Sunday Scramble

This week I am joining Justine at her blog Stupid is as Sister Does for a new weekly feature, the Sunday Scramble.

Basically, for Sunday Scramble, you just post a jumbled buch of posts on various topics of things that happened throughout the week. Here are my topics:

New Blogs!
Two friends and I have created a new blog called the Primp and Pamper Blog. It is a blog where we will be talking mostly about promoting a line of products that we sell, Tahitian Noni International health supplements and beauty products. I LOVE their products so much, that for the first time in well over 20 years, I am actually selling something. Tomorrow I will be making my introduction and telling how the products have helped me. My skin looks great, and I have more energy than I've had in years! Please check us out. For all you Facebook fans, I will also be creating a Facebook group.


I would also like to introduce my daughter Tara's new blog! She is just getting started and learning about Blogger. Please stop by and welcome her at Mrs. Shiflett's Wonderful World. She would love it!


New Food Discovery
I found something in the grocery store this week. Triscuit's Fire Roasted Tomato and Olive Oil snack crackers are the diggity bomb...da shiznett. Dang, these things are good!

I ate them with spinach dip. And despite the fact that this combination has made my stomach rumble and cause me to give off a gas so obnoxious that I cannot be in polite company (therefore I am hanging with my kids), I will buy them again. You betcha!

I've Had Dates...
I have had several dates! I met a nice gentleman in mid-December and next saw him when I spent New Year's Eve with him. We have seen each other a couple times since, and talk on the phone a couple times a week. Right now we are just friends, and for now, that is good with me. Will it end up being more? I don't know...way too soon to tell. There are some things we have in common: we have both been counselors, we both have jack russell terriers, and we both have Golden Rhapsody dishes by Kaysen's. Sounds like a match, huh? We'll see.

...and a related embarrassing story...
I feel pretty comfortable around him. So comfortable in fact that I felt okay to do a number two at his place. Now, I am someone who can almost NEVER do that except at home! But I felt cool about doing that at his place.

Except I plugged up his toilet. Oh. My. God.

And of course, he didn't have a plunger.

So nothing to do but admit my embarrassing misadventure to him. It didn't deter him from wanting to see me again, thankfully. And I don't think its because my pooh smells like roses.

...which leads to this discovery!
I thought maybe it would be fun to supply a visual of what I did, but since I am not a generally a gross person, at least not in public, I had to find something tame and non-gross. This lead me to this! A plush doo-doo shaped dog toy. That squeaks. Oh boy.


Of course, I couldn't leave well enough alone. I had to continue looking through Baron Bob's site. And then...I found this! A bar of soap shaped to fit over and clean your man's "junior." If I had a man, I'm not sure I'd want to give him this as a present because he might spend entirely too much time in the shower. Using up all my hot water. And he might not need me any more either. Wonder if it comes in different sizes? After all, not all men are created equal! Heh.


Then I found something that the whole family could enjoy in the shower! Especially if their kind of humor is in the Beavis and Butthead genre...as is ours. Here is the piece de resistance, a shower gel dispenser. Shaped like a nose. Hot diggity dog!

Must. Have. One. Of. These! With the green gel, of course!

Hope you enjoyed Sunday Scramble! And apologies to Justine for getting this posted so late. Please consider joining in next week.

I promise a more genteel post in the future!

It's All Over, I'm DONE!

I'm serious. I really am done. I haven't been able to be on blogger much at all in the last few months, and I can't make blog visits like I used to. Therefore, I am DONE...

...with periods!

That's right. The last one was on December 2008. I am officially in menopause.

I no longer have to worry about this:


No more asking my dad, hubby, or sons to go out to the store for me to buy feminine products.



No more worry about all these costly feminine hygeine products!


They may have been a little more fun if I could have found them covered in flowers like I found here,


No more having to keep an emergency basket of feminine products, though this would make a cute gift basket, don't you think? Heh.


I would just about be willing to go back to having my periods if I could find these tampons. Click on the pic to enlarge so you can read the fine print.

Wouldn't you? No? Not me either, but I think the concept is freaking hilarious!

It's too bad I missed out on this phenomenon...environmentally friendly, sustainable cotton feminine napkins! That you can re-use! Boy howdy!

You can find this kind of stuff on etsy too. Just type in the keyword "napkins." I found this out accidentally when I was searching for table napkins. Not quite the thing I would put out on my table, no matter how creative my tablescaping.

Speaking of creative, I will no longer have the supplies on hand to make such beautiful artwork and creations as I found at the Tampon Craftswebsite. I will miss not being able to make a lovely tampon flower bouquet like this:


Too bad I didn't find this tampon applicator snowflake tree topper before Christmas so that I could put this atop my tree and impress all my relatives!


Since most women in menopause are with men who are approaching some state of baldness, it is a shame that we won't have the supplies on hand to make tampon toupees for our menfolk. Gosh darn it all!


I'm very lucky though. I have not had any of the legendary bad symptoms of menopause. No night sweats, no mood swings, no real hot flashes.

