What a week...and it's almost over!

February.  Can you believe it?  Seems like the month has flown.  Are you doing anything fun for leap day?  You know it only comes around every four years, you might as well take advantage of this extra day.  🙂   It's my sister-in-law's anniversary and they're serving a mission in the south.  I hope he makes it a special day for her - they've only been married like twenty years... lol  (she has 20 + grandkids)
Have I mentioned that my life has been a little crazy lately?  Mainly because I'm trying to get my first round of book edits done, and secondly because we have grandkids living with us that keep getting sick...and children getting sick...and then hubby getting sick.  sigh.  That's what you got to love about large families, right?  What goes around comes around...again and again. 
Fortunately nothing really bad, just colds, and it looks like their clearing out.  Grandkids have ear infections and upset stomachs...  same ol same ol. 
Last night we took a break and watched a couple of movies.  It probably wasn't the best choice, as we didn't get to bed till after 11...I didn't get to bed till midnight, sigh...but they were such awesome movies.  Especially the second one.  We rented Knives Out (my hubby has been wanting to see it again since we saw it in the theater), and then because I had a coupon for rent one get one, we got Ford Vs. Ferrari.  It was totally awesome -- especially if you like racing movies. 
Knives Out would have been better if our Clearplay had a filter for it...it didn't.  UGH...lots of language.  I mean the F word more than once, and lots of manure being tossed around.  
Ford Vs Ferrari, on the other hand - had a couple words, but it was SSOOOOO good!!  I highly recommend it to anyone who likes Matt Damon and Christian Bale.  I think I mentioned before how interesting it was hearing the southern accent with Daniel Craig in Knives Out?  Same thing with Christian Bale and an English accent.  Don't remember really hearing it with him before, and it was fun.  Matt Damon was doing a southern one that kind of shifted now and again, but anyway - it was a fun movie night and then my daughter woke us up to say oldest granddaughter was staying home and could we stay with her?
Hubby and I decided to split the day -- I'd take morning shift and he'd take afternoon.  Only - after we got out of the shower she'd woke up and decided she felt like going to school...  so rousted oldest daughter out of bed and elected her to take grandchild to school and then we had to hustle and get to work. 
such is life of a parent/grandparent, right??  Never ends...

Well - to give you something else to think about besides the coronavirus, (because I'm trying to keep from thinking of my daughter being in Japan to teach English and they've just closed all the schools as a precaution until at least APRIL...so time to come home, right??)
there are some fun items:


International Polar Bear Day - I think polar bears are cool...I understand that they are apparently threatened.  That's kind of the world we live in, isn't it?  We need to remember that we interact with everything, not just humans, and conserve, recycle, etc.  I'm probably ignorant, but I don't think they're close to extintion yet...  that being said, I want to post this in honor of my late brother.  He loved Coka Cola--he drank it more than water, and he collected all things Coke.  I have one of his little Coke bears and we all loved the commercials.  Enjoy! 


International Toast Day - a way to celebrate bread and all we make with it.  Interesting.  I like toast, especially with jam. 

National Chili Day - For everyone that loves this dish, it's your day!!  I'm not a real big fan, but it's an easy dish to throw together if you have the canned beans.  :)

National Retro Day -  And here we have Retro Day...  Retro is cool!!  One of the things the kids were laughing at the movie last night was the remote the son was using to increase the volume on the television.  It didn't really do anything else, just turn the TV on and off in the 60's.  Anyone remember having a remote then??  My family sure didn't.  We didn't have a color TV till the 70's, and I don't remember having a remote till I moved to Utah.  What's your favorite retro thing?
Here's a little taste of retro to help you smile...  most people my age and older thought this was retro!!


Well...  Have a great day!!

Baby it's cold outside...

It's been a chilly week here...and yet, not as cold as my son in Minnesota.  BRRR  I like winter, but even that's cold for me!

It's been a busy week for me...between work and book editing, I haven't been able to do much besides run from one place to the other.  My hubby  has been awesome and supportive -- worries me that he might get real tired of this and not be excited about future books, lol.  If we knew my book was going to be like Harry Potter, I'm sure he'd think it was worth it...but we both know that's not going to happen.  Romance books just aren't quite the money makers as YA fantasy! 

