Sorry...

Sorry to be gone so long. C's brother suffered a medical trauma on Tuesday and passed away Thursday... so I won't be checking in much for the next week.

Jessica, I'm sorry. I will get your package in the mail when things settle and I will have an extra giveaway since I missed one.. once I get back.

Thanks for understanding.

Love Boxes...

New Love Boxes.. in..

THe LoVe BoxES ShoP

Loves Enduring Promise...

A bit sappy, but pretty good.

Input please..

I have been having some difficulty making a final decision on this design for some reason. I guess that I appreciate various stages of simplicity or complexity, or I just don't groove on this one.. still not sure. If you have an opinion, I'd love to hear it.



These boxes will all be found in..
ThE LOve BOXes SHoP
later today..

Giveaway...

Don't forget there is a Giveaway going on down there below all my long windedness... It ends Midnight EST tonight.. so there is still time.

From the Earth to the Moon...

From the Earth to the Moon is one of the most inspiring programs I've ever seen. It takes you from John F. Kennedy's 1961 moon speech at Rice Stadium through the entire efforts of the Apollo program.
Well written and visually stunning, it does more justice to the subject than one could hope. I believe there are 12 hour long episodes. Some are better than others and they are all quite a different take from one another, but I think it's the 10th one that was by far my favorite. Titled, Galileo Was Right, it tells the story of the Apollo 15 Astronauts, who are pilots and must become geologists also to fill the scientific objectives of their mission. They struggle through hours of classroom instruction that holds little interest and appeal to them until Jack Schmitt brings in an old college professor by the name of Lee Silver who is both a world class geologist and a gifted teacher.
Hopefully we all know what a gifted teacher can do for a student. Lee Silver not only takes these pilots and turns them into geologists, but he truly opens another universe for them to see and because of that, they are able to bring the environment of the moon and it's geological story home to earth.
Don't skip ahead to see this one, it's better to see them in order. That's All There IS.. episode #7, is a little PG-13.. just to let you know.

Being a Grouch...

I like good service, but was dissapointed not to receive it recently. This is the complaint letter that C urged me NOT to send.. and I thought it was so good...

Dear ...........,

Looking for the perfect Father's Day gift on June 9th, I was thrilled to see that ........... had From the Earth to the Moon in stock believing that by paying ........... $10 over the Amazon.com price and the additional expedited shipping I would be able to receive it for Father's Day. Sadly, I still have not received it. If you cannot complete delivery by Tuesday, June 24th 5PM local time, I will expect the order to be cancelled and a full refund issued. After all people, the actual trip to the moon & back only took 6 days.

Best Wishes,Tiffany

"The Apollo 11 astronauts were launched July 16th 1969 at 08:32:00 am EST from Kennedy Space Centre. They reached the Moon when they performed a Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOI) manoeuvre July 19th 12:21:50 pm EST. It took them 3 days, 3 hours, 49 minutes... to fly to the Moon. " Wikipedia

Flyboys...

I don't know how I missed this one when it originally came out in 2006? Weird.. because it's right up my ally.

"The film follows the enlistment, training and combat experiences of a group of young Americans who volunteer to become fighter pilots in the Lafayette Escadrille, the 124th air squadron formed by the French in 1916. The squadron consisted entirely of American volunteers who wanted to fly and fight in World War I during the main years of the conflict, 1914-1917, before the United States later joined the war against the Central Powers." Wikipedia

C thought it was OK, but I love planes and found the dog fight scenes fascinating. These pilots, like those we have now, learned to take these machines to the very limits of their capacity. I'm sure that most of it was done with computer animation, but it was amazing to watch.

NM Lovely Iron Bench...

Mom... this is so you... or maybe it's so me.. I can't decide.

Giveaway Friday...

The drawing today is for a Love Boxes Angel Doll

& a favorite book Better Than Beauty: A Guide to Charm

written in 1938

.. and a little flower pin and a few other surprises...

