One Lovely Blog Award

 I received the lovely blog award you will see on my sidebar as well as below. It was a gift from Sandie  here
I want to thank Sandie for her thoughtfulness. I was tickled pink to receive this award. It has taken me a long time to learn to post buttons on my blog but I am getting the hang of it. I am sharing this with some fantastic bloggers here and they are listed in not any particular order. I am honored to have received this award and wish to share it. Please pass it along to 7 other blog buddies and please list 7 things we don't know about you. Finally make sure you link back to the person who gave you the award. Simple rules, sweet award.

1.  Heather at heathersblog-o-rama.blogspot.com/ 
2.  BJ at sweetnothingsbj.blogspot.com/
3. Sue at collectintexasgal.blogspot.com/
4. JamJar at jamjarstuff.blogspot.com/ 
5. Terra at terragarden.blogspot.com/
6. Tiffanee at onecrazycookie.blogspot.com/
7. Suzie at suziebuttoncreations.blogspot.com/


1. I was a single parent before I was a married parent.

2. I met the Monkees at their hotel during the Colorado State Fair in the late 1960s. My friend and I baked them a cake.

3. I rooted for the New York Yankees at a baseball game in 1980 at the California Angels home field!

4. I had lunch with Mindi Abair, (one of two female saxaphonists in the world) along with my husband in 2007. She signed a copy of one of her CDs for us.

5. I had two canaries growing up named Elmer and Oliver and they lived into old age.

6. My friend Lynette and I kidnapped another girl in our neighborhood because she was invited to a birthday party and we weren't when we were 10! We got into a mess of trouble over that and Carol Ann hates us even today!

7. I watched my grandson Colton being born and I nearly flattened my son-in-law who complained throughout the whole night that he was "tired" while my daughter was in labor for about 14 hours! I went to the nursery with my grandson to get oxygen for him because he was a blue baby! My daughter still smokes! Argh...

 

Tea For One Giveaway

Like Parsley here
I want to reach 200 followers. I want to reach 200 followers not because I  want the numbers to increase but only because I want to meet more of you out there in blog land! I love it over here! It is a joy to meet everyone and as soon as I hit 200 followers I will giveaway this:

 This is a very collectible Princess House tea for one Vintage Garden tea pot. The rules are simple. Leave a comment here and if you want another entry post my button for the giveaway on your blog. If you send another blogger my way you will get another entry if they follow me. Simple. Once I hit 200 following I will draw the winner. I am at 176 so tell everyone you know! Spread the word! Anyone can win! It will be fun meeting more of you out there! I get tickled pink when I see a new follower. I had some trouble with blogger trying to retrieve messages but tonight I am going to send a thank you to the latest three that joined me. I really enjoy knowing everyone. Come join me and help me reach that next level of followers. I am excited! I want to give this cute little teapot away. If you follow and do not have a blog you need to leave me your contact info so I can reach you if you win.

BANDIT

Welcome to Tuesday's Show and Tail! Please go here.  
Thank Angela for hosting this fun Tuesday post.
I already gave you the Sonic Drive In story so here goes Domino's! Bandit is a rat terrier. He is a whooping 9 lbs. of pure doggy fun! He belongs to my oldest son J. The big brother along with his little brother, the baby, works for Domino's pizza. One night our older son left his work cap on the chair and my hubby tossed it on the dogs head. Just as he yawned! He looks terribly ferocious doesn't he? So we took to calling him the Domino dog!  Bandit looks like he is telling one of those potty mouth customers to knock it off with the inappropriate language! The baby takes the orders and the big brother delivers the pizza! They are paid a fair wage to help pay the big brothers college tuition and the little brother is always running over his phone minutes so....He will learn about finances because he is now responsible for paying for his own phone. Once you have to borrow money to pay a bill you can't afford you usually get the message loud and clear!
So Bandit is a good dog. He was born in South Dakota and I think he may have been the smallest of the litter. He is a quirky little dog and he loves to be with people. Our son adored him so much we thought   he might have a problem! Then he started dating! When he had his heart broken earlier this year and I  realized prison would not be a good place for me because I  thought perhaps murdering the awful woman that broke his heart would be the answer, we both came to our senses. That little dog picked up right where he left off with J. When J dated the awful woman she hated this cute little dog. So we cared for him until our son realized that little dog loved him more than that mean girl! I had to hear God's voice tell me to get a gripe and pray! I always tell my kids to pray and my mother always told me to pray so it goes full circle! This little pup is a joy. He never leaves our son's side and he is a real friend. He waits for him in the window when he comes and goes from work and school. That little dog is a lifesaver. He is smart and he likes to lie in bed with us when our son is working. He and the big dog Smokey are pals and I always tell him to go catch his brother in the back yard! People often do a double take when they see me talking to the dogs. Funny because all three of them are black with white markings! Three entirely different breeds , a boxer/lab mix, a pure AKC breed rat terrier and a Blue Heeler/Shepherd mix! They all sat next to each other the night Tink died. They never left each other's side and a few weeks ago this little dog had to have two teeth pulled. When he came home Stella was so happy she licked him and chased him everywhere he went! He was trying to get some quiet time to rest and she would not leave him alone! We think she thought he was gone and not coming back. A lot of days I will take these three dogs over some of the bitter people I have to deal with in life and traffic!
So now you have met Bandit.

