Dreamers' Reality

Twilight

2008-10-29T20:32:00.002-06:00

Two weeks ago I finished reading the Twilight Saga, by Stephanie Meyer for the second time. I finished it the first time in 10 days. Yes, all four books in 10 days. That was during the aftermath of Hurricane Ike when we didn't have power for 17 days! I read by flashlight.

After I finished the books I thought, "Well, what am I gonna read now?" I opened up Twilight to read for the third time. It was like turning into the arms of your best and favourite lover.

I don't quite know what it is about this story that has me, and millions of others, hooked. Edward does have a sort of "Darcian" quality about him. Bella is ok. I think that the atmosphere of the story draws you in and you feel comfortable in it.

I am of the Anne Rice school of vampires. I've always imagined them her way. The depth of Lestat and the Children of the Millennia hold my attention. I think that Anne Rice delved as deeply and fully into their histories that one would be satisfied in knowing all about their vampiric lives.

Stephanie Meyer, on the other hand, has much more story to tell. You know this by what is left untold. Such as, Alice's story about what she found out about herself as Bella was convalescing and the introduction of all of the other vampires in the fourth book. I hope that some day she will go back to those characters and really flesh them out into more stories. Now THOSE would be fun to read.

Getting Old? Not Me!

2007-06-21T13:14:00.000-06:00

This weekend is my 20th High School Reunion. I am way excited. Tell you how it turns out when I get back. Love ya! M.

I'm Just Sayin'...

2007-06-21T13:10:00.000-06:00

It's really sad when you can get a skirt and a dress for $15 less that it takes to fill up your gas tank. I'm just sayin'...

Jobs, Cars, Soccer and Life, in General...

2007-04-18T20:27:00.000-06:00

It has been absolutely forever since I've had a chance to post. Not that I haven't wanted to, mind you, but I've either been too tired or just flat out haven't had the time.

So here we go.

In the later part of January, I started working outside of the home after 6.5 years of being at home with the boy. It has been quite an adjustment. I miss having time to do some of the things that I used to, but I enjoy the feeling of not having to pick which bill not to pay so that we can still eat. I've finally gotten to the point where we can take the toll road to get the boy to school and me to work. Before, it took us and hour and a half to get home every night. Now we have cut that time in half! Sweet!

When I first started working we were still driving my little Ford Focus station wagon. You know, that car just hasn't been the same since I had that wreck last spring. So we did the most natural thing we could. We bought a new to us used car---- 2001 Volkswagen Golf 1.8 T with 50k miles. Looked good, really cute in fact. It was navy blue with 4 doors a hatchback and a sun roof! Man was it fun to drive... Until it rained.......

I started driving the Golf to work the week that we had a hellacious rainstorm. I'm cruisin' on down the road and nothing. The engine light came on and the darn thing stopped in the middle of the road and rain. It was 5:15pm. My phone was dead and so was my NEW CAR.

I asked a man if I could use his phone. We were at a stop light and traffic was building up. He was going to help me push the car off to the side. I decided to try it and it started. Whew! I'm good to go. I turn the car to go pick up the boy from Spring Break child care & it dies three times before I get to the next intersection. I decided to park it in the nearest parking lot.

There was another nice man who came out of the restaurant where I parked the car. "Can I use your phone please? Mine is dead and my car keeps dying on me.". He stayed with me for over an hour and let me use his phone. I had to call the hubby to pick up the boy. Good thing we didn't trade in the old car, eh??? I called the dealer where we bought the car and they were almost no help. It took 6 different phone calls to get to the correct car rental place. It was 5:50pm and the car rental place closed at 6pm. Shit, shit, SHIT!

Meanwhile, there is this lovely man who is letting me use his phone. I'm trying my very best not to go berserk! The car rental place was like, "We can't come get you because I'm the only one in the shop." HELLO! Your motto is "We'll pick you UP!". Good Grief! Also, we are trying to pay our credit cards off, so we don't have them any more. Well, I can't rent a car to you unless you have a credit card or two bills. "I don't carry my bills with me!" "I understand ma'am, but I have to follow procedure." Mind you this bull crap is ticking away at my time to get there BEFORE they close! The gentleman whose phone I was using even offered to secure the rental with HIS credit card and we would pay cash at the end. Nope, no go. Can't do that ma'am. Shit! I tell the guy, I'm going to call my husband, he'll bring what we need, PLEASE DON'T LEAVE!" The gentleman who was with me the entire time drove me down to the car rental place.

While we were going down the road, he and I talked cars and kids. He had just moved to the metropolis from the next fair state over. I thanked him profusely and apologized for monopolizing his time. He said that he would hope that someone would do the same for his wife; who was still with his kids the next state over. As we were talking , he told me he had three children and that his youngest was named the same as mine. God truly does working in mysterious ways...

He got me to the car rental place and the hubby and the boy had not quite gotten there yet with all of the neccesary documents. They requested referrences and actually called them. Whoda thunk it? We finally got the rental and had it for a week. Since we had reliable transportation, we took it to see the hubbys' parents. It was a good, but fast trip.

When we got back to work we got the VW back. We went to dinner and took a little ride to test out the car. Just as we were getting ready to turn on to our street..................... The freaking engine light came on AGAIN!

"Hubby, empty out the car. We are taking this thing back tonight and I'm not taking NO for an answer." I was highly insensed,to say the absolutely least. We packed up and went to the dealer.

Now when I am happy, I'm quite the chatty gal with a light and airy walk. When I am homicidally angry, I'm quiet and slightly menacing with a hard, slow steady walk. I'm sure that the look on my face could have spoken volumes. Which is probably why the first guy to catch my eye tried to walk away. I very calmly, but firmly said, "Sir." He looked at me again and I told him, "We bought our car from you all and we have had it in the shop more than it has been in our driveway. I'm going to make this very simple for you. We are giving you back the car and the keys and you are NOT going to send us a bill."

Indeed, they looked at the service record on the car and took it back, with no problems. We found out a few days ago that they put that lemon back on the lot. A person who was looking at the car found our number in the car, probably something we had forgotten, and gave the hubby a call. He told them that there was something very wrong with the car and not to buy it. I sure hope that they took his advice.

The rest of the week I drove the Focus with minimal incident, but the car was tired. Finally, on that Saturday, it died again. I didn't freak this time, because we were all together. I just wanted to go home. The hubby said that he wanted to go look at the Hyundai Santa Fe's again. Well, two hours later I drove of the lot with MY brand spankin' new 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe. I love this car! We still have the Focus for rainy days for the hubby. He's cool with it.

This season is the boy's and my third season of soccer. I'm still his coach, but this season I was also his Division Co-ordinator. The season has been going pretty well. The kids are really great and the parents are too. I can really tell the difference in their abilities this season. My team kicks Ball!

:-( The boy has decided that in the fall he wants to be a Tiger Scout instead of play soccer. I think he's tired of mom being his coach. Frankly, I think I could use a break from it too. Maybe I could keep time or call out substitution...

Choir has been going busy too AND I'm on the call committee to find a replacement for our retired minister of music, plus working full time and trying to still be the perfect wifey. You might ask, "How's that workin' for ya???" Not so great. The house is a wreck, we eat out WAY too often and the laundry is backin' up like a bad sewer line.

Geeze! If I could afford it we'd have a maid. Then again, I don't want anybody to see our messy digs. Of course, just when I think our house is the filthiest pig-sty on Earth, I see someone who is showing off their even messier house on TV no less, for millions to see. Have they no SHAME!?

Well, back in August I got pneumonia somehow. Just as my doctor predicted, I have been sick much more since. I have had more sore throats and ear troubles since then than I have had in my entire 16 year marriage. It seems like everytime I think I'm going to get well, something else comes up to bite me in the booty. I'm so tired all the time and the hubby keeps after me to rest, but who has the time??? I'm hoping that after May is over, I'll at least get to sleep till 7:30 or 8am on Saturday mornings again. I miss my naps. And to think, as a child, I NEVER took naps. Now I can't seem to get enough sleep.

The hubby is still in school and is doing quite well. Work on the other hand, not so well, so if you pray, please pray for his work situation to get better. Thanks.

I thank God that mine seems to be going ok. I love what I am doing and the people I work with. I'm hoping that an offer for permanent employment will be made in the next few months, meanwhile I'm learning all that I can cram into my head about this new-to-me industry and helping out in any way I can while maintaining a pleasant and productive attitude. By the way: It can be done...I'm doing it. You know, pleasant AND productive. It's all a mind set.

So this is my life as I know it. Sorry that it has taken so long for me to catch you up and Thank You for continuing to check on me. I love you all and hope to be a regular in the blogosphere again.

Much love and affection to you all!!! m.

So, How Do You Use this Check Thingie Again?

2007-02-17T15:21:00.000-06:00

I have forgotten how to write a check. Oh my goodness. I thought that I would never be able to forget how to write a check. They taught us how to do that in the seventh grade for Heaven's sake. Oh please...

I'm trying to pay the Tax Assesor-Collector as much as we can and I realise that I wrote XXXX-hundred Dollars and no cents instead of X thousand - X hundred dollars and no cents on the line. Then, I manage to put the thing in the envelope without writing the account number on the "For" line. I put "property tax" in that space. Of course, I rectified that mistake by jotting the account number above my lovely little note. Geeze, it must have been too long since I have written a check!

It's a good thing they have the little "reminders" on the back of the envelope.

6 Weird Things About Moi.

2007-02-17T13:45:00.000-06:00

I have been tagged by Sweet Serendipity!

These are the rules:

1. Each player of this game starts with the “6 weird things about you”.

2. People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly.

3. At the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave a comment that says “you are tagged” in their comments and tell them to read your blog.

1. I have silver hairs on my head; AND I LIKE THEM!
2. I have big feet, size 10.
3. I kind of like proof reading.
4. I really don't like to be touched.
5. I blow my nose every morning.
6. I can't breathe when it is hot.

I should tag others, but I can't think right now. Must do laundry and cooking for the week.

New Job

2007-02-03T13:24:00.000-06:00

Hey! I have completed the first week of my new job. I love it! The drive is a bit long, but it is worth it to not have to have the lack of money constantly on my mind. Hopefully, they will like me well enough to make me a permanent employee. We'll see. Wish me luck!

A Different Meme.

2007-01-25T11:28:00.000-06:00

I found this at Rowan's place and thought that the questions were quite original. I may add a few.

Enjoy.

1: When you eat pasta, do you sprinkle Parmesan and / or Romano cheese on to it, or are you one of those types who skips the cheese?

I dig shredded parmesan on most pasta, but grated parmesan on my tomato soup!

2: Ben Franklin once said, “Lighthouses are more useful than churches”. Where would you rather go; to a church or a lighthouse?

I don't know, I love me church, but I also have a love affair with lighthouses as well. I'd probabaly go to church, then spend the afternoon checking out the lighthouse. :-)

3: Speaking of quotes, grab the nearest book, turn to page 13 of said book and write out your favorite passage from that page.
Geeze, I had 3 to choose from... "Great is thy faithfulness, Great is thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed Thy hand hath provided- Great is thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me." from a very old Baptist Hymnal

4: Is it OK to let the dishes soak in the sink, or should they be washed immediately? (no cheating by claiming that you always use the dishwasher). I DO use the dishwasher, but mostly they sit in the sink for a few days. I'm bad about emptying the dishwasher...

5: One pill make you larger, and one pill makes you small: What is/was your favorite recreational drug? (even if your clean and sober now)
Alcohol (underage)

6: And the ones that mother gives you, don’t do anything at all: What is / was your favorite legal drug?
Fried pickles at Katz's Deli

7: Pretending that money is no object, what luxury or outlandish service would you use as much as possible?
A laundry or housecleaning and lawn service. :-D

8: Through some kind of legal technicality, Charles Manson is finally going to be put to death for his part in the Tate – La Bianca murders. You are at the prison and have two choices: you can either call Governor Schwarzenegger and request a stay of execution, or, you can be the one who pulls the switch that fries him. Which do you choose?
Burn,baby BURN! He deserves nothing less. Why should we have to pay for his upkeep. He's sick and twisted and there is NO rehabilitating him. Have you looked in his eyes? Scary mutha!

9: Through a fluke, you’ve discovered that a simple combination of several food stuffs can be blended together to form a compound that cures everything from common colds, as well as cancer and AIDS. After you patent it, do you bring your discovery to a pharmaceutical company thereby insuring that you will be filthy rich for the rest of your life, or do you give the cure away to those who need it?
Go on take the money and run!

10: For some reason, chocolate makes me randy: what food turns you on?
Whatever chow my husband cooks/buys for me. :-)

11: Morning person or night owl, what type are you?
Morning these days. Getting ready for the life of gainful employment! :-)

12: You’ve written your life story, what’s the title of it?
"You are Alright There, Kid"

13. Poker or Rummy? (my question)
Rummy, everytime!

kudos to pax for creating this meme. Different is always good.

Go ahead and give it a try. I want to see your answers!

Weeeeeee-Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

2007-01-22T20:25:00.000-06:00

I think that the suit did the trick!

What is this crazy person blathering on about you may be asking?

I GOTS ME A JOB!!!!!!!! Yee Haw! Finalement!!

I start at the end of the month. I'm so incredibly happy right now. I can finally help the hubby out with the finances. He's been struggling under the strain of taking care of us for years now. So now that the boy is in school, I've been casually looking for a job and intensified the search these last two weeks and one stuck. Thanks be to the Creator!

I'll be working in the energy industry as a receptionist for an international conglomerate. Yeah! The hours are regular business hours and it is only 16 minutes away from the boys' school.

We just signed the boy up for afterschool care. He's excited to get to play with more kids and for us the price was reasonable and it is a national childcare chain with Judeo-Christian core beliefs, which is important to us.

I haven't felt this light about our financial situation since before I started working at my last job which was back in 1998.

Also, I put my car in the shop today. Hopefully, it won't take more than a few days to hunt down what is wrong with the car. Then we will have my baby back in good working order and we can drive it for a few more years.

We'll have to take it easy on my pay for a little bit. I'll have to pay back the hubbys' school account for the repair on the car and for the daycare start up expenses, then after that, I'll be able to start paying down the debt and putting some back for savings. I can't wait!!

I know that the hubby is looking forward to having help paying the bills. Now he can concentrate on regular work hours and not have to work any overtime which dips into his study time. The most important thing that I think he needs to do is make good grades.

Actually, his grades have gone up quite nicely since he got his new ride a while back. He's managed to get his GPA above a 3.0 for the overall GPA. I'm really proud of him. He's been working so hard at work and school. It is really my pleasure to take some of the financial responsiblity off his shoulders. I guess that's why God made helpmates.

Anyway, that's all I have to report for now. (I think this is the most I've said in a while...)

Posting

2007-01-16T22:01:00.000-06:00

I showed my cookies to a friend the other day and I realised that Christmas is over and it was time to post another entry and "take down" the Christmas decorations, so to speak.

