Google

Monday, July 17, 2006

Turtles and bats and fish, oh my!


Last night we went to see the bats flying out from the McNeil Bridge with Sunshine's cub scout pack. Luckily we had ice cream b/c when we left at nearly 9 p.m. it was still 97 degrees out.

The event seemed to fit w/ the end of our vacation to Galveston, which included fishing, seeing sea turtles and Superman getting stung by a jellyfish (yeah - OUCH! is right!). For those not familiar w/ Jellyfish stings, they hurt. Bad. But, a little vinegar takes the sting out and the kiddo is back in the ocean before you know it.

Every year on our trip to Galveston we make a visit to the NOAA Lab to visit the sea turtles. They have a very short tour that lasts about 30 min. but seems like 3 hours b/c it's so freaking hot. Yet, it's all worth it to get up-close views of the turtles.

Add to that a day of fishing, a day at Schlitterbahn andsome time at the beach and 5 days just wasn't enough! Galveston has been our annual vacation for about 3 years now and the list of "must dos" grows each year. We must stay at the "place with the bunk beds." We must visit the turtles, go fishing off the pier

and eat at the Rainforest Cafe. We also must spend at least one full day at the beach, swim in the hotel pool and eat at least 2 breakfasts at Waffle House. I think Schlitterbahn will be added for next year b/c fun was definitely had by all there. No pictures b/c we were having too much fun to take them!

Only 4 more weeks of summer and then I may be back to more regular blogging. This weekend we'll be doing a Habitat for Humanity build w/ our church and next weekend the kids are visiting the grandparents. Sigh. I really wish I had time to get bored in summer.

Thursday, May 25, 2006

School's out for summer!

Sadly, with all my volunteering at the school and such, I'm almost as excited as the kids. So far so good on our first day of summer. They actually let me sleep (w/ the aid of a little TV) until 7:30 this a.m. Yippeeee! I love summer. I can clean up their messes and entertain them all freaking day if I can sleep past 7. Sad, isn't it? That sleeping past 7 is heaven?

I have chocolate chip pumpkin muffins in the oven for breakfast, then we're off to the Y for my yoga class, which incidently I've missed for 2 weeks b/c of illness and school stuff. Then it's to Gattiland to use the free meal Sunshine got at the school awards Monday. After that, I figure they'll be content to watch TV while I get a few things done, then the neighbor teen is coming over to babysit while hubby and I go to a movie at Alamo Drafthouse. The only way we go out to the movies anymore. If all goes as planned it will be an awesome first day of summer.

Monday, May 22, 2006

Another busy week (or two)!

Whew! I'm ready for school to be out. I think. Dropped off the dyed rigatoni for the party at school tomorrow. For some reason Room Mom wants to make samples of the necklaces for the kids. They're making necklaces w/ pasta. Who needs a sample? I'm sure she will not be pleased when she learns that we dyed about 90 percent of the 3 boxes of rigatoni green. What can I say? My kids like green. There are three different shades of green, so there!

Last weekend we went to 4 parties. Yes, four. We were actually invited to 6, but declined 2 b/c it was just too much. It was all fun, but I'm wiped out. Kids are too I guess, since Superman asked to come home and take a nap at 10 a.m. hehehe Which means I finally get a chance to blog a bit.

I get the worst mom award this week for not getting my son fully covered w/ sunscreen and burning his back. I'd take a pic and post it but don't want any evidence just in case CPS comes knocking at my door. I can see it now. "She not only let the kid get a horrendous burn, but she was so proud of it she posted pictures on her blog."

Otherwise it was a lovely weekend. We spent all day Sat. at a church party at Emma Long park. Actually it was supposed to be our whole Sunday School class, but only 3 families showed. Meaning we got more boat time. It was hard to leave but we had another party that evening so we drug ourselves away.

Apparently Superman had even more fun at the evening party. Seems he now has a GIRLFRIEND. All I know is that she is 5 and she chases him and that means she is his girlfriend. Any guesses on who it is? I need a name for that wedding invitation.

Speaking of invites, I made the invites for the kids' birthday parties this year. I can't really post them b/c I used a cheap and easy program that doesn't save as any blogger-recognized file type. They were cool, but would've been cooler if the kids let me put what *I* wanted on them. I wanted Superman's to say "It's a bird, it's a plane......it's a Super party" but he insisted on "You're invited to a Superman party." Before you say who cares, kid can't read, remember that his lovely brother can and will tell him that Mommy did it wrong. Brothers stick together that way, you know. But, here's the photo I put on the front of Sunshine's invite:

Gotta amuse myself somehow!

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Here I am again

I started blogging b/c some friends of mine blog and I thought it'd be fun to join in on their blog games. But, just like everything in life I've found that I just really don't have time to give 100 percent to this and do all the blog games weekly, post regular updates on my life and be generally witty and funny on a daily basis.

Not that I'm giving up blogging, but I'm going to be honest and say don't expect daily posts from me b/c it's just not happening. Life keeps getting in the way. And once summer arrives and Sunshine is home all day too, I think every couple of weeks might be the best I can give.

That said, while driving from one activity to the next, sitting at the doctor's office and in the library during story time I have thought of a few things I'd like to blog about.

First, I've been musing for weeks about weight and size and all those issues ever since TKW blogged about her trouble finding clothes a couple of weeks ago. I never responded to her post b/c I had way too much to say to fit it into a comment block.

Unlike me, TKW is skinny. Size 2, if I'm remembering right. Thin and gorgeous. Since I'm average weight and nothing fits me, you'd think TWK would have no trouble finding clothing. NOPE. She can't find a darn thing that fits right either.

What is up w/ these designers? I remember awhile back reading that big rears were in b/c of one famous singer or another. I was quite excited that now they'd start making clothes that would *fit* people who were larger in back. But, no such luck. They just started making clothes to *make your rear look bigger*. Um, thanks.