I AM PROUD OF MY SONIC KIDS

Hi and welcome to Monday! We are two short at work so with our fill in audiologist who takes about 30 minutes per patient as opposed to our regular gal Koko we had a mad house today! The doc saw approximately 40 patients. He never stops to eat lunch or anything. So Theresa and I were super slammed and took a 30 minute lunch. AH...I am wishing for Friday so I will have another 3 day weekend! Woo Hoo!
So I feel great but tired and my daughter the middle just walked in the door. I have been teasing everyone I know telling them my middle and her honey were holed up in a hotel all week! Ha Ha Hee Hee! My middle and her little sister work for Sonic as well as the middle's beau. The middle and the beau have been involved in a contest. The company put them in a nice hotel to study for a week. They were still paid their regular salary and the co. paid for everything. They had the "suits" come in today and they did their competition and my middle and another worker got all the answers right! The beau missed one! They all got a brand new camcorder for participating and as soon as their audit is over they will find out if they are all going to Vegas! The company will send the over 21 crowd to Vegas and pay for everything plus take them to Cirque du Soleil! Now I have to say I have wanted to see that show forever but could never afford it! The tickets are upward $400 a piece! Yikes! So I am so proud and so thrilled of my kid and the beau. My middle has worked for Sonic Drive Ins since she was a junior in high school and she is into her third year of college now! It pays the college tuition bills. I tease her that she is probably the only living Sonic employee that has lasted five years! Hee Hee
I tell you this because I am proud of her. Her sister took on lots of extra hours to cover their shifts while they were in this training competition. Some employees from other stores helped cover and a couple of snotty teenage girls gave my who girl a hard time. The "mouth", the middle, like me, told the managers all about the lack of team spirit with these snotty girls! I watched them go into the drive in Sunday when the who girl went to work. So I told the middle to pray and let it go. The managers know about it and that is that! She is very emotional like me! When the kids were at the Catholic high school my hubby tired to be diplomatic but I went to Catholic school from K to 11 and I know they favor the rich kids with their big money! So I always fought for my rights. I still do! So my kids know how I am ! Many times I warned the vice principal at the high school that I was disappointed because I knew Jesus was not in the building and if you tell people like me that you base the school policy on the life of Jesus Christ, you better mean it! So I have to remind my middle girl and myself to be kinder and more gentle. The who girl could care less. She flips that hair back and says "I had work to do, I could care less that they were talking about me!" I guess these two girls never saw the who girl's honey. I would be scared of him, if I didn't know him! 6"2" 285 lbs. This sweet boy plays college football, defensive lineman! Oh, he is smart too. Getting a Business Degree and going on a sports scholarship with high academics! Ah...life is sweet.
So you know my Sonic story now.  The hubby and I were thinking when they go to Vegas we can tag along. Really, they are two single kids and they need a good chaperone! Don't you agree? That nice paid for room can maybe afford us a nice show! Hmmm...Oh wait! They are staying at the Venetian and God Bless Sonic! You can not room with the opposite sex unless you are married! God is Good! Sonic has morals! Horray!
Sorry I did not have time to get pics because the girls are exhausted from their busy days and the beau is working til midnight! So here are my google images.

LOVE IS....

Welcome to Love Is....

I am going to enjoy posting this each Monday with  Marydon here.

I originally had wanted to post these Love is... quotes daily and then I got busy and set them aside. I have two sweet books filled with these wonderful quotes. Then I started talking with Marydon. She has lots of these quotes too and we decided it would be a great way to join forces and spread some love!

