Sad to see another young and talented star go...

Was shocked to hear of Brittany Murphy's death. She really had a unique voice and humor to her in her movies. I thought she was hilarious with Ashton Kutcher in Just Married!

I was just reading someone writing about her and thought this really stood out:

Perhaps someone else might have something intelligent to say about this. For my part, I can only marvel at the miracle of movies, how they can make us care about total strangers, how they can preserve personalities across time and plant their faces in our minds, forever.

In the next few days, as you hear all the gossip that's bound to come out about this young actress, don't forget this about Brittany Murphy: Like every other screen actor, great and small, she gave herself to us. We didn't have to take it, but she gave it. And we really should revere that, because it's not a small thing.

http://blogs.chron.com/peep/2009/12/respecting_brittany_murphy_for_1.html This is where I got that from.

May you rest in peace Brittany and may your husband, family and friends hold onto you in their memories.

Christmas Projects

I made three really neat projects this Christmas! Two were inspired by things I saw on the internet (Thanks Lauren Meader for your creative photo tree idea) and to the many folks that I found with the fun cookie sheet advent calendar's! Even had a couple of other friends that followed & made those! The third project I bought a template on Etsy & made it up. That was the CHRISTmas tree & took me quite a while to finish as there was a lot of cutting out & little detail to complete that project. But, I'm very proud of all three & wanted to share them!

Early Dismissal

It is near the Christmas break of the school year. The students have turned in all their work and there is really nothing more to do. All the children are restless and the teacher decides to have an early dismissal.

Teacher: "Whoever answers the questions I ask, first and correctly can leave early today."

Little Johnny says to himself "Good, I want to get outta here. I'm smart and will answer the question."

Teacher: "Who said 'Four Score and Seven Years Ago'?"

Before Johnny can open his mouth, Susie says, "Abraham Lincoln."

Teacher: "That's right Susie, you can go home."

Johnny is mad that Susie answered the question first.

Teacher: "Who said 'I Have a Dream'?"

Before Johnny can open his mouth, Mary says, "Martin Luther King."

Teacher: "That's right Mary, you can go."

Johnny is even madder than before.

Teacher: "Who said 'Ask not, what your country can do for you'?".

Before Johnny can open his mouth, Nancy says, "John F. Kennedy.".

Teacher: "That's right Nancy, you may also leave."

Johnny is boiling mad that he has not been able to answer to any of
the questions.

When the teacher turns her back Johnny says, "I wish these bitches
would keep their mouths shut!"

The teacher turns around: "NOW WHO SAID THAT?"

Johnny: "TIGER WOODS. CAN I GO NOW?"

Modern Family...favorite new comedy

If you haven't checked this show out yet - you must!! I was laughing so hard at this week's episode that I thought I was going to choke. All three families are funny & I really don't ahve just one favorite character on this show. I will say Cameron is probably my favorite though...I love it when he & Mitchell are sitting down talking b/c he's hilarious!

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas, It's the best time of the year...

Oh how I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Christmas season! The music, the lights - it's all just so pretty and so much fun! So many memories too of my Grandparents and just my family and childhood in general!

“I can hear Grandma singing this song” I said to Tanner as I put up the Christmas tree while we listened to Christmas music. “How”? he asked. I tried to explain that I meant I could hear her in my head, and then this really confused him! Ah, to be young again & not understand that not everything people say is meant literally.

I really would have to say that one of my most favorite things about this time of the year is the Christmas music. I love the way music can make you feel things. It can take you back to a certain place in time or it reminds you of certain people. Music to me is just as important as smells. Smells can do the same exact thing.

This morning as I was driving into work I was listening to my Christmas songs on my ipod & a song from one of my favorite older Christmas CD’s on. Of course we used to listen to it on cassette tape! Having just seen Christmas Vacation a few days ago, I was reminded of the family in the station wagon on their way out to get their Christmas tree when Clark and Ellen Griswold were singing Christmas Carols. It made me think of my Mom & Dad singing to these Amy Grant Christmas songs as I drove this morning. I wonder if someday Tanner will have those kinds of memories of me. The other day we were coming out of the basement & I started singing “Away In a manager” and Tanner told me “you have a pretty voice Mama”.  Makes ya smile when you hear their little voices say that.

Quote that changed my opinion on abortion

"It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish."
-- Mother Teresa

So I had always thought it should be a woman's right to choose as it's her body. I didn't think it was right, but if I were ever raped or a victim of incest and became pregnant, I would want to abort that baby. And I sure didn't think it should be a form of birth control. Well, then when I read that quote as I drove into work one morning I thought wow - that is so right! And if it's wrong to commit murder, then why should you be allowed to murder that baby growing inside of you?

