Christmas Memories. . .

I am feeling a little nostalgic today.  I started wrapping gifts last night.  Christmas is my favorite time of year.  I love the smell of a fresh cut tree, even though we have an artificial one now.  I love the feel of the cooler weather, the excitement of the kids thinking about Santa, our Church music and Christmas carols.
I like shopping for that special gift for everyone on my list.  I always try to pick something that I think that person would like.  I love seeing their faces when they open their gift. 
 I remember one time trying to wait up on Santa Clause.  I sat my bean bag chair right in front of the fireplace so when he came down our chimney he would fall over me.  Mom and Dad have a picture of me asleep in that spot.  Needless to say I did not wake up when Santa came to my house, I slept right through it.  My kids tell me every year they are going to try and catch Santa sneaking in the house.  I always tell them he won't stop if you are not asleep.  They always leave cookies, milk and reindeer food.  I love that my kids believe in the Spirit of Christmas and I hope they always will.  I still do.  The saddest thing is when a child looses that belief.   Mark and I  are both still kids at heart and I guess that is why I love Christmas so much. 

The Wedding. . .

The Wedding was great!  Just fit the couple getting married.  They love their sports.  The men looked dapper in their tux and the ladies looked lovely in their dresses.   The men came out of the first base dugout and stood down the first base line.  The ladies came out of the third base dugout and stood down the third base line.  The groom and the preacher came from the first base dugout with a top hat and cane.  The bride came down from the stands and looked beautiful in her off white, strapless, tea length gown with a faux fur off the shoulder cape.   I must say I cry at most every wedding.  This one I did not.   I think my tear ducts may have been frozen.  It was quite chilly last night sitting out in the stands of the baseball field. 
Here is where it gets interesting.  After the vows and the pronouncing of marriage the groomsmen and bridesmaids leave the stadium.  As they are leaving each one has a baseball that they throw out to the fans or guests of the wedding.  Yes, I caught one.   We then go upstairs to the club floor for food and casino games.  That was a lot of fun.  Mark played craps and had the highest winnings with over $250,000++.  This was only in chips no money changed hands.   He did, however, win a prize for the highest winnings.   

I had the most fun at this wedding.  You just can't beat baseball and casino games.

Getting ready for a Wedding

One of Mark's best friends is getting married this weekend and I have nothing to wear.  What else is new right?  Well this is going to be one of the most unique weddings I have ever attended.  They are getting married at a baseball stadium.  They are saying their vows on home plate.  The bride and groom are both in to sports really big so this is really not unusual for them.  It is unusual for me.  We are going to be sitting outside in the cold for the ceremony and then inside the club floor of the stadium for the reception.  So what do I wear?  Mark said I could bring a stadium blanket to keep me warm and nobody would say anything.   Oh, here is the other cool thing.  The groomsmen all get to go on the field and play ball before the wedding and then they are getting dressed in the locker room .  This is probably the only wedding Mark has been excited about attending and being a part of, including our own.   He hates all the getting dressed up hulabaloo.   Mark's brother is going to be watching the kids for us, poor guy.   Oh, and the reception has a casino night theme.  I am so excited but, I still have nothing to wear.  

A sports loss. . .

Why is it so hard when one of our kids looses at a sport?  I don't mean for them, I mean as a parent.  Both of my boys teams lost today and I think I took it harder than they did.  Why is that?  Yes, I am competitive, but why do I get so tied up over their stuff?   I think I felt more sorrow over Thomas and his teams loss than I did over Jacks.  Not sure why.  Tom's little team all had tears in their eyes and I was welling up too.   They just had progressed so much this year and I think all of the parents were sad too.   We watched these little seven and eight year olds learn the game and really start to understand the game.  
I hope they will all continue to play.  Thomas will move up to tackle football next year and that is a whole other animal.   Several of the boys on Tom's team will be old enough to move up and I hope that they all do.  They are all such good athletes.   Well, my time on the football field is done I guess.   I don't think they allow team Moms on the field in tackle football.  HA HA!!  Maybe I should be a coach?    Yeah, I know all the men would give me heck. 

My Dinner with Thomas. . .

Last night was crazy.  Mark went to the High School game and I was everywhere.  Jack had a party to go to and Thomas and I had to take a cake to the Church for our Women's Fellowship Fall event.  I came home after school and made my cake, now this is a homemade pound cake from scratch.   When the cake was done I took it out to cool and took Jack to his party.  Then came home picked up my cake to take to Church.  I will not make the Fall Event because I will be at the football field all day, actually between two fields today.   On the way to the Church I realized Thomas and I had not had dinner, so I asked him what he would like.  He said pizza.  That hit my hunger zone, so I agreed.  I dropped my cake off and bought my sister-in-laws white wine cake.  It is sooooo good.   Thomas had a fit for a red velvet cake that was there and one of the nice ladies at the Church said she would buy it for him.  Jo, I will get even with you for that one.  He loved it though and thank you.   Now, off to eat Pizza, like I need that. 
While we wait on our pizza Thomas and I are having a discussion about school and stuff.   They have been talking about yearbooks at school and he has been at the High School with me and heard them announce superlatives.  You know, "Best Dressed, Class Clown, Most School Spirited"  ect. . .   Well, Thomas said, Mom I want to be the class clown.  Do you think I would get it?  The waitress was cleaning a table near by and heard this conversation, she cracked up.  Thomas then added, Mom I want do it during class I will just do it when it is play time.  Then I cracked up.   I just love my kids they can always make me smile and laugh when my day is sometimes not so great.  I told him yes, he could be the class clown but I would prefer him to try for something else, like most likely to succeed.   After we ate we had to hurry back to pick up Jack from his party.   We got home maybe an hour before Mark got home from the ballgame.  What a night!

If it was not for my kids. . .

If it was not for my kids I probably would have nothing to write about.  They say and do the funniest things and just crack me up.  Yesterday was no exception.  I woke up not feeling like myself and got sick after everyone had gone to school and work.  I got up and cleaned the bathrooms and started the laundry and then got sick.  So I kinda laid around the rest of the morning thinking I would feel better.  The day seemed to fly by because the next thing I knew the kids were bounding through the door.  Yesterday was football practice for both of them so we had to hit the books as soon as they got home.
They worked on the their homework and got a snack and I still did not feel right.  They finished everything up and got dressed for practice.  Mark took them both and I went over later to pick Thomas up.  His practice ends before Jacks.  I always like to get Thomas home and in the shower before Jack gets home.   After Tom's shower he came downstairs to have a snack before bed.  He asked how I was feeling and I told him I still did not feel just right.   He said, "Mommy I wish I could be sick instead of you.  You always take such good care of us when we don't feel well.  I wish I could do that for you and make you feel better."  I just about cried.  I ran over to him and hugged him real big.  I told him that he had just made me feel 100% better.  Just when you think nothing you say or do is sinking in, the least one gives you a glimmer of hope.  That is God letting you know not to give up  and letting you see a glimpse of the fruit of your labor.

From the mouth of my youngest, Thomas. . .

After football practice we rush home to get baths and get ready for bed.  I am usually able to get Thomas home first since Jack's practice is a little longer.  One day last week Thomas was in the shower,  he is at that stage where if I get the water started he can do everything else himself, I hear him yelling Mommy, Mommy I have a hair.   I ran upstairs to see what all the yelling was about and praying I had heard him wrong.   I came in the bathroom and asked what was wrong.  He said, "Mommy I have a hair under my arm."  I said,  really?  I knew he was still too young for that, he barely has hair on his legs.    He said, "yes Mommy and you're not cutting it either.  You can cut any others I get, but I am keeping this one."  Well, you can imagine my response, I just about fell in the floor laughing.  I simply replied, Thomas boys don't shave under their arms only girls do.  He said, "oh, well I am keeping this one and I am going to name him Elmer."   After further inspection he realized it was meerly a fuzzy from his washcloth and not a hair.   He seemed terribly disappointed and deep down I was doing cartwheels.  I am not ready for puberty and certainly not ready for Thomas to hit puberty.  Something tells me the whole neighborhood will know when he hits it.  

The Deer. . .