Seriously, if the fashion industry spent 1/2 the time thinking up designs that would *fit* different body types as they spend making clothes that empahasize or deemphasize certain features we'd *all* be a lot happier. And look a lot better.

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Where's the sidebar?

Why oh why did my sidebar disappear. I use it to get to my friends blogs and I'm currently having to just follow the links on the couple of blogs that I have bookmarked. ARGH. I haven't changed my template in a week or so and I can't really find anything that looks like it's "off" in there.

Bleh. Maybe it will show back up tomorrow!

Saturday, April 22, 2006

We have air!

Thought I'd let everyone know that our AC is up and running so you don't have to feel sorry for us anymore. Apparently there was some sort of crack in the unit so we were leaking freon and causing global warming. Which didn't help our situation any, now did it?

I'm on "break" right now. Sunshine had a choir rehearsal at church this morning. They've having "child-led worship" tomorrow and they wanted all the kids to come up and rehearse this morning. He's singing a song and taking up the offering. I'm so proud. Superman's job it to NOT YELL during the service. Of course, if he does I can dump him in the nursery.

Anyway, since I took both boys up to the church w/ me all morning, dh was going to watch them all afternoon while I did some things. But, alas, the highway is shut down so I can't get anywhere in less than 45 min. BLEH! So, I'm playing on the 'puter and then going upstairs to clean. Fun, fun, fun.

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Aaaaah!

It rained last night so we left the windows closed all night. I woke up to 80 degrees inside, thought "my God, it's 6:30 a.m. it *must* be cooler outside." I was right - it's a chilly 70 degrees in my backyard right now. So I'm sitting here w/ all the windows open feeling a nice cool breeze. Not sure how long it will last, but hopefully at least until this AC guy comes to view my AC.

Aaaaah. Cool air. Aaaaaaah.

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

The few, the proud, the brainless

I really think my kids are sucking out my brain cells while I sleep. Seriously.

Superman had Cowboy Day at school today and I was supposed to bring chips (to atone for 2 parties of bringing nada) and help out w/ the sand art table. No problem, except that I thought the event was Thursday. So, he didn't wear the cute cowboy shirt I bought him and I had to mumble a lame excuse about *planning to run home to change and pick up the chips. After my record this year I'm pretty sure the teacher knows what really happened.

I get back and have to stand out in the sun in 90 degree weather helping kids make little jars of sand art. Fuuuun. I did get a couple of pics of him on the horse and jumping on the bouncy thing. Which I will post if I can find my camera. Made it all worthwhile.

Meanwhile, the boys are just getting smarter every day. Sunshine is now reading chapter books at school and knows all kinds of amazing facts about sea animals, dinosaurs and other stuff that I'm totally clueless about. And Superman knew that the mystery garden formation was a mushroom. And that Elmer's glue won't stick cloth to plastic. Although I had a hunch on that I just didn't have any superglue.

The AC is still out. We have this home warranty deal, which will save us a ton of money, but the catch is we have to go thru that company who then sets us up w/ a repair comany. I had this conversation with the repair company this morning. (WWFA = Woman with funny accent; Me = me.)

WWFA: I haaave a wark arder heee ee aaar to wark on you a-ear condi-ti- own-air.
Me: Huh?
WWFA: I haaave a wark arder heee ee aaar to wark on you a-ear condi-ti- own-air.
Me: The *air conditioner*?
WWFA: yeaus. We-ill you be the-air this afternoon?
Me: Yes. I'll be here anytime someone can come fix it.
WWFA: We-al, our guy ma-aybe we-ill (OK, I'm going to stopy typing like she talks now b/c it's giving me a headache) stop by this afternoon to look at it.
Me: Stop by to look at it?
WWFA: Yes.
Me: You mean to fix it?
WWFA: To look at it. Maybe. If he has time. We'll call you if he can come.
Me: To *fix* it?
WWFA: Maybe he *look* at it. If not today, he come tomorrow between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Me: Um, Okay (mentally trying to figure out if I can sit here and sweat all day)
WWFA: Will you be there.
Me: I should be. If not, please call me at (cell phone number)
WWFA: OK. We'll call you when he can drop by to see you

So, what I'm gathering here is that someone is "stopping by" to *look* at my broken AC, but they aren't really sure if they're going to fix it or not? Oookaaay. It was 100 degrees out there this afternoon. I think we are all going to die! Fix my AC already.

Monday, April 17, 2006

CECPUS???

What's that supposed to mean? Where do they get those words they use for the blogger sobriety test? CECPUS. I have no idea what it means, but I'm pretty sure it's obscene in some language.

Easter and my garden

Thought I'd share some pics of our Easter weekend. The boys went to an Easter egg hunt Saturday. Sunshine was really excited about it and even laid on the couch for an hour beforehand to rest up for it:

Superman, on the other hand thought the egg hunt was a terrible idea:

Until he realized they put chocolate in the eggs and everyone got a couple of prizes from the prize table after:


Sunday we went to church and out to lunch. Here they are in their Easter outfits before we went.




Took awhile to get Superman in it and I'm not sure he's all that happy about it, but we kind of got a smile out of him. Oh to have a child who will just wear whatever I put on him without a fight. It would be heaven!

I really liked the pics of a baby pepper that Lisa posted last week so I decided to copy cat her.

The baby tomato was really cute

You can't really see it in the picture b/c my camera is obviously not as good as Lisa's is. It's up under that brownish dead flower thing - a tiny green ball.

The baby cucumber was pretty cute too, though:


A little easier to see. And here is the mystery item in my garden:

Any thoughts on what it is? It is not doggie vomit. There are two of these things and I poked around on the other one to find that it's kind of a powdery substance that is dark brown under the top.

Finally, as long as I was in the yard taking photos thought I'd show one of our compost "bin." Not really compost yet, I guess - it's supposed to take 6 months to a year.

Oh, and our AC is broken. So, if I don't post for awhile it's b/c I've had a heat stroke. Just kidding. But, we may be spending the next few afternoons hanging out at Target since they have AC and it's predicted to be in the upper 90s this week.

