My Special Space

This is my very own special space... a place that is mine, and only mine.

In my office, everything is exactly the way I want it. I don't have to consult anyone else if I want to change things around, or paint, or buy a new picture for the wall. When I leave at the end of my work day, I know that things will be exactly the way I left them when I get back. Sometimes that is such a nice feeling! Lord knows it's not that way at home!

So welcome to my world...anyone need a good massage? :)

A Laid-back Weekend

How was your Memorial Day Weekend? Did you take a moment to reflect and thank your countrymen? Kendall sure did. She was insistent to call her grandpas that served to tell them thank you. (And yes, we know that Memorial Day is meant to honor the fallen, but she obsesses about death too much the way it is, so we just let her go with what she wanted to do.) I love that they talked about this at her school...it was really important to her! Unfortunately, she couldn't get either grandpa on the line...just voicemail!

Did you do anything fun, or did you just hang out around the house and get things done?

We did a bit of both. We had Sheri out for a cookout on Saturday...after we had spent the day working. I spent the day staining all of the tongue and groove that we were hoping to hang before the weekend was done, and Barry was busy finishing up some of the landscaping that we had been working on. And we weren't the only ones working! Sheri was up early and was having a majorly productive day as well! So after the work was done, she showed up at or house and we grilled some steaks...and they were GOOOOOOD! Ice cream for dessert, of course!!


As you can see, the kiddos were busy too, running around outside and of course, blowing bubbles. Noah still doesn't get the "blowing" part yet...he prefers to lick the bubble wand...YUCK. I keep trying to show him, but for some reason, he feels the need to put it in his mouth!

Possibly the most exciting news of the weekend is this little black guy over here...

This is our new puppy. We went to see the puppies on Friday night to see if we could fall in love with one....DUH! There were 11, YES, I said 11! They were all so sweet, it was hard to choose! He will be getting neutered this week, so we won't get him until Saturday morning...and let me tell you, this is going to be a VERY long week. Kendall just can barely stand it!


We didn't tell the kids where we were going on Friday. We really wanted to surprise Kendall, since she has been begging for a dog for months. We just knew she would flip her lid...and boy, did she! Noah was crazy for the pups too. They were chasing him all over the pen, pulling on his shorts and trying to play with him. He loved it! He kept calling the dogs Duchess though (our neighbor's dog), since to him every black dog is Duchess, no matter how big or small it is.

It was so hard to choose, and Kendall wanted to take them all. In the end, we picked an extremely calm little male with a bit of white on his chest. He was happy to let you hold him and happy to give lots of puppy kisses! The only hitch is that the Pilot Dog program gets first pick of the pups, so he may get chosen by them. BUT, we've talked about it with Kendall, and we all feel that it will be ok if that happens...we'll just pick another one! They were ALL sweet tempered!

So, anyway, Kendall is in love. Puppy love, you might say! Look for our Puppy update on Saturday!

Then today I mowed the front and part of the back yard while Barry hung all that tongue and groove that I stained. It looks really good! I'd post pics, but it's too dark now to be able to get a good picture. I'll try to post one tomorrow!
Then Miss Kathy and Zach came out for a visit and to have some yummy grilled hamburgers. We just sat and talked, took a walk around the property, and sat on the porch watching the kids run around. It was nice! And now, the kids are in bed...

exactly where Barry and I are headed here pretty quick!

Happy Memorial Day, everyone!

A Relay Done Right!

As many of you know, this year marks a decade of being cancer-free for my mother-in-law. To celebrate this very big occasion, she decided to have a team for the local Relay for Life. What was supposed to just be a commemorative occasion turned into an awesome event! We ended up hitting the gold level and raising $5,000!!! We couldn't be more proud!




Here are a few pictures of the relay team, and of course a good picture of my father-in-law in the Miss Relay contest. Not a bad lookin' woman, eh?



So... congrats Luanne, on a job well done!

A Message from the "Over 30" Crowd...

I got this today from my favorite Canadian, Miss Sarah.  Enjoy!


If you are 30 or older you will think this is hilarious!!!!

When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their
tedious diatribes about how hard things were  when they were
growing up; what with walking twenty-five miles to school
every morning ... uphill BOTH ways ...yadda, yadda, yadda.
And I remember promising myself that when I grew up, there
was no way in hell I was going to lay a bunch of crap like
that on kids about how hard I had it and how easy they've got
it! But now that... I'm over the ripe old age of thirty, I can't
help but look around and notice the youth of today. You've got
it so easy!  I mean, compared to my childhood, you live in a
damn Utopia!

