LOVE love LoVe this Song!!

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.


Enjoy a little Music Monday!

Happy Mother's Day!!

Before I

was a Mom
I made and ate hot meals.
I had unstained clothing.
I had quiet conversations on the phone.

Before I was a Mom
I slept as late as I wanted
And never worried about how late
I got into bed.
I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday.

Before I was a Mom,
I cleaned my house each day.
I never tripped over toys
or forgot words to lullabies.

Before I was a Mom,
I didn't worry whether or not my
plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never been pooped on,
Spit up on,
Chewed on,
Peed on,
Or pinched by tiny fingers.

Before I was a Mom,
I had complete control of myself;
My thoughts,
My body,
And my mind.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held down a screaming child
so that doctors could do tests or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't
want to put it down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew something so small could affect my
life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom,
I didn't know the feeling of having my
heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel
to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a
Mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small
could make me feel so important.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never gotten up in the middle of
the night every ten minutes to make
sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth,
The joy,
The love,
The heartache,
The wonderfulment,
Or the satisfaction of being a Mom.

I didn't know I was capable of feeling so
much before I was a Mom.

Author Unknown

It's a Chalkboard Party!!

Over at in His Grace


So this is my before pic:



And here is the after:


Ta Da!! The platter became a great little place for notes and menus. The round thing-a-mi-jiggy is an old crock and I'm not really sure how I'm going to use it yet. I don't like to have things on the counter much but I'm thinking of using to plant some wonderful parsley. I'll post another pic as soon as I figure out it's future....

Head on over to Chrissie's and see what the other painters have done. OH! And I have another cute little thing involving those flowers but you'll have to wait another week.....it's still in creation mode (but close!).

Have a fantastic weekend!!

Beach! It does a body good!

Beach day yesterday. Need I say more?! The kids love it and so do we!!!

Get on over to I Blame Mom for a bunch of people that actually did something with their kids....instead of this lazy mom who simply laid in the sun and let the surf entertain them!!

Randomness....

I love how the leaves fall in my yard and decorate the season of Spring in Florida. I'm not so sure the neighbors love it.

I want to learn how to make artisan bread. Really, really good bread. And slather on some good Irish butter. Oh. my.

I guess I know a little about a lot of stuff. At least that is what people tell me. Sometimes I think that I just don't concentrate well in one area. I don't bother with details.

I used to question myself every day whether I should be doing something else. Today, I've found my "something else" and it is completely fulfilling and really where God intended me to be. It's called being Mama.

My mind is a constant source of thinking and planning. I don't think it is as creative in the arts and crafty sense, but in the 'I can do this with that' sense. Just today instead of buying Febreze, I made my own and I like it so much better than the chemical-ly stuff.

I wish my house looked like this. Is that possible with two little boys who dismantle the sofa every evening?

There are many things I feel very confident in. There are a few things I feel completely inept in. I suppose that's a pretty good balance.

I am trying to be more girly. I've never been very girly. Comes from growing up on a farm with boys. Not a whole lotta support for girly stuff. Thank you God for giving us boys.

I get a bit obsessed with things. And that is the very character trait that my husband has that drives me crazy. Hmmmm....wonder if that bothers him?

I'm really a farm kid trapped in a adult city girl's body. Not many people know that. And oddly, they are always surprised.

I always wanted to write. I just never thought it was good enough. I'm still not sure I would ever write something somebody found interesting enough to actually read. But I've gotten almost 1000 hits on this blog since April, when I started the counter. So maybe?

We've thought often and seriously about moving to another country. Take advantage of a job opportunity for SH. I really think it would be an amazing journey and would love to try it. SH still isn't sure. I really feel as though God intends for us to live as a family in a way that is different than what we are doing now. So I pray about it.

I'm a Christian but not necessarily loyal to one denomination. In fact, I've attended and belonged to several churches in my lifetime. Some people consider that an inability to commit. I simply think that they are very similar and that it's not about the politics, it's about my God. The only church that never made sense to me was a Unitarian. Lovely place to visit. Lovely people. Strange not to talk about Jesus during church. So I left.

I love bluegrass music. Don't laugh. It's really good. Especially anything tied to Alison Krauss.

I guess I could do one of those "100 things about me" posts.....

Top 5 Frugal Living Tips!

