Love, love, LOVE these candles!  I have told you about them before, but it bears repeating, I think.  The pictured scent is my favorite.  I can light it in my kitchen and it scents the whole house.

 And, the scent lasts all the way through the candle.  I’ve learned recently about how some of the more famous candle makers scent their candles on the top only, so that by the time you get halfway down the candle, the scent is gone.  Not fair, I say!  And, that is why they smell so strongly when you open the lid to smell them.  Now, this little candle…WalMart…around $5.oo…is wonderful.  There are several scents to choose from, but in all honesty, this one lasts the longest.  I have, however, found another one in the collection that I really like, as well, for this time of year.  It is Mulled Cider.  Very nice, cozy, homey scent…perfect for fall.  This is the size I always buy, even though they do come in a larger size with a glass top.  Haven’t tried those…so don’t know how the scent holds up.  I use the Cranberry Mandarin all year long.  And one more good thing…that big sticker on the front…it peels right off  (with no gunk left over) so the candle looks presentable any where you may wish to place it.  (It’s the little things, isn’t it, friends?)

No, Wal Mart did not hire me to sell their candles.  Nor did they pay me to endorse them.  I just think if something is good…and makes you smile…we ought to share that info.  So, that’s what I did.

OK, you’ve got to hurry if you are going to take advantage of this next goody!   This is available for a limited time only…and that’s the truth.  I found this two years ago. And, I learned then that it is only sold during the Fall.  Last year, I never could find it and after some super sleuth work on my part…I learned it is only sold at Wal Mart.  This year, I went early…and there it was!  Pretty as you please…right in the frozen food section of Wal-Mart.

This is wonderful!  Now don’t go thinking that it tastes like frozen pumpkin pie.  It doesn’t.  It is very smooth and creamy…with just a touch of pumpkin flavor.  And, there is graham cracker crust mixed in.  It’s divine!  Really!  Just one thing…this is a pint,  just a little, bitty pint.

I ‘m sorry this is such a bad photo, but…I think you can read it well enough to see that someone who obviously doesn’t enjoy the delight that is scrumptious ice cream, decided that this itty, bitty,little pint holds 4 (FOUR) servings!  Four?  Are you kidding me?  I’ve heard of people who ate the whole pint at one sitting.  I don’t know them personally…but I think that it really could be possible.

No, Wal Mart did not hire me to sell their ice cream.  Nor did they pay me to endorse it.  I just think if something is good…and really, REALLY YUMMY…we ought to share that info.  I did.  And, you can eat as many servings at one time as you want to.  No one is looking.  Really.  Enjoy!

Recently I shared with you a sweet CD I had bought for Levi before we even knew there was going to be a Levi.  And, I’d like to tell you about another one that I found just the other day.  It is by Jewel.  Are you familiar with her?  Well, while I was shopping, I found this and decided to give it a try.  

It is titled Lullaby.  Jewel has a soft soprano voice, and this CD is beautiful.  There are a few classical children’s songs on it, but for the most part, the songs are all original.  I put it on when Levi goes down for his afternoon nap.  And, we both listen.I have found myself humming several of the melodies.  I hesitate to tell you where I got this.  But, I will…you know ‘truth in blogging and all that’.  It is put out by Fisher Price, and I bought it at Wal Mart.  I checked, though, and you can also get it at Barnes and Nobel or Amazon.

No, Wal Mart did not hire me to sell their CD’s.  Nor did they pay me to endorse this one.  I just think if something is good…and soothing and calming…we ought to share that info.  And, so I did.

Friends, I never go to Wal Mart anymore, really.  I have to cross the highway to go there and Target is on this side of the highway.  I went once a few weeks ago for something specific, and obviously my shopping radar was on full blast.  It’s just not a place I go regularly anymore.  Though it’s clear to me they have things that have quite an appeal to me!  Maybe I should just go ahead and cross that highway and visit there more often.  Perhaps when my supply of candles is gone…..or my supply of Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream !

PS

Joy and I are taking Pop back to Birmingham on Wednesday and Thursday to see 2 more doctors about his eyes.  They definitely want to do surgery, but Pop is still not sure.  So, we are going to see the doctor that does the surgery to get some more information.  Then seeing a low vision specialist to see if they have some aids that may help him.  Please say a prayer for us as we travel.  And, as we begin to make decisions to help Pop’s vision.  Also, Alex has had an extremely bad few weeks dealing with his pain.  Even his strongest meds are not helping.  We thank you in advance for praying for our family.

