You don't really NEED your big toe - right?!

First off, let me THANK everyone for the WONDERFUL gifts that we received.  We had such a wonderful Christmas.  This was our first Christmas in our own home (which we are really grateful for).  Every other year we've been out of town with family or were house sitting and in someone else's home for Christmas.  Seeing as how we weren't spending Christmas with family this year and how we have ABSOLUTELY no family anywhere near us, we decided that we'd have people over for a Christmas dinner.

We've done the whole holiday thing by ourselves dozens of times (Thanksgiving and Easter etc.) and have done a few too many traditional dinners with just the two of us and wanted to spice things up this Christmas.

So, Ben and I made what we thought, was a WONDERFUL meal (though the kids may disagree, apparently kids don't like green bean casserole or sweet potato casserole!  Next time we'll have to do hot dogs too!  One day we'll figure this kid thing out) and have been enjoying scrumptious leftovers.  (shocking I know)  Ben cooked the best roast I've ever had in our crock pot and we also made sweet potato casserole (no marshmallows), green bean casserole, mashed red potatoes, homemade rolls and three kinds of pie!  My traditional apple crumble, a pumpkin (was the first time I've ever made pumpkin) and Cherries in the Snow pie. 

Our whole Christmas eve and Christmas day was spent cooking and cleaning and opening gifts and really spending time with each other.  I really can't tell you enough how much I enjoyed Christmas this year (as much as we really can away from friends and family far away).  

We then invited some of our friends and their families and enjoyed the meal together.  Clean up was a cinch and we went to bed with smiles on our faces.  

Then today happened.  Ben and I both had to work so we didn't really get home until about 5:30.  I got home about 15 minutes before Ben and in that 15 minutes I quickly finished loading the dishwasher and reheated leftovers for our dinner.  

Then disaster struck.  As I was quickly loading the dishwasher, I think I twisted wrong and *gasp* I think I've sprained my big toe!!  My toe suddenly hurt and not just a little ouch I dropped something on it and the pain goes away after a few minutes but HOLY COW THAT HURTS!   When Ben got home I told him that my toe hurt, but as usual, couldn't remember how I did it - until now.  I've realized I can bend it forward (to a point) but if I bend it too far I shriek with pain and if I bend it backwards (up) at all, that shocking pain hits again.   The only thing we can figure is that I've sprained it.  Stupid toe.

So here I am hobbling around the house occasionally gasping in pain (as apparently you use your big toe for balance A LOT) and trying to figure out what I can do to fix it - does anyone have any ideas to help?  The sprain is right at the knuckle (?) where my toes spout out of my foot.  (so not in the joint).  I thought about taping it to my index toe (?) but that wont do me any good as the sprain is in a funky spot.  

Then again maybe my toe will pop and I'll suddenly feel like a new person.  In the mean time, it seems foolish to go to a doctor and I think I'll once again become friends with my old friend ADVIL.  

Again - Stupid toe. - Lindsay my heart goes out to you so much more now that I know what you went through!!  At least I didn't break it!  

P.S. Side note - The BIG banana tree is now sprouting a new leaf (we've been getting warm weather again - 79 today!)

The Good & Bad Mixed together

Well despite the sunny picture, we've had a few cool days which have killed the banana trees.  Well not killed, just made them go sleepy ... Next year, they'll come back in all their glory PLUS some.

The good news is that our Lemon tree has finally produced LEMONS!  We've used one and have 8 left!  They are so YUMMY and I'm so glad that we got one!  We hope everyone else's lemon trees are doing as well as ours.

Merry Christmas!

My work Christmas party was Friday, so after coming home we quickly took a picture.  Its very rare that I actually wear make up (not like you can actually tell after a long party) but at least my hair looks pretty good.  Happy Holidays from the Floridian Heaths!

Something New

What Have You Done?


I saw this on someone elses blog, liked the idea and so here it goes. This is for Janelle only. I've managed to do 47 within the past 27 years. Wink, Wink, nudge, nudge Ben, I need to check off a few more!

Wait! I should clarify that statement for our parents. As my parents will read into that statement a bit too much.

Ben, I need to check off a few more of these such as visit Hawaii, cruise, Niagara falls etc.

If you like the idea, copy & paste it to your own blog! In red are the things I've done.

Janelle, Ben, Both

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child (I have for Christmas)
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (I was too cheap)
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset (Ben and I did this after an all night party, we sat outside watching the sun rise over the Atlantic Ocean all while he tried to tell me he didn't think he and I were really meant to date -
clearly, he was sleep deprived)
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight (and there were LOTS of crabs...yikes)
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted (what about sketched - in Prague)
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris (I went to the top of where you could climb (was too cheap to take the elevator to the top)
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie (Home movie or YW Lip Sync DVD)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp (Dachau)
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle (thanks Johnny!)
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book (Photo Books)
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper (School Newspaper)
85. Read the entire Bible (I've read it, just not cover to cover)
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury (Been summoned 3 times)
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person (when I was little, I barely remember it)
101. Learned to play an instrument (Clarinet)

Strange Pink Papers

Happy Birthday to me.  My birthday was fairly uneventful.  I went to work as usual, then came home, went out to dinner with Ben, came home, went out for ice cream, came home, played video games on the wii.  

