The Poop Deck

pic from Nataliedee.com

I have house guests of the un-invited variety.

They are squatters and they have taken up residence on my deck.

They are pigeons and they squat ALOT!

The deck has been re-named The Poop Deck in their honor. 

I avoid The Poop Deck at all costs. 

The other day I came home from dropping my friend Angie off at the airport (miss ya girlfriend) and found that The Poop Deck had been cleaned off and things were re-arranged. I had also had house guests of the invited variety so I texted each of them to see if they had felt sorry for me and decided to clean up The Poop Deck as a birthday gift. Each of them replied with, "EWWWW NO!!" 

 It was a mystery, how did The Poop Deck get magically cleaned?? The next day a friend came over to pick up something and handed me a business card that had been stuck in my front door. It was for a pest control service, mystery solved...kinda.

I have to admit that it kind of freaks me out that someone was on my deck without my knowledge or any prior notice but that has happened before. My HOA is notorious for sending men to do repairs on my deck with no warning. Last time I was awakened by men on ladders leaning against my bedroom window hammering the siding back in place at 7:00am.

I guess I am happy that it is cleaned off and I didn't have to do it. But the real surprise is on them because the birds are already back. AND, if they think I am paying for pest control services I didn't ask for or authorize, SURPRISE...I am not!

Good Eats...5280 Week 2011

Every year in February Denver has an awesome tradition. It's called 5280 Restaurant Week. It is a week where literally hundreds of restaurants in the Denver metro area create a special dining experience for two at the cost of $52.80 (or just $26.40 for one). Keep in mind that there are dining establishments on the list that normally charge much more than $52.80. Last year a group of friends and I celebrated 5280 week with a trip to Texas deBrazil. I was a first timer and I was amazed at the journey my taste buds were taken on. We laughed and made many a crude joke about "men with meat". I think Michelle's face in this pic says it all. 

This year when 5280 week rolled around we decided that we needed to up the anty a bit and we chose three places to visit. 

My friend Helen was the Hostess with the mostest.

She did all the organizing, created themes for each night and made decorations and favors for everyone.

 Round 1

Our first outing was dubbed, "A Night of Glitz, Glam and Bling" at Elway's in Cherry Creek. We were asked to wear our finest attire and all the glitz glam and bling we could carry off.

Here I am dressed and ready for a fun night. 

 When we arrived we were greeted by a table decorated with feather boas and these cute GG&B boxes at each places setting. Inside were beautiful rhinestone earrings for each guest.

Dinner was scrumptious!

Especially Dessert!

Brownies and Cheesecake lollipops, yummy.

(Insert schweaty chocolate balls jokes here...we did.)

 A great time was had by all (to the envy of the tables around us).

Round 2

Our second outing was a repeat of last year's "Men With Meat" (on skewers). 

This year it fell just before Mardi Gras so we went with the festive Mardi Gras Theme.

 The men with meat did not disappoint.

Some new friends were added to the group.

And Helen even had a slice of King Cake for all of us. Cass was the lucky winner of the baby in her slice.

 

 Fabulous Food and Festive Fun!!!

Round 3 

Our final 5280 week outing was to The Melting Pot of Littleton. It is one of the restaurants that extends its 5280 special well past the official dates. We enjoyed our "It's a wrap" dinner on the March 31st, the last night of their month long special. For me that date was bittersweet. I was excited to go to one of my favorite places with friends,  but the date marked the anniversary of my layoff and an entire year of unemployment. I decided that the only way to properly enjoy the evening was to invite a couple of my friends who were laid off with me, so Mindy and Nora joined the 5280 group. 

We dipped our sorrows in melted cheese, doused them in batter and fried them in oil and finally drizzled them in chocolate. I couldn't think of a better way to make ourselves feel better.

All in all this year's 5280 adventure was a HUGE success. Thanks again Helen for all of your efforts in organizing and planning these fun evenings. 

I may have eaten lots of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and top ramen in order to afford these fun nights, but it was SOOO worth it!

Can't wait for next year.

This is my life...

Wow, hard to believe that this is my first post of 2011! 

Where have I been???

What have I been doing???

Well lets just say that the life of the unemployed is about as exciting as watching paint dry most of the time.  I have been posting fairly regularly on my craft blog but I haven't had much I felt like blogging about in my personal life so this little blog has been sadly neglected. 

This past year has been HARD, really hard. I feel like I am stuck. Like I am driving in a blizzard and can't see the direction I should be going or even the destination I am heading towards. I don't like that feeling. I keep asking myself the same questions.

How did I get here, and where do I go from here?   

What am I supposed to be doing?

When will I see the light at the end of the tunnel? 

I have to have faith. Faith that everything will eventually be ok. Faith that HE has a plan for me even if I can't see it right now. Faith that I can do whatever it takes to get through this. 


Because I don't allow myself to wallow in pity for very long (a little wallowing is healthy...right?) I have to acknowledge the positive things that I have enjoyed during the past year. 




I have had LOTS of time for crafty projects. They have kept my mind and my hands busy. I have spent time during the day with other crafty friends and stayed up until the wee hours of the morning creating. I have had the chance to build my hobby into a small business, not enough to live on but every little bit helps. 

