My birthday....

My birthday was yesterday..Some people might say it was one of "the big ones".. It was really just another day. Until my husband, who doesn't talk much and rarely plans anything, along with Daughter, put together a surprise party for me!!! I was totally surprised. Husband had already requested that he and I go to dinner alone. I was a little distressed about this since I had already told Daughter we were just going to hang out at my house and I would grill something. I thoroughly enjoy doing this and I was happy to do it. A couple of days later, when she asked me if we were still doing this I told her we were not because Husband wanted to take me to dinner. Her response was "Well tell him thx for including us :)" I felt really bad and told her we would go to dinner early (which is not unusual for us) and get back early and then they could come over. She was good with that. Well, when I got home yesterday from work, Husband had just cut the grass and had not had a shower. I was little distressed since I knew Daughter wanted to come over with grandkids. Without being pushy (and while I was drinking a beer - Husband doesn't drink), I got him to go ahead with his shower and he was dragging his feet. He FINALLY finished getting dressed and we were walking out the door and he told me he had to go to the bathroom!!!! And, he took his phone with him, which I thought was a little strange. So, I opened a beer (actually I had already started on my second beer and I proceeded to finish it) and waited, and waited and he finally appeared again. When we are walking out the door he tells me where we are going to eat and that he wants to run by the appliance store and check on a griddle for the new stove. I am about to come come unglued! I tell him I will take care of that later, and he says it is on the way and he wants to ask the salesman a couple of questions. So, we get in the store, he starts looking at all kinds of stuff, being extremely talkative and asking questions about things we have no use for and I am trying not to get mad on my birthday! We FINALLY get in the truck and head to the restaurant and get stuck in traffic. He is constantly checking his phone, which is strange because he is not one of those people who obsesses over his phone. We FINALLY get to the restaurant and we (I) am talking away about some mundane thing and then I attempt to speak to the bartender when I hear "SURPRISE, SURPRISE, I WANT SOME GUM G"... (although BK was glad to see me, she just wanted some gum) Daughter, grandkids, mother-in-law and friends were already there and had a cake and gifts, etc. I was SHOCKED!!!! Husband was very proud of himself for pulling this off. Daughter helped with it as well, and she never even hinted that anything was going on, and even acted offended that she didn't get invited to dinner with us.

It was a wonderful surprise!!

Appliances....

are finally in!!! Of course, it took me most of the morning and part of the afternoon to clean up the mess from the night before when the space for the new stove had to be enlarged. And, the delivery man didn't show up until almost 2:00 that afternoon and didn't leave until almost 6:00 that evening. But, it is done, and it all looks good, except for the crack in the top of my stove. Yep, after the delivery man left, I was cleaning it and noticed a 4 inch crack. So, a new stove has been ordered and will be delivered week after next. The one I have can be used, but lucky me will be AT THE BEACH next week and won't be using it much between now and the time the new stove is delivered.

Friends...

A long time friend and her fiance came to spend the weekend with me this past weekend. And, even though we had to do all of our cooking outside on the grill due to the lack of a stove, we had a great time. We pretended we were camping, but without the sleeping outside in the heat and mosquitos part. It was all good. We left the house once a day, each day for a meal that was not prepared on the grill, but other than that, we didn't do a thing other than spend time together. I was sad when she left yesterday. She lives far, far away. I have driven to see her before, but it was a LOOOOOONNNNNGGGG drive. We try to see each other at least once a year now. Can't wait til next time.

Tinker Bell is alive and well...

Tinkerbell had just gone for a swim and had not had time to tend to her hair. But she was able to get her fake ostrich feather slippers on before posing.






















Tinkerbell's "wand" was the handle of a sunflower fly swatter that no longer had a "swatter" on it.

Last week was HECTIC...

