Thank You, Amazon. I Accept.

Have y'all heard the statement, "Clueless, but I don't care?"

No? 

That's because I probably just made it up.  

Because I got this.  

And I'm happy, happy, happy.

And all I gotta do is spend money to make it work.  

That, people, I can do.  Poof!

FREEBIE!!!

FridayFridayFriday Thank God For Friday

That's what I'm talking about. 

Happy Friday!

Out of Season, Out of Time

I ran into TJ Maxx yesterday to see what fares they had to offer.

I hardly ever go physically shopping, I’m an online shopper, mostly.  But, I had snagged this awesome rug there, and wanted another for the next remodel room in progress.

I found one, too!  But I didn’t buy it - I want ThatManILove to look at it.

I did snag some cute tops.

But the killer?  I was in the checkout, and looked up and saw this, this, vile thing.

This, people, is not.even.right.

Ribbon candy is for Christmas.  That way you only have to tie your hands down one season a year, so you won’t reach for it.

Ribbon candy is probably my favorite candy ever.

I bet I’ve not had any ribbon candy in years.  This candy was beautiful, y’all.  I can’t even tell you the craving it flung upon me.

You’ll be glad to know I didn’t buy it...but I dang sure wanted it.  It was even in beautiful Easter-y colors.

Impulse buying at it’s finest...whoever figured out how to put this stuff at the checkout counter is a freaking genius.  

And I hate them.

Nasty Dishes - Not For This Girl

I get daily posts from Camp Wander and One Good Thing by Jillee.

I love their posts.  They are good writers, super informative, and always have great advice on how to run your daily life in a more healthful way.

Healthful might have been my key.

Yesterday, the Jillee post was about cauliflower rice.

Yeah.

C.a.u.l.i.f.l.o.w.e.r.

It is not a flower.  Not what I consider a flower, anyway. 

Ugh.

I know, you probably LOVE cauliflower.

I, however, think it is the nastiest stuff ever made.

Well, next to sour kraut.

Those two things will never find it to my table via my hand.

I can promise you that.

I know.

I’m weird.

The crazy thing is, it looks pretty good.  

In the picture.

It Was 80° Yesterday

This weather app messed me up.

In my defense, I will say we have had unseasonably weird weather lately.

One day, it will be 80°.

The next, 14°.

So, when I checked the weather yesterday, I wasn’t surprised to see 12°.  And I don't mind the cool weather.  It's not ever gonna stay around long here - and I am hormonal, people.  Give me 57-67° and I am happy, happy, happy.

As you might guess, I was surprised when I went outside, in my heavy turtleneck sweater, leggings, and boots, to find that it wasn’t really cold at all.

Yup.  It was around 44°.

Chalk this one up to walking down the trail of Mi Vida Loca - the Travel Version.

I had looked at Minot weather.

Instead of Midland.

Needless to say, I turned around and changed clothes.

It’s never boring around here.

The Neverending Saga Of the Wonderdogs...continued.

I left them for one hour.  ONE hour, people.

They found a SEALED padded envelope, with supplements from  Great Taste No Pain.

They tore it open.

And then, they tore plastic bottles open.  Bottles of Digestizyme Plus.

I will tell you, they seem to be digesting their food well.

Blue Rock Holistics should be proud their product works well on Wonderdogs.

ZACCCCKKKKKKK!  ZANNNNNNNNAAAAA!  GET IN HERE!

Dogs...Are Expensive. And Worth It.

Ah, for the love of a dog.

Or two.

One of my Facebook friends, Joe Murphy, posted a little note on his account.

“The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven: $ 16,400.”

Shoot.  I bet it’s more than that.

If you add the arthritis diagnosis, because you chose hunting dogs to be a part of your life, and now, they’re older and can’t get around as quickly...you should add the cost of 1.5 Rimadyl pain pills daily to that cost.  And now, we've started laser treatments to battle the arthritis.  Not to mention the bags of all natural dehydrated food.  And the natural supplements.

And if they’re still hunting and doing what they love to do, well, all I can say, is S&^* happens.  They might run through the barbed wire fence and have to have $250 stitching job.  Or, step in a gopher hole and have to have their leg set (can’t remember $$$$.)  Or, run a 12" mesquite thorn up their leg, which somehow went into the paw of their foot, and ran, under the skin, where normal humans can’t see it, up the front of the leg almost to the knee??  Took about 2 days to figure out he wasn’t just sore - so, another little operation.

And what if you have a stitch licker?  The kind that tries to “Heal Thyself” by licking any and all wounds?  Thereby dissolving the stitches before their time, and the 6” wound comes gaping open, causing yet another trip to the emergency vet for restitching?  Then, a rerun, so this time, stapling?  Ughhhh.

I think we are at around $20,000, and we’re right at the 11 year old mark with Zack.

Zanna has been relatively painless, but she’s so weird, she probably doesn’t dive right in like Zack.

But add up dog-sitting, dog-walking, dog-going-to-the-park time? I’m not even going to say.

Our boys have it right when they say they have been replaced by two Wonderdogs.

But when we die, guys - you can have Zack and Zanna, the stainless steel dog bowls, the kennel, AND the pooper scooper.  (Oh, joy!)  Irregardless of what you think, you’re still in our wills.  We do so love you both.

