Urban Gardens

We have lived in our sweet, humble abode for 10 years now. Over the years we have gone from room to room, redecorating, painting, tiling, etc. No room, nook or cranny has been left untouched. In some cases, a room may have been touched more than once.

Our projects have also included the landscaping. The previous owners had done a fine job creating perennial gardens of bushes and shrubs (is there a difference?) and sharp spiky things that required very little maintenance on our part. What a relief, right? Well, I always thought that these garden areas made it look as though retired elderly people lived in our home, which is in stark contrast to the image I'm trying to convey by leaving hool-a-hoops, balls, bikes and chalk strewn about haphazardly. I mean, really, how many old people ride around on pink tricycles and leave beach towels hanging from the Dogwood in the front yard? Anywho, the point is that over the years we (and by we, I mean not me but Jay and his dad and his brother) have transformed the gardens into much prettier, younger looking gardens. I even know some of the plants names and don't always pull out the good plants thinking that they're weeds.



See? Not too shabby. My favorites are the butterfly bushes along the driveway. The picture doesn't really do them justice. But they smell awesome!!! I love it! And man! They make a lot of butterflies.

We have not tried our hand at a vegetable garden for various reasons. A) I don't want to. B) Jay doesn't want to. So, we were surprised recently when my Sister-in-law commented on our squash vine thingy. Huh? We didn't even know it was there. And the rate it's been growing is phenomenal. The kids just got to see the actual squash....check it out.


Pretty cool, huh? And it has it's own private space where it won't need to worry about being choked out by other pesky plants or weeds.....See?


Yeah, that's right. It's growing out of a crack on our driveway. Nice. We're going to see how far we can take this thing....

This, my friends, is an urban garden.

Spinning My Wheels

Our church (and by "our", I mean the church that we go to...not that we own the church or anything) has been doing a sermon series titled "Things My Mother Told Me". Each week they've been taking a typical mom like thing to say and applying it to our Christian life. One week was "Brush Your Teeth". The pastor then tied the importance of having a clean mouth with the importance of having a clean heart...see? Ties together nicely...and they handed out toothbrushes at the door. Even better!

Recently, the sermon was titled "Clean Your Ears!" My dear friend and Pastor of Caring Ministries gave this sermon and I think she'd be pretty pleased to know that I have been going around and around in my head over this one! The application was that as Christians we need to be very careful about what we hear/watch/read/etc. lest it draw our minds and hearts away from God and the things He wants us to focus on.

My first concern with the sermon was outward focused in that I felt like if someone was visiting the church for the first time and maybe was not a Christ follower, they could have walked away thinking that the message was "If you're a Christian, do not read, watch TV, go to the movies or participate in anything culturally relevant." But then I figured that I was just being nit-picky and got over it.

I started to think about how this applied to me personally, and this is where the wheels started to fall off this culturally saturated truck. I read A LOT. I watch TV A LOT. I do not listen to the radio a lot at all, only in the van and then it's an endless rotation (thanks, Toyota, for the 6 CD changer) of Silly Songs, Philadelphia Chickens, Laurie Berkner, the CD the kids got from VBS, and a Worship NOW! CD. The last movie I saw in the theater was High School Musical 3 with my niece and I do feel that the ridiculousness of the film put my salvation in question.

That being said...Should I not be reading my mystery/whodunit type books? Hmmmm...After reading them, I have never attempted to commit or solve a crime. The sometimes gory content has never seeped into my dreams. But yet, I do draw the line at what I will read. No science fiction here, please. Wizards and vampires can camp out on someone else's nightstand. Why? Why do I accept murder and thievery as passable literature but fantasy and magic are somehow ungodly?

Should I not be watching the (too long, I know) list of shows that I enjoy? I'm so torn! Again, I have my staunchly ambiguous standards down to a T. Shows like Dancing With The Stars make me angry because I think it's touted as "family friendly", but is more like she-who-wears-the-least-gets-the-most-votes or creepiest-camera-love-wins. But, So You Think You Can Dance is awesome in my eyes because they're professionals and that's what professional dancers wear (or barely wear).

If I closed myself off to everything "of this world", would I be able to effectively reach people in the name of the Lord? Do I need to be culturally relevant to earn the right to be heard? Or is being culturally relevant an excuse to be able to speak intelligently about last nights CSI or Office? If I know who got voted off Survivor, will that give me more credibility?

