You Gotta See This!

You have GOT TO SEE THIS!!

I was raised Catholic.  While I do not consider myself a "catholic" now...I am a Christian.  I agree with the Catholic Church wholeheartedly here and I think it's about time that they stand up to the government!

It's about time this government STOPS treating people of faith as second class citizens.

You Go Girl!!!

This woman was tired of being a victim...

You Go Girl!!!

Day E - Explain to Me Why

Today is being brought to you by the Letter E!!

It has been "one of those kind of weeks"...

Could someone please explain to me why...

• ...It seems like only 20% 15% 10% of the driving population seems to know what this road sign means??? 

It means LANE ADDED!! - Not, STOP.  And YES...that is me honking my horn at you!
Get moving!!

• ...97.1FM Talk is changing their daily lineup.  Sous. Why mess with a good thing?
• ...Vadyn WILL NOT leave the trashcan alone...or the cord for the iHome (she's going to pull it down on her head one of these days!!)...or anything else she's not supposed to touch.  GT was never like that...

 

• ...yesterday my hands were puffy and today my right index finger is stiff and hurty...aren't I too young for arthritis???
• ...money disappears so fast...
• ...this is cute to me...

• ... the POTUS felt the need to be a joker during the State of the Union.  Doesn't he know by now that he isn't funny???
• ...my babies have to grow up so fast.  Seriously.  It's depressing.

• ...my posts aren't showing up on anyone's feed...I thought I had that all figured out!!  How frustrating!!
  
  

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Update

I haven't posted a pic of my progress on my fingernails, and I wanted to do it while I was thinking about it.

Definitely no hand model...but I'm making progress! I can hardly wait to get my shellac manicure!!

(seriously, why do my hands look puffy?!???)

Help Wanted

Ok....so you may have noticed the new look to my blog...I decided to get creative yesterday, lol...and look for a new theme, background, etc. 

I've realized.....I am very blog design challenged.

So...I have a couple questions for all you seasoned bloggers out there.  I'm hoping someone will help answer my questions...

Questions like...

Why doesn't my banner stretch across the whole page?

Why is there that weird transparent shadow behind the banner?

Also. I have figured out how to add pages to my blog, but how do you put old posts on it?

Any other tips/suggestions/tricks of the trade would be very much appreciated!!

Thanks!!  : )

Day D - Did You Know

Today is being brought to you by the Letter D!!

I feel like I am doing laundry ALL.THE.TIME...I do at least a load a day, so naturally, we go through laundry detergent, fabric softener & dryer sheets like crazy.  At least a year ago...I heard one of the moms in our old "Mommy & Me" group mention that she made her own fabric softener and laundry detergent. 

I was intrigued.

Did you know...

The chemicals that are used to make fabric softeners and dryer sheets are some of the most toxic around???  I had no idea...  Apparently, the smell of the actual chemicals that have to be used to make the products are so horrible smelling that they have to use sometimes as much as 50 times as much fragrance as chemicals just to cover up the smell!!  YUCK.

While I am not a big "organic" person, since becoming a momma, I do pay attention to things that I didn't necessarily pay attention to before....and I am ALLLLL about saving a few bucks - but I don't want to skimp on the result.  Does this make sense?  Basically...I like the way our clothes feel after a round of fabric softener and a dryer sheet...

I've decided to use today...Day D of the ABC Blog Challenge to share my recipe for Homemade Fabric Softener...I freaking LOVE this stuff.  You should definitely give it a shot if you normally buy the stuff from the store.

Homemade Fabric Softener

3 cups Water

1 1/2 cups White Vinegar

1 cup hair conditioner



These aren't the exact ingredients I used...but you get the picture...

Put all of the ingredients in an old fabric softener bottle, put the lid on it and shake, shake, shake...then keep shaking until you think all of the ingredients are mixed well.  After shaking, let it sit for a while.  DO NOT OPEN THE LID....(I learned this the hard way)... Use the same amount of this softener as you would normally.

I am VERY PLEASED with the finished product.  I wish that I would have started using it a long time ago...and I think it smells better than "normal" fabric softener.

You Gotta See This!!

"Meet the 85-Year-Old AK Woman Who Fended Off a Moose Attack With a Shovel!!"

You just have to see this story!!

Let Me Introduce You...

This post is going to serve two purposes...It's my entry for Day C - Credit a Friend on the ABC Blog Challenge, but it is also serves as an opportunity for me to introduce you to my best friend.  My husband, Gordon.  (One more of my blog ideas (I've yet to introduce) is to do a "Let Me Introduce You" theme where I "introduce" you to the people who I love and who love me)

This is my husband, Gordon.