I still havevn't found a job, but I am hopefull. I went on an interview last week and one yesterday. I should have another one soon, so here's hopin'!

We've had some cuhrazy! weather this week. Sunday night it's 71*F and muggy, monday morning it's 30-something* F and COLD and wet. Lovely... It's supposed to freeze tomorrow and still be wet. I personally don't think that my area will freeze, but north of I-10 will. It always does, so you people out there, slow down & be carefull!

What Our Christmas Cookies and Tree Looked Like

2006-12-30T14:39:00.000-06:00

So this year the boy was all about Santa. Yes, he still knows that Jesus is the main guy, but this year we saw The Polar Express and I read the book, with ALL the voices, to his Kindergarten class before school let out for winter break. So he was really excited about Santa this year.

I decided that since the boy and I would be home together, we'd make iced sugar cookies. This is what we came up with.

The Christmas cookies, one of each style.

Texas cookie has a silver droge, so that Santa will remember where he is.

Tree cookie, so pretty yet easy to do.

Snowflake cookie. These were my favourite to decorate.

The Candy Cane. An upsidedown "J" for Jesus

I loved how these stocking cookies turned out.

The star cookie really was that sparkly. :-)

Here are a few shots of the Christmas Tree, some with a flash and some without so you could see the glow behind the red bows. I just love that!

I hope you enjoyed looking at the pictures. If you have any questions on how to decorate cookies, let me know and I'll be happy to share the technique. :-)

Happy New Year!

And a Good Time Was Had By All

2006-12-26T12:13:00.000-06:00

Well, this year we had a very different Christmas from our norm. Usually we get together with the hubby's family and there is a lot of rushing here and there to get things done, but this year we were all on our own, which turned out to be a nice change. The hubby and the boy made muffin-muffins for breakfast and we started our day.

We went to church as a family on Sunday morning and instead of us sitting separately (because of choir usually singing), we sat together. It's been so long since we'd done that. I had forgotten how nice it was sitting with my husband and son. That aftern oon, I pushed through some laundry and the hubby prepared the turkey and dressing. Then we all sang 'Happy Birthday' to Papa over the phone. :-)

Sunday night choir was singing at the Candlelight Service, but we only had 3 songs, instead of 7-8, and I was able to join hubby and the boy for communion and the rest of the service.

There were quite a few people there that I had not seen for a few years, mostly my old daycare group. They have a grown into their adult bodies and they are all in their 20's. Man, I feel old. :-)

When we got home the hubby fed us the Turkey & Dressing he had been cooking all day. The boy picked out the prettiest of the cookies I had made for Santa and I told him that before I went to bed I would put out a glass of milk for him. We finished our dinner and we put the boy to bed and said our prayers. From the morning until we went to bed Christmas Eve was a joy filled day.

On Christmas Day the boy came into our bed around 6:45am. He didn't know if Santa had been here yet and didn't want to jinx his coming by being awake. We all laid under the electric blanket until 7am. Then we couldn't wait any longer!! We led the boy into the living room and he saw the little pile of presents. I had noticed on the dinning table that Santa had left a 'Thank You' note for the boy on the table and "he" had eaten the cookies and milk!

The boy was a bit nervous about getting what he wanted for Christmas this year. He thought that because we were broke that he wouldn't get anything for Christmas, so were we. But we lucked out and the boy only wanted 4 things: 2 Chevron cars, the movie Cars and a Remote Control car. We got him one of the Chevron cars he wanted(couldn't find the other one) and the movie Cars and How to Eat Fried Worms, plus a couple of other things that we found over this past year. The hubby and I got movies for each other. All in all, it was a really nice Christmas.

We went to my folks house and celebrated Christmas with my family. That was nice too and we all exchanged gifts. Mom & Dad got a picture of the boy with his name and the year on it so Mom could remember who he is(she's got alzheimers). My sisters received prayer journals and earings that I made for them and a small pic of the boy. We had Christmas dinner at my mother's house for the first time in about 17 years. It was really wonderful.

We still missed having Christmas with the hubby's family, but it could not be helped and we ended up making new memories for the boy.

Here's to another happy memory and to a lifetime of many more. Blessings to you and yours for the Shorts.

Praise Report

2006-12-20T20:07:00.000-06:00

Praise be to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

My beloved mil is well enough to be asking for her lipstick, which if you know anyone of her generation, is an important thing to those ladies. The nurses told her that if she's asking for cosmetics that she has worn out her welcome in ICU. Praise God!!!

She still has a long way to go for full recovery, but the danger zone is behind us and we look forward to spending some time with her after Christmas.

Thanks again to all of my friends who prayed for her and my fil. The prayers were answered and we are greatly appreciative!

God's Blessings to you all and blessings to your loved ones as well. mhn.

Update

2006-12-18T10:37:00.000-06:00

Here is an update on the mil. She's talking now and is getting better. She still has a long way to go, but her improvement is quite encouraging. Thank you all so much for the prayers and well wishes. They are much appreciated!!

The boy is on Christmas vacation until Jan 3 when he returns to school. The job hunt will resume then. Wish us luck! :-D

MERRY CHRISTMAS!<----- I know it's early, but I'm feeling the spirit this year! :-D

Oil & Gas

2006-12-14T17:00:00.000-06:00

Get ready for the rant zone..........

Ok. I really shouldn't complain about the price of gas in America because other countries pay much higher prices at the pump.

Now that you know I know others pay more than we do...HEREIGO!

It is completely ridiculous that the price of gas is anywhere near the prices they were this summer and are now! We should only be paying .95 per gallon, at the MOST! It's not like we don't have plenty of crude here on our own land, alot being in Texas, Oklahoma and Alaska!

If we stopped buying from OPEC and started using our own resources then alot of the foreign oil issues in the country would cease to exist! I just can't fathom how our government(who in all fairness has been doing this since its inception) can continue to patronize the countries who want to see us blown off of the face of the Earth! Pleeeze! They want to blow us up, call us corrupt AND charge us an arm & a leg for their products! Does anyone else see something wrong with this picture???

Seriously, if a local store had treated you only with bad service you would have dumped it and shopped somewhere else! It is way passed time for us to dump OPEC and start using our own resources for fuel.

Science has come A LONG WAY since we started the industrialization of America. I think that we can drill for the oil and refine our product as well as taking care not to disturb the spotted grub worm(I know that there is no such beast, but hopefully you get my point.).

Rant over.

Well, It's Official

2006-12-04T11:34:00.000-06:00

I'm on the hunt for gainful employment. The hubby calls me a "Job Explorer!".

I sent my resume to a fellow worker at one of the other offices where the hubby works. I had interviewed at a childcare facility, but so far, nothing has come of it. So we have decided to try for something a little higher on the food chain.

We REALLY need the fundage and I think the boy would enjoy going to afterschool childcare. He's such a social being that it would be good for him to interact with more children throughout the day.

If you pray, please keep us in your prayers.

Also, Gammie is VERY ILL. She is in the hospital with several illnesses one of them being pneumonia. Please pray for her and Papa as he is pretty worried and stressed himself.

Thank you so very much. mhn for short.

A Little "Twisted"

2006-12-01T08:22:00.000-06:00

Some of the dancing is a bit disturbing seeing as it is a song about the birth of Jesus, but I dig the song. Enjoy!

Checks, Do People Still Write Checks?

2006-11-27T22:05:00.000-06:00

You know, I was thinking about this today. I was watching a commercial and a bank was offering free checks. Are there still people in this day and age of electronic transfer "everything" that still use checks as a form of payment?

We haven't written checks regularly for about two years. Other than the occasional check to the tax accessor-collector, everybody else gets paid on-line. For us writing a check is a bigger pain, because not every business cashes the check right away, so it can potentially mess up your finances if you aren't careful.

I suppose that writing the check will make us have to be more responsible. For me, knowing that the money is gone from the second you press the enter button on the keypad makes the rapid disappearance of the money just that much more permanent.

Looking at Books

2006-11-02T10:21:00.000-06:00

I just went through the majority of the boy's books, and some of my own, to check for Accelerated Reader availability. Yea! We have quite a few, so the boy can start right here at home with his own library of books and get those AR points added up.

The kinders have to get 4 points in a 9 week period, which adds up to about a book a week. Awesome! I'm so looking forward to this! He is too. He wants me to put blue dots on his AR books at home so they will be like the books from the school library.

One of the really neat things about this program is that once the kids have read a book and taken the test, they can no longer take that test again, so this encourages them to read on instead of staying with the same book. Also, it tracks their reading level. So exciting!

New Haircut

2006-10-20T18:22:00.000-06:00

This is for Rowan. Here is my new haircut.

Self protrait from phone.

It's Been A Long Time

2006-10-19T07:46:00.000-06:00

These last two weeks have been busy, Busy, BUSY! We got the mil moved off to northern Texas and she is getting settled. Since I've been back, we've had torrential rains, 3 doctor appointments in two days and one more to go by Friday, the car died on me while going to soccer practice (so I had to be towed across town and cancel practice for the second time-rain got us the day before.), I'm still having to deal with this stupid ear infection and I've had three teeth filled!

It's no wonder I'm tired and haven't been blogging.

Good news though, the boy has been invited to participate in the Accelerated Reader program for his school. Kinders don't usually get asked to do so, because most of them are just learning to read and aren't quite at the accelerated level yet(by first grade they start this program). We are going to the meeting tonight to see what it is all about. I'm so glad we taught him to read a long time ago. :-)

Dreamers' Reality

2006-10-04T11:50:00.000-06:00

The dreamers' reality has been more reality than dreamer lately. I feel pretty accomplished today. I took the boy to school and went to get an oil change for my car, then got the tires balanced and rotated all in preperation for helping the mil to move her vehicle to Lewisville.

Last week, this week and next week are going to be supremely busy. We started soccer meetings last week and started practices and games this week, I still am in choir, so I've got that and helping where ever else I am needed. Next week the pil stuff moves, then on saturday of the that week, we have a game, then move my mil.

On a sad note:
My niece gave birth to a still born baby girl, at 19-20 weeks, yesterday. We will have the funeral Friday and I'll sing for them. We are all deeply saddened by this turn of events. Please pray for them. Thank you.

Good Grief...

2006-10-01T17:00:00.000-06:00

Lordy, it has been forever since I have posted. This week has been crazy. We've been helping the hubby's mom pack up and go through 40 some years of accumulated stuff. Some of which gets to come live with us. :-)

We started having the coaches meetings for soccer and this week I went to the doc for my ear. It's still not cleared up and having to be on antibiotics is driving me crazy, not to mention the expense. He's rather concerned because I am on pretty strong meds and I don't seem to be getting any better.

I went on an interview this week. I found out that the school that I used to work for had a position open for a pre-school teachers assistant. They liked me, but I was not quite right for what they needed. That's ok, because I had the opportunity to meet the new principle and hang with one of my favourite people for a few hours. It was a great morning and I discovered that I really miss being in the classroom. We shall see what God has in store for me. If he wants me there, then I will be there. :-)

For the next few weeks, I will be pretty busy helping the mil get ready to move. We saw an apartment that looks just like the one they will be getting. It's really nice, yet much smaller than their house. They will have to pare down a bit more, but I think that things will be just fine. This weekend while we were being shown Lewisville, we saw that there is a roller rink close to the complex. I'm excited! I'm hoping to teach the boy how to skate and he'll get to go there when he stays with the grandparents.

Currently, our next door neighbors son is teaching the boy how to ride his bicycle without training wheels. He really is the sweetest kid. Hopefully, O will learn to ride before Gammie moves. He's got about 1-2 weeks.

There is so much going on and yet I can't think of anything else, except that I have spent the last couple of weeks reading the "Little House" books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In the last two days I've started 3 books and finished two. If you haven't read the books or even heard of them, please look them up. They are just wonderful. I hate to finish them because I feel like I'll be leaving cherished friends. Yes, I know that I am a dork. (I felt the same way after reading the Harry Potter and the Jane Austen books.)

Anyway, this has you caught up on me and my loved ones. I love you all and hope to get to "visit" you all soon.

Much love and affection, mhn for short.

Southerness

2006-09-20T07:32:00.000-06:00

Wish that I could say that I came up with this, but alas, I didn't.
Enjoy it anyway!

Y'all listen up now you hear..!!
Southernness

Only a Southerner knows the difference between a hissie
fit and a conniption fit.

Only a Southerner knows how many fish, collard greens,
turnip greens, peas, beans, etc., make up "a mess."_____

Only a Southerner can show or point out to you the
general direction of "yonder."

Only a Southerner knows exactly how long "directly" is,
... as in: "Going to town, be back directly."

Even Southern babies know that "Gimme some sugar" is not
a request for the white, granular sweet substance that sits in a
pretty little bowl in the middle of the table.

All Southerners know exactly when "by and by" is. They
might not use the term, but they know the concept well.

Only a Southerner knows instinctively that the best
gesture of solace for a neighbor who's got trouble is a plate of hot
fried chicken and a big bowl of cold potato salad. If the neighbor's
trouble is a real crisis, they also know to add a large banana puddin!

Only Southerners grow up knowing the difference between
"right near" and "a right far piece." They also know that "just down
the road" can be 1 mile or 20.

Only a Southerner, both knows and understands, the
difference between a redneck, a good ol' boy, and po' white trash.

No true Southerner would ever assume that the car with
the flashing turn signal is actually going to make a turn.

A Southerner knows that "fixin" can be used as a noun, a
verb, or an adverb.

Only Southerners make friends while standing in lines, ..
and when we're "in line," ... we talk to everybody!

Put 100 Southerners in a room and half of them will
discover they're related, even if only by marriage.

In the South, y'all is singular, .... all y'all is plural.

Southerners know grits come from corn and how to eat them.

Every Southerner knows tomatoes with eggs, bacon, grits,
and coffee are perfectly wonderful; that red eye gravy is also a
breakfast food; and that fried green tomatoes are not a breakfast food.

When you hear someone say, "Well, I caught myself
lookin'," you know you are in the presence of a genuine Southerner!

Only true Southerners say "sweet tea" and "sweet milk."
Sweet tea indicates the need for sugar and lots of it -- we do not
like our tea unsweetened. "Sweet milk" means you don't want
buttermilk.

And a true Southerner knows you don't scream obscenities
at little old ladies who drive 30 MPH on the freeway. You just
say,"Bless her heart" ... and go your own way.

To those of you who are still a little embarrassed by
your Southerness: Take two tent revivals and a dose of sausage
gravy and call me in the morning. Bless your heart!

And to those of you who are still having a hard time
understanding all this Southern stuff, .. bless your hearts, I hear
they are fixin' to have classes on Southernness as a second language!

And for those that are not from the South but have lived
here for a long time, all y'all need a sign to hang on y'alls front
porch that reads "I ain't from the South, but I got here as fast as I
could."

Bless your hearts, ... y'all have a blessed day.

How Long Has It Been?

