Wednesday Hodgepodge

It's another Hodgepodge of questions..............

1. The first day of summer rolls in later this week. What are ten things you'd put on your list of  quintessential summer activities? Will you try to manage all ten this summer?
Our summer got off to a rip roaring start with our family trip to Disney but the rest of our summer will likely be fairly calm.  We will have a couple of visits from family in July  and the rest of our summer will just be spent surviving the intense heat and  enjoying life.  May not sound very exciting but I assure you we have a good time, even if it's just "doing our thing." ~chuckle~

2. Do you collect seashells when you're at the beach? What do you do with them once you get them home? What's your favorite place to comb for seashells? How many of these 'best beaches for hunting seashells' Which have you visited? Which one would you most like to visit?
I have not been to the beach in many years.  We like the the water and looking at it but we're not sand people and it's just not a place high on our list in recent years.  We use to go quite often when the kiddos were still at home.

Calvert Cliffs State Park (Maryland), Jeffrey's Bay (South Africa), Sanibel Island (Florida), Shipwreck Beach (Lanai Hawaii), Ocracoke Island (North Carolina), Galveston Island (Texas) and The Bahamas

3. At a snail's pace, shell out money, come out of your shell, go back into your shell, drop a bombshell, happy as a clam, clam up...which 'shell' phrase could most recently be applied to some event or circumstance in your life? Explain.
Well, a lot of things operate at a snails pace in my estimation but I prefer a faster pace, I shell out money almost everyday for something (don't we all?), I definitely do not need to come out of my shell and don't think I need to go back into it either.  I know of no bombshell to drop, and I think I'm happy as a clam but haven't clammed up in a very long time.  

4. What summer activity do you dislike? Why?
Any event that requires eating outside  in our heat and humidity.  I enjoy outside eating if the temperature is "right."  I do not enjoy anything about eating when I  am hot, sweaty and uncomfortable.  If there is a nice breeze, that helps a whole lot!

5. What's something you see as quickly becoming obsolete? Does that bother you?
I'm pretty sure that home phones will be obsolete in just a few years.  Hubby and I still have a home phone but only because of his business.  Otherwise, we would be cell phone owners only.  It really doesn't bother me just so long we still have phones.


6. Insert your own random thought here.

Coleman found his brother's clown wig the other day and put it on.  Bridget sent me these pictures and they just made my day.  I mean those rosey cheeks with that clown hair.  Could he be any cuter?

Wonderings and Ponderings

I'm pretty sure you would not find the words "wonderings" or "ponderings" in Webster's Dictionary, but it seemed a most appropriate title for this post.  There are quite a few things that I often wonder about and also ponder.  A lot of it, I just simply do not understand.  Just so you know, there is no rhyme or reason for any of this post, just a lot of random thoughts.
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What do airlines board passengers from front to back?  I mean, does it not make perfect sense to do just the opposite and then the folks already seated would not have to be  brushed up against, have big bags loaded just above their heads in the overhead bins, etc.  I do NOT understand this practice in any shape, form or fashion.

And, neither do I understand why folks that have a very tight connection when flying do not have the privilege of disembarking the plane ahead of those that do not have a tight connection.  If anyone knows the logic behind either of these, please let me know!

I often see and hear of young families that simply meet themselves coming and going with their children's activities.  I'm so afraid that time spent just "being  a family" is not seen as important as it should be.

Will our country ever turn around?  Will love and being kind ever take the place that it needs to take in the hearts of mankind?  It is very sad to me to see the lack of respect for human life and for the office of our presidency.

Why is it so hard to find dresses with sleeves? I'm definitely at an age where, for me,  sleeveless is not an option any longer.  And, I don't always want to wear a jacket, shrug or a sweater but often I do because  I end up buying a sleeveless dress or top because I like it so much.  I guess it's one of the many perils of aging. ~smile~ See, I told you it was random!

I wonder if parents realize that one of the greatest things they can do for their children is to love each other and  let their children know that their relationship with each other is priority.  They are setting the example that their children will likely adopt with their future spouse.

Why, why, why do some folks  post some of the pictures and status updates they post on Facebook?  Is modesty and morality a thing of the past?  I may sound prudish but that's quite okay, I am. ~smile~

I wonder if our society will ever view mankind as the "human race" rather than the white race, the black race, etc.  It's most concerning!

