Is this a bad sign?

When I see a REAL tree in my very own yard...


...and instantly think of Farmville & Farmtown?



I might needz rehab.

Kori's Auction

Kori is one bloggers that people just fall in love with - me included. She has been through so much, but her faith is still so strong and I'm inspired by her strength and perseverance.

Since Kori had to take her blog private earlier this year, I'll give you the short version of her story. Kori's husband of 8 years, Richard, is battling CF & colon cancer. He's currently in the hospital and under hospice care.

As you can assume, the medical bills are astronomical.

I couldn't imagine being in a position where I have to worry about money, while my husband is suffering. I couldn't imagine having to juggle everything else while planning my husband's funeral.

I couldn't do it.

But Kori does. Everyday. She's raising two boys, taking care of Richard & still working.

To help with Kori's financial struggle Shannon is hosting an auction for her on Tuesday, August 11.

You can find all the details here.

Please make a note to come back on TUESDAY, to bid on some great items and help out an amazing blogger & her family.

"Trim the Fat" Thursday

Even though I didn't meet all my goals this week, I'm trying to stay positive. You remember all that baking I did on Sunday? Well I ended up gifting the cobbler & 99% of the pineapple zucchini cake. I only had one piece to try it, then the rest went with S to work.

It was a good idea to send them on their way...

Goals last week:

1. Drink 4 glasses of water a day. Did it!
2. Take vitamins everyday. Did it!
3. Do 20 minutes of exercise 2 days a week. Not so much...
4. Finish reading the Flat Belly Diet. Did it!
5. Possibly start the 4 day jump start. If not start tracking calories. Still working on this one...

I made a grocery list to do the 4 day jump start but I haven't' been to the store yet. While making the list, I had to make some adjustments to the original menu because I don't eat tuna or mushrooms. (It looks like I'll be eating a lot of turkey and chicken that week.)

Initially I thought it would be easier to do over the weekend, but the more I think about it eating two meals at work and then only having to do dinner with the boys would probably work better.

So that means Monday is the BIG day. Wish me luck!

Goals this week:

1. Drink 4 glasses of water a day.
2. Take vitamins everyday.
3. Do 20 minutes of exercise 2 days a week.
4. Start the 4 day jump start on Monday.

How did you do this week?

If you are participating in "TTFT" don't forget to link up at Angie's place!

Under Siege - Attack of the Birds

This is the view from our backyard everyday. Every. Stinkin'. Day.

S has declared war with them.

Because as you can imagine with birds comes bird poop. Poop on the cars, poop on the driveway, poop on the patio, poop on the hot tub (that one really eats him up)...poop, poop, poop.

Honestly I was afraid to go outside and video them for fear of...the poop.

S wasn't there last night when I filmed this, so I washed off the hot tub while I was outside. I figure it was the least I could do since I brought the birds.

Yes, he blames me. He believes ALL these birds, thousands & thousands of birds, were brought forth to perch in our trees because I put out one bag of bird seed 4 months ago.

ONE bag. FOUR months ago. THOUSANDS of birds.

I don't think so.

Men vs. Women

Do you know why men are so different than women?

The question has been asked over & over without any definitive answer. Scientists point to this or that chromosome, some guy said they were from Mars and women were from Venus, blah, blah, blah.

I don't know why but they ARE different. Without question.

When S & I have a fight argument disagreement discussion he's usually over it 4 seconds later. While I stew on it for at least the next hour.

Unless I'm wrong, but of course that NEVER happens so...

I can't just "get over it" as he advises me to do. I have to think about it, analyze it, and try to fix it. My thoughts are that if we don't resolve whatever it is then it's inevitable that we will discuss it at a later date.

He thinks if we are using inside voices again then the issue is resolved.

As if.

For example we were at McD's this weekend in the drive-thru and the lady at the window asked us to pull up to the white line to wait since our food wasn't quite ready. Now it's important to know that the "white line" is in fact a "white section" about a foot long.

S pulled up to the first part of the white line. A few seconds later the car behind us beeps the horn and indicates for him to move up. Instead he just sits there insisting that the lady said "white line" and he's at the "white line".

I reason that the he can stay on the "white line" and still move up enough to where she can get out. About that time the food comes out and we are on our way, but the discussion continues.

"Why couldn't you just move up?"
"I was told to go to the white line; I was on the white line."
"Yes, but you could have moved up 3 inches so that lady could get out and still have been on the white line."

This went on the rest of the way home until we went in and ate a pretty quiet lunch with the teen. Me still fuming over the discussion and him ignoring my fuming. I'm not ashamed to say that I was still a little perturbed an hour later when he tried to kiss me goodbye, although I did eventually get over it.

I realize this is a dumb thing to discuss but it just shows how differently we think.

And don't get me started on "circus". Let me just state for the record that saying "Do you wanna do it?" does nothing to get me hot & bothered.

Wonky...

I'm all out of sorts this morning. As you know Mondays aren't my most inspirational days and today is no exception.

Nothing exciting happened this weekend to brag about. Unless you count a 15 minute trip to get ice cream on Saturday. Ooooooooh! Or a 30 minute trip to CVS yesterday. Ahhhhhhhh!

I know you're jealous.

Yesterday the teen left for band camp so S went up to help get the kids luggage unloaded & set up for their practices this week. That meant I had some free time just to myself.

And I don't know about you but when I've got some free time I like to get CRAZY.

Yeah right.

I ended up watching the The Next Food Network marathon & baking. See... I CAN still party. Just with flour, eggs & sugar.

I made another cherry cobbler, this Pineapple Zucchini cake (The Pioneer Woman herself recommended this one) and because I was still up to my elbows in shredded zucchini, I went ahead and made a Double Chocolate Zucchini bread.

Is there any wonder why I participate in TTFT?

Anyway tomorrow might be better.

But I wouldn't count on it.