2006-09-18T06:15:00.000-06:00

How long has it been since I last posted? It has been a while. In fact, it's been since I found out that my beloved mil is moving 5 1/2 hours away. We are sad and disappointed, but she has to go be with my fil and that is only right and proper.

The fil has been working contract for about 6 months and was offered a permanent position. So this is good for them. He'll have benefits and time off with pay and a regular schedule. Also, he's planning on working up there for the next 5 years, so they are selling their house and have found a place that they like.

The boy is having a tough time trying to reconcile his feelings and we are working on that everyday. He keeps asking me if I love him. I tell him yes and that I always will love him. He told me today that he thinks that if I get mad at him that I will leave forever. I asked him if that's what he thought was happening with his grandparents and he said yes. He's angry with the Gpts., but he doesn't want to be. I told him that they weren't angry with him and their moving had nothing to do with him. I also told him that his Gammie & Papa would rather stay here, but if Papa didn't work, that they couldn't have a place to live, food to eat, see their doctors, etc. He seemed to understand, but he still is insecure. I can tell that this is going to take some time for him to absorb, no matter how smart he is. The heart wants what the heart wants.

The upside of this situation is that the fil won't have to work weekends anymore, so maybe they will be down here more often than we thought. :-) Soccer is coming up, so I'll be sending them his schedule. Maybe they won't miss as much as I thought they might. Also, he'll be able to spend weekends or weeks when school is out. That will be something he hasn't really gotten to do before. He'll enjoy that.

So anyway, if you think about it, say a prayer for the boy and his grandparents.

Thanks. mhnforshort.

Just Messing...

2006-09-09T08:22:00.000-06:00

Here are a couple of pics that were on my phone from 2004. The one of the hubby & the boy is my phone wallpaper. It's one of my favourite pictures of them together. Enjoy.

Today, or this morning rather, I have the house to myself for a little bit. The hubby is at school and the boy stayed the night at his Gammie's. It's nice and quiet.

I walked my 5 miles yesterday and hacked the rest of the day away. I think that it might have been too soon. Today, my muscles are stiff and sore, but I managed to stave off more coughing with my meds and some Nyquil. I'll go get the boy in a few minutes and then my day will be rolling!

Hey!

2006-09-07T13:06:00.000-06:00

I have been given a clean bill of health by my doctor and I was able to ask him some questions about my walking and such. So, basically, I'm good to go.

Thank you all for your well wishes and prayers. Everyone should be so blessed as I am to hve such wonderful friends. I love you all.!!!

Potential...

2006-09-05T21:34:00.000-06:00

I was watching a television commercial and it stated that it is a gift to see potential.

My question is:

Is it really a gift to be able to see the potential in things, projects, people; or is it just something that would eventually just drive you insane?

I'm Back to the Walking!

2006-09-05T08:46:00.000-06:00

I started walking again today. I started with the 2 mile walk today, not knowing how my lungs would react to the 3 mile walk. I am really glad that I chose to start off slowly. I still got a good workout, but I didn't stress my lungs and my body too much after being so sick. I was still able to recover my breathing when needed and I only coughed a few times and no major coughing fits! Yeah!

Tomorrow I go for, what I hope to be, my last check up with my doc. Wish me luck! :-D

13 Positive Things About Me that Start with "P"

2006-09-04T15:10:00.000-06:00

Ok. I was pegged by Jen at the HotSeat forever ago to do this and hadn't gotten 'round to it. Sorry that it has taken me so long Jen. I believe my letter was "P" so here we go.

1. Positive: Generally, I am a positive person.
2. Pretty: I'm no Uma Thurman, but I am a pretty, old gal.
3. Precocious: When I was a child I could be termed as being precocious, yet well mannered.
4. Practical: Not usually considered good these days, but I like being practical. The hubby likes that I am practical as well, that's why he married me. ;-)
5. Prolific: I have an abundance of intellect, but choose to keep alot of it to myself, so that I don't show for sure what I don't know... ;-)
6. Perspective: I tend to have a pretty good view of the world around me.
7. Pro-Feline: I like cats. Stretching the point, I know...
8. Pensive: I think alot, about many different things.
9. Photogenic: The pictures that are taken of me usually turn out well. Just look at my flickr page. Decide for yourself. :-)
10. Powerful Personality: Usually those who have met me, remember me. Sometimes they don't, but that has only happened, well, I can't remember a time when that has happened.
11. Persistant: When there is something I want or a job that needs to be done, I work toward that goal with persistance. :-)
12. Protective: I am protective of those I love.
13. Passionate: I am passionate about what I believe.

There it is. If you would like to go next, let me know. :-)

The Urge

2006-09-02T14:36:00.000-06:00

You are sitting at the computer whatching the lastest You Tube video and thoroughly enjoy it when the urge hits. You think, "I can wait." and read a few more blogs. Then the coughing fit comes and you quickly get up and move away from the screen.

Half running down the hall you undo your trousers and make a quick dash for your book by the bed before you hit the water closet. "AAAAHHHHH!" Someone has left smelly streaks for you AND no toilet paper!!! You quickly flush the toilet again and look for the paper. Oh, Merciful Heavens! The soiliage went away and there was paper in the storage place!

Quickly you lower your clothes and plant the hiney. Your going to be here for a while. Spray the air disinfectant, better. You open your book and before you read one word about the 8 year old farm boy in 1866, you're done.

Oh well, sit here for a minute and read anyway.

Geek, I am...

2006-09-01T09:20:00.000-06:00

I must be a geek, because I just downloaded a bunch of Harry Potter podcasts off of iTunes. They were free and discuss conspiracy theories in reference to the HP books. The name of the cast is MuggleCast (look to the right bottom part of screen for MuggleCast.)in partnership with Mugglenet.com. They are pretty good so far and they discuss the same type of stuff the the hubby and I talk about when we try to "pick the plot" for the next HP books.

I'm in need of a Harry Potter fix. First i need to finish reading all 8 or 9 books in the Laura Ingalls Wilder series. Then I'll pick up Order of the Phoenix for the fourth time. I've forgotten details and can no longer intelligently discuss it with the hubby. :-(

Breakthrough

2006-08-31T12:15:00.000-06:00

I've just had what I would call a major breakthrough.

I had had enough of my soup and even though there were only maybe ten bites left, I threw it away. Normally, I would make myself miserable with those last bites, as to not waste the food, which in my mind equals money. I just didn't want to have those extra calories, fat, sugar, salt, etc. in my body.

I'm not turning bulimic or anything, but I'm paying attention to my body when it says, "Hey Babe, you're full. Stop eating." I was always taught to "clean your plate." Mom taught it to me, the nuns and teachers re-inforced it at school. We were all taught to eat your food. I still say it to my son, but then I follow up with, "but if you are full, you can stop eating."

I'm trying so hard to not to teach him to be an emotional eater, the way his father and I are. I've talked to him about it, that food is just food, not love, acceptance or a reward. It has taken me since March to replace food as my comforter. The walking has replaced it, but since I've been off of the walk from being ill, the food is trying to take back its place. It helps to see that my muscles are still in pretty good shape, so that keeps me from binging. Also, the fact that I know just how much work it takes to burn off that fat and make those muscles look so good.

Because I didn't eat much while I was sick, my stomache has shrunk and won't take in near the amount that it once could hold. That was a blessing in disguise. Now I am listening to myself AND taking the appropriate action neccesary to lose the extra 90+ pounds that I have left to get rid of.

Dumping the rest of my lunch and not feeling guilty about it is a first step to putting me first instead of always running dead last in importance. I am important and I'm just sorry that it took me 37 years for me to figure it out.

Update on MHN

2006-08-30T21:08:00.000-06:00

Ok. I feel a bit better. Quite a bit better, actually. I'm still coughing, but it's a lighter cough and not as much gughk is coming up and out, mostly because it is no longer being produced. My doc put me on another med on Friday when I went in for the follow up visit.

Currently I am on an antibiotic, cough suppressant, and two inhalers. The last one he gave me was flovent. That one really made the difference, the other one just allowed the chest to loosen up enough to get the junk out of my lungs.

I'm not wheezing near as bad as I was, but right now I just started a major coughing fit, so who knows...

While my mil and I were at the doctors, we decided to weigh ourselves. She's been battling the same 6 ounces for a month now and is pretty tired of her diet; eventhough she's lost 30 pounds and looks terrific!

I weighed myself and I do believe that I have lost a total of 35 pounds. It makes sense because I've gone down 2 dress sizes, but the other day I tried on my "tight" jeans and they were no longer tight! OH MY GOODNESS!!! I might have gone down another size! I just haven't tried a smaller size on yet. Of course, I just bought a mess of clothes from the Lane Bryant catalog. Figures. Oh well, I'll still be able to wear them for a while until I go down to the next size.

It's pretty exciting because I am only, 4 sizes away from my goal size for next years 20th class reunion. I may turn into that "Biker Babe" yet!

Of course, I haven't been able to walk for the last two weeks because I couldn't breathe. Air is one of those slightly neccesary items you need for, I don't know, LIFE! It's more annoying than anything else. I'm hoping to get back to the 5 miles by the end of next week or the beginning of the week after. I'm sure that I'll have to build back up to it, but it won't take me as long as it did the first time.

Thanks for all of the well wishes and prayers. I needed them. I'm allergic to 3 out of the 4 major antibiotic groups, so it can be potentially deadly when I get this sick. Luckily, my doc is agressive in his treatments. I love him!!

Not much else going on. Type to you all soon. mhn for short.

Some Changes...

2006-08-26T09:13:00.000-06:00

Well, the first change was Dave's ride.

Then I got pneumonia. Fun stuff... I feel like I'm drowning in my own mucus. It's getting a little better, but the doc isn't so happy. I go back again, on Tuesday. I went in this week on Wednesday & Friday.

I am no longer watching kids in my home on a daily basis. The sweet little baby that I've been watching for almost a year had a feeding tube put in and his mom gave me an option to not have to watch him anymore.

It's alot to have to be responsible for and I didn't feel like I could do it. She said from the time that she was told a feeding tube would be needed that if I decided that I couldn't do it, she would understand.

Now that I've been so sick, it's a really good thing that I gave up that responsibilty. I would have been horrified if I gave that sweet little baby pneumonia. It would have surely killed him.
As usual, God knows what he is doing, timewise.

A really strange thing happened. Pretty much our family has been on an upswing. The hubby put his name in on a drawing at work. Instead of raises, (I guess) they a re giving away big prizes. Well, the hubby won a 32 inch lcd flat panel TV. I've been in shock since Wednesday. He brought it home on Friday and hooked it up. We'll have to get a new entertainment center to hold the thing, but it's really nice.

We've been watching the same 19 inch tv for almost 16 years and were thinking about a new flat panel. They were too expensive for us, so we thought we'd wait until the price went down to $600 for the 27 inch tv's. We waited it out and I'm glad that the hubby talked me out of buying a new tv. Who'da thunk it?

Once again, God took care of us. We are so blessed to have all that we do, materially and the relationships that we have. I truly believe that people are put into your life at certain times for certain reasons. I love you all and hope that you are blessed by knowing me, as I am blessed by knowing you.

Normally, I Don't Pass

2006-08-25T18:36:00.000-06:00

These things along and maybe it's the pneumonia talking, but this one touched me. I have a little boy who we have decided to donate his body if he should die. I would like to get a letter like this. Read this and then go hug someone you love. m.

THIS IS BEAUTIFUL .......AND YOU WILL CRY...

Sally jumped up as soon as she saw the surgeon come out of the operating
room. She said: "How is my little boy? Is he going to be all right? When can
I see him?"

The surgeon said, "I'm sorry. We did all we could, but your boy didn't make
it."

Sally said, " Why do little children get cancer? Doesn't God care any more?
Where were you, God, when my son needed you?"

he surgeon asked, "Would you like some time alone with your son? One of the
nurses will be out in a few minutes, before he's transported to the
university."

Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she said good-bye to son. She
ran her fingers lovingly through his thick red curly hair.

"Would you like a lock of his hair?" the nurse asked.

Sally nodded yes. The nurs! e cut a lock of the boy's hair, put it in a
plastic bag and handed it to Sally. The mother said, "It was Jimmy's idea to
donate his body to the university for study. He said it might help somebody
else. "I said no at first, but Jimmy said, 'Mom, I won't be using it after I
die. Maybe it will help some other little boy spend one more day with his
Mom." She went on, "My Jimmy had a heart of gold. Always thinking of someone
else. Always wanting to help others if he could."

Sally walked out of Children's mercy Hospital for the last time, after
spending most of the last six months there. She put the bag with Jimmy's
belongings on the seat beside her in the car. The drive home was difficult.
It was even harder to enter the empty house. She carried Jimmy's belongings,
and the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her son's room. She started
placing the model cars and other personal things back in his room exactly
where he had always kept them. She laid down across his bed and, ! hugging
his pillow, cried herself to sleep.

It was around midnight when Sally awoke. Laying beside her on the bed was a
folded letter. The letter said:

"Dear Mom, I know you're going to miss me; but don't think that I will ever
forget you, or stop loving you, just 'cause I'm not around to say I LOVE
YOU. I will always love you, Mom, even more with each day. Someday we will
see each other again. Until then, if you want to adopt a little boy so you
won't be so lonely, that's okay with me. He can have my room and old stuff
to play with. But, if you decide to get a girl instead, she probably
wouldn't like the same things us boys do. You'll have to buy her dolls and
stuff girls like, you know. Don't be sad thinking about me. This really is a
neat place. Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me
around some, but it will take a long time to see everything. The angels are
so cool. I l! ove to watch them fly. An d, you know what? Jesus doesn't look
like any of his pictures. Yet, when I saw Him, I knew it was Him. Jesus
himself took me to see GOD! And guess what, Mom? I got to sit on God's knee
and talk to Him, like I was somebody important. That's when I told Him that
I wanted to write you a letter, to tell you good-bye and everything. But I
already knew that wasn't allowed. Well, you know what Mom? God handed me
some paper and His own personal pen to write you this letter. I think
Gabriel is the name of the angel who is going to drop this letter off to
you. God said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions you
asked Him 'Where was He when I needed him?' "God said He was in the same
place with me, as when His son Jesus was on the cross. He was right there,
as He always is with all His children.

Oh, by the way, Mom, no one else can see what I've written except you. To
everyone else this is just a blank piece of paper. Isn't that cool? I have
to ! give Go d His pen back now. He needs it to write some more names in the
Book of Life. Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus for supper. I'm,
sure the food will be great.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I don't hurt anymore. The cancer is all
gone. I'm glad because I couldn't stand that pain anymore and God couldn't
stand to see me hurt so much, either. That's when He sent The Angel of Mercy
to come get me. The Angel said I was a Special Delivery! How about that?
Signed with Love from: God, Jesus &Me.

Finally Gave In...

