Green

I just have to brag about my new find!

It's this power strip that saves you money by turning off your appliances for you!

People, it doesn't get any better than this!

Mine doesn't look just like this one but I guess there are a few to pick from.

I have one at one of our computers and one at one of our TVs.

I really didn't notice much going on at the tv,

BUT I've so noticed a big changed at our computer.

This is how it works, you plug your computer (or TV) into the Master plug, then all of your accessories (printer, scanner, monitor etc) into the other plugs. When your 'master' appliance (your computer) goes to sleep, then the power strip will turn off all of the other machines. Thus cutting your eclectic intake. Cha Ching! I noticed this at hubby's computer ..... when his laptop powers down, this printer was shut off! BRILLIANT!

When our TV powers down, all the sound system, the gaming systems, etc ~ shut off,

CHA CHING! when someone turns the TV back on, they all come back on.

Now the smart power strips aren't cheap, I paid $40 for my 8 plug ins (I think it was $30 for 6 plug ins) but I can already see how they're going to save me money.

I'm headed to get more.

November Blessings #2

It is a blessing to live a time with such great communication technology!

I know that nothing stands still and time as well as technology continues on.

I'm not sure this girl can glean all the new phone technology but I'm sure I'll glean the time!

As a matter of fact I was in the cell phone store a couple of weeks ago looking at new phones, when I pick one of the new fancy dancy ones up and called W. Who know the phones in there actually worked?!?! He answered and when I asked about that particular phone he said "Mom, that phone has more stuff on it than you'll ever figure out. aaaa no Offense Mom." He was right!

I'm sitting here waiting a phone call, an important phone call with life changing information. It's as if the miles will melt once the phone rings, but when just when will it ring!

At least I'm not waiting on he pony express to deliver a message that is months old!

Communication Technology is my November Blessing #2!

November Blessing #1

Today I'm Blessed by GREAT weather.

it was 70, calm breeze and sunny!

Simply BEAUTIFUL!

The Effects of TV

Yesterday, while waiting for the Sun to set so we could head out to Trick or Treat, I laid like a zombie watching TV. A marathon of Clean House. They found the top 3 dirtiest houses and decluttered them, fixed them, gave the people in the home all sorts of new appliances and furniture and then walked away.

OK, I have problems with shows like this ....

Did they fix the problem? NO. Hording and excessive shopping are mental issues, and unless they had them in a physc ward while they were off camera the Hording and shopping issues are still with them.

Giving them new appliances and furniture! OK, I understand it makes the end result look so much better, but seriously rewarding them for living in trash?!?! How good will it look once the shopping and hording takes over again?

What I did get out of it ~ I'm going to get rid my clutter. I have one room that is cluttered to the max. The room above the garage. I'm not going to make excuses for the mess, it's a mess because I've let it get that way. I got tired of hearing excuses yesterday on TV.

I'll clean it out, declutter it, and then sit and wait for my ginormous TV and new furniture~

Halloween 2009

G's school party was on Friday.
The game was to get a gourd across the finish line BUT you couldn't use your arms below the elbow or your legs below the knees.
Most of the kids used their heads but some of them used their bottoms.
Can you think of another way to move the gourd?

Friday evening we went to the church party, supper, (I took my mom's award winning chili) carnival (I took Brownies on a Stick) and then Trunk 'r Treat.

Saturday was a slow relaxing day until almost 7. G and I took off to town walked around for a 40 minutes gathering as much candy as he could.

It was strange, because Daylight savings hadn't stopped we couldn't leave as early.

G's dad has had the started the tradition that when you get home your sort your candy.

Time Out for Women

I left home yesterday at 12:30 ran by picked my friend Stephanie before heading to Time Out for Women. That makes it sound so simple, but that was the gist of the leaving process. For instance the pants I was wearing were new (never put them on before the few moments before leaving) and they had a button at the zipper, the button didn't seem to sewn on very well, NOW I got to fret about whether the button was about to pop or would it hold?

We went to have lunch at Olive Garden, neither of our families like Olive Garden so we enjoyed a huge meal. A huge meal because I had realized that my times to eat in the next 25 hours would be few and far between. As I was eating this great meal, I wondered again about the loosely sewn button UNTIL I dropped food down my shirt, (something new to think about) fortunately for me I had a sweater that zipped up the front on. It stayed zipped up all night NO MATTER how hot I got!

I had be working with the Time Out for Women group promoting the event for the past several months and now would be on staff for the event. My job was fairly simple, I was over the Hall greeters, but would start with a couple of meetings at 4 then end at 6:45 just after everyone had been seated and the program began. No time for supper.

Not only do we get to experience the great line up of speakers but we get to get reacquainted with old friends and make new friends! It was so fun seeing everyone new and old.

