Welcome to another Wonderful Summer Wednesday!

I hope that you are enjoying some Summer fun because we sure are.

The purpose of Wonderful Summer Wednesday is to give you ideas to make your summer a bit more fun and a bit more affordable. If you are a blogger and would like to join me be sure to write your Wonderful Summer Wednesday post and link up through the Mr. Linky at the bottom of this post.

Now, let’s have some bubblicious fun!

Every child that I know loves bubbles. Heck, I still love bubbles. And giant bubbles, that makes it even better. So what better way to spend a summer afternoon than making homemade bubbles…

All you have to do is combine 2 cups of liquid dishwashing detergent, 4 cups of warm water, 7 Tablespoons of glycerin and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Then shape a wire coat hanger into a big circle. I use a small kiddie pool to pour my bubble solution in but any container large enough for you to dip your wand in will work. You then simply dip and blow.

You kids will be thrilled at the large bubbles that they can create and it is so much fun. And affordable.

If you would like to join us by posting your own great affordable summer activity feel free to add it to the linky below:

Hi there! Welcome to my Wonderful Summer Wednesday Series!

I hope that you are ready to enjoy some Summer fun because I sure am.

The purpose of Wonderful Summer Wednesday is to give you ideas to make your summer a bit more fun and a bit more affordable. If you are a blogger and would like to join me be sure to write your Wonderful Summer Wednesday post and link up through the Mr. Linky at the bottom of this post.

The Beach and Pagoda at Fort Mountain

One of our favorite outings during the summer months is to the lake. We have 2 locally, one is Carters Lake and one is atop Fort Mountain. Both have a beach area that attracts locals, both have great picnic areas. And both are tons of fun. Fort Mountain is a state park, Carters Lake is owned by the US Army Corps of Engineers.

Fort Mountain being a State Park offers free admission on Wednesdays making it a super affordable fun day! I am not sure about all State Parks, but I do know that even if they do not offer a free admission day they are still super affordable charging a typical fee of about $4 to park no matter how many people are in your car. And with a picnic lunch, you have a very affordable mini-vacation that isn’t far from home but provides hours of fun.  I know this state park also offer hiking trails, camping spots and many other great opportunities to spend some quality time with your family, I am sure yours does too…it just takes a little checking into.

Tate Tubing in ‘09

Carters Lake is a much larger lake and offers even more opportunities for a great family day (and it is even closer to me, making it our first choice). They have a beach, a marina, some really great picnic areas, hiking and bike riding trails, prime fishing spots, many boat ramps, a visitors center and a really great playground area on top of the dam. You can even rent pavilions for parties and family get-togethers. Ok, so yes, the real reason that we prefer Carter’s is because we can ski and tube..and I get to see some of my best friends since that is where they always go to camp. And, it also is a very affordable way to spend a summer day at $4 per car.

The back-drop ain’t bad either.

Just make sure that you pack some sunscreen and protection for your lips as well. We always carry along Softlips. The wind and sun can be so harsh and I would much rather prevent than have to repair so I make everyone lather up with the sunscreen and paint on some Softlips because it has SPF!

But I hope that you will check out the local parks in your area. I am sure that you will find tons of things to do as a family to provide both a Wonderful Summer Wednesday and some affordable fun for all!

I would love to have you join me every Wednesday in posting fun and affordable activities, events, crafts, recipes, toys and ideas. To join in the fun simply check back each Wednesday and link your Wonderful Summer Wednesday post up in the Mr.Linky! And even if you don’t blog check out what some of these other great families/bloggers are doing, you never know…you just might find some really great things to do with your family.

So i have been super busy with school these past two weeks (hence why the posts have been late, or non-existent). Sorry about that. I attend a Christian university–Lee University in Cleveland, TN. Therefore, we are required to take religion classes. I was reading the post about Tiger Woods and it reminded me of my class the other day. i am in a Christian Ethics class and we were talking about Tiger. My teacher pointed out that no man is better than the next.
This is very true. So often we sit and we talk about the mistakes or “bad things” someone has done. We condemn them for it and we begin to make assumptions or judgments based on the stories we have heard. In my life, I have tried so hard to make very clear to other people that I am no better than the next. In God’s eyes, all sin is equal. Whether it be a lie or a murder, they are both sin. We can not go around and say that “your sin is bigger than my sin.” It doesn’t work that way. Tiger Woods did make a mistake. But who hasn’t?? Really. Everyone has sinned equally and will all be judged in the same way. So think about it… How many times have you talked about what someone else has done and how horrible it is? Probably alot if not every day. You may not even realize it because its so commonplace. It has become a casualty. People have become so socialized and we make it “okay” to talk about others but never look at our own mistakes in the same manner.
Tiger Woods made a mistake. He has a family. But he has admitted to that and it is no one else’s right or business to decide how he should be treated. His job (golf) and his home life are two totally different realms. Until this happened no one within the golf world focused on his personal life. But now all of a sudden it has everything to do with? Negative. He should be left alone to deal with it his way. The situation is between him, his family, and God. No one else. So how will you choose to handle your situations from now on? Will you look at it as a time of growth and strengthening? Or will you ignore them and talk about someone else instead? The answer lies in your hands. Imagine if the next time someone was talking about someone else if you stood up for them. That could make a difference… You do it, then others do it, and so forth. So what is the ethical thing to do?
~Toodles.~

