Jay's MI-5:

1. What's the first movie that you can remember seeing at a theatre?

I know I saw Bambi at quite an early age, but I don't know that I actually remember it all that well. Maybe a little. I think the earliest one I have pretty good memories of is Rocky. I went with Tina, Kim, and Renita from next door.

2. What's your favorite movie & why?

I think that changes every time I see a good movie. Of course, there's always Cocktail (see #4). Dirty Dancing holds some fun memories for me (someone said I actually looked like Baby when she smiles on the stage at the very end of the movie--the way her eyes squinted up when she smiled reminded them of me when I smiled). Up Close and Personal has some good memories It was one of the first movies that Dwane and I saw together. I remember that we really liked the love song from that movie, but sadly, I can't remember the name of it. I think it was by Celine Dion. Someone remind me!!! Some recent movies that I've liked include The Devil Wears Prada, Fifty First Dates, and Shall We Dance. As for an all-time favorite, I guess I have to say Cocktail.

3. What's your most truly hated, despised, detested, etc. movie & why?

Basically, any kind of action movie is truly hated, despised, and detested. I did make it through Die Hard once, and Air Force One wasn't too bad. One move that was a HUGE disappointment to me was the newer one about Pocahontas. I think it was called Brand New World, or something like that. I can't even remember. I love the story of Pocahontas, but this was an absolutely, incredibly boring movie.

4. What movie can you watch over & over again?

Cocktail with Tom Cruise and Elisabeth Shue. I think I saw it about 4 times in the theater. I LOVED it. I love the music. I love the love story. Just love it.

5. What movie was "obviously" based on your life & why do you think so?

This is a hard one. I can't even think of one that comes close. Is there a movie called "Ordinary Life"? If so, that's probably it. It's fun to imagine that I was the Elisabeth Shue character in Cocktail, though. Money. Jamaica. Romance. Young Tom Cruise. What more could you want? I know, I know, there's lots more to life than that. But I'm just trying to think of something to say because I don't have a clue what else to say.

NEXT WEEK'S MENUS

Because I know you've all been waiting, here are my menus for next week:

Monday: Linguini with Ham, Peas & Mushrooms; Apple, Grape & Walnut Salad with Vanilla Cream Cheese dip; Italian bread

Tuesday: Dwane's 41st Birthday. Fried Shirmp. Homemade French Fries. White Cake with Chocolate Frosting.

Wednesday: Lemon Pork Chops; Shoepeg Corn; Peas in Butter Sauce

Thursday: Poppy Seed Chicken, Broccoli in White Cheddar Sauce, Fruit Salad

Friday: Baked Potato Bar (Chili, Bacon, Cheese, Broccoli, etc.)

Now I'm sure that you're thinking that your day is now complete.

JOB

In Bible Study, our church has been studying the Book of Job. Dwane has been attending (so I stay home with the kids), but he often shares what he has learned when he comes home.

When I was doing my own Bible Study yesterday morning (Beth Moore's A Woman's Heart: God's Dwelling Place), I read a verse that I thought was very appropriate for those doing the Job study. (Those in the study have probably already meditated on it.) It really goes to WHY we have hard times. Here's the verse:

I Peter 1:6-7:

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

This verse really made me think of the Collins family. Just think: Dad and the two children have a genetic form of cancer. Could there be a greater trial? Their faith is certainly being proved genuine. Because of that family's reaction to the suffering, how great their heavenly reward will be. I can't even imagine the total influence Jim has had on Christians and non-Christians alike.

While I certainly don't want to wish "suffering" or "trials" on myself, how I do wish that I could be a greater influence for God...

LONELY EVENING

I'm just sitting around. Doing nothing. I could be cleaning. I could be scrapbooking. Instead, I'm sitting around.

Eben is spending the night at Nana's. Dwane is in Colorado.

I've been trying since Noon to bring up my e-mail, but the office sent me this mega-huge e-mail that it clogging everything up. If someone has e-mailed me, and hasn't heard back, that's why. At this rate, my e-mail will be clogged until Dwane gets home on Tuesday night. In the meantime, if you need me, you can try our other e-mail address, dlewight@yahoo.com.