BOY, did I luck out with the Friday night program, my 2 favorite people were on the stage. I love love Jenny Oaks Baker (simply beautiful) and then S Michael Wilcox. (see my notes below)I knew the that highlight of my weekend would be over with the close of Friday night, BUT Saturday morning held the my #3 and #4 favorite speakers. It was all good. My friend had to leave for Oklahoma in the afternoon so we left at noon. I was happy and my cup was overflowing.

I didn't take notes of the talks. I find that too distracting from the message the speakers have for ME but I have mental notes.

Jenny Oaks Baker ~ we are blessed when we do as we've been prompted to do.
When you click the link, read and enjoy the information, but minimize it, come back here and you'll enjoy her music while you read!

S Michael Wilcox ~ The Lord is acceptance. He spoke about the woman that had great faith as she just simply touched the Savior's robe. The Savior turned to ask who had touched him, she didn't speak up .... why not? it was her fear that kept her from admitting her act of faith. But she knew that Savior knew it was her, she spoke up and the Lord accepted her and loved her. We all have times when we won't do what we're suppose to do out of fear or that we feel unworthy but that is our feeling not the Saviors. His is a feeling of acceptance.

Emily Watts~ Every fruit ripens in it's own time. As we watch our children grow, if we teach them, correct them, they will ripen in their own time.

John Bytheway ~ If we watch a sporting event where we already knew the end result would we watch differently? He then quoted Jeffrey R Holland (and I'm paraphrasing because remember I didn't take notes) In the game of good and evil we already know that good always win, so why do we spend so much time deciding which jersey we'll wear?

The Return of the Computer

My computer has landed at home once again. The thunderstorms seems to have arrive just a few hours after the computer got here, so I didn't hook it up (yes, out of fear) that was a couple of days ago. Still raining, still not hooked up! I told you I had PTS (Post Traumatic Syndrome).

I'm going after these mini surge protectors today. You hook them up between the wire and router and then as an extra precaution another on between the router and the computer. I think I'm creating a Fort Know protection.

I have a busy busy weekend so I suppose that I'll be back to regular posting on Monday.
I have tons of picture for G's blog so make sure you head over there after Monday.

update on the medical progress around here!

Little G only had 2 days of school this week (due to end of the first quarter) but missed both of those due to illness! In true G fashion we spent Thursday, thinking about and talking about all the great things he'd missed in those 2 days. As if he could have gone and just decided not to go ... that was not even an option he had a fever and didn't finish his 24 hours without a fever until Thursday, his first day of break! He's regained his health and strength but still has a loose cough.

Hubby is in bed with a sore again, things are looking much better but still have a while to go.

G made it well enough to go have our teeth cleaned yesterday, but we went in again today to get sealants on his teeth SO 2 days 2 trips to the dentist. It's a new dentist and I feel very acquainted now!

I've been getting so easily tired, makes me wonder if I'm next to get sick!?!

ALSO ~ my beloved computer isn't back yet! I was using hubby's laptop while he was at work whenever I wanted ~ well, when he came home this week. We have to share!?! Well, it's more like me hoovering around the bed waiting for him to air on the laptop and me pouncing on it! Today, I finally asked hubby "They would call you IF my computer were fixed wouldn't they!?!"

W is also all sniffley but hasn't got a fever. He's home, well.... he's in the same county as we are and his laundry is here!

Pause in Posting

My computer is still out of commission, so I'm resorting to borrowing hubby's laptop while he isn't around. So there will be a pause on Posting until I can get my computer back.

I have pictures to post, things to say, funnies to tell, ...... but it's all on hold, for awhile.

added ~ we had another lighting storm a couple of nights ago and now a few more things are not working. It's strange. I think I need to replace all the surge protectors this next week.

I now think I'm suffering from PTS (Post Traumatic Syndrome) and get nervous when the lightening starts. Another night like these past lengthening storms and I'll be a mess like the dog and G.

Repairman revolving door ~

It seems that we have a revolving door of repairmen minus one.

Yesterday we had the internet man here on top of our house replacing our internet equipment. Really thought he should have waited until a calm wind day .... NOT. They (the schedule department) messed up getting him here on the calm wind day so I wanted internet back so I didn't care that it was blowing 110 mph out there! OH, I should have given you an exaggeration alert before that! Great thing about this I had paid for insurance for the past 3 years that I though was silly and probably a waste of my $2 every month. Not a waste NOW it covered everything.

He replaces everything and then discovers my NEW shiny modem is bad (seems they can be bad from the store), BUT he gets on computer to run the Internet but nothing wireless. I run to Wal-mart, return BAD modem and spin the roulette wheel that I get a good one this time. Yep, hooked it up just minutes ago and I got a good one!

We did discover that the phone problem was/is related to the broken satellite receiver problem. So the phone is fixed ~ cancel repairman.

Now we're waiting on the satellite repairman....wait wait wait.....

