tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79768009267371995292024-03-14T11:50:54.022-04:00I love my lifeJust some miscellaneous ramblings from a full time mom and a part time wannabe humorist....Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.comBlogger375125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976800926737199529.post-85036912650161307812022-03-25T09:11:00.000-04:002022-03-25T09:11:00.345-04:00It’s been 84 years…Okay, not really. It's been over 11 years since I last posted here. I came back looking for a very specific picture that I knew I could find here. I wondered if I posted something if anyone would see it and reply? Even though I am busy and my life is full, I do miss my blogger friends! Is anyone still out there??Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976800926737199529.post-69978703365818051742011-01-31T09:31:00.001-05:002011-01-31T09:35:45.936-05:00Have you tried Roku?Ande and I recently purchased a Roku. We can watch Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon on Demand....plus a bunch of other channels without having to tie up our computer. It's pretty cool and definitely easy to use. If you don't have one, I recommend it. There is no monthly fee, and you can choose what channels you wish to purchase. Some channels are even free! Click the <a href="http://roku.tellapal.com/a/clk/D3B2W">link</a> below and $$ SAVE MONEY $$...which is something everyone loves, right?<br />
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<object align="middle" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" height="200" id="ConsumerWidget" width="250"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="movie" value="http://roku.tellapal.com/a/wgt/x30nl"/><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><param name="quality" value="high"/><embed wmode="transparent" src="http://roku.tellapal.com/a/wgt/x30nl" quality="high" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="250" height="200" name="ConsumerWidget" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></object><br />
<a href="http://roku.tellapal.com/a/clk/x30nl" target="_blank">Get $20 off a Roku Player!</a>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976800926737199529.post-35573019980044821772011-01-19T16:38:00.000-05:002011-01-19T16:38:12.266-05:00Great supplier for the home theater enthusiast.Many of my readers know that we don't own a television. I think most of you also know that we DO have a home theater. We watch movies and programs using our DVD player or computer, a projector, and a large projection screen. Ande is especially keen on getting the best possible picture on our screen, which is where the following information comes into play.<br />
I'm posting today to tell you all about a great website that sells A-MAZE-ING audio/video supplies. HDMI cables? They've got 'em. USB cables? Yes, those too. Firewire cables? Yes, those, and many more types of connectors as well. They also have things like wall mounts, switches, and splitters to help you get your home theater looking and sounding it's best. This is high quality stuff at extremely competitive prices.<br />
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Here's a link to their website: <a href="http://www.optimization-world.com/">Optimized Cable Company</a>. They've got fantastic prices and right now are even running a free shipping special! Extra added bonus - they have wonderful customer service. So if you or anyone you know are looking for cables for any reason, check this site out. You'll likely find what you're looking for, and you'll definitely get the best price available!Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976800926737199529.post-58056890528115881362010-09-15T15:31:00.000-04:002010-09-15T15:31:17.192-04:00SWAGGER WAGONThis cracked me right up...<br /><br /><object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ql-N3F1FhW4?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ql-N3F1FhW4?fs=1&hl=en_US" width="480" height="295" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976800926737199529.post-78520900362375166782010-08-25T09:09:00.000-04:002010-08-25T09:09:23.460-04:00Happy Birthday Puckey!5 years ago today I was at the hospital awaiting the arrival of my sweet little Puckster. And just because I love this picture SO much, you all get to see it again.<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh26onTonNZBQ3zzd8bpMf4c8DABpEi2Rf_ncRbESHAI4UB69y5aiJn_f9eArtytQ41yyl9Xdpj7Ft6kgvPyqGasK-jSke8eL37UrFju348pGM5a0abtjKD_LF_5Vh8uPZCbqxgLVqWnhA/s1600/baby+asha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh26onTonNZBQ3zzd8bpMf4c8DABpEi2Rf_ncRbESHAI4UB69y5aiJn_f9eArtytQ41yyl9Xdpj7Ft6kgvPyqGasK-jSke8eL37UrFju348pGM5a0abtjKD_LF_5Vh8uPZCbqxgLVqWnhA/s320/baby+asha.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Happy Birthday Puckey! Mommy and Daddy love you more and more each day!!</div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976800926737199529.post-47509238404817631632010-08-12T10:07:00.003-04:002010-08-12T10:10:20.352-04:00Good thing government health care is coming, this makes me sick!(Disclaimer: I do not, in fact, want government health care. The idea that anyone can FORCE me to get health coverage and fine me if I don't just really makes me angry. Like forced health care, the idea that the government is actually going to be giving "help" to the rich to buy cars actually makes me want to throw up.)<br />
