Fleur de Aleta

(Grab the button on the right sidebar) Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. Please feel welcome to join in. I is for… ~Insectariums. Ok, it's the only "i" I could think of! *shivers* I don't like bugs. Well, there is ONE thing I would like in the insectariums: butterflies in flight. There's a "free-flying" garden. I love butterflies! But... the other creepers, no thank you.. - anything from termites (we see the flying termites during the year, that's all I need), love bugs (those things cover the cars and smear on the windshield), mosquitoes (oh, no, don't even GO there), cockroaches (you're kidding right?)... AND... there's EVEN a cooking show... oh yes, you read that right... an "adventure in eating." Look here... if there's an adventure in eating at an i...

The ABC's of Me I saw this on another blogger's site and thought it was a fun idea :) A - Artist. Sort of. I wouldn't say I'm an artist. But I'd like to dream that I am, does that count? I guess being an artist to me is someone who gets paid for his/her artistic endeavors. My Mother-in-Law has won many awards with her paintings and has sold many paintings. SHE is an Artist. Maybe I'll change it to "Art" - I like to make Art with jewelry and paint, how's that? B - BEADS! BEADS! BEADS! I don't want to even think about how many of them I have. But I have lots and lots (aka oodles) of beads and I love them all! Yeah! And I'm not talking Mardi Gras beads... this is the stuff for making jewelry - Woot! C - Camera - I like to be behind it, taking pictures. Unless it's a picture of me with my husband :) I like pictures of the two of us together. Those are special. D - Dandelions - The things which dreams rest on and...

30 Question Challenge Question 3: Bullet your whole day How boring of a post can this be? Seriously. Bullet my day? You’ll want to put a bullet to this post, but I’m following the challenge: • Wake up around 4:30am when Greg let’s the cat in the room, because the cat is spoiled and wants attention. Look up at cat as he meows right into my ear and pet him. Promptly fall back to sleep. • Wake up for the second time around 6:30am, take my thyroid medicine (hypothyroidism, joy oh joy), take my shower and get dressed, but I don’t blow dry my hair right away. I like for it to dry naturally for as long as the morning allows. • 7:30ish, My hubby has breakfast ready and we’re at the dinner table enjoying a nice, relaxing meal, discussing what the day has in store for us. • 8:15ish, Hair gets the finishing touches, make-up (just base and lipstick, I’m not big into a lot of make-up), then check email, facebook and blogs. Before either of us leaves, Greg and I will give each other a kiss ...

I have a confession about making popcorn. We don't use the microwave kind unless it's the only thing we have in the house. My husband enjoys making the popcorn on the stove, the old fashion kind of way. It smells up the house very nicely :) I should also confess that I'm considering putting some of the popcorn we make into a bag and having it in my purse for when we go to the movies - it's cheaper than the movie kind and better too! Oh and I'll confess something I know about my Dad... he can't stand the smell of popcorn. He tells employees, "NO POPCORN in the office!"

I will not “try” to do things any more. I’m guilty of that saying. My husband has called me on it in the past and said, “That means you won’t.” Only, I ignored his words and thought, “not necessarily.” But if I’m being honest with myself, he’s correct. It isn’t something I can ignore any more, after reading a fellow blogger’s post. The fellow blogger writes about positive thinking and how the mind works. I have always said how much I love Greg being a positive thinker and things work out for him. My husband is quick to say, “It’s all about the attitude.” And he has a great attitude. It’s almost as though he wills the universe to his positive results. I promise to delete “I will try” out of my vocabulary. Here’s the blogger’s post – the story about his father’s words and how it made him think – that first story, grabbed hold of me. I hope it does the same for you.

I'm happy to be participating in Jade's "Happiness Is" Happiness is Blogging DUH! It's true. And for so many reasons.... I love to write. I love to share. It's a great way to keep up with family and friends and a wonderful way to meet new friends. The world opens up with blogging. I can read about things going on around the world, most likely places I'll never have the chance to visit IRL, but... wow - to read about life going on through the eyes of individuals, like minded in their desire to share... it's pretty incredible! The bloggy community is also great for support and suggestions, for venting and therapeutic writing. It's a way to educate each other and challenge each other. What a blessing!

