A few weeks ago I had a visit from Patrice.

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Happy Birthday Joseph

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Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Joseph, my sweet baby, my 11 year old, my young man, my love buggie =o) my stink bug, and my sweet heart I love you very much and I hope that you had a wonderful day. God Blessed me with a son like you.

The World's Creepiest Places

The World's Creepiest Places
by Melinda Allman for the Travel Channel


Ghosts and hauntings. Mysterious disappearances and murderous daughters. Whether it's Halloween or not, most of us enjoy a good, clean scare. What happens, though, if the hauntings are real? When the places appear to remain home to their long-departed guests? Then the fun takes on a whole new meaning; the screams and chills become more than some people can stand. For those who are not faint of heart, though, we've compiled a list--from creepy to creepiest--of some of the most frightening places in the world. Are they real? Are they a sham? You decide!

Links marked with a (*) are available to those with access to MSN Encarta Premium. Learn more.



Bermuda Triangle
Location: Atlantic Ocean
What's cool: Area also called the Devil's Triangle, the Twilight Zone, Hoodoo Sea, and the Limbo of the Lost

A writer named Vincent Gaddis first used the term "Bermuda Triangle"  to describe the area from South Florida to Bermuda to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and back to South Florida in a 1964 magazine article. It was a phrase that named the place that had, for years, been a watery grave for countless travelers. Some say aliens captured the unfortunate souls; others maintain that some aberrant energy field creates a time warp that envelops anything. Scientific evaluations have concluded that the number of disappearances in the region is not abnormal and that most of the disappearances have logical explanations. Regardless, it's a place many people avoid, including some pilots and ships' captains.



Roswell
Location: Roswell*, New Mexico
What's Cool: An extensive lecture series and tours to crash sites

In 1947, resident William "Mac" Brazel found pieces of debris from what he claimed (and others came to believe) was a crashed UFO. Since then, Roswell, a tiny desert town guarded by the southern Rocky Mountains, has become synonymous with UFOs and mystery. The dozens of alien-themed shops and the area's International UFO Museum, located in downtown Roswell, only perpetuate the mystery. At the museum (which calls itself the worldwide center of UFO information), visitors can see exhibits ranging from pieces and pictures of alleged UFOs to evidence that claims the town's sheriff and government concocted an elaborate scheme to cover-up the incident.

See also: Columnist Tamim Ansary on "The Truth About UFOs"



Winchester Mystery House
Location: San Jose, California
What's Cool: A window built into the floor and doors that open into blank walls

When rifle heiress Sarah Winchester began construction on her Victorian-style mansion in 1884, she pledged that building would never end during her lifetime, thinking the continuous pounding of hammers would appease the ghosts that plagued her after the deaths of her husband and daughter. Only Winchester herself knows whether or not the plan worked, but the Winchester House stills stands today, now a museum to the oddities and mysteries that were part of this woman's life. Among the most strange, doors open into blank walls; one chimney rises four floors; and a set of stairs leads to the ceiling.



Gettysburg
Location: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
What's Cool: A day trip to Washington D.C.

One of the deadliest battles of the Civil War took place in 1863 in the tiny Pennsylvania town of Gettysburg. Union soldiers, low on ammunition, were losing the fight, nearly capitulating to the advancing Confederate army. Then, as they used up the last of their gunpowder, a ghostly George Washington on a white stallion appeared before them, commanding them to continue and win a battle that ultimately turned the tide of the war. That's the way the legend tells it, anyway, and to this day, the people who live in and around Gettysburg maintain that George Washington's ghost rides regally across that same battlefield every summer.


Salem
Location: Salem*, Massachusetts
What's Cool: The annual Halloween Haunted Neighborhood

During the winter of 1691 and 1692, in the tiny New England village of Salem, two young girls (9-year-old Betty Parris and 11-year-old Abigail Williams) accused three local women of coming to them in "spectral" (ghost) form and of causing the girls to have fits, cry out in pain, and go mute, among other afflictions. The village elders who heard the girls' story came to believe that the accused women were witches. This set off a hysterical wave of accusations of witchcraft, and led to the now infamous Salem witch trials. Ultimately, 14 women and 5 men were hanged, another suspect was pressed to death under heavy stones when he refused to take part in his trial, 4 people died in jail awaiting their trials, and nearly 200 other people were arrested. Rumor has it that the ghosts of the people who lost their lives still haunt the town, and the Salem Wax Museum and Witch Museum allow visitors to experience the terror that reigned during the trials and come face-to-face with the accused (in wax or, perhaps, ghostly form).

