Let's Go to G's House

Rango!

2011-03-07T15:19:00.003-06:00

We took the grands to see Rango Saturday and I have to say, I was disappointed. I am not sure this movie was suitable for kids in their age group, 4 and 7. I think the story was ok, but there was some mild language which I didn't think was suitable for what was portrayed to be a "kid movie." There was also some violence, and while I have seen violence in other kid movies, this seemed a little more sinister in nature. I should have known something was up, when there seemed to be more adults WITHOUT KIDS at the movie, than adults WITH kids. We ended up staying for the entire movie since I had spent about $60.00 on four tickets and concessions, but I will do a little more research before attending any of the new movies coming out in the new few weeks/months.

"Rama Keen"

2011-03-07T15:04:00.003-06:00

I picked up the grands from daycare Friday afternoon and immediately noticed Bailey was not happy about something. I asked her what was wrong and she indignantly replied that Miss Tiffany had called her a "Rama Keen!" I asked her why had she been called a "Rama Keen" and she said because some boy had thrown or kicked a ball which had hit her in the face, and caused her to cry. I asked her if it hurt, or just made her mad, and she was adamant there was pain involved. When Benton saw her, she puffed up again, and told him all about it as well. Lucky for us, he had seen the entire ordeal, and believed she had been hurt, and advised his sister to let the offending party, who kicked/threw the ball, know that her brother was going to be watching in the future to make sure he didn't hurt his sister again. Of course, Bailey was more offended at being called a "Rama Keen" than being hit by the ball, and asked Benton if he could tell Miss Tiffany not to call her that again. Benton advised Bailey to tell Miss Tiffany, in a nice way of course, that calling people names was just not nice. Since Bailey has the memory of an elephant regarding such things, I told them both that this was something their mama should handle and they agreed. A few minutes later Bailey asked me if she had school the next day and I told her the next day was Saturday, and there would be no school. She asked me if her mama could call Miss Tiffany on Saturday and tell her not to call her a "Rama Keen" again, and I told her her mama would handle that on Monday.

Shortly after she got up yesterday morning, she reminded her mama to talk to Miss Tiffany and tell her not to be calling her a "Rama Keen" anymore. Can't wait to see her this afternoon and find out if the "Rama Keen" message has been adequately delivered to suit Bailey's criteria. She might be a "Rama Keen," but she doesn't want it brought to anyone's attention. Wonder where she gets all the "Rama" from...

Venting....

2011-03-03T12:57:00.002-06:00

I am a firm believer in having my ducks in a row... ALWAYS. Whenever I go to Walmart, Kroger, Target, Loft, or wherever, I put my stuff on the counter, get my debit card out, run it the through the machine, and once my stuff is in the bags, I have paid for my items and am ready to go. I am not still looking for my checkbook, debit card, asking questions about prices, etc.

So, today I run in Charming Charlies on my lunch hour.. If you are not familiar with this store, it is mostly an accessory store, i.e, jewelry, scarves, sunglasses, but it also has shoes and clothes. I make my selections and get in line. I am actually second in line, but I do see another customer standing to the left of the cash register, instead of to the right of the register, and I determine either she thinks getting in the proper lines does not apply to her, or she has never shopped there before. Turns out, she thinks lines don't apply to her AND she has NEVER shopped there before. This is the conversation between her and the cashier:

Customer: I need this gift wrapped.

Cashier: Sorry ma'am we don't gift wrap.

Customer: Really? But it is a birthday present. What am I supposed to do?

Cashier: I can put tissue paper in the nice bag we provide for purchases.

Customer: (LONG HESITATION) Well, that doesn't sound very presentable. Can you put a bow on the bag?

Cashier: We don't have bows. We don't gift wrap. (apparently customer is hard of hearing)..

Customer: Can you take the price tags off?

Cashier: I can mark through them. We need to leave tags on in case she needs to return the items for any reason.

Customer: (puts on her reading glasses and very intently watches him mark through prices on ALL FIVE ITEMS SHE WAS PURCHASING.)

Cashier: Your total is $$$$.

Customer: I need to pay $15.00 in cash and put the rest on my debit card. (at this point she hands him her debit card, when there is very obviously a machine she will have to master all by herself TO THE RIGHT OF THE REGISTER)...

Cashier: That is fine. Please swipe your card.

Customer: (Proceeds to move her things to the RIGHT OF THE REGISTER where she needed to be to begin with, and FINALLY swipes her card.)

Cashier: Do you want your receipt in the bag?

Customer: Do I need a receipt?

Cashier: If the person needs to exchange the items, she will need the receipt.

Customer: Well, should I put it in the bag with the gift?

Cashier: If the person needs to exchange the items, she will need the receipt.

Customer: Well then, I guess I will put it in the bag. (At this point she FINALLY TAKES HER BAG AND STARTS WALKING TOWARD THE DOOR, AND I am about to give her a push to get her moving!!!! Not really, but I wanted too!!!)

I pay for my items in less than 1 minutes and head to the door. The greeter at the door tells the customer to have a good day. Customer proceeds to tell the greeter her bag does not look like a birthday present and apparently she will now have to go somewhere else to have the items wrapped. I walk past her and leave the store before I lose my cool and tell her a small child WILL NOT CARE IF HER GIFT IS WRAPPED!!! SHE ONLY CARES ABOUT THE CONTENTS OF THE BAG!!! GOOD GRIEF!!!! Trust me, I know this. I have a female child, and the way the package is wrapped HAS NEVER BEEN AN ISSUE!!! CONTENTS, CONTENTS, CONTENTS!!! That is what is important.

Can you imagine dealing with her on a daily basis???

Now, I feel much better!

Happy New Year... 13 days late...

2011-01-13T14:20:00.002-06:00

Our New Year got off to a great start.. We had our first New Year's Eve party ever, in almost 27 years of marriage!!! And for the 3 people that read this and know my husband, that was a huge accomplishment! And, it was a total, complete HIT!!! I kept the food preparations low key. I did most of the work, with some help from Brandy on the day of the party. I asked a few people to bring an appetizer of some kind, and it was BYOB, so it was not expensive either. The menu consisted of BBQ meatballs, deer wraps, pigs in the blanket, tenderloin and various other finger foods. We ate well, drank well, and some of us played quarters, and some of us watched. That was a treat all by itself. My boss even got in on the action and thoroughly enjoyed himself. Not sure who had more fun, him or my daughter.

I don't think I mentioned the guest of honor at our party.. None other than our friend from Orange County. She came and stayed for a long weekend. She took us to dinner the night before the party at Mint, and on New Year's Day, we went to Buffalo Wild Wings and watched State beat Michigan. And, just for the record, I am not a fan of either of these teams since I am an LSU fan, but I did pull for the SEC, which meant I was pulling for State. Sunday we watched some Saints football and then went out for pizza. Our friend left on Monday, and we are all looking forward to the next time we get to hang out, which will hopefully be when they air the season finale of HWOC...

Since the first of the year, I have been in the cleaning mode, almost every single day. I have reorganized cabinets, drawers, some closets (not mine), etc. I have cleaned doors inside and out, cleaned windows inside and out, and am anxious to get outside this weekend and remove the dead plants from all pots that sit on the porch and back deck area, all of which were killed by the FREEZING COLD WINDS, we have had in the past few days. We actually had some snow flurries this past Sunday, along with a good bit of sleet, and that was good enough for a snow day on Monday.. Schools were closed, and I decided I didn't want to drive on potentially icy roads, so I didn't work and the grands and I stayed home all day and had an absolutely wonderful day at G's house. Just the three of us.

I am just about ready for spring and am definitely ready for some crawfish. Places in these parts are already selling crawfish, but I am sure they are pretty small. I am thinking about buying some in the next day or so just so I can see how big they are.

I have a few projects on my agenda this weekend, which include painting at least one piece of furniture, and possibly two, if time allows. Since the Saints are out of Super Bowl contention, I should be able to get more done this weekend, than I usually do during football season. It is supposed to be warmer this weekend as well and I am definitely looking forward to that. I do love cold weather, especially since I have this "internal heater" thing going on, but I don't love cold weather like we have been having.

Happy New Year...

Some of those random questions I saw on another blog.

2010-12-14T14:14:00.003-06:00

1. What does it mean to have the 'holiday spirit'?

To me it means knowing and believing the REAL reason for this season is the birth of Jesus Christ, and not how much useless stuff we spend our hard earned money on, that usually gets returned to the store the day after Christmas.

2. What sits atop your tree (s)? Why?

I don't have a tree topper in the true definition of a tree topper.. I kind of have an arrangement of numerous shiny glittery things that makes a real mess when being inserted into the tree. But, I will say, it is very pretty.. Thanks Brandy!

3. When was the last time you gave yourself a pat on the back?

Not really self-back patter, but every now and then, I think I deserve one.

4. Which of your senses is most sensitive this time of year?

My awareness of the needs of other people.

5. What do you have too much of in your kitchen?

Pasta... we don't eat very much pasta, but yet I have several packages of same. We also have too many snacks! and Popsicles!

6. What do you do for meals on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day? Big meal? Breakfast tradition? Open the cookie tins and have at it?

Christmas Eve is my mama's responsibility and she doesn't let anyone mess with that tradition. Christmas Day is different every year. This year we plan to have gumbo, compliments of my daughter's culinary skills.

7. What is the best thing about winter?

Football!!! I love cold weather, and watching football, especially outside on my back porch and deck. We have a variety of heaters, as long as it is not freezing, I can definitely sit out there for an entire game!

8. Insert your own random thought here

I wish people were less self-centered and more aware of how what they do affects others. There are a few people in my own life that are selfish, self-centered, and really don't care how what they do, or don't do affects anyone other than themselves. I have learned to overlook it for the most part, but sometimes it still stings a little.

9. I love, love, love the holidays! I love the lights, the decorations, the food, the parties, and the general spirit of the holiday season!!!

How about them Saints!!!!

A lot of randomness....

2010-12-13T13:45:00.003-06:00

Things happening in my hood....

* My house has now been decorated for Christmas for FOUR weeks, and although I am enjoying it, I am also having to pretend to ignore the large amounts of dust that seem to accumulate on, around and under all the decorations.

* We had a great Thanksgiving weekend! My mom cooked a HUGE lunch, and that was the only meal I ate that day...

* I did not go shopping on Black Friday.. No way, no how was I getting out in that drama.. Hubby and I did go out for lunch, and watched a little football, but we mostly stayed home.

* My deck WAS NOT FINISHED until 3:00 on December 3! After telling the contractor I needed it done by noon on that date because my mother, sister-in-law and niece were coming for the weekend to celebrate my mother's birthday, he finally left at 3... I spent the next two hours cleaning everything so it would at least be presentable when they arrived. I was stressed BECAUSE I HATE MESSES!

* Instead of going out to eat for my mom's birthday, we stayed at my house, grilled chicken, and had a few adult beverages and then watched movies. I thought it was a good time.

* I am done with my Christmas shopping. COMPLETELY DONE and I will not be tempted to buy the grand kids anything else. I will stay out of the stores, and delete all emails associated with toys... :)

* Took the grands to see the play, The Christmas Carol, and it was awesome. Benton thoroughly enjoyed it. Bailey packed a backpack full of snacks and had a picnic at intermission. It was pretty dang funny.

* Bailey decided it was her turn to spend the night with G ALONE, and told Benton Friday night that he had to go home with mama because it was her turn to stay with G. And she did. And she slept until 8:30 which is VERY late for her. We went to the grocery store, bought things we didn't really need, met her mom and a friend for lunch, and then she said her turn was not over. We went and bought her two pairs of boots, and then went back to my house, per her request. We had the best time!

* It is very cold here... The wind chill was in the low teens this morning. Too bad it was not snowing, because it would have definitely been a snow day.

* I rescued a kitten from the dumpster behind our office this morning. He would have died in there. I had to actually climb down into the dumpster to get him. Thankfully there was only one bag of trash in there. I was prepared to throw a blanket over him and scoop him up, but he crawled into the trash bag and I was able to get it out, empty the contents and he came out and ran off. He was wild and I knew that, but I couldn't let him die in there. I need to make sure I put plenty of food out in the future so he doesn't have to dumpster dive to eat.

* Santa is coming to my next Monday.. All the way from Dothan, Alabama. He is the best Santa ever.. He is the "real" Santa....

* And, FINALLY, how about them Saints!!!

Friends, Decorating, and my deck is still not finished!!!

2010-12-01T13:21:00.003-06:00

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity at G's House. My friend from Orange County came to see us, and we took her to New Orleans for the weekend. To say we had a fabulous time would be an understatement. Even though we have spent time together before, we have always stayed close to home. Needless to say, while out in New Orleans, she was pretty much recognized everywhere we went, and mostly by men. How many do you know that would actually tell you they watched Housewives of Orange County? Apparently there are a lot, especially in New Orleans. In many cases, the husband recognized her before the wife did. It was interesting to say the least. We all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. I had dinner for the first time ever at Brennan's and it did NOT disappoint! That may have been the best meal I have ever eaten, and I know it was the most expensive!

Once that trip was over, it was on to decorating for Christmas, which is completely done, and has been for over a week now. I don't like having to do this over Thanksgiving, so I do it before that holiday, so I can actually enjoy four days off work, and I did enjoy it very much... I am in the process of now trying not to buy the grandest kids ever too much useless stuff for Christmas. And it is H-A-R-D!!! I love buying for them, but it is not sensible and I don't want them to be expecting cars and rolexes before they are teenagers!

And, the deck that was supposed to be done two weeks ago, is still not finished, and I don't know when it will be finished. This carpenter has done lots of work for us in the past few years, but this is probably his last gig at my house. For two weeks he was "going to get started tomorrow," and when that never happened, I started sending him text messages to let him know I was PISSED, and then he finally showed up late one Friday to "mark it off." He actually worked through the weekend, including Sunday, but it was very slow going. He is very thorough and a perfectionist, but sometimes he carries it too far, and gets stuck on something no one can perfect. He worked again the three days before Thanksgiving and left with the assurance he would return on Saturday and would work Saturday and Sunday to FINISH THE PROJECT!!! And, he didn't show up at all on Saturday. He called around noon and said he was headed home to change clothes and then would be over to work. HE NEVER SHOWED AGAIN!! Sunday I sent him a not-so-nice text message and he showed up an hour later with some lame excuse. He did work until dark, but it was very slow going. He did work som e Monday, and didn't show up until 2:00 yesterday and didn't show up until noon today. So, this 3 or 4 day project has turned into a 3 or 4 week project and it is STILL NOT FINISHED. I am having company this weekend and need it to be done by tomorrow so I can at least clean up the outside area before my guest arrive. I am not getting my hopes up that this will happen. I am barely talking to him at this point because I am so completely frustrated with him. My mother-in-law would say "this too shall pass" and it will, but I need it to hurry up and pass so we can move on to something else!!! I have to mop every day to stay on top of the large quantities of dirt three dogs and a husband track in every time they go in and out the back door. And, now that I have vented about that, I feel much better.. at least until I get home and see how much/little progress he has made today. Happy Hump Day!!!

Some sad news.. looking forward to some fun stuff...

2010-11-11T14:12:00.006-06:00

Just when everything seems to be going smoothly, without very many speed bumps, we hit a pot hole and bottom out. Our almost 14 year old Pomeranian, Dooley, died this past Saturday. We knew her days were numbered because she was in kidney failure, but meds seemed to keep her comfortable, and as long as she was in no pain, seemed content, ate and continued her bodily functions, all was well. But then, she started occasionally losing control of her bowels while she was sleeping, and it would not wake her up. And, she has always slept with us. And, the only time we have ever tried to make her sleep in the laundry room behind a kid gate, she got so distressed, we put her back in the bed with us. We had the bed completely protected from any accidents she might have, since we were willing to do anything to keep her with us for as long as possible, as long as she was in no pain, and seemed comfortable. Long story short, this past Saturday evening, she had a stroke, and was in obvious distress. She couldn't stand up, would not eat or drink, and we knew the time we had dreaded beyond words, had finally come. There was nothing to be done for her. We cried, said out good-byes and left her at the vet for the last time. We opted not to be present when she took her final breath. Needless to say this has been an extremely emotional week for me, and even more so for the hubby. When I tell you he ADORED this dog, I MEAN HE ADORED HER.. She was actually a gift to me on Mother's Day in 1997, but over time, he took to her like he has to no other pet. He definitely grieved over the loss of two other pets within the past year, but his distress over losing this pet has been brutal. I get sad watching him try to cope. My way of coping is staying busy. And that is why my house is so clean right now, all the laundry is done, again, and most every drawer and cabinet in the house is in tip-top shape. But enough about sad stuff.. and how clean my house is today...

Before all of the above happened last Saturday, we watched LSU beat Alabama in what turned out to be a very good game. We were not that optimistic about LSU winning, but they actually played well Saturday and with a trick play or two, managed to win and stay in the running for a potential National Championship... WooHOO!!!!!!