And I hate to say it but you kids today you don't know how good
you've got it!  I mean, when I was a kid we didn't have The
Internet. If we wanted to know something, we had to go to the
damn library and look it up ourselves, in the card catalog!!

There was no email! ! We had to actually write somebody a
letter ...with a pen! Then you had to walk all the way across
the street and put it in the mailbox and it would take like a
week to get there!

There were no MP3's or Napsters! You wanted to steal music,
you had to hitchhike to the damn record store and shoplift
it yourself!  Or you had to wait around all day to tape it
off the radio and the DJ'd usually talk over the beginning
and @#*% it all up!

We didn't have fancy crap like Call Waiting! If you were on
the phone and somebody else called they got a busy signal,
that's it!  And we didn't have fancy Caller ID Boxes either!
When the phone rang, you had no idea who it was!
It could be your school, your mom, your boss, your bookie,
your drug dealer, a collections agent, you just didn't know!!!
You had to pick it up and take your chances, mister!

We didn't have any fancy Sony Playstation video games with
high-resolution 3-D graphics! We had the Atari 2600! With
games like "Space Invaders" and "asteroids" and the graphics
sucked ass!  Your guy was a little square! You actually had
to use your imagination! And there were no multiple levels or
screens, it was just one screen forever!  And youcould never
win. The game just kept getting harder and harder and faster
and faster until you died!
Just like LIFE!

When you went to the movie theater there no such thing as
stadium seating! All the seats were the same height!
If a tall guy or some old broad with a hat sat in front of
you and you couldn't see, you were just screwed!

Sure, we had cable television, but back then that was only
like 15 channels and there was no onscreen menu and no
remote control!  You had to use alittle book called a TV Guide
to find out what was on!  You were screwed when it came to
channel surfing! You had to get off your ass and walk over
to the TV to change the channel and there was no Cartoon Network
either!
You could only get cartoons on Saturday Morning. Do you hear
what I'm saying!?! We had to wait ALLWEEK for cartoons, you
spoiled little rat-bastards!

And we didn't have microwaves! If we wanted to heat something
up we had to use the stove or go build a frigging fire ...
imagine that! If we wanted popcorn, we had to use that stupid
Jiffy Pop thing and shake it over the stove forever like an idiot.

That's exactly what I'm talking about! You kids today have got
it too easy. You're spoiled. You guys wouldn't have lasted five
minutes back in 1980!

Regards,
The Over 30 Crowd


Also, a birthday shout-out to southern California!
It's Amy Wood's birthday!
Happy Birthday, girl!
Now get out there and party like a rock star!

The Silent Treatment...Ha!

A man and his wife were having some problems at home and were giving each
other the silent treatment. Suddenly, the man realized that the next day,
he would need his wife to wake him at 5:00 AM for an early morning
business flight.
Not wanting to be the first to break the silence (and LOSE), he wrote on a
piece of paper, "Please wake me at 5:00 AM " He left it where he knew she
would find it.
The next morning, the man woke up, only to discover it was 9:00 and he had
missed his flight. Furious, he was about to go and see why his wife hadn't
wakened him, when he noticed a piece of paper by the bed. The paper said,
"It is 5:00 AM. Wake up."
Men are just not equipped for these kinds of contests.

Celebrity Sighting!

See if you know who it is!

Hints:
It's not the person on the right.
Put dark hair on her.
Picture her about 25 years younger, in a blue uniform with a white apron.
She dated Sam the butcher.

Know who it is yet?

It's Ann B. Davis...otherwise known as Alice from The Brady Bunch! Lookin' good for 81, don't ya think?

My friend Doug is the cruise director for a river barge cruise in Louisiana, and he was thrilled to find out that "Alice" was cruising his barge! He called me a week before to tell me she was coming, and then again today to tell me how awesome it was...and of course, he emailed me this picture. Doug also wanted to make it known that "Alice" told him that he was a "very, very nice man". HEEEHEEEE! That just cracks me up! Not that Doug isn't a nice guy, just that he was so excited about it!

So there you go, folks. Celebrity sighting right from your own home!

Thanks Doug!

