fritos...

corn chips... the BIG ones... the SCOOPS!!!
that is what this smells like:S

(is this not the cutest puppy dog paw you've ever seen:)

nice, huh???
evidently this smell is not unique to my maggie...

the notorious d says ella's smell the same!!!


(ella sleeping with mr. notorious d:)

anyway, i've been sleeping with THAT in my face since november.
ROTFLMAO!!!
i have fallen asleep to the smell of a "super bowl" party
for nearly 8 months now.

further...

this is the view i've seen before shutting my eyes
each of those nights!!!


(my little luv gives a whole new meaning to the words
"frito lay")

well, after taking this last picture of her...


(God, i love this smelly footed dog!!!)

i scooped her up and kennelled her...

for four nights, she has slept soundly in her kennel!!!

for four nights, john and i have slept soundly in our bed!!!

the only thing i have smelled???

downy fabric softener!!!

yessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!!!

ALL IS GOOD ON THE LANE:)

love and blessings,
dani xx

ps... jennifer, my name is dani b, and i am a "real blogger"!!!

(can you believe she accused me of being a "real blogger"???)

i awoke john taking those pictures:b

"what the he!! are you doing???" he asked.
"taking pictures for my blog..." i responded.

there were a couple more clicks and flashes
as well as...
2 or 3 more expletives!!!

but, we are still happily married:D
and able to spoon again:)

update************
jennifer has an intervention going on for me over at half full life!!!

BAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!

a theft and an invasion...

i awoke in the wee hours saturday morning to a thief in my bedroom!!!
i opened my eyes to witness my laptop being taken right from under my nose:o

"what are you doing???" i asked the thief.
"oh, can i borrow your computer??? hannah and i are making blog accounts, and we both need a computer..." whispered katherine... i mean the thief;)
"sure," i replied, "but return it when you are finished."

my girls spent the next 3 or 4 hours, i suppose, setting up blog accounts???
for, when i awoke, my laptop had not been returned. and, when i finally found it, there was a comment posted at 5 something am from katherine inviting me to come see her spot:)

blogger had, indeed, been invaded by my 1 1/2 girls.
(i share hannah half of the time with her family, tee-hee;)

i read katherine's first blog and then read hannah's. those two are too funny... and JUST alike!!! i mean it's uncanny how alike they are!!!

(at times, i would swear that the two are conjoined and share one brain, LOL!!!)

BUT I LOVE THEM WITH ALL MY HEART AND SOUL!!!

read (if you like)... and see what you think:? katherine's blog.hannah's blog.


love and blessings,
dani xx

saturday survey...

(a very quiet saturday on the lane)

maybe a good day for a survey:)
here goes:


Can you fill this out without lying?
i have thus far;)

What's the last thing you put in your mouth?
milk

Have you ever kissed anyone named Matthew?
no

Where was your default picture taken?
in katherine's bedroom

Last person you rode in a car with under the age of 20?
katherine

Last time you walked further than a block?
about 6 weeks ago

Name someone that made you laugh today?
katherine

How late did you stay up last night and why?
10:30, i watched the news first.

If you could move somewhere else, where would it be?
knoxville, tennessee (i love the mountains and it's not far from the beach).

Ever been kissed under fireworks?
no, but i've seen fireworks when i've been kissed;x

Which of your friends lives closest to you?
the anonymous d:)

Do you prefer to call or text?
email

Where is your biological father right now?
probably at home watching a baseball game.

Where are you at right now?
on the lane...

What was the last thing someone bought for you?
john bought me my wii fit:D

When is your birthday?
june 2

Was yesterday better than today?
pretty much the same

Can you live a day without TV?
sure...

Are you mad about anything?
nope, happy and calm!

Do you think relationships are ever really worth it?
well, heck yeah!

Last time you spent the night at someone's house?
the notorious d's house in march

What should you be doing right now?
cleaning

Who was the last person you visited in the hospital?
my aunt

Last hug?
katherine

Are you more of a coffee or alcohol drinker?
i'm a diet coke and skim milk drinker for the most part...
just an occasional coffee/alcohol drinker:)

Have you ever thrown shoes on a telephone wire?
nope

Who was the last male to hold your hand?
john

Who was the last person to call you?
my mom

What is the last non-alcoholic beverage you had?
milk

What is your favourite color?
pink and green

Are you scared of spiders?
no, just snakes...

Do you miss anyone?
yes:[

Where is the person you have feelings for right now?
sitting in the room with me watching a john wayne movie:)

Are you too forgiving?
i try

Do you have trust issues?
sometimes...

What are you currently doing?
this survey!

Have you ever punched a guy?
i've never punched anyone...

Would you go back in time if you were given the chance?
i would love to just for a day...

Ever been swimming in a lake or river?
oh yeah.

