I can't put it down......

I love to read.

I really do.

What is it about a good book ?

And then when you read lots of good books, in a row !

It just doesn't get any better than that.

I never really want to finish a good book.

I start to slow down near the end,

afraid that when I finish,

I won't find another book as good as the one I'm reading.

Some books I read,

sit all day

and if I only get a chance to read a few chapters each night,

before bed,

that's enough.

~BUT~

every now and then,

I find a book I just can't put down.

I go everywhere with it.

I dog ear the pages that have paragraphs so deep,

that I re-read them a few times

in order to really feel what I'm reading.

Sometimes then I even close my eyes,

so I can better picture the characters that are living in my head.

Then I want to read those paragraphs OUT LOUD,

to the world,

just to see their reaction.

I said to my sweet hubby yesterday that I was going to waste the day away,

because all I wanted to do was read my book.

He turned his head and said,

"oh Buff, reading is never a waste of time, silly !"

Gosh I love that man !!!!

{I'm reading Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult~this is the one I can't put down and I just finished Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky}

~both of these books have "law" related issues and I swear that in a previous life, somewhere, somehow, I spent time in a court room. Or maybe it's just from my time spent as a CASA a few years ago and the hours I spent supporting juveniles in front of a judge......but whatever it is, I love law when it's at a level that I can understand~

what makes my family happy......

Take any cake mix and DON'T add the eggs and oil.....

instead, add one 12oz. can of any diet soda....

mix {by hand or mixer} and bake according to the directions on the back.

{a chocolate cake mix works best with a dark diet soda, like diet pepsi and a yellow or white cake mix works great with any light colored diet soda}

Once it's cooled, smother it with LITE cool whip.

Then decide how many pieces you want, as it's easier to cut it now...

before the fruit goes on.

Add your fruit, any fruit.....GO WILD !!!!

ENJOY !!!

*this is a weight watchers recipe*

but you'd never know it !!!!

And who is this in the kitchen with me while I'm baking ???

Come closer......

There she is.....never more than a few steps away from me !!!!

kinda like this...............

This is where I go on Saturday mornings. With hopes of looking like this someday....

well, kinda ~sorta~ maybe !
But in my head, this is what I picture.
A beach chair to call my own,

where I can sweat under the morning sun.....
instead of at the gym.

But then my "Daily Om" said this.....
"dedication is more to devotion than to ambition,
thus it requires that you be as enthusicastic
about the process of striving for a goal,
as you are about reaching it"

So if you're looking for me this morning,
I'll be at the gym with visions of pina coladas in my head !!!
{pictures by flickr}

out of my league....

I went to a scrapbooking SHOW today

and I've decided that is one place where I just really don't fit.

~~~~~~~~~
Granted, I love some of the scrapbooking supplies,

I mean otherwise, why would I go, right ?

But I'm not a scrapbooker.

Nope.

Not one bit.

I once dabbled in it, but it didn't really fit me.

~~~~~~~~~

Instead, I do mixed media art,

but no "real" scrapbooking....

{and the reason I know this

is because I don't use the word "lay-out!"}

~~~~~~~~~

Anyway, at these shows, I stick out like a sore thumb.

Scrapbookers have a certain look that I don't have.

They wear T-shirts with scrapbooking logos.

They carry scrapbooking bags to use while shopping.

They speak a scrapbooking language I don't understand.

~~~~~~~~~

And they LOVE scrapbooking supplies.

Boy, do they LOVE their stuff !

Enough so as to push me out of their way in order to get "a fix."

And not once did I hear, "excuse me," which is a HUGE pet peeve of mine !

I bet they don't act this way at home.

Don't get me wrong....I did buy some great stuff.

~~~~~~~~~

But before I go again, I'll have to think seriously about it..... deciding if it's worth taking my life in my hands just for a fabulously designed 12x12 paper, where the woman behind me acts like it's the last one that's ever been produced.

Or maybe I'll jump in and join them, while proudly wearing a

"queen of the crop" T-shirt....or not.

