It's Paycheck Friday, Weekend's Here, Good God Almighty!

Sorry, a little carry over from last night's Toby Keith concert........ Let's get Drunk and be Somebody!
Or whatever.
That concert rocked!!!!! Rushlow & somebody opened for him first, they were former members of the band Little Texas. They were alright, no real stage presence or firing up power. But then Joe Nichols came on and he rocked the house!!! He will probably tour alone next year, I don't understand why he isn't now. He is such a cutie and what a voice. Of course those of you who really know me would know my favorite song by him, "Tequila makes Her Clothes Fall OFF!" He did not disappoint on that one either! He even got down and walked through the crowd!!!!! What a hunk!
Then came Toby. What can I say? He brought back memories of the old KISS concerts with the jammin' and pyrotechnics. He sang every hit and even changed things up a little so we knew he wasn't lip synching anything. His patriotic songs were a huge hit with this military town, several earned him a standing ovation. He also brought out Lindsey Haun, who sings with him in his movie "Broken Bridges" That young lady has a strong voice! She reminded me of Martina McBride, hitting all those notes and holding them.
Toby closed the show with "Angry American" which of course brought the house down here. Even DH was up out of his seat jammin' to that one.
If he comes to your town make sure to see him. You will not be disappointed in his performance. And he is pretty easy on the eyes.

:J

Happy Birthday!

Since it is your birthday, I'm coming up with a list of ONLY 10 things I love about you.

1. Your heart is always in the right place.
2. You always put me and the boys first.
3. You respect my opinion, even when we don't agree. (Which isn't often)
4. You are a calm in any storm.
5. You think things out logically and patiently. Even when I am neither logical or patient.
6. You still hold my hand every day, even if it's just when we are watching TV. Kiss me good bye every morning when you leave for work, and kiss & hug me hello when you come home.
7. You watch "Chick Flicks".
8. You tolerate my "ideas".
9. You have been around the world and have seen it all, now you give me my chance to do the same.
10. You make me feel loved, needed and wanted. When I see you pull up in the driveway after a long day I still get giddy. I know you will always be there for me, and I for you.

God Bless the Broken Road, it led me straight to you.
Happy Birthday

:J 

A Few Shots of Halloween

Just a few shots from Halloween at school. I was amazed at the kids that DIDN'T dress up! They had had Haunted Hospital the night before as a fundraiser. It was a sell out! The Medical students set up a "Haunted Hospital" in their wing of the school. I didn't get to go, but heard the wounds were very real looking and even the parents were scared! Good Job Kids!
On a less scary note, here's my friend Beth and her DGD, Roni! She is so adorable!
This scarier looking bunch are my buddies MaryAnn & Sue. MaryAnn is my Margarita buddy, Sue is a Packer fan like me and great to be around! Mar's shirt reads, "You can't scare me, I work at the school!" LOL!

Short blog today. Hope you enjoyed the pictures! 

Happy Halloween

It's the haunting night! When the kids were little, I loved Halloween. Now that they are grown, it's lost it's magic for me like most holidays have. But I am stocked up on "the good" candy, as soon as Patrick carves the pumpkins today, we will be ready for the little darlings.
Let's hope they don't end up a tree like this little witchy poo did in the woods at my sister's house last week. I think she lost her sense of direction! I think this is one of the cutest Halloween decorations that I've seen in a long time.
Speaking of cute, you have to admit my friend Jules makes an enchanting vampire! Her gummy fangs were a little crooked, but then we are in the south where everyone's teeth are a little crooked!
Last but not least, here's the big pumpkin, where's Charlie? Or was she waiting for Carlos? And what IS she wearing under there? This was the Head Pumpkin from Creepover, she sure knows how to put on a great party! Oh and she can scrap too!

Have a Happy & Safe Halloween! It's hard to believe tomorrow is November!

:J 

What a Time!

Let's just start off with those girls from South Florida who know how to party! It was such a good time at Creepover. Linda & her crew really know how to put on a shindig. We cropped, we ate, we played and we laughed!!!!! I think the only thing missing was a proper amount of sleep.
The first night we had a little bit of a rain storm that brought some wind with it. A huge branch fell right outside the rec room we were cropping in, just missing our cars! This pic is of everyone pitching in to clean up! Always doing our civic duty!
The park we stayed in was gorgeous! Mike Roess Gold Head State Park in Keystone Heights Florida. Cute little cabins with real fireplaces, screened porches and hot showers. We took a break from scrapping to take a nature walk on the ravine trail. The water in the stream was about a foot deep and crystal clear. The stream meandered through the thick brush.
We even had a monkey man visit us. He must have cast "good scrapping" spells on all the girls as alot of beautiful work was done this weekend. Actually he was part of the costume party on Saturday night. So, So FUNNY! I laughed so hard I thought I was going to wet my pants! Our evenings entertainment was provided by the Village People, complete with all the dance moves, with a bit of embellishment and ad libing! Although they should have had a pirate in the group as someone spent the night asking everyone "Where's my F---ing RUM!" You can't tell it from the picture because Michelle's head is in the way, but I hear the police "man" was really packing. And we aren't talking guns here. That's the first installment of my diary of one of the funniest weekends in my life. Come back soon for more installments of How I Spent my Weekend Cropping and Didn't Finish a Single Project.

:J 

I'm off to Creepover!

The car is packed! I was amazed at what I could fit, and I still have the whole back seat empty! As soon as I get some pics loaded on the jump drive, I'm off to Creepover in the Woods for 3 days of fun and scrapping mayhem!
I'm excited to meet Jules & Kip & Linda. Jules, Kip and I will be cabin buddies, so I hope my snoring doesn't keep them awake! I'm also bringing stuff for s'mores so a campfire of some kind is in the works. Ooops! better be sure I take matches!
Wish me well, I'll be sure to blog when I get back and post pics!

:J

What to Bring, What to Bring!

I'm in the midst of packing for my very first weekend crop. Well outside of going to my sister's all weekend that is. There is no way I can take all that I take to her house! So I'm in the midst. What do I take?

Let's see so far I have this;
Camera
Cutter
Ruler
Pens
Scissors
Hole punch/setter thingy
Adhesive
Adhesive remover
Inks
Stamp Cleaner
4 kits to do
Clothes
S'mores stuff
Big Campfire forks
Blanket, sheets, towels & washcloths

So should I take my Cricut and my six cartridges? All my buttons? A bunch of embellies? Lots of Ribbon? Stamps? HELP!!!!
I've been to crops before, but never a whole weekend one. Will we really be scrapping much? Or being mischeivious? What kind of stuff will I be able to buy? Bunches????
I am stopping by most very favorite LSS in the whole world (so far) so I plan on getting stuff there. I just know I am going to get to the campground and say "GEEZ! I should have brought that!

:J

A Happier Week

I'm going to be more cheerful than my last post, so here's some things that made me happy lately.
Campfire at my sister's house. Every year toward the end of October, my sister holds a cookout/campfire for all her husband's retired work buddies and we always get invited. They make a huge campfire in their backyard, we eat potluck and sit around and discuss the "world situation" as she says. The group I sat near was discussing books they have read. One of the ladies had the most gorgeous southern lady drawl and I was satisfied to just sit and listen to her talk.
Packers Win! Yes they beat the Miami Dolphins this week. What made it even more joyous was three things. They beat the Dolphins so I was able to dish trash to all those Dolphin fans I work with who give me heck about my team every week. Go Pack! Second good thing. I came in First in the pool we have with a bunch of friends from DH's work. I picked the most winning teams this week! Since I am the only woman, it felt good to reap revenge on a bunch of Chauvenistic males. Third, Brett Favre threw no interceptions! WOOO HOO! Lately he has been plagued with interceptions.
The Fair. Friend Linda and I used the free passes that came with our cable bill to go peruse the exhibits at the fair. Really neat things there! Our HS kids placed first with their FFA booth (see blog two blogs ago) They worked hard on it. Looking at the other booths, I was glad to see my picks for the other places matched up with the judges.
Creepover I can hardly wait to get to this Scrapping Campout! What a blast it is going to be to finally meet Jules, Kip and Linda. We have shared many good times through our scrapping on cyber places, now it will get even better in person! I love the park we are going to, many good times when we camped there years ago!
I've been Googled! In checking my site meter, I noticed that some one in South Carolina googled my maiden name and it led them to this site. How I will never know. I can't think of any one I even know in So. Carolina, let alone anyone who would know my maiden name. So if you are still around, pop in and say HI!
Well that's it for happenings around here, I'm off to get ready for work, I think I will wear my new hippie blouse I have been waiting for cool weather to wear. If I don't get moving, I'll be late!!
Make today count!

