So...I haven't actively written for this blog in a while. I have another blog (Sarcastic Thoughts on the Late Train) that sees more action, but this side is for my personal stuff.
Here's something big and personal:
My dad died on Tuesday, August 19, 2014.
He wasn't supposed to die, at least not in my opinion. Clearly, God had a different plan than the rest of us. It was completely sudden and unexpected. He wasn't sick. He was extremely healthy, in fact. When he turned 50, he started going to the doctor often. During one of his checkups, they found pre-cancerous cells that could have led to prostate cancer. Instead, he took aggressive action and beat the cancer before it could beat him. This last Christmas, he shared with the entire family that he was 100% clear of any cancer cells, and his doctor told him he was very healthy for a man his age.
So, then what the what?!? How does a healthy man, only 60 years old, just die? The electricity went out in his heart. It's that simple - cardiac arrest. According to the American Heart Association, "Cardiac arrest is caused when the heart's electrical system malfunctions." It is not the same as a heart attack...he didn't have heart disease.
The medical professionals said he didn't suffer. Okay. Fine. But I still am having a very hard time understanding this. I've used a private journal to write out the memories and the feelings, but now I am ready to announce to the blogging world that my dad died. And I am angry about it. I just don't get it. I'm not ready for my dad to gone. I wasn't finished with him.
I'm not ready to share all those other details about the visitation, seeing him for the first time, the funeral, or the other things that have happened since the moment I found out he died...maybe in time.
For now, the world just should know, James "Jim" Harvey Higham, age 60, died at home the afternoon of August 19, 2014. He is survived by his wife, his four children, three children-in-law, and five grandchildren, as well as two sisters, three brothers-in-law, one sister-in-law, two nieces, and one nephew. He is preceded in death by his parents and two grandchildren.
We all miss him greatly.
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Monday, January 3, 2011
MY favorite Christmas Stories
So, I happen to know Santa Claus. He's a pretty cool guy. He's done some amazing things over the years, and I'd like to share some of them with you.
Kindergarten Christmas in Recovery:
This is not as bad as it sounds. The year I was in kindergarten, I had tonsillitis. A lot. So, I had to have the darn things taken out. Before Christmas break. Before the holiday party. In kindergarten. I was bummed! However, in the present exchange, the person who drew my name gave me a coloring book and crayons to have with me in the hospital during my recovery. It was awesome. I know that Santa had a hand in making sure my Christmas was wonderful that year.
Christmas in June:
Santa is around all the time, not just at Christmas. One year for my birthday in June, I had one of the most wonderful Christmas experiences a girl with a summer birthday could have – Christmas dinner in June. In Florida. In a restaurant decorated for Christmas all year long. It was a place called The Paw Paw Tree, and my grandfather Higham made a big to-do about it. I was smiling ear-to-ear the entire meal. We had turkey and ham and stuffing and mashed potatoes and pie and apple cider...it was amazing! Since I almost never spent a Christmas with Grandpa Higham, it was a true blessing. That was Santa’s way of reminding all of us that love of family is important.
Santa knows WHERE you are for Christmas:
Santa can find you if he needs to. One year we were going to be traveling to Ohio to visit my grandparents, and we were worried that Santa wouldn't be able to get us our presents. We wrote him a letter to let him know, and he came through! While we were at Sunday School and Church the day before our trip, Santa dropped off our presents early so we could enjoy our family Christmas.
Similarly, another year, Santa managed to find us AT our grandparents' house. He even managed to put out all the presents under the tree in the living room WHERE WE WERE SLEEPING. Amazing.
Santa sends you what you need, even if it is far away:
I was let go from a job, for the very first time in my life, on December 11, 2007. I had just financed a vehicle and been proposed to in September that year. I was planning a wedding, and a future, with JR, and I had no idea if any of it was going to work out. I was devastated. I talked with my family often during that time, and my kid brother, with whom I have always had (and will always have) a close, special, different relationship than my sisters, said he would drive up on Christmas day with his daughter Courtney so I could be with family at Christmas. I was so touched, and excited, and weepy... It's quite a haul from NW Tennessee to Chicagoland...especially in December. It was late and cold and dark when my brother called to let me know he was close by. I talked him through the winding road back to my apartment, and I ran down the stairs to grab my brother and niece in a big hug. What happened instead is pure Christmas magic. I got to the bottom of the stairs as the truck was pulling up. Instead of my brother in the driver seat, it was my DAD! He had made the trip with my brother because he knew I needed him. That visit made all the difference to me. I cried and cried when they left a few days later, but I had been able to spend some part of my holiday with family - family who love me so much they sacrificed time together to give me a bright day!
How could I not love Christmas with all these wonderful stories? There are so many more, but these are the stories that make my heart sing...
Kindergarten Christmas in Recovery:
This is not as bad as it sounds. The year I was in kindergarten, I had tonsillitis. A lot. So, I had to have the darn things taken out. Before Christmas break. Before the holiday party. In kindergarten. I was bummed! However, in the present exchange, the person who drew my name gave me a coloring book and crayons to have with me in the hospital during my recovery. It was awesome. I know that Santa had a hand in making sure my Christmas was wonderful that year.
Christmas in June:
Santa is around all the time, not just at Christmas. One year for my birthday in June, I had one of the most wonderful Christmas experiences a girl with a summer birthday could have – Christmas dinner in June. In Florida. In a restaurant decorated for Christmas all year long. It was a place called The Paw Paw Tree, and my grandfather Higham made a big to-do about it. I was smiling ear-to-ear the entire meal. We had turkey and ham and stuffing and mashed potatoes and pie and apple cider...it was amazing! Since I almost never spent a Christmas with Grandpa Higham, it was a true blessing. That was Santa’s way of reminding all of us that love of family is important.
Santa knows WHERE you are for Christmas:
Santa can find you if he needs to. One year we were going to be traveling to Ohio to visit my grandparents, and we were worried that Santa wouldn't be able to get us our presents. We wrote him a letter to let him know, and he came through! While we were at Sunday School and Church the day before our trip, Santa dropped off our presents early so we could enjoy our family Christmas.
Similarly, another year, Santa managed to find us AT our grandparents' house. He even managed to put out all the presents under the tree in the living room WHERE WE WERE SLEEPING. Amazing.