Ever been to a bonfire party?
yep!!!

Kissed someone in the last week?
this morning;x

What's irritating you right now?
nothing

What radio station do you listen to?
96 WSTO

Are you afraid of the dark?
nope

Can you run a mile without stopping?
no

Are you listening to music right now?
no, john wayne's on, remember:/

Do you like Chinese food?
i do!!!

Do you know your father's birthday?
yes, it is the same as mine...

Can you make a dollar in change right now?
if i can run out to the jeep first...

How many kids do you want to have?
just the 1 i have.

What are you currently wearing?
pj's

Have you had the chicken pox?
yep

Who knows you the best?
john, katherine, and my 2 d's

Did you buy something today?
no

What was the last TV show you watched?
20/20

Who are you talking to at the moment?
nobody

Do you like how you look?
about 30lbs ago, yes...

Plans for tomorrow?
i have none at the moment.

love and GOd's blessings,
dani xx

wrapped in a ribbon...

seven years ago, today, my little
elizabeth katherine was born...



as soon as the anonymous d called,
i rushed to the hospital.
i couldn't wait to see her!!!
elizabeth katherine was gorgeous.
my dear, dear friend's little baby girl
was a gift...
wrapped in a pink ribbon:)

she's a big girl now...
seven today and so excited.
i am excited for her!!!

(elizabeth katherine is the movie star on the left

and she's still wrapped in a pink ribbon...;)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
lots of love and birthday blessings,
aunt dani xxx

a thread in time thursday...

you may recall that in last thursday's thread in time i referred to the first house i lived in post dormitory while i was in college. i told you that 6 of us girls lived in a two bedroom house with one bathroom, that the house had a piano on the front porch, and that it was situated next-door to a boot store with a huge horse on its awning...

well, i couldn't find any pictures of our house.

BUT, here is a picture of the awning of the boot store!!!


(the face has been hidden to protect the identity of the not-so-innocent;)

love and blessings,
dani xx

ps thank you for all your thoughts and prayers...

tragedy

(flags lowered to half staff in memory of the slain.)


there has been an horrific tragedy
that has occurred here in our little town.

a man went into a local factory last night/early morning
and killed 5 people before turning the gun on himself.
we are supposed to get more details at 3pm central time...
a couple of hours from now.
please, keep us in your prayers.
i will update when i get more information.

***********updated information:
click HERE.


further:
(a prayer vigil will be held tonight (6-25-08) for the families of the victim's of today's shooting at Atlantis Plastics.
the prayer vigil will take place at 5:00pm on the steps of the Henderson County Courthouse.
anyone is welcome to attend, and pray for the families of those affected, as well as the community as a whole.)

love and prayers,
dani xx

no "follow-through"...

i have always done really well with "follow-through"
in terms of parenting.

further, katherine has NEVER slept in our bed unless sick.


(but, this maggie is a different story all-together!!!)

maybe it's because i'm older...
or because "how maggie turns out" is not nearly as important...
i don't know???
but, my second "child" knows how to push my buttons and which buttons to push:/
alas, she pushes them!!!
and i let her...

after her lying under my bed the biggest part of yesterday...
POUTING!!!
and then coming to me bringing me her favorite toy of the week...
her monkey...
as a peace offering!!!

... i just couldn't bring myself to kennel her last night.
(so, i didn't:/)

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

katherine spent the night with her best friend.
so, after having no sleep the night prior i slept in kat's bed.
and, maggie slept in our bed with john.

you all were right!!!
(damn, i hate being wrong, HA!!!)

she resumed her spot right in the middle.
however, though i haven't talked to john yet today,
i think the three of us slept well last night.

i know I did:D

love and blessings,
dani xx

HER bed tonight!!!

what's wrong with THIS picture???


(maggie @ 6am on monday morning...)

she's asleep...
and i'm NOT!!!

in november i started allowing maggie to sleep with us. i was sure she was cold in her kennel, and she LOVES our down comforter and electric blanket. well, it's summer now (officially on saturday), and it's NOT too cold any more.
but, she is still sleeping with us.

actually, i think it is more like...
we are sleeping with HER!!!
(her HALF of the bed, of course, is the middle:/)

at 2 am this morning, she decided she was thirsty. she rolled from her normal position (spread eagle on her back), stretched, and proceeded to walk OVER john's chest to jump from his side of the bed to the floor.

the next thing i heard was her lapping water. evidently, while lapping she got water up her nose because she then started snorting. maggie is a king charles spaniel (spaniels are not natural "snorters"). next??? she had a sneezing fit.

the "poor thing" never could get situated after that. i wish i had the pictures to show you, but i don't think john would have much appreciated the flash going off while he was trying to sleep, lmao.

though, i can give you the visual: i have taken the down comforter out of our denim duvet; the duvet is still rather heavy. so when maggie lies down between us, the duvet pins us in place. i mean, without awakening and deliberately moving ourselves, we stay in ONE place "pins us".

