Vacation Part 2
Mood:  caffeinated
Now Playing: grandson is humming something!
Topic: home

The first "episode" of our vacation is posted below.

Spent the first night at my mom's bringing in luggage, cramming a lot of talking into a short time and eating the dinner she'd heated for us (sloppy joes).  Husband spent time putting up the air mattress on a frame. This time we remembered the air pump!

While we were there, several of my cousins and families came over. We enjoyed a pot luck of sorts. My contribution was Kroger's Fried Chicken (which isn't all that bad!).  What we had left over, our Son mostly consumed during late night refridgerator raids or we ate during lunch the next day or so.  Cousin "J" (wow - most of my cousins that were there are Cousin "J"!) brought 3 pies which her grandson and College Bound Daughter ate with gusto!  There was some sort of pie eating contest the rest of us didn't know about and the two consumed 5 pieces of pie each!  They didn't want to be outdone by the other.  And the worst part is - I don't think either of them gained any weight.  If it had been me, it would have all settled in my hips and thighs.  But she ate my piece of Lemon Meringue pie! Wah! 

We attended Mom's church - the church I grew up in.  Was nice to see some familiar faces there.  The Youth Minister preached that day as their minister was in the hospital. Delivered a very good sermon.  Soon to be Second Grader even went up for the Children's time and then went back for Children's "Sunday School" for the remainder of the service.  Back home afterwards to eat the wonderful Pork Loin Roast that I'd fixed that morning.  Was even better than I remember making it at home!  Another of my first cousins - and another Cousin "J" came over with her daughter & 2 grandsons.  We yakked and yakked and College Bound Daughter and Cousin's youngest grandson had a great time.  Her oldest grandson and my grandson spent the whole time playing with a gameboy video game.

We treated Mom to some Frozen Custard from "Ritters" while we were there.  Too good to pass up and it is one of her favorites.

The morning's and evenings were cool and was wonderful not to be in the Texas Heat during that time.

Will bring you Part 3 of our vacation next time!

Back From Vacation
Mood:  chillin'
Now Playing: nothing - it's quiet!
Topic: family

We left outta here the morning of July 10th for the Midwest and visits with family.  Two parents, two adult children, the grandson, and a dog!  Traveling up 35 through Oklahoma and Kansas actually went by fast - as fast as 8 hours can go!  Stopped in Emporia, KS (on the turnpike) at the McDonald's and service station for some lunch.  As always when we stop, someone needs to stay with the dog.  Got back on the road & headed toward Kansas City and then 2 hours beyond that to my in-law's farm.  My father-in-law had tried to tell us about the bridge being out (about 20 minutes from their house) but then went on about 435 or 35 being closed in KC so we were a little confused.  Hit Waverly, MO and over the Missouri River.  When we got to Route 24 we saw the signs saying there was a detour.  Unfortunately whoever posted those detour signs was a little confused as well.  We were going to go 24 East.  The detour sign was for 24 West.  No - it was for both!  So instead of going back to Waverly to detour, we went about an hour the other direction toward Chillicothe to get back toward where we needed to go.  That was extra time we hadn't counted on.

Pulled into the farm in the early evening and had a wonderful short visit with the in-laws before heading out the door about 7 a.m. the next morning for Southwest Ohio.  Let me tell you about Illinois.  Seems when anything happens on a trip - it happens in Illinois.  These are just a few of the past incidents: finding out our gas tank was leaking; leaving the gas cap on top of the van for hours between fill ups (& not losing it!), the fuel pump acting up and having to sit on the side of a very busy highway without a cell phone signal but getting through to the 911 operator who sent a patrolman out to make sure we were ok and wait with us until the van decided to get going again; NOT finding any gas stations when we needed to!  This trip through Illinois went much better!  Stopped in the Champaign-Urbana area for food.  Pulled into Mom's carport about 7 p.m. her time (we lost an hour between Central and Eastern Daylight Savings Time). 

Things we did while traveling: ate junk food (I'd packed beef jerky, Pringle singles, goldfish, snack packages of cookies and cheese or peanut butter crackers; drinking lots of water or coffee; read (wow, I actually was able to read part of a book while traveling!); play computer games on the laptop; text message friends; and sleep!

More from the Travels of '08 later!

