I’m peeking back in to make sure we haven’t left anyone behind. What are you still doing here? You didn‘t believe me, did you?

Don’t you feel lonely? We’re all over at the new place sipping soda and chatting.

We won’t put you to sleep. Won’t you join us?

Sitting here in the dark all by yourself, you’re liable to grow fungus on your feet.

That’s right, you’ve got it now. See you there!

 First, I have to thank you for letting me hi-jack Fun Monday for a week! Thanx Guys! Then I need to thank AFF for inspiring such a fun topic. Thanx Girl!

So, I asked you guys to tattle on yourselves.

A quirk is defined as a peculiarity of action, behavior, or personality; mannerism. We are all unique individuals, having quirks that help make us who we are. I would like to know what your quirks are. Confess to one, confess to ten, you decide. Just come back Monday ready to spill the beans, the rest of the world may look at you like you are from Mars, but you‘re among friends here. We won’t laugh, in fact that eccentricity just may endear you to us more.

I ran around all week asking my family what I do that is weird. Might I suggest never doing that? Boy did they come up with a list! I don’t think I’ll share them all. But here a few from their list.

• I have to fill my insulated cup (it has to be insulated) with ice and then soda. It has to be full of ice to the top first, over flowing even. After the ice is falling out of the cup I add the Diet Coke. Yes, Diet Coke (and Mocha Frappucino) is the only drink that ever crosses my lips. On the rare occasions I drink Milk (like once a year) it must have ice. And I never use a straw because it warms the liquid up too much.
• My food has to be hot hot hot, but that’s not the quirky thing. It must be a certain way on the plate. Like breakfast, eggs on the right, bacon on the hash browns (to keep them warm) and toast on the opposite side of the plate of me. I eat a bite of egg with a bite of bacon, then the hash browns and lastly the toast. There’s a method to any meal. Burgers and fries? Burger on the right and eaten first, fries on the left and eaten last. The big reason for this is that I love ll kinds of potatoes and don’t mind if they cool a little, hate meat so it must be as hot as possible, ketchup can be put in the spot left by the meat and then the dipping of fries is easiest.
• My ketchup must be room temperature or it will make the food cold.
• I will not eat any meat with “pink” in it. It must be well done, burnt even.
• I have to have, at a minimum, three pillows to sleep with. Two for under my head and at least one to hug. When at home I have two feather pillows for my head and a pillow on each side of me and one between my knees - yeah I sleep on my side.

• Ok, I had to add one more, it’s a good one, When I ask a question I always ask two questions. And the questions would have opposite answers if the person answered both. For instance, “Do you want to read a book? Or do you want to watch tv?” or “Should we go to the store? Should we stay home? Or I know we can go to the movie. Do you want to go to the movie? You’re probably too tired aren’t you?” or “I’m getting hungry, are you hungry? Oh no, you just ate an hour ago so you probably aren’t hungry. Are you?” I mostly do this with my husband and while writing it down it dawned on me that maybe I’m just carrying the conversation.

I think that’s enough quirkiness from me for one day. Run over and see how quirky our fellow bloggers are. Other people fessing up today are:

1. Anglophile Football Fanatic
2. Are we there yet mom?
3. Hulagirl at Heart
4. AOJ & the Lurchers
5. Return of the White Robin
6. Sayre Smiles
7. From the Planet of Janet
8. Small Reflections
9. The Dust Will Wait
10. Got Milk?
11. Finding Beauty in Most Every Day
12. Dungarees Ablaze
13. The Prytz Family
14. Ramblings by Reba
15. 1 Crazy Stitcher
16. Summit Musings
17. RDH Mom
18. Arkansas Songbird
19. Mama Speak
20. Gattina Writer Cramps
21. A Florida Journal
22. Wisconsin Candy
23. Robinella
24. Irish Coffeehouse
25. Susan's Musings
26. U R Olive (our lovely host next week)
27. Nekked Lizard Adventures
28. Min @ Mamadrama
29. Heather's Recipes
30. Hale Family Site
31. Hootin-Anni
32. Mama Rehema
33. Jo Beaufoix
34. Karisma and Kids
35. Crunchy Bits
36. Tiggerlane
37. La Vie en Rose
38. My Husband Calls Me Weird
39. Anecdotes, Antidotes and Anodes
40. Candid Karina
41. Happy at Home
42. Running at Large
43. Mamalang
44. Lady K
45. Beyond My Slab
46. Mariposa Tells
47. Heaven in Belgium
48. Stephanie @ Mamadrama
49. Things in General
50. Adam's Wife
51. The Junk Drawer

Now wait a minute, this can’t be, a post without photos?! No way. I had to edit and add a few.