Santa sends you what you need, even if it is far away:
I was let go from a job, for the very first time in my life, on December 11, 2007. I had just financed a vehicle and been proposed to in September that year. I was planning a wedding, and a future, with JR, and I had no idea if any of it was going to work out. I was devastated. I talked with my family often during that time, and my kid brother, with whom I have always had (and will always have) a close, special, different relationship than my sisters, said he would drive up on Christmas day with his daughter Courtney so I could be with family at Christmas. I was so touched, and excited, and weepy... It's quite a haul from NW Tennessee to Chicagoland...especially in December. It was late and cold and dark when my brother called to let me know he was close by. I talked him through the winding road back to my apartment, and I ran down the stairs to grab my brother and niece in a big hug. What happened instead is pure Christmas magic. I got to the bottom of the stairs as the truck was pulling up. Instead of my brother in the driver seat, it was my DAD! He had made the trip with my brother because he knew I needed him. That visit made all the difference to me. I cried and cried when they left a few days later, but I had been able to spend some part of my holiday with family - family who love me so much they sacrificed time together to give me a bright day!
How could I not love Christmas with all these wonderful stories? There are so many more, but these are the stories that make my heart sing...
Monday, October 25, 2010
What is so special about October 25?
Evidently, more than I realized...
October 25, 2008: I married my husband JR.
October 25, 2004: I went on my first date with JR.
October 25, 2003: I met my friend Tanya for the first time in Red Bank, New Jersey. I also met Kevin Smith, his wife Jen, Jason Mewes, Brian O'Halloran, and several other ViewAskew peeps...
October 25, 2003: Also the day that JR was Man-of-Honor in his friends' wedding (L & D).
I decided to look up any other importance with the day online, and here is a sampling of what I found:
1400 Author Geoffrey Chaucer died in London.
1764 John Adams marries Abigail Smith.
1854 The Charge of the Light Brigade took place at Balaklava during the Crimean War.
1881Pablo Ruiz Picasso was born.
1939 Nylon stockings go on sale in U.S. for first time.
1962 Author John Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature.
1971 Roy Disney dedicates Walt Disney World.
1982 - The first episode of "Newhart" aired on CBS.
1990 - The 200th episode of "Cheers" aired on NBC.
2001 Microsoft released the Windows XP operating system.
2006 - On the Opra Winfrey show, an interview with Madonna aired.
October 25, 2008: I married my husband JR.
October 25, 2004: I went on my first date with JR.
October 25, 2003: I met my friend Tanya for the first time in Red Bank, New Jersey. I also met Kevin Smith, his wife Jen, Jason Mewes, Brian O'Halloran, and several other ViewAskew peeps...
October 25, 2003: Also the day that JR was Man-of-Honor in his friends' wedding (L & D).
I decided to look up any other importance with the day online, and here is a sampling of what I found:
1400 Author Geoffrey Chaucer died in London.
1764 John Adams marries Abigail Smith.
1854 The Charge of the Light Brigade took place at Balaklava during the Crimean War.
1881
1939 Nylon stockings go on sale in U.S. for first time.
1962 Author John Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature.
1971 Roy Disney dedicates Walt Disney World.
1982 - The first episode of "Newhart" aired on CBS.
1990 - The 200th episode of "Cheers" aired on NBC.
2001 Microsoft released the Windows XP operating system.
2006 - On the Opra Winfrey show, an interview with Madonna aired.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
The Passing of Time
Three years ago today (well, tonight, really), I entered a new phase of my life. My dear (then) boyfriend at the time took me to have dinner at one of our favorite restaurants - Aodake Sushi & Hibachi. I believed we were celebrating the fact that we were meeting some of my family the next day at a half-way point so Mom could hand over her truck to me (I had just purchased it from her).
We had a wonderful dinner, and he was being quite silly...after dinner, we went back to my apartment. With my roommate out for the night, we were simply watching some television. At one point, though, and I can't be sure of the details on how this happened, we were both standing in the entry hall. He was being very shmoopy and loving and letting me know how much he loved me and how happy he was. It went on for several minutes, maybe an hour, and I was blushing and smiling and crying. He finally swung me around and asked, "Do you want to surprise your family tomorrow?" I was very confused, since they KNEW we were meeting them. He dropped to one knee, pulled out the ring that had been in his pocket throughout dinner, and asked me to be his wife. I was shocked, amazed, and bursting with love and tears...after a few moments, I looked him in the eye and said, "YES!"
We did surprise my family the next day, and we all celebrated.
Three years ago, JR proposed. So many things have happened since then, and I am looking forward to what happens next.
We had a wonderful dinner, and he was being quite silly...after dinner, we went back to my apartment. With my roommate out for the night, we were simply watching some television. At one point, though, and I can't be sure of the details on how this happened, we were both standing in the entry hall. He was being very shmoopy and loving and letting me know how much he loved me and how happy he was. It went on for several minutes, maybe an hour, and I was blushing and smiling and crying. He finally swung me around and asked, "Do you want to surprise your family tomorrow?" I was very confused, since they KNEW we were meeting them. He dropped to one knee, pulled out the ring that had been in his pocket throughout dinner, and asked me to be his wife. I was shocked, amazed, and bursting with love and tears...after a few moments, I looked him in the eye and said, "YES!"
We did surprise my family the next day, and we all celebrated.
Three years ago, JR proposed. So many things have happened since then, and I am looking forward to what happens next.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Cake!
So, I don't think it's a big shock that I LOVE cupcakes...and honestly, I am not picky. I am very happy with the 6 yellow cupcakes with butter cream frosting I can get at the grocery store...especially on Friday when they are offered at the reduced price of $2.22. Now, I do prefer if I can get a mixed pack of 3 yellow and 3 chocolate, but I'll still settle for the 6 yellow.
As much as I love eating cupcakes, I love decorating cakes even more. I am by no means a professional, but I have been decorating cakes since I was young, learning tricks and techniques from my grandma and my mom. I decorated a sheet cake to look like a folded western shirt for Father's Day when I was 12. I carved and decorated cake to look like a giant glazed donut in my 20s. I made a birthday cake in the shape of a beer mug for my father-in-law a few years ago. I've even made some, ahem, bachelorette party cakes... I've made countless bunny-face cakes for Easter, and tons of heart-shaped cakes for Valentines' Day (none from shaped molds).
About a year and a half ago, my dear friends Lee Ann and Jeremy were expecting a baby for the first time. While shopping with Lee Ann at one of our favorites stores (JoAnn's), we saw a Wilton Cake Decorating Toolbox (with 101 tools) on sale. And Lee Ann had a coupon. And she really thought I should get it so I could start really getting into cake decorating. Especially since she had a baby shower coming up...I was roped in, and I thank her for that every time I make a great cake.
