The Best of Times, The Worst of Times

Thursday, we traveled to my cousin's wedding a few hours away.  We met the family for the Rehearsal Dinner, which was one of the best meals I think I've ever had!  Served family style, we ate salad (with the best dressing ever), calamari, bruschetta, fettuccini alfredo, chicken scallopini, lasagna, and a selection of desserts.  I ate like it was Thanksgiving!

Friday morning, my kids got to swim in the hotel pool.  Later, we visited a huge outlet mall where I shopped 'til I dropped.  I picked up some new things and Hubby bought me a new purse on a whim.  (He handed it to me outside the store and told me to look in the bag.  What a sweetie!)

Friday evening, my cousin became a husband to the most beautiful bride at a lovely ceremony.  It made the painful (but adorable) shoes I wore worth the pain.  We wished them well as they left the church, anxious for their upcoming cruise.

That night, I crashed in a too-small bed and tried to sleep.  The happiness now over, I worried about what I knew the future would hold.

Saturday morning, we visited the mall again before heading home.  I received a series of strange text messages from my mom, which made me realize what had already happened.

Just after noon on Saturday, my grandmother passed away.  Grandpa and my parents kept the news from us until the mother of the groom, grandma's youngest child, arrived safely home.  We were only minutes behind, so we arrived before grandma was taken away.  Everyone was on the phone calling family and we spent some time alone with Grandma.  It was hard.  So hard.  My kids were there so I tried to be really strong.  My parents and grandfather were doing so well; it had been about five hours since she passed.  Their strength helped me.  My kids all cried, which broke my heart.  Even Son #2, who rarely shows emotion, broke down.  That was the one that bothered me the most..

After grandma was taken away and all the phone calls were made, food began pouring in.  It is so nice to have a host of caring friends through times like these.  I could never count how many funeral dinners I've served and how many meals I've cooked for grieving families.  It's true when they say, "What goes around comes around." The kindness of our church family has come around again and again.

Saturday night, someone must have prayed for sleep to come because sleep came.  Shocking to me, I slept soundly all night long.  We attended church together as a family on Sunday, which was more difficult than I thought.  Grandma used to sit in front of me and I knew she'd never be back on that pew.  She hadn't been in service for a while, but there was a different feeling about it now- a finality.

Today, more food has rolled in.  I don't even know how we will eat it all.  A family friend has offered to be the liaison and organize all the donations over various days.  I won't have to buy groceries or cook for some time.

As for me, I'm doing well.  I'm actually doing much better than I was last week.  It's only by the strength of God that I'm making it through.  There is, of course, a sense of relief that her pain and suffering are over.  No longer will my mom have to sleep on the couch in order to administer medication through the night.  No longer will my grandfather have to get someone to watch Grandma so he can leave the house for a few hours.  No longer will I have to see the confused, pained look on her poor, little face.  She's at peace.

I still have my moments.  Grandpa broke down in front of me today and it was almost more than I could handle.  I'm tired of people asking me why I'm crying.  I spontaneously break out in tears and I would think people would understand why.

I feel closer to my mom than I ever have.  We are leaning on one another in a very special way.  I'm so thankful for her right now and I look on her with such great admiration.  If you knew the things she's gone through over the past year...

The service will be Wednesday night.  As a bishop's wife, we expect visitors from all over the country.  We are hosting a dinner afterward for approximately 100 out-of-town guests.

I'm keeping busy, which has helped.  I am in charge of picking up all the food that comes in at the church and taking it to the house.  I helped create the beautiful honorary program and picked out the photos for the slideshow.  They even allowed me to decide the obituary picture.  This will be a high-class funeral that I wish you all could see.  She was one of the best so we want to make sure she gets the best.

I will probably refrain from posting for a while.  It's not where my heart is right now.  I knew that my faithful readers would suspect her passing when I didn't write for a few days.  So yes, it's true.  But the battle is over and life goes on.

Here's to the memory of my grandmother, Grace.  A woman who was truly the very definition of her given name.  She will be greatly missed.

Shutterfly Yearbooks are Here!

Can you tell which one is me?