I often wonder how my Dad's life will end?  I pray almost daily that when the Lord gets ready for him that HE will just take him quickly.  I do not want to see him suffer with a serious debilitating illness.  But, I know that we don't get to make those calls.  And, I also know first hand that the Lord always gives us the strength to face and go through whatever we are faced with. 

And, along those lines, I sometimes wonder how mine and Hubby's life will end.  Not to be morbid at all, I think it's probably normal, at our age, to wonder about such things.  I certainly do not dwell on it, but it does cross my mind occasionally.

Are the dates on foods the exact dates that they expire or is there leeway?  I have always assumed that the dates were exact and I always throw food away that is beyond the marked date.  The thought of food poisoning scares the "bejeebers" out of me! ~chuckle~

I'm pretty sure that all of society could use a reminder that we lived a very, very long time (well, at least if you are my age) without cell phones.  Life can go on without them.  We all need to find a healthy balance in our reliance on them.

The same thought would also apply to Social Media.  I absolutely love Facebook but there's a balance we all need to have for it as well and I struggle often to keep that balance.

All across our nation there are struggling churches, barely able to keep their doors open.  Why can't the struggling churches ban together (within their denomination) to make several thriving  churches? Makes perfect sense to me. Is it because the congregations can't get past "who would be in charge" instead of remembering HE is in charge of all of it. 

My husband and our son are both golfers, so I've been around it for a very long time.  But, even so, I think it has to be one of the most frustrating  games on earth.  I'm thinking it might frustrate me to the point of wanting to throw my club. ~that's the truth~

Okay, that's my "wonderings and ponderings" for today.  No doubt you may be scratching your head but, hey, it's my blog and it was what was on my mind today. ~don't you just love it~

Lea's Favorites

It's time for some favorites!  It's been about 3-4 weeks since my last favorites post and I know you all are waiting with "baited breathe" for another edition. ~giggle~ So here it is.........

I just recently found this little jewel, a tripod for your cell phone.  About 6 months ago I began using my cell phone exclusively as my camera.  I had carried a camera for upteen years and I started noticing that my cell phone took better pictures. And, I'm learning more and more about the IPhone camera and how to get even better pictures.  I don't use a tripod often but I do like to have one on hand.  I did a search on Amazon and this one seemed to fit my needs and it has a bluetooth remote that works like a charm.  If you need/want a tripod for your cell phone then check this one out.

And, speaking of cell phones............this is the handiest accessory you can have for your cell phone.  It is a lanyard (I think it looks more like a phone bra myself) 😊 and it makes keeping up with your phone easy peasy.  The girls and I got one before our Disney trip and we wore our phones around our neck everyday.  We needed it close at hand because we used our phones as our camera.  It would be great to have on any occasion that you need to have your phone with you but do not have an extra hand,  purse or pocket to put it in.  We received  several comments about them and folks wanting to know where we got them.  Of course, the answer was Amazon!  And, they come in about 7 different colors.

I am a sucker for plastic zipper top bags.  I seem to have a use for them everyday.  When I saw these at the store the other day I had to get a package of them as well.  Square snack bags!  How neat is that?  I can think of lots of uses for these aside of snacks.  I like the rectangular snack bags but I think these are better but having both sizes is good.  I have only seen these at Wal-Mart in the Great Value brand, I don't know if Ziploc makes any or not.  But, I'm plenty pleased with Great Value.

I have been wanting an indoor grill for a while but just didn't like the fact that none I had seen had a lid.  It seemed to me that it might be messy without one. ~just my thoughts~  I was in SteinMart a couple of weeks ago and while looking for something else I saw this indoor grill.  It is by Elite and I think I'm going to really enjoy it, especially for burgers and chicken.  I did some pork chops on it one night this week that were very good as well.  It's very easy to clean up.  The round grill part pops out of the frame and you can wash it, dry it and pop it back in. 

I have used masking tape for label making for years and it's always been just the drab beige colored masking tape.  I use it to label items for the freezer so that I don't have to write directly on the container.  It's easy to pull off and leaves no residue, it's almost like painters tape.  Several months ago I was looking for a roll of masking tape and beside the regular masking tape was this package of "Expressions" masking tape. Of course, I snatched it up and I love using it.  What's not to like about "happy colored" masking tape!!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

It's Wednesday and Joyce has once again come up with "mind bending" questions............

