Friday, December 28, 2012

Okay, it came to me!

It occurred to me that I have been able to post pictures from Elena's I-pod touch, so I thought, what is different with my I-Pad??
The difference is that I did not have the blogger app installed!
Yippie!
So here are some Christmas pictures:
Now I am not sure how they are going to put themselves into the post.
They are all situated down at the bottom right now. :)

We have had a wonderful break!
Right now Andy is making some bacon and pancakes and I am chilling with HGTV, my cold, and the I-Pad.

Here are the toys the kids wanted for Christmas:
Victor wanted and got a basketball goal.
Elena wanted, and got, a car for her Julie doll.
Eva wanted, and got, a bike that she could ride her baby on.
The bike has a baby seat!
She wanted a princess bike, but the one {Santa} brought was Lalaloopsy.
The Princess bikes do not come with baby seats.
So when she threw a little fit, I just let her know that Santa has a pick up
time--he comes back around and gets things that might have been
disappointing--he has pick up times on Christmas day at 12:30 and
2:30--I just have to call him, don't worry Eva!
Boy, did she change her mind once I announced this pick up time!
I also told her that Santa does not bring a replacement toy. ;).

Victor's favorite has been the remote controlled helicopter that Grandma
brought. He loves it!! I love the look of delight on his face!!
Andy also loves this one, so we have sent Grandma in search of another one!
Sharing can be hard.... even at 36! ;).

So this year is wrapping up, and I must say that it has passed en un rato!
What a blur!
This year we are looking forward to
1. Andy starting school to get his master's degree
2. Basketball season in the Winter
3. A birthday party for Elena in a very fun location!
4. Summer will bring swim team again--with the best coach ever!, Coach Spencer.

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas!









Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Sometimes

I just get so confused about technology etc.
I have my IPad out and I am composing this post, BUT Imcannot make any pictures put themselves up here.
There are cute ones from Christmas.  So cute.  We had a very Merry Christmas.  Victor and Eva have been sick.  They are recovering now.
They all got something that they wanted.
We have played and played!
Now I am feeling a teensy bit sick, but no worries!
Tomorrow I will do more of what I call light housework mixed with resting and watching HGTV.
So Fun!

I will post the pictures somehow or another.  It is just gonna take some more figuring.

Cheers!

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Bienvenidos!

a la 21st century, Hill family!
You are going to love the use of cable t.v.!
You will wonder HOW IN THE WORLD have we lived without the
absolute wonder of over 70 channels???
You will so enjoy using the cell phone, oh yes, it is a handy, dandy
little tool...
At any moment you might be summoned by any ole
somebody who {needs} you right then!
Marvelous, truly Marvelous!

Lowdown:  The t.v. antenna stopped serving its purpose...
We go tired of all the little times when a cell phone would have
come in handy...
U.S. cellular's deal was a good one...

So in we went--two new bills to pay!
1.  cell phone
2.  cable.

Our children have been in a trance all afternoon!

Oh, and the cable guys came out to do the hook up
and Andy and I both agree that they are an interesting lot!
That would be an interesting anthropological study...
The subset of the population that is the Cable guy--
Oh, someone made a movie about that, right?
Very nice they were--and very interesting in their tales to tell,
and mannerisms...

So, now I will have to depart from the back porch and the joy of the computer screen
to go and watch cable t.v.!  {yippie}