What made my birthday special wasn't the fact that we went to a great restaurant, or got an amazing piece of cake or ice cream...it was this little thing my hubby did to make my day extra special.

For those of you who are unaware, Ben speaks French.  A language I never had any interest in.  I took Spanish in high school and a semester of German before I took off for Europe.  But somehow married a guy who speaks French.  One of my ultimate goals is to now learn the language and to one day teach it to my hypothetical children so that they can be bilingual.  Yea for Bilingual children!!  

In order to do that I have to actually learn the language.  So I've been asking him for what seems like years (and probably has been) to put up signs around the house of what things are.  So when I got home he had our kitchen and a few other spots in the house labeled for me.  But he didn't just type them up and stick them all over the yard, he "scraped" them with pink boarders 

I have a great husband don't I?  He also gave me a "shopping spree" at Gap - my favorite store.  Which I got 3 pairs of work pants at 75% off!  YEA for me! 

A Pretty View

The other day, Ben and I were walking around the St. Johns Town  Center and suddenly Ben looked up and saw this.  Now you can't see it quite as well as we could, but the clouds had a rainbow effect.  It was really a beautiful site.  I'm so blessed to live here in Florida with wonderful warm weather this time of year and beautiful "Cloud-bows".  Maybe one day you'll see your own cloud-bow!

Twenty Seven

Holy Cow, am I really 27 already? It seems like yesterday that I was backpacking around Europe, coming and going as I pleased, riding the train until I saw something that sparked my interest, then hopping off and exploring the sites. And here I am 7 years later trying to figure out what happened to my life?!

I can honestly say that I have very few regrets within these last seven years. I found a cute guy, clubbed him over the head and dragged him back to my cave and somehow convinced him I was the best thing that would ever happen to him. How I managed to do that, is beyond my real understanding. We then bought our dream car, one we thought we’d never allow ourselves to purchase in the future with kids in tow; a house, which I adore but am realizing is too small for me and my many hobbies and with all the luck in the world, have discovered we are both fairly healthy.

Though, life doesn’t always come easy. We’ve hit our bumps too. Working full time and going to school is never an easy task. Ben and I have both had our bouts of illness, mine being no where near his encounter with Lyme disease. We’ve hit a few ruts with jobs, callings and the majority of our friends up and moving on us. It’s a sad day when your best friends up and move on to another adventure, leaving you behind.

But what, you ask, have I done in the past year? Seeing as how I’m another year older, what have I accomplished or done that has made me a better person? I’m not really sure. Life has a funny way of changing you when you rarely notice.

In the past year, I’ve flown on a private plane, spent my summer in Aspen, Colorado enjoying the outdoors like I’ve not been able to do in years. I’ve tackled a new calling and attempted to help shape a group of teenage girl’s lives for the better. I’ve met new friends and learned why I get cold sores. I’ve seen both my family and Ben’s and realized that there isn’t enough time in the day to do everything I would like to. I’ve dusted my elliptical machine more than I’ve used it, and read fewer books than ever. I’ve taken up a new hobby which is appreciated by my husband but I’m sure makes him wonder where we are going to put it all if my rampage continues.

I’ve laughed hard and cried a little too. I’ve wished a million times I could move and yet, had those moments of wonder and amazement at how one day, I’ll be able to leave this place after living here so long. I’ve gone to the beach once and only live 20 minutes away, but hiked up mountains 2000 miles away, and endured things that I often thought I couldn’t. I’ve had doubts and fears along with wonder and amazement and often wished there were more that I could do to help others. I’ve learned new talents and taught others too and taken a million photographs of all the things that matter to me.

But the one thing that this past year has taught me is that I can hope, and look forward to the future, but must live in the now. I’ve realized that what happens today does not happen tomorrow, and that I, in the end, make and create my own destiny. That my destiny is up to me, whether I will have a good day or a bad day, happiness or sorrow, that I am ultimately the chooser of my own path.

I have realized that through thick and thin, I have that one person, who will stand by me no matter what. Who will council me, guide me and be my sounding board. I have that one person who lays on my side of the bed first, so that when I get in, it’s all warmed up, who cuts down stupid trees that I hate and completely redesigns an entire room because I hate the color on the walls.

And then it hits me that it is because of him, that I am who I am today. I am a calmer, softer person than I was seven years ago. I am a person who does not take offense and tries to not give offense. I am a person who is slower to anger and quicker to forgive, because I have that one special person who never gives up on me. And it is him, who I should thank for making me, the person in whom I’ve always wanted to be – me.

