I LOVE this stuff!

This stuff is amazing. It has saved me many times. For instance, today, SOMEHOW beet juice got on my WHITE shirt. Beet juice for heaven's sakes! So, I whipped out my handy dandy "tide to go" and viola! stain was GONE. I'm becoming obsessed like Kelly Ripa in the commercials - I see people with stains and I want to run up to them and clean them up.

Speaking of beet juice.....when I was like 8 or 9 years old, my mother gave me beets to eat with my dinner. I don't know what she was thinking because what child likes the taste of dirt? ( I have since grown accustomed to the taste of beets and actually like them very much) Anyway, I thought I was being sly and put them in my milk and then told my mother I ate them. Well, my milk turned BRIGHT pink and my mother knew I had lied to her. She made me drink my milk and then EAT the beets. There's nothing worse than milky beets....oh....except black eyed peas. I actually threw up when she made me eat those!

The little blue pill

So, VIAGRA is 10 years old today. Happy Birthday Viagra. I wish there was some way we could celebrate.

Last night at dinner with Daredevil and Playmate (btw; I've been thinking I should change his name so that he will not be confused with ladies from playboy.....hmmm...his new name will forever be "Lettuce Wraps" ) Anyway, last night at dinner with Daredevil and Lettuce Wraps we were thinking that the green M&M's should pair up with Viagra (see story about the green M&M's below) BUT, then we realized that plan could go dangerously awry when elementary kids...in particular boys......would get ahold of them. They wouldn't know what hit 'em. Just imagine the chaos in 4th grade Math class - no boys would want to go up to the board.

I know I know.....it's pretty funny....we agree.

P.S. The ONLY reason I know it's a little blue pill is because it has been all over the news today.

Daredevil Diva

So Daredevil strikes again! We went on our 4 mile walk tonight to a thai restaurant to eat dinner (and then of course we had to stop by our neighborhood CVS on the way home) I asked Daredevil several weeks ago to spearhead a committee for me to decorate for our Stake Relief Society Enrichment Activity in April. Well, she has NOT let me down! She has proven to be worthy and loyal and best of all.....DEPENDABLE! On the way home from dinner (and during our walk) Daredevil (ever mindful of her duties) found the PERFECT tree for a centerpiece she wants to do in April.

She promptly dug through a pile of trees, found one she liked, and then hauled it home (with her CVS bag!) Truly amazing and fearless (never mind all of the people in the passing cars wondering why this lady was carrying a small tree)





While at CVS, Daredevil showed me her newest ploy to find a husband. It's green M&M's. Her plan is to hand out green M&M's to every eligible boy she meets and then let the MAGIC work! The M&M's even come with a warning on the back........





It reads:"M"portant notice: Consumption on The Green Ones may result in elevated Romance Levels. If you experience this effect, contact your Significant Other immediately. No official agency has verified these statements….but what do they know about romance anyway?




Her plan is masterful. She should be married by summer's end. I remember from my elementary school days what those green M&M's meant........ so boys......BEWARE~ Daredevil means business!

Easter 2008

This year Easter was a lot of fun! The Spadetti's spent Easter Eve with me and it was a full day! In the evening, we dyed eggs and played around. Robbie and CeCe slept in the same bed as me and true to form, Robbie and I had a laughing fit until I had tears streaming down my face. That kid is FUNNY and smart beyond his 5 little years.

We went to church and then went over to Cammie and Mandy's house for an Easter egg hunt and dinner. This is CeCe "searching" for her eggs. She was so excited!

Robbie and Shane with their eggs

CeCe in her Easter dress. She wanted my camera. She LOVES to look at pictures...especially of herself. Whenever she looks in the mirror she kisses her reflection! I swear.....she is like her mother! I remember peeking in on Dori blow drying her hair when she was like 4 years old and she kissed the mirror and said "I love you!".

Robbie and Shane stiking a pose.

The Spadetti family picture.

My top 5

I was supposed to do this a while ago....SORRY JEN!

Question 1. What are 5 of your favorite books (other than the Book of Mormon)?
I actually read alot and I read many different types of books. I generally like most of the books I read but here are my favorites.