Saturday, December 15, 2012

{winning}

When one has a child who is born competitive, one has to do a lot of explaining the topic in the
title of this post.
Only one of my children seems to have been bitten by the {winning} bug, and he is the male child.
Since he was able to "play" he has wanted to {win}.
The interesting thing about {winning} and development, is that children do not have ration, or
logic--it develops along the way.
18 month olds make up "games" that would really be impossible for anyone to {win}. (etc.)
Y'all are not reading this for a lesson in childhood development, I know, but there is a bit
of background that one has to know, in order to enjoy this story, and these are the words
and thoughts that have been writing themselves to me. :)
So, Victor is five now, and he has had many heartaches and some real {winning} moments.  I would say the average mix for any average child...you win some you lose some.
He also has a very {logical} personality with a VERY BIG dose of temper mixed in--I know EXACTLY where that came from.  I can see me in his fits..I know exactly how his frustration/desperation feels!!
So one day --maybe a month ago --I broke it down for Victor--after a bad luck BINGO night at
school at which some lucky child won an I-Pod, and another won a Nintendo DS...
I just started explaining...the types of winning.
There are three types of winning I said:
1.  The total luck kind--no need getting too upset--it was just luck! pure Luck!  No one did anything skillful at BINGO that night, nope--they just got lucky... And if you act sulky when someone else wins you are not being a good sport and you might detract from their good feelings...no need for that--just hold in your disappointment...
2.  The subjective kind of winning--say an art contest or an essay contest.  This kind of winning is based upon ones opinion of some thing you have done...
Around here you can't put much stock in that one either--our subjectivity around here is based on if your Mama will get mad and act like a fool when you do not "win"-or if your grandad ate lunch with George Washington and you have blue blood in your veins...those are the {best} essay writers and artists in our town--you better believe it!  (they sure do). ;)....I do not tell my children the second part, as I do not want them to be cynical too early--they have 13 years to figure that one out.
3.  The only kind I think has any real value is the indisputable kind...the kind where one wins a race, or
one makes the best grades...there is no arguing there.  I told V-man--this is the only one you need to worry about or really try at--and don't cry about it...just be the best! (when you can) Then I explained--the blue ribbons from swimming...?? that is the kind to take pride in, that is the kind that was based on pure time, and stroke correctness..nothing more and nothing less. 
So, I think he got it...
I do all of this when we are riding in the car and they are trapped!

So the VERY NEXT WEEK when we were at the beach for Thanksgiving--we were all at the pier playing arcade games when Victor had a GIANT STROKE OF LUCK!  He was playing some wheel spinning game for a quarter--and he hit the jackpot!! One THOUSAND TICKETS!!  I am not even kidding.
He stooped his little self down and just looked in wonder as ticket after ticket came out of the game machine.
I stooped down too, and soaked it all in..that beaming smiling face (eyes, cheeks, and mouth) all just grinning, as he reveled in the joy that comes with having a lucky streak--and {winning}.

Monday, December 10, 2012

On {today}

A few thoughts to sum up this spin...
An ounce of pretension is worth a pound of manure.
(oh what did we ever do before the Steel Magnolias quotables???)
Going to bed at 8:30 is going to be GREAT!
Count your blessings not your worries.
Check your kids' backpacks every day!
Happiness is sleeping in your own bed.
Mean people suck!
Good night ...

Saturday, December 8, 2012

FUN, FUN, FUN!!

So far this Christmas season we have just been having fun.
The older children get, the more fun parents can have! :)
This year, I got all the shopping completed the FIRST weekend of November.
I was by myself.
I had my new paycheck.
I had coupons, and lists.
So, since all of the {goods} are safely stuffed in their temporary
closet homes, I can just relax, and wrap them at my leisure. :)
So, this has left me to:
1.  Help with fotos con Santa-for Church fund raising
2.  Have a cookie party for the little girls--Elena and Eva's buddies (this was super-fun!)
3.  Go to see Disney on Ice with all three kids yesterday!! --Maybe the highlight of my Christmas??
That is left to be determined.
4.  Da la vuelta around the Southpoint Mall in Durham yesterday...which is one of my
favorite pass times of all --EVER!

Here is photographic evidence of all the fun--so far:





I am trying to instill in my children a love of the mall--this is all in my best self-interest, of course. ;).
We played in P. Barn, we rode the escalators (this is BIG TIME FUN if you are raised in
Beaufort county btw--more on that later), we ate fro yo, they played "house" in every store we went in,
they threw the bean bags that are used to hold down boots (this got me semi-promt service).
Since I really don't have more money to spend, and since all my shopping is essentially complete, we just enjoyed the aesthetics of the mall.
It even snowed there y'all!! --which my kids totally fell for--even though some lady who was walking just
ahead of us felt the need to point out that it was coming from the mall cop and his machine who were
perched overhead --OM... could you please put a stocking in it, oh dear one with an uncontrollable need
to torch the imaginations and gullibility of my completely delighted children???
I gave her the "shuT the h*l! up stank eye" look..
So, you might notice a lack of Andy in these pictures, that is b/c he has been working all the time!!
He did put the tree up with us last Saturday and he did watch "It's a Wonderful Life" with me
last Saturday night. :)

More fun is yet to happen!  We still have two big family get-togethers, and the actual Christmas festivities!!
Bring it on!

Monday, December 3, 2012

Deja vu all over again

Does this look familiar? This is the mantle that is my favorite spot to decorate b/c I have light up ball ornaments that go there. We put up the tree this past weekend and it was as fun as ever, and once again It's a Wonderful Life came on while we were decorating! So sweet!
Om, and more on the topic of skipping records...
Elena and I went to the orthodontist today THE SAME ONE I went to when I was little! The people there either knew me or remembered me. The office was the exact same --well, except for fresh interior- Thank God!
It was a strange feeling, I must say...

