Sundays in My City - Race For The Cure

This was on the front page of today's St. Louis Post Dispatch. Here are some ladies who really know how to party! These lovelies are Breast Cancer Survivors, and they are dancing in the streets to celebrate!

I will be honest and tell you that I did not take these fabulous pictures of our Komen Race for the Cure held yesterday in downtown St. Louis. I wasn't even there, but my spys were. So, if you want to know if anybody famous was there, you can just look for yourself.





My friend, FACS Lady, not only took these pictures, but she ran/walked/shuffled and crawled the race. I'm not much for crowds these days.... especially if they are 71,000 plus!!!! Please enjoy some of the creative apparel that was in attendance.





We had a great morning for the race. It was a little steamy, and probably contributed to a few temper tantrums, crankiness, and super-soaker fights! Then, the participants who were still walking in the afternoon, were treated to Mother Nature's all purpose shower... thunder, lightning, and golf ball size hail!

This was what it looked like at the Finish Line!




Have you heard of Unknown Mami? She has a delightful blog where she shares photos of her city on Sundays. She invites the rest of us to link up with her and share some of our own city's photos. Click on the logo to visit Sundays in My City!



I live in St. Louis, Missouri. Welcome to my city!

Wednesday Wickedness - Sinatra Style

I just found this great new meme sponsored by Wednesday Wickedness. Since Lid is taking a break from Random Dozen, I was invited to join in with Wicked. This week's meme is about quotes from Frank Sinatra, followed by a question. Pop over to Wicked and say hello! Just click on Wednesday Wickedness above!

Here we go!

1. “I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day.” How often do you drink alcohol?

I don't drink alcohol, unless there is chocolate in it. I probably drink maybe three to four times a year, and all of those times are on New Year's Eve.

2. “The best revenge is massive success.” Have you ever gloated or wanted to over success?

Oh, how I've wanted to gloat, but I don't think I've ever had a massive success story to tell... other than giving birth four times! Never thought that would happen!

3. “You gotta love livin', baby, 'cause dyin' is a pain in the [butt].” What do enjoy most about your life?

What I enjoy most about my life are my kids. They provide endless hours of entertainment for me! It is, for me, like watching a movie that takes you through every...single... emotion you could ever experience! I feel joy, happiness, humility, disgust, embarrassment and finally remorse for bringing them into this world.

4. “I'm not one of those complicated, mixed-up cats. I'm not looking for the secret to life.... I just go on from day to day, taking what comes.” Do you ever overthink a situation in your life?

I'm a mom. What do you think? Always be prepared!

5. “I would like to be remembered as a man who had a wonderful time living life, a man who had good friends, fine family - and I don't think I could ask for anything more than that, actually.” Tell us about your best friend.

I have to be honest when I say that I don't really have one best friend. I am blessed to have four or five best friends who would drop everything in a heartbeat if I needed them. Just knowing that makes me feel very special.

6. “I like intelligent women. When you go out, it shouldn't be a staring contest.” How important is intelligence when picking (or having picked) a s/o to you?

Come on, Frank! You know that you don't really care about intelligence. The only intelligence you care about is body intelligence! Really, I would like to be challenged since I'm not the brightest crayon in the box, but there are other qualities that I might consider over intelligence: height, hair & eye color, muscle tone, ability to give massages at the drop of a hat, a gorgeous, drop-dead face and filthy rich...then maybe intelligence.

7. “I drink to the confusion of our enemies.” What's the closest situation that you've had to dealing with an enemy?

Waking up in the same bed with my H. No, really, I guess the devil would be my enemy as he encourages me to lust after male movie stars. I dreamt once that I was having an affair with a famous movie star, and he asked me to choose between him and my H. God won that one because I chose my H. (Silly me - I could just kick myself!)

8. “Orange is the happiest color.” What's your favorite color?

I used to think Blue was my favorite color. I have several favorites now: black, navy, charcoal grey, burnt-tree brown. They all make me look fabulas!