Today I had an email from a friend in response to a link I sent to her about the ex-planned parenthood employee. She said: "A gal I work with said she had to assist on an abortion once at the hospital where she used to work. She said after that one time she told the staff she would refuse to ever do one again. She stated that the fetus actively tries to get away from the vaccuum and that was enough for her to understand they can feel pain and are smart enough to try to get away. God help those poor babies".

That made me sick. And that goes to show that they ARE babies. If more people heard that I'm sure there would be less abortions around the world.

Light cigarettes may not help smokers quit (DUH...)

WOW, so this morning I saw something about this & was like - Seriously? People think that's a good way to go on quitting smoking, but it's still smoking. Also, you hear that they put more nicotine in ciggarettes than they are supposed too. Who knows... I got hypnotized on Sept 15th, 2004 and never started up again. YOO HOO!

November 6, 2009 | 6:00 am
Smokers who want to quit and think a good first step is to switch to light or low-tar cigarettes are making a big mistake. A study has found that those smokers instead have about a 50% lower chance of giving up smoking.

The research, published in the November issue of Tobacco Control, analyzed survey data from about 31,000 smokers who were asked whether they had switched to a milder or low-tar brand of cigarettes and the reasons for the switch. They were queried about whether they had tried to give up smoking and if they could currently call themselves nonsmokers. Those who switched brands were 58% more likely to have attempted to give up smoking than those who stayed with one brand but were 60% less likely to successfully quit.

It's not clear why switching to light cigarettes backfires, said the authors, from the University of Pittsburgh. Switchers may have changed their behavior in ways that made quitting harder. The switchers could also be the group of people who have the most trouble quitting. Or it's possible these people decided that smoking light cigarettes was a good alternative to quitting.

Low-tar cigarettes deliver amounts of tar, nicotine and other substances that are comparable with regular cigarettes, the authors said. These so-called light products make up 84% of the market.

"Previous research has shown that smokers interpret the term 'light' to mean less toxic, an association that manufacturers have sought to exploit in advertising," the lead author of the study, Dr. Hilary Tindle, said in a news release.

People who want information on the proven, best methods for quitting can peruse the smoking cessation resources page at the National Institutes of Health.

- Shari Roan
Photo credit: Will Wintercross / Bloomberg Newshttp://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2009/11/quitting-smoking-light-cigarettes.html

2010 GM

The New GM (Government Motors) Proudly Introduces
The 2010 Obama
This car runs on hot air and broken promises. It has three wheels that speed the vehicle through tight left turns. It comes complete with two TelePrompters programmed to help the occupants talk their way out of any violations. The transparent canopy reveals the plastic smiles still on the faces of all the happy owners. Comes in S, M, L, XL and 2XL
It won't get you to work, but hey, there aren't any jobs anyway!

Scentsy November warmer of the month

Check out my website www.scentsy.com/hyankovich for this and other Holiday warmers that just came out on November 1st. Available while supplies last! This Holly warmer is 10% off!

Jeremy Sisto...I don't care what anyone else thinks!

he's so cute! I just saw a commercial for Law & Order and it got me to jump to this! He's so cute. i've thought that for years now. I'm not sure when it was that I first saw him, but I know I thought so in the movie Angel Eyes.

Raising ticket prices in this economy?

I asked my MIL how her movie was Friday night & she said they didn’t go b/c AMC had raised the price to $12 per ticket and had reserved seating now. If they did want to pay that $12, they would have been sitting in the first couple of rows.

I emailed AMC on Monday to see if this was a new program or maybe a one time deal but here is their response (read below). It sounds as though they think it’s a positive. WOW…who can afford to pay $12 PER ticket!? I know it’s high like that in other cities, but it’s new to us here in KC.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: AMC Guest Services [mailto:AMCGuestServices@amctheatres.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2009 11:09 AM
To: Holly
Subject: AMC Theatres

Dear Holly,

Thank you for contacting AMC Theatres. AMC Town Center 20 ticket prices were raised last weekend with the onset of the new “Reserved Seating” benefit. Reserved seating can save you time, eliminating the need for you to arrive early, especially if you reserve your tickets online. No matter what time you arrive at the theatre, your seats will be available.

Thank you, again, for contacting us. We look forward to seeing you at the movies!

Sincerely,

AMC Guest Services


I guess I don't see this as a positive. Movies are expensive enough as it is & we had stopped going to AMC and going to Dickinson movie theaters as the prices were a little less & they had better deals where the kids could get in free at 2 & 3 years old. We also try to go to the first movie of the day in order to get the reduced price. I wonder what the prices are for 3D movies!? YIKES...paid $10 per ticket (no matter your age at Dickinson) for the 3D version of Monsters vs. Aliens when we saw that at a Dickinson.