To all this I say: bring on another year, with new adventures, stories and excitement. Because for me, I can do anything and endure anything as long as that one special person remains by my side and lifts me up when the hard days come.

Fall Festival

This picture just goes to show how far behind on these things I am. This picture was taken a few weeks ago at a fall festival our church youth group leaders hold down in Palatka every other year. We had a great turn out from our youth and really couldn't have made it happen without multiple people in our ward donating their vehicles to us to transport the youth. Thank you to everyone who helped!

At the beginning of the Fall Festival are lots of games. Our ward was in charge of ring toss and had the youth toss glow in the dark bracelets around the bottles. If they got 3 to stick, then they got a bracelet. Anything else and they were give a creepy crawly creature. There were also three legged races, cookie walk (spin on cake walk), donut on a string and pie eating contest. It was lots of fun. They also had Hot Dogs, Chili Dogs and Slaw Dogs with chips. After all the games we roasted marshmallows to make s'mores and then all hopped on the tractors for haunted hay rides. The picture above is one that Ben took of me with some of the youth before we took off. We had several more youth but they were scattered on the various tractors with their friends.

We look forward to this again in two years as it's always a hit with the youth and leaders!

Cannery

So what have we been up to lately you ask - everything! I am a little behind on a few posts, so here goes as I try to catch up.

One of the youth girls favorite activities is to go to the church dry cannery behind our building and can food for other people. We generally have 4 service projects a year and going to the cannery has been two of them so far. So this was our activity last Wednesday and we had a GREAT time. The last time we went, I forgot to get group pictures so I was really happy when I actually remembered this time! (Actually I think someone reminded me of it...I love those girls and how they help me remember things!) The cannery missionary couples were so kind to take our pictures. With all good photo sessions, you have to have one funny face one. Unfortunately we have a few people who aren't much into the funny face pictures and others who are always trying to figure out what face I'll actually do. So..without further adieu, have you found me yet?

Chicken Treat!

For those of you who are not familiar with my Halloween Costume, let me introduce you. I am a chicken. A few years ago, I was looking for the perfect Halloween costume, and came across this. I laughed so hard that I had to buy it. And since then, it's been my costume. Now what you can't see is that my beak is crooked and I actually have chicken feet. There are actually chicken feet that I slip my shoes into to finish off the costume. Once upon a time, I also had orange gloves, but those have since gone missing. Now I just need to find another pair of orange mittens to truly complete the outfit.

We don't get trick or treaters at our house so we go to our local church "trunk or treat" and pass out candy there. I usually walk around attempting to not run over kids (because I can't see very well) and pass out what I like to call "Chicken Fingers" to all the adults. Each year I make shortbread cookies that look like a witches finger with warts and all. They are very tasty and truly do look like a finger.

So then come all the jokes...I give people the finger, I offer people broken fingers and of course I being a chicken, like to pass out "chicken" fingers. Ha ha ha!

As I was passing out my chicken fingers, I walked over to the Hot Dog area to find someone and discovered a new friend. This little guy who couldn't have been more than two or three was obsessed with my costume. He was so intrigued by it that he followed me everywhere. His family thought it was pretty funny, I was a bit worried as I'd never seen the kid before and his parents allowed him to follow me everywhere without what seemed a second thought. I'm not sure I'd be that trusting. I think I'd be a bit more "chicken" to allow my children to follow a stranger in a mask around. Either way, he was super cute and I was touched that he loved the costume so much.

After finally having a chat with my new friend that he had to stay with his mom and dad I wondered back to my car to find that not only did I have an admirer, but so did Ben. Ben does not dress up for Halloween. We just haven't found the perfect outfit yet. So he sits in our decorated trunk and passes out candy. When I arrived back at the car, he had a lady bug sitting there next to him and helping him pass out candy. This little lady bug I think is 3 years old and one of the most adorable little girls you've ever seen, and best of all, she adores Ben. Then later he attracted another little girl who is 5 or 6 I believe, and he sat there in the trunk with two little girls passing out candy to all the chicken treaters around.

It was a good night by all with a quick stop off at Walgreens on the way home! What a great Halloween. Now..if only we can come up with a GREAT costume for Ben.

New new "formal" ceiling fan

We thought you might want to see what the new ceiling fan looks like.  I really like it but feel it would one day be more appropriate for our living room, instead of the florida room.  :)

A Day in the Life of the Unemployed

It all began three years ago when we purchased our first home.  There was this tiny tree growing next to the stairs of our front porch.  It couldn't have been more than two or three years old.  One of the first comments I made to Ben was - I hate that tree and we should pull it out before it gets much bigger.