Jay was seriously getting frustrated with me as we discussed this because I kept going around and around and around. To everything he said, I had an equal and opposite reaction. I'm looking for black and white answers where there are none to be found. And that frustrates me. I want someone older and wiser and closer to the Lord to give me a run down on every thing I read, watch or hear and tell me if it's okay in the eyes of Lord or not. That way, I could have a tangible check list and maybe a cool clip board that I could show off to people and look super holy in the eyes of man...wait a second, that's not right! Jay's more level headed, practical advice is to ask the Lord directly...cut out all wiser middle men and clip boards. If I'm not sure if something may be causing me to sin or worse yet, causing someone else to stumble, ask God.

It sounds so simple! So why am I struggling with it? Is it because I'm afraid of the answer? The pastor challenged us to apply this test: If Jesus were sitting with you, would you be watching/reading, etc. the same thing as you are now? Jay had a two fold answer 1) If Jesus were with me, I wouldn't be watching or reading anything. I'd be all about the Savior. And 2) Jesus wants to spend time with me. If that means camping out on the couch for an evening, that's fine with Him. He'd meet me wherever I was. He'd probably enjoy our Tuesday night chicken wings. Now, in all honesty...I'd probably make less fun of the contestants on America's Got Talent and Wipeout!

It's a slippery slope between being "in this world" and being "of this world" and I'm looking for something to hold onto.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." -Philippians 4:8

Get Rid Of That Junk In Your Trunk!

No, this is not a post about dieting or exercising. Rather this is my own contribution to the garage/yard/church bizarre sale world and all those who dare to enter it's sometimes musty smelling atmosphere.

Every year, our neighborhood hosts a HUGE multi-family yard sale. For a measly 5 bucks, a group of mysterious neighborhood women folk will put up 1.2 million posters throughout the area, place ads in the local papers and deliver balloons and maps to each participants house in the cover of darkness. No one has ever seen this bevy of bargainers, but I'm convinced that they exist....simply because of the balloons appearing the morning of the sale.

This extravaganza is not for the weak of heart! People start trolling the streets around 7:00 a.m. clearly ignoring the 9:00 start time. Plus, some of these early birds have the audacity to be irritated if you're not ready to receive them and their fresh from the bank dollar bills. Parking becomes impossible and quite laughable when people literally park in the middle of the street to jump out and check someone's table o'crap.

This will be our third time participating. I invited Christina from the Crafty P to join in our drawn out misery but strangely she declined my prime driveway spot. Actually, she is going to sell her wares at a different venue and asked if I had any helpful hints.

I don't know if they're helpful, but here goes!

Be prepared! Have extra stickers, markers, scissors, plastic bags, newspaper (Who has time to read? To wrap delicate things in, Silly), water and snacks (be sure to hide the water and snacks or else you'll be holding a lousy quarter and have cotton mouth all day)...oh, and don't forget a money box or super cool fanny pack, and change. God forbid you don't have change for a dollar.

What's your goal? Is it to make money or get rid of stuff? You need to know which it is to price accordingly. And remember, this is probably the wrong place to try to sell your "priceless" antiques and valuables. You'll only end up insulted and tired after dragging your stuff back home because someone was outraged that you rejected their $10 offer on a $100 piece of furniture. People want to be able to use the money in their pockets and not blow it all at one yard.

Know ahead of time if you'll be willing to negotiate. These bargain hunters can smell your fear and uncertainty and will attack viciously. I like the plan that goes like this...if you have something that you'd be willing to part with for $5, mark it for $10. Either someone will pay the asking price which is pure bonus for you or they'll make you a counter offer to which you should then arch your back and suck your teeth as if you just got punched to make it seem like they're really robbing you blind. They think they got a great deal, but victory is yours. Stand your ground, too! Inevitably, someone will approach you with an armload of stuff worth $10 and offer you something ridiculous, like .50 and a stick of gum. Get outta here! Be firm and say something like, "$9 is as low as I can go for all that stuff, Pal...and don't think I didn't see you put that My Little Pony in your pocket, either!"

You could put a price sticker on each individual item...but I think I'm going to do it differently this year. I'm going to section off my tables and mark each section with a price. Then, I'll put a colored sticker on each item...red=$1, yellow=$2, etc. I, also, like to bundle items...4 books for $1, $5 for a bag of baby clothes, etc.

Make sure all your items are clean and in working condition. I have learned from personal experience that you should, if at all possible, try to have an extension cord at the ready to prove to these ruthless shoppers that the clock on your $2 coffee maker works. Also, make a little sign for an item if (non-essential) parts are missing. If essential parts are missing, may I introduce you to your garbage can?

