It's Monday- My Weekend fun.

We had a great weekend. With the Holiday extended time it was a long weekend. Thursday we had family over for turkey and the fun.

Here is a photo of the family.

The kids decorated Gingerbread men and watched the New DVD "Santa Buddies". They really enjoyed it!
Black Friday my beloved hubby and daughter got up at 4:30 am and went shopping. Yes they did! Now I can not get her up early on any regular day. Black Friday must hold that secret, I need to find it a unleash it on this teenager weekly. As for me I stayed in bed, no shopping for me. I will be making all my gift giving this year. My sister-n-law went Black Friday shopping for the first time. She told me she will never do it again! it was just too crazy. She did manage to get some good things, however she also is not an earlier riser. I told her a was going to blog what she said, one has to be careful around me I BLOG! Most of the time they do not mind.
Saturday the family went to The Festival of Trees at the Maryland Fair grounds. Pictures will be posted on Wednesday. It was a wonderful time.
Sunday off to Church, My daughter's boy friend came along. He had never been to our church, it is a gigantic church. Over ten thousand Members. After church we met with the family briefly then of the See "New Moon".
My daughter tried to see it last weekend but it was sold out. So we though we would take it in on Sunday. I really enjoyed this movie. I did see the first one, However haven't read the books. Now my daughter have read the books several times over. I thought it was very good and now I know why my hubby's body temp is always warm. Why he goes crazy on full New moons. We have always joked about he hot temp body. We had a water bed in Colorado and I never need a heater for it, just let him go to bed 30 minutes before me and the temp is just right. Back to the movie, Bella is now getting to know her old friend from when she was little,Jacob. Edward has left her so now she is trying to move on. Jake(as Bella calls him) and Bella get close and then things start getting strange. Now she is starting to believe all those fairy tails are not really made up stories. Can you imagine a world where Fairy Tails are Real?

My Seasons Favorite Song Weekend

I remember Karen Carpenter from the 1970s. This Christmas album was released in 1978. I thought I would start "My Season Favorites song Weekend" with her "Sleigh Ride" arrangement. I really like this song. It has been song by almost every musical artist, and still remains on the top 10 for Performance for Holiday songs by artist.
A little about the song; The music was written by Leroy Anderson in 1946 during a heat wave in July. I guess he wanted to cool off, you know there was no air conditioning then. Maybe that's where the "Christmas in July" phrase comes from. Then in 1950 the Lyrics were written by Mitchell Parish. It was first recorded in 1950 by Arthur Fielder and the Boston Pops. "Sleigh Ride" is often associated with Christmas, and appears on several Christmas albums. However, the song's lyrics never specifically mention any holiday or religion, except for certain "Sleigh Ride" versions like this Carpenters arrangement. The mention of pumpkin pie in the last verse might suggest an association with Thanksgiving. Therefore I thought this would be a prefect song for today. Enjoy.

Wordless Wednesday-Before/After

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Seven years in the making.

Oh Happy Day! This week See!!

Now for the rest of the story.....

Monday has arrived.

Critter was here for the weekend. We did a craft, play out side, baked cookies, and watched a Movie. He love to play on the swing set and play ball. Boy did he hit it far, One went over the house roof and landed in to bushes on the side of the house. Then One went over the 6' fence into the neighbors yard. I think with some training he can be a great Orioles player, he'll be hitting those home runs for sure. We walked to the bus stop to wait for my daughter. Then home to cook the cookies.
The DVD movie we watched was Holiday Madagascar, it was a cute one. My daughter went to see New Moon. All the showings were sold out so they went to see 2012. She said it was okay, not her kind of movie.
We did a craft you can see that at my Kitchen Blog. I always love it when Critter visits, we have so much fun and it's a joy to be with the Little Critter. I miss the small years of my child.