The first cake I made for public consumption after this purchase was, indeed, the baby shower cake. I had an idea in my head of a bear on blocks and all kinds of fanciness...then I got nervous and decided to go with something a little simpler for my first attempt at using fondant on a cake...
The result was a pacifier cake, and I was very proud of it. I could see every tiny imperfection, of course, but I was still happy. Luckily, my mom had made many, many things out of Candy Melts white chocolate while I was growing up, so the handle was easy enough to do. The round ball was a cake mold and maybe a little more advanced than I should have tried for my first attempt at fondant. Everyone was happy with it, and it tasted good. Score!
I have made a few other cakes in the last year, but nothing too exquisite... until yesterday. I made the birthday cake for our now one-year old Goddaughter - Jeremy and Lee Ann's little girl. Lee Ann told me "ladybug theme." I've been looking at photos of cakes online for the last several months. I found one that fit what I was thinking of doing, and here is what I ended up with.
A ladybug on top of a two-layer cake. Everything was cake, including the ladybug body and head. I started with all white fondant and colored it myself. The green border and grass is butter cream frosting. The smaller flower "smash cake" was covered in butter cream with a fondant ladybug accent.
I am very proud of this cake. I only cringed a little when Lee Ann made the first cut...then, we all enjoyed eating the cake, especially Analee:
As much as I love eating cupcakes, I love decorating cakes even more. I am by no means a professional, but I have been decorating cakes since I was young, learning tricks and techniques from my grandma and my mom. I decorated a sheet cake to look like a folded western shirt for Father's Day when I was 12. I carved and decorated cake to look like a giant glazed donut in my 20s. I made a birthday cake in the shape of a beer mug for my father-in-law a few years ago. I've even made some, ahem, bachelorette party cakes... I've made countless bunny-face cakes for Easter, and tons of heart-shaped cakes for Valentines' Day (none from shaped molds).
About a year and a half ago, my dear friends Lee Ann and Jeremy were expecting a baby for the first time. While shopping with Lee Ann at one of our favorites stores (JoAnn's), we saw a Wilton Cake Decorating Toolbox (with 101 tools) on sale. And Lee Ann had a coupon. And she really thought I should get it so I could start really getting into cake decorating. Especially since she had a baby shower coming up...I was roped in, and I thank her for that every time I make a great cake.
The first cake I made for public consumption after this purchase was, indeed, the baby shower cake. I had an idea in my head of a bear on blocks and all kinds of fanciness...then I got nervous and decided to go with something a little simpler for my first attempt at using fondant on a cake...
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| The base and paci are cake covered in fondant; the paci handle is molded chocolate. |
I have made a few other cakes in the last year, but nothing too exquisite... until yesterday. I made the birthday cake for our now one-year old Goddaughter - Jeremy and Lee Ann's little girl. Lee Ann told me "ladybug theme." I've been looking at photos of cakes online for the last several months. I found one that fit what I was thinking of doing, and here is what I ended up with.
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| Ladybug cake! It's all cake and fondant! |
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| A close up of the topper. |
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| The "smash cake" just for Analee to enjoy (and make into mush and get all over herself. |
A ladybug on top of a two-layer cake. Everything was cake, including the ladybug body and head. I started with all white fondant and colored it myself. The green border and grass is butter cream frosting. The smaller flower "smash cake" was covered in butter cream with a fondant ladybug accent.
I am very proud of this cake. I only cringed a little when Lee Ann made the first cut...then, we all enjoyed eating the cake, especially Analee:
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| Analee elbow-deep in her cake! |
Saturday, September 11, 2010
A Perfect Thank You / A Night of Reflection
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| (Copyrighted Image) |
This, however, was a wonderful surprise. After reading one of my recent blogs and its comments, my husband decided to thank me for taking care of him by treating me to a movie I wanted to see...along with about 50 school-age girls and their mothers. He took me to see Ramona and Beezus.
My heart was overflowing - he had done something wonderful for me, and I felt like it was more than enough to thank me for my taking care of him while he was sick - I feel like that is my responsibility. His appreciation was awesome.
The movie was wonderful. All at once, it made me happy to be a wife, a daughter, a sister, and an aunt.
I am Dorothy Quimby (Ramona's mom) - the wife who tries to hold it all together and be supportive even in tough situations, who loves her family very much and tries to take things in stride.
I am Ramona - the daughter who always felt like she was just a clumsy mess, getting in the way of everything, and believing the rest of the family would be better off without her...I learned, over time, that I was an important part of the family, and we all were better because of each other.
I am Beezus - the oldest sister who had to be a grown-up sometimes while she was still young, the sister who had to put up with the annoyances of younger siblings, but who still loved them with her whole heart and would do anything to ensure their happiness.
I am Aunt Bea - the aunt who lets my nieces know that I believe they each hung the moon, who takes each one on a special outing alone, and who takes them all out together whenever I can. I am the aunt who teaches them the lessons their parents try to teach them by phrasing things the way I know they understand (and they will listen, because I am not their mother).
I laughed and cried and cried and laughed throughout the movie. It brought back the memories of the Ramona books for me, and the memories of my childhood with my younger siblings...
Go see this movie. You will not regret it.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Super Quick Book List
Rules: Don’t take too long to think about it. List fifteen books you’ve read that will always stick with you. (The first fifteen you can recall in no more than fifteen minutes.)
- Moby Dick
- Little Women
- Beowulf
- Little House in the Big Woods
- Bless Me Ultima
- Catcher in the Rye
- Gerald's Game
- Love is Walking Hand in Hand
- Sense and Sensibility
- Jane Eyre
- Moll Flanders
- Great Expectations
- The Gregg Reference Manual
- Heidi
- The Grapes of Wrath
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Pumpkin Season is Upon Us!
It is September, so I declare the beginning of pumpkin season!
I love pumpkins. I mean, I really, really love pumpkins. I am like Bubba with shrimp when I start listing out the pumpkin-related foods I have tried:
pumpkin pie
pumpkin bread
pumpkin muffins
pumpkin pancakes
pumpkin waffles
pumpkin coffee
pumpkin soup
pumpkin cookies
pumpkin cobbler
pumpkin cheesecake
pumpkin ice cream
pumpkin seeds, roasted
pumpkin lasagna
pumpkin spice latte
pumpkin spice hot cocoa
I also love decorating with pumpkins and other fall decor...our wedding had an autumn theme. For the ceremony, the bride's maids wore rich copper dresses, and their bouquets were deep autumn colors. The groom's men had coordinating vests/ties. My dress was ivory with champagne accents, and JR wore a champagne vest and tie. The flower girls (Autumn Fairies) scattered silk fall leaves instead of flower petals. The unity candle holder and taper holders had pumpkins in and around them.
