BOO!

Hello All!

WOW-It has been almost 2 years since I have posted here. I finally figured out how to log back in-lol! I am usually on Facebook. Oh WAIT-we have a new puppy-he will be a year old July 8th. He is a Jack Rascal Terrorist…I mean a Jack Russell. Oh WAIT-I am also getting married July 21st-we are getting married in Cancun, Mexico. I just thought I would drop by and say HI—HI!

Toodles,

Mere

Trying To Get out of the Black Hole-School

Hello all!

So sorry I haven’t been here! I have been so busy and fighting the blues too. My computer crashed for a few weeks-the desktop. My laptop magically is connected now. Like Dennis said-maybe I will be back next summer-lol-but I only get two months off. I am off of work today-took the day off. I am flying with my Dad this evening. We are going to Austin to see my younger brother and his wife. Cousin M is back in Cincinnati and has been there for two weeks. He will probably be there another week or less-WE HOPE! Thank you all that continue to keep up with the updates and post messages! I have also been a LOT sad these last few weeks. I miss my Patch so much. It does get easier and thet it gets harder. I am considering deleting my account at Mercedes Rocks. It is just too much work now. I have also joined Facebook and I am addicted to it right now-I have connected with so many friends from school. ..and here-lol. It also has so many fun games-I can’t get off of it-lol! I know I am rambling from one subject to the next, but I just had to update you to let you know that I am here and alive. I also need to be packing for my trip, but I am procrastinating as usual. I miss you all!!! (((HUGS))) Mere

p.s. My Google Reader is so full! Please let me know if I have missed anything of importance (important news-sickness-happenings) with you all. I just don’t think I can handle reading everything right now.

Blogoversary

Hello All!

I have been out of touch lately-so busy with switching to 5th grade and just the beginning of the year in general.  I get home late and sometimes continue to work or just crash. We have mid-term reports going out today, so I have been finishing up with averaging out grades-this is a new concept to me…coming from Kindergarten.

My trip to Cincinnati was great. My aunt has a Garmin (GPS system) and it directed us to where we needed to go. That Garmin is awesome. I want one real soon. We had a great visit! Thank goodness M was out of ICU and he was coherent to us being there. He came back home to TN last night-woohoo!

Today is my one year blogoversary. I can’t believe I have been here for a year! I really have made some great friends this last year. Love you all! (((HUGS)))

Mad with barklove!

WOOF!

Mere

Posted by Mercedes at Mercedes’ World at https://mercedesrules.wordpress.com and only for Mercedes’ World

Going to Cincinnati

Hello All!

I have been so busy with school and with worrying, praying, and thinking about my cousin, M. I still can’t get my Google Reader cleared-lol. I haven’t even been posting for my memes or visiting particpants-aahhhhh!

I want to thank you all for you continued support and prayers for my cousin, M. Betty, a fellow blogging buddy, asked me how I was holding up. Whew-it is hard, especially trying to maintain at school too.

My aunt and I just decided that we would take a rode trip to Cincinnati to be with our family during this trying time. M is still in ICU at this moment. It is about a six hour drive from where we live. Thank goodness we decided to leave in the morning instead of right after I get out of school today. I would so not have been able to get it all together-hehe. We will be leaving early Saturday morning and return sometime Sunday evening. I am nervous, because I will be assisting with driving her truck. I get really nervous driving interstates. She is so fun to talk to. I am sure after we get on the road and start talking that I won’t be as nervous.

We are planning on surprising them-so please don’t mention it to M and his family…unless they post about it. I believe I will call M’s dad when we are closer to them and let him know. We will ask him not to tell Lo, so we can surprise her.

Thanks again for your support. I also want to thank my friends that have visited M’s site and/or have been leaving comments. It means so much to them and to me.

I am going to ask my dear friend, Gina, to check in at Mercedes Rocks to fish out any participants from spam. I will let you know how everything goes when I return.

Here is M’s link, for those that haven’t seen it yet. I am so glad they started this website-it is wonderful to have that place for updates and a place to send our love. Just a reminder: They know me as Mere (not Mercedes-lol).

