Between homeschooling, caring for my mother, running our family business, and my design business, I’m finding myself a tad bit overextended. My blog is seriously neglected and I’m starting to wonder if I’ll ever find the time (or energy) to sit and write a post that doesn’t include youtube or my design blog’s newest header.

So this is what I’m going to try — a schedule based very loosely on topics I like and enjoy – along with some of my more serious postings when I can fit them in. (which will be often) I spend my days living life, listening to the hilarious things that come out of my kid’s mouths, and then when I sit down to write, I have amnesia. I can’t remember a thing that happened during the day. Only that I’m tired. That’s pretty much it. Oh, and the fact that this week? “Aunt Flo” came for a visit – and she’s been kicking my behind. And my back. Not to mention giving me an ache in the side.

But I digress…I want to write more. I have a need to write more. And I’m sure it will get done. Someday. This next week is going to be pretty hectic. Here’s a rundown:

~On Sunday 4/20, Church – I’m the Nursery Director and (gasp!) have duty in the morning service. I’m singing Sunday night and for once, I don’t have a song picked out yet. I usually try to rehearse through the week on one, but this time I have had more than one song in my heart and I’m having an impossible time choosing. My husband plays the piano beautifully(although not for our church) and I’m trying to cajole him into playing for me so I don’t have to sing with “canned music” (a tape).

~On Monday 4/21, the Bloggy Carnival starts. I’ve got something to give away for that, so stay tuned…more on Monday.

~On Tuesday 4/22, I am working on a post rightthisveryminute for Tuesday about my cat. Yes, my cat. Did you know there are some serious life lessons you can learn from a cat? It’s true. You just wait. You’ll see I’m right. Seriously.

~On Wednesday 4/23, Wordless Wednesday and Works for Me Wednesday – and maybe a real live post!

~On Thursday 4/24, Cleaning house and packing for business trip. I don’t know about you, but I cannot stand to have a dirty house to come home to. We are going to New Orleans and are staying here. Our hotel room better have a bathtub. Oh, and this weekend just so happens to be the New Orleans Jazz Fest. Famous people everywhere, rubbing shoulders with fellow musicians…what? You didn’t know I was a musician? Does singing off-key in the shower count? ‘Cause if it does, then I am.

~On Friday 4/25, I am leaving on a business trip, BUT – the Frugal Cooking Carnival is coming up at Owlhaven. Get your recipes ready and head over there with your most frugal and money saving recipes and cooking tips.

~On Saturday 4/26, I will be soaking up the sights and sounds of New Orleans, but I will try to post something from the hotel if I can. No promises – I have an older laptop and the wifi is a little bit cranky sometimes. I’ll take pictures and bring them back for you, deal?

As you can see, lots going on personally, not much going on blog-wise. It’s like the old saying goes, “Don’t hang your hat higher than you can reach.” I am learning that I can only do so much with the time I am given. I am intent on making every minute count in the areas that are important to me. My Lord, my husband, my family, my church and then finally, my sweet faithful friends on the internet.

So, here’s the thing I need your help on. I’d like to do some tutorials on here. There are only a few things I know anything about (so true) and so I need your help picking what you’d like to see more of by voting below. I didn’t include cooking because, although I love to cook and I am pretty danged good at it (if I do say so myself), my kitchen has horrible lighting and the photos never turn out. (Honestly – I tried to do a tutorial on how I made the Texas Style BLTs and the photos were horrid.)

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Technorati Tags: Jazz Fest, New Orleans, tutorials, simply amusing designs, Texas

Meet Jeanette, a brand new blogger with a brand new look from Simply Amusing Designs! Won’t you stop by her place and say “hi!”

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Technorati Tags: simply amusing designs, header design, custom blogger header, Texas

1. Revisiting Celebrity Retouching (rethink that diet and those botox shots, ladies)

2. Etsy Pounce (hat tip to Chili – this is an easy way to see new shops @ etsy without being overwhelmed)

3. Start Sampling (A try before you buy site offering quality samples for free)

4. File it under “Weirdos” (Russian mobile saunas)

5. This is why I don’t have chickens.

and finally…from someone who isn’t into Intelligent Design or Creation, but presents an excellent case for ID and Creation through this movie, (heck, even Ken Ham who is the President of the worlds largest creation museum in Kentucky said this was a film no one should miss), which I urge you all to see:

6. Have you been hiding under a rock?

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Technorati Tags: sunday links, expelled the movie, Texas

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Technorati Tags: trivia, 70’s trivia, Texas

This month marks the one year anniversary of The Recipe Roundup and Rebecca, our founder, if giving away one awesome cookbook to one lucky participant.