See also: "Petition of an Accused Witch,"* a letter sent by Mary Easty shortly before her execution in the Salem witch trials; and "On the Use of Spectral Evidence Against Witches,"* a defense of the trials by Cotton Mather, a noted Puritan clergyman of the time



Tower of London
Location: London, England
What's Cool: The sites of London

Diaphanous apparitions, rattling chains, howling winter winds... The Tower of London* has it all (or so the legends say). In the 900 years since it was first constructed, the Tower has served as, among other things, a tourist attraction, a prison, and a place of execution for some of England's most notorious characters--Henry VIII's infamous second wife, Anne Boleyn, lost her head there, and rumor has it that a chained Sir Walter Raleigh still prowls the Tower grounds. The inner fortifications include Bloody Tower, so called from the tradition that the English child-king Edward V* and his brother Richard Plantagenet, duke of York, were murdered there in 1483; and Devereux Tower, where, in 1478, George Plantagenet, duke of Clarence, supposedly was drowned in a barrel of wine. Whether haunted or not (that's for visitors to decide), the Tower displays many eerie mementos of times past--including the guillotine that took the lives of Boleyn, Raleigh, and others.



Paris Catacombs
Location: Paris, France
What's Cool: Sign above the underground hallways reads "Abandon hope all ye who enter here."

Hidden beneath the streets of Paris are the city's famed catacombs*, long an escape route for revolutionaries, smugglers, and the French Resistance movement battling the Nazis. In this dark, dank underground world rest the remains (primarily the bones) of long-departed Parisians who died when there was no room for them in the city's cemeteries. Many of the bones are arranged neatly, like carefully laid bricks, and visitors (on their walking tour of about 500 yards) shouldn't be alarmed if they encounter hundreds of human skulls - some with teeth missing, some bashed in, some with grinning jaw bones.

See also: 360-degree view of the Paris catacombs



Haunted Hollywood
Location: Hollywood*, California
What's Cool: A day trip to San Diego's haunted Hotel Del Coronado

Since the first Tinsel Town star walked the first red carpet, celebrities (dead and alive) have been fascinating creatures. Today, visitors in search of a supernatural celebrity sighting can venture into Hollywood at night and discover the places where the deceased rich and famous like to spend their time. Among the most notorious--the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel's room 928 (supposedly haunted by actor Montgomery Clift*), the Laugh Factory (and its nightly visits by late comedian Groucho Marx), and the old Hollywood Reporter building (rumored to house reporter William Wilkerson, who died in 1962). If a walking tour isn't your thing, catch a ride on Tour Land's Haunted Hearse, a guided tour that takes visitors to places around town supposedly haunted by celebrities.



Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast
Location: Fall River*, Massachusetts
What's Cool: Spend the night at the scene of the crime

In 1892, Andrew Borden and his wife, Abby, were brutally murdered by someone wielding an ax. Although ultimately acquitted of the crime, Borden's youngest daughter, Lizzie*, never regained her precrime innocence, and many folks in Fall River (and around the country) remained convinced that she got away with murder. Today, the house in which the Bordens lived and died is a city landmark, a museum, and a bed and breakfast. Anyone interested can visit the murder scene; peruse the collection of Fall River and Borden memorabilia; or shop for any number of souvenirs, including coffee mugs, sweatshirts, and even a brick from the Borden chimney (complete with a certificate of authenticity). For those who want an extra creepy experience, the B & B owners treat their overnight guests to a replica of the Bordens' last meal: a breakfast of bananas, johnnycakes, sugar cookies, and coffee.

What Type of Food

You Are Chinese Food

Exotic yet ordinary.People think they've had enough of you, but they're back for more in an hour.

What Kind of Food Are You?

