Are ALL dads like this?? (mine is... and I can't imagine him any other way)

So, here's the scenario... my brother and I are over our parents house Christmas day. We just finished eating our dinner, opened presents, and now it was time to clean the kitchen. Per the usual "Labby" way... nothing is ever easy. My mom pulls the sink plug out, and to our complete surprise... water comes GUSHING out under the sink. (totally gross). Thankfully, that was a fairly simple fix for dad! However, a few days later, there is more water under the sink. Come to find out, there is a pipe with small pin holes.

Over the years, my dad has begun a process of documenting EVERYTHING by taking pictures, and, if need be, Power Pointing for better illustration. But, this picture documentation is not only done at his house, he does this for me and my brother. It can be anything from a new landscaping project (before and after pics), to a full out bathroom remodel. The cool part (and funny part) is that he then emails both me and my brother the pictures... to keep the family in the loop. I'll bet you could never guess that my dad was an Automotive Engineer ALL HIS LIFE!! =)


Here is just one more illustration of my dad's handy work... a small fence behind my shed needed to be completely taken down, and a new one put up. He did a super job on the fence... SEE!! =) Front AND back views... I LOVE MY DAD!!!!!!!!!!!

Behind the scenes of "Marley & Me", and his newest "celebrity" puppy, Woodson

First I blogged about reading this GREAT book. Then I blogged about the book becoming a movie (which I haven't seen yet). NOW, I want to blog about John Grogan and his blog. On his blog you will find pictures of his family with Jennifer Aniston, Owen Wilson, and others from the big premier in Los Angeles. BUT, there is one story that once AGAIN touched my heart. It's a brief article he wrote for USA WEEKEND telling of his new "celebrity" puppy Woodson, and his little secret.
Click here to check it out....

Great Christmas 2008!!

I just have to post a couple "amazing" gifts I received this year. My brother Mark gave me a beautiful NEW Sony Cyber-Shot in RED (exactly what I asked for - and used to take all these pictures), and my parents all the needed accessories. I'm so excited because I have been needing to get a smaller, more advanced digital camera than the Olympus hand-me-down that my dad bought when digital cameras first came out (it was top of the line way back then...). I've been wanting to try my hand at little movies to post on my blog, and also have a camera handy at work or play. So... YEA for this gift. Thanks Mark, mom and dad... I LOVE it!! Another gift that I received that was so creative and thoughtful was a gift that my boss gave all the girls in her department. If you follow my blog at all, you may have noticed that she LOVES to shop, and is all about "Themes" when giving gifts! This year, along with a beautiful gift bag full of kitchen goodies such as spices, spatula, Sonoma hot pad, gingerbread shaped pasta, a bottle of olive oil, flour sack kitchen towels, socks, an ornament bottle of Coke, and a gift card to The Olive Garden... she made - by hand - for all four of us girls a personalized scrapbook, and filled each page with gift cards to various places around town (each girls book was designed different). I HAD to take some pictures and post them here.... she is one AMAZING boss!!!! The time, money and talent she has for gift giving is beyond words... check it out. This first picture was of the "Scrapbook Purse" that the scrapbook was placed in... (how cute)

Merry Christmas - "family photo" from 1976!!

For many, many years my family attended a "Sportsmans Club Christmas Dinner" at our church. I remember always being super excited because Santa was going to be there... but you see, I had a secret that I HAD to keep from all the other kids... including my little brother Mark... My DAD was SANTA!!! I felt so "adult" knowing this secret, but I still needed to play along with all the other kids! I remember one time being able to help my dad get dressed into the Santa suit, and then hurry back with my mom to the dinner. Then, we would usually get to be the first up to see "Santa". Here is a photo of that... I think it's such a cute "Family Photo"!!!

Here is a YouTube video that you will need a tissue for (I cry every time I see it). My friend Sonya sent this to me last night... and I just needed to post it here! Listen to her voice when she realizes that here daddy was really there!! Check it out!

Merry Christmas Eve!!!

Happy Birthday JoAnna!

