthday getaway."  I'll be sharing all my birthday fun with you on Wednesday but, for today, it's all about  partying with the Blended Blog gals. 

1. Favorite Birthday Party as a Child?

Here I am, ready for my 6th birthday party.  I got a Schwinn bicycle and it was wayyy bigger than me.  But, excited was not the word, I was beyond excited!  It was just a simple party, cake, kool-aid and a few friends but all that mattered to me was my new bicycle. ~those were the days~

2. Do you like to Entertain? Yes or No?
I do enjoy entertaining and I can go with the most elaborate to the most simple and everything in-between.  Most of mine, these days, is more simply done and I've found that guests don't really care, they are just thrilled to be sharing a fun time in your home.  I've never been one to do much fretting and stewing over entertainment.  It takes too much of the fun out of it.

3. What kind of Parties are your favorite?
Hosting or attending, I prefer smaller but I have hosted and attended large.  Of course, large is a whole lot of work but outside of the work, I prefer smaller more intimate gatherings.

4. Big or Small Parties?
Guess I just answered this in #3

5. Favorite thing to do at Parties?
I am very much a people person so mingling and visiting with people is my favorite thing to do.  And, of course, there is generally some really good food at parties and that's always a plus!

6. Party Food Favorites?
It would be the things that I rarely, if ever, eat, other than at a party. Such as, meat balls, various dips with chips and crackers, pecan tassies, and lemon loves.  There's much more but those were the first to come to my mind. 

7. Favorite Flavor of Birthday cake? 
Just give me plain vanilla/almond cake.  There's nothing better in my book! I can't wait to share with you the birthday cake my daughter made for my birthday last week.  The.best.ever!!!!

8. Balloons? Yes or No? 
Well, of course, balloons add a festivity that nothing else can, especially if children are involved. 

9. Best Party Song? 
I'm just going with the very first one to come to my mind.  That would be from 1963, "It's My Party" by Lesly Gore.  Not even sure it would qualify as a party song but.......

10. Do you like to Dance? Yes or No? 
Well, I grew up in the dancing era for sure but, being a "preacher's daughter," I was not allowed to dance.  And, I didn't really think to much about it and not sure it was even that big of a deal to me but, I was pretty much the ONLY one of all my friends that was not allowed to "shake a leg."  I never attended a prom because of that and, I'm living proof that you can live over it. ~chuckle~  I said all that to say, I have danced, but it's not something I really enjoy and probably because I'm not all that good at it. I'm sure if I had grown up dancing that might be different. ~who knows~

Have yourself a great new week and check back on Wednesday for my Birthday recap!