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

Can't wait until "The Office" returns... Sept. 25th

There are only have a handful of shows that I really enjoy watching... and "The Office" is one of them. So, in honor of their return Thursday, September 25th.... and the 2008 Olympic Games....here is a NEW Olympic Game (The Office style) that you won't see anywhere in the Beijing 2008 regular game schedule!! ENJOY!

Enough said.........

1500 piece Springbok puzzle - - FINALLY complete!!

Here is the latest puzzle me and the guys (and gals) at work finally completed.... it was NUTS!! Love all the colors, but HOLY SMOKES.... took a little over 3 months to complete. I must say, we made pretty good time considering we ONLY work it during our lunch hour. I'll have to check, but we've kept track of all the puzzles, and how long each took to complete. I think the record was a 2000 piece by Springbok - just over 6 months.... yeah, now this one doesn't seem so bad!! =)

Something I've started to enjoy a little bit.... READING!!

I've seen this done on other blogs, and thought since I've become such an avid reader (not), I would post books I've read, that maybe you would find them interesting and enjoy them too. I'm super picky when it comes to reading books. If the book doesn't peak my interest within the first few pages, or read at my (mediocre) comprehension level, then chances are I won't read it. These books met all my criteria, and YUP, I made it through each one!!! Some of the books are fun and light-hearted, others..... well, not so much. A couple were VERY enlightening (to say the least), and some were simply recommended by friends.

Marley & Me by John Grogan (I love this book!!!)

Starting from the book I am currently reading (pictured above), to when I first started reading this year, here they are in order... or as close as I can remember:

Financial Peace - revisited by Dave Ramsey

The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks (love this book) This book is a sequal to the book The Notebook (pictured below). You don't necessarily need to read one before the other to understand them... but I would suggest doing so.

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

Pagan Christianity? by Frank Viola

Peony in Love by Lisa See - I really didnt finish.... I read 3/4 of the way thru, and just couldnt get too much into the story line. I wouldn't suggest this one, but the other Lisa See book called "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" was GREAT!!

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See (good book)

The Choice by Nicholas Sparks (his latest novel and GREAT book)

The Marketing of Evil by David Kupelian (real eye-opener!!)

The Other Side of the River by Kevin Reeves

Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom

Fun... "Puzzle Of The Day"!

Our BIG GARAGE SALE! (what a job)

What can I say... there is nothing easy about getting a multi-family garage sale up and running. Me and my parents have worked long and hard to get it looking like it does. I must brag a little .... even our customers have complimented us on how it "looks like a boutique". Everything is so neat, clean and organized.... This is certainly one garage sale I would do more than just drive by!!!!

Best Wishes Jose! We're ALL going to miss you!!

ALL of us at Plymouth Steel had to say goodbye to a GREAT guy - JOSE! Jose has been with the company for 22 years - and was one of those guys who you knew you could call on to lend a helping hand at any given moment. He always seemed to have a positive outlook on everything - even when things weren't looking all that great! Now he's off to beautiful North Carolina!! I'm so glad you had a wonderful "last day" today Jose. You will be missed by ALL!!!

Goodbye Megan... we love you!!

Today my parents had to put down one of their little girls - Megan. She lived 14 wonderful years. Megan was diagnosed a little over 12 months ago with with a life threatening disease called Cushings. Very close attention had to be given and medication administered every Monday to help regulate the tumor on her Pituitary Gland. She wasn't in pain, but lately we noticed that her breathing had become a little more labored. Megan was VERY well behaved, and the most extreme "daddy's little girl" that I have EVER known. We are really going to miss you Little Meggie!!