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I received this article in an email from my aunt.<br />
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<strong><em>Low Volt-age</em></strong><br />
<strong><em>The Chevy Volt is a vanity car for the well-off, and the government is subsidizing it.</em></strong><br />
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<em>Let us compare the Volkswagen and the “Voltswagen.” </em><br />
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<em>The original Volkswagen was intended as the “people’s car” (that’s what Volkswagen means). The idea of a cheap, safe, reliable car for the working man was popular before Adolf Hitler embraced it, but as a self-proclaimed man of the people, he made the idea his own. Whereas industrialists and aristocrats didn’t think the common man needed a car (“The people’s car is a bus” was their refrain), Hitler sided with one of his heroes, Henry Ford, arguing that everyone deserved his own ride. He ordered the German Labor Front, the union arm of the Nazi party, to start building a people’s car. When it looked like the car might be too expensive, the Labor Front created a savings program that promised a car for even the poorest workers. </em><br />
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<em>At the 1934 Berlin Motor Show, Hitler proclaimed: “It is a bitter thought that millions of good and industrious people are excluded from the use of a means of transport that, especially on Sundays and holidays, could become for them a source of unknown joy.” </em><br />
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<em>And then there’s the electric-gas hybrid Chevy Volt, a.k.a. the “Voltswagen.” At $41,000, about as much as the average American makes in a year, this is no people’s car. GM, owned by the government and the labor unions, is pitching it to affluent hipsters who don’t need a lot of space for a family. Deloitte Consulting says that the demand for such cars is from “young, very high income individuals” from households that make more than $200,000 a year, which is why the Volt will be rolled out in upscale, trendy urban markets. (Meanwhile the Chevy Cruze, the gas-only version of the Volt, has more room inside and is a mere $17,000.)</em><br />
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<em>Because the Volt’s sticker price might be too high for even that crowd, the government is offering a federal subsidy of up to $7,500 (Californians have a state subsidy, too), which means that working-class people will be helping to pay for playthings for upper-income people.</em><br />
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<em>“Like the EV1 that GM tried to peddle in the California market,” Kenneth Green, an environmental scientist at the American Enterprise Institute, says, “the Volt is a vanity car for the well-off that will be subsidized by less well-off taxpayers at all stages, from R&D to sales and to the construction of charging stations.”</em><br />
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<em>Indeed, the Volt’s price is $41,000, but the cost is much higher. “Government Motors” is already selling the car at a loss. According to the blogger Doctor Zero, if you apply the subsidies that have gone directly into the car to just the first 10,000 vehicles, the cost is more like $81,000 per car.</em><br />
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<em>Of course, electric-car boosters say this sort of thing is necessary to get the industry up and running. (Green responds: “Supporters claim that electric cars need subsidies because they’re still in their infancy. Electric cars have been around for over 100 years. That’s some infancy.”)</em><br />
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<em>But would it be a good thing if we all switched to electric cars? The point is to reduce CO2 emissions, right? But in some regions, we get our electricity from CO2-spewing coal. The more electricity pulled from the grid, the more coal is burned, essentially replacing dirty oil with dirtier coal (which is why some coal backers see much promise in electric cars). Studies confirm that China — which is allegedly “beating us” in the race to a green economy — would produce vastly more greenhouse emissions if it switched to electric vehicles.</em><br />
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<em>The expected response to that is that we need stuff like CO2-free windmills to generate electricity. Don’t get me started on the Volkspropeller.</em><br />
