The Ice Cream Cone

Part of my happy childhood involves a warm Saturday night when my uncle would pile the four kids into the bed of his blue pickup truck and take us to the ice cream stand.  It was a special treat, and we sang campfire songs at the top of our lungs the whole way there.  

Those same three ice cream stands still stand as beacons of our small town, and they haven't changed much at all.  We take our own children there for a special treat (in seatbelts and car seats, of course, not in the the bed of a truck), because it's nostalgic for us.  One summer day, Hubby took the kids to the expensive one.  We rarely visit that stand; it's a little bit further away and the cones are twice the price.  Baby Girl was maybe three, I'm not sure.  She ordered a plain vanilla cone, and it was huge.  When the fourteen-year-old sales girl handed the cones to Hubby, someone's chocolate cone touched the vanilla cone.  Baby Girl took her cone, immediately walked over to the trash can, and threw it away.  She looked at her father and demanded, "I want another one.  That one had chocolate on it."

There are two kinds of parents in this world.  I'll choose my words carefully and won't tell you what I truly think of the second parent.  Hubby responded exactly as I hoped he would.  With eyebrows raised high, he informed her that she would absolutely not be getting another cone since she chose to throw hers away.  She proceeded to throw a fit.  A woman approached my husband and told him what a terrible parent he was because he would not buy her another ice cream cone.  My daughter was being a brat, and this woman wanted her unacceptable behavior to be rewarded by giving her exactly what she wanted.  Absolutely not.  I'm so proud of my husband that day for putting a crying child in the car and not giving in to her.  He came home grouchy, but he made the right decision.  To this day, my daughter remembers the lesson she learned.  

In America, we have a lot of grown-up brats who "threw away their ice cream cones" and are now demanding new ones.  Some of our government has told them no- they are not getting a bailout for the communities they purposefully destroyed.  For that, I commend them.  At first, the brats may throw a fit, and things might get worse.  But if "Daddy" gives in to their tirades, will they ever learn their lesson?  No, they will turn into bigger brats, throw greater fits, and consistently demand more.  It's time for our government to start treating these fit-throwing adults like babies and punishing them for their misbehavior.

Intention, Not Attention

Is it still considered a good deed when you broadcast it to others?

That's one of my pet peeves- when people film themselves doing good deeds, then they plaster it all over social media so they can get credit.  Are you doing it to benefit others or for yourself?  I love the quote, "Good deeds should be done with intention not for attention."

Allow me a moment to brag on myself.  I apologize in advance.  I'm justifying my actions based on my anonymity; I don't know any of you.  I'm not publishing this account on Facebook or anywhere I actually have an identity.  So does that make it any better?  Maybe not, but whatever.

I was supposed to pick up my daughter after an event, but I was running a few minutes late.  A friend decided to drop her off at home for me.  As I was returning home alone, I saw two ladies beginning to cross my street on the main road.  The older of the two was carrying an infant car seat.  I remember how heavy those are, so I paused on the main road to allow her to cross the side street.  I felt terrible that she was trying to carry that heavy seat; she appeared to be in her 50s.  I turned onto the side street and rolled down my window.  I asked where they were headed and if they needed a ride.  They named a pediatrician that was located in the exact opposite direction.  When I told them they were walking the wrong way, they were despondent.  I offered to drive them there, and they accepted.

Never in my life have I picked up strangers in the car, but I could not allow these two women to continue on their journey with that car seat.  It would have been close to a half-mile walk.  As it turns out, the baby arrived two months early and they didn't have the stroller yet for the car seat.  This was his first appointment.  They had taken the bus from a nearby town, and had turned the wrong way when they got off.  They were extremely grateful for the ride; grandma said she would have been lying in someone's front yard if I had not picked them up.

After I dropped them off, guilt overcame me once again.  How did I expect them to get back to the bus stop?  When I got home, I called the pediatrician office and provided my phone number.  I told the receptionist to have the ladies call me after the appointment and I would pick them up.  Thankfully, they had told me the first name of the baby.

That's how life should be- people helping people.  It wasn't hard.  I had no agenda that day.  I was relaxing on the porch, reading a book.  I've been blessed and it was nice to bless someone else in return.  Oh, there was one thing I forgot to mention.  They were black.  My husband is a white cop.  See, we don't all hate one another- the media spews that image.  We got along just fine and we didn't even have to take a Facebook selfie to document it.

What's Happening--

I am truly enjoying the summer!  I work so hard throughout the spring that, when summer comes, I take relaxation to a whole new level!  I've been reading, walking, cooking, and enjoying life.  I could really get used to this lifestyle.

~*~

Hubby and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary!  I don't feel old enough to have been married that long.  We enjoyed a short cruise that was heavenly!  We ate, fell asleep in the sun, played mini golf, read books, and tried out the water slide.  I was so sad to see it end.  Another lifestyle I could get used to...

~*~

Son #2 is on the left.

I am so relieved that school is out.  I am very tired of pestering the kids to work hard and keep their grades up.  Big Sis did fantastic her last quarter.  Son #1's grades were disappointing and Son #2 dropped the ball in the last week of school.  He's carried a 4.0 since 7th grade and finally lost it.  His Destination Imagination team traveled to Knoxville, TN for Globals the last full week of school and he missed too much class.  He had to write his final paper in the car.  This one paper counted for his English, Science, and History grades.  I don't really get the reasoning behind that.  Well, he bombed the paper.  Each section was worth 20 points.  He got 20/20 on Science, 15/20 on History, and 5/20 in English for doing his citations wrong.  Because of that, he got a poor grade in all three subjects.  I don't quite see the fairness in that.  He should have gotten a poor grade in English only.  Because of this, he lost his 4.0.  I'm pretty ticked about it.  His older brother never had any assignments that were cross-curricular like that.  I just don't get it.  And Baby Girl graduated 1st grade on a high note.  She's picked up in her reading and math and I'm quite pleased with her progress.

~*~

Hubby's police career is moving slowly, but he finally got his uniforms this week.  He looks quite dashing!  OK, the hat is a little dorky, but he's not required to wear it.  He has to "qualify" with his weapon and then he can begin.  He's more than anxious to start because he's totally fed up with his current job.

For example, Son #1 had to go to traffic court tonight.  (Speeding on the highway....I about killed him!)  I had to take him alone because Hubby couldn't get off in time.  They won't accommodate him in any way.  Other drivers were off well before 5:00 that he could have switched with, but they will not give him any slack.  He works every Saturday and has gotten home after 7:30 this week.  He doesn't get paid enough to not have a life because of work.  Fortunately, he has a new career ahead of him.  Hopefully full-time employment at the PD will come soon!

~*~

The tooth fairy has been
visiting lately!