2006-08-23T11:22:00.000-06:00

And went to the doctor. I thought that what I had were just allergies gone awry like normal. Nope. I have pneunomia. 3 prescriptions and $90 later, I have what I need to stay out of the hospital. The hubby is off of work again, to take care of me and I'm couch bound (doctors orders) for the next two days. Good night. All My Children, here I come.

Dave's New Ride

2006-08-21T08:33:00.000-06:00

Well, we've been talking about this since school started last year. Dave would need something more than a scooter to take him all over this fair, but LARGE metropolis of ours and here it is.

The 2007 Yamaha 650 V-Star Classic.

Enjoy.

Well, I Have a Cough

2006-08-19T05:19:00.000-06:00

For the last two or three days I've been coughing. It kept me awake last night and the night before, which means two things:
1. I haven't really slept in 72 hours, AND
2. Neither has the hubby.

I feel really bad about keeping him up, but he said that if it was REALLY bothering him that he would have slept in the office. Aw bless his sweet soul.

When we went out last night, we went to Buca Di Beppo and sat in the Frank Sanatra room. I was freezing! We were right under the a/c vent. Usually, I'm fine under the a/c or a fan, in fact, I prefer it; but last night was a different story. Once we started eating, I warmed up a bit (good old metabolism). When we got home, after a scenic tour of the SW-Side (Westheimer/Montrose, Mecom Fountain) I watched a little of What Not to Wear and Cover Shot.

I heaved myself off of the couch and started getting ready for beddy-bye and the chills hit me hard. I raced as quickly as I could to throw on my nightgown (after having taken some meds) and hop into me bed when I realised that I needed to pee. So it was a trek to the bathroom, sitting under the just started blow of the a/c. I was shivering all over. I took care of my business and ran the whole 5 feet to the bed and hopped in. I didn't even take my glasses off, which meant that I would have to brave the cold air and reach out to put them in their case. I was so cold that I was shivering uncontrollably under the covers. Most nights I sleep without blankets or sheets because I'm so hot natured, but last night I actually asked the hubby to turn the a/c one degree higher.

I think the worst of my fever broke sometime during the night while I was hacking away and tossing and turning. Now it is 6-something in the morning and I'm here talking to you when I had hoped to be sleeping. Oh well, such is life. I do feel a little better this morning and the hubby will be back from class after ten am. I know that I should stay home today, but I have some errands to run, including getting some new excercise shoes for my 5 mile walk, which I have only gotten in 3 days this week.

I feel like a bum. I had planned to get caught up this weekend, but I can't breath deeply without coughing, so I will buy my shoes and hope for Monday. Meanwhile, I am taking my Claritin-D (which I had to register with the pharmacy because of the pseudophedrine), Delsym cough suppresant, tylenol for the fever, vitamins and orange juice. I have to sing solo and a cappella tomorrow morning, so wish me luck!

So Far, So Good

2006-08-18T10:21:00.000-06:00

If the boy has a favorable report this afternoon, he will get his sleepover with his Gammie. This has been his first week of "real" school and thus far he has done well. He managed to keep his name clip on the green light, which is very good, while others have gotten theirs on yellow and even the dreaded RED. I guess all of those talks about not letting others lead you to do something you know is wrong, paid off.

It has been nice picking him up from school. The only drawback is that I'm in the car a total of 2 hours 40 minutes per day and that is only to and from school and waiting for him in the carpool lane. If you don't get to the school 45 minutes early in the afternoon, then you are stuck on the street and cars whip around you and people call you the most horrid names and have the most offensive hand gestures towards those waiting. It's much better getting to school early.

Of course, waiting in 99*-100* weather is no picnic, to be sure. I have two large bottles of ice water with me, one for myself and one for the boy. I also bring a snack for him to consume on the 25+ minute drive home and I bring a book to read while I wait. Currently, I am reading "Little House on the Prairie" by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It's a pretty good read.

Whilst driving home, we talk about his day, what he did, what he learned, which new class he attended. So far he says that he likes music and that the teacher is 40% better than me, only because she has two good hands and can play the piano. I am satisfied.

The hubby and I will go on a date tonight, but we haven't decided where to go. I'm sure we will find something diverting to do to occupy our time.

Hey!

2006-08-14T19:20:00.000-06:00

Hi Guys and Gals!

Today was the boys' first day of "real" school. He started Kindergarten today and when he got home from playing at his Gammie's, he had a meltdown.

He was SOOOO tired, as is to be expected. He said that he had a good day when we picked him up, but later he said that his teacher was bossy and bossed him around all day. We told him that that was her job; that's what teachers do. I asked him if he got in trouble and I couldn't get a clear answer out of him until after he had his dinner. At first he said yes, but then later he said that another boy really got into trouble and the teacher was just telling our boy what to do all day. I was satisfied with the answer.

He said that he wanted a sleepover with Gammie on Saturday night and we told him that depended on how the rest of the week went and whether he got into trouble with his teacher or he did well. He promised to behave himself and do his best.

Well, here are some pictures that I took with my phone of today and over the summer. Enjoy!

He was waiting with us in the cafeteria for the first bell to ring at 8:05am.

This is the boy being silly for the camera. Big Suprise!! :-D

This is the boy at his new desk. Already working!

It's not really clear but he is admiring himself in his suit that he wore to a wedding this summer when he was the ring bearer for our pastors' daughters' wedding. He asked me before we tried on suits if he needed a BEAR SUIT. We thought it was funny!

He liked wearing the suit because he thought he looked like Taylor Hicks the 5th American Idol winner.

He's sleeping in the car with Sally and Mater!!

He's sitting on a little scoot that looks just like daddy's only in miniature! I'm diggin' it!

height="180" alt="Owen on little green scoot" />
Here comes another one!

I hope you enjoyed that shameless display of parental affection. If it repulsed you, then so sorry, NOT! ;-D

A Year Ago

2006-08-08T08:40:00.000-06:00

I remember that a year ago I was totally interested in politics and what was going on around the world. This year, I can't be arsed enough to look at the news, much less get excited enough to write something about it.

I do still have a major issue with being "politically correct". This was and always will be bullocks! Jesus Christ! Say what is really on your mind and if you are an ass and proven wrong by a person with a decent argument for their side of things, then admit your error and move on.

There are so many things that I had a passion for a while back. I have a beautiful cross stitch that I've been working on for years now. I can't bring myself to finish it. I really need to get it done because it is a wedding gift. It's rather embarassing. The couple have been married for a few years and now have a baby. I'm 3/4 the way finished and I want to do it, but other things just seem to get in the way. I am ashamed that it is taking me so long to get this project done. I don't want to just scrap it and not finish it. I like to complete my projects and move on to something else. I just don't know why this one has me so befuddled.

I used to care about the world and all of the causes. Now I'm doing good to get out of bed. BTW: 5 AM walks switched to afternoon and evening walks. Hopefully, those will get back on track after the other baby starts going to her permanent childcare facility.

I am having a really hard time with the fact that the boy will be starting Kindergarten next week. I feel like he is being taken away from me. I know that is completely irrational, but that's just how I feel. He's not even at school yet and I already miss him.

I also have a new voice student starting in a couple of weeks. I know we need the money, but I'm not all that sure I want to teach voice for now. We'll give it a go, but I'm not really looking forward to it. Perhaps that will change once I meet the little girl who I will be teaching.

I don't even want to sing in the choir this year. I always used to look forward to choir season, but the past couple of years have had me drained. The hubby will be working Sundays and choir always sings both services on Sunday. That's really too much for a 5-6 year old child to have to sit through. Also, the hubby will have classes on T-Th. Practise is on Thursday evenings and eventhough I'm sure my mil would be willing to keep the boy while I practise, but I don't want him to have to stay up so late on a school night.

I've been keeping up with the walk because I like what it is doing to my body. If I could get the same results by laying on the couch, you know I'd rather be there. I am mentally drained and just want to sleep for days on end.

Hopefully this situation will rectify itself, but until then I will press on putting one foot in front of the other, just like mom taught us to do.

Yesterday

2006-08-06T21:58:00.000-06:00

Ok, for those of you who do not live in Texas, this was tax-free weekend. So we headed out to buy the boy some uniforms for school and while we were at it, underwear and socks, all tax-free. Sweet!

At lunch, I was talking to the mil and we were at a restaurant that the hubby and I used to frequent before the boy. Well, we still go there, but not as often as we used to. Well anyway, I was telling my mil about how it was at this particular chain restaurant that the hubby and I ordered our first meal that wasn't hamburgers. I think that we were 22 and 20 years old. We felt like such adults, paying for our own dinners and not ordering burgers or pizza.

Now remember, I was raised in a town of less than 18,000 people and my husband came from a town of less than 45,000 people. So the most frequented places were like Dairy Queen and Whataburger or the local tex-mex places. Usually, when we went out it was Whataburger or Pizza Hut and on special occasions Hunan Garden and a movie! If we spent more than $13 on dinner that was a BIG DEAL!

I remember that we used to talk about ordering something other than hamburgers, but when push came to shove, we just couldn't deviate from the burger section of the menu. One night while trying to decide what we wanted, we told each other, "Don't order a burger...try something new." Fifteen years later, I don't have an inkling as to what we ordered, but I do recollect being proud that burgers and fries were no where to be found at our table!

We even told his parents about it because we felt so grown up. They giggled with us and told us of their first time not ordering burgers. It was a nice memory.

When I reminded my mil about it, she barely remembered the conversation, which was fine being as we have all slept several times since then. :-) Then we giggled about it again and ordered... BURGERS!

Man, I'm Knackered!

2006-08-02T07:48:00.000-06:00

I just started watching another baby in my home, short term. She's adorable! Yesterday was the first real day and I was kept so busy by both babies AND my child that I didn't get my walk in.

So, this morning I woke up at 5 am to take my 5 mile walk and get my shower before everybody got here. I'm totally knackered. I feel like I need a nap.

Of course, it doesn't help that I feel like I'm getting a head cold or the allergies are setting in. Sneezing and sniffing all through the house...

So?

2006-07-28T10:18:00.000-06:00

How do you like the new look?

I Did it Again

2006-07-28T09:26:00.000-06:00

I bumped up the walk to 5 miles yesterday, just to see if I could do it. As you can tell from this entry, I didn't die in the process. I'm taking that as a positive sign. AND I'm doing it again today!!

Your Five Factor Personality Profile

2006-07-28T09:25:00.000-06:00

Your Five Factor Personality Profile

Extroversion:

You have high extroversion.
You are outgoing and engaging, with both strangers and friends.
You truly enjoy being with people and bring energy into any situation.
Enthusiastic and fun, you're the first to say "let's go!"

Conscientiousness:

You have high conscientiousness.
Intelligent and reliable, you tend to succeed in life.
Most things in your life are organized and planned well.
But you borderline on being a total perfectionist.

Agreeableness:

You have high agreeableness.
You are easy to get along with, and you value harmony highly.
Helpful and generous, you are willing to compromise with almost anyone.
You give people the benefit of the doubt and don't mind giving someone a second chance.

Neuroticism:

You have low neuroticism.
You are very emotionally stable and mentally together.
Only the greatest setbacks upset you, and you bounce back quickly.
Overall, you are typically calm and relaxed - making others feel secure.

Openness to experience:

Your openness to new experiences is high.
In life, you tend to be an early adopter of all new things and ideas.
You'll try almost anything interesting, and you're constantly pushing your own limits.
A great connoisseir of art and beauty, you can find the positive side of almost anything.

The Five Factor Personality Test

Chili, MMMMMMM.........

2006-07-28T08:58:00.000-06:00

Ok. So a few days ago I had a hankerin' for some chili. I know what you are thinking..."Chili??? In the heat of the SUMMER??? Insane woman!" Well actually, it was a high of about 79-80 degrees, dark and rainy for 3 days or so. With that kind of weather, chili is suitable eating.

Being from Texas, I left out the beans because, after all, chili with beans is really bean soup with meat. The recipe was heisted from Emeril Lagasse from the Food Network website and here it is. Enjoy!

Emeril's Chili

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onions
Salt
Cayenne (to taste. I used 3/4 tsp.)
2 pounds stew meat, cut into cubes
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
3 cups crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato paste
8 cups beef stock
2 tablespoons masa flour
4 tablespoons water
1 cup canned dark red kidney beans
1 bag tortilla chips (We used Fritos Scoops)
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
6 tablespoons sour cream
1 small jar jalapenos

In a large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and saute for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the vegetables start to wilt. Season with salt and cayenne. Stir in the stew meat, chili powder, cumin, crushed red pepper, and oregano. Brown the meat for 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, and beef stock. Bring the liquid up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer the liquid, partially covered for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, or until the beef is tender. Skim off the fat occasionally.

Mix the masa and water together. Slowly stir in the masa slurry, add the beans, and continue to cook for 30 minutes. Reseason with salt and cayenne. Place a handful of the chips in each shallow bowl. Spoon the chili over the chips. Garnish with the grated cheese, sour cream and jalapenos.

(You can substitute low fat sour cream and cheese and it will taste just as good.)

((Also, I use fat free, reduce sodium beef stock. This way you can monitor your sodium intake.))

Lately...

2006-07-26T10:56:00.000-06:00

Lately, I've been hooked on the series "Little House on the Prairie". I used to watch it every week when I was a kid in the late 70'- early 80's. I find that now as I watch the shows I catch much more of what was going on than I ever did as a child.

Now the boy watches them with me and enjoys the series just as much as I do. It makes me want to go get the books that the series is based on by Laura Ingles Wilder and read them in order. I have the paperback of "Little House on the Prairie" and as soon as I finish reading "Everyone Worth Knowing" by Lauren Weisberger (who also wrote a little known book "The Devil Wears Prada") I'll probably switch over to the Wilder books.

As you can tell from the statements above, I did finish reading The Devil Wears Prada. Great read!! Go pick it up! If you must see the movie, I suggest that you see the flick BEFORE reading the book. I have been told that the movie is quite different from the book.

The hubby no longer wishes to see the movie, but I do. I just adore Meryl Streep AND Anne Hathaway. Oh well, we'll see if I get to have some mhn time or if the hubby will decide to see the movie afterall.

His Driver's Permit

2006-07-25T13:07:00.000-06:00

A young boy had just gotten his driver's permit and inquired of his father, an evangelist, if they could discuss his use of the car. His father said "I'll make a deal with you. You bring your grades up from a C to a B average, study your Bible a little, get your hair cut and we'll talk about the car."

Well, the boy thought about that for a moment, and decided that he'd settle for the offer, and they agreed on it. After about six weeks they went into the study, where his father said "Son, I've been real proud. You brought your grades up, and I've observed that you have been studying your Bible, and participating a lot more in the Bible study groups. But, I'm real disappointed, since you haven't gotten your hair cut."

The young man paused a moment, and then said, "You know, Dad, I've been thinking about that, and I've noticed in my studies of the Bible that Samson had long hair, John the Baptist had long hair, Moses had long hair and there's even a strong argument that Jesus had long hair."

To this his father replied, "Did you also notice that they all walked everywhere they went?"

