When you Wish Upon a Star Wednesday Medley

It's just like the Wednesday Hodgepodge, but with a new name and a new "hostess with the mostess"! Much thanks to Terri for continuing our Wednesday Q&A...I'm looking forward to being reacquainted with old friends and meeting new ones.

1. On December 5, 1901, Walt Disney was born.  Have you been to Disneyland or Disney World?  Can you share a favorite Disney memory?

We took the boys to Disney World in 2000; their ages: 11, 8, and 5. When we went to “Honey I Shrunk the Audience” (which is in 3D) everything was fine. Then the snake appeared to come toward us and we hear, “MAMA! MAMA!” I look next to me to see MS with his feet in his chair screaming for me. We laugh about that to this day!

I’m pretty sure that’s not what Terri had in mind, but that’s a favorite memory!

I also marched in my high school band during the Disney World parade a couple of times (I think it was 2 times, anyway). Very cool!

I’ve never been to Disney Land and really have no desire. I also have no desire to go back to Disney World. I’d love to give Harry Potter a try, though.

2.The first roller coaster attraction at Walt Disney World was Space Mountain.  Do you/did you like roller coasters?

Space Mountain isn’t like it used to be. It’s not pitch-dark like it was when it first opened; I’m sure it’s because of liability.

I’m not into roller coasters & really never was. I just rode it because that’s what you do in high school, and what you’re obligated to do with your kids.

3. The very first fairy tale that Walt Disney made a cartoon about was Little Red Riding Hood.  Did you enjoy fairy tales when you were a youngster or did they scare you?  Did you have a favorite?

I loved fairy tales when I was young. I don’t think I have a fave, though.

4. In Lady & the Tramp, Tramp’s real name was Butch!  Do you have nicknames for your fur-babies and/or for your children?

I always have nicknames for my furbabies! Laika’s is “Cuddle bug” and Gurl Dogg is “Crazy dog”. I mean, really, should Gurl Dogg even have a nickname?

         

For my "2 footed babies", I call OS "my sunshine", MS "Tater Bug", and YS "Russell Bear".

5. I can’t let this day go by without respecting George H.W. Bush, as he lays in state in the Rotunda of our Capital today.  He was our 41st President and only the second father to have a son follow him as President of the United States.  President Bush loved his colorful socks.  I bought Joe a pair of George H.W. Bush socks for Christmas one year.  I know Myra has a pair… any other bloggers checking in today who have a pair of the Presidential socks in a drawer at home?  How do you feel about colorful socks?

No Presidential socks here; I didn’t even know there was such a thing.

I bought a 4-pack of Bombas a few weeks ago, only there were 3 in it and the pair that didn’t come was marked out with no explanation. I tried calling the 800 number only to get a message that they were only responding to emails due to the high amount of traffic. (Wonder how many other people they stiffed?) I emailed a week ago and finally received a response. The other pair of socks is out of stock so they are going to send me another pair of my choice. They are very comfortable (just as advertised) and I like that for every pair that is bought they donate a pair.

6. Please tell us something random about your week!

Well, the Small Town Football Team did it again: they won their 17th overall state championship last weekend. This team went undefeated. It's rare when they are undefeated, even if they win the championship because they play another powerhouse every year & the other school is about 3 times bigger than Small Town High. MS' team went undefeated his senior year (2009) and I think they were undefeated 1 other time since then. That's about the most exciting thing that happened this week!

Thanks again, Terri, for hosting! Want to get in on the Wednesday Medley? Check her blog Your Friend from Florida on Tuesdays to get the questions, then don't forget to link up on Wednesdays!