On our way home one night last week from football practice I realized why I drive an SUV.  I was only 200 yards from our development and a deer ran out in front of us.  It was a big pretty buck, at least a six pointer.  I could see him in the shadows off to my right and I prayed he would not run out.  He did and I could not stop fast enough and we hit.   I hit him full broad side and his back was level with my hood.  It was me and the kids in the car, Mark was out of town.  I have never been in an accident before nor have I ever hit anything so I was a little shaken up.  My air bags did not go off thank goodness and I drove home.   The kids jumped out of the car to see what kind of damage was done and I prayed there would not be any deer pieces stuck to my grill or anything gross like that.   There was a fare amount of damage to my front end.  I did not know what to do so I called my brother-in-law and he said I had to report it to the county.  I called them and they said I had to report it to the Highway patrol.  So I called them and a trooper came to the house that night to right up a report.  I then called my insurance agent.  I highly recommend if you do not do have your insurance with a company where you have an agent that is close by that you change insurance before you have an accident.  I am so thankful that my agent is a hands on kinda guy.  He has walked me through this whole ordeal and taken the pressure off me especially since this all happened while Mark was out of town.  He got me a loner car and my truck is at the shop and  he even came to my house  when I called the insurance company to make an official report.  Not sure what is going to happen to my big red machine but I feel sure the good Lord above is watching out for us or it would have been worse.   I am also thankful that I was in my big red machine and not a little car.  This deer was big and if a car had hit him I really believe it would have come through the windshield.  

The Root Canal. . .

I have had a root canal before but it has been at least a year maybe two.  I have had an infection in this tooth and was in quite a bit of pain up until this weekend.  I had been taking strong pain meds so that I could sleep through the night.  Since Mark is working I asked my neighbor and good friend to drive me to the endodontist  ?(sp) today.  I took one of my stronger pain meds as a precaution.  I thought it would knock some of the edge off.  Well, it did that but it also made me quite chatty.  I was talking up a storm with the office staff and the nurses and my friend too.  I know you guys probably think what else is new.  Well I was talking more today than normal.  I confessed to the staff that I had taken this pain med and they understood and said it was probably a good idea.  The did not have to use the gas and I did not have to get as many shots as I have had in the past.  At least I did not think they gave me as many. 
After my procedure I was feeling no pain at all.  Between the pain meds I had taken and the shots they gave me I was pretty happy.  Weeks before all this I had promised my friend that I would take her to Mark's cousin's jewelry shop which was right around the corner from my doctor's office.  As we were walking to the car I asked if she wanted to go.  She of course asked if I felt like it or not.  I told her I was feeling no pain and that it would be fun.  So off I go, feeling like I had a mouth full of cotton but in no pain, to the jewelry shop.  My friend was looking for those Pandora bracelets that everyone has been raging over.  She was shopping for Christmas for a couple of her friends.  Now my friend is on the right track, working on her shopping through the year and not waiting to the last minute like I sometimes do.  So back to the bracelets, she was able to get her bracelets and things at a much more reasonable price than most of the local jewelry places around here.  Of course Mark's cousin saw that I was a bit incapacitated and wanted to show me his new diamonds he had just gotten in.   I guess he thought I might have been an easy mark.  HA HA!!  Normally I would have been but, I showed great restraint.

First full week of school. . .

The boys had a pretty good week.  The each had their share of homework to do.  Thomas is having to work more on reading comprehension this year and I am not sure he is ready.  He likes to read or at least he does not mind it so much but he does not retain what he has read very well.  Jack's group seems to be concentrating on math more this year.  Jack has done well, thus far, in school but I don't think he has been challenged.  He likes his teacher this year he said she is very funny.   The teacher called the other night to see how Jack was doing and to see if I had any questions and I asked her about the funny.  She said she just tries to relate to the kids on their level and sometimes that means talking about boogers and snot.  I was a little shocked.  This teacher did get teacher of the year in 2006 -2007 though, so she must be doing something right and she has Jack's attention.
Thomas came home the other day telling me that Jack's teacher had ridden their bus that day.  She had sat up in the front across from Thomas.  Thomas asked her if she was Jack's teacher she told him she was and he replied, "I feel your pain for having him in your class.   I am his brother and I feel your pain."  You can imagine what she must have been thinking.    There is never a dull moment in my house.

First week of School. . .

We all survived the week.  The kids had a really good week and they both like their teachers.  Yeah!!  That always makes my school year go better.   They each have friends and kids that they know in their classes and that helps too.  No real homework this week but, I have a sinking feeling about next week.  The boys are also going to be starting football practice next week. 
I got a bargain on lean ground beef at the meat market this week so I have browned and frozen several pounds for future meals.  Having this frozen browned meat readily available helps  with meal preparation.  I can just pull some out of the freezer and put it in the skillet it is thawed in no time and just add what ever seasonings I want.  When I browned it I also seasoned it with a little white wine ( of course) and some fresh garlic.  I use those no matter what I am fixing.   We also had spaghetti, baked spaghetti, tacos and hamburgers this week.  I bought a lot of lean ground beef.  Tonight we had meatloaf.  I tried a new recipe from my favorite website www.allrecipes.com .  I am always looking for new ways to fix meatloaf.  HA HA
This recipe is "Glazed Meatloaf."   Those of you that know me, know that I never follow the recipe specifically I always change a few things.  For this recipe I added a little too much lemon juice to the glaze but it was still ok.  I know lemon juice?  You would not think of that being very good in a meatloaf but it was good even though I added way to much.  Any who check out the site and see what you may find for dinner tomorrow.  The point of all of this was that because we had not had something to do every night I was able to cook some pretty good meals for the family.
Until we eat again. . .

No money from the tooth fairy?

Monday Jack pulled his tooth.  So Monday night he was to put his tooth in his dish for the tooth fairy.  Tuesday morning he got up and did not mention what the tooth fairy had given him.  I did not ask but Mark did.  He told his Daddy that she left him a note.  Mark looked at him funny and said, "A note, where is it?"  Jack said he had tore it up.  He did not want Thomas to see it.  We asked him what it said.  He replied, "She wrote no tooth no money."   I asked him what that meant.  He said Daddy told me to do it.  He said why don't we mess with the tooth fairy.  So instead of putting his tooth in his dish just for the tooth fairy he hid it in a puzzle box in a different spot.   Since his tooth was not where it was supposed to be he did not get any money.  Jack blames his Daddy for that one and so do I.  How nutty can my husband be?  Why would he tell Jack to hide his tooth?  I still have not figured that one out.  Last night as we were saying our night night prayers I asked Jack if his tooth was in his dish.  He said yes and he still insists that it is his Daddy's fault that he did not get any money the night before.  This morning when Jack got up to get ready for school he came downstairs to get breakfast and he laid a $1 bill on the kitchen table.  I asked him what the dollar was for.  He said that is what the tooth fairy gave him.  He usually gets $2.  He was quite upset that he did not get his $2 and still blames his Daddy.  Some of you may say $2, that is not much from the tooth fairy.  Well, to my kids it is a lot.   Our tooth fairy is frugal and $2 is the normal fee for a tooth at out house.  When or if they get more it is a pleasant surprise but they do not expect it automatically.  Now that Jack sees he can get less from the tooth fairy I think he will not try that again no matter what his Daddy tells him.
The dish I keep referring to above is a little ceramic dish in the shape of a tooth and it has Jack's name on it.  When you take the lid off  this is written inside, "put tooth here."  Mark made this for Jack when he was just a baby.  I know Mark and ceramics?  He went with a group of nurses that he works with to this little ceramic place and did this.  He also made me a ceramic "Frito." 

The Beach continuted . . .

Mark played in the water with the kids just about everyday.   We had some good waves a couple of days.  The kids played on their boogy boards that their aunt Robbie had gotten for them.  They loved to play on them and pretend they were surfing.   Mark had fun riding those waves too.
 I always got up before anyone else in the house.  That was good because I could go out on the beach for a walk before it got too terribly hot. It also gave me a good hour of quiet time in the house to read.  I enjoyed my walks in the quiet morning,  it was so peaceful.  One day when I came back from my walk Mark was up and said he wanted to go for a walk too.  So off we went.  It was really nice for us to be together for a quiet walk on the beach.  I felt like a teenager again on a first date.  I wanted to hold his hand and play in the water.   I don't know if he felt that way or not it is still hard to read him even after 17 years.   In my version of course he does feel the same.   HA  HA!!   We also took walks after supper a couple of nights.   On the after supper walks the kids usually would go with us, at least Jack would.  Thomas is so stubborn sometimes he does not know what he is missing.  Jack was of course on the shark tooth hunt.   They played cards or trippley most every night.  I don't think anyone went to bed before 10 or 11 most nights except maybe me.   I think I went to bed before everyone every night, but  of course I was also the one up at 6:30 most mornings too.  It was a great trip and we relaxed for most of it.