Bailey turns four next week! Her birthday party is this Saturday and she and four of her friends are going to the Pampered Princess and get manicures, and have their hair and makeup done. Unfortunately I will have to miss it due to another long ago previously scheduled commitment, but her mama swears she will take lots of pictures and post them on Facebook so I can at least see what is going on. I have never missed one of their parties, and this does not please me, but there is nothing I can do. I am making it up to her by buying "lots of presents" per her request.. She is truly her mother's child!

The guy is finally starting to work on our deck!!! WooHOO!! We have only been waiting on him for two months. I don't like messes AT ALL, and my backyard has been less than attractive waiting on him to get started. He says he will finish it by the end of next week and I can hardly wait!

My friend from Orange County California is arriving tonight and is spending a few days with us. Can't wait to see her again!

I am putting my Christmas decorations up next weekend! I like to get this done before the long Thanksgiving weekend so I can actually have 4 days off to do only what I want to do.. Yeah, Right! I have bought a few new things this year, and I bought a few things at the end of the season last year which will be a surprise since I can't remember any of it. The movers were shocked by all the Christmas decorations I have and asked that they be allowed to come see it all once I get it all up!!

And that is about all I got for now.

We're back, and it was over WAY too soon....

2010-10-27T12:54:00.005-05:00

Friday morning started out pretty much like any other Friday morning for me, EXCEPT THAT AFTERNOON I WAS LEAVING ON A JET PLANE FOR ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA TO BE A GUEST AT THE FILMING OF THE SEASON FINALE OF THE HOUSEWIVES OF ORANGE COUNTY!!!

Brandy and I were so excited about the trip, we got to the airport over two hours early just so we could feel like we were "finally on our way!" And believe me when I tell you, getting to the airport early where we live is NOT necessary. We did sit in the airport bar and have a couple of adult beverages while waiting to board. Afterall it would take us all of 48 minutes to get to Atlanta so we could sit and wait two more hours, in a bar, for our flight to California. And, apparently Brandy had no idea how far Calfornia was from Atlanta since when the Captain announced it would take 4 hours and 17 minutes to get to John Wayne Airport, she was shocked. I think she actually thought it would only take a couple of hours. But, thank goodness for technology and she was able to watch Bravo TV while we flew through the air. We were definitely too excited to sleep on the plane. We arrived in Orange County about 10:15 P.M. their time, 12:15 A.M. our time, so we were finally getting a little tired. After a 30 minute ($65.00) cab ride from the airport to the hotel, we went to bed, because the hotel bar was closed and what else was there to stay up for. We definitely should have gotten our cabbie to stop at a jiffy mart so we could fill our mini frige with Ultras, but hindsight is always perfect isn't it!!

We were awake bright and early Saturday morning, since we were too excited to sleep. After indulging in a huge breakfast, in anticipation of not eating again that day, we started getting ready. Brandy said she needed to go ahead and "fix" her hair early so it could be re-done as "dirty" hair later, because everyone knows dirty hair is easier to fix and it looks better??? Who knew!!! After 4 hours of getting ready, taking numerous pictures, more primping, our ride was finally at the hotel. We had the pleasure of riding to the event with Vicki's assistant, Heidi and her friend Laurie, who were awesome. When we arrived at Vicki's house, where the finale was being filmed, Bravo people were everywhere. We had to sign a contract allowing them to film us, and have our picture taken with the contract!!! That alone made me feel somewhat like a celebrity! After waiting outside the house for all of 10 minutes, Brandy texted Vicki and told her we needed a beer, and that we wanted to see her. Vicki told us to go out by the pool and get a beer, and then come on up to where she was having her hair and makeup done. The camera crew was in her bathroom filming her, and we actually sat in there with her and the crew for about 30 minutes, and they were filming us, right along with her, and laughing right along with all of us. We then headed back downstairs, because HELLO, we needed another beer (and BTW, there was no Ultra at this party). We had the option of drinking Becks, Corona, Fisher, and something else I had never heard of. I had a Becks, which was good, but then I tried a Fisher, and I loved it. We met lots of wonderful people, got to see a cat fight between Tamra and Gena, lots of wine being thrown in people's faces, and a hasty exit on Gena's part. We took lots of pictures, made new friends who thanks to technology, once again, we were able to "friend" on Facebook immediately, and ate things we have never eaten before. I drank a martini of some kind that some cute hot yummy GAY guy made especially for me. What a waste of a cute hot yummy guy!! I think he is in the pictures Brandy put on facebook somewhere since I am pretty sure she is in 99% of the pictures taken that night.

After the filming, one of Bravo's crew memberts drove us, Vicki, her daughter Brianna, her office manager Danielle and couple of other people to a Mexican restaurant called Carmalita's to eat some real Mexican food. And then, Vicki called a limo to come get us!! HELLO!!! I had never ridden in a limo before!!! We then headed back to the hotel because we were all tired from the an extremely busy day.

Sunday morning, Vicki picked us up bright and early and we actually headed to a bar in Newport Beach 9:30 A.M. to watch the Chicago Bears play football because the games come on two hours earlier there than they do here, and when I tell you the bar was packed, I am not kidding. Standing room only. Vicki is from Chicago and she and her family are huge Bears fans. Our New Orleans Saints were playing too and we all kept each other company while both our teams lost. We then headed out on a boat ride that was fabulous! The houses on the water there have private beaches and were truly unbelievable. And, Brandy almost got a ticket for pretending we were riding around on the Titanic!! Shocker!!! We thoroughly enjoyed the boat ride and then we headed out to do a little purse shopping, (because a girl can never have too many purses) and we were successful!

We wound down the night by hanging out with Vicki at her house for a little while and then she took us back to our hotel and we said our goodbyes. It was the trip of a lifetime for us for sure.

After leaving Orange County late due to weather delays in Atlanta, we ran a marathon through the Atlanta airport to make our connecting flight and made it with about 10 minutes to spare.

It is definitely a trip we will be talking about for months to come. And, we certainly can't wait to find out when the finale will air so we can see if we made it past the cutting room floor! You should at least be able to see Brandy because she made her way to wherever she saw cameras because who knows when we will ever be around a film crew again.

The BIG TRIP TO HWOC!

2010-10-20T14:23:00.002-05:00

This time Friday afternoon, I will be sitting in the Jackson International Airport, waiting on a plane to take me and my daughter to Atlanta, and from there to the John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, home to the Housewives of Orange County!!!! I am not sure who is more excited, me or Brandy. She says she has become even more "infamous" because of this trip, and I seriously have no reason to doubt that. THANKS FACEBOOK!!!

We have been advised by our friend, Vicki Gunvalson, the filming will begin Saturday at 2:00 P.M. and not end until 6:00 P.M. Either Vicki or her assistant will be picking us up at our hotel Saturday and take us back to Vicki's house so we can participate in the filming of the finale of the Housewives of Orange County. We will get to meet all the ladies on the show, as well as other individuals who have been invited to participate in the filming as well. Even though the this particular show is my favorite out of all the Housewives shows, I never in a million years dreamed I would ever meet one of the ladies, much less be asked to be part of the show. I am OVER THE MOON excited about this. Brandy is OVER THE MOON and then some... Seriously! If you know her, you know what I am talking about. If they give her a chance to speak, she will do so, and I feel sure they will not edit her out. Due to my serious "Elly Mae" twang, I will refrain from speaking when a microphone is near.

Outfits have been given lots of serious thought. From what to wear on the way out there JUST IN CASE WE SEE SOMEBODY FAMOUS, to what we will WEAR ON TV, and of course WHAT TO WEAR HOME, just in case the paparazzi gets wind of our TV DEBUT, and wants to follow us around the airport taking pictures.. WE ARE TOTALLY PREPARED!!! We have had our hair done, made numerous trips to the tanning bed, nails are done, and pedicures are scheduled. When you are going to be standing that close to women who have their makeup and hair done by professionals almost everyday, you gotta give it your best shot, and believe me, WE ARE!!! Details to come...

Busy, busy, weekend... again...

2010-10-20T11:07:00.002-05:00

This past weekend was pretty busy for me. It started Friday night when I went to karate with Brandy and the kids. Benton absolutely loves karate and I absolutely love watching him. He probably listens to Instructor Parks better than any of the other kids, and I am not saying that because he is my flesh and blood (well, maybe because he is my flesh and blood). After karate they wanted to go to Pizza Inn (which does not sell adult beverages) and we vetoed that since it was now 6:30 on Friday night, Pizza Inn was across town and all restaurants were starting to fill up. Benton then decided he wanted to go to a Mexican restaurant (which does sell adult beverages), although he wouldn't touch Mexican food with a ten foot pole. However, he does love their chicken strips and fries, and chips. Bailey will eat anything.. seriously.. After we finished dinner, I dropped them off at their house so we could all start packing for our trip to Louisiana the next morning.

My niece Taylor was celebrating her 5th birthday, and Brandy still needed to find an outfit for out trip to California, so we headed out early. We arrived in Louisiana about 9:30 and started our shopping venture at Target, where we purchased one birthday present, two toys for well behaved children, and a few items of clothing for well behaved children, and a couple of things for G. We then headed to some boutiques, and unfortunately Brandy found nothing, at any of them.. Me, on the other hand, found an awesome suede and fur vest that will look snazzy with a pair of boots I purchased recently.

We then headed to lunch with my niece, sister-in-law and my mom and then on to the party. The kids had a blast, but they were ready to go before the party was over because THEY WERE TIRED OF GOING PLACES, and just wanted to go mammaws and play. We headed to mammaws where they played, the adults rested, and then I proceeded to get dressed for GIRLS NIGHT OUT with three friends from high school. Two of the friends I had not seen in over 15 years, and the other one I see often. Two of the friends came to get me and we headed to Monroe to Portico's where the other friend met us and we talked, laughed, revisited our pasts, laughed some more, etc. We all made a pact to NOT let so much time go by before we connected again, and plan to meet again in December, and I CANNOT WAIT!!! We used to have lots of fun when we were in high school, and in the first few years after high school before we all got married and went in different directions, and now know we can still have fun with each other after all these years.. So, the plan is to meet again in early December. I CAN'T WAIT!!!

After eating my mom's "biskits" and gravy, Brandy and I loaded up the kids early Sunday and headed home since we had not yet been to the fair and it was definitely on our list of things to do Sunday because it was the last day. Hubby and I headed out with the kids about 1:00, and although it was hot, we had much fun. Bailey loves to ride, but unfortunately she is a tad short to ride some of the rides, but Benton would prefer trying to win cheap plastic toys at $5.00 a pop. After spending 20.00 on games where they won 4 cheap plastic toys, I said no more. We are going to ride rides or leave. They were fine with that, and loved every minute of it. We purchased 12.00 worth of cotton candy on our way out and declared it a great day. They were not quite ready to go home and requested we head to G's house, and this was fine with me because I LOVE BEING WITH THEM. We played outside, I squirted them with the water hose, they filled up a bucket with water and created a "brew" that they stirred and stirred and stirred... Whatever makes them happy is my motto..

Does it get any more random...?

2010-10-07T14:33:00.002-05:00

I wish I could think of something to write about everyday, other than the randomness of my life, which I don't write about, but I do think about writing about it. So, I answer random questions from time to time, so I feel like I am writing about something. So, here you have it:

1. If you could go back and start all over at the age of 21, would you? Why or why not? I can honestly say, HELL NO!!! Unless I already knew what was going to happen, and had the ability to change it all. Because there is plenty I would change, but without knowing it was going to happen, there would be no point in doing it twice.. Seriously.

2. What would be the perfect pet for you? I supposed four dogs since that is what I have.

3. If you were a car, what kind would you be? A Jeep with top off.. Not that my top is off, or anything like that..

4. What is in the floor of your closet? Right now, there is lint and pinestraw because I picked everything up off the floor and I now need to vacuum it. Hopefully before the weekend is over. And the pinestraw was tracked in by the dogs.

5. If you had the chance to do anything you wanted for a living, what would it be?
I would like to own a daycare. I love children..

6. If you had the chance to spend one day with someone who is gone from your life, how would you spend it? My daddy. My love of beer came from him. And he died before I could really enjoy having a beer with him.

7. Describe yourself in 200 words or less. Um . . . I don't even know where to start. Any suggestions? I would like to say I am smart, good looking, great body, have hair to die for, etc., but none of that is happening... WHATEVER...I was told one time that I wasn't too cute, but had a good personality... I will claim that...

8. What is your favorite holiday? Probably Thanksgiving simply because it is just about the food preparation, eating the prepared food and cleaning up after the prepared food is eaten. Not stressful at all. Just EXHAUSTING!!!, but only for a day.

That's right, if you're reading, you are tagged. Just pick any one of these questions and answer in the comments section.

Things I did not get done yesterday...

2010-10-07T14:14:00.001-05:00

One of the attorneys in our firm is building a MEGA bucks house. The other secretary in our office is a part time very good interior decorator and she is decorating the mega bucks house. Therefore, she makes appointments for various house decorating ventures during office hours and then tells me about them, and I am expected to work my lunch schedule around her decorating ventures. Fair? Not really, but I have a good job and great bosses and can't really complain. Could she be more considerate?? Yes, but that is not her style. And, after nine years, I am accustomed. Anyone else would probably get really upset about it, but I have learned it does no good, so I just go with the flow and realize this too shall pass... So, I did not get to do all that I intended on my lunch HOUR yesterday. I did not get: 1) tanning spray for my upcoming TV appearance; 2) car tag; and 3) inspection sticker that is TOTALLY UNNECESSARY in my humble opinion.

So, those three things have been moved to my list of things to do today, and just maybe I will get them done then, along with ten new things I have on a list for today. I run errands almost every day at lunch so I don't have to run errands after work. I go to WalMart between 6:15 and 6:30 in the morning, before I come to work, so I don't have to fight the crowd in the afternoons, and so I can pick the kids up whenever I want. I can't let anything interfere with that pleasure!

The MEGA bucks house will be finished in the next few weeks, and hopefully things will return to "normal." Only time will tell.

Ten things I need to get done today...10/07/10

2010-10-07T10:52:00.003-05:00

There are ten things I WILL get done today, and if I put them in writing, I have to do them...

1. On my lunch HOUR I need to purchase a can of spray tanning stuff a co-worker recommended; I need it for my upcoming appearance on TV...

2. On my lunch HOUR I need to run to Shoe Gallery and see if they have anything suitable for me to wear while on TV...

3. On my lunch HOUR I need to get a car tag..

4. On my lunch HOUR I need to get an inspection sticker.. dumbest thing ever REQUIRED!!!!

5. I need to do two loads of laundry today; I am obsessive about keeping my laundry caught up..unlike my daughter... just saying...

6. I will pick up the grandest kids ever after work today!

7. I will take them for ice cream if their little hearts so desire!

8. Hubby and I will interview a new dog sitter tonight.. Sounds ridiculous doesn't it? The oldest dog has never been boarded so we hire a dog sitter for the few ocassions we go out of town together. And, the dog sitter has to spend the night so they can sleep with her. She has never not slept in our bed, with someone.

9. We will take the kids somewhere fun to eat tonight, and in all liklihood it will not be a place that serves beer. The sacrifices I make for them...

10. I will get my bathroom cleaned tonight...So I don't wake up thinking about it again tonight.

It is a good thing I am not a big watcher of TV... and I can use DVR...

Homecoming memories...

2010-09-16T14:16:00.002-05:00

This time of year always reminds of Homecoming. Not sure why, since I was NEVER in the Homecoming Court, nor was I allowed to go to any of the football games, with the exception of one time in 1974, and for which I had to beg, plead and cry for two weeks in order to get to attend the Homecoming game in 1974. I was in the 10th grade and for whatever reason, this was the game I was willing to do whatever it took to go. Of course doing whatever it took is a little extreme since I had no car, or other means of transportation with the exception of the two legs God gave me, and in order to use my legs, I would have had to walk past my mother to get to the door, and that wasn't happening. But, I did beg, beg, beg, and my mother finally agreed to not only let me go to the game, she agreed to let me spend the night with a friend and go to the game with her, her sister and her sister's boyfriend. This was a huge step for me because I had never been in the same vehicle with anyone of the opposite sex that was not related to me. No, I was NOT dating in the 10th grade, and yes, that is kind of old to have never been on a date. My mother didn't allow dating, and rarely allowed anyone of the opposite sex in the door that might want to see me. But, getting back to Homecoming, I FINALLY talked my mother into letting me go, and letting me spend the night with someone. I swore I would follow her rules, and I did, because I knew any slight deviation from the rules would result in a minimum six weeks of being grounded, which meant no phone calls, no friends, no nothing except school and Church for 6 weeks. It was also known as "pure hell."