Last week while I was in the midst of getting ready for good friends to come visit, and while trying to spend some fun time with the grandkids after having not seen them for a week, my oven decided to quit working.. ONE DAY BEFORE MY GUESTS WERE DUE TO ARRIVE... Not a good thing. The stove was working fine but the oven was not. I was getting ready to bake a cake (from scratch.. I think that is important to know - I was baking a cake from scratch!!) when I realized it was just not getting hot. The PreHeat light never went off. Because it was not preheating. Sooooooo, I told my non-handy-man husband about it, and he came in and started telling me numerous things to do, which I had already done. I had already checked the breaker box, turned it off, turned it back on, shook the element (not sure why I always think shaking something will make it work.. except sometime it does work), but that didn't help. He accused me of creating this problem so I could get new appliances. Whatever it takes honey! So, we made the decision to go look for a new oven the next morning, which happened to be the day our guests were arriving.

Next morning we head out to acquire new appliances, and after 3 hours, we accomplished just that. New oven, microwave and dishwasher that match the fridge we already replaced. But, they can't be delivered until the next week, two days after our guests LEAVE. I am thinking, I can handle this. I don't have to bake a cake. I will run to Fresh Market and acquire some of their fresh baked goods. Can't go wrong with that. I still have the cook top, and the grill.. All is well. NOT! Friday morning, we realize the new stove will not fit in the space we have, even though the salesman assured us it would. So, husband calls a real handy man who has worked for us previously. He comes right away, removes old stove, begins enlarging space for new stove. It is getting late in the day. He leaves and says he will be back Saturday morning. He takes old stove with him since it is now TOO SMALL for space. I now have no stove, or oven. I only have a grill, and guests for a weekend. On the upside, I now know how to cook rolls on the grill. My guests are great cooks, and were more than willing to improvise when it came to cooking.

It is now Tuesday, appliances are to be delivered tomorrow and handy man has yet to return to finish enlarging space for new stove/oven. He told husband he will finish job this morning since new appliances will be delivered tomorrow morning. Am I stressed? Noooooooo.. Do I mind eating out? Nooooooo.. Do I mind having a large gaping hole in my kitchen where my stove used to be? Noooooo.. Not at all. I don't mind messes at all. I didn't mind all that sawdust handyman created throughout my CLEAN kitchen and CLEAN dining room Friday when I had guests either. I didn't mind mopping while my guests watched. Not at all. I didn't mind dusting while they watched either. Not me. I am not OCD when it comes to cleanliness. Especially when I have guests. NOT AT ALL!!!!!!

Grandkids, again...

They are finally back after another week with their dad. They have one more week they have to go stay with him this summer, and I don't know if BT will be able to handle it. He loves being at his home. He simply does not consider his dad's house home, and I don't know that he ever will. Home to him is where his mama is.

I picked them from daycare yesterday since Daughter had to work the late shift. We ordered pizza and watched Sponge Bob.. As soon as their mother pulled up in the driveway, BT was ready to go to his house. He asked me if this hurt my feelings.. (can you imagine a 5 year old boy being concerned about someone's feelings?).. I told him it absolutely did not hurt my feelings. I totally understood him wanting to be home, with his stuff, his bed, his movies, etc. But, just in case I had not seen enough of them yet, and I had not, BK asked me if I was coming to her house, and I said yes.

They really celebrated being home by having a concert. Life is good.

Fourth of July..

Pictures from Daughter's neighborhood parade on the 4th.

Lots of fun...

A little sad today...

A long time friend died today after a battle with cancer. He was actually the man my mom dated after my dad died 25 years ago. They met about 3 years after my dad died and dated for about 16 years. Even after they parted ways, they still remained friends. He was a sweetheart and was extremely good to me, as well as the rest of the family. He loved sports with a passion, and especially loved watching the New Orleans Saints play in New Orleans. Because of him I saw the Saints play in the Superdome for the first time, and it was an awesome weekend. He always put others first, and would do anything you asked him to do. He will be missed. You were an awesome man Cecil!! Rest in peace.

