Friday Five and It's Still the Same

This week, our family have had a few firsts. Especially with Allie. Nothing dramatic, nothing major, well, yeah I guess the first one is major in all our lives. Tomorrow, I am going to take Allie to get her temporary license to drive! Uh, maybe it will snow and I can postpone this? No? Well this is a right of passage, isn't it? The other first is one that both Allie and Timm are interested and dreaming of. Allie brought home from school a packet for a class ring. Did you get a class ring? I did. It cost me $186. I remember that because I wanted a gold one and my parents would only pay half of it. I had to come up with the other half. Which brings me to my next question. Doesn't that mean i was older and had a job? I still have that beautiful ring. I can even still wear it. The prices are ridiculous for rings now days, but the settings, engravings and effects are pretty awesome!

The kids were dreaming, I mean, looking at the packet this morning, saying, "I am going to get this stone, and my friend and I want to have our nicknames engraved on the inside." Okay, but who really wants the nickname Stinky forever engraved on something? For clarification, that is Allie's friend's nickname, not Allie's. Her nickname is Dingy, if you didn't know. That's for another time.

It is Friday and that means Friday Five. This week, let's see what your five favorite memories surrounding learning to drive was... Here are mine.

1. I got to drive with Mr. Van de Grift. He was and still is cool! If you made a mistake he would hit you with his pencil. Luckily, I don't remember getting hit with one.

2. My dad would not help teach me to drive. It made him really, really nervous. I always thought that was funny.

3. I learned to drive in a Jeep Wagoneer. I am a small person (5' 2"), so that vehicle made me feel really tall.

4. The school taught the drivers ed class. I went every Saturday AM for like 6 or 8 weeks. What an eclectic group we were!

5. When I took my driver's test, I wasn't sure I passed. The instructor told me he would like me to have more time behind the wheel, but congratulations...you passed! I would have never lived it down if I had not passed.

Are you Enjoying yourself?

What is to be enjoyed this week? That sounds like I am not in a good mood, doesn't it? Well, I am. It's been a crazy week, with the boy having his headaches, my friend's dad on the verge of passing, and all the craziness that just normally goes on in my life. But here is what I have enjoyed this week.

1. I have enjoyed starting a new book that one of you suggested. It is called "When We Were Romans." It is told from a young boy's perspective. Not sure where it is going yet, but I do like it.

2. I am enjoying my job today. There are lots of packages being delivered (which mean some very nice delivery men), lots of phone calls, and my attitude is just in the right place today.

3. We have had a plethora of weather this week. It was very warm early in the week and rainy, now it is cold and sunny, with a dusting of snow last night. Ah, El Nino!

I can also tell you what I am not enjoying this week.

1. My cold sores on my bottom lip. They are a nuisance and now they are drying up and bleeding. Gross!

2. I am not enjoying the fact that at 10 AM every day this week, I am getting hungry or my blood sugar level is going so low that I feel I need to eat something. Thank goodness for peanut butter/cheese crackers.

3. I am not enjoying the worry my son is causing us because of his headaches. Yesterday he told us he experienced blurred vision. Yes, we are currently seeing a Doctor for this and trying to figure out what is causing all of this. Thanks for asking.

What are you enjoying or not enjoying this week. I wanna know!

Wacky Wednesday - We went to see a tree and all we saw was this sign

Yesterday I was telling someone about how my daughter failed her history exam, but still passed the course. This led to us talking about how when I was young, some of our family outings (okay, most of our family outings) centered around history. Here in SW Ohio, a lot of Native American history lies. So we had a lot of trips like that.

One in particular my father will never live down. He read about Chief Logan who made speech about Indian-White relations underneath this huge elm tree. So off we went to see where this tree, "Logan's Elm", was. We drove and drove and drove until we were in the middle of no where. We walked out into this field and there it was, a memorial sign. This is a picture of it.

Apparently the tree died years before and this memorial was put in that place. We went to see a tree and this is all we got. Though, I am not sure a tree would be any more dramatic for teenagers to want to see. This was one of our wacky trips.

Tired is not a state of mind. It's a lack of sleep!

