300th Post Celebration..Though I Know No One Really Cares. (Link-Up Provided!)

Seeing as of late, my posts are a bit of a dud. Even ones that I let people USE me to link up and hope to gain more readers themselves. I'm just a glutton for punishment I guess.

It's been a ride thus far, to say the least. And with the 300th post I think I am going to post some links to my personal all-time favorite posts, maybe add a couple of videos, and place up a few pictures.

Thanks to all of you that have been loyal readers during all 300 pieces, that date back to November of 2009 here on Blogger. And welcome to all my new friends/readers.

And just because I am feeling ultra-generous, I think I'll let you all LINK UP with this post (below) as a way to show my appreciation.

Let's see, I think I will list a few of my all-time fave posts first. Sound like a plan? And feel free (especially my new friends) to click on them and read them. Don't be shy!

The One That Started It All

A Poem To A Baby Never Held

For Me, April Is More That Just About Easter

Followers, Carnivals And My Being Myself

100 Posts Ago

A Big Loss

Did you have fun reading all these? I hope so.

Now, on to the Video portion of the party. Here's a few songs that I just LOVE and love to sing or dance to. In no particular "love it!" order..













Now that you are all pumped up and raring to go, feel like seeing a few pictures? Yeah, I'm gonna be random. And the first three should tell you the kind of guys I like to see on the boob-tube. (=

Well, that's it (for now). Thanks for coming on over and celebrating with me. I hope you had fun reading, watching, looking and listening. Come on by my pace anytime. I love having friends over.

Now, just scroll a bit further down here and ADD YOUR BLOG link to my post here and let's see if I can get ya hooked up. Consider it my "Thank You!" present from me to you, for your generosity and support. Have a great day!

My favorite tunes from 2010...And the 1st decade of the new century in review.

The following has happened in and around my home, within my life in the last decade (2000 to 2010)....

1) I'd had two more children (2001 & 2004) since having my first in 1999.
2) In 2009 I required an emergency Corneal transplant.
3) Found out that my son indeed has ADHD (along with a host of other mental problems).
4) Sent my youngest off for her very first day of school in 2009.
5) Got married a second time to my soul-mate in 2002 after he proposed to me in a WalMart parking lot in early 2001.
6) Had my divorce papers come in the mail, finalizing my divorce from my first husband (and father of my oldest) on my birthday in December of 2000.
7) Had lost my grandmother that helped raise me after the loss of my mom. She passed in August of 2002.
8) Have now taken three separate trips back home to Nevada. One as a family while Nana was still alive. Another alone when she was passing away. The last for an extended, three-week visit in 2007 (also on my own).

There's much more that has happened. Including the loss of a baby in 2003 and another loss within my husband's family. And of course many good and happy things as well. But these all stand out above the rest.

As you can see, the first decade of this (still) new century has been both good and bad to me and my family. But I'm looking ahead and hoping for the best where the next decade is concerned. I try hard to keep looking forward, instead of where I have been.

Now, here's a few (but not nearly all) of my favorite songs from the 2000 to 2010 years.

**DISCLAIMER!...There is no copyright infringement intended with the following videos. Nor does this blog's author endorse any singer/band in this post, nor is getting monetary gain for doing so.**

25 Days of Christmas (Day 2)

For this installment, I wish to share my favorite Christmas themed movies and television shows. A couple are traditional that all of us as a family (as in myself, my husband and our kids) watch every year.

First up is... "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation".

I don't care how many times I have seen this one, I laugh until I cry EVERY single time that I watch it. You can't get a more dysfunctional and diverse family as the Griswold's. Plus it is nice to see my cousin Mae Questel, who was the ORIGINAL model and voice for Betty Boop as the crazy, "not-all-there" aunt.

Clark really knows how to put on a show of lights for Christmas to!! Especially when it blinds the neighbors and causes a neighborhood-wide power surge.


Next up is... "Home Alone".

