on december 23rd, j and i took the kids and my niece to see charlotte's web. my 8 year old son and i read the book the previous week and finished it that morning. for all of you who read it as a child, i recommend reading it again. so much happens in the book that doesn't appear in the movie or is slightly altered to make the movie shorter. of course, with a book that is 184 pages long, that is bound to happen to try and fit into an hour and a half. very cute story line. if you want to see dakota fanning though, she really isn't in the movie a whole lot. for us, if we know a movie is coming out, we read the book first. it really is a lot of fun to do that. we did it with charlie and the chocolate factory as well. this movie... i give it 3 kernels out of 5.
yesterday, my sis and i took 4 kids to see night at the museum. okay, everyone this is a must see! i thoroughly enjoyed this movie. it is a movie for all ages. it brings light to history (okay american history - but it is interesting), is very funny, is cool in the way that it brings some "oldtimer" actors back onto the screen. mickey rooney and dick van dyke are in this flick. it is a great show. ben stiller is funny once again and his good pal owen wilson is in this one also. can't have a movie with ben stiller unless a wilson brother, vince vaughn or will ferrell is in it as well. this one gets 5 kernels out of 5! i would see it again!
well we have been playing soccer this week 3 different times in the polar cup tournament and i have thoroughly enjoyed watching all these boys that were on my son's team give it their all. it started wednesday. we played this team who we found out were a carded rep team from the city. they were a year behind our boys and they were amazing. you could tell by looking at the boys and the coaches that they were going to be good the minute they stepped on the field.... and they were! on friday we played another city team, the juventus which are known to be a great sports team. they did well also. today we played another local team we normally play and it was so exciting to watch this close game with all these kids (all 30 of them) that normally play each other, go to school with one another and are very equal in their game play. we came out and won 3-2. it was a close game. the 2 goals scored on us were somewhat fluky but heck we will take it! the game we had on wednesday i thought was really going to kill morale for the rest of the tournament but we got stronger in each game after. my son got a hard ball to the face in friday's game. he was pulled off the field. he was fine but a little shaken for today's game. going to have to get him back into it so he can be ready for the new year. we are no longer in exhibition for the season. our scores now matter so it is back to training for our team. as we are not a house league, so many people take this seriously. i just want to see my son develop some skills and see if this is something he wants to continue you on with.i sure love watching kids this age doing what they love and playing their best. it is nice to see a change from kids sitting on their behinds playing video games 24/7. not only that... man it sure is a proud mommy moment!
i bought the other day the dvd an inconvenient truth. al gore is behind this dvd and all the scientific information on this dvd. he knows what he is talking about. i strongly urge and plead with everyone reading this blog to PLEASE either rent, buy or borrow this dvd and watch it for yourself. you don't have to like al gore (which i do) but you need to hear his message. here is a little about the dvd for anyone who has not heard about it... WHAT IS GLOBAL WARMING? Carbon dioxide and other gases warm the surface of the planet naturally by trapping solar heat in the atmosphere. This is a good thing because it keeps our planet habitable. However, by burning fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil and clearing forests we have dramatically increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere and temperatures are rising. The vast majority of scientists agree that global warming is real, it’s already happening and that it is the result of our activities and not a natural occurrence.1 The evidence is overwhelming and undeniable. We’re already seeing changes. Glaciers are melting, plants and animals are being forced from their habitat, and the number of severe storms and droughts is increasing. - The number of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes has almost doubled in the last 30 years.
- Malaria has spread to higher altitudes in places like the Colombian Andes, 7,000 feet above sea level.
- The flow of ice from glaciers in Greenland has more than doubled over the past decade.
- At least 279 species of plants and animals are already responding to global warming, moving closer to the poles.
- If the warming continues, we can expect catastrophic consequences.
- Deaths from global warming will double in just 25 years -- to 300,000 people a year.
- Global sea levels could rise by more than 20 feet with the loss of shelf ice in Greenland and Antarctica, devastating coastal areas worldwide.
- Heat waves will be more frequent and more intense.
- Droughts and wildfires will occur more often.
- The Arctic Ocean could be ice free in summer by 2050.
<>More than a million species worldwide could be driven to extinction by 2050.
There is no doubt we can solve this problem. In fact, we have a moral obligation to do so. Small changes to your daily routine can add up to big differences in helping to stop global warming. The time to come together to solve this problem is now – TAKE ACTION
What are some things you can do? Here are a few... - Conserve energy (turn off lights when not using them, change bulbs to the compat lourescent ones/curly cue ones that save energy and also $'s on your bills = save 300 lbs. of caron dioxide and $60 per year, have energy efficient washers, dryers, fridges, stoves and dishwashers, etc.)
- Limit Water consumption (don't waste water, only water on odd days or even days (pick one), etc.)
- Recycle (reduce, reuse and recycle all items you possibly can)
- Vehicle Emissions (do not leave your vehicle idling - big problem now with command starts and drive-thru's, car pool or take public transportation, etc.)
