Monday, June 30, 2008

God Bless Lee Greenwood

There is a big Celebrate America shindig every year the Sunday before July 4th. With bounce houses, jump slides, music, food, and fireworks available, I knew the kids would enjoy the event.

I got a little nervous yesterday morning though. On Saturday night, we had winds over 40 mph along with torrential rain. The wind slowed down, but the rain continued at a slower pace all night and until about 11 the next morning.

At least we wouldn't have to worry about potential firecracker residue fires.

Too bad I didn't think about the potential muddy shoe fiasco.

We didn't even pull up until around 7:15, but you could tell people had been milling around since probably around 5.

The kids enjoyed the playground and bounce house before they spotted the food. Most of the grass was soooo wet, that you really couldn't help squishing mud between your toes with almost every step.

A hot dog, nachos, and two snow cones in hand, we settled on the top row of a back bleacher. The event was held (as it is every year) on the grounds of a local church in town. The kids did pretty well sitting through two comedians, the color guard, and all the intro into the fireworks. There were several bands that played before that.

Although, I was probably asked 14 gazillion times when the fireworks were going to start.

A side note: The headliner comedian was Kerrie Pomerelia. She was funny and I will probably go check out her website. She is married to another comedian, Ron. You will know him when you see him. Poor guy, I thought he was funny, but his humor was lost on the crowd.

The fireworks were good and it was so funny to hear my kids go "OH MY GOODNESS!" and "WOW!" and "AHHHH!" and "COOL!" over and over and over! We had the best spot to see the display as they were right over our heads. My hands were full, so I didn't take any pics. But their faces were beautiful under the fireworks' sparkle!

We will likely find some more fireworks shows later this week, but this was a good start.

And I was reminded of some good music I want to add to my sidebar. I forgot how much I like Toby Keith. And really, who can resist giving The Boss and Neil Diamond a little American love on their blog!

But man, that Lee Greenwood, he knew what he was doing by recording his all-American song. I don't even have to tell you which one because I know you are singing it in your head right.this.minute!! :) He has July 4th wrapped around his finger.

Now don't forget to be good little boys and girls this week!

The Firecracker Fairy is watching!!

Stacey

Friday, June 27, 2008

Apparently, I have BADD

Blogger Attention Deficient Disorder

Read at your own risk!

Awhile back I caved to the Facebook peer pressure. Thanks alot Jenn! :) However, you wouldn't really know it because I am hardly there.

I do think it is pretty cool how you can get automatic connections simply through your email accounts and find people in other ways that you have lost touch with over the years. But honestly, the rest is either a little silly or kinda creepy to me. It just feels sorta oogy to me that I can read what people are writing or sending to each other.

YES, I know my life is plastered all over this blog for all the world to see! I don't know, it just feels different on Facebook. And besides, all those extra things you can sign up for are just too much for me to keep up with!

OH WELL, I will probably still hang out there, say hi now and then, and maybe even actually update my profile with a little more detail!

I mean, really, how else will I get my voyeur fix from day to day! ;)

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I have not participated in any carnival-type things in the last few months. Been a little too busy and I know how addicting they can be. Especially the ones with lots of goodies to give away! But just thinking about that in a random way, brings to mind something I have had a hard time with for awhile.

I really dislike dealing with word verification when I leave comments. I know a lot of people use it, but it really bugs me. It REALLY bugs me when I am participating in a carnival and have a lot of people to visit. In my humble opinion, I think it would be so kind to disable it during those times. I love visiting and commenting during those special events, but it just takes so dang long with w.v. It pretty much bugs me otherwise too.

I TOTALLY understand why it is used-to discourage spam issues. I guess I can only go by personal experience. I have never enabled it and have only ever had 2 spam comments. Even during big events!

I get all my comments by email and can easily delete what I don't want to read. So, I guess my question is, do I really need it?

And no worries, as much as it bothers me, I won't stop visiting all my favs that use it!!

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A couple of weeks ago, I got my hair cut much shorter and got my summer highlights.