:Jayne

Catching up from the Weekend

It's been a weekend since I last blogged. Uppers & Downers & Uppers again. Where do I start? I guess with what I most want to get off my chest, and then I can get happy again.
We had some very upsetting news on Wednesday evening. A very close friend of ours who was like a second father to our boys when they were growing up, committed suicide last Monday. To say we are in shock is a huge understatement. Frank was not the a man you would ever thought would do this. Successful, great kids, great wife, great life, well respected, just never would have thought he would do this.
Frank & his wife Chris, and their boys, Jim & Steve, were our first friends when we moved to Pensacola. They lived across the street from us in Navy housing. Frank & my DH, Chris & I, Jim & my oldest son, Daniel, Steven & Kevin, my middle son, became fast friends. Of course everyone took care of the my youngest, Pat. We did scouts together, Frank as Den Leader, Rick as Asst, and then vice versa. Frank & Rick ran the Webelos side of Day Camp the years I was Day Camp Director. Frank was Kevin's soccer coach. Chris & I did all the school volunteering with the boys, we all ate meals together, we watched each others kids, we even camped together on non scouting campouts. When Frank got sent to Panama, and Rick went to the Eisenhower, Chris & I stayed behind in Pensacola with the boys. The boys always wanted us to just get one big house and all of us live together. We got each other through lots of hard times. We were even camping together when I found out my dad had died. To say the least we were unseperable for many years.
So now he goes and does this. WHY? I am angry at him. He has a great wife, one son who is in the Navy as a Lt. in the Nuclear Sub program at Bremerton, the other is an accountant for the largest auto dealership in our city. Why Frank? Why did you do this, and then to have to have Chris come home to find you! WHY? I will never understand. My heart breaks for Chris and the boys. I am so angry at him. How selfish! but it's okay Frank, your friends will help your family pick up the pieces and move on. But you will never see your sons marry, hold your grandchildren, or take them camping or through scouts. Your sons will, they are good men, very good men. I hope you DID see that.
I'm sorry I have rambled on way too long. I promise to be a happier blogger tomorrow. Frank was a good man whom I deeply respected. I am terribly sad but very angry at the loss of his life so unnecessarily.

:J

In Case You were Wondering

40 Questions about me!

1. What is your occupation? Adult Vocational Education Data Specialist & Athletic Dept. Secretary
2. What color are your socks right now? Barefoot - I live in Florida!
3. What are you listening to right now? The hum of the hard drive and Amarillo Sky in my head.
4. What was the last thing that you ate? Gumbo, Fried Mullet and 3 French Fries.
5. Can you drive a stick shift? Yep
6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Watermelon
7. Last person you spoke to on the phone? My oldest son
8. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Yes
9. How old are you today? 46
10. Favorite drink? Dasani Water
11. What is your favorite sport to watch? Green Bay Packer Football
12. Have you ever dyed your hair? Nope, I'm a virgin Which color?N/A
14. Favorite food? Cuban food & Manny's Pizza
15. What was the last movie you watched? Monster In Law
16. Favorite day of the year? The Last day of School
17. What do you do to vent anger? YELL
18. What was your favorite toy as a child? My Barbies
19. What is your favorite, fall or spring? FALL
20. Hugs or kisses? Both
21. Cherries or blueberries? Both
22. Do you want your friends to email you back? Yes
23. Who is most likely to respond? Monkey girls
24. Who is least likely to respond? Jason, my brother, but if he does, you will Laugh yer butt off!
25. Living arrangements? In a house??
26. When was the last time you cried? Today
27. What is on the floor of your closet? Shoes & a box of Scouting Books and lots of Dust
28. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending this to? Dunno, Depends on who reads this
29. What did you do last night? HMMMM, I plead the fifth
30. Favorite smells? Rain, Babies, Sweaty little boys, Lilacs
31. What inspires you? Nature
32. What are you afraid of? Losing my memory
33. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers? Cheese
34. Favorite dog breed? My Lab/Chow mix
35. Number of keys on your key ring? Which Key Ring? I have 3. One has 2, One has 3 and One has 5
36. How many years at your current job(s)? 3 at this school, 14 with the district
37. Favorite day of the week? Saturday
38. How many states have you lived in? 4- Illinois, Virginia, Indiana, Florida
39. Favorite holidays? Any that I can get my whole family in one place at one time.
40. Ever driven a Motorcycle or heavy machinery? Yep Motocycles and Tractors.


Okay now copy and paste and post yours!

A Day at the Fair

It's Fair week in Escambia County! Actually our Fair is 10 days long, no one can pack this much fun into just one week! Today was Fair set up day. The FFA kids from our school always put a lot of hard work into their booth.
FFA, for those of you city folk, is Future Farmers of America. The name changed to something more politically correct in the 90's, but for the life of me I can't remember what it was changed to. It was FFA when I was a kid, and it will always be FFA to me.
Future Farmers of America teaches the youth of our country about the agriculture and farming vocations. It's not just about farming. There's lots of science to it.
Think about it, everything we eat, and most of the things we use had a start in agriculture. In Florida, the first agricultural item people think we grow is oranges. WE don't even grow oranges in our county!!!! Not commercially anyway. Escambia county is known for peanuts, cotton, sorghum and grains.
I was recruited to help because my friend, Melissa, the FFA advisor, has been having back trouble this week. I was supposed to help the kids set up, and Melissa was supposed to sit back, supervise and direct the show. HA! She is so stubborn, we couldn't stop her. She even got up on the ladder. I admire Melissa, she is a can do girl. But she needs to rest that back! Fair week is just beginning! I ended up cutting out all the labels you see, while Melissa & kids labeled everything agricultural. That's one of the rules! The kids even remembered to label the bat & ball, ashwood and cowhide, because it is commercially produced agriculture!
They did an awesome powerpoint presentation on agriculture and featured Commissioner Bronson, our Florida state Agriculture Commisioner. He talked about his start in ag, and how it took him all the way through the legislature and to the Commisioner position. The kids teased that we would all have it memorized by the end of the day, and someday we would need to know something on that presentation for the million dollar question. The powerpoint will play continuously throughout the fair. It also has a part that the background music is the song, "Amarillo Sky" I love that song! It is a country song but I don't know who sings it.

Finally our time was up and we had two minutes to get out of the building. The kids, Melissa, that's her on the end in blue, and Ms. Vail, our Vet teacher, on the other end, posed for a quick and blurry pic. We didn't care, we were so tired and ready to go. And at 4 p.m. after two long days of booth building, we did!
It was a long, hot, humid day, but it brought back many of my fair memories from 10 years in 4H. I hope the kids do well, we have always brought home blue for our display ever since we started 4 years ago.
Good Luck kids! Keep up the winning tradition for WFHS!

:J 

Wonderings & Blitherings

It's mid week, A good time to be a blithering, wondering idiot.
Why is it the week I can take hour long lunch hours and leave campus to eat, it rains every day? We consider it one of the "bennies" of being a 12 month employee. When the rest of the staff and students aren't there, we can go to the restaurant of our choice, eat a meal without inhaling it, and return to an afternoon of blissfully working in peace and quiet. So far not this week. We're shooting for tomorrow as the day of freedom. Some of us have a workshop on Thursday and most of us took a day of leave for Friday. Tomorrow, we're doing lunch. If it's not raining that is.
300 million people. Boy this is getting to be a crowded country. How many of us are here legally? Or are the illegals in or out of that count. I wish we could pick and chose which illegals get to stay. Lately here I have seen alot of hardworking men from south of the border put our town back together. I see them in the stores, buying food, cleaned up after a long hard day doing what many of us refuse to do, hard back breaking work. I see them with their families, together shopping together. They are always polite, sometimes more polite than we are to them. They are clean and dressed, not always with the latest fashion name brand emblazoned across their chest. But they are clean and wear their pants pulled up. I would pick them to stay. Can we pick people to send south of the border? I won't mention names. But names aren't important, actions are.
Speaking of actions, I've been pouty today. I dunno why, just am. The Birthday was great, I look foward to tomorrow, 20 Years!! and the weekend and seeing my sister. and the next weekend, meeting the girls for Creepover. Anyway sorry for being pouty.
George Strait's new CD is worth the price. His voice is so smooth.
Dancing with the Stars. It's time for Jerry to go home. Joey after him, and then let Mario Emmitt and Monique show them what dancing is. Emmitt is a hometown boy, my vote is for him, but Mario can dance for me anytime!
How bout those Saints and Bears!!! I see them both going far!
So I have rambled, probably offended, but this is me. Blithering.