My friends and I went to the game, and since it was homecoming, there were floats, and the tradition after the game was to head to the field behind Bussey Brake Reservoir and burn the floats... Yep, we had a huge bonfire and burned everything that we spent weeks laboring over and it was called fun! And yes, I even had my mother's permission to attend the float burning which was also HUGE for me. After we had made sure everything was burned beyond recognition and the fires were out, we started heading back to the car. Keep in mind it was as VERY dark out in that field, and without headlights, you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. Therefore, IT WAS DARK! As we were walking back to the vehicle, I saw one of the trucks coming down the dirt path and stepped out of the path to let the truck by. What I didn't see was the trailer still attached to the truck, which previously carried the contents of one of the floats, and once the truck passed, I immediately stepped back out in the dirt road and that's when the trailer knocked me down and proceeded to run over me. Yep, I was being run over by a trailer. It all seemed to happen in slow motion, and I remember thinking "please don't let it run over my face because I don't want to be any less attractive than I already am." (I was not allowed to wear makeup and I was not very purdy). Someone alerted the driver that he needed to stop, and he did and the trailer wheel was parked on my chest, touching my chin. I couldn't move. The driver backed the trailer back off of me, and I got up. I was not really hurt with the exception of some scrapes and pretty bad bruises on my leg. After determining medical attention was not needed, and assuring the driver of the truck I was not mad at him, we all left and went home. The next day when my mom picked me up, I did not tell her what happened, because I was sure she would blame me for the incident and ground me because that is what she did if she felt you deviated from the rules. And remember, when she grounded you, it was for a minimum of six weeks. ALWAYS! So, I hobbled around the remainder of the weekend and headed back to school Monday, where for once everyone was interested in how I was doing.

That afternoon when my mother picked me up from school, she asked me if there was anything I wanted to tell her. I knew at that moment she knew, although to this day she will not tell me who told her. And, for not telling her about getting run over by a trailer after homecoming in 1974, she grounded me... and yes, it was for six weeks.

Funny stuff said at the Family Reunion...

2010-09-15T15:24:00.001-05:00

I have a cousin named, "BUBBA"... Yes, I know that is a shocker. Bubba is about 23, pretty cute and pretty quiet. The following was a conversation between Bubba and my niece Ashley.

Ashley: Bubba, you got a girlfriend?

Bubba: Not really.

Ashley: You got a boyfriend?

Bubba: It would probably be less trouble if I did...

Now that was funny stuff.. I don't care who you are!!!

More random stuff about me that nobody cares about!!

2010-09-15T11:00:00.002-05:00

1. Do you do garage sales?

Yes, occasionally. And, I have helped my daughter give 2 garage sales, did most of the work, and gave her ALL the money.. And, we sold mostly my stuff..

2. Name the last thing you fixed?

I fixed a salad for dinner last night.. :)

3. Name your A) favorite item of makeup or B) your favorite tool.

Favorite makeup item is lip gloss from Ulta and my favorite tool is..... a hammer.. Yep, a hammer..

4. Which room in your home needs organizing more than any other?

I need to work on our home office.. again.. not that I think it will do any good since Hubby spends the greatest amount of time in there and HE is the reason it is a mess.. Fortunately no one ever sees it. Except me..

5. Which room could use re-decorating?

My bedroom. I have great stuff in there, but it NEEDS something, and I don't know what it is..

6. Share something unique about your town.

The Natchez Trace runs through our town and you can hop on there, day or night, and see wild turkey, deer, and other random animals. FYI... NEVER speed on the Trace.. trust me on this one..

7. If you could send a one sentence message to your great grandchild what would it be?

Hopefully I will live long enough to see my great-grandchildren, but I would tell them to love Jesus with all your heart, and be a giver, not a taker.

8. Do you facebook?

I do.. and I love it. Haven't been on there as often lately, but still love it.

9. Describe your favorite shoes.

My favorite shoes are a pair of Luchese cowboy boots I bought last year.. They were pricey, but worth every dime! I wear them a lot!

10. Do you listen to more talk radio or more music radio? What kind of station is it?

I HATE, HATE, HATE talk radio! Hubby LOVES, LOVES, LOVES talk radio!!! I don't get it, and don't want to get it.. I love listening to music, especially country music.

11. How far would you travel for a really good favorite meal?

Well, unfortunately, I don't particularly love traveling, so I would have to say, NOT FAR!!! We have lots of great restaurants around here, and I am good with any of those.

Now, wasn't that useful information!!!!

Family Reunion

2010-09-13T15:06:00.002-05:00

We had our annual family reunion this past weekend (mom's side of the family) and we had a great time. There were about 70 people there, and we were about 40 short. Even though my awesome cousins Nikki and her mom, Bobby, gave everyone plenty of notice, some of this particular bunch just choose not to come, and I cannot imagine why not. I love these events. I especially love it that we now have them at a State Park near my hometown, and this eliminates a lot of the work in trying to get someone's home ready. They kept the food simple, i.e, BBQ chicken, potato salad, coleslaw, baked beans, green beans and bread. Each family brought a dessert to share and drinks for their family, and it worked out great. There was very little food left over and that meant very little was wasted.

My mom's 3 oldest sisters were there, and they are 80, 82 and 84... I think. I know my grandmother had 12 children and they were all pretty much 2 years apart. That means she was pregnant off and on for TWENTY FIVE YEARS!!!! Actually, I think she had a couple of miscarriages along the way and was possibly pregnant even longer. Can you imagine!!!!!? I had one and that was PLENTY!

Even though 2 siblings didn't show up for unacceptable reasons, my mom included, and two have died, everyone had a great time, and it was really great to see everyone. Even though the oldest person there was 84, the youngest was a toddler. One thing about those Sanders' offspring, they do continue to reproduce at alarming rates, and we get to meet someone new every. single. year. Can't wait until next year!!!

And, on an even happier note, Daughter and I got in a little shopping for LSU attire before the reunion, and felt like we had won the lottery with all that we found!!!

GEAUX TIGERS!!!

Things I love....

2010-09-09T13:02:00.003-05:00

Things I love....

1. Benton and Bailey right after a bath.. (actually I love them all the time, but
there is just something about freshly bathed children...)

2. Sleeping on clean sheets...

3. The smell of fresh cut grass..

4. The smell of rain on a hot summer day..

5. The smell of a roast in the oven or crockpot..

6. The smell of fresh coffee.. I don't drink coffee, but I do like the smell of it
when it is first made.

7. The smell of clorox... It makes me think everything is clean..

8. The smell of a new vehicle with leather seats...

9. The smell of homemade buttermilk buscuits baking...(THIS NEVER HAPPENS AT MY
HOUSE... just saying..)

10. And last, but not least.. the first sip of MU!!! Just saying, again!!!

Labor Day Weekend, and another weekend too...

2010-09-07T14:30:00.003-05:00

Long time no write anything... I should have written about her lake trip right after we went so I could remember all the details. Of course, some of the details are slightly foggy due to lack of rest from sleeping with either an almost 4 year old, or a 6 year old, both of whom are very bad bed partners. The rest of the details are foggy from possibly drinking one too many MUs... But, I do remember having a great time, and hope the party moves to my house next year. It was the first (and hopefully not the last) JUGS weekend, even though men were there, and small children. We were well fed, and well entertained throughout the weekend...Thanks to all the girls who made it fun for all of us...

Labor Day weekend started off with me recovering from a bad sore throat and sinus infection, which actually caused me to seek medical attention so as not to ruin my long weekend... I missed two days of work, which I rarely do due to illness. I am NEVER sick, but when I do get sick, it is usually B-A-D!!! By Friday I was pretty sure I was going to live and was even able to keep Bailey Friday night through Monday afternoon, and kept Benton from Saturday afternoon through Monday evening. And yes, their mom was around during this time as well, except for Monday when she had to work. We had a great time playing, painting, talking, watching football, cooking, eating, and yes, drinking MUs..

Watching LSU was pretty painful, even though they won. The defense was NOT on at all. I would say the offense played decent, at best. NOT a good way to start a season for sure..

My boss has just requested that I do some actual work while I am at work, so therefore, I will go back to work...

Random questions...

2010-08-18T12:39:00.002-05:00

1. What is your favorite fair/carnival food? Chicken on a Stick from Penn's.. Delish!

2. Are you holding onto something you need to let go of? I don't think so..

3. What is your favorite gift to receive? I just love gifts.. Doesn't matter what it is... It is the element of surprise!

4. When was the last time you tried something new? On my birthday. I had seared tuna, which really means it is NOT cooked.. But, it was good. I wouldn't eat it everyday, but it was definitely something I will eat again.

5. What is your favorite and least favorite book genre? Favorite: Books that make laugh, or at least smile. Least Favorite: History! Ugh!

6.Silver or Gold? Either.. Seriously..

7. What makes you sigh? People who refuse to listen!

8. If you didn't know how old you are, how old would you claim you are? 40..

9. Would you break a law to save a loved one? To protect a loved one? No.

10. If you had to teach something, what would it be? Cooking.

11. You're having lunch with 3 people whom you respect and admire. They begin to criticize a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend. What do you do? Let them know they are talking about a friend in hopes they stop.

12. Which of the 5 Love Languages is your prominent means of experiencing love? Acts of Service.

And there you have it...

Final beach trip of the year...

2010-08-09T14:10:00.002-05:00

We spent last week at the beach with the grands, their mother and my niece. Much fun was had by most of us since most of us didn't imbibe too much and end up spending ALL day Thursday in the bed, and missing out on lots of great pool time with the kiddos. The three people who know me and read this blog will know exactly who I am talking about.. Thank back to the "shrimp" incident of approximately 1994 or so.. And, that is enough said about that...

We usually go to the beach, without ever actually going ON the beach. The mother of the grands was determined to spend the day ON the beach this year, and that is what we did. Benton was not too keen about this idea since he has seen shark week on several ocassions and was convinced sharks live EVERYWHERE in the ocean, and they are always looking for people to eat. Bailey has no issues with the water and went right in, even wading through 20 feet of seaweed to get to the clear blue water. Benton agreed to let me carry him out in the water and he was continuously asking about sharks. I told him there were people who watched for sharks and if there were sharks in the water, it was unlikely they would be in knee deep water, and the shark watchers would notify us immediately if one was spotted. We talked about all the fish we could see swimming around and in his excitement about the fish, and me possibly catching one with my bare hands, he agreed to stand in the water and hold my hand, just in case... you know.. a shark came after us. He eventually got comfortable in the water and ended up having a great time. Bailey enjoyed it immensely and even put on her goggles so she could go under and open her eyes. She didn't care too much for the taste of saltwater, but everything else about the experience was fun. When we finally returned to the room, Bailey opted to stay with Man and the rest of us headed back to the pool to rinse the salt water out of our crevices.

Bailey and Man had much fun. He gave her a bath at her request, dresssed her in a dress of her choosing, brushed her hair and then they headed out on their own. She did the bungy jump, had a pushup AND a bubblegum milkshake and eventually met up with us for dinner, where Bailey continued to eat. That girl will consume a Ceasar salad in a heartbeat! And, I guess that balances out all the junk Man let her eat on their outing...

The next day started bright and early at the pool and it was a fun day for most of us. We stayed in the pool most of the day and when we FINALLY went in, the grands crashed. Man and I went out to dinner alone and then met back with everyone to watch the Bee Movie outside. I had never watched it from beginning to end in one sitting, but got to this time and I loved it! After that was over, we pretty much called it a night.

The next day we headed home. With the exception of stopping every 20 to 30 minutes for the almost 4 year old to potty, it was an uneventful ride home, with the exception of Man's driving technique, which leaves a LOT to be desired.

I am always glad to get home after I have been gone for several days. And, I need to rest up for our next trip, minus Man and my niece, to create new memories with some great friends! JUGS!

Some good news!

2010-07-15T15:07:00.003-05:00

1. BP has finally been able to cap the oil spill, and this is GREAT news! This is only a temporary fix until they are able to cap it below the sea bed, but at least the flow of oil has stopped. Thank you God for answered prayers!

2. I cleaned my entire house last night. Hopefully it can stay that way until our guests arrive Saturday afternoon. I know there are a few areas I will have to re-visit, but for the most part it is clean and it should stay that way.

3. One of our mystery guests is a celebrity. Not a celebrity everyone would know about, but I would say a lot of women would know and recognize her.

4. She is bringing me a signed copy of her book. We are taking our guests to dinner Saturday night and then, for some local flavor, to a local restaurant/bar to listen to a well known local band.

5. I am actually going to cook brunch for a celebrity Sunday morning! Yes, I am brave like that! It will be simple so I don't risk screwing it up. And, we will have Mimosas, just in case I screw it up.. it will make everyone less aware. :)

More later...

Friends...

2010-07-12T14:18:00.000-05:00

I had lunch with a friend I used to work with the other day. She is very nice, but she never stops talking. AND I MEAN NEVER... When we worked together, she used to prop herself up on the door facing to my office, and I would literally have to leave my office to make her stop talking and go back to her own office. We have not worked together for almost two years now, but stay in touch through emails and ocassional lunches. We had not had lunch in a few months, but it worked out where we could have lunch this past week. She walked in the door talking about some procedure her father-in-law was having that day, and she never took a breath. She jumped from that to going camping, to her stepdaughter looking for a job, to someone in her office only working 3 days a week. Not one single time did she ever ask about me or my family, or anything going on in my life. NOT.ONE.SINGLE.QUESTION. I finished my food and drank two beers and she was still working on the other half of the one taco she ordered for lunch. She couldn't eat for talking. As I was paying for lunch, she finally said she wanted to come see my new house, and asked for directions. Then she proceeded to change the subject and start telling me about people she knew in my neighborhood, which ultimately led back to some story about her own house and possible warranty issues. I finally told her I was going in the store next to the restaurant so I would not have to walk to the parking lot with her and continue to listen to her ramblings. Am I the only one who thinks is it odd to never talk about anything other than what is going on in your own life for one solid hour??

Our pet frog who lives under the mini-fridge out back

2010-07-12T13:28:00.003-05:00

This morning when I let the dogs out, our pet frog had come out from under the fridge to look for a snack. Needless to say, four dogs discovered him almost immediately and in his effort to escape the four dogs who were about to sniff him to death, he hopped, hopped, hopped right into the dogs water bowl. And, he couldn't get out. Being the animal lover I am, (and yes, I know frogs are not technically "animals") I scooped him out, to save him from drowning, or to at least keep him from sitting in a shallow bowl of warm water all day. He hopped over behind the skeeter killing smoking machine and stayed there until I took the four dogs back in. I am sure he was thinking he was lucky to be alive. Just thought you would like to know that..

How to drive through a Roundabout...

2010-07-09T14:09:00.001-05:00

Do you know what a roundabout is? No? Well, do you know how to read? Yes? OK. Do you know how to follow "picture" directions? Yes? OK. Well then.. why did you go through the roundabout, that clearly says with words, pictures and an arrow in your lane, that you CANNOT MAKE A LEFT TURN FROM THE RIGHT LANE?????? And NO, turning on your blinker to indicate you are going to make a left turn from the right lane, REGARDLESS, does NOT make it OK either! I thought Louisiana girls were smarter than that!!! The only reason you didn't run into my vehicle is because I am aware no one knows how to drive through the roundabout, EXCEPT FOR ME,... and, I WAS PAYING ATTENTION!!!

My daily routine may be causing me problems...

2010-07-09T10:49:00.002-05:00

My daily routine is just that.. routine.. I am a robot in the mornings. I get up, put Dooley and Dreamy outside. Go back in and get Tux and Coco, and let them out. I stand in the middle of the yard hoping they will do their business out there instead of on the porch. Sometimes it works. We go in, and go in the bathroom so I can get ready for work. They eat, and sometimes play while I shower. Sometimes they watch me. Not because they think I still look good naked, but because they know as soon as the water is shut off, and I get dried off, they get a treat. Not sure how this became the ritual every morning, but nonetheless, it is. So, I give them a treat, I put on my moisturizer from head to toes, and begin the beautification process. Makeup, blowdry hair, put on deodorant, put on clothes, put on shoes, attempt to style hair, put on perfume, jewelry, make bed, take vitamins, make sure house is straight, kiss hubby good-bye and head to work.

This morning I had to run to WalMart for dog food and bird seed. VITAL STUFF! While walking through WalMart, I had a feeling I missed doing something this morning. Something that would come back to haunt me later in the day.. like when it starts really warming up around lunch time, or when I have a hot flash... I CAN'T REMEMBER IF I PUT ON DEODORANT THIS MORNING!! Everything happens in such order, I can't always remember if I actually did it or not. My routine just might be causing me problems and its time to shake it up a bit.

Happy Friday to me!

Long weekend...

2010-07-06T10:27:00.003-05:00

The grandkids were gone with their dad this weekend, so the weekend was relatively quiet.. My days were spent...

Friday after work... hanging out with my daughter and one of her friends.