Okay, I love my family and friends, BUUUT, is it really necessary to wake me up in the middle of the night to tell me things? Okay, okay, maybe it is. But now I am really tired.

First, my son has some neck issues going on that is giving him headaches. The last two nights around 3:30 a.m. or so, he has gotten up, come into my bedroom and stood beside my bed. He asks me if he can take some more Aleve. I tell him yes, then lay there until he settles back down. Then I get up and go find him. Yesterday he was on the couch awake. Today he was on the couch, asleep.

Then at 4:48 a.m., my girlfriend text me to let me know of urgent things going on her her in-laws health. I told her I was sorry. She then asked, "Are you normally up this early?" Are you kidding me?

I told her it just depends, but sometimes I was. Usually I am starting to wake up, wondering when my alarm is going to go off. So now it is a three cup-o-coffee day. *YAWN*

So my saying today is "Tired is not just a state of mind. It's a lack of sleep."

The Tooth Fair Review

Look what I got! My husband was sweet and decided to bring me flowers after work on Saturday. They are my favorite color. It made my whole weekend. How was your weekend?

We went Friday evening as saw the new Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson movie, "The Tooth Fairy". I must say I was surprised and pleased with this movie. It was funny, smart, and sweet too. It is a movie the whole family can enjoy. It isn't the best movie ever made, but it is good for a family to go see a matinee.

During the previews before the movie, they showed a movie I am interested in seeing. It is the remake of The Karate Kid. I am very excited. I loved Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita. The dynamics between those two actors always had a special place in my heart. The newest version stars Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith (Will Smith's son). We will see how this plays out because they aren't in America and the kid seems so young. But I am excited for this movie.

Friday Five

What are your five favorite things you are looking forward to this weekend?

Here are mine...

1) I have no real plans this weekend, except to go to lunch with a lot of my Dad's family.

2) I am looking forward to watching the Vikings/Saints play football.

3) I am looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow morning!

4) I am looking forward to the unknown!

5) I am looking forward to the new pizza place my husband suggested. I will let you know how it is.

Have a great weekend!

Wacky Wednesday

I have been out of commission for a couple of days. I had a dental emergency and that led to being backed up at work. So I am all better, I think. Anyway, today is Wacky Wednesday for my blog. I am not sure what is wacky today, but my whole week is out of whack. The kids had Monday off from school for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. They went a whole day yesterday and then today they had an early release day. So the question of the day is...Why was it even worth going for a whole day yesterday? Talk about Wacky!

MY FRIDAY FIVE

This has been such a depressing week around here. People dying, divorcing, devastation and turmoil. What's a girl do to? Well, encourage everyone, of course! I want you to thing of five things that will make you happy. Things that will spread a smile on your face, lift your heart and make your soul sing! Here are mine.

1) Spending time with my family and best friend.

2) Buy something chocolatey. It could be a candy bar or a milk shake or a Starbucks coffee.

3.) Sing a song to the Lord. I love to sing and practicing a new song and getting it right. Knowing I will be able to do it right is rewarding.

4) Curl up with a good book. What are you reading right now? I am reading Eclipse, but I am almost done with it. Then I will start on Breaking Dawn. Can you tell I am into the "saga"? LOL.

5) Tomorrow I am getting my hair cut. Nothing too drastic, more of a trim it up thing.

So those are the things that make me happy. What about you? What makes you extremely happy?

Where Is Your Enjoyment this week?

With all the horrible things going on this week,
I am struggling to find some enjoyment, but I will try.

1) I am enjoying listening to my kids tell me about their awesome trip to the Tennessee Christian Teen Convention. The picture is out the window of the van. The worst part of the whole trip for the kids was probably the winter weather, which for us Ohioans, it wasn't a problem, just they were hoping for a little warmth.


2) I am really enjoying my Ipod. I downloaded (with the boy's help) the movie, Twilight. I have already watched it twice. I also downloaded the 24 teaser. I.CANNOT, REPEAT, CANNOT. WAIT. FOR SUNDAY EVENING!

3) I am enjoying reading everyone's posts. I don't comment on all of them, but I love reading about your thoughts, lives, opinions and just totally fun stuff!