So fast forward three years.  We now have a tree that is 5 - 6 years old growing next to the stairs of our front porch.  I'm still complaining about it and wanting to cut it down but Ben persuades me to use my abilities else where and to leave the tree chopping down alone until he can get to it. By now it's growing over the porch and I have to push it out of the way every time I walk up or down the stairs.  I keep complaining about the tree and then one day, I come home to see the above pictures in the same order.  First I notice that something was different about my porch but couldn't quite put my finger on it.  Then I see a big pile of sticks next to the lawn and think to myself..."What has Ben been up to?"  Then it hits me.  He cut my tree down!  The empty hole next to the porch was where my tree was!!  Oh Happy Day!!  I was so excited that I whipped out my camera (which is ALWAYS in my purse, unsure of when the perfect picture moment will happen) and snapped a few shots. 

THEN I walk into the house and see the ceiling fan box next to the door...with the fan INSIDE!! 

Oh Happy Day again!  I swear I felt like it was my birthday!  TWO things I've been "gently hinting" at for MONTHS are FINALLY DONE and in the SAME DAY!!  

So we took the fan back to Lowes because it NEVER worked.  Apparently the motor inside was broken from the get-go.  We exchanged it for another fan (one we didn't like nearly as much and is far too formal for our "casual Florida room" but one that works.  We figure one day, we'll put that fan in another room once we find the "perfect" fan for our Florida room.  

So I publicly wanted to give my husband props for all that he did for me.  For those of you who are unaware, Ben has been jobless with ZERO income coming in for the past 4 months.  OUCH!  Strangely no one wants to hire a guy who is going to quit on them come December 31st - go figure.  

So we've been waiting...and waiting...and waiting and finally seasonal work has arrived!  He got a call back from Best Buy which is PERFECT for him and his expertise.  The job pays MUCH less than we hoped for, but after 4 months of nothing, something starts to sound pretty nice.   He accepted the job and began on Sunday.  Because as you know, seasonal employees don't get to choose the days and hours they work.  Hence, Ben's having to work on Sundays.  

Now..here's the clincher.  After accepting the job, and starting, he learns that as a Seasonal employee, you can only work a MAXIMUM of 25 hours per week for the first 3 weeks.  SAY WHAT?  We were thinking something more in the 40 hours a week, seeing as how he applied for a FULL TIME position - apparently my idea of full time and their idea of full time are slightly different.  THEN after 3 weeks he can start working 40 hours a week.  We aren't sure if there is ever a chance for overtime in the equation but are hoping that at some point there is to help supplement the loss of income during the first 3 weeks.  Upside - for the lack of pay and hours, after 30 days, he can get the employee discount which we hear is quite nice...let's hope so!

Ringworm Update

Many of you out there find it hard to believe that we have been passing ringworm back and forth to each other for the past month.  

Let me give you some more background information than Ben did.  When I first went to see a dermatologist about this - it looked EXACTLY like ring worm!  But of course this "doctor" didn't think it was and prescribed me Altabax (a $60 ointment for impetigo - look it up...trust me it doesn't look ANYTHING like what I had.) 

So after a few weeks of using this stuff, the "impetigo" did not going away.  Instead, Ben started getting this mystery thing on his neck, then face, then other side of his neck, then under his chin, then back and then I got it on my back...wow!  that's a lot of spreading WHILE USING THE $60 ointment (HOLY COW that's a lot to spend on a cream).  

So finally we got frustrated - convinced that it was ring worm from the beginning and even more convinced that the "doctor" was an idiot and had no idea what she was talking about so we went out and purchased $3.00 Athlete's Foot Cream (Terbinafine Hydrochloride Cream).  

For those of you who don't know, Athlete's foot is a sister fungus to ring worm and the creams are all about the same.  

And guess what - after only 3 days of using it, Ben's "ringworm" went away completely!  Mine is still going away but my body FREAKS out 10x more than his to EVERYTHING.  So it will take a bit longer for mine to go away - but we have seen significant improvements!  

As for the pictures that don't look like ring worm (as most of them are that way), The pictures were taken in the "beginning" stages - BEFORE the true ring appeared.  Trust me, this is how  the last one started (after the mosquito bite went away).  

Whew...not to say that you all aren't right, but somehow, as funny as it may be, the $3.00 cream worked at killing off what ever it is that has been attacking us for the past month.

Now I know why all of you have been avoiding us lately - you didn't want it too!  :(  

But we're better!  Back up and running and so far - spread free since  using this NEW cream so feel free to call us "friends" again!

BTW - John (you know who you are), we'll be calling you to start with, the next time we have an issue with anything!  Thanks for offering your services to us knuckleheads in Florida.

The Evil Ringworm

It started with a mosquito bite...

turned into ringworm...
appeared on my neck...
and now on Janelle's back.