Some sellers, in addition to selling their wedding gifts that they clearly did not register for, clothes from the "fat years" , and things from the grandparents basement that they thought were cool at the time, may want to sell specialty items like baked goods, hand painted things, baby blankets???? For these items, I would make a clear sign stating the asking price and put something on the sign like "final price" to warn folks not to try to negotiate. Since everyone likes a deal, though, you could add something like 1 for $10 or 2 for $18.

Be prepared for people who may not think as logically as yourself...here's an example. I was selling a dining room table and 6 chairs for $100. A very nice woman started wheeling and dealing with my father-in-law, which was her first mistake. She said that she didn't want the table, just the chairs. My FIL told her that the chairs were $20 a piece....and she agreed to it! Feeling badly, I tried to explain to her that she was being swindled, but she would hear nothing of it! $20/chair was what she was willing to pay! So, she left with my chairs and I kept her $120. The FIL was very proud....

Finally, if you were willing to sell it, be willing to either pitch it or donate it if it's still around at the end of the day. Don't take anything back into your house at the end of the day. If people didn't want your crap this year,they're not going to want it next year.

Now, go forth and sell junk.

This Is Why I Struggle With Laundry...

...and this is just breakfast.

Defying The Odds....The Results!

Evan stays in???? Oh my! I did not see that coming. He's always been one of my fav's, but I totally thought he would be out tonight. After the opening routine, he was the only clown outside the box and he waved good bye...totally thought that was foreshadowing. So much for my interpretation skills.

Loved, loved, loved tonight's stroll down memory lane! The Door, Bleeding Love, I don't know the name of Will and Jessica's routine, and the Samba by Chelsea and Joshua. The Jabba Walkies (???) were awesome, too.

I had to fast forward through Sean Paul's never ending song. Doesn't he sometimes go by P Diddy??? I wonder if the back up dancers for those performances get nervous being around the SYTYCD dancers? Things that make you go hmmmmm.

I also FF'd through the solos since they were the same as last night and I don't particularly care for the solo performances anyway. Did I miss anything?

No surprise that Melissa was out, but man! What do you think is going through Evan's mind right now? Too bad for Ade, but I'm sure he'll go on to be a successful.....whatever it is that dancers become once they're voted off a reality show.

So there it is folks. Your top four dancers. Jeanine, Kayla, Evan and Brandon. Courtney is up for next weeks recap! Good night!

You Gotta Eat, 'Cause The Stage Is Your Bowl...

...and other ridiculous things that Lil' C pontificated about.

I feel like this episode was so jam packed that I shouldn't even take the time to say what a hot momma Cat is! But since I just did, allow me to say MEOW!!!

Let's jump in, shall we?

Brandon, Ade and Evan (She wants Revenge by True Romance)
Choreographed by Sonja!!! I really don't know what style it was, but I wrote down Willy Wonka meets the Phantom of the Opera. I loved it! I thought they had perfect timing and were so powerful! Lil' C was happy that Evan didn't get swallowed by the other two guys. Me too, Lil', me too.

*It seemed to me that Nigel did not have too much to say all night...until later, and I'll get to that.

Jeanine and Ade (Love Game by Lady Gaga)
They danced a Samba by Louis Van Amstel. Woo hoo! Jeanine looked like a sexy peacock! Ade needs to not smile sooooo much. It's kinda cheesy. Mary thought that the first 15 seconds were great, but then it all went down hill from there. I can't say that I agree or disagree because she talked a lot about technique of which I know nothing. I'll have to take her word for it. All I heard Lil' C say was something about "Smashing Universes" and I was lost....

Kayla (You Found Me by The Fray)
I think she danced it well, but I was more distracted by her lack of melanin causing her to appear to be translucent.

Melissa and Evan (Get Me To The Church On Time from My Fair Lady)
Evan got a Broadway piece by Tyce Deorio??? What??? Uncanny!!! Anywho...they were supposed to be a bride and groom, and the groom was running late. What in the H-E-Double Hockey Sticks was Melissa wearing???? Are you serious??? And the judges picked on Evan for his sock holder upper thingy's? Well, Lil' C was disappointed, Mary loved it and (finally) Nigel loved it, too.

Ade (18th Floor by Blue October)
Again, I think he's a fine dancer. I was a little distracted by his shirt flying around and I thought it was weird that he painted his jeans on, but whatever.

Kayla and Brandon (All I Want by Ahn Trio)
A contemporary routine by Stacey Tookey (from Canada's SYTYCD) about a mistress who won't leave her married man. I liked it when Kayla took off Brandon's shirt, yes I did! Lil' C thought it was intense and amazing. Mary thought it was brilliant. Nigel thought it lacked chemistry.