My son’s quirk is washing off his rock collection.

Hope you’re keeping cool!

I saw this over at Marmite and Tea and thought it looked like a lot of fun. I copied in my last 10 or 11 posts out of curiosity, and viola. I don’t know much. If you want to see which words you use the most go see Wordle.

Wow that's a little thumbnail, let's see if I can. . .

Yay, I did it!

Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy. ~Anne Frank

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few days ago I was having some down time, the next day I stumbled onto a new blog and found the quote above in the sidebar there. The timing of things often amazes me.

I always fear when I need to let out some steam, that you all will go away, or click away with thoughts of, “There she goes again. Can’t she just get over it already?!” I’m always happy to find understanding and comfort in the words you leave me.

And I always hope to share words of hope and normality to fellow cancer victims. Baby steps, it’s much like AA, One day at a time. Through cancer I really learned how to enjoy the now, not looking forward or backward but loving the moment. I don’t much love the moments of laundry and such (that’s probably why I’m still trying to get caught up afte vacation), sometimes those things seem beneath me. Like why, should I be wasting the precious moments I have doing chores? But they are part of life and when I wake up still kicking the next day I decide they won’t do themselves and accomplish them. Uh, sometimes, but sometimes I have a wonderfully understanding husband wake up before me and do them first.

So really, I just wanted to let you know, that I appreciate you. I need you and I love having you in my life.

Maybe this is a good time to tell you that there’s something in the works here. You’ll be seeing some changes, although slow, it may be a month or so before everything’s done, but if you like, you are welcome to start reading and commenting over here. Right now the surroundings are just blah, basic, no-frills, but all the posts are the same, same content there and here until the change is complete. I am hoping the change makes it easier for you guys to comment. You’re the reason for the change, so I hope it will be worth it. I know many of you have had difficulty commenting on blog-city and although I’ve sought support several times nothing has changed so I guess I have to change hosts. So for now, feel free to read me here or here and I’ll let you know when the full change has been made.

If you're unfamiliar with the site, people send in a secret on a postcard anonymously. Often there are cards that touch me, make me laugh, gasp, or feel less alone. This past Sunday one made me cry. I couldn’t even read it aloud to Dennis for my tears and I am tearing up as I write this now. Here’s what the card said:

I’m not going to try to cope when

my mom has lost her battle with cancer.

I’m going to kill myself.

I hope there is an afterlife.

Go to PostSecret to see the actual card. And maybe take a moment to pray, appeal to your higher power, send this person good vibes or whatever you believe. Let’s change her heart.

Cancer Sucks!

So, have you seen Blogtations?  It reminds me a little of Post Secret.  Blogtations features blogger quotes.  One particular one has really struck a chord with me and has me boo-hooing amidst the a-chooing.

Alison awarded me the Blog of Distinction. Do I have to start wearing formalwear now? Or maybe I don a smoking jacket, grab and pipe and meet you in the library. Thank you Alison! I would like to pass this on to:

• Dog’s Eye View is always a great place for wonderful photos. You might even find a kitty, food, flowers. . . Well, just about anything!
• Life through a Lens is another great spot for your daily photo requirement. She raises seeing eye dogs too, how fun!
• At Not a Stepford Wife you will find the very fickle Robinella. She made me feel a little foolish yesterday because I had no clue that Organic furniture or bedding even existed!

Sayre brought tears to my eyes with her kind words, and an “E” for Excellent! That’s better than an E for Effort, right? Oh no, I feel like I’m back in school. As I looked through all my bloggie friends I noticed many of you already have it.