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner people!! Do you have any clue what you are going to get that special hunk or lady?? I think sometimes it is over-rated. However, I still love the holiday. At least when you have someone to spend it with who gets you stuff. HAHA. I still have no clue what I am going to do for my man. Maybe I can con his professional cook grandfather into making us a nice dinner for the two of us this weekend.
Here is some advice for both genders in a way I guess:
Women don’t want practical or necessarily expensive, they want sentiment. Men don’t mind practical at all and if it involves food or one of his hobbies (like sports), all the better.
So true. LOL
But my favorite gift is one that I read about. i thought it was super creative and HILLARIOUS. Listen to what this guy did…..
He sent a package to his friend that he still liked alot and didn’t want her to be with anyone else. Inside were items that were meant to scare off other guys. He sent a razor that he had super glued the blades, so she would have hairy legs. A brush that he had plucked all the bristles out of, so she would have messy hair. Mouth wash that he had replaced with garlic water. An empty deodorant container. Some empty make up containers. And a toy frog to kiss so she would get warts.
HAHAHA I should totally send this to my boyfriend!!!
So anyone, I don’t want to stress about it and you shouldn’t either. In the end, if you have someone, you should show them you care and love them everyday not just one day out of the year. Its still fun to get pampered more on one day though.
Does anyone have any creative gift ideas?? Just comment and let us know!!!
See you guys next week and hope you all have a great V-Day weekend!!!!!
~Toodles!!!~

I’m almost positive everyone has read about at least one of my crazy/amusing mornings driving to school. The vans, the dogs, etc. Well, now I can add one more to the list… birds. Ever heard the expresssion killing 2 birds with one stone. I think I just made this saying even more epic. I killed 4 birds with one car!!
So I’m driving down the road minding my own business. You know how birds just sit in the road when their is roadkill? Well… this is the case for my story. A flock of small gray birds were just huddling in my lane. Usually they fly off before the car actually gets to them. And they did, just as i suspected. I was in the right lane…they flew to the right. And just to clear something up, I think birds are the STUPIDEST creature alive. They run into windows even when you DON”T use Windex. Lol.
So they go to the right and then out of nowhere! they made an immediate u-turn and started flying toward the road! Keep in mind I am going like 60 mph on this little back country road with no one around. The birds, in the U-turn process, are now flying directly in front of my car!!! You would think they would fly up or around or something…anything….to get out of the way. Nope. They are stupid. All of a sudden BOOM BOOMBOOM BOOOOM.!!!!!!.( Side note: I am one of those people who absolutely hates feeling roadkill under my tire. I cringe, I scream, I freak out. It just doesn’t work with me.)
Theeeeenn started the screaming. LOL I freaked out. The birds literally hit my car!! OMG. I seriously about started to cry but at the same time it was kinda funny that the birds just flew into my car and no one was around to witness my mass murder. Tehehe. Anyway, I didn’t see them anywhere after their ridiculous collision with my massive Buick Lacrosse. ( Big to me because I am a small girl. lol) So I got to school and told everyone that sits with me and they thought it was hilarious. But at the time I was very upset about this. Think about it… I just killed FOUR of God’s creatures. And not just any creature.. the only flying animal alive!! How cool is that? And I, Stephanie, just about put them into extinction. Yay me. LOL I was afraid to look at the front of my car afterwords, in fear that a bird might me gruesomely shoved in my grill. Later, I came to the conclusion that if there was it would make the story 10x funnier. Ha! So after school I gained enough courage to look and nothing was there EXCEPT feathers shoved in the groove of my headlights. Ew. I took a picture with my nifty cellular device but unfortunately I can’t put that on here because I don’t know how. Sorry.
Lesson learned: Birds are stupid. Windex doesn’t work. And I still don’t know how to get feathers out of my headlights.
~See you guys next week, and sorry for the slightly late post. Toodles!!~

