My Summer Wish List

Is it too early to start making plans for the summer?  Not necessarily places I want to go or things I want to see, but all the things I want to accomplish this summer.  Well, I decided I needed some accountability, so I'm setting forth a partial list of things I want to accomplish before fall rolls around.  If I get started now, I will have more time for enjoying the sun, some sweet tea, and the company of a good book.  In no particular order, here is the list.

• Make this Little Black Dress I posted about back in February
• Make about a dozen Brags and get them out to Hurricane Rojo
• Clean and organize my craft room once and for all
• Bust out the serious crafts I want to make and market the rootitoottoot out of 'em
• Clean all the closets and get rid of all the "stuff" I truly don't need
• Spend some quality time with my kids this summer doing all the things we used to do
• Can and bake the way I used to do
• Finish all the books on my bedside table
• Go camping
• Hang at the beach for the day
• Spend the weekend with BunBun doing nothing but eating ice cream and watching old movies and not letting anyone know we are home

Do you have a wish list?  How many things are on your list?

Summer 1984 or How I Met My Husband

I have to start this post by saying that I don't have a scanner and because I don't have a scanner, there is no way I can show you pictures that relate to the story I am about to tell.  Rest assured, someday I will be able to post those necessary pictures.  For the mean time you will have to trust me that I looked totally hot in the 80's (big hair and all) and so did the other person in this story, BunBun.  Also... this is a very long post.

It was nearing the beginning of the summer in 1984.  I would be a senior in the fall and then after that....off to college.  My brother, who is 3 1/2 years younger than me, was ending up his Babe Ruth baseball season.  For some reason, I don't know if it was boredom or what, but I went to one of his games.  (Not something I normally did because I had an afternoon and weekend job at Heidi's Bakery.)  As I watched his game, I noticed a really cute guy on his team.  I must have asked him about this guy.  I soon was going to all of his games, what few there were left to play.  My dad was also an assistant coach and had a list of all the players names and phone numbers.  Between going to the games and flirting with this guy and having his number already....well, I did what my mom said girls shouldn't do; I called him.

Baseball season ended and summer began.  I was busy hanging out with friends and working.  Going camping and planning how cool my senior year in high school would be.  And I was still talking to the this guy on the phone.  Only he was calling me too.  And he kept asking me to be his girlfriend.  And I kept saying no.  I didn't want to say no.  I wanted to say YES!  But I didn't.  I kept saying no because he was only going to be a FRESHMAN and I was going to be a SENIOR.  And my best friend kept telling me how dumb I would be to have a boyfriend who was only a FRESHMAN.  She kept telling me that everyone would tease me and think I was like, totally not cool, ya' know?  So I kept saying no. 

So school started and I saw this guy EVERY DAY at school.  We didn't live in the same town so school was the only place we saw each other.  And we were still talking on the phone every night.  Even though he was going out with the little sister of my best friend.  The friend that said I should NOT go out with him because he was too young.  Then one day they broke up.  And then the next day we were walking towards each other between classes.  And then I was walking up to him and KISSED HIM!  And kept walking to my locker! 

Yeah...we were boyfriend and girlfriend after that.  We fought. We made up.  We fought.  We made up.  He taught me how to ride a dirt bike.  He made me BLTs without the L.  He worked mornings before school milking cows and setting irrigation pipes so he could buy me a ring for Christmas.  He let me wear his favorite flannel shirt and his big brother's old football jersey.  We spent every weekend together either at my house or his house.  We talked on the phone every night.  His dad, Carl, let us sit in the front seat (bucket seat) together, when Carl would drive me home.  We were in love and we planned our future.

But then the end of my senior year came.  Friends told me I should break up with him.  We were fighting more as I talked about going to college and he felt he was getting left behind.  One thing led to another and I broke up with him a week before graduation.  It was the most terrible feeling I had ever experienced.  What should have been a fun-filled week of activities was overshadowed with sadness and stupid high school antics.  On the night of my graduation, he was there with his mom.  After the ceremony he kissed me and begged me to take him back.  I was so dumb as I pushed him away and ran off with my friends.