And two more of you thought of me while passing it on. Thank you Swampangel and Sandcastle Momma! They are both fellow geocachers and if I ever make it to Florida I will ask them to give me the tour, alligators and all. This one was the toughest to pass along (since you guys are all Excellent) even though I feel like everyone of you deserves it, and I would take the time to list each one of you but my eys are now tired.  So, you are Excellent!

• The Dana Files is a blog I just recently discovered. She is right here in the same town with me! I am enjoying getting caught up with her goings on and, her doodlebug is just the cutest!
• What works for Us has been to Alaska and I wanna go someday. And even though she dislikes birds because they poop on her, she still visits my blog. (PS - The only concert I have ever been to was RATT, and I didn’t even know who they were nor care.)
• Anytime you need some fresh Prairie Air, just visit Jenni in KS. Just don’t make the same mistake I once made and tease her about how flat Kansas is. There are some hills there, she promises. I was already falling in love with her house when she just cinched the deal by showing her magnificent kitchen!
• Nicole B Photography will take you on a tour of the world. Germany, Hungary, Kuwait, Dubai, South Korea . . .well, everywhere! She’s a little hard to keep up with as she updates more than once a day typically.
• The Café at the end of the Universe is a great spot to stop. She has a bunch of photos from the filming in Oshkosh and more Johnny Depp - maybe even Christian Bale ;)
• Lady K has three active bike riding boys and a blogging hubby! How lucky is she?!
• Nikkipolani offers up a new view of the world everyday. If you like kitties, gardens and pretty food this is the place for you!
• At The Prytz Family, you’ll find a happily-married-for-a-million-years-hilarious couple of youngsters. Looking for a huge loving family, tea, books or recipes?
• If you’re really, really nice you might be able to go for a road trip with Jeanne. Or maybe she’ll teach you how to fabulous cards. I’m always in awe of her art! Yes, her card making is definitely art!
• Aims could use a huge hug. She is in the middle of telling a shortened version of the story of her life and she carefully places the words in a way that makes you feel like you are walking in her shoes.
• Karmyn is busy baking, not a cake but baby number three. I get so excited over babies. They so tiny and perfect and just absolutely loveable! I hope she still has time for us.
• I would love to say that I’m passing this to Holly because she is just the sweetest lil pumpkin pie I know, and she is, but really I’m trying to bribe her to not hold it against me forever that not only does my son have a December birthday but now my grandchild will too.
• I’m amazed that Leanne finds anytime to blog. She always has her nose in a canvas or sketchpad or camera. I am in awe of her talent!
• Teriana lived in Alaska for a while and I lived vicariously through her. Someday, I hope to cross over Lake Michigan and get to meet her and her sister, Jessica.
• Yes Jessica needs this too, when my daughter was having difficulty breastfeeding and baby Tristan was only a few days old Jessica gave us much needed support.

Our newest little photographer! He’s even using the Canon 5D!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do you Twitter?  Maybe you’re on Facebook?  Technorati? Flickr?

Go to lisaschaos' photostream

I'm Missouri born and bred, but have been living in the center of Wisconsin since 2003.  I have four wonderful kids, we did a photo shoot with them September, 2007. In October 2005, I was diagnosed with Stage IIIC Colorectal Cancer.  Now I'm a Chemo Angel, you can be too.  This is all probably more than you ever wanted to know but, my memory sucks so this will help me remember. :)

Feel free to email me anytime: lisaschaos at yahoo dot com

Why do I keep my toothbrush and hairbrush in the same drawer?! I always end up picking hair out of my toothbrush. Ewww!

How does my dog curl up into a ball with her tail touching her nose and not get a tickly, itchy nose? But if I lightly touch her ear hair she will shake her head like it tickles.

And why does my other dog have a hair fetish? He always demands to smell my hair when I get out of the bath, then rubs his face and snorts. I should smell good! He will do this to anyone sitting on his level. He places his paw on your shoulder and sniffs and roots around in your hair then he’s off rubbing his face and snorting on the floor. What the hell?!

