Thursday 13: Brought to You by the Letter "C"

*Idea from Alisha at Izzy and Emmy.*


1. Cable - I never had cable television while growing up (I'm not complaining!). My parents still don't have it.

2. Camera - I got my first digital camera for Christmas in 2000; it was 2.1 megapixels.

3. Cards - I love playing card games.

4. Caricature - Mitch and I had one done when we first started dating. The artist said to Mitch, "I'm going to run out of black ink on those eyebrows!" If you haven't noticed, my dear husband has giant eyebrows.

5. Carrots - When we buy carrots they are for Crickett. She loves eating them for treats. I wish I could get as excited about them as she does.

6. Cecilia - A song that always reminds me of my sister.

7. Cellulite - I have it, it's time to get over it.

8. Chiropractor - I have been seeing mine since high school. I have three in my family.

9. Cold Cut Trio - What I eat at Subway. Of all the healthy choices, I pick the sandwich with no
nutritional value.

10. Cookie dough - I often find cookie dough better than the cookies themselves.

11. Cotton Candy - My favorite flavor of gum (BubbleYum).

12. Cousins - I have 51.

13. Crock-Pot - We have two and I love them. A wonderful kitchen appliance.


More Thursday 13!

Bring on Mushy Brain

I submitted the final project for my online accounting course this morning. Do you know what that means? It means I'm officially done with my summer school courses!

I'm excited to have the next four weeks to let my brain go to mush!

Ambulance Antics

"Hey, look at me," I said to my husband as I danced around the bathroom this evening.

"Do I need to call an ambulance?" he questioned.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because it looks like you're having a seizure," he responded.


Apparently Mitch doesn't think my antics are as cute as I do.

Sunday Smile

Snapshot Saturday: Sunrise

Next time a sunrise steals your breath or a meadow of flowers leave you speechless, remain that way. Say nothing, and listen as heaven whispers, "Do you like it? I did it just for you."
- Max Lucado ~

Friday Finds

I saw the Ransom Note Generator on someone else's blog and wanted to share it with all of you. I thought it was kind of fun!

Thursday 13: Brought to You by the Letter "B"

*Idea from Alisha at Izzy and Emmy.*


1. Badminton - My favorite backyard game. Bocce is another great one.

2. Bangs - I had quite a set growing up. The worst documentation had to be my seventh grade school photo because they barely fit into the picture!

3. Barefoot - I HATE the feeling of sand between my toes but I absolutely love the feeling of grass under my feet.

4. Beatrice - A nickname that Mitch accidentally gave himself. Oh the fun I've have with that one!

5. Bedtime - I haven't had a consistent one this summer; this strategy isn't working well as I function best with routine.

6. Beets - Love 'em!

7. Birthstone - I'm confused as to what mine is. Growing up I was told (and given) amethyst. A few years ago I was told pearls. I don't like pearls, so I would prefer it be amethyst.

8. BlowPops - Whoever came up with putting gum inside of a sucker is a genius!

9. Boxing - I've never understood the "sport." I just don't get it.

10. Boyfriend - My first boyfriend came along during my sophomore year in high school. After a year of dating, we broke up and I thought I'd never find anyone after that. My friends enjoyed teasing me about my "Now I'll never get married" comment. Oh, the rational brain of a 16-year old.

11. Brownstone - I dream about living in one.

12. Brunette - I have never had the desire to be anything else.

13. Butter - It has to be melted or I can't eat it.


More Thursday 13!

Feelin' Cloudy

Do you ever have days when you're happy to see cloudy skies? Today is that kind of day for me. While I'm in a good mood, I'm just not feeling very "sunshiney."


There is beauty in every day. Today that beauty happens to be in shades of gray.

Just a Few Tidbits

I saw this on PostSecret last week; it describes the high school me perfectly. My Spanish class would occasionally play Bingo with vocab words and I would never yell "Loteria!" because I was too nervous to do so in front of my classmates. I had a friend who sat behind me and would watch my card so that when I did get a Bingo, he could tell the teacher. Of course this embarassed me even more, but his heart was in the right place. I've come a long way since then and it saddens me to think about all the things I missed out on because of my fears.


I stumbled upon this quote the other day and it made me smile:
"Children are for people who can't have dogs" ~ Author Unknown ~


While perusing Etsy, I saw this adorable little plaque. It gives me the giggles and I was tempted to buy it based solely on that fact.

A Summer Stroll

Crickett and I took a different path on our walk tonight. While we were only a couple of blocks from our house, I felt as if I had escaped to the country.


The air smelled better.


The greenery looked greener.


The birds sounded prettier.