Poor W came home last night, to no Internet, and no tv ~ he was thrilled!

Pioneerish!?!

Last night's lighting storm let out house with out ....

Internet modem ~ replaced this morning
Internet radio ~ repairman coming tomorrow afternoon
computer ~ just took to the repairman (did you know that you can get a little power surge that goes into the plug with the modem? I'm getting one!)
phone service ~ only one line (the other line works fine!?!), they are working on that
Satellite TV ~ only on receiver the other one works fine. That repair man is coming Saturday morning.

I've been on hold more today
than I think any other day of my life!

end result of this story ... it could take a couple of days before I answer any e-mails
I'm sitting at the Library's computer for this, but I can't stay here forever, or could I ...no no they close sometime.

Sampling through Costco!

Yesterday G and I went to Costco. That was good, but I knew....

I'd eaten breakfast later and then didn't eat lunch ... do you see what's coming?

Costco always has great snacks or samplings, whatever you chose to call them.

I didn't buy all the snacks, but I did get some. I passed on the polish sausages, knowing that I was the only one in my family that liked them thus the only one that would eat them. G tried them too, but still we passed.

We got the Hummus and Garden flavored pita chips. I love this Hummus and have had it in the past but the chips were new to us.

We got the salsa (that we already love) but got the Margarita lime flavored chips that we'd never had.

We skipped snacking on their pot stickers (I don't know why we like those but somehow we missed the stand)

We did try and got the fish sticks. G loves McD's fish sandwiches and these really tasted like that. We even had them for supper.

We tried the strawberry jelly but passed.

We tried the veggie chips and passed on those.

See I didn't get everything I snacked on!

G's beautiful Pearly whites

BEFORE ~

After ~

Eat dinner with your family

Our family has dinner together more than we don't so I think we have this covered

but it still nice to be reminded ~

It's a tie that binds!

By the way we had tacos last night

with chocolate chip cookies for dessert!

zero balance ....

After working on the checkbooks this morning,

it's now confirmed we're out of money

(OK not totally out but it's the same feeling)

G and I played a game of LIFE.

I made it to Millionaire Estates!

Along the way I cured the common cold,

created a new flavor of ice cream and

was elected President!

Ahhh, I feel so much better now!

FlyLady Where are you?

Why oh Why have I not been doing Flylady all along?

Today I'm getting the Chaos under control!

Quiet answer to prayer

I had been pondering and praying about the busy-ness of G's schedule.

Monday Piano 5:30 to 6

Tuesday ~ Swim team Practice 6 to7

Wednesday ~ Cub Scouts 7 to 8:15

Thursday ~ Swim team practice 6 to 7

Friday ~ Finally an entire free evening

I just kept thinking this was too much running!

G is at the point that he doesn't like Piano, but it comes really natural to him so after discussing it with Hubby we decided that it was not something he should drop.

He needs a sport and he really likes cub scouts.

SO WHAT GOES?!?

Then an answer to my prayers ....

Last week the Piano teacher mentioned that she could give him lessons at half the price if we were to go to her house (cutting out the community center that we'd been going through).

AND she lives right next to the church (cub scouts).

So we've eliminated Monday night lessons and just head out a bit earlier on Wednesday!

and it's half the price!!!

I'm so thankful that things just worked out both for G and our wallet!

Saturday was a blurr.......

Saturday seemed to be filled every minute .....

I slept LATE (9:30am)~

OK in my defense, I'd mowed most of the yard on Friday so my head was all stuffed up so laying in bed was about all I could do!

BUT I got up finished the last little bit of mowing ~

ran in showered ~

got G ready for his swim meet ~

gave hubby instructions about the swim meet ~

ran off to the city ~

watch a couple of games of Volleyball with W ~

enjoyed a lunch at Chipotle's ~

off to Kohl's to shop for W some clothes ~

dropped W back off at the next round of volleyball games ~

got gas ~

went to grocery store ~

rush home.

Arrive home at 4:15, find company has just dropped by (I'll discuss this later**) ~

I unload groceries ~

start a load of laundry

(W wanted to wear his new clothes to the wedding) ~

sit to visit for 2 seconds

but then realize I don't have the wedding gift ready ~

get the gift ready ~

then rush out the door at 4:55

(leaving hubby still chatting with the drop by guest and their 5 children playing with G's stuff) dashing across the field to the wedding.

I arrive just as they're starting down the 'isle'

I did have a nice, relaxing time sitting at the reception visiting and enjoying our neighbors!

**OK, people just dropping by is one of my pet peeves ** take note people, it's just not polite. If you drop by someone's house you need to be mindful of what's going on or the fact that the people you're dropping by might be busy!

Just call before you drop by!

Backyard Wedding

This past Saturday was the Wedding of a great neighbor, Cortly.

Cort and his family have been friends to both of my boys as well as our family.

