Kelly@CCCC Hodgepodge-Volume 67

Questions for the Wednesday Hodgepodge-Volume 67

1. February 22nd is National Be Humble Day...what makes you proud? What keeps you humble?
My grandchildren keep me humble.  Looking at things, through their eyes, gives me a fresh perspective on life.

2. Where is the catch-all (aka dumping ground) in your house?
My bedroom, which totally stinks!  If no one knows where to put something, they put it in my room.  If someone is cleaning and comes across something they don't want to fool with, they put it in my room.  I think that "out of sight = out of mind" is a pervasive philosophy in my house and I think "mama" has decided that some things are gonna change...... =P

3. Do you make it a point to visit State/National Parks when you travel or even in your own hometown? What's your favorite?

Not really, to be honest.  Most State/National Parks around here are so "commercialized" and touristy that there is nothing special to them.  I rather prefer to head out into more natural surroundings.  It doesn't feel so "tainted" that way.

4. How would you define honor?
I would define "honor" as doing the "right thing" by someone; by giving your word and following through on promises made; by standing fast and looking out for the underdog.  There's a country song that immediately came to mind and the chorus states, "You've got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything.  You've got to be your own man, not a puppet on a string.  Never compromise what's right and uphold your family name.  You've got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything." by Aaron Tippin.  Seems that covers a good portion of it.

5. Angel's food or Devil's food-which cake do you prefer?

Devil's food cake, all the way!  I love the rich, moist chocolate cake over the dry, spongy texture of the Angel food cake!

6. What's the most recent road trip you've taken? Where did you go and how many hours did you spend in the car? Do you like to zoom to your destination without stopping or leisurely wind your way there with stops along the way? What is your car snack of choice?
The most recent road trip I've taken was last month when I drove up to Ohio, with my dad, to visit my best friend, Nani.  It took us about 10 hours to get there and we spent about 8 of those in the car.  I hate "zooming" to my destinations.  I want to stop and look around, search for local Starbucks, try new food, etc.  My car snack of choice are Apple Cinnamon Quaker Mini Rice Cakes and either a diet coke or a coffee!

7. Recent headlines told how a preschool child in NC had their packed lunch from home taken away and a school lunch substituted by a school inspector who deemed the homemade lunch unhealthy. Reportedly the parent was then billed for the school lunch (chicken nugget meal) although an update to the story says the parent was not billed. The inspector was conducting a routine inspection of the classroom-he/she was not there solely to peek in the lunchboxes. The packed lunch contained a turkey and cheese sandwich, an apple juice box, a bag of chips, and a banana. You can read the story here. Your thoughts?

My thoughts on this? Immediately, it really makes me mad.  We [the USA] have not quite yet descended into becoming a communistic society, but it brings us one step closer.  Routine inspection, my arse!  Did the "idea-fairy" just decide to smack the inspector upside the head and say, "Hey, lets look in the lunches to check for pipe bombs and such".  Um, dude....it's a preschooler and this is not Uganda, where even children are booby-trapped with bombs.  Oh, I could definitely get on a soapbox here, but suffice it to say, I'm not a happy camper!

8. Insert your own random thought here.
Mothers of teenagers NOW know why animals eat their young!

Most Unique thing I own...

The most unique thing that I own would be a sculpture I bought several years ago.  It's one of a man hugging a woman from behind and her arms are up in the air in absolute trust, love and security.  When I saw it, it struck a chord deep within my heart and I just had to have it!

I have it on a shelf in my bedroom and whenever I start feeling a little melancholy or humdrum, I'll look at it and instantly it warms my heart.

Creative Craftiness... Help?!

http://coffeecupchristianity.blogspot.com/p/journey-with-creativity.html

I posted this when I first started to blog last month.  I would love some input or pictures or any advice you could share in regards to creating a Handmade Victorian Christmas.... I have 10 months left.... =)~

Any suggestions or links would be absolutely awesome!! Thanks so much!

Meet Me on Monday

It is Monday and I am joining Acting Balanced`for Meet Me On Monday.  It is a bloghop.  If you have a blog you should hook up with us.  It is loads of fun!

The five questions for this week are:

1. What is your favorite kind of soup?
2. What was the last movie you saw in a theater?
3. What is your least favorite TV program?
4. If you were to write a book about yourself, what would you name it?
5. What 3 places that are on your bucket list to visit?

My answers are:

1. My favorite kind of soup would have to be Cheesy chunky potato soup!  It's filling, so you don't have to eat five bowls to get satisfied.... =P , the deep smoky flavor from the bacon and ham is just enough to make you almost believe that you are down home on a farm, and the cheddar cheese melted in with the soup...it's to die for!  Cut a chunk of crusty french bread to go with it and you have the perfect meal!

2.  The last movie I seen in a theater was New Moon, with my godson, Jacob.  It was his birthday and that's what he wanted to do!  We had a blast together that day!