Oh I wanted to tell you all, On Thursday I turned on the radio looking for some music and Low and behold I stumbled on a station with Holiday music playing. Now it's not even Thanksgiving yet! But I have to say it did get me in the Holiday mood. Do you think it to early to have a station playing only that kind of music? I not sure what to think. It will probably be more joyful baking the holiday food and decorating the home.

My Favorite Song Weekend -Some Brass Sounds

I thought I do something a little different for this weekend. Introduce some of you to Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass.
The Band played throughout the 1960's and disbanded in 1969. Some of their music was used in movies and for TV incidental music. Here's a little more history; They had five number one hits, twenty-eight albums that made the billboard charts, Won eight Grammy Awards, had fourteen Platinum albums and fifteen Gold ones. I love the sound of the brass section and this group sure can play it.
The first video will introduce the group. I will let Herb do that for you. His sense of humor is great!

Here is a medley of some of their earlier ones. You will here some familiar tunes.

Aloha Friday -A Family Favorite

So here it is Friday. A day for just laying back and visiting bloggers friends to leave our two cents on their blogs. Kailani over at An island life likes to take it easy on this day. So some of us started to join in, Our community is big so, why not join in and meet some new bloggers.

My how the week flew by for me. Tuesday I posted about "CashCab", so I thought today I would asked the Question:

What is your family's favorite Game show the one everyone loves to play along with?

Please leave your link so I can easily visit you. When I visit blogs who has links, I visit all the blogs on their links. It make it so much easier and I know they want my visit.

Just Another Day At Home.

The other day while searching for something family friendly to watch. We stumbled upon "CashCab". Now that is a neat show. It takes place in New York City while in a cab driving to your destination. We want to be in that cab. How do you get on it? glad you asked. Let see.... you just hail a cab in New York City and you might get that one. How easy is that. I do not think it is too easy since there are over 12,000 cabs in the City and only one Cash Cab.
If you are lucky to get into the Cash cab, there will be questions to answer for money. You start out with 25 dollar ones and go up to 100 dollar ones. It really depends on have far one is traveling as to how much one can win. Oh, there's a catch, if you get three strikes your put out of that cab on the spot. It will not cost you to ride the cab.
Now if you make it to your destination you win the money. They offer you a bonus Video question in which you can double your money if you get it right....but miss it and you only got a free ride.
We like to sit on the couch and play along. We do pretty well but then again no pressure on the couch. Somehow the brain works better in our own environment. We have seen people miss easy questions and wonder how could they not know that one. Anyway it is a fun show to watch.

My Favorite Song Weekend - ELO

The Electric Light Orchestra were formed to accommodate a desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones. Originally from Birmingham, United Kingdom they became a hit in the USA in the 1970's. ELO had an idea to give their music a classical sound by combining cellos, violins, horns and woodwinds. They became pinned as "The English guys with the big fiddles". From 1971-1986 they traveled in concert. ELO's last performance of the century occurred on 13 July 1986 in Stuttgart, Germany. After that performance the band officially disbanded. In 2000 the band came back together for a brief time. George Harrison died in 2001 so the band once again disbanded. Although they are no longer together their songs still live on. On September the 2 of 2008 an eco-friendly repackage of The Essential Electric Light Orchestra called "Playlist: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra " was released.
My daughter plays Cello, you thought only classical was her future....think again.


For this weekend only a extra song. One my hubby liked "Telephone Line".
An equal opportunity Post today.

Aloha Friday -Neat &Clean Teen Rooms

So here it is Friday. A day for just laying back and visiting bloggers friends to leave our two cents on their blogs. Kailani over at An island life likes to take it easy on this day. So some of us started to join in, Our community is big so, why not join in and meet some new bloggers.

Here's your Question:

Does your Teen have a neat and clean room?
Did you as a teen have a neat and clean Room?
Now here's the real clincher, did the Teen or the Mother do the work?

