I again have been slacking in the Blog Life... and I'm sorry...

I've had a few things on my mind lately.. and bottom line is.. I've been pouting about a few things.
For the past six months I've been excited about a Journey I BELIEVED I would go on.. and take... I've been planning life around what I thought would be the perfect plan.. MY plan... always thinking that it was HIS plan as well.. I mean I planned the last six months on an 18 year wait.
This week I've come to face the fact that the past six months of planning has become useless.
I feel defeated
I feel embarrassed
I feel hopeless at some points
I know that MY God has NOT forsaken me... but.... I still wonder what HE has planned for me.
I don't know which direction to even go
I don't like having control of things..
It makes me MAD...

This is the human side of me coming out... I hate failure.. HATE IT! Even though some would say it's not failure.. it's just another turn in my "journey"... I have to wait to recognize this.

So there's my babble for the day..
What can I bring to this blog that is joyous?? Let me dig through my pictures to find something!

I took photos of the insert of what I believe were BHG magazine. I "won" a wicker set from freecycle last summer.. but towards the end of summer .. so I didn't do anything with them.. now that summer is approaching I can take them out of storage.. scrub them up and paint them.. and I found a couple pictures to "copy" and give me ideas...


I'm NOT an orange fan.. but I like the idea of the room and I do like the style of the cushions.. My MIL doesn't know it yet.. but she's going to be sewing with me for cushions for the wicker set!

I have an enclosed porch.. sometimes I like that.. and other times I like pictures like these..I wish the sun was out all the time.. and we could just sit out here drinking lemonade and reading books...

And here's another picture that I love.. my kids when they were around 6 and 1... They are still this close and this happy even though they are 18 and 13... I hope it continues on... for the rest of their lives!!
So what are some things that are making you happy lately?

Once Upon a Time there was a young mom who lived in a city who wanted to venture out to another city....
She went out with her debit card and check book.. and hit the thrift stores.. so everyone called her The FrugalFlipFlop Mom...

One day her husband asked her if he could go up into another city and buy an XBOX 360 for him and the son.. The FrugalFlipFlop Mom.. was thinking this is NOT so frugal but agreed anyway under the condition that she gets to hit the thrift stores.

Her husband thought this was a good idea..So they packed the kids in the car and went on a little trip. And she put on her flipflops for the first time in a long time...( yeah.. it's quite noticeable that she needs a pedicure.. but let's not embarrass her anymore in this story)

Once they were at The FrugalFlipFlop Mom's destination she reminded her hubby "Don't dawdle to long and don't spend unnecessary money.. and don't talk to strangers who want you to spend more money"..

"Don't worry hunny, I'll be careful" was the words that came out of her hubby's mouth...

But when The FrugalFlipFlop Mom walked into the Thrift stores she believed all bets were off to her...
My.. what wonderful items are here....
So she went out in search of great treasures..

SUDDENLY treasures came popping from everywhere... and her daughter breaks her train of thought and says "What are you looking for in here"...
The FrugaFlipFlopl Mom Replied "I'm on my way to a journey of finding treasures what ever jumps out at me"
She realized she only have a little bit of time so she excused herself and went straight to treasure hunting...

Other Patrons had no chance in getting items of greats like The Frugal FlipFlop Mom.. she gave them no time and gobbled up all the good deals...
The Frugal FlipFlop Mom gave out a sigh of excitement.. when she found these two pyrex bowls for half off...
"my what a wonderful deal I found".. she said..

She couldn't help but take a good close up look at one of the bowls she grabbed...

A few minutes later The Frugal FlipFlop Mom spied a doll from her childhood.. or.. was it a fake..?


Ahh is it true.. is it really you?
"Oh how lovely to see you... you're coming with me"...
Upon inspection she could scarcely remember if it was the true doll from her childhood...
"Let's see what happens when I flip you around"..

"Why Grandmother what a lovely face you have.. it's still in great condition"...

"Ahh what lovely eyes you have... "...


"What lovely ears you have"....


"ahhh ummm.. what lovely.. teeth you have??? ok.. well maybe they could use some work"?
The Frugal FlipFlop Mom was about to leave her and run to the other side of the thrift store.. but her lovely daughter came in and rescued her and the doll.. She encouraged her to bring it home and fix it up a bit...
She said "Frugal FlipFlop Mom haven't you learned an important lesson.. never leave something behind that you truly love and leave behind what you think you can do without"...