Back to business, somebody (please tell me who) bestowed this Excellent award on me. It was a couple of weeks ago and I cannot remember who did it. Please tell me if it was you so I can linky love you. I’m old and forgetful. Yes, that’s my excuse!

I would like to pass it on to a few couple of people I know IRL who blog a little. They don’t update daily like us addicted people, but it always makes my heart flutter when I see a new entry in bloglines. Maybe we can entice them to post more frequently. That’s my plan anyway.

Gwyn is a storyteller and teacher, she loves birding and geocaching, she actually has two blogs:

Bird Brained Stories

Musings on Story and Life

Michele is a mommy blogger, her two little ones leave her little time to jump online:

Da Beers Clan  

That’s my entire list of blogging people I know, have had lunch with, hung out with, met their spouses, etc. Is that sad? Why do some entire families blog yet I cannot seem to get anyone else in my family hooked? What can I say to my mom, son, daughter. . . to convince them that blogging is a huge part of life they’re missing out on?

A Question of Sanity

A Spot of T

And All the Jones Men

Anecdotes, Antidotes, and Anodes

Anglophile Football Fanatic

AOJ & the Lurchers

Bermuda Bluez

Big Blue Barn West

Bird Brained Stories

Bunny Trails

Candid Karina

Carrie and the Koehmstedts

Colours of Dawn

Da Beers Clan

The Different Drummer Soundtrack

Dog's Eye View

The Dust Will Wait

Ex-everything

The First of Six

Give it a Try

Got Milk?

Heaven in Belgium

Intricate Art

Jenni in KS

Karisma & Kids

Karmyn's Dreamings

Kaytabug

Life is Like a Lunchbox

Life Through a Lens

Lil Mousehouse

the Lisa Show

Mariposa's Tales

Marmite and Tea

Mausbär´s Nähkiste

Ms Cellania

My Second Journal

Myanderings

Nekked Lizard Adventures

Newdae Photography

Not a Stepford Wife

Pensieve

Peppermint Tea

Peripheral Vision

Post Secret

the Prytz Family

RDH Mom

Ragracers

Random Thoughts and Musings from the Island

Return of the White Robin

Sallad

Sauntering Soul

Serina Hope

Snow Days

This is Your Brain. . .

Tiggerlane, the Neophyte Blogger

What Works for Us

Wisconsin Candy Dish

last updated: 03-21-08

For some reason I was thinking my blogiversary was March 13^th and I was all prepared to say, “Happy Blogiversary” to me and share some cupcakes. I just looked at my archives and my first post was on March 3^rd, 2005! I missed my own blog birthday. Three years of blogging and I couldn’t remember what day I sat here and nervously wrote my first post. Oh well, have a cupcake anyway.

Mariposa would like to know:

(1) Please share to us how the NAME of your BLOG was made? I can't wait to hear interesting funny stories!

(2) Please share to us (in words or photo, though a combination of both will be a bonus!) your favorite/ most common dish!

The first part is easy peasy, as a mom of four and step-mom to two how can our house be anything but chaotic? Add in that my husband’s work schedule is all over the place and we never know when he’ll be home and how long he’ll be gone, it’s utter chaos. Then add in two Lhasa Apsos and various creatures the kids drag in and we have eternal chaos. And, um, well, my name is Lisa after all, and I’m the “mom”, keeper of the house, therefore I own the chaos. So there you have it.

My favorite dish I have posted previously, so if you want to hear all about it, Cashew Chicken.

I may take a little bit to get around to everyone today, we're having Tristan's first birthday party today.  Can you believe my grandson is one already?!  Neither can I!  He's such a sweetheart! 

We ventured out this past weekend to take some photos at an event I'm a betting you have never heard of (I hadn't) and when we stopped to eat lunch at the Medford Diner, I love the eat their burger special every chance I get!  The burger comes on a kaiser roll and it's served with a mixture of french fries, fried cheese curds and onion rings.  I love having the little taste of each thing.  But, oh, back to the bird.  From the moment I stepped out of the car I kept hearing a bird.  Finally, I spotted the noisemaker in the tippy top of this tree.  It happily talked to us all the while I went back to the car, got the camera, snapped a few shots and put the camera back up.  It sure had a lot to say!