As summer began again we both did stupid things.  My best friend and his best friend were now a couple and it made life difficult.  I avoided him completely.  When I did have to see him I was mean.  Why?  Because I could be.  Somehow, the friend who had told me to break up with him in the first place convinced me to get back together with him.  So I did.   And it was like we had never been apart.  But things were different.  I was a "grown-up" now.  I had just turned 18 and I was getting ready to move out on my own.  I had just started classes at the community college. And I was working a lot more.  He was a sophomore in high school and he hated being there when I wasn't.  So he cut classes.  He hung out with the wrong crowd.  And he did something else.

I went to meet him for lunch one day at the high school.  While I was waiting for him, this girl (not a nice girl) came up to me and asked me why I was waiting for her boyfriend.  What was she talking about?  He didn't have time to be with this girl and why would he?  She was nasty and everyone knew it.  As he walked out and saw me, he smiled.  Then he saw her.  AWKWARD.  He walked off with me and I began to question him about her.  What was she talking about?  We argued; that's really all I remember.  I know I was living on my own then and he came home with me.  I can't remember what was said, but I know he convinced me that she was lying and I was the only one he loved.

The next night my world fell apart.  I found out that he had been seeing her all summer long.  That he was still seeing her, while HE WAS SEEING ME.  I was crushed.  I repeatedly called his house that night so I could confront him but the line was busy.  I finally got a hold of him after midnight.  I made him tell me the truth and he admitted that he had only gotten back with me so he could hurt me the way I had hurt him a few months ago.  I told him I hated him.  I broke the 45 of Madonna's Crazy For You single ("our" song) on the phone and told him that was the sound of my heart breaking.  Then I hung up the phone.  The next day I mailed the broken pieces to him.

And I didn't talk to him for 20 years.  Even though we lived in the same town.  Even though he worked right next to my husband in the lumber mill.  Even though our children were in grade school together.  Even though my middle daughter and his second son were in the same class at a very small school.  Even though this same daughter and son dated for awhile.  Not once.  Not until that same daughter and son graduated from 8th grade.  And at that 8th grade graduation we talked to each other.  We said, "hi."  That was it.

In that 20 years apart, a lot happened.  Here is the shortest version I know how to provide.

Me: 

• Met and married a man that was 9 years older than me and had been married one before.  I turned 20 one month after the wedding.  He also had a 4 year old daughter when I met him.
• I quit college and went to work full time at the bakery until I got pregnant and ended up having an ectopic pregnancy.
• Had 3 babies in 3 1/2 years.
• Was a full-time mom, gardener, chef, nurse, teacher, etc. until the youngest started kindergarten and then I got a part time job.
• Lost our house, moved back to the company town, and went back to college.
• Full-time student, full-time mom, full-time everything.
• Finished school with a BA in Elementary Education.
• Started seeing my previously-night-shift husband full time and realized...yeah.
• Said hi to HIM at graduation.
• Moved out on my own for the first time in 20 years.  Without my kids for the first time in my life. 
• Made lots of dumb mistakes.
• Decide to turn over a new leaf on June 1, 2007

Him:

• Quit school and went to work in the woods with his dad.
• Got the bad girl from a few paragraphs up pregnant when he was 16.
• Tried to be a dad to his son, but was prevented by the mom.
• Wrecks cars.
• Gets married and goes to jail the next day for drunk driving.
• Has 3 kids and is a great dad.
• Gets a divorce when the youngest is 1.
• Sustains a major back injury at the lumber mill that leaves him permanently unable to work.
• Gets thrown in the slammer a few more times for drunk driving.
• Says hi to ME at graduation.
• Gets arrested for drunk driving and sent to San Quentin for 3 months and rehabilitation facility for 9 months.
• Gets out of rehab on May 23, 2007

The rest of the story next time. And don't forget to enter the giveaway!

You're All I Am

If any of you are Foreigner fans, you may know their song of the same name.  It was on the Double Vision album and although it was never released as a single, I think it should have been.

If you haven't heard it, you can click play on this YouTube video.






For those like me who want to read the lyrics and sing along... here they are.