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<em>Regardless, no matter how you crunch the numbers or the science, there’s no disputing that this is a political car, designed to meet the demands not of an economic market but of an ideological one, directed by the collusion of big business and big government. In this sense, the Volkswagen and the Voltswagen have a lot in common.</em><br />
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<em>If the government weren’t taking taxpayer money and spending it on toys for upscale urban liberals (Obama’s strongest base of support outside of black voters and labor unions), there’d be no reason to care about the Volt. If rich people want to be “early adopters” and buy expensive gadgets that help them preen the plumage of their political sanctimony, that’s great. It’s not so great when the government gets involved in wealth redistribution, and it’s outrageous when it involves redistributing wealth upwards.</em><br />
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<em>— Jonah Goldberg is editor-at-large of National Review Online and a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. © 2010 Tribune Media Services, Inc.</em>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976800926737199529.post-59543331957810346182010-08-06T09:45:00.000-04:002010-08-06T09:45:09.689-04:00Puckey says...Said at lunch after church a few weeks ago:<br />
"Papa, I have a secret to tell you. Why don't you marry Grammy so we can get some babies?"<br />
<br />
Said yesterday at the start of a game of Candyland:<br />
"The one who gets to the end first is ME."Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976800926737199529.post-36956337200028743852010-07-31T09:40:00.001-04:002010-07-31T09:42:51.079-04:00Time flies when you're having fun...Man, this summer is FLYING by, and I haven't been posting nearly as much as I used to. I've been keeping pretty busy, which is contributing to my lack of blogging.<br />
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For the last couple of weeks, I've been getting up early to walk. I go before Ande goes to work in the morning so I can get out while it's still cool out and before the kids get up. (Plus when Bubber, Bug, and Nans aren't here, I can't exactly leave Puckey and The Jib home alone)<br />
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I've been averaging right around 3.5 miles a day, 7 days/week. I just walk as far as I can in 30 minutes and then turn around and walk back home. Sometimes I go a little further, sometimes not quite so far. Just depends how I'm feeling when I walk. I'm fortunate that I live in an area where I feel safe walking, and there are lots of homes and businesses on my route in the event of an emergency. I'm still trying to figure out what I'll do when the weather gets too cold to walk outside. I got rid of my treadmill because I really didn't use it as often as I should have and it was taking up a lot of space. I was thinking I could go to the mall to walk, but that would mean I'd have to take the kids with me, and that would be no fun for anyone. I may just have to walk in snow gear when the time comes.<br />
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I've only lost a couple of pounds, but I'm haven't really changed my eating habits a whole lot either. Not that I'm always eating or that I eat a lot of junk food, just saying I'm not "dieting". Whenever I have tried to "diet", I just wind up freaking out and feeling deprived. Not a good thing. I can tell the walking is doing something good though, because the first day I walked my hips were killing me, but within two days they didn't hurt at all. Now if I could get my shins to not hurt, I'd really be in business!Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976800926737199529.post-47614199127010700642010-07-23T18:34:00.002-04:002010-07-23T18:34:56.620-04:00Are my kids the only ones this gross?So this morning The Jib announces that she has to go potty. #2, to be exact. (Not her words, she's not that delicate about it - HA!)<br />
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A few minutes later, she says, "Momma!! I DID it! It looks like a brown pickle!"<br />
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*sigh*Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976800926737199529.post-52536258214900135192010-07-23T18:24:00.001-04:002010-07-23T18:38:33.393-04:00Shabby Apple Boysenberry Pie Apron Guest Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_9IqHN-pwuYcNez2BE51vU92S8R0Gf8wuwEof_1LsRfKlnX3eLGwkf3BUEFuijfc7M_LmH7M19DkcBLgcGHQ4cFoh4iJZzdZfGmYsJtAGKW6s8NFqO8d_IE2QDpVfqi7JP_8GpHXTjbs/s1600/apron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_9IqHN-pwuYcNez2BE51vU92S8R0Gf8wuwEof_1LsRfKlnX3eLGwkf3BUEFuijfc7M_LmH7M19DkcBLgcGHQ4cFoh4iJZzdZfGmYsJtAGKW6s8NFqO8d_IE2QDpVfqi7JP_8GpHXTjbs/s320/apron.jpg" /></a></div>SO SO SO love retro style aprons! I have yet to actually OWN one of my own yet, but someday. Maybe it will be sooner than later if I win this giveaway from Grosgrain. You can enter, too! Just click the link below:<br />