To see more LOVE BOXES...Visit

THe LoVE BoXEs SHoP
Enter your name just once one the comments below and I will draw a name Monday Midnight EST. Spread the word. :)

Congratulations to Jessica of Lost Button Studios!

Good Manners Thursday...

Looking your best. AAAAaah! People who paint all day wear clothes that can be spilled on and not cried over and sadly I have found that once comfortable in these clothes.. they go out... IN PUBLIC! .. much to the dismay of certain of my more fashionable relatives. (Sorry Rob.)
As I was reading in Better Than Beauty: A Guide to Charm this morning in order to find a fun post for Good Manners Thursday.. I had to laugh at the section Accessories Speak Volumes. I wonder, what does my black plastic hair clippy say about me. I seldom remember to wear anything else in the way of an accessory. I even forget to put my wedding ring on much of the time. My Gold Toe ankle socks aren't too fetching, but they sure are comf! Remember, this is from 1938, but still...
"Go to your bureau or dressing table and take out every purse and belt, every scarf and pair of gloves. Go to you closet and take out every hat and every pair of shoes. Look them over, Are they accessories that lift an ordinary costume into the realm of smartness, or are they detractors and hangers-on that do more harm that good?
Don't buy your accessories helter-skelter. 'That's a sweet purse'... 'this belts a bargain'... 'pretty gloves, aren't they?' That's not the way to decide!
When you add up the cost of all the extras that go to make up even a simple costume, you may be staggered by the total. That's why each part should be selected with an eye to its fitness not only for this one ensemble, but for many others, too."
I need serious help in the shopping department. :)
Be sure to come back tomorrow.. A copy of Better Than Beauty: A Guide to Charm will be part of the Friday Giveaway!

Pretty Tree...

I'm sorry about this photo, but I just wanted to show you a tree that I don't have, but covet. This is a Blireiana Plum tree. It has deep red leaves and these beautiful lavender blossoms. It smells like heaven, but not really like anything I can describe.. it's subtle. I think there is a variety of this tree that gets really twisty interesting branches as well. I love this tree.. they are difficult to come by in Utah.. but possible I understand and they do well here.

The Herb Garden...

This is the herb garden. We hope to have it growing in more attractive containers at some point, but right now we are recycling the pots that the trees and shrubs came in from last years plantings. We planted about 10 trees last year, but I am always finding trees that I love and would love to have.. and with the price of fruit lately.. maybe an apple or a pear tree because.. HELLO fruit costs about $1 a piece these days. Maybe I should get a tree and a fruit stand!

Roses and Donuts...

I'm in heaven at home. I never go on vacation in June ever. I wouldn't even consider it. Why would I leave when my roses are blooming. Why? It would be crazy! Yep, here it comes.. Tiffany's yearly rose revelry. You can just skip this post if you are gagging. I love roses!!!
I took these photos this morning. this is a picture of our yellow climber. I love it! You know it has taken awhile for all the roses to get established. It takes about 3 years for them to really start producing, but this yellow has made big strides.. every year being better than the last.
I will have to show you the peace roses and the Abraham Lincolns tomorrow or something. It's been a busy week. Dance week.. little c is high as a kite!

On another subject, have you heard the expression "Wickedness never was happiness.." Well, the other day, I was at the grocery store being profoundly tempted by chocolate cake donuts.. you know I'm trying to eat healthy.. anyway. The donuts found their wile way into the cart and even home, but when I took the white paper pastry sack out of the bag, I found to my horror and dismay that the donuts had been packed under the bananas and the celery and carrots. Yes! Under all the heavy, healthy stuff. Ironic? Well, that just made me mad and I had to eat that donut even though it was smashed flat.. And, you know what, it was still pretty awesome.. so I don't know about that saying after all. :)

Nacho Dinner...

I stole the Nacho dinner idea from Janice. Thanks Janice!