The Beach

Yeah, we are home from the beach.  We had not been in three years so it was nice to get away.  We rented a house on the beach for the whole family.  It was great!  I think a week may be too long for my kids though.  Thomas was ready to go home after a couple of days.  He said, "Mommy is it time to go home?  I have been in the water, I have played in the sand, we played put put, and we have eaten out.  Isn't it time to go?"  I told him no, that we still had several days left to play in the sand and the ocean.  That child has his check list and once he has done everything on his list he is done.   Any suggestions on how to get over that?
The kids went to the Aquarium and I got to go shopping.   That is a definite advantage to staying with family you have to do what they want to do.  Since they insisted on going shopping I had to go.  Ho hummm.  Poor me all the outlets in the world and I had to go through them all.  HA HA!!  Shhhhhhh, don't tell Mark. 
The men got to go deep sea fishing though so don't feel sorry for them at all.   They went out on a head boat for most of the day deep sea fishing the day before we hit all the outlets.   
Mark and the kids have started a family tradition of collecting sharks teeth.  Mark and his dad collected them over the years and Mark has a jar full of them.  So he started that tradition with our kids.  They now have a good start to their own jar of sharks teeth.  Mark and Jack walked the beach looking for these tiny treasures and they both were very excited each time they found one.  Maybe that will be something Jack and Thomas will pass to their kids as well. 

Anyone need an Electrician? ?

Well, I have the number for you.  With the storms that came through the other day the lightning blew out one of our circuits in our basement.  Of course it would be the one that our freezer runs on.  Now we don't keep a lot of stuff in our freezer but enough that with no power it would be a mess.   So off I go to find an electrician.  Now I always look for those that are associated with the BBB and I check their ratings.  I do however, depend on others opinions too.  I also called our insurance agent to get his recommendation.  He gave me the name and number of a local small business.  I like small business folks too.  They are the ones that are still concerned about customer service and satisfaction.  I like that. 
I went with the gentleman that my insurance agent recommended.  The poor guy did not get here until 9:00 last night.  He was working several urgent calls and worked us in.  I appreciate that so very much.  Here is the sigh of relief,  it did not cost me an arm and a leg and it was a simple fix.  Thank goodness.   My freezer is still working and no loss of food.  Yeah.   This nice fellow was not associated with the BBB but if he was I am sure he would have an A+ rating.  If anyone needs his number shoot me an email.  And no I do not get kick backs.   I just think we have to look out for each other and if we know someone that is reliable then we should let others know about them. 

Yahoo!!! School is about to begin. . .

Yes, I love my kids but, it is time for them to go back to school.  Ya hooooooo!!!  Ok I will try to maintain some dignity.  Sorry for the yelling.  It has been a hard summer.  We did not get to the pool like we wanted to this year.  Both of my heat pumps went out within a week of each other.  So if anyone needs to know a good reliable company to work on your heat pump call me.  I had two different companies work on mine and I prefer the later of the two.  I will not go in to detail but email me and I can give you the number of the good one.  The Lord was watching out for us though because they did not go out on the hottest days this summer.  So it was not as bad as it could have been.  Then my toilets all started acting funny and the boys toilet flooded their bathroom.  So if you need a plumber I have that number too.  Life is funny.   I have planned a date with my neighbor when the kids go back to school.  I told her if she perked the coffee I would bring the pound cake and we could have a nice quiet chat.  Things have been so crazy we have not talked much this summer.  It will be nice when things get back on schedule again.  My kids need their sleep and this going to bed at 9:30 and 10:00 is not good.  Starting next week we get back on school schedule.  I know that will be a hard one. 

Date Night. . .

Mark's niece came to babysit the boys on Saturday so Mark and I could go out on the town.  HA HA HA!!  We debated over where to eat and what movie to see and ended up eating at a local little Italian restaurant and not going to the movies.  We were both tired, Mark had worked in the yard all morning and  I went to Women's Football camp at Wake Forest University.  Yeah, I went to football camp.  One of my friends and I try to go every year.  It is really kinda cool, they take you out on the field and run you through drills just like they do the players.  They have to explain more to us though.  We don't put on the pads and heavy equipment but we do learn to block, tackle and run with the football.  It is pretty neat.  You know that Saturday was going to be around 97 and on the turf you add at least 10 more degrees.  My friend and I decided at the last minute we would do the indoor stuff this year.  They offer two options; you can go out on the field and run drills or you can stay inside and the coaches go over each position.  I always feel like I learn something new each time I go.   They always feed us really well too.  They give out door prizes and this time my friend won two tickets to one of the games.  Yeah!!  They always give us a t-shirt or a bag and this year we got a really cool canvas bag for participating.   The money we pay for registration goes to a childrens' charity.  It is a nominal fee to participate and like I said they feed you really well and then send you out on the field and make you puke.  HA HA  just kidding about the puking part.  
Back to out hot date.  We ended up going to a store called the "Hobby Lobby."  We walked around in there to let our food settle and  then went for ice cream.  We did not go to the movies.  Are we old or what?  There was really nothing out that we wanted to see that the kids did not want to see too.  That is one of our family things, to go to the movies together.  There is a lot out for the kids to see too.   So much for "Date Night."

Back from Camp. . .

The boys made it back from camp finally.  Jack stayed a week and Thomas stayed one night.  Thomas was only supposed to stay for two nights but on that second night he called and was "homesick."  They took him to the nurse and so now he thinks that "homesick" is a real sickness.  Any advice on this one?   Mark was surprised that he stayed the one night.  I really thought he would be able to make it for two.  Our preachers son was his counselor and they get along really well.  I guess I thought because he was there that Thomas would be ok.  I guess sometimes only Mom and Dad will do.  I felt rather sorry for his counselor having to deal with all this.  I am sure he learned a lot about dealing with kids this trip.   Thomas is a master when it comes to getting what he wants.  Not in a bad way but he has those dark brown eyes and he knows how to use them.  I can only imagine the show he put on up there.    Mark and I got almost 24 hours kids free this time.  I have to admit it was very quiet at my house and I kinda missed the little buggers.  Shhhh, don't let them know that though.  It is kinda strange not being able to talk with your kids every day.  They were not allowed cell phones or video games or anything like that.  I mailed Jack a couple of letters and I think he liked getting some mail.  So he got to hear from me but I did not get to hear back from him.  It was strange.
We got the call to pick Thomas up late so by the time we reached camp it was almost 10pm.  I felt like a thief in the night stealing my child away.  I thought I would get there and he would be cowering in the corner crying and really upset.  Well, to my surprise, he was laying in the floor playing with his cabin mates.  Not crying or upset.  I guess he knew we were on our way up there.   He told the lady that was over the camp he would come back next year and maybe he would stay for three days.  HA HA HA!!  She was really nice and said they had, had a few kids that left early this time.  I guess he is still young to be staying away from home like that.  Jack didn't go the first time he could have because we did not know about it in time to get him signed up so I guess Jack was a year older the first time he went.   Jack can make friends with anyone so being alone with a bunch of other kids does not phase him one bit.  He is my little social butterfly. 
Now we are preparing for Football camp.  Mark asked Thomas if he wanted to go to Football camp and Thomas said, "No."   I think he may think it is another sleep away camp.  It is not.  It is only a day camp.  Oh well, I may have traumatized him without knowing it.

A walk down Memory lane. . .