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<a href="http://grosgrainfabulous.blogspot.com/2010/07/shabby-apple-boysenberry-pie-guest.html">Shabby Apple Boysenberry Pie Apron Guest Giveaway</a>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976800926737199529.post-86659491637890758742010-07-16T10:06:00.000-04:002010-07-16T10:06:40.483-04:00Hey Dev - remember this?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-1a4y_rbhSCDoJcRTfb202cWxLNwSsURwSTf-J-HcaVFOOhv85ExNQlU92Z8TNZNFZxCqqfw2tztH5ZuTjKvUUK8zAckjyYWr0U5mGt_VpUs3Abf-_9HAXj4p2VL_Cx9KB-hiCKrs8E/s320/Trip+to+Illinois+010.jpg" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This picture is from our stop at my dear friend <a href="http://www.shanemerrittfamily.blogspot.com/">Devin's</a> house on our way to Oklahoma way back in May. I'm terrible about getting pictures off of my camera in any kind of speedy fashion. LOL</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My girls and Dev's boys became fast friends, and spent Saturday morning/early afternoon playing outside together. Next time we will definitely have to plan for a longer stay though. I felt like we were just getting started and we had to leave!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of these days I will have to write about our trip. But today is not that day, as I think I am going to brave the beach today. It's supposed to be 89 degrees here, and while I LOVE my a/c, my girls would LOVE the beach even more. :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Happy Friday!!</div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976800926737199529.post-44616203029306582852010-07-13T21:33:00.002-04:002010-07-13T21:33:53.180-04:00You know I love a good giveaway, right?So my dear friend Devin is hosting one on her blog. Check it out by clicking <a href="http://shanemerrittfamily.blogspot.com/2010/07/giveaway.html">HERE</a>. Make sure you enter to win as well....Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976800926737199529.post-48397762188152778242010-07-08T14:08:00.000-04:002010-07-08T14:08:18.558-04:00Animal CrueltyI just really think some people are just cruel to their pets. Take, for example, this poor soul. Honestly, what self-respecting dog would allow his people to put this on him? He looks totally depressed.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZ2pRFUkuAnwrIcvwKA1yLqMsndmqSqxqzNnJZtTzWRKQ2zgvdfOqExiFGGUU7jjPY5LGNbDTP3xCxkT3JJOJgucgQ0XxxRDkz3v12r0PO6OIT_TWrEpzGJvkpWQfV1NZezAeEt2Vl1U/s1600/poor+dog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZ2pRFUkuAnwrIcvwKA1yLqMsndmqSqxqzNnJZtTzWRKQ2zgvdfOqExiFGGUU7jjPY5LGNbDTP3xCxkT3JJOJgucgQ0XxxRDkz3v12r0PO6OIT_TWrEpzGJvkpWQfV1NZezAeEt2Vl1U/s320/poor+dog.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Yes, I know animal abuse is actually a serious thing, and I really do feel that being cruel to animals is wrong. I just thought this hat was flippin' hilarious and had to share it with my readers. </div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976800926737199529.post-7797018953624174362010-07-05T11:09:00.001-04:002010-07-05T11:12:04.591-04:00Ande's been strippingour <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">motorhome</span> down to the chassis. It's been a long process with several late nights and hard work involved, but he's pretty much got it down to where we need it to be. Here's a few pics... <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A few windows have been removed and a little bit of the aluminum siding as well</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNbf_BVHbf7YiQupgZg70PCAfFXKDP8MdDw7RdyIdFMq4ZNt3ghybnU0dwpzl4vcE-1jtCzEF2u1jARc9vmmCKizjf-f1mXV84IbPXBXjh1igeDcyHK6dTr3fqNl0MlXSqP9qeY-2kHAI/s1600/RV+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNbf_BVHbf7YiQupgZg70PCAfFXKDP8MdDw7RdyIdFMq4ZNt3ghybnU0dwpzl4vcE-1jtCzEF2u1jARc9vmmCKizjf-f1mXV84IbPXBXjh1igeDcyHK6dTr3fqNl0MlXSqP9qeY-2kHAI/s320/RV+002.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A view from the back</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25WY1IRhUNJQw35dm8ntH8TFY9k6aZhzCqJTilcfkNi4EJRKMvbIUr3NDni1SEC20pp0lvIR8mPVkuM2D20wk_KtbHQ5mV0FBDUxpArXLqnptopGd4z93pEqWf-nhGniEe3nfjnbjdE8/s1600/RV+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25WY1IRhUNJQw35dm8ntH8TFY9k6aZhzCqJTilcfkNi4EJRKMvbIUr3NDni1SEC20pp0lvIR8mPVkuM2D20wk_KtbHQ5mV0FBDUxpArXLqnptopGd4z93pEqWf-nhGniEe3nfjnbjdE8/s320/RV+001.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">All of the windows and siding gone from the driver's side</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOrt7s1ZYoovRjfDEgqDP1ZQHUhuClzEm0lMXodQCXDLkvX3_RW6OH7HHk1Ex9VpOimDUGIDJE1F4n4YWKkEy0b5GHORyzaLrkHE60RbT9qhPPfFI8b2tVBk1i0fGGs6KonDaqwLJYlE/s1600/RV+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOrt7s1ZYoovRjfDEgqDP1ZQHUhuClzEm0lMXodQCXDLkvX3_RW6OH7HHk1Ex9VpOimDUGIDJE1F4n4YWKkEy0b5GHORyzaLrkHE60RbT9qhPPfFI8b2tVBk1i0fGGs6KonDaqwLJYlE/s320/RV+005.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If you sit on a kitchen chair while driving your <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">motorhome</span> around your yard, you might be a Redneck.