Independence Day
Mood:  don't ask
Now Playing: PS2 Harry Potter V Game
Topic: home

Over 200 years ago many of our ancestors or ancestors of our in-laws or someone else we might know were knuckling down and preparing to do whatever it took to gain their independence from England and King George.  Those courageous men and women could have ultimately been hanged as traitors if America hadn't become its own nation.

Yet how often in the last 30 years have I seen the battle for independence from something in my own life?  At 17 I found myself independent (more or less) living over 900 miles away from where I grew up.  I've seen other family members who have taken their stab at independence that just happened to fall on the 4th of July.  I've been in a group of grieving family members saying good-bye to a loved one on the 4th of July not too long ago.  I've been a witness to how things can spiral out of control on Independence Day. 

As fireworks explode over head to celebrate the birth of our country, I often wonder if that's what inner turmoil would look like if it was visible for all to see.  Would there be sparks of color jettisoned against a black canvas?  The duds that don't explode are they the whimper of our sobs catching in our throat?  The many rockets exploding at the end - the culmination of our anger, distress, sorrow and resignation - in order to feel normal again?

Being a mom is a lot like Independence day.  Sometimes the fireworks are so bright they blind you.  Other times they are so perfect in their exploding form, you see all the angles, each rivulet of fire streaking toward the ground, and more that you hadn't intended on.  It's hearing the distress in your child's voice and feeling as if your heart has broken into a million jagged edges cutting so deep that you wonder if the cuts will ever heal.  It's holding back the sobs that seem to want to spring from deep within your gut in order to remain that calm, strong person everyone thinks you are.  It's letting go of the hopes and dreams you had, and letting go of the hopes and dreams your child has had, and reconciling the person they are with the person you try to see behind their mask.  It's knowing truths that only belong to other people.  It's loving so hard and so strong that the one thing on earth you want to do is the one thing you can't - take away all the pain, hurt and despair.  To fit those around your own shoulders and take the weight off your child's.  Motherhood is feeling like soaring into the heavens in the joy of your child's laugh, their bright smiling eyes, and the way they see the world.  It's wanting to freeze moments so they can be plucked down from the shelf just to relive and remember.  It's wanting to share their happiness and excitement.  It's wanting everyone in the world to know how deeply you love this person.

Motherhood is a lot like independence.  The good and the bad.  But . . . the joy of being a mother never leaves and is especially deep in the bad.  My children and grandchildren - I love you more than you could ever imagine and I wish to you - Happy Independence Day!

Summer Reading
Mood:  caffeinated
Now Playing: still quiet!
Topic: home

I don't remember what I was watching the other day but there was a commercial for a movie that will run on the Lifetime Channel (did I mention I do not have cable, direct tv or satellite?) - called the "Tenth Circle" based on the novel by Jodi Picoult.  Yes, I'd seen her books but haven't bought any.  The trailer for the movie looked good & so I thought, well I can't see the movie but I can read the book.  I hit the local bookstore last Friday but that particular book was on order - obviously very popular. So I ended up with another Picoult book - "The Pact."  I'm about 5 chapters into it right now & have realized why she's such a popular author.

Then a genealogy blogger - Jasia - has two blogs: one for her genealogy & one for her digital scrapbook including genealogy.  She'd posted some stuff about the "Plum" books by Janet Evanovich.  So while I was at the bookstore I picked up the first one - "One For the Money".  As Jasia had mentioned - it's a pretty fast read & enjoyable.  Luckily she's written 13 more in the "numbers" series and a few Plum books "in-between" the numbers.  Think I know what I'll be reading this summer.  I also found some lists off the web on genealogy fiction.  Think I'll first see if the library has any of those.  Speaking of which - current books/CDs are due tomorrow but I doubt I'll be checking anything out since I'll be busy for the next few weeks & I have the Picoult book to read.  (If you want to see the Digital Scrapbook page Jasia made in honor of the Plum novels, give me a holler & I'll link you up.  Or go to my genealogy blog (link on left), find the "Genealogy Blogs" on the right hand side & click on "Creative Gene".  That's Jasia's genealogy blog - go to the right side & click "Creative Genealogy" - that's her scrapbook page.) 

What's on your summer reading list?

