International Twit Award Month?!

I have discovered a rather amusing fact for this month of February! It is too funny not to share, so share it I will. For this month of February is International Twit Award Month…I am not kidding, it really is! What a laugh I got over this when I discovered this one, there is a reason behind it. I have for years called certain type of people I’ve unhappily encountered a twit. It’s the nicest word I could come up with for them and no I don’t say it to anyone’s face. Well, maybe a couple times, but they were asking for it. The word means a silly or annoying person, it’s rather a polite term compared to other words. I know, it’s rather an old fashioned word, but it so perfectly fits! 😉 I just can’t help myself, but if you think about it it’s a lot better word than I coud be using, right?

Imagine my immense surprise to find International Twit  Award Month…You will have no idea how I laughed myself silly! 🙂 I, of course shared the fact with Autumn as soon as I found out. What did the Twinnie have to say? Well, first she laughed nonstop, then got control of herself and said you have to write a post about this one! You gotta love how Autumn always encourages me! 😉 It’s harmless really and I have a perfect set of people to award the Twit Award to! We all don’t really know them, but they hide out in our blog comments section. Thankfully they are filtered out by Akismet, they have wiped out and destroyed well over 2, 000 on the Twinnies blog since September! They must really have some weird attraction for our blog, is all I have to say.

So the Twit Award goes to…(Imagine a drumroll here) all those Spammers out there! Come on, do you have nothing better to do with yourselves? I mean it, seriously? Shame on all of you is what I have to say!! Who is with me kind readers? They are evil and some are downright too disgusting to even have a glance at. Some are advertising something, some are just plain ridiculous, too. I must say that they actually make very little sense. Hey, no offense to you spammers, but how about you leave all of us alone? No, you say? Well, then do kindly take this award…Nobody deserves it more!

You have no acceptance speech planned you say? That’s OK, we weren’t expecting one, but you are the proud recipient of the Twit Award and you can’t give it back either!  And just guess what? If you still persisit in bothering all of us nice bloggers…You will get the Twit Award next Februray, too! Be forewarned Spammers…you heard it here first! What do you kind readers have to say? Come on, please do share your thoughts…Sharing really is fun! The Twit Award has been presented for this month of Februray 2012! 😉 🙂

Valentine’s Day ~ by Gabby

It’s here, February 14th has arrived! It does that every single year and Valentine’s Day is here once again. How is everyone celebrating? Any plans or thoughts on the day? It is a day to celebrate love, so of course the Twinnie is on board with this one. Autumn is just glowing everyday with the love and she doesn’t need a special day. How do I feel on this day? As some of you kind readers already know…My husband Dave is in Heaven. Well, I am of course missing him as always but I do celebrate the day. Dave wouldn’t want me to spend the day being sad. I had a good many Valentine’s Days that are very cherished memories we spent together.

I won’t be sad, after all I do have two very special Valentines! Who are they? My two youngest and very special nephews, they make sure to give me a valentine and a special drawing and sometimes other little surprises. How sweet is that I ask? 🙂

When Autumn and I were young, but old enough to understand Valentines Day we learned how it was done! Our Dad gave us Valentine cards along with a little heart-shaped box filled with chocolates or some other little treat, right along with our Mom. 🙂 That is such a treasured memory, it started with Dad giving us twinnies the special Valentine gifts. It continued with each new sister that came along, too. Six sisters and Mom, Dad was handing out lots of special Valentines through the years!

Well, didn’t we all get a head start on what to expect from the boyfriends and husbands to come? Yes, we sure did and if they were slackers woe on to them! The either got a good talking to or…Yes, Autumn once dumped a boyfriend over the Valentine’s Day neglect. That Twinnie sure didn’t fool around…Thankfully she won’t have to worry this year with such things. Her darling man is quite the romantic and also a very nice guy, he asked me for hints over a month ago concerning special gift choices for her. 🙂 I know, Wow he is a keeper for the Twinnie! In case he didn’t give her the special gift, I just better keep his gift choice to myself. Maybe she will share with us though! 🙂

Well, how about you kind readers? Anyone care to share their plans or perhaps some thoughts? Sharing is always fun I say! Aso we twinnies are wishing all of you a very special and Happy Valentine’s Day!! 🙂 🙂

I Strayed… ~by Gabby

Did I lure you in with that title? 😉 It’s nothing sordid, trust me! What in the world am I again talking about you may be asking? I strayed and I never, never will again…From my favorite brand of Greek Yogurt, that is. My all time favorite is Oikos by Dannon…I will not budge on this ever again! I am quite passionate about this, I can’t help myself. Wonder if that sounds perhaps just a bit on the wacky side? Well, if does then so be it! 😉 I  just really like what I like and no other brand will do…Ever!