Guess there's nothing more to say. I really should dig out my scrapbooking. Or do laundry. Man! And it's a rotten night for TV, too.

Tomorrow night, I think Mom and Alice are coming over to watch The Devil Wears Prada on that big ole honking huge TV that Dwane bought. Hopefully, I can remember how to watch a DVD on it. I don't want to have to call Dwane up on the slopes to find out how to turn it on!!

Amy's Sick Day MI-5:

1. When was the last time you were sick? What was wrong?

I don't ever get REALLY sick. I seem to have been plagued with head colds this year. While they're frequent, they haven't really lasted too long. The last one I had was about two weekends ago. I took some Zicam, and I think that really helped in limiting the duration. Before that, I had the flu in December of 1999.

2. Have you ever been in the hospital? Why?

The only time I have spent the night in the hospital was because of childbirth. I have gone to the ER a couple of times. I had Mono when I was in my early 20s. In 5th grade, I had a broken epithysis. (I'm not sure how to spell it--it's cartilege in the ankle that turns to bone as you mature.) In 1987, I had a TB test, then fainted and ended up with a concussion. I went to the ER for that. And when I was in junior high or so, I got my grandmother's engagement ring stuck on my finger. My Dad had to take me to the ER to have it cut off. He actually did the cutting--he just needed the tool.

3. What is the one food that almost always makes you feel better when you are feeling ill?

Definitely chicken soup. I like the Lipton chicken noodle stuff (like cup-a-soup). I add extra macaroni to it. I love it, but I only seem to eat it when I'm sick. I also tend to crave tomato-based things, like spaghettios, pizza, etc. When I had mono, I wanted a McDonald's hamburger. I only ate about 1 1/2 bites, but it sure tasted good! My Mom used to always make me a dropped egg on toast, too. That always seemed to help. Mmmm. I'm not sick right now, but I'm thinking I'm going to make myself a dropped egg on toast!

4. When was the last time you had a headache?

I had a headache on Sunday. I usually have a headache the same week that Aunt Flo comes to visit. If I take 4 Advil as soon as I feel a headache going on, I can keep it from getting bad, especially if I can sleep for about 5 minutes. If I wait, though, there's no hope of getting rid of it until it runs its course. When I get a BAD headache, it hurts to even lay my head on a pillow, so I really try to poke the Advil to me as soon as I feel one coming. After Dad died, I had a headache for a solid 4 months. I don't think it ever left. Sometimes it would be less bad, but it always hurt to one degree or the other. It was always in the same spot: left side of my head, behind my ear. When I started exercising, the headaches left. Maybe they were stress headaches, or maybe my blood pressure was too high or something, but whatever the case, the exercise really seemed to help.

5. Do you have any alternative remedies you try when you are feeling under the weather?

I don't really think I do. Anything hot (like tea or chicken soup) tends to clear my head. I like to go to sleep when I have a headache. I'm not sure either of those remedies are necessarily "alternative", though.

This is a test. Eben doesn't like the pink. We're trying blue words to see how that works.

JIM'S MI-5

1. Excluding your current employment and boss who is the best boss you ever worked for and why?

I have very few former bosses. Jim was certainly the boss that had the greatest impact on my life. I very much appreciated his willingness to teach me as much as I wanted to learn. I think he had great faith in me (in fact, I think it was that fact that brought us to our "downfall"). I also enjoyed the long talks we had about faith and religion. Up until our relationship "ended", I felt that he was like another father to me. The lack of continued relationship after the professional one ended, however, shows me that I was sorely mistaken about the whole "father" thing.

Alice was my favorite supervisor. She wasn't technically my "boss", but I worked in her department a lot, and she was the department head. We worked really well together. Man! We could get that work done!! Talking the whole time, of course, but diligently working. It was like we had a kind of rhythm. Yak, Yak, Yak. Punch, punch, punch. Yak. Yak. Yak. Count, count, count. Yak. Yak. Yak. (We used to work in the shipping/receiving department at Senter Crane's Department Store back when I was 19 years old.) Now we both work for the same lawyer. If it ever got to the point that I had to actually work in the office, we'd have to skip the yakking part. The work I do requires a great deal of concentration, and it's one of the few times that I find it hard to multi-task.