Friday, April 14, 2006

A pain in the neck

Yes, I have a pain in the neck. A real one. Weird. I was fine when I woke up this morning. Then I was laying in bed watching the boys play, heard a crack and now I can't move my head w/o excruciating pain. UGH!

Hopefully the Aleve will kick in and I'll feel fine in an hour or so. Since I didn't take any pics yesterday I most likely won't be participating in SPF. : ( Hmmm, unless I can get the kids to take pics that will remotely work..... Hmmm.

Thursday, April 13, 2006

Another quickie

I'm trying to post at least every weekday, but don't have much time now. E won the contest on why my jeans don't fit. Thanks girlfriend. I feel much, much better now.

I did yoga this a.m. and an hour, yes, an hour on the elliptical trainer yesterday. My butt hurts so it must be firm, right?

I think I won the worst mom of the year (or at least the week) award. Superman had a party and egg hunt at his school today. First, I didn't sign up to bring anything. This will be the second party in a row that I've bailed on. Actually that's the fault of the Janes who apparently carry pens and sign up the second the list goes up on the board. But, then, I brought the eggs, but totally flaked on the fact that he'd need a basket to hunt his eggs with. His teacher said he was more than happy w/ his plastic HEB bag so maybe that's what he'll get for Easter too. hehehe

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

UGH!

Can someone please tell me why my jeans don't fit even though I'm trying to eat healthy and working out 3-4 times a week? UGH. Waaaaah!

That is all.

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Spring fever

I really have no excuse for not blogging lately. I haven't been off on an exciting trip like Angela. I haven't been busy interviewing for new jobs like Lisa. I've just been feeling all antsy about life and not focused enough to sit for 5 minutes and give a shout out to the world. But, here I am. I'll do it now. Just be warned that it's silly ramblings and I probably won't bother to spell-check.

Let's see. Today we had a playdate w/ Sunshine's friend from school. He brings his little sis over to play w/ Superman so I don't have to entertain anyone for a few hours until his mom comes to get them. Usually it's a pretty relaxing afternoon for me, but everyone was in grumpy moods, so we had little fights breaking out all over. This one's not speaking to that one. That one hurt this one's feelings. Apparently no one likes grape juice....

My garden is starting to come up and one of the tomatoes has a couple of little yellow blossoms. Yippeee. I go out about 10 times a day to see how tall everything is. (which is why I'm never blogging. I'm too busy monitoring every tiny bit of growth) I need to thin the beans, okra and broccoli, but I just can't bring myself to pull up any of my babies. Maybe tomorrow I'll get my nerve up. Meanwhile, my basil, that I desperately *need* to be up NOW, is taking it's own sweet time. I even bought a starter plant a month ago b/c I needed fresh basil for my spaghetti. And it's all used up down to the dirt. I planted a whole big pot of seeds and there are 2, yes, 2, *tiny* little sprouts in there. C'mon basil. You've gotta be big and bushy by the time my 'maters are ready. And I'm not even going to talk about about the whole cilantro issue.

Anyway, if anyone knows what in the heck to do w/ "yellow bush beans," lemme know. I'm not sure how we ended up w/ them except that they looked kinda neat and I could fit 2 of 'em into the space I had available.

The hubby built me a little cage to try to compost and I guess that's going well. It's full of grass clippings and leaves, anyway. I won't really know if it's working or not for a few more months. I do, however, go look at it and poke at it w/ shovels and sticks a few times a day. Yeah, I'm using my time wisely.

This weekend is Easter, which reminds me I need to go fill some eggs w/ candy for a party on Thursday and go ahead and make up the baskets all pretty while the kids are outta my hair (in case I have trouble and need something else.) I don't usually do big gifts for Easter, but hubby had his heart set on this big basket at Big Lots w/ big, cheap toys in it. Of course, he didn't bother to buy it, just told me to. When I went back they were out. So, I went shopping and got a ton of junk to stick in there. Candy and the usual, plus Sunshine is getting a some Star Wars figures and Superman is getting a Superman action figures to add to his growing collection.

I'm really, really ready for summer. A couple of my commitments, which I'm getting really tired of, will be up come summer and I can hardly wait. I'd say I'll blog more then, but you can find me by the pool whenever I get free time.

Monday, April 03, 2006

World's Shortest Personality Test

Your Personality Profile
You are dreamy, peaceful, and young at heart.Optimistic and caring, you tend to see the best in people.You tend to be always smiling - and making others smile.
You are shy and intelligent... and a very hard worker.You're also funny, but many people don't see your funny side.Your subtle dry humor leaves your close friends in stitches.

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Nineteen... Nineteeen..... Nineteen Eighty-Five

I have to admit I love that song. But, the reason it's in the title is it's the theme of Way Back Wednesday this week. Brought to us as always by the lovely, talented and tipsy Kept Woman.

When thinking about this theme I realize that I actually still have some fashion items from 1985 in my closet. They all have sentimental value... Really... stop laughing..

First, I bring to you the red leather skirt.


Kept, first, because my beloved Nana bought it for me for Christmas despite my mother's protests. And because I have a fantasy of one day fitting back in it and shaking my ass on Whitesnake's car.

Next, I bring to you the Limited jacket. This is circa 1983.

I don't really know why I've kept it except that I remember begging for it and promising my mom it was the only jacket I would ever ask for again... I actually wear it around the house when the Man has the AC on in winter. It's nice and soft and old enough I don't mind it getting messed up when I'm cleaning or whatever.

Finally, what we've all been waiting for BIG EARRINGS (I never fully managed to acheive the big hair thing so I stuck w/ big jewelry):


Did you play?

Monday, March 27, 2006

My week

Well, it's been almost a week since I've posted! Not that much of interest to write about really. Kind of back to the same old routine this week.