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Thanksgiving Eve Eve

Well,
Since it has been so long since I posted here, I will post.
I have not have blog posts rumbling around in my head like
I have in the past, but I will write, a ver if something comes to me.

We are going to the beach cottage tomorrow for our
Thanksgiving celebration.
I am going with the children and my Mama and Daddy will be there.
Andy will come after he sleeps off his work on Thursday.

My sister will come on Friday.
We are not cooking a gigantic Thanksgiving meal.
We are going to eat at the Thai Room restaurant that
is in a strip mall right near our cottage.
The restaurant will not be open on Thanksgiving day, so
no big meal that day.
My mama did make Elena a pumpkin pie with whipped cream
on top, because Elena loves that pie and she talks about it
all year long.

Thai food should be yummy!
The lady there loves my Mama and she is
excited to meet our family.

My Dad and I are going to see Lincoln.  I think that will be fun.
I have gotten so I really like to go to the theater to
see movies.
You are trapped in the seat...
No craving doing other stuff, and
you paid.

I will also go to TJMaxx.  That is one of my favorite places....
maybe on the whole planet??
Quality stuff in a scavenger hunt...hidden,
and a bargain too!
Fill a cart, and ponder...
Last time I was there I found
Lavendar soda!  I {almost} bought it, but then
I put it back and then sent my Mama back in to get it, and
it was all gone!
Buy the good stuff you find, lest it leave you!

I am also going to Van Huesen and buying myself a
white blouse b/c I {want} one, and that is an outlet, and
it will be a bargain.

So there,
A Thanksgiving post for ya!--ay que boring!!
Good lord!
I hope that all of my blog readers (all six of you)
have a Happy Thanksgiving!!

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Just because I figured this out...{maybe}

Yay! Yay! Yay!
I sure hope this works.  Since my cousin took this video it has been worrying me.  I guess I am sort of a dinosaur with some technological advances, and I have this idea that my stuff is {stuck} in certain places...it does not matter which place, but the stuff might be {stuck} there.  For example, some things I cannot upload to Walgreen's--this bugs me if I want to put it on a calendar.  Or, somethings are stuck in facebook...
or in a folder in an unknown spot on my computer...
Dinosaur...
But then, sometimes when there is an extra hour--I have a chance to figure the stuff out...
and at least I can still do that!
I mean we were talking about typing class today-Elena is learning to type in second grade, and
we were explaining that we took typing in highschool..and we used word processors!! ha!  type
writers!!-they do have a frame of reference for this b/c my Mama still uses an old timey type writer.
If they go near it she goes nuts..ha ha!!
Did you know that they no longer teach cursive writing in many schools?  That's right..and if one does not learn to write it, will one be able to read it??? {very interesting}...one day some linguistics nerd
will spend time trying to decipher all of this script we have been jotting down for millienia...
nah..I bet a robot will do it faster.

So check out my technological breakthrough, bloggy buddies...I unstoled my foto from f-book and put it wherever I wanted it. ;)

Spa night

This is something we only do about three times a year...
I am sure you can see why...
The foot bath blows bubbles when you put the foot sprinkles in it.
So fun{ny}!
All the kids love scooping up the bubbles and having a turn to soak their feet. Eva is scared of the foot tub, as it is a bit noisy.
Fun! Fun! Fun!

Monday, October 29, 2012

Jarabe de Palo 2012

Here are some pictures from the festival we went to, when we saw Jarabe de Palo on stage and
WE MET THE WHOLE BAND!!




The last one was taken during the show.
The first one was taken after the show when we are at the bar in the hotel and the
band members came in.
This was a very special night for me, as it was LITERALLY a dream come true to
get to see this band play.
My cousin's friend took all these pictures--as I did not have a camera with me!!
(can you even believe that??)  To be honest I did not want to be burdened with the
feeling that I should be taking pictures, so I did not bring equipment.  THIS WAS VERY DUMB!
There is another picture--no video--that was taken just after I chased the lead singer
down.  It, unfortunately, is trapped in videolandia...and will not be untrapped.
It is on facebook. :)
These pictures were emailed to me, and I have just made a collage of them, which will hang
in my house, where I can see them every day and remember that dreams do come true!
Now, notice that I put 2012 in the title, which does imply that we might see this band
again one day. ;).
Ojala que si!

