My Favorite Summer Picture

We didn't do too much this summer, but I did get a few shots this summer of Isaac enjoying the weather. Here are a couple of my favorites:

Holding his first butterfly at the Lincoln Childrens Zoo:

Playing in his new noodle sprinkler:

It's hard to believe that summer is over. Isaac started school yesterday, so there won't be many more zoo trips or playing in the sprinkler this year.

My Kind of Music

So today, the SSD challenge is to share some of the music that we are totally in to right now - for example, what is constantly playing on your iPod. Well, I'm here to tell you, first off, I am way behind the times, 'cause I don't have an iPod. But I'll tell you what songs I crank the radio for when I'm driving to and from work. I love country music, so my faves are from that genre... I can't get enough of Summertime by Kenny Chesney, and All Summer Long by Kid Rock. And I absolutely fell in love with a group by the name of Lady Antebellum. I got to see them in concert about a year and a half ago, and I have loved them ever since. Some of my favorites from them are Love Don't Live Here, Lookin' for a Good Time, and Love's Lookin Good on You. If you haven't heard of them, you should check them out. I can't wait for their new album to be released!

FOBTY - Sweet Shoppe Challenge

So, I haven't really been anywhere fun in the last month, but we did go to a local county fair, and Isaac had a blast riding on the rides. Here is a picture from that:

What Flavor of Smoothie Are You?

Well, here is another quiz from the Sweet Shoppe... I think this one fits me perfectly.

You Are a Banana Smoothie

You are friendly and popular without even trying to be. People just like you. You are easy to be around and never offend everyone. You're quite mild. You have a warm demeanor, and many people find you to be inviting. You are sympathetic and kind. You have a soft spot in your heart for everyone.

What Flavor Smoothie Are You?

SSD FOBTY What kind of swimsuit are you?

You Are a One Piece Swimsuit

You are a bit conservative and traditional. And you are not at the beach to put your body on display! You are a low maintenance person. You like to look good, but you're not vain. Your taste tends to be sophisticated. You always opt for classy over trashy.

What Kind of Swimsuit Are You?

No surprise here. Swimming and swimsuits are not really my thing. But it does feel good to jump in and cool off every once in a while.

FOBTY - What's Your Gift

So our challenge today at SSD is a blog challenge titled what is your gift. Here are my results:

Your Gift is Intellect

You are a big thinker, and you're always playing with new ideas. You are curious about the world. You enjoy learning and developing new theories. You enjoy researching, analyzing, and solving problems. Thinking hard feels good! You're the type of person who finds most mental tasks to be easy. You love to stretch your brain.

What's Your Gift?

FOBTY - Are you sweet?

You Are Salty

There's something about you that makes the world a better place. You make life more colorful, more flavorful, and more vibrant. You get along well with others. You always have something to add. Without realizing it, people can become very addicted to you.

What Taste Are You?

FOBTY - Favorite Animal at the Zoo

So today, the challenge for the Sweet Shoppe Designs blog challenge is to blog about your favorite zoo animal since June is Zoo Month. Well I don't really have a favorite animal at our local zoo here in town, but I think I will talk about our famous duo! In December, a set of twin Matschie's tree kangaroo joeys were born. It is the first set ever known world wide. So, there have been lots of extra visitors to the zoo this spring to try to get a glimpse of this famous duo. Today, they poked their heads out of the mama's pouch for the first time, so their pictures have been all over. Here is what they look like:



And here is a link to the Lincoln Childrens Zoo website so you can read about them for yourselves!

FOBTY: Are you Facebook, MySpace or Twitter?

I don't agree with this quiz, but then again, I am not into Facebook, MySpace or Twitter... So, I guess it really doesn't matter. I just don't get the point of any of these things. I guess I am old fashioned or something.

You Are MySpace

You are young ... or at least you feel like you are. You are drawn to musicians and artists. You are proud of who you are. Your quirks are an asset, and you flaunt them! You are attracted to shiny things, and you aren't afraid of a little bling. You're stubborn enough to stick to what your like, even if falls out of fashion.

Are You Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter?

FOBTY - Are You Chocolate or Vanilla??

I could have answered this one before I took the quiz. I am kind of a plain jane, vanilla kind of girl.

You Are Vanilla

You are a delightful, friendly person. You are optimistic about life and people. You are enthusiastic and energetic. You enjoy everything you do. You are cooperative and flexible. You get along with people from many walks of life. You're not a show off. Instead, you're more likely to help other people shine.

Are You Chocolate or Vanilla?

FOBTY Favorite Cookie

Well this idea all started because it is that time of year when the Girl Scouts have their delicious cookies for sale. My favorite Girl Scout cookie is the Samoa. And you can't stop at eating just one of these cookies. I usually continue to eat them until the entire box is GONE. So this year, I did the unthinkable. I did not buy any!