We celebrated JoAnnas birthday today at work. Her theme this year was "Laundry".
She got a laundry bag FULL of various items. There was laundry soap, dryer sheets, a T-shirt, towels, note cards, magnet, soap... EVERYTHING had to do with "Laundry". It's always fun to see what our boss (Sue) comes up with!!! I hope you had a fun, relaxing day today!!!

Ever hear of "Munchausen by Proxy"?

I never heard of Munchausen by Proxy until I found this memior - SICKENED by Julie Gregory.

Munchausen by Proxy is when a caretaker (often a mother) will keep his/her child sick or try to prove to others that the child is sick to gain attention for themselves. I couldn't believe that something like this actually existed. How could someone do this to their child? Unfortunately many cases simply go unnoticed because of how easy it is to hide.

Julie Gregory was abused as a child. She was abused in one of the most undiscussed ways a child can be violated. Julie was the victim of her mother's mental illness. Her mother suffered from Munchausen By Proxy Syndrome.

Julie's mother, Sandy, would feed 3-year-old Julie books of matches and tell her they were lollipops. She would give Julie pills that caused blinding migraines, all the while, taking Julie from doctor to doctor insisting Julie was seriously ill. At the height of her illness, her mother (Sandy) was trying to have open-heart surgery performed on 12-year-old Julie. And when Julie tried to tell a nurse and her school friends what was happening, no one believed her. (the stories of abuse go on and on, but I don't want to give everything away in this post... )

Julie and her brother also endured physical abuse. They were beaten and Julie was constantly starved to make her appear ill. "Sickened" is Julie's heartbreaking, but uplifting story.

Friends are friends forever.....

This past Monday I had the chance to catch up with my girlfriend Becky (Erin) who just over a year ago got married and moved to New Mexico. (see My Best Friends Wedding post)


My parents came over and brought dinner... homemade Sloppy Joes!! It's always fun getting caught up with Becky... she loves to bring "show-and-tell" items. She has so much going on in her life... a husband, 5 puppies, and two jobs. I don't know how she does it... but she does.

Can't wait until you and Bill FINALLY decide to move back to Michigan!!!! New Mexico is just so farrrr away!! =(

"Marley & Me" and "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas"

Dog lovers will agree... the book "Marley & Me" was LAUGH OUT LOUD funny!! The heartwarming and unforgettable story of a family in the making and the wondrously neurotic dog who taught them what really matters in life. It's finally hitting the big screen, and I can't wait!!


Here is another book turned movie that is getting GREAT reviews. I've wanted to read the book for some time, but just never order it (used of course). Check out the trailer!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Christmas Survey: Would you rather...

Quizzes by Quibblo.com

Thanksgiving.... T-bone style!!

A VERY good friend of mine (Jeff) sent this joke to me the other day and I just HAD to post here. Anyone who knows me knows I do NOT take the subject of this joke lightly... however, I do have a rather great sense of humor... thanks to my dad!!!! I can TOTALLY hear my dad in this joke... and so can others who know him.....

A man in Phoenix calls his son in New York two days before Thanksgiving and says, 'I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; forty-five years of misery is enough. 'Pop, what are you talking about?' the son screams.

We can't stand the sight of each other any longer,' the father says. 'We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her.' Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone. 'Like heck they're getting divorced,' she shouts, 'I'll take care of this,' She calls Phoenix immediately, and screams at her father, 'You are NOT getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there. I'm calling my brother back, and we'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?' and hangs up.

The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. 'Okay,' he says, 'they're coming for Thanksgiving and paying their own way.'

WATCH out for Illegal "MB IMAGE WORLD" charges on your bank account!!