Happy Hump Day...

Our weekend was a whirlwind of activity. Thursday night we decorated the kids' "vehicles" for their neighborhood parade on Saturday morning. The kids spent the night with me since Daughter had to work part of the day on Friday. The kids and I went to the pool and hung out for about 3 hours and then Daughter joined us. Later we went to the Balloon Glow which featured the Carlton Show Band and Diamond Rio and both were awesome.

Saturday morning we did the parade in Daughter's neighborhood. BK's wagon, with tons of red, white and blue balloons won a prize, which she shared with her brother since he was a little put out he didn't win a prize for his ride. But, he did win a big bag of homemade chocolate chip cookies in the cakewalk and that more than made up for not winning in the ride division.

We then headed to my house for lots of food and hanging out with family. It was late when everyone left and I was one tired G.

Sunday, Man and I went to a restaurant on the rez and listened to the Carlton Show Band, again, and they were very good.

And, I don't think I have ever sweated as much as I did this past weekend! Everything we did was outside and it was like being in an oven. And, I lost 4 pounds from the all the walking and sweating!

Sunday the kids went with their mom to her friend's house to swim and cook out and they stayed there all day. They are back with their dad this week, and I am missing them terribly. Again.

I am trying to use this week to get some things done around my house. A long time friend is coming to spend a few days with me next week/weekend and I am using her as my incentive to start/finish a few home projects. I am a one man show when it comes to home projects as Man is NOT a handy man nor does he like home projects. He likes for me to do them, but he prefers I do them when he is not home, and have the mess cleaned up before he comes home. That is how we roll.. and it works for us. And, his lack of participation means he has very little say-so in my choices or the process, and that works very well for me.

Grandkids are back!!!!

After being gone for ten very long days, they are back! We spent Monday afternoon doing whatever they wanted to do.. Those activities included riding in the Doodlebug, playing freeze tag, simons says, playing in the sprinkler, playing in the pool, eating fried fish and fresh tomatoes (BK did that, not BT - he had a cheese sandwich and a croissant), etc. BK also requested I cook corn, and I did, and she ate like a champ. I tried to tell Benton the fish was homemade fishsticks and he still wouldn't try it. It was actually fried trout and it was very good. Thanks for sharing boss!





BT arrived wearing his 4th of July glitter hat. He is "ready to celebrate America." He is so aware of what is going on this week! I had surprises for both of them, and they loved it all. They gave Man due credit for the stuff they knew he had supplied (freebies from a function he attended last week) and they loved their travel puppy pillows I bought them.





Last night we took them to Mazzios for family night. This meant all the pizza they could eat and balloon animals made by Mr. Clown. I asked BK what she wanted Mr. Clown to make her, and she said a pink flower. He did just that, according to her color instructions. I asked BT what he was going to ask him to make him, and he said a robot. I told him he should have a backup just in case. When he told Mr. Clown he wanted a robot, Mr. Clown didn't blink. He asked what colors he wanted and BT said he wanted a red body, white arms and blue legs, and voila!!!!

He couldn't have been happier. And although it looks like BK is beating her brother in the head with her flower, she is actually waving at Mr. Clown.

When Mr. Clown moved on to another table, BK wanted to talk to him some more, so she walked up to him and swatted him on the booty to get his attention and giggled. I thought it was hilarious, but apparently Mr. Clown left his sense of humor home. He didn't even smile. He was not injured. Get over it Mr. Clown!!! She is two!!! Next time, we will go back to Pizza Inn. That Clown is way friendlier and is always laughing!

Just for the record.. BK ate a salad with black olives and tomatos and ranch dressing, pickled okra (she thought it was a pickle), spaghetti and pizza. She ate all of the salad. She picked out what she wanted on it when I was fixing her plate. I love to cook for her. She will eat anything, including sushi (California Roll) and loves it.

This afternoon, we head to the pool!..