I had a ring on my neck but was successful at killing it with random methods. But it has started coming back as you can see. It starts of as a red bump, like a bug bite, and if it has time it grows into a ring as the fungus spreads. Boooo!!! We tried some ointment a dermatologist prescribed...but to no avail. So, I've read about thousand different home remedies online like sea salting it, putting New Skin (liquid bandaid) on it, burning notebook paper and putting the oil like residue on it, etc. So If you know of a sure fix, clue us in.

Where did we go?

Ben and I have been missing for a while now. Occasionally if you were lucky, we'd post about the trees in our back yard, but that was about it.

I, Janelle, the main poster, have been slacking, pure and simple. I've started another blog - Mrs. Heath's Coupon Deals and have been posting regularly on that blog but seem to have neglected this one. Forgive me. Life seems to have picked up a few notches and I'm just trying to get through it right now. Work has been busy with all that's happening with the markets, plus I've been playing double secretary these past two weeks - The President's and my guy. It's been busy. I've then been swamped with church stuff as we've had back to back big activities and more to come. Whew...tonight, we've decided that it's "laundry night" as we seem to a bit behind. So my post must be short as I need undies for the morning! I'll try to keep you posted on life, but as of right now it's busy busy busy - but not with anything super exciting.

Hidden Friends

The other day, I was home cutting coupons & organizing while Ben was out and I heard Toby come in through the "kitty door" in our laundry room.  She came as far as the the entry way from the kitchen to the dining room and then stopped.  This usually only means one thing.  She's brought a lizard in with her.  If she hadn't brought in a lizard she would have come into the living room and said hello - she's pretty predictable.  

So I jumped up, as I usually do, and inspected the corner where she was.  She gave me a meow that said "what?  - I'm  just chillin'...nothing is happening here, you can leave now."  And of course, under further inspection, I found a HUGE lizard.  I tried to catch him so I could free him outside but he was too quick and I was too lazy.   So I let it go and told Toby to leave him alone too.

Of course she wouldn't.  She tried her best to catch him but he squeezed himself in between some good will boxes I have set aside in there and eventually gave up.  

Later, when Ben got home, we told him of our new live-in friend.  Later that night, when Ben went to go get some crackers, he found this and of course we took a picture.  He then ran back in the cupboard and we've not seen him since.  We figure he's got enough food in there to stay alive but eventually will want a "real meal of flies and bugs" and will have to come out.

It's done - The blanket is finally done!!

So for the past two weeks, my life has been consumed with this blanket.  But I am pleasantly amazed at HOW GOOD it turned out!  I am so darn proud of myself!  

A few years ago, like four, a JoAnn Fabric store here in town was going out of business.  So everything in the store was 50% off, then 60, 70, 80 and then 90% off.  

I stocked up on a few things that I knew I'd eventually use.  Fabric being one, a sewing machine with thread, needles and batting.  LOTS and LOTS of batting.  We got a HUGE 5 foot tall roll of batting which has thus far, made 3 Queen size blankets, a full size blanket and 3 lap quilts.  Unfortunately this blanket used up the last of it.  I have scraps left but nothing worth salvaging for another project.  

The last blanket I really made was about 2 1/2 years ago.  It too was a photo quilt.  That photo quilt was for a friends birthday.  At the time she was the president of the Young Women (girls youth program) at church.  So I made her a photo quilt with all the girls pictures and had all the girls sign it.   That quilt was decent, and at the time the best I'd ever done, but the finish edge has always gotten me and I've never quite been able to master it.  

Then I made 2 lap quilts with random pre-sewn squares I found in the closet at church which I think were sewn in the 70's or early 80's based on the fabric used.  This quilt required no real skills of my own except for a quick sew around the edge.  

But this blanket was one I've dreaded doing.  I really wanted to do this right, the way I could see in my head but never quite been able to get my hands to create.  And finally after taking my time, and focusing on what I saw in my head I have created a really great blanket.  The best I've ever done.  There are, of course, a few minor errors, that only those who "closely" examine the blanket will notice, but I think I'm finally developing a talent that my mother has passed onto me.  

The other thing you should know is that Toby LOVES to make blankets.  She gets so excited when she sees the fabric come together and insists on helping every step of the way.  If she doesn't like the lay out I've created, then she runs at full speed to mess up all the fabric squares, forcing me to start again.  She stays up with me at all hours of the night to make sure that I stay focused and do it right.  As you'll see from these pictures, she's inspecting the blanket one final time before I do the edging and then "testing out the final product.  She insists that a good blanket must be able to be "fort like" and also comfortable.  I'm sorry we do not have a picture of her on top of it as those came during my actual post.

The person this particular blanket is going to is my secretary at church.  She has helped me so much and I want her to know how appreciative I am of all her hard work and the time she gives up for her calling.  So this blanket is for her.  

The saddest part of all, is that after 4 years of occasional blanket making, I've finally mastered the technique and this is my last one.  My very last one until a clearance happens on batting.  So if you see any good sales, let me know

Sponges

I'm not sure how many of you out there are avid sponge users. If you are, I'd stop reading now.