Her daughter was so right... The Frugal FlipFlop Mom was so excited that her daughter taught her an important lesson that day... "Those with the most coolest thrift store finds WINS"....

The End...


P.S. I.. umm I mean SHE bought these amazing milk white "dishes" for Easter decorations and she can't wait to use them and decorate with them...

I was ALMOST in a panic... I didn't think I would be able to post pictures today with Blogger... in fact using my Mozilla Firefox.. I can't.. so I had to log on IE.. So I'm going to have to play with Mozilla and try to figure out if someone downloaded something they weren't suppose to... Any ideas what it could be?

Meanwhile... I was looking at bloggers home page and realized my Florida pictures are still there... I said to myself... that's BAD! My trip was two months ago.. and I've seriously have neglected my blog...

Last Monday.. looking out my window... this is what you could see...

Do you see those Azaleas SCREAMING to come out...???

And this is my poor poor Nellie girl.. waiting for the snow to melt so she can go outside and chase her ball around.. and eat her sticks... right now.. bouncing the tennis ball off our dinning room wall isn't cutting it for her!! So Mr. Sun.. can you just shine down a bit more on us... It's been a long winter.. and I'd love to see the crocuses pop up this year!!

Ever get a strange craving?? Well I did.. I know this is NOT new.. or inventive.. but I'm sure it's something that not everyone makes on a daily basis... Ü

I was craving grilled chicken, cheddar cheese and apples all on a toasted sandwich.. so that's what I made.....I wish I had caramelized onions to throw in there as well...

Here's what I did...

I grilled my chicken.. and then placed it on the sandwich.. I already cut my chicken breast in half to double the breast amount for meals... but if you don't.. you could cut it in half length wise and make it fit the entire piece of bread...

Then I layered it with a cored apple.. see where I went off to the side with the corer.. oopsss.. still tasted fine to me...

then I topped it with a few pieces of cheddar cheese.. hey.. I figure if I'm going to "fry" this up in the pan.. what will the extra cheese hurt??? Then I grilled it like a "grilled cheese"..

And Voila... here is my final sandwich...I think it tasted pretty good.. and gave a hint of summer flavor.. nice and light and easy on those hot lazy days...

I can't believe it.. We are the 50th state.. the FINAL state....The "Live Free or Die" state....


To pass a mandatory seatbelt law... I mean seriously.. why did it take so long?

CONCORD, N.H.—The New Hampshire House has voted in favor of a bill to make the Granite State the last U.S. jurisdiction to require all drivers and passengers to wear seat belts.

Under current law, only minors have to buckle up. The bill calls for a primary law, meaning police can pull over motorists solely for not wearing seat belts. Twenty-five states have primary laws, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

New Hampshire would receive $3.7 million in federal grants if it passes a primary law. The bill applies to all vehicles except large school buses, cars made before 1968 and vehicles making frequent stops for business purposes. Violators would face a $50 fine for the first offense and a $100 fine for each additional offense.

Can you believe people want to change our "motto" because they feel that wearing our sit belts takes away our "rights".. pffff.. I'm more ticked off that I can't burn wood in my own yard in a confined stove.. seat belts are a habit for me... but roasting marshmallow's over coal is stinky compared to burning wood... now that is a CRIME!!

I'm SAD!!



I'm sad.. because I haven't made enough time lately for blogging
I'm sad.. because I noticed I lost some followers.. sigh...
I'm sad.. because SPRING just doesn't seem any closer
I'm sad.. because I feel like eating the world.. one brownie at a time..
I'm sad.. because I've become addicted to facebook and if I spent less time there.. it would be more time here
I'm sad.. because I haven't read more blogs that I have been reading....
I'm sad.. because I WANT more energy...
I'm sad.. because I make lists and don't complete them...
I'm sad.. because my kitchen floor is dirty and I don't care at the moment...
I'm sad.. because I haven't had much to say... because I'm in that rut in the home....
I'm sad.. because... well.. I'm sad!!

Hopefully tomorrow the sunshine.. will shine... and I'll be glad!!

1 thing 2 do 3 words 4 you

I'm so loving this song right now!!!!! had to share it with you!

I got this award from my dear friend Wendy over at WeSnLaNi....

It's taken me awhile to actually post this.. Here's what I have to do...

* A) First list 10 honest things about yourself - and make it interesting, even if you have to dig deep!
* B) Pass the award on to 7 bloggers that you feel embody the spirit of the Honest Scrap.