Mark and I met while working together in a local laboratory.  We ran a blood test together.  He was my superior, while we were at work.  HA HA!!  He was the senior lab tech on this particular test.  So I had to follow his instructions.   I got this job right out of College.   In fact, I was interviewing for this job while I was still in school.  It was third shift and my folks were not very happy with me about that.   Because it was a third shift position I had to interview with the shift supervisor during his regular shift.  I drove from school to be at my interview at midnight.  That was strange.  My parents were still not happy about all this.  I told them the reason they did all this on third shift was so that the doctors offices would have their blood results by the next morning to treat their patients.  Where I grew up third shift meant you worked in the mill.  Once my folks got over the third shift thing all was ok.
After my interview the night manager took me around and introduced me to everyone and also introduced me to Mark (hubby).  When we met it was a little strange but I knew when we shook hands there was something there.  I felt my heart fall to the floor and it was hard to breathe.  I know it sounds silly but it is true.  I was so excited about working.  I could not believe I was going to have a job that related to my degree.  So many of my friends were not working in their area of expertise.  I was also excited to have a job of any kind.  I felt like an adult.  I was going to work and I had my own place with a roommate of course.  One of my friends from College was working at the lab too and she needed a roommate.  So that worked out great.  I noticed that when I would talk to the folks at work they really listened to what I had to say.  That made me feel good.  They paid attention to me and always looked me in the eye.  That impressed me.  Here I thought wow, they really care about what I am saying.  
I did not realize what a prankster (Mark) I was getting involved with.  I can't tell  many of them or he might get in trouble but let's just say there was never a dull moment in the lab when he worked.  I found out years after the fact that Mark had told everyone that I had a glass eye.  So when I thought everyone was really paying attention to what I had to say, was in fact them trying to figure out which eye was glass.  We had a rocky start to our relationship.   He had his views on things and I had mine. He was always putting his foot in his mouth.  There was this poor young lady that worked behind glass next to us and we had to go in there to get our samples.  I call her a poor young lady because she had to listen to all of our troubles.  Mark and I both confided in her about our relationship.  Like I said we had a rocky start.   I am very head strong and set in my ways.  Even then I was set in my ways.   Mark was just crazy.  He had made the comment one night that Women were inferior to Men.  Well, that flew all over me and the rest of the ladies that worked in the lab.  We had not officially started dating yet and at the rate he was going we might not.  This is what poor Sally behind the glass had to listen to all the time.  I would go and fuss about Mark and Mark would go and fuss about me.  Finally we were going to go out.  We were going to a concert.  It was a rock concert.  I had never been to a concert before so this was new for me.  I will be honest I did not like it at all.  I put on a good show though because I did not want to hurt Marks' feelings.   Later that week Mark and I were at work and having a discussion over something and our manager came over and said why don't ya'll just date you argue like you're married anyway.  I piped up and said we had already been on a date.  I was referring to the concert.  Mark broke in and said that no, we had not been on a date.  I looked very surprised, and asked what?  You can imagine the conversation that ensued.  I simply told him that he need not worry about ever asking me out on a date that it would not happen.  I was so angry.  What did he consider a date?  He picked me up, he paid for everything, and he took me home.  Date?  Right?  According to MARK, it was not a date.  Poor Sally got to listen to all this for several weeks.  I was dead set we would not be dating.  Well, I gave in and we went on a date.  Well, what Mark considers a date.  We went to dinner and then on a horse drawn carriage ride around town.  This was truly a date.  I cannot tell you how excited I was to do the horse drawn carriage thing.  It was so romantic.  So now  19 years later we are still together.  I guess he has done some things right.  We still argue over the date thing though.  I will never understand that one.

The Three Hour Tour. . .

So we had one of our little day trips yesterday with the kids.  We went in tubes down the New River.  It was so nice.  We signed up for a two hour trip that turned into a three hour trip.   This was fine with all of us, of course.  I had never been tubing before.  We had so much fun and the water was really cool.  There were times when we had to get out of our tube and walk because the water was down.  It has not rained in a month, but that was fine with us.  Jack got to  look for rocks and anything else that might be floating in the river.  Mark was looking for fish, naturally.  He said he saw about six.  We had a couple that jumped right in front of us.  That was cool.  I bought a disposable waterproof camera while we were there so I could take pictures going down the river.  I have not gotten those developed yet I will post some of those pictures later.   We all had fun on this trip.  Mark and I got to relax and the kids got to play in the water and splash each other.  There were only a few spots in the river where it was over Tom's head.   I would recomend not wearing a good bathing suit though, my rear end rubbed on the rocks in a couple of places.  The boys all wore t-shirts so their arms would not rub on the tubes.  Jack brought home several river rocks to add to his collection and Thomas brought home a golf ball he found.   We ended up with a three and a half hour trip.  But that was ok the guide said we were not on a timer and if we took longer than two hours that would be fine.  Once we reached the camp the kids played in the river and skipped stones till they were water logged.
Here is your triva info of the day:  Did you know that the New River is one of two that flows North.  The other is the Nile. 

July 4th at the Lake

We actually spent July 3rd at the Lake.  We had a wonderful time; the kids played in the water and of course faught the whole time with each other and one of their older cousins.   They wore themselves out.  We grilled out, of course, and had ice cream sundaes thanks to Marks' sister.  Yeah!!!!  She always knows what the kids like.  We ate all day long and then had ice cream on top of that.   I was so tired I know my kids were.  They played in the water most of the time.   We did not get home till very late and the kids stayed awake till we got home.  Of course they went right off to sleep once they got in the bed.   Poor little things, they were just tuckered out. 
They were a bear getting them up for Church the next morning.  But, we made it.  Sunday night we sat out on our deck and had ice cream again and watched the fireworks around our neighborhood.  It was a nice evening.  I had some sparklers left over from last year and so I got those out.  The kids had a ball with these sparklers that I got at the dollar store, I think.   They ran around the yard  waving their arms.  It looked like we were trying to send up smoke signals it was so smokey from those things.  The kids had fun though and that is all that matters.

Leaping into the 21st Century. . . at a snails pace

Yes, I have stepped into the 21st century as far as technology is concerned.  Of course, it has leaped ahead of me yet again as soon as I made my pruchase.  I mentioned in an earlier post I had been substitue teaching and learning a great deal about technology from the youth of today.   I learned first that my kids are deprived when it comes to technology.   Most of the kids in Middle School have cell phones, email accounts, facebook pages, and home computers.  They are all quite savy surfing the net too.  My kids have none of this.  I busted two kids with cell phones in one of the classes I was teaching.  I did not take their phones but I did tell them I would be leaving a note for their teacher.  I found out later I was supposed to take their phone and turn it over to the office.  When I caught them with their phones the conversation came up as to what type of phone I had.  I hated to tell them that I had only within the last two years gotten one with a camera.  They had a big laugh about that one.  Their phones all had the latest technology; email, camera, text, even GPS.  Now I ask you, what does a Middle Schooler need a GPS for?  What does a Middle Schooler need a phone for at school?  I went through middle, high school and even college with out a cell phone or even a computer and I turned out ok.  Well, that is subjective I know.    The phone I recently purchased does have all the gadgets and some I don't even know how to operate.  I guess I should let Jack look at it and maybe he could teach me how to use it.  My husband still refuses to text or any of that stuff.   His co-workers all text but he refuses.  He will read what you send but do not expect a reply.  He says that all this texting stuff is making the spoken word and the written(hand) word obsolete.  I agree with him in some respects.  I have seen two tween girls texting each other while sitting right beside each other.  Now that to me is odd.  This also brings up a good question about our social skills.  Are our social skills already at risk?  Think about when you shop; does the cahier make eye contact, do they smile and say thank you?   Has all this technology really helped us that much?   I stepped in just recently with my  cell phone.  I do  text sometimes.  I text my niece's just to let them know I am thinking about them and to check on them from time to time.  I do, however, text in full sentences.  I do not shorten things to only letters.  I guess I am that old dog you can't teach new tricks.

Mark's Garden

We have been enjoying fruits of our labors with Mark's garden.  He doubled it this year compared to last year.  I have eaten  loads of broccoli and pea pods.  I found a really good oriental/Thai recipe at http://www.allrecipes.com/  that uses broccoli and pea pods.  I have made it twice this season with things out of our garden.  My husband has become quite the farmer.  I love this website because you can give them ingredients that you have and they will give you different recipes that you can prepare with them. 
He is trying his hand at corn again.  We had a few ears last year but, he has planted more corn this year.   Thomas is my little corn eater.  He only likes it on the cob though.  We were at  a family get together and they had fixed cream corn off the cob and I asked Thomas if he wanted any.  He simply replied, "Can you put it back on the cob?"  I laughed and said no we can't.  He passed on the cream corn.  Mark tried potatoes this year too.  They did real well.  We had a good amount of potatoes.  They are so yummy too.  Mark also planted lettuce and he planted a mixed bag of lettuce.  So we got some that we did not really  recognize.  We had one that was really hot.  It had a kick to it after  you had eaten it.  I gave some to my Mom and my sister.  My sister said it was arugula.  I had never had arugula.  I had seen it on the cooking show but never tried it my self.  Mark liked it but, he likes hot and spicy things.  I don't really like my lettuce to be hot.  My sister took it and wrapped it around chicken breasts and baked it.  She said that was really good.  I did not try that.  I have enjoyed my peas that we have gotten this year too.  I love fresh peas raw.  When I was little I used to go get them out of the garden and eat them while I was outside playing.  They are so sweet and yummy.  I tried to get my kids to try them.  Jack did not care for them, he is my little carnivore, Thomas liked them.  He did not eat them the way I used to but he liked them.  Can you tell I am trying to add some variety to my kids diet?  That is not an easy task. 