I never knew a man could be so lonely

That life would treat a man so wrong
But when the odds were all against me
You gave me the strength to carry on

You gave me a new start, so I will give you my heart

You, you are my life, you're all I am
Only you can understand the way I am

You never give me enough of your love
I need more and more each day
Honey, can't you see the only thing I can be sure of
Is that something real has come my way

Oh, so I believe my heart, though sometimes it tears me apart

You, you are my life, you're all I am
Baby it's you, you are my life, you're all I am
Only you can understand the way I am

You know I live my life for you
You are my life, you're all I am

Ooh baby it's true, you are my life, you're all I am
Only you can understand the way I am

So....why am I sharing this with you? You mean, aside from the fact that this is 80's music and it's Foreigner?!? 

This is one of the first songs BunBun played for me when we got back together after our 20+ years apart. (I really need to tell that whole story sometime.) I had never heard it before.  I don't know how I didn't, but I didn't.  Anyway, now every time we hear it or we are playing 80's music and it comes on, we stop and dance.  Sappy?  I don't care.  I'm totally and madly in love with this man and I don't care how sappy I sound, look, or act.  I'm so thankful God chose to bless me for some unknown reason with this man.  I have made many mistakes and committed many sins and I'm so thankful that God forgives me again and again.  We will never be worthy of the love of the Father and I don't feel I deserve the wonderful husband I have.  But thank you LORD for loving me enough to show me unconditional love with Your Son and with the gift of my husband.

Love Is In The Air

We were laughing hilariously at Neal and Karen Montgomery (the guest speakers) when this was taken.

This is a photo taken at the Valentine's Dinner our church recently held.  Not the best picture, but shows how much we do enjoy laughing.  It was a fun evening (BunBun admitted in front of 50 people that his butt is his best feature.)  Neal and Karen are hilarious and so friendly.  The meal was great...prime rib, baked potatoes, green beans, green salad, rolls, cheesecake...yum!  Except I got sick the next day.  From the meat.  No one else did, but BunBun reminded me that the last time I ate seasoned meat the same caterer.  No barfing but just feeling like it.  REALLY BAD  ALL DAY AND NIGHT.  So that is how we spent this year's Valentine's Day.  With friends, each other, and thanking God for one another.

Oooops...Another Giveaway

As some of you already know, I'm a participant in MyBlogSpark; a program that sends me items to review and then I have the opportunity to offer an identical item to my readers.  Somehow, in the confusion of what is generally called my life, I forgot to review one of the items sent to me and offer it to you- my faithful readers.  What product am I talking about?  None other than Old El Paso Green Chiles.  I received the following items from Old El Paso and  MyBlogSpark:

*two free cans of Green Chiles
*a football-shaped ceramic serving platter
*two sets of football-themed plates
*cocktail napkins
*a themed table runner

BunBun and I each cooked a meal that we incorporated a can of green chiles into.  His meal was his fried rice (which is to die for) and one night I made Sloppy Joes.  The green chiles added an extra somethin' somethin' to each of the meals. These are not scalding hot jalapeno-type chiles, but they add a zing to recipes and meals that could be a little boring other-wise.  What I really like about these chiles is that they are available in two different sizes, 4.5 ounces or 7 ounces.  I have used them in the past in bean dips and nachos and have always been pleased with the results.  If you would like to try Old El Paso Green Chiles for yourself, you can get a $0.55 off coupon by going here.

We have not used the football-themed items yet.  In August my son will be playing his last year of high school football for one of the best teams in the area (I'm not a proud mom or anything).  It will be a bittersweet season and so the football items will definitely get used then. 

Do you have a family member involved in football?  Or is your family considered football fanatics?  Here is your opportunity to win the football items I was sent.  The winner will receive the following:

*a football-shaped ceramic serving platter

*two sets of football-themed plates

*cocktail napkins

*a themed table runner

To enter do one or all of the following, the first option is mandatory. Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

*Mandatory: What's your favorite way to use green chiles?

*Does a family member play football?

*Become a follower of Tally's Place or tell me you already are.

*Blog about this giveaway and provide the link.