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/matthopper/

Posted by Mercedes at Mercedes’ World at https://mercedesrules.wordpress.com and only for Mercedes’ World

M has surgery again today

M has surgery again at 1:00 p.m. today. Things didn’t go as we had hoped, but M is stable and alive! That is the most important thing. He has surgery again-today. Feel free to read his journal with all of the updates and check out his guestbook. Prayers are coming from all over the country. Thank you all for you continuous support and thanks again to those that have signed his guestbook! Just a reminder: If you do sign the guestbook~they know me as Mere. More prayers needed today!

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/matthopper/

Posted by Mercedes at Mercedes’ World at https://mercedesrules.wordpress.com and only for Mercedes’ World

Lawyers

Hump Day Humor is hosted by Mercedes at Mercedes Rocks!

Theme: Lawyers

I am not really in a humorous mood right now-so this isn’t really a humorous post, but I just received an email from my SIL and she is a lawyer (along with my brother)-how appropriate. Anywho-she was randomly chosen out of some 80,000 Texas layers to be on the State Bar of Texas website. Just click on the link below and scroll down and she is at the bottom. Her name is Sylvia. Come on back and let me know what you think.

http://www.texasbar.com/

Posted by Mercedes at Mercedes’ World at https://mercedesrules.wordpress.com and only for Mercedes’ World

M’s Website

For those that don’t know what I am talking about-please read here. I just received an email from my uncle, J. They have created a website for updates and communication while they are in Cincinnati, Oh for the next 2-3 weeks. Feel free to check it out. Just a reminder: They DO NOT know me as Mercedes-they call me by my nickname too-Mere. Here is the site: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/matthopper

Posted by Mercedes at Mercedes’ World at https://mercedesrules.wordpress.com and only for Mercedes’ World

More Prayers Needed

Prayer request needed:
More prayers needed for M! My cousin, M-20 years old, has been battling renal cell carcinoma for 6 years! He has his eighth (I think) major surgery on Monday. He is at the Children’s Hospital in Cincinnati, OH. It is a 12-14 hour surgery and they will be attempting to remove 3 tumors-one the size of a football. They might have to remove his colon, bladder, and prostate! I am praying they DO NOT have to! Last summer, they thought they might have to remove his colon, but prayers worked and they did not have to. I believe in the power of prayer!

For those that know what is going on….this is what has happened since my last prayer request. They visited the hospital in Cincinnati. He had to be put back in the hospital in Chattanooga for a few days for pain. He has a pain pump and they had to put a catheter in last week. My aunt has become an instant nurse-bless her. My aunt and uncle will be staying with him in OH for at least two weeks. My aunt sounds positive about this team of doctors and says that they are wonderful with reconstructive surgery if needed (prayers needed that he doesn’t need this). M’s girlfriend went too, but she will have to return sooner. M’s younger brother is in college in Chattanooga and will be staying home. M’s youngest brother is in high school and is staying with M’s girlfriend’s family! They are wonderful! Last summer was the longest recovery time for M-one week. This surgery will take at least 2 weeks recovery time! M has completed 2 years of college, but college will be put on hold this semester. I will hopefully update you sooner this time…after his surgery on Monday! Praying Now!!!

Posted by Mercedes at Mercedes’ World and only for Mercedes’ World

Double-Decker Bus

Hump Day Humor is hosted by Mercedes at Mercedes Rocks!

Theme: Blondes

Double-Decker Bus

Two bowling teams, one of all blondes and one of all brunettes, charter
a double-decker bus for a weekend bowling tournament in Atlantic City.
The brunette team rides in the bottom of the bus and the blonde team
rides on the top level.

The brunette team down below is having a great time, when one of them
realizes she doesn’t hear anything from the blondes upstairs. She
decides to go up and investigate.

When the brunette reaches the top, she finds all the blondes frozen in
fear, staring straight ahead. She says, “What the heck is going on up
here? We’re having a grand time downstairs!”

Vintage Apron Giveaway from Rick Rack Attack

Why buy a reproduction… when you can have the real thing?!