I can't quite narrow my disdain for sponges down to one particular item. I'm not sure if it's the way they smell after only a few uses, or how they make your hands smell of rotten food for a good 24 hours after use (which nothing, save bleach itself could remove the odor), or perhaps it's the mental picture of all the bacteria that is growing on them when they are just sitting there on top of your sink - rotting away. Maybe it's the thought of having that bacteria growing sponge smeared all over a seemingly clean plate or glass that gives me a chill up my back. Then again, a co-worker just reminded me of another reason, I don't use sponges. The fact that some people, have no limits to the uses of their sponges. Carpets, kitchen floors, dishes and counter tops are all on the list for the same sponge, because remember, a little soap can disinfect and clean it right up. (shudder - as I watch her NOT RINSE it out before putting it back by the sink after scrubbing the CARPET with it. - HURL). They might as well clean the bathroom toilet bowl with that sponge and then run it over your lunch plate right before you put your lunch on it. (gag).

All I can say, is I LOVE PAPER PLATES! I know that sounds horrible. As I am very earth conscience. I love to recycle and reuse - but there are certain times, that I am grateful for those round disks we call plates that are made from a tree (not Styrofoam of course). Because I know they are clean and not just "look" clean but really dirty and nasty from a grimy sponge smeared all over it, but because they ARE clean.

If you are an avid sponge user, can I just make 3 suggestions?

1) Throw it out after EVERY use....wow that sounds wasteful - on second thought, just don't use them at all! This of course is my favorite suggestion.

2) Run it through your dishwasher on a REGULAR basis - like perhaps EVERY NIGHT. (Just a suggestion.)

3) If you don't have a dishwasher, BOIL it. There is nothing wrong with a pot of hot boiling water and a sponge floating around in it. You'll be amazed at the color and smell of the water in your pot afterwards. Then...toss the pot in the dishwasher OR Scrub it REALLY hard afterwards with baking soda to get rid of the wonderful smell that has been left behind in your pot.

Our first NON CAPTIVE Gator sighting!!

We had a youth activity yesterday at Pace Island, which is located in Flemming Island, FL (about 20 minutes from our house).  Since Ben and I are leaders in the youth programs at church, we attended.  Right next to the park that the activity was at, we saw this.  

Yes he's real, and yes he's sunning himself in SOMEONE's BACKYARD!!  HOLY COW!!   

This guy is about 6+ feet long.  Someone else who was there, said that before we got there, he saw this big boy, along with a 12+ foot gator sunning....What a site.  Ben and I have lived here 6+ years and this is the FIRST one we've see up close.  The closest we came before was seeing one swim in a retention pond behind our friend Kate's parents home - but all you saw were eyes!

Yes it's a bad hair day and you'll just have to get over it. I didn't bother to do my hair as it was a POOL/BOATING party and knew my hair was going to be bad anyway.  At least after this photo was taken I put a headband in my hair to make it look a little bit better.  :) 

Week 13 Banana Trees

As you can see, since our last post, the trees have grown! We are really excited to see this much growth in such little time!! But we must re-warn you, we don't expect to see banana's this year.

In addition to the trees growing, we also noticed an off shoot. We knew this was very possible as our bulbs were old enough to start producing shoots when we bought them, but it's so exciting to actually see one! Once this little guy grows big enough, we can transplant him to a new location. Then we'll have 3 yes 3 banana trees! The downside though is that this little guy will most likely not produce fruit for a few years. Bulbs need to be of a certain age/size before their trees actually produce fruit. But hey, in a few years, we'll have a yard full of banana trees - and hopefully a few other kinds of trees too!

Bananas Week 10

As you can see, the Nam wah is growing like mad while the Grand Nain is creeping along. I'm guessing that eventually the bottom leaves will start to die off as the trees get taller, otherwise it'll look funny. I did read that removal of leaves from the tree should only be done when the leaf is completely dried and dead. That allows the nutrients to be absorbed back in to the tree.

New Coupon Blog

Check Out Janelle's New Blog about her coupon deals.  Mrs. Heath's Coupon Deals

Coupon Crazy - Breaking it down

For those of you who are slowly coming to the cheap side, let me break a few things down for you.

First of all..check out my previous post regarding CVS and how their deals work.  :)  

Second...listen/read up...

To the right of this message, you will see a spot called "The coolest people you should know"...these are many of our blogging friends.  Below that you will see a spot called "blog-o-sphere"  these are a few of mine and my mothers favorite sites for couponing plus a few other goodies that don't fit under the other category or aren't blogs.  YEA for my fellow couponers.  

I am now going to break down those sites for each of you so you know what they offer and how to best use them.  :)

Baby Cheapskate - This site offers some great tips for parents with or expecting a baby.  They give advice on where some of the best deals are on the web and how to get them!  