Saturday morning.. Early morning bike ride with my daughter. I was a little slower than her because of the difference in the bike styles, but I was able to hang regardless. We rode 8 miles, which I thought was dang good. I like to ride and look at the scenery.. She likes to ride to burn calories. I think I am able to do both.

When we got back from bike ride, I cleaned my house.. It needed it..

Saturday afternoon.. early dinner with hubby at Philip's.. Best fried shrimp anywhere around these parts. And the view of the Reservoir is not bad either.

Saturday night.. sitting on the backporch with the dogs, listening to the frogs and crickets..

Sunday morning.. early morning bike ride with the hubby.. Couldn't stay gone as long because I needed to get home and get started on the ribs for an early afternoon BBQ with hubby's family. My family usually thinks it is too far to drive to come to my house and rarely do. I cooked Paul Dean's ribs, two tenderloins, baked potatoes, green salad, fresh peas, fresh corn on the cob, garlic bread ...and for dessert.. berries with homemade cream.. it WAS TO DIE FOR!!!

Sunday night we watched The Time Traveler's Wife. It was good, but I thought it was sad.

Monday.. Hubby and I were off work and went on another bike ride. I made it 10.7 miles. The .7 was really hard. I was tired. But I made it. We then got dressed and did a little shopping and had lunch at Mugshots.. They have been voted as having the best burger in Mississippi 4 years in a row. I didn't get one because it is way too big for me and I had no one to share one with, but it looked really good. Hubby got the BBQ pulled pork sandwich and the little taste I had was VERY good. I had a grilled chicken ceasar salad and it was good too. And the beer was very cold, which is a must!

And today, it is back to work!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!

2010-07-03T17:00:00.001-05:00

Let's not forget how we obtained the freedoms we have today!!!

Point Clear Alabama..

2010-06-16T11:08:00.002-05:00

We are back from the first beach trip of the year, and I am happy to announce, no oil was seen, or smelled.. Benton and Bailey overheard conversations about the oil spill and were very concerned we were going to see it while at the beach. Bailey described it as "disgusting" and Benton was concerned about the animals that have died as a result, and that are going to die if it is not contained soon.

On a lighter note, we took them the battleship in Mobile, and they could have cared less. I was pretty sure they were not going to be interested, but Man loves history and wanted to take a tour and used them as a reason to go. Having been there many years ago, and realizing battleships DO NOT HAVE AIR CONDITIONING, I knew it would be a short lived tour. The kids didn't care about it, and Man doesn't like to sweat. We were back on the road shortly thereafter and headed to our destination which was about 20 minutes away.

As soon as we arrived at the hotel, me and the kids put on our suits and headed to the pool. The kids were excited about getting to go down the super slide until we realized the rules had changed since our last trip to The Grand and they no longer allowed small children to sit in on an adult's lap and go down the slide. If they weren't 4 feet tall, they could not go down. BUMMER!!! Both were disappointed, but were appeased by the fact that G will stand in the "deep" water and let them swim to her 99 times each, and to them, this was fun times. The only time I got to rest, was when the nice people at the pool offered tattoos of the kids' favorite cartoon characters, and when they realized they sold popsicles at the pool. Four dollar popsicles to be exact.. times 2! But it was money well spent, because it meant I got to undulge in an adult beverage, or two.

And let's not forget the time Bailey jumped in the "deep" water while I was helping Benton look for something in our beach bag which was sitting on the pool deck, and when I turned around, she was swimming back to the steps. Hopefully none of my goods were exposed as I ran back to the pool, jumped in and grabbed her out of the water. She came up smiling. I told her to NEVER jump in the pool again unless I was already in the water, and she said "OK G"... and she was good to go. Then there was the older lady who was standing in the middle of the pool who actually witnessed Bailey jumping in the deep water, and was doing her best to get to her, but it is hard to run in chest deep water. It just doesn't work very well. I thanked her for her efforts though and hoped she believed me when I told her I had warned Bailey to NOT go in the deep water when I am not in there.

We had lots of fun doing whatever the kids wanted to do. When they wanted to swim, I did, and when they wanted to walk around the resort and explore, I did. Outside one of the restaurants they have a putting green and the kids are welcome to play on it. I was able to sit outside, in the shade, while being waited on by Sophie, and watch the kids play to their heart's content. It was perfect to me. We also walked on the beach, looked for tar balls, didn't find any, and then we would go back to the room and talk about renting 14.00 movies. I only agreed to this one night.

When Benton discovered we could actually have breakfast brought to the room, he requested Fruit Loops. "Room service" Fruit Loops are expensive at resorts. $6.50 a bowl to be exact. But, since he had never had room service, I caved and ordered it one morning and $51.80 later, they had ingested one bowl of Fruit Loops each, Bailey ate a few berries off the fruit bowl I ordered, and both mostly ignored the two glasses of orange juice I had ordered. Lesson learned. No more room service. The next morning, we went to the dining room to eat and they both had Fruit Loops, FOR FREE!!!! You live and learn.

We had fun, and look forward to the next beach trip to Sandestin in August. I don't look forward to the laundry, but I do look forward to the trip!

"Coke" pants.

2010-06-02T11:47:00.001-05:00

I remember having a pair of "Coke" pants when I was a teenager. I was rarely in style when I was a teenager, but I was definitely in style for a brief period of time... with my Coke pants.

Things I remember - part 2..

2010-05-30T09:48:00.000-05:00

1. I remember riding the bus from Shreveport Louisiana to Bastrop Louisiana to see my grandparents.

2. I remember sleeping with my mama and brothers in a full size bed at my grandparents' house.

3. My grandparents lived in a wood frame house, and in the winter, we only used the heater in the room where we watched TV, or in the bathroom when we took a bath. We did not use heaters at night while sleeping. We slept under handmade quilts.. several of them. It was still F-R-E-E-Z-I-N-G!! We depended on each other's body heat, a lot!

4. In the summertime, we had window fans and attic fans to keep us cool. My grandparents house looked like a duplex with two front doors. The door on the left walked into the living room and from the living room you went into the kitchen, and then you walked into what was at one time a porch, but my grandpa turned it into a bedroom. The front door on the right walked directly into a bedroom, and from that bedroom, you walked into another bedroom, and then a very small hall with a bathroom on the right and a door into the kitchen on the left. If you kept walking straight through the hall, there was another bedroom, and through that bedroom was another bedroom. The house was not big, but it had 5 bedrooms. Most were only big enough for a bed and only two of the bedrooms had closets. Very small closets. Not big enough to hold the collection of blue jeans I currently own. In the summertime, we closed off the left side of the house and turned on the attic fan so we would be comfortable while we slept. I remember sleeping very well during our summertime visits back then.

5. My grandparents grew almost everything they ate. They had Goldie the cow for milk, butter and cream, and chickens for eggs, and for frying. We didn't name the chickens. They were never around long enough. The only thing I ever remember them buying from the grocery store was stuff like flour, sugar, tea and lard. Not cooking oil, but lard. That white stuff in a can. And they used it over and over again. I am not sure how they determined it was time to throw it away. During the summer we spent a lot of time at my grandparents sitting on the front porch shelling peas, butter beans, snapping green beans, and canning and freezing all this stuff for use during the winter. My grandpa sold some of the stuff to make extra money. They were definitely poor, but they were never without something good to eat.

6. I remember Christmas time at my grandparents. They had twelve kids... Seven boys and five girls. And they raised one of their granddaughters as their own child. Can you imagine having thirteen kids to feed and clothe??? I think the age difference between the oldest child, who is still living, and the youngest, who died from cancer a few years ago, was about 27 years. My grandmother was having babies for 27 years, and if I remember correctly, she miscarried a couple of times. My grandparents had grandchildren that were older than their youngest child. But, Christmas at my grandparents was always fun. Everyone came to their house. Twelve kids, their spouses, if they were married, and their children's children. Christmas was not about presents back then. It was about spending time with family, eating, fireworks and hoping Santa would come. My grandmother made an effort to buy each family a gift every year. I don't know how she did it, but she did. I remember she gave my mom a non-stick pot one year and mama never liked that pot. She couldn't use her metal spoons in it because it would scratch the non-stick surface. Seriously... Now all she wants is non-stick pots.

More exciting stuff to come...

Things I remember..

2010-05-29T09:29:00.001-05:00

One of my earliest childhood memories is of my family living in Shreveport, Louisiana in a 4 room duplex. There was a living room, one bedroom, a bathroom and a kitchen. I believe I was between 3 and 4 years old. My youngest brother had not made his way into the world yet. My dad was in barber school and we lived there for whatever length of time he was in school. We did not have a car. We rode the bus or walked wherever we needed to go. I remember my mama telling my daddy she had a headache one night. Being the helpful person that I am, I volunteered to get her an aspirin. To my knowledge, aspirin was the only headache remedy that existed back then. I ran to the kitchen, climbed up in a chair, and then climbed on the counter, grabbed the bottle of aspirin, removed the top (no such thing as child proof tops back then) and then I dropped the bottle and aspirin went everywhere. In my effort to cover up this incident, I started eating the aspirin. And then mama walked in. She wanted to know what I was doing and I told her I was getting her an aspirin for her headache. I don't think it took her long to realize what I had done. I don't remember how I got to the hospital, to get my stomach pumped, but I do remember being there and waking up in a semi-private room with another girl who was older then me, and who had a giant stuffed bear sitting by her bed. I remember eating cornflakes for breakfast. I didn't like cornflakes either. I am pretty sure I only spent one night in the hospital since we didn't have health insurance. I have no idea what that incident cost my parents, or if it cost them anything at all. But, I did learn a lesson from this experience. Don't eat what you drop on the floor. It might make you sick.

Life goes on...

2010-05-28T09:05:00.002-05:00

My mama is selling her house. I never thought I would see the day she would do this without being forced to do so. She has lived in this house for 28 years, and for 26 of those years, she has lived there alone. My dad died about 2 years after they moved there. The house is not big, but it sits on three acres, and it all has to be mowed and maintained weekly. She is almost 72 and mowing 3 acres every week has started to take a toll on her. And, she still works 3 days a week at a local grocery store, and she is ready to retire from doing that as well. There is a Pentecostal Church behind her house that has wanted her house and property for quite some time. The Pastor told her if she ever got ready to sell to let him know. She met with him yesterday and they will be getting an appraisal, hopefully agree on a price, and conclude the sale by the end of June. She is leaving the town she has lived in for over 46 years and moving 20 miles down the road to another town, which is where she spends a lot of time anyway. She has friends there, she shops there, she socializes there, and it only makes sense to live there. She found an apartment in an area that only allows senior citizens over 60 to reside. She has friends that already live in that community and they love it. Although she is excited about moving somewhere new, she is very sad to be leaving her home. I am sad for her, but at the same time, I am excited about a fresh start for her.

I will head over there tomorrow to help begin the process of getting rid of things she won't be taking with her. Although her house is small, the apartment is smaller and she won't be able to use everything she has accumulated over the years. She is not one to keep things she doesn't need, so it should not be a difficult move.

I believe the move will be good for her. The road in front of her house will soon be a four lane highway, which means the highway be a lot closer to her house, and the sound of the 18 wheelers coming through will be even louder. I believe it is time for her to move on to a smaller place, with no maintenance, and lots of friends close by. I believe she will be happier, feel safer, and hopefully enjoy being a retiree. I believe fresh starts are a good thing. I believe life goes on...

At some point in time...

2010-05-24T11:01:00.003-05:00

I will have to take a break from the new home and stop working so hard every single minute I am there, and just simply enjoy being there. I think I might be obsessed with keeping it perfect ALL THE TIME, and it is wearing me out.. I am sure with time, this will pass, but for now, I am constantly mopping, dusting, straightening, etc. I did actually sit on the back porch for a little while yesterday morning and watch the birds eat all the bird seed I have been steadily plying them with since we moved in. But, even that was short lived because I needed to water all the plants I planted and go to the grocery store since my husband expects to eat a couple of times a day on weekends, and it is MY job to make sure he gets fed well.

I actually thought I was going to have a couple of guests late yesterday afternoon, but when it got close to dark-thirty, I assumed it was not happening. Shortly thereafter, I received a text confirming it wasn't going to happen.. All I can say is, things might not be so tidy next time!

I did order custom window treatments for my bedroom on Saturday. That was a first for me. We usually don't have "window treatments" in our house, and if we do, they are called "curtains" and they are purchased "ready made" from places like Target and Bed, Bath & Beyond, and do not costs as much as a week long trip to the beach, but we splurged this one time and I think it will be worth it. I plan to put "curtains" in several rooms, but I will either make them myself, or buy something I like that is ready made and make any adjustments to them that I think are necessary.. I did buy curtains from Pier One for the downstairs guestroom, and added a piece of contrasting fabric to the bottom and they look fantastic. It took about three hours to measure, cut, sew, iron, install rods and hang, but it was well worth it. They look fantastic!

I also finally got the remainder of my clothes moved from the guest room, where our old bedroom furniture is now located, to the chest in the master bedroom. I also mopped, dusted and vacuumed inside, and rearranged the back porch to make it more user friendly. We hung a TV on the back porch, so I had to rearrange some of the furniture around the TV. The grandkids will be delighted when they realize they can play outside and watch Spongebob!!!

Now I am back at work.. and resting.. at least for now...

Randomness of my life...

2010-05-20T10:22:00.004-05:00

I saw these questions on another blog and decided who I am not to let you know this mundane stuff about me that is of zero importance to anyone, other than me of course.

1. What is the really fast, know-by-heart "go-to" meal to fix in a pinch?

Grilled chicken, grilled squash, and salad. My grilled chicken is awesome if I do say so myself.. Now let me pause a moment to give myself a pat on the back.. PAT! PAT! PAT!!

2. What is one item you won't leave home without (Purse and license do not count).

For some people it is phones.. not me.. I absolutely will not leave home without lipstick. If I do, I will stop at the nearest CVS, Walgreen's, Walmart, etc. to buy some.

3. Where is one place you never tire of visiting? The beach.. I NEVER, EVER get tired of going there..

4. Share one factoid of your family's history.... My great-grandfather was the sheriff of some town in Louisiana when Bonnie & Clyde came through and robbed a bank.. that's what my mama told me..

5. If you could win a one year's supply of anything, what would it be? Without any hesitation whatsoever.. Michelob Ultra.

6. Complete this sentence: "Once upon a time I....I was going to be a nun.. Seriously.. Stop laughing!!!!

7. One quirky thing you may not know about me is.... Hmmmm.. Do I have a quirk?

8. You have one dollar in your pocket. What will you buy? I would go to Sonic during happy hour and buy a large Dr. Pepper.

9. One thing that always makes me laugh is....my grandchildren.. and Rules of Engagement.. I love that show!

10. What is one thing you could do today to help yourself reach a personal goal? Actually put the DVD of Jillian Michael's Shred in the player and do what they are doing!

11. What is one thing you could do today to bless someone else? Smile and say hello.. Sometimes that is all someone needs to make them have a better day.

12. What is one thing you are looking forward to soon? Going to the beach with the grandest kids of all in less than three weeks!!! I don't know who is more excited.. me or them...

And there you have it..

Her life was over way too soon....

2010-05-18T08:53:00.003-05:00

One of my daughter's friends died last night. Julie was 34 years old and had a six year old daughter. She had not seen her daughter in a couple of weeks because she had been so sick and didn't want her daughter to see her in the condition she was in. Julie had medical problems that at the age of 19, she needed a mechanical valve to make her heart work properly. Because of this, she had been on blood thinners for approximately 15 years. She has had some health problems along the way, but she always recovered, although sometimes it was a slow recovery. Recently, she became ill, and it was really tough on her. Her kidneys were failing her, and then she developed a staph infection that got into her blood, which for her was very serious. She almost didn't recover from the staph infection, but then finally made a comeback and was almost ready to go home this past Sunday and be reunited with her daughter. She woke up during the early morning hours Sunday to go to the bathroom. When she came out, she mentioned to her cousin who was staying with her that she felt like she was having a stroke. Julie had worked in the ER and on an ambulance for years and knew the signs and symptoms of a stroke. Almost as quickly as she announced she felt like she was having a stroke, she did. She was immediately taken in for a CT scan and it was discovered she had a blood clot that had moved to her brain and ruptured a vessel, which caused a severe bleed. She was rushed to surgery, but the damage was done. They removed the clot, but the bleed continued to get worse. Her brain was swelling and whatever doctors normally do when the brain swells was not working on her. Julie once told my daughter that if she ever got really sick, she would most likely not survive it. This time she was really sick, and she did not survive it. For people who are on blood thinners, coming off of them for any length of time can be fatal.

