Happy Birthday

Well, tomorrow is my Dad's birthday. He will be 67. It's a relief to say that. This as you know has been the hardest year I have ever seen him go through. There have been some hard years. Like when his Dad died. He went into such a funk for a long time over that. But who wouldn't?

This year has also seen some wonderful times. I know that's hard to believe but I try to see the good in almost everything. This year our church really has pulled together and made it easy for us to love them and feel loved. It has brought Dad and Mom some faithful and caring friends that proved themselves. I believe it brought my family closer too in many ways.

Dad, Allie and I got to go to Washington D.C. for a trip we will never forget. We just found out about his cancer and had not really coped with it and he had not started his treatments. We didn't even know what the rest of the year would bring, but we definitely made the most of that trip. Even though Dad and I didn't really talk about anything in particular or get too serious, it was a trip we had always wanted to take. Now he is talking about going back when Timm goes. Wouldn't that be great? Timm, Mike and Dad in D.C.. Timm is looking forward to that.

All my life, I have been Daddy's little girl. In fact, one of our exchange students said that we were "Xerox copies". We are so much alike in so many ways. My attitude is like his, my outlook on people and life are like his, and my sense of humor is like his. I am proud to be his daughter.

He has shown me what a father should be like and that has helped me all my life imagine what God, as a father, is like too. I think he has made it easy for me to accept that God is my father and that he loves me, all because Dad loves me. I love him too, and hope that he has many more birthdays to come!

Love/Hate Relationship

Today is the kids first day of school. The first day of school has always been a love/hate relationship for me. I love that the kids are getting back in a routine. 12 year old boy starts Junior High and was so excited he was up before I got him up. 15 year old girl wasn't quite as excited at first. The routine has changed because in the last two years it was usually just her and I up and at 'em until she left for the bus and then I got the boy up. Now they go together.

Things will be different after school too. First, both kids have either football or band. The 15 year old will have practice three times a week and the 12 year old will have it the same. Plus he will have Wednesday games.

I love the first day of school because the kids are excited about going back and meeting their teachers and seeing their friends.

I hate the first day of school because that means I have homework. You know, the paperwork that only a school can make you do year after year.

I love the first day of school because that means a pretty good routine will be established.

I hate the first day of school because that means summer is essentially over. The days are darkening sooner and the lazy days are behind us.

Friday Fave Fives

I stumbled on this from Stick It In the Fridge. So here are mine...

1. A story I heard from a friend. A 2-yr. old pushed the red emergency button in an elevator at Wright Patterson Air Force Base Museum the other day and they had to evacuate every person in the building. Too funny. Protect us from terrorists and the 2-year olds! The best part is that I personally know the kid and he is mischevious like that!

2. Tonight starts Monroe's Friday Night Lights! There is a scrimmage and I am pysched to go watch it! This weekend is all about football and band. Saturday, the boy will get to manage his first game as they scrimmage in the AM. Then Sunday evening, big gathering at the stadium for public to meet the high school team, as well as other fall sports teams, the band will get to perform their pre-game show as well as mini-camps and such. Should be a great time. I am all about the school support!

3. Today, my daughter will get a new phone. Daughter, her BFF and I will go later today and look.

4. This weekend we are buying all the school supplies we can. They start next Wednesday. So this is their last free Friday for a while.

5. The Bengals beat the Patriots last night! Ochocinco kicked the PAT? What the heck? Are they desperate for a kicker? Who cares, they won!


Here's a link to check out Stick it on the Fridge (http://pleasestickitinthefridge.blogspot.com/).

How AAA saved my life, well my pride.

Last night, I was sitting in the back of my new Ford Edge watching football practice, reading and talking with another parent. The day was dreary and darkening clouds were rolling by, threatening rain and grumbling with thunder. Flashes of lightening littered the sky, and the boys and coaches ran in to the locker rooms. After about five minutes, the boys still had not come back out, so I text my son.

ME: Whatcha doing?
HIM: Talk chalkin' over plays.
ME: Ok.