I'm sorry that my photo doesn't look more appetizing because it really was delish. It was one of the more expensive and less healthy and less cheap eats and while it's super easy.. it's not really that fast at least the way I did it.

I browned some diet lean burger with taco seasoning.

I put 1/2 of it sprinkled over the chips (which are Tostitos Multi grain.. my favorite) and I saved the other half for burritos for the next days lunch.

I warmed a full can of Rosarita Vegetarian Refried Beans (no fat)

There is a 4oz can of chopped Jalapeno chilis

A 4 oz can of sliced olives

Two medium diced Tomatoes

Lots of Moteray Jack Cheese grated and a little cheddar

I also make a little guacamole dip. Yum!

Bake at 450 degrees with the broiler on for 3-4 minutes..

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull...

So, I was looking forward to this movie and I'm just very sorry to tell you all not to bother with it. How many years have they taken to put together a decent script and still it's just awful. See #1 and #3 and just skip the rest.
One of my favorite memories as a kid was that my Dad would take us to the Cinadome in Ogden to see Indiana Jones movies on the really, really big screen. I had to hide a lot from the bugs and the other critteries, but it was sooo much fun.. a really big day out. And, we got sodas and popcorn. That's why I was really looking forward to this movie... but it was just mostly so dumb that I don't know what else to say. I don't want to be rude AND a spoiler.

Giveaway Friday.. Blue Heart Box..

This is today's Giveaway Box.. inside it reads, "Above our life, we love a steadfast friend.."

Christopher Marlowe

This is only part of the prize.. there will be a few other surprises as well!

To see more LOVE BOXES...
Visit
THe LoVE BoXEs SHoP

Enter your name just once one the comments below and I will draw a name Monday Midnight EST. Spread the word. :)

Congratulations Robin's Nest!

Good Manners Thursday...

Yes.. I chickened out on Good Manners Thursday yesterday. But, I still want to post something from Happiness for Two, which was one of the best books I read last year. It's a book about marriage and there is a lot in the book about etiquette in marriage. If you haven't read Alexandra's books before, you will enjoy her short essay style. Each chapter is 3-5 pages and she gets right to the point.
A favorite chapter in this book is about being a more interesting person by making the commitment to lifelong learning.
So many of the friends I love are so good at this, I hope it will give you a boost today to know how fabulous you are!
I really think that etiquette and manners, at least to me, is a desire that I have for self-examination and improvement in every aspect of life... to be the best self for self and for others is the ultimate in good manners. I just wanted to explain that so you don't wonder why I don't talk about which fork is appropriate. It's more interesting to me to post here pieces of wisdom.. not ones that I myself am perfect at .. but the things which I am interested in improving myself.. It's here for my benefit and you are invited to read along if you like just so you know that I'm only preaching to me.
Alexandra wrote: "A love of learning is a gift that enriches every day we're alive. Reading quality literature regularly fosters within you a quickening of knowledge and experience... The quality of our reading enhances all of our interaction with others and especially with our love. When you both value being lifelong students, always reaching out to grow more knowledgeable about the world and how to live more successfully in it, you become more interested and therefore more interesting to each other. Both partners raise their appreciation of life's richness and diversity and sustain a mutual joie de vivre. When you stimulate your mind with wise thoughts and universal principles that have withstood the test of time, you're more able to trust your intuition of what is true."
How true is that!

27 Dresses...

I think there are a lot of us that can relate to the people pleasing character of Jane (the perfect name) in this film. I thought this was a cute romantic comedy with a few bits of surprisingly good writing here and there.

The BBQ..

The BBQ was so much fun! My friend Shauna put together these decorations by having us all bring our children's cowgirl/cowboy gear. Then she brought two backs of Hoody's roasted peanuts that we scattered and smashed a little.
Bandannas and sunflowers ...
.. and lots of good food, but by then the people were there, which is when I stopped taking pictures and went to the party myself.