Julie knew there was a good chance that someday someone might have to make a decision about whether or not to take her off of life support, and because of that, she had given a doctor friend her medical power of attorney. She didn't want to live as a vegetable, and if she couldn't live her life at least as it was before she was sick, then she wanted to be let go. At approximately 10:00 P.M. last night, she took her last breath on her on. I am sad for my daughter in that she has lost a friend, but I really sad for a little girl who will grow up without her mother.

What's been going on at G's House...

2010-05-13T12:13:00.002-05:00

I will number what has been going on at G's House...

1. We have moved! And .... every single box has been unpacked!! Everything is in its place, at least for now. Pictures are hung, kitchen is organized (thanks to my Mother-in-law who is OCD about organizing stuff), garage is emptier than it has ever been at any house we have lived in, attic is organized, storage room is organized, plants have been planted, and everything works!

2. Two weeks ago today, the movers were delivering our furniture to our new house, along with a couple of furniture store deliveries. Everything went smoothly, even though it was a lot of hard work.. A LOT OF HARD WORK!!!

3. Here we are two weeks later, and I can actually sit and watch TV if I want too. I don't, but I can. I personally prefer to sit out on the back porch, or front porch and listen to the birds, while sipping on an adult beverage.

4. I have been digging up rose bushes, which I don't like dealing with, and planting new stuff in their place. Digging up rose bushes sucks. I was attacked by a couple of them, and they did leave a few marks, but I won in the end. They are now laying by the street waiting on the garbage men.

5. I had my family and mother-in-law over for Mother's Day, which was 10 days after I moved in, and I think it went well. I did all the cooking, except for a really good dessert prepared by my sister-in-law. But, I kept the meal easy.. Tenderloin on the grill, Paula Dean's Wild Rice and Shrimp Casserole, corn on the cob, salad, french bread and carrot cake. Good stuff, even if I do say so myself.

6. And then, when my family left, I took a nap.. a much needed nap. The first nap in a long, long time. It wasn't a long nap, but it did the job.

7. Yesterday I went and got a much needed pedicure and manicure. It was good stuff. Ms. Judy gives an awesome pedicure.

8. I haven't seen my grandchildren since Sunday. I am having huge withdrawals. I may keep them all weekend long!!! Night and Day...

9. A company my firm deals with gave me two tickets to see the Mississippi Braves on Sunday, and I had already planned to take the grandkids to that game, and now I have two free tickets! WooHoo!!

10. I am having a cookout Friday night for my niece who just graduated from nursing school!! Congratulations Lene!

11. I ordered Brownies by David from HSN and they have arrived!!! They are to die for!!!

12. I also ordered a Carribean Chiller from HSN and it has arrived!!! Pina Coladas are in my future!

12. I bought three REALLY CUTE t-shirts at The Loft at lunch for less than $30.00.. They were regularly 29.99 each and 34.99 each.. Woohoo! They can be dressed up or down.

And that, is what is going on with me these days...

Arts on the Avenue..

2010-04-23T10:31:00.002-05:00

That is the name of the function at Benton's school we attended last night. As soon as I picked them up from daycare yesterday, he informed me he wanted to attend Arts on the Avenue last night, and we did. And, they could not have been any sweeter. We arrived early, got our hands stamped so we could participate in arts and crafts functions and the fun began. When we walked into the school, we had to pass through the silent auction area. Benton wanted to know what all the stuff was sitting out for. I explained in great detail how a silent auction worked, and he was hooked. He had me put my name on several things he was interested in. I reminded him we would have to check back from time to time to make sure we were still high bidder and he was good with that. We looked at the art projects he had created, as well as art projects created by his entire class. I am telling you it was very impressive what they came up with.

We wandered into the area where individual artists were set up giving demonstrations of their skills. Benton was fascinated by it all, especially the pottery guy and the lady painting still life. In fact when we got home, he picked up a tablet and pen and starting drawing a picture of a vase of tulips Brandy had sitting on her breakfast room table. I have offered several times to pay for art lessons, but so far, he wants to do it on his own.

Bailey was fascinated by the ballet dancers. And to be totally honest, Benton loves him some ballet. He was introduced to ballet when he was 2 by his great grandmother and he was hooked. One of the items we bid on at the silent auction was a DVD of Ballet Magnificat - The Story of Ruth. He has seen this previously live, but wanted the DVD. Once the dancers left the stage, Bailey even talked to a couple of them. I was not close enough to hear what was said, but the fact she even talked to a stranger without me or her mother around was pretty impressive.

We ended the night by listening to a group of third graders playing music on a flute like instrument, and let me tell you, it was very well done. The music teacher at Benton's school is awesome and he loves her. Benton and Bailey sat mesmerized through the entire mini-concert. Once this was done, we headed back to check on our auction items and the auction was over. Unfortunately, we only won one thing, but fortunately, it was the item that Benton was the most concerned we might not win.. THE DVD OF THE BALLET!!!! $5.00 later it was his to take home. Bailey then declared she was hot and it was giving her a "hurt head" and she was ready to go.

We got home, took baths and settled down with ballet DVD. Benton fell asleep while watching it, and Bailey watched it in its entirety.

Another fabulous night with two of the people I love the most in this world!!!!

A few more things happening in my life right now...

2010-04-22T14:55:00.003-05:00

Some of these are repeats.. I think..

1. Tonight I am keeping the grands while their mom is in school.. We are going to the mall, per Benton's request, to get a pretzel, and then to Cazadores for Mexican.. It is their favorite place to eat, and I love to take them there by myself. Just me and them.. Lots of interesting conversation...

2. I am almost done with the packing. Everything that can be put in a box, is pretty much in a box. Except for the stuff we have to use daily.. like our toothbrushes...

3. We close on our current house Monday at 10:00 A.M.

4. We close on our new house Monday at 2:00 P.M.

5. We do the final walk through of the new house Sunday afternoon.. The buyer of our house does her walk through Monday morning at 9:00.. I hate she has to do this in the midst of a mess, but I will have the bathrooms and kitchen very clean and very empty by that time.

6. I have only been in the house we are buying 2 times, and there are numerous things I cannot remember about it.

7. We have bought some new furniture for the new house, even though there are some things I cannot remember about the new house. Hopefully it will all fit!

8. I am hungry for some crawfish.. Seriously!

9. I am very, VERY tired of living in a mess. I have washed all the bedding, from the mattresses up, on every bed, before packing it. I have washed many loads of dishes that were dusty simply from sitting in the cabinets, and gotten rid of many useless things along the way. I am making sure the inside of all cabinets and drawers are cleaned once all items are removed. I would only hope someone else is doing this in anticipation of someone new moving into their house!!!

10. All the work I have to do in the next few days makes me want a cold adult beverage. RIGHT NOW!

Moving....

2010-04-15T08:22:00.003-05:00

Moving sucks... I didn't realize just how much stuff we owned, until I started the packing process. I have been packing for 4 weeks now, and although I thought I was just about done, I realized last night just how far from done I am. I made some headway last night, but there is still so much more to be done, and I am doing it mostly by myself. Hubby is no help. He has packed three boxes. Yep, three boxes. Two of those were his guns, which all reside in gun cases. The third box, he packed last night, consisted of various motorcycle apparel, and other useless stuff that he had forgotten about BECAUSE HE NEVER USES IT, but yet he refuses to part with it. And, when it was time to close the box and tape it shut, he NEEDED MY HELP!! All I could do was laugh. I have packed over 100 boxes of stuff in the past 4 weeks and not once have I needed any assistance to tape the box shut. When I told him this, he disputed the fact that I have packed over 100 boxes already. That was his only defense. I asked him if he would like for me to stop helping him tape his box of stuff shut, and start counting the boxes I have packed. He declined.

Next week will be a killer, but I am getting excited about the move. This house has more room, and the most exciting part of the house is the kitchen. It is a lot more people friendly than my current house and I am really looking forward to having people over. My current house has a huge deck out back that I absolutely love and it will be hard to give it up. But, my new house has a large covered porch out back with ceiling fans and a beautiful back yard that backs up to the Natchez Trace. I will be able to sit out back, even it if is raining.

Two weeks from today, the movers will be unloading my stuff at a new address. Another new beginning. One that I am excited about.

Busy Easter weekend...

2010-04-05T11:27:00.003-05:00

My weekend started about 3:45 Thursday afternoon.

The grandkids spent the night with me Thursday night since school/daycare was out/closed Friday. By 7:30 Friday morning, we were all dressed and on our way to Sonic for breakfast. From there we went to Walmart, where Benton spent approximately 25 minutes picking out an Easter basket. And, he didn't want one with cars, or soccer balls or baseballs. He ultimately decided on the $1.00 blue plastic bucket. Then, we had to find stuff to put in the bucket. We came up with 2 plastic snakes, a tablet, some pens and bubbles. Bailey took about 1.2 seconds to pick out an Ariel doll that she could play with in the tub. By the time I got what I needed from Walmart, and the stuff we didn't need, we had been in there for 2 hours!!! We went home to unload our bags, and then headed to Renaissance for some pictures. They took their bubbles and were blowing them while hanging out in a play area. They finally decided it was too windy to be out there and wanted to go eat Mexican, which we did, and then headed back to my house for "rest"... we can't call it a nap in front of Bailey or else she won't lay down. She is afraid she will miss something if she should fall asleep. They both "rested" for a couple of hours, which meant rest for me too. I finally took them home to their mama, and came back to my own house and "rested"...

Saturday hubby and I went to look at furniture, and then to eat craw fish. I needed another "rest," but didn't get it since I was in charge of the Easter feast and needed to get started on that. Since I am in the middle of packing, we did Easter at Brandy's house this year. I took everything there, and cooked or at least got everything oven ready for Sunday. The kids finally rested again, and I helped Brandy work on her deck. We spray painted numerous pots, stands and chairs and then planted numerous plants. By the time we were done, it was worthy of a several page spread in a magazine.. When I was getting ready to leave her house, I discovered you should not spray paint stuff while wearing flip-flops.. Soooo, I went home and used lots of finger nail polish remover to remove the spray paint from my feet, and re-do the pedicure I had just given myself 3 days earlier.

Easter morning, I did some things around my house and then headed to Brandy's to finalize lunch, and if I do say so myself, it was delicious..

Today, it is back to the grind. And, I am tired..

Things happening in my life right now...

2010-03-29T09:52:00.003-05:00

1. On February 28, 2010 we listed our house for sale. And, having done this a couple of years ago, and never getting a single offer, and with the housing market in the shape it is in, I was not very optimistic about a quick sale and proceeded with my spring cleaning.

2. Several people looked at the house since it was a new listing. I was cleaning every single day to keep things nice and neat for potential buyers.

3. On March 8, 2010, we had a potential buyer look at the house that seemed to "look" a little longer than the others.

4. On March 13, 2010 I took all the screens off the windows, cleaned the windows inside and out, scrubbed the window ledges, and cleaned the blinds. I also cleaned out the laundry room, threw away some useless stuff, made a pile for Goodwill, made a pile for mama, etc.

5. On March 14, 2010, we got a contract on our house. I think it is because I cleaned the windows. :)

6. On March 16, 2010 my husband went to look at houses without me because I DO NOT LIKE LOOKING AT HOUSES!!! And, he found one he thought I would like.

7. On March 17, 2010, I went to look at the house he thought I would like, as well as three others. I picked the one he thought I would like.

8. Long story short, we made an offer, negotiated a few things for a few days, and we now have a contract. Home inspections are complete and we close on both houses in 4 weeks. Moving day is April 28, 2010.

9. I started packing this weekend. Upstairs is completely packed. Brandy helped me pack Saturday morning and we have packed the dining room and part of the den. Yesterday I packed a lot of kitchen stuff. No dishes, but cookbooks and stuff. I had 4 large boxes of cookbooks.

10. Today, I am tired, and it is only just beginning....

Another busy weekend...

2010-03-15T14:04:00.003-05:00

I think I can find something to do at home, at any time of the day or night. I am forever moving from one room to another looking for projects. Or, if I do sit down to watch TV, I think of at least 5 other things I could be doing, and sometimes just get up and start doing them.

I did take off work this past Friday for a "ME" day.. Unfortunately, it is never completely a ME day because if my husband knows I am off, he plans stuff like getting his car serviced, or detailed, and then needs a ride home, or somewhere else, and it doesn't matter where I am or what I am doing. He still wants a ride because he would rather be home watching TV than at Gateway Tire watching their TV with the same exact shows. Does it really matter where you watch TV? And, just to be clear, when I say a ME day, which happens about once every 4 months, I am still running errands that benefit my husband, and other family members, but I am doing it at my own pace, and not in the usual running-around-like-a-chicken-with-my-head-cut-off pace on my lunch hour. Just to be clear! And, there are times I tell NO ONE I am taking off.. I will actually get dressed, go to work, and when the coast is clear, take off and do my own thing.

Daughter and I were still in the midst of pedicures and I was getting my nails done when my husband called, twice, to check on my whereabouts. He actually had another ride lined up, but didn't want to watch TV for 30 minutes somewhere other than home until that person could come get him. So, off I go, and there is an hour of ME time that I will never see again. So, I have a Michelob Ultra, earlier than planned, and adjust my attitude. Anyway, I get to do a couple of things I want to do, find a couple of things I really wasn't looking for, which was a pleasant surprise, and then we head to get the grandest kids of all from daycare. Benton simply wanted to go home. Bailey wanted to go to my house. Benton loves being at home and Bailey loves being anywhere but home. So, we went to their house, and hung out for a while before I headed home for the evening.

Saturday morning I was awake at 3:00 A.M. and after much tossing and turning, got up at 4:30, read the paper and decided to make my Walmart run while everyone else in the Metro area was sleeping. I saw three other customers. I love going to Walmart early in the morning. I can go with a ball cap and no makeup. When I got home, I started cleaning the house since someone was coming to see it at 11:30. I ran some more errands in the afternoon and then took a nap. That was about the extent of my Saturday, other than continued miscellaneous cleaning and organizing.

Sunday morning I was up bright and early to enjoy the Daylight Savings Time and decided to clean the windows, and they are now so clean, it almost looks like there are no windows.. I also did a lot of laundry, and washed other things that needed to be washed. For there to be only two of us, I sure do a LOT of laundry.

We briefly rode around and looked for houses, but I do believe this is one of my LEAST favorite things to do. My husband loves going in and out of houses, but I do NOT like it at all. My philosophy is we now know the area we live in very well. When our house sells, we can easily pull up available houses we like, in the areas we like, on the internet and have a realtor take us around for tours. Until then, I just don't want to ride around and gawk at available houses. NOT FUN!!!! I would MUCH rather be sitting on the deck at Philip's eating crab nachos and drinking a Michelob Ultra.

And That, was my weekend. If you are interested..

Busy weekend....

2010-03-09T15:08:00.002-06:00

My weekend started with a birthday celebration for my niece who turned 25 this past Saturday. We celebrated Friday since I knew she would want to be with her friends on her actual birthday.

Benton had his first sleepover Friday night. I think it went pretty well. His mom said she would definitely do it again.

Saturday morning I cleaned like a wild woman. Having the housed listed for sale is a royal pain in my rear. I don't mind cleaning, but it seems like that is ALL I do these days. But, when I was done, we headed to A.J.'s on the Lake for the first crawfish of the season and although they were a little small, they were GOOD!!! We sat outside by the lake and thoroughly enjoyed them. Bailey even joined in the fun and peeled and ate a few. She did point out they had eyes and wondered if they were watching her.

Saturday night, we just hung out at my house..

Sunday hubby had some stuff to do at his office, so I had the morning to myself to get a few things done, and then I watched the grandest kids of all while Daughter ran to the gym. After that hubby called and wanted my help doing some things at his office. I then treated myself to a hydration therapy treatment, which was quite nice, even though it got a little warmer than I expected. My skin felt better when it was done.

For dinner, I grilled chicken, baked potatoes and made a salad. It was some good stuff.

I was not ready for Monday. But I am ready for Friday.

LOUD MARKS!!!!!

2010-03-04T09:30:00.002-06:00

I picked the kids up from daycare on Tuesday since their mom had school that night, and we headed to G's house. As soon as we got in the truck, Benton started reading Cat in the Hat to me, non-stop, except when interrupted by his sister, who was just not that interested in Cat in the Hat. When we arrived at my house, he read some more and Bailey continued to interrupt and ask for Popsicles and ice cream. He did stop reading so he could share the Popsicle and an ice cream cone experience, and then he read some more. This is pretty much how the night went until right before they went to bed. When he was winding it down, he asked me if I knew what these "!" marks were at the end of the sentences, and before I could answer, he told me they were called "LOUD MARKS" and the more there were, the louder you could be. I laughed out loud!!!!!

After giving both a bath, I asked Bailey if she wanted me to brush her hair and she said "No G, I do it myself." So, she dragged the brush down each side of her head and declared the job well done. I asked her if I could finish the back, and she said "yes, but if I say ow then you are doing it too hard G and you need to stop."

What comes out of their little mouths never ceases to amaze me.