Welcome to Works for Me Wednesday and the reason I got HOOKED on it in the first place! This week is a FRUGAL thing to WFMW over at We Are That Family. I fell in love with WFMW because I was on the hunt for all things frugal and money saving tips. And there are SO many jam-packed into WFMW, along with other life-saving tips, that I found myself going back time and time again. I've learned so very much and have adopted so many. Here are my top 5 frugal living tips to share with you this week:

1. Go off-brand and generic. Honestly, I don't understand why someone would pay dollars more for a name brand item than the generic. We get generic medications when they are available. We buy generic trash bags. We buy generic canned beans, canned fruits, most all canned items are generic. I used to think we had to have Charmin but learned to live with a more generic or cheaper brand. Coupons are not available but most every time, the item is cheaper than the name brand with a coupon. Which brings me to my next point:

2. Only buy name brand if it is a great deal with a coupon! I am fanatical about using coupons at CVS and Walgreens. I buy most paper products, feminine products, TP, shampoo and soap there for little to nothing with coupons and sales rebates. I usually can score several boxes of cereal for just a couple of bucks from using sales, coupons plus the store rebates. Watch your sales ads and coupons because most coupons will preceed a sale at the store by 2-3 weeks. There will be some "sales" each week that coincide with the coupon but usually you can get a better deal a couple of weeks later. For example, this week I cut several $1 coupons out of Sunday's fliers for Garnier Fructis shampoo and conditioner. I will hold onto them because likely in 2-3 weeks, there will be a great deal at CVS or Wags to use them on (hopefully one of those 3/$9 on family size bottles...use 3/$1 coupons, then it is $6 and strategically, I will use any leftover Extra Care Bucks to pay for them that way====that equals FREE shampoo and conditioner!!).

3. Read, read, read personal finance blogs, articles, books and stories. I've learned a TON of info this way. We were turned on to Dave Ramsey thru these, started a great ING savings account (they have great interest rates!), settled some old debts, paid off a lot of debt, sold a bunch of junk, recycled and reused instead of buying new.....I could go on forever! This book, The Total Money Makeover, has been a God-send to us!
We have read it time and again, and bought copies for friends and family members. It's a great book! The jist of it is that all this reading inspires us to continue to refine the budget every week to keep squeezing the proverbial turnip!

4. Cook from scratch and eat at home! It's amazing how much money you blow just by getting a little something here and little something there.... Our family is now four people. And we are near the end of having the kids eat from our plates (that was much easier when they were smaller...). They not only want their own meal but will often eat much of it. So we have four people to buy food and drinks for. It will run us at least $18--and that is McDonalds! And I don't LIKE McD's!!!!! If I'm going to go through the hassle of going out to eat, I want edible and delicious food!!! So our favorite Italian place ran us almost $60 with tip last time. We just cannot do that. So I cook from home, from scratch. I don't buy boxed meals. I don't even shop in the freezer section at all--except for a few rare buys of frozen veggies. It is the way we keep our grocery budget under $275/month.

5. Make my own cleaning supplies. I started off by making our own laundry soap. And I don't mind doing that but have to admit that SH prefers the store-bought, perfumed stuff. He thinks it cleans better and most certainly smells nicer. I'm not convinced but have temporarily buckled under the pressure and have bought Arm & Hammer this last go around. But I'm still working on a better homemade laundry detergent recipe (if you have ideas--send them my way please!!!). I do make our own window washing liquids, we use a lot of vinegar, baking soda, ammonia and/or bleach (never together though---toxic fumes!) for all our other cleaning needs. I add a little essential oils for more pleasant smells with these solutions. Borax is now my friend. Works wonders. I get almost all my recipes from this book, Green Housekeeping. . It's a fantastic, frugal book that is chock-full of green, frugal and thrifty ideas on making your own cleaners.

I actually could go on but I said top 5, didn't I? Now, give me a few of your favorite frugal tips so I can save a few more bucks!! And then head on over to We Are That Family for tons more. Enjoy!!

Black-Bean Burgers

This is one of my favorite recipes. We especially love these crumbled and added to a spinach salad and even yummier, greens and all the fixin's for a Tex Mex salad. They are really delicious and especially good for you. Did you know that black beans are full of fiber, which is essential in keeping your cholesterol in check? It helps in the bathroom too, if you know what I mean!?! They are excellent for keeping blood sugar levels level and make you feel fuller, longer. Also, they are one of the best foods providing a huge amount of your daily needs of folate. Folate is especially important for child-bearing women in the prevention of neural tube defects, such as Spina Bifida.

So go ahead and enjoy black beans in any form. This is our favorite and it may just become yours too!