Saturday we took the kids to ride the Cedar Rock Railroad . Just a little kiddie train going thru a park. We'd planned a picnic, but got chased into the car by bees. After that we had to come home and clean the car....

Sunday had the cub scout Bicycle Rodeo. The kids had fun. Two hours was waaay to long for me out in that wind, though!

Got a little worried about the garden since it nearly froze on Thursday night. But, everything survived. Still have more stuff to plant but I'll have to wait until it's less rainy. Mark set up a wire cage for a compost pile, so we'll see how that goes. I guess we won't really know for a few months. I'm not sure I can bring myself to put actual food waste (like lettuce, etc) in there. We'll see. It will def. be a good spot for all the yard clippings and such.

Here's hoping for a more exciting week.

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

How to make the raised beds

I've had a couple of questions on how we made the raised beds for my garden, so I thought I'd post how Mark made ours.

Get four 8-foot long boards at Lowe's, Home Depot, whatever. If you have a few old boards laying around in the yard you can use those. I think the ones we used are about a foot wide, but don't quote me on that. You can get longer if you want a bigger bed, but that was as big as we can manage in our yard. The bed we built has room for 4 tomato plants and a cucumber plant in the back row, probably 2 more rows of short plants. They are a bit crowded, but it cuts down on weeds.

While you are there, get some of those metal board corner connector things. I'm sure what they are called, but someone who works there can probably help you find them.

Cut two of the boards in half. I think they will do this for you at Home Depot as they always offer to cut boards for me. But, since we have a couple of fancy saws, hubby did it himself. Use the connectors to connect two long boards to two short boards, making a rectangle. Do the same with the second set of boards, then put it on top of the first and use the straight connectors to make it stay steady. I think you can do this all with nails, but those fancy connector things just make you feel like a real carpenter, ya know?

Fill the beds with lots and lots of dirt. Preferably good dirt, but whatever you can get is fine. Like 5,000 wheelbarrows full or so should do it. Then, you are done.

Oh, and don't buy the treated lumber. It looks pretty, but can leach stuff into the soil and contaminate your veggies. We used plain old pine. I'll post a picture of the sandbox later to show you what color the veggie box will be in a couple of years.

Monday, March 20, 2006

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a yard...

(Hoping blogger will let me post these today..)

First, here's the "after" on the yard:


I realize that there is still some dirt around the edges. Hopefully it is filling in the gaps between squares of sod and helping the grass grow together smoothly and all that. The new flower bed is in the back left corner.

Here's my garden box. I went out and bought some stuff for it today and we'll probably plant it after Sunshine gets home from school.




And, while blogger is letting me post photos, here are some of our other Spring Break activities.

In front of the state Capitol:


After seeing Shamu:

No, he's not crying b/c he's wet. He's crying b/c we made him look at me instead of the whales for 10 seconds.

Flamingos and ducks:

At the Magic Time Machine:

What is up w/ my laundry?

Now, last week was Spring Break. Although we were working like crazy in the yard 1/2 of it, I did 2-3 loads, as usual, every day. Then, on Wednesday, the hubby helped me push a whopping 6 loads thru to be sure we had everything to pack for San Antonio.

We get back Fri. night, I do 3 loads on Sat, 2 on Sunday. Soo, I should be "all caught up", right? NOOOOOOO. My downstairs laundry sorter is overflowing and the kids laundry hamper upstairs is full. What do these guys do? Just periodically empty their dresser drawers into the laundry hamper.

Grrrrrr....

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Whew!

The yard is done! DONE! The huge dirt pile shown below is gone, along w/ two pallets of grass. Yippeee! In addition to now having a front yard full of actual grass (as opposed to leaves and dirt) we also have a new garden box in back and a corner flower bed in the front. Can't wait to plant them - I'll have to wait for the blisters on my hands to go away first, though.

I will post pictures of all our hard work later, but blogger hates me tonight so it'll have to wait.

For our break this afternoone we went to see Roving Mars at the IMAX and I highly recommend it. While we all have seen the news reports, the movie is fascinating and the photos of Mars blown up on the IMAX screen were excellent!

Then we headed out to the state capitol b/c Sunshine has been asking for at least a year to go there and while we live about 20 min. away and pass by it on the highway at least twice a week neither of my kids have actually been inside. We had a picnic on the lawn. Well, really the boys did. Hubby and I ate before we left home. Again, I have a few photos to share, but blogger sucks tonight so I'm off to take a hot bath and fold laundry.

Monday, March 13, 2006

Well, it's not Disneyland


But I think the kids had fun today anyway. Yes, that is a giant dirt pile in front of our house. We've been needing to get the grass out there growing again and somehow decided we'd do it ourselves since the hubby would be home more than usual during Spring Break (he's technically on vacation, but is working parts of a few days).

We got about 80 percent of that moved around the yard and spread out or into a garden bed in the back today. AND got about 1/3 of the two pallets of grass we got laid out today. The goal for tomorrow is to finish it in the morning and then go to an IMAX movie and a quickie tour of the state Capitol building tomorrow. Despite living less than 30 min. from it and driving past it twice a week on the way to church, my children have never been in it. They always ask, so we're going.

It may not sound as exciting as their classmates trips to Disney, Colorado and Florida, but for cheap fun you really can't beat a huge pile of dirt.

Saturday, March 11, 2006

Lovely, just lovely

Our plans for Spring Break this year include hanging out around here getting stuff done, hubby working some the first part of the week, then heading down to San Antonio Thursday, spending the night and hitting Sea World on Friday.

This week we have *beautiful* weather predicted all week long. not too hot after tomorrow, cloudy but no rain. Right up until FRIDAY. Yes, the day we are supposed to have our big Spring Break outing it is going to rain.

I guess we'll alter our plans a bit and go as early as we can Thursday and spend Thursday there instead, but I really think we'd have more fun if we took our time getting down there, bummed around the river walk and El Mercado on Thursday, ate a nice dinner then got up bright and early to hit the big SW. Best laid plans and all.