:J

In Broad Daylight!

Today was my first early day off of the week. I got home about 3, ready to search for a chicken wing recipe (which I found) and make my husband his favorite Japanese Chicken Wings. I set about cutting up the wings into drumettes. Why are they drumettes? Why aren't they wingettes? Anyway, cut them up, floured them, fried them in real butter, made the sauce, poured the sauce over the wings, and put the pan in the oven to cook for 1 1/2 hours. Feeling a bit tired, I went to the living room to sit in front of the big window and watch the world go by.
I noticed a white car in the driveway at my neighbors. It looked like their car but not quite. Something was different. I noticed a young man ducking in the driver's side door like he was putting something in, or taking something out of the backseat. He then got into the car and drove into our cul de sac, stopping right behind my car, then he proceeded half way around the cul de sac and stopped. The next time he started he went back to the drive he pulled out of and stopped. Then he took off quickly down the street. It almost looked like someone who was learning how to drive. It was then I saw him. A fairly well dressed young man (if I didn't know my son was in the backroom, I would have thought it was him) in khaki shorts, button up short sleeve shirt and black ball cap take off running after the car. The really surprising thing was, he was carrying my neighbor's table router. OMG! by the time I got my shoes on and ran to the street they were long gone. They were ripping off my neighbor's garage and when I came to sit down they must have seen me. When I first saw them, I didn't give it a second thought, it looked like their car, it looked like their son kinda. It wasn't until the young man went running down the street that I knew something was wrong. In broad daylight, 4 in the afternoon.
I knew my neighbor would be home soon so I watched for him. When he pulled up, I went over and told him what I saw. I felt bad I couldn't stop them, I felt bad that it was too late to call the police. I felt bad that this is happening in our neighborhood far too often nowadays.
I am in shock and feel violated and it wasn't even my home.
As we talked my neighbor said that they must have been casing the house and watching. Our other neighbor, Bob and my neighbor Mickey are both usually home at that time of day. Both are retired, and Bob or his wife are usually outside. They are our neighborhood watchdogs. But today neither was home.
So now we will watch a bit more closely at the people walking and driving by in our quiet little corner. The real world has invaded our utopia.

:J

Celebrating Another Day!

Yes the rumor is true, today I turned 46. One year farther into adulthood, one year closer to being a senior citizen. Not that I buy into the age thing. It's not about age, it's about living life everyday! Besides somedays I still feel like a teenager, and some I feel 80 (usually directly following a day I THOUGHT I was still a teenager!)
I figure since I am older, I need at least two days to celebrate now. Yesterday, was a shopping, eating and napping day. While I napped, my DH shopped for gifts, and afterwards we drove to the beach to pick up a pizza, which we brought home and ate while watching Auburn cream Florida. WOOHOO! This Noles fan was glad to see that!
Today has been nice, quiet day. The kind I wished for when the boys were little. We made biscuits and gravy for breakfast. I got a new sewing machine from DH. My first brand new machine that has never been used by anyone! I have had a few sewing machines, but they were only hand me downs. The dog got me Photoshop Elements 5. He's such a good dog!
Patrick gave me a big hug & kiss before heading out to work two double shifts at Sonny's. He also thought I was only 42. Bless his heart!!! I love that boy.
So no big plans today, no cake, no party. My gifts, unmaterial, happen everyday. I am so blessed. It sometimes sounds so trite, but I truly relish the simple life I lead. As long as I wake up everyday next to my DH, my children are happy and productive young men, and I have a picture to scrap, life is good.
I will never see world peace, our world will never go back to what it was when I was a child. So I am thankful for every day God gives me, so I can make a difference for the good. That is the greatest gift, one more day.

:J

I Haven't Seen This in Years!

This morning I fit in to a sweater. Not just any sweater, but one of those cutesy sleeveless sweaters with a matching cardigan. And not just any cutesy sleeveless sweater with matching cardigan, but a size 16/18 Misses sleeveless sweater with matching cardigan! I am basking in glory. However short lived!
Sure it could just be the brand. Sure it could just be cut large. But Helga and Berta fit into THIS sweater, on this day and I am rejoicing! Will they fit after I wash it? Will they fit next week with water weight gain? I don't know, but for now I can say, 16!!!!! Okay yes there is an 18 there too!
It just feels good to wear something that fits in the shoulders AND in the chest. It drapes my body as clothes should. It encourages me to try on other size 16/18 clothes and not head immediately to the "women's size" and browse through the granny clothes. I feel fashionable today. I feel cute. I feel skinny!
It may not be long lasting. I will probably pig out on some dessert that I don't need to eat, I will probably skip my walk a few days. I'll be back in the women's dept soon. But for now I am a size 16/18!

:J

Morning Monday!

It is crisp and cool here this am. I love this weather, but it makes it hard to get motivated to go to work as I want to stay home and be outside.
I had a great weekend and got alot accomplished that I wanted to do. DH & I cleaned out our closet and took tons of clothes to the mission. He got rid of alot of flannel shirts and sweats. I hope they get those on the shelves soon, with this cool weather they will be needed. Now my challenge is to not buy more clothes to fill the closet back up. We both still have enough clothes to outfit all small country. I counted DH's Packer shirts and he has 13 of those alone! Not to mention his Harley shirts and souvenier shirts. We put alot of his stuff in a "work shirt drawer" so those will be gone as soon as they get messy!
I organized my stuff, summer on one side of my closet, winter on the other. It will make it easy to get dressed now that we are in "transition weather" I still have tooo much stuff. I don't know how the pioneers did it with so few clothes.
My reward for cleaning was scrappin'. I finished two pages and they are up at the Monkey Board. I'm still not ready to post them anywhere else. It's easier for me to put it out where I know people will say kind things, not ready for the world to critize me!
I am so frustrated with my Packers. They show so many moments of brilliance, where I think they are going to win and then in one move blow the game. I know Favre still has alot of good games left in him, he has a young offense that is molding into some awesome players. I just wish we could keep it together for a whole game. But like my own kids, they are my Packers and I love them when they are good, and love them when they are bad.
I'm off to the real world.
Have a Marvelous Monday!
:J

Thyri

The first ten years of my School District career I spent in a PreK classroom as a Teacher's Aide. It was one of the most rewarding times in my life. I loved the children, our program and our school. We were a 200 student school of only 4 year olds. We were like family.
In my ten years there, I had many students I adored, but like most anyone who spent time in a classroom, I had some I will never forget. That is how I came to know Thyri. (Tie-ree)
Thyri came into our classroom every day with a huge smile that lit up his face, a hug as big as a gorilla's, and a happiness that radiated my soul. Thyri was the second oldest of four children being raised by his mother in a housing project nearby. Aside from his smile, good nature and his eagerness to please, he was an average 4 year old boy.
Because he was 4 years old, he had energy that most of us wish we could bottle. He wasn't hyper, but all boy through and through. Since I couldn't harness that energy, we spent many a day on the playground at outside time running laps. Thyri would race the entire class and win everytime. Some days he would run laps around the playground alone, each time stopping to ask me how he was doing. I would reply, "Very fast, but I think you can run faster!" To which he would take off again at top speed.
Over the years I thought about Thyri, his smile, his energy. I hoped all was going well for him and his mom, who expected the best from all her children, manners, cleanliness, honesty, good grades. From time to time I would hear about his sisters, but never Thyri, until this past Thursday night.
Thursday night my younger son's high school, West Tech and my older two boys high school, Escambia, played each other at a 9th grade football game. I was manning the pass gate, which gave me a good view of the stadium, so I got to watch the game in between checking passes. Not many people come to 9th grade games, so I could see most of the game. During the first quarter, Escambia had the ball on about the 50 yard line when all of the sudden #14 took off downfield for a touchdown. I heard one of the boys standing there say "Did you see Thyri go?"
In my mind I made a connection, there couldn't possibly be more than a few Thyri's around. Later on, as I was talking to my oldest son's old soccer coach, this same #14 blew down the field again for a touchdown. This time the coach asked one of the boys, "Was that McBride?" It was then I knew it was my Thyri.
"Thyri McBride?" I asked the coach. "Yes," came his answer. I then told him the whole story, how he was in my PreK classroom, how he ran and ran and ran every day at playground time.
"I guess all his running has paid off" was his comment to me.
I brought up his name later in the game to the Asst. Principal, who is also a friend of mine. He told me that Thyri still had that same huge smile, and a great attitude in school. He told me I should see Thyri after the game, so I did.
I stopped him as he came up the hill but no he didn't remember me. (they never do from PreK) I congratulated him on his 3 touchdowns and told him the story about all the running he did in PreK. I told him that I heard good things about him and I was proud of him. The whole time, he smiled and laughed and nodded, genuinely interested in an old woman's tales of his childhood. He told me his mom and sisters were doing fine. Finally, I shook his hand and let him go on with his teammates, but assured him I would be in the stand cheering him on for the next 4 years.
I never in a million years dreamed that energetic, running boy would go on to be the fine young man he is today. Talking with him that night I still saw that same smile that came through the door and lit up my day so many years ago. We have both touched each others lives. You just never know how.