"Swamp Thing"

2010-03-02T12:51:00.002-06:00

I was reading some of my favorite blogs earlier and came across one that referred to Vienna as "Swamp Thing." That's pretty dang funny! I don't care who you are..

I truly believe if Ali had stayed on the show, she would have been "the one." She seemed to have it more together than all the others, especially Vienna. Any woman/girl who believes she doesn't need friends, is going to be in serious trouble IF she ever gets married. Who will she have as attendants and who will throw her bridal showers?? The way I see it, she may be standing alone at the altar, if she makes it that far, and if she has any kind of shower, I hope she has some relatives who can tolerate her enough to at least throw her a shower. She came across as very self-centered, and immature. Several times she made the statement "this is the life I want," and then followed it up with "this is the man I want." I think she wants "the life" and the only way to get "the life," was to "win the man," which she did by a landslide after Ali left the show. Good luck Jake.. you are going to need it to hang on to this one. I can't wait to see how she handles you spending 10 to 12 hours a day practicing for Dancing with Stars with some HOTTIE professional dancer!!!

I am tired.....

2010-03-01T14:08:00.002-06:00

This weekend was a busy one. Friday night I had dinner with friends to celebrate a birthday. Not my birthday, a friend's birthday. I don't want anyone to think they missed MY birthday!!! LOL! We had dinner at Walker's and it was beyond fabulous! I had grilled shrimp and grits... There are no words.....

I stayed up really late, at least me for me it was really late, and it was hard to get out of bed the next morning, but four doggies' need to go outside, in the cold, at 5:45 A.M. was urgent, and the racket they were making would not allow me to sleep anyway. Hubby, yes.. Me, no.... So, I got up and tended to them, read the paper, and proceeded with some cleaning projects, laundry, plucking my eyebrows, shopping for new throw pillows for my sofa, a brief nap, more cleaning and straightening, etc.

And, Sunday was not much different, except I was in a mood to get rid of stuff. After 26 years of marriage, and a husband who is a serious pack rat, you can only imagine the amount of stuff we accumulated over the years. He hates to get rid of anything, even clothes that he will NEVER wear again. He cleaned out his closet SEVERAL years ago and made me keep about 30 pairs of pants he wanted to "save" for some reason. Reality is, he was never going to wear those pants again, even if they did fit. They were past their prime, but he wanted me to keep them and I did, for almost seven years. I put them in a plastic container and kept them in the closet upstairs until recently and then I hauled them to Goodwill, without further discussion. He has not asked about them in seven years, and since just yesterday he asked me when Valentine's Day was (I am serious!), I am pretty sure he has finally forgotten about the plastic container of pants. We also still have his scuba suit he wore the last time he went scuba diving in 1982 and I think it is safe to say, he isn't going to wear it again. And, even if he could still wear it, can you imagine what would happen to it after 28 years, if he were to try it on. I would imagine it would just create a cloud of dust as it disintegrated right before our eyes. We also have a framed picture of his Doberman named Smokey, that was taken by Olan Mills Studios in 1981. I can understand keeping the picture, but lets get rid of the frame. It will not be gracing our walls, or tables, ever, and it is broken. But, he wants to keep it. He also likes to keep boxes that stuff came in. We bought a really nice TV about 3 years go, and he made me keep the VERY LARGE box it came in just in case we had to send it back.. My question is, "send it back where?" If something happened to it, we would put it in my truck and drive 5 miles to where we bought it and let them deal with it. I did throw that box away one weekend while he was gone. He brings large "really good" boxes home from the office "in case we ever move." Really??? He can't help prepare for a meal he wants to eat at 5:30 P.M., but he can prepare for a move that doesn't exist yet???? I have a lot of Christmas stuff, but that doesn't count as stuff that will NEVER be used again. I use that stuff every year, and if I don't use something, or replace it with something I found on sale, I get rid of the old stuff.

Anyway, I cleaned out the freezer, the Tupperware look-a-like bin and got rid of all lids that did not fit anything, and it was all very liberating. I am sure my garbage men loved me today! Needless to say, I was asleep on the couch by 8:15 last night. I went to bed tired and woke up tired. But, I feel better mentally because I got rid of some useless stuff.

Honeymoon!

2010-02-18T10:37:00.002-06:00

Twenty-six years ago today, I was boarding a jet plane, for only the second time EVER in my life, and flying all the way to HAWAII!!! Longest plane ride EVER!!! Oh, and we got married 26 years ago yesterday... That was a special event too. It took 13 hours from the time we left New Orleans until we arrived in Hawaii.. I actually thought once we got to San Francisco, we were only about 30 minutes from Hawaii... Not!!! But, we had a great time. We were not prepared for how much everything costs, but we had fun nonetheless. And, I still like Florida beaches best! And, I don't have to get on a plane to get to a Florida beach... unless I just want too, and I don't.

Snow was awesome!!!

2010-02-15T11:38:00.004-06:00

Short, blind snowman I built...

The lake at the end of my road.

Standing in front of my house looking toward the lake.

Standing in the street in front of my house. It was absolutely beautiful.. and it took it two days to melt. It was the largest amount of snow to fall in this area in 50 years.

Winter Weather Warning!!!!!

2010-02-11T15:01:00.001-06:00

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!!! They are predicting 3 to 5 inches of snow and sleet and here in central Mississippi, and that is enough to bring everything to a halt!!! Snow Day on a Friday!!

Woohoo!!!!!!

Babysitting...

2010-02-10T12:17:00.005-06:00

I stayed with the grands last night while Daughter went to class. We went to Wendy's and got each a kid meal (not because they were hungry but because they wanted to see what the toy was this week), and then went home and ordered pizza a/k/a cheese sticks, cut in rectangles, from Papa John's, because everyone knows rectangle cheese sticks taste much better triangle cheese sticks. You really have no idea.. We played with birthday presents that had not even been opened yet, read books, watched too much Sponge Bob for me, and FINALLY, they realized they were bored and needed something else to do. Benton went to his room, dug through the mountain of un-used and some un-opened toys, and came back with a $5.00 lantern I had purchased for him at WalMart last year. He asked me to replace the batteries, and I did and it worked.. Bailey disappeared, went to her room, and came back with a similar lantern I had purchased for her, asked me to change the batteries, which i did, and it worked too. The biggest miracle in all of this is that Daughter had batteries to accommodate their needs. They wanted to know where they could go to use the lanterns, that was dark, and I suggested they put their coats on and go into the garage.. They did and believe it or not, they were amused for quite some time, or until their toes got numb from the cold. Then they came in, got baths, put on PJs, and played in the dark laundry room until almost bedtime.. And, I got to watch something on TV other than a walking, screaming, very annoying sponge.

WHO DAT!!!

2010-02-08T09:28:00.001-06:00

So.. we are taking turns...

2010-02-04T08:31:00.002-06:00

Last night right as we were getting in the bed for the night, my husband proceeded to tell me how tired he was (after taking an almost 2 hour nap after he got home from work) and he wanted to know if it was MY TURN to get up with the two new puppies during the night if they barked and needed to go out. So, I said, "IF we are going to start taking turns doing things around here, I will gladly get up with the dogs tonight honey, since he did get up with them the night before, and you can do E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G that I normally do when I get home from work starting tomorrow!!!! He said that didn't sound fair since he knew how much I enjoyed doing E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G around here. And, he then offered to check and make sure an umbrella was by the front door in case the dogs did need to go out, IN THE RAIN. So, when it was my turn to get up and let the dogs out if they barked... they didn't wake up until after the alarm went off, and that was a good thing. Today I get to go home and take a nap... because it is "my turn".. YEAH...RIGHT!!!

First time for everything... I guess...

2010-02-04T08:25:00.002-06:00

Last night I was busy at home, as usual, and in the process of putting dinner together Man a/k/a hubby, used the last paper towel on the roll, then asked, "Where do you keep the paper towels?" REALLY???? We have been married for almost 26 years, and lived in this house for almost 11 years, and he has NO IDEA WHERE WE KEEP THE PAPER TOWELS!!! And, when I brought this to his attention, he didn't know what the big deal was.. It is his opinion he didn't really need this information as long as I know where everything is. Apparently that system has worked for him for this long, and he sees no reason to change it after all this time..

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO BT!!!!

2010-02-02T09:11:00.003-06:00

Happy 6th Birthday BT!!! I could not love you any more if I had given birth to you myself!!!

Breathing new life into our hearts...

2010-02-01T14:01:00.007-06:00

Dooley - almost 13 years old and still going strong. She is not sure what to think about these two punks we brought into her world. She is the sweetest dog ever and we love her dearly. She has certainly wondered what happened to Boo and Taz, and still looks for Taz in all the places Taz spent so much time. It has been hard to watch her these past few weeks, but hopefully we are helping to fill the void left by the loss of her two dear friends.

Tuxdeo a/k/a Tux - 4 pounds of nothing but personality.. 4 months old. We thought he would cry and fuss once he brought him to his new home Saturday, but he fits right in. He follows me around wherever I go and loves to play outside. I am not sure he had ever been outside before we got him. The breeder we bought him from lives in Alabama and has a room completely dedicated to raising dogs, and they all had play areas inside and were trained to potty on a pad. It was hard to pick one, but his personality stood out from the rest. He is a perfect fit in our family.

Coco - 2 pounds of pure joy! Eight months old and loves to cuddle, but can certainly stand up to bigger dogs if she needs too.. and they do back off. She has lost her puppy hair and is in the beginning stages of getting her coat again. She is very tiny. We got her from a breeder in California and she was worried about her flying into a colder climate, so she made her a sweater out of an old sock. We have tried to find her a dog sweater, but even an x-small is way too big for her. So, I bought her some pretty socks so we could at least make her look stylish.

We are still coping with the loss of Taz and Boo, but these two new additions to our family are helping a lot. And, one more is on the way. She is flying in from Michigan and the temp has to be above 10 degrees before she can be shipped and that has not happened in several days. This week is looking better. She is five years old and a recently retired show dog. I am sad about her leaving her family of five years, but am really looking forward to having a friend for Dooley that is not a puppy. Her name is Dream and we are leaving it at that. Pictures coming soon!

My life is exciting...

2010-01-28T09:40:00.002-06:00

You know you might need to get our more when you can't wait to get home from work and try out your new "bow saw" on the your crepe myrtles that need to be trimmed.. And the new gadget from Windex that helps you clean your outside windows. I'm just saying...

If you are going to be a Saints fan...

2010-01-27T14:05:00.002-06:00

you need to put two of these in your yard ASAP! Mine will be here next week.

BK cooks!

2010-01-26T08:53:00.002-06:00

Serving it up with one potholder, barefooted, and probably with no pants!

Oh When Da Saints... go marching in...

2010-01-25T08:44:00.001-06:00

Making progress..

2010-01-24T09:46:00.002-06:00

We took BT with us to a sporting goods store yesterday and he wandered over to the baseball stuff.. He tried out several bats, looked at lots of baseballs, asked a lot of questions about different equipment, and decided what he already had works for him.. I am talking progress!

RIP Taz...

2010-01-22T15:52:00.004-06:00

Taz: June 1998 - January 22, 2010.

You were unique to say the least and loved beyond words.. There is a hole in my heart that will take a long time to heal.. I miss you..

Taz...

2010-01-22T09:01:00.002-06:00

Our little black Pom, Taz, is not doing too well, again. The vet says he will be surprised if she makes it another month, and although he didn't say it, I could tell he thinks we should put her down. Having had to do this less than two months ago with Boo, I get extremely upset even thinking about putting another one of our pets down. These three dogs have been part of my life for many years, and the house seems a lot less full with one gone, and I can't imagine what it will be like when Taz is gone. She is the one I always said I would miss the most since she has always been my constant companion. Wherever I am, she wants to be there.. even now when she can't walk and has to be carried from one location to another. Whatever room I am in, we make sure she is where she can see me at all times. If not, she gets distressed and starts fussing. It is actually funny to watch, because as soon as I stick my head around the corner where she can see me, she will hush.

She is steadily losing weight, and she has always been a great eater, but not so much anymore. Last night was a rough night. She had a very upset stomach and this is not a good situation when you can't walk. She finally settled down and seemed to rest about 3:30 this morning after being up since midnight. She would not eat this morning, and drank very little. I don't even like thinking about what the weekend will mean for her. At some point, we have to say enough is enough. We have spent over three thousand dollars trying to get her healthy, and nothing is working. I would gladly spend three thousand more if I could see any sign that she is improving, but I haven't, and at some point we have to decide if we just are just keeping her alive because we don't want to be without her. If she has lived out her days on this earth, and it is her time to go, then I want to do what is best for her, and let her go. Actually walking in the vet's office and telling him we believe it is time is what is going to suck. Especially for my husband.

Not no, BUT HELL NO!!!

2010-01-21T08:41:00.001-06:00

When I was at Daughter's house the other night playing with the kids, out of the blue BT told his mama he wanted her to have another baby. I immediately said, "She needs another baby like a 14 year old needs another baby!.... Enough said. She loves the ones she has, but she doesn't need anymore, AND, she is single! Good grief!!!

There may be some hope after all!

2010-01-20T08:20:00.003-06:00

Yesterday after leaving work I went to Daughter's house instead of them coming to my house. The weather was nice and she wanted the kids to play outside in their own backyard for a change. When I got there, they were all outside playing. BK was on the trampoline and BT was throwing the frisbee with his mother (or as much as anyone can throw a frisbee with someone who is obsessed with her phone).. But, I won't get off on that soapbox right now. So, when BT realized I was there, he knew he would have all of my attention because I am all about talking to the people I am with... I know, I know...it is hard to get off that soapbox.. Anyway, we started throwing the frisbee and he was doing a great job of chasing down the frisbee and catching it. I commented on it several times and told him he might need to reconsider playing baseball since he was so good at catching the frisbee. Out of the clear blue sky, he ran and got his baseball and we started throwing it and catching it with our bare hands. He was catching almost everything I threw to him. And, he throws really well for an almost six year old. He is very accurate. Then, out of the clear blue sky, again, he ran and got his bat and asked me to pitch to him. (I am almost beside myself at this point). I pitched and he knocked the crap out of the ball.... HITTING LEFT HANDED.. I mentioned something about him throwing right handed and hitting left handed, and he said... THAT IS HOW I LIKE TO HIT AND THROW!!! He said he LIKED something related to sports!!!! As any good G would do, or say, I told him all the coaches would love to have him on his team and I swear he stood up a little taller when I told him that. Then Daughter walked out and saw what was going on and told him she had gotten an email from the coach yesterday about playing ball. Usually he runs in the other direction when baseball is mentioned, or very adamantly reminds us THAT HE QUIT last year BECAUSE HE DOES NOT LIKE SPORTS!!!! I am telling you those are some sad words for me to hear. BUT, he seems really interested this year, and wants to practice again, with me pitching. We stayed outside until it was too dark to see the ball anymore. And, when he went inside to eat his dinner, he was still talking about it..

There may be some hope after all.... a G can hope!

New Orleans Saints v. Minnesota Vikings

2010-01-19T09:12:00.000-06:00

This is the ultimate football show down if you live in these parts! Brett Favre is from Kiln Mississippi, and Deuce McAllister is a Mississippi native and actually lives in the same town I live in.

Sunday will be a fantastic game between two really good teams! Ultimate football showdown! GEAUX SAINTS!!!!!

Hanging out with the grandkids...

2010-01-19T08:25:00.003-06:00

Monday was a school holiday for BT and for some reason the daycare followed suit and closed as well. I thought this was strange as it would appear that parents who depend on daycare would be put in a bind and either have to to take off work, or find someone to keep their children when daycare chooses to follow the school's schedule. I thought that was the purpose of daycare, to keep kids when parents are working!!! It just doesn't make much sense to me. But, anyway, I took off work and kept the kids so Daughter would not have to.

When I got the kids, we talked about what a beautiful day it was, their weekend with their dad, ran a couple of "G" errands, and then it was on to whatever they wanted to do. First stop for them was Barnes & Noble. They love this store and the first thing BT noticed when we walked in the door was a Christmas sale table. He found a puppet, pondered a stuffed gingerbread man, and BK found a "punkin" left over from Halloween. Nothing we needed, but since it was 75% off, I gave in, again. We also purchased a balloon animal making kit and a polar bear for a school project on Friday. BT informed me he needed something that lives outside in the cold. As soon as he saw the polar bear, he knew that was it, although I am pretty sure I have purchased at least one polar bear previously and it is resting in the top of his closet.