Letters from Santa

You've gotta go to this website & order your letter from Santa for your little one this year. I ordered one last year for my son & it was adorable! It personalizes teh letter with more than just their name and I thought that was really fun! PLUS - your doing a good thing & helping to support the St John's Mercy NICUPS (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Parent Support).

Here's the link
http://www.stjohnsmercy.org/services/nicups/default.asp

***BE sure you place your order by December 12th as letters are mailed between Dec 16th - 18th.

Merry Christmas and God Bless you and your family!

Night Of The Living Farm

A Halloween tradition for our family now with three years in a row...This was our 2nd year in a row with The Shannon's. Always a great time together!

Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin...bring it on!

So I was told about a pumpkin pie spice creamer over the weekend & sure enough, I picked a bottle up. YUMM-O-RAMA! Grab a bottle!

Outrageous...

So I was on CNN.com & saw this story about a man who was wrongly convicted & sent to jail.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/26/chicago.love.innocence.1/index.html

That is crazy that even though his fiance was a witness to his whereabouts and there was no DNA connecting him to the case and the judge still convicted him. Also, something that didn't even make it into the courtroom - he and the victim were both tested for STD's and she had one or two, but he did not.

I sure hope that this turns out well for him where he gets to go homes, sounding like there may be a chance for him!

Then I went on to read another story of a man who I would say was basically forced into confession by the way he was being treated and the threats made against him by the police! That's not right - how do they get away with things like that? The saddest part - his best friend who was also wrongly convicted and sent to prison for the rape, was beaten had been severely beaten by another inmate and suffered brain damage so his release had to be postponted until they could find someone to care for him.

http://www.law.northwestern.edu/cwc/exonerations/txOchoaSummary.html

Imagination Movers came to town...

And I was lucky enough to win tickets so we could go! From the minute I saw that they were coming to town, I was trying to find someone else that would want to go with us. No one else watched them as faithfully as Tanner so it was no luck! I ended up winning tickets & found out Wednesday evening after work! Holly & Jackson went wtih us & we had a great time! Love those movers...what a show!

My little prince

Got Tanner dressed this morning & couldn't believe how stinkin' cute he looked (as I do just about everyday...) so I snapped some pictures.

All things Pumpkin

I just can't seem to get enough pumpkin stuff right now! Pumpkin Pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin ice cream...Now I'm dying to make some pumpkin cream cheese that I saw a recipe for! Yum, yum, yum!

OK, so just walked down to Cold Stone Creamery & I can say without a doubt that the Edy's Slow Churned Pumpkin ice cream I bought on Sunday & had gone with 5 servings is WAY better!

In fact, I would say this gal took my words away in her review! Read below...Here's the link where I found her review:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/399417/review_of_edys_ice_cream_pumpkin_a.html?cat=22

"...My first victim was Pumpkin ice cream. The pretty orange and cream coloring of the container is what caught my eye. The bold fall colors caught me yes; but it was the flavor of the ice cream that said 'I'm good, take me home.'
Pumpkin ice cream. This was something I had never tried before. I like pumpkin pie, I like pumpkins, so why not try pumpkin ice cream. It would either taste like garbage, or it would be divine. Seeing how Edy's has always been a favorite of mine, I purchased it with the thought that it would taste divine.
At home I yanked open the top, dipped in my spoon and took a taste.
Holy crap!
Oh no they didn't!? Did they seriously capture the essences of pumpkin pie and put it into an ice cream batter? You bet they did! Edy's Pumpkin ice cream tastes just like pumpkin pie, only...it's ice cream.
It confuses the palette at first. When one thinks of pumpkin pie they think of the creamy texture, the smooth spicy taste, and in some cases that pie is warm.
Placing ice cold pumpkin pie into your mouth is a strange way to eat it, but it's still equally as delicious.
Pumpkin ice cream is slow churned, so the ice cream has that realistic smooth texture that an actual pie has; only much, much colder.
The ice cream itself is orange, and has little flecks of spice that you would see in pumpkin pie in it.
I still think that they blended up a pumpkin pie and turned it into a slow churned ice cream! Yes I am convinced. You have to try it to believe it.
I actually got my tub of Edy's Pumpkin ice cream at a local grocery store for 2 for $5.00. Usually the costs me $6.49, which is a bit high for ice cream.
Finding this particular flavor right now should be easy because it is in season. It will however not last forever. Once fall is over, so is the flavor, and you may have to wait for it to make a come back next fall...if it does that is. So if you find it, buy it! (It will be available at any local grocery store down the frozen food isle).
Pumpkin ice cream is not for everyone. If you don't like pumpkin pie, you will not like Edy's pumpkin ice cream. For everyone else though, it's a frozen treat to die for."