~~~~~~~~~

{now hold up....if you are a scrapbooker reading this, I'm only dissing the act of shopping in a scrapbookers environment...not you personally. I don't want any "hate" mail with, "you said blah blah blah...... And other than the fact that I always say, "excuse me," everything I wrote above perfectly describes me when I'm at a flea market.....except there, I wear my T-shirt that says....

~~~~~~~~~

GET OUT OF MY WAY PEOPLE

THAT'S MINE

I SAW IT FIRST

{just kidding....well, sort of}

what ???

This was outside the gas station yesterday.

At first it made me laugh....and then I cringed a little.

Do you think someone out there wanted to apply for a job here,

but then saw the sign and mumbled to himself,

"quality.....hmmm......

I'm not sure if I fit that description"

and decided instead

to go back home, feeling like a loser ?

I mean really....

Isn't everyone a quality person....

somehow, in some capacity ?

And who are we to judge ?

Now don't get me wrong....

they might not have the right talent or skills for the job,

but quality.

~qual-i-ty~

kwa-le-te/adj.

1:peculiar and essential character:nature

2:degree of excellence

3:high social status

4:a distinguishing attribute

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WE are all human beings....

WE have opposing thumbs...

isn't just that a HUGE and wonderful quality ???

A big orange breast.....

It's Wisconsin....

and it's still winter here no matter what the calendar says.

And for all of you reading this from a warm weather state,

we are still getting "sneaux".....

our total for the season is over 104 inches so far,

and they say we aren't done yet.

Just makes you want to move here, huh ?

Makes me want to vomit.

~BUT~

look who flew in to cheer me up.

He's a pretty bird alright.....

so orange, so puffed up....

trying to stay warm....

I bet he's wishing he'd stayed south just a little longer.

Actually, I think I heard him say a few 4-letter words

even while I was taking pictures of him.

{and in case you're wondering.....

this is a real photo that I took !! No flickr and most importantly, NO photo shop !!!}

an egg filled weekend.......

{original bunny photo by flickr....and then I decorated it for easter}

I don't.....nope, I really don't.........

know how to play the piano

hardly ever where high heels

like to dust

eat baked beans

usually speak quietly

wear matching bras and panties

listen often enough

need contacts or glasses

sleep in a king sized bed

usually "go with the flow"

go to a tanning bed

wear socks with my shoes

know how to drive a stick shift

eat jelly with my peanut butter

like to be cold

sing in tune at all

really like musicals

tolerate cigarette smoke

wear much jewelry

feel good about war

sleep in the nude

try very hard with something I'm not interested in

bake or cook with a smile on my face

hesitate to speak my mind

keep my emotions inside

.....but sometimes I wish I did.....

am I alone or are you loved too ?

How can it be that I run into Target

to get 3 or 4 things

and come out

with my cart filled

with at least 5 bags of goodies

EVERY SINGLE TIME ?

Does this happen to everyone

or

am I alone?

This doesn't happen to me in other stores

nope

only in Target

even after I'ved convinced myself

that today will be the day

that I don't spend

$100.00

BECAUSE

I only need 3 or 4 things

I think Target loves me

Do they love you too

{picture by flickr}

you caught me.....

I'm here to tell the truth.

About 2 things.

~First~

I adore Simon Cowell.

What can I say ?

I know some people hate him.

They think he's rude and mean.

I think he's honest.

Brutally honest.

In a way that all of wish we could be.

At least every now and then, right ?

Did you see him today on Oprah ?

No longer is he just Simon.

The "mean one" on American Idol.

He's also a Guardian Angel.

For a family whose little girl is battling cancer.

He paid off the mortgage on their house.

And he said they could call on him for anything else that they might need help with.

Now I love Simon.

And

~Second~

I read too many blogs.

I'm a blog addict.

My butt has gotten wider from sitting in front of my computer reading blogs.

But because I read so many, I have something to confess.

If I get to your blog and your post is really long, I start to skim.

I'm not sure if it's the length of the post,

or that I have so many more to get to,

or my adult ADD kicks in....

but if your post is really long-

with no breaks, photos or new paragraphs-

I get lost.

My eyes don't know where to focus.

I get antsy.

And so I move on.

So I'm here to confess that I'm not a good blog reader.

If you have lots and lots to say.

Are you still with me here ?

Or did I lose you when I said I love Simon ?

I'm soooooo done with winter.......

Oh no you din't......oh yes I did !!!!!

Raise your hand if you know that's it's against corporate policy to take photos inside a retail establishment !!!

I'm kind of one those girls that if you tell me, "no" you can't do that......then I'm going to work really hard to see what I might be able to get away with and maybe piss someone off in the process.

What can I say?

It must stem from something in the way I was brought up... {hi mom}

Anywho.....

Yesterday I was in Anthropologie....the only store I drool in.....and I saw exactly what we've been talking about doing in the cottage.

A tree.

Rebuilt..... inside.....on a wall.

YES....they stole my idea...oh yes they did !!

So after looking at it closely, I asked a salesgirl if I could take a picture of it.

Stupid mistake on my part.

I could have taken 50 pictures while I was examining the tree and nobody would have even seen me, but out of the goodness of my heart, I actually asked for permission.

The store manager stuck her head out of the office door and shook it "NO" in my direction and that was that.

After I was done shopping and ready to check out, a cheery salesgirl {a different one from the beginning of this story} comes up to the counter and says, "how are you today?" and I responded with, "I'm actually pissed to tell you the truth."