He is my best friend.

I met Gordon on the Lt. Robert E. Lee Riverboat.  In September of 2001, I was living with my older sister, Stephanie, in Belleville, IL.  She was beginning a new venture as the office manager of a restaurant (Mesquite Charlie's - originally from Branson, MO) that was opening inside the Lt. Robert E. Lee Riverboat on the Missippi riverfront.  I had gotten a job as a server & in preparation for the opening, there was a lot of side work & odd jobs that needed to be completed. 

Lt. Robt. E. Lee

Stephanie & I would go to the boat on a daily somewhat daily basis to do things like refinish chairs & barstools, wash dishes, clean & clean & clean...in preparation for the restaurant opening.  I would hear my sister and some of the other people working on the boat talk about this "Gordon" guy...but I never laid eyes on him.  A few days prior to opening, we (all of the employees on the boat) were required to attend Coast Guard Training.  Stephanie & I arrived late for the training (not really late, just a little) and so we stood up at the front of the room kind of facing everyone else.  It took me a whole two seconds to notice the incredibly handsome guy sitting in the front row of tables.  He had the most gorgeous smile I had ever seen on a man.  I was immediately attracted to...his mouth!!!

Coast Guard training didn't last too long that morning.  I asked my sister after training that day who "the guy with the big smile" was.  She replied, "Oh, that's Gordon".  I was like, "THAT'S Gordon?!?"

I could tell you a very long story...or I could shorten it up for you...I think I will shorten it, because while I believe that every little second of how "we" came to be is super exciting and important - it may be a little boring for you all.

So...Needless to say, Gordon and I hit it off right away.  Like I said, I was immediately attracted to his beautiful smile.  We were both smokers at the time, so the occassional smoke breaks that we took at the boat allowed us to find plenty of opportunities to sneak off together to get to know each other better and talk...and get to know each other better.  Our courtship moved quickly - our first "date" (drinks at The Rocket Bar & the movie Pitch Black after work one night) was on October 9, 2001.  Gordon proposed January 29, 2002 - after a marathon day of Law & Order episodes (that was probably the last time either of us watched it) and while I had facewash all over my face.  We were married on September 29, 2002.  We would have gotten married sooner than that, too...once I hooked him, I wasn't letting go.

Our first photo (that we have a copy of)

Our Wedding Day 09/29/02

But who can blame me? Not only is he incredibly attractive (if I do say so myself...), he is quite the catch.  He's the smartest person I've ever met.  He knows something about everything...actually,  he knows a lot about a lot!!  He remembers exact details from things that happened a long, long time ago.  He speaks with such passion.  He loves with all of his heart.  He is "crazy" loyal. 

He's an amazing artist, quite the chef, and a very talented self taught musician (he plays several instruments and can sing too!!).  He can glitch out a video game like it's nobody's business.  He's a capable handy-man and HVAC technician with superior customer service skills.  He is an incredible salesman.

He's taken care of me when I couldn't take care of myself.  He stepped up to the plate when I was put on bed rest unexpectedly during my first pregnancy.  We are talking I couldn't do ANYTHING and he did EVERYTHING.

He is my EVERYTHING.  He is an incredible father to our children.  He is focused and committed our family.  He thinks about the big picture - and the little picture.  I've learned so much from him.

So...back to the ABC Blog Challenge - For Day C - Credit A Friend - I am giving credit to God, for my best friend, Gordon.  He is truly one of Your masterpieces.  I am so blessed to have found him.

Sunday Social

How to participate:

1.  Follow your hosts (The Sasse Life & The Kurtz Corner) via Google Friend Connect.

2. Follow the Featured blog. (Uncommon)

2.  Link up your blog's home page -- not a specific link or you will be deleted!

3. Visit at least 2 other blogs and make some friends!

4. Let your friends know by posting this button. The more, the merrier!

 

<center><a<br /> <br /> href="http://www.thesasselife.com"><img border="0" <br /> <br /> src="http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l611/thesasselife/Sunday-001.jpg"></a></center>

Oh, Yum...

OMG'sh...these look D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!!  I can't wait to try them!