Woohoo! It is that time! How would you like to win a fabulous vintage apron from The Apron Queen over at Rick Rack Attack? You even get to choose your prize! You don’t have to have a blog to win. The Apron Queen will be giving the winner her choice of a Vintage Apron from her shop. You have TWO chances to win. All you have to do to is to go over to her shop at Rick Rack Attack, and choose which of her many aprons is your favorite. Then leave a comment below (including a link to your favorite vintage apron) to enter the giveaway. You may also enter by posting about this giveaway (including a link to this post) on your own blog, and leaving a second comment with the link to your post. Good Luck!! Deadline to enter is Friday August 8th at 11:59pm CST. Winner will be drawn at random and announced on Monday, August 11th.

THE RULES:

• You must be 18 or older to enter (void where prohibited)
• This contest is only open to residents of the U.S.
• ONE chance: leave a comment HERE including the link to the apron of your choice
• SECOND chance: post about this post on your blog (including a link to this post) and leave a comment HERE with the link to your post
• If you are a non-blogger, please make sure you include your email address so you can be contacted.

I have comment moderation on-so be patient as I check comments-each evening. I will not be around my blog each day because I am back to school-teaching. I will approve your comments each night though. Good Luck!

Swollen Feet

Hey All! Just got home at 8:30 p.m. CST. My feet have been hurting each night, but I have never really looked at them. Today, I looked down and they are swollen. They have never done this-aaaahhhh! I am still not ready for school, but that is ok. We start officially tomorrow. WOW! The students and parents know what I have had to do and completely understand. I will be very busy this weekend. I still haven’t been to visit Hump Day Humor players and it will be Scrumptious Sunday before I know it. Maybe I will just not play this week-I dunno. I believe I am going to drop out of blogging every day. Too much pressure-LOL! Thanks to you all for continuing to visit! I haven’t forgotten about you-I have just been busy. I am going to go prop my feet up and hope the swelling goes down. Someone suggested taking water pills-but I don’t have time to go to the restroom at school. We only have a restroom break scheduled on Fridays-that is a joke-you would have to understand what we have had to go through to create our schedule-it completely sucks! Anywho-going to prop feet now! Hope all is A-ok in your world! Toodles, Mere

We Salute You-Worst Parent Ever

This is from one of my best friends. She turned this story in to her local radio station and they saluted her-lol! This is from the radio. Just click below and listen to the short, one minute radio commercial! Have fun!

We Salute You-Worst Parent Ever

Getting Older

Hump Day Humor is hosted by Mercedes at Mercedes Rocks!

Theme: Getting Older

(Just got home at 9:00 p.m. CST-aaahhhh! Tomorrow is registration for the whole school-just 2 hours-whew! I am so not ready-lol)

A Little Humor

Hello All! I just go home at 9:00 p.m. CST-aaaahhhh! Does anyone know how to post Media Player Videos? This is all I have tonight. Here is a joke for ya!

Two young boys walked into a pharmacy one day, picked out a box of Tampax and proceeded to the checkout counter. The man at the counter asked the older boy, “Son, how old are you?”

“Eight”, the boy replied. The man continued, “Do you know how these are used?”The boy replied, “Not exactly, but they aren’t for me. They are for him.

Three Color Pasta Salad

Scrumptious Sunday is hosted by Mercedes at Mercedes Rocks!

Theme: Picnic (National Picnic Month)

Oh My~I am so late posting my Scrumptious Sunday post. I just got home at 9:30 p.m. CST-aaahhhh! This is going to be a quickie post. I hope to visit everyone tonight-or tomorrow night-when I get home at about the same time-lol! I believe everyone was busy this weekend-we only have seven participants-hehe!

THREE COLOR PASTA SALAD

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lg. pkg. three color pasta
• 4 chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 avocados, chopped
• 1 1/2 c. Mozzarella cheese, chopped
• 2 tomatoes or red peppers, chopped
• Diet Hidden Valley Ranch dressing
• 1 c. toasted, slivered almonds
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• Chopped black olives

DIRECTIONS

• Brown chicken in olive oil and chop.
  
• Boil pasta according to directions and cool.
  
• Toss the remaining ingredients with Ranch dressing and add the pasta and chicken.
  
• Serve.
  
• VARIATIONS: Add ham, shrimp, chives or no meat at all.
• Don’t forget to leave in container in a cooler of ice.