Black Bean Burgers
1 (16 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 onion, cut into wedges
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 egg
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce or hot sauce
1/2 cup bread crumbs
If grilling, preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil. If baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees F, and lightly oil a baking sheet.
In a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork until thick and pasty.
In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Then stir into mashed beans.
In a small bowl, stir together egg, chili powder, cumin, and chili sauce.
Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide mixture into four patties.
If grilling, place patties on foil, and grill about 8 minutes on each side. If baking, place patties on baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes on each side.

And just so you know, a fantastic substitute for making your own are these little beauties:


Head on over to Blessed With Grace for other Tempt My Tummy recipes!!

It's blueberry time!

Blueberry picking time is NOW!

Today we are blueberry picking!! Oh we are SO excited!! So in honor of this wonderful, delish little berry, here is the perfect cobbler recipe that will be on our table tonite!!

Blueberry Cobbler
4 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
2 cups of sliced fresh peaches or nectarines, or whole blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries or a combination of fruits (or a 12-ounce package of frozen berries)
1 tablespoon sugar
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position, and heat oven to 350 degrees.
Put butter in an 8-inch square or 9-inch round pan; set in oven to melt. When butter has melted, remove pan from oven.
Whisk flour, 3/4 cup of sugar, baking powder and salt in small bowl. Add milk; whisk to form a smooth batter. Pour batter into pan, then scatter fruit over batter. Sprinkle with remaining 1 Tb. of sugar.
Bake until batter browns and fruit bubbles, 50 to 60 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with a dollop of whipped cream or a small scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired. Should serve several unless you are in this house and then you better grab some while you can!!

Head on over to Blessed With Grace for more wonderful Tempt My Tummy recipes!! Enjoy!

Godspeed little men....

For today's Music Monday, I'm giving y'all my favorite lullabye by far. I've loved this song since before I had the boys but now it means even that much more. And politics aside, in my opinion, the Dixie Chicks are one of the MOST talented group of musicians ever assembled. Those girls can play instruments and harmonize like very few groups ever. I truly would love to hear more music from them in the future but must admit, I completely admire that they have taken this time to raise their children and enjoy their families. Enjoy today's Music Monday!

Godspeed

Dragon tales and the water is wide
Pirate's sail and lost boys fly
Fish bite moonbeams every night
And I love you
Godspeed, little man
Sweet dreams, little man
Oh my love will fly to you each night on angels wings
Godspeed
Sweet dreams
The rocket racer's all tuckered out
Superman's in pajamas on the couch
Goodnight moon, we'll find the mouse
And I love you
Godspeed, little man
Sweet dreams, little man
Oh my love will fly to you each night on angels wings
Godspeed
Sweet dreams
God bless mommy and match box cars
God bless dad and thanks for the stars
God heard amen, wherever you are
And I love you
Godspeed, little man
Sweet dreams, little man
Oh my love will fly to you each night on angels wings
Godspeed
Godspeed
Godspeed
Sweet dreams

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

Join in on the FUN!

I'm hookin' up with a couple of wonderful friends to get some projects done. I'm joining in with procrastinators everywhere and admitting that, a'hem....I always have more projects going on than I care to report. So...here it goes. My name is Sharon....and I'm a flagrant, relapsing PROCRASTINATOR! There you have it! But alas! There is hope for recovery for us all.....join me and all my friends over at The Inspired Room as we all try to finish up a few loose ends. My projects are many but here a couple that I promise will be done by May 14th:



I've had this chair FOREVER! Can't even recall where I got it but I've always really liked it. But it obviously needs a little work....think I'll spruce it up and put it on my front porch.


These wonderful little goodies were from Dollar Tree....I see a great addition to our front doors coming....


And this platter was given to us for our wedding 5 years ago. While I love the colors, I don't really use it and don't like the front of it much at all. So I have an idea that involves some chalkboard paint.....

Which leads me to another wonderful little carnival that my friend Chrissie over at in His Grace involving some chalkboard paint.

I hope y'all join with me for one of these great carnivals. Check back in a week or so to see what I've come up with. I'm not promising anything amazing....but it will be DONE!

Train up a child...

So I'm REALLY late today with my KFF post! But I have reasons!!! A) We have been fighting a mean, nasty bout of strep and ear infections all week. Thought it was the flu. Nope--strep. Antibiotics and all that. Ick! and B) Had to go to the dentist this morning for the boys. I'm one of those moms....sorry....not one of those that follows too many rules or anything. This was their--GASP!--first visit to the dentist! Yes, my friends, I said their first. So we got out of there with a couple of cavities...but the nice dentist told me that it wasn't an issue that could've been avoided. Seems the little men inherited some really bad teeth from their good ole' Mama and have the same issue as I did. Evidently the enamel did not grow completely and left a gap. Who knew? So we have a little filling and sealant work to do. Dang. So anyhoo....I'm still playing catch up to everything this week and still have not caught up. But here is our KFF tidbit this week!

