Sweet Old Videos

I love running across videos I forgot about! This gem I am sure you will all enjoy.

In honor of this wonderful holiday season, I give you a Christmas pageant video from our family :) (never mind the fact that it's from 2007... I'm a little behind on my camcorder stuff.)

My daughter is the little blond in the middle and my son is 2 down from her in the red shirt. Enjoy!!!



au revoir, adieu, ciao, till next time...

Thankful...

The other day my mom was sharing with me about a song that has truly touched her. Thankful by Josh Groban. So, I of course had to hear this amazing song. It is such a beautiful song that reminds me there IS so much to be thankful for...

Somedays we forget
To look around us
Somedays we can't see
The joy that surrounds us
So caught up inside ourselves
We take when we should give.

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be.
And on this day we hope for
What we still can't see.
It's up to us to be the change
And even though we all can still do more
There's so much to be thankful for.

Look beyond ourselves
There's so much sorrow
It's way too late to say
I'll cry tomorrow
Each of us must find our truth
It's so long overdue

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be
And every day we hope for
What we still can't see
It's up to us to be the change
And even though we all can still do more
There's so much to be thankful for.

Even with our differences
There is a place we're all connected
Each of us can find each others light

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be
And on this day we hope for
What we still can't see
It's up to us to be the change
And even though this world needs so much more

There's so much to be thankful for

On this holiday season, remember to look around you and smile. We live in a busy world, slow down and hug those around you.
Merry Christmas everyone.

au revoir, adieu, ciao, till next time...

Parents Gone Wild

What happens when your parents go on vacation to Kauai? They go a little nutty and send you crazy pictures of themselves of course!



As you can tell my mom and dad had a wonderful wild time living it up in Hawaii, ha ha. I am glad they were able to relax and play, we all need that sometime.

Dad... way to rock the coconuts!!

au revoir, adieu, ciao, till next time...

What's The Deal-io?!

Someone up above is truly looking out for us. Today our house here in Arizona went into escrow. That's right, you heard me! We sold our home in under 30 days!! The price was a little low, but it is still workable.

A few weeks ago I flew back east to look for a rental property for our family... It was a disaster. There wasn't a single home suitable to rent anywhere, I was pretty stressed out. While I was there I looked at a few homes for sale just cause they looked interesting online. Well, I fell in love with one (go figure.)

Since we didn't have the ability to buy the home while we were still trying to sell the home in Arizona my parents bought it for us!! The deal is once we sell this place and get on our feet we will buy it back from them. HOW COOL ARE THEY?!

It has been an emotional roller coaster, but I am proud to say we are blessed beyond words. OK people here it is, our home in South Carolina:


It's a Log Cabin! It is so cute, I wish I could have you all come over once we get moved in and have a party :) We are so excited. My son can't wait to go fishing (there's a creek that runs on our property) and my daughter is super thrilled to be living in a "Lincoln log home."

I can't wait to get there and take a huge sigh of relief. This move/home are here for the long haul. We are DONE.

Thank you all for hanging in there with me. Now comes moving day count down... We shove outta here December 17th, which means we will make it to our new place by Christmas Eve.

au revoir, adieu, ciao, till next time...

When Animals Attack!!

One of our dogs has a fascination with my daughters Barbie dolls. We have done our best to keep them out of his reach, but then one day Barbie was held captive.

The puppy was left unattended in the back yard...

Then the attack happened...

He struck without warning...


Poor Barbie tried to escape...

Her plastic limbs were no match for his razor sharp puppy teeth...


When the dust had cleared Barbie was never the same...

All the witnesses at the scene where changed forever by the attack...

Rest In Peace Barbie...



au revoir, adieu, ciao, till next time

Best Cleaning Lady Ever!!

I know the most amazing woman. If you or anyone you know needs a wonderful cleaning lady call Tina Gorman from "Tina's Tidy Service."