The rain started coming down in big, fat drops and the other parent jumped in their vehicle. I was sitting in the trunk area enjoying the weather. It started picking up and I decided I had better close the trunk so my legs don't get completely soaked. As I did that, I slowly lowered it and tried to stop it from just clicking shut. Nope. It latched. I pushed on the door and it stayed in place. Ok", I think. "How do I get this open without all these other parents realizing I am locked in the back of my car?" I look around and realize that I can not scoot over the top of the seats. I look to the left; nothing. I look to the right; nothing.

At this point, I text my daughter and my husband.

ME: I have locked myself in the back of the Edge. lol.

Then I see it. A small rectangle piece in the door that looks like it can come out. I try to pop it off with my fake thumbnails (because right now my thumbnails are they are the only long nails I have). They are too wide. I try a key (at least they are with me). Nope. So then I look at my keyring. On my very round and big keyring, I have a AAA card, you know like the little gas cards or other store cards you put on them. It is very thin. I put that against the rectangle and it pops right off. I put my fingers in very gently and feel around. "That is not the right place, oh, that piece goes down. Now if I push the door as I press on that piece..." A rush of relief went through me. I had unlocked the mystery, without any strangers noticing.

HER: Seriously?
ME: Yeah, but it's okay, I figured out how to open it up.

At this point her BFF called me and asked if I needed them to come and get me out. I just laughed and said, "No, I figured it out. But it is kinda funny, huh?" I am sure they were rolling their eyes at my antics.

It Has A Good Beat and Easy To Dance To....

I believe in monogomy. I have only been with one man my whole life, my husband. I am proud of that. But some of the songs today are preaching a different set of rules. One of those songs is by Pitbull called "Hotel Room". Have you heard this? The song is a hook-up song. The chorus states "Forget about your boyfriend and meet me at the hotel room, you can bring your girlfriends and meet me at the hotel room. [x2]
We at the hotel, motel, holiday inn." [x4]

I shamefully say I like the beat, but to hear my 12 year old sing this song was appalling. It is a good dance tune and there are no cussing in the song, but it basically lays it out there. I found out last night that on my 14 yo's myspace this is her song of choice. What? My 14 yo? No wonder kids today grow up too fast. Songs like this make it seem okay to ditch your girlfriend/boyfriend and have orgies. It doesn't make me feel old, but sad. Morals are thrown out the window and left on the street to rot. What do you do to fight this? Let them not listen to music? Did our parents feel this way about "Pour Some Sugar On Me?"

Gimme a S!

Tuesday is starting off slow. Yesterday, I couldn't get a word in edgewise. Today, I am begging to do something. The only major thing I have to do is get lunch for a large group and now...oh, the leader of the group wants me to stop and get these grown men and women ice cream sandwiches. Cool, huh? Oh goody, I even get one for myself (if there are any left over). What a guy! No lunch for you, but you go get them and oh, if there is any ice cream left...it's yours. I don't mind, really I don't.

Today my kids are running my husband and my friend ragged. The older kids have band practice this AM, then they come home, shower and dress, go get a couple of things at the dance shop, then take the older ones and the younger boy back to school for pictures. Then younger boy has football practice until 4:30 or 5. Then it will be done for them for the day. At least they will be busy.

What all that means is that we will eat supper at a normal time. We are use to eating supper around 6. But with football practice, it has been 8:30. So I usually haven't been eating. Late last week, my hon started going home from practice a half hour early and getting supper ready, so when the rest of us got there, we were able to eat about 15 minutes earlier. Once school starts, that will be easier to do because a) kids will be home before 5 unless there is a game and b) after Labor Day, my hours will be more normal.

So let's hear it for back to school and back to the routine! Love it!

I have been awarded...

Thanks to ladytruth and I hope more will catch on someday...





Here are the requirements for this award. In order to be considered for this award, your blog must be relatively new, I say with in the last 6 months. AND must evoke a response from me... Laughing out loud, Fit the bill for obnoxious, give me something useful in everyday life... You get the idea.

I will look to give this out with some sound research soon.

My hubby just came up with a good idea...in Ohio, when you get your car license plates renewed...you should get a discount for recycling the plates. It's ridiculous to pay $50+ for a little sticker!

