Posts Tagged ‘The Saturn Sky’

Each week I try to come up with something creative and intriguing for Thursday Thirteen and each week I wonder if I’m hitting the mark. While I have a whole list of Thursday Thirteen ideas to choose from, the fact is, I’m not in the mood for any of them. It’s been a difficult day and my nerves are shot, so I’ll keep this short and sweet.

Remember last week when I mentioned that me and my van had some sort of disagreement on the big honkin’ hill?

Well.

While driving home today (at a high rate of speed on the interstate mind you) the van and its gas pedal decided it might be fun to play a trick on this ole’ gal and it got hung up somewhere between 68-70 mph.

Shut Up.

I’ll give you a minute to re-read that sentence to make sure you read it correctly.

Yes. You. Did.

Two words for you.

Scared. Todeath.

The cruise control was set at 70 mph and I had just hung up with McDaddy who was headed home from his second home Pennsylvania where he was been working 3-4 days each week for the better part of 2010 when I tapped the brake to disengage the cruise and change lanes.

Only the cruise did not disengage and the van did not slow down even though my foot was attempting the shove the brake through the floor board.

Within seconds I became keenly aware of every vehicle around me. I assessed how much room I had to get stopped, how close the vehicle behind me was and the fact that ten seconds or so later the van was still not slowing down.

Quickly I ran through my short list of options, which included, throwing it into park, throwing it into neutral, and freaking out. I can tell you that freaking out seemed like the easiest option. Which is exactly what I did shortly after getting into the emergency lane and throwing the gear shift into neutral.

The conversation with McDaddy on my beloved iPhone went something like this.

ME (WITH HEART RACING): Hey, the brakes on the van went out and I’m sitting on the side of the interstate in the emergency lane.

MCDADDY: Did the brakes go all the way to the floor? Is the cruise control still on? Is the van in park? Did the idiot lights come on? Can you drive it at all?

ME: Um, I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know and I don’t want to at all because ITS NOT SAFE AND I MIGHT DIE!

MCDADDY: We’ll its obviously time to trade that thing in on a Jeep.

ME: Um, okay. As long as it runs.

MCDADDY: Keep your foot on the brake and start it up.

The engine ran as if it were still going 70 mph.

MCDADDDY: Keep your foot on the brake and push the gas pedal.

The engine returned to normal and I watched the tachometer (or whatever its called) decrease from 3 to 1.\

It is worth mentioning that a situation such as this would not have been a challenge for McDaddy. He possesses the wherewithall to take charge of emergency situations and make quick decisions. I, on the other hand, require a list, a sharpie, a calendar, and at least a 24-hour notice.

This was seriously one of the scaredest (yes, its a word!) events in my life and no, before you ask, I do not drive a Toyota.

I am happy to report that the van is now tucked safely away in the garage and as is always the case in a situation like this, the thing ran perfectly normal for McDaddy as he brought the hunk of junk thing home.

So, with that being said, I do hope you’ll excuse the fact that I am walking down Random Road tonight.

1. One of my favorite iPhone APPS is Words With Friends. It’s a Scrabble type game and if you are a member of the iCult, er, I mean iClub, you can do a search for JulieWV and we can get a game started. Oh, and if you’re looking for about 72 points, play the word Jeep on the triple letter, triple word spaces. YeeHaw!

2. My heart is heavy for my BFF, Becky and her family, who lost their aunt earlier in the week. Death is so stinkin’ tough. Cancer, you suck!

3. While I really love watching American Idol, I do not have a clear favorite this season. I like Big Mike and I think Crystal Bowersox rocked it out tonight!

4. My McDaddy is the original McDaddy. 

Just sayin.

5. While she would not have been my first choice based on her lack of musical experience, Ellen is doing a pretty good job as Judge #4 on Idol.

6. And speaking of crazy words, I learned a new one today – encopresis.

I’ll give you a second to look that up. Never heard of it before but saw it on the Facebook and did what I do when I’m on the hunt for something. *coughgooglecough*

7. Apolo Ohno will be on Jay Leno tonight. I will have to DVR it because sadly I’ve spent one too many late nights in front of the TiVo watching my boyfriend Apolo Ohno go for the gold, which he looks good in by the way.