Friday, October 19, 2012

fond farewells

Yesterday I was blasted with two things that are about to change in my life, which are staples for me,
and which I will miss terribly!
1.  The Stop N Shop near our cottage at the beach has been bought by new owners.  This is momentous, as the same people have run it/owned it since I was a little girl, and we considered it to be a rite of passage to get to be able to ride your bike there and get some candy.  Then, I worked there one time.  I just love that store.  You would have to go there to understand...it has a full deli in it, reef sandals, cool watches...a complete tackle/bait shop, kegs, gas....just a great place!
2.  Newsweek is discontinuing its print version!! Unbelievable!!--Newsweek is a staple for me.  I love Newsweek, and I have since I was in middle school.  So, not having a Newsweek to hold every Wednesday is going to be a sad occurence...

Wahhh Wahhh!!
:(

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

El concierto

Bueno, bloggy buddies,

This past weekend Andy and I went to Charlotte with my cousin, Lib, and her friend Grace.
We stayed at a Hilton that was in the parking lot of a large MALL!!
I am not even embarrassed to admit that I LOVE MALLS!
And it is very true for me that I never even get the chance to go to Malls.
So, this was very exciting.
The most exciting part, however, was going to hear one of my
favorite bands in concert--also right on the grounds of the hotel!!
UNBELIEVABLE!!
And, better still, --we got to meet the band--all of its members!!
They were staying in the hotel too, and when the show was over,
they walked right into the bar where all of our party was sitting,
having another drink!!
This weekend was a very exciting one.
The only photographic evidence that exists, however is
in my cousin, Lib's facebook acct.
She has not {shared} it with me yet, so this means I will
have to get her to. 
AND the evidence is in video form!! My cousin was a bit tipsy,and
the phone was on video, not camera mode.
Whatever--I did not even have a camera on me--so obviously I was not too
worried about all that.
I will say, though, that this trip was so worth all of my effort to get us there, and
even without meeting the band--
the music was so great!!  The music was wonderful, and the crowd was
the perfect size for me.
We fun people all around us, and it ended at 8:00--PERFECT! Hello!
I have to go to bed by 10:00 anyway--so there!
It was as if the whole night were designed to meet my needs!
:)
Oh, and I got a bit of shopping in too.
Here is a picture of the pair of boots I want from Nordstrom.
They cost 377.00--{Giver of lifestyle grants--are you reading yet???}
Yeah...so the guy in Nordstrom brought out these and several other pairs--in size 10.5!!
Yes.  In Nordstrom they have big feet shoes..It is amazing!! That is why I go there to try on shoes.
BUT.  These were just too pricey.... BUT-they were perfect!!!
Okay--now I have to snap back to reality...I HAVE TO WORK TODAY!!
Before that, I have to work out.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

STN

So we had playdates today after the Pumpkin Festival at school--and then the
playdates turned into STN (spend the night).
The oldest two had their friends stay--until the A.M.
"I really, really do not mind," I said to both of their mothers.
Honestly, I do not.
Children start playing, and they just get so into
whatever they are doing that you hate to break it up...
FUN!
So I took all five kiddies to Taco Bell, and then
we went to Walgr33n's where they played with Halloween stuff and
laughed.
When we got home they played in the play house.
Then they watched "Arthur's Spooky Tales" in the playhouse while
I did a constant round of snack delivering.
Turns out Arthur is just a little too spooky for five year old
little boys!! ha!
Isn't that a hoot?--I am talking about PBS Arthur!
These are the same two that were just trying on Scream masks!!
Then when it was time to go to bed I had to find things around my
house that mimick the lovies they snuggle at home.
Elena's friend has what she calls her, "thilky"--or silky--
So I got her nice clean pillow case that feels somewhat thilky.
B-man (V-man's friend) requested some kind of blanket..not too big
"you know, the right size..."--so I found him a baby doll quilt.
I told them to snuggle up, suck their thumbs and go to bed!! :)
Love it!