Cort and his Bride

G and Christine (Cort's neice)

Cub Scout Wednesday

First of all I forgot to post last week's fun.

We played family games, we started with Uno attack and finished it off with some great games of Spoons!

This week, we were all about fitness. First we let them play tag, some of them even got some leg wrestling in (that's always funny to watch).

Then we moved into the gym, were my den assistant (a personal trainer) led them in exercises, most of them were wimpy! We then played around the world. This little bunch of boys never get to just play basketball in the gym. They felt like 'big stuff' when we had to keep telling the bigger boys to get out, it was the cub's turn!

wordless Wednesday

OH, you know I can't leave it wordless.

As I stepped out of the bathroom yesterday

(fresh from the shower)

I was meet by this .......

"Don't worry mam, I've got you protected."

"May I be blunt with you?"

oh, just one more .... I love this one, too!

lazy Saturday

After this busy week, I've had a lazy Saturday.

When I finished up my last day of kindergarten yesterday, I ran to the grocery store then came home and cleaned. It felt so good it have it done (or at least a good handle on it) when I went to bed. W was home, well, he'd stopped by for supper and to drop off his laundry before heading out. I even got busy this morning, paying bills, catchup the computer's check book up to date, and the laundry done.

BUT then it hit .... the lazies!

actually I slowly just didn't feel well. My allergies have been acting up. SO lazy was just fine!

"He's got a Man Cold"

I just couldn't resist ....if you're female you'll relate in a moment.

09-09-09

The ninth picture

from the ninth folder

in the 2009 folder

Right before W jumped this day he came to me and said that his girlfriend had just passed out at the hospital (while visiting another friend) could I find out what was going on! I made the phone calls, found out that she was in the ER after she passed out up stairs and they were running test. I don't believe they ever found out what was going on that day.

This was also the day that W's shins were hurting so bad that he didn't want to make the finals and but did anyway. He placed 4th!

This is the last night he long jumped I believe. Too much on his legs.

Blooming Monday

This past week, I stopped at friend's vegetable stand to pick up some tomatoes, okra and potatoes WHEN I spied Cactus (or should that be Cacti?) The stop I had put on Cactus buying flew out the window..... I was in Cactus heaven!

I can't leave you with out showing you how much my other succulents have grown...

And G's tomatoes looked so pretty today

AND I can't leave out Echo ...

she was busy trying to get attention the whole time I was snapping pictures.

Class Sizes by the numbers....

W's class sizes at college are big!

W's smallest class has 103 students.

Then moving upwards 356, 822

then the biggest of 989!

Awkward Family Photos

If you haven't been to awkward family photos you have to visit!

remember it changes daily

FYI ~ please know that these are NOT members of my family.

Cub Scout Wednesday

This week was our first time back together since our July Activity

We started out with learning how to leg wrestle, then played a few rounds of Frisbee Golf and ended the night with a game of kick ball.

All Boy, All fun

Adventures in Subbing 09/10 #2

This week started a 6 day subbing job in my favorite place Kindergarten!

Day one is a GREAT challenge. This is only day 17 of school, these children had never been to school 18 days ago ... I had to keep reminding myself! They'd gotten use to their teacher (who is a brand new teacher fresh out of college) for 16 days and then here I come in! I'm sure their little kindergarten minds are swirling.

I do have to say that it was so sweet the first morning. Their teacher is getting married and leaving on her honeymoon. She had told them that and that Mrs **** was coming in while she was gone. Well....in their little Kindergarten minds most of them got all that confused and I quickly became either Mrs Honeymoon or Mrs Honey or Mrs Moon and rarely Mrs ****. It was hard to get on to them when they're call you Mrs Honey!?!

By noon they had the name thing straighten out ... and the trouble had began.... there are 5 boys in this class that are a hand full ...and if you do the math I don't have 5 hands!

At the end of the day, I sternly chatted with the class and told them that I expected a better day tomorrow. AND I got it. I've always said it, If you're going to sub you really need to do at least 2 days in the class, Day one is HORRIBLE but it only gets better every day after that!

Honking BIG that's what it is!

W's State Champion's Track ring!

Amazingly HUGE...

here it is on my NOT man hands.

Not bad for a kid that learned to triple jump off of YouTube.

This week in review ... do I really want to?

You know I started this blog to focus on the positive things in my life but still be realistic.... hmmmm that would be difficult this week. This week has been a roller coaster of events!