Ah, we're nearing the end of the school year.  You can tell by that sweet, spring-like smell that comes in through your open windows and by the stinky, stale smell that comes from your child's backpack and sneakers!  (Man, do my kids stink at the end of the day!)

When I was in school, my favorite thing about the end of the year was receiving my yearbook.  Of course, I bought one every year and couldn't wait to start flipping through the pages.  My Senior year, I even served on the yearbook committee.  I still have every one of my yearbooks and I flip through them from time to time.  My husband has a perfect memory when it comes to names and faces of people.  I, on the other hand, forget someone the moment they walk away.  When he tells me about running into someone from high school on the street, I have to pull out my old BHS yearbook and look them up.  Often, a spark of remembrance will help me realize who in the world he is talking about.  I treasure every yearbook and even take them with me to class reunions.

So, now you know I love yearbooks.  You probably also know I love Shutterfly.  I've blogged about my Shutterfly albums and cards many times.  I like to make a book each year to showcase the fun and exciting things that happened in our lives.  I also learned by Child #4 that a Shutterfly album is much easier, neater, and cheaper than a homemade scrapbook (which I always manage to botch up).

This week, Shutterfly emailed me to announce their new line of Yearbooks.  I was very excited to find out more.  I enjoy helping out in the PTA at school and was anxious to find out how this works.  School yearbooks are so costly, especially when you have three kids in school who all want one.  Shutterfly yearbooks start as low as $5 a book, if you contact the company directly for a quote!  Wow...what a difference from the expensive yearbooks my kids make me buy!

You can design your yearbook to your exact needs and specifications.  That's always been my favorite thing about Shutterfly!  If you're not the creative type or rushed for time, they also have a Simple Path option that does all the work for you!

I am very pleased with Shutterfly's quality and I've witnessed how the albums last.  Another awesome thing about the yearbook you create is that Shutterfly saves it forever, allowing you to order another copy any time...forever!  If my house burns down, my yearbooks are not replaceable.  What peace of mind comes with the fact that you can replace a lost or damaged yearbook any time!

This is definitely a deal I'm taking to my PTA president!  Our Art teacher always creates the yearbook, but I just might fight her for the chance next time!  How fun would it be to make a yearbook for church groups or other clubs?  With prices that reasonable, it's definitely something I'm going to pursue for my extra-curricular activities!

If you're interesting in learning more about Shutterfly yearbooks, visit their website.  You can also get more information via Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.  

This post is sponsored by Shutterfly but the thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

Blessings, Bad Business, and Bread

First of all, I want to say thank you for all the sweet and supportive comments ya'll left for me on Tuesday!  Your warm thoughts were very encouraging!  A quick update- Grandma is still hanging in there.  We think her lethargic condition was due to the fact that she was up for 30 hours straight.  She still is unable to walk and opening her eyes is difficult.  But her Hospice nurse feels like she will make it another week.  That really helps us breathe a sigh of relief about this weekend's wedding.  And yes, Hospice is a wonderful program!  The nurse and aides are all wonderful and genuinely seem to care for Grandma.

~*~

In the midst of all my stress, I saw the need to start running again.  We have had the most beautiful and unseasonable weather here!  A friend of mine and I went running (in short sleeves) last night around the lake in our town.  It was a perfect run and I felt so great afterward!  I was proud to make it 2 miles!  We walked a mile and a half in addition to the 2-mile run.

~*~

I bought a Groupon for a friend's birthday that was good for a mani/pedi at a local nail place.  I bought one for myself too so we could enjoy the day together.  The expiration date was quickly approaching so I called the shop to book an appointment.  They were closed that day and the next day.  The Groupon expired on a day they were closed!  I left an message explaining the dilemma and asked if they would honor our Groupons the next day they were open.  I left my number and asked them to call back as soon as possible.  They didn't call back.  The next day came and went.  I tried to call again but got their voice mail again.

