Thursday, July 29, 2010

Lol

I love to laugh. Laugh out loud. There is nothing better than an unexpected belly laugh. The kind that takes you by surprise and lasts and lasts. It leaves you feeling like you just did 2,322 sit ups and exhausted, but feeling so, so good. I have a funny warped sense of humor and it doesn't take much to get me going. Sometimes I start to get the giggles and can't stop. It just has this grip on me and won't leave. For hours. This can be a little bit of a problem. I could be all alone in a store and suddenly see or think of something funny and I start with a little snicker. Then a snort or two. Then I am laughing uncontrollably and the checkers are looking at me like "Should we call someone for her?" Then seeing them look at me with that "look" makes me laugh all the harder. It's a vicious cycle I tell ya. I also love watching other people laugh. Belly laughs. The kind where the tears just pour, they turn all red in the face and can hardly breathe or talk. That makes me start laughing right along with them. I love it. But, I have to be real careful with my husband, Tim. Especially if we are in the car and stuck with each other for hours with no escape. Sometimes it's something as silly as a booger hanging off his nose, or if he says or does something that I think is ridiculous, I have to be careful not to let it "get the best of me." One or two laughs is o.k. Seven or eight is not. I really try hard not to laugh at him though. Honest. But, sometimes it just over powers me. I have a weak funny bone. I usually have a book along for our road trips and I try to bury myself in my book when these instances occur. But, then I can't stop thinking about it, and a snort will come, followed by a gulp for air and then pure laughter. Over and over. After he gives me a few "Knock it off!" and "It's not funny!" or "You wanna walk?" (This ALWAYS makes it worse, but he never fails to deliver.) I try extra hard to be quiet. My poor hubby. He puts up with a lot being married to me. Bless his heart. Wouldn't it be great if there was a way to bottle up laughter? Anytime you needed a pick me up , you could just take a sip from your bottle of laughter and let it rip. But then again, I guess that's what they make beer for.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Wadena's Tornado

We were in Wadena this weekend and saw the damage from
the tornado that went through Wadena a few weeks ago.
I took a few shots of a school and a gas station from the car window.
Click on the pictures for a closer view.
It's hard to tell from the pictures,
but in the school, most of the windows
were blown out and most of the roof is gone.
It made me very sad.


Thursday, July 22, 2010

My Computer Isn't Well....

My computer isn't well.
I think it might have a virus.
Might have to take it to the Dr......
It takes hours to send pictures and get into sites.
I am hoping I just have too much junk on it,
and hope to dedicate most of Sunday deleting files, photos, etc....
So, I won't be posting too much until I get it all figured out.
Sob....

Monday, July 19, 2010

Millner Heritage Vineyard & Winery


Last weekend Tim and I took my bags to the
Millner Heritage Vineyard & Winery,
to celebrate their one year anniversary!
It's located on State Hyw 15.
Right down the road from St. Cloud.
If you are ever in that area,
 this is a MUST SEE!!!
(I couldn't get the whole building in the picture. It's HUGE!)



Mary and Don Millner.
Two of the NICEST people in the world!



My bags!



The Gift Shop.
My favorites were the T'shirts that said:
"Drinks well with others."
and
"Group Therapy"
(They had wine glasses on them.)



Go ahead.
Try one of everything!!


The spectacular bar.
The picture doesn't do it justice.



You can sit in the beautiful indoors...


Or enjoy the breeze in the great outdoors!


A tiny portion of the 9 acre vineyard!


Take a top notch vineyard tour
 on the tour trolley!


Kick up your heels with Good Time Charlie
or one of the other great entertainers who
play every Sunday afternoon.

I really hope you get a chance to check out Millner's Winery.
It's a fantastic place,
 with fantastic wine,
and
fantastic people.

The Kids Next Door


This is Momma cat and her kids.
(Yeah, I named her.)
Landon discovered them under the porch
of the vacant house next door.
Oh yeah, he was doing the happy dance!
But, since we already have FIVE indoor kitties,
I told Landon that he couldn't feed them,
 because the Momma cat would eventually lead the babies
down the road, (there are several farm sites at the end of our street.)
where they would find a nice warm barn with lots of mice to live in.
(O.k. I know it probably won't happen, but then again maybe it will...)
My actual plan is to try and trap them somehow during the night
and then have Tim take them out to Krause's pound where
hopefully they will find a good home.
So, once again....
No Mother of the year award for me.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Send In The Clowns!


Introducing The World's Greatest Entertainer!
Landon Paul Siegel!!!


Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Peanut Butter Cookies

I was in Big Stone city with my bags this weekend. During a break, I was standing in line waiting my turn for the ladies room,when the lady in front of me decided I needed to know about her peanut butter cookie recipe. (I swear this happens to me all the time!) So, here it is:

1 Cup Peanut Butter
1 Egg
1 Cup Sugar

That's it! She said she just rolls them in a ball and presses them down. She didn't say the temp. but, I would think it would be 350. I don't know when I'll get a chance to try it out, but if you do, let me know how it worked for you.