Friday Night Fun on a Monday Night!

2006-07-25T10:27:00.000-06:00

Well, last night the hubby and a couple of friends of ours had Friday night fun on a Monday night! We went to open mic night at McGonigal's Mucky Duck here in Houston. It was a blast and as the night wore on the acts got better and better.

Monday nights are Pint & Pie nights so Dave and I had Steak & Mushroom pot pies and our friends ordered Shepherds Pie. They all had beer, but I had a wine based Fuzzy Navel. We also had the Scotch Eggs with a curry dressing for our pub snack and our friends ordered Jalapeno Poppers. The food was so good and the atmosphere pleasing that I could easily see how people could spend most of their time "down at the pub".

We're going back. Next time, I might sing a ditty or read one of my poems. Can't wait!

Well, I finally bought my 4&5 mile dvds from www.lesliesansone.com. I paid full retail, which just about killed me, but it was the only place that carried exactly what I wanted. I WAS rewinding the second mile on the third mile dvd and getting my four miles that way.

Today, I just did the four mile dvd. IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!! AND IT KICKED MY BUTT!!!!!!! She had us doing double kickbacks, double kneelifts, a grapevine, which actually felt great, and she changed up some of the other moves to give you a really thorough workout.

The first three miles went kind of slow(so it seemed. I think it was because she was working us hard...) and once we got into the fourth mile, it flew by so quickly that I was suprised. It's been an hour and I'm still sweating a little. Whew!

Soon, I'll give the five mile a try, but for now, the four mile is my favourite!

Inappropriate Dinner Conversation

2006-07-18T08:55:00.000-06:00

So, when I was growing up we used to have dinner at the table, like all good families do, and conversation would flow like the Colorado River searching its way to the Gulf of Mexico.

Most of the time the topic of conversation was totally right and pleasing to all present. Sometimes however, the oratorical subjects left much to be desired and would have been better suited for the men's restroom at a local strip club. Not proud of it especially seeing as the majority of occupants at the dinner table were GIRLS!

I do remember Mom protesting the subjects and of course we girls would take it from the rude to the grotesque. Mom would state that she was getting sick to her stomach, then Daddy would pipe up and tell her, "Pass your plate over here, Goody." and wink at us girls.

Always this was done in the privacy of our own home, NEVER in public. If we had guests, the topics were always "G" rated. These days if the conversation starts to get too personal, gross or inappropriate, I speak up and verbally "pull in the reigns" and get the topic back to a loftier subject. (In my family, I am known as THE PRUDE.)

Well, the other night the family (hubby, boy & myself) went to our favourite Chinese buffet place, Silver Palace, for dinner. There was a family of teenagers and a mom sitting just behind us. The way we were seated at our table, the boy was closest to the other table.

At first, their topics of conversation were fine, but louder than need be for the space allotted, thus being the reason we could hear them. Then all of the sudden, the younger daughter started talking about telling everyone that she was a lesbian. She was teasing, because she kept laughing about it. She was doing this for shock value as most teens will do. But then the conversation topic switched from that to sex-change operations and the volume increased. She stated, "I want to go in to the doctors office and tell 'em, I want a PENIS!" Then her mom said that they couldn't do that surgically, and she got even louder and asked, "Why Not? What about the girls who want to be boys and want to have a PENIS??!"

The whole time I was sitting there thinking, "Oh God, PLEASE don't let any of this penetrate Owen's ears." I don't want to have THAT conversation with him about this yet. He's only 5 1/2 years old. He doesn't need to hear about that stuff at his tender age. I was rather suprised that the mother didn't protest and tell her daughter to lower her voice.

I don't care what other people talk about, but let's try to keep it at your own table please and not so loud that the people who are 100 feet away can hear you. Some decorum here, please folks!

Even David was giving me looks of, "These people need to take that topic to da house!" I almost asked them to quiet down, because I didn't want to have to explain what they were talking about when my son started asking questions. But I decided that the better course of action would be to hurry up and eat our dinner so we could exit the scene, post haste! Which we did, of course.

Luckily, nothing registered with the boy and no questions have been asked or had to be explained. Whew! We really did luck out on that one.

Whew...Just Got Back.

2006-07-16T16:23:00.000-06:00

We made a whirlwind tour of the road between Houston and Dallas. Technically Lewisville, which is a little north of Dallas. We went to pick up Gam & visit Papa, since he's working there. It was a nice trip. I'd never been to Lewisville and it had all of the accrutriments of a city of 100,000 in population.

On the way up, we traveled I-45 North to Dallas and on the way home, we took I-35 South to Waco, TX. Then Highway 6 to Heampstead and hopped onto Hwy. 290 East to Houston.

I finally finished reading Gospel, by Wilton Barnhardt. Tonight, I will start on The Devil Wears Prada.

I'd never been to Waco before and it's a nice area up there. We went to find the hubby's Grandma's old house in Lacy Lakeview, TX. Suprisingly enough, he found it after not going there since he was a kid. He remarked that the trees used to be bigger. Ah, the perspective of childhood.

So, we are home safe and sound and so is Gam! Yea! We are all tired, but happy.

The Hubby

2006-07-14T20:41:00.000-06:00

He's mumbling grammaticle things in and about Ancient Greek at his desk. Too Funny. :-)

A Milestone...(No pun intended)

2006-07-14T20:07:00.000-06:00

Ok, so I'm a pretty sizable Suzie. This evening I did something that I haven't been able to do COMFORTABLY in about 16 years.

I laid on the floor and watched tv.

We have wood laminate flooring which is very hard. The last time I tried this feat, I only lasted long enough to get on the floor and immediately get back up. I guess that my muscles have built up enough to support my bone structure. I do know that I am standing taller these days.

Today was a super busy day as I was cleaning house and doing laundry so we would have our choice of freshly laundered garments to take with us on our trip to Lewisville to pick up Gam. I was tempted not to walk to day because I had done so much around the house, but I chose instead to take the walk and I am glad that I did.

This evening let me know for sure that I have been making the right choices in walking the 4 miles a day, 6 days a week. I may bump it up to 7 days a week. I'm getting really cranky on Sundays and that's the ONLY day during the week that we are all together as a family. I don't want to spend that day fussy because I didn't take 1 hour out of my day to walk.

I'm positively sure that the guys wouldn't mind losing me for a measly hour to get a nice wife/mommy for the rest of the day. :-D

Music That Moves My Soul!

2006-07-13T20:00:00.000-06:00

There is no sound, except my child's voice, that moves my soul like the BAGPIPES! I love them, played well mind you. There is a scottish bagpipe band called The Rogues who used to play at the Texas Renaissance Festival every year. We haven't been to the renfest in a few years, so I don't know if they still play there or not.

The last time we saw them I bought their cd, Live in Canada, eh? They play this rendition of Amazing Grace that pierces the soul. I have it on cd, in my iTunes listing and on my iPod.

When I die, it's going to be played at my funeral. It's so great because you hear the beautiful song that most Christians are at least familiar with and then it moves seemlessly into an Irish jig! I love it. Death is a celebration for a Christian, not something to dread. I think that this song totally shows that. :-)

She's About to be Unleashed!

2006-07-12T09:57:00.000-06:00

Ok. This may seem a bit mean, but I've been sensoring myself for so long around here that I've turned this once thriving and relatively interesting blog into a boring place to visit and THAT'S why I think my readership has gone to shit. So here you go!

Body Odor in the Hood!
Ok, as I have stated before, we live in the hood. Our neighbors(not ones on our street, but close by) "have they own shopping carts".

Anyway, we used to have an Albertson's grocery store close to our house and periodically we would shop there. Nice store, well appointed, but the prices were slightly higher than H.E.B., so H.E.B. got most of our business.

Well a few years ago, Albertson's left the Houston market(or at least our area of Houston). The building was empty for at least 3 or 4 years. This whole area hoped that there would be either a Kroger or H.E.B. come in and use the space. Nothing happened for a long time, although rumours of a store coming in would float around every once in a while.

So finally, we drive by and see that FoodTown has bought or leased the building! Yay! Since the Randall's that was closest grocery store to our house closed, there was no choice but to drive 5 miles up the street for milk at H.E.B. Not a biggie usually, but periodically, you needed that one item and were too knackered to drive all that way to get toilet paper or bread. AND there was NO WAY you'd go to the convenience store to get those items, because you would be scheistered out of all of your money!

It was about 4 months ago when we saw the sign. We'd drive by sometimes whilst going to Wal-Mart or Teotihuacan (Great mexican food place! West Airport & Fondren on the SW side) and see the progress they were making. We noticed two days ago that FoodTown was having a Grand Opening! Finalement!!

I had a 'running list' (for those who are not familiar with the term, that is a list that you start and add to everytime you run out of something.) going and we had quite a few things on it. The hubby decides last night that he wants to go check out the new store. I tell him that I have a list, but I wanted to go too. We got the boy to put on his shoes and off we go to the new grocery store! How exciting! (Seriously, we NEED to get out more!)

We arrive at the store and it looks like ALL of the new inhabitants to our area have decided to "go shopping" at the same time we did. Not suprising, it was after 6pm on a week night. We get into the store and it looks pretty much the way it when it was an Albertson's, except that the colors have changed from blue and white to cream and maroon.

As we were walking along looking at everything, noticing prices and the condition of the produce, meat and products we noticed that the stockers were still setting up and that we were the palest people in the whole building. Not a problem, just an observation.

Some background on me, I have very sensitive olfactory senses. When I was pregnant with the boy, I could smell cigarette smoke from a car that was four or five cars away with closed windows and the recycle a/c on. Even now, my sense of smell is very accute.

As we were winding our way through the store to procure our items, I would be assaulted by massive body odour. Just the thought off it makes me cough. Even the hubby noticed the sent, but it didn't bother him as much as it did me. And it wasn't just once, but many times throughout the facility. It seemed that everywhere I turned there was a person who smelled like they hadn't washed that day and were stuck in a hot building with no air circulation and were swathed in musty human sweat. Blech!

It wasn't just older men either, there were ladies and kids that offended the nose as well. I'd walk down an aisle and there was the smell, I'd turn to get away from the odor after getting what I needed and turn right into another area where it was even more odiferous! I couldn't wait to get out of there, but the hubby wanted to look around some more. Holy Crap! I really thought at one time that I was gonna throw up.

The only place were I could get away from the pungent fragrance of the shoppers was over by the meat counter. Then we saw some interesting items they had for sell; lengua(cow tongue), beef kidneys, livers, pigs heads and feet, and bull fries(bulls balls). Eek Gads!

I teased Owen with the lengua and asked him, "Owen, what does that look like?" He read the lable and said " cow tongue?" and I looked at him and pretened to lick him. He was sufficiently grossed out, my job was done. :-)

He noticed the kidneys and said several times, "Look mom, they have beef kidneys!" Two young teenaged black girls were standing in that same area while I was looking at the ground round. They repeted what he said and I looked at them and said, "They have bulls "thingies" over there too. " They looked over and said, "EEEW!" Then showed them to their mammah. Again, my job was done. I love 'messing' with people. Hehehe.

When we finished looking over the entire store the hubby was ready to go. Thank Heavens! But wait! I spoke too soon, around the corner to the register and WHAM! My nose was hit again by another stinky person! Geeze! God Bless America! Ya! Dave even asked, "I don't smell that bad do I?" (He can't use antiperspirant or deodorant because it irritates his psoriasis.) I told him, not right now, but after you've mowed the lawn or worked out in the garage you sometimes smell that way. He was resigned to the odor, but since he takes showers everyday, it wasn't that bad.

We finally got out of the store at $60.81 worth of damage. Not bad, but not cheaper than H.E.B. Since my nose is hardly ever assaulted at H.E.B. we'll keep shopping there.

Whew, do you smell something?

Oh Geezie, Peezie...

2006-07-11T08:29:00.000-06:00

Am I ever going to catch up on my sleep or is that an urban legend that you can actually "catch-up" on sleep?

Lately, as in the last few months, I have yet to fall asleep any earlier than 11pm and I wake (more likely shove myself out of bed) at 7am, put my work out clothes on and wait for the baby to get here. Of course while I'm waiting, I run around the house to do last minute pick ups that didn't get done before we went to bed.

Eventhough I have lots of energy from the weight loss and excercise, I still feel like I could take a nap everyday. I don't get one, of course; but the tired feeling is still there. As soon as I hit the pillow, my eyes are wide open, no matter how tired I am when I hed off the beddie-bye.

I usually read for an hour or two then try to go to sleep. Perhaps my mind is too busy to rest. Whatever it is, it's killing me. I feel like I could sleep in for a month and it would only make a small dent in the fatigue.

Is it just me or are y'all feeling this way too?

My Personal DNA Report

2006-07-07T10:06:00.000-06:00

Animated Inventor

2nd Day in a Row

2006-07-06T16:13:00.000-06:00

Today is the second day in a row that I've walked 4 miles instead of just 3 miles. I need to get the 4 mile tape, but for now I'm rewinding the second mile(while keeping the walk going) and re-walking the second mile to add up to 4.

I'm wiped, but I feel good.

A Memory...

2006-07-06T11:24:00.000-06:00

Ah, let's see... I think it was Sunday night, could have been Saturday night but that's not the point, the hubby and I sat down to watch a movie. We used to do this every Friday and Saturday night until we got cable and started playing d&d. Now it's a rarity that we sit together and watch a movie at home.

The movie I chose was The Notebook with Ryan Gossling and Rachel McAdams. It's a beautiful love story that reminds me a lot of my grandparents love story. Towards the end of the movie it gets truly heart-wrenching yet remains resplendent in the expresion of their love for one another.

I had seen this movie with a pack of Ladies from church. We didn't all get to sit together, but that was ok. By the middle of the movie, the lady that I was sitting by and I were sniffing quite profusely and were trying to control the tears. As the film went on, I was crying pretty hard and I was trying to control myself so as to not let my crying turn into an "ugly cry" with hiccups, blocked nostrils and a swollen nose. Also, I was really trying hard not to disturb the people sitting around us. When the movie was over we found our other friends and they giggled at me for crying (because I was still crying pretty hard). I went into the bathroom to "pull myself together" and there was a whole large bathroom full of females crying, from young teenagers to older women. We were all boo-hooing from seeing The Notebook. I'm tearing up just thinking about it.

Well, I had purchased the dvd a few months ago and hadn't watched it yet knowing its effect on me, but I wanted to watch it with Dave, thinking that he would enjoy it. He did enjoy the movie. We actually sat on the same couch to watch it and I blubbered through it again. I had another really ugly cry. So bad that I actually had to take some Tylenol Sinus so I could breathe through my nose. Ice takes down the swelling of tearful eyes quite nicely too. It shows how much the hubby loves me, by the way he didn't tease me.