I have read LOTS and LOTS of books! I love reading and I can get lost in a book so easily. I read more than 100 books in 2010. I haven't had that luxury in a very long time and I am really enjoying it. 

I have succumbed to my body clock and my inner night owl. I enjoy staying up until 3:00 or 4:00am reading, crafting or sometimes even cleaning. I also enjoy sleeping in until 10am. When I have to adhere to someone else's schedule I will need some time to adjust, but for now this is how I roll and I am loving it.


I have had the chance to volunteer my time to various projects, friends in need and charities. There is nothing better to raise your spirits than to serve someone else. 

I have enjoyed lots of good times with great friends! More on that in future posts, stay tuned. 


Yes, this is my life and as Kate would say, "It might not be a perfect life but it's my life."

   

Twas The Night Before Christmas...

I will start this post by saying that this is not my original work.

I shamelessly stole this from a friend of mine 

and just as he did I have tweaked it a bit. 

See Steve's version here

  It was originally written by Harvey Ehrlich.

‘Twas The Night Before Christmas And Santa’s A Wreck


‘Twas the night before Christmas and Santa’s a wreck.
How to live in a world that’s politically correct?
His workers no longer would answer to “Elves”
“Vertically challenged” they were calling themselves.
And labor conditions at the North Pole
Were alleged by the union to stifle the soul.


Four reindeer had vanished without much propriety,
Released to the wilds by the Humane Society.
And equal employment had made it quite clear
That Santa had better not use just reindeer.
So Dancer and Donner, Comet and Cupid,
Were replaced by four pigs, and you know that looked stupid.


The runners had been removed from his sleigh;
The ruts were termed dangerous by the E.P.A.
And people had started to call for the cops
When they heard heavy footsteps upon their rooftops.
The people at PETA were all up in arms,
His fur trimmed red suit had caused animals harm


If that wasn’t enough, to add to his woes
Rudolf was suing over unauthorized use of his nose
And had gone on Oprah, in front of the nation
Demanding millions in fair compensation
And as for the gifts, why, he’d never a notion
That making a choice could cause such commotion


Nothing of leather, nothing of fur
Which meant nothing for him. And nothing for her.
Nothing that might be construed to pollute.
Nothing to aim, nothing to shoot
Nothing that clamored or made lots of noise,
Nothing gender specific, for just girls or just boys


No candy or anything bad for the tooth
Nothing that seemed to embellish the truth.
And fairy tales, while not yet forbidden,
Were like Ken and Barbie, better off hidden
No XBox or Wii  that could ruin the eyes,
No iPods, iPads, iPhones, nothing with ‘i’s.


No baseball, no football, where kids could get hurt
Besides, playing sports exposed them to dirt
Dolls were said to be sexist, and should be passé
Computers would just rot your whole brain away.
So Santa just stood there, disheveled, perplexed,
He just could not figure what to do next.


He tried to be merry, tried to be gay,
But you’ve got to be careful with that word today.
His sack was quite empty, limp to the ground,
Nothing acceptable was to be found.
Something special was needed, a gift that he might
Give to all without angering the left or the right.


A gift that would satisfy with no indecision,
Each group of people, every religion,
Every ethnicity, every orientation
Everyone, everywhere…the whole population.
So here is the gift, it’s priced beyond worth,
May you and your loved ones enjoy

Peace On Earth


Whatever your thing at this season so bright

Kwanzaa or Hanukkah the festival of lights

Festivus, Christmas, Solstice, Diwali
We wish you great joy at your winter party
From the Dudleychick ladies, here's our wish to you
Warm winter blessings to you and your crew.

Times are tough...but I do my best!

My dear friends, 

Although it is somewhat embarrassing to admit, since I have been unemployed my Christmas budget is tight this year. I will be making bedroom slippers for you all as gifts. Please let me know your sizes. You'll most likely agree that it's a splendid idea, and should you wish to do the same, I've included the instructions below.

How to make bedroom slippers out of maxi pads:

You need four maxi pads to make a pair. Two of them get laid out flat, for the foot part.

The other two wrap around the toe area to form the top.

Tape or glue each side of the top pieces to the bottom of the foot part.

Decorate the tops with whatever you desire, silk flowers (this is most aesthetically appealing), etc.

These slippers are: 

* Soft and Hygienic

* Non-slip grip strips on the soles

* Built in deodorant feature keeps feet smelling fresh

* No more bending over to mop up spills 

* Disposable and biodegradable 

* Environmentally safe *

Come in three convenient sizes:

(1.) Regular(2.) Light and (3.) Get out the Sand Bags.

I've attached a photo of the first pair I made above so that you can see the nifty slippers for yourself.... Awaiting your response.Please respond with your desired size, and decoration color.

Happy Holidays 

Love ya, LeAnne


No really I just took them to my ward's RS Christmas party white elephant gift exchange.

 

They were a hit and Mary Jo ended up

choosing the box with these beauties inside. 

  She was not the one who ended up taking them home though.

The best gift of the evening was Becky's selection...

Yep, that's right. Of all of the gifts she chose the pregnancy test.