And oh, by the way -  the exotic granite, gold leafed doggie tombstones, engraved with Zack and Zanna's birthdays?  They're in the garage.

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The Blessing of Sons

The weekend is over, and I’m trying to think up blogging topics.  Instead, I’m thinking about the blessing that our boys are.

Younger Son just left our house, headed back to his house.  Elder Son is roping somewhere around San Antonio.

I miss them both.

Over the last 15 years, our blended family has experienced seasons of laughter, togetherness, and celebration.  We have also experienced estrangement, lack of communication, seasons of agony and worry and despair.  We’re just like any other family in those areas.  Thank God the good times outweigh the bad, and Love?  Love heals.

Love. Heals.

So, today, I’m thankful that we’re all in communication.  Thankful that our sons know, without a shadow of a doubt, that we love them unconditionally.  And that we will always love them and always, always, always, be their biggest fans.

So, with that being said, I’d like to say to them:

As y’all go about your respective endeavors today, remember this: We Love You.  We love each of you individually, and we love you both. We are thankful you have become brothers, and that you love each other.  We are thankful for each of you, as our sons, and as each of you, as men.

Continue to do what you do, as always, with excellence.  We are here, cheering you both on.  

ZZZZZZZZZ Yummy Essential Oil Dream Salve by Rebecca at Camp Wander and One Good Thing By Jillee

So, I’ve been making this essential oil Dream Salve.

It’s amazing.

It works.

I first was introduced to Dream Salve by the good peep Rebecca at Camp Wander.  I bought some.  Fell in love.

Her sister, who writes the blog “One Good Thing by Jillee”, posted the recipe for Dream Salve on her blog.

And one day, I decided to make it.

Loved it so much I made the mistake of talking about it on Facebook.

And ended up giving away every jar I made, but one, which is for my personal use, by golly!  I will SHOOT you if you try to take it.

So last Saturday, I made more Dream Salve.  Got smarter.  Made it in smaller jars so when my friends wanted some, it wasn’t such a hit to the old storage bin or my pocketbook. 

Here's the link to the Dream Blend Essential Oil by SparkNaturals.  Yes, I cheated.  I used this instead of mixing my own blend.  But hey, it was my first time and it will not be my last.

We love it. It’s automatically relaxing, due to of all the good essential oils in it. You put the salve on the soles of your feet, then put on socks.  Then sleep like a baby, baby.

Thanks, Rebecca and Jillee.  Y'all rock.  And...

This household is officially addicted.  It’s all your fault.

Double Dog Dare You

They sleep.

On my couch.  Or should I say, their couch.

I double dog dare you to take a nap on this couch.

Essential Oils and All That...by the (Wannabe) Local Midland Expert

So...I’ve dived into the world of Essential Oils since I last saw you.

I’ve joined the thousands, nay, millions who love essential oils and have become instant experts on everything oils.

Disclaimer:  I am no expert.  But since I post on Facebook about the oils and my success with them, that makes me an expert.  Or everyone thinks so. I get a million questions.  Which I then have to turn around and research, because Florence Nightingale that I am, I will not leave one person hanging (or that's what ThatManILove says).  Which makes me an expert.  Or, at the very least, one humble research assistant. But I digress.

Here's the real deal:  I Know Absolutely Nothing.  But I'm Learning.

ThatManILove?  He LOVES the essential oils.

The Wonderdogs?  They LOVE the essential oils.  Zanna, especially.  I get out any oil, she’s right by my side.  You can see her INHALING.  EXHALING.  If she can rub up against anything with essential oil on it (especially lavender), she’s on it.  Loves it.  And then, she tries to rub it off her nose.  She is hilarious.  This essential oil trek has been worth it just to watch my little fragrance ho-dog get down.

So, if you’re ever walking around Midland, and you see this little liver-on-white spotted 4 legged being streak by you, running happy circles, leaping and jumping, followed by a stream of essential oil fragrance?  You have been Zanna-fied.

She has found her reason for being.  She just thought that Wondernose with which God gifted her was specifically for hunting birds.   

Not so.

It’s all about essential oils.

Zack, on the other hand, uses essential oils as yet another reason to take a nap.

It’s never boring around here.

But it dang sure smells goooooooooood.

Speaking of which, here's a song about Essential Oils (The EO Song).  (Otherwise known as Bastille's "Pompeii".)  Great song!  Go listen!

The Requisite "Oh. Hello. I'm Back Blogging Again. Hope You're Still Here!" Post

Wow.  It’s been a while since I’ve written.  I started 2013 off with such a bang, writing almost every other day day.  Well, 173 days of 365.  Not quite a 50% ratio, but pretty good for me.

And then, come January 2014, I cratered.

I got really busy at work.

Things happened.

But lately,  stuff has been bubbling up again.  Mostly funny.  And You.Know.What.That.Means.

I think I feel the urge to take pen to paper.  Well, not literally, but you know.

The 4-5 a.m. clicking of fingers on the keyboard.  Or as ThatManILove says, he’ll be waking up to the light blue glare of the Mac.

Again.

I really think he likes it when I write.  He says I’m happier when I get it all out there, even though he hates being blog fodder.

He’s not, really.  Blog fodder, I mean. Well, not most of the time, anyway.

Hope to see you soon!