3.  My least favorite TV programs would have to be soap operas.  The unrealistic plots are always the same, you can pretty much predict who is going to end up with whom, and who's going to die and be resurrected by the following season.  I get way more drama than I need just in real life alone!

4.  Actually I have seriously considered writing a book about my life!! But for now, I've made it an extra tab on my blog called, "Memoirs of a Messed Up Mom".  (I have a weird sense of humor!)

5.  Three of the places that are on my bucket list to visit, (there are way more than three, but for these purposes, I will follow directions!)  Tuscany, Italy; Prague, Czech Republic; and anywhere in Ireland.  Tuscany because I fell in love with it after watching Under the Tuscan Sun.  It just looks so romantic and the scenery was absolutely beautiful!  Prague, because of the architecture.  So beautiful and it stirs something deep inside that made me fall in love!  Ireland, because that's where my roots originated from and I would love to see the beauty and the natural landscapes with my own two eyes.  I've imagined it for a long time, hearing my relatives talk so much about "the home country".

10 Random Things about Kelly

1.  I love cherry pie, cherry kool-aid, cherry flavor in almost everything, but I can't stand whole cherries.  Go figure.  I'm pretty positive it's the texture.
2.  I enjoy discovering out of the way boutiques and thrift stores.  It is totally cool to find something that you really don't have a use for, but wouldn't dare consider leaving the store without it!  (ok, ok, I've gotten much better about that....but still!)
3.  I love classical piano and my favorite artist is George Winston.  Most of his music is so soothing, and on my off days, I can sit and listen to his "Thanksgiving" for hours.
4.  I have one sister and one brother but I'm an only child. =)~
5.  I cannot stand bad grammar.  Words like "brung", "tooken", etc., (grrr...it's "BROUGHT" and "TAKEN"!!) And I truly don't mean to be pompous-sounding, but those two words will illicit an automatic response of correction.
6.  I'm a behind the scenes, take-no-recognition type of person.  I love how things work, I just don't want any credit for it.  Yes, it totally contradicts my extroverted type personality, but I really enjoy watching others enjoy themselves!
7.  I say what I mean and I mean what I say.  Life is difficult enough without having to try and interpret what others really mean.
8.  I love the concept of blogging.  My technologically-illiterate brain still fights me at times...but I'm learning.  It's a slow process! But I'm having fun.
9.  When I met Nani, my best friend, and the "Zoo-crew" after my accident, I was totally terrified.  I was 18 years old, my front teeth were gone or broken, I was wearing a neck and back brace, on crutches, with a bicycle-pump-looking thing with screws sticking out of my left leg.  My thoughts were, "How are they going to be able to "see me" through all this hardware and outward appearances?"  I was pleasantly surprised.  They looked at me, said, "Hi", and resumed their conversation, including me when applicable.  They didn't treat me "different" or as a "freak".  I was amazed and, of course, I fell in love with everyone of them.  Including Nani's mom, Jan.  That day was one of the most pivotal days in my life.  Twenty four years later and counting..... I love you Nani, Scott, Jeff, Sheri, Jan, and John!  (Rest In Peace Jan and John, may angels keep you surrounded in love and peace.)
10.  The most important things in my life are God, family, and friends. I would be lost without even one of them.

Friday Fill ins from Nani's Blog

This week’s statements:
1. Sometimes I ____
2. I ___ high school
3. Deciding what to ___________________________ before I ___________________ is such a pain sometimes
4. _________________is my favorite_________________


My answers:

1.  Sometimes I get really goofy with my grandkids.  We'll put in a Veggietales or a Wiggles dvd and we will dance all over the living room singing at the top of our lungs!  I promise you that they last a lot longer than I do!

2.  I wished I had only gone to one high school.  I went to 3.  Ferndale High School, in Ferndale, MI; Romeo High School in Romeo, MI; and Hazel Park Senior High School in Hazel Park, MI from where I graduated from.  It was rough because at that point in my life I was fairly shy and it was difficult to make friends easily.  Once I hit Hazel Park High, I connected with some of my friends from middle school/junior high, so it wasn't as difficult.  But I miss the drama club, the french club, the debate club, and I miss the feeling of energy and promise upon graduation!

3. Deciding what to wear before I go to church is such a pain sometimes.  My weight fluctuates fairly regularly and it's difficult to know what will fit on any given Sunday!!

4.  Writing is my favorite pastime.  I enjoy creating story lines and character developments and I actually started writing my very first novel a couple of years ago...although I have put it in storage for now.  So many things going on in my life at the moment, it's hard to cultivate some serious creative inspiration!  I will get back to it soon.  I always feel like a part of me is missing when I'm not writing.