"Face" My husband and I drove around the city and started to see this. "face" spray painted. Umm, gang message saying, "In Your Face" but they didn't have enough time to write it all out? A message to check your Facebook Wall? Someone who couldn't draw a face and instead wrote the word? Any ideas?

(Grab the button on the right sidebar) Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. P lease feel welcome to join in. H is for… ~Haunted Homes. There are a lot of haunted house tours. Click here for variety of tour s. If possible, take a night haunted home tour, because it’s cooler and adds to the haunting feeling :) A couple of homes to mention: Hermann-Grima – This mansion has a courtyard garden, horse stable and functional 1830’s outdoor kitchen in the Quarter. It’s said that the ghost in this home scatter scented rose and lavender around the rooms and light the fireplaces. Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop – The oldest pub in the country. Master Jean Lafitte was a buccaneer . It’s said that his ghost is seen in the building with his pirate hat. The story goes that when a pirate buries his treasure, he kills someone on the spot.. ...

Want to know how a dog hugs? Check out my photo challenge picture :) Click Here.

I have to introduce a cool blogger with you - Jen, at The Mommy Mambo . I know whenever I visit her blog, I cannot have a drink anywhere near the keyboard. If I'm drinking and reading her blog, I will have to buy a new keyboard. She makes me laugh and catches me off guard. Jen takes great pictures, vibrant colors and emotions. Not just with a camera but also with her sketches. when I saw some of her artwork, I asked if she could create something for my blog. I love what she did, with our dog catching a frisbee, the cat in his carriage, Greg with our suitcases (love to travel)! (I think I kinda look like Betty Boop gone parasailing, which makes me smile) Thank you so much, Jen! I love it! Check out her blog, you'll be glad you did so :)

30 Question Challenge Question 3: A book you love I love to read and find I’m doing that more and more now with my iPad. I love to read anything and everything. If someone reviews a book and gives it a thumbs up, I’m game to giving it a try. I even have a book review blog . But a book I love? Well, most likely it would be the Lord of the Rings series. But I’m stretching to make it reach above and beyond other classics and/or contemporary reads. Reading is a hobby, so it’s difficult to choose just one. And if anyone has any suggestions of books to read, I’m all ears…. Umm, eyes.

I have a confession to make... I wrote this month about Happiness being a clean house. Two things to confess..... First ~ if you open a closet or drawer, don't expect organization at any given point in a day of the month or year. Second ~ The clutter in the closets and drawers start to drive me up a wall and I've been know to do a "spring cleaning" and reorganization, at least once in the year... most likely two or three times. So, I'm not a total neat freak, but it does come out every now and then :) Ummm, to the point that I'll literally empty out the room of furniture, clean the woodwork in the room and reorganize everything back into the room again. This need to clean often times does arrive when it's getting cooler outside - that burst of energy!

Want to feel small? This video puts things into perspective! http://www.videobash.com/video_show/star-size-6096

I'm happy to be participating in Jade's "Happiness Is" Happiness is Finances Notice that I didn't say "Money"... because you know that old saying, "Money can't buy you happiness." (Yes, I know the come back lines that go along with it, but we'll ignore those for the time being.) No, I'm not talking money, I'm talking finance - the making of loans and extending those credit card balances. That sounds weird, right? I'm happy because my husband and I are on the same page with our homes and with finances. We don't like to owe people/companies. We have a plan to be debt free and that includes both of our homes as well. I like having the plan and knowing that we're very like minded in this desire. Sure, things don't always go as planned. Things come up, extra expenses crop up and make demands, but in the long run, we're going in the right direction :) ~ Just like the previous 2 Fridays, I have another book r...