When I was a newlywed my local newspaper posted these daily on the cartoon page. I took them and pasted them on colored paper and made little booklets for my hubby. He enjoyed them and we read them together each day.I literally have hundreds of these quotes and my two books. So I will enjoy posting these for a long time. I hope you will enjoy this and come join the fun.

This one Love is...someone to act goofy with is perfect because my hubby can be so silly! I spent two days with him and our youngest daughter and they have the same sense of humor. They do so many silly things. Oh My Goodness! We laugh so hard sometime people stare at us! But ultimately that is what Love is....

THE 23RD PSALM

Good evening! I am very late posting but had a camera issue so I spent the day restoring some things and catching up with my blog hopping.

But I want to share a favorite Scripture with you. My parents loved the 23rd Psalm. In fact, their headstone at the cemetery is craved with the 23rd Psalm. It is something that often comforted me when I was younger and I still enjoy it today.

I hope you will thank Ginger and Charlotte here. They do a wonderful job making sure the link works and checking in on our posts. I appreciate all of you and you all really write beautifully. Thank you for sharing.

I am posting the 23rd Psalm but ask prayers for the following people: Monica, Rita, Sarah W., Hank, Rusty and Mary. Thank you and enjoy this evening and your week. Blessings to all of you!

The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name' sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: For thou art with me;
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;
Thou annointest my head with oil; My cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever.

-- KJV

I hope you enjoy the google image. I like this portrayal of Christ. He looks so happy and peaceful walking along with the sheep at his side.

FRIENDS, PHAMILY AND MEMORIES

Thank you   Heather. You solved my mystery. For some reason the Kodak Easy Share disc would not load on my computer so my sweet and smart son J did it for me  with his desktop and voila! Pictures of friends and memories to treasure. I also want to thank Pamela and Jules because you gave me such wonderful support.

Here goes a few pics from the class reunion mixer. It included folks from 1969 to 1972 when I attended an all girls Catholic school and my former parochial male classmates attended the all boys Catholic high school. The church closed these wonderful schools at the end of my junior high school year. I attended a public school across the road from my former private school. The memories are truly wonderful, even the ones where the "bad butt" nuns gave us H E double Hockey Sticks! I said that when I was a kid and I say it today as a woman full of much wisdom. I learned that clever saying from my 4th grade teacher Sister Beatrice. When we started college a boy who grew up at the local orphanage and attended school with me said he heard that nun died and someone saw the devil drag her to hell! How true that story is would be debated until the end of time but nonetheless funny because the nun was as wicked as they came. On the other hand there were nuns that provided us a safe learning environment and they taught us the Catholic school systems three "R"s. Religion, Responsibility and much R E S P E C T thrown in for extra good measure. So here I go sharing a few photos of old friends today:

This is Lynette, she and I  have been best buds since the ripe old age of three! Her honey "Snook" is at her side and my hubby (ballcap) behind them with Eileen Sullivan Kottenstette.

Diane Boyd (black) and Patty Butkovich (pink). Patty and I attended parochial school together as well and Diane's brother Corey was one of the boys school heart throbs!

Joe Kottenstette (one of 9 kids) and his wife Eileen Sullivan. I had a super crush on his brother Richard who is married to my old friend Debbie D and they reside in New Mexico. I was sad they could not attend. :(

The hubby posing with me outside the doors of my former Catholic high school in Pueblo. The name Seton is still on he wall behind us. This is now a head start program school. So sad.

The hubby's old high school East in Pueblo, CO.

Don't you love this saying on the sign to his old high school: Only the Educated Are Free?

"We're the Cats behind Big Blue, the Central Cats of 7 2 ! My high school's class cheer from my senior year at Central a venerable old public high school that has graduated many many people I love. My hubby's arch enemy from his high school days was the principal here.

My  first job, in the Pueblo County Courthouse. 1972-1977.

My hubby's childhood home.

My high school pal Bridget could not make the reunion but she lived in this corner house and there are many fond memories there. Her dad was a native of Boston and he was the most wonderful Irishman I ever knew! He spoke with the coolest accent I ever heard! The Kottenstette family lived directly behind her.

Shop window at dusk next door to the Gold Dust Saloon where the mixer was held on the River Walk in downtown Pueblo.

Next time I will share photos of my childhood home, my old college (now a university) and more Pueblo treasures.

Check my OC Cottage Monthly giveaway for August post. I put the Ivy ball up from Princess House once the pics were released from the jaws of the camera hard  drive!