1. Daughters of God - Scriptural Portraits by S.Michael Wilcox. I LOVE this book. The author mentions every woman listed in the Bible and Book of Mormon and talks about each one. I especially love what he writes about Eve.
2. The Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns. This is one of my favorites~ I found myself laughing out loud all during this book - it's about a young boy in 1906 in Georgia. It really is funny and tender and I was sad when it ended.
3. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. A true classic.
4. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Fin by Mark Twain. I combined these because you have to read both! These must be on your "to be read before I die" list.
5. The Gift of the Magi by O.Henry (pen name for William Sydney Porter) This is a short story and generally found in the childrens section. This story makes me cry everytime I read it. The moral is that LOVE is the greatest gift of all - which I whole-heartedly agree with.

Question number 2. What are your 5 favorite movies?

I'm going to include my ALL-TIME favorite movie first. It is The Trip to Bountiful (Geraldine Page and John Heard)
This movie was a life-changing movie for me~ it has so many under-lying meanings that I fell in love with it immediately. It's just about an old woman trying to get to her childhood home before she dies. (btw....she doesn't die at the end....) It's a very tender and moving movie.
1. Fiddler on the Roof - my 2nd all-time favorite movie.
2. Pride and Prejudice - the A&E version; I could watch this movie every day and never tire of it!
3. The Holiday (with Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz) I relate to this movie on so many levels.
4. The Philadephia Story (Katherine Hepburn and Carey Grant) This is truly an enjoyable movie and Katherine Hepburn is one of my favorite actresses.
5. The Scarlet Pimpernel (Jane Seymour and Ian McKellan) I love this story and I love this movie.

Question no. 3: What are the top 5 songs on your iPod or MP3 player?
I have several latin songs that I love but if I had to choose, these would be my top 5.

1. Eva Cassidy--Songbird
2. Aretha Franklin --Baby I Love You
3. Howie Day--Collide
4. Chantal Kreviazuk - Feels Like Home
5. The Manhattans - Shining Star

Question 4: List 5 things you hope to accomplish before you die

1. I'd really like to visit the Czech Republic and Ireland. It's where my relatives hail from.
2. I would like to go to Alaska - just because I hear it's beautiful.
3. I'd like to get married - even though I don't think that is something you "accomplish".
4. I would like to write a book about my grandmother and title it "The Ballad of Bessie Ann".
5. I would like to develop a series of seminars for (LDS) young women

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Since part of my heritage is Irish, I thought I would post some history about St. Patrick and some Irish tradition.

This is an OUTDOOR statue of St. Patrick. It cracks me up that it is an outdoor statue. Where in your yard would you put this?

Anyway.....St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, his religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for thousands of years.
On St. Patrick's Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink, and feast—on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage.

It has long been recounted that, during his mission in Ireland, St. Patrick once stood on a hilltop (which is now called Croagh Patrick), and with only a wooden staff by his side, banished all the snakes from Ireland.
In fact, the island nation was never home to any snakes. The "banishing of the snakes" was really a metaphor for the eradication of pagan ideology from Ireland and the triumph of Christianity. Within two hundred years of Patrick's arrival, Ireland was completely Christianized.


A Leprechaun in Irish folklore was, a little sprite, or goblin.
The name leprechaun may have derived from the Irish leath brogan or shoemaker, although its origins may lie in luacharma'n Irish for pygmy.
These apparently aged, diminutive men are frequently to be found in an intoxicated state, caused by home-brew poteen. However they never become so drunk that the hand which holds the hammer becomes unsteady and their shoemaker's work affected.
Leprechauns have also become self-appointed guardians of ancient treasure, burying it in crocks or pots.
If caught by a mortal, he will promise great wealth if allowed to go free. He carries two leather pouches. In one there is a silver shilling, a magical coin that returns to the purse each time it is paid out. In the other he carries a gold coin which he uses to try and bribe his way out of difficult situations. This coin usually turns to leaves or ashes once the leprechaun has parted with it.
The leprechaun 'family' appears split into two distinct groups - leprechaun and cluricaun. Although the leprechaun has been described as Ireland's national fairy, this name was originally only used in the north Leinster area. Variants include lurachmain, lurican, lurgadhan.





The shamrock, which was also called the "seamroy" by the Celts, was a sacred plant in ancient Ireland because it symbolized the rebirth of spring and the Holy Trinity. By the seventeenth century, the shamrock had become a symbol of emerging Irish nationalism. As the English began to seize Irish land and make laws against the use of the Irish language and the practice of Catholicism, many Irish began to wear the shamrock as a symbol of their pride in their heritage and their displeasure with English rule.