* Update
I did try these. They are pretty good if you eat them RIGHT AWAY. Otherwise they turn hard as a rock.
I put them in a baggie with a slice of bread overnight to soften them. It helped. A little.

Opie Goes To The Dr....


Guess who's getting declawed today?

*Update
Tim took Opie to the vet and they want to wait
TWO MORE MONTHS!!!
Waaaaaaahhhh....

Road Trip!!!


Road Trip!!!
Going to a winery in Kimball this weekend.
Whoo hoo!!!

Dumont's 125th


Tim and Landon were in the Dumont Parade.
Congratulations Dumont!

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Thanks For The Memories...

So, last weekend I made a quick trip to WalMart in Wahpeton. On the way home I was listening to my favorite country station, when they started to play all these really old songs. I was in heaven! Funny thing about listening to the oldies but goodies, each song that I hear is like an old memory to me. When they played Don William's "I believe in love" (One of my top ten favorite oldies!) I immediately thought about the vacation my mom, dad, brother and I took to Duluth. We were in our little car and the radio was broke. My dad had only brought along one 8 track. (If you are under 30, ask your mom and dad what an 8 trac is.) Don Willams. While my mom, dad and I loved Don Williams, my brother did not. He was more Leneord Skinner. But, because that's all we had, we listened to it over and over for miles and miles, until we not only knew which song was next, but we also knew every word to every song by heart. My poor brother. Anyway, I have many, many songs and many, many memories tucked away in my heart. One song that I will never forget is "Waiting for a girl like you." When I was in high school, I had a crush on a boy named Calvin who was in my choir class and who was three years ahead of me. He would say "hi" but not much more. I was a sophmore when he graduated and because we lived in a huge town (Daytona) I didn't think I would ever see him again. So imagine how thrilled I was, when one day at the mall he approched me and started a conversation! Our choir class had gone to Disney World and had gotten to sing with Pat Boon. (Once again, if you are under 30, ask your mom and dad who Pat is.) He was asking me about Pat, then the next thing I knew he started to flirt with me and asked me if I wanted to go "cruising on the beach" that night with him! You bet I did! Back then, the cool thing for the kids to do (maybe it still is) was cruise the beach in their cars. If you really liked each other, you would drive to the end, park in the dunes and make out. We ended up in the dunes. Well, he was all "Mr. Cool" and popped in a cassette tape (Even if you are under 30, you should at least know what a cassette tape is!) and played "I've been waiting for a girl like you."  Of course, I thought he was playing it "just for me" and I thought I was soooooo lucky. Then he kissed me. Now let me tell you something. I'm gonna brag a little bit here....I am an excellent kisser. (Of course the only boy I kiss now is Tim!) But back then, even if the boy didn't have a clue what he was doing (I made up for all those lost years (from the church) and kissed a lot of boys!) by the time I got done with him, he knew what he was doing. Calvin was a lost cause. You know those dogs who drool so much the slobber is just pouring out of their mouths and swinging back and forth on the floor? Calvin was one of those dogs. I was so grossed out! It was like he was washing my face. Finally, I pleaded a stomach ache and asked him to take me home. But the funny thing is, back at school when I was telling my girlfriends about it, two of them had the same story to tell about Calvin! Same song. Same drool. Memories. So anyway....as I was driving back to Wheaton, it started to rain. After the rain stopped, I looked out my side window and there was a huge rainbow! Of course I had to stop, get out of the car and take a picture. Then when I turned to go back to my car, there across the fields were huge rays of sunshine just streaming down. What a sight! (I posted the pictures a few posts back, but the pictures didn't do them justice.) So, I got back in my car, windows down, wind blowing through my hair, rainbow on my right, sunbeams on my left, great song after song blasting from the radio, memory after memory playing in my head, cruising along...
just me, the highway and my minivan.

Monday, July 5, 2010

Happy 4th


Of course Landon thought we should get
the biggest package!
Didn't happen.


Landon was pretty happy with our
"dinky" package.



Tim's new fishing shirt.
It says,
"Mine is bigger."
(It's not nice to brag, Tim.)



Happy Fourth Of July!!!

World Bath


If you click on the picture,
you should be able to spot the rainbow.


I love a good rain.
Everything feels so fresh and clean afterwards.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Beauty Tips

My friend, Jackie shared an email with me
that I thought was so good, it just had to be passed on.

Years ago, Audrey Hepburn was asked to share her "Beauty Tips."
She wrote a short essay, which was read at her funeral years later.



For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
 For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
 For beautiful hair, let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day.
 For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
 People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed,
 revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand,
you will find one at the end of each of your arms.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands;
 one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others.