The winner will be chosen randomly on February 24 @ 2 pm pst and will have 24 hours to respond to my email.  The prize will be sent directly to the winner from MyBlogSpark.

I also have a giveaway going on for a $50 gift card to any of the Safeway Corporation of stores.  Click here to enter that giveaway.

I received two free cans of Green Chiles, a football-shaped ceramic serving platter, two sets of football-themed plates, cocktail napkins,and a themed table runner from MyBlogSpark.  I was not compensated in any other way.  The opinions given ere are 100% my own.

A Life of Recovery...Or Not

Last night I watched Lady Sings the Blues starring Diana Ross and Billy Dee Williams.  For those of you who don't know, this is a bio pic about jazz singer Billie Holiday. 

I had seen this movie as a teen and had always loved it.  It introduced me to one of the greatest jazz voices of our time (sort of since Diana Ross does all the singing) and fed my love for history.  Wow!  Age sure does play a huge role in your perceptions.  Watching it last night, I kept thinking, why did I love this movie so much?  Yes, it's still a good story and the songs are amazing, but what the heck?  According to the movie, Lady Day had the love of a wonderful man and had a bit of fame and fortune.  Why did she keep going back to the opium and heroin?  Here are my thoughts about the issue.
First of all, I have never personally had to deal with substance abuse so I can only imagine how difficult it must be to break that cycle.  Second of all, the movie was loosely based on her life.  The movie didn't show all the abusive men that came in and out of her life.  It didn't tell us the story of being born to teenage parents, being raped at the age of 10, and having to live in a strict girls' reformatory after that rape.  It does portray, a little bit, her work in a brothel; first as a housekeeper and then as a prostitute.  It doesn't show the despair Miss Holiday must have felt at being punished for crimes that were not her own (rape, possession of drugs).  And the wonderful relationship with Louis McKay?  Mostly fiction.  Yes she did have a relationship with him, but it was nothing like the loving relationship portrayed in the film.  Also, the film painted a picture of Billie Holiday as an innocent who had no control over the things that happened to her.  I'm thinking this could be because Diana Ross was the darling of Berry Gordy, who produced this movie, and at the time he had an image to uphold for Diana Ross.  One more point, addicts were viewed differently 70-80 years ago.  They were viewed strictly as criminals with moral failings.  They didn't always get the kinds of treatment that would allow them to break these destructive behaviors.  They weren't given tools to help them deal with the stresses of life that caused them to turn to drugs or alcohol in the first place.  Thank goodness some things have changed!

My husband has dealt with alcoholism all his life.  His maternal grandparents were both alcoholics who abandoned their children at various times.  He is the youngest of five brothers and he has one sister that is younger.  Three of his older brothers have had problems with drugs and alcohol.   BunBun wasn't immune to the genetics unfortunately.  His oldest brother gave him his very first drink at the age of 12.  I've never told you the whole story about BunBun and me (another post, another time) but I was with him during some of those years that his brothers were supplying him with alcohol and marijuana.  Anyway...he never really had a chance.  That's not an excuse because at some point you start to recognize right from wrong and the destruction those things can have on your life.  But I'm proud to tell you that in June of this year BunBun will have 4 years of sobriety.   It's something he has worked very hard on and I believe he will be the first to tell you he couldn't have done it without God.  That being said, I was super excited to be able to receive - free of charge- The Life Recovery Bible from Tyndale House Publishers.

 This New Living Translation Bible was edited to help those who have or are going through recovery programs.  The editors are Stephen Arterburn, founder and chairman of New Life Ministries and David Stoop, founder and director of The Center for Family Therapy.  There are several devotionals throughout the bible that provide a biblical basis for recovery.  There are the Twelve Step Devotionals, Serenity Prayer Devotionals, and Recovery Principle Devotionals.  Another great feature of this Bible is the profiles of Bible characters and important recovery lessons that they provide.  There are also book outlines, a topical index, and an user's guide to name a few. 
I looked over the Bible and read a few of the devotionals.  I enjoyed them and felt they could even be applied to the life of someone who is not going through recovery.  My husband also enjoyed it and said the features that dealt with recovery were well-written and easy to follow.  He did say that some people that attend twelve step programs may take offense to someone bringing the Bible to a meeting because not everyone identifies their "higher power" as God.  However, we both agreed that this Bible would be very useful to someone who has accepted that God is the ONLY higher power and is on the road to becoming a true follower of Christ.
Getting clean and/or sober is not an easy process.  It takes years and lots of hard work.  I'm thankful that my husband has decided he is worth the effort of recovery.  I'm thankful that GOD allowed me to marry this wonderful man.  I'm also happy that the Life Recovery Bible is available to people like my husband who are seeking to do God's will and stay on the recovery path.

