Still Busy - but Getting Better!
Mood:  hungry
Now Playing: Doo Wop's Greatest - on PBS
Topic: Things to Do

So the weekend was VERY busy - more so for Son than for us although there was a domino effect there.  He had to work two different shifts on Saturday and I was sure he was going to fall over from being so tired yesterday but he held it together until about 7 & then went and crashed.

I woked up 15 minutes before I was supposed to have him at work this morning! AGH!  But he got there 1 minute late - not bad for not speeding!  Of course I think I got all the lights green & no traffic yet.

This evening I went to the PTA Board meeting.  Where are all these new people that were supposed to be there?  Also did some hocking selling school T-shirts and PTA memberships.  And while you're buying this and filling out this envelope, how about signing up to actually DO something at the school!  We all discussed how NO ONE on the board is a SAHM (or N - for "Nana" - in my case).  We all work - most of them full time, some of us part time.  The running joke was - all the SAHM's can't serve on the board because they are "too busy"!  Ugh!

So tomorrow is shaping up to be relatively easy - no evening stuff. 

And did I mention we finally got stuff dropping from the sky rain?  All it did was make it steamy - and very humid.  We need a nice cool rain that cools things off!

So how was your day?

I've been SO Busy
Mood:  lazy
Now Playing: Channel 11 News
Topic: Things to Do

Yes, folks - I've been extremely busy the last several weeks!  It seems that as soon as we got back from vacation, we've gone from 0-100 in a peco second!  One weekend was our grandson's 2nd birthday party at our house.  The following weekend was the wedding of a good friend's daughter.  In between that, my husband spent 3 weekends in 100+ degree weather working on his vehicle (wiring issues).  There was the 2 1/2 day orientation I attended with College Daughter.  Second Grader (formerly First Grader) Grandson had to get new school (& regular) clothes, shoes, supplies, and of course the annual picking out of a new superhero backpack (ok, he now has 3 Superman backpacks - anyone see a pattern?).  And a superhero lunch box and thermos (he went with the "Hulk" on that!).  Then we came to the discovery that College was starting really soon and College Daughter needed something to drive!  So instead of waiting for a good time (there aren't any good times) - daughter and I drove around our town looking at cars. 

NOTE TO CAR SALES PERSONS: WHEN YOU START DICKERING WITH ME REALLY BADLY I KNOW SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE CAR!

So we went to Carmax (ok, this is a shameless plug for them!) - and they treated us VERY WELL.  Now College Daughter has a nice pre-owned Hyundai that she's driving back and forth. 

Second Grader Grandson is doing well at the brand new school building that was finished justintime for school to start.  His 2nd grade teacher was my son's teacher way back when!  And I think she's one of the greatest teachers there!  Way to go, Ms. G!  And of course since school has started that means PTA has started!  Yes, I've already done PTA stuff - selling T-shirts during Meet the Teacher night the 2nd night of school and help sell school supply boxes the fisrt day of school.  Next week is the board meeting and orientations that I need to help out at.  We are never without something to do!

Work picked up quickly with mailing out almost 1000 brochures and putting out the monthly newsletter all on the same day this past week.  I messed up on the timing of that!  And I don't think I'm caught up yet!

And if you think that wasn't enough try this - back in the swing of mid-week Bible study (and somehow I volunteered to lead this session).  Someone remind me how to say no!  Some of us ladies got together mid-week to have lunch together.

I have managed to get a few things done around the house somehow.  This next week my big project is going through Second Grader Grandson's dresser to weed out all the too small clothes & get all that organized.

Oh, yeah & we're now working around not only our schedule, College Daughter's schedule and Second Grader Grandson's schedule, but our Son's work schedule!

No wonder I've had an eye twitch that's lasted a couple weeks.  If you see me in a corner drooling and twitching, you know I've gone too far over the edge! 

Are We Done Yet?
Mood:  caffeinated
Now Playing: The Incredibles - DVD
Topic: Things to Do

So my weekends have been very busy lately! The end of July I spent 2 1/2 days with College Bound Daughter at College Orientation. Then went to a wedding shower for the daughter of a close friend. Last weekend was 2 year old grandson's birthday and party at our house. Not to mention that Florida Son has now become "Moved Home" Son. He has a new job and has been getting used to the new (very early) schedule (so have I!). This weekend is the wedding of our close friends' daughter. It's also Texas Tax Free weekend so we will be spending time fighting the rest of the world cooperating with the rest of North Texas in the stores! The weekend after this is the last week of freedom for 2nd Grade Grandson and College Bound Daughter before embarking on a new year of school and a brand new experience in higher education. Sometime between now and then we need to go get another car.