He remembers what it was like when my Grandmother was sick with Alzheimer's and how she didn't recognise me when we came to visit her. She had gotten gangrine in her left leg and the doctors amputated it at the knee. Her memory was gone, long and short term. She could no longer feed herself. The nurse asked me if I would like to feed her and I did. I was trying not to cry in front of her, so I wouldn't upset her. The tears just flowed like a brook heading downstream to the river. She would tell me, "Don't cry Honey.", "You're such a pretty girl, who are you again?", "I'm Aleida's daughter, Grandma. I'm Michelle, Aleida's youngest daughter." "Oh, okay." She said. Then she would ask me again who I was. We had lunch with Grandpa and it was a good visit with him.

I was 21 then. The next time I saw her was a year later at her funeral. I sang Amazing Grace and Rock of Ages, they were her favourites. I almost got through Amazing Grace, but I looked at my Grandfather and thought, "He's gonna be alone." Again the tears flowed, but I got through the song. The next time I saw him after that was a year later at his funeral. I sang for that one too. I sang The Lord's Paryer and Precious Lord, Take My Hand, they were both songs that he had performed on many occaissions.

When Dave and I were dating, we would talk about how we never wanted to be apart and how if we died, we wanted to die together at the same time. We still feel that way, although these days it wouldn't be very practical with Owie. I wouldn't want to leave him alone as a child. If God is willing, we will grow old together and pass away peacefully in each others arms, after Owen has a family of his own and has those who love him to help him through that hard time.

I'm so blessed to have my son, because when he laughs I can hear my mother's father issuing forth from his lips. When I look at him, I can see my father in his face, so my loved ones who have gone to Glory are still with me here on earth and I can still remember them and love them, eventhough they are not here with me in the present. *Dad is still living, I just don't get to see him as much as I would like to.* I look forward to the day that I can be reunited with my family in Heaven. I will be sorry to leave my loved ones here on Earth, but I know that I will be going to my eternal home and I will save a place for all of those I love and have loved.

A Quiz? At Your Age????

2006-07-05T19:50:00.000-06:00

Your Dosha is Pitta

You have a quick mind, a gift for persuasion, and a sharp sense of humor.
You have both the drive and people skills to be a very successful leader.
Argumentative and a bit stubborn, you have been known to be a little too set in your ways.
But while you may be biased toward your own point of view, you are always honest, fair, and ethical.

With friends: You are outgoing and open to anyone who might want to talk to you

In love: You are picky but passionate

To achieve more balance: Be less judgmental of those around you, and take cool walks in the moonlight.

What's Your Dosha?

What Would You Say????

2006-07-02T17:23:00.000-06:00

A line from that song comes to my head when I think of posting. There are SO many things that I want to say and talk about, but I can't until things settle down and people move on.

Of course, by then I will have moved on as well. For the most part, I've "pretty much" been in transition mode since the middle of last summer when Hurricane Rita hit the Texas Gulf Coast. By the end of last year I was already there. The only time my mind wanders back to that dark place is when little, inconsequential things come up.

So, for the longest time I've been self sensoring over here on the blog as to not cause trouble. I'm doing my dead level best, but I thought that maybe my loyal readers might be wondering if I just got tired of blogging or if I've just gotten lazy.

Well, I HAVE been busier now than I was when I started this whole process, so I'm not on the computer near as much as I was. I've been watching the baby and having the boy in school, so that took up much of my time. The boy has learned to use the WWW (with guidelines and supervision); add that AND the other stuff and you've got days out of the week where I don't hardly get a chance to look at the computer much less touch it.

Then of course, there is the journey to making me half the woman I used to be. Especially since I'm not using any miracles of modern science to help me, just good old fashioned hard work and sweat! That takes some time out of the day. I've gotten a nice large chunk of that taken care of, which I am proud of myself for doing. I hate to admit it, but Oprah is right on this one, you just have to make the decision to do it and stick to it.

It's been pretty interesting, my family has always been on the "curvier" side. Even when we girls weren't just huge, we still had curves. Now all three of us sisters are in the process of losing the extra pounds and, just coincidently, we all have long hair. The hair is easy enough to explain, we're all broke and can't afford haircuts.

Next year is my 20th High School Reunion. I'd like to go back as most changed. There was a lady I graduated with who had the typical "country look" in H.S. She had pretty, but frizzy hair and bangs. A really cute girl that didn't wear much make-up. She looked sweet and WAS sweet. I liked her very much. When she came back for the 10 year reunion, she was coiffed and polished to the hilt. Her look had changed, but she was still the sweetest girl. She was voted most changed.

Even if nobody notices my transformation, I'll still be happy with what I've done for myself and for my family. I've finally realised that they need me and actually WANT me around for the long haul and I want to be there for all of the years that God has to bless me with. I'm glad that I have finally figured out that I am worthy of a healthy body and a healthy body image. Geeze, it's only taken 37 years for me to figure this out. I really thought that I was a faster learner than this, but there it is, and there you have it.

This is why I've been so lax in my duties to provide you with interesting reading. Hopefully, I'll be able to get excited enough to write about other things such as politics and religion, but until that time comes, I'll just be boring old me.

Love to you all. mhn for short.

It's Almost Midnight

2006-06-29T22:58:00.000-06:00

And what am I doing instead of sleeping? Reading everything I can about Harry Potter!! I'm having HP withdrawls!

The 5th movie AND the 7th book won't be out until 2007. I've read all the books written at LEAST 3 times each AND I have the movies. They just aren't cutting it anymore. Besides which, I am currently reading Gospel, by Wilton Barhardt (great read, by the way) and have plans to read, "The Devil Wears Prada" after reading Gospel for the second time.

Ugh, I need to go to bed. I'll try this again later, when my eyeballs and hand have better co-ordination.

Ho Ho!

2006-06-26T10:22:00.000-06:00

Well, I feel pretty accomplished so far today. It all started Saturday. We (the hubby, the boy & the mil) went to Wal-Mart to pick up some essentials. One of the major things on the list (I always shop with a list) was a shower head attachment for our hand held shower.

The attachment has had a crack in it for months and I've used my hair clips to hold it up. The clips did an okay job, but periodically they would break and the whole shower head would fall on me. Not fun. I had had enough, so we spent a whole $5 on the assembly and Teflon tape.

When we got home I read the directions and disassembled and re-assembled the whole thing. Now my water pressure is better too. The process took five minutes. I don't know why we held off for so long. I would have had the hubby do this for me, but he was out in the garage making a light bulb outlet into an electrical outlet so that we can put up some fluorescent lighting in the garage. Perhaps now we will be able to see better out there...

Yesterday we went to the old home town and visited with a close friend of mine. We traded clothes from our closets and our families had a nice lunch and visit. Then we saw my eldest sister and niece for a bit. She has nine hound dog puppies. The are really cute and unusual looking. A few of them have stripes & two look like they were dressed up in camoflouge. Same colours and everything. Pretty cute.

Last night was the start of Vacation Bible School at our church. It's always loads of fun. :-)

This morning, I went through the clothes and found a shirt for me and one for the mil. The rest is going to CCSC along with a bag of maternity clothes leftover from my pregnancy with the boy. I hope that someone can use them. :-)

It's nice to get the extra stuff out of the house. Sometimes, I feel like I'm drowning in crap. It's not junky stuff, just things we don't use anymore and haven't gone through. My next big project is to go through the boys baby toys. That will take some time because I'm going to clean out his closet as well so his toys can live in there instead of 'out-in-the-open'. Wish me luck!

I walked my three miles, fed the boys and am about to push through another load of laundry, take a shower and take the mil to a dr. appt. (check up) and drop off the stuff at CCSC. After that I should be done with busy stuff until dinnertime. Wooo Hooo! Lucky me! Actually, I am quite lucky and blessed. I know that not everyone can say the same.

God's blessings to you all! mhn for short.

So Far This Week

2006-06-21T15:48:00.000-06:00

So far this week I've only walked two days, Monday & Tuesday. I've had pasta three times this week AND am going to have it again tonight. At least I'm cooking at home instead of eating out. I've been eating really badly this week and this past weekend. I've been munching on dry roasted peanuts and honey roasted mixed nuts. Normally, I don't do this, but lately...

I've been dealing with petty shit in my head, so I guess it's gotten me a bit off track. I'll probably take my walk late this evening, seeing as there is nothing decent on tv. I'll be trying to work off the food I ate today.

Man, I hate feeling like this.

Joke

2006-06-19T09:05:00.000-06:00

A Baptist Preacher was seated next to a cowboy on a flight to Texas. After the plane took off, the cowboy asked for a whiskey and soda, which was brought and placed before him. The flight attendant then asked the preacher if he would like a drink. Appalled, the preacher replied, "I'd rather be tied up and taken advantage of by women of ill-repute, than let liquor touch my lips." The cowboy then handed his drink back to the attendant and said, "Me too, I didn't know we had a choice.."

My Theory

2006-06-13T13:45:00.000-06:00

Ok. So I have this theory. It is not founded by any proof AND there is ABSOLUTELY NO PROOF OF THIS IN THE BIBLE.

Here it is:
When you die and go to Heaven it is a wonderful, SINGULAR experience.

When you go to Hell, we are all going together in a party bus!

That's my version of purgatory. You'll be sitting beside the person that you despise the most for ALL of eternity and THEN you'll get to roast in the pits of HELL with that said person.

Ok, so that's my theory. Take it or leave it.

Clean Clothes at Last!!!

2006-06-12T13:15:00.000-06:00

Clean clothes, clean towels, an empty(almost) closet; WOW I've been busy!

On Monday, the part for the washer came in and we had to wait until Thursday for the technician to replace the bad part with the new one. Thank heavens it worked!

Thursday at 12:30am the boy came in with ears hurting. The hubby took off of work to take him to the doc as I needed to be at home to watch the baby & wait for the repairman. Sure enough, the boy had a slight infection in both ears. He was so afraid that he wouldn't be able to be in the wedding, but I told him that he would be on the anti-biotics for a full 24 hour period, so he would be ok by the time of the wedding.

The repairman came in and fixed the machine. Boy was I HAPPY! The first load was towels, the next was casual clothes for the whole fam, then work clothes for the hubby. Now I'm just working on the pile. It's getting there.

I cleaned out my closet yesterday. I've lost 2 dress sizes by walking and am getting rid of my giant clothes. I never want to go back to that size again. If I don't have clothes to grow into, then I won't. I'm passing them to a friend and the ones she doesn't want/need she can give them to the Red Cross or some other charity. I can't believe how nice it is to have my clothes take up less than half of the closet. I also cleaned out two trunks and my drawers as well. Now, I actually have room for my clean clothes. Three bags and counting. Of course, one bag was my maternity clothing. That bag is going to a shelter or CCSC.

I was also pleased to discover that I have enough clothes that fit (not all new) that I won't have to go on a shopping spree. Yea! Trying to save money over here.

Now as I wash the clothes, I'm going through them and setting aside all the big clothes for charity and putting away the rest. Pretty soon I'll be able to shop in the skinny chick section. It's almost too bad because I really like the clothes at Lane Bryant, domage...

And a Good Time Was Had By All...

2006-06-12T12:38:00.000-06:00

Our pastor's daughter got married on Friday night. I sang 5 solos and lead the congregation in one hymn and the boy was the ring bearer.

It was a beautiful wedding, candles lit the church and at the reception the chocolate fountain flowed. I forgot to have the hubby take a picture of me all gussied up, but the photographer is a member at our church, so I might ask him if I could buy a copy of the pictures that he took of me and the boy.

Most of the people at church didn't even recognise me at first glance, then they realised it was me and went ga-ga. :-) It was a really major departure from my normal appearance.

The music went really well, compliments were made to all of the musicians. It was a lovely service.

Ahhh, Saturday Morning Activities...

2006-06-03T09:06:00.000-06:00

Ok, so here we are on a lovely Saturday morning. Things I SHOULD be doing:
Paying the bills (YIKES!)
Doing the dishes(oh wait, the hubby already did those, Yippee!)
Doing laundry (can't, washer still not operational. Blast those people at SEARS!)
Cleaning house (Are you kidding? Why would I want to do something as mundane as cleaning the house????)

So, what AM I doing besides blogging this fine day in Hurricane season? I am getting ready to make the Pre-Service Music for our Pastors' Daughters' wedding. She has picked out some really lovely songs. We will be playing the four most popular movements from each of Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Happy Ending from the Little Mermaid soundtrack, Wedding Cantata #6 from Bach (We are Lutherans, we have to have Bach SOMEWHERE in the music...), and of course Air on the G by Bach and various other beautiful compositions that are usually associated with wedding music.

I'm also working on my 5th solo for the shindig, Butterfly Kisses. She wants me to sing it when she and her dad have their dance. It's going to be sweet, although since it was written for a man, I'm not really sure if I should sing it in my female range or if I should sing it in my lower chest voice. I've got to get the hubby to sit still long enough so he can listen to it both ways and in both keys, so he can tell me which sounds better. It's really nice to have a person who will tell you the truth and not just say, "Oh, they both sound great..." I've got all of the other solos down pretty well cold, so they just need a little polishing.

I'm also going to have my hair done. I'm pretty excited since I don't do this very often. The last time I paid someone to put my hair up was in 1999. I didn't want to spend the $50 bucks to have it done (trying to save money here.), but the hubby decided after trying to help me do my hair that in order to save our marriage, we should spend the $50 bucks and have someone else do my hair. He was right of course. I am WAY TOO PICKY about my hair and like to have it "just so" for special occaisions. I'm picky about it for everyday, too.

Anyway, with hair, make up and clothes; I'll look very nice, almost as good as I hope to sound. I'll have to get the hubby to take a picture of me "all-decked-out", so you guys can see that I can clean up well. ;-)

I better get movin'; burnin' daylight!!

Delete, Delete, Delete...

2006-05-30T21:40:00.000-06:00

So, the hubby's phone sucks. So he's using one of our old phones that we never got around to donating to the women's shelters. He went through and deleted a bunch of numbers that I had programmed in the phone, you know, since it used to be mine.

Several of the numbers were quite satisfying. People we don't or won't talk to anymore. Yes, we are mean s.o.b.'s and there ARE people that we choose not to speak to. Indeed, we are going to hell. See ya on the party bus.

Today, I have spent the majority of it trying to contact SEARS to find out the status of a part that the technician ordered two weeks ago. HOLY CRAP!! We will have to wait until June 7 to get the part in to fix our washing machine!~ June 7!!!! That's almost A MONTH without a washer!!! I told the lady, who had the unfortunate task of calling me, that this was unacceptable and that SEARS needed to change their procedures.

We've had our Kenmore Elite Calypso <----stated in full name so you won't go buy one, break down on us 4 times in the last year and it flooded our garage twice! Even the technicians say that they are crappy machines and NOT to buy one. Each time the bugger broke, it took 3-4 WEEKS to get it working again.

As soon as we are up on our service agrgeement, we are replacing the albatros for a cheapy model with no whistles and no bells. I refuse to have a machine that thinks it is smarter than me, other than my G5!