At the reception, we had mini pumpkins and gourds on the tables with silk fall leaves scattered all over. The table numbers were cut-outs of fall leaves in rich autumn colors, and the bud vases that held the numbers were filled with tiny acrylic pumpkins. The place card holders were mini pumpkins. The only thing that was NOT pumpkin- or fall-related was the cake "topper." We had Superman and Wonder Woman figures for that. ;-)
This year I vow to try even more pumpkin-flavored treats...and I vow to remember why it is I love pumpkin so much - my husband and I share a love of pumpkin, a love of autumn, and a love of a lifetime.
Monday, August 23, 2010
The Cupcake Debacle
I love cupcakes. They make me happy. This is something my friend over at "little bitty bites" and I have in common, other than high school...
What happened, you ask? Stryker. Stryker happened.
I've been such a proud puppy mommy for the last week, and then last night - The Cupcake Debacle. Stryker has been so well-behaved that we've given him some privileges over the last week. The first few days, he had the basement to himself. Then, we started leaving him to wander in the house with the doors closed to rooms we didn't want him in. Last night we let Stryker have the run of the house while we went to a concert. He had eaten his dinner, and he had been walked and let out, so we felt safe. I inadvertently left our bedroom door open...that was MY mistake.
On top of completely obliterating my hair pick (luckily, I had two), he had taken the plastic container of my treasured snacks and destroyed it. He ate all the remaining cupcakes, all six wrappers, licked up all traces of butter cream frosting and sprinkles, and shredded the plastic container.
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| I had six beautiful cupcakes just like this. |
I had a wonderful six-pack of yellow cupcakes with butter cream frosting starting on Saturday night. By Sunday afternoon, I had three left. And by Sunday night, I had NONE. ZERO. They were gone. I miss my cupcakes. I'd like to say I am ashamed to have eaten six cupcakes in 24 hours. It's happened. I am a little ashamed to say I ate three cupcakes in 12 hours, and I am sad to say I didn't get the other three...
I've been such a proud puppy mommy for the last week, and then last night - The Cupcake Debacle. Stryker has been so well-behaved that we've given him some privileges over the last week. The first few days, he had the basement to himself. Then, we started leaving him to wander in the house with the doors closed to rooms we didn't want him in. Last night we let Stryker have the run of the house while we went to a concert. He had eaten his dinner, and he had been walked and let out, so we felt safe. I inadvertently left our bedroom door open...that was MY mistake. I own that.
When we finally arrived home from the concert sometime around midnight, all seemed well. Stryker was a little sleepy, but he still met us at the door. I let him out, and we played with him for a bit. I looked around, and everything seemed to be in place. When I went upstairs to the bedroom to change into jammies I turned on the light, pulled out my clothes, spun around to turn on the television, and shrieked, "Ahhhhh! Stryker!" My husband immediately yelled, "What did he do!?!?!?" My response:
"HE. ATE. MY. CUPCAKES.
ALL. OF. THEM."
On top of completely obliterating my hair pick (luckily, I had two), he had taken the plastic container of my treasured snacks and destroyed it. He ate all the remaining cupcakes, all six wrappers, licked up all traces of butter cream frosting and sprinkles, and shredded the plastic container.
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| I wish this was what was left of my cupcakes... |
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| The packaging he ate through. |
So today Stryker will be in the basement, having lost his house-roaming privileges...I will have to be more careful about where I store my precious cupcakes going forward...perhaps I will keep them in the guest room (the door is always closed to that room) so that I can enjoy the cupcakes without worry.
Friday, August 20, 2010
The Great White North
I am now a world traveler, and I could not have said that before Wednesday.
I had a meeting in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada this week, and it was pretty cool. I didn't get to ride the Maid of the Mist, but I could see both the American and the Canadian "Horseshoe" Falls from my hotel window.
My entrance into Canada was humorous. My colleague from our Buffalo, New York, office picked me up at the Buffalo airport and drove me to the hotel in Niagara Falls. He was very gracious to do that, especially since we were in horrible traffic and the line to get into Canada was beyond long. Then, as luck would have it, the border agent at the booth we chose to drive through was having some day - he asked us a ton of questions, and when I told him I was a meeting planner having a meeting from Wednesday night till Friday afternoon, he decided I might need a work visa for that and pulled us over. My colleague, still very patient and wonderful, stood in line with me at immigration for 30 minutes just to tell the agent that I was in town for the a meeting and that I was not selling anything to the attendees. Whew - that was an ordeal, but it makes for an interesting memory for my first trip out of the country!
Most of my time was spent in my hotel room or in the hotel meeting room. The group I was with did have dinner in a wonderful restaurant on the 10th floor of our hotel which overlooked the falls. It was beautiful, and the food was good.
I walked for a while when my meeting was finally over and took some great pictures of the falls. They really are something to see. I also stopped at a wax museum in honor of my parents' honeymoon trip to Niagara Falls, Ontario in 1974. I can still remember the famous photo my dad took of a topless wax figure...he cut off her head - hilarious forever.
I had a way-too-sugary cookie sandwich with butter cream frosting from the Hershey store. I bought souvenirs for my husband and my dog - the standard pen for JR and a rope toy for Stryker with a Canadian NHL plush in the middle. I heard people say "aboot," and "surry," and "eh." The vending area in the hotel was called "pop & ice." The buses are called "people movers."
My colleague picked me up to drive me back to the Buffalo airport - he really is a stand-up guy. Based on our trip into Canada, I was uneasy about our trip out. The lines were not as long, but the agent was just as specific. My colleague let the agent know that he was merely picking me up from the hotel, and I let the agent know that I had been at a business meeting. He asked how we knew each other. My colleague told him we worked for the same company, just different locations. He asked if I sold anything to the attendees. I assured him I had not. He asked if I had made any purchases. I pulled out the rope toy and pens and said, "just these for my husband and dog." He seemed leery, but he let us pass - no trip into immigration that time.
Now I sit in the Buffalo airport waiting to get home to my amazing husband and our wonderful pup.
So, my first trip out of the contiguous 48 states was not that far from "home," but I am still thrilled that I have a passport because of this trip (as does my husband) so we can travel abroad when we are ready...