Which brings me to my second point. My all time favorite cookie is the Monster Cookie. I usually bake one giant batch of monster cookies once every year. I always get teased by my friends because the recipe I use makes a huge batch anyway, but one year I accidently added twice the amount of brown sugar. Well, the only way to salvage the whole batch of cookies was to double it. It took me two days to bake all the cookies. Let me just say, I've never made that mistake again!

All this talk about cookies makes me want to go bake some...

FOBTY SSD Flowers Quiz

Tulips Say You're Very Positive

You are very popular and universally admired. You are often hopelessly in love, and you connect to other people easily. You are a naturally cheerful and upbeat person. You have an amazing smile. You have a fresh perspective on things. You have a different way of looking at the world.

What Do The Flowers You Pick Say About You?

FOBTY - Will You Keep Your New Year's Resolution

You Will Keep Your New Year's Resolution

You planning on making a resolution that's smart, attainable, and perfect for where your life is.

Will You Keep Your New Year's Resolution?

Cupcakes

Today, we have a new challenge from Sweet Shoppe Designs...to blog about your favorite cupcakes. Hmmm...well, I like cupcakes, pretty much any kind. But my favorite has to date back to my childhood. I can't remember the exact name, but my older sister used to make them for us when we were growing up. They are chocolate with a cream cheese type filling in the middle of them. I haven't had these for ages! She would make them from scratch, not a box. And if I was really good, she would let me help make them! She is seven years older than me, so she often had to take care of her little sister and this is one thing we would do together. Mmmm...now I think we are going to have to bake some of those again! I am going to have to go dig up that recipe. Here it is:

Black Bottom Cupcakes

Filling:
1/3 c sugar
1 egg
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese
pinch of salt
1 c chocolate chips

Batter:
2 tsp soda
3 c flour
2 c sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 c cocoa
2 c water
2/3 c vegetable oil
2 T vinegar
2 tsp vanilla

Mix together filling, and mix together batter. Fill cup cake papers, alternating with cake batter, then filling, then cake batter on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Makes 30 cupcakes. Frost with your choice of frosting.

SSD FOBTY Shopper Quiz

You Are a Discount Shopper

You love to get things as cheaply as possible. You live for sales. It's partially because you like to save money, but it's also because you like the thrill of finding a fabulous deal. Of all the types, you tend to shop frequently but rarely by. You keep an eye on prices. Brand names are not that important to you. You know how to have style without collecting designer tags.

What Kind of Shopper Are You?

SSD FOBTY Snow Quiz

Your Snow Test Says You're Independent

You feel like something good will happen to you in the next few months. You don't really like to work, unless work feels like play. You only are successful when you are doing what you love. You are an independent, individualistic person. You thrive when you're doing your own thing. Your biggest worry in life is your family. You stay up at night thinking about them. When it comes time to relax, you have difficulty relaxing. You are a bit high strung.

The Snow Test

2009 Goals

Well, the new year is upon us and with that comes an idea that I will make myself a better person in 2009. Not that I really dislike who I am, but there is always room for improvement. That being said, here is my list of "goals" for the new year - in no specific order.

1. Have a cleaner house. I would like to keep our house more picked up in general but also get into a routine for cleaning each week.

2. Lose weight. Since having Isaac, this has always been a goal. But this year, it is not only a goal for that dreaded number to go down but just to be healthier all around.

3. 150 layouts. This is a lofty goal, but I really want to try for this especially since I enjoy scrapping so much.

4. Project 365. This will be so fun to look back on all 365 pictures of 2009. I will take a picture each day and scrap/journal about them. I WILL get a book made at the end!

5. Clean out basement. Yeah, we have an unfinished basement. Well, since moving in several years ago it has become a catch-all. We are going to finish it this year so that means I need to get to work.

6. Become a CPC (certified professional coder). I am a medical coder by profession and I am ready to become certified.

7. Keep up on my blog. No explanation needed.

8. Ride in a hot air balloon. I really want to do this. And life is short. This will be the year that I get this done.

9. Date night. My husband and I will have one date night (without the kiddo) per month in 2009.

I know that some of these are lofty goals, but they are just that goals. If we become complacent in our lives, then each year will just pass us by and next thing you know, you are old and gray with all those things you "wish" you would have done. H

Have You Done These???

Something fun. I saw this on another blog and thought what fun. You are supposed to copy the list and then "bold" all the things that you have done so far in your life:

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Wow! I have only accomplished 37 out of 99. There are many things on this list that I would love to do! I think I will try to make if one of my goals for 2009 to add more bold items to my list. Some I would like to do include: 12. Visited Paris 17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty 26. Gone skinny dipping 27. Run a Marathon 28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice 33. Seen Niagara Falls in person. 49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person 50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris 70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial 79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person. There are also some that I hope I never experience.

Reading through this list, it was interesting to notice that for every one of these items that I put in bold, there is a story to tell. That is one reason I love scrapping so much. I get to tell the stories that would otherwise be lost. Hopefully I can accomplish more of that in 2009. H