BK was just along for the ride. She spent about 30 minutes in a chair in the kids' department listening to musical books and singing along. I think she may be a future candidate for American Idol.. She loves to sing. We stayed at B&N until they were ready to move on to something else... like ice cream, but unfortunately, the ice cream shop was not open at 10:35 A.M. on Monday morning. We then ran through the car wash, which they love to do, and then headed to McDonald's for a "nutritious" lunch of chicken nuggets, although I feel sure they were both more concerned about what chipmunk from Alvin and the Chipmunks they would get with the lunch, and unfortunately, they were out of Alvin characters and gave them some super hero character that neither one could identify. Although they do not pay any attention to the previous Alvin character they obtained with their chicken nuggets on another day, not getting one today was a bit distressing for some reason.

We then headed to Gramere's for lunch with her, and then back home to practice our puppet show and balloon animal making skills. I always try to let the kids play by themselves some because I think this is when they are most creative, especially BT. BK on the other hand, test me with "let's see what I can get into while G is not looking." She is definitely her mother's child.

I cleaned off the deck and got ready to grill hamburgers for dinner. It was another great day with the grandkids...

How about them Saints!!!!

Taz...

2009-12-08T10:27:00.002-06:00

Two weeks before Boo died, our little black pom started losing the use of her hind legs. We took her to the vet and they were unable to determine what was wrong with her. They took x-rays, but found nothing. They prescribed steroids in the event it was a bulging disc, but this did not help, and in fact she seemed to get worse. Then she lost the use of her front legs. There are no local vets with MRI equipment, so I took off work last Tuesday and took her to Mississippi State University Vet School. This was the day after Boo died, so it was a very emotional trip. And, I had to leave Taz there, which made it even worse. I thought we would get an MRI and come right back home and they would call us with the results. The vet student that was helping me was the best. Her name was Danielle, and because of her, it was easier to leave Taz behind for a few days. Dr. Baez told me there was probably a list of 50 things that could be the problem, and an MRI would help us narrow it down.

The MRI indicated she has 3 disc compressions in her neck. She will need to go back on steroids if we have any hope of resolving this issue, but she has to be off previoius steroids for 2 weeks before she can begin new steroids. And, a neurologist (I didn't know there were doggie neurologist) looked at her and he said she has all the symptoms of Cushing's Disease. Panting, extreme thirst which leads to increased urination, dull coat, etc. If that is the case, she has had it for years and we had no idea, and our local vet never picked up on this. The Cushing's can be treated, but she has to be off the steroids she was originally taking for 2 weeks before she can be tested. So, for now, we have a dog that can't walk, but is otherwise healthy, and happy most of the time, unless we leave her sight. She eats well, goes potty, communicates with us, etc., she just can't walk. We put a sling around her belly to take her to the bathroom, and she handles this quite well. She can crawl on her belly pretty well with limited use of her legs, but she can't stand up.

Next week we will have her tested for Cushing's and then put her back on steroids in hopes of resolving the compressions in her neck, and then hopefully she can walk again. The doctor at MSU didn't give us much hope for some reason, but the vet student, Danielle, was a lot more positive. She even called me daily, on her personal cell phone, to give me updates on Taz, and then called after we brought her home to check on her. I am believing the vet student is on to something. This is one tough little dog, even at 11 years old, and if any dog can recover, she is the one.

I am pulling for you 100% TAZ!!!

RIP Boo... you are missed..

2009-12-08T10:16:00.002-06:00

Boo, our pomeranian that was 14 years old, had to be put down November 30. He was in kidney failure. Apparently he had been sick for a while, but we really didn't notice it. He appeared to be getting frail, but we attributed it to his age. He has always been healthy and has rarely been to the vet for anything other than routine exams. But, when he finally appeared sick, the end was near. It is our understanding we could not have done anything to help him, or save him, even if we had realized something was wrong and taken him to the vet. We discussed at great length what needed to be done, and in the end, he let us know it was his time.

We had him cremated and have ordered a box with his name on it as his final resting place. We don't have any place to bury him, so we decided to just bring him back home. Hopefully he will be back by the end of this week.

I have cried many, many tears over the loss of this animal. There is a huge hole in my heart right now. I look for him every time I walk in the door. I miss his barking at "Are Not," our neighbor's dog. I miss him running after his ball in the front yard. I miss him begging for a treat. I miss everything about him.

I love you Boo..

Holidays...

2009-11-20T11:55:00.002-06:00

I will be decorating for Christmas tonight and tomorrow. Daughter started her decorating last night. We like to have it done before Thanksgiving so we can just relax, or do a little shopping during the long Thanksgiving weekend.

My only delimma is I don't have a tree yet. I am buying one at lunch today. Fake, prelit and slim are my only requirements.

Happy Friday!

BK turns Three!!!

2009-11-20T11:50:00.007-06:00

Blowing out the candles on her Ariel Cake at Johnny's Pizza.. We are all about some Ariel..

Posing..

My two nieces, who are sisters... 23 years apart.. I love them!!!

Posing... again.

Being her mother's child.. she loves the Iphone! And don't think she doesn't know how to use it. The girls has definitely got it going on...

Halloween...

2009-11-20T11:46:00.003-06:00

In front of a neighbor's house.

Setting out to fill their bags.

They had a blast! And, as of today, we still have plenty of candy.

We have been busy!!!

2009-11-04T13:36:00.000-06:00

The last half of October was busy. Between decorating for fall, fall festivals throughout the area almost every weekend, school programs, LSU football, two weeks of non-stop rain, two sick grandkids, at two different times, things have been hectic. But, when I do get a chance to sit down, take a breath, and look at the July edition of Southern Living, for the first time, I wonder what else I could be doing besides looking at a 4 month old magazine. So, apparently I like "busy." And I guess that is a good thing because it will be Thanksgiving in three weeks, and Christmas in less than 2 months.

I have started my Christmas shopping, and that is a good thing, but I still have a lot to do before I finish. I have recommended we only let the grandkids pick out three items for Santa to bring them this year. I think this made me a less popular G and Mom. Time will tell..

And, Daughter has taken up hunting. No kidding! She is anxiously awaiting the day she can shoot a deer. And, she likes to tell tales of what they have already killed by bow and arrow. I do not like to hear the details of the killings. And she knows this, but acts like she doesn't see me when I put my hands over my ears!!! The only time I want to see, or hear about dead animals is when they are already wrapped in brown paper and marked "deer hamburger" or deer sausage" or "deer tenderloin," etc.... And, BRACE YOURSELF... she has asked for HUNTING STUFF FOR CHRISTMAS!!! I don't hunt. I am not married to a hunter. How am I supposed to know what a girl needs to go hunting???? I am suddenly confused. She has always wanted a new purse for Christmas, or jewelry, or cute picture frames, or perfume, or Silver Jeans, or just cash to spend at the after Christmas sales.. but this year, she wants HUNTING STUFF!!! How do I deal with this????

Over at G's House...

2009-10-16T15:06:00.001-05:00

It didn't rain today.. and that is a first for my small town in over a week. And, it got downright chilly while I was sleeping. The temp when I got up this morning was 55 and a little while ago when I ran to the post office, it was 57, and that was today's high. Before I left for work this morning, I turned off the AC and raised the windows. I plan to add a blanket to the bed tonight and keep the windows open. This is my favorite time of the year, and love it when I can keep the windows open for days at a time. And, this cool air can't hurt the hot flashes either!

Tomorrow, Daughter and I are headed to a local fall festival with the kids. They love going to these kind of events, especially if they can jump on stuff, ride a train, and eat junk food. Tomorrow's weather calls for boots and fleece pullovers. Have I said I love this time of the year?!!!

No LSU football this weekend, but there is a much anticipated throwdown at the Superdome between the undefeated Saints and the undefeated Giants at noon on Sunday. I love me some Saints and I expect this to be a good game. When they aren't playing the Saints, I am a Giants fan. Sorry Eli.

Have a great weekend!!!

Pumpkins...

2009-10-06T13:23:00.001-05:00

We decorated pumpkins this past weekend at Daughter's house. BT said this one was his mama.

Here is the family. From left to right they are:

Daughter, BK, BT and Gramere. BK is responsible for Gramere's face. BT was the artist behind the remaining pumpkins' faces, including giving himself three eyes.

They seem very happy sitting there on hearth having their picture made.
On the day we went to look for pumpkins, BK was having issues. She was picking up pumpkins and tossing them around like they were nothing. Her mama got on to her, and BT tried to make her understand pumpkins were not for throwing. She didn't care. Meltdown ensued.

She put her hand over her face and moved away from her brother so we couldn't take her picture. There were no tears.. just wailing.. loud wailing.

This was the first pumpkin she tossed.

And here was the next one. And yes, they were heavy, but apparently she is stronger than we thought. And, yes people were staring at us, but we wanted to capture the moments so we delayed making her stop until the photo had been taken.

Acorn head...

2009-09-25T11:49:00.000-05:00

This is a hat that his great-grandmother brought him from one of her trips. There are actually more attractive ways to wear it, but he prefers the "acorn" look..

White donuts...

2009-09-25T11:43:00.001-05:00

She got up at 5:44 this morning. And, she wanted "white" donuts.

She wanted a lot of them.

When her brother got up, he wanted donut holes.. from the Donut Barn, and he didn't want to be late for school. I love that kid!! BK said she didn't want anymore donuts, but she wanted some milk. So, I ran in, got 2 bags of donut holes, and 2 milks. I gave BT his donut holes and milk, and gave BK her milk. Approximately 10 seconds later, she wanted donut holes. I handed her a bag. With her, you have to stay ahead of your game, or witness a meltdown. I was ahead of my game, and the meltdown was avoided. Happy Friday.

Book Fair..

2009-09-25T10:56:00.000-05:00

BT's school had a Book Fair for his school at Barnes & Nobles last night. He was definitely excited about going. When Man picked him up at daycare yesterday, he asked BT if he wanted to go eat pizza.. BT declined because he was concerned he would be late for the Book Fair. He is definitely related to me. I am never late to any event, and have a very low tolerance of people who are chronically late. Another story for another day. Anyway, BT and BK had grilled cheese sandwiches at my house, and then we headed to Barnes & Nobles. Grilled cheese was the only thing BT thought I had time to prepare prior to the Book Fair. HE DID NOT WANT TO BE LATE! We were 30 minutes early, but BT wanted to have time to look at EVERY SINGLE BOOK in the children's section. I think he succeeded. I had taken him to the book store this past weekend, per his request, and he loved it. The Saints were playing, but I said "what the heck," we can't be gone that long. We were gone for over an hour. Thank goodness for DVR!!! He picked out 4 books for himself and 2 for his sister. His mission last night was to get the one book he did not get this past weekend. It was a book on the anatomy of a frog. He loved it, but wouldn't get it over the weekend because he thought it was too expensive. But, apparently four days later, on Thursday, the price of the book was just right. I now know stuff about a frog's anatomy I didn't learn in 10th grade biology.

BT sat next to one of his friends while listening to the principle of his school read Curious George. When Mrs. Jones asked questions, I could hear him answer the questions over the other 40 or so children present for the reading. Once the reading was over, we picked out a book from his teacher's wish list, purchased it and donated it in his name to the school this morning. He loved the idea that he (G) was buying a book and giving it to the school. We did have to read the book last night prior to going to bed, since BT said I needed to know what it was about prior to donating it to the school. So, today, it is a slightly used book, but I can honestly say I did not lick my fingers when the turning the pages, but BK was eating grapes and BT was eating cheese as I was reading and they might have touched it, once or twice.

BK loves her brother.. can you tell? Either that, or she wanted to let that other little girl know she shouldn't mess with her "brudder"...

Just stuff...

2009-09-21T08:47:00.000-05:00

Here are the rules: Respond and rework: Answer the questions on your blog, Replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, and add one more question of your own.

The Questions:

What is your current obsession? My grandchildren, of course..

Who was the last person you hugged? I hugged BK as I put her in her carseat last night when they left house. I hugged BT first.

What is the next thing you are "counting down" to? Family Reunion in October. Woohoo!!

What are you listening to right now? Country music.

What is your favorite weather? Fall weather - crisp, cool mornings and evenings.. Love it.

What is your least favorite season? Right after Christmas.. January, February.. I feel like I am stuck in the house..

What’s in your purse? Sunglasses, wallet, reading glasses, lipstick, gum, etc.!

What is your favorite dessert or cool treat? Right now it is the cheesecake from Philip's. DIVINE!

What did you want to become as a child? A nun.. SERIOUSLY!!!

What do you miss? My dad.

What’s your favorite brand of jeans? Not really into brands, but I do love my Silver jeans.

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go? Beach.

What are your most challenging goals right now? Keeping certain people focused on what is important.

What is your favorite sport to watch? LSU football, and then the Saints!!!

Describe your perfect day: Cooking out with family and friends, while watching a football game..

What TV show would you want to be a cast member on (reality included)? Survivor, but my husband says no way..

What is your most prized possession? My cowboy boots..

Name one favorite childhood memory? Playing softball.

What is your favorite food? Mexican, Johnny's Pizza (which I don't have access too in my neck of the woods) and anything I cook on the grill. Yes, that is vain...

She is her mother's child...

2009-09-18T09:10:00.001-05:00

Conversation between BT and BK this morning on the way to school:

BT: I am rolling my window down G...

BK: Roll your window up! You are going to mess up my hair!

And that is exactly what Daughter says everytime they roll the windows down..

Meet Riley...

2009-09-08T14:55:00.000-05:00

also known as the cousin to Riley a/k/a Elf on a Shelf. Yep, they both have the same name. I don't know how it all happened, but I do know Cousin Riley is related to Riley a/k/a Elf on a Shelf, because B.T. said so. They are cousins... I think Cousin Riley may be from another planet, but I can't be sure..

I don't think they are first cousins..and probably not second cousins either.. Judge for yourself.

B.K.

2009-09-08T14:32:00.000-05:00

B.K. spent the night with me Friday night.. B.T. doesn't usually allow this to happen, but on this particular night he was O.K. with it for some reason. We skipped the bath Friday night and took one Saturday morning instead.. After she had her bath, she wanted an ice cream cone for breakfast. I said why not?!!! She is eating it while watching "Sponz Bob Swear Pants."

We then moved to kitchen and watched Mickey Mouse Club and ate cake. She sang and played right along with Mickey Mouse Club, answering the questions as if Mickey himself was sitting in the room with her talking to her...

We then went outside and blew bubbles..

We stood in the chair and rang the bell hanging the tree...

for a long, long time.. really loud...

And then we rode our Harley to the end of the road and waited on mammaw to arrive... And she could not have been sweeter during the whole process.. except for when I washed her hair and she swore I got soap in her eyes and it was burning her eyes up!.. I love her more every day!

Learning about BT's days at school..

2009-08-31T13:57:00.000-05:00

Last week I kept the grandkids one night while Daughter went to school.. BT taught me a few things he had learned in Kindergarten... Apparently the teacher will write the numbers down one by one, as pictured above, and then skip a number and write the next number to see if the kids actually know their numbers when they see them, or if they just have them memorized. As you can see BT did the same thing to me, and then told me it was a "trick".. and he spelled "trick" so I would more fully grasp the concept of what HE was trying to teach ME.. Same concept with the alphabet..

Then, because BT wanted me to experience school with him, he drew a picture of the music room at school, complete with a tambourine, cymbals, maracas, etc. The music notes were drawn to see if I could guess what they meant. I am still trying to figure out what "Feel Up Your Orchestra Good Behavior" means..

Late summer fun..

2009-08-25T11:04:00.000-05:00

One tired princess...

Riding the train..

Reviewing the zoo map to make sure we don't lose our way..

Checking out the bear.. or he might have been checking her out..

Sitting in the cave under the beaver dam..

Gotta make sure our Monster Truck is ready for the leap over the pool..

When diving for "alligators," a girl needs her goggles.

BT and his friend "K"..

2009-08-21T12:56:00.000-05:00

She told her mama she wanted to be cute for BT..

I think the red cowboy boots complete the outfit...

This girl knows what it takes to look good...

2009-08-21T12:42:00.000-05:00

..eat lots of salad... and always wear your lipstick...

My Treasures...

2009-08-18T10:34:00.001-05:00

Picture day at school is today.. BT is wearing his "collarn" shirt for this special ocassion and BK broke out the bracelets..

"You be in BIG trouble mama."