Sorry, excuse the griping. Just had to whine to someone.

Had a great dinner out w/ the kids tonight, then realized that we'd probably come out ahead if we'd just forked over for the sitter. Since when does a 6-year-old eat an adult plate, then scavenge food off of MY plate? All this after eating fried calamari for an appetizer. If I could eat that much and be half as skinny as Sunshine I sure would, though. Mmmmmmm. That'd be the life. Mmmmmmm.

Friday, March 10, 2006

Like Yesterday's Paper

Time for Stuff Portrait Friday, brought to us once again by the lovely Kristine. This week she wants to see our junk - trash can, junk drawer and trunk.

First, my trash can:


We def. have too much stuff in that pantry!

Now, my junk drawer:


So much paper in there - I think what I really need is a new filing cabinet and eliminate the junk drawer.

And my trunk:

Tada. I have to admit here that I got it in between loads. I cleaned it out so the mulch I picked up this morning wouldn't get all our precious trash, um, er, I mean kids art projects.

Did you play?

Monday, March 06, 2006

Career Ambitions

Since I can't find my camera to post pics of any of the exciting things we did this weekend I thought I'd write about my career plans. As many of you know, I am currently just a SAH mom. And while that sounds all fine and dandy and brings up images of eating bonbons while watching Oprah, rest assured that what it really means is I work like a dog for no pay, get a "break" once a week or so and got up three times to see what the little guy is screaming about just while I was writing that sentence.

I love it, though. : )

In addition to being Mom, I also do some volunteer work, with both my church and the PTA. I love my church work and it's not too taxing. All I'll say about PTA is if you are ever asked to be on the PTA board, run screaming from the room and change your name and phone number. Yet, I think PTA is what is going to help me out when I finally get around to getting a paying job.

Believe it or not, I'm a writer by trade. I wrote for a couple of newspapers, wrote a book on the history of a children's home and wrote air quality crap for the state of Texas, among other things. The plan when I quit to SAH was to do some freelance, but it is very hard to do freelance work with no childcare help and an infant who screams nonstop. So, I kinda just quit trying. One day I may try that again, but most likely I'll just go back full or parttime for another company.

So, Friday I get an email asking if anyone can attend a grant writing workshop for PTA members and help write grants for our school in the future. YES, YES, finally something to do for the school that doesn't make me want to cry. Yippeee! And I know that there always seems to be some demand for grant writers with experience. So, maybe, just maybe, it won't be so hard to find a job when I've been out of the workforce 10 or more years after all.

The point of all this is that 1. I probably won't post tomorrow b/c I'll be at the workshop during my "free" time and 2. I'll actually be doing something I'm excited about tomorrow. (not that the MNO wasn't great, but you know what I mean.) 3. I want to publicly thank my husband for taking an hour off of work to cart kids around while I'm at the workshop.

Now I'm off to clean up the mess that was made while I posted that.

Saturday, March 04, 2006

ABCs of me

Got this from MOAC and figured it was appropriate that I post it while waiting for her to pick me up for the sorely needed mom's night out. (and figured it was about time I updated. I just can't seem to get in the swing of things this week!)

A is for Age - 29 for the, um, 7th time, I think...
B is for Books - I'll read anything.
C is for Career - BTDT, Mommy for now
D is for Dad's name - Willie
E is for Essential Item to Bring to a Party - Music
F is for Favorite Song(s) of the Moment - 1985 by Bowling for Soup
G is for Goof Off Thing To Do - Write on my blog. : )
H is for Hometown - Midland, TX
I is for Instrument You Play - Piano
J is for Jam or Jelly You Like - Plum
K is for Kids - I have two - 3 and 6, both boys
L is for Living Arrangement - In a house w/ dh and the 2 boys
M is for Mom's Name - Gloria
N is for Names of Best Friends - Shelley and Beth
O is for Overnight Hospital Stays - 2 for delivering kiddos and one when I had my gallbladder out.
P is for Phobias - can't think of any..
Q is for Quote You Like - "Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." --Abraham Lincoln
R is for Relationship That Lasted the Longest - 12 years and counting
S is for Siblings - One brother
T is for Texas, ever been? - Yes, lived here most of my life
U is for Unique Trait - warped sense of humor?
V is for Vegetable You Love - Okra
W is for Worst Trait - Tendency to overanalyze
X is for X-rays you've had - teeth, chest.
Y is for Yummy Food You Make - Chicken and dumplings, homemade pizza, chocolate pie.
Z is for Zodiac Sign - Cancer

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

I'm still here....

In case anyone thought I'd fallen off the face of the earth. Just a lotta stress.

Since most of what's going on in my life is mostly boring AND depressing, I decided to share some random family news in honor of Way Back Wednesday, which is on hiatus this week. My mom called this a.m. to update me on a surgery my dad had and also wanted to tell me that my long lost second cousin called.

If I had a picture in my possession I'd post it, but I don't. Candy and Mandy were my mom's cousin's daughters. But, her cousin lived w/ them from the time he was about 10, so they were a little closer than "regular" second cousins.

Thru a series of issues, including her parent's divorce, a falling out after my grandmother died and just the general realities of life, we hadn't heard from Candy and Mandy since shortly after my grandma died back in 1991. Which is a lot longer ago than I can really accept b/c in a way 1991 sounds like just yesterday. I mean, I just graduated from college a few years ago, back in '92, right?

Anyway, so Candy is doing just great, married, works for Cingulair - the company who my entire family uses for their cell phone service. Coincidence? Maybe. Anyway, it was nice to hear that she's doing well in life. Her sister is doing OK. Divorced w/ kids, but sounds like she's getting thru it all OK.

Really weird to just not hear from someone for 15 years and then they just call outta the blue when you needed a little pick-me-up. Life's funny that way..

Friday, February 17, 2006

It's Friday again....

Stuff Portrait Friday, brought to us once again by the lovely Kristine.