I am one that balances my checkbook to the penny each week. As I balanced my checkbook this morning, I noticed a funny electronic check posted to my account on Monday this week. I printed the almost totally unreadable check out, and racked my brain trying to remember where I was or what I did that cost $39.99. After really digging into the depths of my brain, I decided to call my bank for any further details of this transaction. They were NO HELP WHATSOEVER!! They referred me to a "Customer Solutions" phone number, and they referred me to a "Claims" phone number. The "Claims" department at my bank is only open Monday - Friday... so, my claim would have to wait. I decided to call the phone number listed on my electronic check that I printed, and give them the reference number for this transaction. Took me three times to finally get through. The lady on the phone was MORE helpful then my bank, and told me that this transaction was for a "Web Subscription". I know I didn't subscribe to anything web related (Hello.... money is tight right now), so she was more than willing to issue a dispute with the company, and told me that I should call my bank and file a claim. The claim would take 7 - 10 days to go through. After I got off the phone with her, I still questioned my memory... so I decided to do a little "Google Search" for this company MB IMAGE WORLD. Come to find out, this is a HUGE SCAM that has been happening to people all over, using all different banks. I wanted to post this here to ALERT you to this scam.

The details to watch for on your checking account are as follows:

The check amount can be anywhere from $25.95 - $39.99, and its made payable to PAYMENT SYSTEMS. Upon reading all the comments, this is a web based porn site.

The company they use for these electronic payments is: MB Image Word Customer Service, and the phone number listed is 1-866-878-7962.

WATCH FOR THIS!!

Here is a link to a discussion thread I found thru Google: http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-866-878-7962 There is actually a few out there, but this one had the most information.

Peanut Butter Brownie Cookies.... MMMmmmm!!

Peanut Butter Brownie Cookies
Ingredients:
• 1 (19.5 oz.) package Pillsbury® Classic Traditional Fudge Brownie
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1/2 can Pillsbury® Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Directions:
1. HEAT oven to 350°F. Beat brownie mix, melted butter, cream cheese and egg in medium bowl 50 strokes with spoon until well blended (dough will be sticky).
2. DROP dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets to make 24 cookies; smooth edge of each to form round cookie.
3. MIX powdered sugar and peanut butter in small bowl with spoon until mixture forms a ball. With hands, roll rounded teaspoonfuls peanut butter mixture into 24 balls. Lightly press 1 ball into center of each ball of dough.
4. BAKE 10 to 14 minutes or until edges are set. Cool on cookie sheets at least 30 minutes.
5. SPREAD thin layer of frosting over peanut butter portion of each cooled cookie.

High Altitude (above 3500 ft.):
1. FLATTEN cookies slightly before baking. Bake at 350° F for 11 to 15 minutes.

Yield: 24 cookies

What would you look like on a SOUTH PARK episode??

Let me first say that I am NOT a South Park fan!!! However, I did find this fun site that lets you create how YOU would look if you were a character on the show. It's kind of fun for a few minutes... so, go here http://www.sp-studio.de/ and check it out. This is how I would look if I were on the show!! Let me see what you would look like.... go on... have some fun!! If you create yourself, save it and email it to me... I will post all the characters here. Let's try and have a little fun with this!!

Here is my "alter ego" shot:

Here is Jeff Aliotta:

And then his Indiana Jones "alter ego":

Here's Sonya:
Here's my mom... Ginny:

~ ~ Happy 42nd Anniversary Mom & Dad ~ ~

Just a little post to wish you two a VERY HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! I love you both so much, and thank God all the time that he gave me to you! I couldn't ask for better parents. Thank you for always being there for me... I don't know what I'd do without you!!

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Mallow Bars (from Kraftfoods.com)

What you need:
1 pkg. (2-layer size) devil's food cake mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
2/3 cup milk, divided
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 jar (7 oz.) JET-PUFFED Marshmallow Creme
1/2 cup PLANTERS Salted Peanuts
6 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, coarsely chopped

Make It:
HEAT oven to 350°F. Mix dry cake mix, butter and 1/3 cup milk until blended; press 2/3 onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan. Bake 12 to 14 min. or until center is almost set; cool 3 min. Meanwhile, mix peanut butter and remaining milk.

SPREAD peanut butter mixture onto crust; top with small spoonfuls of the marshmallow creme and remaining cake mixture. Sprinkle with nuts and chocolate; press gently into cake mixture.

BAKE 18 min. or just until center is set. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

KRAFT Kitchen Tips:
Make Ahead
Prepare as directed ; cool completely. Wrap tightly; freeze up to 1 month. Thaw before cutting into bars.

These birds are AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Check these out!!! Meet Groucho and then Einstein....