Soon this road closed sign will be gone, along with the beautiful, open views. Houses will be popping up everywhere and I'll have to grab my car keys instead of lacing up my sneakers to get out to the edge of the city.


I'm holding onto this little slice of heaven for as long as I can.

Sunday Smile

Snapshot Saturday: Curiosity

Curiosity is one of the great secrets of happiness.
~ Bryant H. McGill ~

Friday Finds

Did you know that our parents had a life before us? Crazy, I know! Check out My Parents Were Awesome for wonderful old photos that children have submitted of their parents before they were parents.

This is one of my all-time favorites of my mom and dad. It was taken back in 1973, a few months after they were married.


Happy Friday!

Thursday 13: Brought to You by the Letter "A"

1. Apples - Golden Delicious are my favorite.

2. Algebra - The best type of math, hands down.

3. Alliteration - Oh so much fun!

4. Albuterol - Generic name for the inhaler that I use. What did people with asthma do before inhalers?

5. Aunts - I have 16.

6. Airplanes - On the wallpaper in my bedroom at my parents. That was all dad's doing.

7. Acting - What one of my students thought I might do if I didn't teach. Um, what?

8. Asparagus - Not sure how I feel about it yet.

9. Autumn - Giving spring a run for its money as my favorite season.

10. Astrology - I used to be obsessed with this topic. I even did a speech on the signs of the zodiac in eighth grade.

11. Arizona - The only state that I've been to that starts with an 'A.'

12. Abercrombie & Fitch - Never been in one, never worn anything with that label.

13. Avatar - Last movie I watched.


*This idea came from Alisha at Izzy 'N Emmy*


More Thursday 13!

A Fun History Tidbit

Something I learned today:

President Reagan gave Rex, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (Crickett's breed), to his wife Nancy as a Christmas gift. What a wonderful gift!


What did you learn today?

Happenings Around the House

Mitch has been a busy bee this past week. He has been staining the fence (and wearing sunscreen while doing it - my nagging has payed off!)

and hanging my clothesline (check out those sexy black socks with sandals!).

Crickett's been working hard on mouse patrol.

We've had a total of six little critters in the yard. Ick, ick, ick. Crickett enjoys the visitors, though, so I guess that's one positive.

As for me, summer is passing way too quickly; I haven't had enough time to enjoy all the beautiful days and all the activities going on. I'm looking forward to being done with summer school at the end of this month.


Until then, I'll be happy with the few precious moments that I do get to spend outside in the yard with my family.

Sunday Smile

Why I do Sunday Smile . . .

For as long as I can remember, my dad has been a comic guy. He cuts out comics that he enjoys and shares them with others he feels will enjoy them as well. During my college years (round 1), my dad sent me letters along with clippings of comics that he thought I would find humorous. It was always fun getting that fat envelope in the mail and I displayed my favorite strips around the desk in my dorm room. My dad still shares his favorites with me on Saturday mornings when Mitch and I meet him and my mom for breakfast. It's still a fun activity and I thought I would continue my father's passing of smiles onto you all.

Happy Sunday!

Mutts by Patrick McDonnell

A Girl Can Dream, Part 2

This house, built in 1906 and sitting on 1.5 acres, is currently for sale. Who wants to buy it with me?

37 Years

Happy Anniversary to the two wild and crazy kids I call my parents!


Thank you, mom and dad, for being such a wonderful example of what a marriage is supposed to be. I hope Mitch and I are still having as much fun at 37 years as you two are!

Happy Fourth of July!

A conversation from a few weeks ago:

Holly: A coworker told me today that my shirt looked Fourth-of-July-ish. It doesn't look like a Fourth of July shirt, does it?

Mitch: No, I wouldn't say that.

Holly: What would you say?

Mitch: I was thinking it looked like a picnic tablecloth.

Holly: *Sigh.* Yeah, that's what I was thinking.


Either way you look at it, it's probably an appropriate shirt for the day.

Happy Fourth of July! Have a fun (and safe!) day!

Friday Fill-Ins #183

1. When it's quiet, I can think clearly.
2. I haven't got a decent night's sleep in what seems like a month.
3. My heart is happy.
4. I can't believe it's July.
5. In the town where I was born I've made wonderful memories.
6. Sense of humor is something I really love about my significant other.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to eating pizza and watching television with the hubby, tomorrow my plans include homework, working, and then more homework and Sunday, I want to relax and watch some fireworks!


More Friday Fill-Ins!

Thursday 13: July Photos

To celebrate the first day of July, I thought I'd go back in my photo archives and grab some of pictures from previous Julys.


The day we got engaged!


Cousins Holly and Mollie reading at the park.









Happy first day of July!

More Thursday 13!