This was also a part of the email and pretty darn good too!

Five tips for a woman when choosing a man....


                                                   1. It is important that a man helps you
                                                         around the house and has a job.

                                              2. It is important that a man makes you laugh.

                                            3. It is important to find a man you can count on,
                                                                who doesn't lie to you.
  
                                                          4. It is important that a man
                                                              loves you and spoils you.
 
                                                          5. It is important that these
                                                      four men don't know each other.








Thursday, July 1, 2010

Opie, The Final Chapter.

So.....last night Tim and Landon came back from fishing. They walked in the door and Tim said "We both agreed that Opie would be better off in the country. Right, Landon?" Landon's lower lipped started quivering and his eyes filled with tears. Then Opie walked into the room. Landon grabbed Opie and took off running up the stairs to his bedroom, screaming the whole way... " I.....can't......do....it!!!!" I felt horrible. This morning, I found Landon fully dressed sleeping up right in a chair with Opie. I think he was preparing for another quick getaway if need be. Also, he had drawn a very elaborate floor plan of a cat house he was going to build for Opie, because in our debates we said we didn't have room for another pet. (He must have spent hours on it while we were sleeping.) So, I decided to throw in the towel and try and convince Tim to let Landon keep Opie. I know, I know....what was I thinking? Well, to be honest, Landon never asks for anything. He doesn't care about toys or games. All he ever asks for is to have friends over (EVERYDAY!) to play or spend the night or vice versa. (We say no to that more than we say yes.) Also, he has never fought so hard and long for anything. He truely does love Opie. (We have had many cats walk through our yard and he has never tried to catch or keep any of them!) Well, Tim wasn't budging. He is working on a house on a lake today and is taking Landon along so he can go fishing. I told Sarah this morning that I was pretty sure Tim wasn't going to budge, but Landon had all day to work on him. (Sarah has been so patient and understanding throughout this whole ordeal. Thank you, Sarah!) So, Tim and I were talking about the whole situation (Again!) and I said,  "You know, ten years from now Landon will be in college and most of our pets will have passed on. None of this is going to matter in ten years." He just looked at me with a blank expression on his face. I knew I had him. So, Tim and Landon made a stop at the bank this morning.
Landon took $250 (YES! It costs $250 to fix, declaw, shots, etc...one kitty!)
out of his savings account to pay for Opie.
Love isn't cheap.



Ready for a quick escape!



Still sleeping...



Master floor plan.



Priceless.

Opie Continued...

Our story of Opie continues....
Monday night Sarah was going to take Opie home with her, but she had to be somewhere after work, so we agreed Tuesday night would be better. (Opie was at my dad's) Landon has been crying/begging for two days to keep Opie. He and I have gone around and around for what seems like 4,544 hours. My head is pounding! Landon has a savings account and between birthdays, Christmas and money he has earned doing chores, he has saved a tidy little sum. But, he won't spend it on anything! (He is tight!) He is saving for a pickup truck. (It changes from month to month. A Pontoon boat, flat screen t.v., guitar hero...) Whenever we tell him he has to pay for something himself, instead of taking money out of his savings, he asks to do chores to earn it. (I am a little proud of him for that.) So, in desperation I said  "Landon. It's going to cost at least $250 to get Opie fixed, declawed, shots, wormed, etc....are you going to take money out of your account for that?" He got really quiet and then shouted. "YES!" Then I back peddled a little and quickly told him that he couldn't "earn" it and he had to go to the bank with his dad and take it all right out of his savings account. He then ran out the door. (He knew I couldn't follow him because of my daycare. The turkey!) I knew he was going to the bank. I called the bank and told them what was going on. They told him to come back with his dad. He was really upset when he got back home. He couldn't believe they wouldn't give him his money. So, then he told me he was going to go and "visit" Opie. I called my dad and told him to tell Landon that Sarah was going to be picking up Opie any minute and he had to let her have him. My dad called me back a little later and said that Landon had kidnapped Opie! My dad had no sooner turned his back and Landon was out the door, running down the sidewalk with Opie tucked under his arm like a football. My dad said by the time he got his shoes on he couldn't even see Landon. He was on a mission! He got home and locked himself in his room with Opie. I tried to talk to him, but he cried and cried and finally when he could talk he took a deep breath and said "Mom, I can't give him away. I already love him." (Oh yeah, I cried too.) So, I told him that he would have to talk his dad into it. (Yeah, I passed the buck.) I called Tim and told him what was going on. When he got home he told Landon they were going fishing and they would talk about it. I kept shaking my head no and Tim kept giving me the "bug eye" look. You know the one that says "Knock it off. I'm handling it!" I hate that look. I honestly haven't a clue if Landon will wear him down or not. I am thinking maybe we need to sell our house, move to the country and open a pet shop. We've already got the inventory.