Tax Slayer

It is officially tax season and I have started, but not completed our paperwork. Although, I don't think that I should refer to it as paperwork since I am filling out forms online. No paper is involved until I print out a copy of my completed forms.

Anyway, this is my sixth year to do our taxes online and each of these 6 years I have used taxslayer.com with much satisfaction. It only costs $9.95 to file both federal and state. It is simple to use and I have had no problems whatsoever using this site. I originally discovered Tax Slayer through the IRS website.

I thought I would pass this info along to any who may be interested.

Happy feet

I have a goal to make it to the beach every summer. Sometimes I reach that goal and sometimes I do not. What can it hurt, though, to make it a goal every year?

The summer of 2008 we went to Orange Beach, Alabama. The summer of 2006 we went to Fort Morgan, Alabama. Not too shabby of a record considering that we've only been a family for a little over four years.

Several years ago, before children and husband, I made a trip to Ocracoke Island for my aunt's wedding. I had never heard of Ocracoke before the occasion. It is an island off of the Outer Banks (which I was also unfamiliar with at the time) of North Carolina.

Now, if you are wanting a commercialized, activity-filled, amusement park type of vacation, then Ocracoke is not for you. If you are looking for a low-key, laid-back, aesthetically pleasing getaway, then Ocracoke is the perfect destination or so I like to think. I would love to go back with my husband and kids in tow.

Who knows? Maybe we'll make it there this summer. I don't think it would hurt to get a list together of possible travel arrangements and accomodations. Do you?

4 and counting

On the first of this month, New Year's Day, Rob and I celebrated our 4th anniversary. Here is a photo flashback to four years ago when we eloped. I highly recommend the Bed and Breakfast in Sevierville, TN where we got hitched.

the quiet before the storm

The kids and I visited some friends in Louisville one weekend in October of last year. We visited the zoo while we were there. This serene photo taken at the zoo does the opposite of portray our experience there. Luke was a little wild man that day. It was one of those times when the parent to child ratio was taken advantage of. There were plenty of adults along for the zoo trip, but, unfortunately, not the daddy. We still managed to have a great time despite Luke's disregard of parental authority. I got to see an anaconda for the first time and that made the trip worthwhile as far as I'm concerned.

I'm tempted to say my all-time favorite

Creedence Clearwater Revival has been there for me for more than a decade. I grew to love them during my teenage years and I just can't quit listening.

I think I first grew interested when a cover band was playing their music at BETA convention my sophomore year of high school. Of course I had heard some of their music before, but the live performances by the band who called themselves Soundproof Pants really got my attention. Since then, CCR has been a constant in my music life. For some reason, when I listen to their greatest hits cd Chronicle, I enter a happy place where housework and daily minutiae seem not so bad.

The shoe tree as seen by Rose

Rose took this picture last summer of the shoe tree at Murray State. This is a tree that holds the shoes of those who met on campus and eventually married and evidently shoes of their children as well. I love this picture. I wish I could take pictures like this.

Cookies!

The 2008 holiday season marked our first family attempt at making and decorating Christmas sugar cookies. I thought we did a decent job. They were edible and I believe that is all that really matters when it comes to cookies.