Well, he does!

8. Some girlfriends are coming over tonight to decorate my newly remodeled basement walls. I have purchased some really great stuff but have no idea how to make it all work and pull it all together. So, weather permitting, I might have some pictures to show you very soon! (Hi, Susan!)

9. At this very minute, McDaddy is sitting on the couch with his laptop looking at used cars on the internet because that’s what he does at the first hint of a car situation. He’s found a copper colored Mazda 6 that is a six-speed. Oh, and it is a front wheel drive that will “do just as good as your van if not better on the big, honkin’ hill!”

Can you say Saturn Sky?

10. This post is at 1,011 words, so much for short and sweet.

11. My nephew, Isaac Cade is 2 years old today (as of this writing on Wednesday). Happy birthday, buddy!

12. The random isn’t flowing as easy I thought it would. Of course American Idol and Words With Friends are battling with the randomness, but still.

13. More snow today, are you kidding me? Enough already!

I hate to end things on such a cold note, but, that’s just the way the random rolls, I suppose.

Care to share something random today?

For more Wordless Wednesday posts, visit 5 Minutes For Mom.

Welcome to my little corner of the blogosphere. I’m so glad you’ve stopped by. If you are one of my eight loyal blog fans, I appreciate you and hope you learn something about me you don’t already know. If you are new here, I sure welcome you to visit any ole’ time. I just love having company.

For starters, I started blogging in June, 2006 for myself and 200 of my closest friends on mySpace. After deciding that me and this bloggy gig could be a happy couple, I decided to take the bloggy plunge and join the blogosphere. That whole Inmates to Playdates title? Well, let me just say that my title has nothing to do with me finding love in jail. Before hanging up my handcuffs to be a stay-at-home-mom, I was an inmate counselor at a Regional Jail.

I am 36 and I am married to McDaddy who happens to be the most patient man on the planet. He is a control systems genius engineer and also a member of the WV Air National Guard. He was recently deployed for six-months at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba where he diligently protected our butts, our freedoms and whatever else needed protecting . I talk about him often here at Inmates and I so proud to be his wife. Oh, and did I mention he is hot?

I have a seven-year-old son named Stevie. He is a cool kid who loves Lightning McQueen, Monster Trucks and his beloved DS. He is one of the sweetest kids I’ve ever known and I’m not at all just saying that because he is mine. He is thoughtful, polite and loving. (He’s also very smart but I don’t want to sound like one of those mothers).

I also have a four-year-old son named Alex. He has two speeds. Asleep. And wide open. It is comical to watch him in action. He loves to run, jump, climb and bulldoze. He also likes Lightning McQueen, Monster Trucks, Tom & Jerry, and his Leapster. He is sweet, independent and cute as a button.

My boys are the joy of my life and I am thankful for the privilege of being a [stay-at-home] mother. Even though I always thought I would have a daughter, I am thrilled that my boys are the best of friends and wonderful playmates.

As my tagline says, I am a self proclaimed princess who gave up a career in corrections for stay-at-home-mom royalty. I have a truck-load of quirks and I am gifted in the art of conversation. Just ask anybody. I enjoyed my time in jail very much but I enjoy motherhood even more. I love the Saturn Sky, Reality TV, and Dr. Pepper. I am also a Longaberger consultant and scrapbooker.

This blog is like a bag of chex mix. Sometimes you get a boring ole raisin and sometimes you get the M&M. Either way, when enjoyed together, it is a great mix.

I have talked at length about my funeral, watching an embalming and even pap smears. Some days I talk about my sweet boys, my hubby or my Jesus.

Although I realize you have a lot of stops to make, I invite you to nose around and enjoy my daily dose of crazy. Believe me, there is plenty to go around.

It was nice meeting you! I hope to see you soon! Many thanks to Household6 Divafor hosting this party for those of us who couldn’t make it to blissdom.

In a few short days, we will celebrate the lovely holiday associated with heartfelt messages and short, fat arrow bearing cupids. The US Greeting Card Association (Google it!), estimates that nearly one billion valentines are sent throughout the world each year, making Valentine’s Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year – behind Christmas, of course. And surprisingly, statistics show that women purchase approximately 85% of all valentines. Ahem!