Search - The guilties                I keep messing with my lymph nodes

Monday - 70-300mm/75-300mm Canon Lens Comparison

Tuesday - Hodge Podge of images, from a Cow to a Crumpler

Wednesday - Photos of bison and a persistant hissing elk and My puzzlement over Guitar Heroes III

Thursday - Macro flower pictures and Print Gallery Opened

Friday - The birds give you some tips on counting them this weekend

So I'm off to count more birds, I just wanted to make you didn't miss anything this week.  See ya later~

Did you know that February is National Bird Feeding month? February is one of the most difficult months, nutritionally, for wild birds. In 1994, Congressman John Porter read a resolution in the Congressional Record making February National Bird Feeding Month. In part, the resolution says, "During this month, individuals are encouraged to provide food, water, and shelter to help wild birds survive."

This makes him very happy!

How appropriate that the Great Backyard Bird Count happens February 15-18th . It’s easy to get involved, let’s count the birdies.

Alison thinks I’m yummy! And gave me this cute award so all the world can know how yummilicious I am. She just finished telling the adoption story of her daughter and it’s a read with a happy ending. You’re not too late to catch the second story - the adoption of her son. I would like to take a minute to 1) thank her - THANX! *kiss* and 2) pass it on . . .

• Beccy
• MJD
• Jenni
• Dallas
• Aimee
• Jeanna
• Beth :)

Leanne loves my blog! I love her’s right back. I popped over to her site, thanks to Christine, to wish Leanne a happy birthday and have been hooked ever since. She is extremely artistic and not stuck-up at all (hey, some artsy people are a little aloof). Try her, you’ll like her! So, “Thanx, Leanne!” *wave* and I’d like to pass it on to. . .

• Joy
• Pamela
• Angela
• Jeannie
• Nikkipolani
• L-Squared
• Holly

Andrea passed this award to all of her readers and while I normally don’t snag awards that way, this one seemed different to me. I want to continue to spread the love so I am hoping that everyone reading this post will take it, with love, from me. What a perfect month to pass it along too. Hey YOU, come on, take it, then continue to spread the love!

I have admitted, repeatedly, that I cannot type. I spend more time backspacing than I do creating words, I swear it’s true, and now I have proof:

Touch Typing online

Searches that have brought people to my blog in the last month:

Duct tape on flat tire OR what's kind of bubble gum will blow bigger I don’t think the duct tape will help any more than gum will.

how can i be sure that im being stalked OR signs being stalked OR Lisa is being stalked Why specifically “Lisa”?

shit su You might have more luck with Shih Tzu.

How do I know that ice is frozen enough to walk on I use the rule that if fishermen are on the lake, or vehicles are, then it’s probably safe for me to walk on, although I still get really nervous about it. Like I think my weight might just finish it off and we’ll all sink.

how long have you got left with cancer of the major organs Email me if you need to talk.(((hugs)))

Ola hello OR cute guy pics These guys are the cutest!

broken finger stories I’m sure this wasn’t the most exciting story, but how many kids break a finger twice in one summer?! I actually ran across his x-rays while cleaning out some boxes. I should scan them in.

why can't i say... again? I dunno, why can’t ya?

any variation of chicken george, roots, bertha, alex haley, etc I have even helped a couple of folks via email

I can feel my heart in my ear and I have blood in my stool I wouldn’t think the two are related but maybe you better call your doctor. You can come back and read my blog when you get home. And let me know that you’re ok.

my parents made a porn I assure you that my parents did not make a porno, nor did my friends. I promise. End of story.

I like pee my pants Why?!?!? I hope you wear a diaper and don‘t walk around with it dribbling down your leg.

starbucks cookies chocolate chip secret Oh, I want one! If you find the secret, will you share it?

Why foods look boring If you live with me it’s because I cooked it. Sorry.

Haden is staying at their house tonight so that he, hopefully, doesn't get us sick.  My grandson, Tristan, is feeling better and is able to keep some food down, now his mama is sick. 