Today, I called again and finally got someone.  I'll save you the drama but they informed me (in a very snotty manner) that I missed my opportunity.  I nicely explained that they were closed for two days prior to the deal expiring so I was left with my hands tied.  They told me I could add $40 more to receive the same service.  Yeah, right.  They apparently don't know me.  I asked for the owner to call me so I could explain that I did indeed call before the deal expired.  She asked my name.  She said they save all their phone records so they would check to see if I really did call.  It was very accusing.  "Great!" I said in my most chipper voice.  She thought I was bluffing, but I wasn't.  I'm still waiting to hear back from the owner.  My next line of defense is to say that Groupons are intended to bring more business to a company.  I will never bring my business to a place run that way and will be sure to tell all my friends how they treat paying customers.  Do you think I have a chance?

~*~

Last night, I was carrying the leftover spaghetti back to the kitchen after dinner.  The pan the sauce was in is huge and the lid started falling off.  There was no way I could catch it, with the heavy pan in my hands, so I did the next best thing.  I stuck out my foot.  This is a 13" stainless steel lid from Williams & Sonoma (costing a pretty penny) and I wasn't willing for it to get damaged.  The edges are thin and that thing fell right on the top of my foot, causing a gash.  I have a huge bruise half the size of a dollar bill on that sensitive part of my foot near the bottom of my leg.  I must say, I saved the lid so I consider it a victory!

~*~

Something new I've learned is about freezing bread.  I always thought people who froze bread were ridiculous.  Number one- it's cheap.  Just buy more.  Number two- old bread is not good.  Just buy fresh.  One night for dinner, my grandfather (who grew up during the Depression) pulled a loaf of bakery bread from the freezer.  I sadly shook my head, wondering why he ruined that delicious bakery bread by freezing it.  He separated the slices and laid them on a plate for just a few minutes.  When dinner started, I took a piece to be polite.  Let me tell you, that bread was as fresh as the day it was baked!  My mind was blown!  I now buy an extra loaf when it's on sale and stick it in the freezer.  Who knew?

~*~

What crazy or random things are going on in your life?  Do you have any pointless or interesting tips to share today?  What have you learned lately?

WWTK

It's Wednesday and today is all about the food!  I'm linking up with Mamarazzi and Crazymama for We Want to Know!  Feel free to join in the fun!

{1}Ricki Jill wants to know:

I would like to know what the WWTK's  participants serve when they have company for dinner.  What are your go-to recipes?

I love to entertain, but haven't had the opportunity for a long time.  If I'm having a crowd, I love to serve up Mexican food.  You can easily make enough to feed an army.  I usually season ground beef and chicken while offering up a selection of toppings to please everyone.  I also make Ranch Salsa or my aunt's famous cheese dip as a side.  

If I want to offer something more hearty, I will make a selection of soups.  My favorites are Chicken Paprikash, Broccoli Cheddar, and French Onion. I will offer various breads and crackers for dipping and make a nice, green salad.

For summertime, I buy a loaf of French bread and slice it lengthwise.  I fill it with a selection of deli meats and cheeses and slice the loaf into sandwiches.  I'll serve it with chips, potato salad, or macaroni salad.  That broccoli, cheese, bacon salad is also a favorite of mine as well as Fancy Coleslaw.  Mmmm...I'm getting a craving for summer food now and will have to share those salad recipes sometime very soon!

{2}Jill wants to know:

If you were told it was time for your last meal, what would you order up or make for yourself?

If I was about to eat my last meal, I surely wouldn't be the one to cook it!  I would probably choose to eat at our favorite Japanese steakhouse, since I don't get to eat there very often.  If I wasn't in the mood for that, it would be chicken parmesan.  Of course, there's always the go-to Chipotle that never disappoints.

{3}Suzanne wants to know:

Sugar or alcohol? or more delicately Drink or Dessert?

I'm a non-drinker but a heavy dessert eater.  If it was possible to get drunk on chocolate, I would have done it.  I make a mean chocolate cake and I can bake up some serious chocolate chip cookies!  All this talk of food is really making me hungry!

{4}Myya wants  to know:

What is your favorite Crock Pot Recipe?  

People might be surprised to hear that I don't use a Crock Pot.  I've never really needed to use one because I've been a stay-at-home mom for 13 years.  For me, a Crock Pot is something that is used to keep food warm that you've already cooked.  If I had to make a Crock Pot meal, it would be roast beef, potatoes, and carrots.

{5} Mamarazzi is having a hard time getting breakfast in everyday so she wants to know:

What are you eating for breakfast these days?