Summer Reading

So we went to the Library yesterday just in time to sign up for their Summer Reading program.  They want the kids to read in 15 minute segments.  Every 15 minutes they read they color in a picture and as they are coloring in pictures they are earning prizes.  This is very managable and the kids have to keep up with it.  Jack loves getting prizes.  He read for an hour and fourty-five minutes yesterday.  Thomas read for an hour.  They both checked out their own books and are now excited about completing their coloring pages for their reading times. 
I give kudos to the Library for such a clever plan.   All I have heard for the last several days is that you have to keep your kids reading over the summer in order to keep them learning and so they will be ready for their next grade level.   Thank you to my local Library for a great plan. 
We also went to the movies to see Marmaduke.  It was really cute.  The kids loved it.  I could not believe it but we were the only ones there.  As hot as it has been I thought it would be really crowded.  Right before the movie started another gentleman and his two kids came in so it was only the six of us in this giant theater. 
After the movies we headed for home so the kids could do their reading.  I have picked up a book myself to read.  I figure if I show them I am taking time to read it will also encourage them to do the same.  I will have to tell you about my book later.  Mine is purely for pleasure. 

Day one Summer Vacation. . .

My kids slept till 9am.  Yahoooooo!!!  I didn't of course.  For some reason I could not sleep today.   Normally I could have and would have pleaded to have slept that long.  Today we have been lazy bones, staying in our jammies till two.  I did make the boys help me with laundry and do some reading.  I have decided I am tired of the huffing and puffing when I ask  them to do something so, I have been making them do push ups when they start.  I can't really tell if it has helped just yet.  They are getting very good at their push ups though.  Jack can knock out 20 in a snap with perfect form.  Thomas takes a little longer.  I figure they will either be the best mannered boys in town or they will have arms like "the Rock."    I am just so tired of the sassy mouth they have at times.   I figure the push ups will help them get ready for football this fall too.
We are officailly done with baseball and on the last game of the season Thomas hit a home run.  A legitimate home run, out to right center.  He brought in 2 runs with that hit.   He was so excited and so was everyone else.  He had been in a bit of a hitting slump.  What a way to come out of it?   I was trying to video tape it.  I got the hit and him running to first base then all you see is the chain link fence and you hear me screaming run!  I then pick him back up again running from third base home.  I did get him crossing home plate with his hands over his head jumping up and down.  It was pretty funny.  I am glad I have that though.  I have one of Jack when he played t-ball and he is floating around the bases like a butterfly, flapping his arms.  That one I think I will show when he is in High School.

First Anual Crater Water Balloon Fight. . .

Yes, you read it right.  I decided that I would engage in  a water balloon fight with my kids.  Today was their last day of school and I thought this would be a good release.  I helped do the water balloons for the class party yesterday and the kids had so much fun I figured why not.
I left 4 balloons filled up on the porch with a note telling the kids to each take two and meet me in the back yard.  I heard them at the door I ran outside to surprise them.  Boy were they surprised.  I lay in wait to ambush them.   I had about 40 balloons that we threw like crazy at each other.  They are not as fragile as I thought they would be, the balloons I mean.  Some did not bust when they hit you. 
Our Summer is off to a loud start.   The boys are so glad to be out of school.  Thomas has a game tonight and then a make up game tomorrow.  Then we will be officailly lazy summer folks.  Yeah!!!

Gearing up for Summer

Well, as school comes to a close, we look forward to a long lazy summer.   My kids are looking forward to being able to sleep in and stay in their pjs' longer.  They love to lounge in their jammies.   Other than Mark getting up to go to work I to might get to sleep in.  Huh?  HA HA HA HA!!  Something tells me it will snow mid July before that happens.

Jack has already decided he wants to do art camp this summer.  Thomas has said no thanks to that one.  They will both go to our Church camp.  This will be the first time at sleep away camp for Thomas.   Jack has already invited my Mom, Sister and the girls to go gem mining again with us.  I do believe I have a little treasure hunter on my hands.  
We will also be spending some time at the local Library to keep our reading up to speed.  Jack is also a book hound.  He does not like checking out from the Library he wants to own them all.   He owns several different series that he has read.  His Daddy is like that too.  Mark has a collection of Stephen King that is incredible.  He even has some that he published under another name.   I collect cook books, go figure.

I will be posting more regularly this summer to keep everyone up to date.   So check by and see what we are up to.

Sorry for the long gap. . .

Our house has been crazy.  Sorry for such a long gap in posts.  I  hope with summer fast approaching that I will be able to do better with my posting.  The boys have been playing baseball like crazy this year.  They both have improved greatly.  It is rather funny that they both had a hitting slump at the same time.  Thankfully they are both on their way out. 
Thomas hit a home run last night, 3 RBIs' and a single and I did not get to see it.  I was across town at Jack's game.  Both teams got beat.  Jack has begun pitching and has really gotten very good at it.  I think anyway.  Of course you all know I am a little bias.  That is a mom's perogative you know.  Last night Jack pitched the last two inings and did quite well.  He struck two kids out.  When he is not pitching he plays third base.  At third last night he made a great play (what else would I call it) and got the kid out at first.
We have been consumed by baseball but our season is winding down.  We have been playing for a different group and it has been a good experience.  They only play an hour  on school nights and we rarely have Satruday games.  I think Jack has had one Saturday game and Thomas had one scheduled as a make up game.  This leaves us free to play on Satruday as a family which is great. 
Our Summer is going to be crazy too.  Why shouldn't it?   We have lots of things planned so I will be blogging to keep everyone up to date.
I enjoyed my time as a substitute teacher this year too.  I enjoyed working at the High School.  I thought it would be more difficult than Middle School but it was not.  I think next year I will get to work even more since they know me.  I learned a lot during this time too.
I am finishing up my 40 week Bible study.  It has been an experience.  I have learned  a lot about my self and my  relationship with God.  I am in the process of writing my "Rule of Life."  This is part of our program.  This is to be the way we want to  live our life.  The rules by which we will guide ourselves to live a more Christian life.  Like I said, I have learned a lot.  I do think I have a better relationship with God and I think I have grown as a person during this time too.  My kids are learning too.  They  see me reading my Bible and studying it and they have also been doing that at night before they go to bed.  Jack has always been interested in the Bible and since I got him a new one that is written more in lauguage that he can understand he is reading more and more everyday.  Thomas on the other hand, has just gotten started reading his.  He likes it though, he also likes reading it to me.  Jacks' Bible is "God's Word for Boys"  it is an adveture Bible.  The one I got for Thomas is also an adventrue Bible and is more for his age.   So my Bible study has benefited everyone. 
Isn't it funny how things work out? 

My Dear Sweet Patches. . .

Patches was my dear sweet horse that I practically grew up with.  He  passed away on Easter Sunday.  What a day to go.  He was nearly 40years old and as my sister reminded me he only had one bad day in all  those 40 years.  My sister and I grew up riding horses and showing all the time.  That was a family thing with us.  We have shown everywhere.  We always ended up in Raleigh at the State Fair.  My Daddy always joked that Patches was the only horse he knew that would get a check every year from the Fair.  When Janice and I showed we usually earned some money in some of our classes.  We figured up one year back in the 80's that Patches had paid for himself several times over with all the money we had won showing him.