Sunday evening ~ I was watching tv and all through the evening the news promo were various things but at least one was "tune in to see what Police and the venue are doing to make sure safety at tomorrow night's big concert" Panic set in ... how safe would W be at this concert? I worked myself up in to a REAL Tizzy! What had I done, I'd gotten him tickets right to his death. Yes my tizzy had worked me into THAT place. I texted W and told him that I didn't think the concert was a good idea and I'd changed my mind .."He couldn't go" well, that didn't go over well, He told me I was crazy and things would be fine. I finally got myself into a place that the concert would be fine but the parking lot might be a problem (venue is a great place but on the edge of a questionable part of town). FINALLY the news came on to say ..."only those with tickets would be allowed in the parking lot to help keep the concert from turning into a 'festival' type of event" Shewwww, that made me feel much better! I was calm about him going!

Monday night it was calm around here for the most part...W was at his concert it was over by 11, he turned the correct direction coming out of the event and was in the safe part of town heading home. He later posted 111 pictures from the concert ... He had a GREAT time.

Tuesday was busy for me, a church meeting and then got my hair cut. I got a call to work that morning but because of things already planned I couldn't but got at call for the next day also. So I'd be subbing the next day ~ bad news there .. the teacher's daughter that was sick is a girl is G's class. There is something going around (there's always something going around but it was in G's classroom). This is the night G got hit with the baseball ~ black eye!

Wednesday I worked, it's not easy to sub this early in the school year, the kids simply don't know the rules and aren't really in a routine. This means that the sub has to KNOW the routine and rules. Good news for me I had subbed alot in this teacher's class room last year so I knew the rules and the routine. As I went through the e-nails that evening, there was yet another e-mail from W's college... new instructions about what to do if a student was feeling ill.

Thursday subbed again (little girl still sick). Called W to remind him about his dentist appointment. As I talked to him he sounded terrible and told me that his chest was congested and his head was stopped up. I told him what to get a Wal-mart to clear his head. He went to the dentist, has 3 cavities .. that boy has no enamel on his teeth what so ever! Poor kid! I got a text a 5 that he'd missed his class at 3:30 ... I immediately call him .. He'd gone home from the dentist and went to bed and slept until 5. He told me that he thought he needed to get a thermometer when he went to Wal-mart. By 7:30 he's called to say he has a temp of 101.5. I tell him to read the e-mail from yesterday and gather his things, I'll call our doctor and call him back. Our doctor says to get him home! He feels well enough at that point to drive himself home. He's home by 9pm and taking a long hot shower.

FRIDAY I sub again, leave W sleeping. The class is going great by now, I knew them and they know me! When I get home W's on couch watching TV, no fever but exhausted. I blow my cover by cooking roast beef and potatoes ... If I can do this and work all day, then why can't I do this when I'm home all day?!?! I hear G pushing the answering machine buttons, I hear one from our Credit card's fraud department. hmmmm, how did I not hear that one, someone else had already listened to it, but they didn't do anything about. I then go through the daily e-mails and there is a message from the CC company... I call them! Someone has used our credit card to purchase $1600 for an X box and various purchases from I tunes!! Thankfully we have a great Credit Card Company and they caught it, put a stop on our account. They'll now be investigating.

Saturday morning W mentioned that his truck didn't want to start as he was leaving college. His truck has had this problem alittle all summer but it had gotten worse. I take it in thinking that it's home. Good thing, it acting up in front of the mechanic ~ fuel injector ... $600.

This week ends to end!

Need Dance Lessons?

The Swine has landed

After a week of e-mails from the university and hearing all the news coverage . Telling the public (aka students and Parents) that IT was spreading and they weren't even to go to the Health Center if they had flu like symptoms they were just to go home! I knew it would be a miracle if he didn't get IT, and no it hasn't been confirmed but the nurse said IT didn't need to be confirmed she was sure IT was IT.

He's home until he goes 24 hours without a fever!

Which should be 3 days.

FYI ~ flu like symptoms are a cold with fever.

Adventures in Subbing 09/10 #1

This is a classic and so innocent at the same time.

The 2nd grade teacher that I've been subbing for is doing a "Favorite Book" lesson. Each student brings their favorite book and each day one book is chosen. We read the book, then the student go back to their desk and write a couple of sentences about the book and draw a picture about the book. The teacher collect these papers for a book she's putting together.

Yesterday we read the book ... they did their paper... I collected them.

Today I was moving them on the desk and I glanced a the top paper.

The student had written ....

"I lick the hole boob."

I just sat there and laughed ...

Wordless Wednesday

24 hours later ....

48 hours later

(very colorful)

Reactions

Hey, Look you can now give me your reaction!

Down at the bottom of each post there are 3 choices

(of course I get to control your reaction to some limit...Muhahaha)

it's quick, it's easy and it's fun

yes, it's fun....because I said it's fun!

Concert memories

When I was a teen I went to alot of concerts, and always had good seats to them also! My aunt Val worked for the university and was able to get tickets before they were released to the general public. I was spoiled! I've seen more than I can remember, but I do remember seeing the Carpenters, Charlie Daniels, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton (along with Freddy Fender!?!), all of these with my mom but I did Alabama with my friend LouAnn.