Posted by Mercedes at Mercedes’ World

Vacation~Monday, July 7, 2008

Monday morning we went to the Knife Works Store. This store is loaded with knifes and anything else you can possibly imagine. One year, I did all of my Christmas shopping here-lol! The pictures from this store are of the exhibits they have there. We also went to the Apple Barn and the Apple Barn Winery. We always have to pick up a 3-pack of wine from there. It is so good-and sweet-hehe! These two places are in Sevierville, TN. We came back home for a nap and then went back out to Pigeon Forge. No-we didn’t ride that ride either-none for me-lol! I took pictures of the sign where we stayed and of our cabin. I don’t know why I didn’t take pictures of where we ate. I thought I took pics of everything-aaahhhh!

Feel free to comment here or you can even click on the pics to enlarge them and comment on them too. I didn’t downsize them-I hope you have high speed internet-lol!

Posted by Mercedes at Mercedes’ World

Vacation~Sunday, July 6, 2008

This is not good to post about my vacation way after the fact. I am trying to remember what all we did that first day. Well we left the house at noon. We arrived there about 5:00 EST. I didn’t take many pictures the first day-oopsie. I can’t seem to remember where we ate either-or why I don’t have pictures of that. Anywho-here is the view from the top deck of our cabin. Feel free to comment here or you can even click on the pics to enlarge them and comment on them too. I didn’t downsize them-I hope you have high speed internet-lol!

View From Top Deck

View From Top Deck

Top Deck

Posted by Mercedes at Mercedes’ World

Hello All!

I didn’t need to sign up for NaBloPoMo this month-lol! Anywho~I am warn worn out! I worked for ten hours today (on my feet) and that is a big change from doing nothing for sixish weeks! I believe the Scraping blog is shut down. When I go there-it says it cannot connect-woohoo! Maybe soon I will have some better quality posts. I will be working at school all day tomorrow. I don’t have to bring my stuff home either-woohoo. It is a secret-but I get to keep it all at school. I just can’t say how I do-lol! I need to catch up on blog reading-way behind, but I am pooped right now. I am gonna go plop my tired self on the couch. Hope all is A-Ok with you all!

Toodles Noodles, Mere

Posted by Mercedes at Mercedes’ World

Vintage Apron Giveaway Coming Soon

Do you like contests? Do you like to win prizes? Would you like to win a fabulous vintage apron? If so, keep reading. I will be hosting a vintage apron giveaway sponsored by The Apron Queen at Rick Rack Attack! Head on over to Rick Rack Attack and check out all of her wonderful vintage aprons! This contest will take place Monday, August 4, 2008-Friday, August 8, 2008. You will have two chances to win a wonderful vintage apron from Rick Rack Attack! Come on back to THIS site on Monday, August 4, 2008 to enter for your chance to win a vintage apron!

Posted by Mercedes at Mercedes’ World

Busy

Whew! I am worn out. I have been working at school trying to get my new 5th grade class ready and get my stuff out of the Kindergarten room. I have spent so much money (thousands of dollars) on my Kindergarten stuff. Now I need to bring it home-aaaaaahhhhh! I wish I could just say-give me $1,000 and you can have it all! LOL! I don’t know what I am going to do. My Dad usually helps me out a lot, but he is working now.

I believe I am going to have a WordPress blog for my pictures of 5th grade. If I do, I am asking all of you to NOT leave comments over there. If you would like to say anything about the pics-just come over here or go to my 5th grade website and comment on that blog. The reason is I don’t want my parents to find this blog. Does this make sense?

Anywho~I haven’t even visited Hump Day Humor participants-aaaaaaahhhh!

Hope you all are A-OK! Mere

Posted by Mercedes at Mercedes’ World

Here’s Your Sign

Hump Day Humor is hosted by Mercedes at Mercedes Rocks!
Theme: Signs

Just click on the pictures to enlarge them. You may leave a comment for a picture and/or leave me a comment here! 😉

Posted by Mercedes at Mercedes’ World

Gas Prices & Traveling

MOODY MONDAYS

Moody Mondays is hosted by Shannon H. at Moody Mondays!

This week’s Moody Mondays is Gas Prices and Traveling!