HA!!! i opened my eyes at one point to her very loud snoring, unable to move and "noticed" her back paw about an inch from my face... i really thought about picking the darling up right then and moving her to her kennel.
i just honestly hated to wake her.

SHE IS SPOILED ROTTEN!!!

that's what is what is wrong with the BIG picture!!!

anyway, when john got up to go to work, she awoke, sat up, and looked at me... at which point i looked back at her and kindly told her she was going to sleep in HER bed tonight!!!

she cocked her head to the side (totally understanding my every word),
and went under the bed to pout. while pouting, she fell asleep...
hence, the picture at the beginning of my blog:)

she WILL sleep in her bed tonight!!!
(so long as she doesn't cry...)

love and blessings,
dani xx

HAPPY BIRTHDAY...

TABITHA!!!

Don't send a lame eCard.
Try JibJab Sendables!

i hope you have a day filled with love and laughter!!!


love and blessings,
dani xx

ps... click here to wish tabitha a happy birthday!!!
and, of course, compliment her on her dancing:D
as well as her dancing partner...
mr. daniel craig;b

ménage à trois...

the wine!!!

(i have found this to be a very nice, red wine:)

i had been searching for a red wine that i could find "drinkable" for some time... many of you may recall "the oliver incident"???

i really do think that wine, in moderation (most of the time;), is healthfully beneficial with its anti-oxidants and other medicinal properties.

anyway, the first time i'd ever heard of "ménage à trois" (the wine) was in march when i was in melbourne at the notorious d's house. however, i didn't try it because she had bought me a bottle of white zin (which is and will always be my favorite) to celebrate the fact that she was cancer-free,

which we are still celebrating:D

so, a few weeks ago, my brother came in with a bottle of it
that he'd found locally.

i had a taste and found it to be very good!!!

so, it's ménage à trois for me from now on...

try it you may like it:b

love and blessings,
dani xx

baby watch...

(looks like someone is nesting to me:)

well, elise is 9 days away from her due date!!! i am so excited for her as are many of you:D

i don't know about you all; but i have felt it a huge blessing for God to have allowed me to happen onto elise through her blog and to have been allowed to experience this pregnancy with her and her awesome family!!!
(dani's eyes are welling up with happy tears)...

(further, i feel it a HUGE blessing to have happened onto ALL of you!!! REALLY!!!)

we have seen elise go from this:


(elise at three months:)

to this:


(elise at her half way mark:)

and, finally, to this:


(elise, yesterday with 10 days to go:D)

dear, sweet, VERY PREGNANT elise is taking bets on when her mini boy blue will be born. if you'd like to place a "bet", here is her link:

ADVENTURES OF E AND T

i know she would love to hear from you as these last days tend to be veeeeeeeeeeeery long!!!

we all love you elise and are waiting with you<333

love and GOd's blessings, dani xx>

thread in time thursday...

i found this...
it is a picture of me in college!!!
i was a "bow head", too, just like my little katherine:D

notice: the apple doesn't fall far from the tree...


(ROTFLMAO!!!)

omgosh, i was 21 years old with a bow in my hair, penny loafers on my feet, and crew socks... i think i was in style???

BAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!

and, how about the naugahyde, bucket love seat??? lol, it doesn't look like it has any back legs; does it??? then there's the "napoleon dynamite" phone cord!!! we (four girls) lived in this "furnished" house our senior year... my second rental house after two years in the dormitory.

the first house had a piano on the front porch and was situated next to a boot store with a huge horse on its awning!!! i wish i had a picture... now, THAT was a thread in time!!! we (six girls) lived in a two bedroom house with one bathroom:O
it was so much fun:D

love and blessings,
dani xx

a hearse on the lane???

i haven't been out of my pajamas much lately, right...

well, a few minutes ago maggie started whining (it was the "i have to go outside... really badly... to take care of ALL my business" whine).

so, i got out of bed, slid my feet into john's house slippers, leashed her, and out we went.

she went straight out and took care of the first of the order of business. then we went around to the side yard where she likes to smell around and check to see if i'm going to let her go to visit our neighbor. (i wasn't visiting anyone this morning!!! i had bed-head, hadn't yet brushed my teeth, had no bra on... you get the picture...)

about the time we got to the side of the house, one of the staff at the mansion across the lane pulled to the end of the estate's driveway and turned off his lawn mower. maggie started barking hysterically!!! ISH!!! (i tried desperately to get her to stop barking with no avail. she wanted the man to come over and play with her so badly she could taste it!!! thank goodness he didn't oblige her:/


(he just sat there, right in the middle of the drive above, staring. maggie, of course, was still barking. he waved. i waved back to him. he took a big gulp of something out of a white jug. maggie was still barking her head off at him.)