So don't hate me because I'm symptomless!

Anyhow, I am determined that being menopausal is not going to slow me down one bit. I feel better than I ever have before and am determined to do all that I can to stay healthy. This is not going to define me!

For those of you yet to experience this change of life, here's smooth sailing to you! (This phrase endorsed by Capt. Blackbeard of ye Blackbeard Brand Rugged Tampons)

Tablescape Thursday/Red & White Christmas tablescape

Just because its after Christmas doesn't mean I HAVE to put away my Christmas stuff! I love Christmas decorations and would leave them out until spring if my relatives wouldn't threaten to put me away. Anyhow, here is my second Christmas tablescape. If you missed the first one, please check it out here. It is very similar to this post, but with a few basics changed up.

For this tablescape, I used a red and white checked snowflake tablecloth that I bought at Goodwill for only $2. I kept the two tiered server, silver candlesticks, lace curtains,"snow" and lights, and the Gibson plates.



Instead of white, blue, and silver bulbs, I used red.


I found some darling Christmas dinner plates, salad plates, teacups and candlesticks at Goodwill also. I didn't spend any more than $10 total for the dinnerware and tablecloth! Since we were seating six for dinner, and I only had 4 each of the Christmas plates, I alternated each setting. The placemats, which are actually rimmed in green, not black like it appears, were a dollar each from the Dollar Tree.



I used the same server, but this time with read and white bulbs and Lindt Lindor truffles in a red wrapping (the blue were better!).


This cute handled server held an apple crisp cheeseball from Tastefully Simple, and it was delicious served with cinnamon graham crackers and Teddy Grahms!


These Christmas candlesticks were a perfect fit with my dinnerware.


I reused the silver candlesticks in this tablescape, and they are just as pretty!


Isn't it fun to create a whole new tablescape by changing just a few things? It keeps me creative and keeps cost low.

Well, it is snowing here in northwest Ohio with several inches predicted before tomorrow morning. Maybe we'll finally have more snow than Texas! Mother Nature can be such a moody broad.

Twas the 9th Day of Christmas

Did you know that the first of the 12 days of Christmas is actually Christmas itself? Therefore, today is the 9th day of Christmas, and even though Christmas day is all done and over with and we are in a new year, I can still do a Christmas post!


Before the tree went up, my son Jared donned the traditional cow hat so that we could begin our tree putting-up and festivities. Why? Just because we can don cow hats.



Here is the tree half up. It is a pain in the butt to put all the branches on. Am thinking of getting one that is pre-lit and just folds up, but I am cheap, and this is still plenty serviceable.




We topped it with this angel.


Here it is in the dark, all sparkly and lit up.


Next to it is my end table with more things glowing in candlelight. Gives me such a cozy feeling!



Here are a few of my decorations around the house. I was so sick last Christmas that most of my decorations never even got out of the box.


Jesus is the reason for the season!




My computer cabinet top was decorated.


Up close...




This hangs on one of the doors to the computer cabinet.


Thought you might enjoy some of the ornaments I have on my tree. Most of these are new this year.

Except for this bear which is almost 30 years old. My mother gave it to me the Christmas before she passed away.





I can't decide if these next two are birdhouses or outhouses, but they are going to be birdhouses to me!








I also have a few Santas on the tree, including this nutcracker Santa...because nothing says Christmas quite like a Santa with scary, snapping teeth!





This Santa isn't on the tree, but I love him so much, I thought he'd be a great way to end this post.


We had a wonderful Christmas! I was surrounded by all my children. My daughter and her husband spent the night here Christmas Eve because she said it was her dream to wake up her Christmas morning and crawl in bed with me Christmas morning to wake me up...and she did! I don't think you're ever too old for that.

I hope that you and yours all had a wonderful Christmas too!

And Happy New Year! (I got kissed at midnight...woohoo!)

Our First Snow

We finally had our first snow here in northwest Ohio! I find it ironic, and quite hilarious, that places far south such as Houston got snow before we did, and got even more snow! However, unlike Texas, this snow is sticking around.

The first snow made everything look so pretty. Even my ugly half-dead bush that the landlord refused to pull up looks better with a coating of snow!


I was so excited to find tracks in the snow. These are deer tracks, meaning that deer have been in my yard! They are prolific in this neighborhood. I see them frequently.

Here it looks like the deer stepped sideways for a bit, then decided to continue on in its original path.


Here is what blows my mind though....look how close to the front of my home the deer were! They were close enough that they could have looked in my living room windows! How cool is that?!? On the other hand, if I went out at night to get into my car to go to work, it would probably freak me out to see them so close!


I found bunny tracks in my driveway and in the yard.



And here is a dog track. Wonder who did this? It's too big to be from my dog.


Aha, here is the culprit! Neighbor dog Bean.


He is my dog Jake's buddy. They like to visit when he is out doing his business and Beanie stops by for some butt sniffing and urinating at the "pee tree."


I live just on the edge of town, right across the road from the woods. It probably looked prettier Saturday afternoon right after it snowed, but I wasn't home then. Still looks pretty.