Boring old toast.  I'm actually kind of addicted to it.  I was on a cereal kick for a couple years but it's been toast and Earl Gray tea for a few months now.  I actually crave hot tea in the mornings and say, "Oh, that's good," every day when I take my first sip.

Rough Day

If you've been a reader of my blog, you know how difficult my grandmother's road with Alzheimer's has been.  She was my favorite grandmother; probably my favorite relative ever.  I am the only grandkid who got her green eyes and I named my first daughter after her.

This coming Friday is my cousin's out-of-state wedding.  We all knew neither Grandma nor Grandpa could attend the wedding and my mom decided to stay home too.  It's sad because my family is so close.  My cousins are like my siblings.  My aunts are extra mothers.  We're tight-knit.  The thought of some of my family not attending G's wedding breaks my heart.

Over the weekend, Grandma got really bad.  Last Friday, she woke up around 2:00 in the afternoon.  This has been a normal wake up time for her.  That night, however, Grandpa tried to put her to bed around 9:00.  He gave her her Alzheimer's medication and a sleeping pill.  She didn't go to sleep.  Grandpa didn't go to sleep.  At 2:00 the next day, she was still up.  She was very groggy and made absolutely no sense (worse than usual).  At bedtime, Grandpa gave her an extra strong sleeping pill.  Hospice told him he could give those to her all along but he was afraid to do so.  She finally crashed around 8:30 PM.

Grandma hasn't eaten a bite of food in a month.  Family friends don't believe us when we say that, but it's true.  She drinks a cup or less of milk a day.  I guess that's what's keeping her going.  So, for a person to stay awake for over 24 hours with no nourishment whatsoever- it's baffling.  I was worried that she would go to sleep and never wake again.  That brings us back to the wedding issue.

If she died Saturday, we could squeeze in the funeral before the wedding.  If she hangs on until Tuesday or Wednesday, there's no way.  I can't see how we could wait until after the wedding for the funeral either.

She did wake up Sunday late afternoon, but I use that term loosely.  She couldn't walk.  She couldn't sit up.  My father carried her to a chair and basically propped her up.  She would speak words occasionally, but they didn't have any reason.  Her eyes were only half open and she looked horrible.  She's down to 108 lbs., fully clothed and with a robe.

We stopped by Sunday evening and I lost it.  I held on until my dad and grandpa left to pick up food.  When we were ready to leave, I told Grandma goodbye.  That's when it happened.  For the first time, I bawled my eyes out.  In front of people.  My mom bawled.  My husband bawled.  Son #1 was tearing up and I told him it was OK to cry.  He did.  Big Sis bawled, but Son #2 is a tough guy.  He excused himself from the room.  It was a total cry fest but I think we needed that.  I knew it was the last time I was seeing my grandma alive.  We took a final photo with her, all red faced with swollen eyes.  She looked asleep in the picture.  Eating and sleeping that night were difficult.

I'm sorry this post sounds so choppy and my thoughts are so unorganized.  I've been trying to get out this post for 3 days and don't want to keep tweaking it.

I had A Day yesterday.  Grandpa had an eye doctor appointment and asked me to keep Grandma.  Hubby was off work and Grandpa said  he wanted him there too.  If Grandma would wake up, he would have to move her.  She didn't wake and things went fine.  I had a youth group meeting that evening and had nothing planned.  A dear friend texted me and told me she would plan the meeting and I shouldn't worry.  Thank God for good friends!

After my meeting, we stopped back up at Grandma's.  She was up, even though her eyes were closed.  She seemed much better than Sunday and it really lifted my spirits.  I sat down beside her on the couch and looked at her frail hand.  It's no more than skin covering bone.  Her wrists are so skinny and her legs are about the size of my 7-year old's.  As I was studying her hand, she picked it up and took hold of my hand,  she held me with both hands and started stroking my arm.  For more than 5 minutes, she sat there massaging my inner forearm.  It was so special and sweet and kind of difficult to put into words.  I think it's a moment I will remember about her forever.  I had to break the mood because my kids were long past their bedtime.  If that was my  last moment with Grandma, it was a special one.