:J

My 5 Wierd Things about ME!

Everyone who really knows me knows how long I had to think to come up with this list. But finally I did. So in no particular order and in graphic detail my list.

1. I can not drink out of Soft Plastic Tupperware cups. Nothing is more gross to me. I prefer glass, but if that is not available, it has to be clear, plastic, or I just do without.

2. I cannot clean up two things. Dog poo and People puke. I have shoveled all kinds of manure, even skipped school to do it. but Dog poo just gags me. And the other, well I am a sympathy puker. My children, thank god, never did that whereas I would have to clean them or it up. They always got sick when DH was home or made it to the bathroom. Sometimes I could hand them a washrag to wipe themselves with.

3. I cannot drive without some kind of air circulating in the car. I prefer the vent to windows down, but can drive in a convertable all day long.

4. I cannot eat grits. I must have been autistic in a previous life, I am a real texture person.
Grits taste alright, I just can't stand the texture. They make my mouth hurt.

5. I can't stand to see someone lick a knife. Again, the mouth hurts.

So now I tag 5 people to list their five wierd things. Make sure you tag 5 people too!
Kip, Sandy, Nichole, Pam C, and Peggy. It's okay bro, I know you read and don't post, EVER!

:J

My Baker's Dozen

After yesterdays depressive blog I decided to think of some things that make me happy. In no particular order here they are;

1. Visiting my hometown. The picture above is taken at our State Park, Mississippi Palisades. Sorry it was hazy that day.

2. My family. Any and all of them. It is so fun to be with them.

3. A Packers win. Just watching them play makes me happy, but I'm happier when they win. Actually I just love any football.

4. Beach & Pizza. It's a great date.

5. My dog, Dakota. He is such a great dog, he makes me laugh, he protects me. He has my fathers soul.

6. Flowers. Not bouquets from a florist, live ones growing everywhere, blowing in the breeze.

7. Paper. New paper from the scrap store. It inspires my imagination.

8. Cole's Fried Chicken, greens, candied yams, cornbread. Soul Food, nuff said.

9. A good Margarita. Any thing seems possible with one in your hand.

10. My hubby. I guess when I still get goosebumps just looking at him after 20 years, it must be love.

11. Travel. Some days I just need to know that soon I am going somewhere, anywhere, away from here.

12. Cheesecake Factory. It should be a sin.

13. Rain & Laughter & Lawn mowers running in the afternoon. Rain and Laughter are the best two free sounds in the whole wide world. Lawn mowers running relax me, I don't know why, it must be the constant hum going back and forth, rocking my mind to sleep.

What is your Baker's Dozen?

:J 

Outrage!

I am shocked at the news of the shootings in the Amish school. That was a sick, sick man. I have read his turmoil over the molestation of his young relatives. I read his grief over losing his daughter. But to kill the most innocent of all children when they have done nothing to him? It's the most horrific of crimes.
I have visited in the Amish community near my in laws home. I have a deep respect for the Amish, their pure living, their love and respect of God. These young girls have not been exposed to the violence of TV, music and movies. They more than likely had not heard of the recent school shootings in our country. They were the most innocent of innocents.
My heart breaks for their families, friends and community. It breaks for the intrusion of our maddening world into their quiet, gentle lives. I cannot imagine what those 5 surviving little girls will have to suffer with for the rest of their lives.
I question my own faith at times like these. How would I be able to forgive someone who did something so horrific to innocent children? Why does God let this happen? An Amish grandfather quoted in our paper said it best. "We think it was God's plan and we are going to have to pick up the pieces and keep going. A funeral to us is a much more important thing than the day of birth because we believe in the hereafter. The children are better off than the survivors." How true.
I pray for them, the survivors, the families. I pray for the shooter's family. I pray for our country to be given the answer to these outrageous crimes against our children. I pray to find forgiveness in my own heart.
Somehow this all has to stop. Our answers need to come soon.

:J

I Challenge Him

Often when I need to really hear it, I ask my DH "Why do you love just me?" His answers vary, and sometimes when he tells me, I tell him "Nope, heard that one before, you have to give me a new one." It's a game we play, a silly one.
Mostly he says, "Because you are you" or "Because you are here for me everyday." But I know it's also because of things I do for him and that I let him watch football all day without complaining. Sometimes he tells me, "Because love is an unexplainable emotion, it just happens." But even without hearing it, I know he loves me.
My favorite answer was, "Because you challenge me." That answer developed into one of those all night conversations where we giggled ourselves silly long into the night. So I continue to challenge him.
DH is a puzzle nut. He loves puzzles of any kind. Sukodu, Crosswords, Scrabble, Mechanical puzzles, and yes jigsaw puzzles. He's tried many different kinds of jigsaws. The shapes, mosaics and photomosaics. I found this one at Hobby Lobby and used my coupon for it instead of much needed (HA!) scrapbooking supplies. It's called "The Games We Play" I thought I had challenged him. But I didn't. He cursed a few times at it, but finally got it together in 10 hours. I guess I will have to continue to be his only puzzle, his only challenge.

:J

Happy 57th Anniversary Wally & Kathy! my in laws 

Six and a half

Six and a half is such a fun age to be. I think of all the family reunion attendees, Ben had the most fun. What boy wouldn't? He had plenty of woods to run around in. Plenty of Uncles & cousins to play with, more food, cookies and soda (or Pop as we call it) than any Six and a half year old boy could possibly eat, and grandma and aunts who just couldn't do enough for him. Yes, Ben was loving life at the reunion.
Ben loved the wax teeth brigade. That was his first experience with that. He got the act down quite well don't you think?

Ben was my walking buddy every day he was there. We walked "around the block" 2 miles everyday. One day we picked roadside flowers and I showed him how to make "forest crowns" He proudly wore his and we deemed him "King of the Pines" There was quiet time too. He concentrated intensely to put his first model together. He was thrilled when his BIG cousin, Pat helped. He was so proud.
Ben even tried to show us tricks. Like balancing a ball of his Grandpa Moe's head while Grandpa tied his shoes.
Oh to have a boy so small again! I tried to talk his mom and grandmom into letting me squeeze him into my suitcase and bring him back home with me. His mom was all for it, but for once, Grandma said no.
I guess I will just have to be happy with our yearly visits, talks on the phone and Where's George tracking expeditions. I just wish he wouldn't grow up as fast as my boys did. I think Peter Pan had the right idea.

:J 

This is the Family I Married Into

I sometimes question things I have done in my past. Truth or Dare games, bellyflops for cokes, skipping school to clean horse stalls. And now this, the family I married into, or at least most of them. Sad to say I bore one of these people, he is my flesh & blood. This is what we do for fun at a family reunion in Wisconsin. We dress the old people, the babies and a few others who may have had a drink or two, in ridiculous wax mouths and take group pictures.
I could blame alcohol, but most of them don't even drink. I can't blame genetics as a few of them aren't related by blood. So it must be something about spending time in the woods of Wisconsin with 30 members of your immediate family for more than a few days. It does something to your sanity.

Family traditions continue on, lets hope it's the last we see of the wax lips.

PS Mine is the one in the brown jacket on the right side. Right in front of the little one who is attending the first reunion he will remember. He probably thinks this side of the family is a little wierd and will kick and scream not to go back to the woods to visit them.
Some days I wonder.