Every other Saturday, I am alternating between teaching a couponing class and a cooking class.  I really enjoy it....when people show up.  It's quite frustrating to have 25 people sign up for a class and only 1 shows up.  If you don't want to attend, don't sign up.

~*~

We unexpectedly came into $1000!  It was such a shock and surprise, we don't know what to do with it yet.  There are so many things we could use it for, but we're contemplating investing it for a rainy day.  Hmmm.....

~*~

The boys had physicals this week.  Son #1 is 5'10 1/2" and 139 lbs.!  Son #2 is 5'7 1/2" and 110 lbs.  Boy, are they going to look just like their dad!!!  I feel like a midget around here.

~*~

That's about all that's going on and I'm so happy about it!  Golf starts soon and Son #1 is going to join his brother on the team this year.  He's entering his Senior year (yikes!) and taking way too strenuous of a schedule.  I honestly don't think he can pull it off.  

I feel like I've aged a lot since I started this blog.  Instead of a home with four kids, I have two little girls and three grown men living here.  It's weird.

Update on the Crazy

Whew!  The worst part of my year is finally over!  Each year, I have a ridiculously crazy life from the end of March until the beginning of May.  I'm in charge of our annual Mother Daughter Banquet and I seem to make it a bigger deal each year.  (Plus, my help gets less and less each year.)

Added to the crazy of MD Banquet, I'm still babysitting, harping on the kids to study and keep their grades up, trying to keep a clean house, managing the rental properties, teaching Sunday School, singing at church, and trying to keep a strong marriage.  It's exhausting, I tell ya!

Fortunately, God has had my back through all of it.  I crammed 15 hours of work into 10, got adequate sleep, and kept healthy.  I managed to cook supper most nights, make stupid phone calls about medical bills, and get Son #1 through the ACT.

Even though my banquet was a success and we pulled it all off, there was major chaos involved.  We found out a couple days before that Hubby was going to be sworn in to the police department the very same night!  Eek!  I realized that it wouldn't be possible for me to see it.  I think I might have cried.  When I told my mom, she insisted that I go.  She said the Banquet comes once a year, being sworn in is once in a lifetime.  She managed this banquet for 20 years before me, so I knew she could hack it.  THEN- her uncle one state over died.  Guess when the funeral was?  Yep, same night.  I told her she absolutely had to go to that.  His daughter was the same age as my mom and they were very best friends growing up.  SO....we moved on to my cousin, our youth pastor's wife.  She volunteered to step in and do whatever needed done.  Bless her heart!

So, the Banquet started at 6:30.  (My day started much, much earlier, and I was going on 4 hours of sleep.)  I opened up the Banquet, ran a quick song, and announced dinner.  I chatted very quickly with a friend I invited, who came only to see me.  Then I hightailed it down to the police department, which was only about 10 minutes away.  My sweet brother was waiting on me and jumped in to park my car.  There on the sidewalk stood my incredibly handsome Hubby, looking as dapper as ever.  It was hard not to cry.  (OK, I'm totally tearing up right now just remembering it.)

We filed into the packed courtroom and found the last empty seats.  They knew I was in a time crunch and actually started early!  The mayor swore him in and I was grinning like a proud mama.  The police chief interrupted and said he had to say a few words.  He said that V was a native of the city and loved the community.  He said he was such a great guy, that at the board interview, one of the members said that they thought he might actually be too nice of a guy to be a cop.  He said some other flattering things and then invited us outside for photos.  I snapped a few and headed back to the banquet.  I wasn't quite as worried about my speed on the way back because, hey, I'm a cop's wife now!!!  Haha!

I actually made it back in time before dinner was over and got to finish out the Banquet on my own!
We only had a couple mess ups, which no one seemed to care about.  It was all in fun and most people knew my situation.  I enjoyed carrying around my camera, showing off the photos.

Also, my best friend told me the same day that she's expecting her first baby!  It was such a perfect day!  My girls presented me with a spa gift card as a thank you!  What could be a better gift???

I would like to mention that my last post was not about me.  Thank you to those of you who expressed concern.  It's about a couple that Hubby and I are very close to.  It's been going on since the end of last summer, but it keeps getting worse and worse.  It's killing me to see how this friend of mine and mentor to Hubby is behaving.  Our kids are very close and we interact with them through many different things (DI, band, school plays, sports, and work).  It's just breaking my heart.  I pray that they can at least learn to be civil around one another.

So to wrap up, things have been so great around here.  Hubby is ready to start his training, which he is so excited about!  He carries his badge with him wherever he goes, just in case!  We celebrated 20 years of marriage over the weekend with a 3-day cruise all by ourselves!  It was just what I needed after a very stressful couple of months year!!!

School is out in a couple of weeks and life can be normal again.  Hopefully I can pop on to my blog more often and update.  I hope everything is going well for all of you that continue to follow me!

Falling Into the Groove of Life

It's crazy that Fall is already here!  Leaves are starting to change color and I'm donning a cardigan most days.  I'm a stickler about two things once cooler temperatures start arriving:  1.  Turning on the furnace, and 2.  Covering up my legs.  Once the furnace goes on, it stays on.  I'm not one to switch back and forth from heat to A/C.  So, if you're cold, put on a sweater.  Also, once I start wearing tights or leggings, it means that I've acknowledged that summer is officially over.  My legs are still tan at this point, so I'm holding off on the leg covering for now.  Sure, I'm getting a bit chilly, but I'll live.

Someone told me yesterday that there are 10 Fridays until Christmas.  That thought scared me a little, I must admit.  I'm knee deep in planning the school Halloween party and hanging the autumn wreath on the front door.  I haven't even bought my Halloween candy yet (well, that's mostly because I'll eat it before the holiday actually arrives).

I've taken on a new job since I've last posted.  I actually applied for a full time job as a school secretary.  Then I thought, "What was I THINKING???"  I'm glad I didn't get the job...I'm barely staying afloat as it is.  Anyhow, I'm watching two little girls before and after school.  They arrive around 7:15 and I take them to school with Baby Girl.  Then I pick all three of them up and the girls stay until 4:30 or so.  It's perfect for me.  The money I make pays for my groceries each week, so that's a huge blessing.  The Kindergartener has had some issues since she started, but I think we're making headway.  I'm a tough cookie when it comes to caring for children.

Speaking of groceries, I'm couponing like never before!  I consider it a part-time job.  It takes quite a bit of time, but I'm very thankful for a great website that helps me out.  The blogger is a very ethical couponer, which I greatly appreciate.  I'm spending between $60 and $80 each week to feed my family of six!  I never thought we could live on so little.  My budget was double that a few years ago!  And we're not suffering either!  I have a huge stockpile of health & beauty items, canned goods, and cereal in the basement.  When the toilet paper stash gets down to two packages, I get nervous.  I'm so thankful this is something I can do to help my family.