Easy, No Bake Mini Cheesecake Bites

Recipe Courtesy of Scattered Thoughts of Crafy Mom

Ingredients needed:
For the strawberry topping:
   2 cups of strawberries, chopped
   1/8 cup of sugar
For the Cheesecake Bites:
   1 8 oz package of reduced fat cream cheese, softened
   1/3 cup of sugar
   1 tsp of vanilla
   3/4 cup of cool whip lite
   30 mini fillo shells

Instructions: First, chop the strawberries and mix in 1/8 cup of sugar.  Set aside in fridge. Then, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together, and then mix in the cool whip.  Using two spoons, add around a tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture to the fillo shells. Chill in the fridge for about an hour. When you are ready to serve, top with the strawberry mixture.

I'll let you know how they turn out!

You Gotta See This!!

You've gotta see this!

This story is heartbreaking - not to mention it DID NOT need to happen.

High Five for Friday

I decided to mix it up a little bit.

I came across From My Grey Desk.  It's a 'lifestyle' blog...today was my first day reading it.  Actually, I found the site through her sister's blog The Small Things Blog.  (I found some AWESOME tutorials on this site that will hopefully help me to conquer not being able to style my own hair.)  I am so sick of the mommy ponytail/bun thingy that is on top of my head EVERY day...

So....High Five For Friday!!

"High Five for Friday is a weekly post about your five favorite things recently. it's a chance to stop and reflect on the things that you've enjoyed over the past week, which is something we should all do."

 

Here goes:

 

1.  High Five for the progress that I am making at home...I have made two large donations to the veterans, made one trip to Once Upon A Child and am continuing to conquer the clutter that is my house.  BOOYAH!!!

 

 

 

2.  High Five for GT kicking major butt again yesterday at The Little Gym.  It is so neat to see his brain at work.  So neat...not to mention he is one heck of an acrobat.

 

 

Who doesn't love the huge parachute??
I was trying to figure out how to ask if I could participate...

 

My child is monkey!!

As I was saying...

 

3.  High five to Heather for creating the ABC Blog Challenge - I've been working on my Day C - Credit a Friend & I've already got ideas for days D, F, & G....notice I left out E.  I'm sure I'll think of something.  I've been having a lot of fun with it & it's got my creative juices flowing

 

4.  High five to my husband...because he is always "one of my favorite things".  We make a great team.  I do not want to ever have to imagine life without him.

 

Not the best picture of me....but WOWZA!!  Look at that hottie next to me!!!

5.  High five to me for 20 days off of Facebook.  I've never not missed something so much.  What a mental drain that site was...I am sooooo glad to be rid of it.  Now...if the rest of the world would just catch on.

 

Happy Friday!!

In Need of Snow Pants, Not NO PANTS!!!

Last night, I was at Target picking up a prescription for my cousin Lisa's son, Kaden.  Lisa was home with the boys and needed a favor.  The Target is pretty close, if not right in between both of our houses and I was more than happy to help.  Not only do I know that Lisa would have done the same thing for me, in a heartbeat, this also meant that I'd get to see her boys!!  Hooray!

Anywho...like I was saying...I was at Target, standing at the Pharmacy counter waiting for the Pharmacy tech to mix the medicine, and I look over to my left and see a (I'm guessing here) 7 or 8 year old little girl standing there with what looked like NO PANTS ON!!!!  You read that right.  I had to look again myself.  The little girl had on a winter coat and some sort of gymnastics bloomer/underwear/outfit thingy and her shoes on.  I looked closer just in case I was missing some leggings or some panty hose or tights or some sort...no.  Her legs were bare.  I was silently freaking out.  Thoughts began racing through my head.  Where was her mother? (Turns out she was standing right there...) Where were her pants?!?  It's so freaking cold outside!!!  (I pulled out my iPhone at that instant..."Feels like 26 degrees).

I had to document it.  I cannot tell you enough how freaked I was.  After all, my phone was right in my hand from checking the temperature.  How could I not??? So...I snapped a few pictures...

After the little girls mother (who, as you can see from the picture, was dressed completely appropriately for the weather in brown trouser pants, a brown sweater & brown turtleneck - with her coat in the cart) finished having her prescription filled, they walked off.  I watched them walk away, noticing all of the other people notice, too.  The mother was apparently OBLIVIOUS.

There's no filter for knowing how many child predators are in a big public place like that at any given time & Lord knows they are everywhere.  So leaving out the moral issue and leaving out the safety issue, as far as protection from the elements goes, there's still the safety issue with the CREEP-Os - many of which are hiding in plain sight!!!

I had to get some paper towels, too - so I went to get those, still all in my head about what I had seen.  I was headed to the check out, but I couldn't get that little girl out of my head.  I must have been walking through the store with such a look of concern/disbelief.   I couldn't help but think of my little girl... I thought about when I was growing up and after our extra curriculars, we always put pants on...you know...to keep legs warm. ?!?!