Okay I know it's three questions but some times to get the real story it takes three tries. So here is mine...As a teen I did pick up my room and clean it. My Mom made sure I did. It was always Neat and tidy. My Teen is not as neat as I was. She is getting better at it though. I tried not doing it but could not stand it. So I will make the bed and pick up the room daily if she hasn't. No this is not a Free service Now that she is a teen. It will cost her, time. Her time to do the things she wants to. I charge one hour for each time I clean it. That hour is to be given to me for what ever I need done on the weekend. If I do her cleaning five times a week, she owes me five hours. There is a lot of weeding out I need to do, having the help will be great! Although Daughter vows not to owe me anymore time.

Wordless Wednesday- Veterans Day

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Happy Veterans Day
to all The men and Women
who have served
and are serving our Country

The above is of an army camp overseas.

Our Men
Laying out cables for communications.

A salute to all From Hubby
"Happy Veterans Day"

Have a great day!
You can eat free at AppleBees today

The Movies & My Weekend

Had a good weekend. The weather was beautiful. We did some yard work on Saturday. Will be this weeks Ruby Tuesday Post on My Yard & Garden blog. Went to see the movie "A Christmas Carol". What a disappointment! I was so looking forward to seeing it too. Thought it was so slow and the color was not up to par. The spirits were very strange, the writers imagination was poor. If you did not know the story it would have been hard to follow. Very choppy in the format. Wanted to leave several times and some people did. I will be so surprised if it even gets a mention at the Oscars.
As far as animation is concerned, Very impressive, liked the detail , it was very life liked. We had a hard time deciphering between animation and real (it might get something in that category). Hubby and I did not think the 21 dollars we paid was a wise choice.
Now my daughter went to see "The Box". She and her friends take on it was and I quote...It was strange.. somehow I think this movie was not intended for the teen group. Remember the "Twilight Zone"? "The Box" is a take off one of the episodes. Most teens of today are not Twilight Zone groupies. Her group wanted to see another one but we felt it had too much sexual notes in it. Plus the rating was "PG13, pending appeal for sex and violence material", So why rate it PG13? I really am not please with today's rating system, we can not trust the raters.
On a lighter note, Got to see Critter and the family Sunday. We met up with Michael and we sat together at church. That is seldom because the church has over ten thousand members. It was a good Message. Then afterwords we meet in the cafeteria. Critter and Alex want to spend overnight thanksgiving weekend with us. I think that would be great! Looking forward to that.

My Favorite Song Weekend - Daughters Choice

This is my daughters pick. She is fifteen and a great girl. She wanted me to post this song. I had to ,of course, do some research.
Ronan Patrick John Keating raised in Dublin is a 32 year old Irish pop singer. He Started he singing career at age 16 with the Boyzband as their soloist. Married in 1974 and has three children. Has a total of 14 UK top 10 singles as well as four UK Number One albums. His music spilled over into other countries and now he sell over twenty two million albums worldwide. Ronan was entered in the Guinness Book of Records in October of 2008, for being the only artist ever to have 30 consecutive top 10 singles in the UK chart.

Ronan's Mother died of Breast Cancer in 1998. Since that time he is very active in charity work for cancer research. Ran in the London marathon and has walked the length of Ireland twice to raise funds for the "Marie Keating foundation". A foundation started by him and his family to raise Cancer awareness in Ireland. They are now linked with the UK's Cancer Research foundation. Keating host Charity Balls each year to fund the Cancer Screening Mobil units.

This song was written by Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz. It has been preformed by three different performers:

1. Keith Whitley, who took it to the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart on December 24, 1988
   
2. Alison Krauss, whose version became her first solo top-10 country hit in 1995
   
3. Ronan Keating, whose version was his first solo single after leaving the Boyzband. Became the chart-topper in the UK in 1999.

Keating re-recorded the single as a duet with Italian-Brazilian singer Deborah Blando in 2002.

In 2003, he re-recorded the single as a duet with Mexican singer Paulina Rubio. Which was released in Mexico and Latin America to promote "Destination".