Funny huh!? She's right on too, it's SO good!!

Back to pumpkin stuff other than her funny review! I would say that my pumpkin bread is way better than the pumpkin muffin you can get down at Panera and yes, I think it may even be better than teh pumpkin bread from Starbucks. I'm so sorry to say that out loud Starbucks! You DO make THE BEST Pumpkin Spice Latte's though! DO NOT whatever you do, I'm serious about this - DO NOT get one from Panera. Seriously, it's terrible!! I got one a year or two ago & it was so bad! not at all like the one from Starbucks! I was thrilled when we were out walking to Cold Stone (yea, it's only 45 degrees outside right now) and I saw that we have a Starbucks within walking distance from our office too! Wow, to think that we've been here for what 3 years now & I'm just figuring this out!? Probably a VERY good thing!

My super hero son!

Birthday's...I LOVE birthday's & always make a big to do about them! For my baby boy's 4th birthday I ordered him a cape, mask and t shirt from a gal I found on Ttsy. It all started with a blog Polkadots and Pirates (GREAT blog if you haven't checked it out)! This gal is amazing & if I only had as much creativity in my little finger as she has, I'd be thrilled! She did a theme for her nephew I think it was http://polkadots-pirates.blogspot.com/search/label/Boy%20Themes and it was geared around superheros & personalized to his name & the initial J for Jack. So, I went online to the gal she got her mask from & found that this lady made capes & t shirts too, so I was set! You've gotta check her out: Superflykids http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5058462

How to win a Nobel Peace Prize in 12 days

Source: Tommy De Seno
- FOXNews.com
- October 09, 2009

Let’s take a look at the president’s first 12 days in the White House according to his public schedule to see what he did to deserve a Nobel Peace Prize.

Editor's Note: Although President Obama had only been in office for 12 days before the nominations for this year's Nobel Peace prize closed the entire process actually takes a full year. According to the official Nobel Prize Web site invitation letters are sent out in September. Every year, the Norwegian Nobel Committee sends out thousands of letters inviting a qualified and select number of people to submit their nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize. The deadline to submit nominations is February 1. -- Two hundred five names were submitted for the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize, 33 of which are organizations. A short list of nominees is prepared in February and March. The short list is subject to adviser review from March until August. At the beginning of October, the Nobel Committee chooses the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates through a majority vote. The decision is final and without appeal. The names of the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates are then announced."

Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize this morning. Over the last decade the only requirement to win the prize was that the nominee had to be critical of George W. Bush (see Al Gore, Mohamed El Baradei and Jimmy Carter).

President Obama has broken new ground here. Nominations for potential winners of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize ended on February 1. The president took office only 12 days earlier on January 20.

Let’s take a look at the president’s first 12 days in the White House according to his public schedule to see what he did to deserve a Nobel Peace Prize:

January 20: Sworn in as president. Went to a parade. Partied.

January 21: Asked bureaucrats to re-write guidelines for information requests. Held an “open house” party at the White House.

January 22: Signed Executive Orders: Executive Branch workers to take ethics pledge; re-affirmed Army Field Manual techniques for interrogations; expressed desire to close Gitmo (how’s that working out?)

January 23: Ordered the release of federal funding to pay for abortions in foreign countries. Lunch with Joe Biden; met with Tim Geithner.

January 24: Budget meeting with economic team.

January 25: Skipped church.

January 26: Gave speech about jobs and energy. Met with Hillary Clinton. Attended Geithner's swearing in ceremony.

January 27: Met with Republicans. Spoke at a clock tower in Ohio.

January 28: Economic meetings in the morning, met with Defense secretary in the afternoon.

January 29: Signed Ledbetter Bill overturning Supreme Court decision on lawsuits over wages. Party in the State Room. Met with Biden.

January 30: Met economic advisers. Gave speech on Middle Class Working Families Task Force. Met with senior enlisted military officials.

January 31: Took the day off.

February 1: Skipped church. Threw a Super Bowl party.

So there you have it. The short path to the Nobel Peace Prize: Party, go to meetings, skip church, release federal funding to pay for abortions in foreign countries, party some more.

Good grief.

Read more Tommy De Seno at www.JustifiedRight.com

The Gap Casting Call contest...

So I got some great pictures of Tanner this weekend & entered them into the Gap Casting Call over the weekend.