Awwww man.... gonna miss Chauncey!!!!

Lena and I are really sad today because the Pistons traded Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson. Allen Iverson is a good player, but we really appreciated the professionalism that Chauncey brought to the team. Was this a good move?? I just feel bad... he was always a class act to watch on the court.

Hopefully, this trade will work out for the best, and bring home another CHAMPIONSHIP!!! Lena and I wish Chauncey the best, and look forward to watching him play (once again) even if it is against the Pistons.

Enjoy the sunshine Julie!

Hope you had a memorable "last day" at Plymouth... well, your last day for about 6 months! We're really gonna miss you while you're gone!! Hope you and Ron (and Crystal too) have a very relaxing, fun filled time!

Easy Parmesan Garlic Chicken & Red Lobster Garlic Cheese Biscuits

I found this recipe on another blog, and just had to post it here. I haven't tested it yet, but it sounded way to good to forget about.... So, here it is:

EASY Parmesan Garlic Chicken
1/2 Cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1 packet of Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing & Recipe Mix
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
6 chicken breast halves

Mix cheese, dry dressing mix & garlic powder. Put half of the mix into a small bowl to add back in as needed. If you leave it all in the bowl, you'll end up with the first three breasts coated really well and the last three will be coated sparsely. Moisten chicken with water and coat with cheese mixture. Put in shallow packing dish. Bake 20-25 minutes or until internal temperature in 170 degrees.


Here is one more from the same blog. We all LOVE the biscuits they serve at Red Lobster... well, here is the recipe:

RED LOBSTER Garlic Cheese Biscuits
2 cup Bisquick
2/3 cups milk
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 clove garlic
1/4 c melted butter
1/4 t garlic powder

Mix Bisquick, milk, cheese and garlic (minced).Drop onto foiled or greased cookie sheets (desired size).Bake 8-10 minutes on 450. (larger=longer, smaller=shorter) Mix butter and garlic powder in a dish and brush over golden biscuits.

What do you know about Mona Vie?

Have you ever heard of Mona Vie? Have you or someone you know experienced any great results from taking this product?

I've recently become very curious about the affects of anti-oxidants. Several months ago I was told that I have severe arthritis in both of my knees, bone-on-bone friction, and, will one day require complete knee replacement on both. I'm not one to complain about my pain or discomfort, but at times the pain is beyond words. I HATE taking medicine, but find myself popping a couple Motrin IB's to help make it thru the day!! Each day brings aches and pains to some degree, and have become more and more common in my everyday activities. My wonderful chiropractor says "YOU can do something to help reverse this pain" and educates me each visit. He explains how everyones body "oxidizes" (thru what we eat and our activities), and "anti-oxidants" are what help to "re-oxidize" (strengthen and build back up) your muscles. Of course, this "miracle drink" isn't cheap, and there can be pressures to become a "distributor" when buying your "miracle drink".

I've decided to give this juice a try... other than hurting my pocket book a little more, I have nothing to loose... and everything to gain. I would love to hear any feedback you may have about this product, or any other product (like this one) that could be worth checking out. I've tried a product by NOW called "Acie", and from what I've been told, dollar for dollar (and ounce per ounce), Mona Vie is the better value.

I laughed my butt off!! (oh how I wish that were possible)

I found this video several days ago, and just had to post it. I honestly found it laugh out loud funny... I hope you do too!!

Two stories that touch the heart!

No matter what side of the political arena you're on, you have to admit... she is one fantastic lady!!


And here is another story that makes my heart swell up.... Kristen Pass, the high school senior in TX who was just voted homecoming queen!

What SUPERHERO are YOU??

I am SUPERMAN (75%)
I am mild-mannered, good, strong and I love to help others.
I guess I have more "guy" traits than I do "girl" traits... how come it wasn't "Wonder Women"?? :o) Oh well.... what Superhero are YOU?


Click here to take the "Which Superhero am I?" quiz...

It's FALL, and I LOVE it!!

What do you love about FALL?