As you all know, we are going to homeschool. And right now, that homeschooling encompasses about everything we do. Nothing goes without a little lesson. So this week we planted flowers and herbs. We talked about plants, what makes them grow (soil, water, sunlight), talked about the best place to plant things (shade vs. sunny), what we will need to remember to do every day (water them) and what we can use the herbs for. I'm drinking a tasty tall glass of mint tea as I type! The boys absolutely love gardening and they love taking care of their plants. We give them ownership of their plants and we remind them daily of how they have to take responsibility (remember that post a few weeks ago?) for them. That's our tidbit for this week. Talk to your kids every opportunity you can about the world around them. Teach them how to plant, care, nurture and grow things. Give them something they can be responsible for. If we all do that, then we will have the much changed world that President Obama is asking us too (sorry--gotta throw in a shout out to our guy!). Those that learn to take responsibility today, grow things today, nurture things today will most certainly be prepared to continue to do so in the future. "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6)





Have a wonderful weekend friends and visit Sarah over at I Blame Mom for more wonderful Kid Friendly Friday posts!

Smartie pants....

Big Boy is getting smarter every day. Not that he was ever dumb. We've always found him pretty insigtful. Every once in a while he comes up with something that makes us laugh out loud. And realize that he is growing into a very funny little guy.

Little Guy was hitting the wall. I asked him to stop. As always, it fell upon deaf ears and Little Guy continued hitting the wall, making a loud thud noise every time. Then Big Boy decides he needs to get into the picture and tells his brother to hit it.
"Hit it, Little Guy" he says.
"No" I reply, "Don't hit it".
"Hit it" states Big Boy.
"NO!" is my reply, again.
"Hit it" Big Boy says again.
"Big Boy, quit telling him to hit the wall. I told him to stop." I say.
"No Mama, I want him to start the music. You know, Hit It!" he replies.

I'm not sure if he's a budding Ray Charles or just a total smartie pants. Jeez.

Love This Recipe Site!!

Today's Works For Me Wednesday is simply my favorite recipe website. This site has replaced thousands....well, at least hundreds...of dollars of money spent on recipe books. Cookbooks are my addiction. Or they used to be. Now it is AllRecipes.com. I LOVE THIS SITE!!! It is chock-ful of fantastic recipes. I'll give you a couple of hints on how to stay on the good side of this site. Only choose recipes that are rated 4 stars and above. And don't change them! That's all it takes to have a great new dish on your table. I go to this site probably a dozen or so times a week. Lotsa times it's just to browse. Many times I try new things out. And I've never been disappointed with anything I've tried. You can even sign up and create your own recipe box, saving certain recipes to your box. Try them out! I don't get any kickback from them or anything---the only endorsement comes from SH who is always really happy with whatever I make from there too! Have fun!

Head on over to We Are That Family for more WFMW tips! It's a great place to be on Wednesday!!

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday--Fajitas!

Here is one of our favorite recipes that we just had last night. We used leftover steak because we needed to use it up but SH did let me know that chicken is the preferred meat. They are quick, easy, frugal and another of our favorites! Enjoy!

Fajitas
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1 dash hot pepper sauce
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into strips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1/2 lemon, juiced

In a medium bowl, combine Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, chili powder, garlic and hot pepper sauce. Place chicken in sauce, and turn once to coat. Marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for several hours.
Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add chicken strips to the pan, and saute for 5 minutes. Add the onion and green pepper, and saute another 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and sprinkle with lemon juice. I serve them with warm flour tortillas.

Head on over to Blessed with Grace for lots more yummy Tempt My Tummy goodies!

Music Monday

Enjoy some of my favorite music today on Music Monday!!!

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

Sorry I've been gone...

We've had a bout with the flu the past few days....no, not that flu, but run-of-the-mill, fever and vomiting kind. The boys go from feeling fine, to throwing up to feeling fine again in a matter of hours. So we're still cleaning up from that. I will do my best to rejoin my lovely bloggy family in the next couple of days. In the meantime, please pray for SH & I that we don't get the bug.....no one to clean up after us if we get it! See you soon!!

It doesn't grow on trees, ya know?