"did he run out of gas??? omgosh, can he see through my t-shirt (poor guy, ha!!!)??? what the fudge is he doing???" were the thoughts i had running through my head.

maggie was STILL barking at him; so, i directed her to the other side of the yard. she got about 10 feet from the lane and FINALLY started to take care of the second order of her business.

it was at that very moment, i glanced up (in what felt like slow motion) to see that a funeral procession car had stopped traffic at the end of the lane. a hearse pulled onto our street!!

there we stood... me looking like i've already mentioned and maggie all arched back getting ready to POOP (there, i said it. that's what she was about to do!!!), and, at that point, there was no stopping her:o

first, let me say that a funeral procession has NEVER used "the lane" to get from the funeral home to any cemetery in town. however, (it was then that it dawned on me) the mother of the father of the family that lives in the mansion across the lane died a few days ago. i suppose the funeral procession came up the lane for that reason. he must have also informed his staff... THAT is why his worker had turned off the lawn mower... OUT OF RESPECT!!!

NO ONE INFORMED ME!!!

thus, there maggie and i stood... a sight frozen in time for at least a third of the procession to see.

WE WERE A SIGHT TO BEHOLD!!!

did i say maggie was taking the longest poop of her life??? she was, indeed!!!
did i say that my hair looked like a rat's nest??? yes, it did!!!
did i say that i had on CHRISTMAS flannel pajama bottoms with a thin polo t-shirt??? yes, that too!!!
and finally... did i say that i live in a small town where everyone knows everyone??? yes, i do...

i know one thing... i will NOT go out in my front yard, looking THAT way again!!! at least not until the next time maggie needs to go out and potty...

i mean, "lightning never strikes twice in the same spot"!!!
isn't that how the old adage goes???


love and blessings,
dani xx

royal mail...

and...

MAIL FROM ROYALTY!!!

i got an awesome surprise today!!! i brought the mail in to find that i had two cards sent by way of "royal mail"... one from queen tabitha (that was absolutely beautiful) and one from prince daniel and princess lauren (who had done a lovely job decorating the second)!!!

they came all the way from england!!!
i was so surprised and absolutely delighted:D

thank you so much my beautiful, royal friends!!!


(included: a photo of twinkle and twinkle, lauren and daniel;)



love and blessings,
dani xx


ps... as soon as i am recovered, i will reply:)
thank you, thank you, and thank you again!!!
you three have made my day:DDD and thank you, tania,
for the mahvahlous idea!!!

regarding mini-boy blue and yesterday's contractions...

elise posted on her blog... CLICK HERE:D

love and blessings,
dani xx

what the fudge???

it all started yesterday when i pulled out my 10x mirror and tweezers. i looked into the mirror as i was getting ready to shape up my eyebrows (for some reason wax is not an option for my skin). as i did i saw something odd... one, lone, coarse, white hair poking out of my left eyebrow!!!

"WHAT THE FUDGE???" I THOUGHT TO MYSELF!!!
I MAY HAVE EVEN SAID IT OUT LOUD:/

it was the first of its kind to EVER grace my face:[

admittedly, i have gray in my hair. i do NOT have gray hair... just gray hairs (that have multiplied since john bought his harley. i keep them colored;).

now, i must say that seeing the white hair for the first time in a magnifying mirror was a little startling. so, i quickly plucked it:o it wasn't quite so startling when i looked at it (in real life, ha!!!) between the tweezers. but, it was what it was... my FIRST, lone, coarse, white, facial hair!!!

my first thought was not, "omgosh, i'm getting old!!!"
no, my first thought was (don't laugh), "i wonder if i got some old, crotchety man's blood in my transfusion a few weeks ago???"

i know that that was plainly a very ignorant thought, but in all honesty it was MY first thought... i put the tweezers down and looked closely in the mirror to see if there were any more.

there weren't any others!!! i gave a big sigh of relief...

it was then that i doubled over and started laughing at myself... (i'm such a goof; i crack myself up on a regular basis, about things NORMAL people would probably not find funny:S). of all the thoughts for me to have... for my mind to even go in the direction of my transfusion having anything to do with my wild hair... was just plain crazy!!!

however, if my eyebrows start looking like 60 minutes commentator, andy rooney... i'm really going to start to wonder, and i'm going to find absolutely no humor in the situation!!!


(God love mr. rooney... he's got some EYE BROWS!!!)

i wonder if one or both of my pints came by way of andy???
if so, thank you, mr. rooney for saving my life!!!
my new eyebrows???
hmm... NOT SO MUCH!!!
(tee-hee!!!)


love and blessings,
dani xx

a teenager triumph...

the idea was a hit:D
here's katherine's card for her dad...