- Reduce Popluation (by the amount of babies being born) - did you know that in the last 100 years or so, that the population of the world has far exceeded the growth charts from the beginning of time until up to 1900. we need to limit the amount of people we are bringing into this world. our quality of life has been raised and people are dying at a much older age than ever before and the amount of people coming into this world has increased.
- Inflate Your Tires - keep the tires on your car adequately inflated. Check them monthly. Save 250 lbs of carbon dioxide and $840 per year.
- Change Your Air Filter - check your car's air filter monthly. Save 800 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $130 per year.
- Fill the Dishwasher - run your dishwasher only with a full load. Save 100 lbs of carbon dioxide and $40 per year.
- Use Recycled Paper - make sure your printer is 100% post consumer recycled paper. Save 5 lbs of carbon dioxide per ream of paper.
- Adjust Your Thermostat - move your heater thermostat down 2 degrees in winter and up 2 degrees in the summer. Save 2000 lbs of carbon dioxide and $98 per year.
- Check Your Waterheater - keep your waterheater no higher than 120 degrees fahrenheit. Save 550 lbs of carbon dioxide and $30 per year.
- Change the Air Conditioning Filter - clean or replace dirty air conditioner filters as recommended. Save 350 lbs of carbon dioxide and $150 per year.
- Take Shorter Showers - showers account for 2/3 of all water heating vosts. Save 350 lbs of carbon dioxide and $99 per year.
- Install a Low Flow Showerhead - using less water in the shower means less energy to heat the water. Save 350 lbs of carbon dioxide and $150.
- Buy Products Locally - buy locally and reduce the amount of energy required to drive your products to your store.
- Buy Minimally Packaged Goods - less packaging could reduce your garbage by about 10%. Save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide and $1,000 per year.
- Buy a Hybrid Car - the average driver could save 16,000 lbs of CO2 and $3,750 per year driving a hybrid.
- Buy a Fuel Efficient Car - getting a few extra miles per gallon makes a big difference. Save thousands of lbs of CO2 and a lot of money per year.
- Carpool When You Can - own a big vehicle? carpooling with friends and co-workers saves fuel. Save 790 lbs of CO2 and hundreds of dollars per year.
- Reduce Garbage - buy products with less packaging and recycle paper, plastic and glass. Save 1,000 lbs of CO2 per year.
- Plant a Tree - trees suck up CO2 and make clean air for us to breath. Save 2,000 lbs of carbon dioxide per year.
- Insulate Your Water Heater - keep your water heater insulated could save 1,000 lbs of CO2 and $40 per year.
- Replace Old Appliances - Inefficient appliances waste energy. Sabe hundreds of lbs. of carbon dioxide and hundreds of dollars per year.
- Weatherize Your Home - caulk and weather strip your doorways and windows. Save 1,700 lbs or carbon dioxide and $274 per year.
- Use a Push Mower - use your muscles instead of fossil fuels and get some exercise. Save 80 lbs of CO2 and $ per year.
- Unplug Unused Electronics - even when electronic devices are turned off, they use energy. Save over 1,000 lbs of carbon dioxide and $256 per year.
- Put On A Sweater - instead of turning up the heat in your home, wear more clothes. Save 1,000 lbs of CO2 and $250 per year.
- Insulate Your Home - make sure your walls and ceilings are insulated. Save 2,000 lbs of CO2 and $245 per year.
- Air Dry Your Clothes - line-dry your clothes in the spring and summer instead of using the dryer. Save 700 lbs of CO2 and $75 per year.
- Switch to a Tankless Water Heater - your water will be heated as you use it rather than keeping a tank of hot water. Save 300 lbs of CO2 and $390 per year.
- Switch to Double Pane Windows - double pane windows keep more heat inside your home so you use less energy. Save 10,000 lbs of CO2 and $436 per year.
- Buy Organic Food - the chemicals used in modern agriculture pollute the water supply and require energy to produce.
- Bring Cloth Bags to the Market - Using your own cloth bag instead of plastic bags reduces the waste and requires no additional energy.
well we had a great christmas here at our place. we spent christmas eve with j's family. it was fun. on christmas day, my sister, mom and niece as well as my mom's boyfriend came over and opened presents and had dinner. on boxing day, we went to my mom's and my family and extended family came over for more presents, dinner, games and fun! always a good time together. i look forward to it every year!