According to...

Now you all know that I believe wholeheartedly in eating organic foods whenever possible. However, sometimes the fruit or veggie you need is not available in the organic section, or it may be quite a bit more than your budget will allow. Yes, we've all been there... there's no shame in admitting it! So although I would love to eat 100% organically all the time, it just isn't realistic for my family, and maybe not for yours either.

According to this month's issue of Better Homes & Gardens, there are 12 fruits/veggies that are always worth buying organic.

1. Peaches
2. Apples
3. Sweet peppers
   
4. Celery
5. Nectarines
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Pears
9. Imported Grapes
10. Spinach
11. Lettuce
12. Potatoes

The basic rule is that if you eat the skin or leaves, it's usually better to buy organic...this way you can reduce your potential exposure to synthetic pesticides. And we all want that, don't we? BUY ORGANIC!

A Simple Request

I have a special request for you, my faithful readers!

As many of you know, we have chickens, which means we have the best eggs you can get. I'm serious about that! And being that we have such good eggs, we have many requests from people to buy them. This is a great problem to have, of course! But the only problem is that as I sell them, I run out of egg cartons. And right now, I am totally out of egg cartons and still getting between 6 and 10 eggs per day!

So, if you would, can you please save any egg cartons you may have for me? I would really appreciate it! And so would the people that are "in need" of my eggs!

Merci!

Mother's Day Madness!

Mother's Day was crazy this year! So much going on!

First of all, Kendall's wiggly tooth fell out this morning. Well, it didn't actually fall out...she let her daddy flick it out while we were having breakfast this morning. It was looking so funny anyway, since it was hanging to one side. She looked like she had already lost one the gap was so big! So she summoned up her courage and let Daddy take over...
















Check her out! I can't believe it's already time for her to lose teeth. While it IS exciting, I would be lying if I didn't say that it also makes me a bit sad...she is just growing up way too fast! One thing is for certain though. This girl is totally geeked up about the tooth fairy! She didn't even fuss about going to bed tonight, and made sure to wish for stickers instead of money. I'm sure the tooth fairy will comply! ;-)

Then of course, we had our Mother's Day/Noah's Birthday cookout today, and what a great day for a party!! The weather was awesome, we had a great turnout, and I really enjoyed my day. The kids fished, blew bubbles, took canoe rides, and just had a really great time. Noah slept through the first hour or so of the party...he desperately needed a nap before the festivities began. But once he was up, he was the life of the party! Can you believe my little man is two?

















The Cars cake was a huge hit with all the kids (and the 4 flavors of ice cream!), and Noah got all kinds of gifts that he was totally into.. The big hit was this little car with a dog on it that you shake and it makes car sounds and takes off. He played with that thing for at least an hour. Barry picked out a really good gift for him too...a rooster flashlight that crows when you push the "on" button! All in all, it was a good birthday celebration, and I think all the kids had a lot of fun!

And just as importantly, I think all of us Moms had a good day too...just relaxing, talking, and watching the kids play. I hope all you moms out there had a Mother's Day that was perfect for you, too! Isn't being a mom just the best?

And there's nothing wrong with that!

You know what?

I really like to be at home.

I like to hang my laundry on the line.
I like to lay in my hammock.
I like to water my flowers and garden.
I like to sit out by the fire with Barry, drinking a beer and talking.
I like to sit on my couch and watch Dr. Phil while doing puzzles with Noah.
I like to chase butterflies and fish with Kendall.
I even look forward to mowing!

The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the fish are jumping in the pond, the frogs are chortling. I love to be here.

Yesterday, I couldn't figure out why I couldn't get moving. I dropped Kendall off at school and then I had 3 1/2 hours to get things done. Boy, did I have a plan. I had returns to make at 4 different stores, a market umbrella to buy at Sams Club, a menu to plan for the party this weekend...in short, plenty to do. But 2 1/2 hours into it, I was still making myself busy at home. I put laundry on the line, watered the garden, picked up the house, and cleaned the kitchen. I was just so content to be here. It's funny, because for most of my life I wanted to go, go, go. Anytime someone asked me to do something with them, my answer was, "SURE! I'll be right there!" I was always looking for something to do, anything to have fun. We were gone all the time!