I had a meeting in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada this week, and it was pretty cool. I didn't get to ride the Maid of the Mist, but I could see both the American and the Canadian "Horseshoe" Falls from my hotel window.
My entrance into Canada was humorous. My colleague from our Buffalo, New York, office picked me up at the Buffalo airport and drove me to the hotel in Niagara Falls. He was very gracious to do that, especially since we were in horrible traffic and the line to get into Canada was beyond long. Then, as luck would have it, the border agent at the booth we chose to drive through was having some day - he asked us a ton of questions, and when I told him I was a meeting planner having a meeting from Wednesday night till Friday afternoon, he decided I might need a work visa for that and pulled us over. My colleague, still very patient and wonderful, stood in line with me at immigration for 30 minutes just to tell the agent that I was in town for the a meeting and that I was not selling anything to the attendees. Whew - that was an ordeal, but it makes for an interesting memory for my first trip out of the country!
Most of my time was spent in my hotel room or in the hotel meeting room. The group I was with did have dinner in a wonderful restaurant on the 10th floor of our hotel which overlooked the falls. It was beautiful, and the food was good.
I walked for a while when my meeting was finally over and took some great pictures of the falls. They really are something to see. I also stopped at a wax museum in honor of my parents' honeymoon trip to Niagara Falls, Ontario in 1974. I can still remember the famous photo my dad took of a topless wax figure...he cut off her head - hilarious forever.
I had a way-too-sugary cookie sandwich with butter cream frosting from the Hershey store. I bought souvenirs for my husband and my dog - the standard pen for JR and a rope toy for Stryker with a Canadian NHL plush in the middle. I heard people say "aboot," and "surry," and "eh." The vending area in the hotel was called "pop & ice." The buses are called "people movers."
My colleague picked me up to drive me back to the Buffalo airport - he really is a stand-up guy. Based on our trip into Canada, I was uneasy about our trip out. The lines were not as long, but the agent was just as specific. My colleague let the agent know that he was merely picking me up from the hotel, and I let the agent know that I had been at a business meeting. He asked how we knew each other. My colleague told him we worked for the same company, just different locations. He asked if I sold anything to the attendees. I assured him I had not. He asked if I had made any purchases. I pulled out the rope toy and pens and said, "just these for my husband and dog." He seemed leery, but he let us pass - no trip into immigration that time.
Now I sit in the Buffalo airport waiting to get home to my amazing husband and our wonderful pup.
So, my first trip out of the contiguous 48 states was not that far from "home," but I am still thrilled that I have a passport because of this trip (as does my husband) so we can travel abroad when we are ready...
Monday, August 16, 2010
Stryker's first night and first morning at home
Stryker is proving to be an amazing dog. He lets us know when he needs to go outside. He does not try to eat our food. He will sit, lay down, and stay in his dog bed. He is so good at fetch with his rope toy. He had a great time playing with us last night in the basement.
My favorite thing, however, was that he spent part of the night sleeping at my feet...it was awesome. My husband takes up the length of the bed with his 6ft 6in frame, but when I curl up, there is plenty of room for Stryker. If I stretched out, he stretched out between JR and me, and rested his head on my shoulder. We love this dog so much already!
Stryker woke me only once in the middle of the night to go out. He rested his head on the bed and whimpered very quietly. I got up and took him out, and he ran right back into the house and up both sets of stairs to the bedroom.
This morning when the alarm went off, he was between JR and me, and his head popped up, very alert. He was ready for a walk! I got up, dressed, and leashed him up, grabbing some plastic bags for the trip, and off we went. We walked for about 45 minutes, and it was great. We got back to the house and played in the yard a little while longer, then we went back inside so I could get ready for work. When I got out of the shower, Stryker was in bed with my husband, and they were adorable! I wish I had the camera handy because as soon as I walked in, Stryker jumped up...
I am looking forward to getting home tonight to play with, walk with, and love on Stryker (and JR, too). This family became even more connected yesterday. I truly believe that having Stryker in our lives will give us the motivation we need to keep moving and get that exercise in every day! No more slouching around for us...we can't possibly spend an entire day without leaving the house anymore.
When I met JR, I knew he was the one. When we went to look at the house we now call our home for the first time, we knew it was the one. When we met Stryker on Saturday, we knew he was the one...
My favorite thing, however, was that he spent part of the night sleeping at my feet...it was awesome. My husband takes up the length of the bed with his 6ft 6in frame, but when I curl up, there is plenty of room for Stryker. If I stretched out, he stretched out between JR and me, and rested his head on my shoulder. We love this dog so much already!
Stryker woke me only once in the middle of the night to go out. He rested his head on the bed and whimpered very quietly. I got up and took him out, and he ran right back into the house and up both sets of stairs to the bedroom.
This morning when the alarm went off, he was between JR and me, and his head popped up, very alert. He was ready for a walk! I got up, dressed, and leashed him up, grabbing some plastic bags for the trip, and off we went. We walked for about 45 minutes, and it was great. We got back to the house and played in the yard a little while longer, then we went back inside so I could get ready for work. When I got out of the shower, Stryker was in bed with my husband, and they were adorable! I wish I had the camera handy because as soon as I walked in, Stryker jumped up...
I am looking forward to getting home tonight to play with, walk with, and love on Stryker (and JR, too). This family became even more connected yesterday. I truly believe that having Stryker in our lives will give us the motivation we need to keep moving and get that exercise in every day! No more slouching around for us...we can't possibly spend an entire day without leaving the house anymore.
When I met JR, I knew he was the one. When we went to look at the house we now call our home for the first time, we knew it was the one. When we met Stryker on Saturday, we knew he was the one...
Sunday, August 15, 2010
A New Addition
The Andersons welcomed a new member to the family today. Stryker (Ted Stryker Anderson). We visited him yesterday at the West Suburban Humane Society and put a hold on him to consider it overnight. I was so excited this morning that I couldn't sit still waiting for the minutes and hours to pass until the shelter was open and we could go see him again! We played with him for about 20 minutes and realized we were just sure - he was going home with us! We went inside to the office and took care of the paperwork.
They brought him out to us, and the whole family jumped in the truck and went to the pet store for a doggie bed, a rope toy (it was his favorite at the shelter, so we got a similar one), food and water dishes, and some other essentials. The shelter provided us with some food and his medicine (he's currently got a bout of upset tummy, but he's well house trained). He's micro chipped, neutered, and vaccinated. We plan on taking him to the vet within the next two weeks to get a thorough check, but he's gorgeous and happy! Take a look:
We have been playing with him most of the day, and we just came home from an awesome 45-minute walk. He is amazing, and we love him already! We are all set to go pick up some more things at the pet store and give this gorgeous Brittany/Collie mix the forever home he's always wanted!