House in Disarray!
Mood:  don't ask
Now Playing: nothing - quiet here - sort of!
Topic: home

So College Bound Daughter is fixin' to (that's Texas slang for getting ready to) paint her room.  She's been preparing for this for a few months weeks now.  Which is perfectly A-OK in my book - a very enterprising young woman, she is.  Now we're down for the actual painting part - which basically means - furniture is either in her doorway, in the hall, pushed to the middle of her room, her bed is full of stuff that has no where else to go during this "remodeling", the spare bed is full of stuff & her bed right now is the living room couch.  So every morning at 5 something when we are up, I know she'd rather be anywhere else but in the living room with all our clacking, clanging, swooshing, etc. going on.  Not only that but the dog thinks - "I can start whining & barking at whatever is outdoors now" because we'll let her out.  Doubtful the painting will be done anytime soon!

In the Land of TV news - or as I refer to it - what is NOT on because it's summer & I want to give all these "reality" show people a piece of my mind - I've been doing a lot of PBS watching.  At least "History Detectives" is back on for another season.  When I was in school, history was my least favorite subject - right up there with physical science & geometry.  Names, dates, places - UGH!  So of course it stands to reason that I am married to a history buff!  Except - lo & behold - he makes it interesting to me!  So over these 20+ years, I've begun to enjoy history.  Tap into what I've learned through my genealogy hunt & I'm actually getting something out of it!  Quite frequently on PBS Monday evenings is the "American Experience".  Last night was John & Abigail Adams.  Until last night I had very little knowledge about our 2nd President. 

So it goes to show that you are (or should I say "I am") never too old to learn new information. 

 

Still Here - Just Busy!
Mood:  caffeinated
Now Playing: Pirates of the Carribean - At World's End
Topic: home

So now it's Post - Graduation and you'd think I have time now to get things done.  Not necessarily so!  One of my goals through this summer is to document and scan in a lot of the old photos and letters and other documents I have in my possession.  Last week I managed to scan in about 100 photographs and 8 months worth of letters that my grandparents wrote to my parents from Germany. 

We also got to enjoy an evening with friends on Saturday evening.  There are a total of four of us couples who get together periodically -there used to be five.  We lost the wife almost two years ago and her husband passed away this past December.  So the few times we've been together since then, we always drink a toast or remember them in some way.  We've all been friends about ten years and have gone through many things together.  Things that have bonded us and made our ties to each other stronger. 

In weather related news - only one word - HOT!  At least when we got a little (& that truly is an understatement!) rain last week, it cooled things down for the evenings. 

In shopping news - I understand how easy it is to order stuff on-line.  But I really don't want to order clothing over the web. I want to see it, touch it & try it on first. Oh, I know it's easy to return items (for the most part) - it's just the effort you have to put in.  Re-packaging the merchandise, taking it to the Post Office, and usually paying for shipping.  And make sure you put all the proper paperwork inside as well. 

The grandsons played in the sprinkler on Sunday afternoon.  Photographer daughter bought the cutest sprinkler system.  The two boys had a great time!  They were so cute.  Unfortunately it was just way too hot to be outside for longer than we were. 

If I'm not here, I'm at the other place -

All My Branches Genealogy Blog. Come and say hi!

Graduation!
Mood:  celebratory
Now Playing: Harry Potter - Chamber of Secrets
Topic: family

Yesterday College Bound Daughter (formerly known as Senior Daughter) graduated!  So now I can let you all know what I've been working on!  I had made each of the kids a DVD of pictures a few years ago so I updated CBD's with pictures from the last few years and had that playing during her grad party.  I also have been working on her scrapbook - I got pretty carried away & it turned out to be HUGE!  I found that it was too thick for the original album so had to go find another one that could be expanded to what I needed.  Then I discovered that none of the page protectors would fit in the new one (posts were slightly different than the holes) so had to transfer all the pages into new page protectors!  I also made a photo book of all of her "large" school pictures - what else was I going to do with them?  Then I had all of her senior photo proofs frames and set out as well as the larger framed pictures.  My husband put all her competition medals in a shadowbox so we could display that too.  The displays turned out lovely and thanks to my sister, we had the room and tables decorated really good.  I hope CBD had a good day and enjoyed the party.  Graduation itself was shorter than I thought it would be.  With 745 kids graduating plus all the speeches (which they limited to 2 minutes!) we were all done in 90 minutes.  Then we had to wait until our daughter found us, posed for pictures and then the travel time back home to pick up everything else for the party. 

Here's a great shot of CBD in her cap and gown after graduation!

Isn't she beautiful!