Update on the MIL

2006-05-30T11:12:00.000-06:00

Thank you to all of those who sent out well wishes and prayer for my mil. She's at home now and was diagnosed with cellulitus on her arm and it was discovered that she kind of overdosed on her blood pressure medicine. That was so scary. They changed her meds and now she is home with her husband for the time being. He has to return to work soon, whereas then, the hubby, boy and I will take over caring and watching out for her, as it is our pleasure to do.

Thanks again for the kind and loving concern you have shown for my family. I love you all, mhn for short.

An Occurance of Thought

2006-05-27T23:05:00.000-06:00

My mil is doing better. She is still in the hospital, but she is getting stronger. She says that her back feels much like it did the last time she had back problems; when the cancer came back and settled in her spine. I worry about this because she has stated that she doesn't want to fight the cancer again, if it should come back. I have willed her to live once and I am fully prepared to do it again, if need be. Please join me in prayer that it isn't cancer and that it's just the blasted diet she has been on that has thrown her body out of wack. She's lost 21 pounds in 4 weeks.

I had the realisation today that I have saved a life, literally. If I hadn't gone by my mil's house to check on her, even after phoning and getting no answer, she might have died. That thought frightens me to my very core. One day, we will be too late. And upon further thought, it would probably be Owen again who finds her for the last time. That thought also saddens me greatly. Makes me shudder is more accurate.

This will be the second time in my life that I have directly saved someone's life, just by doing what was required. It takes so little to do what is required and yet so many people won't do even that much. My husband called me a hero today. I don't think that I am. I just did what anyone else would do and what I hope someone would do for me, should I rate enough thought from anyone.

The first time that I saved a life was my son. He was eight days old and, unbeknownst to us, he had reflux, which is very common among newborns. So much so, that they don't consider it a defect or mallady, nine out of ten newborns have reflux (so the doctors told me.).

I was trying to breast feed the boy and he would never latch on. He finally got a good suck and he went limp and turned blue. I looked at him and almost panicked, rolled him over and rapped him on the back, turned him back over and he was still blue. I put my mouth over his nose and mouth and gave him a breath. Half way through that first breath, I remembered "SHALLOW". If you give an infant a full breath, you can make their tiny, little lungs explode, so you have to give them shallow breaths. I turned him back over and looked at him, he turned pink, then blue again. I gave him another shallow breath. He turned pink and something rolled out of his mouth. He was breathing on his own. This was the first day that I was at home alone with him. I thought that I had done something wrong. I called the nurses hotline at the hospital and they said to bring him in right away. A few days later and many tests run on him, they diagnosed him with Reflux. They prescribed a riggerous medicinal schedule and we were sent home and he eventually grew out of it. Though we did have bouts of projectile vomiting when he spat up.

That was THE MOST FRIGHTENING moment of my life, until I saw Linda lying on the floor Thursday morning. I told her today that I was so glad that we had a standing appointment on that day to go to her weigh in. I also told her how sorry I was that I didn't call her the night before, like I usually do after American Idol to chat about the contestants. She told me that it wasn't my fault, but that she was glad that I came in when I did. Me too.

Prayer Request

2006-05-25T17:28:00.000-06:00

Today my son found his Gammie on the floor in her bedroom. She had collapsed and had been there since yesterday some time after noon. We called 911 and the ambulance took her to the hospital. I haven't heard much. My husband is with her as well as her other sons and her husband is on his way home from Dallas. Since he had been inbetween jobs and is working contract, she doesn't have any insurance and her medicare doesn't "kick-in" until July. Please pray for her recovery and that the hospital bill won't be outrageous, although I know that it will be. Thank You. m.

Interesting Developments:

2006-05-25T06:19:00.000-06:00

I received an interesting phone call on Monday afternoon. I was taking my mil and the boys(Owen & Roo-Bear, I got him back :-)) to H.E.B. to pick up a few things for the pantry and I noticed that my phone had a message on it. I'm standing in the middle of the store trying to listen to this rather involved message from someone that was referred to me by a parent that knows a child that I used to give voice lessons to. (Did ya get all that?)

So the upshot is, there is a music position open at Horn Elementary and I have come "highly recommended" by some of the parents and the principle wanted me to submit my resume. I took my resume in on Tuesday morning. Not 5 or 6 minutes later my phone starts ringing. I'm trying to merge into freeway traffic on Loop 610 and merge to Hwy 59 so that I can get out to Sugarland for mil's appointment. It was the school's secretary, she wanted to know if I would be available for an interview Wednesday morning at 9am. Not being one to turn down a potential opportunity, I had Linda(mil) tell her yes, since I was driving...

Now, it has been literally YEARS since I have had an interview. I wasn't sure what to wear because all the other interviews I've had have been in the corporate world. So I wore a charcoal grey pants with a black cardigan and a green tank underneath with my little black pointy toed shoes. I must say that I was a bit over dressed compared to the rest of the employees, but they had jobs there already and I didn't.

So anyway, the interview went well and they will be continuing the process through next week. I really don't think that they will hire me. They are a magnent and vanguard school, so they really need to hire fully qualified teachers. As I only have a two year degree and they need someone with a four year degree, I really don't think that I will get the position. That's fine with me because if I did get it, it would mean a lot of logistical juggling for me in regards to getting the boy to school and me to work on time. His school is 25-30 minutes from the house and Horn is 20 minutes away from the house in the opposite direction. With us having only 1 car, that could pose some issues getting the boy to and from school.

Also, I drive the mil anywhere she needs to go because currently she's having trouble seeing and doesn't feel confident in her driving. Now that I have little Roo-Bear back, I DO have some income to help suppliment the household income, so I really have the perfect position to do all the things that I need to, to help my family. So, I really don't think that they will call, but if they do; I'll have many things to consider.

Other Developments:
I have gone down 2 whole sizes since I started walking!! Yeah me! It really makes me want to keep up with the 3 miles a day. Now I want to see just how small I can get, almost purely out of curiosity. I'll be cleaning out my closet on Friday and taking my clothes to a friend who wears my old size. Yea, more room for new clothes!

Missing Out

2006-05-19T12:13:00.000-06:00

Today I went through a bag of clothes that was handed down to my son from a friend of ours. The boy saw a Batman nightshirt that had a cape with it. Of course he put it on with no time wasted and I attached the cape to the velcro that was on the shirt. He was so cute as he ran down our hall. "Mom, is the cape flying?", he asked all excited. "Yep, it sure is!".

He put on his shorts and sandals and wanted to go see his Gammie down the street. I called her to make sure she was home before I let him walk down the street and around the corner. She was home. I walked him down and crossed the street with him and Gam met him in her driveway. As soon as he crossed the street, he started running with that cape flying behind him. He ran straight into her open arms and gave her a hug and a kiss and showed her his cape. They were both waving at me and smiling. I couldn't help but laugh from joy. The pure joy that is in your heart when you see your child absolutely and perfectly happy. I am so incredibly fortunate that we have the pil's around the corner from us.

My parent's don't really "do" anything with their grandkids and it hurts all of us girls. I know in my head that they are not as young as they used to be and it is hard for them to get out and about. We visit them as often as we can. I can't help but feel that they aren't the only ones missing out on getting to really know their grandchildren, their little slices of immortality. I try not to let it "get" to me, but when I have a perfect moment like this morning, I just know that MY parents would have loved to see my son run down the sidewalk with a cape flying behind him going straight into their outstretched arms.

I wonder how long it will be before there is no more opportunity for them to know him and we will not be able to see them anymore. It's breaking my heart.

Life at Ground Zero

2006-05-14T21:38:00.000-06:00

Here's what the hubby had to say about my conversation with the PO. Interesting insights...

Ok, So I was Gonna Tell You About the School...

2006-05-14T20:34:00.000-06:00

Thursday I went by the school which the boy is zoned. On that day, I figured that I had better face the music and get the boy registered in the neighborhood school because he wasn't going to make it in the vanguard program. I was crushed, but still had to do what must be done.

I had the boy and the mil in the car with me. We pulled up and took the spot that was under the tree. It was like 90 degrees or so outside. They opted to wait for me in the car(with the windows down, of course; seeing as I would only be inside for a minute.). While parking, I notice a police car sitting outside the school.

I walk into the office and I'm the only anglo in the room. No biggie, I've been that before. I get the information and walk outside back to the car. I notice that the police officer is going into the school, but not rushed, you know??? He was talking on his cel, but I interupted him anyway. He was really nice about it. This is how the conversation went:

Me: Excuse me, but can I ask you a question?
PO: Just a second(talking to the person on the phone.)
Me: Oh, sorry.
PO: That's fine.(to me.)
Me: How often do you(Houston Police Department) have to provide security to this school?
PO: Not any more than the other schools.
Me: (I'm sure that I registered a look of slight alarm) Oh...
PO: We come by every once in a while to check in, drop in on the school. And sometimes there are fights and we have to break them up.
Me: Oh, ok. (Aw, Hell!)
PO: Well, with the influx of Katrina evacuees and the high immigrant population, both African and Mexican, there is alot of conflict, racial-
Me: And cultural?
PO: Yeh.
Me: Ok, well, Thank you. Good bye.
PO: Good bye.

Ok, needless to say, I was FREAKED! Totally F****** FREAKED!!! I told my mil what he said and then I told her, "One of two things is gonna happen to my kid if he goes to school here;
1. He'll either become a "hood"
or
2. He'll get beat up everyday."

The idea of the police having to be called in on a fight at an ELEMENTARY SCHOOL was insane to me. I can see breaking up a fight in middle or high school, but primary school???? Oh MY Gosh!!!!! It still boggles the mind...

She was trying to make me feel better by uttering something wise and sagey, but all I heard in my panic was mumble, mumble, mumble...

I spent the rest of the afternoon and evening AND the next morning slightly on edge until the mail came.

I looked in the mailbox, which wasn't touch by a mail carrier until 4pm!, and saw that there was a BIG envelope from ASKEW!!! I knew immediately that he had been accepted. Why else send a large envelope? Rejection letters come in "letter" sized envelopes. So, anyway, I squeal with delight as I'm opening the rather large envelope and tell Owen, "I bet you got in." He reads, so of course he already knew that the parcel was from Askew. I screamed and he said, "Mom, you're hurting my ears!" "Sorry Owie." Then I proceed to read the letter to him. Now we are both screaming, "I/You got into Askew! Yea!!" There was MUCH rejoicing in the "Short" household! I called the hubby and I was so excited that I could hardly talk. He was
alarmed that maybe one of us was hurt and then I was able to calm down enough to tell him the news. Well, now all I have to do is fill out the paperwork and get it in by May 18 or his spot will go to someone else. You all know what I will be doing tomorrow.

We are all excited and I made sure that I gave a big hug and a Thank You to the woman who had been encouraging me to have him testing for the Vanguard Program for the last 3 years. She knew he was a "shoo-in". I guess that I always knew that too, but until the paperwork is in your hands, you can never be sure.

Wooooooo Hooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2006-05-12T22:59:00.000-06:00

Owen got in the Vanguard program and passed his test with flying colours!! Yea! No going to the school he's zoned to! Had to share the news while my interweb was working. More on the school stuff later! love ya! chelle.

Question of the Day: Answer; Telephone or in Person

2006-05-09T19:49:00.000-06:00

I prefer to talk to people in person meself. Or in the blog response boxes. That's been pretty fun.

A Real Post

2006-05-09T19:48:00.000-06:00

Hey! It's been a while since I've actually WRITTEN a real post. Although it does seems that you guys are enjoying my questions of the day. :-) I know that I am! :-D

Well, driving home from my friends house yesterday, I look in the back seat and what should I find as I'm peaking in the rear view mirror but this:

He looks so much like my dad when he sleeps. He was totally crashed out in his car seat. So much so, that when the hubby drove up in his scoot and honked the horn, the boy didn't budge. He was a tired baby sweetie!

Something Else:

This is a picture that I took on my phone forever ago. I just made it so I could send pictures to my e-mail from my phone. Nice little trick. I've sent 4 home. I hope that I'll still be able to afford living in my house this month...

We saw this cauliflower at Central Market last year. It was strange and beautiful, so it warranted a picture. Enjoy. :-)

Question of the Day: Telephone or in Person

2006-05-08T21:06:00.000-06:00

Would you rather talk to someone over the phone or in person?

Question of the Day: Swimming Pool or Natural Water : Answer

2006-05-08T21:02:00.000-06:00

I'm a pool girl all the way. I don't like murky water. It scares me. I too like to be able to see the bottom.

The swimming pool we swam at as teenagers has a swordfish painted on the bottom of the deep end. It freaked me out to swim over it. I was SO glad when they repainted the pool a light blue with NO fish on the bottom!!

Question of the Day: Swimming Pool or Natural Water

2006-05-05T09:54:00.000-06:00

Which do you prefer swimming in, swimming pool or lakes/oceans?

Question of the Day Answer: Favourite Ice Cream

2006-05-05T09:47:00.000-06:00

My favourite ice cream in Haagen Dazs Strawberry with Blue Bell Cookies and Cream being a close second and Ben and jerry's Phish Food finishing out the top three.

Of course my favourite of all time......

Amy's Ice Cream Belgian Chocolate Shake with real whipped cream!! on Shephard and Greenbriar off of Hwy 59 in Houston, TX; across from 59Diner!

Question of the Day:Favourite Ice Cream

2006-05-04T15:16:00.000-06:00

What is your favourite ice cream, flavour AND brand?

Question of the Day: Answer to How Old

2006-05-04T15:10:00.000-06:00

Wow! I really got a great response from that question. Thank you all for sharing.

I must have been a prude because I didn't lose it until 3 weeks before my 21st birthday. Although, it WAS during spring break!

And well, the fella.........I married him. :-D

Question of the Day: How Old

2006-05-02T19:37:00.000-06:00

How old were you when you lost "it"?

Question of the Day Answer: Games

2006-05-02T19:31:00.000-06:00

Some very good games and a couple of them were on my fav's list. My favourite games are...

Spades
Phase 10
D & D
Taboo
Trivial Pursuit

Game I would like to learn to play is:
WHIST

It's a card game played mostly in the 1800's by "ladies and gentlemen". I have it in my Masque Card Games on my pooter. I want to play a real game though. It's kind of like Hearts or Spades. All I need are three other peeps. Any volunteers??? :-)

As You Can See, I'm Back!

2006-05-01T08:58:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful time at our friends house on the Carauncua Bay. There were nine ladies and 2 babies. We watched Chocolat Friday night and Xanadu Saturday night. We had the occasional strawberry margarita and pina colada. We had bible studies and worked on the quilt. Took walks in the neighborhood, gathered shells on the shore, visited with each other and had a very pleasant weekend. I can't wait to go back. Our friend said that she'd be open to having this be a yearly thing. I know that I'd love it!