Money has been really tight around here.  Hubby had to take a bit of a pay cut to allow time for his full-time schooling.  Yesterday, he left the house at 6:00 AM.  He got home at 3:45, showered, and left by 4:00.   He ate PB&J in the car.  He got home from school at 10:00, which is usually when he eats dinner, but he was sick.  He took another shower and crashed into bed with a ginger ale.  I think he's just run down.  He's feeling better today, he said.

Evenings without him are really starting to get to me.  I miss him terribly.  Fortunately, we get to spend Friday evenings together (if nothing else is going on)!  On Fridays, we clean the laundry rooms at my brother's apartment buildings.  It's not much money, but every bit helps.  Son #1 has taken over most of Hubby's mowing, since he's in school for nine hours on Saturdays.

We're still managing our three duplexes, which is getting on my nerves.  Most tenants are so lazy, want everything handed over to them, but cannot pay their rent on time.  It's hard to find good renters.  It's something I wish we hadn't ventured into.

So, we're making it.  We're scraping by, but I know it's temporary.  Hubby's original goal was to keep his full-time job and be a reserve police officer on weekends and evenings.  Now, things have changed so much at work...they're wanting to pay him less while working him harder (isn't that everyone right now?).  So he's considering policing full-time, if he can find the right position.  He's too old to be hired full-time by our local department.  He can be a deputy sheriff, but that's not what he wants to do.  He's got his eye on the college police department, which would give our kids free schooling!

Son #1 is taking two college classes this year, which I'm so thankful is happening!  I blogged about many of the issues we had getting him here, but God saw us through it.  He seems to be doing as well or better in his college courses....he's getting mostly As with a couple Bs.  I made him quit his job.  I felt that the man he worked for was mentally unbalanced.  Severely.  He would tell #1 that he was the best worker he's ever had, then he'd say that he's worthless and does a horrible job.  The straw that broke the camel's back is when he cussed at him and told him to get out.  I made him send a text saying he wasn't comfortable working for someone who would cuss at him and treat him that way.  The man's reply was, "Good!!"  It seriously seemed like he was working for a 12 year old.  If he can bring up those two Bs, he's allowed to find another job.  I just don't want a menial job taking priority over school.  He didn't even make minimum wage at that job.

I've hired Son #1 to run my photo booth a couple times.  He can make as much in one evening as a week at his other job.  Thankfully, I've been getting more jobs lately, so that extra income has really helped.

Son #2 is still lazy and laid back, while getting all As in school.  He never studies.  He worries me.  He gets more handsome every day and I have to look up to him now.  All the girls are after him at church.  He progressed from the #4 golfer on JV to the #3 golfer on Varsity!  I was proud to see his accomplishments.  These little boys just grew up too fast!

Big Sis is....there are too many adjectives that would be required to describe her.  She's maintaining all As and one B and her year is much easier than last year.  She's in the school musical, yearbook club, garden club, band, and choir.  She could not be more opposite of her brothers.  If there's something to sign up for, she's doing it!  She's playing Molly in the Broadway version of Annie.  It's a perfect part for her because she's so tiny.  She's not the strongest of singers, but she has more confidence than anyone I've ever known.  She loves it so much!

Baby Girl is no longer a baby, but a very independent first grader.  Her reading level has increased greatly and she seems to do very well in school.  We haven't had our conference yet, so I guess we'll find out where she is soon.  They have these math and reading apps that the kids can do at home.  She loves doing homework on Dad's iPad.  I actually think those programs are what's helping her.  She's still "dating" her brother's best friend...that's going on three or four years now.  She's very athletic and imaginative.  Both girls are still willing to hug and kiss their Mama, and I hope they never lose that.

Wherever you might be, I hope you find something special to enjoy on this day.  Whether it be changing leaves, a good cup of tea, or a nice phone call with a friend...enjoy something today.

Missing this...

It's so sweet to receive emails from my blog followers when I've neglected them for so long now!  I've gotten a couple recently and they have meant so much to me!  I really, truly miss blogging, but I had to let something go.  Unfortunately, this release ended up being it.  Blogging is a stress release for me, but I needed to find time somewhere in my life and I couldn't justify the time writing this blog took.

The funny thing is, I've sat down to write a post here and there and have never completed them.  I think I'm going to post them anyway, after this post, even though they're quite outdated.  One talks about my summer, and one was from the end of last winter!  It's seriously amazing how much can happen in life in the course of half a year.  That's another reason why this blog was so good.  I can look back and remember the things I'd forgotten.

Right now, I'm sitting at Son #1's orchestra rehearsal.  This is his 4th year and I'm so glad he's stuck with it!  He started out as an overwhelmed little kid and now he's one of the older, more seasoned musicians.  In fact, he actually complains that the music is too easy for him!  This is kind of the only "bond" we have between us.  He DRIVES me here (yes, he has his temps already!) and we chat on the way.  I thoroughly enjoy both the rehearsals and the concerts.  This will likely be his last season because he starts taking college classes next year at high school.  If you don't know about that program, it's the greatest thing in the world!  He can take college courses FOR FREE, books, parking, and all!  With our financial situation and abundance of children, we are so excited to take advantage of this opportunity!  He's allowed to take 15 credit hours a semester, but I think that would be excessive.  I'm debating between 9 and 12, but I want to talk to his counselor about it first.  He won't have to take any more high school classes....these count as double credit!  Isn't that awesome!  I wish I'd had that opportunity back in my day!

Oh yes, and he's shaving now too.  Wowzers...he was JUST a baby!

I had a rough end to last year and a rough start to this one.  December was way too stressful for me.  I had a large quantity of family portraits to shoot (even though I tried to get everyone to get them done in November), I had multiple photo booth jobs, a funeral for a very close friend, a Christmas program at church, pictures with Santa (that I had to edit and distribute in less than a week), problems with the tenants at our apartments, and of course the regular hustle and bustle of shopping, wrapping, decorating, etc.  Then on top of that, Hubby had to go to another state for work.  They were so behind that they requested that the "superstar" come help out.  It was for 5 days and they were going to "make it worth his while."  Well, 5 days turned into 10. They paid for his hotel and food, but let me say that it was NOT worth his while.  He brought home a couple extra hundred dollars.  Meanwhile, I was trying to be mom and dad to 4 kids and do all the driving, fixing things, and chores that he helps out with.  I crashed.  I somehow got a pinched nerve in my neck which sent me into migraine headaches.  I ended up in bed and couldn't handle any light or sound.  I couldn't eat because it actually hurt and I threw up.  I couldn't open my eyes and used talk to text if I needed help.  By this time, Hubby was home and I couldn't even allow him to sleep in our bed.  It was horrible.  I went to ER twice, once for a CAT Scan and once for an X-Ray.  Thank God we recently got good insurance because the bills were $5,000!  I started on heavy doses of pain meds, which totally knocked me out.  The only relief I got was when I was sleeping.  I started PT several times a week and that actually helped a lot.