Maturity and Washcloths

What do these two have to do with eachother, you might ask?
Well, this is a comparison that I constantly make in my mind.
Every time I consciously feel myself thinking in a more grown up way
or really letting go of some idea that would have never happen,
or really understanding things about myself in a more peaceful light.
The explanation is this:
Contrary to what I always thought, that we become adults in a flash
of a moment--or like a switch coming on...I think we become adults/mature
like the squeezing of a washcloth.
Childhood is wrung out of us.
Here are some ways that I have discovered this over the
past several years:
Partying:  It has taken a long time, but slowly, and with
chonological aging, I have come to realize that I actually do
INTOXICATE myself if I have more than a couple drinks...
AND that most of the time I would rather not have any at all.
This has happened slowly and gracefully...
Here is another:
Every season change--or every other {spring and fall} I go attic
shopping!  {yippie}--sigh... said the old me!  An immature part of me used
to mourn this a bit...that all of my clothes are last year's with a sprinkle of
new stuff in there.
But this year--I GOT EXCITED!  I really, honestly do not care that
I get my clothes out of the attic and wear them all over again--all the time.
I have a friend who gives me her stuff too.  This helps, b/c I like most of
it, and she is my same size--so that stuff really is new!
I do not care that my work blouses have been worn for three winters..
This, too, has taken a while...Like wringing out the self-centeredness that makes
me think, it is {pitiful} to not have new stuff all the time.
Not pitiful at all actually!  It is actually called {trying} to live within my means, and
CHILDREN GROW, so they have to have new things...I do not.
These changes in the way I think about things are noticeable to me.
I actually think about them.

Interestingly enough--I am usually in the shower wringing out the washcloth when this
post writes itself to me! :)
So, today I was cleaning the bathroom and I thought this can go even further
when you think about wrinkles...and youthfulness being full and radiant...and we
age and ..well, you go write some more yourself if you like! :)

I am off to attic shop.  Gotta put the Spring inventory away for next year.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Date night

This is funny:
Last night was homecoming night here for our highschool (WHS).  Andy and I went on a date night and we went to the homecoming football game!
Andy had not been to one since highschool he thought.
I have been to one--to go with Sissy and Caroline or something--can't remember.
It was very fun!!
The marching band had a reunion this year and people from all over the country came home
and THEY PLAYED at the football game.
When we were in high school we had a HUGE BAND with beautiful uniforms etc.
They competed all over the country.
Now, this year, there were about 12 students in the marching band at the homecoming parade.
Guess who was in the parade???
V-man!  The kindergarten teachers got together and decided that the littles would wear tie dyed tees and walk in the parade!!
It was very fun.
Going out to that last night brought back floods of memories!!
Andy was going down memory lane too.
WHS lost to Havelock--
The band sounded great--we looked over and some of their instruments were banged
up and not shiny!  The people had just pulled them out of the closet/attic etc. and
come to play.

Bueno--that is enough of that...I will post a picture of V-man

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Breaking it out...

Since it's Saturday, and my kids have 20 more minutes to play in the yard...I am going to break out my old soapbox again...
I know you all have been missing it! :)
Okay..the other night I just happened to be watching TV whent the interview with A.R0mn3y came on.
I just about fell off the couch when she said that her favorite show is....
I am sure you have already heard this...
Modern Family!!!!
That is my favorite show too!! Are you kidding?  We {actually} have something in common!!
BUT {really} people.
Have you ever watched that show?
Ummm..this lady is a Mormon!!??
They do not {agree} with being gay--or however you want to say it.... pick a way-I call it all really dumb---and also religious conviction--I guess a mix of the two.
I happen to not agree with the people who want to judge/call out/pick on etc. gay people.
I also love, love, love that show.
So--back to the couch...
I almost got mad...I mean if anyone was watching that and did not think she seemed like a total idiot/hypocrite, then you must not have been listening to the interview, you must have been daydreaming after a long day of work (which is what I am about to start doing b/c this post is not writing itself to me right now).
So, okay--there are things that I am against ...
ummm..So, I do not watch shows that include those themes.
This is why any commercials, previews etc. about all of those murder shows and violence against women crime shows --they all get muted and turned --I don't like those activities or shows about them.
I am against that stuff.
I do not watch it, I am not entertained by it--it is not allowed in my house, really--even Andy does not watch that stuff.
So she--if she believes in her temple's teachings, does not believe that gay people are okay--
BUT--watching a hilarious show that includes a gay couple who is in a {married-like} relationship--
Well, sh!t--it's her favorite show, folks!
There you go!

Andy later clued me in...of course she would say that--it is most of America's favorite show--so
she wants to fit in....
Well, I still say she needs to check her facts.

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Un Mes (Septiembre)

Bueno, this post idea is from Jen of "Jen World" --over there in the sidebar.
I am going to set a goal for the month of September:  I like her idea...do the goal for one month.
Months fly by around here, you know!?
My goal is this:
Do not eat processed food snacks in the afternoon.  This means--no cookies, candy bars, chips, snack mixes, crackers--none of it.
Allowed?  Fruit, sliced bread, cheese, hummus, olives--all of which I like very much and usually have readily available.
I have been gaining weight at an astounding rate...AMAZING! i TELLYA!
This is coming from my stress level and the need to load up on carbs when I get home from school and on my way home from school.
I wonder what will happen with the weight I have gained--if I just control this need to eat junk--and lots of it--in the afternoons? hmmm...
No tea is helping this, Morgan! :(.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Forget Statements!