And while I still want to be having fun (after all, what is life without fun?)...I now appreciate solitude and inner peace so much more. My home has become my haven, the place I long to be more than anywhere else. Although there is so much work to be done around here at any given moment, it is still where I want to be, and what I want to be doing. I've become a homebody, and there's nothing wrong with that!

My life is abundant and good.

THIS is where I belong.

Dumb Blondes

Ok, now I know that I really shouldn't be perpetuating the "dumb blonde" thing, being that I was a true blonde until I was almost 30...but this was too funny to pass up! And thanks to Brian, my acupuncturist and friend, for sharing!

Brian called me on Sunday to tell me that he had the funniest dumb blonde story ever. It seems that as he was leaving his office on Saturday, he stopped to get gas at the local BP. As he was pumping his gas, "a big, blonde, bimbo" (his words, not mine!) pulled up to fill up her tank. She got out, took off the nozzle, and then proceeded to try to feed a $20 bill into the receipt printer. And no, she didn't get the hint after the first couple of times...he estimates that she tried if at least 20 times, getting more pissed each time it didn't take her money. Then she got frustrated and stomped into the BP to complain to the cashier, while Brian discreetly got into his car and howled with laughter. I'm sure she felt like a complete idiot when the cashier explained that it was a receipt PRINTER, not an ATM!!!!

Have a laughter-filled day! ;-)

Some thoughts...

Well, I really haven't had anything earth-shattering to write about lately, so I am just going to freestyle it tonight and share some random thoughts.

#1. Kendall has 2 wiggly teeth. The two top front ones...won't that be a sight when they fall out? And I think it's going to be soon - they're REALLY wiggly! Of course, she is mostly excited at the prospect of seeing what the tooth fairy will leave her. I'm sure it will be something good! ;-)

#2. My little monkey Noah has been sleeping so well! We've had quite a few nights of sweet slumber here lately, and it has been great. I feel so well rested, and have had plenty of energy throughout the day to get things done. Danniel even commented on Thursday that I had a sparkle back in my eyes (of course, he thought I was pregnant, because he hadn't seen that since I was preggers with Noah!). Needless to say, I've been visiting dreamland quite a bit lately!

#3. I've come to that place in my life where I realize that not every friend I have is necessarily a lifelong friend. People truly do come into your life for specific reasons and short amounts of time..and that's it. And it's OK! It's OK to not force a friendship that has fallen by the wayside. It has taken me a LONG time to get this, and sometimes it's still hard to let go. BUT, it's also hard to make all the effort and not feel like it's reciprocated, OR be on the other end and feel like you are keeping up pretenses just because you should! Along those same lines, I've found that there are also people I consider to be friends whom I don't spend a lot of time with...and that's ok too. It is what it is, as they say. And at the end of the day, you just have to do what feels right. Sometimes you do get to be a little selfish, especially when it's your precious little spare time...and you have to decide how to spend it.
Ya know what I mean?

#4. I'm going to see the new Cirque de Soleil show, Corteo! And best of all, I'm taking Miss Kendall. It's my Mother's Day gift, and I am so excited! I am never more entertained than when I am sitting in the audience of one of their shows. And I know this much for sure...Kendall is going to lose her mind when she sees it! If you haven't seen them, I highly suggest you do!!

#5. Barry and I are watching Southpark. I haven't see in it YEARS...and yet, it is still hilarious! This proves to me that I haven't grown up THAT much! I do wish Big Gay Al and his Big Gay Boat Ride would come on...that's my fave! "I'm Thuper! Thanks for athking! Don't you think I look great in this hat?"...

#6. I've been thinking a bit lately about working on my scrapbook...a LOT actually! So, I am going to have to keep my eyes open for an opportunity! I have quite a few nice pictures to use!

#7. Anyone else in need of a good pedicure and some sassy polish? ;-)

#8. Noah is such a sweetie. It is his mission every day to give me at least 100 kisses...and I love it. Even the slobbery, half-open-mouth ones. His smile is so pure, yet so devious. Love that little peanut!

#9. Is there anything better in the spring than sheets fresh off the clothesline? NO. On Wednesday and Friday I washed everything in this house...all the clothes, sheets, towels...all of it. And everything went on the line...Ahhhhhhhhhh....

#10. I'm looking for a good book to lose myself in. Anyone have any suggestions???

That's it folks. I've gotta focus on Southpark. The way Barry is giggling over here, I must be missing some things!!!

Ciao!