Hope the weather where you are is as nice as it is here.  Enjoy your week!

Where, O where can my little bears be?

O where, O where can they be?

I’ve looked high and low

But they just won’t show,

O where, O where can they be?

O where, O where can my little bears be?

O where, O where can they be?

They all are so dear…

And I had them last year.

O where, O where can they be?

O where, O where can my little bears be?

O where, O where can they be?

I wish they’d come out…

If I found them I’d shout!

O where, O where can they be?

==========================

It’s true…they are nowhere to be found.  And, there are 3 more not pictured.  You would think they would be packed up with al the other fall decor that I get out and pack back up every year.  But, no—–obviously I thought I had a better place to store them than in the correct place.  Why do I continuously sabotage myself?  Oh, well, it’ll be a great surprise when they do turn up.  (Sorta like when I hide my own Easter Eggs)

So, if you happen to see any unaccompaned minor bears…please call 1=800=334=Fnd=Bers..

Here I sit, at my computer tying desperately to learn all the new stuff and and remember it.   I am also afraid that if I do something wrong I will kill this piece of technology and that would be very bad.  And, if I could do something that bad…who knows…maybe I could put a kink into the whole blogiverse!

 And, oh, my friends, if you could help me…if you could even send me scurrying in the right direction, I would be so, so eternally grateful.

So, here’s the problem.  When I was on Blogger, I had all the blogs I correspond with regularly in a reader or something…I don’t know.  But, when you posted a new post, it would let me know.

Now, I am on WordPress.(Someone I love dearly changed me over and said it was ‘for my own good’ and I believed him.  And, he’s probably right.  But, it’s looking like I may be at least 75 years old before I can agree with him.)

So, he helped me get the blogs into a reader.  And, I can access them there.  The problem is…I have nowhere to comment.  I have looked and looked and looked on the page, and there is no comment box any where.  Which sorta negates the idea of having them in a blog reader if I still have to go to the site to comment.

 This is the state I find myself in at the moment.  And, I am very frustrated.   If any of you have any knowledge on the subject and would share with me…I would forever be in your debt.  Plus I will sing your praises from the top of my blog, in living color, even. Because really, this just isn’t the best look for me…

 And, I thank you ever so kindly for your consideration.

I do not enjoy most reality shows.  In fact I hardly ever watch them, unless it is truly a group of talented contestants involved.  I have enjoyed watching So You Think You Can Dance for 8 seasons.  It is amazing (as I’ve attested to you before).  These young people have put years of hard work into their craft.  I always look forward to watching.  And, they are truly judged on merit.  American Idol…not so much.  It seems to have become more of a popularity contest.  I did like the new judges, but the show became more and more risque last year…and quite inappropriate for children…who happen to love it!  Now if I watch at all it is when it gets down to the final 5.  Dancing With the Stars…EHHH…It’s OK.  But, I think they are really stretching it with the ‘stars’ bit.  It is nice to see the ones who truly try and become more skilled each week.

Then all those’ surviving in the jungle’ shows, and the ‘find a boyfriend on national tv and go on to have a meaningful relationship’ and vice versa…are the pits.  And, the losing weight shows, and the ‘getting knocked in the water by big scary looking contraptions’ are quite inane.  And then there is the ‘do this impossible thing in a minute’ show, and the newest one to hit the air, ‘It’s Worth What?’  I watched it once, actually I was in a place where it was on and I couldn’t leave.  If I could have, I would have slapped that television off before anyone could see me.  I tell you this, if I ever have to hear that man say, “It’s worth what?” again in this lifetime…..I will have to have my head examined, cause I’ll have lost my mind!!!!

But, FEAR NOT!  my fellow tv watchers…all is not lost.  There is hope for all of us who appreciate real talent.  There is hope for all of us who appreciate good music.  There is hope for those of us who appreciate the technic and the subtle nuances in a quality musical performance.

Here is what NBC has to say about the show…along with the website you can go to to find out more if you are interested.