Here is a Post

Ok I realize it has been several weeks sense I posted and I am trying, there are just some weeks that are busier than others, we have had 3 open houses to go to, 2 skate nights, church, pta functions, dinner with friends, visiting family, and this weekend a friend from out of town.... whew! Nic is doing awesome in school this year so far, Joe is strugling with his body growing and focussing problems, Josh thinks he know's it all and doesn't really need school but he is still plugging away at it. Charles hurt his back at work and is in light duty doing what he hates, standing behind the counter greeting customers and writing the service orders. I am just hanging out and eating bon bons! :)

Back into the swing of things

Well I can tell we are back to school, early nights, homework, a briskness in the air, fog in the early morning, changing leaves, coats, backpacks, what other words can I come up with for the fall. Everyone is doing well Josh and Nic are out the door at 6:40 every day to catch the bus 5 minutes later, Joseph on the other hand gets to sleep till 7:00 before Charles leaves and then he leaves at 8:30. I am so thankful that Joey can get himself off to school without any problems, but I am also sad that he has to do this. So far so good the boys like their teachers and it is going to be a great year. C'mon Chant with me "It's going to be a great year" "it's going to be....." Ok so you don't have to but I am sure you get the idea. Well I need to go so I can get to bed 5 hrs isn't a good amount of sleep but it seems to be my norm.

IT'S FRIDAY YEA!

Well its another week gone, and I am thinking as I just had to finish getting school supplies that I didn't get before, we are almost into the middle of September, and that I am starting to see Christmas Items everywhere and I am thinking "oh my gosh" I need to start thinking about Christmas. Question- Has everyone already started thinking about it? Am I behind again and now I need to catch up? It seems like every year I fall behind and then at the last minute I am playing the catch up game.

Birthday Happenings

Well I thought I would tell you my birthday was awesome,
I had a friend take me to breakfast which was very enjoyable then I came home and we went to a picnic that was being given by one of the families from church. We went and ate way to much as you only can do at church functions where everyone brings something to share. The hostess made me a birthday cake and everyone sang and made a fuss (which I secretly enjoyed). =)
My family gave me gifts, all in all it was a great day.
Thank you to everyone for the cards and phone calls it was very appreciated.

• Being "over the hill" is much better than being under it!
• Wrinkled Was Not One of the Things I Wanted to Be When I Grew up.

Top 100 Songs From When I Graduated

I snagged this from Sheri who posted it a couple of days ago, Thanks Sheri.

The Top 100 Songs from when I Graduated- 1981
1. Bette Davis Eyes, Kim Carnes
2. Endless Love, Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
3. Lady, Kenny Rogers
4. (Just Like) Starting Over, John Lennon
5. Jessie's Girl, Rick Springfield
6. Celebration, Kool and The Gang
7. Kiss On My List, Daryl Hall and John Oates
8. I Love A Rainy Night, Eddie Rabbitt
9. 9 To 5, Dolly Parton
10. Keep On Loving You, REO Speedwagon
11. Theme From "Greatest American Hero", Joey Scarbury
12. Morning Train (Nine To Five), Sheena Easton
13. Being With You, Smokey Robinson
14. Queen Of Hearts, Juice Newton
15. Rapture, Blondie
16. A Woman Needs Love, Ray Parker Jr. and Raydio
17. The Tide Is High, Blondie
18. Just The Two Of Us, Grover Washington Jr.
19. Slow Hand, Pointer Sisters
20. I Love You, Climax Blues Band
21. Woman, John Lennon
22. Sukiyaki, A Taste Of Honey
23. The Winner Takes It All, Abba
24. Medley, Stars On 45
25. Angel Of The Morning, Juice Newton
26. Love On The Rocks, Neil Diamond
27. Every Woman In The World, Air Supply
28. The One That You Love, Air Supply
29. Guilty, Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb
30. The Best Of Times, Styx
31. Elvira, Oak Ridge Boys
32. Take It On The Run, REO Speedwagon
33. No Gettin' Over Me, Ronnie Milsap
34. Living Outside Myself, Gino Vannelli
35. Woman In Love, Barbra Streisand
36. Boy From New York City, Manhattan Transfer
37. Urgent, Foreigner
38. Passion, Rod Stewart
39. Lady (You Bring Me Up), Commodores
40. Crying, Don Mclean
41. Hearts, Marty Balin
42. It's My Turn, Diana Ross
43. You Make My Dreams, Daryl Hall and John Oates
44. I Don't Need You, Kenny Rogers
45. How 'Bout Us, Champaign
46. Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Pat Benatar
47. The Breakup Song, Greg Kihn Band
48. Time, Alan Parsons Project
49. Hungry Heart, Bruce Springsteen
50. Sweetheart, Franke and The Knockouts
51. Someone's Knockin', Terri Gibbs
52. More Than I Can Say, Leo Sayer
53. Together, Tierra
54. Too Much Time On My Hands, Styx
55. What Are We Doin' In Love, Dottie West
56. Who's Crying Now, Journey
57. De Do Do Do, De Da Da, Police
58. This Little Girl, Gary U.S. Bonds
59. Stop Draggin' My Heart Around, Stevie Nicks With Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
60. Giving It Up For Your Love, Delbert McClinton
61. A Little In Love, Cliff Richard
62. America, Neil Diamond
63. Ain't Even Done With The Night, John Cougar
64. Arthur's Theme, Christopher Cross
65. Another One Bites The Dust, Queen
66. Games People Play, Alan Parsons Project
67. I Can't Stand It, Eric Clapton
68. While You See A Chance, Steve Winwood
69. Master Blaster, Stevie Wonder
70. Hello Again, Neil Diamond
71. Don't Stand So Close To Me, Police
72. Hey Nineteen, Steely Dan
73. I Ain't Gonna Stand For It, Stevie Wonder
74. All Those Years Ago, George Harrison
75. Step By Step, Eddie Rabbitt
76. The Stroke, Billy Squier
77. Feels So Right, Alabama
78. Sweet Baby, Stanley Clarke and George Duke
79. Same Old Lang Syne, Dan Fogelberg
80. Cool Love, Pablo Cruise
81. Hold On Tight, ELO
82. It's Now Or Never, John Schneider
83. Treat Me Right, Pat Benatar
84. Winning, Santana
85. What Kind Of Fool, Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb
86. Watching The Wheels, John Lennon
87. Tell It Like It Is, Heart
88. Smoky Mountain Rain, Ronnie Milsap
89. I Made It Through The Rain, Barry Manilow
90. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin', Daryl Hall and John Oates
91. Suddenly, Olivia Newton-John and Cliff Richard
92. For Your Eyes Only, Sheena Easton
93. The Beach Boys Medley, Beach Boys
94. Whip It, Devo
95. Modern Girl, Sheena Easton
96. Really Wanna Know You, Gary Wright
97. Seven Year Ache, Rosanne Cash
98. I'm Coming Out, Diana Ross
99. Miss Sun, Boz Scaggs
100. Time Is Time, Andy Gibb

