Today's Favorite iPod Workout Song

Adele - "Rolling in the Deep" - 3:48
Great song, great beat -- perfect for swimming and the treadmill, too.
I had to go to two Targets, one twice - late Saturday night on the chance they restocked (they did!) to get their special edition with the four extra tracks on sale for $9.99. So worth the effort!

Thursday Tea Time

This week - Stash Pomegranate Raspberry Green Tea



Cost: $2.19 at Super Target
Number of teabags: 18
Caffeine: ? Probably just a little
Type of tea: Green
Steeping time: 3-5 minutes
Mix ins: Fat-free condensed milk
Teabag fragrance: Fruity
Ingredients: Green tea, chamomile, hibiscus, orange peel*, citric acid, pomegranate flavor, raspberry flavor and Japanese Matcha
*Oops, didn't expect the orange peel. Took the chance and I paid for that with a headache the next day.
Opinion: I thought a tea with pomegranate and raspberry would be higher up in the ingredients list and perhaps have bits of dried fruit instead of just "flavor." I was disappointed. I couldn't really detect a strong "flavor" from either fruit,which I was hoping I would. Just an odd fruit blend fragrance and taste.
Rating: 1, only because it is an interesting variation of a green tea -- A point for trying. It just didn't appeal to me.

Today's Favorite iPod Workout Song

He is We - "Happily Ever After" - 4:04
A cute, bouncy song, which is currently free on iTunes through today.
And another great swimming song!
(I will be so glad when my regular pool is renovated and open again. They've made arrangements for us to use another pool, and this one is still taking some getting used to. One lane end is 7 1/2 feet deep, the other 4 foot, and seems to be a little bit shorter. I've clunked my head, scraped my arms...)

Yee-Haw! OPI TEXAS Nail Polishes are here!

And just in time for the Houston Rodeo!

Ulta is carrying the line - $8.50 each.

Word is the most popular colors so far are the orange "Y'all Come Back Ya Hear", the hot pink "Guy Meets Gal-veston" and the chocolate brown "Suzi Loves Cowboys" My vote for cutest name, the violet "Do You Think I'm Tex-y?"

Thursday Tea Time

This week - Yogi Chai Green Tea

Cost: $2.99 at Super Target and Whole Foods Market
Number of teabags: 16
Caffeine: Yes, 35mg
Type of tea: Green
Steeping time: 3 minutes
Mix ins: Fat-free condensed milk
Teabag fragrance: Ginger and cardamon
Ingredients: Organic green tea, organic ginger root, organic cardamon seed, organic cinnamon bark, stevia leaf, organic clove bud, organic black pepper, natural cinnamon, cardamon and ginger oils.

Opinion: This chai tea is dominated more by the ginger. The cinnamon and clove are back notes. I didn't taste the pepper and was even surprised to see it listed as I was typing this review. It had a nice kick, which I attributed to the clove and cardamon. If you are looking for a gingery green chai tea, this is the one for you to try. Added bonus it is organic, too. I also liked how each tea bag has a different "fortune" on the paper tag. I was able to save three so far -- "Nature is a give, a true friend and sustainer"..."May your light become a living universal light"..."We are spiritual beings having a human experience" Makes me want to open and drink more!

Rating: 4.25

Happy Valentine's Day!

Today's Favorite iPod Workout Song

Guster - "Do You Love Me?" - 3:40
With a perfect swim stroke beat and timing to hit your turn flips. . .
This song just grows on you. And the video is super cute!

Upcoming Jo-Ann's Pattern Sales

Presidents' Sale - February 18-21
5 for $5 Simplicity
50% off interfacing by the yard
BIGIF buttons

Frosty cold and misty morning outside Luling, Texas

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Treeline just past Lockhart, Texas

Home of best BBQ and links - Kreutz
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Texas sunrise through mistletoe'd trees

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Listen to the exhortation of the dawn!

This morning's sunrise in Central Texas
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Thursday Tea Time

This week - Stash Organic Chai Black & Green Tea

Cost: $3.99 at Randall's and Whole Foods Market

Number of teabags: 18

Caffeine: Yes

Type of tea: Black and green

Steeping time: 5 minutes

Mix ins: Fat-free condensed milk

Teabag fragrance: Cinnamon!