So that's what's going on with me.  If I don't post regularly, you know why.

Idiots and Randomness

The idiot is me.  The rest of this post does not relate in any way, hence the title Idiots and Randomness.

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I'm having computer issues once again.  I'm sure you've seen my setup before- we have two computers on one long desk.  Well, the one on the right won't connect to the internet.  I finally bribed my brother with chocolate chip cookies to come look at it.  Turns out, the #$@&* card has malfunctioned.  (Don't worry, I wasn't swearing.  I just don't know the name of the gizmo that's broken.)  Little bro is ordering one.

The computer on the left is slower than an overweight, aged tortoise.  It's supposed to be the kids' computer so it doesn't perform all that well.  It's all I've had available lately so I've overworked it.  It takes several minutes for a web page to load.  I can't handle that.

My laptop is lovely but won't connect to the internet either.  It really never has.  I think it's a lemon but never bothered to send it back.  Somehow, I figured out that I could get it to connect if I hardwired it.  Viola!  We have liftoff, people!  My internet connection is so fast...it totally rocks!

BUT- I'm confined to this desk space because I'm hardwired.  I have the laptop set up directly in front of Computer #1.  Guess how dumb I am?  I keep grabbing the mouse from the computer to try to move my cursor on the laptop.  When it doesn't work, it takes me several seconds to figure out why. Yeah, a bright one I am not.

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More dumbness:  I am totally addicted to Draw Something on my phone.  It's a completely mindless, time-wasting game.  One must be a true idiot to be as addicted to this game as I am.  My friends weren't keeping up with me so I took to playing with complete strangers.  Ha!  Message me if you want to play with me!  (Don't worry, I won't call you an idiot.)  I will warn you that my artistic skills are sub-par at best.

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Good news though- I was totally on time to pick up Son #1 from tuba lessons yesterday!  It's ridiculous how proud I am of that slight achievement.

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As I sit here typing, Baby Girl just says, "I'm coloring like a genius."  I don't know where she got that word but it totally made me smile!

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The timer on the washing machine just buzzed.  Baby Girl is downstairs trying to finish the laundry.  "What do I do, Mama?" she's calling.  I guess I'd better get off my duff and do my motherly duties.  Glad I have that toddler to keep me in line!

Getting Grouchy at Drop-Off

Few things make me grouchier than the drop-off line at school in the mornings.  Grrr...my stress level is rising just thinking about it!  People drive with such little compassion for others; it really chaps my hide! 

The first thing that set me off this morning was the chick in the gold mini-van who attempted to do a U-turn right in front of me.  Sadly, our school sits on a busy street with one no-outlet side street bordering it.  It makes traffic flow horrendous.  So, this lady decides she's going to turn around on the side street.  Ha- yeah, right!  I had to wait on the main road while she drove in a semi-circle, ran out of room, backed up, and drove forward again.  Traffic was backing up because of her.  (I believe U-turns in the middle of the road are still illegal.  Yep, they are.)

Because it was raining this morning, I decided to drop Big Sis off at the back door.  She has a shorter walk that way.  Of course, the line was at least 15 cars long.  Up ahead, I see my good friend who is third in line.  She lets her kids out right there to help keep the line moving.  I shout Bravo! in my car, even though she can't hear me.  The dude behind her doesn't follow her lead and puts his truck into park.  He gets out, opens the door for his kid, and watches as the kid walks away.  Impatience growing...

Finally, I'm second in line.  Big Sis and I always do our goodbyes while waiting in line.  She takes off her seat belt, collects her belongings, and showers Baby Girl and me with hugs and kisses.  When my car stopped, she jumped out and ran into the school, ponytail bouncing.  The car ahead of me is still stopped and that child is just getting out.  My daughter is already in the school and the car ahead of us is still wrapping up business.  Finally, the child starts walking into the school.  The mom sits there and waits for her kid to get all the way inside!  With the manly gym teacher standing right there, does she think some molester is going to come along and grab her child within five feet of the school doors?  Just drive, lady!!!