4) I just finished a Danielle Steele book, Matters of the Heart. It was a little different for her in that as love stories go, it wasn't a love story between two people as it was on how to protect yourself. Sometimes we need to hear that.

and lastly...

5) I am enjoying keeping in touch with my friends. I have reconnected with some and trying to keep up with others.

What are you enjoying this week?

Wacky Wednesday - She's Bigger than her Mom!

Okay, last night my 15 year old daughter and I went "unmentionables" shopping. We have this dog who will pull out our undies from the hamper and chew them up. Seriously. She loves our underwear. So we both decided that we don't have enough pairs to finish out a week and Fashion Bug was having a "buy-3-get-3-free" sale. So off we went.

Now as we are driving in my Ford Edge to FB, her bff, who is from the male species, calls her. She tells him what we are doing and that she will call him later. He continues to talk to her and tells her he wants to be on the line and "help". As a backstory...he has been teasing her for a year that she should get measured for a "real" bra. She only has been wearing sports bras. He thinks wearing a "real" bra will help her in the boy department too. Anyhoo, they proceed to talk about this and she finally gives in to get measured. He gives his opinion on what size he thinks she is. (D cup). She disagrees with him. I am giggling the whole way.

We get there, and she is still on the cell. They talk and she has me take a picture of these cute little, frilly panties and sends it to him. LOL. We gather up all the undies we are going to purchase and then ask one of the very helpful saleswomen if she would be so kind as to measure her. Well what do you know? BFF is correct, she is a D. Okay the Wacky part? I am only a C. My mother and sister are both HUGE, but apparently that gene was not passed on to me.

Well we did purchase her two new brassieres and I also got two (another buy-2-get-2-free deal) and I found two nice shirts for work. But that is my wacky daughter story.

Is it Wednesday?

This week is all about exams for the highschoolers.
My daughter has two exams today, tomorrow, and maybe
three on Thursday. Then the school system has Friday and Monday off.

The picture is of most of the percussionist in the pep band.
My kids are 3rd and 4th from the left. The boy is almost as tall as the girl! He is taking pride in being taller than her. He loves that he is already taller than me. Ha, ha.
Well the kids ended up not having a pep band game last night (that is what I call a basketball game with the pep band's participation). Something about the other team did not realize there was a game. We ended up having a free night. So I made the kids go over and help me with my Ipod and update theirs.

I came into work this AM and our Executive Assistant had been off because her daughter got married over the weekend. So I asked her about it and she told me it was wonderful and so was hers. WHAT? Apparently she was getting married last September and her daughter asked her not to until after her wedding. So the mom said, "Okay, we will get married the day after yours." Is the too funny? She didn't publicize it or anything, but that is funny-strange to me. LOL. So I have to now remember her new last name. Good grief! You would think it is Wacky Wednesday.

Have a great day!

Kid-less Weekend January 8 - 10

What a weekend I had. Let me start off by saying that it was fun to be kid-less, but strange. I think that hadn't happened in almost 16 years. Foxy and I tried to reconnect on some level. I think we did.

Friday night, we decided to spend it in. We had the boy's bed to put together. So we started that. We got everything out of his room and brought in the two big boxes. We opened them and unloaded them. Then true to European form, I had to put these two pieces together (there were 21 sets). Foxy and I got them all together, except for one. OF.COURSE. This one would not screw into the other. So Foxy got the idea to go over to my Dad's and see if he could do something different. So I took my Ipod and we went.

While Foxy and my Dad tried to figure out the screwy thing, I jumped on their computer, because we can't get our home computer to download Itunes. So I spent something like three hours trying to download TWILIGHT onto my Ipod. It downloaded, but not to the Ipod. So I had to text the boy to see if he could help. Of course, him being seven hours and two states away, he wasn't checking his phone. When he finally did, it was late, I had given up and went home. Last night, he promised me we could do it tomorrow night. My question is, why should it take a 12-year-old to help me with this? I am going to pay close attention, so I can download all the episodes of 24 too. That is my obsession.

While at my parents, my dad gave me and the kids each a bracelet and a lapel pin (see the picture). It is light tan with a maroon strip in the middle and the letters SPOHNC embossed on it. These letters stand for Support for People with Oral, Head and Neck Cancer. The nurse gave them to him at his appointment Friday. It's pretty neat to have something like this. For those of you who didn't know, my dad was diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer last February. He is doing great and is cancer free now!