I totally missed Christmas.  I didn't bake anything.  And y'all know how much I love to bake!  I only wrapped about 1/3 of my presents and had to enlist Mama and Son #2 to finish for me.  Fortunately, I bought the last gift right before I went down.  I walked over to my mom's for the first time on Christmas Day (they live right next door) for a few minutes.  I was able to half-heartedly participate in New Year's Day.  I felt like crap most of the time, but I was there.

THEN- it came time for my scheduled hysterectomy!  I couldn't cancel because I had been waiting on the surgery date for 2 months!  I had to get off all meds a week prior to my surgery, which really scared me.  Somehow, God brought me through and I was able to handle it.  The recovery was rough the first couple of days but then I crossed a major hurdle!  In fact, I would say the hysterectomy was a cake walk compared to the headaches!  I had my 6-week post-op visit today and I'm healing so well. I feel about 90%.  I haven't had a return of the headaches...only a stiff, tight neck.  I can live like that.

So, I ended up with a relaxing break for a couple of months, which I ended up really needing.  Now, unfortunately, I'm back to my normal routine and starting to get a little stressed again.  I'm not going to take on any more though.  My New Year's Resolution was to move my family up higher on the list and let other things go.  I'm pretty much adhering to it.

I had my first photo booth since the chaos and it went really well.  I made some great contacts there and am hoping for follow up jobs.  Hubby's apartments are crazy right now, but that's a post for another day (hoping there is another day).  I actually could make time every Tuesday to blog...even though the orchestra season ends in late March.  I'll try.  I really do like it.  As long as I don't have to hunt for photos to cheer up my lengthy stories, I might post more often.  I really hate putting out a post with no photos.  But that's why I usually write them and never post them.  I guess I might start breaking all the rules!  :)

Well, it's been nice catching up!  Rehearsal is over soon and the time seemed to fly for me.  Thanks to anyone who is still out there.  I appreciate every comment, every email, and every one of you. I hope you all have a great, happy day and that those in my neck of the woods don't get snowed in!  (It was -22 here with the wind chill on Sunday.)  With love~

She

December Musings

December is shaping up to be my busiest month in quite some time. Every day on my phone's calendar has a little dot on it, meaning that something is scheduled. Fortunately, I got a small jump on my Christmas shopping over Thanksgiving weekend. There's still a lot to be done.  (Special shout-out for the $8 blazers I bought myself from H&M on Black Friday!!!)

November passed by with lots to fill it also. For me, it involved a lot of doctor appointments. I guess when it rains, it pours. I finally made it to see the endocrinologist, after a couple month wait. I had my thyroid scan Tuesday & today. I have to carry a card with me that basically says I have a radioactive tracker inside me!  Ha!  Glad I'm not going to the airport...they told me it would be sensed there. How weird is that???

Two days before Thanksgiving, I had surgery. It was to help with my lady problems, but it didn't go well. I was warned of that possibility. I don't believe the surgery was effective, but we won't know for sure for a few months. Oh well. I had to take the chance and I'm still glad I did. 

Now the medical bills are arriving, right in time for Christmas. With Hubby's income reduced, that's gonna be a little tough. Come on, Obamacare!  I know you're not working for anyone else in the country, but we're holding out hope that you're going to come through for us!!  (Notice my forced optimism.)

Christmas cards are nearly done!  We weren't able to have our family photos taken with my cousin earlier this Fall. I really wanted a picture with all of us, instead of just the kids. The family was not willing to go through great lengths, like I was, so I set up a tripod in the back yard and took them myself. They could have been better, but this will work for now. My images are not quite as sharp as they should be. I'm wondering if something is off in my camera or lens?  Not sure what to do about that.

By the way, I'm down 24 lbs. now!  With the weight continuing to come off, I'm beginning to worry that it's related to my hyperthyroidism, rather than my dieting. I'm happy to remain where I am, yet I keep losing very gradually. Hopefully it's strictly due to my lifestyle changes. I'm concerned that the weight might come back on once my thyroid is regulated. Lets just hope that doesn't happen before the wedding I'm in in March!

I'm pretty fed up with people. They've let me down again, talking about my mother and me behind our backs. They've criticized us and made up things that aren't true. The good news is that I don't need these people. I'll be just fine without them. I have plenty going on. I've had other people who have left me out in the cold, waiting and suffering. As with the people mentioned before, I'm choosing to discreetly remove them from my life. When they finally do contact me, I'll smile sweetly and and behave as nothing more than a casual acquaintance. I will not sit on pins & needles begging someone to include me in their life. So over it. 

Totally zoomed in cell phone shot.  :(

Something positive is Son #1 played in his first high school game last night!  No, it's not a sport....my boy played sousaphone for the first time!  It's actually comical how proud I was to see him play!  I found it way more fascinating than if he was running up & down the court dribbling a ball (which he also does quite well).  Music will likely take him much further in life than sports could and I'm proud of his decision.

I'm trying a new cookie recipe today.  Something I kind of put together from a couple different recipes.  I'll let you know how it goes. 

Hope your life isn't quite as busy as mine and that you have a moment to stop and enjoy a good cup of coffee or tea.  No matter how busy it gets, I always make time for tea.  Happy Wednesday.

Questions of Life

Question - If I just stop yelling at the kids to quit fighting, will they eventually kill one another?

Question - When I'm at a green light and I hesitate because a truck in the cross traffic appears that he's going to run the light, and then he does, why does he give me a dirty look?

Question - On the same note, when I am the first to a 4-way stop and the guy to my right looks like he's going to blow the stop sign, but eventually stops, why does he get mad at me when I go first?

Question - When I spend the day baking for a bake sale, to make $35 minus expenses, and am left with a gigantic mess that takes me more than a day to clean up, is it worth it?

Question - If I'm running three times a week and eating the same amount of food, shouldn't I be losing weight?

Question - What is the big excitement with teenagers to stay up all night long?

Question - Why do people who live in the same house publicly Facebook one another things like, "Call me?"
Question - If my house was twice the size it is now, would it still be packed to the brim with all our junk?