I love the beautiful sunny, but cooler days

the change of colors

getting the occasional Starbucks Carmel Macchiato, or hot chocolate (when my budget will allow it)

DEEETROIT Basketball!!! (the Pistons begin their season)

sweatshirts & sweaters (although I wear sweatshirts all year long, at least now, I don't feel bad or crazy for having one on)

darker colored clothing

stews

moms pot roast dinners

the smell of bon fires

and probably a few more things I can't think of right now.

I just know this is the time of year I look forward to on those VERY HOT summer days. I enjoy summertime, but there's something about Michigan living in the fall. I don't even mind the thought of snowy winter days right around the corner! Oh sure, I DON'T enjoy having to snow blow... but, during the winter, we get to look forward to the Spring! Time to plant flowers, bring the patio sets out of storage, and get the grill grilling!!

For One More Day by Mitch Albom

"If you had the chance, just one chance, to go back and fix what you did wrong in life, would you take it? And if you did, would you be big enough to stand it?" For One More Day will make you smile. It will make you wistful. It will make you blink back tears of nostalgia. But most of all, it will make you believe in the eternal power of a mother's love."

PLEASE VOTE for the SOUTHERN STAR MINPIN RESCUE! It only takes a minute.

Please take a moment to VOTE!!

A co-worker of mine and his family currently run an animal rescue out of their home. They are VERY involved with the Southern Star MinPin Rescue. If you click on the link above, and choose their particular rescue, that rescue has the chance to win $10,000.00. I know this family puts so much time, effort and MONEY into helping just about every dog they hear of.... so, if you have a free moment, click the link above, and vote!! Thank YOU!!

p.s. If you do go vote, come back and leave me a message letting me know... hey, it will make me feel good!! =)

Amazing web site called HULU.com

I found this wonderful site that allows you to watch full length movies, current TV shows, and even shows from the past such as The Facts of Life, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Knight Rider... etc. If you enjoy watching a show each week, but happen to miss one... you can check this site out. Chances are great they will have the full episode, or at the least, clips of the show. The site is www.hulu.com check it out when you get a chance. I think you will be amazed at all they offer... for FREE!!

Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight!

This has to be one of thee cutest videos floating around on the internet and emails right now. How cute is this... to see all these puppies getting into their relaxed, snuggly postions to fall asleep, while being sung to.... I LOVE DOGS!!!

Fireproof

This is a movie trailer for the upcoming movie, Fireproof that is opening on September 26-28. It's a Christian film so I just wanted to encourage those that I know to try and see it opening weekend because the higher the numbers for those few days, the more cities that it will run in and the longer it will run. From what I can tell, it looks pretty good, but check out the trailer and see what you think.

Dogs, Dogs, Dogs!! 1000 piece by Springbok

Here is the latest puzzle we finished at work - it took 5 weeks to complete. Springbok puzzles are THE BEST. I kinda wish I had posts to all the ones we've completed =(
We've been working puzzles for many, many years. We all look forward to lunch time to see how far we can get each day!

Jesus Land: A Memoir by Julia Scheeres

So, I just finished another memoir that I found by glancing through a "Listmania" on Amazon.com. This was a very good but heart-breaking memoir. There was some unexpected foul language used in this book - however, after really getting into the book.... not so unexpected after all.

Julia Scheeres tells her story (and her brothers story) about growing up in the '70's as a white girl with two adopted black brothers, in rural Indiana, and then being sent off to a Christian reform school in the Dominican Republic when their parents didn't seem to have any tolerance for their kids. While religion was heavily pushed both at school and in their home, they rarely find themselves receiving anything that resembles Christian love. Their mother focuses more on church and missionaries then she does her children, and their father, who is never home, administers harsh beatings to her brother, David. This story tells of endless racial tauntings by schoolmates, rape by her oldest adopted brother, and a constant search for real love and a sense of family.

You can read more about this book and the author by going to http://www.juliascheeres.com/. I went to her web site to find out more about her, and to my great sadness (but no surprise), she states she is a "Devout hedonist … agnostic … secular humanist." She states she "lost her religion in degrees". It's sad to think about all the people that really get turned off toward Christians and Christianity because of all the JUNK out there that is labeled "Christian".