9. “Dare to wear the foolish clown face.” Are you ever a clown?

Every freaking day of my life! I've lost many a job because of it, but it is just so much darn fun. It keeps me smiling because I know how ridiculous I look!

10. “Don't get even, get mad.” Have you ever tried getting even?

What's the point? They will just try to better your even, then you have to get even with that, and so on and so on... I just keep reminding myself the old saying "what goes around, comes around." If someone has made me mad, I know that they will be in my position some day. I just hope I'm around when it happens!


Thanks for stopping by and allowing me to be a little silly. Please check out Wednesday Wickedness and let them know what you think!

Have a great Wednesday!

Random Dozen - School's Out For Summer!

MY HERO!! He still has most of "it!"



My blogger buddy, Lid, at 2nd Cup of Coffee posts Random Dozen on Tuesdays and invites us to join in by answering 12 random questions and then posting them on our blogs and sites the next day. Just click on the logo and you will be magically transported to a very happy place (one of those happy places that we all try to get to now and then!)

This week's Q & As:


1. Would you rather host party or simply attend a party? I would rather host a party so I could boss everyone around. Also, I would be the center of attention during the party. After, I would make my guests clean up their messes. Actually, I would rather attend a party and people watch while I chill.

2. Tell us about the most memorable party you've been to. A long, long time ago, in a far away place called Buena Park, California, I worked for an amusement park with many wild and crazy individuals. We would have parties with themes and skits. One party’s skit had young employees playing the parts of their managers. Nothing was held back, not even the smallest secret. We laughed our butts off!

3. What is one thing you hope for in the after-life? I hope for my natural hair color to return; I hope for a body weight of 110 pounds and a D-cup; I hope to be reunited with friends and family who have gone on before me;and I hope to be fortunate enough to be in His presence, or the presence of someone close to him.

4. What do you enjoy most about sunshine? The light. It gives me a happy feeling, as if all is well in my little world. I feel motivated to accomplish my “to do” list when the sun is shining. I can usually get one or two items marked off my list: make bed, eat breakfast.

5. When you attend a bridal/baby shower, do you prefer to bring your own gift or chip in with others to buy a larger gift? I prefer to go in on a gift so that a larger item may be purchased that the bride or mother-to-be might not get on her own. I also like to bring my own gift so that I can revel in the “oohs and ahhs” upon opening it. It sort of makes me feel like the center of attention.

6. Would you rather have a FREE week of having your house cleaned or all of your meals cooked for you and your family? May I have both? I hate to clean, and I hate to cook! I suppose having someone cook for the family would be absolutely dee-vine, as long as they did the dishes while I languish in the TV room.

7. What song describes your mood today? My mood today is best described by Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out for Summer.” However, tomorrow’s mood would be best described by “Mr. Sandman” as I have a date with the anesthesiologist in the morning.

8. What is something you received for your own bridal shower/wedding that you still own or use? (If you are not married, feel free to sub a gift you received a long time ago.) I received and still use a crock pot. I also still use many linens I received. I had to hock the silver and china to pay for the kid’s college tuition, but I’m hoping to buy it back when one of them gets a job!

9. Your favorite flavor of ice cream is? My favorite flavor of ice cream is Vanilla because you can add so many things to it, like fudge, whipped cream, cookies, candy, did I say fudge, peanuts, fruit, coffee, root beer and, don’t forget fudge!

10. When was the last time you felt "tested?" The last time I felt tested was about 20 minutes ago. I usually feel tested within minutes of the 18 year old waking up. I am also tested on a daily basis at work by juggling phone, deliveries and humans.

11. "[Fill in the blank] is a food that once I start eating I find really hard to stop." [Anything made with sugar]

12. "-----" is the best motivation. “Money” “Food” “Being the Center of Attention”

Thanks for stopping by! School is out! :( Only 75 more days until it starts! :)

Oops! Tootsie Did It Again!