Owens' Test

Dave said that he stayed in the testing area for the full time that they allowed for the test(45 minutes to 1 hour). That's a pretty good sign. The kids who are not up to the task are usually brought out early. We couldn't get too much information out of him about the questions they asked, but it was apparent to me from what little he DID say, that they engaged him in conversation and was able to get other information out of him besides just what they were testing for. We should have the results by May 8 or so. I'm nervous and a little scared because it's not enough for him to do well on the test. He has to be agreed upon by a committee. I hope he does well. Please pray for us. The school he is zoned for is crap and we can't afford private school.

Question of the Day: Games

2006-05-01T08:57:00.000-06:00

What are your favourite games, and I don't mean mind games, to play?

Mine tomorrow.

Let the Torture Commence

2006-04-27T13:56:00.000-06:00

This was my thought as I entered the dressing room at Wal-Mart this morning. I am going on a trip this weekend with a pack of ladies from church to our friends' house on Matagorda Bay. I was on the lookout for a

swimsuit. :-0

I tried on 4 suits and found #3 to be satisfactory.

I also bought some toiletries and a few games to occupy our time. The games I'm bringing will be Texas Hold 'Em poker, Bunko, Phase 10 and plain playing cards. We'll also be bringing our quilting stuff to work on while we are there. Hopefully, we'll get the majority of the quilt for our pastor's daughters wedding finished this weekend. I need to start the cross stitch block showing who worked on the quilt. I really should have it done by the time we get to Port Alto. Better get moving, still have to finish laundry, pack, go to choir , and, and, and...

Told the Family About the Tattoo.

2006-04-26T05:44:00.000-06:00

Well, I finally told the mil about the tattoo. I was a bit worried about this because she doesn't think that women should have tattoos and really does not understand the whole mark your body for life thing. That's totally ok. There are things in this world that I do get either.

Needless to say, she was none too happy about the tattoo although she did appreciate the beauty of it. I asked her if she still loved me and she said that she'd always love me, but she wasn't sure she'd give her blessing. Dave & I both told her that we weren't asking for her blessing, but that we felt that she should hear about the tatt from us and not someone else first. I think that she appreciated that show of respect.

She started teasing me that I was giving her palpitations, "You're just trying to get rid of me so you won't have to take care of me anymore." I told her "No. I just got it for me and it had nothing to do with anybody else, just me. " I told her that I look at it everyday at it reminds me to be the person that God made. It inspires me to be a better person and Christian. I tell ya, there was a part during the process, when he was having to really dig in, that an image flashed through my mind of Christ getting his flesh ripped from his body during the flogging and I thought, "Girl, you better not complain cause you signed up for this(literally) and it's not a millionth of what Jesus went through." That pushed me on to the finish.

When we left she was still teasing me about the approval or dispproval of the tattoo, but she had a twinkle in her eye, so I knew that I was still in her heart. As long as she doesn't have to look at it all the time, she's cool with it.

Monday, I went to the old hometown to see my oldest friend. She and I have been close friends since Kindergarten. We got to spend the majority of the day together and our kids had a nice visit. She has two tattoos, so when I showed her mine, she loved it. Her daughter really liked it too.

She gave me a cd, notebook and a pretty bookmark for my birthday. The cd was Jamie O'Neal. She sings this song called "Somebody's Hero". I had heard of it from our pastor's daughter. It's about mom's and what all they do for their kids and how when they get old, the children become the care givers. She told me to listen to it and when I did, I balled like a baby. I've since had the cd in my player in the car and have listened to it constantly. It's a great cd. I love track four, "Devil on the Left". It's well worth the listen.

After my visit with C, I popped in on the Mum and Da. They took the boy and me to dinner. Man, we had the best queso and visit. I showed them my tattoo and they liked it. Mom liked it so much that she looked at it several times. Whew! My folks took it much better than Dave's mom, but then my two older sisters have tattoos so, they paved that path for me. My sister K and her daughter S really loved it as well. We sat in K's backyard and talked and laughed until almost 10 pm. I took ma and pa home and made it to my door by 11:30pm. Poor Owen had to go to school the next day. I'm not sure that he's caught up on his sleep yet, but that visit was well worth the deprivation. I didn't get to see my other sisters, but I plan to go back again soon, as I have a few things for C, so I'll show the other K and S when I get down there.

So, thus is the response of my family about the tattoo. In general I have gotten a really lovely response from most people. Lucky me. Well, got to take the boy to soccer practise. Blog at ya l8r!

'Bout MHN

2006-04-21T12:37:00.000-06:00

5 Things in my fridge
1. Milk
2. Creme horns <--- deadly, but I love them. Keep up that walkin' Girl!
3. Grapes, Strawberries, Apples
4. Cheese
5. Dave's skin study meds

In My Closet
1. 2 trunks full of clothes that are by now too big. Yea!
2. jeans
3. Black Trousers
4. Pink sheer blouse
5. black wrap around dress

in my handbag
1. phone
2. notebook, in case inspiration strikes or I find a good recipe.
3. 3 lip glosses (Bare Essentials)
4. Wallet
5. loads of receipts

in my car
1. Stroller for my 'little charge'
2. books for the boy
3. booster seat for the boy
4. dental floss, you never know when your going to need it.
5. Killers' CD, plus a few others

in my DVD Collection
1. All the HP Movies, big surprise!
2. LOTR Series, again, big surprise!
3. Pride and Prejudice
4. Connie and Carla <---- that movie is a HOOT!
5. Van Helsing

Enjoy!! Thanks Serendipity!!

When It Rains, It Pours

2006-04-21T07:14:00.000-06:00

This morning I was awakened by some gnarly weather. Lighting, thunder and heavy rain swept through our area for about and hour and a half. I really thought that at one point I might have to call the fire department because of the lightening being so close to the house. I was sure that my house would catch fire. The boy was scared half to death by all the racket. David had wanted to take my car at 5 am this morning to go to work. I'm glad that I agreed. He asked before the storm started. Smart guy, always checking the weather before he heads out. :-)

The power went out for a short time, but at least my flower beds were well watered, especially since I didn't get to it yesterday. :-)

Well, a week ago, I bumped up my two mile walk to a three mile walk at least 5 days a week. I'm really enjoying it and have found that if I miss a day, like yesterday, I get grumpy. A grumpy Dreamer is not someone that ANYBODY wants to be around. I'll be walking later this morning. I've been pretty pleased with how fast my body is responding to the exercise. I'm shaping up quite nicely. The hubby is enjoying the benefits of my labour as well. I guess the boy is too, since I haven't fallen over with a heart attack at any of the practices or games. That's a good thing, right? That WAS the whole point of walking, to get in shape to be able to keep up with the kiddos.

The mil and I have to make desserts today for a LWML Zone Rally that is been hosted by our church on Sautrday morning. It should be fun to get to spend some time cooking with her. I'm so fortunate that my mil is not only a great mom, but a wonderful friend as well.

Well, I better get a move on. The day is waiting and I don't want to miss it!!

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!

The Rant Zone: Harry Potter and Ignorant People

2006-04-20T09:10:00.000-06:00

I read this article this morning and I was totally irritated by the complete ignorance and arrogance of alot of people . If I've said it once, I've said it a hundred times, "How can anyone comment on things that they know nothing about?"

This woman and others like her have never read the Harry Potter books and continue to say things are in them that will corrupt our children and our society. How about being a responsible adult and actually reading the the books instead of relying on someone else's opinion for your own. Have you not a mind of your own? Can you not read the material and come to your own conclusions?

That's what I did. I knew that the Harry Potter books were popular and I also knew that someday my child would want to read the books. So, as a responsible parent, I read the books first. I was pregnant when I read them and found nothing in them that would compromise my faith. I also know, since reading the material, that I would not let my son read them until I felt that he was secure enough in reality and his own Christian faith to know full well that these are works of FICTION! Fiction people!, not the devil.

I do know that Satan works in wylie ways and is quite sophisticated in his seduction, but these books are more about Harry's relationships and getting through his life than wizardry. If I thought that by reading these books my son would start doing blood sacrifices and worshiping the devil, you better believe that the books would no longer be in my house.

The woman stated that because she has four children, that she didn't have time to read the books. Yet she has time to read all of the stuff written against these books? She actually equated them to pornographical material. “I’ve put a lot of work into what I’ve studied and read. I think it would be hypocritical for me to read all the books, honestly. I don’t agree with what’s in them. I don’t have to read an entire pornographic magazine to know it’s obscene,” Mallory said.

Well, until she does "real" research on the matter, her opinion to me is a load of bunk. It's just a shame that she would deny a generation of children the joy of reading just because she doesn't like books that she has not and has no intention of reading. I've said this a million times, but here we go again; self-censorship is a wonderful thing!

Happy Birthday To Me

2006-04-13T21:02:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday to me. This is what I did on my birthday....Happy Birthday to me. This is what I eluded to on my previous birthday post.

As most of you know, if you are a regular reader, I have wanted a tattoo for 15-16 years. It has been a decision that I have struggled with for a long time. I made the decision after a long year of really thinking it over and over and over, etc. On April 8, 2006 I received my tattoo from the best artist ever~ Aaron Dale at Shaw's Tattoo in Houston, Texas!

BTW: this is me with my new glasses. I promised a pic a long time ago.

Anticipation: Me waiting for Aaron to get his station set-up and ready for the tattoo.

They had me sign my life away to make sure that I knew what I was doing and was of sound mind and body(not crazy and no sicknesses or pregnant.)

Just before I got the tattoo, the hubby asked me, are you sure you want this and I told him, "Other things get under my skin, why not some ink?" Aaron chuckled and agreed with a head bob.

The hubby and I went in for a consultation with Aaron in December. I wanted to meet him and talk to him about a design. I told him that I was thinking of either a phoenix or a butterfly. That I'd like to have both, but had not seen the two together in a design. He asked me what it meant to me and why I wanted the tattoo.

I told him about the phoenix AND the butterfly being symbols of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. I told him that I didn't want the tattoo to be overtly Christian. I wanted people to look at it and ask questions. I also wanted the phoenix and butterfly to be facing each other in acknowledgement of each other. I love how she is looking at the butterfly and holding it in her wing.

This is what he came up with.

We decided to make the phoenix a female eventhough they are traditionally male, but since I'm a girl, I wanted the design to be feminine. The above picture is the stencil for placement on my right shoulder. No pain, so far~so good.

Then came the first line, not too bad. I think that I can handle this. The whole time during the process I was thinking his hands are nice and warm. Since I have generous hippage, his legs were resting on my hips, lightly. Again, he was very warm and it made me feel quite secure and comfortable. He was confident, sure and most importantly~fast! He had the whole thing outlined in no time flat!

Now in reality, the pain was killing me, or at least I thought I was going to die. I was trying really hard not to be a wimp about how much it really hurt. Keep in mind that I didn't take any pain meds before, nor was I inebriated. Totally sober and of sound mind and body. It was strange, the pain that was just about unbearable wasn't where the needles were, it was at the end of whatever nerve he was getting close to. I tried to make a little small talk, but I was quietly groaning for most of the tattoo. It took 2 hours for him start-to-finish. He took a couple of smoke breaks, but I wasn't going to ask for a break. It's better to get those things overwith as soon as possible. The hubby was trying to make conversation, but I told him that it was just like when the boy was born, "Don't touch me and don't expect me to talk back." Not trying to be mean, but I'm not a "touchy" person and when I am in pain, I don't want to be touched and unlike me at any other time, I am quiet. <----- Shocked, right??? Here's what it looked like when he was filling her in.

Yep, that's my blood and a lot of ink.

I've been rubbing the tatt down with A&D ointment four times a day. Well really, the boy and the hubby have been doing this for me since I can't reach. The boy thinks that the tatt is really cool and beautiful. He had a lot of questions about the design, so I explained it all for him. It was just the reaction that I wanted from the tattoo. Here's is the mostly healed, final product:

Click on the picture to get a better view. This was one of the better pics. I'll have the hubby take a better one after she is completely healed and not peeling anymore.

Seriously, if you want a tattoo and you are in the Houston area, go to Aaron Dale at Shaw's Tattoo on Westheimer in the Montrose area. It's a very clean shop with a great relaxed vibe and Aaron is the Man!!!! He's the only man I'll ever let touch my naked skin, besides the hubby, of course! ;-D

It's a Mystery...

2006-04-13T09:15:00.000-06:00

Ok, so I was looking around on classmates.com the other day and had noticed how many people from my hometown, population 17,458 or so still live there. It's a small town with not much to offer. Heck, I got out of there as quickly as possible. I still have a few friends that live there and wonder why they came back. The last two years that I lived in my hometown, I was never IN my hometown.

So I'm just curious, why would anyone want to live in a small town where there is basically nothing to do, and more crime per capita than the fourth largest city in the nation??? It's a mystery to me...

From This Side... 37 Doesn't Look So Bad

2006-04-10T20:49:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I turned 37 years old. 37 was a number that never occured to me before. I don't think that I saw past twenty-five. It's not that I didn't think that I would make it this far, but the thought of being a "real" grown-up never even entered my thoughts.

When I turned 31 I got pregnant with my son. It was a good birthday, I was surrounded by my friends singing kareoke at a place which is now a parking lot, sippin' on margaritas. I took one sip from that drink and traded with one of our friends drinks, he had water. The drink was unusually strong that night and I knew that it was a posibility that I might be pregnant. That was a great birthday.

My birthday celebrations started on Friday. My car is FINALLY repaired.

Here's the low-down on ALL of the freaking repairs:
1. New Heat Sensor
2. I had them change the oil & replace a bum turn signal while they were at it.
3. They replaced the Serpantine Belt.
4. New Water Pump.
5. New Radiator.
6. New Computer that runs the engine, a/c and transmission.

The car runs better than she has since she over heated last year trying to escape from Hurricane Rita. Thank God that most of the repairs were covered under the "Extra-Care" Warranty. We only had to fork over a little over $300. Not too bad for all the work that they did. They had the car for almost two whole weeks trying to figure out the problem. That didn't count the week they had it in the body shop from the wreck on March 16th. I'm so very glad to have my car back.

Saturday was the first game of our soccer season. So, what was the very FIRST thing that I did? I accidently backed into the corner bumper of one of my kids parents vehicles. Not a scratch on his blazer, but my corner bumper is now concave. No biggie, he was very nice about it and since they didn't have any damage, he said not to worry about it. Again, thank you God... The kids scored two goals and blocked two goals and had a blast. They ran their little legs right off, mine too.!

Saturday night, Dave took me out on a date. We spent two hours together of which I will discuss at a later date, stay tuned... and then we went to Katz' for dinner and came home and went to sleep(I had an early call at church on Sunday.)

Sunday afternoon we went to a friends house for a couples gathering . It was a blast and they surprised me with a card and a birthday cake. I almost cried and I know that I turned several shades of red. It was great. I recieved phone calls from my sisters, all of them, :-) and my parents, which was really nice. I hadn't talked to my family in a while, so it was nice to catch up with them.

I know that I am only two days into 37, but so far, it's pretty good. 'Night.