I'm back to the intersection of the side street and main street.  Drop off in front of the school is crazy, due to the late hour.  (Yeah, we were running late again.  Surprised?)  Some carefree grandma decides to stop her car right in the intersection to let her kid off.  There apparently wasn't room directly in front of the school and she didn't want to make little Johnny walk ten extra feet.  So, here I am, stopped on the side street.  I'm unable to get out onto the main road because she is out of her car, walking around it!  Little Johnny didn't close the passenger door so she had to wobble all the way around the car to close it for him.

Is it just me?  Do I need anger management or do things like this bug the snot out of you too?  I don't claim to be the best driver in the world, but I try to be very considerate.  By the time I arrived home this morning, I was steaming.  Maybe riding the bus to school in the morning isn't such a bad idea after all....

WWTK

Today is Wednesday, so I'm linking up with Mamarazzi for We Want to Know!  Join in the fun!

{1} What is your favorite way to celebrate birthdays?

Mine- getting together with a bunch of friends.  Each year for my birthday, my mom and best friend will organize a birthday lunch for me.  Usually, Hubby and I will go out that night.  Cooking on my birthday is strictly forbidden.

The Kids- I like to have parties here at my house.  For milestone birthdays, I like to do something special.  Both of the boys have had surprise parties for their 10th and I'll probably do the same thing for the girls.  (Big Sis hopefully won't realize both her brothers had surprise parties for their tenth.)  Son #1 turns 13 on Friday the 13th this year, so I need to think of something great to do.  I can't believe he's that old already!

{2} Which is more fun to celebrate? Celebrating yours or your loved ones?

Of course the best answer would be to say I enjoy celebrating others' birthdays better.  But that's simply not true.  Call me selfish, but I love celebrating my own birthday.  That doesn't mean I'm happy about the age I'm turning, but I love some personalized spoliling once a year!

{3} What is your dessert of choice for birthday celebrating?

I always make a very special cake for the kids.  Big Sis starts talking about her cake 364 days before her next birthday.  Here are some of the favorites I've made:















{4} Tell us about your best birthday you've ever had.

My 30th was fun.  I thought for sure that Hubby was planning a surprise party for me.  He didn't, but that was OK.  We ate at my favorite restaurant with my parents and brother and sister-in-law.  The following weekend, a bunch of friends and I stayed in a hotel and went shopping all day.  We had dinner somewhere fancy and had a great girls day out. 

{5} Share your favorite birthday song.

I only know one birthday song; are there more?  My family always harmonizes on the last line...it's kind of our thing.  I think everyone in my extended family can actually sing, so it works.

{6} Bonus question: if you could pick any age to be again, how old would you be and why?

That's a really tough question.  There are a couple years I would pick just so I could get a re-do.  One of my favorite years was probably 23 because it was the first year I was a mom.  I kind of really like the age I am now - 29 (for the 7th time). 

My Super Power

Have you ever thought about what you would choose as your super power, if that was possible?  Maybe it's the imaginative dreamer in me or maybe I'm nothing but a child inside, but I think about things like this all the time.

When we're driving in the car for twelve hours, trying to reach our vacation destination, I wish I could cause the mini-van to boost into the sky and fly over all the traffic.

When I'm in an uncomfortable situation, that's when I wish for my invisibility.  I would like to simply disappear to free myself from that time and that place.

Sometimes, I wish I could lose ten pounds with the snap of a finger.  That is usually related to an event where I'm seeing friends from the past and am feeling particularly chubby at the moment. 

There are times when I would love to be able to put my hyper children into a state of calmness...actually, this one happens nearly every day.

But the super power I wish for most often is the ability to freeze time.  Above all other powers, this is the one I would choose.  You see, I am always late.  I hate being late; I truly despise it.  I try and I try to be on-time but I fail at this task almost daily.  I am late every single week to pick up Son #1 from tuba lessons.  His poor teacher waits with him outside the school after every lesson, waiting on me to arrive.  I seriously need to make this guy some cookies or something.  I feel horrible each time I see the two of them standing there in the cold, waiting on me.

Every Sunday morning and every Wednesday night, I am supposed to be at church early for Bible Quizzing practice.  I am the assistant coach and I'm late every time.  Seriously, every single time.  It's so hard to get my four children dressed, fed, looking presentable, and out the door on time.  I've taken to waking up a half hour earlier on Sundays and eating dinner an hour sooner on Wednesdays.  Still, I'm late.