Growing up, we would ALWAYS have corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day. Here is a recipe (just incase you get adventerous)






CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE



5 pounds corned brisket of beef

6 peppercorns, or packaged pickling spices

3 carrots, peeled and quartered

3 onions, peeled and quartered

1 medium-sized green cabbage, quartered or cut in wedges

Melted butter (about 4 tablespoons)



Place the corned beef in water to cover with the peppercorns or mixed pickling spices (in supermarkets, these often come packaged with the corned beef). Cover the pot or kettle, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 hours or until tender, skimming occasionally. During the last hour, add the carrots and onions and cover again. During the last 15 minutes, add the cabbage. Transfer meat and vegetables to a platter and brush the vegetables with the melted butter. Serve with boiled parsley potatoes, cooked separately. (The stock can be saved to add to a pot roast or stew instead of other liquid.)


ENJOY and have a great St. Patrick's Day!!!

Bigfoot~ Fact or Fiction?

Okay....some of you know this story but MANY of you do not. I have one friend in particular who mocks me and so this post is for him. He asked me to draw a picture and this is the best I could do for now.
You can be a believer or you can be an unbeliever - however, you must know that I would lay my life on the line to defend the validity of my story. Here goes.....

It was July of 1987. My family was at Ocean City, MD for a week at the beach. My mother, my grandmother (my father's mother) and I had been to an antique show at the convention center and decided to get some lunch at BJ's on the Water. This restaurant is 3/4 window and overlooks the Chesapeake Bay. I was sitting at the table facing the water and facing my mother and grandmother. (their backs were to the water)

Anyway, I was looking out at the water and about 250 yards (or so...I am not good at judging distance) I saw this THING! It was jumping from abutment to abutment under a bridge. In order to make that jump, it had to be at least 8 or 9 feet tall. Anyway...I watched it for a second and then looked at my mother and grandmother and said "WHAT is that?" They turned around and just stared at it......as I did. We watched it jump all the way across and then jump onto the bank. It walked up through some woods to the road and stood about 50 or so feet away and just watched the cars go by for about 30 seconds and then walked back into the woods until we could not see it anymore. This whole scene lasted about 1 and 1/2 minutes at most. Once it was gone, we were astounded and just sat there in silence for a minute trying to comprehend what we had just seen.

Anyway, I will not go into more detail about events following this event but learned that there have been other sightings in the Chesapeake area. In fact, there is a book and a website devoted to this thing.

I know what I saw. I don't tell people this story....for obvious reasons but it came up at dinner tonight (thanks to my unbelieving friend) and I told him I'd blog about it. All I know, is that I saw what I saw. I'm not crazy. I'm not delusional. I'm just a girl from Virginia who has seen Bigfoot. I guess I'm just lucky that way.

Monday

Monday. This picture portrays PERFECTLY how I feel this particular Monday. Monday's are probably my least favorite day (unless they are holidays) I don't think I would mind them as much if I wasn't working but they are such a let down after Saturday and Sunday.

Oh well.....what can I do? I can throw my arms up in the air and scream....much like my friend in the picture.

Michael Gary Tull 1946 - 1986

Today would be my father's 62nd birthday. It's hard to believe that he has been gone for almost 22 years. This picture was the last picture I took with my father. It is Easter in 1986 (I was 15) and I remember he was not feeling well. He is only 40 years old in this picture but the diabetes aged his body so quickly that he looks like he could be my grandfather!



This is a picture of the first "daddy-daughter dinner" at church. I was 10 and so excited for the evening. I remember how much I loved being with my father and how much I loved that everyone else at our table loved being with my father. He was a very funny man and all of my friends adored him.
Children especially gravitated towards him. I remember one Sunday morning a little girl ran up to my father and jumped in his arms and I had NO idea who she was and what she was doing in my father's lap. He hugged and kissed her like she was his own and this little girl giggled and was thrilled to have his attention. He was so kind and gentle and LOVED LOVED LOVED children.

This was another "daddy-daughter date". This one was particularly fun because we danced. My father was a GREAT dancer. He and my mother could be found dancing in the kitchen or living room on almost any given day. He loved music and it was a big part of our lives. When he started getting very sick he said his biggest fear is that he would not be able to dance with his daughters at their weddings.

