Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Security or freedom? Can you have both? Explain.

I believe one can have freedom while maintaining security.  Such as: a toddler-one gives a toddler freedom to explore but with security close by or growing up our parents gave us freedom but we knew we still were secure with them.

On the other hand, without security can we have freedom?

2. If you could visit any historical American site what would it be? Why?


I have always wanted to visit the Grand Canyon.  I have just heard it was so breath taking.



3. Free as a bird, free reign, be free of, free enterprise, free trip, walk away scot free, free for all...which 'free' phrase can best be applied to your life in recent days or weeks? Explain.

To be free of this black cloud that keeps hanging over us.  Hub's cancer returned last year, February 2017, had surgery at Duke, became allergic to the chemo, started new chemo it worked for 4 months and then his DNA started fighting against the chemo and for the cancer, tumors began growing, started a third chemo in May of 2018, had bronchitis, and now has pneumonia.  I want to be free of this black cloud lurking over us.

4. Something in your frig that's red? Something in your house that's white? Something in your view that's blue?

Beets, white appliances, blue sky.

5. July 27th is National New Jersey Day. Have you ever visited The Garden State? If so where did you go? Are there diners where you live? Have you tried Taylor Pork Roll? Do you like to play Monopoly? Salt water taffy-yay or nay? How do you feel about shopping at the mall? Springsteen, Sinatra, or Bon Jovi-you have to pick one.

Yes, been to New Jersey, went to Secaucus.   No diners where I love. Can't say I have tried Tyler Pork Roll.  I loved playing Monopoly but haven't played in years.  Nay on the salt water taffy.  I love shopping at themall...cause one can rest a spell before continuing on. Definitely Springsteen.

Raise your hand if you know why these add-on questions are appropriate on National NJ Day.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

We have had a lot of rain lately.  It has been raining for over a week but the sun is shining this morning. Sure hope husband can begin to feel better and start kicking cancer again.
Have a Blessed Week!

Wednesday Hodgepodge.

Hello...Summer!
Thank you, Joyce for hosting.

1. Summer is upon us this week in the Northern hemisphere. Tell us three things on your summer bucket list.


I really don't have anything on my bucket list this summer.  With hub's sickness (cancer), it is hard to plan.  I just try to make the best of each day that he feels great!

2. Something fun you used to do as a kid in the summertime?


I loved playing outside.  There were around 30 houses or more on my street. Around dusk when the street lights would come on, we would play 'kick the can'  We would play late into the night....remember not many cars on the road...so we were safe.

3. Rootop or backyard? 


Backyard....our backyard is so peaceful.   Hub and I usually solve all the world's problems at night in our backyard! ha



4. Do you read food labels? Place importance on them? Make an effort to find out/care about where your food comes from?

Now with hub's strict diet I read food labels.  He is restricted to no red meat and very, very limited sugar.  So grocery shopping has taken me much, much longer than usual.  I am surprised at the amount of sugar in fruits (even though it is natural sugar, it is still sugar) and some vegetables.
I try to buy a lot of organic produce, which is hard in my neck of the woods because of location and size of my town.

5. A song you'll have on repeat this summer?


Right now my song is "Fear is a Lier"

https://youtu.be/sQTnREEtuNk

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Hub and I are celebrating 37 years today.  

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. What happens to the mail at your house?

Usually, I get the mail out of the box, but then I just leave it on the counter for hub to go through.

2. Something you always splurge on? Any guilt associated with the splurge?

Pocketbooks..... I am obsessed!! I love Michael Kors and Kate Spade.  My daughters tell me all the time, "Mom you don't need another Michael Kors/Kate Spade purse!"  Do I need?  Nope, do I want, Yep.

3. There are many, but what are two important questions you think every bride and groom should ask/answer before they plan their walk down the aisle?

Since oldest daughter who is getting married in October can't ever have children (mechanical heart valve) her finance already knows...and believe me I told him this over and over before he popped the question, I won't discuss children  but I do think married couples need to ask/answer this question before marriage.
So I will go with these two questions/answers:
1.  How will we handle our holidays now that two families are merging?
 2, Do we have a clear idea of each other's finances? I would also add clear idea of splitting up household chores.

4. What's the best advice your father ever gave you?

To always help those who need help...no matter what.  I remember one particular Christmas, it was Charlie and mine first Christmas as a married couple.  A house had burnt down and this family needed help.  Now, when we were first married I was doing my student teaching...so Charlie had the only income.  I had saved money to buy Charlie something special for our 'first' Christmas, but my dad had another plan....to help this family.  I listened to dad and seeing the smile on that family's face was worth it all.  My dad has been gone for 34 years, he passed away shortly after I got married.  And man there are still days I wish I could talk to him!

5. Your favorite movie where a father features heavily in the storyline?

The first one that came to my mind ....I Can Only Imagine

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Wishing all Father's a Happy Father's Day...especially this man

Believe

BELIEVE

I do believe this was my word for 2018....Believe.   

The year is almost halfway over (can you believe it?) and I hadn't really thought about my 'word'. The beginning of 2018 hasn't been all that great.  Hub's cancer tumors were not responding to his chemo treatment, hub's son had not allowed us to see grandsons (one I raised till he was 5 years old), youngest daughter and her hub were expecting their first child (worried because daughter had two back surgeries one in  November of 2015 and then another one in March 2016), and oldest daughter was still recuperating from her third open heart surgery and had just gotten engaged.

Believe, I kept telling myself....it will be okay....Just Believe.

Daughter gave birth to a healthy boy in January.  This little guy has been a blessing in more ways than one.  He has kept hub fighting this horrible cancer.  So much joy he has brought to our family.

Believe...oldest daughter came through her open heart surgery...

I might add, she did much better than me!

So excited for her upcoming wedding in October.

