BC Day 12 - My Favorite Childhood Books

Blogger Challenge - Day 12 - My favorite childhood book(s)

This is my kind of question!! I absolutely love to read. And I have been that way, ever since I can remember. I have read many, many books over the years, and my tastes have changed as I have grown. But, one thing that has always remained constant is my love for mysteries.

My very first "favorite" book that I can remember was:

I'm not sure this really qualifies as a mystery, but everyone wondered how the pancake came alive and where it ran off to! Haha! I still have this book. It is truly a childhood treasure.

The next book that I remember being my "favorite" is:

Oh my gosh. This is such a good book! If you never read it, you should read it now, as an adult. You will love it, even now.

The first "series" of books I fell in love with was:

Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie books

As I got a little older, I was completely, totally addicted to a couple of other series of books:

Nancy Drew books

and...

Trixie Belden books

I read every single book, in both series, multiple times, and I lived for the day that I would find myself involved in a real mystery! LOL.

As an older teenager, I made my way through all of the "love" series, such as Sweet Valley High, First Love From Silhouette, and Danielle Steel's novels.

Now, as an adult, I've reverted back to mysteries, and truly love anything by Patricia Cornwell, Sue Grafton, Lillian Jackson Braun, J.D. Robb, Dorothy Gilman and Lawrence Block.  I'm still a sucker for some romance, and still read Danielle Steel to this day, along with Nora Roberts. I also love true crime novels, autobiographies and real-life drama/peril stories.

And oh yes, I can't leave out the Left Behind books. They really opened up the book of Revelation to me.

Okay, so in retrospect, I guess I didn't follow the directions on this one very carefully. It said childhood book. But I just couldn't resist sharing some other great ones. If you haven't read a good book lately, you should try it!

BC Day 11 - 10 Favorite Foods

Blogger challenge - Day 11 - Ten Favorite Foods

Mmmm!! I just love today's challenge! That would probably be because I loooovvvveeee food! (I just wish it didn't love me as much back).

Ten favorite foods... I'm going to have a super hard time limiting it to ten, but here goes, in no particular order. I love them all the same.  Except for the first one. I love it the most!

1.   Peter Pan Peanut Butter (and yes, it HAS to be Peter Pan)

2.   Bean Burritos from Taco Bueno (with no sauce)

3.   Salmon Patties

4.   4-Cheese Tortellini from Johnny Carino's

5.   Chocolate Cake Doughnuts from Daylight Donut's in Sapulpa

6.   Homemade Macaroni & Cheese (made with cheddar cheese)

7.   Popcorn Shrimp from Red Lobster (with the garlic biscuits!)

8.   Felicia's Peanut Butter Sheet Cake

9.   Fish & Chips from Iver's Fish Market in Seattle

10. Olives - Black & Green

And even though it said 10, I had to add an 11 and 12.  I just couldn't leave these off:

11. Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas 

12. Lori's Lasagna

And, last but not least, even though it isn't a food, it is still a consumable thing:  Diet Dr. Pepper, glorious Diet Dr. Pepper!! 

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!

BC Day 10 - Best Trip Ever

Blogger Challenge - Day 10 - Best Trip Ever

My best trip ever... hmm. I've had some really great trips in my life. I have 5 that I would qualify for "best trip", but instead of "ever", I'm going to say "so far" because I really, really want to travel more!

First, back when I was 19, me, my mom and my dad went on a 17 day trip up the East coast with Jaylee (Fowler) Noss and her parents, Bill and Phyllis Fowler. We went to Gatlinburg, Nashville, Washington D.C., New York City, Rhode Island, the White Mountains in New Hampshire, Plymouth Rock, Niagra Falls, and many more places. It was such a wonderful trip, and we had so much fun with them. We even got to take a helicopter ride! I have lots of pictures from then, and the memories are forever burned into my memory, and I will always cherish that time that our families spent together. 

Another time, my mom, my aunt and I went to New York City at Christmastime... just to SHOP! It was truly wonderful. I am a city girl at heart, and NYC is my favorite one of all. We went to 2 Broadway shows, the Tavern on the Green, took a carriage ride, stayed in the Times Square Marriott, and SHOPPED! So. Much. Shopping. Great memories!

Another trip I was blessed to take with my parents was down South. We went to Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Georgia. We saw the Gulf of Mexico, and found lots of outlet malls to shop at. Mom and I shopped, while Dad "people watched", which was one of his favorite hobbies.

Every time we went to the Colorado camp outs was a terrific time in my life. The year I was 20 was the best Colorado trip ever. I got to ride out there with friends, which made it even better. Good times! 

And, last, but definitely not least, 2 years ago, I was blessed to be able to take my kids to Los Angeles, Hollywood and Malibu Beach. We stayed at the Hollywood Hotel, saw all the landmarks, toured a movie studio, and Sheridan even got to meet Sophia Bush, who played Brooke Davis on One Tree Hill. It was a terrific trip and I'm so thankful we had that time together. 

I'm not very good at these challenges, am I? I was supposed to pick one trip, but there was just no way I could leave out any of these. Be thankful I'm stopping at this point, because I've been lots of other places! 

Color Walk - Pink!

PINK DAY !!!

Sorry for blog post overload, but I had to post this one for Kelly. I did a color walk, just for you tonight! Obviously, my color was pink. And wow. Pink was really hard. Other than the obvious pink...

FLOWERS!

PINK FLOWERS EVERYWHERE !!!

MORE PINK FLOWERS !!!

You can thank me now. I could have posted 18 pictures of pink flowers. Yes, 18. But I won\"t!