(the cover...)

believe it or not, katherine is NOT a big shopper (not that she doesn't love and appreciate that which i purchase for her;)!!!

(the inside...)

elise, over at the adventures of e and t, always has great "toddler triumphs" with her darling little girl, sav!!! well, here on "the lane", we had a teenager triumph for father's day!!! YES!!!

love and blessings,
dani xx

it's in the mail...

as i sat here all propped up in my bed... (gosh, i'm getting sooooooo lazy!!!) contemplating having to get up and take katherine father's day shopping, a most brilliant idea came to me...

ONLINE SHOPPING!!!

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!

john has been wanting a new pair of loafers. i swear the soles on the pair he has look like he has stopped his motorcycle with them a few times (and, that may be the case as he's had his bike a couple of months longer than he's had his biker boots:/).

anyway, i found a couple of pairs similar to his old ones, added them to my "cart" (i totally DIG online shopping), and called katherine in to make the final decision since john is HER dad not mine, tee-hee.

YEA!!! the choice was easy for her to make;D



literally, less than a minute and a half later, i had my confirmation number and reply from the company stating that john should be getting his new shoes via "the man in brown" (ups) around wednesday of next week;)

now, all i have to do is print out a picture of his new loafers and VIOLA!!!
john's father's day will be completed!!!

love and blessings,
dani xx

ps happy father's day to all you wonderful fathers out there!!!

a very random, katherine survey...

(my little kitty katherine...)

What color is your toothbrush?
it is light green and white...


Name 2 people that made you smile today?
little billy (redneck self diagnosis)
tabitha (snow globe incident)


What were you doing 45 minutes ago?
talking on the phone to the notorious d.


What is your favorite candy bar?
reese's cups or snickers???



What was the last thing you ate?
a famous amos cookie.


Have you bought any new clothing items this week?
yes, online for katherine...


When was the last time you ran?
baahahahahahaaaa!!!


What is your favorite flavor of popcorn?
movie popcorn (butter and salt)


Who is the last person you sent a comment/message on myspace?
haden


Do you take vitamins daily?
right now, yes


Do you go to church every Sunday?
honest answer... no. but i love my God with all my heart and soul!!!


Do you have a tan?
i did...


Do you like Chinese food over pizza?
yes!!! i love very spicy chinese food:b


What was the last thing you said?
i asked katherine and hannah what they wanted for supper.


Do you drink your soda with a straw?
only fountain drinks.


What did your last text message say?
i don't know; i'm not a big texter???


Are you someone's best friend?
yes


What are you doing tomorrow?
hopefully, father's day shopping.


Look to your left, what do you see?
maggie, of course:)


What color is your watch?
i don't wear one... i like to live life dangerously!!! tee-hee...


What do you think of when you think of Australia?
a year ago i would have said kangaroos. now, i think of the wonderful blogger friends i have made!!!


What is your birthstone?
pearl


Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru?
drive thru


Do you have a dog?
yes, and she's the sweetest thing ever<333


Last guy you talked on the phone with?
ha!!! i'm pretty sure it was either brad pitt or my husband:D


Last girl you talked on the phone with?
the notorious d who is stuck in traffic in miami...


Have you talked to anyone famous?
yes, brad pitt;) hahahaha!!!


Any plans today?
chinese take out and a dvd with the girls...


Ever go to college?
i'm a murray state university graduate.


Do you dye your hair?
once a month whether it needs it or not...


Biggest annoyance in your life right now?
dr.'s orders


Last song listened to?
finally by fergie.


Can you say the alphabet backwards?
yes


Do you have a maid service clean your house?
yes, it's called, "me"...


Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time?
i'm a flip-flop girl in the summer


What was your wedding song?
trumpet voluntary


Are you jealous of anyone?
no


Do you love anyone?
i sure do!!!


Do any of your friends have children?
most all of them do:)


What do you usually do during the day?
under normal circumstances, whatever katherine wants to do.
right now, i'm keeping close company with maggie.


Do you hate anyone that you know?
hate??? no.


Have you ever been to Six Flags?
yes, two times... once when i was 7 and then again when i was 16.


How did you get your worst scar?
rib removal surgery:o ~~~~~~~~~~~~

love and blessings,
dani xx

at the eleventh hour...

i ventured out last night for the first time in weeks... at 11pm i threw on a pair of blue jeans, a t-shirt, and some flip-flops and headed to the grocery store. we were out of everything!!!

i only went for the necessities, but ended up with a full cart. the store was about to close for the night, so there were only three or four people on duty... only one cashier. she had a back up at her cash register because the rather LARGE gentleman (seriously, think "the green mile") in the front of the line had picked up the wrong can of diced tomatoes.