She is based out of Mt. Pleasant, SC her number is (843)817-0202.
I am amazed at her attention to detail. But call quick, she's has a LONG waiting list :)


There's your handy tip for the day!!


au revoir, adieu, ciao, till next time...

Curl Up With A Good Book...

I LOVE to read, something I am glad to say I have passed on to my children. But, I seem to always struggle with what to read once I finish ax book. I always feel lost after a good book. "what do I read now???" Swirls in my head till just the right book presents itself to me.

Due to my indecisive, book needing nature I decided to start a very simple book review/suggestion web site, Chatter in Print. This is open to ANYONE who wants to contribute. The more the merrier!!!


I would love to have a nice little database for anyone in need of a new great read. So you in? Wanna be a contributor? All the cool kids are doing it! Well, OK maybe not but still, I know you want to, ha ha.

Here's all you need to do:

Write about the book. This can be an excerpt from Goodreads.com, Amazon, the back cover, anywhere. Just give credit for material you get from other places.

Write your review of the book. Easy peasey, was it good or not?

How many stars would you give the book out of 5.
1 out of 5 = this was the worst book ever
5 out of 5 = i will read this book again and again!

E-mail me at chatterbox1213@gmail.com and I will add your book review to the web site. Don't worry, you'll get credit and it will link people back to your blog :)

This site is slow going, I have added a few books and I could sure use your advice on what to read next!

au revoir, adieu, ciao, till next time...

Where's Waldo, Souther Style

Thank you all for your well wishes on this next chapter in our life. It means so much to me :) I am often amazed at the healing power of blogging, It's amazing what a little pat on the back or a "hang in there" can do.

I was surprised at how many of y'all wanted to know which town in South Carolina we will be moving back to.

Didn't realize there was so many people living near, or passing through SC.

Now, no stalking please. I've had enough blogger paparazzi. Yeah, I saw you in the bushes taking pictures!! (ha ha)

Our little town is called Hartsville, South Carolina. Come on by and visit when we get back!

It's your typical small southern town.
You know what I'm talking about:
Walmart, hardware store run by 90 year old man, kids running down the sidewalk in overalls, pickup trucks covered in deer hunting bumper stickers, and breakfast joints that specialize in making grits. Oh and don't even get me started on how seriously the people in this town take their college football! Oh my goodness, heaven forbid you root for the wrong team!

We can't wait to get back. :)

au revoir, adieu, ciao, till next time...

Hello From The Trenches!

Hey Everyone! How have you all been? Geez, I have missed the "blog-sphere" but have also enjoyed the break. What has been going on you ask? Most of you were correct in your guess that we are moving. I couldn't come on here and talk about my husbands job hunting till he had something firmed up, heaven forbid someone from his current job found out and we were jobless because of MY blog. I would have never lived that down!

OK, on to more important things...

Where are we moving? You will never guess, nope not in a million years...


Spanish moss, warm southern rain, small town...



Good fried chicken, millions of mosquito's, front porch rockin'...



Green growth everywhere, humid nights, fireflies...



Friends, family, home...



Is any of this ringing a bell? Obviously we're moving back to the southeast, but the plot thickens, we're moving back to the SAME TOWN we moved from to get to Arizona!? How crazy is that?

I wanted more for my children then I thought a small southern town could offer, but what I have come to realize is we had it all to begin with. Great friends, a great community, life was good. Luckily my hubby's old job has wanted him back since the moment we left, so getting a position there was pretty easy (it's an even better position than he had before we moved!).

Doesn't the saying "The grass isn't always greener" come to mind? ha ha

Now for the yucky, not fun stuff... Trying to sell our home. I LOVE this house, you all know the time we've spent painting & decorating it. It's perfect, just in the wrong place. I really wish the tornado from the "Wizard of Oz" would pick my home up and drop it down in South Carolina. But, that won't happen, bummer. Our house is on the market now, we've had a few lookers but nothing has come of it yet. Also when we get back to SC we have to rent for awhile, not a big deal for most, but you try renting a home with 3 dogs!!! Impossible.