Ingredients: Organic black tea, organic green tea, organic cardamom, organic ginger, organic cinnamon, organic clove, organic cinnamon oil and organic clove oil.

Opinion: A different take on chai tea with the combination of black and green teas. You get the benefit of both with a great cinnamon taste and a chai bite. While the cinnamon is strong, it is balanced by the ginger and then the clove. Surprisingly, cardamom is listed first, yet I don't really detect it. I like the fact it is organic, but because it is, Stash tends to lower the teabag count to 18 and raise the price for the privilege.

Rating: 4

Liberty of London Target Billboard Totebag

I was one of the lucky ones to get in on Target.com last March to reserve my order for the Liberty of London Target billboard totebag. It is very well made, and sturdy! I'm super pleased with it. Mine is mostly from the pink and white section. It measures approximately 15" x 6" x 14". I think I got part of the Liberty "T"!

Today's Favorite iPod Workout Song

Gwen Stefani - "What You Waiting For?" - 3:41
Perfect mid-swim workout, especially when you decide to race the guy in the other lane!

Hello Kitty FTW!

Hello Kitty For The Win!!!

Puppy Bowl VII

Don't forget to tune into Animal Planet for Puppy Bowl VII tomorrow!

New this year is the "Kiss Cam". . .

Can it possibly get any more adorable?!

Ice, Ice Baby

Our ice storm shut down Houston cold. Roads, branches and leaves were iced over.

Couldn't go anywhere anyways, the doors were frozen shut!

As if I needed more help to kill my poinsettia!

Thursday Tea Time

This week - Zhena's Gypsy Rose tea

Cost: $5.29 at H.E.B.
Number of teabags: 22
Caffeine: Yes
Type of tea: Black
Steeping time: 3-5 minutes
Mix ins: Fat-free condensed milk
Teabag fragrance: Rose scented hand lotion!
Ingredients: Sri Lankan and Indian Black tea, red and pink rose petals, all natural flavor (?)
Opinion: My husband was in the kitchen with me when I took the first sip and he saw my expression and said, "You don't like it!" "It's fine," I gamely replied. "No, it's not. I can see it in your face."
I loved Numi's White Rose Velvet Garden tea, and thought for sure I'd like this one, too. Maybe because Gypsy Rose has red and pink rose petals? I dunno. It tasted like soap and smelled like that Rose Milk hand lotion from the 70's.
Rating: 0

Happy Chinese New Year!

Welcome the Year of the Rabbit! Word is if you tie three coins together with a red cord or ribbon, it will bring you prosperity. I made this little (7" x 6") bunny appliqued zippered bag to celebrate the New Year. And added a rhinestone for the eye, since someone looked at it and thought it was a seal or porpoise (wrong end!). Now his name is "Beal," (Bunny Seal) with a running joke line between two good (albeit one clueless) friends.

Today's Favorite iPod Workout Song

Married for 26 years today!!!

Barry Louis Polisar - "All I Want Is You" - 2:37

If I was a flower growing wild and free

All I'd want is you to be my sweet honey bee.

And if I was a tree growing tall and green

All I'd want is you to shade me and be my leaves

All I want is you, will you be my bride

Take me by the hand and stand by my side

All I want is you, will you stay with me?

Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea.

If you were a river in the mountains tall,

The rumble of your water would be my call.

If you were the winter, I know I'd be the snow

Just as long as you were with me, when the cold winds blow.

All I want is you, will you be my bride

Take me by the hand and stand by my side

All I want is you, will you stay with me?

Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea.

If you were a wink, I'd be a nod

If you were a seed, well I'd be a pod.

If you were the floor, I'd wanna be the rug

And if you were a kiss, I know I'd be a hug

All I want is you, will you be my bride

Take me by the hand and stand by my side

All I want is you, will you stay with me?

Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea.

If you were the wood, I'd be the fire.

If you were the love, I'd be the desire.

If you were a castle, I'd be your moat,

And if you were an ocean, I'd learn to float.

All I want is you, will you be my bride

Take me by the hand and stand by my side

All I want is you, will you stay with me?

Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea.

Half My Life

Still making me laugh even after 26 years!