On Sunday evenings, I typically have vocal music practice at church.  Yep, I'm late every time.  I start getting ready at 4:00 and still struggle.  Last week, I started getting ready one hour earlier and still ran late!  I just don't know what to do with myself.

I tried setting my clocks fast.  That didn't work because I knew they were fast.  I tried setting out everyone's clothes and ironing them the night before.  That didn't help either.  I'm afraid I'm a lost cause.  When I was single and newly married, I was early for everything.  I blame it totally on the children.

So, if anyone discovers some sort of magical crystal at the bottom of the ocean that allows a person to actually freeze time, please offer to share it with me.  I need it more than you know!

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Tell me, what would you choose as your super power, if you were allowed just one?  Also, do you tend to run late, no matter how hard you try?

What's Up

I got a lot of nice comments on yesterday's post!  They all made me smile!  :)  I'm still behind with my blog reading.  It makes me sad to think there's so many posts out there I want to read and don't have the time for right now.  Hopefully later...

I registered for my third marathon team relay yesterday!  I'm running 5.5 miles this year, about 3/4 of a mile shorter than last year.  The weather here has been so warm lately that I'm really anxious to get out an run!  I wonder how far I can make it right now without keeling over?

Someone I know made a phony Facebook profile for a mentally challenged man we all know.  It was horribly offensive.  The person purposely misspelled words, trying to make it look authentic.  He made comments that we would "get" but that were actually making fun of this poor man.  He connected to about 70 people, all who were too busy or naive to understand that it was a hoax.  The dead giveaway was that all of the likes and movies on the profile involved one key word that mocks the man's appearance.  I'm not quite sure who started the profile, even though I have suspicions.  Apparently, it's someone who lacks a soul.

After seeing this photo, I realized
what I experienced was nothing in
comparison!!!

On the way to church last night, which is only a five minute drive, it began hailing severely.  Visibility became very poor as vehicles pulled off to the side of the road.  I was ten minutes late for a meeting I was supposed to conduct so I was quite frantic.  The hail was so loud and pounding that I thought my windshield would surely break.  I dropped the kids off under the carport and parked my car.  Even with an umbrella, I was completely soaked by the time I made it into the church.  I had never before experienced weather like that!  Hubby was disappointed my windshield did not shatter because we need a new one anyway.  Thanks, babe. 

Did you hear about the school shooting the other day?  It's got my kids kind of worried, as they watched news coverage at school.  I tell them that we can't live in fear.  We've got to trust that God will protect them as they enter the school each day and that's why we pray every day before school.  I admit that I would be terrified to send my kids into a school each day without first praying over them.  I've even called home from vacation before to pray with them before they leave.  Sadly, school shootings will likely become more common.  We live in a wicked age.

My son is texting girls.  That's all I have to say about that.

I'm thinking about tomatoes again.  I can't remember when I planted my seeds last year but it seems like it was in March.  I'm glad I have the luxury of going back through my blog and reading about when I planted before.  I'm definitely doing that again this year!  I might expand the size of my garden and plant some other things this year.  The sad thing is that my family doesn't really like vegetables.  So I'm kind of at a loss for what to plant. Isn't that horrible?

Son #1 did not receive gifted identification in instrumental music.  He was pretty bummed about that.  Hubby said maybe it's a good thing to keep him grounded.  I feel bad for the poor guy.  He really worked hard.  He's almost as tall as me now and that's kind of freaking me out.  I borrow his shoes to run down to the mailbox.  What happened to my bald-headed baby boy?

I think a good goal to have, as far as house cleaning goes, is to try to keep the majority of the house picked up.  Each day, concentrate on one room and give it a good cleaning.  Focusing on one room at a time should make your home easier to keep up and won't overwhelm you.  Doesn't that sound great on paper?  Is there any chance that will work in the real world?  I spent over an hour in my bathroom this week, cleaning every nook and cranny.  I cleaned areas that hadn't been cleaned in far too long.  Now, if I can just keep at it, maybe it will stay that way.  Hold on a second, I just fell off my chair laughing.