When I moved on to college hubby (pre marriage) and I saw "Do You Think I'm Sexy"Rod Steward, and was AMAZED at this show ... not only did he sing but there were these white umbrella type things that would open and close to the music ~ I thought it was the coolest thing. SO Lame compared to concerts today.

Then I stood 4 rows back to see George Strait that the State Fair, I could even seen his Wrangle patch on the back of his jean .... not that I was looking at his behind (!) but that's IS where the patch was!

Hubby (still pre marriage) got tickets to see Michael Jackson (along with his brothers). Not great seats but we were in the stadium! Yes, I've seen the white glove and saw MJ sit on the edge of the stage and sing BEN. Funny (or sad which ever way you choose to see it) story, I took our nephew Matt with me, we parked and started walking to the stadium before I remembered to look to see where we'd parked. When I took notice of the letter on the pole I was sure that we'd only walked a short bit. When the concert was over, we walked over to the pole and then on a few rows ....NO CAR! We walked a bit more....NO CAR! I finally went to report my car stolen (at the stadium) they encouraged me to walk further. Poor Matt and I walked further still seeing no car until FINALLY we crested a hill finding another parking lot .... there was my car sitting all alone. Guess we'd walked further than I thought! I remember that better than I do the concert.



Why am I telling you this?

Just a couple of months ago W came to me and told me about a concert he wanted to go to. W has never been to any type of concert. I told him to check it all out and get the detail for me. He came back and was amazed (more aghast) that the tickets were $80. I was more amazed that the concert wasn't sold out! After he left I started checking things out more. End result ....... W is sitting in the 3rd row, not center stage ~ (hey, I'm not a miracle worker but still 3rd row)

at a

Lil' Wayne Concert

tonight

I've requested in return for the tickets.....

#1 that I am sent at least one phone pic

#2 that I get at least one "you're the greatest mom ever" text during the night from bothW and his friend Chris

AND last but not least ..

#3 I get at least 2 "I love you MOMs" text during the concert

Who says you can't buy love?

W sighting

W came home for Saturday evening.

He requested Biscuits and gravy!

He looked good but tired.

Never and lack of imagination

I was relaxing (aka napping) when all of sudden there appeared a caped, sword welding boy. His cape was flying and his sword was in action, then he announced "Call me Lord Elwood"!

This caused me to giggle!

Lord Elwood?

meet Lord Elwood ...

(if you'd like to see a video of Lord Elwood go to G's blog e-mail for the addy)

After Lord Elwood left G went fishing.

He took his "boat" out to our "fishing lake" and fished for a while.

I believe at one point he had to jump in the water to get the fish in the boat!

Gotta love this boy and his imagination!

Update on this week ~

This week has been so nice ~ G and I have nice quiet evenings at home. For the past 4 years we have been running to sporting events (and I loved every minute of it) so it's nice to have a few weeks of quiet at home routine here. This quiet routine will not last once September gets here!

G has missed W, a couple of days when he'd get in the car he'd ask first thing if I'd talked to W that day. When bedtime hits he gets really missing him. He finally called him on Thursday (G was always too busy to call him any other day ... .missed him but was too busy to call him?!?!). W told him that when he ate dinner now it was like eating at Ryann's (their favorite place to eat) every day, and he'd played slip and slide down a big hill in rain! When G got off the phone he told me that he wants to go to school there too!

I've opened the windows to let the cool air in, I love it! the animals are a bit confused ~ they can hear us in here and they (mostly the cat) just whine at the windows! I wish this weather to last through the fall! think I can get my wish?

Saturday Morning

What a busy little morning.

I was awaken by the phone ringing at 8:20 (yes, I was enjoying being in bed at 8:20). G got the phone (he certainly wouldn't want to miss answering the phone around here), it was the neighbor asking if he would like to go fishing. WOW things got lively around here then!

After I got him out the door I started in making brownies. I had made these wonderful cookie bars (2 pans actually). I'd really like to take credit for them but I just can't. They are WAY rich so I don't think I could ever make a pan just for my little family. These cookie bars and the brownies are going to a funeral dinner at church so there will be plenty of others to help eat them.

Then for the rest of this morning (all of 2 hours of it) I've been putter around.

Morning with W

This morning I meet W half way to get those things that we hadn't already gotten.

Mostly a printer, and desk things.

He looked tired, we met at 10am (which means he had to leave his place at 9:30am), before I left Hubby asked me who picked the time!?! W did, said he needed to start getting up early.

then to the mall for some extra shopping, but he's a guy so there wasn't any 'looking' just shopping.

We ate at a new place for us "bd's Mongolian Barbeque"

it was interesting and something I think would get better the more you go.......

You fill 'your bowl' from a 'meat bar' then the 'vegetable bar', then move onto the 'sauce bar' THEN on to the 'spice bar' yea that's alot of choices for someone who'd never been there before.