1. The Hodgepodge lands on June 14th this week, Flag Day in the US of A. Do you fly your country's flag at home? Sometimes, often, or every single day? Have you ever visited the city of Brotherly Love (Philadelphia)? Did you make a point of seeing The Betsy Ross House? Have you ever made a trip to Baltimore? If so, was Fort McHenry on your itinerary? (where Francis Scott Key was inspired to write The Star Spangled Banner)

Well, I struck out all the way around on this question.  At our old house we flew the flag quite often but here at our new house we have not.  I do have flag pillows on the front porch if that counts.  I have never been to Philadelphia or Baltimore.  Guess I should put those two cities on my "bucket list."

2. Red flag or white flag? Which have you encountered most recently? Explain.

Well, not really a white flag of surrender but I'll call it a white flag of "go."  I have been in the process of a dental implant since last Oct. and yesterday I had my last visit with the Periodontist and received the "go ahead" to see my dentist and begin the crown process.  Surely in a couple of months I will be completely finished with this process. ~hope, hope~

3. Are you a stay in the car listen to the end of a song kind of person? What kind of person is that?

Oh, no, when I get to where I'm going I'm out in a flash to "get er done."  I'm not one to let the grass grow under my feet. ~belly laugh~  I would say a person that sits in the car and finishes listening to a song is pretty laid back, has no real agenda and will get it done eventually.  And, there's nothing wrong with either of these, it's all in one's personality and that's what makes us all so interesting.

4. What are some of the traits or qualities you think a good dad possesses? In other words, what makes a good dad? What's an expression you associate with your father?

Unconditional love, pride in his children, a good husband , and most of all, has a heart for God.

My Dad always reminded me and still does that "God has it all under control and HE always knows best."

In case you have forgotten, my Dad was in the ministry for right at 50 years.

5. What's one rule you always disagreed with while growing up? Is that rule somehow still part of your adult life? Is that a good or bad thing?

Oh, this answer will get some chuckles I'm quite sure...........I was not allowed to dance in any shape form or fashion.  And, dancing was a big thing during my teen years but I was never allowed.  I never went to prom or school dances.  And, while I didn't really understand the big deal about it, I accepted it and never made a big fuss over it ~I was such a congenial child~ big chuckle~  No, that rule has never been a part of my life since that time but Hubby and I are not given many opportunities to dance and I'm certainly NOT a good dancer.  I have two left feet!  

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I'm doing my best to fight off a cold.  I started on Monday with a scratchy throat and burning eyes. I began gargling with Melaluca (an essential oil) and taking an essential oil blend capsule to fight "cooties" and looks like I have succeeded in it becoming a full fledged cold.  I blame it on flying.  I think germs are rampant on airplanes and I completely forgot to take my On Guard to fight germs.  There just can't be anything good about being closed up in such close proximity of people inside an airplane.  ~germs be gone!!!~

A Disney Recap

And, the adventure began on Sunday, June 4th........... the kids drove to Orlando and Poppa and I flew.  Both kids made stops at the beach either going or coming back.  They made the long journey as enjoyable as possible.  And,  our flights were without incident, it was smooth sailing for all of us.

None of the kiddos had ever been to the beach and they all loved it.  

If you didn't know better you would think you were at Disney World when you arrive at the Orlando airport.  I'm quite sure the airport and Disney are in "kahoots" as one benefits the other.

After we had all "made our nest" in our hotel rooms Poppa took the kiddos for a stroll around the grounds of the hotel. We stayed at Port Orleans- Riverside.  After about a day we  wished we had "sprung" for one of the deluxe hotels with access to the monorail system. Of course, the total for 10 folks to go to Disney isn't peanuts and I  felt going first class was a little over the top. But, I thought of the monorail system each and every time I boarded one of those crowded buses for sure. ~ I don't like people in my space~  In case you are wondering, there are 4 different groups of hotels at Disney, they are economy, moderate, deluxe and luxury. Our hotel was plenty nice and we all had king sized beds which was a luxury as far as any of us are concerned.  We are all "big bed" people!

It doesn't matter your age, Disney World requires a WHOLE lot of energy and patience.  Poppa and I were definitely some of the oldest there but we stayed the course pretty good. AND, we celebrated our 46th wedding anniversary while we were there.  Talk about a celebration!!

And, truth be known, it was good for our kids that they had 4 extra hands to assist with the wee ones.  The wee ones are really too young for Disney but their brother and sister were at the absolute perfect age to enjoy it.  Between the 6 adults we were able to take the babies back to the room for naps or go in early at night and still allow the bigger kids to do whatever they desired. Our wee ones really did well and neither of them were scared of the characters.  I'm thinking they may even have a vague memory of this trip when they are older.