Now, if you are not familiar with this type of music, you will be surprised when you hear it for the first time.  It sounds like the music you hear everyday…complete with accompianment.  But, look around…there is no orchestra.  There is no band.  There is no lone pianist or guitarist.  All the sounds of the instruments are made by members of the vocal group.  Believe me, when you hear it the first time, you will not believe there are no instruments.  Last year the winners were a gospel group from Sweet Home Alabama!  They were a group of young, black men and were fabulous!

There are big groups, small groups, college fraternities, groups from the workplace…young and old.  It is just a delight to watch.  Watch it for a few weeks and see if you don’t really enjoy it.  This, to me, is music at its best.  Now, it is a reality show…so there is voting off and leaving the show to have to watch.  But, last year, each group had composed their own ‘farewell’ song…and sang it as they left the stage after being voted off.  Very nicely done.

There is so little quality television now.  It seems every show has gotten to be too filthy to watch…especially in a group.  But, The Sing-Off is totally safe to watch with your whole family…(Unless something changes from the last 2 years…and you never know, in television.)

Shows on Monday night at 8:00/7:00 central, starting September 19.  I’d love to know how you like it.

TV has been saturated with coverage of the 9/11 anniversary for the past few days, but especially today (Sun. 9/11/11).  I have watched some of it and have learned some very interesting things.   I really do not see how the powers that be can find anything else to cover about this tragedy.  There have been shows about every facet of this event…there just can not be anything else that is not known.  But, of course, I know there could be.  It still angers me when I think of what ordinary people had to endure at the hands of these terrorists.  It is inhuman.  And, they will pay.  Nothing is hidden from our Lord.

So, are the big news stories and the deaths of famous people images that stay with us for a lifetime?  Do you remember where you were when you heard about the deaths of Martin Luther King, or President Kennedy, the moon landing or  the Challenger disaster or Princess Diana, or 9/11?  Here are a few of my thoughts and memories of these events.  These were actually the ones I could recall…so I guess these were the only ones that impacted me.

 NOVEMBER  1963

I was 10 years old and in either 3rd or 4th grade at Grandview Elementary School here in Dothan.  This was before much technology was available in the schools, but my Mom had been PTA president and the PTA had bought a TV for each classroom.  In the mornings, we would do a handwriting exercise with a teacher on the AL Public TV station.  But, that was about all we would use it because there were not even VCR’s then.  But, our principal, Mrs. Ruby Cherry, (who just loved my Mom and told her every little thing I ever did) came hurrying into the room and told the teacher to turn the television on right away, and fix it so the children could watch.  But, she didn’t say why.  My teacher did as she was asked, and the news came on about the shooting.  We watched the rest of the day.  The teachers were all undone and had very worried looks on their faces.  I do not think we really understood the importance of what had happened.  I mean, we were only 10.  Do the children who are 10 years old these days have a better grasp of world events?  Do they understand more about the unsettling events that are happening around us?  That was still a time of innocence for us.  But, we watched that TV for days…until he was buried.  And then some.  It was over our heads, really.  I remember my teachers saying, when we would ask to do something else, “Don’t you realize that you are watching HISTORY?   This will be in all the history books, and you can see it happening!”  Mrs. Cherry, the principal,(who just loved my Mom and never let me get away with anything)  said to me, “I am so thankful your Mom and the PTA got us those TV’s!”  And, that made me proud.  Because of Mom, I watched history happening…even if I wasn’t  really thankful until years later.

APRIL 1968

I remember Martin Luther King, Jr. as a man who fought for civil rights.   I lived in the South, and all this racial unrest was happening all around me.  It always made me feel uneasy.  But, at my age, I really did not have a good grasp on what all this really meant.  Perhaps I led a sheltered life in this respect. I knew lots of ‘colored people’, and I thought they were just like me except their skin was darker.  I didn’t know why there was a problem.  We had a wonderful lady who worked for us and Joy and I loved her.  She was an honored guest at my wedding.   I knew about the march in Selma, AL in 1965.  And, I knew Rev. King’s death was very tragic.  He died in a motel room balcony in  Memphis, Tenn., from an assassin’s bullet.  He promoted non-violence, and I remember thinking how sad it was that he was killed in such a violent manner.  I also remember seeing pictures of his wife and family as they mourned his loss.  Even though it all wasn’t clear in my mind, I remember feeling very sad…very sad.