I am a big fan of the holidays. All of them. I decorate for July 4th, Christmas, Halloween, Easter and Thanksgiving. I enjoy celebrating and I enjoy purchasing and giving gifts. Actually, I am like a little kid when it comes to giving gifts. When you marry someone who enjoys holidays, you are pretty much signing on for a lifetime of expectation and, well, a proverbial pain in the butt.

I love the whole gift thing and McDaddy pretty much knows that I expect gifts on those special days. That doesn’t mean he has to spend a butt-load of money. It just means that it is important to me that he make an effort.

For those of you who are looking for the perfect gift, this blog is for you. Keep in mind that this is my blog, which means it contains items that would excite me. Your significant other may enjoy other things, but, its a pretty safe bet that something on the list will interest her.

1. Jewelry is always nice. Especially, nice jewelry. There’s something about a gift in a little box that was chosen especially for you. Especially a little blue box from Tiffany & Co.

2. Or any other jewelry for that matter.

3. A massage is a great gift. And, if you’re feeling frisky, you can throw in an extra service, like a facial or a pedicure. And, the good thing about a massage is that YOU can actually give the massage, meaning it will cost you nothing. The massage should however, last longer than five minutes and should not come with any strings attached. (Ahem!)

4. & 5. Shoes and purses are always a safe bet. Nothing makes me happier than a new handbag, or a new pair of shoes. A woman and her purse become close friends. So, if you know her style, surprise her. Pick it out yourself.

6. I suppose if you are the type that loves to cook, this cookware from Rachael Ray would delight you. I like this particular cookware because it’s orange, and because it has nice gripper handles and because, you know, it would look great in my cabinets.

7. Remember earlier in this post I mentioned that the value of the gift is not nearly as important as the effort behind the gift? So, if none of these gifts seem to be within your budget, you may want to try one of these. They are free and they need to be done.

Empty the dishwasher.

Run the vacuum.

Give the kiddos a bath.

Do the laundry.

8.Or buy one of these handy suckers to do the work for her,

9. If the special gal in your life enjoys smelling good, perhaps you might look to Ralph Lauren and his peeps for some sweet smelling awesomeness. I wear Romance daily.

10. And speaking of sweet smelling awesomeness, how about some Yankee Candle Cranberry Chutney. My favorite scent.

11. And, if you, like me are getting older and appliances appeal to you, how about these beauties?

12. The greatest invention of my time is always a great gift choice,

13. And my number one wish? Um, no big surprise here. Its not real practical for a stay-at-mom-with-two-kids, but a girl can wish… and dream. In fact, I spend way more time thinking about this car than I should. I have never been a huge car fan, but, my love for this car has grown into a full blown affair. And, since I really LOVE this little ride, I would be remiss if I didn’t include it on this list.

If all else fails, love your mate, and take her on a date!

Happy “V” Day peeps!

It’s time for another fun edition of Where Did You Come From?  Amused, as always!

Check it out!

1. Willmar, Minnesota arrived from google.com on “One Of Those Dreaded Christmas Letters” by searching for christmas letters that people have written.

• Welcome, Willmar! I’m so glad you stopped by! I hope you enjoyed my past Christmas letters. Yes, I am one of those people who send the annual Christmas letter. Don’t hate me. I do hope you’ll continue to drop in!

2. State College, Pennsylvania arrived from google.com on “Over My Dead Body” by searching for longaberger casket.

• Well, this proves that just maybe I’m not as crazy as I thought. State College, P-A, IF you happen to find a Longaberger basket casket, could you let me know, please? I have made it very clear to McDaddy that IF a Longaberger casket basket is not available, I want to be buried in the very best – a solid mahogany casket. Notice I said solid & mahogany, not pressed & wood. Oh, and if you’re interested, you can read all about my funeral plans, right here.

3. Deltona, Florida arrived from google.com on “God’s Word – From Inmates to Playdates” by searching for god’s promises for inmates.

• Hey Deltona, Florida, guess what? God cares for you and cares about you! Hold tight to His promises, cling to His word, and know that He will meet you where you are! I hope you seek Him during this difficult time in your life! 

4. Gresham, Oregon arrived from google.com on “Wow! That’s weird. – From Inmates to Playdates” by searching for child swallowed tip of plastic fork.