All with a new stylist.

Do you feel the tension already?

I greatly dislike finding a new person to do my hair anyway, but of course, this first audition did not go well. I will probably have to get someone to fix my hair-the cut, not the color. She did great on the highlights. Thank goodness! HOWEVER, I did have to twiddle my thumbs for THREE HOURS while she did the cut and h/l's!

OH WAIT, I didn't twiddle my thumbs! I actually had to help her prep and manage the foil. She was 15 minutes late to my appt., then spent 30 minutes folding and tearing the foil. Then she did some time-consuming technique with a plastic board. I had to fold an edge over the board, then she would hold my hair on it as she propped it against her body and swiped on the color.

EVERY.

TIME.

OH.MY.HELP.ME!

Sadly, I had also scheduled a pedicure. It only took 45 minutes and looked like it too. She did that too. EVERYONE that works there took off that Saturday except her. Massage people, nail people, and all the other hair people.

Seriously?

It was called Break Away Day Spa.

Four hours later, I wanted to rename it Break Away From Day Spa!

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Since everything else has changed in my life, I am thinking of changing the look around here too. I really love my red and brown (and might even revert back to it later!), but I might do something brighter and funkier for summer. Who knows! Expect the unexpected!

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After being gone Sunday-Wednesday on a business trip, my husband is gone again this weekend for a fishing trip. The grandparents are gone as well. In a moment of weakness, I already promised the kids that we would go swimming for 3 days in.a.row! I may have to throw in a movie as well. Right now, I am pretty pathetic in the "fun and creative summer mom" category, so this will have to do!

My sanity may be in question by the time he gets back Sunday afternoon!

If it isn't already!

Stacey

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

It's A Snap!



My daughter has 20 trillion hair bands.

I had them divided and organized in a drawer, but as you can imagine, they always managed to get mixed up.

As I was giving all the stuff from her room a new home, I came across the dreaded hair bands. Ugh, I needed a better plan. I have all her hair bows clipped to a string that hangs in her closet. I needed another brilliant idea like that! ;)

Later that day, I came across an extra set of plastic shower curtain rings.

Here is where keeping "junk" just in case comes in handy!

What looks like a pile of hair bands...


is really a neatly contained array of beauty accessories!



Even my daughter can manage the snap/unsnap by herself!

And that works for me too!

For other great ideas, head over to Rocks In My Dryer.

Stacey

Monday, June 23, 2008

I feel like such a jet-setter!

I got me a new little gig!

Today, you can also find me over at Blissfully Domestic!

A few weeks back, there was an open casting call for new contributors. I decided to see if I could be of any service.

Because, of course, I have nothing else to do these days!

Although, most of my articles will likely be stored under Special Needs, you might find me under Parenting and Family sometimes.

Either way, it is an honor to join their circle!

Be sure to check out the site! It has lots of contributors and LOTS of neat and informative articles!

And they are working on some fun changes to take place soon!

OH, and if you are a regular around here, don't be surprised if a few of my first articles look familiar. Since I already had so much material ready, I decided to just reformat them before publishing over there. I like their new look better anyway!

Don't worry, new stuff will be arriving real soon!

Stacey

Update: I wrote this last night b/c I knew the article would be posted today, but I just popped over to see it in person! UGH-just totally ignore the color kookiness! I did some of it on purpose, but the brown/black and pink/more pink was a mix-up. We type our articles in Typepad which I am totally unfamiliar with and still learning my way around. The final-product perfectionist in me is cringing! I know, I know, just let it go! :)

Where two or three are gathered....

you might want to have a marriage counselor present!

I should know better.

Anything that involves nails, a hammer, a man, a woman, deciding on proper picture arrangement, and putting holes in the wall is a sure way to find yourself in divorce court!

Just kidding!!

(or not)

If you are puzzled because you can't imagine why this is a difficult situation, then let me just paint the picture for you.

(ha, look at me, a pun!!)

Me: We need to get all these pictures hung up today.