And the weather - all this consecutive "over 100 degree" days are for the birds! At least we are getting some relief in the mornings.

Have you been following the Olympics? Our household is rooting for Team USA and of course, Michael Phelps, all the way!

I've also been doing some organization on my genealogy stuff (check out the genealogy blog - link on left - to see what I've been doing).

Oh & I also baked a chocolate, peanut butter cake yesterday & it was yummy!

Yes, I'm Still Here!
Mood:  rushed
Topic: Things to Do

I'm sure you are all wondering where I've been for the last 5 days - sitting on pins and needles right?  Just BUSY - and yes I meant to type that in capital letters.

Things I've done in the last week - rearranged my work schedule due to dentist appointment, lack of that 3rd vehicle, and 1st grader's awards ceremony; general housework (changed sheets, cleaned bathroom); personal grooming stuff (colored/highlighted my hair - taking 2+ hours out of my Saturday); regular work stuff; IRREGULAR work stuff (work stuff I only have to do when my boss [read: the minister] is on vacation); grocery shopping (several times at several stores); spend time with Photographer Daughter and grandsons; chauffeur Senior Daughter to Favorite Teacher's Senior Party because there was lack of communication and Senior Boyfriend didn't pick her up to go; buy a birthday gift for Senior Boyfriend; fix meals for people to eat (because someone is always hungry at my house!); run errands; buy graduation party supplies; and find time to sleep. 

Yes, I've surfed here, there and every once in awhile this past few days.  In fact Friday morning after filling my mind with THREE HOURS of the LOST finale on Thursday and reading some of the blogging commentaries about the finale, I formulated a great blog about my theories, observations, etc.  Needless to say my brain is already filled with more crap than it can hold so I basically forgot everything I'd thought about & watched helplessly as it floated from my brain to the other-sphere - never to be thought of again!

I'm also blogging on my genealogy website.  So if you are ever looking for me here and can't find me - go there and you'll realize I'm still around.  Just not here.  Sometimes I'm not even all there! 

Oh, yeah, Rick Springfield will be at the Glass Cactus nightclub at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine on June 13th.  Guess who isn't able to go?  Boo Hoo!  For $40 a ticket I just can't do it right now.  Have bills that have to be paid, graduation to get through, a vacation to think about, and since gas is now a bazillion almost $4 a gallon, we're saving for that trip to the grocery store down the street. 

Senior Daughter graduates on Sunday morning at 10 a.m.  Party is later that afternoon.  Not at my house.  If you show up here - you're going to be disappointed.  First off my house isn't big enough to hold the number of people who show up to these things, second I don't have the time to spic & span everything down, and third - well the first two equals 3!  I keep saying once I get through graduation then I can think about other things. 

 Except . . . I have a volunteer breakfast this a.m.  Years ago when I was room mom for Florida Daughter (stop counting how long ago it was - just trust me!) - my next door neighbor called me one afternoon and told me I'd missed a great volunteer's "tea".  The school had given all the room mom's and outstanding volunteers a tea one afternoon before school was over and seeing I wasn't there, asked someone why I wasn't.  They informed her that they "forgot" to invite me.  Hello - pick up the phone & call me and tell me to come!  Nope.  Then two days later at the end of school ice cream party as I was carting 2 1/2 gallons of ice cream through the school wondering where the class was, the teacher came around a corner & said they'd decided to have an outside fun day & could I just bring the ice cream back the next day?  I was so ticked!  I handed her the ice cream & told her she was on her own.  That sort of soured me on the whole room parent thing - so much so that I didn't do it again for (insert your best guess) umpteen years until last year for First Grader.  So I'm taking full advantage of the volunteers breakfast this morning!

Wednesday I have a lunch with the church ladies - we're all fun and silly.  At 1 that day I have the end of year (again "ice cream" party) for First Grader.  Thursday at 10 is Senior Daughter's graduation practice and at 1:30 First Grader is (in the words of the legendary Alice Cooper) "out for the summer". 

So what are you doing and where have you been?  Hmmm?

Warning: This is an Advertisement!
Mood:  loud
Topic: Things to Do

My wonderful husband and I celebrated 20 years of marriage on Friday by taking an overnight trip (close to home) away from the house!  Where we went -

OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE: GO!  The food is wonderful!  We hadn't ever been but have wanted to go.  I was hungry for steak - so we both got the prime rib.  It was melt in your mouth good!  It was a special they were having - the prime rib with a lobster/crab cake, vegetable & side.  I had the standard crisp cooked green beans and the wild rice to go with it.  The crab/lobster cake was very good - generally I'll have a bite of one of these & realize it's not very good.  This was amazing!  The green beans were perfect & the warm, out of the oven pumpernickel bread was a real treat!