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_Igc4VMsPC7ReUfawCEWyYV1PwpRSWcGDoEAEn3hAyYTxRE5kyJdoyR2mM9uJBPmvQddOEPwsTrWiIdvzZZPz6D026LqcMrqhRTPJTInDZOwW4c3pSuzM5SizXCO_WcAHXkyRTVGEx8/s1600/motorhome+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_Igc4VMsPC7ReUfawCEWyYV1PwpRSWcGDoEAEn3hAyYTxRE5kyJdoyR2mM9uJBPmvQddOEPwsTrWiIdvzZZPz6D026LqcMrqhRTPJTInDZOwW4c3pSuzM5SizXCO_WcAHXkyRTVGEx8/s320/motorhome+005.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Most of the floor removed</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhupX9fCiKd4UNqr-Kvexl6wvMBMDFNNoYkXyFMTtP6CPrnqmlH0fAYk9j7QgQbXNzVudwQsKPXwD7agefaSg1kNWHaHOjuz21e7LgiNxHHcFXx734jkkwuHHLXwwt3Qru06SOg6-DYGv4/s1600/1+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhupX9fCiKd4UNqr-Kvexl6wvMBMDFNNoYkXyFMTtP6CPrnqmlH0fAYk9j7QgQbXNzVudwQsKPXwD7agefaSg1kNWHaHOjuz21e7LgiNxHHcFXx734jkkwuHHLXwwt3Qru06SOg6-DYGv4/s320/1+002.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Right down to the chassis</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmC1nPV-un5Z7JD2f6n5AFs7U8HSdAaKnrZrlbTQCewxGXUUgNgr6atUVLxwSu0ZH7WcQYviSed_ETe_ywQuathLEB8_PS2NeMRRqOexLKhRCXr0c4CJqUQWw2FvxcMyHNrB_pmoEqU4/s1600/1+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmC1nPV-un5Z7JD2f6n5AFs7U8HSdAaKnrZrlbTQCewxGXUUgNgr6atUVLxwSu0ZH7WcQYviSed_ETe_ywQuathLEB8_PS2NeMRRqOexLKhRCXr0c4CJqUQWw2FvxcMyHNrB_pmoEqU4/s320/1+006.jpg" /></a></div><br />
So, that's where we're at right now. Just so you know how much I love my readers, I did NOT post the picture of <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Ande</span> cleaning out the black water (sewage) tank. Turns out the previous owners didn't empty it before selling it to us, and <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Ande</span> didn't discover that little tidbit of info until he was ready to remove the tank. Yeah, it was pretty gross.<br />
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As I mentioned before, we found a floor plan we liked, and had the opportunity to go check out the <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">motorhome</span> we are going to be modeling ours after. It's pretty cool. Here's a drawing of the floor plan:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9bJEP9Fe6nAsT8YVj6zBcZq7yYtBeW4d6OBb18JB4C34shPLEfun7otMMuPVRW7j1AEWuhRvsLI_X7jcHaBXRDCOsD1PLBDT7xD8vDxxIbXL3kr1-xizWyJQlcxSfH3kRC-hevZuRE70/s1600/2011+Coachmen+RV+Freelander+21QBC+Motor+Home+Class+C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9bJEP9Fe6nAsT8YVj6zBcZq7yYtBeW4d6OBb18JB4C34shPLEfun7otMMuPVRW7j1AEWuhRvsLI_X7jcHaBXRDCOsD1PLBDT7xD8vDxxIbXL3kr1-xizWyJQlcxSfH3kRC-hevZuRE70/s400/2011+Coachmen+RV+Freelander+21QBC+Motor+Home+Class+C.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
We'll have to make a few adjustments to the design for the simple fact that we need more seat belts than this design has, but this is pretty much going to be it.<br />
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Oh, and all of this work has been done in our driveway and back yard. Our neighbors must LOVE us. LOLJuliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976800926737199529.post-49054826569524259282010-06-29T11:36:00.000-04:002010-06-29T11:36:38.282-04:00Fresh mozzarella<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipd_gDb3et1CGtertvaQDTnM8wvSqD2F-aUI6hEeCzLCoZAEi3VtFJlPr7SKJUgPWL81jIHasRLhuo3xSFMXabnHytQh-YpO69xP09WtRP2YEJy0E0fyxW0MqfkgUNAiLMzL2VuRRvG8g/s1600/cheese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipd_gDb3et1CGtertvaQDTnM8wvSqD2F-aUI6hEeCzLCoZAEi3VtFJlPr7SKJUgPWL81jIHasRLhuo3xSFMXabnHytQh-YpO69xP09WtRP2YEJy0E0fyxW0MqfkgUNAiLMzL2VuRRvG8g/s320/cheese.jpg" /></a></div>No, seriously, have you ever tried this stuff? It's freakin' AMAZING. I bought some to make a recipe a couple of weeks ago, and have to admit, I will have a hard time eating just "regular" mozzarella anymore. There are tons of different things you can make/do with fresh mozzarella. Salads, sandwiches, pizza, lasagna, etc. SO SO good. <br />
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This is how good the cheese is - Ande doesn't even LIKE cheese, and he not only liked the recipe, he asked me to make it again the next week. The best thing about the recipe is that it is the easiest thing EVER to make.<br />
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<strong>2 cups pasta sauce</strong>. You can use canned stuff or make your own. I used Prego "Traditional" and it tasted really good.<br />
<strong>1 package fresh mozzarella balls</strong>, drained. I found these in the deli section of my grocery store. They come in a little tub like the one shown above.<br />
<strong>1 clove garlic</strong>, minced. I used a product I'd never tried before, Chef Garden ready to use minced garlic. My sister in law used it while we were in Oklahoma, and I thought it was pretty good. I was right. It comes in a pretty big jar, which I found in my grocery store near the potatoes. (Weird, huh?)<br />
<strong>Extra Virgin Olive Oil</strong> (about 1-2 tbsp)<br />
<strong>1 package Honeysuckle Turkey Italian Meatballs</strong>. (You could also just make your own meatballs, I just happen to like these ones)<br />