"You've ALL emailed me to have this added to the list for Stuff Portrait Friday and I always pretended I went blind when I read it, but here it is:1. UNDER YOUR BED!2. STEREO (do we still call them that?)3. POTS AND PANSNow this is "in all your glory" week. You're not allowed to go clean under your bed to make it look all nice. You're not allowed to scrap the black crap on the bottom of your pans either. This is about who you REALLY are...in all your glory."

Soo, first, under my bed:



The box contains sweaters I haven't worn in a few years. A book and even more of the kids toys

.
Next, my "stereo:"


Dh has a real one, but I don't know how to make it work w/ all the wires and connections and the surround sound on the TV. So, I just hook up my ipod to these speakers. I keep it between the kitchen and family room so I can control and hear it from both rooms.

Finally, my pots and pans:

It's Emerilware and I like them a lot. I have another set that I hate that sits in the garage b/c I'm too chicken to tell my mom that I hated the ones she got me so we change them out when she visits and I think we'll be cooking....about once a year. Probably time to come clean on that, ya think?

Did you play?

Thursday, February 16, 2006

Two days late and a few dollars short...

I know Valentine's Day was a couple of days ago, but someone sent me this and I had to take it and decided to share it since I like my results:

Your Candy Heart Says "Get Real"
You're a bit of a cynic when it comes to love.You don't lose your head, and hardly anyone penetrates your heart.
Your ideal Valentine's Day date: is all about the person you're seeing (with no mentions of v-day!)
Your flirting style: honest and even slightly sarcastic
What turns you off: romantic expectations and "greeting card" holidays
Why you're hot: you don't just play hard to get - you are hard to get

Thursday Thirteen

Found this over at E's place and thought it looked like fun. Brought to us by Crib Ceiling.


Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen (not really even close to 13) places I've lived.

1. Midland, Texas - lived in the same house from 1970 to 1977.

2. Midland, Texas - new house, same city, all the way until 1988.

3. Waco, Texas - Went off to college, finally escaped - Wooo hooo. Lived in the dorm one year.

4. Waco, Texas - Moved to an off-campus apartment with my friends (hey, it counts. New residence...) Same apt. 1989-1991.

5. Waco, Texas - Ditched those three and moved in w/ some sorority sisters for my senior year. 1991-1992.

6. Washington, DC - only there three months for an internship, but I did have to pay rent on a place... 1992

7. San Angelo, Texas - Moved here for my first "real" job at a newspaper. Lived in an apartment by their only mall for about a year. 1992-1993

8. San Angelo, Texas - got married to my college sweetie, who moved out there and got a job b/c he didn't want to move back to Georgia w/ his family. Moved into a cute little rental house that has since burned to the ground. We lived there less than a year. 1993

9. Austin, Texas - Dh got a new job and we were ready to leave small-town life. Although I think the desire to leave small-town life came first. Anyway, lived in a fourplex in North Austin from 1993-1995.

10. Austin, Texas - moved even farther North in Austin when we bought our first home. Cute little 3-bedroom place w/ absolutely no yard, but nice neighbors and plenty of room for a couple of dinks. 1995-2002

11. Round Rock, Texas - After child #2 arrived we decided it was time for a little more space, so we loaded up the truck and headed North again. 2002-who knows when...

So, I didn't quite make the thirteen on this one and I guess I probably cheated since I've lived in a total of 6 cities.... Maybe it's time to move....

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Curse them all

Curses on whoever thought it was a good idea to make those lick 'em candies (you know the ones that are kool-aid pouches w/ little sticks to eat them with) into valentines for kids to give to their friends. And even more curses to the 10 moms in my son's class who actually allowed their kids to give them out.

To those 10 moms: I hate you all. Just so we're clear on that. I will be getting even with you at the end of the year party. I haven't decided how yet, but I have a band of evil moms who will help me come up with very special gifts just for your little darlings....

Friday, February 10, 2006

Stuff Portrait Friday

"Welcome to Stuff Portrait Friday, which is usually brought to us by the lovely and talented Kristine, but this week is being babysat by the lovely and talented Kami. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, we are going with a love theme this week:

~ What you love most about your home
~ What you love least about your home
~ What you love most about yourself "


Here's what I love most about my house. To be honest, I love my house (despite some decorating challenges) so it was hard to pick just one thing. I love our backyard:

It was like heaven when we first moved in here b/c our last house had a yard the size of a matchbox. This one is nice and big with some trees and space for a playscape for the kids and a nice sized sandbox. Feb. isn't the best month to get a great photo, but this one shows the nice big open space. I also love that you can see most of it thru the windows in the kitchen, family room and from windows upstairs too. So, I can stay inside and get stuff done while the kids play outside and still watch them:


Yes, that's the new paint job in the kitchen. I love it too. There are some before pics here. Much better.

Here's a view of the windows in the family room. They look out into the backyard also:

What I love least about my house would have to be this bathroom:



It has got to be on record somewhere as the world's smallest full bath. I thought it wouldn't matter when we moved in and I'm sure when the boys are older it won't, but right now it drives me nuts. It's sooo hard to give the kids a bath b/c it's so cramped in there.

I've been down on myself lately so I had a hard time w/ #3 - what I love most about ME. Finally decided that, although I'm desperately in need of a good manicure, that I really do like my hands. Always have. They're big, not small and dainty and it makes me feel really capable of taking on the world. Even when they're aren't nicely manicured:


Did you play?

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

The painters that wouldn't leave

Sooo, they came to paint our kitchen and powder room on Monday and they are still here. I swear for the past 4 hours every time I go in there it *looks* finished. And one of the guys - Juan - keeps going out w/ cans of paint, leading me to believe they are almost done.

But, no, no, no, Pedro is still painting. C'mon Pedro, we're quite the perfectionist aren't we? Your buddy here, Juan, is done. He's ready to go home. I am ready to go make myself a snack in the kitchen w/o worrying about stepping on your stuff or getting in the way. It looks fine. Really. Just great. Now. Leave.

