Polly Wolly Doodle All The Day

Easter was Eggcelent

2009-04-13T13:01:00.005-05:00

We had a great Easter. We went to church and then to my sister's to spend the afternoon with the family. The girls were visited by the Easter Bunny that morning. They were happy to get lots of goodies! We did end up having our Easter egg hunt inside because of the rain, but that's ok!

Helloooooooo

2009-04-08T09:37:00.002-05:00

Sorry I have not posted lately. Things have been crazy with layoffs at work, etc. I managed to escape the first round. The other reason I haven't posted is because I discovered Facebook. A little late getting on the band wagon, but now that I have, I'm addicted. I swear it's like a drug! You get on-line and start looking around, reading, checking out people you haven't seen in years and then three hours later, you're like "Geez, I better go to bed!" I'm currently in a 12-step program to kick (or somewhat reduce) my Facebook habit!

You know, it's not unlike being addicted to blogging!

Never Say Never

2009-02-24T13:27:00.006-06:00

I am a firm believer in the phrase “Never Say Never.” I have had to eat crow way too many times. So many times, in fact, that I finally learned my lesson. Now “Never Say Never” is my mantra.

When I was just a young and silly girl in my 20’s, I said I would NEVER have children. I never even wanted to babysit growing up. I liked kids ok, I just didn’t want any of my own. About the time I turned 33, I heard a very loud noise in my head. Some might say it was my biological clock ticking away. I don’t think so. Whatever it was, was telling me I HAD TO HAVE A CHILD. I had never felt this way before. After trying for a while and then suffering through a miscarriage, God did bless me with not one, but TWO children.

Along the way I also said I would NEVER have four-door car. Too much of a “Mom-mobile.” The very first thing we had to do was trade in my two-door little sports car for a monstrosity of a car. A car that was big enough to hold both baby seats and all the baby paraphernalia that goes along with twins! I have never had a two-door car since!

I also said many times while the hubby and I would be out at restaurants, etc. that MY KIDS WOULD NEVER act that way…. This one really makes me laugh. It doesn’t even warrant an explanation. Let’s just say sometimes THEY ARE those children.

I do not know what my life would have been like without children. I’m sure my husband and I would have travelled all over the place at a moment’s notice. We probably would have had a lot more money and a lot more free time. Whatever we would have had, though, would not have been as precious as my two children are to me. I cannot even imagine not having them in my life.

That is one big piece of crow I’m happy I ate.

Weekend Madness

2009-02-23T13:24:00.004-06:00

I do not feel like I have had a weekend! The girls each had a book report poster that they needed to work on this weekend. Needless to say that took all day Saturday. Yesterday I took them to the Big City to get new tennis shoes. Shopping with girls who HATE to shop is an ordeal. This took all afternoon. When we finally got home, I finished up the weekend by making lasagna and doing laundry. No time to just chill out and relax unfortunately. Maybe next weekend will be better.

A Late Post About Valentine's Day

2009-02-18T16:00:00.011-06:00

Valentine’s Day was beautiful here at the lake.

We all had a nice day. The girls loved their big stuffed animals we got for them. I’m not sure why I’m contributing to their already out-of-control collection other than the fact that E told me I ALWAYS get them a stuffed animal for Valentine’s Day. Can’t break with tradition now, can I?

One of the girls’ classmates was having a little Valentine’s party so I actually had two hours of free time. Of course, my “free time” was spent going to the grocery store!

My sweetie got me a big box of chocolates for the special day. Pretty tasty.

We spent the evening with our good friends, Tom and Nina. We decided it would be easier than fighting all the crowds. Before we went to their house, and while E was off with her Dad on a long motorcycle ride, O helped me make the salad……..

She also helped me make the strawberry cake…(which I didn't get a pic of).

As always, we ate too much and had lots of fun. This is Nina and our friend Lita.

We tried playing Apples to Apples, but I think we were all really too stuffed!

It was a fun night.

Romeo, Romeo

2009-02-12T16:16:00.006-06:00

During the 20 years that the Hubby and I have been together, he’s given me an assortment of Valentine’s Day gifts. Sometimes it’s jewelry. Sometimes it’s a card. Sometimes even flowers. Whatever strikes his fancy. Now I can’t predict this year’s gift (or lack thereof), but last night after asking me what I wanted to do this weekend, he asked if I wanted to put our money together and get headsets for our new motorcycle helmets. He's such the romantic.

Here's a Toast to You

2009-02-11T09:52:00.004-06:00

I have not had a toaster oven in years...and I do mean years. I don't like to have a lot of appliances on my countertops so the toaster I had pretty much stayed hidden in the cabinet until I wanted to toast my bagel or make toast. Then I'd drag it out. That was ok because it was a tiny toaster and didn't take a lot of effort.

When my sister moved into her new house a couple of years ago, she bought a toaster oven that has a toaster slot on the top and a regular oven underneath. I thought this was pretty cool. I've been coveting it ever since.

Each time I went to Target or Walmart, I would look for it. The one I wanted was red (to match my coffee maker). Never could I find the red one. When I finally did run across the red one, I couldn't decide if I really needed a toaster oven. I don't have much counter space in this house, and I still don't like appliances on my counters. I was in a conundrum. I decided against it.

The next time I went back, I decided I really did want it. Since that day, I have not found a red one again!

This weekend I threw caution to the wind and bought my Toastation Toaster Oven, and it ROCKS. It's not red, but it still rocks.

I have not had a properly toasted Pot Tart in ages...until this morning. I totally forgot how melt-in-your mouth good and flaky the outside can be. You know when you warm them in the microwave, they kind of end up like cardboard. No wonder my kids pick off the "crust."

Boy do I have a treat for them. But first I have to find a way to tell them they only have one Pop Tart left!

New Member of the Family...

2009-02-03T18:36:00.011-06:00

Here she is. Isn't she lovely, isn't she beautiful...
She's the Hubby's latest toy, although I have to admit, I'm just as excited as he is about it. I'm still trying to get used to the whole riding thing. The leaning into the curves still scares the you-know-what out of me. I'll get the hang of it eventually, I guess.

Today we were able to take a little ride. We went to the state park close to our house. It was a good place to test out some of the bells and whistles and enjoy the scenery at the same time.

My husband and I both grew up camping at this state park. It's changed a lot since then. I can't wait to take the girls camping here. They would love it.

Here's the Hubby. He's so excited to finally have his motorcycle! (I was also testing out my new camera.)

More scenery from Tyler State Park...

It was a beautiful day for a ride. When we started the ride, it was about 65 degrees. However, when we finished, it had dropped to about 55. The motorcycle has heated seats, which really keep you toasty, but my legs got a little chilly! I'm sitting under the electric blanket right now warming them up!

Tablescape Tuesday--My First One

2009-01-27T08:13:00.013-06:00

Susan at Between Naps on the Porch, is hosting Tablescape Tuesday today. I'm almost too embarassed to participate. My tablescaping skills are quite lacking! Here goes...don't judge too harshly.

This is my dining room, complete with 1980's wallpaper and curtains...inherited with the house, I'm afraid. One of our "to do" projects. Anyway...I have decorated my dining room table, which once was my Grandmother's, with my Blue Willow china and cobalt accessories. I thought the apples and pears added a little shot of color.

I've used silver placemats with silver chargers. I'm using my grandmother's silver and wine glasses that came from Wally World! I was too lazy to dig my good wine glasses out--sorry! The tea goblets I inherited from my husband's ex-wife (haha).