Melissa (I Put A Spell On You by Nina Simone)
Did this seem really short to anyone else? Maybe because the song was so slow? It was good...

*I kinda feel the same about all the solo's in that we're seeing a lot of the same over and over again. Of course all the dancers are brilliant in their genre! What's not to love? It's to be expected. Moving on...

Jeanine and Ade (Move If You Wanna by MIMS)
Yeah for a Nappy Tabs hip hop! With props! As friends who just got evicted, they had to dance with boxes. It was so fun! I was nervous for them, though as I'm wont to be when objects are involved. I thought they did great! Lil' C thought Ade sat in "it" and pulled Jeanine down into "it" with him. In any other conversation in life that would be interpreted as a bad thing, but apparently in dance...one wants to sit in "it". Mary thought that they would not be evicted. And Nigel thought they got down, too. He's so street!

Brandon (Ofortuna by Mozarteum Orchestra)
So powerful! He got a standing ovation and the title of Best Solo Ever! (Did no one else notice what he was wearing? Or not wearing? I wanted to call it a banana hammock, but Jay said it was more like a banana band aid. Yeesh!)

Melissa and Evan (As Long As I'm Singing by the Brian Setzer Orchestra)
Quick step routine by Louis Van Amstel. Man, it was quick!! It lived up to its name! Lil' C commended Evan for dancing bigger, but then criticized his retractions. Mary thought it went down hill. And Nigel said that Melissa was to SYTYCD as Cloris Leachman was to DWTS!!! What??? Just kidding!!! He was a little disappointed in the routine, though.

Jeanine ( Feedback by Janet Jackson)
Again...good. She sure does show a lot of boobs, though.

Evan (Lady Is A Tramp by Sammy Davis, Jr)
He's so cute...I wanna stick him in my pocket.

Kayla and Brandon (Dance - Disco Heat by Sylvester)
Disco by Doriana Sanchez. I loved it!!! Loved that they did the "Double Death Drop"...very cool. Loved all the lifts, everything!
*This is the point in the show when all the judges drop acid and stop being coherent.
Lil' C said, and I quote "because when you see with your ears, there is not darkness" and "befriend characteristics of your challenge" WHAT??? At least the others acknowledge his weirdness. Mary started talking about homeruns, then she's screaming and standing....Nigel just lost his damn mind. Pure mayhem. But, I think they liked it.

Last but not least....

Melissa, Jeanine and Kayla (Kick It by Nina Martine)
Yeah for another Sonja routine!!! The girls get to be Super Women!! The costumes were so fun. Melissa's little tutu was tutu cute! Lil' C thought they were being too courteous of each other and Mary thought Kayla was favored a bit too much. Nigel just wanted to motorboat Jeanine and it got awkward.

So, who do you think is out? Me? I think...maybe...Evan and Melissa????

We're Talking About Practice

This is my first foray into several things here in the bloggy world. I'm typing this on Wednesday evening...and hoping that it will publish itself magically on Thursday. First, I had to figure out how to fix the time stamp. Christina, over at the Crafty P, helps me with all things blogerific...but I didn't want to bother her for 2 reasons. 1) She's probably knee deep in SYTYCD and 2) I didn't want to have to ask her what time zone we're actually in. AND, I used the scanner on our new fancy pants printer/fax/scanner/photo printer/dancing machine! It took me awhile, and let's be honest, Jay had to help me figure it out. But, none the less, the job got done.

I'm writing this is advance because Jay and I are heading off to celebrate 10 years of marriage!!!! Our actual anniversary is Friday, so I will make a longer in depth post including newly scanned wedding pics then. We're going to shuffle off to golf, eat, relax, sleep!!! Not necessarily in that order......

So, while we're gallivanting, I thought I would leave some pictures here of our rehearsal, which was so hot (and not cool kind). And by some, I mean a few.


Here we have the bridal party....Carmela, Krista, me, Christina, Jenna and Lisa. Please, be kind. This was 10 years ago, pants suits were really cutting edge.


And the grooms party (is that the right term???) Tommy, Mick, Jay, Butch, Rick and Dan.


As a gift to his groomsmen, Jay gave them all a big, fat steak and a devotional. I gave the girls an engraved star shaped box with the wedding day jewelery inside. What did you give your wedding party? Anything creative???


Awwww....getting ready to say goodnight and see ya at the alter!!! Those crazy kids!!

***The title of this post is a reference that probably only Jay will understand, but I thought practice=rehearsal....just go with it.***