I have been MIA for a while. I have been nursing a fracture of the bone in my right middle finger. You know, the one that expresses your feelings in one quick gesture? I was walking Tootsie a few weeks ago when she saw one of her imaginary friends and lunged to show off her "alpha female" side. The leash was over, under and through the fingers on my right hand. My middle finger was bent in a most unnatural way, but I didn't hear anything crack, so I thought it must just be a sprain. Well, two weeks later, it still hurt like heck, so I went to my doctor and had some x-rays taken. They discovered a hairline fracture at the joint (you know, the joints that hurt real bad in rainy weather?) and it was suggested that I wear a splint to help heal the finger.

Have you ever considered how much you use that finger outside of emotional expressions? I type, answer phones, and write for my job. And sometimes I clean my house. Personal hygiene has been a real adventure! I crack myself up every time I have to sign something, because it looks like my first attempt at cursive writing.

Since the injury is in my finger, and I do not use my fingers to walk, I'm participating in a Komen race tomorrow. Our big Komen race is held in June, but I'm not real fond of large crowds so I heard about this short walk/race very close to my house. This is good in case I have to crawl home after crossing the finish line.

I want to honor both the women who are no longer with us, and the women who have survived this ugly beast! I have two surviving women in my family. Then, there is my friend,the prayer warrior survivor who lives in Chicago, and who single handedly brought all of her doctors and nurses closer to God than they had ever been. Rock's preschool teacher, Mrs. Robinson, has gone home to our Lord. I'm sure she knows that I'm walking for her!

I'll post a picture on Unknown Mami's "Sundays in My City" tomorrow after the race...unless I'm in the hospital with my legs and middle finger in traction.

Happy Mothers Day to blogher Moms, everywhere!

A Bittersweet Event

You are cordially invited to attend the union of two extraordinary people. The wedding will occur at a place where any die-hard baseball fan would hold the party of his life! Please join us at the home of a most beloved baseball team – Dodger Stadium!

This crazy-in-love couple has one minor difference. The groom is about 15 years older than the bride. “No big deal” you say? No, it isn’t a big deal. Love has no boundaries. We don’t question how or why people fall in love, but only that they love each other with all of their hearts.

The groom was a close friend of the bride’s father. They worked together for a company that makes parts for motorcycles. When the bride graduated from college, she began working for the same company as her father, and in doing so, became close with the future groom. Her parents disapproved of the relationship because of the age difference. As time passed, and the parents saw how happy their little girl was with this gentle, honest and loving man, they fell more in love with him than ever and welcomed him into the family.

As love grew stronger, the groom-to-be discovered that his kidneys didn’t work right. After surgery and learning how to function with one kidney, spirits were lifted high and the couple began to make plans to join their lives. Fate, however, was not on their side, as his one remaining kidney began to fail. Frequent dialysis and medication helped get his life back to a semi-normal state. A search for a transplant began immediately.

Many of the co-workers volunteered to get tested. Even the father of the bride-to-be was tested to see if he was a match. Oddly enough, he was a match! So there you have it, a done deal. The date was set and all parties were very excited about the impending miracle, both the receiving and the giving. During the final testing two days before the surgery, the father of the bride received some devastating news. A large tumor was located in the lower part of his colon. He would not be having any surgery soon…not even his own. In order to safely remove the tumor, the doctors ordered radiation treatments to shrink the mass, as well as chemotherapy to combat the cancer cells which surrounded it. A great doctor, an incredibly strong faith in God, and the combined support of work, family and friends helped to get the dad through the next nine months. At the post-op check-up, the father of the bride was given a clean bill of health! Life was good!

“Come back in three months” said the doctor, “and we’ll make it official!” Three months later, the official news was that a few spots had reappeared close to other organs.