Question - Is there any hope for this country with people being forced into early retirement, the cost of insurance skyrocketing, the cost of groceries going up, school levies failing, more people on welfare than ever before, celebrities continuing to overdose, children and women being kidnapped, internet scams, such a decrease of common courtesy, identity theft, and privacy invasion?  Sorry, things got a little deep there for a minute.

A Question for YOU, My Friend...

The other day, Baby Girl asked me, "Mom, do you have any friends?"  That question kind of took me by surprise.
"Yes, I have friends!" I answered.
"Who?"
I started listing the people who popped into my mind whom I consider friends.
"Oh.  Who else?"
"Um..." I continued to list more people.
"Who else?"
I had run out of friends by this point.

Then I began over-analyzing this conversation, as I tend to do with so many things.  DO I have any friends?  Does anyone consider ME their friend?  Am I not working hard enough at having friends?

I answered myself that I'm just too busy with life to really have friends.  Of course, I consider Hubby my real best friend.  But who is next on the list?  I really like my sister-in-law.  She has two kids and is as busy as I am.  We don't hang out.  We talk, for 5 minute spurts every few days.  We see each other regularly, but I'm usually more excited to see the kids.  I have my running buddy that I see a couple times a week.  She's single and 10 years younger than I am, so we don't hang out other than to run.  I have my lifelong best friend, but being a mom occupies most of her time also.  There's several more here and there, but they all have reasons to not hang out too.

What is a friend?  Is it someone you have to spend time with?  If so, no...I don't have any friends.  Is it someone you can not hear from for a month or two, then pick up right in the middle of a conversation without skipping a beat?  If so, yes...I have dozens of friends.  Is it people you're connected to on Facebook?  (Ha!)  If so, I have 467.  :)

At this point in my life, I think I'm just content to have the second kind of friend.  Those select few people that I can text on occasion or have lunch with once a year.  They're the ones who have been around the longest and the ones who will probably stick around forever.

Then again, maybe I should host a party (something I haven't done in ages) and really have fun with some friends.

Let me leave you with one question-- Do you have any friends?

Busy Bees

Do you ever feel like life is a contest to determine who is the busiest person in the world?  Lately, I've been noticing how everyone (myself included) is out to prove to everybody else that they are the busier person.  We tell others all about the job, school, house, church, and kid responsibilities we have.  When someone with fewer jobs or less kids complains that they have a lot going on, we scoff and roll our eyes thinking, I can't believe they think they're busier than ME!

Why do we feel the need to prove to people that we have more going on in life than they do?  I think it's our way of preparing others for possible failure in our lives.  If everybody understands how overwhelmed I am, maybe they won't judge me as harshly when I drop the ball or mess something up.  Do you agree?

I know so many of my blog posts here are telling you about how busy I am.  I think it's my way of justifying to you why I don't blog often any more.  I think to myself, If they realize how busy I am, they won't be irritated for my lack of posting.  That's stupid.  If we would all focus less on complaining about how busy we are, maybe we'd have more time to do the things we think we don't have time for!  So that's why I'm sitting down to write a post today instead of focusing on the things that need to get done.  Ha!

OK, that's my big revelation for the day.

Speaking of wasting time, I have finally signed up for Pinterest!  I put it off as long as possible because I knew how big of a time waster it is!  But when my MOM told me about something cute she saw on Pinterest, I felt like I was living in the stone age!  I still don't have a Twitter account, which often makes me feel left out.  So I decided it was either Pinterest or Twitter.  Pinterest won.  Wowzers...there's a lot to see and do on there!  Now I'm wondering if I made the right decision?  I feel an addiction coming on!  This is the first thing I want to make...   (Cupcakes in a Jar!)

I have another photo booth job tonight.  It's going so well and I'm really happy with my new "job!"  The other day, my mom said to me, "You're totally running your own business and I couldn't be more proud of you!"  That comment made my day!  There's nothing quite like your mom telling you she's proud of you, even though my mom says it a lot.  This was special to me because I'm kinda proud of myself too!  One day next week, I have two jobs back to back, a half hour away from one another.  If I get lost (which is a great possibility), I will end up being late for the second job.  I probably need to pack a lunch to eat in the car on the way, since I won't even have time to run through a drive-thru before the second job.  NOT THAT I'M COMPLAINING ABOUT BEING BUSY OR ANYTHING!!!

I only have one more thing to say today.  It's kind of graphic, so feel free to stop reading here if you don't want to risk being offended.

On the phone with Hubby this morning, I said, "You know you're a real mom when you're sitting on the toilet, trying to take a dump, and there's a little person standing in between your knees, rubbing your legs and adjusting your underwear!"  He laughed so hard I thought he was going to wreck his truck!  He told me I should put that on Facebook.  I could never say something like that to people I actually know, so I'll say it to all of you guys instead!  Do you have your mental image yet???

I wish you all an un-busy day with red velvet cupcakes and audience free toilet time!

The Happenings

The Loves of my Life

I got an unexpected night off last night so I thought I would sit down and write a quick blog post.  I actually had somewhere to be, but Baby Girl got sick and I ended up at home.  She handles being sick so well...I'm fortunate.

Our family had a difficult week.  My cousins are expecting their second child, due in February.  They were excited to find out the sex of the baby at the regular ultrasound.  They were given the exciting news and my cousin left his wife and daughter there while he rushed off to an appointment.  His wife waited for the doctor to return to do whatever it is doctors do after ultrasound technicians are done.  The doctor entered and said, "Yes, it's as bad as we thought."  Surprised, my cousin asked what in the world he was referring to.  "Didn't the tech tell you about the brain?"  Nervous about the news she was about to receive, she called her husband and told him to get right back.  As luck would have it, he was stuck on the highway with no way to get off or turn around.  She had to take the news alone, with her 5-year old.

She was told that they couldn't see any brain tissue in the ultrasound.  There was swelling in the brain and not enough (or too much?) space between the brain and skull.  I am still sketchy on the details, but the diagnosis was labeled "serious."  Spina Bifida and Down's Syndrome were mentioned.  As expected, the future parents flipped out.  They talked to their parents and agreed not to tell the rest of the family until they had more news.

We got the news Sunday at church.  The expectant parents were to be named the pastors of the church soon after the arrival of their baby.  Due to unforeseen circumstances, they announced the heart-wrenching news to the congregation.  Special prayer was conducted over the family and we planned on using up a lot of faith in the next few months.

Monday, one set of parents flew in from Florida and they all went to the neonatal center together.  The ultrasound was long, and they were given a counselor who would attend all appointments with them from that point forward.  One thing the doctor said is that brain tissue cannot be seen on an ultrasound.  The person who told them that was sorely mistaken.  My cousins were irate.