<strong>Fresh basil</strong>, if desired. Ande isn't a big fan of basil, so I left this out.<br />
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Pour sauce into shallow pan, add garlic and stir. Add drained mozzarella balls and meatballs (I just lined them up in the sauce, didn't stir or anything)<br />
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Bake in 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and meatballs are heated through. (This may take a little longer if you use frozen meatballs)<br />
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Drizzle olive oil over sauce and garnish with basil.<br />
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Serve with your favorite pasta. (You could also make some killer meatball subs with this sauce)<br />
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It's pretty tasty and you can make it as easy or as complicated as you want!!Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976800926737199529.post-86256716894051965792010-06-28T11:20:00.000-04:002010-06-28T11:20:36.714-04:00And it's getting bigger all the timeSo...we've decided on a floorplan for the "new" motorhome...the good news is that we can re-use several appliances we salvaged from the original motorhome. The bad news is that what we've decided to do will take a lot more time and money than we originally anticipated. However, considering that right now we only have about $1000 invested in the RV (which is what we paid for it 2 years ago) and a new one with the floorplan we like is at least $64,000, we're off to a good start. LOL<br />
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I'm very thankful that Ande can do all of the construction stuff pretty much by himself (meaning we shouldn't have to hire any of the work out) and I can sew the cushions and make the window coverings. Our biggest expense will be constructing the "box", but there are plenty of things we can do while we're saving up for that.<br />
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Oh, and the toilet AND the shower are staying. :)Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976800926737199529.post-41969006121489820982010-06-24T10:13:00.001-04:002010-06-24T10:14:39.301-04:00Calling all campers...So we're in the process of tearing apart our <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">motorhome</span> to remodel it. We'll be starting over from scratch, which means we can basically set the floor plan up however we want. <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Ande</span> and I are currently discussing the need for a shower in the RV. <br />
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The current floor plan includes a shower. However, we're wondering how necessary a shower really is, since we will not likely ever stay somewhere that is very far from "facilities". (I'm sort of an 'indoor' kind of girl, so camping for me has to at least include a toilet & shower being available nearby). <br />
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So...for any of you who are (or would be) campers, what do you think? <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Ande</span> spoke to a person at one of the car dealerships that he works at, and she said she and her husband have never used the shower in their RV. I kind of think of it as one more think that can leak/break/malfunction in some way.<br />
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Jury's still out on whether or not the toilet will stay. For the sake of convenience, I'm tempted to say "yes", but then I think of having to empty the tank and there's a resounding "NO!!!" that goes off in my head. Your thoughts on this are welcome as well.Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976800926737199529.post-43517044635447340412010-06-23T20:42:00.000-04:002010-06-23T20:42:07.913-04:00Didja evermis-read a recipe and add too much (or too little) of a vital ingredient?<br />
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Today I *might* have *possibly* added just a touch *or tablespoon* too much ground chipotle pepper to a new bbq pulled chicken recipe I was making for dinner.<br />
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Now I LOVE hot & spicy food, so this wasn't a problem for me. I liked it pretty well, although the sauce was a little too thin for my taste. However, the main judge, jury, and often executioner of new recipes has yet to try it, so I'm wondering what he'll think of it.<br />
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What could Ande be doing that he'd miss dinner, you ask? He's working on "Old Bessie" once again. Perhaps you're familiar with her, perhaps not. Click <a href="http://juliekirbyblog.blogspot.com/2008/03/this-is-how-we-roll_19.html">here</a> for a refresher. And WOW, it's been over two years since we bought it? WHOA.<br />