I won’t be tempted by some other brand to give it a whirl. Or even a well meaning Twinnie I know and love will not be tempting me again. 😉 Let’s give this other brand a try she says, just the other day when together we popped into  a grocery store for a few items. She was so very convincing, this may be better than Oikos says Autumn. Sorry to report, the poor Twinnie thinks the other brand was “quite good”. I say she is so off base! Come on Twinnie this other brand, I am naming names now…Chobani does not compare to my lovely Oikos! Is the Twinnie undercover working for this other brand? Of course not, I am being dramatic. 🙂 The Chobani doesn’t cut it for me, it does not even come close…I should have know better. To stray, I mean…I have tried all the others and they all pale in comparison. What a misleading ad this is, look what it says…So not true!

A couple months ago I wrote a post it was a product review of sorts all about Oikos by Dannon. I said it was the best and I am sticking with it…forevermore! Did any of you kind readers try Okios? Any thoughts if you do enjoy my favorite brand? Do any of you truly like the competion better? You can tell me, I will disagree of course, but we are entitled to our own thoughts an opinions after all.  Sorry Dannon, my deepest apologies my sweet Oikos! Don’t worry, I did all the taste testing I am ever going to do. Torture, all of it and I am not exaggerating one tiny bit! If the  Twinnie wants to stray, she will be straying alone. I know the TF <3=Twins Forever and all you ask? Oh no, what are you saying…Surely not breaking up the lifetime of TF <3=Twins Forever!  A touch of drama again, sorry I couldn’t help myself. 🙂  My aspiring actress dreams bombed in third grade….A whole other post indeed! 😉 All you kind readers, as well as Autumn knows NOTHING will ever, ever break up TF <3=Twins Forever. I do have to tease her about it, that’s all. After all, the bond of twinship is way too stong! I love Autumn dearly, but no more messing with the Oikos Twinnie!! 😉 🙂

The Day After Christmas…Gabby Angel

Who is out there shopping? It happens, December 26th all the Christmas items and more are on sale! This is another one I could never understand. Who wants to go out shopping the day after Christmas? Many people do, all the years of retail and later retail management taught me well.

Lots and lots of people just cannot tolerate passing up a good sale! I am  not finding fault, honestly I am not. It’s just the usual wondering and ponderings. I remember while we were busy marking down the Christmas merchandise, we were also busily putting out Valentine’s Day items.

Then, of course you hear the complaints of…But Christmas is just over. Why are we seeing Valentine’s Day things? That’s the magic world of retail, that’s the way it goes. Like I said, this one just something that crossed my mind.I know certain people in my own family that will be out there, too…Not Autumn or me! We are sensible, we will be doing the usual holiday things.

The question for the day is…Will you be out and about shopping today? Come on, you can share with us…The twinnie and I would love to know, as always. Some of you will need to be back to work. Others will be enjoying this holiday time in your very own way, so which will you be doing? We won’t be judging, you know us twinnies better than that!

Oops, on second thought…If you are indeed shopping you can’t answer this question. Maybe the temptation to find a good sale will be calling? That’s means  you won’t be reading this, well that’s OK…Let us know when you return from that fun shopping! 😉 🙂

Crushing Candy Canes… ~ by Gabby Angel

The title doesn’t do this one justice! I think you had to be there to get the entire picture. We are on the the last week before Christmas, only a matter of days to go now. It is now crunch time for some and things have gotten a bit ugly. For some this means, bad tempers are showing because the stress they are bringing on themselves. Christmas should be a time of joy, not everyone going crazy!

Also, some of the kids are being affected, which does make me sad. I unfortunately witnessed one of these incidents for myself. Earlier today I went out to pick up a couple things from the local little market. Sounds so easy, doesn’t it? It should have been,  the market wasn’t crowded and I grabbed a shopping basket. I thought I heard a small commotion going on, but didn’t think much of it.

It is a very small local market here in my small town, kids live here after all. Hoping things would calm down, that maybe I wouldn’t be heading down that aisle. I really am naive, trouble seems to find me and I always seem to get involved. Autumn wasn’t with me, so it wasn’t a twin incident…But I sure do wish she had been with me.

I wandered over and picked up a small bag of oranges and on to the candy aisle for some candy canes. That’s when I realized where the commotion was taking place. Oh no, my nice neighbor and 2 of her young kids…They are good kids so I was stunned by what I saw. The usually well behaved little girl and boy were literally stomping on candy canes, while their poor Mom was trying to settle them down. I did help her get them under control, the store owner also appeared and he looked as surprised as me. The Mom went on to explain how stressed she was and trying to get everything done for the holiday, etc. The kids were overly wound up…Yeah, we kind of noticed! Anyway, it all worked out and by the time I got home I knew I would write this.