HONEST....that's what I said.

So I tell her what had happened and she asks if I want to speak with the manager and since she couldn't show me anything in writing saying pictures aren't allowed inside the store, I said "yes...I'd like to speak with the manager."

She leaves to go get her and after 5 minutes of waiting and my blood pressure getting higher, I walk over to the tree, take a photo and calmly reclaim my spot in front of the cash register.

She returns with the manager.

The manger then spends the next 5 minutes telling me that it's corporate policy that you can't take pictures inside their store or any store for that matter.

I asked her why it's not written anywhere...or posted inside the store.

She said it's a verbal policy......WHAT ?

She said that if someone get's caught taking pictures inside their store, the pictures would have to be deleted off of their camera, in front of the manager....WHAT ?

So I calmly said that I was very disappointed, and could understand her point of view {policy, whatever} regarding photography of certain things in the store....but a tree ?

That just didn't make any sense to me.

And I'm all about sense.

She said it was the designers creation.

IT'S A TREE.

I bit my tongue.

What I really wanted to tell her was that MOTHER NATURE was the person responsible for creating the tree....but that might have ended in a fist fight and since I was meeting my sister for lunch, I didn't want to take the chance of showing up with a fat lip.

So I let her think she won.

But she didn't.

I did.

Because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties {thank you Jack Nicholson} I found my rebellious side......

And today she came out in full force and was walking on the wild side !!!

note to self......

This morning I got up, fixed my bed-head hair and put my work-out clothes on

I ate half of a protein bar

And then ran Sophie to the groomers for her spa appointment

I was at the gym by 8:15

for my 8:30 sculpting class

It kicked my butt

In a good way

On the way home, I decided to treat myself to a trip to the mall

I hadn't been there in ages to "really" shop

and I felt like treating myself to some new clothes

"NOTE TO SELF"

If you haven't showered

and you've had your butt kicked in a sculpting class

and the only thing on your face is lip gloss

NO salesperson will even look your way while you're shopping

and today, with the sun shining brightly

and my butt feeling tight

I was SO okay with that

because I felt pretty on the inside

waiting for the words to come.....

My latest journal pages....waiting.

Waiting for the words to come.

monday thoughts.....

We have no faith in ourselves.

I have never met a woman who, deep down in her core,

really believes she has great legs.

And if she suspects that she might have great legs,

then she's convinced that she has a shrill voice and no neck.

{I loved this quote when I found it. It's written by Cynthia Heimel. And once I matched it with this picture from our Aruba trip...perfect !}

tag...you're it !!!

~my blue ocean breathes for me~

I've been tagged on this blog and now I'd like to tag everyone else out there who would like to play. Here are the rules that were given to me........


1. Write your own six word memoir.
2. Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you’d like.
3. Link to the person who tagged you in your post and to this original post if possible so we can track it as it travels across the blogosphere.
4. Tag five more blogs with links.
5. And don’t forget to leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play!


{I really don't want to tag anyone specifically. I'm just afraid I might leave someone out and feelings would get hurt or I'd tag someone who feels pressured to play, but doesn't really have the time to do so. So if this looks like fun to you, please jump in and play !!!!}

Photos of me that I'm not {too} ashamed to share

This is one of my favorites...me and my dad playing in the sand.
Oh yeah....I can rock climb with the best of them.

Don't laugh....this is when I turned 16.

{and also when I looked the most like my cousin, Andy Roddick...yes, the famous tennis player}

Come on....didn't we all have this hair style at some point during our teenage years ?

And then the perm ?

{I was 6 months pregnant {and 23} when this photo was taken}

And in keeping with the hair theme.....this is what I look like most mornings.
{with a big old rat's nest on top of my head}

short attention span

Yoga wasn't enough for me.

I joined the health club where the yoga classes are being held.

And now I'm all over the place.

Which is good for me.

Because I get bored easily.

So I've been doing body step.

And body sculpting.

And I like it.

The music keeps me peppy.

The motions keep my mind busy.

And I keep my body moving.

And today I feel pain.

But it's a good pain.

The kind of pain that reminds me that I have muscles.

That aren't being used enough.

Or at all.

But I like it.

I really like it.

And now I need a little nap.

But before I go, I leave you with this quote........

When in doubt, make a fool of yourself.

There is a microscopically thin line

between being

brilliantly creative

and acting like the most gigantic idiot on earth.

So what the hell, leap !!!!!

{picture by flickr, quote by cynthia heimel}

have crayons, will color

everything is ART.

somehow.

somewhere.

someday.

from someone's point of view.

and today this is beautiful to me.

{thank you flickr}

I think they are

Ali is such an inspiration.

Every day.

She has such a "feel good" way about herself and her life.

And she shares it with all of us.

Every day.

So her latest post, regarding a page in the newest Domino magazine, I found amazing.

I decided that I wanted to play with this "soon to be famous quote" from Mastercard and also the coloring of an almost colorless background.

It's not that easy.

So I played a little.

Not much.

But enough.

This photo is from one of our beach vacations.

And it was perfect to use.

I washed out the coloring.

Added the quote.

And ta-da.

My picture, because Ali inspired me.