I'm just wondering, has anyone ever used the "F Lock" Key? It just sounds naughty! Where is my mind going? First the clouds, now the keyboard..

(Grab the button on the right sidebar) Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. Please feel welcome to join in. There should be a linky for you to post your website address at the bottom of this post. G is for… ~Garden District. After you tour through the French Quarter, consider taking a self guided tour of the Garden District. New Orleans will change before your eyes – the garden district is the most beautiful section of New Orleans, with elegant mansions. It’s a great way to relax after enjoying the busy Quarter. Greg found a great online “ walking tour ” about the area. We drove to each location to take pictures of the homes. One home no longer on the list is Anne Rice’s house, because it’s on the market.. The Greek Revival-style house is going for 3.75M.

30 Question Challenge Question 2: Something you feel strongly about Well, my gosh, that’s a loaded gun. What isn’t there to feel strongly about? Politics (I refuse to go there on this blog. There are already too many political blogs available for rants; this isn’t one of them. But I will say this, neither Republican nor Democrat truly represents me. It’s a mixture of both and none.), Abortion (I’m pro-choice but I’d hope the decision would be made with all information available and other options strongly considered first.), Education (please teach your children to respect our teachers, young minds will grow in leaps and bounds if they respect), Domestic Violence or animal cruelty (especially babies and animals, they depend upon us), The RIGHT to bare arms (we have more than just a few guns in the house and I believe in having guns, but ALSO believe that those who own them should have a compete background check, not just an application to fill out – people lie.) As strongly as I fe...

I have a confession... I took the below picture, because I thought the cloud was giving us the finger... then I looked at the picture again and thought of something more dirty. Lol

I'm happy to be participating in Jade's "Happiness Is" Happiness is a Clean House I know I sound like a nerd for that, but I like a clean, organized house. Things in place make me happy. Oh, it doesn't have to be perfect and pristine and "don't touch that" type of cold atmosphere. But it's nice to have it organized. It's nice to relax on the sofa and enjoy some quiet time and be surrounded by an organized house and clean floors and shelves, etc. ~ I'm also happy to read a good book. Someone sent me a recommendation for "The Immortant Life of Henrietta Lacks" Click here to read the review.

(Grab the button on the right sidebar) Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. Please feel welcome to join in. There should be a linky for you to post your website address at the bottom of this post. F is for… ~ French Quarter, also known as Vieux Carre (French for “old square”), is the oldest neighborhood in New Orleans. – it’ not just Bourbon Street, it’s history and culture, unique architecture, jazz music and sumptuous food. The French Quarter is a hodge podge of something wild, historical and artsy. First place I’d suggest going to is the Jackson Square, (named for one of the three bronze statues of Andrew Jackson in the center of the square). At the back of the square is one of the oldest Catholic cathedrals in continual use in the United States. You are allowed to take pictures inside, as long as mass isn’t going on. If the presidents giv...

A fellow blogger posted 30 challenge questions. The challenge is to answer the questions one a day in order to keep her inspired to write on her blog. I’m going to participate; only I’m not going to do it in 30 days. I’m going to spread out the challenge to one or two questions per week. Question 1: 5 Ways to Win Your Heart 1) Honesty. Oh, those little white lies about giving gifts or something silly like that is OK. But honesty must be a strong, solid factor for winning my heart. It’s the foundation of friendship and love. When a person isn’t honest from the start and builds on the relationship with dishonesty, you know the house of cards, right? 2) Kindness. It’s such a simple thing and so very important. Life is hard enough. We don’t need to be cruel to one another. There’s no need to make fun of someone just to feel better. 3) Laughter. It’s the medicine that can’t be bottled but is free to anyone. Laugh with me (cough, notice I didn’t say laugh at me…. Then again, I...