JULY 1969

I do not remember much leading up to this mission, though I am sure there must have been lots of press about it.  My boyfriend, Donald, graduated from high school that year and there was so much going on…you know…prom, baccalaureate, graduation, parties, him leaving for college, etc.  [And, actually, no authority figure in my life told me to sit down and pay attention to the news because I could be watching history.  And, I can for sure say that it was in the history books the next year!]  So…how was I to know? Here’s what I do remember:  I was over at Don’s house, and we were going out to eat.  We were waiting on his mother to iron a shirt for him to wear.  His dad was in the den, and was quite engrossed in the program.  He shouted, “Y’all come in here and watch this.” So, we did.  And, we watched as Neil Armstrong took his first step onto the moon’s surface.  We watched for a little while, and then we saw him put out a flag.

I saw this and remember thinking that this was probably a ‘big deal’…but, our friends were waiting for us, so we had to go.  Oh, well.  Priorities, people!  Come on now, you were probably the same way if you were 16!  But, I had plenty of time to watch it happening again…because they played it over and over and over for days!  I did think of this, I remember….as we walked out to the car to leave his house, we looked up at the moon and it just did not seem possible that real human people could be walking on that same moon!  Then Don took that opportunity to give me a quick kiss and there went that thought!

It wasn’t long before there began to be talk around town that it was all a hoax.  Now, let me be perfectly honest.  I live in the deep South…real deep.  There’s lots of ‘good ole boys’ and (I don’t know how to say this in any other nicer way,) and they know what they know and that’s all they know…or want to know.  God love ’em.  And if they thought it didn’t happen…well…it didn’t. And me or you or the government or the President would not convince them it really did. And they told the ‘good ole girls, and the ‘good ole kids’…and thus, it was written.  Bless their little hearts.  Actually,  it was talked about all over the country, not just around these parts.  I guess that means there are ‘good ole folks’ all over!  God bless us all!

I wasn’t friends with those ‘good ole folks’ and I could read all the information.  And, this little 10th grader, worried about parties, and boyfriends, and cute clothes knew enough to know that it was for real!  Even if she didn’t recognize it as ‘historical’ at the time!

JANUARY 1986

Again with the space travel!  But, this time, I was better able to appreciate the fact that a mere mortal…a school teacher, was going up into space with the astronauts.  Now this captured the attention of the world. Here I thought it took years and years of training and probably tons of math…and now they say they can pick Mrs. Ordinary Teacher and in 8 months, teach her to go into space.  WOW!  I couldn’t even learn geometry in 2 years!!

What smart PR by NASA.  Everyone, even down to the youngest school child,was preparing to watch the launch and then watch Mrs. McAuliff’s lessons from space. School children everywhere were watching at school.  Forty eight percent of all school children were watching the launch!  She had a family…husband and children, siblings and parents.  They were all there to watch.  There was almost a festival atmosphere.  When the whole team came walking out together, and waved, and walked to the craft…there was such an air of excitement.  I remember sitting at home and watching in the hours that led up to the launch.  I saw her parents and family escorted to a seat of honor with the best view available.  And, the countdown began, and the launch began.  And at 73 seconds into the flight…disaster.

I remember seeing the face of McAuliff’s mother and father as they watched the shuttle with their daughter inside.  This was grief fully exposed.  It was horrible.

There were reports and commissions and inquiries and guesses at the reasons this happened.  I just reread the report on Wikipedia, because I had forgotten a lot of the details.  The memories of the explosion and before are still vivid, however.  My boys came in from school as I was watching, eager to tell me what they had seen, as well.  We sat and watched together for a long time.  I told them,” You are watching history unfold.  This will be in your next history books.”  And, it was.

The final reports said that the Challenger should never have taken off in the extreme cold.  The O-rings failed.  But, the major cause, reports said, was the failure of those in charge to properly relay information that was crucial to the safety of the missions.  Human Error!  The reports also said that, at least some, and probably all, of the astronauts, were alive when the cockpit hit the ocean. That was and still is a horrible thing to think about.  The remains of all the astronauts were found in the intact capsule on the ocean floor, and all were buried.  The American flag aboard the flight was also recovered.

The most vivid memories…the crew walking to the ship…the face of McAuliff’s parents…and the words of President Reagan as he said, “We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and ‘slipped the surly bonds of Earth’ to ‘touch the face of God.’

TO BE CONTINUED…..