I received this Bible, free of charge, from Tyndale House Publishers.  The opinions expressed here are 100% my own.  I was not compensated in any other way by Tyndale.

Just Have to Show You....

Some pictures I took of my little Tally Bean when she was here this weekend. 

As you can see, she doesn't think her Opa is funny at all.

I'm sure she is thinking..."Does he realize how ridiculous he looks?"

But when you get smiles like this....

It's definitely worth it!

Now that I have your attention.... the gals over at Mamma Tortilla are hosting the cutest giveaway ever.

This handcrafted little cutie is made by Abbie from Bunny Lane Designs.  You only have until February 3rd to enter Mamma Tortilla's giveaway....so hurry on over.  But I'm gonna win.

More About Johnny....

BunBun just informed me that Public Enemies is on Pay-Per-View tonight....
then he informed me we couldn't order it because we need to pay the cable bill. 
I asked him to try anyway...
I have a wonderful husband.  He told me he already tried to. 
Then I realized...why did he tell me if he knew we couldn't watch it?
Cruel.... cruel.... cruel.....

This is BunBun

This is Johnny

Just in case you couldn't tell.

Only 2 more days to enter my fabulous...awesome..giveaway!

Happy New Year & Giveaway Update

Happy 2010!  How is it possible that it is 2010 already?  Weren't we all just worrying about the Y2K bug not too long ago?  Time marches on, I guess.

Last night BunBun and I hosted the appetizer portion of our church's progressive dinner.  It was a wet and stormy night, but there were still plenty of people who stopped by to taste the goodies.  (Thanks Lee's and Dunker's for your help!)  Then it was off to the Teasley's (Starla and Garry's) for all kinds of yummy soups.  We sampled Clam Chowder, Split Pea, Hearty Hamburger Soup, and Arron Lee provided a Seafood and Tomato Bisque.  We all piled into our cars as all the kids went whooping it up into the empty streets (aren't other people's kids hilarious?) and headed off to the Walters' home.  Imagine BunBun and my surprise when we pulled up in front of the house my best friend lived in during high school?  (Cue Wayne's World do-do-do- do music and Garth and Wayne doing the squiggly line dream sequence thingy)

Many, many, many nights and days were spent here hanging out with my friend and her boyfriend.  Anyway, we had delicious spaghetti and french bread in Jim and Kathy's lovely home before heading off to the church for dessert.
We finished off the night eating dessert and laughing with friends.  Then we gathered together and prayed out the old year and prayed in the new.  It was a great time.  As a side note, coffee, sparkling cider chocolate, and other gooey desserts CAN give you some sort of hangover.  I'm definitely feeling icky today.

Before I get to the giveaway, I just want to mention a little bit of fame that came our way a couple days ago.  Starla is the director of an outreach program at our church called Ruth's Room.  Our local NBC affiliate, KIEM TV has a weekly spot on the newscast called Spirit of the Northcoast.  It highlights local people that help others,provide services, etc. for the county.  Well, Ruth's Room was blessed to be chosen as this past week's spot.  A lovely new reporter named Ramona came down and interviewed Starla and some other volunteers (yours truly included) for the spot.  It was fun and we hope it will help us reach more people.  We have saved approximately 60 tons of clothing and household items from the landfill in the nearly 3 years we have been open.  Here is the link to the broadcast.