Ok.. so here goes nothing....

1)Everyday I have woken up and have thought that it's one more day closer to me starting my LNA course and I can't wait! This will be one step closer to nursing school.

2)I have to paint my dining room. I have stripped the wallpaper a few weeks ago.. bought the paint but still have NOT painted it..

3) I love to take pictures... but right now I'm at a loss of what to take pictures of.. It could be the weather?

4) I have random piggybanks stashed around my house.. and I have a BAD habit of tucking $ away and forgetting where I put it.. I found $20 cleaning out my medicine cabinet.

5)I signed up for facebook even though I said I NEVER would..

6)I can't tell you the last time I scrapbooked.. and that's sad for someone who has all this "stuff".

7)My house is a MESS.. yes.. a complete MESS and I haven't cared about it in the last week or so.. which is completely ODD for me.. because I stress over mess!!

I pass this award onto 7 other bloggers....

Tammy over at Mommasong
Glitzen over at saddlepotatoes
Kerry over at Curly Girl
Mere over at The Babblings of Mere
Sandy over at Jesus and Dark Chocolate


Sorry for my lack of posting.. I've been working more.. and when I get home I just want to crash.. so I'm TRYING to read blogs.. I really am.. so forgive me if I've been slacking... it doesn't me I don't love you.. or you're losing my interest.. cause you're not!!!

My last post.. I promise.. of Florida... Ü
On my last day in Florida.. I had a choice of what I really wanted to do... of course.. I LOVE Disney.. and really wanted to go to one park... but for financial reasons we couldn't head that way.. and I was ok with that... so we did what I call "Poor Man's Disney"... We went to Downtown Disney... I love shops and all the trinkets and things so I was totally satisfied with this journey...



But on the way.. I did a driveby "shooting".. of the Gates to Disney World...


Funny how when we address Disney.. we never call it Walt Disney World.. or Walt Disney Land...
I just realized that this sign uses Walt's name on it.. and this is the third time I've been there!


We made our first stop at non other than McDonald's.. we got the "kids" happy meals so that they weren't starving through our visit!!

This is Joey.. she's in love with the hamburgler ... LOL LOL.. she took my camera and took random pictures of tourists... I'm surprised they didn't demand for her to get rid of those pictures.. she even took Julio's picture.. our server.. he didn't smile.. I don't think he was impressed.. LOL LOL.. sorry Julio...

There was a new exhibit for us.. called the T-Rex.. This dinosaur.. was life size... It actually scared me.. it does the whole "roar".. thing and moves... and it was LOUD!! I couldn't stay in there long.. and this was a place to eat.. and they had a Build a "Rex" shop inside!!

Here's Kat and I goofing around... she seriously looks like a little kid.. I think this is the BEST picture of her in all my pics.. I chose to be squished by Mr. Potato Head!! LOL LOL!


I love this sign.. and I LOVE how BLUE the sky was that day.. something I haven't seen in NH for a LONG time!! it was warm.. and heavenly!! This is the place three years ago that I had my first batch of Spinach and Artichoke Dip... that's when I went on a mission to make one as good as theirs.. and I found it!! ( yes.. I know I have to share!!)

I had to throw in this picture.. it has the Disney sign.. along with the house of blues!!

One of my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE characters...
My daughter and I use to walk around the house singing ALL Aladdin and Little Mermaid Songs.. this was one of our favorites!!!




Then we headed down to the Disney Boardwalk.. NICE NICE place to stay!!!
I had to make the stop to ESPN sportsbar and buy hubby a little something.. He LOVES their glasses.. and mugs.. so that's what we picked up.. and then decided to eat our dinner there!! GREAT food.. and we had the BEST waiter.. ( wish I had taken his picture).. he chatted up with us.. was SUPER great.. the best WAITSTAFF I have ever encountered in my life... so if you go to the ESPN sports bar.. ask for DREW!! He has a crazy southern drawl too... I loved it!!