And just how many cans of paint does Juan have in there? Or is he just carrying the same bucket around as part of some sick little joke? There he goes again.

OK, that's it. I'm leaving to pick my son up at school and then, you'll be gone, right? I'll just write a little check and you guys will be on your way. Thanks so much, looks great. Leave. Now. Goodbye.

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Tuesday's ramblings

They still aren't finished painting my kitchen. The house stinks and they're coming back tomorrow to finish. It's looking pretty good, though. Just needs a second coat and they're supposed to do the trim. The bathroom is a little yellower than I thought it would be, but I still like it. Anything is better than the grandma wallpaper I've been enduring for the past 3 years.

Superman is about to drive me nuts. I don't know what's happened to the little guy. Before the holidays he was Mr. Fun and independant. Now, he wants me to just walk around holding him all the time and freaks when I leave him anywhere, even at his preschool. He *loved* preschool back in December. Give me a break. I'm so sick of this. Can a 3 1/2 year old suddenly develop separation anxiety? Or do we have some serious disorder and I may as well start his therapy now.

Sunshine had a program at school tonight. The songs were cute, but one of them I *swear* they sang last year when he was in Kindergarten. Aren't they learning anything in music class? The first graders are all so cute, though. It was fun to watch. Unfortunately I forgot to charge my camera battery so all we got was video. I took the old camera but it's apparently completely broken now. Oh well. Hard to get a good shot in a group of 100 anyway.

Things to do this week:

1. Take pictures for SPF.
2. Charge camera batteries so you can do #1.
3. Go back to Dr. on Thursday.
4. Reschedule hair appointment so you can do #3.
5. Laundry - always.
6. Grocery shopping
7. Plan visit to parents.
8. Look at fabric for new kitchen curtains.
9. Make kitchen curtains.
10. Figure out some project easier and faster than curtains so I'll have something to post Monday.
11. Take pictures of kitchen when it's done.
12. Call for estimates on painting cabinets since dh says he doesn't want to do it himself now.
13. Bathe dog.
14. clean bathrooms.
15. Go thru list and figure out what really needs to be done and what can wait.

Monday, February 06, 2006

I am metal

Thought this was fun:

Your Element is Metal
Your power colors: white, gold, and silver
Your energy: contracting
Your season: fall
You are persistent (and maybe even a little bit stubborn).If you see something you want, you go for it.You have a lot of strength, and it's difficult to get you down.Very logical, you tend to analyze everything going on in your life.
What Element Are You?

Just like Martha Monday

Here we are again, it's Monday and I'm feeling just like Martha. Except I don't think Martha is on high power cough medicine. Nor does she have two screaming kids.

I didn't get out much this week, but I did manage to go to the store and get some flowers to repot. I really wanted to try a cool look I saw in a magazine with some bulbs. I found these tulips:



To repot them this way, buy a cheap pot of bulb - tulips, daffodils, etc. (I got a set that had 3 in it for $1.23, but the third was kind of crooked and didn't really work. I stuck it in a "regular" pot). Lay out an old newspaper on the counter and take the bulbs out. Shake off all the dirt you can onto the newspaper, then rinse the roots and bulb. Put in a glass container and cover the roots and enough of the bulb to hold it steady w/ marbles or rocks. Fill the container w/ water and you're done.

I also got this nice little pot of flowers and stuck it in a nicer pot I already had:



Feels really nice after a week of the sickies and ickies to have some fresh color in the house.

Speaking of which, the painters are coming today! The painters are coming today! They're only doing the kitchen and bathroom walls so we'll still have the ugly cabinets, but by Wed. or so the wallpaper in both the bathroom and kitchen will be gone and painted! Woohoo! I'll have to take a before of the bathroom to post before they fix it all up.

One more project this week. I've been hating these shelves


for months now. So cluttered and messy. So, I did a quick rearrange on it. Here's the after look:



Note here that I have no say on where that little speaker goes. Trust me. I've tried throwing it away....

Thanks for humoring and inspiring me once again.

Sunday, February 05, 2006

New Look

Not sure why, but I decided it'd be fun to change my "template". I think I like it. May try to change it up more later.

Anyone else miffed that Desperate Housewives isn't on b/c of the Super Bowl?

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Excuse me?

Sunshine has filed a formal complaint about the promptness of his breakfast. Yes, that's right. Here's the conversation hubby reported to me last night:

Sunshine: Daddy, I'm upset about how breakfast is going lately.
Dh: What do you mean? You don't like what Mommy is cooking?
Sunshine: I like what she makes, but lately she hasn't been having it ready when I get downstairs in the morning.
Dh: Huh?
Sunshine: I like my breakfast waiting on the table when I come down in the mornings.
Dh: Um, OK.
Sunshine: Can you talk to her about it?
Dh: I'll see what I can do.

He's kidding, right? The kid is downstairs waiting for breakfast at 6:45 a.m. every single morning. I make him good breakfasts - omelets, pancakes, etc. So I think I can have a little leeway here on the time. I mean, hello, I have strep throat and pneumonia. Cut me a little slack here guys.

Remember Aspergum? I could really use some right now.

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Way Back Wednesday

Time for Way Back Wednesday, once again brought to us by the Kept Woman.

Here's my bling:

The case and it's contents were my grandmothers. I remember playing in it when I was a kid so it's not only bling, it's sentimental bling.

The bad, the badder and the baddest....

And it's only Wed. a.m. Not sure I can make it thru the rest of the week. Didn't mean to start a blog and be such a downer. Life has to get better from here, right.

First, I'm sick. Been running 102 since yesterday a.m. Had some kind of problem with the insurance and doctor thinking they don't take it. Although they are on the list and are located right next to the major employer who offers our insurance so it would be *stupid* for them not to. I think the receptionist lady was too lazy to call on it and my throat is killing me so I could only yell in a whisper. That didn't really have much effect.