They brought him out to us, and the whole family jumped in the truck and went to the pet store for a doggie bed, a rope toy (it was his favorite at the shelter, so we got a similar one), food and water dishes, and some other essentials. The shelter provided us with some food and his medicine (he's currently got a bout of upset tummy, but he's well house trained). He's micro chipped, neutered, and vaccinated. We plan on taking him to the vet within the next two weeks to get a thorough check, but he's gorgeous and happy! Take a look:
 |
| (Ted) Stryker Anderson |
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
The North Woods
JR's dad's family is from Ingram, Wisconsin, in the North woods. See the tiny red dot? That probably covers up Ingram and all the surrounding towns.
We try to visit at least once a year. We went the weekend of July 4th for the family reunion. It was a blast. We probably doubled the population of Ingram that weekend, which isn't that difficult. The registered population is listed at 76. Yes, seventy-six. We went up again last weekend for "Ingram Days." The town celebration is held the first weekend in August each year and boasts a softball tournament, a sand volleyball tournament, a horseshoe tournament, a pie-and-ice-cream sale, chicken and other food stuffs for sale at the ball park, a parade, and various other activities hosted by the town's four bars. Yes, four bars for 76 people, or one bar for every 19 people.
So, what do we do while we are there besides visit all the bars, have some chicken, watch some sports tournaments, and watch the parade (during which at least one "float" will hand out beer to the bystanders)?
Well, on an average weekend we spend in Ingram, we will head into nearby Glen Flora to eat a fantastic breakfast at Jae Dee's - fluffy pancakes with locally-made, FRESH maple syrup in squeeze bottles! We will also head over to Tee-A-Way Golf outside of Ladysmith for nine holes, and we might stop by West Cove Lanes next door for bowling.
We almost always head into downtown Ladysmith to catch whatever movie they are showing (yes, movie - as in one screen) for $5 each. We once had to wait for the local Little Miss Rusk County pageant to end before we could see the movie. Also, during a long movie (2 + hours), the projectionist (who also sells the tickets and the refreshments) will stop the film at the half-way point and announce that we are taking a 15-minute intermission so we may use the facilities and get refills on our drinks. It's awesome. Last weekend we saw "Despicable Me."
A trip is not complete without a visit to the Ladysmith Dairy Queen, which by the way is open all year. On a girls' weekend to Ingram with JR's sisters and some friends in late January, 2008, we all suited up, warmed up the cars for 30 minutes, and headed into town to have some ice cream - it was 37 degrees BELOW zero. That was good ice cream.
We will usually have a breakfast or a dinner one day out of the weekend at Hilltop Bar and Restaurant. It's across the street from JR's older sister's summer house, the street being Highway 8. We will likely have a dinner at Horseshoe Bar, as well - great fish fries on Fridays. We might grab a burger at Antlers Bar & Tavern for lunch one day, and we like to go to The Bar for karaoke on Saturday nights.
If several family members are in town, we'll have a fire pit at JR's middle sister's summer home roaring into the wee hours while we laugh and talk and sing and act silly all night long. JR also can't miss a ride on the ATVs.
Overall, the weekends we spend in the North woods are relaxing and fun. My mom wonders why I can enjoy myself up there so much when I left the farm back in Tennessee kicking and screaming. I remind her that I still like to come visit home, too - it is very relaxing and fun as well. Then she reminds me that I said I was going to retire to Ingram one day and asks how I could stand that if I didn't want to live in the country in Tennessee. I look her square in the eyes and say, "76 people. Four bars."
We try to visit at least once a year. We went the weekend of July 4th for the family reunion. It was a blast. We probably doubled the population of Ingram that weekend, which isn't that difficult. The registered population is listed at 76. Yes, seventy-six. We went up again last weekend for "Ingram Days." The town celebration is held the first weekend in August each year and boasts a softball tournament, a sand volleyball tournament, a horseshoe tournament, a pie-and-ice-cream sale, chicken and other food stuffs for sale at the ball park, a parade, and various other activities hosted by the town's four bars. Yes, four bars for 76 people, or one bar for every 19 people.
So, what do we do while we are there besides visit all the bars, have some chicken, watch some sports tournaments, and watch the parade (during which at least one "float" will hand out beer to the bystanders)?
Well, on an average weekend we spend in Ingram, we will head into nearby Glen Flora to eat a fantastic breakfast at Jae Dee's - fluffy pancakes with locally-made, FRESH maple syrup in squeeze bottles! We will also head over to Tee-A-Way Golf outside of Ladysmith for nine holes, and we might stop by West Cove Lanes next door for bowling.
We almost always head into downtown Ladysmith to catch whatever movie they are showing (yes, movie - as in one screen) for $5 each. We once had to wait for the local Little Miss Rusk County pageant to end before we could see the movie. Also, during a long movie (2 + hours), the projectionist (who also sells the tickets and the refreshments) will stop the film at the half-way point and announce that we are taking a 15-minute intermission so we may use the facilities and get refills on our drinks. It's awesome. Last weekend we saw "Despicable Me."
A trip is not complete without a visit to the Ladysmith Dairy Queen, which by the way is open all year. On a girls' weekend to Ingram with JR's sisters and some friends in late January, 2008, we all suited up, warmed up the cars for 30 minutes, and headed into town to have some ice cream - it was 37 degrees BELOW zero. That was good ice cream.
We will usually have a breakfast or a dinner one day out of the weekend at Hilltop Bar and Restaurant. It's across the street from JR's older sister's summer house, the street being Highway 8. We will likely have a dinner at Horseshoe Bar, as well - great fish fries on Fridays. We might grab a burger at Antlers Bar & Tavern for lunch one day, and we like to go to The Bar for karaoke on Saturday nights.
If several family members are in town, we'll have a fire pit at JR's middle sister's summer home roaring into the wee hours while we laugh and talk and sing and act silly all night long. JR also can't miss a ride on the ATVs.
Overall, the weekends we spend in the North woods are relaxing and fun. My mom wonders why I can enjoy myself up there so much when I left the farm back in Tennessee kicking and screaming. I remind her that I still like to come visit home, too - it is very relaxing and fun as well. Then she reminds me that I said I was going to retire to Ingram one day and asks how I could stand that if I didn't want to live in the country in Tennessee. I look her square in the eyes and say, "76 people. Four bars."