The morning of Greg's birthday, we went to "our" Cafe (the Cafe where we had our first date and where Greg proposed to me... ever since our first date, we go to this Cafe on Saturday mornings... so we know the staff there and also the regular customers by name.) I'm going to show my age here... but if you remember the television show, "Cheers" - that's what this Cafe is like for us - "everyone knows your name" type of atmosphere. When we arrived and placed our order, I told the staff that it was Greg's birthday. When the waitress brought out the omelet, she had a candle in the omelet! Everyone (not just the staff, but the patrons... everyone in the restaurant) sang Happy Birthday to Greg. He was turning red but couldn't stop smiling. It was just too cute of a way to start the day. Greg's party was held at his parents' home. They have a really large dining/living room and it's great for parties, because there's lot...

Confession, we have a favorite song. Well, a second favorite (The first being “At Last” – which is the song we danced to at our wedding.)… Greg says the below lyrics makes him think of us. We met in a Café :) “Marry Me” Forever can never be long enough for me To feel like I’ve had long enough with you Forget the world now, we won’t let them see But there’s one thing left to do Now that the weight has lifted Love has surely shifted my way Marry me Today and every day Marry me If I ever get the nerve to say hello in this café Say you will Say you will Together can never be close enough for me To feel like I am close enough to you You wear white and I’ll wear out the words I love you And you’re beautiful Now that the wait is over And love has finally showed her my way Marry me Today and every day Marry me If I ever get the nerve to say hello in this café Say you will Say you will Promise me you’ll always be Happy by my side I promise to sing to you When all the music dies And marry me T...

Today is my husband's birthday. I keep thinking how fortunate I am to be married to him. He loves life. He's a positive thinker. He likes it when people laugh and loves making them laugh. He leaves me little notes of love around the house. He's a good man, a sweet, thoughtful and sexy guy. I asked him if I could put in the blog post his age.... he said "OK." So, tell me something.... do you think Greg looks like he just turned 50 ! That's right. I think he looks fabulous! I love those blue eyes! In the picture below - he's doing his sexy pose. Woot! Happy Birthday, Love. I hope it's a special day. When he tells people his age, they are shocked. Greg says, "It's because I live a stress free life!" There you go, the secret to staying young!

I'm happy to participate in Jade's "Happiness Is" . Happiness is Hugs When someone loves me and gives me a hug, it just makes the world a happier place. It's a welcome. It's a warmth. It's a tenderness. It's a "happy to see you" emotion that lifts the spirit. Hugs are little gifts wrapped in a bow of arms. I love to give them and receive them from those that I love. It's a little bit of heart that's shared. Picture below is a co-worker and her niece. AND.... I'm also VERY happy that Greg's birthday is TOMORROW!!! My handsome husband turns.... oh wait, is it OK to share that? AND.... I'm always happy to read a good book. Let me know if you have a recommendation! I just wrote a review on "The 19th Wife" - click here to read the review .

Judge Judy, " What our government is creating:

(Grab the button on the right sidebar) Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. I’d love to read about your state or travels (Even though it says "your home state" - it's open to any place you have lived or traveled too)! Please feel welcome to join in. There should be a linky for you to post your website address at the bottom of this post. E is for… ~ Étouffée. I thought I’d have a difficult time with “E” but I was saved by our Cajun food :) “Étouffée” is French and means “smother, stew, or braise.” It can have a brown roux base or tomato-based sauce. It’s typically made with seafood, either shrimp or crawfish (i.e. crawdad, mudbug), the holy trinity (onion, celery and bell peppers) and is served over rice. It’s a meal, not a side dish and it’s very filling. (It’s thicker than stew.) If you never tried crawfish before, Étouffé...

My husband sent me the following email: --------- Sighted in Bogata Columbia, and Nunmimg Province China. MAN these look real! Let the Buyer beware! http://birdabroad.wordpress.com/2011/07/23/fake-apple-store-update-with-video ------------ He wasn't kidding that it looks just like an Apple store! The person who wrote the article took a video - the salespeople are in blue shirts with the Apple logo. Stands are all over the place for "iPhone4" and"iPad2"... just incredible that these are allowed!