And I enjoyed going with her and our cousin to find the most perfect, beautiful wedding dress.

I haven't seen Nate ...in a long time.  I miss him terribly and I cry...missing him so.

But I choose to believe....one day I will\...Believe 

Believe....hub wasn't feeling the best (emotionally...blood work was not up to par...) but he wanted to do some landscaping.  He knew he needed help...and so my cousin's son volunteered to help.

They both had a great time...not only doing landscaping but going out for lunch and traveling to  good ole Lowe's.  

Today was a good day...and hub wanted to grill out!!  We take full advantage of hub feeling good.

All got full...and then some rested while I cleaned up.

Believe...there will be more good days.  

Instead of carrying the baggage of worry....Cancer...and not being able to see grandson....

I Believe there will be more good days around the corner.

Have a great week!

Enjoy Life

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1.Describe your 30's in one sentence. If you're not yet 30 tell us one thing you hope to accomplish once you hit that particular decade.

The parenting years full of trials and errors but many accomplishments.

2. Is it harder for you to exercise or eat healthy?

Hub has been on a strict diet since last year when he found out his cancer had returned.  I haven't had any red meat in over a year.  I have been eating a lot of chicken/fish and fresh green vegetables (kale, leafy vegetables), limited fruit (cause it contains sugar..even natural sugar) and limited amount of sugary foods.  I was a junk food junkie and now...I would love to have a candy bar and the biggest, nastiest, juiciest hamburger!!  If hub can't eat it, neither will I.

On Mondays and Wednesdays I go to Zumba class.  Most of the time I dread going, but once there I enjoy myself.  Summer is the hardest time to go because of no AC in the building.


3. June 7th is National VCR Day. Huh? Anyway this reminded me of something I saw on Facebook listing household items we no longer have and the VCR was on it. I couldn't put my hands on that list, but found another list here of 21 items we all had ten years ago, but which are now obsolete-

bookshelves (WHAT!!???), drip coffee makers, alarm clocks, file cabinets, desktop computers, printers, printed phone books, answering machines, fax machines, paper shredders, a Rolodex, CD racks, CD burners, china cabinets, home phones, entertainment consoles, DVD players, calculators, takeout menus, incandescent light bulbs, and cable TV

Your thoughts? How many on the list do you still have? Still use?

Bookshelves (I can't imagine) I love mine and I will continue to put books on mine, I still use my drip coffee maker even though I have a Keurig and still use it, I have an alarm clock but seldom use it, file cabinets I have and still use,  I still have and use my china cabinet, still have and use my calculator, still use and have takeout menus, still have and use cable TV.  I must be still living in the dark ages!!!!

4. What's something you see disappearing in the next ten years?

In the next ten years, I think calculators will be obsolete....so many people use their phones for this.  Maybe even the radio players will be obsolete....Now we use Google or Alexa.

5. How did you celebrate your birthday this past year? Is that typical?

My birthday will be next month....so last year with the  hub's sickness just spent a quiet evening at home.  This year....who knows???

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Having Bible School this week.  The theme this year is Game On.  I am over 3 years old....yep! Hub had to sleep on the couch last night because he said I was snoring so loudly.  I must have been really tired. Thoroughly enjoying this week with these little ones.

Grandsons and 5K

Just a few things that have been going on.

I was able to go and eat lunch with grandson, Nate a few weeks ago before school ended for the summer.  He was so happy to see me...but not as happy as I was to see him.  Love him so much!

I sure miss this fella of mine....hoping and praying that things will change and we can be a part of his life again.

Hub and I were able to go and watch him play against my cousin's baseball team...because cousin was playing and a quick pic was snapped....

I am still keeping my little man...Gosh it seems he changes every day.  I thought I was a good mother, but I didn't notice all these changes in my girls that I see in him daily. 

He is loving more and more his dog.  This is just one of his dogs, Champ...

I think he is going to be well protected!

He loves the water!!

He is beginning to have a favorite toy.

That hair!!  Ya'll it won't lay down...

Hub enjoys spending time with him.  This is my favorite picture of Blake and hub.

I would love to know what he was thinking of hub.  

Speaking of hub, he will begin his next round of chemo June 11th that is if blood work is okay on June 8th...fingers crossed and praying.  If things go according to plan, his next scan is scheduled for July 9th...many prayers that this chemo is destroying his cancerous tumors.

I have been trying, key word trying to get hub to eat healthier.  So many green vegetables, salads, and tuna consists mainly of his diet....MINE TOO!!  But the other day, he splurged on his favorite...

Key Lime ice cream....one scoop instead of two....so that is a start.

Last night, he wanted to run/walk in the 5K for St. Jude's.  I was a little leery. Hub has not ever done a 5K....so we drove the course first.  We haven't been able to do much walking because of this rain we have been having everyday!!  He was so pumped...I agreed to the 5K.  I told him I would walk with him but he insisted I go on (I am a fast walker) and he was going to take his time.  He promised if he got tired, he would stop at one of the stations to rest. The rest began at 8:30pm.  

Thankful for our glow in the dark shirts.

I saw hub as I was headed for the second turn...again so thankful.

When I finished, I called hub to see where he was.  I told him I was coming back to finish the 5K with him.  He begged me not to....said he wanted to do this on his own...Well, I didn't listen, because I knew he was last...so I met him and finished the race again with him.

We waited around for the winners to be announced and the giving away of door prizes.  I won a $25 gift card...Yay!

I also came in first in my age group....

Hub came in first too!! (sh...ya'll he was the only one in his age group)  Even though it took him over an hour, I am so proud of this man!!  He is a fighter....I know the course was tough with many hills to climb, but he never quit!!

Hub was thrilled.  My heart smiled knowing hub was happy and felt well enough to do this.

Have a great week....and Enjoy Life!