Friday, April 10, 2015

Fun With the A to Z Challenge and More Thankfuls

Weeks that go by quickly are a mixed bag. When time flies by, it's because we're busy, usually in a good way. Sometimes, though, I want to stop the clock, keep my kids on this side of being grown ups. Then I remember them small, how each stage of their lives was better than the ones before, and I realize it's okay that we're moving forward, even when sometimes, it seems to go too quickly.

1. I took the College Boy back to school after having him home for Easter. Love those times with him when it's just the two of us.

2. The A to Z Challenge. I'm having a ball with my Pinterest Challenge theme! So far, I've discovered I can make THE most amazing doughnuts ever, that silicone caulk does not an anti-skid rug make, and wooden skewers can be deadly. 

3. In spite of being stabbed by skewers and nearly bleeding to death, dipping my fingers into the hot oil when I fried the doughnuts, surviving the rug that was supposed to be anti-skid skidding out from under me, and doing a scissors project with three year olds, none of it has seemed to cause any permanent bodily damage....

4. Half price springtime peanut M&M's at Hobby Lobby.

5. My parents brought me my all-weather that I left at the lake house a couple of weeks ago. It's still ugly and I still wish I had a new one, but even an ugly, old all-weather coat is better than NO all-weather coat.

6. Severe storms were predicted again this week, as in Al Roker mentioned Joplin on The Today Show bad. As in Mike Bettes with The Weather Channel CAME TO TOWN in anticipation of severe storms bad. And guess what? No severe storms! Not one rumble of thunder. Not one flash of lightning. Not one tornado warning.

7. Since Facebook was fraught with Mike Bettes sightings, I decided to drive out to the park where The Weather Channel had set up shop. This park is on high ground on the southwest side of town, across the street from the former location of Mercy Hospital, and in the area probably hardest hit by the May 2011 tornado. With no trees anywhere around, there is a very clear view to the west, and if I were tracking storms, it's where I would pick to watch for them, too, I guess. I wanted a picture of their vehicle. Got it!




8. After I snapped a few pictures of the truck and of Mike Bettes talking to the locals who had stopped by to see him (he is quite a celebrity around here, because he was here immediately after the tornado went through and spent a lot of time here afterwards), I tried to get a picture of him standing alone, and he caught me. We chatted for a couple of minutes, then Mike asked me if I wanted a picture with him. I felt really stupid, because I had no intention of such a thing, but I went ahead and handed my phone to a camera man with TWC and got a picture with me looking hideous and windblown and Mike not looking that way.




9. I did a SUPER FUN AWESOME project with my pre-k class today! You'll have to tune in on Monday for "K" day to learn more, but it will probably end up being my favorite Pinterest project for the A to Z Challenge.

10. Lunch with friends. Twice.

That's my week of thankfuls. Count your blessings, count your thankfuls, and link up with us!


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37 comments:

  1. Snazzy weather vehicle!!! FRIST?!?!?

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  2. So glad you're getting a break from the scary weather!

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    1. Me, too! Not expecting any this whole next week - woo hoo!

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  3. I'll be careful with my wooden skewers. :-)
    Have a great weekend.

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  4. Busy is good - no storms is better - meeting a weatherman celebrity is priceless - now I can't wait for K - :)

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    1. No storms is VERY good!
      K was really fun! Hope the post turns out well, too!

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  5. I think this is one of my favorite lists of yours. I have to admit when I saw your picture on your other post with the weather guy I didn't know who the hell he was. but he was cute and despite what you think so were you!

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    1. True story? I didn't really, either. I don't have cable. But once I saw him, I recognized him from when he was here after the tornado. And he is really cute!

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  6. Oww....Dyanne...careful with the skewers! But it sounds like it was a wonderful week!

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  7. K is for????? Kites? A big thankful for no storms in Joplin. You are quite the celebrity hound, what with Biden and now Mike Bettes. I am in awe.

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    1. Way better than kites. And no storms this week is fabulous! Biden was really a coup! I never thought in a million years I would get to be that close to him!

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  8. You really do seem to run in celebrity circles, Missy.
    As for half-price M&Ms...score! Did you know that many M&Ms are made in Topeka?
    May@AchievingClarity

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    1. We only have celebrities come here because half the town blew away. Otherwise, no one would know we were here.
      Is there a factory outlet for the M&Ms?!

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  9. HOW did I miss the doughnuts? RUBBISH! I'll have to go back. I'm glad you're still in one piece, in spite of all your Pinjuries (see what I did there?), and that you're finding ways to make the projects happen. Do you have all the rest planned now?

    YAY to you meeting a celeb, and MEGA YAY to there not being storms, and you being safe. Will it be safe in September?

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    1. Oh, the doughnuts were absolutely divine! And I LOVE your new word - pinjuries! Just wish I hadn't had so many of them! Hoping "P" works out. Have nothing for "Q". Or "U". Or "X" "Y" "Z". Send suggestions!