They were told that the baby's heart and spine were fine.  There was swelling in the brain that was still labeled as severe.  Yet, the parents were told that if the swelling stays exactly as it is now, they have a 70% chance that the baby will not suffer any serious problems.  That was such a huge relief to us all!  The best case scenario is difficulty learning.  That's something we can deal with, so we're all sitting on pins and needles until she delivers.  At birth, the baby will have minimally invasive brain surgery, but we've got several more months to prepare for that.

It really made me stop and realize how blessed I am.  I've always known that, yet I've taken it for granted.  It's hard to find any fault in your own child when you hear what others so close to you are going through.

So, that's what's been on my plate lately.  Both side businesses are thriving, so Hubby and I are working A LOT.  (Another blessing.)  So, I'm tired and worn out, but sleeping like a baby at night.

Hopefully I can keep you better updated, but only when I have extra time.  I've got to take care of life first.

Thanks for reading.  I think of you all often.

The Almost Worst Day of My Life

Saturday evening, we had an event occur at our home that I'm sure will not soon be forgotten.  It started out as a completely normal Saturday night.  We debated between pizza and a movie, going out for dinner, or skipping the showers and sitting around a backyard campfire.  With pizza being the winning decision, Hubby decided to pull my van into the garage for the night.  I was on the porch, watering flowers, and the kids were here & there.

All of a sudden, I heard a tremendous crash and Hubby began yelling things like, "God, no!"  He's not a yeller so I flipped out.  I remember dropping the watering can and screaming, "What happened?"  Yet, I was frozen with fear.  I remember being unable to approach the dreadful sound, for fear that my 3-year old baby would be lying in the midst of it.

I'll save you from vomiting right now- she's fine.  But, in that moment, I honestly thought he ran her over with the van.  I finally ran off the porch and turned the corner to see a disarray of everything in our garage.  The shelf had fallen over, there was stuff everywhere, and the shiny, black door of our van was opened completely the wrong way.  Meaning, the painted side of the door was touching the front tire/bumper area of the car.

Hubby was in a state of shock and couldn't communicate to me what just occurred.  I was still screaming, "What happened?"  Baby Girl was standing off to the side, in the grass, bawling hysterically.  She had never seen her parents screaming wildly before (unless it was aimed at her for  her misbehavior).  I picked her up to console her, still trying to calm myself down and figure out what happened.

The real story, which I didn't even get out of Hubby until a couple hours later, is as follows.  Before he started the car, he told Baby Girl to back up and get out of the way so he could pull the car in.  He saw her walk away and deemed the situation safe.  Halfway into the garage, he felt a thump thump, which he immediately thought was her tiny, little body.  He threw open the driver's door and shoved the gearshift into park.  He jumped out of the van to see what he hit when the van started going in reverse.  In his panic, he didn't get the gearshift all the way up to park.  It only made it to reverse.  When that happened, he was thrown up against the side of the garage while the door knocked over the shelf.  Pinned between the car and the garage, he was helpless.  The van kept rolling backward and the momentum was enough to force the door all the way forward.  At this point, he still didn't know if she was safe.  That's when he started yelling. 

He somehow managed to stop the vehicle and find his daughter.  It turns out, the object he hit was Son #2's golf bag, which happens to be about the same size as Baby Girl.  His fear turned into rage and he lost his temper quite a bit.  This contributed to Baby's Girl's hysteria.  I worked quickly to calm them both down and tried to figure this puzzle out.  Hubby wasn't even sure if he was injured yet but explained that he was pinned between the car and the garage.

The van door was crumpled like a piece of paper.  It amazes me that a big, strong machine like a vehicle can just crumple the way it did.  I couldn't even bring myself to take a photo of it, I was so sick about the entire situation.

Typically, I am the cause of fender benders in this family.  He doesn't know what it feels like to drive home, sobbing, to tell the story of how you wrecked the car.  He was so angry at himself and angry at Son #2 for leaving his golf clubs in the way.  He kept apologizing to me over and over with the sound of tears in his voice.

The optimist in me kept explaining that there was no need to apologize; that's why it's called an accident.  This accident could have had a much worse ending.  With everyone involved coming out unharmed, I considered it a happy ending.  Sure, it's going to cost a fortune at the body shop.  We couldn't even get the door closed and had to rig the car so the interior lights would go off.  The cost doesn't bother me.  Being without a vehicle for a week or so doesn't bother me.  Cleaning up the mess in the garage didn't bother me.  God had his hand of protection over my family that day, so there's not a single thing I could even ask for.

Feeling very blessed today...

The Happs

I'm taking the phrase Lazy Days of Summer far too literally!  It's been over 90 degrees for a couple weeks now and I haven't left the house much.  I'm way too content to sit on the couch, sipping iced tea and playing iPhone games.  (Scramble With Friends is my current fav.)

Our dishwasher has been broken for over a month now so I have dishpan hands most of the day.  The A/C in Hubby's new car went out too.  Repair bills are no fun, people!

I am keeping busy though...I can't believe it's already July!  The summer is flying by and I wish I could will it to slow down!  We'll be shopping for pencil boxes, crayons, and backpacks before I know it!  Hubby's side tile cleaning business has been picking up.  It usually does in the summer.  This year, I've been the one helping him.  I must say, I really enjoy it!  Although, when it's 96 degrees outside and you're standing behind a hot truck that is shooting out nearly boiling water, it can get a wee bit uncomfortable.  When I turned on my car after our last job, this is what it said:

But here are the results we get from the work:



BEFORE



AFTER



Also, my photography business is totally taking off!  I am finally making enough money to pay for my website  hosting!  I had two more photo shoots recently and have some bookings for a few more!  I am finally starting to feel less guilty about charging people for my services.  When I hear what Seniors are paying local studios, I feel like I should be charging twice as much!  I don't spend any of my profits.  They all go into an envelope for a new camera.  I've saved up $250 all by my little self and I'm actually quite proud of my little (very little) savings.

Did I tell you we started yet another business?  My brother, cousin, and I (well, Hubby) bought a Photo Booth!  It's so much fun and we are really enjoying it!  So far, we've done a graduation party and one other event.  We're not making much money yet, but it will come in time.  Which reminds me- I've got to get our business cards ordered!  I did the website myself, which was out of my comfort zone.  But it turned out pretty well and the guys were happy with it.

The bad news bug has bitten around here lately too.  My best friend's nephew was killed in a car accident Sunday.  To make matters worse, it was his twentieth birthday.  The family is just a mess and his poor mother had to get The Phone Call in Florida and drive up here to bury her son. People, I just cannot imagine.

A former classmate of my brother's jumped off "Suicide Bridge" here in town.  They just spent two years renovating the bridge to deter people from jumping.  The guy climbed up on his car and shimmied over the railing.