Here are a couple of other pink things I found:

Pink Finger (oops!)

Pink eyes and Pink ears!

Pink horseshoe flower 

Pink collar 

Pink birdhouse (this is the back side) 

Pink frisbee 

And that is it! Not much pink out there tonight. But, in honor of my random photos that I like to take, here\"s one for you (but it isn\"t pink):

Check out how long and skinny my legs look in my shadow! Woo Hoo! I\"m loving it!!

Happy Pink Day Kelly (and everyone else!)

BC Post Day 9 - What’s In Your Bag?

Blogger Challenge - Day 9 - What\"s in your bag/wallet?

Well, I\"m assuming that they mean purse, right?  Oh boy. I carry a really small purse right now, but oh my gosh. It is stuffed full! I go through phases of carrying small, medium, large, and extra large purses, but it doesn\"t seem to make one bit of difference. All the same junk finds its way in there.

Here goes:

Looks can be deceiving. This isn\"t as big as it looks, but inside you would find:

wallet

checkbook

3 sets of keys

ink pens

lotion

gum

lip gloss

chapstick

2 lipsticks (you think I have a lip problem? Lol)

reading glasses (yes, I\"m old)

sunglasses

hand "balm" (I don\"t know what else to call it)

about 467 receipts

about 15 flyers, notes, etc

tons of change, dumped in the bottom

socks

Walmart bag

notary stamp

8 graduation invites (thanks!)

2 wedding invites (again, thank you!)

17 cards (credit cards, store loyalty cards, gift cards, cpr                                   certification cards, etc)

coupons

note pad

feminine products (tmi, sorry!)

4 random keys

bandaids

iPod

headphones

cell phone

bills

granola bar

and last, but not least, a cd.

Whew!! No wonder that sucker is so heavy!

So, how about you? Do you have anything random in your purse/wallet/bag?

BC Day 8 - Five Current Goals

Blogger Challenge - Day 8 - 

Five Current Goals:

Hmm... this challenge makes me think! Okay, here are my five current goals. Not "end result" goals, but the ones I am working on right now.

1. I want to finish my (3) 30 Day challenges that I have going on right now. What was I thinking?? 3 at once? Yes, sometimes I am over-eager. Lol

2. I plan to lose 10 pounds. Yes, I have a whole lot more than that to lose. Baby steps, friends!!

3. To finish up my 2nd job, to finish training Kathy for my old job, and to excel in my new job. Wow! Life can change in the blink of an eye. 3 weeks ago, I had a whole different job plan going on. God definitely knows best though. I have been blessed with a great opportunity at the school, and I am so excited about it!

4. I am going to get my paper "files" (stacks, boxes, piles) under control this summer.

5. To get on a cleaning schedule here at my house. I am pretty good at organizing, but the actual cleaning part? Not so much.

6. And, even though it said 5, I have to add a 6th. I am going to get on a budget!! Ugh! I am the worst at not spending. I have got to get with the program!

Let's do this! It is the summer of attainable goals!!

BC Day 7 - My Favorite Songs

Blogger Challenge - Day 7 - My 5 Favorite Songs

5?? I'm supposed to pick 5? No way. Sorry, it just can't happen. I love music waaayyyy too much to only pick 5. So, in typical Sandy fashion, I'm tweaking this challenge a bit. I am going to do 8 different times/types, and I'll pick a favorite song in each one.

First off, from when I was a kid.  Da Doo Ron Ron, by Shaun Cassidy. He was my childhood heart throb, and I could just imagine him singing this song to me! 

Next, my teenage years.  Of all the great songs of the 80s, my favorite song was probably I Love Rock & Roll, by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts.

From my High School choir days. We sang many, many Broadway show tunes. And if I had to pick a favorite genre to sing, it would be these. Man, I love musicals! So, out of all the things we ever sang, or that I wished to sing, my favorite song was one my friend, Cherelle, sang way back in the day. I think we were Seniors. Somewhere That's Green, from the Broadway show (and movie), Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Movies, in general: Since I love music so much, I almost always find a song that I love in every single movie I watch. However, the one that has always stuck with me, and really touches my soul, is For Just A Moment (Love theme from St. Elmo's Fire). 

Church song. I can't even begin to name all the church songs that I like. And love. However, being pressed to pick just one, I'm going to say, It Still Takes A Wise Man To Pray. If I am not mistaken, I believe Bro. Eddie Tomlinson wrote this song, and I agree with every sentiment in it.

Christian Song. Even though this is a similar genre, for me, it is different. These would be songs that I hear on the radio. And my favorite of all of them is, I Can Only Imagine, by Mercy Me. Every time I hear it, I can just picture being before The Father, and being unable to make a sound, just being able to bow on my knees before Him. Gives me chills.

For my Daddy: I just couldn't leave him out. For several different personal reasons, and at different times in my life, these songs make me think of my Dad:

• The Battle Hymn of the Republic
• I Claim The Blood, by the Hemphills
• Oh Lord, It's Hard to be Humble, by Mac Davis
• I'll See You Again, by Carrie Underwood

And finally, for my adult favorite(s). I just could not pick only one song here. I finally narrowed it down to three though.  

• 1) A Thousand Years, by Christina Perry (which              technically falls into the movie category as well since it    was in Twilight) 
• 2) Whiskey Lullaby, by Brad Paisley & Allison Krauss 
• 3) That Summer, by Garth Brooks.

What a fun challenge question. It has brought back so many memories, and I'm singing awesome songs as I type this!