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    2. Pinjuries! LOL :)
      (yikes and bummer about the celeb photo but yay for better weather!)

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  10. When I saw that photo of you and the weather guy, my first thought was, "Am I supposed to know either of these people?" Then I realized it was a very windblown you! I still had no clue who the guy was. Glad you explained it. :)

    Yay for no storms in Joplin. We were lucky here, too, though I know people farther north were not so lucky.

    It does look like you are having a great time with the challenge this year. Seems a fun theme is exactly what you needed.

    Half-priced peanut M&Ms?? dangit. That's awesome. :)

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    1. It was MY first reaction, too. Especially since I looked so hideous, I didn't even recognize myself!
      Saw the damage in Illinois. While I'm glad it missed us, I'm sorry for those people.
      VERY fun theme. Maybe I will inspire you to join Pinterest!
      Know why I buy the peanut ones? Because my kids don't like them!

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  11. Lunch with friends is always a big thankful. I enjoy my almost weekly breakfasts with my friend, and will sorely miss them come September, when I'll be back at work 30 hours. Yay for meeting a celebrity, and double-yay for o bad weather!! Stay safe, Dyanne!

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    1. Most days, I am done with work at noon (ish), but I don't go out to lunch all that often. This was a banner week! It was a fluke that I actually met the guy from The Weather Channel, and I hope he never has to come back because of the weather!

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  12. no tornadoes…. how good a disappointment is that.

    (for major weather disasters, over here on the east coast we have 'the hurricanes' which are all kinds of deadly and destructive and such, but tornados!! even if I didn't grow up on Wizard of Oz (it was an Easter TV tradition*)… those things are way, way too personal)

    *no, I'm serious. Was on TV around Easter only and we always watched it

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    1. You know what always happens as soon as they blow the sirens? I have to pee. Know what I don't have in the basement? A bathroom.
      I'd forgotten that Wizard of Oz was always shown on Easter! I'm still scared of the flying monkeys

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  13. Time with the college boy is awesome and lunch with good friends is always a good thing :)

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  14. You do know you aren't doomed unless Jim Cantore shows up. Memories of days living in Wichita, Kansas and the CBS station showing the tornado warning logo in the lower right hand corner of the TV. I think, when we had our floods in 2011 in the Binghamton, New York area, it may have been Mike Bettis who showed up and reported on the rise of our river. I'll have to look it up. The roads were closed (and we were otherwise occupied) so I never did get to meet him. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com

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    1. Our family joke (but are we joking?) is if Jim Cantore comes to town, we're packing up the car and getting the hell outta Dodge. They send us Mike Bettes, because he was here after the tornado in 2011 and he has a special connection. I really had no intention of meeting him; I just wanted pictures of his van with the big satellite dish on top and maybe of him doing a weather report. Now, Joe Biden, I TOTALLY meant to get THAT picture, even though I never believed it would happen!

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  15. Some excellent thankfuls in this list - college boy time, M&M's (I love the peanut ones!), having fun with the A-Z write-a-thon, cheating death by impalement (this should always be on the thankful list lol), having your picture taken with a celebrity :) Most important? Tornado/severe weather free.
    Give me a hurricane any day over a twister. Scariest things in the world!
    Maybe it's time for a re-model on the basement....a nice little half bath. I bet you, you do that and you won't have a tornado pass through for a long time! Always, those proactive, be prepared just in case things like buying a generator AFTER the hurricanes and then no hurricanes! (that's my story - FL 2004 and I'm stickin' to it!)

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    1. College boy time is always good. Almost always good :)
      I eat the peanut ones because my kids don't like them (college boy allergic), so I get them all to myself.
      Lizzi coined a new word for all the times I've cheated death on this A to Z Challenge: pinjuries. Cool, huh?
      I've never been in a hurricane, but I've been in several earthquakes, including the Northridge quake in 1994. Not sure what my natural disaster of choice would be.
      I contemplated using the litter box if I couldn't hold it any longer, but we got the all clear in the nick of time!

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  16. I know! I know! Next year's challenge: famous people with whom you have taken photos!

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  17. We used to live in southern Virginia and when Mike Cantore from The Weather Channel came to town it was inevitable that a hurricane was on it's way. Isn't it fun when TWC personalities come to town!? Glad that your town was spared any ferocious weather. I can't wait to read about your K project!

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    1. I don't like to be a bad example, weather-wise. I hope TWC stays away for the rest of the spring!
      "K" is AWESOME!

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  18. Goodness, making doughnuts sounds dangerous. Makes me feel thankful I don't like them!
    And good for you doing the A to Z challenge.

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    1. It's only dangerous if you don't let go of the doughnut soon enough when you drop them into the oil :) I'm glad they are a huge ordeal to make, because I LURRRRRVE them and would make them every day if they were easy!

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