"SON, I TOLD YOU, 'AISLE 2... AISLE 2'... THE CHEAPEST CAN THEY GOT OF DICED TOMATOES", the "tomato man" started yelling across the store.

there was a couple standing between me and the "tomato man". i don't usually stereotype; but, i'm pretty sure they were "crack heads" (really, they had that... skin and bones, i look 20 years older than i am, geeked out look about them that i'd seen many times before in mug shots (from meth busts) on the news).

the next thing i knew "tomato man" was yelling at his boy again... the cashier then sent one of the stock boys to find "tomato man's" boy and his can of diced tomatoes.

"tomato man" then proceeded to greet a young guy who had walked up behind me. i turned and noticed that the guy was only holding one item and asked if he'd like to get in front of me.

he did.

as the guy was walking around me, the "tomato man's" boy walked up tossing a can of diced tomatoes into the air and catching it... like, "all was good in the hood"...

the cashier scanned the can and as she handed it to the "tomato man" she said that the diced tomatoes contained diced olives, onions, and garlic.

"BOY", tomato man shook his head, "i said, 'DICED TOMATOES'. what part of 'DICED TOMATOES' didn't you understand???"
"ah... those'll be alright dad," the boy replied (he couldn't care less).
"yeah, we'll see what your MAMA thinks about that..." "tomato man" said under his breath (but where anyone left in the store could still hear).

tomato man was a loud one!!!

i had to chuckle to myself... mama was NOT going to be happy with olives in her diced tomatoes. i was sure of that:D

the "crack couple" paid for whatever they were purchasing (probably batteries and over-the-counter allergy drugs). then they left.

next up??? the guy i had let in front of me.

i had already started putting my things on the conveyor.

"that will be $1.79," the cashier said to the guy.
"what??? i thought it was only a dollar. i only have a dollar..." the guy replied.
"no, it's $1.79," the cashier stood firmly.
"wow, dude, that sign said a dollar..." he continued.

please, GOD, let me out of this store before i have a stroke!!! i thought to myself:[
i reached into my purse, pulled out a dollar, and offered it to the guy.

when he turned around to take the dollar i could see that he was buying a litre bottle of beer. further, the guy was drunk... i mean DRUNK!!! he took the 'one' from me all the while proclaiming his gratitude and saying that the next time he saw me
he promised to repay me.

"just be careful," i said. (there i'd tried to be nice, next i was afraid he would go out and have a wreck or something. it would be all my fault!!! DAMN IT!!!)

the cashier looked at me and said, "don't worry. he walks everywhere he goes. he just has to cross that street and then walk a straight line home."
he shook his head in agreement with what she was telling me.

it's a sad day when a cashier also has to wear the hat of a bartender...

"well, be careful walking home," i said. "walk straight, and don't fall into the ditch." he was soooooooooo drunk: i was really concerned:(, and all he wanted to do was profess his undying love for me for giving him a dollar so that he could get a little drunker.

finally, he left.

"i told that boy i didn't take him to raise," the cashier said to me.
"he comes here often?" i said.
"yes, and he knows good and well that the beer that's a dollar sits right next to the BIG bottle... some nights i let it slide; i put the change in for him," she said.

finally, after all of that, i tipped the bag boy for putting my groceries in the jeep, slid into my seat, thanked the bag boy again as he shut my back door, and sighed...

"WHEW friggin' WEEEEE!!!"

i came home, katherine put away the groceries, i showered and crawled into bed, and that's where i've been since:b

(note to self: dani, you should have sent john to get the groceries!!!)

love and blessings,
dani xx

wordless wednesday...

love and blessings,
dani xx

dream on!!!

(jeanne, katherine, and i~~~1998)

jeanne is one of my best friends from college. together, we used to ride home every weekend from school to see our fellas and dream aloud about our futures. we both wanted to graduate(she was going to be a doctor: i was going to be an engineer), get married to our loves, have children (she wanted a house full; i wanted at least one...), and live happily ever after...

God granted us our dreams... every single one of them!!! i got married, graduated, became a contract engineer, got pregnant, had katherine, and have lived a happy life. jeanne finished medical school, became a ob/gyn, married "danny the boy" (HA!!! jeanne's mom called him "danny the boy" to differentiate him from me, "dani the girl"... how cute is that!!!), and jeanne started her family.

first, jeanne gave birth to elizabeth...

"how many more are you going to have, jean???" i asked.
"i'd really like to have four more..." she replied
"well, you're going to have to start having them more than one at a time if you want to have them before you turn 40!!!" i laughed.

next, jeanne gave birth to max and sam... TWINS!!!
NO KIDDING!!!