My parents bought these dishes for me in my early 20's. The cobalt accessories were collected randomly...except the fiddle. I have to tell you a funny story about this little cobalt blue fiddle...

When I was about three, my family was visiting my Grandparents. It was dinnertime. My Mother asked me to wake up my Granddaddy. He was taking a little nap before dinner. I decided that the best way to wake him up would be with this little fiddle across his forehead! I woke him up for sure...and have never lived that down.

I'm hoping to add to my Blue Willow collection soon. Maybe my next Tablescape Tuesday (or Thursday) will not be so lacking!

Head on over to Between Naps on the Porch to check out all the other tablescapes.

Happy Birthday to My Grandmother

2009-01-25T20:49:00.007-06:00

Today would have been my Grandmother's birthday. We called her Montie. Her name was Fynie Katherine. Her dad named her Fynie because she was his "fine girl." As for Montie, that's a name my sister came up with long before I came along.

I have so many fond memories of Montie. She was always happy. I remember her singing while she cooked and cleaned. Her kitchen always smelled of freshly brewed tea with lemon. I love that smell to this day.

While she sang and cooked her good old southern fried chicken, I would sit on the floor in front of the cabinet she stored all her canned goods in and play "grocery store." I would take out every single can she had in that cabinet and rearrange them all. My Mom would always get on to me, but Montie would say, "Now, you let that baby play all she wants."

My family spent a lot of weekends with Montie and Pop. We lived in Suburbia, and they lived in the country. It was heaven. They had a tree swing and lots of sand to play in. We all enjoyed the great meals that Montie prepared. She was a great cook. She cooked for an army even though it was just the six of us! After dinner, we would sit in front of her TV and watch The Grand Ole Opry. When it was time for bed, she would turn on the electric blanket so I would have a warm bed to get into. I would beg her to tell me a bedtime story. The Little Red Hen was my favorite. She had her own twist to it. It wasn't until later in life that I realized she made up her own version of the story!

Every Christmas, she was like a little kid. She would be down under the tree shaking all the presents. Montie and Pop came to our house every Christmas Eve and had Christmas dinner with us and spent the night. The first Christmas after I married was very, very cold in Texas. The weather was awful. Montie and Pop decided that they better stay home and not come down for Christmas that year...they didn't want to leave their house (why are old people like that?). It was the first Christmas they ever missed. I remember crying to my husband because they weren't coming! I'm sure he thought I was a big old baby! That Christmas was just not the same.

I've since spent several Christmases without Montie and Pop. They are both together in a better place. I still miss them just as much though. We all still think about Montie, her head under the tree and her rear-end up in the air shaking those gifts!

I miss you Montie, and still love you more than ever.

Dish Envy

2009-01-22T21:31:00.010-06:00

I have discovered so many wonderful bloggers who showcase their beautiful dishes. I am addicted to Between Naps on the Porch and her Tablescape Tuesdays. One of these days, I am going to participate.

I confess, I don't own 565 sets of china to die for like some of these bloggers do, but I am proud to have my Mom's dishes that she collected back in the late 50's (maybe early 60's). She collected these dishes piece by piece. Every payday she would go to Sanger Harris and buy another piece. The dishes were designed by Russell Wright and they are called Iroquois. They were considered "casual" china.

I remember eating off of these dishes when I was a little girl. I especially remember drinking hot chocolate out of one of the big heavy mugs. I guess by the time I came around, the dishes had become our "everyday" dishes!

A few years ago after telling my Mom how much I loved those dishes, she packed them up and gave them to me. I have always referred to them as "my pink dishes" anyway!

Of course, since these were our everyday dishes when I was a kid, I didn't end up with too many complete place settings. I only have two of those wonderful heavy mugs! My Mom surprised me, yet again, when she found several place settings at an antique place and bought them for me.

For anyone who loves mid-century modern, you would love these! They came in several different colors, but my Mom wanted pink!

This picture is from the internet and doesn't show the pretty pink color they are, but it shows their modern look.

This is the "gumbo" bowl and the stackable sugar bowl.

I tried to take a picture of my china cabinet, which is lacking in organization for sure! Here are "my pink dishes."

And my wonderful heavy mug!

I'm still adding to my collection...

Wordless Wednesday - Winter

2009-01-21T16:57:00.007-06:00

Wordless Wednesday:

Winter:

Hosted by Dixie's Whimsey over in French Lique, Texas....

History in the Making

2009-01-20T07:18:00.003-06:00

Today, you will be able to witness something very historical. It is history in the making. With all politics aside, no matter who you voted for, today is a day that will be remembered.

Good Food and Good Friends

2009-01-17T23:16:00.013-06:00

Last night we went to our good friends, Tom & Nina's, for dinner. I ate way too much! We had steak, chicken, cheesy potatoes, salad, and rolls. Can you say Yum? I was way too full to post last night!

Say cheesy potatoes, Tom and Nina!

The girls had fun with Kat. They played Mystery Date and Clue.

One of the little monsters and me:

A good time was had by all!

Hair, Hair, Hair

2009-01-16T14:23:00.012-06:00

Having twin girls, I never know what to expect from them when they start scheming. Last week, they created their own "goo" in what they called their "experiment." It was a pretty shade of Caribbean blue that looked just like Dipity-Do (for those of you old enough to know what I'm talking about). I don't even want to know what it was. They, at least, had it in a baggie in the bathroom. The goo is now gone.

They both remind me so much of myself when I was a kid. I loved to create "experiments." My best friend and I would make experiments in her bathroom sink! We would pour in a little bit of this and a little bit of that...whatever we could find. It's a wonder we didn't create some kind of toxic gas! And where was her mother during all of this!

Last night when I came home from work, this is what I found!

Every clip and barrette in their possession...

Every hair bow in their possession...

I had to laugh and share it. I'm surprised they didn't try to put clips and bows in their Dad's hair...it's been known to happen.

Wordless Wednesday--Favorite Things

2009-01-14T11:37:00.004-06:00

Wordless Wednesday

(Hosted by French Lique, Texas):

Favorite Thing:

Busy Weekend

2009-01-13T17:08:00.003-06:00

I'm finally finished taking down all of my Christmas decorations. Yea! I just felt like I couldn't do anything until that was done.

I spent all Saturday afternoon grocery shopping. Ugh. I absolute hate grocery shopping!

Sunday after church, the family went bed shopping. The Hubby and I need a new bed desperately. I didn't realize how laying/lying down on beds could be so exhausting!

I guess we're embracing our oldness...we ended up with a doozy of a bed...one that is adjustable--up, down, all around...and it even vibrates. Once I get my new laptop, I may never get out of bed!

Un-Decorating and Such

2009-01-09T22:36:00.007-06:00

I know most of you uber organized people have already taken down all your Christmas decorations and paraphernalia and are ready for Spring, but my house still looks like this:

I have at least started the un-decorating. This is a good thing. That means that by February, it may all be down! I have to admit that it will be nice to clean, organize, and decorate for the new year.

The new year is like a new journal with a brand spanking new pen. (Ok, the country has rubbed off on me a tad.)

It’s so exciting to wonder what kind of adventures will fill the blank pages. I can’t wait to find out.

I'm Baaaaaaaaack!

2009-01-09T22:20:00.004-06:00

My one and only New Year's Resolution was to start blogging again. Even if I'm the only one who will be reading it!