Him: What? You didn't tell me that!

Me: Yes, we talked about it last night.

Him: I don't think so.

(As you can see, this is going really well from the start!)

Me: Layed out all the pictures/decor to be put up in son's room.

Him: Comes up to room with drill, hammer, and wall hanging stuff.

Me: I was thinking about this here, that there, etc. What do you think?

(Yes, I know, mistake #1 is asking his decorating opinion! He thinks This Old House. I think Divine Design.)

It went on like this for some time. I won't alarm you with the details.

There might have been yelling involved. Yikes!

We got most everything hung up in our son's room, but at one point, I just put the last few things back in the closet and was ready to call it quits. I was overwhelmed with making decorating decisions.

With a man.

We then moved on to the hallway. A simple lining up of our kids' annual pictures down the hall. All in like-minded black frames. No big deal!

By the end of the task, it was comical.

Each picture ended up 1/2 inch higher than the last. Despite a yard stick, a leveler, and two intelligent adults.

Well, maybe one.

JUST KIDDING!

We would love to have you come admire our finished work!


Just don't do the picture-tilt test!
Looks can be deceiving!



Stacey

Friday, June 20, 2008

BTW, what is your hourly rate?

I really really don't want to talk about this.

Because, as we all know, if we don't acknowledge it then it never really happened.



Obviously, as most of you have known or figured out, we moved. It was set in motion last October. It had to do with my husband's job. I just wanted to make sure no one thought we were forced out; it was a choice. Not my choice, but a choice nevertheless. I just never talked about it. Truthfully, I didn't know how. I didn't know how without peeling off layers. I have really even struggled the last two months on how to talk about it now. It involves a LOT of emotions on my part. I also struggled with how what I say will impact those who read it, whether you be a relative, friend, a casual reader. What will you think of me if I actually bare my real feelings about some things in my life.

Here are some things that I have concluded. Why do I write here anyway? It varies from to preserve memories, share stories, journal our life, reach out to others, or just gab about things. Probably the reason most of us do it. But the bottom line of all those reasons? This is my place. My place where I really can say what I want, share I what feel, and seek what I need. Knowing that it is my place may mean that I occasionally share things that others don't agree with or that they don't understand at the time.

So all I ask, is that anytime I decide to unload about this experience for me, that you will show me grace. Always read what I write knowing that these are my experiences, my thoughts, my feelings at this moment in my life. Maybe I shouldn't care so much what others end up thinking, but frankly that is just me. It is in my nature.

And just for good measure...let me ASSURE you that I TOTALLY get it that there are WAAAY BIGGER problems in the world right now. WAY BIGGER! People are dying, losing someone they love, confronting disasters, enduring huge financial struggles, and the list could go on! I acknowledge that! But right now, in my little world, this is my struggle. It in no means I have forgotten the bigger picture. And to prove that, I am promising that whenever I talk about it and all the negative feelings I have, that I will share something positive about the experience as well. It will be a good reminder for me!

I am not going to say much more here today. It already feels a little overwhelming with just a few short paragraphs.

Because most days I feel like this.


Although I really am trying to remember that He is always beside me.


This was taken when my daughter was about 18 months old. We had been in our home a few months.


This is my daughter at 6.5 years old. This would be our last day in our home.


Crazy! I couldn't even get her whole body in the picture!

Well, thanks for seeing me today. Your couch is very comfortable! ;)

Stacey

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Splash O Rama

I am still playing lots of catch up, so remember these pics are from his last week of school!

These are the 4 boys in the class, which was also made up of 9 girls. Hmmmm, who do think got in more trouble!



The teachers had set up these fun little games, as well as splash pools. These pics are funny to me, even more so since I was there to see it. The kids did not really get the games, so it was funny to watch. Part of the problem was that there was a large swimming pool still out on the grounds from a church activity that previous weekend. The kids did not really understand why they were not going "swimming"!

Oh well, they ended up having a great time anyway!