"how many more are you going to have, jean???" i asked.
"i'd really like to have at least one more..." she answered.

so far i haven't mentioned the fact that right before elizabeth was born "danny the boy" started medical school himself... i cannot even fathom the juggling act they did/have done to keep it all together. but they did/have!!!

NOW... jeanne has given birth to isabella marie...
baby #4!!!

(congratulations, jeanne!!!)


jeanne's family is beautiful and happy... very happy!!!

who would have ever thought all those years ago that our dreams would have come true (not without the normal and some not-so-normal bumps and bruises, of course)???
but (for all practical purposes), they have!!!
we are so blessed, jeanne and i:D

DREAMS REALLY DO COME TRUE!!!
SO, DREAM ON, MY DEAR FRIENDS!!!
DREAM ON!!!


love and God's blessings,
dani xx

never TAKE anything for granted...

(not my meds...)


since my hospitalization a couple of weeks ago for a hemorrhage, i have been racking my brain as to what could have gone wrong with my coumadin (blood thinner)!!! for nearly 15 years i have taken the same dosage and have always been able to regulate my meds myself. there have been a couple of times over that period of time that my levels have gone awry. however, one of those times i had been on high-power antibiotics and the other i was given vitamin k (a blood thickener).

i have not been looking forward to all that goes along with getting myself regulated to a new dosage. (it takes time and a lot of trial and error... or it did at least the first time.)

well, last night i was standing in the kitchen pouring my meds into my hand. i'm taking 6 meds right now plus giving myself two lovenox (a blood thinner) shots a day. at one point i looked into my palm to make sure i had everything i was supposed to take. the light hit my coumadin tablets. i stood there for a few seconds in a complete stupor. i pulled my hand closer to my eyes then pulled it farther away in an attempt to focus in on the numbers i was seeing stamped on the two pills.
7 1/2??? 7 1/2???

WTH???

i grabbed the bottle i'd poured the tablets from, "warfarin (generic for coumadin)7.5 mg".
i looked at the date, "4/16/08".
i looked at the count, "60".
i looked back at the tablets in my hand.

i know this means nothing to you; but, it meant everything to me!!!
for nearly 15 years my prescription has always been the same as i've already stated... "5 mg"... i have always taken 1 tablet/2 tablets every other day...

however, since april of this year instead of taking 5mg and 10mg, i have been taking 7.5mg and 15mg... 150% MY DOSAGE!!! somewhere along the way someone had changed my dosage, and i was none the wiser... i took for granted that the medication i was taking was the same as always. but, it wasn't!!! i was overdosing on a very, very dangerous medication and didn't realize it.

RELIEF was definitely the first emotion i felt...

my body hadn't changed. i wasn't going to have to go through all that "trial and error" craziness again. thank goodness!!!

STUPIDITY was the second emotion i felt...

how could i have not noticed the difference in mgs on the bottle for the past 3 months??? why had i not already noticed the DIFFERENT number on the pills???

then FEAR!!! "what if???"...

what if i had bled to death two weeks ago??? what if i hadn't noticed the number and had gone along with the assumption that i was still dealing with 5mg dosage and the same thing occurred again in a couple of weeks but i would not be so lucky the next time???

but, i did catch it!!! RELIEF won out...

followed by GRATEFULNESS...

i called the notorious d to tell her of my realization... after coaching me on how i should handle the situation, she told me she'd prayed earlier in the day that GOD watch out for me since d couldn't... well, HE answered her prayer in a most timely manner... thank you, GOD!!! thank you, d!!!

the moral of the story???

NEVER TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED... EVER!!!
it might mean your life.

love and God's blessings,
dani xx

"IF"...

if i were invited to a champagne brunch...
if i were 25lbs lighter...
if i didn't still look anemic...
if i could actually walk in these shoes and carry my champagne flutes (one for each hand to keep my balance, of course, HA!!!) at the same time without showing off my lack of coordination...


(THIS... is what i would choose in which to arrive.)

if you were invited to the same brunch what would your look be???
you can click here if you'd like to "windows" shop for your own personal look at polyvore:D

love and blessings,
dani xx

ps. let me know if you create an ensemble as i'd love to come have a look-see...

here are the INSTRUCTIONS as the site is not very self explanitory:

after you register and finish creating your "set"...
left click on "publish" (left side of page)

name your set whatever eg "brunch"
left click save or done
left click on the "set" tab on the right side of the page (your set should be there)
left click on the image of your set
left click "view details"
a new page should pop up
on the right side of the page left click "embed this set"
copy the code for blog
you should be set (lol, no pun intended):D

it's tanya's birthday!!!

in the usa!!!
(i'm running a little late because of the jet-lag from flying DOWN to snap a picture of her with her cake;)

HAPPY BELATED DOWN-UNDER BIRTHDAY,
TANYA!!!