This was Halloween 1985. He was not feeling well but wanted to be a part of the festivities. My father was very goofy and was always doing something to make us laugh. Always. It was so fun to be at my home and my friends loved to hang out with my father. He was so generous and very wise. He had this amazing intuition about others and understood things about people without being told. I often wonder how different my life would be if he were still here and the guidance and advice he would give me.

I had an experience soon after he passed away that taught me how to cultivate my relationship with God so that I would never feel like I was without help or a father figure. I learned at a very young age to rely on God and to recognize how he speaks to me and I feel very blessed to have this close relationship with God. I learned to turn to Him for EVERYTHING - because I had to. I am so grateful that my earthly father taught me how to pray and to expect to get answers and to trust in God and His wisdom. I cannot wait to reunite with my father, to again be in his presence, and to dance with him once more.

My father passed away in November 1986. I was having a slumber party for my 16th birthday and my friends awoke at 5:30 am to the ambulances and fire trucks etc. I don't think they will ever forget that morning. Within 20 minutes my entire ward (it seemed) was at our house. It truly was amazing how loved my father was.

The night he passed away, all of my brothers and sisters wanted to sleep in our family room but for some reason I wanted to be alone and I wrote this poem. (remember....I was just 16)

"Daddy"

Only sixteen years I had with you,

Everything is very new.

The years I had, I will always treasure,

for they brought me so much pleasure.

You are not here,

but your spirit is near.

You are watching over everyone,

sharing in on all of our fun.

You see the things we do each day,

"at home, at work, at school, at play".

Even though you left us quick,

our memories of you will always stick,

of your sharing,

and of your caring,

of all the things you did for us,

and how you did them without a fuss.

Daddy, you know you're one of a kind,

the type of person that is hard to find.

You were such a great influence on me,

and not to mention the family.

When I was sick, you'd never fail,

to bring me home some ginger ale.

You were always there when I needed you,

becaus somehow you always knew

when something was wrong,

you would sing a silly song.

You'd make me laugh when I wanted to cry,

you'd cheer me up when I wanted to die.

The examples you set,

I will never forget,

because you are,

"My Shinging Star".

The fond memories that I hold,

are the stories that will be told,

to my children when they are small,

of the BEST daddy of all!

I feel very lucky Dad....

to have the sixteen years I've had.

Friends

The Giving Tree is one of my favorite books. It reminds me of how blessed I am in my life.

Throughout my life, I have been blessed with great friends. I have always been surrounded by people who are great examples to me and who constantly teach me new things about myself and life in general. I feel particularly blessed at this time in my life because I have some amazing friends.

Recently, I have felt so much love and concern for my well-being from several friends and it has touched my heart in a way that I have not felt before. I have one friend in particular who offered to fast with me when she found out I was going to be fasting. I cannot tell you how much it meant to me to know that someone was fasting with me and FOR me. I believe in fasting. I know it works. I also know that when people fast together for a specific purpose, miracles happen. I am so lucky to have a friend in my life who sacrificed for me so that I could get answers. Words cannot express my gratitude to her for her willingness to put my needs above hers (and the needs of her family) I am truly humbled.

I have another friend who, by his example, reminds me to be obedient and patient and that the "small stuff" really is just "small stuff". Through him I have learned how to let go and forgive and move on from things that aren't important in the grand scheme of things. I have learned about service to others and magnifying church callings and most importantly how to unconditionally love.

I have a friend who has taught me about courage and strength. She perservered through heartache and loneliness and single parenting and in the end was blessed beyond her imagination with a wonderful husband and family. She continues to buoy me up and support me in my trials and is a constant reminder to me that Heavenly Father loves us very much.

Another friend shows by example that the temple is a place for refuge and peace. That we should go there often to get answers to our prayers and that we can feel assured that we will get the answers we seek when we make the effort and have the faith to do Heavenly Father's will. She is someone I turn to often for advice.

I have another friend who has taught me that laughter really is the best medicine. She is a breath of fresh air and always fun to be around. She has taught me to find the funny story in everything and it is a great lesson that I have learned. Many times she has lightened my mood and has taught me to laugh at everyday life.

I could go on and on. My friends are truly a blessing to me and I love them dearly. I am grateful to have such good people in my life who I can watch and learn from and who can edify me as I try to become a better person.