I've done a lot of RELAXING in this chair.

She has a lot of background.

Around 10 years ago I found myself in a situation with no furniture but  a mattress & box springs and a TV.  One of my dear friends (I LOVE her) showed up one night with her wiry little friend carrying this chair up a flight of stairs to my new abode.  This chair had been hers, had worn itself out at her house, and she couldn't bear to see me sit on the floor.  So it became mine.

I LOVE that chair!

I slept in her like a bed for a while after my heart surgery.

I rocked my sweet little grand daughter in her many times.  When she was sick, we rocked all night.

I've watched movies, fallen asleep, rocked my worries away for a while, let George (our ginormous cat) fall asleep there, and just cuddled my girls in her.

She is soothing, calming, fits my butt, and makes me happy.

That beautiful afghan on her was made and given to me by my talented and sweet nephew, Dustin.  It just makes her look pretty, and warms & comforts us like she does.

I RELAX just talking about her...

...and my newest toy is

I'm just lovin' it!

Another new favorite is

which replaced an old favorite

who is shutting down in April!

...wait!  Below is a better descriptive picture of my feet...
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!   !   !

Wednesday = Trash Day

Here it is sitting at the curb waiting to be picked up and taken to the landfill.

It started here.

Moved to here.

Then HERE.

It is usually Haylee's job to see that all this is done - emptied from the house on Tuesday night and to the street on Wednesday morning.

But, because she had dance class after school and a school play last night, I got it done this morning.  That's what Gramma's do!

* Others' TRASH can become someone's TREASURES *
My TRASH is just TRASH!

is of Latin origin.  It means "small".

I weighed 8lbs. 11oz. at birth.

I went from that to size "toddler XXX" in 60 seconds.

Obviously, my parents didn't search the meaning of Paula before naming me.

I think they just thought it was pretty.

I didn't get a middle name - Mom said I would have enough names later.

I was given the name Paula Cluff - Cluff being my family name.

My dad died in a plane crash when I was 11 months old.

My Mom remarried when I was nearly six, and I was adopted by my new dad.

I was now Paula Cluff Jones.

I married a long tall Texan and then my name became Paula Cluff Jones O'Dell.

We divorced after a few years.

I married again, and my name became

Paula Cluff Jones O'Dell Hall.

We divorced after 30 years and I decided that I had had the name Hall so long I would keep it, so I am now

Paula Cluff Jones O'Dell Hall.

{Mom was right!}

Of course I go only by Paula , but answer to any and all of the above!

I do love my Name because it was a gift!

It was given to me!

> KEY <

It is simple - really it is.

The key to my heart is
*
- wait for it -
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- wait for it -
*
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~ CHOCOLATE ~

!

{I'm easy}

~ BREAKFAST ~

Not today. You see, because next week is General Conference, our ward had fast Sunday today!  So I broke the fast with stuffed peppers for dinner.  A lovely little trio of red, yellow and orange peppers.  So tender and tasty.

However, sometimes I love to have traditional breakfast food for dinner.

I like

eggs & toast

biscuits & sausage gravy

french toast

waffles

pancakes

and...

I have eggs & toast nearly EVERY morning!

Love me some filling, energy making, good BREAKFAST!

* A N I M A L *

Meet Dexter

He's the one in the middle.

He is a black-capped capuchin.

He belongs to my niece.

We love him to come visit - however, as my niece says

"He's like having a two year old with 5 hands!"

Yep!  It's true!

Here is my

KITCHEN SINK

 kinda UNIQUE doncha think!

Some days I love it ~ some days not so much.

I am a freak about spots on stainless steel, so it seems that I wipe it down a gazillion times a day or more.

I do have a pretty nice view of my patio

or the back wall

but, soon there will be tons of roses blooming to gaze upon while standing at the

KITCHEN SINK!

Another DELICIOUS treat

from Pinterest!

click CHICKARITOS for recipe

I tried two different versions

one with puff pastry~

and one with crescent rolls ~

Both ~ DELICIOUS!