:J 

Patrick Learns Patience

He was the one who didn't like little kids. They are too noisy, too demanding and too messy. What did he think he was at that age? He says he doesn't want to have children. But if he does, he says he is only having one. That was until he met Ben.
Ben & Patrick have always hit it off. Patrick doesn't know it, but Ben is him, when he was Ben's age. Smart, funny and very inquisitive. ALL BOY! Ben is Patrick's 2nd cousin, son of Patrick's cousin, Sarah. Ben is also quite taken with Patrick. He warmed up to Patrick quicker than he did any of the other cousins the first time they met.
One day while I was shopping with Ben & his mother, we found a snap together helicopter model that Ben just had to have. He had never put together a model, but I knew he could do this one with a little help. So in the cart it went.
The model went untouched for a few days when suddenly in the middle of the family reunion, Ben decided he wanted to put it together. Patiently he asked everyone to help him. "No, not now" "Wait til everyone else leaves" "The little ones will ruin it" were several of the answers he got from us adults not wanting to leave our fun.
That's where Patrick came in. "Come on Ben, we'll go in the house and do it."
So this is where I found them, at the table, intently working, Patrick's hands quideing Ben's.

It's one of those moments when I realized my little boy was grown up. He does have patience with little ones, he will be okay as a dad. Not once did he raise his voice in frustration, as a matter of fact he barely spoke above a whisper. Quietly and patiently explaining to Ben how to put the model together, step by step, letting Ben do the work., telling him how well he was doing with this model. I wanted to hug him so much right then. Tell him he was also doing a great job! Just when I thought it wasn't possible, he does show me he is maturing.
Then not an hour later, I caught him back being Pat, as he and his brother roughhoused with Ben the way their uncles did them when they were that age. "Holding you ransom by your toes!" or "We'll pull you apart and eat your ribs!"

Boys will be boys. From one generation to another family traditions continue. It's just too bad sometimes that little boys have to grow up. But when they do, it's good to know there's still a little boy left inside them.

:J 

Football, Fundraising and Mind Wandering

It's been a busy day for me. I was up and at it early this am. The morning was a cool one, which makes it hard for me to go to work. I love fall weather. Usually I take that first cool morning off work, just to stay home, sit on the deck and enjoy the day. But today didn't allow that, it was too busy to call in sick.
I am about caught up at work from my "vacation". Tomorrow is file and attendance day. I need to get some records ready to send downtown to get microfiched. That will give me tons more room in the vault.
I had a football game to work tonite. Had three great helpers. Cheyenna is an old (Ha! she's a baby) buddy of mine, we help each other out on various projects, Doug who is a newbie and Tish, who is older, but new to our school. We had a blast. I blew Doug's mind when I asked him where he went to college and he said, "Grand Valley U" and I replied, "Michigan!" He was awestruck, surprised I knew that. I had to confess it's where my best friend went to college. I asked him if he knew what the old college letters GVSC (Grand Valley State College) stood for. "Give Virgins Second Chances" He said no he had never heard that. He's a great kid and signed up to volunteer more! YIPPEEE!
Our team didn't have so much fun, they lost 18-14. Poor guys, just can't seem to win a game. They are young, JV team, so they have time yet. I missed the whole second half as I have to take the money to the bank.
After that I ran by Chik-fil-a, the girls soccer team was having a fundraiser there. Since Cheyenna's future husband, and my other son, JW, is the coach. I felt I had to support him. That and I wanted to see him dressed as the Cow!!! What a hoot! They had a great turn out so I hope they made lots of money.
Grey's Anatomy did not disappoint tonite. WARNING! Do not read further if you don't want to know what happened.
My heart broke for the man who was quarentined and lost his wife. Miranda did an awesome job with him. I was sobbing!
McDreamy is an ass. I am so not liking him. Maybe because I love Finn, he seems like such a great guy, wonder what's lurking in his past.
Did your heart not break for Izzy? Anyone who has loved and lost felt her grief. I balled like a baby for her too.
George, oh George, you are still such a backward farmboy. I gotta love ya!
Okay, am I the only one who sees this, my prediction, look for an Alison/Alex pair up! I'm telling you it's gonna happen! But I also see Alex/Izzy coming back together, to really put a twist in things. We'll have to see what happens. I love that show!
It's midnite at the Western Gate, and tomorrow is an early day. Which means off early, which means I'm heading to Michael's to see about Cricut cartridges. I have vacation money left, so I think I might spring for two cartridges!
Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much,
:J

I'm Baaaaack!

What a trip it was, it was a trip! Took tons of pictures, hugged lots of people, counted turkeys and deer, shopped til I dropped, scrapped my heart out, traveled miles of country roads and ate way too much food! I loved every minute! I don't even know where to start to tell you about it all.
Plane trip days were panicky, I worried about the boys flying too and from, but as usual I worried for nothing. My sister gave me a scare when she called and said Patrick wasn't at the airport when she went to pick him up, but it was all for naught. His plane was just delayed! I wish she would have checked that before she called! I was in the middle of shopping when she called and had no access to computers, tv or even my hubby to check to see if all was okay. So that was a panicky moment!
I love small little towns. They are so clean and landscaped, at least the ones I went through are. I told DH we really need to go visit Wisconsin in mid-February, so that I can experience the cold blowy snow again and remember why I moved south. The pull to move back there was so strong this time.
It was good to see family again. The little ones have grown so much! It was good to see my boys become kids again with the little ones. Patrick helped his second cousin Ben put his first model together. They did a helicopter. I'll have to post a pic later of that! Ben loved my boys, Kevin played football with Ben, every one chased each other thru the Pine trees.
I must get going, it's back to the land of data and students. More later, after I unload the camera!

:J

My Bags are Packed, I'm Ready to GO!

Alot has come together in the last 24 hours. The bags are packed. The golf clubs cased. The nuts shipped, and the boys know what they are doing. Or so they are telling mom.
DH and I sat down again with DS3, the virgin flyer, on what to do and how to get to the plane on time. Thankfully, my sister will be here to get him up and to the airport. We've gone over the check in process, what to put in your bag and what NOT to carry. He knows that no matter how funny he thinks it may be, pretending to talk foreign languages while looking crazed is not a good idea in an airport. Nor should he say words that may lead authorities to handcuff him and haul him to jail, for his parents to hear his name on the nightly news. He has been told he will rot there if he does! I realized the conversation was sinking in when he asked if it would be okay to take a book.
We are all excited, can't wait to get to the woods with family. Can't wait to count our blessings one by one in person. Hug, kiss, laugh, eat, drink, snuggle, and just be relatives. What will be the big "cousin's secret" this year? Every year the younger generation gets together to catch up with each other and they tell "cousin secrets" Happy secrets, sad secrets, dreams and wishes, they are all shared one night real late around the campfire after the older adults have gone to bed. It used to be a kid thing, but now our youngest kid is 19 and another generation will be telling cousin secrets around a campfire in a few years.
We are so blessed with this family. So many good times and some sad. This will be our first reunion without Rick's brother, Steve. He died in February of complications from Parkinsons. Our reunion this year is dedicated to his memory, on his 55th birthday. Steve loved a good time, and I know he will be smiling down on us.
So blessed. Good family, good times, in a good place. I will be sure to thank MIL & FIL for all they have blessed me with. Especially a good husband, I will let them know again, they have done well.
I feel like a kid on Christmas eve, I can hardly wait.
I will miss you all, count your blessings, tell everyone how special they are to you. Live like there is no tomorrow, Love each other.
:J

Getting Down to the Wire

First of all, I have to say GO FSU! It was so nice to see them beat Miami last night! GO NOLES!

Enuf of that. It's crunch time. It's have you packed this? Did you order your mom's pecans?
Do you know your brother's flight number and what time he gets in? Does he know yours?
I feel like the ringmaster at the circus. DH needs to order pecans for his mom, 6 pounds of pecans. She uses them to bake cookies for the church bazaar and gives 3 pounds to friends. It's his mom, he works just around the corner from the pecan place. He can do this. Has he yet? NO! One day left to order the pecans.
I took 3 phone calls from my middle son today while I was at work. When is Patrick's flight? That was call one. We have that squared away. Call two was, "Who is paying for Patrick's third of the rental car?" Okay answered that one. Call three, "Can I get directions from the airport to Grandpa & Grandma's?" How would I know this? I have never flown into Milwaukee! "Call your grandfather" was my answer.
MY clothes are ready. Tomorrow night I will do ONE load of laundry, then I will place everything in the suitcase. DH still has to get clothes ready for my approval. (If he had his way it would be all ratty shirts and greasy pants) Which is fine for most of his time. But he does have to have clothes in case we come out of the woods for something.
My only quandry is what scrapbooking stuff to take that won't raise the eyebrows of airport security. And, do I need to go buy a bigger bag to fit all of it in? LOL! I guess if DH is taking his golf clubs, I should be allowed a bag the same size of scrappin' stuff, right?
Why did it seem so much simpler when I had three small boys, packed it all myself, and loaded them in a van for a 22 hour trip?
Back to packing.
:J