Saturday, it was cold and bright. Foxy and I took down the Christmas tree and a lot of the decorations, and put them up in the attic. Then he went to LOWE's to get the pieces he really needed for the bed. Then my parents showed up and and Fox and Dad put the boy's bed together. He was thrilled with the results. It is a metal bunk bed with a twin top and a full bottom bed. He slept "upstairs" last night. LOL. After Dad and Mom left, Mike and I talked about what movie we wanted to see. It was fun deciding on a grown-up movie and going to a restaurant that we wanted to go to. We saw the movie "It's Complicated." So very funny. Apparently, I have a strange sense of humor. Because of the 20 people that were in the movie theater (and a side note is that Foxy and I were the youngest people there), I would bust out laughing and no one else was laughing with me. Not even Foxy. Hmmm. I am still thinking about that.

I am not really an Alec Baldwin fan, but he totally rules in this movie. Him and Meryl Streep were hysterical together. I was kinda surprised it is rated R. There are several strange situations that I don't think my 12-year-old should see, but all in all, I recommend this movie to adults.

Sunday, we went to church, then out to lunch with my parents and a couple (who are friends of all of us). It was good. I felt a little strange not having the kids around. I think I was starting to miss them. Though, Al had been texting me during the whole weekend about how great a time she was having. After lunch, my parents and Foxy and I went to a nursing home and help our church put on a service for them. We do this once a year for this place. The sad thing is there was the preacher, his wife, a lady who played piano, my parents, Foxy and me. No one else from the church even bothered to show up. It's kinda sad. I led singing, my mom and I sang a special song, and my dad and Foxy served the people. I had a good time and the people who were there for the service was very appreciative of us. After the service, I took Foxy home for his nap and I went to the grocery store. Then we waited for the kids to get home.

Your Friday Five

This spot is open to anyone wanting to play along. I'll pick a topic and you all can run with it. It has to be five things about the topic; good, bad, or random. It may be a topic pertinent to the times or just some crazy thought that comes into my head. So let's get going....

With most of the country in the throes of bone-chilling cold, what do you love most about cold weather? Can you come up with five things? Here are mine.

1) Cold weather gives me an excuse to have Foxy build a fire in our woodburning fireplace. I love that!

2) I love soup and warm sandwiches!

3) My dog, Josie Belle (picture above) tries to catch falling snow in her mouth! I love watching her.

4) The smell of the hand lotion I use to keep my skin from getting too dry and cracked! It is Bath and Body Works Warm Vanilla Sugar.

5) I just love to have to go get the salt and brine washed off my new Ford Edge!

Thursday - What are you enjoying this week?

Today is What Am I Enjoying...Here is my list.

1) My new Casting Crowns and Tenth Avenue North cds! They are both really good!
2) The snow coming down is nice to see.
3) The daily routine of school and work that has begun again.
4) The books I am reading. There are three. Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer (even though I am sharing it with my son and he left it at school yesterday and they have a snow day and he won't be back at school until Monday), Matters of the Heart by Danielle Steele, and I don't remember the name of the third one.

I think that is all this week. What are you enjoying?

Wacky Wednesday

My Dad is a hoot! He loves to make people laugh and he did just that last night. We (my dad, mom, Foxy, kids and me) were at a high school basketball game. Now our poor team has yet to win a game this season. They do not seem to know anything about ball handling, team work, or defending. Bless their hearts! So my dad and I try and make the game more fun for ourselves by seeing what we can do to cheer on the team and the pep band.

Last night, there were a lot of kids in the pep band. They were rocking the gym! My kids both play percussion (which may I say is the best part of our band. No, I am not prejudice at all!). Dad went up by them and started dancing. Just below the percussionist were the clarinets and the big bass something (not sure if if was a bassoon or a bass sax). Then the alto and tenor saxophones were next. Well they all started watching and cracking up! When it was done, AJ and TA (my girl and boy, respectively) were hanging their heads down in shame and trying not to looked amused. The rest of the kids were laughing and having a good time.