It seems some of you weren't aware I had a grandson.  He was my 40th birthday present.  Well, almost.  My birthday is February 8th and his is the 24th.  I have a blog written for him over here.  I always kept spiral notebooks for my kids, journals of their lives and decided to move with progress and give my grandchild a blog.  I just wish I could get him mama to help me keep it current.

Now that I will be getting a second grandchild I may move to posting in Tristan's once a month.  I'm not sure if I should just add the other grandchild into that same blog or open up another one for him or her.  Originally, I thought I would talk to all of my grandchildren there but now I just don't know.  Any thoughts?

I wonder how Marissa's tatoo will look after being pregnant. . .

I wish I could type, actually type, like x number of words per minutes.  It sure would cut down the time I spend posting and commenting.  Can you believe for every 20 keys I hit forward, I have to hit at lease 3 backspaces to correct my errors and I think I average 2 words per minute on a good day. 

I promise I'll be posting about my new lens on thursday, just trying to play a little catch-up here.  And I have some surprise photos for you tomorrow, Wordless Wednesday.

MP nominated my blog for Best Photography Blog in the 2008 bloggers choice awards.  I would love it if you would pop over and vote for me, I'm just sorry that voting for me won't guarantee lower taxes.  You can still vote for other Photography blogs even if you do vote for mine.  I have voted for a few of them myself.  Just wanted you to know that you aren't limited to only voting for me. :)

The other thing I keep forgetting to ask is to trade favs on Technorati.  If you fav me I'll fav you.  Whatcha think?

And lastly, I'm working on fixing up my blogroll, do you wanna be on it?  Leave me a note if you see I don't have you on there yet.  I'm rather lazy about it and for that I'm sorry, let me show you some linky love.  So let's swap links?

PS - Wouldn't a swap be fun?  I'm all in the mood to host one just not sure what kind of swap to host so what would you like to swap?

I would like to start a little series on photography and cameras.  To help jump start things, this would be a good place for you to ask any questions.  This will be fun as long as you realize I don't have all the answers.  I can however, possibly, find the answers that I don't have.

Now I fear I have put a little overload on everyone.  I just combined 5 or 6 little things into one post.  Hope it's not too confusing.

1. Vote for me :)
2. Technorati swap favorite links
3. Join my blog log Community
4. Slip me your link so I can add you to my sidebar
5. Would you like to have a swap of something?
6. Let's be friends on flickr
7. Any camera/photo questions?
8. Whew, that's it.  :)

Ann is our hostess this week:

I want to hear about a web site and not just about any old web site. I want to hear about a web site that's changed your life. A web site that you can't live without. A web site whose inventor you'd like to see win a McArthur Genius Grant.

Maybe you want to sing the praises of a dating web site for helping you meet your spouse. Maybe the only thing getting you through the dark days of winter is an Internet comic. No story is too big, no story is too small - I want to hear it all on Monday.

I’m happy for a multitude of websites but I suppose I will just show you a few that have changed my life lately. This website gave me hope when I felt all hope was gone, or it at least led me to people who gave me hope.

I used to visit the geocaching website everyday but haven’t as much lately. This seems like a good time to invite the fellow geocachers reading me to tell me your caching name and a city nearby you and I will send you a Wisconsin postcard via the Geo-Post Office. (There doesn’t need to be a geo-post office near you they can be put in any cache.)

And I think my life will be changed the most by this website (still under construction), time will tell.

Joy over at A Spot of T gave me an award.  Yes, it's the "Bloggers with Integrity" award - DON'T LAUGH!  She makes me feel very special but I promise I won't flounce around singing, "She likes me, she thinks I'm special."  Because, well, people with integrity just don't act that way.  :)

Joy said:

For Social Conscience:

This award I want to give to Lisa at Lisa's Chaos.  You may think she should probably go in the Creativity category but I don't think so and I'm the one giving out the award.  Oh she is absolutely creative.  Her photographs are breathtaking.  Which is why I feel she should receive the Social Conscience.  To constantly take people's breath away by the beauty of a photograph is nothing more then sheer talent.  Lisa has talent and society definitely benefits from it.

I'm blushingly, speechless, believe it or not.  Thanx Joy!

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