Counting Days, Counting Blessings

It's no long weeks, but days till our big trip to God's Country. I remember our first visit to my in-laws house in the woods. We left the interstate about 45 minutes from their house and almost immediately smelled the pine scent. From then on, that was the signal to my sons that we were almost to Grandpa & Grandma's house.
Nothing changes there, life is at a standstill. No new superstores, no traffic, billboards or unsightly hurricane debris piles, sitting on the side of the road. If we are lucky, and we usually are, we will get to see the Amish go by in their buggies. If we aren't, Grandpa will always take us to the Amish bakery, for treats to eat.
I think we are the first to arrive, followed by the Colorado family, then my boys on Friday and Rick's sister from Sheboygan. On Saturday the cousins come, just for the day. I feel like a kid at Christmas, I am so excited about this trip. Our family always has such fun, just hanging together. I know I will come home 10 lbs heavier and with new recipes we love.
I can't wait to walk around the block every morning, of course their block is over a mile long. But that's okay, I can do it! Cool air, no humidity, walking that mile will be a breeze! Of course in the evening we will all pile in the car to go deer hunting. Wait! before you think I am a Bambi Killer, let me explain. Our family tradition is to pile in the car after dinner and drive around til dark looking for deer. Just to see them, nibbling on their evening meal of grass and clover. The Deer Hunt continues every time we get in the car, wether it is 8 am or 8 pm. We are always looking for deer. Besides, when you hunt deer, you have to be quiet, which is a great activity for the little ones! I will be sure to have my camera with me to nab a few shots. Which will be the only shots I take.
Our family is blessed with such a wonderful place to come home to. We never take for granted the quietness of the woods, the smell of the pines or the sight of a deer. God has blessed us richly. Every day.

:J

You Have Been Replaced!

All my friends know the adventures I have had with my youngest son these past few weeks. Like true friends, they flung poo at him for his deeds. Last night I got him good.
To begin, my friends, Doyle & Elaine, needed to go car shopping since Elaine was rear ended a few weeks ago minutes after leaving my office. So yesterday Doyle calls me and asks if I would mind picking up their son, Bryan, after football practice and keeping him here till they were done. No problem.
Well I was not prepared to feed the boy at the house, so I asked him if he'd like to go to Sonny's BBQ, where my youngest son works. Sure! So arrangements were made for DH to meet us there.
Bryan & I walked in together and DS was there, "how many at your table? he asked" It is not unusual for us to all go and meet 12 football friends at Sonny's. "Just 3" I replied.
After he seated us and found out the third was DH, he looked at Bryan and asked, "Why are YOU eating with MY parents?" Before Bryan could answer I teased, "I've traded you in"
"Bryan is a good kid, respects my scrapbooking supplies and answers all my questions about school and his life" "Gotta love a kid like that" So all night long we bantered back and forth as he took our order, and delivered our meal. I think he got the message. I also think he was a bit jealous. When he got home he asked, "So where's the angel child" "oh I said, he did his homework, watched some tv and went to bed" and I thought Pat's eyes were going to come out of his sockets. That's when DH spoiled my fun and said, "his parents picked him up"
Oh well, life goes on, fun while it lasted.
:J

Random Wonderings

I am all over tonite, lots of thoughts, and no thoughts. So here it goes.
Thank all those who flung poo at the DS. Wanna know something? My missing scissors mysteriously were found, in his room, today while I was at work. A M A Z I N G! and who said a little mommy tantrum is not good for the soul.
Thank goodness Ernesto was nothing more than a good rainstorm. We had bunches of lightning and rain tonite, no relation to Ernesto. It will be good for the green grass and flowers.
We watched "Madea's Family Reunion" Great Flick! I love that Tyler Perry, he is talented. I am amazed that he got Lynn Whitfield, Cecily Tyson and Maya Angelou all in the same movie. The later two give amazing speeches on family and love.
Speaking of Family Reunions, 5 days and a wake up til we fly to ours. I am like a kid at Christmas I am so excited! We will visit with DH's family the first weekend, Watch the Packer/Bear game with the entire family! then visit Lambeau Field on Monday with his dad and our two younger sons. Then chill out all week before heading to my brothers house for two days. We will attend a Chicago Cubs game with him, also taking my FIL. But I am so excited as some old dear friends are having their family reunion that weekend. It is a Moore (my family) tradition to crash the Williams (their family) reunion. I haven't seen my friend Vaughn in 20 years! He lives in Alaska, and is my dad's godson. I was Vaughn's 5th birthday present, born 2 days before his 5th birthday. He is like my big brother and I can't wait for him to meet DH. His mom is the last living best friend of my mom's. Auntie Mary was the school librarian, and my mom was the school secretary. Mary lived just across the alley from us and still does! Her husband was killed on a train when Vaughn was little, so my parents helped raise him too. He had a dog, Shadow, that followed us everywhere, EVERYWHERE!
I love being with family, it really is the best vacation!
Done Wondering for now,

:J

Why I Scrap

I had posted the first page of this 2 page LO I did for a CJ on the Monkey board. Someone remarked they would like to see the second page. I'm not one for doing this normally, I think CJ's should be a surprise to the owner first. So Peggy, don't read farther if you don't want to know! But, for everyone else, here is page two.


My journaling reads, "Scrapbooking started for me as an "add on" to another hobby I have, genealogy. My mother worked many years on our family genealogy, on both her family and my dad's. I would sit fascinated when ever the relatives would gather to talk about old times and family. I loved to help her track through cemetaries, old pictures, and family history for few years before I left home. (awful sentence I know!) It was our hobby together.
She left me many pages of information and photos, and scrapbooking has helped me stay close to her now that she is gone. Scrapbooking is my gift to her, and her grandchildren, my sons, just as her and my dad's stories were their gift to me.
I remember her telling me her genealogy group traveling in the early 1990's to a scrapbooking store many miles away and spending the day. Mom was excited about all the colored papers, pens and scissors she saw there. A few years after she died I came across some a few supplies she bought that day, pens, templetes and some plain colored cardstock. If only she could see my room and the supplies I have accummalated.
I know together we would have had many great times preserving family history together. I hope that one day my sons and families understand the bond that has been shared in our family. The papers, the ribbons, embellishments, fonts and flowers and all that goes into a page are fun to add. But to me, even with all that, it is still about the pictures telling their story. It is about passing on the stories of our lives."
So that's it, now you know. Why do you scrap?
Wondering,
:J 

Here We Go AGAIN!

The Weather Channel has joined ESPN and the NFL channel as the most watched stations on the TV. At 10 after the hour we check TWC for our "Update from the Tropics", watching as Ernesto develops and makes his path.
A hurricane in the gulf always makes life interesting here on the coast. At our weekly trek this morning to the base for groceries, activity was busy. In the commissary, carts of water, batteries and staple food items were piled in carts. The commissary itself was busier than normal. The base gas station was also busy, the guy ahead of us filled up 3 five gallon gas cans. We have all learned from Ivan, Katrina, Dennis and their cousins. Be prepared if you are staying. Leave early if you are going.
It's understood in our household that a Category 2 or stronger hurricane will see me in the car headed to safe ground. My husband and son see it differently than I do. It must be a man thing. Two days before local landfall, I will pack the car, load the dog, say my good byes and leave them to fend here. It's not that I don't like storms, they fascinate me. But I deeply respect the power they have and know that I am no match for them.
So what will I do if Ernesto makes his way here? I tease and say I am headed for my in laws in Wisconsin. But in reality I will probably stay as close as I can out of harms way. I watched the destruction of Ivan from my son's apartment in Tallahassee. I worried for a few days until I got through to home. The sight of the I10 bridge in pieces made me wonder if I ever would get home.
Hurricanes are not to be taken lightly, the past few years have taught all of us in Florida and the Gulf Coast that. Recovery is still not finished for many of us. People ask how we can tolerate what we go through, where do we find the will to go on. Some of us don't. We move away, far inland. Those of us who stay, and those of us who return, think even with what we go through, it's still a small price to pay to live in Paradise.
Stay Safe,
:J