There is a lot on our plate right now, so far I have dealt with the stress pretty well. I've only had one melt down in a restaurant parking lot sobbing into my hubby's arms. My hubby begins his new (old) job in December, if the home doesn't sell by then I will be staying in Arizona till it does with the munchkins and pups.

Please keep us in your prayers for an easy transition and guidance as life once again takes another crazy turn in our life. And if you know anyone looking for a home in AZ let me know *wink wink*


*pictures from Hartsville - The Art of Good Living web site

au revoir, adieu, ciao, till next time...

My Ever Changing Path

Closed Path by Rabindranath Tagore

I thought that my voyage had come to its end
at the last limit of my power,---that the path before me was closed,
that provisions were exhausted
and the time come to take shelter in a silent obscurity.

But I find that thy will knows no end in me.
And when old words die out on the tongue,
new melodies break forth from the heart;
and where the old tracks are lost,
new country is revealed with its wonders.

************

I know I haven't been the best blogger lately. I see I have even lost a few followers in my absence. Sorry!!! Life has some unexpected twists and turns in store for our family. All good things, I promise. It has been hard to blog when these changes have been all consuming in my mind and I can't discuss them on here just yet. I am a bad liar, and to come on here and be all "Hey everyone! We're all sunshine and roses, things are same old same old here" would be unfair to me and you. I hope you all understand. Sorry for the vague dialogue. Life is truly a crazy path with many unexpected things around each corner. Thanks for coming by and reading, it means the world to me. :)

au revoir, adieu, ciao, till next time...

My Parents Kick Butt

This past Saturday, September 12th, many people across our great nation stood together on Capital Hill, my parents were there!



From my mom: "Most of what you've heard on "mainstream media" is incorrect, as usual. Tons more people were there then they say - over a million......absolutely nothing to do with "racism", everything to do with out-of-control spending in Washington that is bankrupting this country & worry over our liberty and freedom of choice with an administration that believes we are too stupid to take care of ourselves. And the thinking that the government needs to "control" more of our life. NO WAY!



All the people there were so polite and average All-Americans, not these radical crazy people the news is reporting. Wow, what an eye opener of just how "left" and government run the media has become. WE WERE THERE!!!! We saw it first hand!"

(there's my mama!)

Many gathered in Washington for a massive rally organized by conservatives claiming that President Obama is driving America towards socialism. The size of the crowd shocked the White House.

Demonstrators massed outside Capital Hill after marching down Pennsylvania Avenue waving placards and chanting 'Enough, enough' waving U.S. flags and holding signs reading 'Go Green, Recycle Congress' and 'I'm not your ATM.'

The focus of much of the rally was the president's so-called 'Obamacare' plan to overhaul the U.S. health system.

-excerpt from Daily Mail

(look it's like that scene from "Forrest Gump"!)

Thanks mom and dad for standing up for what you believe in and for helping my children have a brighter tomorrow :)

I know many people will disagree with what you guys did in Washington, but I don't care. I am just proud to be the daughter of parents that don't back down and have taught me the value of freedom. I love you so much.

*photos courtesy of my dad's cellphone

au revoir, adieu, ciao, till next time...

So Not Dead, Living Actually!

Yes people, I am alive :)

There hasn't been any catastrophic events, nothing new...

Just living life.

The mini-munchkin is LOVING her new gymnastics class. I am very glad I was able to find a new studio she could enjoy :)

I have been volunteering a lot at the kids school. Who knows how many years they will want me there, so I'm doing my best to enjoy it while it lasts.

My 1st grade son decided that kissing mama good-bye was no longer "cool." I'm heart broken.

Football is still going strong. My hubby is having a blast coaching and meeting new people. The munchkin is doing a great job as the center.

We are looking into the possibility of moving back East, please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

By "back east" I mean South Carolina, not the same place we moved from, somewhere far more exciting!

Weight loss update: at a stand still, BUT not gaining :)

I wish you all a fabulous weekend, off I go to enjoy life some more.

au revoir, adieu, ciao, till next time...