Bowen Genealogy - This is a site my father started.  It's of my Bowen ancestors.  (my maiden name is Bowen).  He's done a great job to post everything he can find in a simple easy to use/understand format for us genealogy idiots.  :)  I love to surf around on that site to read about my ancestors lives and how they once were.  

Budget Help$ - I love this blog!  This blog is all about where you can get FREE SAMPLES of products!  Be the first to know about what samples are available on the web through this site!  

Cherry Picker - My mom first pointed out this site to me.  This is where I first read about the August All You Magazine deal and then made my husband go out and buy me 10 copies!  She has great tips that some of the other websites miss.  Some stores she follows that apply to us in Jacksonville are Target, Walgreens and CVS!  So check out her blog frequently for the best tips and deals that are available.  

Coupon Addicts - This blog is actually called Scavenger Hung on Crack - but that's too long...so coupon addicts works for me! The main blog-master is Rebecca.  And Rebecca taught me everything I know and is very quick at responding to emails and EXTREMELY helpful to new comers!  

To the right of the page are different links to various stores that they update on a regular basis. If you visit one of these pages, you wont only see what great deals that particular store has to offer but you will also see links to future ads - great way to start next weeks shopping list.   

To the left of the page at the top will be a place titled: "Visit our Coupon Skills Blog"  This is a place to post your "brags" about what deals you snagged over the past week.  It's here that I get some great ideas of how to best save money, as I'm often too busy to create my own scenarios, I'll often just steal someone else's.  

Coupons and things by Dede - This is the website you have all been searching for but had no idea where to find it!  It's on this website you can buy whole newspaper inserts (not the entire newspaper but just the coupon inserts).  For example, each copy of this past Sunday's P&G insert is sold for $1.05 per copy but is currently sold out.  They also sell individual coupons too!  So if you miss a week - order as many copies as you want through dede.  She is easy to work with and ships quickly.  

Free After Rebates - This website is exactly what it says.  It's dedicated to sharing will all viewers everything you can get free AFTER REBATE.   It seems that most things are computer related but swing on by and check it out.  If you need it anyway, why not get it for free?!

I Heart CVS - This site is dedicated to all things CVS!  Find out about all the hidden deals, current deals, coupons and future inserts on this page!   Another great website by the same people is www.iheartriteaid.com - we don't have rite aid here so if you do, check that one out too!

Keeping the Kingdom First - This website has a weekly CVS $5 challenge.  It begins every Sunday (the first day of the sale week) and challenges readers to create a shopping list that will require you to spend NO MORE than $5 cash out of pocket to shop there!  I love to read others lists and then create mine based on each of theirs!  This website also has LOTS of other great information that is worthy of checking out!

Money Saving Mom - This website has all kinds of money saving tips.  She passes onto her readers great insight and encouragement about saving money along with informing readers about giveaways, deals, and information about some of our favorite stores and the deals they currently have going on.  

My Points - I love this site!  I've been a My Points member since 2001 and have received hundreds of dollars of gift cards in that time.  This is a site that that you earn points from reading emails and shopping online.  It's simple, easy and FREE!  If you are interested let me know as I get 250 points for each person I refer.  Who isn't interested in FREE MONEY?! Actually they pay you in gift cards and have what seems like 100 to choose from!  :)

Pinching Your Pennies - This is a website that my mom told me about.  It's mainly for the Utah/Idaho crowd but I find it helpful for me too!  At the top of this website is a link called "Coupon List" - Click on this and then choose your state...(Florida isn't listed).  I switch between Utah and Idaho.  It then lists what what coupons were in the paper for past weeks.  So for example, if your going to buy Bounty Paper Towels and want to see if there is coupon out there for it, scroll down to see if Bounty is listed.  If it's a current coupon it will list it, tell you what week the coupon came out and in what insert.  Sometimes if I can't find the coupon on the Utah list, I'll check the Idaho list.  Like I said Florida isn't listed but most coupons are the same nationwide with a few differences.

Publix Deals - The actual name of this website is Fiddle dee dee blog and she is all about the grocery store chain Publix.  I love Publix but find them to be a bit expensive at times.  But through her website I've come to love Publix and find that they have some of the greatest deals in all of Florida!  So if you like Publix check this website out!

Rather Be Shopping - This website is a money saving site by a GUY.  Pretty cool.  This is not dedicated to coupons and deals but more of a thought provoking and often funny site about how to think smartly about shopping and saving money.  

Richard Heath - This is a site Ben's father keeps up to date.  Richard is a photographer and a very good one at that.  Photography is one of his passions and is always doing new things with photographs and has a eye that many of us desire.  Check out his site sometime and think of it as candy for your eyes.  Plus you'll have a chance to get to know some of my husbands family.  