I'm a little bummed because our trip to Japan got cancelled.  We were going to go on a cruise with our daughter.  Yes, you guessed it -- on the Diamond Princess. The quarantined ship of death...

So yes, our cruise was one of those that was cut.  Dang.  I mean, on one hand, we're thinking it's a good thing - who knows what we would have brought back??  Or if we would have been able to come home?   On the other hand, I want my cruise!!!  sigh.  Our daughter is going to come home and visit us, so that's at least a bright spot.

There also hasn't been much worth sharing to celebrate, so you haven't heard about that either.  Today only has one thing I wanted to mention...

National Sticky Bun Day - if you haven't had a sticky bun, think cinamon roll with lots of nuts and ooy gooy cinnamon on it.  We had a brunch at work the other day, and someone brought a pan of them.  They were sooo good! 
I know they aren't low carb, low fat or by any means low sugar - but they're sure yummy!!  And just think of all the nuts on top...Whenever I hear the word, it makes me think of Groundhog day and the restaurant scene, where she tells the waitress that the stickybuns are heavenly.... but unfortunately I can't share it with you because nobody else seems to think it's worth putting out there, lol. 

Anyway - hope you have a wonderful day and weekend.

Happy Friday, and Happy Valentine's Day!

For those of you who like the idea of romance, this day is for you.  You may not be in a relationship or have someone who will give you a valentine, so here's one just for you!

everyone is loved - regardless of if it's by spouse, family member, friends, or our Lord.  You are special and loved and today is your day!!  What makes you feel loved?  Is it being given a card?  eating something special?  receiving chocolate?  Try and do whatever it is that makes you feel special today.

 

My hubby made a cute balloon yesterday that was a heart with love birds in the bottom.  It was so sweet!!  He is always doing something like making me a balloon rose,

or buying me dark chocolate from Trader Joes.  Valentines isn't a big day for us because we try to show our love for each other throughout the year, month, week...day.  I remember about 20 years ago hearing about a man that was called the World's Most Romantic Man - or something to that effect.  He said that they didn't celebrate Valentine's Day because they didn't need to - every day was valentine's day.  I like that idea, though if you read my site, you know that I kind of like celebrations, so it's a mixed bag.  :)   But anyway, it's all good.  I hope you have a wonderful day full of joy and love, just because.

It was really cool as I was driving to work, the sun was just barely showing above the eastern Wasatch mountains, and shining on the western Oquirrh mountains...and it was gorgeous.  I often wish I have my phone or camera handy in the car for such moments, even though they don't have the zoom lens to be adequate to my vision.  We live in a wonderful world full of God's creations - of which you are one.  Enjoy the day!

Onto other things...did you know there were other things to contemplate on this day dedicated to romantic love??  Well, there are.  Not a lot...but some. 

International Book Giving Day - because I love books, I think this is cool.  I give books to my grandchildren all the time, so they have books, but it's sad to think there are children in the world who do not have books, and likely, don't have access to them.  Won't you think of helping them on this day of love? 
The latest book I bought was for my grandson.  It was a board book of the monster under my bed series.  It's awesome...  But I still like I Need My Monster the most, although Hey, That's My Monster is pretty close!

Library Lovers Day - Do you love libraries??  I do.  It's something about being surrounded by books and the pages full of stories and information...  there are soooo many books in the world, and so little time!!  I remember Dr. Strange and the scene where he's sleeping but his 'astral' self is reading.  Wish that were possible, don't you?  I heard that a new library opened in China three years ago, forgive me but I am a bit surprised that they would sponsor and build a large library in a communist state.  I'm curious as to how many western published books are in there... 


there are some who think libraries are more like this... lol


But they're awesome.   And so are librarians...I used to think I wanted to be a librarian - surrounded by books all day!  Now I'm not so sure that's a good thing, there simply isn't enough time to read all those books when you're supposed to be helping people find one!  lol.  Especially if you have a scoundrel trying to trick you...