Less tragic, but still quite painful, my cousin's fiancee called her up one night and ended things.  No real reason, no explanation.  He felt it wasn't God's will.  Two days prior, he called and encouraged her to put a bid on a house.  They honeymoon was booked and paid for, her dress was hanging in her bedroom, and the Save the Dates had been mailed.  I was blown away at first but now have a great desire to fly out to St. Louis and give this dude a piece of my mind.  I was with them the last time he was here, taking their engagement pictures.  He sure seemed pretty sure of God's will that day!  I removed all their photos from my website, which was sad for me because they were my best work ever. But my poor cousin is devastated and embarrassed.  I just don't understand how things can change that quickly.

I would love to be on a breezy beach with a great book right now.  (To further enhance my laziness.)  The Help was such a great book that I dread starting another.  I know it can only pale in comparison.  Good news for me- I'm still keeping up with my Bible reading.  I'm finally in Psalms!

I'm not planting a garden this year.  I'm really sad about that.  It just didn't happen and time kept on ticking.  It's too late now and I'm really going to miss those fresh tomatoes!!!

The marathon is coming up in a couple of months and it's way too hot to run.  Boogers.

Son #1 just returned from Boy Scout Camp and had a great time.  I missed that little brat!  :)  He's taking piano lessons from a really skilled teacher (at $18 a half hour!) and is speeding along.  Listening to piano practice is quite different from the tuba I'm used to.  He misses his horn and is anxious to pick it back up in August.  He did not get into the Youth Symphony Orchestra, but was OK with that.  He may still make the Youth Philharmonic, but I haven't heard anything yet.

That's The Happs for now.  Hopefully I can blog again before August!

The Happs

I'm back into sourdough bread again.  The friend who introduced me to sourdough vacationed in California for two weeks.  My cousin house sat for them and watched their dog; I babysat the sourdough.  Because I HAD to take care of it for someone else's sake, I did a good job.  It was during my "busy time" (see any of my last couple posts) so I didn't have time to make anything.  I just fed the starter and kept it going.  It ended up getting so enormous that it busted open the lid of the container.  I realized at that time that I needed to remove some for myself and keep it.  Since then, I've made bread twice and sourdough cinnamon rolls once (yesterday for Hubby's birthday).  I've decided I must keep doing this...it's simply amazing!  I eat sourdough toast for breakfast each morning and love it so much!  This starter is much thicker than those I've dealt with in the past.  It just amazes me that bread can rise like that without any yeast in it!

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I'm really having  a difficult time with the templates here on Blogger.  It won't let me do anything I want, hence the very boring look right now.  I just couldn't take the snowy theme any longer...not when it's in the 90s around here!  Whenever I try to add a photo for the background, it automatically tiles it.  When I deselect the tile option, it makes my photo the size of a thumbnail.  See, you might be able to find it up there in the corner.  I just gave up one day and left it.  Grrr....

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Baby Girl is watching Annie today, which makes me very happy.  My little brother and I had that movie recorded off of TV when we were little and watched the VHS tape all the time.  I still have all the songs and many of the lines memorized.  It brings back lots of memories of my childhood with my brother.

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I've had a couple photo shoots lately and have bookings for two more!  I still underestimate myself and worry that I'm just not as good as I think I am.  It stresses me out that the client won't be happy with the photos they paid good money for.  I feel like doing it for free for everyone because I'm not worthy to charge money.  THEN, I see a Senior picture sent to me from an expensive local studio.  They cut off the girl's feet!  It's a lovely picture of her leaning up against a wall and half of her feet are cut off!  Things like that really boost my confidence, as I know they paid multiple hundreds of dollars for those photos!

A friend of mine went to the same studio and just wasn't satisfied with her pictures.  She said they came out nice but were exactly the same as everyone else's.  That's the problem you experience when dealing with a studio.  They only have a handful of ideas.  I'll do anything.  The girl asked me if I would take some more shots that were creative. Here are a couple examples:

She definitely considered them to be creative and loved them!  (Do you kind of think she looks like a ghost in the right photo?  Ha ha!  She actually has this set as her Facebook profile pic.)

I also took my cousin's engagement pictures!  I was so excited about that...they were my very first engagement pics!  She was thrilled and I was happy with them.  I took over 500 shots that day (because of another assignment at church) and my thighs were killing me the next day from squatting so much!  I'm ridiculously out of shape!

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Which brings me to the fact that I've really procrastinated training for my marathon!  Turns out, the marathon is bright and early the morning after my cousin's evening wedding.  Lovely.  I ran a mile Tuesday and punked out.  I've got to get my big, flabby rear in gear soon! 

I have been biking some.  Hubby bought me a bike for my birthday (which isn't until this Saturday) and I've been enjoying it. I think I was 14 or 15 the last time I got a bike!

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I'm cleaning out closets, basements, bedrooms, and every nook & cranny in this house.  Yard sale fever has hit me!  I'm sick of all this junk I've been hanging onto.  It's come down to the point of calling the show Hoarders or selling my stuff in a yard sale.  It will probably take me until the end of summer to get it all together but I will feel so great afterward!  Now I just worry about having a yard big enough!  The amount of stuffed animals alone is enough to make me shake my head.  

The Hiatus of She

Ever since my grandma passed away in March, life has been a whirlwind.  I normally start on my April and May obligations much earlier, but my late start was the major cause of my stress.  My April event was, to put it nicely, not so good.  I kind of dropped the ball and felt horribly guilty.  At the last minute, I had to confess that I wasn't able to pull it off and requested help.  Another person had to totally fill in for me and do a lot of work because of my failures.  She assured me that she understood and reasoned that everything turned out great.  She's kind.

I wasn't even there for the night of the performance.  We had our vacation scheduled that week and Hubby wasn't willing to end it early.  I don't blame him at all.  We had a super fabulous time in the mountains and I spent so much time relaxing!  I can't even remember if I highlighted my trip on my blog.  I drank hot tea on the deck in the mornings and soaked in the hot tub in the evenings. Afternoons were spent reading, shopping, and eating!  I started and finished The Help, which now joins my favorite books list.  McAlister's Deli is my favorite vacation lunch spot, as we don't have them here.  We also found an awesome pizza joint and a superb Japanese steakhouse.  That's my kind of eating, people!

Next, we move on to May, when things became extremely hectic.  The last two weeks, I figured out I was working an average of 7 hours a day on my banquet!  Whose great idea was it to hand make all the dainty crafts and favors???  (This lady!)  Our theme was From Paris with Love.  It was so easy to go overboard with decorations!  Now, you all know that I'm an aspiring photographer and I snap pictures of anything and everything.  How many photos do you think I got of all the beautiful decor?  Zero.  What an idiot!  I was way too busy to enjoy my camera that day.  One of my assistants was photographing everything with her phone, so I'll ask her to forward those to me.  The displays were definitely Pinterest worthy.