My recap of 2008 is brief:

Ultimatum from husband—either move to the country with him or stay in the city without him. I can't deny that I didn't think about staying, but ultimately the country won out.

Worked our fingers to the bone getting the house ready to put on the market.

Put the house on the market--sold within a week. Had a month to find a house in the country and move.

Found a house, moved to the country, and fell off the face of Blogdom!

That pretty much sums it up!

I look forward to 2009 and all the exciting decorating challenges to come. We bought a 1980's fixer-upper. Great house, just needs lots of updating.

Happy 4th of July!!!

2008-07-03T17:15:00.003-05:00

I hope you have a safe and happy holiday!

Packing, Stressing, Packing, Stressing

2008-07-03T10:02:00.003-05:00

Yes, it's been a while since I posted. I have been packing for the big move on the 16th. My life has been overtaken by giant brown boxes. I ran out of all the boxes we had been saving, but then the moving company we are using said we could have all the free boxes we wanted. They brought us about a bazillion last night.

I have almost packed up my entire kitchen, which is a major accomplishment. I swear, every box in the garage has "kitchen" written on it. I really don't know where I'm going to put all of my stuff in the new house. There is not nearly as many cabinets.

We close on our house in the "city" on July 14. We close on the house in the "country" on July 15, and movers come bright and early on July 16. I can't wait to get down there. Wait....did that just come out of my mouth?

Success!

2008-06-19T15:50:00.000-05:00

After looking at more houses, we found one we both really liked. Placed a bid. Got it!

The inspection has already been done, and we've met with our financial people. I've got to start packing!!!!! Three weeks to go!

I wish I had taken a picture of the new house when we were there. Can't wait to get in and start decorating! It needs a little updating, which will be fun to do.

I'll keep you posted.

Just a Tad Bit Stressed...

2008-06-13T15:49:00.003-05:00

I can't believe it's been so long since I posted. I have been just a little stressed out. Last weekend we power shopped for houses. We looked at 15 houses between the hours of 9:30 and 3:30! Afterward, I just sat crying in my margarita! We found a couple of houses that we liked, but let me just say...they are not my house in the city!

We're headed back tomorrow to look at 8 more! We are closing on our house one month...yes, that's four weeks, from tomorrow. Time is running out.

We did put an offer on one house. They were asking WAY too much for it according to the comps in the area. It needed LOTS of updating. 1984 called and wants all of its wallpaper back! The counter offer was higher than we want to pay. After we look tomorrow, we'll know more about what we want to do.

Keep your fingers, toes, and eyes crossed that we find something soon! I sure would hate to move twice!

Finally!

2008-06-02T17:10:00.000-05:00

It's been crazy since we came back from our Memorial Day holiday. Our realtor put the house on the market that Saturday. The house was shown quite a few times last week. Friday and Saturday, it was shown at least five times each day. By Saturday night, we had three offers in hand...one for more than our asking price! That's the one we accepted. We have a mid-July closing date so I'm a tad stressed since we haven't even started looking at houses in the country. I did talk to the realtor today and told her we would be in town this weekend to "power shop" for houses. Keep your fingers crossed!

On another note, we had a wonderful time in the country. The girls got filthy each day and loved it! It's so beautiful there.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

2008-05-23T19:23:00.003-05:00

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Memorial Day Weekend! Remember to say a prayer of thanks for all our soldiers past and present.

I'm headed to the country for some needed R&R!

Something I Hate More Than House Cleaning!!

2008-05-22T15:23:00.001-05:00

I have a major phobia. It's called goingtothedentist. I have not always had this phobia. Growing up, I went to the dentist at an early age and then every six months or year thereafter. I never even had a cavity until I was a junior in high school. I could even handle the drilling and filling of teeth. Then it happened. My wonderful, gentle, kind dentist decided to retire. I was probably in my early twenties. I admit, there were probably a couple of years that I didn't see a dentist after that.

Then one day, a terrible thing happened. I woke up with a horrendous toothache. This was something I had never experienced before, and it was awful! I was forced to find a dentist and fast. It just so happened that a girl I worked with knew of a "good" dentist...her boyfriend. Ok, this was good--I thought. I had someone on the "inside" that could get me in to see him quickly! Oh, but this is where the good times end...

The dentist informed me that I needed a root canal. Remember, up until this time, I had only had maybe one or two cavities in my entire life. I had no idea what to expect from a root canal. OMG! I think the dentist was a quack because he scarred me for life (well, not physically, but definitely emotionally)!

Fast forward about four years...because that's how long it took me to go back to a dentist. Don't get me wrong...I brush twice a day...sometimes more...and floss at least once a day (I know, I'm a little lax about flossing) so it's not like I have poor dental hygiene or anything. I just fear the dentist.

I remember sitting in the waiting room of my next dentist watching a woman. I absolutely thought she was drunk. She looked drunk. She could hardly walk by herself, and when she spoke, she sounded drunk. My name was called to see the dentist, and at that moment, I wanted to be drunk!

Well, miracles of miracles, I found out that there's a wonderful little pill you can take before your dental visit. This miracle pill makes you forget what happened while you were in the dreaded dental chair....It makes the visit seem like it took five minutes. You don't care what's going on, and you want to chat with everyone about anything. When you leave, you go home to sleep, and sleep, and sleep. When you wake up, you barely remember that awful procedure [teeth cleaning] you had done! But be warned. People will talk about you because they will think you are drunk!

Last week, it happened again. As I was flossing, I noticed a tiny hole in one of my teeth. So guess what.....

It's been two years since my last dental visit. (I still hate going even though I get the good drugs.) Had I gone every six months like normal people, I could have just had a tiny little filling.....BUT NO, I have to have a crown. At least I don't have to have a root canal!

I'm Sick of Cleaning - Part 1 - Cause You Know There Will Be a Part 2!

2008-05-21T17:30:00.000-05:00

I worked myself to death this weekend and had to go to work on Monday just to rest! It all started on Friday...and I don't think I have recovered yet.

After waking the girls up for school and making breakfast for them, E informs me that she's not hungry. Now, anyone who knows E, knows this is a bit unusual. Finally, she told me her stomach was hurting. I tried my best to guilt her into going to school [as bad as that is] but she was having none of it. I have to do that sometimes just to see if she's really sick. Well, when she cries and tells me she doesn't want to go, this usually means she is sick.

Without going into all the details, it turned out to be something she ate the night before. After one episode of..what I won't mention...she was fine. And I was out another vacation day! Oh well, more time to work on the house.

So after loading up on this:
I went into turbo mode. During the entire course of the weekend I did about eight loads of laundry, cleaned three ceiling fans, twelve light globes, two chandeliers...one of which I do not believe had EVER been cleaned in the history of the house! I cleaned grubby little fingerprints off countless doors and door frames. I begrudgingly cleaned all the windows across the back of the house--inside and out, and even crawled up behind my sink to clean that window, which was no pretty sight. I single-handedly moved our big-a*s mattress and put the new dust ruffle on the bed, along with all the new bedding.

That was all downstairs! I still have four ceiling fans and 16 light globes to go...upstairs!

Saturday, I travelled an hour to get my hair cut and my roots done, stopped by to see the parents, then travelled an hour back home to continue working. I cleaned the nasty master bathroom, which included crawling in my 25 foot tub (kidding...) to clean it and then put out all my pretty new accessories.