Honey!  You are making a SPEECH!
Well, I had all these funny pictures of {statement} jewelry on here saved--but the page will not load properly, so my Load a picture button is not here--
I am tired of this trend too.
Is this making me sound old?
I mean first I officially diss skinny jeans, and now I am picking on those among us to love to make statements
with their accessories.
I think there is a such a thing as either--too big a {statement} and the {wrong} statement--and then there is
too many statements--I mean the statement ring, along with the necklace that looks like you robbed Cleopatra's tomb, and then the earrings too--ummmm....
Who came up with this stuff???
I have been wearing the same necklace since I was 16 just about every day.
Have I been picked on?--well, maybe a couple times...
But, but, but, but--at least it sort of blends... you know? 
And yes, yes, yes, sometimes I do pick another one to wear--and I even have a couple {statement}
pieces myself...but no matter what...they do not exit the jewelry box in teams..you know?
I mean if you have on a gigantic necklace--it's okay for a finger to be nekkid!! for real...it is
If you are wearing a stunning ring---then just leave your neck plain--or wear something plain...
I have a friend who loves to remind me that Coco Chanel said (I think that's who said it) that before one leaves the house, one ought to look in the mirror and simply remove one accessory.  Yep...just that simple!

Ummm... Grant giver...are you reading??? :)

Just an amateur..

I have just cancelled my adsense acct.  I was just too busy to even think about what was going on with that thing...(which was not much).
Then they sent out a mailer, and I thought--oh, buddy, this is getting cancelled tonight.
We are all too busy to think about a measly -.04% earnings--that's right--according to whatever business model (and I do not know any) my advertising was an abysmal failure...
and guess what...
I don't care! :)
back to the simple ole--say whatever, and don't even maintain hope of earning an easy dime (does that even really happen???)
P.S.--My sister and I hold out hope that some wealthy benefactor (hello Oprah) will come along some day with our lifestyle grant money ready--we are really smart girls you know, we could write up a great proposal!  It would have you laughing and in stitches one minute and crying like a bad day of PMS the next...
Oh, benefactor, where for art thou!!??

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Whew!! {y'all}

Even typing that, and saying it in my mind makes me think of Paula Deen! ha!
That is how I feel.
Just--whew...as in all my air is fizzling out and all I can think of is exhaustion--and a compulsion to eat sweets! (???)--that is b/c I am so out of energy I think.
The latter part is being controlled (partly) by drinking tea...
Calm me down tea, and make me skinny tea (we can all hope, right?)
So this school year will be a year of changes for me.
I have been moved across the river to a different school, b/c of money etc. all of the speech pathologists who are county paid have to be evenly distributed around the county.  It was all done fairly etc., but I must say this has thrown me for a loop!--I did not want to move out of the school where my children go--and will go, in Eva's case.
But you know what?--WHATEVER!  I am quickly getting over this.
Logistically this has thrown me somewhat of a monkey wrench--but that is what friends and grandmas and grandaddys are for--right?? to help solve these logistical nightmares, and one of my friends reminded me of this when I was sharing with her how upset I have been.
V-man and Elena are now safely arranged into carpools with said friend--Andy will retrieve everyone in the afternoon.
It's gonna be different--but it's not gonna be bad. :)
It will be great!
So, back to how tired I am.
The first week of school kicks the butt.
Really.
I have been so used to going to bed later and moseying out of the bed and wandering around the house...that having to get up and rush at heart attack pace--not good.
By three oclock I am absolutely exhausted--not quite sure why--?? but I am and I come home and lay on the couch and just LAY THERE.--the whole Dr. Oz I watch with one eye half open.  Then I get up and I do not cook supper--I say things like--
"Well I think Cocoa Crispies are a great choice--they say they have lots of Vitamin D in them."
or--"I am not sure what you will eat--we have no coffee."--I realize that makes no sense--I told you I was tired.
The audience here is my children who are at Nana camp this week.  That Nana--she has the energy of a kid, I think--On Monday they went to the Library, the Pizza Inn, swimming twice, walking the dogs, they played play-doh, and she bathed them all and when I went to pick the children up--they were walking the dogs again....
How does she do this???
However she does it, it makes me feel great that I do not have to feel guilty--she has done all of the upkeep while I have been at school all day.  I just snuggle them and hug them and read to them, and we watch some TV and off to bed they go...
Now, if only I had some candy..and some Pepsi, ..and hmm...some white powdered donuts...yeah...

