Mood:  chillin'

So the Channel 5 (& 4, 8 & 11) weather folks were either wrong or a last minute air pocket or something pushed this stuff away from us, or around us or made it stop mid-freeze.  That's not to say it's not cold - it is cold!  This is the type of cold I braved many months out of the year growing up in Southwestern Ohio - along with the snow that came with it.  In fact if I remember correctly, the day the '78 blizzard hit & school was cancelled, it was colder than it is now & by 6 p.m. I had cabin fever so bad that I called my friend who lived 5 blocks away & decided to "hang" at her house.  And I walked those 5 blocks - all bundled up with a hat, gloves & scarf - but didn't complain about the cold. For one - we got out of school & the other - by the time I was 16, I was used to the cold in winter time.  Now I think of creative ways NOT to have to go out in the cold!

1st grader really wants it to snow so he can make a snowman!  Thank goodness we got him gloves for Christmas!  But I just don't see the snow thing happening for awhlie.  Generally it's been late January through mid-February when we've seen the type of freezing rain/ice that closes schools, makes everyone stay inside, and ties of the local news ALL DAY.  It's like no one has ever seen winter weather before.  Last year on our "ice & snow" day, the local news covered it from early morning clear through the mid-day news.  It was the same story over & over again. They showed the same footage of cars sliding on overpasses or fender benders.  I want the news to get out in the neighborhoods to show what the road conditions are like down Main St.  I knew a co-worker many, many years ago who didn't come to work when it had snowed because they couldn't get out of their driveway or street.  Didn't matter that the main roads were all clear & sanded.  The boss, of course, was less than sympathetic as all the roads he traveled were clear. 

I've also realized the farther north you live (in this D/FW Metroplex) - the worse the weather can be.  It can be freezing rain & black ice north of the airport but go south a little bit & the sun is out.  Go figure!

So what are your plans on this cold, chilly - still dry - day?

Posted by wendylittrell at 7:50 AM CST

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Mood:  vegas lucky

JOHN BLACK IS BACK!!!

Ok, ok, yes, I'm referring to "Days of Our Lives".  For those living in a sealed cave for the past few months or have never, I mean NEVER, seen any daytime television or watched any NBC shows in the last several months, John Black is a major character on the soap.  Drake Hogestyn, the actor who portrays Black, was presumably fired last fall after playing the character for over 20 years.  The outcry & outrage from fans was heard 'round the internet.  Either because of the fans or because this was a major ratings ploy, Drake is now back on the canvas as the very popular, hard to keep down, John Black.  Viewers first saw John's face on Tuesday when his lifelong enemy's son pulled back the sheet of the table John was lying on for the reveal.  Fans, however, are a lot smarter than that - we've had a feeling for at least a month that the mysterious "houseguest" was indeed, "that's a fact", John Black.  Hopefully this storyline will play out well and not make a mockery of what could be a very intriguing, well told story.  Tune in, stay tuned, for more!

Posted by wendylittrell at 8:29 AM CST

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Mood:  not sure

So I've been helping with the financial end of things where I work for the last few months.  And if you know me, you're shaking your head - I know, I did too!  Me, someone who absolutely hated math in school.  Who thinks accounting is for other, smarter people.  But I think in a round-about way, it's actually helped me!  I also really liked the accounting software program I was using.  And all that got me to thinking the other day - wouldn't it be wonderful if I can keep all our personal financial stuff as organized as the work finances?  I've been using a very archaic, outdated accounting software program at home for many years so I thought "what better way to get organized than to get new software".  Armed with some gift cards for my local discount store, I went on Thursday and returned with the new purchase.  Spent most of the day backing up the old, making sure I had everything I needed of the old on a disk (just in case) and installing the new software.  Voila!  It's almost too complicated right now!  I really do like it & what it can do for us.  Track investments!  Track mortgage stuff!  Gives me a calendar that shows spending on each day - wow!  One thing off my list of things I really needed to do is now taken care of!

Posted by wendylittrell at 8:29 AM CST

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Mood:  celebratory

So yesterday was the "Dismantling" of Christmas at our house.  The tree is now officially put up - well, not really. It's in a box out in our garage.  The decorations are down - ok, the wreath is still on the door & the Christmas cards received are still in a basket on our end table.  So we're not officially done yet - but better than we were!

And the temp outside is in the 60s!  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! It's January - but it is Texas.  A few years ago on New Years Day we were over at Photographer Daughter's house - standing around outside in shorts & T-shirts while Son-in-Law grilled our New Year's Dinner & it was at least 70 or above!  Last year we had a big ice/snow storm after Christmas & the year before it came on Valentine's Day.  So I take all this "spring" weather with a grain of salt because ultimately it will go back to feeling like "winter" at any moment. 

What's your forecast?

Posted by wendylittrell at 8:16 AM CST

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Mood:  quizzical

So I got a wild hair the other day & decided to check out Wordpress.com - & I sorta liked what I saw on there.  I don't think I'm actually moving my blog there, but I would like to get more creative in blogging about scrapbooking - so I think that's where I'm going to start hanging out - scrap-wise.  I'm so not ready to go "live" at Wordpress just yet & will let you know when I arrive there. 

Do any of you out there - YEAH I'M TALKING TO YOU! - use Wordpress?  and if so . . . do you like it?  Is it comparable to other blogging sites?  Looks like I can upload more info - flickr, links, photos, etc.  What do you think?