This is no ordinary kid. After being left behind when the rest of his family leaves for Christmas vacation, a couple of burglars invade the home in the hopes of getting some goods. Only their enemy, a ten year old boy is proven to be way too smart for the bumbling pair.

Again, no matter how many times that I have watched "Home Alone" (or it's sequel) you just can't NOT laugh at the stupidity of two grown men being outwitted by a little kid with some of the BEST booby traps I have EVER seen made, and not getting killed in the process.


Now, let's move on to... "The Muppet's; A Christmas Carol".

With a kid-friendly twist on the Charles Dickens classic, this would be a family crowd pleaser. If you love the Muppets (I have since they were on the "Muppet Show"), then I can say you will certainly enjoy the antics and comedy that goes in to setting Scrooge straight.


Now for a family tradition.... "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas".

This has been a timeless classic for me to view since I was a small child. Now, I carry along the tradition in my home, with my children. It's one of those times where I share a bit about my mom with my kids and give them a small taste of what my holidays were like with her.

And I swear to you, my youngest, when put in a Santa hat and pink jammies, is a dead ringer for Cindy Lou Who!


Another classic for my time, and more along my enjoyment is... "Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol" (featuring the late George C. Scott).

I'll be the first to admit, I am not the black and white, golden age movies kind of girl. Only a few b&w movies will I watch. And those, I can count on one hand. And as for classics such as Mr. Scott's portrayal of Ebeneezer Scrooge, he ALMOST got ranked with the classics that I really don't care to see.

That is, until my dad forced me to watch it one year as a teen. I loved it from that point on. Sure it started a bit slow. But the acting, the effects (for it's time) and the cast selection, as well as how they screen played the story grabbed me in, and I was hooked for life.

I'm thinking that I am starting to see a trend here...


Last, but most certainly not least, and yet another family show that my kids watch with me every year is... "A Charlie Brown Christmas".

How can you NOT love Charlie Brown's heart, caring and warmth in finding the "perfect" Christmas tree? All of his friends (Linus, Marcy, Peppermint Patty, etc.) all claim that Charlie Brown will do as he always does... screw up.

In the end, yeah, they are kind of correct. He does screw up. He gets the scrawniest, littlest, weakest tree because there were no other "good" trees available on Christmas. But in the end the gang learned a valuable lesson.

Less is more. It's the meaning, not the actual thing that counts. And something ugly can in turn be one of the most beautiful things of all.

So, there ends my Christmas time favorite movies and shows. Feel free to add your list as well to the comments. Or better yet, try jumping in and doing a "25 Days Of Christmas" with me! It's not too late to join in the fun.

See you all tomorrow!

25 Days of Christmas (Day 1)

And so it begins. Time to break out the holly and the lights. Time to place Santa and nativity in the yards.

And also, my first series in the Blogosphere begins. I can only hope that it will make jolly for my readers (with a tear or two trickling down your cheek from time to time).

Today, I'm touching on "Memories of Christmases Past".

When I was little Christmas was a big deal in my home, and within the extended family.

We decorated throughout the house. Hung Mistletoe, garland, lights and such. The tree was decked out in all kinds of ornaments, with any of my school-made-by-hand crafts at the forefront of the tree.

All the neighborhood kids would come over each year to our home for a Christmas Party, and Santa (who changed looks every year) would take gift requests from us children.

Then, we would also visit my Aunt (Mom's sister) and Uncle. Some of my Grandma's sisters would travel to California to spend time with one another and with their nieces and nephews. And there was my cousin Don, who stood at almost seven feet tall. He would hoist me on his shoulders and I could touch my head to the ceiling without even trying or "reaching" for it.

Sadly, pretty much most of them are now dead. Don fell victim to Lou Gehrig's Disease. All of my Great Aunts have passed due to old age or health problems. My Uncle is now gone, thanks to cancer.

But those family gatherings fell apart after my Grandmother's death. And even more so, after Mom's passing. Gone were the days of smiles, love and laughter.

Even in my home. Christmas was never really the same. Much more quiet and reserved. My family is gone now for the most part. All I have left is my Dad. And he is almost 3,000 miles from here.