Then you are directed to the large grill where they cook 'your dish'

Never the same thing twice!

By the way .. W noticed that there weren't any Mongolians working there!

busy busy beaver ....

Today is just a cleaning day, really cleaning.

I don't think I'll get to everything but things

are certainly looking better around here.

I feel like I'm getting my house back.

Just in case I miss W

This will be the post I go to when I miss W.

Just one pile of his school stuff ~

On going pile of his stuff on the banister...

continually being blocked in by W's truck

The constant soccer game

(or soccer tennis or soccer golf)

that is going on in my living room

Had to take the picture out ...too much information

High Water bills

(that boy can take some LONG showers)

The pile of shoes ~

this is just one there was another at the front door

and notice the deodorant?!?

what a convenient place to keep in right next to the dining room table.

Watching my baby pack up!

It's a challenge to watch W pack up for college.

He has all of his dvd's and game system but hasn't put his parking sticker on his truck yet!?!

OH, well, he'll be fine ... He's a good young man and I have no doubt that he'll survive.

I was uninvited to take him up in the morning, I think my planning was driving him crazy, it was driving me crazy so I can understand. Actually this is less stress on me and more excitement for him. win win situation

OH, drats I'd better go switch the laundry so he can take all clean clothes!

it's about time!

It's about time for a new look!

Hope you enjoy!

I'm trying to commission a personalize piece of artwork

(sometimes called a Doodle)

for my heading, but the artist is busy working on other aspects of his life right now!

things that are causing wrinkles ....

I'm gaining wrinkles because .....

W's college sent a 'suggested travel routes' for when he moves in. FYI ~ this University has all their dorms on one street. This means that most of the University's hundreds and hundreds of students will be moving in on the same street Sunday!

G is so excited about school that he TALKS from 3:20pm until his eyes close at night ... Yes, I'm so glad that he's excited but really 5+ hours of non stop talking was TOO much.

W is leaving some of his summer chores for me to do this fall.

I keep getting locked out of my online banking, I've gotten 2 password resets this week.

W's school is finally paid for! Well, the loan papers are all filled out! I still don't know why hubby wanted to go this route!?!

I discovered if I go back to school that I could make $65 more $ subbing ... now I really do have to look into going back.

I think it's time to budget (I think this every fall) and I don't like to budget!

OK, that's all that I'm bringing out right now, I'm sure there are more but I like the denial zone!

G's first day of 4th grade

G had a wanted to get rid of the Mohawk before he went back to school but that would mean that he'd have to make time for me to cut it off. That wasn't happening! When we went to Sneak Peak last night, he got several "hey, I like that Mohawk" comments. He told me on the way home "Mom, I think I'll keep the Mohawk."

Mrs Wolford, G's 4th grade teacher.

the Ringing of the phone now scares him!

Yesterday we had a storm move through, it had the potential to be severe but all it did was rain really hard (a couple of inches in less than an hour).

A friend of mine called to tell me that the storm was coming. She knew I was out running around be didn't realize I was so far away. She told me that she'd gotten a phone call from the Sheriff's office telling her of the potentially severe weather. Neither of us had ever gotten that kind of phone call, so we were surprised.

I thought that was nice, but wondered if I'd gotten a phone call. When we arrived home, G went to get the phone messages ..... one from his bus driver (she'll be around at 6:55AM ~ GASP!) and one recorded message from the sheriff's office warning us about potentially severe weather.

This caused me to ponder if we would be getting this call in the middle of the night?!? and then concern about this phone ringing in the middle of the night. Especially when all we got was hard rain, I don't want be awaken for hard rain!

Fast forward to this morning, someone called for hubby at 7:30. This caused G to come running to see who it was and if it was the Sheriff's office !

08/08

W at Medieval times Chicago

the 8th picture in the 8th folder (of 2008) is from our trip to Chicago.

this picture is when we were at Medieval times.

We ate in the dark with our fingers

(chicken, potato wedges, tomato/basil soup in a mug and some sort of pastry)

Not my favorite part!

then we watched knights duel.

I'm not sure how much W enjoyed the night but G drank it all up!

the Good and the Bad

GOOD ~ Enrolling only one child in school only took less than 10 minutes (in comparison to over an hour with 2)
BAD ~ it's HOT, once again I'm reminded at how spoiled I was by the wonderful weather this summer
GOOD ~ only 1 week until G starts school (I'm sorry but it's true I'm counting down)
BAD ~ G threw his glasses today not only broke them but lost one of the lens
GOOD ~ Walmart is having a special on kid's glasses
BAD ~ We ran out of rock for the garage
GOOD ~ we have all of G's school supplies
BAD ~ Enrolling only one child in school cost half as much (Of course I'm not counting all the money I've already spend on W)
GOOD but could be BAD ~ it takes a week (hopefully less) to get new glasses at Walmart
GOOD ~ Got a great new recipe that I can't wait to try this week end

Oh, good I ended with 2 GOODS!