The grounds are all keep to perfection. I'm thinking that literally hundreds of employees make up their landscape staff.  Well, truth be told, hundreds make up all of their staff, if not thousands!!!

Every day we all wore Disney attire.  Generally, each family matched as did every other family there.  Must have been close to a bazillion families there. ~no joke~

Tommy could be found pushing a stroller, holding a baby or carrying one of them on his shoulders.  We pretty much did whatever was necessary to keep them happy. 

We tried to take a lot of pictures when we started the day.  As the day wore on we began to lose some of our luster for sure!  When you are shoulder to shoulder with folks, it's hot and  rainy (a lot), you can sure look a bit weary and some of us felt a bit weary. ~chuckle~

One of my favorite parts of our time at Disney was watching the kiddos meet the Disney characters.  I was amazed that the wee ones were not afraid of them but they both reached right out to them.  We had 3 meals with the characters and they really enjoyed that. Speaking of meals, we bought the Dining Plan for our crew and feel like we came out way ahead $$$$ wise.  So, if a Disney trip is in your future, I would recommend it.  It includes sit down meals, quick service meals and snacks. 

Yes, it rained every day and not just sprinkles, some were literal downpours.  We did go prepared but being out in rain, with a cover up  or not, is NOT  fun! And, did I mention the crowds?  And, the security is pretty much just like airport security.  They go through EVERYTHING!  And, when you have 2 little ones in tow, guess what?  You have lots of bags for them to go through but they did have it very streamlined.

It was a jam packed 5 days for sure!  This was our immediate family's 5th trip to DW.  I'm pretty sure that this will be my last one.  I've seen our Grans enjoy it and I have no need for any more Disney experiences.(unless Hubby and I decide to go to the Flower and Garden Show at Epcot at some point).  I'm not sure how Walt Disney was able to create such a place but perhaps that is why it is called "the land of magic." ~smile~   Our first trip was in 1981 and there is no comparison to the Disney of 2017.  It was a much calmer, less chaotic place and of course, a much smaller place.

Our hearts are full of memories and we are thankful that we had the opportunity to share this special time together.  I think we would all agree though, there is NO PLACE LIKE HOME! It's our magical place!

Have a "magical" week!!!!

Disney Bound

Yes, on Sunday the Culp and Broome families will arrive in Disney World for 5 days of memory making fun!  We have been anticipating this trip since the first of Feb. and blowing Etsy and Amazon up with Disney purchases. ~no joke~ Truly, half the fun of any big trip is all the planning that goes into it.

I contacted a friend of our daughter's who is also a Disney Planner and she has absolutely taken care of everythig.  She emailed us our itinerary this past week and it was a bit overwhelming.  We will certainly use it as our guide but  not sure that we can possibly do everything she has planned for us. She did schedule rest time each day and I'm pretty sure all 10 of us will be glad of that. This will be mine, Hubby's and our kids 6th trip to Disney and we've never had an agenda and we had a wonderful time every time.  I do know that Disney has changed a lot and as I said, we'll definitely use our agenda as a guide but we will probably make some modifications as needed.

Our Magic Bands arrived a couple of weeks ago and this is a new addition to Disney since our last visit almost 9 years ago.  These little fellas are truly magic.  They will just be zapped for our entrance, our hotel key, our meals, our rides and any purchases that we make while we are there.  That's a bit scary isn't it?  I'm thinking that things may have gone a little far in the technical world.

We found these shirts on Etsy and decided that they would be our one Disney shirt for all 10 of us and on one our days we will all wear these and we all have a different color.  We will definitely have a family photo taken that day.  On the other days the girls have pretty much co-ordinated their families shirts but Poppa and I will not necessarily co-ordinate but we will have on Disney shirts.

Our DIL created the vinyl image for the top shirt.  I think it is the cutest and Poppa will wear it proudly.

You can't really tell by these pictures but these shirts have BLING!  I love bling and didn't really have any trouble finding Disney with bling.

And, of course, each family needs a backpack.  No one wants to keep up with a purse and carrying a backpack is the only way to go to keep up with the necessary items.

Then I had to find something to put my cell phone in where it would be very convenient for me to grab.  It will serve as my camera and I do not want to have to dig in our backpack to get it.  So, this cute little cell phone crossbody purse should serve the purpose well.  You can't really tell in the picture but it's a beautiful silver leather.  It will match all my bling. ~sparkle-sparkle~

Two of the necessary items in our backpack will be these insulated water bottles customized by our DIL.