Sure, I have my husband. I have his side of the family. And yes, we do Christmas big on that end these days. But it's not the same thing. They aren't MY family. Yes, I am "married in" and a part of the family.But still, it doesn't have the same... "meaning" as sharing the love, laughter and holidays, as it does with YOUR family. YOUR loved ones.

So, I am ensuring that the few traditions that my Mom had for me (as an only child) are passed along through me to my kids. Such as the yearly viewing of "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" and "Merry Christmas Charlie Brown". As well as hanging the hand-made ornaments from my kids on the tree.

Plus, I have an ornament (and wish to add to them, seeing as the kids have grown greatly and their tastes have changed) for each of my children of cartoon characters that they enjoyed when little. And of course, I hang their "Baby's First Christmas" ornaments.

When I have grandkids, I hope to pass along the tradition to my kids to do the same.

I may no longer have the family I once did due to several heartbreaking circumstances that plagued us when I was young, but I still have my memories of beautiful Christmas times with my family when we were all happy and loved one another (seemingly) unconditionally.

And no one, family, friend or foe can take those times away from me.

So Many Thoughts Come to Mind...Ponderings On a Rainy Day.

In one month and two days from today, it will be a milestone. And a lot of different meanings.

For one, my childhood friend, Lisa's birthday is on October 29th. We just recently reconnected, thanks to FaceBook, after almost 25 years of dropping off the earth to one another. Then, soon followed by her three sisters, Neva, Dana and Rena.

Then, add in the fact that it will be 21 years since my mother's passing. Over the years it has gotten much better to take in and deal with. I know she will always be with me in my heart and in my memories (what few I have left of her and our time together).

The biggest milestone to come on October 29th though is...

It will be my one-year anniversary since my Cornea Transplant. While I'm happy to have the sight that I DO have in it now, compared to before the surgery (and the fact that I have a cornea), it will also be a day of mourning.

Yes, we recipients DO mourn the passing of those which have given us our second chances. We never (in most cases) were able to meet them in life. And a rare few of us get to meet the families that are mourning the loss of their loved one that donated to us. But we are very thankful and grateful, none the less. And it hurts us to know that another family is out there, somewhere, hurting and are not able to have the time with their family any longer, as we recipients share in the joys, trials and tribulations of our families.

It's on days like this, where it's damp, chilly and rainy, that I sit and wonder. What if my mother were still alive? How would she have felt of my moving across to the other side of the states? How would she think of my husband? What nicknames would she have given her grandchildren?...Would I have still had that stupid trache until I turned 18?

I also wonder who my donor was. What is their gender? How old were they? What were their likes and dislikes? Was their family life filled with love and laughter?

So many thoughts to ponder as I sit here, sipping my coffee and listening to the stillness of the house, as the rain beats down and the cars are passing by on slick roads.

"You be 5 long, long, long, long days ago?!?!"

Yes, those are the words of my now-five-year-old daughter. Skyler turned five this past Saturday. She is no longer the "baby" that she once was. And her questions about life, the world around her, and what she is learning have become more prominent as of late.

Instead of Skyler asking "You were a little kid a long time ago?!", she decided to ask me about how I too was a little girl in what seems like ages ago in the fashion that is the title of this post.

If she had only added one or two "long's" to her sentence, I may have chuckled a bit more. Instead, my ever-so clever child decided to add a total of four of them to her question of my ancientness.


Man did it ever make me feel 'old'.... It's like reality finally smacked me in the face and told me to wake the hell up. I'm not getting any younger, that's for sure. And to be viewed as 'ancient' to a five year old is in all honesty, a bit intimidating.


Why didn't Skyler just go the extra mile and pull out a picture of Nefertiti and ask if it was me? Or ask if I was around when the Pyramids were built by those pesky aliens? 


It could have been worse. She could have asked me if I was around when the big, bad dinosaurs were roaming the earth. Now, THAT would have hurt....