INDIANA JONES: Saw the 4th Indy installment (along with half the nation) after dinner and it was so much fun!  Loved every moment of the movie & would actually pay full price to see it again!  I realize there is so much you can miss the first viewing.  If you haven't seen it or are letting the "critics" dictate what you should see (don't!) - go see it! 

CRACKER BARREL: For breakfast.  Generally I'm not a breakfast type of person but we went there anyway and no matter what time of day you eat at Cracker Barrel the food is always hot and good! 

Then it was back to the real world and home. 

Did you celebrate Memorial Day yesterday?  Do you decorate graves?  Display the flag?  Participate in backyard barbecues?  Swim? 

Errands
Mood:  not sure
Topic: Things to Do

So I've decided who I'm voting for so will go do the early voting thing this a.m.  Need to run a bunch of stuff to the dry cleaners.  (So that's where those pants are!)  Will be picking up a new friend to go to a get-together on Saturday & can't have her attempting to move all the crap in the van to find a seat so guess I'd better go get that cleaned/vacuumed out.  Then I need to find where this person lives so we won't be totally lost Saturday evening and when I told her I was going to do that, she asked me to stop by so will stop & see her - briefly. I have towels that need to be laundered, a floor that needs vacuuming, stuff that needs dusting and the tile floors need at least a good sweep (I won't get to mopping today). 

Talked to a good friend yesterday evening - her father has some very serious medical issues. Well it's now in the "waiting" period. So if you are a praying person - please send up prayers for this man and his family - that they have comfort during this time and that he is in no pain or is suffering.

Tonight is once again a NO CALL EVENING!  Between the "Idol" results show and "Lost" - will be glued to the TV.  If you need to call - make it after 9 p.m. CST!

Politics
Mood:  mischievious
Topic: Things to Do

See I'll do anything for some blog comments!  Figure if I insert the names of those running for President, I may get some hits from the search engines & maybe I'll irritate/spark a debate/anger/humor someone!

Have been doing some research on the candidates as I frankly had no idea who wanted what, what the real facts were, etc.  But some things I've decided:

Listening to our former President while on a campaign stop for the Former First Lady here in North Texas yesterday (no, I didn't go - I watch the local news!) - and he mentioned something about the rival saying to the effect of (to the crowd): "Would you sign a contract with someone you don't know?"  My question back to him and his wife: So is she going to READ the contracts (or anything else) this time?  Has everyone forgot Whitewater - and the "I didn't read the contract" thingy that came from it?  I do admire the fact that I haven't heard any of the rivals bring that up - but I remember!  I also remember that it was at her urging 3 Terrorists were pardoned (or let out, or whatever) before her husband's term in office was over.  Yeah - that's the ticket - let's let them ALL out so we can start right back at the beginning!

And PLEASE do NOT forward me one more erroneous email about one of the other candidates - the myth is that this person is a muslim (or has been or something to that affect) - WRONG!  In fact he's the same denomination that I am & let me tell you - I'm not a muslim.  And I'm not bashing people for being of any religion. But quit disseminating false information to play on the fear of the American public.  Get the facts straight before you hit that forward button!

At least one of the other candidates had the gumption to apologize to folks who listened to him at a rally in Ohio yesterday - that the comments made about one of the candidates were inappropriate. 

And please do NOT vote for someone because your primary reason is: she's a woman, he's of a certain race, he's a war hero, he's white, she's white, her husband was president, he goes to my church, etc.  Your reasons for voting for someone should be because their opinions, values, where they want to lead the country is similar to your opinions, values, and where you want to see the country be led.  If there was a candidate who was green, a woman, my Bestest friend in the whole wide world but their policies/ideals/opinions/values were NO WHERE in line with mine, I would not vote for them.  However if they were all that & more - and their thoughts were similar to mine - then heck yes, I would vote for them but not because of anything else.

All I'm asking is for a little bit of the thought process behind this whole political thing we go through every 4 years.  Let's stop bashing - but start speaking  & having conversations to what is important to us.  Vote for the person you think will do the best job for America - not because you don't want to vote for the other person out of fear, sexism, racism, or any prejudice (especially due to false information).  It's our priviledge to vote - please exercise it (or shut up about whoever gets the nomination!)

I'm stepping down from the soap box now!

Too Much to Do!
Mood:  party time!
Topic: Things to Do

So today is Valentines!  Happy Valentines to all out there who celebrate - either by taking your lady out to dinner or treating her to something nice, or for you ladies who make the day extra special for their men. 