2. Have you ever discovered something that is great but you can't convince anyone else to try it?

Oh, I don't know. Nothing comes to me off the top of my head. I really love the Close To My Heart products that I sell, and I sometimes can't understand why some people aren't knocking down my door to buy it. However---I think that's because I'm not a great salesman. I'm not out there really "pushing my goods". The customers I do have, however, are very supportive, and I know I have at least one customer that is as addicted as I am (if not more so).

3. It is time for a winter getaway. Where do you want to go?

Since the Daytona 500 is this weekend, I guess I'd have to say Daytona, Baby, Daytona! Disney World will be great, too.

4. When do you think you will buy your next vehicle and what would you like?

I'm thinking that when I get my next vehicle, my kids will still be kids. The way my husband trades in vehicles around here, heck, that could be next week. I would still see myself in a mini-van, or maybe a Nissan Pathfider. When my kids are grown, I'd probably move away from the whole mini-van thing. I really like the looks of a sporty car, but I really like the visibility that my mini-van gives me. Maybe they'll have some sort of sporty, feminine SUV that gets great gas milage (35+ mpg) by then. Although (and I don't know if I want my husband to know this), when I had to back Dwane's pick-up truck up the driveway during the last storm, I actually found it be somewhat "hot and sexy".

5. Is there an active hobby or sport you want to get into this year?

Again, I'm thinking I don't want my husband to know this, but I might like to try to learn how to really drive our 4-wheeler. With 3 guys in my house, I really have to learn to get into some "guy stuff", or I'm never going to get to spend much time with my family. Since I found backing up the pick-up quite exciting, maybe driving a 4-wheeler might be too. It might be nice to go through some trails and see what I can see. If Dwane could find a nice groomed trail with pretty little bridges, colorful gardens, and babbling brooks, I might even really enjoy it.

I also want to expand on a couple of things we started together as a family last year: disc golf and camping.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

Here's the rundown of Valentine's Day gifts in our home:

Caleb got three cars to add to his Disney Cars collection: LeakLess, Brand New Mader, and Hamm.

Eben got a new light sabre (yes! another one!).

Dwane got some long johns (for his upcoming Colorado Ski trip next week) and the first season of Smallville on DVD.

I got a wedding band to go with the ring Dwane bought me for our 12th anniversary this past December. It has four stones, each 1/4 carat. The stones sit right next to each other, and it is curved ever so slightly to fit with my three-stone ring. Three carats on one finger!!!! I can't believe it!!! The jewelry store Dwane worked with, www.BlissDiamond.com, certainly has exceeded expectations. I would definitely recommend them.

After opening my ring, I gave the ring box to Caleb. (He's into treasure right now, you know.) I told him he could put his "treasure ring" in it. He was so excited, and he gave me a big hug. Several minutes later, he came back and said, "I have a present for you." I took the ring box, opened it, and told him that the ring was beautiful. (Just to get a feeling for the scene, it was a plastic butterfly ring, mostly lime green, with a type of "rainbow irridescence" ((or however you spell that.))) Anyway, he then said, "Will you marry me?" I answered, "Yes, Caleb, I would love to marry you." He took the ring out, put it on my finger, and leaned over and kissed me on the lips. I'm not sure where he obtained such a knowledge of weddings, but it was priceless.

WE'RE PROUD! UH HUH! SAY IT AGAIN! RDHS!

I just have to tell you all this...my brother, Billy Rhythm is going to be so excited!!!! Last night at Wal-Mart, I bought a new exercise DVD: Paula Abdul's Cardio Cheer! Five DVDs of Cheer Aerobics!!! I can hear Billy Rhythm gasping in horror now!!!

I also bought a new Leslie Sansone In-Home Walking DVD : "Family Walk". It's only a 2-mile walk, and it takes 50 minutes, so it's going to be a much slower walk than what I'm used to. Still, I might be able to get my whole family to do it with me, and that would be a fun change of pace.

I'm making a boiled dinner with ham for supper tonight. I was going to make fried shrimp for Dwane for Valentine's Day, but I was somewhat nervous about whether or not we would have power. So, I thought it would it be better to simmer a boiled dinner on my stove all afternoon. That way, if the power should go out this afternoon/early evening, I'd already have a burner lit on my gas stove.