I wrote the play and all the songs for the banquet.  I made crafts, favors, decorations, and costumes.  I organized the seating chart, fought with the banquet coordinator of the restaurant, and took the reservations.  It turned out to be fabulous, but there were some quiet moments of the play when I expected laughter.  Oh well, not everyone gets my goofy sense of humor.  My great friend, who sat all the way on the side of the room, was actually disturbing the actors with her laughter.  That's why we're such close friends.  When I finally get the video edited, I might try to upload a snippet here.

At one point of the production, I stood in front of the microphone (which I hate doing) and said, "Twenty-five years ago, my mother welcomed me to my first Mother Daughter Banquet and said she was so proud to have me there.  This year, I'm going to do the same thing as I welcome my little (her full name) to her first banquet.  I'm so glad to have her here with me!"  Having Big Sis at the Banquet for the first time was a great blessing for my mother, the former coordinator of 30 years, who lost her mother a couple months ago.

So, that's basically what I've been up to in my absence.  I went on a pontoon boat, celebrated another year of marriage, gained a teenager, and washed A LOT of loads of laundry.  I spent Memorial Day with my entire extended family, really missing my grandmother.  I helped out with Field Day at Big Sis's school and even got my house clean.  I am so ready to enjoy the upcoming Summer!  Hubby was off two days last week and we really enjoyed spending time together and getting things done.  I'd love to spruce up my patio this summer...anyone handy with bricks or willing to donate a built-in grill?  I love my backyard and can't wait to spend countless hours out there.

AND- we started another business recently.  We now own a photo booth.  It's something portable that we can transport to fabulous events.  We had our first gig Saturday, which went incredibly well.  It's actually a lot of fun to see people ham it up in the booth.  My next chore is to finish the website and host it.  It's a little over my head but I'm getting it.  Managing this blog has definitely helped there.

OK, now I realize I'm babbling.  I guess it's been too long.  So for now, I bid you adieu- from Paris with love.  (Yeah, that was our closing line.  Hee hee!)

Monday, Monday

Yeah, it's one of those kind of days. So much to do...that freezing time super power would really come in handy right now. Although, I would probably just use it to take a nap.

With Son #1's birthday over the weekend, I really fell behind.  Plus, he needed Zimbabwean sweet potato cookies for school today (hence the mixing bowl in the foreground with remnants of orange goo everywhere...yes, I grated one pound of yams by hand).  My other grandma has been in the hospital for 9 days.  She's having exploratory surgery in a few minutes.  A dear cousin of mine is in ICU after suffering an extreme heart attack.  They almost lost him.  We've had two deaths in the church family this week, so this sink full of dishes is the least of my concerns.

To keep up the complaining rhythm, I got pretty frustrated at the grocery store this morning.  All the good cashiers were either off or on break so I had to get in Pat's line.  There's a reason I avoid Pat.  Today, she looked at and analyzed each coupon I used.  I'm not sure if my coupon usage was putting her out or if she simply didn't trust that I actually bought the items I had coupons for.  Either way, it really began to frustrate me. Plus, I had two people in line behind me who were growing impatient.  I almost turned around to apologize, but then realized I wasn't doing anything wrong.  It was the cashier who was being a feminine cleansing product.  (Sorry, still can't quite use that word.)  When one of my coupons didn't scan, she started digging through my bags, looking for the item.  She found it, then put it back.  Then, she went to her monitor and scrolled up and down the list for at least a full minute.  I couldn't quite understand the problem and I was feeling like I was being  put on trial.  I'm someone who shops at that store every week and have for years.  I'm not trying to misuse coupons for things I didn't purchase.  If I did try that, the coupons wouldn't scan.  Just scan them and move on, Pat!

Finally, I left the store, steam escaping my ears over one coupon that they wouldn't let me use.  But when I stepped outside to breathe the fresh, flower-scented, springtime air, I was immediately refreshed.  So, Monday can just bite my booty.  I'm moving on!  :)

What has defined your Monday so far today?

Goings On



Son #1 at another concert

 Lots of stuff going on in my life should give me great topics for my blog.  One would think.  Life has been so incredibly busy lately that I haven't found much time for quality blogging.  When I do have a few minutes to sit down, I can't think of anything to say.  It's because the things going on around here couldn't possibly be interesting.  I'll share a few of the less mundane things.

Hubby had a basketball tournament one state over last weekend.  (I'm so tired of travelling every weekend.)  His first game was Friday night at midnight.  The poor sap doesn't understand that he's no longer 22.  I got to see an awesomely fun cousin-in-law of mine.  She did, however, give me bad driving directions.  Hubby gave me bad directions as well.  I spent a lot of time driving in the wrong direction.  Sadly, the Midwest is not that interesting for sightseeing.  Son #1 was in another different state at the same time with his youth group.  Kind of a weird feeling.

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Last Monday, there was no school for the kids.  Hubby was presented with the opportunity to have a day off so he pounced on it.  He ended up going on a short road trip with my grandfather and uncle to pick up our church's broken down van an hour away.  I stayed with Grandma for a few hours but she slept the entire time.  After that, we went to Old Navy and Best Buy in search of President's Day sales.  I did get one awesome deal.  I had been looking for a running jacket but didn't like the prices.  I found an adorable jacket at ON that was $49.  There was a sign overhead saying that athletic jackets were $25.  I was pumped!  When I took it to the register, it rang up at $39.  I explained that the sign said $25.  It turns out that the sign was actually for windbreakers, but because it was hanging directly over the jacket I wanted, they gave me the deal!  Hurrah for Old Navy!!!

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Last week, Son #2 had his last Pinewood Derby.  He graduates Cub Scouts this year and moves on to Boy Scouts.  How's this for a perfect sendoff:  he didn't win one race.  Not one!  He is a fabulous sport and knows how to lose with style.  He tried racing his car backward and even said he was going to try doing it sideways (which isn't possible).  He had a great attitude and really made me proud!

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I saved $65 at the grocery store today and stocked up on some great things.  My best deal was 9 protein bars for free!  Not bad, not bad!

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I am behind on laundry, behind on housework.  I finally broke down and bought a bottle of Swiffer Dust & Shine (because it smells heavenly), even though it wasn't on sale.  I did use a coupon though, so don't get too frightened.  My house needs some serious dusting!  Today, Son #1 has French horn lessons and Philharmonic rehearsal.  So it's another one of those busy days, yet I don't really feel the need to do my hair.  It's all good.

See, I told you- totally uninteresting.  If you made it this far, you deserve a milkshake.