Sunday, August 12, 2012

It's a party!

And you are all invited- as long as you are a cicada and you need to shed your skin, that is.

Friday, August 10, 2012

Two things I am sure of

1.  Murphey's oil soap is my favorite scent in the world!! I use it to clean my hardwood floors about three times a year (that is all you are supposed to do it or they will ruin) and, well, I LOVE IT...!!

2.  Skinny jeans are the worst fashion trend EVER!! They really only look good on stick figure ladies--and how many of those do we even see around any more??  I mean I hardly ever see stick figure ladies ...
If you have the apple body then they sag on your butt
If you have the pear body--well that is a disaster...can we say sausage casings??
All together now. Sausage. Casings.
Another problem--they do not feel good when you wear them...
Just putting on a pair makes me sweat and they get mid-way up my calves and I just have to
abort the mission of encasing myself...
Forget fashion.
When men wear them--that is just so dumb-looking... I am sorry--but it sucks!!
Has anyone seen the commercial where the dad comes out of the dressing room in a pair of skinny jeans
and asks how they look?
HILARIOUS!!.
Skinny Jeans need to go the way of the Do Do bird--they need to go away and never be revisited.
Oh, and another problem with this trend....they sag in the crotch???
eww...How does that look good...--that looks like a baby with a filled up diaper to me
or the other option in camel toe..and that is just plain inappropriate.
GOODBYE SKINNY JEANS!!
Thanks,
Susan

All about Closets

So when the scrambling starts and my type A personality gets the best of me, order takes the day. One closet down (Victor's), with two to go- actually I have worked in mine all I am going to, but the one in the hall-- that thing is a death trap! I don't even know what is up there! On a bad day-- the kind where you have two B-day parties to go to and PMS -- it can be {terrible}.
So I will continue on my quest to closet perfection. . . Wish me luck! am working under a time constraint here. :)

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

If I get...

any lazier, and used to hanging out all day...Well, I just don't know!!
It is rainy here today and we are all just meandering around the house.
So. Nice.
Also, being lazy gives me anxiety--like--I know there are things I {should be doing}
BUT every summer at this time I just {freeze up}.
I begin to read books continuously and just sit around and stare and watch lots of TV etc.
It is b/c the curtain is being drawn on my summer vacation and I think, in some ways, I am
trying to just be as {lazy as possible} before I have to get cranked up into high gear again.
So this week I am going to:
Organize two closets, go to my old school and get my stuff out, and
ommm....
well, I probably will not do any of that! :) ha!
We just got back from the beach where we enjoyed every second of a vacation.
V-man's highlight was being allowed to ride the go cart by himself (pictures to come soon).
He got to drive it!!
Eva's highlight was ...who knows??
Elena's...she says she does not know.
Everyone enjoyed swimming in the calm, warm ocean.
I enjoyed watching the olympics and cheering for Michael Phelps.
:)
I will post pictures of the adventures soon.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Check it out!

It has bows, cherries, ruffles, AND polka dots! A little girl's dream for sure. It was on clearance at Belk! A Mama's dream for sure. Some of our other ones were looking pretty terrible after their second summer in the river.

Monday, July 23, 2012

All Aboard!!

The speed train that is called, "summer vacation."  Hold on tight, folks--we are going to be travelling at lightening speed.  Get ready to:
take kiddies to swim practice each day,
lunch
pool/river/nap
play outside
go to swim meets
carve watermelon
eat peaches
eat cherries
make supper (or go to Grandma's)
watch fun kid shows (Justin Silver's dogs of NYC and wipeout)
repeat
carve another watermelon
take a quick roadtrip
VBS...
Are you still holding on?
Do all of that some more--but do not forget to take a breath.
Breath in that hot, summer air.
Oh, and don't forget to enjoy that luke warm bath water river...
it doesn't last long on the Summer speed train...
It just whizzes by!! whoosh...
Oh, and throw in some jumping on the trampoline,
tinkering in the garden--those plants bake {fast} in the boiling summer sun...
you might even pull some weeds out if you are super fast!
boat rides,
catch some fish,
rain storms,
thunder storm watching
more pool
more river...
Still holding on!??
I hope so, b/c soon those
familiar tugs start to ground us and our Summer train ride will grind to a screeching halt!
We will start to think...
Is that bathing suit too little?  Already?
Could I see you growing?
Did I even have a chance to relax and be
alone?  and {relax}--do they have that car on the Summer speed train?
When did those little freckles pop up?
Did we get {enough} of those fresh peaches? watermelon?  did I buy every cherry that I could??
tug, tug, tug...
Which backpack do you want?
Oh, that one is your favorite!  okay--Who will your teacher be?
Our fast, wonderful train ride of Summer and fun will come to an end, and I think
I will be wondering...
Would a slower train be better?  It that an option?