I dusted until I couldn't breathe any longer, and packed up more stuff. After much begging from E & O, made a trip to Blockbuster, then came home and collapsed on the couch to watch movies.

The next day it all continued.

I crawled up that dang ladder again to dust the top of my entertainment center. I have never seen so much dust....maybe because I can't remember the last time I dusted it!

I drove another hour to my nephew's engagement party. Aren't they cute? (Let's just call them JJ and T.) The wedding is next year.

(Of course, if we're talking cute, I have to include E & O!!)

And then another hour back home to continue cleaning!

I can't even bring myself to start on the upstairs! So I haven't! This is the last week before it goes on the market, and there's still quite a bit to do! I hate this. I really hate the cleaning part!! After I do the upstairs, I'm never cleaning again!! Ha!

We still need a little curb appeal outside, but for the most part, I guess we're finished out there. I took pictures of a few of the plants that have come back. I love plants that you don't have to baby! These are all in the back yard...

Lantana:

Banana Tree:

Purple Heart...(with a Canna peeking out). You cannot kill this stuff:

And our Cannas (transplanted from East Texas). They will be red when they bloom:

That's it for now. I'm psyching myself up to go home and clean ceiling fans....

Is It EVER Going To Happen?

2008-05-15T16:16:00.006-05:00

Will our house ever go on the market? I'm not so sure! The realtor came over last Friday to give us the comps for our area. He suggested we replace the carpet in our downstairs den. We had planned on giving a flooring allowance because we knew the carpet needed replacing. It needed replacing when we moved in!

Unfortunately, the realtor said a flooring allowance almost never works. So, even though we have a huge area rug in our den, and only about a foot of carpet shows all around it, he suggested we replace it. Well, that's just dandy except that we'll have to replace the dining room carpet, too...As bad as we hated to spend the money, we were all for anything that would help sell the house. That is until we found out how much it cost to replace two rooms of carpet...

When did carpet get so dang expensive? We were just going to put down bottom-of-the-line carpet. At least it would be new and clean! Turns out, it would cost us around $1,400. Let me just say, that ain't gonna happen!

Hubby bought some spot pre-treatment and went to work cleaning the carpet with our heavy duty carpet cleaning machine (that we obviously never use). It looks much better already. After about two more times, it should look pretty good! :)

When I thought we would be getting new carpet, I packed up everything that was in my china cabinet. Since I refuse to unpack it now, I have had to search for something else to go in it. I ended up putting some Wal-Mart dishes that I had bought last fall and several old wine glasses that I had forgotten about. It actually turned out nice! The colors match my dining room perfectly.

I plan on painting my ugly brass light fixture. I hope to get around to that soon. I found a great post from Rhoda at Southern Hospitality that told me exactly what to do to make my fixture look bronze. I also need to do the ceiling fan in the den while I'm at it...

This pic was before I packed up my china cabinet.

After I clean the oven, mop all the floors, clean all the carpets, clean all the light globes and ceiling fans (we have a gazillion), wipe down all the doors and door frames, and plant a few flowers in the front....maybe it will be finally be ready to go on the market!

We did spruce up our side yard. It was all dirt and just plain ugly. Now it is this..... (Sorry the pic is so dark.) Hubby put down stepping stones and red mulch. It looks a lot better than ugly dirt!

Road Rage and Rude People

2008-05-08T16:16:00.001-05:00

Normally, I'm a pretty easy going driver. I'm not one to retaliate if someone has cut me off, etc. No finger shooting or yelling obscenities out the car window for me. However...this morning as I was minding my own business and happily making my way to Starbucks for my daily latte, the thought crossed my mind.

Apparently, there was someone who needed her latte WAY more than I did. A crazed woman in need of caffeine was driving towards Starbucks through the strip center parking lot. As I was about to pull in the drive-thru, she whipped around from God knows what direction and cut right in front of me! I couldn't believe how rude she was. If she had given me half a second to even see her coming, I would have gladly let her go ahead. Obviously, she is not one to be messed with before she's had her coffee! And I thought I was bad!

Growing up in a small Texas town, I had always been around friendly people. Now I don't claim to be an overly outgoing and bubbly person, but if a stranger says something friendly at the grocery store, I'll be friendly and say a few words back. Or if someone is following me through a door, I'll be nice and hold the door for them, etc.

The city we live in has a reputation for being a little "snooty." I never thought too much about it until we moved here and realized just how rude some people could be. That finally brings me to my point....

Does it take more of an effort to be nice? I don't think so. How hard is it to smile at someone? How hard is it to say good morning? And how hard is it to wait your turn to get in the Starbucks drive-thru line??

Lovin to Blog

2008-05-06T16:40:00.008-05:00

I was happy to discover a new blog while reading Musings of a Housewife. fortyb4forty is having her one-month anniversary of blogging today AND is having a great giveaway! Congrats to her!….[said like I’m some kind of old pro! I still don’t have the faintest idea of what I’m doing!]

Blogging is SO totally addicting. I feel cheated if I don't get to read my regulars! Sister Honey Bunch had a great post about this very thing today. It is like virtual people watching!

Well, hop on over to fortyb4forty to say hello. I think I’ll hop on over there myself!

Another Day, Another Meme...

2008-05-06T15:00:00.001-05:00

Darcie was tagged to do another meme. She tagged anyone reading her blog that wanted to do it. Since I read her blog, she must mean me! Memes are a great way to get to know some of your bloggy friends!

What were you doing ten years ago?

Hubby and I were making the final arrangements to move into our very first (not rented) new home. I was also very, very pregnant. My doctor wanted me to quit work at 28 weeks, so I was also about to go on bed rest. (What a way to get out of moving!)

What are 5 things on your to-do list?

1. Clean all the ceiling fan blades and lights;
2. Clean out the frig;
3. Buy Mother's Day gifts;
4. Finish staging the house so as to sell it better; and
5. Help the kids with their "poem" homework.

What are 5 snacks you enjoy?

1. Vanilla yogurt;
2. Sugar Free Jell-o;
3. Tall Non-Fat Cinnamon Dolce Latte w/Light Whip;
4. Grapes; and
5. Snickers, Three Musketeers, M&M's---Come on, you can't be good all of the time! :)

What would you do if you were a millionaire?

Well, a million doesn't go as far as it used to, but, I would (1) pay off all of our debt; (2) go on one killer of a family vacation; (3) send a lot extra to the child I sponsor in Brazil; and (4) invest all the rest for retirement.

Name some of the places you’ve called home.

Forney, Texas
Mesquite, Texas
Dallas, Texas; and
Frisco, Texas

What are some of your bad habits?

How long do you have? I stress eat; I am a perfectionist with OCD tendencies; I have a terrible temper; I'm a control freak…I think that's enough for now, don't you?

What are some jobs you’ve held?

Computer Support Helpdesk; Legal Secretary/Assistant

Who are you tagging?

I'll tag anyone who reads my blog!

Moan and Groan Monday

2008-05-05T20:45:00.015-05:00

This weekend was the final push to get everything done to the house before we call the realtor. I had grand plans of getting the house cleaned and laundry done on Friday night so I could wake up early Saturday and work, work, work. Unfortunately, Pei Wei was calling my name. I stopped by my favorite Chinese food place, got dinner, rushed home to my jammies and bedded down on the couch to eat my dinner and watch T.V. Hubby was outside with the girls playing and having fun. I was able to veg out in peace. Not productive, but nice nevertheless!