Something Childish Again

I got a day off work today thanks to my DD, (Darlin' Doc). I woke up night before last with a bit of pain in my ear. It felt like I had been sleeping on my ear wrong. I rolled over, and went right back to sleep. Yesterday while at work, I noticed I was dizzy, so I made a Dr. appt. Ear Iinfections and dizzyness are nothing new to me. But I have had more of them since I turned forty than I had the first 40 years of my life.
It was cute when they first started. I was working in a PreK classroom and had 3 in one year. The doctors talked about putting tubes in my ears, and DH teased me about regressing to my childhood like the kids I worked with. The ear infections were cured for the year and talk of tubes disappeared too. Now every year since, as soon as football season starts, I get an ear infeections. No pain, just pressure and dizziness. It must be something in the air, pollen maybe. All I know is this has to stop. When I go in October for my annual checkup, we are going to revisit this earache stuff. Tubes, Tonsils, I don't care, but these ear infections have to go!
Thanks for listening,

:J

So Today May Have Been a Better Day

It didn't start out so hot. I cried all the way to work, fumed all day and prayed. DS2 informed me as I was walking out the door for work that he "wants to take a semester off". Not the end of the world, but not the news a mom wants to hear from her child.
We, as a society, place a huge emphasis on a college education. Not everyone has to have a college education, I'm not saying that. I work in vocational education. I know the demand for carpenters, plumbers, electricians, nurses and mechanics. I guess it is different when your child who was devastated at his first B in 8th grade, now wants to "take a semester off" Just pray he goes back.
It was a busy day today, with lots of little interuptions. The lack of communication continues, and frustrates me know end. I think every sports schedule this fall, except one has had major last minute changes, something I have never had in the 6 years of being the Athletic secretary. But I am rolling with the punches.
I am finally to the point that I can start filing. Plus I get a new student assistant on Monday, I didn't even have to ask for one!
Tomorrow is the first home football game of the season, it's 9th grade, so should run smoothly.
AND I had a talk with that DDS2 (damdarlingson) when he got home from work this evening. Told him I was disappointed, and asked him to take just one or two classes to stay in the practice. He said he would do that.
AND my back doesn't hurt quite as much, I walked my mile & a half this afternoon, and even tho I had to look a little harder today, I did have blessings and it was a better day after all.

:J

Wonderings & Blitherings

I'm in one of those moods. I guess it's because I don't feel well, I've been so swamped at work and I haven't had much ME time. So I'm unloading, if you care.
First off, I have to say something about lack of communication. It frustrates me. I don't like not knowing, not that I want to know everything, but if I have to deal with the public and answer their questions, it would be nice to know what to tell them. I don't like not knowing the answers because it makes me look like an idiot and it makes it look like my employer unorganized. I don't like finding out two days before an event that things have changed and people have known for over a week, but didn't let us know so we could adjust.
I guess that's my politically correct way of saying "Why didn't you let us know you changed the game from an away game to a home game?" "Do you think it's going to run itself?" "Are you not going to charge admission or have a concession stand??" "Can you think outside the lines of the playing field?"
There that feels better.
Is anyone still reading? Okay I will write a good thing. I sent my deposit off for the cruise I am going on in May. I am looking sooooo foward to this. I'm going with a great group of women whom I have never met IRL, but feel I've known forever. Creative women, fun women, been there done that, what's next women. GAWD this is going to be a riot! We will probably all come home with monkey tails tattooed on our rears. But ya know what? I don't care! I've done my job here on earth, it's time for me to have fun!
Which brings me to Blithering number two. I love the men in my life, I really do. But some times I wonder. Do they know we women just sit back and silently chuckle at their idiocy? Sometimes I swear! I don't even know where to start. Sometimes I am so frustrated with them I can't even type. I have to stop thinking about this and go back to something else, my blood pressure is rising.
I guess with men and with life in general, you have to take the good with the bad, sift through it and sometimes dig deep to find the good stuff and keep that. It's what being a family and a community is all about. Sometimes you feel good, sometimes ya don't, sometimes you are on top of the world and sometimes you feel like the wallpaper on the wall. Life isn't always a bowl of cherries and anyone who claims it is, is lying to you. Learn not to take it so personal, so seriously, pick yourself up and dust yourself off, and get ready for another day. That way it can always get better.
Okay I think I am back to my confused state of life and can go on about my day. Thanks for listening, if you did.

:J

It's Always a Good Day!

Whenever two or more of my boys are here, it's a great day at the Western Gate. Having DS2 here from Tallahassee has been a treat. I love listening to the boys do their brother stuff together. The challenges, the comments, discussions and yes, even the picking & namecalling. Although now it is very good natured, not like it was when they were younger.
DS3 took off work early yesterday to come home and spend time with his big brother, only to find out big brother had made dinner plans with friends. That left poor Patrick home with Mom & Dad, and although I cooked him a huge steak dinner, I could tell he was disappointed that he wasn't invited to go with Kevin. Some things never change!
This morning was great, we watched the Packer game on TV. I made them my special occasion hash brown casserole and we had a great morning. Before Kevin went to lay down for a nap, and Patrick left for work, they harassed me for saving the sausage grease for the dog and for cooking him his own egg. But like I told them, he (the dog) is my most obedient child, loves me unconditionally, comes to my defense EVERY time, and never sasses me!
This afternoon when Kevin & Erica pack to leave will come to soon. I want to go wake them both up and tell them I don't want to waste a second they are here.
In a few weeks we all will fly to Wisconsin for the family reunion. It will be Erica's first big meeting of the whole family. We have prepped her on what to do and not do. She knows she has to take a turn washing dishes at least once during her visit or she will be talked about for eternity. We just can't convince her to put on that Bears tshirt for the Bear/Packer game. Smart girl, I think we should keep her!

:J

Chow Down

Last night was that annual tradition in Southern High School Football, the ChowDown. A ChowDown is held usually the week before the first football game of the season. It's usually held in the High School cafeteria or gym with all the coaches, players and parents gorging themselves on food. "Parents bring enough food to feed your family and 3 hungry football players", is how our invites read. It's an evening to meet other parents, the coaches, boosters and the players. A good time will be had by all.
Last night I got the job of tea pouring. Me, alone, for 105 players and coaches, parents, siblings, coaches wives and boosters. If it had not been for two lovely little elementary school girls who iced the cups for me, I would still be there this morning. Thanks girls!
It amazes me still after raising 3 boys, how much food a boy can eat. They came by me with plates piled 6 inches high with food, and another plate piled high with deserts. Most of the boys with plates piled high were the scrawny kids. I don't know where they put all that food!
The Food! OMG! One mom brought an eleven pound roast that was out of this world! A large pan of mostacolli (sp?) went almost untouched and it was delish! I snagged that for leftovers after. There was enough fried chicken to feed an army, homemade lasagne, stroganoff, steak (yes someone brought steak!) veggies and salads of all kinds, a 10 foot sub and 4 sub platter trays, two different types of chili, beef stew, and every kind of roll and dessert you can imiagine. As you can imiagine, the food was awesome and we got stuffed!
It was hard to hear the speakers, but I fault that with coaches who didn't control the boys or parents not controling their children. That was kind of rude I thought. Why is it when a parent gets in a crowd of people and kids are acting up, most of these parents sat idly by and let their children talk and be rude while ADULTS were speaking. It made me glad mine had graduated, he would have NOT been able to act that way!
I hope every parent in attendance signed up to volunteer for concession just one game! I hope they bought an ad for the program. Finally, if nothing else I hope they joined the Quarterback Club! High School is the best time to be involved with your kids, know what they are doing and know the parents and kids they are running with!
Have a wondermous day!

:J

Mundane Monday

There's nothing exciting going on here at the Western Gate. It's just another Monday, not the first day of school, nothing to look forward to, just another day. I scrapped a bit this past weekend, mostly heritage photos, which always gets me thinking about the lives my ancestors led. What would they have been doing at my age?
My mother at 45 had two young children. I was 7 and my brother 5. I can't imagine! How did she do it? At that time she was a stay at home Mom, and our house was spotless. Mom usually took an hour off a day to sit with her neighborhood friends in the kitchen for coffee. Mom didn't drive, so she had to wait for my Dad to take her to "town" for groceries and shopping. A big exciting day meant a trip to the "City" 20 miles away for shopping at smart!
My maternal grandmother had passed away by the time she would have been 45. She didn't get to see her daughters grow up or to know any of her 4 grandchildren. She died at age 32 while having an operation. She was a pretty woman, I wish I could have known her.
My paternal grandmother was a simple farm wife. She and my grandfather farmed and raised 4 children. Her house was simple, with no running water or indoor plumbing. She had a garden she tended every day, a house she kept spotless, laundry she did by hand and didn't drive or ever leave the county she was born in. She walked 7 miles one way every day to take her husband's lunch to him at the family dairy. Her excitement for the week was going into town on Saturday for items they needed, not wanted.
So while I think my life is mundane, my ancestors one or two generations before me would probably be flabbergasted at a simple day in my life. I travel more in one day then they probably did in a week. I have modern conveniences to help me with my mundane chores and still I gripe about not having enough time to do them. If I don't feel like cooking there is a plethora of places I can go to to eat or even have delivered. Yet sometimes I sit back and wonder, which of us really had it all?
I'd like to trade, if only for a day.