Posted by wendylittrell at 7:39 AM CST

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Mood:  incredulous

That's what I'm supposed to be doing?  For some reason, I just kept plugging away the last few days without giving a thought that Christmas & New Years are over & I really should get rid of this gigantic green thing Beautifully decorated Christmas Tree!  Well, not get rid of, but at least un-decorate & dismantle it.  At least I don't leave outside decorations up until July!  Actually the only outside decoration I have is my wreath.  Guess I can't put up the "Harvest" (Fall) wreath, either, huh? Probably out to get in the spare room & start packing away the wrapping paper, bows & other Christmas type stuff where it belongs. 

And I need to get in the spare room to do that anyway because although I just absolutely enjoy digital scrapbooking, I really need to do some "hands on" regular paper scrapbooking.  For one, my daughter graduates in 6 months & I have to have her scrapbook done by then!  I have all sorts of good intentions, just either no time, no motivation or nowhere to work!

So how long do your Christmas decorations stick around?

Posted by wendylittrell at 8:07 AM CST

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Mood:  happy

Do you make Resolutions every Jan. 1st - only to have them become a chore? Or do they become null & void as soon as you don't do one of them?  I decided a long time ago that if I can't start a new "life list"  at any time of year, I wasn't going to make New Year's resolutions.  Last year, the first thing I did after everything went back to "normal" was to clean out my kitchen drawers & organize my recipe books.  What I failed to do, was organize the tons of recipe magazines in the corner of my kitchen counter!  I also began a new address book - which has really saved me this year from searching in about 5 different places for addresses or phone numbers.  Most of which are in emails! 

What I plan on doing next week - hey, this week is already shot with stuff I have to do - is:

1. renew my gym membership (it went out in the fall & because I really didn't have any free time after that, I didn't get a chance to get it renewed).  Yes, that's pretty much an excuse, isn't it?
2. Clean out 1st grader's closet & dresser drawers.  Started that already when I was putting away clothes he got for Christmas.
3. Gather all stuff pertaining to taxes - so I can get started on that - plus get new tax software to make it easier.
4. Work - work - work on my business.

And if something falls through the cracks on day 2 or 3 - then I'm not going to quit.

Happy New Year once again & may you & your family have a healthy, happy & prosperous New Year!

Posted by wendylittrell at 7:55 AM CST

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Mood:  caffeinated

So the family got more movies this year for Christmas.  Some I have seen - either in the theater or because I had to rent them when they came out.  Shrek 3 - it's ok, some parts are pretty funny.  Spiderman 3 - lots of supervillians and Peter Parker looking pretty "emo" through the middle of it.  Pirates 3 (AWE) - still awed with this movie, although seeing it in the theater larger than life still ranks up there with WOW!  Bourne Ultimatum - hadn't seen it until we popped it into the DVD player the other night.  Matt Damon does an awesome job.  I've read all the Bourne novels and no, the movies deviate quite a bit from them, but whoever did the screenplays did an excellent job.  The first 10 minutes I was on the edge of my seat - it was moving so fast!  Addams Family & Addams Family Values - never heard Lurch say "You Rang" (which is a classic TV line), darker than the TV series, but still enjoyable.  Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid - I've seen this many times throughout the years.  Saw it when it came out in the theater.  Nothing to be said except Paul Newman & Robert Redford.  My favorite line - "Think you used enough dynamite there, Butch?"  Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix - saw enough to know this is a pretty decent movie.  And there are still more DVDs waiting to be watched.  Cheap entertainment!

So what have you been doing on your holiday vacation?  Any plans for New Years Eve?

Posted by wendylittrell at 8:03 AM CST

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Mood:  caffeinated

So on Christmas Day after the gifts had been opened, the food had been consumed, and the toys played with, I found myself thinking about something else I really needed: A Cleaner-Upper.  Different than a maid.  This person would be able to discard the turkey remains, put all the remaining food in containers of just the right size, find a place in the fridge for all of it, and load up all the trash & haul it off!

Walmart Gift Cards - yesterday several stores in our large metropolitan area had a computer glitch that caused many gift cards to not be read (did that sentence make any sense?).  A lady on the nightly news said she had to swipe her gift card in the self-checkout lane over 5 times before it would take.  Color Wal-Mart red.  Apparently W-M has to check with a supplier who takes care of "taking care of" the gift card amounts.  They have apologized to all consumers who had issues yesterday.

Note to the Scrooges who Broke into a Toys R Us: Surely you really don't need thousands of dollars worth of video games, and 2 different gaming systems.  What do you plan on doing?  Selling them for quick cash?  I would hope that no one would break into stores - let alone at Christmas.  Yet, what they took goes to show that they really didn't need it.  And more importantly they probably will use the cash they end up with for stuff they don't need either (like drugs, alcohol, etc.).  What about FOOD for your children?  Note to all retailers: start putting alarms on the roofs of your buildings as well as surveillance cameras to find these idiots who insist on cutting holes in roofs to get inside.

When does school start?  Another week?  Are you kidding me? 

Posted by wendylittrell at 8:00 AM CST

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Some scenes from our day!

  ornaments on the tree!

1st grader with his new
Spiderman3 Shirt!

    Photographer Daughter holding up her
    new white sweater we gave her!

Posted by wendylittrell at 8:14 AM CST

Updated: Wednesday, 26 December 2007 8:19 AM CST

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