Over the years, all their activities were always on T/Th, so I usually missed them. I loved that Splash Day was on a Monday so I could watch!

Happy Splashing!
Stacey

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone!

Yes, I know.

I am the title master!

Not really, but I made you finish the song in your head, and at the same time described the day almost perfectly!

Several months ago, I had started the planning to have my son's birthday party at my in-laws house. I knew we would already be there and that my kid's would not have any new friends yet. Oh, and we would already be missing terribly our friends!

My in-laws have a larger property with a pond and lots of room to explore. They are always opening their home for other events and they were just as gracious for us and our friends. Several months ago, I let a few families know so they could be planning the trip.

I planned an all-day, multi-activity kind of day which also included lots of food! I really wanted to make the trip worth it for our friends.

The best part was that one family came down Friday night and stayed with us, while the other family stayed over on Saturday night! The kids got extra time together and I got some special time with each of my girlfriends. As I have already told them, they were the best kind of medicine!

(Jenn- We MISSED MISSED y'all! I hope you guys are having a safe road trip!!)

Now, of course anytime you plan an event of this kind that far ahead, you can only hope and pray for good weather! In June, my vision of good weather would be a light rain shower in the early morning and cooler temperatures throughout the day!

But then again, we are in Texas!! You never know!

Which is why, the HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS that started early that morning did not stress me much. That is until they kept coming and coming. All I could envision was 16 people (8 of those being kids!) trapped in my in-laws house all day!

But as you will see from the pictures, the rain did stop. And actually, right when it should have! While it was still warm that day, it so much more comfortable than it could have been!

I will let the pictures do the rest of the talking! (Well, I might talk just a little!)

This was our reason for the big event! My little man was turning 4!


The cake turned out so super cute! I was a little nervous because I was able to access my normal cake people-my sister or the other local lady I had always used! But when I saw the creations of this lady, I knew! And just know, this was one of her simple creations!


You can see how wet the ground was! It was so close to lunch time, that we sent the men and the kids out while we got all the food prepped. They had enjoyed riding bikes and little motor vehicles, or playing with Jake the puppy. NO, it is not our puppy!












This picture cracks me up!


We came in for lunch and enjoyed lots of good food!




All the kids were full of antics that day! Even the littlest ones!


An aspiring model?


We decided to open presents next. We wanted to let the ground dry a bit more, plus we knew there was a certain present that needed to be opened prior to fishing!

Fun Lego cars!


Water guns!


THE Pitching Machine! He had seen one similar on TV and had not stopped talking about it!


Mom's favs! Crayola Color Wonder (no mess!) and a new game for his ClickStart.


Water slide!


LOTS of clothes! I used some money he had received to get him some new summer outfits, PJ's, socks, underwear, and the revered Spiderman cap! During the week, he also got to go shopping for himself with his new wallet from Daddy and some other money he had received. He is so proud of his flip flops, new puzzle, and new bat and ball!


Here he is opening his Rocket Rod Fishing Pole. He turned his back so he could see what it was first! After that, the fishing was on!








The Crew!


This was his preferred cap position! Oh my!


We did lots of fishing! Well, some of us! I did lots of picture-taking! In case you had not figured that out yet! :) I love all these pics. I won't explain them all, but I feel like they tell such great stories!












S. brought some super bait and was catching fish about every 2 minutes!


She is my heroine! Bleck-slimey fish!




The older twins had never been fishing, so we were laughing at their awe of the tacklebox!






There was lots of bug catching! At one point, the kids were getting restless, so we made up a nature scavenger hunt for them.


The kids actually got to use many of his presents, including the waterguns, waterslide, and the pitching machine!




I am obligated to show you this picture! You know, in case you are a baseball scout! I was informed that he has perfect hitting form in this picture. Ahem!


We ended the day as we started it...with food!




WOW, it was an awesome day! Now you know why we were all so tired! I am so grateful for our friends making the trip and my in-laws for opening their home.

It was a GREAT day!

Stacey

p.s. There is another story to match my title, but I will save it for later! ;)