Saturday, Hubby was able to get rid of the hideous wallpaper in the powder room by wallpapering over it.

It looks 1,000,000 times better than before.

We did a little [ok, a lot] more cleaning, decorating and packing, and I think we are almost ready. Even Sox got into the action.

When I woke up this morning I felt like I had not even had a weekend! I think the girls felt the same way. We just couldn't get motivated.

We made it to school a little early for once, and then it hit me...we forgot to bring flowers for the teachers for Teacher Appreciation Day. I had to make a mad dash to the grocery store after dropping the girls off. Once there, I noticed that I was NOT the only person who forgot the flowers. There was a 7 a.m. run on flowers, but I was able to get a pretty bouquet to split for E & O.

There is so much going on right now that I can't even keep it all straight anymore.

I think I'll just go crash for the night! This ends my session of moaning and groaning.

One, Two Buckle My Shoe

2008-04-30T20:19:00.010-05:00

I bought the cutest pair of shoes last night...

Thought they would be cute with my summer skirts. They are THE most comfortable shoes even though the heel is kind of high.

Unfortunately, they make the loudest noise when I walk. Of course, I didn't notice this until I got to work. I'm thinking I'm styling with my new sandals and my cute summer skirt. I'm feeling good, I'm feeling confident. Little did I know, they made such a loud noise when I walked!

It wasn't just the flippy flop of the flip flop--No! It sounded like I was beating a big bass drum! It was even worse when I tried to walk fast. I was SO embarrassed! I swear you could hear me on the other side of the floor. People started saying, "Here comes Doodles" before I even made it to their desks! I wanted to just kick them off and go without shoes.

I guess these shoes will have to be relegated to "running around" shoes.

This wouldn't bother me so much except just last week, I bought these...thinking the same thing, "Oh, they'll look so cute with my new summer skirts!"

I knew better, I really did. I have never been able to keep the strap up on this kind of shoe. No matter what I do. I can have them tight enough to turn my feet purple, but will they stay up? Nope! I bought them anyway.

I tried them on in the store, walked back and forth a little, and the strap stayed put. I was thinking miracle of miracles. Well, not so much. The first time I wore them, the straps kept falling down. Is there a fix for this problem? If so, I certainly don't know it.

Why is it so hard to find cute, COMFORTABLE, high-heel sandals? For one thing, I have toe issues....I hate my toes. They are not straight and pretty, they are crooked and spread out. I can't wear shoes with the thing between the toes because this just accentuates the fact that I have monkey feet.

While all my friends are wearing their cute little between-the-toe sandals with their pretty feet showing, I'm trying to find shoes that will squeeze my toes together!

These two pair of shoes did this...and they were comfy, too. Dang it!

Oh well, third time's a charm, right?

Me Me Me Meme

2008-04-29T20:46:00.000-05:00

Kellie of La Vida Dulce jumped on the band wagon of this meme she found here and here. I decided to do it, too.

Where is your cell phone? In my purse.

Your significant other? He's watching a fishing show on TV.

Your hair? Has grown an inch past my chin. It's only taken two years. Now I want a new do.

Your mother? Is a little controlling, but still one of my heroes.

Your father? Is devoted to my mother, and I love him very much.

Your favorite thing? One of my favorite things is cuddling with my hubby and/or kids...something I never get to do enough of.

Your dream last night? I dreamed a tornado was coming. The sirens were going off, but no one would take cover. I was the only one freaking out. The rest of the neighborhood was going about their business. I kept screaming for my kids to get in the closet with me. I woke up in a cold sweat. Horrible!

Your favorite drink? Sweet tea, with Coke a close second.

Your dream/goal? To be content with my life/marriage and to raise my two beautiful daughters to be caring, loving, Christian women.

The room you are in? Our office.

Your ex? Nice guy, but have had no contact since our divorce almost twenty years ago.

Your fear? That something bad will happen to my children.

Where were you last night? Shopping, then home.

What you are not? I am not a very confident person. I'm also not a very patient person.

Muffins? I can think of other things I like better.

One of your wish list items? Porcelain Veneers

Where you grew up? [A very small town], Texas

The last thing you did? Put my children to bed.

What are you wearing? Jeans and t-shirt.

Your TV? Is blaring in another room.

Your pets? Felix and Sox, the two sweetest cats on the planet.

Your computer? Could be better. Wish I had a laptop.

Your life? It's a good life. Sometimes a struggle, but what doesn't kill us makes us stronger, right?

Your mood? Does "exhausted" count?

Missing someone? I miss Montie and Pop, my Grandparents, all the time.

Your car? Used to take $15 to fill up--now it takes $45.

Something you are not wearing? Shoes

Favorite store? Depends, but I absolutely love the smell of the Mall when you first walk in. It totally destresses me. Maybe I could bottle that?

Your summer? Will fly by like it always does. Hopefully, I will be moving to the country.

Like someone? Huh? I like a lot of people!

Your favorite color? My husband would say beige, but it's really not! I like too many colors to choose just one!

When is the last time you laughed? Either at work at something my goofy friends said, or at home at something one of my kids said or did! They crack me up all the time.

Last time you cried? Sunday when I was "under the weather." I'll spare you the details.

Who will repost this? No one. I don't think anyone reads my blog!

If by chance, you are reading this and plan to do it, great! Let me know.

So Much To Do...So Little Time...

2008-04-28T21:28:00.005-05:00

This weekend was supposed to be when we put the house on the market. Didn't happen. Aren't ready. We still have so much to do. Will we ever be ready? I'm starting to wonder. This week I guess we will work on re-wallpapering the one tiny wall in the downstairs powder room.

Would you EVER put this wallpaper on a wall you owned? I think not. 1983 called and wants its wallpaper back. I'm not even sure 1983 wants it back.

Wallpapering this one little wall will involve completely taking out the toilet and pedestal sink. No wonder it's been last on the list. It certainly has to be done. People would walk in and turn around and walk out if they saw this! {Yes, we bought the house with this wallpaper, and yes we've lived with it for five long years! Why???}

In addition to the wallpapering, we still have a ton of stuff to do. It's just hard to get motivated during the week, and hubby still can't force himself to quit fishing on the weekends. I have to admit, this weekend I just couldn't get anything done either. Maybe I can't get motivated because I'm not totally crazy about the idea of moving to the country?

This week, it's my goal to do SOMETHING to further us along in this process.

At least the flowers outside are coming up nicely. Maybe we won't have to do too much landscaping! I'll keep you posted.

My Life In Perfume

2008-04-25T16:44:00.022-05:00

My life in…

I think it is More Magazine that has this feature…"My Life in {insert whatever}." It’s usually completed by the celebrity du jour. I love reading these articles so I decided I would do one myself. Here is my very own version:

My Life In Perfume

I was a child of the 70’s, but my parents were anything but hippies. I think I was born just a tad too late to really revel in the whole flower child and free love movement. I would have made a good hippie. I loved burning incense in my room, loved the smell of patchouli, and loved all the cool clothes….loved me some maxi dresses and fringe vests! I was only in fourth grade! (And why were my parents letting me burn incense in my room?)

Like I said, I loved the smell of patchouli, and one of my favorite things was Sweet Earth solid perfume compact. It had three solid perfumes…sandalwood, amberwood, and patchouli.