I'll post later about Valentine's gifts...

Happy 60th Birthday, Dad!
I love you, and I miss you.

Billy Rhythm's Dreamy MI-5

Billy Rhythm says:

I actually had this idea last week. Since then, though, Aunt Ginny and Ma have both reported strange dreams. Maybe a sign?

1) You've been offered your dream job. What is it?

Jewelry Store Sales Clerk. Actually, probably more than that. Maybe a Gemologist that sells jewelry. I really want to have all kinds of gemstone knowledge. Of course, I'd get tons of pay and benefits, too. And, I'd probably get to make my own hours.

TWO HOURS LATER...
Ok. This is supposed to be a DREAM job. I'd like to think that if I went to GM Pollack (especially during Christmas time) and applied for a sales clerk job, I could probably get it. So, my DREAM job would be the piano player for the Sunday Morning trackside service that is held for NASCAR drivers. I don't know that NASCAR drivers sing hymns, but we are talking a DREAM job here. Or, leading a Sunday School class for the drivers' children would be great, too.

2) You've been given $1000 to spend on a "dream gift" for your significant other. Who do you spend it on, and what do you buy them? Why?

Well, I'd buy something for Dwane, of course. Unfortunately, Dwane tends to buy himself what he wants/needs (like I tend to do), so there wouldn't be much left over for me to buy. And what he would want (some kind of USB cable or some high-tech something like that), I'd have no idea what exactly it would be, or how to buy it (so I'd probably have to ask Billy Rhythm for help, as I have done in the past). Man! I'm really stumped here. Help me out, Dwane!!

TWO HOURS LATER...
Dwane often wishes that we had time alone to spend together. So, I think I'd try to book a room in the Pocono Mountains (where we went on our honeymoon) for the same week that the Pocono NASCAR race is held. While there, we would take in the race, of course. I wonder if $1000 would cover that...

ANOTHER HOUR LATER..

Dwane says he wants a high-tech driving simulator seat (for computer/playstation gaming). I like my idea better.

3) What was the last dream you had while sleeping?

I think it was the night before last, and that I dreamed that my mom had died. I remember feeling utterly devastated, but I don't really remember any details. I remember that it was very detailed, and that right when I woke up, I remembered it, but by later in the day, all memory of it was really gone.

4) Dream vacation time! Where do you go?

Fiji. The resort with villas over the ocean. Glass floors so you can watch the fishies go by.

TWO HOURS LATER...
After reading Paddy's answers, it really jogged my brain. OF COURSE!!! I'd have a honking huge RV and travel with my family from NASCAR race to NASCAR race for an entire year. And since this is a DREAM vacation, we would not have to camp in the regular camping lots. We would get to park our honking huge RV right next to all of the drivers' RVs. (The BUD Shootout is this weekend. Think I've got NASCAR on the brain.)

5) Tell us some things about your nighttime dreams. Are they in color?
Ever dream the textbook dream, e.g. public speaking naked, falling, etc.?
Are they somewhat normal, or do you have crazy dreams (like being chased by a moose)?

My dreams tend to be in color, vivid, detailed, and usually pretty "normal". I have the recurring dream of my teeth falling out, and I have dreamed several times that my house was being bombed by aircraft during a war. I remember having one of those dreams when I was in my late teens/early twenties. In my dream, I was screaming for my Dad. When I woke up, my Dad was standing in the doorway. I must've actually been screaming. The next morning, Dad didn't remember any of it. I was screaming in my sleep, and in his sleep, he came to rescue me. Oh, shoot! I'm crying again.

Google was no help at all regarding my last post. Help! Please!

Ok. I've had a song going through my head the last two mornings. Can anyone help me figure out the rest of the words, and where the song is from? I'm going to try to Google it, to see what I come up with, but let's see what you guys can guess. Here's the song:

"Let me out, let me out
Let me see the sun
Let me sprout
Please let me grow."

I'm quite sure I know where it's from, but Eben swears I'm wrong. What do you think?

I don't have too much to say. I have an awful head cold, I think 4th one this season. What's up with that?? Maybe I need to eat more vegetables. Yuck! Maybe I need to turn up the heat. (I usually have it set on 60 degrees, and still run around barefooted!)