And now.....for the giveaway.  I will be posting it in a couple days, but I wanted to give you a little preview of what it will include.  There will be a couple's devotional book written by James Dobson, some candles, and a large monogram of the winning person's choice.  I'm going to make one of my initial to demonstrate before I post it.  Hope you will all enter and spread the word to your friends and readers as well. 

On this day, 147 years ago, President Abraham Lincold signedthe Emancipation Proclamation.

Now I'm off to help BunBun take down the Christmas tree and get started on that monogram.

The Bean's 1st Christmas

I could write lots and lots about what a wonderful Christmas I had this year (I did) or how blessed my family is to know that Christ is the center of all our celebrations (we are).  However, I would just like to share some photos of Bean's first Christmas and say that GOD is glorified in ALL things.

In love with Opa (better known to all of you as BunBun)

On cousin Ethan's lap at the Christmas Eve service.

Smiling for Oma while Opa and Papa (my dad, the Bean's great-grandpa) try to coax a smile out of her.

Opa and the Bean

Gimme that paper! (The presents were fun, but the paper tasted better.)

I hope that you had a wonderful celebration with those you love.  May GOD richly bless you in the new year as you glorify His name.

Tips I Could- and SHOULD Use

I just found a great blog Hemidemisemiquaver Designs  while I was checking out one of my daily faves Craftgossip.com.  Becky has this great info about how to organize and rethink your crafting.

 I can definitely relate to her theme of Imitate when it comes to trying something new.  Trust me, I am a great copier of other people's wonderful ideas.  Sometimes I imitate something only once before making it my own, while other times I have to make a few "non-originals" before I find my groove. 

When it comes to Assimilating or finding new uses for things I already have...I've got this one down baby!  Ask anyone who knows me, I can find a new way to use something.  Don't believe me?  Check out this, or this, or...even this.  Unfortunately, BunBun believes I need to do more crafting and less finding of supplies.

Sometimes I'm more Innovative than other times.  For me this ties into the assimilating aspect.  I might get a great idea while looking at something as simple as a pair of mittens, while other times I could be surrounded by "stuff" to spark creativity and....NOTHIN'. 

All in all, I will definetily be checking Becky's blog often to see what I can Imitate, Assimilate, and Innovate from her terrific posts.

The Bean, football, and a finished project

So The Bean stayed with her oma and opa last night and it was relatively peaceful. Her she is all fresh and clean. I handed her to opa while he was in the shower. She DID NOT like that. She prefers a nice sedate little bath. She is the cutest thing on the planet (in my book, anyway) and I can't believe how big she is getting already. She just turned 3 months old! Aside from the barfing, (BunBun calls her Ralph) she is a joy to have around. I never knew I could have so much fun with a squirming little human.

Here is my son, Levi. He is #64 and is the center for the varsity Ferndale Wildcats. This pic was taken last Saturday when the Wildcats KILLED East Nicholas by about 50 points. Last night the team traveled to Willits to play and they won that game as well, 44-16. I'm so proud of Levi and his commitment to his team and the sport he loves. He eats conscientiously (most of the time) and although he plays other sports in the off-season, he works year round to stay ready for football. He is the boy GOD promised me and i couldn't be more proud.

Here is the butterfly I made for the Holocaust Butterfly Project. I basically took a brown grocery bag, measured the size limits, and drew a butterfly within that space. Next I took some card stock and cut it into squares and glued them onto the drawing, overlapping when i needed to to cover the bag. When it had dried, i took a black sharpie and went around the entire outline and each and every piece of card stock. Then i cut it out and mailed it to Houston. I think it looks like stained glass, kind of. Not the most gorgeous piece of artwork, but something I'm proud of nonetheless.

my "new" lamp

i recently picked up this old goose-neck lamp for the unheard of price of $0.00 and just couldn't pass it up. i had a vision of a white lamp perched on my desk so i could craft at night without having to use the overhead light. BunBun said he would sand it and paint it for me if i paid him a $1, so of course i quickly counted out some change (mostly pennies) and placed them in his hot little hands. i think it turned out quite well and i have already used it many times. oh, and by the way, don't you think BunBun is rather handsome? and he didn't really make me pay him a dollar, he does things for me cause i'm the spoiled queen.