Click on this link & vote for my little guy!

http://family.go.com/gapcastingcall/entries/OPMama/

A scary time in our world

Ya know, it’s really scary all that is going on right now with the man they have in custody from Colorado in connection with the terror plot on NY. You try so hard, or at least I do, to not be prejudice about people. But then you hear so much negativity on folks that are Muslim and how much they hate American’s, what they did to our country on 9/11/01, the pictures that were just sent to me about a Muslim display in London where people were holding signs that said things like “Behead those who insult Islam” “butcher those who mock Islam”, “Behead those who insult Islam”, Europe is the cancer Islam is the answer”, “Islam will dominate the world”, “freedom go to hell”. Things like that just really make you sick to your stomach. I guess they called it a 'Religion of Peace Demonstration.' That sure isn’t what I could call a peaceful religion.



Thinking about this makes me even more scared for the fact that they want to bring the terrorists being held at Guantanamo Bay into our country. Why would we let them into our country & put them into our jails? That is insane if you ask me! Seriously, let them stay over there...no need to have more America haters on our soil!

Deep thoughts...

OK, corny I know...but had me laughing inside as I was thinking about Stuart Smalley on Saturday night live & his "deep thoughts with Jack Handy" skit.

So, today I decided that my favorite color lately seems to be hot pink/fushia. It's been green for so long, but I realized how much pink & fushia I seem to be wearing lately & I just love it!

Today - it's Wednesday & I am so excited to get home from work! The new Tastefully Simple products are to arrive today as they were shipped out on Monday! Yippee...can't wait to see what's in the box! It feels a bit like Christmas!

People on my last nerve... I'm telling you this company sale & move to our new office can't happen fast enough! People seem to be very needy and dependent upon others. Why can't people carry a phone list with them & use it? Why do you need to call into the main line & ask me to transfer you to people? Another thing, can people not get on their laptop and look up a phone number. You're not driving, why can't you look it up? I can understand if you're driving - that's totally not safe & I'd really rather someone not die while driving b/c they are trying to figure out phone numbers...And another thing along this same line...Don't ask me to do something b.c you just "don't have enough time" and then within an hour or so send me an email of some commentary (that is long I must say) on the healthcare system. I DON'T CARE...I don't get some of that stuff & I don't care to spend my time reading a commentary on it that's for sure. I sit here & see CNN ALL DAY long! Chances are I'm pretty full of info on it! (Not really, I tend to turn the channel down as I'm so sick of it).

Stage of Life website...check it out!

Spread the Word

Shared via AddThis

Funny thing just happened here at work!

So I'm sitting here at my desk, I now cover the phones up front & since the front of our office is all glass, I see people walking by all day long. I just saw an old friend from high school walk by! I was sitting here & totally thought this girl looked familiar. Next thing you know I'm up & out in the hall yelling "Brandy"? She was like yea, I said "from Oklahaoma"? Again she said yea & I was like it's me, Holly _______ (using my maiden name). SO strange! Anyways, she's up here visiting for the weekend with her husband! They just happened to be in our building going to see a friend that works in this same building! So weird! What a small world!

Pirate Party for a 4 year old

For my son's 4th birthday, I did a pirate themed friend birthday party. It was so much fun & I really found a lot of ideas on line! Thanks to Chicka and Jo for the great ideas I found to make his party invites! Check it out...
http://www.chicaandjo.com/2008/09/30/make-a-pirate-party-invitation/





Once I had the invites all done & sent out, it was time to get moving on everything else! My husband had made the coolest pirate ship and I was busing making cupcake toppers, buying things in red and black to use for decorating and some pirate decor, peanut butter sandwiches were cut out in the shapes of skull & crossbones...Party day arrived and the boys started arriving! Them it was a bit of a waiting game for the birthday boy to arrive! (He spent the night at my Mom's house with so I would have plenty of uninterrupted time to get ready for the party). Once he arrived, we wall went in & the boys got their bag of pirate garb to put on! Then it was outside where they chased each other (and Dad who was also dressed up like a pirate) around for a bit & just played in the pirate ship for about 10 minutes. Then it was time for the treasure hunt. Once they found the treasure chest, they found that the treasure was missing! Pirate Pete (pinata) had already beat them to it & now they had to get that treasure back! The boys had a great time with this and I will say that I have NEVER seen anything hold up so well! It seemed to take forever for that pinata to break! Then we went inside for the boys to decorate their treasure chests, had lunch & open gifts. By the time everyone left they were totally wiped out from all of the running! It was such a great party, I didn't even bother to get out the pirate bowling I'd found at the store!