To The Pool And Beyond With MS

I have to send a huge message out to my Grandma Arlene... YOU GO GIRL! I am so proud of her. She just recently started a swimming class to help with her immobility caused from Multiple Sclerosis. Does this not look like the face of a happy lady?



My mom and dad flew out to California a few weeks ago and got her all signed up and ready to go. My grandmother was a bit nervous since it has been over 10 years since she has been able to get into a swimming pool. But she is also an adventurous type and couldn't wait.

Here's a little definition of MS "Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune response attacks a person's central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), leading to impairment in sensation, movement, cognition, or other functions depending on which nerves are involved." -courtesy of wikipedia

Grandma Arlene was diagnosed with MS in the late 80's, luckily she was older so it had been a very slow progression. Her main area affected has been her legs. This was a camping, hiking, motorcycle mama we're talking about here so once the MS took away her ability to walk it took away a huge chunk of who she was.



She lives in a little town in the mountains and when word got out that there was a handicap excess-able pool we all jumped at the chance to get her in there! I mean where is the one place you can feel normal and healthy even if your legs don't work anymore? The pool!! Her smile is the most beautiful I have ever seen and I loved getting these pictures in my e-mail inbox today.



Way to go mom for giving this amazing gift to grandma, and way to go grandma for getting right in the water, and always inspiring me to jump over any hurdles that get in my way. I love you.


*added later by my mother: "How blessed I am to be the daughter of this "swimming Grandma". Her example of how to live life hand in hand with her Heavenly Father & happy for each and every day is truly a feat we all can learn from. Her legs may not work, but her heart & love for her family makes up for any "disability" people may see on the outside. I LOVE you Liz for sharing this beautiful story with your friends."
Thanks mom :)

au revoir, adieu, ciao, till next time...

It's Been Awhile

Hi world! I haven't posted in a week! What have I been up to you ask? Well I can show you better than I can tell you...

*twitter snippit


My parents visit, football, killer thistles, trampolines and resting. It's all there :) Pictures to come and hopefully the chance to visit everyone else's blog for a change!! (any tips on how to keep up with that?!) Hope you all have a fabulous day!

If you are on Twitter and want to follow me click below:




au revoir, adieu, ciao, till next time...

The Wee Hours, Revisited

*This is an old post I wrote a long time ago (When Kate and my mom were my only readers.) I thought it was an appropriate topic for today. Enjoy :)

I am not a morning person by any means. I am one of those "any excuse to stay in bed just a little longer" kind of people. Even though having children has forced me to wake up earlier then I would choose many times. But I found myself unable to stay in bed after Joe got up at 5am for work today. No kids were awake, not even the dogs. Just silence and me. So, I decided to sit on the back porch with a good book.

I am constantly amazed at how beautiful the early morning is, why don't I make an effort to get up early more often? (The bed is just TOO comfy, and I am just TOO grumpy first thing when I get up.) The sky was a beautiful sleepy blue with the sun just peaking over the trees, and then I saw the moon. It was so bright for the morning. I know, I know, the moon is often up still when the sun rises, but this was different. It seemed much brighter, as if to say "NO! I am not ready to just lay down quietly, I wanna be seen!"

I feel like that some days as a wife and mother. "NO! I want to be noticed for who I am, look at me, I am trying to get your attention!!" We as women sometimes lose our own individual voice and just become "mom." Not that there is anything wrong with that wonderful title, it is just important for us to not lose sight of who we are in the process.

Currently I have no clue who I am. I feel like a pre-teen trying to figure out where I fit in the world. I struggle with what I will do once my kids don't need me as much as they do now. The things I was once so passionate about now I find little interest in. My world truly revolves around my children (as it should) but, there is this little part of me that says "you can do so much more."

For now I will be like the bright early morning moon. Make my presence known "look at me! look at me!" and try finding myself through words in my blog, and then lay down during the day and let the sun (my children) shine all day long.

au revoir, adieu, ciao, till next time...