OH and this made it all GOOD ~

Busy Monday

We visited with Granny

(her 89th birthday is next weekend)

Granny and Gr'pa made Doll Houses for years.

this is her doll house, she's had it for years

and collected the furniture when she'd travel the country.

when W was little he would go and look at this doll house for hours

Today, he went and found the things that were new,

he also found the things he use to play with, 2 little kittens, and a black car.

W and Granny talking about her old things.

She has a plate from the HaHaTonka Castle

(it's the gold plate on the right in the picture)

We then headed off to play Miniature golf.

We've been experiencing the

coolest summer in history,

but this was not a cool day!

G kept commenting on the sweat dripping off of his head.

then we stopped by to see Aunt Maurice.

She always makes all of us feel so special!

Great Sunday

I didn't go to church today except to make some copies and hand them out.

Lucky for me I was there long enough for my friend,Iris to find me.

She had a Birthday gift for me!

We both got a laugh out of this ....

a very colorful nesting turkey!

She told me that she just laughed when she saw it
and knew I needed that for my collection!
She also said that she must really treasure ME
since she was parting with one of her

"Smithsonian" boxes for my turkey!

Then boys and I then took off driving to visit family.

I've been driving this same route for over 20 years

(probably closer to 25 years)

and when we go through an area where we see these signs ~

But I've never seen an Amish person or even an Amish buggy.

Just How can This Be?

Until the last time we went through the area, I turned to hubby, and said, "you know we've never seen an Amish person through here." I turn my focus back to the road and there is a buggy on the side of the road. I was about to tell W in this same thing on this trip, when we see a couple of barefooted Amish boys (in the Sunday clothes) walking along the road.

We stop at HaHaTonka State Park, we walk around the Castle ruins

and look out over the bluff.

The boy's Granny (hubby's mom) used to work at and stayed at

HaHaTonka Castle when she was young.

Birthday funny!

My friend Stephanie called me ..... I couldn't hear a thing. I knew the phone call was from her and I could faintly hear her but really nothing...... I began yelling ... I can't hear you, I can't hear you.

I've never had this trouble before. Then I remember my sister in law, Maurice telling me that she was perfectly fine at 39, she had a birthday turned 40 and then she began to fall apart! So I'm thinking that now that I'm 45 I've lost my hearing in my right ear! Just like that!

All this thinking while I'm yelling "I can't hear you, I can't hear you" When all of a sudden .... I hear Stephanie say .. "can you hear me now!" WOW, my hearing is back ......

Stephanie tells me what she wants ... but I can't really concentrate because I'm wondering what had happened to my ear ....now that I was 45 was I deaf .... I finally asked her what had happened ... she then told me that she'd been whispering so the the computer repairman couldn't hear her!

hallelujah, I wasn't deaf ....she was whispering .... I scolded her told her I was now too old to play that game with her!

My Birthday day!

Ok, I'll share just what I did get for my birthday ........

From My Aunt Marie ~
This WAS some wonderful Zucchini Pineapple bread

sorry I didn't even think of taking a picture I just thought about eating!

From My Aunt Val ~ this super cute little notebook.

I love notebooks but so do my boys ... I'm always looking for something

that says "this is mom's stay away from this"

and I think this may just say that!

From my Mom ~

I got this bag filled with all sorts of goodies

finger/toe nail polishes, pedicure tool, hairbrush,

car organizer, sparkly flip flops just to name a few

I've already taken this places and gotten quite a few compliments!

I wide a variety of card but I must say half of them had pictures of

OLD LADIES!

hmmmm are you guys trying to tell me something??

From Stephanie ~

these two nesting hens

(the brown one and the black one)

both very different from what I already had.

from myself ~ Of course

A cute lunch bag!

I get tired of carrying one the the boy's left over lunch bag.

Now why didn't I think to create this!?!?

Wii Resort!

This is my Mii (see the resemblance?) getting ready to

have a 3 point shot out! I didn't do very well.

My boys also took me out for a late lunch at a place that I've been wanting to go.

We had WAY TOO much food, but it was good.

the boys tried to have a "YES, MOM" day.

It was almost funny to see them shut off the arguing!

When we finished lunch W took G home.

I think it was funny, they weren't getting along at lunch but when W found out I was going to Kohl's to return things, he told G he could ride home with him.

I think it was more of a "I wouldn't send my worst enemy to Kohl's with Mom" sort of thing!

They were very anxious for me to get home since they hadn't given me the Wii Resort yet and I told them that they couldn't open or play anything they got for me until I got home!

We played, had fun and then they both went off and I got a very quiet home ~ Pure silence!