I know it usually gets wilder than usual this time of year, too and nothing should surprise me. It would be nice though if everyone could just relax and enjoy the season. I for one will not be venturing (I hope) into another store the rest of the week!

Her Christmas Shopping is Done!~Written by Gabrielle Angel

I had run in for a few items I needed into my little neighborhood store a bit earlier today. It really is the coolest store, family owned and they carry mostly grocery items. Not everything I use of course, but it saves the three mile trip to the other two larger grocery stores. Quite handy when I only need a few minor things.

They also have a nice selection of special little space for seasonal things for sale, too. These are made by the owner’s wife. Well, I just love going into “The Hometown Market” it’s just homey and friendly. 🙂 After greeting the owner and having a short chat, I started walking around ready to pick up my few items. Reaching for my last item, those much needed bread crumbs, I glanced to my left and saw a nice lady I knew. We had a good and fun chat, then she said something about what a relief it was she was to be ready for the holidays.

Thinking she meant Halloween,  which was first holiday in my mind I smiled. I  laughed saying I can’t buy candy that far ahead. The Trick or Treaters may not get any, I may be tempted to eat it,( I was kidding of course). 😉 Imagine my surprise when she said, no she had meant her Christmas shopping! I know it’s less than three months away now, but Wow!

Working in retail for many years I know I usually had Christmas shopping done before Thanksgiving. For the day after Thanksgiving is the retailers nightmare, Black Friday. After then, I would just get too busy and stressed to think about doing any shopping at all. We chatted a little more and I headed to the checkout spot. Oh my goodness, in the back of my mind I kept thinking how cool it would be to have Christmas shopping done. I think I was obsessing a bit, I tend to do that some times. Come on, doesn’t everyone? 😉

It seems summer was just over and fall has just started, how in the world can Christmas be less than three months away? Time really does seem to fly, doesn’t it? Then I got to thinking about the snow and freezing weather we have here in PA, now it didn’t seem so far away! 😦

I mentioned this to Autumn in a phone conversation and she laughed at me. Not in a mean way, but she pointed out how I still had plenty of time for the Christmas shopping. Then she went on to remind me how we would still be having Indian Summer and it wasn’t going to snow anytime soon. OK, by the end of our chat I was calmed down.

It’s so comforting to have a twinnie, she will be my voice of reason when I start to freak out. I told her so and she laughed saying, that’s good since I was hers, too. Yay! TF <3=Twins Forever really is a blessing! 🙂 🙂

Halloween Decorations… Written by Gabby Angel :)

In my neighborhood I noticed the other day, one of my neighbors was really decked out for Halloween already. Well, they do have young kids and they want to make it fun! Every year they are the most decorated house on the block, down to those huge inflatable decorations. Lots of lights all over the place, too and so festive. I know one thing that goes through my mind is…Wonder how high their light bill is? It’s not being unkind or judging, it’s just one of those ramdom thoughts of mine.

Down the block, is a nice family who I saw were also already all decorated. They were really going to be shaking it up this year. The teenagers in the  family got their way, so they have scary sound effects rolling. Along with some what kind of rather unusual and somewhat creepy decorations. It’s not my style or cup of tea, but everyone is different, right?

This is kind of causing a bit of a stir, I heard…Some of the neighbors are not happy about those sound effects or the rather tastless monsters and other things. They are upset it will be scary and awful for the younger kids. It’s a good point I must say, but I won’t get involved in this kind of neighborhood rumblings. Not my business to tell anyone what they should or shouldn’t do, that is my humble opinion only.

Staying true to my belief, everyone is free to do as they please. Quite honestly, they only run the sound effects for a short while each night. You kind of have to go with the flow, these neighbors are only expressing themselves as they feel they must do.My only worry is that someone will take it upon themselves to dismantle the neighbors work or trash it. I am hoping no major battles break out either! It really will only last for a month or so, after all. Why can’t everyone just get along and respect each other anyway?

When Autumn and I were young, such things didn’t happen. Decorations were much simpler, times were different. If I had my way, it would be that way today. It’s the way I decorate, very simple actually because less is more in my opinion.

It does kind of sadden me to hear of the neighbors bickering in my neighborhood.

How are things going in your neighborhood? Are any of your neighbors decorated for Halloween already? How about any of you, do you have your houses decked out yet? What’s your opinion on the whole deal, I would be ever so interested to know.

As for me, I will just keep praying for neighbor peace to reign! That’s all I ever want, always…Oh, if only I were in charge! 😉