Sisterly Savings - This was one of the first sites I began to use when I started couponing.  They do a great job at keeping me informed about upcoming deals along with current deals.  They also have a great beginners guide to the left of their page called coupons 101, 102 and 103 and cvs and Walgreen's for beginners.  This a great spot to start if your new to the world of coupons.  

Spoofee deals - This is a constantly updated website that keeps the world in the know of some of the best deals on the web.   I constantly check this site in hopes that something I'm looking for will be on here directing me to where the best deal is.  My friend John Poor tipped me to this site months before I began my coupon addiction. 

The "Cent"sible Sawyer - This is one of my favorite sites.  I always find great money saving tips on her site and she also has a CVS challenge that gives me great ideas for my weekly shopping trips.  A great site for any person who has money saving on their mind.

The Thrifty Mama - This is a GREAT website.  One of my newest finds.  Our Thrifty Mama, teaches us about Publix penny items, and CVS deals and steals.  

Wild Squirrel - A friend of mine updates this site and does a great job.   Each Monday she posts her weekly meal schedule and if there was ever a person I would trust when it came to baking/cooking, it would be wild squirrel.  This girl knows her way around a kitchen and always has a yummy meal planned for her family.  She also has great tips, insight and websites that she's stumbled upon.  She also has great stories about her children sometimes.  

Now that you know what all these side websites are - I hope you check them out and enjoy saving money.  One of my favorite sayings is "Being poor is a choice" - we can all eat and live well if we live within our means, shop wisely and USE COUPONS!  It's easier than it sounds and fun too!  If you have any questions or need help getting started let me know and I'll walk you through it. 

A souvenir from MN

On July 21st, I was leaving MN to come back home to FL and noticed a bump about the size of a quarter on the back of my neck. I didn't think much of it, cause hey, bug bites happen and then they just go away, right? Well, this one decided not to go away, it just changed. This past Wednesday I decided to do an image search on Google to see if I could figure out what this bull's eye shaped bite on my neck was. First thing that popped up was a picture that looked kinda like what I had, so I clicked on the image. The link brought me to a web page about Lyme disease.

I thought, "Really?!???!". I'd learned about Lyme disease growing up in MN and knew it was possible to get, but never had known anyone that ever got it. So I went straight-way to the local urgent care facility and they confirmed it. So now I'm on Doxycycline, an antibiotic, and it is supposed to get rid of the Lyme disease, and I'm sure it will since it was caught early enough. Here is a photo of my neck, it kind of looks like a smiley face in the photo.

Mrs. Heaths General Store

Mom - This is for you!

One of our weekend projects was to gain better control of our "food storage"  So Ben bought some new shelving at Sam's Club, assembled them and then helped me load them up with all the food and hygiene items I had boxed up around our spare room.  (Mom & Dad Heath can now rest assure that the next time they come stay at our house, they wont have to fear that macaroni and cheese or cereal will fall on their heads in the middle of the night!)

Picture #1 is all food stuffs.  With boxes of canned wheat on the bottom.  

Picture #2 is mainly hygiene items with boxes of wheat, sugar, rice and oats at the bottom

Picture #3 is more canned food - wheat, rice, sugar, oats etc.  

Not pictured are the 20+ gallons of water stored in our shed for emergency use (flushing the toilet), bottled water, and more boxes of canned food that is stored in our game room.  

Story - when our street lost power for 26 hours during the storm, our next door neighbor came over to ask if we needed anything and to make sure we were ok.  (what a great neighbor huh?!) We told him we had plenty for us and others, and that if he knew of anyone who needed anything we were happy to help in any way possible.  And as you can see we weren't kidding.  And remember this is all just excess storage, as we still have our pantry and cupboards full of food too.

Now what we don't have enough of and need to start stocking up on: candles, oil lamps and a generator.  But these are things that we are slowly getting and stocking up on.  One thing at a time.  :)

Service Project Gone Bad

Last night, Ben and I got a call on our way to the store that a family at our church needed some help.  Apparently a tree fell on their house during the storm and they needed to move everything from two rooms out of the house so the construction crew could get started the next day.  We told them about what time we could be there and finished our shopping.  When we arrived at the agreed upon time it ended up taking about an hour to move most of the furniture into a pod in their front yard.  I helped a little but really couldn't do too much as it was mainly heavy lifting so I stayed in the house most of the time.

So after about a half hour, I began to notice a mosquito or two...then my legs began to burn.  I started to count and counted about 5 bites.  A while later I told Ben that I wouldn't last much longer as my legs were really beginning to burn.

By the time we got home (after an hour total of being there) we began to count and counted 31 bites!  31 mosquito bites on my legs, arms and chest. Woo Hoo!  As my husband would tell me.... at least you can never say no one likes you!  So for your viewing pleasure a few quick snaps of my legs this morning.  Enjoy!

A few final pictures of Aspen

Here are a few final pictures of Aspen..there were a few more pictures but unfortunately they wouldn't load.  So enjoy these last few photos.