My “wanna be” hippie days (remember--fourth grade) gave way to disco. The Hustle was the dance craze of the country, and by this time, I’ve moved on up to fifth grade.

While doing the Hustle to Ja Ja Ja Jive Talking with my best friend and her friend Cindy, I smelled the most wonderful smell. Did I mention I have a sensitive nose? I had to know the perfume Cindy was wearing. Cindy was two years older than I was and all into fashion and eye shadow. {Think Mimi on the Drew Carey Show.} It was the 70’s after all, and blue eyeshadow was all the rage. I was sure she knew her stuff. She told me the name of the perfume and even gave me an almost-empty bottle she had. It was called Interlude.

Truthfully, I loved that perfume, and wore it off and on up until about four years ago! I always got compliments every time I wore it. Then I started wondering…were they really compliments? I was afraid “What is that perfume you’re wearing?” was really “WHAT is that PERFUME you’re wearing?”

Now we’re up to junior high, where I discovered musk. I’m not talking Jovan Musk here. Nope, I'm talking the much “higher class” Alyssa Ashley Musk Oil. Ha! Loved the stuff at the time. Thought I was cool. This took me right on up to high school.

As a freshman in high school, I was still going to the skating rink. Doesn’t that sound innocent compared to today’s world? Going to the skating rink wearing Love’s Baby Soft. I even had the shampoo and conditioner! Who didn’t wear Love’s Baby Soft at one time or another?

About the time I was a junior in high school, I discovered SHOES. However, I still had my love of perfume, and my taste was getting a little more “up town.” I spent all of my money on shoes and perfume. Could there be anything else?

To my junior prom, I proudly wore a dress that looked like a nightshirt Laura Ingalls would have worn. This was the early 80’s and Gunny Sax was the “it” thing! {If you are younger than 40, look it up.} My perfume that year was Anais Anais. It came in such a pretty bottle!

Fast forward to the overindulgence of the mid-80’s, and you guessed it…GIORGIO of Beverly Hills. Gag me with a spoon, because if I smell it now, that’s what I will do!

Next stop on our olfactory tour is the summer of 1988. This was the summer between my first and second husbands. This was a partying summer. This was a FUN summer. My fragrance of choice was YSL Paris. I am still reminded of summer every time I smell that perfume. Unfortunately, my friend Belle feels the same way about Paris as I do about Giorgio. I try to keep my friends happy by not making them gag.

Enter 1989 and my second (and current) hubby. I was an independent 24 year-old woman (and kind of obnoxious now that I think of it), and I wanted him to know it…not the obnoxious part. I wanted to make it clear that I would not take crap from any man. For such a tough acting broad, I wore such a girly sounding perfume. Lou Lou. The smell still brings back memories of a more self-assured time in my life. Unfortunately, I’ve taken and dished out a lot of crap in this marriage.

Our odoriferous tour is coming to an end (finally), and the last stop will be what I am wearing these days. I wonder if I will look back in a few years and say, gaaarrrooossssseeee! What was I thinking?

During the summer, I love to wear Channel Chance. It is described as "a blend of jasmine and citrus."

During the winter, my all-time fave is Angel by Thierry Mugler. It is described like this, "This scent possesses a blend of vanilla, SANDALWOOD and PATCHOULI." I had to laugh when I read that.

It seems I haven’t strayed too far from my Sweet Earth days. Maybe I am just a hippie at heart.

Update on Eight-Week Challenge and Being Good to Yourself

2008-04-23T19:59:00.006-05:00

Once again, Sister Sassy, over at Sisters of a Different Order, has a very inspirational post about being good to yourself (isn't that a Journey song?). She is so right about giving and giving and giving to everyone else except yourself and then feeling resentful.

I'm still trying to come up with a few ways to be good to myself. Why is it so hard? I would love to have a day just to myself to go shopping. I still have a few gift cards from Christmas I could even use! Another thing I would love to do is see a movie...by myself. And maybe even go to the bookstore and wander around aimlessly, drinking my favorite addictive substance (coffee)....by myself. Do you see a pattern here?

During the rest of the challenge, I will make it a point to be good to myself....in one way or another.

As far as the 8-week challenge goes...well...I have been trying to drink more water. I'm not at my goal of 2-16 oz. cups a day, but maybe before the challenge is over. I have been making smarter food choices. I haven't had a Coke since the weekend, and then it was not even an entire Coke. Unfortunately, I have had a few desserts! Hey, you can't just quit cold turkey, right?

On another negative note, my only form of exercise was on Sunday when I used up endless calories fighting my way through Wally World trying to grocery shop. Never, ever, ever grocery shop on a Sunday afternoon at Wally World!

Thanks for the motivation, Sassy.

Earth Day and Staff Appreciation

2008-04-22T21:01:00.010-05:00

Today was Earth Day. I hope you did your part to save the planet. Unfortunately, my commute most likely added to the greenhouse effect... (effect/affect..I'm sure I'll blow this).

Today was also our Staff Appreciation Luncheon at work. I think at one time, the celebration was known as Secretary's Day. That was before all secretaries decided the term "secretary" conjured up some sort of negative image. I think today, it's called "Administrative Assistant's Day." Our firm goes one better and just calls it "Staff Appreciation Day."

This year, as years before, the luncheon was held at the Adolphus Hotel. The food was good. The entertainment was funny. The prizes were great. They gave out over 100 prizes. Did I win?? Nope.

I can be happy for my friends who won. {Read that with a big sigh.} Here is Belle. She always wins. This year she won a gift certificate to a local steakhouse.

Hey, I would have been happy with the Free Carpet Cleaning prize! Maybe next year.

Here is Izzy. She looks happy, but it's all just an act. She didn't win anything either. I think the two of us were the only two people in the firm who didn't win a thing.

After all the fun and excitement of not winning a prize for the umpteenth year, it was time to add to the greenhouse effect again...well actually, it was time to go back to work and work all afternoon. Working and thinking, working and thinking....I just don't think they put my name in the bucket for the drawings!

And I'm adding this picture just because I thought the sky looked cool, and because I did not crash into the car in front of me while taking it.

Maybe I was lucky today after all!

Happy Birthday to My Sister!

2008-04-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Nean!

My sister is totally opposite from me. She has always known how to cook, clean, and do all things domestic. It was always this way. When we were growing up, she tried her best to "teach" me the fine art of housekeeping. Summer vacation at our house meant I would be scrubbing toilets....and we didn't have a toilet brush!!! (And just why did we not have a toilet brush? Why did my mother feel the need to clean the toilet by hand???) My sister would not let me play until my "chores" were done. Toilets clean? Now go empty Daddy's ashtray full of cigar butts. Yep, she tried to teach me...

My sister would always cook for the family when we were growing up. She has always been a great cook. Unfortunately, when she got married (I was in 7th grade), the cooking stopped for us. I tried to cook....I really did. All my dinners were more like science experiments gone bad.

I think it was around that time I decided I didn't want to have anything to do with being domestic. I took Spanish in high school instead of taking homemaking with all of my friends. Now, since I am unable to sew on a button or cook a decent meal, I think I might have made the wrong choice!

My sister has always been there for me no matter what....even to sew on a button or two.

So, Nean, have a wonderful birthday! I love you even if you did make me scrub the toilet by hand!

Here she is ready to get the party started!

!!!!!

2008-04-19T22:29:00.005-05:00

This is how I feel right about now.....