Here's one of the sights from the boardwalk.. EPCOT!! I remember being young.. and hearing about other kids going to see this.. and I use to be green with ENVY!!!
The first time we went.. my son was in the third grade... and at the time. his teacher told him to do a report on all the things he had learned while he was there.. so we purposely did the educational stuff.. took tons of pictures.. etc..
When we got home we got a posterboard.. shared some pictures and wrote about the things we ( he) had learned...... He brought it in to school and the teacher refused to look at it.. or let him display it to class for a grade.. she said all it would do is "TEASE" other kids... I was FURIOUS with her... we did what she asked.. and then she told us we were being "snooty" and "showoffs"... that was NOT our intent at all... from there you could guess our teacher/parent relationship with sour... But don't get me started on the whole.. " we don't want to hurt feelings in school thing"... Disappointment will happen to all of us...

This was my flight back home.. see the LONG BLACK line.. that's the Hudson River... our Pilot kindly told us as we were flying over it... LOL LOL~~
Over all my trip was 4 days and it was fun and relaxing!! and I hope to do it again next winter.. ( can't go to FL in the summer .. it's WAY TO HOT!).. I already miss my friend :( and her daughters.. it's sad that they are so far away.. but.. I understand why....

My next post.. I'm talking about failure.. I failed at something lately.. and YES... I'm going to share about it...

If you're my facebook friend.. all my disney pictures are up.. if you're not my friend and want to be... send me an e-mail and I'll send you my name!!

I hope I'm not boring you with more Florida Pictures..
I just have to share..
On my third day there.. we decided to go do something I had never seen before...
Watch the Manatee!
We went to Blue Springs National Park ( I believe that's the name)..We had to get up really early as all the Manatee come into the spring where it's a constant 72 degrees before the Ocean Waters warm up for the day.. This day there were 201 in sight!

This is Britt again.. as you can tell.. she's an actress.. she was standing in front of some informative board.. I never did get to read it... LOL LOL


Crazy me.. I had to take more pictures of the landscape.. I mean seriously we just don't have this stuff in NH.. and everything was pretty GREEN vs the WHITE and BROWN you see here.. Apparently the springs water was extremely low as it's suppose to go up to the roots of some of these trees that you see.

More Green AND Spanish Moss.. I love that stuff!!

Those two birds sat there the WHOLE time we were there.. there was so many people.. but it didn't seem to bother them one bit.. I have no idea what kind of bird they are.. but they were kind of funny to watch..


Ok.. one more Spanish Moss.. this tree was AMAZINGLY HUGE!!

Here is a Manatee.. this is probably one of the best pictures I got.. this one swam really close to where we were standing.. Sadly I didn't see ONE really come up out of the water like I had hoped for....

For the most part though they stayed in packs and every now and again you would see their little fins come up out of the water... or the tip of their nose for air...


More... there are actually babies in this one... ahhhhh...

My friends beautiful daughters...

And again.. neither one of them are camera shy.. AT.ALL!

So we sat in this big hollowed out tree trunk.. and we were taking pictures...doing goofy faces and what not... and on this shot... someone ( girl in the pink) came up behind the tree and "I seeeeeeeeee youuuuuuuuuuu".. we just laughed.. but I was kind of like.. "huh"??? Then she booked it.. we had to laugh cause it was probably something we would have done!!! ha ha!!

Second night in Florida!!
My second night I was dreadfully tired! So we decided to lay low and grab a few people and play the BEST game EVER!!


I LOVE this game... if you have never played it.. you seriously NEED to adopt friends.. family members .. ANYONE and grab this game and PLAY.. It's hysterical.. I haven't laughed so hard like this in awhile. I played with some CRAZY cast of characters as well... !!
But FIRST...

Before we could play any game... we had to make Spinach and Artichoke Dip!! MY WAY!! and YES it's better than Applebee's hands down!! They all said so...


This is Joelle.. Kathleen and I.. YES!! I... I am the wierdo with the "orange" looking hair in this photo.. I don't even remember what we were doing.. other than being silly!!!

This is Harley again.. WAITING for food to be dropped!! This dog was EVERYWHERE you turned!!

Here are the Players.. Britt.. Joey.. their cousin Mikey.. and Kat....( she is taking pics while I'm taking pics. LOL LOL.. but she's an amazing photographer... )...

Joey got a point!!

Britt.. having way to much fun with my camera... STILL!!! She is a riot though!! She can make anyone laugh at a drop of a hat!!

And here's Kat.. I'm telling you.. this game is FUN!!! super fun!!!

Ok.. so the night was winding down... I think I ate to much.. and was ready for some sleep.... But I would do it again in a heartbeat!!





This youtube clip is hilarious!!! I have no idea who these people are.. but this is exactly the way were were!!!! It's so hard to keep a straight face on some of these answers!!