• What’s up, Gresham? I’ve never had a child to swallow the tip of a plastic fork. However. However, I suspect it’s just as crappy searching for the plastic tip of the fork as it is for a penny, which by the way my child swallowed. Ahem! Welcome to the crappy club, sister.

5. Indianapolis, Indiana arrived from bing.com on “Wet T-Shirt Contest” by searching for t-shirt wet contest.

• Seriously, this whole Wet T-shirt contest post has sent me tons of visitors on Google. Indianapolis, I’m sure you were disappointed about MY wet t-shirt post. There were 15 or so of us gals playing a game at a Ladies Retreat attempting to thaw a frozen t-shirt faster than the other team. Yes, as a matter of fact, we do know how to party!

6. Santa Cruz, El Beni arrived from search.yahoo.com on “2009 May” by searching for rotator flight out of gtmo.

• Hello Santa Cruz, I’m so glad you’re here! My hope is that you do not have a loved one deployed at GTMO. However, if you do, you should totally make the trip. Despite all that is happening there, it is a beautiful place. Me and my sweet boys spent a wonderful week there while McDaddy was deployed over there. Good luck to you!!!

7. Sylvan Lake, Alberta arrived from google.ca on “Stupid Cold Sores” by searching for stupid cold sore.

• Hello Sylvan, cold sores suck. Period. Oh, and their stupid, too.

8. Sacramento, California arrived from google.com on “Stupid Cold Sores” by searching for cold sores are stupid.

• Hi Sacramento, Ditto to you on the cold sores. Stupid. Sucky.

9. Ypsilanti, Michigan arrived from google.com on “2009 January 03″ by searching for personalized plates ideas saturn sky.

• Yikes, hey Ypsilanti (sheesh, that’s a tough one!). First, if you happen to work for GM and are searching for a personalized plate for the new Saturn Sky that y’all plan to giveme, please, let me give you some ideas – 1. TOPLESS (ha! sorry, I had to!), 2. My Sky, 3. Gr8Sky, 4. SxySky, 5. Gr8Sky, 6. SeeYa, 7. Blessed, 8. James4 2, or just anything at all you want to put on it would be fine with me! *crossing fingers!*  

10. Mandeville, Louisiana arrived from google.com on “Thursday Thirteen – 13 Vehicles We’ve Owned” by searching for how to bleed brakes for a 1996 toyota camry.

• Mandeville, Louisiana, I’m sorry to say that you probably didn’t find what you were looking for as I know nothing of the bleeding of the brakes. Now McDaddy on the other hand, he could tell you all you need to know about the brakes and the bleeding. Interesting enough though, I loved my 1996 Toyota Camry. It was a great ride.

11. Cincinnati, Ohio arrived from google.com on “Thursday Thirteen – Can “U” Do It?” by searching for What can u do with a spatula.

• Hi Cincinnati! Um, I must admit that I don’t do much with a spatula because I don’t spend any more time than necessary in my kitchen. However, my top uses for a spatula would be scraping mashed potatoes from the bowl or cake mix from the bowl. Unless you are McDaddy who mistakenly calls a turner, a spatula, but don’t hold that against him. He’s a good guy even though he gets a bit confused about kitchen utensils.

12. Syracuse, New York arrived from google.com on “Wet T-Shirt Contest” by searching for 2009 Nap Wet T Shirt Contest.

• Okay, so I have no idea what Nap Wet T Shirt Contest is, but I can tell you that 4-5 per day end up here on my doorstep searching for that very thing. I tried to hook up over at Google, but something told me to turn back, so, Syracuse, if you’re still here, can you fill me in? Please?

13. Costa Mesa, California arrived from google.com on “From Inmates to Playdates” by searching for julie little lowes.

• Hey Costa Mesa, how goes it? I have no idea who Julie Little Lowes is, but I can tell you that there’s not a whole lot of little on this Julie unless you’re talking about my math skills. Oh, and I did go to the Lowes over the weekend.

Happy Thursday, y’all!

For today’s You Capture, Beth challenged us to find love around your home.

This was an easy (and great) challenge because there are so many things in our home that I love! 

I chose thirteen things because, well, it’s Thursday and that’s what I do on Thursdays!