• How much is gas per gallon in your area? $3.99
• If you work, how do you get there? Personal vehicle? Public Transportation? Car Pool? I do work. I live 6.5 miles from work. I travel by personal vehicle. I don’t put many miles on a car. Now Jedd does-he is only 3 miles from work, but he travels at least 40 miles a day to go to the golf course too.
• Will you be traveling much or will the cost of gas keep you home? It didn’t stop us taking a vacation and putting over 1,000 miles on the car.
• Where would you like to go if the cost of gas was lower? I would love to travel the East Coast and visit lighthouses or travel to Texas to visit my younger brother-by plane of course-lol!

Posted by Mercedes at Mercedes’ World

Summer Pasta Salad

Scrumptious Sunday is hosted by Mercedes at Mercedes Rocks!

Theme: Summer Salads

ZESTY FETA, CHICKEN, & SHRIMP SUMMER PASTA SALAD

INGREDIENTS

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked fusilli/corkscrew pasta – or any pasta you choose
  
• 1/2 pound frozen cooked cocktail shrimp – this is all for me-none for bf-allergic
  
• 1 (2.25 ounce) can diced black olives, drained
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup baby carrots, chopped
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
• 1 (6 ounce) package feta cheese, crumbled
• salt/pepper to taste
  

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place the chicken in a baking dish, and roast 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until juices run clear. Remove from heat, cool, and cut into bite-size pieces.
3. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, cook 8 to 10 minutes, until firm, and drain. Cool to room temperature.
4. In a large bowl, mix the chicken, pasta, shrimp, olives, tomatoes, carrots, and cucumber. Toss with balsamic vinaigrette dressing and feta cheese, and season with salt/pepper to taste.

Posted by Mercedes at Mercedes’ World

Post Scraping

Time: 3:41CST. I have had a website that has been stealing my posts and posting them as their own. This is written by Mercedes at Mercedes’ World. The posts that they have taken are personal posts of mine. The website is love your family (http://www.famlove.cn/). I am doing a test post to see if this gets posted over there. They like these categories: children, family, friends, love, and thoughts. IMO every post there is someone’s own personal post. This site did not ask permission and doesn’t even include a link back to the original blogs. I am currently working on having my posts removed. I hope this site hasn’t stolen any of your content. I just put in my name~Mercedes~in the search box and all of my posts came up. This is being posted by Mercedes’ at Mercedes’ World and for Mercedes’ World ONLY! I hope my friends understand what I am doing here-lol! Love Ya! Mere

Edit: This site is an hour ahead of me. since I originally posted this thirty minutes ago-the site has added ten posts….no wait-this post is over there-lol-and it is even called Post Scraping-HA!

Posted by Mercedes at Mercedes’ World and only for Mercedes’ World

Prayers Needed

My cousin, M, has been battling Renal Cell Carcinoma for the past six years. It all started at an indoor soccer game. He will be 20 in August. This has been a long battle for him, his family, and all of us! He has had six major surgeries, been through chemo and radiation numerous times, and now he has four tumors again.

One tumor is sitting on his one kidney and bladder. It is 6 inches long and the doctors say they can’t operate on it because M would not make it through the surgery-he would hemorrhage to death. He is having surgery this morning and they are putting in a stint to relieve the pressure from his kidney and bladder. After this, the doctors will decide what to do next.

He applied to a cancer study in Maryland but didn’t qualify-due to him being on chemo numerous times. There is another study in Cincinnati that is more targeted to his specific needs that we hope he qualifies for. The hospital will fed-ex his scans to that hospital today.

He is a very strong young man. He has accomplished so much during his journey fighting this horrible and rare cancer in children. He graduated from High School with honors. He has also completed his first two years in college.

I have a luncheon to attend today and then I am headed to Chattanooga to be with him and the family. I believe in prayer-I believed it helped this time last year when we thought he was going to have his colon removed-he didn’t have to have it removed. Please pray with me for my cousin, M, and his family. Thank you so much!

EDIT: I did not go to Chattanooga today-M’s Mom said it would be better to come on Sunday. They are warn out and he will be coming home tomorrow-which will be another tiring day for him to get settled in and have to deal with the feeding bag. Still waiting for the exact outcome of the surgery and what the future holds.

Posted by Mercedes at Mercedes’ World and only for Mercedes’ World