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She's nearly all stripped down to nothing and we'll be rebuilding her basically from scratch. Yeah. Wish us luck. LOLJuliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976800926737199529.post-2634998917053294402010-06-15T09:22:00.000-04:002010-06-15T09:22:05.175-04:00So much work, so little time....Okay, so I've finally been motivated to get some stuff accomplished in our yard. We've lived here for 3.5 years and this is the first summer I've really felt like really working hard on our yard. It's still got a long way to go, but I've made a dent in it and that makes me happy. One thing that would have made me happier? If I had taken some "before" pictures so I could show you the improvement in how the yard looks! One of my biggest motivating factors is that my son will be graduating in two years, and I'd like to be able to have his open house here. (Or at least have it be a viable option) I have been thinking about it for a while, and I didn't want to have to try and rush to get the yard looking nice at the last minute (because I usually am a terrible procrastinator). I figured if I started now, I should be able to get a good head start on getting the yard into shape, so that when the time comes, I won't have to worry about it so much.<br />
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So far I've:<br />
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Weeded my large ivy bed near the garage. It's seriously like 10' in diameter - pretty big. Also had quite a few weeds. Also being overrun by creeping myrtle, so I will have to move those plants, but I can't move them until I have a place prepared for them to go into. Of course, the weeding is something that will need to be kept up with, but I hadn't weeded that bed at all in the whole time we've lived here. If I stay vigilant, it should be relatively easy to keep that bed looking nice.<br />
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Created a walkway from the garage to our "overflow" parking space. There were several concrete stepping stones that I found in various places in the yard that I used, along with some pea pebbles and landscape edging. All told, the project cost about $30. Not too shabby, and it looks so much nicer than it did before!<br />
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Started a landscape wall that runs along the new walkway, and will continue around the ivy bed until it reaches the driveway on the other side. This will have to wait for further funding before I can finish it, although I believe it will cost no more than $100 or so to complete.<br />
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Weeded an even larger creeping myrtle bed near the end of our driveway. This thing was completely out of control and had several trees growing in it, alongside lots of picker bushes and a raspberry plant. It's going to take a bit more work to get it looking good again, but even just getting the stray trees and weeds out is an improvement. My goal is to thin out the myrtle and transplant some from the ivy bed near the garage to fill in some "empty" spaces.<br />
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Saved two tiny (one is about 3" tall, the other about 5") pine trees that I discovered growing in the myrtle bed. I'm hoping that I can get them to survive long enough to get big enough to plant in the yard (I've moved one into a pot so that I don't accidentally mow over it or step on it, and I will be moving the other one into a pot as well for the same reasons). I think I will be planting them at the corner where our yard meets our neighbor's yard. Of course, there are like 4 stumps to dig out of there before I can do that, but I'll get there eventually!<br />
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Needless to say, with all the work I've been doing outside, I've been exhausted by the end of the day! Fortunately, with the girls being outside playing while I work, they're exhausted too! It's also nice that Ande and the big kids are home in the evenings to help out with the girls as well. I can't wait for school to get out so the big kids will be here all day. Only 1 full day and two 1/2 days left to go...Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976800926737199529.post-43238347823891935652010-06-09T15:58:00.000-04:002010-06-09T15:58:17.015-04:00It's a Two-fer day...Yep, I go for weeks without posting, now you get two posts in the same day. As my 13 year old daughter would say, "Mom, you're SO random."<br />
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I just went on weather.com to see what our forcast was, and clicked on the link for historical data (the record highs and lows). Yeah, that darned global warming strikes again...here in my town in Michigan, 24 out of the 30 days in June had record highs <strong><em>prior</em></strong> to 1934. NONE of the 6 remaining record highs were in the 2000's. How exactly do the global warming fanatics explain stuff like that?Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976800926737199529.post-31051796574165961302010-06-09T13:41:00.002-04:002010-06-09T13:43:14.284-04:00Wow, has it really been that long?My last post was May 22nd. Whoa. Sorry for my abscence, between my new addiction (Facebook) and preparing for/going on vacation, I haven't had much to say here...<br />