Happy Birthday....

Aaron and I have our Birthdays together in September, his 0n the 3rd and mine on the 5th. For a lot of years we always shared our birthdays on the 4th of September so Aaron in recognition of your 40th birthday and my 40 something birthday I am making this day our birthday again.

I Love you little Brother.

What in the World

Ok I am sitting at the computer doing my normal thing, reading mail and such when Joseph comes in and goes "Mom I love the way your mint smells so much (I have spearmint growing in a pot on my back deck, it just keeps coming back every year) I could smell it all of the time "I go I know I love the way it smells too" then Joe goes no I shoved a leaf up my nose... Now I am thinking "Oh you did not"! Joe goes "yes I did" I am still at this point thinking he is joking with me, he says "I rolled it up really small and shoved it up there" I then say "well get it out of your nose" then he says "I can't" Now he has my full attention I go "lets see" I grab his head, start trying to see the leaf up his nose and exclaim shoot I can't see anything! Joe then says I can get it he then proceeds to stick his finger up his nose, I go "no don't you will shove it up further, go blow it out of your nose". So we go to the bathroom and he grabs some tissue and starts blowing. I go "let me see now, I will grab it with the tweezers if I have to" (I am thinking to myself now, how humiliating I am going to have to take my 10 year old to the ER to have a leaf removed from his nose when he should have known better) I cant see a thing I am pulling on his nostril to get a better view "grab me a flashlight" shoot I still cant see a thing " Joe keep blowing your nose. He blows some more, we repeat with the flashlight thing I am pulling on his nose he then says "Mom I will just sniff it in" I go "no you cant do that it will really get stuck then it will rot up your nose, then it will really stink" I am now starting to giggle but keeping my composure. Joe starts blowing again, I leave the room to find a better flashlight then he yells " Mom, I got it! It came out" I go in there and say "let me see" there is this leaf about an inch and a half long lying in the tissue. Now I ask, What in the world would make a 10 year old still stick something up his nose?