j out did himself this year. i am one lucky girl! we are going on a trip with some friends spring break so i did not expect anything big. at first, i opened up some perfume, ck summer which i really wanted, 2 pairs of jeans, a gift card for home depot and some odd's and ends. got lots of m&m's from everyone for christmas. i think i have a lifetime supply now. sad thing is, i am kind of getting sick of them now. anyways, later in the day, j surprised me with the biggest gift.... i got a trip to creative escape! he paid for the airfare, the hotel and when registration opens, that too! i am so excited! anyone else going here. i only know a few people i deal with going. i don't know any friends going. let me know if you are...today was a busy day! b had a soccer game against a great rep team from the city. wow...got our butts kicked but it was great experience for the kids. very early though. it was kind of cool, nikki's son and b are on the same team for the tournament. we have games again friday and saturday. they sure are fun to watch but man does it ever get your adrenaline going. after soccer, we went to w.e.m. and shopped. kids got gift cards for build-a-bear so they went and spent those and had fun. crazy busy there! went to children's place to see crazy tammy but didn't see her there.have another busy day tomorrow. back to work, spending time with kids and trying to get house back in order after company. i just want to take down my christmas stuff so bad right now.
janna made this cool digi layout featuring my daughter.
For My Liberal Friends: Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere . Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee. By accepting these greetings, you are accepting the aforementioned terms as stated. This greeting is not subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for herself/himself/others, and is void where prohibited by law and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wish For Everyone else: Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
i left a post back in november about flight attendants (f.a.'s). i had in the last day some comments which were rejected in regards to my post. this person who left 2 different messages told me that i was very paranoid and that all f.a.'s are not cheaters. i never said they were but i DO know that many do cheat. so do pilots. you wanted to know where i get my stories from?. well... whoever you are, who did not leave a name other than anonymous; my husband and all his friends are pilots as well as a ton of other people i know. i too used to work in aviation. this is not a faulty claim. i have a few friends who lost their husbands due to cheating with women at work who happened to be other pilots and f.a.'s. you may not be a cheater, but there are lots of them in that profession. you don't have to go on saying that this is not true because i know different. many of them lead double lives because they can. i am very confident in my marriage and one of the least worried wives i know. so no, i am not paranoid. i was merely stating what happened to my husband. you may not know of anyone yourself that is a cheater, but it is rampant in that industry. don't tell me i know nothing about this because trust me... i do! that is all i have to say about that.
want to make some amazing christmas ornaments? here are some ideas...
Paper Cones
In Victorian times, paper cones like these were filled with fruits and nuts. Made from patterned and textured paper, these modern versions are trimmed with rickrack and vintage silver tassels, and hung with ribbons and beaded wire. Brimming with sweets, the cones make wonderful little gifts or party favors. Supplies:
- Decorative paper
- wire
- silver beads
- wired tinsel
- ric rac or other trim
- compass
- scissors or utility knife
- craft glue
- ribbon
- beads
- 1/8-inch hole punch
- needle and thread
Instructions: - Cut paper into a 3-, 4-, or 5-inch square; place face down on a flat surface.
- Place compass point at one corner of the square; extend its arm to an adjacent corner.
- Drag the pencil across the square to form an arc; cut along arc with scissors or a utility knife.
- The result will be fan-shaped (below, center).
- Overlap the straight sides of the paper and attach them with a thin coat of craft glue. Use a paper clip to hold the seam together while the glue dries (below, right).
- Decorate the top with wired tinsel, silver ric rac, or other trim. Cut a length of trim long enough to fit around the top of the cone; glue it onto the inside or outside of rim, beginning at the seam.
- If using rickrack, position it halfway inside the rim so it has a scalloped effect from the outside.
- To fasten a bead at the point of the cone, pull a threaded needle (with thread knotted at end) through the bead and the hole in the bottom of the cone until the bead is positioned snugly at the point.
- Pull string taut inside the cone, tape string to inside wall, and trim.
- To attach a handle, punch holes with a 1/8-inch hole punch in opposite sides of the cone, approximately 3/8 inch from rim.
- String ribbon or beaded wire through holes.
- Secure ribbon ends with knots; curl wire ends.
for more great ideas check out martha stewart.com martha stewart's christmas crafts use a lot of different scrapbook crafting products. great way to get rid of some extra supplies!
i got my kit from janna last week. if you haven't bought the kit for the cure from lisa bearnson go to lisa bearnson.com now and check it out. this kit is an "all about me" album. most of the supplies are from heidi swapp and this kit is amazing. the kit is pre-cut and organized according to pages. all you do is assemble them with the instructions given to you. the album which is a beautiful sage green fit has a tie up closure and fits into this great sage green keepsake box. you get everything you see here. all you need is adhesive. it is an amazing kit. all lisa's kits are going to go towards a charitable organization. this is the first in a series of 4 kits coming out.
i have been having so much fun assembling the pages. i haven't got to adding anything about me on them yet. check it out!
well many of you know karla dudley. she is a talented new dt member at love 2 scrap. she (to me) is the new up and coming "it" girl. she has had her stuff on ali edwards' blog, has a great style and is quite colorful. if you haven't seen her before.... you will. here is a pic of her! she does amazing work. go to love 2 scrap's gallery and check out the whole design team. they are truly talented scrapbookers!