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You may notice that I've added word verification to my comments - hopefully this will reduce spam. Sorry for any inconvenience to my non-spam comment leaving friends!<br />
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Since I know you've missed seeing them...here's a sweet picture of Jib and Puckey for you to enjoy. This is from our first day in Oklahoma visiting Ande's brother and his family. Nothing like a vacation in which your kids need multiple baths a day!! (In other words, they had LOTS of fun!!)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK3v-3QUAEZH-XxZEBJmL9d0MOs4eOJXn3IK2qFEPRo2kyCANiZTy4XRRkfQqsmnSttS6539O2tF8Ku6TTRDRLmC4if7eQkd_B7Jgvw7oebwcobo0j1mu35mOnYRcOKh0Ys9mF01JE8fo/s1600/Oklahoma+Vacation+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK3v-3QUAEZH-XxZEBJmL9d0MOs4eOJXn3IK2qFEPRo2kyCANiZTy4XRRkfQqsmnSttS6539O2tF8Ku6TTRDRLmC4if7eQkd_B7Jgvw7oebwcobo0j1mu35mOnYRcOKh0Ys9mF01JE8fo/s400/Oklahoma+Vacation+003.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976800926737199529.post-33633382532753423682010-05-22T11:48:00.000-04:002010-05-22T11:48:47.346-04:00Learning new stuffSo, many of you know that we don't watch TV. We don't even OWN a TV. We used to own one, but when we moved in Dec 2006 we just left it in the garage. I think we held on to it for about 2 years before we decided to sell it on Craig's List. So we don't watch TV. I have no idea who's on American Idol, what happened on Grey's Anatomy, or who shot JR. (HA! Remember those great cliff-hangers from the 80's? LOL)<br />
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Actually, we could watch many of the shows that are on TV via the internet, we just choose not to. There are some shows we do like, and we have a membership to Netflix, so we DO watch TV shows/movies sometimes. It's just not as convenient as flipping on the television. :) One of the main reasons that we chose to get rid of TV was because of all of the garbage that was so easily accessible. Not that it's not easy to access online, but we can keep track of what is being viewed on our computer, and block the stuff we don't want our kids (or ourselves) to watch.<br />
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Anyway, the girls recently discovered Dora the Explorer. Although I find the show itself somewhat annoying, I have to admit, the girls ARE learning a few new things, which is kind of cool. Just the other day, Jib said, "Momma, turn red, turn 'rojo'!" The girls greet each other with "Hola". Every now and then I'll hear them saying different Spanish words to each other. It's pretty neat to hear the learning/using a second language.Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976800926737199529.post-34646584386176107362010-05-04T14:36:00.000-04:002010-05-04T14:36:26.138-04:00Adapt and overcome, that's MY mottoSo I was at the mall today with the girls, and Jib had a runny nose. Stupid allergies. I checked my purse for some tissue or a napkin so I could wipe her nose, but came up empty handed. Well, except for the pantyliner I had stowed away. Yep, that's right, I wiped my daughter's nose with a pantyliner.<br />
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Guess it's time to invest in some pocket sized packs of tissue.Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976800926737199529.post-19902305013863404612010-05-02T16:42:00.000-04:002010-05-02T16:42:04.364-04:00DisappointingWell, sadly an animal came the yesterday and destroyed several of the eggs in the duck's nest, and returned for the rest of them today. :(Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976800926737199529.post-51008934701850667842010-04-28T13:33:00.000-04:002010-04-28T13:33:11.386-04:00We're gonna have a baby!!Yep, you read that right. We're having a baby. Or maybe 10..... <div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__urk5wup4eDI1NA76o14crBdimUonoVVAQ8P5m85HAeLUrPQ9OnNrLVwxkmijvfEG5sSy7zsJxP_fPolUjDtvWDwnchoZRr2rukXIDC5kLnp_C65ctA7vdg7rsPn6iehFqYaePd3iRo/s1600/duck+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__urk5wup4eDI1NA76o14crBdimUonoVVAQ8P5m85HAeLUrPQ9OnNrLVwxkmijvfEG5sSy7zsJxP_fPolUjDtvWDwnchoZRr2rukXIDC5kLnp_C65ctA7vdg7rsPn6iehFqYaePd3iRo/s320/duck+002.jpg" tt="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">She's hard to see, but here's Mama Duck...I tell you, when she's on her nest you can hardly see her at all!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuyKjYLco-mEQZqmKuC7eyEcx0qoOsx3vGuM84Ck4H6rPJipXlOQH0k4QwTjaz2tg3rkmuRy8wqT1ZIs4lBnntS-bgtmcm1pD0fAaI3CC5cTuK6SJuVrBbzsi4JI_7kmsVL8vIfUPt8dM/s1600/duck+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuyKjYLco-mEQZqmKuC7eyEcx0qoOsx3vGuM84Ck4H6rPJipXlOQH0k4QwTjaz2tg3rkmuRy8wqT1ZIs4lBnntS-bgtmcm1pD0fAaI3CC5cTuK6SJuVrBbzsi4JI_7kmsVL8vIfUPt8dM/s320/duck+001.jpg" tt="true" width="320" /></a></div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01329375303392385316noreply@blogger.com3