Various and Sundry

My middle name is Belle and its been tagged (by Jenn) in a meme. Here's how it works:

You must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had. When you are tagged, you need to write your own blog post containing your own middle name game facts. And if you feel like it, tag someone to play.

B -Butterflies, the Monarch kind flock to the flowers in my front yard every year.

E- Eggs, don't like them at all.

L- Laughing....I love witty humor. There's nothing like a good sarcastic dig (not the hurtful kind, of course).

L- Lake. We love to spend lots of time on our boat at the lake.

E- Eating. I do way too much of it....especially sweets.



In other news, I made my first attempt at cake decorating today. We will be having my son's birthday party tomorrow, and I decided to make the cake myself. Here are the results of my oh so ameteur endeavour. Now if you want to see some cakes made by someone who really knows what they are doing, check out my friend's cake blog. I knew Kelley in college and recently reconnected in the blogosphere! You will love drooling over her beautiful creations. I wish she lived close enough to do the cake for tomorrow's party.







5m4m is having another contest. I signed up...sure could use this one.








If you get a chance, check out the lyrics that Crystal posted this past Wednesday. What meaningful thoughts about the comfort and peace God gives his children!




Nan was sweet enough to grace me with a blog award. And not only that, but she put her creative touches to work and remade the award button. If you don't already read Nan's blog regularly, check it out. She has something new and entertaining every day.

So, I will pass on the award to my long-time IRL friend, Jenn. Jenn and I met when we worked at Glorieta Conference Center in New Mexico. We worked there 2 years and became great friends. So much so that we went on to be roomies in Tx. I think she's one of the nicest people I know. I love her and miss spending time with her. Just for kicks, here is a picture of us "back in the day (1992)." That picture ought to make you chuckle. :)

A Memory Meme

Nan at life is like a lunchbox has tagged me. She's started a Mr. Linky about your favorite toys as a child. Click on over there to check it out and join us in our walk down memory lane. Because Nan tagged me, I had to think real hard and dust the cobwebs off certain portions of my brain to remember what toys I enjoyed as a child. I had fun going through some old pics for this post, too.

One of the first things I remember are the books that were read to me or that I read a lot myself. One was The Poky Little Puppy. I don't have the book anymore, but I found this picture on ebay.
Another book I remember is The Three Little Kittens. I still have the actual book I read as a child and my children enjoy it as much as I did. They especially love it when our friend, Mr. Larry recites it to them from memory.

I remember that I loved to play with dolls. I especially remember a doll given to me by my paternal grandparents for Christmas. It had dark brown hair and a pretty yellow dress. I don't think this is the actual Christmas and doll, but obviously I asked for a new doll more than one Christmas.
I had and enjoyed one of these. And I bought one not long after my oldest was born so they could enjoy it too. Tupperware still sells these.
And in the fischer-price department, I have very fond memories of the castle....
and the house....
I know my mother still has the castle and I think the house too. I grin just looking at these pics, because I remember how much fun my siblings and I had with these.

Last, but not least, I have lots of memories of our swing set and pool. When my dad got the swing set, he thought it would be easy to assemble. Somehow, it took a lot more time and frustration than he expected. That's why, on the day he assembled it and this picture was taken, it was dark by the time he was finished, he has a stressed look on his face and the instructions in his hands.
We did a lot of playing on this swing set including sliding down the slide into our little pool. Here's my dad again. Apparently the day's work (yard work, painting?) had made him hot and sweaty (not surprising since we were living in the humid south at the time) and he jumped in clothes (and socks) and all!
I hope reading this post has sent you on a fond trip down memory lane. If so, sign Nan's Mr. Linky and take her up on her challenge to

"find and share some pictures of your favorite childhood toys, places to visit or games. You can post just the pictures or you can post a story (or two or three) with the picture(s). ..this will prove to be a really fun meme, especially if (you)... go scouring (your) memory boxes or the internet for pictures.

Who Do You Know?

Nan over at Life is Like a Lunchbox has started a game of tag. She's trying out Mr. Linky. Here's how it works. Go to her blog (here) and "sign" her Mr. Linky. Then, on YOUR blog answer her questions:

Who in the blogosphere do you know in real life? Tell us how you know that person. Show us a picture (or a few) if you can. Tell us how excited you were (or how nervous?) when you found out they were blogging or when you convinced them to start blogging.

If you don't know someone in the blogosphere in real life, what blogger would you most like to know in real life? Why?

Well, here are my answers. I know several people in the blogosphere. I found them after I started my blog (which wasn't too long ago). I was very excited to find them!

One of the people from my past that I found was Stephanie at Olive Tree. Stephanie and I were roomates at JBU for one semester our senior year. DeAnn was my roomie for 7 of the 8 semesters that I attended there. When our senior year rolled around, DeAnn wanted to move off-campus to an apartment. I wasn't ready to do that yet. I thought I was lovin' dorm life too much. So, Stephanie moved in with me for one semester and then when I started student teaching, I moved off-campus with DeAnn (we did our student teaching at the same time and in the same school). I enjoyed living with Stephanie, but I think I drove her crazy. I wasn't quite as neat in my habits as she was. Sorry, Steph! Anyway, its fun to see how she's doing. She's expecting baby #3 soon and its fun to get her updates!

And then there is Shawn. I also found his blog while searching for people from the past. Shawn and I were friends in college and I saw him a couple of times during the time I lived in TX. I lost track of him for many years and was excited to find his blog link on another friend's blog (Still Reforming - I know him from JBU, too). From there I linked to Nan (Shawn's wife), whom I've never met in person but am enjoying getting to know in the blog world. Her posts and comments always bring a nod of the head and a grin. You go girl!

This is Matt at Still Reforming (also pictured are Joy and me 1990).

And while I'm at it, I'll mention Jennifer R (who needs to post more often :)), Heather and Jennifer H. who are starting blogs too. I'm glad they decided to follow me into the blogosphere!