All the information was gathered from Wikipedia source,believed to be accuruarte.

Aloha Friday -In or Out?

It's Friday time for Blogger Surfing fun.Over at An Island Life,Kailani believes we should just enjoy an easy lay back time. Once a week we travel around answering a simple question. Ever wanted to know what someone thinks or need a answer to that thing that bugs you? This is the place to be, Grab a badge and Post your question on your blog and Link up. Welcome to the Aloha Friday family.

Your Question Is:

It's only 20 days til our American Thanksgiving, do you eat in or out?

For me I have cooked a large meal and had family and friends over. Sometimes, like last year, we have eaten out in a restaurant and then come back to the house for pie and fun.
This year I will cook a meal in and have family over.

Tell Me Thursday-Masquerade

While at the Renaissance Fare in Maryland I eyed these Mask. Thinking of all those masquerade balls in that era. Wouldn't it be grand to have a Masquerade Ball in one of the historical building of today? The women and men usually dressed in fancy ball gowns and suits some time with cloaks. Each one wearing a mask like these below. Nothing scary just something to hide their face until the time to reveal, usually as the clock strokes 12 o'clock Midnight.

Which mask who I choose? I like the Hawk, it looks so graceful in the air. Remember the movie Lady Hawke? Based on a 13th century European legend, "Ladyhawke". A Lady and her Knight received a curse from the jealous Bishop of Aquila. He vows the two would never be together. The Lady cursed to be a hawk by day and her Knight a wolf by night. Only in the time between day and night can they get a glimpse of what they once had. They find out The Mouse, once cursed, was able to remove it. The journey begins to find a way to turn back the curse and be together again. It's an old movie but quite good.

Yes, I would be wearing the Hawk mask at my masquerade.

Wordless Wednesday- Masquerade

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You choose your Mask
First selection; seven to view.
(Click on photos for a closer view)

The yellow one looks promising
Or go with the "Cyclops one"

"Just because I can"

This one gives you more eyes

All these found at the Renaissance Fare
Which one will you choose for my Masquerade party?
I will show my pick on Tell me Thursday.

Scary Movies Anyone?

Here it is Tuesday already. The weekend just flew by. We watched a few scary movies; The Eye, The Messengers and Rocky Horror Picture Show. Saw the latter at the theater when it first came out.I must have been really crazy in my twenties because I couldn't even finish watching Rocky Horror Picture show. Hubby said that was when I was Pregnant, that explains it (ha ha). Every one know our heads are just not thinking straight during that time. All the silly cravings. I remember wanting Fruit Loops and not being able to shake it off. Every thing smelled like Fruit Loops even my pillow! Hubby would go to the 7-11 in the middle of the night just to get me some ("follow the Nose").

The Messenger was a very scary one. Crows, a lot of them,are very scary. It is about a family who moves from the city to a rural farm. Sunflowers are going to be the crop for income. However the Farm house, well lets say all the farm building are haunted. We could not figure it out and the ending was suspenseful and a surprising one.

Now The Eye it was a slow one. Getting through the first part was hard. A lady, that has been blind since 5 years old, was getting corneas transplants. She begins to see the dead and her dreams are very real. Her belief is if she finds the Donor it might explain some things. Every doctor thinks she is just having trouble adjusting to the new sense. In searching for the donor the movie picks up the suspense. All I can say is, I do not want cornea transplants! And I made that clear to my family.

We ate Pizza, nuts, popcorn, candy, Cracker Jacks and drank Soda.






What ever happened to those surprises in Cracker Jacks? I remember, rings, balls and whistles just to name a few of the old ones. All I got was paper jokes and they weren't even funny! Here they are: 1. Why do sharks only swim in salt water? Because pepper water makes them sneeze! 2.Why was the Frog happy? Because he ate everything that bugged him. I vote for the rings, balls and whistles to make a come back. After all isn't it us who likes Cracker jacks, it's an old icon.