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Baked Orange Roughy with a Parmesan Sauce Topping
I knew I wanted to make fish, but I wasn't sure what kind. I took the cookbook with me to the grocery store so I could compare fresh-fish availability to recipes...
I came up with Orange Roughy baked with a Parmesan Sauce Topping. Yum yum!
The Parmesan sauce topping was merely light mayo, Worcestershire sauce, grated Parmesan cheese, and some salt & pepper. I coated the fillets with that and baked them until the fish was cooked through.
In the meantime, I made a fresh slaw mix with a light dressing (light mayo, lemon juice, lime juice, olive oil, salt & pepper).
It was delicious! The Parmesan sauce topping was a huge hit, and the slaw was a nice side.
We will be having this again!
I came up with Orange Roughy baked with a Parmesan Sauce Topping. Yum yum!
The Parmesan sauce topping was merely light mayo, Worcestershire sauce, grated Parmesan cheese, and some salt & pepper. I coated the fillets with that and baked them until the fish was cooked through.
In the meantime, I made a fresh slaw mix with a light dressing (light mayo, lemon juice, lime juice, olive oil, salt & pepper).
It was delicious! The Parmesan sauce topping was a huge hit, and the slaw was a nice side.
We will be having this again!
Mediterranean Pasta with Shrimp
So, I forgot to bring my cookbook with me to work on Wednesday...I decided instead to look up some recipes on diabetes.org.
I found Mediterranean Pasta with Shrimp - whole wheat egg noodles, ready-to-use shrimp, thawed chopped spinach, fat-free yogurt, feta cheese, garlic, salt & pepper. Really simple.
I also made a Greek side salad of diced cucumber, diced tomatoes, diced onion, diced bell pepper, grated garlic, yogurt, olive oil, salt & pepper.
Well, this was the first bust. I loved the salad. JR liked the pasta...
It seems the Andersons don't do Greek...
They can't all be winners!
I found Mediterranean Pasta with Shrimp - whole wheat egg noodles, ready-to-use shrimp, thawed chopped spinach, fat-free yogurt, feta cheese, garlic, salt & pepper. Really simple.
I also made a Greek side salad of diced cucumber, diced tomatoes, diced onion, diced bell pepper, grated garlic, yogurt, olive oil, salt & pepper.
Well, this was the first bust. I loved the salad. JR liked the pasta...
It seems the Andersons don't do Greek...
They can't all be winners!
Chicken Paella
After the success of the first meal on Sunday night prepared from the diabetic cookbook, I went through every recipe with my husband so we could determine which things we would definitely like, which things we would try, and which things we should not even think about (like anything with only vegetables in it - he won't eat that).
Monday, I picked out the next recipe to try: Chicken Paella. Proudly I can tell you that I only needed two ingredients from the store - a can of stewed tomatoes and a red bell pepper. The paella was simple - one skillet, chicken breast cut into strips and browned, onion, garlic, low-sodium chicken broth, parsley, rice, stewed tomatoes, bell pepper, frozen peas & carrots, seasonings (including turmeric). It was ready in about 30 minutes.
JR loved it! I loved it! Another win for the recipes!
Monday, I picked out the next recipe to try: Chicken Paella. Proudly I can tell you that I only needed two ingredients from the store - a can of stewed tomatoes and a red bell pepper. The paella was simple - one skillet, chicken breast cut into strips and browned, onion, garlic, low-sodium chicken broth, parsley, rice, stewed tomatoes, bell pepper, frozen peas & carrots, seasonings (including turmeric). It was ready in about 30 minutes.
JR loved it! I loved it! Another win for the recipes!
Salmon in a Garlic Bath
My first try at creating a diabetic-friendly meal came directly from the diabetes cookbook I've been using (credit and picture to come). It sounded so delicious, so we tried it.
Salmon fillets in a baking dish with a "bath" of low-sodium chicken broth, olive oil, minced garlic, dry white wine, and coarsely chopped fresh parsley - baked till the fish is flaky. I positioned the fillets in the baking dish so that they formed a circle with each other.
I made brown rice, peas & carrots, and grilled shrimp skewers as sides.
I plated the meal: 1 fillet each, semi-circle shaped & positioned to match the outline of the plate; a big scoop of brown rice in the "pocket" of the fish; a big scoop of peas and carrots to complete the circle; two shrimp skewers each in an X pattern atop the other items.
Beautiful.
In my husband's best Gordon Ramsey impression, he gave his critique:
"Nice presentation. Tammy - look at this. The fish. It's cooked perfectly. On to the peas & carrots. A little pedestrian, but flavored well. The rice is overcooked. The seasoning on the shrimp is clean and simple. Delicious. Now bugger off."
For a first attempt at cooking a completely diabetic-friendly meal, I was impressed with myself. Whew!
Salmon fillets in a baking dish with a "bath" of low-sodium chicken broth, olive oil, minced garlic, dry white wine, and coarsely chopped fresh parsley - baked till the fish is flaky. I positioned the fillets in the baking dish so that they formed a circle with each other.
I made brown rice, peas & carrots, and grilled shrimp skewers as sides.
I plated the meal: 1 fillet each, semi-circle shaped & positioned to match the outline of the plate; a big scoop of brown rice in the "pocket" of the fish; a big scoop of peas and carrots to complete the circle; two shrimp skewers each in an X pattern atop the other items.
Beautiful.
In my husband's best Gordon Ramsey impression, he gave his critique:
"Nice presentation. Tammy - look at this. The fish. It's cooked perfectly. On to the peas & carrots. A little pedestrian, but flavored well. The rice is overcooked. The seasoning on the shrimp is clean and simple. Delicious. Now bugger off."
For a first attempt at cooking a completely diabetic-friendly meal, I was impressed with myself. Whew!
Monday, August 2, 2010
If You Really Knew Me
I've been watching the MTV show "If You Really Knew Me." Here is part of the description from the Web site:
"Like a reality version of The Breakfast Club, each episode of If You Really Knew Me takes place at a different high school, and follows five students from different cliques as they go through the life-changing experience of Challenge Day, a one-day program that breaks down the walls between cliques, and completely changes the way students view their school and each other. Watch the amazing transformation each week as new students open up for the first time and try to change by revealing who they really are, behind the cliques and the labels. Is it possible to change your life, and maybe even your high school, in one day? These students are going to find out... on If You Really Knew Me."