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Eva

Will be three tomorrow. Her request? A pink and red butterfly cake! Easy enough my little hambone princess. Part of our party day will surely be spent eating supper at Andy's cheesesteaks. The other part will include a family party. I just can't wait to eat that cake! :)

Monday, July 9, 2012

Making Coral

Elena has a subscription to a little girl's magazine that had cute ideas for an ocean themed party. Can you spot the coral? The sea foam float? Watermelon fish? We had a great time! The ideas were too cute to resist.

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Why I Love Summer

Elena spent the night with a friend last night (That is why she is not in a picture). The only alarm I have to mind is the dog wanting to go out . . .
Cherries are in season.

Friday, July 6, 2012

Spot and Prissy

Our neighbor has a little dog. At some point last year Spot found her and thus began the amazing friendship of Spot and Prissy. They look for each other outside. They bark to call one another. It has been so fun to watch them. My children, particularly Elena, love to watch Spot and Prissy play together. Here are some fotos.

Thursday, July 5, 2012

3 {MILLION!!!} Dollars???

okay, this is what i have been reading in the tabloid rags lately..
J. S!mpson is getting paid 3 millions dollars to be the spokesperson for Weight wAtchers...
WITW???
Are you kidding me.
I mean they are going to pay HER all that freaking money to not be a fat pig??
Meanwhile--poor, little ole regular me --has TO PAY THAT COMPANY 20 bucks a
month to NOT BE FAT!! ???
Reading that they will be paying her that absurd amount of money makes  me want to cancel
my membership...
Why does she deserve to get paid to lose her baby weight??
Who even {likes} her???--I mean besides her friends and family obviously (I am not that mean).
BUT --as far as celebrity goes she is right down at the bottom of my {favorite} celeb totem pole..
ughh..she is crude, rude, disgusting--she acts like she is dumb all the time...she has no manners,
she is --yuck, people!!
I mean are they going to hire someone to count her points for her too??

BAD! BAd! Bad!! Weight Watchers!! {yuck!}

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Various and Asundry observations/opinions

This post has been in my head as of late.
I am sure I will forget bits of it, but here goes.
The post's primary purpose was to be to express my dislike of certain linguistic habits, but
there are a couple of others that I just thought I would {put out there}. :)
*Does anyone else find it irritating when people constantly shorten names of restaurants or name brands
from the whole name to a shorter version?  It reminds me of the brat pack in an eighties movie, or lots
of sorority girls...here are some I hear {constantly}...
The restaurant here, El Tapatio --becomes "El tap" --ahhh!!
Okay here are more...
Lilly Pulitzer clothes become "Lily dresses" or a "lilly top"--ahhhh!!--I don't even like those clothes, and I have to hear about them AND with a shortened version of the word...{torture}.
The restaurant Backwater Jack's becomes, "jack's"...
I just like to say the whole names of things...It does not take that much extra energy, and
sounding like an 18 year old is not something I am interested in....
Just say the whole word, people!! :)

*The other thing I have been meaning to put up here is this whole new razor trend.
Why to razor makers/designers think women need a razor with a slime ball wrapped
around it??
You have all seen them...they have GIANT chunks of {moisturizer} which promptly becomes
slime when you are ever-so-delicately balancing in the shower trying not to cut yourself.
Just leave the razors alone!!

*...And one more...why do hat makers make all ladies hats in one size?  I mean really, men's hats come in sizes, and then you check the ladies one--and
Well, I guess women all have the same sized heads--that would be the assumption to make..
{except mine!!} :)...
And with that, I will go and make my breakfast. :)

Thursday, June 28, 2012

La Mimosa

Can be:
A tree with pink feathery blooms.
A drink made of orange juice and champagne
A trailer park with some very old trailers where many of the families I work with live.
A neighborhood where there are big houses on the river. . .
Check it out!

Spot on!

Spot is our family's chihuahua.  He is what we call, "an evil dictator/stuffed animal come to life".  Sometimes, after he has ...