Spent an hour or so calling people, whispering angrily, crying to dh and finally got an appointment with a different doctor for this a.m. I feel terrible. Oh, and according to the insurance, I *am* covered and the first doctor *does* take them. ARGH! Curses on the evil receptionist.

On to why I'm really doing the post - I didn't mean to mention my Dad and not get around to explaining. Just been too tired. He's still in ICU in the hospital in my hometown. Has some kind of liver infection and is severely anemic. They've given him 3 units of blood to try to help w/ that and are running tests today to try to figure out why and how to treat it.

You've gotta love my Dad, though. The dr. asks if he's ever had a blood transfusion and Mom said he rolled his eyes and said "I *give* blood, I don't *get* it." Yeah, he's still himself, at least. : )

Tomorrow I will not post unless I can be more upbeat.

Friday, January 27, 2006

Hang in there

Someone sent me one of those spam emails today that actually hit me just right so I thought I'd post it here so I can read it when I need a pick me up.

The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, just remember...

Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute J
eremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
John the Baptist ate bugs
Peter denied Christ
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once
Zaccheus was too small
Paul was too religious
Timothy had an ulcer...
AND Lazarus was dead!

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Way Back Wednesday

I'm so excited I can participate in this with the alternate assignment. Thanks TKW! I don't have a scanner, so you can expect my future WBW submissions to be few and far between.

So, here's a pic of my kitchen.




One day soon, the cabinets will be white and the walls will be "cappucino bombe". Yes, I realize there is stuff out on the counter. I was in the midst of cooking when I took it. I'm always in the middle of cooking something around here. I feel like I run an all-you-can-eat buffet.

The cabinets are wood and they are stained a really ugly color not of my choosing. The countertops are the cheap laminate stuff, whatever it is called. It's actually pretty sturdy and looks fine after being there about 10 or so years.

To go along with that photo, here are the boys working on the science project.

As you can see, the hardest part of participating in a science project is keeping the 3-year-old sibling from helping. Here is the most fascinating find from the project:


The dark brown blob is a chocolate chip. If you drop a chocolate chip in 7-Up it will dance up and down. Sunshine was really excited about this factoid.

MM

Tuesday, January 24, 2006

4 Things

I wanna play this one too. Got it from MOAC.

FOUR JOBS YOU'VE HAD IN YOUR LIFE:
1. Copy Editor
2. Newspaper reporter
3. Program administrator (Hey - I worked for the state of TX. That's about as descriptive as it gets...)
4. Cashier at Burger King

FOUR PLACES THAT YOU HAVE LIVED:
1. Austin, TX
2. Round Rock, TX
3. Washington D.C.
4. San Angelo, TX

FOUR TV SHOWS THAT YOU WATCH:
1. Desperate Housewives
2. Grey's Anatomy
3. News
4. Nothing

FOUR PLACES YOU HAVE BEEN ON VACATION:
1. Jamaica
2. Paris
3. Cozumel
4. New York City

FOUR WEBSITES YOU VISIT DAILY:
1. myfamily.com
2. yahoo email and groups
3. cnn.com
4. news8austin.com

FOUR FAVORITE FOODS:
1. Chocolate
2. Chocolate
3. Chocolate
4. Chocolate

FOUR PLACES THAT YOU WOULD RATHER BE RIGHT NOW:
1. In bed
2. Jamaica
3. Italy
4. hiking anywhere

This is a test....


Yes, this is a picture of my dog, Oil, eating his dinner. I posted it partly b/c it was easy to find and I'm testing my ability to post photos on blogger and partly b/c I was in the mood to talk about him.

Tonight, he is dining on Kibbles and Bits, with a can of Alpo poured over it. This is his usual meal, although he's been known to dine on baked potatoes, Kraft cheese slices (but only Kraft and NOT lowfat), Jif peanut butter (and no other brand), leftover chicken, beef, gravy or green beans and waffles or pancakes. Do not lecture me about how that is not the proper diet for a dog and you would only ever allow your dog to eat Science Diet lowfat and no table food ever. You can tell me all about it when *your* dog surpasses the average lifespan for his breed by 5 years. Thank you.

Oil celebrated his 14th birthday in November. We had a small celebration with family, including his dog-cousin Scamp and his real-life cousins and grandparents. He received a couple of balls, a chew rope and had steak on his kibbles for dinner.

Despite now being classified as an "elderly" dog, he can still catch frisbees in his mouth and climb the stairs to sleep on my bed. Thank you Rick's Cleaners for cheaply and expertly getting the doggie smell out of my comforter. Oil sheds too much and since his hearing went has been barking a little to loudly and too often. But, all in all he's a good dog and we love him.

Saturday, January 21, 2006

Car fever

Yes, the hubster has new car fever. We just got me a new Volkswagen Passat back in October for those not in the know. I love it.

Sooo, now he's off this afternoon buying himself a new Nissan Xterra? Why? I dunno. Because he can, I guess. I just told him I didn't want any kind of talk about how I needed to be cutting back our grocery bill if he got it. He said OK and left. Can't wait to see it. I have to admit while I was out w/ my girlfriend this a.m. I parked next to an Xterra and yes, our cars will look mighty nice parked next to each other in the driveway up here in fantasy land. Ooooh yeah. Here's to more debt.

Spent the morning w/ my girlfriend who I haven't seen in about 6 months. Hubster thinks I'm nuts b/c she calls, we decide to go out and I'm immediately putting her to work. Yes. I "made" (his word) her meet up at Lowe's to look at paint for my kitchen and bathroom. To be fair to me, we picked out paint for her house also. I think that's a great girlfriend "date". Lowe's for some decorating playtime then Red Robin for lunch. I think I'll be doing "Shiny silk" in the downstairs powder room and "Cappucino Bombe" in the kitchen. And I am painting my ugly kitchen cabinets white. I am not restaining them in the icky whitewash finish they currently have. Apologies to anyone who has that same finish and loves it, but I HATE it.

Have a nice day. I'm done for now.