2009-08-17T09:05:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, Daughter and I were taking the kids to eat and in the process of getting everything ready to go, Daughter may have forgotten something. She started her car prior to our getting everyone in the car and buckled up in an attempt to keep our hineys from sizzling when they came in contact with the leather seats. It was the day the temp reached 105. BT, for some unknown reason, got in the car when Daughter started the car. I guess sweating is not one of his issues. I was in the house dealing with BK and some random issue she was having at the moment. When done, I walked outside to put her in the car, and Daughter was walking back toward the house. All of a sudden the car starting rolling forward, TOWARD MAN'S CAR that was parked in the garage!!! Thinking that I might be way stronger than I actually am, in spite of carrying a 3-year old around, often, I grabbed the door handle in an attempt to stop the car. Yes I did. I actually believed I had the ability to stop a car with one hand. I could not get the door open for some reason, since I was thinking I could jump in and save the day, IF I COULD GET THE DOOR OPEN. Might have been that I panicked since Daughter and Man are both beyond ANAL about their vehicles and all these visions of what would transpire if their vehicles actually touched, acccidentally or otherwise. Dealing with both of them would have simply been too much. Daughter finally realized what was happening, or she heard me scream really loud "YOUR CAR IS NOT IN PARK, YOUR CAR IS NOT IN PARK!" She came running and was able to open the door I had previously been unable to open, jump in and hit the brake. And, BT who was sitting in his car seat UNBUCKLED, never realized what was going on. And the car was rolling UP a hill... After we all calmed down, and the sweat had dried, we headed to the restaurant. BT, in listening to us talk about the catastrophic incident we had just avoided, finally realized what had happened and told his mama that Man would have grounded her if she had actually hit his car. He followed it up with "you know how Man is about his car mama." And, BK picked up on what was going on and said, "You be in BIG trouble mama if you hit Man's car."

Sniff, sniff...

2009-08-14T12:20:00.000-05:00

BT spent the night with me last night. He wanted me to take him to school this morning. We hung out last night, watched Big Brother, and then watched Santa Clause 3 for the 74th time in BT's lifetime. He loves it. He didn't go to sleep until almost 10. Way past my bedtime for sure. But, he woke up on his own this morning about 6:15 and was ready for his second day of school. We got dressed and when I asked him what he wanted for breakfast, he said donut holes and apple juice. So, we headed to the the Donut Barn and got just that. We were a little early for school, so we made a practice run through the drop-off area since I wasn't sure where to go. 15 minutes later we came back, still about 8 minutes too early to drop him off, and parked and waited until the teachers came out to get them. He repeated the rules to me about dropping kids off. Say your good-byes and get your final hugs in before you get to the drop off area. We did that while waiting on the teachers to come out. When the teacher opened his door, he got his back pack with his lunch stored inside, told me he loved me, and jumped out of the truck and never looked back. I cried as I drove very slowly away from the school. I watched him look around like he was not sure exactly where to go, and then a teacher took his hand and they went inside. I am not ready for him to be a big boy yet. Sniff, sniff... :(

First Day of School...

2009-08-13T10:37:00.001-05:00

I really thought the first day of kindergarten for BT would be similar to our first ballgame. He wouldn't want to go, would walk in the his room, and then run out crying for his mama, etc. You know the story. But, I could not have been more surprised. He was excited! I went over to Daughter's house so I could take BK to daycare so Daughter could take BT to school, since I feel sure if BT was going somewhere new, BK would want to do it to... Strangely enough he wanted me to take him to school, but I told him only moms could take you to school on the first day, and I could take him any day after that. And he bought it. But, BK couldn't understand where her "brudder" was going when only she and I left for daycare. She was sad. And, when I dropped her off at daycare, she cried. She kept asking where he was going. It broke my heart.

Anyway, BT had picked out what he wanted to take for his lunch for his first day of kindergarten. Most kids would want PBJ, chips, pre-packaged cookies, capri sun... but, not BT. He wanted a cheese sandwich (not grilled), toast rounds that I got at Fresh Market, a slice of a cake I baked that he said is the "best cake ever," peanut butter crackers for his snack, apple slices, fruit chews and apple juice. I am sure when he started pulling everything out of his lunch bag, he got a few stares. But, he is an individual, and is not swayed by what everybody else is doing, eating, wearing, etc. That is one of the MANY things I love about him.

When Daughter asked him how his first day of school went, he said it was fun, he didn't remember what they did, he liked his lunch and was ready to go back. Unfortunately they don't get to go back today, but they do go back tomorrow and then they are on a regular schedule after that.

And I don't know why that one picture is turned sideways.. And, I can't figure out how to remove it.. Another DUH moment..

A trip down memory lane...

2009-08-10T13:09:00.000-05:00

If Man could go back and live his teen-age years again, he would do it in a heartbeat. He loves me and the life we have, but in his mind, he had the perfect life from 12 to 19. The "Mayberry" kind of life. As for me, I didn't think being a teeanger was good, much less great, and would never, ever want to re-live that time of my life. My mother was very strict, especially on me, and nothing about those years was pleasant.. but, so you won't think I am in need of counseling to get over that time in my life, I won't go there. And no, I don't need counseling. I am good now, and my mother and I get along now because I can actually tell her my side of the story without fear of being grounded for a minimum of six weeks for "talking back" a/k/a having an opinion.

ANYWAY... Husband and I took a drive down to the town of D'Lo this past Saturday. He would probably ride down there every weekend if I would go with him, but the population of that town is less than 300, and in my opinion there is absolutely nothing to do there, and I mean NOTHING, except ride around and talk about what happened at the park, or on the rocks at the Strong River, etc. more than 35 years ago. You can only do that so many times before I start dozing off. But, I tried to be attentive as he told me his stories for the umpteenth time, since these were obviously happy times in his life. I heard about the horse he had that wouldn't cross a certain bridge without the rider (Man) getting off the horse and pulling him by the reins. I heard the cat story, again, and I won't even go there. I heard about his pet hawk that used to ride on the handle bars of his bike. I heard about who used to live in that house, and who used to live down that road, who owned the store across the street from his grandmother's house, and I heard about the "dark woods." I heard about the hole in the rocks in the Strong River that bascially had no bottom. And they used to trick people to stepping off in the hole while crossing the river. He thought this was funny, and I told him what I would have thought had he let that happen to me. We looked at the trees where Husband and friends carved their names and/or initials many, many years ago. I took pictures of the names, but they didn't turn out very well.. We rode on down the road to Mendenhall, which is where he went to school. We stopped in the Mendenhall Grocery and Grain which is now a gift shop, and visited with one of his friends, who is also the owner. I actually enjoyed this part because I got to shop... and I found two really cute LSU huggies (one for me and one for Daughter) and some jewelry that I could NOT live without. When we left there we made a pass around the town square and he talked about how busy it used to be in the middle of the day on a Saturday, and how not busy it was in the middle of the day on the Saturday we were driving through, almost 40 years later. He remembered the diner his grandfather had, and he talked about sitting there many Saturday mornings just watching the cars go by.

Then, we made a pass by his high school, and then we headed home. And, he thanked me for going with him. I just smiled.

He truly was the "Opie" of Mendenhall. He roamed the streets of D'Lo and Mendenhall, without a cell phone, and his dad (Sheriff Taylor) and grandmother (Aunt Bea) never worried about him or gave much thought about anything bad happening to him. He was always safely home by suppertime every single day. He would sit at the dinner table with his dad and grandparents, have a home cooked meal, then watch a black and white TV until bedtime. And, just like my family, they didn't have air conditioning. They had an attic fan and slept with the windows open. And he wouldn't have had it any other way..

Was it necessary to do all the cleaning?

2009-08-10T12:49:00.001-05:00

Last week was busy. I was supposed to be off today and tomorrow, and therefore, I was extra busy at work, and at home, in an effort to make sure my desk was clean before I left work Friday. On the homefront, I was busy cleaning.... some was necessary cleaning, some just because I am a compulsive cleaner at times. I cleaned light fixtures, windows, floors, moved some things around.. not furniture.. just lamps, pictures, and other things I have sitting around that cause me to have dust.. sometimes more often than I want too. It is kind of like getting something new when you move things around a bit. Or at least that is what I tell myself so I will stay out of T.J. Maxx and Marshall's.

I have an outdoor rug under my table on my deck. It was in desperate need of a good scrubbing after being out there for two years. Man wanted to know how I was going to accomplish this since it was his opinion it just needed to be replace. I think not. I told him I was going to clean it just like we used to clean my grandma's front porch when I was growing up. Pour some washing powder on it, wet it, and then get an old broom out and scrub it until it is clean. Rinse. And, that is exactly what I did. I laughed when I was doing it because it brought back memories of cleaning my grandma's front porch this exact same way, almost every Saturday morning. And for whatever strange reason, I enjoyed doing it.

And, just when I thought I had cleaned everything, I noticed a splatter of something red on the front of my white kitchen cabinets. On closer inspection, with my glasses on, there were other splatters in various places from the grandkids dropping things, or Man dropping things and it somehow making its way to the front of the cabinets. So, I cleaned the fronts of all the cabinets as well. When I finished with that chore, I took my glasses off because I didn't want to see anything else that needed to be done. And, I went and got a shower before I had time to change my mind.

The Beach...

2009-08-04T10:11:00.000-05:00

We spent most of last week at the beach. We headed out Tuesday morning with Man, Daughter, Niece, BT, BK and of course, G. Needless to say we had to buy a turtle to put on the top of the SUV for all of our stuff. And, we took less stuff this year than last year. Seating arrangements, as designated by BT were: Man driving, Daughter front seat passenger (she SAYS she gets car sick if she rides anywhere other than the front.. not sure I believe this since it didn't happen until she had kids), BK in carseat in "middle backseat" as BT calls it, right behind Man, niece in "middle backseat" behind Daughter, and BT and me in the "very back seat".. Yep, I am ALL THE WAY IN THE BACK because BT wanted it that way. And, 2 hours into the trip, BK decided it was just not fair that she was not sitting by me like her "brudder" was and we moved her to the "very back seat" too and I sat between two carseats for the next 4 1/2 hours. Woohoo!!!! It actually worked out fine since I could tend to their every "whine" without any interference from any of the other adults who seemed to aggravate all situations involving small children in a confined space for multiple hours. We watched five movies, some more than once. I can now read the lips of Willy Wonka since I opted not to wear headphones. The funniest thing was listening to the kids sing along with the music while they had their headphones on. We couldn't hear the music but they could.

I would have taken a nap, but when BK caught me napping, she woke me up and told me "You no take nap G." If I dozed off again, she would pat my face to wake me.

We arrived at the beach earlier than expected, and spent a good bit of time trying to get the condo we specifically requested, and were told was available at the time we made our reservations. Man doesn't take no for an answer and we finally got what we had requested. Not sure why they tell you one thing when you make the reservation and then try to give you something different when you arrive. We finally unloaded our stuff and then Man and I headed to the grocery store. Once we got that over with we headed to the pool. BK is the exact opposite of her brother. He watches over her like a hawk. She is fearless while he is extremely cautious. We could leave him by the pool for hours and never worry about him getting in over his head. You have to be in the water with BK because even when the water is covering her nose, she is still smiling and headed for deeper waters.

We eventually made it to dinner which was fantastic. Steamed lobster, crablegs, shrimp, clams, etc. BK ate whatever we put on her plate, including the clams. She will eat ANYTHING! We had to special order BT chicken strips from another restuarant so he would have something to eat other than crackers. Can you say "picky eater?" Once dinner was over, we headed back out to the village for armbands and lots of bouncy things. The kids were loving it, and so were we, when the bottom fell out and sheets of rain starting falling. We ran for cover and stood there for about 30 minutes thinking it would let up, but it did not. BK went to sleep in my arms and I ended up walking back to the condo, barefooted (didn't want to ruin my shoes), carrying over 30 pounds, up hill, in the rain. And, she woke up as soon as we walked in the door. Go figure. I finally got them both to sleep, again, only to be awakened hours later by BK, who had wet the bed. Lovely. I put dry towels over it, changed her, got them back to sleep, and then I returned to my bed. 2 hours later, BK joins me and Man in our bed. And, she wants to snuggle. And she snores. And, I am in the middle. I don't like being in the middle. I get up early, as usual, and she sleeps til 8. Lucky her.

And yes, I did wash all the sheets and blankets the next day, only to do that every day we were there because she wet the bed every, single, night. Lucky me.

We headed to the pool again, and we stay all day. A good friend (former neighbor) and her daughter (who my Daughter used to babysit) drove down from Alabama and we had dinner with them. I love these people!! We had lots of fun together when we lived closer, and I miss that. They left too soon, and we headed back to the village to get tattoos, and listen to the band. The end of another fun day.

Thursday we traveled east to meet more friends from Alabama for a few hours at the pool. We thoroughly enjoyed the visit with them too. The kids had fun, and we had to head west way too soon. We spent more time at the pool and then got dressed for dinner again, and headed to a place outside of Baytown. It was not as good as I remembered it being. Next year I will vote to try somewhere new. The kids enjoyed it because it was on the beach. When we got back to the village they were showing a movie and we got to see the last hour of Lemony Snicket.. Yes, I spelled that correctly. BT wants his own copy. I am working on it.

Also, BK was standing at the pool while we were with friends, and an EXTREMELY large man walked by her and down the steps into the pool. She stared at him for a long time and then said "He's big." And when I started laughing at her for observatoin, she put her hand over my mouth and told me to SHHHHH....

Friday we spent the day at the pool, ate some of the best pizza ever on the lake, made a wasted trip to the outlet stores, went to dinner again, and listened to a band while the kids danced, danced, danced. When the kids showed signs of being tired, and they should have been worn out, we headed to the condo. We had another night of wet beds, and BK joined me and Man again. Funny thing is, she wet the bed, got up, took her clothes off, and came and got in my bed completely naked.

Saturday we headed home bright and early, and yes, I rode in the "very back seat" between two carseats for 6 1/2 hours, and at times I had a towel wrapped around each arm so they could rest their heads on something while staying strapped in their car seats. We watched five more movies, again, some more than once, again, and then we FINALLY arrived home. Fun trip. Tired G.

Can't wait until next year.

P.S. Daughter realized she didn't have access to Facebook shortly after we arrived and could barely function. Thank goodness she could still send text messages. I am not sure she could have survived being competely disconnected from "her world."

As if anyone cares....

2009-08-03T14:33:00.000-05:00

I don't have time to post anything about my vacation since it would take too long, so I will post a little information about myself.. Sounds kind of vain doesn't it?? Whatever! Here goes..

1. What time did you get up this morning. 5:00 A.M.

2. How do you like your steak? Medium.

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? I can't remember. I usually wait until they are on pay-per-view and then I can have a beer(s) and watch the movies, and be close to my own CLEAN bathroom.

4. What is your favoirte TV show? Right now it is Big Brother. That is about the only thing that is not a re-run this summer.

5. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? The beach.. in Florida.

6. What did you have for breakfast? Not a thing.

7. What is your favorite cuisine? Mexican.

8. What foods do you dislike? Right now, I can't think of a thing I won't eat.

9. Favorite place to eat? Cazadores's Mexican Restaurant.

10. Favorite dressing? Ranch with a little Italian mixed in. Weird, I know, but I love the combo.

11. What kind of vehicle to you drive? Ford Explorer.

12. What are you favorite clothes? Silver Jeans.

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Again, the beach.. my favorite place to go for any ocassion.

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? Always 1/2 full!

15. Where would you want to retire? Duh! The beach!

16. Favorite time of the day? Morning. I am definitely a morning person.

17. Where were you born? Franklin, LA.

18. What is your favorite sport to watch? LSU Football!

19. Bird watcher? Yep.. I can sit on my deck for hours, with my favorite adult beverage, and watch birds, especially humming birds.

20. Are you a morning person or a night person? Morning, morning, morning!!!

21. Do you have any pets? Yep, three pomeranians.. Boo, Dooley and Taz..

22. Any new and exciting news you want to share? Nothing new or especially exciting going on right now.

23. What did you want to be when you were little? A nun. And, if you knew me, you would think that is hilarious!

24. What is your best childhood memory? Hmmmmm... Can't think of a "best" one, but we did go camping a lot and I enjoyed that.

25. Are you a cat or dog person? Dogs.

26. Are you married? Yep, for 25 years.

27. Always wear your seatbelt? Absolutely!

28. Been in a car accident? Yep.

29. Any pet peeves? Rude inconsiderate people. I have more, but you might think I have issues if I list them all.

30. Favorite pizza topping? Anchovies. Yep, I love anchovies on pizza!

31. Favorite flower? Sunflowers.

32. Favorite ice cream? I prefer yogurt, but I do like me some Blue Bell.

33. Favroite fast food restaurant? Wendy's.

34. How may times did you fail your driver's test? None.

35. From whom did you get your last email? Debbie.

36. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? There are too many too lists, but I would definitely give I.O. Metro a try. And then go down the road to White House/Black Market.

37. Do anything spontaneous lately? Does buying new reading glasses today at Dollar General count?

38. Like your job? Love it!

39. Broccoli? Had it for dinner last night.

40. What was your favorite vacation? The beach! Just got back.

41. Last person you went out to dinner with? Hubby, daughter, niece and grandchildren, at the beach..

42. What are you listening to right now? Trace Adkins sing the Honky Tonk B' Donka Donk!

My birthday....

2009-07-24T11:28:00.000-05:00

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....

2009-07-24T11:23:00.000-05:00

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...

2009-07-21T10:25:00.000-05:00

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...

2009-07-21T10:17:00.001-05:00

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...

2009-07-21T08:34:00.001-05:00

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!!!!!!