Nic's Day

Well I just wanted to let you know how the day was for Nicholas, The night before he got to stay with a friend and then go to a water park for the day fo his birthday. So there was Nic and Joe Justin (The friend) and another boy I dont know. They spent the day riding rides and then playing in the water siding the slides and playing in the wave pool. He came home then we had dinner then we went to Church where he had a little birthday party wityh his friends at church. He had a really great day then tonight he is having a friend come over to stay the night and we will have pizza and do the cake thing tonight hopefully. I knew I would be running behind so I asked charles to make the cake for me so it would be cool by tonight when I came home from work, He mixed the cake poored it into the cake pans and threw it into the oven, all of the correct steps, except I bought 2 cake mixes (1 for now, 1 for later) and he mixed up both boxes..... well you guessed it over flow into the oven so now here we are I get to go on my lunch hour and buy another cake mix come home clean my oven and then bake aother cake. whew!
If this wasn't for anything else I would scrap it. Ah now for the rest of the day and it is now only 8:00am....

Happy Birthday Nicholas

You are a special child
Our middle child so sweet.
God made middle children special
And so wonderfully unique!
God gave you a special place
And dear child, so dear are you
For when God chose our middle child
He knew that only you would do.
He chose for us a first child
That he knew would be just right
And then he chose our second child
To fill us with delight.
Each child He sends is special
Each one hand chosen by God who can see
All our hopes and dreams
And just who each child should be.
He bestows special blessings
On each child He sends to earth
And it is no accident
The order of their birth.

Nicholas

Here is Nicholas my big 12 year old.
I love you Nicholas and I hope you have the most wonderful birthday.

The U in JesUs

The U in JesUs

Before U were thought of or time had begun,

God even stuck U in the name of His Son. And each time U pray,

you'll see it's true You can't spell out JesUs and not include U.

You're a pretty big part of His wonderful name,

For U, He was born; that's why He came.

And His great love for U is the reason He died.

It even takes U to spell crUcified.

Isn't it thrilling and splendidly grand He rose from the dead,

with U in His plan? The stones split away, the gold trUmpet blew,

and this word resUrrection is spelled with a U.

When JesUs left earth at His upward ascension,

He felt there was one thing He just had to mention.

"Go into the world and tell them it's true That I love them all - Just like I love U."

So many great people are spelled with a U,

Don't they have a right to know JesUs too?

It all depends now on what U will do,

He'd like them to know,

But it all starts with U.

What Scent are You?

Your Scent is Mango Sultry, sweet, and mellow You enjoy every moment of life! What Scent Are You? Take This Quiz :-) Find the Love of Your Life (and More Love Quizzes) at Your New Romance.

Things are back finally

I can post again and in COLOR and I can spell check and I can add

• a Bullet
• or two
• or add a link to something fun.

I am just so excited I can't stand it.

I haven't been able to do this in a while. my whole tool bar has been gone.

Ok now on to bigger and better things......... hopefully!

20 years

Well Charles and I celebrated out 20th Wedding Anniversary a couple of days ago I can't believe it has been 20 years. Charles said "I've been married as long as I was ever single" So now on to the next part of our married lives the next 20. We had a strange day we both worked, then we helped our friends move into their new home, we grabbed broasted chicken from Albertsons on our way, met our friends at the new house and helped them un-pack the boxes from the U-haul. My God children now have a really big house to live in and a back yard to play in and explore, The house was built in 1904 and has some of the most beautiful things about it 12' ceilings and some leaded glass windows that are absoutely beautiful, it was truly a gift from God. We haven't done anything for our anniversary but we plan to go out to dinner or something I dont know it was just kind of another day. We will just have to find something different to do. I'll let you know.

Block Party

Well again it is that time of year again... I hosted our 6th annual block party, where everyone comes out to enjoy an evening of food and friends. This year was no exception, almost everyone came out to enjoy the bbq and as always more food than we could consume. We had some new additions this year to our shin-dig this year with 2 new families Micah & Kim a young couple who are wonderful and have a heart for God, Praise God! Then there is Vincent & Martha another wonderful young couple with 2 small children, he has an afinity for the cars and works where he can get parts for his cars cheap. We sat while the sun set eating steaks, ribs, chicken, burgers, hotdogs, pork, salads of all kinds and lots of desserts.
The kids played and rode bikes in a cirlce around us to our displeasure (we were set up in the middle of our culde-sac) we were worried someone would get hurt. We had a firepit in the middle of everything flaming away burning all of Doug's misfit creatures it was sad seeing and eagle and bear becoming dust. The kids when it got dark got to break out the marshmallows and then we had several torches of flaming, toasting, charring bites of goodness. Yum! We all sat around talking and laughing having a wonderful time, I can't wait till next year!