1. My bed – OH. MY. LANDS. I love, love, love my bed! Between the Facebook, the DVR, and the Blog, I don’t spend nearly as much time in it as I would like, but, that’s my own fault. Hear me. I love our bed!

2. McDaddy’s sister and her hubby are photographers. They designed this masterpiece which I totally adore! The verse at the bottom says, “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Romans 12:10″  Love. This.

3. This is my wedding bouquet (which is silk) and it is displayed beautifully in our hallway. I’ve loved this from the minute I picked it up!

4. This little gem is my baby blanket made by my aunt. It’s as old as I am which means its been around awhile. I recently had a friend from church add the satin trim, because the original trim was ripped and fraying. I smile everytime I look at it thinking about how special it is.

5. This quilt hangs from the railing in our loft. It was quilted by my great-grandma. Before I knew anything about quilting, I looked at this as nothing more than a blanket. However. Once, I learned a little bit about quilting and the gigantic amount of work that it is, I looked at this quilt much differently. It is one of the few items in my possession that belonged to my great-grandparents.

6. McDaddy remodeled our bathroom almost single-handedly. Our double bowl sink features these bad boys. I LOVE! these faucets. They are so different from any I’ve ever seen before and I love different. Sometimes I walk into our bathroom just to turn the faucet on.

7. Sweet mercy, where would I be without my beloved TiVo. Until the iPhone walked into my life, I considered the TiVo to be the best invention of my time. I LOVE the convenience the DVR affords.

8. And speaking of the iPhone… genius, pure genius and of course, MUCH LOVE!

9. This is my drug of choice. It is also known as Dr. Pepper. I love it, but I do not love the calories.

10. I LOVE my fellas and my fellas LOVE the Wii.

11. So this sexy, sleek Saturn Sky isn’t necessarily at my house, but I would LOVE for it to be. And since the folks at Saturn did away with the Saturn Sky (boo!) maybe they have an extra one sittin’ on a lot somewhere needing a home.

Look no further.

I would welcome the Sky with open arms and I would LOVE it forever and ever.

Hallelujah. And amen.

12. Now, let’s just pretend for one second that my camera is actually focused.

I love Longaberger baskets. I became a consultant because I collected them. And because McDaddy enjoys the fact that I can now purchase them at a discount. LOVE Longaberger and I love discounts.

13. Did I mention that I love my fellas?

Like I said. Lots of love around our home. I am one blessed gal!

——

This post is linked to You Capture over at I Should Be Folding Laundry.

Dear Santa,

I hope you like you’re cookies and I know that you’re busy and I know that you’re not going to bring me everything I ask for but I don’t care.

Love, Stevie and Alex

PS – Mommy would love it if you would leave a red Saturn Sky under the tree for her, too!

I posted my Thursday Thirteen and was ready to shut the computer down when I remembered that yes, indeed it was Thursday, and yes, indeed it was time for You Capture. I was happy when I remembered this week’s challenge was “Telling A Story With Pictures!”

I have so much to be happy about.

I could sit here on the couch (because my big, blue, bloggy chair is currently in the basement thanks to the 9 foot Christmas tree that, by the way makes me happier than you can know, especially since it rotates again!) all night to write this story, because I am happy and blessed and blessed some more!

Here’s a peek at my tree before I get started. (It’s a feeble attempt at artsy fartsy, I know!)

Having my Christmas tree up makes me nine kinds of happy especially because my sweet boys worked until the work was done making my part of the Christmas decorating go so! much! faster! I appreicated their help and enjoyed watching them examine each ornament as they lifted it from the tote.

My main source of happiness comes from these fellers.

Oh, and I am also VERY HAPPY that we are not dealing with deployment like we were this time last year.

If you’ve spent any time around here at all, you know that this brings an immediate smile to my face!

Sweet Mercy! I love that sexy, little car! And, I would love it even more if it were mine!

This however, is mine! And, it makes me happy.

This is our own personal happy story, right?

I’m just keepin’ it real!

Even though there are dozens of things that make me happy that I could share here, all I really need to be happy is him,

him,

and, of course, him!

They are my happily ever after and lucky for me I get to live it everyday of my life!