Actually, this is Ophelia after too much sugar. But you get my drift.

The girls and I spent all day out shopping. Half of the day was spent at T*ys R *s. I wanted to pull all of my hair out after that little trip, but I resisted.

The girls are almost ten, but they HAD to have a huge box of 15,000 cans of play dough and all the play dough paraphernalia. I really can't blame them. It's genetic. I love the smell of play dough! They created works of art all afternoon, and I would have been able to show you had The Most Stubborn Man not taken the camera for his fishing "watching" trip!

And just so you don't think Ophelia always looks that way, here she is normaly....

Peace out.

Gone Fishing

2008-04-18T21:36:00.006-05:00

The Most Stubborn Man is off to fish this weekend. Actually, he's going to WATCH fishing. How do you watch fishing?? You get in your boat and you follow the pro's to their fishing spots, and you watch. Sounds like real exciting stuff to me (NOT). He's excited. It's not everyday that he gets to meet a professional fisherman, and apparently he's going to meet some this weekend. He does love his fishing! All I can say is Happy Fishing!

The girls and I will have a girly weekend. Not quite sure what we will do. I suppose I will work on the house some. MSM says it has to go on the market by the end of the month. It's almost ready. I'm not ready. I can't say that I'm really excited about people coming in and out of my house and having to keep it spotlessly clean at all times. Do you know how that's going to be with nine year olds? Almost impossible!

"Mama Has Plans" Radar

2008-04-17T19:32:00.004-05:00

My children seem to have "Mama Has Plans" radar. I will explain while trying not to sound terribly selfish.

My ever-so-generous boss asked me yesterday if I would like his tickets to the Stanley Cup play-off game (which is tonight). These tickets included dinner and a parking pass. Uhh, let me think for a split second--Yes! We're talking good tickets, not in the nose-bleed section.

Most Stubborn Man was way excited. I made all the arrangements for our neighbor to watch the rugrats. This was no easy task as we had to coordinate after school, overnight, and before school. We got it all worked out, and we were good to go.

This morning when the girls woke up, Elaine started complaining about her tummy. I tried to pass it off as nothing. She insisted. I tried to talk her into going to school, but she was having none of it. Normally, she loves school so I knew something was wrong. Well, something was! I won't go into all the gory details. So there went my date night! And, how bad did I feel trying to force her to go to school?

All was not lost, she started feeling much better around noon, and I spent all day reading Bye Bye Buy, a blog about June and Marvin Gardens not spending any money for an entire year. I read the entire year's worth and laughed out loud all day long. She is a hoot.

Unfortunately, even though Elaine was better, I still didn't get to go to the hockey game. Hubby, or Most Stubborn Man as I like to call him, got to go on a man date with his buddy.

I spent my evening trying to do third grade math. Do you know what third grade math is like these days. They are learning things I learned in high school. How sad is that--for me--not them!

I am about to put my rugrats to bed and then relax on the couch. Reading a blog all day can really take it out of you!

Also, just a note about the Eight-Week Challenge--I totally blew it on my first day. Did I mention I am an emotional eater? Having a sick child, missing my date, and doing third-grade math sent me right over the edge.

Tomorrow is another day.

I am totally happy that Sister Sassy and Sister Honeybunch each left a comment for me. Those are probably the only two comments I will ever receive!!

Eight-Week Challenge

2008-04-16T13:54:00.003-05:00

The Sisters over at Sisters of a Different Order are doing an 8-week challenge. Well, I missed the first week, but I thought I'd give it a go starting now. I am supposed to write down my goals and why they are my goals...

Knowing me, like I do, I better start small....

**Drink Water***
This one is hard for me because I HATE TO DRINK WATER. I wonder if unsweetened tea would count? My goal for this week is to drink at least two big glasses of water a day. Hey, I told you I was starting small. Why: Drinking water will help my skin, and make me feel more full.

**Exercise Any Way I Can**
If I could do at least three, ten-minute bouts of exercise, that would be 30 minutes of movement. That's a good start for me. Why: Exercise will make me feel better.

**No Cokes**
Ok, for you people who do not live in the south, that's what we call all soft drinks...doesn't matter what kind..it's a Coke. I have been trying to cut down. I barely drink one a day. I need to cut it out totally. How about this.. No Cokes during the week, but on the weekend, I can have at least one per day. That's a start, at least. Why: Cokes are empty calories I do not need.

**Make Better/Smarter Food Choices**
I know what I'm supposed to eat, I just don't do it. I will try my best to make smarter choices. Why: We are what we eat. I need to eat healthier.

**Get Rid of the Sweets**
I write this after I just ate two Ghirardelli chocolate squares. I had to get them off my desk! Why: No one needs sweets every single day.

So these are my goals for the rest of the week....Hopefully, it will jump start me to bigger goals.

Third Annual Man Party

2008-04-15T15:13:00.008-05:00

I had a houseful of men this weekend. They were there under the guise of "helping" with the house so we can put it on the market faster. (Yeah right!) There was quite a lot of partying going on and not a lot of working. Our master bathroom did get painted, and the yard was mowed, etc. However, that's about it.

These pics are from last year's Man Party. Unfortunately, I didn't get any from this year! Hubby is second from left...

And this is how it normally ends up....

I have to say the eating was good! We had Tom's (not his real name) famous Red Neck Horsd'oeuvres (and yes, I had to find a dictionary for that). For those of you who have never had them.....YUMMY. Also known as deer wraps, they are pieces of the best part of the deer (backstrap is what I'm told) with cream cheese slathered on, then a jalapeno slice, all wraped up with a slice of bacon and grilled. Can you feel your arteries clogging? They get eaten the minute they come of the grill. You actually have to fight for them.

Anyway, not a lot of work, but we did do quite a bit the weekend before. Tom and Nina (again, I have changed the names to protect the not-so-innocent) came down. Nina helped me so much. You wouldn't believe all we got accomplished.

Now that so much has been done to the house, I'm getting really sad about leaving.

Almost Not in Kansas Anymore!

2008-04-10T22:06:00.002-05:00

It was another sleepless night last night....most of it anyway! Springtime in Texas means storms, and storms we had! Just the night before, there had been thunderstorms. Most of the night was spent playing musical beds. Anytime it thunders, I immediately go to Elaine and Ophelia's bedroom. It's just easier than being awakened by blood curdling screams. We started out in their bedroom upstairs. The storm got worse, so we went downstairs to our bed. Four people do not fit in a queen size bed! Needless to say, no one really slept well.

Last night, hearing that there was a tornado warning in the next county over, I just decided to take the girls to bed with me...figured I might get a little more sleep if we didn't have to play musical beds. Poor hubby was left to find his own bed.

Time passed, no storm. Ok, this is cool, but I'm still not sleeping so well with two monkeys in the bed...Well, lightning woke me up. It wasn't like a big flash and boom. Nope, it was more like a disco strobe light. Pretty freaky. I decided to turn the radio on to hear the weather. Just as I was doing so, the tornado sirens started going off.

Because I spent the better part of my childhood in our hallway (our designated safe place during storms), I get a little freaked when I hear tornado sirens. I'm sure I scared E and O when I started screaming to get in the "tornado closet."

They were troopers. They know how to duck and cover. I, on the other hand, was a little crazy. Hubby chastised me for this. What's new? He always laughs when the girls and I go to the tornado closet. Not very reassuring when he says, "If a tornado hits, being in the closet is probably not going to help." Yes, yes it is.