There are two, strike that, many things that really worry me about our boys growing up. One of the main things now is the degree of influence upon them. Particularly when it comes to stuff. The wanting of stuff, the accumulation of stuff, the desire for STUFF. This is incredibly obvious if they are ever allowed to watch certain TV shows or networks that have that evil habit of marketing to children! You know the ones....the ones with every commercial with some new-fangled product like the latest super-hero shooter or the amazing-grow-your-own worm farm (I have news for you kiddos, that's called dirt and it is very likely in your own backyard...). I amazed at the garbage that is marketed to our children and how. My friend Dave Ramsey has an absolutely hysterical bit in his live event about "charge card Barbie". Suffice it to say, he does not endorse this particular Barbie and let's just say, Barbie doesn't quite look the same when he's done... I tend to agree. I think it is insane the way companies have marketed to our kids.

So to combat this issue and to keep me from losing my temper and cussing like a sailor (OK--not really but I want to...), we simply avoid those TV channels. Here is a novel idea....we don't allow our kids a 'treat' or toy or gift every time we go to a store. We talk often about how we don't get everything we want. We reserve gifts for special occasions....and Thursday afternoon is rarely a special occasion. We are trying very hard to combat the desire for stuff in our kids. Don't get me wrong...it doesn't always fly well. We still get whiney children who REALLY WANT IT! But we talk out loud about how 'money doesn't grow on trees' (the oldest is constantly looking for those dollar bills on the trees though...) and how special occasions are just that...special. They have not started Dave's suggestions of save/spend/tithe with their money. We will be starting that before too long. Up until now, their money from holidays, birthdays or whenever has simply went into the piggy bank and there it sits for the most part. So far, we've only had a couple of occasions where we've went to a store specifically to help them to buy something they want. Most times, we ask them to ask God, grandparents and us to remember what their wish list is for special holidays and they may get the item. We try not to base gifts on behavior necessarily, but we have been known to 'pay' for some yard work help (Big Boy works a good rake!) and potty training (Little Man required many, many, many different tactics to get the job done).

So what Works For Us is helping our kids to learn to do without. And learning that accumulating stuff is not necessary. Next task is to help them to clear out some older toys and items in their room that are no longer played with. We have a new baby coming to the family in December so we'll be sending some things to our new cousin soon!

Enjoy other Works For Me Wednesday posts over at We Are That Family!

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Hey! Head on over to my friend Lisa at Blessed With Grace for TONS of great recipes and yummy tempting treats. But first, here is my suggestion for a quick, frugal and oh-so-perfect mid-week dinner....quiche! I make quiche about once a week and usually, make an extra for the freezer. This week, we'll be adding in some great fresh broccoli, cheese and leftover Easter ham. I never know what I'll come up with...I just use whatever is on hand and quick. It's fantastic and you'll love it too!

Basic Quiche
1 prepared pie crust from your grocer's freezer section (you can certainly make your own as well but they are cheap either way)
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 cup milk (I sometimes use evaporated milk for a creamier version and a bit more frugal too!)
2 Tbs. flour (mix well w/ a bit of the milk to prevent lumps)

Beat eggs and add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Then you can add any of the following you like:

1 cup chopped veggies (we like broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, spinach, tri-color peppers)
1/2 cup shredded cheese (I use any and everything, whatever is on hand from Velveeta to swiss)
1/2 - 3/4 cup chopped meat (bacon, ham, hamburger, sausage, we've even used hot dogs!)

We usually add 1-2 veggies and cheese and not very often, meat. I adjust quantities if I'm using two different veggies and use 1/2 cup of one and 1/2 cup of another. It can get big very easily and you can easily stretch this into 2 quiches by adding ingredients. It all depends on your preference of ingredients. We often make this recipe to use up items that we don't have enough of for another full meal or are getting tired of it in some way. It is a great way to use up wilting veggies....they can be a bit older and soft and you won't notice. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 40 minutes until center is set. If the edges brown too much, cover with a thin strip of foil.

So here you have one of our very favorite frugal dinners! We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!!

Music Monday

I'm joining in on a really cool carnival this week; Music Monday! When you hit on Nessa's site , you'll get a bunch of really cool music, new and old. Join us and enjoy a little musica in your day!!

Alison Krauss is by far, my favorite artist of all time. I think she is talented beyond words and everything I've ever heard her sing, I truly love. This song is so simple, so beautiful and reminds me of home. It is very nostalgic for me. Reminds me of my beautiful grandparents, who were married for 68 years. I wear my grandmother's wedding band every day to remind myself that honestly, it is truly best to be simple. Obviously, with a love like that, she learned a lot about giving and never asking back.

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.