Today is also the First Grader's class Valentine's party.  And did I mention I'm the room parent?  Luckily the kids in his class have wonderful parents & everyone pitches in somehow.  I have plenty of food that will be donated by the parents, several will show up to help & the kids are all wonderful.  It's just the getting ready for it part that typically stresses me out!  What craft to make?  And I'm not one for messy - no glitter, as little glue as possible - something simple.  But not too simple that first graders will think it's a "baby" craft.  Then once I've decided on what to have them do, need to go find the supplies!  Which I did yesterday - yes, procrastination should be my middle name. 

Also on tap for today - dr. appt for Senior Daughter.  I think I might have at least an hour (maybe longer) in between getting her back to school & the party.  But basically my day is shot! 

And I have tons of laundry to do - but that has to wait.  A piece of the grate in the back of the dryer drum pulled away so there's a big hole & we sure don't need an article of clothing to fall into the motor.  So hopefully hubby will get that taken care of REAL SOON!

Have a baby shower I'm going to on Sunday afternoon.  Should be fun!  It'll be the gal's 2nd baby but first boy - so the lot of us are very excited for her.  Her daughter is coming up on 3 & is the cutest thing!

Had the house torn apart yesterday looking for something the hubby is looking for.  I didn't see anything (it's a notebook of stuff) that even resembled what he wants to find.  This is more of a "wouldn't it be great if I could have it" - then needing it for real!  So I'm sure he'll go through stuff this weekend - that I've already pulled out - and do his own search.  Which will mean comments like this: "What is this & why do we still have it?"  "There is just too much stuff in this . . . " (pick a room, any room!)  "If this isn't going to be put away, it's going to be thrown away."  Well, I did my own throwing away yesterday.  I know there is more to do - just tell me where the time will come from for me to do that?

And on & on & on . . .

Digital Scrapbooking
Mood:  rushed
Topic: Things to Do

Dear Readers - Just when I thought summer was winding down and I could start enjoying the rest of it before school starts - everything has hit at once!  You know that feeling, I'm sure.  Never have managed to get to the zoo or the art museum yet - 2 things that were on my "I really need to do this" list for the summer.  So what have I been doing with my time?  Spent a week "on vacation" so to speak.  Was nice & enjoyed the kids.  Getting in dr. visits (kids) and other projects.  Decided that I really need to get proficient with this digital scrapbooking stuff in order to get some kits ready for resale.  Just when I was diving full steam into that, I find out that I've been volunteered to be on a committee at church creating a new brochure to be mailed out in about 6 weeks.  So minus the week or so at the printer, the time it takes to stick mailing labels on all of them, and get them mailed - I don't have a whole lot of time.  And since out of the 3 of us, I'm more of the "graphic designer", I'm working on the mock-up for approval.  Now if that's not enough, I agreed to hold my youngest grandson's birthday party at my house - in 2 weeks!  I don't think I've cleaned thoroughly since school ended in May.  I mean with a 6 year old home every day, toys being dragged all through the house, mail stacked up here & there until DH finds a place for it, purchases I've made that don't have a home, no time to clean, etc. I can tell that the week of the party, I'm going to be sucking down the caffeine & running 200 mph just to get this house ready for guests.  On top of all that, my daughter has asked me to create a dvd of the baby's first year - I don't think I'm going to be sleeping much!  Then I decided it was easier for me to find something for my mom - who lives several states away - so she doesn't have to run all over her area looking for this particular thing.  So you may be asking - why am I blogging when I have SO MUCH to do?  I honestly do not know!  I'm such a procrastinator!  Better get to it - oh, yeah & on top of all that - I have a lunch today - my fun thing to do!  Tune in tomorrow (or next month!), dear Readers, to find out if the brochure got done on time, if the dvd will be ready for the party, if the party guests run like the wind because I've forgotten that one cobweb in the corner!

 

Summer Activities
Mood:  caffeinated
Topic: Things to Do
So the kids will be out for summer break soon & I've been trying to find things for us to do so we all won't be BORED!  TeenDaughter visited a modern art museum on a field trip a month or so ago & absolutely loved it. Not being much of an "artsy" person, I never gave an art museum much thought.  They have "free" days - so we'll pick a Wednesday & high tail it to Ft. Worth (which is a hike for us) to go & do a walk through.  I also want to go back to the zoo sometime this summer.  One week is taken by our church's musical program - instead of Vacation Bible School.  Another week will be vacation out of state - so that leaves how many weeks left to find things to do?!  Did I mention that school will be out SOON!  Today, tomorrow & half day of Thursday is all that's left.  Meanwhile, I'm witnessing the end of my "normal" schedule until late August!  So, Dear Reader, what are your plans to keep your young'uns (or teen ones) occupied for the summer?