Mississippi Musings

On the first of this month, I took my dad and my grandson, Devin, up to Cape Girardeau for my dad's birthday.  After we did some shopping and had some lunch, we went down to the Mississippi River.  In downtown Cape, there is a historic area where they built a stone wall between the river itself and some train tracks.  On this stone wall, are pictures that were hand painted with different milestones throughout the midwest history.  Lewis and Clark murals, meeting with Native American tribes, Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn type adventures with Samuel Clemens aka "Mark Twain". I was inspired to take some pictures and do a bit of blogging on it.  (I am still getting the hang of blogging, but I think I've made some progress!)  Here is the first picture, when we first pulled up to the tracks into the parking slots.

You can even see the mighty Mississippi, off to the left, with the all too familiar sight of a barge being pushed by a much smaller boat.

It was rather comical, me urging my 4 yr-old grandson, Devin, closer to the water's edge so that I could get a picture of him with the barge moving behind him.  He was pretty amazed at how that little white boat on the far left of the picture could push ALL that cargo AND keep the whole thing going in the direction it was supposed to go.  He told me, "MiMi? When I try to do that in the bathtub all my stuff just goes everywhere!"  Just precious....

Here's another one coming from the opposite direction.  As they pass each other, Devin is trying to pull the imaginary "18-wheeler horn" in hopes that it will work here too!  Unfortunately, I don't think the ships' captains were really paying attention.  Too bad!

I took some pictures of the wall when we first pulled up, as well as a longer one that gives you an idea of how much time and effort went into creating this work of art along the river.

Turning to my left, I took this one....

The level of detail that went into these murals is incredible and I know that my itty-bitty iphone camera did not even come close to capturing that.  What was really interesting is that after we went through the opening in the wall, we discovered that the other side of the wall, that faces the river, was also painted, but this time with the history of Cape Girardeau.  Again, another amazing site.

There's Devin, and my dad, David..the birthday boy!  They are facing the river, while my back is to the river to take their picture.  It was a beautiful day!

The last two shots are of my grandson posing!  He's so adorable!

So, this is how we spent our day, with family, fun, and the mighty Mississippi!

Vintage Thingies from Kelly

I love this re-purposed, wrought iron table! The "birds" hanging from the trees above it just set the scene so beautifully!

Melancholy & Humdrum

You ever have those days where time feels like the enemy and you just wish you weren't human?  I'm having one of those days...weeks...months?

In this "politically correct" world we live in, sometimes I get tired of always searching for the right thing to say.  (Not hateful, spiteful, condescending, or racist or anything of that matter).  But dealing with someone who has grated on your nerves and done everything in their power to continue using you as lawn fertilizer just gets frustrating.  There are so many things you shouldn't say, want to say, and things that even just need to be said.  But being the good, little "poli-correct" girl, that I try to be, I say the placating things that just keeps things calm.

Does this mean that I'm a nice person? Does it mean that I'm a "peacemaker"? Or does this just mean that I'm a hypocrite for not saying the things that I truly want to say, come what may...regardless the feelings involved?

My husband of 17 years is seeing someone else.  Although we've been separated for a couple of years, we still saw each other on a regular basis, ie; going to dinners, holiday things, birthday things, just hanging out, and even going to church together.  We were going through a "getting to know you again" period, that I had hoped would yield better results than finding out from my 4-yr old grandson that "pawpaw" sleeps on the couch with "heather".  For several weeks apparently...all the while, talking me up about working on our relationship, how much he loves me, and how much he desperately wants to reconnect and get back to a healthy relationship.

Granted, we've been separated for quite a while.  So was this my fault?   I refused to let him back into the household until we got things totally squared away...which I guess was optimistic on my part.  But do you go from professing your "love" for someone to that same evening "shacking up" with another woman?  I truly don't know how to feel about this.

Part of me wants to just scream, throw a tantrum, get evil, and look for paybacks.  Another part of me just wants to let bygones be bygones and carry on.  (Divorced, obviously).  And yet, there is another part that feels an absolute sense of relief, as if a giant weight has been lifted from my shoulders.  Do I cry for all those lost years?  Do I cry for the lost "future" we could have had together? Should I be relieved to not have to continue being politically correct all the time, trying to be the "better" person?  Or should I just jump for joy, hoot and hollar, and go about my merry way?  I'm totally at a loss right now?

I know this is a bit  of a personal post, but I would really appreciate some advice or some girl rally time.  Any input would be welcome!  Thanks for reading, Kelly.

Beautiful furniture!

I love your series on Vintage Thingie Thursdays! I really enjoy looking at all the wonderful things that everyone posts!  Some of the items are just exquisite!  Here is my contribution!

I love the toile design to begin with, it just seems so romantic and inviting.  Reminds me of my granddaddy who passed away 2 months before my first daughter was born.  I know that sounds a bit weird, but he had a set of dishes that had the blue french toile design on the them and the passion for those patterns and that style has stayed with me.