I've seen the first two episodes, and I am digging it. It makes me nostalgic, it makes me sad, it gives me hope, and it gives me worry.
If something like this had happened in my high school, I am not sure what the outcome would have been. I don't know what clique I would have been assigned to...I called myself a "floater." I could talk to anyone, but at the same time I didn't do a lot of socializing outside of school.
Just for giggles, I thought it would be interested to pose the challenge to you...I'll start.
If you really knew me, you would know that I always thought I was fat in high school. Only after seeing pictures of myself years later did I realize that I was a very healthy size.
If you really knew me, you would know that I always wanted to hang out with people after school and on the weekends but never felt like I belonged.
If you really knew me, you would know that I was excited to go to my ten-year reunion because I was still not married, I had no kids, and I was living 8 hours away...I was excited because I had broken any mold of what people thought I should be.
If you really knew me, you would know that after the ten-year reunion, I felt just as un-cool and un-popular as I did in high school.
What would I really know about you?
"Like a reality version of The Breakfast Club, each episode of If You Really Knew Me takes place at a different high school, and follows five students from different cliques as they go through the life-changing experience of Challenge Day, a one-day program that breaks down the walls between cliques, and completely changes the way students view their school and each other. Watch the amazing transformation each week as new students open up for the first time and try to change by revealing who they really are, behind the cliques and the labels. Is it possible to change your life, and maybe even your high school, in one day? These students are going to find out... on If You Really Knew Me."
I've seen the first two episodes, and I am digging it. It makes me nostalgic, it makes me sad, it gives me hope, and it gives me worry.
If something like this had happened in my high school, I am not sure what the outcome would have been. I don't know what clique I would have been assigned to...I called myself a "floater." I could talk to anyone, but at the same time I didn't do a lot of socializing outside of school.
Just for giggles, I thought it would be interested to pose the challenge to you...I'll start.
If you really knew me, you would know that I always thought I was fat in high school. Only after seeing pictures of myself years later did I realize that I was a very healthy size.
If you really knew me, you would know that I always wanted to hang out with people after school and on the weekends but never felt like I belonged.
If you really knew me, you would know that I was excited to go to my ten-year reunion because I was still not married, I had no kids, and I was living 8 hours away...I was excited because I had broken any mold of what people thought I should be.
If you really knew me, you would know that after the ten-year reunion, I felt just as un-cool and un-popular as I did in high school.
What would I really know about you?
Friday, July 30, 2010
"Free" Time
The company for which I work has some pretty cool benefits for being such a small organization...I get to keep my airline miles (which makes vacations easier); When I am working in the office, I come in at 7:30am and leave at 4:30pm (I can pick back up tomorrow); if I need to leave for something, I have a no-questions-asked personal time off policy (with 10 days of PTO to use in 15 minutes increments); we have lunch-and-learn once a month during which we learn something useful, get a free lunch, and get to leave one hour early; and, my favorite (at least today) - cookouts once a month during the summer! We each brought in a side dish or dessert, the managers bought the main course (today was chicken), and we have a social hour (or two) on a Friday during the summer. Then, we all clean up and the president of the company tells us when we can go home - today it's 2:30pm! Two hours early!
Ah. Free time!
Wait. Is it "free?"
What am I going to do with those two hours? Well, first I am going to drive home. While I am leaving earlier in the afternoon than usual, it is Friday, and there will be people on the road. So, there's about 40-45 minutes. When I arrive home I'll decide to relax, but I'll see the dishes in the drying rack from last night's dinner. I'll put those away, wipe down the counters, wipe down the stove, sweep the floor, realize the rest of the floors need to be swept, remember that the tub needs to be cleaned, etc., etc., etc. until about 4:30pm. Okay - that's still about 90 minutes before I would usually be home. I'll sit down to read. Then I'll remember that I need to go to the library to pick up some book about some vampire and some girl and some werewolf... I'll head out to the library, hunt down the book, think of a few more I remember I want to read, check them out, and get back home by 6:30pm. Just as I would have anyway.
So, that time may not be "free," and I may not have been able to really relax, but I will have accomplished some things that will allow me to sleep in tomorrow!
Woo hoo!
Ah. Free time!
Wait. Is it "free?"
What am I going to do with those two hours? Well, first I am going to drive home. While I am leaving earlier in the afternoon than usual, it is Friday, and there will be people on the road. So, there's about 40-45 minutes. When I arrive home I'll decide to relax, but I'll see the dishes in the drying rack from last night's dinner. I'll put those away, wipe down the counters, wipe down the stove, sweep the floor, realize the rest of the floors need to be swept, remember that the tub needs to be cleaned, etc., etc., etc. until about 4:30pm. Okay - that's still about 90 minutes before I would usually be home. I'll sit down to read. Then I'll remember that I need to go to the library to pick up some book about some vampire and some girl and some werewolf... I'll head out to the library, hunt down the book, think of a few more I remember I want to read, check them out, and get back home by 6:30pm. Just as I would have anyway.
So, that time may not be "free," and I may not have been able to really relax, but I will have accomplished some things that will allow me to sleep in tomorrow!
Woo hoo!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
The Niece Chronicles
I have some ideas for short stories about my nieces...here are the titles and plots, stories to come:
Courtney and the Alligator Whiskers - girl can speak with water creatures and has vivid imagination about all life under water.
The Amazing Growing Rebecca - girl can tug on her ear and grow taller, which is helpful when she needs to get her magic shoes off the top shelf.
Katie Feeds the Fishies - girl provides magical nourishment to all animal life through her smile and warm heart.
Jessica and Lola - a girl and her bunny save the world.
Samantha the Zombie Hunter - awesomely strong-willed, strong-minded, strong-bodied girl takes on zombies and kicks butt.
Amanda at the Speed of Light - 9-year-old Flash-like girl rushes around the world to save puppies from bad families.
Courtney and the Alligator Whiskers - girl can speak with water creatures and has vivid imagination about all life under water.
The Amazing Growing Rebecca - girl can tug on her ear and grow taller, which is helpful when she needs to get her magic shoes off the top shelf.
Katie Feeds the Fishies - girl provides magical nourishment to all animal life through her smile and warm heart.
Jessica and Lola - a girl and her bunny save the world.
Samantha the Zombie Hunter - awesomely strong-willed, strong-minded, strong-bodied girl takes on zombies and kicks butt.
Amanda at the Speed of Light - 9-year-old Flash-like girl rushes around the world to save puppies from bad families.
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