Kind of fitting for Valentine's Day, right?

Anyway - lastly, what day would be complete without chocolate?
National Creme filled Chocolates Day - I don't know why they have to be creme filled.  I'm not a big filled chocolates person, but I'm sure there are many of you out there.  My dad used to get a big box of chocolates at Christmas time from a client or two (he was a lawyer) and it was always so hard to figure out the list of what was what so you didn't end up with something nasty... ugh.  Give me a simple dark chocolate covered caramel, or dark chocolate almonds or simply.... dark chocolate.  :)
so, let's end with some great humor, and chocolate.


Have an awesome day!!

It's Friday!

Hi there all my internet friends...hope you've had a great week.  It's been a strange one for me, but all in all it's been good.  I'm glad that tomorrow is Saturday, but it's not much of a change from the rest of my week, lol.  Do you need something to do tomorrow?  Ogden's Union Station has the Winter Fest Farmers Market going, and there's lots of fun booths.  My hubby will be there doing balloon twisting for the kids, and I'll be doing faces, so lots of fun! 

Anyway - onto today.  Here's the stuff I thought worth mentioning...

Ballet Day - I love highlighting this each year.  Last year I shared a video of White Nights with the dance scene between Baryshnikov and the other actor.  This year I want to share another classic...  Fantasia.  :)


Bubble Gum Day - how many of you used to chew bubble gum! I think the fun thing about it was the fact of the bubble.  It didn't taste like anything...  and the thing I always try when I happen to put gum in my mouth today is try and blow bubbles with it.  Did you ever wonder what it was made out of??  I don't know that I want to go there...but I do like this scene from Miracle on 34th Street...  which unfortunately I can't find a clip of.  I laugh every time it pops. 

Harry Potter Book Night - for those of you who would love to spend the night curled up with a good book, this looks like it would be the night to do it, right?  Rainy, chilly weather...good book, warm quilt, cup of hot chocolate or warm bowl of soup...  bliss.  I haven't had that in a long time, lol.  Hopefully someday soon.  Anyway - for those who have grandkids and want to entertain them after dinner, I recommend the Harry Potter movies.  We've been watching them with our grandkids because they hadn't seen any of them.  We're onto the part 1 of the last movies...  Guess this is a good night to watch it.  :)  I'm hoping they'll be interested in the books, their much better than the movies. Last weekend it was the Half Blood Prince, and one of our favorite parts...


National Fettuccine Alfredo Day - of course my favorite type of food...  anything with alfredo sauce.  Although, I have discovered that I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to alfredo.  If it doesn't taste like I think it should, then I don't want to waste my time and calories on it.  A little bit like how I feel about chocolate, lol.  So, I guess the only restaurant that I love the alfredo sauce right now is Olive Garden...and home made.  Where's your favorite sauce at?

well, hope you have the rest of a great day, and an awesome weekend.  You know how!
just want to share this recent video from our favorite erducater in Texas... you know who!!
  Got to tell my hubby to watch this now, lol.

It's Hump Day!

I had a blog post for last Friday, but never got it finished...sigh.  So now it's Wednesday!

There isn't much to shout out about, but in case you need something to pick up your snowy winter day, there are a couple of things to have fun with.

It's Weatherperson day!  I don't know who would want that job...it's kind of just a step off of being a lawyer, right?  lol  I mean, no one really believes them anymore, and questions what the predictions are.  However, there are those who we really like and I remember my parents always made sure to watch KSL and Eubank with his white coat when it snowed.  Some people just have a way with people and the camera.  🙂  I always think of Ground Hog Day and Bill Murray...

Today is also National Chocolate fondue Day - which is your favorite way for fondue?  chocolate or cheese?  I like to do both.  🙂

It's also World Nutella Day - so if you like Nutella, time to dig out the large jar in your cabinet and slather it on everything in sight.  Personally, I'm not into eating it, so you can enjoy eating it for me.  😉

Whatever you end up doing today, drive safe and enjoy the snow!!