I cooked chicken breast in the microwave with lime juice (makes it really moist),  cilantro, salt & pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and cumin.  then I shredded (rather than chopped) the chicken in the mixer (it does it so much faster than the fork method).  I added the hot sauce,  green chilies,  and cheese then filled the dough.

I love that they are baked / not fried!

They would be fun in tortillas (corn or flour), as well.

These were quick ~ easy ~ fun ~ little morsels

and

TASTY DELICIOUS!

BEFORE/AFTER

I'm so excited to let you know about this!

A lot of the stuff I pin on Pinterest sits there waiting for me to get around to it

 s o m e t i m e !

Well I saw something about cleaning your dull, foggy-looking headlights with toothpaste. I didn't pin it but followed the link and I ACTUALLY tried it ~

and it WORKED!

Here's the PROOF - pics of MY car:

B E F O R E

A F T E R!

Here's where I found it!

**FUNNY**

Ha!

Ha ha ha!

Ha ha hee hee ha!

Ha ha ha hee hee hee ha ha!

Hee hee haw ha hee ha ha hee hee ha ha!

Haw haw hee hee ha ha

hoo hoo hoo!

oops!

...sorry.

A Corner Of My Home

In this little corner in my room shines

a little light

on many

little

ANGELS!

This sweet collection began when my mother died in 1994.

It grew a bit when I finally made it to the temple that same year.

It exploded after my son TODD died in 1995,

and has grown over the years to not only include these, and others scattered throughout the rest of the house,

 but Christmas ornaments as well.

It wasn't started by me.  I never intended to be a collector.

Each one has been presented to me by LOVED ones - friends & family.

I guess you could say that these angels have found me.

They live in the corner ...

How blessed I am to have so many angels watch over my home!

GREEN

Top O' The Mornin' To Ya!

Feelin' LUCKY today?

Welcome to our home.

We will be wearin' the green

and dancin' a JIG

round yon shamrocks!

Won't ya join us?

Don't ya be gettin' green with envy,now.

SUNGLASSES

WHOA!

BRIGHTNESS!

Good thing I have my shades on!

{{I'm sexy and I know it...}}

CAR

Not just any car.

MY CAR!

Here she sits - parked in the garage.

Here is a post about her I did in 2009.

I love my car.

Riding in her is like sitting in my living room - all comfy and cozy.

Her seat just fits mine!

"Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting.  Not in entire forgetfulness, and not in utter nakedness, but trailing
CLOUDS
 of glory do we come."

-William Wordsworth

 When I see clouds I am filled with the wonder and grandeur of

GOD'S creation...

I think of eternal things...

my hope and faith

E X P A N D.

We are drawn to clouds even in childhood.

Clouds inspire our imaginations

and

fill us with awe.

Pure,  seemingly soft and comforting are they.

A lovely backdrop for all of God's other creations.

I

LOVE

CLOUDS

!

(ALL PICTURES WERE TAKEN FROM MY FRONT OR BACK YARD TODAY)

A SIGN

Well, I couldn't pick "A" sign, so here are some of

These are signs of sPrInG...

and this is a sign of SprIng, too...

So is this...

but the B E S T sign of ALL  is...

!

FORK

In June of 2003

Andi and I went to Las Vegas to a Kenny Chesney concert

 with some friends of mine.

We decided on the Cheesecake Factory @ the Forum shops at Caesars Palace for lunch.

Our table was full so there wasn't much room.

I sat my purse on the floor by my foot.

We ordered our sodas, visited and giggled.  We ordered our lunch.  We visited and giggled some more.

I noticed that I didn't have a fork...

Looked on the floor - no fork.

I asked our waiter for another fork - he promptly brought me one.

We ate 'til we were about to explode.  We shopped some and, as always, we had a terrific time and got home

l-a-t-e!

The next day while rummaging in the bottom of my purse for something,
I happened to find the missing

F O R K

!

This is the culprit that jumped into my bag!

It lives in the drawer with all my other forks.

I still use it after all these years.

I suppose that I ought to take it back someday, but I really haven't been back there since!  If I ever go back I will confess - well, I'll see what happens when I get to that
fork in the road!

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

I talked to God today...

EVERYDAY

...and in all things
give THANKS

in HIS name.