Uhhh, I think we all know the results of that test.

Anyway, fun was had by all.

I love white elephant gift exchanges.

Wanna know what I got? 

I ended up with this

courtesy of the talented Patti Merril.  It was hard to get a picture without the light reflection in the glass but it says LOVE in photos.

S*C*O*R*E!

I had just commented how much I loved this when she posted it on facebook, lucky me!

You might also like:

Catching up.

As I sat in my parents house my mom reminded me that I am still behind on my thankful posts. That was last week and now it is not even November anymore but I wanted to finish.

So here is the rest of my list, again in no particular order. 

#17. Chocolate

Oprah's set made entirely of Godiva chocolate

Here are a few of my theories on my favorite sweet treat. 

SEVEN DAYS WITHOUT CHOCOLATE MAKES ONE WEAK

 

CHOCOLATE IS CHEAPER THAN THERAPY, 

AND YOU DON'T NEED AN APPOINTMENT

THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN A GOOD FRIEND, 

EXCEPT A GOOD FRIEND WITH CHOCOLATE

#18 Weather forecasts that are WRONG

Last week there was a "storm of the century" forecast for Utah, right before Thanksgiving. People were stocking up on groceries and water, buying generators, and schools closed early. College students prepared to face the worst roads in years as they headed over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house for Thanksgiving. My daughter was among them. She loaded her car with essential supplies in case she got stuck in a blizzard. The blizzard that never happened. 

#19  Grocery Stores

While enjoying my Thanksgiving dinner I thought about the early settlers and all of the work they had to do to put on their Thanksgiving feast. I am thankful that all the good food I need (and some of the junk I don't need) is just down the street at my local grocery store.

#20 Sleeping in on Black Friday

 In past years I have been one of those crazy people who go out in the wee hours of the morning to stand in line in freezing temperatures waiting for a great Black Friday deal. Not this year. This year I slept in, went no where near a store of any kind...and really enjoyed it!

#21  My Sewing Machine

I have been sewing for a long time. I got my first sewing machine for my birthday when I was 12 or 13 (I don't remember exactly) but I still have that machine and it still works great, Thanks to my local repair man who told me to forget buying something new, that he would keep my old friend running for me. It has made baby clothes and blankets, pajamas, at least a dozen prom dresses, skirts, curtains, duvets, pillows and other home decor. It is not a fancy machine, just an old Kenmore with lots of miles on it but I love it.

#22 Computers

This was the first computer I ever used. It was a Radio Shack TRS-80 and I took a computer class in middle school. We learned to write programs using If>Then statements that would make a green dash on a black screen do something cool.

We've come a long way since then. Today computers can fit in your pocket

and connect you to the world. I love technology!

#23Tweezers

The older I get the more hairs I find growing out of strange places...nuff said!

#24  Children's Laughter

No matter how bad my day has been or how depressed I may be feeling hearing the sounds of children laughing (especially babies) makes my day.

#25  ATMs

Cash in a box, what could be more convenient?

Well, maybe unlimited funds.

#26 Peanut Butter

 Maybe I am just a kid at heart but I love Peanut Butter. 

A good PB&J is just divine.

Even just on a spoon I love the stuff.

Even better when combined with #17 above.

#27 Good Customer Service

I have worked in customer service for much of my career. It is often a thankless job. People can be very RUDE and unappreciative. That is why when I do get good customer service I try and make a point of letting them know how much I appreciate it. I have recently received great service at Wells Fargo, Dish Network, Chase, and even at Walmart in Grand Junction.

#28 My Faith
I am a Mormon, LDS, Latter Day Saint...whatever you want to call it. 
I am proud of my faith and thankful 
for how it has shaped me into who I am today. 

#29 America

I have always thought Lee Greenwood's song says it best. 

I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me. And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘ Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA

#30 ME

 I am not perfect.

I make mistakes. 

I laugh. 

I cry. 

I love and I am loved. 

I enjoy life.

 So that's my list for this year. I am sure there are things that I am thankful for that I neglected to mention in this list.
I am going to try and be thankful for something every day, 
not just in November because I am truly blessed to be me.

Want something FREE on Black Friday?

This year I opted to sleep in instead of get up early and fight the crowds of crazies for discount deals. It felt good! When I awoke after a few extra hours of sleep I decided to do a little blog surfing.

Imagine my surprise when I found this offer from the creator of my favorite song at the moment.

Mindy Gledhill is giving away a case 

of her new album (that's 30 copies) to one lucky winner!

If you have not had the pleasure of hearing Mindy's music then enjoy this video. The song is Hourglass and it is on her new album Anchor...which she is giving away 30 copies of!

Since I am unemployed this year and my Christmas budget is tight I am hoping I win, so I can give them as gifts this year. Wouldn't that be grand?

She also has some other great deals going on. You can get a whole case of Anchor CD's at the wholesale price of only $6.63 each. That's $199 for the case. 

The retail value of 30 CDs is $509.40, so this is an amazing value. 

She is also doing a 2/$20 special which gets you Anchor and her previous album Feather in The Wind both for $20. Such a deal! 

Click here to check out the deals.

http://bluemorphmusic.mybigcommerce.com/