He was a great horse.  He wasn't much to look at but man could he ride.  He had the slowest jog of any horse ever.  He got so used to riding and showing that he knew when to jog, walk or lope  when he heard the crack of the PA system.   He has beaten horses that were professionally trained and shown.  He has beaten horses that some folks were ashamed to admit how much they had paid for their horse.  He was like a big ol teddy bear.  You could do just about anything with him.  We used to carry the flag in the local parades with him.  He never offered to bugger or balk at anything.   They even used him to let the preacher at one of our shows ride in to the ring and give the opening prayer.  Patches felt he was a little long winded so he began creeping toward the gate.  I will give it to that preacher he kept praying until the cord from the microphone ran out. 

We rode him on trails a lot.  He liked that and he knew his way around.  You could feel him going just a little faster when he was headed for the barn.   If you ever got lost you always  knew Patches would find his way to the barn or the trailer.  
My Daddy has been offered a great deal of money on many occassions for Patches, thank goodness he never accepted.  My Sisters' husband wrote a great Epitaph for Patches:

                                                              "Son of Patch"
                                                Waiting Patiently at Heaven's Gate
                         "When you get here, climb up in the saddle and drop the reins, I know the way
                           to the barn."                   Patches

Youth Retreat. . .

I went on my first Youth Retreat the other weekend.  It was an eye opener to say the least.  This is my first retreat as an adult.  I went on youth retreats as a kid in the Church I grew up in.   We went to our Church camp and stayed in a cabin more like a dormatory.   The ride up was very twisty turny and made me a little weak in the knees.  I don't do well on buses.  Once we arrived we unloaded the bus and picked our rooms.  I decided that the kids and I would stay in one room together.  There were four beds to a room.  I won't make that mistake again.  My kids talk in their sleep.  Jack was screaming in his sleep that first night.  I think he was fussing at Thomas but I am not really sure.  Thomas grumbles and groans in his sleep.  They were both so loud I did not sleep much.  We got up the next morning and two of our adult leaders had begun breakfast.  Now Moravians know how to eat.  They were fixing:  bacon, sausage, biscuits, sausage gravy, and cinimon rolls with a variety of cereals and fresh fruit.  Now is that a breakfast or what?   After everyone had stuffed themselves completly we were off on our mystery trip.  We drove to the Mass General Store.  If you have never been to one you should go.  It is a really neat store.  They offer a wide variety of candy at $5.99 lb.  You would have thought my kids had a blank check.  They walked in and began filling their buckets full of all sorts of junk.  They came to me and said we're ready to go, each with a bucket full.  I pulled out a few items they could keep and I told them the rest would have to go back.  What were they thinking?  We went up the road a ways and had a picnic in a park with swings and slides.  Fun was had by all.  Once we got back to the camp some of the kids  wanted to go on a hike to a grave yard.   Thomas and Jack were in this mix.  The hike was about an hour or so and pretty intense.  I am thankful for the adults that had gone along and for the one older child that went.  I will call him Big Z.  Big Z was a great help that weekend with the kids.   I have never seen that side of him at Church.  He usually very quiet and never says a whole lot to anyone.  But he took charge on the hike and took care of Thomas.  He and Thomas were first to the grave yard and the first to retrun.  I did not make the hike for fear that my back would go out.  Jack was the last one to come in from the hike.  I thought that was strange he is usually first in everything.  Well, Jack ended up getting sick that night and I had to call Mark at 9:30 to come get us.  He was not very happy but he loves us so he came.   That is true love there.  He was supposed to fish in a tournament that next day but instead he was on the road in the wee hours of the morning to pick up his sick little one.   We are all better now.  I think the candy got to Jack.  What a weekend.

Some days. . .

There are days that I feel I have not done my kids justice in their raising.  Some days I feel maybe I am to strict on them about what they eat and when they go to bed and such.   Then some days like Thursday I feel it all falls in to place and maybe I did do something right.   Jack has been taking Communion classes at Church for the past several weeks.  Thursday, Maundy Thursday, he got to take part in his  first Holly Communion.   Those that know me, know that I cried through the whole service.   I am sure part of it was that I was just so proud of him and the other part was the fact that we were reading about the day Jesus was crucified.  For all the days that I feel like I have been the "mean Mommy,"  I have Thursday to reflect on.  For all of those "Some days"  when I feel I can't do anything right, I have Thursday when my baby grew in his relationship with God. 
Thomas did not participate in the Communion classes this time but he is very interested in it now.   He asked on our way home from Church on Thursday when he would get to take the classes.  I told him he may be able to when they offer it next year or so.  I was very proud of Thomas too.   He followed along in the service with the reader in his book.  He even sang some of the songs.  He doesn't do that in Church. 
We had a very deep conversation with the boys that Thursday night.  The service opened all kinds of new questions from both of the boys.  Nights like that make me forget all of my "some days" that I feel I made my mistakes.

Just when you think you don't have anything left. . .

Just when you think you don't have anything left to give anyone your little comes to you in the middle of the night and says;"Mommy I threw up."  You get up groggy eyed and don't even realize your child is standing there in the buff.  When you ask what happened your eyes finally come into focus and you realize your little is covered in puke and it hits you.  You go in to "Mom mode"  you get your child cleaned up and clean clothes to put on.  Then you go for the bedroom and wonder what will I find.   You make that march up the stairs in full battle gear, you know what I am talking about.  The paper towes, garbage bags, cleaner, ect. . .  I start the cleaning process and get the sheets ready for the laundry unfortunately this time we have two casualties of the night, a beloved black and white stuffed doggie and a red valentines bear.   How will I explain their disappearance?  Maybe he won't ask?  Fat chance, that child may not remember his book bag but he knows every stuffed animal in his room.  Once all the bedding is off and in the laundry you realize the matress also has issues, so down the stairs we go and out the front door with the matress at 2am.
Now your little one is comfortable on the couch with a trash can and beach towel beside him.  You go back and try to get some sleep.   You jerk awake by the sound of, "Maaaahaaam  I am sick again."  You jump up and run to the aid of your sick child hoping that they made it to the bathroom.  This time he makes it.   You repeat this routine several more times before sun up. 
Just when you think you have nothing left to give, God steps in and shares his grace.  He is the one that trapes up and down the stairs with you as you do that laundry all night long.  He is the one that is there with you on your hands and knees as you clean the floor where your sick little one just did not make it to the potty.   He is the one that comforts you and gives you the strength you need when you feel you just can't do anymore. 

Survived the Week

I survived this week.  I don't think I want to work that many days with the Middle School.  I am sure I do not want to work on Friday.  There must have been something in the air on Friday the kids were crazy!  Not just the class that I had but all of them.  I spoke to several teachers that said their kids were crazy too.   I am obviously not cut out for the free roaming arts and craft classes.   Maybe it is March Madness?  Of course I am not sure the kids I had were that in to basketball.  It could be some other sort of madness.  I did not have as much trouble out of the Exceptional Childrens'(behavior challenged and learning disabled) classses as I did with this art class.  Oddly enough, the EC kids gave me more respect and to me they tried harder to do well.  I have worked in that class several times.  
Working as a substitute has given me new insight into my own children.  I have also gained new appreciation for my own kids.   After working with these kids, my kids are a breeze.  Maybe this is Gods' way of telling me to lighten up on my own kids.  He may also be reminding me to appreciate what I have too.  I guess we all need those reminders from time to time. 

Kids today ?

Yeah, that makes me sound a hundred years old.   I have been substituting at the Middle School this week for an art teacher.  Those that know me, know I have no artistic talent.  But, when the school calls you go.  So I have been teaching the art class for three days and today will be my last.  I have 6th-8th grades and I only do three classes.  You would think raising my two I could handle anything?  The 8th graders think they are above it all,  the 7th graders are testing the waters, and the 6th graders have more attititude than should be allowed. 
Kids have always been hard on Subs but I think these kids are like this for the teacher too.  The 8th graders threw markers and paper at the sub before me.  I was warned about them ahead of time.  So as soon as they came in I told them there would be none of that.  Luckily I had had most of them in other classes before.   They knew from previous experience that I had no tolerance for that behavior.  I walked through the room with a yard stick(yeah I know I could not use it on them but I felt safer) and I did not leave my back to them either.  The 7th graders are just seeing what they can get away with.  They tried everything to get out of doing their work.  The 6th graders still think they are the big fish in the little pond.  What they don't realize is that they are the little fish in the big pond.  I don't think they have adjusted to being that little fish.  The girls I think are the worst.  So much attitude for such a young person.  I am so thankful I have boys.  I thank the good Lord above every day for giving me my boys.  I don't think I could handle all the drama that comes along with girls.  Those that have girls, bless you, you know what I mean;  the sighing , the eye rolling, the head shaking, ect. . .