The storm passed quickly through our county and proceeded to head straight for my mother and sister's county. I had to call them at 4:00 a.m. to warn them....

We survived the storm without damage, but there was quite a bit of devastation everywhere else. Very scary.

Upon leaving the tornado closet, Ophelia looked at Elaine and asked, "Sissy, did you pray? I did!"

April Fool's Day!

2008-04-01T10:35:00.002-05:00

I know that writing once a week will just not cut it, and I'm not going to whine and say I just haven't had time. Unfortunately, my life is just not that entertaining or exciting. After lurking on my favorite blogs, I've discovered that I just don't have anything to offer anyone who reads mine. I'm giving up. Calling it quits. Throwing in the towel.........April Fool! hehehe

I will continue to blog even though I have nothing to say of real importance. If you happen to stumble upon my blog. Welcome! It's a work in progress. I don't have a clue what I'm doing...which is quite evident, I'm sure. I hope to start adding pictures soon.

Have a great April Fool's Day!

Spring has Sprung

2008-03-26T10:47:00.005-05:00

The girls and I had a wonderful time on Spring Break. We did something different every single day...shopping, skating, swimming. This was the first year I took off work to spend the week with my children. How sad is that? I will be taking off from now on!

Tuesday started with torrential rain that never let up. We didn't care. We all three tried to cover ourselves with one umbrella. That didn't work, but I'm sure we were quite entertaining! The girls ended up just making a run for it. We went to Snip-Its for hair cuts. They always have fun there. Then we were off to Old Navy for shopping. Do you know what it's like to shop with two nine-year old girls? Let's just say it's an experience. We did end up getting several cute things for spring and summer.

Wednesday was our day to go skating. I say we... They skated, I read my rag mags and started my new Stephen King book. I suppose I should have skated with them, but I'm just not that brave anymore! I used to love to skate. Now, it's a lot further down when I fall! E & O started out on the practice rink. They like that one because it has handrails around it. When they finally got up enough nerve, they made several laps on the big rink. I think we ended up staying there for three hours. Fun was had by all.

Thursday, we went swimming. Apparently, everyone else on Spring Break had the same idea! The place was full of tweens. Very cool place. Big curvy slide and a lazy river. Why didn't we have stuff like this when I was a kid? I don't even remember Spring Break! Brain cells gone for sure.

Friday, I decided that we needed a day to run errands. We went here and there for all of our pre-Easter errands. Oh, and speaking of Easter, we colored eggs. We were very artistic about it. Permanent markers work great before and after the eggs go in the dye! Next, it was time to polish the fingernails and toenails. Toes have to be ready for those new Easter sandals, you know! Ophelia wanted a different color for each toe. Her toes looked like little Easter eggs. Elaine just wanted pink! The fingernails were a different story. Again, Ophelia wanted each fingernail a different color. Again, Elaine wanted pink. BUT then I actually painted each nail to look like a decorated Easter egg. They turned out so cute! O's didn't make it to the next day, but surprisingly, E's did.

It was a great week spent with my angels.....my angels who will be grown before I know it!

Need Some Cheese with that Whine...

2008-03-13T16:33:00.002-05:00

Ok, I just have to whine a little more. I cannot get used to the time change. I am a night owl. Since springing forward, I cannot go to sleep at my regular bedtime. Needless to say, I'm a zombie when I wake up in the morning. What is even worse, though, is the drive home from work every afternoon. I have an hour commute. Yesterday, I just kept zoning out. It's a wonder I didn't run into someone! Just as I was beginning to think I was going to have to roll down my windows, a song came on the radio that made me smile....It was Poetry Man by Phoebie Snow.

I had to laugh. I used to listen to that record over and over and over on my record player. Yes, I realize I'm dating myself.... I was only in fifth grade, but I loved that song! I would lay on the floor of my bedroom, listening to Phoebie Snow sing Poetry Man and try to sing along with her. Somehow, I just couldn't make my voice do that thing that sounds like someone is turning the volume up and down.

I have always been into music. I would constantly steal my older sister's records. The very first album I can remember playing over and over was Carol King's Tapestry. It's still one of my favorites. I have been listening to that album since third grade. I did upgrade to the CD though!

This Time Change is a Killer!

2008-03-11T09:26:00.002-05:00

Every year at this time, I have to load up on extra caffeine. When it's time to "spring forward," I seem to hit a brick wall. Not to mention the fact that it totally blows the evening schedule for E and O! Something about it being light outside longer....they just don't want to go to bed on time. Give me about two months for my body and my children to get used to the time change, and we'll love it! Hubby can't seem to get used to it either. When I came home from work yesterday, he was napping. Must be nice!

This weekend we were busy getting the house ready to go on the market. We have been painting, painting, and more painting. It's amazing what a little paint will do. It's also amazing that we didn't do this when we first moved in five years ago!

Just to get you up to speed, here's the short version. Hubby was raised in the country. I was not. When we married, he moved to the city for me. Now after almost 20 years...18 years and five months to be exact, he is ready to move back to the country for the "simple" life. So we are feverishly getting the house ready to go on the market. According to Hubby, we are behind schedule! We are now on turbo speed. But more on that later!

Our sweet little baby Sox has firmly entrenched himself in our home and in our hearts. He is the most lovable cat in the universe....even more so than Felix our resident cat. Sox loves to be cuddled and carried like a baby. He loves to have his tummy rubbed. He loves to go to sleep on his back having his tummy rubbed! Last night after the rugrats finally went to bed, I cuddled with Sox while Hubby cuddled with Felix. Felix is still establishing himself as Top Cat. He hisses and growls, but really, he wouldn't hurt a flea. Felix is just a big old baby himself. Cuddling all together is one step closer to brotherhood for them! Who knows what tomorrow will bring!

Well, I better get to work. Have a great day!

What Is All This White Stuff??

2008-03-07T15:45:00.006-06:00

I can't believe it snowed at least three inches, and I didn't even get to stay home from work! Bummer. Texas weather! In one day, it can snow and be 70 degrees! That's the thing with us Texans--if it snows or is icy, we don't know how to drive in it! Schools close, and we all just stay home. This time it was mainly snow so we didn't get to stay home.

It started yesterday and continued through the night. The girls were able to play in it for a little while at least. They've only seen snow probably three times in their lives.

Tomorrow, I think it's going to be "spring-like" and in the 70's. Now that's more like it.

Life as I know It...

2008-03-06T14:43:00.007-06:00

This is my first post of my very first blog. How exciting. I decided to bite the bullet and just post. Hopefully, I will get the hang of it as I go along!

Here goes....

Sunday, the most adorable black and white kitten found its way into our lives. We tried not to give him much attention in hopes he would find his way back home. That was very hard to do since it was raining outside. The kitten decided to stay the night on our patio under the cabana. The next morning, he was still there meowing his way into our hearts and home. We resisted the temptation to give him attention hoping once again that he would find his way home.

He has found his way home...our home. We have named him Sox. Elaine and Ophelia (names changed to protect the innocent), our nine-year old twins, are so attached to him already. Felix, our resident cat, not so much!

We have set Sox up in the guest bedroom complete with his own cozy bed, litter box, and kitty food, etc. He loves it. We took him to the vet yesterday, and after spending a small fortune on shots, etc., he has been given a clean bill of health. He will be getting "fixed" next week. Life is good. Especially for Sox.