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Photo Table                                                                                                                             Scrapbook/Memorabilia Table

Sorry - Blog Name Taken
Mood:  cool
Now Playing: some weird kids' show on PBS with a Pig & Duck (?)
Topic: Blogging
So in my post below I mentioned that "random ramblings" would make a good blog name.  Well, I discovered that there is already such an animal.  It is a Genealogy blog - however if you are interested in what they are rambling randomly about - go check it out here: Random Ramblings. That's all . . .

Misspellings, Misfortune & Other Dumb Luck!
Mood:  mischievious
Topic: Blogging

As my daughter pointed out in my previous post - I can't spell "August" at all!  Consider it my brain working faster than my fingers!  I should have checked all the spelling before posting but I didn't!  Oh well - we have a new month now - AUUGUST!  It's a good thing that's not my name (yeah, that's what my Dad wanted to name me - only spelled the right way!)  No one knows why - I wasn't even born in August! 

So with yesterday being the last day of school, I figured I'd be able to complete stuff I needed to have done for Sunday - that also included getting most of the food stuff & punch ingredients for the grad party - as well as picking up some last minute decoration stuff.  I did go to the store but when I got home I had an emergency I had to handle so with the groceries still in the UNAIRCONDITIONED vehicle, I went to go pick someone up.  I wasn't really sure where I was going & what the deal was.  I was clock watching since Soon to Be 2nd Grader was getting out of school early.  Anyway I found where I needed to be & in the whole process of opening & closing doors, one of my salsa jars fell out & made a big mess on the road.  I sure wouldn't want someone leaving a bunch of glass on the road so I did my best to clean it all up - puncturing my finger in the process.  Grabbed a rag from the vehicle (which I'm sure was crawling with germs and dirt) to stop the bleeding & then finally back to the house.  It was sweltering!  Then I had to lug all the groceries in & put away. 

I finally finished up stuff I'd been trying to get done earlier about 8 p.m. last night.  There's still a few things yet to do.  Pick up a pie (yeah, College Bound Daughter wants a pie for her graduation party!) plus order a cake (for everyone else!).  Saturday I need to run to order balloons to pick up before the party on Sunday & take the food up to the party location so I won't have to do it Sunday.  I just hope the people putting the refreshments together for after church, don't get confused & use my stuff (I'll mark it clearly - just in case!)

And the wind here in North Texas has been HORRIBLE!  Remember my post about flying dogs?  I saw some guy carrying his tiny little dog the other day - it probably started to get airborne & he didn't want to lose the little thing!  I even saw some fences that had fallen down due to the wind.  Would be half way ok if there was a nice cool breeze with all that wind but it's so dry & warm.  Sort of like what I'd expect from the California Santa Ana winds.

If I'm not here in the next couple days I'll be back after graduation is all over & done with & post about it then.

Final Countdown!
Mood:  celebratory
Topic: family

In the immortal words of the legendary Alice Cooper "School's Out!" - yep, today is the last day of school for First Grader.  Movin' on up to the 2nd grade in Auugst!  Wow - when did this happen?  How did this happen? 

Today is also graduation practice day for Senior Daughter.  Will have to change her name after today to "College-Bound Daughter" (so take notes so you won't get lost!)  Sunday morning is graduation and Sunday afternoon is grad party.  I'm thisclose to being done with everything for the grad party.  Few things I need to take care of & then I need to make my list of food to buy, stuff to order (cake & balloons) & then take rest of stuff up to where the party will be so it's there & I don't have to try to deal with it on Sunday.  Then I need to actually make out in detail how to do this sort of party so in the future I will have something to go on!

Yesterday was last party for First Grader (who will soon be known as "Almost Second Grader").  Had lots of parents who showed up to help!  I am so lucky to have folks helping with the parties.  One of the moms who was helping me said she had been room mom for one of her other children and no one ever came to help.  The teacher of that class said the last 2 years she's had to do the parties because no one has ever stepped up to do it.  Yeah, I'm feeling the love! 

In other random ramblings (hey - if someone wants a blog name - that's a good one!) - the wind it is a blowin'!  The leaves in the trees were making a huge noise yesterday afternoon as the wind gusts would hit them.  But normal things like patio furniture & trash cans - winds not even touching them.  I'm a little confused!

So where am I when I'm not here?  Posting on my Genealogy Blog - so if you are looking for me here - go over there & you can read some of my (ha ha!) fascinating posts!