Lost Tooth

Thomas finally lost his first tooth on Sunday at Church during lunch.  Those that know Thomas know he is a bit dramatic.  Sunday was no exception.  He bit down on, of all things a brownie, and his tooth went sideways.  It started to bleed a little and then came the crying and tears.  I told him to go to the restroom and I would help him get it out.  It was holding on by a thread.  Our fellowship building is small and the restroom is right off the dining area so I am sure everyone heard the battle.  He was not to upset till he looked in the mirror and saw the blood on his lip.  It was merely a pin point of blood but you would have thought he had seen a river of blood.  Of course the spit mixed with the blood so it appeared much more than it was.

So I washed my hands and pulled him away from the mirror so that I could see what I was doing.  It was laying sideways in his mouth.  I reached in gently and plucked it out.  His eyes got real big and he looked in the mirror and by this time there was a little more blood.  I went and got him a cup to rinse his mouth out.  He got cleaned up and came out to tell everyone about the drama.  He could not wait to tell his teacher the next day.  I think he was the only one that had not lost a tooth yet in his class.

The Tooth Fairy was working over-time at our house.  Jack had lost a tooth the day before.  Jack is loosing his molars now.  Jack worried this tooth out.

The New Dryer. . .

We bought a new dryer.  It is amazing the things I get excited about these days.  New bedroom decor and new dryer. . .  Who would have thougt it?  So I get my new dryer yesterday and it is nice.  The old one I think was operated by little mice running on a wheel.  I could only use low heat and most loads had to be on for at the least an hour.  So this new dryer was supposed to be energy efficient and quick ect. . .
So I did several loads of laundry yesterday and Mark comes home to check it out and the door will not shut.  I have opened and closed this thing all day and now it will not stay shut.   It is now almost 6pm and I call the store to tell them of the defect and the fact I have only had the dryer for less than twelve hours.  The young man on the other end says, "You will have to call them in the morning and talk to the delivery crew so they can come out and fix it.  You will need to call them before 7am."   So I agreed.  This morning I tried to call at 6:45am and guess what?  The answering service comes on and says, "Store hours are 7am -" and that is when I hung up.  So why would a sales person tell me to call before the store even begins to answer the phone.  Is this some kind of cruel joke on me?  I did call back and finally did get a live person and they said we be there and then hung up.  I have no idea when they will be here.  So here I sit trapped until the folks come to   "FIX"  my brand new dryer.  
I don't think I would be this aggrivated except this is not the first time this has happened with this National store.  When we moved in this house we bought our refrigerator from them and right out of the box it did not work.  I went through three refridgerators before I got one that worked.  I bought my washer from them also it worked for a week then it stopped working.  I had not even received a bill on it before it broke.  You would think I would have learned my lesson but I gave them another shot.  This is a minor problem but I still have a very expensive appliance I am paying for that I cannot use.  I am sure this is some sort of test.  I don't think I am going to pass either.

The Bedroom

I found my bedroom comforter last night.  Yeah!!   It is really pretty.  It is an ocean blue with cherry blossoms embordered on it.  The thing came with decorative pillows, pillow shams, curtins, a valance,sheets, and a dust ruffle.  I am so excited.  I put my curtins up today and I am going to donate my other ones to Goodwill.  They are really pretty but Mark said there was no reason to hang on to them.  Me, I am a pack rat, I hold on to everything.  I have two old comforters up in my closet that went on our Queen sized bed at our old house.   I am afraid if I get rid of something I might need it later down the road.  So I hold on to everything. 
I am really excited about my comforter, how sad is that, I have  no life except for my kids and the occassional chance at re-decorating the house.  Oh well.  I think the comforter has an Oriental theme to it.  I may use that throughout my bedroom and maybe add some wall decor  with that theme.  Once it is all done I will take some pictures and post them.

Re-Decorating. . .

I guess Mark is feeling sorry for me, he has given me free rein to redo our bedroom.   He told me this morning that he wanted a new comforter and I told him if we get a new comforter we needed new curtins too.  He said that was fine he was ready to redo the bedroom.  How cool is that?  I think he just wanted me to be able to get out of the house.  He felt I needed a project. This is an event let me tell you.   Mark is not a free wheeling spender.  His sister still swears that he has the money people gave him for his High School Graduation.   I guess that is what makes us so good together.  He is the tight one and I am the free spender, well sometimes anyway.   So here I go.  That is going to be on my list this next week to find a new comforter and curtins for the bedroom. 
Wonder what he would think about RED?  Red is my favorite color.  Of course I was reading somewhere that red made you want to eat.  Maybe I should stay away from red.   I saw a beautiful quilt type comforter in a magazine the other day.  It was made to look like a patch work quilt and was done in Wiliamsburg blue and white.   We have a beautiful poster framed in our bedroom that has blue in it.  It is a poster of the Split Rock Light House in Minnesota.  That was our first trip together after we were engaged.  Mark was the bestman in his best friends wedding in Minnesota.  The held their reception at a park at the Split Rock Light House.  I would love to decorate and be able to keep that poster in the bedroom.
My dear husband he worries over me so. 

Strange things we do as adults. . .

I am an adult but, I can't seem to get by this.  For folks that have lost children or spouses I do not know how you do it and I applogize for dwelling on this so much.  Mark went to throw Fritos' bed away.  This is the bed she used when she slept in the garage when we were not home.   Jack happened to be outside when he took it out to the garbage.  Jack asked Mark what he was doing and when Mark told him he got upset.  Jack said we needed to leave that in the garage so we did not forget about Frito.  I know he just a child and does not understand.  I get that, but I threw away her plastic water dish and Mark jumped on me about it.   He went in the bathroom and asked where her water dish was.  I told him I threw it away.  I also explained it was plastic and we did not need it.  He (meaning Mark) had requested that I not put her food bowl away.  This was before the incident with Jack and the bed.  I guess we are all going through our steps of mourning.  The kids are actually doing a lot better than Mark and I.    Thomas is ready to get another dog.  Jack is not and Mark is not, I don't know if I will ever be ready for another dog.
Mark is picking her ashes up today at the vet.  Yes, I bought an urn to keep them in too.  I never thought I was going to be one of those people.  I guess you never know until it happens to you.  I had to discuss all of that with the folks that took care of it and I cried to that poor man.  He was very nice and I guess he deals with this a lot and he was very polite.   If you ever have to go through this they are the best.  Carolina Pet Services, they have several different locations and service a large area.   This is not just a job to them I think they genuinly care about these animals even though they didn't know them.

The loss of a pet?

As an adult you would think I could handle this better.  I think because I am older it is harder.  I know that animals don't live forever.  I know that God has been at work in my life this week because I have had two substitute teaching jobs.  I say that is God at work because I don't think I could have been at home alone these past two days.  I really believe if I had been at home I would have driven myself crazy.  Every where I look I see my little Frito.  Her toys, her little sweater she wore when it was cold, and every time I look at the couch where she used to lay.   There is a big empty feeling in this house since she is no longer with us.  I thank God for getting me out of the house these past two days.  I also thank the teacher that called me.  I know I will get over this and some may say I am being silly.   I just feel like there is this giant hole where my little angel used to be.   I still catch myself reaching for her during the night in the bed, looking for her on the couch, and looking for her in her little bed.   I am an adult.  Why is this so darn hard?   Why can I not just get over it?  
When Mark and I were first married and we would have an argument of course I would get upset and cry and pout.  Frito would find me and want to lick the tears from my face.  That was the only time I would let her lick my face.  She would always help me to get over my mad spell.  She loved her toys.  When she was little we would have to hide her toys so she would go to sleep.    Usually that would take some time because every time we hid one she would go and find another somewhere in the house.  Her favorite treat was peanutbutter.  She only got a little but that was all she needed.    She hated riding in the car, but she would rather ride in the car with us than stay in the garage without us.

My Dear Frito. . .

You know, if you have read anything in my blog, that we dearly love our animals.  My Dear Frito passed away last night.  She had congestive heart failure.  She would have been 14 on May the 22nd.  Mark, the kids and I are very sad right now because not only was she a dearly loved pet but a big part of our family.   She practically grew up with Jack and Thomas.  She was always with us no matter where we went.  She even went on vacations with Mark and I before we had the kids.   This is going to be very hard for us to adjust since she was such a huge part of all of our lives.   I know that she is in a much better place now and is no pain and can run and chase whatever she wants.  She also is able to see what she is chasing. 