As far as my diet goes, well, I didn't necessarily try to eat less or eat better this week. I was conscious of what I ate, though. I exercised for at least 45 minutes 7 out of the last 10 days. I did well with the water intake, except for perhaps the last 2 days. I gained 1 1/2 pounds. BUT, my body fat percentage decreased by about 4%! I guess that's ok. They say muscle weighs more than fat. And, I guess all the exercise would explain that. This week, I plan to do the in-home walking 3x a week, and then resistance training twice a week. I also need to drink more water, and maybe go back to my "diet" frozen dinners for lunch.

Since I don't have anything else exciting to say, I thought I would post my supper menus for the upcoming week.

Monday: Beef Burgandy, Egg Noodles, Green Beans
Tuesday: Pie A La Italian (some kind of pie thing made with Crescent rolls, cheese, hamburg, eggs, and parmesan cheese)
Wednesday: Roast Sticky Chicken (whole chicken in the crockpot, stuffed with onions, and a dry spice rub on top), Brussel Sprouts, Rolls
Thursday: Chicken with Pasta & Broccoli, Garlic Bread
Friday: Beans & Hot Dogs

Note to Ronda:

I've lost your e-mail address, so I'm hoping you'll see this here.

Anyway, I just thought that I would mention that a bunch of us (Alice, Sue, my Aunt Susie from Dr. Olehnik's office, Erica--an RN from PBMC, Mandy from Dr. Gee's office, and my cousins Cathy and Laura) are getting together at the church on Thursday (2/8) at 7:00 to scrapbook. We usually stay until 8:30 or 9:00. We generally get together the first Thursday of every month, but we're meeting on the 8th this time around because of a scheduling conflict. If you'd like to come, we'd love to have you. I'd be happy to come and pick you up if you'd prefer. Just give me a call.

Love ya!

Sue had a story to share about Matthew and his treasure, so I thought I would share this one:

Earlier this week, I got out of the shower and Caleb said, "Look, Mom Mom, treasure!" In his extended hand was the sapphire and diamond ring that my grandfather had given me. He had been digging for treasure in my jewelry box.

When Eben was this same age, I caught him doing the same thing.

I did the same thing for Caleb (with a little help from Nana) that I did for Eben. I made sure that Caleb had his own treasure box. While at Wal-Mart yesterday, Mom looked around for a unfinished wooden treasure box to paint for him, but they didn't have any. She looked at jewelry boxes, but they were at least $10 (a little more to spend than necessary to please an almost-four-year-old boy. Mom then high-tailed it to the recipe boxes. Caleb was absolutely smitten with the black plastic index-card box that she found. We then went back to jewelry and picked up a couple of pieces of little-girl jewelry. Caleb was soooo happy. He kept saying, "Look at all this treasure!" "I got a treasure box! I got a treasure box!"

Often when we go to Wal-Mart, Caleb wants the Dora the Explorer Pirate DVD. I'm thinking this is where he got the treasure box concept from. I haven't bought that DVD for Caleb, and I won't just yet, just in case someone needs a birthday idea for him. He might also like diamonds, sapphires and rubies. (He can always give them to Mom Mom when the treasure obsession passes!)

Sue's Two by Two Mi-5

Sue says:

This MI-5 is from a quiz in a scrapbooking magazine. I was drawn to the Two by Two Quiz because of our 2 1/2 year old twins.

1. What two stores do you frequent most often?

Wal-Mart and Hannaford

2. What are two things you want to do before you die?

Two Serious Things:
Lead another person to salvation in Jesus Christ
See my boys reach adulthood and live happy, healthy lives

Two Not-So-Serious Things:
Do a Build-A-Bear Workshop
Go to the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum

3. What are two foods you could eat everyday?

Lobster and Mashed Potato

4. What are two everyday things you cannot live without?

Serious:
The Bible
Beth Moore Bible Studies

Less Serious:
My Teddy Bear
TV

Bonus Point - Kindda Serious, Kindda Not Serious:
My refrigerator with the ice and water dispenser

5. What are two things that scare you?

Fire
Death (not because I fear dying, but because I fear leaving my children without their mom)