What do you think?

Not Me! Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

What have I not been up to over the weekend? Well here it goes...

My first night of band camp, I was not the only one in the field and not waiting on others to pull a prank. I was no where near there.

I was not letting the fifteen year old get upset about silly things like leaving her father's gym shorts in the bathroom.

I was not picking 15 cucumbers, 10 green peppers and dozens of beans and tomatoes out of my garden.

I did not fall asleep during most of ARMY WIVES last night. Good thing for DVRs.

Help! I'm Complex!

Well, 9th grader made through her first 24 hours of band camp. I knew she would. I never had any doubt that once she got there she would be fine. She does say that I am wanted there. It's nice to be wanted. But why me? I am a mom, but I guess, like my Dad, I have a tendency to make things fun for others.

I have my other side too, like meeting someone face to face for the first time. I am not sure what to say, how they expect me to respond, what they think of how I look, or if they really even want to talk to me. I get nervous, especially if neither of us makes that first initial contact. Then I try and get out of the situation. I move away and then spend the rest of the time beating myself up because now I am thinking that the person may think I don't like them, that I was a snob or that I didn't even notice them. Actually, I was just nervous and wasn't sure what to say.

So life is full of complexities that we need to just take by the horns and get on with. Say hi to that new person that you want to make contact with. Go in with an attitude that it doesn't matter what everyone else thinks and just be yourself. Make life fun for everyone around you. You may just find that it really is a lot of fun.

Know your Child

Today I dropped my 9th grader off early for band camp. She is scared and tired and not quite sure she is ready for this. Last night she had one of her major mental breakdowns. As some background, the Auxillary girls spent the night before making their tassels and going TP-ing. That's another story.

The 9th grader apparently, being crafty as she is, made her tassels in record time. She was telling me how impressed the senior of the group was and that she now holds the record for how long it takes. I am sure we will be making lots of tassels as the years go by, so she will have to explain that to me later. But the girls stayed up way past her bed time and last night I saw the result of that. She is the type of person who doesn't like the unknown. She wants to know exactly what we are doing, when we are doing it, and and don't give her any of this "You'll love band camp. You will have such a great time!" She didn't care about that at 11 PM at night, with less than 7 hours of sleep. She didn't know what she wants but she was sure she doesn't want to go to band camp. She wants to stay home in the comfort of her bedroom and cry. I love being a mom, don't you?

Anyway, I went to find her schedule to help show her exactly what she was going to be doing when, and give her time to calm down. Dad wanted to help, but his words of encouragement were to say the least, not very encouraging to a 15-year old girl dealing with emotions and sleep depravation. Bless his heart, he tries.

When I get back, I find the 9th grader packing a few more things, and she tells me that when they are seniors, they will do this and this and this. I hugged her and said, "See you are already planning for the future." She smiled and said, "I know." The best part is that she will be with her best friend, and she can make stronger bonds with the other girls and boys.

This morning, I told her best friend, that she had a mental breakdown last night and he had to be extra nice to her this week. "I'm always nice to her," was his response. (I am rolling my eyes at this comment.) He's almost 15, what does he know? This morning I stood around and talked for a few minutes and the 9th grader finally told me I could leave. So I hug her, tell her and the best friend to be good and that I will see the tomorrow evening. Then I turn and walk to my vehicle. I know she is in good hands and I will be out there tomorrow evening, spending the night and probably chaperoning the 9th graders as the prank the seniors and the director. But, that will be for another time.

My 15 year old had a sleep over last night. She text me about 11:30 PM and told me that she was going to TP a house. Good grief! I know it's "harmless fun" but...

Anyway, this AM I asked her if they actually went and she confessed they did. SIGH. It was her friend's house and I know we will get paid back for this. So a little excitement will be happening soon. Good grief!

Blah in Receptland

A boring day as the receptionist. It rained hard all day and I stayed in the building. There was the occasional phone to be answered and some minimal mail to be delivered. The day was spiced with a few cuties that delivered things and the handy manny that is nice to talk too. All in all it is not a day to blog about. Maybe tomorrow!