What should I do?  Anything???....??? I wouldn't be happy with that.  I would have thought about Little Miss No Pants all night.  So, I decided to buy the girl a pair of pants.  I went to the little girl section of Target and picked out a pair of $2.36 purple (of course) sweat pants and headed back to the area of the store that I thought the two of them might be.

I approached them slowly, "Excuse me," I said, "I would like to buy this pair of pants for your daughter".  The woman responded laughingly, "Oh, that's not necessary, you don't have to do that".  I said, "Please.  I watched several people walk by and look at your daughters bottom.  I saw a man walk by and turn his head to get another look, please just have her put the pants on.".  She wanted to give me money for the pants.  I didn't want the money.  I just wanted her daughter to put on the pair of pants.  The woman started to offer excuses to me about why her little girl didn't have any pants on, while holding out a five dollar bill to me - again, I just pleaded with her.  "Please.  I don't want your money.  I just want her to put the pants on."  I turned to the little girl.  Who, by this time had a look of confusion/dismay/panic on her face and I asked her.  "Honey, will you please put on the pair of pants.  For me."  The way the world is nowadays, you never know what kind of reaction you might get from someone who feels like you might be "sticking your nose where it doesn't belong"...and I surely didn't know what kind of reaction I was going to get from an exchange with this woman (who apparently didn't have the presence of mind to know your daughter needs a pair of pants when it's 26 flippin' degrees outside) - but the little girl put the pants on.

I just felt called to do something about it.  It wasn't necessary to involve anyone else, Target employee, or any sort of authority...I took care of it myself...and hopefully, made an impression.  I know they both seemed shocked anyhow.

What would you have done in this situation?  Do you think I was out of line?  Just interested to hear your thoughts on it...

My 2nd Photo Book!!!

Click here to view this photo book larger

I created this photo book on Shutterfly.com.  So much fun & easy to do!!!

My Very First Photo Book

Click here to view this photo book larger

This is the very first photo book that I ever created on Shutterfly.  If you do not already have an account with Shutterfly you should totally get one!!  I have gotten lots of great coupons and offers from them for all sorts of great photo projects...did I mention just for creating an account you get fifty 4x6 photos printed for free!

Elvis' Book

Click here to view this photo book larger

Gordon & I put this book together for GT & Vadyn.  Since we love to read books together so much, we thought this would be a great way for us to have a book about our family!!  : )  We think it turned out great.  What do you think?

Happy 14th Birthday, Alan!!

My youngest cousin, Alan, turned 14 on Saturday.  Alan's birthday is a big deal with our family...maybe since it is in January and this is our first time to gather after the hustle and bustle of the holidays, or maybe it's because Alan the baby of the family and that makes him special!!  : )

Here are some pictures from our day.

I have a seriously hard time believing that Alan is 14...I'm demanding a recount!

<3 Leslie & GT <3

Father & Son; my Uncle George & my cousin, Craig

Brandini!!!

Apparently we weren't going to keep Brandon awake...

 My cousin Erin's husband, Travis

My little not so little cousin, Alex

Aunt Michelle & Vadyn

 

Stephanie with her dog, Bruiser, Stacie & my Uncle Johnny

My bro-in-law, Zack

Cousin Erin & Aunt Stephanie feeding Miss V

Can you tell that the football game was on???
(Yo, Adrien - I'm another one that could give a "flip")

Happy 14th Birthday Alan!

Uncle George & my soon to be "Aunt" Stacie

Erin & Vadyn
(I know she is going to make a great mommy someday!)

<3

I LOVE her shoes!!

Cards, anyone?

...or maybe some Backgammon???

Mommy & Daddy to be....Litney & Craig

Brothers, George & John

My little sister, Leslie,  my cousin, Erin & me!!
(I am not going to tell you how many times we had to retake this picture)

Uncle Johnny & Vadyn

Awe....

After the party, GT, Leslie & I headed over to my Uncle George's house to look at his horses.  George invited us back in the Summer to ride the horses.  We can hardly wait!!  This day, though...we only visited.

GT petting Hash

Look!!  Uncle George found a rope!!

"Ok, GT...this is how you hold the rope."

                                     

GT's turn!!

Go, GT, GO!!!

Great try, Buddy!!  You'll have it in no time!!!

The most fun of GT's day came when Uncle George started to "rope" him.

 

: )