Past 2 Weekend Wrap-ups

Since I never got around to wrapping up my weekend from last week, you get a "twofer" this post!
MS embarked on a new adventure on the 31st. He moved away from everything he knows and away from a place where he is very comfortable. CH & I drove 11 hours to help him move into his new home. He'll be attending Law School at a place with this resident:

I worked 4 days, then took a day off so we could travel. When we got to the house where he's living, the summer residents hadn't vacated. That wouldn't have been a problem except that we were planning on spending the night there. So, we ended up getting a hotel room.
Saturday morning we unpacked CH's truck & MS' car. One of his roommates (he has 2) was there, so we met him and were able to spend some time with him. He & MS' other roommate are 2nd years, so hopefully he'll get some help from them.
I have a cousin who lives in the same city as this University, so we met him & his wife for lunch. This area is known for its food, and my lunch didn't disappoint at all! I'm curious to see how much weight MS gains...he's going to have to work out when he's not studying to keep from gaining too much.
We bought some groceries and a few other things he needed, then spent the rest of the day relaxing. CH "helped" MS mount the tv wall mount, and MS' roommate grilled burgers & boudin for supper. The roommate left early on Sat. to meet his family for vacation. CH  & I left for home after we got up and were ready. Thank goodness the trip was uneventful.
I feel really good about MS being where he is. It wasn't his first choice, but I think God put him right where he should be. I think he's going to fit in nicely.
I was hoping to meet a Speech Blogging Buddy, but there just wasn't enough time. Turns out she was busy doing things around her house, but we did talk for a few minutes on the phone. Hopefully next time we, along with another Speech Blogger (who I didn't know is also in the area!) can have a "cocktail hour" together.
He was taken care of and settled, so now it was time to check in on OS. I traveled 2 hours this past Saturday to take care of some things with OS. I was about 30 minutes out, and a check engine light came on. I just had my car serviced Friday night, so I figured something hadn't been put on tight enough. My gauges were fine and the car was performing normally, so I wasn't real concerned. OS met me at the dealership so they could take a look at it. There was an update on the sensor that apparently hadn't shown up the day before.
OS absolutely loves where he lives. I got to meet his girlfriend (she got my approval!) during lunch, and I got to visit with my granddog for a little bit.

A new iphone (Merry Christmas, OS!) and some groceries later, and I was back on the road to go home. The interstate right outside of the city where he lives can get a little hairy and nerve-racking with the semis going around the curves, but it was strangely empty as I drive west to home. In fact, I only passed 3 semis on that stretch of road. They have to are supposed to stay in the right lane, so that helps with how fast they're going. There is road work on a bridge about an hour away from home, and when CH & I came back from the Outer Banks, traffic was backed up and not moving. I was prepared to take another route, but I ended up not having to stop at all when I got there. If it hadn't been for the lane being narrow and the pavement not being smooth, I wouldn't have even had to have slowed down. (I would have, of course, since it was in a work zone!)
Since YS is still living at home, I know how he's doing! School starts for him in a few weeks, so he has a little while longer to work as much as he can.
I think I'm all caught up now!

InstaFriday

 According to Tori at Home Away From Home:

"So I've decided to do something new on Fridays; INSTAFriday. I'm gonna use Friday to share some of the pics from my Instagram from that week for all those who don't follow me and actually care. *WINK*"

Tori is still really busy, so there's no link up again this week. That won't stop me from a post, though!

This is Ally, my 16 year old Schnauzer. We thought it was time to say goodbye to her in January, but after getting some "pee-pee pills" to prevent her dribbling, and getting groomed, she's like a different dog! I love how she looks "puppyish" in this picture.

This was the 2nd picture I took of YS cooking dinner for us on Monday. Why is it that the boys think it's really cute to give me the "you're #1" sign (you know what I mean, right??? They use their middle finger!) when I'm taking a picture?

Tuesday night, my mountain school had "Family Fun Night". They do this once/month to get the community involved. This was one of the visitors:

Wednesday, "IT" came. I am beyond excited to finally get a "Big Girl Camera"!!! And, I have all next week to see if I can figure out how to use it!

Those were my personal IG pictures for the week. If you don't follow me, I'm @tnslp!

Friday Fragments

I'm linking up again with Mrs. 4444 for another Friday Fragments, so...yay, me!

~ My goals for this long weekend: 1) clean the house, and 2) finish reading Edge of Eternity (Ken Follett). I'm around 75% through the book, so it's an attainable goal!