———–

This post is linked to the You Capture Carnival over at I Should Be Folding Laundry.

Next Week’s Challenge – Lines

I thought I’d shake things up a bit.

For this week’s Thursday Thirteen, I’m going to find 13 entertaining pictures in my photobucket files and share them with you. I’d like to post all the pictures without commentary, but if you know me IRL (as opposed to URL)  you know that I don’t do anything without commentary.

So, I’ll be as brief as possible. This should be fun!

1. This was taken at an Air Force Base in Florida (McDaddy would remember which one and probably what we drove that day). It was the sight of Alex’s much needed first haircut.

2.  Stevie and Alex doing one of the things they love to do!

3. My last day in jail. The bars clanged for the last time. I’m sure South Central Regional Jail hasn’t been the same since. The fabulosity has left the building. (And you thought that whole ‘inmates’ thing was just a catchy title!)

4.  My very own McDaddyDreamy. Just before Stevie’s birth in 2002.

5. For those of you who miss this gal. This was the original “From Inmates To Playdates” Princess. She’s all grown up now!

6. This next one is a bit quirky. I’m a quirky gal who worked with inmates, so… the fact that I visited the OJ crime scene while visiting family in California just weeks after this horrendous crime should not surprise you. This was the front gate to Nicole Brown Simpson’s place in Brentwood, California.

7. My favorite ride showing off in Chili Pepper Red. The sexy, sleek Saturn Sky.

8. My sweet Stevie – Halloween, 2007 (I think!)

9. This picture was taken before I underwent (is that a word?) Lasik surgery.

Either this computer or photobucket is running v-e-r-y-s-l-o-w…. this is very frustrating! I just logged out of Internet Explorer and clicked on Mozilla Firefox. I’ll see if that helps.

10. This is a picture of some of my favorite people. Meet the McInlaws. McDaddy, me, his siblings and their spouses. The 2 girls beside of me are his sisters and the two fellas on the far right are his brothers. This family makes me happy!

11. I think this next picture is precious! Stevie was the ring bearer in McDaddy’s brother’s wedding. He was a cutie!

12. My sweet boys!

13. And last but not least. Here’s me and McDaddy circa 1993 in Hawaii. Please go easy on the bangs and the glasses.

That’s a wrap.

A very slow wrap, but a wrap none-the-less.

Thanks for stopping by Inmates!

My URL friend and blog designer (as opposed to IRL – in real life) friend, Jo-Lynne has hosted What I Learned This Week for a number of months. She has mentioned that this might be the last week for the carnival. So, I’m not sure about the fate of the What I Learned This Week carnival.

Rest assured though, that I will continue to share all my great learning experiences with you because, well, just because that’s the type of girl I am. And because I say it all the time people, this blog is about so much more than just entertainment.

Now, with that being said, let’s get this thing started.

First, I learned that there are hoards, hoards of people I tell you, doing searches over at Google Ave. that involve embalming. Who knew my embalming post would send so much traffic my way.

Apparently I am not the only one looking to Google for advice about fall porch decorations, either.

Next, I learned that my sweet Stevie must have grown about 412 inches over the summer because all of his pants look like capris. Luckily, my sweet Alex is only about 411 inches behind him and now those same pants fit him perfectly.

Derek Hough just took his shirt off on Dancing With The Stars – alrightythen..

I learned that when a big, fat ring that I’ve tried on at least 372 times is no longer in the showcase at the store, there is a pretty good chance that McDaddy is NOT the one who bought it.

Dang.

Thanks to Dr. Oz, I learned that taking 1,000 units of Vitamin D each day can help fend off the Swine Flu. [Note to self: Get. Vitamin. D.]

I learned that a new faucet can rejuvenate an old sink. Coincidentally, a new, fancy front door can do the same thing for a house.

And with great sadness, I learned that my beloved Saturn Sky will no longer be manufactured after 2010 unless by some miracle, someone, somewhere buys the company. Our dealer, here in Charleston has one lone Saturn Sky on its lot. It looks just like this one.

*Big, frustrating sigh*

That’s it for this week, folks!

——-

If you want to see What I Learned This Week continue, please take a second to visit Jo-Lynneand let her know that you enjoy her What I Learned This Week bloggy carnival.