Everyone in the world should be familiar with MapQuest. If not, then you are living in the dark ages and should crawl back into your cave immediately before technology makes your brain explode into a million pieces.. :] Anyway, I had another one of my random thoughts..
MapQuest should seriously consider starting at Step #5 instead of #1. I am most definitely sure that I know how to get out of my DRIVEWAY! Lol. It’s just that moment when you are reading the directions “ok go southeast north .2 miles and drive. Then take 0.0 miles to the left going northwest. Take sharp right onto 60W/Hwy 330/ AKA THE ROAD NEXT TO YOUR HOUSE.” Then you realize oh, it means take a right out of my driveway and get onto the main road…. Ha!
I think someone should contact the creators of this useful directorial internet source and let them know of this minor problem. OR we could all just start typing in the address for outside of our driveway and go from there. Either way. I think its funny. Maybe I will do that one day. Ok let’s get real, i won’t. Because I have more ways to waste my time and I just don’t care that much. LOL. Well, I will talk to you guys next week!!
~Toodles!~

We all know that cars are a few pennies more than most of us have in our pockets on a daily basis. But, a wise man once said… No matter how much you paid for the car, they all end up looking the same after the wreck. So why do we put soooo much emphasis on a “pretty” car?
Sure, they look cool. We look like we have money if we have a car that’s a nice pretty shiny penny.
Whether you have a beat up Nissan Altima or a Porche, they all get hit the same way, they all drive, and each one gets you from point A to point B.
My little cousin is turning 16 this Saturday and I don’t think I want her on the roads just yet… LOL. She is one of those ditsy blondes who can’t spell selling like I was talking about in a previous Wednesday Wisdom. She went looking for cars with her parents last week and they looked at just about every car you can think of. The Ford Taurus, the Dodge Neon, some trucks, some type of Subaru, and a Mitsubishi Evolution. Of course, her being a 16 year old, she was very picky about what the car LOOKED like. She is SIXTEEN. She shouldn’t be allowed to be picky!! When I was 16 I didn’t get a car. I got it later on and it was given to me. Actually by my wonderful grandparents and aunts who you all love to read so much!! I didn’t get to choose or be picky. When you are 16 you don’t need a fancy, high tech, shiny car. You don’t. You need something that you can LEARN in and experience in. Just in case of course.
So anyway, she goes Saturday to get her license. I think they may have decided on a truck which I am perfectly ok with for her because she is small and the truck is safer. Have any of you experienced a teenage driving experience. Kids, neices, nephew, etc?? Well let’s see some comments and I’ll talk to you guys next week!! Toodles!

Well, Christmas is finally over. Sad day. But its that time of year where everyone sets those highly over-realistic goals for themselves that never seem to get achieved. You’ve gained all the weight from the marvelous Christmas dinners and parties and now it sits on you like flies on a poop log. Ew.

Right now, while you’re still burping up little gaseous reminders of the estimated 78 cheese puffs you consumed on Christmas, is the time to make your New Year’s resolutions.

Why make resolutions? Because you CAN be a better person. I bet you know somebody who seems to be perfect – somebody who always looks terrific; people who manage to devote plenty of time to both family and careers; somebody whose house is spotless, whose children are well-behaved and whose dog does not smell as if it sleeps on a bed of decomposing raccoons.

You wonder how that person “does it all,” don’t you? Well, stop wondering and do something! Start right now! Get up off the sofa, put on some active sportswear, and kill that person with a crowbar!

No, seriously, you need to make some New Year’s resolutions so that you can become a better you – a more-attractive you; an organized you; a you that is … well, less like you.

At this point you are saying: ” I would love nothing better than to be less like myself, but every year I make the same New Year’s resolution, which is that I will lose weight, and currently my thighs are the diameter of the sun.”

Don’t feel bad! Many people have trouble sticking to their resolutions,

So we see that keeping resolutions can be difficult. But you CAN do it, if you follow these practical tips:

1. BE REALISTIC.

Many people give up because they “set their sights too high.” In making a New Year’s resolution, pick a goal that you can reasonably expect to attain, as we see in these examples:

Unrealistic Goal: “In the next month, I will lose 25 pounds.”

Realistic Goal: “Over the next year, taking it an ounce or two at a time, I will gain 25 pounds, and my face will bloat like a military life raft.”

Unrealistic Goal: “I will learn to speak Chinese.”

Realistic Goal: “I will order some Chinese food.”

Unrealistic Goal: “I will read a good book.”

Realistic Goal: “I will examine the outsides of some good books, then waddle over to the part of the bookstore where they sell pastries.”

Unrealistic Goal: “I will do volunteer work for a worthy cause.”

Realistic Goal: “I will give myself a hearty scratching.”

2. THINK POSITIVE.

To succeed, you must believe in yourself. Write this motivational statement in large letters on a piece of paper and tape it someplace where you will see it often, such as on the inside of your eyeglasses:

“I CAN do it, and I WILL do it! Starting next year!”

3. LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES.

Let’s say that, like millions of weight-conscious Americans, you think you eat sensibly: Your diet consists almost exclusively of mineral water and low-calorie, low-fat foods. And yet you’re still gaining weight. Why? I’ll tell you why: You’re drinking water with minerals in it. Minerals are among the heaviest substances in the universe, second only to guests on The Jerry Springer Show. Think about it: The Appalachian mountains and most major appliances are essentially big wads
of minerals, and you’re putting those things into your body. No wonder you’re gaining weight!

TTFN…See ya next week! Steph

Ok ladies (and men)…we have all seen them. Those men who try to look soooo cool in the gym. Well, Friday morning me and my dad went to the gym for an early workout. I have been trying to get back in shape since I stay so active now-a-days. And I wasn’t expecting there to be much activity going on at the gym between 9 and 10 am. Everyone’s at work doing their own thing, right? To my surprise there were actually like 4 to 5 guys in there. And oh boy! Just my luck, I’m the only girl in there. Period. No ladies, no girls, no “women”, no she-men, no buthches…I got nothin!! So I’m pumpin the iron with my 10 lb dumbells ( you know, i prefer to use heavyweight but you can go lightweight if you want….) when this old man decides to tell me that I’m doing MY workout wrong!!!! Hellooooo are you the one over here doing it, you ol’ geezer? No I don’t think so! Leave me alone and let me do MY workout MY way. lol. He proceeds to tell me a better way to do it so I don’t “hurt myself”. Ok dude, whatever. So i just finish and ignore him without saying a word and walk back over there with my dad to try something new. Then there’s this dude over there (a cop at that) who sits on the same freakin’ machine the ENTIRE time… what good does that do!? He kept staring at me pretending to be talking to someone. Psh. yeah ok. Now I’m incapable of doing my own thing AND i’m stupid? LOL wow…gym guys are soooo intelligent, let me tell you. Then he starts back on his machine (which even my dad commented on how stupid that was). And we have all witnessed this if you’ve stepped foot into a gym. Let me just demonstrate as best I can in words, but I know they will not do me justice. ” Oh man, all these mirrors to look at myself in! HHHHUUUUUUHHH. macho! My muscles look sooo BIG and cool in this mirror in front of me. Hold on, let me make a few faces while I’m at it so the ladies will think I’m tough! <ugly struggling faces.>” (definately not what I consider attractive) If I ever see a guy in the gym NOT making faces and watching himself pumping the iron I think I would fall in love. hahaha. So since I’m apparently the helpless pretty girl in the gym I decide to play it up. I get on the squat bar, back up, full stance, FACING THE MIRROR, and go all out. I grunt a little, I hooohuh every once in awhile, and of course, admire my skills in the mirror. What’s a good workout without that??? My dad is laughing because obviously he has caught on to my act and the other guys look at me like WTH is wrong with her? HAHAHAHAHA i just smirk at myself…in the mirror…because if only they knew that’s how stupid they sounded and looked… Anyways, the workout was good and I had loads of fun making fun of them and showing them up while looking sexy in my t-shirt and biker shorts. I should know, I watched myself in the mirror. If any of you have ever experienced anything similar, you should definately comment and share your gym hunk stories. I’ll talk to you all next week!!! Ta-Ta

Soooo….one morning I was eating my cereal and it was pretty average (for all you MLIA fans out there) and for those of you who don’t know what MLIA is, its “My Life Is Average.com” People post random things on there all the time that happen to them. Just average things and usually they are pretty hilarious if I do say so myself. Anyways…eating my cereal. I poured my cereal into the bowl that said my name real cute in the bottom and it has a picture of a clown. Don’t be hatin’. I like that bowl. Got it when I was like 7 but still….it’s a keeper. Anywho… so I’m pouring my cereal. Dooo do do do doooo….. pour the milk….. and BAM! That was one beautiful bowl of cheerios. Then I got to thinking. Hmm…. Milk. I wonder who ever decided “Hey, I wonder who the first person was to look at a cow and say, I think I’ll squeeze those dangly things and drink whatever comes out.” This my friends is a wonderful and disgusting thought to ponder. Sick freaks out there I tell ya. Better watch your back. So then I posted this on my facebook status (because that’s what all the cool kids do and I thought I was pretty clever/funny). My friend brought up the idea of lobster along with this whole milk fiasco. I mean seriously, who saw a lobster and said “you see the huge red cockroach in the ocean? I’m gonna Throw it in hot water and eat its butt”!!! Maybe we should start thinking about these things more often. Anyway, my cereal was delish. I ate it all and drank the milk too (trying not too think too much about the creeper who did this first) which revealed my name and the clown smiling at me again. I guess I made a happy plate like all the cheesy mom’s tell their kids. (…bowl actually in my case. But you get the point). Have a Happy Wednesday and I will catch ya next week. TaTa!