Even today, looking first north, then south down my road, it looks snowy still. Trust me, those roads can be dangerous.


Hope you enjoyed the pics of our first snow! It really looks pretty at night when the Christmas lights are glowing. A lot of the neighbors on this road decorate. However, now that we have had some snow and will have a white Christmas...I am so OVER IT! I am ready for spring now, thank you very much. The older I get, the more I wish I lived someplace warm! I don't much care for the cold and I am really scared to drive in the snow and ice. I long for a warmer clime!

Just had to share my big coup of the day! I went to Walmart this morning after work to pic up a present for my boys, and saw a sign on the door saying that Zhu-zhu pets were for sale in the garden center! What luck! I was able to get one for $8 and it will go to a sweet 5 year old boy that I know who I am sure will be thrilled with it!


Have a very Merry Christmas if I don't post before then. Hope your's will be a blessed holiday filled with family and love.

Tablescape Thursday/Silver and blue Christmas

Finally, I'm making a post again! It's been a while. Today for Tablescape Thursday, I created a Christmas themed table in blue, silver, and white. I had so much fun thinking this up!

I used a white tablecloth. Oops, it wasn't long enough, so I used lacey curtains for the rear of the table.

This is the rear of the table from a couple angles.


I used a variety of bulbs in silver, blue and white. I also have a lot of light blue glass, so I used that in my tablescape. Miniature lights in white added glow, along with candlelight.

For the center, I also used ribbon and a beaded garland.


The place setting is simple in Gibson white dishes. I added ribbon down the middle. The placemats and napkins are from the set I found in an antique shop this summer. A lovely ornament in silver and blue completes the setting.


I found this Mikasa server this summer at a garage sale for only $5. I dressed it up for this tablescape with Christmas bulbs and with Lindt candies. Miniature lights make the crystal sparkle!



Depression glass sugar and creamers in the Mayfair pattern in light blue add more color.


I've had these little glass candlesticks (set of 6) for probably 25 years, but put them in a box and forgot about them! Found them at a garage sale. I added small blue bulbs.


My client's mom gave me a set of three beautiful glass and silver candlesticks for my birthday. They were PERFECT for this table!


Last, but not least, is this ice blue candlestick. I've had this set of two for years now. Got them on eBay.


I didn't want to neglect the light above the table, so I added this ornament with silver bells to hang from the center.


I didn't really add prices this time, because very little was a bargain and I paid full price, but nothing was really pricey either. Most of the materials for this table were purchased at Meijer.

Head on over to Susan's blog, Between Naps on the Porch to find a list of other Tablescape Thursday participants.

Hopefully I'll have the chance to visit blogs this weekend! I've missed all of you so much.

Fall Holiday Fun

Wow, time has sure got away from me this last month! I am so far behind in blogging and visits. I just do not have the time for it that I used to have, so please don't think I am singling you out if I haven't come for a visit lately!

Anyhow, this last Thursday, my children and I got together in my home for a Thanksgiving dinner. My brother also joined us. This is the family picture that will be going on our Christmas cards.

From left to right, oldest son Sean holding Jake the dummy dog, daughter Tara and her husband Mike, myself, and youngest son Jared.

Here is another pic without the dog.


The table was all set for dinner with lots of yummy food...


...including these yummy pies that my daughter made!



My brother Dave carved the turkey.


During dinner, Sean looks at me with suspicion as Jared chows down. I set the table with lovely dishes, but he still prefers those old plastic Tupperware plates!


Dave looks all amused here. I don't know why his face is so red.

Actually, I think this is after my daughter played some silly ring tones on her new phone. There was one song I was completely unfamiliar with, and as I listened, I said, "Why are they singing about Vag-o-cream?" This, of course, brought out gales of laughter when my daughter told me what was really being said!

Here is Tara and Mike. This is not the best picture of her.


Guess that's why she took her own pic!


Anyhow, dinner was over much too soon. What does one do after such a filling meal? Snooze of course! Mike and Jake catch a few Z's.


Prior to Thanksgiving, there was Halloween! Yes! I am actually posting this a month late, lol. I haven't participated in Halloween for a great many years. This year, however, a friend invited me to a party, and I decided to go as a vampire. I am all caught up in the Twilight craze, and now in a series of books called the House of Night novels by P.C. and Kristin Cast. The first is called Marked, and I am wearing the crescent moon tattoo that all vamps have in that book.


I am so authentic as a vampire, that if you look closely, you can see real batwings on my upper arms!


Here I am with my friend Stacy who invited me. I love her eyes in this! She went as a dark fairy, complete with pointy ears and big copper colored velvety wings.


Her sweetie Brian is a wizard.


Here is Stacy with Angel, the spider woman! Her face makeup was really cool.


I also ran into an old friend Mickie with her beau Jason. He was a G-man and she was his moll.

It was great fun, probably the most fun I've had in a long time! I'll have to do this again next year.

Two more big holidays are yet to come! I can't believe the months are flying by so quickly.