(MY YOUNGER FRIEND, TANYA)

love and God's blessings,
dani xx

(please feel free to stop in for a piece of guilt-free virtual cake and wish her a happy birthday, or you can click on her name above in green and go over to "where the heart is" and wish her one there:D, thank you all!!! she's a sweetie:)

little cotton rabbits...

late monday night my brother showed up at the door bearing a brightly striped gift bag and a birthday card. he had called me on his way here from work to tell me that he was bringing a gift to me and that i would never figure out what it was...

he was right; i wouldn't have!!! but, i loved, loved, loved what he brought to me:D

...a gift bag full of yarn and a "how to knit" kit (all-inclusive)!!!

you see, when i first started blogging, i happened onto little cotton rabbits and fell in love with the idea that i might one day be able to create something like these little treasures (especially since it is nearly impossible to purchase one)...

anyway, little cotton rabbits has this site for free patterns, and i'm going to see if i can make one of these tiny rabbits first... (thank you so much for the pattern:)!!!

say a prayer for me. i'm going to need it:)

i figure tonight will be as good as any to start as john will be gone all night walking for the relay for life (he's so good:)!!!

love and blessings,

dani xx

***edited so that i could allow you to "hear and visualize" me... RollingOnTheFloorLaughingMyARSEOff... as i attempt to decipher these directions!!!

BAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!

crazy 8's...

i’ve been tagged by amanda at penny’n pounds.

eight things i have a passion for~

GOD
sharing the blessings He’s bestowed upon me.
my marriage
my family
my friendships
my animals
knowledge
mcdietcoke (thank you, anonymous d:D)


eight things i would like to do before i die

healthfully live to see my first great-great grandchild born
Healthfully fit into my wedding dress again
sell both of my trademarks (in order to better the environment)
have the unlimited funds to run an orphanage fit for princesses and princes.
travel to meet all my blogger friends
see osama bin laden get his
have lunch with billy graham
get rid of the ebay store I have in my basement


eight things i say a lot (some are not very nice;/)

i love you
bless your heart
no way
that’s bull ‘ish
bite me
puhleeze
an occasional form of the "f" bomb
yeah, right…

eight books i have read most recently

the BIBLE
an innocent man
thursday mornings at 8
the lovely bones
pay it forward
jane eyre (again)
between friends
henderson crusade


eight movies i have seen eight times

terms of endearment
steel magnolias
forest gump
giant
young at heart
miracle on 34th street
it’s a wonderful life
pretty woman


eight people i would like to invite to play along...
(and anyone else who stops by and would like to give it a whirl…)

shannon
caitlin
tania
kellan
emma kate
ashley
christina
kristen


love and blessings,
dani xx

if we could all spend a holiday together...

best i can tell... south africa is the central location for us all to meet one day!!!



does anyone know anything about south africa??? i don't; but i'm going to study up and will return with all the information we need!!! i will let you know later in the day. feel free to espound all your knowledge in the meantime:D

love,
dani

ps. does anyone know if they serve good umberella drinks there??? because i'm totally going to need a few after exiting a plane in africa!!! BAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!

furthermore... if i come into a fortune one day... the trip will be my treat:D

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SAM!!!

i didn't forget you!!! i miss you, and wish i'd been there like i was supposed to have been to celebrate with you...
(i have only missed three of your birthdays, ever!!!)

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART!!!

(HAPPY ELEVENTH!!!)

love,
miss dani xx

(sam is the 'notorious d's' baby boy;)

it has been a good day...

a very good day, indeed...

THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!

YOU ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED, ALL OF YOUBOTH NEAR AND FAR!!! your kind thoughts and wishes are treasuredby me:D

(gifts: sentimental, virtual, phyiscal, and literal in nature...) (all from the heart<333)

love and GOd's blessings,
dani xx

a "still driving 82"...

the "notorious d" called this morning singing "happy birthday" to the tune of some Christmas carol... ("happy holiday" is the one; i think... by bing crosby???;)

"so, do you feel 39???" d asked.
"nope, 82..." i responded.
"a 'still driving 82' or a 'wearing depends 82'???" she laughed.
"hmm... definitely a 'still driving 82'," i said.
"oh, well, GOOD!!!" she replied:D

ROTFLMAO!!!


(i do feel more than a year older than i did this time last year, though...)

"...while the merry bells keep ringing,
may your every wish come true.
happy holiday, happy holiday..."

love and God's blessings,
dani xx

sunday afternoon snapshot...

my little puppy-dogger, maggie, has been literally touching some part of my body (with very few exceptions) since i returned home from the hospital...
LOL!!! she has even gone to the restroom with me and has sat guard whilst i have showered.

she is sooooooooooooooooooo sweet!!!
i just love her<333!!!

love and blessings, dani xx