This month’s theme is “Sandwiches” and is hosted by my new friend Dorothy over at Field Stone Cottage. Get your best sandwich recipe ready to post and then link up on Thursday, April 17th with Dorothy!

Now, a few things you may not know about the love affair we Americans have with the sandwich:

• According to industry experts, the average American eats 193 sandwiches a year, the all-time favorite being ham.
• The average American student will have consumed approximately 1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches upon graduation from high school.
• It is estimated that Americans eat 300 million sandwiches each day – that’s more than one for every man, woman and child in the nation!
• The Dagwood is named after Dagwood Bumstead, Blondie’s husband from the popular comic strip called, “Blondie.”
• Every game day, basketball superstar Shaquille O’Neal has a longstanding tradition: he eats three club sandwiches and a large Pepsi before suiting up.
• Approximately 2.19 billion Oscar Mayer Bologna sandwiches are eaten each year. That’s more than 6 million bologna sandwiches eaten daily and 69 sandwiches consumed every second, according to the Oscar Mayer company.
• Elvis’s favorite sandwich was peanut butter and banana.

Didn’t think I’d leave him out, didya? The only thing Americans love as much as sandwiches is Elvis. Wah-hunh.

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Technorati Tags: sandwich, recipe round up, Texas

A couple of weeks ago my husband and I were having our weekly-stay-at-home date night, watching our $1 Redbox movie, and munching down on some buttery-goodness microwave popcorn when our unusually affectionate cat jumped from my lap down into the floor and proceeded to limp away as though both her hips had been broken. She was crouched down on the floor and every time her back legs would try to gain footing under her, her hips would give out and she couldn’t move.

I paused the movie and watched her intently for a few minutes, noting how she kept wincing in pain and trying to get back up on the couch. She was bawling like a baby and really had stirred my feelings of empathy when I asked my husband what he thought we should do about it. I was concerned that she had hurt herself in some way and we were going to have to take her to the vet, something we couldn’t really afford to do at the moment.

He said, “Turn the movie back on, Karen.” I thought he was so heartless. Anger stirred in me. I refused to do so until he at least checked her legs out. He raised one eyebrow and said, “She’s just telling you she wants to go to a drive-in movie show.” At this point, I should tell you that I have never been to a drive in movie show and had no clue what that referred to (I was called a goody-two-shoes at my high school graduation, okay?). So I kept insisting that he look at her – her cries had become so loud I thought she would wake up the kids.

And then she did it. She looked at me and winked. It was then that I understood. She was propositioning me. Suddenly I didn’t feel so badly for her. I was instead repulsed by the aforementioned actions. Suddenly her extreme affection for me all made sense. The fact that I was the object of her desire? Not so much.

Obviously, she WILL be spayed as soon as I can find the money to do it. And for your information, here are some signs that your cat is heat:

~Immediately preceding oestrus, your female cat may become unusually affectionate, by sidling up and rubbing her hind quarters against furniture, stuffed toys, other cats, and/or her favorite human. (This would have been oh-so-nice to know beforehand)

~She may spend excessive time licking her genital area. Note: Lacking the other behavioral traits on this list, genital licking can be a symptom of a urinary tract disorder, which can be serious, if not treated promptly. (I do not pay attention to such things…so I have no idea whether she did this or not)

~The Queen (name for female cats of breeding age) will vocalize loudly. This “calling” may go on for several days, unless she mates. (“Hello, is it me you’re looking for? ‘Cause I wonder where you are and I wonder what you do.Are you somewhere feeling lonely or is someone loving you?”)

~She will assume a mating position: head down, forelegs bent, rear quarters raised to expose the perineum (this raised posture is called lordosis), with the tail raised and held to the side of the body. Her rear legs will tread rhythmically, as if walking in place. (Don’t ever assume that her legs are broken. ever.)

~Queenie may also spray vertical surfaces with a strongly scented fluid. She will accomplish this by backing up to the surface and raising her tail high. The tail may quiver, and she may perfom the rhythmic treading described in step four. (This act will be followed by furious spraying of Lysol by owner over any and all surfaces dear Queenie may have come into contact with.)

~If your female cat does not mate, she will go into oestrus as often as every two to three weeks, for several months each year, until she either mates or is spayed. (Oh myLANTA…I might have to sell a kidney to get the money to pay for her spaying, but it WILL happen. Mark my words.)

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Technorati Tags: cats, have your pet spayed or neutered, Texas