Some other items that will be in our backpack will be Wet Ones, sunscreen and rain ponchos.  These travel pouches of Wet Ones are "the cat's meow" for sure.  I keep a pack in my purse at all times and they will definitely be in our backpack.  And, we will be very conscious of using sunscreen!  And, once our rain pouches have to come out of those neat little mesh bags I'm quite sure they will never go back in that neatly. ~shucks~   I'll be sure and take some gallon size Ziploc bags to store them in after their first use. ~smart idea~

I hope we have thought of everything and if not, well, it will be fine.  And, hopefully mine and Hubby's flight will be "hitch free" and we will arrive on time and catch the Magical Express to Disney World.  Then the fun will begin and I'll have lots to "show and tell" when we return..

Added note:  Not sure anyone reading was really interested in this post but I wanted this in my blog book that I have printed every year so I had to do this post.  And, then perhaps if anyone reading this is planning a Disney trip you will get some good ideas for your trip. 

  Stay tuned...............

The Wednesday Hodgepodge

And, it's Wednesday, and that means the Hodgepodge..............

1. What makes you feel accomplished? Explain.
Anytime I have a sizeable task to do and I finish it and all goes as planned I feel accomplished.  One such task would be when I filled out the application for my Dad to receive VA Benefits this past fall.  It was form after form and lots of i's to dot and t's to cross, information to gather and I did it and he was granted the maximum benefit.  I felt such a sense of accomplishment.  And, even the VA representative that guided me through the process said he had never seen such a neat and organized application. 
Another more recent task would be changing our bank accounts.  Have mercy, it has been a huge task of changing automatic deposits, automatic bill payments and on and on.  But, it's almost done and I'm feeling most accomplished.

2. If you had  your own talk show, who would your first three guests be? Tell us why.
Ann Graham Lotz - Ann is Billy Graham's daughter and such a woman of God and I'd love to ask her more details about her life as the daughter of one of the world's greatest men.
Kate , the Duchess of Cambridge - I would like to also hear about her life growing up and did she ever imagine herself being where she is today.
Tiger Woods - I would just love to ask him what is "ailing" him.  I mean, he's pitiful and blowing his entire future in life and golf. It's very sad to me! I feel sure that he is living with a whole lot of mental pain (and perhaps physical as well) stemming from a most overbearing father.  As I said, it is just very sad. I pray he can and will get the help that he needs.
I'm sure there are many others but these were the first 3 to come to my mind.  How interesting!

3. Do you have a great burger recipe? What's in it? What do you like on a hamburger and where is your favorite spot to order one out?
I do not have a great burger recipe, I have no burger recipe at all.  I generally buy the patties already made, I flatten them as we do not like thick burgers, I sprinkle them with plenty of salt and pepper and throw them on the grill.  Hubby and I think they are very good.  I have mine with spicy mayo, onion, pickles and lettuce.  I do not have a favorite place to order one, I rarely eat a burger out.


4. What's the biggest anxiety producing thing you do on a regular basis?
With tongue in cheek.............get up and face each day.  Every day generally has some type of anxiety producing moments.  It might be the traffic, a long wait in the check out line, a health issue, a family issue and the list goes on and on.  It's all I could think of, so thus, this is my answer.

5. This is the last Hodgepodge of May. Tell us about your summer plans.
Well, to kick off summer our entire family, all 10 of us, will go to Disney World this Sunday.  This time next week half of our stay will be behind us. ~that's hard to believe~
 In early July my brother, his wife and their daughter will come for a visit and then towards the end of July our daughter and her boys will come for a visit.
Hubby and I have no plans to go anywhere after the Disney trip but if the right trip came along, we might be game.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

This is probably TMI but I've been prepping for a colonoscopy while doing this post.  I always do my posts the night before I publish them and as you are reading this I'm probably having the procedure done at our local hospital.  Can I just say that if my Dad had not had colon cancer I probably would not be doing this.  The prep is absolutely dreadful and especially since the "powers that be" decided since my last one 5 years ago, that there needs to be another dose 3 hours before your procedure.  So, I have almost finished drinking round 1 but have got to go through it again at 3:00 AM.  Of course, I know the importance of this test first hand, it saved my Daddy's life.  But, the prep is NOT for the faint of heart for sure!  The procedure is a breeze, especially the twilight sleep that they put you in for the process.  It's the best sleep in the world.

Have a great rest of the week!