My dad is known as the "Candy Man". He passes out thousands of Pep-O-Mint Lifesavers to anyone who will take them. It's his way of meeting new people. It breaks the ice. So he started passing out candy to the clarinet row. I told him he better buy a bag just for the band, at this rate. Ha, ha! So just imagine, a 60+ year old man, who is 5' 7" and standing next to the pep band on the gym bleachers wiggling his hips and acting goofy. It was a Wacky sight for sure!

Allie's room

Though the picture doesn't do it justice, This is
my daughter's new color scheme and this is actually a picture of the wall her dad and uncle did per her instructions or idea. The other three walls in her room are one of the three colors (Strawberry, Limicious, and Cabin Plank). I told her I thought a watermelon exploded in her room! She is very happy with the outcome and the squares on this wall, especially. It is very modern and very chic for a 15 year old, I think.

Her new bed is white and she has a berry colored comforter that works well. She is getting her grandmother to take a dark brown sheet, lining it and making curtains. Her windows are ceiling to floor , so the sheets seem to work out well. I will post another picture when it all gets done. But this is the first picture I have posted on a blog. I am excited about this! How did I do?

Weekend Update, January 1 - 3

Monday is my day of updates. I know what I said in an earlier post about menu planning, but the more I thought about it, I thought that sounded way boring. I think I will leave one day without a theme. But today, I thought I would give you "What I did this weekend".

New Year's Eve brought a lot of teenagers to our house, a lot of loud music, and I think a good time was had by all. There was so much food and drink. We had noise makers, poppers, and even toasted the new year with sparkling cider. The kids ran outside and did the poppers, screamed and yelled! We had a lot of fun. The kids sang, danced, played Wii, and just let loose. The best part was that by 12:59, everyone guest was gone. I was surprised.

New Year's Day brought a lot of football games,(yay for Ohio State!, boo for UC), a late lunch with my parents and a lot of laziness. Every year we have lunch with my parents of pork, sauerkraut, mashed potatoes, and corn. Mom brought over cheese cake and apple bread. This our tradition. Foxy (my husband) smoked a tenderloin too, so we added that to the mix and everyone ate a lot. Then I settled in for a night of football.

Saturday, Foxy had to go back to work. I had a ton of errands to run, so me the the kids took off. We got the grocery shopping, banking, presents taken back all done, then went to look for beds for daughter and son and IKEA. Okay, I have never been to IKEA before. I am still not sure I want to go back. That was the craziest thing I have ever been in.

First, it is HUGE. Foxy told me that to go through the whole store, we would have to stay in a hotel close and take two days. There was so many items that seemed useless to me, but apparently they have some value to someone. Allie had looked up online a bed from there, so we went to see it. And we bought it. Luckily, we had the mattresses already. As for the boy, he also is in dire need of a bed. Foxy wanted to wait until April, but he doesn't even have a mattress and was sleeping on the couches during most of the holiday. So he found a bunk bed, full on bottom, twin on top and asked if we would purchase that. The problem was that my EDGE barely held the first bed. There was no way it would hold the two boxes for the bunk bed, as well as mattresses. So we called my dad and asked if he would come, after Foxy got off work, so we could use his truck. He did, and we made another trip. So now, Foxy gets to spend today putting put Allie's bed. The boy unrolled a mattress and is sleeping on the floor for the moment. Foxy wants to put shelves up at the ceiling in the boy's room and then put up the bed.

Sunday, we went to church, Foxy worked again, and then we ran a few more errands. I had a gift card so I went and purchased a couple of CDs I wanted, and I also purchased a DVD of two movies called "Dinner with A Perfect Stranger" and "A Day with A Perfect Stranger". I haven't seen them, yet but they seem intriguing to me. I did watch a movie called "The Ultimate Gift."
It was wonderful! I laughed, I cried...It stars Drew Fuller (from Army Wives), Abigail Breslin, Bill Cobbs, Brian Dennehy, and James Garner. I highly recommend it for you and your family.

I also received bad news last night. One of my closest, and longest friends has cancer. She is having surgery on Thursday. Please pray that it has not spread and she will be fine.

So that was my weekend. I hope yours was as fun filled as mine.