:J

One Month, but I'm NOT Counting!

One month from today I will be in America's Dairyland. Home of the Cheeseheads, more importantly, HOME! Alright, I wasn't born or raised there, but my hubby was, and since we have been married I love going there.
Actually I could almost be a cheesehead. I grew up 30 miles south of the Southern Cheesehead border. The area I grew up in looks like the Dairy State. Most of the people talk like the cheeseheads. Some of the old locals in my hometown are even smart and cheer for the right football team, the Green Bay Packers!
But one month from today, one month from right this minute, I will be sitting on my in laws huge screened porch, enjoying the peace & quiet, listening to the woods go to sleep for the night. I love visiting my in laws. It's so far out in the country, in the woods. It might be hours before a car passes by. The evening excitement is to get in the car after supper and drive around looking for and counting deer as they come out of the woods for their evening meal. We look until our eyes hurt from straining in the dark to see them. If we are lucky enough, we end up close enough to town to go to the drive in for Ice Cream.
Life is so much slower there. Days blissfully pass by, until the last few days of our vacation, when they go so quickly, as if to catch us back up to the hurried pace we usually live at.
One month from today, but I'm not counting!

:J

Back to School!

School starts this week for Kiddies in our county. Kids in the neighboring county went back last week. In honor of the occasion, I made this journal to donate to my MIL's church bazaar. I have to admit, I cheated and used a Paper Pizzazz Almost Done kit.


I always loved the first day of school. New challenges, new friends, sometimes even a new school. The smell of chalk and freshly waxed floors, a clean notebook and a new desk with your name on it. I think the first thing I did was to open my reading book and see what new stories we would be reading. I loved a good story, still do.
Some things were always the same. Same bus stop, same driver, every year. Same cafeteria food. I had the same elementary principal, art teacher and music teacher every year.
We didn't have computers, or even tv. I remember when something important would be on TV we would all crowd into the music room and watch it. EVERYONE, the whole school! It wasn't a big TV either, just a small TV on a roll cart. But it was color!
I hope everyone has a good first day this year and a good school year too! Study Hard! Meet the challenge! READ everyday!

:J 

I Have Lived for Days Like Today!

It wasn't the weather, or the fact that I had all my housework and laundry done by 11 a.m., it was a phone call. In the middle of the day, that interupted my scrapping and it was a call that made me smile, inside and outside, one of those deep in your soul, satisfying, giggly smiles.
The phone rang and it was DS2, Kevin, calling me from Tallahassee. He never calls on Saturday afternoons. He always has more important things to do then, like playing Madden 2006, excersizing or doing his laundry. But he called and I asked, "what's up?"
"I just called to say I love you and to thank you for raising me the way you did." Hmmm, my head spun as I picked my jaw up from off the floor. "Oookkaaaay, what's up??" I asked again. Expecting bad news, I need bail money news, I lost my apartment news, you know the news you know you will hear when you never hear from them and then they call.
"Well, mom it's a long story, but ya know, you did raise me right" (Thank you GOD!) someone noticed. I had to know, "So what's the story?"
"Well, it's Justin, (his roommate of 4 years, and best friend for 7 years) He wrecked his car last night, put it in the ditch, (2006 Mustang Convertible, his 3rd mustang I know of) and then after he called road service, he came back to the apartment and left the car in the ditch" Btw, it isn't even his apartment anymore, his lease was up in July.
"Oh really" I said. "Why didn't he stay til the wrecker came?"
"Well mom, you know him, he said he had a drink, one drink, and that he was afraid the cops would come and he would get a DUI"
"Oh I see, I don't think that he would get one for one drink, do you?"
"Well mom, I dunno, but after he got to the apartment, he and his frat buddies continued to drink, then the tow truck guy called and said he couldn't move the car until they filed a police report." "So Justin was going to just let them impound the car and go get it tomorrow."
At this point none of this was making any sense to me. Why would he do that?
"So at that point his buddies decided to call a cab and head down to the bar that they were headed to when they wrecked." "They asked me to go, but I didn't" (Thank you GOD!)
"About that time the police showed up and wanted to know what had happened. I told Justin to tell the truth, even tho his buddies said not to."
Okay and........
"Well he got a ticket for careless driving." "But that's not all of it, he had called his parents, (the ones who continue to buy this guy new mustangs to wreck) and they went psycho on him."
Well duh what did you think would happened?
"They told him he was worthless, and that the only way he continue to live in their house, would be with no car, no cell phone, and no credit cards."(Which they pay all of)
Well hello, he is a 23 year old college grad, who has never worked a day in his life! It's time!
"Well Kevin, that's their perogative, they pay his bills."
"I know mom, but even when I do the stupidest stuff, you & Dad have never said I was worthless"
"Well Kev, it's time for Justin to grow up and find out what the real world is like, maybe this is what he needs to do it." "He isn't working?"
"Nope"
"Wow"
"So that's why I called, to tell you thanks for making me work for everything, not handing it all to me, and for never telling me I was worthless, even when I probably deserved it." "Your psycho moods are nothing compared to his mom's." "I love you mom!"
And that's when I smiled, that big inside the soul, satisfying, giggly smile. Because I had those doubts. When "everyone else" was doing it, and Kevin wasn't allowed. When "everyone else" got brand new cars for graduation and he didn't. When "everyone else" was so important and I didn't care what "everyone else" thought. He was going to do it our way. So this is one of those days I waited for. I knew they would come, other parents who didn't bend to "everyone else" told me they would. It felt so good. Even tho my job with them is not ever done, and even tho not a one of us is perfect, that inside the soul, satisfying, giggly smile felt so good.
I love my boys!

:J

Questions from My Sister in Law

She sent me this via email, but I'm sharing with you. Won't the family be shocked when they find out about me after 20 years! Now I challenge YOU!


Things you may or may not have known about me.....

A) Four jobs I have had in my life:

1. Stripper
2. Gas Station Attendant/Pumper
3. Grocery Cashier
4. Data Specialist

B) Movies you watch over and over:
1. Field of Dreams
2. Hope Floats
3. Top Gun
4. The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

C) Four places I have lived:

Illinois
Indiana
Virginia
Florida


D) Four TV shows I love to watch

Fox NFL PreGame Show
Who wants to be a Millionaire
Unwrapped
Made in America

E ) Four places you have been on vacation

Colorado
Pennsylvania
Key West Florida
Wisconsin

F ) Web sites you visit daily

Monkey Friends Chatter
Packers.com
Various Friends Blogs
PensacolaNewsJournal.com

G) Four of my favorite foods

Manny's Pizza
Fried Chicken Dinner with Collard Greens & Yams from Coles
Bratwurst
Seafood

H) Four places I would rather be right now

Visiting any of my family
Lambeau Field watching the Packers beat the Bears (or anyone else)
Key West Florida
Scrappin' with my friends


I) Four friends I think will respond

All my Monkey Friends
MLF
Erin
Ms. Karate Kid herself

Are YOU Ready for Some FOOTBALL!??!

Yes this is the Man, the Iron Man of football. I can think of no better way to spend an afternoon than watching him lead the Green Bay Packers to victory! 16 years! This man has given this game his all for 16 years!
Brett Favre is an awesome player, on and off the field. He holds numerous records in the NFL, more than anyone else. The record I most admire is his record for consecutive starts. He plays hurt, sick, cold, hot, any day, everyday. And he plays hard!
I am ready for football season, I live for football season, I am a fanatic! I love High School football. I am a lifetime member of our High School Quarterback Club, and it was an honor to receive that membership! Our friends are all football parents, we even get together in the off season, even tho some of us have kids who graduate. We have made so many great friends through this game. School doesn't start for me really until that first Friday night of football season. The players, coaches, cheerleaders, band, concessions and crowds, that is my Utopia. I would be down on the sidelines if they would let me. One of my greatest thrills was to be on the "Chain gang" on the sidelines for an All Star High School Football game. So fun!
I was blessed with 3 sons who loved to play the game. I was blessed with a husband who was tolerant enough to teach me the rules, the plays and the positions on the field. I have loved football for as long as I can remember, I even watched practices when I was in High School.
Some would say I have no life, but to them I say, "FOOTBALL is life!"
Go Pack!

:J