~ Check out my handsome "baby":

(Keep in mind that I'm 5'9"...and look how little I look next to him!)

~ Is anyone else as over Facebook as I am? If it wasn't for blogging, I would close my account.

~ 8 more Mondays until Spring Break! :)

Weekend Wrap-Up

Thursday night was our last flute choir concert of the season.  The venue had weird acoustics:  we could hear ourselves loud & clear, which made it a little difficult to hear everybody else.  And, it was so hot in the room!  

Friday night was one of my school's Spring Festival.  I was a little concerned that we wouldn't have a good turn out since it was raining, but everything (except the dunk tank) was moved into the gym.  We had a really good turn out, and at 7:30 it was like everybody decided to leave. One of the Kindergarten teachers was in the dunk tank, and the SRO said he figured out how to change the tension of the target, so he really loosened (or tightened) it up so that just a little bit of a breeze would make it go off.  He said she got dunked about 15 times in a row before asking if everybody else got dunked that much!  There was a "pie in the face" station, and one of the 1st grade teachers got a pie in her face...by her 4th grade daughter.  I couldn't imagine anyone wanting to put a pie in her face...except her kids!  :)

The 2nd Grade had the nail polishing station:

Saturday was the usual laundry and cleaning day.  CH & I watched a couple of movies at the end of the day, which was a great way to end the day.  

I had a phone call from a co-worker who said that her parents were renewing their vows on Sunday in a park.  She said that her husband mentioned that it would be neat if they had a musician "just happen to stroll by" at the end.  She asked if I would be willing to do that, and I asked her what she wanted me to play. After she said that it didn't matter, I asked her if they had "a song"; their song.  I ended up playing 'Moon River".  I think they were really surprised!

I got to talk to OS for about an hour Sunday morning.  He sounded very happy, and told me all about what he's been doing.  He assured me that he's being smart when he hikes/rock climbs/snowboards, and always goes out with a team.  Right after I talked to him, he posted this picture on Instagram:

After my stroll the park, I stopped by and spent a few minutes with my mom.  Their rhododendron is blooming beautifully:

One of my sisters was just about to leave when I got there.  I snapped a picture of her as she was leaving:

Some of the badges on her jacket say it all:

We had a nice dinner with MS (& GF) & YS at our usual Mexican Restaurant.  It was a nice, restful day!  Hope your day was just as nice!

Challenging Friday Frags

If you're looking for my "V" post in the A-Z Blogging Challenge, click HERE.

~  First things first:  Mrs. 4444 is having a giveaway in honor of her birthday!  I'm not going to divulge her age, but know that she's 1 year younger than I!  If you don't already follow her, head over to see her!  She is a HOOT!!!

~  Did anybody catch "Black Box" last night on ABC?  I don't know where creators are getting ideas for some of these shows.  It was really strange, but I couldn't stop watching!

~Another show I got caught up in last weekend is "Orphan Black" on BBC America.  This one has to do with cloning.

~  YS earned quite the honor last night.  He beat the "Blazing Challenge" at Buffalo Wild Wings:  He ate 12 blazing wings in 5 minutes and 31 seconds.  His prize?  A t-shirt and a picture on the wall.  I have a feeling he's going to be taking several trips to the bathroom today!

~  Yesterday at one of my schools, students who beat the reading challenge got to take some turns on a climbing wall.  It was a beautiful day for it!  It reeked a bit of havoc on my schedule, but I was able to do quite a bit of paperwork and just breathe!

 ~  Wednesday was Special Olympics.  The olympians were met in the hall by every student in the school.  It was so sweet to see how excited they were!

~  OS' Picture of the Week:

This picture was taken a week ago:

My grand-dog:

Have a great weekend!

Friday's Favorite Fave

Time for another Friday's Fave 5.  Already.  Where did the week go?  Before you know it, it will be time for me to go back to work.  :(
Link up with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story to share your fave 5 for the week!

1.  Angry Birds.  Okay, maybe this shouldn't be one of my faves for the week, because I'm about ready to kill those little pigs (or whatever they are) who mock me when I don't get all of them.