My dear Frito you will be missed by us all.

Learning to Drive

So, my sisters' youngest daughter  is learning to drive.  I got tickled at my sister the other day when she was talking about the girls driving and everything.   Her oldest is getting ready to go to college, in fact, she had an interview for a full scholarship to go to Campbell University on Saturday.  She has really good grades and has been involved in a lot of different school and community activities.   So back to driving, the youngest took drivers education and only had to drive three days.  Now, when I was learnig to drive we actually drove for a week and each kid got twenty to thirty minutes behind the wheel.   I personally believe that the kids need more than just three days behind the wheel before I have to let them drive me somewhere.   I know they get their permit and then they drive with their parents but like I said I want them to have more time behind the wheel with the instructor before they are driving me anywhere.  I am not ready.  Yeah, I have five more years before I have to really worry about it but, YIKES!!!! 
So the new saying for the kids learning to drive is;  keep it between the mustard and the mayo and stay out of the lettuce.  I know it is corny but I could not stop laughing when my sister was telling me about it.
Wait a minute,  five more years and Jack is driving.  Holy Cow!   And I know dating will come before actual driving too.  Oh, boy! 

Snow!!!

So, we have been dumped on by Mother Nature.  It is still snowing!   Our snow did not start until yesterday evening and it has not stopped.  The dog does not want to go out to potty.  The snow comes up to her belly right now.  Since she is blind it is hard to force her to go out in all this.  She does not really know what is going on.  The kids have not been out yet.  I think it is only 25 outside.  Mark and I made a mad dash yesterday while the kids were in school to get Jack some new snow boots.  Dicks Sporting Goods did not have any snow boots and they said  they were not getting anymore in.  So off we went to Wal Mart.  Yuck!  I hate going to Wal Mart especially when there is impending weather.  People act so crazy over stuff.  We did fine some boots that will work for the snow.  They look more like  rain boots but at least they will keep his feet dry.   The snow we had right before Christmas he wore his hunting boots and  his poor little feet were so wet and cold.  Mark decided he would put his feet in grocery bags so they would stay dry.  It worked, he looked silly but his feet were dry.   The rain type boots we got  will come up to his knees.  I am glad as much snow as we have and it is still coming down he may be the only one with dry feet.   As I get pictures of the kids I will post them.

Beauty Tip of the Day

So here is my beauty tip of the day.   Mark got me a gift certificate to get fluffed and buffed at a Salon nearby.   I had to use it or it was going to expire so I went last Friday.  It was great; I got  a facial, a manicure and peicure with parafin, and a one hour massage.  My husband has his moments of greatness.  During my facial the technician sprayed my face with toner.  I asked why she was spraying it because I use a cotton ball.  She said your face needs the toner not the cotton ball.  That made sense to me so I went to Wal Mart and found an inexpensive spray bottle to put my toner in.   I used it today and it felt really nice.  Another thing she did was after the facial she applied a lite mineral makeup and she set it with a water sprayer that had some lavender oil in it and something else but I cannot remember right now.   After spraying she lightly patted my face.  She said this would set your make up. 
I thought these were both good tips so I am passing them on to you.

Taste Test. . .

So, I may have just picked the newest Krispy Kreme doughnut flavor.  I had a taste test today.  We tasted several different falvors of cake type doughnuts.  They were soooo good!   I got paid too.  How cool is that?  I get to eat doughnuts and get paid to do it.  HA HA HA!!!
There were two that I did not particularly like and I won't mention them.  But, I did have a lemon one that was to die for. 
As the kids left for school this morning they requested I bring some home.  I told them I did not think they would let  me bring any home and they didn't.  Darn it all.  The kids may not like the choices I made but I think I made the best choice. 
Be on the look out for some new doughnut flavors  in the near future.

Conversations with Thomas. . .

Sitting at the supper table the other night we are talking about our day.   Thomas pipes up and says he is not getting married.  Now we were not talking about marriage or anything close to it.  I looked at him and asked why?  He said cause when you're married you can't pass gas, burp, or leave your clothes lying around.  Now I had just that day made them clean up their room and help me fold laundry.   It was all I could do to keep from bursting out laughing.  He then came back and said I am not getting married that way I can be as rounchy (?sp) as I want to be.  Those are his exact words.  
So today Thomas comes home from school and he is working on his math and fussig because he says his hand is hurting.  Thomas is a little bit lazy when it comes to school work.  He is still at the age where he does not see the point in learning math or spelling.  He told me when he got to be Jacks' age he would not complain as much about doing homework.  I laughed.  He also made a coment about the fact that he would not be living here then either.  I asked him where he was going?  He said he would have a girlfriend and he would not be living in this house.  So he is now twelve and has a girlfriend and is not living at home.  HA HA!!  Ladies lock up your daughters Thomas is on the loose.  You know he has those incredible dark brown eyes that all the girls love. 

Basketball

The boys both had games today at the same time.  So since Mark took Jack last week I took him this week.  They both lost their games.  They were both close games though.  They played first thing this morning.  I am glad they had the first game that way it did not tie up the rest of the day.  We had a nice afternoon together playing games with the kids.  
Jack is still working on his archery skills.  It has been so cold he has not had a chance to get out there and practice.  Today was beautiful so he was able to be outside and practice.  They also played a little football too.  
Jack went to a monster truck show last night with some of his friends.  One adult and three ten year old boys.   They had lots of fun.  They were in a private box which Jack thought was so cool.  They had a balcony so they were able to go out on it and see and hear all the smashing and bashing.  They also had a private restroom.   They didn't see the coolness of that but I sure did. 

Taco Tuesday

Yes, yesterday was Taco Tuesday at out house and would you believe it Thomas actually ate and enjoyed his dinner.  This has been a work in progress.  I have been trying to help both me and the rest of the family eat healthier.  I know tacos don't sound very healthy but when you do them at home they are actually much better for you than fast food.   Jack is willing to try  anything to eat at least once but, Thomas you have to hog tie first then throw in down his throat.  (just kidding)  He really does not like to try new things.  Thomas actually ate 2 1/2 tacos (meat, cheese, shell).  Jack of  course ate several.  I did an even healthier alternative I skiped the shell and added a bed of fresh greens.  Jack would like to have Taco Tuesday every week but I told him that would not be healthy.  I know they were just gald it was not chicken.   Tonight is basketball practice so dinner will be quick but it will be at home.  We are on a no fast food thing this year or at least we are trying.  I have done well so far.  The kids did get pizza on last Friday because Mark and I got to go out for a nice dinner.  Beth, Marks' neice came over to watch the boys.  She is on her way back to college but she does not mind stopping in to sit with the kids for a bit.  
Here is to a Happy and Healthy New Year!!

Finally Back to Bible Study

I finally got to go back to my Bible study group last night.  Boy, did I miss it.  I have become quite attached to my friends in my group.  I did not realize how much I depended on that fellowship till I had missed three weeks in a row due to weather and Christmas.  We are presenting our Lebenslauf (spiritual autobiography) now, so each one of us takes a turn to give our story.   Mine will be last so I have a few weeks to agonize over how I  will present it.  I have added a few pictures to mine to help tell my story.  While I was at Moms' over Christmas I went through some old pictures trying to find some that related to what I had written in my Lebenslauf.  I was able to find a few.  It was nice to go down memory lane for a while too.  My Mom had kept a letter I had written her from Acteen camp it was pretty funny.   Acteen camp was a Christian camp that was associated with our Church.  We went for a week in the summer each year.  Now, I was only there for a week and in my letter I had asked Mom to send more money.  HA HA!!  I had bought a t-shirt from the canteen and I guess I wanted another one.
I am glad I will be back on track with my group now.  We meet once a week for two hours.   Our meetings really do get my week off to a great start.

Bow and Arrow

So, Jack got a bow and arrow from Santa.  We set rules for this too.  In order to use it he has to have either Mark or myself out there with him and Thomas must stay on the porch.    Jack finally got to test his archery skills.  He was standing about 10 yards from his target and his first couple of arrows hit the paper then the next one was almost a bulls eye.  How cool is that?   He has not practiced with a bow since Summer Camp.  I would say he is a natural.