“No problem” said the father, “we beat this once; we will do it again!” This time it was just the chemo used to wipe out the intruder cells. It took the father a little longer to recover from treatments. Things were compounded by pain and nausea. Happy pills were prescribed which helped the father’s disposition. Life was okay! The wedding plans were coming along and everyone was excited about the very special day!

Soon after, the father experienced difficulty breathing. After being taken to the hospital and put on a ventilator, he seemed to settle down. He was sedated most of the time. He started to regain his color, and blood counts were coming back to normal. Then, for no reason, it all turned the other way. Within a week, God took him home.

The family was devastated and in shock. It took a few days for reality to set in. The family all agreed that the father of the bride would want the wedding to go on as planned. He wanted it to be the happiest and most amazing day for his daughter.

So, the wedding day arrived and the crowds (guests) cheered as the couple was pronounced husband and wife. After the wedding party stopped to pose at home plate, they joined the guests in one of the stadium banquet rooms. They all ate, drank and danced the night away! I can visualize my brother proudly watching this blessed event from above, along with my parents, and sporting his trademark smile that extended from his brows down to his chin! She knew he was there…they all knew!

A Shower for Grandma-To-Be!

I was part of a wonderful celebration today! The daughter of one of the fabulous preschool ladies with whom I used to work is having her first baby! We gave a shower for the grandma-to-be! Not to take away any of the well-deserved attention owed to the mother-to-be, today we showered our attention on my friend, Jaylo, or Senorita Lopez, as she is affectionately called. (Please click here for movie star name background.)

Hayworth and I (Taylor) started out at a table for two at Bread Co. We knew that we were going to need a bigger table, as there were a dozen rsvps to this surprise shower. We started eyeballing people who were seated at a table for six. Once we shamed them into leaving, we moved all of our stuff and started staring at the people seated close by, so we could add their table to ours. It worked! By the time everyone started arriving, we had room for twelve. A few of the stars in attendance, were Patty Lupone, Debbie Reynolds, Sally Field, Ann Baxter, and Lesley Gore!

What do you get for a “Grandma-to-be?” Well, we put together a basket of goodies that included “Grandma’s” favorite books, a handprint kit, tooth fairy kit, handcrafted onesies, handcrafted cloth diapers, (why didn’t I think of this idea – I could be living on an island right now!) gift cards for Grandma’s projects (fabric and craft stores) and gift cards for Grandma’s love of reading.

We told Hayworth that she should be in the “event planning” business as she puts on the most amazing showers, parties, receptions and intimate get-togethers! Hayworth is our garage sale connection and party-panner. She hits about 20-30 garage sales a week and finds the best deals on nearly new items ranging from home décor to inspirational books. Then, she gives them as gifts to friends and family. For the shower, she decorated a Burger King crown with little babies, bows and cutie-patootie sayings. Betty Grable, brought a “grandma-to-be” sash. We made Jaylo wear both! The party favors were chocolates inside of miniature Chinese take out boxes. Of course, everything matched the table cloth of brown, blue and green polka dots.

I guess I should get used to the fact that this chapter of my life will include invites to weddings, showers and college graduation parties for children of my friends! That will be okay...as long as chocolate is served!

Weekend Reflection #24

Every Friday through Sunday, Newtown Area Photo sponsors a meme where a gazillion photographers, amateur to pro, can showcase their work using a "Reflection" theme. I love to see the different points of view that people have, and the truly beautiful pictures that they take.


I ran out of reflection pictures, so I've been on a mission to find some new ideas. This is a picture of the windows on my van. My house is reflected off of the windows. I thought it was a cool for an amateur like me! I always take a second picture in case the first one is a dud. Here is the second picture, with a slight variation. I hope you enjoy it. I don't know what I did to make it happen, but the side mirror on the other side of the car came through and there is a reflection of a tree from the yard in the side mirror. Would someone like to explain this to me?



I just want to thank Newtown Area Photo for sponsoring this meme every weekend, and allowing me to participate. Please visit here and prepare to be entertained by some truly amazing artists!