2.  Spur of the moment movie with 2 of the boys. 

I should've re-watched the other X-Men movies first. 

3.  6 a.m. walks with the girls.  It's a perfect time...except when Ally doesn't wake me up until 6:30 and we end up meeting a couple of other people in the park.   I guess I'm going to have to start setting my alarm.

4.  Getting the air conditioner fixed.  For the 2nd time in 6 weeks.  Apparently they missed a leak the first time. 

5.  Finding a cd with some pictures I had forgotten about. 
There's the one with MS when he was in 5th Grade playing Robert Kennedy in a play:

A picture of the girls looking out of the dining room window when we lived in SC:

OS jumping on his bike:

YS taking the host up to the altar during his First Communion:

(Check out the intense face...he was so scared that he was going to drop it!)

YS' first run of the season in baseball:  (Don't miss his right fingers crossed!)

I had completely forgotten about the cd that had pictures from my parents' 50th Anniversary!  Here is a picture of them with their kids:

(That's me on the right in the blue dress...30 pounds lighter than I am now!)

Lost Again in the Random Dozen

Apparently Linda is a big "Lost" fan.  Personally, I never got it.  I mean, I tried to follow along at the beginning, but was frustrated by the whole thing, so I thought there were other mindless shows on at that same time that would actually be entertaining to me.

1. Have you ever been so lost that you were really afraid?
  Thankfully, no.
2. Have you ever been to an island?
  I went to the Bahamas my senior year in high school with the band.  Not a good trip at all.  I really should go back and see if it's really as bad as I remember.
3. Are you more of a thinker or feeler?
  Definitely a feeler.  Thinking makes my head hurt.
4. Do you tend to see issues or situations in life as black and white or shades of gray?
  Ms. Rule Follower here?  Either it is or it isn't, there is no maybe about it.
5. If you were stuck on an island, what book would you hope to have with you (Let's pretend the Bible is already there, so you can't say that.)
  How about "The Dummies Guide to Being Stuck on an Island?".
6. What are you most afraid of?
  Something happening to one of my boys.  I have a feeling this is going to be a popular answer!
7. Would you rather lose all of your old memories or never be able to make new ones?
   OUCH!  I'm having to think...I would say never be able to make new ones.  If I lost all of my old memories, I'd lose the memories of my parents, as well as other relatives.
8. Pretend I'm looking at a scrapbook page about you. There are three spaces for you to drop in individual pictures. What are those pictures of, and why did you select them?
   1) College graduation...I found what I wanted to have as a career...finally.  I know my parents were ecstatic when I decided on my major and didn't change...again.
    2)  My parents & siblings. I woudn't be who I am today with them.
   3)  My husband and my boys...they are the loves of my life; in fact, they are my life.
9. If you were re-doing your wedding, what would you do differently? (If you're single, tell me one thing you would do if you were planning a wedding OR huge party.)
  Hmmm...well, since I didn't have a wedding to begin with, this is going to be a little hard to answer.  We got married by a Justice of the Peace in my husband's hometown with my MIL, BIL, and a couple of my husband's close friends as witnesses, then had our marriage blessed in the Catholic Church with my parents being the witnesses a few years later.  I think having a wedding would have really made me nervous, having to get up in front of all those people.  Knowing me, I would've tripped.
10. Tell me one thing you know/believe about forgiveness.
  It's easy to forgive, but forgetting is another thing.  Forgiveness humbles us.  It's easy to say "It's okay" when someone says "I'm sorry", but it's another thing to actually deep-down, honestly forgive.
11. You're waiting in a doctor's office. What is your favorite way to pass that time?
  That's easy...read.  That is, if I'm not distracted by someone talking loudly, either in the office or in the exam room.
12. If there were a clone of you in a parallel universe what is one way you hope she/he would be the same as you and one way you hope she/he would be better?
  I would hope she would have the compassion that I have; as far as the way she would be better:  she's a clone, right?  So...she'd be perfect!  Okay, okay...about some humility? 

Now, here's your part:  Visit Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee and link up!