Why education is soooo important (funny!!).... Jimmy Kimmel explains what Miss Teen said....

Down Came the Rain by Brooke Shields

I just finished this book last night. It's a brave memoir that doesn't shy away from the most difficult moments of Brooke's struggles to have a child. She not only tried numerous IVF cycles, but also suffered a miscarriage before she finally got pregnant with her daughter - only to suffer even MORE with the aftermath of postpartum depression. Brooke thought she'd bounce back in a few days after resting from her difficult labor. Instead, her feelings intensified: "This was sadness of a shockingly different magnitude. It felt as if it would never go away." While Brooke denied anything was wrong, the persistence of friends and her husband persuaded her to seek treatment through medication and therapy. This memoir describes Brooke's most difficult moments, including her suicidal thoughts, clearly showing the despair postpartum depression can wreak.

Harvey (passed away 09/02/08)

All good things must come to an end, and so it is with a beautiful bird named Harvey. He lived to be about 21 or 22 years old (to the best of our knowledge). He was always happy and singing, both to himself in the mirror and to his "best friend" Silver. Our family has had these two birds for over 20 years.

A few months back, my parents decided it would be best to find Harvey and Silver a good home... one that could afford them more time and attention... maybe one with older kids. I found just that family. A co-worker of mine was very interested in receiving these "boys" for their boys. So, we cleaned up the cage, and sent them off to a wonderful home. These 3 boys spent so much time trying to train Harvey and Silver new songs and tricks. My friend told me that they would find various bird tricks and songs on YouTube and play them over and over on the "big screen TV", with Harvey and Silver sitting watching. Well, I don't think they had too much luck with that method of training, but both birds did get a lot of play time.

Silver is doing fine... but I'm sure misses his friend. However... now he gets all the food and fresh Fruit Loops all to himself!!! What more can you ask for??

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

This book was so good... very hard to put down. Each page left your jaw on the floor. The Editorial Review at Amazon.com gave a good review of the book, so I pasted it below.

Editorial Review from:
Amazon.com

Jeannette Walls's father always called her "Mountain Goat" and there's perhaps no more apt nickname for a girl who navigated a sheer and towering cliff of childhood both daily and stoically. In The Glass Castle, Walls chronicles her upbringing at the hands of eccentric, nomadic parents--Rose Mary, her frustrated-artist mother, and Rex, her brilliant, alcoholic father. To call the elder Walls's childrearing style laissez faire would be putting it mildly. As Rose Mary and Rex, motivated by whims and paranoia, uprooted their kids time and again, the youngsters (Walls, her brother and two sisters) were left largely to their own devices. But while Rex and Rose Mary firmly believed children learned best from their own mistakes, they themselves never seemed to do so, repeating the same disastrous patterns that eventually landed them on the streets. Walls describes in fascinating detail what it was to be a child in this family, from the embarrassing (wearing shoes held together with safety pins; using markers to color her skin in an effort to camouflage holes in her pants) to the horrific (being told, after a creepy uncle pleasured himself in close proximity, that sexual assault is a crime of perception; and being pimped by her father at a bar). Though Walls has well earned the right to complain, at no point does she play the victim. In fact, Walls' removed, nonjudgmental stance is initially startling, since many of the circumstances she describes could be categorized as abusive (and unquestioningly neglectful). But on the contrary, Walls respects her parents' knack for making hardships feel like adventures, and her love for them--despite their overwhelming self-absorption--resonates from cover to cover. --Brangien Davis --

Happy 4th Birthday Little Lena!!!!!! (my 2008 b-day theme was "Cupcakes & Ice Cream")

My little muchkin Lena turns 4 today (and I turn... Ummmm.... well, no need to go there) Since the day I found her picture on the internet, I've known this little one was for ME!! She is my ANGEL... and want time to stand still when it comes to her! I've created this slide show to give you a little glimpse into her life with me thus far. I hope it brings a smile to your face - as it does mine!!

Last years birthday theme was "Hamburger, Fries and Shakes".... here's the link if you want to check it out: http://lauralabby.blogspot.com/2007/08/this-years-birthday-theme-work.html